Flight Safety Information - October 14, 2022 No.199 In This Issue : Incident: Jazz CRJ9 at Phoenix on Oct 11th 2022, fuel leak : Incident: Easyjet Europe A320 at Berlin on Oct 12th 2022, rejected takeoff due to conflict on runway : Incident: American B738 near Miami on Oct 12th 2022, chemical odour from carry on luggage : Cessna 208B Grand Caravan - Forced Landing (Peru) : Australia Issues Draft AC on Pilot Supervision : NASA Awards Xwing Contract to Develop Autonomous Flight Safety Management System : Ex-NTSB Chair Taking Aviation Safety To Next Level at ERAU : JetBlue Names Jeffrey Winter Vice President, Flight Operations : TEXTRON AVIATION ANNOUNCES ORDER FOR 55 CESSNA SKYHAWKS TO SUPPORT PILOT TRAINING FOR ATP FLIGHT SCHOOL : U.S. Cargo and Passenger Airlines Added 1,334 Jobs in August 2022; Employment Remains 3.6% Above Pre-Pandemic August 2019 : WAS AIR FRANCE 447 THE DRESS REHEARSAL FOR THE BOEING MAX CRASHES? : SpaceX, NASA targeting separate Moon launches days apart : ISASI’s PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGIONAL CHAPTER PRESENTS A FALL KICK-OFF EVENT! - NOVEMBER 1 : Research Study: Professional Pilot Occupational Risk(s) Survey : GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: Jazz CRJ9 at Phoenix on Oct 11th 2022, fuel leak A Jazz Canadair CRJ-900, registration C-GJAZ performing flight QK-8997 from Phoenix,AZ (USA) to Vancouver,BC (Canada) with 62 people on board, was climbing out of Phoenix's runway 25R when tower advised the crew they appeared to have a fuel leak. The crew decided to return to Phoenix for a safe landing on runway 26 about 45 minutes after departure. The Canadian TSB reported: "Maintenance found fuel cap on top right hand wight installed backward." The aircraft departed again about 90 minutes after landing back and reached Vancouver with a delay of about 2 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=4ff9cd7e&opt=0 Incident: Easyjet Europe A320 at Berlin on Oct 12th 2022, rejected takeoff due to conflict on runway An Easyjet Europe Airbus A320-200, registration OE-IZT performing flight U2-5185 from Berlin (Germany) to Milan Linate (Italy), was holding at the hold short line at runway 07R when another Easyjet aircraft landed. After that landing Easyjet the aircraft lined up runway 07R and began to accelerate the engines, but spooled the engines down again and taxied slowly to the first possible exit. Just as OE-IZT was about to begin the takeoff roll, an Air France Airbus A320-200, registration F-GKXH performing flight AF-1234 from Paris Charles de Gaulle (France) to Berlin (Germany), was on final approach to runway 07R about 0.7nm before the runway threshold descending through about 300 feet AGL, when the aircraft initiated a go around and OE-IZT rejected their takeoff. A passenger on board of OE-IZT reported: "I was on board easyJet flight U25185 from BER to LIN. The flight was operated by OE-IZT. We were at the remotes of apron C, we started on time and we taxied on B till we reached and hold on M2. I saw an easyJet flight landing and then we entered 07R. Around 12:39 UTC, instead of taking off, the plane just stopped and, after few seconds, it started to move slowly for 2/3 seconds and then a bit faster, till we reached M3 and then we left the runway. The captain said that a mistake has been made by ATC, as they allowed us to enter the runway when there was incoming traffic. He then apologized and he said now we will go again on the runway and we will take off. These might not be the 100% accurate words he used, but he mentioned the problem with conflicting traffic and ATC." https://avherald.com/h?article=4ff9b0b6&opt=0 Incident: American B738 near Miami on Oct 12th 2022, chemical odour from carry on luggage An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N814NN performing flight AA-338 from Miami,FL (USA) to Bridgetown (Barbados), was enroute at FL350 about 330nm southeast of Miami when the crew decided to turn around and return to Miami due to a strong chemical odour in the cabin, that emanated from a passenger's carry on luggage. The aircraft landed safely back on Miami's runway 09 about 105 minutes after departure. The airline reported passengers and crew disembarked on the airfield, were assessed by emergency services and were bussed to the terminal. https://avherald.com/h?article=4ff9adf6&opt=0 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan - Forced Landing (Peru) Date: Thursday 13 October 2022 Time: ca 09:15 Type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan Operator: SAETA Peru Registration: OB-2228 MSN: First flight: 2012 Engines: 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 10 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 12 Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair Location: near Jeberos ( Peru) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: San Lorenzo Airstrip, Peru Destination airport: Tarapoto Airport (TPP/SPST), Peru Narrative: A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan sustained substantial damage when it force landed in swampy terrain some 14 nm from San Lorenzo, Peru. All occupants survived the crash. The aircraft had departed San Lorenzo on a domestic flight to Tarapoto. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20221013-0 Australia Issues Draft AC on Pilot Supervision The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority document addresses pilot supervision for aircraft operators that do not have a required check and training system in place. The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) recently published draft Advisory Circular (AC) 61-20 v1.0 as the first document of its kind addressing pilot supervision for aircraft operators that do not have a required check and training system in place. Guidance is provided to operators for delivering “a structured supervision program to pilots operating in a new environment or after completing the regulatory requirements for a new qualification.” The intent of the supervision process is to ensure pilots can “continue to gain effective knowledge and operational experience, during and post, induction, or when operating in a new environment.” CASA emphasized that this AC “does not replace the supervision required by the regulations to complete a qualification. However, all operators could adopt the supervision methodology for their operational safety-critical personnel.” Comment deadline is November 7. Feedback is specifically requested on these questions: Should pilots who are flying for an operator without a training system have a period of supervision after joining an organization or obtaining new qualifications? Is the advice understood, complete and explained in enough detail? How realistic is the example? And whether you think operators to whom the AC applies will adopt pilot supervision as part of their training process? https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2022-10-13/australia-issues-draft-ac-pilot-supervision NASA Awards Xwing Contract to Develop Autonomous Flight Safety Management System The three-year contract will allow Xwing to share its data with NASA to improve overall autonomous safety infrastructure. In February 2021, Xwing demonstrated a fully automated gate-to-gate operation of a Cessna Caravan turboprop retrofitted with their technology. [Courtesy: Xwing] NASA awarded Xwing, the autonomous aircraft company, a contract to develop a set of safety processes and procedures that would make integrating non-piloted aircraft in the national airspace system (NAS) easier. As part of the deal, San-Francisco-based Xwing will share flight and ground operations data, algorithms, and pertinent autonomous subject matter expertise with NASA. In turn, NASA researchers will use the information to develop a safety management system (SMS) where regular pilotless flights can be integrated into the NAS. Additionally, NASA will study the risks associated with the fast-growing air mobility sectors that could soon feature electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLS), autonomous and beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drones. Marc Piette, Xwing’s founder and CEO, explained to FLYING that sharing his company’s data with NASA was essential in accelerating the adoption of autonomous flight in the industry. Though this isn’t Xwing’s and NASA’s first joint effort, Piette said. “We’re excited to work with NASA—it’s a good thing for the economy and country in general,” he added. “We’ll be able to increase safety, access to goods, and rural transportation in general.” Fast-Tracking Innovation Why would Xwing share its data with NASA? The overall program is part of NASA’s System-Wide Safety (SWS) Project that the agency launched in 2018 to grasp the impact these advanced aviation systems had on safety. “Emerging aviation relies heavily on advanced automation to ensure safety, and Xwing is working to bring novel, safe aviation opportunities to the American public,” said Misty Davies, NASA’s SWS project manager. Xwing will share flight and ground operations data, algorithms, and pertinent autonomous subject matter expertise with NASA. While NASA is predominantly thought of as a space agency, there are branches that focus on terrestrial aeronautics and work directly with the FAA, Jesse Kallman, vice-president of Commercialization & Strategy at Xwing, told FLYING. Because of its vast resources and ability to facilitate collaboration even across competing companies, NASA might be able to serve as the catalyst that speeds up the pace and commercial deployment of new aviation technologies at a large scale, Kallman added. From its findings, NASA can develop and deploy tools, technologies, and best practices to limit the risks these new systems will create as they blend into the existing airspace ecosystem. For Xwing, the benefit is that they get to leverage NASA’s technical capabilities to get its autonomous product to market. “Both the data we provide to NASA and data we receive will enable us each to advance our capabilities and build a more robust safety case for the technology,” Kallman said. Xwing’s Fast-Growing Operation In February 2021, Xwing demonstrated a fully automated gate-to-gate operation of a Cessna Caravan turboprop retrofitted with their technology. In a video shared on social media that captured the flight, the experimental Cessna 208B Grand Caravan exited its hangar at Buchanan Field (CCA) in Concord, California. It then taxied, departed, landed, and taxied back to the hangar entirely on its own. By focusing on autonomy, Xwing claims it would be a more straightforward march into the future of regional air mobility (RAM) than adjacent disruptions with eVTOLS or electric aircraft designs. Fast-forward, the company is a Part 135 air carrier without the autonomous technology on its aircraft. Recently Xwing expanded its fleet to operate more than 400 weekly human-piloted cargo flights for UPS. The airplanes are retrofitted with sensors and tracking software to collect data. That’s the data being shared with NASA. How NASA Will Use The Data The NASA contract will last three years. The data Xwing provides is expected to help NASA understand the real-world challenges that the industry is facing, NASA’s Davis said. “It’s really about the integration, and not so much the technology onboard the aircraft, but how they operate within a real-world operational setting with ground crew, ground control, and air traffic control in general,” Piette said. For instance, he said there are inefficiencies—like how repositioning flights are conducted. Showing a slide from the data they’ve collected from their cargo flights, the map shows that pilots rarely get to fly the most efficient routes. There are delays on the ground due to inefficient taxiing and the cargo loading process, which are all jobs that pilots and other airport personnel are required to do. “All these things need to be handled gracefully once you move to a remote operator,” Piette said. A significant feature of the contract is that NASA will use the data to identify risks and hazards related to runway detection, identification, and vision-based landing. Presently, only airports with ILS-Category 3 systems have dependable autoland capabilities. Still, GPS-enabled standard RNAV approaches, which typically have a higher margin of error and, therefore, are less accurate than an ILS system, are more predominant. So, if the data Xwing collects and shares with NASA helps them find a way to ensure similar levels of accuracy with GPS as with the ILS in any weather condition or terrain scenario, it would be a big unlock for their program. Timing is Crucial Broadly, Xwing’s data, including emergency procedures, airspace communications, and infrastructure needs—such as on-the-ground support—will help NASA’s research to build new infrastructure standards, pilot/operator certification standards, and other best practices. The NASA Aeronautics Research Institute (NARI) might also work with Xwing to determine the supply chain challenges that make pilotless operations challenging. The timing is crucial. Last month, a group of aviation business leaders testified before a U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation about the progress of introducing new technologies into the national airspace system. As the government looks to provide funding for the FAA to operate through its FAA Reauthorization Act in 2023, leaders from various sectors—pilots, government, policymakers, and manufacturers—continue to try to get on the same page about emerging technologies. https://www.flyingmag.com/nasa-awards-xwing-contract-to-develop-autonomous-flight-safety-management-system/ Ex-NTSB Chair Taking Aviation Safety To Next Level at ERAU Robert Sumwalt speaking on behalf of the NTSB Robert Sumwalt is settling into his new role as a distinguished fellow in aviation safety and executive director of the new Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety, which aims to elevate aviation safety education and research. Robert Sumwalt—who spent 15 years on the National Transportation Safety Board, including nearly five as chairman—has settled into the role he took on in January as a distinguished fellow in aviation safety and executive director of the new Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety. According to Sumwalt, the center strives to bring “excellence in aviation safety” to education, training, and research, but is weighted toward the latter. He is working out of a temporary office at the university’s Daytona Beach, Florida campus, but will soon move into the former student fitness center building, which is being remodeled as the aviation safety center’s new home. When renovations are completed in May, the facility will include offices for Sumwalt and his staff, as well as classrooms and conference rooms where aviation safety classes and seminars can be held. The center he launched from the ground up is tackling a range of safety issues surrounding new technologies, from unmanned aerial systems and urban air mobility technologies to human-machine and machine-to-machine interfaces. It will also encompass areas such as automatic taxiing, the use of artificial intelligence, and streamlined or trajectory-based operations, and could even delve into alternative aviation fuels, new training systems—including virtual and augmented reality tools—and other technologies. “Embry-Riddle’s Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety will serve as a business magnet for our region, by attracting industry and government partners eager to identify timely solutions,” said ERAU president Barry Butler. “Sumwalt’s deep knowledge of aerospace safety issues and his professionalism and commitment to excellence make him an ideal leader of this much-needed enterprise.” Sumwalt is also spearheading other aerospace safety research and outreach activities for the university and has oversight responsibilities of existing safety initiatives. Additionally, he is tasked with recruiting talent; promoting student participation in research projects; providing career counseling for students; and working with Embry-Riddle academic leadership to guide and mentor center-affiliated faculty. “Embry-Riddle is the leader in aviation safety, and we now have an advisory board to see if any courses in this field are missing at the university,” he said. This work has resulted in the addition in August of a master’s of aviation safety program through ERAU’s Worldwide Campus. He is also coordinating guest lectures, events, and professional development programs. Notably, the center last month held its first professional development course—focused on disaster response—that was taught by former NTSB employees who worked at that agency’s training center. The Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety will also do consulting work for aircraft operators of all sizes. This ranges from helping to implement safety programs to holding customized short courses. In fact, the center recently created a customized online course for a major airline that wanted data analytics training for their safety employees. The courses were held midweek in the early evening, after normal work hours, so the employees wouldn’t get behind in their day-to-day duties. Other potential short courses could be a three- to five-day session on aircraft certification, aimed at the “Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, who are not aviation people, that are now developing electric aircraft,” Sumwalt said. He also believes the center can play a role in helping corporate flight departments implement safety programs, including safety management systems. On the research side, the FAA has already approved funding for the center to conduct studies on go-around safety and flight-path management. The go-around research is the third phase of this project and will look into how to best train pilots for go-around procedures developed in the second phase, he said. Meanwhile, the flight-path management study will explore cognitive skill degradation from aircraft automation and identify ways to mitigate it. Other research areas on Sumwalt’s radar include fatigue, runway excursions, loss of control in-flight, and controlled flight into terrain. “My goal is to continue making human mobility as safe as possible,” Sumwalt said. “I’m excited about this opportunity and I look forward to cultivating transformative partnerships with government and industry.” https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2022-10-14/ex-ntsb-chair-taking-aviation-safety-next-level-erau JetBlue Names Jeffrey Winter Vice President, Flight Operations NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced the appointment of Jeffrey Winter as the airline’s new vice president, flight operations. Winter, who has been with JetBlue since 2015, will be responsible for the award-winning airline’s flight operations, flight standards and leadership of its growing base of nearly 4,700 professional pilots. He will report to Warren Christie, JetBlue’s head of safety, security, fleet operations, airports and JetBlue University. “It’s an honor to step into this role serving the finest pilots in the industry as we continue to expand JetBlue flying, creating more opportunities for our pilots and the next generation of aviators.” During his tenure with JetBlue, Winter has held a variety of roles in flight operations, training, and project management. A pilot on JetBlue’s Airbus A320/A321 fleet, he was previously director, flight operations planning and analytics, where he led the teams which supported the business and labor relations administration for flight operations. He played a key role in overseeing the budget and running the day-to-day business of flight operations. Most recently he has served as vice president, JetBlue University, leading the airline’s award-winning training division that offers new hire and recurrent training for JetBlue’s airports, customer support (reservations), flight operations, inflight, system operations, and technical operations (maintenance) crewmembers, as well as pilot training services for a variety of other airlines around the world. Winter said: “It’s an honor to step into this role serving the finest pilots in the industry as we continue to expand JetBlue flying, creating more opportunities for our pilots and the next generation of aviators.” Christie added: “Jeff’s extensive aviation and leadership experience will be great addition to our flight ops leadership team as we grow our pilot ranks, expand our fleet and network footprint and focus on continuing to make JetBlue a great place to work.” He brings 33 years of aviation experience to the role, including 26 years in the U.S. Navy, predominantly as an FA-18 pilot and instructor. About JetBlue JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando and San Juan. JetBlue carries customers to more than 100 destinations throughout the United States, Latin America, Caribbean, Canada and United Kingdom. For more information and the best fares, visit jetblue.com. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221013005995/en/JetBlue-Names-Jeffrey-Winter-Vice-President-Flight-Operations TEXTRON AVIATION ANNOUNCES ORDER FOR 55 CESSNA SKYHAWKS TO SUPPORT PILOT TRAINING FOR ATP FLIGHT SCHOOL WICHITA, Kan. (October 13, 2022) – Textron Aviation today announced an agreement with ATP Flight School for the purchase of 55 Cessna Skyhawk aircraft. The piston aircraft will add to ATP’s existing fleet of nearly 200 Skyhawks, across 74 training centers nationwide. The Cessna Skyhawk is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company. “This order announcement demonstrates our continued long-term relationship we have with ATP in support of their flight training needs,” said Chris Crow, vice president, Textron Aviation Piston Sales. “For more than six decades, the legendary Cessna Skyhawk has been one of the world’s top training aircraft. We are thrilled to see these aircraft utilized to inspire the next generation of professional pilots.” Deliveries of the 55 aircraft will begin in late 2023 and continue throughout 2024. Students in ATP’s Airline Career Pilot Program will utilize the new Cessna Skyhawks to train as airline pilots amid unprecedented demand for the skillset. The stable flight characteristics, advanced avionics, and proven dispatch reliability of the Cessna Skyhawk make it a dependable training platform for ATP, who flies 40,000 flight hours per month. "ATP takes pride in providing Airline Career Pilot Program students with one of the newest, most advanced safety-focused training fleets," said Michael Arnold, director of Marketing, ATP Flight School. "The Skyhawk has proven to be an integral part of the ATP fleet, which system wide delivers 480,000 flight hours and nearly 9,000 pilot certificates issued annually. The new order with Textron Aviation will be essential in continuing to provide students with the fastest path to gain certification and start their careers as airline pilots." About the Cessna Skyhawk The Cessna Skyhawk is considered the aircraft of choice for pilot training, and it is the most popular single-engine aircraft in aviation history. Since the aircraft first took flight in 1955, over 45,000 Skyhawks have been delivered to customers around the world – more than any other aircraft in the industry. The single-engine four-seat, high-wing Skyhawk is renowned for offering the best combination of modern features, including the Garmin G1000 NXi avionics with wireless connectivity, a standard angle-of-attack display system, and proven dependability. The aircraft also features McCauley’s aluminum fixed pitch propeller, providing greater reliability and operating time. https://investor.textron.com/news/news-releases/press-release-details/2022/Textron-Aviation-Announces-Order-for-55-Cessna-Skyhawks-to-Support-Pilot-Training-for-ATP-Flight-School/default.aspx U.S. Cargo and Passenger Airlines Added 1,334 Jobs in August 2022; Employment Remains 3.6% Above Pre-Pandemic August 2019 U.S. airline industry (passenger and cargo airlines combined) employment increased to 769,106 workers in August 2022, 1,334 (0.17%) more workers than in July 2022 (767,772) and 26,780 (3.61%) more than in pre-pandemic August 2019 (742,326). U.S. scheduled-service passenger airlines employed 489,404 workers in August or 64% of the industry-wide total. Passenger airlines added 2,190 employees in August for a sixteenth consecutive month of job growth dating back to May 2021. United led scheduled passenger carriers, adding 1,061 employees; Envoy Airlines added 342 employees, and Southwest Airlines added 332. American Airlines lost 207 employees, and Delta Airlines lost 282 employees. U.S. cargo airlines employed 274,966 workers in August, 36% of the industry total. Cargo carriers lost 1162 employees in August due to Atlas Air not reporting as of this release. If their July 2022 employees of 4,345 were included, cargo carrier’s employment would have increased for August. FedEx, the leading air cargo employer, increased employment by 2,966 jobs. Scheduled passenger airlines add 3,107 full-time equivalents in August for 16th consecutive month of job growth BTS calculates FTEs by dividing the number of part-time employees by 2 and adding that figure to the number of full-time employees. The August industry-wide numbers include 660,466 full-time and 108,640 part-time workers for a total of 714,786 FTEs, an increase from July of 2,217 FTEs (0.31%). August’s total number of FTEs remains just 4.63% above pre-pandemic August 2019’s 683,170 FTEs. The 27 U.S. scheduled passenger airlines reporting data for August 2022 employed 463,516 FTEs, 3,107 FTEs (0.67%) more than in July 2022. August’s total number of scheduled passenger airline FTEs is 13,477 FTEs (2.99%) above pre-pandemic August 2019. Data by passenger carrier category can be found in the accompanying tables. U.S. cargo airlines employed 246,660 FTEs in August, down 1,203 FTEs (0.49%) from July. U.S. cargo airlines have increased FTEs by 17,124 (7.46%) since pre-pandemic August 2019. Data are compiled from monthly reports filed with BTS by commercial air carriers as of October 11, 2022. Additional airline employment data and previous releases can be found on the BTS website. Passenger, cargo, and charter airlines that operate at least one aircraft that has more than 60 seats or the capacity to carry a payload of passengers, cargo, and fuel weighing more than 18,000 pounds must report monthly employment statistics. Regulations require U.S. airlines to report employment numbers for employees who worked or received pay for any part of the pay period(s) ending nearest the 15th day of the month. The next update for U.S. airline employment is scheduled for November 10. https://www.bts.gov/newsroom/us-cargo-and-passenger-airlines-added-1334-jobs-august-2022-employment-remains-36-above WAS AIR FRANCE 447 THE DRESS REHEARSAL FOR THE BOEING MAX CRASHES? A Commentary By Roger Rapoport Senior Editor In the thirteen years since Air France 447 was lost for 22 months in the South Atlantic, French prosecutors, the families of the 228 people who died,, Airbus, and the airline have engaged in a dramatic legal battle that impacts all who fly. Located by a Woods Hole Oceanographic led team 22 months after the June 1, 2009 tragedy, this crash has already reshaped flight training and airline safety practices. Today pilots are routinely trained on how to prevent the kind of aerodynamic stall that took down Air France 447. Unfortunately new training in the wake of one tragedy does not necessarily rule out other kinds of automation surprises on state-of-the-art jets sold on the premise that they can’t stall. In numerous interviews after the 2009 crash of that Rio-Paris Airbus 330, aviation safety experts told me that it was only a matter of time until there would be a similar disaster. In a sense Air France 447 was the dress rehearsal for the 2018 and 2019 Boeing 737 MAX tragedies in Ethiopia and China that took 346 lives. In all three cases the pilots did not have the requisite training to deal with the emergency situation they were forced into. The larger problem surrounding these events is the industry’s questionable continuation bias toward automation without adding badly needed training. For example Boeing was so confident in the new unproven MCAS automation system introduced on the 737 MAX that it promised customers no additional pilot training was required to fly this redesigned aircraft. In the case of major customer Southwest Airline, the company promised a $1 million per aircraft payment if the FAA decided to mandate training on this new MCAS automation that was not even explained to flight crews. After more than 300 conversations with the airline, the manufacturer, the father and brother of two of the Air France 447 pilots, officials from regulatory agencies, the scientists who uncovered the plane and many academic experts, I’ve learned that aircraft safety systems can’t be designed in a vacuum. They must be integrated into the design itself. Putting computers together and trying to understand all the interactions can quickly become complicated. Even when each computer is working as designed there is no guarantee that the system will be fail safe. The hubris of aircraft designers who have zero flight time can contribute to this unjustified bias against pilots. The problem, as MIT’s Dr. Nancy Leveson has pointed out, centers around interaction between all these different computers and human operators trying to control the outcome. All too often the computers and the humans don’t understand what the other “controllers” are doing. Bad things can happen quickly and spiral out of control. Fortunately this French manslaughter case focuses on all the key issues that impact the future of aviation safety. In particular the hard work of the families of the victims through the Entraide et solidarité AF447 has defeated the libelous myth that this accident was all the fault of three experienced pilots with more than 20,000 previous hours of successful flight time. Both Airbus and Air France had ample warning from many flight crews that the pitot tubes providing airspeed data critical to Airbus 330 flight automation were failing in high altitude icing conditions. The plane operating as Air France 447 was scheduled to have its problematic pitots replaced after landing in Paris on June 1, 2009. If those new pitots had been installed in Brazil it is probable that the crash would not have happened. Although Air France and Airbus had been discussing numerous reports of high altitude pitot failure they did not elect to ground the 330 fleet and replace the problem pitots before allowing these aircraft to resume operation. Air France saw the problem as a maintenance issue, not a critical flight safety challenge. Today pilots flying both these Airbus and Boeing jets are required to complete the additional training both companies originally insisted wasn’t necessary. Is it possible that overconfidence in flight automation while ignoring the need for more pilot training could lead to similar kinds of accidents in the future? The aviation experts and pilots I’ve spoken with agree with Dr. Leveson and other experts agree that automation alone can not solve every flight problem. This is one of the reasons why the march toward single pilot jets with ground staff handling the duties of the copilot is questionable. In all likelihood the trial balloon could be freight carriers. The problem with this approach is that it makes the false assumption that pilots are merely bus drivers who don’t need backup crew.. The decision of some major carriers such as Virgin Atlantic and Frontier to hire people with zero flight experience for pilot training appears to be a quick fix. IT is aimed at people who want to pay $90,000 or more to train and find out if they will be hired to fly in the cockpit’s right seat. Replacing experienced pilots with these newcomers assumes that beginner’s luck is a substitute for the expertise that led to the successful emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson. It took two veteran pilots with more than 40 years of combined flight experience to save that flight in minutes. There is no substitute for this kind of training and experience. Delicate hand flying was critical to that emergency situation. What’s at stake during the Paris manslaughter trial is the future of pilot training. A not guilty verdict for the defendants will validate the premise that the AF 447 pilots were their own worst enemies because they failed to stop an untrained for aerodynamic stall. A guilty verdict will tell the industry that more and better pilot training is the best way to prevent the automation surprises that led to the Airbus 330 and Boeing 737 Max crashes. Roger Rapoport is the coauthor of Angle of Attack: Air France 447 and The Future of Aviation Safety and Grounded: How to Solve the Aviation Crisis. (lexographicpress.com). He is also the producer of the award winning feature film Pilot Error https://vimeo.com/ondemand/piloterror/117084584 He is at rogerrapoport.com SpaceX, NASA targeting separate Moon launches days apart NASA and a SpaceX customer have announced plans to launch two unrelated Moon missions days apart next month. On October 12th, NASA confirmed that it will roll its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket out to its Kennedy Space Center LC-39A pad for the fourth time as early as November 4th. Barring surprises, the rocket’s next launch attempt is scheduled no earlier than (NET) 12:07 am EDT (17:07 UTC), November 14th. SLS is tasked with launching an uncrewed prototype of NASA’s Orion crew capsule on its way to the Moon, where the spacecraft will attempt to enter lunar orbit and conduct tests before returning to Earth. The same day, Japanese startup ispace confirmed that HAKUTO-R M1, its first commercial Moon lander, is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket sometime between November 9th and 15th. While NASA has a $73M contract with ispace to develop a second-generation SERIES-2 Moon lander in the United States, the first-generation HAKUTO-R program has been an almost entirely private endeavor. The first M1 lander will attempt to deliver two rovers and several other commercial and government payloads to surface of the Moon. As of 2020, HAKUTO-R is expected to weigh around 1050 kilograms (~2300 lb) at launch and has been designed to land up to 30 kilograms (~66 lb) of usable payload on the Moon. ispace has designed and built most of the lander’s structures but contracted with Europe’s ArianeGroup to provide the propulsion system and fully assemble, integrate, and test the lander in Germany. According to ispace’s documentation [PDF], Falcon 9 will launch HAKUTO-R into a “supersynchronous” Earth orbit, where the lander will check out its systems before eventually using its own propulsion to thrust itself free of Earth’s gravity well and into the Moon’s. It expects a nominal transit from Earth orbit to the lunar surface to take at least 20 days. The lander is designed to survive up to 12 days on the Moon, during which it will attempt to operate its onboard experiments, deploy both of its tiny rovers, and transmit all the data gathered back to Earth. The startup initially [PDF] described its arrangements with SpaceX as contracts to launch two landers as secondary payloads on two Falcon 9 rockets. In its press releases, ispace no longer specifies whether the one-ton spacecraft will be the only payload on Falcon 9. It’s possible that HAKUTO-R M1 will be a secondary payload on SpaceX’s launch of the Eutelsat 10B geostationary communications satellite, which is currently scheduled NET November 11th. In a rare move, SpaceX will reportedly expend Falcon 9’s reusable first-stage booster during the mission, leaving much more performance on the table. ispace has raised approximately $210 million since it was founded in 2010 – coincidentally the same year that the US Congress forced NASA to begin developing the SLS rocket. 12 years later, there’s a chance that the first launches of SLS and HAKUTO-R could occur hours apart. When it rolls out next month, NASA’s SLS rocket will be heading to the launch pad for the fourth time. SLS and Orion have had a less-than-smooth journey to their first launch, suffering half a decade of delays and running tens of billions of dollars over budget as a result. Once all the pieces had arrived in Florida, it took NASA and its contractors about 12 months to finish assembling SLS and Orion and begin testing the integrated rocket. Since integrated testing began in April 2022, SLS has undergone five publicized wet dress rehearsal (WDR) tests in April, June, and September. It also attempted to launch twice on August 29th and September 3rd, although both attempts were arguably a continuation of WDR testing in everything but name. But it appears that when the rocket rolls out for the fourth time, NASA will have finally completed nearly all of the testing it should have finished before loudly proclaiming that its “Mega Moon Rocket” was ready to launch back in August. The SLS launch debut will almost certainly take precedence over any other Cape Canaveral launch around the same time, including HAKUTO-R M1, but SpaceX could potentially launch the Moon lander roughly one day before or after NASA’s Moon rocket. https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-nasa-two-moon-launches-days-apart/ ISASI’s PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGIONAL CHAPTER PRESENTS A FALL KICK-OFF EVENT! EXPANDED PRESENTATIONS! The Fall Kick-Off meeting of ISASI’s Pacific Northwest Regional Chapter to be held on Tuesday, November 1st, at Anthony’s HomePort in Des Moines, WA (421 South 227th St.) from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. This is a special event sponsored by our Chapter – and we encourage you and your associates to attend. ISASI is at the dawn of new leadership. Our original guest speaker, Steve Demko, newly-elected President of the U.S. Society, will now be joined by Barbara Dunn, the newly-elected President of the International Society! Together, they will impart their vision for both the US Society and the International Society as they both face the challenges of membership and activities. They hope to get your input for those things you appreciate in the society as a whole as well as things you feel could be added or improved upon. Our Chapter will provide heavy hors d’oeuvres, along with a no-host bar. Registration for the event is $10 per person payable in advance. After October 21st, the fee will be $15 at the door on the day of the event. Please RSVP via email to to Gary Morphew, PNRC President, (garymorphew@comcast.net) indicating your intended attendance and whether payment will be made beforehand via check or at the door on November 1st. Checks should be made payable to: Intl Soc of Air Safety Invest – PNRC and directed to: Gary Morphew, 1303 Kayu Ln., Centralia, WA 98531. We look forward to welcoming our members, associates and friends to participate in a great opportunity to meet Steve Demko and Barbara Dunn. We welcome any insights into building a stronger ISASI and exchange with others who are part of this region’s aviation safety community. Please put November 1st on your calendars. We’ll look forward to seeing you! Your Pacific Northwest Regional Chapter officers: Gary Morphew, President Masood Karim, Vice President Jeanne Elliott, Secretary/Treasurer Research Study: Professional Pilot Occupational Risk(s) Survey My name is August Parker, and I am a Doctor of Occupational Therapy Student at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. I am inviting employed professional pilots to participate in this study by completing an internet survey for a project entitled, “An Occupational Perspective: Therapeutic Interventions to Facilitate Job Performance in Aviators and Astronauts”. The purpose of this study is to assess professional pilots experience with risk(s) in musculoskeletal functioning, mental health, and overall well-being for flight performance. This is a one-time, voluntary survey that is anticipated to take no more than 10 minutes to complete. If you agree, your identity as a participant will remain anonymous during and after the study. This survey is not affiliated with any aviation-related organizations or facilities. I would be grateful if you could forward this message to other pilots in your workforce. If you have any questions, please contact me, August Parker by email at a.parker@usa.edu. For more information and access to the survey, please access the link provided below: https://sway.office.com/ksURu4OaOEAXm7mC?ref=Link THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE FOR HEALTH SCIENCES INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT THE INSTITUTIONAL IRB CHAIR, DR. LORI KUPCZYNSKI, EMAIL: LKUPCZYNSKI@USA.EDU, PHONE: 904-330-1559 Thank you for your participation! August Parker, OTDS a.parker@usa.edu The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences 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