Flight Safety Information - December 18, 2020 No. 255 In This Issue : Incident: Fedex B752 near Wichita on Dec 17th 2020, cabin pressure problems : Incident: Cargo B734 near Katowice on Dec 5th 2020, engine flamed out : Incident: Southwest B738 at Los Angeles on Dec 16th 2020, anti-skid problem : Incident: Alaska A320 over Montana on Dec 16th 2020, anti ice inop, FO avionics failure : Airbus A320-271N - Taxiway Excursion (Maryland) : Man arrested after bomb threat disrupts Anchorage airport operations : FAA: Student pilot involved in Barksdale AFB plane crash was prohibited from carrying passengers : 400 Passengers and Flight Attendants Sickened By Airplane “Toxic Fumes” in Just Two Years : NTSB OPENS DOCKET ON COLLINGS FOUNDATION B–17 CRASH : Kansas, FAA sign deal for supersonic flight corridor : Costa Rica Could Recover The Maximum Air Safety Rating In Early 2021 : Business aviation organisations launch the Air Charter Safety Alliance : Can Real Time Pilot Monitoring Help Reduce Military Pilot Unexplained Physiological Events? : Unwanted Flight Test: The FAA’s 709 Ride : American Airlines Flight Attendants Could Be Made to Take COVID-19 Vaccine : Court Keeps Travel Ban for Pilots Charged over Ghosn Escape : Boeing jet sales to China ‘highly complicated’ by company’s arms sales to Taiwan, experts say : This Hydrogen-Powered Plane Startup Just Raised $21 Million From Bill Gates, Amazon and More : Space - Three different space launch companies -- three very different approaches to solving for cost and efficiency : NTSB - Position Available - Transportation Disaster Assistance (TDA) Specialist : HUMAN FACTORS ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM - Online Course : 2021 Aircraft Cabin Air Conference Incident: Fedex B752 near Wichita on Dec 17th 2020, cabin pressure problems A Fedex Federal Express Boeing 757-200, registration N958FD performing flight FX-685 from Billings,MT to Memphis,TN (USA), was enroute at FL390 about 100nm north of Wichita,KS (USA) when the crew donned their oxygen masks and initiated an emergency descent due to cabin pressure problems. While working the checklists the crew was able to stabilize the cabin pressure, subsequently reported the cabin pressure was now holding fine and continued with a normal descent and approach to Wichita for a safe landing on runway 19R about 25 minutes after leaving FL390. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/FDX685/history/20201217/1554Z/KBIL/KMEM http://avherald.com/h?article=4e0a1044&opt=0 Incident: Cargo B734 near Katowice on Dec 5th 2020, engine flamed out A Cargo Air Boeing 737-400 on behalf of DHL, registration LZ-CGU performing freight flight QY-917 from Kiev Borispol (Ukraine) to Leipzig (Germany), was enroute at FL340 about 90nm northeast of Katowice (Poland) when the right hand engine (CFM56) flamed out. The crew worked the related checklist "Engine failure or shutdown", attempted to restart the engine without success and decided to divert to Katowice. The aircraft landed safely on Katowice's runway 09 about 45 minutes after leaving FL340. Poland's PKBWL reported the crew diverted to Katowice with one engine inoperative but without declaring emergency, emergency services were on stand by for the uneventful landing however. The occurrence was rated a serious incident and is being investigated. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e0a0304&opt=0 Incident: Southwest B738 at Los Angeles on Dec 16th 2020, anti-skid problem A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N8307K performing flight WN-5078 from Oakland,CA to Los Angeles,CA (USA) with 34 people on board, was on approach to Los Angeles when the crew reported an anti-skid problem. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Los Angeles' runway 24L, the aircraft taxied to the apron. The aircraft returned to service about 9 hours after landing. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWA5078/history/20201217/0420Z/KOAK/KLAX http://avherald.com/h?article=4e09f8c3&opt=0 Incident: Alaska A320 over Montana on Dec 16th 2020, anti ice inop, FO avionics failure An Alaska Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration N848VA performing flight AS-1193 from Columbus,OH to Seattle,WA (USA), was enroute at FL380 about 700nm east of Seattle when the crew decided to divert to Los Angeles,CA about 950nm from their present position reporting the first officer's avionics had failed and anti-ice systems were inoperative, they didn't want to take any chances with the weather frontal system developing over the Rocky Mountains spanning from Seattle down to San Francisco. The aircraft landed safely on Los Angeles' runway 25L about 2:25 hours later. A replacement A320-200 registration N635VA reached Seattle with a delay of 4:25 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e09f5fb&opt=0 Airbus A320-271N - Taxiway Excursion (Maryland) Date: 17-DEC-2020 Time: 06:18 LT Type: Airbus A320-271N Owner/operator: Spirit Airlines Registration: N916NK C/n / msn: 9175 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 111 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Location: Baltimore/Washington International Airport, MD (BWI/KBWI) - United States of America Phase: Taxi Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Las Vegas-McCarran International Airport, NV (LAS/KLAS) Destination airport: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD (BWI/KBWI) Narrative: Spirit Airlines flight NK696, an Airbus A320neo, suffered a low speed taxiway excursion at Baltimore Washington International Airport. The nose gear ran into the grass and the aircraft became stuck. The passengers deplaned via air stairs and were bussed to the terminal. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=245783 Man arrested after bomb threat disrupts Anchorage airport operations A man was arrested after he called in a bomb threat to the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport late Wednesday, officials said. The airport communications center received a call around 9:05 p.m. “stating the caller had placed a bomb in the South Terminal in the area of the Alaska Airlines ticket lobby,” the airport said in a statement. Airport police found the bag, based on the caller’s descriptions, and people in the terminal were moved away from the area, the airport said. About five minutes after placing the call, the man identified himself to police, according to airport officials. The Anchorage Bomb Squad deployed a robot and by midnight the team determined the “suspected explosive device” to be safe, the airport said. Officials have not said what was inside the bag. Flights from Alaska Airlines, Delta Airlines and Grant Aviation were delayed Wednesday night and arriving flights were diverted to the North Terminal, according to the airport. Normal operations resumed after midnight. Officials did not release the name of the man who made the threat but said he is facing charges of terroristic threatening and misconduct involving a controlled substance. The investigation is ongoing with help from the FBI, the airport said. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/2020/12/17/man-arrested-after-bomb-threat-disrupts-anchorage-airport-operations/ FAA: Student pilot involved in Barksdale AFB plane crash was prohibited from carrying passengers Bossier City, La-- KTBS is learning more about the pilot involved in the plane crash at Barksdale Air Force Base. According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) online database, the pilot, 18-year-old Jet Montgomery, was prohibited from carrying passengers while operating a plane. Montgomery was certified June 10th, 2020. The passenger, was 19-year old John Cole Harris. The piper single-engine aircraft crashed early Wednesday morning just before 5 a.m. Air traffic controllers lost radar contact with the aircraft, that’s when the FAA was notified. They were pronounce dead at the scene. KTBS contacted the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). They say they are investigating the accident. However, they have not sent an investigator to the scene at this time. According to Keith Holloway, Public Affairs Officer for the NTSB, he says, “What we’re going to do is work with the FAA, who is going to document the scene and examine the aircraft who will then provide that information for an NTSB investigation.” Holloway says a preliminary report will most likely be available in about 12 days, with possible delays due to the holidays. KTBS spoke with the plane’s registered owner according to the FAA registry, Jeffrey Smith. Smith said he had been in talks with Montgomery’s family, particularly his father, within recent months to sell the plane. He says he just sold the plane to Montgomery’s father within the past two months. Smith says a temporary registration should have been in place, but the FAA has not finalized the new owner’s information in their database. https://www.ktbs.com/news/shreveport-bossier/faa-student-pilot-involved-in-barksdale-afb-plane-crash-was-prohibited-from-carrying-passengers/article_c1297fc4-40c6-11eb-8118-e7aac00d7c34.html 400 Passengers and Flight Attendants Sickened By Airplane “Toxic Fumes” in Just Two Years More than 400 passengers and flight attendants aboard U.S.-operated airplanes could have been sickened by “toxic fumes” between January 2018 and December 2019 according to a new investigation by the Los Angeles Times. And around 48 pilots during the same time period were so impaired by breathing in chemical-laced cabin air that they were unable to perform their duties according to data records obtained from a NASA run aviation safety reporting system. The number of sickened crew members and passengers reported by the Times, however, could be just the tip of the iceberg as the safety reports used to compile the dossier require the crew members involved in each incident to file a voluntary safety report. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) doesn’t keep a record so-called ‘smoke, odor or fume’ (SOF) events as they are known in the industry. Airlines and aircraft manufacturers insist that while SOF events can be unpleasant, there’s no proof that they can sicken passengers or crew. Campaigners, however, say cabin air contaminated with fumes from toxic engine oil can cause serious longterm health issues and neurological conditions, coining the phrase ‘aerotoxic syndrome’. The medical community is split on whether there really is such a condition as aerotoxic syndrome and medical tests to detect the presence of toxins in sickened passengers and crew are rarely performed after a SOF event. But despite publicly saying there’s nothing to worry about, some airlines have apparently been so concerned that they’ve privately lobbied for special air sensors to be fitted onboard planes for years. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing, however, decided not to develop the technology because it could lead to a rise in lawsuits over toxic cabin air. “Flight attendant, pilot unions, and congressional supporters could use this effort as evidence that sensors are needed and … to drive their agenda forward to have bleed air sensors required on all aircraft,” a 2015 Boeing memo reported by the Times read. The new allegations come at a time that airlines and air manufacturers are on the offensive to prove that cabin air is in fact so safe that it’s almost impossible to catch COVID-19 from an infected seatmate, let alone be taken ill with a mysterious neurological condition. “The cabin air inside Boeing airplanes is safe,” a spokesperson for the Chicago-headquartered company told the Times. Rival manufacturer Airbus insisted that while unpleasant, odors were ‘t harmful. Earlier this month, Mary Vincent Randall filed a lawsuit against Spirit Airlines after a “fetid, noxious, burning odour” allegedly caused her serious and permanent injuries following a July 2018 flight from La Guardia to Fort Lauderdale which was forced to divert because of the odor. Randall was one of several passengers who were hospitalised after experiencing headaches, nausea and breathing difficulties. Spirit Airlines pilot Eric Tellman died several years after a 2015 SOF event with the coroner saying breathing in fumes aboard that plane could have played a part in his death. Aviation regulators, however, have taken little action to prevent fume events and air sensors that could prevent toxic cabin crew are still no closer to actually becoming a reality. https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2020/12/18/400-passengers-and-flight-attendants-sickened-by-airplane-toxic-fumes-in-just-two-years/ NTSB OPENS DOCKET ON COLLINGS FOUNDATION B–17 CRASH PROBABLE CAUSE DETERMINATION TO COME The NTSB opened to the public hundreds of pages of documents generated by the investigation into the October 2019 crash of a Collings Foundation Boeing B–17 Flying Fortress that killed seven people. While the agency has yet to determine a probable cause, factual reports in the docket create a detailed picture of what happened. The public docket for the investigation posted online December 9 contains hundreds of pages, including witness interview reports, findings from detailed examination of two of the bomber’s four engines, and other material that enables a chilling re-creation of the ill-fated flight of the vintage bomber dubbed Nine O Nine. An agency spokesman told local media that the information was released in the interest of transparency and asked the public to continue to be patient while the agency works to make a probable cause determination. The pilot, Ernest McCauley, 75, and co-pilot Michael Foster, 71, were both killed in the crash, along with five of the 10 passengers who had each donated $450 to the Massachusetts-based Collings Foundation in exchange for a seat on the flight conducted under the foundation’s FAA Living History Flight Exemption. The foundation is defending itself in three lawsuits filed since the crash. The FAA revoked the foundation’s exemption allowing revenue flights in the B–17 in March, citing lapses in crew training, maintenance, and safety management. Investigators focused on the two engines on the right wing of the aircraft, engines No. 3 and 4. Engine No. 4 had been shut down and the propeller “feathered” in flight, a fact corroborated by the surviving crewmember who was aboard, and physical evidence. “The disassembly and examination of the two engines did not reveal any preexisting mechanical defects or failures. However, the examination of the No. 3 engine’s pistons and spark plugs showed evidence of detonation that would have resulted in a significant loss of engine power,” the powerplant group’s factual report states. The flight departed Runway 6 at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, and reported intent to return to the airport soon after being handed over to departure control, still on a right crosswind. ADS-B data compiled by investigators indicate the aircraft was about 600 feet above field elevation at the time the crew requested a return to the airport, though they declined an air traffic controller’s offer of assistance. “The controller then asked for the reason for the return to the airport, and the pilot replied that the airplane had a ‘rough mag’ on the No. 4 engine,” the Aircraft Performance ADS-B Study states. “The controller then instructed the pilot to fly a right downwind leg for runway 6 and confirmed that the flight needed an immediate landing. He subsequently cancelled the approach of another airplane and advised the pilot to proceed however necessary to runway 6. The approach controller instructed the pilot to contact the tower controller, which he did.” Descending to about 300 feet agl at the midfield point of the right downwind, McCauley and Foster were faced with a dilemma that the ADS-B Study details: the asymmetric thrust created by left-wing engines operating normally while the two on the right wing were producing reduced power at best. According to the ADS-B data plot, the aircraft was a little more than 2,000 feet from the approach end of Runway 33, directly off the stricken aircraft’s right wing at this point in the flight. “Compensating for the loss of right-wing thrust by increasing the thrust on the left-wing engines (#1 and #2) would have exacerbated the thrust asymmetry, and required additional rudder to prevent the airplane from yawing to the right,” the report states. “Consequently, the amount of additional thrust that could have been provided by the left-wing engines might have been limited not only by the maximum power output of those engines, but also by the amount of rudder available to compensate for the thrust asymmetry; once the maximum rudder is applied, any further increase in the thrust asymmetry will result in a right yaw.” Investigators calculated that it was theoretically possible for the stricken bomber to have returned to the runway from which it had launched, despite the loss of power in two engines. “The effect of airspeed on power required, flight path angle, and rate of climb is also presented, and indicates that during most of the flight, the airspeed was below the airspeed that would maximize the flight path angle (the condition required for maximizing the distance flown for a given altitude loss), and suggests that the airplane might have been able to clear the runway approach lights and reach the runway 6 threshold if the airspeed during the return to the airport had been higher (and/or if the landing gear had been kept raised until landing was assured).” The FAA, when revoking the Collings Foundation’s living history flight exemption in March, noted maintenance issues and defects found by investigators in both of the right-side engines. “Regarding engine 4, to prevent the magneto 'P' leads from separating from the magnetos, someone had attempted to rig the magneto leads in place with safety wire. Inspection and testing of engine 4 left magneto revealed the movement of the safety-wired lead caused grounding to the case, which rendered the magneto lead inoperative. In addition, the right magneto of engine 4 was found unserviceable,” the agency stated in its decision. “An inspection of engine 3 showed all spark plugs electrode gaps were out of tolerance, fouled, and revealed various signs of detonation. Further inspection of this engine revealed problems with the cylinders.” The FAA noted also that McCauley served as both pilot in command and the organization’s director of maintenance, and that, “As a result of these findings and other information, the FAA questions whether the engines were inspected adequately and in accordance with the applicable maintenance requirements.” The Operational Factors Group Chairman’s Factual Report in the NTSB docket states that the foundation operated with minimal FAA oversight following the death of the foundation’s point of contact at the flight standards district office in Orlando, Florida, in 2017. “The Collings foundation chief pilot stated in a conversation, that after the POC passed away, the FSDO advised them to use a general email mailbox for their correspondence with the FSDO. The Chief pilot further stated, they would send notifications that were required by their exemption letter to the general mailbox but after several of the emails and notifications were not answered, the Collings Foundation stopped using the general mailbox,” the report states. “As a result, the Collings Foundation operated with minimal to no FAA oversight.” The Collings Foundation told local media that it is prohibited from commenting on the investigation, to which it is a party, while the investigation is pending. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/december/16/ntsb-opens-docket-on-collings-foundation-crash Kansas, FAA sign deal for supersonic flight corridor TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The FAA has signed a deal with Kansas regarding a supersonic flight corridor. Governor Laura Kelly says she and Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz announced on Thursday that KDOT and the Federal Aviation Administration have finalized an agreement establishing the Kansas Supersonic Transportation Corridor to test non-military aircraft that can fly faster than the speed of sound, or Mach speed. “To be able to deliver this new opportunity for our country is yet another example of Kansas cementing its reputation as a national leader in the aviation industry,” Governor Kelly said. “This high-altitude flight corridor gives Kansas a strategic advantage in attracting companies involved in the development of supersonic aircraft, and will play a significant role in our state’s ability to encourage economic development as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.” Gov. Kelly said KDOT Secretary Lorenz, who chairs the Aviation Committee for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, commended the joint efforts that have resulted in Kansas securing the SSTC. She said Lorenz acknowledged Kansas Senator Jerry Moran’s involvement in the process coordinating with the FAA, NASA, the Air Route Traffic Control Center and the National Institute of Aviation Research at Wichita State University. Sen. Moran said industry forecasts show a market for as many as 300 sophisticated supersonic aircraft over a period spanning a decade, which represents as much as $40 billion in revenue and requires a “deep bench of skilled manufacturing talent.” “This year marks 73 years since Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier, and with this supersonic flight corridor Kansas will have a unique role in the next generation of supersonic transportation,” Senator Moran said. Gov. Kelly said the Kansas SSTC is a 770-nautical-mile racetrack-shaped corridor at or above an altitude of 39,000 feet. She said the FAA’s Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center looked at and tested this route to protect the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace system. She said this corridor is entirely in federal airspace above the state of Kansas and runs the length of the state, just north of the Kansas-Oklahoma border. She said the route will support sustained flight up to Mach 3 and is within reach of various airports that are equipped to provide fuel, ground and technical support. Bob Brock, KDOT Director of Aviation, said the SSTC gives innovators like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Aerion, Spike and Boom Aerospace the airspace required to test aircraft designs that reduce the impact of sound on nearby communities. He said the Kansas supersonic corridor also offers logistical advantages by being the first and only such commercial supersonic flight test route in the nation’s interior. “I’m really excited about quiet supersonic technology and its ability to be transformative for flight and our economy,” said Jim Bridenstine, Administrator of NASA. Bridenstine said NASA is currently working with the industry to build supersonic aircraft with “low-boom” or “no-boom” flight characteristics. According to Gov. Kelly, in order to provide safety margins for the operations, the KDOT Division of Aviation, FAA Central Region, Air Route Traffic Control Center and Lemasters Group Consulting jointly wrote new procedures for operators. She said aircraft will only enter the SSTC at specific points and will be required to clear flight routes before takeoff. She said the SSTC is located in generally low-volume airspace, helping to minimize any effect on existing flight routes and airports. Gov. Kelly said KDOT also partnered with WSU’s National Insitute of Aviation Research to collect noise data and live telemetry from the aircraft that will be used by both the FAA and aircraft manufacturers to evaluate performance. “We help manufacturers refine aircraft designs every day and flight tests are one of our core strengths,” said Dr. John Tomblin, WSU Senior Vice President for Industry and Defense Programs and NIAR Executive Director. “This partnership with KDOT provides a sophisticated and cost-effective flight test capability within reach of every major aircraft manufacturer in the country.” According to Gov. Kelly, the FAA recently proposed a new rule that would modernize the procedure for requesting special flight authorizations to operate at supersonic speeds over the U.S. She said Kansas state officials are hopeful that data from the corridor will help policymakers and the FAA make informed judgments on issues that will drive the future of the aviation industry. Gov. Kelly said Kansas has consistently served in a leadership role for the aviation industry. She said research efforts such as these could shape the future of air travel in ways that reduce environmental impacts as well as facilitate global travel in a much more efficient and affordable manner. https://www.wibw.com/2020/12/17/kansas-faa-sign-deal-for-supersonic-flight-corridor/ Costa Rica Could Recover The Maximum Air Safety Rating In Early 2021 The FAA downgraded the country from category 1 to 2 in May 2019, but reviews carried out throughout this year open the door to a possible reclassification. The last inspection was carried out in November. Costa Rica could soon recover it’s category 1 in aeronautical safety by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at the beginning of 2021. The main disadvantage of the lower category is that it blocks Costa Rica’s establishing new flights to the United States or new airlines to Costa Rica At least that is the prediction of the Dirección General de Aviación Civil (DGAC – Costa Rica’s Civil Aviation – after a series of reviews carried out by that organization throughout this year. Although the pandemic complicated the audit, Costa Rica’s aeronautical authorities made efforts to advance the process, confirmed Álvaro Vargas, Chief of Civil Aviation. The FAA, attached to the US Department of Transportation, announced on May 13, 2019 that Costa Rica was not complying with the safety regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), for which it downgraded its international rating from 1 to 2. The FAA considered deficiencies in areas such as technical expertise, personnel training, record keeping or inspection procedures, as the country never implemented, within reasonable time frames, ICAO provisions, the United Nations specialized agency in charge of regulating world aeronautics, in the last 9 years. Since then, this disqualification has affected the image of Costa Rica’s air safety, since only four other countries (Thailand, Bangladesh, Ghana and Curaçao) have the same score among more than 100, according to ICAO rules. Since the announcement, the FAA agreed to advise Civil Aviation on the necessary corrections; a process that continued even into 2020, with all that it entailed in the midst of a global health emergency. Vargas explained that all of the 22 discrepancies were overcome at the beginning of March and in April requested of the FAA a new audit. In March, Vargas explained, the FAA informed Civil Aviation that it preferred to carry out the next audit during 2021 due to the complications brough by the pandemic. “We insisted; We wanted to have the audit done but virtually. In the end they accepted and, for them as for us, it was the first virtual audit like this in our respective histories,” assured Vargas. Thus, for two weeks in June, the FAA conducted an audit from which new discrepancies emerged. As part of its analysis, the FAA focuses primarily on three areas: airworthiness, licensing of technical and aeronautical personnel, and development of aeronautical operations. FAA authorities insisted that a face-to-face visit would still be necessary for the audit process, that according to Vargas would have been in 2021. However, the FAA relented and a delegation visited Costa Rica from November 1 to 6, to carry out the physical audit. “In the end, they made a verbal report with a series of observations. The formal written report of that audit has not yet been sent to us, but we hope to receive it during this month of December,” assured Vargas. By procedure, a meeting between US and national authorities is scheduled for the next few weeks based on the findings of that report. It will be at that time when Civil Aviation presents an action plan in relation to the observations it receives. “In this way, it would be during the first quarter of 2021 when we would have the criteria on whether the country’s categorization remains as it is now or the previous condition is recovered,” concluded Vargas. The main disadvantage of the lower category is that it blocks Costa Rica’s establishing new flights to the United States or new airlines to Costa Rica. https://qcostarica.com/costa-rica-could-recover-the-maximum-air-safety-rating-in-early-2021/ Business aviation organisations launch the Air Charter Safety Alliance • Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association A global group of leading business aviation organizations – including the Middle East association MEBAA, have announced a coordinated effort to combat illegal on-demand charter flights in the sector. Ali Alnaqbi MEBAA founding & executive chairman said: An international coalition is the need of the hour to put our hands on the routes of illegal chartering and work together to come up with a global constant process to eradicate this issue.” Image: MEBAA The group, called the Air Charter Safety Alliance, will raise awareness among potential customers, charter brokers, ministries of transport, and national aviation authorities regarding the use of unauthorised aircraft operators for on-demand flights. While the overwhelming majority of on-demand charter flights comply with national and international safety standards, there have been instances of unauthorized aircraft operators actively avoiding aviation authority oversight, placing at risk the safety of unwitting passengers and hurting the economic health of approved charter operators. In the past, several associations worked actively on reducing illegal activity by setting up dedicated websites to educate and engage aircraft owners and national authorities on proper compliance with charter regulations. Over the next three months, the coalition hopes to collect best practices from the various associations, create an online platform and initiate an online educational campaign to make main stakeholders aware of the dangers of illegal charter. The coalition will develop and promote several safety programs that assist on-demand charter operators while continuing to improve their already impressive safety performance. Industry-led programs focusing on Safety Management Systems, flight data recording and safety reporting, along with a focus on safety culture have aided in bringing greater value to state-approved charter operators. Creating more discerning customers, in addition to efforts that will help to identify illegal charters, will hopefully dissuade those seeking to compromise safety for profit. Kurt Edwards, director general, IBAC, said: “The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has established obligations and guidance on the regulation of international air transport as well as standards and recommended practices for the safety and security of commercial and non-commercial air transport. These form the harmonised basis for legal international air charter activities. We are pleased to work with the IBAC member associations to raise awareness among national authorities and client populations of this international framework to further reduce the occurrence of charter operations inconsistent with the framework.” Robert Baltus EBAA COO stated, “Business aviation is known as the most flexible means of transportation, using the highest safety standards, and EBAA and our partners aim to ensure that the travelling public can continue to trust our industry.” “Illegal/Grey charters know no boundaries. NATA is proud to bring our proven expertise, tools, and resources, found at www.avoidillegalcharter.com, to a global movement to end this pervasive problem. The industry has made great progress in joining together to advance crucial initiatives such as sustainability. We look forward to experiencing that same level of success as a unified force in eliminating illegal charter operations,” said Ryan Waguespack NATA Senior Vice President Dave Edwards, CEO, The ACA, said: “Illegal charter goes against everything our industry works hard to deliver – it increases risk to passengers, damages the reputation of our industry and impacts careers and businesses. By working together with our partner associations around the world, we aim to protect the air charter community and educate passengers, pilots and aircraft owners about the serious consequences of illegal charter.” ABAG director general and CEO Flavio Pires said “ABAG fully supports any initiative to combat illegal charter! It is a growing concern worldwide! Authorities and Civil Aviation Industry communities must be together in combating the risks posed by illegal charter schemes. Aircraft owners and customers must understand, besides tax consequences, the significant liability since they may not meet the higher standards for proper pilot training and experience, maintenance programs additional requirements, right size insurance coverage and defined operational control of a certificated 135 air charter operator.” “As BAA's steadfast commitment to aviation safety includes educating and helping our members and the industry understand the risks of illegal charter. Through AsBAA's initiatives such as our Virtual Safety Summit, Safety Days, and others, members and the industry learn how to perform their due diligence, identify warning signs, and help deter illegal and unsafe flight activities with the aim to uphold the highest standards in the industry.” said Jeff Chiang, Chief Operating Officer, Asian Business Aviation Association. Ali Alnaqbi MEBAA founding & executive chairman stated, “Illegal chartering continues to have a huge negative impact on the business aviation industry worldwide. Unless a global approach is taken to fight to eliminate the illegal chartering, this issue cannot be solved at an individual scale. An international coalition is the need of the hour to put our hands on the routes of illegal chartering and work together to come up with a global constant process to eradicate this issue.” “For over 70 years, NBAA has aided members and the business aviation community by identifying and sharing best practices along with advocating for reasonable and effective safety regulation,” noted National Business Aviation Association Vice President for International and Regulatory Affairs Doug Carr. “We believe this multi-pronged approach to consumer education, along with regulator and supply-chain awareness, will reinforce the safety value of approved charter operators. Carr noted the association has a wealth of resources, including the Aircraft Charter Consumer Guide – updated in 2020 – which helps individuals and businesses become informed consumers”. https://www.arabianaerospace.aero/business-aviation-organisations-launch-the-air-charter-safety-alliance.html Can Real Time Pilot Monitoring Help Reduce Military Pilot Unexplained Physiological Events? A team of researchers from Ball Aerospace, Collins Aerospace, the University of Iowa and the Department of Defense have launched a promising research and development project that will consider how the use of a multi-variant, multi-sensor approach to real time monitoring of pilot physiological conditions could develop methods that can help reduce the number of Unexplained Physiological Events (UPEs) experienced by military pilots across a variety of fighter jets, helicopters and special mission aircraft. Their research is inspired by a wide array of initiatives and studies that have examined occurrences where U.S. military pilots experience UPEs, including a number of initiatives taken by the Air Force and Navy in particular in recent years. On Dec. 1, a 60-page report published by the National Commission on Military Aviation Safety dedicated a portion of their report to analyzing the causes of UPEs as well as past efforts and data collection and reporting methods on past problems. "From fiscal years 2013 through 2018, the Air Force experienced 718 physiological episodes," according to the report. UPEs, are abnormal human physiological conditions that can cause pilots across different types of aircraft to experience blood flow, oxygen or fatigue-based symptoms connected to a range of possible conditions, such as hypoxia (oxygen deficiency to the brain), hypocapnia (reduced carbon dioxide in the blood), hypercapnia (elevated carbon dioxide in the blood) or G-LOC (gravity-induced loss of consciousness), according to the commission. Andre Garcia, senior manager of the advanced research team within the Collins Aerospace military avionics division, told Avionics International during a recent interview that the research collaboration they're participating in tackles one of the key recommendations made by the commission that published the report. The commission emphasized among its recommendations for the Department of Defense's Joint Safety Council to address human "physiology concerns and analyze physiological effects throughout the aircraft testing phases for T-7, B-21, Future Vertical Lift, and other next-generation platforms early in the initial aircraft and cockpit design and with any materiel modification of the aircraft," in the report. Moreover, the Joint Safety Council recommends DoD aircraft acquisition leaders develop physiological standards for each new military airframe being considered for acquisition to use in screening and "to ensure that the pilot/operator is able to successfully perform at optimal levels across the spectrum of the weapons system’s capabilities," the report said. "With real-time pilot monitoring in the cockpit it’s going to have to be a multi-variant approach," Garcia said. Garcia, who holds a Ph.D. in Human Factors and Applied Cognition in addition to experience as an Army and Naval Sea human factors engineer, said the goal of their program is to develop a sensor suite that can measure a variety of physiological conditions. "All of the different possible sensors out there have extensive roots in the medical world. Things like brain blood flow measurement, saturation of blood, eye tracking behavior, and the lowest hanging fruit is the behavioral inputs. What you’re doing with the avionics suite on the aircraft, are you pushing buttons? Are you giving the stick and throttle inputs, if you’re not giving any inputs that’s a leading indicator to say something’s wrong with the pilot," he said. • From fiscal years 2013 through 2018, the Air Force experienced 718 physiological episodes. • The Navy and Marines experienced 699 physiological episodes. On June 19, Ball Aerospace was awarded a three year $12 million contract to develop a prototype integrated sensor suite capable of cockpit sensing that includes monitoring both the physiology and cockpit environments. Collins was one of the companies selected to participate in the research by Ball. The timing of AFRL's work with the research team comes at time that their research could produce crucial human factors related data on design elements for next-generation cockpits in aircraft such as those being considered for FVL and other programs. Data compiled in the commission's report shows that developing solutions to monitor pilot physiological conditions remains a major need. The F-35 is the latest fighter jet to enter service for DoD, and the report highlights how it had its first flight in 2006, before UPEs began surfacing more frequently with the F-22, a program that was grounded for five months in 2011 by the U.S. Air Force because of the increasing number of unexplained physiological episodes. Seven years later, in February 2018, the Air Force's training command grounded all T-6 trainers - a turboprop plane used for basic pilot training - due to an increase in the number of unexplained physiological episodes, according to the report. There have been a number of spikes in UPEs experienced by pilots of the F-15, F-16, F/A-18; the T-45, and T-38 trainers; the low-altitude A-10 attack jet and C-130 transports. "Different oxygen systems, different cockpits, different missions, different ages of airframes, all had aircrews experiencing varying degrees of physiological episodes," the report said. Every organization and researcher and SME interviewed by the commission agreed that more attention is needed on incorporating design elements associated with next-generation human machine interfaces. It also references several research initiatives that are exploring biometric monitoring systems integrated into flight suits, helmets, and masks to collect physiological data without interfering with the pilot's operation of the aircraft. Garcia said the primary way UPEs are assessed today occur through trial and error, where pilots report certain conditions, such as black outs or loss of situational awareness. Human factors experts then try to diagnose what lead to occurrence of that UPE in a reactive manner. Garcia said his team wants to be more proactive in that aspect, by gathering data collected from the cockpit sensor suite they’re developing, compile that data into a data lake and apply intelligent algorithms that could be used to inform aircraft systems on how to intervene when a pilot is experiencing a UPE that leads to a severe navigation problem. "Because it’s so diff to actually integrate something into an aircraft, get flight time, and assess what’s going on upstairs when someone is flying, this is the program specifically doing that. We're taking an empirical approach to truly start understanding what UPEs the pilot is actually experiencing not just an opinion through diagnosis, but in real time," Garcia said. "The pilot monitoring system will need to talk to the aircraft, gather data that could be leading to a UPE and potentially intervene if necessary. the purpose of this program isn’t necessarily to solve the problem and create the incarnation of a real time pilot monitoring system, it’s kind of a first step in understanding the problem." https://www.aviationtoday.com/2020/12/18/can-real-time-pilot-monitoring-help-reduce-military-pilot-unexplained-physiological-events/ Unwanted Flight Test: The FAA’s 709 Ride You groundlooped the Decathlon in a gusty crosswind. Now the FAA is demanding that you take a checkride. How are you going to handle it? “I did feel like I was forgetting something.” An inadvertent gear-up landing may result in the FAA requesting that you take a 709 ride. Correspondence from the FAA is enough to elevate a pilot’s heart rate well into triple digits. A letter from the FAA stating that the pilot’s competence has been called into question and requesting that the pilot take a reexamination checkride with an FAA inspector will make even the toughest pilot go weak in the knees. Pilot reexamination—what does it mean? Can the FAA do that to me? What triggered the FAA’s sudden interest in me? How do I deal with it? Can I make it go away? Who do they think they are? We’ll answer all of those questions, and toss in some recommendations for actions you should take if you ever get an FAA letter asking you to appear for a checkride to reexamine your competence as an aviator. We’ll also talk about some questions that you should ask yourself if you ever get such a letter. The Legalities When Congress established the FAA, it gave it wide powers to take action needed to carry out its mission to make aviation as safe as possible for the general public. That included permitting the FAA “to reexamine an airman holding a pilot certificate.” When can the FAA do this, you ask? According to the law, 49 U.S.C. 44709(a), the answer is “any time.” That’s scary. Congress gave the FAA free rein to reexamine pilots. Fortunately, when the FAA set up its own operational standards by which it would enforce the law— FAA Order 8900.1 Flight Standards Information Management System—it did not give its inspectors the authority to reexamine pilots any time they felt so inclined. Instead, the FAA required that there must be some reasonable basis for the FAA to question the pilot’s competence before it can require a reexamination checkride—suspicion is not enough. The Trigger Order 8900.1 gives a succinct description as to what most commonly triggers a request that a pilot take a 709 ride: “In most cases a reexamination will result from the inspector’s investigation of an accident or incident where the airman’s competence was the apparent cause of the occurrence.” In talking with FAA inspectors, we were told that the most common pilot competence events that triggered 709 rides were running out of fuel, a groundloop (with damage) or inadvertently landing gear up. The Letter The FAA starts the 709 procedure by sending you a letter by certified mail describing the situation and inviting you demonstrate to the FAA that you still have the qualifications and skills for your certificates and ratings within 15 days. The letter will explain the details of the reexamination, including what areas are to be tested and the type of aircraft to be used. While it is an invitation, attendance is mandatory. If you ignore the letter the FAA will begin an emergency enforcement action to suspend your certificate. We have looked at some of the cases where a pilot tried to fight the certificate action by alleging that the FAA didn’t have the right to reexamine the pilot (never successful) or that it didn’t have sufficient cause for the reexamination (we found none that were successful). At the same time, we’re aware of times that the FAA was considering a 709 ride for a pilot, but the pilot had stayed in touch with the FAA inspector who investigated the accident and was able to show that—in one case—the airplane ran off of the runway due to a mechanical failure in the nosegear steering mechanism. The FAA closed its file without taking any action. Now What? And around we go. A groundloop that results in damage or injuries my bring you a 709 invitation letter from the FAA. The chances are that you’re still suffering embarrassment that you’ve scratched an airplane and now you feel like the FAA wants to kick you while you’re down. Nevertheless, we suggest that you spend about 15 seconds feeling good and sorry for yourself and then start taking action. First, contact an aviation lawyer. We recommend that pilots subscribe to AOPA’s (www.aopa.org) Pilot Protection Services—it’s designed for situations like this. Even if you’re not a subscriber, you can call them and get names of aviation attorneys in your area. Talk with an attorney about your situation and get advice before going further. In general, the next step will be for you to call the FAA inspector who sent the letter and discuss getting the checkride scheduled as well as talking a little about the incident. The FAA has some leeway on the 15-day requirement, especially if you were injured or there is some difficulty for you to get access to a similar airplane. No matter what, the idea is to make contact and start things moving toward taking the 709 ride so that you don’t run out the clock and face an enforcement action. Then, and we can’t emphasize this enough—go to a trusted CFI and take dual on the areas that will be examined on your ride. Insist that the instructor be completely honest with you as to whether she or he thinks that you can meet the Airman Certification Standards (ACS) for your certificates and that you can pass the ride. If the instructor says that you can’t, get a second opinion. If that instructor says you can’t, it may be time for a long talk with yourself as to whether you should continue flying. FAA inspectors and CFIs tell us that in about 10 percent of the 709 ride matters the pilot involved has kept flying too long and, because of the realities of aging, can no longer meet ACS standards. If you decide that you probably won’t pass the 709 ride, it may be time to surrender your certificate. Talk with your attorney before doing so as there may be some options such as just giving up your instrument rating and continuing to fly VFR. The Ride A 709 ride is a checkride that covers only limited areas, but it is to the ACS for the certificates you hold. Pilots who have reported to us after a 709 ride have all remarked that the inspector was fully aware that the pilot was extremely nervous and embarrassed to be there and worked to create a non-threatening atmosphere. While you may be there to demonstrate landings and they will probably be the primary focus of the conversation you have prior to flight, you’ll be expected to know the systems, V speeds and emergency procedures for the airplane you’re flying. The flight will probably be fairly short—assuming you demonstrate mastery of the aircraft. If the focus is landings, the flight should not include steep turns under the hood; it must be focused on the reason you were called in to demonstrate your abilities. If you pass—and from what our research shows, 90 to 95 percent of pilots do—that’s it. The inspector takes care of paperwork and you go on to what we hope are many more years of enjoyable flying. Failing the Ride If you fail you have some options. You can surrender your certificate. There are formalities associated with that, including that you have to do it in writing. Alternatively, you can request another checkride. Inspectors told us that they almost always agree and also set it up with another inspector to avoid any claim that the inspector was biased. Our discussions with inspectors revealed that they don’t like failing pilots on 709 rides and that a failure is rarely a “near thing.” When pilots fail a 709, they apparently do it in a big way, being unable to come close to objective standards such as airspeed, altitude and heading tolerances. We also learned that only a tiny minority of pilots who fail a 709 ride pass it on the second try. If, after failure, the pilot refuses to surrender her or his pilot certificate, the FAA starts an emergency revocation action. We could not find one pilot who was able to win one and we saw some pretty intense (and sometimes irrational) efforts by pilots to show that the FAA was out to get them. Some of those showed indications that the pilots involved may also not have had both oars in the water. In our opinion, if you fail a 709 ride, it’s time to have a long talk with your family, a trusted CFI and aviation lawyer, consider the good long run you’ve had in aviation and give serious thought to surrendering your certificate with dignity rather than having it taken away. https://www.avweb.com/flight-safety/faa-regs/unwanted-flight-test-the-faas-709-ride/ American Airlines Flight Attendants Could Be Made to Take COVID-19 Vaccine It would be perfectly lawful for American Airlines to require employees to have a vaccine against COVID-19 once one becomes available according to the union that represents flight attendants at the Dallas Fort Worth-based carrier. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) issued the warning as pressure mounts on airlines to mandate vaccination as a condition of travel for both passengers and staff. American Airlines, however, says no decision has yet been made whether it will actually require employees to receive the Coronavirus vaccine following the Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to issue an emergency use approval for the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine. The flight attendant union said it was continuing to “advocate for the safest course of action for our members”, while a spokesperson for American Airlines said the carrier was working with health experts as it determined the best way to provide employee access to COVID-19 vaccines. APFA did not say what position it held on the prospect of compulsory vaccination but it did tell flight attendants that American, like any other airline, would have to consider religious accommodation requests, as well as medical accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act if it decided to push the vaccine on workers. Nearly two weeks ago, Delta Air Lines chief executive Ed Bastian suggested that compulsory vaccination would be required for flight attendants working on long-haul international flights. At the very least, Bastian said employees would be “strongly encouraged” to have the vaccine once it becomes available. When exactly flight attendants and other airline employees will be offered the vaccine, however, remains the big question. Bastian believes airline workers should get priority access to the vaccine but APFA says it could still be some time before the rollout reaches American’s flight attendants. The priority is to vaccinate high-risk healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities before the jab can be made available to other groups. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is then considering prioritizing workers in essential and critical industries like aviation, although the rollout might vary from state to state. Even then, aviation workers could be waiting behind other essential workers like firefighters and police officers. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), however, has backed calls for airline workers to be near the front of the line, saying the successful worldwide distribution of the vaccinate might depend on it. “We are not asking for aviation workers to be on top of the list, but we need governments to ensure that transportation workers are considered as essential when vaccine roll-out plans are developed,” commented Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s outgoing Director General earlier this week. “The transportation of the COVID-19 vaccines has already begun, and as calculations show, it will require the equivalent of 8,000 Boeing 747 freighter aircraft for global distribution. It is therefore essential that we have the qualified workforce in place to ensure a functioning logistics chain.” https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2020/12/16/american-airlines-flight-attendants-could-be-made-to-take-covid-19-vaccine/ Court Keeps Travel Ban for Pilots Charged over Ghosn Escape The seven are accused of helping Ghosn flee while he awaited trial in Japan. ISTANBUL (AP) — A Turkish court hearing the case against four pilots, two flight attendants and a private airline official accused of smuggling former Nissan Motor Co. chairman Carlos Ghosn out of Japan to Lebanon via Istanbul, on Thursday rejected a request for the pilots’ travel bans to be lifted, a lawyer said. In the second hearing of the case, the court listened to testimony from two ground technicians who said they saw the airline official accompanying Ghosn in Istanbul while he left one jet and boarded the next, the state-run Anadolu Agency said. The court then adjourned the trial until Jan. 20. The seven are accused of helping Ghosn flee while he awaited trial in Japan. Turkish prosecutors are seeking up to eight years in prison each for the four pilots and the airline official on charges of illegally smuggling a “migrant.” The two flight attendants face a one-year prison term each if convicted of not reporting a crime. In the opening trial in July, the court released the four pilots and the airline official from custody pending the outcome of their trial, but barred them from leaving Turkey. They were also ordered to report to authorities at regular intervals. The flight attendants were not under custody. A lawyer representing pilot Serhat Kahvecioglu told The Associated Press that the panel of judges rejected requests for the pilots’ travel bans to be lifted. “These people are pilots and haven’t been able to do their jobs for over a year. They have not been making any money for a year,” Mehmet Rusen Gultekin said. Gultekin said his client was not aware of the scheme to smuggle Ghosn and expressed hope that he would be acquitted at the next hearing. Ghosn, who was arrested over financial misconduct allegations in Tokyo in 2018, skipped bail while awaiting trial last year. He was flown from Osaka to Istanbul and then transferred onto another plane bound for Beirut, where he arrived Dec. 30. He is believed to have been smuggled inside a large, foam-covered music box. The pilots and flight attendants have denied involvement in the plans to smuggle Ghosn or of knowing that Ghosn was aboard the flights. The airline official, Okan Kosemen, claimed he was made aware that Ghosn was on board the flight from Osaka to Istanbul after the plane landed. He admitted helping smuggle Ghosn onto the second, Beirut-bound plane, but claimed he was threatened and feared for his family's safety. Turkish airline company MNG Jet said in January that two of its planes were used illegally in Ghosn’s escape, flying him from Osaka to Istanbul, and then to Beirut. The company said at the time that its employee had admitted to falsifying flight records so that Ghosn’s name didn’t appear on them. The indictment against the defendants notes a 216,000-euro and $66,000 increase in the airline official’s bank accounts between Oct. 16 and Dec. 26, 2019. https://www.manufacturing.net/automotive/news/21207304/court-keeps-travel-ban-for-pilots-charged-over-ghosn-escape Boeing jet sales to China ‘highly complicated’ by company’s arms sales to Taiwan, experts say Boeing CEO diplomatic in comments about China sales, adding that ‘Boeing will be the beneficiary’ when bilateral relations improve with the United States China is the world’s largest single market for Boeing and Airbus, with Chinese clients having accepted delivery of one out of every four 737s sold by Boeing The outlook for sales of Boeing passenger jets in China is “highly complicated” due to bilateral diplomatic issues, particularly the company’s arms sales to Taiwan, according to analysts. China is likely to be cautious in its future dealings with Boeing – including whether to give its 737 MAX approval to resume flying again – given continued US-China tensions, they said. For its part, Boeing is trying hard to break the ice and resume business in China. In an interview with CNBC on Wednesday, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said he was quite “bullish and constructive” on sales to China. “We need some good diplomacy on that front,” he said in reference to the difficulties the company faces. With the Chinese market for passenger jets set to grow sharply in the coming years, Calhoun had nothing but good things to say about China’s appetite for Boeing jets. The Chinese “love” Boeing’s aeroplanes and have had “great success” with them, Calhoun said, noting that the phase-one trade deal reached earlier this year includes a provision for plane sales. Boeing is the largest US exporter in terms of total value. “I do believe that when a constructive relationship is begun, then things will quiet down and the Chinese will want to get aeroplanes,” Calhoun said. “And Boeing will be a beneficiary of that.” When asked if China was interested in striking deals for more of Boeing’s troubled 737 MAX, Calhoun said, “Oh, yeah.” China had been one of the largest markets for the 737 MAX, which was grounded in March 2019 after two crashes in less than five months killed 346 people. The US federal authorities lifted the flight ban last month, and Europe is set to lift its ban early next year. But the plane’s future in China, where it is still grounded, is unclear, and its fate could be tied to broader US-China frictions. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said last month that it had not set a timetable for the plane’s return, and that the model must meet safety requirements to take off again. This is not a simple matter of the [passenger jet] market, this is a very complex matter of national security and the personal safety of Chinese citizens Shi Yinhong, a professor at Renmin University who advises the State Council, China’s cabinet, said the current relationship between Boeing and China is “highly complicated” because Chinese authorities are “very unhappy” about Boeing’s involvement in US arms sales to Taiwan. The Chinese government announced in October that it would impose sanctions on Boeing’s defence unit over the Taiwan weapons sales, but did not set penalties on the firm’s commercial aviation business. However, political considerations are usually the driving force behind China’s trade decisions. “This is not a simple matter of the [passenger jet] market, this is a very complex matter of national security and the personal safety of Chinese citizens. The Chinese government will certainly take very cautious steps in dealing with Boeing’s continued large-scale sales in China,” Shi said. China is the world’s largest single market for Boeing and Airbus, with Chinese clients having accepted delivery of one out of every four 737s sold by Boeing. Despite China’s need for more passenger jets, US-China tensions will play a significant role in Boeing’s future sales to China, said Lin Zhijie, an expert at the official Aviation Think Tank, echoing Shi’s view. “China’s domestic market is recovering rapidly, and the number of domestic flights has rebounded to 100 per cent of last year’s level. The Chinese market is now more significant for Boeing, as the company is grappling with the global aviation industry’s massive downturn,” Lin said, referring to the worldwide collapse of air travel due to the coronavirus pandemic. Lin added that China’s civil aviation market will continue to boom after the pandemic, but it remains to be seen how the country will distribute its purchase plans between Boeing, Airbus and state-owned planemaker Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, which has said it expects to start delivering its C919 aircraft by the end of next year. Despite the impact of the coronavirus, Boeing forecast in November that Chinese airlines would need 8,600 new aeroplanes through 2039, or 6.3 per cent more than the company’s prediction last year of 8,090 planes. Much of the demand will be for single-aisle jet aircraft such as the 737 MAX, with that demand worth about US$1.4 trillion based on list prices, according to Boeing. China’s C919 commercial jet aspirations are overblown and no threat to Boeing or Airbus, Washington think tank finds 10 Dec 2020 Luya You, a transport analyst at Bocom International, said there was “definitely” reasonable logic behind Calhoun’s statement, as the Chinese market for aircraft is the one of the fastest-growing in the world. But the question of aircraft deals and Boeing’s future presence in the Chinese market is certainly being hotly debated due to the heightened US-China tensions, she said. “While it’s likely that the Chinese market may lean more heavily on Airbus deliveries in the near-term, it would also be a feat for Chinese airlines to dissociate from Boeing jets altogether,” she said. “It’s simply a matter of supply and demand. Narrow-body jet supply is still highly constrained if we consider global growth trajectories. “Given the fact that there are only two major [manufacturers] capable of mass-producing commercial narrow-bodies at the moment, and taking note of their respective lengthy backlogs, it’s not a stretch to say that many airlines have no choice but to invest in the 737 MAX.” https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3114392/boeing-jet-sales-china-highly-complicated-companys-arms-sales This Hydrogen-Powered Plane Startup Just Raised $21 Million From Bill Gates, Amazon and More Hydrogen-powered planes may be the way of the future if California-based startup ZeroAvia has its way. And with $21.4 million in new funding under its belt, that may just happen sooner than we think. Its new injection of cash comes courtesy of Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, which should help it reach its goal of developing commercially viable, zero-emissions aircraft. And the Microsoft founder isn’t the only one vying to support the potentially aviation-shifting venture: Amazon and Shell also count themselves as investors. So far, the company has operated 10 successful test flights with the long-term goal of operating commercial flights of up to 500 miles using 10- to 20-seat aircraft by 2023. It’s also working with British Airways to identify ways ZeroAvia believes that benchmark can be extended with 200-passenger aircraft traveling up to 3,000 miles by 2030. To do so will require more rounds of funding like Gates’ contribution. “This is a capital-intensive industry, so having investors to help you through the process is very important,” said ZeroAvia founder Val Miftakhov in an interview with Reuters. So far, that investment has led to serious momentum. Though the company expects its technology will likely be used for cargo aircraft first, it has already partnered with investor British Airways on how it can move away from fossil fuel-powered jets. This comes at a critical time when the ravages of rapid climate change have stirred reevaluation of aviation and how it negatively impacts the environment. According to the International Council on Clean Transportation, in 2018 aviation produced 918 million metric tons of CO2, about 2.4 percent of global fossil fuel emissions. Hydrogen is the most abundant element on earth and has the potential to dramatically slash this figure in a few year’s time compared to other technologies, like pure electric. “With compressed hydrogen gas storage, you immediately have four to five times the advantage in terms of energy density if you compare a 1,000-lb. fuel cell system to a 1,000-lb. battery,” Miftakhov told Robb Report in May. With the rapid scalability of hydrogen fuel cells, it may not be long before our skies start looking a little bluer. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/hydrogen-powered-plane-startup-just-213000361.html Three different space launch companies -- three very different approaches to solving for cost and efficiency Launch startup Astra had a monumental week, achieving their first spaceflight with a rocket test on Tuesday. Astra CEO Chris Kemp joined Relativity Space CEO Tim Ellis and VOX Space president Mandy Vaughn at our TC Sessions: Space event on Wednesday, and with Relativity's huge $500 million round earlier this year, and Virgin Orbit's milestone test flight in May, it was a big year for all involved. A significant portion of our discussion focused on the very different approaches that each of these launch companies is taking to solving what boils down to the same problem -- improving cost and availability of launch. Kemp first described Astra's approach, which boils down to rigorous and continuous process and cost optimization. "Where we focus our software effort is in understanding where to make engineering optimizations," Kemp said. "So by having an Astra operating system that is making it visible to all of our engineers, where your costs are, because you have a long lead time on this part, because there's a lot of labor to assemble this part. [...] We're not throwing any specific technology solution at a problem, we're trying to basically triage the trade-offs that you're making between the performance of the rocket -- you can always use a higher-cost material, and you can potentially also use a higher-cost manufacturing process, like 3D printing, but it isn't always the right approach." Kemp added that Astra is essentially technology-agnostic when it comes to their production stack, and flexible in terms of how to configure that based on available resources and end goal parameters. "You want to optimize the overall economics of the business without regard to what technology you're going to use," he said. "So we pick the right technology to optimize the business based on the capital we have, and the production rate and the launch rate that we're trying to target." Ellis, meanwhile, talked about Relativity's use of 3D printing, and how it differs significantly from its use in the production stack of other existing rocket manufacturers. "What we're doing at Relativity is completely different than what almost everyone else is doing with using 3D printing for bits and pieces of a rocket," he said." From Apollo and launching rockets to the moon, how we fundamentally build and develop, and the tool sets we use to make rockets and aerospace products is more or less the same as what it was 60 years ago -- you walk into a factory, and it's full of giant, expensive, fixed tooling, very complicated supply chains building products one at a time by hand with hundreds of thousands, to even millions of parts, depending on whether it's a rocket or commercial aircraft." By contrast, Ellis pointed out that Relativity is creating rockets with less than 1,000 total components by viewing 3D printing from a top-down angle, and using it for the vast majority of the production process, rather than for select components. "Then we're able to actually build each rocket and from raw material and fly it in 60 days, once our factories are operational, and then 60 days later, we'll do a better version and 60 days later, a better version than that," he said. "So the compounding rate of progress that's possible with an all-in 3D printing approach, I believe, is equivalent to going from on-premise servers to cloud, or from gas internal combustion engines to electric -- it's really actually an entirely different tech stack and value chain, it's not just the rocket itself." Vaughn pointed out that while all the companies have different approaches, they all seek to change the accessibility and cost of getting payloads to orbit. She then pointed out that Virgin Orbit has identified launch location flexibility as one of the key levers to speed that change in the right direction. "It's not just about getting mass to orbit. It's about how do we change what is that cost point to do so, and how do we change the accessibility to do so," she said. "Also, really unique from our perspective is, what is that just kind of inherent mobility to do -- so how can we actually just fly the launch pad around, and really change the CONOPS [concept of operations] of what it takes to establish an infrastructure and leverage that infrastructure to have access to space." Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne is carried by a modified 747 passenger airplane, which takes off from and lands at a traditional runway. That not only means the rocket itself requires less fuel, and therefore less mass, to deliver its cargo to orbit, but also introduces a lot of launch site flexibility. "By changing the discussion in terms of what is a launch, and what is the end game, it's not just about mass to orbit, it's about all of these other elements of how can we react quickly, how can we design and produce something quickly, as well as deploy that capability, maybe in a unique way from an unexpected location, and then get the on-space effects delivered uniquely and quickly," Vaughn said. All three panelists agreed that the market will likely support many providers when it comes to small launch vehicles, and their existing sold inventory queues reflects that. We also heard later in the day from Amazon SVP Dave Limp, who pointed out that they alone will require multiple launch providers contracted for multiple missions to get Amazon's Project Kuiper constellation in place on orbit. • Amazon’s Project Kuiper will seek multiple launch providers to carry its satellites to space https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/three-different-space-launch-companies-135036886.html NTSB - Position Available - Transportation Disaster Assistance (TDA) Specialist The NTSB hiring a Transportation Disaster Assistance (TDA) Specialist in our TDA division. TDA works closely with federal, state, local, and volunteer agencies, as well as the transportation carrier, to coordinate disaster response activities following a transportation accident. Our team focuses on meeting the needs of transportation accident victims and their families during this difficult time. TDA specialists engage directly with victims and family members to address questions and provide investigative updates during the on-scene phase, and throughout the course of an NTSB investigation. Our ideal candidate will bring working knowledge of: · family assistance response operations following transportation accidents, natural disasters, criminal events, or other critical incidents or traumatic events; · domestic and foreign air carrier emergency response and family assistance operations, to include the development of family assistance programs and the interface with alliance and code-share partners, and airports in the implementation of family assistance response plans; and · U.S. civil airport emergency response operations with a specific focus on passenger and family assistance operations. Our ideal candidate will have experience in: · project or case management of victim or family assistance in the aftermath of transportation accidents, natural disasters, criminal events, or other critical incidents or traumatic events. To learn more about this opportunity and what we’re looking for, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/586748300 2021 Aircraft Cabin Air Conference Registration Now Open ** With over 500 registrants in just 10 days - the sponsors have extended the free registration to the first 1000 registrants ** 2021 Aircraft Cabin Air Conference 15 to 18 March 2021 1500 to 2000 GMT daily via Zoom (0700 to 1200 PST) Four online days of powerful talks given by industry and subject matter experts. Registration is open and FREE for the first 1000 registrants. https://www.aircraftcabinair.com/ Following on from the success of the 2017 and 2019 Aircraft Cabin Air Conferences, the 2021 conference will be an essential four-day free modular online event via Zoom. Providing an in-depth overview or update for all those seeking to understand the subject of contaminated air, the flight safety implications, the latest scientific and medical evidence investigating the contaminated air debate and the emerging solutions available to airlines and aircraft operators. The 2021 conference will be the biggest conference ever held on the issue. Who should participate? Airline Management - Aircraft Manufacturers - Safety equipment providers - Health & Safety Regulators - Maintenance Companies - Airline Safety Departments - Air Accident Investigators- Crew & Unions - Policy Makers- Press & Media - Aircraft Insurers - Leasing Companies - Scientists - Occupational Health Professionals - Academics & Researchers - Engineers Register Curt Lewis