Flight Safety Information October 6, 2020 - No. 202 In This Issue ProSafeT - SMS, Quality & Audit Management Software Piper PA-46R-350T Malibu Matrix - Runway Excursion (France) Incident: Azul E295 at Sao Paulo on Oct 2nd 2020, smoke indication Punches thrown over passenger who won't wear mask on airplane * Flight Safety Foundation: 'It's Safe to Fly' BSI launches Aviation Verification of Compliance audit scheme SEA Airport FlyHealthy Program achieves aviation industry’s global health accreditation Skydio gains FAA approval to conduct bridge inspections with drones in North Carolina CAAi enters Corporate Partnership with ICAO TRAINAIR PLUS Programme Why Did Lufthansa Cancel India Flights And What’s Next? * Philippine Airlines to slash jobs Peru's Main Airport Reopens for International Flights After Closing Due to Coronavirus WTO rules U.S. illegally subsidized Boeing Aircraft Corporation Airbus A220-100 to evolve as ‘TwoTwenty’ corporate jet Here’s The Interesting History Of Joe Biden’s Private Jet Southwest seeks pay cuts from unions to avoid layoffs through 2021 Cargo ship brings new zero-gravity toilet to space station Piper PA-46R-350T Malibu Matrix - Runway Excursion (France) Date:05-OCT-2020Time:14:15Type: Piper PA-46R-350T Malibu MatrixOwner/operator:Indigo Aviation Inc TrusteeRegistration:N898BBC/n / msn:4692057Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2Other fatalities:0Aircraft damage:MinorLocation:Vannes Airport (LFRV) - FrancePhase:Take offNature:PrivateDeparture airport:Vannes-Meucon Airport (VNE/LFRV)Destination airport:Narrative: The Piper PA-46 sustained a runway excursion upon takeoff. There were no personal injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/243636 Incident: Azul E295 at Sao Paulo on Oct 2nd 2020, smoke indication An Azul Linhas Aereas Embraer ERJ-195-E2, registration PS-AEA performing flight AD-4849 from Sao Paulo Viracopos,SP to Florianopolis,SC (Brazil), was climbing out of Viracopos' runway 33 when the crew stopped the climb at FL070 reporting a smoke indication in one of the cargo holds. The aircraft returned to Viracopos for a safe landing on runway 33 about 30 minutes after departure. A replacement A320-200N registration PR-YYA reached Florianapolis with a delay of about 2:20 hours. The airline reported a technical problem prompted the return to Viracopos. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 33.5 hours before returning to service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4dd7bc4f&opt=0 Punches thrown over passenger who won't wear mask on airplane An argument over face masks turned physical on an Allegiant Airlines flight from Mesa, Ariz., to Provo, Utah, on Saturday. A passenger on the flight was wearing a face shield and a flight attendant asked him to wear a face mask as well, KSL TV reported. Allegiant’s policy is that face shields must be worn in addition to a face covering, not as an alternative. When the flight attendant and passenger were arguing about the policy, another passenger heckled the man, KSL reported. As the flight attendant was attempting to escort the passenger who refused to wear a face mask off the plane, a fight broke out with the heckling passenger. Another passenger, Rylie Lansford, recorded the fight and said one of them threw a punch. Lansford told KSL that she saw one of the passengers swing at the other and the passenger who refused to wear a mask was choking the other. The fight was broken up after 30 seconds, KSL reported. KSL also reported the passenger who refused to wear a mask was escorted off the plane in Mesa, Ariz., and the other passenger was able to stay for the flight. Major U.S. airlines have required face masks on planes for months. In September, a woman and her 2-year-old son were removed from a Southwest Airlines flight because the son didn’t have on a mask. https://thehill.com/homenews/519655-punches-thrown-over-passenger-who-wont-wear-mask-on-airplane Flight Safety Foundation: 'It's Safe to Fly' Leading Aviation Safety Advocate Calls for Global Testing Standards to Lift Haphazard Travel Restrictions ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- After a six-month analysis of the air travel industry's response to the coronavirus pandemic, Flight Safety Foundation today concluded that industry efforts have succeeded in greatly reducing the possibility of transmission in airports and on aircraft. "The latest evidence shows that aircraft and airports have very low levels of transmission," said Dr. Hassan Shahidi, president and CEO of the Foundation. "With the health and safety measures that airlines, airports and security personnel have now put in place," Shahidi said, "the risk of contracting this virus appears extraordinarily low, much lower than in other public places. Given these extraordinary measures, the traveling public should have increased confidence that it's safe to fly." "The traveling public should have increased confidence that it's safe to fly." The Foundation called for governments to help get passengers moving again by "replacing haphazard, restrictive international travel bans and blanket quarantines with better, smarter measures that are more uniform and focused on preventing spread of the virus through reliable testing," said Capt. Conor Nolan, chairman of the Foundation's Board of Governors and director of Safety and Security at Aer Lingus. "We now have disjointed testing rules, indiscriminate bans, and confusing quarantine rules that discourage passengers from making travel plans," said Nolan. "Governments and industry need to coalesce around universally accepted testing standards to identify and prevent the spread of the virus until we get a vaccine." The Foundation's analysis of data from leading public health authorities, industry participants and its own expert medical consultants attributed the low incidence of COVID-19 in international air travel to robust cleaning and sanitization measures, as well as vigilance and strict adherence to rigorous social distancing guidance. Airlines and airports have implemented sweeping changes to enhance health safety, including: • Improved cleaning and disinfection procedures and technologies; • New socially distant boarding and deplaning procedures; • Enhanced training and virus testing for employees; • Personal protective equipment requirements; • Contact-less check-in and other processes at every stage of the passenger experience; and, • International airport health accreditation programs. The Foundation noted that modern passenger aircraft design has played an important role in protecting the public from health risks of the coronavirus. Nearly all modern aircraft feature frequent cabin air changes and advanced high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtering systems that can eliminate particles far smaller than the coronavirus. HEPA filters are the same technology used to keep operating rooms and industrial clean rooms safe. "When procedures are followed, there is very little risk of virus transmission," said Shahidi. About Flight Safety Foundation Flight Safety Foundation is an independent, nonprofit, international organization engaged in research, education, advocacy and communications to improve aviation safety. The Foundation's mission is to connect, influence and lead global aviation safety. SOURCE Flight Safety Foundation https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/flight-safety-foundation-its-safe-to-fly-301146034.html BSI launches Aviation Verification of Compliance audit scheme HERNDON, Va., Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- BSI, the business improvement company, today launches a new global Aviation Verification of Compliance audit scheme. This program is designed to help aerospace organizations to prepare for their 'next normal' by providing a best practice approach to mitigating public health risks and increasing consumer confidence in air travel. With increasingly complex requirements across the aerospace industry worldwide, it's important that organizations can demonstrate to the travelling public that they have been assessed as compliant with best practice. Organizations need to adapt quickly, adopt new working practices and address new regulations and guidelines while ensuring they are trusted to protect people and provide a healthy and safe environment for the benefit of employees and customers alike. This scheme will help to support them with this challenge. In order to be verified, airports, ground handlers, commercial and cargo airlines will be independently assessed by BSI against one or more of the following publicly available guidelines or requirements: • ICAO Council's Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) (For Airlines, Airports and Cargo Modules) • The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) ECDC COVID-19 Aviation Health Safety Protocol (For Airlines and Airports) • Local Civil Aviation Authority Guidelines deemed appropriate by BSI (For Airlines, Ground Handlers and Airports) The first organization to achieve this verification from BSI is Hamad International Airport (HIA), in Qatar, an airport that served over 39 million passengers in 2019, comparable in size to Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP) here in the U.S. Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, Chief Operating Officer at HIA commented: "It is an honor to be recognized for our efforts to maintain a safe environment for our staff and passengers while ensuring operational efficiency. We always strive to provide consistently high-quality services for all our stakeholders. The verification reflects our capability in maintaining HIA's position as a leading airport in the world, in these unprecedented times. As the world is adjusting to the new normal, the international recognition we get from BSI is important to ensure HIA's operational capabilities at all times." Pietro Foschi, Group Executive Director Assurance Services at BSI said: "We welcome and congratulate the leadership demonstrated at Hamad International Airport to be the first to achieve this verification. The challenges presented by COVID-19 to organizations, employees and consumers have had a huge impact and as we adjust to the 'next normal', organizations around the world are implementing new ways of working as part of a progressive recovery. Organizations need expert guidance on how to maintain business efficiency and resilience, while protecting workers and consumers. They need to ensure that protocols are in place to provide trust to workers, passengers, authorities and all stakeholders that the best practices regarding health and safety in aviation are correctly applied so that such critical infrastructure can be used safely over time. We at BSI are delighted to have been collaborating with the airport management team at Hamad International to provide such trust." For more information please visit: https://www.bsigroup.com/en-US/our-services/auditing-and-verification-services/internal-audits/aviation-public-health-protocols/ About BSI BSI is the business improvement company that enables organizations to turn standards of best practice into habits of excellence. For over a century BSI has championed what good looks like and driven best practice in organizations around the world. Working with 84,000 clients across 193 countries, it is a truly international business with skills and experience across a number of sectors including aerospace, automotive, built environment, food, and healthcare. Through its expertise in Standards Development and Knowledge Solutions, Assurance, Regulatory Services and Consulting Services, BSI improves business performance to help clients grow sustainably, manage risk and ultimately be more resilient and trusted. To learn more, please visit: www.bsigroup.com https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bsi-launches-aviation-verification-of-compliance-audit-scheme-301144859.html SEA Airport FlyHealthy Program achieves aviation industry’s global health accreditation First airport on the U.S. West Coast to receive ACI recognition. SEATTLE – As part of the continued effort to provide a safe and healthy environment for the traveling public, the FlyHealthy program at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) achieved Global Health Accreditation under the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Health Accreditation program. The ever-evolving efforts are detailed in the FlyHealthy@SEA Action Plan. ACI’s Airport Health Accreditation program assists airports by assessing new health measures and procedures introduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in accordance with ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force recommendations. Areas of assessment for accreditation include cleaning and disinfection, physical distancing, staff protection, physical layout, passenger communications and passenger facilities. “Industry accreditation gives our customers and employees an added layer of confidence in our health and safety measures,” said SEA Managing Director Lance Lyttle. “We’re leaning hard on our promise to prioritize customer well-being and to deliver an elevated airport experience. FlyHealthy@SEA is a layered, comprehensive action plan that constantly adapts to implement the best science has to offer. We will remain resilient in weathering the storm of COVID-19 while prioritizing customer, tenant and employee healthy during this pandemic and beyond.” The Airport Health Accreditation program is also consistent with the recommendations and industry priorities put forward by Airport Council International – North America’s Airport Industry Recovery Advisory Panel in June 2020. As the report recommends, the restart and recovery of the aviation sector will require a consistent and harmonized approach with clear industry standards and good practices. More airports adopting the Airport Health Accreditation program is a concrete step that airports can take to reaffirm their commitment to health and safety. “Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, North American airports have taken unprecedented steps to ensure the health and safety of passengers and airport workers,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “We are proud to recognize SEA’s Airport Health Accreditation. This important step further demonstrates the airport’s deep commitment to promoting health and safety as air travel begins to recover.” “Aviation will be a critical driver of the global economic recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 and, by being accredited through ACI’s Airport Health Accreditation program, SEA is playing an important role in helping to rebuild passenger confidence in air travel,” said ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira. “I am grateful to SEA for taking a leadership role in prioritizing passenger health through the introduction of new measures that are aligned with global standards and protocols.” FlyHealthy@SEA Action Plan The FlyHealthy@SEA program launched in April as an overarching response to the pandemic to specifically focus on restoring customer confidence in air travel. It is a layered approach that reflects the complexity in addressing this long-term challenge of providing health and safety assurances to customers, particularly in the absence of a COVID-19 vaccine. The approach incorporates multiple perspectives to ensure a comprehensive response, including health, public policy and advocacy, business partners, traveling public communications, and customer experience and feedback. To date, we have initiated dozens of actions such as physical changes, new procedures, and efforts to influence passenger and employee behavior. For example, we require face coverings and physical distancing, boosted cleaning and disinfecting activities, and added more touchless technologies. FlyHealthy@SEA leads with five core strategies that earned the Airport Health Accreditation from ACI. Adapt facilities to reflect new customer health expectations: Safety and wellbeing come first at SEA. Our response to COVID-19 means a new focus on certain actions. Visitors at SEA will see a number of changes, from hand sanitizer dispensers and physical distancing reminders to new ways for people to shop and dine. Communicate crisis to confidence health-related changes to provide reassurance: As a key source of information for the traveling public regarding COVID-19, we are in constant communication across all channels regarding health related changes and actions at SEA. Our aim is to be highly responsive to customer concerns and deliver transparent and frequent communication with airport stakeholders and employees. Deploy innovative products and procedures for a healthier travel experience: SEA Airport continues to innovate with options for seamless, contact-free travel. We’re exploring new technologies that facilitate a touchless airport experience, and state-of-the art programs that keep you safe behind the scenes. Drive policy developments around industry best practices and protocol consistency: We’re leaning on strong engagement with the airport industry, as well as lawmakers and federal agencies, and establishing clear objectives to ensure we’re leading with best practices. Actively embrace the unknown: SEA is intentional about seeking information and developing best practices to address the challenges of COVID-19. We’ve formed tighter partnerships with industry partners and airport stakeholders. We’re exploring new ways to keep travelers safe and making adjustments as medical knowledge evolves. We’re constantly examining the “what if’s” to keep our focus honed on a safe travel experience now and in the future. “Passengers want airports to follow the same public health guidelines regardless of local requirements,” said Julie Collins, SEA Airport Director of Customer Service. “The ACI Airport Health Accreditation promotes best practices and aligns efforts across the industry in an evolving new normal. FlyHealthy@SEA will keep pace and lead our industry as new health information develops.” https://www.traveldailynews.com/post/sea-airport-flyhealthy-program-achieves-aviation-industrys-global-health-accreditation Skydio gains FAA approval to conduct bridge inspections with drones in North Carolina Drone startup Skydio today announced the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) statewide approval to fly Skydio drones beyond visual line of sight to inspect bridges. Skydio, which describes the waiver as the first of its kind, says the NCDOT will be able to conduct maintenance activities without the use of visual observers like trained pilots or staff. A recent study by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials found that taxpayer cost per bridge inspection can be reduced 75% by switching from traditional methods to drones. The Minnesota Department of Transportation found that using drones for bridge inspection offsets some or all of the costs, depending on the bridge configuration and location, with a trial of drone-assisted inspections saving an average of 40% over traditional methods and providing ostensibly superior data and reporting. Going forward, the NCDOT’s inspectors can send Skydio 2 drones to inspect critical structures below bridges in North Carolina instead of conducting rappels or using “snooper trucks.” In a typical year, NCDOT employees regularly canvass over 13,500 bridges. The NCDOT is the first to receive a statewide waiver under the FAA’s Part 107 rules, potentially paving the way for other states to leverage drones in bridge and infrastructure inspection. Under current Part 107 drone rules, companies still can’t exact payment for deliveries over distances beyond a human operator’s line of sight, at night, or with fleets over a certain size. But Skydio says the FAA’s decision signals a willingness to permit operations for drones with “elevated levels of autonomy.” North Carolina is the site of the FAA’s UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP). IPP, which launched in 2017, aims to bring state, local, and tribal governments together with private sector entities, such as drone operators and manufacturers, to test and evaluate the integration of civil and public drone operations with the national airspace system. Other participants include Zipline, which is delivering personal protective equipment (such as masks) around the campuses of the Novant Health medical network in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Matternet, which is making medical deliveries between WakeMed hospital in Raleigh and its Healthplex in Garner in partnership with UPS. In May, the FAA chose 10 winners from a pool of more than 160 IPP applicants interested in reimagining how drones can be used by governments and corporations. Companies like AT&T use drones for maintenance inspections and to assist in natural disaster zones, and dozens of local government agencies, such as the San Diego Fire Department (SDFD), have begun actively deploying drones in emergency scenarios. Meanwhile, telepresence drone piloting companies like Cape have begun to partner with first responders, including the Chula Vista Police Department and San Diego Fire Department, for field tests. Beyond the NCDOT, Skydio counts the Civil Air Patrol, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and Japan Infrastructure Waymark among its customers. Skydio recently launched the X2 family of drones and software solutions designed to simplify inspections and enterprise-oriented workflows. It also began selling Skydio 2 Dock, a self-contained, weatherproof charging base station for Skydio 2 that enables persistent operations and fits in a carry-on suitcase. https://venturebeat.com/2020/10/05/skydio-gains-faa-approval-to-conduct-bridge-inspections-with-drones-in-north-carolina/ CAAi enters Corporate Partnership with ICAO TRAINAIR PLUS Programme CAA International (CAAi), the technical cooperation and training arm of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA), has been awarded Corporate Partnership status on the ICAO TRAINAIR PLUS programme. Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in September, CAAi and ICAO will jointly create and deliver courseware consistent with the Chicago Convention, ICAO’s Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and relevant ICAO guidance material. To mark the new partnership, CAAi and ICAO have jointly developed their first partnership course under the TRAINAIR PLUS programme. Entitled “CAA Preparation for Restarting Operations during a Pandemic”, the course provides senior management in aviation regulators and industry organisations with safety and security oversight and surveillance guidance during the recovery phase of a global pandemic, such as COVID-19. Maria Rueda, Managing Director at CAAi commented: “We are delighted to extend our relationship with ICAO as a TRAINAIR PLUS Corporate Partner. Since its introduction in 2010, TRAINAIR PLUS has transformed the training landscape by providing a cost-effective, high standard of training for aviation personnel across the world. We are pleased to join this important initiative and look forward to developing and delivering new training programmes, on behalf of ICAO, that supports the safe, secure and sustainable development of air transportation.” “The accession of UK CAAi to the TRAINAIR PLUS Programme comes at a time where the need to further assist decision-makers across the civil aviation sector is greater than ever before,” highlighted Jorge Vargas, Director of the Technical Cooperation Bureau, ICAO. Vargas added, “The necessity to safely and securely transition all oversight and surveillance activities during the recovery phase of a pandemic is pertinent to the short- and long-term sustainability of the air transport industry. This important collaboration between ICAO and UK CAAi, under the ICAO TRAINAIR PLUS umbrella, will support preparing the industry and national aviation authorities to manage the current, as well as any potential public health crisis in aviation in the future”. TRAINAIR PLUS is a cooperative network of civil aviation training organisations and partners, cooperating to develop and deliver professional training courses in line with ICAO’s competency-based training methodology. TRAINAIR PLUS also supports the use of modern learning technologies, promoting best practice methods and standards to support ICAO Member States in their compliance with Standards and Recommended Practices. CAA International (CAAi) is the technical cooperation arm of the UK Civil Aviation Authority. CAAi provides regulatory advice, training and examination services to aviation regulators and industry organisations across the globe. Drawing on world-leading expertise from within the UK regulator, CAAi helps organisations design and implement regulatory best practice to comply with international regulatory standards. In 2019, CAAi trained over 2,500 aviation professionals and worked in over 60 countries. Contact: Stuart Coates Senior Manager International Marketing and Communications stuart.coates@caa.co.uk T. +44 (0)330 138 2226 Twitter: @CAAi_UK LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/caa-international Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CAAiUK/ Web: https://caainternational.com Why Did Lufthansa Cancel India Flights And What’s Next? A week ago, Lufthansa canceled all of its flights to India until October 20, after Indian authorities said they wanted to level the playing field. Negotiations are, however, ongoing, with a resolution possible as early as today. In July, India formed a travel bubble with the European Union to allow Indian and European Union citizens to fly freely between each others’ countries. The Indian authorities were not happy with Lufthansa’s 20 flights per week compared with Air India’s three or four weekly flights to Frankfurt. On top of the 20 flights per week to Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, Lufthansa proposed adding Chennai flights in its October schedule. Lufthansa canceled all flights to India To alleviate the disparity between the number of flights Lufthansa and Air India were operating, the Indian government said they would restrict Lufthansa to seven weekly flights. On receiving this news, the German national flag carrier immediately canceled all India flights until October 20. When reporting the on the situation, the Business Standard newspaper quotes a Lufthansa spokesperson as saying, “Lufthansa sincerely urges the Indian authorities to work together with the German government in order to establish a temporary travel agreement between both countries. Such an agreement is necessary to address the urgent need of tens of thousands of Indians and foreign nationals for travel to and from India and would also help balance the interests of both countries.” Bosses at several airlines have complained that the Indian government is placing restrictions on flights and the nationalities of who is allowed to enter the country. They say that passenger loads are already insufficient and that the conditions make operating flights to India unviable. Where we are today Meetings are taking place today between Germany and the Indian authorities about resolving the situation. While speaking this morning on Bloomberg Markets Asia, Alain Chisari, vice president of sales for Asia-Pacific at Lufthansa Group Airlines, said he was optimistic about a resolution. Lufthansa had plans to resume its flights to Chennai in October, a destination it flew to before the global COVID-19 medical emergency. When asked about flying when different counties restrict individual passengers based on the infection rate of where they are coming from, the Lufthansa executive said that, for now, at least, it was the norm. Governments worldwide know that these restrictions hurt airlines, international trade, and emergency travel for friends and relatives. Lufthansa believes that travel bubbles, for now, are the best way to facilitate travel until the pandemic is under control. Screening for COVID-19 might be the answer When asked if Lufthansa explored the possibility of travel bubbles between Germany and certain Asian countries, Chisari said, “absolutely.” Without naming any specific countries, he went on to say that it was not just the airlines but the hospitality industry that was suffering and that they were all lobbying governments to allow more flights. Regarding Lufhansa’s lucrative flights between Frankfurt and New York, Lufthansa and its partner United Airlines are looking at rapid pre-flight COVID-19 screening. They are also looking into the possibility of screening on arrival to ensure authorities that arriving passengers are virus-free. News about a deal with India could come as soon as later today. India has to budge on its stance, so we’ll have to wait and see how far they are prepared to go. https://simpleflying.com/lufthansa-india-cancellation-why/ Philippine Airlines to slash jobs The airline said it was running less than 15% of its normal daily flights after eight months of restrictions Philippine Airlines will cut about one-third of its workforce by the end of this year as part of an overhaul triggered by crippling coronavirus travel restrictions. The pandemic has devastated the global aviation industry, forcing airlines to seek government bailouts, furlough workers and slash jobs. “The collapse in travel demand and persistent travel restrictions on most global and domestic routes have made retrenchment inevitable,” the airline said Monday, announcing the loss of up to 35% of its more than 7,000 employees through voluntary resignations and forced layoffs. “The retrenchment is part of a larger restructuring and recovery plan as the flag carrier rebuilds its … network amid the global pandemic.” Commercial flights were grounded for more than two months during the country’s lockdown, which sent the economy into recession and left millions out of work. Philippine Airlines said it was operating less than 15% of its normal number of daily flights after eight months of restrictions. PAL Holdings, the listed parent of the airline, sank deeper into the red in the first half with a net loss of 20.75 billion pesos (US$428.6 million). That compared with a 2.98 billion peso net loss in the same period last year. The announcement comes as the Philippines takes tentative steps to revive its battered tourism industry by allowing domestic travelers to visit Boracay island, famed for its white sand beaches. Strict protocols require tourists to test negative for Covid-19 before they can travel to the popular holiday destination. The Philippines has the highest coronavirus caseload in Southeast Asia, with more than 324,000 confirmed infections, including more than 5,800 deaths. https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/philippine-airlines-to-slash-jobs/ Peru's Main Airport Reopens for International Flights After Closing Due to Coronavirus Passengers arrive at the Jorge Chavez International Airport in Callao, Peru, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. After international flights were halted for more than six months amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Peru's main airport is receiving international flights for the first time in six months after restrictions were put in place to help control the spread of the coronavirus. Speaking at Monday's reopening in the capital city Lima, Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra expressed confidence that everything had been done to guarantee the opening of international flights does not increase the risk of the coronavirus spreading. Jorge Chavez International Airport is now accepting flights to and from 11 destinations, including Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile. Jorge Alvarado, a Chilean citizen who lives and works in Peru said it was emotional returning to Peru for the first time in several months to see his wife. Peru has resumed limited operations for domestic flights in July, but flights to and from the United States and Europe are still not allowed. So far, Peru has confirmed more than 829,000 coronavirus infections and more than 32,800 deaths since the outset of the pandemic in March. https://www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/perus-main-airport-reopens-international-flights-after-closing-due-coronavirus WTO rules U.S. illegally subsidized Boeing Aircraft Corporation EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - Thanks to a new World Trade Organization ruling, the U.S. and Europe may be getting into a new tariff war. That’s because the WTO ruled that the United States was illegally subsidizing Boeing Aircraft Corporation. The decision gives the European Union the right to impose up to $4 billion in tariffs on U.S. goods. And unless the 2 sides can come to some kind of agreement, the Europeans say they will focus those tariffs against U.S. farmers, fisheries and the coal industry. The conflict over Europe’s subsidies for Airbus and U.S. support for Boeing has been going on for over 15 years. https://www.weau.com/2020/10/02/wto-rules-us-illegally-subsidized-boeing-aircraft-corporation/ Airbus A220-100 to evolve as ‘TwoTwenty’ corporate jet Airbus’s corporate jet division has formally unveiled an executive version of its A220-100 twinjet, which will be able to operate across a range of up to 5,650nm (10,500km). The aircraft – which will be branded the ACJ TwoTwenty, a deviation from prior corporate jet designations – will be able to operate sectors such as London-Los Angeles and Tokyo-Dubai. Airbus is branding the new corporate aircraft as the ACJ TwoTwenty Airbus’s performance documentation for the standard A220-100 indicates that the variant typically has a range of 2,760nm with 120 passengers, and that the range tops out at some 4,250nm with minimum payload and maximum fuel. Its fuel capacity is 21,805 litres, about 17.2t. But Airbus Corporate Jets president Benoit Defforge says the ACJ TwoTwenty will have five additional tanks enabling carriage of another 5.6t of fuel. The jet will take advantage of a planned increase in maximum take-off weight for the A220-100, to 63t, which has been scheduled for the second half of 2021. Defforge adds that the aircraft will also be certified for 180min extended twin-engined operations, “allowing more direct routes”. Airbus has been enhancing the capabilities of the conventional passenger A220-100 Airbus says that, with the ACJ TwoTwenty, it will create a “whole new market segment” which it has termed the ‘Xtra Large Bizjet’, positioning it as an alternative to traditional large-cabin executive aircraft. “This offer includes for the first time a flexible cabin catalogue, addressing the requirements of the heavy and long-range business jet categories,” it adds. Executive jets claiming a similar range include the Gulfstream G500 and the Dassault Falcon 6X. Airbus has selected VIP aircraft specialist Comlux, which has a completion centre in Indianapolis, as its exclusive outfitter for the first 15 cabins of the TwoTwenty programme. Designed for up to 18 passengers the aircraft will compete in the large business jet sector Other interiors specialists have previously shown off potential VIP configurations for the twinjet. Lufthansa Technik displayed a concept in 2019 with a cockpit fully-visible from the cabin, while earlier this year two North American firms – Camber Aviation Management and Kestrel Aviation Management – showed off a design proposal for the larger A220-300 variant. Defforge says that, for the time being, Airbus is focusing on the -100 for the corporate market. Airbus has been looking to broaden the capabilities of the A220 family since acquiring the programme, formerly the CSeries, from Bombardier in mid-2018. It has been tweaking the take-off weight, payload and range performance of the aircraft for airline customers. Defforge says the ACJ TwoTwenty has “compelling market appeal” and that the company sees “promising demand” for the twinjet in the business jet sector. While the A319neo had been a competitor to the CSeries, he argues that the TwoTwenty will not undermine the ACJ319neo but instead be “very complementary”. He says the aircraft will amount to a “new value proposition”, offering intercontinental range capability, “unmatched” personal space and comfort, and “unbeatable economics”. The interior will feature 73m² of floor space across six zones providing accommodation for up to 18 passengers. Airbus claims that the aircraft will be able to use the same airports as competing business jets, but provide three times the cabin space while generating one-third less operating cost. Defforge insists the business jet market is proving “very resilient” in the face of the air transport crisis, with no postponements of orders requested. He says “newcomers” are turning to the idea of private jets, while “people already flying are thinking of flying differently”. https://www.flightglobal.com/air-transport/airbus-a220-100-to-evolve-as-twotwenty-corporate-jet/140475.article Here’s The Interesting History Of Joe Biden’s Private Jet If former Vice President Joseph Biden is elected the 46th President of the United States, he’ll be flying aboard several government owned aircraft that are designated Air Force One whenever POTUS is aboard. For the time being, he has recently been seen boarding and deplaning from a Boeing 737-59D that was delivered in 1991, according to records from the Federal Aviation Administration. According to the website of KaiserAir, Inc., the current operator, the typical configuration for charters is 60 seats arranged in a 2 x 2 layout, comparable to what you find in first class on a short-haul domestic airliner. It’s also possible the cabin has been modified, perhaps adding banks of facing seats, conference tables and so forth. One of three 737s in Kaiser’s fleet, typical use, according to the company, includes VIP charters for corporations, athletic teams, families and other large groups. Biden’s aircraft is 109 feet, 9 inches long. In a single class configuration it can hold up to 149 passengers, although Boeing puts the number at 110 seats in a two-cabin layout. It’s longer than the original 737, which measured 93 feet, 9 inches. However, it’s considerably shorter than the MAX 10 at 143 feet, 8 inches, which can carry up to 230 passengers. While Boeing also makes derivatives of the 737 under the Boeing Business Jet moniker that are customized for private jet owners, the vice president’s aircraft has an interesting history over its nearly three decades of flying. According to Airfleets.net, it was delivered to Linjeflyg on April 15, 1991, a Swedish domestic carrier that ceased operations in 1993. It then moved briefly to SAS Scandinavian Airlines for two months before finding a home with now defunct BMI British Midland Airways. It stayed there until early 2001 then donning the colors of Luxair, the national carrier of Luxembourg for another four years. From there it headed to CSA Czech Airlines. Starting in 2009, it spent a year with Aeroflot-Nord before moving to Nordavia Regional Airlines (now Smartavia), and finally coming to KaiserAir in 2014. While it may look like the 737 Hillary Clinton used for her campaign in 2016, it’s not. The former secretary of state’s version was a -800 type, which is 129 feet, 6 inches in length. Her airplane also started its life as a passenger jet, first with Air Berlin in 2002, then with Russian airline Orenair and Corendon Dutch Airlines. After her campaign, it took the livery of budget carrier Norwegian International and is currently with RoyalFlight, a discount airline in the former Soviet Union. Of course, when it comes to airplanes, for passengers, beauty is what’s under the skin. President Donald J. Trump’s private 757, despite its ritzy interior, started life carrying around ordinary Jakobs in service for defunct Danish budget airline Sterling Airways. It then flew for also out-of-business Mexican low-cost airline TAESA prior to being converted to a private jet for the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Trump’s previous airliner, a 1968 Boeing 727-200, spent its first 13 years of life flying for American Airlines. Without doubt, none of the passengers who boarded these aircraft when they were brand new from Boeing ever dreamed who would be following in their footsteps decades later. https://www.forbes.com/sites/douggollan/2020/10/04/heres-the-interesting-history-of-joe-bidens-private-jet/#53785281d88e Southwest seeks pay cuts from unions to avoid layoffs through 2021 CHICAGO (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines said on Monday it is asking unions to agree to pay cuts in order to prevent furloughs and layoffs through 2021 as the industry struggles to stem losses from the coronavirus pandemic in the absence of more federal aid. Unions represent about 83% of roughly 61,000 Southwest employees. Non-union staff salaries will be cut by 10% until Jan. 1, 2022, when they will return to the current level. "Our objectives are to make this quick and simple and avoid furloughs," Chief Executive Gary Kelly said in an interview. The union representing Southwest pilots said it had tentatively agreed to meet and discuss cost savings if a second COVID-19 relief package does not pass in Washington. The flight attendants and mechanics unions did not immediately comment. Rivals American Airlines and United Airlines began furloughing 32,000 employees last week when a ban on job cuts expired without another $25 billion in federal payroll support that airlines have been seeking. Southwest, which has never furloughed any workers, has said it may have to follow suit as air travel remains down 70%. "We would have to wipe out a large swath of salaries, wages and benefits to match the low traffic levels, to have any hope of just breaking even," Kelly told employees, warning that quarterly losses could be in the billions until a effective vaccine is widely available. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday said an airline deal was "imminent," and talks with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin for a broad economic stimulus package were continuing this week. If federal aid passes, Southwest would reverse any pay cuts. Without it, cost savings must be in place for all employee groups by Jan. 1, 2021, said Kelly, who is reducing his base salary to zero through the end of 2021 and continuing a 20% cut in senior executives' pay through next year. Airlines including Southwest have parked jets and scaled back their flight schedules in an attempt to match 1970s levels of demand. But with a stronger balance sheet than most rivals, Southwest is playing offense as it tries to open new routes and pick up clients in a market he expects will see "brutal low fare competition." "We don't need furloughs, but we need some cost reductions," Kelly said. https://www.yahoo.com/news/southwest-airline-avoid-furloughs-layoffs-210113407.html Cargo ship brings new zero-gravity toilet to space station A Northrop Grumman Cygnus supply ship wrapped up an automated rendezvous with the International Space Station early Monday, bringing 7,800 pounds of cargo the outpost including research materials, a redesigned "female-friendly" toilet and a high-resolution virtual reality camera. Sailing high above Egypt and the Gulf of Suez, commander Chris Cassidy, operating the lab's robot arm, locked onto a grapple fixture at the base of the Cygnus at 5:32 a.m. EDT, two-and-a-half days after its launch atop an Antares rocket from Wallops Island, Virginia. Northrop Grumman names its cargo ships, and the latest honored astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who lost her life aboard the space shuttle Columbia. "In the name of space exploration, all have given some, some have given all," Cassidy said after capturing the cargo ship. "It's an honor to welcome the good ship Kalpana Chawla, KC as we knew her. Welcome aboard the International Space Station, KC." With the cargo ship secured, Cassidy turned over arm operations to flight controllers at the Johnson Space Center in Houston who remotely pulled the Cygnus in for berthing at the Earth-facing port of the central Unity module. The unpiloted cargo ship was loaded with four tons of supplies and equipment, including crew food and clothing, experiment hardware and material, the virtual reality camera, the new toilet and even samples of Estée Lauder skin cream that will be used in a commercial photo shoot for the company's social media platforms. The $23 million toilet, or "universal waste management system," is smaller and more sophisticated than the station's current potty and includes modifications to make it easier for female astronauts to use. Assuming it works as planned aboard the lab, NASA plans to install the new units in Orion capsules for deep space flights to the moon and beyond. "We're really excited about this new toilet," said Jim Fuller of Collins Aerospace, builder of the compact device. "I don't think we've developed a new toilet in a couple decades. So we're all really excited about flying this on (Cygnus)." The 360-degree virtual reality camera was provided by Felix and Paul Studios, which is producing a documentary about life aboard the space station. The camera will be mounted on the station's robot arm to capture an upcoming spacewalk from a new perspective. "We will film a full spacewalk from the moment the astronauts come out of the station to the moment that they go back in, and audiences will feel like they are truly there, up there floating in the vacuum of space alongside the astronauts," said Felix Lajeunesse, co-founder and creative director. "Everything is going to be done remotely, and the astronauts won't have to actually worry about the camera," he said. "We will bring the camera relatively close to the work sites ... so that once you're immersed in virtual reality, you feel like you are right there with them, you feel like you are a participant in the action." With the Cygnus safely captured, the station's three-man crew — Cassidy, Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner — will begin wrapping up their 196-day mission and preparing the lab complex for the arrival of their replacements aboard a Russian ferry ship. Cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins are scheduled for launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct. 14. After a one-week handover, Cassidy, Ivanishin and Vagner plan to return to Earth, landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan on Oct. 21. That will set the stage for launch of four more crew members — Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi — aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on Oct. 31. The launching will mark the first operational flight of a Crew Dragon after a successful piloted test flight earlier this summer. https://www.yahoo.com/news/cargo-ship-brings-zero-gravity-130730003.html Curt Lewis