Flight Safety Information August 3, 2020 - No. 155 In This Issue Incident: Sprint AT72 at Ljubljana on Jul 31st 2020, smoke in cockpit Incident: Yakutia DH8C, Polar AN24 and irAero AN24 at Yakutsk on Jul 30th 2020, TCAS resolutions Incident: Alkan D228 at Coffee Creek on Jul 22nd 2020, drum roll on touchdown Incident: Canadian North DH8A near Calgary on Jul 23rd 2020, hydraulic leak de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver - Mid-Air Collision (Alaska) Texas pilot warned not to fly plane before fatal 2018 Detroit crash, report says EASA publishes Annual Safety Review 2020 Report: Boeing 747-400 nearly hit the ground after descending below MDA at Tokyo-Haneda Airport Pilots Facing Retests After Incompetent Examiner Revealed Icelandair Pilots Accused Of Undermining Cabin Crew, Putting Safety Standards At Risk Aircraft doctors: Non-Destructive testing keep aircraft flying, crews safe Australian pilot of crashed plane charged in PNG Pakistan International Airlines Introduces Mandatory Breathalyser Tests for all Cabin Crew FAA Grants New Extension on Crew Training and Checks Cathay Pacific offers early retirement scheme to older pilots FAA approves Rocket Lab to resume launches after company identified cause of July 4 failure SCSI Slovenia Fall Course Series The USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Will Offer Online and In-Person Classes This Fall Swinburne University Capstone Research Projects 2020 - Airline pax preferences Study Graduate Research Survey (1) Graduate Research Survey (2) GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (3) Incident: Sprint AT72 at Ljubljana on Jul 31st 2020, smoke in cockpit A Sprint Air Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-200 freighter, registration SP-SPE performing flight P8-1905 from Ljubljana (Slovenia) to Cologne/Bonn (Germany) with 2 crew, was in the initial climb out of runway 12 when the crew stopped the climb at about 2700 feet reporting smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft performed a tear drop procedure and returned to land on runway 30 about 5 minutes after departure. Emergency services checked the aircraft and subsequently escorted the aircraft to the apron. The aircraft returned to service about 40 hours after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4dac14e6&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Yakutia DH8C, Polar AN24 and irAero AN24 at Yakutsk on Jul 30th 2020, TCAS resolutions A Yakutia de Havilland Dash 8-300, registration VQ-BVI performing flight R3-418 from Ust-Nera to Yakutsk (Russia), was on a visual approach pattern to Yakutsk at 700 meters altitude. A Polar Airlines Antonov AN-24, registration RA-47353 performing flight RKA-9903 from Khandyga to Yakutsk (Russia), was on a visual approach pattern to Yakutsk at 700 meters when the crews of both aircraft initiated evasive maneouvers due to the loss of separation. An IrAero Antonov AN-24, registration RA-48096 performing flight IO-9197 from Yakutsk to an unknown destination (Russia), was climbing through 500 meters out of Yaktusk when the Dash 8 still in the first evasive maneouver caused loss of separation with the irAero and prompted further evasive maneouvers. The two arriving aircraft landed without further incident. The departing irAero AN-24 was involved in another loss of separation incident 11 minutes later, when a loss of separation occurred with another Yakutia Dash 8-300 registration VP-BNS performing flight R3-424 from Batagay to Yakutsk (Russia) prompting evasive maneouvers. A WhatsApp message reported that three aircraft of Yakutia, Polar Airlines and IrAero, flight numbers, flight routes, flight numbers etc. unknown, were instructed to maintain the same altitude and nearly collided, all three crews took evasive maneouvers on their own. The head of the Sakha Republic was on board of the Polar Airlines aircraft, the Whatsapp message claimed. Based on that Social Media Message the Government of the Republic Sakha (Yakutsk is the capital city of Sakha Republic) reported on Aug 1st 2020, they have opened an investigation into a possible near collision between an Yakutia, Polar Airlines and IrAero Aircraft over Yakutsk this morning (Aug 1st 2020) with no further details. The government states, the head of Sakha Republic had not been on that Polar Airlines flight. The occurrence is currently hitting the headlines in Russia based on the statement of Sakha's government as a near collision over Yakutsk without details. In unrelated coverages Russian media had reported the head of Sakha Republic had been visiting Khandyga to coordinate works to fight the wildfires in the region and returned to Yakutsk on Jul 30th 2020. In the evening of Aug 1st 2020 Rosaviatsia released some details (see above) about the occurrence identifying the aircraft VQ-BVI, RA-47353 and RA-48096 to be involved in the occurrence on approach to Yakutsk at 700 meters and 500 meters prompting TCAS resolution advisories. 11 minutes later RA-48096 was involved in another loss of separation and TCAS RA with VP-BNS. http://avherald.com/h?article=4dab6365&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Alkan D228 at Coffee Creek on Jul 22nd 2020, drum roll on touchdown An Alkan Air Dornier Do-228, registration C-FUCN performing a flight from Whitehorse,YT to Coffee Creek Airstrip,YT (Canada) with 7 passengers and 2 crew, touched down at Coffee Creek Airstrip when the right main gear struck one of the fuel drums at the runway edge marking the touch down zone, the fuel drum subsequently struck the right side of the fuselage and the right horizontal stabilizer. The aircraft rolled out without further incident. There were no injuries, the aircraft received minor damage. The Canadian TSB reported: "Subsequent to the occurrence, the fuel drums were replaced with high visibility plastic cones and the vegetation near the edge of the airstrip was cut to provide better visibility of the new touchdown zone markers." http://avherald.com/h?article=4daac59c&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Canadian North DH8A near Calgary on Jul 23rd 2020, hydraulic leak A Canadian North de Havilland Dash 8-100, registration C-GRGO performing flight 5T-1797 from Edmonton,AB to Calgary,AB (Canada) with 11 passengers and 3 crew, was enroute at 12,000 feet when the crew received a #1 ISO VLV (Left hand Isolation Valve) indication, confirmed a partial loss of hydraulic quantity on the #1 system and worked the related checklists. The crew declared emergency and continued for a safe landing at Calgary about 18 minutes later. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/MPE1797/history/20200724/0000Z/CYEG/CYYC http://avherald.com/h?article=4daac48f&opt=0 Back to Top de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver - Mid-Air Collision (Alaska) Date: 31-JUL-2020 Time: c 08:30 LT Type: de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver Owner/operator: High Adventure Air Charter Registration: N4982U C/n / msn: 904 Fatalities: Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6 Other fatalities: 1 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Category: Accident Location: near Soldotna, AK - United States of America Phase: Unknown Nature: Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi Departure airport: Destination airport: Investigating agency: NTSB Narrative: A Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser (N2587M) and a float equipped de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver (N4982U) crashed in a wooded area following a mid-air collision over Sterling, Alaska. All six occupants of the DHC-2 and the pilot, who was the sole occupant of the Piper PA-12, didn't survive the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/238905 Back to Top Texas pilot warned not to fly plane before fatal 2018 Detroit crash, report says A Texas pilot was warned three times not to fly his airplane before it crashed in a Detroit neighborhood in 2018, killing him and his wife and severely injuring his son, according to a federal accident investigation. The factual report by the National Transportation Safety Board also says the pilot reported running out of fuel while struggling to get his landing gear down as the single-engine Cessna P210N approached Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport on June 24. Pilot Greg Boaz, a restaurateur, and his wife, Julie, both of League City, Texas, died in the crash. Boaz's 17-year-old son Peyton rolled out of the burning wreckage and was critically injured. The family was on its way to watch daughter Krysta play in a volleyball tournament in Detroit. The NTSB report and documents, filed June 24, detail the final moments before the crash, including the air traffic control recordings of dialogue between the plane and control tower. A final report, which will include a probable cause of the crash, is expected to be filed within a week. Three weeks before the crash, mechanic Randy Wahlberg at the Pearland Regional Airport told Boaz that it appeared that pieces of the missing oil dipstick had gotten into the engine and "his engine needed to be overhauled since the dipstick was stainless steel and it made it through the oil pump into the filter," according to an inspector statement in the report. "The pilot told the mechanic that he had just purchased the airplane and that he could not afford to overhaul the engine," the report states. "The mechanic then placed a red 'Do Not Fly' placard on the pilot-side yoke." According to the report, a couple of weeks later, Boaz came back with another oil filter for the mechanic to inspect and told him he had looked up on the internet "how to remove metal from an engine by flushing it with diesel fuel." While there was no metal in the filter, "the mechanic again told the pilot that he should not fly the airplane until the engine had been overhauled." Another airplane mechanic, Robert Mutina, told investigators that he was a personal friend of Boaz since high school. Although he had not seen the plane, he had discussed it and advised Boaz not to fly it. According to the report, a post-crash inspection of the engine found three "small metal pieces that were consistent with remnants of the fractured oil gauge rod" as well as "numerous scratches" in the crankcase. However, the report concluded, "The post-accident engine examination did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation during the flight." The NTSB did find other reasons for concern about the fatal flight, which originated in Baytown, Texas, with a fuel stopover in West Memphis, Arkansas. According to the agency's report, data recovered from the plane's engine monitor showed that while cruising during six previous cross-country flights, Boas "would lean rich-of-peak" - meaning the plane consumed more fuel than expected. The average fuel use while cruising during those flights was about 21 gallons per hour - the same level recorded during the fatal flight, according to the report. The Cessna, with a fuel capacity of 90 gallons, had used 71.6 gallons "when the recorded fuel flow suddenly dropped to zero" seconds before the crash in Detroit, the report states. According to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, a Cessna P210 normally burns about 17 gallons of gas per hour. Robert McSpadden, senior vice president of the organization's Air Safety Institute, said the fatal flight's cruising rate of 21 gallons per hour was unusual. "That number seems incredibly high to me," McSpadden said. "The pilot was flying rich-of-peak, meaning he would burn more fuel; it keeps the engine cooler. That's typical practice. But 21 just seems really high." The fuel selector valve was set to draw fuel from the right-wing tank, the report added, instead of drawing fuel from both tanks simultaneously. "This may not have been a situation of fuel exhaustion, but of fuel starvation," McSpadden said. Upon approaching the airport in Detroit at 7:48 p.m., the pilot told the control tower that his land gear had not locked into place, according to the report. The pilot then requested to land on the infield next to the runway. "It's not unusual for a plane to land without landing gear engaged on an airstrip," McFadden said. "All the gear would just have to be retracted." Harro Ranter, CEO of Aviation Safety Network, said it "remains to be seen" how the aircraft ran out of fuel. Ranter speculated that either the pilot misread the fuel gauge or was so fixated on the landing gear issue that he neglected to watch it. A faster burn rate of fuel would mean that a pilot would use more fuel than expected to reach his destination. Pilots are required to have enough fuel on board to reach their destination plus 30 minutes of additional flying during day flights, according to FAA regulations. McSpadden added: "Seventy-five percent of aviation accidents are pilot errors. There are a lot of clues that show that there was something else wrong with this flight." Boaz, 54, was owner of two Texas venues, Lone Star Grill in Bacliff, Texas and Palapa Bar, a nightclub, in Kemah. Julie Boaz was 48. The couple was recently married and were survived by children Tyler, Krysta and Peyton and Daniel Costano Jr. and Cecilia Costano, according to an obituary with Carnes Funeral Home. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2020/08/01/houston-area-pilot-warned-not-fly-plane-before-fatal-detroit-crash/5521343002/ Back to Top EASA publishes Annual Safety Review 2020 31 July 2020 As an overview of the safety situation in aviation in Europe, EASA published the 2020 edition of its Annual Safety Review (ASR). The ASR identifies the most important safety challenges faced in European aviation today and supports the decision making for the next edition of the European Plan for Aviation Safety (EPAS) to further improve aviation safety and environmental protection throughout Europe. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2020/07/31/easa-publishes-annual-safety-review-2020/ Back to Top Report: Boeing 747-400 nearly hit the ground after descending below MDA at Tokyo-Haneda Airport Date: 11-APR-2018 Time: 23:50 LT Type: Boeing 747-4D7 Owner/operator: Thai Airways International Registration: HS-TGX C/n / msn: 27725/1134 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 384 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Category: Serious incident Location: 8km northeast of Tokyo International Airport/Haneda (HND/RJTT) - Japan Phase: Approach Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK/VTBS), Thailand Destination airport: Tokyo International Airport/Haneda (HND/RJTT), Japan Investigating agency: JTSB Narrative: A Boeing 747-400 of Thai Airways International, operating flight THA/TG660 from Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi, Thailand to Tokyo/Haneda, Japan, experienced "Too Low" EGPWS warning during a night time approach to runway 16L of Haneda. The flight was cleared for a VOR A approach for runway 16L after DARKS arrival. The aircraft arrived from the east and after passing over DARKS, aircraft have to cross SAZAN at or above an altitude of 1,100 ft while descending at a bearing of 274 ° toward Haneda VOR/DME (HME), and enter a circling approach (down-wind leg of runway 16L) after visually recognizing runway 16L and with turning to the right. Normally, pilots visually select a route in circling approach and approach landing runway. However, noise abatement procedures require aircraft to fly along or inside a specified course for landing on runway 16L. In circling, MDA is established as a minimum altitude applied until commencing visual descending for landing. MDA in this approach procedure is 760 ft. TG660 howefer, immediately began turning on the down-wind leg of runway 16L directly after crossing SAZAN, which was outside the specified approach procedure. Both the PIC and the FO then visually recognized lights that appeared to be the approach guidance lights ahead in the left. The PIC commenced the base turn by turning left in an attempt to enter inside the designated course using the landmark beacon as a reference because the PIC realized that the aircraft was off the designated course. The FO performed altiude an call-out passing over 500 ft. The PIC continued the approach saying, "Check, continue" in response to the call-out of the FO because runway was always visible. Tokyo Tower then radioed : "Your altitude is too low, confirm, do you have runway 16L insight?". Flight 660 responded saying, "Negative". Due to the low altitude, the PIC could not visually the recognize approach light beacon of runway 16L which was blocked by the container piers ahead on the left and lost sight of runway 16L. Two seconds later the EGPWS caution "TOO LOW TERRAIN" was enunciated at an altitude of 304 ft (93 m). The flight reported to Tokyo Tower "Now going around". The lowest altitude the aircraft recorded was 282 ft (86 m). The Boeing executed a go-around, and made a safe landing on runway 22 about 15 minutes later at 00:04 LT of 12 April. Similar incident has happened on 22 December 2016, i.e. an A320-214 of Peach Aviation aligned wrong runway 23 of Haneda during a VOR A approach for runway 16L after DARKS arrival. PROBABLE CAUSES In this serious incident, it is probable that the Aircraft maneuvered an emergency operation to avoid crash into the ground because it came close to the ground surface in approach to Runway 16L at Tokyo International Airport. It is probable that coming close to the ground was caused by the PIC's concentration on modifying the lateral flight path continuing descent without paying an appropriate attention to the descent path, and by the FO's unawareness of the too low descent path due to his concentration on monitoring the lateral path course. Weather about the time of the serious incident (23:50 LT/14:50Z) RJTT 111400Z 17014KT 9999 FEW015 SCT035 BKN050 18/15 Q1009 TEMPO 20018G28KT RJTT 111500Z 19013KT 9999 FEW015 SCT025 BKN060 19/15 Q1009 NOSIG Sources: http://jtsb.mlit.go.jp/jtsb/aircraft/detail2.php?id=2211 https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/tg660#1100c236 Accident investigation: Investigating agency: JTSB Status: Investigation completed Duration: 2 years and 3 months Download report: Final report https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/209441 Back to Top Pilots Facing Retests After Incompetent Examiner Revealed AOPA is reporting that hundreds of pilots may have to take their practical tests over again after in FAA investigation revealed issues with the performance of Cincinnati FAA examiner. Anyone who passed ride with Michael A. Puehler between 2008 and 2019 may have to take the test again. AOPA says the FAA said the action was taken to "ensure that these individuals meet the standards." On July 15, the FAA sent a policy document to aviation safety inspectors that included a draft letter to be sent from FSDOs to deliver the news to the affected pilots. The letter says the reexamination is necessary in the "interest of safety" and gives the pilots ten days to contact their local FSDO to start the process. It will be quite a process for some, especially if they got progressively more advanced ratings and endorsements from Puehler. They'll have to be retested on all of them. But some may get a pass. Depending on the particular rating or endorsement, many of those who went on to take advanced practical exams from other examiners won't have to be retested. Those who don't want to go through it all can voluntarily cancel or downgrade their certificates. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/pilots-facing-retests-after-incompetent-examiner-revealed/ Back to Top Icelandair Pilots Accused Of Undermining Cabin Crew, Putting Safety Standards At Risk A few weeks ago, Icelandair made headlines for its plan to fire all flight attendants and temporarily replace them with pilots. Now the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF), which represents over five million transport workers in 41 countries, is condemning the actions of the company's pilots. In this post: • Icelandair's cabin crew dispute • Icelandair pilots are now in hot water Back in mid-July, Icelandair revealed a plan to lay off all flight attendants. The intent was for flight attendants to temporarily be replaced by pilots, given the excess pilots the company has as it's operating a limited schedule. The company was then going to find "another party in the Icelandic labor market" to assume this role long-term. This decision came after members of Icelandair's flight attendant union voted against a collective bargaining agreement about a year ago. Fortunately following this threat, management and the union came to an agreement, and signed a new collective bargaining agreement, valid through September 2025. Icelandair pilots are now in hot water This shouldn't come as much of a surprise, but the ETF is now condemning the actions of Icelandair management, as well as the actions of Icelandair's pilots. The organization isn't happy that Icelandair pilots were essentially complicit in undermining the position of cabin crew, and argues that their actions put the professional image of pilots, as well as safety standards, at risk. Here's part of the announcement from the ETF: The ETF and the ETF Pilot community deplore this unprecedented attack on the legitimate rights of workers and their union and this flagrant breach of safety obligations by Icelandair. We strongly condemn both the behaviour of the company - offensive both towards cabin crew and pilots - as well as the actions of the pilots. Indeed, the pilots did not reject the call of the company and instead made themselves available to undermine the position of the cabin crew and thereby put the professional image of pilots as well as safety standards at risk. The ETF Pilot community cannot stress enough that one category of workers should never be used to undermine the position of others and that no group of workers shall ever voluntarily engage in actions which could undermine the working conditions of other groups of workers. Bottom line I'm happy that Icelandair management and cabin crew were able to come to a new agreement. I was a bit surprised when Icelandair pilots agreed to assume the roles of cabin crew in this dispute, since typically unionized workforces at least somewhat act in solidarity. With Icelandair having reached a new agreement with cabin crew I can't imagine this is exactly great for labor relations between pilots and flight attendants... https://onemileatatime.com/icelandair-pilots/ Back to Top Aircraft doctors: Non-Destructive testing keep aircraft flying, crews safe ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- -- When we're sick we go to the doctor for a diagnosis but where do aircraft go for unseen issues? Aircraft at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia go to the 558th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron non-destructive inspection office with the 402nd Maintenance Group for their diagnosis. "Each aircraft arriving to Robins Air Force Base for depot level maintenance is in-processed to the base and receives a package describing the type of work to be completed on that aircraft," said Vincent Jernigan, 558th Air Maintenance Squadron Non-destructive tester inspector. "Each package has an entire section of NDI testing that has to be performed to each particular weapon system." Once the aircraft is ready the NDI team is called. "Metaphorically when people ask me what I do, I say it is like when you go to the doctor," said Broderick Henry, 558th AMXS Non-Destructive tester inspector. "The doctor might run tests like what we do on the aircraft here. The doctor might inject a dye in you - that is the liquid penetrant we use on aircraft. When they put you in a MRI - that is our mag particle. When they do an x-ray or an ultrasound - we do all that. We are the doctors of the aircraft." The various tests pinpoint damage to be repaired. "The NDI process gives exact location information of a defect to engineers and maintenance workers with minimal invasiveness to the aircraft," said Henry. Like visiting a doctor's office, the NDI team use various procedures to provide information to engineers and maintenance workers. "We provide that information by using five disciplines and through instrumentation," said Henry. "The five disciplines are liquid penetrant, mag particle, eddy current, ultrasound and x-rays." Each one of these disciplines provide instant feedback to the NDI tester. "It may take the procedure a couple of days for us to complete start to finish," said Henry. "It varies due to the inspection being used, but all of our procedures provide instant feedback." The NDI process provides essential information needed on each aircrafts depot level maintenance process. "We give structural information in terms of structural integrity of the aircraft," said Henry. "We provide information back to anyone who needs it in order to minimize the breaking down of the aircraft that come here for scheduled maintenance." The aircraft receiving depot level maintenance benefit from the NDI process. "It prolongs the life of the aircraft performing NDI's with all the methods we have, and it keeps the people and aircrew who operate the aircraft safe," said Jernigan. The NDI process is vital to the Air Force sustainment mission. "It is necessary because it reduces cost, it gives the warfighter a sense of security, and it gives data that is tracked with the aircraft," said Henry. The NDI team members are devoted to their mission "I know it is part of my life legacy and I am devoted to making those aircraft fly," said Henry. Jernigan agreed. "I work on F-15 mostly," he said. "I love the F-15 and when I see that aircraft take off, I'm a happy camper. I feel good because I know I worked on that plane." https://www.robins.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2295112/aircraft-doctors-non-destructive-testing-keep-aircraft-flying-crews-safe/ Back to Top Australian pilot of crashed plane charged in PNG A man has been charged with illegally entering PNG after a plane crash-landed near Port Moresby. An Australian pilot has been charged with illegally entering Papua New Guinea after a plane he allegedly flew from Queensland crash-landed near Port Moresby in unexplained circumstances. The pilot, named as David John Cutmore by PNG newspaper The National, is being interviewed by Australian Federal Police in the PNG capital after Sunday's crash. Prime Minister James Marape earlier this week said PNG police believed drug trafficking may be behind the clandestine flight. The flight out of Mareeba airport in far north Queensland ended near a recently cleared bush airstrip 30km west of Port Moresby, with the twin-engined Cessna 402C written off. PNG Acting Chief Migration Officer Robert Kennedy told The National Mr Cutmore had been charged with illegal entry under the country's Migration Act. "Police are now conducting a separate investigation on him which may involve illegal activities," Mr Kennedy said, adding that Mr Cutmore was not carrying a passport. PNG police were notified on Tuesday Mr Cutmore had turned himself in at the Australian High Commission. In a statement on Thursday, the AFP said it was working with PNG police to "investigate the circumstances around the crash" and those investigations were ongoing. Commenting on the incident earlier this week Mr Marape said PNG was "not a banana republic" where people could just fly in unannounced. "There is no room for those who think they could peddle drugs in PNG," he said. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has told AAP it was providing consular assistance "to an Australian man in Papua New Guinea". "Owing to our privacy obligations, we will not provide further comment." An aircraft register search shows the plane's owner as of January this year was Ravenpol No. 69, based in Port Moresby, while the operator was named as Alice Springs-based aviation company Avlease. But Avlease director Ian Scheyer told the ABC his company had never operated the plane and was shocked it was listed on Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority's register. https://7news.com.au/news/aviation/aust-pilot-of-crashed-plane-charged-in-png-c-1207462 Back to Top Pakistan International Airlines Introduces Mandatory Breathalyser Tests for all Cabin Crew Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has introduced compulsory alcohol breathalyser tests for cabin crew just weeks after it faced a scandal over pilots who had conned their way into the airline with fake licences and the publication of a preliminary accident report into a deadly crash that largely blamed pilot error. The move also follows reports that Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority has become aware of pilots and cabin crew smoking on the flight deck and in the passenger cabin. The move to breathalyse cabin crew before every flight will come into force with immediate effect according to an internal memo. The tests will be conducted in the pre-flight briefing room and will either be carried out by one of the airline's medical staff or supervised ground staff. It's already mandatory for pilots to undergo a pre-flight breathalyser test but it's unclear why PIA has decided to extend the rule to cabin crew. Many countries enforce strict alcohol rules for pilots and cabin crew, mandating that alcohol can't be consumed between 8 and 12 hours between flights, and often prescribing a maximum blood alcohol concentration. Earlier this year, Japan introduced tough new testing rules, making it compulsory for flight attendants to undergo pre-flight breathalyser tests. The Japanese transport ministry toughened its relatively loose rules after a series of embarrassing incidents involving pilots at Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airlines (ANA). In just over 12-months, Japan Airlines pilots failed breathalyser tests on 19 separate occasions. In one incident, a pilot arrested at Heathrow Airport was found to be 20-times over the UK's alcohol limit for flight crew. In the wake of the fake pilot licence scandal, in which Pakistan's transport minister claimed 40 per cent of the countries pilots had "dubious" licences, PIA was banned from European and American skies. The European Air Safety Agency (EASA) has temporarily barred PIA from flying to or from the continent for six months, while the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration slapped the airline with a 'no-fly' order on July 15. Around 260 pilots in the country have so far been suspending pending further investigations. Despite the ban, PIA will charter 'wet lease' flights in order to run limited operations. In May, a PIA Airbus A320 crashed shortly after an aborted landing at Karachi International Airport with the loss of 97 lives. https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2020/08/01/pakistan-international-airlines-introduces-mandatory-breathalyser-tests-for-all-cabin-crew/ Back to Top FAA Grants New Extension on Crew Training and Checks The FAA has approved a request made by NATA to grant an extension to exemptions involving certain crew training and checking requirements as the Covid pandemic continues to play havoc with travel and scheduling. The two exemptions, originally granted in late March and previously extended in May, are available to all Part 119 certificated carriers operating under Part 135 and extend the deadlines for those coming due during this period. For exemption No. 18509B, which provides relief to allow NATA members and other Part 135 air carriers/operators to use alternative methods to conduct certain required crewmember emergency procedures during recurrent and upgrade training, testing, or checking, the new extension moves the end date to November 30. For No. 18510B, which provides limited relief from the timeframes for completing recurrent training and qualification requirements for ground personnel and crewmembers, this moves to year-end. Both exemption extensions require certificate holders to provide revised plans to mitigate any potential risk due to the postponement of training, testing, or checking. NATA noted that every Part 135 operator should obtain and review the exemptions and added that a certificate holder that submitted a letter of intent before July 30, in accordance with the previous exemptions, is not required to submit an additional letter. The association will continue to monitor the situation and, if needed, plans to submit future requests. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-07-31/faa-grants-new-extension-crew-training-and-checks Back to Top Cathay Pacific offers early retirement scheme to older pilots HONG KONG (Reuters) - Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd (0293.HK) said it will offer a voluntary scheme to its Hong Kong-based pilots who are approaching retirement age to leave the group early, in a continued effort to cut costs amid the coronavirus pandemic. The airline said in an email to Reuters on Saturday it is looking at different ways to reduce costs in the medium term, given reduced passenger demand with no immediate signs of improvement. The retirement plan was first reported in local media. Cathay has already taken short-term measures including executive pay cuts and two rounds of voluntary special leave scheme. Pilots aged 50 or 55 and above, depending on the retirement age outlined in their contract as 55 or 65 respectively, are eligible to apply for the early retirement scheme, the carrier said. Pilots aged 58 and above at its regional arm Cathay Dragon are also eligible. "The decision comes after careful consideration and is an effective way for the Group to manage costs. Addressing a specific group of employees for this dedicated scheme helps us adjust to the new operating environment," the carrier said. The scheme will pay pilots who retire early three months basic salary for each year remaining before their normal retirement age, plus a further one month allowance payment up to a maximum of 12 months' basic salary. Cathay said management is doing a comprehensive review of all aspects of the group's operations, and it will make recommendations to the board on the future size and shape of the airline by the fourth quarter. The group was looking to cut costs, streamline marketing, consolidate pilot contracts and move veteran pilots to cheaper contracts, sources have told Reuters. Cathay last month warned it expected to report a HK$9.9 billion ($1.28 billion) loss for the six months ending June 30, including impairment charges on 16 planes. The estimated loss would be Cathay's biggest half-yearly loss in at least a decade ($1 = 7.7502 Hong Kong dollars) https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cathay-pacific-redundancies/cathay-pacific-offers-early-retirement-scheme-to-older-pilots-idUSKCN24X3HU Back to Top FAA approves Rocket Lab to resume launches after company identified cause of July 4 failure • Small rocket builder Rocket Lab is going back to the launchpad in August, as the company said it diagnosed the cause of its July 4 launch failure. • Rocket Lab says the root of the issue was an electrical system that wasn't secured, which led to the part overheating and then melting during flight. • "Anybody who flies on Electron now is going to be flying on a more reliable vehicle than they did before," Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said. Rocket Lab Small rocket builder Rocket Lab is going back to the launchpad in August, as the company said it diagnosed the cause of its recent launch failure and received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to resumes launches. "We were able to quickly reconstruct what happened, and the [investigation] board was able to confidently narrow down the issue to a single eligible connection," Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck told reporters during a briefing on Friday. The company's Electron rocket launched its 13th mission on July 4, carrying seven small satellites bound for orbit. But the rocket never reached its destination, despite the early stages of the launch going according to plan, as a disconnection in its electrical system caused the rocket's engine to shut down. Rocket Lab says the root of the issue was an electrical system that wasn't secured, which led to the part overheating and then melting during flight. Alongside FAA investigators, the company reviewed over 25,000 channels of data from the launch to identify the cause of the accident. "This disconnection was incredibly unusual because it was able to evade all of the pre-flight acceptance testing," Beck said. "It's a very sneaky and tricky issue to try and screen for." Rocket Lab has built more than 720 of these electrical components, Beck noted. The company made a "slight change" to its production process and will be screening for the issue in the rockets its built. "Anybody who flies on Electron now is going to be flying on a more reliable vehicle than they did before," Beck said. Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck on the company's new US launch site Rocket Lab is the industry leader in building and launching small rockets, targeting the growing market of satellites and spacecraft that are anywhere between the size of a toaster to a refrigerator. Its Electron rocket is priced at about $7 million per launch and is 55 feet tall, or about a fifth the size of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Started in 2006, the company has about 600 employees and is backed by a host a VC firms and, in recent years, has grown its valuation to more than $1.2 billion. It's based in Long Beach, California but was founded by Beck in New Zealand, where it has a privately-built launchpad. Beck said that "there was a financial loss" from the July 4 failure "because we're not launching." But he downplayed the significance of that loss, saying that it "wasn't really a big deal" and noting that the company still has cash set aside from its $140 million round of funding in November 2019. Rocket Lab has launched its Electron rocket to space 12 times. It first reached orbit in January 2018 and is closing in on beginning launches from a second pad in Virginia. The first launch from that U.S. location, called LC-2, will be "a few weeks" after the August launch, Beck said. "We haven't launched this month and we're trying to be on a one month cadence so we're at least four weeks behind," Beck added. To date, the company has successfully deployed 53 payloads. Additionally, the company last year expanded into the spacecraft building business itself with its Photon satellite platform. It's grown its business to include building satellite hardware and earlier this year passed key milestones in developing a system to reuse its rockets - by snagging them out of the sky using parachutes and a helicopter. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/31/faa-approves-rocket-lab-to-resume-launches-after-july-failure.html 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 Back to Top Swinburne University Capstone Research Projects 2020 - Airline pax preferences Study Airline Passenger Carrier Preference Research Project 2020 The Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) business model has disrupted the aviation industry. It has generated new passenger demand, provided passengers with more choice and created many competitive challenges for the traditional Full-Service Carriers (FSC). As the global airline market continues to change and adapt to new challenges, airline passenger preferences and intent to travel may also change. As part of our undergraduate research project at Swinburne University of Technology we are conducting a survey on passenger preferences regarding the decision to fly between LCC and FSC airlines. This survey asks for your views on various issues associated with airline choice and seeks to better understand passenger risk perceptions and the perceived value offered by each airline model. You will be asked to complete an online questionnaire, which also includes an explanatory statement. The study takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. To access the survey, please go to the following link: https://swinuw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3wwfJDvc7chU3Cl Participants who complete the study will be eligible to enter a draw to win an iPad. 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 *** Image from: Uphues, J. (2019). Full service carrier vs. low cost carrier - What's future-proof? Retrieved from https://www.inform-software.com/blog/post/full-service-carrier-vs-low-cost-carrier-whats-future-proof Back to Top Graduate Research Survey (1) Stress and Wellbeing for Global Aviation Professionals Dear colleagues, I am inviting you to participate in a research project on wellbeing in the aviation industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. This situation has affected aviation professionals around the world, and this research seeks to identify wellbeing strategies that work across professions, employers, families, and nations. All responses to this survey are anonymous. The findings of this research will inform future work by the USC Aviation Safety and Security Program and the Flight Safety Foundation to improve wellbeing for aviation professionals during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Please click or copy the link below to access the survey, and please share it with any interested colleagues. https://usc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cC2nlWEAazl22TX This research will support a treatise towards a Master of Science in Applied Psychology degree at the University of Southern California's Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. The researcher is also on the staff of the USC Aviation Safety and Security Program. Thank you, and please contact us with any questions, Daniel Scalese - Researcher scalese@usc.edu Michael Nguyen - Faculty Advisor nguyenmv@usc.edu Back to Top Graduate Research Survey (2) 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 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (3) 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