Aviation Industry Faces Safety Scrutiny and Global Shifts

The aviation industry is under renewed safety scrutiny following a series of incidents. A preliminary report by the US National Transportation Safety Board found that a broken engine fan blade smashed a window on a Ryanair flight from Greece to Germany, causing a passenger to be partially sucked out of the aircraft. Bird remains and feathers were found on the broken engine, indicating a bird strike as the likely cause. Separately, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating a third near-collision at Sydney airport, which occurred hours after another runway incursion, raising concerns about air traffic control staffing and fatigue. In response to a separate incident where a plane suddenly lost altitude, Air India has announced it will test all pilots for banned substances after a captain tested positive for marijuana.