Flight Safety Information August 14, 2020 - No. 165 In This Issue Incident: Thai Smile A320 near Chiang Mai on Nov 27th 2019, loss of cabin pressure Let L-410 - Fatal Accident (D.R. Congo) Kozhikode plane crash: Air India pilot unions seek meeting with Puri to discuss flight safety European Air Safety Agency maintains ban on PIA flights FAA Warns Skydiving Operators of Possible Cockpit Safety Hazard Hong Kong Express investigates ground collision of two aircraft at Hong Kong International Airport Is Covid-19 making airplane passengers more unruly? Aviation safety oversight to improve (China) Azul Delays 82 Aircraft Deliveries For At Least 4 Years Aerospace Technology Institute Launches One-Year Study of Zero Emission Commercial Aircraft Air Methods, Airlift Northwest Announce Continued Relationship World Record for ECMO Flight Set by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance Bankrupt Alaska airline seeks bonus for its chief executive Ingenuity Mars helicopter recharges its batteries in flight RTCA August Webinar: Spectrum & AI...RTCA Free 2-part webinar, Wednesday, 8/19, 1pm ET SCSI Online Investigation and Safety Courses XTRAirways selects Vistair to provide Document Management The USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Will Offer Online and In-Person Classes This Fall Trinity College Dublin and EASA Air Ops Community Survey on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on aviation workers Swinburne University Capstone Research Projects 2020 - Airline pax preferences Study Swinburne University Capstone Research Projects 2020 - UAM/RCO Study SURVEY:...GA PILOTS AND PIREPs. Graduate Research Survey (1) Incident: Thai Smile A320 near Chiang Mai on Nov 27th 2019, loss of cabin pressure A Thai Smike Airbus A320-200, registration HS-TXL performing flight WE-177 from Chiang Mai to Bangkok (Thailand), was climbing through FL300 towards FL330 out of Chiang Mai when the crew initiated an emergency descent to FL100 due to the loss of cabin pressure. The aircraft continued to Bangkok at FL100 and landed safely on runway 01L about one hour after departure. Thailand's AIB rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation. http://avherald.com/h?article=4db41b5d&opt=0 Back to Top Let L-410 - Fatal Accident (D.R. Congo) Date: Thursday 13 August 2020 Type: Let L-410 Operator: Agefreco Air Registration: registration unknown C/n / msn: First flight: Crew: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Total: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair Location: near Bukavu-Kavumu Airport (BKY) ( Democratic Republic of the Congo) Phase: Approach (APR) Nature: Cargo Departure airport: Kalima-Kakungwa Airport (KLY/FZOD), Democratic Republic of the Congo Destination airport: Bukavu-Kavumu Airport (BKY/FZMA), Democratic Republic of the Congo Narrative: The cargo plane crashed under unknown circumstances about seven minutes before the scheduled arrival time at Bukavu-Kavumu Airport, Democratic Republic of the Congo.The two crew members and two passengers died in the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20200813-0 Back to Top Kozhikode plane crash: Air India pilot unions seek meeting with Puri to discuss flight safety NEW DELHI: The two leading pilot unions of Air India on Thursday sought a meeting with aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri to discuss matters related to working conditions and flight safety, six days after the plane crash in Kozhikode that killed 18 people. "Our pilots are constantly facing the challenges of COVID-19, monsoon weather, ill-designed flight duty time limitations (FDTL), several extensions and dispensations given by the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation)," stated the letter written to Puri by the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) and Indian Pilots' Guild (IPG). The two unions said they are writing on behalf of pilots of Air India and its subsidiaries Air India Express and Alliance Air. An Air India Express flight from Dubai with 190 people, including a six-member crew, overshot the tabletop runway during landing at the Kozhikode airport in heavy rain on the night of August 7. The narrow body B737 plane fell into a valley 35 feet below and broke into pieces, killing 18 people, including both the pilots. The two unions said in their letter: "Aviation policy makers are creating a caustic work environment without any reproach or consequence. It is paramount that the safety of the travelling public is not compromised. In this you are our singular hope." Talking about the Kozhikode plane crash, the unions noted: "Pending the findings of the official investigations, may we highlight the fact that the flight safety and working conditions of the pilots of Air India group companies can not be seen in isolation." They said the recently imposed pay cut by Air India was "steep, disproportionate and retrospective" and it specifically targets the pilots of Air India group companies. Air India last month issued an internal order stating it has reduced monthly allowances of its employees who have a monthly gross salary of more than Rs 25,000 by up to 50 per cent. Air India Express said on Thursday a total of 92 passengers injured in the plane crash in Kozhikode have been discharged till date from hospitals after "obtaining complete fitness". The DGCA has barred operation of wide body aircraft at Kozhikode airport for this monsoon season out of abundant caution, said a senior official on Tuesday, adding that the aviation regulator will conduct a special audit of airports that receive heavy rains. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/kozhikode-plane-crash-air-india-pilot-unions-seek-meeting-with-puri-to-discuss-flight-safety/articleshow/77527480.cms Back to Top European Air Safety Agency maintains ban on PIA flights The European Air Safety Agency (EASA) has rejected the appeal of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for resumption of flights, instead deciding to extend the ban on PIA flights till December 31, 2020. However, the extension in the ban is conditional on the measures taken by Pakistan's civil aviation, Business Recorder reported on Thursday. The European Air Safety Agency (EASA) had issued a six-month ban on all PIA flights to Europe on July 1. The United Kingdom and the USA also followed suit banning all PIA flights. These bans came after the inquiry report regarding the crash of PIA flight 8303, operated by Airbus A320 came out. Earlier, in June, Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar also said that 260 of 860 Pakistani pilots, including 141 PIA pilots, never sat for the exams and that their licenses were fake, which also culminated to PIA's woes. https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/08/13/european-air-safety-agency-maintains-ban-on-pia-flights/ Back to Top FAA Warns Skydiving Operators of Possible Cockpit Safety Hazard • Even simple aircraft alterations should be handled by a licensed A&P technician. • The FAA says improperly removing an unused control wheel in skydiving operations could pose a safety hazard to jumpers. Skydiving operators would like to carry as many people aloft for a single jump as possible-while observing the aircraft's weight limits. However, the FAA has issued an important safety alert for pilots-20013-warning operators of a possibly overlooked hazard when using aircraft that are certified with two control wheels, such as single-engine Cessnas. In most skydiving airplanes, all seats are removed, except for the pilot's, to make room for jumpers strapped in with bulky parachute gear. In order to make entry and exit from the airplane easier, some skydive operators remove the right side control wheel. Sometimes, operators also leave the protruding column to which the wheel was attached in place. This can pose a serious risk to a jumper sitting near the pilot. In an accident noted by the agency, the skydiving operator also left the control on the right side in place. At some point, the control column of a Cessna P206 fatally impaled a skydiver sitting on the floor next to the pilot. During an operational inspection, an FAA employee noted that another P206A had the right-hand column capped with a tennis ball. The columns extend into the cabin at a height that is almost certain to strike a skydiver's head and upper-body region. The agency worried about the result should the tennis ball come lose, as well as that anything interfering with that protruding column, which could also affect aircraft control. The FAA is reminding operators that the standards under which most airplanes are certified demand the area near the control wheel be "free of potentially injurious objects, sharp edges, protuberances and hard surfaces." With the control tube left in place, the aircraft might not be conforming to agency certification standards, which could essentially make it unairworthy. Removal of only the control wheel could also be considered an "improper alteration of the aircraft." The agency asks all Cessna jump plane operators ensure the complete right-side control is removed and inspected by a certified A&P technician before being returned to service. https://www.flyingmag.com/story/news/faa-skydiving-cockpit-safety-hazard/ Back to Top Hong Kong Express investigates ground collision of two aircraft at Hong Kong International Airport • Luckily both aircraft were empty at the time. Many of us know how expensive a nose-to-tail can be in a car, but imagine the cost when two multi-million dollar aircraft collide. That's the case for airline Hong Kong Express, which has had two of its Airbus A321 aircraft collide on the tarmac at Hong Kong International Airport. The crew of the aircraft registered as 'B-LEF' probably couldn't believe what had happened when its tug drove the A321 into the back of 'B-LEG', which was parked at a gate at the time. "While a Hong Kong Express aircraft without passengers onboard was being towed on the taxiway by ground handling staff of China Aircraft Services Limited, it collided with a parked aircraft, also of the same airline," the airline spokesperson said. "The airline is currently communicating with its service provider and undertaking a detailed investigation of the incident. "Both aircraft were damaged." Local police confirmed they were called to Chek Lap Kok following the incident which took place before 10am on Wednesday (local time) and would be submitting a report to the Civil Aviation Department. "There was a minor collision between two aircraft and no casualties were reported," a police spokesperson told the South China Morning Post. The handling of the aircraft by the contracted third party was forming part of the airline's investigation. Hong Kong Express is a low-cost airline and operates single-class economy aircraft, the total capacity of the Airbus A321s is around 230 passengers. https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2020/08/hong-kong-express-investigates-ground-collision-of-two-aircraft-at-hong-kong-international-airport.html Back to Top Is Covid-19 making airplane passengers more unruly? (CNN) - Stephanie Scherrer was settling in for her two-hour Southwest Airlines flight from Denver, Colorado to her home in Los Angeles, California. Her face covering was on, her hand sanitizer was ready, she'd wiped down the seats and her two kids were also masked up. It was July 15. Scherrer, a high school counselor, had thought long and hard about whether she felt safe flying during the Covid-19 pandemic, researching driving routes and poring over airline policies. But she was reassured by Southwest's compulsory mask rule, plus its pledge to keep the middle seats open. The aircraft had left the gate when Scherrer says she spotted a commotion several rows ahead: a flight attendant was confronting a man and a woman who were refusing to wear face masks. "I hear him saying: 'Well, there's going to be a lot of lawsuits," Scherrer tells CNN. The flight attendant, Scherrer says, reiterated the rules and the couple continued to refuse to comply. "I got mad, because I feel like people wear masks for my safety. I'm wearing one for theirs," Scherrer says. The next thing she knew, the aircraft was returning to the gate. "At that point, people started getting angry, because I think they realized that we weren't taking off on time, because they needed to take care of this." Scherrer says a Southwest employee boarded the airplane and started talking to the passengers in question. "And as soon as that happened, it kind of opened the floodgates of other people going, 'I can't believe that you were so rude. Why? Why couldn't you just wear a mask?' Other people were like: 'Yeah, I might miss my connecting flight.'" Scherrer couldn't hear everything transpiring, but she could see things were escalating. She took out her cell phone and started to record the incident. In her video, supplied to CNN, one passenger is heard saying they will not wear a mask because "it's against my constitutional right." The situation concluded with the Southwest representative asking the couple to deplane. Once they had disembarked, the remaining passengers applauded the air crew and Scherrer breathed a sigh of relief. Southwest Airlines declined to comment on the incident, pointing CNN towards its no exceptions mask policy, which the airline said is made clear to passengers during booking, a pre-trip email and the check-in process. Heightened anxiety Back in the spring, as Covid-19 induced lockdowns hit the United States and Europe, many airplanes were flying at severely reduced capacity as travel plans were canceled and people retreated into their homes. But this last weekend, the US Transportation Security Administration reported airport security checkpoint traffic had reached a new high, crossing 800,000 for the first time in the pandemic. It's still far less than before -- 31% of the equivalent 2019 numbers, when the TSA saw over 2.6 million people on the same day last year. But the figures suggest passengers are returning to the skies and airlines -- amid reports of job uncertainty and continuing fears about the spread of coronavirus -- are trying to operate as smooth and hassle-free an experience as possible. Pre-pandemic, many passengers already found air travel stressful. Missed connections, delays, increasingly busy aircraft all adding to heightened anxiety. And the past few years have seen more visible episodes of air rage -- a term used for disruptive and unruly passenger behavior from passengers getting aggressive with air crew, refusing to comply with flight regulations, fighting with another flier or even, in the most extreme situations, trying to enter the flight deck or open the emergency exit door. Data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) suggested that incidents involving unruly passengers were rising pre-pandemic. The latest available statistics, from 2017, indicated an average of one incident for every 1,053 flights. In 2016, IATA reported one incident for every 1,434 flights. However, the data isn't comprehensive: not every global airline is part of IATA -- and not every incident is going to be recorded. Plus, the Federal Aviation Administration, which compiles statistics for US flights, suggests numbers were down from 2018 to 2019. But one thing's for certain, now that almost everyone carries a smart phone, we've seen more and more videos of brawling passengers splashed across social media, which has drawn further attention to the issue. Covid-19 has changed the face of flying, with passenger tensions possibly higher than ever due to fears surrounding the virus. New regulations such as compulsory face masks add to the list of potential points of conflict. An IATA representative told CNN that the group didn't have any statistics on unruly passenger data since March and that unruly passenger incidents "are still a tiny percentage of overall flights." "We are aware of a very small number of instances where passengers have not complied with these requirements," added the representative. Mask wearing is becoming the new normal of air travel. Allie Malis is a flight attendant for American Airlines and the government affairs representative at the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, a union representing American Airlines air crew. "Flying has totally changed," Malis tells CNN. "We've changed our policies; we are concerned about safety. We're concerned about job security." Malis recalls flights she worked on earlier in the year which should've had 160 passengers and instead carried just 20. It was easier, she says, to socially distance back then. Now, numbers are rising and, says the flight attendant, so is the potential for more problems. "Our reports at our union of passenger misconduct have skyrocketed, and a lot of these are driven by mask compliance on the airplane," says Malis. "Most incidents of passenger misconduct on planes have been related to face coverings and mask." Malis says that the Association of Professional Flight Attendants has been advocating masks on aircraft since January, when Covid-19 first surfaced in China. "Our reports at our union of passenger misconduct have skyrocketed, and a lot of these are driven by mask compliance on the airplane" Allie Malis, Association of Professional Flight Attendants The policy has evolved over time and mask wearing is now compulsory for all crew and passengers over the age of two. "If you are not able or not willing to wear a mask, we ask that you find another mode of transportation to get to where you need to go," says Malis. "I think flight attendants feel like we have a responsibility during this pandemic to do what we can to stop the spread." Malis has worked as a flight attendant for several years and she's become used to dealing with potentially difficult passenger interactions. There's always the worry about a passenger assaulting a crew member -- which has added implications in the age of coronavirus. Malis is also concerned about incidents being videoed. "You never know when you're being recorded and when any type of video could be taken out of context," she says. Banned from flying During a flight, passengers can take off their mask to eat and drink. Sometimes, notes Malis, travelers might genuinely forget to put the face covering back on afterwards. Other times, they could be using this policy to attempt to beat the system. It's a flight attendant's job to mitigate these situations. Once the airplane has taken off, the flight won't divert if someone takes off their mask -- unless the incident derails further -- but Malis says staff will take names and politely remind customers to comply. "The company is supposed to follow up with those customers and figure out what the situation was, and possibly deny future travel," she says. American Airlines is one of the US carriers, among them American Airlines and United, that has pledged to ban passengers from future flights if they refuse to wear a mask. Delta recently told CNN that "well over 100 people" have refused to wear a face covering for the duration of the journey and been subsequently banned from flying on the carrier. Malis says one of the difficulties is that, in the US, there is no blanket rule for face coverings on flights. The FAA hasn't issued a federal requirement, so it is up to individual US airlines to decide their policy and what, if any, exceptions they make to the rule. For many carriers, the no exceptions rule now extends to those with medical conditions. CNN affiliate KRPC reported that Southwest Airlines recently removed a passenger and her three-year-old son from a Monday flight after the boy, who has autism, refused to wear a face mask and became upset. In a CNN interview on Wednesday, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly emphasized the no-exceptions policy when asked about the incident. "What we have concluded is there shouldn't be any exceptions, because the exception could be someone who has the virus," Kelly told CNN's Poppy Harlow. "I'm very empathetic. I'm a grandfather. I have small grandchildren and I know how kids can be, but it's just a matter of making sure that it's a safe environment for everyone including all those families." The role of alcohol One of the prevailing worries among air crew is that unruly passengers could get aggressive. Passenger Scherrer said the situation she observed didn't become violent, but other passengers were getting increasingly irritated. "I just felt like people were getting frustrated -- I think everybody's nervous about the pandemic, or you think they are," she says. Air crew are trained to deal with aggressive or violent incidents and aim to de-escalate any situation that has the potential to go in that direction. Earlier in August, two passengers on board a KLM flight from Amsterdam were arrested after they refused to wear face masks and became unruly. On KLM flights, passengers can be exempt from wearing face masks due to medical reasons. KLM spokesperson Paul Weber told CNN the travelers were drunk and began "troubling other passengers physically and verbally." They were detained by the captain on board and then arrested by local authorities when the flight landed. Historically, the role of alcohol is often cited as a factor in air rage incidents, in the wake of Covid-19 several airlines banned alcohol on flights -- although some have since reinstated alcoholic drink options, and this doesn't stop passengers stocking up on booze before they board. Passengers refusing to comply with regulations can be concerning for fellow travelers and air crew, but what's it like for the people in the cockpit? Pilot Anny Divya commands a Boeing 777 for Air India. When she started her role a few years ago, she was the youngest female commander of a Boeing 777 aircraft in the world. "There's nothing normal anymore about flying," says Divya, speaking from her home in India before piloting a flight to Chicago. "It's difficult for everyone." Like her passengers, Divya wears a mask while transiting through the airport, boarding the plane and, often, while flying the aircraft. It's possible to social distance with two people in the cockpit, so pilots are permitted to take them off for a while, but Divya still describes face coverings as having "become part of our life." "In the beginning, it was uncomfortable breathing," she recalls. "Now, without even knowing, we do have masks on most of the time without even realizing it." Divya has been flying throughout the pandemic, repatriating passengers and delivering medical supplies. Meanwhile Italy-based pilot Lindy Kats, who flies the Boeing 717 for a European airline, says she only recently returned to the skies after Italy's lockdown began to lift. Kats, who flies short haul journeys across the Mediterranean, says she stays in constant communication with the air crew about any incidents on the aircraft. "If a passenger is already aggressive on the ground, it can become a bigger issue when taking off," she explains. "It's important for the cabin crew to indeed realize, is this passenger calm enough to stay on board? And otherwise other precautions have to be taken, unfortunately." Kats acknowledges that flying can be stressful, even disregarding the current Covid-19 threat. "There's never an excuse for being aggressive. But yes, I can understand how someone can be triggered by multiple things that are accumulating, adding to stress," she says. "And then maybe one little thing can be the drop that makes the bucket flow over." Overall, both Kats and Divya say passengers have been largely compliant with the new restrictions. From the flight attendant perspective, Malis also says most passengers have been appreciative and understanding, with travelers recognizing the risk now inherent to working on an aircraft. "There's nothing normal anymore about flying" Anny Divya, pilot She hopes that a more uniform policy is implemented by the US government, which she feels could make the situation "less confusing for everyone." "I think we do need to make sure that everyone is wearing a mask on a plane that we can make sure that air travel does not contribute to the spreading of the Covid-19 virus and to make sure that critical goods and emergency personnel have the option to get to where they need to go," she says. "And that flight attendants and all the other other aviation workers have a job to come back to after this pandemic." https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/unruly-airplane-passengers-covid-19/index.html Back to Top Aviation safety oversight to improve (China) China's civil aviation regulator will scale up flight safety supervision during the ongoing summer travel season, following two recent mechanical problems during flights, both of which caused no injuries. The Civil Aviation Administration of China on Thursday released the results of investigations into the two incidents, and found no fault with the airlines' emergency procedures. On Sunday, a Shenzhen Airlines' Airbus A330-343 lost cabin pressure at 9,200 meters during a flight to Xi'an, Shaanxi province, said Wu Shijie, the CAAC's deputy director of aviation security. The pilots followed procedure and descended to a safe altitude before flying the airbus to the airport of its origin in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. The crew acted "correctly and properly" during the whole process, and no one was injured, he said. The loss of pressure was caused by the failure of a seal on a cargo door, the CAAC found. In another incident on Sunday, a flight instrument on China Eastern Airlines' Airbus 330-243 displayed a malfunction while flying from Chengdu, Sichuan province, to Beijing, Wu said. Due to the rainy weather in the nation's capital, the pilots landed the airbus in Xi'an as a precautionary measure. A fault in the flight instrument display had given an incorrect reading on the status of one of the engines. The part was later replaced and the display began operating normally again, Wu said. He said the two mechanical failures have a "certain probability of occurring", but the pilots were able to handle the emergencies correctly to ensure flight safety because they receive training every year that covers such emergencies. "As air passenger numbers are on the upswing during the summer vacation, and many regions have entered the flood season and the thunderstorm season, flight operations have seen increased risks," he said, adding that the administration has been stepping up supervision to ensure flight safety. Upholding the principle of "zero tolerance toward safety hazards", the administration has required airlines, airports and relevant departments to launch thorough inspections to guarantee smooth and safe operations. China's civil aviation industry had maintained 119 months, or 84.9 million flight hours of continuous safe flight operations by the end of July, according to the administration. http://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202008/14/WS5f35dec2a3108348172603e6.html Back to Top Azul Delays 82 Aircraft Deliveries For At Least 4 Years The Brazilian low-cost airline Azul Linhas Aereas deferred 82 aircraft deliveries to 2024 and beyond due to the current uncertainty in travel demand. During the second quarter of 2020, Azul had a net loss of US$540 million. Nevertheless, the carrier also generated over US$1.3 billion in cash savings between March 2020 and December 2021. A brief look at Azul's latest aircraft orders In its financial results for the second quarter, Azul said it reached an agreement with Embraer and Airbus to postpone 82 deliveries. The airline didn't specify the exact type of airplanes it will defer. Azul has an order for 75 E195-E2 jets with Embraer. It currently operates five of these airplanes. In the first quarter of 2020, it deferred the delivery of 59 E2 jets. We can take those into the recently announced 82 postponements. The low-cost airline also has a couple of orders with Airbus, for A321neo and A330-900 aircraft. Before the pandemic, Azul was in the middle of its fleet transformation plan. It included the sublease of 53 Embraer E195 to LOT and Breeze Aviation Group. In 2016, the Brazilian carrier also subleased 15 airplanes to TAP Portugal. Instead, it signed orders with Airbus and Embraer for newer, more efficient airplanes. In 2018, John Rodgerson, CEO of Azul, said the following about the E2 aircraft order, "Our Embraer fleet has always been and will continue to be a critical part of our network and fleet strategy. With the need to replace all of our current generation E1 aircraft, 50% of those in the next five years, this order guarantees that Azul will have the newest, most fuel-efficient fleet in the industry, continually driving down unit costs." Then, like every other airline in the world, Azul was hit hard by coronavirus. Let's see how the carrier is doing. What about the second-quarter results? During the second quarter of 2020, Azul posted a net loss of US$540 million (over 2.9 billion reais). It had an 84.7% decrease in its operating revenues going from US488 million in 2019's second quarter to US$74.9 million this year. Passenger demand contracted 85% in Brazil during the second quarter, and the Brazilian real depreciated 38%, pressuring Azul's costs. Despite the challenges of this quarter, the low-cost carrier secured long-term liquidity, closing the quarter with US$559 million in cash. This amount equals 32% of the airline's last twelve months' revenue. Azul's total liquidity was USD$1.2 billion as of 30 June 2020, said the airline. Additionally, Azul agreed with lessors on new payment profiles, which provided capital relief equivalent to US$583 million. The airline reduced by 77% its operating lease payments of the last nine months of 2020. What else has Azul done in recent months? We think Azul has had one of the most interesting management of the current crisis across Latin America. The airline knows the incredible pressure that this pandemic will put on the air industry in Latin America. And while it has preserved as much cash as it can, it has also moved forward. Azul recently signed a codeshare agreement with rival LATAM Brazil. Previously, it sold its 6% TAP Air Portugal stake to the Portuguese government. Finally, one of the most significant movements Azul made was the launch of its new subsidiary Azul Conecta. With a fleet of 17 Cessna Caravan aircraft, it will try to connect up to 200 cities across Brazil with cargo-only and passenger operations. https://simpleflying.com/azul-aircraft-delivery-delay/ Back to Top Aerospace Technology Institute Launches One-Year Study of Zero Emission Commercial Aircraft The Aerospace Technology Institute will bring more than one hundred people onboard for a year-long feasibility and design study of zero-emissions commercial aircraft. (ATI) The UK's Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) will lead a one-year project to study design challenges and potential for a zero-emission commercial aircraft, a part of the Jet Zero Council launched by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in July to tackle climate change and establish national leadership on carbon neutral long-haul air travel. Executives from ATI, speaking during a webinar about the project, described it as an effort to holistically explore the potential to realize a zero-carbon emission commercial aircraft, with 80 seats or more, by the end of the decade, with potential for a follow-on phase to include a major demonstrator project. "The prime minister spoke about his ambition to achieve some bold carbon reduction ... he's completely bought into it, and they see FlyZero as forming a key component of that mission," said Gary Elliot, CEO of ATI. "This is a transformative project that has the potential to have a follow-on moonshot phase if we get it right." Working with partners across the UK's aerospace sector, ATI intends to bring up to 110 people into its organization as "secondees," where they will work for the FlyZero project full-time with salaries and expenses paid by ATI. Most will be engineers, but smaller teams will also be stood up to examine markets, commercial viability, production, lifecycle and supply chain issues. The project will begin with an initial study phase, collecting and structuring known information on air vehicle concepts, energy sources and conversion, and future air transport markets, according to Simon Weeks, ATI's chief technology officer. "Then, we'll down-select ideas that we think are most appropriate and carry out a concept trade study, starting to pull those views of aircraft and aircraft systems ... how they might perform, how sustainable they might be, what operational issues there might be, and whether we have a view at that stage on what the commercial and operational viability might be," Weeks said during the broadcast. In the final project phase, one or more designs will be chosen through a further down-select for a preliminary design phase, where Weeks said the intent is to develop concepts into much more fleshed-out models and understand their performance and technological challenges in greater detail. "We're looking to see what is the most likely commercial zero net carbon aircraft in the 2030s and what addition does the UK need to do to be ready for that? What demonstrator projects do we need to do downstream from this study?" Weeks said. "[This project will] take one or more designs to a reasonable level of detail, and once you get into a level of detail, only then you start to tease out some of the key technical issues." In addition to potential follow-on projects, the results of the one-year FlyZero program will be disseminated back into the UK aerospace community to further encourage progress toward zero emissions aircraft. ATI officials said the initial FlyZero project will only include UK partners, as part of its goal is to create a UK consortium and bolster national competitiveness in pursuit of zero-carbon aviation solutions, but later follow-on projects may look to include international collaboration. "If you take the [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] scenarios in order to achieve 1.5 or even 2 degrees [Celsius] warming by the end of the century, and overlay the trajectory for aviation in terms of CO2 output, the sector is on track by 2050 to become a major, if not the major, contributor to CO2 emissions," said James McMicking, chief strategy officer for ATI. "Today, it's only two percent, but other sectors will find it easier than aerospace to reduce their carbon emissions." https://www.aviationtoday.com/2020/08/13/aerospace-technology-institute-launches-one-year-study-zero-emission-commercial-aircraft/ Back to Top Air Methods, Airlift Northwest Announce Continued Relationship • Air Methods air ambulances fly out of Airlift Northwest bases throughout Washington state, transporting patients to care they require GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo.,, Aug. 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Air Methods, a leading air medical service in the U.S., and the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine, announced today that they have renewed their long-standing relationship with Airlift Northwest the premier emergency air medical service in the Pacific Northwest. Air Methods and UW Medicine have been collaborating to serve communities in the region since 2015. Airlift Northwest, a not-for-profit entity of UW Medicine, is dedicated to providing safe, efficient air medical care to critically ill and injured infants, children, and adults. Its aircraft are strategically located at eight bases throughout the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Alaska for rapid deployment. Air Methods provides Airlift Northwest's rotary wing services in the Pacific Northwest, which include helicopter aircraft, pilots, and mechanics. Air Methods is the nation's largest provider of air medical emergency transport services and systems and is dedicated exclusively to air medical transport, focusing on high-quality safe transport of critically ill patients. Across the United States, it operates a fleet of more than 400 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft servicing 48 states while transporting more than 70,000 patients every year. Airlift Northwest rapidly deploys emergency aircraft throughout the state - from the coastal villages in western Washington to rural communities in Eastern Washington. Airlift Northwest flies out of bases in Arlington, Bellingham, Bremerton, Olympia, and East Wenatchee. The agreement guarantees a continued relationship for the next five years. "We are pleased to continue our partnership with Air Methods," said Jeff Richey, interim executive director of Airlift Northwest. "Their highly trained flight pilots and mechanics, along with the most advanced aviation technology and aircraft in the industry, ensures we offer the best air medical transport available to the communities that count on us. These air ambulances are flying ICUs that provide unparalleled care to patients before they even arrive at the hospital. During these unprecedented times of COVID-19, the services we provide are more important than ever." Both Airlift Northwest and Air Methods have robust protocols in place to care for patients who are known or suspected to be positive for COVID-19. Both organizations are dedicated to continuing care for all patients who require transport and have implemented comprehensive safety standards, including personal protective equipment and thorough decontamination after very flight. "Air Methods is proud to continue the strong relationship with such a respected partner as UW Medicine to provide emergency air medical services through Airlift Northwest, and we look forward to many more years serving communities throughout the state of Washington," said Trevor Thompson, Air Methods Senior Vice President of Sales. "Our aircraft make it possible for residents - particularly those in rural areas - to get access to the care they need as quickly as possible. This is true for COVID-19 patients, as well as those involved in automobile accidents or suffering from medical emergencies like a stroke or heart attack." ### About Air Methods Air Methods (www.airmethods.com) is the leading air medical service, delivering lifesaving care to more than 70,000 people every year. With nearly 40 years of air medical experience, Air Methods is the preferred partner for hospitals and one of the largest community-based providers of air medical services. United Rotorcraft is the Company's products division specializing in the design and manufacture of aeromedical and aerospace technology. Air Methods' fleet of owned, leased or maintained aircraft features more than 450 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. About Airlift Northwest Since its founding, Airlift Northwest (https://www.uwmedicine.org/airliftnw) has expanded to provide service to a four-state region and has transported more than 100,000 patients to regional hospitals. As part of UW Medicine, Airlift Northwest is a nonprofit organization. Its aircraft are strategically located at seven bases in the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Alaska for rapid deployment. All aviation services, pilots and mechanics are provided by Air Methods Corporation and Aero Air, LLC. Airlift Northwest is an entity of UW Medicine and fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/08/13/2078056/0/en/Air-Methods-Airlift-Northwest-Announce-Continued-Relationship.html Back to Top World Record for ECMO Flight Set by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance US-based Jet Rescue Air Ambulance has successfully completed the longest ECMO flight ever accomplished by a civilian aeromedical program The ECMO machine is a portable heart-lung bypass machine that pumps and oxygenates the patient's blood, allowing the lungs and heart to rest. The flight in question transported a 56-year-old female patient, a citizen of South Korea, who was hospitalized in Hospital Muguerza in Monterrey, Mexico with lung failure due to pulmonary fibrosis (secondary to Covid-19). Life-saving lung transplantation in her homeland was the only viable option to save her life. The flight originated in Monterrey International Airport, Mexico and concluded 6,500 miles away, and 21 hours later, at Inchon International Airport near Seoul, South Korea. The previous long-distance records for flying an adult patient on an ECMO machine were held by the US Air Force (Germany to the US and Japan to the US). Carlos Salinas, Founder and CEO of Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, said: "Following extensive consultations with our Chief Flight Physician and the patient's Cardiology team at Hospital Muguerza, I decided to accept this exceptionally challenging mission." "I had every confidence in our medical team, medical equipment and the aircraft. Our Learjet-36, long-range flying ICU, performed perfectly. We made fuel and oxygen stops in Vancouver in Canada, Anchorage in Alaska, Petropavlosk Kamalhalouskv in Russia, and finally landed - as planned and on time - at Inchon International Airport, South Korea." Dr Cervantes, the Chief Flight Physician of the company, added: "Clearly, this transport was one of the most challenging ever undertaken by any private air ambulance service. As a critical care physician, I was comfortable in our ability to execute this mission yet remained concerned because it was not possible to determine how the patient's delicate hemodynamic condition would react during such a long flight. "Nevertheless, thanks to exceptional collaboration with the transplant team in Hospital Muguerza in Monterrey and the professionalism of their ECMO staff, the patient remained stable throughout the long flight. I was relieved, and gratified, to hand over her care to the receiving hospital in Seoul." https://www.airmedandrescue.com/latest/news/world-record-ecmo-flight-set-jet-rescue-air-ambulance Back to Top Bankrupt Alaska airline seeks bonus for its chief executive ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The largest rural airline in Alaska has declared bankruptcy and laid off more than a thousand workers but wants to award $250,000 in bonus money to its chief executive and other employees. Anchorage-based RavnAir Group filed the request Tuesday in Delaware bankruptcy court, arguing that the bonuses are justified because of long hours and the hard work that went into selling the company's assets after it shut down during the coronavirus pandemic, Alaska Public Radio reported. The final sale of all the assets is expected to generate more than $55 million, exceeding what the company anticipated. Chief Executive Officer Dave Pflieger has already collected $1.4 million in salary, bonuses and expense payments over the past year. It is unclear how much of the $250,000 would go to Pflieger and to the other employees. Debbie Reinwand said in an email to The Associated Press that she no longer is employed as a spokeswoman for the company. Two phone numbers for Ravn Air Group did not allow messages to be left. One invited emails regarding customer feedback. One sent there seeking comment from Plieger wasn't immediately returned Thursday to the AP. Pflieger was not involved in conversations about his own potential bonus, but did participate in discussions about them for other employees, company officials said. The state of Alaska and the aviation industry have questioned why the company agreed to sell several of its big planes and two of its operating certificates to California-based FLOAT Shuttle, when other companies offered to pay more money for the same assets. One of those companies was Juneau-based Alaska Seaplanes, which offered $9 million for the same assets FLOAT Shuttle bought for $8 million, company President Kent Craford said. Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy's administration expressed "limited support" for Alaska Seaplanes' position and said it was concerned that "all bidders were not given a full opportunity to participate in a transparent auction process." https://www.yahoo.com/news/bankrupt-alaska-airline-seeks-bonus-143316763.html Back to Top Ingenuity Mars helicopter recharges its batteries in flight NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter received a checkout and recharge of its power system on Friday, Aug. 7, one week into its near seven-month journey to Mars with the Perseverance rover. This marks the first time the helicopter has been powered up and its batteries have been charged in the space environment. During the eight-hour operation, the performance of the rotorcraft's six lithium-ion batteries was analyzed as the team brought their charge level up to 35%. The project has determined a low charge state is optimal for battery health during the cruise to Mars. "This was a big milestone, as it was our first opportunity to turn on Ingenuity and give its electronics a 'test drive' since we launched on July 30," said Tim Canham, the operations lead for Mars Helicopter at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. "Since everything went by the book, we'll perform the same activity about every two weeks to maintain an acceptable state of charge." The 4-pound (2-kilogram) helicopter-a combination of specially designed components and off-the-shelf parts-is currently stowed on Perseverance's belly and receives its charge from the rover's power supply. Once Ingenuity is deployed on Mars' surface after Perseverance touches down, its batteries will be charged solely by the helicopter's own solar panel. If Ingenuity survives the cold Martian nights during its preflight checkout, the team will proceed with testing. "This charge activity shows we have survived launch and that so far we can handle the harsh environment of interplanetary space," said MiMi Aung, the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter project manager at JPL. "We have a lot more firsts to go before we can attempt the first experimental flight test on another planet, but right now we are all feeling very good about the future." The small craft will have a 30-Martian-day (31-Earth-day) experimental flight-test window. If it succeeds, Ingenuity will prove that powered, controlled flight by an aircraft can be achieved at Mars, enabling future Mars missions to potentially add an aerial dimension to their explorations with second-generation rotorcraft. https://phys.org/news/2020-08-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-recharges-batteries.html Back to Top RTCA August Webinar: Spectrum & AI RTCA Free 2-part webinar, Wednesday, 8/19, 1pm ET. Part I - FAA, ASRI, Collins Aerospace and United Airlines discuss: "Spectrum: Generating Change in Aviation". Part II - Tech Talk by Pete Dumont, President and CEO of the Air Traffic Control Association ATCA: "Are We Ready for AI & ML in Aviation?" Register: https://bit.ly/31oOdB6 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 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 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 As part of our Swinburne Bachelor of Aviation undergraduate research project, we have constructed a survey for members of the aviation industry and those who have not worked in aviation to provide feedback on their attitudes and opinions about Urban Air Mobility and single-pilot and/or autonomous airline operations. If you are an active participant in the aviation industry as a passenger or through employment, we invite you to take part in this survey to help give the industry a better understanding of the general sentiment towards these emerging technologies and operational concepts. To participate please follow the link below to our online survey: https://swinuw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9zRhPPbCfnsHH3T It should take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Participants who complete the survey will be eligible to enter the draw to WIN AN iPad. Thank you very much for your time. This research project is being supervised by Peter Renshaw at the Department of Aviation, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. If you have any questions, please contact Peter at prenshaw@swin.edu.au Back to Top SURVEY: GA PILOTS AND PIREPs "Dear GA pilot, Researchers at Purdue University are seeking general aviation (GA) pilots to participate in an online study, partially funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) NextGen Weather Technology in the Cockpit (WTIC) program. The goal of this study is to evaluate opportunities for speech-based or other "hands-free" technologies that GA pilots might use to submit PIREPs. If you are able and willing to participate, you will be asked to review a set of 6 weather-related flight scenarios and record PIREPs as if you are flying. The study will last approximately 20 minutes and can be completed using a laptop or desktop computer. Participation in this study is completely voluntary. You can withdraw your participation at any time during the study for any reason. If you agree to participate, you will be asked to acknowledge your voluntary participation. Then there are 4 questions about your flight history, 6 weather scenarios, and 4 questions about PIREPs. Responses to the survey will be completely anonymous. We ask that you complete the study in a quiet location free from background noise. You must be at least 18 years of age or older to participate. When you are ready to begin, please click here: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6lZhv409DcoV8KF and follow the instructions in Qualtrics. Please feel free to share this link with other pilots you know. Email any questions or concerns to Mayur Deo and Dr. Brandon Pitts at nhance@purdue.edu." 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 Curt Lewis