Flight Safety Information - August 19, 2021 No. 167 In This Issue : Incident: Iceland B753 at Paris on Aug 13th 2021, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Cargojet B763 at London on Aug 6th 2021, hydraulic leak : Incident: Delta A321 near New York on Aug 2nd 2021, lavatory smoke indication : Beriev Be-200ChS - Fatal Accident (Turkey) : Plane carrying 9 lands safely after unexpectedly plunging thousands of feet during flight, NTSB says : MiG-29SMT - Fatal Accident (Russia) : Passengers arrested at Nashville airport for refusing to wear masks : 3 Alaska Airlines employees die of COVID in a month as leadership moves toward vaccination mandate : U.S. military aircraft flying over Kabul ‘routine’ and ‘will continue’ until end of evac, CENTCOM says : New Zealand C-130 aircraft departs for Middle East assisting evacuation from Afghanistan : FAA says U.S. carriers can operate Kabul evacuation flights with DOD approval : How Ground Handlers Create a Culture of Safety : NTSB: Pilot in Argyle crash not rated for helicopter flight : Southwest Airlines offers staff referral bonuses worth $300 as carrier struggles to fill jobs : Travelers are canceling trips with COVID numbers rising again : U.S. will limit some Chinese passenger air carriers to 40% capacity -order : A Chinese satellite seems to have collided with a piece of a Russian rocket in March - the first big space crash in a decade : POSITION AVAILABLE - AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION MANAGER : RTCA - Upcoming RTCA Training Opportunities Today's Photo Incident: Iceland B753 at Paris on Aug 13th 2021, engine shut down in flight An Icelandair Boeing 757-300, registration TF-FIX performing flight FI-542 from Keflavik (Iceland) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), was descending through about FL110 towards Paris when the crew declared emergency reporting the failure of one of their engines (RB211). The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 27L (active landing runway 26L ) about 10 minutes later and taxied to the apron on own power. The aircraft was unable to continue its schedule, the return flight FI-543 to Keflavik was cancelled. A listener on frequency reported the crew declared Mayday reporting the failure of an engine, a number of other aircraft on approach were therefore assigned delay vectors. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 30.5 hours before returning back to Keflavik as flight FI-8543 maintaining FL380 enroute. The aircraft subsequently remained on the ground in Keflavik for 65 hours before returning to service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ebeee93&opt=0 Incident: Cargojet B763 at London on Aug 6th 2021, hydraulic leak A Cargojet Airways Boeing 767-300 freighter, registration C-GCIJ performing flight W8-980 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Hamilton,ON (Canada) with 2 crew, was in the initial climb out of Heathrow's runway 27R when the crew observed indications of low quantity in the center hydraulic system. The crew worked the related checklists, consulted with dispatch and decided to continue the flight to destination. Descending into Hamilton the crew declared Mayday and landed safely on Hamilton's runway 30. The aircraft was towed to the apron. The TSB reported a filter cap had failed on the power spoiler control actuator in position #8. The actuator, case drain and pressure filters were replaced. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/CJT980/history/20210806/1645Z/EGLL/CYHM http://avherald.com/h?article=4ebef627&opt=0 Incident: Delta A321 near New York on Aug 2nd 2021, lavatory smoke indication A Delta Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N114DN performing flight DL-2309 from Boston,MA to Atlanta,GA (USA) with 197 people on board, was enroute at FL360 about 40nm west of New York when the crew declared emergency reporting a possible lavatory fire stating they had received a lavatory smoke indication, the flight attendants couldn't figure out what caused the indication, there was no smoke or odour, as a precaution they wanted to divert to JFK. Another crew chimed in stating whenever this has happened to them in the past, somebody had been vaping in the lavatory. The aircraft landed safely on JFK's runway 31L about 20 minutes after leaving FL360. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 2 hours, then continued the flight and reached Atlanta with a delay of about 2:20 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL2309/history/20210802/2055Z/KBOS/KATL http://avherald.com/h?article=4ebf07ef&opt=0 Beriev Be-200ChS - Fatal Accident (Turkey) Date: Saturday 14 August 2021 Type: Beriev Be-200ChS Operator: Russian Navy Registration: RF-88450 MSN: 64620090311 First flight: 2020-02-14 (1 year 6 months) Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8 Aircraft damage: Destroyed Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Kahramanmaras ( Turkey) Phase: Maneuvering (MNV) Nature: Fire fighting Departure airport: ? Destination airport: ? Narrative: A Russian Beriev Be-200 amphibious firefighting aircraft impacted a mountainside while fighting forest fires in Turkey. All occupants died in the crash. The aircraft was one of three Be-200's sent to Turkey on July 8 to help the General Directorate of Forestry fight the wildfires. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20210814-0 Plane carrying 9 lands safely after unexpectedly plunging thousands of feet during flight, NTSB says Aug. 18—A passenger plane suddenly dropped and was severely damaged during a flight Monday near Fairbanks, but no one was injured, a National Transportation Safety Board official said. Eight passengers and their pilot boarded a Cessna 208 Caravan owned by Wright Air Service on Monday afternoon at the Fairbanks International Airport, said Clint Johnson, chief of the NTSB Alaska office. The plane was scheduled to land in Huslia, he said. Around 2:50 p.m., less than a half hour into the flight, "there was some type of upset — we don't know exactly what it was, but the airplane lost a significant amount of altitude," he said. In about a minute, the plane plummeted about 7,500 feet — going from about 10,700 feet altitude to about 3,200 feet, according to flight-tracking data from FlightAware. The pilot was able to recover, turned the plane around and made an emergency landing at the Fairbanks airport, Johnson said. While no one was injured, the plane sustained significant damage, Johnson said, including to the ailerons, a portion of the plane that allows it to turn. It was not immediately clear if weather contributed to the incident. Rain persisted in the Fairbanks area Monday, said National Weather Service meteorologist Jonathan Chriest. There was low cloud cover and visibility throughout the day, ranging from 6 miles in the morning to about 2 miles in the evening, he said. The NTSB will be investigating, Johnson said. "At this point right now, we're trying to figure out what happened and what initiated the upset, so we just don't know at this point," he said. Brett Carlson, an owner at Wright Air, said he is "extremely grateful that the pilot and guests returned to Fairbanks safely." https://www.yahoo.com/news/plane-carrying-9-lands-safely-194800315.html MiG-29SMT - Fatal Accident (Russia) Date: 18-AUG-2021 Time: Type: MiG-29SMT Owner/operator: Russian Air Force Registration: MSN: Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Astrakhan region - Russia Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: Ashuluk AFB Destination airport: Ashuluk AFB Narrative: A MiG-29 of the Russian AF crashed under unknown circumstances. The pilot died in the crash. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/266917 Passengers arrested at Nashville airport for refusing to wear masks Two problematic passengers were removed from flights and arrested for disorderly conduct after refusing to wear masks on a plane at Nashville International Airport on Wednesday. Artur Grigoryan, 33, was arrested by police around 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday when he refused to wear a mask onboard, delaying the flight as he was removed, according to arresting documents obtained by WKRN. Officers had responded to a call for Grigoryan the night before on a Spirit Airlines flight , where he had also refused to wear a mask and called crew members “vulgar” names. According to police, Grigoryan was caught stealing sandwiches and a soda from the airport’s Green Bean Coffee Shop. The shop owner chose not to prosecute him, WKRN reported. Later that morning James Swafford, 24, was arrested after forcing the pilot to turn the plane around during a Southwest Airline flight bound for Washington D.C. when he refused to wear a mask. Police say that Swafford became aggressive towards officers, and smelled of alcohol. “The safety and security of passengers, employees and guests is the utmost priority of Nashville International Airport,” airport spokesperson Kym Gerlock told the Nashville Tennessean. TSA extends into January mask rule for airline passengers “Working with our airline partners and adhering to the federal mask mandate, the airport’s Department of Public Safety is committed to carrying out that mission and is fully trained and equipped to do so.” TSA announced on Tuesday that it was extending its mask requirements for passengers into January of 2022. The Transportation Security Administration’s current order was scheduled to expire Sept. 13. An agency spokesman said Tuesday that the mandate will be extended until Jan. 18. “We have a responsibility in aviation to keep everyone safe and do our part to end the pandemic, rather than aid the continuation of it,” said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants. “We all look forward to the day masks are no longer required, but we’re not there yet.” https://nypost.com/2021/08/18/passengers-arrested-at-nashville-airport-for-refusing-to-wear-masks/ 3 Alaska Airlines employees die of COVID in a month as leadership moves toward vaccination mandate SEATTLE — On Sunday, Anchorage-based Alaska Airlines Capt. Eric Moss, 53, died of COVID-19 shortly after testing positive for the coronavirus, the third employee of the airline to die from the virus within the past month. A person with knowledge of Alaska Air’s COVID-19 response and these specific cases said all three employees were unvaccinated. The deaths came as the airline mounted a campaign last week to encourage its employees to get vaccinated and is on the cusp of a decision to make such vaccinations mandatory, with some religious and medical exemptions. Moss’ death followed those of a maintenance mechanic in the Bay Area at the end of July and of a customer-service representative in Seattle this month. Moss’ death was announced to the airline’s pilot group internally and to friends and family by his two children on Facebook. Alaska spokeswoman Alexa Rudin confirmed the three recent deaths, declining to name the other employees. “We are terribly sorry. We never want to lose any of our employees,” Rudin said. “We have had very few COVID-related deaths. Our COVID case rates have generally trended at or below the U.S. average.” There’s no information on where the three employees may have picked up the virus and whether it was at work. And Rudin could not confirm the unvaccinated status of the three who died. “Per company policy, we don’t comment on the personal health information of employees,” she said. [Anchorage ICUs at capacity as a surge of COVID-19 patients puts hospitals under stress] The required action by colleagues who were in contact with the three who died varies according to their vaccination status. Alaska’s policy is that any nonvaccinated employee who has been exposed to the coronavirus must quarantine for 14 days, while exposed, vaccinated employees are advised to monitor for symptoms and test after three to five days from exposure, self-isolating if they test positive. Rudin said that though it’s not known whether any passengers might have been exposed through contact with the infected employees, people at the airport and inside the plane should have had the protection offered by wearing masks. “That’s the reason why there are masks,” she said. Pressure grows for vaccination mandate Even before the latest deaths, pressure has been building at Alaska to consider a vaccination mandate after the imposition of such mandates for employees at Google, Microsoft and Amtrak, as well as at other airlines including United, Frontier and Hawaiian. In a memo last week strongly suggestive of an imminent decision, management told employees that “we are looking closely at whether we, too, will require that employees are vaccinated.” “As an employer with a duty to keep you safe and given the contagiousness and health risks of the COVID-19 virus and its variants, we are within our rights to make this decision and to ask you for information about your vaccine status,” the memo states. Such a requirement would not be effective “until at least one vaccine is fully approved by the FDA and would include appropriate religious and medical exemptions,” the memo adds. A June poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 30% of unvaccinated adults would be more likely to get vaccinated if a vaccine were to receive full approval from the Food and Drug Administration. President Joe Biden said in July that he expects a fully approved vaccine in early fall. The New York Times reported that the FDA has accelerated its schedule and is aiming to go beyond the current emergency-use approval for the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine and fully approve the vaccine early next month. Rudin said Alaska could announce a decision earlier, but if the company did so it would make it effective only after that full approval is granted. “We fundamentally believe in the power of vaccines to protect people,” she said. The person with knowledge of Alaska’s COVID-19 response plans said any employee exempted from vaccination will have to take a weekly coronavirus test. In the meantime, faced with the spread of the more contagious delta variant, Alaska has reinstated a requirement for all employees to wear masks in company office buildings. Last week’s memo urged everyone “to get vaccinated to protect your own safety and the safety of employees around you.” In addition, all employees are being asked to complete a form confirming their vaccination status, with those declining to answer considered “not vaccinated.” Rudin said management will use that data to inform the decision on whether it needs to make vaccination mandatory. On the airline’s internal employee websites, University of Washington doctors offer advice on coronavirus protection and are available to answer employee questions about vaccine safety. Airline unions critical Nevertheless, the Alaska Airlines pilots union, the Air Line Pilots Association, which is currently in contract talks, criticized management for not providing incentives for vaccination and making it easier to schedule time off to get the shots. “The company has failed to come to any agreement,” the union leadership said in a statement Tuesday. “Furthermore, adding to this problem recently, management criticized pilots for using sick time in the middle of a pandemic.” Back in February, the aircraft mechanics union, AMFA — the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association — also had criticized Alaska management for changing the policy on disciplining its members for the use of accrued sick leave. The union claimed this forced mechanics into a choice to “either call in sick and risk counseling or discipline, or ... come to work with symptoms and risk infecting their co-workers.” On the other hand, both unions insist that Alaska management should not impose an involuntary vaccination mandate without first negotiating with the union. In contrast, the Canadian government has made the decision for the entire transportation industry — a difference in approach that highlights the more politically charged nature of a vaccine mandate decision here in the U.S. Last week, Transport Canada, the Canadian regulator, announced a vaccine mandate that will apply to all federal employees by the end of September and to workers in federally regulated industries by the end of October. At that time, this vaccination requirement will apply to air traffic controllers as well as all Canadian airline pilots, cabin crew, mechanics and dispatchers. It will also be extended at the same time to most commercial passengers traveling by air, rail or large ship. To reassure air travelers, U.S. airlines rely on a Harvard School of Public Health study published last year. Citing that study, which was funded by the major U.S. airline lobbying group, the blog on Alaska’s website declares confidently that with layered protections on board, including mask-wearing, “flying on an airplane is safer than grocery shopping or eating out.” https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2021/08/18/three-alaska-airlines-employees-die-of-covid-in-a-month-as-leadership-moves-toward-vaccination-mandate/ (Photo Courtesy: US Air Force) U.S. military aircraft flying over Kabul ‘routine’ and ‘will continue’ until end of evac, CENTCOM says U.S. Air Force and Navy warplanes are backing up the American military’s effort to keep the Kabul airport secure and open, as the Pentagon ramps up a hasty plan to ferry at-risk Afghan citizens and foreigners away from the resurgent Taliban regime. Multiple Air Force and Navy aviation squadrons of F/A-18 and F-16 fighter jets, AV-8 strike aircraft, AC-130 gunships, B-52 bombers and MQ-9 intelligence and attack drones are providing air cover for the evacuation, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said at a Pentagon press briefing on Wednesday. “We have a significant amount of rotary-wing aviation on the ground, including attack and lift helicopters,” Milley added. Those join nearly two dozen C-17s and C-130 transport jets that had handled the humanitarian evacuation underway over the previous 24 hours, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday morning. Navy Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, told Military Times that the presence of U.S. fighter aircraft was routine and would continue until the evacuation mission concludes. The pre-dawn darkness in Kabul came alive with the jets’ distinct sound on Wednesday, lighting up Twitter with concern. Initial speculation on the cause of the noise ranged from trouble at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul to a potential U.S. seizure of Bagram airfield, which is currently in the hands of the Taliban. HKIA, the last airfield controlled by the U.S. in Afghanistan, has been a chaotic scene in recent days. It remains the last chance for tens of thousands of American citizens and Afghans seeking an exit from the country. https://www.militarytimes.com/flashpoints/afghanistan/2021/08/18/fighter-jets-buzzing-pre-dawn-kabul-routine-and-will-continue-until-end-of-evac-centcom-says/ New Zealand C-130 aircraft departs for Middle East assisting evacuation from Afghanistan WELLINGTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) personnel and a C-130 Hercules aircraft departed to the Middle East from Auckland on Thursday to assist with the international evacuation efforts from Afghanistan, including of New Zealanders and other approved foreign nationals. The NZDF have advised that due to the developing situation it is now expected that up to 80 personnel will be deployed to support the international response, Minister of Defense Peeni Henare said in a statement. At this stage, the NZDF is preparing to deploy for up to a month. The contingent will include air crew and maintenance staff, a medical team, operational support staff, logistics personnel and force protection, among others, Henare said. All deploying personnel have been vaccinated, the minister said, adding there will be protections in place throughout the mission, including the use of personal protection equipment (PPE). New Zealand is currently under a nationwide COVID lockdown due to surging Delta cases in Auckland. Enditem http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/asiapacific/2021-08/19/c_1310135766.htm FAA says U.S. carriers can operate Kabul evacuation flights with DOD approval WASHINGTON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said late Wednesday that domestic air carriers and civilian pilots can fly into Kabul to conduct evacuation or relief flights with prior U.S. Defense Department approval. In a statement, the FAA said that without prior approval, U.S. carriers cannot fly over Afghanistan airspace or fly into Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. The FAA cited "a lack of high altitude air traffic control services." All relief flights into Kabul "must have permission" from the Defense Department, the FAA said. Without prior approval, U.S. passenger and air carriers are prohibited from flying over nearly all of Afghanistan, the FAA said, adding it does not apply to Defense Department operated flights. There is no indication yet the Defense Department will seek to use U.S. carriers as part of the massive planned evacuation effort of thousands of people. A White House official told reporters late Wednesday the U.S. mlilitary in the last day evacuated approximately 1,800 individuals on 10 C-17s. Since August 14, the United States have evacuated nearly 6,000 people. The FAA issued a new "Notice to Airmen" late Wednesday that imposed the new restrictions barring flights over Afghanistan without prior approval, citing risks "posed by extremist/militant activity, limited risk mitigation capabilities and disruptions to air traffic services." A Pentagon spokesman told reporters Monday that the U.S. military had assumed control of air traffic control at the Kabul airport. United Airlines said late Sunday it was rerouting some U.S. to India flights to avoid Afghanistan airspace after insurgents took control of the presidential palace in Kabul. The order does allow for some limited jet routes for some transiting flights over Afghanistan and also urges carriers to minimize time spent below 26,000 fleet. In late July, the FAA issued new restrictions on Afghanistan U.S. air operations, saying flights operating below 26,000 feet were prohibited over nearly all of Afghanistan, unless operating in and out of Kabul, citing the risk "posed by extremist/militant activity." https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/faa-says-us-carriers-can-operate-kabul-evacuation-flights-with-dod-approval-2021-08-19/ How Ground Handlers Create a Culture of Safety Encouraging safe behavior in an organization requires significant planning and the implementation of best practices. Safety culture is an important enabler of safety management system (SMS) effectiveness for a ground service provider (GSP). Developing or framing a safety culture in an organization requires a significant planning effort and the implementation of some best practices. Main Features of Safety Culture According to Witold Proszynski, safety manager of Qatar Aviation Services (QAS), the buy-in and support from the higher management, trust within the organization, a clear definition of an accountability sharing model, the understanding of the role everyone plays in an SMS and the responsibilities of all parties involved are the main features that define the safety culture of a GSP. To establish a safety culture in a GSP operation, it is important that the work be done with top management that declares clear and visible statements, together with a strategy and a set of realistic goals for the ground personnel, says aviation consultant Ivar Busk. “It is also important to point out some responsible people from middle management for marketing the safety promotion efforts in simple terms,” he says. Other best practices include investigating and following up with all incidents and informing people accordingly in easy-to-understand terms. “There should also occur regular meetings during which safety issues are top agenda points. Senior managers should not punish people, but rather encourage them to inform the company of all deviations,” advises Busk. “Only gross negligence or misconduct could justify some kind of punishment.” Integration “Here at dnata we have a defined vision for safety – to have a culture where all of our people possess the skills, knowledge and confidence to work safely, and feel respected and engaged in helping everyone feel safe. At dnata, safety is everyone’s responsibility,” says Michael Elmir, head of health, safety and environment (HSE) at dnata. “We are committed to achieving the highest possible safety and security standards for our employees and facilities, our customers and their passengers,” he continues. “Our people are the foundation for our continued growth and success; ensuring their safety and wellbeing at work drives and motivates improvements in safety and all performance areas.” In 2013, dnata launched the One Safety initiative, explains Elmir. “In its early stages, One Safety worked to shape the organizational culture and make safety top of mind for every person within the company. Today, One Safety has evolved into a more robust system of standards, policies and procedures to help achieve ‘Goal Zero.’ Through the elimination of unsafe acts and conditions, we can control workplace hazards, and ensure everyone gets home safely every day,” says Elmir. More recently, dnata has introduced a company-specific integrated management system (IMS). “The IMS, developed specifically for their diverse business, helps people control risks and deliver high performance consistently. It is only through continuous improvement that we can evolve and enhance the services we provide,” says Elmir. Cultural Journey If, from the one, safety culture is a main enabler of SMS, from the other end SMS implementation also affects the overall level of development of the safety culture of GSPs. According to Elmir, the implementation of SMS provides a framework and structure to help improve safety culture in an organization. “An SMS also provides policy and procedure around the way an organization does safety and ultimately improves safety culture,” he says. “However, SMS is only one part of improving the culture. Organizations also need to embark on a cultural journey to help shape the way they expect their personnel to act and behave. This complements the SMS and improves the overall level of safety within an organization.” There has been a concerted effort in the Middle East region to implement SMS and share knowledge and learning across the region, observes Elmir. “Before the COVID-19 pandemic, several conferences and meetings were organized in the region to share knowledge, learnings and best practice,” he says. “There is increasing push by the regulators, the airlines and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to demonstrate collaboration and continuous improvement of the companies’ SMSs, which is also shaping the culture in the region.” Independent vs Airline Owned GSPs The safety culture at an independent GSP and a GSP under an airline’s control or ownership is different, according to Busk. “The GSP under the control of an airline very often adopts the culture from the airline’s flight operation, where the culture is often very high,” he says. “These providers can adopt internal procedures, while the independent GSPs are on their own and try to work after standard practices from the aviation industry.” In addition, points out Busk, airlines often set up their own ground operation procedures, which are relatively easy for an airline to implement individually. Meanwhile the independent GSPs handle several airlines, which might have various procedures. “IATA, however, has tried to establish more unambiguous programs via the IATA Ground Operations Manual (IGOM) and the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO),” Busk observes. Fostering a Safety Culture “We follow international best practice at every location, working closely with airport and government authorities to ensure full compliance with local and international security regulations, whilst also investing in technology and training to drive continuous improvement,” says Elmir. The safety initiatives at the various locations of dnata include the empowerment of people, at all levels, to act if they see an unsafe act or unsafe condition. “Other initiatives include the collection and analysis of data to identify trends and implement preventative safety controls, the encouragement of open conversations about safety, the integration of safety in all aspects of people management processes, including recruitment, development and performance management,” says Elmir. “We also conduct the monitoring and measurement of success through a safety governance board structure that sits at all levels of the organization and proactive cultural surveys and safety improvement plans as part of continuous improvement.” The visibility of safety promotion work is very important. “The cost of incidents should be made known within the GSP, as cost is always a driver when one wants something changed,” says Busk. “The safety promotion work should be done under a common ‘sign’ so it can be easily recognized by the staff. Top management should also comment on the work in regular messages to the staff.” According to Proszynski the best practice for fostering a safety culture at a GSP is by maintaining a consistent approach. “If one defines an accountability sharing system, one needs to follow it with efficient and effective internal communication and demonstrated buy-in from the senior management,” he concludes. https://www.aviationpros.com/ground-handling/ground-handlers-service-providers/ramp-operations-training/article/21231164/how-ground-handlers-create-a-culture-of-safety NTSB: Pilot in Argyle crash not rated for helicopter flight ARGYLE — The local man who died with his daughter when his helicopter crashed on Aug. 7 did not have a rating to fly the experimental craft, according to the National Transportation Safety Board's initial investigation of the crash. The NTSB said Craig Seeley had a private pilot's certificate that allowed him to fly single-engine planes but not the rating needed to fly his helicopter for personal or recreational use. Seeley, 56, and his daughter, Katie M. Seeley, 34, both of Argyle, died after the helicopter went down in a wooded area near Summit Lake. Seeley was flying his Rotorway Exec 162F when the craft fell from the sky shortly after 6 p.m. The NTSB said Seeley owned and built the helicopter, completing its construction in May 2003. The NTSB's preliminary report said a witness who was about a half mile from the crash scene said he noticed the helicopter flying about 50 to 70 feet above the ground. He told investigators he believed the craft was “having issues, as (it) could not stay up in the air, it was almost like it was bouncing.” Moments after the helicopter flew over a tree line, the witness said he heard a "loud sound" and “watched the (rotor) just stop” before the craft "fell straight down." The helicopter's debris path stretched 400 feet, according to the report. The vehicle came to rest down an embankment in woods just outside Fort Edward, at the intersection of West Valley Road and Lick Springs Road, and caught fire. The report offers a breakdown of damage to the craft but does not reveal a cause. Seeley lived on a mountaintop overlooking Summit Lake, a close-knit lakefront community of seasonal homeowners and year-round residents. Online records show Seeley was the registered owner of several businesses, including an equipment rental company and Seeley Machine. https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NTSB-Pilot-in-Argyle-crash-not-rated-for-16395481.php Southwest Airlines offers staff referral bonuses worth $300 as carrier struggles to fill jobs • Southwest Airlines told staff it is having trouble hiring workers. • The Dallas-based airline launched a referral bonus program that will run through Nov. 20. • Staffing shortages in the airline industry this summer have led to hourslong hold times and exacerbated flight disruptions. Southwest Airlines launched this week new hiring referral bonuses for staff as the carrier struggles to hire new workers to keep up with a rebound in travel demand. “Southwest is experiencing a sharp decline in qualified applicants due to low labor force participation and competition for available talent,” Southwest vice president and chief people officer Julie Weber wrote in a Tuesday note to staff, which was reviewed by CNBC. Southwest staff can receive 20,000 “SWAG Points” — 10,000 on their referral’s first day of work and 10,000 after that person completes six months with the airline. Those points on Southwest’s internal platform have a taxable value of 1.5 cents each, a company document says, giving the points a value of about $300. Southwest’s points can be redeemed for frequent flyer miles, gift cards or concert tickets. The points cannot be redeemed for cash, Southwest said. Five employees’ referrals will also be selected each week for 5,000 points for the referring staff member, Weber wrote. Southwest and other carriers spent much of the pandemic urging workers to take early retirement packages or unpaid or partially paid time off. Now, they are scrambling to hire or retrain staff to cater to the rebound in travel demand that materialized faster than many airline executives expected. Staffing shortages in the airline industry this summer have led to hourslong hold times for customer service lines and exacerbated flight disruptions from issues such as bad weather. Flight crews at American Airlines and Southwest have complained about a lack of available hotels or food options while they are on duty. In June, Southwest raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour. Southwest didn’t say how many employees it hopes to hire. The airline said earlier this year it needs more flight attendants and pilots, though job postings also include ramp and customer service agents among others. The incentive program runs through Nov. 20. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/18/southwest-airlines-offers-staff-referral-bonuses-to-ease-hiring-problems.html Travelers are canceling trips with COVID numbers rising again After a rebound in travel this summer, people are once again canceling plans for trips because of the surging number of COVID cases. In a recent survey, 27% of respondents said they postponed a trip and more than 54% said the Delta variant has made them less interested in traveling right now. It's an emotional balancing act so many people are struggling with at the moment. On one hand, we're desperate to reconnect with friends we haven't seen in person in ages for a big event. On the other hand, the pandemic is raging once again. TSA to extend mask mandate through January 2022 On Wednesday, Cotton Starr of Houston was expecting to see her friends in San Diego for the first time - in a long time. Kim Hoff, outside Denver, has been waiting even longer - planning to meet her friends at Dragon Con - a pop culture convention in Atlanta next month. Both canceled their long-awaited trips due to the spread of the Delta variant. "It was really kind of heartbreaking to not be able to finally go," Starr said. "It's been basically two years now since I've been able to see them," Hoff said. "When it got to the point of the rates just skyrocketing in the last week or so, I thought, 'no, I'm sorry, there's no level of logistics that will make me feel OK if I bring this back with me.'" The highly transmissible strain of COVID is accounting for most new cases, which soared nationwide over the past two months. "It wasn't just the rates in Atlanta. The rates are getting worse here in Colorado," Hoff said. "And who knows how many people you're going to pass in the airport." Economist Adit Damodaran with the travel app Hopper says summer flight demand has flattened from pandemic highs, which is leading to lower prices. "Airfare is on the downtrend," Damodaran said. But his service is finding - since July - one aspect of travel is up. There's been a 33% increase in people buying cancelable tickets. "People want to have that option to cancel if for any reason, you know, something happens, the situation develops in a way where they can't take that trip," Damodaran said. Other potential passenger pitfalls are increased airline cancelations. In June and July, domestic air cancelations were above their 1% average, which translates to 10,000 cancelations in July alone. Spirit, American and other carriers are suffering from short staffing, bad weather and other issues - leaving people like Starr concerned. To help manage her lupus, she takes immunosuppressants. "I am a high-risk category," Starr said. "So, I was a little concerned with what was going to happen during that travel. I was going to be exposed to a lot of people, a lot of, kind of, angry people on the airplanes didn't really want to get involved with that." The worst-case scenario made her cancel her plans. "Our hospitals are filling up so fast and we're one of the largest medical centers in the nation," Starr said. "I don't know if there will be room if I have to end up going." Hoff's ailing grandfather led her to change her mind. "I've been keeping in the back of my mind, I might need to make a short-notice trip to see him," Hoff said. "And if I take the risk for anything, you know, it should be family." Cotton did not purchase a cancelable ticket, but Southwest is giving her a credit toward her next flight. Hoff bought travel insurance and will be reimbursed through them. For all the people canceling plans, a sizable number still plan to stick to their trips. 26% of people say they plan to travel in October, according to a recent survey. https://www.yahoo.com/news/travelers-canceling-trips-covid-numbers-121852616.html U.S. will limit some Chinese passenger air carriers to 40% capacity -order WASHINGTON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation Department on Wednesday said it will limit some flights from Chinese carriers to 40% passenger capacity for four weeks after the Chinese government imposed similar limits on four United Airlines flights. China told United on Aug. 6 it was imposing sanctions after it alleged five passengers who traveled from San Francisco to Shanghai tested positive for COVID-19 on July 21. The U.S. order said the department will limit over a four-week period each of four Chinese carriers to 40% capacity on a single China-U.S. flight. United Airlines said it was "pleased to see this action by the (Transportation Department) in pursuit of fairness in this important market." The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately comment. The U.S. government says China's "circuit breaker" policy violates the nations' air services agreement and "places undue culpability on carriers with respect to travelers that test positive for COVID-19 after their arrival in China." The department added carriers "have no means to independently verify positive test results alleged by Chinese authorities. Furthermore, there is no way to establish where or when a traveler may have contracted" the virus. Chinese authorities gave United three options: cancel two San Francisco to Shanghai flights; operate two without passengers; or operate four flights with up to 40% of passenger capacity. The limits were imposed on four Wednesday United San Francisco-Shanghai flights, beginning with an Aug. 11 flight. The Biden administration said it will impose identical limits on four flights over four weeks - one each from Air China , China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines Co and Xiamen Airlines. The limits come as many Chinese students are headed to the United States for the start of fall classes. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, China and the United States have sparred over air services. In June 2020, the United States threatened to bar Chinese passenger flights after Beijing did not immediately agree to restore flights by U.S. airlines. U.S. carriers voluntary halted flights to China after the coronavirus outbreak. Then-President Donald Trump on Jan. 31, 2020 barred nearly all non-U.S. citizens from traveling to the United States who had been in China within the last 14 days. Those restrictions on Chinese travelers remain in place. The Biden administration in April eased restrictions on Chinese students traveling to U.S. schools effective Aug. 1. A long-standing air agreement between China and the United States allows both countries to operate more than 100 weekly flights between the two nations but only a fraction of those are currently operating. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/1-u-limit-chinese-passenger-232327852.html A Chinese satellite seems to have collided with a piece of a Russian rocket in March - the first big space crash in a decade A chunk of an old Russian rocket appears to have crashed into a Chinese satellite in March. Harvard astronomer Jonathan McDowell discovered the collision in data from the Space Force. The last big satellite collision was in 2009, but more old spacecraft are building up in orbit. A Chinese satellite mysteriously broke apart in March, scattering into dozens of pieces. Now, a Harvard astronomer has discovered what likely happened: It seems to have collided with a chunk of a Russian rocket. "This looks to be the first major confirmed orbital collision in a decade," Jonathan McDowell, who spotted the probable crash in a data log from the US Space Force, said on Twitter. Space Force sensors detected new debris from the breakup of the Chinese satellite, called Yunhai 1-02, in mid-March. Yunhai 1-02 launched in 2019, so it was relatively young and should have been in good enough shape to not fall apart on its own. No verdict about the cause was ever announced. But the Space Force did quietly update its space-debris catalogue with a new hint on Saturday. Object 48078, a piece of a Russian Zenit-2 rocket that launched in 1996, is now listed with a peculiar note: "collided with satellite." McDowell spotted that new listing and shared it on Twitter. He went back through the orbital data and found that the Russian rocket chunk and the Yunhai satellite passed within 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) of each other at the exact time and day that Yunhai broke apart. That passing distance is within the margin of error. Both objects would have been zipping around Earth faster than a bullet, so any contact would result in an explosion of debris. The crash created 37 known bits of debris, according to McDowell, though he added that there are probably more uncatalogued pieces. It doesn't look like the collision was "catastrophic," McDowell said, since the Yunhai satellite has made several orbital adjustments since March, indicating that China can still control it. "It's a moderately big deal," McDowell told Insider. "It shows that these smaller non-catastrophic collisions are becoming a thing - we will see more and more of them." The dangers of space debris space junk debris earth orbit satellite collisions crashes nasa gsfc jsc An illustration of a field of orbital debris, or space junk, circling Earth. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/JSC The last time two large objects orbiting Earth crashed into each other was in 2009, when a defunct Russian military satellite careened into an active Iridium communications satellite above Siberia. That collision, along with a prior one in 2007, increased the amount of large debris in low-Earth orbit by about 70%. There have been several false alarms and close calls since then. A dead Soviet satellite and a discarded Chinese rocket body sped past each other in space in October, after orbital models suggested they were at "very high risk" of colliding. In January 2020, a dead space telescope and an old US Air Force satellite beat alarming odds of crashing over Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In both incidents, nobody could control the satellites to avoid collision. Already, nearly 130 million bits of space junk surround Earth - from abandoned satellites, spacecraft that broke apart, and other missions. That debris travels at roughly 10 times the speed of a bullet, which is fast enough to inflict disastrous damage to vital equipment, no matter how small the pieces. Such a hit could kill astronauts on a spacecraft. space shuttle endeavour wing debris junk hit hole damage nasa A space-debris hit to space shuttle Endeavour's radiator, found after one of its missions. The entry hole is about 0.25 inches wide, and the exit hole is twice as large. NASA Every time objects in orbit collide, they can explode into new clouds of tiny chunks of high-speed debris. In fact, the piece of debris that hit the Chinese satellite may have broken off of the original Russian rocket in an earlier collision. "That's all very worrying and is an additional reason why you want to remove these big objects from orbit," McDowell told Space.com, which first reported his discovery. "They can generate this other debris that's smaller." Experts expect more near-collisions like this if nobody removes dead satellites and old rocket bodies from space. https://www.yahoo.com/news/chinese-satellite-seems-collided-piece-184058584.html 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