Flight Safety Information - July 6, 2021 No. 134 In This Issue : Crash: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky AN26 near Palana on Jul 6th 2021, missing aircraft impacted edge of coast : Incident: American A321 at Chicago on Jul 2nd 2021, gear doors did not close : Incident: AZAL A319 at Baku on Jul 4th 2021, cabin did not pressurize : Incident: Inuit B732 at Puvirnituq on Jun 26th 2021, flaps did not respond : IAI 1124A Westwind II - Fatal Accident (Bahamas) : Investigators to Begin Underwater Search for Downed Hawaii Jet’s Black Boxes : NTSB to interview pilots, survey site of ditched 737 cargo plane off Hawaii coast : No survivors from plane crash in Russia's far east, rescue officials say : Federal Aviation Administration international work advances safety mission globally : Civil aviation team postpones visit to Pakistan : Flight to Bahamas from Charlotte under 'extended delay' due to some passengers not wearing masks, becoming disruptive : 'Staffing shortage is across the board': These airline delays hint at hard summer for travelers : Lightest Sound Insulation Ever Created Will Make Aircraft Engines 80% Quieter : Air taxi startup Volocopter gains key production certification : S. Korean defense agency develops palm oil-based bio jet fuel production technique : Space Tugs as a Service: In-orbit service providers are bracing for consolidation : Position Available: Specialist - Flight Safety Investigations : ISASI 2021 Crash: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky AN26 near Palana on Jul 6th 2021, missing aircraft impacted edge of coast A Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka Aviation Antonov AN-26, registration RA-26085 performing flight PTK-251 from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Palana (Russia) with 22 passengers and 6 crew, was on approach to Palana in foggy and cloudy conditions when contact with the aircraft was lost. The aircraft has not landed at any airport. The aircraft was found collided with the top of the coastal slope about 3.8km (2.1nm) from the airport, there are no signs of survivors. A search for the aircraft is underway, two helicopter and a number of search aircraft have been dispatched to check the route of the aircraft. Both approach routes to Palana over land and over the sea are being checked. A number of ships have been dispatched to a location at the sea to investigate a location where the aircraft might have come down, emergency services report. A weak ELT signal has been discovered. Kamchatka's regional government reported contact with the aircraft was lost just when the aircraft was maneouvering to begin the final approach about 9km (5nm) before the airport at about 15:00L (03:00Z). The aircraft had departed Petropavlovsk at 12:57L (00:57Z) and was estimated to land at 15:05L (03:05Z). The aircraft carried 22 passengers and 6 crew. The government also published a list of the passenger names. Kamchatka's government confirmed the wreckage has been located, parts of the aircraft were found in the water some dozen meters below the coastal edge where the aircraft impacted, some parts were found on the land. No weather data are available for Palana. Rosaviatsia reported the mountains around Palana were covered in clouds with broken cloud ceiling at 300 meters/1000 feet MSL and overcast cloud at 720 meters/2400 feet MSL. The coast at the extended runway center line of Palana's runway 11 raises about 110 meters above the sea. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e9e6ae8&opt=0 Incident: American A321 at Chicago on Jul 2nd 2021, gear doors did not close An American Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N169UW performing flight AA-2223 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA) with 187 people on board, was on final approach to Chicago's runway 10C when the crew initiated a go around from about 1000 feet AGL reporting their gear doors were open when they should have been closed, the crew requested to tower to have a look whether the gear doors were indeed open, tower commented they wouldn't be able to see that. The crew climbed the aircraft to 5000 feet, worked the related checklists and landed safely on runway 10C about 40 minutes after the go around. The aircraft returned to service about 35 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e9e1909&opt=0 Incident: AZAL A319 at Baku on Jul 4th 2021, cabin did not pressurize An AZAL Azerbaijan Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration 4K-AZ04 performing flight J2-2251 from Baku to Nakchichevan (Azerbaijan) with 122 passengers, was climbing out of Baku when the crew stopped the climb at FL190 and descended back to 10,000 feet due to a problem with the cabin pressure. The aircraft returned to Baku for a safe landing about 40 minutes after departure. The airline reported: "Technical pumping (problem in the air conditioning system) caused the plane's landing." A replacement A319-100 registration 4K-AZ05 reached Nakchichevan with a delay of about 3 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground about 34 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e9de513&opt=0 Incident: Inuit B732 at Puvirnituq on Jun 26th 2021, flaps did not respond An Air Inuit Boeing 737-200, registration C-GMAI performing flight 3H-780 from Montreal,QC to Puvirnituq,QC (Canada) with 2 crew, was on approach to Puvirnituq when the crew selected flaps 1, the flaps however did not respond. The crew decided to divert to their alternate Kuujjuaq,QC (Canada) due to weather concerns, declared emergency, extended the flaps via alternate selection and landed safely in Kuujjuaq. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 2:40 hours, then returned to Montreal,QC. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e9e0a4f&opt=0 IAI 1124A Westwind II - Fatal Accident (Bahamas) Date: 05-JUL-2021 Time: c. 14:00 Type: IAI 1124A Westwind II Owner/operator: Transenergie Inc Registration: N790JR MSN: 424 Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Category: Accident Location: Abaco - Bahamas Phase: Initial climb Nature: Private Departure airport: Treasure Cay Airport (TCB/MYAT) Destination airport: Nassau-Paradise Island Airport (PID/MYPI) Narrative: An IAI 1124A Westwind II jet, registration N790JR, was destroyed when it impacted the terrain shortly after takeoff from Treasure Cay Airport (TCB/MYAT), Abaco, Bahamas. The two occupants onboard were fatally injured. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/265169 Investigators to Begin Underwater Search for Downed Hawaii Jet’s Black Boxes By Alan Levin • Two pilots who survived ocean ditching to be interviewed • Investigators want to find why 737 lost power after takeoff U.S. investigators plan to begin scanning the sea bed off Hawaii on Monday in search of the wreckage of a Boeing Co. 737-200 that went down after losing power in both its engines. Special sonar devices that can map the sea bed will be used to locate critical wreckage and the jet’s two crash-proof recorders, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a release. “That information will be used to determine how and when the recorders could be recovered and then how and if the airplane will be salvaged,” the NTSB said. Investigators are also scheduling interviews with Transair Flight 810’s two pilots, who survived after ditching the plane early Friday, as well as with air traffic controllers and the small cargo operator’s maintenance workers. The company is branded as Transair and operated by Rhoades Aviation Inc. The 46-year-old plane went into the water about 11 minutes after taking off from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu about 1:30 a.m. local time on July 2. After the plane lost one engine, pilots attempted to return for a landing. But a pilot radioed that the second engine was also failing. So-called black box recorders on the plane should capture the pilots’ conversation in the cockpit and track the route and other data from the flight. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-05/ntsb-to-begin-underwater-search-for-hawaii-jet-s-black-boxes NTSB to interview pilots, survey site of ditched 737 cargo plane off Hawaii coast • The NTSB plans to use sonar imaging to determine when and how the voice-and-date recorders can be recovered • The pilots of Transair Flight 810 reported engine trouble and attempted to return to Honolulu. Both pilots were rescued, officials said. National Transportation Safety Board investigators plan to use sonar imaging on Monday to try to locate a Boeing 737-200 cargo jet that ditched off the coast of Hawaii last week. Transair Flight 810 made an emergency landing in the ocean off the coast of Oahu around 1:30 a.m. local time on Friday. The cargo plane’s pilots reported engine trouble shortly after leaving Honolulu. Both of the pilots were rescued. The NTSB said it must first find the exact location of the 46-year-old plane before the cockpit voice and data recorders can be recovered. “Investigators plan to use side scan sonar Monday to survey the debris field, the condition of the airplane and its location, including how far beneath the surface the plane sank,” it said in a statement. “That information will be used to determine how and when the recorders could be recovered and then how and if the airplane will be salvaged.” The NTSB said it is also scheduling interviews with the two pilots, air traffic controllers and maintenance workers at cargo airline Transair. The agency said a small amount of floating debris was recovered and examined by NTSB. The exact cause or causes of the crash can take months to determine. The carrier didn’t respond to a request for comment. One of the pilots told an air traffic controller that the plane lost an engine and that there was a chance it was going to lose the other, according to audio posted to LiveATC.net. The controller warned them that their altitude was low but another pilot responded that they couldn’t climb. The NTSB said it met with parties to the investigation — the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, which made the plane’s engines, and Rhodes Aviation — the aircraft’s operator, on Saturday. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/05/boeing-737-cargo-plane-prompts-ntsb-search-in-hawaii.html No survivors from plane crash in Russia's far east, rescue officials say MOSCOW, July 6 (Reuters) - There are no survivors after a plane carrying 28 people crashed in the far east of Russia on Tuesday, Russian news agencies cited rescue officials as saying. The Antonov An-26 twin-engined turboprop was en route from the regional capital Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Palana, a village in the north of the Kamchatka peninsula, when it lost contact with air traffic control, the emergencies ministry said. Citing sources, Interfax reported that the plane was thought to have crashed into a cliff as it was preparing to land in poor visibility conditions. Russia's civil aviation authority confirmed that the plane's crash site had been found after the emergencies ministry dispatched a helicopter and had deployed teams on the ground to look for the missing aircraft. There were 22 passengers and six crew on board, the ministry said. Olga Mokhireva, the mayor of Palana, was among the passengers, the TASS agency quoted local authorities as saying. The weather in the area was cloudy at the time the plane went missing, Russian news agencies reported. TASS said the aircraft involved had been in service since 1982. Russian aviation safety standards have improved in recent years but accidents, especially involving ageing planes in far-flung regions, are not uncommon. The Soviet-era plane type, still used for military and civilian flights in some countries, has been involved in dozens of deadly crashes since it entered service around 50 years ago. An Antonov-28, a similar plane, slammed into a Kamchatka forest in 2012 in a crash that killed 10 people along the same route. Investigators said both pilots were drunk at the time of the crash. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/plane-with-29-people-board-goes-missing-russias-far-east-tass-2021-07-06/ Federal Aviation Administration international work advances safety mission globally Lirio Liu, Executive Director of International Affairs at the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reveals their exciting work to redefine geographic and atmospheric boundaries with aviation We at the FAA are passionate about an industry that makes our world more connected. Aviation fundamentally redefines geographic – and in the case of commercial space – atmospheric boundaries. Aviation provides tremendous economic opportunities and connects people and cultures in new ways through our imagination and innovation. This vision is why global leadership is among the strategic pillars of FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. Over the years, the FAA as a preeminent aviation authority in the world has worked relentlessly to promote and develop global aviation safety. When you consider how far aviation has flown in a little more than a century from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to rockets transiting the International Space Station, you cannot overstate the contributions of FAA’s leadership and the Agency’s overriding safety mission. By working with and mentoring partner authorities, organisations, and industry around the world, we help meet the public’s expectations of the highest possible level of safety and seamless operations globally, even in areas we do not regulate directly. Within the FAA’s Office of International Affairs, we coordinate the FAA’s engagement with international organisations, such as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and bilateral and regional international partners, to set international safety and efficiency standards. Through these channels, we seek to reach a consensus on international civil aviation standards and recommended practices and policies. Additionally, the FAA provides training and technical assistance worldwide and advances U.S. aviation objectives through a variety of forums to highlight FAA programmes and initiatives and share best practices. Our prevailing perspective at the FAA is that we must embrace emerging entrants, such as unmanned aerial systems (aka drones) and evolutions made to concepts of operations technologies such as those we are seeing in commercial space. We need to look and act differently, with creativity and innovation that match the scope and pace of change. The FAA’s new commercial space final rule that took effect in March 2021 is a compelling example. The rule streamlines and modernises the FAA’s commercial space launch and re-entry licensing regulations by eliminating obsolete requirements, replacing most prescriptive requirements with risk and performance-based criteria and reducing duplicative regulations. It also establishes a single set of licensing and safety regulations for several types of commercial space operations and vehicles. For example, one licence could support multiple launches and re-entries at multiple locations – a game-changing concept that will make this process more efficient. The number of FAA-licensed commercial space launches has dramatically accelerated from only one in 2011 to a record 39 in 2020 – a 3800% increase in just ten years. For this year, the FAA is forecasting 50 or more FAA-licensed launch and re-entry operations. This rule comes at the right time and further boosts the growing commercial space sector that is lowering the cost of launch operations and opening new markets for satellites, space tourism, and potentially suborbital point-to-point regional and intercontinental travel. As commercial space grows exponentially, we are working across the FAA, led through our Office of Commercial Space Transportation, to focus our work with our global partners to efficiently integrate this industry into an established infrastructure. Together, we provide a central, coordinating conduit for international engagement for the safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability of commercial space within the global aviation system. We are prioritising international engagement with countries that are developing sites, or spaceports, that have interest from the commercial space transportation industry for future launch or re-entry activities abroad. Our collaboration with other countries also includes understanding their regulations and processes and sharing FAA’s experience and lessons learned from the U.S. regulatory framework and requirements for public safety. Throughout our engagement, we want to work with our partners to create standards that benefit everyone and allow for the future growth of the industry. Currently, we are working proactively with partners on spaceports and related launch activities in the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, and Mexico. In addition, we are strengthening relationships with existing spaceports in Brazil and New Zealand. As we reach out to other markets, we believe that our experience can be a valuable resource to many foreign civil aviation authorities. The continuity of the FAA’s authority for safety oversight via licensing, as well as being the air navigation service provider, puts the FAA in a unique position to lead and collaborate in the integration of commercial space operations in the airspace across the globe. Overall, the FAA’s learned lessons and experience with a variety of launch operator concepts allow us to share and leverage our knowledge with our partners and further enable commercial space to grow globally. From conventional aircraft to unmanned aerial systems to commercial space, we recognise the unique responsibility that comes with our deep and rich history. Our collective expertise and experience will remain essential to influence the global direction of aviation and to uphold public confidence. The FAA will continue to add its prominent voice to ensure the safest, most efficient and environmentally sustainable aviation system possible throughout the world. https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/federal-aviation-administration-international-work-advances-safety-mission-globally/112890/ Civil aviation team postpones visit to Pakistan RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said that the visit by a team of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to Pakistan has been postponed owing to the coronavirus pandemic situation. Talking to the media at his public secretariat here on Saturday, the minister said the ICAO team was to visit Pakistan from July 5 to 15, but it was expected to come in September/October. “We have offered the ICAO to share the data concerned and other required things online,” Mr Sarwar said. Later, the ICAO decided to postpone the audit because the Covid-19 situation did not improve as initially expected. However, the Civil Aviation Authority had urged the ICAO not to postpone the visit as the Pakis¬tani team would be vaccinated against Covid-19 and its team would be provided with a better atmosphere during its visit to Pakistan. The ICAO team, which comprised citizens of different nationalities, had been assured that all of the CAA officials coordinating with them during their visit would be vaccinated against Covid-19. According to an aviation expert, the ICAO’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme aims to promote global aviation safety through regular audits of ICAO member states to determine their ability to maintain safety oversight systems. A CAA spokesman said it was a regulatory audit by the ICAO in which licensing, implementation of safety-related standards or recommended practices and airworthiness are assessed. https://www.dawn.com/news/1633203/civil-aviation-team-postpones-visit-to-pakistan Flight to Bahamas from Charlotte under 'extended delay' due to some passengers not wearing masks, becoming disruptive Initial reports indicate the passengers that caused the problem were teenagers going to the Bahamas on a graduation trip. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An American Airlines flight to the Bahamas from Charlotte Douglas International Airport was delayed after some passengers were being disruptive. The airline confirmed the flight was delayed until Tuesday for all customers, and passengers were provided meal vouchers and hotel rooms for the extended stay in Charlotte. According to a spokesperson with American Airlines, Flight 893 from Charlotte to Nassau, Bahamas had some passengers that were non-compliant with the federal mask mandate. Those passengers then became disruptive to other customers and refused to follow crew member instructions while on board. “Per procedure, the customers involved were asked to exit the aircraft. We expect our customers to comply with our policies when they choose to fly with us, and we take action when that is not the case,” American Airlines said in a news release. American Airlines said internal reports show that the group was reminded of the face-covering policy several times by crew members. Stephanie Krzywanski, a passenger on the plane, said the first flight to the Bahamas was delayed due to a mechanical issue. That's when the situation with the unruly passengers happened. Krzywanski said it was a group of high school students going to celebrate in the Bahamas for graduation and they were not following protocols. At this time, it's not publicly known exactly how many unruly passengers were on board. All the passengers were then directed to another aircraft due to the first plane experiencing mechanical problems. It was at the point when the conflict with the students was not able to be resolved, with the students’ reportedly trying to get on the new plane, causing the second flight to be under an "extended delay" until tomorrow. WCNC was on the Zoom with Krzywanski when the pilot announced the flight was under delay over the intercom. She said the passengers were on the second flight for around nearly three hours before getting the announcement. “After having a conversation with the group, our team at CLT confirmed with the customers that if they can travel on another flight, they will agree to comply with the face covering policy. The customers ultimately agreed and will travel to Nassau tomorrow,” American Airlines said in a statement. The passenger WCNC spoke with commended the flight crew for their work and how they responded to the situation. https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/flight-canceled-bahamas-charlotte-passengers/275-e310f8a7-145d-435a-acfb-c533b4cfdf5c 'Staffing shortage is across the board': These airline delays hint at hard summer for travelers This summer is already shaping up to be a difficult one for air travelers. Southwest Airlines customers have struggled with thousands of delays and hundreds of canceled flights this month because of computer problems, staffing shortages and bad weather. American Airlines is also grappling with a surge in delays, and it has trimmed its schedule through mid-July at least in part because it doesn't have enough pilots, according to the pilots' union. Travelers are posting photos of long airport lines and describing painful flights. "It was ridiculously crowded," Tracey Milligan said of airports after a round trip from her New Jersey home to Miami this week. Milligan and her 6-year-old daughter endured hours-long delays on both legs of the trip. Before the flight to Florida, she said, JetBlue agents first told passengers there was a discrepancy with the plane's weight, then they were missing three crew members because the airline was short-staffed, then there was a weather delay. "I really wanted to start screaming and cursing everybody out, but that doesn't get you anywhere, and security will come and remove you from the plane," she said. At least the passengers on Milligan's flights kept their cool. Airlines have seen a surge in unruly passengers, and some experts predict it will get worse this summer as planes become even more crowded. There have been 10 days in June when more than 2 million travelers went through U.S. airports, according to figures from the Transportation Security Administration. Airlines say that domestic leisure travel is nearly back to 2019 levels, although the lack of business travelers means that overall, the number of passengers over the past week is still down about 20% compared with the same days in 2019. The airlines were expecting a blockbuster July Fourth weekend, scheduling more than 100,000 U.S. flights between July 1 and July 5. That was nearly twice the 58,000 that they offered over the same days last year, according to data from aviation researcher Cirium. July 1 was first time the TSA screened more people than on the same day in 2019. The weekend highlights the rapid turnaround boosting an industry that was fighting for survival last year. The recovery has been faster than many expected — including, apparently, the airlines themselves. Since the start of the pandemic, U.S. airlines have received $54 billion in federal aid to help cover payroll expenses. In return, they were prohibited from furloughing or laying off workers. However, they were allowed to persuade tens of thousands of employees to take buyouts, early retirement or leaves of absence. Now some are finding they don't have enough people in key roles, including pilots. This week, as Southwest officials braced for crowded flights over the holiday weekend they offered to double pay for flight attendants and other employees who agree to extra work through Wednesday. "The staffing shortage is across the board. On the pilot side, it's a training backlog," said Casey Murray, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association. "Southwest came into the summer with very little margin." Murray said many pilots coming back from leave are still getting federally required training to refresh their skills and aren't yet eligible to fly. When storms cause long delays, pilots can reach their FAA limit on the number of hours they are allowed to work, and there aren't enough backups to step in, he said. On top of that, he said, Southwest pushed for an "aggressive" summer schedule to capitalize on rising travel demand. Since June 14, Southwest has averaged more than 1,300 daily flights delays — a staggering 40% of its schedule — according to figures from tracking service Flightaware.com. Southwest spokeswoman Brandy King said most delays were caused by weather, and that with fewer flights than before the pandemic, it's harder for Southwest to recover from long thunderstorms. At American Airlines, unions say labor shortages are contributing to delays and the scrubbing of up to 80 flights a day from the schedule through mid-July. In echoes of Southwest, the pilots' union at American said management did not act quickly enough to retrain 1,600 pilots who were temporarily furloughed then rehired last year or replace the 1,000 who retired. American has also suffered high delay numbers in June. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have appeared to fare better, although staffing shortages caused Delta to cancel dozens of flights over Thanksgiving last year and again around Easter this year. Airlines that pushed people to quit a year ago and now beginning to hire again, which could help fix staffing shortages. Delta, for example, plans to hire more than 1,000 pilots by next summer, starting with about 75 by this August. Passengers whose flights aren't canceled or delayed still risk being on board with troublesome plane mates. Airlines have reported more than 3,200 incidents of unruly passengers since Jan. 1, most of them involving compliance with the federal requirement to wear face masks on flights, and some face large fines. Andrew Thomas, a frequent flyer who teaches international business at The University of Akron and has tracked air rage for more than 20 years, believes conditions are ripe for even more incidents on planes this summer because travelers are more stressed than ever. "The problem was there before COVID, and now you are putting more people in the sky and you exacerbate this with the masks," Thomas said. "Service levels are atrocious. Planes are packed, they are not feeding you, it's hard to get food in an airport. The only thing that's easy to get is alcohol, which is not a good thing." https://www.wgal.com/article/airline-delays-hint-at-hard-summer-for-travelers/36924585 Lightest Sound Insulation Ever Created Will Make Aircraft Engines 80% Quieter Researchers developed a graphene aerogel that reduces engine noise to the same level as a hair dryer. In aviation, any advancement in design must either reduce weight or the benefit has to be worth the extra weight. Researchers at the University of Bath seem to have achieved the perfect balance between the two by developing a way to reduce aircraft engine noise by up to 80% while adding almost no extra weight. As Green Car Congress reports, the research team at the University of Bath developed a graphene oxide-polyvinyl alcohol aerogel, which only weights 2.1kg (4.6lbs) per cubic meter and therefore makes it the lightest sound insulation ever manufactured. Lead researcher Michele Meo explains, "We managed to produce such an extremely low density by using a liquid combination of graphene oxide and a polymer, which are formed with whipped air bubbles and freeze-casted. On a very basic level, the technique can be compared with whipping egg whites to create meringues - it’s solid but contains a lot of air, so there is no weight or efficiency penalty to achieve big improvements in comfort and noise." The impact for air travel is potentially very significant. Adding the aerogel insulation to the engines on a commercial aircraft would reduce noise by up to 80% or 16 decibels. It means the "105-decibel roar of a jet engine taking off" would instead sound like your typical hair dryer, which is sure to help keep passengers at ease as they leave the ground and without needing to rely on noise-cancelling earbuds. Although the focus is initially on the aerospace sector, the research team believes this new aerogel has applications in helicopters, car engines, marine transport, and building construction. On the current timeline, we should expect to see it first used within 18 months. https://www.pcmag.com/news/lightest-sound-insulation-ever-created-will-make-aircraft-engines-80-quieter Air taxi startup Volocopter gains key production certification BERLIN, July 6 (Reuters) - German flying taxi startup Volocopter said on Tuesday it was acquiring long-time partner DG Flugzeugbau, in a step that secures its compliance with the European Union air safety regulator's production standards. The acquisition, the terms of which were not disclosed, means that Bruchsal-based Volocopter now has production organisation approval in compliance with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), in addition to existing EASA design approval. "Volocopter is now the first and only electric vertical take-off and landing company holding both the required design and production organisation approvals to advance its aircraft towards commercial launch," it said in a statement. Volocopter hopes to bring its two-seater flying taxi, which looks like an oversized drone, into regular service in time for the 2024 Paris Olympics. It is also developing a similar cargo-lift drone. read more It recently raised 200 million euros ($237 million) to fund its push for certification. Well-funded rivals Lilium and Joby have meanwhile announced plans to float on the U.S. stock market by merging with listed shell companies. ($1 = 0.8442 euros) https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/air-taxi-startup-volocopter-gains-key-production-certification-2021-07-06/ S. Korean defense agency develops palm oil-based bio jet fuel production technique SEOUL -- South Korea's state defense research agency has acquired core technologies for the production of palm oil-based bio jet fuel. Through a series of tests, the agency found that the low-carbon renewable fuel could be an alternate fuel source for military and civil jet turbine engines. Biofuel is a mixture of hydrocarbons derived from biomass which is made up of plant or algae material or animal waste. Biodiesel, one of the most commonly used kinds of biofuels, is normally made of hydrocarbon material extracted from biomass and diesel. South Korea uses some 160,000 tons of used cooking oil collected from fried chicken shops to create biodiesel with up to 20 percent biomass content. Biofuel emits less greenhouse gases than fossil fuel. Bio jet fuel or aviation biofuel is considered by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to be one of the key elements that would help reduce carbon footprints within the environmental impact caused by the aviation industry. According to IATA, aviation biofuel can lower carbon emissions by up to 98 percent compared to conventional jet fuel. Bio jet fuels blended with 50 percent biomass extracts are allowed for commercial purposes. In a four-year research project that began in 2016, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) controlled by the Defense Ministry has developed techniques to produce five tons of aviation biofuel per year. The agency utilized a highly reactive solid catalyst as well as the deoxidization, disintegration and reconstruction of palm oil substances. The agency said that the technique was tested to see if produced biofuel meets the requirements of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), a carbon offset and carbon reduction scheme set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2021 to curb the aviation impact on climate. The technology will accelerate the process of replacing existing petroleum aviation oil without changing the operation condition and structure of existing engines, ADD said, adding its test method can be used to test other types of eco-friendly renewable fuel for civil jet turbine engines. http://www.ajudaily.com/view/20210706133739102 Space Tugs as a Service: In-orbit service providers are bracing for consolidation Orbital transfer and servicing providers are bracing for a space tug of war as they jostle for position in an increasingly crowded market. Newcomers are flooding into a space tug industry that has only emerged in recent years, pushing their own ideas to give operators greater flexibility for deploying and maintaining satellites. At one end of the spectrum, companies such as Spaceflight, Exolaunch and Momentus are devising tugs that satellites attach to on the ground before they are transported to custom orbits post-launch. These services enable customers to cut costs by reducing a satellite’s onboard propulsion, or by removing it altogether and hosting the payload on the tug — sometimes called an orbital transfer vehicle (OTV). At the other end, Northrop Grumman and Astroscale are among those offering tugs that dock with already launched satellites to change orbits, enlarge fuel reserves or give them the ability to deorbit safely. Just a handful of space tug ventures have managed to provide commercial services. On the post-launch servicing side, only U.S. aerospace defense giant Northrop Grumman has provided services to an in-orbit customer to date. Even still, consolidation is widely expected to already be in the cards for the fast-evolving market. A MARKET OF FIRSTS Italy’s D-Orbit completed what it said was the world’s first commercial last-mile delivery service Oct. 28, after its In-Orbit Now (ION) vehicle dropped off 12 satellites for Planet over two months. While regulatory delays have entangled plans by Silicon Valley startup Momentus to offer similar services, Seattle-based Spaceflight deployed 15 spacecraft from the debut flight of its Sherpa-FX space tug in January. Spaceflight, which brokers rideshare launch services for satellite operators, plans to launch another Sherpa-FX on the SpaceX Transporter-2 mission scheduled at the end of June. That mission will also include its new, electric propulsion-powered OTV Sherpa-LTE. Spaceflight expects to fly another next-generation OTV called Sherpa-LTC, which will use chemical propulsion, on a separate SpaceX mission later this year. “Space tugs have the potential to fundamentally change the smallsat market,” Spaceflight vice president of engineering Phil Bracken said. “With on-orbit propulsive capabilities, orbits that were once out of reach, due to cost or propulsion capabilities, will be viable options which addresses a growing market need for orbit diversification.” Until recently, most small satellite customers were just trying to prove their technology, choosing bulk deployments on large rockets when most orbits were desirable for this. However, as the small satellite market matures, they are increasingly looking for specific orbits for optimal, revenue-generating services. Sometimes their technology calls for “extreme final orbit states” that rideshare services or even dedicated small launch vehicles cannot reach, added Bracken. He said early tug missions will focus on inclination changes, or smaller altitude adjustments, but a wider range of services will emerge as more OTVs prove capabilities. These include on-orbit transportation from low Earth orbit (LEO) to medium, geostationary, lunar orbits and beyond. This growing market opportunity recently prompted Germany’s Exolaunch, which also brokers rideshare missions, to announce plans to conduct flight tests for its own space tugs next year. Like Sherpa, Exolaunch’s Reliant tugs will first combine with satellites on the ground before sending them to custom orbits post-launch. In 2023, the company aims to flight test a Reliant Pro configuration capable of making additional adjustments, including the inclination of a satellite’s orbit. In the future, Exolaunch hopes its tugs will be able to dispose of space junk before they deorbit after completing their primary mission. These plans come as the commercial small satellite market matures and proves to not be just a series of one-off launches, according to Exolaunch chief operating officer Alexander Kabanovsky. “Putting satellites into orbit has become predictable, reliable and more affordable,” Kabanovsky said. “As a result, the number of satellites slated to go up into space is growing exponentially and individual orbits have become more desirable. With that immense growth also comes the question of management of space debris, responsible use of space and de-orbiting end-of-life satellites to the fore.” D-Orbit has also outlined plans to tackle debris one day with its OTVs, which currently also offer hosted payload services after finishing their satellite deployments, putting the Italian company and Exolaunch in the middle of a space tug market offering cradle-to-grave services. NEW LIFELINES The satellite-servicing and debris-removal sectors are less developed than the segment of the market aimed at helping small satellites and other secondary payloads reach their final destinations. However, landmark in-orbit servicing achievements by Northrop Grumman in GEO, and an upcoming demo mission this year in LEO from Astroscale, are propelling the market forward. Northrop Grumman’s Mission Extension Vehicle-2 (MEV-2) successfully attached to Intelsat’s 10-02 spacecraft April 12 to extend its life, marking the first time a servicer has docked with an in-service commercial satellite in GEO. A year earlier, its predecessor MEV-1 attached to Intelsat’s IS-901 satellite, lifting the sidelined spacecraft out of GEO graveyard orbit and back into service. The success of these two missions is showing the industry that in-orbit servicing is now a reality, according to Joe Anderson, vice president of Northrop Grumman’s SpaceLogistics subsidiary. “We see the future for in-orbit servicing and the possibilities it brings growing exponentially over the next few years,” Anderson said. MEV-1 and MEV-2 will remain docked for five years before moving to a customer it has yet to book. In the meantime, the company plans to launch more in-orbit servicing products in 2024 that will work in tandem with each other: a Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) and Mission Extension Pods (MEPs). The MRV aims to carry out more advanced in-orbit servicing tasks such as installing an MEP, a smaller life extension service that is less expensive than an MEV. “These products will introduce additional capabilities to the market including on-orbit repair, augmentation, assembly and detailed inspection while still offering life extension services,” Anderson said. “Our vision is that satellites launched after 2025 will include servicing interfaces that will enable them to be serviceable, maintainable and upgradeable.” Tokyo-based Astroscale also expects servicing interfaces will be fitted to future satellites that make it easier for tugs to carry out missions. The venture was close to performing its first end-to-end test of key technologies for in-orbit debris removal in early June, with an ELSA-d servicer spacecraft launched to LEO in March. “With a paradigm shift underway, moving from the traditional launch-it-and-leave-it approach to space to one where we’re building in-space logistics and infrastructure, you’re seeing innovative companies moving into this market to take advantage of new demand signals,” Dave Fischer, Astroscale’s vice president of business development and advanced systems, said. SPACE TUGS AS A SERVICE The growing momentum behind space tugs is encouraging others to get hitched to the market. Two former Blue Origin and NASA engineers founded Kent, Washington-based Starfish Space in late 2019 to launch an all-electric tug called Otter as early as 2023. Co-founder Trevor Bennett said Otter saves costs by being smaller than others under development, which will enable Starfish to operate a network of them in space for “on-demand” satellite servicing. “Our two core missions will be satellite-life-extension-as-a-service and space-debris-removal-as-a-service,” Bennett said. “For life extension this is effectively a subscription model, while for debris removal it looks more like requesting an Uber or Lyft ride.” Starfish and Astroscale are developing servicing businesses for multiple orbits. Astroscale is exploring business models where value for customers can meet sustainability targets for the space environment. “That could mean multiyear contracts for extending the life of a single satellite in GEO, or it could mean management services across an entire fleet of satellites in multiple orbits,” Fischer said. “For government customers, we envision both service models, as well as more traditional sales of spacecraft for government operation.” Anderson of SpaceLogistics said its Mission Extension Pods will include the price of being installed by one of its Mission Robotic Vehicles. These two products are based on the Mission Extension Vehicles currently in orbit, however, unlike them the MRV will have two dexterous robotic arms. The MEP is much smaller at about the size of a minifridge, compared with the MEV and MRV that are around the size of a small SUV, and its structure is also simpler because it is only capable of performing orbit control. “Other robotics services such as inspections and repairs are provided as a service fee based on [change in velocity] required, time and complexity of the mission,” Fischer continued. TUG OF WAR Some form of consolidation is widely expected to take place in the increasingly crowded space tug market. Although SpaceLogistics has not yet booked follow-on customers for the two satellite servicers currently in operation, Anderson said it sees demand for more than 10 life extension missions a year in GEO. SpaceLogistics expects to service up to five of these each year with the upcoming launch of its Mission Extension Pods and their robotic installers, leaving room for other providers. However, Anderson pointed to how consolidation is historically a big part of the aerospace industry. “With such a big influx of startup companies in such a new market area, we should not be surprised by consolidation; especially between companies with complementary capabilities,” he said. And while Spaceflight’s Bracken said pre-life space tugs are a great offering to expand capabilities and final orbit opportunities for customers, which can reduce the need for onboard propulsion equipment, he noted these are only helpful some of the time. A customer looking to send a relatively uncomplicated satellite to sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) at 500 kilometers, for instance, might find the lowest launch cost with a rideshare mission because that orbit is heavily serviced. “More often than not, traditional missions will still suit most customers’ needs, deploying directly from the launch vehicle to the desired orbit,” Bracken said. “Because of this, there isn’t likely room in the industry for dedicated space tug providers, thus consolidation can be expected.” For Exolaunch’s Kabanovsky, the greatest challenge — and simultaneously the largest opportunity — is to continue to prove that space is economically sustainable. “The additional challenge will be to find cost-effective solutions to large problems, space debris being only one of them,” Kabanovsky said. “Keeping investment capital flowing into the industry despite the failures that the industry will inevitably face, will be another interesting issue to overcome.” https://spacenews.com/space-tugs-as-a-service-in-orbit-service-providers-are-bracing-for-consolidation/ Specialist - Flight Safety Investigations UNITED STATES, GEORGIA, ATLANTA CORP. SAFETY, SECURITY & COMPLIANCE 28-JUN-2021 REF #: 7579 HOW YOU'LL HELP US KEEP CLIMBING (OVERVIEW & KEY RESPONSIBILITIES) The Specialist - Flight Safety Investigations reports to the Manager - Safety Investigations and functions as a member of the Flight Safety Accident/Incident Investigation Team. In that capacity, the Specialist will be the primary safety investigator on-call for Delta Air Lines with an on-call rotation every three to four weeks. As the investigator on-call, the Specialist will generally lead all Flight Safety investigations and NTSB coordination efforts during their on-call period. In addition to acting as an investigator, the Specialist will be a primary point of contact in Flight Safety for safety-related issues. The Specialist practices safety-conscious behaviors in all operational processes and procedures. Job Responsibilities: • Acts as a primary investigator for operational accidents, incidents, irregularities, and trends. • Acts as investigator or assisting investigator, on an as-needed basis, for other operational accidents, incidents, irregularities, and trends. • Acts as ICAO Annex 13 airline representative, or assisting representative, for accident, incident, and irregularity investigations. • Develops and publishes Flight Safety investigation reports. • Regularly reviews operational reports and data to identify incidents and irregularities for follow-up investigation. • Develops safety recommendations in conjunction with all operational divisions. • Interfaces with Line Safety Coordinators during applicable safety investigations. • Reviews, develops, and coordinates the publication of safety articles. • Reviews and evaluates applicable research material and results of industry seminars of interest to Flight Safety and Corporate Safety, Security, and Compliance. • Acts as an alternate Investigation Team Coordinator and assists the Manager - Safety Investigations with coordinating Investigation Team activities. • Provides assistance to the NTSB during non-Delta Air Lines local or national investigations. • Provides technical assistance to Delta Air Lines partners and personnel regarding investigation procedures and techniques. • Practices safety-conscious behaviors in all operational processes and procedures. • Develops both strategic & tactical plans that create a safety-conscious environment resulting in employee safety & well-being. WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED (MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS) • Must possess a Bachelor’s degree, or higher, or have compatible work experience. • Should have a general understanding of the operational divisions of a Part 121 major air carrier, including Flight Operations, Technical Operations, In-Flight Service, Airport Customer Service, and Cargo Operations. • Should have an understanding of the role of a Flight Safety department at a Part 121 major air carrier. • Must have a detailed understanding of NTSB accident/incident investigation procedures and techniques. • Must be able to efficiently and effectively investigate major air carrier accidents and incidents. • Should be able to write clear, concise, technical reports, and articles. • Should be able to speak effectively to diverse audiences. • Should be able to work effectively with fellow employees as well as outside agencies and organizations. • Should have PC-based computer skills, including the use of common database and Microsoft Office software. • Must be able to travel worldwide at short notice. • (If applying Internally) Must be performing satisfactorily in present position. • Where permitted by applicable law, must have received or be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by date of hire to be considered for U.S.-based job, if not currently employed by Delta Air Lines, Inc. WHAT WILL GIVE YOU A COMPETITIVE EDGE (PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS) • Should have successfully completed an accredited training course in safety, or compatible work experience, that includes accident investigation procedures and techniques. • Hands-on experience during NTSB, ICAO Annex 13, or military accident investigations is desired. • FAA pilot certificate, maintenance certifications, or equivalent military experience are desired. APPLY HERE August 31 – September 2, 2021 The agenda and speakers list for ISASI 2021 are now posted on the ISASI website. To access, simply log on at www.isasi.org Hover over Events> Annual Seminar >2021 Annual seminar. This will take you to the Presenters List and Preliminary Agenda. It should be noted that all times are posted in Pacific Daylight Time [GMT -7] For those who may not be able to attend on the actual dates/times of the seminar, the presentations will be taped and made available up to 90 days past the seminar closing date. Whether you plan to attend on the actual dates or later, it will be necessary to register online. We are also including a selection of Working Group Meetings and National Society meetings to the agenda. We look forward to your participation. Curt Lewis