Flight Safety Information July 24, 2020 - No. 149 In This Issue Accident: Mahan A313 over Syria on Jul 23rd 2020, upset as result of intercept by fighter aircraft Incident: Calm AT72 near Rankin Inlet on Jul 21st 2020, engine shut down in flight Ukraine: Black boxes confirm interference with jet downed in Iran FAA requires additional post-storage B737 engine inspections after several in-flight shutdown Emirates to cover virus-related medical costs PILOTS NEEDED FOR PIREP PROJECT Asiana's plan to keep A380 pilots certified: Fly 30 flights to nowhere Delta Air Lines permanently bans scores of flyers for refusing to wear masks Taiwan's parliament approves proposal to rename China Airlines Amazon Air Launches Operations At New Florida Hub Before 2 astronauts can fly home to Earth on SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, NASA says they'll need to scan A Russian satellite caught shadowing a US spy satellite earlier this year 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 Urban Air Mobility and Single-Pilot/Autonomous Airline Operations Research Project Graduate Research Survey AVIATION SAFETY SURVEY GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Accident: Mahan A313 over Syria on Jul 23rd 2020, upset as result of intercept by fighter aircraft Mahan Air Airbus A310-300, registration EP-MNF performing flight W5-1152 from Tehran Imam Khomeini (Iran) to Beirut (Lebanon), was enroute at FL340 about 160nm east of Beirut in Syrian Airspace near the triangle Syria, Jordan and Iraq when the crew performed an abrupt maneouver to avoid two fighter aircraft and climbed the aircraft at least 600 feet. The aircraft subsequently returned to FL340, requested medical assistance for the arrival at Beirut and continued to Beirut for a landing without further incident. A number of passengers needed medical assistance. Reports as to what fighter aircraft caused the upset are unclear, there are unverified claims of Israeli or US fighter aircraft. Iran's State TV IRIB claims the fighter aircraft were Israeli aircraft, Syria's states controlled Arab News Agency SANA however reported the fighter aircraft were US ones. Medical Services (Red Cross) in Beirut reported no passengers needed to be taken to a hospital, a number was treated mainly for shock. In the early morning hours of Jul 24th 2020 (UTC) CENTCOM, the US Central Military Command, reported, one F-15 was on a routine mission over southern Syria near the al Tanf garrison in southern Syria (located about 12nm east of the 16:14:43 position of the aircraft) and was dispatched to conduct an inspection of the airliner to ensure safety of coalition personnel at al Tanf. When the F-15 identified the aircraft as a passenger plane, the F-15 maintained safe distance of about 1000 meters. The intercept was done in accordance with international standards, however, it appears it caused the Iranian pilots to carry out a sudden and unexpected altitude change. Al Tanf Garrison is located at N33.50 E38.62. When the A313 was at FL346 at 16:14:43Z, the aircraft was at position N33.50 E38.82 about 12.6nm east of Al Tanf, about a minute later at its closest distance to Al Tanf the aircraft was at position N33.55 E38.68 about 4.8nm northeast of Al Tanf. http://avherald.com/h?article=4da54d79&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Calm AT72 near Rankin Inlet on Jul 21st 2020, engine shut down in flight A Calm Air Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-200, registration C-FULE performing flight MO-740 from Rankin Inlet,NU to Pond Inlet,NU (Canada) with 2 crew on board, was enroute about 200nm north of Rankin Inlet when the crew heard a "thump", the aircraft yawed, the left hand engine torque dropped to zero and a Master Warning associated with a #1 Engine Oil indication occured. The crew worked the related checklist and shut the engine down, declared emergency and returned to Rankin Inlet for a safe landing. The Canadian TSB reported maintenance determined the engine needed to be changed. http://avherald.com/h?article=4da551b2&opt=0 Back to Top Ukraine: Black boxes confirm interference with jet downed in Iran The transcript from the black boxes from a Ukrainian jet accidentally shot down by Iran on January 8 confirms the fact of illegal interference with the plane, according to Ukraine's deputy foreign minister. Yevhenii Yenin's remarks came on Friday, a day after an international team examining the flight recorders from the jet had completed a preliminary analysis of the data in France. "Grateful to all partners who helped bring this moment closer. Black boxes from #PS752 were read out and deciphered successfully. The transcript confirmed the fact of illegal interference with the plane," Yenin wrote on Twitter. He also said Kyiv was expecting an Iranian delegation to visit Ukraine next week for talks. Iranian forces say they downed the Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 jet after mistaking it for a missile at a time of high tensions with the United States. All 176 people on board were killed. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said this month that it was too soon to blame human error for the shooting down of the airliner and that many questions remained unanswered. International probe A team of investigators from the same countries as the victims of the plane crash met this week at France's Bureau for Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA), in Paris, to begin extracting the data. "The download and preliminary data analysis was an important milestone in what must be a thorough and transparent safety investigation," said Katy Fox, the chair of the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada, on Thursday. "The work in Paris is finished, but the investigation is far from over. There are still many key questions that need to be answered," she said in a statement. "We have urged Iran to release factual information from the recorders as soon as possible," Fox said, adding that Iran - which is leading the investigation - has not authorised the TSB to release details. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/07/ukraine-black-boxes-confirm-interference-jet-downed-iran-200724084336974.html Back to Top FAA requires additional post-storage B737 engine inspections after several in-flight shutdown incidents 24 July 2020 The U.S. FAA is requiring operators of Boeing 737 aircraft to inspect engine bleed air valves of aircraft that have been stored after several incidents of in-flight engine shutdowns. Many airlines are restarting flights following groundings related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The FAA received four recent reports of single-engine shutdowns due to engine bleed air 5th stage check valves being stuck open. Corrosion of the engine bleed air 5th stage check valve internal parts during airplane storage may cause the valve to stick in the open position. If this valve opens normally at takeoff power, it may become stuck in the open position during flight and fail to close when power is reduced at top of descent, resulting in an unrecoverable compressor stall and the inability to restart the engine. Corrosion of these valves on both engines could result in a dual-engine power loss without the ability to restart. This led the FAA to issue an Emergency Airworthiness Directive AD 2020-51, requiring inspections of the engine bleed air 5th stage check valve on each engine and replacement of the engine bleed air 5th stage check valve if any inspection is not passed. The EAD applies to all Boeing 737-300, -400, -500, -600, -700, -700C, -800, and -900 models in storage on or after the date of receipt of this AD, and any airplane that, as of the date of receipt of the AD, has been operated for 10 or fewer flight cycles since returning to service from the most recent period of storage. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2020/07/24/faa-requires-additional-post-storage-b737-engine-inspections-after-several-in-flight-shutdown-incidents/ Back to Top Emirates to cover virus-related medical costs Dubai (AFP) - Emirates, the largest airline in the Middle East, will cover customers' coronavirus-related medical costs in a bid to "boost travel confidence", the Dubai Media Office said Thursday. "Emirates will cover its passengers for COVID-19 related medical expenses and quarantine costs when they travel on board Emirates, to and from the UAE and around the world, free of charge," the emirate's media office said in a statement. The Dubai-based carrier, which operates a fleet of 270 wide-bodied aircraft, halted operations in late March as part of global shutdowns to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. Two weeks later, it resumed operations on a limited network and plans to fly to 58 cities by mid-August, down from over 150 before the crisis. The announcement came shortly after the United Arab Emirates -- an alliance of seven emirates including the capital Abu Dhabi and Dubai -- made testing mandatory for all inbound and transit passengers starting August 1, according to state media. "Emirates will be the first airline to offer free cover for COVID-19 medical costs for customers when they travel to & from UAE & around the world," Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates group chairman and chief executive, said on Twitter. "This will boost travel confidence and once again positions Emirates and Dubai as aviation industry leaders." Passengers can claim up to 150,000 euros ($173,600) in medical expenses and up to 100 euros per day for 14 days in quarantine costs, should they be diagnosed with the disease, the Dubai Media Office statement said. "We know people are yearning to fly as borders around the world gradually re-open, but they are seeking flexibility and assurances should something unforeseen happen during their travel," Sheikh Ahmed was quoted as saying. The policy will go into immediate effect and remain in place until October 31, 2020. The carrier's president Tim Clark has said that it could take up to four years for operations to return to "some degree of normality," and the airline could lay off up to 15 percent of its staff. Before the pandemic crisis hit, Emirates employed some 60,000 staff, including 4,300 pilots and nearly 22,000 cabin crew, according to its annual report. The airline had reported a bumper 21 percent rise in annual profits in March. https://www.yahoo.com/news/emirates-cover-virus-related-medical-costs-005219235.html Back to Top PILOTS NEEDED FOR PIREP PROJECT It's a small step for a pilot but a giant leap for in-flight weather awareness when someone shares a pilot report-and many pilots say they might do so during high-workload flights if there were a hands-free or speech-based technology at their disposal. Researchers at Purdue University are working toward that goal, and AOPA is encouraging pilots to participate in a project to evaluate whether hands-free or speech-based pirep-filing technology really would give pilots the incentive many say they have been waiting for. It's a bit of a paradox that, according to surveys, pilots place high value on receiving pireps-but filing them is another matter. "More than half of the pilots who responded to AOPA's 2020 Weather Survey indicated they would definitely or probably use a voice capability to file pireps," said AOPA Alaska Regional Manager Tom George. "Participating in this research would help define how best to implement a system to accomplish that task." Under the Purdue research program supported by the FAA's NextGen Weather Technology in the Cockpit program, pilots willing to participate take on a session that lasts about 20 minutes during which they are asked to review several weather scenarios, then record a pirep as they would while flying. The resulting data will help the research team evaluate various ways to file pireps. Many pilots may have received an email inviting them to lend the researcher their ears. Interested? Are you at least 18 and do you have access to a laptop or desktop computer? Start the survey and follow the instructions in Qualtrics. You will be asked a few questions regarding your flight history, after which you will be given six weather scenarios and asked to record pireps as if you were flying. Participation in the study is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time, for any reason. You may email the research team with any questions. Pilots who would like to brush up on their pirep awareness-before or after participating in the Purdue study-or who feel uneasy filing a pirep can take AOPA's Pireps Made Easy online course. "AOPA supports making it easier to file pireps because they represent a valuable source of information that helps pilots-especially pilots of lighter aircraft-know the state of the atmosphere," George added. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/july/23/pilots-needed-for-purdue-pirep-project Back to Top Asiana's plan to keep A380 pilots certified: Fly 30 flights to nowhere This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page. During the coronavirus pandemic, many of the world's largest passenger aircraft have been grounded. As airlines attempt to preserve cash, many have taken to storing - and, in some cases, retiring - their fleets of Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 aircraft. But with storing aircraft comes a major problem for airlines by the way of keeping trainee pilots certified. Asiana Airlines is one of those carriers. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, it's grounded its A380 fleet. But with no plans retire the aircraft, the carrier is now operating empty flights in an effort to keep its trainee pilots certified. For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. In May, Asiana flew one of its A380 aircraft over South Korea more than 20 times. Each of the trips was a flight to nowhere, carrying no passengers to allow trainee pilots to practice takeoffs and landings. While the trip may seem like a waste of resources and unnecessary fuel consumption, an Asiana spokesperson told Bloomberg that the airline didn't have another option. The flight simulators that it typically uses are located in Thailand, and because of coronavirus travel bans, the trainee pilots weren't able to fly to the Thai Airways-owned simulators to practice. And alternatively, the cost of letting the trainee pilots' licenses lapse was too high. Asiana has six Airbus A380s in its fleet - all of which are currently stored. According to flight history on FlightRadar24, Asiana used its A380 registered as HL7625 to operate most of the training flights. Each of the flights between May 6-8 took off from Seoul Incheon (ICN), circled and landed back at the airport, with each flight averaging around 22 minutes, though some were longer or shorter. Then in June, Asiana A380s registered as HL7634 and HL7635, HL7640 and HL7641 each operated one test flight on the same routing from ICN to ICN. In total, Asiana's A380s appear to have operated 30 ICN-ICN flights, according to data from FlightRadar24. Under normal circumstances, pilots must have taken off and landed an aircraft at least three times in the past 90 days to retain their license, including those cycles completed in a flight simulator. According to the airline, there were 135 pilots who didn't have enough flying time on the A380s and it couldn't afford to keep flying the empty training flights. As a special exemption, Korea's transport minister extended the pilots' credentials. While Asiana is keeping its pilots licensed to operate its A380s, it may be some time before the carrier returns the superjumbos to operation. Given the high capacity of the aircraft - Asiana's A380s seat 495 passengers across three cabins - and the subsequent high operating cost, the airline may not return the aircraft to service anytime soon. Elsewhere, operators of A380s have had to make similar decisions. While most larger airlines have their own flight simulators, allowing them to avoid flights to nowhere, they have also elected to keep their A380 fleets grounded or even completely retired. Lufthansa, for example, has announced that it plans to ground its A380s until at least 2021. Air France announced in May that effective immediately, it was retiring its fleet of A380s. On the other hand, the world's largest A380 operator Emirates resumed operations with the superjumbo on July 15 to both London Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle. Emirates President Sir Tim Clark said this month that the airline plans to have all A380s back in service by 2022. https://thepointsguy.com/news/asiana-a380-flights-to-nowhere/ Back to Top Delta Air Lines permanently bans scores of flyers for refusing to wear masks Delta Air Lines - which now provides about 70% of departures from Salt Lake City International Airport - is serious about requiring masks on its flights. "We've already banned 120 passengers from future travel with Delta for refusing to wear masks on board," Delta CEO Ed Bastian wrote to company employees in an email Thursday. He added that the airline just strengthened a policy requiring customers who believe that medical issues prevent them from wearing a mask to complete a "clearance-to-fly" process before they travel, including a consultation with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. "And we're encouraging those who can't wear masks to reconsider their travel altogether," Bastian wrote. "Countless studies and medical experts have advised us that masks are an essential response to the virus that will help us reduce transmission." Bastian also said that the airline is working toward testing all of its employees for COVID-19 within the next four weeks. That includes scheduling additional testing at its hubs such as Salt Lake City and introducing at-home testing for employees based elsewhere. "By testing 100% of our people, we're establishing a baseline that helps us make critical decisions to protect everyone's health and safety - our employees and our customers," Bastian wrote. "We're exploring additional programs and technology to make it easier for everyone to stay tested, notify us if they contract the virus, and enable contact tracing to identify those who may have been exposed and reduce transmission." Earlier this month, Bastian also announced that at least through September, Delta will continue to block middle seats and limit its capacity on flights to 60% to allow social distancing. He also said he expects the airline will likely continue the policy even longer. That comes after United and American airlines announced that they are discontinuing such precautions, and will fill flights to capacity - saying flying with so many empty seats is a business model that cannot be sustained. Also, the chief of United said that blocking middle seats is more of a public relations strategy than one to protect safety. Bastian has said the future of Delta depends on it being a leader in protecting the safety of its passengers and workers, along with helping travelers to feel confidence in the airline's priorities. https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2020/07/23/delta-air-lines/ Back to Top Taiwan's parliament approves proposal to rename China Airlines (CNN) - Renaming a company is always going to be a complicated undertaking, but rarely does it hit the levels of controversy currently swirling around China Airlines, Taiwan's largest air carrier. On Wednesday, Taiwan's parliament approved a proposal to rebrand the airline -- name change included. Echoing earlier discussions about the need to rebrand, it was pointed out during the parliament meeting that the name of the Taipei-based carrier is easily confused with Air China, a major airline headquartered in Beijing. This now tasks the Transport Ministry with working out policies that will help strengthen China Airlines as a Taiwan brand internationally so that it won't be mistaken for an airline from mainland China. "The Ministry of Transportation and Communications shall study and propose a feasible plan for the renaming of China Airlines in phases," the approved proposal says in Chinese. The proposal emphasizes that the ministry should find ways to rebrand that do not involve re-negotiating or modifying the carrier's international aviation freedoms -- such as strengthening the image of Taiwan on the plane livery. The carrier at the center of this debate, however, is remaining quiet for now. "Please be advised that China Airlines has no comments on this topic at the moment," Jason Liu, vice president of China Airlines' corporate communications office, told CNN Travel in an email. China Airlines was founded in Taiwan in 1959 and flies out of Taipei's Taoyuan International Airport, servicing 160 destinations in 29 countries. The majority shareholder is the China Aviation Development Foundation, which is wholly owned by the Taiwanese government. So why change the name now? The argument for rebranding gained strength in recent months over fears a series of China Airlines' cargo flights, used to deliver coronavirus medical supplies around the world, were mistakenly thought to be coming from mainland China. The island's citizens were enraged and a petition requesting the name change was initiated on Change.org. As of July 23, more than 50,000 people have signed. This isn't the first time the airline's moniker has come into the spotlight, though. A few Taiwan companies with the word China in their names -- including China Airlines -- were asked to change their names when Chen Shui-bian was the island's president in the early 2000s. The topic resurfaced again in 2016 under Tsai Ing-wen's leadership. Geopolitical issues Those unaware of the region's geopolitical sensitivities could be forgiven for getting confused about the airline and where it's headquartered. Taiwan's official name is the "Republic of China" (ROC), tracing its founding to 1911 on the Chinese mainland after the collapse of China's last imperial dynasty. Mainland China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949 following the Communist victory on the mainland after a civil war, although a shared cultural and linguistic heritage mostly endures. But China considers Taiwan to be an integral part of its territory, and comes down hard on any suggestions to the contrary -- even where matters of aviation are concerned. In 2018, Beijing demanded global airlines change how they refer to Taiwan on their websites or risk sanctions. In response, the White House issued a scathing statement criticizing Beijing for pressuring US carriers and other companies on this issue. In the end, multiple airlines, including US carriers American Airlines and Delta, complied with the order. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/taiwan-china-airlines-name-change/index.html Back to Top Amazon Air Launches Operations At New Florida Hub Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) inaugurated its new regional air hub near Tampa, Florida, with the arrival of the first freighter flight on Thursday. The 42-acre air terminal is at Lakeland Linder International Airport, a general aviation airport. Amazon operates a large fulfillment center in Lakeland, which is chock full of distribution centers. Amazon invested more than $100 million in the 285,000-square-foot air cargo complex, which includes ramp space for seven all-cargo planes, city officials stated last year. Under the 20-year lease, as reported by local newspaper The Ledger, the e-commerce giant will pay the city $80,000 per month, with three 10-year renewal options and the ability to expand on adjoining land. The state and localities provided Amazon with an incentive package to build in Lakeland. The first flight originated from Sacramento International Airport. Amazon said the package sort facility will receive several cargo flights per day operated by contractors for its in-house airline, Amazon Air. "This new location represents Amazon Air's largest facility in the Southeast and will drive increased investment and commerce in the region and create hundreds of jobs," said Gov. Ron DeSantis in a statement. Amazon has been focused on expanding its network of airports the past couple of years to increase delivery speed for its Prime customers, who are promised one- and two-day shipping options. It is scheduled to open a Western air hub in San Bernardino, California, early next year. Amazon's primary air hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is also scheduled to be finished next year. https://www.yahoo.com/news/amazon-air-launches-operations-florida-212233988.html Back to Top Before 2 astronauts can fly home to Earth on SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, NASA says they'll need to scan the ship's plasma-blocking belly for damage SpaceX on May 30 launched NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to orbit - the private company's first flight of humans. Behnken and Hurley rode SpaceX's new Crew Dragon spaceship, developed with NASA's help, to the International Space Station (ISS). The crew is now wrapping up its test mission and plans to return to Earth in early August. Before Behnken and Hurley come, though, NASA and SpaceX will inspect Crew Dragon's heat shield, which protects the spaceship from 3,500-degree-Fahrenheit temperatures during atmospheric reentry. In the rare event that Crew Dragon's shield has been damaged by micrometeoroids or orbital debris, the two men can stay aboard the ISS until another spaceship arrives to take them home. After living and working in space for more than two months, NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken are due back to planet Earth on August 2. Before they can safely return, though, the astronauts' Crew Dragon spaceship - designed, built, and launched by SpaceX with about $2.7 billion of the $3.14 billion in funding that NASA has awarded to SpaceX through the agency's Commercial Crew Program - must pass a crucial inspection. SpaceX launched Behnken and Hurley with a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on May 30. Their experimental flight, called Demo-2, is the aerospace company's first with humans. Once in orbit, the astronauts named their ship "Endeavour" (after the first space shuttle each man flew on) and docked the new vessel to the football field-sized International Space Station a day later. While aboard the ISS, Behnken and Hurley have performed spacewalks to upgrade the power supply system, assisted with chores, and taken mesmerizing photos of Earth, space, and even Comet Neowise. But until they've safely landed, their mission can't be deemed a success. "I will start sleeping again when they when they're back safely on the planet," Gwynne Shotwell, the president and COO of SpaceX, said during a televised briefing on May 1. The astronauts plan to board Crew Dragon and undock from the ISS on August 1. Depending on weather conditions, the duo should splash down in the Atlantic Ocean on August 2, NASA said Friday. Ahead of those maneuvers, the agency plans use a Canadian-built robotic arm attached to the ISS and on-board cameras to survey the spacecraft for damage. Looking for rare yet dangerous space debris hits NASA and SpaceX need to ensure Crew Dragon's underbelly hasn't been damaged by objects in space. In its estimated risk calculations for Demo-2, NASA determined there's a 1-in-276 chance the mission proves fatal. Especially worrisome is the threat of strikes by MMOD: micrometeoroid (bits of asteroids and comets) and orbital debris (human-made space junk). Even grains of sand and flecks of paint can inflict significant serious damage, since they can move many times faster than a speeding bullet before slamming into a spacecraft. MMOD is known to have struck NASA spacecraft hundreds of times. It has perforated radiators (as in the above image), cracked circuit boards, chipped windows, and more. When Crew Dragon returns to Earth, it does so with its rounded bottom facing in the direction it's flying. That underbelly is covered with a heat shield, or thermal protection system, which is made of tiles of a NASA-pioneered, SpaceX-improved material called PICA-X. The PICA-X tiles are designed to deflect and absorb the energy of atmospheric reentry, when Crew Dragon is moving at about 25 times the speed of sound. During reentry, a superheated plasma of gas molecules builds ahead of the heat shield, and temperatures can reach 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit, NASA told Business Insider. It's unlikely that any MMOD has damaged the heat shield over the past couple of months, and whatever harm it may have inflicted should be minimal. But NASA is working with SpaceX to be on the safe side and check for any chips, cracks, holes, or other damage. After undocking, SpaceX is responsible for ensuring the Crew Dragon is safe to return, which entails reviewing imagery data and running analyses, NASA spokesperson Stephanie Shierholz told Business Insider in an email. "Dragon was designed for the current MMOD environment, so we anticipate the spacecraft would be able to execute the planned deorbit/entry, and it would be very unlikely that significant damage would occur." Schierholz noted similar checks are done with Russia's Soyuz spaceships before they return to Earth. Getting a peek at Crew Dragon's plasma-proof belly might at first seem difficult, given that a cylindrical "trunk" is attached to the capsule. (The solar-panel-covered module, which provides power to the capsule in space and also propels it with a rocket engine, is discarded just before reentry.) However, the trunk is hollow and permits a view. "The trunk does not completely cover the thermal protection system, and the survey will be able to visually inspect those areas," Schierholz said. "Also, if micrometeoroid damage is observed on the trunk, then NASA can take additional inspection activities if deemed necessary." If significant damage is found after inspection, NASA and SpaceX wouldn't risk sending the astronauts home on the vehicle. Instead, the crew would stay aboard the space station until a new spaceship can be scrambled to collect them. "If there is concern about returning the crew on a damaged vehicle, the ISS systems, consumables, and logistics chain supports leaving the crew on the ISS indefinitely as part of a 'safe haven' capability," Schierholz said. "That will provide NASA and the ISS International Partners with the time needed to work with all ISS launch service providers to assess available options for returning the crew safely." Hunting for damage to Crew Dragon's heat shield is not the only concern for the crew's safety, though. 'We've looked at this six ways to Sunday' Prior to the Demo-2 mission's launch, SpaceX founder Elon Musk told Irene Klotz of Aviation Week that he's most concerned about the landing phase of the mission. "The part that I would worry most about would be reentry," Musk said. Musk said his worry is placed on the capsule's asymmetric design, which is owed to an on-board emergency escape system. That system is designed to whisk the capsule away from a failing Falcon 9 rocket at any point during launch, and it is powered by pods with Draco rocket engines. If the asymmetry Musk described somehow causes Crew Dragon to rotate or wobble at hypersonic reentry speeds, it could prove dangerous. "If you rotate too much, then you could potentially catch the plasma in the SuperDraco escape thruster pods," Musk said. "We've looked at this six ways to Sunday, so it's not that I think this will fail. It's just that I worry a bit that it is asymmetric on the backshell." In all likelihood, the risks of either heat shield damage or rotation won't impede the astronauts' voyage. And for their part, Behnken and Hurley accepted those risks long ago. Behnken told Business Insider ahead of his launch that he and Hurley had worked with SpaceX on Crew Dragon for roughly five years, allowing them to gain more insight into the ways the mission could fail "than any crew has in recent history." "I think we're really comfortable with it," he said. https://www.yahoo.com/news/2-astronauts-return-earth-via-122300791.html Back to Top A Russian satellite caught shadowing a US spy satellite earlier this year launched a mysterious space weapon, US Space Command says Russia conducted a space-based anti-satellite test last week, US Space Command said in a statement Tuesday. A Russian satellite caught disconcertingly shadowing a US spy satellite earlier this year released some sort of projectile into space in a move mimicking a suspected anti-satellite weapons test in 2017. As the US relies on satellites for everything from GPS navigation to communication and data relays for military operations, the US has argued that militarization of space by adversarial powers demands the US pay greater attention to what is becoming a contested domain. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. US Space Command said Thursday that it has evidence that Russia tested a space-based anti-satellite weapon last week, revealing that Cosmos 2543, a Russian satellite caught tailing a US spy satellite earlier this year, released some sort of projectile into orbit. "The Russian satellite system used to conduct this on-orbit weapons test is the same satellite system that we raised concerns about earlier this year, when Russia maneuvered near a US government satellite," Gen. John Raymond, the commander of US Space Command, said in a statement. Raymond revealed in February tha a pair of Russian satellites, Cosmos 2542 and 2543, were shadowing a US spy satellite, specifically USA 245, also known as KH-11. "We view this behavior as unusual and disturbing," he told TIME. "It has the potential to create a dangerous situation in space," he added, noting that the US had expressed its concerns to the Russians. The Russian satellites first raised a few eyebrows shortly after launch last year. What had at first appeared to be one satellite suddenly split in two, with one emerging from inside the other. Now, additional objects are being released into orbit. "The way I picture it, in my mind, is like Russian nesting dolls," Raymond said when he described the situation in February. In the statement Thursday, US Space Command noted that the Russian anti-satellite test appeared similar to a troubling 2017 test, which the Pentagon discussed during its presentation of the new Defense Space Strategy in June. The Russians launched a satellite as they had done before, but then events began to unfold as they have lately. "Out of that satellite, Russian satellite, a smaller satellite was birthed from that main satellite. From that smaller satellite, a projectile was launched from that Russian satellite," Stephen Kitay, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy, explained to reporters at the Pentagon. Russia claimed the third object was an inspector satellite, but "the behavior of that satellite looked nothing like an inspector satellite and looked like something much more concerning," Kitay said, citing State Department observations. The new Defense Space Strategy identifies Russia and China as "the most immediate and serious threats to US space operations." In mid-April, Russia conducted a direct-ascent anti-satellite missile test, which US Space Command said was another example that "the threats to US and allied space systems are real, serious and growing." As the US relies on satellites for everything from GPS navigation to overseas military operations, the militarization of space by US adversaries has been used as justification for increased US military activity in space and the creation of the US Space Force, the first new military service branch created since the establishment of the Air Force in 1947. Kitay told reporters in June that because China and Russia are "actively developing capabilities to negate US, allied and partner space systems, we are left with no choice but to ensure we are prepared with the necessary means to protect and defend ourselves from attacks to our systems." "I wish I could say that space is a sea of tranquility, but the fact of the matter is that space is contested," Kitay said. "Outer space has emerged as a key arena of potential conflict in an era of great power competition." https://www.yahoo.com/news/russian-satellite-caught-shadowing-us-151217976.html Back to Top TheUSC Aviation Safety & Security ProgramWill Offer Online Classes This Fall The following upcoming courses, including NEW Safety Performance Indicators course, will take place 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 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 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 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 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 Course September 9-11, 2020 2.5 Days Tuition: $1375 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Graduate Research Survey Critical Evaluation of the Gaps in SMS Debriefing Tools and Development of Potential Solutions I am inviting you to take part in a study of Feedback within Aviation Safety Management Systems. An airline/organisation Safety Management System (SMS) relies on pilot safety reports (ASAP or ASR) or data (FOQA, FDM) to discover hazards and threats in the operation. In return, the pilots depend on up to date information from the airline's safety department to make sound decisions regarding safety. The safety department can accomplish that by debriefing or giving feedback on the safety reports or data. A literature review of safety report feedback/debrief within Safety Management Systems showed that safety reports are not fully debriefed. This survey aims to gather data regarding pilots' perspective of safety report/safety data debriefing. In addition, the survey also aims to find out the opinions of a potential solution. This study is undertaken as part of a thesis for an Air Safety Management Master of Science degree at City, University of London. https://cityunilondon.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8eadW14UUZYaurj Bengt Jansson 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