Flight Safety Information - September 10, 2021 No. 183 In This Issue : Incident: Gol B738 at Sao Paulo on Sep 8th 2021, engine problem : Accident: SAS A320N at Split on Sep 4th 2021, tail strike on landing : Incident: Republic E175 at Duluth on Sep 7th 2021, bird strike : Incident: S7 A320 at Moscow on Sep 8th 2021, bird strike : Cessna 402C - overrun the runway (MA) : Alaska Airlines flight diverted to Juneau after passenger makes threats and group violates mask protocol, officials say : Employees who refused COVID-19 vaccine have 5 weeks to comply: United Airlines lays out rules : Refusing to wear a mask on an airplane could now cost you up to $3,000 in fines : Qantas becomes one of the first airlines to require that international passengers be vaccinated : Unruly couple kicked off flight to San Diego for refusing to wear masks properly : 'Show some respect:' Biden blasts travelers who harass flight attendants over face masks : CIRRUS AIRCRAFT OPENS FACILITIES IN ARIZONA, TEXAS : Wizz Air in talks over large Airbus jet order -sources : Sustainable jet fuel company Alder Fuels seals investments from United, Honeywell : Environmentalists to FAA: Release launch study on SpaceX Starship dangers to border : Position Available - Safety Evaluator : POSITION AVAILABLE: Decision Science Lead, Flight Safety : POSITION AVAILABLE: FOQA Specialist Incident: Gol B738 at Sao Paulo on Sep 8th 2021, engine problem A Gol Transportes Aereos Boeing 737-800, registration PR-GGP performing flight G3-1602 from Sao Paulo Guarulhos,SP to Porto Seguro,BA (Brazil) with 176 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing through FL220 out of Guarulhos Airport when the left hand engine's (CFM56) changed prompting the crew to stop the climb and return to Guarulhos Airport for a safe landing about 30 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration PR-GUT reached Porto Seguro with a delay of 2:45 hours. Brazil's CENIPA reported the aircraft received minor damage and rated the occurrence an incident. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Sao Paulo about 30 hours after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ed015e6&opt=0 Accident: SAS A320N at Split on Sep 4th 2021, tail strike on landing A SAS Scandinavian Airlines Airbus A320-200N, registration SE-ROJ performing flight SK-7347 from Bergen (Norway) to Split (Croatia), landed on Split's runway 05 at 12:34L (10:34Z) but struck its tail onto the runway surface. The aircraft rolled out without further incident and taxied to the apron. On Sep 9th 2021 Croatia's AIN (Accident Investigation Board) reported they have opened an investigation into the occurrence. The aircraft is still on the ground in Split 5 days later. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ed00655&opt=0 Incident: Republic E175 at Duluth on Sep 7th 2021, bird strike A Republic Airways Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of United, registration N641RW performing flight UA-3541 from Chicago O'Hare,IL to Duluth,MN (USA), departed Chicago's runway 28R and landed on Duluth's runway 27 about an hour later. The FAA reported a post flight inspection revealed minor damage to the fuselage as result of a bird strike. The aircraft returned to service about 10.5 hours later. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL3541/history/20210908/0055Z/KORD/KDLH http://avherald.com/h?article=4ed003c0&opt=0 Incident: S7 A320 at Moscow on Sep 8th 2021, bird strike A S7 Sibir Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration VP-BCZ performing flight S7-2169 from Moscow Domodedovo to Mineralnye Vody (Russia), was climbing through 2200 feet out of Domodedovo's runway 32R when the crew reported a bird strike and vibrations of the right hand engine (CFM56). The crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet and returned to Domodedovo for a safe landing on runway 32L about 20 minutes after departure. A replacement A320-200 registration VP-BCS reached Mineralnye Vody with a delay of 2:45 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Moscow about 24 hours after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ecfe90e&opt=0 Cessna 402C - overrun the runway (MA) Date: 09-SEP-2021 Time: c. 15:30 LT Type: Cessna 402C Owner/operator: Cape Air/Hyannis Air Service Inc Registration: N88833 MSN: 402C0265 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Category: Accident Location: Provincetown Municipal Airport (PVC/KPVC), MA - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi Departure airport: Boston-Logan International Airport, MA (BOS/KBOS) Destination airport: Provincetown Airport, MA (PVC/KPVC) Investigating agency: NTSB Narrative: A Cessna 402C, performing Cape Air flight KAP2072, overrun the runway 7 at Provincetown Municipal Airport (PVC/KPVC), Massachusetts, and crashed into wooded area. All seven POB survived the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/267491 Alaska Airlines flight diverted to Juneau after passenger makes threats and group violates mask protocol, officials say Sep. 9—A recent Alaska Airlines flight heading from Seattle to Anchorage was diverted after a passenger began threatening staff and people near them and their group refused to follow instructions for mask use, officials said. Multiple people traveling in the same group were earlier removed from Saturday's flight prior to takeoff in Seattle for what Alaska Airlines described in a statement as "disruptive behavior." Others in that party were allowed to stay on the flight, but once the plane was in the air, "at least one passenger who was part of the remaining group began to threaten our crew members and nearby guests," Alaska Airlines said. Alaska State Troopers said in an online report that the five passengers "were not following flight attendant instructions related to mask use and were using foul language during the flight." Troopers said there was no physical altercation. The flight was diverted to Juneau and the five passengers were removed from the plane by troopers and Juneau police officers. The flight took off about an hour later from Juneau International Airport, according to flight-tracking data. No charges or citations were issued related to the incident and troopers said federal law enforcement officials were notified. A spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday that she could not confirm or deny whether an investigation was ongoing. Alaska Airlines did not provide additional information or respond to questions about the incident Wednesday. https://www.yahoo.com/news/alaska-airlines-flight-diverted-juneau-134700276.html Employees who refused COVID-19 vaccine have 5 weeks to comply: United Airlines lays out rules United Airlines says that more than half its employees who weren't vaccinated last month have gotten their shots since the company announced that vaccines would be required. The airline's 67,000 U.S.-based employees face a Sept. 27 deadline for getting vaccinated. United said Wednesday, however, that employees whose bids for exemptions based on medical reasons or religious beliefs are denied will get five more weeks to get vaccinated. After that, the airline said, they will face termination or unpaid leave. Kirk Limacher, United's vice president of human resources, made the statement about vaccinations Wednesday in memos to employees that spell out how United will handle requests for exemptions. United declined to say exactly how many employees have recently been vaccinated, what percentage of the workforce is now vaccinated, or how many workers requested an exemption. The airline said it will have enough workers to operate its schedule this fall and into the holidays. The airline said that in most cases, employees who refuse to get vaccinated won't be allowed into the workplace starting Oct. 2. United says requests for medical exemptions will be judged by medical staffers including nurses, while requests for waivers based on religious beliefs will be handled by personnel-office employees. The process for handling workers whose exemptions are approved will vary slightly depending on the employee's job. Workers who routinely come in contact with passengers, such as flight attendants, gate agents and pilots, and whose exemptions are approved will face indefinite unpaid leave starting Oct. 2. They won't be allowed back on the job until the pandemic "meaningfully recedes," according to one of the memos. Employees who rarely deal with passengers – examples include baggage handlers and mechanics – and whose exemptions are approved will also be put on leave, but only until the airline comes up with a plan for weekly testing and mandatory mask-wearing for them. Headquarters employees whose exemptions are approved will be placed on leave until United decides on safety measures, including whether the person needs to come into the office. In explaining the rules to employees, United cites statistics on the state of the pandemic in the U.S., where new infections are at their highest level since March and "likely to rise into the fall as more people are hospitalized." Most of the cases, hospitalizations and deaths are occurring among unvaccinated people, the memos said. Chicago-based United has taken the strongest pro-vaccination stance among U.S. airlines. Delta Air Lines says it will levy a $200 monthly surcharge on unvaccinated employees who are covered by the company's health plan. Others including American Airlines say they will cut off paid leave for unvaccinated workers who contract COVID-19. https://www.yahoo.com/news/employees-refused-covid-19-vaccine-135620087.html Refusing to wear a mask on an airplane could now cost you up to $3,000 in fines TSA is doubling the civil penalties for refusing to comply with federal mask mandates Refusing to wear a mask on an airplane is about to get really expensive. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that it was doubling civil penalties for those who refuse to comply with federal mask mandates on commercial airlines, at airports, or on certain forms of public transportation like passenger rail or intercity buses. Repeat offenders could now face fines of up to $3,000. First time offenders will be fined $500-$1,000, up from the previous amount of $250. Second offenders will be fined $1,000-$3,000. The new TSA penalties, which are separate from the fines issued by the Federal Aviation Administration for unsafe behavior, will take effect September 10th. “WEARING A MASK PROTECTS THE TRAVELING PUBLIC” “Wearing a mask protects the traveling public and all of the personnel who make the travel experience safe, secure, and comfortable,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in a statement. “We will continue to enforce the mask mandate as long as necessary to protect public health and safety.” The day after he took office, President Joe Biden issued an executive order requiring masks to be worn while traveling by airplanes, buses, or trains. It was an abrupt change from his predecessor Donald Trump, who actively blocked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from issuing a similar order in 2020. That mandate had been set to expire in September 2021, but the TSA today extended it through January 18, 2022. Enforcement of the mask mandate generally falls on airline crews, who have had to deal with a sharp increase in unruly passengers since flights resumed after lockdown. So far this year, the FAA logged 4,184 unruly passenger reports, the vast majority of which — 3,057 — involved mask wearing. Flight attendant union leader Sara Nelson recently said that the situation with poorly behaved passengers on planes was “completely nuts.” https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/9/22665625/tsa-mask-mandate-airplane-fines-covid-train-bus Qantas becomes one of the first airlines to require that international passengers be vaccinated. Qantas, Australia’s largest airline, will require that all passengers on international flights are vaccinated against the coronavirus when it restarts worldwide operations in December, its chief executive said Wednesday, making it one of the first airlines in the world to require proof of vaccination for everyone on board. Alan Joyce, the chief executive of the airline’s parent company, Qantas Group, made the announcement in an interview with the Trans-Tasman Business Circle, a network for business leaders in Australia and New Zealand. “Qantas will have a policy that internationally we’ll only be carrying vaccinated passengers because we think that’s going to be one of the requirements to show that you’re flying safe,” he said, adding that many countries are requiring arriving travelers to be vaccinated anyway. He said he hoped the policy would be in place “by Christmas.” Qantas, which is headquartered in Sydney, suspended international operations during the pandemic — but did resume flights to New Zealand in April this year before suspending them again on July 31. The airline plans to restart flights abroad in December. Mr. Joyce said in November of last year that he was considering banning unvaccinated travelers on international flights, but did not offer a timeline. Other airlines have announced that they will require flight attendants and pilots to be vaccinated, but few other airlines have committed to banning unvaccinated passengers. Air Canada seems to be the only other airline that is poised to soon begin turning away unvaccinated passengers. By the end of October, the Canadian government will require all commercial airline employees and passengers to be vaccinated. Air Canada endorsed the government’s position in August. Leonard J. Marcus, the co-director of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University and the director of an initiative focused on public health on flights, said he hoped that other airlines would follow Qantas’s lead. “I think this would be a bold and courageous step in the right direction,” he said. Requiring passenger vaccinations is currently easier in Australia than in other parts of the world, he said, because the country has a uniform system of validating vaccination status, in contrast to places like the United States. A spokeswoman for Qantas said that the airline would permit people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons to fly, but the policy for children too young to be eligible for vaccination has not yet been finalized. Qantas has made vaccination central to its marketing strategy throughout the pandemic. A recent television ad, which has been widely shared, shows Australians longing to travel and then getting vaccinations before heading off on international flights. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/09/travel/qantas-vaccine-mandate-international.html Unruly couple kicked off flight to San Diego for refusing to wear masks properly SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A couple who allegedly refused to wear their masks properly was caught on video yelling and swearing at JetBlue crew members as they were being escorted off a flight from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego Wednesday. A passenger who witnessed the incident on Flight 529 recorded the intense moment and shared the video on social media. She spoke with ABC 10News about what happened before, during, and after the confrontation. “I was boarding right behind the lady, the blonde lady, and she was just like dancing around, taking boomerangs with her two children,” Alice, who recorded the video and didn’t want to share her last name, said. “On the way into the plane itself, the flight attendant actually asked her to tighten her son’s mask. It was like very loose and very big for him. So, they didn’t do that either.” According to JetBlue, the couple was asked multiple times to properly wear their masks before take-off but they would not comply with the federal mask mandate. "Her husband walked down the aisle to the outside of the plane. Then this whole mess just started happening. When he came back, he just started yelling at the flight attendant,” Alice said. In a video, the man is seen being verbally and physically aggressive toward crew members at the very front of the plane. He tells passengers there was a point when he had to wait four hours for the flight and that he was only given one warning before he was kicked off the plane. "I'm sure you heard the whole plane like gasping,” Alice said. Later in the video, the man's wife can also be seen swearing at crew members and talking to other passengers about what happened on the flight. The woman tries to explain that her son had his mask down for a brief time, and they tried to comply with the rules but it was not good enough for the flight attendants. Alice told ABC 10News that four people, the blonde woman, the man who she assumes was her husband and two children were escorted off of the plane. "I was entertained by it. I never seen something like this before,” Alice said. “But I’m very sad about the fact that they just could complain with the federal mandate." "The customers will not be allowed to fly JetBlue in the future," JetBlue said in a released statement Thursday. "We apologize to our other customers on this flight for their experience during this incident. For reference, crew members are trained to speak to customers who are not following policies. If a customer refuses to wear a face mask after being asked, crew members will work to de-escalate the situation to the best of their ability to gain compliance prior to removal. The safety of each customer and crew member is our first priority, and we must work together to follow the federal mask mandate during the travel journey," the airlines' statement continued. Alice told ABC 10News that the flight proceed as normal after the ordeal and that everyone settled in for take off. After seeing what happened on her flight, she has a simple message for other passengers. "I just want to ask people to wear their mask, even if they're vaccinated,” Alice said. The incident comes as President Biden announced Thursday that fines will be doubled for those who are not in compliance with federal rules surrounding mask-wearing in airports and certain modes of transportation, including many airlines. https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/video-unruly-couple-kicked-off-flight-to-san-diego-for-refusing-to-wear-masks-properly 'Show some respect:' Biden blasts travelers who harass flight attendants over face masks (CNN) President Joe Biden on Thursday blasted travelers who harass flight attendants because they don't want to wear a face mask and announced fines would double for those who don't comply with the US federal transportation mask mandate. "If you break the rules, be prepared to pay," Biden said, speaking from the White House. "And by the way, show some respect. The anger you see on television toward flight attendants and others doing their job is wrong. It's ugly." In recent months, there have been many incidents involving flight attendants and travelers who refuse to wear a face mask and several videos of these encounters have gone viral on social media. On Friday, the top fine for violating transportation face mask requirement is set to double. The civil penalties will now range from $500 to $3,000, the Department of Homeland Security said. The previous range was $250 to $1,500. The highest fines of $1,000 to $3,000 are for repeat offenders of the mandate, the department said. The comments about flight attendants came as Biden delivered a speech on his new stringent vaccine rules on federal workers, large employers and health care staff as part of a new push to contain the latest surge of Covid-19. The new requirements could apply to as many as 100 million Americans, according to the White House, and amount to Biden's strongest push yet to require vaccines for much of the country. More than 4,000 alleged face mask violations have been reported to Transportation Safety Administration this year, spokeswoman Jessica Mayle told CNN. Most of those incidents have at least resulted in a warning letter being sent, and TSA has so far referred 126 to the civil fine process, she said. The requirement is now in place through mid-January and applies to airplanes, trains and buses, as well as hubs like airports and train terminals. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in Thursday's announcement that officials "will continue to enforce the mask mandate as long as necessary to protect public health and safety." The TSA civil penalties are separate from the fines the Federal Aviation Administration assesses on passengers who act out on airplanes. About three-quarters of the 4,184 unruly passenger incidents separately reported to the FAA involve alleged violations of the mask mandate. TSA Administrator David Pekoske acknowledged to CNN in an interview on Wednesday that in-flight disturbances are sometimes sparked by the face mask mandate, and that he is concerned especially about the ones that escalate to physical assaults. "It's a big concern of mine and I know it's a big concern of every traveler out there," he said. https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/09/politics/biden-mask-flight-attendants-respect/index.html CIRRUS AIRCRAFT OPENS FACILITIES IN ARIZONA, TEXAS GA LEADER EXPANDS PILOT TRAINING, ENGINEERING FOOTPRINT Cirrus Aircraft, the market-leading maker of piston airplanes and single-engine jets, announced new facilities in two states, including a new Cirrus Flight Training facility and satellite engineering center in Arizona, along with another satellite facility in Texas that supports product development. Cirrus announced expansion of its operation centers September 2, including Cirrus Innovation Centers in Chandler, Arizona, and McKinney, Texas, that are already operational. (Cirrus had announced its intent to expand to McKinney in 2019). The Cirrus Flight Training expansion to Scottsdale, Arizona, is scheduled to commence operation in October. The company said it conducted a nationwide search to identify ideal locations, choosing Arizona and Texas for their proximity to existing customers, and the availability of skilled talent. “The expansion of Cirrus Flight Training in Arizona continues our mission of providing world-class training through both our company-owned facilities and partner network around the world,” said Cirrus Aircraft CEO Zean Nielsen, in the news release. “We are excited to begin offering this premium flight training service in Scottsdale that builds on our Cirrus Services initiative to redefine personal aviation through a world-class customer service experience.” The Chandler Innovation Center provides avionics, electrical, and software engineering, while the McKinney center supports all engineering disciplines; both facilities contribute to product development and will have formal ribbon-cutting ceremonies in November. “The Chandler and McKinney Innovation Centers add significant capabilities and further extend our capacity to fuel our ambitious product innovation plans,” said Pat Waddick, Cirrus Aircraft president of innovation and operations. “Additionally, our expansion efforts not only attract new talent to Cirrus Aircraft in great locations, but generate jobs and economic growth within the local markets.” Headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota, Cirrus expanded to Knoxville, Tennessee, in 2016 where it moved training for all its aircraft, deliveries, and service and support. The company’s composite production facility is in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Cirrus was responsible for much of the 12-percent increase in piston airplane sales, from 503 units in the first six months of 2020 to 565 aircraft shipped in the same period in 2021, reported September 1 by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Cirrus Aircraft deliveries increased from 159 aircraft during the first half of 2020 to 195 during the first half of 2021, according to the GAMA report. Excluding Cirrus’ turbine model, the SF50 Vision Jet, Cirrus SR-series piston airplane deliveries increased from 128 to 172, an increase of 44 aircraft that accounts for most of the worldwide total increase in piston airplane sales reported by GAMA. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2021/september/08/cirrus-aircraft-opens-facilities-in-arizona-texas Wizz Air in talks over large Airbus jet order -sources PARIS, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Hungary's Wizz Air (WIZZ.L) is in negotiations with European planemaker Airbus (AIR.PA) over the purchase of at least 100 more narrowbody jets, industry sources said on Thursday. Talks began several months ago and surfaced as Wizz Air emerged as a suitor for rival easyJet (EZJ.L) and as Europe's largest budget carrier, Ryanair (RYA.I), remained deadlocked with Boeing (BA.N) over a major jet purchase read more . Analysts say all three major European budget airlines are forecast to expand as the COVID-19 crisis further erodes the finances of national legacy carriers. Talks between Wizz Air and Airbus continued over the summer but the two sides are not yet ready to announce a deal, the sources said. Fleet purchase talks typically take months. Any deal would involve at least 100 aircraft, one of the sources said. Wizz Air, which has already ordered a total of 388 Airbus jets, declined to comment. A spokesman for Airbus said it always talks to customers about their needs but never comments on such discussions. Britain's easyJet said earlier it had rejected a takeover approach, opting instead to raise $1.7 billion from shareholders and go it alone in an industry battling to recover from the pandemic. EasyJet declined to name its suitor, but a source familiar with the matter told Reuters it was Wizz Air (WIZZ.L). Both airlines declined to comment. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/wizz-air-talks-over-large-airbus-jet-order-sources-2021-09-09/ Sustainable jet fuel company Alder Fuels seals investments from United, Honeywell The aviation industry is notoriously difficult to decarbonize, in part because airplanes use a petroleum-based fuel to fly. Alder Fuels wants to change that. The new clean tech company, headed by Bryan Sherbacow, is developing a low-carbon jet fuel that can be used as a 100% drop-in replacement for petroleum fuel, without needing to adapt existing aircraft or engines. That’s notable because the only commercially available sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) still requires a 50-50 blend with conventional fuel. The technology has piqued the interest of the aviation industry. Alder Fuels said Thursday it has inked a multimillion dollar investment from aviation giants United and Honeywell — as well as a purchase agreement from United for 1.5 billion gallons of fuel, the largest known agreement for SAF in aviation history. United consumes around 4 billion gallons of fuel per year, a company spokesperson told TechCrunch, so the purchase agreement would account for nearly 40% of the airline’s overall annual fuel consumption. Before the fuel starts powering United airplanes, it must meet specifications outlined by ASTM International, an international organization that sets the standards for a wide range of materials and products. From there, Alder and Honeywell expect to commercialize the technology by 2025. Alder Fuels was formally launched earlier this year, but Sherbacow has been assessing the technology for around five years, he said in a recent interview with TechCrunch. It became clear through his previous work that the technology behind the low-carbon fuel — and especially the raw materials — needed to be scalable and widely available. “What we’re all looking for is [ … ] how do you access these carbon oil precursors and efficiently convert them into something that works within the existing refining infrastructure?” Sherbacow said. To solve that problem, he’s turned to carbon-rich woody biomass, like agricultural waste, which is turned into crude oil that can be used to make aviation fuel. The company uses a pyrolysis-based technology that transforms the biomass into a liquid and treats it in such a way that it can be put into existing refineries. Alder Fuels will initially use Honeywell’s proprietary “Ecofining” hydroprocessing technology. The ultimate aim is to make the new fuel compatible with all refining assets. “There’s significant amount of [woody biomass] that’s already industrially aggregated but has either no or very low economic value today,” Sherbacow explained. “But it’s a great opportunity for us because it’s a store of carbon that we can utilize.” It could even open up new markets for companies in forestry, agriculture and even the paper industry, which are already generating plenty of biowaste. Alder Fuels’ research is supported by the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency and the Department of Energy, and Sherbacow stressed the importance of public-private partnerships to decarbonizing the aviation industry. Climate change has been of particular interest to President Joe Biden’s administration, and incentives for sustainable aviation fuel will likely end up in the $3.5 trillion spending bill currently being debated by Congress. “That’s one of the roles of government … to help the transition,” he said. “You need to incentivize the incumbents to change their behavior, or they’re going to resist a disruptive change.” https://techcrunch.com/2021/09/09/sustainable-jet-fuel-company-alder-fuels-seals-investments-from-united-honeywell/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzLmdvb2dsZS5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKYnOBbyv8GT1cr39FqRv6bHX0hAYCx4HfhpJKTGkdQ_ii2dM0Jhz6GHrjTBMKRO9RFtZ4XJXpuO7cRargZbzE4ugRPxt1QruFjy7k4TJVSz4fBETlyxPNCfb36EsMEFqDm69sV5j6lr9eUNtWwtHPWuYtK3dYY-xXpj4MiSapCw Environmentalists to FAA: Release launch study on SpaceX Starship dangers to border McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — A group of South Texas environmentalists is pressuring the FAA to release data on the potential risks to local border communities and wildlife if SpaceX’s Starship Super Heavy rocket were to fail on launch. The nonprofit group Save RGV on Thursday released a strongly worded letter sent to the Federal Aviation Administration demanding more information on whether a launch failure study has been conducted on the massive Starship, which is being built to fly to Mars, and its engines are being tested a stone’s throw from Boca Chica Beach, on the U.S.-Mexico border. “We believe that Starship Super Heavy poses an unacceptable risk of harm to the nearby communities of Port Isabel, Long Island Village, and South Padre Island, as well as to the immediately adjacent national wildlife refuge, state park land, and surrounding fragile tidal wetlands. We do not understand why the FAA is allowing the testing and possible launching of such a massive rocket in this sensitive and populated area,” says the Aug. 30 letter from the group’s board to Brian Rushforth, chief of staff for the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation. For the past year, the FAA has been conducting an Environmental Assessment of SpaceX and its developing Starship Spacecraft and Super Heavy Rocket. SpaceX hopes to carry people to the moon, Mars “and beyond,” on the Starship one day, according to the company’s website. But environmentalists say that when SpaceX CEO Elon Musk broke ground on the company’s private launch pad in 2014, SpaceX said it was to test and launch the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rocket system — a significantly smaller and less powerful spacecraft. However, the private space company’s mission has since changed and SpaceX now wants to launch the massive Starship from this strip of beach a couple of miles from the Mexican border and where sea turtles nest and rare birds migrate. “The situation now is different because we’re not talking about Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, we’re talking about something that is multiple times that large,” Jim Chapman, a board member for Save LNG told Border Report on Thursday afternoon. “It’s essentially 10 times that powerful. So what’s the worst-case scenario for Port Isabel, South Padre Island and all the communities that are nearby? We’re calling on the FAA to tell us.” “So what’s the worst-case scenario for Port Isabel, South Padre Island and all the communities that are nearby? We’re calling on the FAA to tell us.” In January, the FAA briefly grounded SpaceX from launching at Boca Chica Beach after the private company launched its SN8 rocket prototype in December, even though the FAA had denied its request. However, the company in February was allowed to begin tests launches again after the FAA determined “that SpaceX complies with all safety and related federal regulations and is authorized to conduct Starship SN9 flight operations in accordance with its launch license,” the FAA said in an email to Border Report. Several of these prototypes exploded upon liftoff and upon landing and Chapman and other environmentalists are growing increasingly concerned that the FAA is not holding SpaceX as accountable as it should, nor fully alerting the public to the potential dangers. “We want to know how far the risk area extends,” Chapman said. “How far does the risk zone extend? That’s what the public needs to know.” “We wrote letter to FAA and we’ve gotten no response. Nothing. So what does that mean? Does that mean they haven’t done the study? Who knows,” said Chapman, who also is president of the nonprofit Friends of the Wildlife Corridor. “If they had responded to our letter there wouldn’t have been a press release. This is a way to put a little more pressure on the FAA to do what they should do.” Border Report has reached out to the FAA and asked if details of the launch analysis have been released yet, and what it reveals. The agency acknowledged receipt of our questions and this story will be updated if that information is received. https://whnt.com/news/environmentalists-to-faa-release-launch-study-on-spacex-starship-dangers-to-border/ Position: Safety Evaluator Job Description At Republic Airways, our vision is to be America’s regional airline of choice, and our 6,000 associates work together each day to achieve that by providing a safe, clean and reliable flying experience. Whether the role is on the aircraft or in the office, every person at Republic contributes to our success and our family-oriented work environment. Since our founding in 1974, we’ve grown to become the world’s largest operator of the Embraer 170/175 jet, flying more than 1000 flights daily for our partners, American Airline, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. Beyond our operations, we’re focused on sharing our time, talents and treasures with our community—both locally and globally. Join Republic Airways where you will find opportunities, reach new heights and be part of something bigger than yourself. Republic Airways, opportunity elevated. #WhyRepublic POSITION PURPOSE Conducts internal evaluations of operational divisions to ensure adherence to federal regulations, company policies and procedures. Conducts aircraft damage investigations, tracks regulatory correspondence and completes special projects as assigned. ESSENTIAL DUTIES To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Conducts internal evaluations of operational divisions to ensure compliance with federal regulations as well as company policies and procedures. Communicates company policies/procedures, Federal Aviation Regulations and other Standards including but limited to International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audits (IOSA) standards, Department of Defense Standards etc. facilitating fair resolutions and imparting quality expertise to all operational departments. Coordinates Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - Safety Assurance System (SAS) inspections conducted by the FAA Coordinates IOSA conducted by appointed Audit Organization Coordinates DOD inspections conducted by the DOD Communicates with external audit organizations, the FAA and DOD Identifies, tracks, and solves quality and safety concerns, issues or hazards (this includes, but not limited to, interviews, reviews of past evaluation/audit records and compliance data for trends) Reviews changes to applicable regulations in order to recommend appropriate actions to ensure company compliance. Ensure adherence to all Safety and Security regulations Develops and maintains Data Analysis Group key performance indicators, and continuous improvement initiatives for data analysis and visualization. Provides technical leadership to team and department members. Leads through example; monitors, influences and trains others. OTHER DUTIES Performs data analysis on aircraft ground damage to identify trends & systemic causes of aircraft damage. Participates in investigations of aircraft ground damage. Leads investigations into company controllable damage and participates in conference calls for codeshare partner damages. Contributes to the development of SMS training modules for all company associates covered under SMS. Responsible for the continuous improvement of Republic’s Safety Management System Assists with development of SMS structured risk assessment and safety assurance processes, including facilitating Data Analysis Groups Participates in special projects including but not limited to: special request audits, Codeshare meetings and initiatives, Safety Management System (SMS) implementation, monthly safety newsletter and manual reviews using SAS tools. Performs various other duties as assigned. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability necessary to perform this job. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE. Bachelor’s degree with at least 2 years of Aviation experience required. Knowledge of the Code of Federal Regulations for Title 14 and 49 and associated regulatory materials. Knowledge in aviation safety systems including, but not limited to: Safety Management System (SMS), System Safety, Safety Assurance System (SAS) and IOSA. Skills in Microsoft Office applications is a must. PREFERRED EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE Bachelor's degree in an aviation or safety related discipline is preferred. At least 3 years of previous experience in aviation. Airframe and Powerplant, Dispatch License or Pilot’s License is preferred. Previous auditing and evaluating experience. LANGUAGE SKILLS Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors. REASONING/PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. DECISION MAKING Makes decisions and determines best methods to solve problems by referring to established precedents and policies. Decisions tend to be medium range and of medium significance with moderate consequences. PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Able to move about the work environment. Frequently required to stand, walk, sit, talk and hear. WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an associate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Typically not exposed to extreme environmental conditions. Work in an open air hangar and outdoor weather conditions occasionally. TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS Travel up to 15% of the time, including overnight stays. Equal Opportunity Employment and Disability Accommodations Republic Airways is committed to achieving a diverse workforce by providing equal employment opportunities to all Associates and applicants, and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type with regard to any characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We are committed to providing applicants and Associates reasonable accommodation to enable the individual to perform the essential duties of the job. If you require accommodation, please contact Human Resources. APPLY HERE 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