Flight Safety Information - July 26, 2021 No. 148 In This Issue : Incident: Easyjet Europe A320 at Porto and Lisbon on Jul 23rd 2021, burst tyre : Incident: Peace B735 at Ilorin on Jul 24th 2021, burst nose gear tyre on landing : Incident: North Star AT72 near Pickle Lake on Jul 11th 2021, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Jetblue A321 at Newark on Jul 11th 2021, fire on landing : Incident: Korean B744 at Ho Chi Minh City on Jul 18th 2021, could not retract landing gear : Incident: Austrian E195 at Nuremberg on Jul 22nd 2021, bird strike : American Airlines passenger who refused to wear a mask screamed for 10 minutes during her arrest, reports say : Sorry, Jeff Bezos. You're still not an astronaut, according to the FAA : Mexico has signed a deal with the US to get its air safety rating back : What Is The Difference Between An Airline Base And A Hub? : Analog Japan's paper-only vaccine certificates worry airlines : Israel Bars Non-travelers From Tel Aviv Airport Amid Rise in COVID Cases : Icelandair Ready to Activate Viasat In-flight Connectivity on 737 MAX-9s : Western US airports face jet fuel shortage : Airbus SE Front Runner For Italian Airline Fleet : Ryanair may order Boeing MAX 10 this year but only at the right price : NASA Gives Elon Musk's SpaceX $178M Contract For Jupiter Moon Mission : Human Factors for RPAS Professionals : Position Available: Learjet 60 and 60XR Pilots Incident: Easyjet Europe A320 at Porto and Lisbon on Jul 23rd 2021, burst tyre An Easyjet Europe Airbus A320-200, registration OE-IJV performing positioning flight U2-9044 from Porto to Lisbon (Portugal), departed Porto's runway 17, climbed to FL230 and approached Lisbon's runway 03 advising they had burst a tyre. Emergency services went into their stand by position while the aircraft continued for a safe landing on Lisbon's runway 03. The aircraft vacated the runway via a high speed turn off and stopped clear of the runway for an inspection by emergency services. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Lisbon about 61 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=4ead9624&opt=0 Incident: Peace B735 at Ilorin on Jul 24th 2021, burst nose gear tyre on landing An Air Peace Boeing 737-500, registration 5N-BQR performing flight P4-7111 from Abuja to Ilorin (Nigeria), landed on Ilorin's runway 05 but burst nose gear tyres and was disabled on the runway. The passengers disembarked via stairs. The runway and airport needed to be closed until the aircraft could be moved off the runway. Several airlines cancelled their flights to/from Ilorin as result. The airline reported the aircraft experienced a minor tyre burst after landing while taxiing. https://avherald.com/h?article=4ead082a&opt=0 Incident: North Star AT72 near Pickle Lake on Jul 11th 2021, engine shut down in flight A North Star Air Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration C-FNIJ performing flight BF-104 from Kashechewan,ON to Pickle Lake,ON (Canada), was enroute about 130nm east of Pickle Lake when the crew heard noise and observed the left chip detector light illuminate. The crew worked the "Engine Fail" checklist and shut the left engine (PW127F) down, declared emergency and continued to Pickle Lake for a safe landing. The aircraft was shut down on the runway and towed to the apron. The Canadian TSB reported the left Auxiliary Gear Box magnetic chip detector was removed and oil drained. Metallic Chips were found on the detector and in the oil, therefore the left engine was removed from the aircraft and sent for repair. https://avherald.com/h?article=4eac08e4&opt=0 Incident: Jetblue A321 at Newark on Jul 11th 2021, fire on landing A Jetblue Airbus A321-200, registration N981JT performing flight B6-482 (dep Jul 10th) from San Francisco,CA to Newark,NJ (USA), landed on Newark's runway 22R when during roll out a small fire was seen at the level of the right hand engine (V2533) cover. The aircraft taxied to the gate maintaining routine communication. On Jul 24th 2021 the NTSB reported during landing roll out a small fire was visible at the level of the engine #2 cover. The occurrence is rated an incident and is being investigated by the NTSB. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Newark almost 14 days later. https://avherald.com/h?article=4eabf355&opt=0 Incident: Korean B744 at Ho Chi Minh City on Jul 18th 2021, could not retract landing gear A Korean Air Cargo Boeing 747-400 freighter, registration HL7601 performing flight KE-351 from Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) to Bangkok (Thailand), was climbing out of Ho Chi Minh's runway 25L when the crew could not retract the landing gear. The aircraft stopped the climb at 5000 feet and returned to Ho Chi Minh City for a safe landing on runway 25L about 20 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground in Ho Chi Minh City for 25.5 hours, then departed for the flight to Bangkok. https://avherald.com/h?article=4eab8632&opt=0 Incident: Austrian E195 at Nuremberg on Jul 22nd 2021, bird strike An Austrian Airlines Embraer ERJ-195, registration OE-LWQ performing flight OS-213 from Vienna (Austria) to Nuremberg (Germany), was on approach to Nuremberg's runway 28 but suffered a bird strike. The aircraft continued for a safe landing and taxied to the apron. The aircraft was unable to continue the next sector to Leipzig however, this onward leg was cancelled. The aircraft remained on the ground in Nuremberg for about 17 hours before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=4eab87a7&opt=0 American Airlines passenger who refused to wear a mask screamed for 10 minutes during her arrest, reports say An American Airlines passenger caused significant disruption to a flight in New Orleans after refusing to wear a mask or exit the plane. Airline spokesperson Derek Walls confirmed to Insider that the plane, which was heading to Dallas on Friday, had to return to the gate after the passenger ignored multiple requests to wear a mask. The New Orleans Advocate (Nola) reported that the flight was preparing to leave Louis Armstrong International Airport on Friday but was delayed for up to an hour due to the mask incident, according to the report. After being removed, the woman could be heard screaming for approximately 10 minutes on the gangway, where she was held by deputies until the plane taxied again, according to the Nola report. "I've never seen anything quite like it before," Patrick Maney, who was also on the plane, told Nola. He added: "Two heavily armed police came and told the lady to get off. She refused, and they then told her to get up. She was screaming and resisting as they hauled her up and put some kind of restraints on her hands behind her back." The passenger was arrested at around 10 a.m. CST, Captain Jason Rivarde, a spokesperson for Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, told Nola. According to the outlet, officials said the passenger was ticketed for four misdemeanors: disturbing the peace, remaining in a place after being forbidden, resisting arrest, and simple assault. American Airlines told Insider in a statement: "Flight 1768 with service from New Orleans (MSY) to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) was delayed due to a disturbance in the cabin where a customer failed to comply with the federal face mask requirement. We thank our crew for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding." The incident follows a series of mask-related disputes on planes at a time when violence is spiking. Most recently, a California family had to leave a Southwest Airlines flight after their toddler could not keep his face mask on, as Insider reported. The family is vowing to never fly on the airline again after accusing the airline of treating them like criminals. Another American Airlines flight had to be canceled after a group of high school students refused to wear masks. As a result of the incident, the flight had to be delayed overnight and passengers had to stay in airport hotels. https://www.yahoo.com/news/american-airlines-passenger-refused-wear-102655892.html Sorry, Jeff Bezos. You're still not an astronaut, according to the FAA. Just because you were in space doesn't mean you get the wings of an astronaut. The Federal Aviation Administration set new rules concerning the Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program and the criteria used to award those commanding, piloting or working on privately funded spacecraft with the Commercial Space Astronaut Wings badge. The order was issued on July 20, the same day billionaire and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his Blue Origin rocket crew made history by blasting off from the West Texas desert, reaching space and returning to Earth. NASA, the Air Force, the Federal Aviation Administration and some astrophysicists consider the boundary between the atmosphere and space to begin 50 miles up. Bezos actually met the requirement by going 62 miles above sea level. To earn the wings, the FAA now states that passengers must have "demonstrated activities during flight that were essential to public safety, or contributed to human space flight safety." Given the automation of Blue Origin, Bezos doesn't meet this criteria. Opinion: Jeff Bezos is perfectly happy to have gushing journalists slobbering over his space flight New Shepard, a 60-foot rocket and capsule, was designed primarily for space tourism thanks to fully automated flight systems, meaning nobody was piloting the craft nor contributing to "human space flight safety." After liftoff, the booster returned to the facility for a vertical landing while the capsule briefly floats in space, then touched down near the launch site with the help of parachutes. The other passengers who joined Bezos on New Shepard — 18-year-old Oliver Daemen, Bezos' brother, Mark, and "Mercury 13" aviator Wally Funk — also don't qualify as being members of the spacecraft’s crew, since the FAA defines that as employees or contractor's associated with a company involved in the spacecraft's launch. Blue Origin employs thousands across several states and campuses. Competitor Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, who did his own space flight a week earlier than Bezos, has more than 800 employees. https://www.yahoo.com/news/sorry-jeff-bezos-youre-still-221932377.html Mexico has signed a deal with the US to get its air safety rating back Mexico signed an agreement with the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to recover its air safety degree, which was downgraded to Category 2 last May, this Sunday at the Ministry of Communications and Transportation (USA). SCT) said. SCT’s Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) announced in a statement, FAA experts “will visit our country beginning next August, through which they will provide necessary technical assistance.” The agency said the amendment to the MoU came into effect last Friday. The SCT explained that during the visit of US experts the work “included a technical review to determine whether safety supervision by AFAC complies with minimum standards.” The Mexican government also indicated that the experts would provide a report of their findings and recommendations for improvement to the Mexican Aeronautical Authority. The Ministry of Communications and Transport reiterated that Category 1 recovery is a priority in the shortest possible time, so they have “under no circumstances precluded correction works that allow for resolving things seen by the FAA.” The FAA announced on May 25 that it would reduce Mexico’s rating in air safety from “Category 1” to “Category 2”, preventing Mexican carriers from offering new services or routes into the United States. According to their assessment, the Latin American country does not meet the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations body that regulates global aeronautics. The measure also prohibits US airlines from marketing and selling tickets with Mexican partner airlines, although it does not affect Mexican Airlines’ existing service in the United States. https://thedailyguardian.net/mexico-has-signed-a-deal-with-the-us-to-get-its-air-safety-rating-back/ What Is The Difference Between An Airline Base And A Hub? Budget airline Wizz Air is establishing bases all over Europe- from its (delayed) plan in Cardiff to numerous Italian bases and several around the Balkans. However, some of these bases have just a single aircraft stationed there- something very different from what we might see with legacy carriers and their hubs (which also act as bases). Considering this, let’s take a look at these aviation terms and how they differ. Ryanair Lufthansa Ryanair previously had crew bases in Germany but recently shut them down due to disputes with its German pilots. Meanwhile, Frankfurt is one of two Lufthansa hubs. What is an airline base? While the word “base” can be used to define large, vast facilities (i.e., military bases), reality can be different for airlines – especially low-cost carriers. In fact, it can actually be as simple as a single aircraft and a handful of crew forming a base. CAPA defines a base (or airport base in this specific context) as an airport where an airline permanently bases aircraft and crew and from where it operates routes. Expanding on its definition, CAPA adds: “Both fleet and personnel return to the base at the end of the day. The aircraft based at the airport do not necessarily always have to be the same tail numbers, but the airline will typically keep a consistent complement of aircraft at a base.” In this kind of setup, flight attendants and pilots come from the area surrounding the base and report to work from their “home address.” This concept is opposite to an airline’s outstation, where an airport is merely a destination from which to deliver and pick up passengers. At an outstation, the aircraft will only spend time at the airport conducting its turnaround rather than parking there for downtime/short-term storage or maintenance. Wizz A320 Wizz Air has established a number of bases around Europe, even throughout the global health crisis. Photo: Wizz Air Defining airport hubs Calling an airport an airline’s hub is more about its style of operations. While bases don’t have to be hubs, hubs are almost always bases for airlines. The ‘hub’ portion of the ‘hub and spoke’ model, hub airports are those which airlines choose to connect passengers through- a practice which is much more common with full service, legacy carriers. This will see customers book a flight from Point A to Point C, requiring a stopover or transfer at Point B. For small countries, this is typically a single airport- think Hong Kong for Cathay Pacific, Doha for Qatar Airways, Amsterdam for KLM. Airlines serving larger countries tend to have multiple hubs. Air Canada has hubs in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal, while south of the border, United’s larger hubs are at Denver, Newark, and Houston (although there are a few more). The facilities selected as hub airports for airlines will also act as a base in the sense that aircraft and crew are ‘based’ out of the airport, living in the surrounding city. The airline will also tend to have some maintenance facilities at hubs, where jets can be serviced during downtime. American Airlines CRJ New York JFK is a major hub for American Airlines. In the context of a budget airline running point-to-point operations (primarily found in Europe), it should be clear that bases aren’t hubs. Indeed, hubs don’t really exist for these types of carriers, and you typically wouldn’t be able to book a connecting itinerary that would see a guaranteed connection through one of its bases. Foreign crew bases To complicate definitions just a little, we also have foreign crew bases. These are typically established by legacy carriers that operate long and ultra-long-haul flights. A foreign crew base won’t typically house an airline’s aircraft (unless we’re talking about Qantas’ LAX maintenance base), but it will be the ‘home airport’ for international crew members. These foreign bases are established due to the long-distance nature of the flights between the airline’s home airport and a destination. After crews have been on duty for 12 or more hours (likely being awake for much longer), they’re expected to spend some time at their destination off-duty, recovering and resting. Taking over for the return flight might be foreign crew based at this destination. Sadly, with the global health crisis, some airlines have had to shut down their foreign crew bases. https://simpleflying.com/base-vs-hub/ Analog Japan's paper-only vaccine certificates worry airlines • Digital records seen as key to travel industry's recovery from COVID-19. • ANA and other airlines are beginning to try out vaccine certificate apps like the IATA Travel Pass. TOKYO -- Japan is set to start issuing paper certificates for coronavirus vaccination -- a slow rollout typical for a country struggling with digitization. And the lack of digital options has raised concerns among airlines eager to revive international travel. "Other countries are making strides in digital certificates, and quickly," said All Nippon Airways Executive Vice President Juichi Hirasawa. "Japan must not fall behind." The European Union began offering digital vaccine certificates in July, allowing recipients to skip quarantines and other coronavirus travel restrictions within the bloc. While Japan will open applications for official proofs of vaccination on Monday, it will initially offer only physical copies. With global travel expected to begin recovering from a coronavirus-induced lull, airlines like ANA are now testing apps like the International Air Transport Association Travel Pass as a way to verify if passengers are vaccinated. But they need government approval to officially accept these apps. Uploading vaccine records managed by a multitude of national and local authorities across the world will also pose a major challenge, especially when the documents are only available in paper as in Japan. Ideally, passengers would be able to show their vaccination status on these apps at check-in so they can skip COVID-19 restrictions at their destination. Doing so would require airlines and governments to sync up their records. ANA expects it will take at least a year to put the necessary frameworks in place. Paper certificates would complicate the effort because they are harder to adapt to different languages and easier to fake. To bring the Japanese government around, the Scheduled Airlines Association of Japan is currently lobbying authorities for an early rollout of digital passports. "We'll be left behind if we pursue perfection," said Yuji Akasaka, the chairman of the association as well as the president of Japan Airlines. "Going digital has a lower risk of falsification compared to paper. I would request that we match international standards." During a visit to Tokyo's Haneda Airport on June 4, Kazuyoshi Akaba, the minister of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism, observed a demonstration of the digital certificate app touted by ANA. Recently the Japanese government launched a cross-agency organization tasked with issuing digital certificates by the end of the year. But the transport ministry, which oversees the airline industry, is not part of that effort. "They're the most relevant agency, so why aren't they participating?" a frustrated airline executive asked. In Western nations, travel demand has tended to recover when vaccination rates reach between 30 and 40%. But with the rise of the delta variant, authorities in some areas are moving to reimpose travel restrictions. As people adapt to traveling during a pandemic, vaccination certificates have gained new significance. Groups such as the UN-backed International Civil Aviation Organization are busy drawing up overarching rules for vaccine certificates. Japan risks missing out on these discussions if it is slow to introduce digital certificates. https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-vaccines/Analog-Japan-s-paper-only-vaccine-certificates-worry-airlines Israel Bars Non-travelers From Tel Aviv Airport Amid Rise in COVID Cases New regulations restricting access to Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport go into effect Monday night Passengers through Ben-Gurion International Airport will not be allowed to have others accompany them, and non-travelers will be barred from entering the airport's arrivals hall. Those accompanying a minor or a person with special needs will be exempted from that rule. The new restrictions, similar to ones imposed during the first wave of the coronavirus in a bid to decrease the chances of infection in the airport's terminal, will be reinstated on Monday night. On Sunday, the cabinet approved electronic monitoring of people entering the country and ordered to quarantine. While the cabinet approved use of "electronic measures," the government does not plan to use tracking bracelets, but rather to encourage the use of a smartphone app. Currently, arrivals from the United Arab Emirates, the Seychelles, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Paraguay, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Kyrgyzstan and Tunisia are already subject to quarantine, which was shortened last week by the coronavirus cabinet from ten to seven days. Last week, Israel's coronavirus czar Nachman Ash urged Israelis to refrain from travel abroad, warning that the virulent delta variant was spreading across the globe. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-bars-non-travelers-from-tel-aviv-airport-amid-rise-in-covid-cases-1.10034234 Icelandair Ready to Activate Viasat In-flight Connectivity on 737 MAX-9s EASA issued a supplemental type certificate last month allowing Icelandair to activate Viasat in-flight internet on its fleet of Boeing 737 MAX-9s, following the rollout of the service on their 737 MAX-8s in March. (Viasat) Icelandair is ready to start rolling out Viasat in-flight connectivity (IFC) service across its fleet of 737 MAX-9 aircraft, following a supplemental type certificate (STC) issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the aircraft type last month. According to a July 19 blog post from Viasat, their satellite antennas, modems, wireless access points and other IFC enabling hardware and software were installed on Icelandair’s 737 MAX-9 aircraft earlier this year, however it was deactivated pending an STC from EASA. The same IFC service launched on the airline’s 737 MAX-8 aircraft in March 2021. “Over Europe, this network includes the KA-SAT satellite and could include others like Avanti’s Hylas constellation in the future. When traveling over the US, Iceland and the Atlantic Ocean, the aircraft will connect with several other Viasat satellites, including ViaSat-2,” Icelandair said in a July 19 blog post on their website. Viasat’s access to the Hylas constellation referenced by Icelandair is the result of a partnership announced June 3 with U.K.-based satellite operator Avanti Communications. The new agreement is designed to augment Viasat’s KA-SAT satellite coverage and capacity and will initially be leveraged to serve new mobility customers in the region. Viasat plans to leverage Avanti’s HYLAS 4 and HYLAS 2 satellites beginning in October 2021. Icelandair became the first airline to start offering Viasat IFC on flights over the Atlantic Ocean from a 2017 agreement reached between the two companies. By activating the satellite system on the 737 MAX-9, the airline now features connectivity across every aircraft model within its fleet. The Boeing 757s and 767s operated by Icelandair feature IFC from Global Eagle Entertainment, resulting from a 2016 investment by the airline. Passengers are charged €6 for Wi-Fi access on Icelandair’s European routes, and €12 for flights to North American destinations. EASA’s approval of Viasat IFC on Icelandair’s 737 MAX-9 aircraft comes following the launch of the same service launching on KLM’s 737-800 aircraft in April. Icelandair expects all Viasat-enabled aircraft to be installed by April 2022. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2021/07/26/icelandair-ready-activate-viasat-flight-connectivity-737-max-9s/ Western US airports face jet fuel shortage Jet fuel shortages have started to hit states like California and Nevada, threatening flight delays and cargo deliveries, The Associated Press reported. The shortages are increased by demands from firefighting and commercial aircraft as well as issues in supply chain, leading to flights being disrupted at airports around the Pacific Northwest, AP reported. At Fresno Yosemite International Airport, fewer jet fuel deliveries from tanker truck drivers led to shortages, ultimately affecting flights in and out of the airport, the wire service noted. At Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, flight delays and departure problems ensued because firefighting aircraft and commercial airlines had an increased demand for jet fuel. Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, along with lawmakers including Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, Jacky Rosen and Rep. Mark Amodei issued a joint letter on Saturday regarding potential jet fuel shortages that could affect flights and cargo delivery at Reno-Tahoe International Airport. “Governor Sisolak, Senator Cortez Masto, Senator Rosen and Congressman Amodei have been working together to triage the situation to avoid and minimize disruption for passengers and ensure critical operations, including the delivery of essential goods into the State,” the four said in their letter. “We are currently speaking to all responsible parties to understand how this situation occurred and prevent future shortages, but our immediate focus is on ensuring resources to combat western wildfires are not impacted and that there is as little disruption as possible for Nevadans and visitors who depend on reliable air service,” they later added. A spokeswoman for the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority told the AP that the jet fuel shortage stemmed from several issues including runway construction and a small number of available tanker truck drivers. To mitigate potential fuel shortages, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) have signed executive orders that would relax certain restrictions on fuel deliveries. In Wyoming, Gordon is temporarily allowing drivers to stay on the road longer hours to meet the demand for fuel, but stipulated that drivers could not stay on the road if they were tired. Noem’s executive order also extends the hours for fuel delivery in South Dakota. https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/564764-western-us-airports-face-jet-fuel-shortage Airbus SE Front Runner For Italian Airline Fleet What happened: Bloomberg reports that Airbus SE (OTC: EADSF) is the front runner to win a multi-billion dollar contract for a new aircraft fleet for Italy’s state-owned airline, following the bankruptcy of Alitalia. The deal is valued at $5.3 billion and would provide 81 new generation planes over a four year period. Why it’s important: The contract for the aircraft fleet is being issued by the successor of bankrupt Alitalia. Executives at Italia Trasporto Aereo SpA, known as ITA, have yet to make a final decision and are also in talks with Boeing (NYSE: BA), according to a report from Italian news outlet Corriere della Ser. What’s next: Courier reports that industry sources say Airbus is favored to win the contract, although Boeing may present an “unprecedented package offer with airplanes discounted by as much as 70%.” Representatives of both aircraft manufacturers are declining to comment. After months of talks with European Commission officials over terms of an overhaul, ITA plans to start services on Oct. 15. The new state-owned airline will faces an immediate challenge to establish itself after low-cost rivals were able to grab a significant part of its home market during a long restructuring process. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/airbus-se-front-runner-italian-201207326.html Ryanair may order Boeing MAX 10 this year but only at the right price DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ryanair could place a significant order for Boeing's MAX 10 aircraft this year but only if the price is right as the airline is not under any time pressure, its chief financial officer said on Monday. A large order from Ryanair, Boeing's largest European airline customer, would provide a major boost to the MAX, which was grounded for 20 months after two fatal crashes. Ryanair is already the largest European customer for the MAX, with 210 firm orders of the 197-seat MAX200 model. It has repeatedly said it is interested in a significant order of the larger 230-seat MAX 10, which took off on its maiden flight in June. "Maybe the back end of the year we will do something. Maybe not. It's all predicated on price," CFO Neil Sorahan told Reuters in an interview on the publication of the airline's results for its April-June quarter. "If the price is right, we're interested but it's a post FY26 time frame so we are under no time pressure there," he said, referring to the airline's financial year to March 31, 2026, when its current order ends. In a presentation to investors O'Leary said the MAX 10 was something the airline would "revisit with Boeing maybe towards the end of the year." "We think the MAX 10 is a great aircraft, but you know we are very disciplined in Ryanair we will only place orders when we think the price is right," O'Leary said. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/ryanair-may-order-boeing-max-073834665.html NASA Gives Elon Musk's SpaceX $178M Contract For Jupiter Moon Mission NASA has awarded Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) owner Elon Musk's private rocket company SpaceX a $178 million contract to launch a spacecraft to Jupiter's moon Europa, Reuters reports. The NASA mission, known as Europa Clipper, will blast off in October 2024 with the help of Musk's company Space Exploration Technologies Corp. The Europa Clipper is designed to fly past Jupiter's moon Europa 45 times. According to NASA, The Europa Clipper spacecraft will produce high-resolution images of the surface, determine the moon's composition, and scan for geologic activity. SpaceX's 23-story Falcon Heavy, currently the most powerful operational space launch vehicle, flew its first commercial payload into orbit in 2019. In the 2021 budget, NASA got permission to consider commercial alternatives to the agency's Space Launch System. As a result, it began officially looking for a commercial alternative. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/nasa-gives-elon-musks-spacex-175217501.html Online Professional Training Course “Human Factors for RPAS Professionals” Why ? The course was developed by Massey University’s School of Aviation upon observation that Human Factors principles applying to the pilots of manned aircraft are also relevant to the operators in the unmanned aircraft industry. Who should do this course? It is particularly relevant to those professionals engaging in RPAS operations involving multi-crew, night, and large, high-risk complex undertakings such as those requiring ground control stations. Those applying for, or renewing, an RPAS Operational Competency Assessment (OCA) will find it very useful. Pilots will gain knowledge which can be applied to real-world operations to better manage human performance. Managers will be able to apply human factors principles to the design of systems and processes used within the organisation to prevent latent failures and thus minimise the likelihood of an accident outcome. Regulators will identify which human factors need to be appropriately managed by organisations undertaking complex unmanned aircraft organisations, allowing for effective regulatory oversight. What? The course covers a wide variety of Human Factors pertaining to the operation of unmanned platforms in many different scenarios giving it international appeal and relevance. This course consists of 10 topics including the final assessment. The course makes use of self-learning exercises where students will have the flexibility to apply the concepts to their individual work settings and receive comments and feedback based upon these. The course is offered online enabling clients to fit it in around their existing schedules. By the end of the course, students should be able to: • Explain the importance of human factors in aviation • Apply the principles of visual perception • Apply strategies for managing mental wellbeing • Manage fatigue and circadian rhythms • Design systems and processes based upon human cognition and decision-making • Apply models of accident causation to help prevent future accidents • Manage communication and assertiveness in multi-crew and organisational environments • Assessment; Self- learning portfolio and an online test; Requires 50 % grade - or above - to pass Course Cost: NZ$700 plus GST To register please click here Position Available: Learjet 60 and 60XR Pilots Need qualified Learjet 60 and 60XR aircraft pilots, Captains & Co-Pilots for operations in Europe and the Middle East. Send Resume/CV to: Hr@asm.aero Nasrin.qurashi@asm.aero Aviation Services Management (ASM) www.asm.aero Curt Lewis