Flight Safety Information - December 14, 2022 No. 240 In This Issue : Incident: Bluebird B734 near Vienna on Dec 13th 2022, loss of cabin pressure : Incident: Ryanair B738 near Madrid on Dec 13th 2022, engine problem : Incident: Canada BCS3 near Minneapolis on Dec 12th 2022, engine failure : Incident: Ryanair B738 at Newcastle on Dec 10th 2022, lightning strike : Pilot involved in fatal helicopter crash pleads guilty to misleading people : ICAO says it doesn't audit airlines just days after SpiceJet claims of 'safe airline' : AARP Backs Bill to Improve Airplane Evacuation Plans for People with Disabilities : Delta Employee Hit By Truck At Atlanta Airport : ADB Approves $163 Million In Loans To Help Improve Aviation Safety In PNG : FAA experts in Mexico City to advise on Category 1 aviation safety status recovery : How Cabin Safety Has Been Improved Over Time : DR MESHKATI HONORED FOR WORK IN HUMAN FACTORS : Airbus Puts The A321XLR To The Test With Planned 13 Hour Flight : Air India closes in on blockbuster aircraft order - reports : On The Up: Boeing Delivered Almost 50 Commercial Aircraft Last Month : New Air Force Trainer Jet Facing Delays as Mishaps with Old Training Aircraft Mount : ESASI FocusOn… ICAO – NEW DATE – 1 February 2023 : Business Aviation Safety Consortium (BASC) Announces Department Internal Evaluator Training Course and Fifth Consecutive Safety Dividend Incident: Bluebird B734 near Vienna on Dec 13th 2022, loss of cabin pressure A Bluebird Nordic Boeing 737-400, registration TF-BBJ performing flight BF-950 from Cagliari (Italy) to Katowice (Poland), was enroute at FL360 about 30nm west of Vienna (Austria) when the crew initiated an emergency descent reporting problems with the cabin pressure. The aircraft levelled off at FL100 about 7 minutes later (average 3700 feet per minute) and continued to Katowice for a safe landing on runway 27. The aircraft is still on the ground in Katowice about 12 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=50251cc6&opt=0 Incident: Ryanair B738 near Madrid on Dec 13th 2022, engine problem A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-DCW performing flight FR-8075 from Brussels Charleroi (Belgium) to Marrakesh (Morocco), was enroute at FL370 about 230nm south of Madrid,SP (Spain) when the crew reported technical problems with one of the engines (CFM56) and decided to divert to Madrid. The aircraft turned around descending to FL210 and landed safely on Madrid's runway 18R about 65 minutes after leaving FL370. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration EI-DWI resumed the flight and reached Marrakesh with a delay of 5:15 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=50251aa0&opt=0 Incident: Canada BCS3 near Minneapolis on Dec 12th 2022, engine failure An Air Canada Bombardier C-Series CS-300, registration C-GUAC performing flight AC-774 from Los Angeles,CA (USA) to Montreal,QC (Canada), was enroute at FL350 about 170nm westsouthwest of Minnapolis,MN (USA) when the crew reported an engine (PW1524G) failure and decided to divert to Minneapolis. The aircraft entered a hold to work checklists and burn off fuel, landed safely on Minneapolis' runway 12R and stopped on the runway for an inspection by emergency services. About 10 minutes after landing the aircraft taxied to the apron. A passenger reported the aircraft diverted to Minneapolis due to an engine fire. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Minneapolis about 14 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5024da2d&opt=0 Incident: Ryanair B738 at Newcastle on Dec 10th 2022, lightning strike A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-EVS performing flight FR-3010 from Wroclaw (Poland) to Newcastle,EN (UK), was on approach to Newcastle when the aircraft was hit by lightning. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Newcastle's runway 25. Passengers reported there was a huge flash of light, a loud bang and a plane shake upon landing in Newcastle. The airline reported the aircraft suffered a lightning strike upon landing in Newcastle, the aircraft landed safely, all passengers disembarked normally. Engineers are inspecting the aircraft. The aircraft is still on the ground in Newcaste on Dec 13th 2022. https://avherald.com/h?article=5024caa3&opt=0 Pilot involved in fatal helicopter crash pleads guilty to misleading people SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — The pilot who was involved in the 2021 fatal helicopter crash in Sevier County plead guilty to cases that happened prior to the crash, according to the court records. Matthew Jones, 36, was charged with wire fraud and flying without an airman certificate, or license, issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. In return for his plea agreement, all other charges in the cases were dismissed. Jones agreed to one year with time served from Jan. 8, 2022, and 36 months of supervised release. He will also pay restitution to two victims. In the court records, Jones said he text false information to victims and operated without an airman certificate in 2019. One victim paid him $9,958.16 and another victim paid him $29,534.46. Jones also rented and flew an aircraft without a license in Utah with a passenger on Nov. 28, 2021, according to the court records. Jones was indicted on the two counts, but before the trial was held, he was charged again — this time in a fatal helicopter crash near Gatlinburg. Jones went to the Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge Airport to pick up a helicopter on Dec. 29, 2021. He piloted the helicopter with a female passenger. Against advice from the local grounds personnel due to poor weather conditions, he crashed into a mountain near the Sevier-Cocke County line on Apple Tree Lane. Jones suffered from serious injuries after the crash, according to the court records. The passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. Under the terms, Jones may not apply for a passport, be in possession of a firearm, work as a flight instructor or fly an aircraft until further order of the court. The terms also state that he must comply with any ongoing investigations in other pending matters. https://www.wate.com/news/crime/pilot-involved-in-fatal-helicopter-crash-pleads-guilty-to-misleading-people/ ICAO says it doesn't audit airlines just days after SpiceJet claims of 'safe airline' "As part of an ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM), ICAO teams conduct industry visits to verify the effectiveness of the civil aviation authority’s safety oversight. This will include visits to multiple operators. ICAO wishes to clarify that visits to these operators are not an audit or inspection at all," the international organisation said in a statement. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on December 14 said that it never audits any airline or airport in any country, just days after SpiceJet said that it's operations, safety processes and systems have been found to be in order after an exhaustive audit was conducted by the ICAO. "As part of an ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM), ICAO teams conduct industry visits to verify the effectiveness of the civil aviation authority’s safety oversight. This will include visits to multiple operators. ICAO wishes to clarify that visits to these operators are not an audit or inspection at all," the international organisation said in a statement. When asked to identify the 'operators' in its statement the ICAO said "that any question pertaining to a specific activity can only be answered by the regulatory body". “It is important to recognize that these audits do not cover airlines, airports or other industry operators,” ICAO said. The ICAO is a specialized agency which is a part of the United Nations that sets standards and regulations for civil aviation. It audits the aviation safety and aviation security oversight capacities of its member states. https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/icao-says-it-doesnt-audit-airlines-just-days-after-spicejet-claims-of-safe-airline-9702321.html AARP Backs Bill to Improve Airplane Evacuation Plans for People with Disabilities More than 25 million Americans live with disabilities or mobility issues that could impact whether they can take a commercial flight without assistance. But airplane design and the testing of evacuation plans have not always accounted for mobility concerns. AARP last week endorsed a bill that will require the Federal Aviation Administration to update airplane evacuation standards and factor in how evacuation times are impacted by children and older adults, people with disabilities and other factors like the presence of carry-on luggage. “Evacuation standards should protect all Americans, including those with mobility issues,” Megan O’Reilly, AARP’s acting senior vice president for government affairs, wrote in a letter to Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who on Thursday introduced the Emergency Vacating of Aircraft Cabin (EVAC) Act. O’Reilly noted that “it is essential that real world conditions are present when testing evacuation procedures, including the participation of older adults and persons with disabilities in those tests.” The FAA currently requires passengers to be able to evacuate a plane within 90 seconds in the event of an emergency, which influences how airplane cabins and seats are designed. But we’re urging the FAA to require evacuation testing to factor in people with a range of physical abilities, especially as the U.S. population ages. O’Reilly notes in her letter that 2 in 5 adults age 65 and over report having some mobility issues with tasks like walking or climbing stairs. https://blog.aarp.org/fighting-for-you/airplane-evacuation-bill-faa Delta Employee Hit By Truck At Atlanta Airport Delta wing walker hit by waste disposal truck There seems to be a “wing walker” standing there to assist with the plane’s arrival, but in the video footage you can see a waste disposal truck hitting the person from behind and knocking them over at a high speed. Once the driver realizes they hit someone, they immediately stop the vehicle and get out to help. Others are also seen running to assist this person. Interestingly at the same time that this happens, you can hear someone announcing “attention lav techs, lav techs, please, please watch your speed out on the ramp, and pay attention to your surroundings.” It’s not entirely clear if that announcement was being made “live,” or if this was being made after the fact, when this footage was reviewed. You can see the video for yourself below (though you may not want to, so use your own discretion). The condition of the Delta employee who was hit isn’t known. Hopefully they’re able to make a speedy and full recovery — I’ll be keeping them in my thoughts. Hopefully Delta also takes care of this employee and their employee, as I imagine a recovery could take some time. I’m surprised by how safe the ramp usually is Obviously this is awful to see, and I hope precautions are taken to make sure this doesn’t happen again. I imagine the driver of the waste disposal truck was distracted and wasn’t looking ahead, or they would have seen the wing walker, especially since they had those orange cones with lights. That being said, I’m kind of surprised by how few incidents generally happen on the ramp at airports. Yes, the speed limit is supposed to be low, but you also have a lot going on. You have people constantly in a rush, a really complicated system for traffic priority, a lot of congestion, a combination of people driving and walking, and you don’t necessarily have the most tenured employees across the board. I’m always amazed by how smoothly this seems to go a vast majority of the time, so that makes it especially sad to see something like this happen. Bottom line A Delta ramp employee was hit by a waste disposal truck at Atlanta Airport recently. Incidents like this are (fortunately) extremely rare, so it’s terrible to see something like this happen. Hopefully the injured person is able to make a recovery. https://onemileatatime.com/news/delta-employee-hit-by-truck-atlanta-airport/ ADB Approves $163 Million In Loans To Help Improve Aviation Safety In PNG PORT MORESBY — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) today signed two loans to fund improvements to air services in PNG. Minister for Treasury Ian Ling-Stuckey and ADB Country Director for PNG David Hill participated in the signing ceremony. “This innovative program will help boost economic and social development in PNG,” said Mr. Hill. “Our investments aim to improve connectivity in the country and, in doing so, drive growth in businesses and jobs.” Loans amounting to almost $163 million were signed at the ceremony for the newly approved $171.5 million Civil Aviation Development Investment Program Phase 2. The program will upgrade five national airports for better safety and security, improve the power supply at Port Moresby International Airport, and enhance navigation and weather services by installing a standard automatic weather observation system. “Major sectors of PNG’s economy such as mining, tourism, and agriculture rely on civil aviation for access to production sites and markets,” said Mr. Ling-Stuckey. “This ADB-supported program will play a lead role in enabling economic recovery after COVID-19.” The program will pilot the upgrading of rural airstrips in four locations: Finschhafen, Hayfield, Jacquinot Bay, and Tapini. Civil aviation institutions in PNG will be strengthened through the provision of training on project management and gender inclusiveness. The program builds on the successes of the ADB-supported Civil Aviation Development Investment Program, which was approved in 2009 and targeted sweeping improvements to 21 national airports that serve more than three million people in PNG per year. It also strengthened the safety, accessibility, and reliability of air services, and opened new economic opportunities in regional centers. ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region. https://indiaeducationdiary.in/adb-approves-163-million-in-loans-to-help-improve-aviation-safety-in-png/ FAA experts in Mexico City to advise on Category 1 aviation safety status recovery Mexico City, Mexico — Head of the SICT, accompanied by the Undersecretary of Transportation and the General Director of the AFAC, welcomed the FAA experts earlier this week. U.S. aviation authorities are paying a visit to the Secretary of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT), Jorge Nuño Lara, as a work meeting to help Mexico recover its Category 1 aviation safety status. During the most recent meet, recommendations were given to implement before the General Director of the FAA visits Mexico on January 12. Nuño Lara received the delegation of experts from the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States (FAA), who continue to work in the recovery of Mexico’s aviation safety status to return to a Category 1. On Monday, the advisory project, headed by the North American specialists in aviation safety, Jeffrey Richardson and Julio Arizmendi, was formally reactivated. The head of the SICT, accompanied by the Undersecretary of Transport, Rogelio Jiménez Pons and the General Director of the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC), Miguel Enrique Vallin Osuna, pointed out that they will be attentive to the activities and resolutions during this first round of meetings between specialists from the FAA and AFAC. Two other FAA experts, Randall Wright and Lou Álvarez, also joined the advisory. This first meeting is expected to last until Friday to ensure progress will be made in preparing for the final audit. The North American officials will be in charge of making the evaluation of the corrective plan and of what Mexico has developed within the actions with a view to improving safety in aeronautical matters. https://riviera-maya-news.com/faa-experts-in-mexico-city-to-advise-on-category-1-aviation-safety-status-recovery/2022.html How Cabin Safety Has Been Improved Over Time Many lessons have been learned and implemented. Accident data from ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) for the year 2021 showed that in commercial air transport, the number of accidents had dropped from the previous year, down from 2.14 to 1.93 per million departures. Going back further, the difference would be significantly more substantial. Out of the air accidents that do happen, some will be unrecoverable, but in most cases, passengers and crew will survive accidents on the ground due to improved cabin safety over the years. After every accident, if there is something noted regarding cabin safety in the investigation, recommendations are made. Below is a list of some such improvements implemented over time. Seat design Passenger seating has been improved to withstand 16Gs of gravity and cabin floor strength has been increased to improve passengers' chance of survival should an accident occur. Cabin crew seating has been improved with harnesses that also restrain the upper half of the body. The back of the jump seat is now better designed to protect the head. Protection from fire Fire retardant fabrics are standard onboard the aircraft now, and surfaces are designed to delay flashover in case of a fire. Emergency exit floor markings and low-level lighting have been introduced on all commercial aircraft. These allow more time to evacuate the aircraft and a more speedy evacuation. Lavatory smoke detectors and automatic fire extinguishers in the waste bins are important safety features that were introduced just before the complete ban on smoking on aircraft. Emergency exits Distances to emergency exits and better signage have also been established across commercial aviation. There should be one passenger emergency exit on each side of the fuselage, not more than 60 feet from an exit on the same side on the same deck. Exits must be distributed uniformly on the aircraft. Crew resource management Crew resource management (CRM) became part of pilot training in the 80s and 90s and eventually extended to cabin crew training. This was in order to improve communication between the flight crew themselves and then, after, between the cabin crew and the flight crew and to lessen the chances of incidents and accidents occurring. Cabin crew training Cabin crew training has become more competency-based. Fire training now includes how to deal with lithium battery and cell phone fires. Cabin crew are now also being trained to deal with biological, chemical and radiological incidents. The pandemic has shown cabin crew how to assess and isolate an infectious passenger onboard the aircraft. They are also being trained in how to recognize and stop human trafficking onboard. The rise in unruly passengers has led to many airlines including self-defense as part of their training. Lessons learned From every accident, we learn something new and can make improvements to safety standards. From United Airlines flight 811, we learned that masks should be attached to oxygen bottles in preparation for a decompression. The same flight induced a review of life vests and the number of megaphones needed onboard. Eastern Airlines flight 401 began the evolution of CRM, improved cabin crew jump seat restraints and flashlights were introduced to safety equipment onboard. British Airtours 328 brought us improvements in fire protection in the cabin, the use of smoke hoods for cabin crew and the introduction of the over-wing exit briefing and the rules of who can sit there. British Midland flight 092, taught us about CRM, and the terminology used onboard. It also instigated much research into the brace position and led to improved passenger seating and overhead lockers. https://simpleflying.com/how-cabin-safety-has-been-improved-over-time/ DR MESHKATI HONORED FOR WORK IN HUMAN FACTORS Dr Najm Mashkati, USC engineering Professor has been praised for his work leading the University of Southern California’s Aviation Safety and Security program for the past 30 years. Robert Sumwalt, the Executive Director, Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety, and former Chairman of the NTSB in a post on Linkedin said: “On behalf of the Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, I want to congratulate the University of Southern California Aviation Safety and Security program for 70 years of operation. “I received my Aviation Safety Certificate at USC and, for three years, I taught the human factors in Aviation Safety course there with my dear friend, Dr. Najm Meshkati. Congratulations USC! You truly have set the bar for such programs! In the spirit of friendly competition, however, I hope our new centre at Embry-Riddle can share some of the business with USC. Together, both programs help to raise the safety bar.” On Thursday, December 15, there will be a ceremony at USC to celebrate and commemorate this unique and major milestone. Dr Meshkati has continuously been conducting research on human factors and aviation safety-related issues (e.g., cockpit design and automation, crew resource management, safety management system, safety culture, and runway incursions) and teaching in the USC 70-year-old internationally renowned Aviation Safety and Security Program, for the past 30 years. During this period, he has taught the “Human Factors in Aviation Safety” and “System Safety” short courses. From 1992 to 1999, he also was the Director with administrative and academic responsibilities for the USC Institute of Safety and Systems Management’s Professional Programs, which included Aviation Safety, as well as for Transportation Safety and Process Safety Management (which he designed and developed) programs. Dr Meshkati said: “It has indeed been a pleasure and privilege to be affiliated with the USC Aviation Safety and Security Program for more than three decades as a member of its faculty and, for several years, also as its director. It is one of the most impactful professional training programs in the world, primarily because of the high calibre of my colleagues and thousands of aviators, regulators, and safety professionals who have taken our courses and received training for one the most safety-critical industries — aviation – in the last 70 years. I believe, because of its long track record, breadth and depth of its many courses, and global reach, almost every air traveller in the world today, directly or indirectly, has been a beneficiary of this program. “One of my professional takeaways and personal blessings has been meeting so many wonderful professionals who were in my classes, or I met them because of this program; many of whom became my lifetime friends and goto for aviation facts and knowhow; they include Honorable Capt. Robert Sumwalt, the former chairman of the National Transporation Safety Board (NTSB), who was my co-instructor for the human factors course for three years in the early 2000s before being appointed to the NTSB.” Dr Meshkati also praised AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas’s works on human factors. “Last but certainly not least, and for the record, I owe knowing you and meeting you, Geoff, to this program too! I often refer to Geoff’s seminal articles on cockpit automation, TCAS, ramp safety, runway incursions, Asiana 214, AF 447, pilot training, etc., in my classes, and thousands of my former “students” have read and like myself, were enriched by them!” https://www.airlineratings.com/news/dr-meshkati-honored-for-work-in-human-factors/ Airbus Puts The A321XLR To The Test With Planned 13 Hour Flight An Airbus A321XLR is currently on a 13-hour test flight touring Europe from the skies. On December 13th, Airbus' Toulouse facility workers waved goodbye to an Airbus A321XLR as it took to the skies for a 13-hour flight. The test flight marks a significant milestone for the aircraft as it proves its design for long-haul flying. This flight will demonstrate its capabilities and solidify its position as the next-generation fuel-efficient narrowbody long-haul airliner. Lengthy test flight The long test flight conducted by Airbus started at approximately 07:00 UTC when the airplane left France's Toulouse–Blagnac Airport (TLS). The prototype Airbus A321XLR registered F-WXLR proceeded northwest over France until turning out over the ocean near the city of Nantes. Over the Atlantic Ocean, the pilots flew a pattern that spells out XLR on the flight tracker. After leaving their mark in the sky, the pilots returned to France and proceeded to the northwest. The flight departed France and crossed the English Channel. From there, it hopped over into Irish airspace and exited to the northeast. The flight is currently nearing Norway. The airplane is traveling at flight level 390 and tracking 450 knots over the ground. The aircraft is on a round-trip flight plan and plans to return to TLS this evening at roughly 19:55 UTC. Airbus is using this flight as a test flight to prove that the new aircraft is everything it says it is. The manufacturer is hoping to show the world the impressive capabilities of this aircraft and is thoroughly monitoring the airplane, checking for any flaws that might manifest on such a long flight. A representative for Airbus has told Simple Flying the following, "The flight is part of the usual testing campaign and has genuine technical objectives for the fuel systems testing and maturity." Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today. An impressive airplane The Airbus A321XLR is widely considered to be a plane of the future. Since it was announced in 2019, Airbus has continually worked to improve its product. At its core, the XLR is an Airbus A321neo designed to fly to further destinations. The manufacturer has already produced the A321LR, which stands for long-range and is also intended to fly to further destinations. However, the XLR, which stands for extra long range, can fly even further distances. The XLR has a max range of 4,700 nautical miles. Depending on the cabin layout, it can also carry between 180 and 200 passengers. This range is far greater than that of most narrowbody aircraft. Aircraft in the same class, such as the Boeing 737 MAX 8, has a max range of 3,548 nautical miles. The Airbus A321neo has a max range of 3,240 nautical miles. This high-capacity, long-range aircraft has exited the class of the more common narrowbody aircraft, such as the 737 and A320, and has entered the previously uncontested domain of the Boeing 757. The 757 is a narrowbody airliner with around 200 seats, depending on the model and cabin layout. The aircraft is known for providing access to distant destinations that bring small amounts of demand. Boeing stopped producing the long-haul jet over a decade ago. Since then, many airlines have requested a replacement for the aging 757 as it is less cost-effective than newer jets but still plays an essential role in their operations. The XLR is arguably the first viable replacement to the 757, although many argue it does not have adequate capacity to truly replace the 757. Another potential replacement is the Boeing 737 MAX 10, although this aircraft's future remains uncertain. https://simpleflying.com/airbus-a321xlr-13-hour-test-flight/ Air India closes in on blockbuster aircraft order - reports Air India (AI, Mumbai Int'l) is nearing the end stages of negotiations with Airbus and Boeing regarding a record-breaking aircraft order, with Reuters reporting that the Tata Sons-owned airline is eyeing orders for up to 500 aircraft including 400 narrowbodies and 100 widebodies. Tata acquired Air India in January and has since been busy reorganising the flag carrier and its subsidiaries. That included buying the remaining Capital A-held stake in Air India Express and moving to merge it with Air-India Express, and renegotiating a "strategic relationship" with Singapore Airlines that involved that airline surrendering its 49% stake in Vistara in exchange for a 25% stake in Air India. Tata Sons has also demonstrated a willingness to invest in its recently acquired airlines, most recently saying it would spend USD400 million on upgrading the cabins of Air India's widebody fleet. That willingness to invest continues with this impending aircraft order, which is speculatively valued at over USD100 billion at list prices and in volume terms would be the largest aircraft order ever. Reuters said, quoting "industry sources", that the "finishing touches" are being put on the order while India-based media claimed that a final decision on the size and composition is not yet finalised and any announcement is still weeks away. However, Tata Sons is said to be looking at ordering "dozens" of unspecified types of A350s, B777s, and B787s to enlarge and update its widebody fleet, while in the narrowbody mix are the A321 and B737 MAX. At least fifty MAX jets are reportedly destined for budget unit Air India Express. According to ch-aviation fleets advanced data, Air India now operates 120 aircraft. When the merger with Vistara is complete, a further 56 aircraft will be added to the tally. Presently, the two airlines fly Airbus narrowbodies and Boeing widebodies. Since Tata Sons acquired Air India, it has been bullish about its plans for restoring the airline to its former glory and recapturing lost market share. As recently as November, CEO Campbell Wilson said that investment plans were well advanced to increase its size. https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/122414-air-india-closes-in-on-blockbuster-aircraft-order-reports On The Up: Boeing Delivered Almost 50 Commercial Aircraft Last Month However, numbers are still lagging compared to September. After a dip in October, Boeing's delivery numbers are trending upward again. In November, the aerospace giant delivered 50 jets to customers around the world, up from 35 the month before. New airplane orders fell, however, coming in at 18 737 MAXs and three 767s. Of course, that number will increase multiple times when December figures are in, given United Airlines' pre-Christmas aircraft shopping spree. After a 15-month stop to Dreamliner deliveries lifted in August, the manufacturer handed over a total of 51 planes in September. This in turn tied with numbers from June, which exceeded the 50-plane mark for the first time since March 2019 when the 737 MAX was first grounded. However, figures dropped again in October due to the OEM's quality management system catching defects in the fuselage of the MAX and delaying deliveries as a result. In November, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Qatar Airways all received two 787 Dreamliners each. United's were the larger 787-10 variant, American's the smaller 787-8, and Qatar's the 787-9. United also took five MAXs in November - two -8s and three -9s. Meanwhile, low-cost giant Southwest received as many as ten 737 MAX 8 jets. Get all the latest aviation news right here on Simple Flying November was farewell to the Queen Looking ahead, December's production figures will also include a very high-profile departure - the last Boeing 747 jet to roll out from the final production line (FAL) in Everett. Boeing 747 number 1,574 will officially be delivered to its new owner, cargo specialist Atlas Air in January next year (given that flight tests are all in order). Meanwhile, Atlas Air took the second-to-last 747-8F to be operated for Kuehne+Nagel in November, as well as a 777F which it will fly for MSC Air Cargo. This brings the airfreight operator's 747 fleet to 51 planes, while still awaiting the arrival of the last of the iconic quadjet, as well as one older 747-400F on lease. Dreamliner deliveries back for 4th month in a row Other than the all too well known reasons behind the backlog of 737 MAX deliveries, Boeing has also suffered a prolonged stop to its Dreamliner deliveries due to quality control issues. In May 2021, engineers discovered that there were variations in the carbon fiber skin flatness and improperly sized gap fillers that could cause structural issues with the airframe. As a result, eight Dreamliners were immediately take out of service, and subsequent controls revealed further issues which needed to be fixed before the FAA re-cleared the 787 for delivery at the beginning of August. That month, Boeing managed to ship off a 787-9 to Lufthansa, and one 787-10 to Air France-KLM. In total, from August to November, Boeing delivered 21 Dreamliners. https://simpleflying.com/boeing-48-deliveries-november-2022/ New Air Force Trainer Jet Facing Delays as Mishaps with Old Training Aircraft Mount • Acting Secretary of the Air Force Matthew P. Donovan introduces the T-7A Red Hawk. The Air Force's new T-7A Red Hawk training jet was expected to be delivered to the service in 2023, but software issues and ejection seat concerns are causing delays in getting the aircraft to pilots. Those delays will mean that the service is dependent on the aging T-38C Talon, a training jet that has been in the Air Force's portfolio since the 1960s and has seen a slew of recent accidents and issues, a bit longer. Maj. Alli Stormer, a spokeswoman for the Air Force, told Military.com in an emailed statement Monday that the new trainer still is in the testing phase. "The technical challenges the Air Force has identified relate to flight control software and the escape system," Stormer said. "All flight control software issues to date have been resolved and will be tested in flight in the first quarter of 2023. The Air Force is working to correct some escape system deficiencies found during initial testing in late 2021 and will resume escape system testing in the first quarter of 2023." The unplanned extension of the use of the T-38C has raised concerns tied to recent mishaps and crashes from military officials and policy experts. The T-38C has also been involved in several recent mishaps at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi. On Nov. 18, an Air Force pilot's landing gear failed, forcing the plane to skid on its belly across a runway before coming to rest. There were no injuries. Less than two weeks before on Nov. 7, an instructor pilot had to eject from his jet when it was "rendered inoperable and unrecoverable upon initial takeoff," Col. Jeremy Bergin, Columbus Air Force Base vice wing commander, told reporters. In that incident, two T-38Cs took off, each with one person, an instructor, aboard. They were flying in a formation when one of the jets experienced the malfunction. The jet crashed at a private property about 30 minutes south of the base. The instructor was taken to a nearby hospital and there were no fatalities, according to a press release. Jeremiah Gertler, a senior associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington, D.C., who specializes in aviation, told Military.com that the T-38's age requires a notable amount of routine maintenance and that the longer it's in the air is a concern. But he also added that, in the long history of the aircraft, one more year in service in its decades-long life span is not a major problem. "You're talking about one more year on an aircraft that's already 60 years old by design," Gertler said. "The T-38 isn't inherently unsafe, but it just takes a lot of time for maintenance to keep it flyable because of its age." The ejection system on the new T-7, the development of which is causing delays to fielding the trainer, is planned to be more flexible for pilots of varying heights and weights than that on the T-38C. But Stormer told Military.com it was discovered during testing that the ejection seat wasn't performing adequately and could have caused injury, leading to delays and further testing. "If left uncorrected, the escape system would result in high risk of injury for pilots," Stormer said. "However, the purpose of the design improvements is to ensure the escape system meets the Air Force system specification and reduces any airworthiness risks to an acceptable level." Escape system testing for the T-7 is planned to resume in the first quarter of 2023, Stormer added. Boeing was awarded a $9 billion contract to build the T-7 in 2018, with plans to have the first planes delivered by 2023. Didi VanNierop, a spokeswoman for the defense contractor, said the company is looking at how it can make up for lost time on the program. "We are working with the Air Force to re-baseline the schedule, including identifying opportunities to recover schedule after continued COVID-19 supply chain and workforce disruptions," VanNierop told Military.com in an emailed statement Monday. "That said, the program is accomplishing new milestones as the pathfinder program for a digitally designed, built and tested system." Delays in the T-7 program mean it will take longer to replace the T-38C, which has been the go-to training aircraft for generations. Since 1960, there have been 211 Class A mishaps -- the term used by the military to describe the deadliest or costliest crashes -- with the T-38, according to Air Force Safety Center data. There have been a total of 86 pilot deaths and 149 fatalities in total from the T-38 in its 62-year history. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/12/12/new-air-force-trainer-jet-facing-delays-mishaps-old-training-aircraft-mount.html ESASI FocusOn… ICAO – NEW DATE – 1 February 2023 • The ESASI FocusOn… ICAO will now be held on the 1 February 2023 • To register, please send an email to registrations@esasi.eu ESASI Seminar 2023 – CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS – Bratislava, Slovakia 26 to 27 April 2023 • The ESASI Executive Committee invites presentations for the 2023 ESASI Regional Seminar to be held in Bratislava, Slovakia (26 to 27 April 2023). • A presentation may be on any aspect of safety investigation including recent case studies, development of new investigation techniques and challenges facing investigators. • Presentations should last for a maximum of 20 minutes with a further five minutes for questions. Papers are not required. • Deadline for proposals to be received by ESASI – 31 January 2023 • For further information on the technical aspect of the workshop please contact the ESASI technical committee member: Brian McDermid, Kate Fitzgerald and David King at (presentations@esasi.eu) posted on December 14, 2022 08:00 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Business Aviation Safety Consortium (BASC) Announces Department Internal Evaluator Training Course and Fifth Consecutive Safety Dividend BASC Full-Service Members are now provided the opportunity to learn enhanced BASC Internal and General Auditing Principles! BASC was designed to be a highly desired partner with world-class business flight departments that strive for excellence in Safety Management and Compliance. Coincidentally, BASC was also conceptualized to be of high value and provide for ease of budgeting. The Safety Dividend provision was implemented at the founding of BASC to return a portion of the members’ annual investment when organizational performance provided that opportunity. Although a “for profit” entity, no reason could be found not to share and reward excellence, loyalty, achievement, continuous improvement and an outstanding safety culture. Any current BASC Full-Service Member that has been with the organization for six months or greater out of the 2022 calendar year has been awarded a BASC Safety Dividend. This is a noteworthy achievement, as this award to clients was made possible despite significant infrastructure investments including the new BASC Internal Evaluator Course. Partnering with Advanced Aircrew Academy, all BASC members are now afforded the opportunity, to complete an insightful and pertinent course designed on basic auditing principles and elements specific to BASC. Founder and President, Rick Malczynski shared, “We did something ‘crazy’ again this year…we listened to the Membership! BASC members were excited and interested about the BASC Facilitator/Auditor course, and many wanted to take it themselves. We did some strategic shapeshifting with the BASC Facilitator/Auditor course and created a learning tract that is beneficial to anyone conducting an internal audit, and more specifically, a BASC Internal Evaluation. This was another home run for the BASC membership. We knew from the beginning that having the premier, operator-focused program was key, but what would truly retain and grow membership and interest would be relevant and updated content. It doesn’t hurt that our quarterly Continuing Education/Safety Round Table (CE/SRT) features well-known speakers from throughout the industry. When BASCers tell me they share CE/SRT contents with their family or other flight departments, I know we are killing it! The fact that BASC Full-Service Members received NBAA CAM credits for each session last year, further validates the quality and relevancy of material.” Malczynski further commented, “Our partnerships with amazing innovators like Quality Resources and Advanced Aircrew Academy, have helped insure that BASC members anticipate, adapt, and meet or exceed changing requirements in a fast-paced and dynamic operating environment. Personally, working with teams of professionals that have mastered the concepts, processes, and execution of SMS, is extremely fulfilling. Our meetings with top FAA SMS team members this past year confirmed that BASC flight departments were in fact among the leaders in business and general aviation regarding SMS. Our front loading in preparation for the possibility of a new US SMS requirement has paid dividends! Observing team after team deprogram from ‘checking boxes to pass an audit’, to real measurable safety gains, continuous improvement, operational excellence and value added is amazing! I guarantee 2023 will be another break out year!” ### About the Business Aviation Safety Consortium (AviationConsortium.com, LLC or BASC): Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, BASC serves as a logical partner for SMS, regulatory, and operational excellence verification for high performing business aviation organizations. BASC was founded in 2016 and accepted the first member in January of 2017. For more information, visit http://www.aviationconsortium.com Curt Lewis