Flight Safety Information - February 8, 2022 No. 027 In This Issue : Incident: Lufthansa B744 over English Channel on Feb 7th 2022, vibrations in flight : Incident: Jazz DH8D at Kamloops on Jan 30th 2022, gear problem : 2022 Aircraft Cabin Air Conference : Incident: Delta A321 at Atlanta on Feb 6th 2022, runway excursion after landing : Incident: Avelo B737 at New Haven on Feb 4th 2022, windshield warning after bird strike : Incident: Nepal A320 near Dubai on Feb 5th 2022, hydraulic leak : FAA Urges More Stick Time For Airline, Charter Pilots : NASA’s ‘Son of Concorde’ Supersonic Jet Is Now Undergoing Testing : Allegiant Air to Get New CEO During Challenging Period : Press Release - USAIG Welcomes Polaris Aero into its Performance Vector Safety Initiative : GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY : ERAU Advanced Aircraft Accident Investigation - Course - May 9 – 13, 2022 - Prescott AZ ERAU Campus : NASA chooses Lockheed Martin to build rocket to launch from Mars Incident: Lufthansa B744 over English Channel on Feb 7th 2022, vibrations in flight A Lufthansa Boeing 747-400, registration D-ABTK performing flight LH-400 from Frankfurt/Main (Germany) to New York JFK,NY (USA), was enroute at FL330 over the English Channel near Cherbourg (France) when the crew decided to return to Frankfurt due to vibrations of the airframe. The aircraft descended to FL310, turned around, later descended to FL250 and returned to Frankfurt for a safe landing on runway 25L about 2:20 hours after departure. The aircraft is still on the ground in Frankfurt about 7 hours after landing. On Feb 8th 2022 the Aviation Herald received information that the cabin crew noticed severe vibrations near door 3L prompting the return to Frankfurt. Following the return a fractured rod on the left body gear strut was discovered which prevented the gear door to be fully closed. http://avherald.com/h?article=4f44de96&opt=0 Incident: Jazz DH8D at Kamloops on Jan 30th 2022, gear problem A Jazz de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration C-GJZY performing flight QK-8058 from Vancouver,BC to Kamloops,BC (Canada) with 69 passengers and 4 crew, was on initial approach to Kamloops when the crew received a landing gear INOP indication and the nose gear door light illuminated. The crew aborted the approach and decided to return to Vancouver, where the crew performed a manual gear extension and landed without further incident. The Canadian TSB reported a fault was detected with the nose landing gear sensor S19. The sensor was replaced, the gear was rigged and tested with gear swings before the aircraft was returned to service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4f44e93e&opt=0 Incident: Delta A321 at Atlanta on Feb 6th 2022, runway excursion after landing A Delta Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N129DN performing flight DL-1277 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to Atlanta,GA (USA), landed on Atlanta's runway 09R at about 15:41L (20:41Z) when another aircraft waiting for departure on runway 09L advised tower they had a problem on 09R, an aircraft had gone off the runway and was on the grass. A short time later the crew of DL-1277 requested the trucks to attend to them at taxiway R near R6. The runway was closed for some time, tower sent all aircraft on final approach to runway 09R into a go around following the info by the crew of another aircraft. The FAA reported the aircraft ended up in the grass. All passengers were off the aircraft about 2:40 hours after landing. The airline reported the aircraft suffered a blown tyre and came to a stop on the taxiway. Passengers reported both right hand main tyres were flat. On Feb 7th 2022 the FAA wrote: "AIRCRAFT LANDED AND BLEW A TIRE AND VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS STRIKING SEVERAL RUNWAY SIGNS, ATLANTA, GA." http://avherald.com/h?article=4f44a19a&opt=0 Incident: Avelo B737 at New Haven on Feb 4th 2022, windshield warning after bird strike An Avelo Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N701VL performing flight XP-323 from New Haven,CT to Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA), was in the initial climb out of New Haven's runway 02 when the crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet reporting they had a pretty good birdstrike onto the nose of the aircraft on climb out and had received a windshield warning. The crew decided to divert to Hartford,CT (USA) and landed safely on runway 06 about one hour after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for two hours then departed for the flight again and reached Fort Lauderdale with a delay of about 3:20 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4f4498d8&opt=0 Incident: Nepal A320 near Dubai on Feb 5th 2022, hydraulic leak A Nepal Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration 9N-AKX performing flight RA-230 from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Kathmandu (Nepal), was climbing through FL290 out of Dubai when the crew observed a low hydraulic fluid indication for the green hydraulic system and decided to return to Dubai. The aircraft burned off fuel and landed safely back on Dubai's runway 30L about 70 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground in Dubai for about 4 hours, then was released to perform the flight under minimum equipment list requirements with a green hydraulic system accumulator disabled due to an internal accumulator leaking. The aircraft reached Kathmandu with a delay of about 5 hours and remained on the ground in Kathmandu for about 8 hours before returning to service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4f44959f&opt=0 FAA Urges More Stick Time For Airline, Charter Pilots Airline and charter pilots may be in for more stick and rudder time assuming a new proposed advisory circular makes it through the 30-day comment period. The FAA has issued a draft of the AC on Flightpath Management and it includes a host of measures the agency wants operators to include in training and operations to ensure pilots can get from A to B safely. The AC isn’t prescriptive. Rather, it “provides guidance and recommended practices for operators to implement operational procedures and training for the planning, execution, and assurance of the guidance and control of aircraft trajectory and energy.” Much of the document addresses monitoring and tweaking the automatic systems that do most of the work these days but there’s a big section on ensuring pilots literally keep their hands in when doing their jobs. The AC suggests some operators demand pilots rely too much on the magic boxes and it wants them to make sure they remain current and proficient in hand flying the aircraft. In so many words, the AC says pilots may not be getting enough stick time and that “may contribute to a gap between proficiency in MFO and the ability of pilots to perform manual operations when various situations require immediate manual control,” and that operators “should ensure there are appropriate opportunities for pilots to exercise manual flying skills during line operations.” https://www.avweb.com/uncategorized/faa-urges-more-stick-time-for-airline-charter-pilots/ Two of the Worst-Ranked Airlines Are Merging and Will Upcharge You Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines are merging to create a larger ultra-low-cost air carrier, but is it really a cheaper deal? Two of the worst-ranked airlines are merging to form a new discount air carrier that will likely upsell you on everything you can think of. Spirit Airlines (SAVE) - Get Spirit Airlines, Inc. Report and Frontier Airlines (ULCC) - Get Frontier Group Holdings, Inc. Report, which last month ranked second and third respectively behind JetBlue (JBLU) - Get JetBlue Airways Corporation Report as the worst airlines in a Wall Street Journal survey, on Monday announced a merger valued at $6.6 billion. The deal calls for Frontier Airlines to buy a 51.5% interest in the new entity for $2.9 billion of cash and stock, as well as assumption of debt and leases. Spirit equity holders would own 48.5% of the new combined airline. Spirit Airlines The merger is expected to close in the second half, subject to completion of regulatory review and approval of Spirit's stockholders. Frontier's controlling stockholder has already approved the merger, according to a statement from the two airlines. Sharp Competition in Low-Cost Flights The transaction will create an even larger ultra-low-cost airline that will try to compete against the world's largest low-cost air carrier, Southwest Airlines (LUV) - Get Southwest Airlines Co. Report. Southwest ranked as the third-best overall airline behind Delta Air Lines (DAL) - Get Delta Air Lines, Inc. Report and Alaska Air Group (ALK) - Get Alaska Air Group, Inc. Report in the Journal survey. But will the merger actually make the cost to fly the new no-frills Frontier/Spirit air carrier cheaper in the long run? "Together, Frontier and Spirit expect to change the industry for the benefit of consumers, bringing more ultra-low fares to more travelers in more destinations across the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, including major cities as well as underserved communities" the airlines claimed in the statement. The airlines offer some of the lowest prices on airline tickets -- but they then charge passengers for other services such as seat selection (if they don't want to sit in a middle seat) or for carry-on and checked baggage. A small personal item can be brought on the plane. Spirit has even charged passengers for checking in at the airport. Both airlines don't offer complimentary snacks or drinks, but they will gladly charge you for them. And leg room is often about 5 or 6 inches tighter than standard airline flights, according to a Nerdwallet report. Southwest, on the other hand, offers low-cost air tickets, as well as many free services. The airline doesn't charge for a personal item or carry-on bag and the first two checked bags are free. It doesn't charge a flight-change or cancellation fee and soft drinks are free, according to travel charges listed on its website. And JetBlue offers free wi-fi on all its flights. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/m/68339318-ba87-3946-a827-5dc5bb3491bc/two-of-the-worst-ranked.html NASA’s ‘Son of Concorde’ Supersonic Jet Is Now Undergoing Testing NASA’s X-59 supersonic jet, which is being developed with Lockheed Martin, moved one step closer to flight last week after undergoing wind-tunnel tests. Nicknamed “Son of Concorde” after the Concorde commercial jet launched in the late 1960s, this new generation is called QueSST—or Quiet SuperSonic Technology aircraft. It’s designed to minimize sonic booms, which NASA now calls “thumps,” that forced the Concorde to slow down over land. The X-59 is being built at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works in Palmdale, Calif. NASA awarded the aerospace company a $247.5 million contract to develop the supersonic aircraft. The design team says that it should have a cruise speed of Mach 1.4, or 925 mph. According to a NASA blog, it was designed with a 30-foot-long nose that lowers the sonic boom when the jet passes Mach 1. That should let it hit supersonic speeds soon after takeoff over crowded metro areas. The original Concorde had to stay at sub-sonic speeds over cities, which increased flight times. The X-59 began final assembly last fall. The first flight is expected this year. The finished aircraft is estimated to be 94 feet long, with a wingspan of 29.5 feet. It will have a maximum takeoff weight of 32,300 pounds, with a top speed of Mach 1.5 (990 mph). A video clip released last August said that the assembly process used pre-drilled parts connecting to pre-drilled full-sized fastener holes. “It has significantly reduced the time it takes to locate and fit parts, especially mating large assemblies like this,” said David Richardson, Lockheed Martin’s program. “It is sort of like how Legos go together.” The X-59 will only have space for one pilot with no passengers, but NASA eventually plans to develop the aircraft’s “quiet” supersonic technology for commercial flight. Other supersonic projects, meanwhile, are moving forward. Boom Aerospace announced it was breaking ground for a new production facility at the Piedmont Triad Airport in North Carolina. The company said it expects its supersonic commercial jet to be in service by 2029. A Chinese company, Space Transportation, released footage of a prototype jet that it said would reach 2,600 mph, that would allow it to fly from New York to Beijing in an hour. Virgin Galactic also has plans to eventually use its supersonic aircraft for more than just sub-orbital flights, and instead carry passengers to far-flung destinations in record time. NASA’s aircraft is scheduled to take its first flight later this year, according to the government agency, with low-boom validation scheduled for 2023. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/nasa-son-concorde-supersonic-jet-153000248.html Allegiant Air to Get New CEO During Challenging Period John Redmond will take over as Allegiant Travel CEO on June 1, 2022. Allegiant Travel, the flight and leisure trip package seller, appointed its current president, John Redmond, as the company’s new CEO beginning June 1. Redmond, who has served as president for the past five years and been a board member for around 15, will replace current CEO Maurice Gallagher Jr. Gallagher, who is Allegiant’s largest shareholder after taking control of the airline in 2001, will transition from chairman to executive chairman. Allegiant’s announcement Monday about the changing of the guard at the CEO slot occurred coincidentally on the same day that Frontier announced it would merge with and take control of Spirit Airlines in a deal that values Spirit at $6.6 billion. That merger, if it secures regulatory approval this summer, could heighten competition among low-cost airlines. Frontier and Allegiant have well more than 100 overlapping routes, and Allegiant and Spirit fly the same routes minimally. Allegiant, though, is very much a hybrid airline and leisure travel package provider, bundling flights, hotels and car rentals so doesn’t compete with Frontier and Spirit in a significant way when it comes to trip packages. Allegiant is traditionally among the highest profiting U.S. airlines, although in the fourth quarter its net income fell 28 percent year over year to $10.7 billion. Executives cited the cost of compensating passengers for cancelled flights because of crew shortages and Covid disruptions as dragging down earnings. Allegiant currently flies more than 600 routes to more than 130 U.S. cities, but could be expanding substantially in Mexico. Allegiant has a proposed deal, which is pending regulatory approval, with Viva Aerobus to merge their Mexico-U.S. networks. “I am honored to be named the next CEO of Allegiant Travel Company,” Redmond said in a statement. “Under Maury’s transformational leadership, Allegiant has evolved from a single airplane airline to a fully-integrated travel company and completely redefined how consumers think about leisure travel. I could not be more excited about the opportunities ahead.” The CEO transition at Allegiant is not an isolated incident: There has been a bevy of CEO changes recently. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/allegiant-air-ceo-during-challenging-155000978.html Managed by United States Aviation Underwriters, Inc. | usaig.com News Release Contact: Joan Mirabile, Senior Vice President/ Marketing Communications Director Joan.Mirabile@usaig.com 212-952-0100 IMAGES: https://www.gretemangroup.com/press/usaig-welcomes-polaris-aero-into-its-performance-vector-safety-initiative/ USAIG Welcomes Polaris Aero into its Performance Vector Safety Initiative; facilitates policyholders’ use of VOCUS® applications at reduced cost New York, NY (February 8, 2022)…USAIG, one of the world’s leading aviation-specific insurance providers, proudly welcomes Polaris Aero to its Performance Vector Safety initiative. Performance Vector is a portfolio of safety-supporting services made available to most USAIG policyholders that insure a turbine-powered aircraft or place multiple policies with USAIG.* Each eligible policy can select one program option annually to enhance loss control and safety activities. VOCUS® is a cloud-based safety intelligence platform that unifies all Polaris Aero software applications into a seamless user experience. It utilizes the latest technologies to streamline the input, processing, and sharing of critical safety-related information, including data from third parties, in a secure, scalable, and reliable platform. Polaris Aero’s passion for safety is reflected in its software, which is designed to ensure organizations never forget a lesson learned. Integrating a safety management system (SMS) as a natural part of organizational culture is a vital imperative for aviation leaders and mandates to have such processes in place are expanding. “Many of our policyholders have told us Polaris Aero’s applications fit superbly and drive meaningful advances in their safety initiatives,” said USAIG President and CEO John T. Brogan, adding, “we’re proud to establish this connection between VOCUS platform services and our policyholders that can best use these advanced tools, and to share some of the expense for those who choose this option for their annual benefit.” USAIG will contribute up to $2500 toward Polaris Aero VOCUS subscription costs for each policy year in which an eligible policyholder applies its Performance Vector benefit toward initiating or renewing Polaris Aero services. Polaris Aero’s VOCUS applications include: · VOCUS SMS: a next-generation safety management system that facilitates compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices utilizing the latest design concepts in advanced mobile technology and integrations to external data sources to simplify safety management. · VOCUS FlightRisk: an advanced risk assessment system that automatically identifies the hazards and risk mitigation procedures most relevant to a flight. It can be used manually or integrated with a scheduling system, and can work with any SMS, but it is most integrated with VOCUS SMS. · VOCUS SMS eLearning: an online training program offered in “Fundamental” and “Advanced” versions that facilitates initial and recurrent training for employees on SMS principles. “Polaris Aero is proud to become a participant in the Performance Vector program to further advance safety for USAIG policyholders,” said Chris Connor CEO and Co-Founder of Polaris Aero. “VOCUS utilizes advanced technology and design concepts to simplify the complexity of safety management and transforms data into meaningful information and knowledge. Knowledge is the prerequisite for effective decision-making – and better decision-making means fewer incidents and accidents.” To learn more about Polaris Aero and VOCUS® visit: https://www.polarisaero.com/ To learn more about USAIG’s Performance Vector Program visit the “Safety” tab at www.usaig.com. For help enrolling, contact Paul Ratté, USAIG Aviation Safety Programs Director at safety@usaig.com or 212.859.3856. *Check with your broker, underwriter, or policy documents to confirm eligibility. About USAIG About USAIG United States Aircraft Insurance Group (USAIG) provides a full spectrum of coverage options for owners, operators, manufacturers and maintainers of corporate, private and commercial aircraft. In 1928, our founders –World War I pilots and businessmen David Beebe and Reed Chambers – saw the need for an insurance company that truly understood aviation. We remain a world aviation insurance leader delivering innovative, custom-tailored insurance products and services, including Performance Vector safety programs and Performance Vector PLUS good experience returns. United States Aviation Underwriters, Inc. manages USAIG, maintaining the industry’s largest network of underwriting and field claims offices. USAU’s wholly owned subsidiary, Toronto-based Canadian Aviation Insurance Managers manages the Canadian Aircraft Insurance Group insurance pool. USAIG is a subsidiary of General Re Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company. Follow us on Twitter @USAIG_CAIG, Facebook & LinkedIn. Please visit our website at usaig.com. About Polaris Aero Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Polaris Aero is an aviation software company specializing in risk analysis and safety management systems (SMS). Through the firm’s VOCUS Safety Intelligence platform, users have centralized access to all Polaris Aero applications, including FlightRisk and VOCUS SMS. By transforming data into actionable insights, Polaris Aero helps aviation professionals learn valuable lessons before an incident occurs. Thus, they can achieve and maintain the highest level of organizational safety, while improving operational effectiveness and meeting international requirements. For more information, or to request a software demonstration, visit polarisaero.com. http://www.usaig.com/ GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Calling all Part 135 Operators, are you concerned about having an effective SMS? With safety management system (SMS) regulations on the near horizon for 14 CFR 135 operators, it is important to identify barriers to having an effective SMS. A significant challenge to implementing and maintaining a robust SMS is obtaining frontline employee participation. An SMS needs that frontline information to help identify hazards, mitigate risks, and monitor risk controls. My name is Jason Starke, and I am a doctoral candidate at Northcentral University. Please help me in my research to determine if there is a relationship between servant leadership, organizational commitment, and engagement in the SMS (i.e., safety citizenship behavior). If you meet all the following criteria, I would really appreciate your participation: · 18 year of age or older; · Employed by an organization that conducts operations under 14 CFR 135; · Employed by an organization that has implemented a safety management system; and · Employed as a flight crew member (cockpit or cabin) and/or as an aircraft mechanic. The survey only takes roughly 10 minutes to complete and will ask you questions about: · Servant leadership characteristics of your immediate supervisor or manager; · Your current level of commitment to your organization; and · Your perception of the degree to which you feel certain safety behaviors and safety management activities are part of your job responsibilities. Again, please help with the research on this important topic so that we can understand how servant leadership positively influences employee engagement in the SMS. If you are interested in participating in this study, please click this link: https://ncu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cCJTGDxqF6wUk8m If you have questions, please contact me at J.Starke8609@o365.ncu.edu. I can’t thank you all enough for your participation! Jason Starke NASA chooses Lockheed Martin to build rocket to launch from Mars Not all of the players have been chosen for the mission to return samples of Mars back to Earth, but NASA on Monday announced Lockheed Martin will get the chance to become the first rocket to be launched off of another planet. VIDEO The joint mission between NASA and European Space Agency is tied to the Perseverance rover already on the Red Planet that landed in 2021. The agencies’ plan is to launch a lander to Mars as early as 2026 that brings along with it a smaller rover designed to collect the samples that Perseverance is currently gathering, then stick them in what will be the first Mars Ascent Vehicle. That vehicle will then fly the samples up to the ESA-designed Earth Return Orbiter spacecraft, which would bring Martian soil to Earth sometime in the mid-2030s. “This groundbreaking endeavor is destined to inspire the world when the first robotic round-trip mission retrieves a sample from another planet – a significant step that will ultimately help send the first astronauts to Mars,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. “America’s investment in our Mars Sample Return program will fulfill a top priority planetary science goal and demonstrate our commitment to global partnerships, ensuring NASA remains a leader in exploration and discovery.” Lockheed Martin Space of Littleton, Colorado, which is already involved in making the aeroshell for the lander, as it has done on 10 previous NASA Mars missions, won the Mars Ascent Vehicle Integrated System contract with a potential value of $194 million. A six-year period for the contract begins this month. The company is expected to design, build and evaluate multiple ascent vehicle test units in addition to final spacecraft. The spacecraft will be small and lightweight, have to fit inside the lander, and will be designed to carry rock, sediment and atmospheric samples back off planet. It will also need to interact with NASA’s Capture, Containment, and Return System payload being carried by the ESA orbiter. It could become the first rocket ever fired off of another planet. No decision on which company will build the lander has been made. The lander is expected to set down near or in the Jezero Crater so it can work with Perseverance to retrieve the samples. NASA said it will launch from Kennedy Space Center no earlier than 2026. “Committing to the Mars Ascent Vehicle represents an early and concrete step to hammer out the details of this ambitious project not just to land on Mars, but to take off from it,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA’s associate administrator for science. “We are nearing the end of the conceptual phase for this Mars Sample Return mission, and the pieces are coming together to bring home the first samples from another planet. Once on Earth, they can be studied by state-of-the-art tools too complex to transport into space.” https://www.yahoo.com/news/nasa-chooses-lockheed-martin-build-224700870.html Curt Lewis