Flight Safety Information - March 2, 2022 No.043

 

In This Issue 
: Incident: Canada BCS3 near Montreal on Feb 22nd 2022, anti-ice failure 
: Accident: Envoy E175 at Dallas on Feb 28th 2022, wake turbulence injures flight attendant 
: Accident: Republic E175 at Washington on Feb 28th 2022, hole in fuselage on landing 
: Incident: 9 Air B738 near Changsa on Mar 1st 2022, cargo smoke 
: Biden banning all Russian aircraft from entering U.S. airspace in retaliation for invasion of Ukraine 
: How satellite plane-tracking tech is changing flying across the North Atlantic 
: Qatar Airways confirms grounded another A350 jet 
: U.S. to close airspace to Russian planes, further weakening its aviation industry 
: Boeing suspends parts, maintenance and support for Russian airlines 
: Russian airline isolation grows as jetmakers halt parts supply 
: An unruly passenger threatened to ‘put on a show’ in the Orlando airport. He was charged with battery. 
: Garuda plans to cancel jet orders worth billions of dollars 
: Delta Airlines Partners with Hampton University to Diversify Pilots 
: Indigenous pilot training school loses entire fleet in airport fire 
: Position Available: Safety Evaluator 

 




Incident: Canada BCS3 near Montreal on Feb 22nd 2022, anti-ice failure

An Air Canada Bombardier C-Series CS-300, registration C-GJYC performing flight AC-334 from Edmonton,AB to Montreal,QC (Canada) with 135 passengers and 5 crew, was descending through FL250 towards Montreal in icing conditions when the right hand pneumatic system failed causing the loss of anti-ice capabilities of the aircraft. The crew declared emergency due to the need to cross the icing zone at high speed. The aircraft landed safely in Montreal with emergency services on stand by.

http://avherald.com/h?article=4f560b71&opt=0


 

 


Accident: Envoy E175 at Dallas on Feb 28th 2022, wake turbulence injures flight attendant

An Envoy Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N258NN performing flight AA-4153 from Grand Junction,CO to Dallas Ft. Worth,TX (USA), was on approach to Dallas' runway 18L when the aircraft encountered wake turbulence causing minor injuries to a flight attendant. The aircraft continued for a safe landing.

The aircraft remained on the ground for 10 hours before returning to service.

The FAA reported: "AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A WAKE TURBULENCE EVENT INJURYING THE #2 FLIGHT ATTENDANT, DALLAS, TX."

http://avherald.com/h?article=4f55f5f5&opt=0


 


Accident: Republic E175 at Washington on Feb 28th 2022, hole in fuselage on landing

A Republic Airlines Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N402YX performing flight AA-4541 from Providence,RI to Washington National,DC (USA), landed on Ronald Reagan Airport's runway 19, a loud noise occurred at touchdown. The aircraft rolled out without further incident and taxied to the apron maintaining routine communication. The subsequent departure did not report any anomaly.

The FAA reported: "AIRCRAFT MADE A LOUD NOISE ON TOUCHDOWN AND POST FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRCRAFT, WASHINGTON, DC.", reported "SUBSTANTIAL" damage and rated the occurrence an accident.

http://avherald.com/h?article=4f55f519&opt=0


 


Incident: 9 Air B738 near Changsa on Mar 1st 2022, cargo smoke

A 9 Air Boeing 737-800, registration B-221M performing flight AQ-1305 from Guangzhou to Yichang (China) with 105 people on board, was enroute at 8100 meters (FL266) about 130nm south of Changsha (China) and about 280nm short of the destination when the crew received a cargo smoke indication and diverted to Changsha for a safe landing about 30 minutes later. The passengers were evacuated via slides.

The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Changsha about 14 hours after landing.

The airline reported a replacement aircraft reached Yichang about 5 hours later.

China's Civil Aviation Authority reported three pieces of luggage showed burn marks, the CAA does not rule out there were illegal items (batteries) in the luggage.

http://avherald.com/h?article=4f55e86e&opt=0


 




Incident: Comair B734 at East London on Feb 20th 2022, could not retract landing gear

A Comair Boeing 737-400, registration ZS-OTG performing flight MN-252 from East London to Johannesburg (South Africa) with 111 people on board, was climbing out of East London when the crew could not retract the landing gear and returned to East London for a safe landing.

The airline reported the landing gear failed to retract. The passengers were rebooked for a later flight.

http://avherald.com/h?article=4f52f2f0&opt=0


 




Biden banning all Russian aircraft from entering U.S. airspace in retaliation for invasion of Ukraine

During his first State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Biden announced that the U.S. would ban all Russian aircraft from entering American airspace, in retaliation for the ongoing military assault on Ukraine.

“Tonight, I'm announcing that we will join our allies in closing off American airspace to all Russian flights, further isolating Russia and adding an additional squeeze on their economy,” he said.

The president’s announcement follows similar moves by Canada and the European Union to ban Russian planes from entering their airspace.

While stopping short of committing ground troops or enacting a no-fly zone over Ukraine, the U.S. and its allies have already imposed stern sanctions against Russia — including directly targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov — as global condemnation of the invasion of Ukraine continues to grow.

“He has no idea what’s coming,” Biden said.

On Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU was closing off its airspace for Russian-controlled or -owned jets — a move that came as many member countries made plans to shut down their own fly zones to such aircraft.

France, Britain, Austria, Germany, Poland, Bulgaria and Estonia, among others, joined in the airspace ban in protest. "There is no place for planes of the aggressor state in democratic skies," Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas tweeted.

Omar Alghabra, the transport minister of Canada, said on Sunday they’d close off their airspace as well, planning to hold Russia accountable for the recent invasion of Ukraine, which Biden has called a “needless act of aggression against global peace and security.”

On Monday, Putin banned airlines from dozens of nations, including from the EU, from flying over Russia’s airspace, in retaliation for the countries’ bans.

In his address to the nation, Biden also made clear that he was prepared to use the U.S. military to protect other NATO members, including those former Soviet-era republics that recently joined.

“As I've made crystal clear, the United States and our allies will defend every inch of territory that is NATO territory with the full force of our collective power — every single inch,” Biden said.

Yet as he spoke, Russian troops continued their advance in Ukraine.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/biden-banning-all-russian-aircraft-from-entering-us-airspace-in-retaliation-for-invasion-of-ukraine-023444915.html


 




How satellite plane-tracking tech is changing flying across the North Atlantic
 
Big changes are happening over the North Atlantic, the busiest piece of Oceanic airspace in the world. 

Since the 1960s, a system of organized tracks, like a multi-lane highway in the sky, has been in place for any airline wishing to cross from Europe to North America and vice versa. 

But the advent of satellite-based tracking of planes, also known as space-based ADS-B, is enabling air traffic controllers, led by the UK NATS, to shake up the Organised Track System (OTS) and even get rid of it entirely on certain days. It’s all part of efforts to help planes fly more efficiently across the Atlantic, saving time, money, fuel and CO2 emissions. 

AeroTime spoke to Jacob Young, a former Oceanic controller and supervisor who is now manager operational performance at NATS, about the changes.

“It’s been probably some of the most transformational times that we've had since I’ve been at NATS,” Young says. “Space-based ADS-B and the COVID-19 pandemic are the two key drivers that have let us move to OTS nil on certain days.”

What is the OTS?

The OTS consists of up to 12 tracks, published each day, to cover the peak traffic flows between Europe and North America. A westbound flow departs Europe in the morning, while an eastbound rush leaves North America in the evening. These tracks take into account weather and especially the jetstream, airlines’ preferred routes and airspace limitations, including if the military is using airspace, to provide the most efficient routes across the Atlantic.

Traditional radar doesn’t provide coverage over the oceans, so air traffic controllers used to rely on automated messages, known as ADS-C, sent from aircraft every 14 minutes. These provide controllers with details of an aircraft’s position and its next expected position. Because of this lack of real-time data, aircraft had to be separated by 40 nautical miles (74km) to ensure adequate safety margins. With these constraints in mind, the OTS has helped to manage this busy airspace and provided predictability and safety for controllers and airlines since the 1960s.

“We use a motorway analogy,” explains Young. “If aircraft are allowed to free-flow across the motorway, there's more chance that they are going to cross in front of each other, and we can’t permit them to do that. Whereas if everyone has to stay in their own lanes, then they're already laterally separated from each other.” 

While airlines were allowed to request ‘random’ routes, these often had to be changed at short notice to maintain separation, causing uncertainty for airlines and increasing the workload of controllers.

How are things changing?
It may seem crazy but, up until a few years ago, there was no way to track aircraft in real time across oceans, due to the lack of radar coverage. This was made apparent by the still unexplained disappearance of Malaysia Airlines MH370 in 2014. The lack of real-time tracking was also highlighted in the crash of Air France 447 in 2009, when it took two years to find the wreckage.  

That has now changed thanks to satellite technology. Since 2019, NATS has been working with Aireon to use satellites to track ADS-B signals sent out by aircraft. This means that controllers can receive aircraft position updates every seven to eight seconds, rather than every 14 minutes, over the Atlantic. 

“Previously, you were almost always working on out-of-date data. When space-based ADSB was turned on, suddenly, you're spotting everything that's happening quickly,” Young says.  

The technology has transformed the way that Oceanic controllers work and allowed them to reduce the separation between aircraft on the Atlantic down to 14 nautical miles, from the previous 40nm. 

The reduced separation minima means airlines can request more random, or individual routes, outside of the track system. 

The lower traffic volumes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic also helped. Pre-pandemic, there would be about 1,000-1,500 flights a day across the Atlantic. In summer 2021, that had dropped to around 500-600 flights a day, or roughly 50% of pre-COVID levels. 

As COVID-19 resulted in fewer flights, there were some days when around 80% of traffic was using random routes, compared with approximately 60% pre-pandemic. Young says that, despite the increase in random routes, the system was working efficiently and that gave NATS the confidence to push for days with zero tracks on the OTS.

In total, there were 20 days in 2021 with no tracks under the OTS. The first such day was March 9, 2021.  

“Effectively, we proved that this is a valid option for the future,” Young says, adding that there were no complaints from customers or major issues.  

Better dealing with emergencies?
Furthermore, the real-time information means controllers can spot any deviations from planned flight paths and start to prepare for any problems or emergencies pilots may be dealing with. 

For pilots dealing with an emergency, the priorities are aviate - navigate - communicate. Without real-time data, controllers were clueless until the crew got to the ‘communicate’ part, and could only start to react once pilots got in touch. 

Now, they can spot the clues that something is amiss sooner. For example, ADS-B data includes selected flight level, so controllers can see if an aircraft is entering a descent that is not scheduled. 

“During emergency situations, such as diversions for medical reasons, we can see that the aircraft is looking to do something before we've even had the communications,” Young explains.

“It means you can start thinking about plans straightaway, such as options for deviations or for aircraft to return. So that by the time the comms come in, the controllers are set up and ready to go. We never had that before. Previously, it was comms first, and then react afterwards. Now we can see things first and start planning. It’s huge.” 

Taking the next steps
North Atlantic traffic is currently at around 80% of 2019 levels and NATS is expecting this to increase to 90-95% in summer 2022. 

NATS says it is able to abolish the OTS system now, with just a few minor procedural and system tweaks. However, Young explains that NATS is keen to hear what its customers actually want. 

“Do we want total elimination of the OTS? And by we, I mean the airline community as a whole. Or are we looking for a reduction down to one or two tracks a day?”

NATS has started some analytics in cooperation with 15 airlines to see what benefits it could bring them. 

“We anticipate what will be a big driver is to see what fuel burn savings can be made. A study showed that every minute saved on the ocean equates to £51 saved for the airlines and we need to see if that translates into reality,” Young says.

Until a decision has been made, the OTS system will likely have at least one track per day, although Young doesn’t rule out any days with zero tracks if traffic dictates. 

In a first step, NATS is removing the OTS structure from FL330 and below. Although operators could apply for random routes in that airspace before, many companies had restrictions that prevented them from crossing or joining the track system. Young says this could especially benefit cargo flights running in the opposite direction to the tracks, for example. 

“We're hoping this opens up the opportunity for them to just flight plan their most optimal routes, and flight level. Wherever possible we will then issue them with that request.”

Satellite tracking is certainly changing operations across the North Atlantic. It seems impossible to think that, just two years ago, we could only check up on aircraft in this busy airspace every 14 minutes. Now satellite technology is keeping passengers safer and helping to save CO2 emissions. 

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/30331-satellite-tracking-shakes-up-north-atlantic-flying


 




U.S. to close airspace to Russian planes, further weakening its aviation industry

The U.S. will join Canada and several European nations in limiting Russia’s access to the global aviation network

The Biden administration’s decision to prohibit Russian airlines from entering American airspace will further isolate the nation, as Western governments weaken Russia’s aviation system and hinder its ability to access the portion of its fleet owned by other countries.

President Biden announced Tuesday during his State of the Union address that the United States will join Canada and several European nations in limiting Russia’s access to the global aviation network in response to the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. Federal transportation officials said the ban would go into effect by the end of Wednesday.

“Tonight, I am announcing that we will join our allies in closing off American airspace to all Russian flights, further isolating Russia and adding an additional squeeze on their economy,” Biden said.

Airlines have scrubbed more than 100 flights into and out of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport this week as restrictions come into force. The new measures announced Tuesday are part of an expansive set from Western nations that could rapidly hamstring Russia’s commercial aviation industry.

The global restrictions target Russian aviation on multiple fronts. The most immediate measures are airspace closures that severely limit where Russian national carrier Aeroflot, and private airlines from the country, can fly. Sanctions and export controls also threaten Russia’s access to spare aviation parts and the hundreds of leased aircraft that make up about half the nation’s commercial fleet.

‘Putin is now isolated from the world,’ Biden says in State of the Union address

“Closing airspace to Russian airlines is one of the most visible actions countries can take and one of the most hard hitting,” said Henry Harteveldt, an aviation industry analyst at Atmosphere Research Group. “Lessors requiring Russians return their aircraft is definitely a severe blow to Russian airlines, as well.”


In return, Russia has closed its airspace to European airlines, all but blocking some routes to Asia for some carriers and potentially slowing the return of international travel as the airline industry tries to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

Aeroflot operates a fleet of more than 300 aircraft — mostly Boeing and Airbus jets — and serves destinations around the world. Europe and the Western Hemisphere are now nearly out of reach, and the war has disrupted some domestic routes to cities near the Ukrainian border.

Boeing announced Tuesday evening that it was suspending parts, maintenance and technical support services for Russian airlines and had “suspended major operations in Moscow.”

Britain took the first step to block Russian airlines, closing its airspace within hours of the invasion. Over the weekend, some European nations and Canada followed, and a European Union-wide ban went into effect Monday.

As a safety precaution, the Federal Aviation Administration last week had prohibited U.S. airlines from flying over Ukraine, Belarus and parts of Russia, extending restrictions over contested territory in eastern Ukraine.

Airlines have, in some cases, been left looking for other routes to cross the globe as the skies become divided into blocs closed to certain nations.

Even before Biden’s announcement, Aeroflot said Monday that the closure of Canadian skies to its planes has forced it to cancel flights to cities in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.

An Aeroflot flight from Miami arrived in Moscow on Sunday after flying through Canadian airspace, an action Canadian authorities described as a “violation” of the ban. The next day, a Russian cargo flight from Chicago to Moscow departed while following a fishhook-shaped route that avoided northern Europe.


Even as Russian airspace remained open to U.S. airlines, many flights to East Asia were avoiding flight paths over the nation, according to records from data service Flightradar24. One exception included United Airlines flights from India, which continued to pass through Russian skies.

United said Tuesday that it would stop using that route.

Moscow steps up assault on residential areas

Russia’s decision to reciprocate — blocking other nations’ airlines from its airspace — has caused economic harm to some carriers. Finnish carrier Finnair said Monday that if restrictions remained, it would affect the carrier’s bottom line.

“Bypassing the Russian airspace lengthens flight times to Asia considerably and, thus, the operation of most our passenger and cargo flights to Asia is not economically sustainable or competitive” Topi Manner, the airline’s chief executive, said in a statement.

With international travel down because of the pandemic, analysts say the immediate effects will be somewhat blunted, while costing Russia revenue it would otherwise generate in overflight fees.

Michael McCormick, an assistant professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, said if the world’s airspace remains fragmented in the long term, airlines would suffer from being unable to use certain routes over the Arctic.

“Those are very efficient routes in terms of mileage and time,” he said. “The loss of those polar routes will have a significant impact on direct flights.”

American aviation businesses also face export restrictions imposed by the Biden administration. Those include provisions for exceptions to be granted for safety-critical components, but it’s not clear how that system might work. The E.U. has imposed similar restrictions.

Russia is not a major market for American aviation firms, according to an analysis by the Aerospace Industries Association. However, Russian airlines are heavily dependent on European and American technology and will struggle if they cannot access it, said Bijan Vasigh, an economics professor at Embry-Riddle.

“That is a big issue for them,” Vasigh said.

Sanctions affecting leased aircraft also could hit hard, depriving Russian airlines of much of their fleets.

The nation’s airlines have 981 jets and turboprops in service, according to figures compiled by aviation consultant Ascend by Cirium. Of those, 531 are owned by foreign companies and leased to the airlines, with Irish companies holding an outsize number. Under the European sanctions, those Irish businesses will have until late March to end their agreements in Russia.

In a statement, Dublin-based AerCap, which has 154 planes leased to Russian airlines, said it “intends to fully comply with all applicable sanctions, which will require us to cease our leasing activity with Russian airlines.”

Private companies also have severed ties with Aeroflot. Delta Air Lines ended a code-sharing partnership last week, and American Airlines said it has ended agreements with Aeroflot and S7, another Russian carrier. FedEx and UPS have suspended service to Russia.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2022/03/01/airspace-russia-ukraine/


 




Boeing suspends parts, maintenance and support for Russian airlines

WASHINGTON, March 1 (Reuters) - U.S. airplane manufacturer Boeing Co (BA.N) said on Tuesday it was suspending parts, maintenance and technical support for Russian airlines as well as major operations in Moscow after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"As the conflict continues, our teams are focused on ensuring the safety of our teammates in the region," a Boeing spokesperson said.

The announcement came a day after Boeing said it had paused operations at its Moscow Training Campus and temporarily closed its office in Kyiv.

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boeing-suspends-parts-maintenance-support-russian-airlines-2022-03-02/


 




Russian airline isolation grows as jetmakers halt parts supply

March 2 (Reuters) - Planemakers Boeing (BA.N) and Airbus (AIR.PA) have halted supply of parts and support to Russian airlines as the effects of sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine ripple across the global aviation industry. read more

The United States said late on Tuesday that it would follow the European Union and Canada in banning Russian flights from its airspace in a move that is likely to trigger Russian retaliation. read more

Boeing said it had "suspended major operations" in Russia, where it also has research and engineering centres.

Airbus, meanwhile, said it is halting supply of parts and services to Russian airlines but is analysing whether its Moscow engineering centre could continue providing services to local customers.

The latest developments leave Russian aviation increasingly isolated just as major powers discuss reviving a deal that lifted similar sanctions against Iran until Washington withdrew in 2018.

Sanctions against Russia will have greater consequences than those on Iran or North Korea, given the size of its market and dependence on Western suppliers, analysts said.

"With Western lessors also looking to repossess jets that are operated by Russian carriers, the Russian aviation sector is now on a footing that is similar to North Korea and Iran – and similar to where it was under Soviet rule," wrote Vertical Research Partners analyst Rob Stallard.

Russia accounted for about 6% of airline capacity in 2021, up from 4% in 2019, thanks to its strong relative performance during the pandemic, according to consultants IBA.

The country's airlines have a total of 332 Boeing and 304 Airbus jets, amounting to about two thirds of Russia's fleet, Cirium Fleets data shows.

How quickly those are starved of parts will depend on who owns them and how many critical items airlines hold.

Jetliners are subject to constant oversight ranging from daily checks to heavy maintenance every six years.

They contain hundreds of thousands of parts. While more routine problems might not require immediate grounding of an aircraft, provided the issue is addressed in a certain number of days, some parts remain absolutely essential for a plane to be allowed to fly.

Planes owned by Russian airlines can be flown while they have sufficient parts in stock, but the carriers may have trouble getting their jets serviced in the shrinking areas of the world still accepting Russian planes, given that repair shops must use approved parts.

Even where parts can be found outside the country, airlines face potential payment difficulties after some Russian banks were barred from the SWIFT international payments system.

LIMITED PARTS

Many airlines re-use parts from their own planes, but there have been complaints in the past that struggling airlines cannibalised leased planes, which are off-limits.

"Because parts are limited, we will expect to see aircraft that are on the ground in Russia being robbed in order to keep the remainder of the fleet operational," said Peter Walter, director of technical and asset management at IBA.

A total of 515 planes in Russia are leased from foreign companies, according to Cirium.

Lessors have until March 28 to wind up contracts under EU sanctions, but industry executives have expressed concern over whether Russian airlines and courts would comply. read more

Russia has domestic repair facilities, but carriers have also cut deals with foreign businesses. Aeroflot last year signed a long-term agreement with Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (HAECO), which did not respond to a request for comment.

Lufthansa Technik (LHAG.DE) said it had stopped serving Russian customers in a move affecting hundreds of planes.

Russian difficulties in sourcing spare parts could also affect international airlines that still fly to Russia and sometimes require replacement parts at the destination.

Gulf carriers continue to operate some flights to Russia, according to airline statements and tracking data.

Flydubai, which operates a fleet of 737s to eight Russian cities at present, said it was aware of Boeing's announcement and is monitoring the situation.

Russian airlines will also be barred from taking new aircraft from Western manufacturers. They have 62 planes on order with Airbus or Boeing, IBA data shows, including 25 Boeing 737 MAX jets.

Russia is the only major country where the 737 MAX has not yet been cleared after worldwide bans following fatal crashes.

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boeing-suspends-parts-maintenance-russian-airlines-its-aviation-sector-isolated-2022-03-02/


 




Boca Raton Man Arrested, Allegedly Pointed Laser At Aircraft

BOCA RATON, FL— A Boca Raton man allegedly pointed a laser at an aircraft. That’s illegal. He is now in jail.

Anthony Winborn of the 1200 block of SW 8th Street in Boca Raton was taken into custody late Monday night by the Boca Raton police department. He was booked into jail at 12:55 a.m. and was being held early Tuesday morning on $6,000 bond.

According to Boca Raton PD, the Broward Sheriff’s Office was “working a robbery investigation in Deerfield beach and someone from the area of 1200 block of SW 8th Street was shining a green laser light at their helicopter, causing issues for the aircraft. BSO has video surveillance of the male shining his laser at their helicopter. BSO described the subject responsible as a white male wearing a brown shirt and blue camo pants, standing outside with a female. The BSO helicopter unit shined their spotlight on the above address multiple times to indicate that this is where the suspect was shining the laser at their helicopter.”

Police found Winborn and questioned him. Wrote the investigating officer: “I then asked him what he had been doing with the laser. He advised that he was aware there was a helicopter flying around outside and he wanted to have some fun just playing around. He admitted to shining the laser at the helicopter a few times. He also stated he was aware that shining a laser at someone, including a helicopter, can blind a person and cause them to crash. I then asked him where the laser was, and he advised it was in the neighbor’s bushes. I asked him why the laser was in the bushes and he stated he knew he was in trouble and he was trying to hide it.”

Winborn is officially charged with “public order crimes, point laser light at driver or pilot,” and “evidence destroying, alter, destroy, conceal, remove physical evidence.”

https://bocanewsnow.com/2022/03/01/boca-raton-man-arrested-allegedly-pointed-laser-at-aircraft/


 




An unruly passenger threatened to ‘put on a show’ in the Orlando airport. He was charged with battery.

Cellphone video shows police using a Taser on a man who allegedly attacked his wife, his daughter and an airport employee

A 34-year-old New York man who said he had been drinking got into physical altercations with his wife, his 6-year-old daughter and an employee at Orlando International Airport last week, leading to an arrest on battery charges by police who shot him with a Taser, according to an arrest report.

Fellow passengers watched and shot video Thursday as Ryan Austin Martin launched into a chaotic meltdown in which he banged on a jet-bridge door, shouted threats and was restrained by a police officer and a traveler who happened to be an off-duty sheriff from New Jersey.

“Listen man, I just had too much to drink,” he said once he was on the ground. It was not yet noon when police arrived, according to the arrest report.

The Federal Aviation Administration and flight attendants have pointed to preflight alcohol consumption in airports as one of the factors behind a pandemic-era rise in unruly and violent passenger behavior. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson asked airports last year to help curb the sale of alcoholic drinks that passengers can carry with them to the gate or on board.

FAA asks airports for help with unruly passengers, calls for avoiding ‘to-go’ alcohol sales

According to an arrest affidavit, the incident in Orlando began when Martin grew agitated at his wife and cursed at her. The redacted report described him pushing his daughter, trying to pull the neck of someone in his group and grabbing someone by the hair. During that time, he left twice and returned with drinks, the report says.

After the family arrived at Gate 46, where their United Airlines flight to Newark was scheduled to take off, someone sought help at the desk. A gate supervisor moved the group to the jet bridge to separate them from Martin, the report says.

A fellow passenger’s cellphone video, later posted to YouTube, begins around this point. In the footage, a seething Martin — described by police as 6 feet tall and 280 pounds — warns people not to touch him as an airport alarm blares. The video, which lasts over eight minutes, contains a significant amount of profanity.

“You want to see a show?” he asks a group of people awaiting flights, some with their phones trained on him. “I’m gonna [expletive] put on a show.” He leans on the door blocking him from his family, bangs and punches it, and threatens an unidentified person by warning them they would “end up dead” if they came near him.

At one point, he was able to open the door and get onto the bridge to reach his family. The gate supervisor told police he shoved her twice as she tried to protect the family.

About four minutes into the video, employees ushered two women and three kids off the jet bridge into the airport. The arrest affidavit said Officer Jeriel Gomes saw Martin walk off the bridge with his hands up, but after the suspect pulled his arms away and turned to face Gomes, the officer used his Taser. Martin continued standing despite being struck twice as Gomes yelled for him to get on the ground.

The ‘no-fly’ list and unruly passengers, explained

When Martin turned his back and seemed to lean forward, Gomes pushed him down and used the Taser again when the suspect refused to put his hands behind his back. The off-duty sheriff helped handcuff the man.

United Airlines has banned Martin from flying on the airline while officials review the situation.

Martin, who lives in Yonkers, was arrested on one count each of child abuse, battery involving domestic violence, battery, resisting an officer with violence, and disorderly intoxication. He was booked at the Orange County Jail and released Friday night on a $2,950 surety bond, according to the county’s corrections department.

It was not clear when he is due back in court. Records show he was ordered not to have contact with the victims named in the report. Neither Martin nor his public defender could be reached immediately for comment Tuesday.

As the video of the incident ended and Martin was rolled away in a chair, some passengers could be heard singing “Nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah, hey hey hey, goodbye.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/03/01/orlando-airport-arrest-taser-passenger/


 




Garuda plans to cancel jet orders worth billions of dollars

Distressed flag carrier Garuda Indonesia plans to cancel billions of dollars worth of aircraft orders from Airbus SE and Boeing Co. as part of a court-supervised debt restructuring to slash its debt and weather a slump in air travel due to the pandemic.

The state-owned carrier wants to cancel its order for nine A330-900 jets and four A330-800s, Finance Director Prasetio said following a meeting with creditors in Jakarta on Tuesday. The order is worth more than $1 billion, based on prices provided by aircraft appraiser Avitas Inc.

Garuda is also using the court process to move forward with the cancellation of the remaining 49 Boeing 737 Max 8 it has on order, Prasetio said. The carrier has said since as early as 2019 that it would walk away from the deal following two fatal crashes and the global grounding of the single-aisle jet. It only took one Max from its original order for 50.

Garuda plans to keep its order for 25 A320 aircraft, Prasetio said.

An Airbus spokesman said the manufacturer couldn’t comment on Garuda’s ongoing restructuring process. A Boeing representative didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Garuda aims to cut its debt to about $3.4 billion from close to $10 billion and renegotiate terms with aircraft lessors.

https://ajot.com/news/garuda-plans-to-cancel-jet-orders-worth-billions-of-dollars


 




Delta Airlines Partners with Hampton University to Diversify Pilots

Delta Airlines has announced a partnership with Hampton University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in order to diversify their pilot workforce and train more pilots of color.

Only about 3% of commercial airline pilots are Black, and CNN reported that 34,000 new pilots would be needed by 2025 to fill demand. Hampton is the first HBCU Delta has added to its Propel Collegiate Pilot Career Path Program.

“Delta says connecting the world requires that we first respect the world through seeking diversity, promoting inclusion, creating equity, and driving accountability towards these goals,” said First Officer Monique Grayson, interviewer for the Propel program. “Considering the history of HBCUs and that of Delta, I am proud to see the company doing just that.”

Hampton offers one of only 40 aviation training programs accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI). Hampton students who join the program will have a chance to receive a job offer from Delta upon graduation.

https://www.diverseeducation.com/latest-news/article/15289053/delta-airlines-partners-with-hampton-university-to-diversify-pilots


 




Indigenous pilot training school loses entire fleet in airport fire

The fire at the hangar on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory destroyed the building entirely, as well as all the 13 aircraft inside. (Brandon Cassibo, First Responders Photography)
Canada's only training program for Indigenous pilots has lost its entire fleet after an airport hangar on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory was destroyed in a fire.

It began at Tyendinaga Mohawk Airport around 11 p.m. on Feb. 24, and the 40,000-square-foot hangar collapsed within minutes, according to Mohawk Fire Department Chief Scott Maracle.

'Wonderful program' training Indigenous students as pilots can't keep up with demand
The First Nations Technical Institute on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, near Belleville, Ont., has operated a flight program at the hangar for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students since 1989.

The fire destroyed the school's 13 planes, as well as all of its equipment used to maintain aircraft.

Maracle said the building burned too quickly to be saved — a construction feature preferred by the Department of Defence during the Second World War.

"They were designed to just collapse on themselves and not affect anything else," he said.

Pilots needed by remote communities
The pilot training program was created to meet the need for more Indigenous pilots, according to president Suzanne Brant, who added that students come from all over Canada to attend the program.

"The students come here to get their licence to be able to fly, so they can directly go into the industry," said Brant. "They can start commercial flights as soon as they want. They mostly get employed before they even leave."

Students often provide air transport services to remote Indigenous communities, Brant said, including those not accessible by road, which depend on pilots to fly in food, medical supplies and people.

The program is essential not just to the careers of aspiring pilots, but also for the communities they go on to serve.

"It's their link, you know, to the rest of the world. So it's significant, not only for employment, but also for those resources that get mobilized in and out of communities."

The program is temporarily paused and applications are closed, she said.

The school is currently liaising with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, as well as the Minister of Indigenous Affairs in Ontario, to explore ways to get the program off the ground again, said Brant.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated, according to the fire department.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/indigenous-pilot-training-aircraft-destroyed-fire-1.6368364


 





Position Available: Safety Evaluator

Job Description
At Republic Airways, our vision is to be America’s regional airline of choice, and our 6,000 associates work together each day to achieve that by providing a safe, clean and reliable flying experience. Whether the role is on the aircraft or in the office, every person at Republic contributes to our success and our family-oriented work environment.
Since our founding in 1974, we’ve grown to become the world’s largest operator of the Embraer 170/175 jet, flying more than 1000 flights daily for our partners, American Airline, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. Beyond our operations, we’re focused on sharing our time, talents and treasures with our community—both locally and globally.
Join Republic Airways where you will find opportunities, reach new heights and be part of something bigger than yourself. Republic Airways, opportunity elevated.
#WhyRepublic

POSITION PURPOSE
Conducts internal evaluations of operational divisions to ensure adherence to federal regulations, company policies and procedures. Conducts aircraft damage investigations, tracks regulatory correspondence and completes special projects as assigned.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES 
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Conducts internal evaluations of operational divisions to ensure compliance with federal regulations as well as company policies and procedures.
Communicates company policies/procedures, Federal Aviation Regulations and other Standards including but limited to International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audits (IOSA) standards, Department of Defense Standards etc. facilitating fair resolutions and imparting quality expertise to all operational departments.
Coordinates Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - Safety Assurance System (SAS) inspections conducted by the FAA
Coordinates IOSA conducted by appointed Audit Organization
Coordinates DOD inspections conducted by the DOD
Communicates with external audit organizations, the FAA and DOD
Identifies, tracks, and solves quality and safety concerns, issues or hazards (this includes, but not limited to, interviews, reviews of past evaluation/audit records and compliance data for trends)
Reviews changes to applicable regulations in order to recommend appropriate actions to ensure company compliance.
Ensure adherence to all Safety and Security regulations
Develops and maintains Data Analysis Group key performance indicators, and continuous improvement initiatives for data analysis and visualization.
Provides technical leadership to team and department members. Leads through example; monitors, influences and trains others.
OTHER DUTIES 
Performs data analysis on aircraft ground damage to identify trends & systemic causes of aircraft damage.
Participates in investigations of aircraft ground damage. Leads investigations into company controllable damage and participates in conference calls for codeshare partner damages.
Contributes to the development of SMS training modules for all company associates covered under SMS.
Responsible for the continuous improvement of Republic’s Safety Management System
Assists with development of SMS structured risk assessment and safety assurance processes, including facilitating Data Analysis Groups
Participates in special projects including but not limited to: special request audits,
Codeshare meetings and initiatives, Safety Management System (SMS) implementation, monthly safety newsletter and manual reviews using SAS tools.
Performs various other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability necessary to perform this job.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE.
Bachelor’s degree with at least 2 years of Aviation experience required.
Knowledge of the Code of Federal Regulations for Title 14 and 49 and associated regulatory materials.
Knowledge in aviation safety systems including, but not limited to: Safety Management System (SMS), System Safety, Safety Assurance System (SAS) and IOSA.
Skills in Microsoft Office applications is a must.

PREFERRED EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
Bachelor's degree in an aviation or safety related discipline is preferred.
At least 3 years of previous experience in aviation.
Airframe and Powerplant, Dispatch License or Pilot’s License is preferred.
Previous auditing and evaluating experience.

LANGUAGE SKILLS
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.
 
REASONING/PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
DECISION MAKING
Makes decisions and determines best methods to solve problems by referring to established precedents and policies. Decisions tend to be medium range and of medium significance with moderate consequences.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Able to move about the work environment.
Frequently required to stand, walk, sit, talk and hear.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an associate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
Typically not exposed to extreme environmental conditions.
Work in an open air hangar and outdoor weather conditions occasionally.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
Travel up to 15% of the time, including overnight stays.
Equal Opportunity Employment and Disability Accommodations
Republic Airways is committed to achieving a diverse workforce by providing equal employment opportunities to all Associates and applicants, and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type with regard to any characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We are committed to providing applicants and Associates reasonable accommodation to enable the individual to perform the essential duties of the job. If you require accommodation, please contact Human Resources.




Curt Lewis