Flight Safety Information - March 8, 2023 No. 046 In This Issue : Incident: United B738 at Chicago on Mar 7th 2023, flaps failure : Incident: TUI B738 near Innsbruck on Mar 4th 2023, cracked windshield : Incident: United A319 at Miami on Mar 6th 2023, engine compressor stall : One plane was taking off, another landing at a Florida airport. Then there was a crisis : Bill would create felony for shining laser at aircraft : Argus: Bizav Flight Activity Hits February Lull : A jet that experienced deadly turbulence may have had 'trim issues,' the NTSB says : Qantas Is Hiring Thousands of New Roles — Including Cabin Crew, Pilots, and More : Air India says 15 pc of its total 1,825 pilots are female pilots : American Airlines CEO tells pilots the carrier will match Delta’s pay : Airbus narrows delivery gap, reinstates Qatar jet orders Incident: United B738 at Chicago on Mar 7th 2023, flaps failure A United Boeing 737-800, registration N33284 performing flight UA-380 from Dallas,TX to Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA) with 120 people on board, was on final approach to Chicago's runway 10C when the crew initiated a go around reporting a flaps failure. The crew subsequently declared emergency, positioned for another approach to runway 10C and landed safely about 25 minutes after the go around. A ground observer reported the aircraft went around and came back later, followed by fire trucks after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5061624a&opt=0 Incident: TUI B738 near Innsbruck on Mar 4th 2023, cracked windshield A TUI Airways Boeing 737-800, registration G-TAWX performing flight BY-2660 from Manchester,EN (UK) to Innsbruck (Austria), was enroute at FL370 about 190nm northwest of Innsbruck crossing the border from France into Germany when the aircraft descended to FL250 due to a cracked windshield. The aircraft continued to Innsbruck for a safe landing on runway 26 about 40 minutes later. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 32 hours, then positioned back to Manchester. https://avherald.com/h?article=506150f7&opt=0 Incident: United A319 at Miami on Mar 6th 2023, engine compressor stall A United Airbus A319-100, registration N810UA performing flight UA-1702 from Miami,FL to Newark,NJ (USA) with 132 people on board, was climbing out of Miami 's runway 08R when the crew requested to level off at 11,000 feet due to an engine (V2522) issue. The crew subsequently declared Mayday reporting they had a right hand engine compressor stall and needed to return to Miami. The aircraft landed safely on Miami's runway 09 about 23 minutes after departure. A passenger reported the right hand engine emitted sparks and bangs, the flight crew announced they had suffered a compressor stall. https://avherald.com/h?article=50614cdb&opt=0 One plane was taking off, another landing at a Florida airport. Then there was a crisis Federal aviation authorities have opened an investigation of a close call between two planes at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in February. Here’s what to know: What happened on the runway? Takeoff and landing: On Feb. 16, “an Air Canada Rouge A-321 was cleared for takeoff on Runway 14 as an American Airlines B-737 was cleared to land on the same runway,” the National Transportation Safety Board said in a social media post. Danger averted: The NTSB said that danger was averted when the American Airlines crew “self-initiated a go-around.” A go-around is an aviation term for when pilots decide to abort a landing during the plane’s final approach to the runway. Where were the planes coming and going from? The two flights: The Air Canada flight was bound for Toronto, Canada, and the American Airlines flight was incoming from Charlotte, North Carolina, the agency said. What about the investigations? From NTSB and FAA: A preliminary report on the incident is expected in two to three weeks, the NTSB said Tuesday. The Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating the incident. How close of a call? Aborted landing: The planes were about 3,100 feet apart when the American Airlines crew aborted the landing, the FAA said in a statement to media outlets. No other information was provided. Reaction: Rick Piccolo, president and CEO of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, declined to comment on the incident Tuesday. “It’s an air traffic issue; we have no jurisdiction,” he said, referring questions to the NTSB, the FAA and the U.S. Department of Transportation. https://www.yahoo.com/news/one-plane-taking-off-another-202500193.html Bill would create felony for shining laser at aircraft The proposed law would allow local police to investigate and charge laser strike cases involving aircraft, instead of waiting for federal investigators. COLORADO, USA — A bill moving through the Colorado House would create a state felony charge for anyone caught shining a laser at helicopters or planes. Currently, anyone caught shining a beam at an aircraft could face a federal felony charge. The new bill would allow local police to investigate arrests and seek charges against offenders. “My understanding is most of them are reported back to the FBI and they just don’t have the bandwidth to come and investigate the hundreds we have here in Colorado and the thousands we have nationwide,” said Neil Keohane, a pilot for a Flight For Life crew in the Denver metro area. Keohane said in his years flying in the area, he’s experienced three or four laser strikes. Any impact has only been temporary. “The worst case scenario is that it could actually do eye damage, and if it got really bad you could actually incapacitate a pilot, which for us is a problem because we fly single-pilot,” Keohane said. “There’s only one of us, so if we can’t do our job it could become a safety issue for the entire crew.” Flight nurse Brian Bloom, who works with Keohane, just experienced his first laser strike six months ago while landing at his crew’s home base at St. Anthony’s Hospital. “It’s something we always train to look out for, but in the moment it catches you off guard,” Bloom said. “For me, I had a little bit of pressure in my right eye and with the pressure comes a little bit of a headache.” $11,000 per violation: FAA sends warning about holiday laser lights According to a fiscal note tied to the legislation, crews reported about 300 laser strikes in 2022. Any time a crew spots a laser, they report it to air traffic control and try to offer a location. They then evacuate the area. Currently, if local police respond to a report of a laser strike, they only have the power to confiscate a laser from someone and then report the case to federal authorities, according to Kathy Mayer, the program director for Flight for Life. The new law would create a Class 6 felony, the lowest level felony charge in the state, for anyone who is caught flashing a laser. Police could only arrest and seek charges against someone if a flight crew reports a laser strike. Shelby Smith, the paramedic on Keohane’s crew, hasn’t experienced a laser strike yet with only about a year on the job. But she said she’s ready for it, after training specific to laser strikes. That training has taught her that night vision goggles worn by crews trying to fly safely through the mountains might make strikes more intense. “If we see directly a laser strike then it will amplify that light that can cause irreversible damage in your retina. And that’s career-ending,” she said. “We’re trying to save people’s lives and we’re trying to get from A to B as safely as possible without any added risk. We all want to get home at the end of the day.” The state Senate passed the bill unanimously last month. The state House could vote on it this week. https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/local-politics/new-bill-felony-laser-aircraft/73-a88d258c-a5ef-488a-b580-9f475106ddf7 Argus: Bizav Flight Activity Hits February Lull While hitting its usual seasonal lull, business aviation activity in February also paled in comparison with last year's monthly record highs, according to data from Argus. Global business aviation traffic last month declined 2.1 percent year-over-year as part of an anticipated seasonal lull, according to the TraqPak data released this week by Argus International. Contrasted with totals from February 2022, North American flight activity fell 3 percent. Among operating segments, only fractional flying in the region showed an increase, climbing 7.9 percent from a year ago. Meanwhile, Part 135 activity dropped 8.4 percent, followed by Part 91 with a 1.6 percent decline. All aircraft categories experienced single-digit activity decreases in North America last month. In Europe, large-cabin jet usage was off by nearly 30 percent year-over-year, while overall activity was down by 12.6 percent in the same comparative period. For Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America, the nearly 56,000 business aviation flights last month represented a more than 10 percent increase from February 2022. “February turned out pretty close to what we were expecting, which seems to be more of a sign of stability,” said Argus senior v-p of market intelligence Travis Kuhn. “While the month was lower than the busiest February on record [2022] it’s still up more than 10 percent from pre-pandemic levels and some 500 flights more per day versus January. The biggest area of concern is the middle of the Part 135 market.” Argus is forecasting North American and European traffic this month to be down 4.6 percent and 12.5 percent, respectively. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2023-03-07/argus-bizav-flight-activity-hits-february-lull A jet that experienced deadly turbulence may have had 'trim issues,' the NTSB says HARTFORD, Conn. — A business jet may have experienced problems with its stability before encountering turbulence or some other roughness that caused the death of a passenger who served in prominent posts in two presidential administrations, officials said Monday. The National Transportation Safety Board said it's looking at a "reported trim issue," a reference to adjustments that are made to an airplane's control surfaces to ensure it is stable and level in flight. The agency initially reported that the plane experienced severe turbulence late Friday afternoon. Last year, the Federal Aviation Administration instructed pilots flying the same model of Bombardier aircraft to take extra pre-flight measures after trim problems had been reported. Investigators will have more information after they've analyzed the flight data recorder, cockpit voice recorder and other information, such as weather at the time, the NTSB said. The Bombardier executive jet was traveling from Keene, New Hampshire, to Leesburg, Virginia, before diverting to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut. Three passengers and two crew members were aboard. The person who died, identified as 55-year-old Dana Hyde of Cabin John, Maryland, was brought to a hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, where she was later pronounced dead, Connecticut State Police said Monday. The chief medical examiner's office found that she died from blunt-force injuries. The jet's owner, Conexon, based in Kansas City, Missouri, confirmed in an email that Hyde was the wife of a company partner, Jonathan Chambers, who was also on the plane with his son. Neither father nor son were hurt, the company said. Hyde served as counsel for the 9/11 Commission, formally known as the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, and other posts during a career in Washington, D.C., according to her LinkedIn page. She served as a special assistant to the president for cabinet affairs and a special assistant to the deputy U.S. attorney general during President Bill Clinton's administration, and as a senior policy adviser at the State Department and associate director at the Office of Management and Budget during President Barack Obama's administration, the LinkedIn site indicates. Turbulence is unstable air in the atmosphere, which continues to be a cause for injury for airline passengers despite safety improvements. But deaths from turbulence are extremely rare. There were 30 injures, but no deaths, from 2009 to 2020, the FAA said in December. Trim problems can also be responsible for buffeting or altitude changes. The NTSB is looking at all of those factors and plans to issue a preliminary report in two to three weeks, said spokesperson Sarah Sulick. The FAA issued its air directive last year after multiple instances in which the horizontal stabilizer on the Bombardier BD-100-1A10 caused the nose of the plane to turn down after the pilot tried to make the aircraft climb. The directive, which applied to an estimated 678 aircraft registered in the U.S., called for expanded pre-flight checks of pitch trim and revised cockpit procedures for pilots to be used under certain circumstances. The Bombardier BD-100-1A10 is more commonly known as the Challenger 300 and Challenger 350. Bombardier, the Canadian manufacturer of the jet, said in a statement that it cannot comment on the potential cause of the in-flight problem but extended its "deepest sympathies to all those affected by this accident." "We stand behind our aircraft, which are designed to be robust and reliable in accordance with Transport Canada and all international airworthiness standards," the company said. https://www.npr.org/2023/03/07/1161627652/dana-hyde-death-business-jet-turbulence-ntsb-trim-issues Qantas Is Hiring Thousands of New Roles — Including Cabin Crew, Pilots, and More Looking for a new gig? This may be it. Looking to take on a high-flying career? Qantas may have a job for you. On Friday, the Australian airline announced that it's creating over 8,500 jobs with plans to fill the roles over the next 10 years. The jobs include 4,500 cabin crew positions, 1,600 pilots, 1,600 other operational roles, and 800 engineers. “We order aircraft up to 10 years in advance,” Alan Joyce, the airline’s CEO, said in a statement, “so we need to think similarly long-term about the people and skills we need to operate them.” The airline also announced that it will be launching the Qantas Group Engineering Academy by 2025 to help train some 300 engineers a year to meet its own demand. It also specifically wants to recruit and train more women to help them enter the field. The importance of the academy, Steve Purvinas, the federal secretary of the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association, said, cannot be overstated. "The academy is desperately needed, without it, there won’t be enough people to fix aircraft," Steve Purvinas, the federal secretary of the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association, told the Sydney Morning Herald, noting that that workers who left the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic "left a gaping labor hole." Though the news is promising, it still doesn’t cover the number of job losses the airline suffered over the course of the pandemic. The Herald reported, the company eliminated some 9,800 roles from its more than 30,000-strong workforce as part of its $1 billion restructuring aimed at recouping losses. Beyond jobs, the airline is also power-boosting its post-pandemic growth with new planes and routes, including its Project Sunrise Airbus A350-1000, which is slated to fly direct routes between Sydney and Melbourne to New York and London. https://www.travelandleisure.com/qantas-airline-job-hiring-training-academy-7229086 Air India says 15 pc of its total 1,825 pilots are female pilots Air India is one of the largest airlines in the world with the largest number of female pilots. The airline has scheduled more than 90 all-women crew flights to celebrate International Women's Day. According to the carrier, women constitute over 40 per cent of Air India's workforce, with 275 of its 1,825 pilots being women, representing 15 per cent of the cockpit crew strength and making it an airline having one of the largest numbers of female pilots. Air India on Wednesday said 15 per cent of its 1,825 pilots are women pilots, making it an airline with the largest number of female pilots. To mark International Women's Day, the Tata Group-owned Air India, along with Air India Express and AirAsia India, has scheduled more than 90 all-women crew flights, and the carriers have been operating these all-women crew flights on international and domestic routes since March 1, according to a release. "Of the 90+ flights operated by all-women cockpit and cabin crew, Air India is flying 40 flights across domestic and international locations, whereas AI Express is operating 10 all-international flights to the Gulf route and AirAsia India is operating over 40 flights within India," it said. According to the carrier, women constitute over 40 per cent of Air India's workforce, with 275 of its 1,825 pilots being women, representing 15 per cent of the cockpit crew strength and making it an airline having one of the largest numbers of female pilots. Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson said India has the largest number of commercial women pilots in the world. "With more Indian women pursuing careers in aviation, we are achieving gender equality in the workforce. We are proud of the women workforce with us at Air India today, and we thank each of them for sending out a powerful message that women can excel in any field," he said. At Air India Express and AirAsia India, over a third of the workforce comprises women. "Several women play a key role in various departments, including in the domains of finance, commercial, human resources, customer happiness, flight training, technology, flight dispatch, engineering, safety and operations control. The two airlines have a total of 97 women pilots," the release said. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/air-india-says-15-pc-of-its-total-1825-pilots-are-female-pilots/articleshow/98495085.cms American Airlines CEO tells pilots the carrier will match Delta’s pay • American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said the company is prepared to match Delta’s pay increases. • Airline labor unions are seeking big pay increases after contract talks stalled during Covid. • Delta’s pilots last week ratified a four-year contract with 34% in cumulative raises. • American Airlines CEO Doug Parker will retire next March and be replaced by the airline’s current president, Robert Isom. American Airlines is prepared to raise pilots’ wages to match that of Delta Air Lines ’ pilots in a new contract, including 40% cumulative pay increases in a four-year deal, CEO Robert Isom said in a message to pilots. Last week, Delta became the first of the biggest U.S. airlines to reach a new contract with its 15,000 pilots. They ratified a four-year deal that grants them 34% cumulative raises and other quality-of-life improvements. The deal sets the stage for other airlines and unions to reach agreements. The Covid travel slump paused contract negotiations, and talks were fraught when demand snapped back as pilots sought better compensation and schedules. “Let me be clear, American is prepared to match Delta’s pay rates and provide American’s pilots with the same profit-sharing formula as Delta’s pilots,” Isom said in the message to pilots, sent on Tuesday and seen by CNBC. An agreement could include 21% pay increases in the first year of the contract, Isom said. Factoring in higher 401(k) contributions by the end of a four-year deal, a captain flying narrow-body planes would make $475,000 at the top of the scale, up $135,000 from current pay, while the most senior captains of wide-body planes would make $590,000 per year, a $170,000 increase from today. Isom also vowed better scheduling and “more certainty” on when pilots would fly. Pilots across the industry have complained about frequent schedule changes during airlines’ rocky path to rebuilding schedules to meet high travel demand. Aviators have also been in short supply. The Allied Pilots Association, American Airlines pilots’ union, didn’t immediately comment on Isom’s statement. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/08/american-airlines-vows-pilot-pay-raises.html Airbus narrows delivery gap, reinstates Qatar jet orders PARIS, March 7 (Reuters) - European planemaker Airbus (AIR.PA) narrowed a gap with last year's jetliner deliveries after a sharp increase in February and turned the page on a major legal dispute with Qatar Airways by reinstating billions of dollars of plane orders. The world's largest planemaker said it had handed 46 jets to customers in February, more than twice the 20 which had marked a disappointing start to the year in January. Deliveries for the first two months reached 66 jets, down 13 from a year earlier. Airbus said in a monthly bulletin that it had reinstated orders for 73 aircraft from Qatar Airways after revoking them during a dispute over damage to the surface of grounded A350s. Airbus and Qatar Airways settled the dispute at the end of January, averting a rare and potentially damaging UK court trial in the jet sector. Speaking in Berlin, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker called the settlement a "win-win". https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/airbus-narrows-delivery-gap-reinstates-qatar-jet-orders-2023-03-07/ Curt Lewis