Flight Safety Information - January 24, 2023 No. 017 In This Issue : Accident: Sam DHC6 at Beoga on Jan 23rd 2023, runway excursion : Incident: Emirates B773 at Vienna on Jan 22nd 2023, cargo door indication : Incident: Norwegian B738 near Copenhagen on Jan 21st 2023, engine shut down in flight : Incident: India Express B738 at Trivandrum on Jan 23rd 2023, FMS trouble : American Airlines flight slides off runway at Portland Jetport : Hawaii-bound flight from Phoenix diverted to Los Angeles due to 'unruly' passenger : NTSB Preliminary Report: Accident: Envoy E175 at Montgomery on Dec 31st 2022, ground worker killed : FAA Opens Regional Office In Mexico — What Does This Mean : United Airlines Takes $10.5 Million Stake in Affiliate Mesa : American Airlines faces a flurry of racial discrimination complaints : 44,500 New Aircraft to Be Delivered Over the Next Two Decades, Worth US$2.9 Trillion : Hawaiian pilots land lucrative cargo contract ahead of new Amazon service : Airbus has changed the design of its A350 flagship jet amid its dispute with Qatar Airways over peeling paint : LATAM And Delta Announce Joint Venture, Planning To Serve 300 Destinations In The Americas : ISASI - Kapustin Memorial Scholarship : RESEARCH SURVEY : Today's Photo Accident: Sam DHC6 at Beoga on Jan 23rd 2023, runway excursion A Sam Air de Havilland DHC-6-300, registration PK-SMS from Timika to Beoga (Indonesia) with 11 passengers and 3 crew as well as 690kg of cargo, landed on Beoga's runway 16 at about 07:30L (22:30Z Jan 22nd) but veered right off the runway and collided with a fence. There were no injuries, the right hand wing of the aircraft sustained substantial damage however. https://avherald.com/h?article=504297f9&opt=0 Incident: Emirates B773 at Vienna on Jan 22nd 2023, cargo door indication An Emirates Airlines Boeing 777-300, registration A6-EPB performing flight EK-128 from Vienna (Austria) to Dubai (United Arab Emirates), was climbing out of Vienna's runway 29 when the crew stopped the climb at 8000 feet reporting a cargo door indication. The aircraft returned to Vienna for a safe landing on runway 34 about 55 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 2 hours, then departed again and reached Dubai with a delay of about 3.5 hours. A passenger reported the captain announced that a cargo door hadn't been properly closed. https://avherald.com/h?article=50429319&opt=0 Incident: Norwegian B738 near Copenhagen on Jan 21st 2023, engine shut down in flight A Norwegian Air Shuttle Boeing 737-800, registration LN-NIL performing flight D8-3091 from Allborg to Copenhagen (Denmark), was descending towards Copenhagen when the crew needed to shut an engine (CFM56) down following a bird strike during the flight. The aircraft landed safely on Copenhagen's runway 04R about 35 minutes after departure from Aalborg. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Copenhagen about 49 hours after landing. The airline reported a bird flew into an engine between Aalborg and Copenhagen, the crew subsequently shut the engine down. The passengers were informed. https://avherald.com/h?article=504291b5&opt=0 Incident: India Express B738 at Trivandrum on Jan 23rd 2023, FMS trouble An Air India Express Boeing 737-800, registration VT-AXI performing flight IX-549 from Thiruvananthapuram (India) to Muscat (Oman) with 105 people on board, was climbing through FL160 out of Trivandrum (short for Thiruvananthapuram) when the crew stopped the climb due to problems with the Flight Management System (FMS) and decided to return to Trivandrum. The aircraft landed safely back on Trivandrum's runway 32 about 35 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration VT-AYB reached Muscat with a delay of about 6 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground about 14 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=50428f56&opt=0 American Airlines flight slides off runway at Portland Jetport None of the 63 people on board were hurt, but the passengers had to be bussed to the terminal. PORTLAND, Maine — An American Airlines flight slid off the runway just after landing at the Portland International Jetport Monday afternoon. The CRJ-900 aircraft was carrying 59 passengers and four crew members, and none were hurt in the incident. Flight 5280 had taken off from Philadelphia International Airport at 10:47 a.m., arriving at the Jetport at 12:08 p.m. "After landing, the nose landing gear of American Eagle flight 5280, operated by PSA Airlines, exited the runway due to snowy conditions," the airline's statement says. Airport Director Paul Bradbury says the nose gear of the aircraft left the paved taxiway, but the main landing gear remained on the pavement. Photos of the plane at the time appear to show the nose landing gear stuck in a snowbank. Director Bradbury says the passengers were bussed to the terminal, while the runway remained closed for safety reasons until the plane was moved. The runway reopened at 6:30 p.m. The plane is now out of service and will undergo a full inspection by the airline's maintenance team. https://www.wmtw.com/article/american-airlines-flight-slides-off-runway-at-portland-jetport/42628514 Hawaii-bound flight from Phoenix diverted to Los Angeles due to 'unruly' passenger According to the airlines, flight 692, with service to Honolulu from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, had to be diverted to Los Angeles due to a disturbance in the cabin involving an unruly passenger. Airline officials did not provide additional details as to the nature of the disturbance. https://news.yahoo.com/hawaii-bound-flight-phoenix-diverted-123507876.html NTSB Preliminary Report: Accident: Envoy E175 at Montgomery on Dec 31st 2022, ground worker killed An Envoy Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N264NN performing flight AA-3408 from Montgomery,AL to Dallas Ft. Worth,TX (USA), was preparing for departure at the gate when a baggage handler was killed being ingested into the left hand engine (CF34). Montgomery Airport reported a ground employee was involved in a fatality, no further information was available. The FAA confirmed a fatality occurred while flight AA-3408 was still at the gate. The airport was closed for several hours as result. The NTSB is investigating. According to local media reports the baggage handler was sucked into one of the aircraft's engines (CF34) and killed. A fellow ground worker witnessing the accident confirmed the baggage handler was ingested by one of the engines of the aircraft. The family of the baggage handler reported the ground worker involved was a wife and mother of three. The NTSB stated the aircraft was parked at the gate with the park brakes on, when a ground worker was ingested into an engine. The NTSB have opened an investigation. On Jan 23rd 2023 the NTSB released their preliminary report summarizing the sequence of events: The flight was operated by Envoy Air Inc. doing business as American Eagle flight ENY3408 with an inoperative auxiliary power unit (APU). The flight crew reported that after an uneventful flight they elected to leave both engines running for the required two-minute engine cool down period. As the airplane approached the gate, three ramp agents were present, but clear of the safety area. After stopping the aircraft and setting the parking brake, the captain gave the hand signal to connect the airplane to ground power. As he was shutting down the number 2 (right) engine the “DOOR CRG FWD OPEN” engine indicating and crew alerting system (EICAS) message appeared (indicating that the forward cargo door had opened). The first officer (FO) opened his cockpit window to inform the ramp agent that the engines were still operating. The captain then made a brief announcement asking the passengers to remain seated until the seat belt sign had been turned off. He then relayed his intentions to the FO that the seat belt sign would stay illuminated until they had connected to ground power and could shut down the number 1 (left) engine. Immediately thereafter, he saw a warning light illuminate and the airplane shook violently followed by the immediate automatic shutdown of the number 1 engine. Unsure of what had occurred, he extinguished the emergency lights and shut off both batteries before leaving the flight deck to investigate. Video surveillance captured the accident sequence and showed the airplane being marshalled to the gate. After the nose wheel was chocked, the ramp agent marshaling the airplane walked toward the forward cargo door located on the right side and near the front of the airplane. Simultaneously, another ramp agent appeared walking towards the back of the airplane with an orange safety cone where she disappeared from view. A third ramp agent located near the right wing tip could be seen gesturing with his hand towards the back of the airplane. Meanwhile, a fourth ramp agent knelt near the airplane’s nose wheel. The ramp agent from the back of the airplane reappeared and began walking away from the airplane and towards the left wing tip where she disappeared from the camera’s field of view. The marshaller could be seen backing away from the airplane’s open forward cargo door and the ramp agent from the back of the airplane reappeared walking along the leading edge of the left wing and directly in front of the number one engine. She was subsequently pulled off her feet and into the operating engine. Throughout the course of the accident, the airplane’s upper rotating beacon light appeared to be illuminated. The ground crew reported that a safety briefing was held about 10 minutes before the airplane arrived at the gate. A second safety “huddle” was held shortly before the airplane arrived at the gate, to reiterate that the engines would remain running until ground power was connected. It was also discussed that the airplane should not be approached, and the diamond of safety cones should not be set until the engines were off, spooled down, and the airplane’s rotating beacon light had been extinguished by the flight crew. One ramp agent located near the right wing tip stated that he observed another ramp agent approach the back of the airplane to set the rear safety cone. He observed her almost fall over from the engines exhaust while he attempted to alert her to stay back and wait for the engines to be shut down. He also stated that he observed the airplane’s upper and lower rotating beacon lights illuminated. Another ramp agent stated that after chocking the nose wheel of the airplane, he observed another ramp agent approach the forward cargo door and he knelt to wave him off. He then observed another ramp agent about to set the safety cone at the rear of the airplane, he yelled and waved her off as the number 1 engine was still running. He observed her as she began to move away from the airplane before he turned to lower the cord for the ground power. Shortly thereafter he heard a “bang” and the engine shut down. https://avherald.com/h?article=50320e92&opt=0 FAA Opens Regional Office In Mexico — What Does This Mean Mexico remains downgraded in Category 2 status since May 2021. Could that change shortly? The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has opened an office for the first time in Mexico as it looks to strengthen the cooperation between both countries. Mexico was downgraded to Category 2 status in May 2021 after failing to meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards and has been unable to restore the previous grading. A new office in Mexico The US Ambassador in Mexico, Ken Salazar, said on Friday the country was proud to open an FAA office in Mexico. This office will “strengthen the cooperation with the authorities and private sector of the (Mexican) industry aviation. We will deepen the dialogue and joint work for our countries to collaborate in civil aviation topics.” Mr. Salazar added that the aviation industry is crucial to deepen the bond between both countries. Mexico is the country with the most significant number of flights to and from the United States and the number one destination for international travel of US citizens. He added that one in every four Americans who traveled abroad landed in Mexico, representing around 13 million travelers in 2022. The Mexican airline industry celebrated the news. Viva Aerobus, the ultra-low-cost carrier, released a statement applauding the opening of the first office of the FAA in Mexico. Juan Carlos Zuazua, Chief Executive Officer of Viva Aerobus, said, “We applaud the fact that the FAA now has an office in Mexico, convinced that this will contribute to the efforts and actions necessary to continue strengthening the safety, competitiveness, and efficiency of air operations in the region. It is, without a doubt, a very timely decision on the road to recovering Category 1 status and together bringing Mexico and the US even closer together.” Nonetheless, the US Ambassador in Mexico made no reference to the ongoing Category 1 recertification by the Mexican civil aviation authorities. In May 2021, the FAA downgraded Mexico to Category 2. According to the US agency, the government of Mexico didn’t meet ICAO safety standards. When will Mexico regain its Category 1 status? Nearly two years have gone by since the FAA downgraded Mexico to Category 2. Mexico has joined other countries with this rating, such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, and Venezuela. The Mexican authorities have stated over and over again they are working on regaining Category 1 status. After all, not doing so is deeply impacting the growth plans of local carriers such as Aeromexico, Volaris, and Viva Aerobus, but also the pet project of the current government, the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU). Get all the latest aviation news right here on Simple Flying Earlier this month, the FAA’s outage of the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system led to a delay in the recertification process. The FAA authorities requested the Mexican authorities to postpone a high-level meeting between both entities to continue with the work to recover the Category 1 status. The meeting was taking place on January 12th but is now delayed to a yet-to-be-announced new date. Mexico expects to regain its Category 1 status this year, most likely in the second quarter, although the recent developments could push this date further away. https://simpleflying.com/faa-opens-regional-office-mexico/ United Airlines Takes $10.5 Million Stake in Affiliate Mesa United Airlines took a nearly 10 percent stake in its regional partner Mesa Air Group in a deal unveiled after markets closed. The transaction is worth an estimated $10.5 million based on the closing price of Mesa’s stock of $2.61 per share on Monday. The 4.04 million shares were issued as part of a larger deal including, additional flying for United by Mesa, that the two airlines reached in December, a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission show. As part of that agreement, United provided Mesa with a $10 million revolving loan due in January 2024, plus other financial commitments. Mesa Airlines operates regional flights for United Airlines. The equity stake comes amid a shakeup in the U.S. regional airline sector. A pilot shortage across the industry has morphed into a captain shortage at the carriers that fly small aircraft for the Big 3 — in other words, the airlines that operate American Eagle, Delta Connection, and United Express flights. The shortage has forced hundreds of the smallest jets to be parked. Delta President Glen Hauenstein said earlier in January he does not believe the situation will ease until 2024. And a dramatic pay raise by American for pilots at the three affiliates — Envoy, Piedmont Airlines, and PSA Airlines — it owns last June, has reset the cost structure of regional flying. Mesa and others have matched the pay rates, which for some crew members are more than double what they were before. The reset has heightened concerns that regional airlines may shrink further, and cut air service to more small U.S. cities. Mesa lost $10 million during the quarter ending in June, its latest financial statement shows. Costs during the period increased nearly 21 percent year-over-year on a 7 percent increase in revenues. United’s investment in Mesa likely signals a closer relationship between the two going forward. The major carrier also owns stakes a 40 percent stake of its affiliate CommuteAir, and 19 percent of partner Republic Airways. https://skift.com/blog/united-airlines-takes-10-5-million-stake-in-affiliate-mesa/ American Airlines faces a flurry of racial discrimination complaints A Dallas track star and a New York rapper are among passengers complaining about being kicked off flights. Fort Worth-based American Airlines is facing accusations of racial discrimination after removing two Black celebrities from flights during the last week and is being sued in federal court by a Black passenger for also being kicked off a flight. Dallas track star Sha’Carri Richardson said she was forced to leave an American Airlines flight Saturday after a confrontation with a flight attendant who confronted her while she was making a video during pre-flight announcements, according to videos the hopeful Olympian posted to Instagram. That came after New York rapper Talib Kweli said he was threatened with arrest and removed from an American Airlines flight last week following a dispute with a flight attendant over the size of his personal bag and carry-on luggage. American Airlines was also sued in U.S. District Court in North Florida on Friday by a Black man who said he was kicked off a flight in “an act of blatant racial discrimination” following a dispute with a flight attendant. “@americanair is racist. Period,” Talib Kweli said on his verified Instagram page where he shared the Richardson incident. “If this is how they are treated Black folks with fame privilege imagine how they are treating Black folks without large platforms!” American Airlines has faced issues with its treatment of Black flyers before. In 2017, the NAACP issued a travel advisory to Black passengers to avoid flying the airline after a series of complaints about interactions between the carrier and Black individuals. The NAACP dropped the travel advisory in 2018 and American Airlines has instituted implicit bias training and reviewed its complaint system to try to address racial discrimination. American Airlines chief diversity officer Cedric Rockamore said a company of this size is going to get complaints, but the overall number of passenger complaints and discrimination complaints have decreased in recent years. Every American Airlines employee is required to undergo implicit bias and discrimination training, he said, including frontline workers. “A lot of these things are born out of that balance where we’re trying ensure that we’re in compliance with all of the FAA rules and regulations, but at the same time create this experience where it doesn’t give the impression that there’s some perception that there’s unfairness or discriminatory practices on board the aircraft,” Rockamore said. Kweli, whose surname is Greene, pointed to a recent incident in which NFL star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was removed from an American Airlines flight in late November after he appeared to drift in and out of consciousness during a flight out of Miami International Airport. Richardson, who was slated to run the 100-meter sprint at the 2022 Tokyo Olympics before being disqualified for a positive marijuana drug test, appeared to be filming a video of herself during pre-flight announcements when a male American Airlines flight attendant appears to ask her to turn off her device. “I’m recording me but you jumped in my video so I caught you because you jumped in my video,” Richardson said to the flight attendant in the video. “You’re harassing me at this point, so I think you should stop.” Passengers are permitted to use devices during takeoff, but only if cellular data and calling is turned off. The initial video ends after Richardson verbally spars with other passengers, including one man concerned he might miss his connecting flight. In a second video, Richardson calls the flight attendant “unprofessional” and asks why he isn’t being told to leave the plane as well. She also said she felt threatened by the flight attendant. “It’s a video of my face and you’ll see it on social media,” Richardson said to other passengers on the flight, some of whom clapped when she was escorted off. “Because y’all have no idea who I am.” Richardson was re-booked on a later flight, an American Airlines spokesperson said. In Talib Kweli’s video, he’s discussing with a supervisor a dispute with another American Airlines crew member over the size of his personal bag. In one of his videos, the American Airlines employee says he must get off the plane because the crew “feels unsafe.” Kweli insisted that he did not yell or raise his voice or break any laws or rules. Kweli is a longtime rapper who had a minor hit in 2002 with his single “Get By.” He is also a frequent collaborator with fellow hip hop star Mos Def. https://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2023/01/23/american-airlines-faces-a-flurry-of-racial-discrimination-complaints/ 44,500 New Aircraft to Be Delivered Over the Next Two Decades, Worth US$2.9 Trillion • Estimated global aircraft deliveries to meet forecasted annual 3.6% passenger traffic growth, and replace aging and inefficient models currently in service • Single-aisle jets expected to account for 70% of passenger aircraft deliveries to 2041 • Chinese passenger fleet is forecast to grow by 4.5%, the highest annual rate, reaching 19% of global deliveries • 88% of the current passenger fleet retired from passenger service by 2041 • Over 3,650 freighters predicted to be supplied over the next 20 years LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The new Cirium Fleet Forecast reveals demand for approximately 44,500 new aircraft globally over the next two decades, worth US$2.9 trillion. “These new aircraft will be required to meet demand for air travel, but also to replace less efficient, older-generation types.” The forecast published by Ascend by Cirium, the consultancy arm of aviation analytics firm Cirium, is an independent outlook of the global passenger and freighter market for the next 20 years. It reaffirms an encouraging long-term projection for the aviation industry and its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, predicting that 20-year aircraft deliveries will be 1% lower globally than predicted a year ago. This comes despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, travel restrictions in China, and rising energy costs all emerging as influential factors during 2022. The aviation industry’s recovery from the Covid-19 crisis in early 2020, has progressed significantly if unevenly across regions. Global aviation activity is predicted to reach 2019 levels in October. Rob Morris, Ascend by Cirium’s Global Head of Consultancy, said: “The new Cirium Fleet Forecast shows a positive long-term outlook for aviation. The industry is undergoing structural changes but remains on course to return to traditional growth paths by 2025.” “The global passenger fleet will be required to increase by around 22,000 aircraft to service passenger traffic, which we predict to grow 3.6% annually to reach 47,700 aircraft by the end of 2041. “These new aircraft will be required to meet demand for air travel, but also to replace less efficient, older-generation types.” Asia will account for over 40% of new deliveries Asia-Pacific remains the key growth region for new deliveries, driven by China. The country is forecast to have the highest annual passenger traffic growth rate at over 6% and account for 19% of deliveries in 2041, ahead of all other Asia-Pacific countries, with a combined share of 22%. North American and European airlines are projected to account for 21% and 17% of deliveries respectively. Middle East airlines will take 7% of deliveries, accounting for 14% in value terms due to the rich mix of higher value twin-aisle deliveries. In the forecast, Russian capacity and traffic are assumed to decline in the near term. Combined with the complete cessation of Ukrainian civil aviation activity, Russia/CIS traffic is then forecast to stabilize at 70% of 2019 levels in 2024. Demand for single-aisles will drive fleet growth At the end of November 2022, the single-aisle fleet was within 2% of 2019 levels, but twin-aisle aircraft numbers were still down by 20%. The single-aisle fleet will grow faster by 3.7% annually, against 3.2% for twin-aisles as the recovery of long-haul traffic continues to lag. The regional aircraft fleet will rise more modestly, by 1.1% a year, with the turboprop fleet set to grow at a faster rate within the regional sector. Forecast traffic growth over the long term will require the global passenger fleet to increase by around 22,000 aircraft, which equates to a 3.1% annual growth rate, taking the inventory to some 47,700 aircraft at the end of 2041. The in-service passenger fleet is not forecast to return to 2019 levels until mid-2023, thus effectively losing up to four years of ‘normal’ fleet growth. Airbus and Boeing will remain the two largest commercial aircraft OEMs, delivering an estimated 80% of aircraft between them and 88% by value through 2041. However, there is US$360 billion of demand for other OEMs or new programs. The pressures to replace older, less-efficient types will increase Close to 88% of the current passenger fleet is forecast to be retired from passenger service during the next 20 years. Freighters have longer useful economic lives, so approximately 70% of the current fleet will be retired by 2041. Overall, there will be some 19,000 retirements from the end-2021 passenger fleet, plus a further 2,500 aircraft that leave the passenger fleet via cargo conversion. As pressure to switch to more environmentally friendly aircraft grows, replacing less efficient older-generation types will be an increasingly important element of fleet planning. The Covid-19 crisis has seen relatively young aircraft being phased out, while those of older vintages may remain in storage until eventual scrapping. The freighter boom continues, but may not persist Freight capacity (available tonne kilometres or ATKs) is forecast to grow annually at 3.0% and traffic (FTKs) at 3.7%, relative to 2019. The forecast predicts the supply of some 3,560 freighter aircraft over the next 20 years, including 1,060 new builds (30%) worth US$130 billion, and 2,480 conversions of passenger aircraft (70%). This is a similar volume and profile to that predicted in the previous forecast, reflecting the continued near-term boom in conversions triggered by the air-cargo market dynamics of the Covid-19 pandemic, including a short-term drop in passenger belly capacity, e-commerce growth and rising feedstock availability. Although the current conversion boom may not persist, it is enabling the replacement of older, less efficient aircraft. About Cirium Cirium brings together powerful data and analytics to keep the world moving. Delivering insight, built from decades of experience in the sector, enabling travel companies, aircraft manufacturers, airports, airlines and financial institutions, among others, to make logical and informed decisions which shape the future of travel, growing revenues and enhancing customer experiences. Cirium is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The shares of RELX PLC are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX. For further information please follow Cirium updates on LinkedIn or Twitter or visit www.cirium.com. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230124005195/en/44500-New-Aircraft-to-Be-Delivered-Over-the-Next-Two-Decades-Worth-US2.9-Trillion Hawaiian pilots land lucrative cargo contract ahead of new Amazon service Labor deal at 1st-time freighter operator beats pay scales for FedEx, UPS, union says Hawaiian Airlines has 24 Airbus A330 passenger planes in its fleet. It will fly 10 more converted freighters for Amazon. A tentative labor agreement last week could make Hawaiian Airlines’ pilots the highest paid in the cargo industry, exceeding compensation levels at traditional standard-bearers FedEx Express and UPS, as the Honolulu-based carrier prepares to begin flying heavy freighters for Amazon later this year. Amazon’s private airline will incur higher expenses, but locking in a lucrative, long-term contract ensures Hawaiian Airlines (NASDAQ: HA) labor stability and enables it to attract crew members during a period of pilot scarcity — features Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) will likely find attractive for reliable deliveries. The Air Line Pilots Association announced Thursday that negotiators had reached agreement with Hawaiian Airlines on a four-year contract that significantly boosts pilot pay, including for the carrier’s new cargo operation. The increase makes pay scales at Hawaiian very competitive with the top all-cargo carriers as well as passenger majors such as Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, according to union data. The new terms of employment include an average 32.9% pay increase over the duration of the deal for Hawaiian’s five aircraft types, led by an average 16.6% increase at the time of signing. The deal includes a signing bonus, raises company retirement contributions, creates a health reimbursement account, increases schedule flexibility and addresses quality of life. Hawaiian Airlines’ 1,000 pilots will vote on the new deal over two weeks, beginning Friday. If ratified, the contract will take effect on March 2. A significant feature of the proposed agreement is the industry-leading pilot pay for Hawaiian’s future fleet of Airbus A330 freighters. In October, Amazon Air said it will lease 10 used A330s converted to cargo configuration and place them with Hawaiian to operate on its behalf in the continental United States, and to Hawaii, for at least eight years. The A330 will be the largest aircraft in Amazon’s fleet, which has grown in six years to 110 aircraft crewed and maintained by several contract carriers. The cargo jets will replace older Boeing 767 freighters as their contracts with suppliers expire. Amazon will pay a fixed monthly fee per aircraft, a per-flight-hour fee and a fee for each flight cycle operated. It will also reimburse Hawaiian for operating expenses, including fuel, certain maintenance and insurance premiums. Hawaiian said it intends to establish a pilot base on the continental U.S., grow existing maintenance bases and expand the hiring of pilots and other personnel to support the new cargo operation. Hawaiian expects to begin operating the first two A330 converted freighters in the second half of 2023, said spokeswoman Kris Tanahara. The Amazon business is expected to add about 160 pilots to Hawaiian’s ranks. Under the tentative agreement, an A330 freighter captain with top seniority at Hawaiian Airlines would earn $376 per hour, with pay rising to $436 per hour in 2027 — well above current and projected pay scales for FedEx (NYSE: FDX) and UPS (NYSE: UPS) pilots — according to ALPA rate-comparison charts viewed by FreightWaves. Federal Aviation Administration regulations limit pilots to 80 duty hours per month. UPS pilots last August ratified a two-year contract extension that was limited to pay and pension benefits. A computer-generated image of an Amazon Air A330 under Hawaiian Airlines’ operating certificate. The livery is changed from that on Amazon’s 767 freighters, with the tail and underbelly colors transposed. (Image: Hawaiian Airlines) Meanwhile, FedEx pilots are unhappy working under a contract that became eligible for amendment in November 2021, preceded by six months of advance negotiations. In October, ALPA filed for federal mediation with the National Mediation Board to help move the talks forward. The pilots argue they should be rewarded with an industry-leading contract because they sacrificed during the pandemic to keep FedEx moving critical goods and medical equipment, and were instrumental in generating record profits for two years before the freight market weakened in the fall. FedEx pilots have held a series of informational pickets on Wall Street and at major FedEx air hubs. Last month they placed a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal in an effort to alert customers and shareholders about what they claim is foot-dragging by the company. It’s possible that a new collective bargaining agreement between FedEx and its pilots could supersede the one at Hawaiian Airlines, although the recent plunge in operating income and a sour demand outlook for 2023 could negatively influence management’s thinking. Comparisons aren’t always simple because most airlines have different pay grades by aircraft type and size. UPS, for example, is unusual in that it has a blended rate for its aircraft types. And neither express carrier flies the A330. Amazon didn’t respond to requests for comment. Pipeline of pilot contracts A large number of major passenger airlines are also negotiating, or have recently concluded, new labor deals with their cockpit crews. And pilot scarcity and inflation are driving up wages. Pilots are in a strong negotiating position because airlines haven’t been able to hire and train pilots fast enough to keep up with post-pandemic travel demand after thousands of employees were laid off or retired during the downturn. Meanwhile, low-cost and startup carriers are expanding. Pilots are eager to reset market rates because most of them didn’t receive raises as airline contracts lapsed during the pandemic and the rising cost of living eroded take-home pay, said Christopher Stathoulopoulos, an airline analyst at Susquehanna Financial Group. In early December, Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) reached an agreement in principle with pilots on a four-year contract that significantly improves compensation levels. The proposal includes an 18% increase in the first year, followed by a 5% bump in year two and 4% increases in each of the final two years. A “me-too-clause” will automatically raise pay an additional 1% if American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL) or United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) offers wage parity with Delta. The company’s 15,000 pilots will vote on the deal, which now sets the benchmark for U.S. carriers to follow, during February. Alaska Airlines (NYSE: ALK) pilots ratified a three-year contract in October that delivers wage increases up to 23%, depending on years of service. Top-of-scale captains will make $306 per hour, increasing to $330 after two years, according to the company. Alaska only operates narrowbody aircraft. Pilots at United Airlines and American Airlines last fall turned down contracts recommended by their unions. The United bargaining unit of the Air Line Pilots Association on Monday elected a new chairman, setting the table for negotiations to resume next month. Last week, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association called for a strike authorization vote from members, beginning May 1. The move follows the airline’s disastrous performance during the holidays when outdated scheduling systems were unable to cope with bad weather, leading to thousands of canceled flights. Contract talks have been ongoing for more than three years. Airlines, on average, have about 16 pilots per aircraft to ensure coverage for weather and other disruptions. When Spirit Airlines added 33 planes last year, it also needed 528 more pilots, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst George Ferguson. “Over the next five years we expect that new-aircraft deliveries for carriers expanding fleets, such as Spirit, Frontier, JetBlue and Breeze will require 6,000 new pilots. These numbers don’t include retirements and growth for cargo carriers. Any relief from initiatives such as single-pilot cockpit operations seem at least a half decade away, leaving the pilot shortage in place unless there is a dramatic downturn in the business,” Ferguson wrote in a recent client note. https://www.freightwaves.com/news/hawaiian-pilots-land-lucrative-cargo-contract-ahead-of-new-amazon-service Airbus has changed the design of its A350 flagship jet amid its dispute with Qatar Airways over peeling paint • Airbus has changed the copper foil used on its A350 aircraft, which protects from lightning strikes. • In 2021, Qatar Airways sued Airbus over chipped paint that exposes the copper mesh, citing a safety risk. • The two companies have been in a legal battle for months over the issue, which Airbus says is "cosmetic." By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Airbus has redesigned a core component of its A350 aircraft. The European planemaker confirmed to Insider on Monday that it is changing the metal coating used on its jets, replacing the expanded copper foil (ECF) with a perforated copper foil (PCF). The copper foil sits between the paint and the carbon fuselage to protect the aircraft from lightning strikes. According to Airbus, the company started "progressively" using PCF on A350 aircraft "fuselage section by fuselage section," starting with deliveries in late 2022. But it noted the old copper foil is still being used as well. The change is significant considering Airbus' ongoing battle with Qatar Airways over the old copper foil — a dispute worth $2 billion, per Reuters. In 2021, the airline filed a lawsuit with the manufacturer over surface paint issues on the A350. According to Qatar, the cracked paint exposes the copper mesh and poses a safety threat, resulting in the grounding of over two dozen A350 jets. Cracked paint on Qatar A350. An undated image shows what appears to be paint peeling, cracking and exposed expanded copper foil (ECF) on the fuselage of a Qatar Airways Airbus A350 aircraft. Reuters Airbus has maintained the issue is simply "cosmetic," and other A350 operators, like Delta Air Lines and Etihad Airways, have noted damage but do not view it as a safety concern. Nor have any of the carriers grounded their widebodies over the problem. However, Airbus told Insider that the ECF replacement "is not connected to the Qatar litigation," but the decision was made in 2019 to reduce weight as the new copper foil is lighter. "This enhancement is part of the usual continuous aircraft development which is entirely standard in the industry," a company spokesperson said. The planemaker also confirmed that the new PCF will "boost the durability of the paint system even though it wasn't developed for this." Nevertheless, Qatar questioned the redesign in court on Thursday, asking for an analysis of how a lightning strike could impact the safety of flight. Specifically, the airline requested modeling data of the A350, though, according to Reuters, French authorities said the sharing of that information could pose a security threat because the designs are used by European governments. While Qatar accused Airbus of skirting data sharing, lawyers on both sides have provisionally arranged to provide the data. A corporate trial will take place in June if a settlement cannot be reached. Qatar declined to comment on the matter when reached by Insider. Over the past year, the dispute between Airbus and Qatar has become more serious. In January 2022, the planemaker made a rare move, canceling the airline's order for 50 Airbus A321 jets, and later canceled all of Qatar's A350 orders in September. Qatar CEO Akbar Al Baker said in December 2021 that the problem has "destroyed" the airline's relationship with Airbus. Though, the manufacturer stood by the A350 at the time, saying, "the attempt by this customer to misrepresent this specific topic as an airworthiness issue represents a threat to the international protocols on safety matters." However, Airbus told Insider in September that it is open to a settlement, and company CEO Guillaume Faury told Reuters in June that there was "progress in the sense that we are communicating." https://www.businessinsider.com/airbus-changing-a350-aircraft-design-amid-dispute-qatar-2023-1 LATAM And Delta Announce Joint Venture, Planning To Serve 300 Destinations In The Americas Delta Air Lines and the LATAM Group announced they will create a partnership between the United States and South America. This partnership will connect the Americas to more than 300 destinations. The announcement was made after the U.S. Department of Transportation granted final approval for their joint venture. Once implemented, the approval enables Delta and LATAM Airlines Group to unlock new customer and cargo benefits. “Delta’s partnership with LATAM will help grow the market between North and South America and provide significant and much-needed benefits for customers, and we applaud the DOT for this final approval,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief executive officer. “Now, we’ll get to work with LATAM to transform the travel experience for our collective customers and create new opportunities for our employees.” According to Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group, the approval by the DOT will give rise to the start of work with Delta to deliver more and better benefits to LATAM and Delta customers, such as faster connections, and the joint accrual of miles in frequent flyer programs, among many others. “I am sure that, over time, we will be able to offer the best connections, while incorporating a sustainable view of the future,” said Alvo. The goal of the Delta-LATAM partnership is to significantly expand travel choices across North and South America. The airlines will share reciprocal elite frequent flyer benefits. They will also share terminals at airport hubs like New York, São Paulo, Brazil, and Santiago, Chile. Also, passengers can access 53 Delta Sky Club lounges in the United States and five LATAM Lounges in South America. It includes Delta’s new Sky Club in LA and the LATAM Lounge Santiago de Chile, South America’s largest customer lounge. In 2020, Delta and LATAM introduced their first codeshare services in South America. In 2021, the companies expanded codeshare services to 20 U.S. and South American routes. This partnership broadens the range of destinations from their hubs in Atlanta, NY, LA, Santiago, Lima, Bogota, and São Paulo. It helps improving connectivity between the two regions. https://www.yahoo.com/news/latam-delta-announce-joint-venture-191910817.html 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) RESEARCH SURVEY Greetings, My name is Nurettin Dinler, Research Scholar and PhD student at Department of Aviation Science, Saint Louis University working with Nithil Bollock Kumar, PhD Candidate, Gajapriya Tamilselvan, PhD, and Stephen Belt, PhD. We are working on a research project titled “Low-Cost Airline Pilots on Exercising Fuel-Loading Policies during Flight: A Phenomenological Exploration Study.” I am writing this e-mail to invite you to participate in a research study that we are conducting at Saint Louis University. Your participation in this study will involve taking a semi-structured interview that lasts for about 30 minutes. During the interview, you will be questioned about your experiences with Low-Cost Airlines’ fuel-loading policies developed to minimize pilot discretionary (extra) fuel. There is no compensation provided for your participation in the study. However, your participation will be a valuable addition to our research and your findings could lead to greater understanding of risk management for pilots and the sources of stressors in commercial aviation. Participation is completely voluntary, and your participation will remain confidential throughout the process of research. If you are interested in participating in this research, please take a moment to complete the survey at the following link: https://slu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0l9Awl5UkXDiKRo If you have any questions, please contact me at 321-245-8628 or nurettin.dinler@slu.edu Thank you for your time and consideration. Regards, Nurettin Dinler, M.S. Research Scholar Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science School of Science and Engineering McDonnell Douglas Hall, Lab 1046 3450 Lindell Blvd., St Louis, MO 63103 nurettin.dinler@slu.edu (321) 245-8628 Curt Lewis