Airborne weather surveillance contract announced for Space Force

The U.S. Space Force is seeking a contractor to provide airborne weather surveillance services for space launches from the Western Range located at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The military said in contract documents released Wednesday that the Western Range requires the capability to obtain aircraft flight services to support Space Launch Delta 30 (SLD 30) operations. Assigned to Space Systems Command and headquartered at Vandenberg, SLD 30 is responsible for all space launch operations from the U.S. West Coast.

The contractor will arrange for and provide an instrumented weather surveillance aircraft capable of operating under all weather conditions during day or night to an altitude of 32,000 feet (service ceiling), be able to attain speeds of 250 knots, and be able to descend to a hard deck of 3,000 feet MSL. The contractor will also have the capability to provide a second aircraft at the stand-by location as a backup to the primary aircraft.

The crew aboard the aircraft will provide weather observation data (e.g., cloud type, cloud base/height/ thickness/location, temperature, wind, turbulence, status of precipitation, lightning observations, etc.) to the Launch Weather Officer and/or Frontier Control for up to four hours.

Under a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA), the contract will run from April 8, 2025, to April 7, 2028. The 30th Contracting Squadron (30 CONS) is managing the contract.

“The government will award one or more BPAs to the offeror(s) who provide prices that are deemed fair and reasonable,” the 30 CONS said in documents. Companies interested in providing the support are invited to respond with a quote by March 25.

Southwest Airlines eliminating 1,750 jobs

To create a leaner and more agile organization, Southwest Airlines announced on Monday they are planning a workforce reduction as part of the company’s transformation plan.

The workforce reduction of approximately 1,750 employee roles is focused almost entirely on corporate overhead and leadership positions and represents approximately 15% of corporate positions, including senior leadership and directors. Eleven senior leadership positions (Vice President and above), also representing 15% of the company's senior management committee, will be eliminated as part of this restructuring, the airline said in a company press release. The plan is to have the workforce reduction completed by the end of the second quarter of 2025.

Difficult Decisions

Southwest has been under pressure from key shareholders to make big changes in upper-level management.

"This decision is unprecedented in our 53-year history, and change requires that we make difficult decisions,” said Bob Jordan, president, chief executive officer & vice chairman of the Board of Directors. “We are at a pivotal moment as we transform Southwest Airlines into a leaner, faster, and more agile organization,” he added in a statement. “I arrived at this decision thoughtfully and carefully, knowing how hard it will be to say goodbye to colleagues who have been a significant part of our Southwest culture and accomplishments. I'm grateful to all Southwest employees who have shared in our legendary history and to those that will guide us into the next era of Southwest Airlines."  

Cost Saving

As a result of the workforce reduction, the company estimates partial-year 2025 savings to be approximately $210 million and full-year 2026 savings to be approximately $300 million.

These savings exclude an expected one-time charge in the first quarter of 2025 in the range of $60 million to $80 million, substantially all of which is related to severance payments and post-employment benefits, which the company expects to treat as a special item.

The company will continue to report on additional cost-saving actions as 2025 progresses.

In January, the airline announced the sale and leaseback of 36 Boeing 737-800 aircraft to generate cash. That announcement was followed by longtime leaders within the company announcing their retirement.

New CFO announced as part of Southwest Airlines’ transformational plan

Southwest Airlines Co. announced Tuesday that Tom Doxey has been named executive vice president & chief financial officer effective March 10, bringing extensive experience in aviation finance, operations, and strategic transformation.

"Tom's expertise in financial planning, fleet management, and operational leadership makes him a tremendous asset to our executive team as we drive progress on our transformational plan," said Bob Jordan, president, chief executive officer, & vice chairman of the Board of Directors at Southwest Airlines. "We are confident that his experience in strategic transformation will be an asset as he builds upon our financial strength, operational excellence, and our deep commitment to our employees, the investment community, and our shareholders."

According to a CNBC article, the airline was facing pressure from activist Elliott Investment Management pushing for leadership changes at the company.

Last month, Southwest Airlines announced two of the company’s longtime executive officers have made plans to retire. Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Tammy Romo and Chief Administration Officer Linda Rutherford will retire from their positions effective April 1.

Doxey Experience

Doxey most recently served as President of Breeze Airways, where he led the airline through a successful transformation from a startup to profitability in under two years. Under his leadership, Breeze developed a strong guest-focused brand, launched a loyalty program and co-branded credit card, optimized its fleet and network, and became the country's largest NCAA basketball charter operator.

Before Breeze, Doxey held several leadership roles at United Airlines, including Senior Vice President of Technical Operations and CFO of Operations. At United, he oversaw global maintenance, supply chain, and engineering teams, managed a $5 billion budget, and led strategic initiatives, including a complex aircraft storage program during the global pandemic. He also led United's fleet transactions and planning teams and had financial oversight for United's $18 billion operations budget.

Doxey's aviation career began in financial planning and fleet management roles at Allegiant Air and US Airways, where he gained deep expertise in aircraft transactions, cost optimization, and corporate finance.

United Airlines service to Israel restarts among ceasefire in the region

United Airlines announced on Tuesday they plan to resume service to Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 15. The flights will depart from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. A second daily flight will begin March 29.

The restart of United flights to Israel follows an announcement that Hamas and Israel have entered phase two of a ceasefire and hostage release in the region. Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump this week told reporters there are “no guarantees” the ceasefire will hold.

United’s decision to resume flights came following a detailed assessment of their operations.

“This resumption follows a detailed assessment of operational considerations for the region and close work with the unions who represent our flight attendants and pilots,” United Airlines said in a company press release. The flights will use Boeing 787-10 jets.

United has a longstanding commitment to serving Tel Aviv. “This return will make United the first U.S. airline to resume service this year,” the company said. “United also offers connections to Tel Aviv through partners including Lufthansa Group airlines. United will continue to evaluate opportunities to restore additional flights based on demand.”

Shareholders approve Boeing's purchase of Spirit AeroSystems

Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc., has announced that its shareholders have approved the proposed acquisition by The Boeing Company. The vote, held during a special meeting on Friday, signifies a major step forward for the planned transaction. This acquisition, initially announced in the summer, is now on track to reshape the landscape of the aerospace manufacturing industry.

The deal aims to bring Spirit AeroSystems, a key supplier of aircraft structures, under Boeing's umbrella, aiming to streamline operations and enhance supply chain stability.

The transaction is expected to close in mid-2025, subject to closing conditions including the receipt of regulatory approvals.

"Our shareholders’ resounding approval today represents an important milestone in our carefully planned merger with Boeing," said Irene Esteves, Spirit AeroSystems chief financial officer. "As we continue executing our transition planning, we remain focused on Spirit's foundational principles of safety, compliance, and quality."

Spirit will continue to operate as an independent company until the transaction closes.

Regional passenger jet collides with Blackhawk helicopter in Washington, DC

A collision between a PSA Airlines regional jet and a Blackhawk helicopter on Wednesday is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

A Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet (tail number N709PS) operated by PSA Airlines collided in midair with a U.S. Army Sikorsky H-60 helicopter (Flight ID: PAT25) while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday.

The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said they started receiving multiple calls for an aircraft crash above the Potomac River at 8:53 p.m. DC Fire and EMS, the MPD, and numerous partner agencies are currently coordinating a search and rescue operation in the Potomac River.

The flight-tracking website ADS-B Exchange provided a view of three helicopters searching the Potomac River near the airport.

“There is no confirmed information on casualties at this time,” MPD said in a statement.

The PSA Airlines jet was operating as American Eagle flight 5342 inbound to Reagan National Airport from Wichita, Kan. There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the aircraft.

The Federal Aviation Administration and NTSB will investigate the crash. The NTSB will lead the investigation.

Reagan National announced at 9:12 p.m. that all takeoffs and landings had been halted at the airport. “Emergency personnel are responding to an aircraft incident on the airfield,” airport officials said on X. “The terminal remains open.”

Audio recording of fatal plane crash near Charlottesville, Virginia

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the crash of a single-engine plane near Charlottesville, Va.

In a post on X, the agency said a Beech V35B plane (tail number N2UZ) crashed in northern Albemarle County on Saturday. Local news reports state the crash site is located just off East Monacan Drive. The pilot, the only person aboard the plane, died in the accident.

An audio recording of communications between Charlottesville Airport and the pilot posted to the Internet provided some details before the crash. The pilot reported an emergency 10 miles south of Charlottesville's airport.

“Declaring an emergency,” the pilot reported. “I’m 10 miles south. Just lost my engine. I hope I make the airport.”

Charlottesville airport tower gave Highway 29 and a few golf courses in the area as alternate landing spots if he didn’t reach the airport.

“2 Uniform Zulu is not gonna make it,” the pilot reported. “I’m gonna go for a field in front of me. Three or four miles south of the airport.”

Watching air traffic control radar in the tower, Charlottesville controllers asked two pilots flying in the local area to begin searching for the aircraft on the ground. One of those aircraft was the Civil Air Patrol trained in search and rescue.

Fire and rescue units found the aircraft later. The plane was destroyed by a post-crash fire.

The plane is registered to Brent E. Hippert of Titusville, Fla., according to Federal Aviation Administration records. The pilot was enroute to Charlottesville from Richmond County Airport, N.C.