Flight Safety Information February 13, 2020 - No. 032 In This Issue Incident: S7 E170 at Penza on Feb 11th 2020, owly engine Incident: Swiss A319 at Zurich on Feb 9th 2020, strong chemical odour in cockpit Incident: Baltic BCS3 near Bordeaux on Feb 12th 2020, uncontained engine failure UK woman jailed for trying to open plane door mid-flight Diversion, distraction and power': Audit blasts Southwest's safety culture, FAA oversight Boeing Laid Off Supervisor Of Pilots Who Exchanged Inappropriate Emails About Safety Calling out bad behavior becomes part of Southwest's pre-flight announcement Garuda grounds aircraft after passenger on Bali-Shanghai flight tested positive for COVID-19 EASA Disallows Three Iranian Aircraft in Europe Elite Jets Joins the ACSF and ASAP Program A330-800 secures joint European and US certification Former United CFO raises $125 million for U.S. start-up airline Green Africa Signs MoU For 50 Airbus A220-300 Aircraft Small altitude changes could cut climate impact of aircraft by up to 59% Qantas raises the stakes in pilot pay dispute With eye on moon, NASA to seek new astronaut applicants in March...The deadline is March 31 Position Available:...Investigator/Senior Investigator, Flight Operations Quality Assurance ISASI 2020 Electronic Systems Investigation from SCSI ACSF Safety Symposium Incident: S7 E170 at Penza on Feb 11th 2020, owly engine A S7 Sibir Airlines Embraer ERJ-170, registration VQ-BYF performing flight S7-1195 from Moscow Domodedovo to Penza (Russia) with 62 passengers, was on final approach to Penza descending through about 50 feet when the left hand engine (CF34) ingested a bird. The aircraft continued for a safe landing. A replacement ERJ-170 registration VQ-BBO performed the return flight and reached Moscow with a delay of 4.5 hours. Volga's Transport Prosecutor reported the aircraft was descending through about 15-20 meters when the left hand engine ingested an owl. The left engine suffered blade damage. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Penza about 32 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d33b25c&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Swiss A319 at Zurich on Feb 9th 2020, strong chemical odour in cockpit A Swiss Airbus A319-100, registration HB-IPT performing flight LX-1255 from Stockholm (Sweden) to Zurich (Switzerland) with 109 people on board, was on approach to Zurich's runway 28 maintaining 5000 feet when the crew declared emergency reporting a strong chemical odour in the cockpit. The aircraft landed safely on runway 28 about 4 minutes later and stopped briefly on the runway. The aircraft subsequently taxied to the apron with emergency services in trail. On Feb 12th 2020 The Aviation Herald received additional information indicating the crew donned their oxygen masks. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d31507a&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Baltic BCS3 near Bordeaux on Feb 12th 2020, uncontained engine failure An Air Baltic Bombardier C-Series CS-300, registration YL-AAU performing flight BT-677 from Riga (Latvia) to Malaga,SP (Spain), was enroute at FL390 about 80nm south of Bordeaux (France) when the left hand engine (PW1500G) suffered an uncontained failure and was shut down. The crew diverted the aircraft to Bordeaux where the aircraft landed safely on runway 23 about 25 minutes after leaving FL390. The airline reported the captain shut the left hand engine down and diverted to Bordeaux. A replacement aircraft is dispatched to take the passengers to Malaga. A replacement CS-300 registration YL-AAV was dispatched to Bordeaux and resumed the flight. The aircraft is curently enroute at FL290 and is estimated to reach Malage with a delay of 8 hours. The French BEA reported the left hand engine suffered a technical failure, the aircraft diverted to Bordeaux. The occurence was rated a serious incident and has been delegated to the US NTSB, who are already investigating three occurrences of the same type that Swiss had suffered in 2019, see Incident: Swiss BCS3 near Paris on Jul 25th 2019, engine shut down in flight, Incident: Swiss BCS3 near Geneva on Sep 16th 2019, uncontained engine failure and Incident: Swiss BCS3 near Paris on Oct 15th 2019, engine shut down in flight. In all three cases of Swiss the affected engine had suffered the uncontained release of the stage 1 low pressure compressor rotor. As result of the occurrences in 2019 the FAA had released Air Worthiness Directive 2019-19-11 and Transport Canada had released Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) CF-2019-37, the latter limiting the N1 setting to 94% above FL290, which requires the autothrust to be disengaged in order to respect that limit. According to Mode-S Data transmitted by the aircraft the aircraft had been enroute for about 4 hours and had done several climbing and descending changes in flight levels. Near Bordeaux the aircraft had been enroute at FL370 then climbed to FL390 and had been level at FL390 for about 2 minutes when the engine failure occurred. The engine (Photo: Aerotelegraph): http://avherald.com/h?article=4d338076&opt=0 Back to Top UK woman jailed for trying to open plane door mid-flight Haines was sentenced Wednesday over the June 2019 incident. (CNN)A British woman who tried to open the door of a plane mid-flight was sentenced to two years in jail Wednesday. Chloe Haines, 26, was on a flight from London Stansted Airport to Dalaman in Turkey in June 2019 when crew members and fellow passengers had to stop her from opening the door. "Ms. Haines' behaviour was one of the most serious cases of disruptive passenger behaviour that we have experienced, and we have banned her from flying with us for life," said Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays in a statement. Two Royal Air Force fighter jets were scrambled to escort the jet back to Stansted Airport following the incident. Jet2 billed Haines, from High Wycombe, west of London, more than £85,000 ($110,000) after her "extremely disruptive behavior" caused the flight to be diverted. Chelmsford Crown Court heard how Haines had mixed alcohol and medication before the incident, which she didn't really remember, the UK's PA Media news agency reports. Woman arrested after RAF jets escort passenger plane back to London Prosecutor Michael Crimp told the court how Haines "lunged" to open the door of the plane, which was carrying 206 passengers. Haines had earlier pleaded guilty to endangering the safety of an aircraft and assaulting Jet2 crew member Charley Coombe. "Those that are trapped in the confined space of the aircraft will inevitably be distressed, frightened and petrified by the actions of those who in a drunken state endanger their lives," Judge Charles Gratwicke said during sentencing, according to PA. "For some it will be their worst nightmare come true." Woman billed $105,000 after 'dangerous' behavior forced flight diversion Haines said "I want to die" and "I'm going to kill you all" as others struggled to restrain her. Her lawyer, Oliver Saxby QC, said Haines had not drunk alcohol since the incident and had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings up to four times a week. "She wasn't just drunk, she was unwell," he said, adding that Haines has been diagnosed with mental health problems. "She's disgusted with herself." Jet2 CEO Heapy said alcohol was clearly a contributing factor in the incident, and the airline is working to crack down on unruly behavior. "We have been leading the industry to tackle the issue of drinking to excess in the airport before flying, as well as the illicit consumption of duty free alcohol on board the aircraft, for some time," he said. "As another busy summer approaches, we look forward to continuing to work with the government and our partners across the industry to ensure that everyone has an enjoyable and comfortable journey without the minority spoiling it." The UK government has said it will review licensing laws that currently allow airport passengers to drink around the clock, following a spike in incidents of drunkenness. https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/12/uk/woman-jailed-plane-emergency-exit-gbr-intl-scli/index.html Back to Top 'Diversion, distraction and power': Audit blasts Southwest's safety culture, FAA oversight A government report out late Tuesday blasts the Federal Aviation Administration's lax oversight of Southwest Airlines, but reserves some of the harshest criticism for the airline. The 31-page report from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General, which follows an 18-month audit, said 61% of the 46 FAA officials it interviewed, from senior executives to local inspectors, raised issues about Southwest's approach to safety. "Many officials throughout FAA have expressed concern about the safety culture at Southwest Airlines,'' the report says. During an investigation into whistleblower claims that Southwest mechanics were being pressured not to document aircraft discrepancies, the FAA's Quality Control and Investigations Branch found that "there is an absence of a 'Just Safety' Culture'' at Southwest. The highlighted comments from unidentified FAA employees paint a damning picture of the nation's largest domestic airline, a darling of travelers and Wall Street: • "The safety culture at Southwest Airlines consists of using 'diversion, distraction and power' to get what the company wants. • "Regarding Southwest Airlines bypassing the local oversight office by going directly to FAA Headquarters when there is a disagreement, 'They've always done that-just more blatant now.' • " 'Southwest's management is very skilled in what they have to do. If it costs money, they won't do it.' • " 'Whatever Southwest puts on paper for us to see never seems to get done the way they wrote it.' • " 'It's not a positive culture with these issues at Southwest Airlines. Arrogance gets the best of them.' • "Southwest's attitude toward FAA appears to take the form of 'I'll respond to you when I damn well please.' " Southwest spokeswoman Brandy King said in a statement that the airline "adamantly disagrees'' with the "unsubstantiated references to Southwest's safety culture.'' She said Southwest "fully cooperated'' with the OIG throughout the audit, "sharing a common goal of strengthening industry and Southwest safety practices.'' "The success of our business depends, in and of itself, on the Safety of our operation," King added, "and while we work to improve each and every day, any implication that we would tolerate a relaxing of standards is absolutely unfounded. " The audit of the FAA's oversight of Southwest began in July 2018 and was sparked by a whistleblower complaint about the FAA's oversight of Southwest and a "number of'' operational issues at the airline, including pilot training deficiencies and inaccurate information being provided to pilots prior to flights departing, and an April 2018 accident that killed a Southwest passenger. King called the whistleblower hotline complaint "unsubstantiated.'' Overall, the report concluded that the FAA has not effectively overseen Southwest Airlines' systems for managing safety risks. The FAA shifted to what it calls a more collaborative approach to airline safety management from an enforcement approach in 2015. The FAA has also been criticized for an allegedly cozy relationship with Boeing in the wake of two fatal crashes involving the Boeing 737 Max. The report identified a number of "concerns and gaps'' regarding the FAA's safety oversight of Southwest and said it has resulted in Southwest continuing to fly aircraft with unresolved safety concerns. It cites: ►Incorrect aircraft weight and balance data provided to Southwest pilots, which can "greatly affect" a plane's performance and safety. The airline is under separate investigation for that. Not to be confused with this investigation: FAA proposes $3.92 million fine against Southwest for incorrect weight and balance data. ►Operating planes in an "unknown airworthiness state, including more than 150,000 flights on previously owned aircraft that did not meet U.S. aviation standards, putting 17.2 million passengers at risk." "In both cases, the carrier continues operating aircraft without ensuring compliance with regulations because FAA accepted the air carrier's justification that the issues identified were low safety risks,'' the report says. Ed Coleman, chairman of the safety science department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, called the lax oversight in part growing pains from the new safety management system. "It went from being direct - the FAA telling you what to do - to them giving you an option of telling them how you're going to apply it,'' he said. Coleman likens it to parents giving children more control when they turn 18. If they offer too much leeway, he notes, the results aren't always ideal. "If you let your kids run all over you, they will,'' he said. "The FAA's the mom and dad.'' The report notes that it changed the leadership team at the FAA office overseeing Southwest in June 2019 to "help remedy systemic concerns with the internal and external relationships'' of employees there. It concludes, however: "Given the significant unresolved safety concerns that FAA has identified at Southwest Airlines, it is clear that the agency is not yet effectively navigating the balance between industry collaboration and managing safety risks at the carrier. Taking immediate actions to address identified safety issues at Southwest Airlines, improve oversight processes and guidance for addressing identified concerns in the future, and reinforce the importance of managing risks will be critical steps to ensure the safety of the traveling public.'' The report identifies 11 steps to improve the oversight of Southwest's safety management system, including retraining local inspectors; developing a management control system to make sure airlines and inspectors don't use the collaborative approach as a substitute for regulatory compliance; and providing guidance on how inspectors can evaluate an airline's safety culture and factor that into oversight decisions. The FAA agreed with the inspector general's recommendations and set dates for implementing all of them, beginning in March and running through Sept. 2021. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2020/02/11/southwest-airlines-audit-blasts-safety-culture-faa-oversight/4729635002/ Back to Top Boeing Laid Off Supervisor Of Pilots Who Exchanged Inappropriate Emails About Safety The Boeing Company fired a mid-level executive after internal documents showing disparaging communication between employees were revealed last month, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. What Happened The executive Keith Cooper is said to have been fired sometime during the last two months, according to the Journal. The pilots who referred to the troubled 737 Max as "designed by clowns" and "supervised by monkeys" directly reported to Cooper, the Journal noted. Our Top 5 Trade Ideas Straight to Your Inbox Every Morning Get Benzinga's 5 top trade ideas from the market's best researchers, analysts, and news correspondents starting today. With Benzinga's Stocks to Watch service, you get 5 institutional-level trade ideas all delivered directly to your inbox to start your trading day. Click here to subscribe. The internal documents revealed January showed that the staff was aware of the safety vulnerabilities present in the aircraft that has been grounded since March last year but chose to do nothing about it. "Would you put your family on a MAX simulator trained aircraft? I wouldn't," one of the staff had said in a 2018 email, as previously reported. Cooper was a vice president for training and professional services in Boeing's global services division, according to the Journal, and didn't send or receive any of the troubling messages himself. Why It Matters The documents added trouble for Boeing, which is already struggling to get the Federal Aviation Administration approval for the aircraft line. At least 346 people died in two fatal crashes involving the 737 Max in Indonesia and Ethiopia before the aircraft was grounded by the regulatory bodies. Internal audits conducted by Boeing in recent months found additional problems with the aircraft's engine panel and wiring that were previously unknown. The aircraft isn't expected to be in the air again at least until June this year, Boeing said late last month after its previous estimates fell through. https://www.benzinga.com/news/20/02/15319885/boeing-laid-off-supervisor-of-pilots-who-exchanged-inappropriate-emails-about-safety Back to Top Calling out bad behavior becomes part of Southwest's pre-flight announcement Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (CNN) - If you're already asleep during the pre-flight announcements, you're likely to miss it. Southwest Airlines is asking passengers to report any "unwelcome behavior" on their aircraft to the flight attendants on duty. As of January 22, it's now part of the airline's required pre-flight emergency briefing and demonstration, right after the instructions about operating oxygen masks. "We are here for your comfort and safety," said the flight attendant on the ground at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia. "Please report any unwelcome behavior to your flight attendant. Thank you for your attention." "This change reflects Southwest's commitment to ensuring a safe and welcoming environment at all times," Southwest spokesman Brian Parrish told CNN Travel, confirming the language had recently been added to the airline's pre-flight briefing. The airline wants to remind customers that their flight attendants, who are known throughout the industry for making their flights fun, "are an approachable, professional resource for reporting any unwelcome behaviors or conduct during a flight," Parrish said. Southwest's flight attendants have established procedures, which may include re-seating a customer away from the person exhibiting the "unwelcome behavior," requesting that the offending customer stop whatever offensive behavior they're doing, notifying the captain and seeking law enforcement assistance upon landing, Parrish said. There are a growing number of reports of people being assaulted in flight and not knowing what to do at 30,000 feet, including kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart. The number of sexual assaults reported during commercial airline flights has been increasing "at an alarming rate," the FBI said two years ago. FBI investigations into midair sexual assaults increased by 66% over a four-year period, from fiscal year 2014 to 2017. The bureau reported that it had opened 63 investigations into sexual assault on aircraft in 2017, compared with 57 in 2016, 40 in 2015 and 38 in 2014. They're not the first Alaska Air Alaska Airlines has trained its flight attendants to spot and report harassment. Southwest isn't the first airline to include that language in their announcements. After two instances of sexual harassment on its flights in late 2017, Alaska Airlines confirmed to CNN via email that it added the following language to its pre-flight announcement: "Your safety and well-being are important to us. Please report any unwelcome behavior to a crewmember." Other airline crews have had to deal with sexual harassment in the sky. Virgin Atlantic faced blowback in 2019 after passengers used its in-flight messaging system to harass a fellow passenger, who happened to specialize in sexual harassment cases at a law firm. The airline told CNN in October 2019 that its seat-to-seat messaging was already being phased out across the fleet at the time of the incident. United Airlines doesn't include harassment-related language in its pre-flight briefing but the airline instituted enhanced training in 2018 to help flight attendants recognize harassment and unwelcome conduct. Flight attendants are empowered to remove customers who are being harassed from those situations, United spokeswoman Kimberly Gibbs said. American Airlines doesn't include such language either, but a spokesman says its flight attendants "are trained to address a wide range of issues that may arise inflight, and are empowered to take action in response to any situation that would detract from a customer's journey with us. "We strive to create a safe, inclusive and comfortable environment for our customers and team members, and we do not tolerate unwelcome or inappropriate behavior of any kind," said American spokesman Derek Walls. Delta Air Lines has "language for both our on-board video and in-flight announcements that encourages customers to [tell] flight attendants if they need assistance," Delta spokesman Anthony L. Black told CNN Travel, although he said it doesn't specifically mention harassment or assault. "We also continue to review our communications for opportunities to update our messages." https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/southwest-airlines-pre-flight-announcement/index.html Back to Top Garuda grounds aircraft after passenger on Bali-Shanghai flight tested positive for COVID-19 Two Garuda Indonesia planes are seen at the Soekarno-Hatta airport in Tangerang near Jakarta. (File photo: AFP) JAKARTA: Garuda Indonesia has grounded a plane that is said to have carried a Chinese passenger who has been tested positive for COVID-19. The passenger flew from Bali to Shanghai on Jan 28 and was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 on Feb 5. Garuda Indonesia, the country's national carrier, is grounding the GA858 aircraft for further inspection and disinfection, it said on Thursday (Feb 13). "(We have also) replaced the High Efficiency Particulate Arresting (HEPA) air filters in the plane ... which functions to kill viruses and bacteria in the aircraft cabin," the statement read. As a precaution, the carrier said it has sprayed disinfectant liquid in the cabins of its planes, especially those that have previously served Indonesia-China routes. The aircraft cargo area has also been disinfected, it added, with all crews undergoing health checks at the airport before and after their flights. "We made this commitment to strengthen the anticipatory efforts to curb the spread of the virus, especially in the line of air transportation services," said Garuda Indonesia Director of Operations Tumpal M Hutapea. The Chinese Anhui provincial authorities reportedly announced on social media last week that the patient had flown on Lion Air flight JT2618 from Wuhan - the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak - to Bali on Jan 22. The patient stayed in Bali for about a week before flying on Garuda Indonesia flight GA858 from Bali to Shanghai on Jan 28. On Wednesday, Lion Air spokesman Danang Mandala Prihantoro said the passenger showed no symptoms while travelling from Wuhan to Bali. The spokesman said the passenger was checked thoroughly at Bali's airport upon arrival. All 188 passengers and 11 crew members were also screened, Lion Air added. As of Thursday, COVID-19 has killed more than 1,300 people and infected over 60,000 people around the world. Indonesia has no reported case of infection. INDONESIAN AUTHORITIES TO TRACE MOVEMENT OF PASSENGER In a press conference on Thursday, a health ministry official said the authorities are working together to conduct contact tracing of the said passenger. "We are trying to trace the person's movement by asking Immigration Department where the person might have visited in Indonesia," Mr Achmad Yurianto, who is the secretary of the directorate-general in-charge of disease prevention and control, said. Mr Yurianto added that the authorities are still trying to ascertain the tourist's identity. "Once we have it, we will find out which hotel the person was staying," he added. As for the other passengers on the Garuda flight, Mr Yurianto said the Indonesian authorities need to coordinate with World Health Organization if they have to reach out to people who have left Indonesian soil. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/indonesia-garuda-grounds-aircraft-coronavirus-bali-shanghai-12430648 Back to Top EASA Disallows Three Iranian Aircraft in Europe The European aviation authority (EASA) has banned three aircraft of Iran Air, blocking these aircraft from fly to any destinations within Europe. The three aircraft include a 3.2 years old EP-IFA A321-200, 5.7 years old EP-IJA A330-200 and 5.3 years old EP-IJB A330-200 which were originally used for flights to destinations in Europe, such as Amsterdam Schiphol , Stockholm, Cologne, Frankfurt, Vienna, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Istanbul, London, Milan, Moscow, Paris, and Rome. The reason for banning these three aircraft from Europe is because crucial updates are missing from the aircraft. This makes the aircraft unsafe to fly on, and can create future issues for the aircraft's airframe. Without those updates, the aircraft don't fulfill the regulations mandatory to fly to and from Europe. For now, it's unsure how long these aircraft won't be flying to Europe as it's nearly impossible for Iran Air to get the upgrades, which are developed in countries that have imposed sanctions on the Middle-Eastern country. As a possible solution, the aviation authority of Iran is thinking about developing their own updates, allowing for the aircraft to fly to Europe. Nevertheless, it is be questionable if EASA would accept these Iranian-created updates. So far, neither the EASA nor Iran Air has given a detailed statement regarding the ban of the three aircraft. Iran Air has a limited fleet of aircraft, and comprise of mostly older aircraft. In June 2016, Iran Air tried to invest in a larger fleet of Boeing aircraft, however the deal was cancelled after Iran had further sanctions placed on it. The order comprised of 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, 15 777-300ERs and 15 777-9s. Author's opinion: This ban makes possible the return of "old but gold" A300s and A310s. This is a great opportunity for European plane spotters to catch these aircraft. https://aeronauticsonline.com/easa-disallows-three-iranian-aircraft-in-europe/ Back to Top Elite Jets Joins the ACSF and ASAP Program The Naples, Florida-based aviation firm joins ACSF's roster of 225 member companies whose joint mission is to enable the highest levels of safety in personal, charter and business aviation. The Air Charter Safety Foundation welcomes its newest member, Elite Jets Charter LLC. The Naples, Florida-based aviation firm joins ACSF's roster of 225 member companies whose joint mission is to enable the highest levels of safety in personal, charter and business aviation. Elite Jets has also joined the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), which is administered by the ACSF in partnership with the Federal Aviation Authority. As program members, Elite Jets employees may voluntarily report significant safety concerns, non-compliance with regulations and other unusual events. Each report is investigated, and corrective actions are determined based on a non-disciplinary approach to flight safety. "We're really excited to join the Air Charter Safety Foundation," said Mark London, general manager of Elite Jets. "And I have to add that a contributing factor of our decision was the ability to participate in the ASAP program. We proudly focus on comfort, luxury, elegance, and convenience for our clients' benefit, but safety is simply a paramount concern of ours, and we take it very seriously." ACSF President Bryan Burns was equally enthusiastic about Elite Jet's membership. "Elite Jets will benefit immensely from our laser focus on safety issues that affect the entire industry," Burns said. "And we're likewise very happy that they'll also be participating in the ASAP program, which goes even further to identify and reduce possible flight safety concerns, and mitigate risk." https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/business-general-aviation/press-release/21124921/elite-scales-elite-jets-joins-the-acsf-and-asap-program Back to Top A330-800 secures joint European and US certification European and US authorities have granted joint type certification to the Airbus A330-800, the smaller variant of the re-engined A330neo family. FlightGlobal had earlier reported that the aircraft was set to receive European Union Aviation Safety Agency and US FAA certification on 13 February. Airbus has confirmed that both authorities have approved the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000-powered twinjet. Airbus's A330-800 is the smaller variant of the A330neo family The certification flight-test campaign was conducted by MSN1888, which completed the programme in 370h and 132 flights following its first flight in November 2018. Airbus says the aircraft has been certified with a maximum take-off weight of 242t and has a range of up to 7,500nm. The airframer had originally intended to certify the A330-800 before the end of last year. EASA certified the larger A330-900 in September 2018. Airbus has since delivered 45 of this variant. Airbus has not disclosed the first delivery date - or even the customer - for the initial A330-800. Kuwait Airways has ordered eight of the type, while Uganda Airlines is taking two, and an undisclosed customer has a firm agreement for four. Garuda Indonesia had previously signed a letter of intent to take four A330-800s. Air Greenland has also recently disclosed plans to acquire a single aircraft. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/a330-800-set-to-secure-certification-today/136735.article Back to Top Former United CFO raises $125 million for U.S. start-up airline A new budget airline created by a former United Airlines executive has raised $125 million in funding and plans to start service before the end of the year. The company, operating as Houston Air Holdings Inc., is "getting ready to spool up to transform this little charter airline we bought," Andrew Levy said in an interview Wednesday. The strategy is to offer nonstop flights from secondary airports to midsize and large markets, Levy said. The project is the second new U.S. airline planning to start flights in 2020. "We're going to grow at a measured pace," said Levy, a co-founder of Allegiant Travel Co., which specializes in leisure travel from smaller markets to vacation destinations such as Florida and Las Vegas. "We're going to build the company a little bit like Allegiant, slowly and steadily," with a foundation of "far more capital than we think we'll ever need." The Houston-based start-up will employ a fleet of Boeing Co. 737-800s. It will take its first plane next week from General Electric Co.'s aircraft lessor, and use them for charter service over the summer. Jets will be configured with 189 seats for short-haul passenger service later in 2020. Levy is taking a different tack from David Neeleman, the founder of JetBlue Airways Corp., who's planning to debut his new Breeze Airways late this year using Embraer SA E-195 aircraft leased from his most recent start-up carrier in Brazil, Azul SA. Neeleman also plans to add Airbus SE A220 jets. Both carriers will focus on markets they view as lacking adequate air service after U.S. airline consolidation over the past decade. But while Breeze plans to fly longer-haul service using the A220's range on routes without nonstop competition, Levy's is focused on shorter-distance routes connecting smaller airports with domestic leisure markets. Neeleman has pledged to invest $50 million of his own money in Breeze. He estimates that the carrier will require $65.6 million for three months of regular operations, plus $45 million for costs before it begins service. Neeleman launched JetBlue in 2000 - which involved a fleet of new Airbus A320 aircraft - after raising about $100 million in the prior three years. That's about $150 million today, adjusted for inflation. Levy left United Airlines Holdings Inc. in May 2018 to work on forming a start-up airline. Three months later, he purchased XTRA Airways Inc., a Florida-based charter carrier. XTRA's parent had sold most of its fleet to Swift Air, but kept one Boeing 737-400 to retain its Part 121 commercial airline certification. The company will seek to avoid the markets and travelers that are critical for large competitors, much as the networks at Allegiant and Sun Country Airlines Inc. are structured away from business traffic. "The best way to compete in the airline industry is to not compete," said Levy, who is also a director of Copa Holdings SA. "I think that's what we did at Allegiant, and that's what we're looking to do here." The new airline will make its business from "a small, small niche" of air travelers who are price sensitive and eager to avoid large, congested airports. "But in the U.S. market even a small niche can be a large opportunity," he said. Levy said the funds were raised from a variety of private equity firms, family offices and individuals. The company is still exploring names for the airline and which airports it will serve. "We're not looking for world domination here," he said. "This is about offering choice and taking advantage of a market where the fare structure is relatively high." https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-02-12/former-united-cfo-raises-125-million-for-startup-airline Back to Top Green Africa Signs MoU For 50 Airbus A220-300 Aircraft Airbus and Green Africa Airways have today announced a huge order for 50 of the popular Airbus A220 narrowbody jet. All are to be the larger A220-300 variant. It's one of the biggest orders for the A220 to date, and the first major order from the African continent. A220 300 Green Africa Airways Green Africa Airways signed an MoU for 50 A220-300s at Singapore Airshow. Photo: Airbus Green Africa Airways bets big on the A220 The world has been watching the development of Green Africa Airways with great interest, and now it seems like the Lagos, Nigeria based carrier is getting serious about expansion. The airline has today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for no less than 50 Airbus A220-300 aircraft to add to its fleet over the next few years. Airbus says this is the largest ever order from the African continent, and indeed one of the biggest orders for the A220 in general. Founder and CEO of Green Africa Airways, Babawande Afolabi, commented on the order in a press release sent to Simple Flying, saying, "Together with Airbus, we are incredibly proud to announce the largest order ever for the A220 from the African continent. The Green Africa story is a story of entrepreneurial boldness, strategic foresight and an unwavering commitment to using the power of air travel to create a better future". Order announced at a much depleted Singapore Airshow The order was revealed today at the Singapore Airshow which, due to worries over the coronavirus, has been a mere shadow of what was expected. Numerous exhibitors have pulled out of the show, and empty stands have been converted into 'rest areas' for visitors. Nevertheless, this is a big win for Airbus. Its CCO Christian Scherer, commented on the deal, saying, "We are excited about the Green Africa project, its legitimate ambition and its professionalism, evidenced by their most discerning choice for their operating assets. The unique characteristics of the A220 will allow the airline to unlock destinations and route pairs that previously would have been considered non-viable. We look forward to our partnership with Green Africa and to accompany their development with the most efficient aircraft in its class". What does this mean for Green Africa Airways? Green Africa Airways has been in development since 2016. It has a goal of becoming a key low-cost carrier in the growing African aviation marketplace, and originally planned to begin operations last year. It successfully secured an AOC from the Nigerian government but lacked an essential component of a successful airline - aircraft. Green Africa Airways Green Africa Airways previously ordered up to 100 737 MAX aircraft. Photo: Boeing Previously, Green Africa had placed an order for 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, along with 50 options for the same. As these were unable to begin delivering in 2019, due to the worldwide grounding of the type, Green Africa had to put the brakes on its launch. There has been no word that the order from Boeing has been canceled, but the decision to commit to the A220 will be a significant blow for the US planemaker. Low-cost carriers typically have low diversity within their fleets, and tend to stick with one manufacturer. We've reached out to Green Africa Airways to confirm the status of its MAX order. Although airline startups can sometimes fall flat before they even get off the ground, Green Africa seems to be in a good position to make a success of itself. Its leadership team includes two American Airlines executives - CEO Tom Horton and CCO Virasb Vahidi - as well as the former founder and CEO of VivaColombia, William Shaw. Although there's no detail on when the A220s will begin delivering, we feel they're a great choice for Green Africa Airways. Low capacity, high efficiency and flexible enough to land at a multitude of African airports. We wish Green Africa the best of luck and hope to see their aircraft take flight soon. https://simpleflying.com/green-africa-a220-order/ Back to Top Small altitude changes could cut climate impact of aircraft by up to 59% Altering the altitudes of less than 2% of flights could reduce contrail-linked climate change by 59%, says a new study. Aircraft contrails -- the white streaks aircraft leave in the sky -- could be as bad for the climate as their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Now, new Imperial College London-led research has found that flight altitude changes of just 2000 feet could lessen their effect. This, the researchers say, combined with using cleaner aircraft engines, could reduce contrail-caused harm to the climate by up to 90 per cent. Lead author Dr Marc Stettler, of Imperial's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, said: "According to our study, changing the altitude of a small number of flights could significantly reduce the climate effects of aviation contrails. This new method could very quickly reduce the overall climate impact of the aviation industry." The research is published in Environmental Science & Technology. Contrail conundrum When hot exhaust gases from aircraft meet the cold, low-pressure air of the atmosphere, they produce white streaks in the sky called 'condensation trails', or contrails. The contrail fumes include black carbon particles, which provide surfaces on which moisture condenses to form ice particles. We see this condensation as fluffy white streaks.Most contrails last only a few minutes, but some spread and mix with other contrails and cirrus clouds, forming 'contrail cirrus' that linger for up to eighteen hours. Previous research suggests that contrails and the clouds they help form have as much of a warming impact on the climate as aviation's cumulative CO2 emissions, because of an effect known as 'radiative forcing'. This is where the balance is disrupted between radiation coming to earth from the sun and heat emitted from the surface of the earth going out to space, forcing a change in the climate. The key difference between CO2 and contrails, however, is that while CO2 will have an impact in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, the impact of contrails is short-lived and could therefore quickly be reduced. Now, Dr Stettler and colleagues have used computer simulations to predict how changing aircraft altitudes might reduce the number of contrails and how long they linger, which would reduce their warming impact. This is because contrails only form and persist in thin layers of the atmosphere that have very high humidity. Because these layers are thin, small changes to flight altitudes would mean that aircraft could avoid these regions, leading to fewer contrails forming. Using data from Japan's airspace, they found that just two per cent of flights were responsible for 80 per cent of radiation forcing within the airspace. Dr Stettler said: "A really small proportion of flights are responsible for the vast majority of contrail climate impact, meaning we can focus our attention on them." Taking into account the congestion in the airspace above Japan, the team simulated these planes to fly either 2000 feet higher or lower than their actual flight paths and found that the contrail climate forcing could be cut by 59 per cent by altering the altitudes of 1.7 per cent of flights. The diversion in flight paths caused less than a tenth of a per cent increase in fuel consumption -- but, the researchers say, the reduced contrail formation more than offset the CO2 released by the extra fuel. Dr Stettler suggests that their method of targeting only the few flights that cause the most climate forcing is the best way to avoid hikes in CO2 emissions. He said: "We're conscious that any additional CO2 released into the atmosphere will have a climate impact stretching centuries into the future, so we've also calculated that if we only target flights that wouldn't emit extra CO¬2, we can still achieve a 20 per cent reduction in contrail forcing." The study's first author, Roger Teoh, also of Imperial's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, said: "Our simulation shows that targeting the few flights that cause the most harmful contrails, as well as making only small altitude changes, could significantly reduce the effect of contrails on global warming." Industry impact The researchers say aircraft engines themselves also play a part in how harmful contrails are. Black carbon particles are produced by incomplete fuel combustion, so new, more efficient engine combustion technology could help to reduce them by around 70 per cent. This, combined with small altitude changes, could help reduce overall contrail harm by around 90 per cent. Next, the researchers will refine their simulations to more accurately predict the characteristics and impact of contrails, and to evaluate the wider effects and practicalities of contrail mitigation strategies such as altering flight paths. Flight data was obtained from Electronic Navigation Research Institute, Japan. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200212121959.htm Back to Top Qantas raises the stakes in pilot pay dispute SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Australia's Qantas Airways (QAN.AX) has urged its pilots to reach agreement on a pay deal for the world's longest commercial flights or face being replaced for those routes. FILE PHOTO: Qantas aircraft are seen on the tarmac at Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Australia, November 6, 2018. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo The airline selected the Airbus SE (AIR.PA) A350-1000 as the preferred plane for the new routes to cities including London and New York in the first half of 2023, but it said that an order for up to 12 jets was contingent on reaching a deal with pilots by March. In an internal memo seen by Reuters, Qantas International head Tino La Spina said the end of March deadline for a pilot vote on the deal was firm. "Airbus extended the delivery slots one last time once they knew they were the preferred supplier, but they are not willing to continue their exposure beyond that point," he said. Qantas and the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA), which represents the pilots, have spent months in talks over a new pay deal. If a deal is not reached soon, the company will put a pay deal directly to the pilots for a vote even if it does not have the union's backing. A failure of that vote would result in Qantas forming a new lower-cost pilot group, La Spina said. "Our strong preference is to reach an agreement with our pilots," he said in a statement after the memo was sent. The pay on offer for Qantas A330 pilots who would also be flying the A350 is about 5% more than for its Boeing (BA.N) 787 fleet, the memo said. One of the biggest stumbling blocks between the airline and union has been pay rates for future second officers, the most junior pilots. Mark Sedgwick, president of the AIPA union representing the pilots, said that the union had proven willing to negotiate with the company, citing a recent agreement for short-haul pilots. "Unfortunately, the approach that Qantas is now showing publicly has been a characteristic of the long-haul discussions and shows how this business would apparently prefer ultimatums to building consensus at this critical juncture," he said in a statement. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-qantas-airbus/qantas-raises-the-stakes-in-pilot-pay-dispute-idUSKBN2070ZM Back to Top With eye on moon, NASA to seek new astronaut applicants in March The deadline is March 31. NASA is looking for more astronauts to launch to the space station, fly to the moon and maybe journey to Mars. The space agency announced Tuesday (Feb. 11) that it will accept applications for its next class of astronaut candidates from March 2 through March 31. The new recruits, the 23rd group to be selected over the past 60 years, will become part of NASA's Artemis program to move humanity beyond Earth orbit and build upon two decades of astronauts living and working in space. "We're celebrating our 20th year of continuous presence aboard the International Space Station in low Earth orbit this year, and we're on the verge of sending the first woman and next man to the moon by 2024. For the handful of highly talented women and men we will hire to join our diverse astronaut corps, it's an incredible time in human spaceflight," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. "We're asking all eligible Americans if they have what it takes to apply," he said. NASA will again accept applications for new astronauts beginning March 2 through March 31, 2020. The new recruits, members of NASA's 23rd class of astronaut candidates, will train for expeditions to the space station and Artemis flights to the moon. In response to receiving a record number of applications during its last recruitment - more than 18,000 people applied for the 2017 class - NASA has increased its eligibility requirements and added a new step to the application process. As in past years, applicants need to be U.S. citizens and either have a degree in the sciences or engineering or be qualified as a test pilot. Candidates must also be able to pass a physical for long-duration spaceflight, including vision correctable to 20/20 in each eye (eyeglasses and LASIK are allowed) and be able to fit into both NASA's spacecraft and spacesuits. New this year is the requirement for a master's degree in a STEM field, including engineering, math or biological, physical or computer science. Alternatively, those applying can have completed a doctor of medicine or osteopathic medicine degree, or two years of towards a Ph.D. program in a related science, technology, engineering or math field. Candidates must have at least two years of related professional experience or at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. To be eligible for NASA's 2021 astronaut class, applicants need to be a U.S. citizen, have at least a master's degree in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) field, have two years of professional experience and be able to pass the physical for long-duration spaceflight. In addition, all applicants will, for the first time, take an online assessment that will require up to two hours to complete. Details about the online assessment were not yet available, but according to NASA, it is "consistent with modern hiring practices across the government and industry." "With the increased interest level that we experienced in our previous application period, we made the decision to move several assessments to the beginning of the process as a pilot, to help ensure that the applications that are evaluated by the Astronaut Rating Panel best reflect the requirements of the position," NASA's astronaut selection website explained. Applications will be accepted through the USAJobs website beginning on March 2. The number of people who will be selected is still to be determined. "We target the number of people based on the missions that are planned. So you look at the missions that you have today, look at what the normal retirement rate is and then you figure out what all the jobs are - supporting the design folks, executing the plans, training and fly outs and still flying the space station 24/7. So we base it off of that," Mark Geyer, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, told collectSPACE.com on Monday. NASA expects to select the new class in mid-2021, when they will begin at least two years of basic training before becoming eligible for flights on Boeing's Starliner and SpaceX's Dragon commercial crew spacecraft, Russia's Soyuz spacecraft or NASA's Orion spacecraft flying on the agency's new Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lift rocket. NASA's corps currently includes 48 active astronauts, including the 11 members of the 2017 class who graduated in January. NASA has been recruiting astronauts since 1959 with the selection of the original Mercury 7 pilots. To date, more than 350 Americans have been chosen for the corps, with 347 qualifying for spaceflight assignments. https://www.space.com/nasa-recruiting-new-astronauts-march-2020.html Back to Top Position Available: Investigator/Senior Investigator, Flight Operations Quality Assurance Date: Feb 7, 2020 Location: Flight Training Academy (DFW-FTRN) Additional Locations: None Requisition ID: 37019 Intro Are you ready to explore a world of possibilities, both at work and during your time off? Join our American Airlines family, and you'll travel the world, grow your expertise and become the best version of you. As you embark on a new journey, you'll tackle challenges with flexibility and grace, learning new skills and advancing your career while having the time of your life. Feel free to enrich both your personal and work life and hop on board! Why you'll love this job • This job is a member of the Investigating team within the Integrated Operations Division. • Responsible for providing analysis of operational flight data as well as producing reports and presentations for the Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) program. What you'll do • Conducts daily work flow processes for the FOQA program • Assesses events and trends, identifies operational hazards, and validates corrective actions • Develops new data analysis products and methodologies for data mining • Coordinates with the Flight Department for data analysis needs • Coordinates regularly with Allied Pilot Association (APA) FOQA gatekeepers • Coordinates with Tech Ops Department regarding support of the FOQA program • Creates flight animations of actual events for use in operational departments • Assists with accident and incident investigations • Participates in FOQA Monitoring Team meetings • Participates and contributes to the American Airlines SMS process • Develops, prepares and presents analysis of flight data • Represents American Airlines at industry FOQA related meetings All you'll need for success Minimum Qualifications- Education & in related field or equivalent experience/training • 3 years related job experience • Experience working with data mining tools such as Tableau, Business Objects, Access, etc. • Experience performing data analysis and building various related reports in MS Office products Preferred Qualifications- Education & Prior Job Experience • Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Mathematics, Engineering, or Statistics • Basic Programming knowledge/experience • Master's degree in related field • Knowledge of aeronautical theory and aviation operations as applied to commercial aircraft • Must be able to handle multiple projects with changing deadlines • Previous experience within a FOQA program • Familiarity with GE Aviation flight data software (previously Austin Digital) • Experience using CEFA animation software • Private pilot license or higher • Experience at an air carrier Skills, Licenses & Certifications • Knowledge of aeronautical theory and aviation operations as applied to commercial aircraft • Proficient using MS Office software • Must fulfill background checks to qualify for unescorted access privileges to airport security identification display areas (SIDA), if applicable • Must be able to secure appropriate airport authority and/or US Customs security badges, if applicable • Must be able to handle multiple projects with changing deadlines What you'll get Feel free to take advantage of all that American Airlines has to offer: • Travel Perks: Ready to explore the world? You, your family and your friends can reach 365 destinations on more than 6,800 daily flights across our global network. • Health Benefits: On day one, you'll have access to your health, dental, prescription and vision benefits to help you stay well. And that's just the start, we also offer virtual doctor visits, flexible spending accounts and more. • Wellness Programs: We want you to be the best version of yourself - that's why our wellness programs provide you with all the right tools, resources and support you need. • 401(k) Program: Available upon hire and, depending on the workgroup, employer contributions to your 401(k) program are available after one year. • Additional Benefits: Other great benefits include our Employee Assistance Program, pet insurance and discounts on hotels, cars, cruises and more Feel Free to be yourself at American From the team members we hire to the customers we serve, inclusion and diversity are the foundation of the dynamic workforce at American Airlines. Our 20+ Employee Business Resource Groups are focused on connecting our team members to our customers, suppliers, communities and shareholders, helping team members reach their full potential and creating an inclusive work environment to meet and exceed the needs of our diverse world. Are you ready to feel a tremendous sense of pride and satisfaction as you do your part to keep the largest airline in the world running smoothly as we care for people on life's journey? Feel free to be yourself at American. Additional Locations: None Requisition ID: 37019 Nearest Major Market: Fort Worth Nearest Secondary Market: Dallas Job Segment: Engineer, Quality Assurance, Data Analyst, Operations, Engineering, Technology, Aviation, Data Apply Here Back to Top Join us in Montreal from September 1 - 3, 2020 for a dynamic seminar devoted to the improvement of aviation safety through the investigation process. Optional Tutorials will be presented on August 31. The Call for Papers Delegate registration Hotel Registration Social Programs can all be found on the ISASI website at www.isasi.org Dates to Remember Final date for receipt of abstracts - March 20 Early Registration pricing ends on - July 18 The seminar rate at the hotel closes on - August 7 [After this date we will not be able to guarantee a room] We look forward to welcoming you to Montreal! Curt Lewis