Flight Safety Information - February 6, 2023 No. 025 In This Issue : Incident: Iberia A321 near Munich on Feb 2nd 2023, hot brakes indication enroute : Incident: United B772 near Lincoln on Feb 4th 2023, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Fedex B763 and Southwest B737 at Austin on Feb 4th 2023, loss of separation on runway resolved by go around : Incident: Austrian B763 at Vienna on Feb 4th 2023, returned twice due to rudder ratio : Incident: LATAM B773 near Lyon on Feb 3rd 2023, cockpit oxygen problem : Incident: India Express B738 at Abu Dhabi on Feb 3rd 2023, engine fire : Boeing 767-306ER - Engine Surge (Thailand) : Southwest cutting required flight time for pilot applicants : Two pilots survive after 737 large air tanker crashes in Fitzgerald River National Park while battling bushfires (Australia) : A Russian passenger plane caught fire in Thailand after a top Russian official said the country's planes were safe despite sanctions on its airlines : Mitsubishi Heavy set to terminate passenger jet project : How Airbus Is Using High-Performance Computing To Design The Aircraft Of The Future : ACSF Safety Symposium To Spotlight Bizav Careers : RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: Iberia A321 near Munich on Feb 2nd 2023, hot brakes indication enroute An Iberia Airbus A321-200 on behalf of Finnair, registration EC-JGS performing flight AY-1654 from Barcelona,SP (Spain) to Helsinki (Finland), was enroute at FL340 about 50nm south of Munich (Germany) when the crew decided to divert to Munich reporting they had a "hot wheel" indication. The aircraft descended to FL200, then advised they had normal operation again and wanted to continue the flight to Helsinki. The aircraft climbed to FL350 and continued to Helsinki where the aircraft landed safely about 2:20 hours later. According to information The Aviation Herald received the crew received a hot brakes indication due to failed brakes temperature sensor. The aircraft returned to service about 2:10 hours after landing in Helsinki. https://avherald.com/h?article=504a56e6&opt=0 Incident: United B772 near Lincoln on Feb 4th 2023, engine shut down in flight A United Boeing 777-200, registration N779UA performing flight UA-1888 from Chicago O'Hare,IL to Las Vegas,NV (USA) with 326 people on board, was enroute at FL380 about 10nm northeast of Lincoln,NE (USA) when the crew declared Mayday reporting they had lost their right hand engine (PW4077) and decided to divert to Lincoln. The aircraft positioned for an ILS approach to runway 18 and landed safely about 25 minutes after leaving FL380. A replacement Boeing 777-200 registration N220UA reached Las Vegas with a delay of about 8 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Lincoln about 18 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=504bcc27&opt=0 Incident: Fedex B763 and Southwest B737 at Austin on Feb 4th 2023, loss of separation on runway resolved by go around A Fedex Federal Express Boeing 767-300, registration N297FE performing flight FX-1432 from Memphis,TN to Austin,TX (USA), was on final for a CATIII ILS approach to Austin's runway 18L and was cleared to land on runway 18L, RVR was at 1400, mid point 600 and roll out 1800 feet, tower also informed the crew that a Boeing 737 would depart prior to their arrival. About 4 minutes after the 767 was cleared to land a Soutwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N7827A performing flight WN-708 from Austin,TX (USA) to Cancun (Mexico), reported holding short of runway 18L for departure and was cleared for takeoff from runway 18L, tower advised a heavy Boeing 767 was on a 3 mile final. Tower queried about 30 seconds later whether they were on the roll, the crew confirmed they were rolling now. Another 25 seconds later someone advised "Southwest abort, the Fedex was on the go (around)". Tower acknowledged and instructed the 737 to turn right when able. However, the 737 continued takeoff, after liftoff went off the extended runway center line to the right, climbed out, subsequently tower instructed them to turn left and handed them off to departure. The 767 initiated a go around from about 150 feet AGL about 1000 feet short of the runway threshold, climbed to 3000 feet MSL overflying the runway, turned for a left downwind, positioned for another approach and landed on runway 18L without further incident about 11 minutes after the go around. The NTSB announced: "The NTSB is investigating a surface event at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Saturday, a possible runway incursion and overflight involving airplanes from Southwest Airlines and FedEx." https://avherald.com/h?article=504bc65b&opt=0 Incident: Austrian B763 at Vienna on Feb 4th 2023, returned twice due to rudder ratio An Austrian Airlines Boeing 767-300, registration OE-LAY performing flight OS-73 from Vienna (Austria) to Montreal,QC (Canada), was enroute at FL300 about 60nm northwest of Vienna when the crew decided to return to Vienna due to a rudder ratio indication. The aircraft landed overweight but safely back on Vienna's runway 34 about 40 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 75 minutes, departed again and stopped the climb at FL190 when the rudder ratio indication re-occurred. The aircraft again returned to Vienna for a safe overweight landing on runway 34 about 35 minutes after second departure. The rotation was subsequently cancelled. The airline reported the aircraft returned after a fault message occurred. After a technical review the aircraft was again released for the flight, but needed to return again when the fault message re-occurred. The passengers on both flights to and from Montreal were rebooked onto other flights. https://avherald.com/h?article=504b4270&opt=0 Incident: LATAM B773 near Lyon on Feb 3rd 2023, cockpit oxygen problem A LATAM Boeing 777-300, registration PT-MUI performing flight LA-8071 from Frankfurt/Main (Germany) to Sao Paulo Guarulhos,SP (Brazil), was enroute at FL310 about 70nm southwest of Lyon (France) when the crew descended the aircraft to FL230 and further to FL190 due to problems with the crew oxygen supply. The aircraft subsequently diverted to Madrid for a safe landing about 2 hours after leaving FL310. The aircraft is still on the ground in Madrid about 16 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=504b22bb&opt=0 Incident: India Express B738 at Abu Dhabi on Feb 3rd 2023, engine fire An Air India Express Boeing 737-800, registration VT-AYC performing flight IX-348 from Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) to Kozhikode (India) with 184 people on board, was climbing out of Abu Dhabi's runway 13R when the crew received a left hand engine (CFM56) fire indication at about 1000 feet AGL, stopped the climb at 2000 feet and returned to Abu Dhabi for a safe landing on runway 13R about 18 minutes after departure. The aircraft vacated the runway and stopped on the adjacent taxiway. There are no injuries reported. India's DGCA reported the aircraft suffered a #1 engine flame out at 1000 feet during climb and returned to Abu Dhabi. The DGCA is investigating. The airline stated a "technical snag in one of the engines" prompted the aircraft to return to Abu Dhabi. https://avherald.com/h?article=504a4290&opt=0 Boeing 767-306ER - Engine Surge (Thailand) Date: 04-FEB-2023 Time: 09:55 UTC Type: Boeing 767-306ER Owner/operator: Azur Air Registration: RA-73034 MSN: 27612/647 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 321 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Phuket International Airport (HKT/VTSP) - Thailand Phase: Take off Nature: Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi Departure airport: Phuket International Airport (HKT/VTSP) Destination airport: Moskva-Vnukovo International Airport Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: Azur Air flight ZF3604, a Boeing 767-300ER, suffered an engine surge during the takeoff roll on runway 09 at Phuket International Airport (HKT), Thailand. The crew decided to abort the takeoff - as a result of braking, the tire of one of the wheels burst. The aircraft taxied back to the apron. http://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/307457 Southwest cutting required flight time for pilot applicants (NewsNation) — Southwest Airlines announced they would be cutting required flying time hours for prospective pilots in half, in an effort to boost staff. Though this move adds to the scrutiny Southwest is facing following the holiday travel meltdown and a recent close-call with a FedEx cargo jet in Austin, one former captain and aviation expert says it’s not as concerning as it seems. “What this gives them is a lower floor where they could select an outstanding candidate with lower experience,” said former United pilot and aviation consultant, Kit Darby, on NewsNation “Prime.” Starting Feb. 7, new pilot applicants for Southwest will need to have 500 hours of turbine time, down from the 1,000 hours previously required. Aside from this change, Southwest maintained they’re training policies remain the same. “Our robust and rigorous Flight Operations training program has not changed and all current and future First Officer candidates must pass all elements of the curriculum prior to flying for Southwest,” said Southwest representative Tiffany Valdez in a written statement to NewsNation. The move to cut required flying hours comes in response to Southwest’s pilot shortage, an issue they have been facing since the pandemic reduced input into pilot training programs. The shortage of pilots has caused Southwest to cut back on flights and restrict their growth as demand grows. “A low-time pilot is not necessarily an unsafe pilot. The military, with the most sophisticated airplanes in the world, with a serious mission, puts people into those most sophisticated airplanes at 300 or 400 hours all the time, and they do fine. So good training can counter lower experience levels,” said Darby Aside from the requirements Southwest establishes, new pilot applicants are also required to meet Federal Aviation Administration criteria, which require far fewer hours than most commercial airlines do. The FAA still requires pilots to have at least 1,500 hours of total flying experience to qualify as co-pilots at U.S. airlines. With a huge need for pilots right now, and four to five years of training required to qualify to fly, this move will help ease the burden quicker, according to Darby. Southwest told NewsNation their new recruiting policies will remain in line with or above FAA requirements, saying, “We’ll continue selecting competitively-qualified, world-class aviators who demonstrate extensive flight experience, professionalism and Southwest values.” https://www.newsnationnow.com/business/southwest-cutting-required-flight-time-for-pilot-applicants/ Two pilots survive after 737 large air tanker crashes in Fitzgerald River National Park while battling bushfires (Australia) Two pilots have walked away with minor injuries after a large air tanker crashed while battling two bushfires in regional Western Australia on Monday afternoon. Authorities say the pilots managed to free themselves from the Boeing 737 Fireliner after it came down in the Fitzgerald River National Park, about 460 kilometres south-east of Perth, at about 4:40pm. In a statement, WA Police said the water bomber took off from the Busselton-Margaret River airport at about 3:25pm to respond to a fire in the area. "The two pilots onboard were retrieved from the crash site by helicopter and airlifted to Ravensthorpe Health Service," the statement said. A St John Ambulance WA spokesperson said the two people were not believed to be seriously injured. The area, west of Hopetoun, was under a Bushfire Watch and Act warning on Monday. Shire president hopes for a 'speedy recovery' Shire of Ravensthorpe president Keith Dunlop said he was unsure about the details behind the crash. "I hope the pilots aren't too badly injured, and I certainly wish them a most speedy recovery," he said. "Let's just hope they are all okay and best of luck to their family." The WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) are both conducting separate investigations into the crash. In a statement, the ATSB said it was assembling a team from its Perth and Canberra offices with experience in aircraft operations and maintenance, human factors and data recovery to conduct the "evidence-collection phase" of the investigation. "Initially, investigators will seek to interview the pilots and witnesses to understand the circumstances of the accident, and determine the accessibility of the accident site with the aim of conducting an on-site examination of the aircraft wreckage," the statement said. "The scope of the investigation and its time frame will be determined as the ATSB builds its understanding of the nature of the accident." https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-06/water-bomber-crashes-fighting-wa-bushfire-two-people-hospital/101938070 A Russian passenger plane caught fire in Thailand after a top Russian official said the country's planes were safe despite sanctions on its airlines • A Russian plane caught fire while taking off from an airport in Thailand, according to reports. • A top Russian official said it has "not become more dangerous to fly" in Russia after sanctions on the country's airlines. • Passengers reported hearing "the sound of crackling" before the plane caught fire. 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. Passengers captured video of a Russian passenger plane that caught fire as it was preparing to depart from the Phuket International Airport in Thailand. Cellphone video obtained by The Sun shows the plane's wing smoking while the plane drives across the airport's tarmac. Azur Air, the Russian airline that owns the plane, did not immediately return Insider's request for comment on Sunday. The company told The Sun in a statement that "airline technical specialists have already started work to eliminate the malfunctions." The plane's passengers will be provided with a hotel, meals, and drinks while waiting for a new flight to Moscow, the company said in the statement. The aircraft could carry up to 321 passengers, The Sun reported. Passengers reported hearing a loud "bang" and one said they "heard the sound of crackling" before the plane caught fire, The Daily Mail reported. On Wednesday, the head of Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency, Alexander Neradko, said he is confident that sanctions imposed on the supply of spare plane parts in Russia have not affected flight safety in the country, according to Simple Flying. "Everyone who is responsible for aviation in our country made timely and correct decisions in response to the actions of those who joined the sanctions," Neradko said according to the outlet. Neradko insisted that airlines "rearranging" spare parts to be used on different planes is a normal practice and said he expects Russian airlines to continue operating foreign-produced aircraft safely for the next seven years, Simple Flying reported. It's unclear if the Azur Air flight underwent maintenance before departure and what caused it to malfunction. "I am confident that it has not become more dangerous to fly - and it has nothing to do with the presence or absence of original spare parts," said Neradko said according to The Sun. https://www.insider.com/russian-plane-catches-fire-after-sanctions-on-russian-airlines-2023-2 Mitsubishi Heavy set to terminate passenger jet project Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. plans to terminate the development of a domestically manufactured jet, sources familiar with the matter said Monday. The company had invested about 1 trillion ($7.6 billion) into the SpaceJet project, officially launched in 2008, but suspended it in October 2020 after it was hit by repeated delays due to a lack of expertise. Public and private sectors in Japan had been working together to develop the country's first domestically manufactured passenger jet. However, lack of prospects for commercialization has forced Mitsubishi to withdraw. The company has been gradually ramping down development since freezing the project, including closing down its flight testing base in the United States. https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/02/0aa9f96d1f08-urgent-mitsubishi-heavy-set-to-terminate-passenger-jet-project.html How Airbus Is Using High-Performance Computing To Design The Aircraft Of The Future Where "science meets art." While other areas of aviation, such as enhanced passenger experiences and biometric systems, may also come to define the coming decades, the industry is facing two of its greatest transitions to date - decarbonization and digitalization. And the implementation of the latter will most certainly support the quest for the former. We may have to wait a while for the major technological step changes that will (most likely) come in the form of electric and hydrogen propulsion. In the meantime, any incremental efficiency gains that can be had will mean crucial fuel savings and push the needle on CO2 emissions. Furthermore, gradual learning and implementation will help inform technological breakthroughs. Understanding how air moves over complex shapes, such as aircraft and their wings, helps engineers reduce drag and maximize lift. In order to gain the best insight possible into how to design the most efficient aircraft of the future, engineers at European aerospace giant Airbus are utilizing what is known as computational fluid dynamics (CFD). CFD simulates fluid flows and then produces quantitative predictions of the flow phenomena, utilizing a combination of mathematics, physics, and high-performance computer algorithms. Airbus is partnering with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA) to explore how the approach can help inform aerodynamics and increase efficiency. Airbus’ Head of Aerodynamics, Simon Galpin, explains the approach like this, “I always say that CFD is where science meets art. It’s a beautiful thing, a kind of computerised wind tunnel." 'Industry-ready' flow predictions Galpin further continued on the partnership with the German and French aerospace research centers, which was first established in 2017 and then renewed last year, “It made sense to combine our efforts. We’re developing a new generation CFD code that is ‘industry-ready’ for flow prediction and equally applicable to aircraft, helicopters and space systems.” The purpose of the renewed partnership is to expand the application to Airbus' current and future projects including hydrogen-focused ZEROe, hybrid-propulsion EcoPulse, and the Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) program OpenFan concept in collaboration with CFM. The trio of aerospace expert organizations says it is already using CFD to mature test cases that were previously thought unfeasible due to limited physical representation and computational capacity. This will then help inform wing and engine design in order to increase efficiency and support the transition to cleaner aviation. Galpin explains, “We better be extracting every gram of energy from every kilogram of alternative fuel, using the most efficient aircraft architecture. Using advanced CFD helps us shave off drag little by little.” Attracting talent in tech As many industries seek to decarbonize simultaneously, one of the main challenges for aerospace will be to attract talent across relevan digital technologies. Airbus believes that cutting-edge collaborations, such as this one with DLR and ONERA, will draw future engineers to its cause. Pascal Larrieu, Airbus Computational Simulation Expert, commented, “This project opens doors to a diverse, dynamic and Europe-wide research network. We’re convinced our work will help attract future aeronautics engineers to join us in meeting our decarbonisation ambition together.” https://simpleflying.com/how-airbus-using-high-performance-computing-design-aircraft-the-future/ ACSF Safety Symposium To Spotlight Bizav Careers Gen. Lloyd "Fig" Newton will discuss developing a sustainable aviation safety culture during the 2023 ACSF Safety Symposium. The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is returning to the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) campus in Daytona Beach, Florida, for its annual Safety Symposium from March 20 to 22. It will have a slate of speakers that includes General Lloyd "Fig" Newton and, for the first time, a business aviation career panel session. ACSF brought its Safety Symposium to ERAU last year after remaining at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) training facility in Ashburn, Virginia, for the organization’s first 13 years. Building on the success of last year’s symposium, ACSF is hoping to tap into the university's student base with a kickoff panel on March 20 involving C-Suite leaders who will provide insight into their own career paths and highlight future opportunities in business aviation. Jessie Naor, president of GrandView Aviation, will moderate the panel, which also includes executives from USAIG, Embraer, Priester Aviation, Magellan Jets, and Jet It. That event will be followed by two days of safety sessions covering topics such as leadership, culture, safety management systems, and flight data monitoring. Newton, a retired four-star U.S. Air Force general who serves on the NBAA board, will discuss developing a sustainable aviation safety culture. NTSB Member Michael Graham, meanwhile, will overview circling approaches. In all, 20 industry leaders and safety experts are lined up to participate in panels and sessions during this year’s event. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2023-02-02/acsf-safety-symposium-spotlight-bizav-careers 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