Flight Safety Information - November 9, 2022 No. 217 In This Issue : Pilot ejects ahead of T-38 training jet crash in Mississippi : Australia to block former military pilots flying for China : How China is secretly headhunting foreign pilots to train its air force : Indonesia to publish findings on 2021 Sriwijaya Air crash : QantasLink aircraft catches fire at Sydney Airport : The Mexican Army Wants Mexico City's New Airport To Allow Cabotage Flights : United Airlines to Pay $305,000 to Settle EEOC Religious Discrimination Lawsuit : Airline industry and EASA must implement new cabin air safety standards : Hawker Accident Caused by Delayed Go-around Attempt : Airbus Delivers 60 Aircraft In October : East Texas WWII veteran among last remaining U.S. Navy blimp pilots : SkyWest Is Delaying Embraer E175 Deliveries As It Needs More Pilots : Used Piston Single, Turboprop, and Jet Aircraft Inventories Continue Upward Climb : How NASA is upgrading the International Space Station’s ancient power system : Call for Papers – ISASI 2023 : Research Study: Professional Pilot Occupational Risk(s) Survey Pilot ejects ahead of T-38 training jet crash in Mississippi An instructor pilot in Mississippi had to eject from a T-38 Talon training jet Monday after an unknown malfunction caused the plane to crash shortly after takeoff. The jet from Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., crashed around 1 p.m. local time south of the base on private property. Emergency officials from the base took the instructor to a nearby hospital and no fatalities were reported, according to a press release from the 14th Flying Training Wing. “We had a T-38C flying with the 49th Fighter Training Squadron that was rendered inoperable and unrecoverable upon initial takeoff,” Col. Jeremy Bergin, the base’s vice wing commander, later told reporters during a press conference Monday evening. Bergin said it is still unknown what caused the aircraft to malfunction but that there is an “active investigation” into the matter. The T-38 is a two-seat, supersonic aircraft, though only the instructor pilot was flying in the jet ahead of the crash. The mishap occurred after two T-38Cs took off Monday for routine training, each with one instructor aboard. They were flying in two-ship formation when one jet experienced a malfunction, Bergin said, adding that the pilot involved was “highly experienced and capable.” The Air Force has experienced a series of noncombat crashes involving the T-38 in recent years, some deadly. In February 2021, an instructor and student pilot in a T-38 from Columbus AFB crashed and died while training outside of Montgomery, Ala. Prior to that in November 2019, two airmen were killed in “an aircraft mishap” involving two trainer jets at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma. And in May 2018, two pilots were forced to eject from a T-38 near Columbus AFB before the plane crashed in a remote part of northeast Mississippi. Another T-38 crash killed a pilot in November 2017 in Texas. The Air Force — along with the Navy and NASA — uses the T-38 to train pilots across the country but has planned to phase it out for a new Boeing-made aircraft known as the T-7A Red Hawk. The first of those aircraft won’t be delivered until at least 2023. Asked about the plane’s safety, Bergin said the T-38 was “an older model plane that has been very safe and reliable for approximately 60 years and we continue to fly them every day.” He also said that every investigation “is going to find items worthy of future consideration, and we won’t know what those items are until after the investigation completes,” adding that “if there is something that requires us to change our procedures, we will.” https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3725385-pilot-ejects-ahead-of-t-38-training-jet-crash-in-mississippi/ Australia to block former military pilots flying for China CANBERRA, Australia — Australia’s defense minister said on Wednesday he had told the nation’s military to review secrecy safeguards in response to concerns that Beijing was recruiting pilots to train the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Defense Minister Richard Marles ordered the review after asking the Defense Department last month to investigate reports that China had approached former Australian military personnel to become trainers. “In the information that has now been provided to me by Defense, there are enough concerns in my mind that I have asked Defense to engage in a detailed examination about the policies and procedures that apply to our former Defense personnel, and particularly those who come into possession of our nation’s secrets,” Marles told reporters. Marles declined to say whether any Australian had provided military training to the Chinese. He said a joint police-intelligence service task force was investigating “a number of cases” among former service personnel. “What we are focused on right now is making sure that we do examine the policies and the procedures that are currently in place in respect of our former Defense personnel to make sure they are adequate,” Marles said. “And if they are not, and if there are weaknesses in that system, then we are absolutely committed to fixing them.” Australia‘s allies Britain and Canada share Australia’s concerns that China is attempting to poach military expertise. Britain’s Defense Ministry last month issued an intelligence alert warning former and current military pilots against Chinese headhunting programs aimed at recruiting them. Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said authorities will make it a legal offense for pilots to continue with such training activities. Sky News and the BBC reported that about 30 British former military pilots are currently in China training PLA pilots. The reports said the pilots are paid annual salaries of 240,000 pounds ($272,000) for the training. Canada’s Department of National Defense was also investigating its own former service personnel, noting they remained bound by secrecy commitments after they leave the Canadian Armed Forces. The Australian Defense Department will report to the minister by Dec. 14. Neil James, chief executive of the Australian Defense Association think tank, said Australian laws on on treason, treachery and secrecy protection were convoluted and depended on circumstances. “For example, it’s pretty hard to charge anyone with treason outside wartime,” James told Australian Broadcasting Corp. James said there were no circumstances in which former Australian military personnel should be working with the Chinese. “Most people in the Defense Force would be disgusted if people are actually doing this, because you’re potentially training people to kill Australians in the future,” James said. “That’s just not on. It’s a moral obligation and a professional one as much as it’s a legal one.” https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/nation-world/story/2022-11-08/australia-to-block-former-military-pilots-flying-for-china How China is secretly headhunting foreign pilots to train its air force The pilots being hired by China have experience flying across various branches of the military with varied jets, including Typhoons, Jaguars, Harriers, and Tornadoes A month after the United Kingdom (UK) government issued an alert stating that China is headhunting former and current UK military pilots and recruiting them to train the People's Liberation Army Air Force, Australia has also reported similar incidents. As reported by Bloomberg, Australia's Defence Department has found "enough evidence" to initiate an investigation into the issue. As reported by BBC in October, China has been luring the former British military pilots with "large sums of money" to pass on their expertise and relevant training to the Chinese military. "It is a lucrative package that is being offered to people," an official told BBC. The packages are high as $270,000 in some cases. How is China recruiting officials from other countries? In 2019, several reports started emerging in the UK about recruiting former military pilots on a case-by-case basis by China. The cases went down during the Covid-19 pandemic when travel to China was almost impossible. However, once the restrictions were lifted, the cases have gone up again. The hired pilots have experience flying across the military with varied jets, including Typhoons, Jaguars, Harriers, and Tornadoes. According to BBC, most pilots are believed to be in their 50s and have left the armed forces some time ago. The report added that they are targeting pilots from other allied nations as well. According to reports, the recruitment is done through intermediaries, and a flying academy in South Africa is said to be involved. The UK government reportedly approached the pilots and asked them to stop getting involved with China. "All serving and former personnel are already subject to the Official Secrets Act, and we are reviewing the use of confidentiality contracts and non-disclosure agreements across Defence, while the new National Security Bill will create additional tools to tackle contemporary security challenges – including this one," a spokesperson of the UK government told media in October. However, Chinese officials have stated that they were unaware of such incidents. Following the UK government, the Australian government told Bloomberg they were taking "immediate steps to deter and penalize this activity". However, no particular timeline has been mentioned. https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/how-is-china-secretly-headhunting-foreign-pilots-to-train-its-air-force-122110900695_1.html Indonesia to publish findings on 2021 Sriwijaya Air crash JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian investigators will this week release the final report of a probe into the 2021 crash (Saturday 9 January 2021) of a Sriwijaya Air flight that killed all 62 people on board, an official said on Tuesday. The Sriwijaya Air crash was Indonesia's third major commercial plane crash in just over six years and shone a spotlight on the country's poor air safety record. Under international standards, a final report would normally have been issued within a year of the Jan. 9, 2021 crash, but Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) said the pandemic had made it harder for its team to travel for the investigation. Ony Soerjo Wibowo, a KNKT investigator, told Reuters the final report would be published on Thursday, Nov 10. The 26-year-old Boeing Co 737-500 was on a domestic route from Jakarta to Pontianak in Indonesian Borneo when it had an imbalance in engine thrust that eventually led the plane into a sharp roll and then a final dive into the Java Sea, an interim report showed in January. https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/indonesia-to-publish-findings-on-2021-sriwijaya-air-crash/48039242 QantasLink aircraft catches fire at Sydney Airport More than 20 passengers on-board a QantasLink flight have escaped injury after the aircraft caught fire at Sydney Airport. The incident happened about 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday, with all 24 passengers leaving the aircraft safely through the front stairs. The fire had broken out in the tire area of the plane, but there was no smoke in the cabin. Petrea Bradford, chief operating officer of QantasLink, confirmed that it was a Dash-8 aircraft. “Passengers on a flight from Lord Howe Island to Sydney were evacuated following reports of flames near the tires after the aircraft had landed safely,” Ms. Bradford said. https://nypost.com/2022/11/08/qantaslink-aircraft-catches-fire-at-sydney-airport/ ***** Date: 08-NOV-2022 Time: c. 17:14 Type: de Havilland Canada DHC-8-202 Dash 8 Owner/operator: QantasLink Registration: VH-TQS MSN: 418 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 28 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Sydney-Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD/YSSY), NSW - Australia Phase: Landing Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Lord Howe Island Airport, NSW (LDH/YLHI) Destination airport: Sydney-Kingsford Smith International Airport, NSW (SYD/YSSY) Narrative: Upon landing at Sydney- Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD/YSSY), New South Wales, a fire broke out in the landing gear of a QantasLink de Havilland Canada DHC-8-202 Dash 8, performing flight QLK265. There were no personal injuries to the 24 passengers and crew members. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/300625 The Mexican Army Wants Mexico City's New Airport To Allow Cabotage Flights The 77 remaining airports would not have cabotage flights. The Mexican army, administrator of the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU), wants this hub to be open for international airlines that wish to operate domestic services within Mexico. This practice is called cabotage, and it is rarely allowed throughout the world. Allowing cabotage in Mexico? Cabotage is the right or privilege of allowing foreign airlines to operate scheduled air services between two points in the territory of the granting State. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), there are two types of cabotage in the airline industry, consecutive cabotage and stand-alone cabotage, also known as the eighth and ninth freedoms of the air, respectively. Historically, Mexico has never allowed cabotage of any sort, as most countries do, in a way to protect the interests and autonomy of local carriers. Nonetheless, the Mexican army could be looking to change that by allowing this practice at the recently opened Felipe Ángeles Airport, north of Mexico City. In an interview with Forbes, the general director of NLU, General Isidoro Pastor Román, said that the Mexican airline industry could be able to compete without any type of restriction. Nonetheless, he added that if cabotage were to be approved, it would only be allowed to take place at the Felipe Ángeles Airport. NLU currently has over 200 flights per week and only had 300,000 passengers between March and September 2022. The idea of allowing cabotage in Mexico was first introduced by the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a few weeks ago. During its daily press conference, Mr López Obrador said, “That’s democracy. Let foreign airlines come in from Europe and the United States so that they can operate flights inside the country.” Only NLU would have cabotage Isidoro Pastor said allowing cabotage from the Felipe Angeles International Airport would not harm the Mexican airline industry. He stated that, if approved, the cabotage would only be permitted from NLU, meaning that the remaining 77 Mexican commercial airports would remain closed to international operators. “The cabotage (flights) could depart from NLU to any destination in the republic. All of this is linked to the functionality, the interest, and especially, to the market research done by the international airline that could be interested in this,” Mr. Pastor Roman added. So far, zero international airlines have shown interest in operating cabotage flights from Mexico’s newest international airport. NLU at 25% of its capacity The idea of allowing international airlines to enter NLU is to increase the number of daily operations at the airport. The Felipe Ángeles International is currently at 25% of its daily capacity (which is about 40,000 passengers per day). On October 29, the hub received 8,025 passengers. As of November 2022, NLU has 203 weekly flights operated by six carriers (Aeromexico, Arajet, Conviasa, Copa Airlines, Viva Aerobus, and Volaris). Aeromexico operates the largest number of flights per week, with 105. This means the airline has 13,449 seats available each week from NLU. The airport only has three international routes currently. Conviasa flies from Caracas (CCS), Arajet from Santo Domingo (SDQ), and Copa Airlines from Panama City (PTY). https://simpleflying.com/mexican-army-wants-cabotage-flights-mexico-city/ United Airlines to Pay $305,000 to Settle EEOC Religious Discrimination Lawsuit Airline Agrees to Accommodate Buddhist Pilot’s Religious Beliefs NEW YORK – United Airlines will pay $305,000 to a Buddhist pilot and will provide other relief to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today. According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, the pilot was diagnosed with alcohol dependency and lost the medical certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). One of the requirements of United’s HIMS program for its pilots with substance abuse problems who want to obtain new medical certificates from the FAA is that pilots regularly attend Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The pilot, who is Buddhist, objected to the religious content of AA and sought to substitute regular attendance at a Buddhism-based peer support group. United refused to accommodate his religious objection and, as a result, the pilot was unable to obtain a new FAA medical certificate permitting him to fly again, the agency charged. This alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on religion. Under Title VII, employers must make a reasonable accommo¬dation for an employee's sincerely held religious beliefs, so long as doing so does not impose an undue hardship on the employer's business. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (EEOC v. United Airlines Inc., Civil Action No. 20-cv-9110) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The case was litigated by EEOC Trial Attorney Sebastian Riccardi, supervised by Supervisory Trial Attorney Sara Smolik. Under the consent decree that resolves the lawsuit, United will pay the pilot $305,000 in back pay and damages and will reinstate him into its HIMS Program while allowing him to attend a non-12-step peer recovery program. The company will also accept religious accommo¬dation requests in its HIMS Program going forward, institute a new policy on religious accom¬modations, and train its employees. “Employers have the affirmative obligation to modify their policies to accommodate employees’ religious beliefs,” said EEOC New York Regional Attorney Jeffrey Burstein. “If they require their employees to attend AA as part of a rehabilitation program, they must make sure that they allow for alternatives for their employees who have religious objections to AA.” Acting EEOC New York District Director Timothy Riera added, “We are pleased that United will now accommodate its pilots who have religion-based objections to mandatory AA attendance.” The EEOC’s New York District Office is responsible for processing discrimination charges and the conduct of agency litigation in New York, northern New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates. https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/united-airlines-pay-305000-settle-eeoc-religious-discrimination-lawsuit Airline industry and EASA must implement new cabin air safety standards After more than seven years of work on the issue, the European Committee on Standardisation (CEN) has published a technical report including recommendations on how to prevent exposure to fumes through improvements in the design, maintenance, and operation of aircraft. Aviation workers and safety experts are calling on airlines, manufacturers, and the EU Aviation Safety Agency to immediately implement new cabin air quality standards designed to protect staff and passengers from chemical fumes. After more than seven years of work on the issue, the European Committee on Standardisation (CEN) has published a technical report including recommendations on how to prevent exposure to fumes through improvements in the design, maintenance, and operation of aircraft. These measures are crucial to minimising the impact of "fume events" when the air ventilation supply on commercial aircraft gets contaminated with noticeable amounts of heated engine oil and hydraulic fluid fumes. The recommendations on the "Cabin air quality on civil aircraft - Chemical compounds" technical report call for: • The installation and operation of suitable filtration to remove fumes from the ventilation supply air, pending available technology. Filters would either prevent or mitigate onboard exposure to fumes and reduce the need for cancelled/diverted flights and maintenance action. • The installation and operation of chemical sensors to notify maintenance workers and pilots of the type and location of contamination in the air supply systems, pending available technology. Sensors would abbreviate onboard exposure to fumes and facilitate a prompt and effective maintenance response. • The implementation of "best practices" in aircraft maintenance, such as training maintenance staff to prevent inadvertent overservicing of the engines with oil and hydraulic fluid. • The establishment of an incident reporting system for airlines to track reported health and safety impacts more effectively, monitor maintenance schedules, and assess trends over time; • The implementation of simple education and training programs to enable airline workers to recognise, respond, and react to fume events onboard. Although accident investigation branches across the EU have repeatedly recognised the flight safety implications of fume events, the EU Aviation Safety Agency has not issued regulations on cabin air quality. • That makes the work of the CEN committee, where trade unions have a say, together with passenger groups, manufacturers, and airlines, more important. Following the report's publication, the European Trade Union Confederation, the European Transport Workers' Federation, the Global Cabin Air Quality Executive, and the European Cabin Crew Association call for the immediate implementation of the first European recommendations on cabin air quality on civil aircraft. ETUC Confederal Secretary, Isabelle Schömann said: "Cabin crew workers and passengers alike expect airlines to adhere to the highest safety standards, but we know that is currently not the case when it comes to chemical fumes. "Unions, passenger groups, and industry issued common sense solutions to protect cabin crew and passenger's health. Airlines now have the responsibility to implement these recommendations as part of their duty of care to their crew and passengers." European Transport Federation Head of Aviation Eoin Coates said: "Oil fumes contaminate the air supply during what are otherwise regular commercial flights every day. The fumes can seriously impair crewmembers which compromises flight safety and security. "This report finally gives EASA, manufacturers, MRO companies, and airlines a road map of design and maintenance measures to protect airline workers and passengers from breathing toxic oil fumes onboard." The Global Cabin Air Quality Executive Spokesperson, Captain Tristan Loraine, said: "This is a major step forward and a really positive initiative for the whole industry to improve flight safety and protect the crew and public health." European Cabin Crew Association president Annette Groeneveld said: "Fume events put the health and safety of all people on board of an aircraft at risk. What we need now is a fast, comprehensive and profound implementation of the proposed measures to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our crews and the passengers." https://www.traveldailynews.com/post/airline-industry-and-easa-must-implement-new-cabin-air-safety-standards Hawker Accident Caused by Delayed Go-around Attempt According to the NTSB, the crew's delayed decision to go around lead to the hard landing of a Hawker 800XP on Dec. 20, 2020, which substantially damaged the airplane and injured the copilot. (Photo: NTSB) A “delayed decision to initiate a go-around after an approach had become unstabilized” lead to the hard landing of a Hawker 800XP on Dec. 20, 2020, that substantially damaged the airplane and seriously injured the copilot, according to a newly released NTSB final report. The twinjet was on a Part 91 business flight. The Safety Board said the pilots were conducting an ILS approach in night IMC to Farmingdale, New York, when they were advised by the tower controller that the weather had deteriorated below minimums. At the time, the captain was the pilot monitoring and the first officer was the pilot flying. Since the airplane was inside the FAF and stabilized, both pilots agreed to continue and said they had the runway approach lighting in sight at the 200-foot decision height. As the first officer continued, he looked outside, saw that the weather had deteriorated, and was “no longer comfortable” with the approach. He pressed the takeoff and go-around switch at about 50 feet agl, added full power, and called for the flaps to be retracted to 15 degrees. However, the airplane hit the ground about five seconds later. The CVR recording revealed that the copilot flew a coupled approach to 50 feet agl when he initiated the go-around. But the NTSB noted that a coupled approach was not authorized below 240 feet agl on this procedure. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2022-11-08/hawker-accident-caused-delayed-go-around-attempt Airbus Delivers 60 Aircraft In October Airbus has to deliver at least 205 aircraft within the remaining two months to achieve its year-end goal of 700 handovers. Despite the challenges presented by global supply chain disruptions, Toulouse-based aircraft manufacturer Airbus has sped up its October deliveries to reach 495 aircraft delivered so far this year. The manufacturer delivered an impressive 60 aircraft in October, up from 55 the previous month, and remains optimistic about achieving the year-end goal of 700 deliveries. Promising numbers in October In October, Airbus delivered 60 aircraft to 38 customers, including one A220-100, four A220-300, 21 A320neo, 26 A321neo, one A330-300, two A330neo, four A350-900, and one A350-1000. One notable airline customer was Taiwan-based STARLUX, which received its first-ever Airbus A350-900 and became the latest global operator of the aircraft type. Air China was also a receiver of the A350-900 last month, which brought the number of the aircraft type in its fleet to 20. As for the narrowbodies, a significant airline customer was China Eastern Airlines, which received a new Airbus A320neo from the Airbus Delivery Centre in Tianjin. Then there was also Delta Air Lines, which received a shiny new A321neo from Airbus' facility in Alabama. While Airbus improved its monthly deliveries last month, the manufacturer also won many aircraft orders, 177 to be exact. The bulk of the orders came from the International Airlines Group (IAG) after it confirmed orders for 31 A320neos and 28 A321neos. Xiamen Airlines was the next bulk order, having been approved for an additional 25 A320neos and 15 A321neos. The remaining orders then came from Air Canada for 15 A220-300s, Jet2 for 35 A320neos, and 28 A321neos for an undisclosed customer. After accounting for the deliveries and 14 cancelations in October, Airbus delivered a significant 497 aircraft to 72 customers this year. However, the number was later finalized to 495 after excluding two Aeroflot deliveries canceled due to sanctions against Russia. Optimism for the remainder of the year With the total now standing at 495, Airbus has to deliver at least 205 aircraft within the next two months to reach its year-end target of 700 handovers, which was already downgraded from the initial goal of 720 aircraft in July. Admittedly, that would require the European planemaker to deliver at least 103 aircraft in November and December, quite a sprint from its delivery numbers this past year. Supply chain issues and labor shortages have prevented Airbus from speeding up production further, and airlines have questioned aircraft delivery delays. However, Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury said that Airbus is hopeful of achieving its objective, especially since the manufacturer is currently receiving a steady supply of engines. The receiving of engines significantly reduces the number of completed but inoperable aircraft, specifically for the A320 family, as Airbus wants to boost the output rate to 65 aircraft per month in early 2024. Furthermore, Faury emphasizes that Airbus has experienced a similar backloaded year-end production in 2018, and objectives were met then, meaning that similar goals can also be completed this year. Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today! Bottom line Regardless of whether or not Airbus reaches its 2022 handover target of 700 aircraft, the year alone has proven fruitful for the manufacturer with the continuing order numbers. Airbus has also seen major wins against rival Boeing, as it won over several Chinese carriers this year. Albeit Airbus has been leading the race for most of this year, anything can happen within the next two months. It would be curious to see which planemaker eventually comes out on top. https://simpleflying.com/airbus-60-aircraft-delivered-october-2022/ East Texas WWII veteran among last remaining U.S. Navy blimp pilots • Ray Brooks, 99, of Henderson, is one of the last surviving U.S. Navy pilots who flew a blimp on... TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - They served in relative obscurity during World War Two, but their contribution was priceless to the Allied war effort. One of the last remaining pilots from this unique service lives here in East Texas. It’s a little known story of the “other silent service.” Wings, insignias and pictures. Keepsakes for 99-year-old Ray Brooks of Henderson, one of the last remaining U.S. Navy blimp pilots from World War II “We tried to keep them in the air, particularly when convoys of ships were coming through,” Brooks said. As a pilot, Lieutenant J.G. Brooks’ primary mission was searching for enemy submarines along allied coastlines. “We had radar that would pick up a boat on top of the water. Marine airborne detection it would pick up a large metal object 400 feet under water,” he said. Brooks joined the blimp corps quite by accident, playing a joke on a fellow pilot. “I just signed up to hear him gripe, and I got picked,” Ray said. At the height of the war, German U-boats were ravaging Allied shipping. Brooks and his fellow pilots took part in an estimated 37,000 combat patrols, including patrols off the Brazilian coast. Though blimps could fly for long periods, they were slow, and vulnerable to enemy aircraft and deck guns. “We lost a lot in the Atlantic,” he said. But blimps couldn’t land by themselves. with a 10 man crew, there was only one parachute. Brooks explains. “One man would jump out in the parachute, and he would try to get about 20-30 men to serve as a landing crew.” They kept non-stop patrols above American waters, escorted vulnerable convoys far into the Atlantic. Given what was lost in war, if he had to do it again, Brooks has a heartfelt answer. “I’d probably do more,” he said. But what he did do, saved countless lives. Brooks is a minister that still preaches every Sunday at Longbranch Missionary Baptist Church. Of historical significance: Navy blimps took part in the sinking of the last U-boat before Germany’s surrender. https://www.ksla.com/2022/11/09/east-texas-wwii-veteran-among-last-remaining-us-navy-blimp-pilots/ SkyWest Is Delaying Embraer E175 Deliveries As It Needs More Pilots The affected jets are part of orders for Delta and Alaska Airlines. Utah-based regional carrier SkyWest Airlines has reportedly agreed with Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer to delay the delivery of four E175 jets as it is struggling with staffing issues. SkyWest, which operates flights that are scheduled, marketed and sold by mainline carriers, does not currently have enough qualified captains to fly the planes. Orders still to fill for Delta and Alaska During the third quarter of 2022, SkyWest took delivery of seven E175 aircraft for Delta Air Lines, adding to the five already in its fleet. It will also take another four on behalf of Delta in the final quarter of the year. Meanwhile, deliveries have been extended for the final three out of a contract of 16 in total to be flown for Delta. These will now arrive between the end of 2023 and mid-2024. Additionally, the airline has pushed the delivery of the final E175 to be operated on behalf of Alaska Airlines as far ahead as mid-2025. The Alaska order totals 11 E175 aircraft, with ten already having been delivered this year. Overall, SkyWest will still take delivery of eight E175s to be added to its current fleet of 232 units. American Airlines order complete Meanwhile, an order for 20 E175s on behalf of American Airlines was completed with the delivery of two of the type in Q3. Combined, SkyWest anticipates placing 47 E175 aircraft into service on behalf of the three mentioned mainline carriers by the end of 2025. This means it will operate a total of 240 E175 aircraft. Overall there was good news during the presentation of SkyWest's Q3 financial results. The airline reported a net income of $48 million, compared to just $10 million during the same quarter last year. Chip Childs, Chief Executive Officer of SkyWest, commented on the results, "We continue to experience strong demand for our product and our operational performance through the busy summer season was strong with 99.9% adjusted completion this quarter. We were pleased to have finalized new salary scales for our pilots during the quarter and continue efforts to stabilize our crew imbalance. I want to thank our people for their dedicated, world-class efforts.” New agreement to retain pilots and encourage progression This strong performance has allowed the airline to negotiate a new four-year pilot agreement, including substantial pay increments. Childs was quoted by ch-aviation, "This four-year agreement is a significant investment in our pilots and became effective mid-September. While it is still early, we expect the agreement to help manage attrition and encourage career progression into the left seat." https://simpleflying.com/skywest-embraer-e175-delay-pilot-shortage/ Used Piston Single, Turboprop, and Jet Aircraft Inventories Continue Upward Climb LINCOLN, Neb., Nov. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Inventory levels for most categories of pre-owned aircraft have maintained a steady rise since January, according to new Sandhills Global aviation industry market reports. The reports, which cover used aircraft in Sandhills marketplaces, also show that despite consecutive months of inventory increases (which often coincide with declining asking values), used aircraft asking values have also shown steady increases. Inventory of used piston single aircraft has been steadily increasing since January 2022. Inventory levels showed a 3.6% month-to-month increase in October over September, and are currently trending upward. Inventory levels were up 48% year-over-year in October. Inventory of used piston single aircraft has been steadily increasing since January 2022. Inventory levels showed a 3.6% month-to-month increase in October over September, and are currently trending upward. Inventory levels were up 48% year-over-year in October. Inventory levels for used turboprop aircraft were down 28.1% YOY in October, but inventories in this category are currently trending upward. Asking values for used turboprops continue a positive trend that began in October 2021, with consecutive months of increases through October 2022. Inventory levels for used turboprop aircraft were down 28.1% YOY in October, but inventories in this category are currently trending upward. Asking values for used turboprops continue a positive trend that began in October 2021, with consecutive months of increases through October 2022. October marked the ninth consecutive month of inventory level increases for used jets worldwide. Inventory totals were up 16.3% M/M and 52.7% YOY in October and continue an upward trend. October marked the ninth consecutive month of inventory level increases for used jets worldwide. Inventory totals were up 16.3% M/M and 52.7% YOY in October and continue an upward trend. Inventory levels in this category are currently trending sideways, with the new Sandhills report showing decreases of 3.8% M/M and 12.6% YOY in October. Asking values, however, remain elevated. Asking values increased 1.7% M/M and 0.6% YOY and are now trending upward. Inventory levels in this category are currently trending sideways, with the new Sandhills report showing decreases of 3.8% M/M and 12.6% YOY in October. Asking values, however, remain elevated. Asking values increased 1.7% M/M and 0.6% YOY and are now trending upward. "Aircraft sales continue to be strong," says Controller Department Manager Brant Washburn, "but we are also seeing more aircraft coming to market than we did in previous quarters." The continued upswing in used piston single and jet aircraft inventory levels follows historic lows reached in early 2022. Although turboprop aircraft inventories are lower than last year, they are part of the current upward trend. Sandhills' aviation products include Controller, Controller EMEA, Executive Controller, Charter Hub, AviationTrader, Aircraft Cost Calculator, and AircraftEvaluator. AircraftEvaluator is Sandhills' proprietary asset valuation tool for all types of aircraft, built using the same technology behind FleetEvaluator. Widely used and trusted across equipment, truck, and trailer industries, FleetEvaluator identifies asset values with unparalleled accuracy. The key metric used in all of Sandhills' market reports is the Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI). Buyers and sellers can use the information in Sandhills EVI to monitor equipment markets and maximize returns on acquisition, liquidation, and related business decisions. Takeaways This report includes detailed analysis of asking values and inventory trends in used aircraft markets along with charts that help readers visualize the data. It describes and quantifies important trends in the buying and selling of used piston single, turboprop, and jet aircraft. U.S. and Canada Used Piston Single Aircraft Inventory of used piston single aircraft has been steadily increasing since January 2022. Inventory levels showed a 3.6% month-to-month increase in October over September, and are currently trending upward. Inventory levels were up 48% year-over-year in October. As with inventory levels, asking values are currently trending upward. Asking values were up 1.1% M/M and 15.9% YOY in October. U.S. and Canada Used Turboprop Aircraft Inventory levels for used turboprop aircraft were down 28.1% YOY in October, but inventories in this category are currently trending upward. Asking values for used turboprops continue a positive trend that began in October 2021, with consecutive months of increases through October 2022. Asking values were up 3.5% M/M and up 33.3% YOY in October. Global Used Jet Aircraft October marked the ninth consecutive month of inventory level increases for used jets worldwide. Inventory totals were up 16.3% M/M and 52.7% YOY in October and continue an upward trend. Asking values showed a 2.4% M/M increase in October after rising for several months in a row, and a 24.1% YOY increase. Global Used Robinson Piston Helicopters Inventory levels in this category are currently trending sideways, with the new Sandhills report showing decreases of 3.8% M/M and 12.6% YOY in October. Asking values, however, remain elevated. Asking values increased 1.7% M/M and 0.6% YOY and are now trending upward. Obtain the Full Report For more information, or to receive detailed analysis from Sandhills Global, contact us at marketreports@sandhills.com. About Sandhills Global Sandhills Global is an information processing company headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Our products and services gather, process, and distribute information in the form of trade publications, websites, and online services that connect buyers and sellers across the aviation, construction, agriculture, and commercial trucking industries. Our integrated, industry-specific approach to hosted technologies and services offers solutions that help businesses large and small operate efficiently and grow securely, cost-effectively, and successfully. Sandhills Global—we are the cloud. About the Sandhills Equipment Value Index The Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI) is a principal gauge of the estimated market values of used assets—both currently and over time—across the construction, agricultural, commercial trucking, and aviation industries represented by Sandhills Global marketplaces, including Controller.com, AuctionTime.com, TractorHouse.com, MachineryTrader.com, TruckPaper.com, and other industry-specific equipment platforms. Powered by FleetEvaluator and AircraftEvaluator, Sandhills' proprietary asset valuation tools, Sandhills EVI provides useful insights into the ever-changing supply-and-demand conditions for each industry. Contact Sandhills www.sandhills.com/contact-us 402-479-2181 SOURCE Sandhills Global https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/used-piston-single-turboprop-and-jet-aircraft-inventories-continue-upward-climb-301671770.html Large rectangular solar panels dangle in front of the curvature of the Earth. One, on the left, is in the process of being unfurled. An ISS Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA) is deployed in 2001. The solar arrays are slowly being added to the space station to boost its available power. Image: NASA How NASA is upgrading the International Space Station’s ancient power system • Three upcoming spacewalks are part of a bigger plan to boost the aging space station’s power supply. In the next few weeks, astronauts will be heading out of the airlock on the International Space Station (ISS) on a series of three spacewalks, part of a long-term plan to upgrade the space station’s aging power system. The ISS uses large solar arrays to collect energy from the Sun and convert it into usable electricity for everything from life support and temperature controls to communications with Earth and propulsion systems to allow the station to dodge debris. The old ISS power system, including eight solar arrays that spread out from the exterior of the station like wings, had been able to meet the power needs of the station to date by generating an average of between 84 and 120 kilowatts of electricity. However, some of the arrays were more than 20 years old and were originally designed for a 15-year service life, so they were showing signs of degradation. That doesn’t mean that the old arrays will suddenly cut out or stop working — though the station has had power troubles in the past — but it does mean that they are gradually becoming less efficient over time. And with large numbers of increasingly complex science experiments being performed on the station, the power requirements are going up. “Those arrays are doing great for us and doing great science, but over time with normal wear and tear they get used up a little bit,” Anthony Vareha, spacewalk flight director for the upcoming November 15th spacewalk, explained in a press briefing. “And some of those strings that generate the power on those arrays just fall offline. That’s a standard thing that we have built into our power plans for years.” To keep up with the station’s power needs, the ISS has been continuously upgrading its electrical system, including swapping out batteries on previous excursions. Now, new arrays need to be added — which is the main goal of the upcoming set of spacewalks. The upgrades to the power system consist of adding six new arrays, which will sit in front of the older arrays with an offset, allowing power to be drawn from both. At 60 feet long and 20 feet wide, the new arrays, called ISS Roll-Out Solar Arrays, or iROSAs, are smaller than the old arrays, which are 112 feet long and 39 feet wide. However, developments in solar panel technology mean that the new arrays can generate about the same amount of electricity as the originals. It will be the first-ever spacewalk for NASA astronauts Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio Adding new arrays isn’t a simple process, however. Before an iROSA array can be added, it needs support structures, called mod kits, to be in place on the exterior of the station. Vareha described a two-part process of first installing the scaffolding and then later installing an array. At the moment, the ISS has two of the new iROSA arrays already installed. Scaffolding is ready for two more, and scaffolding for the last two will be installed soon, starting with the upcoming spacewalk on November 15th. It will be the first-ever spacewalk for NASA astronauts Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio. Two later spacewalks tentatively scheduled for November 28th and December 1st will then install two more arrays to the existing scaffolding, with the aim to have all six arrays installed and working by the middle of next year. Chris Mundy, spacewalk officer, said the new arrays will arrive folded up on a carrier in the SpaceX CRS-26 resupply mission, which is to be launched on November 18th. Then the arrays will need to be installed, integrated into the power system, and deployed. The deployment involves rolling out the arrays like a blanket in a process that takes six to 10 minutes. For integration with the power system, the spacewalkers need to install Y cables to link both old and new arrays to the power system. “Once those are fully connected, we’ll be able to route power from the legacy array and the new iROSA array into the ISS power system,” Mundy said. NASA says these new arrays are being tested for potential use in future missions such as the Artemis Moon program as well as helping the space station continue operations. As for the space station, its precise future is still unclear. While NASA announced at the end of last year that it intends to continue operating the ISS through 2030, Russia, another major partner, has repeatedly threatened to withdraw its cooperation, leaving the ISS in a tenuous position even as it gets powerful new upgrades. “Each new array brings new power,” Fiona Turett, spacewalk flight director for one of the future spacewalks, said. “ISS continues to grow, and we have more science and more systems online. This additional power will ensure we can operate ISS to the fullest extent in the upcoming years.” https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/8/23447777/nasa-iss-spacewalk-solar-power-array 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 Curt Lewis