Flight Safety Information - October 10, 2022 No.195 In This Issue : Incident: Transat A333 at Athens on Oct 8th 2022, bird strike : Incident: American A321 at Las Vegas on Oct 6th 2022, engine overtemp : Incident: Jetblue A321 at Fort Lauderdale on Oct 7th 2022, hydraulic failure : Accident: Ethiopian B789 at Lubumbashi on Oct 6th 2022, tail strike on landing : Accident: Transavia France B738 at Nantes on Oct 1st 2022, both nose tyres damaged on landing : Boeing 737 MAX flight by Mongolian airline lands in China - flight tracking sites : Man arrested for shining laser at pilots : Airways New Zealand recognised as safety leader : Lufthansa AirTags ban based on incredibly bad regulation interpretation : Man took magic mushrooms and then assaulted United flight attendants, authorities say : Airplane Wi-Fi Might Get Even Worse : Singapore Airlines Will No Longer Force Female Flight Attendants to Quit When They Give Birth (Yes, This is 2022) : SA GROUNDS ANGOLAN AIRCRAFT THAT LANDED AT CT INTERNATIONAL WITHOUT VALID PERMIT : Leveling Up: AI Co-Pilots Are the Future of Flying : 'Born To Fly': Indian Pilot Blazes Trail For Women In Aviation : Virgin Atlantic drops Hong Kong route after nearly 30 years : US Company Tests System to ‘Spin Launch’ Satellites to Space : GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: Transat A333 at Athens on Oct 8th 2022, bird strike An Air Transat Airbus A330-300, registration C-GTSD performing flight TS-697 from Athens (Greece) to Toronto,ON (Canada), was climbing out of Athens' runway 03R when the crew stopped the climb at 7000 feet reporting a bird strike. The aircraft returned to Athens for a safe landing on runway 03R about 35 minutes after departure. The aircraft is still on the ground in Athens about 20 hours after landing back. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4ff6e28b&opt=0 Incident: American A321 at Las Vegas on Oct 6th 2022, engine overtemp An American Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N150UW performing flight AA-1665 from Las Vegas,NV to Charlotte,NC (USA) with 100 people on board, was climbing out of Las Vegas' runway 26R when the crew requested to level off reporting they needed to work a problem, the crew declared emergency and stopped the climb at 9000 feet. The crew subsequently reported they had a right hand engine (CFM56) overtemp indication on takeoff. The aircraft returned to Las Vegas for a safe landing on runway 26R about 30 minutes after departure. A replacement Airbus A321-200 registration N172US reached Charlotte as flight AA-665Q with a delay of 25.5 hours. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4ff686f6&opt=0 Incident: Jetblue A321 at Fort Lauderdale on Oct 7th 2022, hydraulic failure A Jetblue Airbus A321-200, registration N965JT performing flight B6-607 from Fort Lauderdale,FL to Las Vegas,NV (USA), was climbing out of Fort Lauderdale when the crew stopped the climb at FL270 reporting a hydraulic failure and after working the checklists decided to return to Fort Lauderdale declaring PAN PAN. On approach to Fort Lauderdale the crew requested a 360 to have more time for preparing the landing and was approved a left hand 360. The aircraft subsequently rejoined the localizer and landed safely on runway 10L about about 55 minutes after stopping the climb at FL270. A passenger reported the captain announced they had a hydraulic failure, emergency services would meet the aircraft on arrival. A replacement Airbus A321-200 registration N971JT reached Las Vegas with a delay of about 3 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Fort Lauderdale about 21 hours after landing back. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4ff682ec&opt=0 Accident: Ethiopian B789 at Lubumbashi on Oct 6th 2022, tail strike on landing An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-9, registration ET-AYC performing flight ET-877 from Lilongwe (Malawi) to Lubumbashi (DR Congo), landed on Lubumbashi's runway 07 at about 15:12L (13:12Z) but struck its tail onto the runway. The aircraft rolled out without further incident. There were no injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial structural damage. The aircraft remained on the ground in Lubumbashi for about 24 hours, then positioned back to Addis Ababa as flight ET-9201 climbing to a maximum of FL130. No Metars are available, the local weather station reported 32 degrees C temperature, dew point -3 degrees C, winds from east at 12 knots, no gusts, no precipitation. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4ff5d67d&opt=0 Accident: Transavia France B738 at Nantes on Oct 1st 2022, both nose tyres damaged on landing A Transavia France Boeing 737-800, registration F-GZHA performing flight TO-3943 from Djerba (Tunisia) to Nantes (France) with 160 people on board, landed on Nantes' runway 21 at 13:05L (11:05Z) when both nose tyres were damaged causing the aircraft to roll out on the nose wheel rims. The aircraft vacated the runway and stopped on the taxiway clear of the runway. There were no injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial (structural) damage however. The BEA opened an investigation. On Oct 7th 2022 the BEA reported the aircraft received substantial damage to the nose gear, fuselage and engines. The occurrence was rated an accident and is being investigated by the BEA. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4ff1225a&opt=0 Boeing 737 MAX flight by Mongolian airline lands in China - flight tracking sites BEIJING/SYDNEY (Reuters) - A Boeing 737 MAX flight by MIAT Mongolian Airlines landed in Guangzhou on Monday morning, flight tracking websites showed, marking what appeared to be the first commercial flight by the model to China since the country grounded the plane in March 2019. Chinese airlines have not returned the 737 MAX to commercial service and Boeing last month said it would begin to remarket some of the planes meant for Chinese customers. The 737 MAX has returned to commercial service in almost every market globally, with the exceptions of China and Russia, which is now sanctioned over its invasion of Ukraine. Flight OM235 from Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar landed in Guangzhou on Monday morning, according to FlightRadar24 and VariFlight. Boeing declined to comment on the MIAT flight, saying it continued to work with global regulators and customers on the safe return of the MAX, which was grounded after two fatal crashes. MIAT, China's aviation regulator and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport did not respond immediately to a request for comment. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-737-max-flight-mongolian-031239081.html Man arrested for shining laser at pilots SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. (KFOR/Storyful) – A 44-year-old man has been arrested in Florida after repeatedly shining a laser at a law enforcement helicopter that was working on hurricane recovery. Nick Davidson was arrested on a felony charge, according to a post from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. “There is never an appropriate time to shine a laser at a helicopter but doing so when our community is under a declared state of emergency is just in bad taste,” the agency posted. “As many of you know, our helicopter pilots are currently assisting with damage assessments, guiding ground units in areas where street signs have been destroyed and providing aerial support to other law and fire agencies while we all navigate the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Not only are Davidson’s actions dangerous, but they have the potential to flash blind and cause long-term damage to the visual capabilities of our pilots. Please, don’t do this.” One woman commented, “Looks like Ian wiped out this man’s brain cells.” Another commenter wrote, “What a half wit. 44 years old and pulling middle school stunts?” Video shows the green laser being pointed at the pilots multiple times, as well as the man hiding behind a tree before entering his house. https://kfor.com/news/video-man-arrested-for-shining-laser-at-pilots/ Airways New Zealand recognised as safety leader Airways New Zealand has been recognised as a world leader in aviation safety reporting and improvement. An innovative safety performance indicator (SPI) programme developed by the air navigation service provider (ANSP) has been recognised by the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) as global best practice for aviation safety management systems (SMS). CANSO's Standard of Excellence in SMS framework supports ANSPs with building, implementing and improving their SMS in accordance with international standards. Identified as a leading approach that is delivering optimised safety outcomes through CANSO’s annual Standard of Excellence in SMS Measurement survey, Airways’ SPI process will be incorporated into the CANSO safety information sharing network and made available for use by ANSPs worldwide. SPIs are a critical tool for an organisation to measure, report on and respond to its safety performance across operational safety, and health and safety. Gathering the right information and data allows an organisation to determine how effectively it is managing risk, Airways Head of Safety and Assurance Kim Nichols says. “We’re proud of Airways’ track record of strong safety results over many years and are committed to fostering a proactive safety culture across our business,” Ms Nichols says. “The development of our new SPI process has expanded our safety thinking from what has been a well-established and understood traditional methodology, further into the proactive safety space.” The new system and dashboards allow for significantly improved monitoring of safety metrics, data mining of actionable information and the presentation of more informative data to enable effective safety decision making. Airways’ SPIs consist of both lead and lag indicators across the organisation, structured to strengthen the traditional safety performance monitoring approach of measuring what has not gone right, alongside an additional suite of leading metrics that measure what is going well. The dashboards present a company-wide perspective of operational safety, and health and safety, enabling users to see information at the CEO and board level, as well as drill down into individual business units where needed. “With this toolset, Airways’ managers and people have the ability to direct their safety performance monitoring and efforts into the areas where the greatest benefits will be achieved,” Ms Nichols says. Airways’ SPI system was recognised by the CANSO panel for its integration of operational safety and health and safety, design thinking of both lead and lag indicators, and ability to be easily adapted for other ANSPs. https://www.airtrafficmanagement.net/article/airways-new-zealand-recognised-safety-leader Lufthansa AirTags ban based on incredibly bad regulation interpretation Airline Lufthansa has banned AirTags from luggage calling them a danger to flight — but the regulation the airline is citing does no such thing. Apple's AirTag has proven itself to be an invaluable tool for travelers, but it seems one airline isn't keen on them. German airline Lufthansa has reportedly started to ban the use of AirTags in luggage carried on its flights. Following initial reports in German media, the airline's Twitter account was asked to confirm that a ban is in place. In one tweet, the rumor is confirmed with Lufthansa "banning activated AirTags from luggage as they are classified as dangerous and need to be turned off." Pressed further on the classification, the airline claims "According to ICAO guidelines, baggage trackers are subject to the dangerous goods regulations. Furthermore, due to their transmission function, the trackers must be deactivated during the flight if they are in checked baggage and cannot be used as a result." But, the claim that the airline is making about ICAO (International Civilian Aviation Organization) guidelines is completely wrong. Specifically, the regulation that Lufthansa is citing specifically talks about lithium ion battery regulations, such as those used in larger devices like a MacBook Pro. First, an AirTag uses a battery that is too small to be considered an issue under the guidelines. Secondly, the AirTag uses CR2032 cells aren't lithium ion batteries, and as such, not covered under the regulation. If CR2032 cells were in fact a danger, then watches using the same CR2032 would be disallowed on flights — and they are not. AirTags do primarily function as low-powered transmitters, and there is not nearly enough power to interfere with commercial plane's systems. AirTags are covered by "dangerous goods" regulations according to Lufthansa. AppleInsider has spoken with multiple international aviation experts, and they all told us that the ban isn't based on anything in the regulation. One went so far as to tell us that the ban is "a way to stop Lufthansa from being embarrassed by lost luggage." Additionally, Lufthansa seems to indicate that AirTags could be put into hold luggage if the battery is removed for transit. Doing so defeats the purpose of the tracker, and would eliminate the key selling point of AirTags in helping travelers know where their luggage is located. This has led to some embarrassment for airlines and airports, such as instances where luggage got lost at an airport between flights, as well as an office full of lost luggage. It has also helped with the arrest of a baggage handler who stole thousands of dollars worth of jewelry and other items. Lufthansa is the first airline to ban the device, but it seems unlikely many others will follow suit. In the United States, the TSA permits trackers like AirTags in carry-on and checked bags, while the FAA is OK with them due to the limited effects of short-range Bluetooth transmissions. AppleInsider has reached out to Lufthansa for clarification and comment. https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/10/09/lufthansa-airtags-ban-based-on-incredibly-bad-regulation-interpretation Man took magic mushrooms and then assaulted United flight attendants, authorities say A man was arrested on assault charges after authorities say he attacked two United Airlines flight attendants on a trip from Miami to Washington, D.C — because he had consumed magic mushrooms. The incident on Oct. 4 began when Cherruy Loghan Sevilla started to cause a disturbance one hour into the flight, according to court documents filed in Virginia last week. Authorities said Sevilla grabbed the arm of the person sitting next to him before he began "wandering around the plane, running up and down the aisle, clapping loudly near the cockpit and yelling obscenities." The affidavit said Sevilla also broke off a piece of a bathroom door and opened it when a passenger was inside it. The flight crew was able to get Sevilla back into his seat, but his "screams and outburst grew louder," according to the affidavit. Sevilla laid on the floor, and when a flight attendant attempted to tell him to get back in his seat, authorities said he refused and grabbed the flight attendant's breast. Officers on board, along with other members of the flight crew and passengers, attempted to subdue Sevilla, the affidavit said. Officers handcuffed Sevilla, but he twisted the arm of another flight attendant during the struggle. The affidavit said Sevilla continued "to scream and yell incoherent things" while handcuffed for the remainder of the two-hour flight and yelled when the plane landed as federal officers boarded the flight to arrest him. When questioned by the FBI hours later, Sevilla told authorities he had taken psilocybin before the flight. The psychedelic drug, also known as magic mushrooms, produces hallucinogenic effects, according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. Authorities said Sevilla told them it wasn't the first time he had taken the drug and remembered "being out of his seat, being loud and touching people." "Sevilla said that he was not totally surprised that he acted this way after consuming it. Sevilla stated that he was sorry for his actions," the affidavit said. Sevilla was charged with assault and with interfering with flight crew members and attendants, and he will appear in court next week. Sevilla's attorney, Shannon Quill, did not immediately respond to USA TODAY. In a statement to USA TODAY, United thanked those who helped in handling the situation. "We also followed up with our crew members to make sure they were ok. We’d like to thank our crew for handling this difficult situation with professionalism," the statement said. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2022/10/09/united-passenger-assault-magic-mushrooms/8229471001/ Airplane Wi-Fi Might Get Even Worse The skies are about to become a lot less friendly, to take the British government’s word for it. On Thursday, the United Kingdom’s core business regulator published findings from its investigation into two of the “largest satellite communications companies in the world”: Viasat, a public California-based firm, and Inmarsat, a London-headquartered private contractor. Both are telecoms juggernauts that utilize satellite fleets to provide broadband internet service across multiple continents. They also dominate much of the market for that maddening travel service: in-flight Wi-Fi. So it spurred just a bit of concern when late last year, Viasat finalized a $7.3 billion takeover bid for Inmarsat, in essence swallowing up its only major competitor. The British government’s famously aggressive Competition and Markets Authority launched its probe in July to investigate whether this deal will establish a full monopoly on airplane internet service—likely making it even more unusable, and far more costly, than it already is. Just about every major airline works with one of these two providers. Viasat covers Wi-Fi for American Airlines, JetBlue, Virgin America, and United Airlines, among others; Inmarsat partners with Lufthansa, British Airways, Qatar Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and more. It’s likely that, no matter the flight path, you’ve previously cursed these companies’ services after blowing $10 so you could check your email for 30 minutes. For Viasat to take charge of Inmarsat would entail nearly complete control not just of another company but, basically, a global sector. In North America alone, Viasat doubled its share of the domestic in-flight connectivity market in just a three-year period—from 10 percent to nearly 30 percent—steeply cutting into the prior dominance of firms like Gogo, Global Eagle, and Panasonic. Meanwhile, in 2018, Inmarsat’s chief executive estimated that his company accounted for 30 percent of the global market. As the CMA pointed out in its Thursday report, this makes these two “the strongest suppliers in a market with few other established players.” And considering that “the aviation sector … is one of the most difficult industries for satellite operators to enter,” the CMA concluded, a merger of already-dominant businesses could ruin the consumer experience they provide: “Airlines could face higher prices and be offered lower quality connectivity solutions, ultimately affecting the cost, quality and availability of services for airline passengers.” Obviously, that’s not great, especially at a moment when flying is a shitshow. No one likes a bad ride, much less one made worse by crappy Wi-Fi. Americans already recognize how much it sucks to have at-home internet options constricted by a monopolistic system, and basically everyone knows airplane Wi-Fi is too pricey and laggy as is, no matter the flight. There are smaller competitors in the space, but they’re nowhere near positioned to provide alternative, possibly smoother consumer options on a worldwide scale. Gogo, for example, is mainly competitive in North America for business flights; Elon Musk’s Starlink, with all its hype, still has a ways to go before reaching mass commercial adoption (a predicament it can blame in part on Viasat itself). On just a technical basis, the CMA explained, “it can be very difficult for airlines to switch providers once they have installed a connectivity solution.” Thus, a Viasat-Inmarsat hydra would have an already-in-place market presence of a size no current competitors could hope to overcome. To be sure, prominent names like Delta and Southwest have worked their relationships with Viasat to improve Wi-Fi capacity; the firm plans on launching even more satellites to increase connectivity options and bandwidth. Such improvements have also allowed for airlines to finally lower consumers’ in-flight costs after COVID’s impact on the aviation industry caused them to, well, take off. Yet if Viasat gains the satellite-broadband market to itself, it’s likely the corporation will face much less pressure down the line to improve service and cheapen its product—which other providers would airlines be able to turn to with Viasat’s trove of satellites, coverage breadth, and general resources? Especially when it can squeeze more money out of you for an upgrade from poor connectivity to subpar quality at best? Beyond that, there are also cybersecurity concerns. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, it launched an attack on the latter’s Viasat-controlled satellite receptors, knocking out Ukrainian communications—as well as internet access for thousands more Europeans across the continent, whether in France or Germany or elsewhere. Anticipation of such an event could explain why the Boris Johnson administration probed the Imnarsat acquisition, shortly after it was finalized, in the interest of national security; imagine how vulnerable an even bigger Viasat could be. Yet right when Prime Minister Liz Truss took office last month, her new pick for business secretary cleared the deal, claiming there was no risk to the country. So at this point, the competition argument is the only tool left to halt this thing. At any rate, Thursday marked the official end of the CMA’s phase 1 investigation into the merger, during which it took public comment and scoured internal and external documents pertaining to the corporations’ business models. Now, Viasat and Inmarsat have four working days to submit proposals that address the issues laid out by CMA. Should they do so, the authority will have five more working days to consider whether the suggested fixes are sufficient to allay its anti-competition concerns. If the CMA finds that to be the case, the primary obstacle to the merger will fall, and you may have an even harder time checking your email than you used to (unless you splurge on a higher tier of service—though that won’t always do the trick). But if CMA doesn’t like what the companies have to say, then it will commence a phase 2 investigation, convening a group of CMA staffers and outside experts to conduct their own “in-depth” investigation of the facts within a six-month timeline (although this could end early if the companies withdraw the merger). The group’s final report will dictate the final stage—whether it wishes to block the deal altogether, or mandate changes to ensure the acquisition doesn’t adversely affect British (and, in turn, global) commerce. It’s too soon to predict what how that process will end. But if the CMA greenlights this mess, the modern air travel experience may soon have something way worse than the dang food. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. https://slate.com/technology/2022/10/viasat-inmarsat-bad-airplane-wifi.html Singapore Airlines Will No Longer Force Female Flight Attendants to Quit When They Give Birth (Yes, This is 2022) Singapore Airlines has confirmed that in July the airline quietly dropped a decades-old policy that forced female flights to quit if they had a baby. The decision, observers in the region believe, is predominantly linked to a global rush to recruit and retain aviation staff as pandemic restrictions are lifted. Up until now, Singapore Airlines would immediately ground female flight attendants as soon they declared they were pregnant. Flight attendants would be forced to take unpaid leave for the duration of the pregnancy, and their employment was terminated once they submitted a copy of the birth certificate to the airline. The policy epitomized the iconic ‘Singapore Girl’ image that has made the airline famous – created by Singapore Airways in the 1970s, the marketing gimmick has put young and pretty female flight attendants front and centre of its advertising ever since. Just before the pandemic, the airline insisted that the Singapore Girl image, made famous by the body-skimming Pierre Balmain-designed sarong Kebaya, was still “current” and continued to set the airline apart from rivals across the industry. But an internal memo seen by the Straits Times confirms that new mothers will still be allowed to work for Singapore Airlines in a major departure of the carrier’s policy governing female flight attendants. The memo, sent on July 12, said the policy was being changed “to further support our cabin crew during and after their pregnancy”. The airline will, however, still maintain its incredibly strict grooming standards for female flight attendants and some observers fear this could mean new mothers are reprimanded for being overweight. Singapore Airlines Will Keep the "Iconic Singapore Girl" in Adverts and Marketing As is standard practice for many international airlines, pregnant flight attendants will still be grounded, and Singapore Airlines won’t guarantee any pay, but the airline says it will now offer temporary ground positions wherever available. So far, Singapore Airlines has managed to find a paid ground job for every flight attendant who has become pregnant since the policy was changed, a spokesperson told the Straits Times. The policy is somewhat different in the United States, where pregnant flight attendants are allowed to continue flying despite the danger of radiation exposure, alongside the risks associated with shift work and the physical nature of the job. Earlier this year, U.S.-based flight attendants also won the right to pump milk on flights they are working after a legal case brought by a crew member at Frontier Airlines. https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2022/10/10/singapore-airlines-will-no-longer-force-female-flight-attendants-to-quit-when-they-give-birth-yes-this-is-2022/ SA GROUNDS ANGOLAN AIRCRAFT THAT LANDED AT CT INTERNATIONAL WITHOUT VALID PERMIT The Transport Ministry has confirmed that an aircraft chartered by an Angolan airline - TAAG - landed at the Cape Town International airport without a mandatory foreign operator's permit (FOP). JOHANNESBURG - The Transport Ministry has confirmed that it has grounded an aircraft chartered by an Angolan airline TAAG, that landed at the Cape Town International Airport without a mandatory foreign operator's permit (FOP). The aircraft - which landed on Friday only had the crew on board and no passengers. The ministry says TAAG Angola airlines has a foreign operator's permit which lists all the aircraft they use in the undertaking of their scheduled flights, however, because it grounded some of its fleet due to maintenance, the airline chartered this aircraft that's not listed on their FOP to collect workers of the oil company, Chevron. The South Africa Civil Aviation Authority found that the crew could not produce an FOP, issued by South Africa, and therefore were in contravention of the Chicago Convention. “The International Air Services’ Act of 1993 requires that a holder of an FOP must apply to amend their permit if there is any change in the category or kind of aircraft amongst others. In this case, this was not done, said the ministry's spokesperson, Lwazi Khoza. The department says compliance with the Civil Aviation Regulations by any airline operator is important, and a violation of the country's civil aviation laws is a matter they "take extremely seriously". The aircraft - which was meant to depart on Friday has since been grounded at Cape Town International Airport until the matter of the FOP is resolved. Meanwhile, the Angolan embassy has apologised for the incident. https://ewn.co.za/0001/01/01/sa-grounds-angolan-aircraft-that-landed-at-ct-international-without-valid-permit Leveling Up: AI Co-Pilots Are the Future of Flying A human user supported by an AI pilot may be the best approach. While the U.S. Air Force is capable of flying unmanned fighter jets and drones, it is unlikely that the need for human pilots will disintegrate anytime soon. There are some variables, faculties, and advantages unique to human cognition that mathematically-oriented, artificial intelligence (AI)-capable algorithms simply cannot replicate. A U.S. Air Force experiment in 2020 used a human pilot in tandem with an AI-enabled computerized co-pilot to optimize the merits of high-speed AI-capable data processing and the unique attributes of human cognition into a single air-combat platform. Certainly, the ability to leverage high-speed, AI-empowered information processing offers the best option, given that so much data can now be gathered, analyzed, and transmitted accurately without human intervention. Computers can match threats against a database library, analyze prior war scenarios to find the best weapon for a particular scenario, or assess navigational, weather, and ground target information in relation to one another in milliseconds. Thus, a human user supported by an AI pilot may be the best approach. The AI algorithm, called ARTUu, flew along with a human pilot on a U-2 Dragon Lady spy plane, performing tasks that would “otherwise be done by a pilot,” an Air Force report from 2020 about the development stated. “ARTUu’s primary responsibility was finding enemy launchers while the pilot was on the lookout for threatening aircraft, both sharing the U-2’s radar,” the Air Force report said. Computer algorithms enabling real-time analytics have informed simulations where AI pilot systems prevailed in dogfights against human users. Machines are increasingly performing more vital combat functions faster than humans can, increasing the likelihood that more AI-enabled fighter jets will emerge in the future. The crux of the debate is based on the extent to which attributes unique to human cognition can be closely approximated or even replicated by machines. How can mathematically-engineered computer algorithms address, express, or analyze subjective phenomena such as intuition or elements of intent? Humans are composed of a delicate, complex, and still somewhat mysterious mixture of thoughts, feelings, and psychological complexities, many of which simply might not be calculated by machines. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/leveling-ai-co-pilots-are-future-flying-205175 'Born To Fly': Indian Pilot Blazes Trail For Women In Aviation Zoya Agarwal was one of a handful of women pilots when she began flying, but India is now the country with the highest rate of female aviators India has the world's highest rate of women pilots, but when Zoya Agarwal said she dreamed of conquering the skies, her mother cried and told her to wait for a "suitable boy" to marry instead. Agarwal has enjoyed an illustrious career since gaining her wings in 2004, including her inauguration last year, with an all-woman crew, of the longest non-stop Indian commercial flight. After helming the 17-hour San Francisco to Bangalore route, Agarwal was feted on national television during India's Republic Day celebrations, and later became a spokesperson for the UN agency for women. Her achievements are as impressive as they once seemed unlikely. When she settled on her dream, she had no role models in her network and no sense that women had access to a career in the flight deck. "I didn't even have the right to such a crazy thought as that of becoming a pilot," she tells AFP at her family's home outside New Delhi, a few hours before her departure to New York. "I was born in an era where the girls in India were expected to get married, have children and look after their families," she adds. Agarwal sports a tattoo with the words "Born to Fly" on her shoulder blade "And I was not there to do any of those things. I always wanted to spread my wings and fly away." It took years for Agarwal to persuade her "very, very conservative" parents that she wanted to pursue a life beyond the horizons of an arranged marriage to "a suitable boy". "My mum cried the first time I told her I wanted to be a pilot," Agarwal says. "She wondered, 'why did God give us a dysfunctional daughter?'" Agarwal had to pay for her university studies using her meagre savings, gifted to her on festive occasions throughout her childhood and stored in a piggy bank in her bedroom. At night she did her homework on the roadside, under the light of street lamps, because frequent power cuts left her family's home in darkness. She still managed to top her classes and her parents, impressed by her determination after years of trying to dissuade her, surprised her by agreeing to pay for her flight training. Agarwal -- who sports a tattoo with the words "Born to Fly" on her shoulder blade -- was one of a "small handful" of women pilots when she began flying with Air India, the national carrier. Agarwal hopes to open her own air taxi service to be able to directly empower women pilots She felt an additional burden to succeed, not just for herself but those that would come after her. "I always made sure that I (was) working twice as hard," she says, "because I knew this was paving the way for the future of women in aviation in India." The passage has been smoother for those that followed, and India is now the country with the highest rate of female aviators, according to the International Society of Women Airline Pilots. Nearly one in every eight pilots in India is a woman, according to the organisation -- more than double the figure in the United States, despite India having only one in four women overall working in the formal economy. Local media reports attribute the high proportion of women to active policies by Indian airlines, who have offered flexible work arrangements, subsidised study, childcare and lengthy maternity leave. But Agarwal says more needs to be done to give aspiring women the same opportunities she fought for. "I want this percentage to be 50," Agarwal says. "Until then, I will not be happy." One day she hopes to open her own air taxi service to be able to directly empower women pilots. https://www.barrons.com/news/born-to-fly-indian-pilot-blazes-trail-for-women-in-aviation-01665377106 Virgin Atlantic drops Hong Kong route after nearly 30 years (Reuters) -British airline Virgin Atlantic on Wednesday decided to suspend its Heathrow-Hong Kong services, close its Hong Kong office and not resume flights in March 2023, after 30 years in the Asian city due to issues related to the closure of Russian airspace. Moscow's invasion of Ukraine has led several airlines, which were already reeling from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, to suspend flights and plan longer routes to avoid Russian and Ukrainian airspace. "Significant operational complexities due to the ongoing Russian airspace closure have contributed to the commercial decision not to resume flights in March 2023 as planned," the airline founded by billionaire Richard Branson said Virgin Atlantic had halted flights to Hong Kong since December last year and several airlines have not routed flights through Russia's airspace after the invasion of Ukraine. Earlier in the day, Bloomberg reported that around 46 Virgin Atlantic jobs will be impacted, including office staff and cabin crew, due to the decision. https://www.yahoo.com/news/virgin-atlantic-drops-hong-kong-115253511.html US Company Tests System to ‘Spin Launch’ Satellites to Space This file shows the SpinLaunch Sub-Orbital Accelerator in New Mexico. (Image Credit: SpinLaunch) An American company has carried out tests of a system that uses a high-speed spinning machine to launch satellites into space. The machine – which is powered by kinetic energy – is meant to greatly reduce costs and fuel required for traditional rocket launches. The California-based company that developed the system is called SpinLaunch. It announced its recent test launch last week. The launch took place on September 27 at Spaceport America, a private space launch complex in the western state of New Mexico. The company said the tests involved payloads from several organizations, including the American space agency NASA. In a statement, SpinLaunch said all payloads tested “were flown and recovered successfully." It did not provide details on what the payloads contained. SpinLaunch said the September tests included the 10th carried out since October 2021. It added that testing was observed “by more than 150 partners, government officials and industry advocates.” VIDEO NASA signed an agreement with SpinLaunch earlier this year to develop and test a payload launch using the company’s system. The agreement was signed as part of NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program. The program provides the chance for private companies to work together with NASA to test new technologies the space agency might use in its future space operations. NASA is examining the possibility of partnering with SpinLaunch to deploy future payloads using the company’s launch technology. SpinLaunch said NASA cooperated with its team after the latest tests “to capture critical launch characteristics” of SpinLaunch’s kinetic launch system. SpinLaunch accelerator SpinLaunch’s Sub-Orbital Accelerator used in the tests is a 33-meter steel structure with an electrically powered spinning arm. A rocket is placed inside the accelerator. The system's high-speed turning motion produces kinetic energy designed to spin the rocket at speeds of more than five times the speed of sound. The Sub-Orbital Accelerator is built to propel the rocket to near-Earth orbit. This is generally considered to be at an altitude of about 2,000 kilometers above Earth's surface. SpinLaunch has plans to keep expanding its technology and equipment to be able to send space objects into higher orbit. The company says most satellites can handle the high spinning speeds, although some will require special modifications to work with the system. With the Sub-Orbital Accelerator, a separate propulsion system would be necessary for satellites to reach higher orbits. SpinLaunch officials said tests of the system have resulted in the flight vehicles being recovered and that the rockets can be reused. Jonathan Yaney is the founder and chief executive of SpinLaunch. He said in a statement that the latest flight tests will be “invaluable” for SpinLaunch engineers as well as the company’s partners. He added that the company will continue working to further develop the system to provide a “low-cost and sustainable” way to deploy satellites to space. VIDEO Yaney said the SpinLaunch system and the way it operates is much less complex than traditional rocket launching systems. This greatly cuts launch costs for large organizations and small companies alike. In addition, the lack of fuel needed to send objects into near Earth orbit represents a much more environmentally friendly system. The technology is being tested as the demand for satellite deployments continues to grow. Market research company IMARC Group recently reported the worldwide small satellite market reached $3.68 billion in 2021. The group projects the market will rise to $8.84 billion by 2027. https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/us-company-tests-system-to-spin-launch-satellites-to-space/6780174.html 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