Flight Safety Information October 7, 2020 - No. 203 In This Issue Incident: Star Freight B762 at Munich on Oct 2nd 2020, wheel well fire indication ProSafeT - SMS, Quality & Audit Management Software Incident: Commut E145 at Knoxville on Oct 5th 2020, bird strike Incident: Rusline CRJ1 at St. Petersburg on Oct 6th 2020, nose gear problem on departure Incident: Spicejet B738 at Patna on Oct 5th 2020, flaps problem Northrop F-5E - Fatal Accident (Tunisia) Distracted pilot, technical issues caused F-35 crash in May, Air Force finds DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S AVIATION CONSUMER PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS FAILING CONSUMERS Etihad Launches New Aviation Training Programme AUVSI Urges DOT and FAA to Meet December Deadline for Rulemaking on Remote ID for Drones Overview of National Transportation Safety Board investigations US senator took off mask repeatedly on flight. He chairs committee that oversees airline safety and policy. Trump urges Congress to provide $25 billion bailout for U.S. airlines No new pilots needed for ‘very long time’: Lufthansa training arm Airlines warn of more bankruptcies as wage support ends American Airlines delays Boeing 737 MAX pilot training SpaceX wins contract to build missile tracking satellites for US military Able Flight Selects Unmanned Safety Institute to Provide Unmanned Aerial System Career Training and Education to Scholarship Recipients MITRE - SMS Course - November 2020 Incident: Star Freight B762 at Munich on Oct 2nd 2020, wheel well fire indication A Star Air Freight Boeing 767-200, registration OY-SRH performing flight DJ-6119 from Athens (Greece) to Munich (Germany), was descending towards Munich when the crew reported a wheel well fire indication. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 08R, slowed and vacated the runway stopping on an adjacent taxiway for an inspection by emergency services. The aircraft subsequently taxied to the apron. The aircraft is still on the ground in Munich about 93 hours (almost 4 days) after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4dd86e68&opt=0 Incident: Commut E145 at Knoxville on Oct 5th 2020, bird strike A Commutair Embraer ERJ-145 on behalf of United, registration N12172 performing flight UA-4892 from Washington Dulles,DC to Knoxville,TN (USA), was on a 1nm final to Knoxville's runway 05R when the crew they had hit a bird. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 05R. After landing the crew reported they saw one bird, probably a small one. The FAA reported the aircraft received minor damage when the aircraft sustained a bird strike on final approach. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 12 hours before departing for the next flight. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL4892/history/20201005/2225Z/KIAD/KTYS http://avherald.com/h?article=4dd85f93&opt=0 Incident: Rusline CRJ1 at St. Petersburg on Oct 6th 2020, nose gear problem on departure A Rusline Canadair CRJ-100, registration VP-BVC performing flight 7R-289 from St. Petersburg to Yoshkar-Ola (Russia) with 26 passengers and 3 crew, was in the initial climb when the crew stopped the climb at 6000 feet due to a problem with the nose gear. The aircraft returned to St. Petersburg for a safe landing about 55 minutes after departure. The airline reported a technical problem with the nose gear prompted the return to St. Petersburg. http://avherald.com/h?article=4dd85105&opt=0 Incident: Spicejet B738 at Patna on Oct 5th 2020, flaps problem A Spicejet Boeing 737-800, registration VT-SYZ performing flight SG-8719 from Ahmedabad to Patna (India) with 85 passengers and 6 crew, was descending towards Patna when the crew stopped the descent at 6000 feet due to problems with the flaps. The crew determined that the runway in Patna would be too short and decided to divert to Varanasi. The aircraft climbed to FL140 for the diversion and landed safely on Varanasi's runway 27 at a higher than normal speed (about 170 knots over ground). The aircraft remained on the ground in Varanasi for about 10 hours, then continued the flight to Patna and reached the destination with a delay of about 10.5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4dd8416b&opt=0 Northrop F-5E - Fatal Accident (Tunisia) Date:06-OCT-2020Time: Type: Northrop F-5E Tiger IIOwner/operator:Tunisian Air ForceRegistration:Y925..C/n / msn: Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1Other fatalities:0 Aircraft damage:Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location:Remada, Tataouine - Tunisia Phase:En route Nature:MilitaryDeparture airport:Bizerte-Karouba NAS (DTTB) Destination airport:Bizerte-Karouba NAS (DTTB)Narrative: The Tunisian Air Force Northrop F-5E Tiger II fighter jet, belonging to 15 Sqn, crashed under unknown circumstances. The pilot died in the crash and the aircraft was destroyed https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/243666 Distracted pilot, technical issues caused F-35 crash in May, Air Force finds A distracted and tired pilot combined with a technical issue led to the May 19 crash of an F-35 fighter jet at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, according to a new service report. The Air Force's Accident Investigation Board (AIB) found that the F-35 pilot — who successfully ejected before the crash and did not sustain life-threatening injuries — landed the aircraft too fast and at too shallow of an angle. The $176 million F-35, meanwhile, rolled, caught fire and was completely destroyed, according to the report released last week. The crash came after an F-22 fighter jet crashed only days earlier at Eglin's test and training range, prompting leadership to temporarily halt flights over safety concerns. The report lays out a scene-by-scene picture of the crash, which began shortly before 9:30 p.m. as the pilot was landing for the evening after an air combat training mission. The report found that a misaligned display “distracted the [pilot] during a critical phase of flight” and that he had “cognitive degradation due to fatigue,” which all contributed to the mishap. The pilot — a qualified instructor pilot — was not identified in the document but was from the 58th Fighter Squadron of the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin and had almost 138 hours of flight time experience in the aircraft before the incident. As the pilot approached the runway, the plane’s nose was pitched down more than normal, which he tried to correct. But when he tried to adjust, the move threw off the readings on their misaligned display. When the F-35 touched down, it began to bounce, causing “the nose of the aircraft to rise rapidly and excessively.” The pilot attempted to fix this but it only caused “a series of multiple and increasingly violent pitch oscillations.” The pilot then attempted to get the aircraft off the runway and try another landing but was unable to, so he ejected. Adding to the crash was the nighttime setting of the landing, which the pilot described as “having to point into the black abyss, referring to how the area in front of the runway appeared at night.” The “green glow” from the pilot’s display, which was worse than normal due to the Florida humidity, was also a distraction, the report states. In addition, the pilot was fatigued and told investigators he had frequently been sleeping poorly and that he felt fatigued more often in the F-35 than in his previous aircraft, the F-15E, according to the report. “It is known amongst the F-35 flying community that the oxygen delivery system is very different than legacy oxygen delivery systems, such as the one used in the F-15E,” the report notes. This can “cause many pilots across the F-35 platform to report feeling more fatigued than normal, when compared to their prior legacy aircraft.” Also adding to the pilot’s stress at the time was the news that a contact of a contact had tested positive for the coronavirus, and the individual who he had interacted with was awaiting their test result. “If that individual tested positive, then the [pilot] would be quarantined at home pending his own test result, which would cause operational and logistical disruption,” the report states. https://thehill.com/policy/defense/519867-distracted-pilot-technical-issues-caused-f-35-crash-in-may-air-force-finds DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S AVIATION CONSUMER PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS FAILING CONSUMERS Consumer group letter to DOT Secretary Chao details how advisory committee is not addressing pressing airline passenger concerns during the pandemic WASHINGTON, D.C. –- In a letter sent today to Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Consumer Reports, U.S. PIRG and a number of other consumer groups expressed their deep frustration that the Department’s Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee is ignoring the most pressing airline passenger complaints and concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter notes that many Americans are concerned about the risk of contracting the coronavirus while flying, and that a record 50,000 consumers filed complaints with the DOT about the airlines’ refusal to provide refunds for canceled flights during the crisis. Neither topic was addressed at last week’s Committee meeting, which was only the second such meeting since the Committee was reconstituted in the fall of 2018. While the meeting included discussions of various issues affecting consumers, Committee members either ignored concerns previously raised by consumer groups, or maintained that the marketplace had already adequately addressed passenger complaints. “During the meeting last week, there was never any hint of any member having a view different from that of the airline representative,” the groups wrote. “[N]o one was advocating on behalf of consumers – not even the representative ostensibly appointed to represent the viewpoint of consumers, whose focus was on the profitability of the airline industry, and on letting market forces determine consumer protections.” The letter to the DOT was signed by Consumer Reports, Business Travel Coalition, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, EdOnTravel.com, FlyersRights.org, National Consumers League, Travelers United, Travel Fairness Now, and U.S. PIRG. https://uspirg.org/news/usp/department-transportation%E2%80%99s-aviation-consumer-protection-advisory-committee-failing-0 Etihad Launches New Aviation Training Programme Etihad Aviation Training (EAT), part of Etihad Aviation Group, has launched new training programs for pilots at its world-class training facility. For the first time, customers will also be able to earn Etihad Guest Miles against EAT products and services. The first Aviation Training Organisation (ATO) in the world to secure regulatory approval, cadets who complete MPL training on the Phenom 100 jet can now transition directly to the most efficient and advanced wide-body aircraft in the market, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. To achieve the highest proficiency standards, this program allows EAT trainees to become fully qualified Boeing 787 Dreamliner pilots within 18 months, through an intensive and highly advanced curriculum that capitalizes on leading industry learning techniques and technology. Paolo La Cava, vice president Etihad Aviation Training, said, “Etihad, along with a number of other airlines around the world, traditionally place cadets into narrow-body aircraft once they’ve completed their training. Due to higher market demand, EAT would rather place some cadets onto the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. With this new approval, requirements will be met and will also give pilots the opportunity to fly to destinations that are not catered with narrow-body aircraft.” Global airline pilot license holders or individual pilots who are currently not flying, can now conduct type rating training at EAT, the first ATO in the UAE approved by the General Civil Aviation Authorities (GCAA) to offer this service. This means, for this first time ever, individual pilots can now maintain their licence status while training with EAT. This includes initial issuance of licenses for all aircraft types currently approved by EAT, revalidation and renewal of GCAA type ratings. “Despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions during the past year, EAT successfully trained over 18,000 students, while globally, the vast majority of training organisations paused their operations. Now, EAT also has the ability to offer type rate training to not only airline pilots, but also individual pilots who are not directly associated with any UAE air operator, similar to the European training environment. This way, Etihad’s training facilities are actively responding to the market’s needs and ensuring pilots remain licensed and employable while less aircraft are in the sky,” added La Cava. The EAT training team has been developing courseware to be the first GCAA ATO to provide the A350 Standard Training conversion (STC) and Cross Crew Qualification (CCQ). This will ensure EAT remains one of the world’s premier aviation training organizations to meet the ever-changing demands of the market moving to the next generation of aircraft. The only aviation training facility to launch a rewards initiative, EAT has partnered with Etihad Guest, the award-winning loyalty program of Etihad Airways, to give back to the aviation community during these challenging times. EAT customers who purchase qualifying training products and services will earn Etihad Guest Miles for every $1 spent. Miles earned can be redeemed for Etihad Airways flights, hotel bookings, holiday packages, and thousands of everyday items in the Reward Shop, Aldar Malls, Yas Island Attractions and Majid Al Futtaim’s SHARE. EAT is open to external customers around the world offering a wide range of products and services, including simulators, airline training, cabin crew safety training, instructor training, cadet programs, and aircraft maintenance training, making it one of the largest training facilities in the Middle East. https://www.aviationpros.com/education-training/press-release/21157340/etihad-airways-etihad-launches-new-aviation-training-programme AUVSI Urges DOT and FAA to Meet December Deadline for Rulemaking on Remote ID for Drones The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) has joined with the Consumer Technology Association and the U.S. Chamber’s Technology Engagement Center to encourage the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to hold fast to the intended December 2020 release of the rulemaking on Remote Identification (ID) for unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The industry groups called on U.S. DOT Secretary Elaine Chao and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Steve Dickson to continue with a timely rulemaking process, given the rule’s critical step in future UAS regulation and broader industry growth. The letter went on to note that the rule should be performance based, stating, “Given our broad scope of stakeholders across many sectors of our economy, we understand the importance of allowing UAS technology to evolve and grow, and not to have growth hindered by prescriptive regulatory requirements. As such, we also urge the Department to support a final rule that sets performance requirements, rather than specifying particular solutions for Remote ID compliance.” AUVSI said the unmanned vehicle industry already plays an increasingly essential role in American life, supporting infrastructure inspection, in agriculture, disaster relief, and public safety. And this has especially been true in the last seven months during the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies have begun transporting medical specimens and supplies via drone; people in remote locations are receiving prescriptions via unmanned aerial system; and the sector is poised for continued growth and job creation. In addition, AUVSI said timely action from the DOT is necessary for the UAS industry to continue innovating and growing, and industry is looking towards Secretary Chao and Administrator Dickson for their leadership in delivering a final, performance based rule in December of 2020. https://www.hstoday.us/industry/auvsi-urges-dot-and-faa-to-meet-december-deadline-for-rulemaking-on-remote-id-for-drones/ Overview of National Transportation Safety Board investigations Introduction It is critical that companies carefully navigate their activities with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) during the first 24 to 48 hours after an incident. That is not the time to learn about how the NTSB conducts accident investigations. This article provides companies with an overview of NTSB investigations.(1) The NTSB investigates aviation, railroad, highway, marine and pipeline accidents to determine their probable cause and issues safety recommendations to reduce the risk of future accidents. The NTSB also studies transport safety issues and evaluates the safety effectiveness of related government agencies, including the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and those within the Department of Transportation (the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)). The NTSB has five members who are each appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate for five-year terms. It has approximately 420 employees and annually investigates approximately 2,000 aviation accidents and approximately 500 major accidents or incidents involving other modes of transport, including pipelines transporting hazardous materials. The NTSB notes that more than 80% of its accident-related safety recommendations are acted on favourably. The NTSB has priority over other federal investigative agencies in accident investigations, but that does not preclude other federal and state agencies, or members of Congress, from mounting their own investigations. Which accidents does the NTSB investigate? The NTSB is mandated to investigate all aviation accidents and significant marine, rail, highway and pipeline accidents. The NTSB considers the scope of the incident (ie, the number of fatalities and injuries and the amount of property damage) and whether an NTSB investigation is likely to generate meaningful recommendations. NTSB investigative team When a decision is made to launch a major investigation, the investigative 'go team' strives to launch within two hours of the decision to investigate. This team is led by an investigator-in-charge (IIC). Other participants include: • investigators assigned to each NTSB working group; • one of the five presidentially appointed members; • a press or media staff member, an attorney from the NTSB Office of the General Counsel; and • occasionally, a family-assistance staff member. • Preventing similar accidents While the NTSB conducts vigorous investigations and issues factual findings and opinions as to probable cause, their focus is less on the specific incident that triggered the accident than how to prevent future accidents from occurring. Attention is frequently placed on how to reduce the likelihood of future accidents by assessing organisational issues, risk management and changes in overall safety culture. With that in mind, the scope of an NTSB investigation is typically much broader than any litigation concerning a specific accident. 'Party' system: selfless cooperation or fox in the henhouse? The NTSB invites entities involved in the calamities it is investigating that appear to be able to provide first-hand technical assistance to be 'parties' to the investigation. The same investigative process is used by the NTSB for aviation, rail, marine, highway and pipeline accidents. It allows the NTSB to leverage its small staff while obtaining unfettered cooperation and resources of those most closely involved in the calamity. This is a routine part of the NTSB investigation process and has served the NTSB well for over 50 years. There is no other way such a small agency could investigate so many accidents. Further, the cooperation demanded, and almost universally received, from parties provides the NTSB with broad, up-to-date technical assistance that would be difficult to duplicate regardless of agency size or budget. However, the process is not without controversy. Those injured and the families of those killed may perceive the parties (ie, future defendants) as being in a position to influence NTSB findings. This can become a cause of frustration because the NTSB will not allow the involved individuals to participate as parties either directly or via their own paid outside experts. For this and other reasons, NTSB investigators are trained to trust but verify. They work hard to ensure that any information provided by a party is substantiated through documentation or multi-source testimony. If this cannot be done to their satisfaction, references to such information is often predicated in any reports by "According to [Party]" caveats. Burdens and advantages of being a party to the investigation Historically, transport providers, manufacturers and pipeline operators have almost always decided that the advantages of becoming a party outweigh the burdens. However, each matter should be individually evaluated, even if only to provide solace when the burdens present themselves. Active party-to-the-investigation participation will provide an opportunity to keep the factual foundation, on which the NTSB will predicate its findings, purely factual. This is important. No one knows as much about a company's system and operations than the company itself. Active participation is also the quickest way to enact corrective measures. Additional benefits include the ability to: • announce to the public that "[w]e are assisting the NTSB with its investigation and for that reason cannot comment further"; • make a party submission of proposed findings and recommendations to the NTSB investigation staff and the five presidentially appointed members; and • meet with individual NTSB members to discuss the proposed findings and recommendations while they are in the process of considering the draft staff report regarding an accident. However, there are significant disadvantages. Parties: • must supply technical staff to assist; • must assist with preservation of perishable evidence; • must limit their accident-related public statements (particularly as to cause); • have an affirmative duty to advise of relevant information; • must maintain strict confidentiality of investigative information; • have limitations on internal investigations and communications; and • have limitations in connection with litigation pleadings, discovery responses, access to evidence and expert opinions during the investigation. • Communication with stakeholders Parties are prohibited from disclosing NTSB investigative information without the NTSB's permission until the NTSB opens its public docket for the investigation. However, unfortunately, NTSB investigations never take place in a vacuum. There are always stakeholders clamouring for information. These may include: • the press; • federal and state politicians; • those injured, and the families of those killed, in the accident (and their attorneys); • judges presiding over related litigation; • the FAA, FMVSS, FMCSA, FRA, FTA, PHMSA or USCG; • state regulatory agencies; • the Department of Justice and state attorneys general; • federal and state law enforcement agencies; and • federal and state legislative committees. • The longer an investigation takes, the more likely these stakeholders will find themselves wrestling with the NTSB or parties to NTSB investigations regarding the scope and duration of the prohibition on the release of investigative information. It is important to remember that because the focus of the investigation is not so much on what happened, but why, the scope of the prohibition depends on what is being investigated. It is also important to understand that, from the NTSB's point of view, confidential investigative information is typically not limited to information and documents from the time of the accident or explosion forward. If the NTSB is examining a number of complex safety issues as potential causes of the accident, investigative information could include documents and data leading up to the accident. Employee training records and maintenance records may be critical, even though they pre-date the accident or incident. Determining the probable cause of an accident, in lieu of simply describing what happened, expands what the NTSB considers investigative information. As investigations approach completion of the factual phase, the need for a prohibition on disclosures of 100% of the investigative information is frequently diminished. Also, many months into an investigation, information often finds its way into the public domain through channels other than party disclosures, arguably making the confidentiality of that information moot. Sharing information internally on a safety-need-to-know basis Often there is an urgent need for a party to understand how and why an accident happened so that it can take corrective measures without waiting 12 or more months for the NTSB to issue its accident report. This urgent need gives rise to a safety-need-to-know exception that allows a party coordinator to share some information internally (but carefully). Those with whom NTSB accident information is shared must understand the party obligations and should not disclose the information further, except on a safety-need-to know basis, with the understanding of the party coordinator and a further pledge to maintain party confidentiality. In the event that a transport provider, manufacturer or pipeline operator decides to change a policy or procedure as a result of the accident, NTSB regulations require that the NTSB IIC be advised. What is the general timeline? The NTSB strives to complete its major investigations within 12 months. Historically, it has done well adhering to this goal for aviation, rail, marine and highway accidents. Investigations of pipeline accidents have averaged 24 months or more. What to expect and when to expect it – substantively and procedurally The NTSB will be on scene for five to 10 days, during which time it will focus its investigation efforts on preserving perishable evidence. This will involve examining the site, harvesting pictures, documents and information and interviewing those directly involved along with other possible witnesses. This activity culminates with the parties vetting and signing off on the NTSB field notes. Factual efforts over the following six to 18 months will include requests for more documents and information, laboratory testing in Washington DC and interviews concerning training, professional development, risk management, safety management systems and safety culture in general. The factual phase of the investigation concludes with the vetting of draft factual reports of the several NTSB working groups and the ultimate sign-off of the reports by the parties. The analytic phase of the investigation then commences and may last between six and 12 months. While there are often sporadic requests for more documents and information, party participation with the investigative team radically diminishes during this phase. Parties are typically given a window of 30 days or so after the last factual report has been finalised to submit proposed findings and recommendations. This is a party's opportunity to marshal and characterise the facts and propose factual findings, a probable cause and recommendations. Parties then have the opportunity to individually meet separately with each of the five NTSB members to discuss their proposed findings and recommendations. The conclusion of the NTSB investigation is a public 'sunshine meeting' (webcast live) in an auditorium at NTSB headquarters in Washington DC at which the NTSB staff presents to the members their findings, probable cause and recommendations. The members question the staff and vote on the findings, probable cause and recommendations. An executive summary of the findings, probable cause and recommendations is typically published on the same day. The accident report is typically published within two weeks. A party may file a petition for reconsideration if or when new material evidence is found or if a showing can be made that a finding, probable cause or recommendation is based on clear error. There is no deadline to file such a petition. Most critical events – when can companies make a difference? The most critical events at which a transport provider, manufacturer or pipeline operator can make a difference as a party are: • factually vetting field notes; • factually vetting working group factual reports; • submitting detailed, well-constructed proposed findings and recommendations; and • making maximum use of their meetings with the NTSB members. At the same time, it is critically important to be an active party participant throughout the process by: • providing accurate and timely responses to NTSB enquiries; • offering ideas to the NTSB – team members may have more experience and equally good ideas; • being diplomatic, but not sitting back and watching; • responding affirmatively if a sensitive issue develops; • striving for a thorough investigation and a thorough analysis; and • insisting on balanced and fair statements and characterizations. https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=5e1c8235-fdff-4981-ad22-28eb7cc61a54 US senator took off mask repeatedly on flight. He chairs committee that oversees airline safety and policy. Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker (R), who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, was spotted with his mask dangling underneath his chin while aboard a Delta flight last week. • A Democratic media consultant tweeted an image of the senator not wearing his mask properly. • Wicker’s communication director Rick VanMeter said the senator lowered his face mask to eat a snack and forgot to put it back up. • Delta says a flight attendant asked Wicker twice to adjust his mask and he did. The chairman of the Senate committee that oversees airlines and transportation policy was seen aboard a Delta Airlines flight last week with his mask dangling underneath his chin for extended periods, according to The Washington Post. A photo showing Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker (R), who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, aboard a Thursday flight from Atlanta to Jackson, Miss. with his mask off was posted to Twitter by Democratic media consultant Matt Harringer. Our country is in a historic fight against the Coronavirus. Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news. “I’ve seen enough Republican senators test positive to tweet this photo,” Harringer wrote. “@SenatorWicker — because you refused to wear a mask on our @Delta flight last night, please let your fellow passengers know your status once you’ve been tested.” The Post reports Harringer shared three time-stamped images — one at 8:37 p.m. while the plane was on the ground, one at 9:27 and one at 9:46 — showing the Republican lawmaker with his mask under his mouth or chin. Wicker’s communication director Rick VanMeter said the senator lowered his face mask to eat a snack and forgot to put it back up. “When he was reminded by a flight attendant, he put the mask back up. He did not attend any recent events at the White House and has not been in contact with any of the individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days,” VanMeter said, according to WTVA. The incident happened just before it was revealed President Trump and other administration and campaign officials tested positive for COVID-19. Delta, which has banned more than 400 people for refusing to wear masks aboard flights, told the Post that a flight attendant recalled two instances during the flight in which the senator was not wearing his mask properly and was asked to adjust it, which he did. “In this case, all customers followed all crew member instructions regarding our mask requirements,” a Delta spokeswoman told the paper. The Post noted that the Trump administration the following day rejected a union petition calling for a federal mandate that masks be worn by all passengers on planes, trains and buses. https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/519877-us-senator-took-off-mask-repeatedly-on-flight-he Trump urges Congress to provide $25 billion bailout for U.S. airlines WASHINGTON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said late on Tuesday Congress should quickly extend $25 billion in new payroll assistance to U.S. passenger airlines furloughing thousands of workers as air travel remains down sharply amid the coronavirus pandemic. Trump’s new demand came hours after he announced his administration would abandon talks with congressional Democrats over proposals to spend at least $1.6 trillion in additional coronavirus relief funds, a move that appeared to scuttle a new $25 billion bailout for U.S. passenger airlines to keep tens of thousands of workers on the job for another six months. But Trump later issued a call on Twitter, urging Congress to “IMMEDIATELY Approve 25 Billion Dollars for Airline Payroll Support.... I will sign now!” he wrote, saying Congress could tap unused funds from prior coronavirus relief to fund airlines and a separate program for small business. American Airlines AAL.O and United Airlines UAL.O last week began laying off 32,000 workers, but had said they would reverse course if lawmakers reach a deal on a new government program to fund payroll costs. A prior $25 billion airline payroll support program of mostly cash grants approved by Congress in March expired on Sept. 30. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last Friday expressed support for a standalone bill to keep airline workers on the job if a broader package could not be reached. A Pelosi spokesman did not respond to a request for comment late Tuesday. Congress is expected to return to session on Oct. 19 and lawmakers may make a new attempt to pass a standalone measure to provide the $25 billion sought by airlines but the prospects are uncertain, even though the airline relief enjoys strong support in both the House and Senate. One remaining issue is how Congress would pay for the new funding, a senior congressional aide told Reuters Tuesday.American Airlines closed about 4.5% lower after Trump's tweet on ending talks, while shares of United Airlines UAL.O closed 3.6% lower. Southwest Airlines LUV.N stock fell 2.4% and Delta Air Lines DAL.N shares closed 2.9% lower. Airlines for America, the trade group representing major U.S. airlines, noted “thousands of airline workers across the country have already lost their jobs – and more furloughs are expected in the coming weeks.” But the group added “there is a glimmer of hope that our leaders in Washington will act and save these jobs before it’s too late.” The U.S. Travel Association said “with millions of Americans suffering, it is woefully shortsighted to end relief negotiations” and added that “without immediate aid, 50% of all travel-supported jobs will be lost by December — an additional loss of 1.3 million jobs.” U.S. airlines are collectively burning about $5 billion of cash a month as passenger traffic has stalled at around 30% of 2019 levels. After tapping capital markets, they say they have enough liquidity to last them at least 12 months at that rate. Between voluntary and involuntary furloughs, major U.S. airlines’ workforce will shrink by at least 25% in October. Industry experts expect a slight improvement in domestic demand over the winter holidays from current levels, but it will remain far below last year’s volumes. Meanwhile, higher-margin business and international travel remain severely depressed. Chief executives acknowledge that pre-pandemic air travel demand is unlikely to return for years, and still unknown is how the pandemic, which has forced drastic changes in habits, will impact travel behavior. American Airlines will end service to 11 smaller airports on Wednesday after Congress failed to approve additional aid. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-usa-airlines/trump-urges-congress-to-provide-25-billion-bailout-for-us-airlines-idUSKBN26S06J No new pilots needed for ‘very long time’: Lufthansa training arm Lufthansa’s in-house flight academy has advised student pilots to consider other careers as the industry will not require them “for a very long time”. It tells Cirium: “All airlines worldwide will have no requirement for [new] pilots – with or without flight experiences – for a very long time. “It is a matter of fairness for us to explain the industry outlook to our flight students very clearly so that they can think about alternatives at an early stage.” LAT says that it advised students to “reorient themselves professionally”. German pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit expects that Lufthansa will continue the training for only a “very small” percentage of students at the airline’s flight academy in Bremen, and complains that the others are being “pressurized” to make alternative career plans. Students recruited to pursue a Lufthansa-specific multi-crew pilot licence – rather than a traditional, universal training programme toward an airline transport pilot licence – will be required to switch to “external” flight schools and accept a change to their programme, and will not be “entitled” to fly for Lufthansa later on, according to the union. It says Lufthansa was able to select “the best” candidates for its own pilot-training programme based on the “radiance” of its brand and the job prospects within the group. Now, the union fears, student pilots completing their training outside LAT’s programme will have to undergo an assessment prior to potential future employment and carry the full financial burden of their training. Lufthansa Group has hitherto pre-financed a majority of its pilot recruits’ training costs, which would be repaid over the course of several years in employment. The union asserts that the prospect of candidates’ having to undergo recruitment assessment after training has never before existed at Lufthansa. LAT says students affected by the cuts have a “fair offer to terminate the training contracts prematurely free of charge [and] are free to decide whether to accept the offer or receive further training”. Operations at LAT’s flight schools are meanwhile on hold until “at least” year-end amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the company’s website indicates. Bremen is one of several locations for LAT, an organisation the airline group established in 2016 to merge its training facilities in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the USA. Established in 1956 – a year after Lufthansa’s post-war operations began – the Bremen flight academy is used to provide ground school training for group pilots before they transfer to the company’s US locations for part of their practical training. The Bremen school has additionally trained transport pilots for the German air force since the 1960s, as well as other airlines’ staff. Vereinigung Cockpit believes the school’s existence is under threat. In August, the union said that the German ministry of defence was considering termination of military training in Bremen and its potential transfer to LAT’s Rostock facility. If income from military training were to be lost, “large” parts of school activities in Bremen would be in jeopardy, the union suggests. Unlike the school in Bremen, the Rostock one is not covered by a collective labour agreement. In 2018, LAT recruited 500 student pilots for the parent group, the training company’s website indicates. Full-time ab initio training takes around two years until a pilot is qualified to enter an airline cockpit. https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/no-new-pilots-needed-for-very-long-time-lufthansa-training-arm/140484.article Airlines warn of more bankruptcies as wage support ends PARIS (Reuters) - Global airlines warned on Tuesday that the coronavirus-stricken industry was on course to burn through another $77 billion in cash in the second half of 2020, calling on governments to renew expiring wage support programmes. "The issue now is that aid, particularly the wage subsidies, is starting to be withdrawn," Brian Pearce, chief economist at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), told reporters. Airlines consumed $51 billion in cash in the second quarter as the pandemic brought global travel to a near-standstill, the industry body said. The call for increased support came as U.S. airlines begin furloughs of more than 32,000 workers amid fading hopes for a new federal bailout package. Wage support programmes are also tapering off in Europe and elsewhere. Whereas the withdrawal of subsidies makes sense for sectors in recovery, IATA warned of further airline bankruptcies in the northern hemisphere winter as the collapse in revenue continues to dwarf cost savings. The average carrier now has cash for 8.5 months of operations, Pearce said. "We're facing some tough winter months for airlines when cash flows are always seasonally weak," he said. "We're looking (at) airlines getting into trouble if not failing without either further government support or (being) able to access capital markets for more cash." Airlines are pushing for a global system of pre-flight COVID-19 tests to replace quarantines and travel restrictions they blame for worsening the travel collapse. https://www.yahoo.com/news/airlines-warn-more-bankruptcies-wage-140253591.html American Airlines delays Boeing 737 MAX pilot training CHICAGO (Reuters) - American Airlines has delayed plans to begin scheduling Boeing Co 737 MAX training for its pilots in November, the Allied Pilots Association said on Tuesday, as the grounded jet awaits regulatory approval to return to the skies. Boeing is seeking approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on a series of changes to the 737 MAX following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 that triggered the aircraft's global grounding. The FAA has also yet to determine new pilot training requirements for the jet. Last month, American said its training plans could be canceled if the 737 MAX was not recertified. "We have not made any definitive plans regarding the 737 MAX as the return to service timeline remains fluid," an American Airlines spokeswoman said. "That’s why we recently adjusted the pilot training scheduling process and will continue to do so depending on when the MAX is recertified." She said American Airlines remains in contact with the FAA and Boeing on the recertification process, and continues to work in close collaboration with the pilots union. Attempting to start MAX training for pilots in November seemed "a bit premature," as we said recently, said Dennis Tajer, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines' pilots. https://www.yahoo.com/news/american-airlines-delays-boeing-737-154500132.html SpaceX wins contract to build missile tracking satellites for US military Starlink isn't just for broadband anymore. SpaceX is now in the business of building satellites that do more than beam broadband around the globe. Elon Musk's space company is one of two awarded a contract from the Space Development Agency (part of the US Department of Defense) to build four satellites each that can track missile threats from low-Earth orbit. SpaceX will receive over $149 million for the job, while major defense contractor L3 Harris will receive over $193 million, SDA announced on Monday. The satellites will be developed around an infrared sensor with a wide field of view that can track even hypersonic missiles. The SpaceX satellite will be based around the guts of the Starlink satellite, but the sensor will come from another supplier, Space Development Agency Director Derek Tournear told SpaceNews. L3 Harris will be producing the full satellites, including the sensor, in house. SpaceX has already launched several hundred Starlink satellites on its way to eventually producing tens of thousands if its broadband mega-constellation is to meet the company's full ambitions. The eight satellites will be part of the first generation of what the SDA calls "the tracking layer" and must be designed to interface with "transport layer" satellites being developed by Lockheed Martin and York Space Systems. Transport layer satellites communicate with tracking layer satellites and route the information they gather to where it's needed on Earth. The companies will be required to deliver the satellites by September 2022, and if all works well, the US military could order up to 30 more of the tracking satellites to add to the system in the coming years. https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-wins-contract-to-build-missile-tracking-satellites-for-us-military/ Able Flight Selects Unmanned Safety Institute to Provide Unmanned Aerial System Career Training and Education to Scholarship Recipients Unmanned aviation provides expanded career opportunities for pilots with physical disabilities. ORLANDO, Fla. (October 7, 2020) – Unmanned Safety Institute (USI), the leading aviation-based safety training and industry certification provider for unmanned operations, has been contracted by Able Flight, a national aviation non-profit, to provide its scholarship recipients with career oriented Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) training and education. Able Flight has been providing flight training scholarships to individuals with physical disabilities since 2006, and in recent years has expanded the program to include scholarships supporting training for a variety of aviation careers. In its 14 year history, Able Flight has awarded over 110 flight training and aviation career training scholarships. Executive Director of Able Flight, Charles Stites, commented, “With the growth of unmanned aviation, and with a positive outlook for career opportunities in commercial drone operations, we determined that this would be a great time to add a UAS option to our career training scholarship program. As with the facilities who provide instruction to recipients of our flight training scholarships, we choose to work with organizations like USI that have developed programs that go well beyond the minimum standards required by the FAA.” “The inherent requirements of unmanned aviation could provide for significantly greater career opportunities for individuals with some sort of physical disability”, added Josh Olds, President of the Unmanned Safety Institute. “As we became more familiar with Able Flight, it was apparent that their focus on pilot safety and competency would translate into incredibly talented, industry ready, UAS pilots through their participation in the USI training program.” Individuals interested in participating in the Able Flight UAS Pilot training program should visit the Able Flight website, www.ableflight.org for more information. Curt Lewis