Flight Safety Information - December 15, 2022 No. 241 In This Issue : Incident: United B752 near Reno on Dec 14th 2022, loss of cabin pressure : Incident: Tindi DHC7 near Yellowknife on Dec 12th 2022, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Gol B738 at Sao Paulo on Dec 9th 2022, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Anadolu B738 at Istanbul on Dec 14th 2022, bird strike : Guatemala Airport Closes Following Volcan de Fuego Eruption : Drone pilot fined $7.4K for flying near a wildfire in Canada : Joby’s eVTOL air taxi clears second of four FAA System Reviews : Airport security 100ml liquid rule to be scrapped (UK) : IATA, South African Civil Aviation Authority to cooperate more closely on safety : Russian Sanctions: Rossiya Airlines Reportedly Plans To Furlough 100 Airbus Pilots : Boom’s New Overture Jet Will Use a Quiet, Low-Emission Supersonic Engine to Hit 1,300 MPH : Australia signs MoU with Tonga Civil Aviation Division : United Airlines eyes adding 15,000 workers, including 2,200 at SFO : Air New Zealand Commits to Putting a Zero-Emission Plane in the Air by 2026 : Germany clinches $8 billion purchase of 35 F-35 aircraft from the US : Ex-Marine Pilot Allegedly Tried To Source T-2 Carrier Trainer Jet For China : 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: United B752 near Reno on Dec 14th 2022, loss of cabin pressure A United Boeing 757-200, registration N58101 performing flight UA-2757 from Greensboro,NC to San Francisco,CA (USA) with 2 crew only, was enroute at FL400 about 190nm southeast of Reno,NV (USA) when the crew initiated an emergency descent to 12,000 feet due to the loss of cabin pressure. The crew considered to divert to Reno but was told they needed to climb again to reach Reno and thus decided to follow the V-airway to San Francisco. The aircraft landed safely on San Francisco's runway 28R about an hour after leaving FL400. https://avherald.com/h?article=5025f70f&opt=0 Incident: Tindi DHC7 near Yellowknife on Dec 12th 2022, engine shut down in flight An Air Tindi de Havilland Dash-7-100, registration C-FPBJ performing flight 8T-806 from Yellowknife,NT to Pickle Lake,ON (Canada) with 6 people on board, was enroute about 68nm southeast of Yellowknife when the crew received indication of the #3 engine (PT6A) high torque and fuel fluctuations. The crew shut the engine down and returned to Yellowknife for a safe landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5025e2a4&opt=0 Incident: Gol B738 at Sao Paulo on Dec 9th 2022, engine shut down in flight A Gol Transportes Aereos Boeing 737-800, registration PR-GXQ performing flight G3-1512 from Sao Paulo Congonhas,SP to Porto Seguro,BA (Brazil) with 157 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing out of Congonhas' runway 17R when the crew stopped the climb at about FL270 due to the failure of the right hand engine (CFM56). The crew shut the engine down and diverted to Sao Paulo Guarulhos Airport for a safe landing on runway 27L about 35 minutes after departure. https://avherald.com/h?article=5025c568&opt=0 Incident: Anadolu B738 at Istanbul on Dec 14th 2022, bird strike An Anadolujet Boeing 737-800 on behalf of THY Turkish Airlines, registration TC-JFJ performing TK-7319 from Malatya to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen (Turkey), was on approach to Sabiha Gokcen Airport's runway 06 when the aircraft flew through a flock of birds and received several impacts on the nose cone and the leading edge of the right hand wing. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 06. The radome suffered a a number of penetrations, the wing received blood stains. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 7.5 hours, then returned to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=5025b843&opt=0 Guatemala Airport Closes Following Volcan de Fuego Eruption Volcanic ash can endanger commercial planes. This weekend the eruption of the Fuego volcano forced Guatemala City’s La Aurora International Airport (GUA) to close temporarily on Sunday due to “the presence of ashes.” The air terminal resumed operations about three hours later as the wind shifted to the south, according to Francis Argueta, Director of the country’s civil aviation authorities. Ashes force the closure In the last few days, the Volcán del Fuego, located about 35 kilometers from Guatemala City, began a new eruptive phase. The 3,763-meter-high volcano is one of the most active in the region, erupting every four to five years on average. In 2018, an eruption sent rivers of lava, devastating the village of San Miguel Los Lotes, killing 215 people, and leaving hundreds of missing people. On Sunday, the volcano exploded and sent lava, reddening the sky. The authorities tracked the distribution of the ashes after the explosion and chose to close La Aurora International Airport, the most critical hub in the Central American country. This created flight disruptions as the airport has around 50 flights from 16 airlines daily. The most important airline in La Aurora is the State carrier Transportes Aéreos Guatemaltecos, also known as TAG Airlines. As reported by local media outlets, the closure forced the diversion of two flights bound for La Aurora, one from Miami and the other from Santo Domingo, in addition to delaying several departures. Why do airlines avoid flying through volcanic ash? Whenever there’s a volcanic eruption around the world, the airlines halt their operations in that location. There’s no example more famous of that happening than the 2010’s Eyjafjallajökull eruption in Iceland, which forced the closure of airspace across Europe and massive disruption of the transatlantic market over several weeks. Find the latest South American aviation news here. Last year, there was another example of a volcanic eruption impacting the commercial aviation industry when a volcano exploded in the Canary Islands. Volcanic eruptions produce plumes of volcanic ash, which endanger commercial planes. Additionally, volcanic ash is hard and rough, which can cause damage to engines, blades, and windscreens. Nonetheless, the most severe risk is from ash melting in the engines. The ash that gets into the combustion chamber can melt and produce a substance like molten glass. Then the molten glass solidifies on the turbine blades, blocking airflow, and could lead to a stall in the engine. Fortunately, there have not been aircraft losses directly attributed a result of volcanic ash, according to data by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). A member of the General Directorate of Road Safety stands next to a closed road after the Fuego volcano erupted, in Alotenango, a municipality in the department of Sacatepéquez, 65 kilometers southwest of Guatemala City, on December 11, 2022. La Aurora International Airport has 363 weekly scheduled flights, according to information by Cirium. On Sundays, the airline has 57 flights, the most on any day of the week. TAG Airlines operate the largest number of commercial services departing from La Aurora, with 18 on Sundays, followed by Avianca (six), United Airlines (six), Copa Airlines (five), and American Airlines (four). Guatemala’s main airport has direct connectivity to 29 destinations, of which four are domestic. Flores Airport, a hub located near the archeological destination of Tikal, has 46 weekly flights, followed by San José, Costa Rica (SJO) with 33 and San Salvador, El Salvador (SAL) with 33. https://simpleflying.com/volcano-eruption-guatemala-airport-closure/ Drone pilot fined $7.4K for flying near a wildfire in Canada A provincial court in Canada has ordered a man to pay nearly $7,400 (CAD 10,000) in penalties for piloting a drone near a wildfire in Alberta’s Jasper National Park. This is reportedly the “largest fine ever” issued for flying a drone illegally in a national park in Canada. The Canada National Parks Act strictly limits the use of recreational drones near wildlife. Anyone caught operating a drone within the boundaries of a Canadian national park, without an approved permit, could face law enforcement action and a fine of up to $18,400 (CAD 25,000). The incident in question took place on the afternoon of September 6, 2022, when eight helicopters were fighting a then-out-of-control wildfire on Chetamon mountain in Jasper National Park. They were forced to halt the bucketing operations for more than an hour after a drone was sighted in the area. Investigating officials found that a group of five males was using the drone to take photographs near Jasper Lake. At a hearing last week, public prosecutor Dawn Poskocil told the court that the aircraft’s owner, Rajwinder Singh, had pleaded that he was neither aware of drone regulations nor “the fact that he was in Jasper National Park, despite the signs.” Poskocil explained that operating the drone at that time breached Transport Canada’s drone regulations as well. According to Canadian aviation law, no aircraft may fly within a 5-nautical-mile radius of a wildfire for the safety of helicopters and aircraft involved in the fighting of forest fires. “Ongoing helicopter bucketing was less than 5 km from where Mr. Singh flew his drone,” she explained. Dave Argument, a resource conservation officer with Parks Canada, pointed out at the hearing that grounding the firefighting helicopters could have had dire consequences. Explaining that a total of four instances of illegal drone users were charged during the Chetamon wildfire, he said: This is a deadly serious matter. It runs the risk of losing control of the fire unnecessarily where we could be fighting it. Suddenly, we’re grounded and we lose our ability to action the fire while those machines are on the ground. It is really on the user to understand what the regulations are, what they can’t do and what they can do with these new tools that are becoming so widely available, and the consequences of their actions. Across the board, drone operation in national parks in Canada is illegal. Drone pilot Singh has been given until June 8, 2023, by the court to pay the fine. https://dronedj.com/2022/12/15/drone-pilot-canada-wildfire-fine/ Joby’s eVTOL air taxi clears second of four FAA System Reviews Joby, the developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) planes designed for use in nearing air taxi services, says it has cleared another milestone in its push to obtain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aircraft certification by completing the second of four required System Review inspections. The System Review process strives to monitor the overall architecture viability of next-generation aircraft seeking certification. It also gauges how well companies involved are honing to their own previously established specs and timelines, while also meeting safety targets the regulator sets for aircraft. Last week, Joby hosted FAA officials for their second multi-day, in-house inspection of its eVTOL, receiving another thumbs-up to continue development of the future air taxi. Joby is one of a small number of companies developing eVTOL aircraft that have managed to speedily progress through the FAA certification process, bringing their air taxi prototypes tantalizingly closer to the launch of services expected in 2024 or 2025. Sector rivals Archer and Wisk have also been standouts in advancing rapidly within the year or so of having won approval from regulators to begin trials of their craft. Joby is considered by some observers as the most likely eVTOL company to first gain FAA certification, though last month it revised initial targets for its air taxi service launch from 2024 to 2025, citing both external and internal factors. One of those was the expected wait for the FAA to provide full and final criteria for eVTOL air taxi certification, and resulting concerns that Joby and other developers might be working on potentially shifting ground until the definitive regulations are delivered. Indeed, the FAA already sent shock waves across the sector in March when it said it would no longer apply propulsion criteria used for smaller planes as planned, but instead “power-lift” rules similar to those of helicopters. Despite expectations final FAA criteria won’t be delivered until late 2024, Joby continues charging ahead with its air taxi testing, using a set of air worthiness requirements the regulator issued last month specific to the company’s eVTOL. That in part paved the way to it clearing last week’s second System Review – one of many certification steps Joby has taken this year, including earning the FAA’s Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate in May. Last September, the company told investors that fully 84% of its Means of Compliance had been accepted by the FAA, with four area-specific certification plans submitted for approval. “Progress on certification is a key area of focus for this nascent sector, and we’re pleased to mark our continued leadership with the successful completion of our second System Review,” said Didier Papadopoulos, head of Joby’s aircraft original equipment manufacturing. “We’re confident that our aircraft design is on track to meet the FAA’s expectations regarding system-level safety, redundancy, and overall aircraft architecture.” https://dronedj.com/2022/12/15/jobys-evtol-air-taxi-clears-second-of-four-faa-system-reviews/ Airport security 100ml liquid rule to be scrapped (UK) Some security rules on liquids and items such as laptops in airport hand luggage will be scrapped in 2024. The government has set a deadline of June 2024 for most UK airports to install new high-tech 3D scanners, that show more detailed images of baggage. The changes will see the 100ml liquid rule increased to two litres and mean passengers won't need to remove electrical items from bags at security. A previous installation deadline was pushed back due to the pandemic. Passengers are currently required to remove items such as tablets, laptops and liquids from their hand luggage while going through security checks at airports. Liquids, such as sun cream, shampoo or toothpaste are required to be 100ml and must be in a clear plastic bag. The limits have been in place since November 2006 and their introduction marked the end of a ban on liquids in the cabin imposed three months earlier, when British police said they had foiled a plot to blow up as many as 10 planes using explosives hidden in drinks bottles. Several US airports have already installed 3D scanning equipment The government said its requirement for airports to upgrade screening equipment to the type similar to CT scanners used in hospitals, will mean eventually the rules on electrical items can be lifted and the liquid limit can be extended to two litres. With the legislation being phased in across the country over the next two years, current rules will still apply at airports not using the technology. Passengers are advised to check this before travelling. Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the new technology would reduce queue times to improve the "passenger experience, and most importantly detecting potential threats". Christopher Snelling, policy director at the Airport Operators Association, which represents UK airports, added the investment was a "great step forward for UK air travel, matching the best in class around the world". "It will make the journey through the UK's airports easier and air travel itself more pleasant," he added. The technology has already been in use by US airports, such as Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson and Chicago's O'Hare, for a number of years. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a pledge to use the scanning technology to speed up pre-boarding checks and improve security, giving UK airports a deadline of the end of 2022. But passenger numbers were dented during the height of the Covid pandemic with travel restrictions in place across much of the world. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-63975270 IATA, South African Civil Aviation Authority to cooperate more closely on safety The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA). Under the MoU, the two parties will cooperate to strengthen aviation safety in South Africa. IATA is the representative body for the global airline industry. SACAA is the agency responsible for civil aviation safety and regulation in South Africa. With the MoU, the SACAA has explicitly recognised the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) as being an acceptable way of complying with the regulator’s safety regulations. Set up some 20 years ago, the IOSA has become recognised as a global standard for airline operational safety auditing. Undergoing IOSA is an IATA membership requirement Safety data has shown that, in aggregate, airlines on the IOSA registry are significantly safer than airlines that are not on the IOSA registry. IOSA registry airlines in 2021 had an all-accident rate of 0.45, which was more than six times less than the figure of 2.86 recorded by non-IOSA airlines. “Safety is the industry’s top priority and IOSA continues to demonstrate the benefits of global standards underpinning safety operations,” highlighted IATA Regional VP for Africa Kamil Alawadhi. “In 2021, African airlines on the IOSA registry had zero accidents. We congratulate the [SACAA] for their continuous leadership in advancing a safe and efficient air transport industry in the region and for helping promote a single set of global safety standards.” https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/iata-south-african-civil-aviation-authority-to-cooperate-more-closely-on-safety-2022-12-15 Russian Sanctions: Rossiya Airlines Reportedly Plans To Furlough 100 Airbus Pilots The Russian carrier is looking to pick parts from multiple aircraft, leading to the lay-off of up to 100 Airbus pilots. The trade union representing many pilots at Russian Airline Rossiya has advised that a decision was made to place 100 of its airline pilots on furlough. This comes as the airline continues to work through tough sanctions set on Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. Rossiya has advised that its decision to place 100 pilots on leave was not made lightly. It was due to the airline deciding to park multiple aircraft that were not used to be harvested for parts. For security purposes, and with sanctions in place for Russian carriers, the airline can no longer rely on imported parts. The Saint Petersburg-based airline currently has 26 Airbus A320 and Airbus A319 aircraft in its fleet, and according to Flightradar24.com, at least four of Rossiya's Airbus aircraft have not left the tarmac recently. Sanctions causing a logistical nightmare With tough sanctions placed on Russia, multiple Russian carriers must look within their borders for parts, as Airbus, Embraer, and Boeing have stopped supplying parts to Russian operators. This has raised various issues and concerns regarding the safety of Russian aircraft as airlines resort to picking parts from their fleet. This cannabilism will eventually lead to the demise of airline fleets as more aircraft are picked for parts. According to Business Daily, the airline advised that the layoffs were necessary to ensure that mass retrenchment was avoided, given these 'emergency circumstances' the airline is in. Flight attendants at this stage will not be affected by the layoffs. However, pilots will be laid off on a rotating schedule for several days per month. This period is set to last between January 1st, to March 31st. Kommersant reported on the entitlements laid-off workers can expect: “According to an airline source, ⅓ of the pilot staff of A319/320 will monthly be laid off temporarily and paid ⅔ of their salary. Other sources mention a weekly layoff for one-third of the pilots” History of Rossiya Airlines Rossiya, founded in May 1934 as Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise, is one of the oldest and largest carriers in the Russian Federation. Now part of Aeroflot Group, the airline has retained its stronghold as the largest carrier at Saint Petersburg Pulkovo International Airport (LED). The airline participates in Aeroflot Bonus, its frequent flyer program. In December 2015, the Aeroflot group announced the merger of Donavia, based at Rostov-on-Don Airport (RVI), and Orenair, with bases at Orenburg Tsentralny Airport (REN) and Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME), into the Rossiya brand, which at the time was the largest of the three airlines. After the merger, Rossiya then operated at 48 domestic and 42 international destinations. With sanctions in place for Russian airlines following its invasion of Ukraine, Rossiya has attempted to refocus its operations internally and has taken over all Sukhoi Superjet 100 operations from its parent company Aeroflot. https://simpleflying.com/rossiya-airbus-pilot-furlough/ Boom’s New Overture Jet Will Use a Quiet, Low-Emission Supersonic Engine to Hit 1,300 MPH The Symphony mill will be key to the aircraft's success. Being supersonic involves a lot more than a cool-looking aircraft. You need engines that can push the jet past Mach 1, or 767.3 mph. These days, any jet maker also needs to consider sustainability, reliability and lower noise levels—in other words, mitigating sonic booms—that made the Concorde famous, and in cities, infamous for breaking windows. Boom Supersonic says it has found a solution for its Overture jet with a new engine called Symphony. It has released a rendering and some technical data for the engine. These are more goals than current realities since it will be a clean-sheet design and five years before the Symphony-powered Overture makes its first test flight. On paper, the Overture will be a Mach 1.7 supersonic airliner with 4,250 nautical miles of range. Boom says the interior can be configured for 65 to 88 passengers and that there are 500 possible routes for the jet. It foresees an eventual market for 1,000 aircraft. Symphony will be key to making the program work. “Through the Symphony program, we can provide our customers with an economically and environmentally sustainable supersonic airplane—a combination unattainable with the current constraints of derivative engines and industry norms,” said Boom’s founder and CEO Blake Scholl. Florida Turbine Technologies, GE Additive, and StandardAero were all named partners on the Symphony project. The company said the new supersonic engine will operate at net-zero carbon levels and have reduced sound levels compared to existing supersonic engines. The engines, add Boom, will lower maintenance costs for companies like United Airlines that have made pre-orders. Florida Turbine Technologies will lead the engine design. Its team will include engineers responsible for developing the F-119 and F-135 supersonic engines in the US Air Force’s F-22 and F-35 fighter jets. GE Additive will design engine components that are lighter and will allow for faster build times. Symphony will be a medium-bypass turbofan engine with the same engine architecture powering modern commercial aircraft. But the new engine will have an axisymmetric supersonic intake, a variable-geometry low-noise exhaust nozzle and a passively cooled high-pressure turbine. It will also be designed to run on sustainable aviation fuel, which has 80 percent lower carbon emissions levels than Jet-A diesel. The single-stage fan is designed for quiet operation. It will produce 35,000 lbs at takeoff. Boom says Symphony is already being designed, with production expected in 2024 at its facility in Greensboro, North Carolina. Overture’s first flight is anticipated for some time in 2027, with certification expected in 2029. Boom is the only supersonic aircraft builder in the market, with competitor Aerion having shuttered its business last year. The Colorado-based firm has plugged steadily along since Scholl founded it in 2014. It currently has an ongoing test program of the supersonic demonstrator XB-1 in California, with flight tests expected early next year. The company said earlier this year it expects to break ground on a new campus in Greensboro by the end of this year. https://robbreport.com/motors/marine/boom-supersonic-new-symphony-engine-1234785024/ Australia signs MoU with Tonga Civil Aviation Division The MoU will see the 2 countries work more closely across technical, regulatory and safety matters. CASA Chief Executive Officer and Director of Aviation Safety, Pip Spence, said that the arrangement is one way in which Australia supports aviation safety in the Asia-Pacific. Under the MoU, the Tonga Civil Aviation Division, Ministry Of Infrastructure may request, and CASA may provide, technical assistance or advice in relation to regulatory activities. ‘This MOU acknowledges Australia and Tonga’s roles as aviation safety regulators in the region and as participants in the Pacific Aviation Safety Office,’ Ms Spence said. ‘We are committed to promoting a positive and collaborative safety culture through our own aviation safety regulatory system as well as supporting the broader aviation community.’ ‘I am pleased to have signed this agreement which acknowledges the importance of safety in the region and our support for the Pacific.’ The arrangement was announced by Australia’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP, during a visit to Tonga last week. https://www.miragenews.com/australia-signs-mou-with-tonga-civil-aviation-915637/ United Airlines eyes adding 15,000 workers, including 2,200 at SFO Hiring could sprout after United Airlines places big order for jetliners United Airlines is eyeing the hiring of 15,000 workers nationwide — including thousands at San Francisco airport — after the air carrier decided to buy scores and possibly hundreds of Boeing jetliners. The air carrier says it has placed an order for at least 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, “the largest widebody order by a U.S. carrier in commercial aviation history.” The airline also says it has the option to buy another 100 of the massive jets. All of this adds up to plenty of hiring at the seven major hubs operated by United Airlines, including San Francisco International Airport. United Airlines intends to add 2,200 jobs at San Francisco International Airport, the airline said. The hiring efforts represent a welcome counterpoint to the brutal downturn in the travel industry in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and economic collapse in the early spring of 2020. Separately, United plans to add 2,600 jobs at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and another 2,100 at Newark Liberty International Airport in the New York City area. United also aims to add 1,800 jobs in Houston, 1,800 in Denver, 1,100 in Washington D.C. and 400 in Los Angeles. Pilots, flight attendants, maintenance workers that include mechanics, and airport operations workers that include customer service representatives and gate agents are expected to be among those hired at United Airlines hubs such as San Francisco. “The airline now expects to take delivery of about 700 new narrow and widebody aircraft by the end of 2032, including an average of more than two every week in 2023 and more than three every week in 2024,” United stated. https://www.siliconvalley.com/2022/12/14/united-airlines-15000-jobs-2000-at-sfo-airport-economy-travel-covid/ Air New Zealand Commits to Putting a Zero-Emission Plane in the Air by 2026 The airline would be the first to do so. Air New Zealand is partnering with four companies to get a zero-emission aircraft in the air by 2026 Air New Zealand is doing everything it can to put a zero-emission plane in the air by 2026. The airline just announced that it has entered into agreements with four different manufacturers to develop such an aircraft. The deals are part of a project called “Mission NextGen Aircraft” that is integral to the company’s goal of decarbonizing its fleet by 2050. The companies that Air New Zealand is partnering with are Eviation, which is based out of Washington state; Beta, a startup out of Vermont; Volt Aero, which is headquartered in France, and Cranfield Aerospace, which has operated out of the UK since 1948. The airline has signed a “statement of intent to order” with each manufacturer for three aircraft initially, with the option of ordering an additional 20 at a later date. Each manufacturer is already hard at work on aircraft that make use of electricity, green hydrogen or hybrid energy to fly, according to CNET Roadshow. Eviation has already announced Alice, an all-electric commuter plane that is already “flight proven.” Beta is developing an eVTOL called the ALIA-250 that can be used to carry passengers or cargo. Volt Aero is working on a plane called the Cassio that will have a dual-source electric-hybrid powertrain. Finally, Cranfield Aerospace is working to equip its current Britten-Norman Islander nine-seater with hydrogen fuel cell technology. “Mission NextGen Aircraft is not about backing one innovator,” the airline’s CEO Greg Foran said in a statement. “It’s about working with a range of leaders in zero emissions aircraft technology to help move the whole ecosystem along. Our goal is to confirm our commitment with one or more of these partners in the next 12 months with the ambition of purchasing an aircraft for delivery from 2026.” The aim is for at least one of the planes to be ready to take flight by 2026. That aircraft won’t just be something the company shows off at air shows, either. Air New Zealand hopes to use it as a replacement for the Q300—a prop plane used for short trips within New Zealand—as part of its current domestic fleet. https://robbreport.com/motors/aviation/air-new-zealand-zero-emission-aircraft-partnerships-1234785252/ Germany clinches $8 billion purchase of 35 F-35 aircraft from the US WASHINGTON — German government leaders on Wednesday announced a deal to buy 35 F-35 fighter jets from the United States, a package pegged at $8.4 billion by the Pentagon in its offer from the summer. Signature of the letter of acceptance caps Berlin’s years-long quest to replace the portion of its aging Tornado fleet tasked with carrying out NATO’s doctrine of nuclear weapons sharing. German officials had decided on the Lockheed Martin-made jet in the spring, setting in motion the purchasing process for the aircraft, weapons and spares. Lawmakers approved the funding in a session of the parliamentary Budget Committee earlier on Wednesday. It’s part of a $14 billion batch of procurements German defense leaders will use to improve lackluster military capabilities over the coming years, drawing from a special $107 billion defense fund set up after Russia’s assault on Ukraine. “It is an honor to formally welcome Germany to the F-35 Lightning II Program,” said Bridget Lauderdale, Lockheed Martin’s vice president and general manager of the F-35 program. “Germany’s participation ensures the F-35′s European alliance continues to strengthen and grow through interoperability with NATO and ally nations.” Training of German pilots with the first new planes is slated to begin in 2026 in the United States. Those activities are scheduled to move to Germany the following year, before the Luftwaffe, Germany’s air force, declares an initial operational capability in 2028. That timeline is of particular concern for the Germans because it requires facilities at the country’s F-35 base, Büchel in the west of Germany, to be ready for housing the modern planes by 2027. Luftwaffe Chief of Staff Lt Gen. Ingo Gerhartz today told reporters in Berlin officials are in the process of tapping a general contractor with experience in building F-35-related infrastructure. The plan, he said, is to condense the permitting and construction process, which other officials have said can take six or seven years, to meet the envisioned 2027 target. Military spokespeople in Berlin could not immediately say on Wednesday which contractor Gerhartz was referring to. In April, neighboring F-35 user Belgium, which plans to upgrade by 2025 the 1950s- and 1960s-era infrastructure at air bases Florennes and Kleine Brogel, awarded a Belgian-Dutch-U.S. consortium led by Jan De Nul a contract worth $692 million for the work. Following Berlin’s purchase of the fifth-generation fighter jets, Lockheed Martin expects to reach out to local industry early in 2023 to include German subcontractors in the F-35 program, a company spokesman told Defense News. Generally, there are limits to how much work can be awarded locally to international F-35 customers, as the jet contains secret technologies only the U.S. government and its contractors are allowed to service. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2022/12/14/germany-clinches-8-billion-purchase-of-35-f-35-aircraft-from-the-us/ Ex-Marine Pilot Allegedly Tried To Source T-2 Carrier Trainer Jet For China • As well as allegedly trying to procure a T-2 jet, the former Harrier pilot is said to have provided other navy-related training to China. The former U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II jump jet pilot who was arrested in Australia earlier this year, amid accusations that he’d been working in China, had allegedly been helping train Chinese naval aviators to operate from aircraft carriers. An indictment from U.S. prosecutors also says that the Marine pilot, Daniel Edmund Duggan, was involved in training Chinese aviators in South Africa and that this program also involved potentially illegal procurement of at least one T-2 Buckeye naval jet trainer capable of carrier deck takeoff and landings. The new allegations regarding Daniel Edmund Duggan, a former Marine Corps senior tactical instructor, are included in an indictment from U.S. prosecutors that dates back to 2017, but which has only now been unsealed by a federal court in the District of Columbia. The allegations claim that Duggan was specifically engaged in helping the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) develop its fast-growing carrier aviation branch. Duggan is currently detained in Australia, where he was arrested by the Australian Federal Police in October, reportedly at the request of the FBI. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, U.S. prosecutors allege that Duggan “breached U.S. arms-control laws and was involved in a conspiracy.” The same publication approached Duggan’s lawyer and the U.S. Justice Department, but neither has so far provided any comments. Duggan’s lawyer previously stated that the former Marine pilot denied breaking any laws in the United States or elsewhere. The indictment states that Duggan was involved in a training program for PLAN naval aviators that would be carried out in China, South Africa, and other undisclosed locations. The training is said to have been centered upon carrier approach and landing, a vital and complex skill set required for operating from flattops of the kind that China is now operating and building. Duggan is said to have provided some of this training in the early 2010s via a “test-flight academy in South Africa that also had a presence in China.” That academy is unnamed. However, the U.K. Ministry of Defense revealed earlier this year that British personnel had been involved in providing pilot training to the Chinese military via the Test Flying Academy of South Africa, or TFASA, a privately run training center in South Africa’s Western Cape. As we reported previously, there is an established link between TFASA and China, including the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) aerospace and defense conglomerate. Among other alleged and unnamed co-conspirators in the Duggan indictment are a Chinese-based company that also provided military training for the Chinese government, plus another former U.S. military pilot. Duggan himself is known to have moved to China in 2014. According to his LinkedIn profile, he began working in Qingdao in 2017 as the managing director of AVIBIZ Limited, described as “a comprehensive aviation consultancy company with a focus on the fast-growing and dynamic Chinese Aviation Industry.” That company was registered in Hong Kong, but formally ceased operations in 2020. Together with supposed co-conspirators, the indictment claims that Duggan arranged to buy a T-2 training jet, allegedly providing false information to ensure the U.S. government would approve an export license of the aircraft to South Africa. The twin-jet T-2 was developed in the late 1950s to provide basic training to future U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviators, including carrier landings, with the aid of an arrester hook, sturdy wide-track gear and other design elements. Additionally, the T-2 was used for other pilot training work, including first solo flights, formation, and aerobatic flying, day and night navigation, and weapons training. It was finally retired by the U.S. Navy in 2015, but the T-2 soldiers on in a land-based role with Greece, as seen in the video below. Exactly why a T-2 was chosen for training the Chinese is unclear: in South Africa, at least, it seems it would have been unable to perform carrier-representative takeoffs and landings. On the other hand, the planned acquisition of the Buckeye was around the same time China was developing a hooked jet trainer of its own, the Guizhou JL-9GA. This only entered PLAN service around 2021. With that in mind, the T-2 could have provided some useful insight into training aircraft of this kind, or at the very least, access to a proven jet trainer of Western design. It's not clear exactly what happened with the T-2 procurement, or to what degree the aircraft was used, but a 1967-vintage T-2B model is listed as having been exported to South Africa in May 2011, upon which it received the local civilian registration ZU-NVY. An online listing for the aircraft notes that it has been upgraded at some point with Garmin GPS navigation and communications aids in both cockpits, as well as a modern electronic flight instrument (EFIS) system cockpit display. The current owner of this aircraft is unclear, although the timeframe and its presence in South Africa seem, at the very least, highly coincidental. The indictment alleges that Duggan and his co-conspirators did not seek a license to export defense services to China, suggesting that the purchase of the T-2 contravened U.S. guidelines. A license for a defense export would normally be denied if the equipment in question is destined to end up either in China or in Chinese hands. The United States has an embargo on defense exports to China that’s been in place since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Additionally, the indictment alleges that Duggan failed to gain permission from the U.S. government to provide military training to China, despite the U.S. State Department informing him by email in 2008 that this was a requirement, for any foreign air force. Aside from that, a purchase of the jet would have been made more complicated by various International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) stipulations, which govern the export of defense and military-related technologies to safeguard U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives. Further allegations against Duggan are included in the indictment. It’s alleged that he negotiated to provide additional defense services to a Chinese state-owned entity. These services are said to include the evaluation of military pilot trainees, testing of naval aviation-related equipment, and instruction on tactics, techniques, and procedures associated with carrier takeoff and landing. It’s further claimed that Duggan traveled to China and received tens of thousands of dollars in payments. Duggan is scheduled to appear in an Australian court later this week. Meanwhile, U.S. prosecutors are seeking his extradition so that he can face potential charges in the United States. Those charges comprise conspiracy to defraud the United States by conspiracy to unlawfully export defense services to China, conspiracy to launder money, plus two counts of violating the U.S. Arms Export Control Act and ITAR. Regardless of what happens next, this episode again highlights the often-shadowy world in which Western individuals and organizations have been providing military training and expertise to China. In October, the U.K. Ministry of Defense acknowledged that dozens of British former frontline military pilots had been hired by China to provide training and intelligence. They had been recruited “to help Beijing develop its tactics and technological expertise.” The pilots involved were said to be mainly former fast-jet aircrew but also included helicopter pilots. All apparently began working for China from the end of 2019 onward and were said to be earning around £240,000 (roughly $270,000) a year. At least some of those British pilots were said to be teaching Chinese students at the TFASA training center in South Africa, while others were reportedly providing services within China. “We are taking decisive steps to stop Chinese recruitment schemes attempting to headhunt serving and former U.K. Armed Forces pilots to train People’s Liberation Army personnel in the People’s Republic of China,” an MOD spokesman said in response to the revelations. “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 Defense, while the new National Security Bill will create additional tools to tackle contemporary security challenges — including this one.” Other countries, too, have taken steps to address the issue of former military personnel providing services to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Previous reports suggested that Australia was investigating claims some of its former fighter pilots have been approached to work in China. Canada, too, has been looking into allegations that China might have recruited former Canadian fighter pilots to train the PLA. With China having been named the number one challenge to U.S. security, it’s hardly a surprise that Western governments are now taking this issue more seriously. While former pilots from Western air arms may well have made use of legal loopholes to secure lucrative Chinese contracts in the past, measures are clearly being taken to prevent this from happening. There remains a question as to how much — if any — genuinely sensitive information has been passed to Beijing by the individuals and companies involved. Aside from this, however, any training and consultation assistance that helps Beijing establish some kind of military advantage over the West would appear to be highly undesirable — whether legal or not. As for the position of the PLA, and specifically the PLAN, the latest developments in the Duggan case make it clear that improving the capabilities of the carrier arm is a major priority. Since the commissioning of the PLAN’s first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, in September 2012, the country now has three flattops in the water and has assembled significant experience in carrier operations. Without a doubt, Beijing views aircraft carriers as a fundamental part of its long-term defense plans, especially when it comes to projecting power beyond its immediate region. However, this is a very steep learning curve, which various mishaps involving J-15 carrier fighters likely attest to. With that in mind, the expertise of Western fighter pilots with carrier aviation experience could well be highly beneficial, especially as the PLAN develops its training syllabus for future carrier pilots. This includes a dummy carrier deck at Huangdicun, within the Northern Theater Command, where pilots can practice carrier approaches and landings using hook-equipped JL-9GA training jets, as well as J-15 deck fighters. Work is seemingly also underway to develop a similar land-based carrier aviation facility at Lingshui, under the Southern Theater Command. However, the JL-9GA is not currently able to operate from a real carrier deck, so J-15 pilots continue to have their first experience of deck operations in a single-seat fighter. While the PLAN’s rapidly evolving aircraft carrier capabilities are impressive, it’s also increasingly apparent that Beijing is seeking to secure expert Western knowledge, by legal means or otherwise, to help further its military goals. With that in mind, Western nations are very likely to be increasingly on guard to prevent these kinds of relationships from developing in the future. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/ex-marine-pilot-allegedly-tried-to-source-t-2-carrier-trainer-jet-for-china 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