Flight Safety Information - April 12, 2021 No. 074 In This Issue : Incident: India Express B738 at Riyadh and Kochi on Apr 11th 2021, damaged tyre on departure : Incident: American A321 at Tampa on Apr 10th 2021, lightning strike : Incident: Frontier A321 at Denver on Apr 8th 2021, electrical smell on board : Incident: American A321 at Charlotte on Apr 8th 2021, rejected takeoff due to engine overheat : Alante Air Joins the Air Charter Safety Foundation and its Aviation Safety Action Program : Airlines ground some 737 Max jets after Boeing discloses electrical problem : FBI seeks suspects after laser hits aircraft in Georgia : Airplane takes off a metric ton heavier than expected after computer error weighs adults as children : Man arrested at Madison airport with gun in bag : FAA Wants Airlines To Inspect Boeing 777s For Rivet Issues : A Look Back: American Airlines' History With Boeing Aircraft : Pakistan International Airlines Asks Crew To Refrain From Fasting Inflight : Emirates Operates Its First Fully Vaccinated Passenger Flight : Jetblue founder David Neeleman's new airline is recruiting pilots and 4,400 have already applied - here's what Breeze Airways looks for when hiring : Delta Airlines to Report Loss in 2021, Unless There is Significant Recovery in Traffic: Cowen : Russian space programme facing existential crisis as Elon Musk helps US relaunch Nasa ambitions Incident: India Express B738 at Riyadh and Kochi on Apr 11th 2021, damaged tyre on departure An India Express Boeing 737-800, registration VT-AXI performing flight IX-1322 (dep Apr 10th) from Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) to Kozhikode (India) with 160 people on board, departed Riyadh's runway 15R and was enroute at FL350 about 50nm west of Kozhikode and about 100nm northwest of Kochi when the crew decided to not land at Kozhikode's table top runway but divert to Kochi as a safety precaution due to a reported tyre damage on departure. The aircraft landed safely on Kochi's runway 27 about 30 minutes later. The damaged tyre burst after the passengers had disembarked. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration VT-GHI delivered the passengers to Kozhikode with a delay of 7 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Kochi about 23 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e5c0e4b&opt=0 Incident: American A321 at Tampa on Apr 10th 2021, lightning strike An American Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N928AM performing flight AA-1189 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to Tampa,FL (USA), was descending through about FL250 towards Tampa when the aircraft received a lightning strike. The crew continued for a safe landing on Tampa's runway 19R about 30 minutes later. The aircraft needed repairs to lower left fuselage and trailing edge of rudder before returning to service about 17 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e5c0640&opt=0 Incident: Frontier A321 at Denver on Apr 8th 2021, electrical smell on board A Frontier Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N711FR performing flight F9-536 from Denver,CO to Washington National,DC (USA), was climbing out of Denver's runway 34L, when the crew reported eletrical smell on board, nothing visible at this time, stopped the climb at about 10,000 feet and returned to Denver for a safe landing on runway 35L about 15 minutes after departure. A replacement A320-200N registration N376FR reached Washington with a delay of 2:20 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e5b1c20&opt=0 Incident: American A321 at Charlotte on Apr 8th 2021, rejected takeoff due to engine overheat An American Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N551UW performing flight AA-778 from Charlotte,NC to Phoenix,AZ (USA), was accelerating for takeoff from Charlotte's runway 18C when the crew rejected takeoff and vacated the runway about 900 meters/3000 feet down the runway. The crew advised the reason for their rejected takeoff was an engine (V2533) overheat. The aircraft returned to the apron. A replacement A321-200 registration N161UW reached Phoenix with a delay of 2.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 45 hours after the rejected takeoff. On Apr 11th 2021 The Aviation Herad received information the crew received a right hand engine fire loop B indication. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e5afb86&opt=0 Alante Air Joins the Air Charter Safety Foundation and its Aviation Safety Action Program Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) The Air Charter Safety Foundation welcomes the Scottsdale, Arizona-based charter operator Alante Air Charter Inc. as its newest member company, and a participant in the ACSF’s Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP). Ryan Hamilton, president of Alante Air Charter Inc., said that he’s pleased to become an ACSF member. “Regulatory and safety matters are complex, so we’re fortunate to join the ACSF family and have them provide guidance and expertise in these areas,” he noted. “Keeping our customers safe is of the utmost importance, and with the ACSF’s decade-plus of experience and proven abilities in FAA policy and regulation, we are confident that Alante will continue to be a leader in aircraft charter safety.” Hamilton is likewise enthusiastic about his company participating in the ASAP, which is jointly administered by ACSF and the FAA. The ASAP is designed to help foster a voluntary, cooperative, nonpunitive environment for the self-reporting of any events or concerns that could affect the safety of a flight. Flight department employees (pilots, aviation mechanics/engineers, dispatchers, schedulers and others) use the ASAP to personally report significant safety concerns and issues. The ASAP ensures that they can do so without fear of losing their jobs or being reprimanded by the FAA and losing their certificates, as long as certain conditions are met. Hamilton said: “The ASAP program has proven itself, over many years, to be a proactive tool in retrieving data and assisting with updating procedures or policies. The program assists us in doing just that, aided by the knowledge of not just our own staff, but also a committee of highly experienced and knowledgeable individuals. We look forward to the changes it will bring to our operation.” The ACSF is a non-profit organization with more than 250 member companies. Its mission is to lead and support the advancement of the highest safety standards available; to enable the business, charter and fractional ownership industry to offer the safest air transportation products in the world; and to provide objective information about these standards and services to the public. ACSF President Bryan Burns said that he’s gratified by Alante Air Charter’s membership. “Ryan Hamilton’s rationale for joining the ACSF and participating in the ASAP is on point for what we increasingly bring to our membership: a focus on aviation safety and an excellent forum for its discussion and advancement in our industry. We’re delighted to have Alante Air Charter as new members.” https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/business-general-aviation/press-release/21218012/air-charter-safety-foundation-acsf-alante-air-joins-the-air-charter-safety-foundation-and-its-aviation-safety-action-program Airlines ground some 737 Max jets after Boeing discloses electrical problem Four U.S. airlines announced Friday they are grounding more than 60 of their 737 Max jets after Boeing disclosed a potential electrical problem affecting the planes. The problem could affect a backup power control unit on jets used by 16 Boeing customers and stems from a manufacturing problem, according to the company and the Federal Aviation Administration. Boeing said the new problem isn’t connected to issues implicated in two deadly crashes involving the Max in recent years. Southwest Airlines said it was pulling 30 of its 58 Max planes from service, while American Airlines said it would ground 17 of its 41 planes. United Airlines is pulling 16 of its 30 Max planes, and Alaska Airlines will ground all four in its fleet. It wasn’t clear Friday how many jets worldwide were affected. The new problem surfaced as airlines have returned the Max to the skies after a pair of deadly crashes killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, leading to the jets being grounded worldwide for almost two years. On Friday, American operators again were left to assure the public that the planes were safe. Boeing said it would work with customers to help them with fixes, but it’s not clear how long that might take. The FAA said in a statement that Boeing alerted it to the problem late Thursday. Boeing 737 Max prepares return to service after fatal crashes The agency cleared the Max to fly again in November, ordering safety fixes to address design flaws that contributed to the crashes. American Airlines became the first operator in the United States to return the jet to its fleet in late December. American said in a statement Friday that only the planes it received after the Max was returned to service were affected. “As we shared when we returned the 737 MAX to commercial service, the safety of our customers and team members comes above all else,” American said. “It’s with this unequivocal standard that we rigorously maintain and monitor all our aircraft — including the Boeing 737 MAX — to ensure every plane in the air is safe.” United said in a statement that it is working with Boeing to determine when the planes could return to its fleet but that it had no estimate of a timeline. “We have been in touch with the FAA and Boeing and will continue to work closely with them to determine any additional steps that are needed to ensure these aircraft meet our rigorous safety standards and can return to service,” United said. Southwest said it had not experienced operational problems with the planes and was only using the Max in a limited capacity, with up to 15 of the planes scheduled to fly each day. “Southwest anticipates minimal disruption to our operation, and we appreciate the understanding of our Customers and Employees as Safety is always the uncompromising priority at Southwest Airlines,” the airline said in a statement. FAA still needs to strengthen Boeing oversight after Max crashes, inspector general says Boeing said the new electrical issue is unrelated to a new software system that was singled out after the crashes or to a separate wiring design problem. “The recommendation [to ground flights] is being made to allow for verification that a sufficient ground path exists for a component of the electrical power system,” Boeing said in a statement. Appearing at a White House briefing Friday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said officials need full confidence in the safety of the grounded aircraft before they return to the air. The latest problem is a blow for Boeing at a time when it appeared to be recovering, securing new Max orders as airlines prepared for a rebound from the coronavirus pandemic. In late March, Southwest — which only flies 737s — agreed to order 100 more of the jets, putting to rest speculation that it might opt for an Airbus plane to expand its fleet. The new disclosure follows other allegations of manufacturing and quality problems with the plane, including congressional testimony in 2019 by a former Boeing manager that he repeatedly warned company executives about production problems at the Max plant in Washington, calling it a “factory in chaos.” FAA fines Boeing $5.4 million for not fulfilling terms of long-running safety agreement Earlier production lapses have led the FAA to take action against Boeing. In January 2020, the FAA said it was proposing a $5.4 million fine against the company, accusing it of saying that defective wing parts for 178 Maxes were safe to use. The agency had previously proposed a $3.9 million fine in connection with the same alleged issue on older-generation 737s. The cases remain open, the FAA said. In August, the FAA accused Boeing managers at a South Carolina plant that makes 787s of pressuring safety inspectors to rush their work. The company agreed to pay $6.6 million to resolve that case and other allegations that it didn’t live up to a settlement designed to improve its safety culture. The deadly crashes, in Indonesia and Ethiopia, led to a temporary halt to the production line while Boeing and the FAA worked to approve safety fixes for the planes. The design of the software implicated in the crashes, called the maneuvering characteristics augmentation system, was overhauled and pilots were required to receive new training. The crashes left the reputations of Boeing and the FAA battered. In December, Congress rewrote aviation safety laws in an effort to stiffen the regulator’s oversight of the company. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/boeing-737max-southwest/2021/04/09/df4ac0b2-992c-11eb-b28d-bfa7bb5cb2a5_story.html FBI seeks suspects after laser hits aircraft in Georgia VIDALIA, Ga. (AP) — The FBI is searching for someone who pointed a laser at a military aircraft in March. Investigators are offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible. The FBI says that around 9:50 a.m. on March 9, a U.S. Air Force aircraft was deliberately struck by a high-powered laser for about one minute. The laser caused temporary eye damage to a member of the flight crew on the aircraft, which was approaching the Savannah Air National Guard Base. Investigators believe the laser strike originated from an area northeast of Vidalia. It’s a federal felony to knowingly point the beam of a laser at an aircraft. https://www.wsav.com/crime-safety/fbi-seeks-suspects-after-laser-hits-aircraft-in-georgia/ Airplane takes off a metric ton heavier than expected after computer error weighs adults as children Regulators describe the error as a “serious incident” A flight from the UK to Spain took off with more than a metric ton of unexpected weight after a software error classified female passengers using the title “Miss” as children. This led to the flight’s load sheet estimating the weight of 38 female passengers as 38 kg or 77 pounds each, the standard weight for children, instead of 69 kg or 152 pounds, the standard weight used for female adults. The error was classified as a “serious incident” by the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) but did not affect the flight’s safety. Despite a discrepancy of 1,244 kg (2,743 pounds) between the expected and actual mass of the aircraft, the thrust used in takeoff by the pilot was only “marginally less” than what was required. “This meant the safe operation of the aircraft was not compromised,” concluded the AAIB. “THIS MEANT THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT COMPROMISED” The error was introduced to the software after the flight operator suspended operations for several months due to COVID-19 restrictions. During this time, it upgraded its IT systems, but in the country where the software was programmed, the honorific “Miss” is used for children while “Ms” is used for female adults. The error affected two more flights from the same operator that same day, July 21, 2020, before it was corrected. According to a report by the Press Association, the flight was operated by Anglo-German company Tui. In statement the company said: “The health and safety of our customers and crew is always our primary concern. Following this isolated incident, we corrected a fault identified in our IT system. As stated in the report, the safe operation of the flight was not compromised.” https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/9/22375136/airplane-flight-takes-off-heavier-than-expected-miss-ms-children Man arrested at Madison airport with gun in bag MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Sheriff's deputies have arrested a Missouri man after he tried to board a plane at the Dane County Regional Airport with a loaded handgun in his bag. The Dane County Sheriff's Department said in a news release that the 42-year-old man is from Fulton, Missouri. He tried to board a plane at 6 a.m. Friday when federal Transportation Security Administration workers detected the handgun in his bag at a security checkpoint and alerted deputies. The sheriff's department said the man doesn't have a concealed carry permit and was taken to jail. The release didn't offer any further details. A sheriff's spokeswoman says the man apparently forgot the gun was in his bag and was completely cooperative. https://wqow.com/2021/04/11/man-arrested-at-madison-airport-with-gun-in-bag-2/ FAA Wants Airlines To Inspect Boeing 777s For Rivet Issues The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recently proposed an airworthiness directive (AD) regarding Boeing’s popular 777 family. Specifically, the government body wants the AD to result in 777 operators inspecting their triple-sevens for damage to their rivets. The proposal comes after a report found that certain 777s were missing their heads. Potential rivet inspection for all 777s Two days ago, on April 9th, the FAA submitted a proposed airworthiness directive relating to all active examples of Boeing’s widespread 777 family. For now, the proposal is amid a comment period. It explained its proposition by stating that: “This proposed AD was prompted by a report that an operator found solid rivets with missing heads at the left buttock line 25 on the sloping pressure deck web. This proposed AD would require doing a detailed inspection of the left and right side sloping pressure deck at certain stations for any damaged solid rivets, and applicable on-condition actions.” The FAA is inviting comments regarding the proposal to be sent by May 25th, after which the comment period will cease. The report upon which the US government body based its proposed AD related to a single 777-300 aircraft. However, it has since found that “four more 777-300s and one retired 777-200 [had] missing solid rivet heads.” As such, it has proposed inspections of all operational 777s to address this issue, and to ensure that it does not worsen. Boeing reportedly found that the rivets in question were “inadequate for the complex tension loading environment,” which led to cracking and damage. The FAA warned that “undetected damaged or missing rivet heads on the sloping pressure deck web” could lead to: “…loss of sloping pressure deck panels, causing decompression and pressure loss, and loss of the hydraulic systems in the area for wheel brakes (both normal and alternate) and steering, and potentially leading to runway departure and adversely affecting the structural integrity of the airplane.” Not the first 777-related AD this year Of course, this is not the first instance of the Boeing 777 being at the forefront of the FAA’s attention this year. Indeed, a United triple-seven suffered an engine failure over Denver, Colorado in February, causing parts to rain down on local suburbs. Shortly afterward, the FAA lept into action and released an airworthiness directive pertaining to the aircraft type involved in the incident. However, unlike the new proposal regarding rivets that will require all aircraft to be inspected, this only concerned certain triple-sevens. Specifically, it affected Pratt & Whitney PW4000-engined models, of which there are 128 examples. https://simpleflying.com/faa-rivet-boeing-777-ad/ A Look Back: American Airlines’ History With Boeing Aircraft American Airlines has had a long history of flying Boeing aircraft. The carrier traces its roots all the way back to 1926 when Charles Lindbergh flew the first American Airlines flight carrying US mail from St. Louis to Chicago. After starting with Douglas aircraft, once the jet age came around, the airline began its long history with Boeing. Here is a look back at American’s past fleet operations. The Boeing 707 In January 2021, American celebrated 62 years since it flew its first Boeing 707. Flown on a transcontinental route, it was Boeing’s first commercial jetliner. American Airlines has flown over 100 Boeing 707s in the past, including 707-120 and 707-320. The 707 helped usher in the jet age, and the aircraft was a mainstay of Americans’ fleet throughout much of the 1960s and 1970s. However, the Boeing 707s were not the only Boeing jet aircraft American flew during the same time. The Boeing 727 In the 1960s, Boeing introduced a trijet narrowbody called the Boeing 727. American Airlines first took the Boeing 727 in 1964 and did not retire its final 727 until 2002. It flew a total of over 180 Boeing 727s in its history. A report commemorating the final flight of an American Airlines Boeing 727 in Aero-News Network indicates the final flight operated out of Miami. American flew both the 727-100 and the 727-200. The -200 was configured with room for 138 passengers in a two-class configuration, while the 727-100s had room for 118 passengers in a two-class configuration. These seating capacities are accurate at the point when American retired the jets. The 727-100s were retired by 1994, eight years before the -200s left. The Boeing 727 allowed American Airlines to further its domestic connections and serve smaller airports and destinations that other jet aircraft like the Boeing 707 could not access. The plane could perform a variety of missions ranging from short-haul commuter flights to medium-haul prestige routes. The Boeing 747 American Airlines was one of the early airlines to fly the Boeing 747. However, it only flew the earlier models of the aircraft. Through the 1970s and mid-1980s, American flew a total of 18 Boeing 747s, mostly of the -100 variant. In the later 1980s and through the mid-1990s, American flew two Boeing 747SPs, according to data from Planespotters.net. The airline has not flown a Boeing 747 since. American Airlines shied away from newer generations of the large widebody jet. The airline focused on smaller aircraft it could more easily fill and, later, twinjets that were more economical. The Boeing 767 Next up chronologically is the Boeing 767. The airline took its first 767 in 1982. It would fly the aircraft well into the 2000s on a variety of missions. The airline also briefly operated some Boeing 767-200s after its merger with US Airways, which still flew some of the 767-200s. The 767 type that stayed the longest in American’s fleet was the Boeing 767-300ER. American took its first of the type in 1988 and flew them through 2020 when it retired the jets because of the crisis. The Boeing 767-300ERs were, in recent years, used by American on some leisure-focused expansions. The plane flew down to Cordoba in Argentina before American axed the route and plenty of transatlantic jaunts. According to data from Planespotters.net, American flew a total of 107 Boeing 767s. This included 40 767-200s and 67 of the larger -300s. The Boeing 737 Now the backbone of American’s narrowbody fleet, the Boeing 737 first entered American’s fleet indirectly. When American Airlines merged with AirCal in 1987 to gain a better presence in the western US, particularly on the West Coast, the airline also acquired the AirCal fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft. Data from Planespotters.net shows that American received its first Boeing 737s as part of the merger with AirCal in July of 1987. Additional aircraft joined the airline’s fleet in 1988 and some in 1989. American decided to move away from the Boeing 737s in the early 1990s and most of its Boeing 737s, including some of the -300s it acquired, found homes elsewhere. Some even went to rival carrier Southwest Airlines, which is also a noted Boeing 737 carrier. However, the early 1990s was not the end of American’s history with the Boeing 737. In the late 1990s, American placed a large order with Boeing covering Boeing 737 Next Generation jets, 757s, 767s, and 777s. While American briefly flew some Boeing 737-400s after merging with US Airways, the airline quickly moved to do away with those older jets to focus on newer Boeing 737 aircraft. In 2011, American Airlines placed an order for 200 Boeing 737 aircraft, including 100 of the yet-to-be-released evolution of the Boeing 737 Next Generation, which ultimately became known as the 737 MAX. American currently expects to fly a total of 100 MAX aircraft when its order backlog is filled, in addition to an active fleet of 282 Boeing 737-800s as of early 2021. The Boeing 757 The Boeing 757 was one of the most important types in American’s history. The airline flew a total of 177 of them in its history, according to Planespotters.net. Comprised entirely of the -200 variant, the first Boeing 757 entered American’s fleet in 1989. The Boeing 757s were narrowbody aircraft that held a lot of importance for American Airlines. While the planes made up much of the airline’s domestic backbone, the jet also found purpose flying routes to Hawaii, transatlantic routes, and some Latin American services. The 757s left American’s fleet in 2020 after 31 venerable years of operations. The Boeing 757 was one of the fleets that survived the merger between US Airways and American Airlines, with the 737-400s and 767-200s retired quickly after the merger. The Boeing 777 American Airlines took its first Boeing 777 in 1999. The first jets to join American’s fleet were 777-200ERs, and they are still flying with the airline today. American currently flies 47 Boeing 777-200ERs. These aircraft fulfill missions for American across the US, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. For many years, the 777-200ERs were one of the backbones of American’s widebody fleet. In 2012, American augmented its Boeing 777 fleet after taking its first of the 777-300ER. A larger version of the Boeing 777, the -300ER is one of American’s flagship aircraft and flies its most prestigious routes, such as from the US to London. American flies 20 Boeing 777-300ERs, taking its overall 777 fleet to 67 aircraft. Some of these aircraft are approaching retirement age, and some will exit the airline’s fleet through the mid and late 2020s as the airline takes on more of another Boeing widebody. The Boeing 717 American never placed an order for the small aircraft, nor did it ever have a lot of interest in flying these jets. According to a filing from American from 2002, the airline flew 30 Boeing 717s that came to the airline after a merger with TWA. For American, the 717s were not an integral part of the fleet, as the airline also flew Fokker 100s that made up the small narrowbody part of the fleet. These Boeing 717s later found a home with AirTran Airways. After AirTran merged with Southwest Airlines, the newly combined airline only wanted to fly Boeing 737 aircraft. Lucky for them, Delta Air Lines was in the market for a small narrowbody aircraft, and it decided to take on all of the former AirTran 717s in Southwest’s fleet. So, American’s short-lived Boeing 717 fleet ended up flying for Delta, though some aircraft also went down to Australia with Qantas, according to data from Planespotters.net. The Boeing 787 In 2009, American firmed an order with Boeing for 42 Boeing 787 aircraft. In early 2015, American welcomed its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner to the fleet. That plane, a Boeing 787-8 registered as N800AN, marked the start of the future of a transformed American Airlines post-merger with US Airways. Since then, the Boeing 787 has become a significant part of American’s fleet and route plans. Flying both the 787-8 and the 787-9, American loved these planes so much that, in 2018, the airline expanded its order book. In April 2018, American placed an order for 47 Boeing 787 aircraft. Consisting of 22 787-8s and 25 787-9s, these aircraft marked the start of American’s fleet transition period. The 787s would allow the airline to retire all of its Boeing 767s and Airbus A330s. And, as later deliveries come around, American planned to replace older 777-200s with newer, more fuel-efficient 787s. https://simpleflying.com/american-history-boeing-jets/ Pakistan International Airlines Asks Crew To Refrain From Fasting Inflight Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has asked its pilots and cabin crew not to fast while flying. The notification comes just before Ramadan and explains why fasting during flight operations can be dangerous and pose safety risks. Let’s find out more. The notification According to Dawn, PIA issued a safety alert to its pilots and flight attendants ahead of Ramadan this week. The alert warns crew against fasting while operating flights, citing the known causes of fasting such as dehydration, slow reflexes, low stamina, and deteriorating judgment. Considering both pilots and cabin crew are required to be sharp and alert for any potential safety issues while flying, fasting could interfere with this. PIA describes the risk as “considerable” and hence asks crews not to fast while onboard. PIA’s notification states, “Although, while it is perceived that flying with fasting is a possibility, in such a case the element of risk is considerable and margin of safety minimal. In an emergency with multiple complexities, wrong and delayed actions may result in serious consequences due to impaired judgment and incapacitation…While fasting, one has to go for a change in normal routine. Therefore, fasting and flying may not be confined to religious reasons as there are defined relaxations on fasting while travelling” Passenger concession While crews have been asked not to fast, the same does not apply to passengers. Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority has temporarily lifted its ban on serving meals on domestic flights, which was introduced due to the rising cases. Airlines can now offer an iftar meal to passengers, a huge reprieve for travelers. However, to prevent contact onboard, the meal will be handed over during check-in itself. The relaxed mask mandate only applies when passengers are eating and masks must be worn otherwise. Considering the possible safety risks to fasting while traveling, Pakistan International’s decision does make sense. In fact, PIA won’t be the only airline instituting this policy, with many Middle Eastern carriers likely to do the same for its crew. Flying internationally during Ramadan can be quite an experience too, with new service policies in place with some airlines. Last-minute rush Pakistan officially joined the UK’s “red list” countries two days ago, banning foreigners from entering the country. The days before the ban kicked in saw PIA and other airlines fly dozens of repatriation flights to cater to the surge in traffic. Traffic was mainly made up of foreigners trying to enter the UK before being banned and some British citizens hoping to avoid the costly hotel quarantine system. PIA is currently banned from flying to the EU due to safety reasons, forcing the airline to wet lease instead. https://simpleflying.com/pia-crew-no-fast-inflight/ Emirates Operates Its First Fully Vaccinated Passenger Flight Emirates proudly shared today that it successfully completed its first flight where everyone on board was vaccinated against COVID-19. The Dubai-based carried nearly 400 vaccinated passengers around the UAE this afternoon. A combined effort The flight was boarded by both fully vaccinated crew and passengers and was also supported by fully vaccinated ground staff. Emirates highlights that this move demonstrates the UAE’s readiness to support the safe return of air travel. Altogether, the country has administered nearly nine million vaccine doses to date and is intent on upholding its responsibility as an important connector across the globe. Notably, over 35,000 Emirates employees have received their coronavirus vaccine shot from one of the company’s vaccination centers. Moreover, over 85% of the airline’s pilots and flight attendants already have received two doses. The firm was also putting work in ahead of the vaccine rollout, getting Dubai World Central (DWC) prepared for distribution last fall. Today’s flight follows another milestone in In February when it performed the first flight serviced by fully vaccinated frontline teams across all passenger touchpoints. This event saw over 70 vaccinated frontline team members across the operational scope support a service from Dubai to Los Angeles. A grand occasion All passengers on flight EK2021 were provided rapid COVID-19 PCR tests. These were facilitated by Pure Health, the largest integrated healthcare solutions provider in the UAE. After checking in, the fliers received a green ‘Choose to Vaccinate’ pin and took photos to mark the special event. All passengers also received a bespoke ‘Choose to Vaccinate’ stamp on each boarding pass. After disembarking, they were given commemorative certificates for taking part. Emirates chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the following about the vaccination efforts. “The UAE’s rapid pace and progress in vaccinating our population is a testament of our leadership’s vision and commitment to safeguard our communities, and manage the pandemic by adopting the appropriate measures to protect both nationals and residents. Today’s flight is a showcase of the combined efforts and dedication of all stakeholders in supporting the vaccination programme, and the implementation of protocols in the past 12 months to ensure a safe travel journey, stimulate passenger traffic and set the groundwork for the ramp up of air travel in the near future. Emirates continues to support the national vaccination programme and we are pleased with the progress made within the group in vaccinating our employees.” Meanwhile, Emirates COO Adel Al Redha added the following: “We would like to thank the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Dubai Health Authority, The UAE General Civil Aviation authority (GCAA), Dubai Airports, GRFDA, Dubai Police, Airbus and Pure Health as well as other stakeholders for their close cooperation and support of our special flight.” The next chapter This flight follows another scenic flight by Qatar Airways this week, which was the world’s first fully vaccinated flight. Altogether, initiatives such as these are crucial in demonstrating that people can travel safely despite the challenging circumstances. Authorities need to take a look at these examples when planning for the reopening of travel following a year of downturn. https://simpleflying.com/emirates-fully-vaccinated-flight/ Jetblue founder David Neeleman's new airline is recruiting pilots and 4,400 have already applied - here's what Breeze Airways looks for when hiring • Breeze Airways has begun hiring for 85 pilot positions as the airline prepares to launch this year. • Pilots are required to have a minimum set of hours but recruiters are also looking for soft skills like customer service. • The startup aspires to be a "nice" airline and pilots will need to act as brand ambassadors. The first flights of Breeze Airways are just around the corner and the David Neeleman-founded startup is looking to bring on more pilots in advance of its long-awaited debut. Getting pilots to take a chance on the startup, which is slated to begin flights amid an ongoing pandemic recovery period, has surprisingly not been an issue for Breeze. Around 4,400 pilots have already applied to fly for the airline with only around 85 spots available. "They want to work for the newest and the nicest airline out there with new shiny planes or gently used planes," Jan Coleman, Breeze's manager of pilot recruitment, told Insider. Neeleman's track record speaks for itself with successes across three countries starting JetBlue Airways, Azul Brazilian Airlines, Morris Air, and WestJet, as well as a guiding TAP Air Portugal in a leadership role. Getting in on the ground floor of a seniority-based company also has its perks. Pilots with higher rankings often have their pick of assignments over more recent hires, allowing them to have better control over their flying schedule, for example. And the pandemic has given Breeze a lot of talent to choose from as airlines have been downsizing pilot pools with furloughs and voluntary leave programs. "We've really been able to be selective and get the cream of the crop," Coleman said. Matching an aircraft with a lifestyle Breeze plans to operate two aircraft types: the Embraer E190/95 and Airbus A220-300. Both have the same requirements in terms of minimum flight hours but each offers pilots a different lifestyle. "One of our biggest pitches and approaches is: live when you fly and fly where you live," Coleman said. Pilots assigned to the Embraer fleet will return to their base every night instead of spending nights on the road. It's a concept that saves Breeze on hotel expenses but also allows pilots to spend more time at home. "There's no commuting if you don't want to commute, there are no more crash pads if you don't want to crash pad," Coleman explained. Allegiant Air operates a similar model and Coleman said Breeze applicants have been largely receptive to that idea because of the additional freedom it gives them to be "at home every night with your family and your friends and your pets and have a life." But those seeking the typical pilot lifestyle of multi-day trips out on the road will find it on the Airbus fleet. More traditional flying consisting of two to three-day trips will be common on the A220, and pilots preferring that lifestyle should hold off on applying. Pilots hired to Breeze now will be assigned to the Embraer fleet while the application window for the Airbus fleet will open early this summer. Once a pilot is assigned to one aircraft, though, they're locked in for at least three years before a switch can be made. And those wanting to experience the life of an international jet-setting pilot will get to do so at Breeze, just not straight away. The first year of Breeze's operation will be domestic-oriented but the airline plans to introduce international flights in the near future, spokesperson Gareth Edmondson-Jones confirmed to Insider. Breeze's minimum qualifications The basic requirements to become a Breeze pilot come down to flight hours. All applicants are required to have at least 1,500 total hours with 1,000 hours of experience flying fixed-wing turbine aircraft, regardless of whether applying for the Embraer or Airbus fleet. Military pilots, however, only need 1,000 hours if that time was spent flying high-performance military aircraft. Pilots looking to fly the Embraer fleet, however, will have to have a type rating for the Embraer E170/E190 while Airbus applicants are not required to have an A220 type rating since the aircraft is so new. "We're really looking for those folks that have good time on the E-Jet to get us started," Coleman said. The type rating requirement for the Embraer fleet favors pilots flying the Brazilian aircraft for the likes of JetBlue or one of the country's regional airlines like Republic Airways, SkyWest Airlines, and Mesa Airlines that fly the Embraer E170. "The Embraer 175 is a very popular regional jet," Brandon Soloman, Breeze's manager of pilot pipeline and development, told Insider. "The 190 being the same type rating, yes, it's almost kind of a natural step." American Airlines recently retired the Embraer E190 from its fleet in 2020 but those pilots would still be eligible as Coleman says the airline wants recency of experience from within the past two years. From a college class to the right seat Breeze is working with college aviation programs to implement "pipeline" programs that put aspiring airline pilots on a track to work at the airline. Regional airlines frequently recruit at the college level and then major airlines recruit from the regional airlines using these programs. Student pilots are interviewed by the airline during their training and then put on a path to employment at that airline so that they'll have a job straight out of school. Breeze plans to operate the program a bit differently by focusing on mentorship from experienced pilots to those still in training. Mentors will help not only help with the technical aspect of flying for an airline but also ensure candidates have the right "cultural fit" to meet Breeze's values. "Our program will be very heavily focused on helping them make that transition a little easier than it might be at a bigger airline that doesn't have enough resources to focus," Solomon said. Colleges and universities already play a large role in the airline's hiring strategy. Breeze's flight attendants will be paid college interns that attend online classes when they're not flying. Pilots won't go straight from the classroom to the cockpit, however, as they'll need to build up their flight hours to Breeze's requirements, which is often done through flight instructing. More than just a pilot Minimum qualifications might get pilots in the door at Breeze but are no guarantee of a job. Recruiters are also looking to see if a pilot is a match with the airline's values and for customer service-oriented and safety-minded individuals. "I think the biggest thing is they really need to be a good leader who will really take great care of our team members and our passengers, and they've got to be nice," Coleman said. "We really are all about [how] nice and kindness goes a long way." Pilots will be expected to be on the frontlines as the airline gets off the ground and that means interacting with passengers in the terminal, making pre-departure announcements in front of passengers instead of from the cockpit, and being an overall brand ambassador. "We want good pilots that are really good people," Solomon said. https://www.yahoo.com/news/jetblue-founder-david-neelemans-airline-122300315.html Delta Airlines to Report Loss in 2021, Unless There is Significant Recovery in Traffic: Cowen Cowen and company in their latest report said they continue to believe that Delta Airlines will report a loss this year unless there is a significant recovery of international and corporate traffic in the second half, which seems highly unlikely amid the fourth wave of coronavirus infections. The Airline company which provides scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo throughout the United States and across the world is expected to report its first-quarter earnings on Thursday, April 15. Delta Airlines would report a loss for the fifth consecutive time of $2.84 in the first quarter of 2021 as the airlines continue to be negatively impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and renewed travel restrictions. That would represent a year-over-year decline of over 450% from -$0.51 per share seen in the same quarter a year ago. The Atlanta-based airline’s revenue would decline more than 50% to around $3.9 billion. In 2020, Delta Airlines reported a full-year loss for the first time in 11 years as COVID-19 travel restrictions significantly dented air travel demand, but CEO Ed Bastian said he expects 2021 to be the year of recovery. Delta Airlines’ shares, which slumped more than 40% last year, rose about 22% to $49.27 on Friday. “We are reiterating our Market Perform rating on the common shares of Delta Air Lines. We are increasing our price target to $53 from $44, which is based on 8.2x 2023E EPS. These shares are currently selling at ~8.2x the 2023 consensus EPS estimate, a discount to peers with higher exposure to domestic leisure traffic and a slight premium to its own historical trading range. The shares are ~20% below their pre-pandemic highs, but 2021 revenues are forecast to be ~42% below 2019 levels suggesting these shares may take a break before heading higher,” noted Helane Becker, Cowen and Company. “We do not expect revenues to get back to 2019 levels until 2023 at the earliest. Exposure to corporate and international travel will continue to weigh on near-term results. Jet fuel pricing has recovered faster than anticipated, weighing on bottom-line forecasts in the near-term vs previous estimates. We continue to expect Delta will not recover revenue to pre-pandemic levels before 2023, unless corporate and international traffic recovers sooner than anticipated.” Delta Airlines Stock Price Forecast Seventeen analysts who offered stock ratings for Delta Airlines in the last three months forecast the average price in 12 months of $53.94 with a high forecast of $72.00 and a low forecast of $42.00. The average price target represents a 9.48% increase from the last price of $49.27. Of those 17 analysts, ten rated “Buy”, seven rated “Hold” while none rated “Sell”, according to Tipranks. Morgan Stanley gave the base target price of $72 with a high of $96 under a bull scenario and $35 under the worst-case scenario. The firm gave an “Overweight” rating on the airlines’ stock. “We remain Overweight Delta Airlines (DAL) and are raising our price target from $55 to $72. DAL remains our top Legacy airline pick. We believe DAL’s strong franchise/customer loyalty and historical margin superiority can continue on the other side of the pandemic. On the other hand, DAL cannot wave away Legacy challenges, including delayed corporate/international travel and increased pressure on the balance sheet,” “Nevertheless, we believe DAL is well positioned for the recovery as we see it – our estimates are 39% above consensus for FY22 and 49% for FY23. Our DCF-backed PT of $72 is about 20% above where the stock was trading in 2018-19 with a 2023 estimated EPS about 20% higher than 2019 as well.” Several other analysts have also updated their stock outlook. Evercore ISI raised their price objective to $55 from $51 and gave the stock an overweight rating. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective to $50 from $40 and gave the stock a hold rating. Susquehanna Bancshares cut shares of Delta Air Lines from a positive rating to a neutral rating and raised their price objective to $45 from $42. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/delta-airlines-report-loss-2021-084303969.html Russian space programme facing existential crisis as Elon Musk helps US relaunch Nasa ambitions It took four international crews and almost a year before anyone onboard the International Space Station could locate the air leak, untraceable by equipment at hand, which had been driving the cosmonauts insane. One evening last October, Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner in a desperate attempt to find that tiny hole sucking up precious air ripped up a tea bag inside one of the station’s segments, sending the tea leaves flying into weightlessness. A day later, he saw the tea leaves cluster around a tiny scratch that had been leaking air all along. Mr Vagner’s ingenuity won him plaudits back home but the incident at the 22-year-old core segment of the station has laid bare Russia’s withering space dream as the country is nearing the 60th anniversary of the first human space flight. By the end of February, the Russian space agency reported six scratches on the Zvezda module which were leaking air. Yuri Gagarin took off for his maiden flight 60 years ago on Monday - 12 April, 1961 - in a triumph of Soviet science in its rivalry with the United States. Now Russia’s landmark space programme is facing an existential crisis due to mismanagement and a lack of vision as the United States and China have left Russia far behind in the space race. Launched in 1998, the International Space Station was supposed to serve for no more than two decades, and, unless extended, the current agreement would see it shut down in 2024, leaving Russia without tangible space presence while the US is busy with a flurry of other projects including a manned mission to the moon. “What Gagarin started for Russia would be over if Russia were to ditch its ISS programme in 2025 because there will be nowhere for Russian cosmonauts to fly to,” Ivan Moiseyev, who heads the Space Policy Institute in Moscow and used to advise the Russian government, told the Telegraph. Senior officials in charge of the orbiting lab have been crying for help to save the space programme which no longer delivers any ground-breaking achievements. Vladimir Solovyev, director general of the state-run RKK Energia corporation which oversees the Russian segment of the ISS, in November warned about “an avalanche of broken equipment” onboard as soon as in 2025. Veteran cosmonauts like Gennady Padalka have been outspoken about the growing technology gap between the US and China and Russia. “We’re still flying on the same stuff that we inherited from the Soviet Union,” he lamented in an interview at the end of 2019, adding that his generation “has not created anything new as far as manned space flights go.” The Soviet space programme was an indisputable achievement of the Communist regime and the ultimate proof of its superiority but Russia’s space industry has struggled to find its purpose since the fall of the Soviet Union. “Russian government under Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin have been busy exploiting the technological and industrial legacy of the Soviet space programme but now we’re facing the question ‘What’s next?’,” Pavel Luzin, an independent space expert, told the Telegraph, describing the space programme as one of the last remaining “insignia of Russia as a superpower.” Russia’s clunky but incredibly reliable Soyuz spacecraft, designed in the 1960s, was the only link to the International Space Station for nearly ten years after the US mothballed its shuttle programme in 2011. Russia has cashed in by sending Americans into space, charging NASA about $80 million (£58 million) per seat. The Americans were reportedly annoyed by the high price tag, and further cooperation in space has been hampered by heightened tensions between Russia and the US which have been likened to the Cold War era. When Elon Musk’s SpaceX blasted off for its first mission to the ISS last November, breaking Russia’s monopoly of nine years, many in Russia looked back at the past decade as a missed opportunity. Maxim Surayev, a Russian cosmonaut who spent two six-month stints in orbit in 2010 and 2014, was among those who criticised the Russian space agency for failing to modernise the industry while racking up profits from American astronauts. “Yuri Gagarin, I’ve sorry, we’ve screwed it up,” he tweeted last October while posting a video of NASA test-launching a new rocket booster that should send Americans back to the moon in 2024, something that is out of reach for the Russian space programme. Roscosmos in recent months has flooded the media with announcements of new rocket projects, plans for a moon base and international cooperation. Yet, an overwhelming majority of those projects are merely blueprints unlikely to be ever completed as several Soviet-era companies that once designed and produced rockets have fallen on hard times, often losing their entire production facilities to real estate development. Nauka, the new module for the International Space Station is expected to be launched this summer - 14 years after the original date. The heavy-lift Angara rocket, designed in 1992, was first test-launched in 2014 and still has not replaced the Soviet-era Proton. Even when it is fully operational, Angara will still be several steps behind SpaceX’s reusable rockets. Mr Moiseyev of the Space Policy Institute speaks of Russia pursuing projects like Angara as inertia motion since “enormous amounts of money has been spent on it already, and for officials, it’s too late to say that it’s not needed or outdated.” Another controversial space investment is Vostochny, Russia’s news launchpad in the Far East that has already cost over £2 billion and been marred with corruption scandals which led to several convictions. It was only after Russia started building the launchpad, which is supposed to be replace the Gagarin-era facility in Kazakhstan, that the questions were raised about its location: travel time from the other side of the country where the spacecraft are assembled is too long while its relative proximity to the Pacific Ocean would mean that Russia’s landing vehicles would have to be phased out. Industry experts describe the 1990s as the golden era of cooperation between Russia and the US in space but the growing Russia-US confrontation is undermining the decades of joint work. Russia has recently publicly refused to join the US-led Gateway project for a lunar station, opting out for cooperation with China but industry experts are skeptical of the idea, pointing to China’s reluctance to share technology with other countries. After years of under-funding, cosmonauts and space industry insiders speak about a lack of long-term vision for space exploration. A year after the planned release date, Russia still has not unveiled its long-term strategy for space research for the decade ahead, raising questions about the future of the industry which is estimated to employ a quarter million people. “Russia is now at the crossroads: either we keep flying to the ISS, rip our chunk off the station and do God knows what with it, or we try to cooperate with America and Europe, says Mr Luzin. "In that case we need to fix our relations, but with Vladimir Putin in power it is problematic.” - https://www.yahoo.com/news/russian-space-programme-facing-existential-092158181.html Curt Lewis