Flight Safety Information - May 25, 2022 No.100 In This Issue : Incident: VivaAerobus A21N at Villahermosa on May 23rd 2022, bird strike : Incident: British Airways B773 at London on May 24th 2022, cabin did not pressurize properly : Incident: Azul A20N at Sao Paulo on May 16th 2022, flight controls problem : Incident: Fuji Dream E175 at Omitama on May 20th 2022, cleared to land on occupied runway : Incident: VARA A320 at Perth on May 24th 2022, loss of cabin pressure : Long Island Plane, Helicopter Pilots Blinded By Lasers More Frequently Than Ever Before : NASA mulls data ecosystem to help drones, air taxis make critical safety decisions : U.S. FAA wants some airplane altimeters retrofitted by end of 2022 : FAA Proposes to Revoke Rhoades Aviation’s Air Carrier Certificate : Aviation Partners Eyes Next Bizav Winglet Project : African airlines will need to recruit 63,000 new workers : Solar farm to be built at El Paso International Airport : FAA Delays The Possible Recertification Of Mexico's Category 1 Status Incident: VivaAerobus A21N at Villahermosa on May 23rd 2022, bird strike A VivaAerobus Airbus A321-200N, registration XA-VBZ performing flight VB-1281 from Villahermosa to Mexico City (Mexico), was accelerating for takeoff from Villahermosa's runway 08 when the left hand engine (PW1133G) ingested a bird and received damage. The crew continued takeoff, climbed the aircraft to 2000 feet and returned to Villahermosa for a safe landing on runway 08 about 15 minutes after departure. A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration XA-VAV reached Mexico City with a delay of 6:40 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Villahermosa about 24 hours after landing back. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4f94dccf&opt=0 Incident: British Airways B773 at London on May 24th 2022, cabin did not pressurize properly A British Airways Boeing 777-300, registration G-STBB performing flight BA-67 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Philadelphia,PA (USA), was climbing out of Heathrow's runway 27L when the crew stopped the climb at about FL117, declared PAN PAN and descended the aircraft to FL080. The aircraft returned to Heathrow for a safe landing on runway 27R about 40 minutes after departure. The airline reported the crew requested a priority return due to a technical issue. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4f94eb6d&opt=0 Incident: Azul A20N at Sao Paulo on May 16th 2022, flight controls problem An Azul Linhas Aereas Airbus A320-200N, registration PR-YRR performing flight AD-2912 from Natal,RN to Sao Paulo Viracopos,SP (Brazil) with 164 passengers and 6 crew, was descending towards Viracopos Airport when the crew received an ECAM fault message for the secondary flight controls. The aircraft stopped the descent at 8000 feet and entered a hold while the crew worked the related checklists and subsequently continued for a safe landing on Viracopos' runway 33 about 35 minutes after levelling off at 8000 feet. Brazil's CENIPA reported the crew received an ECAM message from the secondary flight surfaces command system. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4f94e9a6&opt=0 Incident: Fuji Dream E175 at Omitama on May 20th 2022, cleared to land on occupied runway A Fuji Dream Airlines Embraer ERJ-175, registration JA10FJ performing flight JH-7994 from Hiroshima to Omitama (Japan), was cleared to land on Omitami's runway 21R. Tower subsequently advised the crew a vehicle was still on the runway and instructed a go around. The aircraft went around from low height (less than 300 feet AGL), positioned for another approach and landed safely about 13 minutes after the go around. Japan's TSB reported the occurrence is being investigated. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4f94e5c6&opt=0 Incident: VARA A320 at Perth on May 24th 2022, loss of cabin pressure A VARA Virgin Australia Regional Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration VH-YUD performing flight VA-9275 from Perth,WA to West Angelas,WA (Australia), was climbing through FL330 out of Perth when the crew initiated an emergency descent to FL100 due to the loss of cabin pressure. The aircraft returned to Perth for a safe landing on runway 21 about 50 minutes after departure. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Perth 8 hours after landing back. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4f94dec3&opt=0 Long Island Plane, Helicopter Pilots Blinded By Lasers More Frequently Than Ever Before There has not been a plane crash - or even a minor mishap - pinned to a laser attack, but members of the flying community say that’s no reason to minimize the danger There is an increasing danger in the skies over New York. A growing number of pilots are being temporarily blinded by laser pointers. Greg Cergol reports. Suffolk County Police Sergeant John Vahey remembers the call just before 3 a.m. on May 10 that sent police scrambling into the sky and put air traffic near Long Island’s MacArthur Airport on high alert. “Pilot was flying in the area, getting ready to land and the aircraft inside the cockpit was illuminated by a laser,” he tells the News 4 I-Team. The pilot of the private helicopter was temporarily blinded but managed to land safely. The suspect vanished into the darkness, frustrating authorities who are alarmed by the rising number of incidents involving laser pointers aimed at aircraft. “They’re readily available,” Vahey says. “You can order them online and frankly I think people were bored with being isolated by COVID and playing around with them like they were toys.” The number of incidents is on the rise. On Long Island, the FAA reports laser strikes soared from five in 2020 in 132 in 2021 – and accounted for more than half of the strikes in New York last year. Statewide, reports jumped 91 percent in 2021. Nationwide, the increase was more than 41 percent. There has not been a plane crash - or even a minor mishap - pinned to a laser attack. But members of the flying community say that’s no reason to minimize the danger. “It’s disorienting and like that initial shock of what happens,” recalls Long Island-based pilot Brian Sheridan. Flight instructor Michael Canders likens the experience to “old styled flash bulbs from a camera going off so there’s a temporary blindness.” Suffolk County police have tracked down suspects from the sky and now use laser protective glasses, GPS technology, and infrared cameras to hunt them down. “We can point it at a person on the ground and get a street address and then send ground units there,” Vahey says, adding a warning for parents and anyone who would point a laser to the sky. “it’s not a toy. Don’t give them to kids and if you do point it at an aircraft we will come and look for you.” https://www.nbcnewyork.com/investigations/long-island-plane-helicopter-pilots-blinded-by-lasers-more-frequently-than-ever-before/3704558/ NASA mulls data ecosystem to help drones, air taxis make critical safety decisions We’re working toward a future where passenger air taxis and drone deliveries are to become a part of everyday mobility. But how will these autonomous systems access important information, such as deteriorating weather conditions, to complete each flight safely? To address this issue, NASA researchers are exploring the creation of a decentralized data and reasoning hub that would help autonomous aircraft to make critical safety decisions rapidly. NASA’s Data & Reasoning Fabric (DRF) would work in a manner similar to how people use navigation apps to access different kinds of data – maps, accident reports, traffic conditions, roadwork status, etc. Just like these apps help us decide the best route to take at the time, NASA’s DRF would send aircraft information tailored for their missions. How will NASA DRF for drones and air taxis work? Think of DRF as a digital “marketplace” where providers of weather services, mapping and surveying firms, air traffic management, etc., can come together to offer data and reasoning services to aircraft operators via digital agreements. In turn, operators can also offer the data and reasoning resources they have acquired. So, when a delivery drone connects to DRF, it would be able to access information from a weather station, a detailed map from city authorities, and the locations of nearby aircraft – all assembled using data from the marketplace. Once the drone has all the required information, it can understand using its own software that the weather is acceptable, that it should fly above 200 feet to avoid a building, and that it must allow room for an air taxi flying nearby. However, if the weather is not conducive, decision support tools enabled by DRF could provide the drone with a new flight route that avoids weather and obstacle dangers. The DRF project is being spearheaded by NASA Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. At present, the vision is to address the needs of an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) system, but DRF can prove useful for the broader transportation network as well. https://dronedj.com/2022/05/24/drones-air-taxi-safety-nasa-drf/ U.S. FAA wants some airplane altimeters retrofitted by end of 2022 WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wants airlines to complete retrofits of some airplane radio altimeters that could face interference from C-Band 5G wireless service by the end of 2022, according to a memo seen by Reuters. The FAA memo said following a May 19 meeting of airlines, manufacturers and wireless carriers that “a collective goal was set to complete” retrofits on some Embraer and Airbus planes in by the end of the year. The memo sets out a series of dates for actions, including by June 1 asking airlines to “commit to purchase filters and installation kits.” https://nationalpost.com/pmn/technology-pmn/u-s-faa-wants-some-airplane-altimeters-retrofitted-by-end-of-2022 FAA Proposes to Revoke Rhoades Aviation’s Air Carrier Certificate The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed to revoke the air carrier certificate of Honolulu-based Rhoades Aviation Inc. for numerous alleged safety violations. The FAA alleges that Rhoades: • Failed to maintain Safety Management System records; address issues the FAA found with its general operations manual; conduct proper safety risk management when addressing discrepancies in its aircraft loading, weight and balance, and runway analysis manuals; provide revised manuals to the FAA; provide safety-risk-management documentation when it submitted its administration manual. • Operated two Boeing 737s more than 900 times after failing to add the aircraft to its maintenance and inspection program. • Operated a Boeing 737 airplane on 33 flights when it was not airworthy due to engine compressor fan blades that did not meet manufacturer standards. • Committed numerous violations related to its FAA-required Safety Management System program, including failing to ensure that the program was properly implemented and performing in all areas of its organization. • Conducted improper maintenance work on engine compressor fan blades and failed to properly document the work. Rhoades Aviation has 15 days to respond to the FAA after receiving the agency’s enforcement notice. https://www.aviationpros.com/airlines/press-release/21268908/federal-aviation-administration-faa-faa-proposes-to-revoke-rhoades-aviations-air-carrier-certificate Aviation Partners Eyes Next Bizav Winglet Project As it highlights the sustainability benefits of blended winglets, Aviation Partners is examining opportunities for other business jets that could benefit from a winglet modification. Aviation Partners (Booth X33)—developer of the blended winglets seen on business jets, including Falcons, Hawkers, and BBJs (and Boeing airliners), and the inspiration for the winglets many OEMs have since designed for their own jets—may soon add another aircraft to the list of models retrofittable with the fuel-saving devices. “We are in the early stages of analyzing a potential airframe for winglets,” Aviation Partners president Gary Dunn told AIN this week at EBACE. Though any announcement about the program, if it proceeds, would be some months off, Dunn said the platform has a large in-service fleet, in keeping with its usual practices. “Almost anything we've ever done started out as an aftermarket or retrofit plan,” said Dunn. Meanwhile, with today’s focus on sustainability in business aviation, the company is eager to highlight its contributions to these efforts. “We were saving the planet before it was cool,” said Dunn. “We realized we’re either flying farther on the same fuel or burning less fuel for any mission, but it was only recently that we made the connection that that means we’re also reducing emissions. We haven’t done as good a job as we could have in talking about that until quite recently.” Aviation Partners is now working with several sustainability organizations to identify ways to “help our customers benefit from proving that they’ve reduced their carbon footprint by adding winglets,” he said. Reflecting on changes since the last EBACE, Dunn noted, “2020 was quite a rollercoaster year for us,” marked early on by both the onset of Covid and the passing of Joe Clark, company founder and well-known aviation innovator. Dunn was named president after Clark’s death. Then, “from the fourth quarter of 2020 until now, it's been busier than ever, probably the best 18 plus months that we've ever had.” That’s largely because “as much as 50 percent of our sales are to new owners when an airplane changes hands,” he said, citing the high volume of transactions over that period. Today, however, “We don't have the same capability to support as quickly as we once did,” Dunn said. “It’s not necessarily because we don't have the product in time, but because the capacity at our installation partners, the MROs, is pushed so far out now.” The Seattle-based company is now working with its partners to alleviate the bottlenecks. Looking ahead, whatever its decision regarding the airframe under consideration for its winglets, “We’re also keeping our eyes open for other opportunities,” Dunn said. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2022-05-25/aviation-partners-eyes-next-bizav-winglet-project African airlines will need to recruit 63,000 new workers, as the continent's aviation industry is set to hit $400 billion valuation by 2040 African airlines will need to recruit about 63,000 new professionals over the next 20 years Africa's commercial aviation market is projected to hit a valuation of $400 billion by 2040. Growth will be driven by factors such as increased trade, more travel agreements and a considerable increase in the region's middle class. To meet the expected increase in air travel demand, African airlines will have to significantly increase their fleet size and workforce. African airlines will need to recruit some 63,000 new professionals (including pilots, technicians and cabin crew members) over the next twenty years in order to ensure optimal service delivery. This is one of the key growth projections that were made about the continent's commercial aviation industry by American aircraft manufacturer Boeing, as contained in its recently released Commercial Market Outlook. According to the forecast which was obtained by Business Insider Africa, Africa's commercial aviation market will be valued at a whopping $400 billion by 2040. And in line with this projected growth, airlines on the continent will acquire about 1, 030 new airplanes that will be valued at $160 billion. “Africa has healthy opportunities to expand travel and tourism, coinciding with increasing urbanization and rising incomes. African carriers are well-positioned to support inter-regional traffic growth and capture market share by offering services that efficiently connect passengers and enable commerce within the continent,” said Boeing's Managing Director of Commercial Marketing for Middle East and Africa, Randy Heisey. Some of other factors that are expected to help drive Africa's commercial aviation growth are the continent's projected 3% economic growth over the next two decades, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AcfTA) and Single African Air Transport Market which are all expected to encourage cross-border trade and travels. Also note that Africa's middle class is expected to increase significantly during the forecast period, thereby driving up the need for air travel. As a matter of fact, annual passenger traffic is projected to grow by 5.4%, the third highest growth rate in the world according to Boeing. In line with the foregoing therefore, African airlines will need to recruit 19,000 new pilots, 20,000 technicians and 24,000 cabin crew members between now and 2040. In the same vein, they will systematically increase their fleet size by 3.6% in order to accommodate the expected increase in air travelers. https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/markets/african-airlines-will-need-to-recruit-about-63000-new-workers-over-the-next-20-years/sjeleq2 Solar farm to be built at El Paso International Airport EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — A new solar farm will be built at the El Paso International Airport, according to the City of El Paso. Approximately 40 acres of airport property on the airfield, northeast of runway 8R 26L, have been identified for a ground-mounted solar panel system that will offset the airport’s energy consumption, as well as the energy consumption of other city departments, the city added. This site will generate five megawatts of electricity each year, the city said. Currently, the airport consumes about three megawatts annually. The additional energy generated will allow the airport to share two extra megawatts with the city, supporting the city’s transition to green energy. The City of El Paso and El Paso International Airport is proud to be setting the standard towards sustainability as we launch the development of an urban energy plan, one of 30 initiatives identified by El Paso City Council and City leadership to be accomplished by 2030,” said El Paso Director of Aviation Sam Rodriguez. “Urban energy plans address service demand through an affordable, reliable and accessible energy lens while furthering economic development and a healthier environment for the benefit of the entire community. The project is part of a 30-year partnership with El Paso Electric, which will own and maintain the installation. Specific rates will be established at a later date following a Request for Proposals process. https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/solar-farm-to-be-built-at-el-paso-international-airport-electric-green-energy-megawatts-consumption-runway-aviation FAA Delays The Possible Recertification Of Mexico's Category 1 Status Mexico's process to regain its Category 1 status has been further delayed. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is delaying the Technical Review that could allow Mexico to recover its Category 1 status. On Monday, the Mexican civil aviation authority (AFAC) announced that the FAA had notified that the review would be postponed for a few weeks. What does this mean for the Mexican aviation industry? Let’s find out. The delay The FAA was supposed to do a technical review on the Mexican civil aviation authority between May 23 and 27. With this review, the FAA auditors would evaluate if the Mexican authorities had improved its safety oversight system to a level that meets the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards. If it has, it would pave the way for Mexico to regain its Category 1 status. On May 25, 2021, the FAA downgraded Mexico’s rating to Category 2 from Category 1 after identifying some issues in the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) process. Being in Category 2 prohibits any new services and routes from Mexican air carriers. Additionally, US airlines can’t market and sell tickets with their names and designator codes on Mexican-operated flights. The FAA has increased its scrutiny of Mexican airline flights to the United States. The technical review AFAC did not say when the Technical Review will take place now that the FAA delayed it a couple of weeks. The purpose of this visit by FAA experts is to assess the current status of AFAC in several areas. If the results are positive, they will make it possible to move on to the last phase, consisting of a new audit, and, with this procedure, be in a position to regain Category 1 status in operational safety, granted by the FAA. When the FAA first held the IASA audit, it found 28 deficiencies from the Mexican authorities. According to the Mexican civil aviation body, “It is important to mention that the 28 findings determined during the audit carried out between October 2020, and February 2021 were closed in their entirety during the last technical assistance visit carried out last April. However, the AFAC staff is continuously improving to ensure a positive result in the next audit. The AFAC is ready to receive the experts when they determine and address their observations immediately. Market share loss After a year of being downgraded to Category 2, the Mexican airline industry has felt the impact. According to a report released by local media outlet Milenio, the Mexican carriers lost a substantial fraction of the market share between Mexico and the United States. Discover more aviation news here. The participation from Mexican airlines fell from 31.6% to 17.6%, which also financially impacted the airlines. According to Fernando Gómez, an aviation analyst, the Mexican carriers serving the US market (Aeromar, Aeroméxico, Viva Aerobus, and Volaris) have lost around five billion pesos (approximately US$242 million) in capacity that could have been allocated to flights to this country. Currently, it is expected that Mexico may not be able to recover its Category 1 status until the end of the year, most likely November. Nonetheless, with this new delay, the process could very easily drag on well into 2023, further harming the Mexican airline industry. https://simpleflying.com/mexico-category-1-safety-check-delayed/ Curt Lewis