Flight Safety Information April 30, 2020 - No. 087 In This Issue Incident: Gol B737 at Sao Paulo on Apr 29th 2020, bird strike Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone (S-92) - Fatal Accident (Greece) Rossair plane crash that killed three pilots near Renmark blamed on high-risk manoeuvre LEARNING FROM NASA REPORTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC 6 TSA screeners test positive for COVID-19 at Sea-Tac Airport Facing a lack of passengers, Sun Country Airlines ramps up plan to fly packages for Amazon Virgin Australia launches US legal action to protect aircraft from being seized SpiceJet Won't Pay Pilots For April Or May SCSI Online Human Factors in Accident Investigation Course Call for Nominations For 2020 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award On-line CRM Training Sessions Aviation remote learning opportunities by Lufthansa Group specialist company Incident: Gol B737 at Sao Paulo on Apr 29th 2020, bird strike A Gol Transportes Aereos Boeing 737-700, registration PR-GON performing flight G3-2034 from Sao Paulo Guarulhos,SP to Salvador,BA (Brazil), was climbing out of Guarulhos' runway 09R when the right hand engine ingested birds experiencing repeated compressor stalls. The crew shut the engine down. levelled off at 8000 feet, entered a hold to burn off fuel and returned to Guarulhos for a safe landing on runway 09L about 45 minutes after departure. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d698e27&opt=0 Back to Top Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone (S-92) - Fatal Accident (Greece) Date: 29-APR-2020 Time: Type: Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone (S-92) Owner/operator: Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Registration: 148822* C/n / msn: 925022* Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 6 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Ionian Sea, about 85km from the Island of Cephalonia - Greece Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: HMCS Fredericton Destination airport: Narrative: An RCAF Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone (S-92) helicopter, operating by 12 Wing, from HMCS Fredericton (FH337), a Halifax-class frigate, crashed into the Ionian Sea. One body was found and five occupants are still missing. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/235604 Back to Top Rossair plane crash that killed three pilots near Renmark blamed on high-risk manoeuvre Three experienced pilots killed in a crash in South Australia's Riverland almost three years ago were flying too low when they carried out a high risk training manoeuvre, an investigation has found. Key points: • The plane was carrying out an engine failure simulation before it crashed • The ATSB report found the simulation occurred at a much lower altitude than recommended • Three pilots including a CASA representative on board the plane were killed The twin-engine Cessna Conquest aircraft owned by charter company Rossair was on a training flight from Adelaide when it crashed in scrubland near Renmark Airport on 30 May 2017. Inductee pilot Paul Daw, 65, Rossair's chief pilot Martin Scott, 48, and Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) flying operations inspector Stephen Guerin, 56, were all killed. In a report released today, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) found no fault with the plane, which crashed after an attempt to simulate the failure of one engine after take-off at just 400 feet above the ground. "The single engine failure after take off exercise was conducted at a significantly lower height above the ground than the 5,000 ft recommended in the Cessna 441 pilot's operating handbook," the report stated. "This meant that there was insufficient height to recover from the loss of control before the aircraft impacted the ground." Wreckage of a fatal plane crash in bushland. Wreckage of the Rossair flight which crashed and killed three people including the airline's chief pilot in SA's Riverland in 2017.(ABC News: Tom Fedorowytsch) The report said the pilots lost control about 40 seconds after initiating the simulated failure, which it described as a "high-risk exercise with little margin for error". "As there were no technical defects identified, it is likely that the reduced aircraft performance was due to the method of simulating the engine failure, pilot control inputs or a combination of both," the ATSB said. Mr Daw and Mr Scott were at the Cessna's controls, as the senior pilot conducted a proficiency check on the inductee. These three men died in the Rossair crash near Renmark. Martin Scott, Paul Daw and Stephen Guerin were killed in the crash.(ABC News) The report found both had limited experience in the plane, which "probably led to a degradation in the skills required to safely perform and monitor the simulated engine failure exercise". The more experienced CASA flying operations inspector, Mr Guerin, was sitting behind the pilots and had "reduced ability to actively monitor the flight and communicate any identified problem". While not necessarily contributing to the accident, the ATSB found the chief pilot, Mr Scott, and other key Rossair staff were experiencing high levels of workload and pressure during the months leading up to the accident. "The Civil Aviation Safety Authority's method of oversighting Rossair in the several years prior to the accident increased the risk that organisation issues would not be identified and addressed," the report found. The bureau said the investigation was hampered by a lack of flight data, leaving little evidence available about pilot handling and the communication between the three men in the cockpit. The plane was not required to be fitted with either a black box or cockpit voice recorder. Rossair grounded its fleet after the crash, and the company was placed into administration the following year. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-30/atsb-releases-findings-of-rossair-plane-crash-investigation/12201642 Back to Top LEARNING FROM NASA REPORTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC The coronavirus has changed the shape of our daily lives, and its effect on the aviation industry continues to evolve. While it's critical to the future of aviation safety that pilots maintain currency and proficiency while abiding by physical distancing guidelines, it is also important to recognize that this nearly empty sky has new challenges. Aviation Safety Reporting System reports from air traffic controllers and airline pilots highlight safety considerations for general aviation pilots during the coronavirus pandemic. Photo by Christopher Rose. Recent coronavirus-related Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) reports from air traffic controllers and Part 121 operators highlight safety factors general aviation pilots should take into consideration when flying during the pandemic. Air traffic control remains a critical service to ensure safe and efficient operations. However, the virus is affecting ATC personnel and has resulted in unexpected closures of air route traffic control centers (ARTCCs) and towers at busy airports. Locations affected include Chicago Midway International Airport, McCarran International Airport, and John Wayne Airport-Orange County, and the New York ARTCC. Before you fly GA, prepare for the possibility of an ATC zero event-a time when the FAA is unable to safely provide the published ATC services within certain airspace-even if you don't plan to fly to a towered field. In several ASRS reports, controllers describe a workload that, despite the lower volume of traffic, is not only increased, but more complex. Unusual workspace configurations due to the requirements of social distancing, as well as the unexpected absence of colleagues who are ill, have created new challenges at many facilities. For GA pilots, it is important to remember that controllers, while directing fewer aircraft, are also adapting to a new way of operating. Be patient with controllers and recognize their potentially increased workload and stress. Learn more about considerations when flying during ATC staffing challenges by reviewing this AOPA Air Safety Institute Safety Notice. Airline pilots also are coping with changes attributed to the pandemic. In a recent ASRS report, an airline pilot voiced concern over flying "too light" due to a lower passenger load. While conceding that the airliners are "still within legal limits," the lightly loaded airplanes perform differently from what airline pilots have ever experienced-or specifically trained for. Because of the lighter loads, pilots are having to learn their aircrafts' new flight characteristics on the go. Excessive climb rates have led to TCAS resolution advisories; lighter aircraft are more susceptible to gusty winds, and pilot-initiated go-arounds, and in some cases, discomfort with the way the aircraft handles in a lighter configuration have also been reported. One pilot who landed in a gusty wind described his or her mental state after touchdown: "rattled would be an understatement." Remember how different the airplane felt on your first solo? Magnify that change of performance and you'll be able to imagine a fraction of what airline pilots must now manage. For GA pilots, this is a reminder not to take advantage of closed towers at traditionally busy airports-airline pilots have their hands full enough already, and a different aircraft type in the pattern further complicates an already task-saturated phase of flight. The external pressure of the coronavirus itself also shouldn't be understated. For many of us, flying is an escape from the daily grind, but make sure you're mentally fit to fly before cranking the engine. Hopefully, this pandemic will be a memory sooner rather than later. Until then, take into consideration the stress your fellow aviators and air traffic controllers are under as we all navigate this time together, and continue to fly safely. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/april/29/learning-from-nasa-reports-during-the-covid-19-pandemic Back to Top 6 TSA screeners test positive for COVID-19 at Sea-Tac Airport SEATAC, Wash. - Six TSA screeners at Sea-Tac Airport have tested positive for COVID-19 so far during the pandemic, the Transportation Security Administration said Wednesday. All six were quarantined immediately after they tested positive, and the last time that any of them worked with the public at the airport was on April 16, officials said. TSA also said two screeners at Paine Field in Everett were confirmed to have COVID-19, and they also were quarantined. The last time they worked with the public was on April 1. Overall, TSA has had 500 of its employees test positive for coronavirus. Of those, 208 employees have recovered and five have died as a result of the virus. The largest concentration of infections among TSA personnel is at airports in the northeastern corner of the U.S. - especially around New York City and New Jersey. New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, with 105 confirmed cases, has the greatest number of infected TSA workers. It is followed by Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, with 56 cases; LaGuardia Airport in New York with 32 cases; and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, with 27 cases. TSA screeners are implementing social distancing, to the greatest extent possible, during security screening. https://komonews.com/news/coronavirus/6-tsa-screeners-test-positive-for-covid-19-at-sea-tac-airport Back to Top Facing a lack of passengers, Sun Country Airlines ramps up plan to fly packages for Amazon • Apollo-owned Sun Country is planning to have the full fleet of 10 Boeing 737 freighters to fly packages for Amazon. • The company had expected to have all of the Amazon-dedicated planes by the end of August but has moved that up to July. • Sun Country, like other airlines, is facing a dearth of passengers. It is also shelving plans for an initial public offering. As millions of would-be travelers stay home because of the coronavirus pandemic, one airline has found an eager customer: Amazon. Sun Country Airlines, an Apollo Global Management-owned carrier, struck a deal last December to start flying 10 Boeing 737 freighters for the online retailer. Minneapolis-based Sun Country plans to be flying all 10 of the cargo planes by the end of July, earlier than the previous target for summer's end, CEO Jude Bricker told CNBC on Wednesday. Passenger demand is down 95% at Sun Country from what was expected just a few months ago, echoing similar declines throughout the U.S. air travel industry, so the additional cargo business is welcome. The operation will begin with its first plane on May 7. While Sun Country's plans to fly dedicated planes for Amazon started last year, other airlines are now turning to air cargo as they face a dearth of passengers. American, Delta and United are among the large airlines that have flown pure-cargo flights, delivering everything from perishables to medical supplies. Sun Country, whose low-cost passenger operation focuses on sun-seekers and other travelers visiting friends and relatives around the U.S., had already planned to shuffle pilots to cater to the new Amazon cargo flying this summer. "We got a little bit lucky," Bricker said. "We were the main constraint in the ramping [up]. We were taking pilots off the passenger service and now that's not a concern." Bricker said it was too early to tell whether the company will expand its partnership with Amazon. The online retailer didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The airline had been preparing for a potential initial public offering in the first half of 2020, but "clearly, given what's happened, that's on hold," said CFO Dave Davis, adding that going public at all this year is unlikely. An IPO isn't off the table entirely but it will depend on the overall economy and the market for airline stocks, Davis added. Sun Country was approved for $60 million of $25 billion in federal grants earmarked for U.S. airlines to continue paying staff until Sept. 30. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/29/coronavirus-with-few-passengers-sun-country-speeds-plan-to-fly-for-amazon.html Back to Top Virgin Australia launches US legal action to protect aircraft from being seized Move comes as administrators tell a creditors meeting in Australia they hope to sell the airline by the end of June Collapsed airline Virgin Australia has launched legal action in the United States to protect itself from creditors there who are owed billions of dollars. The move, made on Wednesday ahead of a meeting of creditors in Australia on Thursday morning, is also designed to protect from seizure four of Virgin's planes that are currently undergoing maintenance at an airport in Nashville, Tennessee. It comes as the Western Australian mining magnate Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest reportedly put together a consortium to bid for the airline, which collapsed into administration last Monday after the federal government rebuffed its plea for a bailout to cope with the coronavirus crisis. Virgin Australia collapse: creditors meet amid speculation of steep losses for investors Virgin, which has been all but grounded by the crisis, owes $6.8bn to about 12,000 creditors. The administrators, partners at Deloitte, told creditors at Thursday morning's meeting that they had received bids from a number of "high quality" parties interested in buying the airline, but would not name any of them. They said they would ask a court to delay a second meeting of creditors by three months. This would push the date of the meeting into late August, by which time the administrators hope to have sold the airline. Deloitte said eight parties had already signed confidentiality agreements, giving them access to Virgin Australia financial information, and the administrators were in negotiations with an additional dozen. "They said the reason for this level of interest at such an early stage was partly down to the 'exceptional team' Virgin has in its workforce," the Transport Workers Union national secretary, Michael Kaine, who attended the meeting, told Guardian Australia. The administration has frozen debts in Australia, but on Wednesday the administrators told a bankruptcy court in New York that unless it orders the insolvency to be recognised in the US "there is nothing to prevent creditors in the United States from commencing enforcement actions against the foreign debtors [the Virgin group] or their assets". "This would undermine the administration process in Australia," they said in documents filed with the court. US holders of high-interest debt are owed US$775m and there are also American entities among a group of airline financiers and banks owed almost $2.3bn. "It would be unfair and contrary to the policies underlying chapter 15 for any creditors in the United States to unilaterally pursue remedies in the United States that advantage them over similarly situated creditors in Australia that are complying with the stay and procedures in Australia," the administrators told the court. They said that because Virgin Australia was providing repatriation flights to bring Australians home from the US, it was also important "as a matter of public health to avoid disruption resulting from enforcement action taken by creditors in the United States". The US court is yet to rule on the request. Creditors at the meeting on Thursday morning, which was held by videolink, are understood to have asked the administrators about the entitlements of Virgin's 9,000 staff and whether payments for suppliers would continue. They also elected a 33-strong committee to oversee the work of the administrators whose members include Kaine, other union representatives, aircraft leasing and finance companies and bondholders. After the meeting, one of the administrators, Vaughan Strawbridge, said indicative offers were due in about a fortnight. "Binding offers will then be required in June," he said. "We remain confident that our target of achieving a sale by the end of June is achievable." Parties other than Forrest reported to be interested in buying the airline include Australian private equity group Ben Gray, American specialist airline investor Indigo Partners and Canadian investment group Brookfield. Representatives of Forrest could not be reached for comment. Unions are continuing to push for the federal government to take a stake in the airline. "We want to see the government taking an equity stake and outlining a plan for the aviation industry," Kaine said. "Virgin will not be the only aviation company to run into difficulties and if we are to guarantee jobs in the sector and the businesses and communities across Australia that depend on it, the government needs to end its role as passive observer and reveal its plans." https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/30/virgin-australia-launches-us-legal-action-to-protect-aircraft-from-being-seized Back to Top SpiceJet Won't Pay Pilots For April Or May SpiceJet has announced that it will not pay its pilots for April and May due to the current circumstances. Pilots flying cargo flights will be paid per 'block hours flown', but will not receive their regular salary. SpiceJet is the first airline to not pay its pilots entirely, as competitors opt for pay cuts and voluntary leave instead. Drastic measures to survive SpiceJet's drastic steps come as it struggles to survive. The airline, in March, instituted a pay cut of up to 30% for its senior and middle-management, as well as mandatory leave for cabin crew. The decision to not pay pilots for April and May is by far the most aggressive move made by any airline to preserve cash and could point to further cuts in the coming months. SpiceJet has recently made the news due to its financial troubles, with lessors even considering repossessing planes. However, SpiceJet will still partially compensate pilots. While regular salaries have been axed, the airline plans to offer all of its pilots flight hours in the coming weeks. The airline plans to have 50% of its fleet in the air soon, paying pilots for any time spent flying. It is yet to be seen when this plan will go into effect and what percentage of salaries pilots will receive. Aviation continues to struggle India has banned all commercial flights until at least May 3rd as the number of coronavirus cases continues to grow. However, airlines are preparing for a resumption of domestic flights in early June. The complete flight ban, coupled with no bailout from the government, has forced airlines into survival mode. Measures taken by airlines are quite representative of their financial state. IndiGo, the country's largest airline, has paid full salaries for its entire staff for April, with only senior executives taking pay cuts. GoAir and SpiceJet have put their staff on unpaid leave and had to cancel or defer staff salaries. Meanwhile, Air India and Vistara have also cut salaries but will likely survive thanks to strong financial backing. Overall While SpiceJet's measures are surprising, the coming weeks could see more such moves as airlines continue to burn cash with few revenue sources. Airlines have also refrained from laying off staff, opting for salary reduction and unpaid leave instead. This could be based on a belief that the aviation market will rebound soon, with airlines hoping for a v-shaped recovery. There is no accurate way to predict when, or how, the market will recover. However, data from China, the country first to recover, suggests a strong rebound of flight capacity, but with passenger loads remaining low. If India does follow a similar track, we could see airlines reverse these extreme measures soon. https://simpleflying.com/spicejet-pilot-payments/ 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