Flight Safety Information - December 21, 2020 No. 256 In This Issue : Incident: Lion B739 at Bandar Lampung on Dec 20th 2020, runway excursion during backtrack : Incident: Niugini DH8B near Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on Dec 20th 2020, technical malfunction : Incident: Gol B737 near Recife on Dec 18th 2020, electrical problem : Incident: UTAir B735 at Igarka on Dec 19th 2020, cabin pressure problems : Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner - Taxiway Excursion (Canada) : Boeing 747-446 (BCF) - Ground Collision (S. Carolina) : Transport Canada validates the design changes to the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft : Southwest Airlines Allegedly Cut Corners, Pilots Struggled to Get Planes to Take Off : U.S. FAA approves use of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine by pilots : Pakistan government cancels 'fake' licenses of 50 pilots : NTSB investigation into fatal Unalaska plane crash reveals mechanical problem : FAA and Boeing manipulated 737 Max tests during recertification : FAA fines two airline passengers accused of assaulting flight attendants over face mask dispute : Gulfstream delivers first EASA-certified G600 : Airlines on track to get $15 billion in federal aid, must call back more than 32,000 furloughed workers : Lockheed Martin inks $4.4 billion deal to acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne : NTSB - Position Available - Transportation Disaster Assistance (TDA) Specialist : HUMAN FACTORS ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM - Online Course : 2021 Aircraft Cabin Air Conference Incident: Lion B739 at Bandar Lampung on Dec 20th 2020, runway excursion during backtrack A Lionair Boeing 737-900, registration PK-LGP performing flight JT-173 from Batam to Bandar Lampung (Indonesia) with 125 passengers and 7 crew, had landed on Bandar Lampung's runway 14 and slowed to taxi speed when the aircraft attempted to turn around to backtrack the runway to the apron at the second available turn pad about 1550 meters down the runway, when the aircraft departed the paved surface and came to a stop with at least the right main gear on grass. There were no injuries, no damage is being reported. The airport reported the passengers are being disembarked onto the runway and will be taken to the terminal. The airline reported the aircraft landed in heavy rain but adequate visibility for landing. The aircraft was already at low speed while attempting to turn towards the apron when the aircraft exited the runway. Passengers and crew were taken to the terminal. Currently the airline coordinates and works with the airport to recover the aircraft. No weather data are available for Bandar Lampung. The aircraft seen with the right main gear off the turn pad http://avherald.com/h?article=4e0bc8a7&opt=0 Incident: Niugini DH8B near Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on Dec 20th 2020, technical malfunction An Air Niugini de Havilland Dash 8-200 in completely white paintscheme with no company logo, registration P2-PXI performing a positioning flight from Sapporo (Japan) to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Russia), was enroute at FL270 about 80nm northeast of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Russia) when the crew requested to divert to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk reporting technical problems. The aircraft landed safely on Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk's runway 19 about 25 minutes later. Russian media report the aircraft is kept under guard, the two pilots, only occupants, were taken to a hotel. Air Niugini sold P2-PXI to Canada, the aircraft was on the positioning flights to Canada. The aircraft had not been flown about 15 months prior to starting the positioning flights from Papua New Guinea to Canada on Dec 18th 2020. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e0bc631&opt=0 Incident: Gol B737 near Recife on Dec 18th 2020, electrical problem A Gol Transportes Aereos Boeing 737-700, registration PR-GOW performing flight G3-1705 from Recife,PE to Sao Paulo Congonhas,SP (Brazil), was enroute at FL380 about 160nm south of Recife when the crew decided to return to Recife reporting they were down to one electrical source only. The aircraft landed safely back on Recife's runway 18 about 35 minutes later. A passenger reported the flight was delayed considerably, they had boarded the flight, then deboarded again before finally boarding again. Then in flight the captain told them, they had a technical failure and needed to return to Recife. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 18.5 hours, then positioned to Congonhas Airport. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e0b7537&opt=0 Incident: UTAir B735 at Igarka on Dec 19th 2020, cabin pressure problems A UTAir Boeing 737-500, registration VQ-BJT performing flight UT-6410 from Igarka to Ufa (Russia) with 116 passengers and 5 crew, was climbing out of Igarka when the crew received indications of problems with the cabin pressure. The aircraft was diverting to Surgut (Russia) maintaining FL100 and landed safely in Surgut about 100 minutes after departure from Igarka. About 3.5 hours after VQ-BJT landed a replacement aircraft is estimated to continue the flight from Surgut, located about 500nm southwest of Igarka. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e0b407a&opt=0 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner - Taxiway Excursion (Canada) Date: 20-DEC-2020 Time: Type: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Owner/operator: Air Canada Registration: C-FVLU C/n / msn: 38360/659 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Location: Vancouver International Airport, BC (YVR/CYVR) - Canada Phase: Taxi Nature: - Departure airport: - Destination airport: - Narrative: An Air Canada Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner taxied off the side of the taxiway at Vancouver International Airport, Canada, and became stuck in the grass/mud. The aircraft, C-FVLU, had parked at the gate after a flight from Toronto at 03:16 UTC. The next flight would be AC304 to Montreal, departing at 14:00 UTC. In between, the aircraft was taxied by a ground crew to another parking spot when the aircraft rolled off the taxiway. The nose landing gear and the left-hand main gear both dug in. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=245870 Boeing 747-446 (BCF) - Ground Collision (S. Carolina) Date: 20-DEC-2020 Time: Type: Boeing 747-446 (BCF) Owner/operator: Western Global Registration: N356KD C/n / msn: 26356/1026 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Columbia Metropolitan Airport, SC (CAE/KCAE) - United States of America Phase: Taxi Nature: Cargo Departure airport: Columbia Metropolitan Airport, SC (CAE/KCAE) Destination airport: Ontario International Airport, CA (ONT) Narrative: The right wingtip hit a light post while taxiing at Columbia Airport, South Carolina. Lost a wingtip. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=245877 Transport Canada validates the design changes to the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft Transport Canada has completed their independent review of the design changes to the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft recently certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The return to service of these aircraft in Canada is complex, with additional aircraft changes, maintenance and training. In January 2021, the department expects to issue a Canadian Airworthiness Directive which will stipulate the Canadian design changes that must be incorporated in Canadian aircraft. At the same time, the department will also mandate the training requirements for air crew through an Interim Order. Thus, prior to a return to service of the aircraft in Canadian airspace, Transport Canada will require: • modifications to the aircraft as specified in the Canadian Airworthiness Directive; • incorporation of the revised pilot training syllabus into the Transport Canada-approved training program for each Canadian airline; and • airlines to conduct maintenance on the aircraft to ensure it will operate safely, given the aircraft have been in storage for some time. Specifically, the Canadian design changes for the Boeing 737 MAX will include an enhanced flight deck procedure that provides the option for a pilot-in-command to disable a loud and intrusive warning system (commonly called the “stick shaker”) when the system has been erroneously activated by a failure in the angle of attack sensor system. This feature will help to reduce pilot workload given what has been learned from the two tragic accidents, and has been fully evaluated by Transport Canada’s flight test pilots. There will also be differences in training including training on the enhanced flight deck procedure. The commercial flight restrictions for the operation of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in Canadian airspace remain in effect and will not be lifted until Transport Canada is fully satisfied that all its safety concerns have been addressed, that required modifications have been incorporated, that enhanced flight crew procedures are in place, and that all training has been conducted in Canada. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2020/12/18/transport-canada-validates-the-design-changes-to-the-boeing-737-max-aircraft/ Southwest Airlines Allegedly Cut Corners, Pilots Struggled to Get Planes to Take Off Southwest Airlines allegedly jeopardized the safety of thousands of flights by forcing its pilots to fly beyond the limits of safety recommended by Boeing for operating the airline’s fleet of 737 aircraft. This charge is in a new report made by a Senate committee as part of a scathing indictment of the Federal Aviation Administration’s oversight of the safety of America’s airline passengers. The committee is chaired by Senator Roger Wicker, Republican, of Mississippi. Serious safety concerns about Southwest’s operating methods originated with a whistleblower, a veteran former Naval pilot, Jeffrey Rees, who served as one of the FAA’s safety inspectors at the airline’s Texas base. Rees, who agreed to be identified in the report, is quoted saying that Southwest introduced changes to a computerized system that determines whether or not an airplane is safe to depart the gate that were “incredibly dangerous.” Rees focused on a program, Performance Weight and Balance System, PWB, that is part of a critical pilot checklist before takeoff, that Southwest introduced in 2017. All airlines use a similar system to achieve optimal efficiency for each flight: balancing how much fuel is required, how much cargo can be carried, the distribution of the passenger load, together with specific conditions at the airport at departure – weather, wind direction, air temperature, length of the runway and the altitude of the airport above sea level. The outcome of these calculations is intended to provide sufficient safety margins for pilots to feel confident that, whatever the conditions, there is no risk involved. Rees asserts that Southwest removed previous “safety buffers” and by doing do significantly reduced the margins for error. In striking detail the report cites cases where pilots had difficulty getting their aircraft airborne and, during the takeoff run, had to “aggressively use electronic trim switches” to get off the runway and, in doing so, exceeded Boeing’s recommended limits for safe handling. That meant that the nose of the airplane was pitched up to a point where it would be close to inducing an aerodynamic stall, which at that height would end with the airplane plunging to a crash. One Southwest pilot is quoted: “I can tell you without reservation that PWB has been an impairment to me flying a 737 from A to B safely.” A major reason for shrinking the safety margin, the report says, is that Southwest wanted to increase the amount of cargo on each flight. “Belly cargo” – cargo that goes in the baggage hold – is a growing source of revenue. Brandy King, a Southwest spokesperson told the Daily Beast: “We discovered a discrepancy between data systems involving the weight of a number of aircraft earlier this year. Southwest took immediate actions to prevent a recurrence, which included notifying the FAA, correcting the data discrepancies, and launching a daily audit to review each of the impacted systems. “As a result, and out of an abundance of caution, we stopped flying those aircraft for a short period of time to recalculate the weights of the aircraft and reset the program.” In fact, the record shows that Southwest is a repeat offender when it comes to safety issues, particularly over the quality of its maintenance. In April, 2011, A Southwest 737 with 118 passengers aboard was reaching its cruise altitude of 36,000 feet when there was an explosive failure of the fuselage structure that left a hole 50 inches long in the cabin roof. The pilots sent out a Mayday call – “we lost the cabin” – and managed to make an emergency landing. The airplane involved was an older model of the 737, delivered in 1996, and was prone to cracks in the fuselage skin caused by corrosion. Two years earlier the airline had been fined $7.5 million by the FAA for not carrying out inspections to detect cracks on airplanes that made nearly 6,000 flights. The problem has persisted to this day: in March a Southwest 737 made an emergency landing after a 12-inch long crack appeared above the cabin. In 2017 FAA inspectors found “potentially serious gaps” in the maintenance of 88 older 737s that Southwest bought after being used by other airlines. The Senate report is highly critical of the airline’s maintenance record on these airplanes, saying that numerous repairs carried out “did not conform to airworthiness requirements.” Now the challenges faced by pilots with the introduction of changes to the PWB system have added to the impression that the airline regularly cuts corners in the pursuit of profits. Last January the FAA proposed a civil penalty of $3.92 million after discovering that 21,505 flights were operated with incorrect weight and balance settings. Yet Rees warned the Senate investigators that “non-compliance is ongoing” and has become worse because pilots had been “inadequately trained and prepared” for them. Southwest pioneered the budget airline business model that has been copied all over the world. It is based on using one type of airplane – in the case of Southwest successive models of the Boeing 737 - and getting the maximum possible use from it, making as many as seven flights a day with a rapid turnaround at each airport. This model has evolved at Southwest over four decades without any catastrophic crashes and, taking into account the intensity of its schedules the airline has an exemplary safety record that, beyond doubt, reflects the quality of its pilots. However, starting in 2017, Rees has been critical of the way the airline trains its pilots. He was particularly concerned about the implementation of new training standards required by 2019 that were mandated by the FAA following the 2009 crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407 that killed all 49 people on board. That crash exposed a problem that has been identified world-wide: as cockpits become more and more automated pilots have lost “seat of the pants” skills that used to be basic when dealing with an emergency. The FAA recommended that for the new training program airlines select a small group of their best pilots to refresh their own skills and then instruct the rest of the pilots. As an ex-Navy “Top Gun” pilot, Rees had a full understanding of the problem because flying from aircraft carriers requires sharp reflexes and a true feel for the behavior of an airplane. Rees told the Senate investigators that in his view at least 50 percent of Southwest flight crews needed retraining, but instead of following the principle of creating a small core of instructor pilots Southwest assigned 400 pilots to speed up the process and that this “precluded adequate quality control.” Rees alleged that when he suggested to his FAA supervisor that a warning letter be sent to Southwest that the training program was seriously flawed the supervisor told another FAA inspector to write a “softer” letter. Southwest made no changes, he said. Indeed, the Senate committee’s report frequently paints a picture of ambivalence in the way the FAA supervises safety at Southwest – problems are exposed, often only after they become endemic, civil penalties are imposed, but the continuing FAA oversight on the ground is lax and tends to appease rather than confront. Spokesperson King said, “We absolutely disagree with allegations of improper influence made within the report. At no time did Southwest inhibit or interfere with the FAA’s ability to exercise oversight.” Southwest’s route structure across the nation encompasses a huge variety of airports and changes in seasonal climates that, in turn, mean that its pilots have to be familiar with many different and rapidly changing conditions in the most critical phases of a flight, takeoff and landing, often in one day. Reflecting this, Rees alerted the Senate committee to the impact of the changed PWB standards on pilots flying in and out of airports with shorter runways, where the margin of error with a fully-loaded 737 is tight. He said that some pilots had taken photos demonstrating that the margin had become “low or non-existent.” The Senate report says that committee staff spoke to multiple pilots who confirmed Rees’s report and shared his concerns but feared being fired if they spoke up. https://www.yahoo.com/news/southwest-airlines-allegedly-cut-corners-203830014.html U.S. FAA approves use of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine by pilots WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Saturday it had approved the use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine by pilots and air traffic controllers. The announcement follows the FAA’s Dec. 12 approval for pilots and controllers to use the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech The U.S. aviation regulator said pilots and controllers must not fly or conduct safety-related duties for 48 hours after receiving doses. The FAA said it “will monitor the patient response to each vaccine dose and may adjust this policy as necessary to ensure aviation safety.” On Thursday, groups representing aviation unions and American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and other airlines, wrote all U.S. governors asking them to “prioritize aviation frontline workers for allocation of the vaccine in your upcoming implementation plan.” The groups noted that “aviation workers are frontline workers who either encounter the traveling public frequently or are required to perform our work in close proximity to our colleagues and perform our jobs onsite.” Earlier this month, the FAA sent guidance to airports to prepare for vaccine distribution, including other facilities that may serve as alternate or diversion airports. The FAA said that some aircraft used for vaccine shipments may be larger than the aircraft used for passenger-carrying flights that typically serve that airport and operators may opt to have extra aircraft rescue and firefighting services. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-pilots/u-s-faa-approves-use-of-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-by-pilots-idUSKBN28T0WO Pakistan government cancels 'fake' licenses of 50 pilots The pilots were working for the national flag carrier as well as other Pakistani private and foreign airlines. Islamabad: Pakistan government have cancelled the licences of 50 commercial pilots following an inquiry in the malpractice during examination process for licences of pilots. The federal government has informed the Islamabad High Court that to meet the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the authorities have reviewed licences of all 860 commercial pilots and, after thorough scrutiny, cancelled 50 of them, Dawn reported. According to a report filed by Additional Attorney General Tariq Mehmood Khokhar, the pilots were working for the national flag carrier as well as other Pakistani private and foreign airlines. According to the report, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had been given the task to proceed against the pilots who managed to get licences through unfair means. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on January 25 last year requested the aviation secretary for the constitution of a board of inquiry to investigate the malpractice, omission/commission observed during the process/conduct of examination for licences of pilots. Subsequently, a board of inquiry was constituted and its report concluded that as per the computer data forensic evidence, licences of 262 pilots were based on "fake" examinations. On June 26, 2020, the CAA grounded the 262 pilots and suspended their licences for verification. The names of 262 pilots were made public to avoid any negative impression about other pilots, including those working outside Pakistan. However, after verification, 172 licences were cleared and 50, including the petitioner's licence, failed verification and were cancelled with the approval of the cabinet. On June 30, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency suspended PIA flights to and over Europe for six months. Such suspensions are lifted only after a satisfactory on-site or remote audit. The report said that licences of two other pilots were cancelled prior to the inquiry into the matter. Licences of 32 other pilots also failed verification and currently remain suspended. Three pilots had died before the inquiry was conducted. Verification of licences of the remaining three pilots is still under process. https://www.timesnownews.com/international/article/pakistan-government-cancels-fake-licenses-of-50-pilots/697081 NTSB investigation into fatal Unalaska plane crash reveals mechanical problem It was a blustery fall day at Tom Madsen Airport. A PenAir flight from Anchorage was making its second attempt to land in Unalaska. Gusting tail-winds made the landing extra challenging. As the plane touched down it failed to slow down, broke through the airport’s chain link fence, crossed a road and hit a rocky embankment just short of the frigid waters of Iliuliuk Bay. Steve Ranney was among the 39 passengers on Flight 3296. He’s a commercial pilot with 20 years experience and still trying to understand what went wrong that day. “I just don’t think that we can flat accept that there’s going to be accidents like this,” Ranney said. “I think that’s really one of the more important things. I know people make mistakes, but in the air carrier world these things should not happen. This shouldn’t have happened at all.” Ranney is still recovering from his injuries. A passenger to his left fared much worse: 38-year-old David Oltman was fatally injured in the crash. There were at least nine people hurt. Oltman’s death on Oct. 17, 2019 was the second fatality for a commercial airline in the U.S. in the last decade. Ranney was traveling with his son who was competing with the Cordova school swim team. He is grateful the students escaped serious injuries. “I’ll take the hit for the boys,” Ranney said. On Wednesday, the National Transportation Safety Board released more than two thousand pages of documents related to the crash. Ranney has already begun to comb through the files. “A lot of people really get frustrated with how long it takes,” Ranney said. “But I’m actually kind of surprised at how much information they’ve gotten and how close it is to wrapping up.” Here’s what the federal investigators initially found: A faulty wiring job may have kept an anti-skid device from working properly. And that could have contributed to the plane overshooting the tarmac. But they also heard from PenAir pilots concerned that the airline was reducing the amount of experience its pilots needed to land on Unalaska’s notoriously challenging runway. PenAir historically required pilots to have a minimum of 300 hours in a Saab 2000 before they could captain a flight to Unalaska. But after the Seybert family sold the airline to RavnAir Group in 2018, that rule was being reviewed. In fact, NTSB investigators were told by PenAir pilots that in early summer 2019, a conversation was held where the chief pilot and Ravn vice president of flight operations discussed relaxing that rule. The captain of flight 3296 had been flying into Unalaska for about three months. On the day of the crash, he had logged 131 hours in a Saab 2000 — less than half the historical requirement for PenAir pilots responsible for bringing flights into the Aleutian city. His first officer had a few hours more. Both had been hired by the company in May of that year. The NTSB’s investigation describes the airline’s safety culture following PenAir’s sale to RavnAir Group. Ravn’s safety director told investigators he considered the overall safety culture as “still good,” but admitted that pilots had approached him saying they were “not as comfortable anymore” speaking freely about their concerns. A Ravn VP of flight operations told investigators the requirement was not consistent with how other commercial air carriers operated in the Lower 48. “I’m not convinced that it’s necessary because it’s not done elsewhere,” the VP said. “There are mountains around the country, around the world. Air is air. Physics are physics. Why is this different?” So what happens now? Now that fact-finding is mostly complete, NTSB’s Clint Johnson in Anchorage said investigators hope to wrap up their work within the next year. “The analysis portion is crunching all the information that we have here and ultimately driving towards a probable cause and analysis,” Johnson said. “Also most importantly, probably recommendations will come out of this accident investigation to keep it from happening again.” The five presidentially appointed members of the National Transportation Safety Board may vote to hold a public meeting to review this investigation and determine a probable cause for the accident. Most accidents don’t have board meetings. The last time this happened for an Alaska investigation was for a fatal Togiak crash from 2016 operated by another RavnAir Group subsidiary, Hageland Aviation. Johnson said board meetings are similar to a court hearing. “Each one of the investigators and each one of the disciplines are questioned by the board members,” he said. “At the end of that process, the board members right there in the board meeting will determine probable cause [of this accident].” PenAir is no longer flying. Its parent airline RavnAir Group declared bankruptcy in April and sold its assets this summer. A Southern California commuter airline bought some of its planes and two of the operating certificates. The company resurrected the name Ravn Alaska and rehired some of its crew. In November, it resumed scheduled flights to Unalaska, under new ownership but with the same old name. https://www.alaskapublic.org/2020/12/18/ntsb-investigation-into-fatal-dutch-harbor-plane-crash-reveals-mechanical-problem/ FAA and Boeing manipulated 737 Max tests during recertification One of many accusations in a damning new Senate report Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) worked together to manipulate 737 Max recertification tests following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019, according to a damning new Senate report. Boeing “inappropriately coached” some FAA test pilots to reach a desired outcome during the recertification tests, and some were even performed on simulators that weren’t equipped to re-create the same conditions as the crashes. In doing this, the Senate report’s authors say the “FAA and Boeing were attempting to cover up important information that may have contributed to the 737 MAX tragedies.” THE FAA IS ALSO ACCUSED OF RETALIATING AGAINST WHISTLEBLOWERS The FAA is also accused of retaliating against whistleblowers, possibly obstructing the Office of the Inspector General’s investigation into the crashes, failing to hold senior managers accountable, and allowing Southwest Airlines to operate dozens of improperly certified planes. The 102-page report, released Friday, was compiled by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and is built on information from 50 whistleblowers, FAA staff interviews, and more than 15,000 pages of documents. It comes one month after the FAA cleared the 737 Max to return to flight, and as airlines around the world start reintroducing the plane into their fleets. While Boeing’s own failures leading up to the 737 Max crashes have been thoroughly probed and well-documented, the new Senate report is one of the most intimate looks at problems inside the regulator that was supposed to keep the company in check. “Our findings are troubling,” Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), who chairs the committee, said in a statement. “The report details a number of significant examples of lapses in aviation safety oversight and failed leadership in the FAA. It is clear that the agency requires consistent oversight to ensure their work to protect the flying public is executed fully and correctly.” In a statement, the FAA said it is, “carefully reviewing the document, which the Committee acknowledges contains a number of unsubstantiated allegations.” “Working closely with other international regulators, the FAA conducted a thorough and deliberate review of the 737 MAX,” the FAA’s statement continued. “We are confident that the safety issues that played a role in the tragic accidents involving Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 have been addressed through the design changes required and independently approved by the FAA and its partners.” Boeing said in a prepared statement that it “take[s] seriously the Committee’s findings and will continue to review the report in full.” “Boeing is committed to improving aviation safety, strengthening our safety culture, and rebuilding trust with our customers, regulators, and the flying public,” the company wrote. “We are aware of the Committee report and have utilized many of these past references to improve our practices and oversight,” a Southwest Airlines spokesperson said in a statement. “All applicable aircraft underwent visual inspections, and Southwest completed physical inspections, from nose to tail, on each of the pre-owned aircraft by January 2020 — fully satisfying FAA requests,” Southwest’s statement continued. “Our actions did not stem from any suspected Safety concerns with the aircraft but were an effort to reconcile and validate records and previous repairs.” The company has “no changes” to its plans to return the 737 Max to service in the first quarter of next year. THE 737 MAX WAS RUSHED THROUGH DEVELOPMENT SO BOEING COULD KEEP PACE WITH RIVAL AIRBUS The 737 Max was rushed through development so Boeing could keep pace with rival Airbus, which had surprise-announced a more fuel-efficient plane in 2011. Instead of developing a new plane from the ground up, Boeing modified the 737 NG with bigger, more fuel-efficient engines. The placement of those engines made the plane susceptible to stalls in certain takeoff situations, though, so Boeing equipped the plane with a piece of software that would automatically pitch the nose down to prevent this from happening. Boeing didn’t tell regulators or customers about the software, though, in a bid to cut down on costly flight training. This left the pilots of Lion Air Flight 610 in 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in 2019 fighting, and ultimately losing out to, a piece of software they didn’t know was working against them. That software, known as Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) was a big focus of the recertification tests following the two crashes, especially in simulators meant to recreate the crash conditions. The problem, broadly, that the Commerce Committee found was that this testing process was rife with its own problems. Some FAA investigators left tests early, while others were performed in simulators that weren’t equipped with the same software that doomed the 737 Max flights, meaning the results were meaningless. In one particular FAA test performed on the right simulator, a whistleblower says Boeing officials were present and told the test pilots when to hit the switch that killed MCAS. When these actions were reported by whistleblowers, they were often ignored or retaliated against, according to the report. https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/18/22189609/faa-boeing-737-max-senate-report-coverup-tests-whistleblowers FAA fines two airline passengers accused of assaulting flight attendants over face mask dispute WASHINGTON — Federal officials said Friday they are seeking civil fines of $15,000 and $7,500 against two airline passengers accused of assaulting flight attendants for telling them to wear face masks. The Federal Aviation Administration said the proposed penalties stem from separate incidents in August. The FAA, which doesn’t have authority to file criminal charges, did not name the passengers. The larger fine involves a passenger on an Allegiant Air flight from Clearwater, Florida, to Mascoutah, Illinois. The FAA said the passenger repeatedly screamed obscenities at a flight attendant, then hit him and grabbed his phone while he was telling the captain about the passenger’s behavior. The plane made an unscheduled landing to deal with the situation. The second incident occurred on a SkyWest Airlines flight from Atlanta to Chicago. The FAA said that passenger removed their face covering, bothered other passengers, and grabbed a female flight attendant’s buttock. Despite requests by airline unions, the FAA has declined to make wearing a face covering a federal rule. The FAA said civil penalties can be imposed against people who assault or threaten others on a flight. Federal law provides for criminal fines and jail terms for passengers who interfere with an airline crew member’s duties, but those must be filed by law enforcement agencies. All leading U.S. airlines require passengers to wear coverings, with exceptions generally made for children under 2. U.S. airlines say they have banned more than 1,000 passengers for failing to wear masks. Both passengers have 30 days to respond to enforcement letters from the FAA. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/12/19/faa-fines-two-passengers-accused-assaulting-attendants-over-masks/3976265001/ Gulfstream delivers first EASA-certified G600 • The Gulfstream G600 can now travel 6,600 nautical miles at its long-range cruise of Mach 0.85. Gulfstream Aerospace delivered the first Gulfstream G600 certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to an undisclosed customer. In addition to EASA and U.S. Federal Aviation Administration certifications, the G600 also holds type certificate validations from the aviation agencies in Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Isle of Man, San Marino and Mexico. “We are glad our customers in Europe can now register their G600 on the continent and easily experience the advanced technology and cabin comfort of the aircraft,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “ After a recently announced range boost, its third, the G600 can now travel 6,600 nautical miles (12,223 kilometers) at its long-range cruise of Mach 0.85 and 5,600 nm (10,371 km) at its high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90. The aircraft’s Symmetry Flight Deck features active control sidesticks, as well as what Gulfstream describes as the most extensive use of touch-screen technology in business aviation. The cabin of the G600 can be configured with up to four living areas and features 14 panoramic windows. https://www.wingsmagazine.com/gulfstream-delivers-first-easa-certified-g600/ Airlines on track to get $15 billion in federal aid, must call back more than 32,000 furloughed workers • Airlines could get $15 billion in additional payroll support under the bipartisan $900 billion coronavirus aid package. • U.S. passenger carriers continue to struggle under coronavirus with travel demand at about a third of last year’s levels. • Airlines received $25 billion in payroll support under the $2.2 trillion CARES Act in March. U.S. airlines would receive $15 billion in additional federal aid to pay their workers under a $900 billion coronavirus relief deal bipartisan lawmakers reached on Sunday. Under the new round of aid, carriers would have to call back more than 32,000 workers who were furloughed this fall. The CARES Act in March had set aside $25 billion for U.S. passengers airlines on the condition that they maintained minimum service levels and kept workers on payroll through Sept. 30. Labor unions and airlines urged lawmakers to approve additional aid as furloughs loomed, but Congress and the White House failed to reach a deal by the deadline. After the conditions of the original aid expired, United Airlines and American Airlines in October started furloughing about 32,000 employees, while those carriers and other airlines have shed tens of thousands of other jobs after urging workers to take buyouts and early retirement. Southwest Airlines, which has never furloughed workers in its nearly 50 years of flying, warned workers earlier this month that it could cut about 7,000 employees unless it can reach cost-cutting deals with labor unions. The additional support for the struggling sector would keep airline workers on payroll until the end of March, if approved when Congress votes on the bill. In addition to airline aid, the new coronavirus package includes $1 billion for airline contractors, $2 billion for airports and concessionaires, $14 billion for transit, $10 billion for state highways, $1 billion for Amtrak and $2 billion for private bus, school bus and ferry companies. The first round of aid expired without a meaningful rebound in air travel, even ahead of major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Carriers have warned that bookings have declined as coronavirus infections spiked and new travel restrictions were introduced, hurting their ability to rein in cash burn. The Transportation Security Administration on Sunday said it screened 1.07 million people at U.S. airports, up 25% from a week earlier but less than half of the nearly 2.5 million people it screened a year ago. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/20/airlines-on-track-to-get-15-billion-in-federal-aid.html Lockheed Martin inks $4.4 billion deal to acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp said on Sunday it has agreed to buy U.S. rocket engine manufacturer Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc for $4.4 billion, including debt and net cash. The deal is Lockheed's biggest acquisition since Jim Taiclet took over as chief executive in June. He is seeking to beef up the company's propulsion capabilities amid competition from new entrants such as SpaceX and Blue Origin, for space contracts with the U.S. government. "Acquiring Aerojet Rocketdyne will preserve and strengthen an essential component of the domestic defense industrial base and reduce costs for our customers and the American taxpayer," Taiclet said in a statement. "As part of Lockheed Martin, we will bring our advanced technologies together with their substantial expertise and resources to accelerate our shared purpose: enabling the defense of our nation and space exploration," Aerojet's CEO Eileen Drake said in a statement. Lockheed said it will pay $56 per share for Aerojet Rocketdyne, a 33 percent premium to Friday's closing price. The purchase price will be reduced to $51 per share after the payment of a pre-closing special dividend, Lockheed added. The Bethesda, Maryland-based company already uses Aerojet Rocketdyne's propulsion systems in its aeronautics, missiles and fire control offerings. Lockheed said the transaction, which is set to be scrutinized by regulators given the company's leading position in the defense sector, is expected to close in the second half of 2021. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/lockheed-martin-inks-4-4-234100541.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