Flight Safety Information August 4, 2020 - No. 156 In This Issue Incident: United B788 at Newark on Jul 9th 2020, runway guard light in landing gear Accident: UTAir Cargo AN74 at Gao on Aug 3rd 2020, overran runway on landing Incident: Nepal A320 at Kathmandu on Aug 2nd 2020, cargo door indication Incident: Alaska B739 near Columbus on Aug 2nd 2020, battery running away Incident: Gojet CRJ7 at St. Louis on Jul 18th 2020, lavatory smoke detector indication U.S. FAA proposes requiring key Boeing 737 MAX design changes FAA Spells Out Design Changes Needed in Grounded Boeing Jet EASA Review Notes Rise in Nonfatal Accidents and Incidents Wizz Air Hungary Becomes The First Airline To Receive An EASA AOC Aviation consulting firm SASI expands into US Alliance Airlines Places Comprehensive Embraer Order Virgin Galactic reveals new supersonic jet design that would fly three times speed of sound Virgin Galactic delays SpaceShipTwo commercial flights to 2021 Business Aviation Safety Consortium (BASC) announces new Standardization Board Members ALS Aviation Courses offered during August / September 2020 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: United B788 at Newark on Jul 9th 2020, runway guard light in landing gear A United Boeing 787-8, registration N26902 performing flight UA-2855 from Brussels (Belgium) to Newark,NJ (USA), landed on Newark's runway 22R, slowed and vacated the runway but struck a runway guard light. The FAA reported on Aug 3rd 2020: "AIRCRAFT LANDED AND EXITED RUNWAY STRIKING A RUNWAY GUARD LIGHT WHICH BECAME STUCK IN THE LANDING GEAR, NEWARK, NJ." The occurrence aircraft returned to service on Jul 13th 2020. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL2855/history/20200709/1810Z/EBBR/KEWR http://avherald.com/h?article=4dace85b&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: UTAir Cargo AN74 at Gao on Aug 3rd 2020, overran runway on landing A UTAir Cargo Antonov AN-74 on behalf and in colours of United Nations MINUSMA operations, registration RA-74044 performing flight UNO-52P from Bamako to Gao (Mali) with 4 passengers and 7 crew, went past the runway while landing at Gao at about 10:15L (10:15Z) coming to a stop on soft ground with all gear collapsed and nose and belly substantially damaged. One occupants received serious, 10 occupants minor injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Locals report the aircraft performed a forced landing. MINUSMA reported the aircraft arriving from Bamako with 7 crew and 4 passengers made a difficult landing at Gao. One occupant received serious injuries, the others minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. An airport employee watching the accident reported the aircraft performed an emergency landing and went off the runway. Local media report the aircraft overran the end of the runway. The pilot received substantial injuries, the others on board minor injuries. No Metars are available for GAO, the last TAF prior to the accident reads: GAGO 030500Z 0306/0406 24012KT 8000 SCT025 PROB40 TEMPO 0306/0311 VRB16G26KT 4000 TSRA BKN025 FEW033CB PROB40 TEMPO 0313/0323 VRB16G30KT 4000 TSRA SCT025 FEW033CB= http://avherald.com/h?article=4dacc90a&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Nepal A320 at Kathmandu on Aug 2nd 2020, cargo door indication A Nepal Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration 9N-AKW performing repatriation flight RA-2291 from Kathmandu (Nepal) to Dubai (United Arab Emirates), was climbing out of Kathmandu's runway 20 when the crew received a cargo door indication, stopped the climb at FL240 and returned to Kathmandu for a safe landing on runway 02 about 45 minutes after departure. A replacement A320-200 registration 9N-AKX reached Dubai with a delay of 2.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Kathmandu about 23 hours after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4dacbb5f&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Alaska B739 near Columbus on Aug 2nd 2020, battery running away An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900, registration N285AK performing flight AS-29 from Newark,NJ to San Francisco,CA (USA), was enroute at FL360 about 40nm east of Columbus,OH (USA) when the battery of a passenger's laptop suffered a thermal runaway. Flight attendants extinguished the fire and secured the device while the flight crew diverted the aircraft to Columbus, requested emergency services on stand by for the arrival and landed the aircraft safely on runway 28L about 25 minutes later. A passenger reported the aircraft made an unscheduled stop at Columbus due to thermal runaway of a laptop on board. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 2.5 hours and reached San Francisco with a delay of 3 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ASA29/history/20200802/2140Z/KEWR/KSFO http://avherald.com/h?article=4dacad1e&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Gojet CRJ7 at St. Louis on Jul 18th 2020, lavatory smoke detector indication A Gojet Canadair CRJ-550, registration N502GJ performing flight G7-4527 from St. Louis,MO to Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA), was in the inital climb out of St. Louis' runway 29 when the crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet reporting they had "a smoke in the lav" and declaring emergency. The aircraft returned to St. Louis for a safe landing on runway 30R about 12 minutes after departure. A replacement CRJ-550 registration N533GJ reached Chicago with a delay of about 90 minutes. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 24 hours after landing. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/GJS4527/history/20200718/2025Z/KSTL/KORD http://avherald.com/h?article=4daac1cd&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top U.S. FAA proposes requiring key Boeing 737 MAX design changes WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday it is proposing requiring four key Boeing Co 737 MAX design changes to address safety issues seen in two crashes that killed 346 people and led to the plane's grounding in March 2019. The agency is issuing a proposed airworthiness directive to require updated flight-control software, revised display-processing software to generate alerts, a revision of certain flight-crew operating procedures and changes in the routing of some wiring bundles. The announcement is a significant step in the U.S. planemaker's long-delayed efforts to return the 737 MAX to U.S. service. But there are still a number of hurdles, including collecting public comments on the changes for 45 days, and finalizing a new set of pilot-training procedures. Transport Canada and Europe's EASA have their own concerns. Given the work left, it remains unclear whether U.S. flights will resume before year-end. Boeing shares were up 2.7% on Monday. In response to the FAA's proposal, Chicago-based Boeing said it was "continuing to make steady progress towards the safe return to service, working closely with the FAA and other global regulators." The FAA said in a separate 96-page report on Monday it "has preliminarily determined that Boeing's proposed changes to the 737 MAX design, flightcrew procedures and maintenance procedures effectively mitigate the airplane-related safety issues." The airworthiness directive seeks to require Boeing changes. The crisis over the grounding of the once top-selling 737 MAX has cost the U.S. planemaker more than $19 billion, slashed production and hobbled its supply chain, with criminal and congressional investigations still ongoing. The FAA's review has taken more than 18 months and included more than 40 full-time engineers, inspectors, pilots, and technical support staff. To date, the FAA has conducted more than 60,000 hours of review, certification testing, and document evaluation. The agency is also proposing that 737 MAX operators conduct an Angle of Attack (AOA) sensor system test and perform an operational readiness flight before returning airplanes to service. The changes are designed to prevent the erroneous activation of a key system known as MCAS tied to both crashes, to alert pilots if two AOA sensors are receiving conflicting data and to ensure flightcrew can respond to erroneous stabilizer movement. The FAA said the changes minimize "dependence on pilot action and the effect of any potential single failure". The wiring change will ensure the MAX complies with FAA's wire separation safety standards. https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-faa-proposes-requiring-key-190207719.html Back to Top FAA Spells Out Design Changes Needed in Grounded Boeing Jet Federal safety officials are spelling out the design changes they believe are needed for the Boeing 737 Max. Federal regulators on Monday outlined a list of design changes they will require in the Boeing 737 Max to fix safety issues that were discovered after two deadly crashes that led to the worldwide grounding of the plane. The Federal Aviation Administration proposed software changes to a flight-control system implicated in the crashes. It also plans to require a warning light to pilots that wasn't working on the planes that crashed, changes to on-board computers, and the rerouting of some wiring. The document and an accompanying 95-page summary, following an 18-month review, provide the most detailed look yet at the FAA's examination of factors that contributed to the crashes, which killed 346 people. It is not clear when the FAA will lift its March 2019 order grounding all Max jets, which followed similar orders by regulators in the rest of the world. Boeing officials said last week they hope to win regulatory approval to resume deliveries of completed Max jets in the fourth quarter of this year. "We're continuing to make steady progress towards the safe return to service, working closely with the FAA and other global regulators," said Boeing spokesman Bernard Choi. "While we still have a lot of work in front of us, this is an important milestone in the certification process." Airlines began using the Max in 2017. There were nearly 400 in service when the planes were grounded after a 2018 crash in Indonesia and a 2019 crash in Ethiopia. Investigators have pointed to the role played by flight-control software called MCAS that pushed the noses of the planes down based on faulty sensor readings. The FAA will require more redundancy in the plane's design to improve safety, including linking MCAS to two sensors instead of one. Both crashes occurred after the system pushed the plane's nose down in response to a single misfiring sensor. The agency will require an alert to warn pilots if there appears to a problem with the sensors. The FAA also plans to make MCAS less powerful so that pilots can respond if it mistakenly pushes the plane's nose down. Pilots - who didn't know about MCAS until after the first crash - would also receive more training. The agency said more than 40 engineers, pilots and other staffers spent more than 60,000 hours on the review, which included test flights and analysis of more than 4,000 hours of Boeing flights and simulator time. The public will now get 45 days to comment, after which FAA is expected to publish a final rule for operating the Max. Airlines are expected to take several more weeks after that to train pilots and retrofit planes that have been parked for more than 16 months. The FAA said that when its work is done, "the 737 MAX will be safe to operate and meet FAA certification standards." Chicago-based Boeing began working on some of the changes shortly after the first crash, in October 2018. Peter Lemme, a former Boeing engineer who has written extensively about the plane and the crashes, said the FAA review was thorough and that Boeing was slow to take a comprehensive look at fixing the plane. "Every two months they acquiesced and said, 'OK, fine, we'll put this feature in,' instead of starting at the front and saying, 'Let's shake the rug and get this right,'" Lemme said. "It was a Band-Aid approach." Lemme said Boeing's critical mistake was in assuming that it was fine for MCAS to rely on a single sensor instead of two, which is where the new design ended up. The Max was once Boeing's best-selling plane, but the crashes and subsequent grounding turned it into a disaster to the company's reputation and finances. Internal emails showed employees worrying about safety and bragging about deceiving regulators. Surveys show a significant number of travelers are hesitant about flying on the plane. Max-related costs drove Boeing to a $636 million loss last year, the first since 1997. So far this year, Boeing has suffered 382 order cancellations and dropped another 323 from its backlog because the sales are uncertain. Almost all were Max orders. Many airlines have stood by Boeing and the Max, however. Southwest, Boeing's biggest customer, is still committed to the plane and looks forward to its return, airline CEO Gary Kelly said last month. Boeing paid Southwest $428 million in compensation last year over the Max grounding. https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2020-08-03/faa-spells-out-design-changes-needed-in-grounded-boeing-jet Back to Top EASA Review Notes Rise in Nonfatal Accidents and Incidents While there were no fatal accidents involving European commercial aircraft operators in 2019, the sector did see a rate of nonfatal accidents that was higher than the annual average of the previous 10-year period, according to the latest Annual Safety Review published by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The report, released on July 30, recorded 27 nonfatal accidents involving airline, air taxi, and cargo operations with aircraft weighing more than 5,700 kg (12,540 pounds), which compared with an annual average of just over 22 between 2009-2018. The review also recorded an increase in the number of serious incidents in the commercial air transport sector, which reached 117 in 2019, compared with an average of just over 86 per year in 2009-2018. However, last year, there were no fatal accidents involving holders of EASA air operator certificates. EASA uses the findings from each annual safety review to update its European Plan for Aviation Safety. The current plan, which runs from 2020-2024, is due to be revised in the fourth quarter of this year. The agency noted the increase in serious incidents recorded since 2016 is in part due to the more stringent classification of separation minima infringements by EASA member states and their safety investigation authorities under European Union regulation 376/2014. The report provides a detailed breakdown of incidents by the phase of flight, as well as identifying the main areas of safety risk. In his introduction to the 2020 review, EASA executive director Patrick Ky said that the agency has used its established safety management system to help the aviation sector to respond to safety issues specifically posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. He also referred to the prolonged grounding of Boeing's 737 Max airliner, commenting that while the two fatal accidents that prompted this move contrasted with "otherwise very good safety data," the issue has required some aspects of the global aviation safety system to be "critically examined." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2020-08-03/easa-review-notes-rise-nonfatal-accidents-and-incidents Back to Top Wizz Air Hungary Becomes The First Airline To Receive An EASA AOC On August 1st, Wizz Air Hungary became the first airline to obtain an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The carrier has taken advantage of a relatively new regulation it believes will support its "multinational expansion" across the EU. EASA oversight from August 1st In 2018, the EASA introduced Basic Regulation (EU) 2018/1139. This provides companies operating in more than one EU member state to request that the EASA acts as its competent authority, responsible for safety oversight and regulation. Now, Wizz Air Hungary has become the first airline to take advantage of the two-years-old regulation. On Monday, the Hungarian low-cost-carrier announced that it had obtained an EASA Air Operator Certificate, effective August 1st. "I am delighted to announce that Hungary is the first Member State that innovates Europe's airline regulation, while Wizz Air Hungary is the first airline to have EASA as a European competent authority overseeing its AOC," József Váradi, CEO of Wizz Air said in a statement seen by Simple Flying. Hungary remains in control of routes However, Wizz Air Hungary will continue to fly under the Hungarian flag. Furthermore, the Hungarian Civil Aviation Authority continues to exercise control over the carrier's operating license and route permits. "This groundbreaking regulatory model between the Hungarian and European authorities underpins Wizz Air's growth ambitions and provides many new opportunities to innovate the industry as it has done during the past 16 years," Mr. Váradi continued. Supporting expansion plans The carrier said it believes that acquiring an AOC from the EASA will benefit the "multinational expansion" of Wizz. The entire Wizz Air Group now operates a fleet of 126 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, some of them of the neo variety, with an average age of only 5.5 years. It flies to 46 countries and over 160 cities and does not look to be satisfied yet. While other airlines have contracted and downsized during the crisis, Wizz Air launched 200 new routes in its second quarter. Despite reporting a €108 million ($125.8 million) loss, the carrier remains committed to new aircraft deliveries. The past few months alone, it has announced new bases in Abu Dhabi, Larnaca, Milan, and Tirana. Furthermore, Wizz Air's management remains optimistic even in the face of the ongoing pandemic, believing the airline could reach full recovery in as little as a year. EASA happy to oversee a dynamic airline The EASA is also pleased with the acquisition of its first airline over which to exercise oversight. "We are very happy to have such a young and dynamic airline as the first airplane operator under oversight of EASA. The EU operating certificate is well-suited for airlines such as Wizz Air which have multiple operating bases in different EASA member states. As the centralised competent authority for Wizz Air's operations, EASA will ensure an internationally recognised high standard of oversight for the airline," Patrick Ky, Executive Director of the EASA, commented on the event. https://simpleflying.com/wizz-air-hungary-easa-aoc/ Back to Top Aviation consulting firm SASI expands into US SASI - a Hong Kong and Montreal-based air cargo consulting specialist - has launched a US-based subsidiary named SASI USA. "The air transport industry is going through its worst crisis in history and passenger revenue has all but evaporated, but air cargo remains an island of stability and a critically important source of revenue for airlines, airports, and other industry stakeholders," SASI said in a statement. The firm launched the subsidiary to gain a firmer foothold in the US air transport sector and to better respond to US client needs. The subsidiary will have access to SASI's global consulting capabilities and expertise. Founded in 2005, SASI offers management consulting services to air freight clients across the globe. The firm advises clients on strategy, air cargo logistics, route development, traffic rights assistance, rules and regulations, airport facilities development, training and development, and e-commerce integration. SASI partners with The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) and The International Air Transport Association (IATA) for its training and development offering. Aviation consulting firm SASI expands into US The independent consultancy's team of 11 experts all have extensive, senior-level aviation backgrounds. SASI has team members in North America, Russia, Hong Kong, and Dubai. SASI USA will be staffed by three of the firm's consultants: VPs Mark Diamond and Charles Edwards, and senior associate consultant Jack Keery. Diamond has 30+ years of government, industry, and consulting experience in air transport. He was previously the head of air cargo consulting at management consultancy ICF. Before joining ICF's aviation practice in 1997, he held roles at Mercer Management Consulting (now Oliver Wyman), aviation consultancy Kurth & Company, the FAA, and American Airlines. Edwards has more than 40 years of experience in road, rail, and air transport logistics and management. He recently held a number of senior roles at the North Carolina Department of Transportation, including director of the logistics and freight division. He was previously executive director of the North Carolina Center for Global Logistics and a faculty member at the University of Virginia. Keery has more than 40 years of air cargo industry experience, and was a founding member of SASI in 2005. He has advised and served in interim management positions at numerous leading firms, including British Airways, KLM Cargo, and Swissport. Keery also previously held senior and executive management roles with scheduled airlines and FedEx. SASI earlier this year entered into an alliance with Russian Aero Bureau Consulting (ABC), an air cargo consultancy formed by former executives from Volga-Dnepr Group, a large Russian air cargo firm. The two companies will jointly provide aviation consulting services to stakeholders in whatever region they are located. Stan Wraight, president and CEO of SASI, said the alliance will "fill the gap we had in Russia and the CIS." https://www.consulting.us/news/4635/aviation-consulting-firm-sasi-expands-into-us Back to Top Alliance Airlines Places Comprehensive Embraer Order Alliance Airlines, an Australian operator based in Brisbane, is getting 14 Embraer E190 E-Jets for $80 million, including six spare engines, a full flight simulator and other training-related equipment. The deal includes the option for five additional aircraft to be provided by Azorra Aviation, a Florida-based lessor, per The Australian. The fleet, previously operated by Copa Airlines, is being painted with Alliance livery and will be delivered to the carrier from this September through April 2021. Copa stated in late 2019 that it will gradually phase out its remaining 14 aircraft while it received part of its Boeing 737 MAX order in 2020. But despite no MAX deliveries, the coronavirus pandemic's impact on travel demand and the strict travel restrictions Panama imposed on Copa's main hub will force the airline to write off the 190s completely this year. The aircraft included in this deal were previously bought by Azorra in 2018, and the average age of the jets is 10 years. Scott McMillan, Alliance's Managing Director, told The Australian that the deal, which values each aircraft at $4.3 million, was just too good to be ignored. "When we looked at them a year ago, they were twice that, so it's a good opportunity for us," McMillan said. The airline has an impressive record of good deals. In 2015, Alliance bought 6 Fokker 70 and 15 Fokker 100 aircraft that were retired from Austrian Airlines for $15 million, which brought its then-all-Fokker fleet to 47 aircraft. "Our Fokker fleet remains the core of our fleet and we believe will remain in service for many years to come, especially given our significant spare parts and inventory stores," McMillan added. "With limited Fokker aircraft acquisition opportunities, it was also the time to acquire a newer aircraft in order to position us for our next growth phase." Alliance operates a small fleet of Fokker 50 turboprops. (Photo: Alliance Airlines | Gordon Reid) The E190s are set to provide flexibility to Alliance's charter and regional services and provide a starting point for new business opportunities. As a sign of the times, the entire negotiation for the aircraft was done via Microsoft Teams, with no personal interaction or on-site review. As McMillan said there was no "kicking of the tires" to conclude the deal. The purchase is not expected to have a significant impact on the carrier's economy, as the funds were raised via a share purchase plan completed last June. "We are being conservative and are not forecasting any material impact on 2021 financial year results as a result of this acquisition, with the first revenue from an E190 expected to be realized in February 2021," McMillan concluded. https://airlinegeeks.com/2020/08/04/alliance-airlines-places-comprehensive-embraer-order/ Back to Top Virgin Galactic reveals new supersonic jet design that would fly three times speed of sound (CNN) - Virgin Galactic is still aiming to send tourists to space, but the space tourism company is also looking at how to whiz people across our planet as quickly as possible. Virgin Galactic has premiered a new jet design for high speed air travel: a streamlined, Concorde-esque delta-wing aircraft with capacity for nine to 19 people cruising at an altitude of over 60,000 feet. The super-fast jet will travel at Mach 3 -- three times faster than the speed of sound. Virgin Galactic has also announced a partnership with Rolls-Royce to design and develop engine propulsion technology for futuristic high speed commercial aircraft like this one. Rolls-Royce is known for its airplane engine design and notably designed the engine that fueled the supersonic Concorde, which traveled at Mach 2. There are other influential heavyweights advising Virgin Galactic, too. In May, Virgin Galactic signed a deal with NASA to share expertise and resources. Virgin Galactic also announced this supersonic jet concept recently passed a mission concept review, which confirmed that the concept "can meet the high-level requirements and objectives of the mission." "We are excited to complete the Mission Concept Review and unveil this initial design concept of a high speed aircraft, which we envision as blending safe and reliable commercial travel with an unrivaled customer experience," said George Whitesides, Virgin Galactic's chief space officer. Ready for next phase Virgin Galactic envisages the jet ferrying passengers on long-distance commercial air routes -- and the idea is its interior could accommodate custom cabin layouts, including business or first class seating. The jet would take off and land in the regular way. The concept is now ready to progress to the next phase of design, which Virgin Galactic says will involve defining the specifics of how the aircraft will operate, not to mention looking at potential challenges including maintenance, noise, emissions and economics. "We have made great progress so far, and we look forward to opening up a new frontier in high speed travel," added Whitesides. Other jets in the works This isn't the only supersonic jet in creation. Denver-based start-up Boom Supersonic announced plans for test flights for a scaled prototype of its supersonic commercial jet Overture to take place in 2021. Test flights for Overture are scheduled for 2025. Overture is designed to seat from 55 to 75 people and travel at Mach 2.2. Another concept in development is AS2. The brainchild of US company Aerion Corporation, the AS2 would travel at Mach 1.4. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/virgin-galactic-new-supersonic-jet-design/index.html Back to Top Virgin Galactic delays SpaceShipTwo commercial flights to 2021 • Virgin Galactic now expects to fly Sir Richard Branson on its SpaceShipTwo suborbital vehicle no earlier than the first quarter of 2021. WASHINGTON - Virgin Galactic has pushed the beginning of commercial flights of its SpaceShipTwo suborbital vehicle to no earlier than the first quarter of 2021 while announcing plans to sell additional stock to raise money. The company, in its fiscal second quarter financial results released Aug. 3, said it expected to perform two more test flights of SpaceShipTwo from Spaceport America in New Mexico, both of which will be powered flights. The vehicle has made two glide flights since moving to the spaceport early this year. The first of those powered flights, scheduled for the fall, will have two pilots on board. It will also carry payloads for NASA's Flight Opportunities program that arranges flights of experiments on suborbital vehicles, said George Whitesides, chief space officer and former chief executive of Virgin Galactic, in a company earnings call. If that flight goes as expected, Virgin Galactic will then perform a second flight, this time with four mission specialists on board along with the two pilots. Those mission specialists "will evaluate the performance of our full customer cabin and associated hardware," he said. The company unveiled the design of the cabin July 28, although Whitesides said they were still completing the installation of the cabin on the company's current SpaceShipTwo vehicle, VSS Unity. "Presuming things go as expected on this fully-crewed flight, we would then plan to fly Sir Richard Branson on the third powered flight from New Mexico," he said. That flight would take place in the first quarter of 2021 and mark the beginning of commercial service, although Whitesides said it will also be a test flight of sorts. "Sir Richard is in a unique position to provide the ultimate cabin and spaceflight experience evaluation, as a visionary of the Virgin customer experience." The statement is an acknowledgement that the company won't begin commercial flights this year. When Virgin Galactic announced its merger in July 2019 with Social Capital Hedosophia, a publicly traded holding company, it said it planned to begin commercial service by mid-2020. Earlier this year, the company backed away from that schedule, saying in February its goal was to fly Branson by the end of the year. Whitesides said in the call that the coronavirus pandemic had slowed down work on SpaceShipTwo, including planning for test flights. "Our test flight schedule has been impacted by COVID-19," he said. "The COVID protocols that we have put in place have limited the number of people that we can bring back into the facility in both New Mexico and Mojave, reducing the pace at which we can work compared to pre-COVID." The pandemic also slowed sales. Whitesides the company temporarily suspended marketing of its "One Small Step" initiative, where prospective customers can pay a $1,000 deposit to be first in line when the company resumes ticket sales. The company has since resumed marketing of the program has now has more than 700 people signed up, he said. Virgin Galactic has not disclosed when it plans to resume ticket sales, or what price it will charge. Virgin Galactic announced June 22 it would start offering orbital spaceflight experiences, including working with NASA through a Space Act Agreement. Whitesides said in the call that the company has talked with its existing suborbital spaceflight customers about paying a "significant refundable deposit" for an orbital flight, and that 12 people had signed deposit agreements with the company. Those people, he said, viewed a SpaceShipTwo flight as potential training for those orbital flights. Whitesides, though, did not disclose the size of the deposits or other details about when and how those customers would fly to orbit. The price, he said, will be "competitive with other offerings in the market, and with the premium service and training that people expect from the Virgin Galactic brand." Virgin Galactic reported no revenue in the second quarter of 2020 and a net loss of $63 million. That is similar to what the company reported in the first quarter, and Jon Campagna, Virgin Galactic's chief financial officer, called it an "approximate indication of our ongoing cash burn" for current operations. The company has $360 million in cash as of the end of the second quarter. "However, there may be some strategic initiatives that we decide to invest in that may lead to an increase in our burn rate," he added. Earlier in the day, the company released a conceptual design for a supersonic passenger aircraft capable of carrying up to 19 people at up to Mach 3. The company didn't disclose a schedule or estimated cost of the vehicle, but did state it has a memorandum of understanding with Rolls-Royce to study airbreathing engines needed for that vehicle. Shortly after releasing its second quarter earnings, the company announced it had filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to sell up to 20.5 million shares of stock, with an option to sell an additional 3 million. The company said it expected to sale to raise $460 million, and use the net proceeds "primarily for general corporate purposes, including working capital, general and administrative matters and capital expenditures." Virgin Galactic executives declined to take questions about the planned sale, or other aspects of the company's performance, from industry analysts on the call, citing restrictions about company disclosures in SEC regulations regarding public offerings. https://spacenews.com/virgin-galactic-delays-spaceshiptwo-commercial-flights-to-2021/ Back to Top posted on August 4, 2020 08:00 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Business Aviation Safety Consortium (BASC) announces new Standardization Board Members Four industry leading professionals accept leadership roles in fast growing organization! The election for one Business Aviation Safety Consortium (BASC) Standardization Board seat and two supernumerary positions ended at the close of business on July 31, 2020. As in previous elections, it was a tight race and the supernumerary candidates actually tied in votes. Fifty percent of BASC members participated. The election process highlights one of the founding premises of BASC, where Board members are current operational experts in their field. It was determined where similar Boards appoint figure heads, vendors, and dignitaries, that succumb to outside pressures and special interests, are generally not very successful in serving and responding to the needs of the end user. The end user was the primary focus of BASC since inception, and the resulting growth and success is attributed to that philosophy. The BASC nation thanked Chris Keaney, of IBM Flight Operations, and Amanda Zeigler, of Quality Resources, for their contributions to the Board and BASC. Chris (a retired USMC veteran) was credited with keeping the Board focused on real world applications. Amanda served in a Quality Assurance role, and insured all checklists, documentation, and regulatory compliance updates remained accurate, timely, and effective from the BASC internal and external audit program's inception. Both will transition to "Past (Board) Member" status and continue to help guide the Standardization Board and BASC. Andrew DeLaTorre of Blue City Holdings, and Ken Giuffre of IAC/Expedia Global, were elected to supernumerary positions. The first Board seat was filled by the Safety Manager of Jackson National Life, Mary Poirier. Poirier was serving as a BASC Standardization Board supernumerary. She is an experienced and accomplished aviation and safety professional who was previously recognized as a NBAA "Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40". The Director of Aviation of MB Aviation, Ed White, was elected to the second Board seat. White has earned a well-deserved reputation in business aviation, and has actively served in many high level industry positions. He has also been recognized as a client-focused IS-BAO auditor for over twelve years. All positions are effective August 31, 2020. The BASC Standardization Board will now consist of Poirier and White, as well as, Greg Burris, Safety Manager of Masco; Sean Cannon, Safety Team Member of Richardson Aviation; Mark Chaffinch, Director of Aviation of Norfolk Southern Corporation; Aaron Hempel, Safety Manager of Koch Industries; and Rick Malczynski, Founder and President of BASC. ### About the Business Aviation Safety Consortium (AviationConsortium.com, LLC or BASC): Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, BASC serves as a logical partner for SMS, regulatory, and operational excellence verification for high performing business aviation organizations. BASC was founded in 2016 and accepted the first member in January of 2017. For more information, visit http://www.aviationconsortium.com 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