Flight Safety Information - August 11, 2021 No. 161 In This Issue : Incident: DAT A320 near Budapest on Aug 10th 2021, engine shut down in flight : Incident: France A318 at Marseille on Aug 9th 2021, smoke in cabin : Incident: Spirit A319 at Houston on Aug 8th 2021, panel divorced from airframe : Accident: American B788 enroute on Aug 7th 2021, liquid spill injures passenger : Beechcraft 58 Baron- Landing Gear Collapsed on Landing (Chile) : Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines will not require employees to get vaccine : Southwest boots mother and daughter from flight for yelling at passengers to get aisle seat: witness : NTSB Seeks to Curb Injuries From Head-Slamming Jet Turbulence : Mel Air passes IATA safety audit : Summit Helicopters achieves Gold safety standard : Metal fragments found in oil filter of doomed Texas aircraft : Being Rude to Flight Attendants Is the Biggest Breach of Airplane Etiquette, According to 72% of Americans : Boeing Poised to Win Crucial 737 Max Deal With New Indian Budget Carrier : Boeing 737 MAX test plane takes flight in China - Flightradar24 : Boeing delivers 28 airplanes in July; 787s still halted : US to reopen Boeing-Airbus bidding war over refuellers : Qatar Airways Cargo and WiseTech Global Implement Direct Data Connection : ROLLS-ROYCE DELIVERS 100TH PEARL 15 TO BOMBARDIER : Spacesuit development for moonwalkers facing major delays : RTCA Webinar: Airports - Critical Components in Future Transportation Infrastructure Incident: DAT A320 near Budapest on Aug 10th 2021, engine shut down in flight A DAT Danish Air Transport Airbus A320-200 on behalf of Wizzair, registration OY-RUZ performing flight W6-6611 from Tirana (Albania) to Berlin (Germany), was enroute at FL360 about 180nm southsouthwest of Budapest (Hungary) still in the Airspace of Bosnia and Herzegovina when the left hand engine (V2527) flamed out prompting the crew to divert to Budapest, drift down and shut the engine down. The aircraft landed safely on Budapest's runway 31R about 35 minutes after leaving FL360 and stopped on the runway. After landing the crew requested emergency services to confirm there was no fire and confirmed only one engine was running, they were able to taxi. After a brief check the aircraft taxied to the apron. https://avherald.com/h?article=4eb944d4&opt=0 Incident: France A318 at Marseille on Aug 9th 2021, smoke in cabin An Air France Airbus A318-100, registration F-GUGQ performing flight AF-7670 from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Marseille (France), was descending through FL200 towards Marseille when the crew declared emergency reporting smoke in the cabin. ATC kept Marseille's runway 13L sterile afterwards sending other arrivals into holds for about 15 minutes. The A318 continued for a safe landing on runway 13L about 13 minutes later and taxied to the apron. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground over night and resumed service about 8 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=4eb94727&opt=0 Incident: Spirit A319 at Houston on Aug 8th 2021, panel divorced from airframe A Spirit Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration N521NK performing flight NK-932 from Las Vegas,NV to Houston Intercontinental,TX (USA), landed on Houston's runway 08R at about 22:43L (03:43Z Aug 9th) and taxied to the apron. The aircraft subsequently remained on the ground for 18 hours. The FAA reported stating as occurrence time Aug 8th 23:14Z: "AIRCRAFT PANEL (12" X 18") FELL OFF DURING DEPARTURE ON RUNWAY 8R, HOUSTON, TX (IAH)" and rated the damage minor, the occurrence was rated an incident. However, N521NK had departed Houston's runway 15R for flight NK-933 to Las Vegas at 16:20L (21:20Z), landed in Las Vegas at 17:00L (00:00Z Aug 9th), departed for the return flight at 18:14L (01:14Z) and landed on runway 08R at 22:43L (03:43Z). https://flightaware.com/live/flight/NKS933/history/20210808/2100Z/KIAH/KLAS https://avherald.com/h?article=4eb9355e&opt=0 Accident: American B788 enroute on Aug 7th 2021, liquid spill injures passenger An American Airlines Boeing 787-8, registration N811AB performing flight AA-1219 from Miami,FL to Dallas Ft. Worth,TX (USA), was enroute when a passenger received minor injuries in flight due to a fluid spill. The aircraft continued for a safe landing in Dallas about 2:15 hours after departure. The FAA reported: "AIRCRAFT PASSENGER SUSTAINED BURNS DUE TO A LIQUID SPILL WHILE IN FLIGHT, DALLAS FORT WORTH, TX (DFW)" and stated the injuries were minor. The aircraft remained on the ground in Dallas for about 13 hours before returning to service. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL1219/history/20210808/0201Z/KMIA/KDFW https://avherald.com/h?article=4eb92e5d&opt=0 Beechcraft 58 Baron- Landing Gear Collapsed on Landing (Chile) Date: 10-AUG-2021 Time: c. Type: Beechcraft 58 Baron Owner/operator: Priva Registration: CC-AXP MSN: TH-1181 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Aeródromo Eulogio Sánchez - Chile Phase: Landing Nature: Private Departure airport: - Destination airport: Santiago-Eulogio Sanchez-Tobalaba Airport (SCTB) Narrative: The plane veered off RWY 01 of Eulogio Sánchez airfield, the left landing gear collapsed under unknown circumstances. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/266619 Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines will not require employees to get vaccine United Airlines is requiring all workers to be vaccinated by October 25. "We are strongly encouraging our team members to get vaccinated," American Airlines told Insider in a statement. Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines will not require unvaccinated employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, according to CNN. The airlines will not follow the likes of United Airlines, which became the first airline to mandate all workers to get vaccinated by October 25 or risk losing their jobs. According to an internal memo reviewed by CNN, Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said the company will "continue to strongly encourage" that workers get inoculated, but will not require it. "Obviously, I am very concerned about the latest Delta variant, and the effect on the health and safety of our employees and our operation, but nothing has changed," Kelly allegedly wrote. "We are strongly encouraging our team members to get vaccinated, and we are offering an incentive for those who do. American Airlines team members who get vaccinated are provided an additional day off in 2022 and $50 through our employee recognition platform," American Airlines told Insider in a statement. Insider has also reached out to Southwest and Delta for comment. https://www.yahoo.com/news/southwest-airlines-american-airlines-delta-013416761.html Southwest boots mother and daughter from flight for yelling at passengers to get aisle seat: witness A mother and daughter appeared to get kicked off a Southwest Airlines flight last month after yelling at passengers to give them an aisle seat, according to a social media video. The unidentified pair were boarding a flight from Sacramento to San Diego on July 15 when the incident was recorded by a passenger on TikTok. The flight had already been delayed two hours and was almost full when the two women arrived. But with no aisle seats open, one of the women began shouting at passengers to see if anyone could give up their aisle seats. Southwest Airlines has an open seating policy, allowing passengers to pick their own seats on a first-come, first-serve basis, according to its website. A flight attendant can be heard telling the younger woman: "We have families. We have little kids. We can’t have nobody yelling." The younger woman denies that she was yelling and replies: "I was just trying to make the announcement." She then says they will take their seats, but that her mother will "scream and cry" and "grab onto people," according to the video. The flight attendant told the pair that passengers wouldn’t be safe with that kind of behavior and an attendant eventually removed them from the flight, the woman who took the video said. The passenger said the flight was delayed another hour due to the outburst before it finally took off. https://www.yahoo.com/news/southwest-boots-mother-daughter-flight-175921365.html NTSB Seeks to Curb Injuries From Head-Slamming Jet Turbulence By Alan Levin • Agency investigators seek better weather data, other steps • Flight attendants take brunt of punishment in bumpy skies Accidents on U.S. airlines have become increasingly rare except for one category of in-flight mishap that has remained stubbornly prevalent: turbulence that leads to serious injuries. More than 65% of severe injuries -- or 28 of 43 -- logged by U.S. accident investigators from 2017 through 2020 on airliners resulted from planes encountering bumpy skies, triggered by atmospheric conditions that could be worsening due to climate change. U.S. accident investigators on Tuesday said much more should be done to protect people, particularly flight attendants. The problem has been exacerbated by insufficient weather reporting, antiquated data technology and outdated federal guidance to airlines, the National Transportation Safety Board said. “Turbulence is the most common airline accident type today and it’s high time we reduce turbulence-related injuries,” NTSB acting Chairman Bruce Landsberg said. The sweeping NTSB findings ranged from seeking better ways to secure children 2 years old and younger, who don’t need to be belted in, and calling on the Federal Aviation Administration to order flight attendants to be seated and strapped in for longer periods, where they’re almost never injured. “Almost all passenger injuries happen to the unbelted,” Landsberg said. “So, stay buckled in, except when out of your seat, and especially when the seat belt sign is on.” Because they have to be on their feet far more than passengers, flight attendants are the most vulnerable, according to NTSB data. Flight attendants were 24 times more likely to be seriously injured, the NTSB said. They’ve been slammed off ceilings, walls and floors, suffering broken vertebrae and other fractured bones as well as head injuries, according to NTSB accident reports. “This is a major source of occupational injury,” Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA union, said in an interview. “Addressing the issues with turbulence has been an issue for us for a long time.” The NTSB report comes as evidence is growing that global warming is increasing the risks of jets encountering air turbulence. A 2019 study in the journal Nature found so-called wind shear -- sudden changes in wind speed or direction -- had increased 15% over the North Atlantic since 1979. The U.S. skies have enjoyed an unprecedented period of safety for more than a decade. There have been only two U.S. passenger deaths since 2009, a woman on a Southwest Airlines Co. flight on which an engine blew apart and a man on a small turboprop plane in Alaska who was hit by a broken propeller blade. The industry has essentially wiped out entire categories of crashes, such as those caused by icing and wind-shear. But turbulence, which can buffet a jet even in clear skies and has proved difficult to accurately predict, has been far tougher to contain. Such buffeting can occur near thunder storms, in roiled air above mountains and a high altitudes where wind speeds can differ suddenly. A Feb. 13, 2019, Delta Air Lines Inc. flight from Orange County, California, to Seattle is typical. Pilots on the northbound flight, operated by Delta partner Compass Airlines Inc., kept the seatbelt sign illuminated because of an earlier report of “occasional light chop,” but allowed flight attendants to begin serving drinks. Out of nowhere, the Embraer SA ERJ 175 hit a band of severe turbulence that lasted eight seconds. Two flight attendants were flung into the ceiling and back down to the floor, the NTSB said. One of the two attendants broke her arm, which constitutes a serious injury under NTSB’s definition. Such injuries also include cases with severe bleeding and a hospital stay two days or longer. A passenger who had been in the lavatory on the flight also suffered a head wound. The FAA, which sets safety rules and whose air-traffic controllers guide airline flights, has been working on multiple fronts to reduce the risk, it said in an emailed statement. It’s developing a system to allow pilots to share turbulence reports digitally, for example. But the FAA’s advice to the industry was last updated in 2007 and much has changed in the intervening 14 years, the NTSB concluded. The NTSB issued more than two dozen new and reiterated recommendations to government agencies and airline groups. Investigators said new technology could help prevent encounters with turbulence by providing better warnings to pilots. For example, air-traffic controllers now rely on mostly cumbersome written turbulence reports. They should be able to see areas of turbulence on their radar displays, the NTSB said. Existing radio transmitters on airliners should be updated with existing technology to automatically report turbulence, investigators said. Since many injuries occur at lower altitudes, particularly during descents to airports, the government and industry should look at requiring attendants to be seated for longer periods during those times, the NTSB said. Increasing communication about existing weather conditions would help, Nelson said. Airlines should improve how they share information with each other and between pilots and flight attendants, she said. “There needs to be greater emphasis when information changes in the air,” she said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-10/head-slamming-turbulence-on-jetliners-eludes-easy-safety-fix Mel Air passes IATA safety audit Mel Air passed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). Mel Air is an airline with a Maltese AOC and began operating in 2021. It is a subsidiary of the Spanish carrier Air Nostrum. The airline currently has a fleet of three CRJ-1000 jets aircraft. The IOSA programme is an evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. IOSA uses internationally recognised quality audit principles and is designed to conduct audits in a standardised and consistent manner. It was created in 2003 by IATA. All IATA members are IOSA registered and must remain registered to maintain IATA membership. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2021/08/07/mel-air-passes-iata-safety-audit/ Summit Helicopters achieves Gold safety standard Canadian helicopter manufacturer Summit Helicopters achieved the Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) Gold The company first took on the Basic Aviation Risk Standard in 2017 and progressively increased its operations categories. After its latest audit, Summit achieved BARS Gold. Peter Rice, General Manager at Summit Helicopters, commented: “This is an important milestone for Summit Helicopters. We have always worked to understand our client’s needs, including established aviation standards that exceed Transport Canada requirements. “We have developed internal processes to review these standards against our approved procedures, and to build reference documents, training, and exams so our crews are able to meet our clients’ expectations easily and efficiently.” The BARS program provides a standard to assist in the risk-based management of aviation activities. Since 2012, significantly fewer aviation accidents have occurred in the onshore sector, according to the US-based Flight Safety Foundation. https://www.airmedandrescue.com/latest/news/summit-helicopters-achieves-gold-safety-standard Metal fragments found in oil filter of doomed Texas aircraft KILLEEN, Texas (AP) — A mechanic found metal particles in an oil filter during maintenance on a small aircraft before it crashed in Central Texas, killing its pilot, federal investigators reported Tuesday. In a preliminary report, the National Transportation Safety Board said the mechanic at Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport in Temple told the pilot two days before the July 4 crash that the Focke-Wulf Piaggio FWP-149D should not fly until tests could determine the source of the metal particles. The report states the mechanic cleaned the oil filter, sent metal fragment samples to a laboratory for analysis and added clean oil to the engine crankcase. Meantime, the pilot said he would be flying only to his base at the Skylark Field Airport, just east of Killeen and 20 miles (33 kilometers) southwest of the Temple airport, and the aircraft departed after a satisfactory engine runup. NTSB said that despite the mechanic’s belief that the aircraft would stay at Skylark Field, it was flying from New Braunfels Regional Airport 95 miles (153 kilometers) back to Skylark Field on July 4 when the pilot reported the aircraft engine had stopped. The aircraft crashed and burned about three miles (five kilometers) short of the Skylark Field runway, killing pilot Bradley Guy Marzari, 60, of Belton. Ther NTSB said test results on the metal particles were still pending. http://www.elpasoinc.com/news/ap_wire/us/metal-fragments-found-in-oil-filter-of-doomed-texas-aircraft/article_9467a27f-15af-5c7e-80a1-4e47aecc60da.html Being Rude to Flight Attendants Is the Biggest Breach of Airplane Etiquette, According to 72% of Americans As reports of unruly airline passengers surge, 81% of consumers support airlines’ decisions to pause in-flight alcohol service. https://www.valuepenguin.com/travel/airline-etiquette-survey With vaccine doses nearing 350 million in the U.S., and more than 70 countries falling into the low- to moderate-risk category for American tourists, some people may be looking to get back onto airplanes sooner rather than later. In fact, TSA data shows that the number of travelers per day of late is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels. Unfortunately, the long time spent avoiding travel and the high stress of the pandemic may have consequences: There has been a surge of cases of unruly airline passengers in recent times. To find out how the pandemic has impacted public views on airplane etiquette, we surveyed over 1,000 Americans about their opinions. We included questions specifically related to pandemic-era travel faux pas, as well as general do’s and don’ts. Key findings • Being rude to the flight attendant is the number one biggest breach of airplane etiquette, according to 72% of travelers. The next two are kicking the seat in front of you and getting on the plane while sick. • More than half (54%) of Americans agree that the pandemic caused flyers’ airplane etiquette to get worse. And in many cases, other passengers suffer: 24% noted another passenger’s poor behavior caused the plane to turn around. • 81% of consumers support airlines’ decisions to pause in-flight alcohol service in efforts to curb unruly passengers. Additionally, 65% agree that getting drunk on the plane is a big no-no. • The battle over yoga pants and leggings continues. 40% of consumers don’t think it’s okay to wear them on the plane. Men are more opposed than women: 55% of men don’t think that apparel is airplane-appropriate, compared to 26% of women. The top 10 breaches of airplane etiquette, according to travelers To find out what’s considered to be a breach of airplane etiquette, we asked about several potential offenses. For most (72%), the most commonly cited offense was being rude to flight attendants. That could be due to an awareness of the difficulties faced by those who work with the public during these high-stress times. Other top offenses included kicking the seat in front of you (69%), getting on the plane while sick (67%) and getting drunk (65%). It’s important to note that when this survey was last conducted, in mid-February 2020, 56% of people named traveling while sick as a major etiquette breach; that number is now up to 67%. It’s a signal that some are taking the pandemic seriously — though perhaps not as many as you might expect during a time like this. However, this trend doesn’t seem to apply to the youngest segment of Americans we surveyed: Fewer Gen Zers (48%) thought getting on a plane while sick was a breach of etiquette than other generations. That’s a slight decline compared to when we first conducted this survey (back then, 52% of Gen Zers said sick passengers were a breach of etiquette.) "It’s possible that after over a year of being cooped up in quarantine, the younger generation isn’t as concerned with etiquette if that means it will interfere with long-awaited travel plans," says Sophia Mendel, a travel writer at ValuePenguin. Interestingly, taking off your shoes while on the plane (34%) didn’t make the top-10 list: https://www.valuepenguin.com/travel/airline-etiquette-survey Boeing Poised to Win Crucial 737 Max Deal With New Indian Budget Carrier (Bloomberg) -- Boeing Co. is in advanced discussions with a newly created Indian budget carrier to sell 737 Max jets, according to people familiar with the matter, a deal that could give the U.S. planemaker a crucial breakthrough in a major market dominated by Airbus SE. The airline, Akasa, backed by billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, has also held discussions with Airbus for its best-selling A320neo jets, but that model isn’t available for delivery until several years down the track, tilting the equation in Boeing’s favor, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is confidential. The talks aren’t finalized and could still fall apart, the people said. Akasa, which is seeking initial approval from India’s aviation ministry, plans to use sale-and-leaseback deals to finance the planes, one of the people said. This would allow the new airline to receive cash from leasing firms as it takes possession of the jets. Jhunjhunwala’s new airline is looking at operating a fleet of 70 aircraft in four years, the businessman said in a Bloomberg Television interview last month. An order for 70 units of 737 Max-8 jets -- the most popular model -- would be valued at $8.5 billion at sticker prices, although discounts are common in large plane orders. Boeing is likely to offer steeper-than-usual discounts on this deal, the people said. A representative for Boeing said it always seeks opportunities and consistently talks with current and potential customers about how it can best support their fleet and operational needs. A representative for Jhunjhunwala didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Any transaction would give Boeing a firmer foothold in India, until recently the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, where it has outstanding Max orders from only one carrier, SpiceJet Ltd. Jet Airways India Ltd., the only other Indian customer for the 737 Max, collapsed under a pile of debt in 2019, leaving the world’s third-largest domestic market dominated by hundreds of Airbus planes. The discussions are for a deal of as many as 80 aircraft with deliveries starting as soon as within seven months, one of the people said. Any announcement will depend on Akasa getting regulatory approvals to formally start the airline business, that person said. The 737 Max was grounded in 2019 following two deadly crashes that killed 346 people. Its return has taken longer in Asia-Pacific than in other major jurisdictions. While the U.S., Europe and most other nations lifted the ban starting late last year following extensive fixes, China, the region’s biggest market, and India haven’t yet signed off on the plane. SpiceJet, which saw 13 of its 737 Max jets idled, has yet to agree with Boeing on a compensation package, and the airline isn’t likely to take more deliveries before that, the people said. Delivery slots for planes originally headed to SpiceJet, Jet Airways and other customers who have deferred handovers are now available, giving Boeing a chance to offer aircraft out of schedule, they said. A representative for SpiceJet didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. India’s Business Standard newspaper reported the talks earlier. Both Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration have held discussions with the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the sector regulator, about the jet’s return to service, the people said. Boeing continues to work with global regulators to safely return the jet to the skies, a representative said, adding that more than 170 out of 195 global regulators have opened their airspace for the Max. Akasa itself is an ambitious bet on one of the world’s most difficult aviation markets, where provincial taxes of up to 30% make the cost of jet fuel one of the highest in the world. Intense competition also means carriers are often forced to sell tickets below cost. Apart from Jhunjhunwala -- locally known as India’s Warren Buffett for his successful stock picking -- Akasa is backed by Aditya Ghosh, a former head of market leader IndiGo, and Vinay Dube, a former executive at Delta Air Lines Inc. and a former chief of Jet Airways, the people said. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-poised-win-crucial-737-092816791.html Boeing 737 MAX test plane takes flight in China - Flightradar24 BEIJING/SYDNEY (Reuters) -A Boeing Co 737 MAX test plane took to the skies in China on Wednesday as the U.S. manufacturer looks to end a nearly two-and-a-half-year regulatory grounding of the model in the key travel market. Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed a 737 MAX 7 test plane taking off from Shanghai's Pudong International Airport at 9:24 a.m. (0124 GMT), with no destination listed, flying in a south-easterly direction. The flight tracking was incomplete, but photos on Chinese aviation blogs showed it landed at Zhoushan Putuoshan Airport, about 150 km (80 nautical miles) to the south, which industry sources told Reuters was the expected destination. Boeing has a 737 MAX completion plant in Zhoushan to install interiors and paint airplane liveries. The 737 MAX test plane had left Seattle last week and arrived in Shanghai on Aug. 7 after refuelling stops in Honolulu and Guam. Reuters reported last week it was due for its first test flight in China on Aug. 11 if all went well. Boeing said it was continuing to work with global regulators as they complete their validation processes on the model and declined to comment specifically on the test flight in China. After flight testing, China's regulator is expected to issue an aircraft evaluation report and put it out for comment before pilot training could begin, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on condition of anonymity. About 30 airlines and 175 countries have allowed the 737 MAX to return to service following a nearly two-year safety ban after crashes five months apart killed 346 people, plunging Boeing into a financial crisis since compounded by the coronavirus pandemic. Boeing's 737 MAX remains grounded in China, where trade tensions between Washington and Beijing have cut off sales for years, although Chief Executive Dave Calhoun said last month he still expected the 737 MAX to win approval before year-end. China's aviation regulator previously issued three requirements for the 737 MAX's return to service: certified design changes, sufficient pilot training, and definitive findings from the crash investigations. Before the 737 MAX was grounded in March 2019, Boeing was selling one quarter of the planes it built annually to Chinese buyers. For years, simmering tensions between Washington and Beijing have caused uncertainty. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/boeing-737-max-test-plane-020351417.html?.tsrc=fp_deeplink Boeing delivers 28 airplanes in July; 787s still halted SEATTLE (Reuters) - Boeing Co said on Tuesday it handed over 28 airplanes to buyers in July as revived domestic travel fuels 737 MAX deliveries, but the U.S. planemaker's 787 remained in inventory for a fourth month due to defects. The closely watched monthly orders and deliveries snapshot comes as Boeing bids to recoup billions of dollars in lost sales from the coronavirus pandemic, and move beyond the safety scandal caused by two fatal 737 MAX crashes. Of the aircraft Boeing delivered to airlines and other buyers in July, 22 were 737 MAX single-aisle jets, one was a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft for the U.S. Navy, and the remaining five were widebodies. The widebodies included one KC-46 tanker to the U.S. Air Force and four freighters. As well as aiming to raise 737 MAX deliveries, Boeing is also dealing with structural defects of its bigger, more profitable 787 planes, deliveries of which have been halted twice since 2020. Boeing has been forced to cut production, though it has on occasion handed over the jet to buyers. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed on July 12 that some undelivered Boeing 787s have a new manufacturing quality issue the planemaker will need fix before the planes will be delivered. A source told Reuters that it may be at least several more weeks before the issue is resolved. Deliveries are financially important to planemakers because airlines pay most of the purchase price when they actually receive the aircraft. Boeing is eying a strong recovery in domestic travel in the United States and other markets, though international passenger travel remains depressed. It has delivered 154 737 MAX jets since that aircraft returned to service in November 2020 following a nearly two-year safety ban after the fatal crashes. Overall, Boeing delivered 184 jetliners for the year through July, according to the latest data made available by the planemaker. Boeing said it received orders in July for 31 aircraft, including 19 of its 737 MAX jets, and 12 of its larger widebodies. However, airlines in July cancelled orders for 17 jets, including 15 MAXs and two 787s. For the first half of the year, Boeing also removed 11 of its 787s from its backlog after applying stricter accounting standards to previously booked orders. Factoring in cancelled orders, instances where a buyer converted to another jet model and accounting adjustments, Boeing's order tally for July stood at 14 – the sixth straight month of positive net orders for Boeing. Overall, Boeing's total backlog decreased by 14 jets to 4,141 aircraft in July, from 4,155 at the end of June, it said. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-delivers-28-airplanes-july-150212583.html US to reopen Boeing-Airbus bidding war over refuellers • Boeing secured a $35-billion deal in 2011 to develop and supply 179 KC-46 refuellers to the US Air Force by 2029 • Airbus and Boeing are arch-rivals in a multi-billion dollar industry • View of the Airbus A330 MRTT multirole tanker aircraft at the International Paris Air Show The US Air Force is set to reopen a bidding war between Boeing and arch-rival Airbus over the replacement of its ageing fleet of refuelling aircraft essential to Washington's ability to project power beyond its borders. In a tortuous and scandal-riven procurement process, during which two contracts were scrapped, Boeing finally snagged a $35-billion (30-billion-euro) deal in 2011 to develop and supply 179 KC-46 refuellers by 2029. Even though the project was plagued by cost overruns and delays, Boeing looked set to walk away with the next phase of the project to replace the Air Force's fleet -- without which a large proportion of its capacity would be grounded. But the Pentagon changed its plans. The US Air Force in mid-June put out a so-called sources sought notice for the supply of between 140 and 160 aircraft at the rate of 12 to 15 a year from 2029 to replace the rest of the fleet until a new model of tanker is developed. It set up yet another competition between Airbus, with its A330 MRTT that it sells to around 10 countries, and Boeing with its KC-46 Pegasus, derived from the B767 and exported to Japan and Israel. "Even if we have some scars from previous campaigns, we will obviously see this with a lot of interest and try to come up with a competitive offer," Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury told AFP. Initially awarded to Boeing in 2003, the mega-contract was cancelled after revelations of spying and conflict of interests on the part of a former Pentagon official who left to join Boeing. The bidding war was relaunched in 2007, won the following year by Europe's EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space) -- since renamed Airbus -- which was at the time allied with Northrop Grumman of the United States. But that contract was also annulled because of "significant errors" in the evaluation of the bid as determined by the US General Accounting Office. Reopened in 2009, the tender was finally won two years later by Boeing, which had no choice but to lower prices. Since then, the KC-46 programme has been beset by problems, which had already cost the Seattle giant more than $5 billion. The first aircraft was delivered to the US Air Force in 2019 two years late. - 'Boeing still has a chance' - The 46 planes currently flying are hobbled by a defective fuel delivery system and other glitches, and will not be fully operational until 2023. In the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic, Airbus delivered only 19 A330s last year, compared with 53 in 2019. "This looks like a USAF attempt to put competitive pressure on Boeing, and also to deflect criticism of the KC-46 acquisition," said Richard Aboulafia, an aeronautics expert with the Teal Group. "In other words, Boeing still has a chance here. All they need to do is get their programme back on track, and submit a competitive bid," he said. "However, with billions in losses and similar execution problems on other programmes, Boeing may continue to struggle with the KC-46. Thus, Airbus may have a chance, particularly if it teams with Lockheed Martin," Aboulafia said. Airbus and Lockheed have collaborated on refuellers since late 2018. If Airbus wins the bidding contest, "the programme will be greatly Americanised," Faury said, as US law requires the procurement of goods produced in the US. But even with a production unit in Mobile, Alabama, which Airbus was planning to use a decade ago, "it would be really good news for production levels and the whole supply chain" made up of several European suppliers if the European aeronautics giant comes out on top, he said. https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-reopen-boeing-airbus-bidding-050729747.html Qatar Airways Cargo and WiseTech Global Implement Direct Data Connection • The direct data connection is another of Qatar Airways Cargo’s digitalisation projects and extends CargoWise’s direct airline integrations • The direct data connection reduces risk, complexity and costs for forwarders as well as airlines Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s leading air cargo carrier, and WiseTech Global, a leading provider of software solutions to the logistics industry, have commenced implementation of an extensive direct data connection between their global operating systems The direct data connection between WiseTech’s leading CargoWise platform and Qatar Airways Cargo management system, CROAMIS, streamlines the exchange of critical operational data that reduces risk, complexity and costs for forwarders as well as airlines. Mr. Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways Cargo commented: “Our agreement with WiseTech will help eliminate multiple intermediary data exchange points between freight forwarders and airline operating systems, it will also support future air cargo industry growth by removing technical risk and reducing costs. This initial step delivers a strong foundation for on-going product and technical connectivity between Qatar Airways Cargo and its substantial pool of customers.” Scott McCorquodale, Chief Automation Officer, Air Cargo at WiseTech Global, said: “A direct connection and collaboration of this scale, between two such major players, improves many aspects of the air cargo process for our customers, as well as other participants in the end-to-end transportation chain. As the air cargo industry continues to adapt to the rapid and immense changes from 2020, it is important we work together to continuously streamline processes and improve efficiencies where there are obvious far-reaching benefits.” These direct data feeds also add real value by removing extensive data duplication that has proliferated over many years, removing the burden on forwarders and reducing the resulting complexities and costs. Following IATA Recommended Practice, through the CargoWise connection, Qatar Airways Cargo offers an assurance that the single source of air waybill data from the forwarder will be immediately available to the global Qatar Airways ground handling network, reducing the technical and financial burden for forwarders that can otherwise occur and has traditionally often been the case. Digitalisation is a key pillar of Qatar Airways Cargo strategy as it moves towards integrating systems that allow for dynamic pricing, automatic quotations, robotic integration and improved reporting while enhancing customer experience. About Qatar Airways Cargo Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s leading international air cargo carrier is based in Doha, State of Qatar. It serves a global network of more than 60 freighter destinations and over 140 passenger destinations utilising freighters, belly-hold passenger flights, passenger freighters and mini freighters. The airline’s freighter fleet includes two Boeing 747-8 freighters, 26 Boeing 777 freighters and six B777-300ER mini freighters. It also has an extensive road feeder service (RFS) network. With considerable investments in its products, services, quality handling, infrastructure, facilities, people and procedures at each of its destinations, the cargo carrier provides high operating standards for the transportation of cargo. Qatar Airways Cargo remains committed to sustainability and giving back to communities it serves through its sustainability programme WeQare, built on the key pillars of sustainability: environment, society, economy and culture. Website: www.qrcargo.com About WiseTech Global WiseTech Global is a leading developer and provider of software solutions to the logistics execution industry globally. Our customers include over 17,000 of the world’s logistics companies across 160 countries, including 41 of the top 50 global third-party logistics providers and all of the 25 largest global freight forwarders worldwide. Our flagship platform, CargoWise, forms an integral link in the global supply chain and executes over 60 billion data transactions annually. Our mission is to create breakthrough products that empower those that own, enable and operate the supply chains of the world. For more information about WiseTech Global or CargoWise, please visit wisetechglobal.com and cargowise.com. For further information contact: Marijana Okanovic Tel: +61 2 8001 2200 E-mail: marijana.okanovic@wisetechglobal.com www.qrcargo.com ROLLS-ROYCE DELIVERS 100TH PEARL 15 TO BOMBARDIER Rolls-Royce has delivered the 100th Pearl 15 engine to its customer Bombardier in Montreal, Canada. The engine, developed and built in Dahlewitz near Berlin, Germany, is the first member of the successful Pearl engine family and the exclusive option for Bombardier’s latest business jets, the Global 5500 and Global 6500. The engine was custom-designed for these aircraft, which have the longest range and the largest cabin in their category and feature Bombardier’s signature smooth ride technology. Nuno Taborda, Senior Vice President Production Programmes, Rolls-Royce Deutschland, said: “This engine delivery milestone is important for us – demonstrating the programme’s maturity and confirming our confidence in the potential of the Pearl family. I would like to thank everyone at Bombardier for their continued close teamwork with us to make this aircraft and engine such a great success.” Paul Sislian, Executive Vice President, Operations and Operational Excellence, Bombardier, added: “Thank you to the dedicated teams at Rolls-Royce for their innovation and commitment to excellence. This milestone delivery signals the success of the Global 5500 and Global 6500 business jets since their entry into service, and the Pearl 15 engine contributes to providing our customers with an outstanding flight experience and a smooth ride.” The Dahlewitz site, which has delivered more than 1,800 engines overall to Bombardier to date, started production in June 1995 and today employs approximately 2,500 people. As Rolls-Royce’s Centre of Excellence for Business Aviation engines, the site has an important role in our global manufacturing and development footprint. In addition to the Pearl family, the BR710 and BR725 business jet engines are also assembled at the facility. Dahlewitz is also home to the development and testing of Rolls-Royce’s new power gearbox for the UltraFan® demonstrator. This demonstrator is the basis for a potential new family of UltraFan engines, which will be able to power both narrowbody and widebody aircraft and deliver a 25% fuel efficiency improvement compared to the first generation of Trent engine. About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc 1. Rolls-Royce pioneers the power that matters to connect, power and protect society. We have pledged to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions in our operations by 2030. We joined the UN Race to Zero campaign in 2020, and have committed to ensuring our new products will be compatible with net zero operation by 2030, and all products will be compatible with net zero by 2050. 2. Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 150 countries, comprising more than 400 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces and navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers. 3. Annual underlying revenue was £11.76 billion in 2020 and we invested £1.25 billion on research and development. We also support a global network of 28 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls-Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research. 4. Rolls-Royce Holdings plc is a publicly traded company (LSE:RR., ADR: RYCEY, LEI: 213800EC7997ZBLZJH69). For further information, please contact: Stefan Wriege External Communications – Business Aviation & Rolls-Royce Deutschland Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG Tel +49 (0)171 6130802 stefan.wriege@rolls-royce.com www.rolls-royce.com Spacesuit development for moonwalkers facing major delays The next-generation spacesuits needed by the first moonwalkers in NASA's Artemis program will not be available until 2025 at the earliest and will have cost more than $1 billion to develop, the agency's Office of Inspector General reported Tuesday. While November 2024 remains NASA's goal for obtaining two flight-ready spacesuits, known as xEMUs, "the agency faces significant challenges," the OIG said, including a 20-month delay in development and delivery of test suits, a space station demonstration version and two lunar flight suits. "These delays - attributable to funding shortfalls, COVID-19 impacts, and technical challenges - have left no schedule margin for delivery of the two flight-ready xEMUs," the report concluded. "Given the integration requirements, the suits would not be ready for flight until April 2025 at the earliest." "Moreover, by the time two flight-ready xEMUs are available, NASA will have spent over a billion dollars on the development and assembly of its next-generation spacesuits," the report said. The inspector general said the spacesuit delays alone mean a lunar landing in 2024, a deadline imposed by the Trump administration, "is not feasible." The conclusion comes after earlier reports that identified "significant delays" in other Artemis programs, including development of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew capsules needed to launch astronauts to the moon. "Moreover, delays related to lunar lander development ... will also preclude a 2024 landing," the OIG said. Under the Artemis program, NASA's Boeing-managed SLS rocket will boost Lockheed Martin-built Orion capsules to the moon where crews will either rendezvous with a small lunar space station, known as Gateway, or descend directly to the surface in a new lander being built by SpaceX. The first SLS is being assembled, or "stacked," at the Kennedy Space Center and is expected to blast off on a maiden flight by the end of the year, sending an unpiloted Orion capsule on an automated trip around the moon and back. The second Artemis flight, tentatively targeted for 2023, will send four astronauts on an around-the-moon shakedown flight before the first landing attempt in the Artemis 3 mission, presumably in the 2025 timeframe or later. NASA's current spacesuits, or extravehicular mobility units — EMUs — were originally designed in 1974 for use during the space shuttle program. The suits were modified in the early 1990s for use outside the International Space Station. The current xEMU spacesuit design effort is intended to replace the current suits with next-generation models that could be used on the space station, on and around the moon and, eventually, on Mars. The new suits feature improved mobility, flexibility and communications. They will fit a broader population and will allow astronauts to work in vacuum for up to nine hours. The xEMUs feature 92 components being supplied by 27 different vendors. Since 2007, the OIG reported, NASA has spent just over $420 million on spacesuit development. To finish development, NASA must obtain suits for testing and certification as well as a demonstration model that can be evaluated aboard the International Space Station. "Going forward, the agency plans to invest approximately $625.2 million more, bringing the total spent on design, testing, qualification, an ISS Demo suit, two flight-ready suits and related support to over $1 billion through fiscal year (FY) 2025," the report said. The OIG made four recommendations to streamline remaining development, reduce technical risks and keep the project in synch with other elements of the Artemis program as well as the International Space Station. https://www.yahoo.com/news/spacesuit-development-moonwalkers-facing-major-180922165.html RTCA Webinar: Airports - Critical Components in Future Transportation Infrastructure Wed, Aug 18, 2021 1pm-2:15pm EDT Join RTCA for a discussion with aviation experts on what the $550 billion bipartisan infrastructure deal means to existing and emerging airport infrastructure needs and priorities. From the White House: “The [infrastructure] bill invests $25 billion in airports to address repair and maintenance backlogs, reduce congestion and emissions near ports and airports, and drive electrification and other low-carbon technologies." Panelists discuss complex issues including interoperability challenges presented in a multi-modal transportation ecosystem, the journey toward integration of emerging technologies with existing traditional modes of transportation, the need for new standards, and how we design improvements that anticipate the many changes in operations that will be needed for new entrants to create a safe, accessible, easy to use system that meets the evolving needs of the traveling public. Moderated by Carol Huegel of Gate 2 Gate Solutions, panelists include Chris Oswald of ACI-NA, Justin Barkowski of AAAE, Greg Pecoraro of NASAO, Chris Collings of L3 Harris and Scott Remillard of Saab. Register Free: https://bit.ly/3lKT8YX When: Wed, Aug 18, 2021 1pm-2:15pm EDT Curt Lewis