Flight Safety Information - June 17, 2021 No. 121 In This Issue : Incident: Ikar B763 at Simferopol on Jun 17th 2021, runway excursion on landing : Incident: Ikar B763 at Simferopol on Jun 17th 2021, runway excursion on landing : Crash: Kin Avia L410 at Bukavu on Jun 16th 2021, lost height after departure : Incident: Swiss A320 at Berlin on Jun 13th 2021, smoke in cockpit : Scan before boarding: how are countries handling airport security checks? : ICAO Probe into Forced Diversion of a Ryanair 737 Progresses : FSF Calls for Science-Based Approach to Accelerate Safe Reopening of Borders for Travel : Korean Air Flies Its Longest Nonstop Flight : United Airlines To Update Its Employee Appearance Standards : First MC-21 aircraft with composite wing will be delivered to customer in 2022 — Irkut : Medway Air Ambulance Expands Fleet with Three Learjet 45 Aircraft : Co-pilot’s family sues Collings Foundation in deadly B-17 crash at Bradley Int’l airport : Hong Kong grants visa extensions to Cathay pilots : Lockheed Martin offers Ukraine F-16 fighter jet : USAF demos converting commercial-grade jet fuel into military fuel for ‘Agile’ operations : Rocket Lab is building spacecraft for a NASA Mars mission Incident: Ikar B763 at Simferopol on Jun 17th 2021, runway excursion on landing An Ikar Boeing 767-300, registration VP-BMC performing flight IK-123 from Moscow Sheremetyevo (Russia) to Simferopol (Ukraine), landed on Simferopol's runway 19 at 10:20L (07:20Z) but veered right off the runway coming to a stop about 2310 meters/7580 feet down the runway with nose and right hand main gear off the paved surface of the runway, the left main gear remained on the pavement. There were no injuries. Rosaviatsia reported the runway was wet (3mm water on the runway), friction factor 0.54. The circumstances of the runway excursion are being investigated. The status of Crimea and Simferopol is disputed. According to international law and United Nations the Crimea belong to the Ukraine although Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e903d59&opt=0 Incident: FlyEgypt B738 near Ras al-Khaimah on Jun 12th 2021, sudden decompression A FlyEgypt Boeing 737-800, registration SU-TMI performing flight FT-501 from Cairo (Egypt) to Ras al-Khaimah (United Arab Emirates) with 182 passengers and 6 crew, was enroute at FL370 over the Persian Gulf about 180nm west of Ras al-Khaimah when a loud bang occurred and the passenger oxygen masks were released. The crew declared emergency and initiated an emergency descent to 10,000 feet levelling off at 10,000 feet about 7 minutes later (average rate of descent 3850 fpm). The aircraft continued to Ras al-Khaimah for a safe landing on runway 34 about 40 minutes after leaving FL370. The aircraft remained on the ground in Ras al-Khaimah for 27 hours, then departed for the return flight FT-502 climbing to a maximum FL240. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Cairo about 63 hours after landing in Cairo. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e8fe261&opt=0 Crash: Kin Avia L410 at Bukavu on Jun 16th 2021, lost height after departure A Kin Avia Let L-410, registration 9S-GRJ performing a flight from Bukavu to Shabunda (DR Congo) with 1 passenger and 2 crew and 1.6 tons of sheet metal, crashed about 3 minutes after takeoff from Kavumu Aerodrome at about 11:15L (09:15Z). All 3 occupents perished in the crash, the aircraft has been destroyed. In the evening DR Congo's Ministry of Transport released a statement reporting 9S-GRJ departed Bukavu with 3 occupants and 1.6 tons of cargo, about 3 minutes after takeoff at about 11:15L the aircraft began eviating from its initial trajectory and impacted ground. An investigation is being set up. The airline states they operate 5 L-410 (tail numbers 9S-CMA (previous 9Q-CMA), 9S-GEN, 9S-GKA, 9S-GRJ, no further tails listed), a Dash 8-100 (tail number C-FASC) and a Beech 1900 (N191CS). https://avherald.com/h?article=4e8f9563&opt=0 Incident: Swiss A320 at Berlin on Jun 13th 2021, smoke in cockpit A Swiss International Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration HB-JLP performing flight LX-966 from Zurich (Switzerland) to Berlin (Germany) with 19 passengers and 7 crew, was on approach to Berlin Brandenburg Airport's runway 25L when the crew donned their oxygen masks and advised ATC, they had light smoke in the cockpit, the cabin was not affected. The aircraft continued the approach and landed safely with emergency services on stand by. A passenger reported they were landing in Berlin and noticed fire engines awaiting them at the runway. After landing the captain announced that they did have fumes in the cockpit during approach and landing and had donned their oxygen masks. Germany's DFS (ATC provider) reported the crew donned their oxygen masks and reported light smoke in the cockpit during the approach to Berlin, adding that the cabin was not affected. No emergency was declared, the crew continued the approach calmly and normally. Tower dispatched emergency services in coordination with the crew. The airline believed in their first statement the occurrence was on the return flight LX-967, however, confirmed the occurrence as detailed. The aircraft remained on the ground in Berlin for about 7 hours, then departed for the return flight LX-967 and landed in Zurich about 60 minutes later, however, again with fumes in the cockpit, see Incident: Swiss A320 at Zurich on Jun 13th 2021, fumes in cockpit. On Jun 17th 2021 the airline confirmed there was an odour on approach to Berlin. The APU was disabled under minimum equipment list requirements on the ground in Berlin and the aircraft returned to Zurich, however, on the return the odour occurred again. https://avherald.com/h?article=4e8efc0a&opt=0 Scan before boarding: how are countries handling airport security checks? Japan has introduced new guidelines for the handling of airport security checks to prevent terrorists and other incidents. As the country’s previous approach to airport security, which relied on the airlines, was considered one-of-a-kind, we profile what other countries are doing for airport security to keep passengers and staff safe. The Japanese Government has recently introduced a bill for the revision of the country’s aviation law, establishing for the first time official guidelines for the handling of airport security checks. Formulated to prevent incidents related to terrorism and hijacking, the ‘Basic Policy for the Prevention of Harmful Acts’ will clarify roles and foster the cooperation between the government, airports and airlines. The bill will also aim to improve the quality and quantity of security inspections. This new policy is set to shake things up, as Japan has always relied on airlines to carry out airport security inspections, usually outsourcing it to private security firms. To be implemented at the beginning of next year, the new law will strengthen the existing aviation security measures, such as making it mandatory for passengers to undergo security inspections or staff to issue instructions. Experts believe that at the passenger level things will not change, but it will help the industry avoid incidents such as what happened in Osaka in 2019, when a knife found in a passenger carry-on luggage was allowed through security. While the model employed until now by Japan was considered unique, what are other countries doing in terms of airport security checks? American airlines As previously reported, while it’s true that the concept of airport security checks evolved over decades, 9/11 represented a watershed moment all around the world. In the US, that fateful day led to the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) – a US government agency dedicated to airport security. Post 9/11 airport security checks saw the incorporation of different measures, including the screening of carry-ons, reporting of unattended packages and pat-down procedures. The “See Something, Say Something” motto – which asks citizens to report suspicious activity – was also created. As reported by the TSA, before the Covid-19 pandemic agents would screen 4.9 million carry-on bags daily, making sure that travellers had removed liquid gels and, at a certain point, personal electronic devices. The number of hold luggage checked every day amounted to 1.4 million. Millimetre wave imaging is another technology that the TSA and airport security providers around the world use because it replaces pat-down techniques allowing for no physical contact. To maintain high security levels, the TSA has also introduced a pre-screening programme that aims to identify low and high-risk passengers, by checking against travellers’ watchlists. Human rights groups have condemned the methods used by the TSA multiple times. According to an article published by ProPublica in 2019, body scanners were found more prone to false alarms when black women or people that wore turban and wigs passed through them, forcing them to undergo intrusive search methods. The EU Tightened rules for airport security in the European Union were established post 9/11, when the European Commission outlined the common rules and basic standard for all civil airports in the Union. Basic standards included screening of passengers and hold luggage, as well as airport security and aircraft security checks. According to the bill, member states needed to designate a single authority competent for aviation security, as well as set up a national civil aviation security and quality control programme. On the other side, operators should implement both airports’ security and air carrier’s security programmes. The bill was updated a few times, with regulations supplementing initial protocols, adding guidelines on the transport of liquids, the use of security scanners and the adoption of alternative security measures. With the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, airport security had to adapt. In June 2020, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published guidelines on health and safety protocols to adopt in European airports. To protect both staff and passengers, EASA recommended operators to appoint a coordinator to ensure that Covid-19 measure would be applied uniformly by all stakeholders. Emphasis was also posed on implementing social distancing measures, such as enhanced hygiene protocols and implementing physical distancing. Israel Considered the safest airport in the world, Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport has become an example in terms of airport security. As reported by the CNN, security procedures begin at the Airport Operations Centre, which monitors every aircraft coming into Israeli airspace, checking each passenger and cabin crew member. At Ben Gurion, things differ when travellers fly out of the country, as the level of scrutiny is higher than most hubs in the world. The measures implemented by Israeli airport security include checkpoints for vehicles and interrogation of passengers. The last measure, which take place before scanning travellers’ bags, is justified by officials by the country’s geo-political position which they believe makes it more prone to potential threats. “A terrorist attack at an airport is more than an attack, it’s a hit on the reputation of the entire country,” told Israel Airport Authority former security chief Pinni Schiff told the Christian Science Monitor in 2016. Over the years, the security methods that Israel implements at its airports have raised more than a few eyebrows as they have often been accused of racial profiling, especially towards the Arab and Palestinian travellers passing through. In 2016, human rights organisation Adalah denounced that the techniques implemented at Israeli airports, including strip searches and alleged targeting of Arab passengers, were illegal. “The Flight Law (Security in Civil Aviation) does not authorize Israeli airline security personnel to ask passengers to strip naked and to conduct searches or to escort them to the boarding gates,” wrote Adalah lawyer Fady Khoury in a letter to General Attorney Avichai Mandelblit and the Israel Airports Authority. https://www.airport-technology.com/features/scan-before-boarding-country-handling-airport-security-checks/ ICAO Probe into Forced Diversion of a Ryanair 737 Progresses The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has issued requests for information (RFIs) to countries with “direct ties” to the May 23 forced diversion by Belarus of a Ryanair Boeing 737, ICAO said in a statement Wednesday. The requests come as part of a so-called fact-finding investigation launched by the ICAO Secretariat at the behest of the ICAO Council on May 27. ICAO said that Belarus and Poland have provided some preliminary details, while the body continues to await information from Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, and Switzerland. The ICAO aviation security team will present an interim report to the ICAO Council by the end of its current session, on or near June 23. Meanwhile, the investigation will continue as ICAO awaits RFI responses. It said it expects to issue a report at the council’s next session, which begins on September 13. While expressing concern about the forced diversion of flight FR4978 from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, Lithuania, ICAO notes that it does not hold the authority to directly enforce measures in retaliation for what political and airline industry leaders have characterized as a state-sponsored hijacking. Under Article 88 of the Chicago Convention, the ICAO Assembly could suspend Belarus’s voting rights as a member state if it finds “non-conformity” with the organization’s requirements. Days after the diversion, which the Belarusian government coerced under the pretext of a bomb threat to arrest political dissident Roman Protasevich, the European Union banned Belarusian airlines from the airspace and airports of its 27 member states in response. A package of punitive measures agreed upon during an emergency meeting of the European Council also called for further economic sanctions against Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and his associates. On June 2 the European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued a Safety Directive (SD) calling on EASA member states to ban their aircraft operators from flying into Belarus airspace. The move called for mandates to not overfly Belarus “unless required for safe operations in unforeseen circumstances,” said EASA. Although EASA already had issued a Safety Information Bulletin (SIB) directly to operators that recommended avoiding Belarus airspace, the SD sets the basis for mandatory action. EASA said it would review the SD at intervals of no more than one month from its publication date or “as circumstances require.” Since then, the International Air Transport Association has criticized EASA for the decision to make its initial recommendations mandatory, calling the move a politicization of air safety. “Aviation safety must never be politicized, said IATA director general Willie Walsh. "IATA condemned the actions of the Belarus government and called for an independent investigation. Banning European aircraft from using Belarusian airspace with a Safety Directive is also a politicization of aviation safety. This is a retrograde and disappointing development. EASA should rescind its prohibition and allow airlines to manage safety as they do each and every day—with their normal operational risk assessments." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2021-06-16/icao-probe-forced-diversion-ryanair-737-progresses FSF Calls for Science-Based Approach to Accelerate Safe Reopening of Borders for Travel Flight Safety Foundation Jun 16, 2021, 17:44 ET BRUSSELS, June 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Flight Safety Foundation today called on governments, regulators and health authorities to adopt a data-driven and science-based approach to accelerate safe reopening of borders to international air travel. The Foundation also said that implementation of the European Union (EU) Digital COVID Certificate, which should exempt European travelers from many travel restrictions, is a step in the right direction and encouraged EU states to implement the certificate as quickly as possible. "The EU Digital COVID Certificate will only be effective if it is implemented across the EU and if individual countries refrain from imposing additional travel restrictions unless absolutely necessary," said Foundation President and CEO Dr. Hassan Shahidi. "We also are encouraged by reports of the EU reopening travel from the United States and other non-EU countries." "After 18 months of lockdowns and travel restrictions, the public is eager to take to the airways to conduct business and reunite with their loved ones, but they can't because of a bewildering patchwork of travel restrictions and quarantine requirements," said Capt. Conor Nolan, chairman of the Foundation's Board of Governors. "Safely restarting aviation will require government and industry to agree on a risk-based approach to reopening air travel, but that is nothing new for aviation. Managing safety risk is in our DNA. The tools to restart – vaccines, health and hygiene protocols, and proven antigen testing – already exist, but we need government leadership to move the process forward." The Foundation shortly will release a white paper on a safe return to the skies. The paper, which has been reviewed by the Foundation's Medical Advisory Committee, outlines a comprehensive approach, including hygiene protocols, risk-based methods and expanded use of COVID testing to reduce or, in some cases, perhaps eliminate, the need to quarantine. "Timely testing post-arrival can help play an important role in reducing quarantine," said Dr. David Hamer, a member of the Foundation's committee and professor of Global Health and Medicine at the Boston University School of Public Health and School of Medicine. While some regions have made significant progress on vaccinations, other regions around the world are lagging behind. Vaccinations are a critical tool in the fight against the pandemic and are key to enabling unfettered, safe travel. The Foundation is working with other international organizations and the medical community to help develop comprehensive and sustainable strategies to enable safe travel utilizing a number of proven methods to ease restrictions. About Flight Safety Foundation Flight Safety Foundation is an independent, nonprofit, international organization engaged in research, education and communications to improve aviation safety. The Foundation's mission is to connect, influence and lead global aviation safety. Media Contact: Frank Jackman Vice President, Communications +1 703.739.6700, ext. 116 jackman@flightsafety.org SOURCE Flight Safety Foundation https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fsf-calls-for-science-based-approach-to-accelerate-safe-reopening-of-borders-for-travel-301314208.html Korean Air Flies Its Longest Nonstop Flight Korean Air flew its longest flight since its founding in 1969 last weekend using one of its Boeing 777-300ER passenger jets. The jet, registered KE8047, operated a nonstop cargo flight to Miami International Airport on June 12 from Korean Air’s base at Seoul’s Incheon International Airport. The journey lasted 14 hours 42 minutes, covering a total distance of 8,330 miles. Although Miami, a hub for many passenger and cargo routes to South America, is already one of Korean Air’s cargo-only destinations, this is the first time the airline has flown a jet nonstop to the city. Normally, Korean Air cargo jets make a stop in Anchorage, Alaska to refuel and replace crew members. The converted Boeing 777-300ER freighter flew from Incheon to Miami last Saturday before continuing its journey to the Dominican Republic after a technical stop. The jet carried 25 tons of Covid-19 diagnostic test kits for the Dominican Republic. Before the Miami flight, Korean Air’s longest nonstop flight was its passenger service from Incheon to Atlanta, a 13 hours 50 minute journey traveling 7,796 miles. Although Korean Air has already converted a number of its passenger jets to freighters, the Atlanta service is still operating scheduled passenger service and remains the airline’s longest nonstop flight. As a result of Covid-19’s impact on travel, Korean Air has converted 16 of its grounded passenger jets to freighters since last year, including 10 Boeing 777 and six Airbus A330 aircraft. The airline has removed passenger seats on these jets and installed Cargo Seat Bags on the remaining passenger seats. From March 2020 to the end of last month, the airline operated a total of 8,300 cargo-only passenger jet flights. Korean Air has said in a press release that it intends to continue maximizing the schedule of its cargo operations and increase cargo-only passenger jet flights and chartered flights. In light of limited travel to South Korea, the airline is still operating limited scheduled passenger services, but it is mainly operating domestic flights within South Korea in addition to a number of domestic and international cargo flights. https://airlinegeeks.com/2021/06/17/korean-air-flies-its-longest-nonstop-flight/ United Airlines To Update Its Employee Appearance Standards United Airlines has shared with its employees that it will revise its appearance standards for flight attendants and customer service representatives. Starting from September 1st, new appearance standards will go into effect. More details will come out next month, but here is what United is planning for now. More inclusive appearance standards United Airlines wants to ensure its employees can express themselves through appearance standards that portray them as ambassadors of the global United brand but allow employees to be their authentic selves and celebrate their individuality. The focus is to allow employees some more freedom to express who they are while maintaining a professional standard. The initial appearance standards update will be for uniformed, customer-facing United employees. This includes customer service representatives and flight attendants. The goal is to provide a more modern look for employees while maintaining inclusive standards. This is also designed to give employees more freedom of gender expression. Kate Gebo, Human Resources and Labor Relations Executive Vice President, stated the following on the updated appearance standards: “As the face of United, our customer-facing teammates can provide an even better experience for our customers when they look and feel their best. We’ve spent the last several years listening to the feedback we’ve received from our employees and our Business Resource Groups to develop these revised standards. “We’re confident that these modernized and more gender-inclusive appearance standards will provide a more authentic representation of the people and cultures that make United the company it is today.” What to expect A full list of updated appearance standards will come out next month. However, the updated standards will go into effect from September 1st. United released the image below for a sneak peek of the updated changes. https://simpleflying.com/united-update-appearance-standards/ First MC-21 aircraft with composite wing will be delivered to customer in 2022 — Irkut In May, Irkutsk Aircraft Plant received a 17.5-meter long wing console for the aircraft made of Russian composite materials IRKUTSK, June 16. /TASS/. The first MC-21 aircraft with a composite wing will be delivered to the customer in 2022, Alexander Veprev, Director General of the Irkutsk Aviation Plant and Deputy CEO of the Irkut Corporation, told reporters on Wednesday. "We are preparing this aircraft for delivery in 2022, at the end of the year the vehicle will be transferred to the flight test center," he said. In May, Irkutsk Aircraft Plant (IAZ) received a 17.5-meter long wing console for MC-21-300 aircraft made of Russian composite materials. Sergey Chemezov, CEO of Russia’s Rostec corporation, said earlier that the plane with the composite wing would undergo trials by the end of the year, while in 2022, the jet’s serial production would start. The MC-21 is a narrow-body airliner under development. The plane is being developed with two types of engines: a PD-14 one and the American Pratt & Whitney (PW140). Last fall, Rostec completed the construction of the first MC-21-310 jet with Russian PD-14 engines. The first flight with the domestically-produced engine was performed last December. The liner with the PW140 engines is undergoing certification trials. Earlier, the US slapped sanctions on the United Aircraft Corporation and Rostec, which led to the suspension of composite material supplies for the MC-21 jet’s wing. After that Russia started the production of its own composite components. https://tass.com/economy/1303207 Medway Air Ambulance Expands Fleet with Three Learjet 45 Aircraft Medway Air Ambulance is a leader in the air medical transport industry, providing domestic and international medical flights for neonatal, pediatric and adult patients. NEWS PROVIDED BY Medway Air Ambulance Jun 14, 2021, 09:00 ET LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., June 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Medway Air Ambulance is expanding its fleet of jet aircraft to accommodate the increasing demand for domestic and international air medical transport solutions. With the addition of three medically configured Learjet 45 aircraft this summer, Medway has firmly established itself as a leader in the air ambulance industry, on pace to dispatch more aircraft than any other fixed-wing provider in the country. Staffed with two pilots and two Critical Care clinicians, each Learjet 45 will be outfitted with on-board ICU capability to treat adult and pediatric patients in flight. The aircraft's larger cabin accommodates Medway's highly specialized neonatal transport equipment. As a preferred air ambulance provider for top children's hospitals, Medway's continued growth in neonatal and pediatric transports ensures more premature infants and children can be transported to hospitals that provide the specialty care they need. Medway Air Ambulance's continued international and domestic growth drives aircraft fleet expansion. With the additional aircraft availability, Medway projects a significant increase in its number of air medical transports for ill or injured travelers. Medway partners with travel assistance insurance plans to help patients -- especially those in the Caribbean, Mexico, and South America -- with medevac transports back to the U.S. or Canada. "We have positioned Medway for dramatic growth in both our domestic and international markets," said Matt Kinney, Medway's Vice President of Flight Operations. "We have invested in the aircraft, equipment, and personnel to expand our reach and help more patients than ever before. With greater flight capacity, we can increase patient access to specialty care, rehabilitation facilities, and children's hospitals across the country." Medway's fleet expansion will benefit patients nationwide. As an in-network air ambulance provider for workers' compensation insurance plans as well as commercial health plans, Medway's additional aircraft will increase the number of flights possible and offer greater availability for patients covered by the plans. "For us, it's all about our patients," Kinney said. "With more aircraft, we can help more families." About Medway Air Ambulance Since 2000, Medway Air Ambulance has provided thousands of medical flights for neonatal, pediatric, and adult patients. With 24/7 air medical transport coordination, Medway delivers responsive service and international flight capability. Medway is one of the largest in-network air ambulance providers in the country, working with travel assistance programs, workers' compensation plans, and health insurance companies. Medway also partners with world renown children's hospitals to provide neonatal and pediatric transports using its specialized medical team and equipment. Medway, a Part 135 air carrier, owns and operates its own aircraft. Headquartered in its recently updated hangar in Lawrenceville, Georgia, Medway's aviation operation holds an ARGUS Gold rating for excellence. Medway is also accredited by the European Air Medical Institute (EURAMI), an organization that ensures air ambulance providers meet or exceed the highest standards worldwide. Contact: Mark Chapman Office: 800-233-0655 Cell: 478-714-8838 570 Briscoe Blvd. Lawrenceville, GA 30046 Website: http://www.medwayair.com/ SOURCE Medway Air Ambulance https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/medway-air-ambulance-expands-fleet-with-three-learjet-45-aircraft-301311380.html Co-pilot’s family sues Collings Foundation in deadly B-17 crash at Bradley Int’l airport (WTNH) — A new lawsuit has been filed in the deadly vintage B-17 crash at Bradley International Airport that happened in 2019. The family of one of the victims killed is suing Collings Foundation for gross negligence and recklessness. On Oct. 2, 2019, Michael Foster was serving as a volunteer co-pilot on the aircraft when the plane crashed moments after takeoff. The incident killed Foster, five other passengers, and the Pilot in Command. There were 13 people aboard. Andrew Groher of RisCassi & Davis Law Partner said, “they didn’t do a proper pre-flight run up, which would have shown them that the engines weren’t capable of producing adequate power. When they shifted over to the number three engine that engine also was not able to produce peek-power.” The vintage World War II-era B-17G aircraft was used for the ‘The Wings of Freedom Tour’. The National Transportation Safety Board cited inadequate maintenance as a contributing factor to the crash in a report released earlier this year. Families of victims, along with surviving passengers and estates of passengers, have filed other lawsuits against Collings Foundation since the deadly crash, citing similar negligence claims. This latest lawsuit was filed in Hartford Superior Court. https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/co-pilots-family-sues-collings-foundation-in-deadly-b-17-crash-at-bradley-intl-airport/ Hong Kong grants visa extensions to Cathay pilots Summary: • Extension duration depends on which plane type flown • Hong Kong has pilot surplus after Cathay Dragon closed last year • Cathay has launched local pilot recruitment drive • Cabin crew work permits not renewed SYDNEY, June 17 (Reuters) - Cathay Pacific Airways (0293.HK) said on Thursday non-local pilots based in Hong Kong had been granted work permit extensions, two weeks after it launched a recruitment drive for local pilots and closed bases in Australia and New Zealand. read more However, the airline said the government had rejected work permit renewals for non-local flight cabin crew based in Hong Kong, in a decision that will lead to an undisclosed number of job losses. Pilots on the Boeing (BA.N) 747 freighter fleet and training captains will receive three-year extensions, those on the Boeing 777 and Airbus (AIR.PA) A350 fleets will receive a one-year extension and those on the A330 fleet will be granted a six-month extension, the company said in a statement. Cathay last year closed its regional arm, Cathay Dragon, which had flown A330s and A320s, putting hundreds of local pilots out of work, while pilots on work permits at the main brand remained employed. Cathay pilots with temporary visas had received shorter than usual renewals since the Cathay Dragon closure, two sources who were not authorised to speak publicly about the matter previously told Reuters. read more The airline, which lacks a domestic market at a time when international borders are largely shut, reported a 99.3% fall in April passenger numbers, compared with pre-pandemic levels in April 2019. It is heavily reliant on its 747 freighters for revenue due to the plunge in passenger demand. Most airlines only hire locals and permanent residents, but Cathay, like many of the large Middle Eastern carriers, has typically relied heavily on foreign pilots. In Hong Kong, expatriates can gain permanent residency after seven years and many of its local pilots are citizens of countries like Britain and Australia. However, newer hires would not meet the residency requirement. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/hong-kong-grants-visa-extensions-cathay-pilots-2021-06-17/ Lockheed Martin offers Ukraine F-16 fighter jet Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest defense contractor, has offered Ukraine a new F-16 Block 70/72 multirole combat aircraft as it looks to modernize its air force. Ukraine wanted to buy new or used fighter jets to replace the fleet of aging Soviet-made aircraft. Ukrainian Air Force currently has a fleet of Soviet-designed Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker interceptors and MiG-29 Fulcrum aircraft. According to Lockheed Martin, the company can provide Ukraine with new fighters or modernize secondhand combat aircraft. As noted by the company, the F-16 is the world’s most successful, combat-proven 4th generation fighter. To date, 4,588 F-16s have been produced and there are approximately 3,000 operational F-16s are in service today in 25 countries. In concert with the U.S. Air Force and multiple F-16 Foreign Military Sales customers, Lockheed Martin has certified more than 3,300 carriage and release configurations for greater that 180 weapon and store types. The company’s experience as a weapon integrator has enabled the F-16 to be one of the most versatile multirole fighters ever. The five nations have chosen the newest F-16 Block 70/72 version for these reasons and more. Block 70/72 F-16 production began in Greenville, South Carolina, on Nov. 11, 2019. The Greenville production start coincides with the significant, growing demand for new production F-16s around the globe. New-production F-16s include advanced capabilities, such as the APG-83 AESA Rradar, modernized cockpit with new safety features, advanced weapons, conformal fuel tanks, an improved performance engine, and an industry-leading extended structural service life of 12,000 hours. But most importantly, new F-16s also include the proven, life-saving Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS), which ensures pilots come home safe. The company also offers a package of modernization of secondhand fighters, in order to bring their combat capabilities to Block 70/72 configuration. https://defence-blog.com/lockheed-martin-offers-ukraine-f-16-fighter-jet/ USAF demos converting commercial-grade jet fuel into military fuel for ‘Agile’ operations The US Air Force (USAF) recently demonstrated a process for converting commercial-grade jet fuel to military-grade fuel, an ability that could give commanders greater flexibility in planning combat operations. The process could let US military aircraft refuel at commercial airports, allowing them to operate from more locations. That could make it difficult for adversaries to predict from where aircraft might land and take off. USAF airman use Fuel Powered Additive Injector Cart to convert commercial-grade fuel to military-grade fuel in Saudi Arabia c USAF The US Air Force believes commercial airport fueling infrastructure could be used for military operations The fuel conversion process was demonstrated by the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, together with US Air Force Central Command, at King Abdulaziz International airport in Saudi Arabia in May, the service said on 16 June. The USAF claims the commercial-to-military-grade fuel conversion practice has not been used since the Vietnam War. “This operation was to test the air force’s ability to land in a commercial location, take commercial-grade fuel and then convert it into the type of fuel used by US military aircraft for optimal operations,” says Master Sergeant Brandon Geiger, 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels information service centre section chief. The USAF did not disclose what fuels were part of the demonstration. Typically, commercial airliners burn Jet A-1, a kerosene-grade fuel that works for most turbine-engined aircraft. The US military uses an equivalent of Jet A-1 called JP-8, which includes corrosion-inhibiting and anti-icing additives, according to Royal Dutch Shell. Most NATO air forces also use JP-8. The expeditionary team at King Abdulaziz International used a “fluid-powered additive injector cart” to inject additives into commercial-grade fuel, creating military fuel within about 2h. USAF personnel taught their Royal Saudi Air Force counterparts how the conversion process works, says the service. “With this cart, we are able to use fuel, in various austere locations, that isn’t already made for our aircraft by injecting the three essential additives our planes need to fly: a corrosion inhibitor, static dissipater and fuel system icing inhibitor,” says Geiger. The commercial-to-military-grade fuel conversion is meant to aid Agile Combat Employment, a USAF strategy to disperse combat aircraft across many different airfields, including remote bases. Dispersion is intended to make it difficult for adversaries to simultaneously hit multiple aircraft on the ground with missiles. The Agile Combat Employment strategy is particularly important to the USAF in the Pacific region, where the service envisions aircraft landing on austere island airstrips. Using a variety of airfields for operations complicates China’s ability to track and attack aircraft with its arsenal of long-range ballistic and cruise missiles. The USAF also is practicing its Agile Combat Employment strategy in other theatres, including the Middle East. “Demonstrating these capabilities to regrade commercial aviation fuel to military grade provides flexibility to expand logistics support and global reach to [US Air Force Central] and our partners from commercial locations throughout the Middle East,” says Lieutenant Colonel Dana Sullivan, US Air Force Central logistics readiness deputy director at Shaw AFB, South Carolina. https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/usaf-demos-converting-commercial-grade-jet-fuel-into-military-fuel-for-agile-operations/144192.article Rocket Lab is building spacecraft for a NASA Mars mission Rocket Lab is (mostly) known for its orbital flights, but its interplanetary efforts are about to bear fruit. The startup has won a contract to build two spacecraft for ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers), a NASA-selected mission to study how solar wind strips Mars' atmosphere and changes the planet's climate. Twin Photon spacecraft, nicknamed Blue and Gold, will travel to and orbit Mars for a year while they conduct their primary science objectives. The Photon vehicles will meld Rocket Lab's existing Curie propulsion with star trackers. reaction wheels, deep space navigation transceivers and "other subsystems" to help them navigate deep space and conduct science around the Red Planet. They're expected to launch in 2024 aboard a NASA-supplied commercial rocket, provided they pass both a design review later in June and a confirmation review in July. NASA chose ESCAPADE as one of three missions under its Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program, which aims to both lower the cost of interplanetary science and make it more accessible. This should be a significant coup for Rocket Lab if all goes well. NASA has so far leaned on higher-profile outfits like SpaceX and Blue Origin for public-private collaborations like this — ESCAPADE could lead to more and larger deals, particularly for interplanetary flights. This is, of course, presuming that Rocket Lab can put past launch failures behind it and earn NASA's long-term trust. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/rocket-lab-nasa-mars-mission-152709973.html Curt Lewis