Flight Safety Information - February 9, 2023 No. 028 In This Issue : Incident: Flynas A20N at Dubai on Feb 9th 2023, engine failure : Incident: LOT B788 over Romania on Feb 8th 2023, autobrake malfunction : Incident: United A319 at Austin on Feb 6th 2023, hydraulic failure : Beechcraft B200 King Air - Landed Short - (Montana) : Cirrus grounds its own SR22 and SR22T aircraft due to engine ‘issue’ : Bombardier Revenue Jumps With Rise in Aircraft Deliveries : FAA cleared 40-passenger hydrogen-powered aircraft for testing : Embry-Riddle and Amerijet Collaborate on Pilot Pathway Program : Two guns stopped by TSA officers within a matter of hours at MSP Airport : SriLankan Airlines Has Defaulted On Government Bonds Worth $175 Million : Experts Warned Southwest Airlines, FAA About Outdated Software for Years : RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: Flynas A20N at Dubai on Feb 9th 2023, engine failure A Flynas Airbus A320-200N, registration HZ-NS35 performing flight XY-508 from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) with 147 people on board, was climbing out of Dubai's runway 30R when the crew stopped the climb at 4000 feet due to the failure of one of the engines (LEAP). The aircraft returned to Dubai for a safe landing on runway 30L about 22 minutes after departure. A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration VP-CYD is estimated to reach Jeddah with a delay of about 9 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground about 11 hours after landing back. A passenger reported the captain announced a malfunction in one of the engines. https://avherald.com/h?article=504ec7f5&opt=0 Incident: LOT B788 over Romania on Feb 8th 2023, autobrake malfunction A LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 787-8, registration SP-LRA performing flight LO-75 from Warsaw (Poland) to Mumbai (India), was enroute at FL410 about 20nm east of Bucharest (Romania) when the crew decided to turn around and return to Warsaw reporting a problem with the autobrakes. The aircraft descended to FL400 for the return and landed safely on Warsaw's runway 11 about 90 minutes after the decision to turn around. A replacement Boeing 787-9 registration SP-LSD departed Warsaw about 2:40 hours after SP-LRA landed back and is estimated to reach Mumbai with a delay of about 5 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=504e517d&opt=0 Incident: United A319 at Austin on Feb 6th 2023, hydraulic failure A United Airbus A319-100, registration N852UA performing flight UA-1784 from Houston Intercontinental,TX to Austin,TX (USA), was descending towards Austin when the crew declared emergency reporting the failure of a single hydraulic system. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Austin's runway 18R and stopped for an inspection by emergency services. The crew queried the emergency services with respect to a visible hydraulic leak and the status of the tyres advising, they had a single hydraulic system failure and overheat, and after touchdown the right hand side of the aircraft felt rough possibly due to tyres. Emergency services reported seeing nothing out of the ordinary, all tyres appeared intact and no leaks were discovered. The aircraft subsequently taxied to the apron with emergency services in trail. The aircraft returned to service about 14 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=504e4896&opt=0 Beechcraft B200 King Air - Landed Short - (Montana) Status: Accident Investigation report not yet completed, but information verified through authorities or other sources. Date: Wednesday 18 January 2023 Time: 08:18 Type: Beechcraft B200 King Air Operator: Edwards Jet Center Registration: N200EJ MSN: BB-1884 First flight: Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Poplar Municipal Airport, MT ( United States of America) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Ambulance Departure airport: Billings-Logan International Airport, MT (BIL/KBIL), United States of America Destination airport: Poplar Municipal Airport, MT, United States of America Narrative: A Beechcraft B200 King Air air ambulance , N200EJ, sustained substantial damage when it landed short of runway 09 at Poplar Municipal Airport (PO1), Montana, USA. The aircraft slid about 150 feet past the runway threshold. One pilot sustained minor injuries. The other pilot and the sole passenger were not injured. http://www.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20230118-0 Cirrus grounds its own SR22 and SR22T aircraft due to engine ‘issue’ Cirrus Aircraft, maker of high-performance single-engine aircraft, has grounded its SR22 and SR22T models after “an issue” was discovered with its Continental Aerospace engines. The grounding is for Cirrus-owned and operated aircraft only, but was revealed in an email to all of the types’ owners on 8 February. “Cirrus Aircraft has been informed by Continental…of an issue that affects engines that power both Cirrus Aircraft’s SR22 and SR22T models,” the company says in the email. “While we are still working with Continental to determine the scope of the issue and the specific serial number range of affected aircraft, we are pro-actively making the decision – out of an abundance of caution – to pause all internal Cirrus Aircraft company flight operations on SR22 and SR22Ts manufactured and issued a Certificate of Airworthiness from June 1, 2021, through February 7, 2023,” Cirrus adds. Cirrus grounds its internal SR22 and SR22T fleet due to “an issue” with its engine The company did not say how how many aircraft this affects, but according to Cirium fleets data up to 700 of the two types certified during the specified time frame could be flying around the world. The Federal Aviation Administration says it is ”investigating the issue and is evaluating possible next steps”. “Continental is pro-actively working with the FAA as a standard protocol for a situation of this nature,” Cirrus adds. “We are unaware if the FAA will choose to issue an AD for this issue.” Duluth-based Cirrus says that it continues to operate all its SR20s, as well as SR22s and SR22Ts manufactured before June 1, 2021 or after February 7, 2023, without restrictions. “We anticipate Continental to issue a Service Bulletin in the near future, which will detail the specific range of affected aircraft, the root cause of the issue and corrective action,” the company says. “The Continental Service Bulletin will accompany a Cirrus Aircraft Service Advisory notification.” Last July, the US regulator issued a sweeping directive to address a long-standing tailpipe problem potentially affecting 41,000 US-registered aircraft with turbocharged reciprocating engines, including some Cirrus models. The AD required operators to replace “v-band couplings” in turbocharged engines because “spot welds” on those couplings were subject to fatigue failure. V-band couplings attach “the exhaust tailpipe to the turbocharger exhaust outlet”, the FAA said. https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/cirrus-grounds-its-own-sr22-and-sr22t-aircraft-due-to-engine-issue/151993.article Bombardier Revenue Jumps With Rise in Aircraft Deliveries Bombardier Inc. logged better-than expected sales in the final quarter of last year on the back of a rise in deliveries and what the Canadian aerospace company said was a favorable aircraft mix and significant contribution from aftermarket services. The Montreal-based company reported fourth-quarter net income of $241 million, up from $238 million in the same period the year before. Per-share earnings increased to $2.40 from $2.35 a year ago. On an adjusted basis, earnings were $2.09 a share. Total revenue jumped to $2.66 billion from $1.77 billion a year earlier, driven by a roughly 60% increase in business aircraft manufacturing sales. Analysts polled by FactSet were expecting revenue of $2.55 billion. For the year, revenue rose 14% to $6.91 billion, beating company guidance affirmed in August for it to top $6.5 billion. For 2023, Bombardier said it expected revenue of more than $7.6 billion with the delivery of more than 123 aircraft. Bombardier delivered 123 aircraft in 2022, 49 of which were in the fourth quarter. It added that its order backlog reached $14.8 billion at the end of the year, a $2.6 billion increase year-over-year. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/bombardier-revenue-jumps-with-rise-in-aircraft-deliveries-271675944405 FAA cleared 40-passenger hydrogen-powered aircraft for testing Universal Hydrogen completed first taxi tests. Credit: Universal Hydrogen The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted Universal Hydrogen a special airworthiness certificate in the experimental category to proceed with the first flight of its hydrogen-powered regional aircraft. The approval means that the Dash 8-300 flying testbed can now be flown out of the Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Wash. The Dash 8-300 flying testbed has a megawatt-class hydrogen fuel cell powertrain installed in one of its nacelles, allowing it to run on zero-carbon-emitting hydrogen. The powertrain is in a configuration that closely resembles the company’s first product – a conversion kit for ATR 72-600 regional airliners. The kit allows ATR 72-600 aircraft to run on hydrogen instead of traditional fuel. The Southern California-based aerospace startup expects it to be certified and ready for commercial passenger service by 2025. Unlike most of its hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered peers, Universal Hydrogen’s aircraft does not utilize a hybrid battery architecture. Instead, all of the power is transmitted directly from the fuel cells to the electric motor, significantly decreasing weight and lifecycle cost. According to the company, upon successful completion of its upcoming first flight, Universal Hydrogen’s 40+ passenger Dash 8-300 will be the largest hydrogen fuel cell-powered aircraft to ever fly. Also, it will be second as a hydrogen-powered aircraft only to the Soviet flight test in 1988 of a Tupolev Tu-155 airliner with one of its jet engines converted to burn hydrogen. “We are simultaneously providing a pragmatic, near-term solution for hydrogen infrastructure and delivery, as well as for converting existing passenger aircraft to use this lightweight, safe, and true-zero-emissions fuel,” said Paul Eremenko, co-founder and CEO of Universal Hydrogen. “Today’s milestones are essential, important steps to putting the industry on a trajectory to meet Paris Agreement obligations. The only alternative is curtailing aviation traffic growth to curb emissions.” https://www.inceptivemind.com/faa-cleared-40-passenger-hydrogen-powered-aircraft-testing/29561/ Embry-Riddle and Amerijet Collaborate on Pilot Pathway Program Amerijet International Airlines announced the launch of its Pilot Pathway Program with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the first university to sign an agreement initiating the program. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Amerijet International Airlines announced the launch of its Pilot Pathway Program with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Embry-Riddle is the first university to sign an agreement with Amerijet to launch this program. The airline will recruit and provide mentoring and coaching to sophomores, juniors and seniors who are enrolled in Embry-Riddle's Aeronautical Science degree program. Upon successful completion of their degree, with proper FAA certification and having completed three semesters as full-time flight instructors at Embry-Riddle, candidates will be offered further training and employment with Amerijet. The international shipping company, which was founded in 1974, started with one leased aircraft and provided small cargo and passenger flights between the United States and the Bahamas. Today, employing nearly 300 pilots, Amerijet officials are collaborating with Embry-Riddle to meet the company's growing demand "Amerijet International Airlines is thrilled to sign our first Pilot Pathway Program with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University," said Craig Bentley, chief operating officer at Amerijet. "Embry-Riddle is the leader in aviation education, and the graduates who join our airline will have the knowledge and experiential learning that prepares them to be valuable crew members in our airline." Placing Graduates in Rewarding Careers This program is designed to place highly trained aviators into professional positions. "One of Embry-Riddle's most important objectives is to lead graduates into meaningful, well-paying jobs," said Dr. Alan Stolzer, dean of the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus. "At the same time, we aim to collaborate with the industry by preparing exceptionally skilled aviators. This agreement with Amerijet will benefit our graduates and the aviation industry." "As we look toward the future," said Colin Salmon, Amerijet's talent acquisition manager, "we see true value in partnering with institutions such as Embry-Riddle, whose tenets and goals align with ours. This promises to be a synergistic relationship that will position both parties nicely by affording opportunities and realizing dreams." Program Criteria Embry-Riddle students and graduates selected to take part in the Amerijet Pilot Pathway will be granted preferential interviews with Amerijet. To be considered, candidates must meet these and other criteria: Criteria to receive program mentoring and coaching while earning an Aeronautical Science degree: Sophomore or higher standing. 30 hours of academic credit in the Aeronautical Science bachelor's degree program. Minimum 3.0 grade point average. Two letters of recommendation from College of Aviation faculty. Additional criteria for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Science bachelor's degree graduates: Three full semesters of service as a full-time Certified Flight Instructor at Embry-Riddle. Must qualify for an FAA unrestricted Airline Transport Pilot certificate with multi-engine land privilege. For complete details, Embry-Riddle students should contact Lauren Burmester, assistant professor in the Aeronautical Science Department, at lauren.burmester@erau.edu, or Dr. John Robbins, professor, and chair of the Aeronautical Science Department, at john.robbins@erau.edu. About Amerijet International With 49 years of experience in the cargo industry, Amerijet operates its dedicated freighter fleet of B767 and B757 aircraft from its primary hub at Miami International Airport to destinations throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America, and Europe. The company provides its service regions with approximately 421 Million ATKs (Available Tonne Kilometers) of freighter capacity annually. Amerijet's global network reaches 527 destinations with seamless and transparent transportation solutions for customers shipping time-sensitive, valuable, hazardous materials, temperature-controlled, and other commodity types. Media Contact Michaela Jarvis, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 9255889567, jarvism3@erau.edu SOURCE Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University https://finance.yahoo.com/news/embry-riddle-amerijet-collaborate-pilot-100000584.html Two guns stopped by TSA officers within a matter of hours at MSP Airport So far this year, Minneapolis TSA officers have stopped nine guns at security checkpoints. MINNEAPOLIS — Transportation Security Administration officers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport confiscated two guns within a span of six hours on Tuesday, Feb. 7. According to the TSA, both guns were detected by the same officer in the same security checkpoint lane. The first weapon was found in a carry-on bag at 4:45 a.m.; the second gun was located at 10:55 a.m. in another passenger's bag. Both firearms were confiscated by MSP Airport Police. “Our TSA officers continue to do an outstanding job detecting these weapons, but any time dangerous items are presented in the checkpoint, we have serious safety concerns for all in the area, and the resolution disrupts the screening process for the passengers waiting behind the offender,” Marty Robinson, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Minnesota, said in a statement. “Individuals who own firearms should familiarize themselves with regulations regarding where their weapons can and cannot be carried.” So far in 2023, TSA officers have stopped nine firearms at MSP Airport. In 2022, 58 guns were stopped. In January, the TSA announced that last year officers confiscated a record number of firearms at airport checkpoints. In total, 6,542 guns were recovered, 570 more than the previous record from 2021. TSA said that 88% of the guns they confiscated were loaded at the time. In December, the agency increased penalties for travelers who bring weapons to airports. Fines can be as high as $14,950, up from $13,910, depending on the circumstances. Federal law says people can travel with unloaded firearms in a locked hard-sided container as checked baggage only. Passengers must declare firearms and/or ammunition to the airline when checking bags at the ticket counter. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/tsa-two-guns-intercepted-at-minneapolis-st-paul-international-airport-in-one-day/89-9a6a5b3b-cf5a-4235-97e1-18a5d18edd77 SriLankan Airlines Has Defaulted On Government Bonds Worth $175 Million The carrier previously sought to defer its payments for December and June, though canceled the bondholder's meeting in January without reason. State-owned SriLankan Airlines has found itself back in hot water after defaulting on its $175 million government-guaranteed bond due 2024. Further financial woes The troubled carrier has struggled with financial difficulties over the past several years, compounding further during the COVID-19 pandemic. SriLankan’s 7% government-guaranteed bond defaulted on December 25, 2022, following a coupon non-payment. The airline was given a 30-day grace period, though the window passed with SriLankan failing to rectify the outstanding amount. SriLankan was initially set to hold an extraordinary bondholders meeting on January 20 in a move to defer two bond payments and allow the Sri Lankan government time to develop a long-term strategy. The meeting was canceled without reason on January 17. As reported by ch-aviation, in a statement submitted to the Singapore Stock Exchange on February 7, the flag carrier confirmed the default, noting that it would communicate with its bondholders “in due course.” “The board of directors of the company makes reference to the trust deed dated 25 June 2019 in relation to the 2024 Bonds and the coupon payment which fell due on 25 December 2022. The board hereby gives notice of an Event of Default pursuant to Condition 8(a)(i) of the 2024 Bonds as a result of the failure to pay the coupon due on 25 December 2022.” Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today. Following the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka, Fitch Ratings affirmed SriLankan’s repayment rating at C for “average-to-below recovery prospects following a default,” citing the government’s decision to suspend all foreign debt repayments in April. The airline subsequently missed a coupon payment due June 25, though it was able to pay within its 30-day grace period. SriLankan similarly noted the country’s foreign exchange reserve shortages, COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine as reasons for its financial troubles. Moving forward SriLankan has frequently come under criticism from politicians for its proposed fleet renewal and network expansion plans despite posting a $120 million loss in 2021. The carrier pulled back on plans for a large aircraft order in late 2022, instead selecting to evaluate any future fleet development plans. While serving as Prime Minister, President Ranil Wickremesinghe floated selling off the airline during a televised address, slamming the carrier’s financial reliance on the airline despite few Sri Lankan citizens using air travel as “a loss we must bear.” SriLankan CEO Richard Nuttall has defended the airline’s position, noting that it has been “operationally profitable” through 2022, and hoped to break even by the end of the financial year. However, Nuttall has expressed that the airline would be open to privatization by selling its catering and ground handling services to slash its $1 billion debts. In an interview with The Gulf Times, he explained, “We have been affected by the fact that interest rates in Sri Lanka are now extremely high, and we are effectively paying interest on the losses of previous years. If we can use the privatisation to help us restructure or pay off some of these past debts, then we are in good shape to deliver a sustainable, profitable and growing airline to support the national economy.” The government approved a restructuring plan in November as part of an IMF bailout, with at least half of the airline to be partially privatized. Wickremesinghe again highlighted the airline within his November budget. However, any further details have yet to be confirmed. It is unclear how the recently announced default will impact any plans to take the airline out of state control. https://simpleflying.com/srilankan-airlines-defualts-government-bond/ Experts Warned Southwest Airlines, FAA About Outdated Software for Years The feds are taking a close look at both Southwest's January failure and the Federal Aviation Administration's technical glitch. The era of fun flying is over, and the failure of both federal agencies and big corporations to invest in fast and effective technology is only making things worse. Several congressional oversight committees are ready to tackle just what happened during last year’s holiday travel rush when Southwest Airlines canceled 16,700 flights due to a software overload. Congress will also investigate the Federal Aviation Administration, which took the extraordinary step of shutting down all plane take-offs in the U.S. in January for the first time since 9/11 due to a computer glitch. The investigations may shake the entire airline industry, according to the Washington Post: The two incidents have triggered multiple federal investigations while revealing the fragile underpinnings of a domestic system that routinely carries 2 million people daily. They also are putting pressure on Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a rising Democratic Party star, to own long-festering problems at an agency he oversees. The aftermath will shape U.S. aviation priorities for years and could usher in new protections aimed at a public increasingly wary of unreliable flights. The federal government and one of the nation’s largest air carriers learned long ago their systems were dependent on rickety foundations, but didn’t do enough to update technology that could have avoided recent blemishes. Leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee had their first opportunity to ask questions at a hearing Tuesday on aviation safety. “There’s a lot of concern in Congress,” said Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), a member of the committee. “We hear it from our constituents. The step that FAA took was extraordinary.” The hearing is likely to be the first of several to spotlight struggles in the industry, coming alongside deliberations this year on a funding measure for the FAA. In the Senate, the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee also plans to convene hearings into recent flight disruptions, beginning Thursday, when Southwest’s chief operating officer is among those scheduled to testify. The FAA outage occurred just as Southwest Airlines was beginning to recover from its own outage, leading to thousands of canceled flights and over 10,000 more significant delays. In both cases, aging software was blamed. But that’s not much of an excuse, when both Southwest and the FAA had plenty of warning that their computer systems couldn’t handle the surge of flights and passengers following COVID-19 lockdowns. The FAA has been working on updating its computer system, known as the U.S. NOTAM, since 2008. A five-year transition plan was meant to be started in 2016, the Post reports. The deadline was pushed all the way to this year due to funding woes and organization complexity. Southwest’s collapse occurred during a winter storm. While the airline was cancelling thousands of flights, however, other airlines made it through the holiday weekend full of ice and snow with relatively few canceled flights. Over three days, Southwest canceled 60 percent of its flights, and flew more than 500 flights with no paying customers just to get its staff to places where they were needed. The airline lost an estimated $1 billion in revenue and caused chaos for thousands of traveler’s holiday plans. Southwest plans to spend $1.3 billion in upgrades this year to prevent another breakdown in operations. New scheduling software could be up and running in just a few weeks. The FAA, meanwhile, signed a $3 million contract with a software company for modernization support, but that should move much slower as is the case with government agencies. The entire industry is now in the regulatory sights of congress. Unfortunately, faulty computers bringing down operations aren’t the only hurdles facing American travelers in 2023. Shortages of everything from planes, to a shortage of the folks who make airplane parts, are expected to continue to make air travel a monumental and expensive headache. https://jalopnik.com/experts-warned-southwest-airlines-faa-about-outdated-s-1850087896 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