Will Guisbond
Senior Reporter at @theaircurrent.com. Flies airplanes. Writes about airplanes. Former Vertical Magazine. Signal: willguisbond.11
- Reposted by Will GuisbondThe Air Current is always looking for great journalists to expand our coverage of aviation, aerospace, defense, manufacturing, and everything adjacent. If you're curious what that might look and feel like for your next act, please reach out.
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- FAA chief Bryan Bedford in Singapore on Canadian aircraft de-cert threat: "Our concern is whether or not sufficient resources are being applied to U.S. products equal to the resources that we're applying to certify foreign products. So we just want a level playing field.”
- Breaking: Senate passes its funding deal that includes $ for FAA and DOT, but not before averting a government shutdown given that the legislation must clear the House as well. Funds expire at midnight but House members are not expected back in D.C. until Monday night.
- Just one example of the relevant, timely information you get as a subscriber to @theaircurrent.com (this graf is behind our paywall):
- UPDATED STORY on Canada decertification threat: Contradicting Trump, White House claims de-cert threat won’t impact Canadian-made aircraft in service (via @theaircurrent.com) theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatc...
- UPDATED STORY on Canada decertification threat: Contradicting Trump, White House claims de-cert threat won’t impact Canadian-made aircraft in service (via @theaircurrent.com) theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatc...
- NEWS: Trump threatens ‘decertification’ of ‘all’ Canadian-made aircraft This is a developing story and will be updated. via @theaircurrent.com: theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatc...
- Trade organizations have again ramped up asks to Congress to pay controllers during shutdowns as we tumble towards a funding lapse as soon as tomorrow night.
- He Lost His Parents in a Plane Crash. Next Week He’ll Skate at the Olympics. (via @nytimes.com) www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/u...
- NEWS from D.C. crash memorial. Alexandria Mayor announces the city will create a memorial for the 67 people who perished in the Jan. 2025 crash at a site near the Potomac River, recognizing each person individually.
- Here's the full probable cause and list of findings/recommendations from the NTSB's investigation into the Jan. 2025 D.C. midair collision. www.ntsb.gov/investigatio...
- Three reflections on today now that the DCA hearing is over: 1) it’s remarkable the NTSB finished this investigation in < a year. It used to regularly take them 2+ years to get a big accident report done, let alone what Homendy called the “most complex” investigation in the last two decades.
- BREAKING: The NTSB issues 50 total safety recommendations to the FAA, Department of Defense and other entities as the D.C. midair crash investigation comes to a close. via @theaircurrent.com theaircurrent.com/intel/ntsb-i...
- News -- Dem. Senators re-introduce bill that would require FAA to amend the FAA's safety management system as the NTSB wraps up its DCA crash investigation.
- In a rare scolding, Homendy flames colleague Member Todd Inman for providing amendments to report findings at 5pm the day before the hearing. She says the NTSB is a safety organization and therefore should provide enough time for staff to get sleep each day. "Its not right."
- Homendy (again) blasts FAA over its failure to mandate ADS-B in over the last three decades, saying this lack of technology in the cockpit is like "having a conversation with a wall." Background from @theaircurrent.com: theaircurrent.com/aviation-pol...
- NTSB investigators confirm reporting from @theaircurrent.com in December that suggested the Army pilots had likely misidentified the CRJ in the moments prior to the midair collision: theaircurrent.com/aviation-safety/dca-crash-jan-29-special-report/
- Stunningly, Member Inman reveals that the FAA did not conduct this testing of involved controllers -- also against its own policies -- for the fatal crash of a UPS MD-11 in Louisville, Kentucky late last year. "They're not learning a lesson," he said of the FAA.
- Homendy blasts FAA, alleges that it knowingly did not provide the correct witness for last year's hearing concerning the reviews of aeronautical charts, a duty it has as a party to the investigation.
- Homendy asks the $1 million question: how is it that no one at FAA could tell there was a min of 75 ft separation between these two routes? Here's a handy graphic from @theaircurrent.com on this critical issue:
- For just the ATC side of things, I count at least 15 recommendations the Board is making here -- 14 to FAA, 1 to DOT (rough count). We don't know the specific wording of these recs yet (that will come later) but its indicative of the massive rec list the investigation will produce.
- Investigators reveal that post-accident alcohol testing of air traffic controllers was not conducted, despite being required. They said this was due to staff's "inadequate" knowledge of DOT procedures on this topic.
- The conflict alert (CA) inside the DCA tower first activated 26 seconds before the collision, when the two aircraft were about 1.6 miles apart. The CA is a loud beeping sound that can be heard throughout the tower cab, but NTSB documents showed controllers felt these alerts were often incorrect.
- The NTSB just played two visual simulations from the POV of both the CRJ and the Black Hawk. The pictures are harrowing and remarkable in that its nearly impossible to tell the location of either aircraft with your naked eye against cultural lighting, stars, and other traffic.
- NTSB Chair Homendy says that the staff's reading of the Board's findings, probable cause and draft recommendations will alone take *over an hour* -- and that does not include the time it will take to deliberate and vote.
- NTSB Chair Homendy: "What we refer to as human error is in reality, the last event in the causal chain immediately proceeding a crash or accident."
- Member Graham: "There will be some times where individual errors may be noted throughout the course of the day in relation to this accident. But I want to make it crystal clear any individual shortcomings were set up for failure by the systems around them."
- Follow along here and on @theaircurrent.com today as the investigation into one of the worst aviation tragedies in years comes to an end. I’ll be live blogging from the hearing room all day.
- 21 Ideas to Remake Dulles (via @byerussell.com) Ned read 21 proposals to remake Washington Dulles airport so you don't have to! Look at that imagery... byerussell.substack.com/p/21-ideas-t...
- NEWS: The FAA has moved to codify existing helicopter restrictions around DCA airport into law, according to a new interim final rule posted today. via @theaircurrent.com theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatc...
- FAA chief Bryan Bedford says his agency is converting 150 communications lines from copper to fiber wire per month as a part of the Trump admin’s ATC modernization plan
- New from me: Jeppesen ForeFlight CEO cites automation and AI in justification for layoffs A tumultuous week for a company many pilots know very well. Read more on @theaircurrent.com: theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatc...
- Analysis: Who is Peraton? And what did they sign up for as lead contractor of the Trump admin's effort to modernize air traffic control? These are questions I attempt to answer in my latest for @theaircurrent.com: theaircurrent.com/air-traffic-...
- Remarkable snapshot from the DOT inspector general of FAA inspectors on the ground at United Airlines. Outsize support on 737 fleet is indicative of the challenges that plane has faced over the last decade.
- BREAKING: FAA officially warns operators of risks associated with falling debris from faulty space launches, something it says “could significantly reduce safety.” via @theaircurrent.com theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatc...
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- For the last few months, I've been working on a story about January's crash near Washington, D.C. What I learned was that it was simply an accident waiting to happen. Special Report: The night everything at DCA finally went wrong (via @theaircurrent.com) theaircurrent.com/aviation-saf...
- Rep. Troy Nehls says the U.S. House T&I cmte will mark up a bill on Thursday advancing efforts to repeal restrictions on supersonic flight.
- FAA chief Bryan Bedford says President Donald Trump demanded a $200 mm reduction in fee costs w/ Peraton for its role as ATC modernization integrator.
- FAA chief Bryan Bedford says at Congressional hearing that he cannot comment on NDAA as its going through the lawmaking process, but adds: "Our intent is not to go back to where we were prior to Jan. 29" Says FAA was not consulted on the provision w/ a technical briefing, as is usually the case.
- Sen. Ted Cruz equates the recent JetBlue/DOD near-miss near Venezuela with the ADS-B convo around the DCA mid-air collision, pointing out that the DOD aircraft this weekend "wasn't broadcasting its location" as its transponder was off. Important: transponders are NOT the same as ADS-B.
- This statement here highlights the challenge with NDAA. Nehls, aviation subcom. chair, says he has concerns w/ section unwinding DCA safety initiatives. BUT he voted for it anyways - because NDAA is a huge vehicle & must pass. Now goes to the Senate. I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes law.
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- Exclusive: A group of bipartisan lawmakers have introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would reinstate an aviation-specific SAF tax credit repealed by the One Big Beautiful Bill in July (via @theaircurrent.com): theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatc...
- BREAKING: Peraton selected as "prime integrator" for ATC modernization project, U.S. DOT announces.
