Flight Safety Information - September 14, 2021 No. 185 In This Issue : Incident: ASL Ireland B734 near Katowice on Sep 13th 2021, loss of cabin pressure : Incident: THY B772 near Sao Paulo on Sep 13th 2021, hydraulic failure : Airbus A320-232 (WL) - Birdstrike (India) : A woman accused of hitting a fellow passenger and calling her a 'Muslim terrorist' on a September 11 Spirit flight was arrested : Meriden, New Britain women arrested after disturbance on airplane : FAA Administrator Dickson to Give Day 1 Keynote Address at NBAA-BACE : Pilots alarmed over Airbus plans for single-pilot aircraft : American Airlines brings IFE maintenance in-house : Airbus has backlog of almost 500 orders for new A220 aircraft : Boeing Shows Optimism in New Commercial Airplane Outlook : Falcon Jet Owner/operator Group Formed : U.S. awarding $482.3 million in aviation manufacturing assistance : China's first C919 jet bound for airline to enter final assembly - regulator : Southwest's president retires suddenly; didn't get CEO job : SpaceX Is About to Launch an Historic Manned Rocket That Will Orbit the Earth for 3 Days : POSITION AVAILABLE: Aerospace Engineer (Powerplants) : Position Available - Safety Evaluator : POSITION AVAILABLE: Decision Science Lead, Flight Safety Incident: ASL Ireland B734 near Katowice on Sep 13th 2021, loss of cabin pressure An ASL Airlines Ireland Boeing 737-400, registration EI-STL performing flight AG-2305 from Leipzig (Germany) to Katowice (Poland), was enroute at FL370 about 180nm westnorthwest of Katowice, about crossing the German/Poland border, when the crew initiated an emergency descent to FL100 due to the loss of cabin pressure. After levelling off at FL100 The crew reported everything was under control and they wanted to continue to their destination Katowice, where they landed safely about 35 minutes after leaving FL370. The aircraft is still on the ground in Katowice about 15 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ed33eb9&opt=0 Incident: THY B772 near Sao Paulo on Sep 13th 2021, hydraulic failure A THY Turkish Airlines Boeing 777-200 freighter, registration TC-LJM performing flight TK-6440 from Sao Paulo Guarulhos,SP (Brazil) to Dakar (Senegal), was enroute at FL350 about 250nm northeast of Sao Paulo when the crew decided to return to Sao Paulo due to a hydraulic failure. The aircraft landed safely back on Guarulhos' runway 09L about 70 minutes after the decision to return. The aircraft was towed off the runway. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ed3291d&opt=0 Airbus A320-232 (WL) - Birdstrike (India) Date: 13-SEP-2021 Time: c. 08:05 UTC Type: Airbus A320-232 (WL) Owner/operator: IndiGo Airlines Registration: VT-IAL MSN: 5992 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: Kozhikode-Calicut Airport (CCJ/VOCL) - India Phase: Take off Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Kozhikode-Calicut Airport (CCJ/VOCL) Destination airport: Bangalore-Hindustan HAL Airport (VOBG) Narrative: IndiGo Airlines flight 6E997, an Airbus A320-232, aborted the takeoff from Kozhikode-Calicut Airport following a bird strike. The aircraft was subsequently grounded. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/267634 A woman accused of hitting a fellow passenger and calling her a 'Muslim terrorist' on a September 11 Spirit flight was arrested A woman accused of assaulting a Muslim woman on a Spirit flight was arrested in Detroit. The woman is accused of calling a Black woman a "Muslim terrorist" and hitting her. A civil rights group is calling on local authorities to bring hate crime charges against the woman. A Muslim civil rights group is calling for hate crime charges to be brought against a woman accused of verbally berating and physically assaulting an African-American Muslim woman during a September 11 Spirit flight from Atlanta to Detroit. The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), is urging Wayne County authorities to charge a white woman accused of unleashing an Islamophobic rant against a fellow passenger with a hate crime under the state's Ethnic Intimidation Statute, the advocacy group said in a press release. "On September 11, Aicha Toure, was traveling on Spirit Airlines flight 3807 from Atlanta to Detroit when a white woman whom she did not know boarded the plane acting belligerently," CAIR said in a statement. According to the organization, Toure is a "visibly Muslim" woman who wears an Islamic head scarf. During the flight, CAIR said the belligerent woman began fighting with minority crew members. Once the plane landed, the woman reportedly started harassing and intimidating an older woman who appeared to be of South Asian descent. When Toure asked the woman to stop cursing at the older woman, she responded by calling Toure a "Muslim terrorist" and unloading a slew of profanities, according to CAIR. "When the white woman realized Toure, and others were recording her Islamophobic comments, she allegedly struck Toure with her fist before crew members of Spirit were able to intervene," the group said. Wayne County Airport Authority police confirmed to the Detroit Free Press that the woman was arrested following the incident and cited for assault and disorderly conduct. "It appears there was a misunderstanding between two women," authorities told the outlet. "A third woman intervened in an effort to help. The third woman was assaulted." Spirit officials confirmed to The Detroit News that a passenger on the flight "chose to use appalling language" toward another flier. "That kind of language has no place on our planes - or anywhere else - and she is no longer welcome on any of our flights," the airline told the outlet. The incident occured on the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. "The alleged actions of this individual are reprehensible and she clearly targeted religious and racial minorities for her violent words and actions," CAIR Michigan Staff Attorney Amy V. Doukoure said. "Michigan's Ethnic intimidation law was created to protect people like Ms. Toure from being assaulted after being called a Muslim terrorist while traveling on the 20th anniversary of 9/11." "It is imperative that Wayne County Prosecutor's office take this hate crime seriously and ensure that Muslims are safe from hate and violence in all aspects of their life," she added. https://www.yahoo.com/news/woman-accused-hitting-fellow-passenger-231905704.html Meriden, New Britain women arrested after disturbance on airplane WINDSOR LOCKS — Two women face charges after police said they yelled and used vulgar language at children while on an airplane at Bradley International Airport on Sunday. Kaylene Valentine, 21, of 525 Crown St., Meriden and Desiree Goffe, 23, of 183 Kelsey St., New Britain, were both charged with risk of injury to a child and second-degree breach of peace. State police responded to Bradley International Airport on Sunday around 12:40 p.m. for a report of a fight on a JetBlue flight that was arriving from Florida, according to a police report. Troopers were told by the captain that a fight took place on the plane. Police identified Valentine and Goffe and learned they were traveling together. Valentin’s and Goffe’s seats were reportedly being kicked and tapped by a two-year-old and a four-year-old, and the women yelled directly at the children, using vulgar language, the report said. The women’s actions caused the passengers on the plane to be nervous and scared, the report noted. Both women were released on $5,000 bonds and are scheduled to appear in Enfield Superior Court on Sept. 28. https://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Meriden/Meriden-News/State-Police-Meriden-New-Britain-women-arrested-after-disturbance-on-airplane.html FAA Administrator Dickson to Give Day 1 Keynote Address at NBAA-BACE • The NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition takes place Oct. 12-14 in Las Vegas. The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) announced Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Steve Dickson will be a Day 1 keynote speaker at the 2021 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), which takes place Oct. 12-14 in Las Vegas,. “NBAA is pleased to welcome once again Administrator Dickson to NBAA-BACE,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “His insights into issues that impact business aviation, such as safety, sustainability, diversity and innovation, are always of the utmost interest to our attendees.” Dickson previously attended the 2019 convention, presenting at the NBAA-BACE Careers in Business Aviation Day, where he spoke with high school students about the many promising careers in aviation. He then spoke at the NBAA-BACE National Safety Forum, where he provided his perspectives on business aviation safety. Last August, Dickson took part in NBAA’s Virtual Business Aviation Town Hall, where he and Bolen discussed operational and safety issues important to the business aviation community, such as the Pilots Record Database. As head of the FAA, Dickson oversees the agency’s $16.4 billion budget and more than 47,000 employees. A longtime Delta Air Lines captain, Dickson most recently served as the carrier’s senior vice president of global flight operations across six continents, involving training, technical support, staffing, scheduling, quality assurance and regulatory compliance for more than 13,000 pilots. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, as well as a graduate of the Georgia State University College of Law, magna cum laude. Dickson is a former F-15 pilot, and has served as chairman of several industry stakeholder groups and federal advisory committees. He became a five-year term as FAA administrator on Aug. 12, 2019. NBAA-BACE will take place in the new West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) and at nearby Henderson Executive Airport (HND). For more information about the event, and to register for online content, visit nbaa.org/bace https://www.aviationpros.com/events/press-release/21238023/national-business-aviation-association-nbaa-faa-administrator-dickson-to-give-day-1-keynote-address-at-nbaabace Pilots alarmed over Airbus plans for single-pilot aircraft Under current EU regulations, at least two pilots must be present within the cockpit of commercial flights. Improvements in automation technology may soon eliminate the need for a co-pilot in commercial flights, a disruptive development that has already sparked criticism from pilots and cabin crew groups on safety grounds. Under current EU regulations, at least two pilots must be present within the cockpit of commercial flights. But new aircraft being developed by Airbus, the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer, are capable of a high degree of automation, reducing pilot workload. Discussions are underway with EU regulatory authorities on whether the technology can be used to certify single pilot operations, either for certain portions of the journey, such as when cruising, or for the whole flight once the technology is mature. Airbus says autonomous flights will be safer and burn less fuel. The company stresses that increased automation will allow pilots to focus on strategic issues, making flights more secure. “Since the beginning of commercial aviation, each successive generation of aircraft has become increasingly automated, and this automation has contributed to a step change in efficiency and safety,” an Airbus spokesperson told EURACTIV. “The principle for our work in single pilot operations is that humans will make strategic decisions; autonomy is there to support, enabling pilots to focus less on aircraft operation and more on mission management,” the spokesperson added. Regulatory approval Two scenarios are currently being discussed with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the EU flight regulatory authority: ‘extended minimum crew operations’ and ‘single pilot operations’. Under the former, one pilot would occupy the cockpit during non-critical portions of the flight, such as while cruising, while the other pilot rests. The pilots would then alternate with one another – a scenario likely to be used during ultra-long-haul flights. Under the latter, only one pilot would be onboard, including during take-off and landing. In this scenario the plane would be empowered to fly itself during periods where the pilot was away from the cockpit, such as during toilet breaks. Contacted by EURACTIV, EASA said the new concepts would only be approved if they provide an equivalent or higher level of safety to the two-pilot requirement currently in effect. The regulator has identified several issues that it must be satisfied are solved prior to giving the green light. These include dealing with a situation in which the pilot is incapacitated, verifying the technology’s ability to manage and correct errors, and addressing the potential for pilot fatigue. “EASA, as a regulator, is challenging the EU industry to ensure that the level of safety of public air transport is constantly ensured, while acknowledging the need to explore new concept of operations linked to technological and human advancements,” Janet Northcote, a spokesperson for EASA, told EURACTIV. In statements made in January and reported by Reuters, EASA head Patrick Ky expressed cautious optimism towards the potential of greater automation. “It makes sense to say OK, instead of having two [pilots] in the cockpit, we can have one in the cockpit, the other one taking a rest, provided we’re implementing technical solutions which make sure that if the single one falls asleep or has any problem, there won’t be any unsafe conditions,” Ky told a German press briefing. Cabin groups voice concerns Pilot and cabin crew groups have come out strongly against any move to reduce staff levels, arguing that technology is unable to replace human creativity and problem solving in emergency situations. “The most important question is whether flying with less pilots onboard can be done safely. For the time being, neither the regulators, nor the manufacturers, have shown this could improve flight safety,” Otjan de Bruijn, president of the European Cockpit Association (ECA), told EURACTIV. “European pilots do not support reduced or single pilot operations during any phase of flight,” he added. de Bruijn recalled an incident on a British Airways flight in 1990 during which the cockpit window broke, causing the pilot to be partially blown out of the aircraft. Cabin crew held the pilot for 20 minutes while the co-pilot safely landed the plane. “Unthinkable? Not really. Pilot incapacitation, albeit usually less dramatic or sensational, happens once a month or more in most major aviation markets,” he said. “In the future, no second pilot will be available to save the day. Manufacturers want to replace the second pilot with a ground operator, who will not provide the same level of safety as a human pilot onboard.” The potential for a cyber-attack to disable an automated system was also raised by de Bruijn as a serious vulnerability. “All in all, everything points in the direction of eliminating pilots from the cockpit as a purely commercially-driven goal, an effort to fly more at zero cost,” he said. His views were echoed by Annette Groeneveld, president of the European Cabin Crew Association, who further argued that fewer airline staff would make it more difficult to detect potentially dangerous passengers and situations. “Airlines have been trying to reduce crew and increase passenger seats on board of their aircraft for years. These developments are cost driven,” Groeneveld told EURACTIV. “The fact of life is that safety on board of an aircraft is highly dependable on the human factor,” she added. https://www.euractiv.com/section/aviation/news/pilots-alarmed-over-airbus-plans-for-single-pilot-aircraft/ American Airlines brings IFE maintenance in-house In a blow to American Airlines’ inflight entertainment system suppliers, the US major confirms to Runway Girl Network that it brought maintenance of all IFE systems in-house earlier this year. “As part of the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA), in February, the maintenance of all inflight entertainment (IFE) systems on our aircraft transitioned to the American Airlines Technical Operations team, allowing our team members the opportunity to further expand their IFE knowledge base and maintain these systems for our customers going forward,” an American Airlines spokesperson told RGN regarding the termination of its IFE maintenance contracts with Panasonic Avionics and Thales. Rotation American presently offers embedded IFE on its widebody fleet, and on an ever-decreasing number of select Airbus A320 family aircraft. Last year’s near idling of the commercial aviation fleet due to the coronavirus pandemic not only affected the sale of IFE and connectivity hardware to airlines. It meant that IFE hardware maintenance revenue – where companies like Panasonic and Thales usually thrive – was pummeled. RGN understands that American’s decision to bring IFE maintenance in-house is not directly related to the carrier’s $550 million investment in its Tulsa maintenance facilities. American, meanwhile, remains an outlier among US majors in its decision not to offer embedded IFE on narrowbodies flying medium- and long-haul. The carrier has, however, turned to DirecTV and Dish to bring inflight live sports and news networks to its passengers’ own devices across its domestic narrowbody fleet. https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2021/09/13/american-airlines-brings-ife-maintenance-in-house/ Airbus has backlog of almost 500 orders for new A220 aircraft Aircraft, partially built in Belfast, was showcased to airlines in Dublin on Monday The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100 to 150 seat market segment European aircraft manufacturer Airbus believes the aviation industry will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2023-2025, but said in Dublin on Monday that it has a backlog of almost 500 orders of its new A220 model, which is partially built in Belfast. The airline was at Dublin Airport to “show off” the A220 to some of the airlines based in the capital, as well as to the leasing and financing community, said Airbus head of leasing customers, Sinead Cormican. The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100 to 150 seat market segment, offering up to 1,100 nautical miles more range. It has wider aisles to increase turnaround speeds, while its noise footprint is also up to 50 per cent smaller than previous generation aircraft. Airbus currently has 643 historical orders from around 25 customers, of which 173 have been delivered Seats Airbus says that in comparison to the model’s “nearest competitors”, it has a range of up to 6,390km, offers up to 20 more seats, and up to 14 per cent lower operating cost per seat. It also has the widest seats, largest windows and 20 per cent more overhead storage space per passenger compared to its competitors. The aircraft burns 25 per cent less fuel per seat, while the air in the cabin is a mix of fresh air drawn from outside, and air that has been passed through HEPA filters, which remove 99.9 per cent of air particles. The air in the A220 cabin is renewed fully every two –three minutes. Airbus currently has 643 historical orders from around 25 customers, of which 173 have been delivered, leaving a backlog of 470, according to Airbus head of single aisle marketing, Claude Debeauquenne. The aircraft is primarily manufactured at Mirabel in Canada and Mobile in the United States, buts its wings are made at the former Bombardier aerospace factory in east Belfast. The factory is now owned by US giant Spirit AeroSystems. Mr Debeauquenne said it would be difficult for the industry to “escape the reality of the Covid-19 crisis”, but added that many markets around the world are already showing signs of recovery. “Domestic markets worldwide have recovered to 86 per cent of pre-pandemic levels,” he said. “Some markets like China and North America are showing recovery levels equivalent to what they were flying before the pandemic. “Domestic traffic is the premium market for single aisle aircraft, so this is good news for single aisles and even more so for the A220.” He said the company was seeing “strong momentum in sales and strong momentum in production capabilities”, and continued to receive orders for the aircraft throughout the Covid-19 crisis. Recovery “We see a recovery corridor anytime between 2023 and 2025, first with domestic traffic and then international,” he said. “The fact of the matter is we are very much dependent on local regulations, quarantine measures, and specific requirements for entry. “That is something that is the hands of governments. That is the reason why international traffic is really lagging behind. We see vaccination passports that allow people to travel again without any restrictions are probably the way forward.” Air Baltic chief executive Martin Gauss said his company is the largest A220 operator in Europe. “After Covid, the biggest issue facing airlines will be to address climate change,” he said. “These aircraft give you the best chance because it is so far ahead of others. We have achieved a large portion of the target we have to achieve as airlines just by taking the Airbus A220. “Flying to London Gatwick on the A220 involves significantly lower fuel burn as against a 737. It is a cash saving of $775 (€657). If you are the CFO of an airline, this is all that counts. Each time we take off, it is a pure cost saving.” https://www.irishtimes.com/business/manufacturing/airbus-has-backlog-of-almost-500-orders-for-new-a220-aircraft-1.4672806 Boeing Shows Optimism in New Commercial Airplane Outlook Boeing doesn't see long-haul travel in aircraft like its 787 Dreamliner fully recovering to pre-Covid levels until at least the end of 2023. Boeing today delivered a relatively optimistic outlook, forecasting airlines globally will purchase 43,610 new aircraft valued at $7.2 trillion over the next 20 years and that the industry will need more than 2.1 million new personnel to meet projected air travel demand. This includes 612,000 pilots, 626,000 maintenance technicians, and 886,000 cabin crew members. The U.S. airframer’s 2021 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) reflects an increase of about 500 planes or 1 percent over last year’s forecast of the long-term demand for new airplanes. Still, it remains below Boeing's 2019 forecast when it projected that airline traffic growth over the next two decades would support a market for 44,040 airplanes worth $6.8 trillion. The Covid pandemic has dented air traffic but the progress in the recovery in the past year, led by a faster than expected recovery of domestic travel, has given Boeing forecasters confidence in the resilience of the market and in the pent-up demand that exists, Boeing Vice President Commercial Marketing Darren Hulst told a media briefing. “Once again aviation has proven to be resilient. We see fundamentally a growth market and expect a return to that long-term trajectory of growth [recorded before the pandemic] by the middle of this decade,” he said. The key metrics for air travel remain intact, Hulst explained. “We travel for leisure, for visiting friends and family, and for business. It is a diverse market, and these segments are not changing in terms of our medium and long-term outlook.” From a macro look, Boeing’s long-term view is primarily driven by the global economy “and the global economy is trending back where it would have been if the pandemic wouldn’t have happened,” he noted. “The economy will lead the industry out of this crisis.” Boeing projects that global GDP will grow on average by 2.7 percent per year over the next 20 years compared to 2019; global passenger and cargo traffic measured in revenue passenger kilometers and cargo revenue tonne kilometers by 4 percent, respectively; and also in terms of the number of active, in-service jets. It sees the number of aircraft with more than 90 seats increasing by 3.1 percent per year. The projected average 4 percent yearly growth of passenger traffic is unchanged from last year’s CMO, and the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines and the easing of travel restrictions will continue to be critical factors in the near-term recovery. The speed of the recovery will be “very dynamic,” asserted Hulst. Demand for intra-regional travel in Europe, the Americas, and Asia is expected to follow the domestic recovery. Boeing sees long-haul travel’s return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2023 to early 2024. In terms of new aircraft deliveries, Boeing projects that over the next decade manufacturers will hand over 19,330 passenger and cargo planes to airlines and some 24,280 units in the second decade of the forecast. The global commercial fleet is expected to nearly double, to 49,000 jets by 2040. Hulst expects demand over the next 20-year period to be “balanced,” with China, Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific countries (excluding China) each accounting for about 20 percent of new airplane deliveries. “It will be a mix of [demand in] mature markets requiring a significant amount of replacement aircraft and emerging and developing markets that are more on the growth spectrum,” he said. The majority—up to 75 percent, or 32,660 units—of the expected new aircraft deliveries through 2040 will be narrowbodies. Five percent will regional jets (2,390 aircraft), 18 percent widebodies (7,670 units), and 2 percent freighters (890 aircraft). The CMO predicts that about 80 percent of the 25,900 aircraft that were in service in 2019 will be replaced by 2040 as airlines continue their move towards increased productivity and efficiency from an economic and environmental view. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2021-09-14/boeing-shows-optimism-new-commercial-airplane-outlook Falcon Jet Owner/operator Group Formed The new Falcon Jet Owners and Operators Association aims to connect those flying Dassault business jets to share their love of the airplanes and how to keep them in service longer. Dallas-based aviation entrepreneur Sean Lynch has founded the Falcon Jet Owners and Operators Association as a way for people flying Dassault business jets to exchange information and keep their aircraft in service longer. Lynch owns MRO-focused business aviation companies Engine Assurance Program and Marklyn Jet Spares and is also the current president of the Love Field Pilots Association. “Our objective is to provide a way for members of the Falcon Jet community to talk to each other, both in person and online,” said Lynch. “I’ve heard so many operators say that they would like an additional forum that is owner- and operator-centric for sharing stories and comparing notes. We’re giving it to them. Our first step is to track the most pressing topics of interest, so we’re beginning by polling the owner/operator community.” He added that the new organization plans to work in collaboration with Dassault Falcon and is not meant to be a replacement for factory technical or troubleshooting support. Lynch said he eventually plans to hold gatherings at larger events such as regional forums and conventions and ultimately hopes to organize its own destination event with fly-ins, a static display, breakout sessions, and sponsor exhibits. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2021-09-13/falcon-jet-owner-operator-group-formed U.S. awarding $482.3 million in aviation manufacturing assistance WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Transportation Department said it was offering $482.3 million in aviation manufacturing assistance to 313 businesses, including up to $75.5 million to Spirit AeroSystems. Congress earlier this year created a $3 billion aviation manufacturing payroll subsidy program that will cover up to half of eligible companies' compensation costs for as long as six months. Ohio-based Parker-Hannifin Corp was offered up to $39.7 million, Connecticut-based Hexcel Corp offered $20.9 million and Astronics Corp $14.7 million. The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Of the 313 companies receiving funds, 188 of them - 60% - had fewer than 100 employees at the end of calendar year 2020. The funds will help support as many as 22,500 jobs nationwide. U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, said 31 Kansas companies will receive $104 million in payroll grants including Kansas-based Spirit AeroSystems. Senate Commerce Committee chair Maria Cantwell said $41 million will go to 32 companies in her home state of Washington. "With aviation manufacturing not targeted to recover until well into 2022, at the earliest, this aviation protection program will help in hiring back some of those workers and staving off further layoffs at a critical time," said Cantwell, a Democrat. More than 100,000 jobs have been lost in the aerospace industry since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Transportation Department. Before then, the U.S. aerospace industry employed approximately 2.2 million workers, including 1.2 million who worked in various parts of the supply chain nationwide. The offer requires companies to commit to not conducting furloughs without employee consent or laying off employees covered by subsidies during the six-month period. Companies eligible include aircraft, engine, propeller or component manufacturers and companies that repair or overhaul airplanes and parts. To qualify, a company must have involuntarily furloughed or laid off at least 10% of its total workforce, or have experienced a decline of at least 15% in 2020 total operating revenue. Applications for a second round of funding closed Sept. 1 and additional funding recipients will be announced this fall, the Transportation Department said. Some big aviation companies like General Electric Co's GE Aviation and Boeing Co declined to apply for the subsidy. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/u-awarding-482-3-million-150521516.html China's first C919 jet bound for airline to enter final assembly - regulator BEIJING/SYDNEY (Reuters) -China's first C919 narrowbody jet to be delivered to launch customer China Eastern Airlines is about to enter final assembly, China's aviation regulator said on Monday, with delivery due before the end of the year. The C919, being built by state-owned planemaker Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), will mark a milestone in a decade-long programme to rival aircraft made by Airbus and Boeing. The C919 programme's certification board met in Shanghai on Sept. 10 and reviewed COMAC reports on batch production of the jet, the Eastern Region Administration of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said on its social media account. COMAC hopes to obtain a type certificate, which certifies the model as airworthy, by the end of the year. The board also approved proposals to adjust the current plans for obtaining the aircraft's production certificate, which is required for mass production, the regulator said, without giving further details. The C919 is currently in the more limited batch production phase. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/chinas-first-c919-jet-bound-034628703.html Southwest's president retires suddenly; didn't get CEO job DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines President Tom Nealon, who was once seen as a leading candidate for CEO but was passed over this year, has retired. Southwest said Monday that Nealon, 60, will still serve as an adviser focusing on environmental issues, including plans to reduce carbon emissions. In a statement issued by the airline, Nealon said he was honored to have served Southwest in several jobs, especially president, and looks forward to taking on a strategic role. The airline said that Chief Operating Officer Mike Van de Ven, 59, has become president. The company declined to make Nealon available for comment. Nealon was once the airline's chief information officer, but left and then rejoined Southwest in 2016 in a strategy role. In January 2017, he was promoted to president, a position previously held by CEO Gary Kelly. That — along with Kelly's statement that he, Nealon and Van de Ven would form a three-headed office of the CEO — triggered speculation that Nealon would eventually ascend to the top job. But in June, the Dallas-based airline announced that Robert Jordan, a Southwest veteran who is currently executive vice president, will become CEO upon Kelly's retirement next February. Kelly said Monday that the transition to Jordan is “going extremely well” and officials who handle finance, legal and technology issues have begun reporting to Jordan instead of to Kelly or Nealon. https://www.yahoo.com/news/southwests-president-retires-suddenly-didnt-214638314.html SpaceX launches 51 Starlinks into polar orbit In heavy fog, SpaceX launched another batch of Starlink internet satellites late Monday, firing 51 upgraded relay stations into polar orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The flight came just two days before the planned launch of another Falcon 9 from Florida Wednesday carrying four civilians aloft in the first non-government commercial flight to orbit. The Inspiration4 mission was chartered by tech billionaire Jared Isaacman to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. While not as dramatic, the Starlink launch nonetheless marked a major milestone for SpaceX: the project's first flight to an orbit around Earth's poles using new internet beacons featuring satellite-to-satellite laser communications links to minimize time lost relaying data through ground stations. "We're flying a number of laser terminals right now in space, and we're working on probably our third generation," Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX president and CEO, said at a recent conference. "That's why we haven't flown Starlinks for six or eight weeks, because we wanted the next set to have the laser terminals." The goal, she said, is to continue enhancing the Starlink network "by putting more capacity in space, and (we're) really looking forward to truly connect those that are very difficult to connect, the three to five percent where fiber just does not make sense." The Falcon 9 rocket's first stage, making a record-tying 10th flight, roared to life at 11:55 p.m. EDT (8:55 p.m. local time) and thundered away from pad 4-East at Vandenberg, northwest of Los Angeles, through thick fog. After propelling the vehicle out of the dense lower atmosphere, the first stage fell away, flipped around and plunged back to Earth, landing on a SpaceX droneship to chalk up the company's 91st successful booster recovery, its 68th at sea. Seconds later, the rocket's second stage engine shut down and six-and-a-half minutes after that, the 51 Starlinks were released to fly on their own, slowly spreading apart as they drifted away. Each small satellite was to use on-board propulsion to reach its operational orbit. With Monday's launch, SpaceX has put 1,791 Starlinks into orbit. More than 1,400 of them were thought to be fully operational going into the latest flight. Operating in multiple orbital planes, the Starlink satellite system is designed to eventually bring relatively high-speed internet to any point on the planet, routing data to and from small user antennas and terminals. The laser cross links referred to by Shotwell enable satellites to hand off a user's internet traffic from one relay station to another as they pass over and move beyond line of sight in their relatively low orbits. OneWeb, which has already launched 288 of its own internet satellites, plans to launch 34 more Tuesday using a Russian Soyuz booster. The company says it will achieve global coverage with 648 satellites operating in higher orbits than the Starlinks. "There are millions and billions of people that do not have access to decent internet," Shotwell said. "So that's a pretty big market. I am not worried about the number of organizations that are interested in doing this. I'm interested and concerned about their sustainability when it comes to the space environment." Multiple companies are poised to enter the marketplace with tens of thousands of small satellites eventually flooding low-Earth orbit. Critics worry about the increased possibility of high-speed collisions, creating debris that could take out other satellites. Shotwell said SpaceX and OneWeb cooperate "brilliantly" when it comes to collision avoidance, but added it's not yet clear how other companies and nations will manage the threat. "The worst day in the world for Starlink is to have a collision," she said. "We have absolutely no desire to create chaos in our orbits. ... There is a huge amount of focus on this within the Space Force to make sure that we have great tracking, real time updates, and I think we will continue to move toward a better system to regulate that." https://www.yahoo.com/news/spacex-launchjes-51-starlinks-polar-053048008.html SpaceX Is About to Launch an Historic Manned Rocket That Will Orbit the Earth for 3 Days Blue Origin’s Jeff Bezos and Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson both made history this summer by becoming the first billionaire space tourists to blast off on their respective rocket ships, New Shepard and Unity22. On Wednesday, a third billionaire on Wednesday is scheduled to do the same with the help of Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Called Inspiration4, the mission will be a much more ambitious undertaking than the earlier flights in July. Unlike Bezos and Branson, who spent about 10 minutes in their suborbital craft, Jared Isaacman, founder of the e-commerce firm Shift4 Payments, and three other novice astronauts will spend three days orbiting the Earth. Inspiration4 is comprised of a crew capsule that will be atop a reusable Falcon 9 rocket. This New Reusable Rocket Ship Can Fly From Earth to Space Several Times a Day The mission will have a 24-hour weather window beginning at 8 pm ET on Wednesday. Once in space, it will orbit the Earth every 90 minutes at more than 17,000 miles per hour, or about 22 times the speed of sound. The target altitude of 360 miles is higher than the International Space Station. The four astronauts for the Inspiration4 mission have undergone five months of training for the orbital flight. Inspiration4 has raised money for one of Isaacman’s favorite charities, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital for pediatric cancer. Isaacman has pledged $100 million personally to the institute, and the mission has so far raised a total of $200 million. Beyond the charitable aspect, a successful Inspiration4 would raise the bar in a major way for commercial space tourism. Blue Origin sold its first seat on New Shepard for $28 million, and Virgin Galactic is now booking seats on future space flights for $450,000. They are part of a new space sector aimed at millionaires and, now, billionaires. Inspiration4 is expected to have cost Isaacman many times more than the much shorter, suborbital flights of SpaceX’s competitors. The four crew members, who have been training for five months to do the orbital trip, will have no part in Inspiration4’s navigation. Isaacman and geoscientist Sian Proctor are licensed pilots—Isaacman is rated to fly military jets—but the space capsule will be flown autonomously by SpaceX on the ground. Isaacman has been designated as “commander” of the mission, while Proctor, who had once been a NASA candidate, was named as “pilot.” Hayley Arceneaux, a bone cancer survivor who became a physician’s assistant at St. Jude’s, is serving as “chief medical officer,” while “mission specialist” Chris Sembroski is an aerospace data engineer. The four crew have undergone training in centrifuge (G-force), microgravity and flight simulator training and altitude fitness. Once in orbit, the four citizen astronauts will undertake experiments with “potential applications for human health on Earth,” according to Inspiration4’s website. Following the three-day orbital voyage, the capsule will splash down and be recovered by one of two SpaceX research vessels, named Bob and Doug after Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, the astronauts piloting the first SpaceX mission for NASA. Their Demo-2 mission, which took place on May 30, 2020, was the final test flight of SpaceX’s commercial crew program. It cleared the way for the Inspiration4 mission. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/spacex-launch-historic-manned-rocket-150000409.html POSITION AVAILABLE: Aerospace Engineer (Powerplants) VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT #: AS-11194481-21-AE POSITION TITLE: Aerospace Engineer (Powerplants) POSITION SERIES & GRADE: GS-0861-14 OPEN DATE: September 3, 2021 CLOSE DATE: October 4, 2021 Area of Consideration: U.S. Citizens Duties Summary This position is located in the Office of Aviation Safety, Aviation Engineering Division. The incumbent will participate and direct technical analyses of general aviation and air carrier accidents and incidents in the specialty area of turbine and reciprocating engines, propellers, fuel systems, engine accessories, and auxiliary power units. Responsibilities As an Aerospace Engineer (Powerplants), GS-0861-14, you will: Participates and directs technical analyses of general aviation and air carrier accident and incidents in the specialty area of turbine and reciprocating engines, propellers, fuel systems, engine accessories, and auxiliary power units. Serves as Group Chairman, documenting and analyzing airworthiness issues potentially involved in accidents and develops accident prevention strategies. Coordinates efforts with other Group Chairman, the IIC, and the Team Lead to assure thoroughness of all investigations and that necessary documentation is accomplished as a result of the investigative activity. Prepares factual and analytical reports covering specialty area on each accident. Correlates these findings with those of other Group Chairmen to assist in identifying the causes(s) of the accident. Assists the IIC and report writers in the preparation of the Safety Board's accident report with particular emphasis on the accuracy of factual information and the logic of analyses of the evidence from the investigation. Critically reviews drafts of the Safety Board's accident reports and provides constructive and timely feedback to improve the technical accuracy and logic presented in these reports. Researches and develops appropriate safety recommendation to correct hazardous or unsafe conditions using information obtained in the course of investigations, personal observations, and knowledge of current aviation engineering trends and developments. Acts as an advisor to the US Accredited Representative on foreign investigations. May be required to act as the US Accredited Representative to foreign investigations. Makes presentations and responds to Member's questions at Board meetings following the conclusion of major investigations or projects. Work Environment: The incumbent supports major go-team launches as well as significant international investigations. Major go-team launch teams commonly travel on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) jet from Reagan National Airport within two hours after an accident notification is received. Timely arrival at the scene of a major accident allows for timely documentation of a wreckage; a delay in this effort can have significant impacts, such as impeding the re-opening of an airport. International travel by US Government employees frequently requires the issuance of a visa from the host country, which is most efficiently obtained at the embassies located in Washington, DC. Additionally, security concerns in many locations make it essential that the investigative team travel together. Physical Demands: Occasionally the aircraft wreckage may contain hazardous materials that may be burning by the time the investigator arrives on-the-scene; therefore, the incumbent may be exposed to a variety of weather conditions and other environmental discomforts such as remote, rugged, snow, rain, temperature extremes, swampy or mountainous areas and hostile settings and may have to wear a hardhat, safety shoes, goggles, gloves, and other protective equipment. Travel Required Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position. APPLY AT: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/613161300 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 Curt Lewis