Flight Safety Information - November 4, 2022 No. 214 In This Issue : Incident: France A318 at Paris on Oct 30th 2022, smell on board : NTSB report: Plane engine made popping noises before crash into Keene apartment building : KC-46 tanker’s boom breaks, dents plane while refueling fighter jet : U.S. DOT Announces New Members to the Advanced Aviation Advisory Committee : Emirates and IATA marshal industry to share best practices in pilot training and flight safety : Airlines to bring job training programs to Chicago as they search for more mechanics : Frontier Airlines To Open Crew Base At Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport : REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) AIRPORT CONSULTANT SERVICES ELY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (ELO) ELY, MINNESOTA : Airbus Inks $17 Billion Aircraft Deal With Chinese State-Backed Company : Insurers reduce premium on aircraft over improved air safety (Nigeria) : Virgin Airlines Makes a Bold Policy Change : Watch an Asteroid Vaporize Life on Earth in This Scary Simulation : Call for Papers – ISASI 2023 : Research Study: Professional Pilot Occupational Risk(s) Survey : GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: France A318 at Paris on Oct 30th 2022, smell on board An Air France Airbus A318-100, registration F-GUGJ performing flight AF-6141 from Toulouse to Paris Orly (France), was on approach to Orly when the crew declared emergency due to a suspicious smell on board. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Orly's runway 06 about 13 minutes later. Emergency services boarded the aircraft for an inspection and checked the aircraft from outside. Following the inspection the aircraft was towed to the apron where passengers disembarked. A passenger reported the crew announced a suspicious smell. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 92.5 hours (almost 4 days) before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=500838ad&opt=0 NTSB report: Plane engine made popping noises before crash into Keene apartment building Preliminary report says no distress calls made from plane KEENE, N.H. — A preliminary report on a fatal plane crash in Keene last month states there were no distress calls made from the small aircraft (Beechcraft A24R Sierra), but witnesses said the engine sounded strange. The pilot and passenger of the plane were killed on Oct. 21 when the plane crashed into a garage attached to an apartment building about a half-mile from Dillant/Hopkins Airport in Keene, causing a fire. No one in the building was injured. The preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board does not provide a cause for the crash shortly after the plane took off that evening, but it says witnesses on the ground reported that the engine never sounded smooth. One witness reported hearing popping sounds before the plane started descending. A flight instructor and commercial-rated pilot were on the plane. They were identified as Lawrence Marchiony, 41, of Baldwinville, Massachusetts, and Marvin David Dezendorf, 60, of Townshend, Vermont. Witnesses said the plane climbed no higher than 200 feet above the runway as it was taking off, and it appeared level as it left the airport. The report states that no distress calls were made by either occupant of the plane. https://www.wmur.com/article/plane-crash-new-hampshire-report-ntsb-11322/41858625# KC-46 tanker’s boom breaks, dents plane while refueling fighter jet Air Force officials are investigating a mishap that heavily damaged a KC-46 Pegasus tanker plane while it refueled a fighter jet last month, Air Force Times has learned. The tanker was on its way from Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, when it was tasked to gas up an F-15, an Air Force official confirmed Wednesday. Investigators believe that during the rendezvous, the two aircraft were traveling at such different speeds that the refueling boom forcibly broke away from the fighter jet and slammed back into the KC-46, the official said. The Pegasus safely continued on to New Jersey after the mishap. A photo posted Oct. 28 on an Instagram account for tanker memes appears to show a cracked refueling boom below a dented tail cone. The post voiced concerns about the jet’s safety, particularly as mobility officials experiment with using two-person crews instead of three in emergencies. While the service believes it will cost at least $2.5 million to repair the KC-46, the official said he isn’t aware of any damage to the F-15. “The incident is currently being investigated as a potential Class A mishap, with anticipated conclusion in late November,” Air Mobility Command spokesperson Capt. Natasha Mosquera said. “Final cost estimates will be determined at that time.” “Brute force disconnects” are uncommon, but do happen, the official said. They recalled at least one or two other such in-flight tanker mishaps within the past few years. The service said it does not suspect any systemic problems with the boom. It’s unclear if the Oct. 15 incident is related to multiple boom design issues that the Air Force added to the KC-46′s extensive list of faults in 2018, including that the pipe was too stiff to properly refuel lighter aircraft. That has prevented the KC-46 from refueling the A-10C Thunderbolt II attack plane. Boeing is still redesigning the boom under a 2019 contract worth up to $55.5 million. The Pegasus is intended to be a more versatile, resilient tanker than earlier designs and carry up to 65,000 pounds of cargo. “AMC is confident in the KC-46′s ability to project and connect the joint force worldwide and will continue to meet global taskings in support of combatant command requirements,” Mosquera said. The accident came about two months after the boom-retracting cable snapped on a New Hampshire Air National Guard KC-46, forcing the plane to land with the contraption extended. That event fell short of the threshold needed to classify it as the most severe kind of mishap. In September, the Air Force cleared the Pegasus to fly combat refueling missions around the world on airframes other than the A-10. Air Mobility Command boss Gen. Mike Minihan argues the plane performs well enough to alleviate some of the military’s massive demand for tankers. Meanwhile, the Air Force and Boeing continue to chip away at multiple high-priority hardware and software problems. Boeing must cover the cost of nearly $7 billion in needed fixes that have accumulated so far, about $2 billion more than the Air Force paid for the planes. The service plans to buy at least 179 KC-46 airframes for $4.9 billion. Officials expect airmen will need to use workarounds while flying the jets until around 2025 or so, when significant design fixes are available. https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2022/11/03/kc-46-tankers-boom-breaks-dents-plane-while-refueling-fighter-jet/ U.S. DOT Announces New Members to the Advanced Aviation Advisory Committee WASHINGTON – The U.S. Transportation Department today announced 12 new appointments to the Federal Aviation Administration Advanced Aviation Advisory Committee (AAAC). The committee provides advice on key drone and Advanced Air Mobility issues. Members are executives and stakeholders who represent a variety of drone and AAM interests, including industry, research, academia, retail, technology and state and local government. In addition, for the first time, the AAAC will include members able to raise awareness of potential impacts to communities, and advise on approaches that advance emerging aviation models while respecting neighboring communities. The new members are: • Edward Bolen, Chief Executive Officer, National Business Aviation Association • Jeffrey Keith Antonio Brown, Aviation Chief Operating Officer, Port of Seattle • Kevin Cox, Chief Executive Officer, Ferrovial Vertiports • Karthik Duraisamy, Professor of Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan & Founder and Chief Scientist, Geminus.AI • Amit Ganjoo, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, ANRA Technologies • James Grimsley, Executive Director, Advanced Technology Initiatives-Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma • Andrew LeBovidge, Executive Vice President, National Air Traffic Controllers Associations (NATCA) • Houston Mills, Vice President, Flight Operations and Safety, United Parcel Service (UPS) / AAAC Chair • Okeoma Moronu, Head of Aviation Regulatory and Legal Affairs, Zipline • Melissa Tomkiel, President and General Counsel, Blade Air Mobility • James Viola, Chief Executive Officer, Helicopter Association International • Yolanka Wulff, Executive Director, Community Air Mobility Initiative https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/us-dot-announces-new-members-advanced-aviation-advisory-committee Emirates and IATA marshal industry to share best practices in pilot training and flight safety DUBAI, UAE: An aircraft flight deck can be a complex, challenging and high-threat environment that requires pilots to have intense focus and the ability to react and take informed decisions with agility, aided by technology. As demand for air travel increases phenomenally and airlines expand their operations, pilot training is once again sharply in focus, as they are responsible for the safety of millions of passengers and crew every single day, on every flight, on every route globally. Now more than ever, the aviation industry must use the latest best practices to train its workforce for peak performance. In the first-ever forum of its kind, Emirates and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) jointly held a workshop on pilot training and flight safety for the aviation industry. Hosted by Emirates' Flight Operations Training together with IATA, the Evidence based training - Competency Based Training Assessment Workshop was organized at the Emirates Aviation College in Dubai on 28 October, 2022. Training experts from airlines, including Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Iceland Air, UAE Presidential Flight, Etihad, flydubai, Air Arabia and Indigo and civil aviation authorities, such as General Civil Aviation Authority, UAE (GCAA) and the Irish Aviation Authority, attended the workshop. Aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing, as well as the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA) and training institutions, including Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA) and CAE, were in attendance. Hosted by Emirates' Flight Operations Training together with IATA, the Evidence based training - Competency Based Training Assessment Workshop was organized at the Emirates Aviation College in Dubai on 28 October, 2022. Covering an entire day of discussions and presentations, industry participants gathered and shared best practice and challenges regarding how to develop, implement and run effective evidence-based (EBT) and competency-based training and assessment programmes. Speakers from Emirates included: Capt. Bader Al Marzooqi, VP Flight Training; Dr Nicklas Dahlstrom, Human Factors Manager; Capt. David Swarbrick, Training Manager, Boeing and Capt. Stephen Mercer, Flight Training Standards Manager. Other speakers included: Capt. Yann Renier, Head of Training & Licensing, Safety & Flight Operations Division, IATA; Captain Jason Alves, Chief flight Instructor, flydubai; Capt. Olivier Mazzoleni, Deputy Head of Airbus Training Worldwide; Capt. Graham McNally, CBTA Program Lead, Boeing Global Services; Capt. Richard Lenz, Chief Training Captain A380, Lufthansa and Capt. Chris Ranganathan, Chief Learning Officer, CAE. Capt. Bader Al Marzooqi, VP Flight Training, Emirates, shared: 'The forum was a great example of collaboration and partnership with key stakeholders across the aviation industry to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of pilot training programmes. We shared critical insights, information and best practices that will lead to real-world, applicable solutions that positively impact the implementation of evidence based training programmes. The forum was a meeting of minds and a great platform for the industry to come together to discuss common challenges around pilot training. We thank IATA, and everyone who attended and contributed to the forum, for their unstinting support.' Capt. Yann Renier, Head of Training & Licensing, Safety & Flight Operations Division, IATA, observed: 'Emirates Flight training department hosted a Competency- Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) workshop to elaborate on competency based approach of training that includes Evidence-Based Training with more than 40 training managers representing airlines, training organizations and aircraft manufacturers. This event permitted to share latest CBTA development and to identify the main challenges the industry is facing in implementing CBTA and share those with the 80 participants that joined the workshop virtually. I would like to thank the participants that joined us in Dubai and virtually. The workshop illustrates the restart of the operations and I am persuaded that it will be continued in the future.' Mr. Sham Suddin Bin Khalid, Flight Operations Inspector Air Carrier, and GCAA, said: 'The Emirates workshop was a day of reflection and discussion on how best we can train our pilots in the overall interest of aviation safety. A collaborative effort, it was indeed heartening to see the sharing of information and data between stakeholders including airlines, manufacturers and training organisations. We are hopeful that this conversation and cooperation continues in the years to come, contributes to the vision of enhancing pilot competencies and improves the safety record of our industry.' The workshop discussed various topics, such as how to implement and expand successful EBT and CBTA programmes. Specifically, the challenges with constructing syllabi for such programmes, developing and standardising trainers, as well as managing and making use of training data were addressed. The event aims to be followed by more in order to continue to share best practice and develop pilot training for the benefit of the whole aviation industry. https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/BOEING-4816/news/Emirates-and-IATA-marshal-industry-to-share-best-practices-in-pilot-training-and-flight-safety-42195496/ Airlines to bring job training programs to Chicago as they search for more mechanics Airlines are gearing up for their next big hiring need: airplane mechanics. And to meet that need, some are bringing new job training programs to Chicago. Changing plane technology, a wave of pandemic exits and, in some cases, an anticipated uptick in the number of planes in the sky have left some airlines searching for ways to boost the pipeline of available plane mechanics. If airlines fall short of maintenance technicians, passengers are likely to experience more flight delays, industry analyst Bob Mann said. And even if airlines are able to get new mechanics into training programs, the need for experienced technicians likely won’t go away anytime soon, he said. Airlines have also faced other, more immediate hiring needs, contending at times this year not only with their own staff shortages but with staffing limitations in airports and air traffic control towers that they have said posed challenges. The upcoming holiday travel season follows a busy summer marked by flyers eager to get out after years of delayed travel, high prices, canceled flights and delays that left passengers sitting in airports or on the tarmac. Carriers this year hired thousands of people to work in maintenance, at airports and in other roles as they recover from the pandemic. The industry has faced a pilot shortage since before the pandemic, and some airlines already have partnerships and training programs to try to build a pool of aspiring pilots. American and United airlines, which both operate major hubs at O’Hare International Airport, are now also creating programs geared toward aspiring mechanics. Chicago-based United is beginning an apprenticeship program intended to boost and diversify mechanics in the pipeline, the airline announced Wednesday. The carrier started a similar program to boost and diversify the pipeline of pilots when it purchased a flight training academy that opened this year. For now, the carrier’s mechanic pipeline is strong, said Kate Gebo, executive vice president of human resources and labor relations, during a call with reporters. But United last year announced it would order 270 new planes, and intends to hire 7,000 maintenance technicians by 2026 to support the new planes. The airline is also expecting many retirements, she said. “While the pipeline is good now, two and three and four years out we want to make sure that that pipeline remains for us,” Gebo said. The new, 36-month apprenticeship program allows participants, who get paid while attending, to undergo training needed to test for certification from the Federal Aviation Administration and receive mentorship from United technicians. It’s open to people with high school diplomas. The first class of internal employees will begin next week in Houston, and the program will open for external applications in early 2023. It will also expand to other cities, and United expects to bring the program to Chicago in the third quarter of next year. United plans to train more than 1,000 people through the program by 2026, with a goal that at least half will be women or people of color. American Airlines in October announced a partnership with the Chicago campus of the Aviation Institute of Maintenance. The partnership provides top candidates from the school with guaranteed interviews at the airline, and offers students access to American’s maintenance facilities. The Chicago partnership comes after the carrier in 2019 opened a large maintenance hangar at O’Hare. American is also not seeing a shortage of mechanics yet, but many employees left the company or retired during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Evie Garces, vice president of line maintenance. “We’re trying to avoid that shortage,” she said. American hired more than 600 maintenance technicians in 2022, and is looking to hire several hundred more next year, she said. Before the pandemic, the carrier saw more demand for maintenance jobs than job openings. Part of the anticipated need for more maintenance technicians could be coming from the way the job has changed for many of the longest-tenured technicians, Mann said. Airplane technology has evolved, meaning mechanics need a new set of skills. In some cases technicians’ working conditions have also evolved, like changes in the way scheduling works, he said. As a skilled, experienced workforce has aged out or elected to leave, airlines might have trouble convincing prospective new employees that work on planes, where they are exposed to all types of weather, is more appealing than work in an air-conditioned car shop, Mann said. Even if they do hire, the level of experience matters, including familiarity with specific types of planes. And that can take several years to build, he said. “Anyone can be a Formula 1 mechanic,” he said, drawing a comparison to top-tier car racing. “Just only the good ones are going to produce Formula 1 winners.” Garces said American has retained experienced employees who can help newer workers. Even with the hundreds of new hires this year, the average American mechanic has 21 years with the company, she said. It’s rare for an airline to identify a cancellation as being due to a mechanical problem, Mann said. But mechanical problems often lead to delays. “This all requires people, whether it’s third party or union staff,” he said. “Just from the top down, there aren’t enough of them and it is resulting in delays.” https://news.yahoo.com/airlines-bring-job-training-programs-174800743.html Frontier Airlines To Open Crew Base At Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport Frontier will open a new crew domicile at DFW starting in May. Frontier Airlines has announced that it will open a flight crew base at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). The base will open in May 2023, bringing 120 pilots and 220 flight attendants. The airline expects the base to provide more than $78 million per year in wages. The new domicile will be accompanied by increased routes serviced from DFW. Texas crew domicile The added domicile will give Frontier more flexibility in scheduling routes while giving its flight crews another base option. The airline has stated that many crew members have expressed a desire to be based in Texas. It believes the added jobs the domicile will bring will greatly benefit the airport and the local community. The President and CEO of Frontier Airlines, Barry Biffle, stated, "We are thrilled to partner with the outstanding leadership at DFW to bring new jobs and meaningful economic impact to the Dallas Forth Worth community, "Opening a crew base here demonstrates our strong commitment to continued growth and expanded service. Frontier is an ultra-low cost carrier and consumers appreciate the value offered by our 'Low Fares Done Right' approach to air travel now more than ever." Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today. Added routes The Denver-based air carrier plans to double its presence at DFW over the next five years. The airline has been steadily increasing the number of flights offered from DFW while adding new destinations over the past several years. It currently operates flights to 14 destinations from the Texas airport. The ultra-low-cost carrier plans to add five more destinations in Spring 2023. The additional routes will bring the total number of destinations it services from the airport to 19. These routes will connect passengers at DFW to New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Orange County's John Wayne Airport (SNA), Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), and Jamaica's Sangster International Airport (MBJ). SERVICE TO: SERVICE START: SERVICE FREQUENCY: New York City (LGA) April 18, 2023 Daily Baltimore (BWI) May 21, 2023 4x/week Orange County, Calif. (SNA) May 21, 2023 Daily Raleigh-Durham (RDU May 22, 2023 4x/week Montego Bay (MBJ) May 22, 2023 3x/week Expanding presence Frontier has been expanding its services exponentially across the nation over the past year as it is seeing a strong recovery since the pandemic. It has already opened three other domiciles in the past two years. It opened one in Atlanta and another in Tampa in 2021 before opening one in Phoenix earlier this year. This new crew base will make Frontier one of the most prominent players at DFW. Being an ultra-low-cost carrier, Frontier is looking to secure a larger portion of the air travel market at DFW by offering lower fares than other carriers. These low fares specifically target leisure travelers looking to save the most on airfare. These low fares put Frontier in a strong position at the airport as DFW boasts higher-than-average ticket prices. The national average ticket price for a domestic flight in the second quarter of 2022 was $398, whereas the DFW average was $416. These lower prices and expanding services may threaten the ticket sales of the airport's dominant airline, American Airlines. American, the world's largest airline, is headquartered at DFW. It is unlikely that the new crew base and routes would significantly hurt American's global operations. However, the behemoth airline may notice a significant decline in ticket sales at DFW for routes serviced by Frontier. https://simpleflying.com/frontier-airlines-opening-crew-base-dallas-forth-worth/ REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) AIRPORT CONSULTANT SERVICES ELY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (ELO) ELY, MINNESOTA Submitted by admin on Fri, 11/04/2022 - 09:44 The City of Ely desires to retain the professional services of a qualified airport consulting firm (or team) for a period of up to five-years to assist the Ely Municipal Airport (ELO) in the completion of airport projects included in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Projects undertaken will meet the requirements of all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and codes. The required professional services includes architectural and engineering (preliminary, design, bidding, construction, and closeout phase), planning, environmental studies, and other related specialty services to complete projects listed on the CIP. Subject to receipt of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and MnDOT Aeronautics funding, the following CIP projects may be initiated within this consultant selection period: • Update Existing Airport Layout Plan and Airport Master Plan • Acquire Aerial Imagery and Survey, if needed • Acquire Land for Future Airport Development • Replace Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) • Rehabilitate and/or Reconstruct existing pavements (Runway, Taxiway, Taxilane, Entrance Road, and Parking Lot) • Pavement Maintenance (asphalt sealing) • Equipment Acquisition • Conduct Environmental or other Miscellaneous Studies for the Above Listed Projects Projects are expected to follow all applicable requirements of FAA Advisory Circulars. All services must meet the current requirements for FAA funded projects. The work may be accomplished during the course of multiple grants and work orders. To facilitate review, submissions should conform to the following format and include: 1. Experience of the Firm: Provide description of your firm’s prior experience and qualifications in airport architectural, engineering, and land acquisition projects similar in scope to those identified for the Ely Municipal Airport. 2. Project Team: Identify proposed team members, responsibilities, background, and experience. 3. Project Approach: Describe your understanding and knowledge of the Airport and approach to projects listed on the CIP. 4. References: Provide name and contact information for at least three (3) references of similar size airports familiar with the quality of work by your firm. 5. Other Supporting Data: Include any other information you feel to be relevant to the selection of your firm. The Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) shall be limited to 20 pages in length, excluding cover(s) and cover letter. The following criteria will be used in screening, ranking and selecting the successful firm: 1. Qualification of the Firm and Key Personnel (20 points) 2. Demonstrated Understanding of Airport Needs (20 points) 3. Experience on Comparable Projects (20 points) 4. Ability to Provide Responsive Service to the Airport (20 points) 5. Experience with State and Federal Grant Programs and Requirements (20 points) A qualification based selection process conforming to FAA Advisory Circular 150/5100-14E will be utilized to select the most qualified firm. Fee information will not be considered in the selection process and must not be submitted with the SOQ. The selection committee will review and rank the SOQ’s submitted based on the selection criteria. The city may directly select the most qualified firm, or develop a short-list and conduct interviews. The city intends to retain the selected firm for up to five years after the date of the initial contract for this procurement period. Fees will be negotiated as individual project contracts are initiated. Contracts are subject to Federal contract provisions found on the FAA’s website. The city may be required to conduct a new consultant selection after the conclusions of the Airport Master Plan and ALP update study are publicly available. http://www.faa.gov/airports/aip/procurement/federal_contract_provisions/ Interested firms must submit five (5) hard copies and digital PDF copy of the Statement of Qualifications no later than 3:00 p.m. on December 2nd, 2022 to: City of Ely 209 E. Chapman Street Ely, MN 55731 Envelopes should be clearly marked as “Airport Consultant Statement of Qualifications”. All questions regarding this RFQ should be directed to: Harold Langowski, Clerk-Treasurer at 218-504-5140 or elyod@ely.mn.us Ely Echo November 5, 2022 November 12, 2022 https://www.elyecho.com/articles/2022/11/04/request-qualifications-rfq-airport-consultant-services-ely-municipal-airport-elo Airbus Inks $17 Billion Aircraft Deal With Chinese State-Backed Company A Chinese state-backed company will purchase 140 aircraft from Airbus SE, in a $17 billion deal inked Friday during German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's one-day visit to China. China Aviation Supplies Holding Co., which is run by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, will purchase 132 A320 and eight A350 aircraft from Airbus, it said in a statement. A Chinese state-backed company will purchase 140 aircraft from European plane manufacturer Airbus SE in a $17 billion deal inked Friday during German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's one-day visit to China. China Aviation Supplies Holding Co., which is run by the state-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, will purchase 132 A320 and eight A350 aircraft from Airbus, it said in a statement. An Airbus spokesman said the framework agreement announced Friday covers pre-existing commitments by Chinese customers for its commercial aircraft. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/airbus-inks-17-billion-aircraft-deal-with-chinese-state-backed-company-271667556092 Insurers reduce premium on aircraft over improved air safety (Nigeria) • Rate drops to between $150,000 and $200,000 Insurance premiums on wide body aircraft operating in Nigerian airspace have dipped from $800,000 a year to between $150,000 and $200,000. The reduction according to findings on account of the high safety record in the airspace in the last few years where Nigeria has declared zero tolerance for air accidents. This was disclosed by the Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau, Engineer Akin Olateru, who informed members of the National Assembly Committee on Aviation during their oversight visit to the bureau and the airspace agency. He said the drastic reduction in aircraft accidents in the country has brought down the insurance premiums paid on operating aeroplanes in Nigeria. This is just as the committee emphasized the need for adequate funding of the sector to enable it to cope with the increase in demands for air travel. https://thenationonlineng.net/insurers-reduce-premium-on-aircraft-over-improved-air-safety/ Virgin Airlines Makes a Bold Policy Change The upstart airline has done something that was once unthinkable that its rivals may not be willing to follow. Airlines in general have always been at the forefront of gender-normative trends. In the 1950s, the image of the stewardess was one of a fit, white, attractive young woman who was either single, widowed, or divorced. The word "stewardess" is very evocative of scenes from "Mad Men," where everyone is drinking martinis and it's still legal to smoke cigarettes inside the plane cabin. My, how we've grown since then. In the 60s and 70s, there was a push to replace "stewardess" with "flight attendant" because the feminist movement wanted to remove gender from job titles and more men were entering the field. These days, the job is an ideal position for people of all genders who feel called to the tourism, travel, and communications markets--or jetsetters who just want to see the world. There's been a lot of evolution in the airline industry, but the trends of the past still influence how many airline staff conduct themselves on a modern-day flight. One thing that has stayed the same for many airline staff is the selection of uniform, with the ladies sporting skirts and blazers while the men wear trousers instead. Recently, Virgin Airlines (VGII) made a few policy changes aimed at bringing more inclusivity to their airline fashion. And it's giving them a major leg up in the recruitment game. Virgin Airlines to Allow Visible Tattoos, Pronoun Tags, & Gender-Fluid Uniform Options A little over a month ago, Virgin Airlines announced that flight attendants would now be free to choose the uniform option that best suits their gender identity. Pant and skirt suits, designed by new-wave fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, will now be assigned based on the wearer's preferences rather than a strict gender code. Additionally, uniforms can include pronoun markers to help passengers properly address employees, and passenger passports will now include gender-neutral markers for non-binary passengers. According to Jaime Forsstroem, Cabin Crew at Virgin Atlantic, the policy change makes has a huge impact on them. "The updated gender identity policy is so important to me," they said in a video about the policy roll-out. "As a non-binary person, it allows me to be myself at work and have the choice in what uniform I wear." In May, the airline also lifted its ban of visible tattoos for its public-facing staff. Virgin Airlines, it seems, understands that the future is about identity and inclusion. And its attitude is clearly speaking to prospective employees. Virgin Airlines Sees 100% Increase in Applicants Between the allowance of visible tattoos and a choice in uniform, Virgin Airlines has seen a massive increase in the number of job applicants ready to take to the skies. According to CEO Shai Weiss, job applications have doubled since the change in presentation policies were updated in what the airline is calling its 'See the World Differently' campaign. Airlines like Virgin, along with Delta (DAL) , American Airlines (AAL) , and Southwest (LUV) saw massive layoffs during the covid-19 pandemic. As we've all slowly ramped back up to our regular travel plans, the need for flight attendants and airport staff has increased. Clearly this new attitude toward inclusivity is giving Virgin Airlines a hiring advantage over its many market competitors. https://www.thestreet.com/employment/virgin-airlines-changes-policies-sees-job-application-boom?puc=yahoo&cm_ven=YAHOO Watch an Asteroid Vaporize Life on Earth in This Scary Simulation What would happen if (when?) a 310-mile-wide asteroid collides with Earth? That’s the fun question behind the simulation in the video below. And the answer is terrifying. But it turns out you shouldn’t be concerned. For one, it’s not a scenario that’s going to happen anytime soon. Secondly, there’s nothing you can do about it anyway. All life on Earth would be vaporized within a day as clouds of fire and rock circumnavigated the globe. So don’t worry about it. VIDEO Like any good disaster film, the video shows the destruction of well-known landmarks like Big Ben and the Parthenon. And even though the simulated asteroid hits in the Pacific Ocean, complete destruction spreads rapidly. The oceans boil from the heat, the Himalayan snow evaporates instantly, and the Earth’s crust peels back. The Earth can and does withstand smaller asteroid impacts. But the threat of a catastrophically-sized object in our orbit is always there. Just recently, scientists discovered a “planet killer” asteroid hiding in the glare of the sun. While the probability of this asteroid colliding with earth is minimal, its discovery does remind us there are plenty of objects out there in space we just don’t know about yet. And we guess it’s better to have preparation about what might happen if an asteroid strikes the earth than not. VIDEO The simulation is part of a longer clip (below) from the show Miracle Planet, a documentary detailing just how improbable life on Earth really is. If you’d prefer narration and information from scientists rather than a Pink Floyd jam, the full sequence is below. Amazingly, scientists believe that an event like this has already happened multiple times on Earth. It starts a process that takes thousands of years but generates the oceans, atmosphere, and potential for life all over again each time. Discovery Channel The simulation aired on Discovery Channel in 2005 but the video has gone viral recently, probably because of NASA’s DART mission. NASA sent a spaceship to knock an asteroid off course, so perhaps this can be avoided in Earth’s future. The DART mission shifted Dimorphos, though that asteroid is a much smaller 530 feet. But it’s still a good proof of concept and here’s hoping no one on Earth ever has to find out how real this simulation is. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/watch-asteroid-vaporize-life-earth-132826443.html International Society of Air Safety Investigators https://www.isasi.org/ Call for Papers – ISASI 2023 Nashville, Tennessee: Renaissance Nashville Hotel August 21 – August 25, 2023 The 2023 Theme is “Accidents: The Current Which Lies Beneath” This will be an in-person event with Tutorials on Monday the 21st, Seminar presentations from Tuesday the 22nd through Thursday the 24th and various gatherings throughout the week. Please find the official Call for Papers here: Call for Papers 2023 Final.pdf Please submit expressions of interest to isasi2023@isasi.org Thank you, Your ISASI 2023 Annual Seminar Committee 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