Flight Safety Information May 1, 2020 - No. 088 In This Issue Airbus A350-941...- Ground Damage (Qatar) ANA to be reprimanded over pilot's drinking Boeing Must Face Pilot Union's 737 MAX Suit in Texas Court American Airlines, Delta, United to Require Facial Coverings on U.S. Flights Torqued: NTSB Report on Drug Use Trends in Accidents Deserves Broad Industry Action A350s become freighters through Airbus pallet-for-seat swap American Airlines to defer pension contributions under CARES Act Delta Will Retire The MD Aircraft Family In June British Airways to cut Gatwick operation and lay off 1130 pilots Lufthansa pilots offer to sacrifice up to 45% of salary: union Airbus Scraps E-Fan X Electric Hybrid Jet American Airlines sticking with new jet deliveries unlike rivals: CEO 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 Airbus A350-941 - Ground Damage (Qatar) Narrative: In strong winds, a parked Boeing 787 Dreamliner of Qatar Airways (A7-BCT) turned 45° to the left and was then blown into a parked A350. The nose of the aircraft hit the right-hand forward fuselage of the A350. Both aircraft were parked at a remote stand. Date: 30-APR-2020 Time: c. 13:00 UTC Type: Airbus A350-941 Owner/operator: Qatar Airways Registration: A7-ALJ ? C/n / msn: 025 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Doha-Hamad International Airport (DOH) - Qatar Phase: Standing Nature: - Departure airport: - Destination airport: - https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/235633 Back to Top ANA to be reprimanded over pilot's drinking The transport ministry issued a business improvement order against All Nippon Airways Co. on Friday after one of its pilots drank alcohol before a flight last November. ANA President Yuji Hirako received the order by phone instead of visiting the ministry amid the COVID-19 outbreak. It is the first time ANA has been slapped down with such an order over drinking by crew members, an issue that has also affected other domestic airlines. The order is the ministry's third-most serious type of punishment, behind having a business license revoked and a business suspension. The pilot was found to have been drinking alcohol Nov. 7 before boarding a flight bound for Fukuoka from Haneda Airport. He was replaced by a colleague, which caused a delay to a total of four flights of up to 73 minutes, affecting 2,000 people. The pilot was dismissed the following month. Also, an ANA co-pilot was fired in February 2019 after alcohol was detected in his system before a Kobe-Haneda flight. Japan Airlines Co. has twice been handed business improvement orders by the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry. It received the first one in December 2018 after a JAL co-pilot was convicted in Britain for being around 10 times over the country's legal alcohol limit prior to a London-Tokyo flight. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/05/01/national/ana-reprimand-pilot-drinking/#.XqwSqs1OmUk Back to Top Boeing Must Face Pilot Union's 737 MAX Suit in Texas Court • Pilot union says Boeing interfered in bargaining with airline • Federal district court doesn't have jurisdiction The Boeing Company will face claims that it falsely represented the 737 MAX aircraft and interfered in negotiations between Southwest Airlines and a pilot union in Texas state court, a federal district court decided Thursday. The decision comes as the Covid-19 epidemic is grounding an increasing number of U.S. pilots and other airline employees. Boeing stock soared Wednesday after executives unveiled a plan for surviving the downturn and generating cash again next year. The 737 MAX aircraft were a major sticking point in negotiations between Southwest Airlines Pilots Association and the airline, according to allegations filed by the union in October. Boeing purposefully interfered in the collective bargaining agreement to ensure pilots would agree to operate the MAX 737, the union said. The union sued Boeing in state court after fatal crashes of two 737 MAX aircraft resulted in the planes being universally grounded. The company withheld critical safety information, according to the complaint, which accused Boeing of fraud, negligence, and interference. The suit seeks millions of dollars in damages for lost compensation on behalf of 10,000 airline pilots. Pilots are paid based on the time spent flying, the union said, and the grounding of the Max 737 forced Southwest to cancel 30,000 flights. Boeing filed to remove the case to a federal court in 2019, claiming the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas had jurisdiction under the Class Action Fairness Act and complete preemption. The federal court disagreed. Because there is only one named plaintiff, the case is not a class action, Chief Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn wrote for the court. And although the case will require interpretation of the collective bargaining agreement, the court doesn't have federal question jurisdiction, the judge determined, remanding the case to a state district court in Dallas County. Condon & Forsyth LLP and Wick Phillips Gould & Martin LLP represent the union. Carter Arnett PLLC and Kirkland & Ellis LLP represent Boeing. Southwest declined to comment. The pilots' union and Boeing didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. The case is Southwest Airlines Pilot Ass'n v. The Boeing Company, N.D. Tex., No. 3:19-cv-02680, 4/30/20. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/boeing-must-face-pilot-unions-737-max-suit-in-texas-state-court Back to Top American Airlines, Delta, United to Require Facial Coverings on U.S. Flights WASHINGTON - Three of the largest four U.S. airlines said Thursday they will require passengers to wear facial coverings on U.S. flights, joining JetBlue Airways Corp in taking the step to address the spread of the coronavirus and convince reluctant passengers to resume flying. United Airlines, Delta Air Lines Inc and American Airlines Group Inc, along with the smaller Frontier Airlines, which is owned by private equity firm Indigo Partners LLC, announced they will require facial coverings next month. Delta and United's new rules start May 4, while Frontier's start May 8 and American's requirements begin May 11. The policies exempt young children from wearing masks or other facial coverings. Many U.S. airlines are also requiring pilots and flight attendants to use facial coverings while on board aircraft. Airlines in the United States have seen a nearly 95% drop in U.S. passengers and have slashed flight schedules. They are now working to reassure customers about the safety of air travel by instituting new cleaning and social distancing procedures. Some airline unions and U.S. lawmakers have urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to require facial coverings for all passengers and crew. United said it will provide complimentary masks to passengers. Southwest Airlines Co, one of the largest U.S. airlines, has not required facial coverings. The FAA has declined to implement the requirement, and it is not clear if the agency has the authority to compel passengers to wear face masks. The FAA said Wednesday it is "working with air carriers to ensure they have processes in place for addressing public health risks for their crews and passengers." Representative Peter DeFazio, who chairs the House Transportation Committee, called on the FAA Wednesday to "require masks or other face coverings for all crewmembers and passengers on U.S. flights" and to require airlines "adopt reasonable, sound procedures for ensuring that passengers are spaced at safe distances from one another." Delta said the airline will require face coverings "starting in the check-in lobby" and at "Delta Sky Clubs, boarding gate areas, jet bridges and on board the aircraft for the duration of the flight - except during meal service." Delta added their use "is also strongly encouraged in high-traffic areas, including security lines and restrooms. People unable to keep a face covering in place, including children, are exempt." American said the rules will prioritize "customer and team member well-being." German airline group Lufthansa also said this week it would require facial coverings for all passengers starting May 4. Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants union, praised the carriers adopting the requirements and added "absent federal action, we need every airline to require passengers wear face coverings to keep everyone safe in aviation." https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/04/30/us/30reuters-health-coronavirus-usa-airlines.html Back to Top Torqued: NTSB Report on Drug Use Trends in Accidents Deserves Broad Industry Action by John Goglia As I sit down to write this, we're in the middle of a virtual lockdown across much of the country, some ordered by local governments and some voluntarily undertaken to avoid the spread of a new virus wreaking havoc across the globe. I hope that by the time you read this, the global pandemic that has upended lives around the world will be abating and that the actions we took individually and collectively will make a difference both in the outcomes of the pandemic and in the future of so many that will be affected by the time this is over. What I have been most struck with, aside from actions taken by state and local governments, is the way sports franchises, entertainment companies, corporations large and small, and, of course, the airlines, have voluntarily taken drastic steps to mitigate the spread of this virus. I hope this signals a new willingness in other areas to consider the public good along with self-preservation. I'm thinking about another epidemic that has implications for pilots, especially general aviation pilots who aren't required to hold a medical, that we could do more about collectively as an industry. And that is the use of drugs that can compromise safety when flying. I've just finished reading the recent NTSB report on the prevalence of drugs found in toxicology reports of flying pilots who died in aircraft accidents. The report covers fatal accidents in the United States over the five-year period from 2013 to 2017. During this time, there were 1,042 aviation accidents in which the flying pilot was fatally injured. Toxicology reports were available for 952 pilots (91 percent). Those reports found that "266 (28 percent) fatally injured pilots tested positive for at least one potentially impairing drug, 144 (15 percent) pilots tested positive for at least one drug indicating a potentially impairing condition, 94 (10 percent) pilots' test results indicated evidence of use of at least one controlled substance, and 47 (5 percent) tested positive for an illicit drug." The drugs found included over-the-counter, prescription, and illicit drugs. While the report does not conclude that drugs were the cause of any of these accidents, clearly many of them can cause or contribute to poor pilot decision-making and a diminution of flying skills. The NTSB had previously studied this issue in fatal accidents that occurred from 1990 to 2012. One of the NTSB's findings that is of particular concern is: "over the entire period from 1990 to 2017, increasing trends were identified in the proportions of study pilots testing positive for at least one drug categorized as potentially impairing, used to treat a potentially impairing condition, or as a controlled substance." Although the NTSB highlighted the potential problems of pilots taking drugs in its earlier report, the data indicates an upward trend. The NTSB identified safety issues such as "(1) the ongoing need for the FAA to publicize-for pilots' use-information about marijuana given its decriminalization in several states and its unchanged classification as an illicit drug per federal law; and (2) the continued need for the FAA to conduct research to assess the relationship between drug use and accident risk." While the FAA has its role to play, it's hard not to wonder what we could do as an industry-individually and collectively-to help educate and prevent pilots from taking drugs (over-the-counter, prescription, or illegal) that can affect their flying skills or pilot decision-making. I've been particularly concerned about pilots who either don't realize or forget that just because marijuana sales are legal in some states, the drug is not legal for pilots to use. Ever. One of the NTSB's findings in the report is that "increasing evidence of marijuana use by pilots in this research update indicates a safety hazard that has not been effectively addressed." So aside from the recommendations to the FAA to address this issue, what can all of us do individually and collectively to raise awareness that legalizing marijuana potentially contributes to an increase in pilots smoking or otherwise ingesting it? I have talked to numerous GA pilots-and not just the younger ones-who think if it's legal to buy and use for medicinal purposes, they're okay to fly as long as they're not flying under the influence. The average age of the pilots in the NTSB's report was 56, so it's clearly not just a young-pilot issue. Many of the pilots I've spoken with don't realize that marijuana remains a federally illicit drug and thus completely proscribed for pilots. Many don't realize that the effects of marijuana can linger in the body and that there is no eight-hour bottle to throttle rule for marijuana. And the problem of pilots using marijuana is likely to increase as more states legalize its use for medical and recreational purposes. Even in states where marijuana use is illegal, a number of prosecutors have announced that they won't prosecute people found in possession of small amounts. So I would ask all of you, my readers, especially flight schools, flight instructors, and fixed-base operators, what-if anything-are you doing on an ongoing basis to alert pilots to the risks of marijuana or other over-the-counter and prescription drugs? What do you think could be done? I discuss this topic every semester in the aviation safety courses I teach at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, where the overwhelming majority of my students are in the pilot-training program. And while I think it's important for aviation college educators to raise this topic, those of you who have regular interactions with GA pilots, especially before they go fly, could also play a very important role. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/blogs/torqued-ntsb-report-drug-use-trends-accidents-deserves-broad-industry-action Back to Top A350s become freighters through Airbus pallet-for-seat swap Airbus is offering carriers a modification and regulatory support scheme to convert passenger A350s, A330s and A340s temporarily into main-deck freighters by swapping out seats and fitting pallets onto their floor tracks. Modification is provided to operators under an Airbus service bulletin which sets out not just the engineering work but also manages securing of European Union Aviation Safety Agency approval. EASA has issued guidelines to operators seeking to use passenger aircraft as freighters, setting out a limited exemption period of eight months in order to allow carriers to capitalise on dormant fleet capacity while the coronavirus crisis persists. Airbus test pilot and vice-president of flight operations support Yann Lardet says there has been an "evaporation" of capacity just as demand for medical supplies has increased. He says some 45-50% of cargo had been carried in passenger aircraft holds. While airlines can apply to EASA for main-deck modification, Lardet says this case-by-case procedure is "quite a painful process". Airbus is offering to handle this regulatory side, free of charge, by providing all the necessary documentation, with operators only contributing the cost of labour for the modification. "Customers can generate revenues with aircraft that would otherwise be grounded," says Lardet. The modification involves removing seats then bringing in empty standard PKC pallets through passenger doors and attaching them to seat tracks. Conversion is typically limited to economy-class seats because premium seats are "more effort" to remove, says project leader and A330/350 programme specialist Matthias Ierovante, adding that galleys and monuments also remain in the aircraft. Airbus's conversion, carried out at the customer's base, does not require bespoke kit. "We've tried to find a quick solution," Ierovante says. "It uses standard cargo equipment that can be procured easily." Fitting pallets protects the cabin floor and avoids the problem of wear on the cabin seats. Each pallet is capable of holding 260kg of cargo, with a volume of about 2.7m³. About 30 pallets can be installed on an A350, 28 on an A330, and there is a small demand for equipping A340s. Lardet says Airbus would be prepared to look at A380 modification if customers requested it. Safety remains a priority, says Ierovante. Cargo stowage checks have to be carried out before take-off and landing, and whenever requested by the captain. Centre-of-gravity, weight and evacuation criteria must be respected, and fire protection is critical. Under the EASA guidelines heat-generating systems such as in-flight entertainment, in-seat power, and galley equipment must be de-activated, along with supplemental oxygen systems in the cabin areas. Portable devices powered by lithium batteries, including unnecessary emergency locator transmitters, need to be removed. Along with the pilots the aircraft must carry trained fire monitors - typically three cabin crew - who must be seated away from the cargo and perform regular safety walks, carrying portable oxygen, to check for any sign of smoke or fire - including in the overhead bins. These monitors must also be able to tackle an outbreak with regular cabin equipment. Lardet stresses that the EASA regulations forbid any cargo classified as dangerous goods to be transported in the modified passenger cabin. EASA does not require installation of a 9g barrier and smoke barrier to protect the cockpit, although each pallet and its load must be protected from shifting during flight. Airbus's modification restrains the cargo using 9g netting. Lardet says the temporary conversion enables a passenger aircraft to be ready for cargo transport in "a couple of days", depending on its configuration, and Airbus's scheme also covers re-installation of the original cabin components to restore the aircraft for passenger operations. Around 20 operators - none of which the airframer is identifying - have requested the regulatory assistance. https://www.flightglobal.com/air-transport/a350s-become-freighters-through-airbus-pallet-for-seat-swap/138161.article Back to Top American Airlines to defer pension contributions under CARES Act With air travel praticially halted across the world as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, American Airlines said it plans to defer its minimum required pension contributions for 2020 totaling $196 million under the CARES Act. American Airlines Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, plans to defer its minimum required pension plan contributions for 2020 totaling $196 million under the provisions of the CARES Act. The airline announced it expects to defer the payment of the contributions to Jan. 1 in its 10-Q filing with the SEC on Thursday. The amount includes a $193 million minimum required contribution for its corporate pension plan and a $3 million minimum required contribution for the pension plan of its wholly owned regional subsidiaries. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, signed by President Donald Trump on March 27, provides companies the option of a one-year holiday from making 2020 pension contributions, with interest accrued, until Jan. 1, 2021. American Airlines contributed $1.2 billion to its pension plans in 2019, which included a $780 million minimum required contribution. As of Dec. 31, the airline's global pension plan assets totaled $12.9 billion, while projected benefit obligations totaled $18.2 billion, for a funding ratio of 70.5%, up from 61.6% at the end of 2018, according to its most recent 10-K filing. The company did not provide a breakout of U.S. vs. international pension plans. https://www.pionline.com/pension-funds/american-airlines-defer-pension-contributions-under-cares-act Back to Top Delta Will Retire The MD Aircraft Family In June It's been about eight months since American Airlines retired its final MD-80 from its fleet. Now, Delta is planning to do the same with its own McDonnell Douglas aircraft. The US carrier will retire its MD-88 and MD-90 jets earlier than previously planned as a result of the current global situation. In fact, Delta will retire both aircraft types this June. Delta MD-80 An ongoing trend Delta's plan for the early retirement of its MD jets continues a trend that we are seeing across the aviation industry. With airlines already having plans to retire their older jets, this crisis has expedited the process as airlines anticipate a slow recovery for the industry - diminishing the need for higher levels of capacity. However, the more noteworthy retirements have been for larger commercial aircraft. However, that's not to say Delta's latest move isn't significant. The carrier has 76 of the aircraft still able to fly. More specifically, prior to the coronavirus-driven fleet reduction, there were 47 MD-88s and 29 MD-90s operating. Retirement for many airlines seems to be the most sensible option. This is because aircraft still cost money to store and maintain, even if they aren't taking off, burning fuel, and carrying passengers. With no firm date set for a return to normal life, these costs could add up quickly - especially for airlines with much larger fleets. Furthermore, once many travel restrictions are lifted, there is an anticipation that the air travel industry will take even more time to fully recover. Thus, many think we will experience reduced demand for the next few years. Delta's MD aircraft Both the MD-88 and MD-90 have been flying with Delta's mainline fleet since the late 1980s. Since then, over 120 of these aircraft have been retired, many of them even scrapped. Travelers would find these aircraft flying domestically out of major Delta hubs such as Atlanta and Minneapolis, to fairly large cities scattered across the United States such as Houston, San Antonio, Birmingham, and Baltimore. With both types of aircraft having a 3-2 economy layout, the Delta MD-88 has 149 seats while the MD-90 has 158. Filling this role best will be Delta's other single-aisle aircraft, including the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, which have capacities closest to the larger MD-90. Conclusion Delta has reacted quickly to the current crisis by parking aircraft and considering early retirements of older, less efficient airplanes. As part of a recent press release, the airline says that it will continue to evaluate its broader fleet plan and consider additional aircraft retirements to focus on a "modern, more simplified fleet going forward". https://simpleflying.com/delta-md-aircraft-retirement/ Back to Top British Airways to cut Gatwick operation and lay off 1130 pilots Over 1100 cabin crew jobs also to go, and suspension of remaining Heathrow flights 'not ruled out' British Airways plans to lose more than 1,100 pilots and make heavy cuts to its Gatwick airport operation as part of 12,000 redundancies. The airline has informed staff of detailed plans after it announced on Tuesday evening that it intended to lay off up to 30% of its workforce. Letters sent to union representatives for all sections of the airline set out swingeing cuts, as well as drastic changes to terms and conditions across the company as it responds to the grounding of most air travel since March due to the coronavirus pandemic. BA plans to lay off almost four in five crew managers at Gatwick and 60% of other cabin crew, more than 1100 of almost 1900 staff. The jobs of just over 400 ground staff will be outsourced to the airport and its contractors. In emails to staff and unions, managers at BA warned that "there is no certainty as to when services can return" to London City or Gatwick airports, and that they had "not ruled out suspending the remainder of our Heathrow operation". Ground staff at Heathrow are also likely to be forced to accept the same contracts as recent starters, which pay around £10,000-15,000 less, according to employees. All 4,346 pilots will be asked to sign new contracts changing their terms and conditions, and accept new rostering arrangements. BA will be seeking to lay off 1130 pilots. Pilots union Balpa said it would fight to save every pilot job. The general secretary, Brian Strutton, said: "The company has declined government support claiming it is financially secure enough to survive the coronavirus crisis, so it is hard to see how these cuts can be justified. "There are many options to ensure BA can continue its business and survive coronavirus and Balpa does not accept that job losses are the only answer." The Unite union has described BA's moves as "unlawful and immoral". Around 22,000 BA employees were furloughed in April and May, while pilots accepted unpaid leave instead of furloughing to allow them to restart swiftly should travel recommence. The general secretary of Unite, Len McCluskey, said: "UK taxpayers have not handed over their money to BA for it to embark on an opportunistic course of slashing jobs, conditions and wages, and potentially jeopardising jobs right across [the] aviation sector." BA's parent company IAG announced the planned redundancies to the Stock Exchange on Tuesday. In a memo to staff, the BA chief executive, Álex Cruz, said: "What we are facing as an airline ... is that there is no 'normal' any longer. "We do not know when countries will reopen their borders or when the lockdowns will lift, and so we have to reimagine and reshape our airline and create a new future for our people, our customers and the destinations we serve." IAG has declined to seek government help, unlike Virgin Atlantic, which has so far been rebuffed, or EasyJet, which has received a £600m Bank of England loan. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/30/british-airways-to-cut-gatwick-operation-and-lay-off-1130-pilots Back to Top Lufthansa pilots offer to sacrifice up to 45% of salary: union BERLIN (Reuters) - Pilots at Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) are ready to sacrifice up to 45% of their salaries for more than two years to help cut costs, their union Cockpit said on Thursday, as the airline struggles with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. "The concessions amount to more than 350 million euros and make a significant contribution to the viability of the company," Cockpit said in a statement. The offer affects pilots at Lufthansa's namesake core brand, its freight division and its budget carrier Germanwings. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-lufthansa-pilots/lufthansa-pilots-offer-to-sacrifice-up-to-45-of-salary-union-idUSKBN22C2A9 Back to Top Airbus Scraps E-Fan X Electric Hybrid Jet Airbus has today announced that it is scrapping its plans to launch a hybrid-electric aircraft called the E-Fan X. The aircraft was a part of a project between Airbus and Rolls-Royce, which was launched in 2017. However, given the ongoing pandemic and its impact on the airline industry, Airbus has assessed that further development on this project is not viable at the moment. The project was part of the European Commission's Flightpath 2050 vision to develop a quieter and more environment-friendly aircraft. Moreover, the project had reached key milestones and was set to undergo its maiden flight in 2021. The decision The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Airbus, Grazia Vittadini, has said that the decision has come as a part of Airbus' strategy to prioritize its current ambitions. She added: "As with all ground-breaking R&T projects, it's our duty to constantly evaluate and reprioritize them to ensure alignment with our ambitions. These decisions are not always easy. But they're undoubtedly necessary to stay the course." Over that, Rolls-Royce CTO Paul Stein has openly stated that the cancellation of the project was a mutual decision based on the current situation. He said," it has become clear to both parties that the actual requirement to carry out a test flight with all the elements integrated is not critical at this time." Moreover, he reasoned that as an aircraft, E-Fan X was always designed to be a demonstrator. There were no plans to put the plane into commercial service. Hence, the scrapping of aircraft development was justified as the industry has bigger problems to solve right now. E-Fan X was to be made out of various components of pre-existing electric and aircraft manufacturers. The body of the aircraft was planned to be the same as that of British Aerospace (BAe) 146. However, one out of four of its Lycoming turbofans was to be replaced by a Siemens 2 MW (2700 hp) electric motor. Although most of the aircraft was pretty much similar to a BAe 146, E-Fan X was expected to demonstrate the capabilities of electric-powered airplanes. Unfortunately, the design has been scrapped even before the aircraft took its first flight. But, Airbus and Rolls-Royce have both been content with the lessons and learnings that they have gained from this project. Specifically, those relating to hybrid architectures, high-voltage systems, and battery technologies. Airbus' innovation segment is already using some of these breakthroughs for other purposes. Despite the abandoning of the E-Fan X project, Stein has said that Rolls-Royce will independently keep working on the power generation systems to capture all the possible lessons. This involves the integration of the generator with its control and thermal management systems. This means that Rolls-Royce will continue with the development of the electric engine, which can be fitted on any aircraft in the near future. To conclude, although the plan might be officially canceled, we can be hopeful to see Rolls-Royce contributing to a similar hybrid-electric aircraft soon. https://simpleflying.com/airbus-e-fanx-scrapped/ Back to Top American Airlines sticking with new jet deliveries unlike rivals: CEO Airlines including American are taking steps to reduce costs and downsize their fleets to more closely match a drastic drop in travel demand due to the pandemic. American had more than 900 jets in its fleet in 2019 and commitments to purchase another 248, according to regulatory filings. To reduce its overall fleet size, it will accelerate the retirement of older aircraft, rather than push back deliveries as rivals like Southwest Airlines Co (LUV.N) have announced. In an interview with Reuters, Parker said the airline will have around 100 fewer jets in the summer of 2021 than it had planned given the early retirements. "That's how we'll reduce our fleet, rather than pushing off deliveries," Parker said. Earlier, American said it was bringing forward the retirement of Boeing 757 and 767 jets, Airbus A330-300s and Embraer 190s due to a decline in demand for travel. The retirements, first reported by Reuters in March, contributed to a $1.4 billion one-time charge in the first quarter. American is due to receive 69 new aircraft this year, including 18 jets from the Airbus 320neo family and 22 Boeing 737 MAX planes, according to regulatory filings. On a conference call with investors, the company said those purchases were already fully financed. Delivery of the 737 MAX jets is uncertain, however, as Boeing Co (BA.N) awaits regulatory approval for the jets to fly again since two fatal crashes led to a global grounding last year. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-american-airline/american-airlines-sticking-with-jet-delivery-schedule-ceo-idUSKBN22C391 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