Flight Safety Information - August 27, 2021 No. 173 In This Issue : Incident: Edelweiss A320 at Zurich on Aug 17th 2021, rejected takeoff : Accident: Ryanair B738 at Barcelona on Jul 31st 2021, severe turbulence injures cabin crew and passengers : Incident: UTAir AT72 near Ufa on Aug 25th 2021, electronic failure : India lifts Boeing 737 Max jet ban, leaving China as last hurdle : Ministers warned of safety concerns in Scots air traffic control cuts : UK warns airlines to avoid flying below 25,000 feet over Afghanistan after attack : SOSU Aviation partners with Delta Airlines : Air Taxi Companies Ramp Up Infrastructure Plans as Aircraft Certification Looms : Jobs for drone pilots in American wildfire crises : NASA’s $10 Billion James Webb Space Telescope Has Successfully Completed Testing : POSITION AVAILABLE: FOQA Specialist : The Fifteenth Safeskies Aviation Safety Conference is scheduled to be held in Canberra, Australia in September 2022 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. On Aug 26th 2021 Switzerland's SUST reported almost immediately after the takeoff was rejected at about 80 knots three of the four main wheels became locked. The occurrence was rated a serious incident and is being investigated. https://avherald.com/h?article=4ebe27d4&opt=0 Accident: Ryanair B738 at Barcelona on Jul 31st 2021, severe turbulence injures cabin crew and passengers A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-EPC performing flight FR-9017 from Fez (Morocco) to Barcelona,SP (Spain), was descending towards Barcelona when the crew observed cumulonimbus cloud on their weather radar and requested to deviate around the weather, which was approved. Anticipating the possibility of turbulence the captain informed the cabin crew about the possibility of turbulence and instructed them to secure the cabin. While deviating the aircraft encountered an area of severe turbulence causing vertical accelerations of up to +3.1G. Following the turbulence encounter cabin crew informed the captain, that two cabin crew were incapacitated and ambulances were needed at Barcelona. The aircraft continued for a safe landing at Barcelona. The Spanish CIAIAC reported one flight attendant as well as one passenger received serious injuries, 3 flight attendants minor injuries, all these were taken to a hospital. In addition a number of passengers required medical assistance at the airport. The aircraft returned to service about 3:20 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=4ec4e1a7&opt=0 Incident: UTAir AT72 near Ufa on Aug 25th 2021, electronic failure A UTAir Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration VQ-BLD performing flight P2-281 from Ekaterinburg to Samara (Russia) with 66 passengers and 4 crew, was enroute at FL200 about 50nm west of Ufa when the crew reported an electronic failure, descended to FL180, turned around and diverted to Ufa for a safe landing about 19 minutes later. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 16 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=4ec4a8f1&opt=0 Cessna 550 Citation II - Runway Excursion (Brazil) Date: 26-AUG-2021 Time: Type: Cessna 550 Citation II Owner/operator: One Group Patrimonial Ltda Registration: PR-LJJ MSN: 550-0485 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Clube De Aviacao Ceu Azul Airport (SWON), Araquari - Brazil Phase: Landing Nature: Private Departure airport: Destination airport: Clube De Aviacao Ceu Azul Airport (SWON) Narrative: The airplane sustained a runway excursion at Clube De Aviacao Ceu Azul Airport (SWON), Araquari https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/267133 India lifts Boeing 737 Max jet ban, leaving China as last hurdle The Max was grounded more than two years ago following crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people. The United States, Europe and most other major markets allowed Boeing Co’s 737 Max jet to resume flights in late 2020 or earlier this year following extensive fixes, and now India is resuming Max flights, too. India lifted its ban on Boeing Co.’s 737 Max jet, a major boost to the American planemaker that leaves China as the only leading aviation market yet to allow the aircraft to resume service. India’s decision comes after it observed “no untoward reporting” on jets already flying since 17 global regulators allowed it to resume flights, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in an order posted on its website on Thursday. Boeing rose 0.4% to $222 before the start of regular trading in New York. The stock had climbed 3.3% this year through Wednesday while the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 16%. The Max was grounded worldwide more than two years ago following crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people. While the U.S., Europe and most other major markets allowed the jet to resume flights in late 2020 or earlier this year following extensive fixes, India and China held back. Boeing has met local requirements, including setting up a simulator in the South Asian nation, and India is now satisfied with the jet’s performance, Bloomberg News reported earlier this month. Boeing is still working with Chinese authorities to lift the ban there and has conducted a test flight in the country, though it could take months before commercial flights resume. While Airbus SE A320s dominate the skies in India, the country is increasingly important for Boeing, where it has only one customer with orders — SpiceJet Ltd. The planemaker is in advanced discussions with Akasa, a new Indian airline backed by billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, to sell it as many as 80 Max planes, Bloomberg News has reported. In April, India allowed Max jets registered in other nations to enter its airspace if the flight was permitted by the registering authority in the country of origin. Boeing forecasts airlines in India will need more than 2,200 new jets worth almost $320 billion over the next 20 years as an emerging middle class upgrades from trains and buses. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/8/26/india-lifts-boeing-737-max-jet-ban-leaving-china-as-last-hurdle Ministers warned of safety concerns in Scots air traffic control cuts UNIONS have asked transport minister Graeme Dey to intervene following fears that plans to shut down air traffic towers in Scotland will pose a health and safety threat. Europe's biggest transport union has warned that plans to centralise air traffic control for seven airports would "open up considerable risk to communities". It comes as Mr Dey came under fire for 'failing' to engage with air traffic control staff over concerns about the plans. Transport Scotland said the minister had met with Western Isles Council where the "modernisation" of air traffic control services was on the agenda. The European Transport Workers Federation (ETWF), which represents 5m transport workers in 41 countries across said there was particular concern for the operation of emergency services such as medical flights. And it said downgrading of services particularly at Benbecula and Wick comes with safety concerns as the air traffic control services will be downgraded to an aerodrome flight information service which "simply removes" the ability to issue instructions to arriving and departing aircraft. Mr Dey, had been approached by air traffic control staff to meet over the issues - but Prospect say they were told he was unavailable. Scottish Government-owned Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) is pushing ahead with plans to relocate air traffic work to one "remote site" in Inverness. It will involve the removal of seven existing towers at Inverness, Dundee, Shetland, Orkney, Wick, Benbecula and Stornoway. It has dismissed what it called "alarmist" claims over safety. Prospect, which represents air traffic controllers who have recently been on strike over proposal to move jobs from the islands to Inverness, said the failure to meet was a "missed opportunity" and called on the Mr Dey to urgently engage with the issue. Prospect negotiator David Avery said: “It is disappointing that the minister did not use this opportunity to speak to air traffic staff about the impact of HIAL’s remote towers plan on individuals and on the economy of the islands. HeraldScotland: “Ultimately the Scottish Government have the power to step in and force a rethink on these plans, and it is incumbent on them to listen to the serious concerns that have been raised. “This missed opportunity makes it even more vital that the minister takes the next available opportunity to meet with Prospect and local politicians to engage with our concerns.” The plans also involves a further downgrade of air traffic services on the ground at Benbecula and Wick. It is understood that involves becoming a Flight Information Service Officer (FISO) service - which unions say offer no "deconfliction" service to keep aircraft out of each other"s path. In a letter to the Scottish Government, ETWF have drawn ministers attention to what they call "the huge safety risks in implementing such a decision" reminding the authorities of the imperative need to maintain their current level of specialized air traffic services. They say this is crucial due to the nature of both the airports and the traffic they currently serve, such as scheduled air services, ferry flights, and offshore helicopter operations, and the "very specific weather conditions in this part of Europe". Analysis from Prospect, which represents air traffic control staff at HIAL airports, suggests that moving air traffic control to Inverness will remove up to 60 skilled jobs and around £1.5m of direct employment from rural and island economies and would "run contrary" to the recently published Islands Plan produced by the Scottish Government which owns HIAL. The ETWF"s acting general secretary has written to Mr Dey saying: "It is essential that the Scottish Government intervene and understand the consequences of this decision for its citizens, workers and broader society in the Highlands and Islands. "While these decisions may seem like a cost exercise on paper, such decisions have a direct impact on the livelihoods of individuals and the communities in which they live in. "In our view the safety and development of these communities should be prioritised over all other concerns, including cost efficiency and profit." A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “The decision to modernise air traffic control will ensure that air services can continue in the future. “The option chosen by HIAL in 2018 will improve resilience, safety and reliability of services. It remains the case that no alternative has been proposed that addresses the issues that the programme aims to resolve. “HIAL continues to engage with its staff, unions, airline customers and other interested parties as the programme is implemented.” A HIAL spokesman said: “We are dismayed and disappointed that alarmist and misleading claims are yet again being made regarding ATMS. To be clear, HIAL would never introduce any system that was unsafe and our regulators would not permit us to do so. HIAL is in regular dialogue with the Civil Aviation Authority, which is satisfied with how the project is proceeding. “The introduction of an Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS) at both Benbecula and Wick airports will ensure these airfields have a viable and sustainable future, based on a proportionate level of service aligned to the volume and complexity of air traffic using these airports. AFIS – which already operates at four other HIAL airports – will provide the continuation of an air traffic service that is safe, efficient and regulatory compliant. “The Scottish Government has been fully appraised at each stage of the ATMS process, as has Prospect. We continue to engage with our colleagues and stakeholders as we progress this challenging and necessary change management programme that will secure the future of sustainable aviation services for the communities we serve.” https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19541107.ministers-warned-safety-concerns-scots-air-traffic-control-cuts/ UK warns airlines to avoid flying below 25,000 feet over Afghanistan after attack LONDON, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Britain has issued a notice to airlines to avoid flying below 25,000 feet (7,620 metres) over Afghanistan after an attack near Kabul airport on Thursday. "Following the shocking scenes in Afghanistan today, I have issued a NOTAM (Notice to Aviation) further advising airlines to avoid Afghan airspace under 25,000ft," said Grant Shapps, the transport minister. "We will continue to keep this under review." https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/uk-warns-airlines-avoid-flying-below-25000-feet-over-afghanistan-after-attack-2021-08-26/ Airlines turned to digital passports for COVID-19 vaccine The travel industry is working on a plan to ensure that the coronavirus vaccine is a rapid revival of domestic and international tourism and travel. Industry leaders are coordinating efforts to create digital passports that indicate whether passengers are vaccinated with COVID-19. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced this week that documents that are accepted around the world are in the final stages of development and can increase the credibility of vigilant travelers. The Digital Health Pass contains passenger testing and vaccine information that manages and validates information among governments, airlines, laboratories, and travelers. “Testing is the first key to enable travel abroad without quarantine measures. The second key is to securely manage, share and validate test data that matches the traveler’s identity in compliance with border control requirements. It’s the global information infrastructure needed for this, “said IATA CEO Alexandre de Juniac in a statement on Monday. This pass allows travelers to find validated test centers and labs at their departure point that meet the criteria and requirements of their destination to circumvent quarantine rules and travel restrictions. Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced on Monday that vaccine candidates developed by the University of Oxford are on average 70% effective, but could be as high as 90%. The other two vaccines, one from Moderna and the other from Pfizer and BioNTech, both recently reported an efficacy rate of 95%. When asked about how airlines handle vaccine deployments, such as how to know if someone has been vaccinated, Airlines for America, which represents major commercial airlines, does not give a direct response. , The US airline just said it was “committed”. Restoring services in a way that prioritizes the safety and well-being of passengers and employees. “ Australian Airlines Qantas Reportedly Plan to require passengers to be vaccinated before international flights. CEO Alan Joyce recently said he thinks other carriers should follow suit. A US airline that has been lobbying for another COVID-19 bailout package for months says it can help the federal government with the distribution of vaccines. “When the country looks forward to distributing vaccines and tackles logistical challenges, it is possible to ensure that the service has sufficient certified employees and planes necessary for sufficient capacity to complete the task. It’s important, “the CEOs of several major airlines wrote to Congressional leaders this month. With passenger numbers 65% below 2019 levels, all types of relief, including government support, testing protocols and vaccines, are most welcomed by airlines. Thanksgiving holidays, which are usually a major source of income for the travel industry, become more difficult after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues warnings about travel, as cases of coronavirus are skyrocketing in almost every region of the country. became. The busiest air travel day in the coronavirus pandemic was the Sunday before Thanksgiving, when nearly 1.05 million passengers were screened at US airports. But that was far from the level seen in the previous year. “We are in this situation due to a lack of leadership from the U.S. government. It’s been eight months and there is no cohesive program,” said Peter Vlitas, Senior Vice President of Airlines at Internova Travel Group. I am. The group claims that international travel can be resumed if strict protocols are in place. “There is no contact information to follow national policy. If you fly to the UK, you need to fill out a form. If you fly to Greece, you need to fill out a form. In many countries, you need to fill out a form. Fill in. In addition to the standard, do you have a fever … we don’t have the simplest one, “Vlitas said. Last month, a travel industry group Called The Trump administration has pursued an approach to COVID-19 testing that eliminates the need for quarantine and travel bans. The letter included the American Travel Association, the American Hotel & Accommodation Association, and the American Chamber of Commerce, stating that the patchwork approach was “confusing and discouraging travel.” Airlines turned to digital passports for COVID-19 vaccine Source link Airlines turned to digital passports for COVID-19 vaccine https://illinoisnewstoday.com/airlines-turned-to-digital-passports-for-covid-19-vaccine/357947/ SOSU Aviation partners with Delta Airlines DURANT, Okla. (KXII) - A new partnership at Southeastern Oklahoma State University will give students the opportunity to fly for a major airline. SOSU has partnered with Delta Airlines to give aviation students the chance to earn their wings with the company. “For us to partner with Delta just gives our students another pathway to a successful career in that industry,” said Thomas Newsom, SOSU President. Delta’s Propel College Career Path became effective at Southeastern Thursday. “We have a long, rich tradition of preparing and producing some of the world’s greatest pilots,” said Newsom. Students will graduate in 4 years, earn 1,000 hours of flight as a university instructor and fly for Delta’s partner carriers for less than 2 years until offered a commercial position. “As part of the program they receive a job offer to become a Delta pilot even while they’re still a college student,” said Kelvin Mason, Pilot Outreach Manager for Delta. This is a way Delta can bounce back from current pilot shortages seen across all airlines. They plan to hire 8,000 pilots over the next 10 years. “It’s important for us to sort of start early and reach down to the collegiate level, people who are early in their pilot careers and identify people who will be our future captains and our future leaders,” said Mason. Joshua Tisue graduated from SOSU’s program last December and is working toward his 1,000 hours. “You get to have these experiences that you really don’t get anywhere else. The views definitely never get old. My dad has been flying, he has over 20,000 hours in an airplane and he still loves the views, loves the experiences that he had. And that’s what I’m looking forward to,” said Tisue. The program is accepting student applications at SOSU and 12 other universities across the country until September 17th. Learn more about the program and apply here. https://www.kxii.com/2021/08/26/sosu-aviation-partners-with-delta-airlines/ Air Taxi Companies Ramp Up Infrastructure Plans as Aircraft Certification Looms Electric air taxis are aiming to fill a gap in the current mobility network with flexibility similar to cars combined with the time savings of air travel. However, unlike a car, air taxis won’t be able to depart and arrive from just anywhere, and unlike traditional aircraft, only using traditional airports will hamstring air taxi capabilities. For these reasons, electric air taxi companies are starting to develop plans and partnerships to create infrastructure for the unique needs of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL). While the necessity of eVTOL infrastructure is not a point of contention, the locations and operational uses are still up for debate. A 2021 report on urban air mobility (UAM) from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) found that infrastructure was cited as the biggest challenge for UAM. This infrastructure—most commonly referred to as vertiports in the industry—will be required for initial operations of UAM passenger transport. According to EASA, the most important aspects of vertiports will be their accessibility and electricity infrastructure connection. “Dedicated infrastructure is required for the initial operation of UAM passenger transport,” the report states. “‘Vertiports’ that enable takeoff and landing of air taxis, will probably appear in different sizes and numbers in different cities, depending on expected traffic volumes. Two important factors for determining vertiport locations will be ease of access, as well as electricity and infrastructure connection.” Varon Vehicles is looking at urban air mobility as an answer to mobility infrastructure problems. Varon Vehicles has decided to look at UAM as mobility infrastructure instead of designing its own aircraft, Felipe Varon, founder and CEO of Varon Vehicles, told Aviation Today. “Our approach is not to see UAM as aviation – we use (nextgen) aviation, but our focus is on mobility infrastructure...We see the entire UAM operation as a new form of mobility infrastructure, comparable to roads, train systems, metro systems, cable cars, etc., but with a potential for disruption because we will have no cost-per-mile, so we can approach customers and governments in an entirely different way to generate connections, to serve different markets in pressing need for connection,” Varon said. The location of vertiports will be an important consideration for air taxis to be an effective part of a city’s mobility infrastructure. Varon said his company is using requirements from customers to predict vertiport locations. For example, vertiports to service tourists could be centrally located near a hotel. Although this seems self-explanatory, Varon said it has been the most challenging aspect. “The biggest challenge in creating vertiports is matching the idea of a vertiport with a real, down to earth, business operation,” Varon said. “That is absolutely not trivial and we’ve taken years to reach this point. Vertiport placement is complex, land allocation is not simple or cheap, we have to consider the mobility interconnection aspect of it and the airspace side of it. And then match this to an operating business case. Not an easy task.” The exact location of the vertiports will be tied to customers’ requirements but these vertiports will also be connected to form a network. Lilium, the eVTOL company developing the 7-Seater Jet, has already announced that it intends to create a regional network in Florida that would provide 1,200 miles of connectivity. “We are planning on developing our first US regional network in Florida, in partnership with Tavistock and Ferrovial, who share our vision of fast, sustainable travel,” a Lilium spokesperson told Aviation Today. “We have a planned network of 14 vertiports across Florida and project approximately 1,200 miles of connectivity...We’ve been working on a lean, modular design that will help make vertiports accessible to developers large and small.” Archer, the developer of Maker, created a data-tracking technology to pinpoint advantageous locations for its vertiports. “We’re using Prime Radiant, Archer’s data tracking technology, to determine optimal takeoff and landing locations and routes that we can put into action as soon as our UAM networks launch,” Brett Adcock, Archer's co-founder, told Aviation Today. “Prime Radiant was developed to work in real-time in response to conditions and demand on the ground by tracking ground traffic and congestion relative to vertiport locations, allowing Archer’s eVTOL aircraft to hone in on those areas and meet demand where it’s most prevalent.” Deciding on the location of eVTOL infrastructure will also have to take into account if companies want to repurpose existing infrastructure or build a completely new structure. Wisk, the maker of Cora, is focusing on the development of its aircraft which it will launch using existing infrastructure. “eVTOL infrastructure is currently in the exploratory phase of development,” a spokesperson from Wisk told Aviation Today. “While some companies have shown initial vertiport concepts, many OEMs, including Wisk, are focused on the certification of their aircraft. Specifically, at Wisk, we intend to focus on existing infrastructure for our initial launch of services. We believe this is a more efficient and environmentally conscious approach.” Other companies, like Lilium, are looking towards a combination of new and existing infrastructure. Besides its operations in Flordia, Lilium will also be conducting operations at airports in Germany. “We have also announced our intention to set up future hubs with a number of German airports, including Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Munich and Nuremberg,” Lilium’s spokesperson said. Existing infrastructure can be locations like airports, however, eVTOLs will also be able to utilize existing buildings by converting their rooftops to vertiports. Archer announced a new partnership with REEF Technologies on Aug. 24 to do just that. “Our partnership with REEF Technologies to further expand our plans for urban takeoff and landing sites is emblematic of these overall efforts,” Adcock said. “Broadly, we’re open to utilizing all existing infrastructure — from parking garages, to hotels, to high-rise rooftops, and beyond — that can be retrofitted to support our vehicles for takeoff and landing, so as to minimize the amount of new construction required to support a robust UAM network.” REEF has a network of over 4,800 parking garages that cover 70 percent of North America’s urban population, according to the release. Archer will use its Prime Radiant technology to determine optimal locations within REEFs existing network. The infrastructure for eVTOLs will have requirements that fit into two categories: consumer needs and aircraft needs. The consumers will need places to park. The aircraft will require charging infrastructure and air traffic control technology. “Whether a Vertiport is designed to facilitate 20 flights per day or 20 flights per hour, it will have three common ingredients: a take-off area, parking stands and a terminal,” the Lilium spokesperson said. “It will also need high-power charging equipment, air traffic control technology for high throughput operations and digital check-in tools, but we’re working with system suppliers and industry committees to bundle this equipment into standardized ‘plug-and-play’ solutions allowing the sector to scale more rapidly.” There is also a possibility for vertiports to become becomes hubs. Varon’s operations will include the vertiports themselves, an airspace architecture linking the vertiports, and the eVTOL fleets operating from the vertiports. While the vertiports will provide takeoff and landing infrastructure for aircraft, the company also imagines them eventually functioning as a large mobility hub. “We are starting in Colombia and have chosen the city of Cartagena for first implementation, with rapid expansion plans to other regions of Colombia and Latin America,” Varon said. “Our Vertiports are quite advanced in conceptualization and general design. But initial Vertiports will not be huge mobility hubs, we will get there eventually, more towards the second half or end of this decade.” Vertiports can be mobility hubs by allowing access to other transportation services, however, they can also be strategically placed for other purposes. “Vertiports can be placed at an existing transport terminal, next to a shopping center, on top of a busy car park or alongside a suburban residential development,” Lilium’s spokesperson said. Currently, there are no eVTOL aircraft that have been given certification from the FAA or EASA and while companies are working on finalizing those certifications, it appears they are in the planning phase. Lilium is working on its concept of operations. “The concept of traffic corridors is something that has been included in a couple of future Concept of Operations (ConOps) studies – the majority of which are focused on urban air mobility and connecting landing sites within densely populated cities,” the Lilium spokesperson said. “Eventually, we will need to work out how to transition from the traditional services when flying en-route to any new system/destination located within a city. It will be important to have a seamless and coordinated transition between any two future systems.” Varon Vehicles is also working on planning, however, they are also looking at factors outside of technology development like public acceptance. “We are running plans for implementation of our first operation at this moment, start of operation is not dependent on technology but rather on other factors like public acceptance and also the pandemic situation and the Tourism market’s pickup,” Varon said. Companies like Wisk are hoping that public acceptance be tied to the value eVTOLs could add to local communities. Wisk is looking at the development of infrastructure from a multifaceted approach. “The development of infrastructure to support future eVTOL air taxi services is multifaceted and includes both the repurposing of existing infrastructure, as well as the development of new, bespoke “vertiports.” Both of these approaches present similar opportunities in several key areas from community engagement and social acceptance (zoning and permitting), to airspace integration (procedures and coordination), to energy grid and storage solutions,” Wisk’s spokesperson said. “Much like the development of eVTOL aircraft, the development of eVTOL infrastructure - if done responsibly - will add value while seamlessly integrating into local communities.” While eVTOL companies are already planning and developing future infrastructure, they won’t be able to complete this task alone. “However, it is important to recognize that to achieve scale, regulatory bodies (like the FAA, city and municipal governments, and others) must begin to take an active role in the development and repurposing of infrastructure,” Wisk’s spokesperson said. “This will ensure that new and existing infrastructure aligns with industry-wide standards, resulting in future air taxi services that are equitable and accessible for all.” On this issue, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it will be adjusting existing rules to meet the bespoke needs of eVTOLs. “The flexibility in the FAA’s regulatory framework enables us to tailor existing rules to determine certification requirements for various aspects of eVTOLs,” the FAA told Aviation Today in a statement. “In some cases, the agency could issue special conditions or additional airworthiness criteria, depending on the type of project.” Most of these companies say their infrastructure will launch when their aircraft do, which for some could be as early as 2024. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2021/08/25/air-taxi-companies-ramp-up-infrastructure-plans-as-aircraft-certification-looms-near/ Jobs for drone pilots in American wildfire crises Hiring a drone pilot could help protect my family My sister who moved away from California to ride out the Covid pandemic in a beautiful forest hideaway above Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho is suffering a constant inability to breathe. This is not from Covid, but from wildfire smoke drifting across the entire country. She sends me maps showing great red and purple plumes surrounding her forest home, and photographs of murky views of the lake obscured by smoke. The actual fires have not yet reached her, and if they do, my hope is that drone pilots get there first. The opportunities to fly over these vast fires is exponentially amplified by the use of drones. Accurate, agile, and non-threatening to human life, drones are a miraculous asset to firefighting and search and rescue operations. They can get above the fires and into the smoke in a way not even possible for helicopters, whose pilots would choke in the thick smoke. Prevention is better than cure: New drone tech for ignition management. Of course we all fear that the increasing severity of these wildfires is due to climate change, and fighting that is difficult because of ideological barriers amplified by misinformation. It is clear, though, that wildfires are getting worse and American tech needs to step up with solutions to keep people safe as summers get hotter. Dedicated drone tech firms like Drone Amplified are rushing in to supply brilliant new technology to assist firefighters. Drone Amplified has taken cognizance of historical fire-prevention techniques used in the past by Native Americans, who understood that forest species rely on occasional fires as part of their life cycle. Drone Amplified is thus creating dedicated tech for managed ignition of fires, to create areas where the undergrowth is burnt back in a healthy manner. Drones tech being developed for search and rescue operations. Another burgeoning area of jobs for drone pilots is in search and rescue operations resulting from the scourge of wildfires. Brilliant new tech is being created and supplied by AltiGator Unmanned Solutions. A brilliant contribution from this kind of tech is for many personnel to be able to watch real-time footage supplied by a drone pilot. Not only does this supply views of fires not previously available, but highly skilled ground crews can respond directly to what the drone is seeing without even needing to be on-site first. The efficiency and savings implied in a situation like this are hugely beneficial to helping victims of wildfires. Infrared drone footage helps identify humans and other mammals. Another crucially helpful adaptation of drone technology is using infrared thermal imaging cameras that can detect human beings or other warm animal bodies. This is helpful in search and rescue operations conducted in three common conditions which make these operations particularly difficult: working at night, working in thick smoke, and working in forested areas where trapped bodies may be obscured by vegetation. Conclusion Jobs for drone pilots are going to be on the increase due to this tragic wildfire scourge. Fire-fighting units, farmers and ordinary families are going to have reason to hire a drone pilot. I am so grateful that this new technology is developing so fast, as it is needed to protect my family. https://www.suasnews.com/2021/08/jobs-for-drone-pilots-in-american-wildfire-crises/ NASA’s $10 Billion James Webb Space Telescope Has Successfully Completed Testing After successful completion of its final tests, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is being prepped for shipment to its launch site. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Completed Testing Fully assembled and fully tested, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has completed its primary testing regimen and will soon begin shipment preparations. Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn Engineering teams have completed Webb’s long-spanning comprehensive testing regimen at Northrop Grumman’s facilities. Webb’s many tests and checkpoints were designed to ensure that the world’s most complex space science observatory will operate as designed once in space. Now that observatory testing has concluded, shipment operations have begun. This includes all the necessary steps to prepare Webb for a safe journey through the Panama Canal to its launch location in Kourou, French Guiana, on the northeastern coast of South America. Since no more large-scale testing is required, Webb’s clean room technicians have shifted their focus from demonstrating it can survive the harsh conditions of launch and work in orbit, to making sure it will safely arrive at the launch pad. Webb’s contamination control technicians, transport engineers, and logistics task forces are all expertly prepared to handle the unique task of getting Webb to the launch site. Shipping preparations will be completed in September. Webb Will Soon Be on its Way “NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has reached a major turning point on its path toward launch with the completion of final observatory integration and testing,” said Gregory L. Robinson, Webb’s program director at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “We have a tremendously dedicated workforce who brought us to the finish line, and we are very excited to see that Webb is ready for launch and will soon be on that science journey.” While shipment operations are underway, teams located in Webb’s Mission Operations Center (MOC) at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore will continue to check and recheck the complex communications network it will use in space. Recently this network fully demonstrated that it is capable of seamlessly sending commands to the spacecraft. Live launch rehearsals are underway within the MOC with the explicit purpose of preparing for launch day and beyond. There is much to be done before launch, but with integration and testing formally concluded, NASA’s next giant leap into the cosmic unknown will soon be underway. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Assembled and Tested With integration and testing formally concluded for the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA’s next giant leap into the cosmic unknown will soon be underway. Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn Once Webb arrives in French Guiana, launch processing teams will configure the observatory for flight. This involves post-shipment checkouts to ensure the observatory hasn’t been damaged during transport, carefully loading the spacecraft’s propellant tanks with hydrazine fuel and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer it will need to power its rocket thrusters to maintain its orbit, and detaching ‘remove before flight’ red-tag items like protective covers that keep important components safe during assembly, testing, and transport. Then engineering teams will mate the observatory to its launch vehicle, an Ariane 5 rocket provided by ESA (European Space Agency), before it rolls out to the launch pad. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency. The James Webb Space Telescope is an amazing feat of human ingenuity, made more impressive by the obstacles Webb personnel overcame to deliver this amazing space science observatory. Earthquakes, a devastating hurricane, snowstorms, blizzards, wildfires, and a global pandemic are only some of what the people behind Webb endured to ensure success. Webb’s story is one of perseverance – a mission with contributions from thousands of scientists, engineers, and other professionals from more than 14 countries and 29 states, in nine different time zones. “To me, launching Webb will be a significant life event – I’ll be elated of course when this is successful, but it will also be a time of deep personal introspection. Twenty years of my life will all come down to that moment,” said Mark Voyton, Webb observatory integration and test manager at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “We’ve come a long way and worked through so much together to prepare our observatory for flight. The telescope’s journey is only just beginning, but for those of us on the ground who built it, our time will soon come to an end, and we will have our opportunity to rest, knowing we put everything on the line to make sure our observatory works. The bonds we formed with each other along the way will last far into the future.” Opening NASA’s New Eye on the Cosmos After launch, Webb will undergo an action-packed six-month commissioning period. Moments after completing a 26-minute ride aboard the Ariane 5 launch vehicle, the spacecraft will separate from the rocket and its solar array will deploy automatically. After that, all subsequent deployments over the next few weeks will be initiated from ground control located at STScI. Engineering teams have completed the James Webb Space Telescope’s long-spanning comprehensive testing regimen at Northrop Grumman’s facilities. Webb’s many tests and checkpoints were designed to ensure that the world’s most complex space science observatory will operate as designed once in space. Now that observatory testing has concluded, shipment operations have begun. This includes all the necessary steps to prepare Webb for a safe journey through the Panama Canal to its launch location in Kourou, French Guiana, on the northeastern coast of South America. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Michael P. Menzel (AIMM): Producer, Michael P. Menzel (AIMM): Video Editor, Michael P. Menzel (AIMM): Videographer, Sophia Roberts (AIMM): Videographer Webb will take one month to fly to its intended orbital location in space nearly one million miles away from Earth, slowly unfolding as it goes. Sunshield deployments will begin a few days after launch, and each step can be controlled expertly from the ground, giving Webb’s launch full control to circumnavigate any unforeseen issues with deployment. Once the sunshield starts to deploy, the telescope and instruments will enter shade and start to cool over time. Over the ensuing weeks, the mission team will closely monitor the observatory’s cooldown, managing it with heaters to control stresses on instruments and structures. In the meantime, the secondary mirror tripod will unfold, the primary mirror will unfold, Webb’s instruments will slowly power up, and thruster firings will insert the observatory into a prescribed orbit. Once the observatory has cooled down and stabilized at its frigid operating temperature, several months of alignments to its optics and calibrations of its scientific instruments will occur. Scientific operations are expected to commence approximately six months after launch. ‘Flagship’ missions like Webb are generational projects. Webb was built on both the legacy and the lessons of missions before it, such as the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, and it will in turn provide the foundation upon which future large astronomical space observatories may one day be developed. “After completing the final steps of the James Webb Space Telescope’s testing regimen, I can’t help but see the reflections of the thousands of individuals who have dedicated so much of their lives to Webb, every time I look at that beautiful gold mirror,” said Bill Ochs, Webb project manager for NASA Goddard. The James Webb Space Telescope will be the world’s premier space science observatory when it launches in 2021. Webb will solve mysteries in our solar system, look beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probe the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. https://scitechdaily.com/nasas-10-billion-james-webb-space-telescope-has-successfully-completed-testing/ FOQA Specialist (NJUS) Purpose of Position The FOQA Specialist processes day-to-day Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) data using the Ground Data Replay Analysis System (GDRAS) and performs routine data analysis. The FOQA Specialist creates weekly and monthly deliverables in addition to working with Gatekeepers and other members of Safety and FOQA Management Team (FMT). Tasks and Responsibilities · Supports the FOQA Program Manager with daily administration of the FOQA efforts to ensure analysis of flight data for improved flight safety including validation of FOQA events, identification of events for Gatekeeper contacts and identification of events for Maintenance reporting. · Performs data analysis, root cause analysis and determines corrective actions of digital flight data to determine adverse events, trends in flight and maintenance operations. Coordinates and validates aircraft specific event definitions. Maintains and identifies new FOQA events, and manages documentation supporting these functions. · Prepares flight operations trending analysis charts and reports. Compiles and presents FOQA data summaries to enhance training, maintenance, flight operations. Performs specialized studies and fulfills special data requests. Assists in the creation of safety and FOQA department publications. Prepares reports, presentations, and statistical data required to identify trends for safety enhancement. · Oversees data collection process of aircraft fleet in conjunction with Maintenance. Education Bachelor's in Aviation or Engineering Certifications and Licenses Years of Experience 0-2 years of experience Core Competencies Adaptability Collaboration Curiosity Service-Oriented Strives for Positive Results Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other (KSAOs) · Basic computer programming and statistical methods experience · Strong work ethic, ability to work in a fast-paced environment and a positive attitude toward teamwork · Previous experience maintaining and enhancing corporate safety standards and safe operation practices · Extensive working knowledge of Microsoft Office Programs, including spreadsheet and database applications · Travel up to 10% of the time, including overnight stays · FAA Commercial Pilot License or higher preferred · Prior experience with Austin Digital or equivalent GDRAS platforms preferred · Knowledge of aircraft flight data recorders preferred · Previous work experience, preferably in 14 CFR Part 121 or 135 air carrier operations; quality control, maintenance, operations, safety or a combination of these areas. APPLY HERE The Fifteenth Safeskies Aviation Safety Conference is scheduled to be held in Canberra, Australia in September 2022 Safeskies 2022, 15th aviation safety conference. Canberra, Australia. September 20 to 22, 2022 Sir Reginald Ansett Memorial Lecture and Dinner, Federal Parliament House, Great Hall. Evening of 20 September. Conference sessions. 21 and 22 September, Hyatt Hotel Canberra. Details on the website as they become available. www.SafeskiesAustralia.org Curt Lewis