Flight Safety Information - February 21, 2023 No. 035 In This Issue : Incident: Jazz CRJ9 enroute on Feb 13th 2023, uncommanded change in altitude and speed : Incident: Alaska B39M and B739 at Seattle on Jan 26th 2023, tail scrapes on takeoff : Incident: Saudia B789 near Paris on Feb 19th 2023, galley oven sends smoke signals : Incident: India Express B738 at Trivandrum on Feb 19th 2023, nose tyre damage on landing : Pilots Advised Of Large White High-Altitude Balloon East Of Hawaii (Updated) : UK aviation experts conclude audit of CAA, PIA : FAA Introduces New Rule To Boost Airport Safety : CAAN stops all Guna Airlines flights until further notice : Record 6,542 guns intercepted at US airport security in 2022 : Juvenile arrested, faces charges in bomb threat that delayed flight at El Paso airport : Aviation Accident Statistics From 2012 to 2021 Summarized on NTSB Dashboard : FAA Statement on Aero Micronesia Inc. : ARGUS International, Inc. is Growing : Audit Production Manager Position Available : Tenure-Track Faculty Position with a focus on Unmanned Systems in the School of Graduate Studies, College of Aviation, Daytona Beach : Graduate Research Survey Incident: Jazz CRJ9 enroute on Feb 13th 2023, uncommanded change in altitude and speed A Jazz Aviation Canadair CRJ-900 on behalf of Air Canada, registration C-GCJZ performing flight AC-7746 from Vancouver,BC to Saskatoon,SK (Canada) with 74 passengers and 4 crew, was enroute at FL370 about 70nm east of Kelowna,BC (Canada) and about 150nm westsouthwest of Calgary,AB (Canada) when the aircraft uncommandedly and suddenly deviated 1000 feet up from the assigned flight level and the airspeed increased by 30 knots, an overspeed warning occurred. A few seconds later the airspeed slowed again and the crew manually descended the aircraft to FL370. The aircraft continued to destination for a safe landing without further incident. The Canadian TSB wrote: "While in cruise, the aircraft experienced an abrupt, uncommanded change in altitude and speed. The altitude jumped up 1000 feet from the assigned altitude of 37 000 feet above sea level (ASL) and the aircraft speed increased by 30 kts." While the TSB did not offer an explanation, there might be an explanation buried in the Metars of Kelowna,BC west of the aircraft position and Calgary,AB east of the aircraft position: https://www.avherald.com/h?article=50572159&opt=0 Incident: Alaska B39M and B739 at Seattle on Jan 26th 2023, tail scrapes on takeoff An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX, registration N941AK performing flight AS-801 from Seattle,WA to Kona,HI (USA), departed Seattle's runway 16L when upon rotation the flight crew noticed a bump and cabin crew heard scratching noises at the back. The aircraft stopped the climb at about 14000 feet and returned to Seattle for a safe landing on runway 16L about 40 minutes after departure. About 6 minutes after that incident another Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900, registration N468AS performing flight AS-887 from Seattle,WA to Honolulu,HI (USA), departed Seattle's runway 16L, upon rotation that flight crew also noticed a bump and cabin crew alerted the flight crew to scratching noises from the back of the aircraft. The aircraft stopped the climb at about 3000 feet and returned to Seattle for a safe landing on runway 16L about 20 minutes after departure. Alaska Airlines immediately stopped all departures all around their network concluding that two such occurrence within 6 minutes were not normal. Flight operations quickly recognized that due to a software bug wrong takeoff data were transmitted to the flight crews. A work around was worked out, and flights resumed after about 22 minutes. N941AK was able to depart again with a delay of about 4 hours and reached Kona with a delay of about 4.5 hours, N468AS remained on the ground for about 30 hours before resuming service. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=50570f7f&opt=0 Incident: Saudia B789 near Paris on Feb 19th 2023, galley oven sends smoke signals A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 787-9, registration HZ-AR11 performing flight SV-112 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Jeddah (Saudi Arabian), was enroute at FL350 about 110nm northnortheast of Paris (France) when the crew decided to divert to Paris Charles de Gaulle reporting smoke in the cabin. The aircraft landed safely on CDG's runway 27L about 25 minutes later. A passenger reported the cause of the smoke and smell was a galley oven that overheated. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=50566fd9&opt=0 Incident: India Express B738 at Trivandrum on Feb 19th 2023, nose tyre damage on landing An Air India Express Boeing 737-800, registration VT-AXP performing flight IX-540 (dep Feb 18th) from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Thiruvananthapuram (India) with 156 people on board, landed on Trivandrum's runway 32 when the crew felt something amiss and requested emergency services to respond. The aircraft stopped safely, emergency services determined that the tread of one of the nose tyres had separated. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Trivandrum about 20 hours after landing. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=50566a2d&opt=0 Pilots Advised Of Large White High-Altitude Balloon East Of Hawaii (Updated) The balloon was supposedly called-out by the FAA as being roughly 600 miles east of Hawaii at between 40,000 and 50,000 feet. According to multiple reports, the FAA notified pilots of a sighting of a large white balloon at between 40,000 and 50,000 feet roughly 600 miles east of the Hawaiian Islands. Subsequent ACARS (Aircraft Communications, Addressing and Reporting System) messages show aircraft in the area — which is normally quite busy as it sits on the route from the U.S. west coast to Hawaii — acknowledging the alert, which includes a request to report back if they spot any such object. It's unclear when the initial report of the balloon was made to FAA, but alerts about it appear to have been going out to pilots since at least 7:46 A.M. local time in Hawaii, or nearly 10 hours ago. The War Zone has reached out to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) to see if they are tracking the object or have scrambled fighter aircraft to inspect it. We have also reached out to the FAA to authenticate that there was indeed a balloon spotted as the ACARS messages to pilots refer to and to get more on the status of the balloon if that is indeed the case. We will let you know what we hear as soon as we get a response. Mysterious balloon activity near the strategic islands is not unheard of. Just a year ago nearly to the day, we reported on a large balloon loitering off Kauai, Hawaii's northernmost large island, near where a sensitive missile defense test site is located. F-22s from Honolulu went to inspect the balloon, which caused quite the stir. It turns out, this balloon belonged to the Chinese spying program which has now been disclosed as having existed for years, with multiple known operations near or over U.S. territory. It has also been reported that the balloon shot down off South Carolina was originally intended to pass over or near Guam and Hawaii. Hopefully, we will get more information that can confirm the existence of the balloon. We will update this post with more details as soon as we get them. UPDATE: 10:37 P.M. EST— A Navy P-8 Poseidon was heading in the direction of where the balloon was reported just moments ago before it dropped off the tracker. It was at cruise altitude and speed. We cannot say with any certainty that it was on a mission to search for the balloon and observe it, but it would match with the direction for doing so. Still, P-8s often reposition back to the continental United States along these types of routes, so it is just interesting at best at this point. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command has gotten back to us with the following: "U.S. Indo-Pacific Command is aware of the reports of a large white balloon by civilian aircraft. We are looking into the reports and have nothing additional at this time." This reply validates reports of this being at least an issue of interest. As for that P-8, thanks to some sharp-eared radio aficionados, we know it did not head back to the continental U.S. Rather, it went on a mission for about six hours in the general direction of where the balloon was spotted under 'due regard.' This is where the aircraft's commander assumes responsibility for keeping the vehicle from colliding with other traffic – hence its transponder being turned off. Based on the info available, this P-8 could be a 'special' Poseidon that can be equipped to carry one of the most capable radars on the planet in a ventral canoe. Working in a secondary mode, this could be especially useful for detecting slow-moving aerial targets like a balloon, although from what we understand about the system it is mainly an air-to-surface type that is especially capable of surveilling littoral areas. Regardless, if it is indeed one of these aircraft, it is one of the most capable intelligence-gathering platforms available. We must stress that we do not know if it is on a mission related to the balloon. P-8s of any configuration have an array of missions they could be executing in this area, but if U.S. Indo-Pacific Command is interested in the target in question, this would be a relevant long-range asset to send out to take a look. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/pilots-advised-of-large-white-high-altitude-balloon-east-of-hawaii-reports UK aviation experts conclude audit of CAA, PIA Visit aimed at helping Pakistan get off the UK’s Air Safety List A British aviation team concluded on Friday its 12-day visit aimed at sharing best practice on air safety performance and building relationships with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), the British High Commission said in a statement. The visit by UK State Safety Partnership (SSP) team was funded by the UK Department for Transport. The team worked closely with the PCAA and the industry to lay the foundations for long-term collaboration on safety performance. Currently, all air carriers certified by the PCAA remain on the UK’s Air Safety List due to safety concerns. The SSP team’s support will not directly lead to the removal of Pakistan from the list, but the programme had been designed to help Pakistan’s authorities achieve this goal. Andrew Dalgleish, Chargé d’ Affaires at the British High Commission, Islamabad, said that direct flights between the UK and Pakistan were a helpful channel for businesses and people-to-people contacts. “The British High Commission understands how important this is for Pakistani airline companies. This visit and ongoing support signify our commitment to help the Pakistani authorities achieve this for the benefit of the citizens of both the UK and Pakistan.” Pakistan is required to demonstrate compliance with international safety standards in order to get off the Air Safety List. It is a comprehensive process requiring the provision of evidence, on-site assessments and technical hearings. Sources said on Thursday that the team – led by Capt Malcolm Rusby, the head of the State Safety Partnership Programme at UK CAA – arrived in Karachi for the audit of the PCAA and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). After the audit, according to the sources, another team of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) was expected to visit Pakistan in March or April. After that audit, the ban on Pakistani airlines to European countries was expected to be lifted, they added. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2401852/uk-aviation-experts-conclude-audit-of-caa-pia FAA Introduces New Rule To Boost Airport Safety Airports will need to implement safety management systems within the next five years. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finalized a rule requiring commercial airports to implement safety management systems (SMS). Over 250 of the country's busiest airports will need to devise and implement SMS within the next five years. FAA completes safety rule The final rule will take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register and apply to approximately 265 Part 139 airports - qualifying airports are those classified as a large, medium, or small hub, handle an average of 100,000 flight movements annually (over three years), or handle international operations. Associate Administrator for Airports, Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E, commented, "The safe operation of our nation’s airports is paramount during these historic times in aviation as we work to repair and construct necessary airport infrastructure. This rule promotes safety and allows airports to work collaboratively with partners to mitigate risks and avert accidents." Airports will have a timeframe of 12–24 months to submit an Implementation Plan (IP), followed by 12 months to submit an Airport Certification Manual (ACM) and 36 months to implement the IP following its approval. SMS plans will need to demonstrate an "explicit, proactive, and engaged process for identifying and quantifying potential hazards and risks and for managing them in a systematically coherent, logical, and reasonable way." The rule has been in the making for over 10 years following the FAA's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) issued in October 2010 - the agency then issued a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SNPRM) in July 2016 and a third open comment period in 2021. Bolstering airport safety The directive will require US airports to establish robust and comprehensive safety systems as a means of identifying and preventing risks. Some of the examples given by the FAA include airport safety committees, self-inspections, enhanced training, and meticulous recordkeeping. The FAA's requirements for an airport safety management system involve the following components: • Safety policy - establishes safety objectives and defines methods and organizational structure. • Risk management - processes and procedures for identifying hazards and their associated risks within airport operations • Safety assurance - ensuring the safety management system is functioning effectively. • Promoting safety - fostering an operating environment that emphasizes safety. Why are safety management systems important? As demand for air services increases, safety risks during commercial aviation operations also go up due to various factors, including an increase in air traffic and changing procedures. A fundamental tenet of the new rule is to encourage airports to identify and mitigate risks early before they lead to accidents. As the FAA explains, "An SMS provides the framework to support a positive safety culture. An SMS includes repeatable and systematic processes to proactively manage safety. Decision-making processes are structured, consistent, defendable, measurable, and data-driven. Hazards are identified and safety risk controls implemented before an accident or incident occurs. Safety Assurance processes, including program and performance evaluation, provide a means for continuous safety oversight; therefore, allowing for a more efficient, smoother, and safer airfield operation." US carriers have already been required to implement SMS since 2018, with the FAA noting that these safety systems have helped usher in the "safest era in commercial aviation history." https://simpleflying.com/faa-rule-boost-airport-safety/ CAAN stops all Guna Airlines flights until further notice KATHMANDU, Feb 20: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has suspended all flights of Guna Airlines. The authority has stopped the flights stating that the company has not paid salaries to its employees in recent times and there are arrears of various sectors of the company. CAAN Spokesperson Jagannath Niraula said that the air safety department has suspended the flight for the time being after raising questions about the reliability of the passenger service. He said that the authority wrote to the company on Monday not to fly immediately. “It seems that the financial situation of the company is weak and there are arrears of employees and various sectors in the company. In such a situation, it was seen that the flight safety of the airlines will be affected. Keeping in mind the safety of passengers, we have suspended the Guna Airlines flights until further notice," spokesperson Niraula said. Meanwhile, the airline has said that it has not received any flight suspension letter from CAAN. Spokesman Prajwal Thapa said regular flights were affected due to pilot training and shortage of spare parts. "We have stopped the flight for our own reasons at present. No official letter has come from the authority," Spokesperson Thapa said. "We were preparing to fly regularly from Monday. However, due to some reason, it was not possible to fly.” Real estate businessman Rajendra Shakya (Dijendra) brought this airline back into operation two years ago. Shakya, who rose in the real estate business, revived this airline with an investment of one billion rupees. He bought five jet stream planes of Yeti Airlines for one billion rupees and brought the company back into operation. Shakya, who had invested billions in real estate and share trading since 2064 BS, was caught in a financial crisis due to the policies introduced by the Nepal Rastra Bank. He had ambitiously promoted the airline company by managing finances for 15 years, but is in trouble with the authority's present decision. https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/caan-stops-all-guna-airlines-flights-until-further-notice/ Record 6,542 guns intercepted at US airport security in 2022 ATLANTA (AP) — The woman flying out of Philadelphia’s airport last year remembered to pack snacks, prescription medicine and a cellphone in her handbag. But what was more important was what she forgot to unpack: a loaded .380-caliber handgun in a black holster. The weapon was one of the 6,542 guns the Transportation Security Administration intercepted last year at airport checkpoints across the country. The number — roughly 18 per day — was an all-time high for guns intercepted at U.S. airports, and is sparking concern at a time when more Americans are armed. “What we see in our checkpoints really reflects what we’re seeing in society, and in society there are more people carrying firearms nowadays,” TSA administrator David Pekoske said. With the exception of pandemic-disrupted 2020, the number of weapons intercepted at airport checkpoints has climbed every year since 2010. Experts don’t think this is an epidemic of would-be hijackers — nearly everyone caught claims to have forgotten they had a gun with them — but they emphasize the danger even one gun can pose in the wrong hands on a plane or at a checkpoint. Guns have been intercepted literally from Burbank, California, to Bangor, Maine. But it tends to happen more at bigger airports in areas with laws more friendly to carrying a gun, Pekoske said. The top 10 list for gun interceptions in 2022 includes Dallas, Austin and Houston in Texas; three airports in Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Atlanta; Phoenix; and Denver. Pekoske isn’t sure the “I forgot” excuse is always true or whether it’s a natural reaction to getting caught. Regardless, he said, it’s a problem that must stop. When TSA staffers see what they believe to be a weapon on the X-ray machine, they usually stop the belt so the bag stays inside the machine and the passenger can’t get to it. Then they call in local police. Repercussions vary depending on local and state laws. The person may be arrested and have the gun confiscated. But sometimes they’re allowed to give the gun to a companion not flying with them and continue on their way. Unloaded guns can also be placed in checked bags assuming they follow proper procedures. The woman in Philadelphia saw her gun confiscated and was slated to be fined. Those federal fines are the TSA’s tool to punish those who bring a gun to a checkpoint. Last year TSA raised the maximum fine to $14,950 as a deterrent. Passengers also lose their PreCheck status — it allows them to bypass some types of screening — for five years. It used to be three years, but about a year ago the agency increased the time and changed the rules. Passengers may also miss their flight as well as lose their gun. If federal officials can prove the person intended to bring the gun past the checkpoint into what’s called the airport’s sterile area, it’s a federal offense. Retired TSA official Keith Jeffries said gun interceptions can also slow other passengers in line. “It’s disruptive no matter what,” Jeffries said. “It’s a dangerous, prohibited item and, let’s face it, you should know where your gun is at, for crying out loud.” Experts and officials say the rise in gun interceptions simply reflects that more Americans are carrying guns. The National Shooting Sports Foundation, an industry trade group, tracks FBI data about background checks completed for a firearm sale. The numbers were a little over 7 million in 2000 and about 16.4 million last year. They went even higher during the coronavirus pandemic. For the TSA officers searching for prohibited items, it can be jarring. In Atlanta, Janecia Howard was monitoring the X-ray machine when she realized she was looking at a gun in a passenger’s laptop bag. She immediately flagged it as a “high-threat” item and police were notified. Howard said it felt like her heart dropped, and she was worried the passenger might try to get the gun. It turns out the passenger was a very apologetic businessman who said he simply forgot. Howard says she understands travel can be stressful but that people have to take care when they’re getting ready for a flight. “You have to be alert and pay attention,” she said. “It’s your property.” Atlanta’s airport, one of the world’s busiest with roughly 85,000 people going through checkpoints on a busy day, had the most guns intercepted in 2022 — 448 — but that number was actually lower than the year before. Robert Spinden, the TSA’s top official in Atlanta, says the agency and the airport made a big effort in 2021 to try to address the large number of guns being intercepted at checkpoints. An incident in November 2021 reinforced the need for their efforts. A TSA officer noticed a suspected gun in a passenger’s bag. When the officer opened the suitcase the man reached for the gun, and it went off. People ran for the exits, and the airport was shut down for 2 1/2 hours, the airport’s general manager Balram Bheodari said during a congressional hearing last year. Officials put in new signage to catch the attention of gun owners. A hologram over a checkpoint shows the image of a revolving blue gun with a red circle over the gun with a line through it. Numerous 70-inch television screens flash rotating messages that guns are not allowed. “There’s signage all over the airport. There is announcements, holograms, TVs. There’s quite a bit of information that is sort of flashing before your eyes to just try to remind you as a last ditch effort that if you do own a firearm, do you know where it’s at?” Spinden said. Miami’s airport also worked to get gunowners’ attention. The airport’s director told Congress last year that after setting a gun interception record in 2021 they installed high-visibility signage and worked with airlines to warn passengers. He said the number of firearms intercepted declined sharply. Pekoske said signage is only part of the solution. Travelers face a barrage of signs or announcements already and don’t always pay attention. He also supports gradually raising penalties to grab people’s attention. But Aidan Johnston, from the gun advocacy group Gun Owners of America, said he’d like to see the fines lessened, saying they’re not a deterrent. While he’d like to see more education for new gun owners, he also doesn’t think of this as a “major heinous crime.” “These are not bad people that are in dire need of punishment,” he said. “These are people who made a mistake.” Officials believe they’re catching the vast majority, but with 730 million passengers screened last year even a miniscule percentage getting through is a concern. Last month, musician Cliff Waddell was traveling from Nashville, Tennessee, to Raleigh, North Carolina, when he was stopped at the checkpoint. A TSA officer had seen a gun in his bag. Waddell was so shocked he initially said it couldn’t be his because he’d just flown the day before with the same bag. It turned out the gun had been in his bag but missed at the screening. TSA acknowledged the miss, and Pekoske says they’re investigating. When trying to figure out how the gun he keeps locked in his glove compartment got in his bookbag, Waddell realized he’d taken it out when he took the vehicle in for repairs. Waddell said he recognizes it’s his responsibility to know where his firearm is but worries about how TSA could have missed something so significant. “That was a shock to me,” he said. https://apnews.com/article/politics-transportation-security-administration-philadelphia-airport-c68de51fe36a39c544e030a92b9602cb Juvenile arrested, faces charges in bomb threat that delayed flight at El Paso airport EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – A juvenile suspect was arrested and faces charges in a bomb threat that delayed an American Airlines flight out of El Paso International Airport by about four hours on Friday, according to news release sent out by the Texas Department of Public Safety. During a joint agency investigation spearheaded by the West Texas Joint Terrorism Task Force, a juvenile suspect was identified who later confessed to sending out a threat. No age or other description was released about the suspect. The El Paso County Attorney’s Office has agreed to prosecute the juvenile for false alarm or report, a state jail felony, according to the release. According to the DPS release, just before noon on Friday, passengers on American Airlines flight 2051 from El Paso to Chicago received the following message, just before takeoff, on their Apple devices via Airdrop: “I have a bomb would like to share a photo.” Based on that, the aircraft taxied back to the gate. A bomb squad searched the aircraft, passengers and luggage and all were found negative for explosives. The threat “was mitigated and deemed non-credible,” according to the release. Evidence supporting the suspect’s confession was discovered in their cell phone, and the phone was seized as evidence, according to the release. The flight had 125 passengers and eight crew members on board, according to the flight manifest. https://www.ktsm.com/local/el-paso-news/juvenile-arrested-faces-charges-in-bomb-threat-that-delayed-flight-at-el-paso-airport/ Aviation Accident Statistics From 2012 to 2021 Summarized on NTSB Dashboard From 2012 to 2021, there were 2,269 fatal plane crashes resulting in 3,817 fatalities, according to aviation accident statistics Federal aviation officials have launched a new interactive dashboard, which is part of an ongoing effort to provide the public with a more transparent view of airplane accident statistics, information and safety recommendations. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a press release on February 15, announcing the launch of a new General Aviation Accident Dashboard, which will provide summary statistics, investigative findings and safety recommendations for general aviation accidents from 2012 through 2021. “The NTSB has always been a data-driven agency and the proof is in our safety recommendations — every one of which is evidence-based,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said in the press release. “Similarly, we want to maximize the number of stakeholders and researchers who can draw safety lessons from our accident data. That’s exactly what we hope this dashboard will accomplish.” According to the NTSB, the dashboard will provide airplane accident statistics, information and reports through an interface, which will allow users to select one or more filters, such as year, location, phase of flight and defining event. Airplane Accident Crash Data According to the data, the NTSB reports there have been a total of 2,269 fatal plane crashes resulting in 3,817 fatalities between 2012 and 2021, with the most common causes of fatal airplane crashes being; • In-flight loss of control (976) • System or component failures, (214) and • Unintentional collisions with obstacles (167) The data further also drills down on which phase the flights were in leading up to the fatal crash. According to the dashboard, fatal crashes most often occurred while the planes were climbing, maneuvering, or approaching their destination. The dashboard also shows data on non-fatal plane crashes, which indicates there were 10,099 non-fatal airplane crashes during the data period. The most common causes of non-fatal airplane crashes included; • Loss of control on ground (2,017) • System or component failure (1,836) • Abnormal runway contact (1,590) • Loss of control in-flight (1,256) Officials indicate they have also designed pre-filtered views for some of the most commonly sought after data surrounding airplane crashes and safety recommendations, including those on aircraft control, powerplant and weather data. The introduction of the dashboard follows several years of officials calling on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to implement safety management systems and flight data monitoring programs to address the unique risks associated with their operations. Boeing Airplane Crash Settlements Many of these concerns followed a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into problems with the Boeing 737 Max airplanes that were responsible for two deadly crashes in October 2018 and March 2019, which killed 346 passengers and crew members combined. Both crashes were initially attributed to the aircrafts’ angle of attack system, which is the attitude of the wings in relation to airflow. When air flows over the wings at the correct angle, you get lift, which is what makes a plane fly. If the air is not flowing over the wings properly, the plane can stall, which occurs when it loses lift and begins to fall out of the sky. Following the DOJ investigation, court documents revealed that Boeing admitted it deceived the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about the 737 Max’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), which led to a lack of information about the system. This resulted in a corresponding lack of information in airplane and pilot training manuals which could have been key in preventing both accidents, federal prosecutors claimed. According to a $2.5 billion Boeing airplane crash settlement reached with the DOJ in February 2021, Boeing was required to pay a $243.6 million criminal penalty, as well as $1.77 billion in compensation for airline customers and a $500 million fund for families of individuals who died to two fatal crashes involving the plane, including Lion Air Flight 610 out of Indonesia and Ethiopian Air Flight 302, which combined to result in nearly 350 deaths. https://www.aboutlawsuits.com/aviation-accident-statistics-ntsb-dashboard/ FAA Statement on Aero Micronesia Inc. The FAA suspended the operating authority of Aero Micronesia Inc., doing business as Asia Pacific, to conduct operations after the carrier was unable to demonstrate that its pilots were properly trained. The agency issued an Emergency Order of Suspension on Feb. 1, 2023, after the company failed to produce records showing that the two individuals who provide proficiency checks for company pilots were properly trained and qualified for the past two years. Under the regulations, any flight check provided by these two individuals is invalid, meaning that none of the company’s pilots are currently qualified to fly. The FAA notified Asia Pacific in December that it was in apparent non-compliance with the regulations and urged the carrier to suspend operations until the matter was resolved. The Guam-based airline continued to operate. Under the terms of the emergency suspension, the airline must immediately surrender its air carrier certificate to the FAA and cease operations until the company is able to provide complete records. Failure to surrender the certificate could result in fines of up to $16,108 a day. https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-statement-aero-micronesia-inc ARGUS International, Inc. is Growing Audit Production Manager Position Available ARGUS PROS, A division of ARGUS International, is your one-stop source for creating a superior operation within your air transportation business. We are an experienced quality and safety assurance provider and are accredited by IATA as an IOSA Audit and Training Organization. Ours is a flexible organization, committed to true team auditing for multiple standards at the domestic, regional, and international levels, as well as tailoring all the other resources and services we offer to your specific needs. ARGUS PROS is currently seeking an Audit Production Manager to join our team. ARGUS is an established company with an unparalleled client list and reputation. The perfect candidate will have the proven ability to work with the listed technologies in a team setting. Position Summary: The Audit Production Manager – Air Carrier will manage the audit production processes for the IOSA Program working directly with the Vice President – Air Carrier and Director, Audit Programs – Air Carrier. They will participate in the processing of audit reports, audit quality control, audit tracking and development/modifications of internal forms/manuals. Responsibilities for the position will include, but not be limited to, the following: · Provide Quality Control to audit reports from Air Carrier (AC) audit programs · Work with Auditors to resolve discrepancies/errors within audit reports · Work with Operators and Auditors on the resolution of Corrective Actions · Track audit production status for Air Carrier (AC) audit programs · Assist in the development/revision to processes/procedures/forms/documentation · Assist in the planning and execution of training courses for both internal and external customers · Manage and maintain currency of company manuals · Manage and track the completion of internal and external audits/assessments Corrective Actions · Assist in the development of Corrective Action Plans and resolution of Corrective Actions of internal and external audits/assessments · Other duties as assigned Minimum requirements: · 4-year college degree, or equivalent work experience · IATA Operational Safety Audit “IOSA” experience preferred · Aviation experience required · Experience in auditing and/or evaluation and assessment of aviation operations, and/or maintenance preferred · Foreign language skills preferred · Good working knowledge of all Microsoft Office programs, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Publisher and Adobe Acrobat · Good working knowledge of internet and email usage · Excellent communication and organizational skills PROS is an equal opportunity employer. Please register to submit your cover letter and resume through the SGS Portal: https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/SGS/743999885517109-audit-production-manager-air-carrier Tenure-Track Faculty Position with a focus on Unmanned Systems in the School of Graduate Studies, College of Aviation, Daytona Beach The School of Graduate Studies in the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) invites applications for a nine-month tenure-track, open rank position, with strong preference in background and expertise in Unmanned Systems and related areas. The department offers a primarily online Ph.D. in Aviation with specializations in Aviation Safety, Aviation Human Factors, Aviation Operations, and Interdisciplinary. It also offers an MS in Aviation, MS in Occupational Safety Management, and MS in Unmanned Systems in a traditional on-campus format. The candidate will be expected to teach courses in the Ph.D. and/or master’s degree programs and act as the chair and/or member of Ph.D. dissertation or thesis committees. Typical teaching load is 3 courses per semester. In addition to teaching responsibilities, the candidate is required to meet continuing scholarly growth requirements that include publishing scholarly work, actively pursuing and obtaining externally funded research, and presenting work at professional conferences. The candidate will be expected to fulfill service responsibilities to the university and the profession. Faculty for this position will be located on the Daytona Beach campus. The candidate is required to provide instruction through traditional classroom format. Required Qualifications The position requires a doctorate with relevant experience in aviation, safety, operations, or unmanned systems. Those candidates currently pursuing a doctorate may be considered. Preferred Qualifications Preferred qualifications include a Ph.D. in a closely related field, FAA Part 107 certificate, FAA pilot certificates, FAA flight instructor certificates, industry safety experience, and/or industry unmanned systems experience. Candidate materials should be submitted online by applying at https://embryriddle.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/External/job/Daytona-Beach- FL/Tenure-Track-Faculty-Position-with-a-focus-on-Unmanned-Systems-in-the-School-ofGraduate-Studies--College-of-Aviation--Daytona-Beach_R305179. Candidates must submit the following for consideration: • Current CV • A letter of application, with emphasis on ability to teach courses on unmanned systems • Copy of Ph.D. transcript • Teaching philosophy (one page) • Research plan (one page), including research interests, strategies, and research plan Consideration of applications will begin on February 1, 2023, and will continue until the position is filled. Graduate Research Survey Greetings, Aviation Professionals! If you are seeing this message, you are being asked to participate in an anonymous questionnaire about safety culture. This is for my Master’s thesis, and your participation would be greatly appreciated. Participation is voluntary, and you can opt out at any time. It should take less than 15 minutes of your time. Please complete the survey in one sitting, as there is a limited period to have your responses recorded. Click the link https://fit.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eEU2rcyJN3MzxH0 ,which will take you to an online survey platform. Please share this announcement with other aviation professionals you know; every response helps! Sincerely, Brandon Judy Master’s Student College of Aeronautics Florida Institute of Technology Curt Lewis