Flight Safety Information July 10, 2020 - No. 139 In This Issue Embraer Now Offers VisionSafe's EVAS safety system on Legacy 600/650 and Phenom 100/300 business jets Incident: Mesa CRJ9 near Dallas on Jul 9th 2020, cracked windshield Incident: Swiss A333 enroute on Jul 9th 2020, indication of deflated tyre Incident: Aurora DH8D at Kunashir on Jul 8th 2020, runway excursion during backtrack Embraer A-29B Super Tucano - Accident (Afghanistan) Fake Pilot Scandal Prompts U.S. to Block Pakistan's Flag Carrier Canadian COVID-19 training exemption sparks pushback from pilots FAA says 88 air traffic control facilities affected by coronavirus FAA Probes Alleged Boeing Pressure on Designated Inspectors Ravn sells Part 121 airlines to California-based commuter service Researchers Awarded $600,000 to Enhance Safety of Electrical Aircraft Boeing 777X Set to Miss 2021 Debut, Top Buyer Emirates Says SpaceX's first Starship flight (re)scheduled for next week 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 Incident: Mesa CRJ9 near Dallas on Jul 9th 2020, cracked windshield A Mesa Airlines Canadair CRJ-900 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N910FJ performing flight AA-5800 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to Mobile,AL (USA), was climbing through FL350 out of Dallas Ft. Worth when the crew initiated a rapid descent to 10,000 feet due to a cracked windshield. The aircraft continued to Mobile for a safe landing about 80 minutes after departure and about one hour after leaving FL350. A replacement CRJ-900 registration N950LR performs the return flight with a delay of about 2 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL5800/history/20200709/1610Z/KDFW/KMOB http://avherald.com/h?article=4d9c0220&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Swiss A333 enroute on Jul 9th 2020, indication of deflated tyre A Swiss International Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration HB-JHN performing flight LX-8 from Zurich (Switzerland) to Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA), was enroute at FL360 about 180nm northwest of Glasgow,SC (UK) about to enter the Oceanic crossing when the crew decided to return to Zurich due to indication of a deflated nose tyre. The aircraft entered a hold at Zurich to burn off fuel and landed safely back on runway 16 about 5:45 hours after departure. Emergency services did not find any anomaly with the tyres. A replacement A330-300 registration HB-JHJ departed Zurich with a delay of 8.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Zurich about 3 hours after landing. Swiss initially told Swiss media that the aircraft returned to Zurich because landing permission in the USA was withdrawn due to Corona, but later corrected their statement and confirmed the crew had received indication of a deflated tyre, the tyre however was found fully inflated. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d9bfe01&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Aurora DH8D at Kunashir on Jul 8th 2020, runway excursion during backtrack An Aurora Airlines de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration RA-67252 performing flight HZ-4623 from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to Kunashir (Russia) with 49 passengers and 4 crew, had safely landed on Kunashir Island's runway 01, rolled to the end of the runway and was turning around to backtrack the runway to the terminal, when the left main gear went off the paved surface disabling the aircraft. The passengers disembarked onto the runway and were taken to the terminal. The aircraft remained on the ground for 26 hours, then positioned back to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk as flight HZ-9219 and is still on the ground in Yuzhno Sakhalinsk about 12 hours after landing in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d9bf3c1&opt=0 Back to Top Embraer A-29B Super Tucano - Accident (Afghanistan) Date: 09-JUL-2020 Time: 11:30 Type: Embraer A-29B Super Tucano Owner/operator: Afghan Air Force Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Doshi District, Baghlan Province - Afghanistan Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: Kabul-Hamid Karzai International Airport (KBL/OAKB) Destination airport: Narrative: An Embraer A-29B Super Tucano crashed under unknown circumstances. The pilot ejected safely. The pilot is believed to be an American national . https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/237756 Back to Top Fake Pilot Scandal Prompts U.S. to Block Pakistan's Flag Carrier By Alan Levin and Faseeh Mangi • Action by U.S. DOT comes after bogus pilot licenses revealed • PIA Airbus jet crashed in Karachi in May killing 98 people Pakistan's national airline has been barred from flying to the U.S. as a result of a scandal in which almost one-third of the nation's pilots were found to have faked certifications. The U.S. Transportation Department notified Pakistan International Airlines Corp.'s lawyers in Washington on July 1 that its authorization to operate to U.S. destinations was being immediately suspended. The department released a copy of the letter on Thursday. PIA has been wracked by years of financial losses and on May 22 suffered a fatal crash in which 98 people died after pilots of an Airbus SE jet inexplicably retracted the landing gear just before touchdown, damaging its engines. The flight crew tried to lift off again, but the engines failed a short time later. Pakistan said last month that 262 out of over 850 airline pilots had fake certificates and didn't sit in the qualification exams themselves that are conducted by the regulator. The South Asian nation fired 28 pilots this week while it continues to investigate the rest. The Federal Aviation Administration had notified the department on June 30 that all of PIA's operations to the U.S. should be terminated as a result of the pilot-certification scandal. PIA was flying special flights from destinations including New Jersey and Chicago in June to fly stranded passengers as nations imposed travel restrictions to curb the virus from spreading. The U.S. move follows the European Union Aviation Safety Agency's decision last month to ban airlines from Pakistan flying to its member states. "It is a setback for PIA due to the prevailing scandal," Pakistan International Airlines spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan said by phone. "PIA had worked very hard to get direct flights permission." The carrier had received permission to operate 12 flights to the U.S. after a three-year hiatus, according to Khan. It used the permission to fly seven special flights to transport stranded passengers. PIA hasn't made a profit in 15 years and liabilities amounted to $3.8 billion at the end of last year. It has some 14,000 employees for a fleet of only about 30 planes. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-09/pakistan-airline-blocked-from-u-s-after-pilot-license-scandal Back to Top Canadian COVID-19 training exemption sparks pushback from pilots MONTREAL (Reuters) - Canada's decision to allow some pilot training normally performed in simulators to be conducted in the air because of coronavirus is facing opposition from pilots afraid of increased risk in the cockpit. Regulators globally are granting extensions on pilot medical licenses, along with exemptions for certain training requirements, as hard-hit carriers wrestle with slumping traffic which is expected to result in a $84 billion loss for the industry in 2020 because of the pandemic. But pilots are specifically pushing back against short-term exemptions granted in June by regulator Transport Canada. "Each exemption in itself may not significantly reduce safety but when combined with several other exemptions, it can result in a significant overall reduction of safety as well as fail to meet international standards," Air Line Pilots Association Canada President, Captain Tim Perry, told Reuters. One exemption flagged by pilots allows proficiency checks, which are required training to fly planes, to be conducted on an airplane without passengers if a simulator is unavailable. Such checks are safer to do in a simulator because pilots perform riskier maneuvers like an engine-failure after takeoff, said U.S. aviation consultant Kit Darby. "There is some risk in those exemptions," he said. The International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA) is "adamantly opposed" to planes being used for training normally conducted in a simulator, IFALPA training expert Captain Glen Finch said by email. "The degradation in safety and reduced quality of training is unacceptable." Transport Canada told Reuters on Wednesday it has provided considerable guidance for operators using the exemption to "enable the safe conduct of maneuvers such as an engine-failure after take-off." The regulator added it was "unlikely" that large carriers like Air Canada and Onex Corp-owned WestJet would use this exemption because they have ready access to simulators. Perry said the size of the carriers using the exemption did not matter because there should be "one level of safety for all." https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-canada-aviation/canadian-covid-19-training-exemption-sparks-pushback-from-pilots-idUSKBN24A30B Back to Top FAA says 88 air traffic control facilities affected by coronavirus Since the coronavirus pandemic reached the United States earlier this year, air traffic control (ATC) staff at almost 90 facilities across the country have tested positive for the virus, causing regular disruptions to this crucial network. A map, published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and updated daily, shows each of the facilities affected, and the dates of the positive tests. Between 17 March and 9 July, 88 air traffic control facilities across the country have experienced at least one positive Covid-19 case, with some facilities affected multiple times. Though the FAA has not publicly said how many of its operational air traffic control staff have tested positive, the map shows that the number is at least 165. Some facilities, like the towers at Dallas/Fort Worth and Chicago O'Hare have been hit twice or more. The Washington DC area Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), which is responsible for aircraft control, separation and safety across a large area around the US capital that covers seven states, registered five positive tests between 21 April and 6 July. It is the busiest of the FAA's 22 ARTCC regions. The map shows that just in the past 10 days, since 1 July, personnel working in at least 36 ATC facilities have tested positive for the coronavirus. On 6 July, the FAA published a Safety Alert to Operators about the issue, warning them that some airspace may be left uncontrolled, or monitored by a different facility due to tower or regional centre closures. "Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the National Airspace System (NAS) experienced several unplanned ATC facility shutdowns, leaving the designated airspace uncontrolled or controlled by an en-route facility," the agency writes. The FAA recommends that pilots, airlines and other aircraft operators take additional safety measures and mandates changes to standard published procedures in the case that certain air traffic control towers or regional aviation oversight are temporarily not operational. In the case of a positive test, the FAA says the entire team of workers on that shift will isolate, and facilities are often closed for several hours for deep cleaning, "We adjusted hours at some facilities and took steps across the agency to limit the chances of cross-exposure by placing controllers on cohesive teams that work together on every shift," the FAA tells FlightGlobal on 9 July. "If a member of a team tests positive for the virus, that team self-isolates, if necessary, and a back-up crew steps in. We also bring in a professional service to conduct a deep cleaning of any affected areas." FAA air traffic control facilities in 88 US locations so far have been affected by coronavirus The FAA's operations plans, also published on the website, note any disruption to air traffic control services, and the reason for it. One such typical note, published on 9 July, stated, "Anticipating a ZHU ATC-Zero this evening due to COVID cleaning". "ZHU" is the identification code for the ARTCC region in southern Texas around Houston, the nation's 9th busiest, and "ATC-Zero" is an official term used by the FAA that means it is unable to safely provide the published ATC services within the airspace managed by that specific facility. The note says the disruption will last for 4h and take place at night, when traffic is expected to be light. It is the ninth time since 29 March that a member of staff at the Houston ARTCC has tested positive for coronavirus. That said, the FAA says that safety of air traffic during these periods is ensured through set business continuity plans that go into effect whenever regular service is interrupted. "With a few exceptions, we have been able to keep most facilities operational even during cleaning," the FAA says. "In some cases, other facilities have stepped in to cover the airspace under our existing contingency plans during the cleaning period, but it's never exceeded a few hours." The first FAA ATC facility to be affected by coronavirus was the tower at Chicago's Midway International, on 17 March, which was then shut for several days, closely followed by cases in Las Vegas and Indianapolis. https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/faa-says-88-air-traffic-control-facilities-affected-by-coronavirus/139236.article Back to Top FAA Probes Alleged Boeing Pressure on Designated Inspectors By: Alan Levin U.S. aviation regulators have begun a formal investigation of Boeing Co. after company employees alleged they faced duress that threatened their independence while assessing aircraft designs on behalf of the government. The Federal Aviation Administration's compliance action, which focuses on a controversial program known as Organization Designation Authorization that grants planemakers authority to sign off on designs for the agency, is looking at whether workers faced "undue pressure," according to recently released government documents. The FAA has sent Boeing two letters of investigation, which can lead to enforcement actions including fines and other penalties, according to a little-noticed section of a watchdog report on how Boeing and the FAA approved the 737 Max, which was grounded last year after its second fatal crash. The report by the Transportation Department Inspector General, which found that Boeing had withheld critical information on the Max during its certification, said the FAA has spurned the company's attempts to settle the investigation. The FAA's investigation has so far stopped short of an enforcement case. While decisions by Boeing's designees have played a role in approvals of the system that malfunctioned in both crashes that killed 346 people and has led to reviews of the program by Congress, the FAA's investigation isn't looking directly at the 737 Max's certification, according to the IG report. Nevertheless, the agency's investigation and any possible enforcement actions against Boeing could influence Congress as it weighs reforms to the system. Leaders of a Senate committee that oversees the FAA have crafted a bipartisan measure designed to give the agency more authority over certification and House lawmakers are writing a separate bill addressing the issue. Boeing shares were down 3.3% to $174.20 in New York at 1:48 p.m., falling with broad declines in airlines and on news of the investigation. In November 2018, shortly after the crash of a Lion Air 737 Max near Jakarta, the FAA initiated a formal compliance action against Boeing involving allegations from designees who had complained to the agency about interference or duties that conflicted with their roles as representatives of the government, the report said.Five Boeing engineers raised the allegations. One of the five had reported instances of undue pressure through the formal Boeing process of resolution, the IG said, citing FAA information.In the months that followed, Boeing tried several times to resolve the issue by what is known as a corrective action plan, in which the company would promise to improve its processes and prevent such violations in the future."FAA did not accept Boeing's response to this compliance action," the IG said in the report last week. "FAA also issued two separate letters of investigation in June 2019 and March 2020 against Boeing, related to potential undue pressure of unit members." Such letters of investigation serve notice on a company that FAA believes it has potentially violated regulations and lays out the case. They also would allow Boeing to respond to the allegations, possibly arguing that it hadn't committed a violation. The FAA didn't accept Boeing's response to its initial June 2019 letter, according to the IG. The agency "is currently evaluating that letter of investigation and the formal compliance action together," according to the report.The FAA is still waiting for Boeing to respond to the more recent letter it sent in March. The FAA doesn't comment on possible ongoing investigations, said agency spokesman Lynn Lunsford. "We take all allegations of undue pressure very seriously, investigate them carefully, impose corrective action where warranted, and work to resolve them cooperatively with the FAA," Boeing spokesman Bradley Akubuiro said in an email. The company had said earlier this year in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it may be subject to unspecified penalties, though they wouldn't create a significant impact on overall finances. A series of the company's own internal audits of the designee program in 2018 and 2019 showed that significant numbers of employees were concerned about pressure, but found no FAA violations related to the issue, according to the IG report. The FAA investigation has continued in spite of the company's internal attempts to limit pressure on its employees. Boeing announced last September it was restructuring so that engineers serving as designees for the FAA wouldn't report to managers overseeing aircraft programs. The watchdog's report offers new details into possible enforcement actions being contemplated by the FAA against the U.S.'s largest aircraft manufacturer. The agency had previously said that Boeing's decision not to fix a malfunctioning warning light on the Max was a violation of FAA regulations. After a 2015 agreement to settle 13 separate investigations against Boeing, the company agreed to pay $12 million in the case but could be liable for an additional $24 million if FAA concludes violations continued. The FAA late in 2019 and early this year also announced two enforcement cases against Boeing for allegedly installing substandard components on wings, including on the 737 Max. The agency announced a proposed $19.7 million fine against the company in March for allegedly installing unapproved equipment in the cockpits of 737s. A federal criminal probe has also been opened against the company in the wake of the crashes. The 737 Max crashes-the October 2018 one off the coast of Indonesia and a second near Addis Ababa in March 2019-have prompted intense scrutiny of Boeing and the FAA, and led to billions of dollars in losses for the company. A system designed to improve the plane's safety repeatedly attempted to dive the jets after a malfunction and pilots in both cases lost control. The feature known as Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System was originally supposed to be overseen directly by FAA engineers, but the agency allowed Boeing to make the final approvals. The sign-off came after changes were made to the system that weren't fully explained to the FAA, according to the IG report. Congress had in recent decades steadily expanded the authority of programs that designate partial authority to the aviation industry in an attempt to streamline approvals and make U.S. companies more competitive. Company representatives are supposed to follow aviation regulations and remain independent. The ODA at Boeing is made up of almost 1,500 employees, though they work in the unit part-time. The IG, which has previously raised concerns about oversight of ODA programs, is working on a new report specifically about how it functioned during the 737 Max's certification. The oversight agency didn't make recommendations in its recent report, saying it may do so in the future. The FAA announced in May that it is writing new regulations specifically to address the potential for undue pressure to be placed on company employees acting in the agency's behalf. https://ajot.com/news/faa-probes-alleged-boeing-pressure-on-designated-inspectors Back to Top Ravn sells Part 121 airlines to California-based commuter service After Ravn's auction concluded, two new bids came in to buy the group's assets, including its two Part 121 passenger air carriers. FLOAT shuttle, a Los Angeles-based air commuter service, now owns RavnAir Alaska and PenAir. "[...] We are thrilled to hear that the FLOAT shuttle team intends to rehire as many of our remaining employees as possible and quickly resume flights to the many vital communities Ravn serves throughout our great state," said Dave Pflieger, Ravn's CEO and president, in a press release Thursday. FLOAT shuttle purchased six De Havilland DHC-8 aircraft, or Dash-8's, one Saab 340 and ground support equipment for $8 million. That purchase price also includes the Part 121 certificates. The Federal Aviation Administration, as well as the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities will still need to approve the transfer of the commercial certificates, according to Jane Kim, Ravn's counsel. The company will maintain the Alaska operations despite being an outside company, according to court proceedings Thursday. The court also approved Everts Air Cargo's last-minute purchase Wednesday night of six Cessna 208 aircraft for $3.5 million. All sales made Tuesday were also approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, including assets from the Part 135 airline, RavnAir Connect. Those include: • 15 Cessnas to Grant Aviation • 14 Cessnas and two buildings to Yute Commuter Service • 4 planes, buildings and equipment to Wright Air Service • Its entire Beechcraft fleet to ACE Air Cargo More than $47 million was generated from the sale, according to court proceedings. "[...] This was a fantastic result for all, despite overwhelming odds," Pflieger said in the release. Any unsold planes can still be sold through liquidation. https://www.ktva.com/story/42352903/ravn-sells-part-121-airlines-to-californiabased-commuter-service Back to Top Researchers Awarded $600,000 to Enhance Safety of Electrical Aircraft FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - A multi-disciplinary research team received a $600,000 award from the Federal Aviation Administration to gather information to help enhance safety and reliability for future electrical aircraft. The team will evaluate high-power motor and drive systems for electrical aircraft. Their goal is to generate information regarding the consequences of electrification of aircraft systems. The information will help the FAA develop future standards for electrical aircraft. "We want to provide our society with cleaner, safer and cheaper air mobility," said Fang Luo, assistant professor of electrical engineering and project leader. The multi-disciplinary project includes David Huitink, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Arkansas; Kiruba Sivasubramaniam Haran, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois; and Zak Sorchini, group leader and associate director at United Technologies Research Center. Because Luo is leaving the University of Arkansas in August, Huitink will lead the work done at the University of Arkansas, while Luo will still oversee the project. Luo said researchers at the University of Arkansas and University of Illinois will focus on power converters, motor system integration, testing and modeling, while researchers at the United Technologies Research Center will mentor and guide the team. "We will conduct our modeling and analysis research based on previous research efforts and leverage our existing hardware for aircraft electrification for the experiment verification," Luo said. Through modeling, analysis and lab-scale experiment verification, the researchers will study the interactions between the power converters and motors in all-electric aircraft systems to address the stability and reliability problems. "This will provide knowledge on multi-converter system stability with specific aircraft mission profile, high-voltage-related failure, EMI/power-quality related failure and mitigation approaches," Luo said. Testing will be conducted at both universities and is expected to be completed early 2023. About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among fewer than 3 percent of colleges and universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring. https://news.uark.edu/articles/54245/researchers-awarded-600-000-to-enhance-safety-of-electrical-aircraft Back to Top Boeing 777X Set to Miss 2021 Debut, Top Buyer Emirates Says (Bloomberg) -- Boeing Co.'s new 777X jet is likely to miss its planned debut next year, according to the aircraft's top customer Emirates, which doesn't expect to receive any planes before 2022. Deliveries of the wide-body jet, which first flew in January, will probably be held up by Boeing's shutdown at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, together with a lengthy certification process, Adel Al Redha, the Gulf carrier's chief operating officer, said Thursday in an interview. Emirates is also considering whether to seek a swap of some of the 115 777Xs it has on order -- representing more than a third of the total backlog -- for the smaller 787 Dreamliner, which might be better matched to demand, he said. Accelerating deliveries from an earlier Dreamliner order is a "possibility," he said. "We will be discussing with Boeing in that regard, if we look what we can do with the 787," Al Redha said. "We are in a fluid discussion and in the peak of re-examining all these kind of things. It does require re-examination, it does require re-thinking, it does require renegotiation." Boeing is looking at delaying the upgraded 777's introduction as other buyers also resist taking delivery of such a large plane when they're being compelled to shrink operations, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named discussing confidential matters. The company's first new-jet introduction since the grounding of its 737 Max after two fatal crashes also faces increased scrutiny from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and other regulators. "I don't see that they will be able to deliver the aircraft in 2021," Al Redha said. "We will engage with Boeing to get more visibility. I think 2022 is a safe assumption to make." Making Progress Boeing said it's working closely with its customers to adapt to the evolving Covid-19 situation. The Chicago-based company also said that it would soon add a third aircraft to its flight-testing program. "We continue to execute our robust test program for the 777-9, which began flight testing in January," Boeing said in a statement, referring to the longest version of the 777X. "We remain pleased with the progress we are making and with the airplane." Boeing fell 2.9% to $174.91 at 1:19 p.m. in New York amid broad U.S. stock declines. The shares fell 45% this year through Wednesday, the biggest drop on the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The FAA said that it can't comment on its efforts to review the manufacturer's work to upgrade the 777. While the agency is taking steps to make risk assessments more rigorous in the wake of the Max grounding, the certification process for the 777X began before the crashes and shouldn't be affected by the reforms. All the same, the spotlight on the process could trigger other actions that slow down approval. The timing of the 777X commercial debut has been at the heart of complex negotiations with Emirates, which has already converted some of its original order for the smaller and more versatile Dreamliner. The first delivery for the 777X was originally set for this year, though the date was pushed back to 2021 following issues including delays to the plane's General Electric Co. turbines. While Emirates' 2013 order was instrumental in Boeing's decision to go forward with the 777X, it isn't clear if the airline or another of the launch group of customers would take the initial delivery. Cash Source By potentially accelerating its 787 deliveries, Emirates would help support a critical cash source for Boeing amid an uncertain market for wide-body aircraft. The planemaker has outlined plans to halve Dreamliner production as the Covid-19 pandemic spreads, citing fading demand for near-term deliveries. Chicago-based Boeing will be eager to begin handovers of the 777X after the Max crisis deprived it of revenue from its best-selling program. But the twin-aisle model, which boasts bigger wings and new engines, is arriving at a time when the high-volume long-haul market it's designed to serve may be depressed for years. The 777-9 variant is longer than the 747 jumbo Boeing is winding down, and is the first twin-engine jet able to carry a similar number of people. It's also the company's priciest model, selling for $442.2 million before customary discounts. Sales, though, have stalled since an initial order flurry when the aircraft was unveiled at the 2013 Dubai Airshow, and anticipated orders from China haven't materialized amid trade tensions. For the U.S. planemaker, there's a risk that additional order conversions and deferrals will leave it manufacturing the jet in such low quantities that 777X profitability would be hurt. Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. and Deutsche Lufthansa AG are among customers that are restructuring their fleet plans. Long-Haul Slump Emirates, the world's largest long-haul airline, has been hard hit by the unprecedented slump in travel caused by the coronavirus. It's already had to rethink plans for the double-decker A380, a mainstay of its fleet, after a dearth of demand elsewhere led Airbus SE to decline to upgrade the jet and then to terminate the program early. The Gulf carrier, also the biggest customer for the Airbus super-jumbo, plans to take the delivery of three A380s during the fiscal year ending in March, Al Redha said. While the delivery schedule for the last five planes remains unchanged, "if the need comes to re-visit, obviously we will do that." He said he expects 60% to 70% of the current A380 fleet to be back in the air by December. Load factor now exceeds 55% and demand for both economy and premium travelers has strengthened, he said. The airline plans to keep all 115 of the double-decker jets. The Dubai-based carrier will roll out premium economy seats on its newest A380 aircraft slated to be delivered in November, Al Redha said. Some of the existing fleet will be retrofitted from economy to premium economy. Two Brands Emirates Group is also looking for ways to streamline operations and increase efficiencies, Al Redha said. One of the possibilities that is being considered is combining the back office operations of Emirates with discounter Flydubai, while maintaining two separate companies and identities. Both carriers are owned by Dubai's government. "There is definitely a scope having to look at how we can reduce the expenses and become more efficient in certain areas, even if requires combining some back office activities," Al Redha said. Emirates is re-examining all companies within the group, including ground-handling and catering arm Dnata. Emirates and Flydubai have deepened their ties since 2017, embracing route rationalization to minimize duplication. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-777x-likely-miss-2021-162604708.html Back to Top SpaceX's first Starship flight (re)scheduled for next week SpaceX's fifth full-scale Starship prototype could become the first to take flight just a week or so from now if a Raptor engine test goes as planned early next week. Known as Starship serial number 5 (SN5), SpaceX teams are currently in the process of completing the installation of Raptor SN27 and preparing the massive steel rocket for its first cryogenic wet dress rehearsal and static fire tests. Delayed from July 8th and 10th, Starship SN5's first Raptor static fire is now scheduled no earlier than ~10 am CDT (~15:00 UTC) on Monday, July 13th. If things go well during those nominally back-to-back tests, public road closure filings show that SpaceX wanted to attempt the first full-scale Starship hop just three days later, although the recent two-day delay adds a bit of uncertainty. The odds are good that one or both of those test periods will slip or change in the next few days and, in fact, Starship SN5's static fire test period was delayed two days while this article was in work. SpaceX could run into road bumps that prevent the July 10th 13th wet dress rehearsal (WDR) from smoothly transitioning into a Raptor static fire attempt and any number of additional delays could beset the actual flight test throughout the flow. Along the same lines as Starhopper, currently the only vehicle to have flown under the power of a Raptor engine, Starship's flight computer could abort the launch at almost any point prior to liftoff, up to and including Raptor ignition. Like Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, Starship (and Starhopper) will ingest and interpret hundreds or thousands of channels of telemetry to determine the health of its engines for a second or two after ignition while thrust is ramping. If the Raptor or Merlin engine(s) look healthy, the rocket commands hold-down clamp release and lifts off (or, in the case of Starhopper, uses its own immense weight to prevent liftoff until Raptor is throttled up). Thanks to an upgraded launch mount, SpaceX's full-scale Starship prototypes have access to built-in hold-down clamps, enabling operations that are at least a bit more similar to those used for Falcon 9 and Heavy launches. Starship's six hold-down clamps are affixed to the same structure that the ship's six landing legs are installed on. Perhaps the single biggest point of uncertainty with Starship's first full-scale test flight is its somewhat mysterious landing legs - almost entirely different from Falcon 9's well-proven four-leg design. The stubby Starship legs stow inside the ship's engine section, swinging down and out (and potentially telescoping, albeit much less than Falcon 9) come touchdown. Based on photos of the legs, they may also feature rudimentary shock absorption mechanisms, meaning that Starship should be able to tolerate slightly rougher landings. SpaceX has likely tested Starship leg deployment extensively on the ground but beyond that assumption, they remain an unproven mystery. Regardless, SpaceX is going to be extremely busy over the next 7-10 days with Starlink-9 scheduled to launch NET July 11th, Starship SN5's static fire NET July 13th, Falcon 9's ANASIS II launch scheduled NET July 14th, and a potential SN5 hop test attempt as early as July 16th (speculation). https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-first-flight-july-2020/ 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 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