Flight Safety Information July 9, 2020 - No. 138 In This Issue Incident: Westjet Encore DH8D at Toronto on Jul 2nd 2020, flaps problem Incident: Canada A333 over Atlantic on Jul 5th 2020, electrical problem Incident: United B789 at Rome on Jul 7th 2020, high speed return landing Incident: Condor B763 near Frankfurt on Jul 7th 2020, defective windshield TSA head orders new virus safety measures after meeting whistleblower American, United stop flying to Hong Kong amid crew testing requirements Cancer-causing chemicals found in well water from airport's firefighting foam Pik West Insurance adds aviation safety expert to its team Embry-Riddle Leverages Safety Culture, Can-Do Spirit to Bring Students Back for Fall 2020 Helicopter Laserer Gets Federal Prison BA DEAL British Airways strikes deal with pilots so 300 'surplus' could be re-hired later Airbus Drought Worsens With Third Month of Zero Jet Orders United Airlines sending layoff notices to nearly half of US employees Emirates lays off more pilots, crew in latest round of job cuts - sources NASA hits Boeing with 80 recommendations before next space test Join RTCA for a free two-part webinar on Wednesday, July 15 at 1pm ET...featuring NTSB and GAMA ERAU - Aircraft Crash Survival Investigation and Analysis - Course Online Unmanned Aircraft Systems from SCSI AVIATION SAFETY SURVEY GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Today's Photo Back to Top Incident: Westjet Encore DH8D at Toronto on Jul 2nd 2020, flaps problem A Westjet Encore de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration C-GWJK performing flight WS-3516 from London,ON to Toronto,ON (Canada) with 43 people on board, was enroute at 7000 feet about 38nm west of Toronto's Leister Pearson International Airport when the crew declared PAN PAN reporting flaps issues. The aircraft continued to their destination and landed safely on runway 06L about 16 minutes later. The Canadian TSB reported maintenance found the flap lever trigger sticking. The trigger mechanism was lubricated and a flap functional test carried out without any further anomaly. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/WEN3516/history/20200702/1908Z/CYXU/CYYZ https://avherald.com/h?article=4d9b39f6&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Canada A333 over Atlantic on Jul 5th 2020, electrical problem An Air Canada Airbus A330-300, registration C-GEGI performing flight AC-7231 from Madrid,SP (Spain) to Montreal,QC (Canada) with 5 crew, was enroute at FL400 over the Atlantic Ocean about 350nm west of Madrid prior to ETOPS entry when the crew received an ECAM warning about the ESS TR (Essential Bus Transformer Rectifier) and completed the related checklist actions. The crew consulted with maintenance and subsequently returned to Madrid for a safe landing about one hour later. The Canadian TSB reported the crew did not declare Mayday or PAN PAN. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ACA7231/history/20200705/0849Z/LEMD/CYYZ https://avherald.com/h?article=4d9b37cf&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: United B789 at Rome on Jul 7th 2020, high speed return landing A United Boeing 787-9, registration N27958 performing freight flight UA-2860 from Rome Fiumicino (Italy) to Newark,NJ (USA), was climbing out of Rome's runway 25 when the crew stopped the climb at FL150 and slowed the aircraft to 300 knots over ground. The aircraft entered a hold, then returned to Fiumicino Airport for a safe landing on runway 16R at a higher than normal speed (191 knots over ground) about one hour after departure. On Jul 8th 2020 the airline reported: "United cargo flight 2860 from Rome to Newark returned to Leonardo da Vinci International Airport after a mechanical issue upon departure. Our maintenance team is performing a full inspection of the aircraft." The aircraft had suffered three occurrences in Tokyo (Japan) last week, see Incident: United B789 at Tokyo on Jul 2nd 2020, leading edge flaps trouble, Incident: United B789 at Tokyo on Jul 2nd 2020, leading edge flaps trouble and Incident: United B789 at Tokyo on Jul 3rd 2020, leading edge flaps trouble. https://avherald.com/h?article=4d9aa79c&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Condor B763 near Frankfurt on Jul 7th 2020, defective windshield A Condor Boeing 767-300, registration D-ABUK performing maintenance flight DE-4702 from Frankfurt/Main to Frankfurt/Main (Germany) with just crew on board, was enroute at FL360 about 160nm north of Frankfurt when the crew initiated an emergency descent to FL100 due to a defect at the windshield. The aircraft returned to Frankfurt at FL100 and landed safely about 75 minutes after departure. On Jul 8th 2020 the airline reported (in German): "Der Flug DE4702 ist gestern aufgrund eines Defekts an der Cockpitscheibe vorzeitig wieder in Frankfurt gelandet. Es handelte sich hierbei um einen routinemäßigen technischen Überprüfungsflug des Flugzeugs. Die Boeing 767 ist nach ihrer sicheren Landung normal zur Parkposition gerollt. Die Flugtauglichkeit war zu keiner Zeit eingeschränkt." (Translation by AVH: Flight DE4702 prematurely returned to Frankfurt due to a defect at the windshield. It was a routine technical verification flight of the aircraft. The Boeing 767 landed safely and taxied to the park position. The airworthiness of the aircraft was not restricted at any time." https://avherald.com/h?article=4d9b0c81&opt=0 Back to Top TSA head orders new virus safety measures after meeting whistleblower The head of the Transportation Security Administration ordered new coronavirus safety precautions last week after meeting with a whistleblower who alleged that the agency wasn't doing enough to protect employees and travelers, according to the whistleblower's attorney. The new measures require officers to wear eye protection when they are in close contact with travelers and aren't protected by a plastic screen, the attorney said. Officers must also change their gloves or sanitize them after patting down passengers, handling identification documents or checking in luggage. The Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal watchdog, had ordered the Department of Homeland Security last month to conduct an investigation into the whistleblower's allegations. The complaint was filed by Jay Brainard, the TSA's director in Kansas. Brainard said in a statement that the new measures mean the agency, "has taken necessary steps to make air travel safer for the public and enhance protective measures in the workplace for our front line employees." R. Carter Langston, a TSA spokesman, confirmed that Brainard had spoken with TSA Administrator David Pekoske and that the changes outlined had been implemented. He said the agency appreciates feedback from whistleblowers as one internal source among many. "Most importantly, we take the responsibility to protect both passengers and our employees from COVID-19 very seriously," Langston said in an email. "TSA has adopted a continuous improvement approach throughout the pandemic, and with each health and security enhancement, we have made announcements." Such investigations can take months but Tom Devine, Brainard's lawyer and the legal director at the Government Accountability Project, said both the special counsel's office and the TSA moved quickly, culminating in a meeting last week between Brainard and Pekoske and the new safety measures. Investigation ordered into TSA response to coronavirus after whistleblower complaint The pace stunned Devine, who has been working with whistleblowers for four decades. "The system responded with lightning speed to the truth about a significant threat," he said. "I've never seen the truth make a difference so quickly." A spokesman for the special counsel's office declined to comment. Air travel dropped dramatically in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, from a typical 2 million passengers a day to fewer than 100,000 on some days. But the number of travelers has been steadily increasing, a trend that has shown no signs of reversing, even as the virus appears to be taking hold again in many states. Pekoske met with Brainard last Monday, according to Devine, and the agency imposed the new measures before the July 4 holiday weekend. Nearly 2.7 million people were screened by the TSA between Thursday and Sunday, according to the agency. Brainard alleged in a June 3 complaint that the TSA had fumbled its initial response to the crisis, refusing to let state-level leaders hand out protective masks to front-line workers, even as the virus quickly sickened officers across the country; 997 TSA employees have fallen ill and six employees and a contractor have died. The special counsel's office ordered the investigation June 18, determining that Brainard's allegations had a "substantial likelihood" of being true. The office doesn't have the power to conduct its own reviews and relies on government agency leaders to investigate and report their findings. The TSA said then that it was following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in handling the virus. In the letter to the Office of Special Counsel, Devine wrote Brainard wouldn't have been able to succeed in getting change without its help. "America's flying public owes your agency a debt of gratitude," he wrote. 'Runway to Recovery' offers airlines, airports advice on managing coronavirus; critics say it doesn't go far enough The TSA had previously revamped its security screening process in an attempt to reduce the chance of spreading the virus. Officers were ordered to wear masks and the agency sought to install clear plastic barriers at checkpoints to separate officers from travelers. But Brainard alleged that those procedures contained gaps. The agency's new actions don't resolve all of his concerns. Brainard also alleged that officers hadn't received specific training on responding to the outbreak and did not have guidance on how to handle passengers who appear to be sick. Union leaders representing aviation workers, with the backing of Democrats in Congress, have clashed with airlines and the Trump administration over safety at airports and onboard planes. With only limited direction from the federal government, airlines and airports have been adopting their own approaches, leading to a patchwork of a different approaches. While the government has declined to impose new rules on the industry, it last week issued guidelines that recommend limiting the number of passengers on flights and changes to check-in procedures to encourage social distancing. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/tsa-head-orders-new-virus-safety-measures-after-meeting-whistleblower/2020/07/08/a7f0b576-c115-11ea-b4f6-cb39cd8940fb_story.html Back to Top American, United stop flying to Hong Kong amid crew testing requirements United Airlines and American Airlines have temporarily halted flights to Hong Kong after its government imposed coronavirus testing requirements for airline crews, the latest twist in a simmering scuffle between the U.S. and China over access to aviation markets. The details: Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection has said that as of Wednesday, incoming crews will be subject to the collection of "deep throat saliva specimens," and any person refusing to be tested will be subject to a fine and imprisonment. If a crew member tests positive, "hospital admission will be arranged as soon as possible." American is halting flights to Hong Kong until Aug. 5 because of the requirements, according to an email the leadership of the Allied Pilots Association union sent to its membership. In a statement, United said a flight between San Francisco and Hong Kong that had been scheduled for Wednesday was canceled because of "recent changes in testing protocol" at Hong Kong International Airport. It added that "United flights to and from HKG are suspended through July 10 westbound and their corresponding returns. We are currently assessing how this impacts our future operations." Earlier this week, United said it planned to resume service between Chicago and Hong Kong starting in September. The context: The latest issue comes as tensions between the U.S. Department of Transportation and China were beginning to thaw. The two governments had been fighting over airlines' access to each other's commercial markets. A DOT spokesperson said the department is monitoring the Hong Kong situation. https://www.yahoo.com/news/american-united-stop-flying-hong-005311888.html Back to Top Cancer-causing chemicals found in well water from airport's firefighting foam (July 9, 2020) The flame-retardant firefighting foam Noah Karberg has seen sprayed in test exercises at Nantucket Memorial Airport has grown into one of the airport's biggest concerns. The foam contains potentially cancer-causing contaminants called polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS. They're pervasive chemicals that seep into and saturate groundwater indefinitely, earning them the nickname, "the forever drug." "We've been using firefighting foam, which has been represented as safe by the manufacturer and required by the federal government, and now we learn that there's a potential for us to have contributed to a public-health issue and that's mortifying for us," Karberg, assistant airport manager, said last week. Earlier this year, Weston Solutions - an environmental company out of Pennsylvania contracted by the airport - began testing airport wells for the chemicals. It has tested four of the five wells on the property to date. Three of the four wells came back positive for PFAS, with two of those at a level above what the state Department of Environmental Protection has determined to be safe (20 parts per trillion). The wells don't supply the airport's drinking water. It's on the town water supply, Karberg said. https://www.ack.net/news/20200709/cancer-causing-chemicals-found-in-well-water-from-airports-firefighting-foam Back to Top Pik West Insurance adds aviation safety expert to its team Pik West Insurance Agency, LLC, an independent insurance brokering, risk management and consulting company specializing in aviation, has announced the addition of Christopher Young to its team. Young brings decades of aviation experience in commercial helicopter, fixed-wing and OEM operations to the Pik West team of aviation professionals. His safety expertise compliments and advances the company's model of employing individuals with real-world aviation proficiency. The Pik West team draws on each of its unique backgrounds and uses that insight in collaboration with its underwriting partners, to provide the absolute best solution to its clients. Young is the perfect example of how Pik West is committed to providing tangible value-added support, the company said. He will be offering a variety of safety-related services to Pik West clients in addition to growing the Pik West client base. Young was an officer and instructor in the U.S. Navy (flying the SH-60B) before working as a helicopter air ambulance pilot and at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in several product safety roles. He has spent many years implementing risk management solutions within the aviation industry and currently serves as the executive director of the Tour Operators Program of Safety (TOPS) and participates in the HAI Safety Working Group, the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team and the CAMTS Aviation & Safety Advisory Committee. With the addition of Young, Pik West also expands into another state, now with individuals in Alaska, Washington, California, and Colorado. Pik West has offered aviation insurance services for over 40 years and will continue to enhance its clients' risk management experience. https://www.verticalmag.com/press-releases/pik-west-insurance-adds-aviation-safety-expert-to-its-team/ Back to Top Embry-Riddle Leverages Safety Culture, Can-Do Spirit to Bring Students Back for Fall 2020 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University plans to continue face-to-face instruction for the fall 2020 semester beginning on Aug. 24, with mandatory health precautions, barriers and a diagnostic Covid-19 testing process in place, and following a series of readiness exercises. The university looks forward to welcoming new students for the 2020-21 school year beginning Aug. 14 at the Daytona Beach, Florida, campus and Aug. 15 at the Prescott, Arizona, campus. For returning students, the start dates are Aug. 19 at Daytona Beach and Aug. 21 at Prescott. Classes will begin on both residential campuses on Aug. 24. For details, review the previously released fall 2020 academic calendars. The academic calendar was modified to help minimize student travel. In-person classes will end on Nov. 24, the day before the Thanksgiving Break. To make up class time normally scheduled after the break, the Labor Day holiday and fall break will serve as face-to-face class days. The week of Nov. 30 to Dec. 4 will be study-at-home days. Review sessions and tutoring will be completed online. Final exams will take place remotely, as scheduled, or via take-home assignments. Embry-Riddle is continuing face-to-face instruction in keeping with its Path Forward plan and Best Practices Guide, and following a successful on-campus Summer B term. As President P. Barry Butler has noted, "Embry-Riddle is leveraging both its strong aviation safety culture and trademark can-do Eagle spirit to bring students back to our residential campuses in the safest possible way for the fall semester." Campus Life: What to Expect Life is much the same on Embry-Riddle's campuses - you will see our recently replenished fleet of aircraft and many students on skateboards, as always - but new health protocols are firmly in place. To get a feel for how fall 2020 will work for students, take a look at our Return to Campus videos. Face coverings in all common areas and physical distancing are now mandatory on Embry-Riddle's campuses, with no exceptions. The university has installed Plexiglas barriers, floor markers to keep everyone six feet apart, directional arrows and signage across both campuses. Everyone must have a temperature check every 24 hours. To help ensure safety, those selected for diagnostic Covid-19 testing will be required to complete their appointment. Individual test results will be held in strict confidence. Aggregated testing results will continue to be publicly disclosed on a weekly basis, in keeping with Embry-Riddle's transparency pledge. Classrooms and class schedules have been reconfigured to ensure physical distancing and reduce traffic in hallways. Embry-Riddle faculty are working hard to prepare for face-to-face instruction while also maintaining all course materials on Canvas and preparing for a variety of content-delivery modes, leveraging all available technologies. Enhanced cleaning protocols are in place everywhere. Students will help wipe down their classrooms and residence halls on a regular basis, using approved anti-viral supplies provided by Embry-Riddle. Students will be wearing face coverings during classes. Instructors will wear a face covering and/or plastic face shield. Extra-curricular activities will continue so long as physical distancing and other health precautions can be maintained, and in keeping with state and federal guidelines. Watch the Covid-19 information page for updates. We Know You Have Questions We are all living through an uncertain time. Students and their families as well as faculty and staff have many questions. We will do our best to provide answers. Please review the Frequently Asked Questions page and all of the Covid-19 information and videos that we have been posting online since Jan. 25. We will continue to update the FAQs as new information becomes available. Students and employees are urged to submit questions as well as ideas for continuing improvement to the Embry-Riddle Online Suggestion Box. Health Reminders • If you are sick, or if you have been in close contact with someone with Covid-19, do not come onto Embry-Riddle's campuses. • If you have been on a cruise or in a highly affected region within the past two weeks, stay away from campus. • In case of difficulty breathing or chest pains, call 911. • Please promptly report any concerning symptoms (i.e., fever, cough or congestion) to the health services or campus safety unit on your campus: • Daytona Beach Health Services: 386-226-7917 • Daytona Beach Campus Safety: 386-226-SAFE (7233) • Prescott Wellness Center: 928-777-6653 • Prescott Campus Safety: 928-777-3333 We look forward to the return of students to Embry-Riddle. Until then, stay safe and practice kindness whenever possible, remembering that you are forever an Eagle. https://news.erau.edu/headlines/embry-riddle-leverages-safety-culture-can-do-spirit-to-bring-students-back-for-fall-2020 Back to Top Helicopter Laserer Gets Federal Prison A California man who lasered a police helicopter in 2017 has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and three years of probation. Roger Shane John, 34, of Turlock, was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Dale Drozd after pleading guilty to purposely striking a Stanislaus County sheriff's helicopter five or six times with an 85 milliwatt green laser that is 17 times more powerful than legally allowed for handheld consumer devices and strong enough to cause eye injury, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. John admitted to striking a CalStar emergency medical helicopter three or four times during the same evening. The strikes impacted the pilot and tactical flight officer aboard the sheriff's helicopter and caused them to abort their response to a domestic violence call. John admitted guilt in the plea and said that he knew his conduct was illegal, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California. The events occurred on Oct. 22, 2017, near the Modesto City-County Airport and were investigated by the FBI, Stanislaus County sheriff, and Modesto police department. John could have received up to five years' incarceration and a $250,000 fine. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/general-aviation/2020-07-07/helicopter-laserer-gets-federal-prison Back to Top BA DEAL British Airways strikes deal with pilots so 300 'surplus' could be re-hired later BRITISH Airways has announced a deal with its pilots, confirming 300 'surplus' to requirements could be re-hired later. Balpa union officials said that those not sacked will be given a 'priority return' - just as The Sun revealed. British Airways confirmed that its 300 'surplus' to requirement pilots could be re-hired at a later date Some unwanted flying crew could join the RAF temporarily. We told how 350 pilots were facing the boot and another 300 would be 'pooled' until needed. Balpa admitted that after voluntary redundancies and part-time options, it is hoped significantly 'less than 450 pilots' now face a compulsory exit from BA. Despite dismissing The Sun report, the union now admits: "One way in which we have driven down the surplus figure is to commit to carrying 300 surplus pilots through a two-year pay reduction for all." Under the agreement, pilots remaining with BA face receiving just 80% of their pay until November, and then 85% of pay until October 2022. They will then get 94% of their salary until January 2024. Pilots also face a pay freeze for three years. A 4% hike expected to kick in from April next year has been deferred until January 2024. Cockpit crew must also take two weeks of unpaid leave within the next 12 months. Balpa told its members: "We have so far significantly reduced the number of potential compulsory redundancies and put in place a number of voluntary mitigation measures." 'LET DOWN' A leading pilot told The Sun: "Captains and First Officers feel let down by Balpa. We were told officials would put up a fight but this feels like they've agreed with everything BA wanted. "Balpa has not covered itself in glory - not least by lambasting The Sun's report, which turned out to be correct." Balpa has recommended BA's pilots ratify the negotiated deal. BA pilot bosses told its cockpit crew: "I am hugely disappointed that pilots will leave us but despite our best efforts the scale of the task we face is too great." The Sun understand that most of the cockpit crew facing compulsory redundancies are based at Gatwick airport. The iconic 747 fleet is likely to be grounded forever - as revealed in The Sun - and all training and maintenance on the fleet has been cancelled. For over half a century, the Boeing 747 has been part of BA's fleet. The first aircraft was delivered to BA predecessor BOAC in 1970. BA wants to cull 12,000 staff and re-hire the rest of its 36,000 workforce to lower-paid deals. The move has been condemned by swathes of MPs and celebrities amid claims BA has used coronavirus to ease its bottom line. Cabin crew have been offered increased pay and better terms by BA in a bid to win them over and stop union threats of a strike. But 40% of the older 'legacy' crew claim they are being unfairly targeted and face pay cuts as the airline bids to create one fleet from the existing three. Talks between BA and Unite over the remaining staff deals are due to start in days. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12072886/british-airways-strikes-deal-pilots/ Back to Top Airbus Drought Worsens With Third Month of Zero Jet Orders (Bloomberg) - Airbus SE failed to secure any aircraft orders for a third month this year, as the collapse in global air travel battered demand for new jetliners. The European planemaker attracted zero purchases in June, according to a company statement Wednesday. The manufacturer suffered one cancellation, a spokesman confirmed, bringing total net orders to 298 aircraft so far this year. The tally marks a worsening of the order crunch for Airbus, which has been working to avoid losing business by agreeing to defer deliveries as airlines seek to rein in capacity in anticipation of years of sluggish demand. The company handed over 36 aircraft in the month, an improvement on May's 24 deliveries. Airbus last week announced plans to cut 15,000 jobs at its jetliner arm after lowering build rates by one-third in April amid the coronavirus pandemic. Shares of the Toulouse, France-based company were up 0.6% at 9:05 a.m. Thursday in Paris. They have slumped 50% this year. Aircraft lessor Avolon Holdings Ltd. said Tuesday it had scrapped a commitment for one A330neo due in 2022, as well as pushing back the arrival of three A320neo-series narrow-bodies. Boeing Co. took a bigger hit, with Avolon exiting contracts for 27 737 Max planes on top of 75 earlier cancellations. Boeing has also suffered far more pain overall, with 602 orders lost through May as the grounding of the Max for more than a year allows buyers to walk away without incurring penalties. Boeing's best-selling jet was banned from the skies in March 2019 after two deadly crashes. Airbus's handovers of new jets have been sustained by the adoption of a process that delegates some pre-delivery checks to the manufacturer's own engineers, overcoming issues with travel curbs. Agency Partners analyst Sash Tusa says Airbus may deliver 603 aircraft this year, falling to 355 in 2021 and 416 in 2022 as the impact of deferrals kicks in. That in turn may force further cuts of around 30% of production, he estimates. With the company continuing to make planes faster than customers accept them, inventory may have increased by some 4.5 billion euros in the second quarter, estimated Sandy Morris, an analyst at Jefferies. He called this a "balancing act," and said it may not satisfy investors looking at cash flows and earnings measures. "We believe Airbus is questing for a level of production that is optimal for the next 24 months or so," Morris said in a note. "Inventory could rise again in 3Q20, but it will unwind over time." https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/airbus-sales-drought-worsens-with-rhird-month-of-zero-jet-orders/ Back to Top United Airlines sending layoff notices to nearly half of US employees United Airlines officials announced on Wednesday that the company will send layoff notices to 36,000 of its employees. That number accounts for nearly half of the airline's US staff. Company officials said the 36,000 number was a worst case scenario and that they hope United can curb some of the layoffs by offering early retirement to qualifying employees. The Associated Press reported that the cuts will include 15,000 flight attendants, 11,000 customer service and gate agents, 5,500 maintenance workers and 2,250 pilots. Layoffs could begin as early as 1 October. On top of the staff cuts, United also plans to layoff 1,300 management and support staff, also on 1 October. Including its international staff, United employs 95,000 people. The layoffs at United are the latest in a long line of hits the industry has taken since the arrival of the coronavirus. Air travel decreased by 95 per cent from the beginning of March until the middle of April. By the end of April, the industry began recovering slowly, but the overall number of US air travellers compared to the same time last year is still down 70 per cent. Last week, United announced it planned to add 25,000 more flights to its offerings in August, but has since walked that announcement back, citing "reduced demand to destinations experiencing increases in Covid-19 cases and/or new quarantine requirements or other restrictions on travel." In a securities filing the company posted last Tuesday, United officials predicted that the demand for air travel would be low until "a widely accepted treatment and/or vaccine for Covid-19 is available." The airline said it will evaluate and cancel flights on a 60-day basis until the industry rebounds. Adding to United's woes, two of its largest hubs - at Chicago O'Hare Airport and Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey - are in states that are requiring travelers from 15 states to self-quarantine for two weeks after they arrive. United is one of the major US corporations that received funding through the Paycheck Protection Program the federal government enacted to help employers keep their staff during the pandemic. https://www.yahoo.com/news/united-airlines-sending-layoff-notices-114100973.html Back to Top Emirates lays off more pilots, crew in latest round of job cuts - sources DUBAI (Reuters) - Emirates laid off more pilots and cabin crew this week in another round of job cuts as the Gulf airline shrinks its workforce due to the coronavirus pandemic, four sources said. The Dubai state-owned carrier is cutting thousands of jobs, including pilots and cabin crew as it manages a cash crunch caused by the pandemic, sources have said. A company spokeswoman on Thursday did not say how many employees had been made redundant in this week's job cuts or from which departments. The workforce of 4,300 pilots and nearly 22,000 cabin crew could shrink by almost a third from its pre-coronavirus levels, sources have previously told Reuters. Mostly Airbus A380 pilots were affected by the job cuts this week, two sources said, and one of those sources said more redundancies were expected. Emirates Chief Operating Officer Adel Ahmad Al Redha told Reuters on June 25 not all of its 115 Airbus A380s would return to service this year and that the airline needed to review its strategy. Emirates Group, which includes the airline, was "still in the process of implementing the redundancy exercise," the spokeswoman said. "Like other airlines and travel companies, COVID-19 has hit us hard, and as a responsible business, we simply must right-size our workforce in line with our reduced operational requirements." Emirates laid off pilots and cabin crew last month as well. Aviation is one of the industries worst hit by the fallout from the virus outbreak, with airlines forced to lay off staff and seek government bailouts in anticipation of a slow recovery. https://www.yahoo.com/news/emirates-lays-off-more-pilots-083221573.html Back to Top NASA hits Boeing with 80 recommendations before next space test Washington (AFP) - NASA has drawn up a list of 80 recommendations that US aerospace giant Boeing will have to address before attempting to refly its Starliner space capsule, following the failure of an uncrewed test last year. The recommendations primarily concern the on-board software, which was the main problem with the flight test last December. The capsule could not be placed in the correct orbit, due to a clock error, and a had to return to Earth after two days instead of docking with the International Space Station as planned. Boeing subsequently learned that other software problems could have caused the capsule and the rocket to collide at the time of separation, a potentially very dangerous event if the flight had been crewed. Most of the problems identified run deep and are organizational, for example NASA's verification procedures. The space agency has been a client of Boeing's for decades, but seems to have placed too much faith in its historic partner. "Perhaps we were a little more focused on SpaceX," said Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, in a call with reporters. SpaceX, a relative newcomer to the space industry, is the other company chosen by NASA to develop a crewed vessel -- but unlike Boeing, its Crew Dragon successfully completed its uncrewed test flight in 2019, then its first crewed flight in May, with two astronauts on board. Starliner's next attempt could take place in "the latter part of this year," added Stich, without making a guarantee. Boeing won't therefore be able to carry astronauts until at least 2021, while SpaceX's second crewed flight is set to take place this summer. https://www.yahoo.com/news/nasa-hits-boeing-80-recommendations-next-space-test-205601938.html Back to Top Join RTCA for a free two-part webinar on Wednesday, July 15 at 1pm ET featuring NTSB and GAMA. The Honorable Robert L. Sumwalt, Chairman of the NTSB presents: "Lessons from the Ashes: Improving Transportation Safety Through Accident Investigation" followed by a conversation with RTCA's Terry McVenes and an audience Q&A session. Pete Bunce, President and CEO of GAMA presents: "The Future of Advanced Air Mobility". Details: https://bit.ly/3in09Lj Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top 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