Flight Safety Information - March 17, 2023 No. 053 In This Issue : Incident: Delta B764 over Atlantic on Mar 13th 2023, unreliable airspeed, TMC reset in flight and hydraulic leak : Incident: Gol B38M near Brasilia on Mar 11th 2023, engine shut down in flight : Incident: SATA DH8D at Lajes on Mar 14th 2023, rejected takeoff on ATC instruction : Incident: West Atlantic AT72 enroute on Mar 7th 2023, rudder restriction : Planes in Florida close call were cleared to use same runway : 'Not an easy thing to do': Pilots wonder how thief got chopper off ground before crashing : US airplane near misses keep coming. Now officials are talking about averting ‘catastrophic’ incidents : Atlanta-bound Delta flight diverts to DFW Airport due to unruly passenger : FAA is Facing a Looming Staffing Crisis as Post-Pandemic Needs Grow : VHF interference reported by airliners flying in the West Pacific, South China Sea : Philippine Airlines Pulling All Aircraft Out Of Storage : Qantas pilots told to fly through radio interference reportedly coming from Chinese warships : United Airlines wants to turn algae into jet fuel Incident: Delta B764 over Atlantic on Mar 13th 2023, unreliable airspeed, TMC reset in flight and hydraulic leak A Delta Airlines Boeing 767-400, registration N825MH performing flight DL-4 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to New York JFK,NY (USA), was enroute at FL330 about 300nm northeast of Goose Bay,NL (Canada) when the crew observed speed fluctuations on both speed bugs and an increase in airspeed indications. The crew worked the checklists for unreliable airspeed and contacted maintenance. Maintenance recommended to reset the thrust management computer and change the autopilot mode to VNAV. About an hour later the crew observed the same erroneous indications on the right hand primary flight display and a pitch limit indication. The crew worked the related checklists, contacted maintenance again and decided to declare emergency and divert to Bangor,ME (USA). During the descent the crew observed a low hydraulic quantity indication and worked the related checklist. During the approach the crew received a flap asymmetry indication during the flap extension, completed the relevant checklists and continued for a safe landing on Bangor's runway 15 about 2 hours after the onset of trouble. The Canadian TSB reported maintenance travelled to Bangor and found a hydraulic leak in the pump filter at the left hand engine's pylon. Maintenance further replaced the right hand air data module, the aircraft remains on the ground while the hydraulic leak is being investigated. The aircraft remained on the ground in Bangor for about 42 hours, then positioned to New York, remained on the ground in New York for another 8 hours before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=50689df9&opt=0 Incident: Gol B38M near Brasilia on Mar 11th 2023, engine shut down in flight A Gol Transportes Aereos Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration PS-GPB performing flight G3-1999 from Maceio,AL to Brasilia,DF (Brazil) with 164 passengers and 6 crew, was descending towards Brasilia when the crew received a low oil pressure indication for the left hand engine (LEAP) and shut the engine down. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Brasilia's runway 11L about 20 minutes later. The aircraft remained on the ground for 3 days and 10 hours before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=50689708&opt=0 Incident: SATA DH8D at Lajes on Mar 14th 2023, rejected takeoff on ATC instruction A SATA Air Acores de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration CS-TRE performing flight SP-407 from Lajes to Ponta Delgada (Portugal), had lined up runway 33 via taxiway A and had been cleared for takeoff from Lajes' runway 33 when about 45 seconds after the takeoff clearance tower cancelled the takeoff clearance. The aircraft rejected takeoff at high speed. Tower subsequently explained a vehicle was showing on the runway at taxiway J (at the end of the runway about and asked whether the aircraft could accept a departure from runway 15. The crew advised they needed to cool down their brakes first. About 8 minutes after the rejected takeoff the crew reported ready for departure, turned around and departed on runway 15 landing safely in Ponta Delgada with a delay of about one hour, 45 minutes of which were caused by late arrival into Terceira Acores Island (Lajes) on the incoming flight. The airline reported the aircraft rejected takeoff on instruction of tower in the early stages of takeoff as conditions were not met to continue with the takeoff. https://avherald.com/h?article=50688c91&opt=0 Incident: West Atlantic AT72 enroute on Mar 7th 2023, rudder restriction A West Atlantic Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-200, registration G-NPTF performing flight NPT-07B from East Midlands,EN to Belfast International,NI (UK), was enroute when the aircraft suffered restricted rudder travel. The aircraft continued to Aldergrove airport for a safe landing on runway 25 about one hour after departure. The UK AAIB rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation, also stating that the rudder travel restriction continued after landing and during taxi. The aircraft is still on the ground in Belfast 9 days after the landing. On Jan 17th 2023 the aircraft had suffered electrical issues keeping the aircraft on the ground for about a week, see Incident: West Atlantic AT72 at East Midlands on Jan 17th 2023, electrical issues. https://avherald.com/h?article=50688447&opt=0 Planes in Florida close call were cleared to use same runway Federal investigators say an air traffic controller cleared a plane to take off from Sarasota, Florida, while an American Airlines jet was making its final approach to the same runway last month, leading the American pilots to abandon their landing. The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday that the American and Air Canada Rouge planes were separated by six-tenths of a mile — about 3,000 feet (900 meters) — at their closest point. That is much farther apart than planes in several recent close calls. In its preliminary report, the safety board did not state a cause for the Feb. 16 incident, but it said it formed a group to investigate air traffic controller actions. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association and the Federal Aviation Administration, which hires and trains controllers, are taking part in the investigation, the NTSB said. The early findings came a day after officials from the NTSB, the FAA, airlines and airline unions met outside Washington, D.C., for a “safety summit." According to an FAA readout of summit sessions that were closed to the public and press, a group that discussed air traffic recommended closer examination of data to find the causes and solutions for planes being on or near the same runway at the same time. The FAA said it asked industry to find technology to help air traffic controllers track equipment on the ground. The NTSB is investigating six recent events involving conflicting runway use. The board did not start any similar investigations in 2022 and only two in 2021, according to a spokesman. Overall runway incursions, as they are called, are lower in the last six months than the same period last year, according to FAA figures, but those include the vast majority of incidents that are deemed low- or no-risk. In Sarasota, a controller cleared the American Airlines flight to land on runway 14 when the plane was about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the airport. When it was about 3 miles (5 kilometers) out, the controller cleared the Air Canada Rouge plane to take off from the same runway. The American crew elected to cancel their landing, turn to the right and return to land. No injuries were reported. https://www.yahoo.com/news/planes-florida-close-call-were-195302948.html 'Not an easy thing to do': Pilots wonder how thief got chopper off ground before crashing Pilots react to failed helicopter heist, crash at Sac Executive Airport SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Experienced pilots wonder how a suspected thief managed to start a multi-million dollar helicopter and get it off the ground before crashing it at the Sacramento Executive Airport. "I was in disbelief," said pilot Dan Oppenheim. "Even just getting a helicopter started is not an easy thing to do." Oppenheim flies LiveCopter 3 all over Northern California and has been flying for 10 years as a helicopter pilot. "It’s not as simple as getting into a car and using a key fob or turning the key," he said. "There's no obvious button here that says push to start, it’s a lot more difficult." Oppenheim is also a flight instructor. "When you watch a student try to fly one for the first time, they can’t hover," Oppenheim said. "They can't really control where it’s going." Every aircraft has a start-up checklist with many steps. "You have to make sure everything is done in the appropriate sequence and make sure everything is done properly," he said. Pilot Luke Szczygielski stores his Cessna aircraft at the Sacramento Executive Airport in a hangar and said he was glad nobody got hurt on Wednesday. Szczygielski wants to know why someone tried to steal a helicopter right off the ramp and how they did it. "He had enough knowledge to get the aircraft going and get it started, but maybe not enough practice to actually fly it," he said. Some pilots have asked the county to beef up security at the airport, such as installing taller fences. The fences stand about five feet tall. Szczygielski thinks that wouldn't make a difference. "A determined person will scale a much taller fence to steal an aircraft," he said. The regional vice president of the California Pilot's Association agrees. "Whether there is a four-foot fence or a ten-foot fence, if they are intent on attempting to take something it would be difficult to stop them," said Doug Rice. Rice flies in and out of the Sacramento Executive Airport regularly. He said the smaller airports or general aviation airports educate the public and hopefully get people interested in aviation. There is less security at these airports than at the larger airports used by commercial airlines. "We want the public to come out and have a picnic by the airport or look at aircraft, bring their children to look at the aircraft," Rice said. "We want pilots to have access to their aircraft, we don’t want them locked out." Szczygielski said this incident won't drive him away from the airport. "I feel pretty secure having my aircraft behind closed doors," he said. Oppenheim said a student needs 40 hours minimum of flight time to obtain a helicopter pilot license. But he said realistically one should get 60-70 hours of flight experience. https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-pilots-wonder-thief-chopper-crashing/43342836# US airplane near misses keep coming. Now officials are talking about averting ‘catastrophic’ incidents The skies have been turbulent over the United States in 2023 – and not just because of rogue balloons. Since the start of the year, there have been a concerning number of high-profile “near misses” as planes involved in airport landing or taking off procedures came perilously close to potential disaster. And then there’s the turbulence. As all flyers know, bumpy air is a regular feature of plane travel, but not usually, as has been experienced recently, to the violent extent that passengers are hurt. Plus, details emerged of an incident late last year, in which a United Airlines Boeing 777 plunged toward the Pacific Ocean for 21 seconds just after takeoff, apparently pulling up just 800 feet over the Pacific Ocean as passengers screamed in fear. The litany of incidents that have clocked up less than three months into 2023 have prompted such concern that this week the US Federal Aviation Administration convened a “Safety Summit.” Of course, flying remains an incredibly safe way to travel. Commercial plane crashes are nowadays very rare, with approximately 45,000 flights typically completed each day in the US, all without fatality. That’s a number that continues to rise, post Covid. So, given that the FAA has assembled aviation experts – and US Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg – to take a closer look at what’s going on in the US, should passengers be worried? While officials, still investigating these incidents, and airlines say flyers can continue to board planes with the confidence that the industry’s rigorous safety procedures will keep them out of harm’s way, some say recent events are a warning sign of potential trouble to come. “These recent incidents must serve as a wake-up call for every single one of us, before something more catastrophic occurs. Before lives are lost,” National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said to government and industry leaders gathered for the summit on Wednesday. A string of scary near misses On paper, it has not been a great year, thanks mainly to the series of headline-making “runway incursions” – essentially near misses between aircraft that made headlines and prompted serious questions about aviation risks. On January 13, an American Airlines jet crossed a runway at New York’s JFK International Airport as a Delta Air Lines aircraft was taking off. Ten days later, a United Airlines jet crossed a runway at Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport as a cargo aircraft was coming in to land. At their closest, says the FAA, the two were 1,170 feet apart. February saw a rash of incidents. At California’s Burbank Airport, a Mesa Airlines plane had to make a go-around – essentially an aborted landing – when its crew realized a SkyWest plane was taking off from the same runway. Another go-around incident occurred at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport in Florida. Perhaps closest to disaster was an incident on February 4, when FedEx cargo pilots were landing at Austin, only to see a Southwest plane was on the runway, about to take off. Air Traffic Control had cleared both planes, despite the airport being wreathed in fog. The aircraft came within 100 feet of each other. In late February, air traffic controllers at Boston averted a crash when a Learjet took off without clearance as a Jetblue flight was coming in to land on an intersecting runway. The JetBlue aircraft “took evasive action and initiated a climb-out,” according to an FAA statement. The National Transportation Safety Board, which looks into incidents, is now investigating all six events. It is also investigating a December incident, in which a United Airlines Boeing 777 jet departing from Hawaii plunged towards the ocean after takeoff, coming within 775 feet of sea level. The FAA, which is also investigating the recent spate of incidents, says it has not found a common cause. It seems like stories like this are becoming increasingly common. Or are they? What's going on with all the runway close calls Most incursions are not serious Data from the FAA published in 2017 showed that reports of runway incursions have been on a largely upward trend since 1997, and steadily rising since 2011. The Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST), formed in 1997, encouraged a culture of data sharing and no-blame safety reporting. The number of accidents has remained relatively constant, according to FAA analysis through 2016, and it shows the cumulative risk trending down. The FAA says most incursions are not classed as serious – few of the 120 or so logged in January 2023 have made headlines. That figure includes all incursions, including those involving general aviation aircraft. Some, however, can sound terrifying. These include an event on January 18, in which a Boeing 737 took off from Dallas Love Field without ATC authorization; fortunately no other traffic was involved. And another at Florida’s Treasure Coast International, when a fire truck entered the runway as a business jet was taking off. The latter is deemed “category A” – the most serious of runway incursions, “in which a collision is narrowly avoided,” according to the FAA. And there’s been a recent uptick in those cases. Both 2022 and 2021 saw seven of them – up on three in 2019 and four in 2018, according to the FAA’s runway incursion database. However, there were 22 category A incidents in 2007, the sharpest peak in the past two decades. Most of the incursions involving commercial airliners that have made headlines this year are not yet entered into the FAA database. The agency did not provide specifics about how those incidents will be categorized. “The vast majority of runway incursions are not serious occurrences,” the FAA said in a statement. “However, reducing the risk of them occurring remains one of the FAA’s highest safety priorities and is a shared responsibility that encompasses pilots, air traffic controllers and airport vehicle drivers.” On eve of safety summit, FAA investigates another runway close call While incident numbers might not be on a dramatically upward trajectory, they are causing alarm. In February, acting FAA administrator Billy Nolen sent a memo to the agency instructing staff to “stare into the data and ask hard questions.” Nolen renewed that call at the summit on Wednesday. Among the questions he posed for consideration by the assembled experts: “In light of these recent close calls and the attention being focused on even the most routine of go-arounds, are we emphasizing efficiency over safety? How much of what we see can be attributed to the sudden resurgence in demand following the pandemic?” He said that over the past 25 years the industry has made “enormous strides” in its ability to scour data and identify risks before they manifest into serious incidents or accidents, but he called on members of the aviation industry to discuss “concrete steps” to make the system safer. “America’s aviation safety net is strong, our goal, our obligation, is to sew those threads even tighter,” Nolen said. System under pressure It’s about time, say some who work in the aviation industry amid fear that cuts made during the pandemic, plus a lack of scrutiny, have compromised America’s long safety culture in aviation. The United States’ last fatal accident was in 2009, when Colgan Air flight 3407 crashed while flying from Newark to Buffalo, killing everyone onboard. The NTSB investigation declared it to be pilot error, citing pilot fatigue as a factor. The FAA revised duty times for pilots as a result, cutting them to a maximum of 14 hours, down from 16, including eight hours of flying. Minimum rest times rose from eight to 10 hours. Cargo pilots can work slightly longer hours, despite sharing the runways with commercial pilots. And whereas previously airlines have stayed well within them, some are now asking pilots to work closer to the maximums. Dennis Tajer, an American Airlines captain and spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association (APA), which represents 15,000 AA pilots, says that, since the pandemic started, the pressure on pilots is at an all-time high. The union is in ongoing negotiations with the airline. “We’ve seen the system under pressure for well over a year, it was just a question of time before it was going to manifest itself in incidents,” he says. “Thankfully there’ve been no accidents – yet.” Tajer cites a shortage of pilots caused by Covid lockdown layoffs as part of the problem. Last May, United CEO Scott Kirby said that there “simply aren’t enough pilots.” A February 2023 analysis by management consultancy Oliver Wyman estimated a “supply gap” of 18% of the US pilot workforce. As a result, airlines have increased pilot hours – to within legal levels allowed by the FAA, but surpassing pre-pandemic schedules, says Tajer. “We are exhausted. Fatigue doesn’t happen in a moment – it can be chronic and that can affect your next flight. It’s like running an engine at its maximum all the time. At first it looks good, but over time things start to crack and leak. That’s what we’re seeing now.” At the same time, he says, airlines are cutting back on training. In 2020, AA switched from retraining pilots every nine months, as it had done previously, to every 12 months – the FAA minimum standard. AA said any changes were in line with FAA rules and followed a thorough risk assessment. “Safety is the foundation of every decision we make at American, and is the north star of our Flight Training program,” it said in a statement to CNN. “We have the best, most expertly trained pilots in the business who are unwavering in their mission of operating a safe airline for our customers and fellow team members.” Staffing – of positions including pilots, air traffic controllers and ground crew – was frequently cited as a pressure point among industry leaders at the summit. As was the importance of adequate training for both those who are new and those who are returning after absences brought on by the pandemic. The loss of experienced workers was also a key concern. “With about half of our nation’s qualified pilots facing their mandatory retirement within 15 years, we are going to be training and hiring tens of thousands of new pilots over the next two decades,” said Faye Malarkey Black, president and CEO of the Regional Airline Association. “And it is extremely, extremely important when we’re doing this that we focus on building the right foundation from the start.” Nicholas Calio, president and CEO of trade group Airlines for America, said US carriers have hired 100,000 new workers with a strong emphasis on training. ‘A job that requires colossal concentration’ Terry Tozer, a British former airline pilot and author who now comments on safety, sees systematic issues with US aviation protocols. “America is a very aviation-orientated country,” he says. “[Airports] pack a lot of traffic in… and if you put everyone under pressure, a cock-up [mistake] is more likely.” In particular, “the American air traffic control system is very pressurized,” he says, pointing out that in the UK and the European Union, air traffic control workers get longer downtime. “Covid seems to have exacerbated the situation – there’s an issue with staffing levels, and that usually adds pressure on the people at the coalface. It’s a job that requires colossal concentration.” FAA regulations state that air traffic controllers can work no more than 10 hours a day (including two hours overtime), and get regular breaks. Last summer, Airlines for America claimed the East Coast network was “crippled” due to lack of ATC staff. “Unfortunately, we have a staffing issue right now as air traffic controllers. We are 1,200 certified professional controllers less now than we were 10 years ago,” Rich Santa, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said at the summit. Nolen said the FAA is on pace to hire 1,500 controllers this year and 1,800 next year. Tozer says that when he flew to the US, he’d feel “very uncomfortable” because of the way ATC in America clears aircraft to land when there will often still be a plane on the runway, about to take off. “In the UK and most of Europe, you won’t get a landing clearance from ATC until the runway ahead is clear. [In the US] they work on the assumption [pilots] will do as they’re told once they’re cleared to take off.” A spokesperson for the FAA told CNN that it continually evaluates procedures and that “line-up-and-wait procedures” were safeguarded either by technology or strict rules on visibility. They said “extensive safety data” enables spot risks to be identified and issues resolved before accidents occur As both pilots point out, the good news is that all we’ve seen so far are incidents, not accidents. “So you could argue that the system works,” says Tozer. “But the safety margins have been eroded a little.” https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/aviation-safety-united-states/index.html Atlanta-bound Delta flight diverts to DFW Airport due to unruly passenger DFW Airport (CBSNewsTexas.com) — An unruly passenger caused an Atlanta-bound Delta flight to divert to DFW Airport early Friday morning. According to FlightAware, Delta Flight 731 from John Wayne Airport (SNA) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) made the impromptu landing around 2:20 a.m. March 17. Delta officials said there were 199 passengers and six crew members on board, and that the plane landed without incident. "We apologize to our customers on board for the disruption and delay to their travel plans." The flight was on the ground for approximately three hours as the passenger was deplaned, officials said. Travelers eventually made it to their final destination around 6:30 a.m. https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/atlanta-bound-delta-flight-diverts-dfw-airport-unruly-passenger/ FAA is Facing a Looming Staffing Crisis as Post-Pandemic Needs Grow Lawmakers suggest expanding the workforce pool to fill shortages, noting the aviation industry is overwhelmingly staffed by white men. With the air traffic ramping up beyond the levels experienced before the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers and stakeholders on Thursday warned the Federal Aviation Administration and the industry it supports lacks the resources necessary to accommodate continued growth. The number of aircraft flying in U.S. airspace is expected to double within the next 20 years, experts told the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The industry experienced significant turnover during the pandemic, witnesses and lawmakers said, leaving a workforce shortage as the Americans resume flying at normal rates and will increasingly due so in the years ahead. “With post-pandemic aviation growth, we face new challenges and we need to develop a pipeline of qualified workers who either retired or voluntarily left the workforce in the COVID-19 pandemic,” said committee Chair Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. She added this required a new cadre of employees across the industry, and “not just pilots.” “The FAA workforce must keep pace too," Cantwell said. "We must continue to invest in its 45,000 employees.” David Spero, president of Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, a union that represents 11,000 FAA technical employees and inspectors, derided the agency for failing to commit to improving its staffing models and working with his organization to better plan for the future. “PASS sincerely seeks to assist the agency in maintaining and enhancing its aviation safety workforce,” Spero said. “If only the agency was equally committed.” Spero said he was “extremely concerned” about FAA's failure to maintain adequate staffing for its inspector workforce, which provides certification, education and oversight over the aviation industry. A 2021 Transportation Department inspector general report found 59% of managers in the Certificates Management Office and 79% in the Flight Standards District Office were short staffed. Pass has long faulted FAA for using a flawed staffing model and called on the agency to develop a long-term plan to better assess its needs for the rest of the decade and beyond. Several senators bemoaned the lack of diversity in the aviation industry, noting 94% of pilots in the U.S. are male and 93% are white. They highlighted FAA programs they have helped launch in recent years to promote aviation to underrepresented groups, including grant programs that look to generate interest in the work at an early age. Just 24% of FAA employees and 16% of air traffic controller positions are women, according to Office of Personnel Management data. Members of FAA's Women in Aviation Advisory Board encouraged lawmakers to expand outreach and education to more groups, help subsidize the typically high training costs and support programs that discuss aviation as a career path starting in grade school. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., said the current workforce shortage has created a "once in a generation opportunity" to cast a wider net when looking for FAA and broader aviation talent. “We need to broaden the pool,” Warnock said. “We need all of our people to get to where we need to go.” FAA has also experienced shortages in its air traffic controller workforce. In 2011, including trainees, FAA had more than 15,000 controllers on board. That has dipped for the last 11 years and as of 2022 had dropped by 10%. Workforce advocates have said the system should have instead grown by the same amount to keep pace with a busier airspace. Last summer, FAA caused widespread delays when it forced planes in the New York area to stay grounded due to staffing shortages. The Biden administration has responded by increasing the FAA workforce. The fiscal 2023 omnibus funded the hiring of 1,500 new air traffic controllers and the president is seeking appropriations to hire another 1,800 next year. “The hiring and training surge will streamline the path for controller training while further increasing resiliency to serve high demand markets as air traffic increases to pre-pandemic levels,” FAA said. Cantwell joined several lawmakers and witnesses who said FAA needs permanent leadership as it tackles its current challenges. President Biden's nominee, Phil Washington, is currently awaiting confirmation before the Senate after some lawmakers challenged his knowledge of the system. Cantwell said she appreciated that he brought an outsider’s perspective and would not “go along with the groupthink of, Everything is OK.’” https://www.govexec.com/management/2023/03/faa-facing-looming-staffing-crisis-post-pandemic/384104/ VHF interference reported by airliners flying in the West Pacific, South China Sea Commercial aircraft flying in areas of the Western Pacific, South China Sea, Philippine Sea and Eastern Indian Ocean have reported VHF interference, allegedly caused by the Chinese military. In an internal notice issued to its Flight Operations Department, Australian airline Qantas has warned its pilots that aircraft have received communications from persons “purporting to represent the Chinese military” on VHF 121.5. The airline advises pilots that, if this type of interferences or communications occurs, they should continue to track their assigned clearance and contact ATC. Some aircraft may also have experienced GPS jamming, thought to have come from warships operating off the Northwest coast of Australia. A similar warning was issued by the International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations (IFALPA). In its communiqué, IFALPA noted that aircraft had been contacted on VHF frequencies 121.5 and 123.45, with the said warships providing vectors for the aircraft to avoid flying near specific areas near them. GPS interference was also reported. In its guidance, IFALPA recommends that pilots should ignore these communications and contact ATC immediately whenever this happens. It also added that “IFALPA is engaging with IATA and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) to ensure that all parties are aligned with our procedures and to prevent this from occurring in the future”. No safety-endangering incidents have been reported as a result of this situation. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/vhf-interference-reported-by-airliners-flying-in-the-west-pacific-south-china-sea Philippine Airlines Pulling All Aircraft Out Of Storage The carrier hopes to have its entire fleet active by year-end. Philippine Airlines is expecting a further recovery in business and plans to have all of its aircraft in active service by the end of this year. The airline will spend more on capital expenditure this year, and a lot of it is expected to go towards making its entire fleet serviceable again. Restoring fleet Philippine Airlines (PAL) recently held a media event where its top executives gave an optimistic forecast for the year ahead. Apart from expecting profits in the coming months, the airline could also see all of its planes back in active service by the time 2023 comes to an end. PAL chairman Lucio Tan was quoted as saying, “We are expecting a continuing strong market recovery so there are plans in place to enhance and upgrade our fleet.” As per ch-aviation, three of PAL’s airplanes are currently in storage. These include an Airbus A320-200, A320neo, and an A321neo. The airline’s vice president for network planning, Christoph Gaertner, noted that PAL has 68 airplanes in its fleet, and the reactivated fleet would be deployed on international routes. Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today. The airline could have up to a 40% increase in flight volume by year-end and see strong growth in passenger traffic as people return to the skies in what many call revenge travel. For China Gaertner said most aircraft returning to service would be used for its China routes. Indeed, as noted by Simple Flying last month, Philippine Airlines is working hard to rebuild its network in China. Before the pandemic, mainland China was the second-largest source of tourists to the Philippines, with 1.74 million Chinese residents arriving in 2019. PAL currently flies to popular mainland Chinese destinations such as Shanghai, Beijing, Xiamen, and Guangzhou and plans to increase frequencies, given the growing demand from travelers. But making further inroads into the Chinese market later this year depends on the parked planes coming back, which themselves are dependent on a smooth global supply chain. Philippine Airlines CEO Stanley Ng highlighted that a lot relies on the availability of parts, as the planes will need to be refurbished before they can be re-introduced. He added, “Supply chain is one of the biggest challenges as well. So, if we wanted to activate our aircraft, we are also dependent on the suppliers of engines as well as other spare part. We are open to every supplier. Currently, we are actually in the process of negotiating with them.” Profits Ng added that based on the business done so far this year, the airline hopes to end the year in profit. This would, indeed, be a turnaround for the airline as not too long ago, PAL filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a New York court when it was saddled with billions in outstanding debt. Find more news about Asian aviation here. But things are looking up now. The airline also recently reacquired an Airbus A330 aircraft offering 18 business class seats, 24 premium economy seats, and 267 economy seats, and will travel to long-haul destinations in Asia and Australia. Hopefully, PAL will continue recovering in the coming months and end the year with good revenues, as projected. https://simpleflying.com/philippine-airlines-pulling-aircraft-storage/ Qantas pilots told to fly through radio interference reportedly coming from Chinese warships Standing orders to crew follow problems reported in Pacific region involving alleged GPS jamming, but airline says there are no safety concerns Qantas has told pilots to fly through radio interference and GPS jamming reportedly coming from Chinese warships in Asia Pacific. In standing orders issued to pilots, Qantas says that some aircraft have experienced interference on VHF channels “purporting to represent the Chinese military” and GPS jamming from ships “off the north-west shelf of Australia”. But the orders added that the interference had not caused any safety problems and that pilots should report any incidents to air traffic control. It comes after the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) issued a statement confirming the interference, and warning pilots not to respond to any of the communication coming from the warships. They say they are aware that some aircrafts have been called on particular platforms by military warships in the Pacific region, notably the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea. They also added that in some cases, flights were provided with vectors to avoid using the airspace over the warship. “IFALPA has been made aware of some airlines and military aircraft being called over [radio frequencies] 121.50 or 123.45 by military warships in the Pacific region,” the statement read. “IFALPA is engaging with IATA and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) to ensure that all parties are aligned with our procedures and to prevent this from occurring in the future.” The Australian and International Pilots Association president, and Qantas captain, Tony Lucas said that pilots were aware of the communication, and were well equipped to deal with them. “Our members are aware of recent reported communication and electronic interference.” “Qantas Group pilots are well trained and remain ready to manage these sorts of issues safely in accordance with defined procedures,” he said. Aviation expert, Neil Hansford, told the Guardian this was more a case of “annoyance” than posing any real safety concerns. “There’s no doubt it’s Chinese military. It’s more annoyance than practicality, though, because this is not the only communication source that civil aviation use.” “They’re also not really saying anything to these flights. This is the case of somebody who says, I can, then that I will. It’s a whole continuation of international annoyance to get people to take notice.” Hansford said that while it was concerning that the warships were contacting flights with the VHF system, it was more concerning that they had were jamming GPS systems. “So VHF in itself is pretty much open source if you want to listen into what’s happening in the skies. And they may be throwing some flak around using the international security and emergency channels.” “GPS, on the other hand, is a navigational tool used widely in aviation and everyday technology, and it’s jamming is bloody serious. It’s a message, and you’ve got to take it seriously because GPS is more of a threat than VHF.” I hope you appreciated this article. Before you move on, I was hoping you would consider taking the step of supporting the Guardian’s journalism. From Elon Musk to Rupert Murdoch, a small number of billionaire owners have a powerful hold on so much of the information that reaches the public about what’s happening in the world. The Guardian is different. We have no billionaire owner or shareholders to consider. Our journalism is produced to serve the public interest – not profit motives. And we avoid the trap that befalls much US media – the tendency, born of a desire to please all sides, to engage in false equivalence in the name of neutrality. While fairness guides everything we do, we know there is a right and a wrong position in the fight against racism and for reproductive justice. When we report on issues like the climate crisis, we’re not afraid to name who is responsible. And as a global news organization, we’re able to provide a fresh, outsider perspective on US politics – one so often missing from the insular American media bubble. Around the world, readers can access the Guardian’s paywall-free journalism because of our unique reader-supported model. That’s because of people like you. Our readers keep us independent, beholden to no outside influence and accessible to everyone – whether they can afford to pay for news, or not. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/mar/17/qantas-pilots-told-to-fly-through-radio-interference-reportedly-coming-from-chinese-warships United Airlines wants to turn algae into jet fuel (KTLA) — United Airlines has made a multimillion-dollar investment into a technology company that is hoping to turn algae into jet fuel. United announced the $5 million investment in the biofuel company Viridos on Monday. Viridos specializes in bioengineering microalgae into algae oil, which could one day be scaled to produce sustainable aviation fuel, aka SAF. The airline has made an ambitious goal of being a 100% green company by 2050 and has started a venture fund to identify and invest in technology that will help the company achieve that goal. SAF is made from used cooking oil or agricultural waste, but scientists hope it can eventually be made from such things as household trash, forest waste or, in the case of Viridos, algae. Viridos identifies itself as a leader in bioengineering microalgae and says its algae have already achieved seven times the oil productivity compared to wild algae. With those scientific advancements comes the potential to create a more effective and sustainable algae oil that could one day be turned into SAF, the company says. “Based on current estimates, SAF created by Viridos’ algae oil is expected to have a 70% reduced carbon footprint on a lifecycle basis when compared to traditional jet fuel,” United said in a news release. Aviation faces hurdles to hit goals for cutting emissions Viridos and United say algae is an abundant resource that can be grown and harvested without impacting the food supply chain. As the airline looks to reduce its carbon footprint from flying, it says the biggest hurdle it faces is a shortage of feedstock needed to produce SAF, and the answer to that problem might just be from the sea. “Viridos’ algae-based biofuel technology has the potential to help solve our supply problem without the need for farmland or other agricultural resources and marks our inaugural investment in our new cross-industry UAV Sustainable Flight Fund,” said United Airlines Ventures President Mike Leskinen. The recent investment in Viridos is the first to be made by the UAV fund, which started with $100 million in capital thanks to United and its partners, including Air Canada, Boeing and GE Aerospace. Travelers have also paid into the fund when purchasing tickets, the airline said. Oliver Fetzer, CEO of Viridos, said creating production sites to grow the company’s microalgae in saltwater will help create “the foundation for a biofuel future that moves away from fossil fuels without competing for precious resources such as fresh water and arable land.” United Airlines posts $843 million profit, bullish on 2023 “We are excited to have the support from United Airlines,” Fetzer said. “Together we can build the ecosystem needed to bring algae biofuels to the market.” SAF must be blended with conventional jet fuel to meet regulatory requirements for use in aircraft, United said, and the United States military plans to use jet fuel with at least 10% SAF by 2028. United says the Biden administration’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act includes a tax credit specifically for SAF, which it believes will encourage the production of improved SAF infrastructure and reduce prices of the fuel source. But as with all groundbreaking advancements in fuel technology, only time will tell if algae oil is a viable fuel source. But perhaps one day the sea-to-sky pipeline will unlock a new future of aviation travel and sustainable fuel. United sure hopes so. https://thehill.com/homenews/3901217-united-airlines-wants-to-turn-algae-into-jet-fuel/ Curt Lewis