Flight Safety Information - July 13, 2022 No.134 In This Issue : Incident: Delta B763 near Shannon on Jul 12th 2022, hydraulic failure : Incident: Jazz E175 near Montreal on Jul 3rd 2022, captain incapacitated : Incident: Scoot B789 at Perth on Jul 11th 2022, brake temperature after departure : Gulfstream G450 - Runway Excursion (Saudi Arabia) : Boeing 737-824 (WL) - Fire on the ground (DENVER) : Russia holding 400 passenger jets hostage in global sanctions fight : FAA: Nearly 8k Newly Certified Pilots Have Been Produced In The Last Year : European pilots seek action from EASA as pressure builds on crews : Merlin Labs Raises $105 Million To Solve The Pilot Shortage By Robotizing Airplanes : Airbus in talks to sell more A220 jets to Delta -sources : The Value of Forensic Research and Non-Standard Testing Applied to Aircraft Accident Litigation : July/August 2022 Issue of FAA Safety Briefing magazine : Position - Investigator/Senior Investigator, Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) : Now Hiring: Director of Safety at flyExclusive in Kinston, NC : POSITION AVAILABLE: Chief Investigator of Accidents Incident: Delta B763 near Shannon on Jul 12th 2022, hydraulic failure A Delta Airlines Boeing 767-300, registration N193DN performing flight DL-123 from Edinburgh,SC (UK) to Boston,MA (USA), was enroute at FL350 about 220nm northnortheast of Shannon (Ireland) when the crew decided to divert to Shannon reporting hydraulic issues, they would need to land without nose wheel steering and needed a tug after landing. The crew accepted runway 24 and avised they'd need the whole length of the runway, landing would be difficult. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Shannon's runway 24, after landing the crew advised they might be able to vacate the runway but needed a brakes check by emergency services. Following the check the aircraft was able to taxi to the apron with emergency services in trail. A runway inspection did not reveal existance of (hydraulic) fluids on the runway. The remainder of the flight was cancelled. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Shannon about 26 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=4fb9a53c&opt=0 Incident: Jazz E175 near Montreal on Jul 3rd 2022, captain incapacitated A Jazz Embraer ERJ-175, registration C-FRQN performing flight QK-8543 from Montreal,QC to Regina,SK (Canada), was enroute at FL330 about 600nm northwest of Montreal when the captain became ill prompting the crew to return to Montreal, where the aircraft landed safely about 90 minutes later. Medical services took care of the captain. https://avherald.com/h?article=4fb92382&opt=0 Incident: Scoot B789 at Perth on Jul 11th 2022, brake temperature after departure A Scoot Boeing 787-9, registration 9V-OJA performing flight TR-9 from Perth,WA (Australia) to Singapore (Singapore), was climbing out of Perth's runway 03 when the crew stopped the climb at 8000 feet due to a brake temperature indication and entered a hold to work the checklists and dump fuel. The aircraft returned to Perth for a safe landing on runway 03 about 35 minutes after departure. Passengers reported the captain announced they had hot tyres, the landing would be rough. They were dumping fuel before returning to Perth where emergency services were already awaiting the aircraft. The airline reported spare parts need to be taken to Perth. The passengers are offered another flight Tuesday (the following day's) night, those without accomodation were taken to hotels. https://avherald.com/h?article=4fb8bee5&opt=0 Gulfstream G450 - Runway Excursion (Saudi Arabia) Date: 13-JUL-2022 Time: 08:10 Type: Gulfstream G450 Owner/operator: Alpha Star Aviation Services Registration: HZ-A23 MSN: 4198 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Unknown Category: Serious incident Location: Jeddah International Airport (JED/OEJD) - Saudi Arabia Phase: Landing Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Riyadh International Airport (RUH/OERY) Destination airport: Jeddah International Airport (JED/OEJD) Confidence Rating: Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities Narrative: A Gulfstream G450 veered off the runway after landing on runway 34L. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/280341 Boeing 737-824 (WL) - Fire on the ground (DENVER) Date: 12-JUL-2022 Time: c 20:30 UTC Type: Boeing 737-824 (WL) Owner/operator: United Airlines Registration: N14214 MSN: 28774/74 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Denver, CO - United States of America Phase: Standing Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Kansas City International Airport, MO (MCI/KMCI) Destination airport: Denver International Airport, CO (DEN/KDEN) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: United Airlines flight UA1658, a Boeing 737-824, suffered a small fire under the aircraft after arriving at the gate. Some passengers were evacuated via emergency slides at the rear of the plane; others were instructed to quickly deplane via the jetbridge. Fire services put out the fire quickly. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/280344 Russia holding 400 passenger jets hostage in global sanctions fight The country’s airlines are refusing to return the planes they’d leased from foreign companies; the planes are worth billions Early last month, an employee of Sri Lanka’s court system walked into the nation’s biggest airport brandishing a judicial order grounding an Aeroflot flight that was about to take off for Moscow. The aircraft’s nearly 200 passengers were deplaned and taken to local hotels, their travel foiled by an Irish company that had leased the jet to Aeroflot and was now demanding its return to comply with Western sanctions on Russia. The incident kicked off a diplomatic row on the tropical island south of India, which is heavily dependent on Russia for tourist income and, of late, for fuel. First, Aeroflot halted all flights to the island, blocking the flow of leisure travelers. Then, in private talks, according to a European official familiar with what took place, Moscow threatened to cut off energy deliveries as well — something that would have worsened an economic crisis that was already causing food and fuel shortages and widespread unrest. Within days, the court, acting after a request from the government, issued a new ruling clearing the jet to fly, and it left for Russia, where it now flies regularly between Moscow and Kyrgyzstan. For Sri Lanka, the battle over the Irish-owned airliner was just a blip in a long string of developments that last week led to chaos as protesters stormed the homes of the president and prime minister, forcing them to promise to resign and the president to flee the country. But for Russia, it was a victory in a hard fought campaign against a four-month Western sanctions campaign, demonstrating the lengths Moscow is willing to go to defend its economy, particularly in vulnerable nations where it has leverage. There are signs that the sanctions are starting to bite. Russian government statistics show that auto production plummeted by 96.7 percent in May compared with a year ago, threatening a sector that employs 600,000. Economists say that reflects a broad collapse in manufacturing as foreign-owned factories close and domestic ones struggle to import Western components. Hundreds of foreign companies have ceased operations in Russia, inflation is running at 16 percent and the country’s gross domestic product will contract by 8.5 percent this year, the International Monetary Fund predicts. Economists say Russia’s long-term prospects remain dire. “The potential for the decline is far from exhausted,” Sergey Aleksashenko, a former top official in Russia’s Finance Ministry and central bank, who now lives in the United States, wrote June 30 in a newsletter. But some factors continue working in Russia’s favor, including lucrative oil and gas exports that fund the military and social safety net. Russia earned about 93 billion euros — roughly $93 billion, or $1 billion a day — in revenue from fossil fuel exports in the first 100 days of the war, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, a nonprofit in Finland. And Moscow is fighting hard where it can to blunt the sanctions’ impact. Aviation is one of those sectors. To date, Russian airlines are refusing to return more than 400 planes and a slew of aircraft parts that they leased from Western companies, forcing the leasing companies to file $10 billion in insurance claims, according to data and research provider Cirium. “Sanctions may be serving the long-term purpose of isolating Russia,” said Risto Maeots, chief executive of an aviation-servicing company in Estonia that has been unable to recover several engines from Russia. “But in the short term, they weren’t as painful as they were meant to be.” For all the attention given to the seizure of yachts belonging to Russia’s oligarchs, what happens with the aircraft is of far greater import, he added. “What will the West do with the yachts — go fishing? Russians can do much more with the jets,” he said. “So short term, they got a fairly good deal.” Asked to comment, Russia’s embassy in Washington, D.C., did not address questions about the Sri Lanka case but referred to remarks June 8 from the Foreign Ministry calling the sanctions illegal. “International civil aviation has turned into a tool of political and economic pressure. This is nothing but a blatant abuse of international air law,” spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said then, adding that the sanctions would "adversely affect flight safety.” Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the incident a commercial dispute and said the government did everything to not escalate it into a diplomatic one. Aviation sanctions were designed to target one of Russia’s key vulnerabilities — it relies on Boeing and Airbus jets manufactured overseas and owned by Western leasing companies. Of the 968 planes in Russia’s commercial fleet on the eve of the Ukraine war, 515 belonged to non-Russian leasing companies, according to Rob Morris, global head of consultancy at Cirium. Even aircraft manufactured inside Russia, such as the Sukhoi Superjet, a regional aircraft, and the Irkut MC-21, intended to compete with the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, use engines, avionics and software from the United States and Europe. A Russian state-owned company is attempting to develop a fully domestic engine for the MC-21, but it’s going to take time, analysts say. Sanctions required Western companies to terminate their leases and recall their planes. And an unprecedented set of export controls imposed by a coalition of 37 countries in Europe, North America and Asia also banned companies from selling new planes, parts or software to Russia, from servicing Russian-operated aircraft or providing them online software updates. Even refueling a Boeing jet leased by a Russian entity was off-limits. But in March, Russian President Vladimir Putin delayed some of the pain by signing a law allowing airlines to keep foreign aircraft for use on domestic flights. So far, Western companies have recovered only about 80 of the 515 planes they leased to Russia, according to Cirium. “The lessor community as a whole has accepted the fact that most aircraft they have placed within Russia will not be repossessed,” said Mike Stengel, a consultant with Michigan-based AeroDynamic Advisory. AerCap’s tortured pursuit of the jet that escaped seizure in Sri Lanka shows how poorly the recovery efforts have gone. The Irish company, the world’s largest lessor of commercial aircraft, says it alone has more than 100 planes stuck inside Russia, for which it has submitted $3.5 billion in insurance claims. According to court documents in Sri Lanka, AerCap wrote Aeroflot demanding the return of the Airbus A330-300 two days after Russia invaded Ukraine in February. It followed up with five more letters by mid-April, but Aeroflot kept using the plane, worth an estimated $17.3 million, to shuttle tourists to and from Sri Lanka — providing the nearly bankrupt nation a rare source of income. When AerCap won the court order that grounded the plane on June 2, Aeroflot protested, canceling all of its flights to the country and claiming that Sri Lanka had given Russia a “state guarantee” that its aircraft could fly in and out unmolested. Moscow’s Foreign Ministry warned Sri Lanka’s ambassador of “negative impact” on bilateral relations. Among Moscow’s threats, according to the European official, was to cut off energy deliveries. Those had proved crucial on at least one occasion in late May, when a shipment of Russian oil allowed Sri Lanka’s sole refinery to restart for the first time in over two months, Bloomberg News reported. In an interview with a local paper published June 5, Sri Lanka’s justice minister said he instructed the attorney general to “sort it out because there are consequences beyond the law. Our country can be affected prejudicially due to such orders.” The next day, Sri Lankan government lawyers representing the state-owned airport joined Aeroflot in asking the court to overturn the grounding order. The court obliged, saying the order had been improperly served, and the plane promptly took off for Moscow. Last week, a month after the plane left Sri Lanka, the nation’s president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, tweeted about a phone call with Putin. “While thanking him for all the support extended by his gvt to overcome the challenges of the past, I requested an offer of credit support to import fuel to #lka in defeating the current econ challenges,” he tweeted, using an abbreviation for Sri Lanka. Disgraced Sri Lankan president flees in predawn hours before resignation AerCap isn’t the only leasing company affected. Maeots, the chief executive of Estonian company Magnetic MRO, said that before the invasion, he had four Boeing engines leased to a Russian airline. With the imposition of European export controls, he had one month to get them back. The Russian airline simply refused to return them. “My assets are still there,” he said. Even if the companies eventually regain the planes, that’s not the end of their worries, said Jason Dickstein, the general counsel of the Aviation Suppliers Association, a U.S.-based group representing aircraft parts distributors. Because Russia has given its domestic companies permission to try to produce spare parts for the planes, it’s likely the planes will contain parts that haven’t been submitted to rigorous inspection by Western agencies. “There is a fear among leasing companies that if and when they ever recover [their planes] they won’t be able to use them because they won’t be able to verify their air worthiness,” he said. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/07/12/russia-aircraft-seizure-sri-lanka/ FAA: Nearly 8k Newly Certified Pilots Have Been Produced In The Last Year ALPA says there is no pilot shortage. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) is again publicly alleging there is no US pilot shortage, armed with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data that shows 8,402 pilots getting their Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) – Multi-Engine Land (MEL) licenses in the past year. These renewed allegations by ALPA are in the context of efforts by some regional airlines to relax key US aviation safety regulations. ALPA is closely tracking Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) statistics of pilot production and finds record output of airline-ready pilots. As per the above ALPA infographic, FAA data shows that a significant output of pilots has occurred, well surpassing 2019 production of 6,664 with no sign of slowing down. The reason why ALPA put this infographic together is to push back against efforts to claim there is a pilot shortage and then undo key safety regulations. In the words of current ALPA President Capt. Joe DePete in a June 7 statement, Distorting the facts about pilot availability is bad enough. But distorting the truth and then attempting to roll back the safety regulations that have reduced airline passenger fatalities by 99.8 percent since they were enacted is reprehensible. And that’s exactly what some airlines and their lobbyists are doing here in Washington. Republic Airways wants regulatory relief from the amount of flight hours necessary to fly for the airlines to address meeting its pilot pipeline needs. ALPA’s renewed activism is in the context of deregulation efforts led by Republic Airways to have a minimum of 750-hour flying hours before being allowed to fly a passenger airliner. The US regulatory minimum of 750 hours currently only applies to those pilots who have honorably left military flying service; otherwise, it’s 1,500 flying hours following the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 which has dramatically increased safety in US commercial flight. Granted, Republic Airways trains its own pilots up from the basics to fly Embraer regional jets to provide feeder regional connection services to hub airports for American, Delta and United in an internal pipeline. But the US military has more rigorous flight training and tougher screening than civilian flight schools. Why does ALPA dispute if a pilot shortage exists? Captain Joe DePete, ALPA President - Speaking at the Podium from the Side For ALPA President DePete about ALPA's bottom line: "While our interests with industry may align from time to time, when it comes to safety, our bottom line is always safety." “It is important to remember our nation’s extraordinary safety record is because of our collective, unwavering commitment to support aviation safety." Furthermore, in a May 18 open letter to the FAA, President DePete made clear, “ALPA will give no ground—and we will call out every instance of false rhetoric about a pilot shortage for what it is: an attempt to distract and deceive the flying public and lay the groundwork for weakening Congress’s clear intent when it strengthened First Officer qualification and training requirements in 2010. … While our interests with industry may align from time to time, when it comes to safety, our bottom line is always safety.” ALPA also has FAA statistics alleging that there are one and a half certified airline pilots versus demand – well surpassing retirements. Plus, there are quotes from airline executives such as American Airlines’ Robert Isom and Delta Air Lines’ Ed Bastian stating the issue is less than it seems. For example, Bastian said in a January 2022 Q4 2021 Earnings Call transcribed by Seeking Alpha, “Really there are no shortage of pilots wanting to come to us or really to our regional partners. It's a matter of getting them through the training and getting into the right seat with the right number of hours.” Aviation is now dramatically safer with federally required stall training and fatigue mitigation for pilots after landmark 2010 US federal legislation. According to Congressman Brian Higgins in a July 31, 2020 press release commemorating 10 years of the 2010 legislation, these changes are also in the legislation beyond the 1,500 hours before flying for the airlines rule: • Stall Recovery Training: Requiring the FAA to ensure that pilots are trained on stall recovery, upset recovery, and that airlines provide remedial training to pilots who need it. • Fatigue Mitigation: Directing the FAA to update and implement new pilot flight and duty time rules to expand rest requirements and mitigate pilot fatigue. • Truth in Advertising: Mandating that websites selling airline tickets disclose to the purchaser on the first page of the website the air carrier that operates each segment of the flight. • Considering what happens when an airplane stalls plus recent Simple Flying stories about how Delta addresses pilot fatigue, and our many stories about airlines that codeshare; the legislation has deep relevance in 2022. ALPA has had to fly through those regional airlines using allegations of a pilot shortage to cut safety regulations. ALPA has historically argued against the premise there is a United States pilot shortage but rather point the figure at low regional pilot pay. For instance, on March 9, 2016, ALPA issued a statement titled, “Airline Pilots in Strong Supply for Right Career Opportunity” decrying, U.S. regional airlines that dangle one-time hiring bonuses while continuing to offer extremely low first-year salaries are ignoring the truth about what it takes to attract qualified pilots to work at their airlines and stalling the real change that is needed to head off a serious U.S. pilot shortage in the future. This conversation was initiated when Republic Airways declared bankruptcy and had to restructure plus simplify its fleet. Yet Republic Airways’ bankruptcy filing helped initiate the last conversation. As per recent Simple Flying coverage; U.S. regional airlines like Envoy and Piedmont are increasing pay for pilots. ALPA also stated back on February 22, 2016 as then-ALPA President Capt. Tim Canoll said; “False claims of a current pilot shortage are simply no excuse, and ALPA won’t allow aviation safety to be compromised so that a few airlines can boost their profits. … Given the evidence, it’s clear that today’s safety rules have no bearing on why some companies may not be able to attract qualified pilots, because there are pilots available to fly for airlines that provide career growth and adequate work-life balance.” As per above, one should also note that ATP Flight School is partnering with Delta Air Lines’ Endeavor Air Delta Connection to provide a robust pipeline of pilots for Delta Air Lines from Delta Air Lines’ employees. Most if not all US airlines have incentives for US military veterans to join their ranks to be pilots, flight attendants, maintainers and other roles also. Furthermore, as previously reported by Simple Flying, Alaska Airlines is partnering with Hillsboro Aero Academy to provide an accelerated, and financially aided pathway from the airport fence to the Embraer 175 cockpit. United Airlines has a similar program with United Aviate Academy – a flight school owned and operated by United Airlines. These investments by major airlines clearly show that at least some airlines speak with dollars about addressing the pilot shortage with quality pilots - not just seek regulatory relief. https://simpleflying.com/nearly-8k-newly-certified-pilots-have-been-produced-in-the-last-year/ European pilots seek action from EASA as pressure builds on crews There is no easy fix for Europe’s travel nightmares this summer, pilots have warned. They also called on the European aviation safety regulator to take action to help keep passengers safe amid growing pressure on staff. “As much as I would like to say how we can solve and change it, the summer chaos is here, and it is not going to go away. We are not going to solve it this year,” Captain Tanja Harter, Technical Affairs Director at the European Cockpit Association (ECA), commented during an online media briefing on July 12, 2022. While travel demand has bounced back after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the aviation industry has been unable to recruit back enough staff fast enough, whether on the ground or in the air. Across Europe, airports have seen long lines for security, a lack of ground staff has led to delays and baggage being left behind. Airlines have been canceling flights and airports are putting caps on the numbers of passengers they can handle, with London’s Heathrow asking airlines to stop selling tickets. London’s Heathrow Airport caps summer passenger numbers and asks airlines to stop selling tickets Fatigue is a key issue for crews, whose rosters are being planned to maximum limits with no buffers, Harter said. The issue of fatigue was raised recently when the head of low-cost carrier Wizz Air said crews needed to carry on working even if they were fatigued. In addition, they are facing extra workload through having to deal with delays and help out newly hired airport staff who lack experience. Harter said there were examples of fire brigade staff being asked to help with loading bags. While they are trained in firefighting, they are not trained in loading so that puts extra pressure on the captain of a flight to make sure loading is done correctly. Captain Paul Reuter, Professional Affairs Director at ECA, cited a recent example where newly hired staff were unable to remove a jetbridge until a more experienced colleague arrived, causing a flight to be delayed. “We have four flights a day, but sometimes each one feels like a whole day. Things are piling up,” Reuter said. Long time coming The travel disruption currently on show is a sign of problems that have been building in aviation before the pandemic, ECA said. “Canceling flights is an option, but it’s putting a plaster on a deeper problem,” ECA Secretary General Philip von Schöppenthau said. The current lack of staff is not just down to the pandemic but years of cost-cutting and mismanagement, which has made people hesitant to join the industry or come back, he said. ECA has therefore called on the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to issue a safety information bulletin (SIB) to acknowledge the problems and show it is taking the disruption seriously. “We need all stakeholders in the aviation industry to take a step back and acknowledge that we have a problem that is very deep in the system,” Reuter said. He said ECA was not happy with the current “nonchalance” being shown by regulators. “What we have this time is a deep systemic issue,” he said, noting that similar problems had been seen in previous summers, but not to such an extent. “This time this whole system is so overstretched with lack of staff and lack of qualified staff in every position from ground to cabin crew to pilots to ATC to gate staff.” ECA has also published a safe flying checklist to encourage pilots to take it safely, even when issues are piling up. Harter said ECA wanted to remind pilots that their priority was not making up time lost on delays, but to ensure safety, have a back-up plan and prepare for the unexpected, citing the idiom: “Haste makes waste”. “These are our core tasks and it’s very easy to forget them when you’re trying to make up for other things. We really need sometimes to take a step back and concentrate on the pure tasks of the operation of the aircraft.” “It is a chaotic summer, it will remain chaotic, but we don’t want it to be a tragic one,” Harter said. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/31570-european-pilots-easa-action Merlin Labs Raises $105 Million To Solve The Pilot Shortage By Robotizing Airplanes As air travelers suffer through a summer of flight delays and cancellations fueled in part by a pilot shortage, Merlin Labs is one of a slew of companies working on a long-term solution: taking pilots out of the cockpit by developing computer systems that allow planes to fly themselves. The Boston-based startup has won $105 million in fresh funding, impressing big-name investors including the Scottish firm Baillie Gifford with a project to robotize the U.S. Air Force’s workhorse C-130J Super Hercules transport planes that the company is revealing publicly for the first time, as well as its achievement last fall of a key regulatory milestone: New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority approved Merlin’s plan to prove the safety of a single-engine Cessna Caravan cargo plane kitted out with an initial limited autonomy package, making it the first company to win so-called “certification basis” for such a system. Merlin Labs CEO Matthew George says that its initial product will be the first commercially available flight control system that will enable an airplane to automatically follow a programmed path from the taxiway to takeoff to landing, as well as the first featuring an artificial intelligence element: It will be able to understand radio instructions from fast-talking air traffic controllers and follow them. What it won’t be capable of: The company isn’t seeking yet to kit out planes with sensors to automatically detect and avoid obstacles on the ground, like animals or airport vehicles, or other aircraft in the air. A pilot will be required to be onboard to do that, as well as to correct any misunderstandings of air traffic control instructions. That falls a good deal short of the holy grail of full autonomy, but the 32-year-old George says Merlin’s initial system will significantly reduce the workload for pilots, enabling them to act more like safety monitors. It’s part of a calculated strategy by George to devise a product that Merlin can bring to market soon through a regulatory gantlet of aviation safety agencies that are moving cautiously in the face of a startling array of novel aircraft under development, from cargo drones to urban air taxis, some of which are being designed to be fully autonomous from the start, on top of pushing the boundaries with electric propulsion systems and vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. “We think that the hardest problem truly is certification,” George told Forbes. Of Merlin’s roughly 70 employees, about 30 are working on safety certification. That eyebrow-raising share is partly due to the fact that while Merlin is seeking initial air safety approval in New Zealand (the country has an experimentation-friendly regulatory environment that has attracted other cutting-edge aerospace startups that are betting they’ll be able to launch commercial service sooner there, including Boeing-controlled robot air taxi developer Wisk), Merlin is submitting all stages of its work for simultaneous review by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to ensure that it will get a green light to operate in the U.S. as well. George’s game plan is to start with a revenue-producing cargo service in New Zealand. He thinks that’s a goal Merlin could reach well inside of five years. In the U.S., Merlin, which was founded in 2017, struck a deal last year to automate 55 twin-engine King Airs operated by Dynamic Aviation – George says an initial use case will be to free up the company’s pilots on fire watch and maritime missions to direct more of their attention to surveillance. He declined to disclose pricing. Merlin also inked a partnership with Ameriflight, the largest U.S. operator of small cargo planes for UPS, FedEx and DHL, whose chronic problems with retaining pilots intent on moving up to better-paying jobs with the big passenger airlines have worsened as those carriers have swung from pushing pilots to retire early amid the worst of the pandemic to recruiting feverishly to expand service as travel has rebounded. A retirement wave of Baby Boomers was already expected to fuel a pilot shortfall – CAE estimated in 2020 that 38% of commercial pilots globally were over 50. Pandemic disruptions have tipped the scales more, including increased volumes of air deliveries of e-commerce orders, further whetting investor interest in Merlin’s B Series fundraising round. George says the company reaped almost double the amount it initially set out to raise. The $105 million round, which boosts Merlin’s total raised to $130 million, was led by Snowpoint Ventures, a private-equity fund focused on dual-use technology that was founded by two current and former Palantir executives, and Baillie Gifford, which until recently has rung up top-tier returns with long-term bets on tech high-flyers like Amazon, Tesla and Netflix. If safety clearance of Merlin’s initial commercial system takes longer than expected, the company still stands to make money from a contract with the Air Force to automate the flight deck of the C-130J, which George says is worth in the tens of millions of dollars. The goals of the project mirror the general aspirations for autonomy for larger commercial cargo aircraft, and eventually passenger airliners: to go from two pilots to one, and eventually from one to zero. Congress is supportive: In a report on the annual defense budget bill the House is currently considering, the House Armed Services Committee urges the Department of Defense to use commercial solutions to give its aircraft autonomous capabilities to mitigate the Air Force’s persistent pilot shortage and requests a draft of an implementation plan. Merlin isn’t the only startup working to robotize older aircraft. Competitors include Skyryse, which has pivoted from an initial goal of launching an urban air taxi network to focusing in the short run on simplifying flight controls to cut down on pilot training time; Xwing, which has built up its own air cargo delivery fleet; and Reliable Robotics, which has also won Air Force development contracts. In contrast with Merlin, both Xwing and Reliable initially plan to remove the pilot from the cockpit and have remote safety monitors on the ground oversee their aircraft and handle communications with air traffic control. That promises cost savings – one pilot on the ground could eventually oversee multiple aircraft. But George believes that the FAA is wary of the risk of disruptions to communication links between planes and the ground station, and that Merlin, with its onboard safety pilot, will gain thousands of hours of operating experience before competitors are allowed to get off the ground. Merlin Labs’ strategy of relying on an onboard pilot to detect and avoid hazards and handle emergency situations “is not bad” to address regulators’ concerns in the short run, says Ella Atkins, director of the University of Michigan’s Autonomous Aerospace Systems Lab, but she says it’s not clear whether the company has a path to full autonomy from the “crawl stage.” And while developing a natural language processing system to interact with air traffic controllers may make sense now, when the FAA is not yet ready to transition to data link-based methods that will have to replace voice communications in order to coordinate the large numbers of delivery drones and air taxis that are expected to crowd national airspace in the next few decades, it’s still a difficult problem, Atkins warns, with fast-talking controllers speaking over sometimes static-fuzzed radio connections. “You get to a point where you're 90 plus percent accurate in processing what you've heard, but getting to 100 is extremely hard.” Merlin’s system, which will repeat ATC instructions in a synthesized voice to confirm them, could get stuck in a loop of miscomprehension akin to the old Discover Card commercial in which a customer service agent’s mentions of “fraud protection” are repeatedly misheard by a caller as “frog protection.” “That's kind of the nightmare for natural language processing,” Atkins says, which could end up distracting the air traffic controller as well as the onboard safety pilot. And that’s leaving aside the knotty problem of whether Merlin’s system will reliably translate the instructions into the proper actions, even if it transcribes them word for word. The new fundraising round is going to enable Merlin to hire a lot more people to work on solving those problems. George plans to add another 50 to 60 employees over the next year, taking headcount to 120 to 130. “We’re really excited about what the cash is going to be able to do for us as we continue to innovate here,” he says. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremybogaisky/2022/07/13/merlin-labs-raises-105-million-to-solve-the-pilot-shortage-by-robotizing-airplanes/?sh=45fb6a2e5446 Airbus in talks to sell more A220 jets to Delta -sources PARIS (Reuters) - European planemaker Airbus is in talks with Delta Air Lines to expand the U.S. carrier's existing order for A220 small jetliners, two people familiar with the matter said. The deal for a top-up order of around a dozen aircraft could be signed at next week's Farnborough Airshow where the U.S. carrier is also widely expected to finalise an order for at least 100 Boeing 737 MAX airliners. Airbus declined to comment on discussions with customers. Delta could not immediately be reached for comment. The airline has ordered 95 Canadian-designed A220s of which it has taken delivery of 56, according to end-June Airbus data. Reuters first reported in March that Boeing was in talks with Delta for some 100 of its 737 MAX 10 jets.. Delta Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian said in June it was trying to reach a deal with Boeing. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/airbus-talks-sell-more-a220-093208216.html The Value of Forensic Research and Non-Standard Testing Applied to Aircraft Accident Litigation By Joe Reynolds Experience has shown that non-standard testing can be transformative to the outcome of aviation litigation matters for several reasons, when it is utilized in the forensic engineering investigation of an aircraft accident. As the term implies, these tests are not published by ASTM or SAE, but are uniquely designed to address important unanswered questions for which no standard tests exist. This work can be best described as “Forensic Research.” The need for non-standard testing arises when there is a need to verify proposed scenarios and confirm questionable recorded data. Although very helpful, the fact is that the amount of information obtained from evidence inspections and reviewing data recordings often has limited direct value. Questions remain, particularly in aviation, when a system, equipment, or component becomes suspect, but its role in the accident sequence of failure is not known. When this is the case, the solution may be to conduct a non-standard test with exemplar equipment. Exemplar test systems are set up in a dedicated laboratory, under controlled conditions, to determine what causes the system to fail or malfunction, while applying a non-standard test protocol to reconstruct the accident sequence. Forensic research must be planned and conducted to the same standard as work that will be subjected to professional peer review with the intention of publishing in a recognized technical journal. In aircraft accidents, we are interested in considering all equipment and systems related to the known sequence of events. It could involve a power plant, the avionics, the flight control systems, or electric power distribution systems that early analysis shows to be most suspect of causing or contributing to the accident. Once identified, a unique protocol is created to determine what information is required to answer the remaining questions. The recorded results of these non-standard tests provide additional data about the accident to define and demonstrate what occurred in the initial failure sequence, back to the root cause. The additional data obtained from non-standard testing can benefit the accident investigation in many ways. The test report, showing methodology and results, will greatly aid in reaching objective and supportable opinions, along with the satisfaction that the accident scenario has been accurately reconstructed. As an additional benefit, the test results can provide substantial digital data and information to create visuals and illustrations that could be used as demonstrative evidence. A portion of the test documentation could be used as a tutorial to show how the system, equipment, or device functions normally, and then how it failed. Therefore, new evidence is generated to support opinions and to clearly demonstrate those opinions to best resolve the litigation. Non-standard testing can involve very challenging procedures. In some cases, the non-standard testing is best conducted in conjunction with the OEM or equipment operator. However, the majority of this research is carried out confidentially in proper laboratory facilities, exclusive of any manufacturer. The need for non-standard testing is best determined by regular discussions between counsel and an expert consultant, who is experienced in such matters. When the first sign or indication arises that testing would be useful, such as when it is apparent that the basis for opinions is not going to be completely supportable from what is available, then non-standard testing should be included in the discussions. In reality, there may not be sufficient information to make the decision until well into discovery and non-standard testing can be considered objectively. However, planning early on ensures that the required foundational data is collected as soon as available, which will be needed to design and conduct any tests. It may be the case that the available data is limited, or perhaps there is no reliable data, or the black box has not been recovered, or that evidence inspections reveal unexplained damages. When faced with these conditions, forensic research and non-standard testing should be seriously considered. There have been many cases that benefitted from the outcome of non-standard testing covering a wide range of aircraft and their various systems. Many of these non-standard testing protocols begin with benchtop tests, where a device or equipment is examined in the laboratory to understand how it performs normally and responds to its potential failure modes. Benchtop tests have typically involved avionics, batteries, relays and control systems, alarms and annunciator components, hydraulics, instruments, and windshields. Beyond the benchtop, non-standard testing has included reconstructing wiring arcing failures and even aircraft flight testing. An exemplar aircraft was flown at a safe altitude to determine what the recovery profile would be for a pinned flight control on takeoff. Additionally, icing accidents have presented a transient evidence issue where non-standard tests have been conducted in sub-freezing wind tunnel research facilities, coupled with computer models to reconstruct icing on airspeed sensors. See Figure 1. Airspeed Sensor X-ray of Anti-Ice Protection. Also see companion Figure 2. Airspeed Sensor Frame of Reconstructed Icing Sequence. There has been an amazing variety of non-standard testing, but most recently much has contributed to the knowledge of primary lithium-ion battery failures. The cascading failure effect of lithium-ion batteries in aircraft equipment was one of the most productive and interesting reconstructive series of tests conducted to completely understand the unique failure mode in a laboratory setting and in a collaborative effort with a major research university. See Figure 3. Lithium-ion Battery Pack Cascade Failure Non-standard Test and Results Display from Demonstrative Evidence. Non-standard testing requires time and patience but can successfully reconstruct aircraft equipment failures by using research-level practices and good science techniques. Non-standard testing has definitely contributed greatly to the successful outcome of aviation litigation. The most immediate benefit of this testing is to provide additional “powder” to use at settlement. When the compelling forensic research results are presented, the discussion usually moves to settlement. As a counterpoint, there are situations when the task is presented to critique the opposition's theory and to challenge the results of their non-standard testing and research. When the non-standard testing being proposed involves the actual evidence in the case, a joint inspection and testing should be outlined in an agreed protocol. It is critical that the draft protocol be carefully reviewed by all parties to ensure that it is presented in the proper sequence and that all non-standard test methods are productive and relevant. Active participation in the joint inspection and testing is essential to validate the test results that will be shared by all present. To summarize, the value of conducting forensic research and non-standard testing is discovering all you can know about the incident under investigation, and certainly more than the other parties involved. Without that goal, there is either some doubt about the conclusions, the assumptions that have been made, or the ability to conduct a strong cross-examination of the opposition. With the technology evolving in aircraft today, the opportunity to conduct non-standard testing should be carefully reviewed every step of the way during the investigation of an accident to make sure it is not overlooked or delayed to a point when it may be too late to accomplish. Non-standard testing is as important to an expert as doing proper calculations. It is best practice to strive for as much supporting evidence behind opinions as reasonable. The single objective in the end is to confidently and effectively explain how and why an aircraft accident occurred to a non-technical audience. Forensic research using non-standard testing is the expert’s capstone evidence in aviation investigations. https://rticonsulting.com/valueofforensicresearch Investigator/Senior Investigator, Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) Date: Jun 27, 2022 Location: Flight Training Academy (DFW-SV03) Additional Locations: None Requisition ID: 61493 Intro Are you ready to explore a world of possibilities, both at work and during your time off? Join our American Airlines family, and you’ll travel the world, grow your expertise and become the best version of you. As you embark on a new journey, you’ll tackle challenges with flexibility and grace, learning new skills and advancing your career while having the time of your life. Feel free to enrich both your personal and work life and hop on board! Why you'll love this job · This job is a member of the Investigating team within the Safety Environmental Regulatory Compliance and Integration Division. · Responsible for providing analysis of operational flight data as well as producing reports and presentations for the Flight Operation Quality Assurance (FOQA) Program. What you'll do · Conducts daily work flow processes for the FOQA program · Assesses events and trends, identifies operational hazards, and validates corrective actions · Develops new data analysis products and methodologies for data mining · Coordinates with the Flight Operations Department for data analysis needs · Coordinates regularly with Allied Pilots Association (APA) FOQA gatekeepers · Coordinates with Technical Operations regarding support of the FOQA program and maintenance analysis · Creates flight animations of actual events for use in operational departments · Assists with accident and incident investigations · Participates in monthly FOQA Monitoring Team meetings · Participates and contributes to the American Airlines Safety Management System (SMS) process · Develops, prepares and presents analysis of flight data · Creates enhanced reports and dashboards using Tableau or Microsoft BI · Represents American Airlines at industry meetings · Assists with accident and incident investigations, to include occasional weekend and holiday duty All you'll need for success Minimum Qualifications- Education & Prior Job Experience · Bachelor's Degree in related field or equivalent experience/training · 3 years related job experience · Experience working with data mining tools such as Tableau, Business Objects, Access, etc. · Experience performing data analysis and building various related reports in MS Office products Preferred Qualifications- Education & Prior Job Experience · Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Mathematics, Engineering, or Statistics · Basic Programming knowledge/experience · Master's degree in related field · Previous experience within a FOQA/Flight Data Monitoring program · Expertise in flight data monitoring software · Experience using CEFA animation software · Private pilot license or higher · Previous job experience at an air carrier Skills, Licenses & Certifications · Knowledge of aeronautical theory and aviation operations as applied to commercial aircraft · Proficient using MS Office software · Must fulfill background checks to qualify for unescorted access privileges to airport security identification display areas (SIDA), if applicable · Must be able to secure appropriate airport authority and/or US Customs security badges, if applicable · Must be able to handle multiple projects with changing deadlines What you'll get Feel free to take advantage of all that American Airlines has to offer: · Travel Perks: Ready to explore the world? You, your family and your friends can reach 365 destinations on more than 6,800 daily flights across our global network. · Health Benefits: On day one, you’ll have access to your health, dental, prescription and vision benefits to help you stay well. And that’s just the start, we also offer virtual doctor visits, flexible spending accounts and more. · Wellness Programs: We want you to be the best version of yourself – that’s why our wellness programs provide you with all the right tools, resources and support you need. · 401(k) Program: Available upon hire and, depending on the workgroup, employer contributions to your 401(k) program are available after one year. · Additional Benefits: Other great benefits include our Employee Assistance Program, pet insurance and discounts on hotels, cars, cruises and more Feel Free to be yourself at American From the team members we hire to the customers we serve, inclusion and diversity are the foundation of the dynamic workforce at American Airlines. Our 20+ Employee Business Resource Groups are focused on connecting our team members to our customers, suppliers, communities and shareholders, helping team members reach their full potential and creating an inclusive work environment to meet and exceed the needs of our diverse world. Are you ready to feel a tremendous sense of pride and satisfaction as you do your part to keep the largest airline in the world running smoothly as we care for people on life’s journey? Feel free to be yourself at American. Additional Locations: None Requisition ID: 61493 Nearest Major Market: Dallas Nearest Secondary Market: Fort Worth Job Segment: Operations Manager, Data Analyst, Quality Assurance, Data Mining, Operations, Data, Technology, Aviation APPLY NOW Now Hiring: Director of Safety at flyExclusive in Kinston, NC Summary and Objective The Director of Safety monitors all aspects of the safety system and acts with the authority of the Company President in all matters regarding safety, and as such, can designate any delegated resources to accomplish flyExclusive/flyExclusive Internationals stated safety goals and objectives. Monitors workplace activities to promote and ensure employee compliance with applicable safety regulations. Essential functions Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions. · Maintain and manage the company Safety Management System (SMS) manual. · Develop safety goals and objectives for the accountable executive's consideration: · Revise and update the stated safety goals and objectives at least annually. · Develop and implement the Emergency Response Program. · Manage the Aviation Safety Action program (ASAP) and facilitate all Event Review Committee (ERC) meetings · Analyze, investigate, and provide recommendations for all ASAP and flight/ground hazard report submissions for the entire organization · Monitor Exclusive Jets LLC's SMS performance and create performance reports for other managers and the accountable executive, as directed. · Facilitate hazard identification and risk management. · Determine the need for and coordinate development of required safety training materials prescribed by national, state, and local laws and regulations or industry best practices: · Evaluate employee hazard identifications for risk and recommend action: · Evaluate and process all employee hazard reports in accordance with this manual's requirements and recommend action to mitigate risk. · Coordinate all safety activities and act as liaison between Exclusive Jets LLC (Limited Liability Company) and PRISM, as well as applicable governmental agencies and insurance carriers · Monitoring safety concerns in the aviation Industry and their perceived impact on Exclusive Jets LLC's operations · Monitor employee training programs to ensure that safety, health, and environmental information presented is current and satisfies applicable government rules and meets Exclusive Jets LLC needs. · Identifies opportunities to minimize workplace injuries, accidents, and health problems. · Conducts employee training on applicable safety standards. · Reviews safety training and recommends revisions, improvements, and updates. · Conducts safety inspections and audits to assess employee compliance with safety regulations. · Inspects safety equipment; recommends replacements. · Drafts and implements internal safety standards and policies. · Reviews accidents and incidents reported by employees and visitors to the facility. · Performs other related duties as assigned. Skills and Abilities: · Extensive knowledge of company safety policies and applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. · Must have knowledge of current 14 CFR Part 91 and 135 regulations. · Excellent written and verbal communication skills. · Ability to conduct training. · Excellent organizational skills and demonstrate a high-level attention to detail. · Strong supervisory and leadership skills. Competencies · Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher · Health, Safety, and accident investigation certification Supervisory responsibilities · Responsible for supervising the daily responsibilities and setting tasks for the Safety Coordinator(s) and Safety Officer(s). Work environment · Typical office and computer lab environment · Mostly indoor office environment · Some outside industrial environment and hangar Physical demands · Ability to see and hear clearly · Ability to read, comprehend, and speak English clearly · Ability to climb, twist, bend, crouch, stoop, kneel, and crawl · Ability to move in tight quarters · Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods · Ability to work in all weather conditions as needed · Ability to regularly lift/move up to 15 pounds · Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Dress Code and Uniform · Well-groomed appearance · Adherence to department dress code Travel required · 25% of the time Required education and experience · Bachelor's degree in Health and Safety, Environmental Health, or Safety related field required · 5+ years of related experience · 3 to 5 years in supervisory role Relocation assistant available to qualifying candidates. APPLY TODAY POSITION AVAILABLE: Chief Investigator of Accidents · Lead the accident investigation function · General Manager position with strategic and organisational leadership · Represent New Zealand at international forums We're seeking a skilled and experienced accident investigator to lead a multi mode accident investigations team, based in central Wellington. This is a dual titled role – Chief Investigator of Accidents/General Manager Investigation Services, so you will be a key member of the Executive Management Team, actively providing high quality organisational, technical and functional leadership. You’ll provide quality leadership and guidance to your team of skilled investigators, and expert advice and guidance to the Commission and wider audiences, as well as assisting internationally when required. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) is an independent Crown entity, and investigates significant aviation, rail and marine accidents and incidents with a view to avoiding similar occurrences in the future. The Commission has set a visionary goal of “No Repeat Accidents – Ever! “ Thorough investigations are pivotal to the Commission’s successful performance, and in this role you ensure continued high quality investigations across the three modes, with appropriate safety recommendations. Our ideal candidate will have: · accident investigation experience in one or more of our transport modes - air, marine or rail · safety management experience · people leadership experience · political nous, sound judgement and the ability to represent the organisation at all levels, nationally and internationally · an understanding of quasi-judicial processes, particularly the rules and requirements applicable to a Commission of Inquiry, and · be medically and physically fit to access accident sites, with the ability to travel at short notice. This role presents an excellent career opportunity to apply your high quality accident investigation and leadership experience to a pivotal role in a well known Crown entity. If this sounds like the role for you we look forward to receiving your application, please visit our website www.peopleandco.nz and search on the keyword 20159 under the Jobs tab. All applications will be acknowledged electronically. Applications close at 5pm on Sunday, 24 July 2022. A job description is available at peopleandco.nz - job reference 20159. For further information please contact Michelle Walls on 0064 4931 9448 or Jacaleen Williams on 0064 4931 9450 or quoting job number 20159. If you live outside of New Zealand, to be eligible to apply you must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand and meet any entry requirements. For advice on obtaining a New Zealand work or residence visa and our entry requirements visit www.immigration.govt.nz. Curt Lewis