Flight Safety Information - March 2, 2023 No. 042 In This Issue : Incident: Southwest B38M at Phoenix on Feb 24th 2023, no autopilot trim : Incident: Westjet B737 at Las Vegas on Feb 16th 2023, damaged 6 runway edge lights during takeoff, noticed only a week later : Incident: Chair A320 at Zurich on Mar 1st 2023, cargo door open indication : British Air Force Chief details joint efforts with Australia to stop China poaching retired fighter pilots : The FAA is investigating more alarming airplane near-disasters : F.A.A. Nominee Faulted by Republicans for Short Aviation Résumé : Autoflight makes longest flight for eVTOL aircraft : Flight Attendant ‘Hit the Ceiling,' 7 Hurt as Turbulence Diverts Lufthansa Flight to Dulles Airport : Schiphol Airport operator submits plan to reduce use of APUs : Spirit Airlines flight lands safely after crew reported a battery fire in the overhead bin : United Airlines Launches Apprenticeship Program For Mechanics And Technicians : Graduate Research Survey Incident: Southwest B38M at Phoenix on Feb 24th 2023, no autopilot trim A Southwest Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration N8844Q performing flight WN-971 from Phoenix,AZ to Houston Hobby,TX (USA) with 164 people on board, was climbing out of Phoenix's runway 07L when the crew requested to level off at 11,000 feet advising they were working on an autopilot issue. The crew subsequently declared emergency advising they had no autopilot trim and no electrical trim system on their brand new aircraft and needed to trim the aircraft manually, they had control of the aircraft, and advised they needed to return to Phoenix. The aircraft landed safely on Phoenix's runway 08 about 23 minutes after departure. The aircraft had arrived in Phoenix on its delivery flight from Boeing Field the day before. The aircraft successfully entered service about 14 hours later. https://avherald.com/h?article=505d0701&opt=0 Incident: Westjet B737 at Las Vegas on Feb 16th 2023, damaged 6 runway edge lights during takeoff, noticed only a week later A Westjet Boeing 737-700, registration C-GWCN performing flight WS-1447 from Las Vegas,NV (USA) to Edmonton,AB (Canada) with 109 passengers and 5 crew, was lining Las Vegas' runway 01R up for departure from taxiway D but aligned with the right hand edge line in night time conditions. The aircraft subsequently commenced takeoff, became airborne and continued the flight to Edmonton. The Canadian TSB reported the aircraft damaged 6 runway edge lights along the right hand side of the runway, the crew remained unaware of the collisions and continued to Edmonton. Seven days after the occurrence Las Vegas' Airport Authority informed Westjet about the damage, Westjet in turn notified the TSB. The TSB further reported that damage to both nose tyres had been noted the day after the occurrence, both tyres were replaced with no further damage found. https://avherald.com/h?article=505d0434&opt=0 Incident: Chair A320 at Zurich on Mar 1st 2023, cargo door open indication A Chair Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration HB-JOK performing flight GM-444 from Zurich (Switzerland) to Hurghada (Egypt), was climbing out of Zurich's runway 32 when the crew stopped the climb at FL100 reporting an indication of an open cargo door. The aircraft returned to Zurich for a safe landing on runway 34 about 25 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 80 minutes, then departed again and reached Hurghada with a delay of 90 minutes. https://avherald.com/h?article=505cf27a&opt=0 British Air Force Chief details joint efforts with Australia to stop China poaching retired fighter pilots The visiting head of Britain's Royal Air Force has detailed how he's worked with Australia to prevent former fighter pilots from taking lucrative training jobs with the Chinese military. Key points: • Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston says he's confident the threat of Beijing luring western military personnel had been "nipped in the bud" • He says he doesn't believe any other potentially hostile nations were trying to recruit western military personnel • He confirmed ADF pilots are still remotely operating lethal Reaper drones in the UK, despite Australia cancelling plans to buy them • In an interview during the Avalon International Air Show, Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston declared he was confident the threat of Beijing luring western military personnel had now been "nipped in the bud". "We made the decision to go public on this in a very loud, clear way, that it's unacceptable and it's something that we were prepared to call China out [on] publicly," Air Chief Marshal Wigston told the ABC. "Since then, we've had a number of people come to us, to the authorities saying, 'I've been approached, this has happened to me' — the level of awareness, and I think that's reflected internationally now, that's reassured me that we've got the message across". "I'm confident that this approach, has nipped this in the bud, this problem in the bud," the visiting Air Chief Marshal predicted. "Because of our close intelligence relationship with Australia and other allies, we all shared that information, we were all alert to it, and we have been in lock step with the Australian authorities throughout this process." Following the UK's warnings in October, Defence Minister Richard Marles ordered his department to investigate if Australian personnel had also been approached and what regulations may be needed to prevent retired personnel from sharing military secrets with potential adversaries. Last month, the head of ASIO confirmed Australian veterans had been targeted by other nations and hit out at those personnel who had put "cash before country" by working for authoritarian regimes, describing them as "top tools" more than "top guns". The Royal Air Force's Air Chief Marshal says he doesn't believe any other potentially hostile nations apart from China were trying to recruit western military personnel, but the UK is examining how it could better implement sanctions under the Official Secrets Act. "We are certainly engaging with the people that have gone to work in China, and the people who might be thinking about it because they've been approached, just to make it very clear where we stand on that". The visiting Air Chief Marshal has also confirmed that a small number of ADF pilots are still remotely operating lethal Reaper drones from the UK, despite Australia last year cancelling plans to buy the deadly unmanned technology. Defence investigates whether RAAF pilots being lured by China Australia is following the United Kingdom in investigating whether retired defence pilots have been lured with lucrative contracts to help train the Chinese military in air warfare. In April, the ABC revealed 32 Australian personnel were embedded in "unmanned aerial system units" in the UK, while one other was operating the remote lethal technology in the United States. Soon after the former Morrison government cancelled the $1.3 billion SkyGuardian project, which would have seen the Australian military acquire armed drones for the first time. Despite the scrapping of the project, Air Chief Marshal Wigston has revealed some Australian pilots are continuing to operate the killer drones for the UK. "We have a very close collaboration with the Australian Air Force in this regard," Air Chief Marshal Wigston said. "In the same way as the Australian Air Force has helped us rapidly bring the P-8 (Poseidon) into service, rapidly bring the E-7 (Wedgetail) into service, then we can reciprocate by sharing as much as we can, and we are doing [for] our drone operations". https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-02/british-air-force-chief-australia-stop-pilots-working-with-china/102035536 The FAA is investigating more alarming airplane near-disasters Aviation officials are investigating two more alarming recent near-misses two weeks after the Federal Aviation Administration announced a "safety call to action" following several other concerning incidents. Driving the news: In the most recent incident, a business jet took off without clearance at Boston Logan International Airport on Monday, forcing an incoming JetBlue flight to go around. Per air traffic control recordings, the business jet was told to “line up and wait” on one runway, while the JetBlue flight was approaching an intersecting runway. That's not a takeoff clearance — but the smaller jet started its takeoff roll anyway, putting it in the path of the inbound JetBlue flight. The JetBlue pilots aborted their landing, went around and landed about 10 minutes later. (In a go-around, pilots add power, climb back up and set up for another landing attempt.) The intrigue: Logan, which has a particularly complicated runway layout, was the site of a 2005 near-miss that was about 70 feet from potentially becoming one of the worst commercial air disasters in U.S. aviation history. In a separate incident at California's Hollywood Burbank Airport on Feb. 22, a Mesa Airlines regional jet went around after a SkyWest flight was cleared for takeoff as the Mesa aircraft was only about a mile from the runway. The SkyWest aircraft took off while the Mesa flight went around. The two aircraft were alarmingly close to one another for at least several seconds, per radar data. Air traffic control audio recordings suggest the controller struggled to immediately separate the aircraft. The Mesa pilots received and complied with an alert from their aircraft's collision avoidance system. That system, called TCAS (Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System), can automatically detect nearby planes and tell pilots how to avoid a collision. If two planes with the latest TCAS tech are dangerously close to one another, their respective TCAS units can sync up — for instance, the pilots of one plane will be told to climb, and those of the other to descend. By the numbers: The number of annual runway incursions has been trending largely downward over the last two decades, but has risen in more recent years: Some of these incidents are making headlines at least in part because of recent heightened media interest in aviation safety. Pilots, not air traffic controllers, hold the ultimate responsibility for the safety of any given flight — and in both of these cases, at least one pilot saw a problem developing and successfully avoided it. Yes, but: At the same time, pilots and controllers are meant to work together. When either is off their game, it can have disastrous consequences. The bottom line: It'll take time for investigations into these and other recent incidents to play out and reveal any contributing factors. That said, they're already valuable learning experiences for pilots and controllers alike. As we wrote earlier, it's a mistake to think we're necessarily "due" for some kind of air disaster — but these incidents need to be taken seriously. https://www.axios.com/2023/03/01/faa-near-misses-planes F.A.A. Nominee Faulted by Republicans for Short Aviation Résumé At his confirmation hearing, Phillip A. Washington, the chief executive of Denver’s airport, defended his qualifications to run the Federal Aviation Administration. Phillip A. Washington, President Biden’s pick to lead the Federal Aviation Administration, vowed that safety would be his No. 1 priority.Credit...Kenny Holston/The New York WASHINGTON — President Biden’s nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration, Phillip A. Washington, faced criticism at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday over his lack of aviation experience, with some Republican senators casting him as unqualified for the post. The nomination of Mr. Washington, the chief executive of Denver International Airport, has been clouded with uncertainty in the Senate amid questions about his experience and his entanglement in a public corruption investigation. He was pressed on both topics at the hearing, which was held by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. “The F.A.A. can’t afford to be led by someone who needs on-the-job training,” said Senator Ted Budd, Republican of North Carolina. The agency has been without permanent leadership since Stephen Dickson, a former Delta Air Lines executive who was appointed by President Donald J. Trump, stepped down nearly a year ago. The void atop the F.A.A. has received more attention during what has been a bumpy stretch for the nation’s air travel system. An operational meltdown by Southwest Airlines around Christmas and an F.A.A. system outage in January caused widespread flight disruptions, and there have been a string of near collisions at airports that have raised questions about aviation safety. Mr. Washington served in the Army for 24 years, rising to the rank of command sergeant major. Later, he led Denver’s Regional Transportation District and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and he became chief executive of Denver’s airport, which is one of the world’s busiest, in 2021. Mr. Biden nominated him to lead the F.A.A. last July, though he did not receive a hearing in the last Congress and the president resubmitted his nomination in January. He would be the first Black person confirmed as F.A.A. administrator. At the hearing, Mr. Washington vowed that safety would be his top priority. He responded to concerns about his lack of aviation experience by saying that he had not been a train operator but still had been honored as the best public transportation chief executive in the country. “We cannot think about doing things the old way, and so I think that a fresh perspective is needed,” Mr. Washington said. “Obviously safety is No. 1.” How Times reporters cover politics. We rely on our journalists to be independent observers. So while Times staff members may vote, they are not allowed to endorse or campaign for candidates or political causes. This includes participating in marches or rallies in support of a movement or giving money to, or raising money for, any political candidate or election cause. He added, “My broad transportation knowledge and real-world leadership experience of both military and transportation infrastructure systems serve me well.” Senator Ted Cruz of Texas took issue with Mr. Washington’s qualifications to run the F.A.A., saying he had “zero aviation safety experience.”Credit...Kenny Holston/The New York Times Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, the top Republican on the panel, argued that Mr. Washington was simply not qualified for the position. He cited the aviation backgrounds of previous F.A.A. leaders and peppered Mr. Washington with technical questions related to the Boeing 737 Max crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. “I believe your record is woefully lacking,” Mr. Cruz told him, “and in fact, you have zero aviation safety experience.” Mr. Cruz also questioned Mr. Washington over his role in a public corruption investigation in Los Angeles, and he noted that a former employee at Denver’s airport had recently filed a lawsuit making allegations of discrimination and retaliation. Mr. Washington was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. The Los Angeles inquiry involves no-bid contracts awarded by the transit system, known as Metro, to a nonprofit to operate a sexual harassment hotline. Last year, the California attorney general’s office took over the investigation from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the attorney general’s office did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Mr. Washington has denied wrongdoing. Some Democratic lawmakers came to Mr. Washington’s defense at the hearing. Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii described him as a “skilled and dedicated public administrator with an extensive record showing that he knows transportation.” Mr. Schatz said that Mr. Washington was “facing a smear campaign” waged by opponents who were “trying to desperately turn every aspect of his career into a scandal.” Senator John Hickenlooper, Democrat of Colorado and a former mayor of Denver, said Mr. Washington had “built a reputation of coming into organizations filled with challenges and successfully transforming them into successes.” “He’s not an airline industry insider using this role as a position for the industry to be policing itself,” Mr. Hickenlooper said. “The challenges facing F.A.A. are those of managing a large, complex bureaucracy badly in need of modernization. And certainly in that respect, he’s no novice.” Republicans have also raised another issue with Mr. Washington’s nomination: They say that because federal law requires the F.A.A. administrator to be a civilian, Mr. Washington is not eligible unless Congress passes a waiver to allow him to serve, given his past military service. Such a waiver would need to be approved not just by the Senate, but also by the Republican-controlled House. Mr. Cruz said that if Democrats voted to confirm Mr. Washington without passing a waiver, “a legal cloud will hang over every single F.A.A. action.” The Biden administration’s position is that Mr. Washington does not require a waiver, said Olivia Dalton, a White House spokeswoman, who noted that he retired from the Army more than two decades ago. “This nomination has been pending for months,” Ms. Dalton said. “This is a role with a key safety mandate, and we believe it’s time to move swiftly on confirmation.” https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/01/us/politics/phil-washington-faa-nominee.html Autoflight makes longest flight for eVTOL aircraft AutoFlight has achieved the world’s longest eVTOL flight during testing. VIDEO The 155 mile (250km) unmanned flight took place last week at AutoFlight’s eVTOL testing facility on a single charge of the aircraft’s lithium-ion batteries. It consisted of 20 circuits of a predefined flight track, with the plane remotely piloted from the ground. As well as its own avionics, Autoflight’s fourth-generation aircraft used third-party avionics to record and verify the distance flown on the ForeFlight system. The flight is recognized as the longest fully electric aircraft flight in history, where the aircraft both takes off and lands vertically. The previous longest flight for an eVTOL aircraft was 248km set by Joby Aviation in 2021 Prosperity I is a four-seat eVTOL that is being developed in China, Germany and the USA. The aircraft made its first flight in October 2021. The company heralded the test flight as a key milestone in the development of the Prosperity I aircraft, Autoflight is working toward certificating Prosperity I with EASA in 2025. Prosperity 1 eVTOL Autoflight Prosperity 1 eVTOL aircraft during its test flight (Image: Autoflight) President of AutoFlight Omer Bar-Yohay said, “This flight is a testament to the team’s incredible effort and progress in testing and incrementally pushing the aircraft’s performance envelope. We are excited to continue working towards our next goals all the way to EASA certification in 2025.” Autoflight was founded in 2017 by its CEO Tian Yu. The company is also developing a range of unmanned cargo-carrying drones. The company, which initially attempted to develop a five-passenger eVTOL aircraft called the V600, relaunched its testing and certification operations in Germany with an eVTOL aircraft called Prosperity I in January this year. https://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/news/drones-air-taxis/autoflight-makes-longest-flight-for-evtol-aircraft.html Flight Attendant ‘Hit the Ceiling,' 7 Hurt as Turbulence Diverts Lufthansa Flight to Dulles Airport Lufthansa flight 469, en route to Frankfurt, Germany, from Austin, Texas, landed at the airport at around 9:30 p.m. Seven people were taken to hospitals after severe turbulence forced their flight to be diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport on Wednesday night, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) officials said. Lufthansa flight 469, en route to Frankfurt, Germany, from Austin, Texas, landed safely at Dulles at around 9:10 p.m. after encountering turbulence at 37,000 feet over Tennessee, the FAA said. Passengers said the flight began with a little turbulence, but was going well, and food and beverage service was underway when the journey took a terrifying turn. The airplane dropped twice in about 20 seconds, one passenger said. Jazz Kantipudi said he saw a flight attendant leave the floor and hit the ceiling of the plane. “He was literally standing up serving drinks, so he had no way to brace himself,” Kantipudi said. “At one of the drops, he literally, completely, hit the ceiling and dropped down and was completely horizontal.” “I looked to my right and I saw him just up there, and it was honestly kind of freaky... like something out of a movie." Food and packaging were strewn throughout an aisle, video from the plane shows. One passenger said the pilot told them that the plane dropped about 4,000 feet. MWAA said crews assessed injuries to several passengers before they were taken to hospitals. The plane was offloaded. News4 is working to learn more about the extent of the injuries. https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/7-passengers-taken-to-hospitals-after-turbulence-diverts-lufthansa-flight-to-dulles-airport/3290241/ Schiphol Airport operator submits plan to reduce use of APUs The airport operator expects the move to reduce the aviation sector’s carbon emissions. Schiphol expects reducing the use of APUs to create healthy working conditions for apron workers. Credit: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The owner and operator of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has submitted an action plan to reduce the use of auxiliary power units (APUs) by stationary aircraft parked on the apron. The plan has been submitted to the Netherlands’ Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT). APUs are usually mounted in the aeroplane’s tail to provide autonomous starting power for the main engines, as well as electricity. The units also supply pneumatic pressure required for various functions, including air conditioning on board. Their use has been criticised as they run on kerosene and can cause harmful emissions, as well as noise for apron workers when operating. Schiphol expects reducing APU use to create healthy working conditions for apron workers while cutting the aviation sector’s overall carbon emissions. Some of the key measures that Schiphol has outlined in its action plan include shortening the use of the APU from 20 April this year. APU will be operational only five minutes before departure, halved from the current time of ten minutes. Their use can, however, be increased for pre-conditioned air. Schiphol will provide PCA units and install them on suitable aircraft stands, as well as increase the monitoring of APU use. The airport operator’s Airside Operations division will determine whether APU use can be permitted on a case-by-case basis using established criteria. Schiphol also plans to transition to sustainable fuels and promote the use of fixed electrical ground power. In addition, it will run an awareness campaign for all its employees to explain the significance of reducing APU use. Earlier this year, Schiphol began major maintenance works at the airport’s Zwanenburgbaan Runway, which are due to continue until next month. The operator also announced plans to upgrade the airport’s baggage basements, including redesigning its baggage process, work areas and rest areas. https://www.airport-technology.com/news/schiphol-apu-action-plan/ Spirit Airlines flight lands safely after crew reported a battery fire in the overhead bin A Spirit Airlines flight was diverted and landed safely in Jacksonville, Florida, on Wednesday after the crew reported a battery in an overhead bin was on fire. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is now investigating the incident, which involved an Airbus A320 that departed from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and was headed to Orlando International Airport. “Spirit Airlines Flight 259 landed safely at Jacksonville International Airport around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1 after the crew reported a battery on fire in an overhead bin,” an FAA spokesperson told CNN. The battery fire was believed to have been caused by a guest item in an overhead bin, according to a statement issued by a Spirit Airlines spokesperson. The fire was extinguished inflight. “The plane landed at JAX and taxied to the terminal without incident,” said the statement. “We thank our crew and Guests for their quick actions to ensure the safety of everyone onboard, and we thank first responders for meeting the aircraft.” Ten people were removed from the flight by emergency services after landing, according to Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department Captain Eric Prosswimmer. JFRD transported “both passengers and crew members,” all with non-life-threatening conditions. The captain said he was “unable to elaborate further on their condition or treatment.” Among passengers on board was Joseph Fleck, who told CNN he was traveling with his spouse and two children to Orlando to visit Disneyworld. “Someone yelled ‘fire’ and I look up to see the cabin filling with smoke very fast,” Fleck told CNN. “A few passengers jumped up to open the overhead bin and saw a backpack on fire due to a battery pack that was charging a cell phone. It had basically exploded.” Fleck recorded a video showing fire officials boarding the plane and inspecting the overhead bin. He also shared an image of the smoke-filled cabin. The flight descended quickly before landing in Jacksonville, said Fleck. “The smell was terrible and made it very hard to breathe,” he said, adding his children were emotional but became relieved once they exited the plane. “I was coughing a lot for a good two hours after.” Spirit Airlines didn’t have a plane available for passengers impacted by the diversion, he said, so the family continued to Orlando in an Uber, which cost $250. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/spirit-airlines-overhead-bin-fire/index.html United Airlines Launches Apprenticeship Program For Mechanics And Technicians United Airlines keeps expanding their training programs. United Airlines announced it is expanding its apprenticeship program to assist in developing both aircraft mechanics and technicians. The airline is looking to open this leg of the program in Houston, Texas, one of the airline's major hubs. The program, nicknamed Calibrate, will look to train at least 1,000 new maintenance apprentices over the next three years. Managing director, Simone Drakes, spoke about this program, saying, "Calibrate has an emphasis in going into the environment, going to the middle schools, going to the high schools. People emulate what they see." Major maintenance hub This program will begin in United Airlines-owned Hangar X, a major maintenance hangar located in the corner of George Bush Intercontinental Airport. This hangar is where United Airlines keeps jets ready for service. Houston is also where United Airlines' Technical Recruitment Center is located. This is where would-be apprentices can learn the basics and apply for the program. The Calibrate Program is an earn-and-learn program, meaning that those in the training are getting paid as they are learning. In addition to the Calibrate Program opening up in Houston, United Airlines also started a leg of the program in San Francisco, California. The airline has plans to open new classes in cities that are hubs for United Airlines across the United States. Workforce Shortages United Airlines is joining a long list of American employers that are running apprenticeship programs to boost the labor workforce. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh says, "I think the greatest threat to our economy is lack of workers, and programs like this will help in a big way." This development comes after the airline announced an effort to hire 50,000 people by 2026. United Airlines is looking to hire 15,000 new employees in 2023 after hiring 15,000 new employees in 2022. Boeing currently estimates that there will be a need for over 600,000 new maintenance technicians in the next 20 years. It notes that the industry will need to work to recruit, train, and hire rapidly to shrink this number. United CEO Scott Kirby also recognized the need to train the future of the workforce. He spoke on the Calibrate Program, saying, "Instead of using 'hard to find workers' as an excuse, helping build the workforce of the future is something we can do. It pays for itself; it's rewarding; it makes a difference in our communities." United Airlines Boeing 777-200Expanding capabilities In addition to United Airlines beginning the Calibrate Program to train mechanics and technicians, the airline has also focused on developing the workforce in other needed areas. The airline recently announced plans to open a new flight training center, also in Houston, TX. United Airlines is set to create a 56,000-square-foot facility right outside George Bush Intercontinental Airport. This flight training center includes classrooms, cabin and door trainers, and an aquatic center that includes a large pool and a mock fuselage that will be used to practice safe evacuations in the water. The Calibrate Program opening in Houston and the plan to open a new flight training center come as part of the airline's $1 billion investment at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport over the past decade. https://simpleflying.com/united-airlines-launches-apprenticeship-program-mechanics-technicians/ 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