Flight Safety Information - July 7, 2021 No. 135 In This Issue : Incident: Fedex B752 at Greensboro on Jun 25th 2021, elevator control anomaly : Incident: Qatar A35K at Doha on Jun 23rd 2021, rejected takeoff due to engine overheat : Bodies of plane crash victims found in Russia’s Far East : Search is on for downed Boeing jet's black boxes : Transair FAA penalties span decades; no US mail in crashed plane : Two New York Pilots Killed In Aspen-Area Bonanza Crash : Traveler caught with 13 firecrackers at Norfolk International Airport : Airline Passenger Could Be Fined $13K for Drinking, Face Mask Violations on Flight From San Diego : ICAO Cites 2021 as Official ‘Year of Security Culture’ : EASA renews accreditation for EgyptAir Maintenance and Engineering Company : Airline body IATA to open Saudi office but denies it will be regional HQ : Frontier Airlines Celebrates 27 Years Of Operations : Porter Airlines returns this fall with service to 4 U.S. cities, including Boston Boston service begins Sept. 17. : AerCap Leased, Purchased and Sold 78 Aircraft in the Second Quarter 2021 : AAR Corp. Agrees to Pay $11 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations on Aircraft Maintenance Contract and to Pay Penalties Assessed by the FAA : WestJet announces new Chief Operating Officer Diederik Pen and appoints new Chief Safety, Health and Environment Officer Robert Antoniuk : U.S. finalizes Belarus air travel restrictions after aircraft diversion : Chinese researchers propose deflecting 'Armageddon' asteroids with rockets : Position Available: Specialist - Flight Safety Investigations : ISASI 2021 Incident: Fedex B752 at Greensboro on Jun 25th 2021, elevator control anomaly A Fedex Federal Express Boeing 757-200 freighter, registration N949FD performing flight FX-2629 from Greensboro,NC to Indianapolis,IN (USA) with 2 crew on board, was climbing out of Greensboro when the crew contacted the wrong departure frequency and requested to continue straight ahead while climbing to 12000 feet, they were working on an issue. THe departure controller coordinated with Greensboro, cleared the flight to continue. The crew advised they probably needed to return to Greensboro and joined a downwind. The crew subsequently decided to return to Greensboro, on approach frequency the crew declared emergency reporting they had an elevator control anomaly. The aircraft joined a visual approach to runway 23L and landed safely about 30 minutes after departure, cancelled the emergency and taxied to the apron. A replacemnet Boeing 757-200 registration N798FD reached Indianapolis with a delay of about 3 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service 4 days later on Jun 29th 2021. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e9d1749&opt=0 Incident: Qatar A35K at Doha on Jun 23rd 2021, rejected takeoff due to engine overheat A Qatar Airways Airbus A350-1000, registration A7-ANF performing flight QR-707 from Doha (Qatar) to Washington Dulles,DC (USA), was accelerating for takeoff from Doha's runway 34L when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed (above 100 KIAS) due to an EGT overtemperature indication for the left hand engine (Trent XWB). The aircraft slowed safely but got stuck on the runway about 2540 meters/8330 feet down the runway due to a number of tyres deflating. Qatar's AIB reported the crew rejected takeoff at high speed (greater than 100 KIAS) due to a "ENG 1 EGT OVER LIMIT" ECAM message. The aircraft slowed safely but 6 right hand and 4 left hand tyres deflated. The occurrence was rated a serious incident and is being investigated. http://avherald.com/h?article=4e9bcf38&opt=0 Bodies of plane crash victims found in Russia’s Far East MOSCOW (AP) — Rescuers have found the bodies of 19 victims a day after a plane crash in a remote area in Russia’s Far East, the authorities said. An Antonov An-26 carrying 28 people crashed Tuesday near its destination town of Palana in the region of Kamchatka, apparently as it came in for a landing in bad weather. The plane was en route from the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Palana on Tuesday morning when it missed a scheduled communication and disappeared from radar. Wreckage was found Tuesday evening on a coastal cliffside and in the sea, and the search and rescue operation was suspended until Wednesday morning after night fell, as the crash site was difficult to access in the dark. The governor of Kamchatka, Vladimir Solodov, told the state Tass news agency that the “first bodies are being pulled out (of the water).” Russia’s Emergency Ministry said that remains of 19 victims have been found so far, and one of them has been identified already. Russian media reported Tuesday that none of the six crew members or 22 passengers on board had survived. The head of the local government in Palana, Olga Mokhireva, was among the passengers, spokespeople of the Kamchatka government said. Solodov said Tuesday that a group of government officials including Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev will head to Palana on Wednesday. In the aftermath of the crash, the authorities in Kamchatka have declared three days of mourning. Officials said that families of the victims will receive payments of more than 3.5 million rubles (about $47,200) that will include compensation from the airline, an insurance payment and a subsidy from the regional government. Police are investigating the incident, looking at three possible causes of the crash — bad weather, equipment malfunction or pilot error. President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday morning extended his condolences to the families of the victims. In 2012, an Antonov An-28 plane belonging to Kamchatka Aviation Enterprise crashed into a mountain while flying the same route as Tuesday’s flight. A total of 14 people were on board and 10 of them were killed. Both pilots, who were among the dead, were found to have alcohol in their blood, Tass reported. https://apnews.com/article/europe-russia-government-and-politics-business-175f2939a88e502ac39abd0431c455fe Search is on for downed Boeing jet's black boxes Investigators planned to scan the sea bed off Hawaii, searching for wreckage of a 737 cargo plane that went down after both engines failed. (Bloomberg) — 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. Click here to see video of the pilots' rescue. 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.chicagobusiness.com/manufacturing/search-downed-boeing-jets-black-boxes Transair FAA penalties span decades; no US mail in crashed plane HONOLULU (KHON2) — The plane that crash-landed in the ocean off Oahu on Friday, July 2, was operated by a company contracted to carry U.S. mail interisland. No mail was aboard the flight, but it led to the grounding of other jets in the fleet of a company with a troubled compliance history with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The owner and operator of Transair and its planes have racked up hundreds of thousands in federal fines and penalties from the FAA. They have managed to keep the fleet going in part to serve a critical U.S. mail contract, however. The plane that went down was among the older in Transair’s fleet; built in 1975. Transair carries cargo, including mail. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) told Always Investigating that no mail was on the downed plane. “However, the crash led to the grounding of some other Transair jets, including those that usually transport mail from Honolulu to Kahului and Hilo every night and from those two neighbor island cities back to Honolulu every afternoon,” said USPS spokesperson Duke Gonzales. “Fortunately, we were able to collaborate with Transair to quickly make alternate arrangements to fly the mail to and from both Kahului and Hilo, beginning on Friday. Those arrangements have allowed us to minimize the impact of the Transair grounding on our customers.” KHON2 has been trying to find out from the FAA if maintenance or operations issues could have contributed to the crash. The FAA said they can not talk about ongoing investigations but they do reveal past enforcement actions. Always Investigating dug through nearly 100 FAA quarterly enforcement reports that spanned 25 years to look for enforcement actions that resulted in fines and penalties associated with Transair, and found more than a dozen that totaled about $210,000. They include maintenance, flight operations, records and reporting, even drug testing violations. The cases have been closed and fines levied against both Rhoades Aviation, the registered owner of the plane and operator Trans Executive Airlines of Hawaii, which does business as Transair. According to state business records, these corporate entities share the same top executive. The FAA told Always Investigating in a statement: “The FAA expects compliance to be the standard. Civil penalties are one of the options available to the agency to address instances in which a regulated entity fails to adhere to FAA regulations.” KHON2 asked the company about the extensive past FAA fines and penalties and a spokesperson responded: “While the NTSB is investigating the incident, the company has been advised not to comment.” According to sources, investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are asking questions about the very things that have been categories of fines and penalties for the company, standard NTSB procedure after plane crashes. The Boeing 737 crashed about 2 miles off Oahu’s west side around 2 a.m. shortly after it took off heading to Maui. The pilots radioed about engine trouble, lost both engines and ditched the aircraft in the ocean. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued both pilots. The airline declined to comment about what they did in each enforcement case to rectify what was found wrong. Always Investigating has asked the FAA for details of each enforcement action and will continue to follow up. https://www.khon2.com/always-investigating/transair-faa-penalties-span-decades-no-us-mail-in-crashed-plane/ Two New York Pilots Killed In Aspen-Area Bonanza Crash An aviation entrepreneur and an oral surgeon (also a pilot), both from New York City, were killed in the crash of a Beechcraft G36 Bonanza on Saturday evening, July 3, in Colorado. David Zara, one of the founders of charter providers Zen Air and Tradewind Aviation, and Dr. Ruben Cohen took off from Aspen-Pitkin County Airport early Saturday evening. But when a friend reported them overdue at their destination airport in Des Moines, Iowa, mid-morning on Sunday, local Colorado authorities launched a search for the Bonanza. It isn’t clear which of the two pilots was flying. The wreckage and the two men’s bodies were found near a mountain pass near the Continental Divide about nine to 12 miles from the departure airport. The pass tops out at just over 12,000 feet in elevation. According to FlightAware data, an IFR flight plan route on file called for a northwesterly departure over lower terrain (see dotted line in image) followed by an easterly turn to the on-course heading for Des Moines, but the pilots reportedly canceled the IFR clearance before takeoff. FlightAware data shows the Bonanza circling over the city of Aspen while gaining altitude and then turning east toward the rising terrain. In a statement, Connecticut-based Tradewind Aviation wrote: “Tradewind Aviation is devastated to hear of the loss of our friend and colleague David Zara this past Saturday. David was incredibly charismatic, thoughtful, and had a passion for flying. He will be deeply missed.” Zara had not been associated with Tradewind for several years, according to the company. Cohen, who practiced in Manhattan, also owned Long Island-based LEC Aviation, according to The Aspen Times. The Bonanza’s registration was recently transferred to the company. Born in France, Cohen was known for his volunteer work in “towns and villages in Asia, Africa and Central America,” according to his online profile, which also noted he did pro bono rescue work at Ground Zero after the September 11 attacks. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/two-new-york-pilots-killed-in-aspen-area-bonanza-crash/ Traveler caught with 13 firecrackers at Norfolk International Airport NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A person was caught with 13 firecrackers at Norfolk International Airport on Monday, a TSA spokesperson says. Lisa Farbstein, a TSA Public Affairs spokesperson, says the traveler had 13 firecrackers inside a carry-on bag on Monday, the day after the 4th of July. “It’s important to remember that firecrackers, sparklers, and fireworks are not permitted in carry-on or checked bags,” says Farbstein. “They are highly flammable items.” According to the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR, parts 171-180) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), travelers are subject to civil penalties of up to $75,000 per violation, but can run as high as $175,000 per violation depending on the case. Criminal violations can also result in imprisonment of up to 10 years. For more information on prohibited items at airports, visit the FAA’s website here. https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/norfolk/traveler-caught-with-13-firecrackers-at-norfolk-international-airport/ Airline Passenger Could Be Fined $13K for Drinking, Face Mask Violations on Flight From San Diego The FAA proposed civil penalties totaling $119,000 against nine passengers for violations of federal regulations, the agency said, which ranged from drinking alcohol FAA against regulations to fighting with flight attendants over facemask policies A passenger on a flight from San Diego to Las Vegas in January may be fined up to $13,000 for not following face mask requirements during travel, the Federal Aviation Administration announced as part of a more direct approach to dealing with unruly passengers. The FAA has proposed civil penalties totaling $119,000 against nine passengers for violations of federal regulations, the agency said, which ranged from drinking alcohol against FAA regulations to fighting with flight attendants over facemask policies. Assault is also alleged in some cases. The passenger flying from California to Nevada was on a Frontier Airlines flight when she repeatedly removed her facemask and would not follow crews' orders to wear it properly, the FAA said. The agency believes the woman was also drinking, although the Frontier Flight did not serve alcohol — a violation of FAA regulation. The passenger is not being identified per FAA policy. In a separate case on a flight from Sacramento to San Diego in May, a flight attendant was assaulted after the passenger ignored instructions over the airline's face mask policy, according to witnesses. The woman faces felony battery charges and has been banned from Southwest Airlines. It is unclear if the FAA plans to impose penalties. The FAA announced in January stiffer penalties for those who threaten, intimidate or interfere with crewmembers due to an increase in unruly behavior this year. "I signed an order directing FAA safety inspectors and attornies to pursue legal enforcement action against any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates or interferes with airline crew members," FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a video PSA message in January. "We will not address these cases through warnings or counseling." The FAA has received more than 3,200 reports of unruly behavior so far in 2021, the majority about those who refuse to comply with federal face mask orders. That's up from about 100 to 150 in a typical year, according to the agency. About 540 cases of this year's cases are being investigated for potential violations. Enforcement action has been taken in more than 80 cases, so far, the FAA said. It has proposed more than $682,000 in total fines for these cases. The FAA can impose criminal fines, and in some cases jail passengers who cause disturbances on flights or do not follow crew instructions, which is a violation of FAA rules, the agency said. Face masks are still required during travel within or to and from the United States, according to current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. They are also required while inside airports themselves or at other transportation stations. In response to the increase in violations, the FAA released a video of children explaining how to act on a flight. "Children know it’s not safe to disrupt a flight. You should too," the video's description reads. In it, the children share their thoughts on unruly passenger behavior. "They should know better if they're adults," one child said. "That is so unsafe," another added. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/airline-passenger-fined-13k-for-drinking-face-mask-violations-on-flight-from-san-diego/2649051/ ICAO Cites 2021 as Official ‘Year of Security Culture’ The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has shifted its official Year of Security Culture from 2020 to 2021 as a result of the Covid pandemic. The body notes this year is particularly significant for aviation security as it marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. ICAO cites new and emerging threats as aviation infrastructure increasingly relies on digital technology, not only in flight, but at airports, air traffic control facilities, and international security checkpoints around the world. Dr. Fang Liu, ICAO’s Secretary General, said, “This digital penetration will only increase with time, especially considering the continuous innovation being seen in communications and applications, and the advent of new airspace users such as drones and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems.” She spoke at the virtual launch of the World Economic Forum’s study titled, “Pathways to a Cyber Resilient Aviation Industry.” The study cited the following barriers to cybersecurity in aviation: under-investment in cyber resilience capabilities; increased complexity of the value chain with ambiguous accountability; fragmented approach at governance and policy levels; and lack of visibility and transparency across the supply chain. The coalition of aviation stakeholders and the ICAO Assembly called for a Cybersecurity Action Plan that consists of the following: developing and agreeing on a comprehensive cybersecurity vision; working toward a common baseline for cybersecurity standards and recommended practices; making cybersecurity a part of aviation security and safety systems; developing and implementing a range of risk-assessment methodologies; establishing information-sharing platforms for prevention, early detection and mitigation of cybersecurity threats; monitoring the qualifications of personnel in both aviation and cybersecurity; and increasing overall awareness about cybersecurity issues. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/icao-cites-2021-as-official-year-of-security-culture/ EASA renews accreditation for EgyptAir Maintenance and Engineering Company The EgyptAir Maintenance and Engineering Company has passed the inspection of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on its headquarters at Cairo International Airport and at the daily maintenance stations in the Luxor and Hurghada airports. The company said that this process resulted in the renewal of its accreditation, and the inclusion of several new models of aircraft and engines for international accreditation. The inspection is the twenty-ninth in sixteen consecutive years, during which the company succeeded in passing all European inspections at its headquarters in Cairo and several stations. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of EgyptAir Maintenance and Engineering Company Hany Salah-Eddin, said that the EASA’s inspection aims primarily to verify individual technical competence. The inspection requires working in accordance with binding legislation, adhering to recommendations issued by aircraft manufacturers or international authorities issuing such legislation and strictly following them. This gives EgyptAir Maintenance the ability to work in accordance with the technical requirements of the European Union. Salah-Eddin added that the inspection included the General Administration of Quality and Safety Assurance, the engine overhaul complex, the mechanical units overhaul, the equipment overhaul, hangar 7000, hangar 8000, the complex of technical, and calibration warehouses, support equipment and service for foreign companies, in addition to Luxor and Hurghada stations. This resulted in accreditation renewal, he said, in addition to expanding the scope of the approved technical services to include accreditation for providing daily maintenance services for Boeing B787 aircraft with Trent 1000 engines. Also approval of the provision of periodic and daily maintenance services for A320Neo with CFM Leap-1A and PW1100G engines, in addition to the approval of maintenance for new engines models. https://www.egyptindependent.com/easa-renews-accreditation-for-egyptair-maintenance-and-engineering-company/ Airline body IATA to open Saudi office but denies it will be regional HQ CAIRO, July 7 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday that global airlines industry body IATA had agreed to open a regional headquarters in Riyadh but the industry's main trade association denied it would be a regional base in the latest evidence of sensitivities over the status of foreign business representation in the kingdom. The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) late on Wednesday announced it had signed a "headquarters agreement" with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to open its "regional office in the kingdom". IATA, which represents some 290 airlines around the world, currently has its regional office in Jordan's capital Amman. IATA said the body had agreed to set up an office in Saudi Arabia but not a regional headquarters. "It will serve the growing needs of the industry in (Saudi Arabia). We have a regional headquarters ... in Amman and we are not moving its functions to (Saudi Arabia)," an IATA spokesperson said by email. GACA did not immediately respond to a request for further comment. Saudi Arabia is putting pressure on companies to move their regional offices to the kingdom, warning that from 2024 it would not award state contracts to those with regional headquarters elsewhere. read more The move is one of many recent economic and social reforms in an effort to diversify the economy away from its oil dependence. Saudi Arabia last week announced a transportation and logistics drive aimed at making the kingdom the fifth-biggest air transit hub. People familiar with the matter said a planned new airline would target international transit passenger traffic, going head-to-head with Gulf giants Emirates and Qatar Airways and opening up a new front in regional competition. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-signs-agreement-with-iata-establish-regional-headquarters-2021-07-06/ Frontier Airlines Celebrates 27 Years Of Operations Frontier Airlines has turned 27 years old. The American ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) is putting on a celebration to commemorate the 27 years with one million seats on sale and a special giveaway for 27 lucky winners. Here’s a look at 27 years of the airline. Frontier Airlines puts on a birthday sale For its 27th birthday, Frontier Airlines is putting one million seats on sale starting today. Fares are as low as $27. Tickets must be purchased by 23:59 Eastern time on July 7th. Travel at that fare is valid on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays for travel from August 17th through November 10th. There are two blackout dates (September 4th and 7th). The sale does also apply to one-way flying. Tyri Squyres, vice president of marketing at Frontier Airlines, stated the following: “What better way to commemorate our company’s 27th birthday than to invite customers to the celebration through a systemwide fare sale and random drawing for free round-trip tickets?” In addition, Frontier is also giving away roundtrip tickets for two to 27 lucky winners. The flights are valid to any destination Frontier flies to. There will be a random drawing, and passengers can enter at this link. Customers can enter the random drawing through July 13th, 2021. Winners will be determined on or around July 20th. Frontier Airlines also offered the following comment on the airline’s 27 years of operations: “Frontier has completely reinvented itself over the course of its 27 year history. Through strong leadership, under the direction of CEO Barry Biffle, we have become a tremendously successful ultra-low cost carrier. The recent completion of an IPO, our position as America’s greenest, most fuel-efficient airline and our dedication to highlighting North American animal species, particularly endangered ones, on our plane tails are a few of the highlights we are extremely proud of as we mark this anniversary.” Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests. 27 years of Frontier Airlines Frontier Airlines has seen many highs and a lot of lows in its 27 years of history. The airline was incorporated in 1994 in Denver and served as a successor to the original Frontier Airlines that operated from 1950 to 1986. A more exhaustive history will be coming soon, but here’s a brief look at some big moments of Frontier’s history. The early focus of the airline was connecting Denver with points in the Western US and the Midwest. As the airline grew into the 2000s, it started to expand. The early days of the carrier marked Boeing 737 operations, though just before the 21st century, Frontier also started flying Airbus jets. In fact, Frontier Airlines was even the launch customer for the Airbus A318, which is the smallest version of the Airbus A320ceo family. The Airbus A320ceo family of jets helped the airline phase out the Boeing 737s. From the mid-2000s onwards, Frontier Airlines started to face a growing competitive market and underwent a series of different transitions. At one point, Frontier even had regional jets flying for the airline. In 2008, Frontier Airlines entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy. As it came out of bankruptcy, Republic Airways decided to bid to acquire the airline’s assets. This ruffled feathers at Southwest Airlines, who also mounted a bid to acquire Frontier Airlines. In the end, Republic won the battle. Republic also had Midwest Airlines under its belt and decided to merge the two airlines with Frontier surviving. Republic decided to sell Frontier Airlines to focus on its regional flying. Indigo Partners came into the picture and took over the airline. As part of the transaction, from 2013 onwards, Frontier Airlines began its transition to an ultra-low-cost carrier. Where Frontier stands today Frontier Airlines is a growing ULCC. It completed a successful IPO in the first half of 2021 and has a backlog of over 100 Airbus A320neo jets. These larger planes will help power the airline’s expansion and keep costs low, which helps the carrier offer lower fares to its consumers. Frontier has a fully unbundled product. Customers purchase a fare and then purchase ancillary products (like bags and seat selection) to augment their travel experience. The airline also offers an all-economy cabin onboard all of its jets. Frontier Airlines has been a ULCC for less than 10 years, but it is succeeding with its model and growing to new heights. The airline is extending its reach in the United States and places south of the border. Primarily, the airline runs a low-utilization point-to-point model. This is similar to Allegiant’s operations, but Frontier Airlines prioritizes taking newer, more efficient aircraft. It markets itself as America’s greenest airline. There is still a lot of work left for Frontier. It has a lot of opportunities it can take advantage of and has gaps in its network. When the Airbus A321XLR arrives at the airline, the plane should help unlock plenty of new opportunities for the carrier – and potentially open up Hawaii. https://simpleflying.com/frontier-27-years/ Porter Airlines returns this fall with service to 4 U.S. cities, including Boston Boston service begins Sept. 17. After suspending operations for 18 months due to the coronavirus pandemic, Toronto-based Porter Airlines announced Monday that it will begin service to four U.S. cities, including Boston, in September. The airline will resume flying in phases, with service to select Canadian destinations beginning Sept. 8, followed by service on Sept. 17 to Boston, Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C. There will be three daily trips between Boston’s Logan International Airport and Toronto’s Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. Operations were suspended on March 21, 2020, and the airline has announced several tentative dates for restarting flights prior to the latest announcement. “This is the moment our team members, passengers, and the communities we serve have been waiting for,” said Michael Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines, in a statement. “The pandemic has progressed to the point that we can now begin restoring service across our network, focused around our main base at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.” About 500 Porter Airlines team members will be recalled to active status when the first phase of flights in Canada are introduced, according to the carrier, and more staff will be added as flights and destinations are added. To give travelers “peace of mind,” all fares purchased by July 20 for travel through Dec. 15 are fully refundable, with no fees, according to the airline. Travelers can learn more about the airline’s safety program, called Healthy Flights, on the company’s website. The initial group of Canadian destinations beginning Sept. 8 are Halifax, Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, St. John’s, Thunder Bay, and Toronto. https://www.boston.com/travel/travel/2021/07/06/porter-airlines-service-to-u-s-cities-including-boston/ AerCap Leased, Purchased and Sold 78 Aircraft in the Second Quarter 2021 DUBLIN, July 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AerCap Holdings N.V. ("AerCap") (NYSE: AER) has announced its major business transactions during the second quarter 2021: Signed lease agreements for 51 aircraft, including 13 widebody aircraft and 38 narrowbody aircraft. Purchased 15 aircraft, including 10 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft, 4 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and 1 Embraer E2. Executed sale transactions for 12 aircraft, including 1 Airbus A330, 5 Boeing 737NGs, 3 Boeing 757s and 3 Boeing 767-300ERs from AerCap's owned portfolio. About AerCap AerCap is the global leader in aircraft leasing with one of the most attractive order books in the industry. AerCap serves approximately 200 customers in approximately 80 countries with comprehensive fleet solutions. AerCap is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (AER) and has its headquarters in Dublin with offices in Shannon, Los Angeles, Singapore, Amsterdam, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, Seattle and Toulouse. For more information regarding AerCap and to be added to our email distribution list, please visit www.aercap.com and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/aercapnv. SOURCE AerCap Holdings N.V. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aercap-leased-purchased-and-sold-78-aircraft-in-the-second-quarter-2021-301326328.html AAR Corp. Agrees to Pay $11 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations on Aircraft Maintenance Contract and to Pay Penalties Assessed by the FAA AAR Corp., located in Wood Dale, Illinois, and its subsidiary, AAR Airlift Group Inc. (Airlift), located in Melbourne, Florida, have agreed to pay the United States $11,088,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations in connection with aircraft maintenance services performed by Airlift on two U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) contracts. The allegations involve helicopters that Airlift owned and maintained for use in transporting Department of Defense (DoD) cargo and personnel in support of DoD missions in Afghanistan and Africa. The settlement resolves allegations that Airlift knowingly failed to maintain nine aircrafts in accordance with contract requirements, and that because of this failure, the helicopters were not airworthy and should not have been certified by Airlift as “fully mission capable.” AAR and Airlift have also agreed to pay $429,273.69 to resolve a separate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) matter citing deficiencies in Airlift’s helicopter maintenance. “The knowing failure to comply with contractual obligations is unacceptable, particularly when such violations raise safety concerns,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement reaffirms that the government will hold contractors to the quality and safety standards in their contracts that are intended to protect our men and women in uniform.” “Defense contracting is a special trust because it supports the servicemembers who protect our nation’s interests around the world,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft for the Southern District of Illinois. “Whenever a military contractor cuts corners, it presents not only a possible fraud against taxpayers but also a potential safety hazard to our soldiers. The settlement announced today addresses both of those concerns. I am especially grateful to my staff, the many dedicated agents who worked on this matter and the witnesses who came forward.” “Our military is entitled to rely on high level contractor performance when it procures essential services like those at issue here,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Karin Hoppmann for the Middle District of Florida. “We are grateful for the diligent and collaborative work put into this investigation by the Southern District of Illinois, the Department of Justice Civil Frauds Section and all of the investigative agencies who supported these cases.” “Failure to properly maintain aircraft is unacceptable under any circumstances, but it’s especially egregious in a war zone, where the lives of America’s warfighters are on the line,” said John F. Sopko, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). “I’m proud of the work of SIGAR’s special agents – in Afghanistan and the United States – whose collaboration brought this case to a successful conclusion.” “The Department of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) commends the complainant for coming forward, which allowed us and our joint investigative partners to vigorously protect the DoD’s procurement process, preserve the military’s ability to carry out its warfighting mission and ensure the wrongdoers were held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Nicholas J. Groesbeck of the OSI Procurement Fraud Detachment 4, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. “This case demonstrates the commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), along with our partner agencies, to aggressively go after those who disregard and ignore critical safety and contractual specifications on Department of Defense contracts,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Gregory P. Shilling of the DCIS Southwest Field Office. “Today’s resolution highlights the culmination of investigative efforts to hold those who supply the Department of Defense accountable for their product and actions.” “It is unacceptable that anyone would bypass contractual agreements and most importantly safety guidelines meant to ensure the wellbeing of our American service men and women,” said Christopher Grey, spokesperson for the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID). “We will continue to aggressively investigate allegations such as this and work closely with our law enforcement partners to bring a successful resolution.” “The failure to perform critical maintenance to Department of Defense aircraft poses a grave and unnecessary threat to our nation’s military readiness,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael DeFamio of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Central Field Office. “NCIS and our federal law enforcement partners remain committed to fully investigating any and all allegations of contract fraud that compromise the safety of our service members and waste American taxpayer money.” “Those certified to perform critical safety aircraft inspections and maintenance work are expected to adhere to aviation regulations in order to ensure that safety is not compromised,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Damiani of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Southern Region. “The settlement reached today clearly demonstrates that we will vigorously pursue those who choose profits over the quality and integrity of the work they are contracted to perform.” “Improperly maintaining aircraft creates a safety risk that we absolutely will not tolerate,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. “Today’s agreement makes clear that disregard for maintenance requirements is unacceptable.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Christopher Harvey, a former Airlift employee. The act permits private parties to sue for false claims on behalf of the United States and to share in any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Harvey v. AAR Corp., et al., No. 3:15-cv-00390 (S.D. Ill.). Mr. Harvey will receive $2,162,160 of the False Claims Act settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from the U.S. Transportation Command, the FAA, Air Force OSI, DCIS, NCIS, Army CID, Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General, the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) and SIGAR. The case was investigated by Trial Attorney Elspeth A. England of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan D. Stump and Laura J. Barke of the Southern District of Illinois and Randy Harwell of the Middle District of Florida. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/aar-corp-agrees-pay-11-million-settle-false-claims-act-allegations-aircraft-maintenance WestJet announces new Chief Operating Officer Diederik Pen and appoints new Chief Safety, Health and Environment Officer Robert Antoniuk CALGARY, AB, July 6, 2021 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced the appointment of a new Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Diederik Pen, who will join the airline's executive leadership team in the early fall, following the completion of the immigration process. At that time, acting interim COO, Robert Antoniuk will take on a new role as Chief Safety, Health and Environment Officer. Mr. Pen has more than 25 years of aviation-industry experience in the Asia-Pacific and European regions, and joins WestJet most recently from Wizz Air, a fast-growing, ultra-low- cost business, where he was chief operations officer. "Diederik has an established track record of leading safe, efficient and cost-effective operations through periods of growth, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the WestJet family," said Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. "Diederik's breadth of experience spans line management, commercial, operational and leadership roles in airports, for flag carriers and low-cost airlines, and we look forward to his expertise as we enter recovery and build for the future." "What most appealed to me about WestJet was a combination of the culture, ambition and vision for the airline, there is an obvious high level of care and respect for doing things the right way for both the people who operate the airline and the guests," said Mr. Pen. "WestJet is in an exciting position to successfully compete in the rebuild of the aviation industry, and I look forward to being a part of that story." Robert Antoniuk joined WestJet in April 2018 and took on the interim COO role in February 2021, as the airline conducted a global search for a permanent placement. Mr. Antoniuk has demonstrated exemplary leadership, including a successful airports transformation initiative, and maintaining WestJet's leading on-time performance among major North American carriers, as well as globally, in recent months. As Chief Safety, Health and Environment Officer, Mr. Antoniuk will continue to shape WestJet's industry-leading safety culture. "Robert's leadership has been tremendous throughout the entire pandemic, as he led major transformational work for our airports structure, before stepping in to lead operations at a critical time," said Sims. "WestJet has always held safety above all and maintained leading safety performance. The pandemic has stretched our views to bring the same rigor to hygiene, physical and mental wellbeing and other such areas of health and environment that extend to our people and our guests; Robert's proven leadership capabilities will be an asset to this important work." About WestJet In 25 years of serving Canadians, WestJet has cut airfares in half and increased the flying population in Canada to more than 50 per cent. WestJet launched in 1996 with three aircraft, 250 employees and five destinations, growing over the years to more than 180 aircraft, 14,000 employees and more than 100 destinations in 23 countries, pre-pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic the WestJet Group of Companies has built a layered framework of safety measures to ensure Canadians can continue to travel safely and responsibly through the airline's Safety Above All hygiene program. During this time, WestJet has maintained its status as one of the top-10 on-time airlines in North America as named by Cirium. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com. Connect with WestJet on Facebook at facebook.com/westjet Follow WestJet on Twitter at twitter.com/westjet Follow WestJet on Instagram instagram.com/westjet/ Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at youtube.com/westjet Read the WestJet blog at blog.westjet.com https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/westjet-announces-new-chief-operating-officer-diederik-pen-and-appoints-new-chief-safety-health-and-environment-officer-robert-antoniuk-893969311.html U.S. finalizes Belarus air travel restrictions after aircraft diversion WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation Department finalized an order on Tuesday banning ticket sales for air travel between the United States and Belarus, acting after Minsk forced a Ryanair flight to land and arrested a dissident journalist who was aboard. The department on June 29 had issued a show cause order proposing the restrictions after the U.S. State Department determined that limiting travel between the United States and Belarus was in Washington's foreign policy interest in light of the diversion of the Ryanair flight. The order, which is effectively immediately, also applies to "interline" travel in which tickets are purchased through one airline that contain flights operated by multiple airlines. Under consideration by the U.S. government for several weeks, the order is mostly symbolic since relatively few tickets are purchased for travel to Belarus from U.S.-based travel services. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said in written comments it strongly supports the action, adding the "aggressive and unwarranted interception of a passenger aircraft over Belarus is a flagrant violation of Belarus’s obligations ... and flaunts accepted norms of international behavior." ALPA urged the department "to ensure that all measures of sanctions at State’s disposal are deployed to compel a final and apologetic resolution by Belarus. A message should be sent that aggressive action against civil aircraft will be met with a swift and appropriate response to deter similar conduct by any other would-be state actors." After the May 23 forced landing of the Ryanair flight, which was en route from Athens to Vilnius, the U.S. government advised passenger airlines to use "extreme caution" when flying over Belarus. At the time, however, the United States stopped short of imposing any restrictions. The order allows the U.S. government "to make case-by-case exceptions for any transportation deemed to be in the national interest of the United States, including on humanitarian or national security grounds." https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-finalizes-belarus-air-travel-232136587.html Chinese researchers propose deflecting 'Armageddon' asteroids with rockets BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese researchers want to send more than 20 of China's largest rockets to practice turning away a sizable asteroid - a technique that may eventually be crucial if a killer rock is on a collision course with Earth. The idea is more than science fiction. Sometime between late 2021 to early 2022, the United States will launch a robotic spacecraft to intercept two asteroids relatively close to Earth. When it arrives a year later, the NASA spacecraft will crash-land on the smaller of the two rocky bodies to see how much the asteroid's trajectory changes. It will be humanity's first try at changing the course of a celestial body. At China's National Space Science Center, researchers found in simulations that 23 Long March 5 rockets hitting simultaneously could deflect a large asteroid from its original path by a distance 1.4 times the Earth's radius. Their calculations are based on an asteroid dubbed Bennu, orbiting the sun, which is as wide as the Empire State Building is tall. It belongs to a class of rocks with the potential to cause regional or continental damage. Asteroids spanning more than 1 km would have global consequences. The science center cited a recently published study in Icarus, a journal on planetary science. Long March 5 rockets are key to China's near-term space ambitions - from delivering space station modules to launching probes to the Moon and Mars. China has successfully launched six Long March 5 rockets since 2016, with the last one causing some safety concerns as its remnants reentered the atmosphere in May. "The proposal of keeping the upper stage of the launch rocket to a guiding spacecraft, making one large 'kinetic impactor' to deflect an asteroid, is a rather nice concept," said Professor Alan Fitzsimmons from the Astrophysics Research Centre at Queen's University Belfast. "By increasing the mass hitting the asteroid, simple physics should ensure a much greater effect," Fitzsimmons told Reuters, although, he added, the actual operation of such a mission needs to be studied in greater detail. Current estimates show there is roughly a 1% chance a 100-metre-wide asteroid would strike Earth in the next 100 years, said Professor Gareth Collins at Imperial College London. "Something the size of Bennu colliding is about 10 times less likely," Collins said. Altering an asteroid's path presents a lower risk than blasting the rock with nuclear explosives, which may create smaller fragments without changing their course, scientists say. https://www.yahoo.com/news/chinese-researchers-propose-deflecting-armageddon-041713306.html 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