Flight Safety Information - December 16, 2022 No. 242 In This Issue : Incident: Summit DH8A at Thunder Bay on Dec 11th 2022, engine shut down in flight : Incident: GoAir A20N at Goa on Dec 14th 2022, cabin pressurization problem : Pilot ejects from fighter jet in Texas in failed landing : Coast Guard search underway for aircraft that reportedly crashed off Maui : Russian An-12 military transport aircraft catches fire in Novosibirsk : FAA lodges penalty against Vieques Air Link for flying with unqualified pilots : Indictment reveals details of alleged aircraft carrier pilot training for China by ex-Marine : Here are the 10 airports with the most flight cancellations around the holidays : TSA finds gun packed inside passenger's electronic device at Atlanta airport : American Airlines' Safety Management System : Cabin air quality in spotlight again as pressure mounts for standards : Lufthansa's Boeing 777 Sharkskin Modification Is Now Certified : Airlines Are Holding Back A Major Law That Would Protect Pumping Breast Milk At Work : U.S. Cargo and Passenger Airlines Added 4,889 Jobs in October 2022 : Boom Supersonic Announces FlightSafety International As Overture Flight Training Partner : Air India Is Reportedly Facing A Pilot Shortage : Team Tempest to 3D print up to 30% of 6th-gen jet fighter : Chinese Scientists Repurpose Ski-Jump Technology Of Aircraft Carriers For Cheap Hypersonic Space Travel : 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: Summit DH8A at Thunder Bay on Dec 11th 2022, engine shut down in flight A Summit Air de Havilland Dash 8-100, registration C-GWRI performing flight BF-1720 from Thunder Bay,ON to Fort Hope,ON (Canada) with 24 passengers and 3 crew, was climbing out of Thunder Bay when the left hand propeller (engine PW121) began to overspeed. The crew worked the related checklist, shut the engine down and returned to Thunder Bay for a safe landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=502698bd&opt=0 Incident: GoAir A20N at Goa on Dec 14th 2022, cabin pressurization problem A GoAir Airbus A320-200N, registration VT-WGP performing flight G8-371 from Mumbai to Goa (India) with 182 people on board, was climbing out of Mumbai's runway 27 when the crew stopped the climb at FL090 due to problems with the cabin pressurization and decided to return to Mumbai, where the aircraft landed safely on runway 27 about 30 minutes later. A replacement A320-200N registration VT-WJE reached Goa with a delay of 5 hours. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 3 hours, then resumed service. The airline reported the aircraft returned due to a technical snag, a "vent avionics fault". https://avherald.com/h?article=50267264&opt=0 Pilot ejects from fighter jet in Texas in failed landing FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A pilot safely ejected from a plane Thursday after a failed landing that was caught on video at a North Texas military base, officials said. The Marine Corps variant of a fighter jet, known as a F-35B, took a nose dive and spiraled after its wheels briefly touched down on the shared runway at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth. Video taken by people who were watching the plane come in show it slowly descending in a straight line as smoke appears in the rear of the aircraft before the nose digs into the runway and the jet spins to a stop. The F-35B has special modifications that allow it to take off and land vertically like a helicopter. At the Pentagon, a spokesman said that the aircraft was being flown at the time of the crash by a U.S. government pilot, although it had not been transferred to the military yet by manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The pilot safely ejected from the airplane, according to Pentagon spokesman Air Force Gen. Pat Ryder. The condition of the pilot is not known. About a dozen local officers responded to the base, where first responders and base personnel were already on site following the incident, said Chris Cook, police chief for the nearby city of White Settlement. Officers helped keep away a growing crowd of people who had stopped on a roadway or walked over after the plane went down. “You never want to get that call that there is an aircraft down," Cook said. "We have a very fond spot in our community for the military. White Settlement is a military community.” A spokesman for the Navy referred all questions to Lockheed Martin, the aerospace and defense company that manufactures the plane involved. Officials from Lockheed Martin said in a statement that they were aware of the crash and were under the impression the pilot was safe. “Safety is our priority, and we will follow appropriate investigation protocol,” the company said in the statement. https://www.yahoo.com/news/pilot-ejects-fighter-jet-texas-234246907.html Coast Guard search underway for aircraft that reportedly crashed off Maui Coast Guard crews are searching by air and sea for an aircraft that reportedly went down off Maui with three people onboard. HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Coast Guard crews are searching by air and sea for an aircraft that reportedly went down off Maui with three people onboard. The search started about 10 p.m. Thursday in the vicinity of the Maui Channel. The U.S. Coast Guard said multiple aircraft and vessels have joined the search, including an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and a C-130 from Air Station Barbers Point. https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/12/16/emergency-crews-respond-report-downed-aircraft-off-maui/ Russian An-12 military transport aircraft catches fire in Novosibirsk A military transport plane was seen burning at Tolmachevo airport in Russia’s Novosibirsk. "An An-12 aircraft of Irkut Corporation made an emergency landing due to the fire of one of its four engines. The plane was en route from Irkutsk to Moscow," the statement reads. Read also: Russian military plane crashes in residential area in Irkutsk, both pilots killed In addition, a video was shared on social networks, which shows how Ministry of Emergencies officers trying to suppress the flames coming out of the An-12’s engine. https://news.yahoo.com/russian-12-military-transport-aircraft-140800900.html FAA lodges penalty against Vieques Air Link for flying with unqualified pilots The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $134,475 civil penalty against Vieques Air Link for allegedly conducting passenger flights with unqualified pilots. The FAA alleges that Puerto Rico-based Vieques Air Link conducted 11 commuter flights between July and August 2022 using pilots without the appropriate certificates and licenses to operate the airline’s fleet of twin-engine Britten-Norman aircraft. Founded in 1965, Vieques Air Link runs more than 30 daily flights to several cities in the ‘big island’ of Puerto Rico, Culebra and the US and British Virgin Islands. According to its website, Vieques Air Link is FAA certified and employs ‘a highly qualified group of pilots.’ The carrier’s fleet of 10 aircraft includes three Cessna Caravans, five Britten-Norman Islanders and two Britten-Norman Trislanders. Vieques Air Link has 30 days to respond to the FAA’s proposal. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/faa-lodges-penalty-against-vieques-air-link-for-flying-with-unqualified-pilots Indictment reveals details of alleged aircraft carrier pilot training for China by ex-Marine A former Marine Corps and Navy pilot was charged with illegally providing aircraft carrier flight training to Chinese military pilots, according to court papers in the case of Daniel Duggan. A federal grand jury indictment unsealed last week provides the first details of the case against Mr. Duggan, a dual U.S.-Australian citizen who was arrested in Australia on Oct. 21 and is facing extradition to the United States. Mr. Duggan is charged in the 2016 indictment with conspiring with Chinese, South African, British and U.S. nationals to violate U.S. export law that requires a license before providing defense services such as aircraft carrier training to states like China. Mr. Duggan, who also lived in China and is also known as Ding San Qing, worked to provide “aircraft carrier approach and landing training to PRC military pilots,” the indictment stated, using the acronym for the People’s Republic of China. The training took place in China, South Africa and elsewhere. The operation also involved the illicit sale of a North American T-2 Buckeye jet trainer to China, made possible by disguising the buyer as a South African company. According to the indictment, Mr. Duggan conducted the training of Chinese pilots in October 2010, March 2012 and November 2012, a period that covers the deployment of China‘s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, in September 2012. The Liaoning itself was originally an unfinished Soviet-era Kuznetsov-class carrier first built in 1985. China‘s military purchased it in a deal disguised as a purchase for a commercial firm in Macau that was going to turn it into a floating casino. China launched a second carrier similar to the Liaoning called the Shandong and is building its first indigenous carrier, called the Fujian. The Fujian is the military’s largest carrier with an 80,000-ton displacement and an electromagnetic catapult-assisted launch system. Critics say China‘s carrier force lags far behind the U.S. force of 11 aircraft carriers. The currently deployed Chinese carrier fleet often sails without its warplanes. Mr. Duggan provided an evaluation of Chinese pilot trainees, tested naval aviation equipment and taught tactics and techniques used in launching and landing aircraft on carriers, the indictment stated, with Chinese carrier pilot trainees learning on a carrier landing site in South Africa. Mr. Duggan also traveled to Shenyang, China for training that included a program for practice landings on the ground that mimicked carrier landings. The Chinese pilots also were given “landing signal officer” training, known in the U.S. Navy as “paddles” who guide aircraft landing on carriers. Mr. Duggan received multiple payments in installments of $6,365, the indictment said. Mr. Duggan‘s associates and at least two companies involved in the operation were not named in the indictment. In October, U.K. defense authorities disclosed that around 30 former British military pilots had helped teach Chinese air force pilots how to defeat Western warplanes. The British Defense Ministry issued a threat alert that cautioned against working with the Chinese military. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that China‘s military sought Western pilots as part of a program to learn to fly from aircraft carriers and acquire other skills useful for a future potential conflict over Taiwan. The report said the training was led by the Test Flying Academy of South Africa, near Cape Town, which hired former military pilots from Britain, France, Norway and other countries. A spokesman for the company denied its work with the Chinese posed a security threat. The pilots made hundreds of thousands of dollars from the training in China and at least four pilots involved in the training were skilled in flying the Pentagon’s most advanced jet, the F-35, the report stated. A lawyer for Mr. Duggan told the Wall Street Journal his client denies violating any laws. Retired Navy Capt. Jim Fanell, a former aircraft carrier intelligence officer, said he was surprised to learn in 2012 that Chinese navy J-15 jet pilots were conducting flight training on the Liaoning. “When I read this indictment against Maj. Duggan, I am left scratching my head as to how it is that someone who grew up and operated in the world and culture of U.S. naval aviation could have shared this information with the PRC,” Capt. Fanell said. “The lessons that Maj. Duggan passed on to PLA naval aviators are lessons that have been learned in blood over 100 years of U.S. naval aviation,” he added. Landing signals officer training is “the most important of all training” for carrier pilots and is “the very essence of life and death and the success or failure of the mission of the carrier. This kind of training is extremely specialized and rare,” Capt. Fanell said. If the charges prove true, he said, “what Maj. Duggan has done is advance the PLA Navy’s timeline for creating a lethal carrier aviation force.” https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/dec/15/indictment-reveals-details-alleged-aircraft-carrie/ Here are the 10 airports with the most flight cancellations around the holidays Winter break has historically been one of the busiest periods at U.S. airports, and while many external factors (especially weather) can affect how smoothly those peak travel days go, historical trends show that some places tend to perform better than others year-over-year. USA TODAY analyzed data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics from Dec. 15 through Jan. 7 every year from 2015 through 2020. Data covered the 100 airports with the most domestic flights in the 2019-20 holiday season; only domestic flights were included. The analysis showed that travelers are most likely to run into issues flying into or out of Aspen, Colorado, where on average about 42% of flights in that window had departure delays of 15 minutes or more, and about 11% that were canceled. With demand for airline tickets high, this holiday season promises to feel more like pre-pandemic normal. Experts say it's important to pack your patience as you head for the airport in the coming weeks and to remember that airline employees want to get you where you're going. What can travelers expect this holiday season? Weather is typically the biggest factor when it comes to airline reliability, according to Brett Snyder, author of the Cranky Flier blog and owner of the Cranky Concierge travel agency. "It's the wildcard that keeps on giving," he said. Over Thanksgiving, clear weather across much of the country meant airlines experienced few delays and cancellations, and the meltdown many travelers feared never came to fruition. On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, more than 2.5 million passengers passed through TSA checkpoints, and only a relatively small number of flights were delayed or canceled. But, Snyder said, that's no guarantee that the December-January rush will be the same. Travelers should arm themselves with as much knowledge as possible before their trips. "You should make sure that you're aware of your airline's policies," he said. And in the event of a cancellation or a long delay, he added, "if you're willing to do the work, try and find what your (alternative travel) options might be in advance." Kevin Burke, the North American president and CEO of Airports Council International agreed and said it's important for travelers to arrive early and prepare for crowded terminals, even if the weather holds out. "Be patient," he said. "It makes for a much better travel experience when everybody keeps their heads about them." Burke also recommends travelers enrolling in TSA PreCheck to get through security more seamlessly. And he said, for those who don't travel often, it's a good idea to check the TSA's website for a refresher on what is and isn't allowed in carry-on bags. What are airports doing to prepare? According to Burke, airports have seen high volumes of travelers this year and expect that trend to hold through the winter holidays. "Most of our airports are going to be, not at capacity but fully prepared for the number of passengers that are going to pass through their checkpoints," he said. To accommodate the crowds, TSA and many concessionaires have worked to hire more workers this year, though Burke admitted that many facilities remain understaffed. "What we are challenged with is bringing workers into the airports to work those concessions," he said. "The experience is not as good because we don't have as many people to serve or cook." Meanwhile, he said, airports continue to do everything they can to keep running smoothly if bad weather does crop up. "Airports, especially those in the northern latitudes that have to deal with weather are trained and are enormously professional about moving snow and making sure the runways and taxiways are cleared for traffic," he said. "There are more snow plows in Chicago O’Hare airport than there are in the entire city of Chicago." In USA TODAY'S analysis, Chicago O'Hare had the sixth-most cancellations on average of any airport. Airports with the most historical holiday season cancellations USA TODAY's analysis found that these were the top 10 airports (in order) for cancellations during the period between Dec. 15 and Jan. 7 between the years 2015-2020. 1. Aspen, Colorado.: Aspen Pitkin County Sardy Field 2. Charleston, South Carolina: Charleston AFB/International Airport 3. Norfolk, Virginia: Norfolk International Airport 4. Savannah, Georgia: Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport 5. Greensboro/High Point, North Carolina: Piedmont Triad International Airport 6. Chicago: Chicago Midway International Airport 7. Newark, New Jersey: Newark Liberty International Airport 8. New York: LaGuardia International Airport 9. Providence, Rhode Island: Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport 10. Rochester, N: Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport How did the biggest US airports rank? Here's how the leading 25 U.S. airports (based on 2019-20 holiday flight volume) did with cancellations in USA TODAY'S analysis. • Newark Liberty International Airport: #7, 2.9% of flights canceled on average • New York LaGuardia International Airport: #8, 2.9% of flights canceled on average • Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport: #14, 2.4% of flights canceled on average • San Francisco International Airport: #16, 2.4% of flights canceled on average • Boston Logan International Airport: #19, 2.3% of flights canceled on average • Chicago O'Hare International Airport: #23, 2.2% of flights canceled on average • New York John F. Kennedy International Airport: #33, 1.9% of flights canceled on average • Denver International Airport: #41, 1.8% of flights canceled on average • Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport: #44, 1.7% of flights canceled on average • Philadelphia International Airport: #50, 1.6% of flights canceled on average • Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport: #51, 1.6% of flights canceled on average • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: #52, 1.6% of flights canceled on average • San Diego International Airport: #61, 1.4% of flights canceled on average • Ronald Reagan National Airport: #62, 1.4% of flights canceled on average • Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport: #69, 1.3% of flights canceled on average • Los Angeles International Airport: #73, 1.1% of flights canceled on average • Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport: #76, 1.1% of flights canceled on average • Charlotte Douglas International Airport: #77, 1.1% of flights canceled on average • Miami International Airport: #79, 1.1% of flights canceled on average • Detroit Metro Wayne County International Airport: #82, 1.1% of flights canceled on average • Orlando International Airport: #84, 1% of flights canceled on average • Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport: #88, 0.9% of flights canceled on average • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport: #89, 0.9% of flights canceled on average • Salt Lake City International Airport: #95, 0.7% of flights canceled on average • Seattle/Tacoma International Airport: #96, 0.6% of flights canceled on average https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2022/12/15/us-airports-most-flight-cancellations-delays/10888995002/ TSA finds gun packed inside passenger's electronic device at Atlanta airport Security said they were able to "power down this passenger's poor packing choice" after a revolver was found inside the device. TSA finds gun packed inside passenger's electronic device at Atlanta airport ATLANTA — A gun was found at the Atlanta airport Thursday after a traveler was trying to bring it aboard as a carry-on item inside an electronic device, the Transportation and Security Administration said. In a post to Instagram, TSA said its officials were able to "power down this passenger's poor packing choice" after a revolver was found inside the device. Security officials had to break the appliance open in order to fetch the weapon after it showed up on the security scanner, according to the post from TSA. "Without going into graphic detail, gun parts, firearms, and ammunition must be placed in checked bags," the post read. "You’ll control your travel destiny by declaring these items with your airline and ensuring they are packaged properly." TSA has discovered 342 firearms brought at different security checkpoints around the world's busiest airport as of Oct. 7. That would make Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport No. 1 in the country, surpassing Dallas Forth-Worth. The Texas airport has confiscated 299 firearms, a TSA official said. In 2021, TSA said there were 507 firearms found at the Atlanta airport, setting a record for the most confiscated weapons at any single airport in any year. According to TSA, guns may only be brought onto a commercial plane safely if the weapon is "unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and placed in checked baggage." Replica guns are also prohibited unless it follows the same guidelines. If a passenger wants to carry a weapon via checked baggage, they are asked to go to the airline ticket counter to declare the firearm, ammunition and any parts to the gun, TSA noted. An officer said that they are also encouraged to check with state laws at their destination to ensure compliance with state laws and to confirm with the airline that they are complying with their specific requirements. To view all information related to the transportation of firearms and ammunition, click here. https://www.11alive.com/article/travel/gun-packed-inside-travelers-electronic-device-at-atlanta-airport/85-1cbd88b3-c4c1-4721-952e-de313c9aa3ff American Airlines' Safety Management System NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / December 15, 2022 / The safety of our customers and team members is guided by our Safety Management System (SMS), an organizationwide approach to identifying and managing risk. American was the first U.S. carrier to pioneer SMS in 2009. It has since been incorporated into Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations for all carriers. Our SMS emphasizes safety management as a fundamental business process across the enterprise. It involves a full commitment from the most senior leaders through to each team member to integrate safety into how we do our jobs. Our SMS promotes a culture in which our team members proactively identify, analyze and mitigate risks. The SMS ensures robust and repeatable processes with local ownership, driven by data to reduce risks and continuously improve and enhance safety. We collaborate closely with the FAA to maintain operational safety at the highest level possible and actively share best practices with our industry peers, governments and aerospace manufacturers. The four components of our SMS are noted in the accompanying box. Safety Policy Our corporate Safety Policy applies to all team members, business partners, contractors and consultants. It sets American's safety objectives and standards and assigns responsibilities for safety across our organization. The policy also conveys management's commitment to safety performance and to improving the level of safety through measurable goals and key performance indicators. Part of our SMS foundation, this policy helps to create a culture that encourages effective management of risk along with continuous improvement. The Safety Policy complies with all applicable regulatory requirements and laws in the countries where we operate and establishes standards for acceptable operational behaviors. Our Emergency Response Manual (ERM), which establishes effective and efficient response practices for various types of emergencies, is an integral part of our SMS. The ERM serves as the governing document for the American Airlines Corporate Emergency Response Plan. It includes guidelines to prepare for and respond to emergencies, responsibilities for team members, protocols for communicating with internal and external stakeholders and mechanisms to report emergencies. The ERM also includes a detailed Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plan that helped us navigate through every phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Safety Assurance The Safety Assurance component of our SMS stipulates how we use data and conduct quality assurance and internal oversight to validate the effectiveness of risk controls and the performance of the SMS. Composed of several individual programs and initiatives, Safety Assurance verifies that risk controls in our operational processes continue to conform to requirements and remain effective in maintaining risks at acceptable levels. Safety Reporting Our senior leadership team, which includes our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, receives monthly updates on team member safety and risks across our system. We focus on injury reduction, evaluate trends and develop programs to enhance safety. We are centralizing our data collection and injury reporting tools to provide better visibility, simplicity and easy access for company leaders. In addition to monitoring injury rates, we closely track aircraft ground damage, both as a part of our safety culture and because it is correlated with on-the-job injuries. After a significant decline from 2019 to 2020, team member injury rates in our mainline and regional operations rose along with the increase in our operations in 2021. The challenges associated with ramping up our operations as demand returned and introducing new and returning team members back into our operations contributed to this increase. We remain focused on reducing injuries and redoubling our efforts to enhance our health and safety policies and procedures and elevate our safety culture. In 2021, we also experienced an increase in accidents in our mainline operations; five of the six recorded accidents were due to turbulence that caused crewmember injuries. As a result, we are implementing new technologies that pilots can use while en route to identify upcoming turbulence, updating flight attendant procedures for anticipated and forecasted turbulence, and expanding our use of data analysis by our Turbulence Task Force. The overall goal of team member reporting is to improve safety awareness and identify operational deficiencies by facilitating an open line of communication between the employees and management without fear of reprisal. Potential safety concerns and suggestions identified through our many safety reporting programs are critical to early identification of hazards. These reports also allow the company to proactively address potential risks and implement corrective actions to resolve safety and security issues. When a team member identifies any safety-related concern, he or she is encouraged to report the issue. Once the concern is received, skilled safety investigators collaborate with operational partners to review the information provided, assess the hazard and develop corrective actions to ensure the issue is addressed. These reports are then reviewed as part of the broader SMS to determine if there are system related risks developing. We follow up with the reporter to communicate what we learned and what steps we are taking to prevent similar concerns from arising again. This followthrough and prompt action helps encourage additional reporting, thus creating a robust safety reporting life cycle. Our most prominent safety reporting initiatives include the following: Aviation Safety Action Programs, Ground Safety Action Programs, Flight Operations Quality Assurance, the International Air Transport Association's Operational Safety Audit, Line Operations Safety Audits, and the Learning and Improvement Team. Safety Action Programs Everyone at American has a role to perform in ensuring that our people, customers and assets remain safe. Through Aviation Safety Action Programs (ASAPs) and Ground Safety Action Programs (GSAPs), team members can openly report potential hazards without concern of fault, thus improving our operations along the way. American was the first airline to create an ASAP, although such programs are now commonplace among airlines worldwide. Currently, we have ASAPs for our Flight, Flight Service, Dispatch, Technical Operations and Central Load Planning teams, giving us significantly greater coverage than the industry average. In 2021, we recorded 10,847 ASAP reports. We expect to roll out programs in 2022 for Gate Agent and Crew Scheduling teams, which will give us ASAP coverage across 100% of our operations. Our GSAP for Fleet Service and Cargo teams plays the same role, encouraging team members to report potential safety issues in cargo and catering environments, control centers and on the ramp. This program was created in collaboration with the Transport Workers Union of America-International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers and the FAA. In 2021, we recorded 487 GSAP reports. Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) FOQA is a voluntary safety program administered jointly by American and the Allied Pilots Association (APA) that uses routinely recorded flight data to proactively identify and correct deficiencies in flight operations. We routinely monitor approximately 90% of our flights and use algorithms to look for potential safety risks. The results help us better understand pilot performance and the operating environment. They also allow us to monitor aircraft systems, performance and operational efficiency. To enhance FOQA's effectiveness, American partnered with Collins Aerospace in 2021 to retrofit our narrowbody aircraft with its Aircraft Interface Device (AID). The entire fleet at American will be equipped with this wireless data transfer system by the end of 2024. AID improves the speed with which we can retrieve FOQA data, and it represents an important step toward increasing accuracy in monthly reporting, improving aircraft reliability and preparing for future products and capabilities. American will also be the first carrier in the United States to adopt CEFA Aviation Mobile Services, a cloud-based application that allows pilots to recreate their flights on their company iPad. This tool will improve on the concept of crew debriefing by providing real-time feedback to our pilots. It turns each flight into a learning opportunity, ultimately contributing to the safety assurance of our SMS. International Air Transport Association's Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) As part of our commitment to transparency and monitoring, we are a registered participant in the IOSA program, which is an internationally recognized evaluation system designed to assess an airline's operational management and control systems. An IOSA, which takes place every two years, creates a structured methodology with standardized checklists that are comparable on a worldwide basis, enabling and maximizing the joint use of audit reports. In April 2022, we successfully completed our IOSA audit in conformance with all standards and recommended practices. As a result, American Airlines IOSA registration has been renewed until July 2024. Line Operations Safety Audits (LOSA) Since launching our continuous pilot LOSA program in 2017, we have been sending highly trained pilot observers onto the flight deck to better understand work-as-done versus work-as-imagined. Observing our frontline team members in action and gathering safety-related data on environmental conditions, operational complexities and crew performance in real time provides us with valuable insights for enhancing safety and resilience. We are expanding LOSA to other work groups outside our pilot group. In 2021, we implemented a continuous Dispatch LOSA and are collecting data to enhance safety performance. We also are developing a Cabin LOSA program and expect to start conducting observations in 2023. The Cabin LOSA program will help us better understand the challenges facing our flight attendants and the measures we can take to keep the cabin safe for everyone. We will continue to evaluate the feasibility of expanding LOSA to other operational groups, with 100% coverage as our ultimate goal. "The Learning and Improvement Team is the latest addition to our Flight SMS programs. By focusing on what we do well, it complements the programs that concentrate primarily on areas where we need to improve." - Bobbi Wells Vice President, Safety Systems, Efficiency and Compliance Learning and Improvement Team (LIT) We created LIT in 2022 to collect and analyze data on what makes our pilots successful in their everyday work. LIT is composed of line pilots who are specially trained in flight deck observations and facilitated discussions. While it is similar in some ways to LOSA, LIT is a separate program. One of the key differences between LIT and American's other Flight SMS programs (i.e., ASAP, FOQA, LOSA) is that LIT focuses on what goes well and why, thus providing a new safety lens through which to view the operation. Combining LIT data with other SMS data provides American with a broader picture of the system, rather than looking solely at unwanted outcomes. Efficiency and Continuous Improvement Team Learning and continuous improvement are essential to a robust safety program. This new team at American will solicit input and suggestions from frontline operational employees on how to improve the efficiency of the operation without compromising safety. Deferring to the expertise and input from these employees, all ideas and suggestions will be reviewed and vetted through our formalized SMS process. Employees may submit feedback and suggestions through their safety reporting programs, directly by email or by scanning the QR code on a card that is handed out during efficiency and safety meetings and posted in select locations. Safety Risk Management The Safety Risk Management (SRM) element of our SMS provides a decision-making process for identifying hazards and mitigating risk based on a thorough understanding of our systems and their operating environment. SRM enables us to consider the risks in our operations and reduce them to an acceptable level. We use the SRM process whenever there is a significant change to our operations, such as delivery of a new type of aircraft or the addition of a new airport to our network. We also apply SRM when our Safety Assurance process identifies a new hazard or an ineffective control of an existing hazard. We use several tools to identify hazards and evaluate the need for new or revised risk controls. The process of risk management is the same regardless of the trigger or event, and our SMS looks at multiple factors for risk. While the FAA requirements are geared toward flight safety, our SMS goes further to evaluate a wider range of global risks, including operational disruptions. Safety Promotion Safety culture is the foundation of any SMS, with trust at the core. At American we believe in a Just Culture approach, which encourages each team member to take responsibility and have accountability for achieving the highest safety standards and results. This approach, which we have championed for more than a decade and has since become an accepted aviation industry standard, encourages team members to report errors, risky decisions or omissions without fear of punitive actions. We train our teams to look at potential safety events using three types of behaviors: human errors, at-risk behavior and reckless behavior. Safety Training Our ramp agents have the highest rate of injuries among all team member groups, primarily as the result of lifting baggage, often in awkward and tight spaces. Working with Pristine Condition International, which introduced the science of Olympic weightlifting techniques to industry, we recently conducted a training program on proper lifting techniques. This initiative included bringing athletic trainers to our busiest airport hubs to work with ramp agents on body mechanics and fitness. Our flight attendant group has the second-highest rate of injuries, followed by aircraft mechanics, and we have initiatives underway to reduce these rates as well. For example, we produced three new seatbelt safety videos for team members based on actual incidents. Turbulence Task Force In 2021, our Turbulence Task Force completed serving its original charter to reduce flight attendant and passenger injuries during flight, and now the identified hazards and concerns are addressed in our established and approved SMS process. The program proved highly successful. StaySafe and Safety Engagement Tool StaySafe is a safety communications campaign implemented across our airport and technical operations organizations. Its materials focus on lessons learned and ways to prevent team member injuries and equipment damage. Any bulletins or alerts are available across multiple platforms in order to reach all team members. Through our new Safety Engagement Tool, we are bringing company leadership to the frontlines to engage in conversations with team members. Managers can communicate safety expectations, assess risks in the operation and reinforce safe behaviors. Contact Info: Spokesperson: American Airlines Website: profiles/american-airlines Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: American Airlines https://www.accesswire.com/732017/American-Airlines-Safety-Management-System Cabin air quality in spotlight again as pressure mounts for standards As pressure mounts in Europe for EASA to issue new cabin air quality standards, a consortium led by German research organization Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is gearing up to share details about its work for the European aviation safety regulator in assessing the long-term effects of contamination events resulting from oil leakage. During an EASA-hosted Cabin Air Quality (CAQ) Research Workshop, which will be held on 17-18 January 2023 in Cologne, Germany, attendees will receive an overview of the so-called CAQ III project that was launched by EASA under the EU’s R&D funding programme, Horizon 2020, and which is being executed by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft-led consortium involving Airbus, Honeywell, Safran and others. “The workshop aims also to liaise with several research initiatives addressing cabin air quality with a focus on contamination events and health risk assessments,” says EASA. Several years ago, two preliminary air quality measurement campaigns (CAQ I and II) were conducted for EASA by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft working in partnership with Hannover Medical School. British Airways, Lufthansa, Lufthansa Technik and Condor served as subcontractors on the project. At that time, the group concluded: To state the obvious, there is no contaminant-free indoor environment. The aircraft cabin is no exception. However, due to the exceptional high air exchange rates in aircraft, the cabin air has been proven to be less polluted compared to normal indoor environments (e.g., offices, dwellings, etc.). Volatile contaminations in the cabin are thus depleted quickly. Yet pilots and flight attendants worldwide continue to report fume events, which can occur when the ‘bleed air’ used in cabin air circulation on most aircraft (notably excepting the Boeing 787) is contaminated by fluids such as engine oil, hydraulic fluid, anti-icing fluid, and other potentially hazardous chemicals. They cite a variety of health concerns and problems, including light-headedness, dizziness, vomiting, memory impairment, or worse. According to the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), which represents over 5 million transport workers from more than 200 transport unions, the concerns of unions and consumer organisations mostly stem from the lack of sensors in the system, which would detect high levels of toxins in the air and sound an alarm. Rotation Across the proverbial pond in the United States, pilots and flight attendants have also flagged concerns. The Air Line Pilots Association agrees that if a seal inside the engine breaks, gases from engine oil and other toxic chemicals can mix with bleed air to produce noxious fumes that leak into the aircraft cabin. “These occurrences have the potential to incapacitate flight crews,” says ALPA. A bill that would direct the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to implement regulations regarding smoke or fume incidents on aircraft, called the Cabin Air Safety Act of 2022, in March started snaking its way through the legislative process — several years after lawmakers sought to address fume events with an earlier piece of legislation. Among other measures, the Cabin Air Safety Act would require the installation of air quality monitoring equipment and detectors onboard, which would alert the crew to poor air quality. In Europe, meanwhile, EASA last year saw fit to issue a call for tenders for a 36-month study to “enable step-advances in the analysis of the issues raised by contamination events resulting from oil leakage (including oil pyrolysis products) onboard commercially operated large transport aeroplanes and the potential toxicological risks in light of the existing European standards and legislation on the quality of indoor air and professional exposure limits.” EASA chose Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft to lead the CAQ III research. And Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has in turn partnered with Airbus, Lufthansa Group, ADSE Consulting & Engineering, Liebherr Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace, Safran Filtration Systems, aerospace filtration company Pall Aerospace and various regulatory bodies. Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft explains: A number of investigations and research projects have been conducted by various scientific teams, involving in-flight measurements, but so far has not allowed a complete characterization of the chemical compounds involved in CAC (cabin/cockpit air contamination) events, determination of sources and exposure levels to contamination, nor performance of comprehensive toxicological risk assessment for such events. EASA, supported by the European Commission, has launched the new research project ”Cabin air quality assessment of long-term effects of contaminants” aimed at collecting additional scientific evidence concerning CAC events to root more extensive assessment of health risks and to support the evolution of aviation standards in this subject area. There is good reason to expect that such standards will ultimately be tabled. As the ETF noted last month, the European Committee on Standardisation (CEN) has, after more than seven years of work on the issue, published a technical report including recommendations on how to prevent exposure to fumes through improvements in the design, maintenance, and operation of aircraft. The CEN recommendations 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 programmes to enable airline workers to recognise, respond, and react to fume events onboard. The ETF doesn’t mince words about the pace at which EASA has proceeded. “Although accident investigation branches across the EU have repeatedly recognised the flight safety implications of fume events,” says the federation, EASA “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.” EASA says “airline worker associations” will be invited to next month’s Cabin Air Quality Research Workshop in Cologne, as well as scientists, airframers, engine manufacturers, airline associations, research institutes, aeromedical associations, occupational health agencies and regulatory authorities. https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2022/12/cabin-air-quality-standards/ Lufthansa's Boeing 777 Sharkskin Modification Is Now Certified Lufthansa Technik has received an STC for its AeroSHARK technology designed to reduce aircraft surface friction. Lufthansa Technik has announced that its AeroSHARK riblet films have been approved for use on select Boeing 777 models. The aerodynamic films received a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The modifications to the aircraft skins will allow airplanes to pass through the air with less resistance, meaning that the airplane burns less fuel per flight which helps to cut costs and carbon emissions. Equipment approval The AeroSHARK riblet film is a material placed on the skin of an aircraft fuselage. The skins resemble shark skin, designed to pass through the air smoothly as a shark passes through water. The skins reduce fuel consumption by approximately 1% due to reduced surface friction. This, in turn, allows the aircraft to emit 1% fewer carbon emissions. While a 1% reduction in CO2 emissions may not sound like much, it adds up in the long run. For example, if a single SWISS 777-300ER is equipped with the riblets, every year, it will save 400 tons of kerosene and over 1,200 tons of CO2. The smaller variant approved in the STC is the 777F. When applied to the 777F, the riblets will help save 370 tons of kerosene and 1,170 tons of carbon dioxide each year. Once fully implemented, it is estimated that the technology will reduce Lufthansa Group's carbon footprint by over 25,000 tons per year. Before the technology was approved, it underwent a thorough examination to ensure that it would not jeopardize flight safety. Lufthansa Technik has no intentions of stopping its AeroSHARK skin advancements any time soon. The company plans to further develop and implement the technology on other aircraft models. Technological implementation The technology will be implemented into the sub-fleets of Lufthansa Cargo and SWISS. The airlines plan to equip their sub-fleets of 777-300ERs and 777Fs with the new technology starting next month. A SWISS 777-300ER is already equipped with the skins. The aircraft was granted a temporary permit to fly from the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA). This aircraft has been flying since October and was used as a test plane for the recent tests that led to the STC approval. Now that the STC has been approved, the airlines may apply the technology to the 12 777-300ERs and 11 777Fs. The CEO of Lufthansa Technik, Soeren Stark, shared how the technology will benefit operations and its plans for the program. Stark stated, "The approval of AeroSHARK for the Boeing 777 variants is an important step in the distribution of this new technology for more sustainability in air transport,"With our partner BASF, we can now support our customers in making entire subfleets more climate-friendly. Moreover, we intend to realize the use of the new technology for further aircraft types. We are the only MRO company in the world to offer such solutions to reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions for commercial aircraft. We are naturally very proud of this." https://simpleflying.com/lufthansa-boeing-777-shark-skin-certified/ Airlines Are Holding Back A Major Law That Would Protect Pumping Breast Milk At Work Sen. Jeff Merkley said the industry's resistance to the PUMP Act has jeopardized workplace protections for millions of women. A yearslong effort to expand the rights of women to pump breast milk at work has been held up near the finish line due to opposition from the airline industry, according to a senator involved in the fight. The bipartisan bill ― known as the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act, or PUMP Act ― would guarantee more U.S. workers the time and space to express breast milk while on the job. The legislation already passed the House but hit roadblocks in the Senate, where Democrats need to secure more GOP support. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), who co-sponsored the bill with Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), told HuffPost that some senators are holding up the legislation due to resistance from the airlines. He said Senate staff have worked on language in the bill to accommodate the industry, but the airlines are still opposed. “For months, we have worked tirelessly in good faith to address every concern they have over costs and safety,” Merkley said in a statement. “These are the same airlines that say they are greatly concerned about the health and welfare of their workers. Yet they are blocking the ability of their workers to pump breast milk at work.” “Not only are they blocking this for their employees, but they are blocking it for 9 million other workers across the country,” the senator added. The Affordable Care Act of 2010, known colloquially as Obamacare, set a new requirement for employers to provide workers with a clean, private space and reasonable break time to pump milk for their babies. But because the rule was tied to minimum wage and overtime law, it excluded millions of salaried employees and other categories of workers ― a carve-out the PUMP Act is meant to end. “Any airline that says they support the right of women to pump in aviation is lying because they’re not telling these Republicans to stand down.” - Sara Nelson, president of AFA-CWA Both the rail and airline industries said they had problems with the PUMP Act, arguing their unique working environments needed special attention. The bill’s backers reached an agreement with rail representatives to allay their concerns, but haven’t managed to do so with the airlines, which are seeking special language related to flight attendants and pilots. The latest version of the bill would not allow workers to pump during critical flight periods, including takeoff and landing, which backers of the bill hoped would end the standoff. It would also allow air carriers to comply with the law by simply hanging a curtain for privacy, to avoid having to retrofit airplanes. But the industry is also seeking language guaranteeing that any state laws related to breast pumping would be preempted and not apply to them. Delta, United and American Airlines all declined to comment when asked if they support the PUMP Act, referring HuffPost to an industry trade lobby, Airlines for America. A spokesperson for the group said in a statement that airlines “already voluntarily” provide time and accommodations to pump, and insisted that “in-flight crew duties are inherently unique.” “As safety is and always will be our top priority, we continue to advocate for a consistent federal standard for our in-flight crews that keeps them and our passengers safe,” the group said. Delta, United and American all referred HuffPost to an industry trade group when asked if they support the PUMP Act. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA union, said the industry seeking a preemption from state laws was a “delay tactic.” She called the airlines’ opposition “disgusting” and said they were trying to “hide behind” their trade group. “At this point, it’s about killing it,” Nelson said. “Any airline that says they support the right of women to pump in aviation is lying because they’re not telling these Republicans to stand down.” Democrats and many Republicans agree that making sure breastfeeding mothers can pump at work is a commonsense, family-friendly policy. But it’s also about basic dignity and health on the job. Not being able to pump when necessary can lead to serious pain and infection. A 2019 HuffPost investigation documented workers who developed mastitis after their employers put up barriers to them pumping at work. Many companies are still reluctant to set up devoted pumping areas or provide workers with breaks, even for those who are covered by the law. “These are the same airlines that say they are greatly concerned about the health and welfare of their workers.” - Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) Nelson said flight crews need to be included in the law because “it’s physically impossible most days to pump around your flights.” Even if some airlines voluntarily accommodate pumping now, Nelson said airline crews need guarantees under the law like other workers. “I’ve done this. It’s really hard,” she said. “Flight attendants make it work today, but guess what? There are no rules around it.” The current window to get the bill into law is running short, since Democrats lose their House majority when the new Congress is sworn in next month. The best shot at passing the law may be to include it in an omnibus spending package before Christmas, if the measure gains enough support. Dozens of House Republicans voted in favor of the PUMP Act when it passed in October 2021, but lawmakers would have to approve another version under GOP leadership if backers can’t get it over the finish line this year. The bill is unlikely to be the same priority in a Republican House. One lawmaker who opposes the legislation, Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, declined to explain his concerns when asked by HuffPost. He acknowledged there had been “staff to staff” discussions about the airlines’ issues. “I don’t think it’s going to fly,” Wicker said of the bill. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pump-act-airlines_n_639b169ce4b015bb57433bd7 U.S. Cargo and Passenger Airlines Added 4,889 Jobs in October 2022 Employment Remains 4.9% Above Pre-Pandemic October 2019 U.S. Airline Employees Headcount (Full-time and Part-time Employees) U.S. airline industry (passenger and cargo airlines combined) employment increased to 782,752 workers in October 2022, 4,889 (0.63%) more workers than in September 2022 (777,863) and 36,206 (4.85%) more than in pre-pandemic October 2019 (746,546). U.S. scheduled-service passenger airlines employed 497,287 workers in October or 64% of the industry-wide total. Passenger airlines added 3,587 employees in October for an eighteenth consecutive month of job growth dating back to May 2021. United led scheduled passenger carriers, adding 1,472 employees; Southwest Airlines added 1,107; and Delta added 488. U.S. cargo airlines employed 280,773 workers in October, 36% of the industry total. Cargo carriers gained 1,305 employees in October. FedEx, the leading air cargo employer, increased employment by 1,062 jobs. Scheduled passenger airlines add 3,398 full-time equivalents in October for 18th consecutive month of job growth U.S. Airline Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) BTS calculates FTEs by dividing the number of part-time employees by 2 and adding that figure to the number of full-time employees. The October industry-wide numbers include 670,696 full-time and 112,056 part-time workers for a total of 726,724 FTEs, an increase from September of 4,162 FTEs (0.57%). October’s total number of FTEs remains just 5.66% above pre-pandemic October 2019’s 687,826 FTEs. The 25 U.S. scheduled passenger airlines reporting data for October 2022 employed 470,428 FTEs, 3,398 FTEs (0.73%) more than in September 2022. October’s total number of scheduled passenger airline FTEs is 18,076 FTEs (4.00%) above pre-pandemic October 2019. Data by passenger carrier category can be found in the accompanying tables. U.S. cargo airlines employed 251,714 FTEs in October, up 656 FTEs (0.26%) from September. U.S. cargo airlines have increased FTEs by 20,456 (8.85%) since pre-pandemic October 2019. Reporting Notes Data are compiled from monthly reports filed with BTS by commercial air carriers as of December 5, 2022. Additional https://transtats.bts.gov/Employment/ and previous releases can be found on the BTS website. Passenger, cargo, and charter airlines that operate at least one aircraft that has more than 60 seats or the capacity to carry a payload of passengers, cargo, and fuel weighing more than 18,000 pounds must report monthly employment statistics. Regulations require U.S. airlines to report employment numbers for employees who worked or received pay for any part of the pay period(s) ending nearest the 15th day of the month. See the tables that accompany this release on the BTS website for detailed data since 2015 (Tables 1-15) and industry summary monthly data since 1990. Additional individual airline numbers are available on the BTS airline employment web page. The web page provides full-time and part-time employment numbers by carrier by month from 1990 through October 2022. Missing carriers: 2HQ (Elite), 34Q (Polaris Aviation Solutions), AMQ (Ameristar), WL (World Atlantic dba Caribbean Sun) and XP(Avelo). ExpressJet (EV) is in Chapter 11 and discontinued operations on August 22nd. EV filed a P-1(a) report on 9/28/22 for August activity. There are no operations to report for September and beyond. The next update for U.S. airline employment is scheduled for January 9, 2023. https://www.bts.gov/newsroom/us-cargo-and-passenger-airlines-added-4889-jobs-october-2022-employment-remains-49-above Boom Supersonic Announces FlightSafety International As Overture Flight Training Partner Partnership for training and simulator development supports Overture operators' preparation for supersonic passenger flights DENVER, Dec. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Boom Supersonic, the company building the world's fastest airliner, today announced FlightSafety International (FSI) as its exclusive partner for Overture supersonic flight training and education. FSI is the premier professional aviation training company and supplier of flight simulators to the world's leading commercial aircraft manufacturers and operators. Partnership for training and simulator development supports Overture operators’ preparation for supersonic passenger flights FSI will develop a training program and curriculum for Overture pilots, mechanics, and cabin crew, specifically tailored for supersonic flight and operations. The comprehensive training program will leverage the expertise of professional FAA-and EASA-qualified instructors, and include state-of-the-art flight simulators and training environments. To support Boom's commercial airline customers who conduct their own internal training, FSI will provide full-flight simulators. "Safety is our top priority at Boom, and is integral to how we train future pilots, technicians, and cabin crew, and prepare our customers to operate Overture," said Tracy Bevington, SVP, Commercial Product & Services at Boom. "Boom has selected FSI because of their decades-long leadership in flight training and their proven ability to ensure we have the highest levels of safety in place as we prepare for the Overture flight test program to commence in 2027." FSI will provide flight deck simulators for The Iron Bird, Boom's integration test facility in Colorado. They will also provide full-flight simulators and training curriculum for advanced flight training. Developed to support the Overture flight test program, including regulatory certification, the flight simulators will incorporate industry-leading technologies for the highest levels of safety, fidelity, and reliability. "FlightSafety International has been at the forefront of aviation training and education for 70 years and boasts the largest fleet of full-flight simulators and training centers," said Nate Speiser, EVP, Sales & Marketing for FlightSafety. "We've provided world-class training and technology support for many different aircraft programs that have made history. And now, we are honored to work with Boom to develop training programs and simulators for supersonic flight, which we believe will fundamentally change how we travel." Earlier this week, Boom announced Symphony, the new propulsion system designed and optimized for Overture. Boom also announced that it will be teaming with three industry leaders to develop Symphony including Florida Turbine Technologies (FTT) for engine design, GE Additive for additive technology design consulting, and StandardAero for maintenance. With Symphony design already underway, Overture is on track to achieve type certification in 2029. Production is set to commence in 2024 at Overture's Superfactory in Greensboro, NC, with rollout in 2026 and first flight in 2027. About Boom Supersonic Boom Supersonic is transforming air travel with Overture, the world's fastest airliner, optimized for speed, safety, and sustainability. Serving both civil and government markets, Overture will fly at twice the speed of today's airliners and is designed to run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Symphony™, a Boom-led collaboration with industry leaders, is the propulsion system that will power Overture. Overture's order book, including purchases and options from American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines, stands at 130 aircraft. Boom is working with Northrop Grumman for government and defense applications of Overture. Suppliers and partners collaborating with Boom include Collins Aerospace, Eaton, Florida Turbine Technologies (FTT), a business unit of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc., GE Additive, Safran Landing Systems, StandardAero and the United States Air Force. For more information, visit https://boomsupersonic.com. Photos and video available at https://boomsupersonic.com/press Connect with Boom Supersonic on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube About FlightSafety International FlightSafety International is the world's premier professional aviation training company and supplier of flight simulators, visual systems and displays to commercial, government and military organizations. The company provides training for pilots, technicians and other aviation professionals from 167 countries and independent territories. FlightSafety operates the world's largest fleet of advanced full-flight simulators at Learning Centers and training locations in the United States, Canada, France and the United Kingdom. For more details, please visit flightsafety.com. SOURCE Boom Supersonic https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boom-supersonic-announces-flightsafety-international-as-overture-flight-training-partner-301704372.html Air India Is Reportedly Facing A Pilot Shortage The airline is looking for more pilots for its expanding fleet. Air India is reportedly facing a pilot shortage as it embarks on a journey of expanding its operations. The past few months have seen plenty of positive changes in the airline as part of its massive overhaul program. Now it seems the carrier may be finding it slightly challenging to recruit flying crew fast enough to keep up with its growth plans. Pilot unions claim shortage A report by the Economic Times (ET) says that two pilot unions at Air India (AI) have pointed out a shortage of pilots for its ultra-long-haul flights. The unions in question are the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) and the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA). Both wrote a joint letter to Air India's Chief Human Resources Officer Suresh Dutt Tripathi on December 13th, accessed by ET, which says, “We cannot maintain the printed planned roster due to a shortage of pilots, as CMS (crew management system) does not have standby pilots.” Teething troubles? News of pilot shortage at Air India comes shortly after reports of several ultra-long-haul flights of the carrier being affected by flight attendant shortages. Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today. Some of AI's flights to North America have been disrupted recently. For instance, on December 6th, flight AI-183's departure to SFO was delayed by over three hours. On December 8th, it was delayed by 7.5 hours. A contributing factor to the cabin crew shortage is the long wait time for a US visa. The conditions of the pandemic had caused backlogs and staffing challenges in the travel industry. Currently, the wait times for some US work visas are around 1,000 days for Indian residents. Many of Air India's crew have also opted for the voluntary retirement scheme, and there are also reports of the carrier calling some of them back to fill the gaps. Pilot hiring Amid all this, the airline has stepped up the hiring and training process of new pilots in the company and hopes to have sufficient crew soon. Check out more Indian aviation news here. Last month, it was reported that AI is looking for pilots offshore as it gets ready to welcome additional Boeing 777s to double down on US flights. The airline is engaging a placement firm to help find the cockpit crew for its fleet, and it is reported that the monthly salary offered will be $11,500 (net of taxes). Benefits will also include a payment of $133.30 per hour for flying more than 70 hours. Earlier this month, Air India graduated its first batch of cabin crew trainees and new pilots since privatization. The batch of 215 cabin crew and 48 pilots, all Indian nationals, have received their wings and are now ready to be deployed to operate as fully-qualified crew. Most of these crew members will join the airline's A320 fleet. https://simpleflying.com/air-india-pilot-shortage/ Team Tempest to 3D print up to 30% of 6th-gen jet fighter UK-Italy-Japan collaboration to leverage additive processes at BAE's Factory of the Future to produce lightweight, power-dense configurations The UK industry is set to play a key role in the new Global Combat Air Programme, delivering the next phase of the Tempest combat air fighter jet development, the first 6th gen jet fighter, scheduled to be operational by the 2030s. The UK’s sovereign industry partners, under Team Tempest, will support the significant endeavor, in collaboration with Japan and Italy, which will see the three nations build a truly international program, with a shared ambition to develop a next-generation fighter aircraft under a new Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). Within this context, BAE Systems and its Flexible Factory of the Future, or FFF, will play a major role in achieving the goal of having up to 30% of Tempest parts produced by additive manufacturing. Team Tempest to leverage AM for up to 30% of 6th gen jet fighter, with composite materials and AM provided by at BAE's Factory of the FutureThe joint announcement, highlights the close government, military and industrial links between the nations and reinforces the UK’s international commitment to future combat air. The program will build on the substantial progress already made in the UK by BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, MBDA UK, Rolls-Royce and the UK Ministry of Defence who have been working in partnership since 2018 as Team Tempest to research, evaluate and develop a host of next-generation future combat air systems capabilities. Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive BAE Systems, said: “The launch of the Global Combat Air Programme firmly positions the UK, alongside Japan and Italy, as leaders in the design, development and production of next-generation combat air capability. With our UK industry partners, we look forward to strengthening our ties with Japanese and Italian industries as we work together to deliver this programme of huge importance to our global defence and security. The agreement with Japan and Italy is fundamental to meeting the goals set out in the UK Combat Air Strategy and is set to create and sustain thousands of high-value jobs and benefit hundreds of companies across the UK, contributing to long-term economic prosperity and safeguarding sovereign combat air capability for generations to come.” Team Tempest to leverage AM for up to 30% of 6th gen jet fighter, with composite materials and AM provided by at BAE's Factory of the FutureThe UK industry partners have already generated strong working relationships with their counterparts in Italy and Japan, which will progress into the new joint development. These include IHI Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan, and Avio Aero, Elettronica and Leonardo in Italy. It is expected that GCAP will generate long-term technological, industrial and social benefits for the three partner countries and inspire the next generation of engineering talent. Team Tempest tech The battlespace in which air forces will operate in the future continues to change and evolve. Tempest is envisioned as a next-generation air combat system that is agile, flexible, connected, rapid to update, and affordable, necessary to meet unpredictable threats. Tempest also needs a range of high-density power and propulsion systems To achieve this, Team Tempest is developing advanced composite materials and additive manufacturing processes that can produce lightweight, power-dense configurations capable of operating at higher temperatures. The Tema is also developing world-leading electrical generation technology and intelligent integrated power management to power Tempest’s advanced sensors and effects, particularly those which are laser-based. They will need much more electrical power than previous generations of aircraft. Team Tempest to leverage AM for up to 30% of 6th gen jet fighter, with composite materials and AM provided by at BAE's Factory of the Future This integrated power approach reduces the number of energy exchanges, maximizing the potential of the gas turbine as the primary power source. The development of these electric technologies is also expected to benefit civil aerospace and other sectors in their drive toward a sustainable future. Furthermore, Tempest will bring a ‘plug and play’ approach, where software and hardware can be easily changed in and out depending on the capability and functions needed for a mission. That could be different kinds of weapons, sensors, or fuel tanks. This innovation removes the usual rigid structures of assembly and will make manufacturing more cost-effective and flexible than before. Tempest will provide several modes of operation, combining manned, unmanned and optionally-manned platforms, with onboard and offboard data processing and a range of pilot decision aids when a manned flight is being conducted. This is called scalable autonomy. Scalable autonomy will be key in the future as operating environments become more complex and threats become more sophisticated and dangerous. Speed, maneuverability and payload will also be key in the future. Our aerodynamicists and engineers are optimizing the aerodynamic performance of the Tempest concepts to achieve what the team calls a ‘balanced survivability design’. Team Tempest to leverage AM for up to 30% of 6th gen jet fighter, with composite materials and AM provided by at BAE's Factory of the Future AM courtesy of BAE’ Factory of the Future BAE Systems’ Factory of the Future facility, in North West England, is already showcasing the advanced manufacturing capabilities to revolutionize how Team Tempest will build, maintain, support and upgrade aircraft of the future. Technologies, such as augmented reality, additive manufacturing, and collaborative robots will ensure consistent and perfect build quality, whilst significantly reducing build times and costs. For instance, Team Tempest already tested building an aircraft fuselage with robots that were bought off the shelf from the automotive industry. The team is also working to develop fully deployable versions of maintenance and support technologies that can be easily and quickly deployed to operational bases and forward locations. Team Tempest to leverage AM for up to 30% of 6th gen jet fighter, with composite materials and AM provided by at BAE's Factory of the Future At BAE Systems’ intelligent, smart factory revolutionary technologies meet a digitally-minded engineering workforce to create incredible solutions to the problems of tomorrow. Working with experts from the firm’s strategic university research network to specialists in data, robotics, connectivity and 3D printing technology, the BAE manufacturing team designed a fully connected, digital factory. Like several military and aerospace leaders, BAE Systems have been using 3D printing for decades and additive manufactured parts are being flown on Hawk and Typhoon aircraft today. Recently the company acquired the fourth Stratasys Fortus 900mc system, which is Stratasys’ largest FDM 3D printer and offers packages and materials tailored – and certified – for aerospace part production. Inside the Factory, BAE is now beginning to build large structural components. “Our Factory of the Future program is all about driving the future of fighter aircraft production with disruptive technologies and we’re working closely with our suppliers and the wider industry to meet the challenges the UK Government has set out to us,” stated Greg Flanagan, Additive Manufacturing Operations Lead, BAE Systems Air. “Stratasys FDM additive manufacturing plays an important role in this initiative, as it helps us meet our overall company objectives to reduce costs and time-to-market.” BAE Systems has now taken a serious stand in embracing advanced manufacturing technologies and put its UK suppliers on notice of a major shake-up, by saying it expects to make far greater use of innovative manufacturing techniques in its next-generation combat aircraft. The British firm has reportedly set targets for 30 percent of the components of the Tempest fighter jet to be made through 3D printing, and for 50 percent of the aircraft to be put together by robots on the UK defense group’s assembly line. https://www.3dprintingmedia.network/team-tempest-to-3d-print-up-to-30-of-6th-gen-jet-fighter/ Chinese Scientists Repurpose Ski-Jump Technology Of Aircraft Carriers For Cheap Hypersonic Space Travel Chinese researchers have found a novel way to use the traditional ski-jump method of launching a fighter from aircraft carriers. According to a recent South China Morning Post (SCMP) report, the scientists said they had repurposed the ski jump for orbital launches from near space. The ski-jump technology for launching aircraft is considered obsolete these days. However, a team of researchers led by Wang Yunpeng, an associate professor with the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Mechanics in Beijing, is making efforts to repurpose the ski-jump technology for use at hypersonic speeds, to develop a more accessible, safer, and affordable way of space travel. The researchers used a scaled-down model of an orbital plane, similar to the space shuttle, and a hypersonic carrier to test their method at Mach 7 – seven times the speed of sound. Yunpeng’s team published its findings in a peer-reviewed journal Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica, on December 8, according to which ski-jump technology could potentially solve the problem of robust and unpredictable turbulence generated at extremely high speeds, which has troubled researchers for decades. This unpredictable turbulence can cause the separating vehicles to veer off course or collide. Currently, there is no effective way to prevent that, but Yunpeng and his team claim that the ski-jump technology can achieve a smooth separation of the shuttle from the carrier platform. A Brief And Expensive Shock-Tunnel Experiment As part of their experiment, Yunpeng’s team launched a 1:80 scale model of the plane shaped like a space shuttle from a meter-long (three feet) model carrier using a piston to replicate rocket engine ignition under Mach 7 flight conditions inside the JF-12 wind tunnel. The JF-12 wind tunnel can duplicate the flight conditions at the ranges such as Mach 5-9. The conditions can only be maintained for a second. Yunpeng’s team placed a gas-driven piston at the rear of the test plane to realize the take-off within the brief time of the experiment. The team also built an automated system to coordinate the operation, including the mechanical devices and the high-speed cameras, which captured detailed images of the separation. In aircraft carriers, the ski-jump allows an aircraft to take off from a runway shorter than its required take-off roll by giving them enough lift to leave the deck while the carrier is moving against the wind at full speed of around 60 kilometers per hour. However, for hypersonic conditions, the researchers flattened the slightly upward tilt of the ski jump to create a perfectly flat surface to minimize the drag which can occur during the separation of two vehicles at extremely high speed in the atmosphere. The researchers said that the modified ski-jump design eliminated the gap between the two plane bodies compared to the standard separation methods, thereby minimizing the risk of collision. The plane shot off the carrier’s top in a split second, which according to Yunpeng’s team, “verified the feasibility and effectiveness of the active separation method.” The team observed that the plane nosed up slightly when it reached the edge of the flat runway because of an upward push from the shock waves produced below the plane’s upper frontal section. However, as the plane was about to leave the carrier platform, another group of shock waves produced near the plane’s tail caused it to nose down. Two opposing forces neutralized each other, enabling smooth, perfectly straight separation. According to Yunpeng, a full-sized upper-stage space plane weighing 87 tons should achieve take-off in around eight seconds when propelled by rocket engines generating 1,500 kilonewtons of force. Also, the ski jump would reduce the thrust required to less than a tenth of the main engine’s thrust, he said. That said, this technology is not yet ready for leaving the laboratory, as the results from the shock tunnel test need to be combined with other experiments with longer testing durations, said the researchers. China ski jump tech A Fleet Of Hypersonic Planes By 2035 China aims to build a fleet of civil hypersonic planes by 2035, which will use near-Earth orbit to transport passengers to any destination on the planet within an hour or two. Western observers have ridiculed this program, but China is determined to develop an aircraft of such caliber and expand the fleet in over a decade following the successful operation of the first aircraft. Chinese scientists believe such an aircraft will revolutionize air transport, with the aircraft capable of taking off and landing at existing airports at a fraction of the cost required to operate a rocket. Additionally, the platform will also be able to function as a two-stage-to-orbit launch platform for rocket-powered space planes, which will ferry tens of thousands of passengers beyond Earth’s atmosphere every year, according to the Chinese government. As EurAsian Times reported, China intends to launch its first crewed mission to space onboard the ‘Next Generation Launch Vehicle’ by 2026. The vehicle could be powered by an under-development engine called the ‘magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) drive,’ which is said to generate thrust from an electrically charged fluid forced through it by an electromagnetic force. This engine will be used together with another air-breathing engine. https://eurasiantimes.com/chinese-scientists-repurpose-ski-jump-technology-of-aircraft/ 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