Flight Safety Information July 27, 2020 - No. 150 In This Issue Incident: Lufthansa Cityline CRJ9 near Klagenfurt on Jul 26th 2020, engine anti ice problem Incident: Aeromexico Connect E190 at Ciudad Juarez on Jul 23rd 2020, engine shut down in flight Incident: Westjet B738 at Deer Lake on Jul 22nd 2020, flapless landing Cessna 208B Grand Caravan suffers runway excursion, hits building after landing on Mexican airstrip Cessna C402C Utiliner - Accident (Papua New Guinea). United Airlines Names Sasha Johnson Vice President Corporate Safety FAA warns engine on Boeing 737 jets could shut down mid-flight, issues emergency order ACI Launches Accreditation Program to Assess Airport Health Measures Man Holds Up American Airlines Flight Claiming HIPAA Rights Over Not Wearing a Face Mask ALPA offers assistance to PIA, PALPA in addressing safety, technical issues Heat Turned Up For Pilot Database Turkish Airlines Approves Codeshare Agreement with Pakistan International Airlines Who is FLOAT, the new owner of Ravn Air's assets? It's complicated Boeing to delay 777X as demand drops for big jets - sources British government works closely with FAA to finalize commercial launch regulations 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 Incident: Lufthansa Cityline CRJ9 near Klagenfurt on Jul 26th 2020, engine anti ice problem A Lufthansa Cityline Canadair CRJ-900, registration D-ACNF performing flight LH-1720 from Munich (Germany) to Zadar (Croatia), was enroute at FL310 about 30nm west of Klagenfurt (Austria) when the crew decided to return to Munich due to a fault of the #1 engine's (CF34) anti-ice system. The aircraft landed safely back in Munich about one hour after departure. A replacement CRJ-900 registration D-ACNX reached Zadar with a delay of about 2 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 4 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=4da75259&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Aeromexico Connect E190 at Ciudad Juarez on Jul 23rd 2020, engine shut down in flight An Aeromexico Connect Embraer ERJ-190, registration XA-GAI performing flight AM-118 from Ciudad Juarez to Mexico City (Mexico), was climbing out of Ciudad Juarez's runway 03 when the left hand engine (CF34) failed prompting the crew to stop the climb at 8000 feet, shut the engine down and return to Ciudad Juarez for a safe landing on runway 03 about 25 minutes after departure. A post flight inspection revealed metallic debris in the engine's outlet, however, no damage to the fan blades and just minor nicks to the blades of the last turbine stage. https://avherald.com/h?article=4da5eb95&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Westjet B738 at Deer Lake on Jul 22nd 2020, flapless landing A Westjet Boeing 737-800, registration C-GWSA performing flight WS-518 from Toronto,ON to Deer Lake,NL (Canada) with 34 people on board, was on approach to Deer Lake's runway 25 when the crew advised Deer Lake's flight service that the flaps didn't extend. The crew went around and entered a hold to work the relevant checklists, however, without success. The crew consulted with maintenance, concluded they could not resolve the flaps issue, declared PAN PAN and conducted an uneventful flapless landing at a higher than normal speed. The Canadian TSB reported maintenance replaced the faulty flap SKEW sensor #4 connector. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/WJA518/history/20200722/1310Z/CYYZ/CYDF https://avherald.com/h?article=4da5df6a&opt=0 Back to Top Cessna 208B Grand Caravan suffers runway excursion, hits building after landing on Mexican airstrip Date: Saturday 25 July 2020 Type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan Operator: AX Transporter Registration: XA-FTG C/n / msn: 208B2311 First flight: 2011 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Holbox Airstrip ( Mexico) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Cancún Airport (CUN/MMUN), Mexico Destination airport: Holbox Airstrip, Mexico Narrative: A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan suffered a runway excursion after landing at Holbox Airstrip. The right-hand wing impacted a small concrete building and suffered serious damage at the wing root. The five passengers and two pilots survived the crash. The Holbox Airstrip is 650 m long. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20200725-0 Back to Top Cessna C402C Utiliner - Accident (Papua New Guinea) Date: 27-JUL-2020 Time: Type: Cessna C402C Utiliner Owner/operator: Registration: VH-TSI C/n / msn: 402C0492 Fatalities: Fatalities: / Occupants: Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Papa Lealea, Central Province - Papua New Guinea Phase: Nature: Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: ELT detected 26 July. Wreckage located 27 July. Occupants not located. Unconfirmed suggestions this was an illegal flight. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/238696 ***************** UPDATE ON AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT NEAR PAPA LEALEA, PORT MORESBY, NATIONAL CAPITAL DISTRICT The Chief Commissioner of the PNG Accident Investigation Commission (AIC), Mr. Hubert Namani today announced that the AIC is investigating an aircraft accident occurred on 26th July 2020 near Papa Lealea, Port Moresby, NCD. Mr. Namani said "On 26th July 2020, the AIC was informed by PNG Air Services Limited (PNG ASL), about the activation of an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) near Papa Lealea, Port Moresby, National Capital District. PNG ASL also reported that all aircraft had been accounted for. "A team of investigators was sent to the area of the distress signal to conduct on-site activities. Early this morning, the team arrived to the area and found the location of the wreckage, which allowed to confirm the occurrence of an accident involving an Australian registered Cessna 402C twin engine airplane. "As mandated by the Civil Aviation Act 2000 (As Amended) and aligned with Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the AIC commenced an investigation to establish the circumstances in which the accident happened, its probable causes and contributing factors, in order to propose recommendations to enhance aviation safety." The PNG AIC conducts independent, no-blame accident and serious incident investigations. These investigations, as per the Civil Aviation Act 2000 (As Amended), are conducted with complete independence from any other Statutory organisation or aviation stakeholder, with the main purpose of avoid similar occurrences in the future. Further information on AIC investigations can be found on its website www.aic.gov.pg Back to Top United Airlines Names Sasha Johnson Vice President Corporate Safety CHICAGO, July 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today announced that Sasha Johnson will become the company's Vice President of Corporate Safety following Michael Quiello's retirement from United, effective October 1. Johnson, who currently serves as United's managing director of International Regulatory and Policy, will report to United's Chief Operations Officer Jon Roitman. In her new role, Johnson will manage all aspects of worldwide aviation safety, ground safety, quality assurance, medical, workers compensation, managed care, business continuity, family assistance and emergency operations for United. "Sasha is a highly respected and well-established leader with a proven track record of navigating some of the most challenging safety and regulatory issues in our industry," said Scott Kirby, United's chief executive officer. "Her unparalleled capacity for collaboration, teamwork and creative solutions will be a tremendous asset to our corporate safety team during one of the most challenging periods our industry has ever faced. We wish Mike well and appreciate his efforts over the past decade to not only lead United's safety programs but also take on a mentorship role for young people interested in aviation." During Quiello's 11 years with United, the Corporate Safety team accomplished some tremendous milestones, including the highly complex process that resulted in United's single operating certificate after the merger with Continental Airlines. Quiello championed the company's active participation in the OSHA Voluntary Protection Program, and under his leadership, the United team's data visualization program won the National Safety Council's highest award. Before joining United in 2015, Johnson worked for more than a decade at the Federal Aviation Administration and with the Department of Transportation in various roles including chief of staff at the FAA; assistant to the secretary and director of public affairs, and press secretary at the DOT. In these roles, she developed a comprehensive understanding of the issues critical to aviation safety, honed by her work in crisis management with the FAA administrator and the DOT secretary. Prior to that, Johnson spent more than a decade in broadcast journalism at CNN, including covering campaigns and elections as a senior producer. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/united-airlines-names-sasha-johnson-vice-president-corporate-safety-301099467.html Back to Top FAA warns engine on Boeing 737 jets could shut down mid-flight, issues emergency order directing airlines to inspect, replace critical part WASHINGTON - Safety regulators issued an emergency order directing airlines to inspect and if necessary replace a critical engine part on popular Boeing 737 jets after four reports of engines shutting down during flights. The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday that its order affected about 2,000 twin-engine passenger jets in the United States. The FAA said operators must inspect any 737 that has been parked for at least seven days or been flown fewer than 11 times since being returned to service. That's because of reports that certain engine valves can become stuck in the open position. Corrosion of the valves on both engines could lead to a complete loss of power without the ability to restart the engines, forcing pilots to land somewhere other than an airport, the FAA said in the order, dated Thursday. Chicago-based Boeing Co. said that with planes being stored or used less often during the coronavirus pandemic, "the valve can be more susceptible to corrosion." The company said it is providing inspection and parts-replacement help to airplane owners. Major airlines typically fly their planes several times a day. However, they parked hundreds of planes when the coronavirus pandemic triggered a collapse in air travel this spring and are bringing some of those planes back as passenger traffic has picked up slightly. The FAA did not provide details about the four cases of engine shutdowns. Alaska Airlines said one occurred on a July 15 flight from Seattle to Austin, Texas, and the plane landed without incident. Alaska said six of its planes need inspections, which have already begun. American, United and Southwest said none of their planes had valve-related engine shutdowns. American said four of its planes needed inspections, which were completed and found no issues. United said it is inspecting 28 planes. Southwest was determining how many planes it needs to check. Delta Air Lines said it would inspect 20 planes but did not say whether any of its planes suffered engine shutdowns. The emergency order applies to versions of the 737 called the NG and Classic, the latter of which are no longer in production but remain in some airline fleets. The directive does not apply to the newer Boeing 737 Max, which has been grounded worldwide since March 2019 after two crashes that killed 346 people. Passenger jets have two or more engines, and multiple engine failures of the type that FAA warned about in its order are rare. One example was the 2009 "Miracle on the Hudson," in which US Airways pilots landed their plane on the Hudson River in New York after bird strikes knocked out both engines. All 155 people on board survived. https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-nw-boeing-737-jet-engines-20200724-ppjmnjdpkjer7gmybrvkyfewhi-story.html Back to Top ACI Launches Accreditation Program to Assess Airport Health Measures Airports Council International (ACI-World) Airports Council International (ACI) World has launched the Airport Health Accreditation program to assist airports by assessing new health measures and procedures introduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic against global standards. As airports around the world begin to restart and then prepare to sustain continuing operations they are focused on the health and welfare of travelers, staff, and the public. The ACI Airport Health Accreditation program provides airports with an assessment of how aligned their health measures are with the ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) Recommendations along with industry best practices. The CART guidelines are very well aligned with the ACI Aviation Business Restart and Recovery guidelines as well as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) COVID-19 Aviation Health Safety Protocol guidelines. The program enables airports to demonstrate to passengers, staff, regulators, and governments that they are prioritizing health and safety in a measurable, established manner while also validating their own measures and processes. "While the COVID-19 pandemic's effects have halted the airport industry at global level, airports are vital cogs in the aviation ecosystem, and our Airport Health Accreditation program will help to restore passenger confidence in air travel." ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said. "As important engines of growth, wealth creation, and employment, the recovery of the airport sector will be a significant driver of the global economic recovery. "Key to this recovery will be reassuring the traveling public that airports are prioritizing health and safety and providing safe and hygienic facilities. "Assessment is aligned with guidelines for health measures established by ICAO, EASA, and ACI to help airports to prioritize and promote a safe and healthy environment for passengers, staff and the public. "Airports cannot do this in isolation, however, and collaboration, cooperation and consistency across the aviation industry will be the key to rebuilding global air services capacity and keeping passengers safe, healthy, and secure as we do this. "To assist airports, ACI has developed the Airport Health Accreditation Program to promote best practices and help align efforts across the industry to harmonize measures, processes, and procedures with ICAO, EASA, and ACI's global guidance." Topics covered by the accreditation include cleaning and disinfection, physical distancing (where feasible and practical), staff protection, physical layout, passenger communications and passenger facilities. Airports are communities - or mini-cities - so, to address this, all passenger areas and processes are considered including: • terminal access and check-in area • security screening • boarding gates and lounges • retail, food, and beverage areas • gate equipment such as boarding bridges • escalators and elevator • border control areas and facilities (in collaboration with authorities), and • baggage claim area and arrivals exit. The program is voluntary and open to all ACI member airports of all sizes in all regions. Upon submission of the completed questionnaire and all supporting materials, a virtual evaluation is conducted online by ACI to determine that health measures are being applied in alignment with ICAO CART guidelines, as well as EASA, and ACI recovery guidance, including ACI EUROPE's Guidelines for a Healthy Passenger Experience at Airports. https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/press-release/21147535/airports-council-international-aciworld-aci-launches-accreditation-program-to-assess-airport-health-measures Back to Top Man Holds Up American Airlines Flight Claiming HIPAA Rights Over Not Wearing a Face Mask Best-selling conservative author David J. Harris Jr. held up an entire American Airlines flight on Saturday, claiming he could not wear a face mask due to medical reasons - and then saying American could not ask about his conditions because it violated his HIPAA rights. Harris laid out his concerns in a video shot while he was still on board the plane and posted to his Instagram account, as outlined by the Mediaite website. "So because I declared that I have a medical reason to not wear a mask, people on the plane are tripping out and may not want to fly on this plane," Harris said. "There are a couple [fellow passengers] that are definitely having an issue, me not wearing a mask." American Airlines policy states that "a face-covering is required while flying on American, except for very young children or anyone with a condition that prevents them from wearing one." But Harris said he declined to divulge his condition as he felt it violated his personal and medical protections under The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). "They cannot violate your HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) rights at American [Airlines] and ask you anything about your medical issue, so for all the people on the plane who might want to get off, cause they might not feel safe, then get the heck off!" Harris said. "I'm staying right here." Airline and airport officials have been pleading with the federal government to mandate the wearing of face masks on all flights to avoid confusion and vagueness. The aircraft's captain did speak with Harris, who said the crew attempted to kick him off the plane, but he remained in his seat. The captain then made an announcement over the public address system saying that any passengers who did not feel safe could get off the plane and re-book their travel without a change fee. American Airlines did not return a request for comment. Wearing masks on planes continues to be a hot button issue. Earlier this week, American Airlines booted a woman off the plane for not wearing a mask, to which fellow passengers cheered when she was removed. Delta Air Lines also recently had to turn a plane around after multiple passengers refused to wear a mask. https://www.travelpulse.com/news/airlines/man-holds-up-american-airlines-flight-claiming-hipaa-rights-over-not-wearing-a-face-mask.html Back to Top ALPA offers assistance to PIA, PALPA in addressing safety, technical issues The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) has offered Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Pakistan Air Line Pilots Association(PALPA) assistance to address safety and technical issues that are a major reason for restrictions on the national carrier's operations in the European Union (EU) and the United States (US). In a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan, ALPA President Captain Joseph G DePete said the openness and desire to identify issues and implement remedies to restore the good name of Pakistan within the aviation industry is appreciable. "I have a personal interest in supporting you due to the relationships that I have developed within Pakistan including with you, Air Marshal Arshad Malik at Pakistan International Airlines, and Captain Chaudhary Salman at PALPA," the letter said quoting President DePete. He further stated that that ALPA is referred to in North America as "conscience of the industry" with 85 years of experience in improving aviation safety. "We have seen tremendous success in working with Civil Aviation Authorities and airlines in the development of Safety Management Systems (SMS) and implementation of non-punitive safety reporting systems. Implementing these safety objectives will demonstrate Pakistan's ability to make meaningful changes which will allow Pakistan International Airlines to resume operations to the United States and Europe," he added. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had suspended all European operations of PIA as of July 1 due to dubious pilot licences. This suspension is in effect for six months and they will not be reinstated until PIA can demonstrate compliance with EASA safety management. In another letter to President PALPA, Captain Salman wrote, "You have my commitment to ensure that your leadership is provided with the information you need to address the concerns that you have identified. ALPA, as a member of IFALPA, can coordinate with IFALPA to provide support in delivering you information and briefings on SMS and Fatigue Risk Management Programs (FRMP) implementation, non-punitive reporting programs, as well as best practices that we have identified in these areas." Expressing gratitude he added that PALPA has been playing its role in the country for its mission to provide a safe and efficient mode of air travel with zero tolerance for unsafe operation. He further said that non-punitive reporting by frontline employees is critical to the success of any SMS program. To fully understand the risks in an airline and within the industry, frontline employees must be empowered and have confidence that no retribution will be taken against them for filing a safety report and identifying a safety issue, Salman said. "It is our experience that approximately 90pc of the reports received from flight crew members are 'sole source' reports on issues we would not even know about, except through that crew report," he said, adding that there must be a feedback loop to ensure these employees see that their reporting is making a difference. https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/07/25/alpa-offers-assistance-to-pia-palpa-in-addressing-safety-technical-issues/ Back to Top Heat Turned Up For Pilot Database Some congressional heavyweights are leaning on the Department of Transportation to finalize a Pilots Records Database they say would provide "one level of safety" for airline passengers. The database was included as part of the contentious 2010 FAA reauthorization bill and mandatory reporting requirements by those employing pilots has yet to be formalized as a rule. The FAA is now moving forward with it with an NPRM that was issued March 30 but there has been opposition to its reach and scope. In a letter signed by members of the Western New York Congressional delegation, which includes Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and former Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the delegation said details of the crash of an Atlas Air Boeing 767 in February of 2019 cemented their resolve to get the rule in place. The politicians say the database would have prevented the first officer who was flying the plane from concealing his history of blown checkrides and other training failures while gaining 5,000 hours of right seat experience. "August 1st marks ten years since the passage of the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 ...the latest news about the deadly Atlas Air cargo flight crash shows we cannot wait one more day to implement the Pilot Records Database," the letter reads. NBAA has been among those pushing back on the master list of pilot credentials saying including small corporate flight departments in the collection of those required to submit pilot records is too much burden for them. It also says the NPRM had some contradictory language in it. Comments on the NPRM closed June 30. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/heat-turned-up-for-pilot-database/ Back to Top Turkish Airlines Approves Codeshare Agreement with Pakistan International Airlines Turkish Airlines approved a codeshare agreement with Pakistan International Airlines on Sunday. Pakistan's national airline has selected Istanbul as the most urgent destination for the resumption of its flight operations, as the city will be the gateway for Pakistan International, which has been banned by the United Kingdom and Europe due to its recent fraudulent pilot license scandal. Under the expanded agreement, Pakistan passengers will be able to travel onboard Turkish Airlines aircraft to Birmingham, U.K.; London; Milan, Italy; Barcelona; Copenhagen, Denmark and Oslo, Norway via Istanbul Airport in addition to the destinations covered by the existing agreement. The flag carrier of Turkey affirmed the agreement following Pakistan Airlines' chief executive officer Air Marshal Arshad's plea for approval from Turkish authorities to operate flights to airports in Istanbul. In a letter to Pakistani Ambassador to Turkey M. Syrus Sajjad Qazi, the airline's CEO said that the airline urgently had to get authorization from Turkish authorities to operate flights, which the airline planned to resume in early August. Turkish Airlines and Pakistan International Airlines have a long-lasting collaboration within the scope of codeshare and special prorate agreements. Arshad also wrote a letter on July 2 to Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Eksi in a bid to enhance the airline companies' existing codeshare collaboration. "Considering the networks of both airlines, we see that the volume and utilization of our agreements have been lower than our expectations. I believe that our cooperation could be developed to reach a more satisfying level with the addition of your proposed Birmingham, London, Milan, Barcelona, Copenhagen and Oslo points on our codeshare subject to related Civil Aviation Authorities` beyond codeshare approvals," said Turkish Airlines CEO in a response letter on July 24. The Turkish CEO also proposed to upgrade their codeshare from unilateral to a bilateral arrangement once the volume and utilization of their agreements reach a level Turkish Airlines deems as "satisfactory." Pakistan International Airlines has recently signed a codeshare agreement with Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines, as well. However, the flight suspensions due to novel coronavirus pandemic hampered the implementation of the agreement. Pakistan's CEO requested authorities at Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, the main hub of Pegasus Airlines, to grant the airline approval to commence scheduled flights immediately. He also sought help from the ambassador related to the matter. Under the agreement with Pegasus, Pakistan International Airlines passengers will be able travel to 25 destinations in Europe and the U.K. via Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport. PIA Set to Appeal EASA Flight Ban The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the U.S. Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) suspended Pakistan International Airlines' authorization to operate in the EU and the U.S. The move came after 262 Pakistani pilots had been grounded following Pakistan's minister of aviation's sensational statement labeling their flight licenses as "dubious." However, this was not the first time that the airline was banned by EASA to operate flights to and from EU countries. The EASA had suspended operations of some of the airline's aircraft from 2007 to 2009 due to the safety standards. According to Pakistan's aviation minister, in 2019, the EASA had given Pakistan International Airlines six measures to which it must comply by June 30. "Five of its observations have been addressed, and the sixth one on safety standards has yet to be complied with," said the minister recently. According to the aviation minister, the flight ban would remain in force until late August, but the government would appeal the EASA ban by the end of July. Pakistani officials hope that flights will resume before the end of this year. However, it is doubtful that the incumbent airline executive team and Pakistani Civil Aviation Authority officials will be able to make the necessary reforms in terms of safety and credibility in two months. https://airlinegeeks.com/2020/07/27/turkish-airlines-approves-codeshare-agreement-with-pakistan-international-airlines/ Back to Top Who is FLOAT, the new owner of Ravn Air's assets? It's complicated. In early July, FLOAT (FLy Over All Traffic) Shuttle acquired the FAR Part 121 operating certificates for PenAir and Corvus (formerly Era Aviation). Included in the asset purchase from the bankrupt Ravn Air Group were also six Dash 8s and a Saab 340. The package was sold to FLOAT privately, not at auction, after Ravn's owners elected to go with the California company over a group of Alaskan investors which included Jim Jansen from Lynden (which owns Lynden Air Transport) and Rob Evert of Evert's Air Cargo and Evert's Air Alaska. Both Lynden Air Transport and Evert's Air Cargo are longtime Part 121 operators. FLOAT is part of a labyrinthian series of airline connections that also involves Mokulele Airlines, Sun Air Express, a past association with the now defunct SeaPort Airlines and, at the center of it all, Memphis, Tennessee-based Southern Airways Express. None of these companies have operated aircraft with more than nine seats and, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, prior to the Ravn sale, FLOAT did not hold any operating certificate at all. As explained by company executives in past interviews, FLOAT relies on Southern Airways for everything: pilots, aircraft, maintenance and thus all aspects of regulatory compliance and operational control. This is not a charter or commuter operation; it is a company that hires a charter and commuter operation to do the job it can not do. Courtesy of the Ravn deal, FLOAT now holds two FAR Part 121 certificates and owns seven large aircraft. According to Alaska Public Media, FLOAT plans to be flying in Alaska in about a month, with chief operating officer Rob McKinney declaring recently, "Not only do we bring a depth of aviation knowledge, we feel confident that we're Alaska-specific, as well." Separately, McKinney told ADN that "Dutch Harbor is probably at the top of our list" when service resumes. According to the FAA however, the company has been asked to provide a transition plan regarding the certificate acquisitions. Further, prior to the resumption of any operations, there will be FAA inspections to ensure safety and regulatory compliance. Information on FAA-approved personnel for specific required positions (as per FAR Part 119) is pending. FLOAT is less than one year old, incorporating in Delaware only last fall. McKinney, one of the company's three co-founders, has an extensive background with Southern Airways, Mokulele and SeaPort - which, prior to its 2016 bankruptcy and liquidation, owned and operated Wings of Alaska in Juneau. The connections between the various companies are complex and involve operations and incorporations in multiple states. At their heart is a single-minded determination to pursue Essential Air Service (EAS) contracts and McKinney's ability to move with ease from one company to another. At various times in the past 15 years, McKinney served in an executive capacity with Mokulele, SeaPort and Southern. SeaPort, which purchased Wings of Alaska in 2008 and utilized its Part 135 operating certificate to expand into the Lower 48, was based in Portland, Oregon. McKinney was President and/or CEO from the beginning until his resignation on the day SeaPort filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2016. He was CEO when Southern Airways began operating SeaPort's flights in late fall 2015 and also when Wings flight 202, en route from Juneau to Hoonah, crashed into a tree at the 1,250-foot level near Point Howard on July 17, 2015. The four passengers onboard the Cessna 207 were seriously injured and the pilot, who had 840 total flight hours and had been in Alaska less than two months, was killed. The NTSB determined the accident's probable cause was the pilot's decision to fly under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions. But the board also found contributing factors, specifically citing SeaPort's "failure to follow its operational control and flight release procedures and its inadequate training and oversight of operational control personnel." Wings was a day-VFR-only commuter/air taxi whose operational control was maintained from SeaPort's base in Portland, where the company president, chief pilot, director of maintenance and director of systems operation control (SOC) resided. The director of operations was based in Memphis. In an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board, the SOC director stated that "dispatchers in Portland were trained for Alaska-specific items, such as weather cameras, risk assessment forms, and unique weather patterns, but 'at the end of the day, it's still Caravans or Cessnas flying up a canal'." McKinney was actually in Hoonah on business at the time of the accident; he ultimately had to charter Coastal Helicopters to return to Juneau because of the conditions. Three months after the crash, Seaport sold Wings of Alaska to Fjord Flying Services based in Gustavus. (It ceased operations in March 2017.) In a press release at the time of the sale, McKinney stated "Air service to rural Alaska communities has many unique challenges and aspects to it that contrast significantly with our Lower 48 operations." At the same time, Southern began operating flights for SeaPort as the company struggled to survive. When it shifted into Chapter 7 liquidation in September 2016, Southern swiftly made a move for many of its EAS contracts and got them. Meanwhile, McKinney had been in Hawaii for months and was on to yet another company with Southern ties. McKinney became President of Mokulele Airlines in Hawaii two months after resigning from SeaPort. The Hawaiian Part 135 carrier already had a relationship with Southern, through yet another company, the small Midwest commuter and multiple EAS recipient Sun Air Express. Mokulele provided aircraft and crews for some of Sun Air's Lower 48 EAS contracts in 2015. Sun Air was subsequently purchased by Southern in 2016, which absorbed its routes, name and some degree of relationship with the Hawaiian company. McKinney remained with Mokulele until effecting a seamless transition to become President of Pacific Operations for Southern Airways after it purchased Mokulele in February 2019. Southern Airways and Mokulele currently receive just under $25 million annually from the Department of Transportation for service to rural airports nationwide utilizing EAS contracts. While present in regions ranging from the Northeast to California and Hawaii, Southern has never had a foothold in the lucrative Alaska EAS market. There are about 60 EAS contracts in Alaska alone, far more than any other state, including McGrath and St. Paul Island, which were previously served by Ravn. Now, through its relationship with FLOAT, Southern has gained a potential foothold in this new arena. Despite assertions from Ravn Attorney Jane Kim that the sale was "a way for us to do what we had hoped to do which is be able to resume Part 121 operations in the state of Alaska, and get employees rehired," there is still an enormous amount of uncertainty surrounding this venture. While Ravn CEO and president Dave Pflieger extolled FLOAT's employment promises, Alaskans should take heed of what happened to Mokulele one week after they were sold to Southern: 10% of the workforce was laid off. More significantly, even with the $31.6 million federal payroll support loan offered to Ravn's successor, it is uncertain that, with FLOAT dependent on Southern Airways for all facets of its operation, it will be able to prove to the FAA that it is ready to safely operate a Part 121 carrier in Alaska's challenging aviation environment. This is particularly true of flights in and out of Unalaska, which has already captured Rob McKinney's attention. Residents there know all too well the damage that can be inflicted by inexperienced pilots and a company abdicating its operational responsibilities. I imagine there are also several people in Hoonah who would like to weigh in on this topic as well. As for McKinney himself, he has already added yet another title to his portfolio. The SeaPort/Wings of Alaska/Mokulele/Southern Airways/FLOAT executive is now listing himself on LinkedIn as CEO at "The New Ravn Alaska." https://www.adn.com/opinions/2020/07/24/who-is-float-the-new-owner-of-ravn-airs-assets-its-complicated/ Back to Top Boeing to delay 777X as demand drops for big jets - sources SEATTLE/PARIS (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) is preparing to delay its all-new 777X jet by several months or up to a year, three people familiar with the matter said, as the COVID-19 crisis exacerbates a drop in demand for the industry's largest jetliners. Boeing hopes to bring the jet to market as passenger travel rebounds after a downturn caused by the pandemic. It would also hope for a detente in a trade war between Washington and Beijing, which has sidelined crucial Chinese aircraft buyers. But stretching out the development opens up fresh risks for Boeing, such as losing engineering attention and momentum, and tougher scrutiny from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration during the years-long certification process. Delay could also cause problems in Boeing's supply chain. An announcement of the delay could come as early as next week when Boeing announces earnings, one of the people said. Boeing declined to comment on the 777X timeline. It said it was continuing flight tests and "working closely with our customers around the world as they continue to adapt to the evolving COVID-19 situation." Boeing has been working to get the 777X, a larger version of the 777 mini-jumbo, into the hands of customers in 2021. That's already a year later than originally scheduled after snags with its General Electric (GE.N) GE9X engines among other issues. Now Boeing is preparing to delay the timeline by perhaps a year, two of the people said. A third said a delay was likely but that Boeing wanted to get production "going hard" to put planes in the air by 2022-2023. "There are so many widebody aircraft being retired, mothballed," the third person said. "If air travel comes back to 2019 levels, many new planes will be needed." The 777X will be the first major jet to be certified since the role of software flaws in two fatal 737 MAX crashes prompted accusations of cozy relations between Boeing and the FAA. The 777X - composed of two models, the 777-8 and the larger and more closely watched 777-9 which seats 406 passengers and is due to be delivered first - competes with the Airbus (AIR.PA) A350-1000, which seats about 360 passengers. Modern twinjets are displacing older four-engined Boeing 747s and soon-to-be-axed Airbus A380s. Boeing has told suppliers the last 747-8 will roll off assembly lines in around two years. Experts had expressed worries about demand for large jets due to overcapacity and economic weakness, even before COVID. While Boeing says it has sold 309 777X planes - worth $442 million each at list prices - many in the industry have questioned its dependence on Middle East carriers which are scaling back orders. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-boeing-777x/boeing-to-delay-777x-as-demand-drops-for-big-jets-sources-idUSKCN24P2JI Back to Top British government works closely with FAA to finalize commercial launch regulations As reported by SpaceNews, The British government will soon release a set of regulations in order to allow companies to perform commercial launches from spaceports in the country. During a July 22 webinar by the U.K. Space Agency, government officials mentioned that they were finalizing an estimated 900 pages of regulations that will cover licensing and oversight of launch vehicles and launch sites. Paul Cremin, commercial spaceflight and regulation policy lead at the Department for Transport, stated that it is now the prime piece of legislation needed to launch anything from the U.K. He also said that the regulations will cover "everything that prospective spaceport operators and launch operators will require" to carry out commercial launch activities in the U.K., including but not limited to include licensing requirements, environmental consideration, liability and insurance requirements, security, and the accident investigation process. He said that it is a wealth of material that has taken a good two years to pull together and it amounts to something like a mammoth 900 pages of material that they'll be unleashing very soon. Cremin said British government has worked closely with the Federal Aviation Administration within the us . They believe that the cooperation will reduce the regulatory burden for any U.S. vehicles that seek to launch from the U.K., although those launches will still need an FAA launch license additionally to any U.K. government license. He said that the regulations that they've been drafting have been drafted with completely commercial outcomes and a commercial market from the outset. Despite the differences between the U.S. and U.K. regulations, Cremin said that they were in early discussions with the FAA on establishing a "mutual recognition" system for each other's licenses, but it might be a longer term ambition. Andrew Kuh, head of international spaceflight policy at the U.K. Space Agency, said that it is a huge step forward for the U.K. Kuh acknowledged that the agreement will impose some "operational overhead" on spaceport operators, like establishing segregated areas for American vehicles with access control. U.S. companies also will still got to obtain export licenses to work their vehicles from the U.K. Virgin Orbit, is likely to be the first company, to make use of that agreement, and perhaps the broader British launch regulations. David Oxley, director of business growth for Highlands and Islands Enterprise, said in a statement about approval of the spaceport plans that, part of their ambition is to create the world's most low-carbon space center, and the conditions applied to the planning approval will help them make that a reality. https://www.geospatialworld.net/news/british-government-works-closely-with-faa-to-finalize-commercial-launch-regulations/ 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