Flight Safety Information - December 24, 2020 No. 259 In This Issue : Incident: Tibet A319 enroute on Dec 21st 2020, training captain incapacitated in flight dies after landing : Incident: Azul AT72 at Belo Horizonte on Dec 18th 2020, avionics problems : Boeing 737-8GJ (WL) - Bird Strike/Cracked Windshield (Pakistan) : Report: Static system not connected after maintenance: loss of airspeed on B777-F : Families of crash victims want U.S. to rescind approval for Boeing 737 MAX to fly again : Airline fires pilot blamed for Taiwan's first Covid case in months : UK bans flights from South Africa as New York to check on all British arrivals : Faced with virus headwinds, Peach Aviation may launch unlimited travel pass : Alaska Airlines’ Airbus Fleet Retirement Plans : NOAA Receives Beechcraft King Air Aircraft From Textron : Bombardier Announces Sale of 10 Challenger 350 Business Jets : Airbus Explores Narrow-Body Jet Design With Engine Maker GE : Jet It partners with Be The Match by donating flight time for bone marrow donations : NASA opens new launchpad at Kennedy Space Center meant to serve multiple commercial launch customers : NTSB - Position Available - Transportation Disaster Assistance (TDA) Specialist : 2021 Aircraft Cabin Air Conference Incident: Tibet A319 enroute on Dec 21st 2020, training captain incapacitated in flight dies after landing A Tibet Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration B-6480 performing flight TV-9820 from Nanjing to Chengdu (China), was enroute when the commander of the flight felt unwell and became incapacitated. The second captain on board took over, accelerated approach and landing in Chengdu and arrived in Chengdu about 35 minutes ahead of schedule. The incapacitated commander (training captain) was taken to a hospital but subsequently died. The airline confirmed (after initially stating to Chinese Media they didn't know of such an occurrence and were checking) the captain of the flight felt unwell during the flight. The flight had been crewed with two captains, the second captain took over and landed safely in Chengdu. The first captain was taken to a hospital, the rescue however failed and the highly regarded captain died unfortunately. The aircraft remained on the ground in Chengdu for about 9 hours, then resumed service. Sources within the airline reported the training captain (39) had been one of the best pilots in the airline. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e0e25d5&opt=0 Incident: Azul AT72 at Belo Horizonte on Dec 18th 2020, avionics problems An Azul Linhas Aereas Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration PR-AQH performing flight AD-4488 from Belo Horizonte,MG to Ribeirao Preto,SP (Brazil) with 55 passengers and 4 crew, was climbing out of Belo Horizonte when the crew stopped the climb at FL080 after receiving a "CPM 1 FAULT" (Core Processing Module 1 Fault) indication. The crew worked the related checklists and returned to Belo Horzizonte for a safe landing about 35 minutes after departure. Brazil's CENIPA reported the crew returned to Belo Horizonte without declaring emergency after receiving a "DUE CPM 1 FAULT" indication. The occurrence was rated an incident and is not being investigated. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e0e1d39&opt=0 Boeing 737-8GJ (WL) - Bird Strike/Cracked Windshield (Pakistan) Date: 24-DEC-2020 Time: c. 0340 UTC Type: Boeing 737-8GJ (WL) Owner/operator: Serene Air Registration: AP-BNC C/n / msn: 34959/2719 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: near Islamabad International Airport (ISB) - Pakistan Phase: Approach Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Karachi-Jinnah International Airport (KHI/OPKC) Destination airport: Islamabad International Airport (ISB/OPIS) Narrative: Serene Air flight ER500 suffered cracks in the right-hand cockpit wind screen, reportedly as a result of a bird strike on approach to Islamabad Airport, Pakistan. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=246191 Report: Static system not connected after maintenance: loss of airspeed on B777-F Date: 10-OCT-2020 Time: 09:21 Type: Boeing 777F Owner/operator: Lufthansa Cargo Registration: D-ALFG C/n / msn: 66090/1596 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Category: Serious incident Location: near Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) - Germany Phase: Initial climb Nature: Cargo Departure airport: Frankfurt International Airport (FRA/EDDF) Destination airport: Shanghai-Pudong International Airport (PVG/ZSPD) Investigating agency: BFU Germany Narrative: Lufthansa Cargo flight LH8402, a Boeing 777-F, returned to land at Frankfurt International Airport (FRA), Germany after the cockpit crew noticed unreliable airspeed indicator readings. Prior to the departure on October 10, 2020, various scheduled maintenance tasks had been performed on the aircraft. One work package included the flushing of the connection lines of the static system For the flight from Frankfurt to Shanghai, China, there were 4 pilots on board. The co-pilot was Pilot Flying, while the commander assumed the role of Pilot Monitoring. The airplane took off from runway 25C at 09:21 local time with an indicated speed of 204 kt and a ground speed of 191 kt. Approximately 15 seconds later, a windshear warning was recorded on the FDR and CVR. The indicated speed at this time was 176 kt and the ground speed was 199 kt. The copilot then requested, "Max Thrust." This was acknowledged by the commander. He reported the windshear warning to ATC and added: "[...] we now have five-zero knots tailwind [...]". The bank slowly reduced from 11° to 7°. After another 10 seconds or so, the commander asked the copilot to increase the bank angle. The copilot replied that she did not want to go below the indicated speed. The indicated speed at this time was 178 kt. The commander noted that the tailwind had increased to 80 kt. Both expressed surprise that it was not possible to reach the required speed at full thrust, even though the longitudinal inclination was already unusually low. After the indicated tailwind had increased to 100 kt, the commander concluded, "[...] well, that seems very strange to me, I would say that it's unreliable airspeed." As a result, the commander and the copilot agreed to switch their roles as pilot monitoring and pilot flying, and the commander took over the controls. Shortly thereafter, the copilot noted that the Integrated Standby Flight Display indicated a speed of 300 kt. A ground speed of 300 kt was also recorded on the FDR at this time. After the crew unanimously concluded that the airspeeds shown on the two primary flight displays must be unreliable values, the commander decided to declare an emergency at 09:23 and to stabilize the aircraft's attitude by making longitudinal pitch angle changes. At this time, the aircraft was approximately 8 NM southwest of the airport at an altitude of approximately 6,000 ft. There was coordination between the crew and controllers as the flight progressed. The course took the aircraft back to Frankfurt Airport and from there in a northeasterly direction over the VOR Metro for about 50 NM. At 09:40, in consultation with ATC, the crew began dumping fuel to reduce the mass of the aircraft to the maximum allowable landing mass. Approximately 5 minutes later, the aircraft turned to a heading of approximately 250° and maintained this heading for 55 NM. At 10:02, the aircraft turned to approximately 210°. Fuel dumping was completed at 10:11. The aircraft was then guided by ATC to the ILS approach to runway 07C at Frankfurt Airport. It touched down on the runway at 10:23 and then taxied to a parking position accompanied by the airport fire department. After landing, it was found that the sensors of the left and right static systems were not connected. During maintenance before the incident flight the pneumatic lines of the static system were disconnected and flushed with dry air. The lines were then supposed to be reconnected to the system. To ensure proper functioning of the pitot-static system, a leak test and a system test were then scheduled. This work was signed off the corresponding work cards as having been carried out without any problems. The investigation is ongoing. Sources: BFU20-0887-5X Preliminary report (in German): https://www.bfu-web.de/DE/Publikationen/Bulletins/2020/Bulletin2020-10.pdf?__blob=publicationFile https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/246156 Families of crash victims want U.S. to rescind approval for Boeing 737 MAX to fly again (Reuters) -The families of victims killed in two crashes by Boeing Co's 737 MAX want U.S. regulators to rescind approval for the planes to fly again, following a Senate report that raised concerns about the re-approval process. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lifted its 20-month safety ban of the 737 MAX on Nov. 18 after green-lighting design changes by Boeing to address issues involved in two fatal crashes in Indonesia in late 2018 and in Ethiopia in early 2019. But a lengthy Senate Commerce Committee report released on Friday found that Boeing officials "inappropriately coached" FAA test pilots during its recertification efforts. "The Committee found wrongful and potentially unlawful behavior that must be investigated to determine whether the MAX recertification process was tainted," families of Ethiopian crash victims said in the Dec. 22 letter to the FAA and Department of Transportation that was reviewed by Reuters. Asked for comment, the FAA said it had worked closely with other international regulators to conduct "a thorough and deliberate review" of the 737 MAX. "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," a spokesman said. Boeing declined to comment. When the Senate report was released on Dec. 18, Boeing said it takes "seriously the committee’s findings and will continue to review the report in full." "With the first U.S. flight of the 737 MAX set to occur within days, we call for the plane to be immediately grounded based upon the new revelations," the families wrote. A total of 346 people died in the two crashes. American Airlines is set to fly the plane on Dec. 29 for the first time in the United States with commercial passengers since the plane's global grounding in March 2019. https://www.yahoo.com/news/families-crash-victims-want-u-163215439.html Airline fires pilot blamed for Taiwan's first Covid case in months A New Zealand pilot blamed for causing Taiwan's first domestic coronavirus transmission in months, has been fired by the island's Eva Air. On Tuesday, a contact of the pilot tested positive, ending Taiwan's 253-day streak without a local case. Some public Christmas activities have since been suspended and the government has suggested people should stay at home during New Year's Eve. Overall, Taiwan has recorded only 777 infections and seven deaths. The pilot is thought to have contracted the coronavirus earlier in December but remained asymptomatic. Pilots returning to the island after a flight are meant to remain in quarantine for three days but are not tested unless they show symptoms. Unaware that he carried the virus, he continued to fly and was reportedly coughing on a flight to Taiwan from the US. He tested positive on 20 December. Two days later, Taiwan discovered its first domestic infection in months. Authorities traced back that the infected woman had been in contact with the pilot. Authorities fined the man 300,000 Taiwanese dollars ($10,600, £7,900) for failing to properly declare contacts and activities to officials. Eva Air said the pilot was fired for violating operational principles, including his failure to wear a mask in the cockpit. Other than the woman, he is thought to have infected two of his colleagues, a pilot from Japan and one from Taiwan. Neither authorities nor the airline have named the pilot but Eva Air said in a statement "the behaviour of an individual employee has undermined everyone's efforts at epidemic prevention" and had brought "serious damage to the company's reputation and image". In the wake of the new case, authorities are considering toughening the Covid safety requirements for airlines. Health authorities have traced around 170 people who had contact with the infected woman and they are either in home quarantine or being monitored for symptoms. The shops the pilot and the woman visited have been disinfected and anyone who had also visited the store has been asked to get tested. The company where the woman works has shut its gym, café and canteen, restricted employees from eating at their desk and banned visitors from entering its premises. Taiwan has been one of the most successful places in the world in dealing with Covid-19, largely attributed to its early and strict border controls, a ban on foreign visitors and mandatory quarantine for all Taiwanese returning home. The island's 23 million people have also proactively been wearing face masks, even before they were required to do so. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55433588 UK bans flights from South Africa as New York to check on all British arrivals Visitors who have travelled from or through South Africa will be denied entry to England and all direct flights banned A ban on all direct flights from South Africa to England came into force on Christmas Eve morning, while New York authorities announced they would visit Britons arriving in the city to check they were quarantining, amid the spread of new variants of coronavirus in the UK and South Africa. The UK health secretary, Matt Hancock, said the new mutation in South Africa was “highly concerning”, and was believed to be even more transmissible than the variant in the south-east of England that led to the introduction of tier 4 restrictions. From 9am on 24 December, visitors who have travelled from or through South Africa will be denied entry to England, and all direct flights will be banned. British and Irish nationals, visa holders and permanent residents will be able to return to the UK, but will be forced to self-isolate for 10 days. The usual exemptions, including travel for work purposes, will also not apply, but the ban does not include freight and cargo without passengers. South Africa’s variant has already been detected in Britons who have returned from the country in recent weeks. The mutation is thought to be responsible for a surge in new cases in the country. In New York City, the mayor, Bill de Blasio, announced that authorities would personally visit all travellers from the UK to check that they are observing quarantine rules. “We’re going to have sheriff’s deputies go to the home or hotel of every single traveller coming in from the UK,” he told a press conference on Wednesday. Travel restrictions on transport from the UK remain in many countries. On Wednesday, France eased its two-day travel ban on transport from the UK, but travellers are required to show proof of a negative coronavirus test taken within the previous 72 hours. Singapore banned arrivals from the UK from Wednesday night, even for those journeys already in transit, following a similar move by Hong Kong. After an initial ban, flights to Italy resumed on Wednesday, but only for those with residency in Italy or for absolutely necessary travel. The German government has banned all travel from the UK until 6 January, but Germans stranded in the UK can apply for exemptions to return from 1 January, while Ireland has banned all flights from the UK until New Year’s Day except for essential supply chain workers. Spanish nationals and residents can return to Spain, but all other travel from the UK is restricted until 5 January. Restrictions also remain in place for travel to countries including India, Sweden, Bulgaria, Norway, Latvia, Romania and Turkey. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/24/uk-bans-flights-from-south-africa-as-new-york-to-check-on-all-british-arrivals Faced with virus headwinds, Peach Aviation may launch unlimited travel pass • Peach Aviation is launching a new pass that enables holders to make unlimited domestic travels. OSAKA – Budget airline Peach Aviation is considering launching a new pass program that enables holders unlimited travel on any of the airline’s domestic flights for a set fee, according to informed sources. The airline plans to initially make the program available only for a month in February next year, the sources said Wednesday. Peach Aviation, based in Tajiri, Osaka Prefecture, will be the first airline to offer such an unlimited travel pass in Japan. The pass is planned to go on sale in January. Buyers will be allowed to fly with Peach Aviation in Japan as many times as they want in February. Thirty passes will be available for ¥19,800 for a passenger without any checked bags and for ¥29,800 for a passenger with one checked bag. Those prices will go up by ¥10,000 each for the remaining passes. The number of seats available for holders of the passes will be limited to 180 per flight. The airline plans to carefully consider the number of passes to be put on sale and the pass program’s implementation period, in view of the recent resurgence of coronavirus infection cases in Japan. The pandemic forced Peach Aviation, a unit of ANA Holdings Inc., to slash the number of its domestic flights by up to 80% in spring. The airline fully resumed its flight services in July, but has been faced with a travel demand slump due to the renewed spread of the virus. It hopes to attract more flyers with the unlimited pass program. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/12/24/business/corporate-business/peach-unlimited-travel-pass/ Alaska Airlines’ Airbus Fleet Retirement Plans Alaska Airlines has this week ordered even more Boeing 737 MAXs, and in the process has revealed plans to retire most of its Airbus A320-family fleet. In this post: • Alaska increases 737 MAX order • Alaska will retire most Airbus planes by 2023 • Could Alaska do something cool with remaining A321neos? Alaska Airlines has restructured its agreement with Boeing to order a total of 68 Boeing 737 MAX 9s, with an option for 52 additional planes: A couple of months ago Alaska Airlines had a total of 32 Boeing 737 MAX 9s on order In late November Alaska Airlines ordered a further 13 Boeing 737 MAX 9s, bringing the order total to 45; as part of that deal, the airline announced plans to sell 10 A320s In other words, with this order Alaska Airlines is committing to a further 23 Boeing 737 MAX 9s beyond what had been previously ordered The timeline for Alaska Airlines’ 737 MAX 9 deliveries has also been revealed. The airline is planning on taking delivery of: • 13 737 MAXs in 2021 • 30 737 MAXs in 2022 • 13 737 MAXs in 2023 • 12 737 MAXs in 2024 Then the 52 aircraft options are for delivery between 2023 and 2026. It’s not surprising to see Alaska order more 737 MAXs: The airline has relatively few planes on order, to replace its existing 737s Chances are that the airline got amazing terms with Boeing and lots of flexibility, given the history of the 737 MAX, and Boeing’s eagerness to secure new orders The 737 MAX 9 is the future of Alaska Airlines’ fleet Alaska will retire most Airbus planes by 2023 Arguably more interesting than Alaska Airlines’ increased Boeing 737 MAX order is the implications this order has for Alaska Airlines’ Airbus fleet. Alaska Airlines acquired its Airbus aircraft through its Virgin America takeover, and as it stands the airline has: • 10 Airbus A319s, which are an average of over 13 years old • 49 Airbus A320s, which are an average of over 10 years old • 10 Airbus A321neos, which are an average of under three years old While it has long been rumored that Alaska Airlines would retire most of its Airbus aircraft, that’s now official. Alaska Airlines has confirmed that it will replace all A319s and A320s with Boeing 737 MAX 9s by mid-2023. So while Alaska Airlines won’t go back to an all-Boeing fleet, the Seattle-based carrier’s Airbus fleet will exclusively consist of 10 A321neos. As it’s explained, the 737 MAX 9 is 20% more fuel efficient than the A320 on a per-seat basis, and it can fly 600 miles farther. Alaska Airlines will retire most of its Airbus fleet Could Alaska do something cool with remaining A321neos? While it’s highly unlikely anything like this will happen soon, one has to wonder if Alaska could eventually do something special with its A321neo fleet. As much as I’m sure Alaska would love fleet consistency, it makes perfect sense that Alaska isn’t retiring these planes, since they’re new and fuel efficient. With a subfleet of 10 A321neos, one has to wonder if Alaska Airlines might not eventually use these in a different way than other planes. For example, could A321neos eventually be set up for select transcon flights with a better onboard product? Alaska is alone in not offering flat beds in business class between New York and Los Angeles/San Francisco. The airline has doubled down on this concept and seems fine with giving up the premium market, though could that eventually change? This is entirely speculation on my part, though 10 A321neos seems like a potentially decent subfleet to have. Alaska’s current Airbus inflight product Bottom line Alaska Airlines has increased its Boeing 737 MAX 9 order to 68 planes, with an option for a further 52. The planes on firm order will be delivered between 2021 and 2024. As part of this deal, Alaska Airlines will also retire its A319 and A320 aircraft by 2023, meaning that the only Airbus aircraft the airline will operate will be 10 A321neos. https://onemileatatime.com/alaska-airlines-airbus-fleet-retirement-plans/ NOAA Receives Beechcraft King Air Aircraft From Textron Textron's aviation arm has handed over to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a mission-oriented variant of the Beechcraft King Air 350CER turboprop aircraft in support of the agency's emergency response missions and aerial survey efforts. The 350CER is built as an extended range variant of the 350i aircraft and can fly up to eight hours and collect data through the use of its ER features and dual-sensor port modification, the company said Tuesday. The aircraft also features Hartzell four-blade propellers, PT6A-67A turboprop engines, a digital avionics suite developed by Raytheon Technologies' Collins Aerospace subsidiary and optical-grade glass plates to help the cabin remain pressurized throughout its operation. NOAA deployed its first King Air unit in 2009 to perform aerial survey, emergency response and coastal mapping missions. "We are honored the King Air 350CER aircraft continues to be the aircraft of choice to fill a variety of critical mission needs for NOAA," said Bob Gibbs, vice president for special mission sales at Textron. NOAA's Aircraft Operations Center within the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations manages and maintains its fleet of manned air vehicles in behalf of the agency. https://blog.executivebiz.com/2020/12/noaa-receives-beechcraft-king-air-aircraft-from-textron/ Bombardier Announces Sale of 10 Challenger 350 Business Jets • Firm commitment from undisclosed customer represents one of the largest business jet orders of 2020 • Deal underscores desirability of best-selling Challenger 350 aircraft amid strong interest in business aviation and the enhanced safety it provides • Challenger 350 business jet has a winning combination of proven performance and cabin experience that is unrivalled in its class MONTREAL, Dec. 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bombardier is pleased to announce a firm order for 10 Challenger 350 aircraft in a transaction valued at $267 million U.S., based on 2020 list prices. “This order highlights the tremendous value customers place on the unmatched capabilities of our aircraft,” said Éric Martel, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bombardier Inc. “Bombardier’s newly refreshed portfolio and growing service network position the company well to respond to growing interest in private aviation and the enhanced safety it provides.” The Bombardier Challenger 350 aircraft holds the coveted title of best-selling super midsize business jet since entering service six years ago, and continues to strengthen its position with performance enhancements and cabin upgrades. Discerning passengers seek out the Challenger 350 business jet thanks to its spacious and sleek design, productive environment, quiet cabin and smooth ride. With a true seats full, tanks full, 3,200-nautical-mile range, the Challenger 350 business jet can connect New York to Los Angeles or London, and Paris to Dubai nonstop.* About Bombardier With over 52,000 employees across two business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety. Headquartered in Montréal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in over 25 countries across the segments of Aviation and Transportation. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, Bombardier posted revenues of $15.8 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier. *Under certain operating conditions. Bombardier, Challenger and Challenger 350 are registered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. For information Louise Solomita Bombardier Aviation Louise.Solomita@aero.bombardier.com + 1 514-855-5001, ext. 25148 https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/12/23/2150237/0/en/Bombardier-Announces-Sale-of-10-Challenger-350-Business-Jets.html Airbus Explores Narrow-Body Jet Design With Engine Maker GE • U.S. firm offers preliminary outline for geared-turbofan model • Discussions revealed in court opinion that was later sealed Airbus SE has solicited engine ideas for a narrow-body jetliner in development, drawing a proposal for a new geared design from General Electric Co. GE’s preliminary proposal, disclosed in a court opinion, reveals previously unreported talks between the engine maker and Airbus for a “next-generation” plane. The court decision was later sealed, indicating the high level of interest in what’s next for Airbus. It’s unclear whether the mooted aircraft would be a new model or an upgrade to one already in the company’s catalog, such as the A320neo or A220 single-aisle jets. The court decision doesn’t say when GE proposed the new engine, whether the plane might come to market, or how far along any talks are. Airbus Chief Executive Office Guillaume Faury has previously indicated that the firm’s next narrow-body will be a carbon-free design, with work underway on developing hydrogen-powered aircraft, though aviation watchers have also wondered whether a new conventionally fueled plane might be in the offing. Agency Partners analyst Nick Cunningham said discussions may concern a model initially powered by jet fuel but adaptable to using other propellants. “A new narrow-body would start with a kerosene-powered geared turbofan, but with scope to use new propulsion technologies as they appear,” he said. Such technology for a full-size airliner is unlikely to be ready before 2030, though a smaller regional aircraft could fly before then, he said. Airbus shares traded 1% higher as of 9:02 a.m. in Paris, paring their decline this year to 29%. U.S. rival Boeing Co. has declined 33%. Engine Tussle Airbus is building an extra-long range version of its A321neo that will allow airlines to fly further with smaller, more efficient aircraft. The A320neo family currently offers either LEAP 1A engines from a GE joint venture, or Pratt & Whitney’s PW1100G geared turbofan as options. The Neo, which stands for new engine option, is itself a more fuel-efficient version of the A320. “GE Aviation continually reviews opportunities with airframers, including Airbus and Boeing, about engine technologies for the next generation of aircraft. The details of these discussions are confidential,” the U.S. company said by email. Airbus similarly didn’t disclose the nature of any discussions. “We are in constant dialog with our engine makers about the latest state-of-the-art technologies and ongoing innovations,” it said by email. “There are many studies. Not all studies see the light of day.” Cunningham said talks may be a “feint” by Airbus to pressure Boeing into moving early on a new narrow-body plane before technologies are really ready. That could allow the European company to come in a few years later with a superior plane. The U.S. company’s single-aisle strategy was thrown into disarray by the grounding of its 737 Max, which rivals the A320neo, after two fatal crashes. The Max has only just been permitted to fly again and it’s not yet clear if it will be able to compete effectively with the Airbus plane. Geared Turbofan GE proposed using a geared turbofan system it is developing, which it considered a “technologically preferred design for the next-generation narrow-body market,” the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit wrote in an opinion Wednesday. Airbus and Boeing are confronting mounting pressure to curb carbon emissions, while the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated a marketplace shift away from their largest and most profitable planes. The two compete intensely over new designs that are high stakes because of the long lead-times and deep pockets required to bring a model to market. The same is true for engine-makers GE, Pratt and Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc. The U.K. company is now considering a return to the single-aisle market, and has said it is in contact with Airbus about possible opportunities, while discussing a potential new single-aisle design contemplated by Boeing. The disclosure about the GE-Airbus discussions came in a years-long dispute over geared turbofan patents held by Pratt, which is a unit of Raytheon Technologies Corp. The mechanism -- used for other aircraft in addition to the A320 family -- allows the fan blades and turbine in an engine to rotate at different speeds for better efficiency. Infringement Case Beginning in 2016, General Electric launched an attack against Raytheon’s patents on gas-turbine engines, claiming they were taking credit for decades-old technology developed by GE or for processes that were broadly known in the industry. In all, 33 petitions have been filed at a review board within the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, most recently in January. GE has had mixed luck at the agency, including knocking out a patent for a way to set the gear ratio in an engine. Last year, the Federal Circuit, which handles all patent appeals, ruled that merely being a competitor of Raytheon wasn’t enough to give Boston-based GE the right to use federal courts to appeal a different case it had lost at the agency review board. To overcome that decision, GE had to provide information to show that it “is ‘currently undertaking activities’ likely to lead Raytheon to sue it for infringement.” On Wednesday, the circuit held that GE had met that burden and could pursue its case. Raytheon said it was disappointed with the appeals court decision and that it was evaluating its options. The case involves a single patent, Raytheon said by email, and it has “many other patents covering its revolutionary new GTF technology.” https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-23/airbus-seeks-jet-engine-proposals-for-new-plane-ge-case-reveals Jet It partners with Be The Match by donating flight time for bone marrow donations Jet It, a private, fractional ownership private aviation firm headquartered in Greensboro, is employing its unique business model to assist patients in need of bone marrow transplants. Through its new partnership with Be The Match, Jet It, with its fleet of 10 HondaJets and growing, can provide a private air travel service for donors and life-saving donations for bone marrow transplants at a moment’s notice. Since April 2020, Be The Match and its partners have assisted with 36 donated private flights for cell donors and couriers. The cost to operate a HondaJet, built by Greensboro-based Honda Aircraft Co. (NYSE: HMC) is approximately $1,600 per hour, "We are in a position now with our Jet It fleet to assist individuals that need medical transport so they can provide their donations," said Akir Khan, Jet It's vice president of strategy. "As a company focused on helping those in need, we strive to put others ahead of ourselves to close the gap, build community and ensure no one is left behind." As the global leader in blood stem cell transplanting, Be The Match helps patients find their donor match and delivers the cure from across the country or around the world. Because 70% of patients needing a transplant will not have a family member match, the Be The Match registry is often a cancer patient's last hope for a cure. Once the donor's cells are collected, they are transported within 48 hours by a volunteer courier, via ground or air transportation, such as Jet It, to patients regardless of location. Jet It co-founders and aviators Glenn Gonzales and Vishal Hiremath are donating their own flight days to the cause. "We depend on help from partners who can connect us with private flight solutions in emergent situations when we are unable to utilize traditional transportation options," said Alex Zweig, general aviation flight coordinator for Be The Match. "I am excited, honored and humbled to have Jet It as a new partner to help fill that need." Transplant timing is always critical, but Covid-19 has presented new obstacles and costs for delivering cures. Patient families are navigating new financial barriers in getting to and through transplant, resulting in a 50% increase in Be The Match grants given in the past year. For donor and courier trips requiring air travel, more than 90% of trips are being re-booked more than once because of commercial flight availability. Founded in 2018, Jet It has raised more than $575,000 for various children’s charities. https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2020/12/23/jet-it-partners-with-be-the-match.html NASA opens new launchpad at Kennedy Space Center meant to serve multiple commercial launch customers NASA has finished work on a new launchpad at its Kennedy Space Center in Florida -- Launch Complex 48 (LC-48), a pad that will be able to support smaller launch vehicles than either LC-39A or B, or SLC-41, which currently host SpaceX, SLS and ULA launches, respectively. It's designed to be able to be used by multiple providers, with an absence of permanent structures that allows for flexible configuration depending on who's using it. The purpose of LC-48 is very explicitly to fill "a need for new, low-cost launch systems with very fast turnaround cycles," according to KSC senior project manager Keith Britton speaking to NASASpaceflight.com. That sounds an awful lot like some of the forthcoming launch models being developed and tested by companies including Astra, a small launcher that designed its business around the now-ended DARPA competition for a responsive launch demonstration. While companies like Virgin Orbit are aiming to create responsive, mobile launch capabilities by obviating the need for a specialized pad altogether, they are in the minority when it comes to small launch startups in terms of skipping the need for vertical take-off altogether. Many more companies, including Astra, as well as Firefly, Orbex and the newly revived Vector Launch, are focusing on small rockets that can be launched with scaled-down requirements in terms of both people and infrastructure required on site to add flexibility and mobility into their models. LC-48 doesn't yet have any actual customers booked -- NASA says it's in discussions with a number of companies, but none are yet officially signed customers. The agency does, however, anticipate some launches potentially taking place from the new pad as early as next year. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/nasa-opens-launchpad-kennedy-space-205931515.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