Flight Safety Information July 17, 2020 - No. 144 In This Issue Incident: Jetblue A320 near Ft. Myers on Jul 16th 2020, fuel transfer problems Incident: Envoy E145 at Chicago on Jul 12th 2020, landing gear malfunction Incident: Mesa E175 at Columbus on Jul 15th 2020, flock of birds NEWSPAPERS FROM CRASHED JET FOUND IN MELTING GLACIER ICE Pakistan Validates Licenses of 166 Pilots Working in Foreign Countries EU's Aviation Safety Agency Issue Warning For Aircraft Flying In Iranian Airspace Aviation company denies negligence in fatal Wyoming accident Air France-KLM adds China flights after France intervenes HELICOPTER SAFETY NEWS The FAA Gives All Clear For Boeing 737-700 Combi Aircraft United Airlines, pilots union reach creative deal to limit furloughs American Airlines and JetBlue Are Teaming Up. Is a Merger in the Works? Coronavirus forces British Airways to retire entire fleet of Boeing's jumbo jets A new SpaceX filing with the FCC suggests Starship rocket prototypes may fly more than 12 miles above 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 Urban Air Mobility and Single-Pilot/Autonomous Airline Operations Research Project AVIATION SAFETY SURVEY GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: Jetblue A320 near Ft. Myers on Jul 16th 2020, fuel transfer problems A Jetblue Airbus A320-200, registration N634JB performing flight B6-1334 from San Juan (Puerto Rico) to Orlando,FL (USA) with 51 people on board, was enroute at FL380 about 110nm east of Ft. Myers,FL (USA) when the crew descended the aircraft to FL240 due to problems with the fuel system and subsequently decided to divert to Ft. Myers reporting they had an issue with the fuel transfer between the tanks, which did not occur at the normal speeds. The aircraft landed safely on Ft. Myers' runway 06 about 30 minutes after leaving FL380. Following an inspection by emergency services for possible fuel leaks the aircraft taxied to the apron with emergency services in trail. After landing the crew advised they did not have a fuel leak at all, there was fuel trapped in one of the tanks, however, as the aircraft descended it began to move and become usable, the aircraft was perfectly normal again upon landing. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 3:10 hours, then continued the flight to Orlando and reached the destination with a delay of 3.5 hours. The airline reported the crew diverted out of abundance of caution after the crew received an error message on a computer. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/JBU1334/history/20200716/1406Z/TJSJ/KRSW http://avherald.com/h?article=4da096f7&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Envoy E145 at Chicago on Jul 12th 2020, landing gear malfunction An Envoy Airlines Embraer ERJ-145, registration N905JH performing flight AA-3594 from Chicago O'Hare,IL to Detroit,MI (USA) with 43 people on board, was in the initial climb out of O'Hare's runway 09R when the crew declared emergency reporting a landing gear malfunction with the nose gear. The aircraft stopped the climb at 5000 feet, the crew requested a low approach to have the gear inspected from the ground and advised they'd be needed to be towed off the runway. ATC advised the crew to expect runway 09L for the low approach and 10L for landing. Following the low approach tower as well as the crew of another aircraft looking at the landing gear reported all three gear appeared to be down. The aircraft climbed back to 5000 feet, positioned for the approach to runway 10L and landed safely about 40 minutes after departure. About 15 minutes after landing the aircraft was towed to the apron. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ENY3594/history/20200712/2025Z/KORD/KDTW http://avherald.com/h?article=4da087a7&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Mesa E175 at Columbus on Jul 15th 2020, flock of birds A Mesa Airlines Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of United, registration N85355 performing flight UA-6095 from Columbus,OH to Houston Intercontinental,TX (USA), departed Columbus' runway 10L maintaining routine communication, climbed to cruise level and continued to Houston for a safe landing about 2:15 hours later. The FAA reported on Jul 16th 2020 the aircraft sustained unknown damage when the aircraft flew through a large flock of birds on departure from Columbus,OH. The aircraft is still on the ground in Houston about 25 hours after landing. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ASH6095/history/20200712/1110Z/KCMH/KIAH http://avherald.com/h?article=4da06e5c&opt=0 Back to Top NEWSPAPERS FROM CRASHED JET FOUND IN MELTING GLACIER ICE Several newspapers believed to have been on board an Air India Boeing 707, which crashed above Chamonix more than 54 years ago, have been found by the manager of a nearby mountain hut. The discovery came on the Bossons glacier in the Mont Blanc massif, which has revealed other remains since the plane crashed on 24th January 1966, killing everyone on board. "They are drying now but they are in very good condition. You can read them," Timothée Mottin, who found the newspapers, told French media. "It's not unusual. Every time we walk on the glacier with friends, we find remains of the crash. "With experience, you know where they are. "They are being carried along by the glacier according to their size," he said. About 12 newspapers have been collected. They are dated 20th and 21st January 1966 and include copies of the Indian newspapers the National Herald and The Economic Times announcing the election of the country's first female Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. The Bossons glacier is a short hike from the Cabane du Cerro, the hut where Timothée Mottin works. PlanetSKI hiked to the glacier from the valley floor in Chamonix in 2018. According to French media Mr Mottin will put the newspapers on display at the hut once they dry out completely, along with other finds. Over the past 12 years a number of items from the crashed plane have been revealed by melting glacial ice. • In 2008, a climber found some Indian newspapers dated 23 January 1966 • In August 2012 a bag of diplomatic mail, stamped 'On Indian Government Service, Diplomatic Mail, Ministry of External Affairs', was recovered by a mountain rescue worker and handed over to the authorities • In 2013 a mountaineer found a metal box of precious stones, including sapphires, rubies and emeralds worth between €130,000-€246,000 (£117,000-£230,000) https://planetski.eu/2020/07/16/newspapers-from-crashed-jet-found-in-melting-glacier-ice/ Back to Top Pakistan Validates Licenses of 166 Pilots Working in Foreign Countries ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan on Thursday validated licenses of 166 pilots working in foreign countries amid a scandal involving "dubious" flying certificates, which caused a global alert. Pakistan's civil aviation ministry grounded 262 pilots for "dubious" qualifications last month, prompted by a preliminary report into an airliner crash in Karachi in May that found the pilots had failed to follow standard procedures and disregarded alarms. That crash killed 97 passengers and crew. The ministry had said earlier that Pakistan has a total of 860 pilots, 107 of whom work for foreign airlines, but updated on Thursday in a statement that it had received requests from 10 countries for validation of 176 pilots. It said 166 of them have been validated by Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as "genuine and certified" and the remaining 10 will have their process completed by next week. The 10 countries where these pilots are employed included United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Malaysia, Vietnam, Bahrain, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, the ministry said. It said the validation had been conveyed to the respective countries. Out of the 262 grounded pilots, the statement said, the licenses for 28 pilots have been cancelled, and a process of verification for another 76 was underway. The scandal has prompted the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to suspended two Pakistani airlines' authorisation to fly to the bloc for six months over safety failure. Britain and the United States have also revoked landing rights for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), and various global safety boards have downgraded the national carrier's rating over aviation safety risks. Several countries have grounded the Pakistani pilots, seeking the validation from Pakistan. Pakistan Airlines Pilots Association (PALPA) has said there are discrepancies in the government-prepared list of pilots with licences deemed dubious. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2020-07-16/pakistan-validates-licenses-of-166-pilots-working-in-foreign-countries Back to Top EU's Aviation Safety Agency Issue Warning For Aircraft Flying In Iranian Airspace Europe's Aviation Safety Agency has recently issued a warning stating that all passenger aircraft that operate through Iranian Airspace are at risk The European Aviation Safety Agency has recently issued a warning stating that all passenger aircraft that operate through Iranian Airspace are at risk of being targeted and shot down by the country's air-defence system. According to reports, the EASA released a statement wherein they advised aircraft to be cautious. EU agency cautions passenger aircrafts As per reports, the EASA's statement further added that there is very poor coordination between the Iranian civil aviation agency and the military, therefore there is a real possibility that passenger aircraft could be misidentified as hostile aircraft. The EASA also warned of the presence of advanced air-defence systems in the country. The European Union agency claimed that the risk is high for aircraft that fly below 25,000 feet and it recommended caution till at least January 16, 2021. This warning has been issued after Iran admitted that due to a series of human errors that resulted in miscommunication, it mistakenly shot down a Ukraine International Airlines Flight back in January that killed 752 souls on board. The downing of the Ukrainian flight took place just days after the death of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in a bombing which was carried out by the United States. The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has also stated in a televised statement that all persons responsible for the shooting down of the airliner will be held accountable and punished. After initially denying its involvement in the January 8 crash, Iran on January 11 admitted that it accidentally shot down the jetliner because of a human error. https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/middle-east/europes-aviation-safety-agency-issue-warning.html Back to Top Aviation company denies negligence in fatal Wyoming accident JACKSON HOLE, WYO. - An aviation company disputes a claim it is responsible for the death of a glider passenger in response to a lawsuit filed by the family of a victim in a Wyoming crash. Teton Aviation was named in a wrongful death case stemming from the 2018 accident in Grand Teton National Park, The Jackson Hole News & Guide reports. The son of David Ross of Salt Lake City filed the lawsuit June 8 in Teton County District Court against the aviation company, listed in court documents as Teton Avjet LLC. Ross, 65, was flying with pilot Kristine Ciesinski, 65, of Victor, Idaho, when the glider (Let L-23 Super Blanik) crashed between Middle Teton and South Teton above Icefloe Lake in June 2018. Ciesinski also perished in the accident. The pair departed from Teton Aviation Center in Driggs, Idaho, and were reported overdue to the Teton Interagency Dispatch center around noon. The lawsuit claims Teton Aviation Center failed to properly service the aircraft and hired careless and dangerous pilots. Personnel tried to reach the pilot by radio within an hour of the scheduled return. Ross also signed a release, the company said. The National Transportation Safety Board investigated but did not identify a cause of the crash. https://www.kentucky.com/news/business/article244288312.html Back to Top Air France-KLM adds China flights after France intervenes BEIJING/PARIS (Reuters) - Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA) will add more flights to China, the airline group said on Thursday, after France moved to reduce Chinese airlines' services in protest of flight restrictions imposed by Beijing. Air France-KLM will operate a second Paris-Shanghai flight and a new Amsterdam-Shanghai service starting next week, the French embassy in Beijing also said on its website. The loosening of restrictions came after Paris began limiting Chinese airlines to one weekly passenger flight to France between them starting on Monday, in response to Beijing's curbs on Air France services. China, which introduced drastic coronavirus travel restrictions in March, had restricted Air France to one flight, while three of its own carriers each flew weekly to France. Reciprocal U.S.-China travel curbs have also further strained Beijing's frayed ties with Washington. Air France hopes soon to add a third flight to another Chinese city, a spokeswoman for the group said on Thursday. "Positive discussions are continuing to increase the flight frequencies between France and China in compliance with the bilateral air services agreement," the French embassy said. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-china-france-fligh/air-france-klm-adds-china-flights-after-france-intervenes-idUSKCN24H1IO Back to Top HELICOPTER SAFETY NEWS A Reduction in Helicopter Operations Leads to a Reduction in Accidents U.S. Helicopter Safety Team Also Adds New Safety Experts to its Steering Committee WASHINGTON D.C. - The first six months of 2020 have been challenging for the helicopter community and for the entire aviation industry, but one positive from the circumstances has been a decrease in accidents. From January through June 2020, the U.S. helicopter industry experienced 42 total accidents with nine of them being fatal accidents. For the same period in 2019, there were 69 total accidents and 15 of them were accidents involving fatalities. According to the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (www.USHST.org), some of this decrease stems from a decrease in flights during the COVID-19 outbreak. It is estimated that total flights were down from 10 to 30 percent during any given period this Spring. The fatal accident rate per 100,000 flight hours was 0.63 for Jan.-Jun 2020. For full year 2019, the rate was 0.80 according to preliminary data. This year, the USHST also welcomed new safety experts to serve on its expanded Steering Committee: • Mike Newell, Director of Aviation Safety at Airbus Helicopters, replaces Emanuele "Manny" Figlia, who recently retired from Airbus. • Chris Hill, Director of Safety for the Helicopter Association International, joined the Steering Committee. • Scott Tyrrell, FAA Rotorcraft Safety & Accident Investigator, also joined the Committee. Here is the entire USHST Steering Committee: Nick Mayhew - L3Harris (co-chair) Wayne Fry - FAA (co-chair) Dawn Groh - ERAU Mike Newell - Airbus Lauren Haertlein - GAMA Tony Randall - Bell Chris Hill - HAI Tim Tucker - Robinson Christopher Lowenstein - Sikorsky Scott Tyrrell - FAA Raj Helwig - Air Methods (Emeritus) Each year, the U.S. helicopter industry safely flies more than 3.2 million flight hours. Working together, we can build on that safe record and eliminate the small number of accidents that do occur. www.ushst.org Back to Top The FAA Gives All Clear For Boeing 737-700 Combi Aircraft On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a certification for a reconfiguration of passenger Boeing 737-700s into combi-freighter aircraft. The jets will be remodeled by Pemco Conversions, and already has its first customer in Bahrain. Trendy conversions The present crisis saw passenger jets turn into cargo freighters at a previously unthinkable speed. As airlines scrambled to earn much-needed cash from the ferrying to and fro of medical supplies and personal protective equipment, seats were removed from cabins to make space for pallets. What's more, many carriers now find themselves with a surplus of aircraft as they look to downsize and restructure their fleets for a post-pandemic recovery era. So no wonder conversion engineers, and customers, are turning their gaze towards an older workhorse such as the 737-700. On Wednesday, the FAA granted Air Transport Service Group (ATSG) approval for a conversion scheme for the Boeing 737-700 called Passenger-to-FlexCombi. This makes them well situated to snag up some leftover jets at bargain prices, and profit from a potential continued increase in cargo-demand. FlexCombi™ The certification issued for ATSG's conversions branch Pemco Conversions includes two main configurations. One is a flexible main deck cargo and freight configuration with three possible options. The reconfigured aircraft will be marketed as B737-700FC (FlexCombi™). The other is for full-freight only. "To reach this moment in the development of our 737-700 passenger-to-freighter conversion program solidifies our presence as a global leader in the marketplace," Mike Andrews, director of conversion programs for PEMCO said in a statement seen by Simple Flying. "We are pleased with the performance of our Tampa cargo conversion team and continue to develop innovative products meeting increased customer demand for 737 conversions," he continued. Having received approval from the FAA, ASTG said it will now be seeking certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency and the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Payload details The combi-solution has three possible configurations, with 24 and 12 passenger cabins, respectively. The first, Configuration A, offers 30,000 pounds of payload with six pallet positions. The latter, Configuration B, provides 35,000 pounds of payload with seven pallet positions. The full-freighter version can hold 40,000 pounds of payload and eight pallet positions. Launch customer in Bahrain The launch customer for the B737-700FC is Chisholm Enterprises. Based in Bahrain, the company provides tailored aviation solutions in the Middle East. The plane will be operated by its subsidiary, non-scheduled cargo airline Texel Air, out of Bahrain International Airport, and is registered appropriately as A9C-FLX. It is unclear which of the configurations Texel has chosen for its aircraft. The carrier already operates two Boeing 737-300 combi freighters. Oddly enough, following the Bahrain Air Show in 2018, reports were made that the 737-700 would enter its service in January 2019. It has yet to do so, however and is still listed as stored at the latest available update from March 2020. https://simpleflying.com/boeing-737-700-combi-aircraft/ Back to Top United Airlines, pilots union reach creative deal to limit furloughs (Reuters) - United Airlines (UAL.O) and its pilots' union said on Thursday they had reached an agreement on two different packages aimed at reducing involuntary furloughs in the fall and keeping pilots at the ready once coronavirus-hit demand starts to pick up. U.S. airlines, grappling with a dramatic industry downturn, have warned that tens of thousands of jobs are on the line in October when a U.S. government bailout runs out. To minimize the number of forced cuts, large airlines have been offering a variety of early departure packages. United's agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA) includes an early retirement deal for pilots 62 and older, as well as a slew of different options for pilots to voluntarily reduce their hours or take a leave of absence during which they would potentially receive health benefits as long as they keep up their training, covered by United. Bryan Quigley, United's senior vice president of flight operations, sent the terms to pilots in a memo late Thursday which was reviewed by Reuters. ALPA Chairman Todd Insler said the deal had "groundbreaking provisions that provide the option (for pilots) to remain qualified, allowing a faster recall once passenger demand returns." Airlines are generally reluctant to furlough pilots because of the timely and costly training involved in bringing them back. If a COVID-19 vaccine is developed and demand returns, airlines want to be able to respond quickly. Airlines had hoped for a recovery before $32 billion in government payroll grants for the aviation industry expire in September. Now unions are lobbying lawmakers to provide another $32 billion through March to prevent tens of thousands of furloughs. Chicago-based United said last week it was sending notices of potential furloughs to 36,000 U.S.-based front-line employees, or about 45% of staff, including 2,250 pilots. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-united-arlns-jobs/united-airlines-pilots-union-reach-creative-deal-to-limit-furloughs-idUSKCN24I0DB Back to Top American Airlines and JetBlue Are Teaming Up. Is a Merger in the Works? JetBlue Airways and American Airlines Group are forming an alliance in which they plan to code-share flights and integrate some of their networks. It could be a sign of industry consolidation as carriers try to regain profitability in a world of sharply reduced air travel. JetBlue (ticker: JBLU) and American (AAL) said their partnership, announced Thursday, will include code-sharing and network cooperation. JetBlue will add more than 60 routes to its network with flights operated by American, expanding JetBlue's presence across the three major airports in the New York region. JetBlue plans to add flights at LaGuardia and Newark and increase its presence at JFK to connect to international flights run by American. American will add more than 130 routes operated by JetBlue. It said that the deal will enable it to launch new international routes, including flights to Tel Aviv and Athens from JFK. The companies said the deal would include "loyalty benefits" for customers of both carriers, though they didn't say that customers could redeem points on each other's networks. The partnership largely covers the Boston and New York markets, according to the Cranky Flier blog. The airlines will still compete aggressively in markets such as Philadelphia and South Florida. It's also structurally similar to a code-sharing deal that American struck with Alaska Air Group (ALK) earlier this year. American has long sought to feed more passengers to New York for both domestic and international flights. Adding JetBlue improves its feeder system from smaller regional airports. "This will eventually result in a code-share and frequent flier partnership," according to the Cranky Flier. "That means loyalists to either program will now be able to get most of their needs filled by sticking with their preferred airline and its partner." The deal could also be a precursor to consolidation and possible mergers in the industry. Carriers are now aggressively downsizing-planning to lay off thousands of employees as they attempt to regain profitability on a smaller revenue base. American said Wednesday that it may cut up to 25,000 jobs in October, after payroll support under the Cares Act winds down. United Airlines Holding (UAL) made a similar announcement last week. And Delta Air Lines (DAL) said in its latest quarterly filing that it anticipates taking a charge of $2.7 billion to $3.3 billion in the third quarter related to early retirements and separation deals for employees. "The airlines are all trying to figure out how to rearrange the chess pieces," Bernstein analyst David Vernon tells Barron's. "The industry is looking for ways to market more product with less capacity. If we've learned any lessons from Covid, it's that a smaller number of better-capitalized airlines will be better able to deal with this." One hitch, of course, is that American doesn't have the balance sheet or capital flexibility to make an equity deal. Its debt has ballooned to more than $38 billion, while its equity value has shrunk to $6.5 billion in market cap. JetBlue's equity is worth $3 billion, based on its market cap. Its total enterprise value, accounting for its debt and cash, is $5.3 billion versus $40 billion for American. A spokeswoman for American tells Barron's, "We do not have any intention of merging." A spokesperson for JetBlue said: "We continue to believe our independent, organic plan will produce the best results for our investors." The code-sharing deal with American "further strengthens our ability to bring low fares and great service to customers." If JetBlue goes up for sale, it would likely be more valuable to another legacy carrier. One reason is that American and JetBlue both operate young fleets of aircraft. JetBlue's assets, consisting mainly of Airbus planes, would be worth more to a carrier that operates a fleet of older aircraft and could generate more cost savings from refreshing its lineup. American, however, recently spent billions of dollars building a new fleet, following its merger with US Airways. "If you're trying to maximize return on marginal dollars, there are other airlines that need JetBlue more than American," Vernon says. One carrier that could afford JetBlue, and benefit more from its assets, is United. The carrier's fleet isn't as young as JetBlue's, and United doesn't have a presence at New York's JFK, while JetBlue does, making for a better strategic fit. "If we took a serious look at who could afford JetBlue and get the most value, it would be United over American," says Vernon. United exited JFK in 2015, selling its 26 slots to Delta and shifting operations to Newark. But United has long wanted to return to the market. United's CEO Scott Kirby, who was previously president of the carrier, told United employees in April 2017 that leaving JFK was the "wrong decision." A spokesman for United said the airline had no comment on merger speculation. https://www.barrons.com/articles/american-airlines-and-jetblue-are-teaming-up-is-a-merger-in-the-works-51594914891?siteid=yhoof2 Back to Top Coronavirus forces British Airways to retire entire fleet of Boeing's jumbo jets Airline says it is 'unlikely our magnificent 'queen of the skies' will ever operate again' due to the collapsing travel industry British Airways, the world's largest operator of Boeing 747, said late Thursday it would retire its entire jumbo jet fleet with immediate effect due to the downturn in travel industry caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Global curbs imposed to stem the spread of the virus led to a turbulence in air travel, placing the future of many airline companies in doubt. "It is unlikely our magnificent 'queen of the skies' will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again," the company said in a statement. BA, which is owned by International Consolidated Airlines Group, added that it will operate more flights on modern, fuel-efficient aircraft such as its new A350s and 787s and expects such aircraft to help in achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. A wave of restructuring triggered by the virus outbreak is hitting airlines and industrial firms across the world. The Sun reported last month that BA had reached an agreement with its pilots to sack 350 and another 300 in 'pool' for rehiring when needed. The majority of pilots being 'pooled' were expected to be the jumbo jet first officers, according to the report. Boeing's 747, a plane that democratised global air travel in the 1970s but fell behind modern twin-engine aircraft, marked its 50-year flying anniversary in February 2019. The US-based aerospace company and its suppliers signalled the end of the plane, when they set the final number of parts it would need for the 747 jumbo jet program at least a year ago. However, the decision was left in limbo for years amid falling orders and pricing pressure. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/07/17/coronavirus-forces-british-airways-retireentire-fleet-boeings/ Back to Top A new SpaceX filing with the FCC suggests Starship rocket prototypes may fly more than 12 miles above Texas within the next 7 months SpaceX has filed a request with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) related to experimental launches of its reusable Starship rocket system. The filing requests permission to track and communicate with Starship prototypes as they fly up to 12.5 miles (20 kilometers) into the air from SpaceX's rocket development facility in Boca Chica, Texas, between August and February. SpaceX earned a launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on May 28 to fly the vehicles, but the company, founded by Elon Musk, also needs the FCC's permission. Musk recently said that he still hopes to launch the first humans to Mars aboard a Starship rocket in mid-2024. SpaceX hopes to launch prototypes of its Starship rocket more than a dozen miles high within the next seven months, according to filing with the FCC. Elon Musk, the aerospace company's founder and CEO, is urgently racing to develop Starship, a fully reusable rocket system that is designed to one day land on the moon for NASA and take up to 100 people to Mars at a time. In early June - shortly after SpaceX successfully launched two astronauts to the International Space Station using a different rocket - Musk reportedly urged employees to shift their focus to Starship. Aerial photos also show a frenzied increase in activity at the company's rocket development site in Boca Chica, Texas. Now the company has filed a request to the FCC to use certain radio frequencies while launching Starship prototypes up to 12.5 miles (20 kilometers) into the air. The filing, posted Thursday, specifies that launch operations would occur between August 18, 2020 and February 18, 2021. The FAA on May 28 awarded SpaceX a launch license for suborbital flights Starship prototypes. However, SpaceX can't feasibly fly those vehicles until the FCC grants it permission to use frequencies required to track and communicate with them. (The FCC is typically quick to grant such permission to SpaceX.) Proving a reusable steel rocket ship can fly and land hasn't been easy A full-scale 16-story Starship prototype has yet to fly, though a previous and shorter version of the rocket known as Starhopper successfully launched 500 feet high and landed in 2019. Since then, more advanced yet still early iterations of Starship prototypes have failed and were obliterated during testing, typically when engineers filled the rockets with inert liquid nitrogen to test the limits of their integrity. During a test-firing of recent Starship prototype called SN4 in Boca Chica on May 29, the vehicle catastrophically exploded. The failure happened the day before astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley rode the company's Crew Dragon spaceship to the ISS with the help of a different SpaceX rocket, Falcon 9. (That launcher successfully flew 85 missions before sending Behnken and Hurley into space.) However, such a string of failures is anything but unexpected, as SpaceX saw with the development of core technologies for its Falcon 9 system. Musk has also said the company may need to build about 20 large Starship prototypes before SpaceX can attempt to launch one into orbit. Musk confirmed on June 4 that he still hoped to launch the first crew to Mars in a Starship vehicle in mid-2024 - ostensibly as the start of an effort to populate the red planet. Although SpaceX is licensed to launch suborbital rockets from Boca Chica, the Border Report recently revealed that the company faces a new environmental analysis with the FAA before it fly prototypes to orbit. Business Insider requested details about the nature and timing of that assessment from the FAA on July 15, and an agency spokesperson acknowledged receipt of our questions. However, the FAA has yet to provide answers to such inquiries. https://www.yahoo.com/news/spacexs-latest-fcc-filing-shows-235327908.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 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