Flight Safety Information April 29, 2020 - No. 086 In This Issue USAIG Enhances Safety Programs for Unmanned Aircraft Policyholders Buffalo Airways Beech King Air suffered a runway excursion on landing at Kugaaruk Airport, Canada Air Force Announces it Can Save $7 Million by Adjusting One Plane's Windshield Wipers Operators of 787s warned after latest ILS deviation incident at Hong Kong Malindo Air's IATA operational safety audit certification renewed FAA launches standardised training programme in the US ATSB releases Aviation Occurrence Statistics report Navy Fires Head of Aviation Training School China's domestic aviation recovery is good news for the world's airlines NetJets Cuts Staff, Planned Aircraft Deliveries for 2020 Boeing probed for quality-control lapses on 737 Max assembly line Coronavirus: pilots 'devastated' as British Airways set to slash up to 12,000 jobs AirAsia will not take jet deliveries this year, revisiting Airbus order book Long March 5B rolled out for crewed spacecraft, space station test launch SCSI Online Human Factors in Accident Investigation Course 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 USAIG Enhances Safety Programs for Unmanned Aircraft Policyholders New York, NY (April 28, 2020)...USAIG and the Unmanned Safety Institute (USI) have teamed up to enhance the utility of safety benefits made available to all Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) policyholders. The insurer's Performance Vector Unmanned initiative began in 2016 by affording each UAS policyholder the opportunity to obtain a package of safety-focused services during each policy year of coverage. Recognizing that the commercial UAS industry has evolved and operators' safety needs have diversified since that time, USAIG's latest update to Performance Vector Unmanned gives its UAS policyholders the ability to customize their annual safety benefit from an expanded list of offerings. UAS policyholders that request enrollment into Performance Vector Unmanned now receive an annual allowance of SafetyPoints that can be used at USI's online marketplace to obtain training and safety-related products. This enables operators to focus their safety benefits on the specific goals and needs of their unique organizations. SafetyPoints can be used for direct purchases with USI or applied as a discount toward various USI product or services. Additionally, SafetyPoints can accumulate with USI and be held on-account for up to three years. Annual SafetyPoints allocations are based on the scope and complexity of the insurance coverages in effect and must be requested each policy year. USI President Josh Olds commented, "USI is very proud of our participation in the USAIG Performance Vector Unmanned program, and we are excited to expand our offerings based on insight USAIG received from participating operators." Olds added, "USI breaks its offerings into three categories for organizations: Remote Pilot products, Organizational Stand-up services, and web-based software to facilitate operational management and risk mitigation. These can be as simple as Part 107 Prep Study Guides, to full-scale Flight Operations Management Systems. Our goal is to provide valuable options that are consistent with each operator's unique level of sophistication and evolution. We are there to provide them the resources they need, as they need them. These offerings are specifically selected to support USI's Safety Ecosystem for an organization operating unmanned technology." "Feedback from our UAS policyholders showed a need for more autonomy and flexibility in their safety benefit," said Andrew Spiegel, USAIG's Senior Vice President of Underwriting. He continued, "The SafetyPoints solution USI co-developed with us makes a wide variety of training courses, safety products and services accessible through a trusted, world-class UAS safety leader. We're excited to connect our UAS policyholders of all types with USI's expertise through Performance Vector Unmanned, and proud to invest and partner in their safety programs." Underscoring USAIG's long-term commitment to safety, the Performance Vector Unmanned benefit refreshes with each UAS insurance policy renewal. More information can be viewed at: www.usaig.com> Safety tab > Performance Vector Unmanned (click here for direct link) or email safety@usaig.com. About USAIG United States Aircraft Insurance Group (USAIG) provides a full spectrum of coverage options for owners, operators, manufacturers and maintainers of corporate, private and commercial aircraft. In 1928, our founders - World War I pilots and businessmen David Beebe and Reed Chambers - saw the need for an insurance company that truly understood aviation. We remain a world aviation insurance leader delivering innovative, custom-tailored insurance products and services, including Performance Vector Unmanned which provides UAS policyholders annual access to a range of safety and loss control resources at no or reduced cost. United States Aviation Underwriters, Inc. manages USAIG, maintaining the industry's largest network of underwriting and field claims offices. USAU's wholly owned subsidiary, Toronto-based Canadian Aviation Insurance Managers manages the Canadian Aircraft Insurance Group insurance pool. USAIG is a subsidiary of General Re Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company. Follow us on Twitter @USAIG_CAIG, Facebook and LinkedIn. Or visit www.usaig.com. About the Unmanned Safety Institute The Unmanned Safety Institute (USI) is the industry's most widely recognized leader in flight safety solutions for individuals, academia, and organizations focused on integrating and operating UAS for civil or commercial purposes. The Unmanned Safety Institute provides UAS flight safety training and certification to operational standards based on the adoption and modification of time-honored aviation safety practices. With more than 170 instructors and over 10,000 customers around the world, including several Fortune 500 enterprises, USI is the global leader in UAS training and certification, delivering the most highly-regarded training program of its kind. Programs include the Small UAS & Advanced Safety Certifications, Visual Line of Sight Systems Operations™ (VSO) and Professional Remote Operator™ (PRO) certifications and the Unmanned Connect™ workforce development initiative. USI's training and certification programs are endorsed by major aviation insurance providers, incorporated into aviation association professional development programs, and have been evaluated and recommended for college credit by the American Council on Education. Discover more at www.UnmannedSafetyInstitute.org. Back to Top Buffalo Airways Beech King Air suffered a runway excursion on landing at Kugaaruk Airport, Canada Date: Tuesday 28 April 2020 Time: 13:44 Type: Beechcraft A100 King Air Operator: Buffalo Airways Registration: C-FCBZ C/n / msn: B-116 First flight: 1972 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: Kugaaruk Airport, NU (YBB) ( Canada) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Cambridge Bay Airport, NU (YCB/CYCB), Canada Destination airport: Kugaaruk Airport, NU (YBB/CYBB), Canada Flightnumber: BFL666 Narrative: A Buffalo Airways Beech King Air suffered a runway excursion on landing at Kugaaruk Airport, Canada. The aircraft slid off the side of the runway into a snowbank. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20200428-0 Back to Top Air Force Announces it Can Save $7 Million by Adjusting One Plane's Windshield Wipers The Air Force recently proved through a series of tests that its KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft can fly more efficiently just by mounting the cockpit window's wiper blades vertically instead of horizontally. The potential fuel cost savings: about $7 million per year. Researchers with the Advanced Power and Technology Office, part of the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the Southwest Research Institute, assessed the KC-135 after similar tests were conducted on a commercial McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo airliner. The commercial tests showed the new blade direction reduced its flight drag by 1.2%. "Across the KC-135 fleet, blades are positioned horizontally on the windshield as part of the aircraft's original 1950s design," officials said in a news release. "However, as the understanding of aviation aerodynamics advanced, research indicated placing the wipers vertically when not in use could improve aerodynamic efficiency and optimize fuel use." Related: Air Force No Longer Spending $10,000 on Toilet Seats, Officials Say The monthslong ground tests at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Ohio, home of the 121st Air Refueling Wing, indicated aircraft drag can be reduced by approximately 1% during cruise conditions, the service said. Using "computational fluid dynamics," or CFD, the aeronautical engineers "were able to model how air flows over the nose and windshield of the aircraft during flight, simulating both vertical and horizontal wiper positions," the release said. The data collected revealed drag was reduced 0.8% just by moving the blade vertically, and 0.2% for a slimmer wiper design on the cockpit's window. "While 1% efficiency may not seem like a lot, it equates to millions of dollars in fuel savings each year, which can then be re-invested into other programs," Daniel Pike, acquisition manager and chief of future operations for Air Force Operational Energy, said in a statement. For example, the KC-135 fleet used more than 260 million gallons in fiscal 2019, the service said, citing the Air Force Total Ownership Cost database. That accounts for roughly 14% of the Air Force's total fuel use across its aircraft fleets. "When you combine the results of optimization efforts across multiple aircraft, you start to understand how much of an impact this could have," Pike added. The Air Force will next move on to airworthiness testing in order to receive the proper certifications from the Federal Aviation Administration. Engineers will also improve the wiper design before heading into the next test phase sometime this summer. The service plans to share its findings with Delta Airlines to help assess whether a similar layout could be used on its Boeing 767 fleet, the release said. Units across the service have been searching for new ways to drive down spending in various ways. For example, in June 2018, airmen with the Air Force Research Laboratory's Junior Force Warfighter Operations team said they were reengineering a milk stool used by C-130 Hercules fleets worldwide. The effort -- to make a more easily transportable stool that props up the plane's rear loading ramp -- would create an annual savings of "approximately $375,000 for the Air Force and up to $1.7 million if the new milk stool is adopted across the entire C-130 fleet," officials said at the time. https://www.yahoo.com/news/air-force-announces-save-7-140604485.html Back to Top Operators of 787s warned after latest ILS deviation incident at Hong Kong Hong Kong authorities have warned Boeing 787 operators of possible adverse autopilot behaviour during localiser capture at the city's international airport, after the latest in a string of incidents involving the type. A newly-issued NOTAM instructs carriers to check a Boeing flight crew operations bulletin referring to "anomalies" in localiser capture and possible misbehavior by the autopilot flight-director system, particularly during ILS approaches to runways 25R and 25L. It states that the issue can lead to "proximity to high grounds", adding that - if it doubt - crews should climb back to minimum sector altitude and conduct a missed approach. The NOTAM follows an incident on 21 April involving an Air Canada 787-9, arriving from Vancouver, which had been cleared for an ILS approach to 25L. Transportation Safety Board of Canada says the crew contacted air traffic control after reaching the waypoint LOTUS, located about 15nm from the threshold, and reported being established on the ILS. After controllers advised the crew to switch to the Hong Kong tower frequency, they observed the aircraft "overshooting the localiser" of 25L and descending to 3,900ft - below the minimum sector altitude of 4,300ft. Controllers contacted the crew to warn of terrain and the pilots corrected the flightpath to re-intercept the ILS. The crew reported receiving a "false capture" of the ILS, says the safety board, which adds that the pilots had visual contact with both the terrain and the airport at the time. The safety board indicates that only four occupants were on board the 787 (C-FNOH), suggesting it was operating a special freight supply service. Boeing has been working on a resolution to the issue, which has affected several 787 flights into Hong Kong including four between July and October last year involving aircraft operated by Virgin Atlantic, Ethiopian Airlines, and Etihad Airways. https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/operators-of-787s-warned-after-latest-ils-deviation-incident-at-hong-kong/138074.article Back to Top Malindo Air's IATA operational safety audit certification renewed KUALA LUMPUR (April 28): Malindo Air announced today the renewal of its International Air Transport Association (IATA) operational safety audit (IOSA) certification for another two-years, after the airline successfully completed the audit procedures for the second time. In a statement today, Malindo said the renewed certification is valid from now until June 3, 2022. "IOSA is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to access the operational management and control systems of an airline, which occurs every two years once the airline successfully completes the first audit,"Malindo said. Malindo Air CEO Capt. Mushafiz Mustafa Bakri said in the statement that as a member of the IATA, Malindo Air must go through an extensive safety audit under IOSA every two years. "We have successfully passed the audit procedures thus obtaining our IOSA certificate renewed since first being added to the IOSA Registry in 2016. "This certification is a valuable safety validation for us, as it aligns us with global best safety practice. It helps to ensure our continuous operational management and control systems are in accordance to the IATA standards, regulatory requirements and industry best practices. It therefore sets Malindo Air at par with the international aviation industry requirements," Mushafiz said. https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/malindo-airs-iata-operational-safety-audit-certification-renewed Back to Top FAA launches standardised training programme in the US The US Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched a standardised training programme for on-demand operators. This programme is expected to increase aviation safety and will be offered by Part 142 training centres. FAA published guidance that outlines a framework for training centres to provide standardised training for pilots at non-scheduled charters and air taxis covered under Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. FAA administrator Steve Dickson said: "A standard training curriculum is a great example of the FAA and industry working together. By developing a model that works for operators of all sizes, we improve safety by enhancing consistency." FAA expects that the programme will be used widely in the industry even though it is voluntary. A standardised curriculum will be developed by an industry committee for an aircraft or series of aircraft. After acceptance from the FAA, the curriculum can be accessed across the nation. In a statement, FAA added: "Many Part 135 operators send their pilots to established training centres, but FAA rules still require them to develop their own programmes and keep up with paperwork associated with required check rides and recurrent training. "Under a standardised curriculum, operators will 'fly as they train' and 'train as they fly'. This approach to training will enable the Part 135 operator and the FAA's Principal Operations Inspector to focus on the quality of the training programme, rather than its administration." The first standardised curricula is expected to be available for use in the training centres and by operators in 2021. https://www.airport-technology.com/news/industry-news/faa-launches-standardised-training-programme-in-the-us/ Back to Top ATSB releases Aviation Occurrence Statistics report ATSB releases aviation occurrence statistics report The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has released its latest Aviation Occurrence Statistics report, covering the 10-year period from 2010 to 2019. "Each year, thousands of safety occurrences involving Australian aircraft and foreign-registered aircraft operating in Australia are reported to the ATSB," said Dr Stuart Godley, ATSB Director Transport Safety. "This report is part of a series that aims to provide information and statistical data to the aviation industry, manufacturers and policy makers, as well as to the travelling and general public, about these aviation safety occurrences. In particular, the data can be used to determine what can be learned to improve transport safety in the aviation sector." This latest Aviation Occurrence Statistics report notes that there have been no fatalities in scheduled commercial air transport in Australia since 2005, while that over the 10-year 2010-2019 period, the number of general aviation fatalities and fatal accidents decreased, and the number of fatalities and fatal accidents within the recreation aviation sector remained relatively constant. The study uses information over the 10-year period from 2010-2019 to provide an insight into current and possible future trends in aviation safety. The study uses information over the 10-year period from 2010-2019 to provide an insight into current and possible future trends in aviation safety, Dr Godley explained. "For example, since 2016, remotely piloted aircraft have surpassed helicopters to become the second most common aircraft type involved in an accident. Further, the number of manned aircraft experiencing near encounters with an RPA also increased significantly over the study period." Dr Godley also noted that for the first time, statistics in this report have been organised around the type of aircraft activity being conducted, rather than the operational regulation. "An activity type reflects the activity the aircraft was engaged in, while an operation type reflects the legal regulation that the aircraft was flown under," he said. "For instance, all ferry flights are now recorded under the same activity irrespective of whether the ferry flight was a positioning flight for a commercial air transport passenger flight or an aerial work flight." The report incorporates interactive web versions of all tables and graphs to allow the user to display aviation occurrence data in the format of their choice. You can find here the report AR-2020-014: Aviation Occurrence Statistics 2010 to 2019 https://www.miragenews.com/atsb-releases-aviation-occurrence-statistics-report/ Back to Top Navy Fires Head of Aviation Training School A Navy captain who commanded the school that develops aviation technical training has been removed from his job. Capt. Nate Schneider, the commanding officer of the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training in Pensacola, Florida was relieved of command on Tuesday, the Navy announced. The relief was carried out by Rear Adm. Kyle Cozad, the head of Naval Education and Training Command. Cozad lost confidence in Schneider's ability to lead, Cmdr. James Stockman, a spokesman for Naval Education and Training Command, said. "Naval Education Training Command conducted an investigation, which was completed a couple weeks ago," Stockman said. "Based on the findings, Adm. Cozad relieved Capt. Schneider." Stockman declined to provide additional details about the relief, the nature of the investigation or its findings. Reached by email, Schneider said commanding the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training was an "honor and privilege." "I am departing a superb organization," Schneider said. "I wish CAPT Hepstall all the best going forward. The Navy gets it right most of the time and I respect our Leadership and the tough decisions they must make. Today and forward, will be my mantra!" The Center that Schneider led is responsible for the training and education of enlisted sailors, Marines and officers who work in aviation maintenance. Schneider assumed command in November 2018. Capt. Bryant Hepstall, the Center's executive officer, has replaced Schneider, Stockman said. Schneider is being reassigned to Naval Air Station Pensacola's headquarters, he added. A prior-enlisted sailor, Schneider joined the Navy in 1981 as a signalman seaman recruit, according to his official bio. He later graduated from Old Dominion University and was commissioned through the Enlisted Commissioning Program. He was designated an aerospace engineering duty officer (maintenance). Schneider went on to deploy nine times, including on the aircraft carriers Carl Vinson, Theodore Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and Ronald Reagan. He previously served as the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training's executive officer before assuming command in 2018. Schneider's awards include the Legion of Merit, five Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, among others. In 2004, Schneider received the Captain Virgil Lemmon Award for Naval Aviation Maintenance Excellence. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/04/28/navy-fires-head-aviation-training-school.html Back to Top China's domestic aviation recovery is good news for the world's airlines Even small changes in China have global effects. For countries hit hard by the coronavirus, China has served as a time machine of sorts. Just weeks or months after watching the crisis unfold at distance, the world has followed closely in its footsteps, from the proliferation of extraordinarily creative at-home TikTok videos to the widespread adoption of masks and the national lockdowns once decried as impossible outside the Middle Kingdom. Now, with China in the early stages of re-opening, the global travel industry is taking notes. For global airlines still holding out hope for a V-shaped recovery, China's domestic air travel may offer a rare glimmer of positivity. In the past two months, domestic air travel within China has doubled: As of April 22, according to data from travel and analytics company Cirium, domestic capacity was down only 33% year-on-year, compared to a peak drop of 71% on Feb. 24. China has slowly returned to work since the end of March, after nearly two months of curfews and lockdowns, starting in early February. From May 3, many Chinese airports will officially enter their summer season, re-introducing hundreds of routes around the country. To keep travelers safe, the government has implemented social distancing measures including limiting cabin capacity. In the meantime, Spring Airlines, a low-cost carrier, is allowing passengers at Shanghai, Pudong, and Shijiazhuang airports to pay an extra 100 yuan ($14) to block off an empty seat next to them. In a bid to encourage Chinese travelers to take advantage of the upcoming May 1 public holiday, airlines have slashed fares to bargain-basement prices: Seats on Air China flights from Beijing to Hangzhou, a journey of about two hours, are selling for as little as 160 yuan (about $22). To support airlines in these efforts, the Chinese state is subsidizing the price of jet fuel by almost 50%, on the grounds that the risk of contamination is lower on a two-hour flight than over a day of overland transfers to make the same journey. https://qz.com/1847454/chinas-domestic-aviation-recovery-is-good-news-for-us-airlines/ Back to Top NetJets Cuts Staff, Planned Aircraft Deliveries for 2020 NetJets Europe's fractional ownership services have seen a significant decline in demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic. NetJets has confirmed reports of workforce reductions at its NetJets Europe (NJE) and Executive Jet Management (EJM) subsidiaries by 25 percent. The private aviation group also has reduced planned new aircraft deliveries for 2020, and these are expected to be down from around 60 to 25. Portugal-based NJE provides fractional ownership programs, while Cincinnati, Ohio-based EJM is engaged in aircraft management and charter services. The group has not yet implemented any furloughs or workforce reductions in any other U.S.-based operations, including U.S. fractional arm NetJets Aviation (NJA). In a written statement, the company said that the cuts at NJE and EJM were made last week "to align with the current market and ensure sustainability for the future success of those businesses." In a letter obtained by AIN and sent to aircraft shareowners last week by NetJets chairman and CEO Adam Johnson, the company reported that, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, demand for trips had been "down significantly since mid-March." While adding that the group is still conducting "hundreds of flights" each week, he said EJM has seen a dip in demand for its aircraft to provide subcontract support for the NJA fleet during busy periods. In addition to the job cuts, NetJets also has offered unpaid leave with paid healthcare to both flight crew and corporate office staff. The company said it has not applied for loans and grants available under the U.S. CARES Act. Along with other operators, it has benefitted from the act's relief from the 7.5 percent air transportation federal excise tax and said it has passed this saving on to its customers. NetJets told owners it has restructured, deferred, or canceled planned new jet deliveries for this year. It did not specify which aircraft types will be affected by changes to its existing orders with several leading manufacturers, including Textron Aviation, Embraer Executive Jets, and Bombardier Business Aircraft. "Daily, we see the distressing toll this is taking on private aviation," Johnson said in his letter to shareowners. "Known brands with seemingly strong financial backing have already ceased operations. It is logical to assume that others are holding on while they await the approval of loans and grants available to them under the CARES Act." None of the other major private flight providers, including the VistaGlobal group, Flexjet, or Wheels Up have yet announced staff cuts or fleet groundings. On April 16, charter operator JetSuite grounded its 12-strong fleet of Embraer Phenom light jets and furloughed its staff. NetJets has taken multiple steps to reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection to passengers and crew. These include treating cabin interiors with an antimicrobial product called ClearCabin and using its aircraft to move flight crew to departure points to avoid exposure by using airline service. According to the most recent Global Market Tracker published by data analyst WingX, fractional ownership aircraft operations have shown slightly steeper traffic decline than aircraft management and branded charter services in recent weeks. The company also noted that business aviation traffic volumes in the U.S. have been higher than those in Europe. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-04-28/netjets-cuts-staff-planned-aircraft-deliveries-2020 Back to Top Boeing probed for quality-control lapses on 737 Max assembly line Boeing potentially faces far greater legal liability than previously known Boeing Co. BA, +2.03% faces criminal and civil scrutiny into years of widespread quality-control lapses on its 737 Max assembly line, according to people familiar with the details, potentially exposing the plane maker to greater legal liability than previously anticipated by industry and government officials. Barron's on MarketWatch: Boeing reports earnings on Wednesday, and no one knows quite what to expect The inquiries build on a federal grand-jury investigation into hazardously designed flight-control systems, these people said. As part of the expanded probes, Justice Department prosecutors and federal air-safety regulators have been scrutinizing potentially significant safety problems stemming from 737 Max production missteps, these people said. The grand jury probe has focused largely on what certain Boeing employees told Federal Aviation Administration officials about the dangers of a faulty stall-prevention feature before it led to two fatal Maxcrashes in less than five months and prompted the March 2019 grounding of the global fleet, according to people familiar with the matter. But simultaneously, the people familiar with the inquiries said, DOJ prosecutors and FAA investigators also have been examining factory problems that raise red flags about the Chicago plane maker's compliance with mandatory production rules and safeguards. Boeing found debris mistakenly left behind by workers in fuel tanks or other interior spaces of approximately half of the Max aircraft it inspected starting last November, according to a company spokesman. Another person briefed on the details said most of the undelivered planes have been inspected. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/boeing-probed-for-quality-control-lapses-on-737-max-assembly-line-2020-04-28 Back to Top Coronavirus: pilots 'devastated' as British Airways set to slash up to 12,000 jobs British Airways has 45,000 employees, including 16,500 cabin crew and 3,900 pilots The airline industry among the worst hit by the pandemic A pilots' trade union said British Airways staff were "devastated" after the airline's owner announced plans for up to 12,000 redundancies. "In light of the impact of Covid-19 on current operations and the expectation that the recovery of passenger demand to 2019 levels will take several years, British Airways is formally notifying its trade unions about a proposed restructuring and redundancy programme," International Consolidated Airline Group (IAG) said. "The proposals remain subject to consultation but it is likely that they will affect most of British Airways' employees and may result in the redundancy of up to 12,000 of them," IAG said in a quarterly financial statement. Brian Strutton, general secretary of pilots' trade union BALPA, said BA staff were "devastated" by the announcement. "This has come as a bolt out of the blue from an airline that said it was wealthy enough to weather the Covid[-19] storm and declined any government support," Strutton said in a statement via Twitter. "BALPA does not accept that a case has been made for these job losses and we will be fighting to save every single one," he added. British Airways suspends all flights to mainland China, other airlines follow suit 17 Feb 2020 Jim McMahon, the main opposition Labour Party's transport spokesman, said the Conservative government "should have stepped in sooner and done more to protect jobs." "It was always clear aviation needed a sector specific deal to alleviate the immediate financial pressures that exist, yet the government failed to act," McMahon said. "The government must do more to ensure that airlines and airports have the financial resources needed to operate in a safe environment for staff and customers when the time is right to transition out of the lockdown." Hong Kong flagship airline Cathay Pacific hit with financial trouble amid coronavirus outbreak BA employs about 45,000 people, including 16,500 cabin crew and 3,900 pilots and 4,700 engineers, according to its official website. IAG said its revenue fell 13 per cent to €4.6 billion (US$5 billion) in the three months ended March 31, causing a quarterly operating loss of €535 million, according to preliminary figures. IAG said it lost an additional €1.3 billion through the "ineffectiveness of its fuel and foreign currency hedges for the rest of 2020 due to over-hedging". Cathay Pacific exploring all options to ensure survival 16 Apr 2020 It has reduced passenger capacity in April and May by 94 per cent compared with last year, "only operating flights for essential travel and repatriation." Willie Walsh, IAG's chief executive, said last month that he expected passenger demand to "remain weak until well into the summer." Governments in Europe and the United States are providing payroll support to airlines while the industry battles its biggest ever crisis. Estimated global airline losses from the coronavirus pandemic have climbed to US$314 billion, the International Air Transport Association said on April 14. More than half the world's planes are in storage. The French and Dutch governments have agreed an aid package for Air France-KLM worth up to 11 billion euros. Lufthansa, Europe's biggest carrier by revenue, is in talks with the German government about a €9 billion rescue plan, according to sources. https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3082037/coronavirus-pilots-devastated-british-airways-owner-plans-12000 Back to Top AirAsia will not take jet deliveries this year, revisiting Airbus order book SYDNEY (Reuters) - Malaysia's AirAsia Group Bhd said on Wednesday it did not intend to take any new aircraft deliveries this year because of the sharp fall in demand from the coronavirus crisis, and was revisiting its order book with Airbus SE. Reuters last week reported Airbus had put six jets up for sale after giving up on AirAsia taking delivery of them, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Asian budget carrier is one of the European manufacturer's largest customers, with 349 A321neos and 13 A320neos on order that have yet to be delivered, according to the Airbus order book. AirAsia expects to end 2020 with 242 aircraft in its fleet, down one from last year, Executive Chairman Kamarudin Meranun said in a statement. AirAsia said it had resumed domestic flights in Malaysia on Wednesday and hoped to do so in Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia in May, subject to approval from authorities. The airline said that it had restructured most of its fuel hedges, struck when oil prices were higher, and that it was cutting employee costs, re-negotiating contracts and cutting back on non-essential spending to lower costs by at least 30% this year. Airbus on Wednesday posted a 49% slump in first-quarter adjusted operating profit to 281 million euros ($304.7 million) as revenue dropped 15% to 10.631 billion euros amid the "gravest crisis the aerospace industry has ever known". https://finance.yahoo.com/news/airasia-not-jet-deliveries-looking-060340016.html Back to Top Long March 5B rolled out for crewed spacecraft, space station test launch • A prototype Chinese new-generation spacecraft undergoing testing. • The Chinese new-generation spacecraft will be launched by the first Long March 5B early May. HELSINKI - China rolled out a Long March 5B launcher Wednesday for a mission to prove space station launch capabilities and test a new spacecraft for deep space human spaceflight. Images of the Long March 5B shared on Chinese social media indicated that the rollout at Wenchang Satellite Launch Center was completed early April 29. Launch from the coastal Wenchang launch site can now be expected around May 5. However, an official announcement has not yet been made. The primary goal of the test flight is testing the Long March 5B for launching to low Earth orbit (LEO). If successful, launch of the 'Tianhe' core module for China's space station could take place as soon as early 2021. The payload for the test launch-a prototype new-generation crewed spacecraft-will be loaded with nearly 10 tons of propellant. This will both make the spacecraft analogous to a 20-ton-plus space station module and allow the prototype to reach higher orbits and test a high-speed reentry. The mission will resemble the 2014 Exploration Flight Test 1 of the Orion spacecraft. The new spacecraft is expected to reach an apogee of around 8,000 kilometers (4,970 miles), The new launcher was rolled out in March for a wet dress rehearsal. Fit checks with a prototype of the roughly 22.5-metric-ton liftoff mass Tianhe core module were also conducted. The mission had been initially planned for mid-late April. The apparent delay follows launch failures of the first Long March 7A in March and Long March 3B earlier this month. The Yuanwang-22 cargo vessel which transports Long March 5 rocket components recently made an apparently exceptional trip to Qinglan port near Wenchang. A successful flight of the Long March 5B would clear the way for the two-month-long launch campaign for China's 2020 Mars mission. A standard Long March 5 will be used to launch the Tianwen-1 orbiter and rover into a Mars transfer orbit from Wenchang in late July or early August. New-generation crewed spacecraft The as-yet-unnamed new-generation crewed spacecraft consists of a partially reusable crew module and expendable service module. It is designed to increase China's human spaceflight capabilities, both to LEO and beyond. The spacecraft has two variants of around 14 and 20 metric tons respectively. The mission will test the latter, which is designed for deep space. The mission will be uncrewed and will not include life support systems. The spacecraft will be able to carry up to six astronauts, or three astronauts and 500 kilograms of cargo to LEO. The three-module Shenzhou can carry three astronauts to LEO and has been used for all six of the country's crewed missions. The new spacecraft also features improved heat shielding than that used by the Shenzhou. The advanced shielding is required to survive the higher-energy reentries involved deep space missions. Once in low Earth orbit, the two-module, 8.8-meter-long, 21.6-ton uncrewed spacecraft will use its own propulsion to raise its orbit to an apogee of around 8,000 kilometers. It will then attempt a high-speed reentry to test new heat shielding. The mission also will test avionics, performance in orbit, parachute deployment, a cushioned airbag landing, and recovery. Planned partial reusability - by replacing the heat shielding - will also be tested. Long March 5B The 53.7-meter-long Long March 5B has a takeoff mass of 837.5 metric tons. The payload capacity is greater than 22 metric tons to LEO, according to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), the launcher's designer. It is a variant of the standard Long March 5, which had an inaugural flight in late 2016. The The Long March 5B lacks the second stage of the former. The payload fairing measures 20.5 meters in length with a diameter of 5.2 meters. The Long March 5B is part of a new generation of Chinese launch vehicles. The Long March 5, 6 and 7 variants use combinations of liquid hydrogen or kerosene fuel with liquid oxygen. These could eventually replace the older, hypergolic Long March launchers. The 5-meter-diameter core stage is powered by two YF-77 hydrolox engines. Each of four 3.35-meter-diameter side boosters are powered by a pair YF-100 kerolox engines. A YF-77 turbopump issue was behind the failure of the second Long March 5 in 2017. That failure delayed the test launch of the 5B and the Chang'e-5 lunar sample mission. The test launch is the first of numerous launches required for China's three-module space station. "China has planned about 12 flight missions for the construction of China's space station. The first flight mission of [the] Long March-5B rocket is also to verify its performance," Hao Chun, director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office, told state media in January. Launches of modules, Tianzhou cargo and refueling craft and crewed Shenzhou missions make up the flight list. https://spacenews.com/long-march-5b-rolled-out-for-crewed-spacecraft-space-station-test-launch/ Back to Top 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