Flight Safety Information - October 6, 2022 No.193 In This Issue : Boeing 737-8F2 (WL) - Tire Failure/Fire/Evacuation (Turkey) : Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-200 (CRJ2) - Taxiway Excursion (Dayton, OH) : Jet Goes Off Taxiway, Closes Dayton International Airport : Airbus A220-300 - Bird Strike/Damage - (Utah) : NTSB has recovered 'the majority' of downed floatplane, investigators examining wreckage : Pilots union opposes granting Boeing 737 MAX 7, 10 cockpit alerting extension : Navy Engineers Make Helicopter Pilots’ Most Dangerous Job Safer : NAS Patuxent River Promotes Safety with Base-Wide FOD Walk Down : Perth Airport Starts Trialing Biometric Boarding On Singapore Airlines Flights : Global Aerospace’s SM4 Aviation Safety Program Provides Valuable Insights on Avoiding Aviation Ground Incidents : EU aviation commission agrees to meet Pakistan for possible PIA flight revival : Singapore Aviation Hiring 4,000 Staff With Flights At 80% of 2019 Levels : United Airlines Buys 18 CRJ-700s From Mesa Airlines : Atlas Air Takes The 3rd From Last Boeing 747 As The Final Aircraft Leaves The Production line : Azul Conecta Offering Its Maintenance And Pilot Training Services Outside The Airline : Lilium Jet Achieves Full Transition from Hover to Wing-Borne Flight : Crew Dragon launches safely, carrying first Russian from US soil in 20 years : GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Boeing 737-8F2 (WL) - Tire Failure/Fire/Evacuation (Turkey) Date: 06-OCT-2022 Time: 03:05 LT Type: Boeing 737-8F2 (WL) Owner/operator: THY - Türk Hava Yolları Registration: TC-JVN MSN: 60018/5848 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: Hatay Airport (HTY/LTDA) - Turkey Phase: Landing Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Istanbul Airport (IST/LTFM) Destination airport: Hatay Airport (HTY/LTDA) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: Turkish Airlines flight TK2256, a Boeing 737-800, suffered a tire failure on landing at Hatay Airport (HTY). Flames were observed at the right-hand main gear and an evacuation was carried out on the runway. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/289976 Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-200 (CRJ2) - Taxiway Excursion (Dayton, OH) Date: 05-OCT-2022 Time: 19:41 Type: Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-200 (CRJ2) Owner/operator: Air Wisconsin (opb. United Express) Registration: N447AW MSN: 7812 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 45 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Location: James M Cox Dayton International Airport (DAY/KDAY) Dayton, OH - United States of America Phase: Taxi Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD/KIAD) Destination airport: Dayton-James Cox Dayton International Airport, OH (DAY/KDAY) Narrative: The Air Wisconsin Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-200 (CRJ2), registration N447AW, operating as Flight AWI3818 from Washington-Dulles International Airport was not damaged subsequent to the taxiway excursion during taxi after landing at James M Cox Dayton International Airport (KDAY) Dayton, Ohio. There were no reported injuries to the forty-five passengers and crew onboard. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/289934 Jet Goes Off Taxiway, Closes Dayton International Airport Oct. 6—A regional jet went off a taxiway Wednesday evening at the Dayton International Airport shutting down the airport until further notice. Air Wisconsin Flight 3818 from Washington, D.C. to Dayton, operating for United Airlines, went off the taxiway sometime after 7 p.m., said Linda Hughes, air service manager for the airport. The aircraft involved is a Bombardier CRJ200 regional jet, which seats 50 people. Hughes said there were 45 people aboard, including the flight crew, and that there were no reported injuries. "It was a blessing that everyone was fine," she said. Passengers were being loaded onto buses to carry them to the terminal. It is not clear when the airport will reopen. The incident is under investigation. In scanner traffic, crews said that there may have been some damage to one of the plane's wings due to clipping a pole, but Hughes said she couldn't confirm that report. https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/news/21283014/jet-goes-off-taxiway-closes-dayton-international-airport Airbus A220-300 - Bird Strike/Damage - (Utah) Date: 05-OCT-2022 Time: 00:04 LT Type: Airbus A220-300 Owner/operator: Delta Air Lines Registration: N308DU MSN: 55101 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Salt Lake City International Airport, UT (SLC/KSLC) - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, TX (DFW/KDFW) Destination airport: Salt Lake City International Airport, UT (SLC/KSLC) Confidence Rating: Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities Narrative: Delta Air Lines flight DL1666, a Airbus A220-300 struck a bird damaging a pitot tube, the no.1 engine and the left side of the nose. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/289646 NTSB has recovered 'the majority' of downed floatplane, investigators examining wreckage The wreckage has been taken to a secure facility where NTSB investigators are examining it, a spokesperson said. FREELAND, Wash. — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has completed recovery operations following a deadly floatplane crash off the coast of Whidbey Island in September. Recovery operations ended on Friday. A majority of the aircraft has been recovered and moved to a secure facility where NTSB investigators are examining it, a spokesperson said. Officials said determining the probable cause for the accident could take between 12-24 months. Ten people were killed in the floatplane crash, including nine adults and one child. The floatplane took off from Friday Harbor as a scheduled commuter flight to the Renton Municipal Airport. Witnesses reported the plane took a nose dive before crashing and disappearing below the surface of the water. Island County Emergency Management said six bodies have been recovered from the crash with five of them positively identified. One of the bodies recovered has not yet been identified. The body of one passenger, later identified as Gabbie Hanna, was previously recovered by a good Samaritan at the crash site. The families of the victims in the crash plan to conduct their own investigation into what went wrong, because the NTSB's findings are not admissible in court, according for an attorney for the families. The NTSB released its preliminary report on Sept. 16 detailing the moments leading to the floatplane crash. NTSB said the information contained in the report is preliminary and subject to change as the investigation progresses. https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/ntsb-recovery-deadly-floatplane-crash-whidbey-island/281-f816c0ba-f30a-40b4-8554-1ed886065961 Pilots union opposes granting Boeing 737 MAX 7, 10 cockpit alerting extension WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The union representing 15,000 American Airlines pilots said on Wednesday it strongly opposes an effort in Congress to extend an exemption from modern cockpit alerting requirements for the Boeing 737 MAX 7 and 10. Boeing faces a December deadline to win approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the 737 MAX 7 and 10 variants, or it must meet new modern cockpit-alerting requirements that could significantly delay the plane's entry into service. Allied Pilots Association President Capt. Edward Sicher said "Boeing needs to proceed with installing modern crew alerting systems on these aircraft to mitigate pilot startle-effect and confusion during complex, compound system malfunctions." The FAA declined to comment. Boeing, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment, has said it is safer to have one common cockpit alerting system for all versions of the 737. Reuters reported on Monday that Boeing does not anticipate winning regulatory approval for its 737 MAX 10 before next summer, according to an FAA letter to Congress. Last week, Senator Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Commerce Committee, proposed extending the deadline for Boeing to win approval for the two new variants until September 2024 and hopes to attach the proposal to an annual defense bill. There is no indication yet if Wicker's proposal has the support of other key lawmakers including committee chair Senator Maria Cantwell, a Democrat. Cantwell's office did not immediately comment. The requirements were adopted as part of a certification reform bill passed after two fatal 737 MAX crashes killed 346 people and led to the best-selling plane's 20-month grounding. Relatives of many of those killed in the MAX crashes also oppose giving Boeing an extension. They wrote a letter in July opposing the extension and suggest Boeing had resorted "to bullying Congress." Sicher said the pilots union did not agree "with Boeing’s claim that pilots could become confused when moving from an airplane without the modern alert system to one that is equipped with it. Nothing could be further from our flight deck reality." https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/pilots-union-opposes-granting-boeing-213203730.html (Photo Courtesy: US Navy) Navy Engineers Make Helicopter Pilots’ Most Dangerous Job Safer UNITED STATES - Landing a helicopter in low visibility environments is one of the most difficult tasks in aviation for a rotary-wing pilot; add weather like fog, wind or worse and aircraft recovery can be dangerous. Landing a helicopter in low visibility environments is one of the most difficult tasks in aviation for a rotary-wing pilot; add weather like fog, wind or worse and aircraft recovery can be dangerous. The very team who brought naval tactical aviation Precision Landing Mode (PLM) has now set sights on advancing capability and operational readiness for pilots flying legacy rotorcraft across the DOD. “Rotary-wing pilots flying newer rotorcraft like CH-53K have the benefit of augmented landing tech built in,” said Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) engineer Matthew Rhinehart. “But there are thousands of legacy helos across the DOD that don’t—it’s a safety challenge for which we’ve engineered a proven-successful solution.” Between 2000 and 2013, 26 Class A mishaps were attributed to degraded visuals in DOD aviation. The engineering team is working on two prototype systems that will be integrated into aircraft to help pilots with landings. The first is the Adaptive Shipboard Guidance and Recovery Display (ASGaRD), a software system designed for pilots landing on ships at sea. The system integrates into cockpit displays to provide visual cues that allow pilots to make safer landings on pitching decks. Different from PLM, ASGaRD provides visual assistance only and does not interfere with a pilot’s flight handling. Deploying the system is as simple as a software update making it an immediate solution for rotary pilots flying legacy aircraft. The second prototype is the Low Speed Precision Control (LSPC), a software and hardware system that helps pilots make land-based landings in low-visibility environments with dust, sand or snow. The modular system also integrates into cockpits bolted to existing controls providing pilots with landing assistance through flight control and stability modification, similar to PLM. As LSPC includes a hardware component—essentially a metal box with a lever—the system requires additional logistics for installation. Recently, the team demoed the systems in NAWCAD’s Manned Flight Simulator, where Navy and Marine Corps test pilots successfully approached and landed rotary aircraft like an MH-60S and CH-53E in zero-visibility conditions, an extremely dangerous task for rotary pilots today. During the demonstrations, more than 10 developmental test pilots flew mission representative tasks in simulators—in this case with degraded visuals—both with and without the augmentation tech. The results were starkly different: the test team found the systems significantly reduced pilot workload and increased safety when landing in zero-visibility environments on virtual pitching decks at sea in fog, and amidst a dust cloud in a virtual desert. “In the lab we monitored how hard the pilots worked and how much drift they experienced, which generally precedes a mishap or crash,” Rhinehart said. “Pilots using the tech landed safely every single time—we’re confidently reducing the workload and most importantly, improving their safety.” Both technologies target legacy aircraft including the H-60, CH-53, H-1 and V-22 aircraft. Pilots operating these aircraft would fly with both systems installed, with ASGaRD serving as an immediate solution as a simple software update. “If NAWCAD’s visual landing aids were fielded in aircraft like MH-60R/S or legacy aircraft like CH-53E today, fleet aviators would see a safe and successful recovery every single time,” said NAWCAD engineer Jacques Hoffler. ASGaRD is under development by Systems Technology Inc. in sponsorship by the Office of Naval Research and with support from NAVAIR. LSPC is a developmental initiative in partnership with AMERICAN SYSTEMS. Its initial design was funded by the H-53 Heavy Lift Helicopters Program Office. Both technologies require funding and adoption by a rotary-wing program to mature the capabilities to fleet deployment. https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3179882/navy-engineers-make-helicopter-pilots-most-dangerous-job-safer/ (Photo Courtesy: US Navy) NAS Patuxent River Promotes Safety with Base-Wide FOD Walk Down NAS PATUXENT RIVER, Md. - Standing shoulder-to-shoulder as they methodically made their way down the runway looking for anything large enough to pick up with their fingers, volunteers at NAS Patuxent River came together to support an often overlooked part of every day’s flight operations. Military and civilian personnel from across NAS Patuxent River joined together for a foreign object and debris (FOD) walk down of the base’s airfield in early September. The event served as a reminder that aviation safety is everyone’s responsibility, and is as important on the ground as it is in the air. “FOD walk downs are regular occurrences at NAS Patuxent River; however, we normally don’t take the time to walk the entire field. Since taking command of the base, security and safety have been my top priorities,” said Capt. Derrick Kingsley, NAS Patuxent River Commanding Officer. “Taking the time to pause operations and conduct a base-wide FOD walk down is necessary. Just because a FOD mishap hasn’t happened, doesn’t mean that we wait for it to happen to take action. That’s what Get Real and Get Better is all about. Leaning forward and taking action and ownership.” Kingsley charged the NAS Patuxent River Air Operations Department – which oversees the Air Traffic Control, Airfield Services, and Ground Electronics Divisions on base – with coordinating the event and connecting with Pax River’s mission partners. “We probably had somewhere in the ballpark of 100 people come out and support,” said Lt. Cmdr. Christopher “KP” Kuharpitters, NAS Patuxent River Air Operations Officer. “I can tell you is that FOD is a major safety concern for all of Naval Aviation and that is why FOD prevention programs exist throughout the Naval Aviation Enterprise,” added Kuharpitters. Kuharpitters spearheaded coordination with mission partners across Pax River, including NAVAIR, NAWC-AD, and Naval Test Wing Atlantic. “Thanks to the squadrons and commands that participated, we hope to do this every six months,” added Kingsley. “While the teambuilding aspect of the event was great to see, FOD prevention is a serious undertaking.” FOD are any errant materials that can damage or otherwise be harmful to an aircraft engine or its components. These objects seriously damaging to aircraft, and put aircrews and ground support personnel alike at risk. According to the National Aerospace FOD Prevention, Inc., FOD damage costs the aviation industry approximately $13 billion a year in direct and indirect costs. https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3181225/nas-patuxent-river-promotes-safety-with-base-wide-fod-walk-down/ Perth Airport Starts Trialing Biometric Boarding On Singapore Airlines Flights Australia's Perth Airport is switching to a touchless, biometric check-in to boarding process, trialing it with Singapore Airlines. If there are any positives to come out of Covid at all, then the rapid move into contactless technologies is one. Many of these solutions, including self-serve check-in and biometrics, are not new, but their adoption has been accelerated by the pandemic and the resulting lack of available staff to process passengers manually. Australia's Perth Airport (PER) is an important west-coast hub, located around 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) and four and a half hours flying time from Sydney International Airport (SYD). It is where Qantas flight QF9, the 17 hours non-stop service to London Heathrow Airport (LHR), departs and is a popular hub for flights to Southeast Asia. The Heathrow flight is the first step in Qantas's Project Sunrise, which will operate non-stop flights from Sydney and Melbourne to New York and London using Airbus A350 aircraft. The QF9 service is operated by a Boeing 787-9, which takes around 17 hours to cover the 9,000 miles (14,500 kilometers) to London. Your face is the boarding pass Singapore Airlines is trialing biometric check-in, bag drop and boarding in conjunction with Perth Airport. This week Perth Airport announced it is trialing biometric passenger processing, starting with selected Singapore Airlines flights. The airport has installed new self-service kiosks and bag drop units that are currently being used by Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand, with Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Malaysia Airlines soon switching to them. The biometric trial, using technology from Amadeus, will involve Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific. Using biometrics this way turns a passenger's face into a boarding pass, completing the transition from printed boarding passes to mobile phones to something you can't leave at home. Perth Airport CEO Kevin Brown said using biometrics will eliminate the need for a physical boarding pass and passport check at both the auto bag drop and boarding gate. He added that the technology would allow "more passengers to be served to a higher standard" and support the airport's growth. "We have an uncompromising stance on safety and security, and the adoption of the new technology enhances our processes while also improving the customer experience and ease of processing by automating passenger identification." Perth and Singapore go way back Perth Airport has been hosting Singapore Airlines flights for more than 50 years, with the A350-900 currently on the route. Singapore Airlines has been operating at the airport for more than fifty years and currently operates 21 weekly services between Singapore and Perth. The airline maintained passenger and cargo services to Australia throughout the pandemic, and since the border reopened, it has rebuilt services to more than 110 flights to seven cities. Its Australian services are operated with a mix of Airbus A350-900s and A380s, with Boeing 737 MAX 8s, 787-10s and 777-300ERs. The airport recently converted 16 check-in counters in its international terminal into 36 self-check-in kiosks and 16 auto bag drop units, all having biometric processing capability. For the trial, volunteer passengers will self-check in and, with their consent, create a biometric token that verifies the booking and passport details and the facial image. The passenger is biometrically identified at the bag drop, and no documents are required for that part of the process. At boarding, the biometric camera will automatically identify them using the token and validate their details against the airline's departure control system. If all is in order, the boarding gate opens, the passenger is marked as boarded in the airline's system and can proceed to the aircraft. Biometric systems are not without their critics, particularly on the issue of storing passenger images and data protection. On the Amadeus system at Perth Airport, the biometric token is protected and stored on a secure server for a "very limited period" and is deleted after the passenger boards the flight or 24 hours after it was created. https://simpleflying.com/perth-airport-singapore-airlines-biometric-boarding/ Global Aerospace’s SM4 Aviation Safety Program Provides Valuable Insights on Avoiding Aviation Ground Incidents There are approximately 27,000 ramp accidents and incidents worldwide each year. While the injury rate is about 9 per 1,000 departures, and we care deeply about the cost to our personnel, the price we pay for these mishaps goes far beyond the bodily toll. This is not simply due to aircraft damage, but also due to the time and labor spent to repair an airframe and absorb the cost of its downtime. This can be substantial, especially in a world where airworthiness equates to profit. The sad part is that the majority of these incidents occur due to human error. There is not one documented case of an aircraft leaping out to assault a hangar door, nor does ground equipment randomly slam into an airframe without an unfortunate assist. Most often, it is due to many factors, with time pressure being high on the list and fatigue a close second. While every aircraft movement is unique, the circumstances leading up to incidents rarely are. Searching for Solutions Attributing incidents to carelessness or apathy is easy. Finding solutions and addressing contributing factors is much harder. There are numerous programs and training efforts designed to reduce errors and mishaps. However, each comes down to the will of the individual to focus solely on the mission at hand and take a methodical, logical approach to each movement or action. We know how to conduct operations correctly, but knowing why you might do it incorrectly is another issue entirely. We must always ask ourselves “What is different about this action?” Recognizing your own personal distractions and biases, and quite often the pulse of the aviation culture in your particular organization, can be key. Business aviation is generally a time-driven operation with pressure (often self-induced) to launch as scheduled, arrive on time, beat weather delays and keep the passengers happy. This creates pressure to move faster and sometimes trade safety for what appears, at the time, to be efficiency. There is an old saying that, “If you don’t have time to do it right, you must have time to do it again.” Or, as military special operations personnel say, “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.” Staying Grounded in Safety Ground operations are often taken for granted because aircraft are typically pictured in the sky. In reality, an aircraft spends the majority of its time on the ground and, therefore, that is where it is most vulnerable. We tend to assume that each aircraft movement will be the same as the last. And we ignore the fact that there are perhaps different people involved, at different times of day, with different rest factors, unique distractions on their mind and possibly very different weather conditions. Countless factors ensure that no aircraft movement is exactly like another. Yet, we too often treat it like a familiar cousin with little consideration of what might present a unique danger for each movement. We are also sometimes too comfortable, complacent, or overconfident in our abilities to operate in a state of perpetual fatigue. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” is the mantra of overachievers, who often pursue aviation as a profession. We perceive ourselves as more capable and able to handle more than most. This is not always true. We are fallible. We are biased. We are susceptible to fatigue. And we need to pause to recognize the risk of incidents and accidents that are entirely preventable if we are willing to slow down to go fast. Looking to Our Leaders Leadership bears some of the responsibility for many incidents. Giving ground personnel license to slow down, reducing the repercussions from delays and perhaps rewarding team members for diligence and judgement in hectic times can go far in empowering workers to take ownership of aircraft movement. What have we gained if we move an aircraft faster only to incur damage which precludes flight? Perhaps the bottom line is understanding that aircraft ground movement cannot be a purely top-driven event. It must be done quite deliberately and exclusively by qualified ground personnel who are present, aware, empowered and free to make safety calls outside of leadership pressure. We must acknowledge the unique nature of each aircraft movement and respect that sometimes we must trade speed for effectiveness. It means we must be patient and we must be dedicated to solving the issue of ground damage rather than simply giving it lip service and hoping for the best. About Global Aerospace SM4 Aviation Safety Program The Global Aerospace SM4 Safety Program has revolutionized the way insurance specialists help their clients achieve higher levels of operational safety. SM4 was built on the concept of integrating four critical safety components: planning, prevention, response and recovery. Its mission is to help organizations manage risk, enrich training efforts, strengthen safety culture and improve safety management systems. https://sm4.global-aero.com/ Global Aerospace SM4 Aviation Safety Program Media Contact Suzanne Keneally Vice President, Group Head of Communications +1 973-490-8588 https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/global-aerospaces-sm4-aviation-safety-program-provides-valuable-insights-on-avoiding-aviation-ground-incidents#ixzz7gwcetfL9 EU aviation commission agrees to meet Pakistan for possible PIA flight revival The PIA first came under scrutiny after its flight PK8303 crashed in Karachi on May 22, 2020, killing at least 97 passengers. The initial report said that the crash was due to a human error by the pilot and the air traffic control. Pakistan is desperately trying to get revocation of the ban imposed on its airline by Europe after a string of scandals and safety issues. In the latest move, the civil aviation officials of the country have been granted a meeting with EU officials later this month. According to local media, the meeting is scheduled for October 25. This comes months after Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said that International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) has agreed to an online audit after which the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will also do a physical audit in the month of October. If approved, the Pakistan International Airline (PIA) can restart direct flights to European countries and the UK as early as the end of this month, reports suggest. The PIA first came under scrutiny after its flight PK8303 crashed in Karachi on May 22, 2020, killing at least 97 passengers. The initial report said that the crash was due to a human error by the pilot and the air traffic control. The investigation following the incident led the former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan to ground at least 262 airline pilots who were suspected of bypassing their examination. In July 2020, the EASA suspended the authorisation for PIA flights to operate in EU countries for six months. According to reports, the EASA raised concerns regarding the pilots’ licensing issue in the country and cited the Pakistan aviation minister’s speech in the Parliament which indicated that at least one-third of Pakistani pilots had fake licences. The EU had also expressed concerns over CAA’s safety deficiencies which included the whole process of licencing and authorisations, application and oversight of safety management systems and establishment of the occurrence reporting system, and so on. Since then Pakistan has repeatedly attempted to get the ban lifted, however, it was retained again earlier this year in January. According to sources, the CAA has indicated that the technical discussion with the EASA has concluded and they will conduct an online audit of the airline after which they would also conduct a physical audit of both the CAA and PIA. If approved, they will possibly let PIA flights in EU countries again. The CAA officials expressed hope that the ban on PIA flights is lifted by early 2023, the local media reported. https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/report-eu-aviation-commission-agrees-to-meet-pakistan-for-possible-pia-flight-revival-522802 Singapore Aviation Hiring 4,000 Staff With Flights At 80% of 2019 Levels Even without travelers from China, Singapore is roaring back and needs to find 4,000 aviation workers by the end of this year. This week, Singapore's Transport Minister S Iswaran told the national parliament that the aviation industry is looking to hire another 4,000 workers by the end of this year. If the industry reaches that hiring goal, Singapore will employ around 90% of its pre-pandemic workforce. When the minister talks about the aviation industry, he does not specify how broad the segment is, referring to "industry stakeholders." However, he does add that in the first half of 2002, the air transport sector recovered to about 80% of pre-Covid levels. Focusing on Singapore Changi Airport, in 2018, it processed 65.6 million passengers and grew that to 68.3 million passengers in 2019. As Covid took hold in 2020, the airport processed 11.8 million and reached its nadir last year with just 3.05 million passengers. In the first two months of this year, the airport had 1.2 million passengers, but by the end of August, it had processed 16.5 million, adding 3.3 million in August. During the pandemic, terminals two and four were closed, but in September, Terminal 4 reopened, and half of terminal 2 is set to reopen in mid-October. When that happens, the airport will have the capacity to handle up to 100% of pre-pandemic levels. The minister also told parliament that the number of flights operating at Changi Airport has recovered to "nearly two-thirds of pre-COVID levels." Iswaran added: "As of the first week of September, average weekly passenger traffic at Changi Airport has recovered to about 60% of pre-COVID-19 levels, and it has held that level steadily. We expect [the number of flights] to increase further as airlines respond to demand from travelers, following the recent border easing announcements by key travel markets, such as Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan." The rest of the year looks strong, even without the return of tourists from China. The number of flights that airlines have already filed to operate at Changi Airport by the end of the year is more than 80% of pre-Covid levels, leaving just that gap from one of its main markets. However, Iswaran cautioned that finding people is not going to be easy, and that is only part of the solution anyway, as they have to be trained to safely deliver for everyone, including themselves. In a reference perhaps aimed more broadly than Changi Airport, he pointed out that digitalization and sustainability are critical considerations for hiring new people. He said: "And for this, we will need specific skill sets. So we either have to retrain those who are already in the industry, and that is happening as we speak, but at the same time, we also may need specific types of talent to come onboard to augment what we already have." Enough staff to catch rhinoceros horn smuggler Changi airport does not lack skills in enforcing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES). On Tuesday, its officers detected and seized 20 pieces of rhinoceros horns that were being smuggled through the airport. Hidden in two bags, the officers found 20 pieces of rhinoceros horns, weighing 34 kilograms (75 pounds) with an estimated (street value?) of SIN$1.2 million ($840,000). It was Singapore's largest ever seizure of rhino horns. This joint effort was between Changi Airport Security and the National Parks Board (NParks). The bag's owner was traveling from South Africa to the Lao People's Democratic Republic and transiting through Changi when detected. NParks said: "Genetic testing will be carried out at NParks Center for Wildlife Forensics to identify the rhinoceros species. The horns will subsequently be destroyed to prevent them from re-entering the market, disrupting the global supply chain of illegally traded rhinoceros horns." That's undoubtedly one global supply chain that needs disruption. Under Singaporean law, the man faces a fine of up to SIN$50,000 ($35,000) per scheduled species up to SIN$500,000 ($351,000), up to two years in prison, or both. https://simpleflying.com/singapore-aviation-hiring-4000-flights-90-of-2019/ United Airlines Buys 18 CRJ-700s From Mesa Airlines Mesa ceased CRJ-700 operations for United Express last year as it phased the type out. United Airlines has reached an agreement with regional carrier Mesa Airlines over the acquisition of 18 Bombardier CRJ-700s. We take a closer look at this $50 million deal below. United to buy 18 CRJ-700s from Mesa United Airlines will bolster its regional fleet with the addition of 18 Bombardier CRJ-700s from Mesa Airlines. The 18 regional jets, which are in service under the United Express brand, will officially transfer to United Airlines in an agreement worth around $50 million. According to the purchase agreement, each aircraft will be delivered "as is, where is", while United has "agreed to deposit a specified sum per aircraft with FAA counsel, to be applied toward the purchase of each aircraft." The CRJ-700s have been on lease at GoJet Airlines. Mesa's CRJ-700s are set up with a two-class configuration, offering six business and 64 economy seats, and have an average age of around 18 years. The majority of the aircraft arrived at Mesa in the early-to-mid 2000s and were put into service with United Express. However, in early 2021, Mesa Airlines announced it would end all CRJ-700 operations on behalf of United Express and lease the aircraft to GoJet Airlines, which now operates the jets under United Express. Even before the pandemic hit, Mesa had plans to phase out its CRJ-700s with the ERJ-175 before accelerating the process in the past couple of years. Close ties with United Mesa first partnered up with United in the early 1990s following a codeshare agreement at Mesa's old Denver Stapleton Airport base. The cooperation was expanded in 2003 after Mesa signed on to operate a wider scope of flights under the United Express brand. The two have cooperated on several ventures since then, including the acquisition of 200 electric aircraft from Heart Aerospace, a Swedish startup. Mesa will now operate up to 80 ERJ-175 jets on behalf of United Express as the partnership remains strong. About Mesa Airlines Mesa Airlines was established in 1980 as Mesa Air Shuttle and soon grew into a significant regional operator, working with America West Airlines and US Airways. The airline currently operates flights under the banner of United Express and American Eagle, the regional branches of United Airlines and American Airlines. Mesa Airlines now has almost 100 aircraft in service and another 50 parked. As Simple Flying reported last month, Mesa unveiled its Mesa Pilot Development Program (MPD) to address the pilot shortage problem. This program will be capable of training upwards of 1,000 pilots a year with a fleet of over 100 Pipistrel Alpha Trainer aircraft. The regional carrier now flies to over 110 cities and 40 states with a fleet of almost 150 aircraft. Along with its passenger operations for United and American, Mesa also has a cargo partnership with DHL Express served by a fleet of three Boeing 737-400s. https://simpleflying.com/united-airlines-buys-crj-700-mesa-airlines/ Atlas Air Takes The 3rd From Last Boeing 747 As The Final Aircraft Leaves The Production line The remaining two aircraft are expected to be delivered this year. On Wednesday, Atlas Air took delivery of a Boeing 747-8 Freighter. This unit is the second of four new 747-8 Freighters ordered by the company in 2021, which are also the last 747s ever to be produced by Boeing, putting an end to the ‘Queen of the Skies’ assembly line. Third to last The US carrier Atlas Air took delivery of a new Boeing 747-8F, registration N861GT, earlier this week, following a flight between Paine Field Airport (PAE) in Everett and Miami International Airport (MIA). This new jetliner is the third to last ever to be produced by Boeing. Earlier this week, we also learned that the second to last 747 rolled out of Boeing’s factory. Atlas Air will take delivery of the remaining two ‘Queens of the Skies’ this year, and Boeing will put an end to a 54-year history. Atlas Air’s new 747-8F has been placed under a long-term agreement with an existing customer, according to the company. The 747-8F provides 20% higher payload capacity and 16% lower fuel consumption than the previous version, the 747-400F. John Dietrich, President and Chief Executive Officer at Atlas Air Worldwide, said, “We are pleased to receive this additional 747-8F, and to add more capacity and value to our customers. Atlas’ investment in these new aircraft underscores our commitment to environmental stewardship through the reduction of aircraft emissions, resource consumption and noise.” Atlas Air received a sixth Boeing 747-8 Freighter. This company has the largest fleet of 747 freighters worldwide. The remaining 747s In 2020, at the height of the air industry pandemic crisis, Boeing announced it would stop making the classic 747 within the next two years. Atlas Air placed the final order for the iconic model in January 2021, requesting four brand-new 747-8F aircraft, in an order valued at over US$1.6 billion. This order would bring Atlas Air’s 747 fleet to 57 aircraft. The cargo company is already the largest operator of 747 Freighters in the world. Atlas Air has a fleet of 87 aircraft, including 52 Boeing 747s. In June 2022, Atlas Air took delivery of the first of these four new 747-8Fs. This plane operates on behalf of the Chinese logistics firm Cainiao, owned by the Alibaba Group. Atlas Air said, “The iconic Boeing 747 program has been in operation for over 50 years and these aircraft will continue to play a critical role in keeping global supply chains moving for decades to come.” Boeing confirmed to Simple Flying it expects the remaining two 747s to be delivered this year. Earlier this week, it was reported that the penultimate rollout took place at Paine Airport, Washington. This plane has the registration N862GT. Meanwhile, the final 747 ever to be constructed, registration N863GT, entered final body join on September 29. According to data by ch-aviation, there are 104 Boeing 747-8F currently worldwide. UPS Airlines has the largest number of these planes, with 28, followed by Cargolux (14), Cathay Pacific (14), AirBridgeCargo (12), and Nippon Cargo Airlines (eight). When talking about the importance of the 747 program, a Boeing spokesperson said, “The 747 is a transformational airplane that changed the way the world traveled, starting with the first airplane’s rollout in 1969. As the world’s first jumbo jet, the 747 laid the foundation for every twin-aisle commercial airplane that followed and sparked an enduring love for the ‘Queen of the Skies’ among airlines, crews, passengers and ‘avgeeks’ around the world. The team that designed and built the 747 – still known as ‘the Incredibles’ – set a standard of excellence for more than 50 years. While production is ending, we’re looking forward to supporting 747 customers for decades to come.” https://simpleflying.com/atlas-air-3rd-from-last-boeing-747/ Azul Conecta Offering Its Maintenance And Pilot Training Services Outside The Airline Azul's subsidiary has become an integral part of its operations in Brazil. Last week, Azul Conecta, a subsidiary of Azul Linhas Aéreas, was present at MRO Brasil in São Paulo, offering its maintenance and pilot training services and methods. The airline has been leading the field in innovation and, for the first time, began to provide its services externally. MRO Brasil MRO Brasil is an event that was inaugurated this year and modeled after MRO Americas. Companies from all over Brasil were present, as well as some international companies. Two of the most reputable names at the event were LATAM and Azul Conecta, with mechanics and engineers present. For the first time, Azul Conecta began offering its services externally. Azul Conecta became part of the Azul family two years ago when Azul acquired TwoFlex and re-branded it as Azul Conecta. The airline has developed innovative maintenance and engineering methods and pilot training through virtual reality. "From training and maintenance, to charters, we develop solutions customized to meet your needs and exceed your expectations." - Azul Conecta Here is a look at Azul Conecta's operations to date: • 71,000 passengers transported • 65 cities served • More than 40,000 flight hours in under two years • Almost 1.5 million kilograms of cargo transported • More than 25,500 flights • 72 daily flights on average • 82% on-time performance • 23 aircraft and another three are expected by the end of 2022 Azul Conecta history Azul Conecta used to be called TwoFlex, a small regional airline that operated in Brazil. Following Azul's acquisition of TwoFlex, the airline was re-branded and launched in August 2020 as Azul Conecta. At the time of purchase, TwoFlex operated flights to 39 cities in Brazil (the largest country in South America) and had a fleet of 17 aircraft. Since the acquisition, Azul Conecta has grown to 23 aircraft, with three more expected by the end of the year and 65 cities served. The acquisition of TwoFlex was worth around $22.6 million and has proven an excellent investment by Azul. Speaking on the purchase of TwoFlex, Azul's Chief Executive, John Rodgerson, said, “Over the past ten years, Azul has led the development of regional aviation in Brazil by serving more than 100 domestic destinations and bringing new service to more than 50. Our goal is to continue bringing critical air service to new and diverse parts of Brazil. TwoFlex will be the perfect way to reach these cities and communities.” Recent Azul Conecta news Azul Conecta recently took delivery of another Cessna Caravan EX aircraft, and another is in Brazil, with the paperwork being finalized for the airline to receive the plane. In addition to the two aircraft that arrived in Brazil last week, Azul Conecta is set to take delivery of another two in December. Azul Conecta Cessna Grand Caravan EX Azul Conecta's fleet will increase to 25 aircraft by the end of the year. Azul Conecta began flying what they have nicknamed the Rota Das Emoções, which does not translate well into English but is a scenic route through some of the most beautiful places in Brazil. Simple Flying has received an invitation to fly this route, so stay tuned for a review. https://simpleflying.com/azul-conecta-maintenance-pilot-training-externally/ Lilium Jet Achieves Full Transition from Hover to Wing-Borne Flight Lilium's Phoenix 2 technology demonstrator has completed a full transition from hover to wing-borne flight. Lilium has also announced a new partnership with GlobeAir that includes the intent to purchase 12 eVTOL aircraft. (Photo: Lilium) Last week, Lilium announced that its technology demonstrator has achieved full transition from hover to wing-borne flight. The electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer also shared news last week of a partnership with GlobeAir, a private jet operator. GlobeAir plans to buy 12 eVTOL aircraft, called the Lilium Jet, from the company. Details of Lilium’s high-speed full transition flight were shared in the company’s Q2 letter to shareholders published on Sept. 27. The technology demonstrator—Phoenix 2—completed the full transition from hover to wing-borne flight on the main wings as well as the canard wings, flying at a speed of about 100 knots. The milestone was achieved at the company's ATLAS (Air Traffic Laboratory for Advanced Unmanned Systems) Flight Test Center in Villacarrillo, Spain. Lilium has also published video footage of the test flight. The team has been conducting test flights with the Phoenix 2 aircraft in Spain since this spring, and a main wing transition flight first took place in June. According to the company’s Q2 letter to shareholders, “The fact that the canard and the wing transitioned smoothly is an historic technical achievement in itself but perhaps more important is that the transition happened precisely where the flight physics computer models predicted it would.” "It all starts with the aircraft itself, its unique architecture, and the electric jet propulsion technology behind it. I’m convinced that the Lilium Jet will be the best aircraft in its class." – Lilium CEO Klaus Roewe (Photo: Lilium) The Lilium Jet is on the path to certification with both the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). In May, the eVTOL developer announced the completion of its second DOA (Design Organization Approval) audit by EASA. Four total DOA audits are required for commercial aircraft manufacturers to achieve type certification. The team anticipates completing the third DOA audit by the end of this year and finishing the final DOA audit before the end of June 2023. The team will soon begin conducting even more flight tests with the Phoenix 3 demonstrator aircraft in addition to using the Phoenix 2 model. Klaus Roewe, who will be formally confirmed as the CEO of Lilium later this month, commented on some of the advantages of their eVTOL’s design in the recently published shareholder letter. The Lilium Jet’s “ducted-jet technology makes it suitable for multiple use cases including premium customers, commercial shuttles, cargo and other applications we have yet to develop,” remarked Roewe. “It is both versatile and scalable to larger form-factors,” he added. The new partnership between Lilium and GlobeAir that was made public last week will serve to expand charter flights for GlobeAir’s customers in Italy and southern France. According to Lilium, there is high demand in this region for sustainable and efficient transportation options. Italy and the French Riviera also offer “many opportunities for point-to-point travels where travel time can be significantly reduced, and vertical landing is required,” Lilium’s press release stated. Lilium’s SVP Commercial, Sebastien Borel, remarked that GlobeAir is a leading provider of on-demand air mobility in Europe. “The French Riviera and Italy are key markets, and we are confident that our shared commitment to innovation and partnership will result in a premium customer experience,” Borel said. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2022/10/05/lilium-jet-achieves-full-transition-hover-wing-borne-flight/ Crew Dragon launches safely, carrying first Russian from US soil in 20 years "Whooo, that was a smooth ride uphill!" The Crew-5 mission launches from Kennedy Space Center on October 5, 2022. Four days before Thanksgiving in 2002, space shuttle Endeavour lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Among the seven crew members to the International Space Station was one Russian cosmonaut, Nikolai M. Budarin, making his third spaceflight. By then, as part of warming relations between Russia and the United States, cosmonauts had been flying on board the space shuttle for nearly a decade. The exchange program would have continued, but tragedy struck on the shuttle's next mission, which launched in January 2003. Space Shuttle Columbia was lost upon reentry into Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts on board. Following this disaster, no more Russians would fly on the space shuttle after it returned to service. Instead, NASA focused on flying the minimum number of missions needed to complete the construction of the International Space Station. After the shuttle's retirement in 2011, NASA would come to rely on Russia's Soyuz vehicle as its only ride to space. NASA regained the capacity to launch its own astronauts into space in 2020, after working with SpaceX to complete the development of the Crew Dragon vehicle. Following a successful demonstration flight in May 2020 with two astronauts on board, Crew Dragon safely launched six additional times, carrying an additional two dozen people into space. Dragon roars On Wednesday, Crew Dragon carried astronauts into space for an eighth time, with the fifth operational mission for NASA. This Crew-5 flight was commanded by Nicole Mann, a NASA astronaut making her first flight into space. "Whooo, that was a smooth ride uphill!" she exclaimed upon reaching orbit. Among the four Dragon riders was a cosmonaut, Anna Kikina, also making her debut flight into space. She is just the sixth Russian or Soviet female cosmonaut in the history of the program since Valentina Tereshkova flew into orbit on June 16, 1963. Kikina is also the first Russian to launch into space from the United States since Budarin, two decades ago. In addition to Mann and Kikina, Crew-5 is rounded out by NASA astronaut Josh Cassada and Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata. While the other three are rookies, this is Wakata's fifth spaceflight. During their stay aboard the International Space Station, the astronauts will conduct more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations, including studies on printing human organs in space. Kikina's launch comes as relations between NASA and its Russian counterpart, Roscosmos, are stabilizing. There have been many difficult moments in this relationship after Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February. Tensions were exacerbated by the bombastic and nationalistic leader of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, who made critical statements about NASA and openly supported the war while seeking to curry favor with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Rogozin also repeatedly made threats about pulling Russia out of the International Space Station. However, Rogozin was dismissed as the leader of Roscosmos in July and replaced by former Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov. The new leader of the Russian space agency has been far more level-headed than his predecessor and has indicated a willingness to continue to work with NASA on the International Space Station at least through 2024 and probably beyond. This arrangement is the preference of NASA, which says the station is intended to be operated jointly by its major partners, the United States and Russia. A hopeful new era And so Kikina's spaceflight on Wednesday is both the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. A Russian launching from US soil brings to end a 20-year-drought and represents a hopeful sign that while the United States and Russia are locked in a deep a serious conflict on Earth, cooperation in space remains possible. That was the view expressed Wednesday by Sergei Krikalev, who is the chief of human spaceflight for Roscosmos, during a post-flight news conference. Krikalev is a veteran cosmonaut who became the first Russian to fly on NASA's space shuttle in 1994. The United States and Russia, he said, have cooperated in space for more than 40 years, dating back to a docking of an Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft in the 1970s. It was his goal, he said, to ensure, that the two countries would continue "our cooperation as long as I can imagine." https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/10/crew-dragon-launches-safely-carrying-first-russian-from-us-soil-in-20-years/ GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Dear Pilots and Flight Attendants, Did you know that the difference between a 14-hour flight time and an 18-hour flight time is 28%, which means 28% more exposure by occupants to the cabin environment and other aircraft influences. Keeping this in mind, I am working on a new research study that aims to review current Health & Safety International and National Regulations and best practices for operating Ultra-Long-Range Routes (ULR). ULR operations refer to "An operation involving any sector between a specific city pair (A-B-A) in which the planned flight time exceeds 16 hours, taking into account mean wind conditions and seasonal changes. The scope of this study is to identify different health-related factors affecting Aircrew (Pilots & Flight Attendants) who operate these routes. Based on this review, a gap analysis will be conducted, and recommendations will be presented to mitigate health and safety-related impact factors on Aircrew. As a part of this study, a survey is designed for Aircrew (Pilots and Flight Attendants) who operate on ULR flights. This survey aims to learn about their experience and the different health and safety impact factors that Aircrew experience while operating these routes. Aircrew sought to participate in this study needs to meet the following criteria: - Employed (in the last 24 months) by an air carrier operating scheduled ULR flights (>16hrs); - Qualified as an aircrew member to operate ULR flights. During this study, you will be asked to complete a brief online survey about your opinions concerning health-related issues while operating ULR routes. You will answer several questions about different health-related factors and how it affects your lifestyle, including any prominent experiences you have encountered. The completion of the survey will take approximately 15-20 minutes. If you meet the criteria and are interested in helping, sign up for the study by clicking the link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SV2D9KT You can also sign up by scanning the QR code below. Please let me know if you have any questions I can answer. Thank you for your participation Kind Regards, Aditya Rathi ISASI Robertson Fellow M.S. Safety Science '22 (Aviation Safety) Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott rathia@my.erau.edu | (928)-632-2707 Curt Lewis