Flight Safety Information - April 13, 2021 No. 075 In This Issue : Incident: Skywest CRJ9 at Grand Forks on Apr 10th 2021, bird strike on landing : Incident: Endeavor CRJ2 at Wausau on Apr 10th 2021, rejected takeoff after turkey strike : Incident: American B738 near Memphis on Apr 9th 2021, engine trouble and smoke in cabin : Incident: Azur B738 at Sochi on Apr 11th 2021, cabin did not pressurize : Boeing 757-223(PCF) - Engine Failure on takeoff (Russia) : Investigators Successfully Downloaded CVR from Crashed Sriwijaya Air Jet : FAA to Allow Part 107 Drone Pilots to Take ‘Fly Over People’ Test Online : NTSB & Pilots At Odds Over Cockpit Video Recorders : Gone In 65 Seconds: Pilot Error Led to $6 Million Loss in Military Drone Crash : PIA Passes IATA’s Safety Audit : European Union Aviation Safety Agency extends travel restrictions on PIA : China Airlines retires last 747-400 passenger plane : American Airlines Removes Espresso Machines To Save Weight : 130 Aircraft Left Latin America’s Big 4 Airlines In The Past Year : Jet Aviation Approved for New NDT Technique : New Computational Tool Could Help Design Futuristic Jet Engine Turbines : NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Needs a Flight Control Software Update Before First Flight on Mars : Douglas James Hughes - Has Flown West : POSITION AVAILABLE: Manager, Internal Evaluation Program Incident: Skywest CRJ9 at Grand Forks on Apr 10th 2021, bird strike on landing A Skywest Canadair CRJ-900 on behalf of Delta Airlines, registration N829SK performing flight DL-3767 from Minneapolis,MN to Grand Forks,ND (USA), landed on Grand Forks' runway 17R maintaining routine communication and advising after roll out, they had not encountered any precipitation upon tower query concerned about his radar display showing light precipitation around the aerodrome. The FAA reported: "AIRCRAFT STRUCK A BIRD, GRAND FORKS, ND." and stated the aircraft sustained unknown damage. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Grand Forks about 36 hours after landing. A replacement CRJ-900 registration N827SK performing the next morning's return flight and reached Minneapolis with a delay of 3:30 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e5cbf6c&opt=0 Incident: Endeavor CRJ2 at Wausau on Apr 10th 2021, rejected takeoff after turkey strike An Endeavor Canadair CRJ-200 on behalf of Delta Airlines, registration N801AY performing flight DL-5068 from Wausau,WI to Detroit,MI (USA), was accelerating for takeoff from Wausau when the crew rejected takeoff at a turkey impacted the left wing of the aircraft. The aircraft slowed safely and returned to the apron. A replacement CRJ-200 registration N8969A reached Detroit with a delay of 5:10 hours. The FAA reported erroneously identifying the replacement aircraft (that arrived in Wausau only at 17:03Z and was in Detroit at 13:44Z, the occurrence time): "AIRCRAFT ABORTED TAKEOFF ROLL AFTER STRIKING A TURKEY DAMAGING LEFT WING, MOSINEE, WI." resulting in unknown damage. There were no injuries. The occurrence aircraft N801AY is still on the ground in Wausau about 52 hours after the rejected takeoff. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e5cbc56&opt=0 Incident: American B738 near Memphis on Apr 9th 2021, engine trouble and smoke in cabin An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N841NN performing flight AA-476 from Atlanta,GA to Phoenix,AZ (USA), was enroute at FL370 about 180nm eastsoutheast of Memphis,TN (USA) when the crew reported engine (CFM56) trouble and smoke in the cabin. The aircraft diverted to Memphis for a safe landing on runway 18R about 45 minutes after leaving FL370. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration N995NN reached Phoenix with a delay of about 9.75 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e5af4d5&opt=0 Incident: Azur B738 at Sochi on Apr 11th 2021, cabin did not pressurize An Azur Air Boeing 737-800, registration VP-BIR performing flight ZF-344 from Sochi to St. Petersburg (Russia) with 190 people on board, was climbing through about 12500 feet out of Sochi's runway 24 when the passenger oxygen masks deployed due to the cabin not pressurizing. The crew descended the aircraft to 10,000 feet, burned off fuel and returned to Sochi for a safe landing on runway 06 about 90 minutes after departure. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e5c12d5&opt=0 Boeing 757-223(PCF) - Engine Failure on takeoff (Russia) Date: 12-APR-2021 Time: 06:58 LT Type: Boeing 757-223(PCF) Owner/operator: Aviastar-TU Registration: VQ-BGG C/n / msn: 27051/660 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: Ekaterinburg-Koltsovo Airport (SVX/USSS) - Russia Phase: Take off Nature: Cargo Departure airport: Ekaterinburg-Koltsovo Airport (SVX/USSS) Destination airport: Maastricht/Aachen Airport (MST/EHBK) Narrative: Aviastar-TU flight 4B6426, a Boeing 757-223(PCF), suffered a failure of the no.1 engine (Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4B) during takeoff from Ekaterinburg-Koltsovo Airport, Russia. The flight turned back and landed safely ten minutes after takeoff. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/249732 Investigators Successfully Downloaded CVR from Crashed Sriwijaya Air Jet Two weeks after retrieving the cockpit voice recorder of a crashed Sriwijaya Air jet, an official at Indonesia’s air accident investigator said on Monday, Apr 12 that the data has been downloaded successfully, including the crucial last minutes of the flight that crashed with no survivors. The second black box was recovered on Wednesday, Mar 31, which was welcomed as a breakthrough two months after the crash, seeing as investigators already had the first black box in their possession. However, the data of the recording from flight SJ 182 cannot be disclosed to the public at this stage of the investigation, Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) investigator Nurcahyo Utomo said. “(The data is) good,” he told Reuters, “we have downloaded it.” Progress With The Investigation On Jan 9, the nearly 27-year old Boeing 737-500 was bound for Pontianak in West Kalimantan after a delayed take-off from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International airport due to heavy rain. It disappeared from radar screens of air traffic controllers just minutes after takeoff, with authorities later declaring that the aircraft had crashed into the Java Sea, with all 62 people onboard, including 12 crew, presumed dead. Air traffic control mentioned they had asked the pilot why it was heading northwest instead of on its expected flight path just before the aircraft disappeared, but they never received a response. The first black box, the flight data recorder, was found three days after the crash and would help investigators in providing the airspeed and altitude. Although the cockpit voice recorder was not far from where the flight data recorder was, it was not an easy retrieval. “Finding them was not easy because the diver had to dive to the bottom of the sea,” said Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi. The initial report by KNKT released in February suggests that the aircraft had a malfunction resulting in an imbalance in the engine thrust as both auto-throttles of the aircraft showed anomalies, which eventually led the aircraft into a sharp roll before a final dive into the sea. The downloaded data from the cockpit voice recorder contains four channels of audio which includes recordings of the captain and the first officer, Nurcahyo mentioned. “Each (channel) has the last two hours, including the record of the flight that crashed,” he said. The four channels would need to be synchronized with each other, as well as with the radio communications and the flight data recorder for analysis, in hopes that the cause of the crash can finally be determined. Safety experts say that most air accidents are caused by a combination of factors that can take months to establish. Under international standards, the final report is due within a year of the crash. https://airlinegeeks.com/2021/04/13/investigators-successfully-downloaded-cvr-from-crashed-sriwijaya-air-jet/ FAA to Allow Part 107 Drone Pilots to Take ‘Fly Over People’ Test Online drone regulation in the U.S.The FAA is taking a specific drone training program for Part 107 online—for free. The federal agency has announced current pilots who hold Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification can complete required training courses that will update their knowledge of the Operations Over People rule set to take effect April 21. Using the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) website, current 107 pilots can access three courses: • Part 107 Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Initial (ALC-451) – Current Part 61 certificate holders are eligible to take this course. • Part 107 Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Recurrent (ALC -515) – Part 107 remote pilots who are also certificated and current under Part 61 are eligible to take this course. • Part 107 Small UAS Recurrent Non-Part 61 Pilots (ALC-677) – Part 107 remote pilot certification holders (regardless of currency) are eligible to take this course. • Drone pilots who are don’t currently hold the Part 107 certification must still take the fee-based Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Initial Aeronautical Knowledge Test online via an agency-approved Knowledge Testing Center which may be scheduled on the Airman Certificate Testing Service (ACTS) website. By passing the test, Part 107 drone pilots will be permitted to operate drones over people, over moving vehicles and at night without a waiver under certain conditions. “The FAA will accept airspace authorization requests from remote pilots to operate in controlled airspace at night as long as they have completed the updated testing or training requirements,” an agency statement noted. “The FAA is expecting an increase in traffic to the FAASTeam site with the release of this training. As such, remote pilots may experience technical difficulties while accessing the online courses and are encouraged to access the training outside of regular business days.” https://dronelife.com/2021/04/12/faa-to-allow-part-107-drone-pilots-to-take-fly-over-people-test-online/ NTSB & Pilots At Odds Over Cockpit Video Recorders As reported by FlightGlobal, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is renewing its call for cockpit video recorders to be installed on commercial planes, but the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) is objecting. Why the NTSB wants cockpit video recorders The NTSB’s recently published list of “most-wanted” transportation safety improvements calls for the introduction of mandatory cockpit video recorders. The safety organization is asking the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to require that “crash-protected cockpit image recording systems” be installed on all commercial jets going forward. This is intended to complement the flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders that are already installed on planes. This isn’t the first time that the NTSB has made this request, as similar requests have been made by the organization for over a decade. The NTSB explains that this kind of technology would have been useful in investigating recent crashes, including the Atlas Air 767-300 crash in Texas in 2019, as well as the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air 737 MAX crashes shortly before that. Now, I don’t claim to be an aviation safety or technology security expert, but on the surface this seems to make sense. One would think that the more information you have when things go wrong, the better. You might be thinking to yourself “if the NTSB has wanted cockpit video recorders for a decade, why haven’t they become a reality?” Well, a couple of reasons: • Pilot unions pilots are strongly opposed to cockpit video recorders • The FAA has privacy and security concerns about cockpit video recorders • Why pilots oppose cockpit video recorders Why are pilots so concerned about cockpit video recorders? Well, here’s how ALPA describes its concerns: “ALPA has long recommended that any additional resources should be focused on enhancing current safety systems to record more data of a higher quality as opposed to video images, which are subject to misinterpretation and may in fact lead investigators away from accurate conclusions. Flight deck image recorders will not improve safety and could, in fact, impede it by diverting limited resources that could be used for more-valuable safety enhancements.” That argument seems questionable at best. On the most basic level, ALPA thinks that video recording is subject to misinterpretation, but audio recording isn’t? And then there’s the argument about resources, as if cockpit video recorders could only be installed at the expense of something else. It’s hard to interpret this as anything other than an attempt to avoid shifting any blame for an accident on pilots, no? The FAA’s concerns about cockpit video recorders The FAA has a few concerns as well, primarily around privacy and security. These concerns seem more legitimate to me: “Video image recorders in cockpits raise significant privacy and security concerns that to date have not been adequately addressed. While the FAA encourages the voluntary use of these devices, we do not believe it is appropriate to mandate image recording systems until privacy and security issues are more completely addressed. 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 takes NTSB recommendations very seriously, and the agencies agree on a course of action about 80% of the time.” Bottom line The NTSB is once again requesting that cockpit video recorders be installed on commercial aircraft. Pilot unions object to this because they’re concerned that video recordings could be misinterpreted, while the FAA has concerns about privacy and security. I’ll be curious to see if this ever becomes a reality. https://onemileatatime.com/cockpit-video-recorders/ Gone In 65 Seconds: Pilot Error Led to $6 Million Loss in Military Drone Crash MQ-9 Reaper operated by the New York Air National Guard. A remotely piloted MQ-9 Reaper operated by the New York Air National Guard’s 174th Attack Wing flies a routine training mission over Central New York on October 23, 2016. (Photo courtesy: USAF/U.S. Air National Guard) A Reaper drone crashed at the end of a New York runway last year because the operators mixed up the levers on the control panel, an Air Force investigation report released last week said. The unmanned MQ-9A Reaper quickly lost power and hit the ground about a minute after its takeoff from Hancock International Airport in Syracuse, N.Y., resulting in a loss of over $6 million in government property, the Air Force accident investigation board headed by Lt. Col. Brian E. Prichard said. The drone was assigned to the 174th Attack Wing and operated by the 108th Attack Squadron’s Launch and Recovery Element out of Hancock Field Air National Guard Base. The squadron is a training unit that produces newly qualified air crew, launch and recovery air crew, and instructor-qualified airmen for the Air National Guard and active Air Force. The unit also launches and recovers drones that can be controlled from any other Reaper unit. The incident happened on a clear Thursday afternoon June 25, 2020, after a crew launched the drone with plans to swap control to another crew once it reached military airspace at over 18,000 feet. But the Reaper lost all engine power in 44 seconds, at about 150 feet, and was "significantly damaged" when it struck the end of the runway 21 seconds later, crashing into runway lights and spinning 180 degrees before stopping. "Loss of engine power was due to the [pilot] misidentifying the Flap Lever," Prichard found. "Instead of pushing the Flap Lever forward to reduce the flaps, the [pilot] pulled the Condition Lever backwards which resulted in the fuel supply to the engine being cut off stopping the engine." The two levers are an inch apart but have "very different functions," the report said. The flap lever controls the orientation of the wing flaps, which are usually set at 15 degrees for takeoff, then retracted to 0 degrees by moving the lever to the middle or neutral position. The condition lever controls the fuel shutoff valve, engine and the pitch of the propeller blades. When it’s fully forward, the engine operates normally, but at the midpoint, the fuel valve and engine shut off, and at fully back it stops the propeller blades. The pilot continued to misidentify the levers after the engine lost power, mistakenly pulling the wing flaps all the way back, which pushed the aircraft down instead of letting it glide. The pilot and the sensor operator were qualified, had logged hundreds of hours of flight time, including several recent sorties, and had the required amount of rest. But the board found that the pilot became fixated on the heads-up display during takeoff, which led to the lever mix-up. The design of the ground control station console contributed to the crash, including the lack of a safety guard on the condition lever, the report said. Despite being right next to each other, both have black handles and are unmarked or differentiated by color, the report said. "These levers could easily be mistaken by an inexperienced, fatigued, or confused crewmember," Prichard wrote. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/04/12/gone-65-seconds-pilot-error-led-6-million-loss-military-drone-crash.html PIA Passes IATA’s Safety Audit Pakistan International Airlines has passed the IOSA for the resumption of flights to the European Union, the UK and the US. KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has passed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) for the resumption of flights to the European Union, the UK and the US. However, the national flag carrier is waiting for the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to get its audit done by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). https://www.aviationpros.com/airlines/news/21218109/pia-passes-iatas-safety-audit European Union Aviation Safety Agency extends travel restrictions on PIA The EASA had suspended PIA from operating flights to European Union member countries for six months in July 2020 due to safety concerns. RAWALPINDI: The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has extended travel restrictions imposed on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for an indefinite period and has directed the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to get its safety audit done by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) scheduled in July. The EASA had suspended PIA from operating flights to European Union member countries for six months in July 2020 due to safety concerns; the agency decided to extend this suspension until March 31, 2021 for an additional three-month period. However, in its its fresh intimation to Pakistani authorities, the EASA has stated that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) made public a significant safety concern for Pakistan, which was an indication of a serious degradation of PCAA certification and oversight capabilities. Such information shall be taken into consideration by EASA when lifting the suspension, the agency stated. Responding to the PCAA and PIA’s request to lift the ban on flights, the EASA maintained that their offer to use services of flight crew and engineers that do not hold Pakistani licences, does not fully mitigate all concerns regarding oversight capabilities of the authority. “However, in view of the ICAO audit of Pakistan, scheduled in summer 2021, the ongoing technical consultations with the PCAA and due to exceptional circumstances arising from the current Covid-19 crisis and the consequent travel restrictions, EASA opted not to revoke TCO Authorisation but to further extend the suspension period until all necessary information is available to decide on the way forward,” a letter from the EASA stated. https://www.dawn.com/news/1616978/european-union-aviation-safety-agency-extends-travel-restrictions-on-pia China Airlines retires last 747-400 passenger plane Use this oneThe last 747-400 passenger aircraft in Taiwan will soon enter retirement so a “Farewell My Queen” send-off party was held by China Airlines on 12 April. The chairman of China Airlines, Su-chien Hsieh, and other top executives along with a hundred Dynasty members and retired employees were on hand to pay their respects to the Queen of the Skies and witness the retirement of the 747-400 from the China Airlines fleet. Hsieh said that the 747-400 has provided an exemplary flying experience to the carrier’s passengers over the last 30 years. The past year has been a very trying period with the COVID-19 pandemic so the carrier has focused on improving its overall operational efficiency. The retirement of the 747-400 represents a changing of the guard in the China Airlines fleet. To pilots, the 747-400 was a very safe and stable aircraft to fly. China Airlines will continue to embrace this commitment to aviation safety and follow the principle of sustainability in optimising its operations to satisfy all demand for air travel. The “Farewell My Queen” event started with a documentary on the last passenger-carrying flight of the 747-400. Cabin crew also wore classic China Airlines uniforms from different eras as a tribute to the enduring legacy of this great aircraft. To say goodbye to the Queen of the Skies and an old friend, China Airlines executives invited all Dynasty members and retired China Airlines employees on the day to line up and form the numbers “747”. A gallery of old 747-400 photos was also set up by China Airlines. Ya-ling Chen, a senior cabin crew instructor, served as the guide and said that the 747-400 carried many people overseas during Taiwan’s “Economic Miracle.” To many of her colleagues, their memories of transoceanic routes were inextricably interwoven with the 747. The First Class cabin attendant training unique to the 747 that she underwent was a high honour that cabin attendants aspired to. Chen was therefore very grateful to the 747-400 for this crowning moment of her career. https://asianaviation.com/china-airlines-retires-last-747-400-passenger-plane/ American Airlines Removes Espresso Machines To Save Weight American Airlines is raising the ire of its first class passengers by removing espresso machines from several aircraft types. With an eye on the bottom line, American Airlines is pulling some equipment from its planes to save weight and ongoing maintenance costs. High on the jettison list are the first class espresso machines. Espresso coffee axed to save fuel and end confusion However, it is a decision that only impacts a small percentage of American’s passengers. American Airlines had installed espresso machines across its Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A321T aircraft, making them available to first class passengers only. In a good year, American Airlines flies more than 200 million passengers annually. The vast majority of those passengers fly in the main cabin, where the chances of ever scoring a ristretto were next to nil. But even if only one or two percent of those 200 million passengers fly up the front, that’s a few million people flying American Airlines first class each year. And some of them are deeply underwhelmed at having to drink brewed coffee on their next American Airlines flight. What’s behind the move? In a statement, American Airlines says they are removing the espresso machines “to help conserve fuel and prevent confusion about what services are currently offered.” American Airlines only ever offered espresso coffee in first class and only on two aircraft types (formerly, some of American’s Dreamliners also had espresso machines). But American Airlines also has a first class product on many of its Boeing 737 and narrowbody Airbus aircraft. They never had espresso machines. So some first class cabins had half respectable espresso coffee, and some didn’t. You could call that confusing, or perhaps just an inconsistent first class product. American Airlines also raises saving fuel as a reason behind the decision. You might think, what’s a few extra kilos on a Boeing 777-300ER? But every kilo counts, especially these days when airlines are experiencing revenue shortfalls and looking to save where they can. With services in the main cabin already fairly barebones, airlines looking to cut costs often turn to their premium cabins. Cost, weight, and maintenance issues dog American’s espresso machines In the late 1980s, Northwest Airlines famously saved a motza by cutting limes into 16 pieces rather than 10. First class passengers found the lime wedges flavoring their drinks that bit smaller. Or did they even notice? Around the same time, American Airlines saved around US$40,000 annually by shrinking everyone’s salad by a single olive. Granted, American’s espresso coffee was better than the dreaded brewed coffee, but their espressos were never tip-top – pod-based coffee, not hot enough, and lacking a substantial oomph. What’s a coffee pod worth? 25 cents? Drilling down, it probably isn’t the cost of the coffee that is bothering the bean counters at American Airlines; it’s the machines’ weight and the cost of maintaining them. American’s espresso machines weren’t the light little numbers you have on your kitchen bench. To adhere to FAA regulations, these machines are modified and substantially heavier and more complex than domestic espresso machines. They are also temperamental, costly, and labor-intensive to service and maintain. American Airlines may have simply decided espresso machines were not worth the trouble they caused. Regardless, American Airlines’ decision has upset quite a few of its regular first class passengers. Now, like everyone else, it’s brewed coffee on their next American Airlines flight. Enjoy. https://simpleflying.com/american-airlines-espresso-machines/ 130 Aircraft Left Latin America’s Big 4 Airlines In The Past Year Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Latin American big four airlines (LATAM Airlines Group, Avianca, Grupo Aeromexico, and Copa Airlines), have retired and rejected leases of 130 aircraft so far. Nevertheless, we expect more goodbyes, mainly from the three carriers currently under Chapter 11 bankruptcy processes. Let’s investigate further. LATAM Airlines’ losses LATAM Airlines Group is the largest airline company in Latin America. It has domestic branches in Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Earlier this year, it finalized the 15-year history of LATAM Argentina. Currently, the Group is under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and it’s heavily downsizing its fleet to better cope with the pandemic’s impact. Last week, LATAM gained headlines after announcing the lease rejection of its Airbus A350XWB fleet. In the last few months, LATAM reduced its fleet by 53 aircraft, including 13 Airbus A350 planes. At the end of 2019, the airline had 342 airplanes. Its fleet was composed of 46 A319-100, 137 A320-200, 13 A320neo, 49 A321-200, eight A350-900, 31 B767-300, ten B777-300ER, ten B787-8, and 16 B787-9. Plus, it also had 11 Boeing 767-300F and subleased 11 more planes. Now, the airline has 289 airplanes, including four subleases and the same eleven cargo aircraft. LATAM’s commercial fleet has 44 Airbus A319, 132 A320-200, 12 A320neo, 38 A321-200, zero A350, 17 B767-300, ten B777-300ER, ten B787-8, and 12 B787-9. Copa Airlines’ losses The Panamanian carrier Copa Airlines has the second largest number of fleet rejections in Latin America during the last year. Despite not being under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Copa has reduced its fleet more than Aeromexico or Avianca. By the end of 2019, Copa Airlines had a total fleet of 102 aircraft. It had 14 Embraer E-190, 14 B737-700, 68 B737-800, and six B737 MAX-9. Now it has 75. In 2020, Copa Airlines rejected the leases of all its Embraer aircraft. The planes ended up with the Australian carrier Alliance Airlines. Plus, Copa also said goodbye to all its Boeing 737-700 planes, focusing on the younger 737-800 and MAX units. Nevertheless, it seems like Copa’s fleet number won’t change much during the next few years. The airline won’t downsize it more, as it still plans to receive several new MAX units. In 2021, Copa intends to increase its MAX fleet by six. Aeroméxico’s losses Similar to LATAM, Aeromexico is currently in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. So far, the Mexican carrier has rejected the leasing contracts of 25 airplanes but plans to add a few more. At the end of 2019, Aeromexico had 130 planes. Its fleet was composed of 19 B787, 11 B737-700, 39 B737-800, five B737 MAX-8, nine Embraer E170, and 47 E190. By March 2021, the airline has 105 units. It has rejected the leasing contracts of one Dreamliner, six B737-700 nine B737-800, and the nine E170. Aeromexico could further reduce the size of its fleet. Last year there were talks that Aeromexico could end up with a fleet between 80 and 90 planes after its Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. Therefore, we could expect to see out all the 737-700, and maybe a few more Dreamliners and Embraers. Avianca’s losses Finally, Avianca has also heavily downsized its fleet in the last year. The Colombian company went from having 171 planes in 2019 to 146 in 2020. Pre-pandemic, Avianca had 27 A319, 57 A320, ten A320neo, 13 A321, two A321neo, ten A330, six A330F, five A300F, 13 B787-8, one B787-9, 15 ATR-72, two B767F, and ten Embraer E190. In 2020, the airline had a few Sale and Lease Back operations, but it mainly rejected narrowbodies leasing contracts. Avianca reduced its A319 fleet by two. It also rejected two A320 contracts, two A321, three A330, two A300F, four ATR-72, and all its Embraer E190 fleet. https://simpleflying.com/130-aircraft-left-latin-american-airlines/ Jet Aviation Approved for New NDT Technique Business aviation services provider Jet Aviation has been approved by the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation to use infrared thermography for non-destructive testing (NDT) at its Basel maintenance facility. The technology complements other NDT techniques Jet Aviation uses in Basel such as liquid penetrant, X-ray, magnetic particle, eddy current, and ultrasonic testing. Infrared thermography converts heat energy to a temperature that can be depicted as an image of temperature distribution. Employed in medicine to detect cancer, the technology is used in aviation for testing the structural integrity of airframes and components. “Like all NDT techniques, infrared thermography provides a non-invasive means of detecting problems before they escalate and potentially cause catastrophic results,” said Jet Aviation Basel NDT and components shops senior manager Frédéric Westpalm van Hoorn. As an example, he said, it can detect water collecting in the elevators or rudder and prevent the in-flight freezing and expansion that might lead to ruptures. During scheduled maintenance, Jet Aviation will use infrared thermography for detecting delamination, defective bonding, water ingress, corrosion, and material thinning, as well as inspecting composite materials. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2021-04-12/jet-aviation-approved-new-ndt-technique New Computational Tool Could Help Design Futuristic Jet Engine Turbines The algorithm, designed at Texas A&M, can quickly predict the behavior of novel materials at blistering temperatures. Will it be possible to design materials that are unfazed by extreme temperatures in the near future? In a study published in the journal Nature Computational Materials, researchers at Texas A&M University have described a computational tool to evaluate a material’s suitability for high-temperature applications, such as gas turbines for jet engines and electrical power generators. The computational framework, which incorporates artificial intelligence and basic physics, can forecast how materials will behave under harsh conditions in a fraction of the time compared to other algorithms. “We have used an innovative and interdisciplinary approach for screening materials that is a million times faster than traditional techniques,” said Raymundo Arróyave, professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Texas A&M and corresponding author on the study. “Currently, these types of calculations, even for a small temperature above absolute zero, are an enormous challenge because they are computationally expensive.” Since the late 1800s, gas turbines have been the workhorse of power generation. This drum-shaped machine lined with a series of bent or curved blades converts chemical energy from burning fuel into mechanical energy when the turbine’s blades rotate. This motion is then exploited either to propel an aircraft or generate electricity. Gas turbines operate in high-temperature, corrosive conditions, making them prone to damage and progressive deterioration. And so, designing materials that can withstand extreme temperatures has been an ongoing pursuit. Among an array of high-temperature tolerant materials, ceramics known as MAX phases are known to have properties that bridge the gap between conventional ceramics and metals. In other words, they are less brittle than ceramics and have higher temperature tolerance than many metals. “These materials are ideal candidates for structural components for gas turbines and heat-resistant coatings,” said Miladin Radovic, professor in the materials science and engineering department and a senior author on the study. “However, only a few out of hundreds of possible MAX phases have been experimentally verified to be high-temperature corrosion and oxidation-resistant.” The researchers noted that given the vast number of elements that can be used to make MAX phases and an even greater number of ways of combining them, the task of experimentally verifying how each composite will behave at high temperatures becomes impractical. On the other hand, computational techniques, such as purely machine-learning algorithms, have not been as robust at predicting the material’s behavior at nonzero temperatures. As an alternative to experiments and machine learning, physics-based mathematical models offer a rigorous method to evaluate the properties of MAX phases at different temperatures. Among these models, the most established one, called density functional theory, can account for the behavior of materials with minimal input data. But this theory best applies to materials at their lowest energy state, called the ground state. To predict their behavior at elevated temperatures, more complex and time-consuming calculations are needed. “These calculations scale very poorly,” said Arróyave. “For perspective, if we want to use density functional theory to calculate the properties of a candidate material at the lowest temperature of zero kelvins, that is at the ground state, it might take about a day of computational time. But now, if you want to calculate the same properties at a finite temperature, say 1000 kelvins, it can take weeks.” VIDEO Further, he notes that predicting the behavior of materials when exposed to oxygen at elevated temperatures is more complicated and may take months or longer, even when using thousands of supercomputer processors at a time. Instead of relying solely on just one method, Arróyave and his team used a three-pronged approach that included a combination of density functional theory, machine learning and computational thermodynamics. They first calculated some fundamental properties of MAX phases at zero kelvins with density functional theory. Then, those calculations were used as inputs to a machine-learning model. In this way, the researchers replaced otherwise computationally expensive calculations from density functional theory with machine-learning models. Then they used computational thermodynamics to determine the most stable compounds for a given temperature and a certain MAX phase composition. “Let’s consider a MAX phase made of titanium, aluminum and carbon. At higher temperatures, we could have, for example, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other combinations of carbon and oxygen that might compete to exist,” said Arróyave. “Using our framework, one can now determine which phases or combinations we can expect at that temperature, how much of it and whether that can be detrimental. Simply put, we can now quickly tell whether the material will decompose at a given temperature.” The researchers noted that although they tested their computational framework on a few candidate MAX phases, the algorithm can be used for gauging the behavior of other existing or novel materials as well. “The research will help in rapidly ruling out those elements that might form unstable oxides at the material design phase,” said Arróyave. “We can then use these materials to build superior gas turbines and other machines that can withstand even the harshest environmental conditions with minimal wear and tear over time. These high-performance turbines will benefit not just the aviation and energy industry but also consumers, who will see reduced costs.” Other contributors to the research include Daniel Sauceda, Prashant Singh, Andrew Falkowski, Yexiao Chen, Thien Doung, Guillermo Vazquez and Miladin Radovic from the materials science and engineering department. This research is funded by the National Science Foundation. https://today.tamu.edu/2021/04/12/new-computational-tool-could-help-design-futuristic-jet-engine-turbines/ NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Needs a Flight Control Software Update Before First Flight on Mars The Ingenuity team has identified a software solution for the command sequence issue identified on Sol 49 (April 9) during a planned high-speed spin-up test of the helicopter’s rotors. Over the weekend, the team considered and tested multiple potential solutions to this issue, concluding that minor modification and reinstallation of Ingenuity’s flight control software is the most robust path forward. This software update will modify the process by which the two flight controllers boot up, allowing the hardware and software to safely transition to the flight state. Modifications to the flight software are being independently reviewed and validated today and tomorrow in testbeds at JPL. Ingenuity Begins to Spin Its Blades NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter does a slow spin test of its blades, on April 8, 2021, the 48th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. This image was captured by the Navigation Cameras on NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech While the development of the new software change is straightforward, the process of validating it and completing its uplink to Ingenuity will take some time. A detailed timeline for rescheduling the high-speed spin-up test and first flight is still in process. The process of updating Ingenuity’s flight control software will follow established processes for validation with careful and deliberate steps to move the new software through the rover to the base station and then to the helicopter. Intermediate milestones include: • Diagnose the issue and develop potential solutions • Develop/validate and upload software • Load flight software onto flight controllers • Boot Ingenuity on new flight software Once we have passed these milestones, we will prepare Ingenuity for its first flight, which will take several sols, or Mars days. Our best estimate of a targeted flight date is fluid right now, but we are working toward achieving these milestones and will set a flight date next week. We are confident in the team’s ability to work through this challenge and prepare for Ingenuity’s historic first controlled powered flight on another planet. Ingenuity continues to be healthy on the surface on Mars. Critical functions such as power, communications, and thermal control are stable. It is not unexpected for a technology demonstration like this to encounter challenges that need to be worked in real time. The high-risk, high-reward approach we have taken to the first powered, controlled flight on another planet allows us to push the performance envelope in ways we could not with a mission designed to last for years such as Perseverance. In the meantime, while the Ingenuity team does its work, Perseverance will continue to do science with its suite of instruments and is gearing up for a test of the MOXIE technology demonstration. https://scitechdaily.com/nasas-ingenuity-helicopter-needs-a-flight-control-software-update-before-first-flight-on-mars/ Douglas James Hughes - Has Flown West 1941 - 2021 Doug was trained as an Electronics Engineer and specialized in electromagnetic environmental effects his entire career. He first learned of the field by obtaining an amateur radio license in April 1957. He held call signs: K0LGZ, W0JBK, W3EWP, and W3HO and was active in the college club W0EEE in Rolla, MO. Doug studied at the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy (1963) and The George Washington University (1971). His career resulted in many life-saving/prolonging efforts that were documented at: http://www.emcs.org/acstrial/newsletters/fall04/personality.html. ISASI member and air safety professional, involved in several noteworthy investigations including Brown/Croatia, B737/PIT and AA1441/ORD. Doug supplied his engineering expertise to 32 air safety/accident investigations. His post college employment was at McDonnell-Douglas in St. Louis and IITRI/Alion at the DoD ECAC/Joint Spectrum Center in Annapolis, MD. He presented technical papers both nationally and internationally. He also assisted in development of a patented method for colocation of communications-electronics equipment without causing nor receiving electromagnetic interference. The US Government released the patent rights to the public. Every cellular communications relay tower installation benefitted. Manager, Internal Evaluation Program 1. Minimum Qualifications a. At least 3 years of auditing experience with a Part 121 airline, in either maintenance or flight operations b. At least 2 years of supervisory/managerial experience c. US citizen or have the legal right to accept employment in the United States d. Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite e. Possess strong leadership, written, verbal and interpersonal skills f. Must be able to work with a variety of personalities and conduct professional interviews g. Ability to organize own work, while working under pressure to meet tight deadlines h. Must be detail oriented i. Ability to maintain professional conduct at all times j. Ability to maintain confidentiality k. Must be a self-starter 2. Preferred Qualifications a. Bachelor’s degree or higher in aviation or safety-related field b. FAA license, such as a Commercial Pilot’s License, an Airframe and Powerplant License (A&P), or Dispatcher license c. IOSA familiarity d. Safety Management System (SMS) familiarity e. Technical writing experience f. Knowledge and/or experience with Q-Pulse 3. Authorities a. Develop and maintain processes for the Internal Evaluation Program, approved by the Director of Safety, to include authoring procedures in airline manuals b. Develop and maintain an IEP auditor training curriculum, approved by the Director of Safety, ensuring auditors are trained and qualified to conduct IEP audits as assigned 4. Duties and Responsibilities a. Coordinate with the Director of Safety to establish and maintain an auditing schedule and required checklists b. Assign IEP audits to trained and qualified IEP auditors to ensure completion of all audits in a timely and accurate manner c. Supplement the conduct of scheduled audits d. Conduct Special Audits as assigned by the Director of Safety e. Ensure the IEP Auditor position is staffed by an appropriately qualified individual f. Conduct initial and recurrent auditor training g. Develop and manage audit and finding processes within the Q-Pulse system h. Assist operational departments regarding responses to audit outputs in Q-Pulse i. Assist in the development of processes for IEP-related SMS activity j. Facilitate completion of the Swift Air IOSA Conformance Report according to IOSA requirements k. Participate in FAA, IOSA, and DoD audits as requested by the Director of Safety l. Attend industry meetings as appropriate to maintain currency with industry best practices related to the Internal Evaluation Program 5. Reporting Chain a. The Manager, IEP reports directly to the Director of Safety APPLY to Safety Director at: ecates@flyiaero.com Curt Lewis