Flight Safety Information April 24, 2020 - No. 083 In This Issue American Airlines pilots want all passengers to wear masks Flying school for Chinese pilots reports racial abuse, laser pointer attacks and jammed radio signal FAA TO SCALE BACK ATC SERVICE AS TRAFFIC DECLINES Philippine Airlines Incorporates PPE Into New Cabin Crew Uniform Hawaiian Airlines brings in 1.6 million face masks Managing Aviation Safety Boeing Resumes 777X Test Flights SAIC wins $653M FAA training contract Southwest CEO: Airline will be 'drastically smaller' if business doesn't improve soon Tiny, levitating 'nanocardboard' aircraft could explore Mars one day Online Fire & Explosion Investigation from SCSI Greetings from the ISASI 2020 Planning Committee Aviation remote learning opportunities by Lufthansa Group specialist company AvMaSSI - HazCom & Infectious Disease Control Program USC Aviation Safety & Security Program...Has Moved Online American Airlines pilots want all passengers to wear masks American Airlines pilots want strict laws that they say will protect crew and passengers as the COVID-19 outbreak persists. The Allied Pilots Association, the union that represents American Airlines Group Inc. (Nasdaq: AAL) pilots, said it's collaborating with other unions, such as the Association of Professional Flight Attendants which represents American's flight attendants, to lobby Congress to take legislative action. The APA wants mandatory personal protection equipment and priority testing for crew members, as well as a mandate that all passengers wear face masks when traveling. The APA also wants mandatory deep cleaning of aircraft and airports included, among other things. "Your APA Government Affairs Committee is aggressively pursuing these initiatives on your behalf in Washington, D.C.," the union said in a note to members this week. Even though passenger volume is down 95 percent at TSA checkpoints year over year, airlines are still flying hundreds of flights a day with load factors in the teens and below. Airlines are deemed an essential business, and a condition of carriers receiving payroll grants from the U.S. government is they continue to serve all destinations they usually serve. American, like other carriers, is applying for some exemptions to that rule. American spokesperson Matt Miller said the airline is following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, and purchasing masks for all frontline employees who want to wear them. American is currently in the process of distributing the masks and is encouraging employees to bring their own, too, Miller said. "Many of American's team members have transformed our temporarily closed Admirals Club lounges into sewing groups to create masks for colleagues," Miller said. An APA spokesperson said even though American is supplying masks, the union thinks it should be an industry-wide practice that's based in law. https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2020/04/23/american-airlines-pilots-ppe.html Back to Top Flying school for Chinese pilots reports racial abuse, laser pointer attacks and jammed radio signals (Australia) Reports of interference with aircraft radio communications and the use of laser pointers at one of regional Victoria's busiest airports, where a flying school trains pilots for Chinese airlines, are being investigated. Key points: • International Aviation Alliance CEO Simon Clemence said tensions over the academy's presence meant it had become "reluctant to even let [the students] out" • Mr Clemence, who is also Mildura's mayor, said unknown persons had jammed radio frequencies • A spokeswoman for the Australian Communications and Media Authority said it was investigating a complaint • The International Aviation Alliance academy has been subject to a number of complaints about noise, however CEO Simon Clemence said tensions over its presence in Mildura had escalated to the point where the academy had become "reluctant to even let [the students] out". Mr Clemence, who is also Mildura's mayor, said unknown persons had jammed radio frequencies to prevent its aircraft from operating, and aimed laser pointers at its planes. And, he added, Chinese student pilots aged in their 20s had been subjected to racial abuse on aircraft radios and in public. "All the rednecks are coming out and quite literally attacking us," he said. Academy helping amid covid-19: Clemence The flying school opened to much fanfare in 2019, when Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack announced the Federal Government would contribute $2 million toward the installation of an instrument landing system at the airport. Mr McCormack at the time said the funding was allocated because Anne Webster, then the Nationals candidate for Mallee, "continually rang me and rang me and rang me" and said the region needed the landing system to attract flying schools to Mildura. But in recent weeks, enough "distressed" constituents had written to Dr Webster angry about noise from late-night training flights that the MP had written to the flying academy to ask it to consider changing its schedule. Part of the school's plan to alleviate those concerns involves expanding to places like Swan Hill, whose council this week voted to pursue negotiations that could eventually lead to 200 Chinese student pilots learning to fly at the Swan Hill Aerodrome, despite some councillors' concerns. Mr Clemence said the academy's presence had helped some businesses in Mildura survive the downturn associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and that it was even courting interest from the Tasmanian Government. But while business leaders and local councils were attracted to the academy's promise of an economic boost, Mr Clemence said the students had been subjected to vigilante behaviour in the community. A spokeswoman for the Australian Communications and Media Authority said it was investigating a complaint about interference to licensed radio communications services at Mildura Airport and had encouraged the airport's management to report the matter to police. Mr Clemence said while there were genuine community concerns about aircraft noise and foreign ownership, he felt "anti-Chinese sentiment" was fuelling much of the outrage at a time when coronavirus was spreading. "If this was Qantas, would anyone really be making all the complaints and allegations they are making now? I don't think so," he said. ATSB found no need to investigate report QantasLink is among those to have raised concerns about how increased training flights have made Mildura Airport a more difficult place to fly to. In a recent airspace review, the carrier told the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) it had begun to find radio traffic at Mildura "challenging", with pilots commonly encountering "poor or miscommunication" on radio calls. Virgin Australia, another of the three commercial airlines to service Mildura, also told the review none of CASA's recommendations would address the risk of "insufficient or ineffective communication" involving student pilots whose first language was not English. Peter Guest, a recreational pilot from Mildura, said he had encountered communication issues on multiple occasions, and felt it was "just pure luck that there hasn't been a collision yet". The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) contacted Mr Guest this week after learning of an incident last Sunday (April 19) in which he claimed a pilot from the flying school failed to respond to his radio call as he prepared to land. The ATSB decided no further investigation was warranted. CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said more education about radio use at Mildura was planned but stressed the airspace was safe, with three incidents recorded over the past year out of almost 20,000 flights. "We don't believe there are any immediate safety concerns [but] it doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement," he said. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-24/mildura-flying-school-chinese-students-laser-pointers-jam-radios/12181800 Back to Top FAA TO SCALE BACK ATC SERVICE AS TRAFFIC DECLINES AOPA MAKES SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS; OVER 100 FACILITIES MAY BE AFFECTED The FAA plans to reduce the operating hours of air traffic control personnel at more than 100 ATC towers and terminal radar approach control facilities in late April to limit employees' exposure to the coronavirus as the pandemic slows flight activity in the national airspace system. No end date was given for the downsizing that will affect ATC facilities in Class C and D airspace where traffic volume has declined as much as 96 percent. The modifications will be reviewed regularly for an eventual return to normal operations, said Rune Duke, AOPA senior director of airspace, air traffic, and aviation security. The FAA will conduct a regular analysis of traffic levels to determine how to appropriately staff the facilities. "These facilities have seen a significant reduction in flights, especially during the evening and nighttime hours, since the pandemic began," the FAA said in an April 22 coronavirus update. "Adjusting the operating hours will further protect our employees and reduce the possibility of temporary tower closures from COVID-19 exposures by ensuring enough controllers are available to staff the facilities during peak hours. It also will enable us to allocate difficult-to-source supplies where they are most needed." AOPA and other aviation associations have been providing the FAA with feedback on issues to be addressed to ensure safety and procedural clarity, and to maintain efficiency when the roughly 100 affected facilities reduce their operating hours. "We are taking a close look at the FAA's strategy and their initial list of locations," said Duke. "The FAA and air traffic controllers have done an outstanding job to keep the system running during this extraordinary time. Their collaboration with aviation stakeholders has been key to ensuring the safety and efficiency of the system." Some of the issues AOPA has raised are without systemwide precedent: In the case of airports that are usually served continually by ATC, AOPA and other aviation groups are developing general recommendations on how such responsibilities as the posting and consistent dissemination of notams, and the monitoring of navaids, should be handled when the tower is closed. Pilots may need to brush up on related procedures such as preflight planning: For example, if a navaid is unmonitored, an instrument approach such as an instrument landing system (ILS) may not be available, reducing an airport's availability as an alternate during flight planning. Also, the class of airspace that takes effect when a normally 24/7 Class C or Class D airport tower closes must be determined and made known to flight crews, he said. By contrast, the after-hours airspace classes in use at airports that regularly operate with part-time ATC service are published in flight publications and on navigation charts, making the information easily accessible to pilots. Clear guidance on such basic questions will help reduce the overall risk, Duke said. The FAA is working to publish guidance materials and frequently asked questions about the operating changes in addition to the list of affected ATC facilities, he said. The AOPA Air Safety Institute recently released a safety notice about ATC zero events that provides additional guidance on what pilots can do during preflight to ensure they have all of the pertinent information. "Notams will remain the best source of information for ATC and airport status, and we encourage pilots to check this source regularly," said Duke. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/april/23/faa-to-scale-back-atc-service-as-traffic-declines Back to Top Philippine Airlines Incorporates PPE Into New Cabin Crew Uniform Philippine Airlines has rolled out a new cabin crew uniform this week. It is a PPE gown accessorized with disposable latex gloves, and a face shield like your dentist might wear. The new-look is part of the airline's re-energized health and safety procedures and has been a more frequent occurrence on repatriation flights over the past fortnight. This isn't common PPE gear, it's couture New Zealand's NewsHub reported on the cabin crew's new PPE kit after Philippine Airlines operated a repatriation flight from Manila to Auckland. The uniform isn't just your basic off the shelf PPE gear most people wear; it's couture. Apparently. "The detail is a subtle branding for PAL. We didn't have time to print or embroider the logo, so we came up with the idea of mimicking or reworking the 'flag' logo of PAL," said Filipino couturier Edwin Tan who is behind the new outfits. Wow - Philippine Airlines launch 'The New Normal' uniforms for cabin crew, who will now wear custom-designed PPE amid #COVID19 pandemic "We used a non-porous material for the PPEs. A material with substantial weight to give it a better fall than generic PPEs, with our branding" News Hub reckons the Auckland flight earlier this week was the debut of these new uniforms. We're not entirely sure about that. That's because they popped up on Twitter on 17 April in the vicinity of Doha. Furthermore, there are reports the look was also sported on a repatriation flight to Canada last week. Uniform is a work in progress And while some media outlets are saying passengers will be stuck with cabin crew getting around in this for some time, that may not be the case. Cielo Villaluna, Philippine Airlines head of corporate communications, has said that these new uniforms are a work in progress. Philippine Airlines is still finalizing "the look." The airline had come under criticism on previous repatriation flights with crew wearing a wide assortment of PPE clothing. Edwin Tan's line of PPE clothing is an attempt by Philippine Airlines to create a uniform look. Edwin Tan admits this was a short notice gig. He says the bodysuit is based on an operating theatre gown. It is a smock with ties around the waist, long sleeves, gartered cuffs, and a high neckline. The idea, of course, is to minimize infection risk. A theatre gown with "subtle branding" But the designer acknowledged there were differences between an airplane cabin and a hospital theatre. Unlike hospital theatres, the risk of infection in aircraft cabins has thus far been quite low. Further, on long flights, the crew may be in their uniforms for a longer time and moving around more than theatre staff. This results in the new Philippine Airlines PPE uniforms being roomier and allowing for more movement than traditional theatre gowns. Philippine Airlines cabin crew wear full PPE - suit/mask/face shield/gloves - as part of the airlines health and safety measures, plus social distancing for passengers onboard To the untrained eye, the primary thing that distinguishes these PPE outfits from any other PPE outfits is the stripes of the Philippine flag on the right shoulder. Mr Tan calls it subtle branding. The airline has been pointing out that these uniforms will only be worn on Philippine Airlines' repatriation flights. Given that the airline has canceled all of its international and domestic services, repatriation flights are the only flights that Philippine Airlines is operating. This morning, Friday, 24 April, the airline is flying a planeload of British nationals home on behalf of the British Government. That long flight will give passengers the chance to appreciate Mr Tan's latest creations of crisis couture. https://simpleflying.com/philippine-airlines-ppe-uniform/ Back to Top Hawaiian Airlines brings in 1.6 million face masks A Hawaiian Airlines passenger plane, whose 3,920-cubic-foot belly was filled with protective masks for Hawaii's people, has landed. The plane arrived in Honolulu on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. A Hawaiian Airlines passenger plane whose 3,920-cubic-foot belly was filled with protective masks for Hawaii's people has landed. Credit goes to the vision of a young man and the nonprofit he co-founded, the help and generosity of nearly 100 partner organizations, and the airline. The Airbus 330 arrived Tuesday afternoon at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport with 1.6 million masks - the bulk of the 2 million ordered by the nonprofit Every1ne Hawaii. Not a single mask will be sold. Instead they will be distributed across the state free to vulnerable groups, including the homeless, the jobless and low-income families with kids, said Every1ne co-founder Robert Kurisu. Partner groups, which already work with communities on Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Hawaii island and Kauai, will distribute them starting Saturday in Maili. The Waianae Coast Comprehensive Center, which is engaged in food distribution, will have 50,000 masks to give out, Kurisu said. The 2 million-mask mission wasn't always Every¬1ne's mission. Kurisu said the nonprofit, made up of 25 or so millennial friends, initially formed to get their peers to vote in the presidential election, but then the coronavirus pandemic struck. "We pivoted to help out our community," he said. The goal became getting personal protective equipment for Hawaii's health care professionals. But when the nonprofit's members learned that was outside the realm of possibility since they were competing with states and local governments, they switched gears again. Darragh O'Carroll, an emergency room physician who attended Punahou School with many in the group, was their point person. "There are so many asymptomatic carriers, so masks are definitely needed," he said, adding that initially he didn't recommend them for the general public. The group members learned they could obtain nonmedical-grade, 12-hour disposable masks for the general public to use at a greatly reduced cost if they bought in bulk. "We had to order masks by the million," said Kurisu, adding that they soon learned that they had to jump through a number of hoops. Kurisu had turned to Danny Kim of Koha Foods, which imports food and other products from Asia, for help. In mid-March "we pulled the trigger as early as we could," Kurisu said. Kim encountered obstacles he never had before in all the importing he has done from China. "My agent was dealing in this category, but I just never bought this stuff before," he said. Getting the best price "depends on how many points of contact you have," so going straight to the manufacturer was ideal. They found a manufacturer in Shenzhen, "the Silicon Valley of China," but negotiating with the manufacturer, trying to get it here as soon as possible and wiring money to people they don't know well were some challenges, Kim said. But it was not typical to have to provide letters from the state of Hawaii, from the U.S. Embassy in Guangzhou, which Kim had to talk to in order to get approval, and "Chinese customs in order for them to release the product because it was such a large quantity," Kim said. He said if it hadn't been for Hawaiian Airlines and its cargo people like Brad Matheny, it could have taken much longer. They began talks with the airline because the group didn't want to ship by boat, which would mean the masks wouldn't arrive until May 1 or 2. The group paid for operational costs, including fuel and landing fees, but the rest, including the crew and the plane, was on Hawaiian. The money came from family foundations, corporations and others. Kurisu declined to say how much they paid for the masks or the airline costs. Hawaiian President and CEO Peter Ingram said, "We flew this flight specifically to pick up this cargo to support Every1ne." It required a rest stop in South Korea, then to Shenzhen, then back to South Korea before a flight home. The passenger plane's cargo hold was filled to capacity with 1.6 million masks in 800 cases, weighing 19,800 pounds - light for a plane that often carries 50,000 pounds of cargo from the West Coast. Another 400,000 will be sent by a third-party carrier in two weeks. https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/04/22/hawaii-news/hawaiian-airlines-brings-in-1-6-million-face-masks/ Back to Top Managing Aviation Safety From the way aircraft are built to the design of airport masts, many factors are pivotal to maintaining safe aviation. You are more likely to win an Oscar than be involved in a fatal air traffic accident-and to be honest; the odds are not even close. This variance in chance is less likely due to your acting skills and more down to the aviation industry's dedication to safety. From the way aircraft are built to the design of airport masts, many factors are pivotal to maintaining safe aviation. Air travel has extremely high safety standards and everything is designed to make the trip safe for everyone involved. Thanks to this dedication to safety, even though the number of flights per year is consistently increasing, the number of air traffic accidents continues to fall. Even with continuous mitigation of risk, with the number of journeys rising, the chance of an accident happening still increases. For this reason, the next step in increasing safety standards becomes mitigating the outcome of an incident by reducing the impact. Achieving this requires a thorough investigation of the most accident-prone areas of an air journey. Statistics from the Boeing between 2008 and 2017 shows that for the 502.8 million departures over ten years, on its aircraft, there were only 2,386 fatalities. Boeing also reports that of these fatalities 56% occurred during the final descent and landing phase. While a similar report from Airbus indicates that 48% of all its recorded fatalities, between 1999 and 2018, also occurred during the landing phase. These figures indicate that descent and landing are where more should be done to reduce the severity of incidents. For airport operators and designers, one of the critical parts to mitigating potential dangerous or fatal incidents is ensuring that all structures surrounding the runway are frangible. Frangible structures Frangible structures are designed to break into fragments, rather than bend when sustaining an impact. An easy way to think about this is by comparing how a cracker breaks in comparison to a gummy bear. Frangible structures are a major priority for airports, because of the vast array of visual and non-visual items situated near runways, taxiways, and aprons. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has stringent rules concerning frangible airport support structures-demanding that they must be designed to break, yield on impact, and minimize the effect of an incident. For example, support structures should not impose a force in excess of 45-kilonewtons on the colliding aircraft, while the maximum energy needed to break a mast at the collision should not exceed 55-kilojoules. ICAO requirements also require any structure located 240 meters from the end of the runway, and within 60 meters of either side of the centerline of the runway and approach lines, must be of low mass and frangible. Due to ICAO requirements, there are few materials that can match these specifications, while still being feasible for airport applications. Material considerations Composites are one of the primary materials from which airport frangible structures are built. Fiberglass is the most commonly used composite in the sector because it results in strong structures that can be constructed with walls as thin as two millimeters, which do not require breakoff points, unlike frangible metal structures. Fiberglass doesn't obstruct radio frequency signals, meaning airport operators don't have to worry about operation critical communications being blocked. Composites are also more corrosion resistant than metals, are built to work in environments ranging from -50 to +80˚C, and can tolerate exposure to water, rain, humidity, maritime climate, and ultraviolet radiation from the sun. To maintain stability, materials selected for frangible airport structures must only allow for a certain deflection. For example, the ICAO specifies that light masts can only deflect ±2° in the vertical axis and ±5° in the horizontal axis when the support is subjected to environmental loads, including wind and ice. Design needs All of these requirements demonstrate that there are many considerations while designing a frangible airport structure. For example, lighting towers play an important role in aircraft approach, as the masts guide planes towards the runway during descent. These lighting towers can range upwards of 35 meters in height, but frangibility is only required for the top twelve meters of taller towers. Even though only the top third of a lighting tower must be frangible, it must also be strong enough to resist strong wind speeds. This is crucial because most frangible structures cannot remain stable if they are taller than six meters and would require non-frangible bases in order to remain stable. Working with a reliable expert in frangible airport structure manufacturing helps to ensure that all the necessary industry and environmental requirements are met. While flying is one of the safest methods of transport, it requires constant vigilance to maintain current high safety standards. The aviation industry cannot afford to rest on its laurels and must continue to constantly upgrade safety procedures. As long as this focus on safety is at the forefront of importance for those in the industry, you can continue writing your Oscar acceptance speech knowing you are more likely to win the prestigious award than ever be involved in an aircraft incident. https://www.ehstoday.com/safety/article/21129626/managing-aviation-safety Back to Top Boeing Resumes 777X Test Flights Boeing has resumed test flights of the new 777X. The aircraft manufacturer hadn't flown the new type for a month following a pause to its Washington area operations. Boeing had expected to be delivering the first 777X aircraft later this year. However, following delays to the program, the first deliveries are now not expected to occur until next year. The plane finally took its first flight in January, and must now undergo comprehensive testing before delivery. This process had been paused alongside manufacturing in the Seattle area. However, it has now resumed. It will allow Boeing to continue to work towards certification after a lengthy delay already caused by engine issues. A trip to Spokane Yesterday one of the Boeing 777X test aircraft, N779XW, took a trip to Spokane as part of its program of testing. The experimental aircraft departed from Boeing Field in Seattle at 13:48. The plane quickly climbed to 19,000 feet, initially flying north before turning to the east. The flight to Spokane took around an hour, with the aircraft arriving at 14:49. The aircraft flew three approaches to the Washington airport before climbing towards the west. The plane rose to 18,000 feet for the return trip, having departed Spokane at 15:15. The aircraft then landed back in Washinton at 16:06. The total flight time was just under two hours and twenty minutes. Aerotime spotted the flight. Testing program resumed Yesterday's 777X flight was the first in a month for the program. The last flight took place on the 23rd of March. While engine issues previously delayed the 777X program, this delay was out of Boeing's hands. The American aerospace manufacturer suspended operations in the Washington area to deal with the current pandemic affecting the global aviation industry. The measures came after a Boeing employee from the area sadly passed away from the virus. Now that the testing program has been resumed, Boeing can continue working towards certification of the new type. The newest widebody Once the Boeing 777X achieves certification, it will succeed the Airbus A350 as the world's newest widebody aircraft. There are a total of 309 777X planes currently on order. This figure includes orders for both the 777-8 and the 777-9. Boeing is currently working on the certification of the latter. It will then begin work on the 777-8's certification. Lufthansa is due to be the launch customer of the 777X as things stand. Emirates is waiting in line just behind the German flag carrier. Other airlines that have ordered the 777X include British Airways, Singapore Airlines, ANA, Qatar, Cathay Pacific, and Etihad, alongside an unidentified customer. However, earlier today, we reported that Cathay could be looking to modify its 777X order. https://simpleflying.com/boeing-resumes-777x-test-flights/ Back to Top SAIC wins $653M FAA training contract Work expands on incumbent contract Science Applications International Corp. has captured a $653 million contract to support training at the Federal Aviation Administration. The company will provide training and training-related support services under the Controller Training Solutions contract. SAIC has been providing the services since 2014 when it won the Controller Training Contract. The new contract has a one-year base and six one-year options. SAIC will provide classroom, simulation, and specialized training services to help the FAA develop the next generation air traffic controller workforce as well as support the needs of the current staff. Most of the work will be done out of the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City and on-site at more than 300 FAA controller facilities nationwide. The company also will help the FAA developing new training courses as needed using the SAIC Integrated Training Edge platform. "Modernizing training curriculum and techniques can improve the experience of developmental controllers and ensure that they continue to be well-prepared to meet the challenges of managing tens of millions of flights each year," said Jeff Raver, SAIC vice president of Training and Mission Solutions. "Leveraging computer-based training, blended learning solutions, and gamification for training are just a few strategies we plan to bring to FAA." https://washingtontechnology.com/articles/2020/04/23/saic-faa-training-contract.aspx Back to Top Southwest CEO: Airline will be 'drastically smaller' if business doesn't improve soon Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly, like his counterparts at other companies pummeled by the coronavirus crisis, has been fielding questions about the impact from anxious employees for nearly two months. The questions, which Kelly answers in videos sent to its 60,000 workers, have taken a sobering turn at perennially profitable and always upbeat Southwest, underscoring the industry's uncertain future. "Most of my co-workers are not processing the dark and dangerous reality,'' one employee said in an email, according to excerpts Kelly shared in this week's "Ask Gary'' video. "Our messages of strength have created a false sense of security. My co-workers talk about the losses at JetBlue and Delta yet somehow don't apply those numbers to Southwest.'' The email goes on, Kelly said, but the worker's question was essentially this: "Just how bad are things" at Southwest? Kelly didn't get into financial specifics since Southwest won't report first quarter earnings and its second quarter outlook until April 28, but he did detail the industry's dire straits and the drastic steps Southwest will have to take if things don't improve soon. He braced employees for the possibility of benefit and pay cuts and the first involuntary furloughs in the company's 50-year history but said the airline is doing everything it can to avoid that, raising billions of dollars in cash, slashing flights by more than half and parking hundreds of planes. "Obviously, this can't go on forever,'' he said. "We can't raise that much cash (again.)'' Bottom line: Southwest and other airlines need people to start flying again as soon as possible to avoid a deeper, more painful round of cost cutting. That prospect is uncertain given stay-at-home orders still in place around the country. "If things don't improve dramatically over the May, June, July time period, we'll have to prepare ourselves for a drastically smaller airline,'' he said. "I am not predicting that. I am not predicting that. But life can be very humbling.'' "I have great faith that this too shall pass,'' Kelly added. "I just don't know when.'' Kelly said the first cuts Southwest will make, if necessary and in conjunction with its many unions, will be benefit and pay cuts. He said he favors pay cuts for all employees as a first step to avoid the need for involuntary furloughs. Airline bailout by the numbers: Air travel recovery 'could take 4 or 5 years' Here's what else Southwest CEO Gary Kelly told employees about the coronavirus impact At 13 1/2 minutes, it was Kelly's longest video since the outbreak began, with most significantly shorter. He was at turns candid CEO, calming Dad and preacher. On Southwest's future: So what's going to happen to us? The honest answer is I don't know. No one knows. That's the only honest answer anyone can provide. We've never experienced anything like this in our lifetimes.'' ' So what is Southwest going to do? "Do we give up? Well, of course not. We fight. ... And we fight like we've never fought before. We fight to defeat this virus. And we fight for our customers, every single one. They're precious and we need them. And don't ever be rude.'' On the economic carnage all around: "Many companies will not survive this and it may be through no fault of their own. A lot of jobs will be destroyed. Institutions will be lost that took years or decades to build. ... But Southwest is too precious to lose. All of us, we are the stewards and the protectors of what's been built over 50 years and must guard this treasure that has been entrusted to us with all our might.'' https://www.yahoo.com/news/southwest-ceo-airline-drastically-smaller-213643938.html Back to Top Tiny, levitating 'nanocardboard' aircraft could explore Mars one day Tiny, levitating "nanocardboard" flyers could one day explore the dusty red surface of Mars. This summer, NASA will launch its newest Mars rover, Perseverance, and a helicopter that will fly over the planet's surface as part of a "high-risk, high-reward" experiment. But even before its launch, researchers are designing much more ambitious aircraft for Mars as well. Of particular interest are flying aircraft that could, with less risk, more effectively observe and study Mars' surface. In a new study, researchers have demonstrated the abilities of a unique fleet of aircraft that could thrive on Mars: tiny "nanocardboard" flying vehicles. These aircraft each weigh about a third of a milligram, or less than a fruit fly, and have no moving parts. Instead of flying with wings or rotating blades, they actually levitate. "The Mars Helicopter is very exciting, but it's still a single, complicated machine," lead author Igor Bargatin of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania, who is not involved in the Mars Helicopter, said in a statement. "If anything goes wrong, your experiment is over, since there's no way of fixing it. We're proposing an entirely different approach that doesn't put all of your eggs in one basket." Each tiny flyer is a plate of "nanocardboard," which is inspired by paper cardboard's corrugations, or ridges. Plates of "nanocardboard" are hollow aluminum oxide a few nanometers thick with ridges made by a pattern of micro-channels on the plates that keep them stiff and unbroken. The micro-channels in the "nanocardboard" plates are actually the secret behind their unique method of flight, according to the statement: The channels create a temperature gradient that pushes air through the hollow plates and allows them to float. This strange method of flight would be particularly advantageous on Mars because the planet's thin atmosphere and weaker gravity would allow the plates to lift more weight and travel over much longer distances than here on Earth. In this study, the researchers tested "nanocardboard" vehicles in a Mars-like environment in a lab environment. They tested the vehicles in a low-pressure test chamber and experimented with mock payloads by having the little floating plates carry silicone rings. Additionally, Bargatin is working with other researchers to develop new, tinier chemical sensors that could collect important data and detect substances like methane and water on other planets, according to the statement. "In addition to carrying sensors," Bargatin said, "our flyers could simply land and have grains of dust or sand passively stick to them, then transport them back to the rover so it doesn't need to travel as far." Bargatin also suggested in the statement that fleets of these tiny flyers could be used to study our own planet's atmosphere - specifically, the mesosphere. "The Earth's mesosphere is pretty similar to the Martian atmosphere in terms of density, and we currently don't have anything that flies there, since it is too low for space satellites but too high for airplanes and balloons," Bargatin said. "Ideally, you'd like to have some sensors up there as well. The more knowledge you have about the movement of the atmosphere at that level, the better predictions you can make about Earth's climate and even weather." The research was published Tuesday (April 21) in the journal Advanced Materials. https://www.space.com/mars-nanocardboard-flying-aircraft-helicopter.html Greetings from the ISASI 2020 Planning Committee. We hope this message finds you, your family, friends and associates doing as well as possible in these difficult times. For those who planned to attend the ISASI 2020 conference in Canada, we have been working extensively with all involved for some time. The annual symposium is a critical event in our International community and decisions to change it are not made lightly. In conjunction with the ISASI International Executive, we have concluded that the ISASI 2020 in Montreal will not go forward as per the original dates. At this point we have several options that are dependent upon the hotels in both Montreal and Brisbane and their willingness to be flexible and work with us. It is our hope that we can push our plans forward by one year, with 2021 being in Montreal and 2022 being in Brisbane. We will be posting the new information as soon as it is available. For those of you who submitted abstracts, the papers selection process is proceeding as planned. Once the Selection Committee has finished their work, we will be advising everyone of the successful candidates. It is our hope that those who were chosen will be able to participate next year regardless of location. For those of you who have already registered and paid for the seminar, we will be in touch with each of you soon regarding refunds. Please know that this decision was not taken lightly. The health and safety of our delegates was first and foremost on our minds and could not be put in jeopardy. On behalf of the ISASI 2020 Planning Committee, I would like to thank you for your understanding and cooperation during these difficult times. Best regards Barbara Dunn President CSASI The USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Has Moved Online! The following upcoming courses will take place in our virtual WebEx classrooms. Gas Turbine Accident Investigation Skills and knowledge to examine the involvement of turbine engines in fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft accidents. May 4-8, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 Software Safety Philosophies and methods of developing software, analyzing software, and managing a software safety program. May 11-14, 2020 4 Days Tuition: $2125 SeMS Aviation Security Management Systems Managing and implementing aviation security measures at medium to small size aircraft operators, all airports, and Indirect Air Carriers, with emphasis on risk assessment and cyber security. May 11-15, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 Safety Management Systems for Managers Providing Managers and Supervisors an understanding of the principles of an SMS and a clear vision of the role of the manager May 27-28, 2020 1.5 Days Tuition: $1025 More classes will move online soon. If you want to take a specific class online, or have any questions, please contact us. Earn Credit for FlightSafety Master Technician-Management Program Students taking the following USC courses will earn elective credits towards FlightSafety International's Master Technician-Management Program • Human Factors in Aviation Safety • Gas Turbine Accident Investigation • Helicopter Accident Investigation • Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance • Safety Management for Ground Operations Safety • Accident/Incident Response Preparedness Earn Credit for FlightSafety Master Technician-Management Program Students taking the following USC courses will earn two points toward completing the application for the National Business Aviation Certified Aviation Manager Exam. • Aviation Safety Management Systems • Accident/Incident Response Preparedness • Human Factors in Aviation Safety • Aircraft Accident Investigation • SeMS Aviation Security Management Systems For further details, please visit our website or use the contact information below. Email: aviation@usc.edu Telephone: +1 (310) 342-1345 Photo Credit: PFC Brendan King, USMC Curt Lewis