Flight Safety Information - February 11, 2021 No. 031 In This Issue : Incident: American B738 at Phoenix on Feb 9th 2021, banging in the cockpit : Incident: Rossiya A319 at St. Petersburg on Feb 10th 2021, loss of display system : Incident: Azul AT72 at Sao Paulo on Jan 30th 2021, smoke system failure : Indonesia eyes autothrottle issue in Sriwijaya accident -Report : Passenger jet leaves runway in Pittsburgh amid snow : FedEx pilots union urges Gov. Lee to prioritize commercial pilots for COVID-19 vaccine : Gottheimer, Fitzpatrick, Carson, Smith Introduce Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act : Air Namibia ceases operations, gov't to announce liquidation : Transatlantic Flight Paths Could Soon Become The Airline’s Responsibility : US government considers third aid package for airlines : Florida Tech’s Aviation Safety Master’s Degree Earns ‘Graduate Safety Practitioner’ Status : Garuda Indonesia terminates lease for 12 Bombardier aircraft : United Airlines Just Invested $1 Billion in Our Air Taxi Future : Singapore Airlines defers $3 billion of spending on Airbus, Boeing planes : Chinese Mars mission is now orbiting the Red Planet Incident: American B738 at Phoenix on Feb 9th 2021, banging in the cockpit An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N901NN performing flight AA-2214 from Phoenix,AZ to San Antonio,TX (USA) with 106 people on board, was climbing out of Phoenix cleared to climb to FL210 when the crew stopped the climb at 13,000 feet MSL and slowed to 210 KIAS reporting banging sounds at the backside of the cockpit. The crew declared emergency and requested runway 26. The aircraft landed safely back on Phoenix's runway 26 about 18 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration N844NN reached San Antonio with a delay of 2 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 14 hours after landing. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL2214/history/20210210/0320Z/KPHX/KSAT http://avherald.com/h?article=4e2d90ab&opt=0 Incident: Rossiya A319 at St. Petersburg on Feb 10th 2021, loss of display system A Rossiya Airbus A319-100, registration VQ-BAS performing flight FV-6413 from St. Petersburg to Ufa (Russia) with 98 passengers and 5 crew, was climbing out of St. Petersburg when the crew stopped the climb at FL150 due to the loss of a display. The aircraft entered a hold while trying to resolve the problem but needed to return to St. Petersburg. The aircraft landed safely on Pulkovo Airport's runway 10R about 90 minutes after departure. A replacement A319-100 registration VQ-BCP reached Ufa with 2:20 hours delay. The airline reported the aircraft returned to St. Petersburg due to the loss of a display system. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in St. Petersburg about 5 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e2d8d80&opt=0 Incident: Azul AT72 at Sao Paulo on Jan 30th 2021, smoke system failure An Azul Linhas Aereas Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration PR-AQM performing flight AD-4384 from Sao Paulo Viracopos,SP to Rondonopolis,MT (Brazil) with 43 passengers and 4 crew, was climbing out of Viracopos when the crew stopped the climb at FL180 and decided to return to Viracopos due to a fault with the system "smoke". The crew worked the related checklists and landed safely back at Viracopos about 40 minutes after departure. A replacement ATR-72-212A registration PR-TKM reached Rondonopolis with a delay of about 3.5 hours. Brazil's CENIPA reported the aircraft suffered a failure of the system "smoke", the crew worked the related checklists and decided to return to Viracopos without declaring emergency. The aircraft landed without further incident. The aircraft received minor damage. The occurrence was rated an incident. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e2d5be8&opt=0 Indonesia eyes autothrottle issue in Sriwijaya accident Status: Preliminary - official Date: Saturday 9 January 2021 Time: 14:40 Type: Boeing 737-524 (WL) Operator: Sriwijaya Air Registration: PK-CLC C/n / msn: 27323/2616 First flight: 1994-05-13 (26 years 8 months) Total airframe hrs: 62983 Cycles: 40383 Engines: 2 CFMI CFM56-3B1 Crew: Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6 Passengers: Fatalities: 56 / Occupants: 56 Total: Fatalities: 62 / Occupants: 62 Aircraft damage: Destroyed Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: 19 km (11.9 mls) NE of Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) ( Indonesia) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK/WIII), Indonesia Indonesia eyes autothrottle issue in Sriwijaya accident - Report Destination airport: Pontianak Airport (PNK/WIOO), Indonesia Flightnumber: SJ182 Narrative: Sriwijaya Air flight 182 crashed into the sea, shortly after departure from Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Indonesia. All 56 passengers and 6 crew members died in the accident. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-500 registered PK-CLC, arrived at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 12:11 hours local time after a flight from Pangkal Pinang. The subsequent flight for the aircraft, SJ182, was due to depart at 13:40. Weather at the airport was poor with heavy rainfall and low clouds due to a thunderstorm in de vicinity. This caused a delay in departure. At 14:18 the aircraft was cleared to taxi to runway 25R. Take-off from runway 35R was commenced at 14:35 (07:35 UTC). At 14:36:46, the pilot contacted the Terminal East (TE) controller and was cleared for an unrestricted climb to FL290. Five seconds later, at altitude of 1,980 feet, the Autopilot (AP) system engaged. At 14:38:42, as the aircraft climbed past 8150 feet, the thrust lever of the left engine started reducing, while the thrust lever of the right engine remained in position. FDR data showed that the left engine N1 was decreasing whereas the right engine N1 remained the same. Nine seconds later flight requested a heading change to 075° to avoid weather conditions, which was approved by the TE controller. At 14:40:05, the aircraft reached the highest altitude of about 10,900 feet. The autopilot system disengaged at that point with a heading of 016°, the pitch angle was about 4.5° nose up, and the aircraft rolled to the left to more than 45°. The thrust lever position of the left engine continued decreasing while the right engine thrust lever remained in position. Five seconds later the the autothrottle (A/T) system disengaged and the pitch angle was more than 10° nose down. The aircraft had entered a high speed descent and impacted the surface of the sea about 20 seconds later. The wreckage was located and appeared to be distributed across an area of about 80 by 110 meters on the seabed at a depth of approximately 16 meters. The Indonesian NTSC reported on February 10 that the aircraft had a repeating issue the autothrottle in the days before the accident. On 3 January 2021, a pilot reported that the autothrottle was unserviceable. An engineer rectified the problem by cleaning the autothrottle computer’s electrical connector. After re-installation, the Built-in Test Equipment (BITE) test result was good. On 4 January 2021, a pilot again reported that the autothrottle was unserviceable. An engineer tried cleaning the autothrottle computer’s electrical connector but the problem remained and it was transferred to the Deferred Maintenance Items. On 5 January 2021, an engineer rectified the problem by cleaning the autothrottle Takeoff and Go Around (TOGA) switch and conducted a BITE test on the autothrottle computer. The BITE test result was good. Accident investigation: Investigating agency: NTSC Indonesia Status: Investigation ongoing Accident number: KNKT.21.01.01.04 Download report: Preliminary report Classification: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20210109-0 Passenger jet leaves runway in Pittsburgh amid snow There were no injuries reported among the 77 aboard after the Boeing 717 bound for Atlanta left a taxiway amid snowy conditions, officials said. A Delta jet left a Pittsburgh runway during snowy conditions Wednesday as it attempted to take off, the airport and airline said. There were no injuries after Delta flight 2231 with 77 people on board went off the paved surface around 6:30 p.m., Pittsburgh International Airport said in a statement. The passengers had to be helped off the aircraft. The plane, which Delta said was a Boeing 717 with 72 passengers and five crew, was due to leave Pittsburgh for Atlanta. "We apologize to our customers for the delay and inconvenience," Delta said in a statement in part. There was snow in the area, but it was not clear whether that was the cause or contributed to the incident. NBC affiliate WPXI of Pittsburgh reported that because of the nose-first downward angle of the plane, slides could not be used. Winter weather advisories or warnings stretched in a long band from Lubbock and Abilene in Texas, through southwestern and central Pennsylvania to Philadelphia and Newark, New Jersey, early Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Earlier this week, what was described as moderate to heavy snow fell in the Pittsburgh area. Between 4 to 6 inches had been observed in the city and surrounding Allegheny County by Tuesday afternoon, according to observations published by the weather service. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/passenger-jet-leaves-runway-pittsburgh-amid-snow-n1257430 FedEx pilots union urges Gov. Lee to prioritize commercial pilots for COVID-19 vaccine The FedEx Express pilots union has requested Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to have the state prioritize commercial pilots for COVID-19 vaccinations, saying it will help keep COVID-19 vaccine distribution running smoothly. The Feb. 5 letter to Lee, written by FedEx Master Executive Council Chairman Capt. Dave Chase, requests the governor “prioritize, on a voluntary basis, COVID-19 vaccination for all pilots employed in commercial aviation.” “The quicker we can get our shots, the more likely we can maintain our health as we continue to deliver the vaccine and ensure a robust supply chain,” Chase said. The push to accelerate vaccinations for FedEx pilots isn't only coming from the union. FedEx said in a statement it "is actively working with state agencies to attempt to prioritize vaccine availability for our frontline team members including our pilots." A FedEx Airbus A300 freight plane loaded with Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine takes off at Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Mich., Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020. “Until that time, we strongly encourage all employees to pay close attention to the current vaccination schedule in their states and counties and to take advantage of any vaccination opportunities provided to them through that process," the company said Wednesday. The Tennessee Department of Health did not respond to a request for comment on the matter. The letter the pilots union sent to Lee was also sent to the governors of California, Indiana and Alaska — the other states where the FedEx Express pilots have a crew base. The union, part of the Air Line Pilots Association, represents more than 5,000 FedEx Express pilots. As of Feb. 9, the union said in a member communication that 540 FedEx pilots have tested positive for COVID-19. FedEx, based in Memphis, is helping deliver Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine throughout the country. Vaccinations for FedEx pilots will help keep them flying as supply chains rely on them to deliver COVID-19 vaccines, medical supplies, personal protective equipment and other important goods, Chase said in the letter. “To succeed in this critical task, the United States will need every asset available, including FedEx pilots, to perform optimally,” he said. “Our nation’s airlines’ ability to deliver safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines where they are needed highlights the vital importance of air transportation and the pilots and other workers who make it possible. As FedEx pilots who travel the world serving our customers while delivering these lifesaving vaccines, we are at increased risk of exposure to COVID-19.” In Tennessee, transportation personnel for commercial or cargo service airports and transportation personnel for courier and parcel delivery service are among the groups eligible for the vaccine in Phase 2b of the state’s vaccination plan. The state Department of Health said in January that Phase 2b vaccinations are expected to start in the second or third quarter of this year. https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/money/industries/logistics/2021/02/10/vaccine-priority-commercial-pilots/6704135002/ Gottheimer, Fitzpatrick, Carson, Smith Introduce Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect our Nation’s Skies WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representatives Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), André Carson (IN-07), and Chris Smith (NJ-04) reintroduced legislation to protect the safety of American citizens, by requiring the installation of secondary cockpit barriers on all commercial passenger aircraft to prevent terrorist attacks similar to 9/11. The Saracini Enhanced Aviation Act of 2021 [H.R. 911] mandates the installation of inexpensive, lightweight, wire-mesh gates between the passenger cabin and cockpit door, blocking access to the flight deck whenever the cockpit door is opened during flight, on all existing aircraft. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Pat Toomey (R-PA) plan to reintroduce the companion bill in the Senate. The bill has also been endorsed by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). This legislation is named in honor of Captain Victor J. Saracini, who was killed after his plane was hijacked and deliberately flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Following the 9/11 attacks, Captain Saracini’s widow, Ellen, has become a national advocate for aviation safety. “It is unacceptable that nearly 20 years after terrorists breached the cockpit of my husband’s airplane on September 11, 2011, our skies are still susceptible to repeat this act of terrorism. It is my mission to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect the flight deck aboard our nation’s airliners because, without secondary barriers, we are just as vulnerable today, as we were on that fateful day,” said Saracini. “We need to call on the FAA to act swiftly on legislation that was passed in 2019 to implement a secondary barrier on newly manufactured aircraft for delivery. I’m pleased that a bipartisan group of leaders in the 117th Congress is wasting no time to address retrofitting the remaining aircraft with secondary barriers and continue protecting all who travel in the skies above us.” Despite significant, measurable improvements in global aviation safety since 9/11, the threat of hijacking remains. A study commissioned by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other industry stakeholders determined that during transition, the flight deck door has real vulnerability and that a secondary barrier is the safest, most cost-effective ($5,000-$12,000 per aircraft), and most efficient way to protect the cockpit. “Securing the safety of our skies is absolutely critical to preventing another terrorist attack like 9/11, which killed more than 700 New Jersey residents. Recent federal legislation, which I helped pass, already requires secondary barriers on new commercial aircraft. But now we need to go a step further and require that all existing commercial aircraft also have secondary cockpit barriers. Why would you have some planes that are safe from terrorist attacks on the cockpit and others that aren’t? We must do everything we can to protect our airplanes from terror attacks and keep our nation safe,” said Rep. Gottheimer, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee. “Ensuring the safety of our nation’s aircraft is paramount to protecting the American public. Congress previously made progress in ensuring that all future commercial aircraft are equipped with secondary barriers, so we must build on that momentum in this 117th Congress and include the same requirement for all existing commercial passenger aircraft,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “I am proud to stand with my constituent, Ellen Saracini, along with Representatives Gottheimer, Carson, and Smith, and Senators Toomey and Casey, as we continue our fight to ensure that the devastating horrors of 9/11 never happen again. ” “I am honored to join my colleagues in reintroducing this bipartisan legislation to protect airline employees and passengers from unthinkable danger. It has been nearly 20 years since the deadly September 11th terrorist attacks, but there still has not been enough done to ensure this type of tragedy never happens again. Installing secondary cockpit barriers is a common-sense and effective safeguard against a similar attack. I want to thank all my colleagues for working with me on this bill, as well as Ellen Saracini, who has turned her personal pain and loss into bold action to honor the fallen on 9/11 and help save lives,” said Rep. Carson. “Because of the significant security value of secondary cockpit barriers, new commercial aircraft are now required to have them—an important step that provides added protection for some passengers and crew, but not all,” said Rep. Chris Smith. “The bipartisan Saracini Enhanced Aviation Act will ensure that these meaningful security measures are installed on all aircraft, not just new planes. We must do everything we can to secure the flight decks of all our nation’s aircraft, so that all passengers, pilots, and flight crews benefit from this proven safeguard.” “ALPA has long supported the use of secondary barriers to preserve the integrity of the flightdeck and keep crews and passengers safe. We are grateful to Reps. Fitzpatrick, Gottheimer, Carson, and Smith for their leadership and dedication to enhancing aviation safety and security by ensuring that these cost-effective devices are retroactively installed on all passenger aircraft,” said Capt. Joe DePete, ALPA President. “The Saracini Aviation Act is named after a Bucks County resident, Captain Victor Saracini, who piloted United Flight 175 when it was hijacked by terrorists and flown into the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001. This ‘enhanced’ version of that legislation is an important step in preventing future disasters by protecting pilots’ cockpit doors during flights in all passenger airplanes, not only newly manufactured commercial airplanes,” said Senator Casey. “The Saracini Aviation Act would make air transportation safer for all pilots and passengers.” “Captain Victor Saracini of Bucks County was piloting United Flight 175 on September 11, 2001, when a group of terrorists hijacked the flight and flew it into the World Trade Center. Since that day, Victor’s wife, Ellen, has worked tirelessly to protect other pilots and the traveling public. With her help, we were successful in enacting legislation that requires the installation of secondary barriers on all new commercial passenger aircraft, but the barriers won’t protect everyone if they are not required for commercial aircraft already operating. Adding secondary barriers to all commercial passenger aircraft—whether new or already operating—is the next step Congress must take to ensure no family has to go through what the Saracini family went through. I look forward to introducing the Senate companion bill with Senator Casey later this year,” said Senator Toomey. Congressman Fitzpatrick introduced similar legislation, the Saracini Aviation Act. Elements of its language were included in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 as an amendment and signed into law. That amendment required all newly manufactured aircraft to install a secondary barrier. The Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act will require all existing passenger aircraft to retrofit a secondary barrier, ensuring that current aircraft fleets are held to the same safety standard as newly manufactured aircraft. https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/gottheimer-fitzpatrick-carson-smith-introduce-saracini-enhanced-aviation-safety-act/ Air Namibia ceases operations, gov't to announce liquidation Air Namibia (SW, Windhoek Int'l) has announced the cancellation of all its operations, effective February 11, as the country’s government is poised to announce its flag carrier's voluntary liquidation. In a late-night notice on social media, the 75-year-old airline announced that all its aircraft would be grounded. Its reservations system was suspended with no new bookings being accepted from February 11, 2021. Passengers have been advised to register claims for refunds. Air Namibia spokesperson Twaku Kayofa told ch-aviation the government was expected to make an announcement on February 11 to explain its decision. Kayofa confirmed that trade union representatives had informed the company’s 636 employees on February 10 that they would receive an ex gratia pay-out equal to 12 months of salary, but no benefits. The government, the airline’s executive, and unions are to meet on Thursday to discuss the liquidation's finer details. Cabinet has already approved the voluntary liquidation of the airline with a three-person board of directors now appointed to prevent the airline’s assets from being attached in case of failure to pay creditor Challengair (1I, Brussels National) its first instalment next week. According to the Namibian Sun newspaper, the board includes lawyer Norman Tjombe, businesswoman Hilda Basson-Namundjebo, and economist James Cumming who will collectively assist interim CEO Theo Mberirua in running the company. The decision to shutter the 75-year-old carrier follows the airline’s board's resignation on February 3, after the government did not oppose an application in the Namibian High Court to have the airline liquidated. The application was made by the estate of former Belgian operator Challengair over outstanding payments on legacy debt of 1998 concerning the lease of a B767-300(ER). Lawyers representing both parties reached an 11th-hour out-of-court settlement on January 28 for EUR9.9 million (USD11.9 million), but without the government's apparent support, who said it could not afford to bail out the airline, nor had it managed to find it a strategic equity partner. The first installment of EUR5 million (USD6 million) on the settlement was due on February 18. Kayofa told ch-aviation Challengair would join the list of creditors following liquidation. Finance Minister Ipumbu Shiimi earlier said a turnaround plan for the cash-stricken flag carrier would cost taxpayers significantly more than NAD7 billion Namibian dollars (USD461.6 million), after already spending NAD8.4 billion (USD554 million) in the past 10 years to bail out the airline. He said Air Namibia had been loss-making since its inception, plagued by a flawed business model that rendered 15 out of its 19 routes unprofitable. A combination of the types of aircraft, routes, high employee numbers, and other structural inefficiencies had contributed to the financial distress of the company. At the time of its collapse, Air Namibia's fleet entailed four A319-100s (of which two are owned and one is leased from Deucalion Aviation Funds), two A330-200s (both leased from Castlelake), four EMB-135ERs (owned), and one inactive B737-500 (owned). The Namibian government has been in contact with the lessors, Kayofa said. https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/100474-air-namibia-ceases-operations-govt-to-announce-liquidation Transatlantic Flight Paths Could Soon Become The Airline’s Responsibility For decades, transatlantic services have largely followed a few of the same paths across the skies. However, amid the downturn of activity caused by the pandemic, airlines will be given the freedom to choose their own routes across the Atlantic Ocean. Ultimately, Canada’s NAV and the United Kingdom’s NATS have shared that they won’t designate specific paths when the conditions allow. A change in climate According to CNN, in the coming weeks, the aforementioned air traffic navigation outfits will experiment with giving carriers more control over their flights. Pilots will be able to choose the most efficient route based on speed and trajectory. As a result, there could be significant emission and cost savings. This trial does not have an end date as of yet. Moreover, it would not have been possible to action such a move until recent times. Overall, advancements in satellite technology to monitor North Atlantic air traffic have helped controllers to have real-time data on aircraft hopping over the pond. Along with this, there are just 500 flights across the Atlantic every day in the present conditions, making it easier to control. On the right track NATS highlights that now is the time to take the leap with this initiative. The institution also emphasizes that there could be notable savings. It hopes that the evaluation of these flights, along with other exercises, will give it enough evidence to decide on making permanent changes in the future. A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson informed Simple Flying about its focus when it comes to jetstreams. The British carrier sees value in choosing the right path. “Our pilots utilise the Jetstream as a matter of course and are now “connected” when airborne, so are able to regularly get updated winds that are fed into the aircraft systems to better inform them on routings and altitudes to fly,” the spokesperson told Simple Flying. “This all starts with the Flight Planning system which is used to optimise the flight prior to departure and is then refined en-route. This technique of utilising the wind was trialled back in 2018 and was successfully rolled out across the fleet. At the time we estimated these changes would save the airline emitting 3,500tonnes of CO2 per year.” The wind will guide you Operators will be able to shift their patterns based on the conditions of the flight. For instance, the University of Reading studied 35,000 transatlantic flights last winter. They noticed that by letting airlines take better advantage of wind patterns, there can be fuel use reductions of 16% when flying east. Altogether, Michael Gill, director of environment at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), expresses that potential fuel savings are comparable with an upgrade to a new plane. “We estimate that each new generation of aircraft increases fuel efficiency by 15% to 20%, so this could be similar to introducing a next generation airliner” Gill shared, as reported by CNN. “Using the jet stream more frequently and on a more permanent basis without putting safety at risk in any way would be welcomed.” The airline industry accounts for approximately 2% of carbon emissions around the world. However, stakeholders in the market have been announcing their commitment to reducing their impact. For instance, the UK’s aviation industry has a target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. So, initiatives such as this will contribute to this goal due to the prospects of more efficient routes. https://simpleflying.com/north-atlantic-flight-path-tria/ US government considers third aid package for airlines The US government is considering a further $15 billion in payroll support for aviation workers as the industry hopes for recovery this year. Lawmakers are weighing a second extension of a programme initially launched at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, designed to save aviation jobs as passenger demand fell precipitously in the wake of stay-at-home orders and travel restrictions. In a memorandum dated 4 February, the House of Representatives’ financial services committee outlines a proposal that would make available $15 billion in aid to airlines under the same conditions as previous plans. Notably, airlines that take funds would be prohibited from laying off staff. The CARES Act, which in March 2020 provided $58 billion in grants and loans to passenger air carriers, secured jobs through a payroll support programme (PSP) until 30 September. On 1 October, when that aid expired, airlines furloughed more than 30,000 employees. Those job losses were in addition to the tens of thousands of workers who took advantage of carriers’ various volunteer layoff and early retirement schemes. In December, the US government approved a new programme, dubbed “PSP2”, which made another $15 billion in payroll aid available to airlines. That funding, which required airlines to rehire furloughed workers, runs through March 2021. Airlines reinstated the employees, even though their schedules and networks could accommodate just a fraction of them. Airlines have said that recalls will likely be temporary if travel demand does not significantly improve by the end of the first quarter of the year. That now looks unlikely. New travel restrictions, including a mandatory testing requirement for all inbound international arrivals, and talk of testing requirements for domestic travellers, continue to burden the industry. The third tranche of aid would help the airlines until 30 September 2021. The $15 billion includes $14 billion earmarked for workers of eligible carriers and $1 billion to support contracted workers. “According to some estimates, major US airlines lost over $35 billion in 2020, and although demand for air travel has increased in recent months, airlines do not expect to return to profitability until midway through 2021,” the memorandum reads. “One airline executive warned that December’s “recall [of workers] will be temporary,” suggesting that airlines will proceed with layoffs without more aid. United Airlines and American Airlines in recent weeks warned a combined 27,000 employees that their jobs were at risk. “Based on current demand… we will not fly all our aircraft this summer as planned,” said Fort Worth-based American in a 3 February employee memo. “Consequently, like last fall, we will have more team members than the schedule requires after federal payroll support expires.” Airline executives continue to hope that confidence and demand will return as vaccinations ramp up in the coming months. https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/us-government-considers-third-aid-package-for-airlines/142378.article Florida Tech’s Aviation Safety Master’s Degree Earns ‘Graduate Safety Practitioner’ Status Graduates of Online Program Can Now Seek Prestigious GSP Designation MELBOURNE, FLA. —Florida Tech’s Online Master of Science in Aviation, Aviation Safety degree program has been approved as a Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP) Qualified Academic Program after a review by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. The approval means graduates may now apply to the Board for the GSP designation. “We welcome Florida Institute of Technology’s exceptional safety program and those who graduate from it,” said Christy Uden, CAE, IOM, interim CEO of the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. “Those who graduate from GSP Qualified Academic Programs have a strong foundation of knowledge that deserves recognition, and BCSP looks forward to supporting them in the development of their careers.” Debbie Carstens, graduate program chair and professor, aviation human factors, said the designation adds even more value to the program for Florida Tech students. “The GSP puts students on the fast track to becoming a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), which is recognized as being the gold standard in professional safety certification.” The GSP meets the credential requirement for the Certified Safety Professional certification, allowing those who hold the designation to waive the Associate Safety Professional (ASP) certification examination. It demonstrates accomplishment and commitment to professional development. To receive the GSP Qualified Academic Program designation, Florida Tech’s program was reviewed by BCSP and demonstrated a substantial match to the ASP exam blueprint. Any person having graduated from Florida Tech with a Master of Science in Aviation, Aviation Safety may apply for the GSP designation within the program’s applicable dates as it appears on the QAP list. Learn more about Aviation Safety program here and find additional details on the GSP at www.bcsp.org/gsp. ### About The Board of Certified Safety Professionals BCSP, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a not-for-profit corporation recognized as a leader in high-quality, accredited credentialing for safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) practitioners. BCSP establishes standards and certifies competency criteria in professional safety practice. Since 1969, over 100,000 of BCSP’s CSP, SMS, ASP, OHST, CHST, STS, STSC, or CIT certifications have been achieved. Florida Institute of Technology Florida Tech was founded in 1958 at the dawn of the Space Race that would soon define the Atlantic coast of Florida and captivate the nation. Now the premier private technological university in the Southeast, Florida Tech is a Tier 1 Best National University in U.S. News & World Report and one of just nine schools in Florida lauded by the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Florida Tech is ranked among the top 5 percent of 20,000 degree-granting institutions worldwide in the 2020-21 World University Rankings and has been named a Top College and Best Value University for 2019 by Forbes. Florida Tech offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in aeronautics and aviation, engineering, computing and cybersecurity, business, science and mathematics, psychology, education and communication. Learn more about our relentless pursuit of greatness at www.fit.edu. Garuda Indonesia terminates lease for 12 Bombardier aircraft JAKARTA, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Indonesian flag carrier PT Garuda Indonesia has terminated a lease for 12Bombardier CRJ-1000 planes amid a bribery probe into the procurement of the aircraft, a cabinet minister said on Wednesday. The contract with Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) was initially due to end in 2027, but Garuda will return the planes to the lessor early, State-Owned Enterprise Minister Erick Thohir said. "There are two issues, first was obviously the legal case, and the second is a force majeure because of the COVID-19situation," Erick told a virtual briefing. In its decision for the early termination, Garuda took into consideration the bribery probe conducted by Britain's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) over the procurement process of the planes in2011. The SFO announced in November it was investigating Canadian industrial group Bombardier over suspected bribery in airplane sales to Garuda Indonesia. "For the avoidance of doubt, NAC is not party to any investigation into the selection of the aircraft by Garuda in2012 and there has been no allegation of any wrongdoing on the part of NAC in relation to the placement of the aircraft," NAC said in a statement on Wednesday. Garuda is also in discussion for early payment settlement ofits lease of six planes of the same model from Export Development Canada, which is supposed to end in 2024, Erick added. At the same briefing, the airline's chief executive Irfan Setiaputra, said Garuda had losses on average of more than $30million annually during the past seven years of using theCRJ-1000 aircraft. "On top of that this pandemic forced us to end this contract," Irfan said. NAC said it had not yet received a termination notice from Garuda and therefore the lease agreements remained in full force, and it expected Garuda to continue to honour its contractual commitments. "While NAC is sympathetic to the commercial difficulties of Garuda, it is confident of its position and absolutely determined to protect its commercial interest," the lessor said. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/1-garuda-indonesia-terminates-lease-225112569.html United Airlines Just Invested $1 Billion in Our Air Taxi Future United Airlines believes that soon we’ll all be taking air taxis to the airport—and it just ponied up big bucks to get in on the action. The airline has just announced that it will invest more than $1 billion in Archer Aviation, a start-up developing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The startup says its eVTOLs, which are being positioned as commuter air taxis, will be able to shuttle passengers some 60 miles on a single charge and hit speeds of up to 150 mph. While still in the prototype stage, the full-scale aircraft is scheduled to be unveiled later this year, with mass production slated for 2023. According to Archer, jet setters can expect to see this zero-emissions aircraft servicing airports in United’s major hubs by 2024. “Archer’s eVTOL design, manufacturing model and engineering expertise has the clear potential to change how people commute within major metropolitan cities all over the world,” United CEO Scott Kirby said in a statement. Indeed, the airline estimates that flying one of Archer’s eVTOLs between Hollywood and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) could reduce CO2 emissions by up to 50 percent per passenger. Coincidentally, Los Angeles is one of the first cities Archer plans to launch its fleet and one of United’s largest hubs. United isn’t the only party getting in on the Archer action, either. Separately, the startup announced that it reached an agreement to merge with special purpose acquisition company Atlas Crest Investment Corp. to become a publicly listed company. The combined company, soon to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under “ACHR,” will have an equity valuation of $3.8 billion. Archer also said it expected to receive $1.1 billion of gross proceeds to fund future growth, including $600 million in private investment in public equity (PIPE) from investors such as Stellantis and United. Fiat Chrysler also recently announced a partnership with Archer to develop flying cars. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/united-airlines-just-invested-1-200000848.html Singapore Airlines defers $3 billion of spending on Airbus, Boeing planes (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines Ltd said on Tuesday it would defer over S$4 billion ($3.01 billion) of spending on Airbus SE and Boeing Co planes after reaching agreements with the aircraft manufacturers to delay deliveries. It will convert 14 of its Boeing 787-10 orders to 11 additional 777-9s to meet its fleet needs beyond the financial year ending in March 2026, the airline said in a statement. "The agreements with Airbus and Boeing are a key plank of our strategy to navigate the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic," Singapore Airlines Chief Executive Goh Choon Phong said. "They allow us to defer capital expenditure and recalibrate the rate at which we add capacity, aligning both with the projected recovery trajectory for international air travel," he said. The airline will cut capital spending plans by S$2.2 billion in the 2020-21 financial year ending March 31, S$1.7 billion in 2021-22 and by a more limited amount in the following three years. Singapore lacks a domestic travel market and international travel is expected to take until 2024 to rebound to 2019 levels, according to industry estimates. Singapore Airlines last week posted a S$142 million net loss in the third quarter as passenger numbers plunged by 97.6% due to the pandemic, though its cargo business held up better given a tight freight market. The decision to switch some of its Boeing orders to 777-9s is a boost for the planemaker's poor-selling 777X programme but adds pressure on the smaller 787, already hit by production problems. Boeing last week said that 118 orders for its 777X widebody plane under development are no longer seen as firm under accounting rules that require it to regularly assess their viability, leaving it with 191 solid orders for the model. ($1 = 1.3271 Singapore dollars) https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/singapore-airlines-defers-4-billion-094829081.html Chinese Mars mission is now orbiting the Red Planet China's first homegrown Mars mission has successfully made it into orbit around the Red Planet, state-run media confirms. Why it matters: China is now the sixth nation or space agency to operate a spacecraft in orbit around Mars. What's happening: The mission — called Tianwen-1 — is expected to gather data about the red world from orbit. Eventually, the spacecraft will release a rover down to the Martian surface. If that rover is a success, it will make China only the second nation after the U.S. to operate a rover on the world's surface. Tianwen-1's achievement comes one day after the United Arab Emirates' Hope probe made it into Mars orbit. The big picture: China is a leader in space today. The nation has a human spaceflight program, operates satellites and has plans to build an Earth-orbiting space station in the near future. What's next: Next week, NASA's Perseverance rover is expected to land on the surface of Mars, bringing up the rear of the parade of Mars missions launched in July and arriving at the planet this month. https://www.yahoo.com/news/chinese-mars-mission-now-orbiting-131802943.html Curt Lewis