Flight Safety Information - September 1, 2021 No. 176 In This Issue : Incident: American A320 at Dallas on Aug 29th 2021, rejected takeoff : Incident: Jazz E175 at Charlottetown on Aug 22nd 2021, brakes problem on landing : Incident: Cargojet B752 near Vancouver on Aug 27th 2021, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Delta A333 at New York on Aug 28th 2021, hydraulic problem : Woman arrested at Honolulu airport for allegedly submitting fake vaccination card, avoiding quarantine : RIP cloth masks? Why airlines and governments are banning them : NBAA-BACE Vaccine Requirement Reflects Business Aviation’s Core Value of Safety : Aviation insurers hold back on Afghanistan flights after U.S. troops leave : Ethiopian Airlines and Boeing sign strategic MoU to create largest aviation hub in Africa : FAA still reviewing Boeing 777 engine fix after Denver incident : China boosts in-flight internet connectivity in commercial airplanes : Embry-Riddle 'expects' masks to be worn in classrooms, aircraft : Delta hiring 1,500 flight attendants : SpiceJet pilots under pay-cut stress, safety hit, alleges ex-Capt; airline denies allegation : Southwest pilots’ union sues carrier over changes to work rules during pandemic travel slump : Airbus pitching new freighter to UPS, DHL : Airbus swipes $4.9B jet order from Boeing customer Jet2 : CDC says travelers should avoid Puerto Rico, Switzerland, other destinations due to COVID-19 : Liquid nitrogen shortage delays Landsat 9 launch : POSITION AVAILABLE: Decision Science Lead, Flight Safety : POSITION AVAILABLE: FOQA Specialist Incident: American A320 at Dallas on Aug 29th 2021, rejected takeoff An American Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration N122US performing flight AA-1733 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to Milwaukee,WI (USA), was accelerating for takeoff from Fort Worth's runway 17R when the crew rejected takeoff at about 80 knots over ground advising they had received a number of caution messages. The aircraft vacated the runway and returned to the apron. A replacement A320-200 registration N660AW reached Milwaukee with a delay of 4 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service after about 21 hours on the ground. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ec90f6a&opt=0 Incident: Jazz E175 at Charlottetown on Aug 22nd 2021, brakes problem on landing A Jazz Embraer ERJ-175, registration C-FRQM performing flight QK-7460 from Montreal,QC to Charlottetown,PE (Canada) with 77 people on board, landed on Charlottetown's runway 21 when the crew felt a shimmy on applying the brakes, the deceleration was not as expected. When the crew increased brakes pressure the brakes locked up briefly, flight service reported reported seeing a puff of smoke from the landing gear. The aircraft slowed and taxied to the apron. The passengers disembarked normally. The Canadian TSB reported ground staff advised there was smoke and fluid coming from the left main gear, emergency services responded to the aircraft. The crew inspected the landing gear and found one of the pistons was bent and the disc had come off. Maintenance replaced the #2 brake. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/JZA7460/history/20210822/1200Z/CYUL/CYYG http://avherald.com/h?article=4ec90bca&opt=0 Incident: Cargojet B752 near Vancouver on Aug 27th 2021, engine shut down in flight A Cargojet Airways Boeing 757-200 freighter, registration C-GCJT performing flight W8-1819 from Vancouver,BC (Canada) to Los Angeles,CA (USA), was enroute at FL390 about 160nm south of Vancouver when the crew received indication of the right hand engine (RB211) failure, shut the engine down, drifted down to FL220 and returned to Vancouver for a safe landing about 70 minutes after departure. The aircraft returned to service on Aug 30th 2021. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/CJT1819/history/20210827/0315Z/CYVR/KLAX http://avherald.com/h?article=4ec90a60&opt=0 Incident: Delta A333 at New York on Aug 28th 2021, hydraulic problem A Delta Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration N819NW performing flight DL-213 from Athens (Greece) to New York JFK,NY (USA) with 297 people on board, was on approach to JFK's runway 04R when the crew initiated a go around from about 1000 feet advising ATC they had a maintenance issue. The crew requested to enter a hold to work the procedures, then reported they had a hydraulic issue which has gone away however they are still showing low pressure. In case the hydraulic problem came up again, they needed to be towed off the runway. The crew requested the longest runway available and a long final (15nm). ATC advised they would need to do a RNAV approach to runway 13R, otherwise it would be a very short final, the crew indicated RNAV runway 31R would be okay for them, when ATC queried the crew corrected to RNAV 13R and requested VOR approach 13R. The crew further suggested to do the RNAV for 13L and sidestep to runway 13R. The aircraft performed the RNAV approach for runway 13L and side stepped to runway 13R landing safely on runway 13R about 30 minutes after going around. The aircraft stopped on the runway for a few minutes, thne the crew advised they'd taxi to the gate with the flaps still down and continue to the apron. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL213/history/20210828/1155Z/LGAV/KJFK http://avherald.com/h?article=4ec8db0d&opt=0 Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk - Accident (California) Date: 31-AUG-2021 Time: 16:30 LT Type: Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk Owner/operator: US Navy (USN) Registration: MSN: Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 6 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Pacific Ocean, 60nm off San Diego, CA - United States of America Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: USS Abraham Lincoln, Pacific Destination airport: Narrative: A US Navy MH-60S helicopter crashed into the ocean off San Diego during a routine training flight. One crew member was rescued, five crew members are missing. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/267271 Woman arrested at Honolulu airport for allegedly submitting fake vaccination card, avoiding quarantine HONOLULU (KHON) – A 24-year-old woman was arrested and charged on suspicion of falsified vaccination documents in Hawaii. Chloe Mrozak, of Illinois, is accused of using a fake COVID vaccination card in order to avoid the state’s mandatory 10-day quarantine. She also allegedly falsified information about her quarantine location. Hawaii uses a program called Safe Travels to verify incoming travelers’ vaccination records and/or negative COVID tests. On Aug. 23, Mrozak uploaded and presented the card to a screener at the Honolulu airport. The Safe Travels administrator flagged it as a possible fraudulent vaccination card. The screener also failed to confirm Mrozak’s hotel reservation prior to her leaving the processing center. According to court documents, no reservation was found after contacting the hotel that she listed in her Safe Travels forms, and Mrozak did not provide her hotel reservation number and return flight information. Upon reviewing her vaccination card, authorities say they noticed Mrozak misspelled “Moderna” as “Maderna” and listed Delaware as the place where she got her vaccination. The special agent in charge of the investigation contacted Delaware officials to verify her vaccination status, but no record was found under her name and date of birth. The special agent found the woman’s Facebook profile and determined that Mrozak had a distinctive tattoo on her left hip. On Thursday, he met with other special agents with the Quarantine Compliance Check (QCC) Team to discuss her case. The team believed she would return home via Southwest Airlines and not American Airlines (as she listed) due to the fact that majority of the flights are purchased as round-trip tickets to reduce the cost. After scouting the airport, the QCC team located Mrozak at the Southwest Airlines counter Saturday where another woman was traveling with her. The team says they spotted her because of her tattoo. She was arrested on suspicion of falsified vaccination documents at the airport before she could leave the island. Unable to post bail, the special agent reported that Mrozak was transported to Queen’s for COVID screening and later transferred to the Honolulu Police Department. Bail was set $2,000. https://www.news10.com/news/woman-arrested-at-honolulu-airport-for-allegedly-submitting-fake-vaccination-card-avoiding-quarantine/ RIP cloth masks? Why airlines and governments are banning them Cloth masks, a staple of the pandemic, are now banned on some airlines and in public spaces in Germany and Austria, because there are no standards guiding their efficacy. Cloth masks have become a staple of our pandemic lives. In the earliest days of COVID-19, we followed online tutorials to sew masks from old T-shirts. Soon, companies of all kinds—from Old Navy to designer Christian Siriano—flooded the market with masks, so we could keep a stash handy whenever we stepped out the door. But the era of the cloth mask may be coming to an end. As COVID-19 continues to surge, accelerated by the delta variant, several European governments and companies are banning cloth masks, arguing that they are not as effective as medical masks in the midst of the current outbreak. Instead, they are mandating medical-grade masks. It’s unclear yet whether American companies will follow suit, but it could be worth preparing for that eventuality by understanding the difference between cloth and medical masks, and figuring out where to buy medical masks. Many airlines now ban fabric masks on flights. Last week, Finnair was the latest to adopt this policy, joining Air France, Lufthansa, Swissair, Croatia Airlines, and LATAM Airlines in announcing that passengers would not be allowed to wear cloth masks on flights. The reason? “Fabric masks are slightly less efficient at protecting people from infection than surgical masks,” according to Finnair’s statement. Now, all of these airlines are only allowing N95 masks, surgical masks, and respirators that do not have exhaust valves. At the start of 2021, European countries began recommending the use of medical masks, as more transmissible strains of the coronavirus—like the alpha (or British) variant—began spreading. In France, the government made it mandatory to wear masks in public and recommended that citizens only use disposable surgical masks or N95 masks. In Germany and Austria, the governments mandated that citizens wear filtering facepieces (FFP)—a European standard that offers a similar filtration system to the N95—on public transportation, in workplaces, and in shops. In its announcement, the German government said that medical masks offer the wearer more protection than cloth masks, “which are not subject to any standards with regards to their effectiveness.” Here in the United States, even in light of the delta variant, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still dissuades Americans from using N95 masks, saying they should be prioritized for healthcare workers. But some organizations are encouraging people to use medical-grade masks. Some healthcare systems, for instance, will give patients a disposable surgical mask upon arrival if the mask they came with “does not properly fit or does not provide the appropriate amount of protection.” It is also worth noting that the CDC’s guidance has changed several times throughout the pandemic, and it is possible that the agency will eventually follow Europe’s lead by recommending more protective medical-grade masks. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLOTH AND MEDICAL-GRADE MASKS? COVID-19 can spread through droplets or aerosolized particles that infected people emit when they sneeze, cough, talk, or breathe. All masks, when properly worn, are designed to catch droplets as they escape the wearer’s nose and mouth, which can protect other people in the vicinity. Dr. Christian L’Orange, a professor of mechanical engineering at Colorado State University whose lab focuses on measuring the effectiveness of masks, points out that if everyone in a community wore a mask, it would curb the spread of the disease. “Everything we can do to decrease total viral load and spread is beneficial,” he says. https://www.fastcompany.com/90670465/rip-cloth-masks-why-airlines-and-governments-are-banning-them NBAA-BACE Vaccine Requirement Reflects Business Aviation’s Core Value of Safety By adopting a vaccine requirement, the association anticipates mask wearing will be a personal choice for attendees and exhibitors. Consistent with its core value of safety, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) announced on Aug. 31 that it is adopting a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for the 2021 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) designed to ensure a safe, interactive and successful event for all attendees and exhibitors. “For decades, the aviation industry has brought people together and transported them forward safely and responsibly,” NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said. “We are leveraging that approach to aviation safety to guide us with regard to NBAA-BACE. We are taking guidance from health and safety experts and adopting trade show best practices. Including a vaccine requirement in the comprehensive safety protocols for the show will create the most interactive environment possible for buying, selling, networking and learning.” Health and safety experts agree a vaccine requirement is the most effective tool in creating a safe environment for in-person events; it has also quickly become a best safety practice for trade shows and other live events, including Las Vegas Raiders games, CES (formerly known as Consumer Electronics Show) and the National Association of Broadcasters annual show. By adopting a vaccine requirement, the association anticipates mask wearing will be a personal choice for attendees and exhibitors. NBAA-BACE reports the exhibit floor in the brand-new, state-of-the art convention center is sold out. New features include the Maintenance Pavilion and the Owner/Single-Pilot Pavilion, and a number of major product announcements are expected. “This is an exciting time for business aviation,” Bolen said. “Flight activity is high, transactions are strong, and innovations are coming to the market at an accelerated pace. NBAA-BACE is going to be a great show that will move the business aviation industry to new heights.” For more information about NBAA-BACE, including health and safety protocols for 2021 NBAA-BACE, visit www.nbaa.org/bace. https://www.aviationpros.com/education-training/trade-associations-events/press-release/21236503/national-business-aviation-association-nbaa-nbaabace-vaccine-requirement-reflects-business-aviations-core-value-of-safety Aviation insurers hold back on Afghanistan flights after U.S. troops leave LONDON (Reuters) – Aviation insurers are unwilling to insure commercial flights into Afghanistan because of the risk of attacks after U.S. troops left the country, making it hard to deliver aid or evacuate people, industry sources told Reuters. Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers took control of the airport in Kabul on Tuesday after a massive airlift of more than 123,000 people by the United States and its allies ended. Bruce Carman, chief underwriting officer at Hive Aero, said his firm had been able to offer insurance cover for evacuation flights last week, but “no one can fly there right now”. Shortly before the final pullout of U.S. forces on Monday, an executive with an airline involved in the evacuation flights said it was already hard to find insurers willing to quote for Afghanistan. Lack of air traffic control services, rocket attacks and reports of hostilities around the airport make insuring flights to the Afghan capital exceptionally risky, sources said. Afghanistan’s airspace was “released to the military” in mid-August and the aviation authority advised airlines to avoid its air corridors. U.S. civil aircraft are barred from operating over the country unless given prior authorization, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Monday. Premium rates to cover aircraft flying into Afghanistan against attacks – known as hull war insurance – rose fivefold last week, with insurers putting in strict requirements, such as two-hour turnarounds at Kabul airport, a broker said. Airlines typically buy hull war cover if they are flying into conflict areas, but the chaotic mass evacuation and withdrawal of foreign troops meant the risks for Afghanistan were particularly acute. “There was a massive unknown as to how the Taliban would react to the evacuation, and couple this with the added threat of ISIS-K specifically targeting the airport, the stakes were very high,” said Hive’s Carman. “Premiums charged were a reflection of the level of danger.” Islamic State affiliate ISIS-K claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing outside the airport on Thursday that killed 13 U.S. service members and scores of Afghan civilians. The World Health Organization’s regional emergency director Rick Brennan said last week that insurance premiums had “skyrocketed at prices we have never seen before”. But a plane carrying WHO medicines and health supplies did land in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Monday, in the final hours of the U.S. withdrawal – the first shipment to get in since the Taliban took control on Aug. 15. The flight had insurance, a WHO spokesperson said, adding: “Our air cargo partners continue to negotiate for the best rates with insurers, which are fluctuating.” Insurers may restart cover quite quickly if air traffic control services resume, sources said. The Taliban are in talks with Qatar and Turkey about the future management of Kabul airport. “The Qataris and the Turkish authorities have very strong regulatory regimes, that will give comfort to insurers,” the broking source said. “The security blanket around (the airport) is a slightly different question.” https://kfgo.com/2021/09/01/aviation-insurers-hold-back-on-afghanistan-flights-after-u-s-troops-leave/ Ethiopian Airlines and Boeing sign strategic MoU to create largest aviation hub in Africa Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest airline group in Africa and Boeing Company have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to position Ethiopian as the largest aviation hub on the continent. The two companies have a relationship of more than 70 years and the objective of the MoU is to strengthen all of Ethiopian Airlines’ services in terms of pilot training, MRO services, logistics and cargo services, among others. The two companies will establish a beneficial and lucrative aviation partnership, which will consist of four areas of collaboration: industrial development, advanced aviation training, educational partnership, and leadership development over a three-year interval. Teams are already working to join the strategic alliance. Ethiopian Airlines and Boeing have worked on multiple projects for decades. The airline was the first operator in Africa of the Boeing 767, was one of the first launch customers and third operator of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, in addition to being the first on the continent to have a flight simulator of this model. With this MoU, Ethiopian will consolidate the objective of its Vision 2025 plan to position Ethiopia as the continent’s aviation hub, a market in which it is already well ahead in terms of both traffic and profitability. Both companies will develop key plans to compete globally, projecting Ethiopian Aviation Academy to become one of the most recognized aviation training centers in the world. Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing aircraft fleet 10 Boeing 737-700 Next Generation 18 Boeing 737-800 Next Generation 4 Boeing 737 MAX 8 (27 outstanding orders) 3 Boeing 767-300ER (soon to be converted to freighters) 6 Boeing 777-200LR (First African operator of this model) 4 Boeing 777-300ER 19 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (First operator in Africa and Third in the world) 8 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (2 orders pending) 3 Boeing 737-800F (1 order pending) 9 Boeing 777F Ethiopian Airlines is the largest operator of Boeing aircraft on the entire African continent, and prior to the pandemic was studying the purchase of the Boeing 777-8 to increase its ultra-long haul destinations and expand its network to regions such as Australia and more cities in North America. https://www.aviacionline.com/2021/08/ethiopian-airlines-and-boeing-sign-strategic-mou-to-create-largest-aviation-hub-in-africa/ FAA still reviewing Boeing 777 engine fix after Denver incident 'We have identified design changes and are working to finalize them,' a Boeing spokesperson said The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Monday it is continuing to review Boeing 777-200 planes equipped with Pratt & Whitney (PW) engines like the one involved in a United Airlines emergency landing in February in Denver. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson told a U.S. House committee in May that the agency was going to mandate strengthening a key part on those engines. Those planes have been grounded for more than six months. A Boeing spokesman said Monday it was "working closely with the FAA, our customers, and Pratt & Whitney to safely return PW4000-112-powered 777 airplanes to service. We have identified design changes and are working to finalize them, including a robust certification effort." • ANOTHER BOEING FLIGHT FORCED TO MAKE EMERGENCY LANDING IN UTAH AFTER POTENTIAL ENGINE ISSUES The FAA said its "safety review is ongoing." The United Airlines flight was heading to Honolulu in February when it suffered an engine failure. The Boeing 777-200 plane landed safely at Denver International Airport soon after takeoff. A United spokesman said Monday it expects "these aircraft to return to service but providing anything beyond that in terms of timelines would be premature." United Chief Commercial officer Andrew Nocella had said in July the airline was "really disappointed" they were not able to fly 777s with the PW engines. "The 777 aircrafts that are grounded are large capacity domestic movers. And we used those for Hawaii and hub-to-hub. And so right now, we're flying well below where we like to be in Hawaii," he said. "We really want those aircraft back." United is the only U.S. operator of 777s with the PW4000 engine and has 52 such planes. The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday the 777s may not fly until early 2022. https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/faa-still-reviewing-boeing-777-engine-fix-after-denver-incident China boosts in-flight internet connectivity in commercial airplanes BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- China has been promoting in-flight network connectivity services in commercial airplanes, a key move in building a smart civil aviation industry, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). A recently issued tech roadmap showed the development path for the new-generation broadband communication technologies in the civil aviation industry. In the tech roadmap, the CAAC proposed for the first time the implementation path of a new generation of aviation broadband communication technologies represented by 5G technology. The roadmap also offers tech guidance for industry players, aiming to help boost the coordinated development and comprehensive application of broadband-centered aviation communication technologies. Thanks to constant progress and implementation of modern technologies, the in-flight internet surfing experience has been greatly enhanced from cabin local network initially to higher speed broadband connectivity. As of June end, a total of 769 commercial airplanes of 21 Chinese airlines are equipped with in-flight internet services, up 18 percent from that in 2020, CAAC data showed. https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/270968448/china-boosts-in-flight-internet-connectivity-in-commercial-airplanes Embry-Riddle 'expects' masks to be worn in classrooms, aircraft Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University announced Tuesday that it expects all students to wear masks in classrooms and aircrafts. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University announced Tuesday that it expects all students to wear masks in classrooms and on aircraft. Their spokesperson made it clear to FOX 35 News that this is not a mask mandate. "[It's a] clear, cultural expectation for everyone in their community…keeping up with the university's strong aviation safety culture," the spokesperson said. This comes hours after a beloved professor and chairperson of the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering resigned. Dr. Timothy Wilson took to his LinkedIn page to say he was ending his 21-year career here because he believed the university's COVID policies to be wrong, adding that it would not allow professors to make masks mandatory in their classrooms or offices. Now, the university is releasing a statement that read, in part, "We are grateful for our colleague’s many years of service and wish him well in his future endeavors. His leadership and passion for his field have inspired many. We continue to partner with our outstanding faculty members to advance safety and uphold our mission of education during these complicated times." Hours later, the university announced they were disappointed in the low number of students wearing masks on campus on the first day of class Monday. The memorandum read, in part, "From this moment forward, in light of the latest guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Embry-Riddle leadership expects everyone – whether you are vaccinated or unvaccinated – to wear a mask over your nose and mouth at all times whenever you are inside any university facility or aircraft." The spokesperson also tells FOX 35 News they will be releasing the number of positive COVID-19 cases on campus every week. https://www.wogx.com/news/embry-riddle-au-expects-masks-to-be-worn-in-classrooms-aircraft Delta hiring 1,500 flight attendants Delta is hiring 1,500 flight attendants as it ramps up after the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the industry. Delta Air Lines is hiring 1,500 flight attendants as it recovers from cutbacks last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new openings are on top of a similar number of flight attendants Delta is already bringing on board who had been in training or had conditional job offers before the pandemic disrupted plans. In total, Delta said it will have 3,000 new flight attendants by summer 2022. Delta requires all new hires to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. New flight attendants must be fully vaccinated before they start six weeks of training at its headquarters near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The company said the flight attendant jobs listed on its website at delta.com/careers may be posted for only a few days. Those interested in becoming a Delta flight attendant must have a high school degree or GED, be at least 21 years old by Jan. 1, 2022, and speak English fluently. The airline is also looking for applicants who can speak a second language, such as Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Czech, Danish, Japanese and Hebrew. The position requires “flexible hours, including nights, weekends, holidays and extended hours when needed,” according to the job listing. Some of the busiest periods for airline staff are holiday periods. The company is particularly interested in candidates that have at least one year of experience in “personalized customer service, patient care or similar role,” or a position ensuring the safety or care of others. https://www.ajc.com/news/business/delta-hiring-1500-flight-attendants/RSMHANMKZNFCPBDQM5LUPB3P6A/ SpiceJet pilots under pay-cut stress, safety hit, alleges ex-Capt; airline denies allegation MUMBAI: The massive pay cut imposed by SpiceJet for the past eighteen months has put its pilots under tremendous financial stress which has turned the airline into a flying hazard, said a pilot who resigned from SpiceJet this year after nine years of service. In a damning open letter sent to the Prime Minister and top civil aviation officials on Tuesday, Capt Vinodh Loganathan said that there have been instances of first officers and crew breaking down in the cockpit and so had to be consoled. SpiceJet in a statement to TOI, strongly denied the allegation of flight safety hazard due to financial stress as ``completely false, baseless” SpiceJet said it "has a strong flight safety culture and an impeccable safety record. It continues to maintain the highest standards of safety in operations with no compromise on quality.” The airline said: "The ex-employee had a history of poor performance on account of his attitude, failure in tests and exams and being abusive to his colleagues especially juniors.” Refuting this, Capt Loganathan said: "I have never failed any tests. Their allegation is absolutely frivolous. I have documentary proof.” Capt Loganathan said he had applied for a post in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation a few months ago and SpiceJet vice-president, operations had sent an NOC letter to the DGCA on June 10, 2021. He shared the said letter with TOI. It stated that Capt Loganathan had "maintained a high level of proficiency, integrity and no penalty or administrative action whether major or minor was imposed against him” when he was employed with SpiceJet. The former SpiceJet pilot, in his August 31 letter, titled, 'The flight safety hazard called SpiceJet’ said that while other airlines have imposed a 15-30 % salary cut, SpiceJet employees, including pilots have been under a 70-85 % cut since March 2020. SpiceJet did not respond to a specific query about the quantum of salary cut. The letter said that many pilots have sold their houses or have been forced out of their homes by the banks due to EMI non-payment. "Anyone who asks for their salary are off rostered and forced to resign….Many pilots and cabin crew are financially stressed and are not in a state of mind to operate. A financially stressed set of crew are a flight safety threat and since they are not in the right state of mind a crash can happen anytime," said Capt Loganathan’s letter. "I know I have taken a huge risk by bringing this out in the open and SpiceJet will make sure that there will be no place left for me in aviation in India. However, being an aviator, for the sake of my unfortunate colleagues and being a citizen of this great country, I consider it my duty to bring this safety hazard to you," said the 38-year old captain, who has over 5,500 hours of flying experience. The pilot alleged that when he raised the salary matter, he was verbally abused by certain SpiceJet officials, his flying duties stopped and he was forced to resign. Capt Mohan Ranganathan, an air safety expert said: ``The two classic examples of pilot suicide due to financial stress are SilkAir crash in December 1997 and Egypt Air 990 crash off the east coast of US. One of the major causes of accidents is delayed crew reaction to a potentially dangerous situation. When you are under such kind of stress, reaction time could be delayed by a few seconds and that could lead to a fatal accident.” SpiceJet issued a 500 word statement. Here it is in full. "We refer to the email communication being circulated by one Captain Vinod Longanathan agitating and alleging flight safety hazard at SpiceJet and giving an unfounded colour of being an unsafe airline due to financial stress caused to certain unnamed employees are completely false, baseless and we deny them all strongly. The ex-employee had resigned from the Company at the start of Covid in 2020. He later withdrew his resignation. Captain Vinod was later off-rostered for indiscipline. The ex-employee had a history of poor performance on account of his attitude, failure in tests and exams and being abusive to his colleagues especially juniors. The specific instances are well documented in his company records. When the Company decided to terminate his services on account of his conduct, he chose to submit his resignation rather than face “services terminated on account of poor conduct”. Taking a compassionate view the Company accepted his resignation. This entire communication is an attempt at propagating falsities. We hope that the media sees through this and is not misled into reporting frivolous and defamatory allegations and should instead seek proof from the ex-employee to substantiate these allegations. Insinuating that a fellow colleague committed suicide due to financial stress caused by salary issues is completely unfounded and based upon wrong surmises. The Company has already clarified that the crew member had been flying throughout and was being paid regularly like all flying crew. To manipulate facts and mention this incident in the letter is another deliberate attempt to sensationalise the unfortunate passing away of a colleague and create a scare. Captain Vinod is attempting to actually engage into a media trial of an event which by no stretch of imagination draws any such conclusion. This is an attempt by a disgruntled ex-employee to sensationalise and create a false safety scare and link it to an unfortunate crash (outside India). The allegations in the letter are an outright lie and an attempt to malign the Company and would be met with strongest legal action. The conduct of the ex-employee can itself be a threat to the cockpit for which he is presently pledging and trumpeting this revolting desecration. SpiceJet has a strong flight safety culture and an impeccable safety record. It continues to maintain the highest standards of safety in operations with no compromise on quality. Aviation is one of the most severely affected industry in the current pandemic. Like airlines worldwide, SpiceJet introduced a revised pay structure for its flying crew last year and has been paying them accordingly. The salary cuts announced in April 2020 were partially rescinded last year itself. There were no pay cuts for colleagues in the lowest pay grades and the CMD took the highest pay cut during this time. For the present financial year, he has actually not drawn any salary due to stressed operations on account of second wave despite engaging full time at work. The other initiatives of the airline and primarily SpiceXpress have actually helped the airline sustain during these challenging times.” https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/spicejet-pilots-under-pay-cut-stress-safety-hit-alleges-ex-capt-airline-denies-allegation/articleshow/85808986.cms Southwest pilots’ union sues carrier over changes to work rules during pandemic travel slump • The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association alleged the company violated federal labor laws by not negotiating the work-rule changes with the union. • The dispute says the airline changed working conditions, rules, and pay rates during the pandemic. Southwest pilots’ union sued the carrier this week, alleging the airline violated federal labor laws by altering work rules during the pandemic travel slump without negotiating the changes. Those included changes to work conditions and pilot pay rules and rates, such as an “emergency” time-off program, according to the lawsuit, which the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association filed in federal court in Dallas on Monday. Southwest denied the allegations that its changed required negotiation with the union. “Southwest Airlines, like the rest of the industry, has been forced to respond to the unpredictable challenges presented by the global COVID-19 pandemic,” Russell McCrady, Southwest’s vice president of labor relations said in a statement. “The airline disagrees with SWAPA’s claims that any COVID-related changes over the past few months required negotiation.” The pilots union said in the complaint that it is seeking an injunction to force the company to revert to the terms of their collective bargaining agreement. The lawsuit comes as tensions between Southwest’s workers and management are on the rise. Southwest pilots’ labor union this month said it was considering pickets at airports over Thanksgiving and Christmas to protest work conditions. The company last week said it would scale back its schedules for the rest of the year, following complaints about exhaustion from staff. Pilots and flight attendants have also complained about a shortage of hotels and food options while on the road. Southwest told workers this week that it is negotiating an agreement with a “food delivery service provider” to deliver hot food to hotels during overnight trips. “Southwest will cover the cost of the monthly subscription to this service, and we are negotiating to remove delivery fees and significantly reduce service fees,” wrote Rachel Loudermilk, director base operations in an email to staff. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/31/southwest-pilots-union-sues-carrier-over-changes-to-work-rules-during-pandemic-travel-slump.html Airbus pitching new freighter to UPS, DHL Airbus' (OTCPK:EADSY +0.7%) planned freighter version of the A350 jet is attracting interest from major cargo firms United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) and DHL Worldwide, less than a month after its board approved the jet's launch, Bloomberg reports. The new cargo jet will have 40% less fuel burn than four-engine freighters such as the Boeing 747 model, which should make it an attractive choice for customers, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury has said. UPS said during its recent earnings conference call that its existing order book is sufficient to meet requirements for the next three years, but it is reviewing longer-term needs. Airbus' new freighter is an attempt to break Boeing's dominance of a lucrative but volatile part of the jet market. https://seekingalpha.com/news/3730391-airbus-pitching-new-freighter-to-ups-dhl-bloomberg Airbus swipes $4.9B jet order from Boeing customer Jet2 Airbus (OTCPK:EADSY +0.3%) picks off a Boeing (BA +0.4%) customer with an order for 36 single-aisle planes valued at $4.9B at list prices from U.K. leisure carrier Jet2 (OTCPK:DRTGF), citing lower fuel consumption, comfort and efficiency in choosing the A321neo jets. The deal is valued at $4.9B before "significant discounts," with the number of planes potentially rising to 60, which would bring the face value of the deal to $8.1B. Jet2 says it plans to finance its first-ever Airbus purchase through a combination of internal resources and debt. Airbus' deal builds on a follow-on order from Delta Air Lines last week for 30 A321s. https://seekingalpha.com/news/3735692-airbus-swipes-49b-jet-order-from-boeing-customer-jet2 CDC says travelers should avoid Puerto Rico, Switzerland, other destinations due to COVID-19 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added two U.S. territories to its list of destinations with "very high" COVID-19 risk, advising Americans against traveling to Puerto Rico and Guam, among other destinations in CDC Travel Health Notices issued Monday. The agency also upgraded Switzerland, Saint Lucia, Azerbaijan, Estonia and North Macedonia to Level 4 on Monday. Level 4 is the CDC's highest risk category. The State Department also added those five countries to its "Level 4: Do Not Travel" list due to COVID-19 concerns. The State Department, which takes CDC Travel Health Notices into account for its own travel advisories, also urged travelers to "reconsider travel" to Canada, Germany, Bermuda and a number of other countries upgraded to Level 3 status on Monday. Just a day earlier, the European Union removed North Macedonia and the U.S. from its safe travel list, along with several other countries. According to the CDC, Americans should "avoid travel" to destinations with "very high" risk of COVID-19. However, if they must travel, the public health agency advises full vaccination. Unvaccinated travelers who must travel are advised to take a number of safety precautions. ►Can Americans visit Europe this fall?: It's complicated. What travelers need to know about EU travel restrictions. ►Traveling to Hawaii?: Get ready to show COVID vaccine or negative test at Honolulu restaurants, bars What CDC says unvaccinated travelers should do if they must travel Before travel: Get a viral test one to three days before departure. While traveling: Wear a face mask, social distance and wash hands frequently. After travel: Get a viral test three to five days after returning and self-quarantine for seven days. Travelers who opt out of testing should self-isolate for 10 days. Avoid being around immunocompromised people for 14 days, regardless of testing. Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and follow all local guidelines. Do not travel if you have been exposed to COVID-19, have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19. Bahamas, France, United Kingdom, other countries, already classified as 'very high' risk by CDC Last week, the CDC and State Department advised Americans against nonessential travel to the Bahamas and several other countries. A number of other popular destinations are already on the CDC's Level 4 list, including France, the United Kingdom and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The CDC assesses COVID-19 risk based on each destination's new cases and new case trajectory. The Travel Health Notice level can be raised if a large increase in COVID-19 cases is reported or a destination's case count meets or exceeds the threshold for a higher level for 14 straight days. Level 4 destinations have more than 500 new cases per 100,000 people over the past 28 days or more than 500 cases period if their population is smaller than 100,000. https://www.yahoo.com/news/cdc-says-travelers-avoid-puerto-133348173.html Liquid nitrogen shortage delays Landsat 9 launch WASHINGTON — A one-week delay in the launch of the next Landsat satellite on an Atlas 5 is the result of a ripple effect in the supply chain caused by increased demand for liquid oxygen to treat COVID-19 patients. NASA announced Aug. 27 that the launch of Landsat 9 on an Atlas 5 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California had slipped a week, from Sept. 16 to no earlier than Sept. 23, because “pandemic demands for medical liquid oxygen have impacted the delivery of the needed liquid nitrogen supply.” Liquid nitrogen, or LN2, is used to create gaseous nitrogen needed to support launch site activities. During an Aug. 31 virtual news briefing about the upcoming launch, Del Jenstrom, NASA Landsat 9 project manager, said the issue was not an overall lack of liquid nitrogen but instead a transportation issue. “There’s plenty of liquid nitrogen in the Los Angeles area. The problem is they need some trucks to bring it up to Vandenberg,” he said. “Because of the pandemic, from what we understand, liquid oxygen deliveries have been paying much higher premiums than liquid nitrogen deliveries, and LN2 trucks have been converted to carry liquid oxygen.” Jenstrom said that the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) informed the project Aug. 23 that liquid nitrogen supplies at the base were “critically low” and could not support upcoming prelaunch test activities or the launch itself. That prompted NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy to contact senior DLA officials to discuss ways to restore the base’s nitrogen supply. Airgas, the company that handles the nitrogen supply at Vandenberg, is bringing in “a dozen or so” liquid nitrogen tankers from the Gulf Coast temporarily to increase deliveries. “We’re seeing a substantial increase of the number of LN2 deliveries to the base right now,” he said, “and as far as we know, based on latest reports, we’re on track to support our launch on Sept. 23.” Supply chain issues related directly or indirectly to liquid oxygen, which is used by hospitals as the oxygen source for ventilators, came to light recently when Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of SpaceX, mentioned them during a panel discussion at the 36th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs Aug. 24. “We’re actually going to be impacted this year with the lack of liquid oxygen for launch,” she said. “We certainly are going to make sure the hospitals are going to have the oxygen that they need, but for anybody who has liquid oxygen to spare, send me an email.” At that time, Tory Bruno, chief executive of United Launch Alliance, hinted at a problem getting liquid nitrogen to Vandenberg to support the upcoming Landsat 9 launch. “Working that situation now,” Bruno said. The next launch planned for Vandenberg is not the Atlas 5 launch of Landsat 9. Instead, Firefly Aerospace has scheduled the inaugural launch of its Alpha rocket from the base on Sept. 2, during a four-hour window that opens at 9 p.m. Eastern. Company spokesperson Kim Jennett told SpaceNews Aug. 31 the launch remains on schedule and is not affected by any liquid nitrogen or other supply issues. Liquid oxygen supply chain problems extend beyond the United States. Dmitry Rogozin, head of Roscosmos, tweeted Aug. 29 that Roscosmos had for months been transferring “almost all” of the oxygen produced by its various enterprises to hospitals. That has postponed testing of rocket engines, he claimed. https://spacenews.com/liquid-nitrogen-shortage-delays-landsat-9-launch/ POSITION AVAILABLE: Decision Science Lead, Flight Safety Atlanta, GA This position will support the delivery and continued evolution of products based on the safety data, classifications, and models built with Flight Safety metrics and data science. The Technical Lead will help develop the safety data best practices for adoption and training within Flight Safety as well as Corporate Safety, Security and Compliance. This requires a deep knowledge of aviation safety metrics and models, classification models, statistical processes, and core data science/data engineering skill sets. This role will report directly to the Manager, Data and Decision Science. Primary responsibilities: • Bridge the gap between data collected from operations and the risk analysis needed for Delta to make informed decisions about areas of flight safety risk. • Design, develop and implement software products based on data science/machine learning models. • Help develop best practices for flight safety data architecture, data stewardship, and data presentation. • Define and execute the data modeling roadmap. • Build data sets from multiple data sources, both internally and externally. • Partner with Operational data analysis teams to optimize and enhance the data environment for addressing known safety risks and applying methods to discover potential new risks. • Work with operational leaders to ensure that the data products are produced with optimal efficiency and best practices. • Leverage emerging technologies and identify efficient and meaningful ways to disseminate data and analysis in order to satisfy the business' needs. • Provide technical leadership to the Flight Safety department and Corporate Safety. • Practice safety-conscious environment resulting in employee safety and well-being. • Embraces diverse people, thinking and styles. What you need to succeed: • Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or equivalent experience. • Must have at least 2 years of relevant analytical/project management experience. • Must have a working knowledge of Flight Operations and Flight Safety metrics. • Proficiency in working with relational databases and query authoring (SQL). • Proficiency in data visualization best practices and commercially available tools (e.g. Tableau). • Proficiency in Python, Bash script or other basic functional programming tools. • Strong written, oral communication, and interpersonal skills. • A natural curiosity towards constant improvement. • Strong project management, organizational, and prioritizations skills. • Must be able to interact and collaborate at all levels within Corporate Safety, Security and Compliance, Flight Operations, cross-divisional working groups and outside entities. • Must be performing satisfactorily in current position. What will give you a competitive edge: • PhD degree/candidate preferred. • Working knowledge of statistical/machine learning tools (e.g. scikit-learn) preferred. To apply, please visit: https://delta.avature.net/careers/JobDetail/Decision-Science-Lead/6087 APPLY HERE 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 Curt Lewis