Flight Safety Information - September 24, 2021 No. 193 In This Issue : Incident: American B738 near Dallas on Sep 21st 2021, engine oil filter bypass : Incident: France A320 at Paris on Sep 23rd 2021, smoke on board : International travel is about to get more complicated for unvaccinated Americans : Man grabbed flight attendant, made sexual comments on flight from Charlotte, feds say : Passenger aboard Jet Blue flight from Boston to San Juan tried to storm cockpit, FBI affidavit says : Flight attendant on Hilo-bound Hawaiian Airlines jet attacked by passenger : American Airlines Pilots Say Operations Managers Must Go After Summer Breakdowns : Widow sues pilot's estate over helicopter crash in Georgia : 2 Hawaiian Airlines flights return to Honolulu airport after unruly passenger incidents : Delta urges other airlines to shares internal 'no fly' lists as unruly passenger incidents rise : Vietnam Considers Fully Lifting Its 737 MAX Ban : IBAC Congratulates SRC Aviation - First to Renew IS-BAH Stage 3 : Purdue expands professional flight degree program : Heathrow Is American Airlines’ Largest International Connecting Hub : Embraer shares soar with electric aircraft orders, analyst upgrade : NASA's InSight lander has finally detected 3 big Mars quakes, including one that lasted nearly 90 minutes : Henry Gourdji Named Winner Of 65th Annual Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award : Position Available - Director of Safety : Position Available - Tenure-Track Faculty Position with a focus on Unmanned Systems : RTCA Webinar: Innovation and Airport Infrastructure Incident: American B738 near Dallas on Sep 21st 2021, engine oil filter bypass An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N880NN performing flight AA-2752 from Dallas Forth Worth,TX to Washington National,DC (USA), was climbing out of Dallas when the crew stopped the climb at FL260 due to a left hand engine (CFM56) oil filter bypass indication. The crew declared emergency, requested "light turns" - the controller misunderstood and asked which runway lights should be turned up, the crew then explained they wanted "wide" turns - and landed safely on Dallas Ft. Worth's runway 35L about 65 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration N870NN reached Washington with a delay of about 5:45 hours, however, had to divert to Washington Dulles,DC (USA) airport. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Dallas about 36 hours after landing back. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL2752/history/20210922/0019Z/KDFW/KDCA http://avherald.com/h?article=4edaedfa&opt=0 Incident: France A320 at Paris on Sep 23rd 2021, smoke on board An Air France Airbus A320-200, registration F-GKXQ performing flight AF-7622 from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Bordeaux (France), was in the initial climb out of runway 26R when the crew donned their oxygen masks, declared Mayday reporting smoke on board. The aircraft stopped the climb at about 4000 feet and returned to Paris Charles de Gaulle for a landing on runway 26R about 15 minutes after departure. After landing the crew removed their oxygen masks, reported the smoke had dissipated and taxied to the apron. A replacement A320-200 registration F-GKXH reached Bordeaux with a delay of about 3 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4edae90a&opt=0 International travel is about to get more complicated for unvaccinated Americans The number of countries allowing unvaccinated American travelers to visit has been dwindling in recent weeks. Now those globe-trotters will find it more complicated to return to the United States after going abroad. Starting in early November, Americans who have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus will have to test negative within a day of leaving on a return flight to the United States. That is a shift from the current rule that mandates travelers test negative within 72 hours of departure. In a new requirement altogether, those fliers will also have to show proof that they have bought a viral test to take after they return to the country. News of the rules was tucked into a broader White House announcement this week about the end of the ban on travelers from 33 countries that has been in place since early last year. Under measures taking effect in November, fully vaccinated foreign nationals will be allowed to visit with proof of a negative test taken no more than three days before boarding a flight. Many specifics are unclear for unvaccinated American travelers: What kind of tests will passengers need to take before departing and buy for their return? Who will be in charge of checking for proof that travelers have purchased a test? Will there be a follow-up requirement to report those results? The White House said those details are being worked out before the rules are implemented in early November. Also in the works: specific information for kids who are too young to get vaccinated. In a briefing Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the testing requirements for unvaccinated Americans "at this point would obviously apply to children as well." Vaccinated Americans will continue to have to show proof of a negative test within three days of flying back to the country or proof of recent recovery from covid-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Americans should not travel internationally unless they are fully vaccinated. But current rules only require those travelers to get a test within three days of returning to the country. The CDC recommends unvaccinated people get a viral test one to three days before a trip, get tested again three to five days after traveling and stay home and self-quarantine for seven days after travel, even if they test negative. Representatives for the public health agency referred questions about the new testing requirements to the White House. Americans can go to some countries without being vaccinated, but more destinations are adding a vaccine requirement. After the European Union removed the United States from its safe list, countries including France, Spain and Belgium put rules into place earlier this month allowing entry to vaccinated Americans only. The international travel measures come as the Biden administration seeks ways to encourage - or require - Americans to get the shots. Officials have not put a vaccine mandate in place for domestic travel, though the president's chief medical adviser, Anthony Fauci, said he would support such a move. "It's on the table; we haven't decided yet," he told The Washington Post earlier this month. "But if the president said, 'You know, let's go ahead and do it,' I would be supportive of it." https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/international-travel-more-complicated-unvaccinated-181938889.html Man grabbed flight attendant, made sexual comments on flight from Charlotte, feds say A 40-year-old man from Arkansas is accused of sexually harassing a male flight attendant on a trip from Charlotte last year. Now he faces up to two decades in prison. Leon Anderson pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of interfering with a flight attendant, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas said in a news release. Anderson is from Maumelle, a city just outside of Little Rock. The incident occurred on a roughly two-hour flight from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Little Rock on Feb. 11, 2020, prosecutors said. The flight was operated by PSA Airlines, which flies under the moniker American Eagle and is a subsidiary of American Airlines. Defense attorneys appointed to represent Anderson and a spokesperson with American Airlines did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment Thursday. According to the release, a flight attendant was walking through the aisles prior to takeoff when Anderson grabbed his leg. “Startled, the flight attendant turned around, and the passenger — Anderson — apologized and said it was a mistake,” prosecutors said. But a few minutes later, Anderson reportedly threw his arm around the flight attendant’s shoulder and tried to grab him by the waist while apologizing again. Prosecutors said the flight attendant told him he didn’t need to continue saying sorry. The unwanted touching didn’t stop, according to the government. “The flight attendant continued his duties, but Anderson made inappropriate, sexual comments to the flight attendant and ultimately grabbed the flight attendant two more times in a sexual manner,” prosecutors said. The flight attendant ultimately told the captain, who called law enforcement. A grand jury indicted Anderson in October on one count of abusive sexual contact on an aircraft, court filings show. He pleaded guilty to a superseding information filed by prosecutors charging him with interference with a flight attendant. A federal judge hasn’t set Anderson’s sentencing date yet. He faces up to 20 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and three years of supervised release, prosecutors said. https://www.yahoo.com/news/man-grabbed-flight-attendant-made-224419086.html Passenger aboard Jet Blue flight from Boston to San Juan tried to storm cockpit, FBI affidavit says • Flight crew tied him up with makeshift restraints A passenger aboard a flight from Boston to Puerto Rico tried to storm the cockpit Wednesday night while screaming in Spanish and Arabic, according to an FBI affidavit obtained by ABC News. The affidavit says the man, identified as Khalil El Dahr, was sitting in the sixth row on JetBlue flight 261 from Logan Airport to San Juan. It also indicates he tried to make a phone call during the flight but was unsuccessful and upset. About 45 minutes before arriving in San Juan, the affidavit says El Dahr "pulled himself out of his seat and rushed toward the flight deck yelling to be shot." A flight attendant pushed El Dahr into a space between the first row and the galley. While El Dahr was corralled there, a flight crew officer opened the cockpit door. The affidavit said El Dahr used that moment to pull the flight attendant's tie and kicked the flight attendant in the chest, again yelling for the crew to shoot him. "While EL DAHR was yelling, he was still holding the JetBlue (flight attendant) by their tie. This resulted in the tie tightening and ultimately prevented the JetBlue FA from breathing," the affidavit said. The flight attendant was able to prevent El Dahr from reaching the galley or flight deck but the struggle continued until a group of six or seven flight crew members was able to restrain El Dahr. The affidavit said they used makeshift restraints, including a neck tie around his ankles and seat belt extenders around El Dahr's torso. Upon landing safely in San Juan, law enforcement met the plane. According to the affidavit, the FBI said El Dahr should face a felony charge of interference with flight crew members and attendants. https://www.wcvb.com/article/passenger-el-dahr-jet-blue-flight-from-boston-to-san-juan-tried-to-storm-cockpit-affidavit-says/37713981 (Photo Courtesy: YSSYguy at the English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons) Flight attendant on Hilo-bound Hawaiian Airlines jet attacked by passenger HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaiian Airlines said Thursday a passenger assaulted one of its flight attendants in an unprovoked attack during a flight. The airline said the incident occurred shortly after flight HA152 left Honolulu for Hilo at 7:30 a.m. The flight attendant was walking down the aisle at the time. The pilot returned the plane to Honolulu, where the passenger got off and “was met by authorities,” the airline said in a statement. An FBI spokesperson said she was trying to get information. Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Alex Da Silva said the flight attendant was evaluated for injuries and released from work to rest. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, released the following statement on an assault against the flight attendant. “This attack is reprehensible,”he said. “I’ve been in direct contact with Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has assured me that this incident will be fully investigated by the FAA. The assailant must be held accountable and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. There should be zero tolerance for this kind of despicable attack.” https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2021/09/23/hawaii-news/flight-attendant-on-hilo-bound-hawaiian-airlines-jet-attacked-by-passenger/ American Airlines Pilots Say Operations Managers Must Go After Summer Breakdowns Leaders of American Airlines’ pilots union have voted to call for replacement of the airline’s operations management team, citing the airline’s shortcomings including breakdowns following summer storms. Meeting Thursday in Dallas, the 20-member board of directors of the Allied Pilots Association voted 17-2, with one abstention, to endorse a resolution passed on Sept. 7 by its Philadelphia domicile. Thursday’s resolution declares, as its key conclusion, that, “the APA board of directors believes it is in the best interest of the American Airlines shareholders, employees, the communities it serves and the traveling public for the management team members who control the American Airlines operation be replaced.” Additionally, the board directs the APA president to ensure that potential new hire pilots are informed that “current scheduling uncertainties and reassignments affect their quality of life if they decide to accept a flying position at American Airlines.” The resolution, which closely follows the wording of the earlier Philadelphia resolution, refers to about two dozen operational sore points, including unfavorable comparisons with Delta’s operational performance, mentions of various rankings of airline’s operations, a citation of a 2019 comment by CEO Doug Parker that “When we run a bad airline it affects morale,” and a mention of the 2021 Father’s Day weekend when more than 60,000 passengers were impacted by cancellation. “There were several additional post weather recovery failures in July and August,” the resolution said. “Throughout the summer of 2021, middle management chose to advance cancel hundreds of flights, disrupting thousands of travel plans while at the same time damaging the American Airlines brand. “Upper middle management’s actions and resulting unreliable operation requires American Airlines to carry a much higher percentage of reserve pilots (as compared with other airlines) to support their unpredictable operation,” the resolution said. “That policy “is highly inefficient, and adds more hours of flying on the remaining pilots creating less scheduling flexibility causing record reassignments and pilot fatigue.” APA spokesman Dennis Tajer noted the resolution is targeted not at senior management, but rather at upper middle managers at American headquarters and at the integrated operations center in Fort Worth. “They are tasked with assuring that American Airlines operation is reliable, not only for our pilots but most importantly for our passengers,” Tajer said, noting that CEO Doug Parker and President Robert Isom “say the right things, but the job is not getting done below them.” “We don’t need an upper middle management team good on running an airline on sunny days, we need one that can manage when mother nature creates storms in our hubs,” he said. “That’s where the challenge is. We’ve got to get this fixed before the holidays.” As for new hire pilots, Tajer said, “We have to be honest with them. They are coming here to spend their 30-year careers.” The pilots’ contract became amendable in January 2020, but talks have preceded slowly. APA represents about 14,000 pilots. APA has scheduled informational picketing at Miami International Airport on Oct. 19, with subsequent events in Dallas and possibly Charlotte. The Philadelphia domicile represents about 900 pilots. The APA board’s 20 members include two from Philadelphia. Tajer said American keeps about 30% of its pilots on reserve, compared to an industry average of about 15% An American spokesman declined to immediately comment late Thursday. but in a September 3rd letter to pilots, Chip Long, vice president of flight, offered pilots thanks for “the professionalism and commitment you’ve shown this summer as we experienced the largest operational ramp-up in our company’s history.” Long said American had “a challenging stretch in June due to weather, vendor staffing and temporary pilot training challenges.” But he noted that during the third quarter, operating performance was comparable to previous years. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tedreed/2021/09/23/american-airlines-pilots-say-operations-managers-must-go-after-summer-breakdowns/?sh=152e14e27990 Widow sues pilot's estate over helicopter crash in Georgia • The widow of a passenger killed in a helicopter crash in Georgia is suing the pilot's estate and two helicopter companies, saying the aircraft should never have been flying in poor weather ATLANTA -- The widow of a passenger killed in a helicopter crash in Georgia is suing the pilot's estate and two helicopter companies, saying the aircraft should never have been flying in poor weather. All three people on board were killed when the helicopter went down Sept. 15 in the Oconee National Forest, including passenger Charles Ogilvie, whose widow filed the lawsuit Thursday. The suit filed by Stephy Ogilvie identifies the pilot as Alister Pereira and accuses him of failing to properly monitor the weather and not stopping the flight when he knew of low clouds, low visibility and rain in the area. The Robinson R66 helicopter had taken off from Thomasville, Georgia, about 180 miles (290 kilometers) south of the crash site, said Aaron McCarter, an air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board. At a briefing shortly after the crash, McCarter said weather during the flight was rainy with low clouds and reduced visibility. The NTSB’s investigation will look at the weather conditions, as well as the credentials and experience of the pilot and evidence collected about the helicopter itself and its maintenance history, he said. Defendants include the pilot's estate and two companies: Atlanta Helicopters LLC and North Atlanta Executive Air LLC. Neither company immediately responded to messages left Thursday by The Associated Press. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/widow-sues-pilots-estate-helicopter-crash-georgia-80192957 2 Hawaiian Airlines flights return to Honolulu airport after unruly passenger incidents State sherriff’s deputies today arrested a passenger on Hawaiian Airlines flight HA152 after he allegedly assaulted a flight attendant during the flight. For the second time today, a Hawaiian Airlines flight was diverted back to Honolulu this afternoon due to an incident involving an alleged unruly passenger. Hawaiian Flight 22 departed Daniel K. Inouye International Airport at 1:05 p.m. today for a direct flight to Seattle. “Approximately two hours after takeoff, our captain was notified of a passenger who refused to comply with the federal mask mandate and caused a disturbance to other guests. Our flight attendants, along with an off-duty pilot, were able to de-escalate the situation,” said Hawaiian Airlines spokeswoman Tara Shimooka. “Out of an abundance of caution, the captain elected to return to (Honolulu), where local authorities met the aircraft upon arrival at 5:53 p.m.” There were no injuries reported. Spokesman Jai Cunningham of the state Department of Transportation said the disturbance aboard the flight involved an adult male passenger. His age was not immediately available. Shimooka said, “We apologize to our guests for the inconvenience and thank our crew members for keeping our guests safe during these unfortunate incidents. We have zero tolerance for disruptive and dangerous behavior in our cabins and have banned or denied boarding to 98 passengers so far this year.” A Honolulu-to-Hilo Hawaiian Air flight this morning was diverted back to Honolulu after a passenger allegedly assaulted a flight attendant. The midair disturbances occurred on the same day that the aviation subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a hearing on Capitol Hill about the increasing amount of in-flight disturbances on commercial airlines. Previous coverage: State sheriff’s deputies arrested a 32-year-old male passenger after he allegedly punched a flight attendant twice in an unprovoked attack on a Hawaiian Airlines flight bound for Hilo this morning. At 7:30 a.m., Hawaiian Air Flight 152 departed from the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Soon after, “a passenger assaulted one of our flight attendants, who was walking the aisle, in an unprovoked incident,” said spokesman Alex Da Silva. Preliminary information indicates the assault was not triggered by non-compliance with mask-wearing policies, Da Silva said. The flight diverted back to Honolulu where deputy sheriffs escorted the unruly passenger off the plane and arrested him on suspicion of third-degree assault, according to Toni Schwartz, spokeswoman of the Hawaii Department of Public Safety. The case has been turned over to federal authorities. Taylor Garland, spokeswoman of the Association of Flight Attendants, said the passenger punched the attendant in the chest and back of the head while the attendant was walking through the cabin to pick up trash. “This behavior onboard is unacceptable,” Garland said of the unruly passenger. “We are providing support to the flight attendant involved in the incident.” Da Silva said the flight attendant was evaluated and released from work to rest. Bill Paris, who was a passenger on the flight, said the incident occurred near the front of the cabin. Both the passenger and the flight attendant were described as male. In a statement today, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, said, “This attack is reprehensible.” “The assailant must be held accountable and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. There should be zero tolerance for this kind of despicable attack,” he said. Since Jan. 1, the Federal Aviation Administration has received more than 4,200 reports of unruly passengers. https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/09/23/breaking-news/hawaiian-airlines-flight-returns-to-honolulu-airport-after-passenger-assaults-flight-attendant/ Delta urges other airlines to shares internal 'no fly' lists as unruly passenger incidents rise • Delta has added more than 1,600 passengers to its "no fly" list since the pandemic started Delta is urging airlines to coordinate with each other by sharing internal "no fly" lists, arguing a ban doesn’t work if a passenger can travel on another airline, according to a report. The airline has grounded some 1,600 passengers from its planes amid a surge of unruly travelers during the coronavirus pandemic, mainly those who have caused disruptions after refusing to wear a federally required mask, according to The New York Times. The airlines’ "no fly" lists are separate from the one maintained by the FBI, which focuses on terrorism threats. "We've also asked other airlines to share their "no fly" list to further protect airline employees across the industry – something we know is top of mind for you as well," Kristen Manion Taylor, senior vice president of in-flight services at Delta, wrote a memo to its flight attendants Wednesday. "A list of banned customers doesn't work as well if that customer can fly with another airline." The House of Representatives Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure is holding hearings this week on the surge of unruly fliers this week and Delta is expected to participate on Friday, according to FOX Television stations. The FAA has compiled nearly 4,300 "unruly passenger reports" already this year, Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants union, testified in a Thursday hearing, The Times reported. "If we continue at this rate, there may be more incidents in 2021 than in the entire history of aviation," she warned. She also supported a collaborative "no fly" list. American Airlines flight attendant Teddy Andrews testified a passenger had called him a racial slur after he asked the person to put on a mask. "It feels like flight attendants have become the target for all kinds of frustrations that some people are feeling," he said, according to The Times. https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/delta-urges-other-airlines-to-shares-internal-no-fly-lists-as-unruly-passenger-incidents-rise Vietnam Considers Fully Lifting Its 737 MAX Ban Vietnam’s aviation safety regulators are mulling lifting their ban on the 737 MAX landing at Vietnamese airports. Vietnam presently allows the MAX to fly through its airspace but not land. Aside from Vietnam, almost every other country has greenlighted the 737 MAX to freely resume operations. The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam proposes greenlighting the MAX According to a report by Dat Nguyen in VPExpress, a Vietnamese newspaper, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) is proposing that the MAX be allowed to fly in and out of Vietnam, rather than just over it. The report says the CAAV has approached Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport to lift the ban, noting 178 out of 195 countries worldwide have already done so. “Based on the assessment results of the aviation authorities in the world and the safety index of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft after being licensed to operate again, the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam proposes the Ministry of Transport allows the Department to carry out the necessary procedures to allow the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to fly to/from the Vietnamese territory, and at the same time implement the process of granting the certificate of approval for the aircraft type B737 MAX to be imported into Vietnam,” a September 20 update on the CAAV website reads. A host of reasons why the 737 MAX should fly in Vietnam CAAV Director General Dinh Viet Thang argues there are a host of reasons why the MAX should be allowed to fly in and out of the country. Key among them is Vietnam’s laggard status in recertifying the plane. Vietnam is grouped with neighbouring China and nearby Indonesia as among the last countries to let the 737 MAX operate freely in their jurisdictions. “Besides the two largest aviation authorities in the world, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), aviation authorities such as Brazil, Japan, and Australia also allowed the Boeing 737 MAX to resume operations,” the CAAV statement adds. “At the same time, the aviation authorities of China and Indonesia are expected to lift the ban this September.” Perhaps more compelling are the MAX’s operational stats since the plane began flying again late last year. The CAAV notes 737 MAXs have operated over 150,000 flights since then, clocking up 370,000 flying hours without incident. Around half a percent of those flights were delayed more than 15 minutes owing to technical issues – an important performance measure known as the departure reliability index. Vietnam’s 737 MAX go-slow slips under the radar Dinh Viet Thang argues these factors add up to a pretty compelling case. He wants to see the MAX back at Vietnam’s airports. While no Vietnamese airlines currently have MAX aircraft in their fleets, VietJet Air has a large number of them on order. Vietnam lifted the ban on MAX’s transiting through its airspace in April, but the country’s safety regulators have opted to take their time allowing the plane into their airports. Unlike China, which is embroiled in a trade and political brawl with the United States, and Indonesia, home to one of the fatal MAX crashes, Vietnam has no real excuse for its recertification tardiness. While attention remains focused on China’s go-slow on MAX recertification, Vietnam is slipping under the radar. But if China does greenlight the MAX, and Dinh Viet Thang expects it to do so shortly, the spotlight might swing on Vietnam. Folks might ask what is going on? Vietnam might be keen to avoid that kind of scrutiny. Recertifying the 737 MAX is their escape clause. https://simpleflying.com/vietnam-boeing-737-max-ban/ IBAC Congratulates SRC Aviation - First to Renew IS-BAH Stage 3 The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) commended SRC Aviation, India, for being the first Stage 3 renewal for the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH) program. Based in New Delhi, India, SRC Aviation was also the first organization in the world to achieve IS-BAH Stage 1 in 2015. SRC Aviation managing director, Bobby Chadha, stated, “This recognition from IS-BAH is a reflection of our commitment to the highest global safety standards and to excellence in service.” IS-BAH program director, Terry Yeomans, noted, “It is inspiring to see the resiliency organizations have to implement and maintain a voluntary global standard such as the IS-BAH, especially with all the challenges we have faced in the past 18 months. Congratulations to Bobby and the entire SRC team and thank you for your continued commitment to business aviation safety and support for the IS-BAH Program.” IBAC has witnessed 260 ground handing organizations achieve IS-BAH since the standard was first introduced with nine of them currently at Stage 3. https://www.aviationpros.com/ground-handling/ground-handlers-service-providers/ramp-operations-training/press-release/21239532/international-business-aviation-council-ibac-ibac-congratulates-src-aviation-first-to-renew-isbah-stage-3 Purdue expands professional flight degree program WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue University Global and Cincinnati-based Lunken Flight Training Center have formed a partnership to address the projected global and regional demand for aviation professionals over the next 20 years. “We are pleased to join forces with an established flight training center like Lunken to bolster our popular professional flight program,” said Sara Sander, Purdue Global vice president and dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the School of Education. “Cincinnati is a major Midwest aviation hub and will provide flexibility and opportunities for many of our students.” According to Jay Schmalfuss, owner of Lunken Flight Training Center, Cincinnati is home to many corporate flight departments, including Procter & Gamble, Kroger, Cintas and General Electric. Additionally, Amazon has undergone a huge expansion to its air hub at nearby Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, so a growing demand for professional pilots in the area is anticipated. “Lunken Flight Training Center is excited to announce its affiliation with Purdue University Global,” Schmalfuss said. “Cincinnati is located within 600 miles of over half the population of the U.S., which makes Purdue Global and Lunken Flight Training Center the perfect choice to launch an aviation career.” Purdue Global’s professional flight degree program is a collaboration between Purdue Global and Purdue University’s School of Aviation and Transportation Technology – announced in June 2019. It combines the quality of Purdue’s legendary aviation program spanning more than six decades with the flexibility and affordability that Purdue Global offers. Students accepted into the program will complete their Bachelor of Science degree courses online through Purdue Global, which includes aviation and general education classes, while completing professional flight training at Lunken Flight Training Center or one of several other Purdue Global affiliates across the country. During flight training, students will work toward earning certificates and ratings in instrument, commercial, multi-engine and certified flight instructor. As students progress in their flight training to becoming certified flight instructors, they will have the foundation necessary to serve as flight instructors and accrue additional flight experience required by airlines and corporate flight departments to get hired as professional pilots. Upon reaching certified flight instructor status, students enrolled in the program can begin teaching others and earn compensation for their work, in addition to flight hours, which can help with education costs and living expenses. Purdue’s School of Aviation and Transportation Technology, one of six departments and schools in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, is recognized worldwide as a leader in aviation education and provides its expertise in curriculum development, faculty hiring and accreditation by the Aviation Accreditation Board International. As U.S. airline pilots approach the federally mandated retirement age of 65, combined with many pilots taking early retirement during the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry faces a shortage of pilots in the coming years. The Purdue Global program is designed to get students flying immediately, shortening the timeline to becoming a professional pilot in order to meet the growing demand. https://www.newsbug.info/lafayette_leader/news/purdue/purdue-expands-professional-flight-degree-program/article_649cd833-785a-5f25-bf9a-044cc02fc1d7.html Heathrow Is American Airlines’ Largest International Connecting Hub American Airlines has built its success on connecting passengers from all corners of the globe, to get them where they want to go. Considering the size and position of some of its United States hubs, it might come as a surprise to know that its most important international connecting hub is not in the States at all – it’s in London. American Airlines’ most important connecting hub For a huge hub and spoke airline like American Airlines, stringent travel restrictions have strangled its international long-haul operations. Despite remaining the biggest airline in the US by seat numbers, and already returning more than 85% of its 2019 capacity, American has been waiting just as much as anyone for international to properly reopen. When the news broke that travel between the US and the UK would soon become easier, the corridors of American Airlines’ HQ were undoubtedly ringing with jubilation. Speaking exclusively to Simple Flying, Americans’ Chief Revenue Officer Vasu Raja explained just what it meant for the transatlantic to be reopening. “I’ll tell you, probably nobody was more excited than us to hear that, because so much of our airline’s long-haul network is built around Heathrow. AA alone operates around 22, 23 flights a day into Heathrow. Between AA and British Airways, we have a massive presence there.” It’s not surprising that Heathrow is a crucial hub for American Airlines. The busy London airport is the home turf of its UK partner British Airways, and the most important hub for that airline. BA, with its sister airlines under the IAG umbrella, operates 55% of takeoff and landing slots at Heathrow during normal times. But Heathrow is even more critical to American than that, as Raja explained, “A little-known fact is our largest international connecting complex is actually London Heathrow. We connect more international customers over Heathrow than we do over Philadelphia, Miami, even Dallas Fort Worth.” As an airline that is so firmly rooted in the US, with some of the world’s biggest and most well-established hubs, it’s incredible to think that Heathrow is AA’s most important international connecting airport. Rebuilding Heathrow Through the pandemic, Heathrow has been hugely challenged. With stringent travel restrictions not only imposed from within the UK, but from outside of the UK too, the airport just hasn’t been the same hub it once was. That meant that, ultimately, the airport lost connecting traffic to other connection points, as Raja explained, “Quite honestly, Heathrow as a connecting point was challenged mightily through the pandemic … it just couldn’t function as the same connecting point that many airports on the continent could. Indeed, that’s probably what led to such a massive development in the partnership between AA and Qatar Airways. Because at a time when many of our competitors were using continental European hubs to connect people into Africa or the Indian subcontinent, we were using Doha.” American’s partnership with Qatar gave it a new point over which to connect, and given the way Doha remained relatively open throughout the pandemic, it was a lifeline for this vast international carrier. But that doesn’t mean American has forgotten about London. Indeed, the airline is already laying the groundwork to ramp up flying into Heathrow again, to reposition this important hub back into its international network. Raja said, “The announcement is certainly a big shot to the arm for us as we go into planning next year, because that creates a lot more opportunities. We aren’t yet sure if what we bring back is a replica of what was there before; it’s pretty unlikely that that’s the case. There’ll probably be some changes … because we think there will still be a lag in time before business demand resumes at the clip that it was at pre pandemic. But that’s okay. “This certainly creates a path to be able to go and rapidly build back the network, get customers flying again and ultimately prepare for a full return of international travel.” And when will that full return of international travel be? Raja thinks we could start seeing the green shoots as early as the first part of 2022. He commented, “We think that with yesterday’s announcement that could turn itself around quite quickly. And indeed, by you know, a few months into 2022, if international demand follows the trends that we’ve seen in the short haul space, things could come back pretty fast, and pretty impressively.” With the reopening of transatlantic set to takeoff in November, all things being equal, carriers like American Airlines could be in for a bumper start to 2022. https://simpleflying.com/american-heathrow-largest-connecting-hub/ Embraer shares soar with electric aircraft orders, analyst upgrade SAO PAULO, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA (EMBR3.SA) said on Thursday its subsidiary Eve has signed a memorandum of understanding to sell up to 100 electric aircraft to lessor Bristow Group (VTOL.N), sending Embraer shares higher, in the latest sign of dealmaking in the nascent "flying taxis" sector. Brazil-listed Embraer shares, which were also boosted by an upgrade to "buy" from "neutral" by analysts at Goldman Sachs, jumped 11.75% to 23.80 reais in early trading in Sao Paulo. Embraer said in a securities filing that Eve will deliver the first vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to Bristow by 2026. Both companies will develop an urban mobility model to operate the aircraft, focusing on areas such as regulatory development, eVTOL certification and autonomous operation. In a market report, Goldman Sachs analysts said subsidiary Eve's eVTOL business is not yet priced into the Embraer stock, given the market capitalizations of other publicly traded eVTOL companies. Goldman upgraded Embraer to "buy" with 50% upside to its new 12-month price target of $23 for the company's ADR, also noting the firm's exposure to business and regional jet end-market strength, operational performance upside and an attractive valuation. On the deal with Embraer, Bristow president and CEO Chris Bradshaw said the agreement outlines the continued development for an eVTOL that could "potentially reshape the market for all electric vertical lift with zero emissions." He also believes that the move could lower operating costs in the industry and sees it as an expansion for Bristow into new potential end markets. Eve had announced earlier this week a partnership with Helipass to offer electric flying taxis services in Europe, which are also expected to start in 2026. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/embraer-shares-soar-with-electric-aircraft-orders-analyst-upgrade-2021-09-23/ (An illustration of the InSight lander on Mars. NASA/JPL-Caltech) NASA's InSight lander has finally detected 3 big Mars quakes, including one that lasted nearly 90 minutes • NASA's InSight lander has finally detected Mars quakes with magnitudes above 4. • One quake lasted nearly 90 minutes and was five times more energetic than the previous record-holder. • Big quakes help NASA scientists peer into Mars' core to learn how habitable planets evolve. NASA's Insight lander was sitting silently in the empty dust plains of Mars on Saturday, as it had for the past 1,000 Martian days, when the ground began to rumble. The shaking continued for nearly an hour and a half. The robot beamed the data from its seismometer back to Earth, and NASA scientists realized they had what they'd been waiting for: a big quake. Insight had recorded a magnitude 4.2 Mars quake - the kind NASA scientists had been wanting to observe since Insight touched down on the red planet in November 2018. Two other big ones recently rolled through, too: On August 25, the lander felt two quakes of magnitudes 4.2 and 4.1. Before these, the biggest quake the lander had felt was a 3.7 in 2019. "It looks like there are fewer large quakes on Mars, relative to the number of small quakes, than we would expect. It's a little bit puzzling," Bruce Banerdt, the principal investigator for InSight, told Insider in April. But the Saturday quake was five times more energetic than the 3.7-magnitude rumble. These big quakes offer a missing piece of the Martian puzzle. Scientists can use their seismic waves to learn about the makeup of Mars' core, in the same way the waves of an X-ray or CAT scan are used in the body. Getting more detailed views into Mars' insides can yield clues about how the planet was born and how it has evolved over time. That knowledge could be crucial in astronomers' efforts to find other worlds that might host life. "By looking at Mars' core and looking at Mars' crust, and understanding that these haven't changed very much in the last 4.5 billion years, we can get a glimpse into what the Earth might have looked like very early on," Banerdt said in April. "Mars is helping us to understand just how rocky planets form and how they evolve in general." Mars quakes have revealed an Earth-like planet with a moon-like crust InSight has detected more than 700 quakes in total, and they've revealed a lot about the planet's interior already. Scientists have learned that Mars' crust is thinner than they thought, and that it's more like the moon's crust than Earth's - it's broken up from asteroid impacts. Because the Martian crust is so dry and broken, its quakes last much longer than earthquakes. They reverberate between cracks in the crust, and there's not as much moisture to absorb them. So the quakes InSight has felt have typically lasted 10 to 40 minutes. Recently, scientists have also used the quakes to determine that Mars has a molten core. They're not yet sure whether a solid inner core hides beneath a molten outer core, the way it does on Earth. NASA creatively solved an energy crisis to keep InSight's seismometer on insight mars lander red dust solar panels InSight almost had to shut down its seismometer earlier this year. The robot was experiencing an energy shortage because dust was building up on its solar panels. Among NASA's other Mars robots, big gusts of wind have whooshed through regularly enough to clear dust off the solar panels. But the plains where InSight sits turned out to be abnormally still. Then to make matters worse, Mars was entering the coldest part of its year during our spring and summer, when the red planet got the furthest from the sun in its oval-shaped orbit. That meant InSight would need to funnel even more energy into its heaters to survive. So NASA decided to put InSight into hibernation. In February, the lander began incrementally shutting off its scientific instruments in order to conserve power to keep itself warm. In June, the team was preparing to shut down the seismometer, and Banerdt told a NASA group that the lander's life might not last past April 2022, according to SpaceNews. But then the InSight team crafted an ingenious way to clean off the solar panels. They instructed the robot to scoop up dirt and slowly trickle it next to the panels. Some of the large grains of sand got caught in the wind, bounced off the solar panels, and took some stubborn dust with them - enough to add about 30 watt-hours to Insight's daily energy production after the first attempt. They carried out that process several more times in order to ensure a steady enough power supply to keep the seismometer running through June and July, when Mars started swinging back towards the sun. "If we hadn't acted quickly earlier this year, we might have missed out on some great science," Banerdt said in a press release. https://www.yahoo.com/news/nasas-insight-lander-finally-detected-224120500.html Henry Gourdji Named Winner Of 65th Annual Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award Alexandria, Va. -- The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation is pleased to announce Henry Gourdji, a long-time senior official with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) who led the development of a renowned global safety audit program, as the 2021 recipient of the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award. Gourdji, who recently retired from ICAO, spent the last 22 years of his career developing and managing the organization’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP), which has established a foundation for global aviation safety. The program, which focuses on eight specific areas crucial to providing effective safety oversight, is widely recognized for its thoroughness, transparency, and contributions to both the flight operations and air navigation arenas. An active pilot, Gourdji also spent more than three decades in Canadian civil service, including 10 years at Transport Canada managing the country’s Civil Aviation National Audit Program. “Henry Gourdji’s tireless commitment to developing, implementing, and expanding USOAP represents a significant contribution to global aviation safety that will pay dividends for years to come,” said Jim Burin, Chair of the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award committee. “Henry’s dedication and insistence on global collaboration have created a legacy that plays a central role in ensuring safe civil aviation operations in every part of the world, every day.” The 65th annual Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award recipient was announced September 22. Gourdji was honored during a special virtual ceremony as part of the 74th Flight Safety Foundation International Air Safety Summit. About the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation and Award On April 14, 1945, after visiting family in Pittsburgh, Mrs. Laura Taber Barbour was aboard a Pennsylvania Central Airlines DC-3 when it crashed into the rugged terrain of Cheat Mountain near Morgantown, West Virginia. All passengers and crew were killed. In 1956, her husband, Dr. Clifford E. Barbour and son, Cliff, established the Award in her honor. For nearly 60 years, this long distinguished award has recognized those responsible for crowning achievements in aviation safety worldwide. The Award was established through early association with the Flight Safety Foundation and from its founding has enjoyed a rich history of Award Board members, nominees and Award recipients. In 2013, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation was formed from members of the Award Board, the aviation community and the Barbour family. As the foundation plans to broaden the scope of its intent, with great purpose, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award will continue to spotlight those champions who pioneer breakthroughs in flight safety. For more information on the foundation, the award, and past winners, visit http://LTBAward.org Director of Safety – Bloomington, MN Who Are We: Life Link III is a nationally recognized leader in air medical transport. Our top priority is to put cutting edge technology and education in the hands of our flight medical crew, pilots, mechanics, operational control specialists and communication specialists so we can provide uncompromising care to the communities we live and work in. We do this work while living out our core values of safety, customer focus, excellence, integrity, innovation, and collaboration. Position Summary: Life Link III’s Director of Safety emphasizes innovation, collaboration, and safety in their approach to realizing Life Link III’s mission and values. The Director of Safety reports to the Chief Executive Officer or designee. The primary focus of the Director of Safety is the prevention of harm to people, property, and the environment. The Director of Safety will be expected to lead in areas of Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management, Safety Assurance, and Safety Promotion. To accomplish this, the Director of Safety will provide technical assistance in identifying, evaluating, and controlling hazards in a variety of contexts throughout the organization. The Director of Safety is responsible for the continuous development & implementation of the Life Link III Safety Management System (SMS) and administration of Life Link III Safety Management Programs (SMPs). A qualified candidate will embody the Mission and Values of Life Link III. Position Highlights: • Under the direction outlined by the SMS – assist in implementation, management, modification, and additions to SMP. • SMP implementation, oversight, management, and training, including day-to-day management of the following components: • Hazard Recognition - identify conditions or actions that may cause injury, illness, or property damage. • Inspections/Audits - assess safety and health risks associated with equipment, materials, processes, facilities, or abilities. • Fire Protection - reduce fire hazards by inspection, layout of facilities and processes, and design of fire detection and suppression systems. • Regulatory Compliance - ensure that mandatory safety and health standards are satisfied. • Maintain knowledge and awareness of all safety components of the FAA, OSHA (MN, WI, and Federal), EPA, airport authority, CAMTS, EMSRB, WI DHS, and others as applicable. • Serves as the safety liaison for regulatory and accreditation site surveys. • Health Hazard Control - control hazards such as noise, chemical exposures, radiation, or biological hazards that can create harm. • Ergonomics - improve the workplace based on an understanding of human physiological and psychological characteristics, abilities, and limitations. • Hazardous Materials Management - ensure that dangerous chemicals and other products are procured, stored, and disposed of in ways that prevent fires, exposure to or harm from these substances. • Environment - control hazards that can lead to undesirable releases of harmful materials into the air, water, or soil. • Accident and Incident Investigations - determine the facts related to an accident or incident based on witness interviews, site inspections and collection of other evidence. Record keeping - maintain safety and health information to meet government requirements, as well as to provide data for problem solving and decision making. • Review incident reports of a safety nature. • Track, trend, and analyze data to identify concerns. • Appropriately triage risk of concerns identified and proposes actionable plans for correction. • Assist in development and regularly review site emergency plans for all Life Link III locations, including, but not limited to hangars, crew quarters, administrative offices, supply rooms. • Emergency Response-Manage, administer, and facilitate the exercise of Life Link III’s Emergency Response plan. • Collaborates and engages across all departments and with external stakeholders for plan accuracy and plan updates. • Facilitates across departments for drill planning, drill execution, and evaluation. • Manage, administer, and provide training for the emergency notification software platform. • Security - identify and implement design features and procedures to protect facilities and businesses from threats that introduce hazards. • Identify opportunities, gap analysis, and facilitate cross departmental collaboration about SMP. • Training - provide employees and managers with the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize hazards and perform their jobs safely and effectively. • Provide content for annual safety training for all Life Link III locations including, but not limited to, hangars, crew quarters, administrative offices, supply rooms. Document and provide senior leaders updates about annual training. • Attend new employee orientations and provide an overview and expectations of safety at Life Link III. • Participate in safety education to external stakeholders such as hospitals, law enforcement, and EMS agencies. • Collaborate with Marketing and Outreach to coordinate consistent messaging of a safety nature to external stakeholders. • Coordinate with Clinical Services, Operations, Human Resources, or others as needed to assure that action plans are carried out when appropriate. • Create, maintain, and updates policies as appropriate. • Outline and update procedures appropriately to reflect current practices. • Coordinate and lead safety sub-committee meetings. • Coordinate the enterprise safety meeting. • Ensure accountability and consistency of area and base representatives and/or designees. • Lead the selection of base safety representatives, provide work direction and feedback. • Maintain good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders. • Provide safety related education and/or materials as requested or needed. • Promote a culture of safety through collaboration and partnerships that maximize the success of the program. • Serve as a liaison on a wide range of safety related issues, and partner with content experts to ensure quality in the guidance given. What We Are Looking For: • Bachelor's degree in safety, industrial engineering, quality or emergency management, aeronautics, registered nursing or similar. • 7+ years of experience in coordinating safety and loss prevention activities in a setting translatable to the services provided by Life Link III. • Professional or equivalent safety certification (i.e. ASP or CSP) • Proven success collaborating across an organization to implement change • Experience leading collaborative teams, committees, or other working groups with internal and external stakeholders. • 5+ years demonstrated leadership progression in enterprise-wide safety role(s) • Ability to adjust tasks quickly as circumstances dictate • Ability to communicate clearly and effectively • Ability to travel on short notice within the Life Link III system • Ability to respond to emergency events with limited notice Preferred Qualifications: • Master’s Degree preferred • Experience with rotor and/or fixed wing operations • Emergency Medical Services experience • Certification(s) in CPPS and ARM What We Offer: • We are committed to developing your talents through engaging work and access to an annual Professional Development Fund. • Opportunity to grow • Competitive salary • Competitive Health Benefits • Employer Matching HSA on qualified plans • Employer Matching Retirement Plan with no vesting schedule • Competitive Paid Time Off to foster a work/life balance To Apply Please Go to https://www.lifelinkiii.com/careers/job-openings/ Covid-19 Vaccination Requirements: To maintain the health and well-being of our fellow co-workers and the patients we serve; all Life Link III employees are required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 prior to their first day of employment. Compliance/HIPAA: Must perform work in the manner prescribed by documented work process in order to ensure compliance with all rules and regulations, accreditation standards and laws that apply. Tenure-Track Faculty Position with a focus on Unmanned Systems in the School of Graduate Studies, College of Aviation, Daytona Beach The School of Graduate Studies in the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) invites applications for a nine-month tenure-track, open rank position, with strong preference in background and expertise in Unmanned Systems and related areas. The department offers a primarily online Ph.D. in Aviation with specializations in Aviation Safety, Aviation Human Factors, Aviation Operations, and Interdisciplinary. It also offers an MS in Aviation, MS in Occupational Safety Management, and MS in Unmanned Systems in a traditional on-campus format. The candidate will be expected to teach courses in the Ph.D. and/or master’s degree programs and act as the chair and/or member of Ph.D. dissertation or thesis committees. Typical teaching load is 3 courses per semester. In addition to teaching responsibilities, the candidate is required to meet continuing scholarly growth requirements that include publishing scholarly work, actively pursuing and obtaining externally funded research, and presenting work at professional conferences. The candidate will be expected to fulfill service responsibilities to the university and the profession. Faculty for this position will be located on the Daytona Beach campus. The candidate is required to provide instruction through traditional classroom format. Required Qualifications: The position requires a doctorate with relevant experience in aviation, safety, operations, or unmanned systems. Those candidates currently pursuing a doctorate may be considered. Preferred Qualifications: Preferred qualifications include a Ph.D. in a closely related field, FAA Part 107 certificate, FAA pilot certificates, FAA flight instructor certificates, industry safety experience, and/or industry unmanned systems experience. Candidate materials should be submitted online by applying at https://embryriddle.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External/job/Daytona-Beach-FL/Tenure-Track-Faculty-Position-of-School-of-Graduate-Studies--College-of- Aviation--Daytona-Beach-Campus-_R300653. Candidates must submit the following for consideration: · Current CV. · A letter of application, with emphasis on ability to teach courses on unmanned systems. · Copy of Ph.D. transcript. · Teaching philosophy (one page). · Research plan (one page), including research interests, strategies, and research plan. Consideration of applications will begin on September 15, 2021, and will continue until the position is filled. RTCA Webinar: Innovation and Airport Infrastructure Airports are increasingly reliant on technical and related innovations to meet the needs of the communities they serve and those of their airline and other commercial partners. Join RTCA and airport leaders for a discussion about embracing new technologies and utilizing them in concert with physical infrastructure to enhance customer experiences, enhance safety and security, and improve sustainability and operational efficiency. Panelists from major airports debate whether the vision for a more efficient, accessible and greener transportation ecosystem demands a different approach to planning and funding. The session, moderated by Carol Huegel of Gate 2 Gate Solutions is part 2 in a 2-part series and includes panelists from LAWA, MCI, Greater Toronto Airport Authority and others. REGISTER Curt Lewis