Flight Safety Information - June 7, 2022 No.108 In This Issue : Incident: PIA AT72 at Gwadar and Karachi on Jun 6th 2022, damaged tyre on departure : Incident: Ryanair B738 at Leeds on Jun 5th 2022, tyre problem : Cessna 208 Caravan I - Runway Excursion on Landing (Connecticut) : Cessna 208B Supervan 900 - Fatal Accident (California) : F-16 fighter jet makes ‘hard landing’ at Honolulu’s airport : Instructor error cited as cause in Air Force crash that killed student pilot at Del Rio’s Laughlin AFB : European Commission adds one Russian airline to new EU Air Safety List comprising 118 airlines : TSA stops WV man with loaded gun at Pittsburgh Airport : IBAC Awards Leo Knappen Bizav Lifetime Service Award : Argus: Bizav Activity Continues Upward Surge from 2021 : JetBlue ups offer for Spirit Airlines as shareholder vote approaches : Boeing CEO: New Airplane Design Years Away : Will Rising Temperatures Impact Aircraft Takeoffs? : 'Extreme Shortage' of pilots; as the industry grows by 13% : U.S. seeks to seize 2 luxury jets linked to Russian oligarch : GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: PIA AT72 at Gwadar and Karachi on Jun 6th 2022, damaged tyre on departure A PIA Pakistan International Airlines Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration AP-BKX performing flight PK-504 from Gwadar to Karachi (Pakistan) with about 60 people on board, was climbing out of Gwadar when tower informed the crew a piece of rubber had been found on the runway, it could be a tyre or some other thing. The crew continued to Karachi, advised ATC about a possibly blown tyre and continued for a safe landing. The aircraft taxied to the apron. A post flight inspection revealed the left inboard main tyre was damaged. The airline reported prior to departure everything was okay, after departure Gwadar tower told the crew they found a rubber piece on the runway which could originate from a tyre or some other object. After landing one of the tyres was found deflated and damaged. The reason is yet to be determined by Pakistan's AIB. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4f9eb4d3&opt=0 Incident: Ryanair B738 at Leeds on Jun 5th 2022, tyre problem A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-ESV performing flight FR-2504 from Faro (Portugal) to Leeds,EN (UK), landed on Leeds' runway 14 but was unable to vacate the runway and stopped on the runway about 1330 meters/4360 feet down the runway. The passengers disembarked via stairs onto the runway. The runway was closed for about 2 hours until the aircraft was towed off the runway. The airline reported the aircraft experienced a minor tyre issue after landing. The passengers disembarked normally and were bussed to the terminal. The airport reported the aircraft encountered difficulty upon landing. 4 flights needed to be diverted as a result. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4f9e21eb&opt=0 Cessna 208 Caravan I - Runway Excursion on Landing (Connecticut) Date: Saturday 4 June 2022 Time: c. 11:22 Type: Cessna 208 Caravan I Operator: Connecticut Parachutists Registration: N90JF MSN: 20800005 First flight: 1985 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Ellington Airport, CT (7B9) ( United States of America) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Parachuting Departure airport: Ellington Airport, CT, United States of America Destination airport: Ellington Airport, CT, United States of America Narrative: The Cessna 208 Caravan I overshot runway 19 after landing, crossed a brook and ended up in the trees after landing at Ellinton Airport (7B9), Ellington, Connecticut. The pilot was not injured. The FAA reported that the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left wing. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20220604-0 Cessna 208B Supervan 900 - Fatal Accident (California) Date: Friday 3 June 2022 Time: c. 13:46 Type: Cessna 208B Supervan 900 Operator: GoJump Oceanside Registration: N7581F MSN: 208B0389 First flight: 1994 Engines: 1 Honeywell TPE331-12JR Crew: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 Aircraft damage: Substantial Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: 0,5 km (0.3 mls) E of Oceanside Municipal Airport, CA (OCN/KOKB) ( United States of America) Phase: Approach (APR) Nature: Parachuting Departure airport: Oceanside Municipal Airport, CA (OCN/KOKB), United States of America Destination airport: Oceanside Municipal Airport, CA (OCN/KOKB), United States of America Narrative: A Cessna 208B Supervan 900 (Honeywell TPE331-12JR 850 hp engine) skydive configured airplane was substantially damaged when it crashed in a field about 1/4 mile short of runway 25 of Oceanside Municipal Airport (OCN/KOKB), California. The pilot in training was fatally injured and the pilot was seriously injured. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20220603-0 F-16 fighter jet makes ‘hard landing’ at Honolulu’s airport • A state Transportation Department spokesperson said the landing gear on the aircraft didn’t deploy. HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A runway at Honolulu’s airport was closed for hours Monday after an F-16 fighter jet made a “hard landing,” coming to rest on its nose. A state Transportation Department spokesperson said the landing gear on the aircraft didn’t deploy. No one was injured in the incident, which happened about 2:45 p.m. But Runway 4R was closed while crews worked to move the craft. All planes were using Runway 8R and delays were anticipated. The spokesperson said the F-16 was a visiting aircraft and not owned by the Hawaii Air National Guard. Sources told Hawaii News Now the aircraft is from Arizona. https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/06/07/f-16-makes-hard-landing-honolulus-airport/ Instructor error cited as cause in Air Force crash that killed student pilot at Del Rio’s Laughlin AFB An Air Force investigation into a fatal crash of two T-38 jets at Laughlin AFB last November cited mistakes by a pair of instructor pilots as the principal cause. The two instructors survived the collision of the two supersonic Talons as they approached a runway, but a student pilot, 2nd Lt. Anthony D. Wentz, 23, of Falcon, Colo., was killed. The Air Force report did not name the instructors, but one of them was the vice commander of Laughlin’s 47th Flying Training Wing, Col. Nathan A. Thompson, who was slightly injured but walked away, three sources familiar with the incident told the San Antonio Express-News in the aftermath of the Nov. 19 crash. The other instructor pilot is still recovering from life-threatening injuries, a spokeswoman for the Air Education and Training Command said. Both remain on active duty, she said. The report referred to the survivors by their positions as Mishap Instructor Pilots 1 and 2. The jets were in formation on a runway approach in which one was to land and the other to break away and continue flying. Instructor Pilot 1 “failed to verify which aircraft would land,” resulting in both jets simultaneously attempting to land on Runway 13Center. Flying with the student, Instructor Pilot 2 “failed to recognize a precarious situation developing … and failed to intervene and prevent” the looming collision, states the report, which was prepared by Brig. Gen. Gregory Kreuder. Miscommunication and the fact that both instructors “used conflicting techniques” to perform the maneuver “substantially contributed to the mishap,” wrote Kreuder, commander of the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. The jets collided at 10:14 a.m. Based on the report’s description of the severity of injuries, Thompson was Instructor Pilot 1, flying in the front cockpit of his plane, while Instructor Pilot 2 was sitting in the rear cockpit of the jet flown by Wentz. In his conclusion, Kreuder wrote that Mishap Instructor Pilot 2 “failed to communicate and (Thompson) failed to verify which aircraft would land.” Wentz was in the T-38C Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training program. The 47th Training Wing graduates around 400 new Air Force pilots every year in the T-38, T-1A Jayhawk and T-6A Texan II. Going by the call sign “Steer 2,” Mishap Aircraft 2 was to lead the formation approach to Runway 13Center, “clear off” Mishap Aircraft 1 — “Steer 1” — to land, and then perform a low approach. The phrase “clear off” is used by most instructor pilots who were interviewed for the report to mean that the wingman can stop flying formation off of the lead aircraft and proceed either with a landing or low approach. But on final approach after Mishap Aircraft 2 cleared off Mishap Aircraft 1, the report said, both aircraft attempted to land and neither performed a low approach. Mishap Aircraft 1, originally on the right side of the formation in the wingman position, ended up below Mishap Aircraft 2 in a position where neither aircraft could see the other. On ExpressNews.com: Vice commander at Air Force base was involved in fatal jet crash near Del Rio Mishap Aircraft 1 landed first. One second later, Mishap Aircraft 2’s nose landing gear hit the other jet’s left horizontal stabilizer. Both jets became uncontrollable. Thompson, a command pilot with more than 2,100 hours in jets, survived the crash with minor injuries but Wentz and his instructor encountered what the report called an “interrupted ejection sequence” because their jet had flipped upside down. Wentz was killed and his badly injured instructor was taken to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. AETC prohibited formation landings in March 2020. However, practice formation approaches, which involve two aircraft that approach the runway until one lands while the other splits off, are a syllabus requirement for specialized undergraduate pilot training. Shortly after the Laughlin accident, the Air Force changed pilot training guidance on the maneuver. The rules handed down under Lt. Gen. Marshall “Brad” Webb. who last month handed off command of the AETC to Lt. Gen. Brain Robinson, said formation approaches that have one aircraft landing and the other performing a low approach will now require an increased minimum altitude. Another change was to standardize radio procedures to reduce the possibility of confusion about which aircraft will land. Formation landings and approaches have drawn criticism over the years because of their inherent risks, though Webb has written that they are integral to training and operations in ways that increase survivability in combat and can help recover aircraft whose avionics malfunction. Some who saw photos of the crash scene at Laughlin said it looked similar to a 2019 accident at Vance AFB in Enid, Okla., that killed Col. John “Matt” Kincade, 47, and his student pilot, 2nd Lt. Travis Wilkie, 23. They died when their plane collided with another T-38 to their right. The mishap report on the crash blamed it on pilot error and prompted the Air Force ban on formation landings. The T-7A Red Hawk is to replace the nearly 61-year-old T-38 fleet beginning in 2023, but development of the new aircraft has encountered delays. The T-38 is used to train pilots who’ll fly front-line fighter and bomber aircraft ranging from the F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon and B-1B Lancer to the A-10 Thunderbolt, F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. The latest accident investigation report defended formation approaches, saying they’re important to preparing “pilots for the potential situation where an aircraft in the formation is unable to return to an airfield without assistance.” When the nose landing gear struck Thompson’s left horizontal stabilizer at 170 mph, it caused his plane to abruptly pitch up. The right side of its nose then dropped, “made contact with the ground, and righted itself,” the report stated. The aircraft “spun in circles across the runway until coming into contact with the Taxiway Bravo sign on the left-hand side of the runway,” the report continued. “(Thompson) egressed the aircraft on the ground with minor injuries.” Thompson was treated and released from Val Verde Regional Medical Center in Del Rio. A 2000 Air Force Academy graduate, he became vice commander at the wing in June 2021. In 2013 he had led the 469th Flying Training Squadron, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls. The other jet rolled to the right into an inverted attitude, with the instructor pilot initiating the ejection sequence for himself and Wentz as the plane neared 90 degrees of bank. “(The student pilot’s) ejection was fully interrupted by the ground, as the aircraft was inverted, causing fatal injuries,” the report stated. The report stated that Wentz, the student pilot, “was highly thought of and respected both in the 87th (Flying Training Squadron) and outside of work.” It described him as “a hard worker who inspired other students to work hard and better themselves. According to one student, (Wentz) “was the kind of guy you aspire to be.” https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Fatal-Air-Force-crash-instructor-error-17223582.php European Commission adds one Russian airline to new EU Air Safety List comprising 118 airlines The European Commission today updated the EU Air Safety List, which is the list of airlines that are subject to an operating ban or operational restrictions within the European Union because they do not meet international safety standards. Following today’s update, one airline certified in Russia, I Fly, has been added to the EU Air Safety List. This is a continuation of the process started by the Commission in April this year against those Russian airlines that have knowingly allowed flights without valid certificates of airworthiness. Doing so is in breach of international aviation safety standards. Commissioner for Transport Adina V?lean said: “Following the decision taken in April to include 20 Russian airlines that operated foreign-owned aircraft without a valid Certificate of Airworthiness, another airline was put on the EU Air Safety List today. The Commission closely monitors all Russian airlines that have foreign-owned aircraft without a valid certificate of airworthiness in their fleet, added illegally by Russia added to its Register. As I already mentioned in April, I want to underline that this decision is not another sanction against Russia; it has been taken solely on the basis of technical and safety grounds.” Following today’s update, a total of 118 airlines are banned from EU skies: 90 airlines certified in 15 different States (Afghanistan, Angola (with the exception of 2 airlines), Armenia, Congo (Brazzaville), the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Libya, Nepal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone and Sudan), due to inadequate safety oversight by the aviation authorities from these States; 22 airlines certified in Russia, as well as 6 individual airlines from other States, based on serious safety deficiencies identified: Avior Airlines (Venezuela), Blue Wing Airlines (Suriname), Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran), Iraqi Airways (Iraq), Med-View Airlines (Nigeria) and Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe). Two additional airlines are subject to operational restrictions and can only fly to the EU with specific aircraft types: Iran Air (Iran) and Air Koryo (North Korea). Background Today’s update to the EU Air Safety List is based on the unanimous opinion of Member State aviation safety experts, who met from 17-19 May 2022 under the auspices of the EU Air Safety Committee, via videoconference. This committee is chaired by the Commission with support from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. The update has the support of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee. Decisions under the EU Air Safety List are based on international safety standards, and notably those of the International Civil Aviation Organization. https://www.aviation24.be/organisations/european-commission/european-commission-adds-one-russian-airline-to-new-eu-air-safety-list-comprising-118-airlines/ TSA stops WV man with loaded gun at Pittsburgh Airport TSA officers prevented a traveler from carrying this loaded gun onto his flight at Pittsburgh... PITTSBURGH, PA (WSAZ) - A man from West Virginia was stopped by the TSA at the Pittsburgh International Airport Sunday after officers detected a loaded handgun. The man from Wheeling, W.Va. was caught with a .22 caliber handgun loaded with five bullets. When the TSA officer spotted the gun, the Allegheny County Police were alerted and confiscated the gun. The man told officials he forgot he had the loaded gun among his carry-on items. “If you own a firearm, you need to know where it is at all times,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Knowing where you put your gun is part of being a responsible gun owner. Now this individual faces a stiff Federal financial civil penalty.” TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty of up to $13,900 to individuals who bring weapons with them to a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating or aggravating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. Travelers are allowed to transport their firearms as checked baggage if they are properly packed and declared at their airline ticket counter to be transported in the belly of the plane with checked baggage. Checked firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked, and packed separately from ammunition. Nationwide, TSA officers detected 5,972 firearms on passengers or their carry-on bags at checkpoints last year. Of the guns caught by TSA in 2022, about 86 percent were loaded. https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/06/tsa-stops-wv-man-with-loaded-gun-pittsburgh-airport/ IBAC Awards Leo Knappen Bizav Lifetime Service Award The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) has awarded Leo Knaapen with the first François Chavatte Award for Lifetime Service to Business Aviation. Knappen, the chief of industry affairs at Bombardier, has served as a representative to the IBAC governing board for industry partners. The award recognizes Knaapen's contributions and "persistent advocacy and promotion of the international business aviation industry," according to IBAC. IBAC established the award this year to "recognize business aviation leaders who have gone above and beyond to contribute to the industry’s advancement and growth" and to honor the memory of François Chavatte, a former representative on the IBAC governing board who passed away last year. “It was fitting to have this award go first to Leo, an extraordinary advocate for business aviation, for his tireless work on behalf of the industry. He has been our friend and a strong IBAC supporter for many years. We are grateful to Bombardier, an IBAC industry partner, for supporting Leo’s work with our association as well as with many other associations, committees, and coalitions that work to improve our industry,” said IBAC director general Kurt Edwards. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2022-06-06/ibac-awards-leo-knappen-bizav-lifetime-service-award Argus: Bizav Activity Continues Upward Surge from 2021 Global flight activity in May ticked up month-over-month by 2 percent and was 17.8 percent more than a year ago as European activity continues to strengthen, according to the latest Argus Global Business Aircraft Activity report. European activity last month soared 46 percent year-over-year. More than 84,000 business aviation flights were recorded last month in Europe, and large-cabin jet operations led the surge, up 82.8 percent. Small-cabin jets followed in improving year-over-year operation, increased by 37.2 percent, followed by midsize cabins at 36.6 percent, and then turboprops at 31.8 percent. In North America, May business aviation flight activity was up 11 percent year-over-year. Part 91 operations saw a 14.8 percent jump from May 2021, while fractional activity was up 11.5 percent and charter by 6.7 percent. As in Europe, large-cabin aircraft marked the biggest increase in operations, up 20.3 percent from a year earlier. Midsize cabins saw a 13.8 percent increase, small cabins 8.7 percent, and turboprops 5.9 percent. In the rest of the world, Argus recorded nearly 50,000 business aviation flights, up 20.1 percent from May 2021. Argus forecasts activity in June will come in at 5.3 percent above that of a year ago in North America and up 27.4 percent in Europe. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2022-06-06/argus-bizav-activity-continues-upward-surge-2021 JetBlue ups offer for Spirit Airlines as shareholder vote approaches JetBlue’s move comes after Frontier Airlines agreed to pay $250 million to Spirit if its deal failed to win regulatory approval A previous version of this article incorrectly said that Frontier Airlines has agreed to pay $200 million to Spirit Airlines if its merger deal fell through. Frontier has offered $250 million. The article also misspelled the last name of John Samuelsen, the Transport Workers Union's international president. The article has been corrected. JetBlue Airways on Monday threw another $150 million into its high-stakes bid to win control of Spirit Airlines, seeking to persuade shareholders to reject a merger with rival Frontier Airlines. In a regulatory filing, JetBlue said it would pay Spirit $350 million in the “unlikely” event that a merger between the two carriers failed to win regulatory approval — a portion of which would include a cash payment to shareholders. The revised proposal comes after Frontier said last week that it would offer a $250 million payout if its proposed deal with Spirit wasn’t approved by regulators. JetBlue’s sweetened proposal comes as Spirit investors are scheduled to vote Friday on whether to merge with Frontier. JetBlue is urging Spirit shareholders to reject the deal while pressuring the Spirit board to negotiate with JetBlue. The increase in the reverse breakup fee is intended to offer investors an insurance policy if the JetBlue deal can’t pass regulatory scrutiny. In rejecting JetBlue’s previous overtures, Spirit’s board cited concerns that a deal could face hurdles with the Biden administration’s Justice Department, which has taken a more aggressive look at consolidation in several industries. Frontier, Spirit announce merger that would create the fifth-largest airline “This has all been quite dramatic,” Kerry Tan, an associate professor of economics at Loyola University, said of the weeks of back-and-forth among the carriers. While both proposed deals carry regulatory risk, industry analysts have suggested a merger between Spirit and Frontier could have a better chance of winning approval because the Justice Department could see the combination of two ultra-low-cost carriers as a stronger challenge to the four domestic airlines that dominate the industry. “JetBlue’s offer is financially superior,” Tan said. “But if I were to think about this from a [Justice Department] perspective, it does make sense for Spirit and Frontier to have more of a chance getting DOJ approval, given their business plan of attracting leisure travelers.” JetBlue has maintained that its proposal is superior because it offers Spirit shareholders cash for their stock. Frontier, by contrast, is offering shareholders a combination of cash and stock if the airlines merge. Either combination would create the nation’s fifth-largest airline. Two proxy advisory firms have split on which deal would be more advantageous for Spirit shareholders. Last week, Glass Lewis recommended shareholders back the Frontier deal, while Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) said a deal with JetBlue may offer more upside for Spirit investors. It said that while JetBlue’s proposal may face more “complex regulatory head winds,” there is nothing to suggest its bid has “zero chance of receiving regulatory approval.” ISS had cited the absence of a “breakup” fee in Frontier’s proposal in its recommendation, prompting the carrier to revise its proposal to include such a provision. ISS released a new analysis late Monday, noting Frontier’s inclusion of a $250 million breakup fee and JetBlue’s revised proposal increasing its proposed payout to $350 million. Even so, it said its initial recommendation, that Spirit investors vote against the merger with Frontier, still stands. “We remain fully committed to acquiring Spirit,” JetBlue chief executive Robin Hayes wrote in a letter Monday to Spirit’s board. “After listening to your stockholders and reaffirming with our Board the significant benefits to all stakeholders of combining JetBlue and Spirit, we are pleased to submit this Improved Proposal, which we believe Spirit stockholders will welcome.” Spirit Airlines rejects JetBlue's buyout bid citing concerns about regulatory approval In a letter to his employees, Spirit chief executive Ted Christie acknowledged receipt of the revised proposal and said the board would work with its financial and legal advisers to review the offer. “I know you likely have questions, but unfortunately, I don’t have many answers to share with you just yet,” Christie wrote. “I will be back to you with more information as soon as we have it.” In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Christie urged shareholders to take no action until the revised proposal is evaluated. In May, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents flight attendants at Frontier and Spirit, announced it supported a merger between the two airlines. The Transport Workers Union, which represents JetBlue flight attendants, announced last month that it is opposed to a Spirit merger. John Samuelsen, TWU’s international president, said the merger could eliminate jobs as well as low-cost flight options for consumers. JetBlue on Monday sought to dispel those concerns, saying it offers higher pay and better benefits than Frontier or Spirit and that a combined airline would “grow and add more well-paying jobs.” In February, Frontier and Spirit announced plans to merge in a $6.6 billion deal they said would create a more formidable rival to American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines, a move they said would also bring cheaper fares and service to smaller cities. In April, however, JetBlue announced an unsolicited cash bid to buy Spirit. Spirit’s board ultimately rejected that bid in May, concluding it was unlikely to win regulatory approval. JetBlue returned later that month with a revised offer aimed at persuading Spirit shareholders to pressure the board to consider a deal. If approved, any merger would be the first among the nation’s airlines since Alaska Airlines bought Virgin America in 2016. Before that, American Airlines and US Airways announced their intent to combine operations in 2013, which created the world’s largest air carrier. https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2022/06/06/jetblue-spirit-merger-frontier-airlines/ Boeing CEO: New Airplane Design Years Away Dave Calhoun says his company needs to prioritize digital capabilities first. Boeing says going digital will boost revenue, while eliminating design and production hurdles. [Courtesy: Boeing] Boeing’s (NYSE: BA) president and CEO Dave Calhoun said any new clean-sheet airliner design would be “at least a couple of years” away. Speaking at a conference for investors recently, the CEO of the aircraft manufacturer said the company needed time to improve its digital capabilities necessary to ensure any potential design would be substantially better. Improving Digital Capabilities In a conversation with Bernstein aerospace and defense analyst Doug Harned, Calhoun said that while design teams had progressed privately in testing out the new digital design approaches, more work needed to be done with those tools before any genuine product came. Dave Calhoun The company’s progress using new design tactics has come primarily on the military side, particularly in the design of its T-7A trainers that use computer-aided processes and automation to streamline production. “It takes a lot of learning—the number of tests you can run virtually on the design and performance of the airplane, the manufacturability, and service—it takes enormous timelines out of that. But we have to develop and mature the tools,” Calhoun said. The company is trying to speed up that process through a series of expanded partnerships with Microsoft, Google, and Amazon’s AWS—the three major cloud providers—to shift its manufacturing and design capabilities into the cloud. When the AWS deal was announced, Boeing’s chief information officer and senior vice president of information technology & data analytics, Susan Doniz, said, “Our cloud strategy removes infrastructure restraints. This allows for more ownership within teams, simplifies our processes, creates easier and more secure access to information, and empowers our people to perform their best.” No Rush to Compete with Airbus Even though Boeing has been having a less than stellar year with analysts questioning the company’s direction, the calls for a new design to pile on the company’s workload stem from the fact that rival Airbus is doing much better and is well on their way to rolling out its A321XLR platform by 2024. With that new design, Airbus plans to target the new middle of the market travel segment with a range of at least 4,500 nm. Yet, Calhoun maintains that the rush to compete didn’t offer any material benefit. “If you go back in history on new airplanes, they were never really started until the propulsion package brought a 10 to 20 percent improvement over the last one—that’s not happening today,” Calhoun said. “The incremental performance is so narrow enough that you’re not going to bet an airplane on that. The great advantage that Boeing’s team can add to airplane development is the use of a contemporary toolset to develop a true digital thread, nose to tail, that virtually builds and services it. This would be where the service arm of your company can draw on the original drawings through that digital thread to perform its service and create standard procedures with a manufacturing facility.” However, Calhoun was clear that aside from improving engine performance for future aircraft, other distinguishing factors that would make new designs competitive would have to include a focus on sustainability, cockpit design, and a “major step towards autonomy.” Calhoun said when those things are in place, he’s confident the company would entertain the idea of building another airplane. “Anyone who’s followed our industry long enough knows how hard it is to bring a new airplane forward and how many people we disappoint in the process. With the contemporary tools that we have today, we can eliminate a lot of that risk.” https://www.flyingmag.com/boeing-ceo-new-airplane-design-years-away/ Will Rising Temperatures Impact Aircraft Takeoffs? With less lift in higher temperatures, take-off runs could be longer, or payload restricted. Climate change and its effects on many areas have been a hot topic for some time. While the exact effects, and timescales, may be uncertain and continually debated, it is clear that temperatures are rising. This will have an impact on aviation. Existing aircraft and infrastructure are designed with current (or past) climates in mind. If things shift too much, we could see restrictions on aircraft or changes to airports being necessary. Rising temperatures mean less lift A key part of climate change and global warming is rising temperature. While the average temperature rise globally (since the pre-industrial period) has been one degree Celsius (based on UK government analysis), actual changes vary around the world. The goal is to keep the average temperate rise to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius - but again this will vary. What effect will rising temperature have on aircraft? In simplest terms, higher temperature leads to less lift. The higher temperature leads to less dense air, which reduces the lift force on aircraft wings. Experiencing less lift means that takeoff distance (for the same aircraft weight) is increased. If takeoff distance cannot be increased, aircraft would need to operate under different weight restrictions. Climate change is affecting wind as well It is not just temperature that is changing - wind patterns are as well. Research shows that, in general, winds are slowing, and the prevailing direction is changing. A lower wind speed will also affect landing and takeoff distance. With a weaker headwind than experienced before, aircraft will again need longer runway distances or to operate with reduced weight. This will affect aircraft on the ground. Once in the air, wind changes are different. Climatic changes here are increasing energy levels and generally making in-flight turbulence worse. Will aviation need to change? The most likely immediate effect on aviation will be weight restrictions, given the lower lift experienced. There have been several studies carried out into the effects of this. A study by US scientists in 2015 looked at the effects of temperature changes at four major US airports (Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), Denver International Airport (DEN), New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA)), and the performance impact on the Boeing 737-800. It concluded that rising temperature would cause the number of weight-restriction days between May and September at US airports to increase by 50%–200%. Another interesting study, based at Greek airports (and using data from the Airbus A320 and DHC-8-400 aircraft), reached similar conclusions. With temperature and wind changes combined, it was estimated that the takeoff distance for a large jet was increasing by about 1.5% every decade. It also noted that aircraft are climbing less steeply after takeoff - increasing pollution and noise disturbance. London City Airport Airports with shorter runways may see the biggest differences. Photo: London City Airport Longer-term, there may need to be more significant changes. Operating with weight restrictions is not ideal as airlines and operators seek to maximize capacity and returns. It may even restrict some aircraft at certain airports altogether. Perhaps future aircraft will incorporate aerodynamic changes to minimize the effect. Such changes have been a significant focus of upgrades and improvements to aircraft over the past decades - mainly though to improve efficiency, maybe manufacturers will also have to take into account changed climate situations in some regions. Changes at airports are also possible. Some runways, of course, could be made longer, but this too is not a simple change and one that will take time. https://simpleflying.com/will-rising-temperatures-impact-aircraft-takeoffs/ 'Extreme Shortage' of pilots; as the industry grows by 13% CULLMAN COUNTY, Ala. — We need more pilots. The demand for airline and commercial aviators is soaring to new heights, and faster than any other occupations. The Department Chair for Aviation at Wallace State Community College, Kyle Putnam, said there is a shortage of pilots. "There's an extreme shortage of pilots right now, so much so that the airline industry is creating flight schools to provide a pipeline of pilots." "We keep a running list, a waiting list of students that are interested in becoming pilots, and right now we are behind the demand of the need for pilots," added Putnam. Putman said he's noticed the shortage since 2008."There are many locations around the globe that has a dire need for pilots. Not to mention we have the best office view in the world. We're always looking at different sceneries but the career field is growing." According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of airline and commercial pilots is projected to grow 13% from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. That is why more pilots are needed. "We have newer equipment. We have both helicopters and airplanes. But we have the ability to satisfy a lot of training needs here from Wallace State," said Putman. "We need students. We need instructors, and we also need more airplanes to fly more and more to get more students through this system to become commercial pilots," added Putman. https://www.rocketcitynow.com/article/news/local/shortage-of-pilots-airlines-delta-american-southwest-plane-tickets-how-to-become-pilot/525-5125473b-0241-4cdd-88cd-0939aeb9f1ce U.S. seeks to seize 2 luxury jets linked to Russian oligarch NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. authorities moved Monday to seize two luxury jets — a $60 million Gulfstream and a $350 million aircraft believed to be one of the world’s most expensive private airplanes — after linking both to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. A federal magistrate judge signed a warrant authorizing the seizure of the Gulfstream and a Boeing jet that authorities said was worth less than $100 million before a lavish customization. The action takes place just days after the United States announced new sanctions and penalties on Russian oligarchs and elites, Kremlin officials, businessmen linked to President Vladimir Putin and their yachts, aircraft and firms that manage them. President Joe Biden promised after Russia's February invasion of Ukraine to pursue Russian elites' “ill-gotten gains.” A representative for Abramovich did not immediately return a message seeking comment. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a release Monday that his office was using every legal tool available to respond to “Russian's illegal war in Ukraine.” “Our international partners — nations devoted to the rule of law — far outnumber those jurisdictions where these aircraft can safely hide, and our investigation of illegal exports in violation of U.S. law will continue unabated,” he said. Matthew S. Axelrod, assistant secretary of commerce for export enforcement, said the Commerce Department had made recent changes to keep its enforcement actions public regarding unprecedented export controls stemming from the invasion of Ukraine. He said the action “provides notice to the world of our commitment to enforce those controls aggressively in a transparent way.” Andrew Adams, a prosecutor who heads the unit pursuing the assets of Russian oligarchs, said the public nature of Monday's action is meant to remind "members of the aviation, insurance, and financial industries that these aircraft constitute tainted property under active investigation by the United States.” Justice Department officials say they have received strong support from companies and organizations and from countries that in the past had been viewed as safe havens for parking illegal assets. Abramovich, who recently sold his stake in Chelsea, a Premier League football club in London, is among the wealthier Russians whose assets are being watched for sanctions violations after the Ukraine invasion. In explaining the move to seize the planes, an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft and the Gulfstream G650ER plane are subject to seizure because they have been moved between March 4 and March 15 without licenses being obtained in violation of sanctions placed against Russia. According to the affidavit, Abramovich controlled the Gulfstream through a series of shell companies. The plane, it said, is believed to have been in Moscow since March 15. The Boeing, meanwhile, is believed to be in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, following a roundtrip March 4 flight from Dubai to Moscow, the affidavit said. https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-seeks-seize-2-luxury-170702090.html GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Dear Participant, When you know that, during a conference on cybersecurity organized by the US Air Force, hackers succeeded, at the invitation of the Pentagon, in infiltrating the control system of an F-15, you understand the importance of cybersecurity issues, particularly in the aviation industry. As today's world becomes more and more digital, the contemporary aircraft is equipped with semi-autonomous computer systems which make aviation one of the first sectors potentially vulnerable to cyberattacks. You are being asked to participate in a research study on cybersecurity threats in aviation. This study is expected to take approximately 10 minutes of your time. In order to complete this study, you must be at least a student pilot and at least 18 years old. You may choose to opt-out of the study at any time. Please click on or copy and paste the URL below. We appreciate your time in completing the study. Link : https://forms.gle/VpADSAhXuoeY6hNP7 Curt Lewis