Flight Safety Information [November 16, 2020] [No. 231] In This Issue : Incident: Alaska B737 at Yakutat on Nov 14th 2020, bear strike on landing : Incident: Pobeda B738 near Moscow on Nov 14th 2020, fuel system blockage : Incident: Southwest B737 near Jacksonville on Nov 13th 2020, hydraulic indication : Accident: Envoy E135 at Charlotte on Nov 12th 2020, turbulence injures passenger : Incident: Smartlynx Estonia A320 at Kaunas on Nov 12th 2020, unreliable airspeed : List of 230 Airlines safe to fly and not to fly during the epidemic : An Air Canada Jazz Dash 8 Took Off Without Receiving Clearance : New IATA Guidance Prepares for Global Vaccine Distribution : Ravn Alaska will resume flights to six communities Friday : Rolls Royce to use 100% sustainable aviation fuel : Korean Air to spend $1.6 billion to become Asiana Airlines' top shareholder : Private jet firm XO just added 15 aircraft to its fleet in a major fleet expansion that will help corner the new market of first-time private jet flyers : Australian airline Qantas celebrates its 100th anniversary : Neuroscience studies suggest that pilots display a unique pattern of brain functional connectivity : Liftoff! Astronauts Head To Space Station On SpaceX Rocket Incident: Alaska B737 at Yakutat on Nov 14th 2020, bear strike on landing An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N615AS performing flight AS-66 from Corduva,AK to Yakutat,AK (USA), landed on Yakutat's runway 11 when the captain felt an impact at the left hand side of the aircraft. The aircraft rolled out without further incident, turned around to backtrack the runway to the apron when the crew saw a dead brown bear on the runway. A post flight inspection revealed impact damage to the left hand engine's (CFM56) inlet and cowling. Alaska's Department of Transport airport staff had inspected and cleared the runway about 10 minutes prior to landing of the flight and had not noticed any wildlife in the vicinity. The aircraft hit a female brown bear and killed the mother, her cub estimated about 2 years old remained uninjured. The airline reported the captain felt an impact at the left hand side during rollout and later saw the dead bear on the runway about 20 feet off the runway center line while taxiing to the terminal. The aircraft was scheduled to fly Anchorage,AK-Cordova-Yakutat-Juneau,AK-Anchorage, the last two sectors needed to be cancelled. The aircraft is still on the ground in Yakutat about 32 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4df460bc&opt=0 Incident: Pobeda B738 near Moscow on Nov 14th 2020, fuel system blockage A Pobeda Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration VQ-BTC performing flight DP-525 from Saint Petersburg to Cheboksary (Russia) with 140 people on board, was enroute at FL370 about 90nm north of Moscow Vnukovo (Russia) when the crew decided to divert to Vnukovo Airport and descended rapidly reaching FL090 within 6 minutes. The aircraft landed safely on Vnukovo's runway 06 about 18 minutes after leaving FL370. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration VP-BPX departed Vnukovo about 57 minutes after landing of VQ-BTC and reached Cheboksary with a delay of 70 minutes. The airline reported the aircraft diverted to Vnukovo due to a technical problem that did not affect the safety of the flight but could not have been fixed in Cheboksary due to lack of certified maintenance there. The airport reported the aircraft diverted due to a fuel system blockage. The occurrence aircraft returned to service 5 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4df3d5a2&opt=0 Incident: Southwest B737 near Jacksonville on Nov 13th 2020, hydraulic indication A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N404WN performing flight WN-162 from Orlando,FL to Providence,RI (USA) with 23 passengers and 5 crew, was enroute at FL350 about 15nm southeast of Jacksonville,FL (USA) when the crew received a hydraulic indication and decided to divert to Jacksonville, where the aircraft landed safely on runway 08 about 20 minutes later. The airline reported the crew received an unusual indication for a backup hydraulic system and therefore diverted to Jacksonville. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 2.5 hours, then continued the flight and reached Providence with a delay of about 3:20 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWA162/history/20201113/1250Z/KMCO/KPVD http://avherald.com/h?article=4df2993a&opt=0 Accident: Envoy E135 at Charlotte on Nov 12th 2020, turbulence injures passenger An Envoy Embraer ERJ-135 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N831AE performing flight AA-3796 from Champaign,IL to Charlotte,NC (USA), was descending towards Charlotte maintaining FL100 when the aircraft was vectored around weather but encountered severe turbulence nonetheless. The aircraft continued for a safe landing in Charlotte about 30 minutes later. One passenger received minor injuries as result of the turbulence. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ENY3796/history/20201112/1501Z/KCMI/KCLT http://avherald.com/h?article=4df27f82&opt=0 Incident: Smartlynx Estonia A320 at Kaunas on Nov 12th 2020, unreliable airspeed A Smartlynx Estonia Airbus A320-200, registration ES-SAQ performing positioning flight MYX-9741 from Kaunas (Lithuania) to Ostrava (Czech Republic) with 2 crew, was climbing out of Kaunas' runway 08 when the crew stopped the climb at FL100 due to disagreeing airspeeds. The aircraft returned to Kaunas for a safe landing on runway 08 about 40 minutes after departure. The aircraft had been in long term storage, prior to departure one of the pitot probes had been replaced. The aircraft is still on the ground in Kaunas about 24 hours after landing back. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/MYX9741/history/20201112/1502Z/EYKA/L%2054.96682%2024.07725 http://avherald.com/h?article=4df25ab1&opt=0 List of 230 Airlines safe to fly and not to fly during the epidemic The Safest Travel Score to operate an airline during the COVID-19 crisis is 5.0, the worst score in the world is 0.1. No airline out of 230 made the best possible score, and no airline made the worst score, but there is a lot in between. This rating is strictly in regards to flying safely during COVID-19 20 out of 230+ airlines evaluated worldwide had a score of 4.0 and higher, which is considered a top score passing the list of the word’s safest airlines during COVID-19 The score is based on an independent audit of 26 health and safety parameters evaluating safety protocols, traveler convenience and service excellence announced by airlines. To reach the score set by Safe Travel Barometers the disinfection frequency, thermal screening, Face Mask, health declaration form and Staff Face Mask were all included in the evaluation Only two airlines in the United States were within the highest range of 4 and above. They are Southwest Airlines 4.0, and Delta Airlines 4.1 The safest airline currently is Dubai based Emirates. See the list: PERFECT: The Safest Airlines in the world with a score of 4.0 and above Emirates : 4.4 Etihad Airways: 4.3 Qatar Airways: 4.2 Singapore Airlines: 4.1 Iberia: 4.1 Vistara 4.1 Air France: 4.1 Air China 4.1 Lufthansa 4.1 Oman Air 4.1 Delta Airlines: 4.1 Virgin Atlantic 4.0 Korean Air 4.0 Southwest Airlines: 4.0 Cathay Pacific: 4.0 IndiGo: 4.0 EVA Air: 4.0 Asiana Airlines: 4.0 Qantas Airways: 4.0 Garuda Indonesia: 4.0 DANGEROUS Airlines with a score of 0.1 to 0.9 Endeavor 0.5 Go Jet Airlines: 0.5 Horizon Air: 0.7 Nesma Airlines: 0.8 Air Caledonie: 0.8 RISKY airlines with a score of 1.0 to 1.9 CommutAir : 1.0 Air Wisconsin Airlines: 1.1 Mesa Airlines: 1.2 PSA Airlines: 1.2 Amelia International: 1.4 Republic Airline: 1.5 ASTA Linhas Aereas: 1.5 Air Chathams: 1.7 STP Airways: 1.7 Envoy Air: 1.8 Aeromar: 1.8 LOW Score 2.0-2.9 Sunclass Airlines 2.0 Aurigny Air 2.0 Helvetic Airways: 2.1 Albastar: 2.1 Onur Air: 2.2 Elinair: 2.2 Saudi Gulf Airlines: 2.2 Seaborn Airlines: 2.2 Croatia Airlines: 2.2 Aircalin: 2.3 Bulgaria Air: 2.4 Air Corsica: 2.2 Laudamotion: 2.4 T’way Air: 2.4 Eastar Jet: 2.5 Star Air: 2.5 Lao Airlines: 2.5 Sun County Airlines: 2.5 Tropic Air: 2.5 APG Airlines: 2.6 Norwegian Air: 2.6 Viva Air: 2.6 Caribbean Airlines: 2.6 Aegean Airlines: 2.6 Air Inuit: 2.7 Flyadeal: 2.7 GOL Airlines: 2.7 Nord Star Airlines: 2.8 Canadian North: 2.8 Air Peace: 2.8 Asi Airlines France: 2.8 STALUX Airlines: 2.8 Azores Airlines: 2.9 S7 Airlines: 2.9 Piedmont Airlines: 2.9 XOJET 2.9 Below average but acceptable 3.0-3.5 Uzbekistan Airways: 3.0 Fiji Airways: 3.0 TAROM: 3.0 Air Dolomiti: 3.0 Interjet: 3.0 Air Burkina: 3.0 Air Namibia: 3.0 Jet2.com : 3.0 Albawings 3.0 Air Serbia: 3.0 Condor: 3.1 LOT Polish Airlines: 3.1 Spirit Airways: 3.1 Wizz Air: 3.1 Alitalia: 3.1 Winair: 3.2 Swoop: 3.2 LATAM Airlines: 3.2 Icelandair: 3.2 Volotea: 3.2 Sichuan Airlines: 3.2 Spring Airlines: 3.2 Viva Aerobus: 3.2 Air Malta: 3.2 Thai Smile: 3.3 Lion Air: 3.3 Austrian Airlines: 3.3 Smartwings: 3.3 Air Do: 3.3 South African Airways: 3.3 Air Nostrum: 3.3 Volaris Airlines: 3.3 Ural Airlines: 3.3 Frontier Airlines: 3.3 Aero Mexico: 3.3 Firefly: 3.3 Star Flyer: 3.3 SKY Airlines: 3.3 Georgian Airways: 3.3 SKY Airline Peru: 3.3 Edelweiss Air: 3.4 Royal Air Maroc: 3.4 Aeroflot Airlines: 3.4 Jeju Air: 3.4 Pegasus Airlines 3.4 Air Europe: 3.4 Air Clraibes: 3.4 Shenzhen Airlines: 3.4 TUI Fly: 3.4 Above average and acceptable: 3.5 – 3.9 THai Viet Jet Air: 3.5 Batik Air: 3.5 Jet Smart 3.5 Jazeera Airways Malindo Air 3.5 Air Mauritius: 3.5 Ryanair: 3.5 Canary Fly 3.5 Amaszonas 3.5 Lanmei Airlines: 3.5 Hainan Airlines: 3.5 Finnair 3.5 JetSmart 3.5 Air Austral 3.5 Air Tahiti 3.5 SAS Scandinavian Airlines 3.5 Czech Airlines : 3.5 Blue Air 3.6 Air Astana 3.6 Anadolu Jet 3.6 Air Greenland 3.6 West Jet 3.6 Flynas 3.6 Ukraine International Airlines 3.6 Citilink 3.6 Blue Air 3.6 Air Seychelles 3.6 Air Belgium 3.6 Air Greenland 3.6 Japan Airlines 3.6 Binter Canarias 3.6 Aer Lingus 3.6 Scoot 3.7 Air New Zealand: 3.7 Swiss Airlines: 3.7 Shandong Airlines: 3.7 Air Transat: 3.8 Corsair: 3.7 Malaysia Airlines 3.7 French Bee: 3.7 Air Tahiti Nui: 3.7 Transavia France 3.7 Jetstar Asia 3.8 Air Asia 3.8 Spice Jet 3.8 Africa World Airlines: 3.8 Copa Airlines: 3.8 Indonesia Air Asia: 3.8 Air North 3.8 Allegiant Air 3.8 Lufthansa City Line 3.8 All Nippon Airways 3.8 Africa World Airlines 3.8 American Airlines 3.8 Copa Airlines 3.8 Royal Jordanian 3.8 Vietnam Airlines KLM 3.8 Philippine Airlines 3.9 Thai Airways 3.9 Saudia 3.9 Air India 3.9 Eurowings 3.9 Alaska Airlines 3.9 Vueling 3.9 Fly Dubai 3.9 Ethiopian Airlines 3.9 Cebu Pacific 3.9 China Eastern Airlines 3.9 United Airlines 3.9 https://www.eturbonews.com/1785620/list-of-230-airlines-safe-to-fly-and-not-to-fly-during-the-epidemic/ An Air Canada Jazz Dash 8 Took Off Without Receiving Clearance Pilots play a crucial role in ensuring aviation safety by adhering to instructions administered verbally by air traffic controllers. Departures are one such aspect that is regulated by an airport’s control tower. However, two weeks ago, a Canadian domestic flight took to the skies without having received prior clearance. But what was the reason for and outcomes of this incident? The flight in question Air Canada Express flight AC8603 connects Toronto Pearson International (YYZ) and Sudbury (YSB). Both of these airports are situated within the Canadian province of Ontario. The flight is operated on behalf of Air Canada Express by Jazz, with a scheduled duration of just over an hour. Jazz is one of two airlines under the Air Canada Express umbrella, which provides feeder flights between regional destinations and the mainline Air Canada network. It serves 89 North American destinations (59 in Canada, 30 in the United States). What happened? On October 30th, however, The Aviation Herald reports that flight AC8603 was involved in a minor incident upon departure from Toronto. Following a slightly delayed pushback (09:05 rather than 08:45, according to FlightAware), air traffic control cleared the flight during its taxi to line up for departure on runway 05 at YYZ. The flight crew was also given a pre-clearance to make a left turn to a heading of 360 degrees once they were airborne. This instruction was read back correctly to air traffic control. However, shortly after, the crew announced that it had begun its takeoff roll on runway 05. It was only having become airborne and reached an altitude of 2,000 feet that the crew enquired as to whether the flight had actually received clearance to commence its takeoff roll. At this point, the tower confirmed to the crew of flight AC8603 that no such clearance had been issued. However, they reportedly did not intervene in order not to disrupt the flight crew. In any case, the runway had been clear at the time, so there was no risk of a collision or operational impact, as reported by the Canadian Transportation Safety Board. The flight continued as normal to Sudbury, where it arrived 17 minutes late. It was lightly loaded, with just 15 passengers onboard. This represents less than a third of its all-economy capacity of 50, according to SeatGuru. The aircraft involved On October 30th, a De Havilland Dash 8-300 with the registration C-GABO operated flight AC8603. This aircraft is one of 23 Dash 8-300 in the Jazz fleet (of which 10 have been grounded), according to Planespotters.net. C-GABO is almost 30 years old, with Air BC originally having taken delivery of it in 1990. It moved to Jazz in March 2002. https://simpleflying.com/air-canada-jazz-takeoff-no-clearance/ New IATA Guidance Prepares for Global Vaccine Distribution The guidance includes a repository of international standards and guidelines related to the transport of vaccines and will be updated regularly as information is made available to the industry. International Air Transport Association (IATA) IATA Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released guidance to ensure that the air cargo industry is ready to support the large-scale handling, transport and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine. IATA’s Guidance for Vaccine and Pharmaceutical Logistics and Distribution provides recommendations for governments and the logistics supply chain in preparation for what will be the largest and most complex global logistics operation ever undertaken. Reflecting the complexity of the challenge, the guidance was produced with the support of a broad range of partners, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), UK Civil Aviation Authority, World Bank, World Customs Organization (WCO) and World Trade Organization (WTO). The guidance includes a repository of international standards and guidelines related to the transport of vaccines and will be updated regularly as information is made available to the industry. Accompanying the guidance, IATA established a joint information-sharing forum for stakeholders. “Delivering billions of doses of a vaccine that must be transported and stored in a deep-frozen state to the entire world efficiently will involve hugely complex logistical challenges across the supply chain. While the immediate challenge is the implementation of COVID-19 testing measures to re-open borders without quarantine, we must be prepared for when a vaccine is ready. This guidance material is an important part of those preparations,” said IATA’s Director General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac. Key challenges addressed in IATA’s Guidance for Vaccine and Pharmaceutical Logistics and Distribution include: • The availability of temperature-controlled storage facilities and contingencies when such facilities are not available • Defining roles and responsibilities of parties involved in the distribution of vaccines, particularly government authorities and NGOs, to assist safe, fast and equitable distribution as broadly as possible Industry preparedness for vaccine distribution which includes: • Capacity and Connectivity: The global route network has been reduced dramatically from the pre-COVID 22,000 city pairs. Governments need to re-establish air connectivity to ensure adequate capacity is available for vaccine distribution. • Facilities and infrastructure: The first vaccine manufacturer to apply for regulatory approval requires the vaccine to be shipped and stored in a deep-frozen state, making ultra-cold chain facilities across the supply chain essential. Some types of refrigerants are classified as a dangerous goods and volumes are regulated which adds an additional layer of complexity. Considerations include availability of temperature-controlled facilities and equipment and staff trained to handle time- and temperature-sensitive vaccines. • Border management: Timely regulatory approvals and storage and clearance by customs and health authorities will be essential. Priorities for border processes include introducing fast-track procedures for overflight and landing permits for operations carrying the COVID-19 vaccine and potential tariff relief to facilitate the movement of the vaccine. • Security: Vaccines are highly valuable commodities. Arrangements must be in place to ensure that shipments remain secure from tampering and theft. Processes are in place already, but the huge volume of vaccine shipments will require early planning to ensure that they are scalable. https://www.aviationpros.com/ground-handling/press-release/21162695/international-air-transport-association-iata-new-iata-guidance-prepares-for-global-vaccine-distribution Ravn Alaska will resume flights to six communities Friday Ravn Alaska will return to six Alaska communities on Friday, with regularly scheduled public chartered flights offered by Ravn Travel. Tickets are now available for scheduled flights between Anchorage and Unalaska, Sand Point, Homer, Kenai and Valdez, according to Ravn CEO Rob McKinney. “We were issued our public charter status under Part 380 of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s rules, which means that we can publish the schedule for four round trips per week to any given pairs of cities,” McKinney said. Under DOT public charter regulations, Ravn was required to establish a separate agency, Ravn Travel, in order to offer the service. The airline is also limited to four flights per week to each destination, until it receives final DOT approval to resume regular scheduled service. “We were hoping we would have had our regular authority by now, but that hasn’t worked out,” said McKinney. “So we’re trying this other direction just to get service going as quickly as we can.” Last month, two airlines — Alaska Seaplanes (Kalinin Holdings, Inc.) and Alaska Central Express (ACE) — objected to Ravn resuming regular commercial operations during the DOT’s “show cause order” window. The order opened up a 14-day period for anyone to show cause for the DOT not to find the air carrier “fit, willing, and able” to provide scheduled air service. “They are working through the objections that were filed during the show cause period,” said Ports Director Peggy McLaughlin at a City Council meeting Tuesday night. “There were two companies that objected and so USDOT is working on that. We don’t have a timeline for regular scheduled service just yet. It’s going to take them a minute to work through those objections.” Under Ravn’s public charter service, the airline will be flying to Unalaska on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. McKinney said flying on Ravn’s charter flights will look similar to flying on normal commercial flights, except that people won’t be able to book online, and will have to call Ravn’s reservation center. He said for the general population, tickets will cost $649 or $549 to the island, depending on whether or not it’s refundable, and Unalaskans will get a local discount. “The really exciting part of what we have to offer is that if you have an ID with a local address on it, so if you’re local to the Aleutian Islands, you will be able to get a $399 fare,” he said. Alaska residents will be allowed two free checked bags, according to McKinney. And for non-residents, it will be $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second. The flights on the DeHavilland Dash 8 planes will likely make a stop in Cold Bay to refuel. McKinney has said in past interviews that Ravn is eventually moving towards using aircraft that don’t require a refueling stop. While McKinney said he was hoping to have the DOT’s final approval by now, he is excited to finally offer reliable air service to Unalaska. “But at the same time, I’m still frustrated that the situation is taking as long as it has,” he said. “We started working on this in July, and here we are in November. So that part is still obviously frustrating, but I’m really, really happy to watch the first airplane take off and head your way this Friday.” To book a flight on Ravn’s new public charter service, you can call the airline’s reservation center at 833-418-2360, or visit the Ravn counter at Unalaska’s airport for the local discount. Ravn is still waiting on the DOT’s final route authority approval to begin scheduled commercial flights, which McKinney said he expects to be awarded in the coming weeks. https://www.alaskapublic.org/2020/11/12/ravn-alaska-will-resume-flights-to-six-communities-friday/ Rolls Royce to use 100% sustainable aviation fuel Rolls-Royce is to use 100% sustainable aviation fuel for the first time in engine ground tests on next-generation engine technology, as part of its ongoing decarbonization strategy. The tests will aim to confirm that unblended SAF makes a significant contribution to improving the environmental performance of gas turbine engines. The SAF being used in the tests was produced by low-carbon fuel specialist World Energy in Paramount, California, sourced by Shell Aviation and delivered by SkyNRG. This unblended fuel has the potential to significantly reduce net CO2 lifecycle emissions by more than 75 per cent compared to conventional jet fuel, with the possibility of further reductions in years to come. The ground tests will involve a Trent engine which also incorporates ALECSys (Advanced Low Emissions Combustion System) lean-burn technology. In addition to supplying the SAF with SkyNRG, Shell Aviation is also providing Rolls-Royce with AeroShell lubricants for the ALECSys engine test programme. Paul Stein, Rolls-Royce chief technology officer is quoted in the press release: “Aviation is a tremendous force for good, keeping the world connected, but we have to do that sustainably. These tests aim to show that we can deliver real emissions reductions. If SAF production can be scaled up – and aviation needs 500 million tonnes a year by 2050 - we can make a huge contribution for our planet.” Anna Mascolo, President, Shell Aviation, said: “For over 100 years, Rolls-Royce and Shell have worked together to drive aviation’s progress. This collaboration brings us one step closer to decarbonizing Aviation. As well as the SAF, Shell Aviation will provide offsets using nature-based solutions to make the test net zero emissions, reinforcing how multiple measures are essential if aviation is to achieve net zero carbon dioxide emissions.” https://www.arabianaerospace.aero/rolls-royce-to-use-100-sustainable-aviation-fuel.html Korean Air to spend $1.6 billion to become Asiana Airlines' top shareholder SEOUL (Reuters) - Korean Air Lines Co Ltd 003490.KS plans to spend 1.8 trillion won ($1.62 billion) to become the top shareholder of indebted Asiana Airlines Inc 020560.KS, in aviation's first major consolidation since COVID-19 brought the industry to its knees. It will also be the biggest shake-up in South Korean air travel since Asiana’s founding ahead of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, with the airline eventually integrated into Korean Air to create a national carrier commanding about 60% of international routes. Working together is likely to give the pair greater chance of avoiding the fate of several airlines worldwide, where virus-busting restrictions on movement and border closures have decimated passenger demand and forced carriers into bankruptcy. The deal is also a relief for indebted Asiana which was kept aloft in September by a cash injection from creditors led by the Korea Development Bank (KDB), after top shareholder Kumho Industrial Co Ltd 002990.KS pulled out of a sale. Korean Air - controlled by Hanjin Kal 180640.KS - said it will buy 1.5 trillion won of new Asiana shares giving it a 63.9% stake, and 300 billion won worth of Asiana's convertible bonds. “Amid the collapse of the Asiana sales deal as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, KDB has formed a consensus with Hanjin Group to reorganise the aviation industry and pursue integration,” KDB Chairman Lee Dong-gull said at a briefing on Monday. KDB also said it will invest 800 billion won in Hanjin Kal. To fund the Asiana deal, Korean Air said it will issue 2.5 trillion won worth of shares next year, with buyers including parent Hanjin Kal. It will use funds left over to pay off debt. “We expect the transaction and process to be finalised by the second half of 2021,” Asiana Airlines Chief Executive Han Chang-soo said in a letter to employees on Monday. There will be no “artificial restructuring” after the transaction, he said. Hanjin Kal’s top shareholder, the Korea Corporate Governance Improvement Fund (KCGI), has said KDB investment in Hanjin Kal would likely support Korean Air’s current management. The fund favours replacing family-appointed executives with outsiders. On Monday, it said it will use any measure permitted by law to oppose the plan to buy Asiana using taxpayers’ money, which it said forces investors and employees to make sacrifices. INTEGRATION Kumho in December agreed to sell its 30.77% Asiana stake for 2.5 trillion won to Hyundai Development Co 294870.KS and Mirae Asset Daewoo Co Ltd 006800.KS. It pulled out in September as the COVID-19 outbreak prompted the buyers to seek better terms. With Asiana now joining Korean Air, some 800 to 1,000 roles will overlap. Still, KDB aims to avoid artificial restructuring and ensure job security through natural annual decline in employee numbers, work involved in integrating the airlines, and new projects, said KDB Vice President Choi Dae-hyun. “For the time being, Korean Air and Asiana will operate as independent affiliates, but once integrated, Asiana’s brand will be phased out,” a Korean Air spokeswoman told Reuters. Combining South Korea’s two biggest carriers would create the world’s 15th largest airline based on the industry measure of kilometres flown by paying passengers, according to 2019 data from the International Air Transport Association. That represents a jump from 28th for Korean Air and 42nd for Asiana. KDB also aims to integrate the airlines' budget affiliates Jin Air Co Ltd 272450.KS, Air Busan Co Ltd 298690.KS and Air Seoul, said Choi. “Consolidation in South Korea makes a lot of sense. Before COVID-19 there were too many competitors and particularly now,” said Singapore-based independent aviation analyst Brendan Sobie. Asiana's share price soared as much as 29.8% in Monday trade, while that of Korean Air rose 15.2% and Hanjin Kal rose 8.2%. The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 was up 1.9%. ($1 = 1,108.2500 won) https://www.reuters.com/article/us-asiana-airlines-m-a/korean-air-to-spend-16-billion-to-become-asiana-airlines-top-shareholder-idUSKBN27W04W Private jet firm XO just added 15 aircraft to its fleet in a major fleet expansion that will help corner the new market of first-time private jet flyers • Private aviation firm XO just added 15 Cessna Citation Ultra jets to its fleet, growing to 58 aircraft in total. • It's the first light jet to be flown by XO, offering a greater variety to new and existing members over the traditional super-midsize and long-range aircraft operated by the firm. • Thomas Flohr, the CEO of XO's parent company, Vista Global, told Business Insider that memberships have nearly doubled since April. XO, one of the largest private aviation firms in the country, is growing its dedicated fleet of charter aircraft with the addition of 15 light jet aircraft. Starting today, the Cessna Citation Ultra aircraft will be available for charter directly through XO, offering members more options when booking private jet travel and better positioning the firm to attract newcomers to private aviation. The light jets will roam around the country as part of XO's now 58-aircraft-strong floating fleet model where aircraft have no fixed home, saving members on repositioning costs. They'll initially be found flying on the East Coast, as well as in the Bahamas and some Caribbean countries, before expanding to the West Coast and some parts of Canada and Mexico. Thomas Flohr, the CEO of XO's parent company Vista Global, told Business Insider that "explosive" membership growth since April by nearly double was a primary catalyst for the expansion into the light jet realm. Private jet firms across the US including XO are reporting a faster-than-expected recovery from the pandemic centered around an increase in leisure travel, encouraging expansion for the largest companies. Combined with XO's existing fleet of super-midsize and long-range aircraft, the light jet fleet will make the firm a one-stop-shop for a variety of planes. Read More: Private jet industry CEOs say business will boom as the wealthy abandon airlines and reveal what they're doing now to take advantage The move also strengthens XO's appeal in capturing the new market by offering the entry-level light jets that are more cost-effective than the larger super-midsize aircraft the firm has traditionally operated. New entrants often start by chartering light aircraft to get a feel for the industry and the perks of flying private before moving to the larger models. The Ultra is an ideal aircraft for the popular short hops for which a large aircraft would be overkill, such as between New York City and Massachusetts Islands or Los Angeles and Las Vegas. And as the aircraft are owned by XO, getting owner approval for short flights – a common issue in the charter world where aircraft typically require approval by their owners, often an wealthy individual – won't be an issue. Boasting a range of 1,960 nautical miles, according to Jetcraft, XO can fly the jet on city pairs such as New York-Palm Beach, Los Angeles-Dallas, and Chicago-Phoenix without stopping for fuel, under the right conditions. Cessna produced the aircraft as part of its popular Citation family from 1994 until the turn of the century and during that time, it earned the title of "Best Business Jet" from Flying Magazine, Jetcraft reported. XO will be refurbishing the cabins and will soon include free WiFi onboard the jets. The firm just recently embarked on a fleet renewal for its Cessna Citation X and Bombardier Challenger 300 super-midsize aircraft, the latter of which Business Insider toured in October, giving the jets a new paint job and interior improvements. Light jets are often the perfect compromise who want the benefits of private aviation but don't need a Gulfstream or Global Express every time they fly. Even before the pandemic, these types of light jets were popular because they are the least expensive jet aircraft to charter. Smaller airports with shorter runways are also more accessible for light jet than with larger aircraft. And with service to regional cities being cut by the major airlines, leisure and business travelers are finding themselves with fewer options when it comes to commercial aviation. "We looked at how the world has changed in the last 10 months since COVID was hitting and a lot of the commercial infrastructure fell away," Flohr said. "We saw that the demand for short-term travel is needed and many flyers living outside or working outside major aviation hubs, they're facing restrictions to get from A to B." XO members have always had access to light jets, as well as over 2,100 aircraft through what the firm calls the XO Fleet Alliance, but having them owned and operated in-house allows XO to offer a consistent product. Members can also book private jet charter flights online or through a new XO app that gives users a guaranteed price for the charter, eliminating the need to go through a third-party broker. The app also gives additional booking options allowing flyers can see different prices on different days as flexibility is key to saving money while chartering. https://www.businessinsider.com/xo-adds-15-jets-to-fleet-private-aviation-expands-2020-11 Australian airline Qantas celebrates its 100th anniversary (CNN) — Australian airline Qantas is celebrating its 100th anniversary on November 16, a rare piece of upbeat news for an aviation industry hobbled by the coronavirus pandemic. The airline began life as the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services, which was abbreviated to QANTAS, on -- as you may have figured out -- November 16, 1920. The three founders, Hudson Fysh, Paul McGinness and Fergus McMaster, believed that the then-nascent business of air travel might be the way to connect various far-flung outposts in the rural regions of Australia. Its first aircraft was an Avro 504, a pre-World War I biplane that could seat a pilot and one passenger. Originally, small planes delivered mail and freight between rural Outback towns, but the airline evolved along with the country and Qantas (this time in lowercase) became Australia's national carrier in 1959. Its first international flight route was to Singapore in 1935. Its kangaroo livery first appeared in 1944 and accompanied the airline during the airline's expansion throughout the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. "Around the world, Qantas is probably best known for its safety record, endurance flying and long list of aviation firsts. But for Australians, there's nothing quite like seeing the flying kangaroo at the airport, waiting to take you home," the airline's CEO, Alan Joyce, said in a press statement. Amid the pandemic, Qantas operated many of the "relief flights" that brought Australian citizens back from remote corners of the world. It isn't only Qantas' name that has changed over the past century. The airline is credited with inventing business class and, in a non-Covid year, it's the only carrier that flies to all seven continents. Like many other airlines around the world, Qantas has been hit hard by the decline in travel amid the pandemic. It has responded by launching a "flight to nowhere" where passengers spend seven hours flying in a loop across the continent, passing over sites like the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru. While big plans for the airline's centennial were scaled back due to local virus control methods, Qantas did operate a scenic flight over Sydney Harbor to celebrate the big day. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/qantas-centennial-australia-intl-hnk/index.html Neuroscience studies suggest that pilots display a unique pattern of brain functional connectivity Pilots display a different pattern of functional connectivity in the brain, according to new research conducted in China. The new studies examined interactions and synchronized activity between different areas of the brain, and the findings suggest that pilots tend to have enhanced cognitive flexibility compared to their non-flying counterparts. “Civil aviation is a distinctive career. Pilots work in a complex, dynamic information environment. They must be aware of all the relevant information regarding this environment and recognize their meaning and importance,” said the authors of the new research in an article published in PLOS One. Because of the cognitive demands placed on pilots, the researchers hypothesized that they would display a different pattern of brain connectivity compared to non-pilots. The researchers used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, a widely used tool for investigating spontaneous brain activity, to examine important neurocognitive networks in 26 pilots and 24 non-flying individuals who had a similar level of education. Fourteen of the pilots were flight instructors from the Civil Aviation Flight University of China, while 12 pilots were first officers at airlines. Compared to the control group, the pilots exhibited decreased functional connectivity within the central executive network and enhanced functional connections between the central executive network, salience network, and default mode network. The decreased connectivity within the central executive network, which is associated with self-control and appraisal of threatening stimuli, “might enable the network to have more diverse functions,” the researchers said. On the other hand, the increased connectivity between the central executive network, salience network, and default mode network might be related to general cognitive performance. In a similar study, published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, the researchers found that pilots also exhibited increased resting-state functional connectivity within the default mode network. The network has been referred to as the brain’s “autopilot” because of its link to mind-wandering and self-referential thought. It also appears to play an important role in switching between cognitive tasks. “Pilots are always working in complex, dynamic environments. Flying is now not so much a ‘physical job,’ but a high-level cognitive activity. The pilot should be completely aware of all conditions in real time, and be ready to deal with various potential emergencies,” the researchers explains. “These processes include continuous cognitive transitions, which are exactly the function of the DMN. Daily flying practice may activate the pilot’s DMN repeatedly and, ultimately, strengthen its activation level during the resting state.” The study, “Increased functional dynamics in civil aviation pilots: Evidence from a neuroimaging study“, was authored by Xi Chen, Quanchuan Wang, Cheng Luo, Yong Yang, Hao Jiang, Xiangmei Guo, Xipeng Chen, Jiazhong Yang, and Kaijun Xu. The study, “Altered Default Mode Network Dynamics in Civil Aviation Pilots“, was authored by Xi Chen, Kaijun Xu, Yong Yang, Quanchuan Wang, Hao Jiang, Xiangmei Guo, Xipeng Chen, Jiazhong Yang, and Cheng Luo. https://www.psypost.org/2020/11/neuroscience-studies-suggest-that-pilots-display-a-unique-pattern-of-brain-functional-connectivity-58545 Liftoff! Astronauts Head To Space Station On SpaceX Rocket Four astronauts lifted off Sunday night from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX rocket bound for the International Space Station. Liftoff occurred right on schedule at 7:27 p.m., despite concerns about weather earlier in the day. NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi reached orbit after a 12-minute ride to space. The crewed flight is the second for SpaceX's Dragon capsule and the first since NASA officially certified the small spacecraft to carry people. The Dragon's first crewed flight took place in May, when Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken launched on a jaunt to the station. They stayed for roughly two months before returning to earth and splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico in early August. That flight was the first launch of American astronauts from American soil since the space shuttle program ended in 2011. Following the shuttle's retirement, NASA spent the better part of a decade paying the Russian space agency for seats aboard its Soyuz rockets. It hopes the Dragon can end that dependence by providing an American-made system to get astronauts into low earth orbit. This mission, known as "Crew-1," is supposed to be the first of many routine flights that will ferry astronauts to and from the station. Unlike the Soyuz, which has room for three crew members, the Dragon can carry up to seven passengers into orbit, according to the company. While the design fundamentally resembles older spacecraft like the Apollo capsules used to reach the moon, Dragon sports some modern upgrades such as a sleek white interior and touch-screen control panels. The arrival of four astronauts to the station will bring the total crew to seven. Normally the ISS is staffed with anywhere from three to six crew members, and space will be tight. Hopkins said he will likely have to make do with the capsule as his bedroom for the duration of the mission. The extra crew will help NASA to conduct more scientific research aboard the station, Hopkins said. "I think they're going to keep us pretty busy." The four astronauts will spend the next 28 hours enroute to the station aboard the capsule. Docking will occur Monday evening around 11 p.m. and will be televised by NASA TV. https://www.npr.org/2020/11/15/934185926/astronauts-prepare-to-launch-to-space-station-aboard-spacex-rocket Curt Lewis