Flight Safety Information - May 18, 2021 No. 099 In This Issue : Accident: Moldova A321 at Moscow on May 16th 2021, tail strike on landing : 2 pilots ejected from F-15 at Illinois airport : Incident: France A319 at Marseille on May 17th 2021, rejected takeoff due to bird strike : Incident: American A320 at San Jose on May 17th 2021, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Safair B738 at Durban on May 15th 2021, indication of park brakes applied in flight : Incident: Tway B738 at Busan and Jeju on May 16th 2021, unreliable airspeed : McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk - Midair Collision (Texas) : FAA proposes $52,500 fine against unruly passenger : Exclusive: Airbus turns up heat on suppliers over production and quality : U.S. airlines add COVID-tested flights to Italy as country reopens to tourists : SRIWIJAYA AIR CRASH RESULTS IN FAA PROBE INTO 737 CLASSIC WIRING : How a Tougher Skin Could Change the Shape of Stealth Aircraft : Emirates could swap Boeing 777X jets for smaller Dreamliners, chairman says : United to add more than 400 daily flights in July as travel demand soars : If Space Junk Falls on Your House, Are There Laws to Protect You? : Position Available: Maintenance Controller/Maintenance Technician : The Complete Pilot Selection Handbook : ESASI Annual Seminar : Graduate Survey Accident: Moldova A321 at Moscow on May 16th 2021, tail strike on landing An Air Moldova Airbus A321-200, registration ER-AXR performing flight 9U-171 from Chisinau (Moldova) to Moscow Domodedovo (Russia), was on final approach to Domodedovo's runway 14R at 15:20L (12:20Z) when the crew initiated a go around from low height (below 300 feet AGL). The aircraft positioned for another approach to runway 14R and landed about 20 minutes later. A post flight inspection revealed damage to the tail of the aircraft, which was unable to depart for the return flight. Return flight 9U-172 was cancelled. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Moscow about 44 hours after landing. Airport sources report the aircraft was not able to land on first approach due to strong winds, performed another approach, touched down hard and struck its tail onto the runway surface. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e7931ca&opt=0 2 pilots ejected from F-15 at Illinois airport MASCOUTAH, Ill. (KTVI) – Two pilots were ejected from an aircraft at an Illinois airport at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. The pilots, who ejected from an F-15 fighter aircraft, are possibly injured. The extent of their injuries is unknown. The incident happened on a runway at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in St. Clair County. EMS was on the scene. This is a developing story. https://www.wspa.com/news/2-pilots-ejected-from-f-15-at-illinois-airport/ Incident: France A319 at Marseille on May 17th 2021, rejected takeoff due to bird strike An Air France Airbus A319-100, registration F-GRHN performing flight AF-7673 from Marseille to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), was accelerating for takeoff from runway 31R when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed (about 100 knots over ground) due to a problem with the right hand engine (CFM56). The aircraft slowed safely and returned to the apron. The flight was cancelled. A passenger reported during acceleration of the aircraft there were severe vibrations, the crew reduced power and braked hard. The captain subsequently announced there had been a bird strike into the right hand engine. The aircraft returned to the stand, the passengers were rebooked onto other flights. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Marseille about 15 hours after the rejected takeoff. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e78c8ff&opt=0 Incident: American A320 at San Jose on May 17th 2021, engine shut down in flight An American Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration N663AW performing flight AA-2049 from San Jose,CA to Phoenix,AZ (USA) with 149 people on board, was in the initial climb out of San Jose's runway 30R when the crew declared PAN PAN and reported the failure of the right hand engine (V2527). The aircraft levelled off at 2000 feet and returned to San Jose for a safe landing on runway 30R about 10 minutes after departure. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e78be4f&opt=0 Incident: Safair B738 at Durban on May 15th 2021, indication of park brakes applied in flight A Safair Boeing 737-800, registration ZS-SJV performing flight FA-280 from Johannesburg to Durban (South Africa) with 155 people on board, was enroute at FL320 about 30 minutes into the flight nearing the top of descent, when the crew received indication the park brakes had activated. The crew declared emergency, cabin crew prepared the cabin for an emergency landing and rehearsed the brace procedures with the passengers. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Durban's runway 06 about 75 minutes after departure from Johannesburg. The airline reported there had been a brief concern about a mechanical issue, the crew received indication the parking brakes might have engaged, however, sensitive equipment sometimes may give false indications. The aircraft landed safely however, the passengers disembarked normally. A passenger reported the captain indicated one of the wheels may have locked up, they were now taking precautions for an emergency landing. Cabin crew subsequently rehearsed the emergency procedures and brace positions. During the descent towards Durban the aircraft was flying around the airport, mainly over the Ocean, before the aircraft commenced for the final approach with the passengers in the brace positions. Upon touchdown there was no unusual thud, the aircraft just rolled out as usual. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 90 minutes, then departed for the return flight and landed safely on Johannesburg, then remained on the ground in Johanensburg for about 21 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e78b0a2&opt=0 Incident: Tway B738 at Busan and Jeju on May 16th 2021, unreliable airspeed A Tway Air Boeing 737-800, registration HL8086 performing flight TW-943 from Busan to Jeju (South Korea) with 151 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing out of Busan when the crew observed different airspeeds on the captain's and first officer's airspeed indicators and declared emergency. The crew worked the related checklists, establish that the first officer's IAS agreed with the standby IAS and decided to trust the first officer's IAS. The aircraft climbed to FL160 and continued for a safe landing in Jeju about 55 minutes after departure. The airline reported an anomaly was found with the captain's dynamic port, the port was replaced. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e787c54&opt=0 McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk - Midair Collision (Texas) Date: 17-MAY-2021 Time: c. 11:00 Type: McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk Owner/operator: US Navy Registration: MSN: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Ricardo, south of Kingsville, TX - United States of America Phase: Unknown Nature: Military Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: A midair collision has been reported involving two McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk jets in the vicinity of Ricardo, Texas. One plane was able to land safely at the Naval Air Station in Kingsville while the instructor and student pilot in the other plane safely ejected about nine miles south of Kingsville in Ricardo. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/261794 FAA proposes $52,500 fine against unruly passenger An unruly passenger on a Delta flight in December is now facing the largest proposed fine from the Federal Aviation Administration this year -- a whopping $52,500. According to the agency, the passenger tried to open the cockpit door on the flight from Honolulu to Seattle before striking a flight attendant in the face and pushing them to the floor. Flight attendants and another passenger on the flight managed to place plastic handcuffs on the unruly passenger, but he later freed himself and managed to hit the flight attendant in the face a second time. The FAA said police boarded the plane after it landed in Seattle and took the passenger into custody. "Federal law prohibits interfering with aircraft crew or physically assaulting or threatening to physically assault aircraft crew or anyone else on an aircraft," the agency said. The FAA said there have been more than 1,300 unruly passenger cases since Feb. 1. The agency initiated approximately 20 enforcement cases. "The number of incidents and rate of incidents per 100,000 passengers is up sharply since the beginning of December 2020," the FAA said in a statement to ABC News last month. FAA Chief Steve Dickson, in January, first signed the order directing the agency to take a "zero-tolerance policy" in unruly passenger cases -- handing down stricter punishments without a warning, including fines of up to $35,000 and imprisonment. Dickson extended the FAA's unruly-passenger zero-tolerance policy in March. "The number of cases we’re seeing is still far too high and it tells us urgent action continues to be required," Dickson said. A passenger who faces a civil penalty for unruly behavior has a number of options, according to the FAA, including paying the full penalty or contesting it. https://www.yahoo.com/gma/faa-proposes-52-500-fine-183358725.html Exclusive: Airbus turns up heat on suppliers over production and quality By Tim Hepher PARIS (Reuters) - European planemaker Airbus has ordered suppliers to demonstrate as soon as possible that they are factory-fit for increased single-aisle jet output, in a letter that lays bare the extent of recent industrial quality problems. In the letter to suppliers in late March, seen by Reuters, Chief Procurement Officer Juergen Westermeier gave no specific targets but called for "immediate actions" to prepare for higher output, in the latest evidence of a recovery for mid-range jets. Airbus declined to comment on contacts with suppliers. The straight-shooting letter from Airbus highlights a slim margin for error as the world's largest planemaker reboots an industrial ecosystem weakened by a global travel slump. Reuters reported last week Airbus had told suppliers to be ready for output of 53 A320neo-family jets a month by the end of 2022, up from current monthly output of 40 and a target of 45 by end-2021. Airbus has declined to comment on any preliminary goals beyond 2021. But underscoring advanced planning for higher output, Airbus urged suppliers in the letter to "demonstrate rate and capability readiness as early as possible." Required actions include ensuring parts are ordered from suppliers' own sub-contractors on time. Suppliers must also implement "proper buffers" or inventory to anticipate future output increases. Industry sources say the last point may trigger fraught negotiations as some suppliers - squeezed by the industry's worst ever crisis - are reluctant to spend cash without payment guarantees from planemakers, fearing new coronavirus setbacks. Medium-haul jets like the A320neo are expected to lead the recovery as regional travel reopens in China, the United States and increasingly Europe, overshadowed by India's health crisis. 'TOO MANY ISSUES' Airbus also set out a tough line on quality-control problems seen disrupting its factories or affecting airline operations. In 2020, Airbus experienced 370 quality problems from suppliers, equivalent to 1.6 per day, of which half had some impact on aircraft, the letter said. "We are still facing too many issues ... We count on you to secure with rigour and discipline a much better containment and prevention plan," it said, adding: "Our first priority is to raise the bar on quality." Airbus has given suppliers "72 hours max" to contain any new quality defects once they have been discovered. There is no suggestion that such snags have compromised airline safety, but analysts say they can cause costly production delays. U.S. rival Boeing is also wrestling with production quality problems on best-selling models. Airbus operates one of the world's most valuable supply chains, with 8,000 direct suppliers and 18,000 indirect ones providing millions of parts worth some $50 billion a year. In normal times, suppliers must tell Airbus whenever parts use components or material from a different source or get built at a different site - a change known as a Transfer of Work. At any one time, manufacturers monitor dozens of such changes. But ensuring that the rising number of switches driven by the crisis happens without any impact on quality and deliveries has moved up the planemaker's list of concerns. "Over 2021-22, more than 680 Transfers of Work will be ongoing across the globe, illustrating the deepness of the crisis," the Airbus letter said, instructing suppliers to act early to head off any disruption. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/exclusive-airbus-turns-heat-suppliers-074719751.html U.S. airlines add COVID-tested flights to Italy as country reopens to tourists CHICAGO (Reuters) - United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines are adding flights to Italy with protocols for coronavirus testing as the country opens to leisure travelers from the United States for the first time in more than a year. On Sunday, the Italian government eased a number of COVID-19 travel restrictions and requirements as it looks to boost summer tourism, including scrapping a mandatory quarantine for visitors from certain countries as long as they test negative for COVID-19. As a result, United on Monday joined Delta and American in announcing additional COVID-tested flights to the popular European travel spot, which had been closed to tourists from countries including the United States, Canada and Japan. The three U.S. airlines have multiple nonstop options to Rome and Milan and Delta plans to add nonstop flights to Venice from New York in July and from Atlanta in August. U.S. travelers to Italy must take a COVID-19 test no more than 48 hours before boarding and again on arrival. If negative, they will be exempted from quarantine. To return to the United States, travelers must present a negative test taken no more than 72 hours before departure, even if they have been vaccinated. Airlines have lobbied for COVID-tested flights as a path to restart international travel, which has been severely restricted as governments seek to contain coronavirus infections. As cases decline in parts of the world with effective vaccination campaigns, the European Union's executive has recommended easing COVID-19 travel restrictions to let foreign travelers from more countries enter the bloc, which at times has struggled to agree on a common response to the pandemic. The United States continues to ban entry of non-U.S. citizens arriving from most of Europe, despite growing calls from airline industry leaders to speed the reopening of transatlantic travel. https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-airlines-add-covid-tested-232346420.html SRIWIJAYA AIR CRASH RESULTS IN FAA PROBE INTO 737 CLASSIC WIRING The US Federal Aviation Administration has warned operators of Boeing 737 Classic aircraft to check for possible wiring failures, following the investigation into the January crash of Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182. Flight SJ182, a 26-year-old Boeing 737-500, crashed into the Java Sea just minutes after take-off from Jakarta on Saturday, 9 January 2021, killing all 62 passengers and crew on board. Investigators later determined that the crash was caused in part by a malfunctioning autothrottle lever system, which resulted in an imbalance in engine thrust that ultimately sent the plane into a sharp roll and finally a dive into the sea. While the FAA has said there is as yet no evidence to suggest that the autothrottle problem could be replicated in other aircraft, it has now informed operators of over 1,041 737-300, -400, and -500 Classic series aircraft to inspect the wiring of their own systems. The FAA will soon also be issuing an airworthiness directive to the same effect. Under the directive, operators must verify that the flap syncro wire, which plays a key role in the operation of the autothrottle system, is securely connected to the safety sensor. According to the FAA, a failure of this wire could go undetected by the autothrottle computer and could pose a safety risk. Boeing earlier informed operators to perform electronic checks of the autothrottle computer to confirm the flap syncro wire if connected within 250 flight hours. However, the FAA is now requiring the initial electronic check to be performed within 250 flight hours or within two months, whichever occurs first, “to ensure that airplanes with low utilisation rates are addressed in a timely manner”. Additionally, the FAA is requiring follow-up inspections every 2,000 flight hours after the first. The air safety regulator said that a faulty connection of this wire could result in the failure of the autothrottle system to detect the position of the aircraft’s flaps if the plane’s engines were operating at different thrust settings due to another malfunction – as was the case in flight 182. The FAA reiterated that there is no evidence to suggest that this wiring issue had a role in the accident, however the subsequent investigation into such a concern was reason enough to issue the directive. Newer iterations of the jet, such as the 737 NG and 737 MAX, are not affected by the directive. In its preliminary investigation into the crash of SJ Flight 182, Indonesia’s air safety investigation bureau, the KNKT, noted that the plane climbed to 8,150 feet after take-off from Jakarta, before the left engine throttle lever moved back, while the right lever stayed put. “We don’t know if it’s broken or not, but it’s an anomaly because the left moved far back, the right did not as though it was stuck,” KNKT investigator Nurcayho Utomo said in a press conference. Then, at 10,900 feet, the autopilot reportedly disengaged, which caused the plane to roll to the left by over 45 degrees, and start its dive, the report said. It had been previously reported that the aircraft had pre-existing maintenance problems with its autothrottle system, which automatically controls the plane’s engine power. However, the report states the autothrottle system was repaired by engineers four days before the crash. Additionally, pilots can easily manually control the throttle meaning a malfunctioning autothrottle is not likely to be the single cause of such an accident. Both pilots are said to have been very experienced, with the captain accruing over 17,900 flight hours over his career, and the first officer 5,100. Last month, World of Aviation reported that Indonesian investigators had finally recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), which contains the recordings of the crew’s conversations in the final minutes before the aircraft crashed. The KNKT has confirmed that the aircraft’s recently-recovered CVR does contain the relevant voice recordings from within the cockpit in the hours and minutes leading up to the crash. However, the recordings themselves, nor the information they contain, are not yet available to the public. https://australianaviation.com.au/2021/05/sriwijaya-air-crash-results-in-faa-probe-into-737-classic-wiring/ How a Tougher Skin Could Change the Shape of Stealth Aircraft Stealth fighters and bombers are among the most expensive aircraft in the world, and they rely on a radar-absorbent polymer skin to avoid detection. But that polymer is so fragile that these high-end aircraft have to be designed in ways that protect the skin – even if that means hurting their performance in the air. A new material is poised to change that. By creating a tougher skin that also has more desirable stealth characteristics, researchers believe the new material will allow designers to rethink the stealth jet. “It comes down to this: if we get the support we need to scale this up, aircraft manufacturers will be able to fundamentally redesign stealth aircraft,” says Chengying “Cheryl” Xu, whose research team at NC State has developed the tougher radar-absorbent material. “The material we’ve engineered is not only more radar absorbent, it will also allow the next generation of stealth aircraft to be faster, more maneuverable and able to travel further.” The Challenges Existing stealth aircraft are coated in radar-absorbent polymers. These materials are capable of absorbing 70-80% of the energy from radar. Coupled with other design characteristics, this can make the radar signal of the aircraft very weak. While this doesn’t make the aircraft truly “invisible” to radar, it does make them awfully hard to see. And that gives the aircraft a tremendous advantage in military situations. (This is why spending on stealth aircraft is projected to grow.) However, these radar-absorbent materials have significant limitations. For one thing, radar-absorbent polymers are not very sturdy. Exposure to salt, moisture and abrasive materials can degrade these materials very quickly, or even peel them off. Another problem is that radar-absorbent polymers decompose at temperatures above 250 degrees Celsius, which leads to two significant design challenges. There are two places on a jet that can get particularly hot. For supersonic aircraft, one of those places is the leading edge of the wings. As a wing’s edge strikes oncoming air at high speeds, it generates a tremendous amount of friction. This can create hot spots on the wing’s edge in excess of 250 C. This affects the design of the wing itself to reduce friction – and accompanying hot spots. However, those design considerations affect the performance of the aircraft. The second high-temperature area is at the rear of the plane, because even the coolest jet exhaust temperatures are well over 250 C. This has required stealth aircraft designers to craft exceptionally long, thick exhaust nozzles, to ensure that the outer skin of the exhaust nozzles does not get too hot for the radar-absorbent skin. Unfortunately, the shape and weight of these nozzles makes the aircraft less fuel-efficient, slower and less maneuverable. A Promising Solution To address this array of impressive challenges, Xu and her collaborators have created a ceramic material that has an equally impressive array of attributes. For one thing, lab testing finds that the ceramic is more radar absorbent than the existing polymers, being able to absorb 90% or more of the energy from radar. It is, in effect, much harder for radar to “see.” In addition, the material is water-resistant and harder than sand. In other words, it can better withstand harsh conditions. What’s more, the ceramic material retains its radar-absorbent characteristics at temperatures as high as 1,800 C (and as cold as -100 C). The ceramic can be applied to the surface of the entire aircraft, and its combination of toughness and temperature resilience would allow aerospace engineers to design aircraft that are not constrained by the fragility of the polymers used by earlier generations of stealth vehicles. In fact, applying the ceramic “skin” is fairly straightforward. A liquid ceramic precursor is sprayed onto the surface of the aircraft. And as the liquid precursor is exposed to ambient air, it undergoes a series of chemical reactions and is converted to the solid ceramic material. “This process takes one to two days,” Xu says. What’s Next? The characteristics of the material have been established through laboratory testing. However, due to cost limitations, researchers have only made and tested samples that are small enough to fit in your hand. “We recently secured funding from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research that will allow us to produce and test much larger samples, so that’s what we’re working on now,” Xu says. “Ultimately, we are hoping to work with industry partners to scale this up and begin work on the next generation of stealth aircraft.” The work to this point is described in a trio of papers published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces: “Wide-Band Tunable Microwave-Absorbing Ceramic Composites Made of Polymer-Derived SiOC Ceramic and in Situ Partially Surface-Oxidized Ultra-High-Temperature Ceramics,” “Ultrahigh-Temperature Ceramic–Polymer-Derived SiOC Ceramic Composites for High-Performance Electromagnetic Interference Shielding,” and “Multifunctional Ceramic Composite System for Simultaneous Thermal Protection and Electromagnetic Interference Shielding for Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites.” The work has been done with support from the Office of Naval Research, the National Science Foundation and the State of North Carolina. https://news.ncsu.edu/2021/05/tougher-skin-for-stealth-aircraft/ Emirates could swap Boeing 777X jets for smaller Dreamliners, chairman says DUBAI (Reuters) -Emirates could swap some of its order for 126 Boeing 777X jets for smaller 787 Dreamliners as part of a sweeping review of its future fleet requirements, its chairman said on Monday. The airline is currently in talks with the U.S. planemaker over its fleet planes, a review brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, which has devastated the travel industry. Asked if the airline could swap its orders to take fewer 777X jets and more Dreamliners, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum told reporters: "It is always a possibility." "We are assessing our fleet requirements as we speak." Emirates, the world's biggest long-haul airline before the pandemic, has recently expressed frustration with Boeing over the 777X programme, which is three years behind schedule, urging the planemaker to share more details on the in-production jet. Sheikh Ahmed said the delays had been "tough" for Boeing, which is emerging from its worst crisis after fatal crashes of 737 MAX jets and a 20-month safety ban that has since been lifted. Emirates reduced its order for 150 777X to 126 jets as part of a deal that saw the airline order 30 Dreamliners in 2019. Sheikh Ahmed, who has headed Emirates since it was founded in 1985, did not say when the airline would make a decision on it future fleet. The airline is due to report its annual results for the financial year ended March 31. Sheikh Ahmed said it had been a very tough year, with the airline carrying around 30% of the 56.2 million passengers it carried in the previous year, without providing further details. He said he was optimistic for the upcoming summer travel season, even as the airline was reviewing its cash reserves on a monthly basis due to the deterioration in demand caused by the pandemic. "A lot of people (who have) stopped travelling for the last year and a half ... want to travel." However, Sheikh Ahmed suggested the airline was taking a conservative approach to restoring capacity, telling reporters Emirates would only operate flights that make commercial sense. "We don't just open a route for the sake of opening or just for a publicity reason." https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/emirates-could-swap-boeing-777x-124021904.html United to add more than 400 daily flights in July as travel demand soars (Reuters) - United Airlines said on Monday it would add more than 400 daily flights to its July schedule and increase services to re-opened European destinations as easing pandemic restrictions spur summer travel demand. Summer travel bookings rose 214% from 2020 levels, the airline said, adding that it planned to fly 80% of its U.S. schedule compared to July 2019. Ratings agency Moody's has predicted that steady vaccine rollouts across geographies would drive a rebound in commercial air travel, with a strong recovery in U.S. domestic travel, which began in March, to spread globally over different time-frames. The European Union has recommended easing COVID-19 travel restrictions next month to let foreign travelers from more countries enter the bloc. United said it was giving travelers more options to visit Europe by adding a fourth weekly flight to Dubrovnik, Croatia as well as more seats to Athens, Greece. The U.S. carrier has teamed up with Clorox and Cleveland Clinic for cleaning and health safety procedures. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/united-add-more-400-daily-110220251.html If Space Junk Falls on Your House, Are There Laws to Protect You? On 8 May 2021, a piece of space junk from a Chinese rocket fell uncontrolled back to Earth and landed in the Indian Ocean near the Maldives. A year ago, in May 2020, another Chinese rocket met the same fate when it plummeted out of control into the waters off the West African coast. No one knew when or where either of these pieces of space junk were going to hit, so it was a relief when neither crashed on land or injured anyone. Space debris is any nonfunctional human-made object in space. As a professor of space and society focused on space governance, I've noticed that there are three questions the public always asks when falling space debris gets into the news. Could this have been prevented? What would have happened if there was damage? And how will new commercial companies be regulated as space activities and launches increase exponentially? For space law to be effective, it needs to do three things. First, regulation must prevent as many dangerous situations from occurring as possible. Second, there needs to be a way to monitor and enforce compliance. And finally, laws need to lay out a framework for responsibility and liability if things do go wrong. So, how do current laws and treaties around space stack up? They do OK, but interestingly, looking at environmental law here on Earth may give some ideas on how to improve the current legal regime with respect to space debris. What if a rocket landed on your house? Imagine that, instead of landing in the ocean, the recent Chinese rocket crashed into your house while you were at work. What would current law allow you to do? According to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and 1972 Liability Convention – both adopted by the United Nations – this would be a government-to-government issue. The treaties declare that states are internationally responsible and liable for any damage caused by a spacecraft – even if the damage was caused by a private company from that state. According to these laws, your country wouldn't even need to prove that someone had done something wrong if a space object or its component parts caused damage on the surface of the Earth or to normal aircraft in flight. Basically, if a piece of space junk from China landed on your house, your own country's government would make a claim for compensation through diplomatic channels and then pay you – if they chose to make the claim at all. While the chances are slim to none that a broken satellite will land on your house, space debris has crashed onto land. In 1978, the Soviet Cosmos 954 satellite fell into a barren region of Canada's Northwest Territories. When it crashed, it spread radioactive debris from its onboard nuclear reactor over a wide swath of land. A joint Canadian-American team began a cleanup effort that cost over CAD$14 million (US$11.5 million). The Canadians requested CAD$6 million from the Soviet Union, but the Soviets paid only CAD$3 million in the final settlement. This was the first – and only – time the Liability Convention has been used when a spacecraft from one country has crashed in another. When the Liability Convention was put into use in this context, four governing norms emerged. Countries have a duty to: warn other governments about debris; provide any information they could about an impending crash; clean up any damage caused by the craft; and compensate your government for any injuries that might have resulted. However, if you owned a small orbiting satellite that got hit by a piece of space junk, you and your government would have to prove who was at fault. Currently, though, there is no globally coordinated space traffic management system. With tens of thousands of tracked pieces of debris in orbit – and multitudes of smaller, untrackable pieces, figuring out what destroyed your satellite would be a very difficult thing to do. Space pollution is the bigger problem Current space law has worked so far because the issues have been few and far between and have been dealt with diplomatically. As more and more spacecraft take flight, the risks to property or life will inevitably increase and the Liability Convention may get more use. Every dot in this image represents a known piece of space debris. (NASA Orbital Debris Program/Wikimedia Commons) But risks to life and property are not the only concerns about a busy sky. While launch providers, satellite operators and insurance companies care about the problem of space debris for its effect on space operations, space sustainability advocates argue that the environment of space has value itself and faces a much greater risk of harm than individuals on Earth. The mainstream view is that degrading the environment on Earth through pollution or mismanagement is bad because of its negative impact on the environment or living beings. The same is true for space, even if there is no clear direct victim or physical harm. In the Cosmos 954 settlement, the Canadians claimed that since the Soviet satellite deposited hazardous radioactive debris in Canadian territory, this constituted "damage to property" within the meaning of the Liability Convention. But, as Article 2 of the Outer Space Treaty declares that no state can own outer space or celestial bodies, it is not clear whether this interpretation would apply in the event of harm to objects in space. Space is shaping up to be a new frontier on which the tragedy of the commons can play out. Removing from orbit existing large objects that could collide with one another would be a great place for governments to start. But if the United Nations or governments agreed on laws that define legal consequences for creating space debris in the first place and punishment for not following best practices, this could help mitigate future pollution of the space environment. Such laws would not need to be invented from scratch. The 2007 United Nations Space Debris Mitigation guidelines already address the issue of debris prevention. While some countries have transferred these guidelines into national regulations, worldwide implementation is still pending, and there are no legal consequences for noncompliance. The chances of a person being killed by a falling satellite are close to zero. On the off chance it does happen, current space law provides a pretty good framework for dealing with such an event. But just like during the early 20th century on Earth, current laws are focusing on the individual and ignoring the bigger picture of the environment – albeit a cold, dark and unfamiliar one. Adapting and enforcing space law so that it prevents and deters actors from polluting the space environment – and holds them accountable if they break these laws – could help avoid a trash-filled sky.The Conversation Timiebi Aganaba, Assistant Professor of Space and Society, Arizona State University. https://www.sciencealert.com/if-space-junk-falls-on-your-house-are-there-laws-to-protect-you Position Available: Maintenance Controller/Maintenance Technician FlightWorks, Inc. is growing, and we are seeking an experienced Maintenance Controller/Maintenance Technician to join our team for a high-volume full-time Part 91 and 135 opportunity based in Kennesaw, Georgia. This is a great opportunity to join one of the most trusted management companies in the industry with career growth potential. Must reside in or be willing to locate to Georgia. FlightWorks is not your typical aircraft management company. Our core values focus around Safety, Safety and FAA compliance are our top priorities, with exceptional service being a close second! Please see below for more details on our benefits package. The responsibilities consist of any and all tasks generally recognized as, but not limited to, a mechanic's work on or in reference to aircraft, its component parts and related equipment performed at line stations, major stations and shops. Mechanic/Technicians may be required to inspect and test systems, component parts used in their work and sign for the work performed. Must be capable of performing their work satisfactorily to our company standards. Sensitive material or subject matter may be discussed in your presence. Strict confidentiality must be adhered to. Mechanics/technicians may be required to instruct less experienced employees. Responsibilities: · Maintaining the many different types of aircraft operated by the company, in accordance with current FAA regulations, manufacturer's maintenance manuals, FlightWorks General Operations Manual (GOM) and FlightWorks General Maintenance Manual (GMM). · Maintain adequate tools necessary to perform all tasks on aircraft. The company will supply aircraft specific specialty tools. · Maintain a clean and orderly work area. This includes cleaning up after completion of a job and general housekeeping of hangar, shop, and office areas. · Completing all required documentation in accordance with current FAA regulations, FlightWorks General Operations Manual (GOM), and FlightWorks General Maintenance Manual (GMM). · Communicating aircraft discrepancy information, aircraft status, and changes in a timely manner to direct supervisor. · Performs all maintenance and repairs on aircraft for which s/he is assigned and qualified. · Approves aircraft for return to service after scheduled or unscheduled maintenance for which s/he is authorized and qualified. · Returns all equipment and tools checked out at end of work shift and reposition equipment in assigned area after use. · Reports all inoperative or faulty equipment to the Maintenance Supervisor in charge. · Performs duties of Maintenance Coordinator as qualified when assigned to that position by an authorized person. · Completes all paperwork for the maintenance s/he performs. · Assures that hangar workshops, and other areas assigned are maintained in an orderly manner. · Will have adequate tools to perform work. FlightWorks is not your typical aircraft management company. Our core values focus on Safety, Compliance and Service. As an example, all of our flight crews receive real prospective duty and rest assignments every duty day. We do not believe in the 24/7/365 on-call scheduling that so many other companies offer. Safety and FAA compliance are our top priorities, with exceptional service being a close second! Please see below for more details on our benefits package. Because FlightWorks cares about the health and well-being of our employees and their families, we offer a comprehensive benefits package. Full-Time Employee Benefits · Competitive salary · 401(k) retirement plan · Medical and dental insurance · Prescription drug plan · Vision care plan · Healthcare Reimbursement and Flexible Spending Accounts · Employee Assistance Program · Basic life and accidental death insurance, with optional elective coverage · Optional spouse and dependent life insurance · Short-term disability coverage and basic long-term disability insurance, with optional “buy-up” coverage. · Legal Shield and Identity Theft insurance · Pet Insurance Time Away From Work · Paid time off · Holiday pay (qualified employees) Qualifications · Must hold a valid A & P Certificate, IA preferred. · Must travel as necessary, for company business. · Must be able to be reached by telephone, cellular phone, and report to work at all times, except when prior arrangements have been made with maintenance supervisor. · Experience with Bombardier preferred. · Part 135 experience preferred. · Must stay up to date with current FlightWorks Policies and Procedures. · Must stay up to date with current Federal Aviation Regulations. · Must be willing to work nights, weekends and holidays. · Display initiative, integrity, and an overall positive attitude. · Be able to independently identify tasks that need to be accomplished. · Ask questions as they arise. · Be a "Team Player". This is a Safety Sensitive position and is subject to Random Drug and Alcohol testing. APPLY AT: www.flightworks.com/about/careers AVIATION COMMUNICATION: STRATEGY AND MESSAGES FOR ENSURING SUCCESS AND PREVENTING FAILURES, 1ST EDITION 'THIS BOOK IS A MUST-HAVE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL AVIATION BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS A TRI-FUNCTIONAL INDUCTION, TRAINING, AND REFERENCE TOOL.' Now available to order from www.routledge.com/9781138624825 Aviation Communication: Strategy and Messages for Ensuring Success and Preventing Failures by Linda J. Tavlin www.lindatavlin.com With a foreword by Professor Graham Braithwaite "This is a great book that helps prepare communicators and business leaders in facing the worst. As Linda rightly points out, communication is a thought process and needs to be practised." - Tony Fernandes, Group CEO, AirAsia Group Do you ever wonder why an airline's communication strategy can crash and burn in a crisis? A lack of understanding an acceptable aviation communication strategy can, in this fast world of social media, ruin a company's credibility in the aviation industry. Aviation Communication: Strategy and Messages for Ensuring Success and Preventing Failures is the first go-to book to reveal to everyone in the aviation industry how to stop an organization's communication strategy from becoming the tragedy-after-the-tragedy that we've seen so often. In such instances, after the media go home, the economic, political, regulatory, and legal effects can linger for years. The strategies and messages in this book show how to prevent this along with the ultimate safety net used by those who have been successful. Readers will learn to prevent catastrophic communication mistakes with strategic templates for a wide array of scenarios, as well as 25 specific techniques that give the actual words to use to deliver the book's messages and reveal the safety net of the 4-point formula that organizations with successful strategies have used. New Discount Code Is AC230 For 20% Discount It is valid from from 14th of May to the 28th October 2021 Purchase your copy here: https://www.routledge.com/9781138624825 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 Graduate Survey My name is Pierre DION, I am an airline Captain and student at City, University of London doing an MSc in Air Safety Management. Department of Mathematics of City, University of London We are looking for volunteers to participate in a study of "Artificial Intelligence in Safety Management System". As a participant in this study, you would be asked to answer 18 questions for an anonymous questionnaire. Your participation would involve one session of approximately 10 minutes of your time. Please follow the link below. Thank you. Survey Link: https://cityunilondon.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4UCz8cT2NDRdIxg Thank you. Pierre DION Curt Lewis