Flight Safety Information - February 23, 2022 No.038 In This Issue : Incident: Westjet Encore DH8D at Kamloops on Feb 11th 2022, flaps problem : Incident: Gol B738 at Recife on Feb 16th 2022, temporary runway excursion on landing : Incident: Fedex B763 at Omaha on Feb 20th 2022, bird strike : Incident: TUI Belgium E190 at Ostend on Feb 21st 2022, burning smell in cockpit : Incident: Delta B763 over Atlantic on Feb 8th 2022, cabin pressure problems : Aviation Day intends to fill pilot & mechanic deficit nationwide : Europe’s first solar-powered electric aircraft charging point : Airbus will test hydrogen propulsion on an A380, its largest passenger plane. : Report: FSF Highlights Persistent Risks in Analysis of 2021 Accident Data : S.Korea gives conditional nod to Korean Air's Asiana Airlines purchase Incident: Westjet Encore DH8D at Kamloops on Feb 11th 2022, flaps problem A Westjet Encore de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration C-GWFE performing flight WR-3540 from Kamloops,BC to Calgary,AB (Canada) with 71 passengers and 4 crew, was climbing out of Kamloops when the crew selected the flaps to 0 degrees, the flaps however stopped moving at 5 degrees. The crew worked the related checklist without success and decided to continue the flight to Calgary. On approach the crew declared PAN PAN and worked the abnormal flap landing checklist. The aircraft landed safely about 65 minutes after departure. The Canadian TSB reported maintenance checked the flap drive and flap control systems, both systems tested functional. The aircraft was returned to service. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4f50913e&opt=0 Incident: Gol B738 at Recife on Feb 16th 2022, temporary runway excursion on landing A Gol Transportes Aereos Boeing 737-800, registration PR-GUH performing flight G3-1746 from Brasilia,DF to Recife,PE (Brazil) with 172 passengers and 6 crew, landed on Recife's runway 18 at 23:40L (02:40Z Feb 17th) but veered right and temporarily went off the right runway edge damaging a number of right runway edge lights. The aircraft returned to the center line and taxied to the apron. There were no injuries. Brazil's CENIPA rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation reporting the aircraft received minor damage. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4f5089a1&opt=0 Incident: Fedex B763 at Omaha on Feb 20th 2022, bird strike A Fedex Federal Express Boeing 767-300, registration N187FE performing flight FX-795 from Memphis,TN to Omaha,NE (USA) with 2 crew, was on final approach to Omaha's runway 18 when a bird impacted the aircraft. The aircraft went around, positioned for another approach and landed safely on runway 14R about 12 minutes after the go around. The FAA reported: "AIRCRAFT STRUCK A BIRD ON FINAL DAMAGING MAIN GEAR AND HYDRAULIC LINE, OMAHA, NE", the damage was "UNKNOWN", the occurrence was rated an incident. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 28 hours before returning to service. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4f5080ca&opt=0 Incident: TUI Belgium E190 at Ostend on Feb 21st 2022, burning smell in cockpit A TUI Airlines Belgium Embraer ERJ-190, registration OO-JEM performing flight TB-1072 from Malaga,SP (Spain) to Ostend (Belgium), was on approach to Ostend's runway 26 descending through about 5000 feet when the crew reported a light burning odour in the cockpit. The aircraft continued for a safe landing about 13 minutes later. The airline reported there was a light burning odour in the cockpit, however, without danger to passengers, crew or aircraft. The passengers disembarked normally. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4f508fe5&opt=0 Incident: Delta B763 over Atlantic on Feb 8th 2022, cabin pressure problems A Delta Airlines Boeing 767-300, registration N1602 performing flight DL-126 (dep Feb 7th) from New York JFK,NY (USA) to Madrid,SP (Spain) with 59 passengers and 9 crew, was enroute at FL350 about two hours into the flight when the automatic cabin pressure control indicated a failure. The crew subsequently controlled the cabin pressure manually. After reaching Spain at FL370 the cabin depressurized prompting the crew to don their oxygen masks, the passenger oxygen masks were released, and initiate an emergency descent to FL120. The aircraft subsequently climbed back to FL280. The aircraft landed in Madrid without further incident about 55 minutes after leaving FL370 and about 6.5 hours after departure from New York. On Feb 22nd 2022 Spain's CIAIAC reported an investigation was opened into the occurrence. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4f502d88&opt=0 Aviation Day intends to fill pilot & mechanic deficit nationwide GRAFTON, W.Va. – Leaders in the north central West Virginia aerospace industry visited Taylor County Middle School to teach children about aviation. The speakers talked to students about possible careers, schooling required for jobs and what branches they can take in the industry. “Just getting students aware of what decisions they’ll have to make in the next couple of years to peruse something like this was the goal of today, and I think it was a great success,” said Scott Hage, Taylor County Middle School Principal. Taylor Co. students learn about Bigfoot, WV monsters Presenters included: • Dan McGuffey: Pilot and Aviation lead • Sam Brown: Aerospace Engineer (Lockheed, NASA) • Joel Kirk: FSU Aviation Center of Excellence Director USMC/USAF Ret. • Brad Gilbert: Director at Pierpont Aviation Maintenance Technology • Zach McDowell: Army Aviator and Instructor Pilot • Chuck Peters: Pierpont Community and Technical College. “We thought this was so successful today, because very rarely, even in high school levels, do high schools bring in career presenters and what are we there for? I mean, the job’s not to just get through high school. The job as educators is to give them a career on the outside,” Kirk said. With the aviation industry taking off in West Virginia, it’s predicted that more jobs will be available once these students are done with their education. “Within the next 10 to 12 years, maybe 10 to 15 years, I believe it’s 720,000 pilots are needed as well as maintainers, engineers, all of that,” McGuffey said about Boeing Aerospace Companies predictions. “There’s a huge deficit, not only in West Virginia but worldwide right now,” Kirk said about jobs in the industry. “The jobs are there. They’re high-paying. The intent is that we catch these kids early and get them basically formulating themselves into a product that is likable to the industry.” Kids will also have an ample number of options for education in aviation careers because universities like Fairmont State are growing their programs in size every year. Aviation leaders want to get kids interested when they are young to give them the greatest opportunities. U.S. Air Force recognizes Fairmont State program for it’s excellence “At this age, at this level of their educational career, giving them ideas of what’s available in the area and what the potential is for them job-wise here in north central West Virginia is crucial to them as they make decisions going into high school,” Hage said. McGuffey said, “If I had this when I was in middle school, which I went to middle school here, I would’ve started down the path of being a pilot much sooner, and I just want those kids to have the same opportunity.” In addition to learning about the industry’s careers, presenters encouraged kids to set a goal and to start working hard towards it. “We encourage [them] to listen to their teachers, to get good grades because all that stuff is going to matter when you go to apply for that aerospace industry job,” Kirk said. “…it’s very important that the candidate that’s going to operate that machinery is above board, that they don’t have criminal records, that they have high grades, that they’ve got very good work ethics, that they have attention to detail, that their integrity is a huge issue. So, those are things that students have to really kind of develop.” Taylor County Middle School plans to continue the tradition of aviation day next year. https://www.wboy.com/news/taylor/aviation-day-intends-to-fill-pilot-mechanic-deficit-nationwide/ Europe’s first solar-powered electric aircraft charging point The pilot project is aimed at powering small electric aircraft. It is located in the southeast of England and was developed with 33 modules from Q-Cells. The battery capacity is sufficient for flights of 30 minutes. In many remote regions of the world, small light aircraft take care of the people who live there. However, refueling the aircraft is often a problem because the necessary infrastructure is lacking. On top of that, the high costs for fuel must be considered. With this in mind, UK non-profit organization Nuncats has set itself the goal of creating a more practical, cheaper, and more climate-friendly alternative – to power, with solar, electric small aircraft. Nuncats has now put a demonstration facility into operation at an airfield in Old Buckenham, around 150km northeast of London, which is intended to show what a photovoltaic charging station for electric aircraft could look like. Popular content The 14kW station is equipped with 33 Q Peak Duo L-G8 solar modules from Korea-based manufacturer Hanwha Q-Cells. The modules are mounted on a frame developed by UK solar installer Renenergy which is similar to the construction for solar carports. According to Nuncats, this is the first facility of this type in Europe. The modules provide solar power to a specially adapted Zenith 750 aircraft – the “electric Sky Jeep.” This prototype has a 30kWh battery, which is enough for a 30-minute flight. According to Nuncats, this is the minimum for use in rural areas. The facility at Old Buckenham Airfield currently uses a single-phase, 5kW charger. However, the charging infrastructure can be adapted in such a way that it best suits each application. Tim Bridge, co-founder of Nuncats, hopes the facility will become a launchpad for further airspace electrification. “In the developed world, the benefits of electric aircraft are all about reducing CO2 and noise emissions,” says Bridge. For the rest of the world, a major untapped advantage is that electric aircraft offer a robust, low-maintenance alternative that is not dependent on fossil fuel supply chains. https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/02/22/europes-first-solar-powered-electric-aircraft-charging-point/ Airbus will test hydrogen propulsion on an A380, its largest passenger plane. The manufacturer is working with engine maker CFM International, a joint venture of GE and France’s Safran. Airbus said it plans to test a hydrogen-powered engine on a modified A380 by the middle of the decade, in hopes of bringing lower-emission fuels to commercial air travel. The European aircraft giant said Tuesday that it’s working with engine maker CFM International — a joint venture of General Electric’s aviation arm and France’s Safran — on the test plane, which will include a modified version of an engine already in use that will have to handle higher temperatures at which hydrogen burns. Test flights could begin 2026, Airbus said. Aircraft manufacturers and airlines are scrambling to slash their carbon emissions, which account for more than 2% of the world’s total. Airbus has aggressively pursued hydrogen and said it is working on a passenger aircraft powered by the fuel that it expects will enter service in 2035. Rival Boeing has focused on more sustainable aviation fuels, which currently make up less than 1% of the jet fuel supply and are more expensive than conventional jet fuel. CEO Dave Calhoun said at an investor conference last June that he didn’t expect a hydrogen-powered plane on “the scale of airplanes that we’re referring to” before 2050. “It will work for some very small packages,” he said. One big challenge in using hydrogen fuel is that storing it would require additional equipment that adds weight to the aircraft, reducing the number of people or amount of cargo that a plane could carry, said Richard Aboulafia, managing director at Aerodynamic Advisory, an aviation consulting firm. “Hydrogen is what happens when engineers and economists don’t talk to each other,” he said. Airbus said it selected its A380, the world’s largest passenger plane, because it had room to store the liquid hydrogen tanks and other equipment. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/22/-airbus-plans-to-test-hydrogen-engine-on-a380-jumbo-jet-to-fly-mid-decade.html Report: FSF Highlights Persistent Risks in Analysis of 2021 Accident Data 22 February 2022 Runway excursions, loss of control‒in flight and controlled flight into terrain accounted for nearly 30 percent of all airliner accidents in 2021, according to Flight Safety Foundation’s 2021 Safety Report. The report, released today, is based on an analysis of preliminary accident data and information contained in the Foundation’s Aviation Safety Network (ASN) database. Commercial passenger and cargo operations involving aircraft certified to carry at least 14 passengers had 44 accidents in 2021, of which 11 were fatal accidents that resulted in 123 fatalities among passengers and crew, plus one person killed on the ground. Noncommercial operations, such as training, surveying and ferry flights using the same types of aircraft, recorded 26 accidents last year. Nine of those accidents were fatal, resulting in 50 fatalities. Corporate jets were involved in 28 accidents last year. Nine of the accidents were fatal, resulting in 36 fatalities among passengers and crew. “Loss of control and runway safety‒related events continue to be high-occurrence risk areas that demand attention,” said Foundation President and CEO Dr. Hassan Shahidi. “We urge aviation stakeholders to redouble their efforts to proactively mitigate these and other risks, especially as the aviation sector in regions around the world begins to recover after more than two years of reduced operations.” In addition, the Foundation’s ongoing assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on global aviation identified a unique set of challenges for the industry, including changes to the operating environment and regulatory exemptions related to pilot proficiency checks and recency, license renewal and medical certificates, among others. “It is essential that these changes are identified and managed by operators through their safety management systems and by regulatory authorities through state safety programs,” Shahidi said. The Foundation’s 2021 Safety Report can be downloaded here. ASN is an exclusive service of the Foundation. ### About Flight Safety Foundation (www.flightsafety.org) Flight Safety Foundation is an independent, nonprofit, international organization engaged in research, education, advocacy and communications to improve aviation safety. The Foundation’s mission is to connect, influence and lead global aviation safety. Media Contact: Frank Jackman Director, Communications and Research +1 703.739.6700, ext. 116 jackman@flightsafety.org https://news.aviation-safety.net/2022/02/22/fsf-highlights-persistent-risks-in-analysis-of-2021-accident-data/ S.Korea gives conditional nod to Korean Air's Asiana Airlines purchase SEOUL, Feb 22 (Reuters) - South Korea's antitrust agency said on Tuesday it conditionally approves flag carrier Korean Air Lines' planned acquisition of rival Asiana Airlines. In a deal announced in late 2020, Korean Air planned to spend 1.8 trillion won ($1.6 billion) to become the top shareholder of indebted Asiana in one of the first major consolidations in aviation since the industry was hit by COVID-19. "This merger is a change from the system of two major airlines that dominated the South Korean air transport market for more than 30 years, and is the first-ever merger of full service carriers in South Korea," Korea Fair Trade Commission Chairperson Joh Sung-wook told a briefing. Out of 65 international passenger routes and 22 domestic routes in which the airlines overlap, the agency ordered Korean Air to hand over slots and traffic rights for 26 international and 14 domestic routes in the next 10 years if a newly competing airline requests them, as a condition of the approval. Moreover, until competing airlines seek slots and traffic rights, Korean Air is ordered to limit fare increases, keep from reducing supply and make sure that service quality does not deteriorate until new market entry, Joh said. The routes in question were where the airlines' combined market share were 60% or more, there were few or no competitors, and the KFTC saw a high chance of a fare hike, the KFTC said. They included routes such as Seoul-New York, Seoul-Los Angeles and Seoul-Seattle, in which the two merging airlines and Korean Air's partner Delta Air Lines took up 100% of the market share. "Korean Air respects the decision of the KFTC, and will continue its efforts to receive approvals from the remaining regulatory bodies," Korean Air told Reuters on Tuesday. ($1 = 1,193.9100 won) (Reporting by Joyce Lee & Heekyong Yang, Editing by Louise Heavens) https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/korea-gives-conditional-nod-korean-082759747.html Curt Lewis