Flight Safety Information - July 28, 2021 No. 150 In This Issue : Incident: Atlas B763 near Honolulu on Jul 27th 2021, altimeter problem : Incident: ASL Ireland B734 at Milan on Jul 26th 2021, APU fire indication : Incident: Buddha AT72 at Kathmandu on Jul 26th 2021, hydraulic failure : Incident: Belavia B738 near Moscow on Jul 26th 2021, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Baltic BCS3 at Copenhagen on Jul 11th 2021, both engines shut down automatically on touch down : Cessna 208B Grand Caravan - Forced Landing, Extensive Damage (Ethiopia) : Sleeping at the airport: American Airlines flight attendant, pilot unions complain about lack of hotel rooms : Frontier Airlines flight from Orlando broke off initial landing to avoid vehicle on Cleveland Hopkins International Airport runway : FAA approves first high-octane unleaded avgas : Russia’s S7 Airlines plans to order 24 A320 Neo Airbus planes by 2024 : Aviation insurance trends to watch as 2021 unfolds : Hawaiian could consider electric aircraft for inter-island flights: CEO : Engineering students win second place at international aircraft design, flying competition : DIVERSITY IN DEMAND AS FAA SEEKS ATC JOB APPLICANTS : Boeing Reports Earnings Wednesday. Watch the Cash-Burn Data: : Delta hiring 5,000 workers in COVID rebound: CEO Ed Bastia : Position: Apply Now! - Manager – Quality Control : Position Available: Learjet 60 and 60XR Pilots Incident: Atlas B763 near Honolulu on Jul 27th 2021, altimeter problem An Atlas Air Boeing 767-300 on behalf of Amazon Prime Air, registration N1327A performing flight 5Y-3813 from Kahului,HI to Ontario,CA (USA), was enroute at FL390 over the Pacific Ocean about 560nm east of Honlulu,HI (USA) when the crew descended the aircraft to FL260 due to a problem with the altimeters and decided to divert to Honolulu. The aircraft landed safely on Honolulu's runway 04R about 90 minutes after leaving FL390. The aircraft remained on the ground in Honolulu for about 14.5 hours, then departed for the flight again and reached Ontario with a delay of 18 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=4eaf7901&opt=0 Incident: ASL Ireland B734 at Milan on Jul 26th 2021, APU fire indication An ASL Airlines Ireland Boeing 737-400 freighter, registration EI-STM performing flight AG-624 from Catania to Milan Malpensa (Italy), was on final approach to Malpensa's runway 35R when the crew received an APU fire indication, declared PAN PAN and continued for a safe landing on the runway a few minutes later. The aircraft subsequently taxied to the apron on own power. The aircraft is still on the ground in Milan about 44 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=4eaef0b1&opt=0 Incident: Buddha AT72 at Kathmandu on Jul 26th 2021, hydraulic failure A Buddha Air Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration 9N-AMD performing flight U4-255 from Kathmandu to Dhangarhi (Nepal) with 68 people on board, was climbing through FL160 out of Kathmandu when the crew received indication of a hydraulic failure and decided to return to Kathmandu. The aircraft landed safely on Kathmandu's runway 02 about 40 minutes after departure. A replacement ATR-72-212A registration 9N-AJX reached Dhangarhi with a delay of about 90 minutes. https://avherald.com/h?article=4eaee70b&opt=0 Incident: Belavia B738 near Moscow on Jul 26th 2021, engine shut down in flight A Belavia Boeing 737-800, registration EW-455PA performing flight B2-9215 from Minsk (Belarus) to Antalya (Turkey) with 189 passengers and 7 crew, was enroute at FL350 about 250nm south of Moscow (Russia) when the crew received indications of an engine (CFM56) malfunction and decided to shut the engine down. The crew decided to divert to Moscow Domodedovo for a safe landing on runway 32L about one hour later. The airline reported an engine trouble indication occurred prompting the crew to shut the engine down and to divert to Domodedovo. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration EW-456PA reached Antalya with a delay of 7 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=4eaee265&opt=0 Incident: Baltic BCS3 at Copenhagen on Jul 11th 2021, both engines shut down automatically on touch down An Air Baltic Bombardier C-Series CS-300, registration YL-AAQ performing flight BT-139 from Riga (Latvia) to Copenhagen (Denmark), landed on Copenhagen's runway 04L when both engines automatically shut down. The aircraft rolled out, the crew managed to steer the aircraft clear of the runway. The aircraft was subsequently towed to the apron. The aircraft is still on the ground in Copenhagen about 4 days later. On Jul 26th 2021 the Canadian TSB reported: On top of the descent to EKCH, the flight crew disengaged the Auto Throttle (AT) and extended the flight spoilers to reduce speed of the aircraft. The right-hand throttle fail Master Caution light came on a few seconds after the AT disengaged. The right-hand throttle fail abnormal checklist was completed and the approach continued. After touch down with both main landing gear on the ground, both engines shutdown. The aircraft came to full stop on the taxiway and was towed to the gate. The Accident Investigation Board of Denmark delegated the investigation to the TSB, as per ICAO Annex 13. The TSB opened a Class 3 investigation. https://avherald.com/h?article=4ea5172d&opt=0 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan - Forced Landing, Extensive Damage (Ethiopia) Date: Tuesday 27 July 2021 Type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan Operator: Abyssinian Flight Services On behalf of: United Nations World Food Programme Registration: ET-AMI MSN: 208B1260 First flight: 2007 Engines: 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair Location: near Kombolcha ( Ethiopia) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Jijiga-Wilwal Airport (JIJ/HAJJ), Ethiopia Destination airport: Dire Dawa-Aba Tenna D Yilma Airport (DIR/HADR), Ethiopia Narrative: A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, operating for the UN's World Food Programme, suffered extensive damage following a forced landing near Kombolcha, Ethiopia. The aircraft was carrying two humanitarian staff members from Jijiga to Dire Dawa. The aircraft came to rest nose down. The right-hand wing was severed, the right-hand main gear broke and there was extensive damage to the propeller, engine and nose gear area. https://www.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20210727-0 Sleeping at the airport: American Airlines flight attendant, pilot unions complain about lack of hotel rooms • The unions say American is failing to provide adequate hotel rooms in a timely manner. • The pilot and flight attendant unions filed grievances with the airline over the issues. Labor unions representing 40,000 American Airlines pilots and flight attendants say the carrier has failed to provide crews with enough transportation or adequate hotels during layovers, a trend that is depriving them of rest in some cases. In grievances filed with the carrier on Tuesday, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants and Allied Pilots Association said crews are facing hotel booking and transportation delays while on the road. “We have Flight Attendants sleeping in airports and outside of baggage claim due to the company not providing hotel accommodations in a timely manner,” APFA’s national president Julie Hedrick said in a statement. “Crew rest is being impacted, and clean, comfortable, and quiet rooms are not being provided for required rest.” APFA said it has received complaints from crew members such as finding that no rooms are available when they get to a layover hotel and that they face “excessive” hold times for hotel booking services. “Taking care of our crewmembers while they’re away from home is a priority for American,” the airline said in a statement. “We’re looking into the concerns raised by APA and APFA.” The pilots’ union, APA, said it wants pilots reimbursed for lodging expenses including when they have to find hotel rooms themselves. A lack of hotel rooms and long wait times for customer service are issues that have also faced airline customers this summer as the industry grapples with a shortfall of workers to handle the spike in demand. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/28/american-airlines-flight-attendant-union-summer-travel-complaint.html Frontier Airlines flight from Orlando broke off initial landing to avoid vehicle on Cleveland Hopkins International Airport runway CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The pilot of a Frontier Airlines flight from Orlando broke off the initial landing Tuesday afternoon after a vehicle was too close to the runway at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, an FAA spokesman said. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a statement describing the incident as a planned procedure known as a “go-around.” Agency spokesman Tony Molinaro said the maneuver is designed to break off a landing after the pilots already began their approach. “In this instance, a vehicle was making its way past a runway slower than expected and it was too close to the runway area,” Molinaro said in an email statement. “A go-around maneuver is made while the plane and the vehicle retain a safe separation between each other. To an airline passenger, the event may seem like an emergency maneuver, but the controller and pilot are in control of the situation and are taking the action before any unsafe condition could occur.” Cleveland spokeswoman Latoya Hunter said in a statement that, “We verified with Airport Operations and the Air Traffic Control Tower that there was not an incident nor a potential incursion.” Passenger Jen Herold lives in Palm Coast, Florida, and was coming to visit family in Middleburg Heights. Herold said the plane had to quickly pull up before landing because a vehicle was on the runway. She added that the plane then had to circle around and prepare to land again. Frontier Airlines did not immediately respond to requests for comment. According to FlightAware, the plane had reached an elevation of 1,175 feet on its initial descent around 2 p.m., and then it went back up to 1,900 feet. As the plane went back up, it reached an elevation as high as 3,950 feet before eventually descending again. “We were in the middle of our quick descent to the runway, so I mean we were probably within a few seconds of landing definitely,” Herold said. “I mean, I could see the runway. We were definitely within a few seconds of landing, and then we just pulled up all of a sudden, and everything started getting smaller as you go up higher.” Herold said passengers were relatively calm but generally confused as the plane had to pull back up. The plane landed around 2:07, according to FlightAware. “The pilots did a really good job landing when we did land,” Herold said. “At least they were proactive in letting us know what was going on because everyone was definitiely questioning like, ‘Are we on the wrong runway, what’s going on?’ You see those stories in the news of things that happen, so you’re just kind of curious of what’s happening. But they did a good job overall, the crew did.” Earlier this year, the federal government closed its investigation into the safety concerns about snow and ice removal at the airport that led the FAA to threaten record fines. The FAA sent a letter to Cleveland’s chief of airports Robert Kennedy five years after the city entered into a settlement plan with the federal agency. Susan Mowery-Schalk, director of the FAA’s aiports division, applauded the city for its “substantial improvements in the processes, equipment, staffing, and management of the implementation of the snow and ice control plan,” adding, “We agree that CLE is establishing a safety culture that would allow it to sustain its compliance.” The FAA levied $735,000 in fines in 2015 for failing to staff snow removal teams and deice runways creating unsafe conditions that sometimes forced planes to land at different airports. In the 2016 settlement, the city pledged to make improvements in how it operated. In exchange, the FAA agreed to reduce the proposed fine to $200,000, which was still a record. With Herold originally from the Cleveland area, she regularly makes trips to see family. She doesn’t believe this kind of incident is a regular occurrence, but hopes that the airport can be better with this type of situation in the future. “It’s interesting, I’ve had family that works at the airport,” Herold said. “I don’t know how that happens, but kudos to the pilots for quick reactions.” https://www.cleveland.com/news/2021/07/frontier-airlines-flight-from-orlando-broke-off-initial-landing-to-avoid-vehicle-on-cleveland-hopkins-international-airport-runway.html Dallas Airport Goes Into Lockdown After Man Runs Through TSA Checkpoint Aman has been arrested after allegedly running through a checkpoint at Dallas Love Field Airport, briefly causing disruption for other passengers. Video posted into social media shows a man being taken away in handcuffs following an alleged security breach on Sunday night. The Dallas Texas TV Twitter account said the Dallas Love Field airport was "on lockdown" after an individual ran through a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint. Images and videos show a large crowd of passengers waiting in line for baggage claim and standing around waiting in other parts of the airport following the incident. In a statement to Newsweek, Dallas Police confirmed that an alarm sounded at one of the exit lanes at the Dallas Love Field Airport at 9:05 p.m. on Sunday, July 25. Jeremy Hall, 31, was later seen walking from the unsecure area in the opposite direction as the exiting passengers. Officers were dispatched to the area to attempt to locate the suspect. After several minutes, TSA and Dallas police officers found Hall in the food court area. Hall was taken into custody and was arrested for Criminal Trespass. A Dallas Love Field Airport spokesperson confirmed to Newsweek that an individual did breach the TSA checkpoint that led to a brief halt of screening but "there was no impact to flight operations." A number of people tweeted about being the lockdown at the airport on Sunday night. "People being prevented from leaving the terminal at Dallas Love Field. No explanation given. Hundreds waiting," wrote Washington Post technology policy editor Mark Siebel. Twitter user MD Sanchez added: "There has been an arrest. Numerous TSA security officers on the scene. No one coming in or out." The incident comes as the Federal Aviation Administration reports a sharp increase in cases of unruly passengers on U.S. airlines. According to their FAA's data, there have been 3,509 incidents of unruly passengers on board flights so far this year, as of July 20. There have also been 2,605 mask-related incidents as passengers refuse to cover their faces as required amid the pandemic. Of the 3,509 incidents, 581 have resulted in investigations by the agency—more than three times the number of FAA investigations launched for the whole year of 2020, which was just 183. It is a federal offense to interfere with the duties of a crew member during a flight. The FAA said security violations are excluded from the figures as these cases are handled by the TSA. https://www.newsweek.com/dallas-airport-arrest-tsa-checkpoint-lockdown-1613381 FAA approves first high-octane unleaded avgas General Aviation Modifications, Inc., (GAMI)—a leading general aviation engineering company—announced that the FAA has approved Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) authorizing use of its G100UL high-octane unleaded avgas. GAMI elected to follow the well-established FAA Approved Model List (AML) STC process whereby the FAA issues the initial STCs with an AML of specific aircraft and engines, and then progressively expands the scope of that AML based on additional testing and data. These new STCs represent the initial major milestone for bringing G100UL avgas to airports and aircraft across North America. As the Approved Model List for these STCs expands over the next several quarters, the scope of the aircraft and engines on the AML will provide the functional equivalent of a fleet-wide certification for spark ignition piston powered aircraft and engines to operate on G100UL avgas. Next Steps. The scope of engine and airframe testing now approved by the FAA was comprehensive. In further collaboration with the FAA, GAMI will complete two additional tests that will provide the data required to expand the scope of the Approved Model List. These two routine tests are already underway, and will repeat and validate earlier successful testing previously approved by the FAA. When these tests are completed, the pathway to a large expansion of the Approved Model List will be clear, and when the AML is fully expanded, G100UL avgas will provide a functional fleet-wide drop-in replacement for 100LL. As GAMI keeps its focus on expanding the AML, it has collaborated with Avfuel Corporation—a global supplier of aviation fuel and services—to work through the logistics of distributing this first high-octane unleaded aviation gasoline. Avfuel is establishing a supply chain to responsibly bring G100UL avgas to market on a commercial scale. Together, GAMI and Avfuel have committed to a process that will ensure G100UL avgas is available to all legitimate distributors and vendors on an equitable basis in terms of access and economics. Once the FAA expands the AML and production of G100UL avgas expands to support the needs of the market, GAMI anticipates the existing blue 100LL avgas will disappear from the market, providing a long-awaited solution to the environmental and engine operational pitfalls of leaded fuel. Based on plans for expanded production, GAMI anticipates G100UL avgas supply will meet North America’s demand for high octane aviation gasoline within the next four years. Overview of GAMI’s G100UL Avgas. GAMI, in conjunction with its sister-company, Tornado Alley Turbo, Inc., (TAT) has extensive experience with the FAA STC process as more than 30,000 high performance aircraft and engines fly with its FAA-certified products. Leveraging this regulatory certification experience, GAMI worked diligently for 11 years to develop a functional drop-in unleaded avgas solution that maintains or improves engine performance and, simultaneously, significantly reduces routine maintenance costs imposed by the use of leaded avgas. Achieving these goals also resolves the ever-present and existential threat to both the environment and the use of high performance piston-powered general aviation aircraft if a commercially viable unleaded avgas replacement was not found. Ultimately—by providing a suitable alternative prior to any possible regulatory ban on leaded fuels—the widespread use of G100UL avgas preserves and protects an integral component of the national air transportation system: high-performance spark-ignition piston-engine aircraft. Developing a commercially viable unleaded high-octane aviation gasoline proved to be a complex challenge due to a myriad of technical and economic issues. At the beginning of the project, GAMI developed an essential set of design requirements. These requirements included the necessity for a single high-octane unleaded avgas to be compatible with all of the existing aviation gasolines when the different existing fuels are co-mingled in the fuel tanks of the aircraft. Absent this key requirement, there would have been insurmountable quality control, logistics, infrastructure and supply chain issues. GAMI addressed these concerns with its G100UL avgas product, which is a complete solution that meets the essential requirements of any replacement for aviation gasoline. G100UL avgas can be mixed with 100LL in any proportion, and is compatible with the existing fuel infrastructure without modification, enabling its immediate adoption into the marketplace and seamless transition from 100LL. In addition, G100UL avgas can be produced both by current fuel producers in the industry or within the specialty chemical processing industry, helping to maintain a competitive cost structure and widespread availability using the existing avgas distribution infrastructure. Background. The initiative to develop G100UL avgas was prompted by growing environmental interest in removing the last vestiges of lead from 100LL avgas—the only commercially-available motor fuel to still contain lead. As the United States Environmental Protection Agency elevated the threat of a nationwide ban on 100LL avgas in the late 1990s, GAMI started a research and development effort to find a functional drop-in replacement for the leaded fuel. Finding a commercially viable unleaded avgas solution was not only important to the industry from an environmental standpoint, but also because spark ignition piston powered aircraft that require avgas are responsible for a number of high-value operations for the aviation industry, as well as local and state communities. These critical infrastructure activities include: pilot training that is essential to all aviation segments, including the air carrier transportation system; medical air transport; search and rescue; firefighting via helicopters and other small aircraft; agricultural applications such as crop spraying; small businesses requiring flexible connectivity; pipeline inspections that require small aircraft flying at low altitudes; access to remote communities, such as those throughout Alaska; law enforcement; and border patrol. https://www.greencarcongress.com/2021/07/20210728-g100ul.html Russia’s S7 Airlines plans to order 24 A320 Neo Airbus planes by 2024 MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s S7 Airlines plans to order 24 new A320 Neo Airbus planes for its low-cost airline by 2024, Chairman of the airline’s board of directors Tatiana Fileva said on Wednesday. Fileva earlier said S7 would create a new low-cost carrier for regional traffic, seeking to fly more than 7 million passengers by 2024. https://kfgo.com/2021/07/28/russias-s7-airlines-plans-to-order-24-a320-neo-airbus-planes-by-2024/ Aviation insurance trends to watch as 2021 unfolds In April 2020, two-thirds of global aviation fleets sat idle on runways, but the sector is now rebounding with domestic travel leading the way, according to Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), which noted several issues, such as “rusty” pilots and insect infestations, are now challenging the sector. “The grounding of worldwide fleets during the pandemic has represented an unprecedented event for the aviation industry,” Dave Warfel, a regional head of aviation at AGCS, said in a release. “Airlines have worked tirelessly to maintain their fleets and train their crews during this long period of inactivity and, as insurers, we take a keen interest in working with them to understand their plans to return to service.” Noting it is hard to predict what shape the aviation industry will return in, Warfel said one thing is for certain: changes happened. To get a better gauge on issues at hand, AGCS reviewed the sector and pinpointed the aviation sector trends highlighted in the above slideshow. This news comes as travel insurance is seeing a surge due to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2021/07/28/aviation-insurance-trends-to-watch-as-2021-unfolds/?slreturn=20210628082241 Hawaiian could consider electric aircraft for inter-island flights: CEO Hawaiian Airlines may consider acquiring electric aircraft in the future for its inter-island flights, chief executive Peter Ingram says on 27 July. The Honolulu-headquartered carrier, which operates a robust network of connections to neighbour islands with a fleet of 19 ageing Boeing 717s, will be looking to replace them with more modern aircraft in the coming decade. According to Cirium fleets data, the 128-seat jets, which fly up to 16 cycles every day in punishing tropical conditions, have an average age of 19.3 years. “Neighbour island routes provide an interesting application for electrification of aircraft,” Ingram says on the airline’s quarterly analyst call. “We have a lot of traffic that travels between 100 and 250 miles, so the replacement with electric aircraft on those routes is more foreseeable rather than [an aircraft] that has to fly 2,500 miles to get to the West Coast.” Hawaii is an archipelago about 2,500nm (4,000km) southwest of the US mainland. The airline serves five airports on four of the islands with an average of 135 daily flights. In addition, it flies to the US mainland as well as international long-haul connections with a fleet of 18 Airbus A321neos and 24 A330s. Long-haul destinations in the Pacific Rim include Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti and American Samoa. The airline has 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliners on order from the Chicago-based airframer, which will begin entering the fleet in 2022. But that said, the electrification of regional aircraft along with the battery technology may not yet be mature enough in time for when the 717s begin exiting the fleet, Ingram says. “The technology is still a ways off,” Ingram says. “I can see it, but it may be a generation or two of replacement aircraft [first].” The first electric aircraft that might be be considered a replacement for the 717 will not likely be available for commercial use until the mid-2030s, he adds In any case, the airline is interested in learning more as the industry segment develops. “We are trying to understand the landscape and the direction in which some of the producers are going,” Ingram says. https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/hawaiian-could-consider-electric-aircraft-for-inter-island-flights-ceo/144790.article Engineering students win second place at international aircraft design, flying competition Team FIU reached the height of success, winning second place in mission performance and second overall at the international SAE Aero Design Competition in June. Nineteen teams from across the United States, including Puerto Rico, and from countries like Egypt, India and Poland competed in Lakeland, Florida. The FIU team was comprised of mechanical engineering undergraduate students – Clara Bahoya, Walid Esiely, Ruben Fernandez, Hernando Lugo, Andres Salgado, William San Pedro and Geisy Valdes – from FIU’s American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Student Chapter. Throughout the last year, the students from the College of Engineering & Computing’s Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering researched, designed, optimized and built their aircraft. They kept in mind limitations imposed by the competition, such as electric motor power consumption, maximum runway length and wingspan and minimum allowable weight of the cargo. The students began working on the design in August 2020 and met virtually every week with their faculty advisor. Their team structure consisted of three sub-teams: aerodynamics, structure and propulsion. They used advanced commercial computer programs such as SolidWorks to design the aircraft; Ansys Static Structural to calculate stresses and deformations of the airplane’s structure; Ansys-Fluent to calculate aerodynamic pressure distribution on the surface of the entire aircraft; and modeFrontier to optimize the shape of the wing, winglets and tail for maximum lift. This would ensure the structural integrity and performance of the aircraft. A unique component of their design was incorporating winglets, which attach to the wingtips, reducing aerodynamic drag while increasing the lift force. The result of all their hard work? A 71-inch wingspan aircraft that can carry one soccer ball and 20 pounds of steel. The team was ready for competition day. However, right before the competition, an accident occurred. “We were doing a final test flight and crashed the aircraft by accident,” says Fernandez, a senior mechanical engineering student and project’s chief engineer. “We stayed up all night to build the wing and nose cap of a second aircraft we already had built.” Lugo, the structural design team leader, adds: “Receiving second place in this competition was a great feeling, especially after all the work the team put in not just the night before, but from the very beginning of this project.” The SAE Aero Design Competition was a three-day event. On the first day of the competition, the team’s aircraft underwent a technical inspection. On the second day, the team was able to fly their aircraft with the help of their pilot, Kishan Kalpoe. They had a total of seven flights in a one-hour and a half period. On the third and final day, the test flights continued, and the official awards ceremony kicked off in the afternoon. Participants were scored on their written and oral presentation, results, flight mission performance and overall score. “FIU has outstandingly talented students, and this proves it,” says George S. Dulikravich, professor of mechanical engineering and fellow of AIAA who served as the faculty advisor for the FIU AIAA student team. “The students used the latest software for their design and simulations. They wrote and presented an entire report graded by aerospace industry professionals.” Dulikravich says that although FIU does not offer an aerospace engineering major, joining a club like AIAA provides engineering students with many benefits. “They learn new skills as members of a design team, work on publications, attend network events and are securing internship opportunities.” Lugo can testify to this. “Companies care about experience. And through AIAA, I got the experience,” says Lugo, who has accepted a design engineering internship position at Cummins Engines. “I am glad I got this experience and get to work with such a great team.” The FIU team received a $750 prize, which will go toward the AIAA Student Chapter. The students look forward to participating in next year’s competition and have already begun designing a new aircraft. https://news.fiu.edu/2021/fiu-engineering-students-win-second-place-in-international-aircraft-design,-flying-competition DIVERSITY IN DEMAND AS FAA SEEKS ATC JOB APPLICANTS The FAA is encouraging women and members of minority groups and underrepresented communities to apply for air traffic controller jobs during an application period that will be open from July 30 to August 2. The FAA employed 14,242 air traffic controllers in fiscal 2020—a year in which 920 new controllers were hired. About 4,300 controllers will be hired over the next five years, the FAA said in a news release. To further the recruitment push, the FAA has launched a media and social media campaign featuring current employees and FAA officials who share their stories in interviews, on social media, in conversations on Instagram Live, and on other platforms, the FAA said. The effort is augmented with a “digital toolkit” with ATC career information, minimum requirements for applicants, answers to frequently asked questions, and a link to the government website where prospects can apply. A certified controller can earn a six-figure salary and receives a comprehensive federal benefits package. Basic eligibility requirements include being a U.S. citizen; being age 30 or younger on the application period’s closing date; passing a medical exam, a security investigation, and a pre-employment test; speaking English “clearly enough to be understood over communications equipment”; having “three years of progressively responsible work experience, or a Bachelor's degree, or a combination of post-secondary education and work experience that totals three years”; and being willing to relocate based on FAA staffing needs. New controllers receive training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, followed by assignment to an FAA facility for additional training. “Having individuals with diverse backgrounds helps us find ways to continue enhancing aviation safety and efficiency. I hope more people will pursue the opportunity to become an air traffic controller as a result of this effort,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. A diverse workforce “makes us more innovative, stronger, and safer as an agency,” added FAA Deputy Administrator Bradley Mims. “I encourage people to apply so we can achieve our goal.” “I have the greatest job in the world, and there is absolutely nothing else in the world I would rather be doing,” said Jeffrey Vincent, who started out as an air traffic controller and is now vice president of FAA Air Traffic Services. “Since I was 17, I wanted to be an air traffic controller. I am surrounded by so many people who have a similar passion for aviation and service to our country and who make even the toughest days rewarding.” “Being an air traffic controller is not only important, but it’s also an interesting and dynamic career,” said Teri L. Bristol, chief operating officer of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization. “Air travelers and the public rely on these safety professionals to oversee thousands of aircraft that travel in our national airspace system every day. Air traffic control becomes more exciting every day as innovative uses for airspace, such as drones and commercial space vehicles, become ever more prevalent.” More information is available on the FAA website. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2021/july/27/diversity-in-demand-as-faa-seeks-atc-job-applicants Delta hiring 5,000 workers in COVID rebound: CEO Ed Bastian Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said the company plans to hire an additional 5,000 people as the firm faces what he referred to as "some unforeseen challenges" in the midst of a surge in travel demand following coronavirus lockdowns. "While we are pleased to welcome you back, the unexpected pace of the return of our customers has resulted in some unforeseen challenges as we ramp up to meet demand and handle a record-breaking level of calls," Bastian wrote in an update on the airline's website on Tuesday, adding, "We know you expect more from Delta and assure you that these challenges are temporary." The CEO said Delta is aiming to hire an additional 5,000 people on top of their current 75,000 in an effort to reduce wait times for customers both on the phone and at the airport, as airlines scramble to keep up with the post-pandemic rebound. But the aspiration to hire thousands more workers in quick fashion comes amid widespread labor shortages nationwide – far beyond just the travel industry – and airlines are feeling it, too. Last month, American Airlines reportedly canceled hundreds of flights over just a few days amid staffing shortages on their own crews and among vendors. Just days before, the Transportation Security Administration chief issued a memo saying the agency expected labor shortages to impact travel at more than 130 airports nationwide. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/delta-hiring-5-000-workers-225707991.html Boeing Reports Earnings Wednesday. Watch the Cash-Burn Data. Boeing reports second-quarter earnings Wednesday morning. Investors shouldn’t expect much good news, but the results shouldn’t matter too much for the stock. For the quarter, Wall Street is looking for an 81-cent-per-share loss from $16.5 billion in sales. For the year-ago quarter, Boeing (ticker: BA) reported an adjusted loss of almost $5 a share from $11.8 billion in sales. Those aren’t great results, but the commercial aerospace giant is still digging out from the dual crises of the 737 MAX and Covid-19. Things are so challenging for the company, it could report almost anything without shocking investors. “There are enough items that are unknown that something could be unexpected…. More than likely, it will miss,” Edward Jones analyst Jeff Windau tells Barron’s. “Cash burn [will be] in focus.” Wall Street expects Boeing to burn through another $2.8 billion in cash after burning through $3.7 billion in the first quarter. In the second quarter of 2018, before Covid-19 and the worldwide grounding of the 737 MAX in March 2019 after two deadly crashes within five months, Boeing earned $3.33 a share from $24.3 billion in sales. Free cash flow came in at $4.3 billion. Numbers like that are still far down the road. Commercial air travel is improving, though. Over the past week, U.S. air travel was down about 21% compared with the same week in 2019. Three months ago, air travel in the U.S. was down about 42% compared with the same week in April 2019. That improvement won’t be reflected in Boeing numbers. “Boeing’s 2Q deliveries numbers were poor, and it announced another cut to 787 production,” wrote Vertical Research Partners analyst Rob Stallard in a preview report. “This is a setback, with some flow through to key suppliers like [ Sprit AeroSystems ] and [ Hexcel ]. We think Boeing is set to announce another monster 2Q loss.” He projects cash burn of about $2.8 billion, in line with the Wall Street consensus estimate. Stallard and Windau both rate Boeing shares Hold. Stallard’s price target is $153 a share. Windau doesn’t publish price targets for stocks he covers. Stallard notes in his report that demand is improving, “particularly for new narrow body aircraft.” What investors will want to hear about is a new plane to be developed by Boeing. CEO Dave Calhoun might not be ready to tip his hand yet, though. Boeing is investigating what it calls the NMA, or new medium-size aircraft, but details of size and engine technology—and when it might developed—haven’t been discussed with investors in detail. What’s more, the NMA hasn’t really been addressed on an earnings conference call since January. What happens to the stock after earnings is anyone’s guess. Over the past eight quarters, shares have dropped five times and risen three times. Options markets imply the stock will move about 3%, up or down, following earnings. That isn’t too much for all the turmoil faced by the company over the past 24 months. Boeing stock is down 1%, at $223.61, in recent trading. Year to date, Boeing shares are up about 5%, trailing behind comparable gains of the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average. Since reporting first-quarter numbers, Boeing stock is down about 5%, trailing the market by about 10 percentage points. https://www.barrons.com/articles/expect-more-crackdowns-from-chinaand-risks-for-investors-51627414467 Apply Now! - Manager – Quality Control mba is seeking an experienced mid-career individual to manage its Quality Control function with respect to IOSA* (IATA Operational Safety Audit). 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