Flight Safety Information - April 26, 2021 No. 083 In This Issue : Incident: Transavia B737 at Rotterdam on Apr 24th 2021, we think we are 6500 feet, military radar tells FL110, unreliable speed and altitude on both left and right pitot systems : Incident: Transavia France B738 at Monastir on Apr 24th 2021, bird strike : Incident: Finnair A321 near Copenhagen on Apr 24th 2021, smoke in cockpit : Boeing CEO received $21 million in compensation last year despite plans to let go of 30,000 employees. : Large fight breaks out at Miami International Airport. One arrest made : Airline bans Alaska state senator for violating mask rules : Officers Say Air Force Need Outside Help To Keep Pilots : NASA's Mars helicopter's third flight goes farther, faster than before Incident: Transavia B737 at Rotterdam on Apr 24th 2021, we think we are 6500 feet, military radar tells FL110, unreliable speed and altitude on both left and right pitot systems A Transavia Boeing 737-700, registration PH-XRX performing flight HV-6051 from Rotterdam (Netherlands) to Alicante,SP (Spain), departed Rotterdam's runway 06 normally, however, on climb out the Mode-S transponder did not transmit any plausible altitude information. The crew soon after takeoff requested to level off, was cleared to maintain 5000 feet. Rotterdam ATC advised they did not receive any altitude information from the aircraft, the crew apparently switched source of the transponder and asked "and now", but ATC again advised still no altitude reading was available. ATC queried about their altitude, the crew reported they "believed" to be at 6500 feet, they were flying on their stand by instruments which they deemed reliable. ATC inquired with military three dimensional radar who informed the aircraft was actually at FL110. The crew decided to divert to Amsterdam and requested runway 06 at Schiphol Airport. On approach to Amsterdam the crew explained they had a normal takeoff from Rotterdam, in the climb they received indications of unreliable airspeed and altitude errors on both captain's and first officer's instruments, they believed their stand by instruments were reliable however. Amsterdam approach also confirmed receiving no altitude readout whatsoever. ATC and crew used another aircraft operating in the vicinity and maintaining FL070 to verify that the aircraft's TCAS indications were still working correctly, the crew reported they were descending through 4400 feet according to their stand by altimeter set to the local QNH, at the time the military radar reported they were at 3200 feet. The crew advised no assistance was needed after landing with the current situation on board. The aircraft landed safely on Amsterdam's runway 06 about 35 minutes after departure from Rotterdam. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration PH-HXC reached Alicante with a delay of 2.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Amsterdam about 24 hours after landing. Prior to the occurrence it had last flown on Feb 19th 2021. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e6731a6&opt=0 Incident: Transavia France B738 at Monastir on Apr 24th 2021, bird strike A Transavia France Boeing 737-800, registration F-HTVO performing flight TO-4268 from Monastir (Tunisia) to Paris Orly (France), was climbing out of Monastir's runway 07 when the left hand engine (CFM56) ingested a number of birds later causing engine vibrations. The crew stopped the climb at FL240 and diverted to Tunis (Tunisia) for a safe landing on runway 01 about 42 minutes after departure. The passengers were taken to hotels and rebooked on another flight the following day. Maintenance found a number of fan blades deformed. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Tunis about 28 hours after landing in Tunis. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e675196&opt=0 Incident: Finnair A321 near Copenhagen on Apr 24th 2021, smoke in cockpit Finnair Airbus A321-200, registration OH-LZT performing flight AY-1338 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Helsinki (Finland) with 147 people on board, was enroute at FL370 about 50nm northnorthwest of Copenhagen (Denmark) when the crew reported smoke in the cockpit and decided to divert to Copenhagen for a safe landing on runway 04R about 16 minutes after leaving FL370. The aircraft remained on the ground in Copenhagen for about 5 hours, then continued to Helsinki reaching the destination with a delay of 5.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft is now still on the ground in Helsinki about 20 hours after landing in Helsinki. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e675436&opt=0 Boeing CEO received $21 million in compensation last year despite plans to let go of David Calhoun, CEO of Boeing, was awarded compensation of $21 million last year, even as the company reported a $12 billion net loss. The company also announced it would lay off about 30,000 employees. A regulatory filing for Boeing says the CEO's total compensation last year is estimated to be 158 times that of the company's median employee. Boeing CEO David Calhoun received more than $21 million in compensation last year while announcing plans to lay off about 30,000 workers. The company reported a $12 billion loss in 2020, following an abysmal year due to a drop in demand for travel because of the coronavirus pandemic, a slump in deliveries of new planes, and the worldwide grounding of its 737 Max following two deadly accidents. Over the past year, Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company, has announced it would let go of about 30,000 employees through layoffs and attrition. Calhoun earlier this month instituted a voluntary layoff plan to help cut costs as the coronavirus complicates the company's recovery from its 737 Max crisis. In a letter to employees, Calhoun said recent events have left the company in 'uncharted waters' and that cutting staff now will help the planemaker adjust to the smaller aerospace market likely to exist after the pandemic. Calhoun, who became CEO in January 2020, declined a salary and performance bonus for the majority of 2021, but he still received stock benefits worth some $20 million, according to a regulatory filing. Calhoun declined about $3.6 million in salary but collected $269,231 in salary for the first three months of the year and about $290,000 in other compensation. Calhoun's total compensation last year with the estimated stock awards -- some that still need to vest -- is estimated to be 158 times that of the company's median employee, a filing showed. Boeing's stock price has fallen more than 70% in the past year. The company did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. But a company spokesperson told the New York Times that "Dave obviously gave up a lot." Boeing's cash woes are linked to a steep drop in net aircraft sales. In 2020 alone, Boeing delivered 157 planes. It was the lowest number of planes delivered since 1984. Boeing received more than 650 cancellation orders last year and removed more than 1,000 planes from the market. US regulators in December lifted a 22-month grounding order for the company's embattled 737 Max that was instituted after two crashes that resulted in hundreds dead. Then, earlier this month, Boeing announced that some of the Max planes were facing "a potential electrical issue" and recommended that 16 airlines immediately ground those jets so the issue could be resolved. At the time, few other details were released. Calhoun is one of numerous CEOs who's received millions of dollars in compensation in 2020. The median pay across more than 300 of the country's top public companies was around $13.7 million last year, Insider's Anna Cooban reported. https://www.yahoo.com/news/boeing-ceo-took-home-21-141618856.html Large fight breaks out at Miami International Airport. One arrest made One person was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after a large fight broke out at Miami International Airport Sunday, according to Miami-Dade police. Footage of the intense altercation — which showed a group of four people grappling each other into a kiosk and another group of three throwing kicks and punches — circulated on social media late Sunday. Airport officials said police immediately responded to the scene outside Gate D-14. “The victim did not want to press any charges. However, one person was arrested for disorderly conduct,” said Miami-Dade Police in an email to the Miami Herald. “The victim was treated by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue for minor injuries and released on the scene.” Police did not identify the person who was arrested in the video nor the victim who was treated. https://www.yahoo.com/news/large-fight-breaks-miami-international-014512370.html Airline bans Alaska state senator for violating mask rules JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Airlines has banned an Alaska state senator for refusing to follow mask requirements. “We have notified Senator Lora Reinbold that she is not permitted to fly with us for her continued refusal to comply with employee instruction regarding the current mask policy,” spokesman Tim Thompson told the Anchorage Daily News on Saturday, adding that the suspension was effective immediately. Reinbold, a Republican of Eagle River, said she had not been notified of a ban and that she hoped to be on an Alaska Airlines flight in the near future. Last week, Reinbold was recorded in Juneau International Airport arguing with Alaska Airlines staff about mask policies. A video posted to social media appears to show airline staff telling Reinbold her mask must cover her nose and mouth. Reinbold told the newspaper that had been inquiring about a “mask exemption with uptight employees at the counter." “I was reasonable with all Alaska Airlines employees,” she said, adding that she was able to board the flight to Anchorage. Reinbold has been a vocal opponent to COVID-19 mitigation measures and has repeatedly objected to Alaska Airlines’ mask policy, which was enacted before the federal government's mandate this year. Last year, she referred to Alaska Airlines staff as “mask bullies” after being asked by flight attendants to wear a mask aboard a flight, the newspaper reported. After the incident, she reportedly sent a cake to some flight attendants bearing the inscription: “I’m sorry if I offended you.” Alaska Airlines has banned over 500 people. Thompson said the length of Reinbold's ban will be determined by a review. It wasn't immediately known how Reinbold, who was in southcentral Alaska this weekend, would be able to get to Juneau where the legislative session resumes Monday. No other airline has scheduled flights between Anchorage and Juneau, and a ferry trip could take several days. Lawmakers can participate in committee meetings by teleconference but cannot vote on the House or Senate floor remotely under current procedures. https://www.yahoo.com/news/airline-bans-alaska-state-senator-185006881.html Officers Say Air Force Need Outside Help To Keep Pilots Two active duty U.S. Air Force officers have taken the unusual step of publicly scolding their superiors over pilot retention efforts and suggesting they hire outsiders to fix the problem. Brian Kruchkow and Tobias Switzer (ranks were not provided) wrote in Defense One that Air Force brass have botched the effort so badly it’s time for some fresh ideas. “Given the issue’s enduring nature, we suggest commissioning an outside panel of experts to take a hard look and make substantive recommendations to improve Air Force pilot retention.” the officers said. Defense One identified Kruchkow as an instructor pilot and Switzer as a military fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C., where he recently published a report on Air Force pilot retention. The two officers say the brass bet against an early recovery by airlines from the pandemic and rolled back retention packages that have become increasingly lucrative and flexible as the Air Force pilot shortage has become more acute. The pandemic gave the military some breathing room but the airline business is bouncing back and the airlines are scrambling to fill their cockpits. The two officers say about half of Air Force pilots eligible to resign are ready to go. “The Air Force has erred in positioning itself opposite the improving economy, airline hiring, and the pandemic’s end,” the officers wrote. “When Air Force pilots start heading for the exits again soon, the Department of Defense will have problems meeting its commitments.” The officers said the same old complaints are behind the pending exodus. Pilots are fed up with increasing administrative work and they’re dissatisfied with their families’ quality of life. “But instead of continuing to address its pilots’ concerns, the Air Force quietly abandoned retention in 2018 and shifted its focus to increasing pilot production,” the officers wrote. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/officers-say-air-force-need-outside-help-to-keep-pilots/ NASA's Mars helicopter's third flight goes farther, faster than before NASA's mini helicopter Ingenuity on Sunday successfully completed its third flight on Mars, moving farther and faster than ever before, with a peak speed of 6.6 feet per second. After two initial flights during which the craft hovered above the Red Planet's surface, the helicopter on this third flight covered 64 feet (50 meters) of distance, reaching the speed of 6.6 feet per second (two meters per second), or four miles per hour in this latest flight. "Today's flight was what we planned for, and yet it was nothing short of amazing," said Dave Lavery, the Ingenuity project's program executive. The Perseverance rover, which carried the four-pound (1.8 kilograms) rotorcraft to Mars, filmed the 80-second third flight. NASA said Sunday that video clips would be sent to Earth in the coming days. The lateral flight was a test for the helicopter's autonomous navigation system, which completes the route according to information received beforehand. "If Ingenuity flies too fast, the flight algorithm can't track surface features," NASA explained in a statement about the flight. Ingenuity's flights are challenging because of conditions vastly different from Earth's -- foremost among them a rarefied atmosphere that has less than one percent the density of our own. This means that Ingenuity's rotors, which span four feet, have to spin at 2,400 revolutions per minute to achieve lift -- about five times more than a helicopter on Earth. NASA announced it is now preparing for a fourth flight. Each flight is planned to be of increasing difficulty in order to push Ingenuity to its limits. The Ingenuity experiment will end in one month in order to let Perseverance return to its main task: searching for signs of past microbial life on Mars. https://www.yahoo.com/news/nasas-mars-helicopters-third-flight-180052312.html Curt Lewis