Flight Safety Information - January 15, 2021 No. 012 In This Issue : Incident: Tunis A319 at Tunis on Jan 10th 2021, could not retract gear : Incident: Azul E295 at Campo Grande on Jan 8th 2021, loss of nose wheel steering on landing : Incident: SA Airlink E170 at Harare on Jan 13th 2021, bird strike : Indonesia finds casing of crashed Sriwijaya Air jet's cockpit recorder : Crash: Sriwijaya B735 at Jakarta on Jan 9th 2021, lost height and impacted Java Sea (Investigation Update) : Deadly Grand Canyon copter crash likely caused by wind : Supersonic Aircraft Can Now Be Tested Over Land, FAA Rules : Delta, United plan temporary ban on DC weapons check-in ahead of Biden inauguration : Delta Puts Trump Supporters Who Harassed Mitt Romney, Lindsey Graham On No-Fly List : Oman Air's IATA operational safety audit renewed again : American tells pilots to take vaccine on own time but plans airport-based rollout : Passengers banned from U.S. airlines top 2,700, with dozens added in wake of Capitol riot : Boeing Names First Chief Aerospace Safety Officer : Man pleads guilty to flying drone that hit LAPD helicopter and forced it to make emergency landing : Canada’s Flight Attendants Welcome New Transport Minister – And Say It’s Time to Get to Work : Blue Origin aims to fly first passengers into space as early as April : RTCA Free Webinar, Jan. 21 - 1pm ET: Nancy Graham of Graham Aerospace presents – Stratospheric Operations : 2021 Aircraft Cabin Air Conference Incident: Tunis A319 at Tunis on Jan 10th 2021, could not retract gear A Tunisair Airbus A319-100, registration TS-IMO performing flight TU-642 from Tunis (Tunisia) to Vienna (Austria), was climbing out of Tunis' runway 01 when the crew stopped the climb at 4000 feet due to being unable to retract the landing gear. The aircraft returned to Tunis for a safe landing on runway 01 about 20 minutes after departure. A replacement A320-200 registration TS-IMS reached Vienna with a delay of 4 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Tunis 4 days after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e1b5c83&opt=0 Incident: Azul E295 at Campo Grande on Jan 8th 2021, loss of nose wheel steering on landing An Azul Linhas Aereas Embraer ERJ-195-E2, registration PS-AED performing flight AD-4282 from Sao Paulo Viracopos,SP to Campo Grande,MS (Brazil) with 137 passengers and 5 crew, landed on Campo Grande's runway 24, when during roll out the "Nosewheel Steering Inop" occurred. The crew stopped the aircraft on the runway and worked the related checklists. The aircraft needed to be towed to the apron. The aircraft continued schedule after 2:45 hours on the ground. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e1b41e3&opt=0 Incident: SA Airlink E170 at Harare on Jan 13th 2021, bird strike An SA Airlink Embraer ERJ-170, registration ZS-YBC performing flight 4Z-103 from Harare to Johannesburg (South Africa), was climbing out of Harare's runway 23 when the aircraft suffered a bird strike. The crew stopped the climb at about FL170 and returned to Harare for a safe landing on runway 05 about 35 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 18 hours, then positioned to Johannesburg. The airline reported the flight returned to Harare shortly after takeoff due to a bird strike. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/LNK103/history/20210113/1550Z/FVRG/FAOR http://avherald.com/h?article=4e1b3a87&opt=0 Indonesia finds casing of crashed Sriwijaya Air jet's cockpit recorder JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian divers have found the casing of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from a Sriwijaya Air plane that crashed into the Java Sea last week, but are still searching for its memory unit, a navy officer said on Friday. Earlier this week, divers hoisted from the seabed the other so-called black box, the flight data recorder (FDR), of the 26-year-old Boeing Co 737-500 jet. Flight SJ 182 crashed into the Java Sea minutes after take-off from Jakarta with 62 people on board last Saturday. Air accident investigators have downloaded data from the FDR, which they hope will help determine the cause of the crash though will also want to hear the cockpit voice recordings. "We've found the (CVR) body or casing, we've found the beacon and now we're looking for the memory," officer Abdul Rasyid told reporters aboard the navy ship Rigel, which was televised live. Experts say most recorders have a strengthened housing containing the memory or tape, a chassis designed to fix it in place and an underwater locator beacon. Abdul was confident divers would find the memory unit within the next few days, adding that a plane's black boxes were usually strong and could withstand a considerable impact. Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) has successfully downloaded information from the FDR, which contained 330 parameters and "all are in good conditions", the committee said in a statement on Friday. Parameters are a reference to the amount of data recorded from various aircraft systems including the flight path, speed, engine power and flaps configurations. KNKT said the FDR data confirmed that both of the plane's engines had been operating when the plane hit the water, as it had earlier stated based on the wreckage. KNKT plans to issue a preliminary report within 30 days of the crash, in line with international standards, the agency's head told Reuters on Thursday. The search operation, which was initially planned for a week, has been extended for three more days to find more victims and recover parts of the plane. The Sriwijaya crash is the biggest airline disaster in Indonesia since October 2018, when 189 people were killed onboard a Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX that plunged into the Java Sea soon after take-off. https://www.yahoo.com/news/indonesia-says-data-downloaded-flight-054518039.html Crash: Sriwijaya B735 at Jakarta on Jan 9th 2021, lost height and impacted Java Sea (Investigation Update) A Sriwijaya Boeing 737-500, registration PK-CLC performing flight SJ-182 from Jakarta to Pontianak (Indonesia) with 56 passengers and 6 crew, had been cleared to climb to FL290 and was climbing through about 10,800 feet MSL out of Jakarta about 11nm north of Jakarta's Soekarno Hatta International Airport over the Java Sea when radar and radio contact was lost with the aircraft at 14:40L (07:40Z). The aircraft has so far not turned up anywhere else. A search is underway. Debris and body parts were located in waters of about 15 meters depth near Lancang Island. There are no signs of survivors. Soekarno Airport confirmed radar and radio contact with the aircraft was lost. Data review is underway, further communication to be expected from the Ministry of Transport. Indonesia's Ministry of Transport confirmed contact with the aircraft was lost. A search and rescue operation is in progress under the coordination of Basarnas. First units of Basarnas arriving at the crash site between Laki Island and Lancang Island have located debris. The Ministry subsequently confirmed the aircraft has crashed. The aircraft had departed Soekarno Airport at 14:36L, climbing through 1700 feet the aircraft was cleared to climb to FL290. Departure control subsequently noticed that the aircraft was not on its assigned heading of 075 degrees, but tracking northwesterly and queried the crew about the heading at 14:40L, but received no reply, within second the aircraft disappeared from radar. On Jan 12th 2021 the Ministry reported the aircraft had last undergone examination for airworthiness in November 2020 and had received a certificate of airworthiness until Dec 17th 2021 having met all conditions of airworthiness. The Ministry also followed up with Airworthiness Directive AD 2020-14-03 released by the FAA on July 24th 2020 regarding fatigue cracking on the left nacelle support overwing fitting flange fastener hole, and ensured within the November 2020 examination that this AD had been followed. The Ministry stated: "it was confirmed that the Sriwijaya Air SJ 182 aircraft was in an airworthy condition before flying." In the evening of Jan 12th 2021 the Ministry of Transport reported one of the black boxes was recovered by Navy divers and taken ashore. The black box was subsequently identified as the flight data recorder. The read out of the FDR is expected to take between 2 and 5 days. Basarnas reported they have deployed resources to the crash site and at the moment focus on locating the aircraft, hoping to be able to establish the position of the aircraft by monring of Jan 10th 2021. Several pieces of debris have been recovered already, however, it has not yet been established they are from the aircraft. The ELT transmitters of the aircraft did not and do not transmit any signals. On Jan 10th 2021 Rescue and Recovery Services found additional body and wreckage parts, amongst them a part of about 1 meter/3 feet length. Signals believed to originate from the pingers of the black boxes were located at two locations, these signals are going to be further investigated. On Jan 10th 2021 Basarnas reported a specialist research ship is being dispatched to investigate the ping signals and recover the black boxes. The commander of the ship believes they have successfully determined and marked the position of one of the black boxes. There is hope that the black box can be recovered until evening of Jan 10th. Ships and divers recovered body parts, clothings of victims and metallic pieces amongst them pieces of the fuselage. Body parts as well as debris from the crash site were handed over to local authorities for further handling. In the evening (local time) Basarnas stated: "Basarnas and KNKT to find the exact coordinates of the 2 blackboxes. The two aircraft blackbox emergency signals are believed to have been detected, within 150 to 200 meters of the crash site." On Jan 11th 2021 Basarnas stated they are still looking for the black boxes, top priority is still on recovering victims however. They believe divers have located the shattered main wreckage buried in mud on the sea floor at a depth of 23 meters. On Jan 12th 2021 Basaranas reported multiple bags with human remains and aircraft debris were handed over to authorities. Ships with cranes are being brought in to lift larger pieces of the wreckage from the sea floor. On Jan 13th 2021 Basarnas reported recovery works have been suspended temporarily due to the weather conditions and 2.5m waves at the crash site. On Jan 14th 2021 Basarnas reported the search for the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) is still ongoing with the assistance by an underwater robot. 34 locations of aircraft debris have been located, one of them is assumed to be the cockpit, another one the tail of the aircraft. The search is still hampered by rain and winds of 20 knots. On Jan 15th 2021 the Indonesian Navy reported that the pinger of the CVR was found and recovered, however, the CVR's memory unit is still missing. The search for the memory unit is still ongoing. The airline stated they are in contact with aviation authorities and seeking more information. A statement will be issued once all necessary details have been established. On Jan 9th 2021 at about 21:40L (14:40Z) the airline released a statement confirming contact with the aircraft was lost at 14:40L. The aircraft carried 40 adult passengers, 7 children, 3 infants and 6 deadheading crew. The aircraft was operated by 6 active crew. The airline published a hotline phone number. Indonesia's KNKT (National Transportation Safety Commission) have opened an investigation and announced, they begin their search for the black boxes on Sunday (Jan 10th 2021). On Jan 10th 2021 the KNKT stated, they already know the positions of both black boxes. There is hope the black boxes can be recovered on Jan 11th 2021. Singapore have offered assistance for the search for the black boxes, which has been accepted. The US NTSB have accredited a representative who joins the investigation. On Jan 12th 2021 the KNKT stated according to radar data the aircraft reached a maximum of 10900 feet MSL and appeared to be intacted until hitting the water being capable of transmitting data. The KNKT suspects the engines were running until impact with water based on these data. The positions of the blackboxes have been estimated based on the receiver pinger signals, a team of divers is searching the estimated position, however, have not yet found the blackboxes until afternoon of Jan 12th 2021 (local time). In the evening of Jan 12th 2021 KNKT confirmed that the chairman of Basarnas handed the flight data recorder (FDR) over to KNKT. On Jan 13th 2021 the KNKT reported the FDR has been read out and published a video of the preparations of the FDR for read out (see below). On Jan 13th 2021 the NTSB reported they are sending their accredited representative plus 3 additional investigators over to Indonesia in accordance with ICAO Annex 13 to join the investigation into the crash of the Sriwijaya Boeing 737-500. On Jan 15th 2021 the KNKT reported that the data of the FDR have been successfully downloaded, all 330 parameters recorded are in good condition and are currently being analyzed. A passenger booked onto the crashed flight reported, that he had to miss the flight due to his Covid-19 PCR Test results not yet having arrived. Only after the aircraft had already departed the (negative) test results arrived which would have permitted him to board the flight. Residents of the islands nearby (Thousand Islands) were out on the sea in two boats when they heard two explosions, then found debris afloat at the sea. It was raining at that time. The residents returned one of the boats to their islands about 2 hours later and reported to police. The other boat is still at the scene holding position using an anchor. Thesse residents have so far recovered seats, cables, pockets and jeans. The captain of a ship with 28 crew, that was located about 6nm from the impact site near Lancang Island, reported they were observing an object fall into the waters and set course towards the site. They found flight jackets, body parts and debris of an aircraft. The ship is currently holding position about half a mile off the observed crash site until rescue and recovery services (of Basarnas) arrive. The water is about 15 to 16 meters deep at the crash site. According to ADS-B data the aircraft had departed Soekarno's runway 25R at 07:36Z, was climbing through 10,600 feet at 284 knots over ground at 07:39:50Z about 11nm north of Soekarno Airport and was at 07:40:11Z at 1400 feet at 307 knots over ground about 1.6nm northnortheast of that position (average sink rate 26,300 fpm). The last received ADS-B Position was S5.9730 E106.5676. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SJY182/history/20210109/0640Z/WIII/WIOO Metars: WIII 090900Z 29006KT 6000 -RA BKN017 25/23 Q1006 NOSIG= WIII 090830Z 29008KT 4000 RA OVC017 25/24 Q1006 NOSIG= WIII 090800Z 28008KT 4000 -RA BKN016 OVC018 26/24 Q1006 NOSIG= WIII 090730Z 30006KT 5000 -RA FEW017CB OVC018 25/24 Q1006 NOSIG= WIII 090700Z 30007KT 4000 VCTS RA FEW016CB OVC018 25/24 Q1007 NOSIG= WIII 090630Z 34007KT 2000 TSRA FEW016CB OVC018 25/24 Q1007 NOSIG RMK CB OVER THE FIELD= WIII 090600Z 34010G20KT 5000 VCTS -RA FEW016CB OVC018 26/24 Q1007 NOSIG RMK CB TO W AND NW= WIII 090530Z 35012KT 5000 VCTS -RA FEW016CB BKN018 26/25 Q1007 NOSIG RMK CB TO NW AND N= WIII 090500Z 34012KT 6000 VCTS FEW016CB BKN018 28/24 Q1008 TEMPO 5000 -TSRA RMK CB TO NW AND N= WIII 090430Z 28010KT 9999 SCT020 31/24 Q1008 NOSIG= http://avherald.com/h?article=4e18553c&opt=0 Deadly Grand Canyon copter crash likely caused by wind FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The pilot of a helicopter that crashed in the Grand Canyon in 2018, killing five British tourists, told investigators that he wasn't able to control the aircraft after a “violent gust of wind” sent it spinning, according to a new report. The National Transportation Safety Board released its final report Thursday that said tailwinds, potential downdrafts and turbulence were the probable cause of the loss of control and tail-rotor effectiveness. The investigation found no evidence of mechanical problems with the helicopter. The report did not include any safety recommendations. The Airbus EC130 B4 crashed just before sunset in February 2018 in a section of the Grand Canyon where air tours aren't as highly regulated as in the national park. The pilot, Scott Booth, was attempting to land next to the Colorado River on the Hualapai reservation when the gust hit. “It just took the aircraft from me,” he told investigators in an interview months after the crash. “It just spun it, and I couldn’t fly it. It just took it so quickly.” Witnesses saw the helicopter make at least two 360-degree turns before hitting the ground and bursting into flames. Three of the British tourists on board were pronounced dead at the scene: veterinary receptionist Becky Dobson, 27; her boyfriend and car salesman Stuart Hill, 30; and Hill’s brother, 32-year-old lawyer Jason Hill. Two others in their group — 31-year-old Jonathan Udall and 29-year-old Ellie Milward Udall — later died from burn injuries. Booth fractured his lower left leg, and passenger Jennifer Barham had a spinal fracture. They also suffered severe burns but survived. An attorney for Jonathan Udall, Gary C. Robb, called the NTSB investigation thorough and well-researched. “The Udall family from the beginning has wanted to find out what happened so this can prevent other helicopter victims from literally being burned alive,” he said. Representatives for the Hualapai Tribe, Papillon and Airbus did not immediately comment when reached Thursday. The investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed a chaotic attempt to render aid. Witnesses who included other pilots, passengers and a wedding party in the canyon saw smoke and heard screams after the helicopter crashed. Some people ran toward the flames to help, against the pilots' advice to stay close to picnic tables. Witnesses saw two women emerge from the flaming wreckage, dazed, burned and bleeding and in shock. They were screaming for their loved ones, pilots said. The British tourists boarded the helicopter earlier that day in Boulder City near Las Vegas as part of a trip to celebrate Stuart Hill's birthday and the Udalls as newlyweds. Booth had worked for the air tour company Papillon since June 2013, most recently part-time. He had flown passengers into the Grand Canyon and landed in the gorge nearly 600 times. Most days, the weather was calm and the flights routine, he said. As Booth approached the canyon, he took note that other parked helicopters were pointing different directions and saw a windsock “waving like a waffle." He slowed down to land and was hit hard by the wind, maneuvering to try to gain control, he said. Next thing he knew, he was up on a ledge, and his pants were on fire. Another pilot used a tourniquet on Booth's leg. Others were covering him with blankets and jackets, he said. One woman was praying over him. Since then, both of Booth's legs have been amputated, he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal for a story published last January. He said healing from the psychological wounds was the hardest. But he knows he wasn't responsible for the crash. At the crash site, witnesses tried to use a satellite phone, but the battery was dead. They attempted to draw power from a helicopter but had no service. A box containing medical supplies had to be smashed open because no one knew the combination to the lock, according to the NTSB report. Pilots began ferrying emergency responders who reached the site about 45 minutes later, the report said. Victims weren't transported to hospitals for six hours because of the remoteness of the area and communications issues, the NTSB said. Authorities summoned rescue crews and reached out to Nellis Air Force Base to see if anyone who was qualified in night vision could help. Eventually, fatigue set in for helicopter pilots, and they stopped flying passengers and emergency personnel back up to the rim. Several passengers and members of a volunteer rope team slept in helicopters in the canyon or on picnic tables. The three pilots who landed before Booth said they, too, had to contend with wind that became progressively stronger. The NTSB said photographs of the windsock at the landing site indicated gusts of at least 15 knots, or 17 mph (27 kph). Investigators said pilots estimated even stronger gusts. “I went from having airspeed to not having any at all,” one of the pilots, John Davis, told investigators. “I don’t know how I kept it straight. I kept thinking about that. Had I said something on the radio, maybe he (Booth) would not have followed that direction.” Papillon's guidelines said helicopter operations could be suspended with gusts of 20 knots or 23 mph (37 kph) or wind speeds that were higher and more steady. Pilots flying that day anticipated wind. But the NTSB said it's unlikely they were alerted to weather advisories about turbulence and stronger winds that were issued after their morning briefing. Booth said he didn't check the weather after that briefing. Investigators also noted that the helicopter lacked a crash-resistant fuel system. The helicopters in Papillon's fleet weren't required to have them, but the company has since retrofitted the aircraft with fuel tanks that expand and seal upon impact instead of rupturing. After the crash, Papillon also placed new satellite phones with better coverage, trauma kits and a collapsible metal stretcher in unlocked metal containers in the canyon for emergencies. It also added a wind sock near the accident site. The helicopter manufacturer, Airbus, updated its safety information for pilots. The family of Jonathan Udall sued the helicopter company and the aircraft manufacturer, accusing them of failing to equip the helicopter with the crash-resistant system. That case is ongoing. The NTSB said its requests through Barham’s family to interview her were declined. https://www.yahoo.com/news/deadly-grand-canyon-copter-crash-193017934.html Supersonic Aircraft Can Now Be Tested Over Land, FAA Rules Supersonic aircraft just got a big boost from the Federal Aviation Administration. A new ruling will allow limited testing of Mach 1-plus aircraft over land. Until now, leaders like Aerion, Boom and Spike were limited to testing over water. The FAA ruling still prohibits unlimited supersonic flight over US soil, but it does open a path for exemptions for testing the experimental aircraft. The US agency is also hoping to prompt aviation authorities in other countries to move in a similar direction, so that transcontinental supersonic flight could become reality in the next eight years. Tom Vice, chairman of Aerion, called the ruling a “significant milestone” for supersonic flight. “Our AS2 will be the first supersonic aircraft to enter commercial service in 51 years, and this gives our company the ability to test it over land in addition to the overwater testing currently planned,” Vice told Robb Report. Boom had a similar reaction, saying it was “pleased” with the ruling. It has developed a working “baby boom” XB-1 aircraft to test. “As we plan for the start of our XB-1 flight test campaign later this year, we welcome the FAA’s interest in clarifying supersonic test flight rules,” the company told Robb Report. “We’re leveraging new innovation to build a supersonic commercial airplane that is environmentally and socially sustainable.” This next generation of supersonic aircraft makers have placed fuel sustainability and noise reduction—or the infamous sonic boom—at the heart of their R&D programs. Aerion uses what it calls “caustic layers” of temperature inversion to fly over Mach 1 to reflect the sonic boom upwards into the atmosphere so it never reaches the ground. It also plans to use a renewable biofuel to limit emissions. Boom said its XB-1 demonstrator will be carbon neutral, with sustainable aviation fuels and “high-quality, vetted carbon offsetting.” Boom said it also plans to make its full-scale Overture a net-zero carbon aircraft. The Overture should begin testing in 2026. The new regulations, which specifically allow for noise testing, make it possible to monitor how well “boomless” cruise technology works over land. The aircraft manufacturers will need to apply for permission for each test. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/supersonic-aircraft-now-tested-over-144500550.html Delta, United plan temporary ban on DC weapons check-in ahead of Biden inauguration Delta Air Lines (DAL) and United Airlines (UAL) will temporarily prohibit passengers flying to Washington D.C. area airports from checking firearms, the airlines announced on Thursday, a week after violent protests rocked Capitol Hill and roiled America. Starting Saturday, January 16, Delta and United will ban passengers to the nation’s capital from traveling with guns until a week after the inauguration. Delta also said it planned to prohibit other weapons from being checked during the temporary ban. Delta first committed to the change after the company made the announcement as it reported a steep fourth quarter loss, and in the wake of a decision to put hecklers who harassed two high-profile GOP senators on commercial flights on a no-fly list. On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an order providing for the agency to take swift legal action and impose up to $35,000 in fines against unruly passengers. ‘Closely monitoring the situation’ Other U.S. airlines have also moved to prevent violence next week, including American Airlines (AAL), and Southwest Airlines (LUV). The two airlines did not follow Delta’s and United’s moves to ban checked firearms, but Southwest said it would coordinate with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to comply with any updates to the federal government’s No-Fly list. “We are continuing to work with the TSA to adhere to any additions or updates on the Federal No-Fly List. We are staying in close coordination with the TSA to remain aligned on the list,” a Southwest spokesperson said in an email to Yahoo Finance. American suspended alcoholic beverage service on flights to and from Washington D.C. area airports from January 16 through January 21. Southwest said it would keep in place a suspension on alcoholic beverage service already in place due to COVID-19. American plans to relocate its crew members’ hotels from downtown locations to those closer to the area’s airports, and said that it’s providing crew members with private transportation between hotels and airports through January 24. Southwest and United also said their crew members will not be booked into downtown D.C. hotels. American and United also committed to increasing the number of staff at D.C. area airports. American said it would revise pre-departure announcements to emphasize the importance of following crew member instructions and complying with mandatory face-covering policies. “We are continuing to work closely with local and federal law enforcement, as well as our airport partners, and will continue to enforce policies that ensure safety and wellbeing of our customers and team members on the ground and in the air,” American’s spokesperson said. “Our team is closely monitoring the situation and will make any additional adjustments as needed.” The TSA generally permits citizens to check approved weapons when they fly. “You may transport unloaded firearms in a locked hard-sided container as checked baggage only,” according to the TSA. Passengers are required to declare firearms and ammunition to the airline when they check in. Weapons must be completely secure from being accessed, although individual locked cases are forbidden. The TSA also says guns must be unloaded. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/delta-bans-weapons-ahead-of-inauguration-143404914.html Delta Puts Trump Supporters Who Harassed Mitt Romney, Lindsey Graham On No-Fly List Delta has put some of President Donald Trump’s most aggressive supporters on a no-fly list, after they harassed Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Mitt Romney (Utah) in airports last week. In an interview with Reuters on Thursday, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said that passengers who targeted the senators would no longer be able to fly on the airline. The airline confirmed the move to The Hill without elaborating on the details. One of the incidents that inspired Delta’s ban took place on Jan. 5, when Romney was heckled while waiting for a flight from Salt Lake City to Washington, D.C., by a group of people shouting “traitor” him for not going along with Trump’s bogus election fraud scheme. Romney shrugged off the abuse, telling HuffPost, “That’s something I’ve gotten used to over the years. That’s the nature of politics, unfortunately.” The incident involving Graham happened on Jan. 8 at Ronald Reagan National Airport outside of Washington, two days after the South Carolina senator broke with the president, who incited a mob attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6. Graham was looking at his phone when a group of people yelled “traitor” and obscenities at him. HuffPost asked Delta whether Graham and Romney flew the airline on those particular days, and how the harassers will be notified of the ban. Delta did not immediately respond. The ban comes as the Federal Aviation Administration announced that it will tighten penalty enforcement against passengers who physically or verbally threaten airline crew or passengers, according to The Hill. https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/delta-no-fly-list-romney-graham-harassers-235459408.html Oman Air's IATA operational safety audit renewed again Muscat: Oman Air has once again successfully passed the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), with a remarkable result. From December 7 to 11, 2020, Oman Air was subject to the audit, which was conducted by an accredited organisation approved by IATA to perform these tasks. IOSA is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to access the operational management and control systems of an airline, which occurs every two years once the airline successfully completes the first audit. This certification is a valuable safety validation for Oman Air as it aligns us with global best safety practice. It helps to ensure our continuous operational management and control systems are in accordance to the IATA standards, regulatory requirements and industry best practices. Amid the challenges of COVID-19, a considerable amount of preparation took place in all operational departments within Oman Air, before and during the audit. The Oman Air Operations and Maintenance Quality System teams worked together in unison, guided by Quality Assurance Operations and led by VPQAO, Capt Salim Ali Al Rashdi, to achieve a successful IOSA Renewal Audit. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Oman Air CEO said: “We are delighted to maintain an excellent track record since 2005. The IOSA is probably the most important examination of our operations and the results are testament to our all-encompassing safety culture.” “I can say with confidence that Oman Air staff will continue to implement and deliver the most efficient safety procedures in all their operations to ensure we remain industry leaders in all facets of our operations and quote,” Al Raisi added. https://timesofoman.com/article/oman-airs-iata-operational-safety-audit-renewed-again American tells pilots to take vaccine on own time but plans airport-based rollout (Reuters) - American Airlines has told pilots they should take a COVID-19 vaccine on their own time while preparing a broader voluntary program for employee vaccinations at airports around the country. Vaccines could be ready for Chicago-based staff as soon as mid-February, though American is not requiring them, said Jennifer Saddy, managing director of absence management who is part of the team leading American's vaccine efforts. A memo to American's pilots called the decision to take the vaccines "personal." "As such, if you elect to take the vaccine you should schedule it on your days off and so that it does not impact your ability to be in place and operate your scheduled flying given the 48-hour requirement," American's managing director of line operations, Chip Long, and managing director of flight operations, John Dudley, said in the memo, reviewed by Reuters. The Federal Aviation Administration has said pilots and controllers must not fly or conduct safety-related duties for 48 hours after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Asked about the memo, American Airlines said it is working on plans to provide the vaccine to pilots and other employees as it becomes available in different states but does not plan to require them unless they are mandated by certain countries for entry. The Allied Pilots Association representing American's pilots did not immediately comment. A spokesman for the union representing its flight attendants said it expects direction from the company about vaccines next week. VACCINE DILEMMA Private U.S. companies have the right under the law to require employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but are unlikely to do so because of the risks of legal and cultural backlash, experts have said. Inoculation against the disease caused by the coronavirus is considered key to safely reopening large parts of the U.S. economy. Some companies are offering incentives to workers to get a vaccine when it is available. Retailer Dollar General Corp , for example, is offering frontline workers a bonus worth four hours of pay. Air travel has been particularly hard hit by the pandemic. Delta Air Lines has not decided whether to require the vaccine for its employees. "That’s going to be more of a government discussion with the regulatory authorities than an individual airline's decision," Chief Executive Ed Bastian told Reuters. United Airlines said its vaccine plans are still a work in progress. Strict rules putting healthcare workers first in line have slowed the rollout in the United States, which varies by state. The United States on Tuesday expanded COVID-19 testing requirements for nearly all people entering the country from abroad, including citizens, but does not require tests for domestic flights and has not issued guidance on vaccines for travel. American is still working out details for its vaccine plans but will likely offer shots to employees by appointment or on a walk-in basis at its medical clinics at airport hubs, in partnership with its health provider Premise, Saddy said. JetBlue Airways, based in New York which is now offering the vaccine to airline employees, said some of its workers were receiving it. https://www.yahoo.com/news/american-tells-pilots-vaccine-own-150355192.html Passengers banned from U.S. airlines top 2,700, with dozens added in wake of Capitol riot During an Alaska Airlines flight from Washington, D.C., to Seattle last week, a number of passengers refused to wear masks and harassed crew members, the airline said. In response, Alaska banned 14 of the passengers on that Thursday flight — just some of a growing number of disruptive passengers airlines are putting on their own no-fly lists. And now the Federal Aviation Administration has announced it will start taking legal action over such behavior going forward. Calling those passengers "rowdy" and "argumentative," Alaska Airlines said in a statement it has banned more than 300 passengers since August for violating its mask policy. "Their behavior was unacceptable. Because of their actions and non-compliance, we have banned 14 of those passengers from future travel with us," the airline said. "We apologize to our other guests who were made uncomfortable on the flight. We will not tolerate any disturbance on board our aircraft or at any of the airports we serve." The lists compiled by individual airlines — different from the federal no-fly list, which aims to block suspected terrorists from the skies — has swelled to more than 2,700 people, CBS News has confirmed. The flight bans grew out of mask requirements put in place due to the coronavirus. Most flight bans will last until those mask policies are suspended at the end of the pandemic. Many of the bans have occurred in the last week, after the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol. The order signed Wednesday by FAA Administrator Steve Dickson means unruly passengers will no longer get a warning or counseling, which the agency said had been common practice in such incidents. "The FAA has seen a disturbing increase in incidents where airline passengers have disrupted flights with threatening or violent behavior. These incidents have stemmed both from passengers' refusals to wear masks and from recent violence at the U.S. Capitol," the FAA's announcement states. While American Airlines refused to disclose the number of customers banned, the airline did confirm it had added customers to its internal refuse list from flights to and from D.C. over the last week, including a passenger shown refusing to wear a mask on a Sunday flight in a viral video. "We are working closely with local law enforcement and airport authority partners to ensure the safety of our customers and team members on the ground and in the air," the airline said in a statement Thursday. "We also have increased staffing at Washington D.C.-area airports and will not serve alcohol on flights to and from this area as a precautionary measure. We will continue to enforce policies that ensure our customers' and team members' safety and wellbeing." The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, American's flight attendants union, said it has set up a hotline for members to report these encounters, which they told CBS include last week a union member being harassed with racial epithets while riding a hotel shuttle to Reagan National Airport and another being harassed by passengers who refused to wear their masks while on board the plane. A spokesman for United Airlines said they had banned 60 people in the last week, and Alaska Airlines confirmed it banned 32 people. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents nearly 50,000 attendants at 17 airlines including United and Alaska, called the behavior "a new kind of threat in the air" in a communication with its members. "The mob mentality behavior that took place on several flights to the D.C. area yesterday was unacceptable and threatened the safety and security of every single person onboard," said Sara Nelson, international president of the union in a statement last Wednesday. "Some of the people who traveled in our planes yesterday participated in the insurrection at the Capitol today," she said. "Their violent and seditious actions at the Capitol today create further concern about their departure from the DC area. Acts against our democracy, our government, and the freedom we claim as Americans must disqualify these individuals from the freedom of flight." Delta Airlines removed two people from a flight from D.C. to Minneapolis-St. Paul on Friday, and an American Airlines pilot scolded passengers on a Friday flight for their unruly behavior. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a reminder to passengers Thursday about unruly behavior in the air, warning it could lead to prison and an up to $35,000 fine. Travel Alert! Unruly behavior on an airplane may violate federal law. You could face imprisonment and fines up to $35K. Always follow crew instructions. They are there to keep everyone safe. More info at https://t.co/eBbu0Ja9i1. #FlySmart #BeBest pic.twitter.com/WBpSuI1vzn Disruptions at airports have prompted authorities to ramp up security at airports and onboard aircraft, a government security source briefed on the matter tells CBS News — including additional air marshals on flights into and out of the three airports in the National Capitol region, and officers at the gates of flights into those airports. Video shared on social media in the wake of the riot showed protesters at airports confronting Utah Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican who has condemned the attacks and criticized President Trump; South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, also a Republican; and Representative Lou Correa, a Democrat from California. CBS News has confirmed airports across the country are enhancing security and stepping up police presence in their terminals following the violence at the U.S. Capitol. U.S. Capitol Police are also detailing officers to Dulles International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Airport to help escort arriving and departing members of Congress. By the numbers CBS News asked U.S. airlines how many passengers have been banned since the implementation of mask requirements and compiled the answers below. While two of the largest carriers declined to give numbers, the total is more than 2,700 people. Alaska: 302 Allegiant: 15 American: declined to disclose Delta: more than 700 Frontier: more than 500 Hawaiian: 56 JetBlue: 144 Spirit: 432 Southwest: declined to disclose United: 615 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/airlines-ban-passengers-capitol-riots/ Boeing Names First Chief Aerospace Safety Officer Boeing continues to reorganize its safety infrastructure, announcing on Wednesday that it has appointed Michael Delaney to the newly created role of chief aerospace safety officer. In his new position, Delaney will lead development of the company’s Global Aviation Safety program. He previously served as Boeing’s vice president of Commercial Airplanes Digital Transformation and led the Confident Travel Initiative. “There is nothing more important to Boeing than the safety of our employees, products and services, and over the past year we’ve taken a series of actions to improve our safety practices and enhance our safety culture, including the establishment of our enterprise Safety Management System (SMS),” Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said in a message to employees. “Building on these efforts, today we will continue to strengthen our safety infrastructure by naming Mike Delaney as Boeing’s chief aerospace safety officer.” Boeing’s Global Aviation Safety program includes the company’s Product and Services Safety (P&SS) organization, which was formed in 2019 as part of Boeing’s response to the fatal accidents of two 737 MAX aircraft, Aerospace Safety Analytics and Global Aviation Safety System. The Confident Travel Initiative, a program created last May to address air travel health risks during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, also falls under the Global Aviation Safety umbrella. Delaney will step into his new role immediately. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/boeing-names-first-chief-aerospace-safety-officer/ Man pleads guilty to flying drone that hit LAPD helicopter and forced it to make emergency landing A Hollywood man pleaded guilty Thursday to unsafely operating a drone that hit a Los Angeles police helicopter and forced it to make an emergency landing. Andrew Hernandez, 22, of Hollywood, entered a plea to a misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of a year in federal prison. Authorities say it's the first criminal case in the nation in which a person has been charged with unsafely operating a drone, CBS Los Angeles reported. In a plea agreement, Hernandez acknowledged that he launched the drone last September out of curiosity as the helicopter flew towards a reported emergency at a pharmacy near his home, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office. The pilot tried to evade the drone but it struck and damaged the aircraft. "If the drone had struck the helicopter's main rotor instead of the fuselage, it could have brought the helicopter down," according to court documents. After striking the chopper, the drone fell to the ground at another residence nearby to Hernandez's home, the U.S. Attorney's Office alleges. It also damaged a vehicle, and pieces of it were found by LAPD officers near the pharmacy. Investigators reviewed the drone's camera and SD card to identify Hernandez as its owner, CBS Los Angeles reported. In late October, FBI agents raided Hernandez's home, during which he admitted that on the morning of the incident, he had heard approaching sirens and decided to fly the drone "to see what was going on," prosecutors said. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/man-pleads-guilty-drone-hit-lapd-helicopter-emergency-landing/ Canada’s Flight Attendants Welcome New Transport Minister – And Say It’s Time to Get to Work VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Canada’s flight attendants are welcoming newly-appointed Transport Minister Omar Alghabra to his new post, and are urging him to take immediate action to support their industry, which has been ravaged by COVID-19. “To be successful in reviving this critical industry, we need more collaboration and consultation with the federal government, not less.” In a letter sent to Alghabra on Thursday, the President of the Airline Division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Wesley Lesosky, asks the new transport minister to work with labour to avoid more job losses in the sector. Lesosky also noted the federal government’s troubling pattern of ignoring concerns from workers in the industry so far during the pandemic which has exacerbated job losses and made flying less safe. “Our repeated attempts to engage your department and the federal government in general on critical issues for the airline industry have been almost universally ignored,” wrote Lesosky. “To be successful in reviving this critical industry, we need more collaboration and consultation with the federal government, not less.” CUPE’s Airline Division represents 15,000 flight attendants at nine different airlines in Canada. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005979/en/Canada%E2%80%99s-Flight-Attendants-Welcome-New-Transport-Minister-%E2%80%93-And-Say-It%E2%80%99s-Time-to-Get-to-Work Blue Origin aims to fly first passengers into space as early as April The company on Thursday completed the fourteenth test flight of its New Shepard rocket booster and capsule. After years in development, Jeff Bezos’ private space company Blue Origin aims to carry its first passengers on a ride to the edge of space in a few months. Blue Origin on Thursday completed the fourteenth test flight of its New Shepard rocket booster and capsule. Called NS-14, the successful test flight featured the debut of a new booster and an upgraded capsule. Beyond the upgrades, CNBC has learned that NS-14 also marked one of the last remaining steps before Blue Origin flies its first crew to space. The flight was the first of two “stable configuration” test flights, people familiar with Blue Origin’s plans told CNBC. Stable configuration means that the company plans to avoid making major changes between this flight and the next. Additionally, those people said that Blue Origin aims to launch the second test flight within six weeks, or by late February, and the first crewed flight six weeks after that, or by early April. Blue Origin’s next flight, NS-15, will also include a test of loading and unloading the crew, the people said. The company declined CNBC’s request for comment on its plans for New Shepard. An ambitious timeline The New Shepard schedule is ambitious, one of the people cautioned, with the goal of flying every six weeks coming from the company’s top leadership. Blue Origin’s prior mission NS-13 flew in October, after being delayed from September due to a power supply issue – and it also came after a nine-month hiatus between flights. The person also noted that one of the outstanding tasks for New Shepard’s NS-15 launch is to finish software qualification review, which they said is not expected to be finished until late March or even April. New Shepard is designed to carry people on rides past the edge of space, reaching an altitude of more than 340,000 feet (or more than 100 kilometers). The capsule spends several minutes in zero gravity before returning to Earth, with massive windows to give passengers a view. Both the rockets and the capsules are reusable, with the boosters returning to land vertically and the capsules landing on control of a set of parachutes. The NS-14 mission featured multiple upgrades to the crew capsule, including an audio push-to-talk system for astronauts to talk to mission control, a new crew alert system panel at each seat, cushioned wall linings and sound suppression devices to reduce noise in the capsule, and the addition of environmental systems such as air condition and humidity controls. Blue Origin was founded in 2000 by Bezos, and now has more than 3,500 employees with its headquarters in Kent, Washington. To date, Blue Origin has launched New Shepard 14 times successfully, and landed the rocket’s booster 13 consecutive times. The company has built four New Shepard boosters in total, the fourth of which launched on Thursday for the first time. Its third booster has flown seven times consecutively and will be used to fly microgravity research payloads for NASA and other customers. New Shepard is a fully autonomous system, with no pilots on board. Bezos personally funds Blue Origin’s development by selling part of his stock in Amazon. While he has previously said that he sells about $1 billion of Amazon shares annually to fund the space company, Bezos has recently increased his sales of Amazon stock, cashing out more than $10 billion worth in 2020. https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/blue-origin-aims-fly-first-passengers-space-early-april-rcna224 RTCA Free Webinar, Jan. 21 - 1pm ET: Nancy Graham of Graham Aerospace presents – Stratospheric Operations: New air vehicles and High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) are advancing current operations in the national and international airspace every day. What new skills, both from regulators and industry, may be needed to cooperatively manage this airspace? Session followed by a Tech Talk: Stephen Timm, President of Collins Aerospace presents: The Contactless Passenger Journey. Free to attend. Details & Register 2021 Aircraft Cabin Air Conference Registration Now Open ** Thanks to our generous sponsors, registration is currently free, so book today! ** 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 currently FREE, so book today! 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