Flight Safety Information - January 21, 2022 No. 015 In This Issue : Incident: LOT B788 at Warsaw on Jan 20th 2022, lightning strike : Incident: Sichuan A332 at Chengdu on Jan 20th 2022, engine shut down in flight, possibly temporary double engine failure : Incident: Hop! E170 near Paris on Jan 12th 2022, loss of separation with a C550 : A passenger refused to wear a mask on a London-bound flight. The pilot turned the plane around. : NTSB: Require small planes to have carbon monoxide detectors : FAA Clears 62% of U.S. Fleet to Operate at Airports With 5G : How A Microburst Brought Down An Aeroméxico Connect Jet In 2018 : Facing pilot shortage, smaller airlines start giving big raises to pilots : Marc Nichols ’92 Appointed as FAA's Chief Counsel : ESASI - CALL FOR PAPERS : Make Sense of Your Flight Data - Scaled Analytics : Position - Analyst, Safety/Flight Operations Quality Assurance : Position - IATA Assistant Director, Airport Development Miami, United States of America GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: LOT B788 at Warsaw on Jan 20th 2022, lightning strike A LOT Boeing 787-8, registration SP-LRB performing flight LO-6521 from Warsaw (Poland) to Puerta Plata (Dominican Republic), was climbing through FL280 out of Warsaw when the crew stopped the climb and decided to return to Warsaw following a lightning strike. The crew advised no assistance was needed on the ground, it would just be a technical examination of the aircraft, passengers would need to disembark. The aircraft dumped fuel and landed safely back on Warsaw's runway 33 about 50 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 787-9 registration SP-LSF departed Warsaw about 7 hours after landing and is estimated to reach Puerto Plata with a delay of about 8 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Warsaw about 14 hours after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4f36d788&opt=0 Incident: Sichuan A332 at Chengdu on Jan 20th 2022, engine shut down in flight, possibly temporary double engine failure A Sichuan Airlines Airbus A330-200, registration B-6535 performing flight 3U-8884 from Beijing to Chengdu (China), was on final approach to Chengdu's runway 02L about 7nm before the threshold descending through about 1150 meters (3800 feet) when the aircraft went around and climbed to 2100 meters (about 7000 feet). The crew reported they suspected an engine failure, the left hand engine (Trent 772) was shut down. The aircraft landed safely on Chengdu's runway 02L about 25 minutes later. Passengers reported the captain announced he was confident they would be able to land. Chinese Aviation sources claim both engines failed temporarily, the right hand engine was successfully restarted in flight. The airline reported the crew received an engine failure message in flight, the crew immediately activated the emergency response and notified ATC. Following the proper handling by the crew the flight landed smoothly stating single engine operation is a routine subject. http://avherald.com/h?article=4f36d049&opt=0 Incident: Hop! E170 near Paris on Jan 12th 2022, loss of separation with a C550 A Hop! Embraer ERJ-170 on behalf of Air France, registration F-HBXG performing flight AF-1671 from Lyon to Caen (France), was enroute at FL280 about 70nm southeast of Paris when the aircraft was overflown by a Cessna 550 business jet, that had been cleared to climb to FL270. Both aircraft were able to continue to their destinations without further incidents. The BEA reported the Cessna 550, performing a flight from Paris Le Bourget (France) to Geneva (Switzerland) encountered problems with their autopilot while climbing through FL230, the pitch angle increased and the aircraft suffered a load factor. The aircraft had been cleared to climb to FL270, but overflew the Embraer ERJ170 that was enroute at FL280. The Cessna crew reported they had a malfunction of the #1 altitude and speed indication system, the transponder therefore reported erroneously they were on FL270. This created a loss of separation with the potential of a collision without triggering TCAS. The BEA rated the occurrence an incident (?) only and opened an investigation. http://avherald.com/h?article=4f36c2ab&opt=0 A passenger refused to wear a mask on a London-bound flight. The pilot turned the plane around. An American Airlines flight heading to London on Wednesday turned around about an hour after leaving Miami when a "disruptive customer" refused to wear a mask, the airline said. No one was hurt, and the Boeing 777 landed safely at Miami International Airport at 9:24 p.m., American Airlines spokesman Curtis Blessing said in an email. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Officers with the Miami-Dade Police Department escorted the passenger, a woman believed to be in her 40s, off the plane without incident. Argemis Colome, a department spokesman, said the passenger was not arrested and police treated the incident as a disturbance call. "She was pretty much dealt with administratively by the airline," Colome said. Blessing said the passenger has been placed on the airline's list of customers who are not allowed to fly pending additional investigation. The flight with 129 passengers and 14 crew was canceled; travelers were booked on other flights. "We thank our crew for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience," he said in an emailed statement. It was just the latest example of disruptive behavior by an air traveler, which reached record levels in 2021. The Federal Aviation Administration said it received 5,981 reports of unruly passengers, 4,290 of which were mask-related last year. As of Tuesday, the number this year had reached 151 cases, with 92 related to masks. https://www.yahoo.com/news/passenger-refused-wear-mask-london-172541315.html NTSB: Require small planes to have carbon monoxide detectors WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. crash investigators are urging the Federal Aviation Administration to require private planes to be equipped with carbon monoxide detectors, citing deadly crashes that were attributed to poisoning by the odorless gas. The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday that it identified 31 accidents since 1982 involving carbon monoxide poisoning, including 23 fatal crashes that killed 42 people and seriously injured four others. The safety board said only one of the planes had a detector, and it lacked audible or visual alerts to the pilot. Carbon monoxide from engines can get inside the cabin through defects or corrosion in exhaust systems or other parts, the board said. The FAA did not immediately comment on the recommendation. The NTSB said it made a similar recommendation to the FAA in 2004. The FAA recommended that owners and operators of general-aviation planes install detectors, inspect exhaust systems and replace mufflers at regular intervals, but did not require those steps. https://www.yahoo.com/news/ntsb-require-small-planes-carbon-234947159.html FAA Clears 62% of U.S. Fleet to Operate at Airports With 5G Alan Levin An estimated 62% of the U.S. aviation fleet is approved to perform low-visibility landings at most airports without fear of interference from 5G mobile phone service, according to aviation regulators. New safety buffers agreed to on Tuesday by wireless companies also allowed an expansion to the number of airports where flights can safely operate, the Federal Aviation Administration said in an emailed statement Wednesday. The agency issued its first major update since AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. began using new frequency bands for fast 5G mobile phone service in dozens of metropolitan regions around the U.S. The radio waves are close to those used by aircraft radar altimeters and the FAA has said there is a risk that they could cause interference. “Even with these approvals, flights at some airports may still be affected,” the FAA said in the statement. The announcement by the FAA significantly increases the percentage of aircraft that are at least somewhat exempt from 5G flight restrictions. On Sunday, the agency said it had cleared 48% of aircraft. The agency approvals include most Boeing Co. and Airbus SE models, including Boeing’s 777, which was left off of the list on Sunday. Several foreign carriers had canceled flights to the U.S. on the 777 after Boeing issued a warning to its operators. The expansion occurred because three additional models of altimeters were found to be resistant to interference from 5G, the FAA said. It had earlier cleared two altimeter models. Absent from the list of cleared aircraft are any of the regional jet models that perform roughly half of all scheduled airline flights. The clearances allow planes to perform low-visibility landings “where wireless companies deployed 5G C-band,” the FAA said. “The FAA also continues to work with manufacturers to understand how radar altimeter data is used in other flight control systems,” the agency said. “Passengers should check with their airlines for latest flight schedules.” https://finance.yahoo.com/news/faa-clears-62-u-fleet-193850204.html How A Microburst Brought Down An Aeroméxico Connect Jet In 2018 Modern aircraft are designed to be able to operate under a degree of weather-induced stress. This is why we are able to see aircraft making spectacular crosswind landings, rather than not attempting to fly in such conditions. However, sometimes, unexpected weather phenomena can threaten aircraft, as happened to an Aeroméxico Connect Embraer in 2018. The flight and aircraft involved Aeroméxico Connect flight 2431 was a scheduled domestic flight that originated at Durango General Guadalupe Victoria International Airport (DGO) in Central Mexico. According to data from RadarBox.com, the Mexican flag carrier’s regional subsidiary last operated this service on June 29th, 2021. Its destination was Mexico City International Airport (MEX). Durango-Mexico City remains a key route today, with VivaAerobus and Volaris also having a presence on this domestic corridor. On July 31st, 2018, the aircraft operating flight 5D2431 was an Embraer E190 registered as XA-GAL. Data from ch-aviation.com shows that it was 10.21 years old at the time, having entered service with US Airways in May 2008. On the date in question, the flight had 98 passengers and five crew members onboard. The latter of these groups consisted of two flight attendants and three pilots. The makeup of the cockpit crew came under scrutiny after what happened just after takeoff. What happened? The flight had a scheduled departure time of 14:56. However, an investigation into a fuel leak delayed this slightly, with pushback instead occurring at 15:14 local time. Amid stormy conditions of heavy rain and high winds, the aircraft received takeoff clearance at 15:21, despite the air traffic controller reportedly being unable to see the runway. Just before this, an updated weather report had been sent through regarding the conditions. However, the air traffic controller was working alone at the time and didn’t see the message. Similarly, a second warning concerning a further drop in visibility never reached the tower. This was because high winds had uprooted trees and taken out power lines. As such, the aircraft continued its takeoff roll, but only reached an altitude of 30 feet. It was at this point that it encountered a microburst, causing a sudden change in wind direction. This caused a drop in speed and altitude, prompting the jet to crash back down to earth. It later emerged that the pilot in command was not yet certified on the E190. He had retracted the landing gear at an altitude of two feet, meaning that the jet skidded beyond the end of the runway after hitting the ground. Thankfully, all 103 occupants escaped the E190 before it caught fire, writing the plane off. 39 received injuries, of which 14 were serious. What is a microburst? So, what is the nature of the phenomenon that caused the crash? Microbursts refer to downbursts of air concentrated on a small area. Under such conditions, winds emanate above the ground and blow down before spreading in all directions before hitting the surface. This caused the wind shear that brought down Aeroméxico Connect flight 2431. https://simpleflying.com/microburst-aeromexico-connect-2017/ Facing pilot shortage, smaller airlines start giving big raises to pilots Pilots at four U.S. airlines are now seeing significantly larger paychecks as the industry faces a pilot shortage. Avelo Airlines on Thursday announced a significant raise for its pilots, becoming the fourth U.S. carrier in just two months to take action in an effort to attract more pilots. Pilots at the Houston-headquartered ultra-low-cost carrier startup will now earn more than pilots at the established national ULCCs: Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Allegiant Air. The move comes two weeks after Avelo announced it had raised $42 million in a Series B funding round. The airline plans to hire 120 pilots in 2022. First-year first officers will now earn $90 an hour, up from $70 an hour. First-year captains will now earn $200 an hour, up from $135 an hour. The new scale tops off with fifth-year first officers earning $140 and fifth-year captains earning $220. Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG’s free new biweekly Aviation newsletter! While airline pilots are paid hourly, they are offered a monthly minimum number of hours, usually somewhere between 70 and 75 hours. Avelo’s minimum is 70 hours, meaning that a first-year first officer will earn at least $75,600 a year, before sign-on bonuses, while a first-year captain will earn at least $168,000 a year, before sign-on bonuses. “We’re committed to attracting and retaining the industry’s best pilots,” Avelo CEO Andrew Levy said in a statement. “In addition to our enhanced pay scale, Avelo supports quality of life initiatives such as an additional $1,800 per month to help offset the cost of commuting. And, if a pilot chooses to live in base, they’ll keep the $1,800 per month.” Avelo’s announcement follows moves by fellow ULCC startup Breeze Airways, as well as Minnesota-based Sun Country and United Express carrier GoJet, which have all announced pilot pay increases since the beginning of December. Breeze, which has faced criticism over low pay and a scheme to recruit pilots from Australia, raised its starting Embraer 190/195 first officer rate to $61 an hour, with first-year captains now making $129 an hour. Pilots on the carrier’s Airbus A220, currently set for a May 4 entry into service, will start at $68 an hour as first officers and $131 an hour as captains. More: Pilot shortage brings growth concerns to Breeze Airways “There’s a limited supply of highly qualified pilots and a huge demand for highly qualified pilots,” Chris Owens, Breeze’s vice president of flight operations, said in an interview with TPG this month. Pilots for Sun Country, which operates ultra-low-cost scheduled flights primarily out of its base at Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), as well as flying cargo for Amazon, also saw an increase. First-year first officers now earn $78.50 an hour, while first-year captains earn $195.89 an hour. Like Avelo, Sun Country operates flights using the Boeing 737 exclusively. At regional airlines like GoJet, the pilot shortage is perhaps most acute. GoJet operates the CRJ-550 for United Express, a 50-seat version of the CRJ-700. Pilots there went from being among the worst paid of the regional airlines to among the best. First-year first officers went from being paid $38 an hour to $50 an hour, while first-year captains went from $71 an hour to $83.34 an hour. The best-paying regional, Endeavor Air, pays its first officers a starting wage of $52.19 an hour. As the pilot shortage continues, it seems likely other airlines will follow suit this year and also increase pilot pay. https://thepointsguy.com/news/pilot-shortage-pay-raise-avelo/ Marc Nichols ’92 Appointed as FAA's Chief Counsel Former National Association of Wabash Men President Marc Nichols ’92 has been sworn in to serve as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) chief counsel. Nichols was appointed by President Joe Biden on Jan. 5, succeeding Acting FAA Chief Counsel Mark Bury. In his new role, Nichols will provide legal advice for all aspects of agency operations and will work closely with the Department of Transportation’s Office of General Counsel on issues of national significance to the aviation industry. “It’s the greatest honor of my life,” Nichols said. “President Biden, Secretary Pete Buttigieg, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, and the selection team have bestowed their confidence in me to lead an incredible team during one of the most challenging and exciting times in the agency’s history.” Nichols has more than two decades of extensive experience in the legal, technology, aerospace, and defense industries. He most recently served as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for Saab, where he provided counsel to business units in North America. Before joining Saab in 2018, Nichols was legal counsel and director of compliance for Rolls-Royce’s defense and aerospace sector for seven years. He also previously served as Inspector General at the U.S. Government Printing Office, worked for various law firms, and is the former vice chair of the Aerospace Industries Association Legal Committee. Nichols said Wabash taught him to embrace servant-leadership, and he saw this position with the FAA was an opportunity to apply the skills and experiences he’s built up in the private sector “for the betterment of everyone whose lives are touched by aviation.” He said he first got on the White House’s radar because a former intern of his told his father, a former FAA Chief Counsel himself, about Nichols when the administration was looking for top talent to fill the post. “It’s actually a great object lesson in why it’s the prudent to treat everyone you encounter with equal investment and respect,” Nichols said. “You never know how the kindness and humanity you bestow may be revisited. And this isn’t the only job I’ve been lucky eventually to earn that started out in a similar fashion.” The portfolio of issues the FAA currently faces ranges from passenger misconduct issues to improving oversight of plane construction to combating climate change in air travel, Nichols said. The agency is also working to stay connected to cutting-edge ventures, such as commercial space flight and unmanned drone technology. Nichols said his first year on the job is all about setting a foundation. “I hope to cultivate relationships and set policies amplifying the FAA's already sterling reputation as the premier air safety organization by helping to empower my team and dissolve any barriers to it doing its best work,” he said. “If, at the end of my tenure, I have helped the FAA move the needle on challenges … I'll know my first year was a success.” A native New Yorker, Nichols double majored in philosophy and political science while at Wabash, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, the Little Giant swimming and diving team, and served an editor for The Bachelor. Nichols earned a J.D. from Washington and Lee University Law School in 1998. Nichols said the exceptional liberal arts education he received at Wabash has a significant impact on the work he does today. He often finds himself drawing on the experiences he gained at the College, as a student and then active alumnus, to help him succeed in his personal and professional life. “I can assure you my courses in philosophy, religion, and, just life, frankly, and the models of the likes of Professors Bill Placher, Ray Williams, John Fischer, Melissa Butler, and David Hadley, among so many others — are reservoirs I have and will continue to draw upon in this work.” https://www.wabash.edu/news/story/11861 CALL FOR PAPERS We are pleased to announce that the 10th ESASI Regional Seminar 'Maintaining the Momentum' will take place in Budapest, Hungary on 6 and 7 April 2022. The aim of the seminar is to keep the European air safety investigation community abreast of current developments and evolving best practice in aircraft safety investigation. As in previous years, the seminar will include presentations on case studies, the European environment, challenges of modern air safety investigations and human factors in aircraft accidents and incidents. Details of proposed presentations should be sent to presentations@esasi.eu. The ESASI committee will select the presentations in late February 2022. Best regards Steve Hull IEng FRAeS FISASI Secretary ESASI https://www.esasi.eu/ Analyst, Safety/Flight Operations Quality Assurance Job Locations US-TX-Irving ID 2022-4589 Category Safety/Security Position Type Regular Full-Time Overview Who we are: Would you like to work for a stable, secure, and fast-growing airline where you will be stimulated, challenged, and have the opportunity to develop your career? If so, read on! Come and work with the best of the best at Envoy Air where you will join a team committed to providing outstanding service. We offer: · Amazing employee flight privileges within the American Airlines global network · Training and development programs to take your career to the next level · Comprehensive health and life benefits (subject to location) Responsibilities How will you make an impact? Responsibilities · Assist in the continued development of the FOQA Program · Support Manager of Flight Safety with the daily administration of the FOQA Program · Coordinate FOQA data collection with Maintenance Planning · Manage data processing and storage (including processing by the analysis system) and screen the data for accuracy and integrity · Track external media and aircraft recording conditions to maintain un-interrupted flow of data · Interface with senior management, ALPA and FAA representatives · Work with engineers and vendors to troubleshoot and diagnose problems, evaluating and implementing actions · Assist Manager of Flight Safety with data analysis as assigned · Create monthly preparation of FOQA trend analysis reports for FOQA Monitoring Team (FMT) · Support Manager of Flight Safety with facilitation of FMT meeting · Present FOQA information to various internal and external groups such as senior management, pilots, industry, and government agencies · Contributes to internal newsletters as well as external safety related publications, communicating significant trends to internal and external audiences · Maintain records of FOQA corrective action items · Performs administrative functions as assigned to maintain program efficiency · Others tasks as assigned · Requires planned and unplanned overnight travel Qualifications Who are we looking for? Requirements · Minimum age: 18 · Bachelor Degree or equivalent amount of Commercial Aviation work experience · Ability to effectively use Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, WBAT, Intelex and PowerPoint · Possess the legal right to work in the United States · Ability to read, write, fluently speak and understand the English language · Experience with data analysis and trending preferred · Experience in working effectively under extreme deadline pressure preferred · Knowledge and proficiency in the Austin Digital EMS software, Google Earth, and CEFA flight animation preferred · Possession of a Commercial Pilot, Dispatcher or A&P Certificate is preferred Please note: The description is intended to provide a brief overview of the position. It’s not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, expectations, and skills required of those in this position. Duties and expectations may be subject to change at any time. Envoy Air is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled. Envoy Air Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group, provides regional flight service to American Airlines under the American Eagle brand and ground handling services for many American Airlines Group flights. The company was founded in 1998 as American Eagle Airlines, Inc., following the merger of several smaller regional carriers to create one of the largest regional airlines in the world. Envoy is headquartered in Irving, Texas, with hubs in Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago and Miami, with a large ground handling operation in Los Angeles. Connect with Envoy on Twitter @EnvoyAirCareers, on Instagram @EnvoyAirCareers, and on Facebookat Facebook.com/envoyaircareers and Facebook.com/EnvoyPilotRecruitment. APPLY HERE Assistant Director, Airport Development Miami, United States of America req1016 Employment Type: Permanent Contract Duration: ind. About the team you are joining Reporting to the Regional Director Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security - The Americas, the candidate will focus on addressing airport development, capacity enhancement programs, in addition to the implementation of best practices on infrastructure planning guidance, technical standards, and metrics. The candidate will work hand in hand with the global airport development team, Country Managers, and the regional airport charges teams. The focus will be to work with and on behalf of key member airlines and with related authorities to implement functional, cost effective and phased modular development strategies based on comprehensive master plans that meet the business objectives and needs of the airline industry. What your day would be like Work closely with the airport development and charges experts in both the Region and in the Division to identify and develop agreed strategies for airport infrastructure development. Provide expert support to airlines, Regional Director APCS and Regional Vice President on airport development matters including airside and landside operations, security, cargo and facilitation. Engage constructively with airport owners/operators and authorities to ensure airport capital expenditure is demand driven, cost effective, prioritized and addresses airline's needs. Work with airport and civil aviation authorities to address airline requirements at major airports, particularly hubs served by groups of IATA member airlines. Priority airports will be identified by the Regional management and/or regional airline groups. Conduct airport missions/assessments with airline subject matter experts to determine the underlying rationale, scale, and cost of proposed airport development/capacity enhancement programs in the Region. Produce reports with specific recommendations and action plan for airlines’ review and feedback. Support other divisional initiatives including Advocacy, Commercial, Consulting, Environment and Sustainability, Training, and other Divisional campaigns. We would love to hear from you if The successful candidate must possess: · University degree or equivalent technical standard for an airport design engineer/architect. · Suitable experience may be considered in lieu of professional qualification. · Minimum of 10 years project management experience in airport planning, development and/or operation with airlines and airport authorities. · Ability to demonstrate the application of technical elements such as capacity assessments and clear benefits and outcomes. · Sound knowledge about airport charges regulation and consultation processes. · Experience in senior level stakeholder management i.e. Chairing / leading committees. · High motivation with proven teamwork abilities. · A self-starting approach with ability to proactively engage with stakeholders and progress work goals. · Excellent communication skills with ability to influence senior (Director level and up) stakeholders. · Experience in making clear presentations and preparing reports based on technical merits and facts. · Proficiency in Microsoft Office. · Fluent in both written and spoken English and Spanish; Portuguese would be an asset. · Travel Required: 30% · Diversity and Inclusion are one of our key priorities and we want to role model it. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills in which you can contribute at your best and be who you are. The more inclusive we are, the better we will be able to thrive to represent, lead and service the airline industry. If there is anything we can do to create a more comfortable interview experience for you, please let us know. · Learn more about IATA’s role in the industry, our benefits, and the team at iata/careers/. We are looking forward to hearing from you! APPLY HERE GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY My name is Jason Starke, and I am a doctoral student at Northcentral University. I am conducting a research study to determine if the effects of servant leadership are positively related to employee participation in the organization’s safety management system through positive commitment to the organization. I am recruiting individuals who meet all these criteria: 1. Are 18 years of age or older. 2. Are employed by an organization that conducts business aviation operations under 14 CFR 135. 3. Are employed by an organization that is registered to the International Standards for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO). 4. Are employed as a flight crew member (cockpit or cabin) and/or as an aircraft mechanic. If you decide to participate in this study, you will be asked to do the following activities: 1. Complete an online survey for 15 minutes. During these activities, you will be asked questions about: · Your age, gender, and race. · Your current job role in the organization, how many years you have served in that role across your career, and how many years you have served with your current organization. · Servant leadership characteristics of your immediate supervisor or manager. · Your current level of commitment to your organization. · Your perception of the degree to which certain safety behaviors and safety management activities are part of your job responsibilities. If you are interested in participating in this study, please click this link: https://ncu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5nC84XvifID4jtQ If you have questions, please contact me at J.Starke8609@o365.ncu.edu. Thank you! Jason Starke Curt Lewis