Flight Safety Information July 16, 2020 - No. 143 In This Issue 15-JUL-2020 - Turkish Police Beechcraft B300 King Air 350i accident: 7 dead Flight delay melee: Spirit passengers arrested after kicking and punching employees Helicopter pilot in fatal Charlottesville crash lost control and lacked key training Aviation Ministry sets up independent Accident Investigation Bureau (Ghana) Nepal Airlines Grounds Its Chinese Built Aircraft 3 weapons seized from carry-on baggage at Austin airport in less than 2 days FAA bans DuPont fuel additive from use in 737 Max Boeing's 737 Max Will Return to a Devastated Aviation Industry Vietnam Airlines needs liquidity support by end of August: CEO Aeroflot Will Hugely Shrink, Become 5-Star Airline South African Airways Sends 2 A350s To Spanish Aircraft Graveyard Would scrappage scheme help keep Airbus and Boeing afloat? US May Need to Nationalize Military Aircraft Industry, USAF Says Pandemic does not derail San Diego pilot's daring pole-to-pole flight PILOTS (STILL) WANTED...STABLE STRATEGIES FOR A VOLATILE JOB MARKET Motorsport battery technology to aid next generation fighter jet development There Are 3 Missions to Mars This Month. Here's Everything You Need to Know The USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Will Offer Online and In-Person Classes This Fall presage specializing in error prevention through proven scientific psychosocial analytics Leasing Aircraft & Engines, Return Conditions, and Transition - Course ERAU - Aircraft Crash Survival Investigation and Analysis - Course Urban Air Mobility and Single-Pilot/Autonomous Airline Operations Research Project AVIATION SAFETY SURVEY GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY 15-JUL-2020 - Turkish Police Beechcraft B300 King Air 350i accident: 7 dead Date: Wednesday 15 July 2020 Time: 22:45 Type: Beechcraft B300 King Air 350i Operator: Turkish Police Registration: EM-809 C/n / msn: FL-896 First flight: 2015 Crew: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 Total: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair Location: 30 km (18.8 mls) SW of Van-Ferit Melen Airport (VAN) ( Turkey) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Survey/research Departure airport: Van-Ferit Melen Airport (VAN/LTCI), Turkey Destination airport: Van-Ferit Melen Airport (VAN/LTCI), Turkey Narrative: A Beechcraft B300 King Air 350i surveillance aircraft impacted Mount Artos as it was returning to Van-Ferit Melen Airport in Turkey following a mission. All 7 on board were killed. https://www.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20200715-0 Back to Top Flight delay melee: Spirit passengers arrested after kicking and punching employees and tossing phones, food and shoes at them Nobody likes flight delays but a trio of Spirit Airlines passengers had a violent reaction when their flight from Fort Lauderdale to Philadelphia was delayed late Tuesday. Three female passengers from Philadelphia, all in their early 20s, started assaulting five Spirit employees at Gate G14, according to police reports from the Broward County Sheriff's Office. "The defendants intentionally struck the victims against their will with miscellaneous items, such as phones, shoes, full water bottles, metal boarding signs and fast food,'' according to police reports from the Broward County Sheriff's Office. "The victims were also punched and kicked in different sections of their bodies numerous times by the listed defendants.'' The incident was captured on video, which was first reported by a Miami television station. The Sheriff's Office arrested passengers Danaysha Dixon, 22; Keira Ferguson, 21; and Tamaya Wright, 20. All three are being charged with battery, while Wright faces an additional charge of petty theft for taking one of the employees' cell phones and stashing it in her backpack. (It was retrieved.) Spirit spokesman Erik Hofmeyer said the passengers became "combative'' following a delay on Flight 1004. It started when boarding was delayed and escalated when Spirit employes stopped boarding and shut the jet bridge door, he said. The flight was delayed for about 80 minutes, according to flight tracker FlightAware. The employees suffered minor injuries and were "understandably shaken up,'' he said. The airline praised the unnamed employees for their "professionalism'' and "quick actions.'' Hofmeyer added, "This violent behavior is completely unacceptable and has absolutely no place in airports or any other place of business. We will not tolerate abusive behavior of any kind.'' https://www.yahoo.com/news/flight-delay-melee-spirit-passengers-184637202.html Back to Top Helicopter pilot in fatal Charlottesville crash lost control and lacked key training from state, NTSB says The deadly crash of a Virginia State Police helicopter that had been flying near a white-nationalist rally in Charlottesville in 2017 was probably caused by "the pilot's loss of helicopter control" as the aircraft headed swiftly toward the ground, federal investigators have found. Also contributing to the crash, according to the National Transportation Safety Board, was pilot Lt. H. Jay Cullen's "lack of recent and recurrent training" on how to recover from such a downward rush. Investigators pointed to a Federal Aviation Administration handbook that says helicopter pilots should be trained to understand that such a dangerous condition, known as "settling with power," can happen when a pilot tries to descend "at an excessively low airspeed in a downwind condition" or attempts to hover in circumstances beyond what "the helicopter's performance allows." Investigators said they found anecdotal information that Cullen was aware of the risks of such an aerodynamic condition, also known in aviation parlance as "vortex ring state." Two state police troopers killed in Charlottesville helicopter crash while covering protest However, "review of the accident pilot's training records from 2001 to the accident found no record of him receiving settling with power or vortex ring state recognition and recovery training on the accident helicopter make and model," the NTSB wrote in a report this week. The training manual for the state police aviation unit did not list the dangerous condition, and how to avoid it, in its sample lesson plans, according to the NTSB. The NTSB previously discussed the training issue in a report issued in May. • NTSB: Pilot may not have been trained for condition that possibly contributed to helicopter crash State police spokeswoman Corinne Geller declined to answer questions about whether the aviation unit is requiring such recurrent training now. "Due to the pending litigation related to the crash, state police is not able to comment," Geller said. Survivors of Cullen and his colleague, Trooper-Pilot Berke Bates, who was serving as an observer on the Aug. 12, 2017, flight, have filed wrongful-death suits against the state and manufacturers of the helicopter and its components, among them Bell. Virginia governor eulogizes trooper killed in Charlottesville helicopter crash In tragic first, Va. governor presides at funeral for man on his security detail Philadelphia aviation lawyer Arthur Alan Wolk, who represents the families, said Cullen was an "expert in vortex ring state avoidance and the Bell 407 he was flying is virtually impossible to suffer from that phenomenon." Wolk said Cullen "was trained at least yearly" in that aerodynamic condition and "taught his students all about it and demonstrated the recovery from it." He said the NTSB had wrongly "relied solely on training records" in making its determination regarding Cullen. "This report was a hideous effort to shield the manufacturer, the engine maker and the maintenance facilities from bad design and bad maintenance," Wolk said. NTSB spokesman Christopher O'Neil said Wolk's comments on the findings "are without merit." "NTSB investigations and the resulting reports are comprehensive, fact-driven and objective. We stand by our methodology and our report," O'Neil said. A spokesman for Bell did not respond to a request for comment. The helicopter had been hovering near the rally, sending a video stream to authorities, when the troopers were "tasked to provide overwatch for a motorcade" of then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe, according to the NTSB. As Cullen neared the motorcade, the aircraft "began to turn to the right and descend rapidly," before crashing into nearby trees, investigators said. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/helicopter-pilot-in-fatal-charlottesville-crash-lost-control-and-lacked-key-training-from-state-ntsb-says/2020/07/15/528fe8ec-c6ef-11ea-8ffe-372be8d82298_story.html Back to Top Aviation Ministry sets up independent Accident Investigation Bureau to check sea, air safety (Ghana) Cabinet has approved the establishment of an Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau by the Aviation Ministry as part of efforts to ensure air safety in the country. Sector minister, Joseph Kofi Ada explained that the Bureau will have the independent mandate to investigate air accidents. Speaking at the inauguration of the National Aviation Safety Coordination Group, Wednesday, he said the bill will be presented to Parliament under a certificate of urgency to fast track its passage. "The ministry has received approval from Cabinet for the establishment of an Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau. "Accordingly, the ministry is working in collaboration with the Attorney General has prepared a Bill which has been laid in Parliament for consideration and passage," the minister revealed. Regarding the duty of the Bureau, the minister explained it "will function as an autonomous entity with the mandate to investigate aircraft accidents and incidents occurring in and over Ghana as well as the oceanic region within the Accra Flight Information Region." Meanwhile, deputy Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Charles Krakue, expressed the need for more collaboration with other stakeholders for safe air space. "A framework which will allow GCAA and the identified State agencies in attendance here to interact more effectively in the resolution of safety concerns, I am pleased to announce that the SSP will combine prescriptive and performance-based approaches to safety rulemaking, safety policy development and safety oversight in our industry," he stated. Aviation safety constitutes the bedrock upon which the global air transport system is built. As a deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic plunges the airline industry into an unprecedented crisis and causes the revenues of civil aviation regulators to plummet, our sector's contribution to economic development remains significant. Until the outbreak of COVID-19, air transport supported nearly 6.2 million jobs and generated $55.8 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Africa. The African aviation market is one of the world's most promising in terms of its overall growth potential. This is because of a growing industrial sector and the continent's population of 1.3 billion that is set to further increase, well into the future. Stakeholders inducted into the National Aviation Safety Coordination Group include the National Communications Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana Airforce, Ghana Nuclear Atomic Agency among others. https://www.myjoyonline.com/business/aviation/aviation-ministry-sets-up-independent-accident-investigation-bureau-to-check-sea-air-safety/ Back to Top Nepal Airlines Grounds Its Chinese Built Aircraft From July 16th onwards, Nepal Airlines will no longer operate all of its Chinese aircraft. This includes two Xian MA60s and four Harbin Y12s. The planes in question have not proven to be beneficial and are viewed as a liability. The Nepali airline claims it cannot afford to fly the aircraft, and thus these planes will be grounded for the foreseeable future. According to The Kathmandu Post, the order was given by the Nepal Airlines Corporation, in hopes of cutting losses for the flag carrier. Beyond that, the Y12e aircraft has long been questioned for its functionality and performance. Nepal Airlines added the six aircraft to its fleet in 2014, which has come to be known as the airline's first acquisition in 28 years. Nepal's deal with China In a government-to-government deal, it appears Nepal was forced to acquire the aircraft. The sale began in November 2011, when technical teams from both Bangladesh and Nepal visited China to inspect the MA60s and Y12s. The Kathmandu Post reported that the "Chinese government said Nepal would have to buy a number of aircraft if it wanted some for free." As such, while the team from Bangladesh deemed the aircraft "not suitable," Nepal went ahead to procure the six aircraft in an agreement with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The deal took place in 2012. As a result, China gifted one MA60 and one Y12 to Nepal Airlines two years later. However, according to Achyut Pahari, a Nepal Airlines board member, this was the carrier's worst decision. As reported by The Post, Pahari said, "It was prompted by greed for commissions. They [The technical team] submitted a fabricated report. The Y12e was compared with the Twin Otter, and the MA60 was compared with the ATR-72. Nepal Airlines is paying the price now. Flying these planes means throwing good money after bad." The MA60 and Y12e The Xian MA60 is a twin-engine built turboprop and holds up to 60 passengers. It is explicitly designed for short-haul and domestic routes. The Harbin Y12e, also a twin-engine turboprop, is a high-wing plane that seats 17. Earlier this year, there was an incident that took place with one of Nepal Airlines' Y12e aircraft. The episode also prompted the grounding of all of the Chinese aircraft. On March 28th, the Y12e aircraft landed 60 meters short of the Nepalgunj Airport's runway. It then swerved and stopped right before entering grassland, says the Economic Times. The aircraft has thus been considered "unsuitable for Nepal terrain." The first MA60 arrived in Nepal in April 2014, and four Y12 aircraft were added to the fleet in November that year. At that time, Nepal Airlines had no trained pilots to fly the planes. Currently, there are still no suitable pilots. In fact, one of the two MA60s has been grounded for three years. Sanjiv Gautam, former director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Nepal, believes that the flag carrier could have prepared better. The airline should have ensured it had suitable pilots before purchasing the planes, he said in The Kathmandu Post. The fate of these aircraft Since the planes acquired by Nepal Airlines was bought on loan, the carrier has been struggling with making payments, especially since it has not been making full use of the aircraft. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the airline's financial standing. The Kathmandu Post reports that the Nepali government has to pay "an annual interest rate of 1.5% and a service charge and management expenses amounting to 0.4% of the overall loan amount taken by the Ministry of Finance as per the deal." Then, the ministry charges the Nepali carrier 8% annual interest on the amount of the disbursed loan. Tri Ratna Manandhar, also of Nepal's CAA, says that auctioning the planes off could benefit the airline. "It seems it cannot fly them well. So, it's wise to auction them because they will keep on increasing its losses," he said in The Kathmandu Post. However, it might not be that simple as the airline struggled to sell off one of its Boeing 757s in 2019. Whatever it is, the airline should not linger, and make a decision quickly. Either it sells off the planes, or uses them fully by obtaining the right pilots and conducting flight tests. https://simpleflying.com/nepal-airlines-grounds-chinese-aircraft/ Back to Top 3 weapons seized from carry-on baggage at Austin airport in less than 2 days In one incident, officials said the gun was loaded and a round was chambered. AUSTIN, Texas - Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport have discovered three firearms in carry-on luggage in less than two days during security checkpoint screenings. The first was detected on Monday around 6:30 a.m. when TSA officers discovered a Rossi .38 Special loaded with five rounds of ammunition, one of which was chambered, and a box of 44 rounds in the carry-on bag of a male passenger. Then, on Tuesday around 2:30 p.m., officers discovered two unloaded guns, a Glock .40 caliber and a SCCY CPX 9MM, with two unloaded magazines. These firearms were also found in the carry-on bag of a male passenger. William Hackworth, 60, was identified as the individual involved in Monday's incident. He was charged with places weapons prohibited, a third-degree felony. Officials said he was headed to Louisville, Kentucky, and he told them he had forgotten it was in his bag. The Austin Police Department assisted TSA officers in interviewing the suspects. Each person was arrested as neither had a license to carry. "Despite an 80% reduction in the number of people screened by TSA compared to this time last year, TSA officers have not lost their focus. They remain vigilant and continue to prevent security threats from making it onboard an airplane," said TSA Federal Security Director (FSD) Michael Scott for Austin-Bergstrom Airport. "Firearms, whether loaded or unloaded, should never be brought to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage. Bringing your gun to the security checkpoint will cost you time, money and ultimately be very inconvenient for you." Man arrested after bringing loaded, semi-automatic pistol to Austin airport, police say So far this year, TSA officers at Austin-Bergstrom Airport have discovered 23 firearms in carry-on luggage. Nationwide, TSA officers have found 1,204 firearms to date, 84% of which have been loaded. Last year, a total of 4,432 firearms were found in carry-on luggage at airports across the U.S. "If a gun is brought to the TSA screening checkpoint, the passenger will face a civil penalty that can exceed $13,000 and that fine is imposed even if you are not arrested or cited by our law enforcement partners," noted FSD Scott. "In order to maintain social distancing and not have to face a bag search, passengers are reminded to know precisely what is in their bags before leaving for the airport." Firearms are allowed to be transported on a commercial aircraft only if they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and placed in checked baggage. Ammunition and parts must also be checked. https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/tsa-weapons-in-carry-on-bags-arrests/269-a10586a4-2a64-45df-915f-f7f0c8d697e0 Back to Top FAA bans DuPont fuel additive from use in 737 Max Citing the risk of dual-engine power loss, the US Federal Aviation Administration has prohibited airlines from adding a DuPont-made biocide to the fuel of Boeing 737 Max. An airworthiness directive effective 15 July requires 737 Max operators to remove fuel treated with the biocide from Max tanks and engines prior to first flight. The order, which applies to DuPont's "Kathon FP 1.5 biocide", affects 75 737 Max of US registry, nearly the entire delivered US Max fleet. The biocide concern has no relation to the flight control issue that prompted the Max's grounding. The type remains grounded, though Boeing has predicted certification will occur in the coming months. Biocides are added to aircraft fuel to counter the spread of microorganisms that, if water accumulates in fuel tanks, can feed on fuel hydrocarbons. According to the FAA, biocides can cause salt crystals to form in fuel. Those crystals can cause engine issues, potentially including dual-engine flameouts and power losses, according to the FAA. A 787 powered by GE Aviation GEnx-1B turbofans suffered such an issue in March after that aircraft's fuel tanks had been treated with Kathon FP 1.5. Both the 787's engines lost thrust during descent into Kansai, Japan. The 737 Max's Leap-1Bs, having "similar fuel system architecture" as the GEnx, "are also considered susceptible to a multi-engine loss-of-thrust-control event", the FAA says. UK investigators also believe an excess of biocide caused a dual-engine issue affecting a CFM56-powered Titan Airways Airbus A321 earlier this year. In that case, an engineer added 37 times more biocide than permitted. The FAA's directive says biocide can be flushed from a Max's fuel systems by adding non-treated fuel to its tanks, and operating the jet for 30 cycles. In addition to prohibiting airlines from operating Max with Kathon-treated fuel, the FAA is requiring airlines to remove affected fuel from jets through a process described by Boeing in a June memo to all Max operators. Additionally, the FAA's order requires operators install placards on Max specifying that the biocide should not be added to fuel. Boeing did not provide more information to FlightGlobal. GE Aviation, which co-owns CFM International, says it is "well aware of the issue and have been proactive in communicating to GE and CFM operators about proper use of biocides". According to Boeing's June memo, CFM also addressed the issue in a service bulletin and has scratched Kathon from its approved fuel additives list. DuPont withdrew Kathon FP 1.5 from the aviation market in March, the FAA notes. The FAA also issued an information bulletin in March warning that issues could arise if operators add more biocide to fuel than recommended. https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/faa-bans-dupont-fuel-additive-from-use-in-737-max/139311.article Back to Top Boeing's 737 Max Will Return to a Devastated Aviation Industry Airlines have canceled orders for hundreds of the troubled jet because of its safety problems and the pandemic, but others are still eager to buy them. The first half of the year was not kind to the 737 Max. Boeing froze production of its beleaguered plane from January through much of May as customers canceled hundreds of orders, and deals for hundreds more were put at risk by delays in the plane's return to the skies and the coronavirus pandemic. But Boeing is back to work on the Max, and if it passes regulatory scrutiny, the plane could fly again as soon as the end of the year. When it does, it will return to an industry that was hammered by the coronavirus and faces a yearslong recovery. The Max crisis has already wrecked Boeing's bottom line. In January, the company said it expected the grounding to cost more than $18 billion, which didn't account for the ruinous effect the pandemic would have on airlines. In April, it announced plans to cut about 16,000 jobs, or a tenth of its work force, because of the pandemic's impact. The aerospace manufacturer said this week that its customers had canceled 373 Max orders in the first six months of the year. Another 439 are considered at risk, including nearly 100 that Norwegian Air, a struggling low-cost carrier, recently said it no longer planned to buy. Boeing still has several thousand pending orders for the Max, but analysts expect that to shrink somewhat as more customers back out of deals. And even though the company plans to increase production of the jet and other 737 variants to 31 planes per month sometime next year, that is about half the rate Boeing had targeted before the Max was grounded. Globally, airlines are losing hundreds of millions of dollars by the day, and most experts predict it will be two to five years before the industry sees as many passengers as it did in 2019. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the financial crisis a decade ago, airlines recovered before the overall economy, according to Boeing, which expects the opposite this time around. In the United States, a limited recovery in domestic travel has stalled in recent weeks as virus infections soared and states and cities reimposed restrictions on travel and business activity. And more than a third of the world's passenger planes - over 8,000 aircraft - remain parked and unused, according to Cirium, an airline data firm. Yet experts said the 737 Max would survive because many airlines still saw value in it as they fought for what few passengers remained. "It's not phenomenal, but I don't think it's all that dire for the Max, despite Covid and everything else," said Sheila Kahyaoglu, an aerospace and defense analyst with Jefferies, an investment bank. It may seem misguided for an airline in the midst of a major crisis to buy a tarnished jet that costs tens of millions of dollars, but experts say there is good reason many companies like Southwest Airlines and American Airlines will stick with the Max. The plane can offer substantial savings on fuel and maintenance that are even more valuable in lean times. Other airlines might find it difficult to walk away from orders they have already placed, and will reluctantly go through with purchases. A new plane can last a generation, and the Max's efficiency matters a lot because fuel can account for about a fifth of an airline's operating costs. Boeing says the plane uses at least 14 percent less jet fuel than its predecessors. That could yield double-digit increases in profits for airlines, said Vitaly Guzhva, a professor of aviation finance at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. "There's still a pretty strong business case for the Max." Southwest, for example, has nearly 750 planes in its fleet, each some version of the 737. If it had been able to replace part of its fleet last year with the more than 275 Max jets it hopes to own, Southwest could have saved more than $230 million in fuel costs, according to Dr. Guzhva's math. Boeing says the plane offers fuel savings of more than $10 million over its 25- to 30-year life span. Airlines can also point to fuel savings as an indication of their environmental stewardship to customers who are increasingly cognizant of air travel's contribution to climate change. Others might just want to apply the money saved to lowering the price of tickets to lure business. The jet could yield big savings on maintenance, too. New planes often come with warranties, and expensive engine overhauls are typically needed a few years after those end, said Robert Spingarn, an aerospace and defense analyst at Credit Suisse. If the timing is right, an airline might choose to replace a plane in need of major repairs with a Max. "When you have a brand-new airplane, you don't have to think about that kind of expense," Mr. Spingarn said. "There's going to be some that say, 'I'm sticking with the Max because the math works better for me than not taking it.'" The Return of Jane Elliott Strapped airlines could also see an opportunity in buying the Max, selling it to a third party for cash and then immediately leasing it back. "They get an upfront 10, 15, maybe even 20 million dollars, which helps with liquidity," Dr. Guzhva said. Delta Air Lines did just that after passenger traffic bottomed out this year. Between April and June, the airline raised $2.8 billion by selling and leasing back planes, it said this week. Delta is the only major U.S. airline not to use the Max. By Boeing's count, thousands of airplanes worldwide are at least 20 years old and may be due for expensive maintenance or replacement soon. And airlines over the past few months have retired older aircraft, sometimes years ahead of schedule. Rather than back away from Boeing, airlines might also try to negotiate compensation for the plane's grounding and delays in securing the jets. Customers could demand that Boeing defer deliveries or offer them deep discounts. After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the low-cost Irish carrier Ryanair reportedly snapped up 737s at a substantial discount, for example. When asked the price he paid, the airline's chief executive, Michael O'Leary, demurred: "I wouldn't even tell my priest what discount I got off Boeing." Industry trends are also on Boeing's side. For years, airlines have been shifting away from wide-bodied planes toward narrow-bodied ones like the Max, which are easier to fill. And the pandemic only seems to be accelerating the shift. The rebound in air travel, pitiful as it is, is also being driven by domestic flights, exactly the kind of short trips for which the Max was designed. Walking away from the Max may prove difficult for airlines, too. Contracts are drawn up years in advance of delivery and can be difficult to break, experts said. Still, terms vary substantially by order, so some airlines may be better positioned than others, and contracts for the Max typically provide for some renegotiation rights if deliveries are delayed by more than a year. Some airlines may also have signed contracts that require them to forfeit money they've already paid if they cancel. The Max has a list price of as much as $135 million for the latest model, but can sell for far less: as little as 50 percent of that figure for a large enough order, according to experts. An airline might pay 1 percent upfront when it signs a letter of intent and 5 percent more when it signs a contract, said Eddy Pieniazek, an airline consultant at Ishka, a consulting firm. The rest is typically paid in the year or two before a plane is delivered. Relationships with manufacturers can run deep, with long-term plans built around an all-Boeing or all-Airbus fleet; the two companies have a roughly equal share of the commercial plane market. At Southwest, for example, introducing a new plane would increase maintenance and training costs. "There are companies that stick with Boeing, and there are companies that stick with Airbus; you don't often get people jumping and changing," Mr. Pieniazek said. "There are people who have bought into the Max story and will want to fly their airplanes." https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/15/business/boeing-737-max-return.html Back to Top Vietnam Airlines needs liquidity support by end of August: CEO State-owned Vietnam Airlines will need liquidity support by the end of August, the airline's chief executive Duong Tri Thanh has said. Speaking at a meeting held on 13 July with the Vietnamese prime minister's economic advisory group, which Cirium did not attend, Thanh said his airline has lost D50 trillion ($2.15 billion) in revenue this year. A report about the meeting was published on 14 July on the Vietnamese government's news website. Nguyen Duc Kien, head of the economic advisory group, said the group will "propose solutions such as refinancing, bridging loans, issuing shares to increase capital or transfer capital" to help Vietnam Airlines overcome financial difficulties. Meanwhile, Vietnamese news site VnExpress International reported on 14 July that Thanh said at the same meeting that Vietnam Airlines is seeking an urgent D12 trillion bailout from the government. The report added that the airline is likely to report a loss of D13 trillion this year, with revenues falling by half from last year to around D50 trillion. Those details were not mentioned in the 14 July report on the government news website. On 12 June, the airline's chief accountant Tran Thanh Hien was quoted by Vietnamese language newspaper Thanh Nien as saying that the airline had submitted a proposal to the Vietnamese government for a low-interest loan of "at least" D4 trillion. The Thanh Nien report also indicated that the airline plans to issue shares to existing shareholders, as well as issuing D10 trillion in bonds with a 10-year term for aircraft acquisition between 2021 and 2025. Cirium has contacted Vietnam Airlines to clarify the amount of money it is seeking for its bailout. https://www.flightglobal.com/vietnam-airlines-needs-liquidity-support-by-end-of-august-ceo/139321.article Back to Top Aeroflot Will Hugely Shrink, Become 5-Star Airline Aeroflot has revealed a significant strategy shift, which will be implemented over the coming years. For context, in addition to "mainline" Aeroflot service, the Russian airline has three subsidiaries: Pobeda Airlines is Aeroflot's low cost carrier, and operates a fleet of 30+ Boeing 737s Rossiya is also an Aeroflot subsidiary, and operates a fleet of 60+ aircraft to leisure destinations, both short haul and long haul Aurora is an Aeroflot subsidiary, and operates a fleet of 20 aircraft (including A319s and turboprops) out of the Far East Basically everything about Aeroflot will be changing, so let's take a look at the details... In this post: • Aeroflot will focus on long haul & premium flights • Pobeda will take over regional routes & aircraft • Rossiya will expand significantly Bottom line Aeroflot will focus on long haul & premium flights Aeroflot wants to become a Skytrax 5-star airline, and as part of that the airline intends to exclusively operate long haul and premium routes. The company notes that the only Skytrax 5-star airline carrying more than 35 million passengers per year is Lufthansa, so generally the company feels that bigger airlines can't deliver amazing quality. Therefore Aeroflot will for the most part not operate regional routes, instead focusing on markets where it can excel and deliver a high quality product. While many people like to joke about Aeroflot, the reality is that the airline is already excellent. I was incredibly impressed when I flew it a few years back. Now Aeroflot is getting A350s with new business class seats, and I really feel like the airline could easily achieve its goals. Pobeda is Aeroflot's low cost carrier. Aeroflot is planning significant growth for the airline: • Aeroflot will transfer nearly 50 Boeing 737-800s to Pobeda • Pobeda operates an all-economy model, so this also means that these flights would no longer feature business class; the planes would go from featuring 158 seats to featuring 189 seats • Pobeda has significantly more seats on planes and a lower cost structure, so Aeroflot believes this could lead to a 30% reduction in regional fares • It's noted that 12% of Pobeda passengers have never flown before, and the plan is for the airline to expand in that market Rossiya will expand significantly Rossiya currently operates a fleet of nearly 60 aircraft, about a third of which are long haul aircraft (including 777s and 747s). The airline will more than quadruple in size over the coming years: • Aeroflot's fleet of up to 150 Sukhoi Superjets will be transferred to Rossiya (the airline so far has about 55 in its fleet, with a further 95 on order) • Aeroflot's order for 50 Irkut MC-21-300s will be transferred to Rossiya • This means Rossiya's fleet will eventually feature mostly Russia-built aircraft. Bottom line This is a huge, gutsy business model change for Aeroflot. The airline is transferring nearly 250 aircraft (including current planes and future orders) to subsidiaries, so Aeroflot will be way smaller in the future. Eventually Aeroflot will operate just A320s, A321s, A330s, A350s, and 777s. Aeroflot hopes to become more premium, which seems achievable. The biggest potential downside here, as I see it, is that those connecting regionally on Aeroflot from long haul flights may be stuck on Pobeda, offering a watered down product in both economy and business class. https://onemileatatime.com/aeroflot-shrink-five-star-airline/ Back to Top South African Airways Sends 2 A350s To Spanish Aircraft Graveyard South African Airways has sent two of its Airbus A350s to a Spanish aircraft graveyard. The two A350s were leased from Avolon, joining the fleet last November, having previously flown for Hainan Airlines. According to data from Planespotters.net, both aircraft are no longer part of the SAA fleet. It has been an interesting year for South African Airways. The airline was already struggling before the current pandemic. In January, the airline canceled many services to conserve cash. The airline was placed into business rescue proceedings in early December, and just yesterday, Simple Flying reported that the airline's rescue plan has now been approved. A350s to Teruel South African Airways has four Airbus A350s. Two were leased from Avolon, with the other two being hired from Air Mauritius. Air Mauritius is currently in voluntary administration. The two from Avolon have now been ferried to Teruel, a Spanish aircraft graveyard towards the north-east of the country. ZS-SDD was the first A350 to make the voyage north to Spain. The aircraft departed Johannesburg at 23:30 on July 10th. It flew for 9 hours and 39 minutes, cruising at a height of 43,000 feet, before touching down in Teruel at 09:47 the next morning. ZS-SDC followed its sister up to Teruel last night. The aircraft departed Johannesburg slightly later at 00:38 this morning. It touched down in Teruel at 10:13 after an ever so slightly shorter 9-hour and 35-minute flight. The plane flew between 40,000 and 41,000 feet for the duration of the cruise. Returned to the lessor These two aircraft have now been returned to the lessor and transferred to long term storage in Spain. It is unclear exactly how long these aircraft will remain there at the present point in time. Given the current situation, demand may not exist for them right away, but it will surely return as more flights return to the skies. For the time being, only one other South African Airways aircraft has been flown to Teruel, an A330 registered as ZS-SXU. However, while they may be the only A350s at the facility, they are far from the only aircraft. Since the start of the pandemic, many different aircraft have been sent to the facility. This includes five British Airways Boeing 747s, Seven Lufthansa A380s, Lufthansa's entire A340-600 fleet, and several Air France A380s. Advertisement: As part of the business rescue for South African Airways, its fleet size is being cut fairly drastically, with many aircraft being sent all across the world. It is entirely possible that further SAA aircraft could end up at Teruel, but only time will tell. Just today at least four Airbus A320s from the airline were being ferried north towards Europe, with one landing at Frankfurt after a stop in Accra. https://simpleflying.com/saa-airbus-a350-aircraft-graveyard/ Back to Top Would scrappage scheme help keep Airbus and Boeing afloat? Just 35 days before air traffic levels in Europe halved under the coronavirus onslaught, Airbus had declared that it would deliver 880 aircraft this year - ironically, a relatively conservative target, after the airframer was forced to row back on its 2019 expectations, owing to difficulties in ramping up A321neo production. At the time, Airbus was planning to introduce a new A321neo assembly line in Toulouse to support efforts to increase production of single-aisle jets. The airframer had been exploring the limits to which it could push the supply chain as it sought to take A320neo-family output beyond the level of 63 per month that it had already planned for 2021. But coronavirus has shredded the airline industry's forecasts and the five-figure combined backlog of 737 Max and A320neo-family jets - close to 10,400 aircraft - now appears to represent a mountain of uncertainty. Airbus and Boeing managed to deliver a total of just 220 aircraft over the first five months of 2020 - barely 40% of the combined figure they achieved in the same period last year. Boeing output had already been affected by the 737 Max grounding and both airframers were continuing to feel the pressure of slack demand in the long-haul aircraft market. This initial delivery disruption has largely been due to logistical problems. The longer-term impact, given the predictions of a slow recovery, with inevitable reluctance by financially pressured airlines to take on unnecessary extra capacity, is yet to become clear. But Airbus has slashed A320neo production by one-third, to 40 per month, while Boeing's 737 Max line is operating at a trickle. As they say in Toulouse when desperate times call for desperate measures: "aux grands maux les grands remedes". One such radical proposal for stimulating the aerospace industry emerged in March when the idea was floated to adapt a controversial US scrappage and incentivisation scheme intended to jump-start the automotive sector in the aftermath of the 2007-2008 economic crisis. Derived through the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) initiative, the car allowance rebate scheme was dubbed "cash for clunkers", to reflect its basic premise - to allow consumers to surrender their older, inefficient cars in return for partial credit towards a newer model with better fuel economy. Trade-in vehicles would subsequently be destroyed, preventing them from being resold or otherwise reintroduced to the active market. Set to run for four months - from 1 July to 1 November 2009, assuming funds were not exhausted - CARS was overseen by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and intended not only to stimulate the automotive industry during an economic downturn but also to address concerns over the environment, by reducing the emissions of the vehicle fleet. Qualifying trade-in vehicles had to meet specific criteria on age, fuel economy, insurance and licensing and, in return, consumers were given a rebate of up to $4,500 that depended on the improvement in efficiency obtained through the trade-up. While the government originally earmarked $1 billion for CARS, the funds rapidly ran out and the allocation was increased to $3 billion. Even so, the scheme closed on 24 August, just a month after the opening claim date, with almost $2.9 billion in applications submitted and almost 700,000 older vehicles eliminated, according to the Department of Transportation. FOLLOW-UP SCHEME Earlier this year a bill containing a similar-sounding initiative - named Airline Assistance to Recycle and Save - emerged in Congress, laying out proposals for the US government to purchase "high-polluting" aircraft from carriers in exchange for a commitment from those operators to acquire fuel-efficient models. Like CARS, the initial authorised allocation amounted to $1 billion. The proposal outlined tasks including the publication of lists comprising aircraft eligible for trade, as well as those that qualified as fuel efficient, plus a determination of timing for the measure. It also indicated that aircraft purchased by the government under the scheme could be salvaged for spares and components, which would then be sold to domestic or foreign operators. Financial services firm Jefferies Group brought up a similar idea, but amended the principle by suggesting that governments take the initiative by directly acquiring new aircraft from the airframers in order to sustain aerospace production, and acting as the bridge to maintain delivery schedules. Jefferies analyst Sandy Morris describes the "novel" proposal as an "inverse cash for clunkers", intended to use government financial resources to calm the uncertainty over the air transport sector. "Modern aircraft have been good investments," says Morris, claiming that the "tough but effective" measure would led to a quicker uptake of new aircraft and, consequently, environmental benefits. Stepping in to pick up some of the slack in Airbus production - perhaps as many as 500-600 aircraft over the next three years - would cost up to €34 billion ($38 billion). Such a figure would not be a heavy burden if shared among major governments, who would then own the assets and be able to redeem them once the air transport market rebounded. At the time, Jefferies had been working on the assumption that Airbus deliveries would sink to around 650 aircraft this year, a fall with which the airframer would be able to cope. But government intervention is not necessarily a welcome resort. Airbus and Boeing are already mired in a long-running transatlantic dispute over subsidies, which support schemes could complicate. "If it is a globally co-ordinated effort, with the USA and Europe on the same page, it might be a fantastic idea," says Teal Group vice-president of analysis Richard Aboulafia. But he highlights many potential conflicts if not, such as the reactions of European carriers to European subsidies for US operators taking Airbus aircraft - and the reverse situation for European operators taking US-subsidised Boeing jets. "In either case, how do you avoid a trade war when both sides are exporting into other markets with heavy government help?" WIDER RAMIFICATIONS Global co-ordination, he adds, does not resolve a sensitive issue relating to maintenance, as the artificially accelerated fleet modernisation upsets the profitability balance for companies focused on aftermarkets. The operating and financial leasing sector also throws an additional ingredient into a complex mix. Close to half of the world's commercial aircraft fleet is leased and a number of carriers have turned to sale-and-leaseback transactions to shore up financial defences in the face of lost revenues and cash bleed. While leasing firms might be keen to accept a payment to shelve older aircraft in their fleets, the downturn in the airline market means there is no immediate incentive to use that capital to invest in newer aircraft types without a customer that would accept them on long-term lease. Financial firm MUFG head of aviation research Bert van Leeuwen points out that if lessors ended up being paid by governments for trading in older aircraft, the taxpayer would be subsidising financial investors. "Sale-and-leasebacks are a good alternative for airlines to manage the transition from old to new-generation aircraft," he says. "In a way, this is an open market alternative to the 'clunkers for cash' scheme." Scrapping older aircraft would reduce supply, potentially lifting residual values, but this effect could be offset by lower demand for older aircraft arising from the availability of discounted new models. Van Leeuwen argues that airframers and the supply chain might benefit from a scrappage scheme, but stresses: "I don't think this industry needs it. It won't kick-start the airlines as the sale-and-leaseback instrument is still available." Although current low fuel costs somewhat diminish the operational advantage of newer models and act as a counter-incentive to trade up, several carriers have already outlined plans to operate modern types as part of the post-crisis recovery. Part of this planning is the result of pressure from governments to ensure environmental concerns are not pushed aside by the desperation of airlines to ensure their survival. One of the notable aspects to emerge from the coronavirus fallout is the conditional linking of bailout funding to sustainability measures - in essence, a more-stick-less-carrot version of the scrappage strategy that nevertheless amounts to government funds being offered to reduce environmental harm. While there is no formal EU scrappage programme in play, Airbus believes that the principle of creating a "green stimulus" through the "right conditions and financing support" to enable airlines to retire older, less-environmentally friendly aircraft early is "in the short term, the best way to reduce emissions". "Longer term, with the sector seriously cash constrained due to the exceptional damage caused by the current crisis, we will need support to allow us to continue to make the huge investments necessary to develop green technologies," the airframer adds. It stresses that attention on sustainable fuels, updating of Single European Sky initiatives, and the UN's CORSIA carbon offset scheme must be maintained in the meantime. Boeing declines to comment about the extent to which a specific scrappage scheme might benefit its operation or otherwise. The US airframer has previously backed a broad $60 billion support programme for the aerospace manufacturing sector as a whole, stating that it would amount to a crucially important "bridge to recovery". "Much of any liquidity support to Boeing will be used for payments to suppliers to maintain the health of the supply chain," it states, adding that the long-term outlook for the aviation industry remains strong. In the decade since the US government attempted to stimulate the automotive industry out of an economic dip, researchers and analysts have scrutinised the scrappage scheme to evaluate its impact, and whether it achieved its intended aims. There is evidence from various academic papers, that the scheme managed to improve the environmental balance, at least to a degree, and that the government succeeded in incentivising the sale of more fuel efficient vehicles. But the effect was short-lived. Some 45% of the participants would have bought a new vehicle anyway during the course of the scheme, which meant that little more than half the car trades amounted to additional new sales. Figures indicated that the stimulation was largely negated over the following 10 months by a depletion of sales in regions with high numbers of older cars, and there are arguments that the job-creation aspect was relatively expensive, compared with alternative stimulus policies. High jet fuel prices that followed the 2007-2008 downturn helped encourage take-up of efficient re-engined aircraft, and - while a number of 737 Max orders have been cancelled - there is no immediate evidence of a broader shying away from commitments, even as traffic has evaporated. This single-aisle market, Airbus believes, will lead the recovery from the crisis. Around 80% of last year's Airbus deliveries were narrowbody types, and the impact of the downturn on the long-haul sector could mean that a higher proportion of this year's overall deliveries - potentially around 550 aircraft - will be single-aisle models. Teal Group is expecting the recovery to follow an "L-shaped" trajectory, lasting about two or three years. It predicts that narrowbody deliveries will be protected, to an extent, by the situation with the 737 Max and by a shift in airline models through which certain routes will migrate away from being served with twin-aisle aircraft and towards single-aisle jets. https://www.flightglobal.com/farnborough-2020/would-scrappage-scheme-help-keep-airbus-and-boeing-afloat/139100.article Back to Top US May Need to Nationalize Military Aircraft Industry, USAF Says That's unless the Air Force can find a way to keep both competition and the few remaining U.S. plane-makers alive, the service's acquisition chief said. The United States might need to nationalize parts of the military aviation sector if the Pentagon does not come up with new ways to buy planes that stimulate more competition in private industry, a top Air Force official warned. Will Roper, the head of Air Force acquisition, spoke Tuesday morning as the service finalizes ambitious plans to buy a new series of combat fighter jets called the Digital Century Series. "We have multiple vendors who can still build a high-end, tactical platform," Roper told reporters. "I think it's really important that we find a new model where there are no big winners and no big losers, but continual competition." Lockheed Martin and Boeing are the only U.S. companies that make tactical fighter jets. Boeing's F-15 Eagle and F/A-18 Super Hornet are considered a generation behind Lockheed's F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. Boeing and Sweden's Saab are building the new T-7 pilot training jet. Northrop Grumman is the only U.S. manufacturer of a heavy bomber. Boeing's KC-46 is the only aerial tanker in serial production and Lockheed's C-130 Super Hercules tactical transport is the only military cargo plane in production. There are no strategic, long-range military transports in production. Roper hopes his Digital Century Series plan will attract a new generation of engineers to the defense sector and provide a model for buying different types of military aircraft. "Technical talent is at a premium," he said. "If the design opportunities are so few and far between that joining a defense company means you may get to design one thing in your career ... - and that's if you're lucky - that that talent will go elsewhere into commercial innovation where the opportunities are more plentiful." Roper's project envisions developing and buying plans at a much quicker rate than traditional tactical fighters which often take a decade before they are produced in large quantities. By that time, technology is already dated and brand new planes must undergo costly and time consuming upgrade projects. The Digital Century Series is a throwback to the U.S. military's "Century Series" fighter jets built in the 1950s and 1960s. His hope is that new companies emerge and disrupt the sector, much like Elon Musk's Tesla electric vehicles have disrupted the automobile industry. "If our industrial base collapses any more, we'll have to nationalize advanced aviation and maybe other parts of the Air Force that currently are competitive," Roper said. "But I also am holding out some hope that if we open up the door to do design frequently, and build things in smaller batches that are between X-planes and mass production, that we will eventually encourage an innovative company to cross over into defense, or companies to start up that just want to build really cool airplanes or satellites, because they don't have to own the big production lines and tooling workforce, which is the only way to work with us today." But one analyst says other countries - Britain, France, Japan, Sweden - have proven that they can keep a single combat aircraft manufacturer alive without formally nationalizing it. Nationalization is "an admission that they have failed miserably and I don't think they have failed," said Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis at the Teal Group aviation consulting firm. "The arsenal system was great for the Civil War, where you don't have to respond to market needs in terms of talent and corporate organization, but the real world of aerospace calls for, at the very least, a public-private partnership - nationalization being, kind of the land of the lost," Aboulafia said. The defense industry has contracted in recent years following a series of high-profile mergers and acquisitions, the latest being the April mega-merger of United Technologies and Raytheon, which followed UTC's acquisition of Rockwell Collins. L3 Technologies merged with Harris last year. Roper said he has been surprised that other top defense officials seem unworried about the shrinking defense industrial base. "It's not because the defense industrial base has gotten worse, it's just programs are so few and far between that to be any long-term partner with us in defense tech, you'd have to have a pretty diversified portfolio," he said. Roper believes his Digital Century Series plan will lower the military's long-term costs. Since becoming the Air Force's top weapons buyer in early 2018, he has been looking for ways to lower the lifetime costs of owning planes. Roper compared buying weapons to getting a free or deeply discounted mobile phone from a wireless provider which then locks the customer into a long-term service contract. "I believe it's going to be cheaper to procure airplanes this way than it will be with the major production line, not because the per unit price will be cheaper ... but because the total price of ownership is lower, that we will get out the heavy modernization and sustainment costs that really start piling after Year 15," he said.. Roper has pushed for companies to build weapons with open technology, so the Air Force isn't forced to repeatedly pay the company that made a specific weapon for upgrades over its lifetime. "Everything has to change," Roper said. "This 21st-century challenge we have simply flies in the face of Cold War acquisition. We're going to have to use technology available to everyone. We're not going to be able to own it and have it be exclusive for us. We've got to create a business model that ... [the] defense industry to design systems that are open for technology, especially digital technology that again will be open to everyone." So how does the defense industry feel about Roper's plan to radically change the way the Air Force buys weapons? "The Digital Century Series may help America win the tech war with China while making it more likely our military loses in a real war," defense industry analyst and consultant Loren Thompson wrote in Forbes earlier this year. https://www.defenseone.com/business/2020/07/us-may-need-nationalize-military-aircraft-industry-usaf-says/166894/ Back to Top Pandemic does not derail San Diego pilot's daring pole-to-pole flight • Robert DeLaurentis makes good on his mission to fly from the South Pole to the North Pole While most of us were sheltering in place last weekend, Robert DeLaurentis was out seeing the world and living his dream. After an 11-hour solo flight, the San Diego pilot accomplished his personal mission impossible. He flew his highly modified Gulfstream Turbine Commander 900, "Citizen of the World," over the North Pole. Thus he made good on his quest to circumnavigate the poles, a trip years in the planning. He is currently in Alaska and expects to arrive back in San Diego next month. As anticipated, the trip didn't quite go as planned. It was most notably delayed by a lengthy grounding in Spain due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Throughout the sojourn, which began last Nov. 16, DeLaurentis has been faithfully posting photos and updates on his Facebook page. He added a photo of his twin-engine plane just seconds after completing the North Pole leg, announcing to the world: "...feeling joyful in Fairbanks, Alaska... after a harrowing 11-hour flight from Northern Sweden over the True North Pole, the magnetic North Pole and the North Pole of Inaccessibility" (the Arctic ice furthest from any land mass). Congratulations were quick to flow in from fans everywhere: "Wow. You did it!"... "Phenomenal experience" ... "Never had a doubt. Way to go"... "An epic journey!"... "Yahoo"..."Bravo"... "A true adventure" ... "You are an amazing inspiration..." DeLaurentis' trip wasn't a flight of fancy but a well-executed mission. It was designed to further science through NASA and Scripps Institution of Oceanography on-board experiments, to boost STEM education awareness and to promote peace through interviews, speeches and meetings at stops along the route. "The trip over the North Pole was very, very challenging." DeLaurentis told me during a phone interview Wednesday from Alaska. "I was scared to death. Many more systems failed over the North Pole than had failed over the South Pole." He flew for 9.5 hours with no communications, leaving him unable to talk to air traffic controllers until his plane got within 60 miles of Alaska. During his earlier flight over the South Pole, both of his GPS systems failed, so DeLaurentis was expecting that might happen again. And it did. For five long hours the systems worked only sporadically and, when they did, gave misinformation about the plane's direction. He was unable to get an accurate heading. Plus, his autopilot system failed. "I was on top of clouds so I had no visual reference," DeLaurentis said. "I could have flown in circles until I ran out of fuel." That 3,450-mile segment was "a long way to fly in that zone of confusion." While $150,000 worth of technical equipment malfunctioned, DeLaurentis rejoiced that his $1,000 Apple iPad worked perfectly, and he relied on its Jeppesen application charts to map his course. To compound problems, when he arrived at his Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, destination, the airport was fogged in, forcing him to continue on to Fairbanks. "Luckily I had extra fuel," said DeLaurentis, who had equipped his turboprop with five extra fuel tanks. The one worry he didn't have was his fuel freezing. It gels at minus 47 degrees Celsius (minus 52.6 degrees Fahrenheit), he said, but in this time of global warming, the North Pole temperature didn't fall below minus 40 degrees Celsius. . Was there joy in the moment of crossing the North Pole? "Maybe it was more like relief," he said. "At the time I was just thinking about getting to Alaska.... I went off course by 15 to 20 degrees. I thought, 'Why am I doing this? Why am I putting myself in this situation?'" The North Pole navigation was the second hardest leg of his journey, superseded only by the South Pole - an 18-hour solo flight. That leg "stressed me physically, emotionally and broke me open spiritually," he wrote early one morning as he contemplated his North Pole segment. "I've been away for seven months and it's looking like it will take another two months.... I'm fatigued, somewhat confident, and people still are calling me crazy - at least that last part is consistent." DeLaurentis is a member of The Explorers Club and has taken flag No. 44 with him on this trip, considered a "flag expedition." His flag previously has been to the South Pole, North Pole, Mount Everest and the ocean floor of the Mariana Trench. Cinematographers Jeremy LaZelle and Kristin Gates have been documenting his journey, which included stops on six continents and in 26 countries. He stayed with monks in a Spanish monastery, met a priest living in a cave for 50 years in Ethiopia and interviewed Zulu rangers and dog sledding champions. Rough versions of the first six episodes of a 10-part docu-series, "Peace Pilot: To the Ends of the Earth and Beyond," are now being reviewed by the Discovery channel for possible airing. Meanwhile, DeLaurentis has been working on his upcoming book by the same title whenever he gets a chance, documenting experiences while recall is fresh. The pilot adventurer plans to land at Gillespie Field before mid-August (because his trip insurance runs out Aug. 15). In upcoming months, he hopes to use the "Citizen of the World" as a traveling museum, transporting it to various settings around the country to share his experiences with school students and others who may also dream of doing the impossible some day. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/columnists/story/2020-07-15/column-pandemic-does-not-derail-san-diego-pilots-daring-pole-to-pole-flight Back to Top PILOTS (STILL) WANTED STABLE STRATEGIES FOR A VOLATILE JOB MARKET A well-known report predicting that hundreds of thousands of pilot jobs would open worldwide over the next two decades made waves in the marketplace in 2018 as employers fretted over where all those workers would come from. Right now the short-term outlook looks quite different from Boeing's widely distributed employment forecast: With air transportation demand down during the coronavirus pandemic and industry layoffs looming this fall when some government aid to airlines ends, how does a pilot who is preparing to enter the job market compete-possibly against more experienced applicants-for jobs that are, temporarily at least, scarce? One answer is that landing a flying job remains the same game it has always been. Smart job seekers should adjust their strategy, and perhaps the timeline, to current conditions, but as with flying itself, the fundamentals shouldn't be sacrificed or compromised. It's still important to network and attend job fairs and aviation events (online) where major employers have a presence. Polish your interviewing skills. Stay informed about what recruiters are looking for in applicants. And despite all the hubbub about demand outpacing the supply of hirable pilots years into the future, you may also need to remind yourself of the virtues of patience while conditions sort themselves out. That doesn't mean changing your career aspirations, but you may find that you arrive at your ultimate job-market destination by a different route than the one you planned. That's not too different from flying, is it? Not too long ago it seemed like a matter-of-fact proposition that someone with your tickets, flight time, and multiengine or turbine time would get hired at an airline or by a corporate flight department without too much delay. You tidied up your résumé and accumulated some nice recommendation letters from associates with impressive credentials. Next you may have worked on your interviewing skills, rehearsing your explanation of how your inherent strengths and your aviation education make up for your relative lack of experience-a question you were told would be raised by a senior pilot or the human resources representative conducting your interview. Keep that strategy for an airline interview in mind, but that may not be where you are headed next, said Art Jacob, an airline transport pilot with numerous Boeing, Airbus, and Cessna Citation type ratings and active flight instructor who also holds advanced degrees in economics and has owned several flight training operations. "Aspiring pilots need several alternatives, as the career path has no longer become a straight line," he said in a phone interview. His advice partly answers a question that must have come into the minds of many would-be aviation career aspirants after FAA Administrator Steve Dickson shared his outlook on the industry's short-term prospects in a webinar series hosted by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in June. Although Dickson predicted that pandemic-suppressed demand for commercial air travel would make a comeback, "full recovery could take two to four years, with leisure travel outpacing business travel. Carriers that rely on business travel for most of their revenue could see an even slower recovery," he said. Aviation has never been short of serving up life lessons-so here's another one: You may not have imagined yourself working a prolonged stint as a flight instructor, or flying piston twins as a contract pilot, but that may be one of the more practical options for current entry-level professional pilots. (That's also where your local aviation-community networking could pay dividends, because sometimes, instead of you finding the job, the job finds you as employers survey the local scene to quickly fill an open pilot seat.) Jacob notes that in the short run, new entrants to the pilot job market, fresh from some instructing experience and with the minimum number of flight hours needed to step up to a commuter-airline first officer's post, won't be competing just with their peers (although if you trained at a flight school with an airline-industry partner, you may still have an edge). There may also be mid-career-change pilots who have racked up many flight hours in years of personal flying, and furloughed airline pilots also waiting in line-some having surrendered their all-important seniority when departing a previous job. "You've got a multiple sequence of domino effects happening now, and that's the unprecedented nature of today," Jacob said. On the other hand, he said, the need to shake off complacency about an easy career track that seems to have evaporated can spur job seekers to consider options they might not have looked into previously. "Sometimes it takes a good kick in the butt to drive individuals to do what's best, and I've always believed that-and this is one of those times," he said. Bottom line: If it seems impossible to predict when the volatility will subside in an industry already known for its cyclical ups and downs, remind yourself that the basic advice hasn't changed: Whether you are just now entering training, or making a course correction on your path to a flying career, stay focused on taking the most reliable path to fulfilling your passion to fly. To be a standout applicant, strive to excel in those areas demanded by employers as well as being able to showcase your understanding of how the aviation industry is affected by economic conditions. (Embry-Riddle, for example, describes the skills it emphasizes in the education of degree-program pilots including leadership; decision-making aptitude "to accurately and quickly assess situations and manage risk"; and knowledge of resource management, human factors, and safety awareness.) "When airline hiring returns to normal, recruiters will be looking for the most qualified candidates," notes the flight training company ATP. "Pilots who start training now, and have a jump start on building their hours, will be considered first as flight time is almost always king." https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/july/14/pilots-still-wanted Back to Top Motorsport battery technology to aid next generation fighter jet development BAE Systems and motorsport company Williams are to jointly develop battery management and cooling technologies for future fighter jets. The defense firm is to partner with Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), the Oxfordshire, UK-based part of Williams that works to transfer technologies originally developed for race cars into other industries. WAE is a leader in the design and delivery of advanced batteries. The company was recently appointed as the Gen3 exclusive battery system supplier of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The company aims to transfer knowledge and technology about motorsport batteries to deliver efficiency and performance gains in the design of future combat aircraft. Paul McNamara, technical director at Williams Advanced Engineering said, "We feel privileged to be involved in this ground-breaking project and are confident that our experience in advanced battery development and cooling technologies will allow us to deliver innovative new solutions that can be applied in the defence sector. "We have already seen a number of tangible benefits from closer working with BAE Systems, tapping into a rich source of experience from a range of engineering disciplines." The project is part of a wider Team Tempest research program to develop technologies for the UK's next generation fighter jet. Disclosed requirements for the fighter include the need high-power at low weight, to carry out long range endurance and mission success. Future systems will also need to generate enough energy to power a small town, which can be managed safely and efficiently throughout the aircraft and its subsystems. Julia Sutcliffe, chief technology officer for BAE Systems' air sector said, "Working in partnership with companies like WAE is vital to drive rapid innovation at the pace the Tempest program demands. Changing how we engage with wider industry and leveraging the best technologies and processes from across the global supply chain is essential in order to deliver value to the UK, our international partners and our allies. This latest project builds on an agreement signed in 2018 between the two companies to share technology, expertise and skills across a range of areas including augmented reality, cockpit designs and advanced materials to create game-changing innovations for the design, performance and production of both fast jets and fast cars. https://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/news/defense/motorsport-battery-technology-to-aid-next-generation-fighter-jet-development.html Back to Top There Are 3 Missions to Mars This Month. Here's Everything You Need to Know. Despite the planning and coordination difficulties imposed by Covid-19, NASA's next trip to Mars will take off on July 30, weather permitting. When the Perseverance rover touches down in the Jezero Crater on Feb, 18, 2021, it promises to provide unprecedented information and imagery, including new answers to questions about life on the Red Planet. This month, in fact, will see three separate launches to Mars, according to space.com. Preceding the NASA launch, the United Arab Emirates will make its initial foray into space with its Hope Mars mission, or Emirates Mars Mission. It is scheduled to take place on July 14. China will also have a launch on July 23, with its own domestic mission called Tianwen-1. Its rover will be lifted on top of a Long March 5 rocket. Its rover is about the size of a golf cart. If Tianwen-1 is successful, China will become the third country behind the U.S. and Soviet Union to have landed a spacecraft on Mars. The Chinese have not relayed many details about the rover. Perserverance, by contrast, is the largest, heaviest and most sophisticated rover NASA has yet sent to Mars. It features 23 cameras, a navigation system that assesses and avoids hazards during landing, self-driving capabilities and an array of sensors that collect atmospheric data. Another system, the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment, or more conveniently MOXIE, will attempt to produce oxygen from the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. If successful, it could pave the way for manned missions by offering a means to refill breathing tanks and providing a source of rocket fuel. Perseverance will also search for evidence of past inhabitants, which is why it is headed to Jezero, a 28-mile wide indent north of the equator where a river flowed into a large body of water about three or four billion years ago. "It is such a promising location for finding organic molecules and other potential signs of microbial life," Ken Farley of Caltech, the Perseverance's project scientist, said in a NASA.gov story. The rover can conduct a number of experiments on site, but it will also pack up and store rock and sediment samples for return to Earth by a future mission, where they can be examined by fully equipped labs. As with previous missions to Mars, NASA plans to make the live streams and raw images from all those cameras to work, allowing anyone to join the exploration from home. "Perseverance sets a new bar for our ambitions at Mars," Lori Glaze, NASA's planetary science director, told the administration's website. "We will get closer than ever before to answering some of science's longest-standing questions about the Red Planet, including whether life ever arose there." https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/3-missions-mars-month-everything-124631163.html Back to Top TheUSC Aviation Safety & Security ProgramWill Offer Online and In-Person Classes This Fall The following upcoming courses, including NEW Safety Performance Indicators course, will take place in Los Angeles and in our virtual Webex classrooms. Software Safety Philosophies and methods of developing software, analyzing software, and managing a software safety program. Online Course August 17-20, 2020 4 Days Tuition: $2250 SeMS Aviation Security Management Systems Managing and implementing aviation security measures at medium to small size aircraft operators, all airports, and Indirect Air Carriers, with emphasis on risk assessment and cyber security. Online and In-Person Course August 17-21, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2650 Accident/Incident Response Preparedness This course is designed for individuals who are involved in either preparing emergency response plans or responding to incidents and accidents as a representative of their organization. This updated course has been extended to four full days to integrate communications in the digital age. Online and In-Person Course August 24-27, 2020 4 Days Tuition: $2250 Human Factors in Aviation Safety This course presents human factors in a manner that can be readily understood and applied by aviation practitioners in all phases of aviation operations. Emphasis is placed on identifying the causes of human error, predicting how human error can affect performance, and applying countermeasures to reduce or eliminate its effects. Online and In-Person Course August 24-28, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2650 Aviation Law & Aviation Dispute Resolution This course provides information on the legal risks inherent in aviation operations and an overview of the legal system as it relates to aviation safety. The course also provides an understanding of the various legal processes relating to aviation and discusses ways to engage aviation authorities in a responsible and successful manner. The judicial process, current litigation trends, legal definitions, and procedures are also covered. Online Course August 31-September 3, 2020 4 Days Tuition: $2250 Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance This course provides supervisors with aviation safety principles and practices needed to manage the problems associated with aircraft maintenance operations. In addition, it prepares attendees to assume safety responsibilities in their areas of operation. Online and In-Person Course August 31-September 4, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2650 Threat and Error Managment This course provides students with sufficient knowledge to develop a TEM program and a LOSA program within their organizations. Online and In-Person Course September 9-11, 2020 2.5 Days Tuition: $1375 Digital Photography for Aircraft Accident Investigation This specialized course in accident investigation is designed to assist the investigator to improve photographic documentation of an accident site. Course participants will take photographs of components and critique them as a class. This course assumes that the investigator is not a professional photographer. In-Person Course September 10-11, 2020 2 Days Tuition: $1200 Aviation Safety Management Systems Providing the skills and practical methods to plan, manage, and maintain an effective Aviation Safety Management System. Special emphasis for safety managers, training, flight department and maintenance managers and supervisors, pilots, air traffic controllers, dispatchers, and schedulers. Online and In-Person Course September 14-25, 2020 9.5 Days Tuition: $3750 Hazard Effects and Control Strategies This course focuses on underlying physical, chemical, and biological characteristics and effects, and hazard control strategies. The following hazards are specifically addressed: electrical hazards, electrostatic discharge, toxicity, kinetic hazards, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, thermal hazards, noise, fire and explosion, high pressure, etc. Online and In-Person Course September 14-15, 2020 2 Days Tuition: $1200 Damage Assessment for System Safety Sophisticated mathematical models and methods have been developed to estimate the level of impact of a hazardous condition. This course provides an overall understanding of these methods to help managers and system safety analysis reviewers understand the analysis conducted and results obtained by the experts in the field. Specifically, methods for modeling the impact of fire and explosion, debris distribution from an explosion, and toxic gas dispersion are discussed. Online and In-Person Course September 16-18, 2020 3 Days Tuition: $1625 Safety Management Systems for Ground Operation Safety This course provides airport, air carrier and ground service company supervisors and managers with practices that will reduce ground operation mishaps to personnel and equipment. It provides an understanding of how ground operations safety management is an essential part or an airport's or air carrier's SMS. Online and In-Person Course September 21-23, 2020 2.5 Days Tuition: $1375 Safety Performance Indicators This course teaches how SPI's are developed, monitored, analyzed and modified in order for an organization to correctly know its safety performance. The course utilizes guidance provided in ICAO Annex 19 and the ICAO Safety Management Manual Doc. 9859. Online and In-Person Course September 24-25, 2020 2 Days Tuition: $1200 Earn Credit for FlightSafety International Master Technician-Management Program Students taking the following USC courses will earn elective credits towards FlightSafety International's Master Technician-Management Program • Human Factors in Aviation Safety • Gas Turbine Accident Investigation • Helicopter Accident Investigation • Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance • Safety Management for Ground Operations Safety • Accident/Incident Response Preparedness Earn Credit for National Business Aviation Association Certified Aviation Manager Exam Students taking the following USC courses will earn two points toward completing the application for the National Business Aviation Association Certified Aviation Manager Exam. • Aviation Safety Management Systems • Accident/Incident Response Preparedness • Human Factors in Aviation Safety • Aircraft Accident Investigation • SeMS Aviation Security Management Systems For further details, please visit our website or use the contact information below. Email: aviation@usc.edu Telephone: +1 (310) 342-1345 Photo Credit: PFC Brendan King, USMC Leasing Aircraft & Engines, Return Conditions, and Transition - Course Date(s): Tuesday & Wednesday, 4 & 5 August 2020 Register: Email registration form to training@aais.org.sg Time: 9.30am - 1pm Closing Date: One week before course date. Venue: Virtual training via MS Team Fees: AAIS Member: S$763/pax Public: S$913/pax (excl. prevailing GST) About the Course: Whether you are a lessor/lessee or in a lease management company, this unique and interesting course is designed for personnel wanting to enhance their understanding of the complicated maintenance aspects for aircraft lessors and lessee. The attendees will be more knowledgeable of what lease clauses require, what banking and financial institutions should know, what airlines/MROs and lessors must know when managing or returning the aircraft, and what regulators really require in order to issue import/export and airworthiness certificates. Handling of the transition of aircraft from one lessee and regulatory authority to another, including contract negotiation, modification implementation and new aircraft lease initiation will also be discussed. In 1980, airlines leased three percent of all aircraft and owned 97 percent. By 2014, airlines leased approximately 40 percent of all aircraft (by operating lease). This number is projected to increase to 50 percent in the next few years (Reed Business Information Ltd, 2014). Learn the best ways to manage aircraft lease return so there is no disruption in airline operation and no penalties. Aircraft lessors usually require that the aircraft undergo heavy maintenance at an EASA or FAA certified MRO.What are the consequences to look out for, especially in terms of clauses pertaining to maintenance and lease return conditions? At the conclusion of this course, participants will: * Determine the specific regulations, directives, advisory circulars, orders, and/or technical information needed for companies seeking a better understanding of Aircraft Leasing processes in an international context. * Be able to apply ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices * Have a much deeper understanding of aircraft leasing clauses in particular the do's and don'ts Who Should Attend? Persons involved with aircraft/engine leasing or leasing management, MROs involved with aircraft leasing, Industry, finance institutions, and airline personnel involved with contract negotiations and development would significantly benefit. Course Content: This packed one-day training will include a focus on the following key topics: * Role of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) * Basic Principles of International Aviation Airworthiness Standards * Aircraft Registration - the state of registration * Aircraft Operation - the state of the operator * National Regulatory Bodies * Review of various Aircraft Lease/Maintenance Agreements * 3 Most Relevant clauses: Delivery, Redelivery and Maintenance. * Aircraft Configuration and Control * Airline Reliability Programs and MPD Adjustments * Contract Maintenance Management and Supply Chain Preparation * Maintenance and Airworthiness, including Skin mapping, Dents and Buckles Reports - Modifications and Alterations - Aircraft Records Documentation - Major and Minor Repairs/Alterations, Modifications Including STCs Repair Data * Instruction for Continued Airworthiness, Ageing Aircraft and EWIS Requirements * Successful Lease Returns and Transitions and Avoiding Delays - Top 10 Tips About the Instructor: Mr Michael Daniel, Member, AAIS Panel of Experts Mike is an International Aviation Safety consultant with over 33 years with the FAA as a Senior Manager, ISO 9001 / AS 9100 / AS 9110 Principal / Lead and Internal Auditor, Credentialed Supervisory Safety Inspector and Accident Investigator, and FAA Academy Instructor. With several FAA overseas postings, he project managed the first FAA Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreements (BASA MIP) with Germany and France. He has also considerable experience with managing various regulatory requirements, FAA & EASA Certification and Maintenance (MRO & AMO), Part 121 Air Operators, Part 135 Business Aviation Air Operators, and Aircraft Certification. Mike graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (B.Sc. Aeronautics), a holder of FAA Maintenance Licenses with Inspection Authorization, and is a licensed pilot. He is a member of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI), Flight Safety Foundation, SAE International, Chartered Quality Institute, and the Project Management Institute as an accredited Project Management Professional. He had previously served in the United States Marine Corps. *Note: AAIS reserves the right to adjust the course pricing and to re-schedule or cancel any course due to unforeseen circumstances, course commencement is subject to minimum class size requirements. https://aais.org.sg/virtual_leasing_ac_engines/ Back to Top Back to Top As part of our Swinburne Bachelor of Aviation undergraduate research project, we have constructed a survey for members of the aviation industry and those who have not worked in aviation to provide feedback on their attitudes and opinions about Urban Air Mobility and single-pilot and/or autonomous airline operations. If you are an active participant in the aviation industry as a passenger or through employment, we invite you to take part in this survey to help give the industry a better understanding of the general sentiment towards these emerging technologies and operational concepts. To participate please follow the link below to our online survey: https://swinuw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9zRhPPbCfnsHH3T It should take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Participants who complete the survey will be eligible to enter the draw to WIN AN iPad. Thank you very much for your time. This research project is being supervised by Peter Renshaw at the Department of Aviation, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. If you have any questions, please contact Peter at prenshaw@swin.edu.au 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