Flight Safety Information - May 21, 2021 No. 102 In This Issue : Incident: unknown AN26 near Bor on May 20th 2021, dropped propeller in flight : Incident: Aeroflot B773 at Geneva on May 16th 2021, lightning strike : MiG-21 - Fatal Accident (India) : Boeing resumes 737 MAX deliveries following electrical issue -source : Delta passenger accused of trying to open cockpit, hitting flight attendant : ATSB: Pilot incapacitation likely in Ulladulla firefighting helicopter accident : ‘Unruly passenger’ on American Airlines flight diverted to Seattle faces federal charge : $100,000 retention bonuses offered to commanders of Navy aviation units : American Airlines Customers Can Now Choose Convenient Vaccine Verification Option in VeriFLY : U.S. airlines scramble to find call center staff as travel returns : American Airlines customers report system outage, trouble checking in for flights nationwide : American Airlines debuts vaccine passport feature within mobile app : U.S. Airlines Are Having Trouble Finding Employees As Air Travel Begins To Pick Up : Firefly Aerospace's lunar lander will fly to the moon on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in 2023 : ATTENTION ALL FATIGUE RISK MANAGERS, PLANNERS AND POLICY MAKERS! : Position Available: Maintenance Controller/Maintenance Technician Incident: unknown AN26 near Bor on May 20th 2021, dropped propeller in flight An unknown Antonov AN-26 freighter, flight from Juba to Paloch (South Sudan), was enroute near Bor (South Sudan) when the left hand propeller detached from the aircraft at around 12:30Z and fell to the ground about 200 meters from the highway connecting Bor and Juba where workers observed the aircraft and the object fall down. The aircraft returned to Juba and landed safely. Juba Airport reported an Antonov cargo aircraft, that had departed from Juba to Paloch, returned to Juba with just one propeller. In response to the occurrence South Sudan's Civil Aviation Authority banned all private company operations of Antonov AN-26 in South Sudan's Airspace with the exception of the AN-26, tail number UR-UZI (white engine cowlings), being operated for UNMISS. UR-UZI had been inbound to Juba at the time of occurrence but was not near Bor and was the only AN-26 (AN-24) visible in South Sudan Airspace via their transponder throughout the day. The CAA also stated that "all operating managers of the said AN26 are to implement this order without fail". The occurrence aircraft was not visible via their transponder. Neither of the photos around so far are able to identify the airframe involved. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e7b085a&opt=0 Incident: Aeroflot B773 at Geneva on May 16th 2021, lightning strike An Aeroflot Boeing 777-300, registration VQ-BFK performing flight SU-2383 from Geneva (Switzerland) to Moscow Sheremetyevo (Russia), was climbing through FL100 out of Geneva's runway 22 when the aircraft received a lightning strike. With all indications remaining normal the crew continued the flight to Moscow where the aircraft landed safely about 3 hours later. Rosaviatsia reported a post flight inspection revealed damage by atmospheric electrical discharge, the aircraft was removed from service. The aircraft is still on the ground in Moscow about 86 hours (3 days 14 hours) after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e7ad3e9&opt=0 MiG-21 - Fatal Accident (India) Date: 21-MAY-2021 Time: 04:00 Type: MiG-21 Owner/operator: Indian Air Force (IAF) Registration: MSN: Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Moga district, Punjab - India Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: Suratgarh Destination airport: Narrative: A MiG-21 figther jet of the IAF crashed in Moga district, Punjab under unknown circumstances, The pilot died in the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/262196 Boeing resumes 737 MAX deliveries following electrical issue -source SEATTLE (Reuters) -Boeing Co resumed deliveries of its best-selling 737 MAX on Wednesday, following approval of a fix for an electrical grounding issue that sidelined dozens of jets, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. Reuters reported on April 16 that Boeing stopped delivering its cash cow single-aisle 737 MAX after the electrical grounding problem - months after the plane returned to service following a lengthy safety ban due to fatal crashes. A Boeing spokeswoman declined to comment. Boeing shares came off session lows but were down 1.6% on a day when the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped. Earlier this month, the U.S. planemaker won approval from U.S. regulators for a fix for the electrical grounding issue that had affected about 100 737 MAX airplanes. That approval cleared the way for the jet's quick return to service. Airlines had pulled dozens of 737 MAX jets from service in early April after Boeing warned of the electrical problem, linked to a backup power control unit in the cockpit on some recently built airplanes. The problem was then found in two other places on the flight deck, including the storage rack where the control unit is kept and the instrument panel facing the pilots. The 737 MAX was approved to return to service in November 2020 in the United States after being grounded for 20 months following two fatal crashes that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019. Reuters reported on May 4 that the FAA asked Boeing to supply fresh analysis showing numerous 737 MAX subsystems would not be affected by electrical grounding issues first flagged in three areas of the jet in April. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-resumes-737-max-deliveries-164640772.html Delta passenger accused of trying to open cockpit, hitting flight attendant An airline passenger facing charges after being disruptive aboard a flight is just one of several incidents in the past year Authorities have decided to press charges after a Delta passenger reportedly assaulted a flight attendant and then attempted to open the cockpit. According to reports, Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the proposal of civil penalties against four different passengers ranging from $9K to $52,500K due to a series of incidents that kicked off with a Dec. 23, 2020 scuffle that took place on a Delta flight from from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Seattle, Wash. “The FAA alleges that the passenger tried to open the cockpit door, repeatedly refused to comply with crew members’ instructions, and physically assaulted a flight attendant by striking him in the face and pushing him to the floor. The passenger then threatened the flight attendant by charging at him as he was trying to restrain the passenger,” read a statement from the FAA. “Flight attendants, with the help of another passenger, placed plastic handcuffs on the disruptive passenger,” the account continued. “Later, the passenger freed himself from one of the handcuffs and struck the flight attendant in the face a second time. Police boarded the aircraft after it landed and took the passenger into custody.” The passenger in question is facing a potential fine of $52,500K for his actions. In a second incident, a passenger on a Jan. 1, 2020, Southwest Airlines flight from Phoenix, Arizona, to Chicago, Illinois, faces a potential fine of $27K for allegedly “yelling and forcefully banging his hands on the seat in front of him, disturbing nearby passengers,” after a flight attendant told him to take his seat. At some point during the flight, the passenger “yelled that he was going to kill someone and that he had a bomb and was going to blow up the aircraft. Because of his behavior, flight attendants relocated several nearby passengers, and the captain diverted the flight to Oklahoma City. Police took the passenger into custody after the plane landed.” A third passenger on a Feb. 5, 2021, jetBlue Airlines flight from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to Las Vegas, Nevada, faces $18,500K in fines because he was caught with “several mini bottles of alcohol that the airline had not served to him.” When he ignored warnings that he wasn’t allowed to drink a personal alcohol supply during the flight and then refused to wear a mask, “the disturbances that the passenger caused required flight attendants to alert the pilots about his behavior,” which made for an incredibly unpleasant experience for others on the aircraft. And lastly, a passenger on a Feb. 15, 2021, Allegiant Air flight from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to Knoxville, Tennessee faces $9K in potential fines for cussing out flight attendants when asked to weak a mask onboard. “Later, she came to the front of the plane to use the lavatory and sat in the exit row because the lavatory was occupied,” the account continued. “After the flight attendant told her she could not sit in the exit row, she got up, stood close to the flight attendant without wearing her mask over her mouth and nose, and screamed at the flight attendant. When another flight attendant attempted to provide the passenger with a disturbance form, the passenger began to curse, telling the flight attendants they couldn’t do anything.” “Federal law prohibits interfering with aircraft crew or physically assaulting or threatening to physically assault aircraft crew or anyone else on an aircraft. Passengers are subject to civil penalties because such misconduct can threaten the safety of the flight by disrupting or distracting cabin crew from their safety duties,” the FAA clarified in the statement. https://www.yahoo.com/news/delta-passenger-accused-trying-open-015500929.html ATSB: Pilot incapacitation likely in Ulladulla firefighting helicopter accident An investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has found the pilot of a fire-bombing helicopter likely suffered an incapacitating medical event while repeatedly water bombing a fire near Ulladulla, New South Wales on the afternoon of Aug. 17, 2018. The pilot of a Kawasaki Heavy Industries BK117 helicopter, registered VH-JWB, had just filled its slung Bambi Bucket without incident from a dam and departed on a fifth fire-bombing circuit. Shortly after, the helicopter diverted off course contrary to the established flight pattern of the Woodburn fire. The bucket and longline then became caught in trees at the edge of a clearing, causing the helicopter to collide with terrain before coming to rest inverted. The pilot was fatally injured, and the helicopter was destroyed. None of the ground or airborne crews heard any radio transmissions from the helicopter immediately before the accident (during water bombing operations it is standard practice to make a radio call when leaving the circuit for any reason, to inform other airborne assets of the helicopter’s tracking). In the minutes prior to the accident, the pilot responded normally to an NSW Rural Fire Service Air Attack coordinator conducting an ‘operations normal’ radio call and did not report any difficulties at that time. During the investigation, ATSB Transport Safety Investigators did not identify any pre-existing defects with the helicopter that may have contributed to the accident. “The pilot’s post-mortem identified a focus of acute inflammatory change in the heart muscle, a condition known as lymphocytic myocarditis,” Director Transport Safety, Stuart Macleod said. “This condition is capable of causing sudden impairment or complete incapacitation. The pilot is unlikely to have known they suffered from this condition. There are no risk factors for the development of this condition, and it cannot be detected by medical screening.” The pilot’s post-mortem identified coronary heart disease which is also capable of causing sudden impairment and incapacitation. However, despite the pilot suffering from these two heart-related conditions, there was insufficient evidence to determine if they contributed to the accident. “Pilots are reminded that some medical conditions may be undetectable by the normal aviation medical screening process and should remain vigilant for any medical symptoms which may be the precursor to a more serious medical event,” Macleod said. The experienced pilot, with a total flying experience of approximately 7,750 hours (approximately 1,300 hours experience operating the BK117 and in excess of 3,000 hours of longline experience) was known to use an over-the-counter medication for the treatment of hay fever. Although labelled as non-sedating, this medication was not approved by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority for use while conducting flying operations. “The pilot was known to have been taking this medication for some time, so any adverse effects on the day of the accident were considered unlikely,” Macleod said. “However, pilots should also exercise caution when using over-the-counter medications as their availability does not mean they are automatically safe for use while conducting aviation activities.” Due to the inverted nature of the accident and resulting vertical compression of the fuselage, the accident was not considered survivable. However, evidence from the first responders showed the upper torso restraint (UTR) was worn incorrectly at the time of the accident. “Although on this occasion the accident was unsurvivable, the use of such a shoulder harness restraint generally reduces the likelihood of fatal head injuries,” Macleod said. “Pilots are reminded to always use UTRs if they are fitted to the aircraft.” https://verticalmag.com/press-releases/atsb-pilot-incapacitation-likely-in-ulladulla-firefighting-helicopter-accident/ ‘Unruly passenger’ on American Airlines flight diverted to Seattle faces federal charge SEA-TAC, Wash. — An “unruly passenger” who caused an American Airlines flight headed from Tokyo to Dallas to be diverted to Seattle on Wednesday is facing a federal charge. According to court documents, 26-year-old Waka Suzuki allegedly became angry over a faulty seat charger, which escalated to the point where the woman shoved crew members on the flight and then pounded on the cockpit door, prosecutors said. The incident caused a lockdown, forcing the pilot to land the plane in Seattle. Sixty passengers and 13 crew members were on the flight. According to charging documents, Suzuki had asked a flight attendant for help to charge her phone but became hostile when the phone did not charge. She reportedly began yelling at the crew on the flight. Prosecutors said she ran toward the front of the plane after becoming unhappy with the crew’s additional attempts to help her. The woman reportedly shoved crew members and stomped on their feet, running toward the cockpit. When Suzuki got to the door, investigators said she pounded on it and yelled for help to charge her phone. According to court records, flight attendants attempted several more times to calm Suzuki but she continued yelling and did not comply with the attendants. Then the Federal Aviation Administration was notified about the incident and a Level Three lockdown was initiated, forcing the pilot to divert the plane to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. During the flight, the woman was placed in flex cuffs by crew members after two of them were assaulted. When the plane landed in Seattle, the woman reportedly stayed on the plane for nearly 30 minutes, refusing to get off. Port of Seattle police and U.S Customs and Border Protection agents were waiting for her. After getting off the plane, the woman was interviewed by customs officials and reportedly admitted she got angry over the faulty charger. She reportedly said the flight attendants were “rude and dismissive.” According to court records, she told investigators that a crew member spat on her and others pushed her to the ground, which led her to punch and shove. https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/american-airlines-flight-diverted-seattle-over-security-event-involving-an-unruly-passenger/3M77VR4CBFG6LGN5WN7WN5XORI/ $100,000 retention bonuses offered to commanders of Navy aviation units The Navy is offering $100,000 in aviation command retention bonuses to commanders who remain in the service for roughly three more years — the same deal they were offered last fiscal year. As part of those three additional years, commanders must complete a post-command commander tour lasting between 24 and 36 months, according to a new NAVADMIN. “Our cadre of commander (CDR) commanding officers (CO) lead our Naval Aviation Enterprise today, and they are the major commanders and flag officers of tomorrow,” the NAVADMIN said. “Their skills and leadership experience are essential to the success of the Navy.” As a result, the retention bonus is intended to “retain those officers with the capabilities and command experience in our primary warfighting missions that are critical for the future of our service.” Officers will receive an up-front payment of $34,000 and two subsequent annual payments of $33,000. https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2021/05/20/100000-retention-bonuses-offered-to-commanders-of-navy-aviation-units/ American Airlines Customers Can Now Choose Convenient Vaccine Verification Option in VeriFLY FORT WORTH, Texas — As more countries and destinations move to require proof of a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination for travelers, American Airlines is working with mobile health partner Daon and its app VeriFLY to help customers verify they are vaccinated and ready to fly before they even step foot in an airport. Customers using the VeriFLY app now have the option to securely upload their vaccine documentation for travel to the Bahamas, El Salvador and Guatemala. VeriFLY expands app’s capabilities to include COVID-19 vaccination verification, starting with the Bahamas, El Salvador and Guatemala Customers using VeriFLY can use expedited check-in lanes at most U.S. hub airports FORT WORTH, Texas — As more countries and destinations move to require proof of a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination for travelers, American Airlines is working with mobile health partner Daon and its app VeriFLY to help customers verify they are vaccinated and ready to fly before they even step foot in an airport. Customers using the VeriFLY app now have the option to securely upload their vaccine documentation for travel to the Bahamas, El Salvador and Guatemala. “VeriFLY gives customers peace of mind that they can meet their destination’s travel requirements and save significant time at the airport,” said Julie Rath, Vice President of Customer Experience at American. “As countries reopen to those who have been vaccinated, we are ready with VeriFLY to help our customers travel with confidence.” For travel to the Bahamas, El Salvador and Guatemala, customers can upload a photo of both sides of their COVID-19 vaccine record into the app. The VeriFLY team will review that all documentation meets the destination requirements. The VeriFLY app simplifies travel by allowing customers to enter their origin and destination and guiding them through the necessary travel requirements. Customers can upload documentation of their fulfilled requirements directly to the app, which then validates that the documents match a country’s requirements, and displays a simple pass or fail message. This simple message streamlines the check-in and document verification process at the airport before departure. The app also provides travelers with reminders when their travel window is coming to a close or once their pass credential has expired. As countries continue to set standards for COVID-19 vaccination requirements, VeriFLY will integrate those standards into its verification processes to simplify the customer’s journey and provide peace of mind that they met their destination’s requirements. Customers can download the app for free from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store. VeriFLY is the airline industry’s most widely adopted mobile health passport, helping customers flying on American and its partners — Aer Lingus, Alaska Airlines British Airways, Iberia, Japan Air Lines, and Qantas — travel to more than 60 countries and 280 destinations. American Airlines does not require vaccination for travel. In some cases, as with required visas or other immunizations, a customer may be required by a local destination to have proof of a COVID-19 immunization. American will confirm the customer has documents required by their destination’s local government before they board the plane. Dedicated VeriFLY Check-In Lane at Hubs Customers who use the VeriFLY app and depart from several of American’s hubs can take advantage of dedicated and expedited entry lanes for check-in at the airport. These dedicated lanes can save time by allowing customers to bypass standard check-in queues. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Miami International Airport (MIA) O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago Cancun International Airport (CUN) in Mexico Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Liberia, Costa Rica El Dorado Luis Carlos Galan Sarmiento International Airport (BOG) Bogotá, Colombia Heathrow Airport (LHR) in London Narita International Airport (NRT) in Tokyo Customers can use the VeriFLY app in three languages* to streamline their travel to several countries when traveling on the following American Airlines-operated routes: International flights to the U.S. Direct and connecting flights from American’s U.S. airports to: Aruba Bahamas Barbados Brazil Canada Colombia El Salvador France Guatemala Honduras Ireland Jamaica Spain United Kingdom *VeriFLY is currently available in English, Japanese, and Spanish Prepared for the Air VeriFLY is part of American’s multi-layer commitment to ensure customers are prepared for the air with tools to make their travel easier to manage. As customers are ready to return to the skies, American provides all the resources they need to understand requirements for travel, preflight testing resources, and more. Customers can visit Prepared for the Air to get started. As always, American encourages customers to review all travel requirements for their destination, including any restrictions on passport or point of origin. About VeriFLY VeriFLY is developed and managed by the biometric authentication and identity assurance solutions provider, Daon. VeriFLY offers travelers a secure and simple way to confirm their destination’s COVID-19 requirements. After creating a secure profile on the VeriFLY app, Daon verifies that the customer’s data matches a country’s requirements and displays a simple pass or fail message. This simple message streamlines the check-in and documentation verification process at the airport before departure. The app also provides travelers with reminders when their travel window is coming to a close or once their credential has expired. https://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2021/American-Airlines-Customers-Can-Now-Choose-Convenient-Vaccine-Verification-Option-in-VeriFLY-OPS-DIS-05/default.aspx U.S. airlines scramble to find call center staff as travel returns U.S. airlines are scrambling to add staff and upgrade technology as they face anger over prolonged call center wait times while tackling a surge in air travel following COVID-19 vaccinations. "#Delta 9 hours wait on hold is this a way to run an airline," read one Twitter post from a Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) customer. After a year of being cooped up, travelers are balancing the prospect of sunshine in Florida or fresh mountain air in Montana and Wyoming - among the fastest growing U.S. travel markets - with frustrations during the booking process. By July, U.S. domestic air fares and capacity could approach pre-pandemic levels, according to experts, but overall staffing at the three legacy carriers shrunk by roughly 20% last year. While travelers can easily book new vacations online for flight changes or travel credits -- transactions that have soared during the pandemic -- they often need to go through call centers, which are also managing a flurry of questions about COVID-19 travel restrictions and requirements. To support the increase in call volumes, Delta is adding staffing and overtime, hiring temporary summer contract workers and fast-tracking technology upgrades to self-service options, a spokesman said. "Our wait times are not currently where we'd like to them to be," he said. American Airlines (AAL.O) said it is hiring hundreds of reservations agents to help with the rise in calls, while United Airlines (UAL.O) said it is working to shorten hold times through increased staffing and technology upgrades, without providing details. U.S. airlines received billions of dollars in government aid to pay salaries and protect jobs during the pandemic but also encouraged workers to take voluntary leave packages to slim staffing because they didn't know how long the crisis, or the government aid, would last. Willie Walsh, the head of the International Air Transport Association, said on Wednesday that the decisions by carriers across the globe to retire aircraft and make staff redundant could hamper the aviation industry's recovery. read more An explosion in U.S. domestic leisure travel demand as more Americans become vaccinated has taken many in the industry by surprise, leaving services from airports to rental car companies and hotels short-staffed. The strength of the rebound has possible implications beyond the airline industry since economists say air traffic is closely tied to overall economic output and is frequently seen as a guide to consumer confidence. However, analyst John Grant of flight data specialist OAG warned on Wednesday that U.S. domestic airline traffic may be "overheating," suggesting that legacy carriers are likely to reshape their networks toward more international markets once they reopen. Still, Grant said plans by U.S. ultra low-cost carriers and start-ups to build domestic capacity "has to be good news for all airports of all sizes across the United States in the next few years." https://www.reuters.com/world/the-great-reboot/us-airlines-scramble-find-call-center-staff-travel-returns-2021-05-19/ American Airlines customers report system outage, trouble checking in for flights nationwide The computer glitch has been impacting travel since about 2 a.m. Central time Friday. HOUSTON — Travelers across the country reported delays while trying to fly American Airlines early Friday morning. They posted photos to social media of long lines at multiple airports. It's believed a computer or server problem is causing delays trying to check people in. American Airlines has not confirmed what the problem is specifically, but they have been responding to customers on Twitter with this: "Our teams are engaged and working to fix this ASAP. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the wait." American Airlines says problem has been resolved They later provided this statement to the media just after 4:30 a.m. "Earlier today, Sabre had a technical issue that impacted multiple carriers, including American. This technical issue has been resolved. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience." At about the same time, one traveler in Knoxville told KHOU 11 it appeared his check-in line was now moving, but all American flights were delayed by an hour. In Houston, the earliest American flight out of Bush Airport was scheduled to depart at 5:35 a.m. for Chicago and still appeared to be on time. On Twitter, people were pleading with the https://www.khou.com/article/travel/american-airlines-system-down-friday-travel-flights-delayed-server-outage/285-b0b0bfad-f2d8-43ae-a1e2-f8c77ddb904f American Airlines debuts vaccine passport feature within mobile app Flying with American Airlines? Get your vaccine card ready. On Thursday, the Fort Worth-based carrier announced that it’s adding a vaccine passport capability to its health passport mobile app, Verifly. Flyers can now securely upload their CDC vaccination card before a trip, which will then be verified and processed before departure. Verifly is an independent mobile app that American has deployed since November 2020 to streamline the check-in and document verification process before departure, including international entry requirements, COVID-19 tests and now vaccines. It can be downloaded for free on both the Apple App Store and Google Play store. Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG’s free new biweekly Aviation newsletter! In explaining the news, Preston Peterson, American’s director of customer experience innovation, told TPG that “we’re now shifting into this phase… where countries are really opening up, but it’s more based on vaccines. We need to adapt to that shift and make sure that we’re providing an opportunity for our customers to use their vaccine status to get into a country or a destination if they choose to.” At launch, the vaccine passport feature will only be available for travelers headed to the Bahamas, El Salvador and Guatemala. In addition to accepting U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccination cards, Peterson told TPG that the carrier is working with Verifly to accept international vaccine records as well. With ever-changing entry requirements, American’s committed to expanding the feature to other international destinations. In fact, this paves the way for American to support the much-anticipated travel corridor expected to launch shortly between the U.S. and the European Union. “We are laying the groundwork for that,” Peterson said in reference to the news that Europe could soon be open to fully vaccinated Americans. “We’re happy to have this challenge to be able to provide our customers with more destinations to travel to this summer,” he continued. On Wednesday, European Union countries confirmed that they’ll open to fully vaccinated Americans this summer. The agreement will allow fully vaccinated travelers entry to each of the EU countries without the need for a further COVID-19 test result or quarantine on arrival. A similar corridor between the U.S. and U.K. has reportedly been in the works for at least a month, but no formal announcement has been made yet. American Airlines does not require vaccination for travel on its planes, except when it’s mandated by the destination country. When using the Verifly app for pre-departure screening, travelers can proceed through online or mobile check-in without needing to stop at a counter at the airport. If there are issues that require a visit to an agent, you’ll need to stop at a physical check-in desk, though Verifly customers can use a dedicated priority lane at 11 airports, including five of its 10 hubs. In recent weeks, there’ve been reports of travelers providing falsified COVID-19 test and vaccine documents to airlines and immigration officials during travel. Asked about how Verifly actually verifies the CDC paper stock, Peterson couldn’t get into the specifics, but he did reassure travelers that “we will meet and comply with the requirements of the destinations of where we travel.” American isn’t the only U.S. carrier to support mobile vaccine passports. United’s all-in-one travel-ready center includes the ability to upload test results and vaccine certificates prior to travel. Delta hasn’t announced a dedicated vaccine passport feature. In addition to now supporting vaccine cards for international travel, the Verifly app can be used by AA travelers returning to the U.S. All travelers two years and older entering the U.S. are required to have proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than three days before departure, in addition to a signed attestation form. By using the Verifly app, flyers can bypass a stop at the check-in counter and be assured that their documents were already verified before getting to the airport. Nevertheless, Peterson still recommends traveling with paper copies of test results and vaccination certificates. At the end of the day, “we don’t control the immigration process in the various countries,” he said. https://thepointsguy.com/news/american-airlines-vaccine-passport/ U.S. Airlines Are Having Trouble Finding Employees As Air Travel Begins To Pick Up Reuters – U.S. airlines are scrambling to add staff and upgrade technology as they face anger over prolonged call center wait times while tackling a surge in air travel following COVID-19 vaccinations. “#Delta 9 hours wait on hold is this a way to run an airline,” read one Twitter post from a Delta Air Lines customer. After a year of being cooped up, travelers are balancing the prospect of sunshine in Florida or fresh mountain air in Montana and Wyoming – among the fastest growing U.S. travel markets – with frustrations during the booking process. By July, U.S. domestic air fares and capacity could approach pre-pandemic levels, according to experts, but overall staffing at the three legacy carriers shrunk by roughly 20% last year. While travelers can easily book new vacations online for flight changes or travel credits — transactions that have soared during the pandemic — they often need to go through call centers, which are also managing a flurry of questions about COVID-19 travel restrictions and requirements. To support the increase in call volumes, Delta is adding staffing and overtime, hiring temporary summer contract workers and fast-tracking technology upgrades to self-service options, a spokesman said. “Our wait times are not currently we’d like to them to be,” he said. American Airlines said it is hiring hundreds of reservations agents to help with the rise in calls, while United Airlines said it is working to shorten hold times through increased staffing and technology upgrades, without providing details. U.S. airlines received billions of dollars in government aid to pay salaries and protect jobs during the pandemic but also encouraged workers to take voluntary leave packages to slim staffing because they didn’t know how long the crisis, or the government aid, would last. Willie Walsh, the head of the International Air Transport Association, said on Wednesday that the decisions by carriers across the globe to retire aircraft and make staff redundant could hamper the aviation industry’s recovery. An explosion in U.S. domestic leisure travel demand as more Americans become vaccinated has taken many in the industry by surprise, leaving services from airports to rental car companies and hotels short-staffed. The strength of the rebound has possible implications beyond the airline industry since economists say air traffic is closely tied to overall economic output and is frequently seen as a guide to consumer confidence. However, analyst John Grant of flight data specialist OAG warned on Wednesday that U.S. domestic airline traffic may be “overheating,” suggesting that legacy carriers are likely to reshape their networks toward more international markets once they reopen. Still, Grant said plans by U.S. ultra low-cost carriers and start-ups to build domestic capacity “has to be good news for all airports of all sizes across the United States in the next few years.” https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-airlines-having-trouble-finding-130017226.html Firefly Aerospace's lunar lander will fly to the moon on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in 2023 Firefly Aerospace may be developing rockets of its own, but it's also simultaneously building Blue Ghost, its first lunar lander. Blue Ghost will hop a ride with a rocket from a different launch company — SpaceX — in 2023, the companies announced today. While Firefly Aerospace is in the process of developing its own launch vehicles, the company is still looking forward to its first orbital flight of its Alpha rocket, which is not a rocket capable of taking large payloads to the moon. SpaceX, meanwhile, hasn't yet sent a Falcon 9 on a lunar mission, but it has flown a lot of successful missions, and its specs allow for moon deliveries, with many other commercial lunar lander developers selecting the vehicle as their launch vehicle of choice. NASA issues new call for lunar payload deliveries from its commercial moon lander partners Firefly's Blue Ghost aims to fly in just a couple years' time, and it's tasked with carrying 10 payloads on behalf of NASA as part of their Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. NASA is using that program to award private companies missions to carry experiments to the moon's surface, in part as preparation for the forthcoming Artemis human moon exploration (and, eventually, long-term habitation) missions. SpaceX got the nod in part because the Falcon 9's performance specs mean the Blue Ghost can conserve more of its own fuel, making it possible for the lander to take on around 150 kg (330 lbs) of cargo. Firefly, like many other CLPS providers, also intends to take up payloads alongside the NASA experiments from other commercial entities, selling off that space to make more revenue. The first lander launching under CLPS is scheduled to fly sometime in the fourth quarter of this year, and a total of six are currently awarded and planned for tentative launches through 2023. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/firefly-aerospaces-lunar-lander-fly-150012680.html 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 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