Flight Safety Information - February 5, 2021 No. 027 In This Issue : Incident: Qantas A332 near Adelaide on Feb 4th 2021, loss of cabin pressure : Incident: Aurora A319 at Yuzhno Sakhalinsk on Feb 4th 2021, smoke in the cockpit : Southwest Airlines employees receive emails confirming COVID-19 cases : A closer look at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency : American Slashes Mechanic Training on 737 Max by 90 Percent : Stowaway Survives Flight Clinging To Landing Gear At 19,000 Feet : Congresswoman Julia Brownley Introduces Sustainable Aviation Fuel Act : Southwest Airlines Announces Leadership Changes With Retirements And Promotions : Burt Rutan Wins R.A. “Bob” Hoover Trophy : SpaceX filing reveals Starlink internet service has over 10,000 users : Firefly will light up the moon with $93M lunar lander contract from NASA : 2021 Aircraft Cabin Air Conference Incident: Qantas A332 near Adelaide on Feb 4th 2021, loss of cabin pressure A Qantas Airbus A330-200, registration VH-EBK performing flight QF-583 from Sydney,NS to Perth,WA (Australia), was enroute at FL400 about 380nm west of Adelaide,SA (Australia) when the crew initiated an emergency descent to 10,000 feet due to the loss of cabin pressure. The crew advised they would vacate the runway and once clear of the runway would stop for an inspection by emergency services. The aircraft turned around and diverted to Adelaide for a safe landing on runway 23 about 70 minutes later. Emergency services reported everything looked normal both sides of the aircraft. The aircraft taxied to the apron. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e28ea63&opt=0 Incident: Aurora A319 at Yuzhno Sakhalinsk on Feb 4th 2021, smoke in the cockpit An Aurora Airlines Airbus A319-100 on behalf of Aeroflot, registration VP-BUN performing flight SU-5626 from Khabarovsk to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Russia) with 90 passengers and 7 crew, was nearing Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk when the crew reported smoke in the cockpit. While on approach the crew advised the smoke had dissipated. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk's runway 01. Russia's Emergency Ministry of Sakhalin Region they deployed 32 rescue personnel and 9 pieces of equipment to the scene. Rosaviatsia reported VP-BUN had been enroute at FL350 when flight attendants informed the flight crew about smoke present in the cabin. The crew decided to descend to FL210. Subsequently the crew received a "PACK 2 OVHT" ECAM message, the crew worked the related checklists which resulted in the smoke dissipating. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 7:45 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e28d750&opt=0 NTSB: Portland pilot killed in Warm Springs jet crash was not certified to fly plane Preliminary report indicates communication, other issues during flight WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Portland businessman killed in the spiraling, fiery crash of his twin-engine business jet on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation last month had tried but failed to gain certification to fly the plane, as he did that day – likely for the first time alone, federal investigators said Thursday. Despite a flight plan indicating two people would be aboard, Richard Boehlke, 72, was found to have been alone in the Cessna Citation C560 that crashed in the Mutton Mountains on Jan. 9 during a planned flight from Troutdale, east of Portland, to Boise. Investigators laid out the details of numerous issues Boehlke had during the flight with directional heading and radio communications with air traffic controllers. Boehlke, a licensed pilot, did hold type ratings to fly a Grumman G-111 Albatross and Learjet, but not for the Citation 560, the preliminary National Transportation Safety Board report issued Thursday said. Online records indicate the plane, built in 1989, was registered to Boehlke last August. “He (Boehlke) had taken Citation 560 training toward the end of 2020 at a training facility in Arizona,” the report said. “However, the owner of the facility stated that the pilot had not performed to a level sufficient to be issued a type rating or single pilot exemption.” “Review of historical flight data, and statements provided by acquaintances of the pilot, indicate that this was likely the first time he had flown the airplane on his own,” the report concluded. Crews who recovered Boehlke’s remains at the crash scene also recovered the cockpit voice recorder. NTSB preliminary report Warm Springs crash Although a final NTSB investigative report with probable cause is likely one to two years away, the initial investigation indicated Boehlke was having significant trouble communicating with and following the directions of air traffic controllers. Warm Springs police earlier noted that he had been slurring his words, possibly indicating a medical issue. Boehlke had filed an “instrument flight rules” flight plan, but the report indicated significant communication issues with the pilot, with air traffic controllers having to repeat their messages, even before takeoff. Shortly after the flight began, controllers had confirmed radar contact and called for the pilot to turn, but radar showed he had not. “Both the Portland approach and Troutdale tower controller made multiple attempts to contact the pilot,” the report said. “On the fifth attempt by the approach controller, the pilot responded and was provided the left heading,” and the plane began to turn left. Moments later, the pilot, directed to a specific navigation waypoint, said he was heading in that direction, but the plane had not changed its southbound track “and was now flying directly toward Mount Hood, about 27 miles east-southeast,” the NTSB report said. After reaching 13,000 feet altitude, the controller issued a right turn direction, and while the pilot responded correctly, “the airplane turned left,” the report said. The controller told the pilot he was flying on a northeast track and gave another heading change. The pilot began a right turn. The Seattle controller soon gave Boehlke a low altitude alert warning, as he was just above the minimum IFR altitude for the area, just south of the 11,250-foot peak of Mt. Hood. The controller asked Boehlke if he was having radio problems, and he replied, “No, I think it’s cleared up now, radio loud and clear,” the NTSB said. After reaching 19,000 feet, he was given a new radio frequency for Seattle Center, responded with an incorrect one and was corrected. About 1:30 p.m., the controller alerted the pilot he was about 30 degrees right of his course to Boise, “but the pilot did not respond,” as the plane soon reached its peak altitude of 31,000 feet. “The airplane began to descend, and remained for the next eight minutes in a spiraling and descending 1-mile radius right turn,” until the last data recording on a northwest heading, shortly before it crashed into the mountainous terrain at an elevation of 3,600 feet. https://ktvz.com/news/accidents-crashes/2021/02/04/ntsb-portland-pilot-killed-in-warm-springs-jet-crash-was-not-certified-to-fly-plane/ Southwest Airlines employees receive emails confirming COVID-19 cases Southwest Airlines employees, who did not want to be named, told ABC10 they do not feel safe at work after receiving emails of confirmed COVID-19 cases. SACRAMENTO, California — Southwest Airlines employees at Sacramento International Airport have received emails with the same subject: confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. This comes the same week as President Joe Biden's executive order to require travelers to wear masks went into effect. Miguel Martinez, a traveler, said he hears many people say they don't want to wear masks because there is no federal requirement. "We have good federal support to make people wear those masks now and be able to travel again, feeling somewhat safe a little bit," Martinez said. Some local Southwest Airlines employees, who did not want to be named, told ABC10 they don't feel safe. They said this string of recent positive COVID-19 cases was concentrated in ground operations like baggage handling. The emails show a new case every few days in January. Southwest Airlines provided ABC10 a statement that the safety of employees and customers is their priority. They do not plan to release information regarding confirmed COVID-19 cases. Employees said the airport and airlines should be more transparent with the public about coronavirus cases and the toll it's taking on workers. Sacramento International Airport Spokesperson Samantha Mott told ABC10 they had taken every measure possible to ensure passenger safety. "We have stickers on the ground reminding people to stay six feet apart. We have screen guards at our ticketing and checkpoint counters, we've changed the ratio of fresh verse recycled air, so it's 100% fresh air," explained Mott. https://www.abc10.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/southwest-airlines-employees-southwest-airlines-employees/103-428258f7-bbc4-479e-9500-eb0ba12e7446 A closer look at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency Recently we took a look at the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and how it operates as the regulatory body for aviation in China. Just about everyone has heard of the FAA in the US, especially after some of its failings were highlighted around the 737 MAX crashes of 2018 and 2019. But many are likely less familiar with Europe’s equivalent, EASA. A closer look at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) EASA unifies aviation regulation across the European Union. In evaluating the 737 MAX for example, it was EASA that made the decision for Europe as a whole. That’s despite the fact that each nation has its own national aviation body as well. Much like the FAA and other regulators, EASA is responsible for determining airworthiness of new aircraft, handing out type certificates, issuing airworthiness directives, giving authorizations to foreign airlines that want to operate to and from the EU (see the EU’s infamous blacklist) and more. The agency is based in Cologne, Germany. EASA’s responsibilities have expanded over time, to the point that European nations now delegate most regulatory matters to the agency. That makes sense as it streamlines processes and makes everything more efficient. EASA also takes on these tasks for non-EU countries within the continent such as Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Iceland. It even works closely and provides oversight for countries beyond Europe too – but more on that later. Before EASA EASA didn’t come into being until 2002 – well after the EU was officially formed back in 1993. Before 2002 it was the JAA, or Joint Aviation Authorities, that worked on pan-European aviation regulation. In fact that organization had been around since 1970. Over time the JAA, and now EASA, have taken on more and more of the oversight and certification responsibility for EU member states. Turkey and Turkish Airlines work closely with EASA. JAA member states included all current EU member states but also nations like Moldova, Turkey and Georgia (the republic). Many of these same countries continue to work with EASA, especially the EU’s eastern neighbors. EASA beyond Europe EASA plays an important role in aviation matters in a number of countries beyond the European Union and the European Free Trade Association. That’s especially the case in eastern Europe and central Asia where aviation infrastructure may be less developed and closer cooperation with Europe is being pursued. Authorities in these countries can take advantage of EASA resources and expertise. EASA’s Pan-European Partners (PANEP) initiative is an extension of the EU’s extensive work in various matters, including many aspects of transportation, to its east. EU membership candidates in the Balkans – including Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia – are an important part of this. The idea is to integrate their practices with EASA’s and build competence so that eventual full integration into EASA goes as smoothly as possible. Turkey is also an important part of this program because despite recent tensions Turkey remains an EU candidate country as well. Countries like Armenia and Georgia also participate. EASA’s sphere extends well beyond the near east, however. Since 2017, for example, EASA also works closely with Singapore on aircraft certifications. Naturally the agency has working relationships with many other countries, from China to Australia and more. The UK to exit EASA With its departure from the EU, Britain has also left EASA. The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will take over many of the vital regulatory tasks previously handled by EASA. British Airways may see some flying disrupted when the UK leaves EASA and European aviation agreements cease to be valid. The process is ongoing as the CAA reworks everything from aircraft certifications to airline ownership and open sky agreements. It’s clear pan-European cooperation in aviation is so intricately intertwined that undoing it all is a very complicated process. The dream of unified European ATC Many European aviation industry figures would like to see change in the area of air traffic management across the bloc. Right now the individual European states manage air traffic. Although they cooperate via an organization known as EUROCONTROL, the current setup leads to a number of inefficiencies. Advocates for a more unified approach point out that it could solve many problems at once. That includes environmental benefits, reduced delays, increased capacity and improved safety. The “Single European Sky” initiative is the European Commission’s answer to this – and naturally EASA is closely involved. The EU has put billions of euro into pursuing this goal. Europe has many important aviation projects ongoing, but this may be one of its most critical. https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/a-closer-look-at-the-european-union-aviation-safety-agency/ American Slashes Mechanic Training on 737 Max by 90 Percent By: Christine Negroni American Airlines, one of the first U.S. carriers to resume flights of the Boeing 737 Max, has slashed the training time for people who will repair and maintain the airplane – prompting one senior mechanic to file a report with the Federal Aviation Administration. Gary Santos, a crew chief at American’s base at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport recently received 4 hours of instruction making him qualified to work on the Max and to inspect the work of others. It is one-tenth the amount of time that was set aside to teach mechanics about the airplane prior to the crashes of two Maxes that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019. At that time, 40-hours was considered appropriate to instruct mechanics on the latest version of the Boeing 737. “Everybody is shaking their heads, this is not realistic training,” said Santos, who has worked for American for 33 years. Under a cooperative agreement with unions, the airline and the FAA, workers are encouraged to report safety concerns through a program called Aviation Safety Action Program. ASAP reports, usually confidential, are non-punitive investigations carried out by all three entities. Santo’s complaint was filed with the ASAP program. After attending the 4-hour class, Santos reported he was left unable to complete inspections sometimes required of him on the airplane’s troubled maneuvering characteristics augmentation system or MCAS. “I’m supposed to have a working knowledge of the system so if I see any errors, I can stop them,” Santos said. But his questions about MCAS were not addressed. The class, he said, “never discussed what the faults were or if we got them, what are the remedies.” What he and others were told, Santos said, was that any problem with the MCAS had to be fixed before the plane could fly again. “The FAA-required training for mechanics doesn’t include MCAS as there isn’t ongoing or specialized maintenance of the system,” American Airlines said in an email. Spokeswoman Sarah Jantz acknowledges American shortened the length of the training after instructors and mechanics who took the class before the two disasters in Indonesia and Ethiopia, reported instruction was repetitive of the material offered by Boeing. The majority of the airline’s mechanics had that class, American said. That is not the case at airports like JFK where the Max did not operate and mechanics never received any Max training. As a result, Santos and his co-workers get 4 hours of instruction which barely references the issues leading to the Max accidents or the changes mandated before they were certified to fly once again. “Because MCAS affects flight control “our 737 pilots are required to complete additional training now that the aircraft is recertified,” Jantz said. “I would reject that argument,” said Bob Clifford, an aviation attorney who represents family members who lost loved ones in the 737 Max crashes. “It is mixing apples and oranges. The work of maintenance is separate and distinct from the safety flight operations in the cockpit. Any interruption on the chain of safety – and certainly maintenance is in that chain – needs to be closely scrutinized and vetted with complete transparency.” According to American, mechanics are entitled to learn more about MCAS in an elective course, found on the training website. Until questioned about it, Santos was unaware that the online class was available. But after taking it said it was “decent” and that the airline should make it mandatory. Tension between aviation workers and airlines over the length and manner of training is not a new issue and it can be linked to income, as travel to training centers and overnighting there is time on the clock. Over the years I’ve heard plenty of pilots complain when classroom training was replaced by computer modules viewed from home. “Making an allegation based on the number of hours of training doesn’t imply anything,” said John McDonald, the former VP of Corporate Communication for American Airlines, now a crisis consultant at Caeli Communications. That said, ASAP reports should be investigated, McDonald said. “Any allegation should be taken seriously. You need to understand where the person is coming from so there are no blind spots between what you think is appropriate and what the mechanics need.” Mechanics who worked on the 737 Max at the American Airlines maintenance facility in Oklahoma Mechanics at American can be members of one of two unions, the International Association of Mechanics and the Transportation Union Workers. Santos notified Gary Schaible, president of TWU local 591 which represents about 45-hundred mechanics about his problems with the shortened training. “He is a top-notch mechanic,” Schaible said of Santos. “They’re legitimate concerns. Everybody should have the how and the why because it sets the safety mindset going forward.” https://christinenegroni.com/american-slashes-mechanic-training-on-737-max-by-90-percent/?fbclid=IwAR1M8vvGIf85fkGgVFksNGruzW7UzbsONAXT_UjE0WgG8yil_FTGgFr9oJ0 Stowaway Survives Flight Clinging To Landing Gear At 19,000 Feet A stowaway has had a lucky escape, according to reports originating out of Maastricht. A 16-year-old Kenyan boy survived a flight, clinging to the landing gear, and is currently being treated in hospital. The flight is thought to be a Turkish Airlines cargo flight operated by an Airbus A330 from London’s Stansted Airport. While rare, stowaway stories do pop up from time to time. Unfortunately, many such stories don’t have a happy ending. After all, without the heat and pressurization of the aircraft cabin, stowaways must endure extreme circumstances. However, a 16-year-old Kenyan was dealt a lucky hand surviving a flight to Maastricht Airport yesterday afternoon. What do we know? At the moment, details on the stowaway found at Maastricht Airport are sketchy as the story is still emerging. At this point, we know that the individual involved was a 16-year-old Kenyan national, according to a tweet from the Dutch Royal Marechaussee (a police branch of the Netherlands armed forces). Additionally, the airport confirmed to Simple Flying that the flight had originated in London. Dutch aviation publication Luchtvaart Nieuws reports that the only flight to land from London at Maastricht yesterday was TK6305, operated by a Turkish Airlines Airbus A330-200 freighter. The flight cruised at 19,000 feet for just 16 minutes. When contacted by Simple Flying, a spokesperson for the Koninklijke Marechaussee confirmed that the boy is doing incredibly well considering the circumstances. The force said that many questions remain, such as verifying his identity and whether the case was related to human trafficking. There will surely also be questions about how the individual evaded aviation security measures at Stansted Airport. Simple Flying has contacted Essex Police (responsible for Stansted Airport), Stansted Airport, and Turkish Airlines. This article will be updated as appropriate with any responses received. The flight in question According to data from RadarBox.com, the flight was operated by TC-JCI, a seven-year-old aircraft. The aircraft departed at 12:07, quickly climbing to 19,000 feet. Fortunately for the young man involved, the flight’s short duration meant that it didn’t climb any higher. According to a table of the time of useful consciousness published by the US Federal Aviation Administration, at 20,000 feet above mean sea level, individuals will have around 30 minutes of useful consciousness due to the lower oxygen levels in the air. https://simpleflying.com/stowaway-survives-19000-feet-flight/ Congresswoman Julia Brownley Introduces Sustainable Aviation Fuel Act Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) on Thursday introduced the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Act, legislation to incentivize the production of sustainable aviation fuel and help the aviation sector reduce carbon emissions. Since 2011, more than 200,000 flights have used sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). However, while SAF is beginning to be produced both in the US and internationally, it is not being done fast enough to achieve the world’s long-term climate change goals. Additionally, the same feedstocks that are used to produce SAF are also used to produce renewable diesel, which is primarily used in ground transportation and cannot be used for aviation. Renewable diesel is marginally cheaper to produce than SAF, while policy incentives mean producers are incentivized to make renewable diesel rather than SAF. The bill would create a new blender’s tax credit for SAF, linked to carbon reductions, as well as an Investment Tax Credit to help finance new SAF facilities and infrastructure. It would authorize $1 billion in federal funding for US projects that produce, transport, blend, or store SAF. It would authorize $175 million in research funding to push the limits of existing SAF technology to try to lower SAF carbon emissions even more. And it would require the EPA to establish an aviation-only Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) similar to California’s successful transportation-wide LCFS. Aviation emissions are projected to triple by 2050. Sustainable aviation fuel is a “key component to decarbonization the aviation industry,” Brownley says. SAF is a drop-in fuel, which is an interchangeable substitute for fossil jet fuel up to a certain blending percentage. It therefore functions the same as fossil jet fuel while also meeting certain sustainability criteria. For the purposes of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Act, only SAF that achieves at least a 50% reduction in greenhouse gases compared to fossil jet fuel on a lifecycle basis will qualify for the various incentives in the bill. Multiple types of SAF have been certified by ASTM International as safe for use in airplanes up to certain maximum blending limits. The market for renewable aviation fuel (RAF) is expected to witness a combined annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 56.05% from 2020 to 2025. Government policies have been one of the major factors in driving the market, according to research by Reportlinker. https://www.environmentalleader.com/2021/02/congresswoman-julia-brownley-introduces-sustainable-aviation-fuel-act/ Southwest Airlines Announces Leadership Changes With Retirements And Promotions DALLAS, Feb. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) today announced the retirement of two veteran Officers and the promotion of several others within the carrier's ranks across the Operational, Finance, and Commercial Departments. To view Officers' biographies or download headshots, visit www.swamedia.com. Executive Vice President of Daily Operations Greg Wells is retiring from his current position and will move to an Advisor role, effective March 1. Wells has a broad background of operational experience, starting on the Ramp in 1981, and working his way up to Executive Vice President. Throughout his tenure, he worked in nine different locations before moving to Dallas in 1997. His experience includes Station Manager in both San Jose and Phoenix, Regional Ground Operations Director, Senior Ground Operations Director, Director of Flight Dispatch, Vice President of Safety, Security and Flight Dispatch, Vice President of Ground Operations, Senior Vice President Ground Operations, and Senior Vice President Operational Performance. As an Advisor, Wells will provide Leadership coaching and mentoring, historical perspectives and insights on a recurring basis to various training classes, and input into Operational training needs. Senior Vice President of Air Operations Alan Kasher is promoted to Executive Vice President of Daily Operations and will be transitioning into that role over the next month. Kasher, a Pilot, joined Southwest more than 20 years ago as a First Officer and upgraded to Captain in 2007. He worked in Flight Operations Safety and served in various management positions within Flight Operations. He served as Director of Operations and Managing Director of Regulatory Programs and Compliance, then Vice President of Flight Operations, prior to transitioning to his most recent role. In his new position, Kasher will oversee the daily operations of the airline, including Air Operations, Technical Operations, and Daily Operations. Sam Ford is promoted to Vice President Operational Strategy & Performance, effective Feb. 1. Ford started his career at Southwest in 2007 in Financial Performance & Analysis (FP&A), where he supported Technology and Marketing, among other departments. Ford has also served in Leadership positions on the Company's Customer Support & Services and Operational Performance Teams, before most recently serving as Managing Director Operational Strategy & Performance. Chris "CJ" Johnson is promoted to Vice President Ground Operations, effective Feb. 1. Johnson started his career as a Ramp Agent in Detroit in 1993, and has held Leadership roles as Manager in Orlando, Assistant Station Leader in Oakland, Station Leader in Birmingham, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, Station Director, Senior Station Director, and Senior Director of Labor Relations, before most recently serving as Managing Director Ground Operations. Julia Landrum is promoted to Managing Director Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), effective Feb. 1. She will be responsible for ensuring the Company's business plan and budget remain in line with major Company initiatives; evaluating future trends and opportunities; and providing economic and industry analysis. Vice President of Customer Relations/Rapid Rewards Jim Ruppel has announced his retirement and will move to an Advisor role, effective March 1. With 43 years of service at Southwest, Ruppel began his career as a Provisioning Agent and has served in a number of Leadership roles, including Manager of Central Baggage Claims, and Director of Customer Relations. Ruppel grew the Customer Relations/Rapid Rewards Team from two to more than 400 Employees. In his Advisor role, he will continue to share his invaluable institutional knowledge as the airline continues to adapt to best meet the needs of Customers in an ever-changing environment. With Ruppel's move to Advisor, Managing Director of Customer Experience Tony Roach will provide oversight of the Customer Relations/Rapid Rewards Department. "I want to personally thank both Greg and Jim for their decades of servant Leadership and their many contributions to Southwest Airlines, and I'm delighted they will continue their service as trusted Advisors," said Southwest Airlines Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly. "We are incredibly fortunate to have such a strong Leadership bench to fill their big shoes and help lead Southwest Airlines as we embark on our milestone 50th anniversary year." https://finance.yahoo.com/news/southwest-airlines-announces-leadership-changes-224500571.html Burt Rutan Wins R.A. “Bob” Hoover Trophy An award in honor of Brig. Gen. Charles McGee goes to Lt. Col. Kenyatta Ruffin. Burt Rutan, legendary aircraft designer and thought leader, was honored with the 5th annual AOPA R. A. A touch of inspiration keeps us going when difficult times surround us—so the advent of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association annual awards presented on February 3 via livestream felt like the push forward we all need. The General Aviation Awards honor select people in the industry who have made major contributions over the course of their careers to key areas within GA. The primary award, named after legendary pilot and pioneer R. A. “Bob” Hoover, was first bestowed upon Hoover prior to his death and is now in its fifth year. The 2021 honoree is aircraft designer, engineer, and thought leader Burt Rutan, whose 49 singular aircraft projects have pushed the envelope in performance, safety, and endurance—even the boundaries of space. Rutan accepted the award, speaking from his home office—which is graced with a gravity-defying bookshelf in a cheeky tip of the hat to the designer’s out-of-the-box solutions to aerodynamic problems. “The most important thing that any aviator can do is to encourage other to learn to fly,” Rutan said. He noted that application of his “Three Cs” was the foundation of his success: Curiosity, Creativity, and Courage. Brig. Gen. Charles E. McGee The debut of the Brig. Gen. Charles E. McGee Inspiration Award honored its namesake whose life has been in service to others. Rutan went on to remark that loss of aircraft control can be almost completely solved by proper design—the main thrust of his life’s work. So, the evening’s tribute to him was in elegant counterpoint to the next award, which went to a pioneer in assisting those pilots who had lost aircraft control for whatever reason. Air Safety Institute Senior Vice President Richard McSpadden honored Ballistic Recovery Systems founder Boris Popov with the GA Safety Award for his life-saving contribution to aviation safety, the ballistic airframe parachute. Popov reported that the company has marked 438 lives saved with airframe chute deployments—and countless lives affected by the device. “It’s a precious tribute to all of the great people who worked hard to create [the device],” said Popov. Finally, but perhaps most poignantly, AOPA debuted a new award for 2020—and onwards—honoring the contributions of an aviator who has blazed a trail against racism in aviation and has dedicated his life and service to lifting up new pilots. The Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Aviation Inspiration Award first honored its namesake, who accepted it with a reminder of his guiding principles, the “Four Ps”: Perceive, Prepare, Perform, and Persevere. AOPA continued the presentation with the award’s next recipient, US Air Force Lt. Col. Kenyatta Ruffin, commander of the 71st Operations Group at Vance AFB in Enid, Oklahoma, and F-16 pilot and instructor. Ruffin—who has been flying since he took his first discovery flight at age 13—like Brig. Gen. McGee, has dedicated his service to bringing opportunity to young people interested in aviation, through the Legacy Flight Academy. Ruffin took in praise from his fellow pilots, including his supervisor, Col. Erick Turasz, who commented, “Vance AFB & 71st Operations Group are extremely proud of Lt Col Ruffin! Thank you for your hard work & dedication. Vance Proud!” Lt. Col. Kenyatta Ruffin The first honoree for the Brig. Gen. Charles E. McGee Inspiration Award, Lt. Col. Kenyatta Ruffin, founded the Legacy Flight Academy to bring aviation to underserved youth. To those who inspire elegant aircraft design and safety, such as Rutan and Popov, and to Brig. Gen. McGee, you have been an inspiration to us all—thank you so much from us at Flying. And to Lt. Col. Ruffin, we look forward to supporting you as you shine a light on our future aviators. https://www.flyingmag.com/story/news/burt-rutan-wins-hoover-trophy/ SpaceX filing reveals Starlink internet service has over 10,000 users In October, Starlink began a public beta test of its $99 per month service. Public beta testing for SpaceX’s satellite-beamed internet service kicked off late last year for people in the US, Canada and the UK, and an FCC application (PDF) tells us a bit about how things are going so far. CNBC points out the filing, which seeks designation for Starlink as an eligible telecommunications carrier, and notes that SpaceX reports over 10,000 people are already using the service. Starlink is seeking designation so it can access the millions of dollars it’s been granted from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to provide service across a number of states. The letter also notes that SpaceX already has more than 1,000 satellites in orbit (it just launched a few more last night), and that its network is showing it can provide more than 100/20 megabits per second connections, as well as less than 31ms of latency for 95 percent of round-trip measurements. https://www.engadget.com/starlink-satellite-internet-service-052743863.html (Illustration courtesy: NASA) Firefly will light up the moon with $93M lunar lander contract from NASA NASA has awarded Firefly Aerospace a $93.3 million contract to take a lunar lander module loaded with experiments to the surface of the moon. While the company will not be performing the launch itself, it will be providing the spacecraft and "Blue Ghost" lander for the 2023 mission. The space agency made the award as part of its ongoing Commercial Lunar Payload Services, under which several other non-prime space companies have been selected for similar work: Blue Origin, Astrobotic, Masten and so on. Rocket startup Firefly signs satellite constellation launch mission with Satlantis This particular contract was first publicized to its CLPS partners back in September, which would have submitted bids for the project; Firefly clearly carried the day. "We’re excited another CLPS provider has won its first task order award," said NASA associate administrator for science Thomas Zurbuchen in a release announcing the contract. The last few years have seen many such firsts as NASA has increasingly embraced the commercial sector in providing everything from launch services to satellite and spacecraft manufacturing. It's not exactly Firefly's first order from NASA, though: Its national security subsidiary Firefly Black (ominous) will be launching two cubesats for the Venture Class Launch Service Demo-2 mission. But this is larger and more complex by a huge margin (not to mention more expensive). This will be the maiden lunar voyage for Firefly's Blue Ghost lander, which it's been working on for the last few years in anticipation of renewed interest in the moon. It will hold the 10 scientific payloads, which NASA describes here, including a new laser reflector array and an experimental radiation-tolerant computer. There's a lot to be loaded up, but Blue Ghost should have 50kg of space left over for anyone else who wants a ride to the moon. Everything is going to Mare Crisium, a basin on the "light" or near side of the moon, where hopefully they will contribute valuable observations and experiments to inform future visits to and habitation on the moon. Firefly will also be providing the spacecraft that will take the lander into lunar space, and will be responsible for getting it off the Earth in the first place — the company told me they're evaluating options for that. By the time 2023 rolls around there should be plenty of rides to choose from, and indeed Firefly's own Alpha launch vehicle may be flying by then, though it's not ready to commit to a lunar insertion orbit mission today. The company plans to have its first Alpha flight in March. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/firefly-light-moon-93m-lunar-235621033.html 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