Flight Safety Information - August 18, 2021 No. 166 In This Issue : Incident: RAM B738 at Oujda on Aug 15th 2021, brakes fire on landing : Incident: GOL B38M near Porto Velho on Aug 16th 2021, engine shut down in flight : Incident: iAero B734 at Fort Lauderdale and Miami on Aug 16th 2021, gear problem : Incident: Edelweiss A320 at Zurich on Aug 17th 2021, rejected takeoff : Ilyushin Il-112V - Fatal Accident (Russia) : Rockwell Aero Commander 690B - Fatal Accident (Canada) : Human remains found in wheel well of C-17 military plane that departed from Kabul : United Airlines told its flight attendants not to duct tape unruly passengers, saying most flyers are 'on their best behavior' : FAA declines to punish airline that flew Gretchen Whitmer to Florida amid pandemic : Mom says a Southwest flight attendant told her to glue a mask to her crying 2-year-old daughter's face : Airlines hiring record numbers of pilots : QANTAS TO DEMAND ALL STAFF BE VACCINATED : U.S. businessman charged for helping Venezuelan air force with repairs : Tamarack introduces Active Winglet Pilot Proficiency Course, FAA Wings FAAST approved : Aerospace startup Boom Supersonic aims to revive commercial supersonic air travel : NASA rover marks nine years on Mars with glorious 360-degree panorama : Aviation Safety Community : POSITION AVAILABLE - AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION MANAGER : RTCA - Upcoming RTCA Training Opportunities Incident: RAM B738 at Oujda on Aug 15th 2021, brakes fire on landing A RAM Royal Air Maroc Boeing 737-800, registration CN-RNP performing flight AT-1400 from Casablanca to Oujda (Morocco), landed on Oujda's runway 06 when immediately after touchdown bright glow of fire could be seen from the left main landing gear. The crew applied reverse thrust and brought the aircraft to a stop on the runway as quickly as possible. There were no injuries. The airline did not comment on the incident, nor did the Civil Aviation Authority of Morocco. So far it remains unknown, whether the aircraft was evacuated, or whether the passengers disembarked via stairs. According to information The Aviation Herald received the aircraft had been dispatched under minimum equipment list requirements with the left anti-skid system inoperative. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Oujda about 44 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ebe4f7f&opt=0 Incident: GOL B738M near Porto Velho on Aug 16th 2021, engine shut down in flight A GOL Linhas Aereas Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration PR-XMC performing flight G3-1714 from Brasilia,DF to Rio Branco,AC (Brazil) with 133 passengers and 6 crew, was enroute at FL360 about 230nm southeast of Porto Velho,RO (Brazil) when the crew received a "ENGINE OIL FILTER BYPASS" indication for the left hand engine (LEAP), reduced the engine to idle at first, but needed to further shut the engine down while working the checklists. The aircraft diverted to Porto Velho for a safe landing on runway 01 about 45 minutes later. Brazil's CENIPA reported the crew declared PAN PAN. The occurrence was rated an incident. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration PR-GUC reached Rio Branco with a delay of aboout 5:45 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Porto Velho 15 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ebe4cb1&opt=0 Incident: iAero B734 at Fort Lauderdale and Miami on Aug 16th 2021, gear problem An iAero Boeing 737-400, registration N807TJ performing flight WQ-9049 from Fort Lauderdale,FL to Orlando,FL (USA), was enroute at FL190 about 70nm south of Orlando when the crew decided to divert to Miami,FL due to a problem with the right main gear. On approach to Miami the crew advised the right main gear had become stuck in the gear bay and requested a low approach to runway 08L to have the gear inspected. Tower requested the crew of another aircraft on the ground to also have a look at the landing gear of the low approach, when the occurrence aircraft was climbing out again the crew reported it appeared all gear was down, tower confirmed from their position it also looked like all gear was down. The occurrence crew requested a full stop landing on runway 08L and landed without further incident on runway 08L about 85 minutes after departure and about 10 minutes after the low approach. The aircraft remained on the ground in Miami for about 19 hours then departed for the next sector, still flight WQ-9049, to Columbus,OH (USA). https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ9049/history/20210816/2000Z/KFLL/KMCO http://avherald.com/h?article=4ebe4390&opt=0 Incident: Edelweiss A320 at Zurich on Aug 17th 2021, rejected takeoff An Edelweiss Airbus A320-200, registration HB-JJL performing flight WK-348 from Zurich (Switzerland) to Heraklion (Greece) with 138 passengers and 6 crew, was accelerating for takeoff from Zurich's runway 28 when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed (about 90 knots over ground). The aircraft came to a stop just before the intersection with taxiway J about 850 meters/2800 feet down the runway, 3 main tyres deflated, pieces of rubber were left behind the aircraft. Emergency requested the crew to shut the engines down. The runway was blocked for about 2 hours, until the aircraft was towed off the runway via taxiway J. Ground observers reported there were bigger objects on the runway behind the aircraft, obviously parts of the tyres. Both left main tyres and the inboard right hand main tyre were damaged. A passenger reported the initial acceleration was quite normal, then there was a big bang and the aircraft began to shudder. Strong odour of burnt rubber developed in the cabin. They disembarked via stairs onto the runway. A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration HB-IHZ reached Heraklion with a delay of 3:15 hours. The airline reported the crew received a system message prompting them to reject takeoff, 3 of 6 tyres burst or deflated. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ebe27d4&opt=0 Ilyushin Il-112V - Fatal Accident (Russia) Date: Tuesday 17 August 2021 Time: 11:20 Type: Ilyushin Il-112V Operator: United Aircraft Corporation Registration: RF-41400 MSN: 01-01 First flight: 2019-03-30 (2 years 5 months) Engines: 2 Klimov TV7-117ST Crew: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Aircraft damage: Destroyed Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Kubinka AFB ( Russia) Phase: Approach (APR) Nature: Test Departure airport: Kubinka AFB, Russia Destination airport: ? Narrative: A prototype of the Ilyushin Il-112V military transport aircraft crashed in a wooded area near the Kubinka Air Base, Russia. All three on board were killed. The aircraft departed from Zhukovsky International Airport near Moscow at 10:35 hours local time and landed at Kubinka Air Base at 11:09. The flight took off again for a test flight at 11:14 hours. Four minutes later the flight crew radioed that they had a fire in the no.2 (right) engine. Video footage of the last part of the flight show the aircraft in flight with a serious fire in the no.2 engine. The aircraft slowly began rolling right while losing altitude. The nose dropped while the aircraft rolled inverted at low altitude. The aircraft impacted trees and burst into flames. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20210817-0 Rockwell Aero Commander 690B - Fatal Accident (Canada) Date: 16-AUG-2021 Time: c. 21:30 Type: Rockwell Aero Commander 690B Owner/operator: Mag Aerospace Canada Corp. Registration: C-GYLD MSN: 11426 Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Category: Accident Location: Thunder Bay Airport (YQT / CYQT), ON - Canada Phase: Take off Nature: Private Departure airport: Thunder Bay Airport, ON (YQT/CYQT) Destination airport: Dryden Regional Airport (CYHD) Investigating agency: TSB Canada Narrative: An aircraft crashed at Thunder Bay International Airport on take off. A post-crash fire occurred. According to the ATC recording, the airplane was heading to Dryden Regional Airport (CYHD) Ontario, Canada After the accident, the airport was closed. One person died in the crash, being the pilot as sole occupant. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/266822 Human remains found in wheel well of C-17 military plane that departed from Kabul The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that human remains were found inside the wheel well of a C-17 military plane that had been swarmed by hundreds of people on the tarmac as it took off at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. The discovery was made upon landing at al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday. A dramatic video taken earlier Monday showed some people clinging to the plane as it taxied down the runway in Kabul. A defense official said the individuals swarming the plane had breached the runway from the civilian side of the airport. At the airport in Kabul, there is a side for military operations and another side for commercial flights. Air operations were suspended for hours at the airport Monday because of the crush of Afghan civilians desperate to leave Kabul. Operations resumed after the U.S. military, Turkish forces and other troops forcibly removed 15,000 Afghan civilians who had breached the runway, a U.S. official said. The Air Force's Office of Special Investigations is reviewing the incident in coordination with the Air Force's Air Mobility Command and international partners. "OSI is leading the review in coordination with the U.S. Air Force's Air Mobility Command and international partners since it involves the loss of life on U.S. military aircraft," Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek said in a statement. "OSI's review will be thorough to ensure we obtain the facts regarding this tragic incident. Our hearts go out to the families of the deceased." The C-17 had landed on a runway at the airport earlier in the day with a load of cargo, according to a summary of events from the Air Force. After landing, the pilots were surprised when the crew attempted to unload its cargo and it was rushed by hundreds of Afghan civilians. At that point, the aircrew decided it was not safe to unload and began taxiing to fly away to safety. The aircraft was impounded to provide time to collect the remains and inspect the plane before it's returned to flying status. "Alongside our joint force, interagency and international partners, the U.S. Air Force remains laser-focused on maintaining security at (the Kabul airport) to prevent a situation like this from happening again as we safely process Afghan civilians seeking to depart the country," the Air Force statement said. U.S. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Tuesday the U.S. will soon have the capacity to evacuate 5,000 to 9,000 individuals a day now on a mix between commercial and military aircraft -- but a lot of that depends on if the Taliban will allow those commercial planes to fly. The White House said Tuesday that both sides of the airport are open and operational with flights able to land and depart. There were 3,500 U.S. troops on the ground to help control airport operations as of Tuesday morning. On Monday, more than 700 people were evacuated by the U.S. military, including 165 American citizens, the Pentagon said. Kirby, at a briefing with reporters Monday, was matter of fact, saying the crush of civilians at the airport came about because "there were a lot of Afghans that wanted to get out of the country." https://www.yahoo.com/gma/human-remains-found-wheel-well-155602720.html United Airlines told its flight attendants not to duct tape unruly passengers, saying most flyers are 'on their best behavior' United Airlines has told its flight attendants not to use duct tape to restrain unruly passengers. It reminded staff to de-escalate, adding that there are "designated items" to use instead of tape. Recent viral videos show disorderly American and Frontier Airlines passengers taped to their seats. United Airlines has instructed its flight attendants not to use duct tape on disorderly passengers. John Slater, United's senior vice president of inflight services, sent a memo to flight attendants on Friday telling them to avoid using tape to restrain unruly passengers. "Please remember that there are designated items onboard that may be used in difficult situations, and alternative measures such as tape should never be used," he wrote in the memo, which was viewed by Insider. "The overwhelming majority of our customers have been on their best behavior throughout the pandemic and returned to our flights with confidence and enthusiasm." United declined to name the "designated items" to which Slater referred. The memo referenced recent viral incidents in which disorderly passengers were taped to their seats. "As you've likely seen, a few airlines have recently made news about the way they've handled situations onboard," Slater wrote in the memo. "When things have evolved, you've relied on all aspects of inflight safety training, including de-escalation. This professionalism and composure have set us apart from some of our competitors." The memo continued with tips for flight attendants to manage chaotic situations onboard. "Address difficult situations calmly by informing, de-escalating and following our reporting process," Slater wrote in the memo. "In the event you are unable to reach an agreement with a customer about one of our safety-related policies, you should follow your regular de-escalation and training process and always use your best judgment." United says the memo served as a reminder of existing policies, not a notice of a new one. "These are not new safety policies and this reference was in a weekly memo we distribute to our inflight crews that includes pertinent information like important notices and reminders about standard safety policies," the airline told Insider. While United has used duct tape on unruly passengers in at least two situations well before the pandemic, other airlines have used duct tape to restrain disorderly passengers much more recently. The memo comes after viral videos recently showed unruly passengers being duct-taped to their seats on Frontier and American Airlines flights. On a Frontier Airlines flight last month, a passenger was restrained with duct tape after he punched and groped flight attendants, walked around shirtless, and yelled obscenities, according to police. On an American Airlines flight earlier that month, a viral TikTok video showed a woman duct-taped to her seat after the airline says she attacked flight attendants and tried to open the plane's front boarding door mid-flight. Last week, a 13-year-old boy on an American Airlines flight was taped to his seat after witnesses say he became physical with his mother and tried to kick out a window. https://www.yahoo.com/news/united-airlines-told-flight-attendants-174712223.html FAA declines to punish airline that flew Gretchen Whitmer to Florida amid pandemic The airline that flew Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to Florida last March will not be penalized by the Federal Aviation Administration, according to new reports. An FAA investigation into the March 15 trip to Whitmer's father, which attracted a Bureau of Elections complaint from the Michigan GOP in June, via a chartered Air Eagle flight despite the airline lacking a charter certificate, was concluded, FAA spokeswoman Crystal Essiaw told the Washington Examiner. "The FAA investigated and made clear to the operator what the rules are for chartered flights," Essiaw said. "The operator took steps so a similar situation won't occur in the future." While applauding the FAA's decision, some on the Right nonetheless took aim at Whitmer, with conservative group Michigan Rising Action slamming the governor's "decision to violate campaign finance law and list the flight as a campaign expense" as a "calculated move." "The FAA's decision today was correct, and the operators should not be penalized after Governor Whitmer was caught and made an about face on her explanation for her secret trip," Eric Ventimiglia, executive director for Michigan Rising Action, said. "Whitmer's attempt to avoid accountability by making political ally Jocelyn Benson the judge and jury in her Florida scandal is as low as it gets in politics, but the hardworking people of Michigan expect her to be held to the same laws as they are." In early June, the Michigan GOP filed a complaint with the state's Bureau of Elections over Whitmer's trip to visit her ailing father in Florida, saying the flight, which was at least partly funded by a nonprofit group, amounted to "numerous violations of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act." "There is no individual or organization who should have paid for the Governor's luxury personal travel to Florida except for Governor Whitmer herself," the filing said. "This is abundantly clear in light of the numerous complaints being filed against her and the organizations associated with this trip with various state and federal agencies. ... We ask that the Secretary of State immediately investigate this conduct and penalize all responsible parties to the fullest extent of the law." The complaint alleged Michigan Transition, a nonprofit group established to facilitate Whitmer's inauguration in 2019, paid the flight's $27,521 price tag. Then, after the matter became public despite Whitmer going to "great lengths" to keep the plane use secret, the governor offered personally to reimburse $855, which covered the equivalent costs of first-class flight seats for herself and her daughters, the filing alleged. "However, when it became clear that FAA rules did not allow the operator to accept any flight reimbursements from 501(c)(4) organizations, Whitmer's attorney then shifted positions to state that the Campaign would be covering the charter cost of the flight ... So far, Governor Whitmer has only claimed to have paid $855 for her seat on the private jet and not explained what she thinks the reimbursement amount for her daughters' seats on the luxury jet would be," the state Republican Party continued. The Michigan GOP claimed Whitmer justified Michigan Transition's financing of the trip as an "incidental office expense," a characterization that the complainants rejected. "There is no dispute that Governor Whitmer’s trip to Florida was a personal trip to visit her father. Nonetheless, the Campaign attempts to argue that it can pay for the trip by claiming that the trip was an 'incidental office expense' under [Michigan Compiled Law] 169.209," the filing continued. "This argument defies logic, as MCL 169.209 and interpretive guidance on 'incidental office expenses' make clear that any expenditures for personal activities are not considered 'incidental office expenses,' regardless of the circumstances." Whitmer's flights to and from Florida attracted scrutiny from state Republican officials, with state Rep. Steve Johnson, the chairman of the Michigan House Oversight Committee, saying in May that there may even need to be an inquiry into the financial arrangements behind Whitmer's visit to her father if her administration is not sufficiently responsive to the committee's letter, which Johnson sent to the governor in late May. "We will be issuing a letter to Governor Whitmer with specific questions related to her junket to Florida. Based off the response we receive, the Oversight Committee will consider doing hearings on this scandal," Johnson wrote in an email to the Washington Examiner on May 18. "The people of Michigan deserve answers on what the Governor is trying to hide and why." After Whitmer's chief of staff, JoAnne Huls, said the administration used "a chartered flight for this trip," an FAA representative said Detroit-based Air Eagle didn't hold a certificate authorizing charter-type services. The federal agency said it was investigating the matter. Representatives for Whitmer, a Democrat, defended the arrangement. Bob Leddy, a spokesman for the governor, said Whitmer needed secure transportation, that Air Eagle was able to provide it, and that the trip costs were covered. "Due to ongoing security and public health concerns, we made a decision to use a chartered flight for this trip," Huls wrote in a memo explaining the March trip funded by Michigan Transition. "The governor's flight was not a gift, not paid for at taxpayer expense and was done in compliance with the law." Whitmer also faced controversy after it was reported that multiple aides to the governor, including Elizabeth Hertel, the director of Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services, and Tricia Foster, the governor's chief operating officer, traveled out of state last month despite April 5 guidelines issued by Hertel warning would-be travelers that "travel increases your chance of spreading and getting COVID-19." The governor was accused of violating the April 5 guidance when she was photographed at the Landshark Bar & Grill in East Lansing on May 22 alongside several others who were not wearing masks, with their tables pushed close together, an arrangement that violated the May 15 order from the state’s Department of Health and Human Services mandating all parties be separated by 6 feet, which was in effect at the time. Whitmer apologized, saying she "made a mistake," and the bar was not cited. The controversies have led to several long-shot bids to oust Whitmer via recall. While the recall petitions are unlikely to be met with success, the governor broke fundraising records with an $8.6 million haul in the first half of 2021 via a loophole lifting campaign finance caps on recall elections. Representatives for Whitmer, Air Eagle, and Johnson did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner's requests for comment. https://www.yahoo.com/news/faa-declines-punish-airline-flew-191200039.html Mom says a Southwest flight attendant told her to glue a mask to her crying 2-year-old daughter's face A mom is speaking out after an incident with her two-year-old on a Southwest Airlines flight. Cleek said her daughter Drew refused to wear a mask on a flight from Orlando to Norfolk, Virginia. The mom said a flight attendant sarcastically told her to glue the mask to Drew's face. A mother says that a Southwest Airlines flight attendant told her to glue a face mask to her 2-year-old daughter's face when the toddler refused to keep it over her mouth and nose. Ali Cleek is now speaking out about the incident, which she said left both her and her daughter Drew in tears. "I can't believe this happened to us today," Cleek wrote in an Instagram post about the encounter. "You hear about it but never expect it to happen to you." Cleek said she and her family were on a Southwest Airlines flight from Orlando to Norfolk, Virginia, on August 12 when Drew "started crying and would not keep on her mask." "Drew is a thumb sucker and her only way she biologically knows how to soothe herself is by sucking her thumb which is damn near impossible with a mask," Cleek wrote in the post. "Well two flight attendants stood over me watching as we held her down and tried to get her to wear it." Cleek said on Instagram that as she continued to struggle to get Drew to wear the mask, one of the flight attendants sarcastically told her to either cut a hole in the mask or glue it to the toddler's face. The mother told Insider that she has since received an apology from Southwest Airlines. "Our experience was very disappointing and I just hope that we can all have a little more compassion for one another," she told Insider. Speaking with Fox News, Cleek added that the flight attendant also indicated that she had glue available. "I just know that, regardless if it was sarcasm or not, I was embarrassed and trying to follow the mandate as much as I could," Cleek told Fox News. "My daughter is two. We were doing everything we could to comply." Cleek wrote on Instagram that she respects the federal mask mandate but "at some point we have to have human decency." A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines told Fox News that "customers are reminded of the federal masks mandate multiple times prior to travel." "The federal mask mandate for travelers has been in effect since February 2, 2021 and requires all passengers over the age of two to wear a mask at all times throughout the travel journey," the airline added. "We appreciate the ongoing cooperation among our customers as we work, collectively, to follow the federal mandate and support the comfort and well-being of all who travel with us during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic." Representatives for Southwest Airlines did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. https://www.yahoo.com/news/mom-says-southwest-flight-attendant-150845062.html Airlines hiring record numbers of pilots From furlough warning to promotion in a year: Voluntary exits during COVID compound a looming wave of boomer retirements. The major airlines are looking to recruit pilots from regional carriers to fill some of their cockpit needs. Although air travel hasn’t fully recovered from the coronavirus pandemic, big airlines such as United are hiring more new pilots than ever before. Voluntary leaves offered during the COVID-19 pandemic are adding to a wave of baby boomer retirements that has been building for several years. The result is an unprecedented surge in demand for new pilots that will stretch the training resources at major carriers and siphon talent away from smaller regional airlines. Last year, United was preparing to lay off about 2,250 pilots, cutbacks that were averted because of billions in federal aid to airlines and a compromise with its union to keep flyers on the payroll. As travel picked up after vaccines became widely available, the airline started hiring again. This year, it’s already hired nearly 500 pilots and will top 1,300 by year-end, the most in a single year. By next July, it will have hired 1,700, says Curtis Brunjes, who oversees pilot strategy for the Chicago-based carrier. American Airlines, the second-biggest carrier at O’Hare International Airport, says it will hire 350 pilots this year and 1,000 more in 2022, the fastest pace ever. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines also says it will hire more than 1,000 pilots next year. Southwest Airlines, the dominant carrier at Midway International Airport, plans to hire about 120 new pilots this year but declined to say how many it will hire next year. The surge in hiring will ripple through Chicago, one the nation’s largest aviation hubs and home base for thousands of airline pilots. The big U.S. airlines lost about 5,000 pilots to early retirements and voluntary leaves in an effort to trim costs during the depths of the pandemic. At the same time, they were losing about 4,000 a year to mandatory retirements. “They probably retired too many,” says Kit Darby, an aviation consultant in Atlanta who specializes in pilot training and career planning. “If they’d known the recovery would be so quick and so strong, they probably wouldn’t have retired as many.” United alone lost about 800 pilots to early leaves. “They represent a deficit that needs to be met prior to new attrition and future growth,” Brunjes says. Air travel for U.S. airlines is only about 80 percent of pre-COVID levels, and there are signs that the latest resurgence of COVID-19 could slow a recovery that had been gathering steam. But airlines are hiring for schedules they plan to be flying next summer, when carriers believe a recovery in business and international travel will be well underway. Big airlines will be able to get enough new pilots to meet their needs as they always have, by poaching from smaller regional carriers, which fly smaller planes and pay about half as much as their larger counterparts. The big airlines won’t be totally spared, however, because they rely on regionals to fly many of their passengers from smaller cities to their main hubs such as Chicago. “I do think you're going to see, over the next several years, shortages start to show up probably in the smaller carriers,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian told New York TV station Fox5 on Aug. 10. “For now, no, we're not having any problems.” Regional airlines pay pilots about $50,000 a year to start, compared with about $95,000 for first-year pilots at mainline carriers. The hiring squeeze began several years ago, pushing up pay rates at smaller airlines. In addition to raises, many regional carriers found themselves offering bonuses of $15,000 to $20,000 a year, Darby says. “While regional airlines will be challenged in hiring, they are not surprised by these numbers, and every one of our members has invested in recruiting, wages and quality of life, and other programs aimed at supporting and attracting future workers,” the Regional Airline Association said in a statement. But COVID-19 slowed the pipeline at many aviation schools in the short term. The RAA estimates the number of new commercial pilots in the U.S. this year will be down about half to roughly 3,100. Before the pandemic, United took the unusual step of buying a flight school it calls Aviate Academy in an effort to train half the 10,000 new pilots it expects to need by 2030. Manoj Patankar, a professor of aviation technology at Purdue University, says airlines have been calling to ask when the school plans to host in-person job fairs on campus. The school is planning job fairs in the fall and spring. “We’re going to see an accelerated hiring schedule for a couple years,” he says. Consulting firm Oliver Wyman predicts a shortage of about 9,000 pilots in the U.S. next year, doubling by 2029. “Mainline carriers will be competing against each other for pilots,” says Dennis Tajer, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association, the union representing pilots at American. “That hasn’t happened since the ’80s.” For young pilots already on the job, the rebound from COVID has been among the sharpest recoveries ever seen in an industry prone to boom-and-bust cycles that often stretch out for years. Furloughed pilots could see their incomes cut in half, forcing them to find other jobs until they were recalled. Instead, many young pilots are getting raises because retirements are accelerating promotion schedules. Paul Ryder, a 41-year-old pilot who joined United three years ago as a first officer, was just promoted to captain, a journey that normally takes eight to 10 years. “Last summer, I got a WARN notice notifying me of my impending furlough,” he says. “This summer, I just received notice of my upgrade to captain.” https://www.chicagobusiness.com/airlines-airports/airlines-hiring-record-numbers-pilots QANTAS TO DEMAND ALL STAFF BE VACCINATED All Qantas Group employees will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 under a hardline policy the airline says is part of its commitment to safety. The airline has set a deadline of November 15 for frontline employees such as cabin crew, pilots and airport workers to be fully vaccinated with other employees given until March 31, 2022. And Qantas boss Alan Joyce has told those workers who decide they don’t want a jab, and who don’t have a documented medical exemption, that they should look at leaving the industry. The move comes after a staff survey showing overwhelming support for vaccinations, with only 4 percent unwilling or unable to get a jab. It will add to an ongoing debate in Australia about the right of employers to demand their staff be vaccinated and the legal implications of doing so. The Transport Workers’ Union slammed the airline for announcing the policy without consulting workers. It quoted its own, industry survey of 800 aviation workers suggesting only a third had been vaccinated, with many saying they were having difficulty organizing shots. It also accused the airline of “jumping the gun” by pre-empting a roundtable involving government, union and employer representatives. However, the policy appears to be in line with passenger expectations with a separate survey of more than 1000 Qantas customers finding 92 percent expected Qantas crew to be fully vaccinated. “Having a fully vaccinated workforce will safeguard our people against the virus but also protect our customers and the communities we fly to,’’ Joyce said. “One crew member can fly into multiple cities and come into contact with thousands of people in a single day. “Making sure they are vaccinated given the potential of this virus to spread is so important and I think it’s the kind of safety leadership people would expect from us. “We provide an essential service, so this will help guard against the disruptions that can be caused by just one positive COVID-case shutting down a freight facility or airport terminal.” There will be exemptions for those unable to be vaccinated for documented medical reasons but the airline expects this to be rare. Joyce said the airline would find other mechanisms such as social distancing, masks and testing for those with a medical exemption. “But we think that’s a very low number,” he told a press conference. “If other employees are deciding they are not taking the jab, then they are deciding, I think, that aviation isn’t the area for them. “We will have limited redeployment opportunities given that the organization has significantly shrunk in the last year or so because of COVID. “And I think each individual has to make that decision on their own personal basis but we’re being clear that we believe that for the safety of the workplace, the safety of our customers, the safety of the community, we will be making it a requirement for our people.” The airline’s survey of 22,000 people received 12,000 responses and found 89 percent had already been vaccinated or were planning to get a jab. About three-quarters believed vaccination should be a requirement for all employees and said they would be concerned if other workers remained unvaccinated. Joyce said other organizations in Australia were also looking at vaccination requirements and there was a trend towards them in the rest of the world. He noted two Australian states had also made vaccination a condition of entry but said the airline had not yet made a decision on whether it would require domestic passengers to be vaccinated as there were a lot of issues to go through. “We need to do a lot more research before we have a final decision on what happens domestically,” he said. However, he confirmed the airline was preparing to require international passengers to be vaccinated, something that was already clearly required by many countries around the world. He cited Australia, the UK and the US as countries that would require vaccinations if travelers did not want to enter quarantine. “We’re getting ready technically to have that as a requirement and we think that’s a sensible thing to do on international and that is still our plan,” he said. The Qantas boss said it was clear vaccinations were the only way to end the cycle of lockdowns and border closures and the company’s survey demonstrated how important it was for employees wanting to get back to work. “Since vaccines became available, we’ve strongly encouraged all of our people to get the jab and are offering paid time off to get it done,” he said. “We were really pleased to see from the survey that more than three-quarters of those who responded have already rolled up their sleeve at least once and 60 percent have had both jabs. “Many of our people said they would feel concerned about working with unvaccinated colleagues, which is something that many workplaces across the country are grappling with. “We understand there will be a very small number of people who decide not to get the vaccine, and that’s their right, but it’s our responsibility to provide the safest possible environment for our employees and for our customers.’’ The airline plans to hold further talks with employees, health and safety representatives and unions over the coming weeks on policy details, including the application of medical exemptions. https://www.airlineratings.com/news/qantas-demand-staff-vaccinated-safety-commitment/ U.S. businessman charged for helping Venezuelan air force with repairs (Reuters) - A U.S. businessman was charged with sanctions violations and money laundering for allegedly helping Venezuela's military repair aircraft, according to a complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Jorge Nobrega, chief executive of Miami-based Achabal Technologies Inc, was taken into custody on Sunday and is expected to appear in a Miami court on Wednesday morning, a court document filed on Monday shows. Nobrega's defense attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Washington has sanctioned Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA, as well as other key entities and individuals affiliated with the South American country's government as part of its push to oust President Nicolas Maduro, accused of rights violations, corruption and elections-rigging. The investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in April 2019 opened an investigation into Nobrega for allegedly helping Venezuela's military repair its fleet of Russian Sukhoi SU-30 combat aircraft without seeking U.S. permission, according to an investigator's affidavit. In an alleged attempt to hide the origin payment he received from Venezuela's government, Nobrega allegedly opened a bank account for Achabal in Portugal, where he allegedly received "multiple payments for his services to Venezuela," according to the affidavit. Some of the payments allegedly came from Thai asphalt refiner Tipco Asphalt PCL, a major purchaser of PDVSA's crude. PDVSA allegedly directed Tipco to wire money to Achabal's Portugal account, according to the affidavit. Nobrega's arrest and Tipco's alleged involvement were earlier reported on Tuesday by the Associated Press. Neither Tipco nor PDVSA immediately responded to requests for comment. Tipco in November 2020 said it had completed a wind-down of purchases of Venezuelan crude per a request from the U.S. State Department. Maduro frequently blasts the U.S. sanctions as a "criminal blockade" and has called on Washington to relax them. https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-businessman-charged-helping-venezuelan-015617197.html Tamarack introduces Active Winglet Pilot Proficiency Course, FAA Wings FAAST approved Tamarack Aerospace is proud to announce the Active Winglet Pilot Proficiency Course as part of the FAA WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program and FAA Safety Team (FAAST) program. The course covers the Tamarack® Active Winglet system, including a brief review of the aerodynamics of wings, the Active Winglet system, Active Winglet benefits, safety and emergency procedures, and flying tips for maximizing your jet’s performance with Active Winglets. It is the company’s primary objective to ensure the Tamarack® owners and operators are flying with the most thorough and current education on the Tamarack® Active Winglet system. The Tamarack curriculum for the FAA WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program is available now. The FAA has established this long standing program for aviation safety, and per the FAA program page, “The WINGS – Pilot Proficiency Program is based on the premise that pilots who maintain currency and proficiency in the basics of flight will enjoy a safer and more stress-free flying experience.” “Active Winglet technology saves many aircraft up to 33% of fuel usage but perhaps more importantly, enhances the safety of the aircraft for pilots and their loved ones traveling aboard. Active Winglets provide a smoother, more stable flight and get modified aircraft higher and faster, taking off and landing on shorter runways, especially in hot conditions and high altitude runways. We are looking forward to offering this course to pilots.“ says Nick Guida, Co-Founder and CEO of Tamarack Aerospace. The Tamarack® Active Winglet is the next-generation wing extension, winglet, and ATLAS® load alleviation system designed for ultimate performance, safety, noise pollution reduction, sustainability and reduced airframe stress benefits. The FAA has issued supplemental type certification for Active Winglets on all eight variants of Cessna CitationJet Business Jet 525, 525A and 525B. Tamarack would like to thank the FAA for their commitment to flight safety. FAAST and Tamarack have been working side-by-side to improve public access to FAA and EASA safety procedures, generating the curriculum for this knowledge topic. “Tamarack is joining forces with the FAA to provide aviators flying Active Winglet modified aircraft the opportunity to benefit from one of the world’s premier safety programs. Tamarack’s technology boasts an impressive safety record already considering the tens of thousands of flight hours flown by the fleet and we know pilot’s staying current with the FAAST program will continue to focus on safe and sustainable flight.” says Tamarack President Jacob Klinginsmith. Contact Tamarack to inquire about our Active Winglet Pilot Proficiency Course, and how you can translate program credits to safer operations and reduced insurance rates https://skiesmag.com/press-releases/tamarack-introduces-active-winglet-pilot-proficiency-course-faa-wings-faast-approved/ Aerospace startup Boom Supersonic aims to revive commercial supersonic air travel • Boom Supersonic developing aircraft for trans-Atlantic commercial service (Reuters) - Boom Supersonic, an aerospace startup, hopes to resurrect faster-than-the-speed-of-sound commercial air travel across the Atlantic, not seen since the SST Concorde flown by British Airways and Air France in the 1970s. The Boom Overture is expected to fly 65 passengers from New York to London in just over three-and-one-half hours, Newark to Frankfurt in four hours and, eventually, San Francisco to Tokyo in six hours. "You know our ultimate goal is high speed flight for everybody," said Blake Scholl, chief executive and founder of Boom. "To make the fastest flight also the most affordable ... that is what we are going to see happen here. Supersonic flight is going to displace subsonic flight as the best way for everyone to travel over long distances." Boom is building a 1/3 scale prototype of the aircraft and hopes to begin test flights next year. It also plans to break ground for a factory for the Overture in 2022, with planes rolling off the assembly line in 2025, followed by the first passenger flights in 2029. Scholl said the plane will run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel, built from carbon that as been removed from the atmosphere. United Airlines has a provisional agreement with Boom Supersonic to acquire 15 of its as-yet undeveloped aircraft, with an option to acquire 35 more. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/aerospace-startup-boom-supersonic-aims-160423511.html (Photo Courtesy: NASA/JPL) NASA rover marks nine years on Mars with glorious 360-degree panorama Check out the knobbly rocks and rounded hills that dot the Martian landscape in Curiosity's gorgeous view of its home on the side of a mountain. NASA's Curiosity rover snapped this panorama from the Gale Crater on Mars on July 3, 2021. Congratulations, Curiosity, you've survived and thrived for over nine years on another planet. NASA's older Martian rover captured a gorgeous 360-degree panorama in early July and the space agency released it on Tuesday to celebrate the vehicle's August land-iversary. Curiosity arrived in the Gale Crater in early August 2012 and has been making a trek up the side of 5-mile-tall (8 kilometer) Mount Sharp. NASA said the views of "knobbly rocks and rounded hills are delighting scientists." The highly detailed panorama can be downloaded in all its glory from NASA. It consists of 129 individual images stitched together. The sweeping view is wonderfully clear thanks to it being winter in the Gale Crater, a time when the skies aren't clogged with dust. NASA also shared a guided tour of the panorama that points out highlights of the landscape, including dark Martian sand and the distant rim of the crater. The image shows a transition zone between a clay-rich area and a sulfate-bearing region, an area with salty minerals. "The mountain's layers in this area may reveal how the ancient environment within Gale Crater dried up over time," NASA said. Curiosity is investigating the past habitability of Mars. Curiosity has traveled 16 miles (26 kilometers) and drilled 32 holes in its time on Mars. "Landing day is still one of the happiest days of my professional career," said Curiosity project manager Megan Richardson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. As Curiosity's sibling rover Perseverance works away in a different crater, the elder rover continues its mission of discovery. The science is rolling along, and the views are spectacular. https://www.cnet.com/news/nasa-rover-celebrates-nine-years-on-mars-with-glorious-360-panorama/ POSITION AVAILABLE: AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION MANAGER IMMEDIATE VACANCY The PNG Accident Investigation Commission is the State Entity in Papua New Guinea responsible for conducting ‘independent, objective, no-blame’ investigations into aircraft accidents and serious incidents. As a signatory to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (ICAO), PNG is committed to the highest standard of compliance with implementing ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices for improvements to safety standards in PNG, the region, and globally. It achieves this goal through the conducting of impartial investigations, making safety recommendations to address safety deficiencies identified from investigations, carry out safety studies, and the public release of its investigation reports. We are committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders in the aviation system to fulfil the State’s international ICAO obligations for safe air transportation system. The AIC invites suitably qualified candidates to apply for this Senior Management role. INVESTIGATION MANAGER The AIC is looking to recruit an Investigation Manager with adequate experience at senior Executive Management level. Able to provide strategic advice to Board and CEO and be able to lead, mentor and train a team of Investigation professionals of the AIC. Candidate with strong technical experience backed up by high personal integrity and strong ethical values will be strong contenders. The Investigation Manager will work closely with the CEO and the Board to provide advice on strategic technical and operational matters as they continue the trend for organisational development and to enhance the strong development work currently in progress. The Investigation Manager will be required to play a key role in assisting the AIC to pursue its goals to become a multi-modal transport safety organisation. Minimum requirements of the successful applicant include. Tertiary Qualification in an aviation related field with flight operations experience as an airline pilot or aircraft maintenance engineer (LAME) are essential. The candidate must have minimum 10 years of experience as an investigator with an ICAO Annex 13 compliant State Safety Investigation Authority. The successful candidate must have management leadership experience at a senior level in a state investigation entity with proven experience in organisational development, high-level technical advice and liaising with global and regional organisations and donor/financial institutions for resource mobilisation. Detailed understanding of ICAO and the Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation including comprehensive understanding of model State Civil Aviation Frameworks is a requirement. Experience conducting ICAO USOAP activities either as State representative or Auditor, will be a bonus. The candidate with strong demonstrated experience in the development of safety studies based on ADREP compliant data, and exposure to Quality and/or Project Management are highly desirable. Fluent in written and verbal communication using the English Language is a must. Full details of salary, conditions of employment and job description shall be obtained during interview. Please, forward your written applications including relevant certificates together with recent updated CVs to: The Chief Executive Officer Accident Investigation Commission P O Box 1709, BOROKO, 111 NCD or via email: jobs@aic.gov.pg IMPORTANT: Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview. If you do not hear from us within two weeks from the closing date of application, then you may consider your application unsuccessful. Note also that those candidates who applied for the Flight Operations Investigator (Fixed Wing) position previously need not apply. Applications close on 10th September 2021. Upcoming RTCA Training Opportunities DO-178C, Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment w/Supplements – September 13-17, 11am-5pm est. Airworthiness Security Certification – September 27-30, 11am-5pm est. Safety Management Systems Overview – October 11-14 1pm-5pm est. DO-160G, Environmental Testing – October 25-29, 11am-5pm est. DO-254, Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware – December 7-10, 11am-5pm est. Learn more about RTCA’s training offerings. Curt Lewis