Flight Safety Information - July 8, 2021 No. 136 In This Issue : Incident: Logan AT72 at Manchester on Jul 4th 2021, lightning strike : Incident: TUI Nederland B38M at Groningen on Jul 5th 2021, rejected takeoff due to windshear alert : Incident: American A319 near Los Angeles on Jul 7th 2021, engine shut down in flight : Incident: American A320 at Milwaukee on Jul 4th 2021, engine shut down in flight : NTSB to interview pilots, survey site of ditched 737 cargo plane off Hawaii coast : Pilot Error Being Investigated as Cause of Russian Plane Crash That Left No Survivors : Flight attendants report unprecedented bad behavior aboard airlines : U.S. FAA orders inspections of some Bell Helicopters after Canada crash : Alaska Airlines asks execs to help move baggage at Sea-Tac amid worker shortage, surging travel : Aeromexico Has Taken On 10 Boeing 737 Aircraft In 6 Weeks : Singapore and China sign MOU to improve air traffic management capabilities : Business Aviation Leader OneSky Flight to Expand Embry-Riddle Student Career Exposure through Innovation Center Growth : Analysis: Cash-rich Singapore Airlines aims for regional dominance as rivals pull back : China picks up the launch pace with three space missions in four days : Position Available: Specialist - Flight Safety Investigations : ISASI 2021 Incident: Logan AT72 at Manchester on Jul 4th 2021, lightning strike A Loganair Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration G-FBXA performing flight LM-26 from Newquay,EN to Manchester,EN (UK), completed a seemingly uneventful flight with a safe landing in Manchester. The onward leg to Aberdeen,SC (UK) needed to be cancelled however. Passengers waiting for the onward flight to Aberdeen were told the aircraft received a lightning strike and were rebooked onto later flights. The aircraft is still on the ground in Manchester 77 hours after landing. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4e9f98b3&opt=0 Incident: TUI Nederland B38M at Groningen on Jul 5th 2021, rejected takeoff due to windshear alert A TUI Nederland Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration PH-TFN performing flight OR-607 from Groningen (Netherlands) to Las Palmas,CI (Spain), had lined up runway 23 and was cleared for takeoff, when the crew waited and advised ATC they needed two more minutes due to weather ahead. The crew finally commenced takeoff from runway 23 but rejected takeoff at low speed (about 78 knots over ground) after receiving a wind shear alert. The crew advised they wanted to return to the holding point. While taxiing back to the holding point the crew called maintenance, the weather radar was reset. The aircraft subsequently departed and reached Las Palmas with a delay of 50 minutes. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4e9f93d3&opt=0 Incident: American A319 near Los Angeles on Jul 7th 2021, engine shut down in flight An American Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration N763US performing flight AA-761 from San Jose,CA to Phoenix,AZ (USA), was climbing through FL330 about 100nm southeast of San Jose and about 100nm north of Los Angeles,CA (USA) when the crew needed to shut an engine (CFM56) down, drifted the aircraft down to FL240 and decided to divert to Los Angeles for a safe landing on runway 25L about 40 minutes after leaving FL330. A replacement A319-100 registration N745VJ reached Phoenix with a delay of about 3 hours. The airline reported a possible mechanical problem. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Los Angeles about 6 hours after landing. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4e9f91ed&opt=0 Incident: American A320 at Milwaukee on Jul 4th 2021, engine shut down in flight An American Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration N662AW performing flight AA-464 from Milwaukee,WI to Phoenix,AZ (USA) with 73 people on board, was in the initial climb out of Milwaukee's runway 01L when the crew declared emergency reporting the failure of the right hand engine (V2527). The crew stopped the climb at 3000 feet and returned to Milwaukee's runway 01L for a safe landing about 10 minutes after departure. The flight was cancelled. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Milwaukee about 74 hours after landing back. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4e9f8fba&opt=0 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 Pilot Error Being Investigated as Cause of Russian Plane Crash That Left No Survivors Russian officials are looking into three possible explanations for a plane crash that killed 28 people, including that the pilot's actions caused the plane to go down. On Tuesday, an Antonov An-26 passenger plane lost contact with air traffic control en route to Palana, a village north of the Kamchatka peninsula. After locating the crash site about three miles from its intended runway, Russian officials found there were no survivors and as of Wednesday afternoon have been able to only find the bodies of 19 of the 28 people who were on board. A technical commission was formed to investigate the crash, according to Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev, and the cause remains unknown. However, the commission is looking into three main causes, including unfavorable weather conditions, technical failure and pilot error, Savelyev told Russian President Vladimir Putin, TASS, a Russian media outlet, reported. Putin met with several government officials on Wednesday and opened up his remarks with an acknowledgment of the plane crash. Putin called it a "tragedy" and said he hopes assistance to the victims' families will be "settled without delay." Complicating rescue operations is the terrain and "complex weather conditions," according to TASS. Savalyev reportedly told Putin that his plane had to take an alternate route because of weather conditions and "experienced no problems." "That is why we want to understand why the plane's commander made such a difficult decision," TASS reported Savalyev said, offering no further details. Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov announced a three-day long region-wide mourning for the victims of the crash and ordered flags be flown at half-staff throughout the region. Among those on board the plane was Olga Mokhireva, the head of the local government in Palana, according to the Kamchatka government. Two passengers were under the age of 12, Alexander Zabolichenko, deputy chairman of the Kamchatka government, told CNN. Rescue operations had to be suspended on Tuesday, according to Solodov, because of the weather and high waves. However, they resumed on Wednesday and the Associated Press reported there was a plan to deploy professional divers, as the crash happened on a coastal cliffside. The Antonov An-26 is a two-propeller plane that's considered a "light transport plane." This wasn't the first time a plane of its kind crashed and in 2012 an Antonov An-28 crashed while it was flying the same route as the plane that crashed on Tuesday, according to the AP. A criminal investigation has been opened into Tuesday's crash and TASS reported that criminal charges could be filed if investigators find evidence that anyone violated the safety compliance of the plane. https://www.newsweek.com/pilot-error-being-investigated-cause-russian-plane-crash-that-left-no-survivors-1607672 Flight attendants report unprecedented bad behavior aboard airlines Instances of unruly behavior have spiked during the coronavirus pandemic. • The FAA on Tuesday said it received about 3,271 reports of unruly behavior by airplane passengers since the beginning of the year. • About 75 percent of those stemmed from passengers defying mask mandates. • The FAA has proposed more than $682,000 in fines against passengers so far this year. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says about 75 percent of unruly-passenger reports since the beginning of 2021 stem from mask compliance issues, with some escalating into tense arguments and physical violence. The agency reported Tuesday it had received approximately 3,271 reports of unruly behavior by airplane passengers since Jan 1, which includes about 2,475 reports of passengers refusing to comply with mask mandates meant to curb the spread of COVID-19. Travelers are still required to wear a face covering on planes, buses and trains and other forms of public transportation, per guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news. Following an increase in incidents over the course of the coronavirus pandemic, the FAA put a zero tolerance policy in place at the beginning of the year that includes hefty fines. The agency said it has identified potential violations in 540 cases and initiated enforcement action in 83 cases. The FAA has proposed more than $682,000 in fines against passengers so far this year. In a release Tuesday, the FAA detailed nine incidents in which passengers were fined a total of $119,000. One incident included a passenger calling in a fake hijacking and bomb threats, while another included a woman who punched a female passenger who was holding a baby while she was being removed from a flight. https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/561936-flight-attendants-report-unprecedented-bad-behavior-aboard U.S. FAA orders inspections of some Bell Helicopters after Canada crash WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday issued an emergency directive requiring main rotor inspections for some Bell model 212, 204 and 205 helicopters after a fatal crash in Canada last month. The FAA sai... The FAA said operators must complete inspections and replace some specified hub strap pins before further flights. On Monday, Transport Canada Civil Aviation issued an emergency directive covering the same issue. The directives impacts about 400 helicopters worldwide, with approximately 140 registered in the United States. Bell Helicopter, a unit of Textron Inc, did not immediately comment. https://kfgo.com/2021/07/07/u-s-faa-orders-inspections-of-some-bell-helicopters-after-canada-crash/ Alaska Airlines asks execs to help move baggage at Sea-Tac amid worker shortage, surging travel Senior Alaska Airlines employees whose regular job is done from behind a desk are taking shifts this month slinging heavy bags on the outdoors ramp and in the hidden baggage-sorting netherworld beneath the passenger halls at Seattle-Tacoma International airport. Facing a serious shortage of labor, Alaska called Friday for managers and back-office personnel to volunteer to help out over the holiday weekend and through August. “There are gaps in some frontline areas, which are putting strains on the operation,” read one memo from Brooke Vatheuer, Alaska’s vice president of strategic performance at its Seattle hub. “The expectation is for management employees to sign up for five full shifts.” On Friday, ahead of the July 4 holiday, Alaska’s senior vice president responsible for the carrier’s employees, Andy Schneider, hoisted bags off the conveyor belts beneath the north satellite terminal on the 6:30 a.m. shift and stacked them on carts as high as she could. “I’m about 5 foot 4 and not very beefy,” she said, adding that it got harder as the rows of bags on the cart grew higher. “By the third row, I was struggling. But it was fun.” Each management volunteer had to sign up for computer-based training that would take four to five hours, followed by on-the-job training during the first shift. Those who do five shifts will qualify for passes to book free flights at any time. Heavy work, low pay Baggage handlers have to do constant heavy lifting, much of it done outdoors in all kinds of weather. Sunae Park, president of Alaska’s baggage handling subsidiary McGee Air Services, said her unit has nearly 2,100 employees around the Alaska Airlines network, with 725 of those front-line workers at Sea-Tac Airport. She concedes there’s high turnover among the workforce. “It’s a physically demanding job. It works for some and not for others,” Park said. “Some don’t understand the nature of the job until they get here and do it.” The current labor scarcity is in part due to the difficulty of ramping up airport operations again as domestic air travel recovers quickly following the lengthy, pandemic-driven downturn. At the same time, other businesses, from Amazon to retail to restaurants, are competing to hire people as well, especially at the minimum wage end of the labor market. Park noted that “Amazon increased wage rates and offered signing and retention bonuses.” Scrambling to hire more than 100 workers to fill the gaps, and ideally even more to allow for attrition, McGee followed suit and temporarily raised wages with incentive bonuses. McGee is now paying new hires the equivalent of $20.42 per hour: $16.47 base pay, with an additional $2 per hour temporary bonus plus another $150 per two-week pay period for those who work the full 80 hours — the latter bonus designed to encourage reliability. Park said the extra $2 per hour will likely continue through year-end, but is still temporary. “We need to get past Labor Day to assess the true market,” she said. McGee started recruiting in the fall and kicked up a gear in the spring, specifically targeting graduating high school seniors and college students for summer seasonal work. Alaska even sent recruiters to hand out flyers at high school graduations, she said. Nevertheless, “we are still less than where we’d like to be,” she said. Though Vatheuer’s memo said there was a good initial response to the request for volunteers, one manager, who asked not to be identified to keep his job, said he and many of his peers are not eager to fill the gaps. On the management sign-up sheet that’s visible on the internet, as of late Wednesday the shift starting at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday still had nine out of 10 volunteer slots unfilled. A troubled labor history The manager who expressed reluctance to volunteer blamed Alaska’s leadership for keeping pay for the baggage handlers low at the cost of stability. In 2005, Alaska management ousted its unionized in-house baggage handlers, represented by the International Association of Machinists, and outsourced the operation to lower-paying, nonunion contractor Menzies. Then in 2017, with the city of SeaTac minimum wage ordinance raising pay rates effective 2015, Alaska did a deal with the Machinists to bring back the union and formed the McGee subsidiary — with a contract pay scale starting lower than the minimum wage. At the request of some labor unions, SeaTac’s minimum wage ordinance had specifically exempted employees working under a union contract. Base pay at McGee remains for now three cents per hour lower than the current minimum wage at the airport of $16.57/hour. So without the current incentives, someone starting at McDonald’s inside the airport terminal will have higher base pay than a new baggage handler. Long term, that’s clearly a real hiring problem. Yet thanks to steeply rising prices, McGee’s base pay rate is at last about to ratchet up just above that minimum wage line. We need your support In-depth journalism takes time and effort to produce, and it depends on paying subscribers. If you value these kinds of stories, consider subscribing. At the end of this month, an annual cost of living adjustment in the IAM contract is set to hike the base pay rate for new hires by about 20 cents, finally bringing it above the minimum wage at the airport. Dave Supplee, president of IAM District 142 that represents the front-line McGee workers at Sea-Tac, said the union and management are currently working out the precise raise, which will be determined by the June consumer price index. Supplee praised McGee, saying the IAM has no problem with management helping out on the front line because all his members are fully employed. He said that at the height of the COVID-19 downturn, McGee kept his members in jobs by finding other work for them, including driving airport buses, doing security or cleaning offices. It certainly helped that McGee received $45 million in Payroll Support Program funds on condition that it retain the workforce. In last week’s heat wave, McGee made efforts to keep its people safe with water breaks and reduced schedules. It paid double for those who worked the holiday weekend. That, along with the management volunteers, kept Alaska’s flight schedule going close to smoothly. Around the U.S. other airlines, including Southwest and American, have suffered a rash of delays as they’ve struggled to ramp up their operations to meet the surge in demand for air travel. Alexa Rudin, Alaska’s managing director of communications, volunteered to work the baggage operation on Sunday, July 4. With her slinging bags, full-time ramp workers were freed to do more technical jobs such as driving the tugs that tow the baggage carts. Operations over the weekend were reasonably smooth, she said. “Things went as expected.” Park said McGee will continue to push its recruiting efforts to keep the airline schedule on track. “We have a solid plan to get us to the beginning of August,” Park said. “We’ll continue to evaluate our staffing.” https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/alaska-airlines-executives-sling-bags-at-sea-tac-as-worker-shortage-strains-operation/ Aeromexico Has Taken On 10 Boeing 737 Aircraft In 6 Weeks Since May 28, Aeromexico has received 10 Boeing 737 aircraft, increasing the size of its fleet. Some of these planes are new MAX -8 and -9, while others are NG. Moreover, the Mexican carrier intends to continue growing in the next few months. A closer look at the MAX-9 deliveries On April 23, Aeromexico cut its order for new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft by half. The carrier still had to receive 54 new MAX units from its original order for 60 planes. Aeromexico and Boeing rearranged the order, and now the Mexican airline is receiving 24 B737 and four B787 Dreamliner units. Since that happened, Aeromexico has already received a few airplanes. On May 28, the Mexican carrier received its first Boeing 737 MAX 9, registration XA-IMH. According to ch-aviation, Aeromexico’s MAX 9 units have 181 seats in three different classes. Economy has 147 seats, economy plus/comfort has 18, and business has 16. Some of Aeromexico’s new 737 MAX 9 units are already operating. The XA-IMH plane first flew between Mexico City and Monterrey on June 24. The Mexican operator has already received three additional MAX 9 units. These have registrations XA-MAZ, N115AM, and XA-BBB. There’s an extra plane ready to be delivered, registration XA-HSB, according to ch-aviation’s database. Boeing still has to deliver eight more 737 MAX 9 planes. Aeromexico has also received new MAX-8 units The Mexican operator is also receiving a few Boeing 737 MAX-8 planes. Since May 28, the airline has taken delivery of three new units. According to local media outlets, these planes have registrations N105JS, N109JS, and XA-MAY. Aeromexico currently has nine 737-8 aircraft. Three are inactive. How’s Aeromexico’s 737 MAX schedule right now? According to Cirium’s database, Aeromexico has scheduled 1,984 flights using its Boeing 737 MAX fleet in July. Most of these flights are domestic. For instance, the 737 MAX 9 is currently flying only from Mexico City to local destinations like Cancun, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Tijuana. Nevertheless, this decision has an explanation. Mexico is currently in Category 2 with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Aeromexico is paying some consequences. Aeromexico’s 737 MAX 8 fleet has scheduled 1,412 flights in July, offering 234,392 seats. The international routes Aeromexico has with this fleet are Mexico-New York and Mexico-Los Angeles. Aeromexico is leasing old Norwegian aircraft While Aeromexico has been busy receiving new aircraft, it has also taken delivery of a few leased planes. The Mexican airline has received three Boeing 737 NGs in the past few weeks. The registrations of these planes are XA-OCC, XA-OOO, and XA-OCA. The first and last one flew previously with Norwegian, while XA-OOO operated with TUI. How does Aeromexico’s fleet currently look like? At the end of June, Aeromexico had a fleet of 108 planes, according to a statement from the carrier. It was composed of eight Boeing 787-8, ten Boeing 787-9, 33 B737-800, seven 737 MAX 8, three 737 MAX 9, and 47 Embraer 190. This tally has changed a bit in the last few days. According to ch-aviation, Aeromexico’s current fleet is 117 planes. So, where are the differences? For some reason, Aeromexico wasn’t including the five B737-700 it still has in its fleet, so maybe we could see them leaving in the next few weeks. The airline is still adapting its size to the post-pandemic world. Ch-aviation also counts three extra 737-8s and one extra 737-9. https://simpleflying.com/aeromexico-10-new-boeing-737-planes/ Singapore and China sign MOU to improve air traffic management capabilities • The agreement will help to fulfil a global air navigation plan set out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. SINGAPORE - Singapore and China have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate to improve their air traffic management (ATM) capabilities, in the first such agreement of its kind between China and a South-east Asian air navigation service provider. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the Air Traffic Management Bureau of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (ATMB/CAAC) said on Thursday (July 8) that they aim to make progress towards the modernisation of air traffic management. They said the agreement will help to fulfil a global air navigation plan set out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). "Both parties also seek to develop new ATM concepts, solutions and technologies to progress ATM capabilities bilaterally and regionally," the two agencies added. "They will also collaborate in areas to enhance air traffic flow management, aviation safety standards, aviation training and/or aviation performance." In addition, the agencies said they will look to address the challenges and long-term implications that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on air traffic management developmental capabilities, without elaborating on the challenges. On plans to improve the ATM capabilities regionally, CAAS and ATMB/CAAC said they will work with other partners, such as ICAO and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation, to create seamless air navigation services in the Asia-Pacific region. CAAS director-general Kevin Shum said the agreement is a significant milestone in aviation collaboration. "Cooperation among air navigation service providers is even more important now as we navigate the challenges of Covid-19," said Mr Shum. "CAAS remains committed to play a key role in advancing ATM and ensuring harmonisation in air traffic management development." Mr Che Jinjun, director-general of ATMB/CAAC, said the agency is committed to strengthening its partnership with Singapore in spite of the pandemic. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/singapore-and-china-sign-mou-to-improve-air-traffic-management-capabilities Business Aviation Leader OneSky Flight to Expand Embry-Riddle Student Career Exposure through Innovation Center Growth The OneSky Flight Innovation Center at the Embry-Riddle Research Park will expand in size and student programming, with a goal to offer relevant experiences that expose students to a broad array of lucrative career opportunities in the business aviation industry. An Embry-Riddle Research Park partner since 2017, the OneSky Innovation Center plans a nearly five-fold expansion of its existing space in the business incubator’s cornerstone facility, the John Mica Engineering and Aerospace Innovation Center (MicaPlex). Under a new agreement with Embry-Riddle, OneSky’s Research Park footprint will encompass office and research space; meeting areas to stimulate transformative thinking by student organizations; and a student lounge – complete with a coffee bar – to promote collaboration and introduce students to the business aviation industry. OneSky Flight is the world’s leading portfolio of business aviation companies and includes iconic industry brands such as Flexjet (a global leader in fractional jet ownership) and Sentient Jet (the company that created the jet card). “As a company that is almost exclusively focused on business aviation, we believe there is a great opportunity to expose students to exceptional career paths that they might not have been aware of previously,” said OneSky Flight’s Chief Administrative Officer Robert Sullivan. “Business Aviation as a profession offers many unique advantages relative to traditional commercial aviation career paths that we believe will be appealing to a large number of students as they prepare to enter the professional workforce.” Embry-Riddle President Dr. P. Barry Butler noted that the university’s mission is well served through the partnership with OneSky. “We have been honored to collaborate with OneSky to broaden career opportunities for our students and provide an important talent pipeline for industry,” Butler said. “As the global leader in aviation and aerospace higher education, Embry-Riddle’s top priority is to prepare students for productive careers and leadership roles in the field. Our partnership with OneSky advances excellence in education while also addressing workforce needs.” As part of the relationship, OneSky’s Management Information System department offers business aviation-focused internship opportunities to Embry Riddle students who are pursuing their degrees. Recent projects have included the development of artificial intelligence algorithms related to advanced demand modeling for the OneSky operating companies. The internship program reached an exciting milestone this past month when several former interns were hired as full-time employees with OneSky companies following their graduation. Embry-Riddle Media Contact: Ginger Pinholster, Associate Vice President, Embry-Riddle, (386) 226-4811 / virginia.pinholster@erau.edu OneSky Media Contact: Nicholas Parmelee, The Hubbell Group, Inc., (216) 406-5602 (mobile) / nparmelee@hubbellgroup.com About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Reporters worldwide contact Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for content experts in all aspects of aviation, aviation business, aerospace, engineering and STEM-related fields. Our faculty experts specialize in unmanned and autonomous systems, security and intelligence, air traffic and airport management, astronomy, human factors psychology, meteorology, spaceflight operations, urban air mobility and much more. Visit the Embry-Riddle Newsroom for story ideas. Embry-Riddle educates 33,500+ students at its residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott, Arizona, at approximately 125 Worldwide Campus locations and through online degree programs. In 2021, U.S. News & World Report named Embry-Riddle Worldwide the nation’s No. 1 provider of online bachelor’s degree programs. About OneSky OneSky encompasses the flying companies of Directional Aviation: Flexjet, Sentient Jet, FXAIR and PrivateFly. • Flexjet has offered fractional jet ownership and leasing since 1995. Flexjet’s fractional aircraft program is the first in the world to be recognized as achieving the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Industry Audit Standard, is the first and only company to be honored with 22 FAA Diamond Awards for Excellence, upholds an ARG/US Platinum Safety Rating, a 4AIR Bronze Sustainable Rating and is IS-BAO compliant at Level 2. In 2015, Flexjet introduced Red Label by Flexjet, which features the youngest fleet in the industry, flight crews dedicated to a single aircraft and the LXi Cabin Collection of interiors. The U.S.-based fleet includes the Embraer Phenom 300, Legacy 450 and Praetor 500, Bombardier Challenger 350, the Gulfstream G450, G650 and G700. Flexjet’s European fleet includes the Embraer Legacy 500, Praetor 600. • Sentient Jet offers 25-hour jet cards, which allow clients to purchase flight time on four jet-size options. Founded in 1999 and now an integral part of Directional Aviation, Sentient Jet is one of the leading private aviation companies in the country. Sentient Jet is known for outstanding service and a commitment to safety programs, including the industry’s first and only Independent Safety Advisory Board. Sentient Jet’s extensive network of certified operators ensures that clients will always have access to executive aircraft that meet their rigorous standards for safety and quality. • FXAIR was in 2020 and is the only charter provider offering on-demand charter access to premium light cabin, mid cabin, super mid cabin, large cabin and ultra-long range aircraft including the Challenger 300 and Global Express. FXAIR’s Aviator Program offers clients preferred access to these aircraft, even on peak travel days, along with a host of other benefits. The FXAIR network of aircraft comes from providers who meet the most stringent safety standards in the private aviation industry, standards that often exceed the FAA’s regulations. FXAIR is headquartered in New York, New York. • PrivateFly is a leading international provider of premium private jet charter solutions and jet cards, and part of Directional Aviation. With thousands of accredited aircraft integrated worldwide, PrivateFly combines innovative technology with a team of aviation experts - making it faster and easier to arrange a private jet, wherever and whenever you want to fly. • Halo provides bespoke helicopter and private urban air mobility travel services in the United States and the United Kingdom. Formed through the alignment of Halo Aviation Ltd. in the U.K. and Associated Aircraft Group (AAG) in the U.S., Halo offers transportation in the leading helicopter types in their class piloted by instrument-rated pilots. In the U.K., Halo offers vertical lift via charter, card, fractional ownership and full ownership-management programs. Its fleet of Agusta/Leonardo AW109 and AW169 helicopters dispatch from bases in the south of England, around London, the Midlands and in the Channel Islands. In the U.S., Halo provides helicopter charter, fractional ownership and helicopter maintenance services from its New York, Teterboro, Bridgeport, Providence and Philadelphia installations. • Tuvoli is an open technology platform for the private aviation industry that connects brokers and operators of charter aircraft, enhancing relationships, improving efficiency and facilitating transactions with instant guaranteed payments for flight services. Tuvoli, which combines the Italian words “tu voli,” or “you fly,” builds on Directional Aviation’s strong track record of industry-leading innovation, a multimillion-dollar investment in technology development and real-world testing of the platform. https://news.erau.edu/headlines/business-aviation-leader-onesky-flight-to-expand-erau-student-career-exposure Analysis: Cash-rich Singapore Airlines aims for regional dominance as rivals pull back (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA), flush with $16 billion raised since the start of the pandemic thanks to help from a state investor, is in a position of dominance among its Southeast Asian rivals as they downsize and restructure. The crisis threatened the survival of hub carriers that lack domestic markets such as SIA, Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd and Dubai's Emirates. Indeed, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last year said the government would "spare no effort" to ensure SIA made it through the pandemic. Its majority shareholder, government-owned investment arm Temasek Holdings underwrote one of the world's biggest airline rescue packages. Thanks to that, SIA's has enough funds to keep going for at least two more years without cuts, and is modernising its fleet to save fuel, reduce maintenance costs and meet environmental goals while other airlines shed aircraft. "The crisis shows the importance of having a cash-rich state investor as its main backer," said a banker, who was not authorised to speak with media and spoke anonymously. SIA's cash pile is the envy of rivals like Thai Airways and Garuda Indonesia, which have received little government support. Many of SIA's rivals are trimming fleets to a level that could ultimately weaken their hubs and send more connecting traffic to Singapore. "Basically what these airlines are trying to do is they are trying to ward off their debtors," said Subhas Menon, director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines. SIA, meanwhile, is improving its fleet and bolstering its budget carrier, Scoot. In Europe and North America, leisure travel has led a recovery; if that holds true in Asia, budget carriers will be crucial for airlines. Having culled older planes and cut 20% of staff last year, SIA is under less immediate pressure for more downsizing. CEO Goh Choon Phong in May described last year's job cuts as a "very painful process" and said there were no plans for more. But analysts say it could take 12 to 18 months for widespread travel to resume in Asia. "They can survive for two or three years without making any money," CAPA Centre for Aviation Chairman Emeritus Peter Harbison said. "But at a certain stage you say, 'is it really worth it? Shouldn't you take tough steps?'" Less than 9% of rights sold in SIA's recent S$6.2 billion convertible bond issue went to shareholders other than Temasek, showing the state investor is more patient than others about achieving returns. MODERN FLEET SIA deferred S$4 billion of spending on new planes over three years after reaching agreements with manufacturers Airbus SE and Boeing Co. But because of large pre-crisis orders, it is still spending S$3.7 billion on new aircraft and adding at least 19 planes to its fleet this year, including 13 widebodies, despite little demand. By contrast, Germany's larger Lufthansa, which earned nearly four times as much revenue annually pre-COVID, has a capital spending budget of about 1.5 billion euros ($1.77 billion) for 2021. SIA's financial cushioning makes it harder to push back on contracts with manufacturers and lessors. Temasek supports fleet modernisation. BUDGET ADVANTAGE With travel in a holding pattern and rivals distracted by financial issues, Scoot has been using some of SIA's cash to boost staff training and invest in new software that helps it calculate more profitable fares for connecting flights. "There has been a lot of investment, which is certainly geared toward a future recovery," Scoot CEO Campbell Wilson said. "Those investments I hope will pay off as time passes." Thai Airways lost significant market share to budget rivals in the decade before the pandemic, contributing to years of losses, and has yet to formulate a fresh low-cost strategy as part of a restructuring involving $12.9 billion of debt. Garuda, Malaysia Airlines and Philippine Airlines are in similar positions, either having completed or about to launch major restructurings. They lost money for years before the pandemic. "Presumably in shedding their liabilities they will create some unhappy people who were owed money that was never paid," Wilson said. "The extent to which that subsequently constrains them, time will tell." ($1 = 1.3427 Singapore dollars) ($1 = 32.0300 baht) ($1 = 0.8461 euros) https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/analysis-cash-rich-singapore-airlines-033859442.html China picks up the launch pace with three space missions in four days China appears to be returning to its pre-pandemic pace of launching back-to-back space missions. Various Chinese sources indicate the country finished three successful orbital launches in four days, with the latest of the group launching from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China on Tuesday (July 6). China generally keeps a tight rein on space launch publicity, releasing news after the fact through its contractors and through state-supported media reports. The country's recent space activities — including a Mars rover landing and a huge, uncontrolled rocket stage fall — have caught worries from Congress and NASA alike, as this increased space presence is seen as a security risk. The Tuesday launch (local time in Beijing) of a Long March 3C rocket featured a Tianlian data tracking and relay communications satellite that circles the Earth in a geostationary orbit, meaning it continuously hovers above the same location on Earth. Tianlian is the satellite series used by China's Shenzhou 12 astronauts for communications on the country's new Tiangong space station, the crew having launched there in June to stay for three months. China's main space contractor CASC (the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation) confirmed Tianlian's launch success an hour after liftoff in a Chinese-language report, according to SpaceNews. The day before, on Monday (June 5), China sent aloft a fresh meteorological satellite, Fengyun 3E, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. Dramatic video shows the Long March 4C rocket shedding tiles as it left the launch pad, but the satellite's successful deployment in orbit was confirmed by Chinese media outlet CCTV. CCTV added that Fengyun 3E, the fifth in the Fengyun 3 series of satellites, will seek to improve weather forecasts by monitoring weather conditions such as humidity and temperature. The satellite can also monitor the space environment, snow coverage, sea surface temperature and natural disasters for ongoing climate change response. The other launch by China this past week took place in Taiyuan, in the country's north, on July 2. A Long March 2D rocket sent the commercial Jilin-1 Wideband-01B Earth observation satellite into sun-synchronous orbit, according to SpaceNews, which cited Chinese sources. Accompanying this main satellite were a few secondary passengers, including a trio of Jilin-1 Gaofen 03D high-resolution imaging satellites developed by Changguang Satellite Technology. One of them, called Xueersi, was sent into orbit on behalf of education and outreach company Beijing Xueersi Education Technology Co. to take images of Earth. Also flying aboard was the Xingshidai 10 remote sensing satellite for company Chengdu Guoxing Aerospace Technology (also called ADA Space.) In late 2019 and early 2020, China made several sets of launches within a few hours or days but slowed down that rate in the months after the novel coronavirus pandemic was first publicly disclosed in Wuhan in December 2019. https://www.space.com/china-launches-three-rockets-four-days-july-2021 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