Flight Safety Information - January 23, 2023 No. 016 In This Issue : Incident: Aeromexico B789 near Paris on Jan 21st 2023, engine lost power : Incident: Qantas B738 near Nadi on Jan 22nd 2023, fumes in cabin : Incident: American B38M at Miami on Jan 20th 2023, failure of stabilizer trim : Gulfstream GV-SP (G550) - Taxiway Excursion (New York) : Facing pilot shortage, Delta cuts seniority requirement for 757, 767 planes : FAA Is On The Plate For A New Congress : LIAT cancels flights due to incident with aircraft : Not Again: Another Qantas Service Turns Back Mid-Flight : FAA Nominee’s Military Past Complicates Path to Confirmation : TSA: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport was a hub for guns last year : Airlines Facing Aircraft Shortage : ISASI - Kapustin Memorial Scholarship : AIRINC and Plane Sciences join forces and form APS Aerospace Incident: Aeromexico B789 near Paris on Jan 21st 2023, engine lost power An Aeromexico Boeing 787-9, registration XA-ADH performing flight AM-4 from Paris Charles de Gaulle (France) to Mexico City (Mexico), was enroute at FL320 about 500nm northwest of Paris and about 50nm north of Belfast,NI (UK) when the crew reported the left hand engine (GEnx) had lost about half of its thrust and decided to return to Paris. The aircraft drifted down to FL200 and landed safely back on CDG's runway 08L about 85 minutes after leaving FL320. The aircraft is still on the ground in Paris about 18 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=5041ecd5&opt=0 Incident: Qantas B738 near Nadi on Jan 22nd 2023, fumes in cabin A Qantas Boeing 737-800, registration VH-VZT performing flight QF-102 from Nadi (Fiji) to Sydney,NS (Australia), was enroute at FL340 about 280nm southwest of Nadi when the crew decided to return to Nadi due to fumes in the cabin. The aircraft landed safely on Nadi's runway 02 about 50 minutes later. The airline reported the fumes were related to a galley oven and dissipated quickly, no passengers were affected. The flight is estimated to be delayed by about 21.5 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=5041ea60&opt=0 Incident: American B38M at Miami on Jan 20th 2023, failure of stabilizer trim An American Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration N306SW performing flight AA-2692 from Miami,FL (USA) to Kingston (Jamaica) with 136 people on board, was climbing out of Miami's runway 27 cleared to climb to 16,000 feet when the crew requested to level off at 7000 feet due to some issues. A few minutes later the crew declared PAN PAN due to control explaining they had a failure of the stabilizer trim. They wanted to remain at 7000 feet close to the airport while working their checklists. The aircraft positioned for an ILS approach to runway 27, advised they would be vacating the runway, and landed safely about 25 minutes after departure, no assistance was needed, they would appreciated however if fire command would follow them to the gate. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration N942AN reached Kingston with a delay of 6:45 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=504108c7&opt=0 Gulfstream GV-SP (G550) - Taxiway Excursion (New York) Date: 20-JAN-2023 Time: c. 00:21 LT Type: Gulfstream GV-SP (G550) Owner/operator: Exposito Air LLC/Jet Edge Registration: N595EX MSN: 5179 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: Farmingdale-Republic Airport, NY (FRG/KFRG) - United States of America Phase: Taxi Nature: Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi Departure airport: Farmingdale-Republic Airport, NY (FRG/KFRG) Destination airport: Confidence Rating: Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities Narrative: The Gulfstream GV-SP (G550) N595EX operating as Jet Edge EDG595, was taxiing for departure when it veered off the runway and became stuck in the mud. http://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/306060 Facing pilot shortage, Delta cuts seniority requirement for 757, 767 planes Delta Air Lines Inc. is dramatically lowering its seniority requirements for captain roles on some of its most coveted planes, the latest impact of an industrywide pilot shortage. Simple Flying reports that Delta pilots with at little as 4.5 months seniority are now eligible to bid to become captains of Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 planes. The shift was first reported by Aero Crew News, which reports on job postings for airline pilots. According to One Mile at a Time, pilots traditionally expected to spend a decade or more at the airline before being able to win a captain role in larger airliners. The pandemic changed that, as airlines cut thousands of pilot jobs early in the pandemic and are now struggling to rehire now that travel is surging again. Note that a few months of seniority doesn't mean pilots have only a few months of experience; pilots would still need plenty of flying hours logged to land these roles. But Delta's change does create some new opportunities for pilots at regional carriers who are looking to move up quickly. https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2023/01/23/delta-pilots-seniority-757.html FAA Is On The Plate For A New Congress There has been a shift in the power structure on Capitol Hill in Washington, with Republicans taking control of the U.S. House and Democrats retaining a slim majority in the Senate. Streamlining FAA certification and approval processes, cultivating a future workforce, meeting environmental challenges and setting the stage for new aircraft entrants are foremost among business aviation legislative priorities for a new U.S. Congress. Among the pressing issues for lawmakers who convened for the 118th Congress in January is FAA reauthorization. The current legislation to renew the agency’s funding and authorities passed in 2018 and expires in September. The bill represents the first major multiyear reauthorization of the FAA since 2012; the prospects of Congress approving a new multiyear bill before it expires were uncertain. Reauthorization legislation sets an agency’s program funding levels over a fixed period; Congress passes appropriations bills each year allowing agencies to spend the money that has been authorized. The FAA was operating under a budget of $18.6 billion for fiscal year 2023—funding that was contained in the $1.7 trillion omnibus appropriations bill the 117th Congress approved and President Joe Biden signed into law on Dec. 29, 2022. The $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that Biden signed in November 2021 will add $5 billion in advanced annual appropriations to the FAA’s fiscal 2023 budget, increasing it to $23.6 billion. The law commits $25 billion for aviation over five years: $15 billion for airport infrastructure projects, $5 billion to replace airport terminals and $5 billion to modernize air traffic facilities. When Congress does approve new reauthorization or other legislation, trade associations representing the general aviation (GA) industry want to see the FAA’s certification and oversight processes shortened and made more efficient. In November 2022, the agency issued a final rule extending the duration of aircraft registration intervals to seven years from three years as of Jan. 23, satisfying an amendment that was introduced in the 2018 bill. But as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, the FAA is managing through an attrition of leadership and experience in its ranks that creates drag on the industry it regulates. The agency has said that 40% of its certification personnel have less than two years’ experience working at the FAA, notes Paul Feldman, General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) vice president of workforce development. “There is a huge backlog of not just rules but regulatory policy guidance materials, things that our members need to get product to market,” says Feldman. “There’s been some improvement getting those materials out, but they’re still struggling with that.” FAA technology and equipment constraints were revealed in glaring fashion on Jan. 11 when the agency’s Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system malfunctioned, causing the first nationwide ground stop since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The FAA said a preliminary analysis had determined that a data file “was damaged by personnel who failed to follow procedures.” The NOTAM system breakdown “highlights a huge vulnerability in our air transportation system,” said U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Missouri). “This incident also underscores the number of empty desks and vacant offices at the FAA. Centuries of combined experience has gone out the door in the past several years and far too few of these positions have been filled. The FAA does not run on autopilot—it needs skilled, dedicated and permanent leadership in positions across the agency, starting with the administrator’s office.” Naming Permanent Leadership Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen Billy Nolen, formerly head of the FAA’s Aviation Safety organization (AVS-1), has led the agency as acting administrator since April 2022, after former Administrator Steve Dickson unexpectedly stepped down halfway through his five-year term. President Joe Biden nominated Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington to the post last July. But the appointment of a permanent administrator, which requires Senate confirmation, foundered when Washington’s name surfaced in a corruption investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, relating to his tenure as a former CEO of LA Metro. Washington has denied any wrongdoing, and Biden renominated him to serve as FAA administrator on Jan. 3. In the wake of the NOTAM system outage, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Jan. 15 that he would “push to clear the bureaucratic logjam” preventing Washington’s confirmation, which he blamed on Republicans. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), ranking member of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation, derided the nomination of Washington during a September 2022 hearing at which he also called out “more than a dozen important roles” at FAA being served by acting officials. “Even when the administration finally sends us a nominee for FAA administrator, they send someone with almost zero aviation experience—a requisite for the job—and who as recent news has highlighted, has more than a little bit of scandal surrounding him,” Cruz charged. “It is more than a little rich watching the transportation secretary beat up on the airlines when he seems to simultaneously ignore the absolute hollowing-out of the FAA and the lack of confirmed, permanent leadership.” Industry representatives believe a permanent administrator reinforces stability and consistency at the agency. “There is a real concern about moving forward and getting a confirmed administrator,” Feldman says. “Part of that as well is they took the head of AVS-1 [Nolen] and made him the acting administrator. What that caused within the safety organization is a lot of people who are doing great jobs but are in acting positions right now because it created a ripple effect.” The National Air Transportation Association (NATA), which represents FBOs, Part 135 carriers, fractional ownership companies and other aviation businesses, seeks improvements in the FAA’s check pilot functions for charter operators and Part 135 aircraft conformity approvals. “Our members have experienced very inconsistent timelines and processes at the various [FAA] district offices,” says Karen Huggard, NATA vice president of government affairs. “We are hoping that FAA can be mandated or directed to work with industry to review these current processes and come up with recommendations to modernize processes and make sure that the FAA workforce is allocated correctly to avoid bottlenecks.” “There’s a huge queue right now in the certification process,” Huggard adds. “We had a member report that it took two years to get a new 135 certificate approved, and this is someone who has been in the industry, has plenty of experience and had [everything] in order to start the process.” GA associations are aligned in advocating for the extension and possible enlargement of the Aviation Workforce Development Grant Program for pilots and maintenance technicians, another legacy of the 2018 legislation. “We look forward to building on programs from the 2018 FAA bill, including grant programs to support the education of future pilots, the recruitment of much-needed aviation technicians and the introduction of other much-needed professionals into our sector,” NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen stated in testimony to the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation. The recommendations of two groups that Congress ordered formed in the last reauthorization bill—the Youth Access to American Jobs in Aviation Task Force and the Women in Aviation Advisory Board—“will provide excellent starting points along these lines,” Bolen said. The FAA accepted the final applications from schools and other entities for Aviation Workforce Development Grants last June; the so-called “625” grants have proven “wildly popular,” says Huggard. NATA would also like to explore an expansion of pilot visa approvals to recruit pilots from other countries who have trained in the U.S., and extend federal loan eligibility to include flight schools, she adds. Firefighting Foams And PFAS Sailors participate in firefighting training in Norfolk, Virginia. The FAA and Defense Department are testing PFAS-free firefighting foams. Credit: U.S. Navy NATA advocates exempting from potential litigation all federally obligated airports, hangar owners, aviation businesses and airport lease holders that have been required to maintain foam fire-suppression systems containing Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). Under federal law, military installations and FAA-regulated airports for decades have been required to use Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) containing PFAS chemicals to suppress aircraft fuel fires. PFAS chemicals persist in the environment and can move through soils and contaminate drinking water sources. Studies of laboratory animals given large amounts of PFAS indicate that some chemicals may affect growth and development, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Human health effects from exposure to low levels of PFAS are uncertain, the CDC says. Congress directed the FAA in the 2018 reauthorization bill to eliminate the mandate within three years. The FAA and the Defense Department (DoD) are testing PFAS-free firefighting foams, with the Navy expected to release a new specification in January 2023, according to the American Association of Airport Executives. In September 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published a notice of proposed rulemaking that would designate two PFAS chemicals as hazardous chemicals “and help to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up their contamination.” “It’s dangerous for the environment and it’s also dangerous for our businesses because it opens them up to potential litigation,” says Huggard. “No. 1, we’re looking for FAA and DoD to fast-track a PFAS-free alternative to AFFF. No. 2, we’re looking for guidance for not just airports but also for aviation businesses located on airports, on how to remediate systems that have had PFAS chemicals in them.” “There may also need to be some funding for that,” Huggard adds. “We have heard, depending on where you are in the country, that it can cost anywhere from $500,000 up to closer to $1 million dollars to remove a foam fire-suppression system that has fluorine foam in it from an aircraft hangar.” Under its $15 billion apportionment for airport infrastructure, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law commits up to $2.39 billion per year for primary airports and up to $500 million for GA airports, based on the formula for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants. Only certain projects are eligible for AIP funding, which goes to airports, not aviation businesses, Huggard points out. NATA wants to revisit AIP funding mechanisms, including a federal cost-share entitlement for GA airports that has remained stagnant at $150,000 per year, and the treatment of all GA airports as one category under the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. https://aviationweek.com/business-aviation/safety-ops-regulation/faa-plate-new-congress-part-1 LIAT cancels flights due to incident with aircraft BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Regional carrier, LIAT, on Sunday announced the cancellation of some flights due to an incident with an aircraft at one of its stations. The carrier, in making the announcement, said the incident, which occurred between the aircraft and a piece of ground equipment, compelled the airline to ground the aircraft in the interest of passenger and crew safety LIAT says the aircraft is currently being evaluated in accordance with the company's safety and maintenance procedures and will be returned to service once all checks have been completed. Based on this, the airline said that the regular LIAT schedule will be disrupted due to the withdrawal of this aircraft, until Monday. Passengers affected by this disruption will be accommodated on alternate services or can rebook by contacting LIAT's reservations call centre. https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/caribbean/20230122/liat-cancels-flights-due-incident-aircraft Not Again: Another Qantas Service Turns Back Mid-Flight Smoke was detected in the cabin of a Boeing 737 flying from Fiji to Sydney. Yet another Qantas flight has been diverted after suffering an in-flight problem. The flight from Fiji to Sydney, operated by a Boeing 737, had to return to its departure airport due to fumes in the cabin. Let's take a closer look. Latest Qantas turnback On Sunday, January 22nd, Flight QF102 from Nadi International Airport (NAN), Fiji, to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD), Australia, had to turn back and land in Fiji after smoke was detected in the cabin. After taking off at a delay of over an hour, the flight was diverted around 45 minutes into its journey to Sydney as a precaution, landing safely back in Fiji around 90 minutes after departure. According to MSN, an early investigation has revealed an oven in the galley as the likely culprit of the fumes. Engineers will now examine the aircraft to determine the cause. This incident follows a flurry of diversion affecting Qantas aircraft in a short space of time - as Simple Flying reported a few days ago, three Qantas flights in three days have experienced issues following a Qantas Boeing 737 turning back to Melbourne after suffering an engine problem. None of the passengers involved in this latest incident were harmed, and the aircraft (a Boeing 737-800 with registration: VH-VZT) landed safely with no further problems. Pilots of the plane did not issue a Mayday call, instead requesting priority landing at Fiji. This is the second problem experienced on a Qantas Fiji flight this week after one of its Boeing 737s had to turn around due to a mechanical issue, About VH-VZT The affected aircraft is an 11-year-old Qantas Boeing 737-800 delivered to the airline in October 2011. The jet, which can seat 12 in business class and 162 in economy, remains on the ground at the time of publication. According to ch-aviation, as of July 2022, the aircraft had conducted over 29,000 flight hours and 14,500 flight cycles. What is going on at Qantas? Today's turnback is the fifth such incident to occur at Qantas in the space of a week, raising questions about the standard of maintenance at the Australian airline. Perhaps the most worrying incident occurred on Wednesday when an engine shut down on Qantas flight QF144 between Auckland and Sydney as it flew over the Tasman Sea. Qantas domestic chief executive Andrew David said, "Aircraft are complex pieces of machinery with millions of moving parts, and it's not uncommon to have a problem with one of them. What's important to know is that aircraft are designed with that in mind and have a lot of built-in redundancy, and our crew are trained to deal with those situations so that they can land safely." Qantas has also had issues with its Airbus A380s after one of its planes was forced to divert to Baku last month - on this occasion, it was discovered to have been a false alert due to a faulty smoke sensor. In support of Qantas, Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority released a statement on Friday which said, "The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is confident Qantas is operating safely and has confidence in its safety management systems. CASA actively reviews and monitors the aviation industry, using regular surveillance, frequent engagement with airlines to review incidents and trends and works closely with the ATSB to scrutinise safety reports, findings and data." https://simpleflying.com/qantas-fifth-turnback-fiji-fumes/ FAA Nominee’s Military Past Complicates Path to Confirmation • 1958 law requires FAA administrator to be a civilian • Ground stop heightens Democrats’ drive to confirm Washington Bloomberg Government subscribers get the stories like this first. Act now and gain unlimited access to everything you need to know. Learn more. The White House touted Phil Washington’s 24 years of experience in the US Army when tapping him to run the Federal Aviation Administration last year—a fact that could threaten his path to confirmation. The FAA by law needs to be headed by a civilian, which has forced retired military officials to either give up their retiree status or seek waivers to secure the role. Washington, currently CEO of Denver International Airport, is retired from active duty. The incoming top Republican on the committee overseeing his confirmation says that without a waiver or change in law enacted by both chambers, Washington is ineligible— the latest step in GOP efforts to oppose the nominee. The waiver question comes as some Democrats have called moving his nomination forward a priority after a system outage this month caused a major ground stop of flights. Washington’s military status could add another wrinkle in his already muddled confirmation process. Republicans have also scrutinized Washington’s aviation experience and ties to a Los Angeles search warrant. FAA Nominee Denies Wrongdoing as Senators Weigh Allegations “The Senate has repeatedly required adoption of a waiver when an FAA administrator nominee was a retired member of the military,” Ted Cruz (R-Texas), incoming ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, said. “But with Phil Washington’s extreme lack of aviation experience and the scandals surrounding him, I am unsure how Democrats plan to obtain passage of such a waiver.” A White House spokesperson defended Washington, saying he is a qualified public servant and administrator who retired from the Army in 2000 and has served in a civilian capacity since, without specifically addressing questions on the statute requiring civilian leadership. The spokesperson said it was time to move forward on the long-pending nomination. Lawmakers from both parties have supported waivers for ex-military officials in the past, but Republican control of the House could give them a chance to reject such a request if needed. While the Democratic caucus’ 51 votes in the Senate give them the power to confirm nominees without GOP support, a waiver would have to pass through both chambers and would be subject to a 60-vote threshold in the Senate. Administrator History The FAA administrator needs to be a citizen, a civilian, and must have aviation experience, according to a US law from 1958. The conference report for the law interpreted a civilian in the “strictest sense of the word” as someone not on active, retired, or extended active duty. The intent was to assuage concerns “about establishing the supremacy of civilian control of airspace,” according to a committee report from 1992. A handful of nominees have required waivers, most recently Thomas Richards who was administrator in the 1990s. Some nominees have given up their retired military status to take the role, such as Elwood Quesada, the first administrator, in 1958. The last administrator, Steve Dickson, notably didn’t need a waiver despite serving in the Air Force for 11 years. Members of the Armed Forces are eligible for retirement status only after 20 years. Waiting Game The temporary ground stop of flights this month due to an outage of a notification system at the FAA heightened some Democrats’ desire to get a Senate-confirmed leader at the agency. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he would push to move forward Washington’s nomination and “break this logjam” for the Senate to hold a hearing after the FAA system outage. Biden to Reup FAA Nominee in Face of Uphill Confirmation Battle “With recent events, including airline troubles and last week’s tech problem, this agency needs a leader confirmed by the Senate immediately,” Schumer said in a statement. A spokesperson for Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), chair of the committee overseeing his nomination, said Washington’s hearing is a priority. The spokesperson didn’t return a request for comment on Washington’s civilian status. ‘Deeply Troubling’ Meltdown at FAA Set for Lawmaker Probes The FAA system outage had the opposite effect on Republicans as GOP lawmakers doubled down on their concerns. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the top Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee last year, said Washington doesn’t have adequate aviation experience. Wicker has said in multiple tweets that a new nominee is needed. Washington has run Denver’s airport since 2021, and had mostly surface transportation experience before that. https://about.bgov.com/news/faa-nominees-military-past-complicates-path-to-confirmation/ TSA: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport was a hub for guns last year Travelers flying through the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport were among the most armed airline passengers in the country last year. Driving the news: FLL cracked the top 10 of the Transportation Security Administration's list of airports with the most guns found in carry-on bags in 2022. TSA reports that 88% of the more than 6,500 guns discovered across the country last year were loaded. Be smart: Gun owners can transport unloaded firearms in a locked hard-shell container in checked baggage only, according to the TSA. What they're saying: The Fort Lauderdale airport rolled out a PSA in 2019 to educate travelers about TSA gun rules, Arlene Satchell, the public information officer for the Broward County Aviation Department, told Axios. Last year, they reinstalled warning signs at the entrance to the security processing lines that were temporarily removed in 2020 for COVID-related safety messaging, Satchell wrote in an email. https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2023/01/23/fort-lauderdale-airport-tsa-guns Airlines Facing Aircraft Shortage As airlines grapple with staff shortages and maintenance delays, they’re now facing an airplane shortage. According to Reuters, delegates to the annual Airline Economics conference in Dublin were told that manufacturers are missing their delivery targets and that could hamper an unexpected surge in travel prompted largely by China’s abrupt cancellation of many COVID restrictions. “We are seeing a very strong rebound in travel,” AerCap Chief Executive Aengus Kelly said “I think we will see a full return to 2019 in the middle of the year.” The pandemic has disrupted supply chains for manufacturers and it’s expected that the shortages will be most acute in the bread-and-butter narrow body fleet. As many as 2,400 aircraft are behind schedule and the backlog will take years to clear. Air Lease Executive Chairman Steven Udvar-Hazy told the gathering that manufacturers had “grossly misjudged” their capacity. The shortage of new jets is compounded by maintenance delays. All MROs are booked solid, in part with post-storage inspections that take a lot of time. As with all shortages, the ultimate result is higher cost to the end user and air fares are expected to stay relatively high for the foreseeable future. Another result of the supply disruption is the return of four engine aircraft that were retired in the pandemic. Some of the planes that didn’t get built are modern twins that airlines ordered with small first class cabins. There isn’t enough capacity for first class demand without the A380s, 747s and A340s that went to the desert during the pandemic so at least eight airlines are dusting off those planes to fill in until their new 777-9s and A350s are ready according to Travel Tomorrow. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/airlines-facing-aircraft-shortage/ ISASI - Kapustin Memorial Scholarship The Kapustin Memorial Scholarship for 2023 is now open! Royal Aeronautical Society: Human Factors Group: Engineer conference 2023 Better by Design: Designing Out Maintenance Error 9 February 2023 at 4 Hamilton Place, London, W1J 7BQ and online 0900 - 1730 GMT Are you or your Company, or Organisation involved in designing aircraft and their systems, or in maintaining aircraft that you think could be designed in a way that would make maintenance more efficient and less prone to mistakes? Do you educate or train people who go on to design aircraft or their systems? Have you an involvement in setting standards or regulating design organisations? When things do go wrong, are you involved in trying to understand why? Then this is the conference for you. RAeS Human Factors Specialist Group Conference: Better by Design - Designing Out Maintenance Error (aerosociety.com) POSITION AVAILABLE: AEROSPACE ENGINEER (STRUCTURES), GS-0861-13 https://www.usajobs.gov/job/698671900 https://www.usajobs.gov/job/698679400 Summary This position is located in the Office of Aviation Safety, Aviation Engineering Division in Washington, DC. Participates and directs engineering aspects of general aviation and air carrier accidents involving safety issues associated with aircraft structures and their interface with control systems. Duties OAS investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents, including those involving unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), public aircraft, and commercial space launches, and other significant aviation incidents, proposes the probable causes of these events, and develops recommendations to minimize recurrence. The ideal candidate for this position will have previous, hands on, experience conducting engineering investigations of aircraft structural component failures; has experience with a variety (many) of different aircraft structural designs; and is comfortable working with and/or leading groups of diverse industry and government representatives. As an Aerospace Engineer (Structures), GS-0861-13, you will perform the following major duties: · · Participates and directs technical analyses of general aviation and air carrier accident and incidents in the specialty area of aircraft structures. Serves as Group Chairman for limited scope investigations, documenting and analyzing airworthiness issues potentially involved in accidents and develops accident prevention strategies. · Coordinates efforts with other Group Chairman, the IIC, and the Team Lead to assure thoroughness of all investigations and that necessary documentation is accomplished as a result of the investigative activity. · · Prepares factual and analytical reports covering specialty area on each accident. · · Assists the IIC and report writers in the preparation of the Safety Board's accident report with particular emphasis on the accuracy of factual information and the logic of analyses of the evidence from the investigation. · · Researches and develops appropriate safety recommendations to correct hazardous or unsafe conditions using information obtained in the course of investigations, personal observations, and knowledge of current aviation engineering trends and developments. · · Work Environment: The incumbent supports major go-team launches as well as significant international investigations. Major go-team launch teams commonly travel on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) jet from Reagan National Airport within two hours after an accident notification is received. Timely arrival at the scene of a major accident allows for timely documentation of a wreckage; a delay in this effort can have significant impacts, such as impeding the re-opening of an airport. International travel by US Government employees frequently requires the issuance of a visa from the host country, which is most efficiently obtained at the embassies located in Washington, DC. Additionally, security concerns in many locations make it essential that the investigative team travel together. · · Physical Demands: Occasionally the aircraft wreckage may contain hazardous materials that may be burning by the time the investigator arrives on-the-scene; therefore, the incumbent may be exposed to a variety of weather conditions and other environmental discomforts such as remote, rugged, snow, rain, temperature extremes, swampy or mountainous areas and hostile settings and may have to wear a hardhat, safety shoes, goggles, gloves, and other protective equipment. Analyst/Senior Analyst, Line Operations Safety Audits Date: Dec 29, 2022 Location: DFW Headquarters Building 8 (DFW-SV08) Additional Locations: None Requisition ID: 64611 Intro Are you ready to explore a world of possibilities, both at work and during your time off? Join our American Airlines family, and you’ll travel the world, grow your expertise and become the best version of you. As you embark on a new journey, you’ll tackle challenges with flexibility and grace, learning new skills and advancing your career while having the time of your life. Feel free to enrich both your personal and work life and hop on board! Why you'll love this job · The Analyst/Sr Analyst, Line Operations Safety Audits (LOSA) reports to the Manager, Line Operations Safety Audits (LOSA) · You’ll be involved in leading initiatives and supporting day-to-day operations for American Airlines’ LOSA Program. What you'll do As noted above, this list is intended to reflect the current job but there may be additional essential functions (and certainly non-essential job functions) that are not referenced. Management will modify the job or require other tasks be performed whenever it is deemed appropriate to do so, observing, of course, any legal obligations including any collective bargaining obligations. · Supports the American Airlines Safety Management System (SMS) in hazard identification and risk mitigation. · Collects observation data, conducts analysis, and creates presentations. · Supports the data analytics and reporting requirements for Safety & Efficiency Programs, Flight Operations, Flight Service, Dispatch, and other AA stakeholders. · Attends, facilitates, and presents analysis and recommendations to leadership at monthly SMS meetings. · Supports the LOSA Manager in selection, training, and monthly scheduling of LOSA Observers. · Coordinates with and ensures proper accommodation of LOSA observes. · Maintains collected LOSA data within confidential data archive. · Maintains secure access to data (Safety Data SharePoint site and Tableau). · Establishes and coordinates data-derived targets for safety enhancements. · All you'll need for success Minimum Requirements – Education & Prior Job Experience · Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent experience · 3 years of relevant experience or a master’s degree in a related field Preferred Requirements - Education & Prior Job Experience · Degree or specialization in Aviation or Human Factors · Experience with Line Operations Safety Audits (LOSA), Aviation Safety Action Programs (ASAP), Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA), and/or Air Safety Investigations Skills, Licenses & Certifications · Understanding of Threat & Error Management concept and how it is applied within a safety organization. · Strong interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to influence and effectively communicate with all levels of employees across the organization. · Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including professional presentation skills. · The ability to effectively interact with employees at all levels within the organization, as well as external agencies to include the FAA and labor associations. · Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to prepare reports based on data analysis. · Proficiency in MS Office suite. Previous experience with Tableau preferred. · Preferred FAA Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency and/or operational airline experience · What you'll get Feel free to take advantage of all that American Airlines has to offer: · Travel Perks: Ready to explore the world? You, your family and your friends can reach 365 destinations on more than 6,800 daily flights across our global network. · Health Benefits: On day one, you’ll have access to your health, dental, prescription and vision benefits to help you stay well. And that’s just the start, we also offer virtual doctor visits, flexible spending accounts and more. · Wellness Programs: We want you to be the best version of yourself – that’s why our wellness programs provide you with all the right tools, resources and support you need. · 401(k) Program: Available upon hire and, depending on the workgroup, employer contributions to your 401(k) program are available after one year. · Additional Benefits: Other great benefits include our Employee Assistance Program, pet insurance and discounts on hotels, cars, cruises and more · Feel free to be yourself at American From the team members we hire to the customers we serve, inclusion and diversity are the foundation of the dynamic workforce at American Airlines. Our 20+ Employee Business Resource Groups are focused on connecting our team members to our customers, suppliers, communities and shareholders, helping team members reach their full potential and creating an inclusive work environment to meet and exceed the needs of our diverse world. Are you ready to feel a tremendous sense of pride and satisfaction as you do your part to keep the largest airline in the world running smoothly as we care for people on life’s journey? Feel free to be yourself at American. Additional Locations: None Requisition ID: 64611 Nearest Major Market: Dallas Nearest Secondary Market: Fort Worth Job Segment: Quality Assurance, Operations Manager, Developer, Sharepoint, Technology, Aviation, Operations APPLY NOW Curt Lewis