Flight Safety Information - March 24, 2021 No. 061 In This Issue : Incident: Inuit DH8A near La Grande on Mar 16th 2021, WOW : Incident: TUI Nederland B763 near Leeds on Mar 22nd 2021, flight mismanagement system : Incident: Qatar B773 at Doha on Mar 23rd 2021, tyre damage on departure : 3 Russian bomber pilots killed by ejection system glitch : NTSB: Pilot’s takeoff maneuver led to 2019 skydiving plane crash that killed 11 : As Air Force revamps pilot training, flight safety concerns linger : New Aircraft Cabin Environment Sensor Certified for Boeing 737 : Volcanic ash shuts down international airport in Guatemala : NTSB Pushing for Stricter FAA Safety Regulations for Certain Flights after B17 Crash : FAA Updates Bank of Sample Knowledge Test Questions : ICAO Council concludes 222nd Session with important new progress for international aviation : Lockheed Martin And Omnispace Take On SpaceX With Plans For Space-Based Internet Incident: Inuit DH8A near La Grande on Mar 16th 2021, WOW An Air Inuit de Havilland Dash 8-100, registration C-FDLG performing flight 3H-854 from Umiujaq,QC to Kuujjuarapik,QC (Canada) with 8 people on board, was climbing out of Umiujaq, landing gear already retracted, when the crew received a Weight On Wheels (WOW) warning. The crew decided to divert to La Grande,QC (Canada). On approach to La Grande, when the crew selected the gear down, the nose gear did not indicate locked. The crew entered a holding to work the related checklists, declared emergency with flight service, lowered the gear manually and landed safely in La Grande. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e4d5ddc&opt=0 Incident: TUI Nederland B763 near Leeds on Mar 22nd 2021, flight mismanagement system A TUI Airlines Nederland Boeing 767-300 on behalf of ASL Airlines Belgium, registration PH-OYI performing flight 3V-909P from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Las Vegas Nellis Airbase, NV (USA), was enroute at FL380 about 20nm east of Leeds,EN (UK) when the crew decided to return to Amsterdam reporting problems with the FMS (Flight Management System) prompting ATC to query whether they would be able to navigate directly to SPY, which the crew affirmed. The aircraft performed a normal descent towards Amsterdam, intercepted the ILS for runway 18C and landed safely on runway 18C about 80 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 20.5 hours, then departed again and is currently enroute on the way to Nellis Airbase. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e4d558e&opt=0 Incident: Qatar B773 at Doha on Mar 23rd 2021, tyre damage on departure A Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300, registration A7-BAE performing flight QR-832 from Doha (Qatar) to Bangkok (Thailand), was climbing out of Doha's runway 34R when the crew reported an unusual noise during departure similiar to an impact onto the lower fuselage. The crew suspected a bird strike or nose tyre damage. Without any abnormal indications including no abnormal tyre pressure indications the crew decided to continue the flight and was enroute at FL370 about 1100nm east of Doha already in Indian Airspace when the crew was informed that tyre debris had been found on their departure runway. The crew decided to return to Doha, turned around, descended the aircraft to FL360 and later descended further to FL220. The aircraft landed safely on Doha's runway 34R about 5:25 hours after departure, vacated the runway onto the parallel taxiway and stopped for about 25 minutes. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e4d51f0&opt=0 3 Russian bomber pilots killed by ejection system glitch MOSCOW (AP) — Three members of a Russian bomber's air crew died Tuesday when their ejection seats accidentally activated during preflight checks, the military said. The Russian Defense Ministry said the incident happened at an airbase in the Kaluga region, about 145 kilometers (90 miles) southwest of Moscow. It said the crew of a Tu-22M3 long-range bomber was preparing for a training mission when its ejection system malfunctioned and accidentally shot the crew out. The ministry said the altitude wasn't enough for the parachutes to open and three of the four crew members died of injuries. Russian media reported that the victims included Col. Vadim Beloslyudtsev, the commander of the bomber unit stationed at the Shaikovka airbase near Kaluga. Russian news reports said the fourth crew member survived the incident and was hospitalized. An official investigation into the incident has been launched. The accidental activation of the rescue system is extremely rare, and some experts speculated that it could have been caused by an electrical malfunction or human error. The Tu-22M3 is a supersonic twin-engine long-range bomber, which is capable of carrying nuclear weapons. About 60 are estimated to remain in service with the Russian air force, and some have flown bombing missions to strike militants in Syria from their bases in Russia. https://www.yahoo.com/news/3-russian-military-pilots-killed-114800685.html NTSB: Pilot’s takeoff maneuver led to 2019 skydiving plane crash that killed 11 HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The NTSB released a report into their findings of a deadly 2019 plane crash on Oahu’s North shore. The June 21 crash of a skydiving plane operated by the Oahu Parachute Center killed the pilot and 10 passengers in a fiery wreck. NTSB investigators found that the pilot’s “aggressive takeoff maneuver” was the probable cause of the Beech King Air 65-A90 airplane slamming to the ground near the fence of Dillingham Airfield shortly after takeoff. The report says the maneuver “resulted in an accelerated stall and subsequent loss of control at an altitude that was too low for recovery.” Among the victims of the crash were both local aviation enthusiasts, and visitors from out-of-state. Other contributing factors of the crash included the pilot’s lack of training and experience with the handling qualities of the airplane, the NTSB said. Maintenance was also overlooked, according to the investigation. Investigators said mechanics failed to “detect and repair the airplane’s twisted left wing, which reduced the airplane’s stall margin.” NTSB officials also highlight what they consider to be insufficient regulations by the FAA over parachute jump operations. This led to training deficiencies for the pilot, and the FAA’s lack of awareness into substandard training. The NTSB’s full report will be published in the coming weeks. https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2021/03/23/ntsb-pilots-takeoff-maneuver-led-skydiving-plane-crash-that-killed/ Then Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett uses a virtual reality flight simulator as Capt. Orion Kellogg, left, and Maj. Gen. Craig Wills, 19th Air Force commander, look on during her August 2020 visit to Undergraduate Pilot Training 2.5 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. (Photo Courtesy: U.S. Air Force) As Air Force revamps pilot training, flight safety concerns linger The Air Force says its new approach to pilot training, which uses digital learning to complement hands-on practice, is the way of the future. The service also hopes it will help keep airmen safe in the cockpit. Air Education and Training Command has rolled out a slate of pilot education initiatives that look to boost students’ knowledge with more simulator time, speed the time it takes to earn wings, and broaden the pool of competent candidates — without jeopardizing the force’s rigorous standards for pilot qualification. “A lot of the things that we’re doing with [Undergraduate Pilot Training] 2.5 are actually going to make a better pilot,” Maj. Gen. Craig Wills, who oversees flight training as commander of 19th Air Force, told reporters Tuesday. “We’re not trying to make pilot training easier. What we’re trying to do is actually challenge our students better from day one.” That comes as Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown — a longtime fighter pilot himself — argues training needs to get “back to basics” to build proficiency in takeoff and landing. About 30 of the 72 Class A and B mishaps that occurred last year involved problems in those fundamental stages of flight, Air Force Magazine previously reported. Seven airmen died in aviation-related accidents in fiscal 2020, according to service data. The Air Force saw 23 of the most severe manned aviation mishaps, known as “Class A,” in 2020, or about 1.5 accidents per 100,000 flight hours. That’s the second-highest annual rate since at least 2011, according to Air Force figures provided to Congress this week. Testifying before the House Armed Services readiness subcommittee Tuesday, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin praised the use of virtual and augmented reality and other technology that drive the service’s modernized training. Students can take VR systems home to spend hundreds of extra hours learning their way around an airplane, and call up on-demand videos on a tablet to learn at their own speed. “This technology differs from traditional approaches in that it enables students a much more immersive training experience, which significantly increases the quality of their training,” Allvin said in written testimony. “Because students require less direct instructor support, they are able to more readily tailor their training to address their unique gaps and work asynchronously, accelerating the training process.” Scaling up the use of that technology across the training enterprise will come “with a keen eye toward flying safety risk,” he added. The Air Force graduated 1,263 pilots last year and is aiming to reach 1,500 pilots per year by 2024. Just a fraction of those have gone through the modernized program so far. Undergraduate Pilot Training 2.5 is one of the Air Force’s main initiatives to overhaul how the typical airman learns to fly a plane, following an earlier tech-centered project called Pilot Training Next. The first 10 students graduated from the seven-month UPT 2.5 program March 19. The service will crunch data to determine whether these new undergraduate cohorts are performing better than students who went through earlier versions of pilot school. Part of the calculus is seeing how airmen handle unexpected situations. Pilot Training Next, a predecessor to UPT 2.5, yielded graduates who fare better in the most advanced jets, like the F-35 Lightning II, than in older models. Wills said that in general, those trainees have “met the standard and moved on” alongside airmen in a different program. “We’re trying to introduce more complex scenarios,” Wills said. “We’re trying to drive scenarios that cause them to rethink and replan, and to be more flexible throughout.” Wills believes the approach is right on track. But the emerging challenge of trying out a new method is deciding how students should juggle real-life flying hours, time in a simulator, and academic lessons. Striking the right balance will give airmen enough experience to be both effective and safe in the cockpit. “We’re pulling all of the grade sheets and we’re reviewing all those things,” Wills said. “Our No. 1 priority is to produce a pilot that’s going to be safe and lethal. There’s no intent to cut any kind of a corner.” The two-star general cautioned against drawing a direct correlation between the number of flight hours a pilot has logged and the likelihood of an accident, saying each mishap occurs under unique circumstances. Changes to introductory flight training in Pueblo, Colo., could also help strengthen the fundamentals as Brown wants. The Air Force is looking at expanding its initial flight training program so young airmen can get a firmer grasp of concepts like basic navigation and cockpit instrumentation, Wills said. Doubling that program from 25 hours to 50 hours can better prepare trainees for more advanced planes like the T-6, which readies students to fly bombers, fighters, airlifters or tankers. “We should be looking at a student that has a higher baseline from which we can train them to an even higher level, which we’re excited about,” Wills said, noting it can also increase diversity among candidates who may not have had access to flight school before joining the Air Force. “We think the opportunity to better prepare all of our candidates for flight training is good for everybody,” he said. https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2021/03/24/as-air-force-revamps-pilot-training-flight-safety-concerns-linger/ New Aircraft Cabin Environment Sensor Certified for Boeing 737 The new ACES cabin air quality monitoring system from Teledyne Controls has been certified for Boeing 737 aircraft. Teledyne Controls has obtained Supplemental Type Certification (STC) approval for the installation of its new Aircraft Cabin Environment Sensor (ACES) on Boeing 737 aircraft. The El Segundo, California-based avionics manufacturer developed the ACES system to provide a new method of understanding and analyzing cabin air quality on a regular basis. Teledyne described ACES as the “first FAA-certified product of its type” in a March 15 press release. “We are very excited to bring this important new capability to the aviation industry. The need for accurate and comprehensive air quality data on aircraft has been recognized for decades,” George Bobb, president of Teledyne Controls said in the release. The upgrade required to enable the use of ACES onboard 737s requires the installation of the ACES Onboard Device (AOD), which are installed in the flight deck, as well as the fore and aft areas of the main cabin. Using a combination of sensors and aircraft data acquisition technology, the system is designed to capture information about the cabin environment. “ACES records 13 environmental parameters, including data on airborne particulates from 0.3 to 10 microns in size, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, volatile organic compounds and several other parameters. These parameters track substances that can potentially be found in the cabin and are known to be areas of concern for passengers and crew, such as hydraulic fluid, engine oil, de-icing fluid or fuel,” a representative for Teledyne Controls told Avionics international in an emailed statement. Teledyne is recommending a minimum of three AODs installed per aircraft for narrowbody aircraft, with that numbers calling up to as many as seven devices on larger airframes. Multiple ACES units are distributed in the aircraft to capture a comprehensive understanding of the air quality. The recorded data is stored in the compact ACES units and is automatically transmitted to the ACES Cloud Service portal for processing and analysis upon landing. According to Teledyne, the system is capable of transmitting this data without the use of any aircraft connectivity systems. Data captured by ACES is automatically transmitted, via cellular or WiFi, to the ACES Cloud Service. Airlines also have the option to transfer it to their own data platform for advanced analytics. By gaining access to cabin air quality data on a per-flight basis, the idea behind the ACES system is that it will give airlines the ability to more easily monitor emerging problems and identify sources of cabin air contaminants, such as smoke or fume events that can occur. “The data transfer happens seamlessly and securely via the ACES built-in wireless module, which leverages both cellular (4G LTE) and WiFi networks while the aircraft is on the ground. With an available Wireless Access Point and air-to-ground connectivity, the data can be sent continuously during flight,” the representative said. ACES is currently available as a retrofit installation for the 737, while certification for other aircraft types is currently in development. Teledyne said a “major” undisclosed U.S. airline has already installed and started using the first ACES system. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2021/03/23/new-aircraft-cabin-environment-sensor-certified-boeing-737/ Volcanic ash shuts down international airport in Guatemala (CNN)Guatemalan authorities have closed Guatemala's international airport as volcanic ash blanketed planes and runways on Tuesday. Guatemala City's La Aurora International Airport was temporarily closed after unfavorable wind conditions carried ash from the nearby and active Pacaya volcano its way, according to Guatemala's Civil Aviation Authority. The Civil Aviation Authority announced the closure on Twitter, saying that they took the decision as a result of "the change of wind direction from south to north and the increase of the Pacaya's volcanic activity, and the rise in ashfall." The 2,569 meter (approximately 8,428 feet) volcano is located approximately 48 kilometers (29 miles) south of the airport and has been active in recent weeks. According to the Civil Aviation Authority, the measure was taken following the recommendation of the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology, and Hydrology (INSIVUMEH) which announced the increase of volcanic ash in many areas of the capital. "So far, nine aircrafts have been affected and remain grounded, one flight coming from Los Angeles, California, United States, was diverted to El Salvador," Guatemala's Civil Aviation Authority said. In a video posted to his Twitter account, Civil Aviation Director Francis Argueta said it was not clear how long the closure would last but that authorities "hope to resume the airport operations as soon as possible." Volcanic ash clouds are a serious hazard to aviation, reducing visibility, damaging flight controls and ultimately causing jet engines to fail. Encounters between aircraft and volcanic ash can happen because ash clouds are difficult to distinguish from ordinary clouds, both visually and on radar, according to the US Geological Survey. Ash clouds can also drift great distances from their source. The ingestion of volcanic ash by engines may cause serious deterioration of engine performance due to erosion of moving parts and partial or complete blocking of fuel nozzles. Volcanic ash contains particles, whose melting point is below that of an engine's internal temperature. During flight these particles will immediately melt if they go through an engine. Going through the turbine, the melted materials rapidly cool down, stick on the turbine vanes, and disturb the flow of high-pressure combustion gases. https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/23/americas/guatemala-airport-volcano-closure-latam-intl/index.html NTSB Pushing for Stricter FAA Safety Regulations for Certain Flights after B17 Crash The National Transportation Safety Board is asking the Federal Aviation Administration to step up its oversight of revenue-passenger flights. The National Transportation Safety Board is pushing for stricter regulations of paid vintage plane flights following a crash in 2019 at Bradley Airport. It’s been about a year and a half since many local history buffs boarded a World War II era bomber in Windsor Locks. Seven people were killed when it crashed at Bradley International Airport on Oct. 2, 2019. Others were seriously injured. The National Transportation Safety Board is pushing for stricter regulations and safety standards for flights like these. They’re asking the Federal Aviation Administration to step up its oversight of revenue-passenger flights like the B17 participating in a 'living history' tour event. It’s been almost 1.5 years since a B17 crashed at @Bradley_Airport, killing 7 & severely injuring many others. “Now most passengers don’t know and don’t even care for the most part what rules govern their flight, they expect that the operator and the FAA are ensuring their safety, and for the most part they are,” said NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt, during the public hearing. The NTSB made six recommendations to the FAA on Tuesday, including a need for national safety standards and increased inspection. They cited examples of eight deadly crashes, like the one here in Connecticut, as evidence for the need for change. During the hearing, for example, an investigator criticized the conditions of the B17 owned by the Collings Foundation. “The level of FAA oversight was insufficient to identify and correct safety deficiencies, including the inadequate maintenance of the airplane while it was on tour,” said Capt. David Lawrence, senior accident investigator. The Collings Foundation has continued to say they can’t comment as they’re part of the NTSB’s investigation. In a statement the FAA said: “The FAA has a close working relationship with the NTSB, and the two agencies share a common goal of promoting aviation safety and preventing aircraft accidents. The FAA has a number of initiatives under way to improve the safety of operations conducted under Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. We take NTSB recommendations very seriously and will carefully consider all of the recommendations and input the Board provided today.” The FAA said they already have initiatives underway to improve safety of such flights, like updated safety inspector guidance for living history flights. Once the complete report from the NTSB is published, the FAA has 90 days to respond. Now it’s to be seen if they’ll take action, as many aviation and history experts, as well as loved ones impacted by crashes, keep a close eye on the developments of these regulations. “I want to stress right now that nobody here wants to eliminate these type of operations. Many of us are pilots, many of us have participated in parachute jumps…and other aerial adventure flights, but we all want the safety of operations to improve where there is room for improvement,” said Sumwalt. The NTSB tells NBC Connecticut that the final report for the deadly B17 crash is expected to be published within the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, victims and family members of the B17 crash are suing the owner of the plane, the Collings Foundation. When asked for a comment, the foundation has continued to send us this statement: "In order to obtain technical experience and expertise, the National Transportation Safety Board made The Collings Foundation a party to the pending accident investigation. In that role, the Foundation is prohibited, both by the Certification of Party Representative and by federal regulations, from commenting on this matter and disseminating information that is the subject of this investigation." A lawyer for a family of one of the victims told us via email Tuesday: “We are gratified that the NTSB is taking a hard look at this issue and are hopeful that needed regulatory changes will be ordered so that no one else has to go through what these families have gone through.” https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/ntsb-pushing-for-stricter-faa-safety-regulations-for-certain-flights-after-b17-crash/2451231/ FAA Updates Bank of Sample Knowledge Test Questions Additional releases are planned for June 2021 and into the future. The sample exam questions released by the FAA are only representative of those you might find on the actual test. As part of the overhaul that the FAA’s pilot certificate testing system went through beginning in 2011, the agency has produced a regular update of several components of the system, and communicated those changes through its main training and testing page on the FAA website. A recent update that becomes active on March 29 includes editorial updates to the bank of sample questions that the FAA releases for each of the primary certification and rating levels: private, instrument, commercial, flight instructor, and airline transport pilot for airplanes, rotorcraft, and gliders. Those changes will be followed by a more in-depth update planned for June 28, later this year. Pilots and instructors can also anticipate an update to the Airplane Flying Handbook in June 2021, and to the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge in September 2022. An addendum to the PHAK was released on February 10, 2021, explicitly stating that because marijuana remains an illegal drug at the federal level, its use is prohibited by pilots and other FAA certificate holders. Read More You can access a summary of the recently released updates along with the planned-changes schedule on the site as well. You’ll want to bookmark the FAA’s training and testing page if you are working towards a new certificate or rating, or if you’re an instructor needing to keep up with changes for your students. https://www.flyingmag.com/story/training/faa-updates-sample-knowledge-test-questions/ ICAO Council concludes 222nd Session with important new progress for international aviation Where sustainability and the environment are concerned, the Council agreed on additional CORSIA eligible emissions units programmes for use in CORSIA and on additional new criteria for the assessment of sustainability of aviation fuels to be eligible for use in the next phase of CORSIA. MONTREAL - The ICAO Council concluded the meetings of its 222nd Session, formalizing important progress on air transport developments relating to ongoing global pandemic response, emissions offsetting, gender equality and remotely-piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), among others. The Council’s contributions to the continuing work to help countries respond and recover from the pandemic on an aligned, effective basis globally, came with its adoption of the latest ‘Phase III’ guidance of its Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART), and the decision to convene a ministerial conference on COVID-19 this coming October. Where sustainability and the environment are concerned, the Council agreed on additional CORSIA eligible emissions units programmes for use in CORSIA and on additional new criteria for the assessment of sustainability of aviation fuels to be eligible for use in the next phase of CORSIA. The Council also launched the first periodic CORSIA Review that will recommend possible improvements and adjustments to the implementation of the CORSIA scheme for consideration at the 41st ICAO Assembly scheduled for 2022. Other important progress was made on new amendments to the annexes to the Chicago Convention supporting the integration of remotely-piloted aircraft systems into the international air transport regulatory framework, the approval of a new structure for ICAO Cybersecurity activities, the adoption of a new Declaration on gender equality in ICAO’s technical and governing bodies, and in the inaugural meeting of the Council’s new industry consultative body. The 222nd Session also witnessed the Council’s election and appointment of Mr Juan Carlos Salazar as ICAO’s new Secretary General beginning in August this year, at which time he will replace Dr. Fang Liu of China. It also saw the formal suspension of the diplomatic proceedings regarding the dispute between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt ,and Bahrain, at the request of the State parties concerned and as a consequence of the Al Ula Declaration. Additional progress was made on ICAO governance and ethical conduct, including procedures for handling complaints, adoption of the ICAO Enterprise Risk Management Framework, and the restructuring of the Council’s own committees and groups. The ICAO Council is responsible for standards adoption and other ICAO governance responsibilities while the agency’s full Assembly of 193 national governments is not in session. It is comprised of diplomatic representatives and ambassadors from 36 countries which are elected by each ICAO Assembly for a three year term. https://www.traveldailynews.com/post/icao-council-concludes-222nd-session-with-important-new-progress-for-international-aviation Lockheed Martin And Omnispace Take On SpaceX With Plans For Space-Based Internet Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) and Omnispace, LLC, have entered into a strategic interest agreement to explore the development of a space-based 5G network. What Happened: On Tuesday, Lockheed Martin, a global security and aerospace company, announced its plan to develop a global 5G standards-based non-terrestrial network (NTN) network with Omnispace, a global communications provider. The project is intended to provide government, commercial and enterprise devices with the ability to communicate seamlessly and reliably. “Seamless, global 5G connectivity has a wide range of civil and commercial applications. It also brings the coverage and capacity to support defense, government and military use, including mobile joint all-domain interoperable communications,” Lockheed wrote in the press release. Why It Matters: The space-based network would eliminate the need for ground terminals and provide 5G capabilities direct from space to telecommunication devices, according to a CNBC report. This puts Lockheed and Omnispace into competition with SpaceX, a private company owned by Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk, which is in the testing phase of its Starlink satellite network service. Both Starlink and the Lockheed/Omnispace networks would provide internet in areas of the globe where there is currently no connectivity. “This type of network has the potential to redefine mobile communications, benefiting users requiring true mobility, regardless of environment or location,” Lockheed wrote. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/lockheed-martin-omnispace-spacex-plans-205208010.html Curt Lewis