Flight Safety Information - August 22, 2022 No.160 In This Issue : Incident: Wizz A320 at Eindhoven on Aug 21st 2022, rejected takeoff due to bird strike : Incident: Eurowings Discover A332 at Frankfurt on Aug 19th 2022, hydraulic leak : Incident: ANZ B773 over Pacific on Aug 18th 2022, passenger oxygen masks were released : Incident: Cargojet B763 at Hamilton on Aug 12th 2022, glider on final approach path : Incident: Kalitta Charters B734 near Saint Louis on Aug 18th 2022, fire indication : Ethiopian's Sleeping Boeing 737 Pilots Have Been Suspended By The Airline : Grieving families, frustrated congressman wonder why aviation safety rule still isn't in place : American aircraft declares emergency over Scotland : Stranded Jets In Russia Cause BOC Aviation To Write Down $800 Million : FAA Awards $2.7M in Drone Research to Support Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Response : Here's what you should know about the controversy surrounding the appointment of Uganda Airlines' new CEO : Why US Airports' ICAO Codes Start With The Letter K : Brazil Privatizes São Paulo Congonhas Airport: Who Is The New Administrator? : UAA adds to their aviation division in an effort to fight pilot shortage : RTCA Webinar: Airspace Integration, Sustainable Aviation Fuels with NBAA Incident: Wizz A320 at Eindhoven on Aug 21st 2022, rejected takeoff due to bird strike A Wizz Air Airbus A320-200, registration HA-LYI performing flight W6-2274 from Eindhoven (Netherlands) to Budapest (Hungary), was accelerating for takeoff from Einhoven's runway 21 when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed (about 140 knots over ground) due to a bird strike. The aircraft slowed safely and vacated the runway. A subsequent runway inspection found the carcass of a kestrel reporting it didn't appear the bird had gone through the engine. The aircraft is still on the ground in Eindhoven about 6 hours after the rejected takeoff. https://avherald.com/h?article=4fd32949&opt=0 Incident: Eurowings Discover A332 at Frankfurt on Aug 19th 2022, hydraulic leak A Eurowings Discover Airbus A330-200, registration D-AXGB performing flight 4Y-60 from Frankfurt/Main (Germany) to Fort Myers,FL (USA), was climbing out of Frankfurt's runway 18 when the crew stopped the climb at FL260 due to a right hand hydraulic leak and decided to return to Frankfurt. The aircraft landed safely on Frankfurt's runway 25C about 50 minutes after stopping the climb. A replacement A330-200 registration D-AXGE departed the following day and reached Ft. Myers with a delay of about 21 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Frankfurt about 45 hours after landing back with a fractured hydraulic line at the right hand engine (CF6). https://avherald.com/h?article=4fd2d8f4&opt=0 Incident: ANZ B773 over Pacific on Aug 18th 2022, passenger oxygen masks were released An ANZ Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300, registration ZK-OKQ performing flight NZ-5 (dep Aug 17th) from Los Angeles,CA (USA) to Auckland (New Zealand), was enroute at FL340 over the Pacific Ocean about 3 hours prior to estimated arrival into Auckland, when the crew decided to descend the aircraft to FL270 due to forecast turbulence ahead. During the descent the passenger oxygen masks automatically released and an automatic emergency announcement regarding loss of cabin pressure occurred. The aircraft later climbed back to FL290 and again descended to FL180 while continuing towards Auckland. The aircraft landed safely on Auckland's runway 05R about 3:20 hours after leaving FL340. The airline reported passenger oxygen masks automatically released while the crew was descending the aircraft from FL340 to FL270 to avoid forecast turbulence, an automated warning sounded prompting passengers to put on their oxygen masks. This however was not an emergency situation and the masks were not required. https://avherald.com/h?article=4fd1d186&opt=0 Incident: Cargojet B763 at Hamilton on Aug 12th 2022, glider on final approach path A Cargojet Airways Boeing 767-300, registration C-FCAE performing flight W8-302 from Vancouver,BC to Hamilton,ON (Canada), was on an ILS approach to runway 12 when the crew needed to take evasive action to the right due to an unknown VFR glider directly in front of them. Passing the glider the crew could clearly see the pilot of the glider, the crew subsequently returned their aircraft onto the approach profile and continued for a safe landing. The Canadian TSB reported the glider was not transponder equipped and thus was not detected by radar and/or TCAS and made a turn towards the northwest. https://avherald.com/h?article=4fd1d4d7&opt=0 Incident: Kalitta Charters B734 near Saint Louis on Aug 18th 2022, fire indication A Kalitta Air Charter II Boeing 737-400, registration N311GT performing flight K5-2047 from Cincinnati,OH to Tulsa,OK (USA), was enroute at FL340 about 60nm south of Saint Louis,MO (USA) when the crew declared emergency reporting they had a fire indication on an engine (CFM56), the indication has gone out again. The crew diverted to Saint Louis and landed safely on runway 12L about 18 minutes after leaving FL340. The aircraft remained on the ground in Saint Louis for about 4 hours, then continued the journey and reached Tulsa with a delay of about 5 hours. The aircraft remained on the ground in Tulsa for another 10.5 hours before continuing service. https://avherald.com/h?article=4fd1d39e&opt=0 Ethiopian's Sleeping Boeing 737 Pilots Have Been Suspended By The Airline The airline has opened an investigation into last week's incident after two pilots fell asleep and missed their landing. Ethiopian Airlines has suspended the two pilots who fell asleep in the cockpit and missed their landing. The carrier has moved swiftly to remove the pilots from active duty pending an investigation. We take a closer look at this story below. Ethiopian suspends sleeping pilots The two Ethiopian Airlines pilots who were asleep at the controls of a Boeing 737-800 when they were supposed to be landing have been suspended by the airline. The incident, which many speculate was caused by fatigue, occurred on August 15th at the end of a 90-minute flight between Khartoum International Airport (KRT) and Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD). Both pilots are suspected of having fallen asleep after missing their landing. Ethiopian Airlines stated, "The concerned crew have been removed from operation pending further investigation. Appropriate corrective action will be taken based on the outcome of the investigation. Safety has always been and will continue to be our first priority." As Simple Flying reported on Friday, two Ethiopian Airlines pilots missed their landing because they were asleep, forcing the aircraft to go around and land without incident 25 minutes later. Air traffic control repeatedly (and unsuccessfully) tried to contact the pilots after the flight reached its top of descent near Addis Ababa while still cruising at FL370. Investigation pending Ethiopian Airlines did not explicitly confirm whether the pilots were asleep or not, instead stating that the aircraft "temporarily lost communication" with air traffic control. This is perhaps understandable, as the incident only occurred less than a week ago and the airline is still conducting a thorough investigation. It isn't clear just how long the pilots were asleep at this point; perhaps the pilots themselves don't even know. Data from FlightRadar24.com shows that the aircraft reached its cruising altitude of FL370 almost an hour before its scheduled landing in Addis Ababa. Fatigue was almost certainly a major factor. Pilot napping, often called 'controlled rest,' is more common (and safer) than you might think and a key tool in fatigue management. However, both pilots falling asleep is a different issue entirely. As the International Air Transport Association (IATA) explains in its Fatigue Management Guide for Airline Operators, "For two-pilot crews on long-range flights, planned 40-minute nap opportunities on the flight deck seat have been shown to provide an average of 23 minutes of sleep and to improve alertness and performance at top of descent. A short nap can improve alertness and performance and is a valuable mitigation strategy in fatigue management." Was pilot fatigue to blame? The likeliest factor behind this incident is pilot fatigue, which has caused similar incidents in the past. Simple Flying reported on the ITA Airways pilots who fell asleep over France and sparked a terrorism scare, which was also likely down to fatigue. Airlines are required to implement Fatigue rest management systems (FRMS) to ensure pilots are getting enough rest and aren't being overworked. However, given the ongoing staff shortages in the aviation industry, many airlines are desperate for pilots and will be maxing out their existing pilots' hours. Wizz Air CEO Josef Varadi recently called out pilots reporting fatigue, urging them to "go the extra mile," leading to backlash from many in the industry. https://simpleflying.com/ethiopian-sleeping-pilots-suspended/ Grieving families, frustrated congressman wonder why aviation safety rule still isn't in place We’ve all heard the expression: It would take an act of Congress to accomplish some incredibly difficult task. Except in this case, Congress has acted. Nearly four years ago. Heck, Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett and Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, polar opposites in their politics and temperaments, were on the same page in championing this measure. And we’re talking about a matter of public safety, life and death. Yet the rule in question — requiring commercial hot air balloon pilots to undergo annual medical screenings, a basic safeguard that might have prevented the 2016 Lockhart balloon crash that killed 16 people — is stuck in a bureaucratic maze. Congress ordered the Federal Aviation Administration to adopt such a rule by the spring of 2019. We’re still waiting. In the federal government, “delay is certainly not unusual. Some degree of (bureaucratic) indifference is certainly not unusual,” said Doggett, who has been a congressman for nearly three decades. “But this goes far and beyond anything I've ever seen in my entire career, in terms of an agency being directed to do something and ignoring the direction.” “It is words like appalling, outrageous, astounding that have characterized my view about something that has been going on for so long,” Doggett added. Grumet: Austin has hired 600 new teachers. It's still not enough. Perhaps you’re thinking: Hot air balloon regulations are not exactly a front-burner issue for most Americans. The FAA estimates the rule will affect roughly 350 pilots who provide hot air balloon rides to paying customers. (The rule won't affect balloonists who fly for their own enjoyment.) But we’re also talking about the federal response to the deadliest hot air balloon crash in U.S. history, a wholly avoidable tragedy that devastated families. And we’re talking about Congress plainly directing a federal agency to do a specific thing by a specific deadline in the name of consumer safety … and that thing hasn’t happened. Action slated for May 2023 As the American-Statesman first reported in the aftermath of the Lockhart crash, the National Transportation Safety Board had tried for years to get the FAA to beef up its regulation of the hot air balloon industry. In 2014, the NTSB had even predicted a “high number of fatalities in a single air tour balloon accident” if the FAA didn’t improve oversight. That’s exactly what happened July 30, 2016, when a hot air balloon drifted into power lines near Lockhart, triggering a fiery crash that killed all 16 people on board. Compounding the cruelty of the tragedy, many of the passengers had taken the balloon ride to celebrate milestones: Birthdays. Anniversaries. Federal investigators concluded the pilot, Alfred “Skip” Nichols, had medical ailments and medications in his system that likely impaired his judgment and should have prevented him from flying. (Equally alarming, Nichols had a valid pilot’s license even though a string of drunken driving convictions made him ineligible for a driver’s license.) Pilots who give helicopter tours or provide flights to skydivers must undergo an annual medical exam to ensure they’re fit for flight. But there’s no such requirement for hot air balloon pilots who take paying customers into the air. Had he been required to obtain that kind of medical certification, Nichols likely would have been grounded. The Commercial Balloon Pilot Safety Act, enacted in October 2018 as part of a larger bill on the FAA, said commercial hot air balloon pilots shall be required to obtain the same second-class medical certification as those other kinds of pilots. And it gave the FAA six months to revise its rules accordingly. But it wasn’t until November 2021 — more than three years later — that the FAA finally posted the proposed rule in the Federal Register, launching a 60-day period for public comment. The comment period closed Jan. 18. An FAA spokesperson told me the agency is sifting through nearly 200 public comments and revising the proposed rule “as appropriate.” The agency expects to post the final rule in May 2023 — nearly seven years after the deadly balloon crash that prompted the rule, and more than four years after the deadline Congress set for action. Doggett said the delay “is beyond outrageous.” In the meantime, the FAA has touted its work with the Balloon Federation of America on a voluntary accreditation program. Voluntary is the operative word. Such a program doesn’t reach the pilots who aren’t interested or those (like Nichols) who aren’t part of the organization. ‘This could happen again’ When I pressed the FAA about its delays implementing this congressionally mandated rule, the agency argued the process simply takes time. And in fairness, the COVID-19 pandemic slowed everything down. “The law Congress enacted did not relieve the FAA of the requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act,” the FAA spokesperson said. “We are following the federal rulemaking process, which requires public participation.” Indeed, some balloonists have been critical of the proposed rule, arguing it creates more work for pilots without truly improving safety. They point to another hot air balloon disaster — a June 2021 crash that killed a pilot and four passengers in Albuquerque, NM — and note that pilot actually had medical certification. A toxicology report indicates he also had illegal drugs in his system, although investigators are still determining the cause of the Albuquerque crash. Patricia Morgan lost her daughter, Lorilee Brabson, and her granddaughter, Paige Brabson, in the 2016 hot air balloon crash that killed 16 people near Lockhart. In this 2017 photo, Morgan holds a necklace with a photo of her loved ones. Of course, no single rule will prevent every disaster. But the federal investigators of the Lockhart crash said the failure to require medical certification for balloon pilots then was a “contributing factor." Patricia Morgan is infuriated by the FAA’s delays. She lost two loved ones in the Lockhart crash: her daughter, Lorilee Brabson, and her granddaughter, Paige Brabson. The balloon ride was a Mother’s Day present from Paige to Lorilee. Through photos and videos posted on social media, Morgan could see how delighted they were on the balloon ride. “They loved it,” she said wistfully. “My daughter had it on her bucket list.” Whether the balloon pilot had any kind of medical certification probably never crossed their minds, Morgan said. They likely figured they were in safe hands, that the pilot must have all the approvals one would need to fly. That’s what makes the FAA’s delays so frustrating, Morgan said. The agency knows better standards are needed. Congress has told the FAA to impose them. And yet people are still getting on hot air balloon rides without the benefit of this safeguard. “This could happen to anybody again,” Morgan said. “It will happen again.” UPDATE: After this column first posted, I heard from Eliav Cohen, head of the American Ballooning Safety and Training Association. He says aviation insurance companies now require commercial hot air balloon pilots to have the same second-class medical certification that the FAA is planning to mandate. It's encouraging to see the private sector step up to insist on better safety regulations. It shouldn't be so hard — or time-consuming — for the FAA to do the same. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/columns/2022/08/14/grumet-congress-acted-so-why-isnt-this-air-safety-rule-in-place/65400297007/ American aircraft declares emergency over Scotland A U.S. Air Force C-17 transport aircraft declared an emergency over Scotland this morning before landing at Glasgow Prestwick Airport. A source told me that the issue was related to the landing gear. “The aircraft had issues with its undercarriage, the crew were unable to lower the landing gear and as a result had to circle while the issue was sorted. The gear were soon lowered and locked and the aircraft landed safely.” The aircraft arrived from RAF Brize Norton. What is the significance of “Squawking 7700”? Captain Hoke is a Boeing 757/767 captain for a package express airline and also runs the website AeroSavvy, he had this to say. “Declaring an emergency means the crew determines they have an “urgency” or “distress” situation. “Urgency” means the crew is concerned about the safety of the flight and needs timely (but not necessarily immediate) assistance. A “distress” condition means that the flight is in serious and/or imminent danger and requires immediate assistance.” https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/american-aircraft-declares-emergency-over-scotland/ Stranded Jets In Russia Cause BOC Aviation To Write Down $800 Million BOC Aviation has written off 18 of its aircraft that are being held hostage in Russia, writing them off in their June 30 accounts. Singapore's BOC Aviation is the latest aircraft lessor to clear its books of aircraft stranded in Russia. The lessor wrote off $804 million for the aircraft, pushing it to a $313 million net loss for the six months ended June 30. Write-downs aside, BOC Aviation (BOC) had a successful first half of the year (1H 2022), with revenue up by 8% to $1.196 billion, compared to $1.11bn in 1H 2021. BOC has nearly $6 billion of liquidity Notably, lease rental revenue decreased from $927 million last year to $877mn in 1H 2022, which BOC said was due to "the termination of leases with Russian airlines of 18 owned aircraft and aircraft that were off lease." BOC had 17 aircraft in Russia with a net book value of $804 million. While it has written off the $804 million, that has been partially offset by the group's $223 million of cash collateral for those aircraft. The lessor also recorded a tax credit of $63 million on the write-down, reducing its after-tax impact to $518 million. Its liquidity stands at a healthy $454 million in cash and short-term deposits, in addition to $5.5 billion in undrawn committed credit facilities as of June 30. Lessor BOC is seeing increasing demand for new generation Boeing B737 Max aircraft. At the end of June, BOC had a portfolio of 608 owned, managed, and on-order aircraft. Its fleet has an average age of 4.1 years and an average remaining lease term of 8.4 years. Of the owned fleet of 390 airplanes, only eleven are not currently active, giving BOC a 96.1% utilization rate. The aircraft off-lease are five twin-aisle, eleven single-aisle, and one freighter aircraft. There are also four single-aisle aircraft off lease in the managed fleet of 37, although three are committed for lease. The order book is 100% new-gen aircraft BOC prides itself on having and acquiring new generation aircraft, with 69% of its owned fleet and 100% of ordered aircraft in that category. Out of the 608 owned, managed, or ordered aircraft, 344 are from Airbus, and 258 are from Boeing, with six freighters not identified by type. Its owned or managed single-aisles include 208 A320-family and 136 B737-family planes, while its widebodies include 32 B777s, 20 B787s, 16 A330s, and nine A350s. Looking at the 1H orders, BOC had committed to 111 A321neos, 49 B737 MAXs, and 21 B787s. Since June 30, it has canceled an order for three B787s and committed to buying six additional A320neo family aircraft, expected to be delivered in 2024. BOC Aviation prefers new generation aircraft like the A320neo. BOC Aviation prides itself on only ordering new generation aircraft, such as the Airbus A321neo. During 1H, BOC Aviation received 20 aircraft, with five to be acquired by airline customers on delivery. It transitioned six used aircraft to new homes and sold five from its owned fleet, recording a $13 million gain from the sales. Forty-six new lease commitments were signed in the first half of 2002, with all aircraft scheduled for delivery from BOC's order book before 2023 placed with airline customers. The lessor has 79 customers in 36 countries, spread reasonably equally around the regions. As measured by aircraft net book value, BOC has 24% in Asia-Pacific, 20% in Europe, 17% in the Americas, and 12% in Africa. Its largest region is the combined group of China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, with 27%. https://simpleflying.com/russia-stranded-jets-boc-aviation/ FAA Awards $2.7M in Drone Research to Support Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Response WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded $2.7 million to support research on how drones can assist in disaster preparedness and in emergencies. “Every second counts in an emergency, and this funding will allow drones to safely and more quickly deploy in moments when minutes matter,” said Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen. The research will explore the use of drones in providing effective and efficient responses to different natural and human-made disasters. It will address coordination procedures among drone operators from federal agencies as well as state and local disaster preparedness and emergency response organizations. The five universities and their award amounts are: University of Vermont $1,195,000 University of Alabama Huntsville $828,070 New Mexico State University $400,000 North Carolina State University $200,000 Kansas State University $145,000 Today’s announcement is the third round of Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) grants, which brings the total to 20 grants valued at $21 million for Fiscal Year 2022. The ASSURE Center of Excellence is one of six that the agency has established to help advance technology and educate the next generation of aviation professionals. Research conducted through ASSURE is focused on helping the drone community safely grow and integrate into the nation’s airspace. Earlier in 2022, Secretary Buttigieg outlined six key Innovation Principles the Department of Transportation will apply when fostering transportation technologies. Specifically, while continuing to commit to the highest standards of safety across technologies, these awards demonstrate the Department’s commitment to exploring ways to leverage innovation to help communities and public sector partners through experimentation. More than 850,000 recreational and commercial drones are in the active drone fleet, and that number is expected to grow. https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-awards-27m-drone-research-support-disaster-preparedness-emergency-response Here's what you should know about the controversy surrounding the appointment of Uganda Airlines' new CEO • Controversy surrounding the appointment of Jennifer Bamuturaki as Uganda Airlines CEO • The new CEO got appointed following a directive by President Yoweri Museveni. • She previously served as the airline's commercial director and later as acting CEO. • PwC was in the process of recruiting a new CEO for the airline when President Museveni gave the directive. Ms Jennifer Bamuturaki, the recently appointed Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Airlines, said she did not apply for the job. But this does not mean she isn't qualified to run the company. The new CEO stated this in the wake of controversy about whether she is even qualified for the position. Business Insider Africa understands that Ms Bamuturaki became acting CEO of Uganda Airlines after former CEO Cornwell Muleya got fired earlier this year. Prior to becoming acting CEO, she was the airline's commercial director. As of July this year, Uganda Airlines had contracted the services of PwC to recruit a new CEO. And one of the main requirements for the right candidate is that they must have a postgraduate degree in either business or administration. While the recruitment process was ongoing, President Yoweri Museveni directed Uganda's Ministry of Works to confirm Ms Bamuturaki as CEO. The development raised eyebrows among some Ugandans, even as the newly confirmed CEO was summoned by a senate committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises to explain her qualifications for the job. Ms Bamuturaki appeared before the committee last week and told them that even though she didn't apply for the position, she was qualified to head the state-owned airline. According to The East African, the lawmakers noted that Ms Bamuturaki's CV showed that she did not meet the minimum academic requirement for the job, which is a postgraduate degree in administration or a related business course. Interestingly, information on her LinkedIn page shows that she graduated with a Master's degree in Public Administration, Management & Public Policy Analysis from Makerere University in 1996. She also has most of the other requirements for the job. She had even held previous managerial positions in some of Uganda's top companies. However, it appears the bone of contention is the fact that her appointment did not follow due process. In the meantime, PwC is expected to earn the consultation fee of $25,000 as stipulated in the contract. https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/leaders/controversy-surrounding-the-appointment-of-jennifer-bamuturaki-as-uganda-airlines-ceo/pkch3yh Why US Airports' ICAO Codes Start With The Letter K The K-prefix was assigned by the International Civil Aviation Organization to the continental United States. If you've traveled by air, you have most likely seen codes such as 'LAX' or the 'JFK' on your boarding pass or luggage tag. These three-letter airport identifiers are known as the IATA airport codes, and are generally used by commercial airlines when identifying their destinations. ICAO codes, on the other hand, are used more generally in aviation to identify airports and landing strips. These codes are four-letter codes, consisting of a country or region prefix. ICAO Airport Codes In the United States, the ICAO codes of most airports are simply their IATA code (think 'ORD' or 'MIA') with the prefix 'K' ('KORD' or KMIA'). The prefix 'K' was assigned to the United States by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as it wanted these prefixes to reflect the geographical location of each airport or airstrip. Other prefixes include: - 'E' for Northern Europe, including the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Germany, and Poland - 'O' for the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen and Oman - 'Z' for Continental East Asia, including China and Mongolia - 'S' for South America, including Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela - 'U' for former Soviet Republics, including Russia, Georgia and Kazakhstan LAX sign Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has the ICAO airport code KLAX. Exceptions to the K-prefix rule The 'K' prefix was only reserved for the continental United States (all states from California to Maine and from Washington to Florida, but not Hawaii and Alaska). Therefore, both Hawaii and Alaska actually use the 'P' prefix, which is more commonly used in the South Pacific islands. However, unlike the continental United States, which simply adds the K prefix to the IATA airport code, each country, state, or region which uses the 'P' prefix is assigned a second letter. For example, Hawaii is assigned 'H', and so all ICAO codes within the state of Hawaii begin with 'PH'. Alaskan airports are instead given the prefix 'PA'. Honolulu (IATA: HNL) and Kahului (IATA: OGG) are therefore PHNL and PHGG, respectively. Alaskan Airports Anchorage (IATA: ANC) and Fairbanks (IATA: FAI) are PANC and PAFA. ICAO prefixes depend on the geographical location of the airport. Differences between the IATA and ICAO airport codes IATA airport codes are used by commercial airlines in their operations, and are assigned by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). They initially established these airport codes to facilitate international travel. More recently, IATA has started issuing codes to bus and ferry terminals, as well as train stations, to allow for better connections between these modes of transport. ICAO airport codes are generally less recognized by commercial passengers. For example, when referring to London Heathrow Airport or Hong Kong International Airport, most passengers will simply think of LHR and HKG, not EGLL and VHHH. However, for industry professionals such as air traffic controllers and pilots, these ICAO airport codes mean much more. In flight plans, for example, airports are identified by these codes. In addition, some other locations such as weather forecast facilities and air traffic control offices are also given ICAO codes. How do airports receive ICAO airport codes? In the United States, airports that would like to be given an ICAO airport code are asked to contact the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which will then give the relevant authorities the contact information for the International Civil Aviation Organization. Airports then have to provide detailed information such as location, altitude, length of runway, etc., in order to obtain an ICAO airport code. https://simpleflying.com/why-us-airports-icao-codes-start-with-the-letter-k/ Brazil Privatizes São Paulo Congonhas Airport: Who Is The New Administrator? This was the seventh round of auctions aimed to privatize Brazilian airports. One final round remains. A plane prepares to land at Congonhas Airport, in Sao Paulo, BrazilPhoto: Getty Images. On Thursday, the Brazilian government held the seventh round of airport privatizations, and São Paulo Congonhas Airport (CGH), one of the most important hubs in the country, was adjudicated. Aena, the Spanish airport operator, won the bid of Congonhas and ten additional airports and will pay €468 million to administrate these hubs for the next 30 years. Congonhas auctioned Brazil has been privatizing its airports since 2012 to speed up the modernization of the transport infrastructure (last year, it auctioned 22 regional airports). This year, the country held the seventh round of privatizations, which included Congonhas International Airport, the second most important domestic hub in Brazil (339.2 million passengers since 2000, only surpassed by Guarulhos International Airport). The Brazilian government divided this round into three blocks. In the first block, it included Congonhas and these airports: Campo Grande, Corumba, Ponta Pora, Santarém, Marabá, Paraupebas, Altamira, Uberlândia, Uberaba, Montes Claros, and Minas Gerais. The second block included two small airports better suited for private aviation, Campo de Marte and Jacaperaguá, and the third block was composed of the Belém and Macapá airports. The first block was clearly the most commercially attractive. Congonhas Airport is located in the State of São Paulo, an area of 248,219 km², approximately 50% the size of Spain. This State has a population of 46.3 million, similar to that of Spain or Argentina, twice that of Chile, or four times that of Portugal. In 2022, Congonhas has had 7.79 million passengers (it does not have international operations), recovering 71.86% of the domestic traffic it had in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has commercial services from LATAM Airlines Group, Azul Linhas Aéreas, GOL Linhas Aéreas, and Passaredo, according to Cirium. A plane prepares to land at Congonhas Airport, in Sao Paulo, Brazil Aena won the auction to operate Congonhas Airport in Brazil Aena, the new operator Aena, the Spanish airport operator who handles 48 airports in the European country (including Madrid Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat), was the winner of the auction. This company already manages six airports in the northeast Brazilian region, meaning it will operate a network of 17 airports in Brazil and will become the manager of the country's largest network of concessioned hubs. Chairman and CEO of Aena, Maurici Lucena: "Despite the hard times we have gone through because of COVID-19, and always with the priority of generating value for public and private shareholders and employees, we are convinced that the internationalization of Aena is a guarantee for the future. Brazil's potential is indisputable. Its domestic traffic, for example, is 100% recovered". What’s next? To acquire the 11 airports, AENA paid approximately €468 million during the public auction. AENA expects to sign the contract to administrate these airports in February 2023, and the concession period will last 30 years, with the possibility of five more. Moreover, the airport operator expects to invest around 5 billion reais in these airports (approximately US$1 billion). Between 2011 and 2021, the airport concession program in Brazil has awarded the equivalent of 75.82% of national traffic to private companies. With the latest auction round, this percentage will reach 91.6% of passengers served at the now privatized airports. Brazil is now near the end of this series of auctions to privatize its main airports. Nonetheless, there are two top hubs expecting to be privatized. Rio de Janeiro’s Santos Dumont Airport (SDH) will be auctioned separately (it was previously included in the Congonhas Airport's block). Additionally, the concessionaire of Rio de Janeiro’s second airport, Galeão International (GIG), announced earlier this year it will return its concession due to the low passenger volumes during the pandemic. The contract for the concessionaire, RIOGaleão, controlled by Singapore's Changi Airport, was valid until 2039. This forced the Brazilian government to launch an eighth and final auction. “As we create the eighth round, we will have the same operator for Galeão and Santos Dumont. This resolves a series of issues and removes a series of concerns that were being expressed by the productive sector in Rio,” infrastructure minister Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas said in a statement. https://simpleflying.com/brazil-privatizes-sao-paulo-congonhas-airport-new-administrator/ UAA adds to their aviation division in an effort to fight pilot shortage ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - National Aviation Week begins Aug. 19, recognizing the achievements that have simplified long-distance travel. The week is a celebration of all things aviation. In 1939 the week was declared a national holiday as aviation was born in the United States. The date even coincides with Orville Wright’s birthday. Aviation history is full of exciting endeavors and exploration. But in Alaska, it’s more of a necessity than a perk. Currently, the airline industry desperately needs pilots, and Alaska is no exception. Alaska is home to some of the busiest airports not only in the United States, but in the entire world as well as the most airplanes owned per capita for the general population. In a state where flying is just as important as driving, the University of Alaska Anchorage is hoping to lure potential pilots in by adding to its aviation division. Andrew Garner, the Development and Education Officer at the Alaska Aviation Museum, explains how air travel is critical in Alaska. “Less than 5% of Alaska is accessible by roadway so aircraft really are the only way to get to some of the smaller villages and hamlets that are located away from the three major cities of Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau,” Garner says. Some of the courses offered will include: • Tailwheel courses: The Tailwheel Program is not as common in the Lower 48, however, a lot of general aviation airplanes in Alaska are tailwheel aircraft. • ATC and Radar Control Labs: These full-room simulator labs mimic an air traffic control tower. UAA is one of the few schools to offer the ATCTI program, which trains people to get ready to go into the Air Traffic Control Field. • Pinch Hitter course: This course teaches non-pilots how to handle a potential emergency where the pilot becomes incapacitated. During the spring 2022 semester, non-pilots went through a two-day course with a certified flight instructor and flew a flight simulator to deal with emergency scenarios. • Even drones have been added to the mix. During the spring 2022 semester, students were given hands-on training to use drones for various uses on land. According to garner drone flying often stimulates interest in aviation. “If you ask a lot of civilian pilots or even commercial pilots, especially these days, where they first learned how to fly or what ignited that interest in aviation, a lot of them will point to drones,” said Garner. The Alaska Aviation Museum is also playing its part. Each year they have the Alaska Aviation Club, a week-long program for middle school students to come in and learn about aircraft, basic flying, and the science behind planes. https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2022/08/20/uaa-adds-their-aviation-division-an-effort-fight-pilot-shortage/ Webinar: Airspace Integration, Sustainable Aviation Fuels with NBAA Ed Bolen, President and CEO and Steve Brown, Chief Operating Officer of the National Business Aviation Association sit down with RTCA’s Terry McVenes to discuss airspace integration, infrastructure, workforce development and promoting sustainable aviation fuel. The speakers discuss the critical issues facing the business aviation industry and how NBAA is meeting the challenges through their new Owner Pilot Association Coalition, the Mentoring Network and their upcoming convention in October. Webinar runs 1pm-2pm ET and is free to attend. REGISTER https://bit.ly/3zWPIb3 Curt Lewis