https://www.flightaware.com/squawks/ FlightAware Squawks: popular (24hours) en-us 600 http://www.flightaware.com/squawks/view/1/24_hours/popular/98889/Southwest_Tightens_The_Belt_On_Customer_of_Size_Policy Thu, 31 Jul 2025 19:43:52 GMT Southwest Airlines had updated its customer of size policy, making it a bit hard for plus size travelers to claim for second seat refunds. http://www.flightaware.com/squawks/view/1/24_hours/popular/98889/Southwest_Tightens_The_Belt_On_Customer_of_Size_Policy http://www.flightaware.com/squawks/view/1/24_hours/popular/98887/Could_Automotive_Lane_Deviation_Tech_Help_Combat_Pilot_Disorientation Thu, 31 Jul 2025 15:22:26 GMT A team at the University of Maryland is exploring the same technology used in automotive lane-deviation warnings in hopes it could help cut down on spatial disorientation in pilots. FAA statistics show that between 5% and 10% of all general aviation accidents involve spatial disorientation and that 90% of those accidents are fatal. As outlined in a CBS News report, the Maryland researchers are exploring whether using haptic vibration could cue pilots they are losing spatial orientation, particularly in zero-visibility conditions. Maryland professor Anubhav Datta, who is learning to fly helicopters, said, “It happens when you fly into clouds or bad weather, but especially for helicopters, [in which] you can fly at zero speed. Just going up and down, it’s easy to get disoriented.” Former NTSB chairman and current CBS News transportation safety expert and analyst Robert Sumwalt added, “Spatial disorientation is a big deal in aviation and it’s basically where the pilot cannot determine which way is up or down or whether the airplane is banking to the left or to the right.” http://www.flightaware.com/squawks/view/1/24_hours/popular/98887/Could_Automotive_Lane_Deviation_Tech_Help_Combat_Pilot_Disorientation http://www.flightaware.com/squawks/view/1/24_hours/popular/98878/FAA_Flags_Unapproved_Titanium_in_Boeing_787_Ram_Air_Turbines Wed, 30 Jul 2025 15:39:52 GMT The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is taking regulatory action after discovering that some Boeing 787 Dreamliner ram air turbine (RAT) fittings may have been manufactured using unapproved and potentially inferior titanium. Boeing assembles the 787 series at its facility in North Charleston, South Carolina. http://www.flightaware.com/squawks/view/1/24_hours/popular/98878/FAA_Flags_Unapproved_Titanium_in_Boeing_787_Ram_Air_Turbines