Flight Safety Information - February 17, 2021 No. 035 In This Issue : Incident: Azman B735 at Lagos on Feb 16th 2021, burst tyres on landing : Incident: Indigo A320 at Indore on Feb 16th 2021, cracked windshield : 2 hospitalized for smoke inhalation after flight returns to North Carolina airport : Amelia International passes IATA safety audit : U.S. Helicopter Safety Team Issues a “Blueprint” for Confronting IIMC and Pilot Spatial Disorientation : JetBlue pilots reject tentative agreement for American Airlines partnership : Global campaign launched, calling for the mandatory introduction of effective filtration and warning systems, to be installed on all commercial passenger jet aircraft. Incident: Azman B735 at Lagos on Feb 16th 2021, burst tyres on landing An Azman Air Boeing 737-500, registration 5N-SYS performing flight ZQ-2325 from Abuja to Lagos (Nigeria) with more than 100 people on board, landed on Lagos' runway 18R but blew a number of main tyres on roll out at 17:59L (16:59Z). The aircraft became disabled on the runway forcing the temporary closure of the runway over night. A passenger reported they had blowouts of aircraft tyres (plural) after landing, they needed to spend another 30 minutes on board of the aircraft until they could disembark. Ground observers reported the main tyres were "completely in tatters". http://avherald.com/h?article=4e32d2a5&opt=0 Incident: Indigo A320 at Indore on Feb 16th 2021, cracked windshield An Indigo Airbus A320-200, registration VT-IKB performing flight 6E-6195 from Indore to Chennai (India), was climbing out of Indore's runway 25 when the crew stopped the climb at about FL155 due to a cracked windshield. The aircraft returned to Indore for a safe landing on runway 25 about 22 minutes after departure. A replacement A320-200N registration VT-ITX reached Chennai with a delay of 2.5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e3258f2&opt=0 2 hospitalized for smoke inhalation after flight returns to North Carolina airport CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WJZY) — Video shows a chaotic scene at Charlotte Douglas International Airport Monday night after two people were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation on a plane. According to Charlotte Mecklenburg Police, just before 7:15 p.m., officers were called to assist Medic and Charlotte Fire at the airport in reference to smoke in the cab of a plane. Police say passengers were complaining of difficulty breathing and Medic took two people to the hospital who say they were having trouble breathing after being exposed to the smoke. Video showed fire, medic and police at the gate assisting. Some other flights have been delayed and canceled following the incident. NewsNation affiliate WJZY-TV reached out to American Airlines, who said flight 1671 from Charlotte Douglas to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport returned “due to reports of a potential odor in the cabin.” Airline officials say the flight landed back in Charlotte at 7:26 p.m. local time and taxied to the gate. They say at this time they have not received any reports of visible smoke in the cabin. “We are working to get our customers back on their way as soon as possible, and we apologize for the interruption this has caused to their travel plans.” AMERICAN AIRLINES American said there were 75 cancellations out of Charlotte today, all due to weather. https://wreg.com/news/2-hospitalized-for-smoke-inhalation-after-flight-returns-to-north-carolina-airport/ Amelia International passes IATA safety audit Amelia International passed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). Amelia International is an airline with a Slovenian AOC. It is a subsidiary of the French company Amelia (Regourd Aviation Group). The airline currently has a fleet of about 13 aircraft, consisting of ATr 42, ATR 72, ERJ-135 and ERJ-145 aircraft. The airline operates domestic services in France, some of which on behalf of Air France. The IOSA programme is an evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. IOSA uses internationally recognised quality audit principles and is designed to conduct audits in a standardised and consistent manner. It was created in 2003 by IATA. All IATA members are IOSA registered and must remain registered to maintain IATA membership.https://news.aviation-safety.net/2021/02/16/amelia-international-passes-iata-safety-audit/ https://news.aviation-safety.net/2021/02/16/amelia-international-passes-iata-safety-audit/ U.S. Helicopter Safety Team Issues a “Blueprint” for Confronting IIMC and Pilot Spatial Disorientation United States Helicopter Safety Team Inadvertent Instrument Meteorological Conditions leading to pilot spatial disorientation continue to be a leading cause of fatal helicopter accidents. From 2000 to 2019 in the United States, there were 130 fatal accidents directly linked to the issue of spatial disorientation. These accidents occurred regardless of pilot experience and they cut across all industries, including Emergency Medical Services, law enforcement, tour operations, utility flights, corporate flying and personal/private flights. “For decades, studies, articles, research papers, and discussions have been published theorizing why accidents related to degraded visual environments consistently occur and it has been hard to find clear answers that can slow or stop these tragic accidents,” explained Nick Mayhew, industry co-chair of the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team. “In part, the accidents stem from failed planning, lack of understanding, or poor decision-making. All pilots have the option to turn down a flight before launch, turn around, proceed to an alternate, or land in a safe place if the weather deteriorates below company or personal minimums, yet we continue to see these types of accidents.” In response to this situation, the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team has developed a new Recommended Practices document focusing on “Spatial Disorientation Induced by a Degraded Visual Environment” and offering training and decision-making solutions. “We are proposing a shift in the way we discuss, train and react to deteriorating or unplanned weather conditions,” added Mayhew. The Recommended Practices document focuses on these training and decision-making actions: 1. Avoidance of IIMC 2. Preflight planning that includes enroute decision processes 3. In-aircraft training that simulates a lack of visibility 4. Training of recovery techniques and committing to instruments Avoidance of IIMC - Avoidance is the best defense. There are several tools at a pilot’s disposal to ensure they put themselves, the crew, and the safety of their passengers in the best position for a successful flight. Often, that may be opting to delay or cancel the launch based on conditions present or anticipated during the flight. These decisions can be difficult to make, but when a pilot conducts a thorough preflight analysis, the preponderance of evidence can make that risk management decision straightforward and data-based. Preflight Planning that Includes Enroute Decision Processes – Enroute Decision Triggers can be defined as a pre-determined set of conditions that “trigger” a decision point in the flight. When a preset decision trigger is reached, the pilot executes a predetermined action that was planned, briefed, and reviewed while at the planning table. The enroute decision triggers should be planned early in the preflight planning process to prevent other factors to impact them. These decisions should be planned and discussed for every flight – not just the flights where you anticipate weather to be an issue. In-Aircraft Training that Simulates a Lack of Visibility – To be best prepared for a degraded visual environment, the USHST recommends a framework on which to build a comprehensive training program. This includes a no-visibility simulation while in-aircraft, simulators that offer visual illusion training and simulations that expose pilots to visual illusions and affect their vestibular system. Training of Recovery Techniques and Committing to Instruments - The best techniques for survival of spatial disorientation encounters is to avoid them. However, with proper training, pilots can be more successful in trusting instruments. For pilots to trust their instruments, they have to train the brain to disregard the vestibular illusions experienced during spatial disorientation. This is accomplished by simultaneously exposing a pilot to visual and vestibular illusions in training. This exposure will provide the brain the training it requires to function in “fast brain” and successfully disregard the conflicting illusions and focus on the instruments. The USHST document also discusses techniques such as stabilized power, U.S. Army AHTTA training and the PAB method. This USHST Recommended Practice document is intended to provide an initial framework for future comprehensive training packages aimed at reducing helicopter accidents stemming from spatial disorientation. It is one of several significant safety initiatives developed by the USHST to reduce the number of fatal accidents. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/rotorcraft/press-release/21210544/united-states-helicopter-safety-team-us-helicopter-safety-team-issues-a-blueprint-for-confronting-iimc-and-pilot-spatial-disorientation JetBlue pilots reject tentative agreement for American Airlines partnership (Reuters) - JetBlue Airways Corp pilots voted to reject a tentative agreement that would have given the airline contractual relief to implement its planned partnership with American Airlines Group Inc,, their union said in a statement on Tuesday. New York-based budget carrier JetBlue and international major American Airlines announced plans for a strategic tie-up in July to give them more muscle in the U.S. Northeast as the industry plots its recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. For any agreement to proceed, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) representing JetBlue pilots said management must provide assurances over job safety. "Job security, especially during turbulent points in our industry, is a main concern of every pilot,” Chris Kenney, chairman of the JetBlue unit of ALPA, said. "We are disappointed in the results of the vote," a JetBlue spokesman said, noting the company and ALPA had worked together on the tentative agreement. "We are committed to our alliance with American Airlines and plan to move forward so we can deliver its benefits to both crewmembers and customers," he said. The tentative agreement gave some relief from restrictions in 2018 collective bargaining on the types of tie-ups JetBlue could undertake in exchange for an additional pay raise and some enhancement in job security, the union said. American Airlines' management has told its pilots the deal would comply with their clauses on scope, or the amount of flying that can be done by other carriers, but the union is concerned about the impact it would have on jobs for domestic flights, a union spokesman said. "We've never seen a code share at American that has led to more mainline jobs," said Dennis Tajer, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association representing American's pilots. American has said the deal, which is currently under U.S. regulatory review, will help boost its international flying operations. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/jetblue-pilots-reject-tentative-agreement-220740867.html Global campaign launched, calling for the mandatory introduction of effective filtration and warning systems, to be installed on all commercial passenger jet aircraft. News provided by Global Cabin Air Quality Executive Ltd on Monday 15th Feb 2021 Monday 15 February 2021 Global campaign launched, calling for the mandatory introduction of effective filtration and warning systems, to be installed on all commercial passenger jet aircraft. London, England. The Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (GCAQE) has today launched its ‘Clean Air Campaign’ calling on regulators and Governments globally, to mandate the introduction of effective 'bleed air' filters and contaminated air warning sensors on passenger aircraft. To support their campaign the GCAQE has released a brief educational film in over 40 languages. They have also released a short animated film explaining the basics of the air supply system on aircraft. The GCAQE campaign is supported by representatives of over 1 million aviation workers, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF), the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and the European Cabin Crew Association (EurECCA). Both films are available at the GCAQE Clean Air Campaign page at: https://www.gcaqe.org/cleanair Over the last 20 years, there have been over 50 recommendations and findings made by 12 air accident departments globally, directly related to contaminated air exposures on passenger jet aircraft. However, commercial aircraft continue to fly, with no contaminated air warning systems to notify passengers and crews when the air they are breathing is contaminated. The design flaw relates to the way the breathing air supply on all passenger jet aircraft (except the Boeing 787) is supplied. The breathing air is provided to passengers and crews unfiltered directly from the compression section of the engines or from the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), a small engine in the tail of the aircraft. This is a process known as ‘bleed air’ because it is ‘bled’ from the hot compression section of the engine. The ‘bleed air’ is not filtered and is known to be contaminated with synthetic jet engine oils[1] and hydraulic fluids. The cans of the jet engine oils and hydraulic fluid products that are contaminating the breathing air supply and to which people have been exposed, clearly state: “Do not breathe mist or vapour from heated product”, “Risk of causing cancer”, “Risk of infertility”, “Risk of neurological effects” etc… The industry frequently states the air quality in a plane is better than in a house or office. Despite this statement, the industry filters the ‘bleed air’ used for the Fuel Tank Inerting System (FTIS). FTIS was introduced after the TWA 800 tragedy to prevent a fuel tank ignition. The FITS system works by providing a nitrogen rich environment in the fuel tank. The system also uses bleed air, but because of the presence of engine oil fumes in the ‘bleed air’ and their adverse effects on the system, this ‘bleed air’ is filtered. Why does the industry not also filter the ‘bleed air’ people are breathing? A short video explaining this key fact is on the campaign website page at: gcaqe.org/cleanair Both jet engine oils and hydraulic fluids contain organophosphates. These chemicals have been found in hundreds of swab samples carried out on the interior surfaces of aircraft and in many air monitoring studies. GCAQE Spokesperson Captain Tristan Loraine stated: “In the GCAQE’s view, despite knowing about this issue for decades, aviation regulators around the world such as the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have, on this specific problem, put the corporate interests of the aerospace industry ahead of flight safety and public health. They have failed to mandate the installation of effective contaminated air warning systems or ‘bleed air’ filtration systems. They have also failed to require airlines to inform crews or passengers about these exposures. Instead, they claim the air in aircraft is better than in your home and continue to call for more research. The sole result of calling for further research will be to delay having to take mitigating actions which are needed now, to finally resolve this public health and flight safety issue.” Flight safety has been often compromised due to crew being impaired or even totally incapacitated from exposure to contaminated air. Crews and passengers have suffered both short and long-term health effects as a consequence of these exposures.[2] Some crews have been ill health retired from these exposures. As documented by Howard et al (2017/2018), when addressing the aetiology of aerotoxic syndrome,[3] there is evidence that, in addition to the complex mixture of fugitive chemical emissions continually present in cabin air, there is also an aerosol of ultrafine particles (UFPs), bringing important health consequences of chronical exposure to an aerosol of UFPs.[4] From 15 to 18 March 2021, the GCAQE will host the ‘2021 Aircraft Cabin Air Conference’ (aircraftcabinair.com). This will be the largest conference ever held on these issues. It will take place over 4 days from 1500 to 2000 GMT daily and among the sponsors; there will be a number of companies displaying potential solutions and emerging technologies for aircraft operators. Technologies like new total cabin air filtration systems, warning sensors and catalytic converters. In addition to the ‘Clean Air Campaign’ and the ‘2021 Aircraft Cabin Air Conference’, the GCAQE has also recently created the first ever, global reporting system for contaminated air events, known as GCARS. The ‘Global Cabin Air Reporting System’, which anyone can use, is available at: https://gcars.app/ GCAQE Spokesperson Captain Tristan Loraine also stated: “The industry has achieved so many great things in the last 50 years. It has taken numerous steps to enhance flight safety but sadly on this issue, it has failed. The regulators say they need to know what chemicals are present during a contaminated air event before they can consider mandating new technologies to mitigate the problem. They knew over 20 years ago what chemicals were present, as they have data from the investigation into the total incapacitation of two pilots on a domestic Swedish flight known as the ‘Malmo’ incident. It is unbelievable that they continue to fail to fix this basic design flaw. ” Many crew unions and the GCAQE have been working with industry for over a decade to agree an acceptable air quality standard onboard aircraft. The ability to come to a consensus on this issue has recently been questioned following industry action to delay a proposed new CEN standard. For further information contact: Captain Tristan Loraine GCAQE Spokesperson Email: gcaqe@gcaqe.org +44 (0) 7968 213862 Website: gcaqe.org Global Cabin Air Quality Executive First Floor 10 Queen Street Place London, EC4R 1BE England Notes to editors: The GCAQE is a registered not for profit organisation based in London and established in 2006 and is the leading group in the world representing airline employees in relation to the issue of contaminated air on aircraft. Cabin breathing air on all aircraft apart from the Boeing 787 is taken directly from the engines and provided unfiltered to the aircraft. This is known as 'Bleed Air'. Bleed air is known to become contaminated with engine oils and/or hydraulic fluids. These are hazardous including to the unborn. Contaminated bleed air events have been recognised as occurring since the 1950s. No aircraft currently flying has any form of detection system fitted to warn when these events occur. Flight safety is being compromised by contaminated air events. Crew and passengers have been reporting short and long-term health effects as a consequence of exposure to contaminated air. Contaminated air events are not rare and known to be under reported. Passengers are never told about the risks or these exposures. The aviation industry has and continues to fail to adequately address this issue. In 2010, the High Court of Australia upheld a ruling that inhaling heated engine oil fumes were harmful (Joanne Turner case) and twenty-one years after the Compensation Court of New South Wales in Australia ruled, on 28 April 1999 in the Alysia Chew case. Alysia Chew had flown for Ansett and East West Airlines and had been exposed to fumes on the BAe 146 between January 1992 and October 1993. The New South Wales Compensation Court reviewed her claim that she was: “exposed to fumes, toxic substances and other irritants whilst carrying out her duties as a flight attendant” and ruled she had: “Suffered injury arising out of and in the course of her employment”. Two recent feature documentaries have been released on these issues ‘Everybody Flies’ (2019) and ‘American 965’ (2021). ERAU - Research Study Dear Pilot, You are being asked to participate in a research study of your opinions on urban air mobility. This study is expected to take approximately 10 minutes of your time. In order to participate, you must be at least 18 years old, a resident of the U.S., a certified pilot, and have piloted with the last 5 year. Participation in this study is voluntary, and you may choose to opt out of the study at any time. If you choose to opt out, your data will be immediately destroyed. We appreciate your consideration and time to complete our study. Please click on or copy and paste the URL below: https://forms.gle/PMY7C4fh9LL3VWUa9 For more information, please contact: Dr. Scott R. Winter scott.winter@erau.edu We appreciate your interest and participation! ISASI - 2021 ISASI Rudolf Kapustin Memorial Scholarship Are you a full-time student in a collegiate aviation program? Do you know a full-time student in the aeronautical/aerospace engineering, aviation operations, aviation psychology, aviation safety and/or aircraft occurrence investigation fields? Applications are now being accepted for the 2021 ISASI Rudolf Kapustin Memorial Scholarship! This award includes funded attendance at the ISASI Annual Seminar. An award of $2,000 will be made to the student(s) who meets the eligibility criteria and is chosen by the Scholarship Fund Committee based on the contents of the application package including an essay submission. The 2021 annual scholarship award will function a bit differently than past awards. This year the award includes funded attendance at the ISASI Virtual Annual Seminar. Additionally, all remaining funds from the scholarship award will be used to cover costs for the seminar registration fees, travel, and accommodation expenses for either the 2022 or 2023 in-person seminar. Please see eligibility requirements and an application attached. We look forward to receiving your applications and reviewing your essays! Thank you, ISASI Scholarship Fund Committee Application Form: https://tinyurl.com/11hf7onq Curt Lewis