Flight Safety Information - May 04, 2021 No. 089 In This Issue : Incident: Provincial DH8A near St. John's on Apr 18th 2021, engine has no ECU : Incident: Ethiopian B737 at Windhoek on May 3rd 2021, rejected takeoff due to engine failure : Incident: Azul A20N at Curitiba on Apr 29th 2021, hydraulic failure : Incident: Flydubai B738 at Juba on Apr 28th 2021, go around due to ATC error : FAA reports 'off the charts' spike in unruly, dangerous passenger behavior on flights : American Airlines passenger attacks attendant: 'Cops aren't going to do anything to me' : Analysis-Stricken airlines seek lifeline from transatlantic opening : Emirates expects to fly 70% of normal capacity by winter, CCO says : Malaysia Aviation Group to accept 737 MAX jet deliveries from 2024 : The COVID-19 pandemic is creating a startup boom in the airline industry : Singapore Airlines raises $1.5 billion from airplane sale-and-leaseback deals : Boeing to Sell 5 Additional Dreamliners to Lufthansa : Parts of high-speed, 21-ton Chinese rocket could crash land anywhere in the world over next week : Call for Nominations For 2021 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award : ESASI Annual Seminar Incident: Provincial DH8A near St. John's on Apr 18th 2021, engine has no ECU A PAL Provincial Airlines de Havilland Dash 8-100, registration C-FDND performing flight PB-1925 from St. John's,NL to Goose Bay,NL (Canada), was climbing through 12,000 feet when the crew received indication that the right hand engine (PW120A) had reverted to manual mode and its ECU (electronic control unit) had dropped offline. The crew continued the flight and was climbing through FL215 when the crew noticed an unexpected yaw and noticed the right hand engine's torque had decreased. Shortly afterward the crew received an oil pressure indication for the right hand engine and the engine was shutting down. The crew completed the engine failure checklist and returned to St. John's for a safe landing. The Canadian TSB reported maintenance replaced several components and carried out a test flight. The cause of the power loss is under investigation. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e6dbd86&opt=0 Incident: Ethiopian B737 at Windhoek on May 3rd 2021, rejected takeoff due to engine failure An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration ET-ALM performing flight ET-834 from Windhoek (Namibia) to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), was accelerating for takeoff, when a loud bang was heard and the crew rejected takeoff due to an engine (CFM56) failure. The aircraft slowed safely and returned to the apron. The airport confirmed the aircraft suffered an engine failure prior to takeoff. Emergency services responded, the passengers were returned to the terminal. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e6db47f&opt=0 Incident: Azul A20N at Curitiba on Apr 29th 2021, hydraulic failure An Azul Linhas Aereas Airbus A320-200N, registration PR-YRV performing flight AD-4209 from Curitiba,PR to Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont,RJ (Brazil) with 147 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing out of Curitiba near the top of climb when the crew received a "HYD Y SYS RSVR LO LVL" message. The crew worked the related checklists and decided to continue the flight to Rio de Janairo, however, diverting to Rio de Janeiro's Galeao Airport. The aircraft landed safely on Galeao's runway 15 about one hour after departure. Brazil's CENIPA reported, due to the loss of the hydraulic system nosewheel steering was lost and the aircraft needed to be towed to the apron. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e6da6ff&opt=0 Incident: Flydubai B738 at Juba on Apr 28th 2021, go around due to ATC error A Flydubai Boeing 737-800, registration A6-FED performing flight F&-611 from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Juba (South Sudan), was on final approach to Juba's runway 13 descending through about 500 feet AGL when the crew initiated a go around after another aircraft entered the runway. The Boeing climbed out safely, positioned for another approach and landed safely on runway 13 about 15 minutes after the go around. A passenger reported the captain indicated they had needed to go around due to an ATC error causing a "near miss". There had been problems for months already due to the civil controllers being on strike and military personnel providing air traffic control services since. According to Mode-S data a German glider aircraft (with no engines at all and not being towed) tail number D-KWKS lined up runway 13 at that very moment, subsequently departed climbing to FL150 (with about 300 knots over ground), the aircraft obviously using a fake transponder ID. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e6d8bc1&opt=0 FAA reports 'off the charts' spike in unruly, dangerous passenger behavior on flights The Federal Aviation Administration is warning air travelers about what it describes as a dramatic increase in unruly or dangerous behavior aboard passenger airplanes. In a typical year, the transportation agency sees 100 to 150 formal cases of bad passenger behavior. But since the start of this year, the agency said, the number of reported cases has jumped to 1,300, an even more remarkable number since the number of passengers remains below pre-pandemic levels. The behavior in question includes passengers refusing to wear masks, drinking excessively and engaging in alleged physical or verbal assault, including what the agency describes as political intimidation and harassment of lawmakers. In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for example, a fistfight broke out amid a dispute over mask-wearing. In Washington, D.C., a passenger was escorted off a flight after arguing with flight attendants over the mask rule. In another case, a flight bound for Los Angeles was diverted to Denver and forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger allegedly tried to open an emergency exit. In recent days, Alaska Airlines banned an Alaska state senator for refusing to comply with mask requirements, according to The Anchorage Daily News. “It is not permissible and we will not tolerate interfering with a flight crew and the performance of their safety duties,” Stephen Dickson, the administrator of the FAA, said of the wave of incidents. “Period.” The FAA is now taking a “zero-tolerance” approach to poor behavior: Unruly passengers face potential criminal charges, fines up to $35,000 or lifetime bans on certain airlines. The bad behavior appears to be taking a toll. Angela Hagedorn, a former flight attendant with Alaska Airlines, tweeted that she recently resigned. “It has been an exhausting time for all the employees who are just trying to do their job according to their company’s policies," she said. “The constant arguing and pushback from guests, it’s ridiculous." Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants union, said airline employees have reported a wide range of troubling incidents. “What we have seen on our planes is flight attendants being physically assaulted, pushed, choked,” Nelson said. “We have a passenger urinate. We had a passenger spit into the mouth of a child on board. “These are some of the things that we have been dealing with,” Nelson said, adding that the physical and verbal abuse that flight attendants have allegedly experienced this year has been “way off the charts” compared to the last 20 years. In the months ahead, as parts of the United States begin to rebound from the pandemic and a greater number of people take to the skies, the FAA — along with the Transportation Security Administration and Air Marshals — plan to watch closely for behavior that threatens crew members or passenger safety. https://www.yahoo.com/news/faa-warns-spike-unruly-passengers-192442210.html American Airlines passenger attacks attendant: 'Cops aren't going to do anything to me' An attendant was allegedly assaulted on a flight from Miami to New York City. According to reports, a passenger on an American Airlines flight struck one of the flight attendants multiples times midway through the flight on Sunday. The attack was allegedly sparked after the passenger got into a dispute with attendants over garbage. The passenger followed a separate flight attendant to the crew area of the plane to complain about garbage not being picked up, according to court documents obtained by Fox News. When the passenger began yelling at one flight attendant, another airline worker was called in for help. When the second flight attendant attempted to separate the two, the passenger allegedly claimed that the attendant had pushed her. The passenger is accused of punching the flight attendant and pulling her hair. The two were then reportedly separated, and the suspect apparently continued to argue with another passenger. At one point, the suspect approached the flight attendant again and allegedly attacked her a second time. At one point, the suspect allegedly claimed that the "cops aren't going to do anything to me." One of the other flight attendants on the plane reportedly asked the pilot to land the plane, but the pilot was unable to comply at the moment. Fortunately, an off-duty New York police officer was reportedly on the plane and helped restrain the suspect. The plane landed at its intended destination, JFK airport, where authorities reportedly were waiting. The court documents identify the suspect as Chenasia I. Campbell. She was reportedly taken into custody and is facing charges of interfering with a flight crew, which is a federal offense, NBC New York reports. Campbell is reportedly a Brooklyn resident and is currently unemployed. She previously worked for the Office of People with Developmental Disabilities. In a virtual hearing on Monday afternoon, Campbell was released on $15,000 bail. Prosecutors also asked that she undergo a mental health evaluation and random drug testing, although her defense attorney replied that Campbell had already been in a mental health program prior to this case. The flight attendant sustained scrapes to the arm and cheek, bruises on her forehead and leg and a swollen hand, according to the court documents. She was evaluated by medical professionals but reportedly refused further medical assistance. Fox News reached out to American Airlines for comment, but representatives for the company did not immediately respond. https://www.yahoo.com/news/american-airlines-passenger-attacks-attendant-184626629.html Analysis-Stricken airlines seek lifeline from transatlantic opening PARIS/LONDON (Reuters) -Diplomatic moves to ease transatlantic air travel could unleash fierce competition to entice passengers back into near-empty cabins at a time when tottering airlines can ill afford a price war in the world's richest aviation market. Talks between Brussels and Washington on resuming mass travel for vaccinated tourists have raised hopes of a summer rebound - further buoyed by new EU reopening proposals. Airlines are desperate for good news after a year of COVID-19 lockdowns that pushed many to the brink of collapse, or into the arms of governments. The United States will reopen to Europeans in "a matter of the next two or three weeks", Lufthansa Chief Executive Carsten Spohr predicted last week. But the German airline boss also cautioned against any race to the bottom on fares. "The North Atlantic is historically the most disciplined traffic region," Spohr told investors. "I expect this discipline (to) prevail." United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines have added summer routes to countries like Iceland and Greece that plan to welcome vaccinated travellers. Consumers are showing some interest. Air France-KLM said U.S. sales twitched back to life last month after French President Emmanuel Macron announced restrictions may be eased for vaccinated Americans - and again when the EU confirmed talks with Washington. Air France is adding a Paris-Denver service, in what network chief Olivier Piette described as a "big bet" on a secondary U.S. leisure route with less direct competition. The Franco-Dutch group is partnered with Delta and Virgin Atlantic in one of three transatlantic joint-ventures that allow extensive commercial cooperation. Lufthansa is paired with United, and British Airways with American. Virgin is expecting a scrap, Chief Executive Shai Weiss said recently. "I'm sure there's going to be tremendous competition and we'll rise to it." But airlines bled dry by the crisis will resist aggressive discounting, predicts analyst John Grant of data specialist OAG. "The bean counters will be keeping a close eye on that," he said. "Investors will also want to see airlines behaving responsibly in the recovery." Airlines currently plan about 65% of pre-crisis transatlantic capacity in the third quarter, according to OAG - but many flights could end up cancelled. Mid-sized Boeing 787s and Airbus A350s will be summer favourites, OAG expects, thanks to fuel efficiency and freight capacity. Grounded 747s and A380 superjumbos are unlikely to return so soon. Summer bookings are just a fifth of their level at the same point in 2019, separate ForwardKeys data show. Greece, which has been promising unfettered access for visitors with vaccines or negative tests, is so far the standout destination for U.S. tourists with sales at 74% of pre-crisis levels. For Britons, Disney World remains a draw, with Orlando, Florida bookings down 52%, a relatively strong showing. Airline network managers have suffered repeated false starts, with a shift to last-minute booking further obscuring recovery prospects. American Airlines revenue chief Vasu Raja offered a "dose of reality" on summer traffic to Europe. "A lot of the customers that would have gone there have already booked trips to Hawaii or Florida anyway," he told investors. European carriers such as Virgin and British Airways have more at stake in the North Atlantic than U.S. peers cushioned by a rebounding domestic market. Hopes are high for a return to quarantine-free travel between Britain and the United States. European airline shares rose on the latest EU reopening steps, with British Airways parent IAG up 2.5% on Tuesday as London trading resumed after a public holiday. Geoffrey Weston, a consultant with Bain & Co., expects airlines to rein in revenue management software that typically sets fares to fill planes. "In recovering markets there's more human intervention and control over pricing," Weston said, adding that Norwegian Air's transatlantic exit had also eased pressure. Soaring cargo rates have allowed airlines to keep routes open with low passenger occupancy and may limit the competitive drive to slash fares as demand picks up. Air France is serving 11 U.S. cities - increasing to 12 with Denver - with A350s, 787s and first class-equipped 777s whose freight loads largely cover the costs of running the flight. "It's thanks to cargo that we've been able to maintain our long-haul programme," said Piette. "It's a good fit with current consumer behaviour." https://www.yahoo.com/news/analysis-punch-drunk-airlines-seek-104204362.html Emirates expects to fly 70% of normal capacity by winter, CCO says Emirates airline sees full fleet returning to the skies this year DUBAI (Reuters) - Emirates plans to operate around 70% of its normal capacity this winter thanks to an expected increase in international travel as countries ease coronavirus restrictions and reopen borders. Emirates, the world's biggest long-haul airline before the pandemic, has been gradually rebuilding its network of 157 passenger destinations since flights were grounded in March 2020. It is currently operating to around 120 destinations, though capacity remains limited due to the continued grounding of most of the airline's 118 Airbus A380 superjumbos. “We already have a plan to get back to almost 70% of our capacity to be recovered by winter 2021,” Emirates Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim told reporters on Tuesday. He did not disclose its current operating capacity, although he added that the airline had a way to go to reach 70%. Emirates has mainly been operating flights with its 151 Boeing 777s though with passenger demand still at very low levels globally those planes have mostly carried cargo. Kazim said the airline expects to operate around 30 to 40 Airbus A380s over the summer, more than what it is currently operating. The restoration of capacity largely depends on countries easing coronavirus restrictions and whether they permit international travel. Dubai's Emirates does not have a domestic market that can cushion against international border closures. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/emirates-expects-fly-70-normal-094633385.html Malaysia Aviation Group to accept 737 MAX jet deliveries from 2024 KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 (Reuters) - Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), parent of national carrier Malaysia Airlines, said on Tuesday it would take delivery of Boeing 737 MAX jets from 2024, though the airline group plans to retire its Airbus A380 fleet in the coming months. The company has agreed with Boeing to take delivery of its orders from 2024, over a course of three to four years, Group Chief Executive Captain Izham Ismail said in a virtual press briefing. "We're committed to take the MAX's delivery in 2024, but we are also exploring the possibility of taking it earlier," Izham said, adding that he hopes issues regarding the 737 MAX would be resolved by then and consumer confidence gets restored soon. MAG was originally scheduled to take delivery last July, but the 737 MAX was grounded worldwide after two crashes, and several airlines and lessors cancelled orders of the jet. MAG is also exploring ways to dispose of its Airbus SE A380 fleet, although it has yet to present a proposal to its board. "We are cognizant of the challenges to sell this aeroplane, but we are still looking at ways and means to dispose of our 380 fleet. At the moment, the management is convinced that the 380 doesn't fit the future plan," he said, referring to the Airbus aircraft. The airline group is restrategising its business to position itself as a global travel group, becoming a "one-stop centre for all travel needs" and expanding beyond the airline business. MAG expects its non-flying revenue to accelerate by 60% to 4 billion ringgit ($972 million) by 2025. Under the debt restructuring process, MAG said it secured savings in liabilities worth 15 billion ringgit, and conserved 4.2 billion ringgit through network cuts and cost saving. The group forecasts capacity at about 63% of pre-crisis level by the end of this year, Izham said, adding that it expects to break-even and become cash flow-positive in 2023. The group will also invest the bulk of a capital injection of 3.6 billion ringgit from its largest shareholder Khazanah Nasional into the airline's growth, including its digital business, maintenance, repair, overhaul and aircraft deliveries, Izham said. Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah announced in February that it had committed new capital to the airline group to fund the business through until 2025, after the airline had a court approval for its restructuring scheme. The group said it would look to reinforce its Asia-Pacific network through joint business partnerships with other airlines. "Japan is key for us. That gives us and reinforces the flows into Japan and we'll be looking to see which other airlines we can partner with," group Chief Strategy Officer Bryan Foong said, adding that European destinations will be considered in 2025 or later. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/1-malaysia-aviation-group-accept-054636513.html The COVID-19 pandemic is creating a startup boom in the airline industry The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on airlines. But some see an opportunity to buy discounted aircraft or add new routes. More than 90 new airlines plan to debut before the end of 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic hit airlines hard. Airline revenue collapsed last year, and more than 40 airlines have paused operations or shut down since the beginning of 2020, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing data from Cirium. Many airlines have responded by laying off workers and cutting flights, but as The Journal reported on Friday, some carriers have sensed an opportunity in the downsizing and cost-cutting of their competitors. Citing data from Avolon Holdings, which leases aircraft, The Journal reported that over 90 new airlines are set to debut before the end of 2021. Those startups will take off from six continents. Some of those companies are using higher rates of availability at airports to fill gaps in the offerings of established airlines. Others have been able to purchase assets at a discount. Andrew Levy, the founder of Avelo Airlines, told The Journal he was able to buy seats at reduced prices because the seats had originally been ordered by another airline that decided not to buy them in 2020. Levy also told The Journal he believed the reduced demand for travel during the pandemic made it easier for his airline to find availability at its hub, Hollywood Burbank Airport. Avelo, which has several destinations in the western US, is selling customers on low fares and service from smaller airports, a combination the airline says will make air travel more convenient and enjoyable. Bjorn Tore Larsen, CEO of the new Norwegian airline Norse Atlantic Airways, told The Journal he was able to buy aircraft once used by Norwegian Air Shuttle, which went bankrupt in 2020, for "historically low" prices. Norse is focusing on inexpensive international flights and plans to debut in December. "We will focus only on low cost, long-haul business. And to my knowledge we will be the only company of size that will do so," Larsen told The Journal. The COVID-19 pandemic has also created opportunities for established airlines. Rex Airlines CEO John Sharp told The Journal that his airline has found new opportunities to add routes in large cities. The company also received a steep discount, over 50%, on Boeing 747s previously used by Virgin Australia and found it easier to secure openings at airports than it would have if the demand for air-travel was at pre-pandemic levels, Sharp said. https://www.yahoo.com/news/covid-19-pandemic-creating-startup-163823693.html Singapore Airlines raises $1.5 billion from airplane sale-and-leaseback deals (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines Ltd said on Monday it had raised about S$2 billion ($1.50 billion) through sale-and-leaseback deals for 11 of its planes to help bolster liquidity as it grapples with the pandemic-related plunge in travel. The airline said it would continue to explore other ways to raise liquidity after reaching deals with four parties over seven Airbus SE A350-900s and four Boeing Co 787-10s. Rivals such as Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd and Qantas Airways Ltd have done similar deals during the pandemic. "The additional liquidity from these sale-and-leaseback transactions reinforces our ability to navigate the impact of the COCVID-19 pandemic from a position of strength," Singapore Airlines Chief Executive Goh Choon Phong said in a statement. Singapore Airlines said it had access to more than S$2.1 billion of undrawn credit lines and an option to raise up to S$6.2 billion in convertible bonds before its annual meeting in July 2021. The airline lacks a domestic market and has been hit hard by the virtual halt to international passenger travel because of border controls and quarantine measures. Singapore Airlines reported a 99.6% decline in passenger numbers in April relative to the prior year. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/singapore-airlines-raises-1-5-013830659.html Boeing to Sell 5 Additional Dreamliners to Lufthansa The new order adds to a previous one from the German carrier for 20 of the long-haul planes. Many investors and other interested parties are anticipating a big ramp-up in traveling as the pandemic recedes. Among the most eager of these observers are airlines, which stand to recover significantly from the near-total shutdown of their industry in the thick of the outbreak. Likely with that in mind, top European carrier Lufthansa Group (OTC:DLAK.Y) has notably expanded its recent order for Boeing's (NYSE:BA) Dreamliners. Boeing announced Monday that the German airline added five 787-9 Dreamliners to its existing order of 20, placed in 2019 before the coronavirus hit. It did not specify a price. The Dreamliner is Boeing's current long-haul airliner, although its voyage hasn't been perfectly smooth. In early 2013, difficulties with the plane's lithium-ion batteries catching fire led the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) to ground all 787s until a revised battery design was approved. And late last year, the company paused Dreamliner deliveries while it investigated apparent structural flaws in the carbon fiber that makes up the plane's skin. Regardless of its hiccups, the 787 is an attractive model for globe-spanning airlines not only because of its range. Lufthansa pointed out in its press release heralding the new buy that the 787-9 can hold up to 20% more passengers and roughly 25% more cargo than the planes it is replacing in the company's big fleet. And importantly for a company trying to go greener, its fuel consumption and emissions are 25% lower than the aircraft it's supplanting. Boeing quoted Lufthansa COO Detlef Kayser as saying that the additional 787-9s "will accelerate the modernization of our long-haul fleet." "With these ultra-modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, we send a strong signal for environmental responsibility within the Lufthansa Group," Kayser added. "Furthermore, we will reduce our operating costs and provide our guests a state-of-the-art travel experience." https://www.fool.com/investing/2021/05/04/boeing-to-sell-5-additional-dreamliners-to-lufthan/?source=eptyholnk0000202&utm_source=yahoo-host&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article Parts of high-speed, 21-ton Chinese rocket could crash land anywhere in the world over next week A Chinese rocket that successfully blasted off a building block for a space station is set to make an uncontrolled re-entry back to Earth, and its debris could crash into an inhabited area, according to reports. The Long March 5B Y2 lifted off on Thursday from China’s southern Hainan island carrying the main module for China’s first permanent space station. While the module separated from the launcher to continue its journey as planned, the launch vehicle’s core section also reached orbit and is now slowly and unpredictably heading back to Earth. On Tuesday, the 21-tonne Long March 5B was in orbit travelling at around 28,000 kilometres per hour, or 7 kilometres per second. In the coming days, it is expected to make one of the largest uncontrolled re-entries of a spacecraft as the Earth’s atmosphere drags it down, and could potentially land on an inhabited area, according to the US-based SpaceNews. Spaceflight observer and astrophysicist at Harvard University Jonathan McDowell told SpaceNews that it was “unacceptable” to let the core section of the launcher re-enter uncontrolled. “Since 1990 nothing over 10 tons has been deliberately left in orbit to re-enter uncontrolled,” he said. The Long March 5B could re-enter at any point as far north as Beijing, Madrid and New York, and as far south as southern Chile and Wellington in New Zealand, SpaceNews reported. However, it is most likely that any debris which survives the intense heat of re-entry will fall into the larger oceans - which account for around 70 per cent of the Earth - or areas where there are no people living, it added. VIDEO The Long March 5B’s first launch in May last year also ended with an uncontrolled re-entry, which was labelled as “really dangerous” by Nasa’s boss. Debris from that 18-tonne core section passed over the US and landed in the Atlantic Ocean off West Africa, but had it entered 15-30 minutes earlier, debris not destroyed by the heat of reentry could have landed on US soil, according to Space News. The largest and most famous incident was the 1979 reentry of Nasa’s 76-ton Skylab, whose uncontrolled reentry scattered debris across the Indian Ocean and Western Australia. "This one is bigger than anything recent, but not as big as Skylab and its ilk back in the day," tweeted Mr McDowell. The “Heavenly Harmony” module that the Long March 5B launched contains living quarters for crew members of China’s Tiangong space station, which the country says could be operational by the end of next year. China has been barred by the US from participating in the bigger International Space Station, which has been in orbit for more than two decades and is also backed by Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada. https://www.yahoo.com/news/parts-high-speed-21-ton-092421702.html Call for Nominations For 2021 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award, honoring a leader in global aviation safety. The Award is scheduled to be presented during Flight Safety Foundation’s annual International Air Safety Summit (IASS). Presented annually since 1956, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award recognizes notable achievement in the field of civil or military aviation safety in method, design, invention, study or other improvement. The Award's recipient is selected for a "significant individual or group effort contributing to improving aviation safety, with emphasis on original contributions," and/or a "significant individual or group effort performed above and beyond normal responsibilities." Mechanics, engineers and others outside of top administrative or research positions should be especially considered. The contribution need not be recent, especially if the nominee has not received adequate recognition for their achievement. Nominations that were not selected as past winners may be resubmitted for consideration in subsequent years. Please note that self-nominations will not be considered. The Award Board, composed of leaders in the field of aviation, meets each year to conduct a final review of nominees and selection of the current year's recipient. Please help us identify and honor this year's most deserving recipient. Nominations, including a 1-to-2-page narrative, can be submitted via the Laura Taber Barbour Foundation website at http://ltbaward.org/the-award/nomination-form/. Nominations will be accepted until June 4th, 2021. For more information, including a complete history of Award recipients, see www.ltbaward.org. About the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation and Award The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award's story dates back 75 years. On April 14, 1945, after visiting family in Pittsburgh, Laura Taber Barbour was aboard a Pennsylvania Central Airlines DC-3 when it crashed into the rugged terrain of Cheat Mountain near Morgantown, West Virginia. All passengers and crew were killed. In 1956 her husband, Dr. Clifford E. Barbour and son, Clifford E. Barbour, Jr., in close association with The Flight Safety Foundation, established the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award in her honor. For the past 65 years, this long distinguished award recognizing crowning achievements in aviation safety worldwide has been presented at Flight Safety Foundation’s International Aviation Safety Summit. In 2013, The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation was formed as an independent, non-profit, charitable organization composed of members of the Award Board, the aviation community, and the Barbour family. In addition to annual presentation of the Award, in 2019 the Foundation initiated a scholarship program that provides tuition support to worthy students pursuing professional aviation studies leading to a career. As the Foundation broadens the scope of its intent, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award will continue to spotlight those champions who pioneer breakthroughs in flight safety. For more information on the Foundation, the Award, and past winners, visit http://LTBAward.org ESASI Annual Seminar Dear ESASI Members and Friends, The ESASI Committee has decided to convert the ESASI Annual Seminar into a webinar. The dates remain the same. It will be held on Zoom on the afternoons of the 1st and 2nd of July 2021. The ESASI Committee has been working with our hosts in Hungary to organize ESASI 2022 in Budapest in Spring 2022. CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS • Challenges faced by air safety investigators. • The environment, and culture, that air safety investigators operate in. • Practical experience of applying investigation techniques. • New techniques to aid the investigation. • Investigating UAVs. • Investigating accidents involving manned spacecraft. • Topical cases studies. Details of proposed presentations should be sent to Thorkell Agustsson and Brian McDermid by the 14th May 2021 at presentations@esasi.eu Best regards Steve Hull - ESASI Secretary Curt Lewis