Flight Safety Information - September 7, 2021 No. 180 In This Issue : Incident: UPS B752 at Spokane on Sep 2nd 2021, flight control problems : Incident: Georgian B738 at Tbilisi on Sep 5th 2021, gear problem on departure : Airbus A320-271N - Bird Strike on Takeoff (India) : Angry families of MH17 victims accuse Russia of lying : Russian Airline Aeroflot Suspends Unvaccinated Pilots : Breath analyser tests to resume for pilots, crew involved in flight operations (India) : Pilots’ association accuses Air India of gender discrimination (India) : FAA Implements Voluntary Safety Reporting Program to Address Concerns about Industry Influence : Planes Chartered To Evacuate Americans And Others From Afghanistan Remain Grounded : Unruly passenger arrested on flight into SLC airport : How Many Test Boeing 777X Aircraft Have Been Built? : Airfare is set to drop this fall and airlines have already started testing cheap pricing on expensive routes : POSITION AVAILABLE: Decision Science Lead, Flight Safety : POSITION AVAILABLE: FOQA Specialist Incident: UPS B752 at Spokane on Sep 2nd 2021, flight control problems A UPS Boeing 757-200 freighter, registration N403UP performing freight flight 5X-991 from Spokane,WA to Ontario,CA (USA) with 2 crew, was climbing out of Spokane's runway 03 when the crew stopped the climb at about 8300 feet reporting an avionics autopilot system issue and requested to enter a hold ro run the checklists. Subsequently the crew declared emergency reporting a flight control issue and returned to Spokane for a safe landing on runway 03 about 30 minutes after departure. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Spokane about 91 hours (3 days 19 hours) after landing back. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UPS991/history/20210903/0242Z/KGEG/KONT http://avherald.com/h?article=4ecdc604&opt=0 Incident: Georgian B738 at Tbilisi on Sep 5th 2021, gear problem on departure A Georgian Airways Boeing 737-800, registration 4L-TGC performing flgiht A9-681 from Tbilisi (Georgia) to Vienna (Austria) with 180 people on board, was climbing out of Tbilisi's runway 13R when the crew stopped the climb at FL070 due to a problem with the landing gear. The aircraft entered a hold to burn off fuel and returned to Tbilisi for a safe landing on runway 13R about 105 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 90 minutes, then departed again and reached Vienna with a delay of 4 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ecd9d5b&opt=0 Airbus A320-271N - Bird Strike on Takeoff (India) Date: 06-SEP-2021 Time: c. 10:30 UTC Type: Airbus A320-271N Owner/operator: IndiGo Airlines Registration: VT-IZF MSN: 8541 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 105 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Guwahati-Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (GAU/VEGT) - India Phase: Take off Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Guwahati-Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (GAU/VEGT) Destination airport: Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL/VIDP) Narrative: IndiGo Airlines flight 6E2329, an Airbus A320neo, returned to land at Guwahati, India, after suffering a bird strike on takeoff. Engine no.2 ingested one or more blades, causing damage to fan blades. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/267396 Angry families of MH17 victims accuse Russia of lying AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Relatives of the 298 victims of Malaysian Airlines flight 17 on Monday accused Russia of lying about its alleged role in the downing of the plane as they began testifying in the Dutch murder trial of four suspects. International investigators concluded that the passenger plane was shot down over eastern Ukraine with a missile fired by pro-Russian rebels. Moscow denies all responsibility. "They are lying, we know they are lying and they know that we know that they are lying," Ria van der Steen, who lost her father and stepmother on the flight, told the court, saying she was citing the late Soviet dissident writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn. The Dutch woman was the first of dozens of relatives who will be given an opportunity to speak or submit written statements over the coming three weeks. MH17 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was hit by what international investigators and prosecutors say was a Russian surface-to-air missile that originated from a Russian base just across the Ukrainian border.. Van der Steen made the remarks about lying in Russian, explaining that she did so "for the benefit of those who are listening in on behalf of the Russian regime today." "I want it to be known that I know where the responsibility lies," she said, adding that "lying and falsehoods are a familiar tactic in this game of cat and mouse through which we are aspiring to uncover the truth". Australian Vanessa Rizk also pointed to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government as part of the "political nightmare" that led to the crash. "I still cannot fathom that our family is caught up in a frustrating and deadly political crisis," Rizk, who lost both her parents in the crash when she was 22, told the judges via videolink. She stressed her parents had no role in any of the politics that lead to their deaths. Russia, which maintains that it has not funded or supported rebels fighting Ukrainian government troops, has refused to extradite the suspects. Three Russians and a Ukrainian citizen, all suspected of having key roles in the separatist forces, are on trial for murder. After years of collecting evidence, a team of international investigators concluded in May 2018 that the launcher used to fire the missile belonged to Russia's 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade. The fugitive suspects have been on trial for a year and a half. Only one sent lawyers to represent him so the case is not considered to be entirely tried in absentia under Dutch law. Judges said on Monday they expected to issue a judgement in late 2022. https://www.yahoo.com/news/families-mh17-airline-crash-victims-083816877.html Russian Airline Aeroflot Suspends Unvaccinated Pilots Russia’s flagship airline Aeroflot has suspended several pilots for refusing to vaccinate against the coronavirus, the RBC news website reported Monday, citing a company spokesperson. At least six unvaccinated pilots were at various times sent on unpaid leave or vacation without pay, Aeroflot spokesman Mikhail Demin told the outlet. The pilots’ labor union complained to Aeroflot CEO Mikhail Poluboyarinov of discrimination, arguing that unvaccinated flight attendants and technical support staff do not face similar dismissals. “No other Russian airline has similar suspensions,” Igor Deldyuzhov, president of the Sheremetyevo Cockpit Personnel Association (SCPA), said in a letter on the union’s website. “These measures toward employees provoke excessive social tensions and push them to quit,” Deldyuzhov wrote, urging Poluboyarinov to lift the order to dismiss unvaccinated pilots. He argued that Aeroflot, which employs 2,300 pilots, should not adopt punitive measures against unvaccinated employees given that the airline reached an 84% vaccination rate among its overall staff. Russia has grappled with slower-than-hoped vaccination rates despite having three authorized and widely available vaccines. Russia’s labor minister warned this summer that unvaccinated workers risk being sent on unpaid leave. He noted, however, that Russia’s labor code does not prescribe firings for refusing vaccination. As the highly transmissible Delta variant swept across the country in June, Moscow announced a series of unprecedented steps to boost vaccination rates, including forcing service sector businesses to ensure 60% of their staff had been vaccinated, under threat of fines or shutdowns if they failed to hit the target. The Kremlin has maintained that Russia’s vaccination campaign is purely voluntary, but urged vaccine-hesitant workers in professions where vaccines are mandatory to change jobs. Other regions followed Moscow’s lead, rolling out their own mandatory vaccination rules, leading to soaring vaccination rates that have tailed off in recent weeks. Although free jabs have been available to Russians since December, just 39 million out of a population of some 146 million have been fully vaccinated and 46 million received at least one dose. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/09/07/russian-airline-aeroflot-suspends-unvaccinated-pilots-a74987 Breath analyser tests to resume for pilots, crew involved in flight operations (India) The aviation watchdog DGCA on Tuesday told ANI that they were monitoring the situation. Representative image The compulsory daily breath analyser (BA) tests were paused during the deadly second wave of the COVID 19 pandemic in India. The Director-General Of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is set to re-start the mandatory breath analyser (BA) tests for all pilots, crew and other staff involved in flight operations. The compulsory daily breath analyser (BA) tests were paused during the deadly second wave of the COVID 19 pandemic in India. The aviation watchdog DGCA on Tuesday told ANI that they were monitoring the situation. "The situation is improving and if there is no third wave, we will restore it to 100 per cent," DGCA told ANI. Recently, Arun Kumar, the DGCA chief called a meeting for discussing several issues in which the mandatory breath analyser test was also discussed. "The officials and stakeholders have been asked to submit a detailed report on this," the official told ANI. When asked how the breath analyser tests are currently performed at airports, the official said that the DGCA does random tests at the airports. Air India's pilots' union and several other airlines had earlier written to the DGCA to stop BA tests as they increased the risk of infection during the outbreak of the COVID pandemic. https://www.livemint.com/news/india/breath-analyser-tests-to-resume-for-pilots-crew-involved-in-flight-operations-11630999857160.html Pilots’ association accuses Air India of gender discrimination (India) The association said that the Upgradation List excluded the names or misspelt the names of few women pilots who took maternity leaves, thereby amounting to a denial of due service benefits and adversely affecting their seniority The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association accused the government’s Air India of actively discriminating against women pilots, in a letter written to Air India Managing Director Rajiv Bansal on Monday. In the letter, the association said that the Upgradation List excluded the names or misspelt the names of few women pilots who took maternity leaves, thereby amounting to a denial of due service benefits like Leave Travel Concession (LTC) and adversely affecting their seniority. “It is reiterated that the present actions of Air India amount to a complete unauthorized transgression vis-à-vis the constitutionally protected rights of its female Pilot workforce and are, therefore, unconstitutional, illegal, arbitrary, and contrary to the judicial pronouncements on this issue,” the letter said. The letter said that such discrimination has adversely affected the morale and dignity of the said women pilots and called on Air India to restore their rightful seniority. According to an extant policy of Air India, women pilots are compulsorily taken off all flight duties when they report their pregnancy. The said pilot is then shifted to desk duty with full pay, excluding flying allowance, performance incentives and mobile phone allowance. The pilots’ association said this is a violation of women pilots’ right to equality and dignity. “The same is also insulting to a woman pilot and almost makes out pregnancy as if it is a stigma or a negative marker which makes the said woman pilot ‘unfit’ or ‘not qualified or entitled’ to discharge her duties ably, shoulder to shoulder with her male counterparts,” the letter added. Citing a Delhi high court verdict, the association said that any form of pregnancy-related discrimination against expecting women professionals is violative of their fundamental rights under Articles 14, 15, 16, 19 and 21 of the Constitution and is thus, entirely non-permissible by law. Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 (“Act”) governs the conditions of service of women employees on maternity leave. Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act 2017 provides for the rights of pregnant employees and attempts to ensure that such employees do not have to face any kind of discrimination during their pregnancy. An Air India spokesperson said that Air India won’t comment on such internal matters. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pilots-association-accuses-air-india-of-gender-discrimination-101630994811922.html FAA Implements Voluntary Safety Reporting Program to Address Concerns about Industry Influence On June 21, 2021, the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA” or “the Agency”) announced a new Voluntary Safety Reporting Program (“the Program”) to enable the more than 7,000 professionals in its Aviation Safety office to report safety-related concerns confidentially and without fear of disciplinary or enforcement action. The Program aims to address the troubling results of an employee survey in the wake of the Boeing 737 MAX crashes in late 2018 and early 2019. According to the FAA, the Program will help improve safety awareness by “identify[ing] leading indicators and significant aviation safety issues, operational deficiencies, noncompliance with regulations, and deviations from policies and procedures” by Boeing and other major players in the industry based on input from those who know them best—Aviation Safety employees. The first of the two fatal 737 MAX crashes occurred on October 29, 2018, when a Lion Air flight plummeted into the Java Sea 11 minutes after taking off from Jakarta, Indonesia. Fewer than five months later, on March 10, 2019, an Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed to the ground near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, about six minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa. Investigators zeroed in on the two planes’ Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (“MCAS”), an automated system designed to help avoid stalls by nudging down the nose of the plane, as the cause of the crashes. In both the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, the MCAS sensor malfunctioned, causing the planes to nosedive unexpectedly. Subsequent investigation into the crashes revealed the FAA had not conducted a safety assessment of the version of MCAS present in both the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines planes. Instead, under Agency rules adopted in 2005, the FAA had delegated authority over much of the 737 MAX certification process to engineers at Boeing, itself, and the company had relied on its own safety assessment of the final version of the automated system. Although Boeing presented early iterations of MCAS to the FAA, it was not required to, and did not, present later iterations of the system, even though they created substantially more risk to passengers and pilots. Appropriate FAA personnel were not made aware of the late-stage changes to MCAS until after the Lion Air crash. In October 2019, a multi-agency task force convened after the crashes issued a report finding, in part, that the FAA had “inadequate awareness” of the MCAS function and “limited involvement” in the 737 MAX certification process, even though FAA officials were supposed to be conducting oversight of the Boeing engineers designated to carry out that process. Together, these factors precluded the FAA from making the appropriate “independent assessment” of MCAS prior to certifying the aircraft. The task force also found Boeing engineers faced “undue pressure” from Boeing executives when making certification decisions on behalf of the FAA. Later that year, a third-party firm conducted an independent survey of Agency employees to find out more about the culture of safety at the FAA. In the survey, FAA employees reported facing “strong” pressure from the aviation industry, including Boeing. One employee even told interviewers the message they received from their supervisors was, “‘Don’t rock the boat’ with Boeing.” When the Agency turned over the results of the survey to Congress in 2020, it faced intense backlash for its perceived “cozy relationship” with Boeing, which many believed had contributed to the Agency’s lax oversight of the 737 MAX certification process. The FAA announced its plans to stand up the Program to combat these concerns shortly thereafter. Submitting Safety-Related Complaints Through the FAA’s Voluntary Safety Reporting Program As the FAA stated in June, the Program “allows the [A]gency to address safety sensitive issues that may otherwise have gone unnoticed due to fear of repercussion,” such as those fears reported by employees in the survey. According to the order establishing the Program, Aviation Safety employees can submit safety-related complaints through the Program online. Complaints are reviewed by the Program’s Event Review Team (“ERT”) and either accepted for investigation or, if the complaint is outside the Program’s purview, referred to the appropriate FAA office for further handling. At the conclusion of its investigation, the ERT can (1) issue a Corrective Action Request to the appropriate office providing recommendations for resolving the matter; (2) in instances where a report “highlights the need for...training...to resolve proficiency issues,” assign individualized training to the complainant; or (3) decline to take corrective action. The ERT may reconsider a decision to decline corrective action if additional information becomes available that either increases the risk reported or identifies the matter as “systemic.” Protecting Aviation Whistleblowers from Retaliation As the FAA acknowledged in the order establishing the Program, the Program’s success “depends on its ability to maintain confidentiality”: if employees fear retaliation, they will not come forward. Employees’ names and other identifying information are redacted from complaints prior to review by the ERT, subject matter experts, and Executive Board or posting to the Program’s website. Redacted information will be shared only when required to gather additional contextual information, and in that case limited to those who have a “need-to-know.” ERT members, analysts, and any other individuals with access to confidential Program information also are required to sign confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements obligating them to keep that information confidential. Unfortunately, whistleblowers do not always remain anonymous, and those whose identities are revealed during or after an investigation may face job-related retaliation because of their reports. But FAA employees who experience retaliation for reports they make through the Program may be entitled to relief. For example, they can file a complaint for retaliation with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (“OSC”) and, if OSC has reasonable grounds to believe an adverse personnel action is retaliatory, it can delay the action. If OSC concludes after an investigation that the action was retaliatory, it can seek corrective or disciplinary action on behalf of the employee. FAA employees who experience retaliation for reports they make through the Program also may hold legal claims under the federal Whistleblower Protection Act, 5 U.S.C. § 2302 et seq., which provides for monetary relief including back pay and compensatory damages for emotional distress. FAA employees experiencing retaliation should consult with an employment attorney to learn more about filing a complaint with OSC or seeking monetary relief under the Whistleblower Protection Act. https://www.natlawreview.com/article/faa-implements-voluntary-safety-reporting-program-to-address-concerns-about-industry Planes Chartered To Evacuate Americans And Others From Afghanistan Remain Grounded Multiple planes meant to ferry hundreds of people who say they are fearful of life under the Taliban's rule, including American citizens and green card holders, spent another day parked on an airstrip in northern Afghanistan Monday. Marina LeGree, executive director of Ascend, a non-profit that teaches young Afghan women leadership through mountaineering and other athletics, told NPR's Jackie Northam that several Afghans affiliated with her group remained stuck. LeGree said that was in addition to more than 600 others, including at least 19 American citizens and two U.S. green card holders. Among the hundreds of stranded travelers were members of nongovernmental organizations, journalists and women at risk, according to LeGree. LeGree, from her home in Italy, said these travelers had now spent seven days in anticipation of clearance to take off, taking up residence near the airport in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif. On Sunday, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News that the Taliban were holding people "hostage" and that there were "six airplanes with American citizens on them as I speak." While LeGree confirmed she'd been told there were six planes in total, she did clarify that the travelers were not waiting "physically on board" aircraft. NPR could not independently confirm details of the situation in Mazar-e-Sharif. McCaul said the Taliban was not letting the planes depart until its "demands" were met, possibly in the form of "cash or legitimacy as the government of Afghanistan." A spokesperson with the State Department told NPR's Michele Kelemen that the U.S. is prepared to help all remaining U.S. citizens, green card holders and at risk Afghans who want to leave. On Monday, a State Department official said the U.S. had "facilitated the safe departure of four Americans via overland route" that day. The official did not identify the Americans or specify the country to which they were taken. But the department also said that it discourages chartered airplanes because – with no more of its personnel left on the ground in Afghanistan – it could not properly confirm the planes' passenger manifests. An Afghan official at Mazar-e-Sharif airport told the Associated Press that many of the Afghan travelers did not have passports or visas. The U.S. government says there has to be screening for everyone arriving into U.S. military bases due to security concerns. LeGree said her understanding from speaking with sources on the ground is that the primary issue now is a negotiation between the Taliban and Kam Air, which is operating the flights, over the cost of using the airport. https://www.npr.org/2021/09/06/1034626356/planes-chartered-to-evacuate-americans-and-others-from-afghanistan-remain-ground Unruly passenger arrested on flight into SLC airport SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – A man was arrested after an outburst on a flight landing at Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday. According to a passenger who posted videos of the outburst on social media, the incident happened on an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles into Salt Lake City. In one of three videos, the man is seen yelling at one of the members of the flight crew in the front of the plane. “Sit down now,” one crew member orders as the man continues to yell. The video shows the unruly passenger insisting the flight crew can’t hold him on the flight while it’s on the ground. The crew member then explains the plane is still in the air. In another video, he appears to be growling as he places his face mask inside his mouth. A spokesperson for the Salt Lake City International Airport confirms to ABC4 the unruly passenger was removed from the flight and cited for public intoxication. His identity has not yet been released. https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/unruly-passenger-arrested-on-flight-into-slc-airport/ How Many Test Boeing 777X Aircraft Have Been Built? The 777X is Boeing’s latest and greatest aircraft. The third generation of the record-setting 777 family, the aircraft first took to the skies in January 2020. While there have been delays in deliveries, Boeing has already begun building new units for testing. So how many 777X’s have already been built, and where are they going? Let’s find out. The first Boeing 777X produced is registered N779XW and made the type’s maiden flight early last year, just two months before the pandemic shook the world. According to data from AeroTransport Data Bank (ATDB.aero), Boeing has currently built four 777X’s. All of these aircraft have been involved in different tests for type certification, ranging from long-haul flying to cold soak testing in Alaska. All four of the jets made are of the larger 777-9 variant and will serve different parts of the type certification process. The first 777X to roll off the production line was N779XW, which came in March 2019. After a secret unveiling to employees, test flights and the launch was pushed back a few months. However, on 25th January 2020, N779XW was revealed to the world on the type’s maiden voyage from rainy Paine Field in Washington. All registrations are under Boeing’s test numbers, starting with the US code ‘N.’ The four aircraft have been following a series, with 779X stating the aircraft variant (777-9) and W being the first plane produced. Once deliveries, all airlines will assign their own numbers in line with country rules. N779XW is also designated WH001 and will be primarily used to test electronics, taxi tests, and the first flight, followed by avionics brakes, flutter, icing, stability, control, and low-speed aerodynamics. Number two Due to the pandemic and program delays, the second 777X only completed its testing in late April 2020. N779XX made its maiden test flight voyage on 1st May, joining the testing program for the type. Designated WH002, N779XX is in charge of testing auto-landing, ground effects, stability, and controls. This has taken the plane on some interesting missions, including a 10-hour flight to nowhere for long-haul testing in different parts of the country. 777X The four 777X test aircraft all serve different roles in operations. Number three The third 777X aircraft is registered N779XY and joined the program in August 2020. This plane is distinct due to its livery, which features an all-white fuselage instead of the blue on the other two. WH003 will be used to test the 777X’s auxiliary power unit, avionics, flight loads, and propulsion performance. While it might be tested right now, N779XY has booked itself a future operator. The third 777X will go to Lufthansa, where it will carry passengers for decades to go. Third 777X N779XY After the 777X receives certification, N779XY is headed to Lufthansa for active commercial service. Number four The fourth and final 777X testbed joined the fleet in September 2020. The aircraft is registered (as you guessed correctly!) N779XZ. As the final test aircraft, N779XZ has some heavy lifting to do. WH004 will be used to test environmental control systems, extended twin-engine operations (ETOPS), noise, and general functionality and reliability. This means the plane will likely be outfitted with passenger cabin technologies in the future. As if going in order, N779XZ is an all-white livery, with no blue tail either. With all four test 777X’s in service, Boeing is going full steam with the certification process. While there have been delays recently, the aircraft remains on track for a late 2023 debut. https://simpleflying.com/777x-test-aircraft-built/ Airfare is set to drop this fall and airlines have already started testing cheap pricing on expensive routes • Great deals on airfare can be had this fall as airlines entice leisure travelers to keep flying. Airlines are bracing for a fall travel season with fewer business travelers after a lucrative summer. Airfares from September to November are expected to be lower than normal as a result. But holiday travel will likely be priced similarly to last year's levels as leisure demand rebounds. Travelers who missed the bargain basement pricing of pandemic airfares have another opportunity to get deals on flights this fall. As the summer comes to a close and leisure travelers hibernate for the fall, airlines are facing a shortage of business travelers that would normally help fill the gap until the Thanksgiving or Christmas travel season. Big corporate spenders including Google are still keeping employees at home and largely holding off on expending travel budgets as the Delta variant plagues the US. Airfares this season, as a result, are expected to be lower than fall 2019 levels as airlines entice leisure flyers to get back in the air during their off-season. September may be the cheapest season of the fall, according to the travel data company Hopper. Airfares are estimated to drop 10% into September with the average round-trip flight costing $260 for domestic travel. Holiday travel may not be as good of a bargain this year, however, as Hopper expects airfares to rise 11% from September levels into December. Average round-trip airfares are expected to be $289 as a result. "This would make domestic airfare over the holiday season equivalent to summer airfare, similar to what we saw in 2019 and 2020," Hopper told Insider. Holiday travel spiked in 2020 despite pleas from public health officials about a second wave, with airlines likely estimating similar demand this year. Travelers looking to head overseas can also expect to spend less on airfare this fall. Hopper estimates September to November airfares will be 15% lower than fall 2019 levels and the average round-trip will be $734. International round-trips in the fall of 2020, for comparison, averaged $717. Those prices are still lower than the fall 2019 levels when the average airfare was $859 round-trip. September is also expected to be the cheapest month for international travel of the fall season months. Hopper expects September airfares to be 8% lower than July levels for an average airfare of $700 round-trip. Travelers may not see deals as good as those in 2020 but cheap airfares can still be had until the winter holiday travel rush. United Airlines showed just how low airfares can be with $113 round-trip fares between New York City and Los Angeles from late September to November, quickly matched by JetBlue Airways. Even more budget-minded passengers can also find round trips on Spirit Airlines on the same route for under $100. United, American Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines are also selling round-trip flights between Los Angeles and Maui, Hawaii for as low as $168. The cheap flights, however, signal just how bad the fall will be for airlines with fewer business customers. United's New York-Los Angeles route will be served by a narrow-body Boeing 757 aircraft instead of the premium-configured Boeing 767 aircraft that kicked off the route in March, presumably because business class seats are harder to sell when corporations aren't footing the bill. Business travel bookings, however, have been trending upward through the summer and spiked in the week leading up to Labor Day Weekend, according to TripActions data, which the company calls "an encouraging start" to business travel's recovery. This fall will be the first since the start of the pandemic when domestic travelers will also not have to worry about regional travel restrictions. Vaccinated travelers have also been given a green light by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to travel within the US. Unvaccinated travelers, however, are advised by the CDC to take additional measures including getting tested before and after traveling, as well as self-quarantining for seven to 10 days after traveling. https://www.yahoo.com/news/airfare-set-drop-fall-airlines-152600518.html 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