Flight Safety Information June 12, 2020 - No. 118 In This Issue Incident: Canada A320 at Edmonton on Jun 7th 2020, autobrakes failure Incident: PIA A320 near Karachi on Jun 10th 2020, noisy door Incident: Garuda B738 at Benjarmasin on Jun 11th 2020, flat nose tyres Piper PA-32RT-300T Turbo Lance II - Fatal Accident (Alabama) NTSB Schedules Public Meeting On Fatal Atlas Air Flight FAA Warns of Tail Strikes, Off-Course Flying by Near-Empty Jets British Airways Weighing Voluntary Redundancy for Pilots In wake of Kobe Bryant's death, House and Senate introduce helicopter safety bill Plane clips airport antennae during landing Boeing aims for key 737 MAX certification flight in late June: sources FAA Extends Funding for NEXTOR III Aviation Operations Research Consortium Alaska Airlines expects 3,000 jobs cut by 2021 amid pandemic UK air passengers urged not to take hand luggage on planes SpaceX is following up its first astronaut mission by launching 3 batches of internet satellites First space tourists will face big risks, as private companies gear up for paid suborbital flights RTCA's free Aviation Technology Connect Webinar series kicks off Wednesday, June 17 Ship-based Helicopter Management Aviation Safety Survey GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: Canada A320 at Edmonton on Jun 7th 2020, autobrakes failure An Air Canada Airbus A320-200, registration C-FMSX performing flight AC-329 from Montreal,QC to Edmonton,AB (Canada), was on final approach to Edmonton's runway 30 when the crew received an Autobrakes fault indication and performed a missed approach. The crew worked the related checklists, declared PAN PAN and performed a safe landing on runway 30 using alternate braking. The Canadian TSB reported maintenance found an unserviceable brake servo valve and replaced the valve. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ACA329/history/20200607/1220Z/CYUL/CYEG http://avherald.com/h?article=4d88d4e4&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: PIA A320 near Karachi on Jun 10th 2020, noisy door A PIA Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration AP-BLV performing flight PK-8726 from Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) to Multan (Pakistan), was enroute at FL350 when unusual noises developed on board which were identified to come from one of the aircraft's main doors. The flight crew decided to divert to Karachi (Pakistan), where the aircraft landed safely about 2:40 hours after departure. The passengers, part of them were terrified and considering to travel to Multan by road, were rebooked onto another flight. The occurrence aircraft returned to service after 23 hours on the ground in Karachi. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d88cd3d&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Garuda B738 at Benjarmasin on Jun 11th 2020, flat nose tyres A Garuda Boeing 737-800, registration PK-GML performing flight GA-532 from Jakarta to Benjarmasin (Indonesia), landed on Benjarmasin's runway 10 and became disabled on the runway center line due to deflated nose tyres. The airport reported the aircraft had received broken tyres. The passengers disembarked normally with the assistance of the airport team. The airport had experience heavy rain, just when the rain subsided the aircraft landed and suffered the occurrence. The aircraft was later towed to the apron. No Metars are available at the time of the occurrence, only 3 hours later the Metars resume, available METARs: WAOO 111100Z AUTO 19003KT 9999 NCD 26/25 Q1007= WAOO 111030Z AUTO 17004KT 130V190 9999 NCD 26/25 Q1007= WAOO 111000Z AUTO 15004KT 9999 NCD 26/25 Q1007= WAOO 101500Z AUTO VRB02KT 7000 NCD 25/24 Q1009= http://avherald.com/h?article=4d88b400&opt=0 Back to Top Piper PA-32RT-300T Turbo Lance II - Fatal Accident (Alabama) Date: 10-JUN-2020 Time: 16:40 Type: Piper PA-32RT-300T Turbo Lance II Owner/operator: Fuller Bruner Operations LLC Registration: N543GS C/n / msn: 32R-7887124 Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Category: Accident Location: 2 miles SW of Selma-Craig Air Field (SEM/KSEM), AL - United States of America Phase: Approach Nature: Private Departure airport: Jasper-Walker County Airport-Bevill Field, AL (JFX/KJFX) Destination airport: Selma-Craig Field, AL (SEM/KSEM) Narrative: The aircraft experienced a loss of engine power and a subsequent impact with rural Dallas County terrain about two miles southwest of Selma-Craig Field (SEM/KSEM), Selma, Alabama. The airplane sustained unreported but likely at least substantial damage and both occupants on board were fatally injured. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/236901 Back to Top NTSB Schedules Public Meeting On Fatal Atlas Air Flight The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a hearing next month as part of its investigation into the probable cause of an Atlas Air cargo plane that crashed in February 2019 in a marshy bay near Houston. The Boeing 767-300 freighter was operated by Atlas under contract with online mega-retailer Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), and was also carrying mail for the U.S. Postal Service. It was flying to George Bush Intercontinental Airport from Miami when it went down, killing the two pilots and one other person on board. According to information on the cockpit flight recorder, Flight 3591 lost contact with ground control seconds before impact. The NTSB meeting is scheduled for July 14 at 9:30 a.m. Members and staff will meet virtually to maintain physical distancing during the coronavirus and the proceedings will be webcast. Atlas Air is a subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings. Amazon Air is in expansion mode. Last week the company announced plans to grow its fleet size in partnership with Air Transport Services Group. It also recently launched operations with Sun Country and is opening new airport facilities around the country. https://www.yahoo.com/news/ntsb-schedules-public-meeting-fatal-211643749.html Back to Top FAA Warns of Tail Strikes, Off-Course Flying by Near-Empty Jets • Incidents in pandemic show risks of light planes, parked craft • Regulator, industry have increased vigilance to reduce hazards One nearly empty passenger jet "climbed like a rocket," prompting the pilots to exceed their assigned altitude. Others have scraped their tails on takeoff, gone off course or strayed close enough to other aircraft to prompt mid-air collision alerts. The common thread: the massive disruptions to the U.S. airline industry caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. While the plunge in travel has in many ways eased pressure on roads and the aviation system, it has at times had the opposite effect on safety. The rate of highway deaths has actually risen as motorists speed on empty roads. And the drop in airline passengers has triggered an unusual spate of incidents that are challenging flight safety, according to publicly available reports as well as government, industry and union officials. Moreover, the slow rise in air traffic is creating its own demands as parked aircraft are restored to service and pilots who may have missed training sessions are recalled. The Commercial Aviation Safety Team, comprised of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, unions and airline officials, last month issued more than 50 warnings to carriers on the unusual factors they need to monitor more closely during the recent industry disruptions, according to documents reviewed by Bloomberg. They include tracking safety data related to unusually light aircraft, the stresses from employees fearing they could become infected by Covid-19 and possible fuel contamination on planes that were parked. "These dynamic changes are creating stress points on our systems and processes," the group said in one of the documents. Details of incidents have begun to trickle out through NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System, which posts anonymous field reports after validating their authenticity. They include pilots reporting that unusually light airliners behaved unexpectedly, such as climbing so fast that they exceeded assigned altitudes or couldn't maintain cabin air pressure. Others said the boarding process went so fast they forgot to finish safety paperwork. Thousands of airliners are parked, some of them on runways at major airports. Normal flight routines are being disrupted. Training is being postponed. And airline crews face the looming threat of infection and a loss of job security. "There is certainly a concern that all of these things could be a distraction to crews and could result in an undesirable situation," said Hassan Shahidi, president of the nonprofit Flight Safety Foundation. There have been no significant incidents, said Shahidi and others familiar with data collected by airlines. "Despite the challenging circumstances, the agency continues to provide the same high level of safety oversight of airlines and other operators that the public expects and deserves," the FAA said in a statement. "We are closely monitoring the data we receive from voluntary reporting systems and have increased the number of information-sharing meetings we're holding with operators." Indeed, the reason that concerns are being raised at the agency and the safety team is that the industry's early warning system -- which tracks flight data, thousands of reports from individual employees and internal airline audits -- has been adept at spotting issues before they become serious, according to FAA and industry officials. Ali Bahrami, the FAA's associate administrator for aviation safety, said during a recent online panel that the agency has increased its interactions and oversight of airlines as a result of data it has seen and the threat of financial disruption to the industry. Among the incidents raising concern, Bahrami said, were so-called "tail strikes," in which a jet on takeoff or landing hits its tail on the runway. These impacts, which may be associated with a lighter-than-usual aircraft, can severely damage a plane and lead to costly repairs. The air-traffic control system has faced similar stresses, said Teri Bristol, the chief of FAA's Air Traffic Organization, speaking at another webinar. Scores of controllers, who operate in close quarters and can't work from home, have tested positive for the virus. That has prompted the temporary closing of facilities and rerouting of flights. "Change and unpredictability is not a good thing in our system," Bristol said. With so many aircraft parked -- airlines took more than half of their fleets out of service before beginning to return some planes in recent weeks -- the FAA has been paying close attention to safety incidents on the ground, such as the threat of collisions on runways. "We are seeing surface issues where we just wouldn't expect to see them," Bristol said. NASA's repository of reports from pilots, air-traffic controllers and others reflect what Bahrami and Bristol have said. Reports of incidents in March have only become public in recent days: • An airline captain landing at Pittsburgh International Airport complained that planes were "parked all over" one of the runways, but it had not been marked as closed with lighted signs. • A captain reported that an automated warning system ordered them to "climb" to avoid colliding with another plane. The pilot blamed it on another jet that was climbing faster than usual with a lightly loaded plane. • An airline crew said they got a warning that the cabin wasn't properly pressurized. They had been climbing so quickly with an unusually light load at high altitudes that the plane's pressurization system couldn't keep up, they said. • Confusion over a missed radio call allowed two planes to fly too close to each other. A controller said that a nearby sector had been shut after another employee tested positive for the virus. "We were working abnormally complex traffic at a very high volume," the controller said. • After aborting a landing due to gusty winds, an airliner at takeoff power climbed so quickly that it exceeded its maximum assigned altitude. "To say I was rattled would be an understatement," a pilot on the plane said. "I am concerned that we are flying these aircraft too light." • More than a dozen additional reports raised concern about personal safety from the virus, as a result of lack of disinfection kits or people working closely together. Such anonymous reports from NASA's system should be viewed cautiously because they can't be verified, said Roger Cox, a former airline pilot who also served as an accident investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board. Previous crises in the airline industry, such as the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the 2008 financial crisis, didn't lead to demonstrable increases in accidents, Cox said. Nevertheless, pilot distractions repeatedly show up as a factor in crashes around the world and should be watched closely, he said. While passenger counts have rebounded since since early April, when they were at less than 5% of last year, they still averaged only 16% over the past week, according to Transportation Security Administration data. Financial assistance to carriers required no job cuts, but only through Sept. 30. Many carriers are saying they will have to trim employees in the fall. "We have all kinds of people who are worried about their carriers, their mortgage, their family, all kinds of things," said Russ Leighton, vice president of the Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations who participates in FAA-industry safety work. Air-cargo operations have been up during the crisis, but that creates its own stresses, Leighton said. Cargo crews aren't protected by the same pilot-fatigue regulations as passenger pilots, for example, he said. Pilot unions have been emphasizing that it's better for crews to leave discussions about seniority lists and job security behind when they enter the cockpit, said Steve Jangelis, aviation safety chair at the Air Line Pilots Association. "Everyone is stressing the same point," Jangelis said. "This is not a normal situation. We're going to see our way through it. We need to make sure we're slow, methodical and safe." https://news.bloomberglaw.com/coronavirus/faa-warns-of-tail-strikes-off-course-flying-by-near-empty-jets Back to Top British Airways Weighing Voluntary Redundancy for Pilots British Airways is looking at offering voluntary redundancy to pilots as an alternative to compulsory dismissals and could extend the plan to other workers, the company said in a letter to staff seen by Bloomberg News. The unit of IAG SA is discussing the step with the British Airline Pilots' Association, according to the communication from its management committee. The labor group didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment. British Airways aims to cut as many as 12,000 jobs to preserve cash and cope with a slow recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The carrier warned previously it would dismiss all of its 4,300 pilots and rehire them on new contracts in the absence of a deal to save money, Balpa said on Saturday. While talks may be progressing with pilots, the Unite and GMB unions have declined to engage in negotiations, the note said, appealing to workers to seek their participation. BA said it's burning through 20 million pounds ($25 million) a day even with staff furloughed and operations largely grounded, and that the drain on cash will limit options if agreements can't be reached soon. Unite said Wednesday it had told the European Union's competition regulator it intended to act as a third party in opposing IAG's acquisition of Spanish leisure carrier Air Europa at a time when jobs were at risk. Airlines across the continent have flagged moves to eliminate more than 50,000 positions, with Deutsche Lufthansa AG saying it has a surplus of 22,000 full-time positions. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-11/british-airways-weighing-voluntary-redundancy-for-pilots Back to Top In wake of Kobe Bryant's death, House and Senate introduce helicopter safety bill • Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Brad Sherman want terrain-awareness systems, data and voice recorders on all craft with 6 or more passengers LOS ANGELES - Legislation introduced Thursday in the House and Senate would require terrain awareness and warning systems and crash-resistant flight data and voice recorders on all helicopters that carry six or more passengers, which the bills' authors say would prevent tragedies like the Jan. 26 Calabasas crash that killed Kobe Bryant and his daughter. "Despite NTSB recommendations 15 years ago that the FAA make terrain awareness equipment and other safety technology mandatory on all helicopters, some of this lifesaving equipment is only required to be installed in air ambulances. That's simply unacceptable," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. ""We saw the deadly results of this inaction in January when a helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others crashed," she said. "If that helicopter had terrain awareness equipment, the tragedy may have been averted. This commonsense bill will save lives, and Congress should act to pass it immediately." Feinstein introduced the Helicopter Safety Act in the Senate and Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks, introduced a companion bill in the House. Sherman said the legislation would "finally direct the FAA to require these safety features for passenger helicopters in order to avoid tragedies like the one that claimed the life of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna Bryant and seven others." Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif), Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., are co-signers of the legislation. "The death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others was devastating news for Los Angeles and the entire country," Harris said. "It is critical that helicopters be required to have terrain awareness equipment and warning systems in place. I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation to prevent accidents like this from occurring again." Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and several of her teammates and their parents were in a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter that was en route from John Wayne Airport in Orange County to a basketball tournament at the former NBA star's Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks when it hit the foothills of the Santa Monica mountains in Calabasas and caught fire, killing everyone on board. A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board found that the helicopter was flying in foggy weather and was not equipped with terrain awareness technology. Bryant's widow and family members of other crash victims have filed lawsuits against the companies that owned and operated the aircraft and the estate of the pilot, alleging the defendants were negligent in the operation and maintenance of the chopper. Since 2006, the NTSB has recommended that all helicopters be equipped with terrain awareness technology, but so far the Federal Aviation Administration has only applied the requirement to air ambulances. Earlier this year, Feinstein asked the FAA to expand current regulations on terrain awareness equipment to include all helicopters with six or more passengers. https://www.dailybreeze.com/2020/06/11/in-wake-of-kobe-bryants-death-house-and-senate-introduce-helicopter-safety-bill/ Back to Top Plane clips airport antennae during landing ST. MARYS, PA - The pilot of a Great Lakes bi-plane clipped an antenna at the St. Marys Municipal Airport while attempting to land on Monday afternoon. According to Joe Kerchinski, airport manager, there were no injuries as a result of the crash as the Virginia-based pilot suffered only minor cuts and bruising on his hand. Kerchinski notified the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration about the incident which occurred around 12:05 p.m. He was authorized to move the airplane from its crash location on Monday evening. The airport is currently closed, but is anticipated to re-open today by 11 a.m. According to Kerchinski the crash occurred when the pilot hit one of the horizontal stabilizers on the airport's localizer, antennas that as a guidance system for planes and instrument conditions. The plane then skidded about 50 yards taking out its landing gear and propellors. https://www.smdailypress.com/content/plane-clips-airport-antennae-during-landing Back to Top Boeing aims for key 737 MAX certification flight in late June: sources WASHINGTON/SEATTLE (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) is aiming to conduct a key certification test flight on its grounded 737 MAX jet in late June, two people briefed on the matter said on Wednesday. The 737 MAX has been grounded since March 2019 after two fatal crashes killed 346 people. Boeing told airlines it hopes to conduct the flight in late June, the sources said. Boeing did not comment on the certification flight timing, but said late Wednesday it had won approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for a service bulletin that details the modifications required for 737 MAX wiring. "Boeing has already begun modifying airplanes that have not yet been delivered and is coordinating modification efforts with the airlines," the company said. "New airplanes being built will include this update," it added. In March, Reuters first reported Boeing would separate 737 MAX wiring bundles, flagged by regulators as potentially dangerous, before the jet returns to service. Boeing also said it had shared with airlines "draft pilot training materials and related information to help operators facilitate and plan the development of their training programs." Reuters has previously reported that the FAA does not plan to clear Boeing for a resumption of 737 MAX flights until at least August. The sources warned the date could slip into July for the certification test flight, as the dates for many milestones for returning the plane to service have been repeatedly pushed back. The FAA said on Wednesday it was "in regular contact with Boeing as the company continues its work on the 737 MAX. ... The aircraft will be cleared for return to passenger service only after the FAA is satisfied that all safety-related issues are addressed." In early April, Boeing confirmed it would make two new software updates to the 737 MAX's flight control computer. But Boeing said software issues that prompted the updates were unrelated to a key anti-software system known as MCAS faulted in both fatal crashes. Boeing resumed production of the 737 MAX on May 27 after halting it in January. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-boeing-737max/boeing-aims-for-key-737-max-certification-flight-in-late-june-sources-idUSKBN23H2O7 Back to Top FAA Extends Funding for NEXTOR III Aviation Operations Research Consortium COLLEGE PARK, Md., June 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A University of Maryland-led, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-funded research consortium that addresses aviation operations issues on behalf of the federal government, the airline industry and the flying public has received renewed funding at a crucial time for air travel. The FAA has announced a new contract for NEXTOR III, the eight-university Consortium in Aviation Operations Research that extends its mission for an additional seven years with an expenditure cap of $24 million. This marks the second extension of the original National Center of Excellence for Aviation Operations Research (NEXTOR), which was established in 1996. The announcement comes at a time of critical upheavals in air travel emerging and on the horizon as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The University of Maryland, led by professors Michael Ball (Robert H. Smith School of Business/Institute for Systems Research) and David Lovell (Civil and Environmental Engineering/Institute for Systems Research), will continue as the lead institution for "NEXTOR III." In addition to Maryland, other consortium member universities are George Mason University; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the University of California, Berkeley; the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; the Georgia Institute of Technology; the Ohio State University; and Purdue University. NEXTOR began as one of five Centers of Excellence created by the FAA to lead the aviation community in advancing new ideas and paradigms for aviation operations, educating and training aviation professionals, and promoting knowledge transfer among industry, government and academic leaders. The consortium's basic research, modeling and investment analysis addresses the needs of the National Airspace System (NAS) on a wide range of aviation operational problems, while promoting increased dialogue between the FAA and the airline industry. NEXTOR's broad research program encompasses air traffic management and control; safety data analysis; aviation economics and policy; human factors; communication, data collection and distribution; and system performance evaluation and assessment measures. NEXTOR's decision support tools, operational and system concepts, and policymaking tools have had a substantial impact on aviation practice. Its research results have been incorporated into FAA systems and have led to improved NAS performance. The universities in the consortium serve as trusted, impartial arbiters of proposals that strive to strike a balance between the interests of government and the airline industry. Because of their long association with the FAA, NEXTOR team members well understand the fundamental problems of the air transportation system and have earned the trust of a broad range of FAA program managers. To industry, the knowledge and capabilities provided by NEXTOR research have provided critical information to executives as they make near-term investment choices and develop long-term strategies. The FAA and airline industry improvements brought about by NEXTOR research ultimately benefit the traveling public. "We are a source for quality technical research that addresses all three of these perspectives," Lovell says. The trust and perspective NEXTOR brings will be invaluable in the current air travel crisis. "Obviously COVID-19 already has had a huge impact on aviation," says Ball. "The pandemic will result in some fundamental changes to air transportation." Already, the FAA has asked NEXTOR to organize and moderate webinars about the pandemic's impact on air travel. Topics include the potential impact of social distancing requirements in airport terminals, impacts to training paradigms when traffic volumes are severely reduced, and possible changes in air traffic control practices due to the occasional need to sanitize control facilities after positive COVID-19 tests. NEXTOR also is developing specific research projects that will study the degree to which the FAA and the airline industry will be permanently changed, and the speed at which airlines might emerge from the crisis. About the Robert H. Smith School of Business The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, specialty master's, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia. About the A. James Clark School of Engineering The A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland serves as the catalyst for high-quality research, innovation, and learning, delivering on a promise that all graduates will leave ready to impact the Grand Challenges (energy, environment, security, and human health) of the 21st century. The Clark School is dedicated to leading and transforming the engineering discipline and profession, to accelerating entrepreneurship, and to transforming research and learning activities into new innovations that benefit millions. About the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Part of the A. James Clark School of Engineering, the UMD civil and environmental engineering department is home to expert faculty and leading-edge centers and labs, including the Maryland Transportation Institute, the Center for Advanced Transportation Technology, the Center of Disaster Resilience, and environmental engineering labs dedicated to biofilms, inorganic pollutants, and persistent organic pollutants. Undergraduate academic tracks include environmental engineering and water resources, geotechnical and structural engineering, and transportation and project management. The graduate program is in the top 20 among public universities and the top 25 among all universities nationwide, according to rankings from the U.S. News and World Report. About the Institute for Systems Research The Institute for Systems Research is a permanent, interdisciplinary research unit within the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland. ISR is home to more than 60 faculty and other researchers from 13 departments in five colleges across the university. Since its beginnings as one of the National Science Foundation's original Engineering Research Centers in 1985, ISR has been at the forefront of interdisciplinary research and education in the system sciences and systems engineering. ISR's main areas of research are artificial intelligence and machine learning; communications and security; control; energy; micro and nanosystems; neuroscience; operations research and manufacturing; robotics; and systems engineering. https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/state/faa-extends-funding-for-nextor-iii-aviation-operations-research-consortium/article_3542882c-66cd-5806-b843-4fc0d88bb9c0.html Back to Top Alaska Airlines expects 3,000 jobs cut by 2021 amid pandemic SEATTLE - Alaska Airlines prepares to cut 3,000 jobs by next year amid the downturn in revenue for airline travel after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. In a company statement, airline says job cuts are anticipated to start in October 2020. Currently, the company has approximately 23,000 people working nationwide. Since March, Alaska Airlines has reduced scheduled flights by 80%, in addition to contractor cuts, executive pay, and other costs. The company also stated the airline CEO and president will not receive a salary through September 2020, as well as other company leaders taking pay cuts ranging from 20-50%. In a recent Seattle Times article interview, Alaska Air Group President Ben Minicucci said operations will likely not return to pre-COVID-19 levels for the next 12 months. In April, the U.S. government gave the airline $992 million in relief aid. The Times also reported that money went to helping support budgets for remaining jobs through the end of September. Alaska has placed more than 6,000 employees so far on some form of voluntary leave, and an additional 1,800 on flexible COVID-19-related leave due to school closures, family or other situations. The company said they are currently working with labor unions to carve out the next several months and what that will look like operationally. Data pix. On Wednesday, the company also announced new safety and health measures inside airports. With guidance from UW Medicine's infectious disease experts and Alaska Airlines advisors, the company will soon be incorporating a pre-travel wellness agreement with guests--located in airports or on their mobile app-- verifying they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms or have come into contact with anyone within the previous 72-hours. Through July 31, middles seats aboard Alaska Airlines airplanes will be blocked off to encourage social distancing. Flights will also be capped at 65% capacity. Face coverings will be required to be worn inside the airport and on flights. https://q13fox.com/2020/06/11/alaska-airlines-expects-3000-jobs-cut-by-2021-amid-pandemic/ Back to Top UK air passengers urged not to take hand luggage on planes • Airline industry largely welcomes guidelines but Ryanair says they mean more risks for travellers • British airline passengers should avoid bringing hand luggage on to a plane in order to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission, according to new government advice. However, the recommendation was criticised by Europe's biggest airline, Ryanair, which said it was safer for passengers to carry rather than check in bags. The Department for Transport guidance "strongly" encourages passengers to check in bags and minimise hand luggage because it will "speed up boarding and disembarking and minimise the risk of transmission". The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said the guidelines were "a positive next step" for the embattled aviation sector to start recovery, after most flights were grounded due to coronavirus and travel restrictions from late March. Shapps added: "The government's advice currently remains to avoid all non-essential travel, but today we are taking the necessary steps to ensure a framework is in place for the aviation industry to bounce back when it is safe for restrictions on travel to be lifted." The guidelines for air travel come as more flights are due to resume next week, when easyJet will restart domestic services from Gatwick. The advice, which broadly follows the guidance from the UN aviation body the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as well as input from the UK aviation industry, also recommends checking in online and remaining seated as much as possible during the flight. General health advice will continue to apply, such as attempting to maintain social distancing where possible in the airport, and washing hands regularly after touching any surfaces, including check-in kiosks and trolleys. Passengers are urged to bring their own face covering for use throughout their journey including at the airport, with spare coverings for longer journeys and plastic bags to store used masks. Specific rules on temperature checks or self-certification, which some airlines and airports have asked for, have not been issued. But in line with general guidance passengers have been told not to travel if they have been in close contact with anyone with symptoms in the past 14 days. Tim Hawkins, chief strategy officer at MAG, the owner of Stansted and Manchester airports, said they had collaborated with the government to draw up the guidelines, based on advice from independent medical and scientific experts who looked at necessary safety measures at each stage of travel. But Ryanair said that it recommended hand luggage, which would only be touched by the passenger, rather than checked-in bags which would have contact with multiple baggage handlers and check-in staff. Apart from Ryanair, most airlines and airports welcomed the guidelines, which they said would help pave the way for travel to resume - but also urged the government to remove the impediment of its controversial quarantine rules and introduce proposed "air bridges" to enable flights to selected international destinations as soon as possible. Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, said the guidelines were welcome: "They demonstrate how airlines can apply targeted and multi-layered measures to ensure air travel is safe for customers and crew." The International Air Transport Association said the measures were sensible but "rendered useless if the government continues with the 14-day quarantine rule". A Ryanair spokesperson said the government should "stop issuing rubbish advice to passengers about baggage and instead focus their efforts on scrapping the UK's useless visitor quarantine, which the UK Home Office now admit cannot be implemented, supervised or policed effectively". https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jun/12/uk-air-passengers-urged-not-to-take-hand-luggage-on-planes Back to Top SpaceX is following up its first astronaut mission by launching 3 batches of internet satellites within 18 days • The first batch of 60 high-speed Starlink internet satellites, each weighing about 500 pounds, flat-packed into a stack prior to their launch aboard a Falcon 9 rocket on May 23, 2019. SpaceX via Twitter • SpaceX recently launched NASA astronauts to the International Space Station in the first-ever crewed commercial spaceflight. • But Elon Musk has not slowed down the company's other projects: SpaceX is set to launch three batches of Starlink satellites this month. • The project aims to blanket the planet in high-speed, affordable internet via a fleet of up to 42,000 satellites. • Scientists have warned that Starlink could interfere with astronomical research, however, so future Starlink satellites will feature visors to reduce how bright they appear in the sky. SpaceX is launching another batch of broadband internet satellites into orbit this week, while the company's new spaceship sits docked to the International Space Station. The upcoming launch is part of the Starlink project, Elon Musk's plan to blanket the Earth in high-speed satellite internet. Despite a few bumps so far - including astronomers' fears that the satellites could interfere with telescopes on Earth - Starlink is plowing ahead. SpaceX is planning three internet-satellite launches within 18 days in June; the first happened on June 4, and this will be the second. With the historic astronaut launch the company accomplished on May 30, that's four rocket launches in less than four weeks - a feat that would have been almost impossible to imagine a few years ago. The next batch of Starlink satellites will careen into space atop the same type of Falcon 9 rocket that SpaceX used to launch NASA astronauts in its Crew Dragon spaceship. The rocket's booster is designed to be reusable - it returns to Earth after detaching during the launch process and self-lands either on a drone ship at sea or on a launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The next batch of 60 Starlink satellites, which is scheduled to launch at 5:21 a.m. ET on Saturday, will join about 480 others that the company has sent into orbit since February 2018. SpaceX has sought government permission to put a total of 42,000 satellites into orbit, forming a "megaconstellation" around the Earth. Musk has said he hopes Starlink will get rural and remote regions of Earth online with affordable, high-speed web access. But already, the reflective satellites have appeared as bright, moving trails in the night sky that can photobomb astronomers' telescope observations and blot out the stars. "If there are lots and lots of bright moving objects in the sky, it tremendously complicates our job," astronomer James Lowenthal told the New York Times in November. "It potentially threatens the science of astronomy itself." 'It will look as if the whole sky is crawling with stars' Elon Musk SpaceX Starlink Musk has suggested that SpaceX would send up batches of Starlink satellites every two weeks throughout 2020, for a total of 1,400 by the end of the year. But Friday's launch will only be the ninth since Starlink began two years ago. The company appears to be picking up the pace this month, however, with a total of 180 satellites between its three launches. After SpaceX launched its first set of Starlink satellites, many astronomers were alarmed by how bright the new objects were. In the days following the launch, people across the world spotted the train of satellites, like a line of twinkling stars. "I felt as if life as an astronomer and a lover of the night sky would never be the same," Lowenthal said. If SpaceX launches thousands more satellites, "it will look as if the whole sky is crawling with stars," he added. That's a challenge for telescopes on Earth that look for distant, dim objects. Picking up these false stars could mess with astronomers' data, since a single satellite could create a long streak of light across a telescope's long-exposure images of the sky. That might block the view of the objects astronomers want to study. SpaceX has been in conversation with astronomical associations about reducing its satellites' effect on Earth's telescopes. The Starlink batch that launched on June 4 included a satellite with built-in visors to block the sun's reflection. SpaceX has said that starting with one of its next June launches, all satellites will have those visors going forward. SpaceX has also launched an experimental satellite painted black to reduce the amount of light it reflects - that change reduced the satellite's brightness by 55%. However, neither black paint nor a visor will stop the satellites' radio waves from interfering with telescopes. SpaceX aims to finish the entire Starlink project in 2027. If the network does wind up with 42,000 satellites, it would have launched more than eight times the total number of satellites in orbit today. Adding that much more material to Earth's orbit could increase the risk of space collisions. In the worst-case scenario, too many such crashes in a series could turn the region into a minefield of debris, creating a spiraling space-junk disaster that could cut off our ability to leave Earth. Already, a near-collision with a Starlink satellite forced the European Space Agency to maneuver its own spacecraft out of the way last year. To avoid leaving dead spacecraft in orbit (thereby contributing to the accumulation of space junk and increasing risk of collisions), SpaceX has said its satellites will automatically deorbit at the end of their lifespans. The company appeared to be testing the deorbiting mechanism when one of its satellites fell into Earth's atmosphere and burned up in February, according to astronomer Jonathan McDowell. After SpaceX launches at least 500 more satellites, the company plans to boot up Starlink, then build toward a floating internet backbone that would bathe most of the planet in ultra-high-speed web access. "For the system to be economically viable, it's really on the order of 1,000 satellites," Musk said in May 2019, "which is obviously a lot of satellites, but it's way less than 10,000 or 12,000." After this batch, the next Starlink launch is scheduled for June 22. https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-launching-3-batches-of-starlink-satellites-2020-6 Back to Top First space tourists will face big risks, as private companies gear up for paid suborbital flights By: Sara M. Langston, Assistant Professor of Spaceflight Operations, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University On May 30, 2020, millions of Americans watched the inaugural SpaceX Crew Dragon launch NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. This mission marked two significant events: First, the return of launch to orbit capability for human spaceflight from the United States. Secondly, it successfully demonstrated private sector capability to build and operate a launch vehicle for human spaceflight. While SpaceX may be the first private space company to accomplish this, it is not alone. Boeing's Starliner and Lockheed's Orion capsule are also being developed for NASA's Commercial Crew Program, and training has begun for safety operations on the spacecraft. As an aerospace lawyer working and teaching on human spaceflight law and policy for over a decade, I have a professional and personal appreciation for current spaceflight technologies and astronaut developments. For many, the Crew Dragon launch marked the start to a new era of commercial access to space and private human spaceflight. However, given logistical and destination requirements for Earth orbit or beyond, the onset of larger-scale private human spaceflight is more likely to emerge within the suborbital space market. Commercial suborbital flights coming next A suborbital flight, in contrast to SpaceX's recent orbital flight, is a brief spaceflight that fails to complete one full orbit of the Earth. That is, you launch your space vehicle to the edge of space and come right back down. Virgin Galactic has been inching closer to commercial suborbital launch operator status with successful crewed test flights in February 2019. In fact, Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, an air-launched suborbital rocket, and Blue Origin's New Shepard, a rocket-launched space capsule, are projected to commence suborbital flights catering to both space tourists and scientific research this year. Each suborbital flight presents a unique spaceflight experience, trajectory and set of regulatory requirements. While industry continues to test and refine tech and operations, the Federal Aviation Administration - which regulates launch, reentry and spaceports for U.S. commercial spaceflight - is also morphing to address the needs of the emerging private space industry. What you need to know before you fly to space Spaceflight is regarded as an inherently dangerous activity. While some hazards of spaceflight and the space environment - like G-forces, radiation, vibration and microgravity - are well documented, many risks remain unknown. The scope of physiological risks spans pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight operations and activities. FAA regulations also focus on the safety and protection of the public on the ground, not the civilian passengers who are called spaceflight participants. This includes anyone who is not crew or a government astronaut on a spacecraft. As a result, regulations stipulate minimum requirements with regard to medical fitness and training for space tourists, as well as informed consent, and waivers of liability to protect the launch operator. So prospective space participants are taking a big risk. Medical criteria No standardized medical criteria exists for screening or selecting spaceflight participants. Unlike flight crew which require a Class II airman's medical certificate, there is no similar requirement for fitness to fly for space tourists. Where the law is silent or lacking, the FAA's Recommended Practices for Human Space Flight Occupant Safety can provide general guidance. Here the FAA recommends a spaceflight participant receive a medical consultation within 12 months of flight from a physician trained or familiar with aerospace medicine. Since this is a not a legal requirement, ultimately it will be up to the launch operator to determine fitness-to-fly and "no-go" criteria for preexisting conditions. Virgin Galactic, for example, has few restrictions: no upper age limit, and weight limit only as it relates to practical space vehicle requirements. When it comes to the risks from radiation, the FAA tries to reduce the exposure for crew members. But it considers the radiation risks of a space tourist taking a single suborbital joy ride as insignificant. Training Similar to how airlines provide safety information before a flight, the launch operators are required to instruct space tourists on how to respond to emergency situations including smoke, fire, loss of cabin pressure and emergency exit. This is a minimal requirement, and each launch operator determines its training protocol. Virgin Galactic, for instance, offers a three-day training with a focus on participant's gear, communications and function, and spacecraft cabin. Flight crew, in contrast, must be trained and qualified to perform their critical functions, and withstand the pressures of spaceflight. Orbital or long-duration spaceflights, however, will likely require more stringent commercial industry training protocols than for suborbital flights. Informed consent The FAA set the age requirement for civilian participants at 18 years. This is necessary to ensure the participant can provide informed consent. In addition, the regulations dictate that the launch operator inform crews and participants that the U.S. government does not certify the spaceflight and space vehicle as safe for humans. The launch operator must also inform the participants in writing of the risks of launch and reentry, the safety record of the vehicle, and that both known and unknown space hazards and risks could result in serious injury, either partial or total physical or mental disability. Waivers of liability The spaceflight participant is also required to sign a reciprocal waiver of liability with the commercial launch operator and an indemnification agreement with the Federal Government. However, participants don't sign a waiver with other participants. Meaning, if an accident occurs, spaceflight participants can sue each other but generally not the launch operator or the government. To protect oneself, it would be advisable to take out insurance. A few companies, including AXA XL and Allianz, are beginning to offer third-party liability insurance for civilians to engage in spaceflight. The space industry expects that many people may want to go to space in the near future, and private spaceflight is being marketed as the next experience in luxury escapism and scientific research. But the hazardous nature of spaceflight also requires critical understanding of the risks and uncertainties in human spaceflight. The industry is still in its infancy, and the best practices and regulations for human spaceflight are still evolving. https://www.yahoo.com/news/first-space-tourists-face-big-121910897.html Back to Top RTCA's free Aviation Technology Connect Webinar series kicks off Wednesday, June 17. Featured speakers include: Wayne Monteith, FAA's Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation and Gregg Leone, The MITRE Corporation's VP Director Center for Advanced Aviation System Development. More details: https://www.rtca.org/content/agenda New Insomnia Treatment Developed for Pilots Set To Shake Up The Billion Dollar Sleep Industry Blenheim, New Zealand-May 25th, 2020 For Immediate Release Today, Allan Baker, well known aviation psychologist, has announced the release of his new book, "BLIS™ For Insomniacs", which provides details on the new treatment he has developed which helps insomniacs and others with sleep problems to actively bring on sleep when they need it, rather than waiting passively for sleep to 'happen to them'. This is a breakthrough How-To-Get-To-Sleep technique and guide for anyone who doesn't get enough sleep. Working with long haul airline pilots over the past 15 years, Allan has had to help them cope with the effects of too little sleep due to the nature of their work-changing time zones, flying at night, frequent layovers in new cities and hotels. Finding that existing insomnia treatments simply did not provide adequate results, and knowing that pilots could not resort to using sleeping pills and other medications which would impair their performance, he set about trying to find a better solution. "The problem is," he says, "most sleep therapies are simply rehashes of things that sleep professionals have been expounding for years, with limited success-until now there's been no significant breakthrough technique that addresses all the body's prerequisite conditions for sleep to occur, as a whole." Extensive research through the relevant scientific literature, particularly that around the effective treatment of PTSD, and an ability to think outside the box, has meant that Allan has been able to join-the-dots and make a discovery that appears to have eluded other sleep researchers. Simply put, the two main existing treatment paradigms, 'sleep hygiene' and cognitive behavioural treatment, as just two legs of the sleep stool, deal only with some of the conditions that must be met for sleep to occur. Allan's new technique, coined BLIS - for bilateral induced sleep - completes what he refers to as the third leg of the Sleep Stool, by providing an easy to learn and use method which helps the brain make the shift from emitting the high frequency Alpha waves of wakefulness, to the lower frequency Delta waves seen when we sleep. "I've discovered from knowledge of other areas of therapy, that it's possible to easily train your brain to shift from emitting alpha waves to delta waves, and when the brain emits delta waves, it basically brings on sleep." Allan notes that the sleep industry worldwide is worth tens of billions of dollars, primarily because so many people struggle to get the sleep they need. "The downstream effects of disturbed sleep on health are massive," he says. "If you're getting a couple of hours less sleep a night than you should, on average you're shortening your life by seven and a half years. Sleep is very important in keeping your immune system working well." "The breakthrough came from treating getting to sleep as a skill that can be trained. My new technique has been very effective with many of the pilots I've worked with, and I'm hoping that by releasing this book, I'll now be in a position to help many other sleep deprived people get the rest that they need and crave." BLIS™ For Insomniacs (ISBN: 978-0-473-52117-2) is available as a downloadable PDF eBook for US$14.99 from the mySleepSwitch website at: www.mysleepswitch.com. A sample chapter of the book is available for free download. About Allan Baker Trained as a military pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and is a registered psychologist. Allan has had a psychology career spanning over 45 years, and for the past fifteen years has worked exclusively in the field of Aviation Psychology. This has led to his deep understanding and interest in the area of sleep, which is so critical for commercial pilots and air crew. He is the current holder of the Jim Collins Memorial Award for Outstanding Contributions to Aviation Safety. Allan was presented with this award in 2017 for his significant contribution to the development of the New Zealand Air Line Pilots Association (NZALPA) Peer Assistance Program, and in particular his furthering of a better industry understanding in the specialist area of pilots' mental health. Press Contact: Golden Micro Solutions Ltd, Box 590, Blenheim, New Zealand, publisher of the book. For more information: E: admin@mysleepswitch.com T: +64 21 900 461 TO ALL PROFESSIONAL PILOTS, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS, members of their Management, Regulators and related organizations (airplane, helicopter, civil or military) WE REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT FOR A JOINT AVIATION SAFETY SURVEY (JASS) ON: "AERONAUTICAL DECISION-MAKING, INCL. MONITORING & INTERVENTION IN PRACTICE" Dear aviation colleague, you are invited to participate in a research project conducted by the department of Psychology at City, University of London, which aims to elicit your views and thoughts on Aeronautical Decision-Making, including Monitoring and Intervention in normal operation,by which we mean routine line flights without any incidents or technical malfunctions. The questions deal with teamwork and decision-making issues in various Pilot-roles, e.g. the role of the Pilot Monitoring (PM), Pilot Flying (PF), Pilot in Command (PIC) and Co-Pilot, and respectively in the Air Traffic Controller (ATCO)-roles of the coordinating and radioing/radar ATCO as well as pilot's and controller's training and occupational picture. This survey is completely anonymous - no identifying information will be requested or collected - and all responses will be treated as strictly confidential. The survey is approved by City's research and ethics committee (Approval Code: ETH 1920-1414). The introductory section of the survey will provide you with further information and the informed consent. Please click here to access the survey or copy the survey-link below into your browser. https://cityunilondon.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6n7cxeunMyfy0fz By completing the questionnaire, you can - in addition to supporting aviation safety research - even do more good as we will donate a minimum of €2 for the first 1000 fully completed responses to the UNICEF COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund which helps to care for vulnerable children and communities all over the world. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via email: aviationsafety@city.ac.uk or tom.becker.1@city.ac.uk or via phone: +49 172 7178780. We thank you very much in advance. Your support is truly appreciated. Best regards, Capt. Tom Becker Prof. Peter Ayton Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Dear Participants, You are being asked to participate in a research study of your opinions and attitudes about stress and mental health. This research started almost two years ago. The purpose of this study is to examine mental health issues in aviation, specifically Part 121 airline pilots. During this study, you will be asked to complete a brief online survey about your opinions on various life circumstances, stress, and mental health topics. This study is expected to take approximately 15 minutes of your time. In order to participate, you must possess an FAA issued Airline Transport Certificate (ATP) and you must also be currently working as a pilot for a Part 121 air carrier that is headquartered within the United States. Participation in this study is voluntary and data will be collected anonymously, stored confidentially, and you may choose to opt out of the study at any time. We sincerely appreciate your consideration and time to complete our study, as it is another small but important step towards increasing safety in aviation. Please click on the link below to complete the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7ZG6M6L For more information, please contact: Tanya Gatlin - Student Researcher Gatlint1@my.erau.edu 281-924-1336 Dr. Scott Winter - Faculty Advisor winte25e@erau.edu 386-226-6491 Curt Lewis