Colleen Mondor
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chasingray.bsky.social
Colleen Mondor
@chasingray.bsky.social
3.7K followers 420 following 3.9K posts
Aviation journalist, especially on Alaska. Never met a federal database I didn't love. "Probable Cause" newsletter is here: https://colleenmondor.substack.com/
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chasingray.bsky.social
Boeing is part of the investigation because it now owns McDonnell Douglas. The companies were separate when this aircraft was built and sold however. (For the difficult history of that merger, I strongly suggest Peter Robison's book, FLYING BLIND. peter-robison.com/the-book) /4
Cover of FLYING BLIND by Peter Robison
November 5, 2025 at 10:04 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
What aviation looks like in Alaska these days. This is Ryan Air, unloading Typhoon dogs in Anchorage.

Pic was taken from the Ryan Air FB page.
Pic of dogs going down conveyor belt in kennels from a Ryan Air aircraft in Anchorage, AK.
November 3, 2025 at 8:17 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
You know where this is going, right? The system was not in operation in 1967 because, well, money and lack of leadership and too many different groups arguing about what to do and MONEY. Also, going to the Moon.

But it will be ready by 1973!!!! /4
The task force estimated that the system could be in full operation by 1967 and would cost about $500-million. David D. Thomas, deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, says the answer is mainly money. He notes that appropriations have covered only $176-million of the $500-million the task force estimated was needed. This was an ambitious goal. But, as Aviation Week suggests in its current issue, it seemed a lot more modest than the task Mr. Kennedy had assigned the space agency the previous spring: to land men on the moon before 1970, at an estimated cost of something over $20-billion. The moon has been reached. But only limited advances have been made in putting the new traffic-control system into effect.
November 3, 2025 at 6:59 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
From September 19, 1969 in the NY Times. First, the headline highlighting a preventable accident. This is when folks typically say the FAA never does anything and always waits for tragedy before acting. But then read the article excerpts & below to see that is not true. The FAA does try. /3
Headline: Collisions in the Sky; Indiana Crash Is Kind of Accident Air Industry Feels It Can Prevent The Presidential task force made its recommendations in November, 1961. It proposed, among other things, that vastly expanded areas be set aside exclusively for planes flying under the strict guidance of ground controllers. It also recommended the full development of an airborne device that would automatically record a plane's altitude next to its blip on the radar scope. The device, it said, should be mandatory aboard all sizable planes no matter what flight-rule system they were using. When the blueprint was put before him, President Kennedy asked his Federal Aviation Administrator, Najeeb E. Halaby, to start work at once to put the plan into effect.
November 3, 2025 at 6:59 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
Here's some of the headlines from decades ago that I have found in researching ATC. They could all be written today, couldn't they?

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of covering the FAA is how much this story never changes. /2
Headline: FAA is pressing for ore funds in safety drive; pleads for white house aid to add traffic controllers, towers and equipment Headline: Flight to Nowhere: A special report; ambitious update of air navigation becomes a fiasco Headline: The air traffic crisis; glaring inadequacies once more stir the public but early relief is unlikely Headline: Air safety balks congress panel; a 5-hour hearing stress complexity of problem
November 3, 2025 at 6:59 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
These folks are awesome.

Please donate here to the great folks of Bethel, Alaska who are saving a ton of a dogs (and at least one turtle) following the typhoon. :https://www.bethelfriendsofcanines.com/donate.html
Pic of a sleeping puppy with text: "258. That is a large number, right? How about 258 mouths to feed or 1,032 paws that have walked among our floor? 258 is the numbers of dogs BFK9 has taken in since October 14th!!! 😲😲😲 Not all typhoon dogs....did you think we could pause all the other pups that need our help? 🙂 Thank you to everyone who has donated or sent supplies! They have been so appreciated and well used!!"
November 3, 2025 at 6:27 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
My Mom’s sunglasses were wicked cool in 1975 and still are today. 🙂

(I am going thru some old family photos.)
One lady in awesome sunglasses & 3 barefoot kids
October 26, 2025 at 11:25 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
World Central Kitchen is in Bethel, Alaska and doing the same good work there that they do around the world. Make sure you follow them! @wck.org & founder @chefjoseandres.bsky.social.
Pic of folks at Bethel Friends of Canines in Bethel, AK. Text reads: We love when nonprofits show up for other nonprofits ❤️ Thank you World Central Kitchen for feeding our hardworking crew!
October 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
Typhoon Dogs update - they are heading out to, hopefully, trap the last of the dogs in Kipnuk, Alaska!

Donate to help the amazing work of these dog heroes here: www.bethelfriendsofcanines.com/donate.html
We are super excited about today!! 💪 We are chartering Fox Air to take 2 Humane World for Animals workers and Brenda, a Kipnuk local who has been an angel for these dogs, out to Kipnuk! Their goal is to trap and bring to Bethel the last of the remaining dogs out there. Send all your positive vibes, good juju, and all that good stuff out to them! Of course we will keep you guys updated!
October 24, 2025 at 6:06 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
Highly highly recommend you read Jeron's entire commentary (and the first part from a few days ago). He's an excellent writer. Here's a bit more from him on adjusting to Anchorage. (The link: alaskabeacon.com/2025/10/24/a...)
After landing, I’ve been experiencing the feeling of a whole new world where convenience is king. With our subsistence lifestyle, the relationship that we have with our resources is that they’ve always been rare and precious, and very tasty. I don’t mean to disparage, but it feels like, here, everything’s so disposable. And I notice a mental complex where you can get everything at the snap of a finger. It creates this sort of detachment with resources, and it boggles me to see people wasting food and water, because that would actually be seen as a petrifying offense in the villages. That’s something that I might have to adjust to. Everybody is so nice and accommodating, but it’s still an adjustment. Another thing that bewilders me, being before these palaces of convenience, is that, despite all that people have, they still plan for more. My assumption when I thought about this was, ‘Maybe there’s a brand of competitiveness here that makes people feel this way.’ Who could’ve put that feeling there? And why? I’d like to say that when we were in our village, it felt like that was the entire world. That kind of insularity, though it may seem ignorant to some, is something that led to another feeling. It felt like we already had the world. That feeling created a neighborliness that is nigh unmatchable.
October 24, 2025 at 5:15 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
Alaska aviation is about the best there is.

Please continue to spread the word and donate to www.bethelfriendsofcanines.com/donate.html for the Typhoon Dogs.
BET Friends of Canines: When we are contacted about an empty plane, do you think we would turn that offer down?! In a time like this, we are so appreciative of all the companies that are offering their services to us! A huge thanks to Colette and the rest of the Alaska Air Transit team for helping to get these pups into Anchorage! From AK Air Transit: Yesterday, we were able to take advantage of an empty plane flying from Bethel to Anchorage, to bring in rescue dogs from Kipnuk to the facilities in Anchorage. They will receive good care here, and will hopefully be reunited with their owners. Thank you to Bethel Friends of Canines for all the work they are doing to help the displaced dogs from Kipnuk and Kwig. 🩷
October 23, 2025 at 9:05 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
For everyone concerned about cats in the western Alaska villages affected by the typhoon, here's some info:
For those not familiar with rural Alaskan Villages, not a lot of cats live out here. There are many reasons, but the cost alone to get litter shipped in is a valid one. You haven't seen any pictures of cats being rescued yet simply because none live out there! It was reported to us that no cats lived in Kipnuk and we haven't been informed of any in any of the other Villages yet. Our rescue sees an average of 3-5 cats through our door a year. We're happy to help them when they need it! Like this little guy pictured 🙂 We do have some cat food for when we receive cats, so we are good right now. If you would like to support the rescue cats of Alaska, you can donate to our partners AK Cat and Dog Rescue or @Clear Creek Cat Rescue
October 23, 2025 at 12:04 AM
chasingray.bsky.social
SEC. 1046. MITIGATION OF OPERATIONAL RISKS POSED TO CERTAIN MILITARY AIRCRAFT BY AUTOMATIC DEPENDENT SURVEILLANCE-BROADCAST EQUIPMENT. (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation may not— (1) directly or indirectly require the installation of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (hereinafter in this section referred to as ‘‘ADS-B’’) equipment on fighter aircraft, bomber aircraft, or other special mission aircraft owned or operated by the Department of Defense; (2) deny or reduce air traffic control services in United States airspace or international airspace delegated to the United States to any aircraft described in paragraph (1) on the basis that such aircraft is not equipped with ADS-B equipment; or (3) restrict or limit airspace access for aircraft described in paragraph (1) on the basis such aircraft are not equipped with ADS-B equipment.
October 21, 2025 at 10:00 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
Many folks have asked me about other animals from the evacuated villages. Overwhelmingly, it is all dogs in Rural AK however, you can see that other pets are being saved. From comments on this FB post, the turtle was rescued from the classroom. (Also - good on Fox AIr for getting all these dogs!)
Photos of dogs and a turtle rescued from Kwigillingok, AK and transported to Bethel.
October 20, 2025 at 10:09 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
They have dogs coming in from Kwigillingok (aka "Kwig") as well and this is how some are getting tagged. Lots of Typhoon Dogs getting rescued from the YK-Delta, and the folks doing it could use your help. Donate here: www.bethelfriendsofcanines.com/donate.html
A puppy from Kwigillingok with a label "#85, Female, Kwig - Fox, light brown lab 4 month puppy"
October 20, 2025 at 10:09 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
The big guys have now entered the Typhoon Dogs rescue - Northern Air Cargo contracted Bethel Friends of Canines and offered to transport some dogs on 10/19. These animals were flown into Bethel & will now joined their evac'd owners in ANC.

Even in 2025, aviation is everything in AK.
Pic of kennels of dogs waiting for loading on Northern Air Cargo jet Dog kennel being loaded on Northern Air Cargo jet.
October 20, 2025 at 10:09 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
It wouldn’t be a Pacific Northwest protest without a chicken and some rain. #NoKings Anacortes, WA
October 18, 2025 at 7:23 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
What the folks who stayed behind in Kipnuk are doing to save these dogs is so inspiring. I mean...does this look easy to you?

Donate to Bethel Friends of Canines to make all their hard work worthwhile and help the dogs once they are out. www.bethelfriendsofcanines.com/donate.html
2 people, on a 4-wheeler with dog kennels saving dogs in Kipnuk, AK
October 17, 2025 at 11:04 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
How folks are getting dogs to the Kipnuk Airport. (Pic from Facebook.)

It did not used to look this way. (And it's pretty much all 4-wheeler out there now.
Photo taken from 4-wheeler showing flooded area in Kipnuk, Alaska.
October 17, 2025 at 11:00 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
We flew dog teams this way a few times and it is a mess afterwards (as you imagine). The fact that Ryan Air went in and is getting the dogs out this way just to save them, is a great thing. (You use tiedown straps to attach their collars to rings on the floor and you hope they don't fight.)
Dogs loaded in the back of an aircraft
October 17, 2025 at 10:57 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
Ryan Air yesterday, taking out a load of "Typhoon Dogs" from the evacuated village of Kipnuk, Alaska.

These folks rock.

#aviation #avgeek
Aircraft parked on the ramp in Kipnuk, AK to pick up kennels of dogs.
October 17, 2025 at 10:54 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
And another rescue pic. Kenai is back with his person who loves him.

The world is kind of a mess right now folks, The least we can do is support the amazing group who stepped up and saved these dogs. They did something incredible. www.bethelfriendsofcanines.com/donate.html
Kenai, one of the Typhoon Dogs, reunited with his owner. (2 pics)
October 17, 2025 at 7:33 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
Oh, man. In case you wondered how happy these dogs are to be returned to their families....
Happy dog and owner reunion picture! #TyphoonDogs
October 17, 2025 at 7:30 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
Here are the latest Typhoon Dogs pics posted by Bethel Friends of Canines to FB. This is how these dogs are getting saved.
Dogs loaded on small aircraft, two folks standing on ramp Dog kennels loaded on aircraft Several folks wrangling several dogs in an office. LOTS OF DOGS!
October 17, 2025 at 7:24 PM
chasingray.bsky.social
Bethel Friends of Canines continues to step up to the plate in an absolutely heroic fashion. Here is their latest update from an hour ago. DONATE TO THEM! They need fuel money for planes, and food for dogs & more. www.bethelfriendsofcanines.com/donate.html
esterday was looong. We were up at 4am to get dogs into Anchorage to their families with Lynden We received 37 Kipnuk dogs split between 2 flights. A huge thank you to Ryan Air, INC.. for jumping up and saying hey we can send a plane no prob! Kara and Spencer with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Alaska for picking dogs up after you were done with work since you were already flying over. Another thank you to Craig at Resolve Marine for sending in 15 BFK9 dogs to help make room for the Typhoon dogs coming in and reuniting 2 pups with their families in Anchorage. Grant Aviation was able to help reunite a dog with their family in Kasigluk! We appreciate you! We will spend the next couple days regrouping, figuring out where the dogs will be going; whether it's back to families, into rescue or to long term fosters until families can figure something out. We want to give a huge shoutout to Jacqui and Kati Jo who are still out in Kipnuk and said we need to save the dogs. They are some real heroes in our book. The children and community of Kipnuk are lucky to have these ladies in their corner!
October 17, 2025 at 7:24 PM