Flight Safety Information January 20, 2020 - No. 014 In This Issue Boeing addresses new 737 MAX software issue that could keep plane grounded longer Boeing customer Air Lease says 'damaged' MAX brand should be dropped Incident: Singapore A388 at Auckland on Jan 16th 2020, unsafe gear Incident: Transavia B738 at Ivalo and Amsterdam on Jan 18th 2020, departed and landed with nose gear pin in Incident: BA Cityflyer E190 near Manchester on Jan 17th 2020, burning odour on board Incident: Italy B737 at Olbia on Jan 17th 2020, smoke in cabin Airbus A320-232 (WL) - Ground Collision with animal on landing (Pakistan) FAA issues Emergency AD on GE90 engines after Boeing 777-300ER uncontained engine failure Iran trying to analyze doomed Ukrainian jet's black box Closing Runway Will Increase Safety: Consultant Sun Air Jets achieves highest safety registration level from IS-BAO Thailand ready for ICAO audit Amid MAX Grounding, Loyal Boeing Customer Defects To Airbus China's SF Airlines' fleet to top 60 aircraft in 2020 Aircraft and Helicopter Accident Investigation from SCSI DTI Training Canada Boeing addresses new 737 MAX software issue that could keep plane grounded longer FILE PHOTO: A Boeing 737 Max aircraft is seen parked in a storage area at the company's production facility in Renton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Boeing Co said on Friday it is addressing a new software issue discovered in Iowa last weekend during a technical review of the proposed update to the grounded Boeing 737 MAX, a development that could further delay the plane's return to service. "We are making necessary updates," Boeing said in a statement. Officials at the planemaker said the issue relates to a software power-up monitoring function that verifies some system monitors are operating correctly. One of the monitors was not being initiated correctly, officials said. The monitor check is prompted by a software command at airplane or system power up, and will set the appropriate indication if maintenance is required, company officials added. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did not immediately comment. ABC News reported the issue early Friday. Boeing is halting production of the 737 MAX this month following the grounding in March of its best-selling plane after two fatal crashes in five months killed 346 people. U.S. regulators are waiting for an update from Boeing on how they will resolve the issue. A U.S. official briefed on the matter said Friday the FAA is now unlikely to approve the plane's return until March but it could take until April. This week, American Airlines Group Inc and Southwest Airlines Co both said they would extend cancellations of MAX flights until early June. Also this month, the FAA and Boeing said they were reviewing a wiring issue that could potentially cause a short circuit on the grounded 737 MAX. Officials said the review is looking at whether two bundles of wiring are too close together, which could lead to a short circuit and potentially result in a crash if pilots did not respond appropriately. U.S. and European aviation safety regulators met with Boeing in an effort to complete a 737 MAX software documentation audit that was begun in November. Documentation requirements are central to certification for increasingly complex aircraft software, and can become a source of delays. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-says-addressing-737-max- 185755306.html Back to Top Boeing customer Air Lease says 'damaged' MAX brand should be dropped Employees walk near a Boeing 737 Max aircraft at the Renton Municipal Airport in Renton DUBLIN (Reuters) - The chairman of major aircraft leasing firm Air Lease , which has 150 of Boeing's grounded 737 MAX jet on order, on Monday called on the U.S. manufacturer to drop the "damaged" MAX brand to avoid it undermining the plane's value. The comments by Steven Udvar-Hazy, one of the founders of the airplane leasing industry which finances around half of the world's passenger fleet, echoes a call by U.S. President Donald Trump in April last year to "rebrand" its 737 MAX jetliner. Boeing said last June it had no plans to change the name of the jet. "We've asked Boeing to get rid of that word MAX," Udvar-Hazy told the Airline Economics aviation finance conference in Dublin. "I think that word MAX should go down in the history books as a bad name for an aircraft." "The MAX brand is damaged and there is really no reason for it," he added. Boeing is halting production of the 737 MAX this month following the grounding in March of its best-selling plane after two fatal crashes in five months killed 346 people. A U.S. official briefed on the matter on Friday said U.S. regulator the Federal Aviation Administration is now unlikely to approve the plane's return until March, and that it could take until April. American Airlines Group Inc and Southwest Airlines Co have both said they would extend cancellations of MAX flights until early June. Asked if the MAX brand might damage the value of the jet or its future lease rates, Udvar-Hazy said it was not yet clear. Airlines are still trying to gauge passengers' reluctance to fly on the MAX, he said, and how long this will last. "Will it be two months, will it be six months, will it be different in different parts of the world?" "Will people in the U.S. after a few months forget about the accidents and think 'oh its just another 737', or are there going to be parts of the world where people are going to be more superstitious and it will take longer for them to erase that stigma?" Udvar-Hazy said he was hopeful the plane would be cleared by regulators in both Europe and the United States within 90 days, but added that "it almost feels like every week there are new developments that cause us to be concerned" about the timing. Air Lease has 42 MAX aircraft currently grounded. Udvar-Hazy said he did not expect the MAX to flood the market and push down lease rates once it is cleared to fly, as Boeing is unlikely to be able to deliver more than 50-60 jets per month including new production. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-customer-air-lease-says-115141358.html Back to Top Incident: Singapore A388 at Auckland on Jan 16th 2020, unsafe gear A Singapore Airlines Airbus A380-800, registration 9V-SKJ performing flight SQ-285 from Singapore (Singapore) to Auckland (New Zealand), was on final approach to Auckland's runway 23L when the crew initiated a go around after the gear had been selected down. The aircraft climbed to 3000 feet, positioned for another approach, performed an alternate gear extension and landed safely on runway 23L with all gear doors open about 15 minutes after the go around. Ground observers reported all gear looked down and locked when the aircraft went around leaving the gear down. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 7 hours before departing for the return flight SQ-286 with a delay of 5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d22a88a&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Transavia B738 at Ivalo and Amsterdam on Jan 18th 2020, departed and landed with nose gear steering pin attached A Transavia Boeing 737-800, registration PH-HXB performing flight HV-706 from Ivalo (Finland) to Amsterdam (Netherlands) with 137 people on board, had departed Ivalo's runway 22, had been enroute at FL380 and later FL400 and was about to descend into Amsterdam when the crew declared PAN PA Nand advised ATC they had departed with the nose gear steering pin still inserted and would not be able to vacate the runway in Amsterdam. Emergency services in Amsterdam were dispatched with the information "Airport- One: a Transavia Boeing 737 will land op runway 27 with the gear pin still in the landing gear, they will thus not be able to vacate the runway." Mobile stairs and busses were dispatched to the runway. The aircraft landed safely on runway 27 and stopped on the runway. Emergency services reported: "We can see the pin in the nose landing gear indeed!" Maintenance removed the pin, the aircraft subsequently vacated the runway and taxied to the apron. The aircraft remained on the ground for the remainder of the day and returned to service the next morning about 17 hours after landing. A passenger reported the captain announced about 30 minutes prior to landing that the nose gear steering pin was still inserted. This had not been noticed on departure from Ivalo due to the slippery ground, so that they steered the aircraft with engine power rather than nose wheel steering. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d229d16&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: BA Cityflyer E190 near Manchester on Jan 17th 2020, burning odour on board A BA Cityflyer Embraer ERJ-190, registration G-LCAB performing flight BA-4473 from Dublin (Ireland) to London City,EN (UK), was enroute at FL370 about 50nm west of Manchester,EN (UK) when the crew decided to divert to Manchester due to a burning odour on board, that had been detected by a number of passengers and two flight attendants. The aircraft landed safely on Manchester's runway 23R about 25 minutes later. Emergency services did not detect any trace of fire, heat or smoke. A passenger reported several passengers detected a burning odour believed to originate from burning fabric, the flight attendants confirmed smelling the odour too and thought it was an electrical burning odour. The captain soon announced they were diverting to Manchester, where they were received by emergency services, who checked the aircraft out. The passengers disembarked normally shortly after. The passenger observed the crew was treated by paramedics. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d21f1f1&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Italy B737 at Olbia on Jan 17th 2020, smoke in cabin An Air Italy Boeing 737-700, registration EI-FFM performing flight IG-1113 from Olbia to Rome Fiumicino (Italy), was climbing out of Olbia when passengers alerted the crew to smoke developing throughout the cabin. The flight crew stopped the climb and returned to Olbia for a safe landing about 20 minutes after departure. The passenges disembarked normally. A number of passengers were checked for possible smoke inhalation by medical staff, however, no injuries were reported. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration EI-FDS reached Rome as flight IG-6113 with a delay of about 2:45 hours. Passengers reported smoke developed throughout the entire cabin, they alerted cabin crew. Although suffering from sore throats, coughing and some panic nobody needed medical assistance following an initial check. EI-FFM had landed in Olbia on Jan 14th 2020 as flight IG-1116 from Rome Fiumicino and had not flown since. Following the air return the aircraft remained on the ground for 24 hours and departed on Jan 18th 2020 for flight IG-1113 this time reaching Rome. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d21ed81&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Airbus A320-232 (WL) - Ground Collision with animal on landing (Pakistan) Date: 19-JAN-2020 Time: 12:58 UTC Type: Airbus A320-232 (WL) Owner/operator: Etihad Airways Registration: A6-EIW C/n / msn: 5924 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Location: Islamabad International Airport (ISB/OPIS) - Pakistan Phase: Landing Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH/OMAA) Destination airport: Islamabad International Airport (ISB/OPIS) Narrative: Etihad Airways flight EY233 from Abu Dhabi, an Airbus A320, landed on Islamabad Airport runway 28L and reportedly hit a wild boar during rollout. The animal was struck by aircraft's right main landing gear and its dead body was found on Runway 28L. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/232227 Back to Top FAA issues Emergency AD on GE90 engines after Boeing 777-300ER uncontained engine failure 20 January 2020 The U.S. FAA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) in the wake of a Boeing 777-300ER uncontained engine failure occurrence on October 20, 2019. A Thai Airways Boeing 777-300ER airplane powered by GE GE90-115B model turbofan engines experienced an uncontained high-pressure turbine (HPT) failure that resulted in an aborted takeoff at Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Debris impacted the aircraft fuselage and the other engine. To prevent a recurrence, the FAA requires the removal from service of the GE GE90- 110B1 or GE90-115B model turbofan engine interstage seal, part number 2505M72P01 or 2448M33P01, from the affected engines. The AD lists 16 engine serial numbers that are affected. More information: * AD 2020-01-55 (PDF) https://news.aviation-safety.net/2020/01/20/faa-issues-emergency-ad-on-ge90- engines-after-boeing-777-300er-uncontained-engine-failure/ Back to Top Iran trying to analyze doomed Ukrainian jet's black box: report Iran is trying to analyze the black box belonging to the crashed Ukrainian jet, an official told a state news agency Sunday, a day after reports circulated about the records being transferred to Ukraine for analysis. Hassan Rezaifar, a director in charge of accident investigations at Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, told state news agency IRNA that there are no plans yet to send the black box abroad, Reuters reported. "We are trying to read the black boxes here in Iran," he said, according to Reuters. "Otherwise, our options are Ukraine and France, but no decision has been taken so far to send them to another country." His comments come a day after Iran's Tasnim news agency reported Saturday that Rezaifar had said the black boxes could not be decoded in Iran and were being sent to Ukraine after the country had requested it. IRNA also reported these remarks. It was unknown why Rezaifar backtracked, Reuters noted. Iran admitted to shooting down a commercial flight from Tehran to Kyiv that killed all 176 people on board, including 57 Canadian citizens. The Canadian Transportation Safety Board said in a statement that two investigators from the board left the Iranian capital Sunday morning, according to a statement. But the statement added that there were no current plans to download the plane's recorders, although Canada has requested the black box be sent to another country. The country shot down a commercial flight during a time of escalated tension between the U.S. and Iran, when both were threatening retaliation for past and future attacks. The U.S. had conducted a strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in the effort to fire back at militia that officials believed killed a U.S. citizen. In the days after the plane crash, protesters took the streets in Iran criticizing its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who called the destruction of the plane "unforgivable error." Tensions between the countries have increased in recent years after the Trump administration pulled out of the nuclear deal in 2018. Iran shot missiles at Iraqi bases holding U.S. forces as retaliation for Soleimani's death. https://thehill.com/policy/international/middle-east-north-africa/478985-iran-trying-to- analyze-doomed-ukrainian-jets Back to Top Closing Runway Will Increase Safety: Consultant A consultant working for Chicago Executive Airport told a meeting last week that closing the busy facility's crosswind runway will improve safety. Craig Louden, a project manager with infrastructure consultant Crawford, Murphy and Tilly Inc., told a room full of pilots at a meeting of the airport's board of directors last week that closing Runway 24/6 would reduce incursion risk at an awkward intersection of the airport's three runways. He was responding to protests from some Windy City pilots who say closing the only east-west runway will limit options when the wind howls out of the southwest. "I just want to make sure it's put on the record that taking out this runway is not the safe thing to do," pilot Rhett Dennerline said at the meeting, according to the Daily Herald. "This actually may be relevant in the future. There may be an accident." But after the pilots talked safety, Board Chair D. Court Harris got to the heart of the matter. The runway is going to need major work in the next five years and as the airport's "third runway" it doesn't qualify for FAA and state grants to cover the million- dollar cost. He said the 3,677-foot runway sees only 2 percent of the traffic at KPWK. "Money spent on third runways that is not reimbursable (by the FAA or state) is money that cannot be spent on safety measures for the other 98% of operations for the facilities and the resources for them," Harris said. The airport is a main reliever for O'Hare and gets about 80,000 movements a year, including a lot of business traffic. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/closing-runway-will-increase-safety-consultant/ Back to Top Sun Air Jets achieves highest safety registration level from IS-BAO An achievement held by less than 10 commercial private jet operators in California. Greater Los Angeles Area, California - January 2020 - Sun Air Jets, private charter jet operator and aircraft management company, has advanced to the highest safety registration level from the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS- BAO), IS-BAO Stage 3. Sun Air Jets attained this voluntary registration level for its high quality, risk-averse safety and operational processes that permeates throughout company culture, an achievement held only by a select number of global operators and less than 10 operators in California. This exclusive designation highlights Sun Air Jets' constant dedication to aviation safety and professionalism, including employing dedicated safety personnel who ensure its private charter jet fleet adhere to the highest safety standards. "Our organization prides itself on its identity as one of the safest private jet operators in the United States and achieving IS-BAO Stage 3 further solidifies that dedication," commented Andreas Mauritzson, VP of Business Strategy and Director of Safety for the Company. As evident of the private charter jet company's exemplary standards of safety, Sun Air Jets adds the distinction to a long list of safety awards and credentials, including ARGUS Platinum, Wyvern Flight Leader, and Air Charter Safety Foundation IAS. According to Mary Cimbura, Inflight Services Coordinator and Assistant Director of Safety, "this designation is only made possible thanks to the mindset and determination of our crews and employees, who always focus on being vigilant when it comes to serving our clients in the safest and most efficient way possible." The International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations, developed by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and its member associations, is a recommended voluntary code of best practices designed to help flight operations all over the world achieve high levels of safety and professionalism in their operations. IS- BAO Stage 3 is achieved when the operator verifies that safety management activities are fully integrated into the operator's business and that a positive safety culture is being sustained. Since Sun Air Jets implemented IS-BAO standards ten years ago, the company has been visited by IS-BAO auditors once every two years. Sun Air Jets, based in both Van Nuys and Camarillo, California, recognizes each audit as an opportunity to learn and grow. About Sun Air Jets Sun Air Jets operates one of the safest rated private jet fleets in the nation with a flawless safety record spanning over 15 years. Serving the greater Los Angeles area, Sun Air Jets provides aircraft management, maintenance, private luxury hangars, and private charter jet services on a diverse fleet including Gulfstream, Bombardier, and Falcon aircraft. Along with maintaining the highest safety standards in the industry, Sun Air Jets remains dedicated to serving clients with the highest levels of operating expertise and personable customer service. With bases located in Camarillo and Van Nuys, California, including a full-service FBO at the company's KCMA headquarters, Sun Air Jets is a fully certified Part 145 repair station and 135 charter operator. To learn more about Sun Air Jets, visit sunairjets.com. https://www.avweb.com/press-releases/sun-air-jets-achieves-highest-safety- registration-level-from-is-bao/ Back to Top Thailand ready for ICAO audit BANGKOK (NNT) - The safety and regulation of international civil aviation is governed by the United Nation's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which is globally recognized and has helped many countries develop high aviation standards. Thailand has in the past been flagged with aviation safety concerns by the ICAO, affecting passengers confidence and the tourism sector. The red flag status has since been lifted following the Thai government's efforts to address the concerns. The efforts to improve aviation safety standards have continued even after the withdrawal of the red flag status. On 11-21 February, delegates from ICAO will conduct an aviation safety audit in Thailand. The The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand's (CAAT) Director General Chula Sukmanop said today that ICAO will be looking into the country's aviation safety measures on physical security, cyber security, emergency plans, the operations of related staff, and safety standards at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport and Phuket International Airport. He said that Thailand is ready for this inspection in all respects. The global civil aviation industry's growth has seen a slowdown due to higher fuel costs and wages. The Thai aviation industry last year saw 165 million passengers in total, which is 2.2 percent higher than in the previous year. The number of international passengers in 2019 was 88.91 million, a 7.3 percent growth year-on-year, while the domestic passenger figure was 76.2 million, which is a 3.1 percent decline year-on- year. Two companies received air operator's certificates last year, making the number of certified air operators in Thailand 24, while three more companies have received an air operating license, making the total number 43 companies. Meanwhile, more than 10,000 persons have registered unmanned aerial vehicle or drones for both recreational and commercial usage. https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/thailand-ready-for-icao-audit-284728 Back to Top Amid MAX Grounding, Loyal Boeing Customer Defects To Airbus: Xiamen Airlines To Lease A321neos As much as airframers Airbus and Boeing chase large volume aircraft deals, they also have a special interest in loyal airlines buying only from one manufacturer. Such had been China's Xiamen Airlines. When it wanted to expand beyond its narrowbody Boeing 737 and 757 fleet, it turned to Boeing for 787 Dreamliners, one of the widebody aircraft typically more profitable for airframers to build. Now with almost 170 Boeing aircraft, Xiamen plans to defect by taking the Airbus A321neo. Xiamen issued a RFP to lease 10 A321neos from 2021-2023. Xiamen previously planned for Boeing's 737 MAX to be its future fleet, ordering 30 for delivery between 2019-2022. Xiamen has given no indication it will change that order, but the A321neo aircraft end Boeing's domination and make it more likely for additional Airbus aircraft - including widebodies - to join Xiamen's fleet. Like other medium-sized airlines using only Boeing aircraft, Xiamen has been particularly affected by the MAX grounding. It has received 10 MAX aircraft, about 6% of its narrowbody fleet, and has a further 14 in the US awaiting delivery, according to photos and aircraft logs. Early in the MAX grounding, Xiamen foresaw the impact and considered bringing back its 757s, which it retired a few months prior, but determined that to be too costly. Boeing's MAX grounding does not single-handedly push Xiamen in the direction of Airbus. But it does nudge Xiamen as part of a wider transition at China's mid-sized airlines, which also includes all-Airbus Sichuan Airlines that is comparable in size to Xiamen. They are neither domestic-wide airlines, which have cost benefits from scale and yield premiums from their proliferation, but nor are they from the crop of newer entrant airlines that are not saddled with legacy costs. Some of the newer airlines like Juneyao are full-service while others like Spring are low-cost, but all have underlying efficiency and want to exploit that by expanding. Xiamen and other state-owned airlines cannot restructure, so the answer is to grow (slots permitting) and let expansion spread out fixed costs. Xiamen started as a regional airline, surpassed 100 aircraft in 2013, and would have ended 2019 with over 170 aircraft if not for the MAX grounding. It expects to have 560 aircraft by 2035. Even if the 560 figure proves too ambitious, such growth means Xiamen in the domestic market is starting to become a country-wide network airline. It also has to consider how to feed the long-haul flights it is pressured to operate. Part of its future means evaluating having two aircraft suppliers to play them off in pricing, as do the larger Chinese airlines, including China Southern, which is Xiamen's largest shareholder. China Southern already splits its fleet between Airbus and Boeing, and was the only Chinese airline to order the A380. Xiamen could piggyback on China Southern's A320 family infrastructure - training, spare parts - before Xiamen builds up its own capabilities if it proceeds with an Airbus fleet larger than its initial 10 A321neo aircraft. There were media reports in 2018 of Xiamen considering the A321neo, but some considered that negotiating leverage as US-China trade relations weakened. Those reports were about the neo LR, and Xiamen's RFP did not specify what type of A321neo it is interested in. The longer-range neo would help Xiamen open further-flung markets without the large capacity of a widebody. Boeing does not have a direct competitor to the A321neo LR and, to the frustration of airlines, potential development is on hold as Boeing works through the MAX grounding. United Airlines, which had been seen as leaning towards Boeing, last month ordered an even longer-range A321 variant, the XLR. Xiamen's 737 NG fleet only goes up to the -800, equivalent to the A320. Its order for 30 MAX aircraft comprises 20 MAX 8s, the -800's successor, and 10 MAX 10s, which Boeing developed to better compete with the A321neo family. China's Okay Airways also ordered the MAX 10, but every other Chinese airline so far has only ordered the MAX 8 variant. It cannot be reassuring for Boeing that in a market the size of China, one of only two customers for its larger MAX is willing to try Airbus. https://www.forbes.com/sites/willhorton1/2020/01/18/amid-max-crisis-loyal-boeing- customer-defects-to-airbus-xiamen-airlines-to-lease-a321neos/#127843905e3f Back to Top China's SF Airlines' fleet to top 60 aircraft in 2020 SF Airlines (O3, Shenzhen) expects to increase its fleet to over 60 freighters during 2020, having reached 58 aircraft only last month. In addition to its fleet growth, the airline subsidiary of Chinese express delivery giant SF Express, is planning to increase its global network of destinations to more than 70 from the 65 it currently serves. "China's air cargo market is embracing greater opportunities and challenges alongside the advance of the Belt and Road Initiative and higher demands in the global logistics system from all sectors," said Liddel Li, SF Airlines President told the Xinhua news agency. On December 6, 2019, also the 10th anniversary of the establishment of SF Airlines, a B757-200(ET)(PCF) B-20CX (msn 29944) arrived at Shenzhen, bringing the carrier's tally of aircraft to 58. Having reached a fleet size of 50 on December 21, 2018, the aircraft became the eighth introduced by SF Airlines during 2019. Since its inception in 2009, its fleet has carried more than 2.5 million tonnes of air cargo in around 330,000 flight hours worldwide and its network now covers China, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Europe. Last month it received approval from the US Department for Transportation to conduct flights between any point in China and any point in the US, and plans to launch a 3x weekly service from Hangzhou to New York JFK. On September 15, 2019, SF Airlines began its first operation to Europe, as it started a service to Frankfurt Hahn from Wuxi via Chongqing. https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/85299-chinas-sf-airlines-fleet-to-top-60- aircraft-in-2020 Curt Lewis