Flight Safety Information - June 16, 2021 No. 120 In This Issue : Incident: Wizz A320 at Katowice on Jun 15th 2021, gear doors remained open : Incident: Indigo AT72 at Hubli on Jun 14th 2021, burst tyres on landing : Incident: UTAir B735 at Tyumen on Jun 15th 2021, autopilot malfunction : Incident: Swiss A320 at Zurich on Jun 13th 2021, fumes in cockpit : Argument over elbow placement forces plane back to gate, gets 2 men booted: report : Cathay working with Airbus on single-pilot system for long-haul : Captain ‘Sully’ Sullenberger Tapped For Biden Administration Post : After 17 years, truce nears in U.S.-Europe jet subsidy war : Where Qantas and Virgin Australia rank: The world's safest – and least safe – airlines : Pilots, cabin crew were all qualified, says PIA CEO after Karachi plane crash : FAA's agenda for 2021 includes two changes that are years overdue : United will not furlough active flight attendants and says it will welcome the 'vast majority' of staff back to work after COVID aid expires : China set to send first crew to new space station Thursday : Position Available: Investigator/Senior Investigator, Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) Incident: Wizz A320 at Katowice on Jun 15th 2021, gear doors remained open A Wizz Air Airbus A320-200, registration HA-LPU performing flight W6-1023 from Katowice (Poland) to Zaporozhye (Ukraine), was climbing out of Katowice's runway 27 when the crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet reporting the nose gear doors did not close, hence they were unable to continue the flight and needed to burn off fuel. The aircraft entered a hold to burn off the fuel and landed safely back on Katowice's runway 27 about 75 minutes after departure. A replacement A320-200 registration HA-LPY reached Zaporozhye with a delay of 2:45 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Katowice about 6 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e8f15a3&opt=0 Incident: Indigo AT72 at Hubli on Jun 14th 2021, burst tyres on landing An Indigo Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration VT-IYX performing flight 6E-7979 from Kannur to Hubli (India) with 7 passengers and 4 crew, was on final approach to Hubli's runway 26 at 20:00L (14:30Z) when after touchdown the crew decided to reject landing due to strong gusting crosswinds and went around. The aircraft entered a hold and performed another approach to runway 26 about 30 minutes later and landed without further incident, but became disabled on the runway due to both nose gear tyres blown. The runway was closed for about 4 hours until the aircraft could be moved off the runway. The airport reported the aircraft performed a balked landing due to heavy winds and bad weather and landed about 30 minutes later. Soon after touchdown the crew reported they suspected blown tyres and stopped on the runway. 18 passengers booked onto the onward leg to Bangalore were delayed due to the cancellation of the onward sector. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e8ef0cb&opt=0 Incident: UTAir B735 at Tyumen on Jun 15th 2021, autopilot malfunction A UTAir Boeing 737-500, registration VP-BYL performing flight UT-528 from Tyumen to Saint Petersburg (Russia), was climbing out of Tyumen but stopped the climb at FL260. About 5 minutes later the aircraft began to climb about 150 feet above FL260 prompting the crew to return to Tyumen. The aircraft burned off fuel and landed safely in Tyumen about 50 minutes after the decision to return. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 8 hours, then departed for the rotation UT-9745/UT-9746 to Baku (Azerbaijan) and back. Rosaviatsia reported the autopilot malfunctioned prompting the return to the departure aerodrome. On Jun 16th 2021 Rosaviatsia added that there was a DC failure, an alarm for the right IRS, MACH trim failure, neither of the autopilots could be connected and no flight directors were shown. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e8f1cc6&opt=0 Incident: Swiss A320 at Zurich on Jun 13th 2021, fumes in cockpit A Swiss Airbus A320-200, registration HB-JLP performing flight LX-967 from Berlin (Germany) to Zurich (Switzerland) with 19 passengers and 7 crew, was on approach to Zurich's runway 28 descending through FL120 when the crew donned their oxygen masks and reported fumes in the cockpit describing the odour like "wet socks", the crew suspected the odour originated from the APU. The crew continued for a safe landing, after landing advised that no assistance was needed. Emergency services followed the aircraft to the apron. The same aircraft had another smoke/fume event in Berlin earlier the same day, see Incident: Swiss A320 at Berlin on Jun 13th 2021, smoke in cockpit. When The Aviation Herald inquired about that occurrence with the airline, the reply indicated the event had actually happened on LX-967, which prompted The Aviation Herald to also check the arrival of the aircraft back into Zurich, during which the event repeated resulting in this coverage. The aircraft is still on the ground in Zurich about 44 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e8f00c0&opt=0 Argument over elbow placement forces plane back to gate, gets 2 men booted: report Airlines have reported a spike in bad behavior Two passengers about to take off on a flight from San Francisco bound for Las Vegas were removed over an argument about elbow placement on armrests, a report said. SFGate reported that the incident occurred on a United Airlines flight that was forced to return to the gate right before takeoff. The website pointed to a Google employee on the flight who posted a photo of law enforcement officers on the plane. The two men were not identified and were briefly detained and then released after neither were interested in taking any further action, the report said. The report did point out that they were not able to stay on the plane for the flight. Airlines are seeing a spike in bad behavior despite a zero-tolerance policy, with 1,300 reports of unruly passengers made since February, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said last month. https://news.google.com/articles/CAIiEO2ic39Ojsjf-06ysgEvIB8qGQgEKhAIACoHCAowwL2ICzCckocDMOSUqQY?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Ae Cathay working with Airbus on single-pilot system for long-haul PARIS (Reuters) - Cathay Pacific is working with Airbus to introduce “reduced crew” long-haul flights with a sole pilot in the cockpit much of the time, industry sources told Reuters. The programme, known within Airbus as Project Connect, aims to certify its A350 jet for single-pilot operations during high-altitude cruise, starting in 2025 on Cathay passenger flights, the sources said. High hurdles remain on the path to international acceptance. Once cleared, longer flights would become possible with a pair of pilots alternating rest breaks, instead of the three or four currently needed to maintain at least two in the cockpit. That promises savings for airlines, amid uncertainty over the post-pandemic economics of intercontinental flying. But it is likely to encounter resistance from pilots already hit by mass layoffs, and safety concerns about aircraft automation. Lufthansa has also worked on the single-pilot programme but currently has no plans to use it, a spokesman for the German carrier told Reuters. Cathay Pacific Airways confirmed its involvement but said no decision had been made on eventual deployment. “While we are engaging with Airbus in the development of the concept of reduced crew operations, we have not committed in any way to being the launch customer,” the Hong Kong carrier said. Commercial implementation would first require extensive testing, regulatory approval and pilot training with “absolutely no compromise on safety”, Cathay said. “The appropriateness and effectiveness of any such rollout as well as (the) overall cost-benefit analysis (will) ultimately depend on how the pandemic plays out.” It added: “Having said that, we will continue to engage with Airbus and to support development of the concept.” Airbus has previously disclosed plans to add single-pilot capability to the A350, but the airlines’ participation had not been reported. Work has resumed after the COVID-19 crisis paused the programme, Chief Test Pilot Christophe Cail said. “We’ve proven over decades we can enhance safety by putting the latest technology in aircraft,” Cail told Reuters, declining to identify project partners. “As for any design evolution, we are working with airlines.” VITAL SIGNS Safe deployment will require constant monitoring of the solo pilot’s alertness and vital signs by on-board systems, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has said. If the flight encounters a problem or the pilot flying is incapacitated, the resting copilot can be summoned within minutes. Both remain in the cockpit for take-off and landing. “Typically on long-haul flights when you’re at cruise altitude there’s very little happening in the cockpit,” EASA chief Patrick Ky told a German press briefing in January. “It makes sense to say OK, instead of having two in the cockpit, we can have one in the cockpit, the other one taking a rest, provided we’re implementing technical solutions which make sure that if the single one falls asleep or has any problem, there won’t be any unsafe conditions.” Pilot groups have voiced alarm. “We struggle to understand the rationale,” said Otjan de Bruijn, head of the European Cockpit Association representing EU pilots. Invoking the 737 MAX crisis, which exposed Boeing’s inappropriate links to U.S. regulators, De Bruijn said the programme’s cost-cutting approach “could lead to higher risks”. Single-pilot operations, currently limited to planes with up to nine passengers, would need backing from U.N. aviation body ICAO and countries whose airspace they cross. China’s support is key to any Cathay deployment. EASA plans consultations this year and certification work in 2022, while acknowledging “significant risk” to the 2025 launch date, a spokesman said. In a closed-door industry briefing this year, the agency suggested reduced-crew flights would begin with a single operator, according to notes of the meeting reviewed by Reuters. EMERGENCY DESCENT Airbus has designed an A350 autopilot upgrade and flight warning system changes to help a lone pilot manage failures, sources close to the project said. The mid-sized plane is suitable because of its “emergency descent” feature that quickly reduces altitude without pilot input in the event of cabin depressurisation. Proponents suggest single-pilot operations may be accepted by a flying public used to crew leaving the cockpit for bathroom breaks. They also point to higher error rates from human pilots than automated systems. Both arguments miss the point, according to a source close to Lufthansa - who said the airline’s executives were advised last year that the programme could not meet safety goals. Flying solo for hours is a “completely different story”, the source said, citing the 2009 AF447 disaster as an example of malfunctions occurring in cruise. The Air France A330’s copilots lost control after its speed sensors failed over the Atlantic, while the captain was resting. “Airbus would have had to make sure every situation can be handled autonomously without any pilot input for 15 minutes,” the source said. “And that couldn’t be guaranteed.” Lufthansa has not withdrawn from Project Connect and remains involved as an adviser, its spokesman said. While the airline has no plans to deploy single-pilot operations, he added, “the suggestion that Lufthansa was an essential part of the project and then pulled back is not true.” Single-pilot capability would add an A350 sales argument, experts say, and rival Boeing lacks an equivalent model with sufficient automation. Filippo Tomasello, a former EASA official, said the payroll and accommodation savings for long-haul crew would not be lost on airlines. “COVID may end up accelerating this evolution because it’s putting tremendous economic pressure on aviation,” Tomasello predicted. “If EASA certifies this solution, airlines will use it.” https://www.reuters.com/article/airbus-cathay-pacific-pilots-idUSL8N2MY484 Captain ‘Sully’ Sullenberger Tapped For Biden Administration Post President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced the nomination of Captain Chelsey ‘Sully’ Sullenberger to an ambassador-level position as part of his first slate of political ambassadorships, which also includes two high-profile former Obama cabinet officials. ″Sully″ New York Premiere Sullenberger has been tapped as U.S. representative to the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a United Nations agency that sets international air safety standards. Sullenberger is best known as the “Hero on the Hudson” for successfully landing a disabled U.S. Airways flight on the Hudson River in 2009 with zero casualties, inspiring a blockbuster film starring Tom Hanks. KEY BACKGROUND Since retiring as an airline pilot, Sullenberger, a former Air Force fighter pilot, has worked as a public speaker on aviation safety. He has also served as an aviation safety research consultant to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and a member of the Air Line Pilots Association accident investigation committee. BIG NUMBER 30%. That’s the share of around 190 ambassadorships the Biden administration intends to fill with political appointees, with 70% of posts going to career civil servants, Axios reported in January. That’s in line with historical standards and represents a change from the Trump administration, which filled around 45% of ambassadorships with political appointees. WHAT TO WATCH FOR The nominations will now be sent to the Senate but are all likely to pass, as ambassadorships are rarely contentious votes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2021/06/15/captain-sully-sullenberger-tapped-for-biden-administration-post/?sh=13d6730865c5 After 17 years, truce nears in U.S.-Europe jet subsidy war June 14 (Reuters) - The United States and Europe are expected to announce a five-year suspension of tariffs in their 17-year-old dispute over aircraft subsidies on Tuesday, allowing them to focus on the threat posed by China’s nascent commercial aircraft industry, people familiar with the matter said. A deal to pause the world's largest corporate trade dispute would help U.S. planemaker Boeing (BA.N) and Europe's Airbus (AIR.PA), while granting relief to dozens of other industries affected by tit-for-tat tariffs that were suspended in March. They face a renewed trade war within weeks if there is no progress. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai discussed the dispute in her first face-to-face meeting with EU counterpart Valdis Dombrovskis on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s U.S.-EU summit, where China will also be a key topic. Tai travels to Britain on Wednesday. The European Commission, which oversees EU trade policy, and the United States had vowed to find a solution by July 11 when the currently suspended transatlantic tariffs are due to resume. Officials had targeted a permanent solution through a pair of treaties - one between the United States and European Union, the original parties, and another between Washington and London following Britain's exit from the EU - on new ground rules for aerospace. But reaching a detailed accord has proven complex, given nearly two decades of legal wrangling and thousands of pages of documents, said one source briefed on the talks. A standstill agreement would push back the resumption of tariffs by years at a time when U.S. President Joe Biden has vowed to reset relations with European partners after four tumultuous years under former President Donald Trump. Freezing the conflict over jet subsides, some of which have been rescinded or wound down, would give both sides more time to focus on broader agendas such as concerns over China’s state-driven economic model, several of the sources said. The tariffs on $11.5 billion of goods were progressively imposed from 2019 after the United States and EU both won partial victories at the World Trade Organization over claims of unfair aid for Boeing and Airbus. The dispute has dragged on since 2004 when the United States withdrew from a 1992 aircraft subsidy pact and took the EU to the WTO, claiming Airbus had managed to equal Boeing's share of the jet market thanks in part to subsidized government loans. The EU counter-sued over what it termed unfair R&D support and subsidized tax incentives for Boeing. In recent months, top European, British and U.S. officials have engaged in intense discussions to settle the dispute and focus on other challenges, including China. Tai told Reuters in May she was optimistic about reaching a deal with Brussels, adding that the two sides needed to look at "the bigger question" of China's ambitions to become a global player in the commercial aircraft industry. The U.S. has floated a joint review of aerospace funding in non-market economies like China, two of the people said. One of the sources said the two sides had agreed to increase information-sharing, but gave no further details. "There's no question that the rise of China's aircraft industry is ... on everybody's proverbial radar," U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice-President Marjorie Chorlins told reporters on Monday, noting what she described as China's "heavy subsidization" of its industries. She said settling the dispute would provide "a tremendous boost of goodwill" for broader U.S.-European ties. Brussels and Washington remain at odds over steel and aluminum tariffs, but are expected at Tuesday's summit to set a Dec. 1 deadline to end punitive tariffs related to the dispute, according to a draft communique seen by Reuters. Like the United States, the EU has sparred with Beijing on trade and security this year. But its 27 nations could struggle to agree a common front on topics like aerospace. In April, for example, Hungary blocked an EU statement criticizing China’s new Hong Kong security law, sparking a row over the right of member states to veto EU foreign policy. The Chinese embassy in Washington had no immediate comment. None of the parties agreed to comment on the talks. HURDLES TO PERMANENT AGREEMENT In a potentially key breakthrough, the United States had watered down opposition to the principle of future public loans for Airbus and removed its demand for compensation. But its insistence on advance notice of any future public loans had triggered concerns among EU officials, who rejected giving Washington any veto power, people familiar with the talks said. Even more critical is the benchmark to be used when deciding whether the interest on any future loans is market-compatible. Under the 1992 subsidy pact, one third of a project could be financed by direct government support such as loans and cleared indirect R&D support up to 4% of a company's revenue. One option is to revisit that framework with market rules replacing subsidy quotas and a new cap on indirect R&D support. Brexit has also complicated negotiations. Britain and the United States came close to striking an aerospace agreement in December that could have forced the hand of Brussels in its own talks with Washington. Britain's ability to negotiate trade deals independently of the EU is central to its new "global Britain" stance. But its flexibility on Airbus is cramped by its role as one of four core nations involved in the planemaker, pre-dating its EU accession. Airbus, which has 14,000 staff in Britain, has made plain work could shift abroad if the UK turns its back on aerospace. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/europe-us-nearing-jet-subsidy-pact-under-chinas-shadow-2021-06-14/ Where Qantas and Virgin Australia rank: The world's safest – and least safe – airlines Qantas and Virgin Australia are among the 20 safest airlines on Earth, according to an annual ranking of the world's biggest carriers. The website AirlineRatings.com assessed 409 major airlines before delivering its verdict, taking into account previous incidents, the average age of their fleets, and audits from governments and the aviation industry's regulatory bodies. For the last four years it has singled out Qantas as the world's safest airline, ahead of a chasing pack of 19 rivals, However this year it listed the Australian flag carrier alongside the rest of the top 20. Virgin Australia are also at the top table; others include Singapore Airlines, recently voted the world's best airline in the annual Skytrax awards, as well as Air New Zealand, Emirates, Etihad, KLM and Lufthansa. Just two US airlines were included in the top 20. Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian remain, but Delta and United, both of which appeared last year, have been dropped in favour of Emirates and Royal Jordanian. The 20 safest airlines (in alphabetical order) Air New Zealand Alaska Airlines All Nippon Airways British Airways Cathay Pacific Airways Emirates Etihad Airways EVA Air Finnair Hawaiian Airlines Japan Airlines KLM Lufthansa Qantas Royal Jordanian Airlines Scandinavian Airline System Singapore Airlines Swiss Virgin Atlantic Virgin Australia "Our top 20 safest airlines are always at the forefront of safety innovation, operational excellence and the launching of new more advanced aircraft like the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787," said Geoffrey Thomas, AirlineRatings.com's editor-in-chief. "Qantas has been the lead airline in virtually every major operational safety advancement over the past 60 years and has not had a fatality in the jet era. But Qantas is not alone. Long established airlines such as Hawaiian and Finnair also have perfect records in the jet era." The website also identified what it claims are the 10 safest low-cost airlines. "Unlike a number of low cost carriers, these airlines have all passed the stringent International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and have excellent safety records," Thomas explained. AirlineRatings.com isn't the only organisation to rate carriers according to safety. Germany's Jet Airliner Crash Data Evaluation Centre (JACDEC) does likewise, and it is Emirates that currently takes the crown, ahead of Norwegian, Virgin Atlantic, KLM and EasyJet. Neither British Airways nor Ryanair feature in the top 20. Which are the world's least safe airlines? AirlineRatings.com also announced its lowest ranked airlines for 2018. Air Koryo, North Korea's flag carrier, Bluewing Airlines, based in Suriname, Indonesia's Trigana Air Service, and four Nepalese carriers – Buddha Air, Nepal Airlines, Tara Air, and Yeti Airlines – were all awarded just a single star. There are currently more than 100 airlines – most of which you probably haven't heard of – banned from EU airspace, or facing operational restrictions, as they don't meet European safety standards. They include every airline from Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Sudan, as well as dozens from Indonesia. The airlines banned from flying to the EU: Blue Wing Airlines, Suriname Iran Aseman Airlines, Iran Iraqi Airways, Iraq Med-View Airline, Nigeria Air Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Avior Airlines, Venezuela Nations whose airlines are banned from flying to EU: Afghanistan Angola (except TAAG Angola Airlines) Democratic Republic of Congo Djibouti Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Gabon (except Afrijet and SN2AG) Kyrgyzstan Liberia Libya Nepal Republic of Congo São Tomé and Príncipe Sierra Leone Sudan But fear not, flying has never been safer According to the Aviation Safety Network (ASN), which records all air crashes and incidents reported around the world, there were just 10 fatal accidents involving commercial flights last year, resulting in 44 deaths. This is down from 16 fatal accidents and 302 deaths in 2016. Furthermore, none of 2017's fatalities involved a commercial passenger jet. Given that around 36.8 million passenger flights took to the sky last year, that works out at just one fatal accident for every 7.36 million departures. The last fatal accident aboard a commercial passenger jet happened on April 17, 2018, when an engine of a Southwest aircraft suffered catastrophic failure shortly before reaching cruising altitude. Debris from the engine breached one of the windows resulting in the cabin experiencing rapid decompression. Of the 148 passengers and crew on board, one died. https://www.traveller.com.au/where-qantas-and-virgin-australia-rank-the-worlds-safest--and-least-safe--airlines-h14los Pilots, cabin crew were all qualified, says PIA CEO after Karachi plane crash Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chief Executive Officer Arshad Malik on Friday said that the pilots and cabin crew aboard PK8303 — that crashed in a residential colony in Karachi earlier in the day — were all qualified. "Accidents happen, but our pilots are trained for these kind of events. These planes have checks and balances that we are required to fulfill. "My pilots were qualified, their checks and balances, and medical tests were complete. My cabin crew was also qualified and my plane's inspection was also complete." According to Radio Pakistan, Malik also said that the plane was "technically fit for flying", adding that an aircraft is given clearance for flying after ensuring all technical requirements are fulfilled. Malik was holding a press conference hours after a PIA passenger plane, with an estimated 99 people onboard, crashed in Karachi's Model Colony near Jinnah International Airport on Friday. Addressing a press conference in Karachi, he said that an inquiry will be conducted into the plane crash by the Safety Investigation Board. "This is my responsibility and it is your right that you receive this information." "What we know right now is that the plane technically, operationally and administratively, according to its schedule, arrives and establishes itself for a final landing approach. "On that final landing approach, the pilot reports that he is ready [to land the aircraft]. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) controller gives him the go ahead [but] he does a go around. "After this, he gives a call saying I will establish myself for a second approach. That is when something happened, and until we find the voice recorder and the data recorder [...] when those come then we will know if there was a technical fault or otherwise." He added that when the plane began flying low, the air traffic controller asked the pilot is there was a problem. "They respond 'yes there is an issue' and that is where communication ends and the crash happens." He added that PIA had emptied its airport hotels so that residents whose houses were affected in the crash can be accommodated. "Fortunately, the plane landed in a street. It affected buildings in the vicinity but nothing collapsed. And, according to reports, miraculously there is no dead body there either." He added that rescue operations were still under way and two to three days will be required to complete them. "Right now my teams are at Civil Hospital and at Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre. We will track all the victims and speak to their families." Malik reiterated that the Safety Investigation Board, which will conduct an inquiry into the crash, is an independent institution, adding that PIA and the CAA will not interfere in its affairs. He also refused to give an update about those killed in the crash, stating: "Until we have 100 per cent clarity, I will not give an update. We are currently in the process of collecting data." Investigation team formed to probe incident Meanwhile, the government has formed an investigation team to probe the incident. According to the notification, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the team will issue a preliminary report within one month's time. The committee is headed by Air Commodore Usman Ghani, who is president of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board. According to the CAA, Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar directed that five family members of each passenger be provided with plane tickets for Karachi. The authority added that Sarwar will visit Karachi tomorrow for a "detailed meeting" with the CAA and the PIA management. "He will meet the families of the passengers and will also visit the crash site and meet the residents of the houses damaged in the crash." https://www.dawn.com/news/1558954 FAA's agenda for 2021 includes two changes that are years overdue The FAA says requiring a secondary cockpit door on new aircraft and a minimum flight attendant rest period of 10 hours between flights are regulatory priorities for the coming year. The agency and its parent cabinet department, the DOT, are already long out of compliance on congressional mandates to address both matters. The 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act directed the FAA to issue an order requiring secondary cockpit barriers by October 2019. The same bill required the DOT to write the 10-hour rest requirement into federal code within 30 days. The DOT identified both mandates as priorities in its recently released Spring Regulatory Agenda. Related: Biden's quick moves on travel policy may signal more aviation regulation The addition of a second cockpit door on new commercial aircraft has been a priority of the Air Line Pilots Association Union (ALPA) since 9/11. The second door would enable a pilot to close the door to the cockpit before opening a door to the airplane cabin. As such, they could prevent a hijacker from rushing the cockpit when a pilot steps out to use the lavatory. The DOT will go through a public rule-making process before implementing a second door requirement. Similarly, flight attendants' unions have pushed for the 10-hour rest rule. Currently, airlines are required to schedule eight hours of rest for flight attendants between flights. Increasing the requirement would put flight attendants on a par with pilots. https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/FAA-agenda-secondary-cockpit-door-flight-attendant-rest-period United will not furlough active flight attendants and says it will welcome the 'vast majority' of staff back to work after COVID aid expires United will welcome the "vast majority" of employees back to work due to travel resurgence. CNBC reported that the airline would not furlough most active flight attendants. "We continue to move closer to full frontline staffing levels," a spokesperson told Insider. United Airlines will not furlough active flight attendants after federal COVID-19 aid expires, CNBC reported. The airline sent an email to flight attendants announcing United will not furlough workers assigned to "active, open Inflight bases." Airport operations workers and customer service agents received similar messages, according to emails obtained by CNBC. A United spokesperson told Insider that the airline plans to welcome the "vast majority" of employees back to work after a multibillion dollar aid package, part of President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan Act, expires on October 1, 2021. "This news provides great relief to many of our flying partners who were facing an uncertain future," the email read, per CNBC. Read more: Here's why top companies like LinkedIn, United, and Amazon are installing charging stations at their offices In February, American and United Airlines said they would furlough 13,000 employees by April due to slow vaccine rollout at the time. Vaccinations have since picked up, with more than 64.4% of US adults having received at least one dose as of June 14. In March, Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which gave airlines an additional $14 billion in payroll support for aviation workers. Unions representing pilots, flight attendants, and other aviation workers had previously lobbied for greater aid to prevent layoffs. Biden's relief plan extended the Payroll Support Program, which provided a fund used only for aviation worker pay and prohibited furloughs, according to the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. Airlines had warned the firms would layoff workers after the law expired. United said a resurgence of customer demand due to rising vaccination rates in the US led to the decision not to furlough most workers. "Given the current outlook for the future of United, we continue to move closer to full frontline staffing levels to support our operation," the United spokesperson said in a statement. https://www.yahoo.com/news/united-not-furlough-active-flight-162810939.html China set to send first crew to new space station Thursday The three members of the first crew to be sent to China’s new space station say they’re eager to get to work JIUQUAN, China -- The three members of the first crew to be sent to China's space station say they're eager to get to work making their home for the next three months habitable, setting up testing and experiments and preparing for a series of spacewalks. The three met with reporters Wednesday from inside a germ-free glassed-in room, hours before they were to blast off on Thursday morning. “First of all, we need to arrange our home in the core module, then get started on a whole range of diagnostic tests on crucial technology and experiments,” said mission commander Nie Haisheng, 56, the most senior of the three who is making his third trip to space. “The task is very arduous and there are many challenges. My colleagues and I will cooperate closely, operate carefully and overcome all difficulties,” Nie said. Unsurprisingly, all said they had complete confidence in the mission, which carries special political meaning for the ruling Communist Party as it prepares to celebrate its centenary next month. Liu Boming, 54, whose one previous flight in 2008 included China’s first spacewalk, said there would be multiple such activities during the mission as the astronauts carry out their science experiments, conduct maintenance and prepare the Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony, core module to receive two other modules to be sent up next year. Tang Hongbo, 45, who is making his first flight since being selected among the second batch of astronauts in 2010, said he had been training virtually nonstop for years. “There is pressure,” Tang said. “But where there is pressure there is motivation and ... I have confidence in myself and have confidence in our team.” Thursday’s launch begins the first crewed space mission in five years for an increasingly ambitious space program. China has sent 11 astronauts into space since becoming the third country to so so on its own in 2003, and has sent orbiters and rovers to the moon and Mars. The astronauts will be traveling in the Shenzhou-12 spaceship launched by a Long March-2F Y12 rocket set to blast off at 9:22 a.m. (0122 GMT) from the Jiuquan launch center in northwestern China. While the first Tianhe crew are all men, women will be part of future crews, officials have said. Beijing doesn’t participate in the International Space Station, largely due to U.S. concerns over the Chinese space program’s secrecy and its military connections. Despite that, foreign science missions and possibly foreign astronauts are expected to visit the Chinese station in the future, China Manned Space Agency Assistant Director Ji Qiming told reporters at Jiuquan. “Outer space is the common wealth of people all over the world, and exploring the universe is the shared cause of all mankind,” Ji said. “We are willing to carry out international cooperation and exchanges with all countries and regions worldwide that are committed to the peaceful use of outer space,” Ji said, adding that existing cooperation is being expanded with countries including Russia, Italy and Germany along with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. “I believe that in the near future, when the Chinese space station is complete, we will see Chinese and foreign astronauts taking on joint missions to the Chinese space station,” Ji said. Ji conceded the construction of the Chinese station had come “relatively late,” but said that was also an advantage because it allowed China to use the latest technologies and concepts, particularly in the areas of reliability and safety. “Exploring the vast universe, developing space activities, building a powerful space nation is our unremitting space dream," Ji said. “The construction and operation of China's space station will raise our technologies and accumulate experience for all the people. It is a positive contribution by China for human exploration of the universe, peaceful utilization of outer space and push forward the building of a community of shared future for mankind," he said. The mission is the third of 11 planned through next year to add the additional sections to the station and send up crews and supplies. The main living section of the station was launched in April while the other two modules will be primarily for scientific work. The mission builds on experience China gained from earlier operating two experimental space stations. It also landed a probe on Mars last month that carried a rover, the Zhurong, and earlier landed a probe and rover on the moon and brought back the first lunar samples by any country’s space program since the 1970s. Once completed, the station will allow for stays of up to six months, similar to the much larger International Space Station. All astronauts will have their own living area, and a stationary bike and other exercise equipment will allow them to counter some of the effects of weightlessness. They'll also be able to bring personal items to remind them of home and stave off boredom while not working, Nie said. The Chinese station reportedly is intended to be used for 15 years and may outlast ISS, which is nearing the end of its functional lifespan. The launch of Tianhe was considered a success although China was criticized for allowing the uncontrolled reentry to Earth of part of the rocket that carried it into space. Usually, discarded rocket stages reenter the atmosphere soon after liftoff, normally over water, and don’t go into orbit. The rocket blasting off Thursday is of a different type, and Ji dismissed concerns about it or the models used for cargo missions posing a threat when they reenter. China published their trajectories and they are expected to burn up long before they could be a danger, he said. https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/china-set-send-crew-space-station-thursday-78304878 Investigator/Senior Investigator, Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) Date: Jun 1, 2021 Location: Flight Training Academy (DFW-SV03) Requisition ID: 42594 Intro Are you ready to explore a world of possibilities, both at work and during your time off? Join our American Airlines family, and you’ll travel the world, grow your expertise and become the best version of you. As you embark on a new journey, you’ll tackle challenges with flexibility and grace, learning new skills and advancing your career while having the time of your life. Feel free to enrich both your personal and work life and hop on board! Why you'll love this job • This job is a member of the Investigating team within the Integrated Operations Division. • Responsible for providing analysis of operational flight data as well as producing reports and presentations for the Flight Operation Quality Assurance (FOQA) Program. What you'll do • Conducts daily work flow processes for the FOQA program • Assesses events and trends, identifies operational hazards, and validates corrective actions • Develops new data analysis products and methodologies for data mining • Coordinates with the Flight Operations Department for data analysis needs • Coordinates regularly with Allied Pilots Association (APA) FOQA gatekeepers • Coordinates with Technical Operations regarding support of the FOQA program and maintenance analysis • Creates flight animations of actual events for use in operational departments • Assists with accident and incident investigations • Participates in monthly FOQA Monitoring Team meetings • Participates and contributes to the American Airlines Safety Management System (SMS) process • Develops, prepares and presents analysis of flight data • Creates enhanced reports and dashboards using Tableau or Microsoft BI • Represents American Airlines at industry meetings • Assists with accident and incident investigations, to include occasional weekend and holiday duty All you'll need for success Minimum Qualifications- Education & Prior Job Experience • Bachelor's Degree in related field or equivalent experience/training • 3 years related job experience • Experience working with data mining tools such as Tableau, Business Objects, Access, etc. • Experience performing data analysis and building various related reports in MS Office products Preferred Qualifications- Education & Prior Job Experience • Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Mathematics, Engineering, or Statistics • Basic Programming knowledge/experience • Master's degree in related field • Previous experience within a FOQA/Flight Data Monitoring program • Expertise in flight data monitoring software • Experience using CEFA animation software • Private pilot license or higher • Previous job experience at an air carrier Skills, Licenses & Certifications • Knowledge of aeronautical theory and aviation operations as applied to commercial aircraft • Proficient using MS Office software • Must fulfill background checks to qualify for unescorted access privileges to airport security identification display areas (SIDA), if applicable • Must be able to secure appropriate airport authority and/or US Customs security badges, if applicable • Must be able to handle multiple projects with changing deadlines What you'll get Feel free to take advantage of all that American Airlines has to offer: • Travel Perks: Ready to explore the world? You, your family and your friends can reach 365 destinations on more than 6,800 daily flights across our global network. • Health Benefits: On day one, you’ll have access to your health, dental, prescription and vision benefits to help you stay well. And that’s just the start, we also offer virtual doctor visits, flexible spending accounts and more. • Wellness Programs: We want you to be the best version of yourself – that’s why our wellness programs provide you with all the right tools, resources and support you need. • 401(k) Program: Available upon hire and, depending on the workgroup, employer contributions to your 401(k) program are available after one year. • Additional Benefits: Other great benefits include our Employee Assistance Program, pet insurance and discounts on hotels, cars, cruises and more Feel Free to be yourself at American From the team members we hire to the customers we serve, inclusion and diversity are the foundation of the dynamic workforce at American Airlines. Our 20+ Employee Business Resource Groups are focused on connecting our team members to our customers, suppliers, communities and shareholders, helping team members reach their full potential and creating an inclusive work environment to meet and exceed the needs of our diverse world. Are you ready to feel a tremendous sense of pride and satisfaction as you do your part to keep the largest airline in the world running smoothly as we care for people on life’s journey? Feel free to be yourself at American. Additional Locations: None Requisition ID: 42594 Nearest Major Market: Fort Worth Nearest Secondary Market: Dallas Job Segment: Operations Manager, Engineer, Quality Assurance, Operations, Engineering, Technology, Aviation APPLY NOW Curt Lewis