Flight Safety Information - February 10, 2023 No. 029 In This Issue : Incident: Flair B38M over Gulf of Mexico on Feb 7th 2023, loss of cabin pressure : Incident: KLM B772 over Mediterranean on Feb 9th 2023, cabin problems - electrical fire in oven : Cessna C208B Grand Caravan - Runway Overrun (Papua New Guinea) : FAA sends letter urging laser manufacturers to increase warning labels against flashing airplanes : FLIGHT BAN: UK AVIATION TEAM ARRIVES IN PAKISTAN TO REVIEW SAFETY STEPS : India jumps to 55th place in ICAO's aviation safety oversight ranking: DGCA : Auburn University flight school director receives prestigious award from FAA : MIAT Mongolian Airlines Moving Closer To Launching US Passenger Flights : Akasa Air To Place A Larger Aircraft Order By Year End : Menzies Aviation pilots electric vans and charging infrastructure : Pilot shortage puts pressure on airline operations : RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: Flair B38M over Gulf of Mexico on Feb 7th 2023, loss of cabin pressure A Flair Airlines Boeing 737-8, registration C-FFEL performing flight F8-2615 from Cancun (Mexico) to Toronto,ON (Canada), was enroute at FL370 over the Gulf of Mexico about 180nm north of Cancun when the crew initiated an emergency descent to 10,000 feet due to the loss of cabin pressure, the passenger oxygen masks were released. The crew decided to divert to Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA), descended the aircraft to 8000 feet (7700 feet measured to standard pressure), and landed safely on Fort Lauderdale's runway 10R about 72 minutes after leaving FL370. Passengers are worrying about their transportation home, they were told they would be taken to Kitchener,ON (Canada), that flight was cancelled later. There were a number of Air Canada (amongst them an A333), Westjet and Flair flights from Fort Lauderdale to Toronto on Wednesday Feb 8th. The occurrence aircraft is still in Fort Lauderdale about 44 hours after landing. Passengers reported the crew announced about 45 minutes after the oxygen masks had come down, they had a pressurization problem. The aircraft diverted to Fort Lauderdale late Tuesday, the passengers were given hotel vouchers and then abandoned there. Passengers were worried to get home even by Thursday, they were told a flight on Thursday would take them to Kitchener,ON (Canada), yet, this flight was cancelled. https://avherald.com/h?article=504f1d4b&opt=0 Incident: KLM B772 over Mediterranean on Feb 9th 2023, cabin problems - electrical fire in oven A KLM Boeing 777-200, registration PH-BQO performing flight KL-591 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Johannesburg (South Africa), was enroute at FL330 aqbout 80nm east of Menorca,SP (Spain) when the crew decided to turn around and return to Amsterdam. The aircraft descended to FL280 for the return, dumped fuel and landed safely on Amsterdam's runway 18R about 2 hours after leaving FL330 and taxied to the apron. The Dutch Onderzoeksraad (DSB) reported they have dispatched investigators to Schiphol Airport for investigation concerning an aircraft that returned to Schiphol with "cabin problems". A passenger reported there was a strange smell, fellow passengers were standing, sobbing, shaking, terrified. An electrical fire in an oven in the aft galley had started, toxic gasses came from the aft of the cabin. The passengers in the aft cabin were moved to the middle of the cabin while flight attendants in protective masks rushed with fire extinguishers to put the fire out. The toxic smell continued until they disembarked the aircraft. After landing passengers were attended to by medical staff, but they all were doing okay. The passenger stated cabin crew needs trauma counselling. A replacement aircraft is going to take them to Johannesburg. https://avherald.com/h?article=504ee697&opt=0 Cessna C208B Grand Caravan - Runway Overrun (Papua New Guinea) Date: 10-FEB-2023 Time: Type: Cessna C208B Grand Caravan Owner/operator: Helifix Operation Registration: P2-HFA MSN: 208B-0954 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Eliptamin, Western Highlands Province - Papua New Guinea Phase: Landing Nature: Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi Departure airport: Destination airport: Eliptamin Narrative: Helifix Operations, Cessna C208B Caravan (Garett TPE-331 engine) has sustained what is believed to be severe damage in a runway over run accident at Eliptamin this afternoon. No reported injuries but number of people on board and exact damage status unconfirmed.m http://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/308118 FAA sends letter urging laser manufacturers to increase warning labels against flashing airplanes NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – The Federal Aviation Administration sent a letter to laser manufacturers and distributors, asking for new warnings to be placed on laser pointers after hundreds of planes in Middle Tennessee were hit by shining lights. “Most of these occur at night, and when you’re flying at night, your pupils are much bigger than they are during the day and so they can let even more of that dangerous light into your eyes,” explained Sam Evans, an instructor with Class Bravo Air. “That can endanger you as the pilot flying the airplane, and it can also endanger anyone flying around you, as well as any passengers.” Instructor Evans explained it happens more often than the average person would think. In 2021, aviation authorities reported a green laser was pointed into the cockpit of an American Airlines flight coming into the Nashville International Airport, from Charlotte, North Carolina. The plane was about 10 miles from landing at the time, flying over Mt. Juliet when the beam of light hit. A small amount of light can easily distract or even permanently damage someone’s eye. “Any laser that could come through, could potentially reflect and refract off of the curvature, refract off these visors, and really cause some potential damage to you,” Evans showed News 2. According to the FAA, there were over 400 laser incidents in Tennessee, last year, with more than 60 incidents in Nashville. On Thursday, Feb. 9, the Acting Administrator of the FAA, wrote a letter to laser distributors and manufacturers, asking them to add or enhance warning labels on their packaging, in order to make people aware of the federal laws when it comes to using them. “Safety in the skies is what we teach, it’s paramount,” said Evans. “There are other things like lasers that we can’t, those are out of our control.” https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/faa-sends-letter-urging-laser-manufacturers-to-increase-warning-labels-against-flashing-airplanes/ FLIGHT BAN: UK AVIATION TEAM ARRIVES IN PAKISTAN TO REVIEW SAFETY STEPS KARACHI: The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) team on Wednesday arrived in Karachi to review safety measures for the restoration of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to European countries, ARY News reported. The UK aviation team has reached Pakistan on a 7-day visit to conduct a remote safety audit of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority CAA (PCAA). Following the UK aviation team, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is also scheduled to conduct a safety audit of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority CAA (PCAA) on March 7. The audit will determine the airworthiness of PIA, and whether it will regain access to European airspace. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency is an agency of the European Union with responsibility for civil aviation safety. It carries out certification, regulation and standardisation and also performs investigation and monitoring. A successful audit would allow PIA and other private airlines of chte country to restart flights to the EU. Earlier, the United Kingdom (UK) refused to lift the ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights, expressing its safety reservations to the country’s Civil Aviation Authority. It may be noted here that PIA was restricted from flying to EU states after the EASA suspended the national airline’s authorisation to operate flights to EU member states. The restrictions were imposed in the wake of the May 22, 2020, Karachi plane crash and a statement by Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar that around 40 percent of Pakistani pilots had fake licences. https://arynews.tv/flight-ban-uk-aviation-team-arrives-in-pakistan-to-review-safety-steps/ India jumps to 55th place in ICAO's aviation safety oversight ranking: DGCA "After the final report India's safety oversight capability ranking has climbed from 112 to 55. It may be noted that this ranking is dynamic and is contingent upon the outcomes of various Audits undertaken by ICAO," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement on Friday. India's aviation safety oversight ranking has jumped to the 55th position from 112th place earlier, with a significant improvement in the country's score under the ICAO's coordinated validation mission, according to regulator DGCA. Under its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) Continuous Monitoring Approach, an ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) was undertaken in India from November 9 to 16, 2022. "After the final report India's safety oversight capability ranking has climbed from 112 to 55. It may be noted that this ranking is dynamic and is contingent upon the outcomes of various Audits undertaken by ICAO," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement on Friday. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) undertakes audit of all the contracting states under this programme. Last year's mission to India covered the areas of LEG, ORG, PEL, OPS and AGA on-site while the area of AIR was validated virtually during the same period. The Effective Implementation (EI) of six areas were assessed. LEG is Primary Aviation Legislation and Specific Operating Regulations; ORG is Civil Aviation Organisation; PEL is Personnel Licensing and Training; OPS is Aircraft Operations; AGA is Aerodrome and Ground Aid and AIR is Airworthiness of Aircraft. The ICAO team reviewed the progress in addressing 137 Protocol Questions (PQs) and subsequently, "the status of 101 PQs was changed to satisfactory and that of 1 PQ to not applicable.. the status of 35 PQs remained not satisfactory, resulting in an updated overall EI of 85.65 per cent," the statement said. According to the statement, as the scope of the mission did not include the areas of AIG and ANS, the updated overall EI of 85.65 per cent is calculated based on the latest USOAP results on record for these two areas. AIG is Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation, and ANS is Air Navigation Services. During the mission, the team visited industry and service providers to validate the capability of the country to supervise the activities of these service providers, airlines and organisations. The USOAP audit of the civil aviation system of India conducted in 2017 generated an overall EI of 55.15 per cent for the eight critical elements of the country's safety oversight system. During the ICVM conducted in India in 2018, the ICAO team reviewed the progress made in the areas of LEG, ORG, AIG, ANS, and AGA. Then, the score improved to 69.95 per cent, the statement said. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/india-jumps-to-55th-place-in-icaos-aviation-safety-oversight-ranking-dgca/articleshow/97801587.cms Auburn University flight school director receives prestigious award from FAA The Auburn University family is celebrating after one of its directors received a prestigious award from the Federal Aviation Administration. On Jan. 27, Auburn leadership and community gathered to celebrate School of Aviation Director James Witte after he received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. The award is the FAA’s highest honor issued to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 61, according to an Auburn University press release. The award was established in 2003 and consolidated the FAA’s other pilots’ recognition programs. It was named in honor of America’s first pilots, Orville and Wilbur Wright. People across the city joined for the celebration, including Auburn President Christopher Roberts, Executive Vice President Lt. Gen. Ronald Burgess, College of Liberal Arts Dean Jason Hicks, Maria Witte, associate dean of the Graduate School and Witte’s wife, Alabama State Representative Joe Lovvorn, and Auburn Mayor Ron Anders. This award is granted to pilots who have at least 50 years of experience and skill. “The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is more than an individual recognition,” Witte said, according to the press release. “It is a reflection of the entire School of Aviation.” In 1964, Witte joined the United States Army and spent time as a helicopter pilot, where he flew operations in Vietnam and Pakistan. He retired from the military in 1990. During his military career, he was ranked Lieutenant Colonel and earned 29 air medals, two Bronze Stars, the Pakistani Wings and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. After retiring from the Army, Witte went on to earn a doctorate from the University of South Florida and taught at the school until 1999. Witte then came to Auburn as the only faculty member in the university’s adult education program. In 2020, Witte was tasked to lead Auburn’s College of Liberal Arts’ Departments of Aviation. The program has since been designated as the School of Aviation. “Your career as an educator and pilot is distinctive and extraordinary with an assortment of aircraft experience and thousands of accident-free flight hours,” FAA Administrator for Standards and Programs, Richard Henry said in a press release from Auburn. https://www.al.com/news/montgomery/2023/02/auburn-university-flight-school-director-receives-prestigious-award-from-faa.html MIAT Mongolian Airlines Moving Closer To Launching US Passenger Flights Last month, the United States and Mongolia finalized the first bilateral air transport agreement negotiations between both countries. Mongolia’s flag carrier MIAT Mongolian Airlines seems to be in the process of preparing to launch passenger flights to the United States. This month, the airline filed a document with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to get this service started. Is MIAT coming to the United States? This week, Ishrion Aviation tweeted that MIAT Mongolian Airlines appeared to move closer to its plans to launch flights from Ulaanbaatar International Airport (UBN) to the United States. The flag carrier would most likely use its future Boeing 787-9 aircraft to operate these possible future new routes. The process is still in an early stage. Before MIAT can launch flights to the United States, the Mongolian and US governments must finalize an Air Transport Agreement. Last month, both parties signed a Memorandum of Consultation (MOC), finalizing the first bilateral air transport agreement negotiated by the two countries. This MOC acknowledged that the aeronautical authorities of the countries intend to apply the agreement on the basis of comity and reciprocity pending its entry of force, said the US Department of State in a statement. The agreement includes unrestricted capacity and frequency of services, open route rights, and open codesharing opportunities. MIAT’s plans date back to 2019 MIAT Mongolian Airlines first announced its intentions to launch flights to the United States in 2019. The carrier would be able to operate flights directly to the United States with its future Boeing 787 Dreamliner 9 aircraft. This plane, registration JU-1789 has not yet been delivered, according to data from ch-aviation. It is estimated the airline will receive its widebody this June. One Mile At A Time reports that the leading theory is that MIAT would operate between Ulaanbaatar and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). This is a 6,148-mile journey (nearly 9,900 kilometers, well within the range of the Dreamliner). This would not be MIAT’s first-ever flight to the United States if launched. In 2020, the carrier operated an only-cargo flight from Ulaanbaatar to the US to deliver 60,000 items of personal protective equipment to the Navajo Nation indigenous community. MIAT currently serves nine international destinations, including two long-haul route services to Frankfurt (FRA) and Istanbul (IST). It also flies to Phuket, Bangkok, Tokyo-Narita, Hong Kong, Busan, Seoul Incheon, and Beijing. MIAT’s fleet and recent developments The Mongolian flag carrier currently has a fleet composed of six aircraft. MIAT operates one Boeing 737 MAX 8, three Boeing 737-800s, one 757-200(PCF) for cargo operations, and one 767-300(ER). Earlier this year, MIAT launched a codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines. This agreement would help both carriers leverage their respective networks, maximizing opportunities for travelers that get more flexibility of choice to fly on sectors between Turkey, Mongolia, and beyond. MIAT Mongolian Airlines’ CEO, Mr Munhktamir, stated, “This is an important milestone in the cooperation of both companies. The agreement will enable the customers of both airlines with greater choice and connectivity. Turkish Airlines is an important airline globally with a wide network, and cooperation with such an elite airline is a great privilege for us.” https://simpleflying.com/miat-mongolian-airlines-moving-closer-to-launching-us-passenger-flights/ Akasa Air To Place A Larger Aircraft Order By Year End The airline has an existing order of 72 Boeing 737 MAX planes. There’s still some time before Akasa Air receives all 72 aircraft from its existing order, but the airline is already thinking of its next fleet development phase. In an interview, Akasa’s CEO revealed that another, even larger, airplane order is on the cards before the year ends. The carrier has received five Boeing 737 MAXs from Avolon in the last few weeks and wants to start international flights once it has 20 planes in its fleet. Second aircraft order Akasa Air has had a good run in its first six months of operations. With just two aircraft in its fleet in August 2022, it now has 17 Boeing 737 MAXs, of which five were recently acquired over the last few weeks from leasing firm Avolon. While there are a few more years before Akasa receives all 737 MAXs from its existing orders, recent reports suggest that that carrier is already engaged in talks with Airbus and Boeing for its next order. Mint quotes Akasa CEO Vinay Dube as saying, “The market is there and we cannot stop at the order that only gives us line of sight till March 2027. So, before the end of this year, we will place an order that will give us the line of sight till 2030s-plus. It is going to be much larger than the current aircraft order we have placed.” Fleet development plan Most of Akasa’s current fleet has been acquired on lease. There are 55 more planes to come, with deliveries spread across the next four years. The airline has received an aircraft every two weeks and will have 18 by the end of this month, ahead of its target of 18 planes by March this year. But while the initial fleet growth has been quickly, Akasa will slow things down a little and intends to have around 25-30 airplanes by FY24. Dube said this is intentional, and the airline will receive around 12-14 aircraft annually over the next few years. Mint quotes him as saying, “You cannot start an airline with 500 aircraft, so we were cautious. We wanted to grow in a measured manner. The next aircraft order is going to be larger because we can handle higher growth levels beyond 2027. We are looking at just narrow-body aircraft.” Expansion Akasa now has a presence in cities all across India, with a network that includes 14 destinations, namely, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Guwahati, Agartala, Pune, Visakhapatnam, Lucknow, Goa, Hyderabad, and Varanasi. Check out more Indian aviation news here. In December, Akasa Air’s market share was 2.3%, and its passenger load factor has been hovering in the 80s. The airline’s next big goal is to start international operations, for which it needs a fleet size of 20 aircraft, which will likely happen later this year. The airline will probably start with popular routes in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, but we’ll know about its offshore plans once it meets all fleet and regulatory requirements for such operations. https://simpleflying.com/akasa-air-larger-aircraft-order/ Menzies Aviation pilots electric vans and charging infrastructure These innovative solutions will support the company’s goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2033. An agreement between Mullen and Menzies will result in a 60-day pilot program. This will evaluate the Class 1 Electric Vehicle (EV) cargo vans in Menzies’ LAX operations. An example of one of the use cases will be transporting cabin cleaning teams to aircraft. Loop Global will provide EV Charging infrastructure and fleet operations software. The Mullen electric vans will be serviced through Loop Global’s electric vehicle fleet as-a-service (EVFaaS) programme. How Montréal is leading the way in green transportation Montréal is fast emerging as a global leader in green transportation, with practically every mode of mobility seeing some form of innovation in and around the city. One noticeable example of that can be witnessed by drivers crossing the St.… By Montreal International Using the Loop cloud-based Charger Management System, the EVs can be charged between shifts. “Collaborating with suppliers, airports and our airline customers is absolutely vital for Menzies to achieve its sustainability goals,” said John Redmond, Americas executive VP, Menzies Aviation. “We have committed to switching to electric vehicles wherever possible to reduce our carbon emissions, however charging infrastructure can be a barrier so it’s great to be working with both Mullen and Loop to pilot a solution at LAX. “Early feedback is positive and I’m looking forward to seeing the results from this collaboration.” Menzies has a global fleet of 27,000 ground service equipment, which includes more than 8,000 vehicles. These are used across over 250 airports. 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Working together with Menzies and Loop providing a full EV ecosystem solution is a great opportunity for Mullen.” https://www.airport-technology.com/news/menzies-aviation-pilots-electric-vans-and-charging-infrastructure/ Pilot shortage puts pressure on airline operations A shortage of pilots is limiting the number of flights that airlines can operate, which can cause problems during peak travel periods GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Until last summer, Ashley Montano had never flown. Now she was preparing to land a small plane with three passengers after a previous touch-and-go that had been rough. “The plane is a bit heavy, so give it just a little more power to make a smooth landing,” flight instructor Jason Fink told her. There was the tiniest of bounces as the plane's nose came down, then a smooth touchdown and taxi in to end Montano's training flight late last year at a United Airlines school in the Arizona desert. On the ground, Montano was happy with her progress. “You guys were my first real passengers!” she gushed to a reporter and video journalist who had been in the rear seats. Montano hopes that in a few years she will be flying airline jets and carrying many more passengers. If she does, she'll be helping solve a critical problem facing the industry: not enough pilots. Airlines have complained about a shortage for several years, but they made it worse during the pandemic by encouraging pilots to take early retirement when air travel collapsed in 2020. Helane Becker, an analyst for Cowen who has tracked the issue closely, estimates that 10,000 pilots have left the field since then. Meanwhile, airlines have been in a hiring frenzy that is likely to continue for several years as the carriers replace pilots who reach the federal mandatory retirement age of 65. The government estimates that there will be about 18,000 openings per year for airline and commercial pilots this decade, with many of those replacing retirees. However, the Federal Aviation Administration issued on average only half that number of pilot licenses from 2017 through 2021. Private forecasts are dire, too. Consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimates that despite efforts to close the gap, airlines in North America will face a shortage of nearly 30,000 pilots by 2032. The supply of new pilots will grow, but not enough to offset a continuing wave of retirements, the consultant says. There is cause for hope, however. Last year, the FAA issued 9,588 airline-transport licenses — the type needed to fly for an airline. That topped even the recent peak of 9,520 in 2016. The key question is whether that pace can be maintained. Some of last year's spurt might have been catch-up from low numbers in 2020 and 2021, which were held down by the pandemic. “The airlines are doing their best to move things along, but it’s an uphill slog,” Becker said. Southwest Airlines has more than 700 planes but parks 40 to 45 of them each day because it lacks pilots to fly them, said CEO Bob Jordan at a recent media event. That amounts to more than 200 flights a day or up to 8% of the Dallas-based airline’s flying. Southwest expects to hire 2,250 pilots this year after adding about 1,200 last year, mostly by drawing from smaller airlines. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby says the lack of pilots will continue to prevent airlines from expanding as much as they would like to take advantage of strong travel demand. “Pilots are and will remain a significant constraint on capacity,” he said during an earnings call last month. Kirby figures that his airline, American, Delta and Southwest combined will hire about 8,000 pilots this year, up from the normal 6,000 to 7,000. The pilot shortage is most severe at smaller carriers that don't pay as well and serve as stepping stones to the big airlines. Many of them operate regional flights under the names of American Eagle, United Express and Delta Connection. Faye Malarkey Black, president of the Regional Airline Association, says those carriers have parked more than 400 planes for lack of pilots, “and air service is collapsing as a result.” Black estimates that regional airlines are short by 8,000 pilots and the trade group says a dozen smaller cities have lost all air service — about 50 more have lost half or more of their flights — despite the broad rise in travel demand. If a pilot calls in sick, often there is no one immediately available to replace them, and that is leaving tens of thousands of travelers stranded. The lack of pilots contributed to a 52% increase in flight cancellations last year compared with 2021, although it is unclear how much of that was also related to weather and air traffic congestion. The shortage is giving pilot unions leverage in contract negotiations that were paused by the onset of the pandemic. New contracts are certain to include hefty pay raises that will drive up costs for airlines. Delta pilots are voting on a contract that their union says would raise pay by more than 30% over four years. If ratified, it likely would become the model for deals with pilots at American, United and Southwest. The median annual pay for U.S. airline pilots last year topped $200,000, according to the Labor Department, and was likely much higher at the biggest airlines. The pilot shortage started even before the pandemic. Over the past decade or two, industry officials warned it was coming as travel boomed and thousands of U.S. pilots approached mandatory retirement age. The Federal Aviation Administration raised that age from 60 to 65 in 2007, which pushed the problem off for a few years. For decades, airlines enjoyed an ample supply of pilots, most of whom came out of the military fully trained and with extensive experience, but the military has its own shortage. The Air Force said it had a shortfall of about 1,900 pilots at the end of September. It is trying to increase retention and the training of new pilots after producing nearly 1,300 in the previous 12 months. Not everyone agrees, however, that there is a shortage. The Air Line Pilots Association, the largest union of pilots in North America, says that over the past decade, airlines hired only about half of the people who received FAA licenses that let them fly airliners. The union argues that airlines are hyping a shortage narrative to water down qualification standards and hire inexperienced flyers at lower pay. It says that airlines should increase pay to attract more applicants. That is beginning to happen at regional airlines — the smaller carriers that handle flights for American Eagle, United Express, Delta Connection and Alaska Airlines’ Horizon Air subsidiary. Three of American’s regional affiliates recently announced that it would offer $100,000 bonuses to some new pilots. Several U.S. airlines have started their own training programs or partnered with flight schools to ensure a pipeline of future pilots that would be more diverse – fewer than 4% of current airline pilots are Black, fewer than 5% are women. “Even though I saw my dad fly planes, saw my brother fly planes, I never saw a woman fly planes,” says Sara McCauley, a student at United’s Aviate Academy who hopes to follow her father and fly for United. “The world is going to change, and aviation will be more inclusive." Tuition for flying schools and the cost of flight time are not cheap. Reaching 1,500 hours of required flight time is often estimated to cost between $70,000 and $100,000. Aviate charges $71,250, and when students are done they need to find work as a flight instructor to build enough hours to get hired by a regional airline. Montano, who has two degrees in criminology, left her job analyzing prison-sentencing data and took out a loan to attend Aviate. “I saw that as a great investment in my future,” she says. “I absolutely think it will pay off.” https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/pilot-shortage-puts-pressure-airline-operations-97004960 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