Flight Safety Information October 25, 2019 - No. 218 In This Issue Lion Air Crash Report Points to Boeing, Pilots, Maintenance Indonesia report on 737 MAX crash faults Boeing design, says Lion Air made mistakes Boeing says it is addressing Indonesia's safety guidance on Lion Air crash Software under scrutiny in Airbus A220 engine failures Do planes from Boeing's rival, Airbus, have software problems? Accident: Republic E170 near Nashville on Oct 24th 2019, both engines temporarily lost power Accident: Jazz DH8C near Montreal on Oct 1st 2019, turbulence injures flight attendant American Airlines flight from Miami to Charlotte diverted to Orlando Accident: Endeavor CRJ2 at Atlanta on Oct 22nd 2019, bird strike Inquiry probes 737's extended flight after engine failure Boeing 777-367ER - Turbulence Injuries (Japan) 2 passengers, emotional support French bulldogs booted off Norwegian Air flight U.S. Senate Democrats introduce aviation safety bill after Boeing MAX crashes FAA issues emergency AD on GE90-115B turbofan engines following uncontained failure incident Smartwatches Could Help Air Force Pilots, Crew Recognize Dangerous Fatigue Cambodia requests France's help to develop human resources in aviation Chengdu Airlines Schedules Worlds First International Comac ARJ21 Service Airline chiefs grow frustrated as 737 Max grounding costs near $1 billion SJ30i development aircraft shows off test secrets Qatar Airways To Receive 40 New Aircraft In The Next Year Honda's jets quietly evolving after decades in development Upgraded 777X engine delivered to Boeing Everett factory for fresh tests SpaceX's Starlink Broadband Service Will Begin in 2020: Report CABIN CREW FATIGUE RESEARCH PROJECT Chair Position Announcement SAFE SKIES FOR ALL: INTRODUCING SPACEFLIGHT INTO OUR SKIES Lion Air Crash Report Points to Boeing, Pilots, Maintenance FILE - In this Oct. 29, 2018, file photo, members of Indonesian Coast Guard remove debris recovered from the waters near where a Lion Air passenger jet is suspected to crash, at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta, Indonesia. An Indonesian investigation has found a Lion Air flight that crashed and killed 189 people a year ago was doomed by a combination of aircraft design flaws, inadequate training and maintenance problems. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - An Indonesian investigation found a Lion Air flight that crashed and killed 189 people a year ago was doomed by a combination of aircraft design flaws, inadequate training and maintenance problems. A final accident report released Friday said Lion Air flight 610, from Indonesia's capital Jakarta to the island of Sumatra, crashed because the pilots were never told how to quickly respond to malfunctions of the Boeing 737 Max 8 jet's automated flight-control system. The jet plunged into the Java Sea just 13 minutes after its takeoff on Oct. 29, 2018. Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee said the automated system, known as MCAS, relied on a single "angle of attack" sensor that provided erroneous information, automatically shoving the nose of the Max jet down. The report also identified various missteps prior to the crash. The aircraft, only in use for two months, had problems on its last four flights, including one the day before its fatal accident. The Indonesian report followed another last month from U.S. federal accident investigators who concluded that Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration underestimated how a blizzard of visual and auditory warnings would slow pilots' ability to respond quickly enough to avert crashes. Just five months after the Indonesian crash, the same kind of malfunction caused a Max jet to crash in Ethiopia, killing all 157 people on board. That led to the grounding of all 737 Max jets and put Boeing under intense pressure to explain problems associated with the MCAS system. The aircraft still has not resumed flying. Boeing recently reported its third-quarter earnings dropped 51% to $1.17 billion in part because it added $900 million more in costs for the Max. "We are very angry (at Boeing) because their negligence has caused our loved ones to die," said Muhammad Asdori, 55, whose brother and nephew were killed in the Lion Air crash. "They should have anticipated any kind of problems with adequate training for pilots who fly their planes. We were even more angry when we learned that they had only admitted their mistake when the second MAX8 plane crashed in Ethiopia." https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2019-10-25/lion-air-crash-report- points-to-boeing-pilots-maintenance Back to Top Indonesia report on 737 MAX crash faults Boeing design, says Lion Air made mistakes Lion Air's Boeing 737 Max 8 airplane is parked on the tarmac of Soekarno Hatta International airport near Jakarta JAKARTA (Reuters) - Boeing , acting without adequate oversight from U.S. regulators, failed to grasp risks in the design of cockpit software on its 737 MAX airliner, sowing the seeds for a Lion Air crash that also involved errors by airline workers and crew, Indonesian investigators found. The fatal crash, followed less than five months by another at Ethiopian Airlines, led to a global grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX and a crisis for the world's biggest planemaker, which this week ousted its commercial airplanes chief. In its final report into the Oct. 29, 2018, Lion Air crash that killed all 189 people on board, Indonesia made recommendations to Boeing, the airline, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other agencies. A copy was seen by Reuters and it is due to be released publicly later on Friday. Indonesian regulators criticised the design of the anti-stall system known as MCAS, which automatically pushed the plane's nose down, leaving pilots fighting for control. "The design and certification of the MCAS did not adequately consider the likelihood of loss of control of the aircraft," the report said. Boeing has been working on a redesign of MCAS although it has yet to certified by the FAA. The report also said "deficiencies" in the flight crew's communication and manual control of the aircraft contributed to the crash, as did alerts and distractions in the cockpit. The accident had been caused by a complex chain of events, Indonesian air accident investigator Nurcahyo Utomo told reporters at a news conference. "From what we know, there are nine things that contributed to this accident," he said. "If one of the nine hadn't occurred, maybe the accident wouldn't have occurred." During the flight, the first officer was unable to quickly identify a checklist in a handbook or perform tasks he should have had memorised, it said, adding that he had also performed poorly in training exercises. The captain did not properly brief the first officer when handing over control just before the plane entered a fatal dive, it also said. The report noted that according to the cockpit voice recorder, the first officer told the captain the flight was not in his initial schedule and he had been called at 4 a.m. to be informed of the revision, while the captain said he had the flu. A critical angle of attack (AOA) sensor providing data to the MCAS anti-stall system had been miscalibrated by a company in Florida and that there were strong indications that it was not tested during installation by Lion Air maintenance staff, the report said. Lion Air should have grounded the jet following faults on earlier flights, it said, and added that 31 pages were missing from the airline's October maintenance logs. Lion Air declined to comment. Boeing said in a statement that it was addressing Indonesia's safety recommendations and taking actions to enhance the safety of the 737 MAX. FAA said it welcomed the report's recommendations and would carefully consider them and all others as it continued to review Boeing's proposed changes to the 737 MAX. INVESTIGATIONS Boeing faces a slew of investigations by regulators, U.S. Congress, and the Department of Justice over its development of the 737 MAX, its previously best-selling workhorse for short-haul travel. Boeing last month settled the first claims stemming from the Lion Air crash, a U.S. plaintiffs' lawyer said. Three other sources told Reuters that families of those killed would receive at least $1.2 million each. The manufacturer is facing nearly 100 lawsuits over the Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10 which killed all 157 people on board the flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said this week the company was making "daily" progress on testing the final software fix for the 737 MAX and developing related training materials. The FAA has said it would need at least several more weeks for review. The Indonesia report said that Boeing's safety assessment assumed pilots would respond within three seconds of a system malfunction but on the accident flight and one that experienced the same problem the previous evening, it took both crews about eight seconds to respond. It called for the systems to be designed not just for highly skilled test pilots but also for regular commercial airline pilots. The FAA had delegated increasing authority to Boeing to certify the safety of its own aircraft, Indonesian investigators said in the report, recommending that all certification processes received adequate oversight. A panel of international air safety regulators this month also faulted Boeing for assumptions it made in designing the 737 MAX and found areas where Boeing could improve processes. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/indonesias-report-lion-air-737-002547994.html Back to Top Boeing says it is addressing Indonesia's safety guidance on Lion Air crash (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) said on Friday it is addressing Indonesia's safety recommendations following calls for better cockpit systems and oversight by U.S. regulators, and after the country blamed design flaws for a deadly Lion Air 737 MAX jet crash. In its final report released on Friday, Indonesian regulators criticized the design of the anti-stall system known as MCAS, which automatically pushed the plane's nose down, leaving pilots fighting for control. Boeing said it has redesigned the way Angle of Attack (AoA) sensors work with the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). "MCAS will now only turn on if both AoA sensors agree, will only activate once in response to erroneous AOA, and will always be subject to a maximum limit that can be overridden with the control column," Boeing said. On Oct. 29, 2018, a Lion Air 737 MAX jet crashed into the Java Sea shortly after take off from Jakarta, killing all 189 people on board. Boeing faces several investigations by regulators, U.S. Congress, and the Department of Justice over its development of the 737 MAX, its previously best-selling workhorse for short-haul travel. https://in.reuters.com/article/uk-indonesia-crash-boeing/boeing-says-it-is-addressing- indonesias-safety-guidance-on-lion-air-crash-idINKBN1X410I?il=0 Back to Top Software under scrutiny in Airbus A220 engine failures Adds details on suspected problem, background By Tim Hepher PARIS, Oct 24 (Reuters) - A U.S.-led investigation into a series of engine failures on Airbus's smallest jet, the A220, is studying whether a software change allowed unexpected vibrations that tore parts and forced three emergency landings, several people familiar with the case said. The airline Swiss halted its fleet of A220 jets for more than a day on Oct. 15 after a third flight in as many months was forced to divert or return to base with engine damage. Engine maker Pratt & Whitney has urged checks on similar engines worldwide. Investigators are focusing their attention on a recently revised version of engine software that may have allowed parts inside the engine to be set in a way that caused mechanical resonance or destructive vibrations, two of the people said. Neither the A220 plane nor the engine has been grounded but Airbus and Pratt & Whitney have told pilots not to push engines above 95% of their maximum thrust when flying above 29,000 feet - a demanding configuration currently only required by Swiss. The larger and more widely used A320 partly relies on the same family of Pratt engines but the version used for those jets is not affected by the software review. On modern aircraft, engine settings are controlled by engine manufacturer software that interprets pilot commands and tells the engines what to do. The Swiss problems first arose following a recent update of the software, two of the people said. A new version of the software should allow the flight restrictions to be lifted but may not be ready until the first quarter, the people said. However, the underlying cause of the problem has not yet been confirmed and other scenarios have not been ruled out. Other previous causes of engine failures include defects in materials. Airbus, which was starting a Pacific tour to promote the A220 on Thursday, declined comment on the investigation. Officials at the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is leading an official investigation into the failures involving the U.S.-built engine, declined comment. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said it was monitoring the situation closely and coordinating with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The head of Pratt & Whitney parent United Technologies UTX.N said earlier this week it was working on finding the cause and remained confident in the new fuel-saving engine. "Clearly, any time you get an issue like this, we're on top of it. The guys are working through it," Chief Executive Greg Hayes told analysts on a conference call. The company said on Thursday it was supporting the investigation and referred further queries to the NTSB. Nobody was hurt in the three incidents, which all took place on the 750 km (470 miles) route between London and Geneva. But in one of the incidents, compressor debris punched a hole in the engine casing, and such "uncontained" engine failures are always investigated thoroughly. In the most recent event, parts escaped from the back of the engine when the diverted A220 landed in Paris, but the engine housing was left intact. France's BEA air accident agency made a rare appeal for 150 volunteers to help look for a titanium part from one of those engines in the woods in eastern France in coming weeks. Pratt & Whitney set off a chain reaction of new aircraft designs or upgrades when it announced its new Geared Turbofan engine in 2008, promising 16% fuel savings. But it has wrestled with a spate of performance or reliability problems and delays. Formerly known as the CSeries, the 110-130-seat A220 was designed by Canada's Bombardier BBDb.TO and was one of the first to adopt the new Pratt & Whitney technology. Bombardier sold the programme to Airbus last year because of heavy losses. (Reporting by Tim Hepher in Paris; Additional reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Grant McCool) Back to Top Do planes from Boeing's rival, Airbus, have software problems? Reuters sources claim a software issue is suspected in Airbus A220 engine blowouts. Swiss International Air Lines briefly halted its fleet of A220 jets for checks on October 15 after a third flight in as many months was forced to divert because of engine damage [Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters] A probe into a series of failures with Airbus's smallest jet, the A220, is trying to determine whether a software change set off unexpected vibrations that damaged fast- moving parts and forced three emergency landings, people familiar with the case said. Planemaker Airbus is the biggest rival of Boeing, which manufactures the also-troubled 737 MAX jets. Swiss International Air Lines briefly halted its fleet of A220 jets for checks on October 15 after a third flight in as many months was forced to divert because of engine damage. Engine maker Pratt & Whitney, which manufactures the A220 on behalf of Airbus and which made the engines that had the three emergency landings, also expanded checks on similar engines worldwide. Investigators are focusing their attention on recent changes in engine software that may have caused parts that compress air inside the engine to be set in a way that caused mechanical resonance or destructive vibrations, two of the sources said. Neither the aircraft nor the engine has been grounded, but pilots have been told to avoid certain combinations of thrust settings and altitude to avoid the risk of a new problem until the root cause of the three engine failures is found. A third source said it might take until December to confirm the cause, while other scenarios have also not been ruled out. Airbus, which is based in the Netherlands and was starting a Pacific tour to promote the A220 on Thursday, had no immediate comment on the investigation. Officials at the United States National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading an investigation into the recent failures involving the engine, declined to comment. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency said it was monitoring the situation closely and coordinating with the US Federal Aviation Administration. The head of Pratt & Whitney parent United Technologies said earlier this week that it was working on finding the cause and remained confident in the new fuel-saving engine. "Clearly, any time you get an issue like this, we're on top of it. The guys are working through it," United Technologies Chief Executive Greg Hayes told analysts on a conference call. No one was hurt in the three incidents, which all took place during flights over France between London and Geneva. But parts from two of the A220 engines were found on the ground. France's air-accident agency - the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety - has launched a rare appeal for 150 volunteers to help search a wooded area in eastern France for a key component of the engines during the coming weeks. Fuel savings Pratt & Whitney set off a chain reaction of new aircraft designs or upgrades in 2008, when it announced its new geared turbofan engine, promising 16 percent fuel savings. But since then, it has wrestled with a spate of performance or reliability problems and delays. Although software problems can take time to fix, experts say they are more likely rectified with a software update rather than by designing a new part. Formerly known as the CSeries, the 110-130-seat A220 was designed by Canada's Bombardier Inc and was one of the first to adopt the new Pratt & Whitney technology. Bombardier sold the programme to Airbus last year due to heavy losses. The Airbus version of the engines is not affected by the recent problems and is not subject to checks. Some competing Brazilian aircrafts such as the Embraer 190 and 195-E2 have also been subject to such engine checks, but reportedly use a different version of the software from the larger A220. https://www.aljazeera.com/ajimpact/planes-boeing-rival-airbus-software-problems- 191024174952042.html Back to Top Accident: Republic E170 near Nashville on Oct 24th 2019, both engines temporarily lost power, single engine landing A Republic Airways Embraer ERJ-170 on behalf of United, registration N632RW performing flight UA-3507 from Houston Intercontinental,TX to Pittsburgh,PA (USA) with 69 people on board, was enroute at FL290 about 100nm southwest of Nashville,TN (USA) when the crew decided to divert reporting engine (CF34) problems, they had lost one engine and the other was only providing minimal power. When the crew contacted Nashville Approach (who was already working to send all other traffic into holds and hand them off his frequency to have only the emergency on his frequency), the controller queried immediately before issuing any instruction "did you get your engines back?", the crew responded in the negative ("not yet, we are working on it"), however, about two minutes later advised they had completed their checklists and were now ready to accept vectors for Nashville subsequently adding, they now had their right hand engine up and providing power, the left hand engine was still down. Approach advised all runways except closed runway 02L/20R were available to them. The airport stopped all departures and arrivals, VFR flights near the aerodrome were instructed to keep away from the aerodrome, aircraft taxiing around the aerodrome were sent to the aprons, all runways were kept sterile. The aircraft was able to level off at 8000 feet and continue for a visual approach to Nashville's runway 13. While on final approach tower queried "just confirm, you do have full power on one of the engines?" to which the crew responded "yes!". The aircraft landed safely on runway 13 about 27 minutes after leaving FL290 and vacated the runway. Immediately after the airport resumed departures and arrivals. The crew, already on ground frequency, requested emergency services to check their left engine. Emergency services reported they saw no damage and no smoke. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL3507/history/20191024/1446Z/KIAH/KPIT http://avherald.com/h?article=4ce658c7&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Jazz DH8C near Montreal on Oct 1st 2019, turbulence injures flight attendant A Jazz de Havilland Dash 8-300, registration C-GETA performing flight QK-8745 from Bathurst,NB to Montreal,QC (Canada) with 48 passengers and 3 crew, had been enroute at FL200 and was in the initial descent when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence causing injuries to a flight attendant. The aircraft continued for a safe landing at Montreal. The Canadian TSB reported the flight crew declared emergency. The flight attendant received minor injuries, the aircraft sustained minor damage to the cabin ceiling. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/JZA8745/history/20191001/1950Z/CZBF/CYUL http://avherald.com/h?article=4ce65036&opt=0 Back to Top American Airlines flight from Miami to Charlotte diverted to Orlando ORLANDO, Fla. - An American Airlines flight en route from Miami to Charlotte diverted to Orlando Internation Airport, with reports of an odor in the cabin. American Airlines Flight No. 169 is an Airbus A321 aircraft type that was carrying 173 passengers and six crew members on board, when it landed safely in Orlando and passengers deplaned without issue. "Our maintenance team is evaluating the aircraft. We never want to disrupt our customers' travel plans, and we are sorry for the trouble this caused," said American Airlines spokesman Derek Wells. https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/american-airlines-flight-from-miami-to-charlotte- diverted-to-orlando Back to Top Back to Top Accident: Endeavor CRJ2 at Atlanta on Oct 22nd 2019, bird strike An Endeavor Air Canadair CRJ-200 on behalf of Delta Airlines, registration N8837B performing flight DL- 5320 from Alexandria,LA to Atlanta,GA (USA), landed on Atlanta's runway 28 maintaining routine communication and taxied to the apron. The FAA reported the aircraft struck a bird and received substantial damage. The occurrence was rated an accident. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/EDV5320/history/20191022/1935Z/KAEX/KATL http://avherald.com/h?article=4ce59cd6&opt=0 Back to Top Inquiry probes 737's extended flight after engine failure Czech investigators have detailed a serious incident in which a Smartwings Boeing 737- 800 departing the Greek island of Samos continued its flight to Prague despite an engine failure as the aircraft reached cruise altitude. Investigation authority UZPLN states, in a third-quarter bulletin, that the aircraft had reached top of climb at 36,000ft, after taking off from Samos airport on 22 August, when its left-hand CFM International CFM56 engine failed. The inquiry says the captain requested a descent to 24,000ft and reported a maintenance issue to air traffic control but did not relay an urgency transmission. UZPLN says the crew twice attempted to restart the powerplant but was unsuccessful. It adds that the captain identified Prague - the original destination - as the "nearest suitable airport", despite the flight's typically taking 2h 45min, resulting in the aircraft's having to fly another 2h 20min in order to reach the Czech capital. The inquiry has published a preliminary indication of the aircraft's track which indicates it passed close to major airports including Sofia, Belgrade, Zagreb, Budapest and Vienna. None of the air traffic control centres en route was notified by the crew about the engine failure, adds UZPLN. The pilots only transmitted a 'pan pan' urgency message, mentioning the failure, after entering the Prague flight information region and contacting the Prague area control centre. UZPLN says the aircraft landed and taxied to the parking stand. Inspection by engineers determined that the engine had suffered a fuel pump failure and obstruction of a fuel filter. "Other circumstances of the event are still under investigation," the authority states. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/inquiry-probes-737s-extended-flight-after- engine-fa-461786/ Back to Top Boeing 777-367ER - Turbulence Injuries (Japan) Date: 24-OCT-2019 Time: 20:40 LT Type: Boeing 777-367ER Owner/operator: Cathay Pacific Registration: B-KQX C/n / msn: 60725/1295 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 125 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Location: over Owase city, Mie prefecture - Japan Phase: Approach Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Hong Kong International Airport/Chek Lap Kok (HKG/VHHH), Hong Kong Destination airport: Nagoya/Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO/RJGG), Japan Narrative: A Boeing 777-300ER of Cathay Pacific, operated flight CPA/CX532 from Hong Kong to Nagoya/Chubu Centrair, suffered turbulence inflight over Owase city at 3700 m (12000 ft) altitude, causing four cabin crew to be slight injured. The flight continued to the destination and landed safely at 20:38 LT. The injured crew went to the hospital by taxi. No damage to the airplane were reported. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/230200 Back to Top 2 passengers, emotional support French bulldogs booted off Norwegian Air flight American Airlines revised its policies on emotional support animals, limiting them to cats and dogs and requiring a veterinary health form. USA TODAY Two passengers and their emotional support French bulldogs were escorted off a Norwegian Air flight from London to Austin, Texas, when their dogs started showing signs of distress on board. Both Norwegian Air and Gatwick Airport confirmed the incident in statements to USA TODAY. "Flight DI7181 from Gatwick to Austin had not yet departed when the captain took the decision to offload emotional support dogs and their two owners at the gate due to the dogs showing signs of distress in the cabin," Anders Lindström, a spokesperson for Norwegian Air, told USA TODAY in a statement, adding, "The safety and security of our passengers and crew is always our number one priority." Lindström did not elaborate on the exact nature of the dogs' discomfort. But due to their short muzzles, French bulldogs are prone to Brachycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome, which can make it difficult for them to breathe in high temperatures and at high altitude. For this reason, some airlines, including Delta, American and United, ban bulldogs and many other snub-nose breeds from flying in the cargo hold. And though the University of Georgia mascot, Uga the bulldog, flies private, new dogs undergo a medical procedure to widen their air passages before traveling to away games. Dogs are the only emotional support animals accepted on Norwegian Air and they are only allowed in the cabin on direct flights to and from the U.S., According to the carrier's website. Qualified dogs must also have specific training and certification from an accredited assistance dog organization. Per a statement from Gatwick, the support dogs met proper requirements when going through airport security and boarding. This included passports and paperwork. Two passengers and their emotional support French bulldogs were escorted off a Norwegian Air flight when their dogs started showing signs of distress on board. In August, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued clarifying guidance to airlines on how to handle service animals and the growing issue of emotional support animals. Among the major takeaways from the new policy regarding to emotional support animals: * Airlines cannot ban a specific breed or species of support animal, though they have some latitude to deny specific animals if they believe the animal could pose a threat. "Priority will be placed on ensuring that the most commonly recognized service animals (dogs, cats and miniature horses) are accepted for transport." * Airlines can require animal owners to provide documentation related to the animal's vaccination, training or behavior to determine whether an animal poses a threat to the health or safety of others. They can also require documentation for flights over eight hours related to an animal's bathroom habits but cannot have outright bans on animals on long flights. * Airlines can require animals within the cabin to be tethered. * Airlines can't require advance notice for those traveling with traditional service animals. * Airlines can require lobby check-in for emotional support animals. * Airlines can ask questions to determine a passenger's need for the animal, but must accept a medical form or letter that meets DOT's criteria as medical documentation of their need. * Airlines can't restrict passengers from traveling with more than one emotional support animal and also can't limit the total number of animals on any flight. * Airlines can deny animals that are too large or too heavy to be in the cabin and can prohibit animals younger than four months. The new guidance on species limitations, documentation requirements, containment, check-in and advance notice came just weeks after an American Airlines flight attendant was bitten by an emotional support dog on a flight from Dallas to North Carolina, which prompted union calls to further tighten rules on in-flight animals. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2019/10/24/emotional-support- dogs-passengers-booted-off-norwegian-flight/4084871002/ Back to Top U.S. Senate Democrats introduce aviation safety bill after Boeing MAX crashes WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two Democrats on the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday introduced legislation to mandate numerous aviation safety recommendations in the wake of two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people and led to the plane's grounding in March. FILE PHOTO: A worker walks past unpainted Boeing 737 MAX aircraft seen parked in an aerial photo at Renton Municipal Airport near the Boeing Renton facility in Renton, Washington, U.S. July 1, 2019. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson/File Photo Senator Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the committee, and Senator Tammy Duckworth introduced the measure that would require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to address automation in the cockpit and assumptions about pilot response. "We want the FAA to develop tools and methodologies here ... and we want this to be considered in the design certification process," Cantwell said in an interview with Reuters on Thursday. "This is the next stage of aviation safety." The bill's introduction comes days before Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg is set to testify on Tuesday before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on the fatal crashes. An FAA spokesman declined to comment on the bill but FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said on Tuesday that the FAA and airplane manufacturers need to better scrutinize the interface between pilots and machines. He added the FAA and manufacturers must improve processes to ensure "we don't have fragmented communications" on certification. Congress and independent panels have been looking at the performance of a key anti- stall safety system tied to the two fatal crashes known as MCAS. Boeing is making a series of safeguards to the system as part of its effort to get the plane airborne again, which could come by the end of 2019. The bill would order the FAA to require Boeing to ensure the 737 MAX system safety assessments that "assumed immediate and appropriate pilot corrective actions in response to uncommanded flight control inputs, from systems such as the MCAS, consider the effect of all possible flight deck alerts and indications on pilot recognition and response." It would also require Boeing to incorporate design enhancements - including flight deck alerts and indications - including "pilot procedures, and training requirements, where needed, to minimize the potential for and safety impact of pilot actions that are inconsistent with manufacturer assumptions." Boeing did not immediately comment. The bill would direct the FAA to adopt recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Transportation Department's Inspector General and ICAO. The NTSB in September said the FAA should address assumptions Boeing made in designing software systems to react to emergencies, and decide whether systems should be revised to account for varying pilot reactions to cockpit alarms. The bill would also create an FAA Center of Excellence dedicated to studying flight automation and human factors in commercial aircraft. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ethiopia-airplane-boeing-congress/u-s-senate- democrats-introduce-aviation-safety-bill-after-boeing-max-crashes-idUSKBN1X401S Back to Top FAA issues emergency AD on GE90-115B turbofan engines following uncontained failure incident 24 October 2019 The FAA issued an emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD), ordering the removal of a seal from certain General Electric GE90-115B turbofan engines. The emergency AD was prompted by an incident that occurred on October 20, 2019, in which a Thai Airways Boeing 777-300ER airplane powered by GE GE90-115B turbofan engines experienced an uncontained high-pressure turbine (HPT) failure that resulted in an aborted takeoff. Debris impacted the aircraft fuselage and the other engine. The AD calls for the removal from service of the Interstage Seal of certain GE GE90- 115B turbofan engines, within 25 flight cycles. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2019/10/24/faa-issues-emergency-ad-on-ge90-115b- turbofan-engines-following-uncontained-failure-incident/ Back to Top Smartwatches Could Help Air Force Pilots, Crew Recognize Dangerous Fatigue U.S. Air Force aircrew assigned to the 436th Airlift Wing prepare to land a C-5M Super Galaxy at Camp Marmal in Northern Afghanistan, Feb. 1, 2013 (U.S. Air Force/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) Work-related burnout is a national problem. But when it comes to military aviation, it can be deadly. For the last few years, Air Force Maj. Alexander Criss has pursued a mission to get more rest for pilots and crew heading out for operations across the globe. And that has led to the development of a smartwatch app that aims to help pilots and crew understand their bodies' rhythms and when they're most drowsy. It started as a simple question. "Am I the only one who's tired all the time when I'm flying? Or is this a more systemic problem for mobility air forces?" Criss said during a recent interview with Military.com. The pilot, who had first approached the idea during a course at the Advanced Study of Air Mobility program, is now assigned to U.S. Transportation Command in Illinois. Through his research, Criss found that more than half of mobility pilots -- 53% -- were flying "during this window when their body thinks they should be sleeping." The lingering fatigue can greatly affect reflexes pilots need to keep aircraft steady, as well as coordination needed for air refueling, landing or dealing with an emergency, he said. "One of the things that seemed like a constant was that, when we were flying, there was always a certain level of fatigue associated with these flying operations," he said. Another component of the problem is that mobility pilots operate as a crew, Criss said. "We are all trained to fly and work together as a team to get through the mission," he said. "Well, the problem is when we have impaired cognitive reflex and interpersonal capabilities, our crew resource management is negatively impacted." Criss expanded his research at the Air Force's Air University School of Advanced Air and Space Studies last year and began to look for solutions. Enter BETTY, or the Better Effectiveness Through Tracking Yourself project. "BETTY helps fill a gap in our current fatigue risk management system," said Criss, who's flown as a C-21, KC-10 and C-5 pilot. He joined the service in 2006. BETTY -- which is what Criss also affectionately calls the voice in the cockpit alert system -- is a multi-pronged process, he explained. The system includes a wristwatch that measures a pilot's circadian rhythm, or the internal, 24-hour clock that regulates a person's sleep-wake cycle. "Circadian rhythm disruption ... is when our bodies are out of sync with our sleep and wake cycles," Criss said. After flying, many people feel jet lag because the body and mind interpret differently when they should be asleep or awake, he explained. "So one of the things I wanted to look at was how many of our crews are flying the opposite of their body clock," he said. A proposed software app would monitor "that data from the watch, and it's actually able to run it through some of the sleep models that are already out there," Criss said, adding that Air Mobility Command already uses a Sleep, Activity, Fatigue and Task Effectiveness (SAFTE) model that monitors some of these factors. The combined data can act as a sleep assistant. "When I land in, say, Germany, and I'm trying and maybe I've already been awake for 27 hours, but the watch is telling me, 'Hey, you've entered a low point in your circadian rhythm, you need to get two hours of sleep right now,'' Criss said. There is room for adjustment, especially if airmen can't sleep very long knowing they have to grab a bite to eat or take off again soon for another mission. "Maybe I don't get that [two hours]," Criss said. "But BETTY is making all these adjustments in real time to try to help me maximize this crew rest" at a later time. Criss' final vision for BETTY is for it to pull the data from each crew member's app into an aggregated dashboard that the crews, or even AMC, can monitor. "Think of it like a battery for each crew -- now AMC can see in real time all of the effectiveness and fatigue levels of their crews aggregated as one. When that call actually comes down for an alert, you can actually look at the 'batteries' of those crews, and see which crew is the most effective" to send out, he said. The data would require backup security to protect privacy and avoid hacking. "From a 'big brother' perspective to the crews, it's not AMC watching you specifically. They're looking at your crew as a whole" for operational benefit, Criss said. "And [the data] absolutely" needs to stay out of adversaries' hands, he said. Criss presented his research "Tired of Flying: The Unmitigated Risk of Aircrew Fatigue" and BETTY as the solution earlier this year to officials of MGMWERX, a partnership organization that blends part of DEFENSEWERX and the Air Force Research Laboratory at Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, to promote agile business. MGMWERX in May offered a $1.5 million commitment for a Small Business Innovation Research, or SBIR, program in the phase two stage. Through AFWERX -- an Air Force innovation program that partners with small business and academia -- a team then put together a proposal, asking for a real-time fatigue system for risk assessment; the window on the SBIR proposals closed this week, and an award contract is expected in the near future. The Air Force-led organizations "put some money behind it to say, 'We want to solve this problem,' which is awesome," Criss said. "Anytime you do research, one of the things is, 'Well, that'll probably just end up in a trash can,'" he said. "It's been pretty amazing that people have cared about it and that people are trying to actually take up a problem and work as a team to solve it." https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/10/24/smartwatches-could-help-air-force- pilots-crew-recognize-dangerous-fatigue.html Back to Top Cambodia requests France's help to develop human resources in aviation Minister of Aviation Mao Havanall (right) and Thibaut Lallemand, France's director- general of civil aviation for the Asia Pacific. State Secretariat of Civil Aviation Cambodian aviation authorities this week sought France's help to aid the development of the Kingdom's rapidly growing aviation industry, particularly its human resources. In a meeting on Tuesday in Phnom Penh, the Minister of Aviation Mao Havanall asked Thibaut Lallemand, France's director-general of civil aviation for the Asia Pacific, to send French experts to Cambodia to train local professionals. At the meeting on Tuesday, Minister Mao Havanall touted the impressive growth of the Cambodian aviation industry in recent years. He noted that last year the Kingdom welcomed more than 10.5 million passengers, a milestone made possible by the good infrastructure in local airports. He also said Cambodia has come a long way in terms of improving safety standards but lamented that the Kingdom still lacks experts in the industry. "We asked France to help provide training to our professionals by sending experts here," Mr Havanall said. The minister also requested that France sends experts to review local aviation regulation. Mr Lallemand accepted the request and said the experts will arrive soon. Sinn Chanserey Vutha, spokesman for the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, told Khmer Times this week that Cambodia and France have been cooperating on civil aviation since 1998. In the past, France provided equipment, such as air-traffic control and ground handling equipment, and also sent experts to the Kingdom. Mr Chanserey Vutha said this week's meeting sought to strengthen this cooperation. "The goal is to enhance this cooperation, particularly when it comes to human resources development and technical assistance. We also want French experts to review some aviation-related laws here," he added. Mr Chanserey Vutha pointed out that during the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) biennial review, it was found that Cambodia is lacking aviation professionals in multiple fields. "We lack several skills: flight operation inspector, mechanic inspector, pilot inspector, personal licensing inspector, and airworthiness inspector, for example," Mr Chanserey Vutha said. https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50654315/cambodia-requests-frances-help-to- develop-human-resources-in-aviation/ Back to Top Chengdu Airlines Schedules Worlds First International Comac ARJ21 Service Chengdu Airlines is about to launch the first international route flown by a Comac ARJ21. The aircraft will fly across the border from the Chinese city of Harbin to the Russian commune of Vladivostok. Chengdu ARJ21 Chengdu Airlines was the launch customer for the ARJ21 in 2016. Photo: Danny Yu via Wikimedia Commons International debut Routesonline reports that the Chinese airline will introduce the route on October 26, which is this Saturday. However, after that, this service will fly on Mondays and Fridays from October 28. This will be the first time that an ARJ21 will serve internationally. This aircraft type is manufactured by Comac, which is owned by the Chinese state. The jet was introduced in June 2016 by Chengdu to help it serve regional flights. This type currently comes in two commercial variants. The ARJ21-700 is the standard model, holding up to 95 passengers. Along with this, the inactive ARJ21-900 is stretched version, holding a capacity of up to 105 passengers. Chengdu ARJ21-700 Chengdu is the Chengdu ARJ21's biggest purchaser. The airline holds 15 units of the type. Photo: Xu Zheng via Wikimedia Commons Internationally local It is the ARJ21-700 that will make the cross-border trip to Eastern Russia. Even though this is technically an international route, the distance is still local. Both cities are on the most eastern points of their countries' mainland, giving the journey a short flight time of 1.5 hours. However, due to China's one time zone policy, passengers will lose two hours on arrival. Nonetheless, this is the perfect route to test out the ARJ21 for international operations. Once in effect, Chengdu may want to consider using the twin-engine aircraft on routes to other neighboring countries. Government backing Up until now, only smaller carriers such as Chengdu and the newly-formed Genghis Khan Airlines operated the aircraft. However, three of the country's largest carriers made orders for the airliners. Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines are all preparing to operate the ARJ21 in the next decade. With all three of these airlines under government authority, this move shows China's intent on expanding the jet's use. These movements will help the country become the world's largest domestic aviation market by 2028. Altogether, there are predicted to be 1.8 billion airline passengers within China by 2037, which is nearly four times the number at the moment. With the ARJ21-900 set to join its sibling in action, Chinese fleets may also be looking to stock up on the larger edition. There are also plans for an ARJ21F, which will be a cargo variant of the aircraft. The ARJ21B is also on the cards, which will act as a business-focused aircraft for commuters. Simple Flying reached out to Chengdu for comment on the route but did not hear back before publication. We will update the article with any further announcements. https://simpleflying.com/chengdu-airlines-international-comac-service/ Back to Top Airline chiefs grow frustrated as 737 Max grounding costs near $1 billion * Airlines complained about rising costs, disruptions from the 737 Max grounding. * Boeing still expects the FAA to lift the flight ban on the planes in the fourth quarter. * Crash investigators implicated a flight-control system on the planes in two fatal crashes. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 passenger jet takes off from San Antonio International Airport in Texas. The grounding of the 737 Max after two fatal crashes continues to drag on, frustrating airline executives as the carriers miss out on close to $1 billion in revenue this year alone. Southwest Airlines, the largest U.S. operator of the Max, said the grounding cost it $210 million in revenue in the last quarter, $435 million in revenue in the first nine months of the year, and said it expects the "the damages to grow into 2020." "We're not happy about our situation," CEO Gary Kelly told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" on Thursday. Southwest, which had 34 Max planes in its fleet at the time of the grounding, more than any other U.S. airline, posted stronger profit and revenue in the important third quarter, which includes the summer travel season. But the grounding crimped sales and dashed its capacity growth plans. Southwest expects to receive about 75 Max planes from Boeing next year when the grounding is lifted but the timeline is uncertain. "We put our future in the hands of Boeing in the Max and we're grounded," Kelly said. "I want to settle with Boeing to settle our damages." Kelly said Southwest, which operates only single-aisle Boeing planes, would consider other types of planes, but he has said such an complicated undertaking would take years. Boeing has shared with regulators some software fixes for its beleaguered bestselling aircraft after a flight-control system was implicated in a Lion Air crash in Indonesia in October 2018 and an Ethiopian Airlines crash in March. Regulators, however, haven't signed off on the changes yet. Steve Dickson, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, said at an industry conference on Tuesday that it hasn't finished evaluating things such as human factors to determine whether the planes are safe and that the process would take several more weeks. "We've got considerable work to do to get there," Dickson said. American Airlines on Thursday said the grounding, now in its eighth month, would reduce its pretax income by $540 million this year, up from an estimate of $400 million it made in July. The carrier reported higher-than-expected earnings, while revenue came in at $11.91 billion slightly lower than Wall Street estimates. American's CEO, Doug Parker, said he wants to make sure the carrier is compensated for the disruptions. American, Southwest and United have canceled thousands of flights because of the grounding and scrambled to change to other aircraft to meet passenger demand. Airlines have repeatedly delayed when they expect the plane to return to their schedules but currently no U.S. airline is planning for their return until at least January. Boeing in the second quarter took a $4.9 billion after-tax charge to compensate airlines but the final cost is unknown as the grounding continues, the company said Wednesday. "We're working to ensure that Boeing shareholders bear the cost of Boeing's failures, not American Airlines' shareholders," Parker said on an earnings call. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/24/airline-chiefs-frustrated-as-boeing-737-max- grounding-cost-nears-1-billion.html Back to Top SJ30i development aircraft shows off test secrets The SyberJet Aircraft Test pilots who flew the Sj30i development aircraft to NBAA, are expecting the revised version to be approved by 2021. The aircraft on display (N50SJ) begun the SJ30i flight-test programme on 9 October at the company's headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. Test pilot Larry Brough in the cockpit of the SJ30i development aircraft at NBAA The aircraft on display is fitted with a new Honeywell Epic 2.0 flightdeck which replaces the earlier SJ30-2's Primus Epic fit. "We'll fly around 290h of tests," says Mark Elwess, who is SyberJet chief test pilot and was at the controls for the first flight with the new avionics. "We expect Federal Aviation Administration in 18 months." The cabin of N50SJ is fitted with test equipment The SJ30i is the latest iteration of the revamped twinjet that began as Sino-Swearingen SJ30 back in 2005. The enhanced SJ30x is expected to enter service in 2022. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/pictures-sj30i-development-aircraft-shows- off-test-461741/ Back to Top Qatar Airways To Receive 40 New Aircraft In The Next Year Qatar Airways is poised to take delivery of 40 new aircraft in 2020. This will be the most aircraft received in a single year by Qatar Airways and, according to Qatar's CEO, the most received by any airline in a single year. The record-breaking delivery numbers come despite the Doha based airline posting a string of losses including USD$639 million in the last financial year. Qatar Airways is set to receive a record amount of aircraft deliveries next year. Photo: Qatar Airways via Flickr. A report yesterday in The Peninsula Qatar quotes Qatar Airways CEO, Akbar Al Baker, responding to a question at a press conference on Tuesday, October 22, 2019. Mr Al Baker said; "Up to now, we are getting around on an average 35-36 airplanes a year. Next year we are earmarked to get over 40 aircraft. This will be the highest 12-month aircraft delivery to Qatar Airways. I don't think there is any other airline in the world that is taking 40 aircraft in a year." A big order book for Qatar Airways Qatar Airways has a total of 195 aircraft on order, split fairly evenly between Airbus and Boeing. In 20i1, Qatar Airways placed an order for 50 A320neos which it swapped over for A321neos worth USD$6.35 billion in 2017. The initial two aircraft from this order were due for delivery this year but so far none have entered service. Earlier this year, Qatar converted 10 of the A321neos in this order to the A321neo(LR) in order to open up new, long skinny routes and provide additional frequency on some existing routes. Featured Video: Flying For The Holidays? Do It In Comfort With These Pro Tips Mr Al Baker's airline was the launch customer for the A350-1000 and has an outstanding order for 33 more. Qatar Airways has been progressively rolling them out on both key routes, such as the Doha - Sydney route, and some surprisingly obscure secondary routes such as Doha - Adelaide. A Qatar Airways A350 heading skywards. Photo: Qatar Airways via Flickr. That's 83 aircraft in total Airbus will be painting in Qatar livery over the next few years. The remainder of Mr Al Baker's aircraft deliveries are coming from Boeing. Plenty of work for Boeing There is an outstanding order for 15 Boeing 737-8MAXs. The first was due to be sent to Doha in April this year but given the problems with the 737 MAX, Qatar Airways hit the pause button. Whilst Mr Al Baker says he has "full confidence" in Boeing and the MAX program, Qatar Airways won't be taking any until the aircraft is cleared to fly again. In 2015, Qatar Airways placed an order for ten Boeing 777-8Xs, another trouble- plagued aircraft. The order was worth USD$4.8 billion at list prices and the first delivery was set to happen in 2020. That won't be happening. The Boeing 777-8X may be dead in the water before it even starts to fly. Production of the airline is rumored to be contingent on what Qantas decides regarding its Project Sunrise order. Boeing has substantial orders from Qatar Airways. Photo: Qatar Airways via Flickr. The 777-8X order was on top of an order for 50 Boeing 777-9Xs made in 2014. That order was worth nearly USD$19 billion. Again, deliveries were slated to start in 2020. In 2016, Qatar also placed an order for 30 Boeing 787-9s and 10 Boeing 777-300ERS. There's also an order for five Boeing 777 freighters. More than Qatar Airways needs? It is an impressively expensive and wide-ranging order book. Most of these orders were placed either when Qatar Airways was performing okay financially or just entering its downward financial trajectory. Disregarding the problems and delays with the 737MAX and 777X programs, it has positioned Qatar Airways to receive possibly more aircraft than it really needs in the next couple of years. Still, CEO Akbar Al Baker is a bullish type of character. Rather than pulling back and restraining spending in light of the airline's current financial issues, his modus operandi seems to be to push forward and hope you come out the other end okay. The record amount of aircraft deliveries coming to Qatar Airways in 2020 accords with that nicely. https://simpleflying.com/qatar-airways-40-deliveries/ Back to Top Honda's jets quietly evolving after decades in development GREENSBORO, N.C. - Nearly four years after delivering its first jet, Honda is facing decisions as the company better known for cars and lawnmowers considers whether to sink billions more into its decades-in-the-making aircraft division. Honda Aircraft CEO Michimasa Fujino said in an interview that a current plant expansion aimed at improving efficiency is part of the aviation division's long-term strategy and should also slightly increase production of the seven-seat, $5.2 million HondaJet Elites. "We are looking at this aviation business long-term, not quarterly or annual basis," Fujino said at the company's Greensboro, North Carolina, headquarters. "Our goal is to create new value and new technology ... as a personal mobility company." But amid environmental concerns about the impact of hydrocarbons burned by jets, fears of a possible global recession and declining profits that have led Honda to retrench its automobile offerings, analysts say the Tokyo-based corporation faces decisions about how much to build its aircraft division. Whether Honda expands, maintains its current footprint or even scraps its aircraft division is "very much their choice," said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at Teal Group. "They could just stay where they are, say, 'we've got a position in the market, it won't make us much money, but it's good for branding.' Or they could grow an aviation- market presence, and there are many ways they could take that. Or somebody could decide that this thing's a money loser and shut it down," said Aboulafia, who added that he consulted for Honda nearly two decades ago. It would cost Honda billions of dollars to expand into a family of light jets or establish a sales and support network to match competing jet-makers, Aboulafia said. But such a move would be necessary for growth in an industry where - much like automakers offer models in different sizes and prices - wealthy customers who like Honda's planes may want to buy something nicer, said aviation business analyst Brian Foley, who thinks Honda could announce a new model soon. "In this industry, you need to have a step up for customers. Just like boat owners, airplane owners - when they're ready to trade in and move up - do that. They move up. They don't move laterally," he said. "So since HondaJet doesn't have a move-up airplane from the current Honda jet that would force the customer to have to jump over into a competitor's airplane." The company is recruiting engineers with expertise in wing, fuselage and systems design, which indicates they could be developing new models, Foley said. Meanwhile, Honda reported a 29% profit decline in the quarter ending in June and lowered its profit forecasts for the fiscal year. In May, the company announced it would streamline its auto product offerings, consolidating model variations, and increase parts-sharing to cut costs. The warning signs come as Honda has invested billions in the past year in General Motors' autonomous vehicle unit as automakers look to the future. On the plus side for its planes, Honda has deep pockets, a history of long-term planning and has stuck with the project despite repeated delays before the first deliveries in December 2015. The company has delivered at least 140 planes since the first model, about the size of two mini-vans, was cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration. Sales in China, the world's No. 2 economy, began two years ago, and Honda is slated to make its first three jet deliveries into China in the coming months. The trade war and escalating tariffs between the U.S. and China has so far "had a modest impact," which the company wouldn't specify. That could be because light business aircraft - the class which includes the HondaJet Elite - haven't sold well there, Aboulafia said. The ongoing 83,000-square-foot plant expansion of Honda Aircraft's headquarters, which borders Greensboro's airport, is designed less to increase output than production efficiency, which drives down per-plane costs, Fujino said. "But also, if you have good efficiency, we can build more" if demand jumps, he said, adding that production should increase slightly from the current rate of four a month. And Honda's aviation gamble, three decades in the making, is transferring new know- how into other divisions, Fujino said, adding that - as with autonomous vehicles - designing an airplane is only half the task. The "other 50 percent is how you can prove the safety in case one sensor failed, or if some connector failed," Fujino said. "That kind of technology may not be visible from the general public but that kind of know-how or technology is very critical for Honda to grow in the future." https://www.toledoblade.com/business/technology/2019/10/24/after-decades-in- development-honda-jets-quietly-evolving/stories/20191022044 Back to Top Upgraded 777X engine delivered to Boeing Everett factory for fresh tests The first flying test aircraft was rolled out from the Everett factory , with Boeing blue paint and livery, in a low key ceremony for employees only. A massive Antonov cargo jet has delivered an improved GE Aviation GE9X engine to Boeing's Everett factory, where it's being installed on a 777X test jetliner. The engine delivery, the first of several expected from GE Aviation facilities in Ohio in the next few weeks, paves the way for a new batch of ground-based engine tests required before the 777X embarks on its first test flight. "We are directing all comments on this matter to Boeing," GE Aviation spokesman Nick Hurm said. Boeing spokesman Paul Bergman had no immediate comment. The engine delivery was expected after Russian cargo airline Volga-Depner sought government permits for the flights this month. The Oct. 18 delivery was first reported by Aviation Week, which said another GE9X will arrive by month's end. Boeing aims to power up the jet by mid-November. All GE9X engines previously delivered to Boeing were recalled in August after flaws leading to premature wear were found. GE Aviation flight tests GE9x engine that will power Boeing's new 777X The new engine was bolted to GE's 747 test aircraft for its first flight test, and you can see how big it really is. The GE9X test engine ( the larger one seen on the left here) recently completed flight tests onboard a specially outfitted 747 jet belonging to GE Aviation. The setback led to criticism from the 777X's biggest buyer, Emirates, whose president berated Boeing for overpromising things to airlines that weren't ready. Despite the upgraded engine, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said Wednesday during an investor conference call that the first flight of the jet maker's biggest widebody jet will not occur until early 2020. It had initially been scheduled to fly late this year. "Once the engines become available, GE and Boeing will need to successfully complete additional testing before we are ready to fly," Muilenberg told analysts. The first 777X delivery to an airline is now expected to happen in early 2021, delayed from 2020, Muilenburg said. "We continue to explore opportunities to improve the timeline, such as leveraging our system integration labs and additional airplane ground testing," he said. Asked by one analyst if the certification controversy surrounding the 737 Max will change how the 777X is approved to fly, Muilenberg replied: "We'll be thinking through all the details to that certification plan with the regulators over the next many months." https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2019/10/23/upgraded-777x-engine- delivered-to-boeing-everett.html?ana=yahoo&yptr=yahoo Back to Top SpaceX's Starlink Broadband Service Will Begin in 2020: Report The U.S. Air Force is already testing it in military planes. A view of SpaceX's first 60 Starlink satellites in orbit, still attached and awaiting deployment, after their launch on May 23, 2019.A view of SpaceX's first 60 Starlink satellites in orbit, still attached and awaiting deployment, after their launch on May 23, 2019.(Image: © SpaceX) SpaceX, the private spaceflight company known for reusable rockets and a giant, shiny Starship, will begin offering its own satellite internet service in 2020, according to SpaceNews. In fact, the U.S. Air Force is already testing it in planes. To build the service, SpaceX will have to launch up to eight Falcon 9 rockets filled with the company's Starlink satellites, SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell told SpaceNews and other reporters this week at the 70th International Astronautical Congress in Washington. "We'll continue to upgrade the network until mid to late next year," SpaceNews' Jeff Foust quoted Shotwell as saying during a media roundtable on Tuesday (Oct. 22). "We're hoping for 24 launches by the end of the year." SpaceX launched the first Starlink mission, a Falcon 9 carrying 60 satellites, on May 23 to lay the foundation for a satellite constellation that will ultimately number in the tens of thousands. Another 60 are slated to launch next month. This week, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk used the Starlink system to send a tweet for the first time. "Whoa, it worked!" Musk wrote in the tweet on Tuesday. Musk used a Starlink terminal in his home to send the tweet. Eventually, Starlink customers will receive a box from SpaceX to access the network, SpaceNews reported. "Knowing Elon, he wants everything to be beautiful. So the user terminal will be beautiful," Shotwell said Tuesday according to SpaceNews. Musk has said SpaceX will need at least 400 Starlink satellites in orbit for "minor" broadband coverage, and 800 satellites aloft for "moderate" coverage. The initial Starlink plan called for a megaconstellation of 12,000 satellites, and SpaceX recenty filed paperwork with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to launch another 30,000 satellites. The ITU is a United Nations agency that manages the global satellite radio-frequency spectrum, among other things. Ultimately, SpaceX may not need so many satellites in orbit for global coverage. But having them available will allow SpaceX to use some satellites for customized service, Shotwell said, according to SpaceNews. One of those potential customers may be the U.S. military. The U.S. Air Force is testing SpaceX's Starlink technology in military aircraft under a program called Global Lightning, Reuters and SpaceNews reported. The project, which is part of a $28 million contract SpaceX won from the Pentagon last year, is testing encrypted military communications via Starlink terminals in a C-12 military transport aircraft, Reuters reported. "We are delivering high bandwidth into the cockpit of Air Force planes," Reuters' Joey Roulette quoted Shotwell as saying Tuesday. SpaceX is not the only company pursuing satellite broadband services. The companies OneWeb, Telesat and Amazon have announced plans for megaconstellations of their own, but none as large as SpaceX's Starlink network. https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-satellite-internet-service-2020.html Back to Top CABIN CREW FATIGUE RESEARCH PROJECT Fatigue is a pervasive issue that affects all airline cabin crew. Fatigue may impede cabin crews' ability to consistently and effectively manage passengers from safety, security and service perspectives. As part of our undergraduate research project at Swinburne University of Technology (Melbourne, Australia), we are conducting a survey of international cabin crew primarily engaged in long-haul (LH) and ultra long-haul (ULH) flight operations. This survey asks cabin crew for their views on various issues associated with work- related fatigue and stress. We also seek your views on the availability and effectiveness of various fatigue countermeasures. If you are working as LH or ULH cabin crew, you are invited to participate in this study. You will be asked to complete an online questionnaire, which also includes a consent form. The study takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. To access the study, please go to the following website: https://swinuw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8qBLCKgmpWlraxT Participants who complete the study will be eligible to enter a draw to win the latest iPad (6th Generation). This research project is being supervised by Peter Renshaw at the Department of Aviation, Swinburne University of Technology. If you have any questions, please contact Peter at prenshaw@swin.edu.au Back to Top Chair Position Announcement Department of Aerospace Middle Tennessee State University Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) invites applications for an innovative leader to chair the Department of Aerospace. Start date for the position is August 1, 2020. Expedited tenure upon appointment possible. The selected candidate must have prior experience and/or academic credentials that would allow a tenured appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor. All applications must be submitted through the MTSU Jobs web page (https://mtsujobs.mtsu.edu). Additional details and instructions can be found there. With approximately 1,000 undergraduate majors, the Department of Aerospace (https://www.mtsu.edu/aerospace/) is a signature department at MTSU, and is one of the nation's largest collegiate aviation operations programs. Our majors can choose among six concentrations: Aerospace Technology, Aviation Management, Flight Dispatch, Maintenance Management, Professional Pilot, and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations. In addition, the department offers minors in Air Traffic Control and Unmanned Aircraft Systems as well as a Master's degree in Aeronautical Science with concentrations in Aviation Education, Aviation Management, and Aviation Safety and Security Management. MTSU is located in Murfreesboro, just outside of Nashville, in one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation. Located in the geographic center of the state, and included in Money magazine's "Top 100 Places to Live," Murfreesboro is implementing a community-wide growth plan while still maintaining a small-town feel. In addition to college events, the 'Boro' features a thriving Square, an extensive Greenway system, a Center for the Arts, and a variety of festivals and music venues. The primary responsibility of the chair is strong academic leadership for the department, ensuring excellent quality program delivery and student success and achievement. Other responsibilities include budgetary coordination, faculty/staff hiring and management, operational oversight of the MTSU airport campus and flight school, and partnership development with business, industry, and associations. The chair will serve as a champion for the growing program and will be expected to engage in fundraising, navigate periodic AABI accreditation review, and ensure compliance with FAA and other pertinent regulations. Successful candidates must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, demonstrated vision, leadership, and the ability to work productively with faculty and students from diverse backgrounds. The selected candidate will have a bachelor's or higher degree in an aviation discipline and will also have a doctorate or terminal degree in an appropriate, related field. The selected candidate will have pilot, maintenance, or dispatch certification and must have 3 years teaching and/or leadership experience at the collegiate level. Candidates who have 5 years'experience working in or managing flight operations will receive special consideration. Back to Top JOIN US! SAFE SKIES FOR ALL: INTRODUCING SPACEFLIGHT INTO OUR SKIES www.alpa.org/safeskies October 31, 2019 | Hyatt Regency Hotel | Washington, D.C The Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l and the Commercial Spaceflight Federation invite you to a dynamic one-day conference as we highlight numerous, ongoing efforts to transform our airspace for the future. Curt Lewis