AP News: “President Donald Trump moved quickly to remake the Department of Homeland Security Tuesday, firing the heads of the Transportation Security Administration and Coast Guard before their terms are up and eliminated all the members of a key aviation security advisory group.Trump’s immigration policy changes drew the most attention at DHS, but he is also making changes at the rest of the massive agency. Members of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee received a memo Tuesday saying that the department is eliminating the membership of all advisory committees as part of a “commitment to eliminating the misuse of resources and ensuring that DHS activities prioritize our national security.” The aviation security committee, which was mandated by Congress after the 1988 PanAm 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland, will technically continue to exist but it won’t have any members to carry out the work of examining safety issues at airlines and airports. Before Tuesday, the group included representatives of all the key groups in the industry — including the airlines and major unions — as well as members of a group associated with the victims of the PanAm 103 bombing. The vast majority of the group’s recommendations were adopted over the years. It wasn’t immediately clear how many other committees were effectively eliminated Tuesday or whether other departments will take similar actions. A similar safety group advises the Federal Railroad Administration on new rules and safety issues in that industry…”

• January 20, 2025: FAA director fired
• January 21, 2025: Air Traffic Controller hiring frozen
• January 22, 2025: Aviation Safety Advisory Committee disbanded
• January 28, 2025: Buyout/retirement demand sent to existing employees
• January 29, 2025: First American mid-air collision in 16 years
• AP News: “An regional jet, [Bombardier CRJ700], flown for American Airlines jet, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with an Army helicopter [Sikorsky H-60] while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington [around 9pm EST on January 29, 2025] , prompting a large search-and-rescue operation in the nearby Potomac River. There were multiple fatalities, according to a person familiar with the matter, but the precise number of victims was unclear as rescue crews hunted for any survivors. Three soldiers were onboard the helicopter, an Army official said…” Bloomberg reported per the DC Fire Chief, there are not survivors.
• FAA Statements on Aviation Accidents and Incidents – A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m. local time. PSA was operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines. It departed from Wichita, Kansas. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation.
• Judd Legum‬ ‪@juddlegum.bsky.social – “The head of the FAA, Mike Whitaker, resigned on January 20 — one year into his 5 year term — after facing relentless criticism from Musk for not approving SpaceX missions quickly enough. The Senate confirmed him unanimously in 2023. No acting FAA head has been appointed.”