Flight Safety Information April 28, 2020 - No. 085 In This Issue Incident: Republic E175 at Charlotte on Apr 24th 2020, bird strike Instrument failure, pilot error caused fatal N.W.T. plane crash: TSB Absent vaccine, airline industry may be gutted for years NACA Proposes SAFETY Protocols for Resumption of Commercial Air Travel JetBlue will require passengers to wear masks 70 American Airlines ground crew workers test positive (PHX) U.S. Helicopter Safety Team Issues First "Recommended Practice" Document Schubach Aviation Joins the ACSF and ASAP Singapore Airlines Sets Aside $2.3 Billion For New Aircraft Payments Comac makes first jet delivery after resuming production Starship chilled. Starship pressurized. And for the first time, it didn't explode Call for Nominations For 2020 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award Online Fire & Explosion Investigation from SCSI On-line CRM Training Sessions Aviation remote learning opportunities by Lufthansa Group specialist company Incident: Republic E175 at Charlotte on Apr 24th 2020, bird strike A Republic Airways Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of United, registration N731YX performing flight UA-3469 from Charlotte,NC to Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA), was departing Charlotte's runway 36C when the aircraft received a bird strike. In the absence of abnormal indications the crew continued the flight and climbed the aircraft to FL360. About half way into the flight the aircraft descended to FL280 and landed in Chicago without further incident. On Apr 27th 2020 the FAA reported the aircraft received unknown damage when it received a bird strike during departure from Charlotte, phase of flight was takeoff. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 4 hours, then performed flight UA-3552 to Cincinnati,KY (USA) cruising at maximum FL230, then remained in Cincinnati on the ground for about 11 hours before resuming service climbing to FL380. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL3469/history/20200424/1740Z/KCLT/KORD http://avherald.com/h?article=4d6804d1&opt=0 Back to Top Instrument failure, pilot error caused fatal N.W.T. plane crash: TSB YELLOWKNIFE - Instrument failures, including one before takeoff, compounded by pilot error were behind a fatal airplane crash in the Northwest Territories, says the Transportation Safety Board. The pilot and the co-pilot were killed when the Air Tindi King Air turboprop plane hurled itself into the bush at more than 700 km/h in January 2019 outside of Wha Ti, a small community northwest of Yellowknife. "The accident was not survivable," says the safety board report released Monday. The plane was on a scheduled run from Yellowknife to two small communities and the Ekati diamond mine. Wha Ti was its first stop, about 40 minutes flying time from Yellowknife. Before leaving, the report says, the plane's co-pilot noticed one of its attitude indicators wasn't working. The instrument displays the plane's position relative to the horizon. The report indicates the pilot said the instrument would start working once the flight was underway and it had warmed up. It never did. As the plane, flying on autopilot, approached Wha Ti, its second attitude indicator stopped working. That automatically shut off the autopilot, which forced the pilot to resume manual control while flying through heavy cloud. The pilot was unable to establish his plane's position without the crucial instruments, the report says. The plane began banking left, slowly at first, then more steeply. "Neither crew spoke of the aircraft's changing attitude," says the report. "It is likely at this stage that the captain experienced unrecognized spatial disorientation." The report suggests the pilot's ability to handle a plane with partial instruments may have been rusty. "Such skills deteriorate over time," it says. "It is likely that the captain was not proficient in partial panel flight." The flight path indicates the pilot tried to correct his error when the plane left the clouds about 700 metres above the ground. The aircraft left a trail of debris through the trees nearly a kilometre long. The TSB says Air Tindi has improved its maintenance and equipment checklists and has stepped up training for partial instrument situations. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 27, 2020 https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/instrument-failure-pilot-error-caused-fatal-n-w-t-plane-crash-says-tsb Back to Top Absent vaccine, airline industry may be gutted for years If the public's confidence in the ability to fly safely doesn't rise in the coming months, "you'll be looking for CARES Act 2.0," an industry analyst said. Without widespread testing for the coronavirus or a vaccine, airline travel won't be anywhere close to normal for months, or even years, to come. The new reality will likely be fewer, more expensive flights on slimmed-down airlines that have laid off thousands of employees and cut ties to many contractors. In addition, travelers may be required to have new documentation and health checks to board. "Could there be a new public health agency coming out that requires a new passport to travel? I don't know. But we'll be on the forefront of all those advances," Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said during an earnings call this month. A recovery, Bastian said, will take years and a vaccine may be what it takes to sway consumer confidence. But questions remain about immunity, and testing for antibodies can be inaccurate and availability is scarce in any case. The International Air Transportation Association, which represents carriers around the world, recently released the results of a survey in which 40 percent of recent passengers said they may wait at least six months after the outbreak is contained to travel again. And almost 70 percent said they may hold off on traveling until their personal finances are in better shape. Airline industry analyst Robert Mann predicted that if the public's confidence in the ability to fly safely doesn't rise in the coming months, "you'll be looking for CARES Act 2.0," referring to the coronavirus aid package enacted last month that included some $58 billion in grants and loans for airlines. "I think this is part of ... the entire reopening debate," he said. "I guess it starts with widespread, instantly available, highly accurate, cheap testing that gives people the confidence that they aren't either infected or a carrier and the people around them using the transportation system are similarly not." Increasing diagnostic testing capacity to the level needed to ease social distancing has proven a major challenge, and it could be 18 months or more until a vaccine is available. Contact tracing is also viewed as crucial to reopening economies, but the United States lacks the hundreds of thousands of workers required to do it effectively. Ultimately, layoffs at airlines later this year may be unavoidable. U.S. airlines employ about 750,000 people directly, according to trade group Airlines for America. "Unless the government repeat[s] the bailout, I don't see that there's any way to avoid it," said Scott Hamilton, an aviation industry analyst, whose consulting firm has estimated that it will take four to eight years for air traffic to return to the levels it reached before the outbreak. "This is all driven by how soon you can get vaccines to the population." Sara Nelson, the head of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said "no matter what happens, we're not restarting this industry with the same numbers that we had in February." But she said the industry and its labor partners are working to build "bridges to retirement, early-out offers, options for people who might have other earning means to take a leave with a little incentive - cutting back the impact of fewer jobs in that way." The CARES Act included $58 billion for the Treasury Department to issue grants and loans to passenger and cargo airlines. Half of the money was dedicated to helping airlines continue to pay their workers, and that aid comes with the stipulation that carriers don't furlough employees through the end of September. Last week, Bastian said he was doubtful that more aid would come from the federal government for airlines. "My sense is the appetite for additional relief beyond that will be challenging," Bastian said. "And I think the combination of the [payroll aid] together with the loans should provide us the liquidity we need to get through this crisis." But Nelson pushed back on that, saying she believes "it's possible, that if we're in an emergency state again, that Congress will act again to keep people in their jobs." Nelson argued that lawmakers won't want massive layoffs so close to Election Day, and that the CARES Act showed there can be enough political support for giving aid to airlines if it is focused on workers and comes with strings. In addition, "there is a recognition that we can't just allow the airline industry to collapse," she said. Hamilton, the consultant, said that recovery goes beyond ensuring consumers are confident in what measures airlines take - it also depends on what measures other pieces of the hospitality industry take. "You also have to ask yourself, if you're going to travel, is the hotel going to be properly disinfected? Are the taxi cabs going to be disinfected? Will the restaurants be adequately practicing some kind of social [distancing], even in October or November or December?" Hamilton said. Tori Barnes, the executive vice president of public affairs and policy at the U.S. Travel Association, said having consistent health and safety protocols in place at each stage of travel will be key to making people feel comfortable. "We want to have that consistency so that people will know what to expect," Barnes said. "That can help give confidence and assurance that they're not going to show up at the airport and they don't know what to do, or they don't have the right mask, or they don't have the right wipes - or whatever they're supposed to have." The travel industry is also likely to call for more funding for both diagnostic and antibody testing, Barnes said. "If you could have something where you could take a test easily, you're know that you're safe, that you're healthy, you might have more confidence to leave." At the same time, Barnes said the industry needs to "contemplate the realistic factor that things are going to open up slowly, that they're likely to open up regionally, and how do we market/ encourage folks to consider options closer to home in the meantime ... to keep the health of industry alive?" People will need encouragement "to try new destinations that they may not have otherwise thought about" in their region, Barnes said. That might include deals and information about safety protocols as well as a list of attractions. Temperature checks, a requirement that passengers wear masks, empty middle seats and cleaning between flights could become the norm for some time. But Mann, the analyst, said testing may need to be done before people get to the airport. "The last thing you want is folks who thought they were going to be able to travel finding out day of travel that they can't travel," Mann said. In addition, he noted that infected people could spread the virus to others at the airport. Robin Hayes, the CEO of JetBlue Airways, made the same case while on CNBC last week. "As airports get busy again, you're going to be mixing in lobbies, in foyers, in security lines with other people," Hayes said. "There's a national debate around testing. It's an important conversation. And I think this is why testing is so important, so that people know before they fly." "You may see the rollout of testing and other things at airports," he added. "But, again, the more that's done ahead of that, sort of before you can even get in the car or get on the train to go to the airport, the better that is." Hayes said he expects people will prefer driving to flying at first, and they will sooner fly domestically than internationally. "I do think there's such a pent-up demand for travel, for people to visit friends and family again, to go on vacation," he said. "There will be some great deals around when this is over." Airlines also need business travel to return. "That's where all the revenue is," Mann said. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/27/vaccine-airline-coronavirus-212551 Back to Top NACA Proposes SAFETY Protocols for Resumption of Commercial Air Travel NACA releases "SAFETY: The Necessary Elements to Return Passengers to the Skies," outlining principles for the U.S. airline industry to resume regular operations. ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Air Carrier Association (NACA) today issued an initial set of principles for the resumption of regular commercial flight operations in the wake of the economic and societal disruptions unleashed by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. "SAFETY: The Necessary Elements to Return Passengers to the Skies," outlines actions NACA believes must be taken to ensure that the U.S. airline industry can restore public confidence and be a safe catalyst for economic recovery. "The U.S. airline industry will be a vital component of America's economic recovery. To be successful, the public must be confident that they can fly with us without risking infection from COVID-19." SAFETY is an acronym, referring to: • Safety: Every effort must be taken to ensure that passengers, crews and those working on aircraft are protected from further exposure to the COVID-19 virus. • Access: Access to air travel - and the resulting consumer spending at hotels, restaurants, resorts and retail establishments - will be a critical element of the economic recovery. • Flexibility: Airlines must have the flexibility to shift aircraft and routes to meet demand as it ebbs and flows during the recovery. • Economic Viability: Restrictions on air travel cannot be so stringent that passengers can't fly easily and affordably, and airlines can't return to profitability and protect jobs. • Testing: The federal government must work quickly and methodically to deploy a measured approach to COVID-19 testing in airports that utilizes the latest technologies for both screening (e.g., non-contact temperature scanning and effective antibody testing) and credentialing (biometric or tamper-proof identification systems) for those safe to fly and interact with others. • You: The most critical element in returning to the skies is you. You are the reason we fly. More than anything else, we care about your health and safety and helping you return to better days. A pamphlet with more detail on the SAFETY principles can be found on NACA's website here. "America's economic recovery will require enormous, coordinated efforts from governments, industries and people across the nation," Novak said. "We look forward to working with all stakeholders to plan for resuming regular activities and hope the SAFETY principles serve to kickstart those discussions." ABOUT NACA Founded in 1962, NACA is a trade association comprised of eighteen air carriers certificated under Title 14, Part 121 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Our members are a diverse group of air carriers, providing scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo services. NACA carriers fill a unique niche in the air carrier industry, offering services in response to ever-changing demands from the traveling public, businesses, and the U.S. government. NACA members include: Air Transport International, Amerijet, Allegiant Air, Atlas Air, Everts Air Cargo, Frontier Airlines, Kalitta Air, Lynden Air Cargo, Miami Air International, Northern Air Cargo, Omni Air International, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, Swift Air, USA Jet Airlines, Western Global Airlines, World Atlantic Airlines and XTRA Airways. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200427005612/en/NACA-Proposes-SAFETY-Protocols-Resumption-Commercial-Air Back to Top JetBlue will require passengers to wear masks, other airlines will provide them for travelers amid coronavirus • American Airlines will provide face masks and sanitizing wipes for passengers amid concerns about coronavirus. • JetBlue passengers will be required to wear face masks starting next month. • Coronavirus has devastated air travel demand, forcing carriers to rethink cleaning and seating on board. Airlines are stepping up policies to ensure passengers and employees wear face masks on board amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus. Starting May 4, all JetBlue Airways passengers will be required to wear a face covering, the strictest policy so far in the U.S. and one that follows the New York-based airline's requirement that flight attendants wear a mask or face covering while on duty. "Wearing a face covering isn't about protecting yourself, it's about protecting those around you," said JetBlue's President Joanna Geraghty. "This is the new flying etiquette." American Airlines and Delta Air Lines earlier Monday said they will require thousands of employees to wear face masks and provide masks for passengers. Airline labor unions have repeatedly demanded stronger protections against coronavirus. While air travel in the U.S. is down some 95% from a year ago because of the virus and stay-at-home orders around the world, flight crews have raised concerns about catching the virus on the job and have sought federally mandated procedures. "All airlines should follow JetBlue's lead, including its efforts to fully communicate the change before it becomes effective next week so that Flight Attendants are not put in the position of being enforcers without information and backing from the airline," said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, which represents some 50,000 cabin crews, including those at United, Spirit and others. American said next month it will start handing out face masks and sanitizing wipes for passengers and require that its roughly 30,000 mainline and regional flight attendants wear masks while on duty. Fort Worth, Texas-based American is also going to step up cleaning procedures to disinfect areas including tray tables, seat belt buckles, window shares and seat-back screens, galleys, jump seats and surfaces in the cockpit. "Our team members on the frontline are truly going above and beyond during this time," said Kurt Stache, American's senior vice president of customer experience. "Their commitment is nothing short of incredible and we will continue to work with them to make sure they have the equipment they need to feel safe." Delta said it will require employees to wear masks or face coverings any time it's impossible to keep a distance of six feet between themselves and a customer or another employee, starting on Tuesday and through June 30 "at which time we will reevaluate and update as necessary." "We are strongly encouraging our customers to wear masks and will make them available at ticket counters, gates and onboard airplanes," four Delta officials said in a staff memo, which was seen by CNBC. United Airlines last week started mandating masks or other face coverings for flight attendants, following similar moves by JetBlue and budget carrier Frontier Airlines. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/27/coronavirus-american-airlines-to-hand-out-face-masks-for-passengers-require-them-for-flight-attendants.html Back to Top 70 American Airlines ground crew workers test positive (PHX) At least 70 American Airlines ground crew workers at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport have tested positive for COVID-19 as of April 27, including four that required hospitalization, according to union officials. The numbers are expected to climb as individuals from the 1,000-member "below the wing" crews continue getting tested. The first case at Sky Harbor was reported to the airline on April 8; within 10 days, that number was up to 20, according to Donald Carbonneau, president of Sky Harbor Lodge 2559, the local chapter of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM) union that represents portions of American Airlines' fleet services employees and other airlines at Sky Harbor. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at Sky Harbor airport are unknown. AZCIR (Arizona Center for Investigative Journalism) interviewed nearly a dozen American Airlines employees and union representatives, obtained internal company memos and emails, and reviewed hundreds of posts and comments on a private employee Facebook page detailing concerns among employees about the airline's response to COVID-19 at Sky Harbor. Employees other than those representing their colleagues in unions declined to be identified because it violated company policy and they feared retribution for discussing company business. AZCIR also contacted American Airlines managers based at Sky Harbor, but they either declined to comment because they were not authorized to speak on behalf of the corporation or did not return messages left by AZCIR reporters. The known American Airlines COVID-19 cases in Phoenix are among crews who load and unload passenger luggage and cargo on jetways and at baggage claims. They also include maintenance workers and those responsible for directing aircraft at terminal gates. The airline workers are part of a limited group that federal and state governments have deemed essential employees, working on-location during a pandemic with a patchwork of guidance from local, state and federal officials. As the limited supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) hampers critical service staff in sectors from healthcare to first responders, other essential workers are facing similar shortages - and rising infection rates. Questions about whether essential workers can stay safe on the job come amid the federal government's multi-billion dollar bailout of the airline industry and calls to begin reopening business across the United States. In Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey has yet to make a decision on whether he'll lift business restrictions set to expire on April 30. Arizona AFL-CIO Executive Director Fred Yamashita asked Ducey and the state Legislature to provide PPE and COVID-19 testing for all essential workers in a letter dated April 23. "We need these tests to be available to our workforce as soon as possible, regardless of symptom status," Yamashita wrote. "It is critical for Arizona to take the lead on ensuring its residents and essential workers safety." The letter also highlighted concerns regarding limited information about confirmed COVID-19 cases among American Airlines staff at Sky Harbor, citing the company's reluctance to share infection data as "the reason that this workforce's infection rate has spiked." Union officials told AZCIR that American Airlines' refusal to release data is not unique in the industry. Other airlines, officials claim, have been less transparent. American Airlines ramp employees and their unions claim the surge in Coronavirus infections at the company's Sky Harbor ground terminals is the result of a delayed response by the airline to distribute PPE such as personal hand sanitizer and masks. They also cited delays by the company - and staff - to enforce social distancing in break rooms where up to 50 employees waited in between flights. American Airlines did not fill the hand sanitizer stations in break rooms at its Sky Harbor facilities to "conserve the supply of sanitizer," posting signs as early as April 4 that employees should instead focus on washing their hands, documents show. Employees also claimed the airline is delaying notifications to staff who may have come into contact with a colleague who tested positive for the virus - in some cases more than a week after potential exposure. "I wouldn't be shocked to hear tomorrow, or have a conversation with somebody to hear it's 75 or 80 [COVID-19 infections] just on how it's gone over the last couple of days," said Pat Rezler, an American Airline fleet services employee on leave to represent employees for District Lodge 141, another local chapter of the IAM. "I'm afraid that seeing how it took off the way it did, I am afraid that it may have been a little too little too late." Before CDC guidelines changed on April 3 to recommend face masks, unions had to push the airlines to allow workers to use their own masks and gloves, said Gary Peterson, the international vice president of the Transport Workers Union, which also represents American Airlines ramp workers at Sky Harbor. American Airlines spokesperson Kelsey Gion said the airline received personal hand sanitizer bottles for employees on April 10 and distributed them to Phoenix staff immediately. The airline received masks on April 13 and distributed them to employees the following day. "The safety of our team members remains our highest priority," Gion wrote in a statement to AZCIR. "In addition to following all (U.S.) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, we continue to coordinate closely with public health officials to adopt and explore new expanded health and safety measures at PHX including face masks and temperature tests, as well as other proactive efforts." The company is not releasing publicly the number of COVID-19 infections among its employees at Sky Harbor or among its more than 130,000 employees worldwide, Gion said. https://www.gvnews.com/news/coronavirus/70-american-airlines-ground-crew-workers-test-positive/article_0262e64c-88cb-11ea-a58f-7b05cbbab76f.html Back to Top U.S. Helicopter Safety Team Issues First "Recommended Practice" Document United States Helicopter Safety Team The U.S. Helicopter Safety Team has released an extensive Recommended Practice document which suggests training scenarios that will mitigate risk and improve aviation decision making. The training lesson plans in the document identify and describe numerous fatal helicopter accidents that involve some aspect showing a lack of sound aviation decision making that placed the aircraft in an "at risk" situation. The "at risk" situation either caused or was a contributing factor to the fatal accident. They included: • Loss of rotor RPM in autorotation • Loss of tail rotor effectiveness • Spatial disorientation • Unintended flight in IMC • Low altitude wire strike • Low altitude engine failure The Recommended Practice document applies to all persons conducting helicopter flight training or private and commercial helicopter operations, including certificated airman, Certified Flight Instructors, Designated Pilot Examiners, Training Center Evaluators and FAA Aviation Safety Inspectors. Simulator training providers in Evidence Based Training or other syllabi may use these scenario guidelines as the basis to improve aviation decision making. The document also offers instructors guidelines for building each training scenario: • Discuss the details of the accident scenario in a classroom environment allowing the student through self-discovery and if required, guided discussion points to identify errors made and how the accident could have been avoided. • Set the scenario before the pre-flight brief. Set up the flight training event based on the accident scenario. • Adapt accident aircraft specific parameters to relevant aircraft make and model. • Set accident matching parameters. For example: weather, time of day, passengers, fuel, weight, balance and performance allowing the student to determine the performance parameters. • Witness and assist with scenario setting during the pre-flight brief. • Allow the scenario to develop along the same lines as the matching accident. • Be prepared to use regression to "wind back" the scenario to emphasize actions taken or not completed based on the outcome of the exercise. • Debrief and discuss the scenario in detail to ensure maximum learning. The Recommended Practice document and its five Annex documents with crash scenarios can be found on the USHST web site on the Enhanced Training page: http://ushst.org/ENHANCED-TRAINING It can also be found within the "Resources" page on the International Helicopter Safety Foundation web site: http://ihsf.aero/index.php/resources/ Detailed information about all of proposed USHST safety enhancements aimed at reducing the number of fatal accidents can be found on the USHST website by clicking here. The enhancements are organized into five safety categories: Visibility and Loss of Control, Risk Management, Enhanced Training, Technology Support and Pilot Competency. Each year, the U.S. helicopter industry safely flies more than 3.2 million flight hours. Working together, we can build on that safe record and eliminate the small number of accidents that do occur. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/rotorcraft/press-release/21135770/united-states-helicopter-safety-team-us-helicopter-safety-team-issues-first-recommended-practice-document Back to Top Schubach Aviation Joins the ACSF and ASAP Air Charter Safety Foundation Schubach Aviation, a leading charter and aircraft management company based in Carlsbad, California, has joined the Air Charter Safety Foundation and its Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP). The ACSF, which now has more than 230 member companies, is a non-profit aviation safety organization that provides programs to enable the highest levels of safety in personal, charter and business aviation. The ASAP is administered by the ACSF in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration. Schuback Aviation's membership enables its employees to 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. "Our commitment to fostering a culture of safety is reflected in our safety record, and it's something we always strive to build upon," said Kimberly Herrell, President and Owner, Schubach Aviation. "That's the primary reason we sought to join the Air Charter Safety Foundation. We are looking forward to enhancing our current operations and bringing this next-level safety consciousness to our valued aircraft owners and charter customers." "As we're seeing more and more often, safety-focused operators like Schubach Aviation are recognizing the 'win-win' component of membership in the ACSF," noted Bryan Burns, ACSF President. "Especially in these challenging times in the industry, truly nothing is more important than the benefits a clearinghouse on safety like ours provides for everyone." https://www.aviationpros.com/fbos-tenants/press-release/21135825/air-charter-safety-foundation-schubach-aviation-joins-the-acsf-and-asap Back to Top Singapore Airlines Sets Aside $2.3 Billion For New Aircraft Payments Singapore Airlines made a big splash raising nearly $13 billion over the last few months to shore itself against the aviation crisis. Now the carrier is planning to spend $6.2 billion, putting $2.3 billion towards aircraft purchases! What is Singapore Airlines' current situation? Singapore Airlines was one of the harder hit carriers by the aviation crisis. As it relied significantly on through traffic and Singapore closed its borders to transit passengers, overnight, the airline lost 96% of its business. Unlike other airlines, there is no domestic market in the city-state of Singapore for the airline to rely on. In a statement, SIA stated this drop in traffic was "the greatest challenge that the SIA Group has faced in its existence. The Group's airlines become more vulnerable when international markets increasingly restrict the free movement of people or ban air travel altogether. It is unclear when the SIA Group can begin to resume normal services". The airline took drastic action to prevent financial troubles by securing financing of around $13 billion, with an initial $6 billion to be raised in the near future. These funds are not a loan from the government but instead are borrowed against equity and bonds, putting the airline in a strong position. What will the airline spend the money on? Unlike winning the lottery, Singapore won't be gleefully splitting up and giving away chunks of its newfound money. Instead, it has carefully analyzed what areas of the business need the money the most and set out to spend accordingly. According to FlightGlobal, Singapore has so far planned to raise $6.2 billion in the short term and spend it the following way. $2.3 billion will be used for aircraft purchases. $2.6 billion will be used for operating cash flow for the rest of the year $1.27 billion will be used to pay off some of its existing debts and other outgoings. Some losers that did not receive any budget were one of its asset airlines Virgin Australia (Singapore owned 20% of the airline), which went into voluntary administration this month. What aircraft purchases is the carrier expecting? A surprising move by the airline is actually going ahead with airline purchases during this time. The carrier is expecting around 18 new aircraft in the next year, including: Seven Airbus A320neos Five Airbus A350s Nine Boeing 787s Four Boeing 737 MAXs that have yet to be recertified (but are still planned) Because of the way that aircraft orders work, the carrier doesn't have to pay until the aircraft are delivered. This is why we see many airlines delay the delivery of aircraft or cancel orders. But not Singapore, who considers this time to be a moment for growth. The airline stated, "The rationale for these [aircraft] purchases remains valid even under the present scenario given that it would enable SIA to proceed with its adoption of new-generation aircraft, both as a replacement for existing fleet and for growth, as these new-generation aircraft will not only provide an enhanced travel experience to our customers but also, provide better operating efficiency and lower emissions. "This will also provide us with the resources to capitalize on any opportunities that may arise following the abatement of the Covid-19 pandemic from a position of strength, and position us for growth as soon as the ongoing crisis resolves." https://simpleflying.com/singapore-new-aircraft-payments/ Back to Top Comac makes first jet delivery after resuming production Comac has delivered its 24th ARJ21 regional aircraft, the first aircraft to be delivered since the Chinese airframer resumed work following the coronavirus outbreak. The aircraft, registered B-604F, was delivered to Chengdu Airlines. Comac states that the aircraft is managed by lessor ICBC Financial Leasing. The aircraft is also the first to be completely assembled at Comac's Shanghai Pudong unit. In March, it opened a second ARJ21 production line at Pudong, with the aim of ramping up the regional jet's production. The Pudong line can assemble up to 30 aircraft a year. Comac suspended work in February amid the pandemic, which originated in the country. Cirium fleets data indicates there are about 330 ARJ21s in Comac's order book. https://www.flightglobal.com/orders-and-deliveries/comac-makes-first-jet-delivery-after-resuming-production/138105.article Back to Top Starship chilled. Starship pressurized. And for the first time, it didn't explode Now the company will mount a single engine to the Starship prototype. Late on Sunday night, SpaceX completed a critical cryogenic test of a Starship prototype at its launch site in South Texas. The successful test, during which chilled nitrogen was loaded into pressurized fuel tanks, was reported on Twitter by SpaceX founder Elon Musk. The vehicle, dubbed SN4-which stands for Serial Number 4-was pressurized to 4.9 bar, or 4.9 times the atmospheric pressure at the surface of the Earth. This pressure is not as high as Starship's fuel tanks and plumbing system are designed to withstand, but it is enough for a basic flight. This marks an important moment in the Starship program. Since November 2019, the company has lost three full-scale Starship prototypes during cryogenic and pressure tests. The most recent failure came on April 3. This is the first time a vehicle has survived pressure testing to advance to further work. Such tests are designed to ensure the integrity of a rocket's fueling system prior to lighting an engine. Now, Musk said, SpaceX engineers will attach a single Raptor engine to this vehicle and conduct a static fire test. The company hopes to move forward with this test later in the week. Should the static fire test be successful, Musk has said the SN4 vehicle will make a 150-meter "hop" test, much as the "Starhopper" prototype performed in August 2019. The company has yet to receive regulatory approval for this test, so it may not happen for several weeks. SpaceX already has fabricated most of the parts for its SN5 vehicle, which may be the first prototype to attempt a higher flight. Musk said, if all goes well with SN4, the plan is to attach three Raptors to SN5 for a higher flight test later this spring. Starship is the "upper stage" of a two-part, fully reusable launch system that SpaceX is developing. The company's goal is for the "Super Heavy" rocket to boost Starship into orbit, where this vehicle can either carry cargo to some destination or carry dozens of passengers. At its Boca Chica site, the company has taken the build-test-fly-iterate process and put it on steroids. In a matter of months, SpaceX built what is essentially a rocket factory in tents in the dusty scrubland along the Texas-Mexico border, hard by the Rio Grande River. While the program has experienced several failures to date, the ability of engineers to learn from their failures and rapidly churn out new prototypes within a month or less appears to be allowing Musk and his coveted Starship program to advance ever closer to the stars. https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/04/starship-passes-its-cryogenic-test-possibly-setting-up-a-150-meter-hop/ Back to Top Call for Nominations For 2020 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2020 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award, honoring a leader in global aviation safety. The Award is scheduled to be presented during the 73nd Annual International Air Safety Summit, taking place Oct. 19-21 in Paris, France. Presented since 1956, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award recognizes notable achievement in the field of civil or military aviation safety in method, design, invention, study or other improvement. The Award's recipient is selected for a "significant individual or group effort contributing to improving aviation safety, with emphasis on original contributions," and a "significant individual or group effort performed above and beyond normal responsibilities." Mechanics, engineers and others outside of top administrative or research positions should be especially considered. The contribution need not be recent, especially if the nominee has not received adequate recognition. Nominations that were not selected as past winners of the Award can be submitted one additional time for consideration. Please note that self-nominations will not be considered. The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award's story dates back 75 years. On April 14, 1945, after visiting family in Pittsburgh, Laura Taber Barbour was aboard a Pennsylvania Central Airlines DC-3 when it crashed into the rugged terrain of Cheat Mountain near Morgantown, West Virginia. All passengers and crew were killed. In the years following, her husband, Rev. Dr. Clifford E. Barbour and son, Clifford E. Barbour, Jr., established the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award in her honor. The Award Board, composed of leaders in the field of aviation, meets each year to conduct a final review of nominees and selection of the current year's recipient. Please help us honor this year's most deserving recipient. Nominations, including a 1-2-page narrative, can be submitted via the Laura Taber Barbour Foundation website at http://ltbaward.org/the-award/nomination-form/. Nominations will be accepted until May 10, 2020. For more information, including a complete history of Award recipients, see www.ltbaward.org. About the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation and Award On April 14, 1945, after visiting family in Pittsburgh, Mrs. Laura Taber Barbour was aboard a Pennsylvania Central Airlines DC-3 when it crashed into the rugged terrain of Cheat Mountain near Morgantown, West Virginia. All passengers and crew were killed. In 1956, her husband, Rev. Dr. Clifford E. Barbour and their son, Cliff, established the Award in her honor. For nearly 65 years, this long distinguished award has recognized those responsible for crowning achievements in aviation safety worldwide. The Award was established through early association with the Flight Safety Foundation and from its founding has enjoyed a rich history of Award Board members, nominees and Award recipients. In 2013, the non-profit Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation was formed from members of the Award Board, the aviation community and the Barbour family. As the foundation plans to broaden the scope of its intent, with great purpose, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award will continue to spotlight those champions who pioneer breakthroughs in flight safety. For more information on the foundation, the award, and past winners, visit http://LTBAward.org On-line CRM Training Sessions A series of interactive CRM/Human Factors training sessions for pilots, cabin crew and dispatchers. Also available for CRM Trainers & CRM Trainer Examiners . Courses are open to all, however we also offer private courses delivered in your own Time Zone For more details Or please email us at sales@itsacademy.com or call us on +44 (0)117 344 5019 Curt Lewis