Flight Safety Information - April 7, 2023 No. 067 In This Issue : Please, No: FAA Staff Shortage May Lead to More Delays This Summer : This U.S. Airport Had the Highest Cancellations in 2022 : How common are aviation incidents at Houston's IAH and Hobby airports? : FAA notice returns attention to TAWS nuisance alerts : NTSB blames pilot, air traffic controller for mid-air collision near Centennial Airport : FAA Initiates Surveillance of Pilot Records Database Compliance: Is Your Flight Department Ready? : Bizjets Sustain Two Fatal Accidents in 1Q2023 : Authorities investigate hot air balloon accident : There will be accidents : Call for Nominations For 2023 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award : Call for Papers is now open for 2023 CHC Safety & Quality Summit. Please, No: FAA Staff Shortage May Lead to More Delays This Summer Apeksha Bhateja | April 6, 2023 New York airports will see delays this summer. The aviation industry is dealing with multiple fires at once. Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration saw itself in a jam when the Notice to Air Missions system went down, grounding thousands of flights in the U.S. It was fixed in 90 minutes, but the chinks in the technological armor of the FAA became visible for the world. Then several close calls and near-miss collisions raised concerns about aviation safety. The FAA has issued safety alerts to airlines and pilots about the need for vigilance and these incidents are being investigated. Meanwhile, the FAA hosted a rare safety summit in the wake of these near-collisions and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said that the uptick in these accidents is concerning. TOP PICKS FOR YOU He told CNN, “It would be one thing if we found a certain piece of technology in the cockpit or a certain control tower where there were a lot of issues. But instead what we’re finding is that pilots, ground crews and controllers alike seem to be experiencing this uptick. Some have described it as a kind of rust.” Last year, the administration had refused a request by regional airline Republic Airways to hire co-pilots with fewer training hours, citing safety concerns. The shortage of pilots has pained airlines after they offered voluntary retirement to pilots during the pandemic. Now with people traveling with a vengeance, it’s hurting schedules (and profits). Airlines blamed disruptions on shortages of air traffic controllers, pointing fingers at the FAA because it manages the traffic in the skies. The agency hit back and Peter Buttigieg told CNBC that the ATC staffing issues don’t explain the majority of delays. The Biden administration is also looking for additional funding for the FAA to hire more staff and manage the congested airspace better. Troubles Expected This Summer Now the FAA has issued a notice to airlines, warning that the shortage is likely to cause delays this summer. The New York Terminal Radar Approach Control facility controls the skies over New York and the North East corridor. While the Certified Professional Controller (CPC) staffing is 81%, this New York facility is at 54% staffing target and the FAA projects that the delays this summer will increase by 45%. Thus, the agency is allowing airlines to turn in up to 10% of their slots at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport in New York, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C from May 15-September 15, 2023. This is being done to reduce volume and manage traffic to avoid delays and congestion. The FAA defines slots as an authorization to either take-off or land at a particular airport on a particular day during a specified time period. Airlines must use their slots 80% of the time, or they lose them. “This relief is being provided to give carriers the ability to reduce operations during the peak summer travel period, which are likely to be exacerbated by the effects of Air Traffic Controller (ATC) staffing shortfalls,” the notice explained. Last May through September, there were more than 40,000 delays reported at JFK, LGA, and EWR and staffing was a contributing factor, the statement said. In response to the FAA’s notice, JetBlue is cutting its summer schedule—the airline operates from New York and will be impacted by the short-staffed FAA. Its CEO Robin Hayes told CNBC that if they don’t cut flights, the system won’t work this summer. “This is going to have a very significant financial impact on JetBlue and our customers.” Meanwhile, Delta and United have requested waivers. American Airlines will also cut New York flights. For travelers, it means that delays and cancellations from New York will possibly hamper summer travels. The airspace will be congested and a lack of staff will make the situation grim. Flight options may disappear as airlines trim their schedules. Please, No: FAA Staff Shortage May Lead to More Delays This Summer This U.S. Airport Had the Highest Cancellations in 2022 Apeksha Bhateja | April 3, 2023 It saw a 286.77% increase from 2021. Last summer, it was the perfect storm. Travelers were united in frustration when flight cancellations and delays, lost luggage, long queues at airports, and every other kind of disruption imaginable became regular events in Europe and the U.S. Traveling in Europe continues to be a struggle as union strikes paralyze different sectors. As per the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2.69% flights were cancelled in the U.S. and 20.75% were delayed. Weather caused many problems, but staff shortages and high demand are still causing the aviation wheels to stop turning. In December, Southwest raised the percentages when it had a major meltdown. More than 16,000 flights were cancelled during the holiday season and the airline has been apologizing ever since. But a new analysis by travel insurance InsureMyTrip has revealed the U.S. airports that had the highest (and the lowest) cancellations rates. It might come as a surprise that it isn’t the high traffic JFK in New York City, but the small Buffalo airport in New York State. Airports With Worst Flight Cancellations Buffalo Niagara International Airport had the highest cancellation rate last year—from 1.43% cancellations in 2021, it went up 5.55%. In January, the Transportation Security Administration also announced that it’s looking to hire officers to meet the expected demand this summer. The travel insurance company used data by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics to rank the busiest American airports that have felt the tremors of a bad year in aviation. JFK just missed the top 10 with 3.69% cancellation rate, but La Guardia made the top three with a rate of 5.19%. Other big airports with high cancellations rates are Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington, D.C., and Orlando International Airport. Another finding from this analysis is that there were just eight airports with a lower cancellation rate in 2022 as compared to 2021. Last year, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport topped the list with 6.10% cancellations, while this year it has fallen in the middle of the list with a 2.37% cancellation rate. Hawaii has come out a winner here—three of its airports were placed with the least rate of cancellation at less than 1%. Passenger Rights DOT has been pulling up airlines for a variety of things. In September, the department unveiled a new customer service dashboard that helps fliers understand what they are owed by the airline if a flight is delayed or cancelled. All 10 airlines listed on the dashboard accommodate passengers on other flights of the same airline at no additional cost and all of them provide meals or meal vouchers for passengers waiting for the new flight for more than three hours. According to this dashboard, Frontier is the only airline that doesn’t offer hotel accommodation for overnight cancellations. The department also makes it clear that passengers are entitled to a refund if their flight is cancelled or significantly delayed, even if they had non-refundable tickets. It is clearly stated: If an airline cancels a passenger’s flight or makes a significant change in the flight, regardless of the reason, airlines are required to provide a prompt refund to a ticketed passenger, including those with non-refundable tickets, should the passenger choose not to accept the alternative offered, such as rebooking on another flight. You have options if your flight is cancelled by the airline and you can check details about refunds here. If the airline refuses to refund your ticket, you can file a complaint with DoT. This U.S. Airport Had the Highest Cancellations in 2022 How common are aviation incidents at Houston's IAH and Hobby airports? Alexandra Kanik April 6, 2023 Bill Montgomery/Houston Chronicle The high-profile emergency landing by a United Airlines passenger jet last week at George Bush Intercontinental Airport became the latest reminder that airports across the county have their share of mishaps, near-misses and aircraft fender benders. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the most recent Houston-area investigation involved a personal Luscombe 8E plane that rolled out during landing on Feb. 19, 2023. In the last five years, George Bush International Airport and William Hobby Airport have logged 142 incidents. Depending on the situation, FAA and NTSB investigate crashes and less serious aviation incidents. The NTSB generally gets involved in the more serious accidents that involve injuries to passengers and crew or substantial damage to aircrafts. Less severe situations that include airplanes running off the runway, unauthorized vehicles or people entering runways and planes hitting birds are investigated by the FAA. They also investigate when pilots do not follow air traffic control orders during takeoff, taxi and landing. The United Airlines emergency landing at IAH did not reach the level of seriousness needed for an NTSB investigation, but the FAA said they will be investigating what went wrong. These minor incidents at major airports can irritate travelers by shutting down runways and cause delays for other incoming and outgoing flights. Over the past 5 years, most of the Houston-area crashes and runway incidents occurred at smaller, regional airports and involved personal, utility or business/company planes, not commercial airliners. Please see the original article for this listing. At George Bush International Airport, however, nearly 80% of aviation incidents involve commercial airliners, likely due to the high volume of commercial flights, a much higher number of large jet incidents compared to Hobby and other regional airports. The Houston Chronicle has compiled all commercial airplane accidents and incidents at George Bush International Airport and William Hobby Airport to see how often these incidents occur. At George Bush International Airport, however, nearly 80% of aviation incidents involve commercial airliners, likely due to the high volume of commercial flights, a much higher number of large jet incidents compared to Hobby and other regional airports. The Houston Chronicle has compiled all commercial airplane accidents and incidents at George Bush International Airport and William Hobby Airport to see how often these incidents occur. Please see the original article for this listing. How common are aviation incidents at Houston's IAH and Hobby airports? FAA notice returns attention to TAWS nuisance alerts BY ELAN HEAD | APRIL 5, 2023 A new Information for Operators (InFO) letter from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration addresses nuisance alerts from terrain awareness and warning systems (TAWS), encouraging operators to develop and train procedures for use of the terrain warning inhibit switch. The FAA has required HTAWS for helicopter air ambulance operators since 2017, but has not extended that requirement to all part 135 helicopter operators. Garmin The letter, dated March 23, 2023, stems from the fatal 2016 crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan operated by Hageland Aviation near Togiak, Alaska. While that accident involved a fixed-wing aircraft and TAWS, the FAA confirmed to Vertical that the InFO letter applies to helicopter terrain awareness and warning systems (HTAWS), too. In the Togiak crash, the Caravan, which was operating under visual flight rules (VFR), collided with a mountain ridge after having likely entered instrument meteorological conditions. The aircraft was equipped with a Class B TAWS that provided en route terrain warnings within 700 feet of the ground, although Hageland was legally permitted to fly as low as 500 feet above ground level. That altitude mismatch meant the TAWS often provided unwanted aural and visual warnings or “nuisance” alerts, which Hageland pilots routinely disabled using the terrain inhibit switch. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded this had likely been the case on the accident flight, with the result that the system did not provide warning of the impending controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). The NTSB recommended that the FAA work with part 135 air carriers like Hageland to raise awareness of the risks associated with distraction from continuous nuisance alerts, as well as complacency brought about by routine use of the terrain inhibit feature. The board wanted to see operators develop procedures to specifically address when pilots should test, inhibit, and uninhibit TAWS alerts. In 2021, the FAA told the NTSB it was in the process of finalizing a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) that would guide part 135 operators to develop and implement policies and procedures for proper use of the terrain inhibit feature. That SAFO, originally scheduled for publication in mid-2022, never appeared, and the FAA told Vertical that the new InFO letter represents its changed approach to communicating the information. With less than two full pages of text, the InFO letter is brief. It advises part 135 directors of operations, part 91 managers and fractional ownership program managers to “review their approved training programs to ensure procedures for the use of the terrain warning system inhibit switch is adequately addressed,” but it provides no guidance on what appropriate procedures might look like. That may be because there is no clear agreement on how best to use TAWS in low-level VFR operations. The technology was initially developed for instrument flight rules (IFR) operations, where proximity to terrain always indicates a deviation from the proper flight path. By contrast, designing a system for VFR operations in which the aircraft is intentionally flown close to terrain is no simple task. In 2017, prompted by another fatal airplane accident in Alaska, the NTSB recommended that the FAA implement ways to provide effective TAWS protections while mitigating nuisance alerts for single-engine airplanes that frequently operate at altitudes below their TAWS alerting thresholds. At the FAA’s request, the standards organization RTCA reconvened a special committee on TAWS to explore various possible approaches to the problem, which it summarized in a white paper published in 2020. Each of the potential solutions explored by the committee had limitations, reflecting the inherent tension between providing pilots with enough advance warning of terrain, but not too much. The FAA ultimately decided to allow certain Alaskan airplane operators to fly with Class C TAWS, which has smaller alerting thresholds than the Class B TAWS typically mandated for single-engine turbine-powered airplanes with six to nine passenger seats. Standards for Class A and B TAWS alerting thresholds were also reduced from 700 to 500 feet, and the FAA said earlier this year that it continues to advance research into a ground collision avoidance system for aircraft operating at low altitude near proximate terrain. The FAA has required HTAWS for helicopter air ambulance operators since 2017, but has resisted extending that requirement to all part 135 helicopter operators. In October 2022, the FAA submitted a report to Congress that concluded the costs of mandating HTAWS on all commercial helicopters — $134 million over five years — outweighed the estimated passenger and public safety benefit of less than $5 million over the same time period. While HTAWS is widely recognized as a safety-enhancing technology, it has also been implicated in some accidents. Notably, the NTSB concluded the pilot in the fatal crash of an air ambulance in 2013 was likely responding to an HTAWS obstacle alert when he climbed into clouds, resulting in an in-flight loss of control. There have also been at least two accidents in which an HTAWS-equipped helicopter struck an obstacle that was not in its HTAWS database. FAA notice returns attention to TAWS nuisance alerts NTSB blames pilot, air traffic controller for mid-air collision near Centennial Airport In an interview with investigators, one air traffic controller raised concerns about the proximity of the parallel runways at the airport. Author: Cole Sullivan Published: 5:30 AM MDT April 6, 2023 Updated: 10:36 PM MDT April 5, 2023 CENTENNIAL, Colo. — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said a speeding pilot -- and the failure of an air traffic controller to warn another aircraft of a plane in the area -- led to a mid-air collision near Centennial Airport in May 2021. No one was injured in the crash, which was called an "aviation miracle" by some experts due to the significant damage to both planes. One pilot deployed a parachute to soften his plane's landing in Cherry Creek State Park, the other was able to land safely at Centennial Airport. The collision occurred while both planes were preparing to land on Centennial's parallel runways, the NTSB said. The pilot of a Cirrus SR-22 was speeding more than 50 knots above the manufacturer's recommended speed for the maneuver and overshot his turn toward the runway, the NTSB said. The Cirrus then collided with the Swearingen Metroliner, whose pilot didn't know to look out for other aircraft in the area because an air traffic controller failed to warn the pilot, the report said. That warning is especially important at Centennial -- one of the nation's busiest general aviation airports -- because the two parallel runways are unusually close, said 9NEWS aviation expert Greg Feith. "This one is 700 feet centerline to centerline and when you have that kind of distance you don't have a lot of margin for error," he said. In the NTSB report, air traffic controllers acknowledged concerns about planes hitting each other on the parallel runways. "The close parallel runway configuration was “inherently risky, but mitigatable (sic),” one controller told investigators. The "conflict alerts" warning controllers aircrafts are too close goes off so frequently, another controller described it as "white noise" that was not relied upon, in part because it often goes off late. The Colorado Sun initially reported the air traffic controllers' concerns, which also included short staffing in the control tower and how busy airport operations can get. Several controllers told investigators they believed the concerns were manageable and appropriately addressed by existing procedures. "It’s the second busiest general aviation airport in the country based on operations," Feith said. He wished the NTSB investigators had taken a broader approach to their investigation and examined recommending retraining or reevaluation of the airport and control tower procedures -- even if the people executing them are the ones responsible for this wreck. "These kinds of accidents are really human-based," he said. "That is because humans will get distracted, they get complacent, they will make a mistake." Airport officials have previously said they believe the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) made a change to its flight patterns after the collision, which has led to an increase in noise complaints from neighbors north of the runways. They've asked FAA representatives to begin attending the airport's noise reduction roundtables as a result. Despite his warnings of the unusually close runways at a historically busy airport, Feith said neighbors nearby do not need to worry about another mid-air collision. "People should have confidence really in the air traffic control system and the FAA that these accidents are not a daily event, they are an anomaly," he said. NTSB blames pilot, air traffic controller for mid-air collision near Centennial Airport FAA Initiates Surveillance of Pilot Records Database Compliance: Is Your Flight Department Ready? Crowell & Moring LLP USA April 6 2023 On March 31, 2023, almost two years after issuing the Final Pilot Records Database (“PRD”) Rule (the “Rule”), the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) issued a notice (the “Notice”) advising that it will review operators’ compliance with the Rule and may take enforcement action against noncompliance. Crucially, each FAA office must survey compliance of at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the corporate flight departments under their purview by August 31, 2024. The Final Rule was issued on June 10, 2021, replacing the then-existing Pilot Records Improvement Act (“PRIA”) with the goal of creating a comprehensive system to be used in pilot hiring processes. Crowell & Moring analyzed details of the Final Rule in an earlier client alert. Currently, operators subject to the Rule must be (i) registered for PRD access, (ii) retaining applicable pilot records, and, for Part 121, 135, 125, and fractional ownership program operators, (iii) using the PRD to review FAA records when hiring pilots, and (iv) conducting mandatory record reporting to PRD. According to the FAA, “many operators, particularly non-Part 121 operators, did not apply for database access by Sept. 8, 2021” and “PRD access activity data shows that some of the Part 121 operators have not accessed any pilot records as of Dec. 7, 2021” in connection with hiring decisions as required by the Rule. In order to assess and ensure compliance industry-wide, the FAA has standardized the approach for FAA offices to conduct surveillance of PRD compliance across all operator groups subject to the Rule according to the following timeline: • Evaluations for Part 121 and 135 air carriers completed by June 30, 2023; • Evaluations for Part 125 commercial operators and 91K fractional ownership program managers completed by June 30, 2023; • Evaluations for § 91.147 air tour operators, corporate operators, and those conducting Public Aircraft Operations (“PAO”) completed by August 31, 2024. FAA offices will be surveying 25% of the corporate flight departments subject to the Rule (i.e., those having two or more aircraft). FAA inspectors are instructed in the Notice to use broad criteria in determining which 25% of their corporate flight departments to review, including but not limited to: • Known non-compliance with the Rule; • High pilot turnover rates; • Operators not associated with an air carrier Operating Certificate; and • Operators with accidents, incidents, occurrences, or pilot deviations within the last 5 years. Corporate flight departments subject to the Rule that meet one or more of the above criteria are more likely to be surveyed as part of their local FAA office’s 25% quota. Enforcement action for violations can vary depending on the nature of the noncompliance and whether the noncompliance is intentional or reckless. Noncompliance is generally considered intentional or reckless when an operator either knew about PRD requirements or acted with gross disregard for, or with deliberate indifference to, the PRD requirements. Per the Notice, civil penalty action is generally appropriate for such conduct. The procedures described in the Notice may result in a wave of FAA inspection and enforcement action related to the PRD compliance. All operators should review their internal programs and compliance now to prepare for potential FAA surveillance in the near future. FAA Initiates Surveillance of Pilot Records Database Compliance: Is Your Flight Department Ready? Bizjets Sustain Two Fatal Accidents in 1Q2023 by Gordon Gilbert - April 6, 2023, 12:52 PM The Hawker 800XP that went off the end of the runway during an aborted tailwind takeoff from Colorado's Aspen-Pitkin County Airport. (Photo: NTSB:ASE Airport Operations) The safety picture for this year's first quarter was marred by fatal accidents involving two U.S.-registered business jets and three turboprops that killed 16, compared with zero business jet and three turboprop fatal accidents that claimed 12 in the same period last year, according to data compiled by AIN. Preliminary data indicates that all but one of these fatal events occurred during flights operated under Part 91. On January 2, an Embraer Phenom 300 crashed after the pilot lost control during takeoff from Provo, Utah, in day IMC, killing the pilot and injuring the three passengers. And a sudden in-flight upset of a Bombardier Challenger 300 on March 3 killed a passenger. U.S.-registered turboprops suffered the same number of accidents in the first quarter versus a year ago, but fatalities increased from 12 to 14. The February 24 crash of a Pilatus PC-12, which broke up in flight and killed all five onboard, was the only U.S.-registered turbine business charter fatal accident in the first quarter. Non-U.S. registered business jets suffered no reportable accidents in the first quarter, compared with four non-fatal accidents in the same period last year. Meanwhile, non-U.S.-registered turboprops experienced fewer mishaps in the first quarter, but fatal accidents climbed from one to two and fatalities rose from one to three. Bizjets Sustain Two Fatal Accidents in 1Q2023 Authorities investigate hot air balloon accident 4 April, 2023 MEXICO CITY – The Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) reported that it is already attending the accident that occurred when a hot air balloon caught fire and collapsed in the perimeter of the Archaeological Zone of Teotihuacan, State of Mexico, and as a result, unfortunately, two people lost their lives. The agency said that once the balloon accident was known, the Directorate of Analysis of Aviation Accidents and Incidents activated the corresponding investigation protocols to determine the probable causes. On the other hand, the Federal Civil Aviation Agency initiated the administrative investigation of the accident, in order to know the status of the service provider; among the points of analysis is that it complies with the insurance coverage to the public user in case of accident. It is worth mentioning that, in order to provide this type of services, the owners or holders of a hot air balloon must comply with five conditions: To have a permit granted by the AFAC, to abide by the operating specifications (as provided in the Mexican Official Standard NOM-008- SCT3-2002), to contract and maintain in force an insurance policy covering liabilities for damages to passengers or third parties in the operation of the aircraft. The fourth condition is that the balloon can only be manned by aeronautical technical personnel holding the appropriate license and certificate of competency and finally perform the appropriate maintenance. It is worth mentioning that the authorities initiated investigations to determine what caused the tragic accident. Authorities investigate hot air balloon accident There will be accidents By General Aviation News Staff · April 4, 2023 This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports. Planned a flight-seeing tour with family today. Checked NOTAMs and conditions 20 hours and then two hours pre-flight. Nothing NOTAMed on the Tower being closed. Pre-flighted the aircraft and listened to ATIS. ATIS states Tower closure in about 90 minutes without explanation. Spoke with Ground/Tower. Great Controller but clearly working solo on a very busy day. He was clearly overworked. He missed my clearance request, which I restated. It was clear he was working alone and handling Clearance/Ground /Tower solo. I’ve been in and out of San Carlos Airport (KSQL) in California for many years. This short staffing problem is a consistent problem. I raced back to the field in time to land prior to the Tower closing knowing how this worked out last time when the Tower closed early. It was a nightmare, and a real safety issue. I call this out as 1) it should be NOTAMed hours before closing, 2) this seems to happen often at KSQL, which is a very busy Class Delta airport. I worry that inbound pilots will not know the short staffing problem and resulting Tower closures and there will be accidents. It’s clear something needs to be done to improve this contract Tower for the safety of all pilots and passengers. There will be accidents Call for Nominations For 2023 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2023 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award, honoring a leader in global aviation safety. The Award will be presented during the 76th Annual International Air Safety Summit, taking place November 6-8 in Paris, France. Presented annually since 1956, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award recognizes notable achievement in the field of civil or military aviation safety in method, design, invention, study, or other improvement. The Award's recipient is selected for a "significant individual or group effort contributing to improving aviation safety, with emphasis on original contributions," and a "significant individual or group effort performed above and beyond normal responsibilities." Mechanics, engineers, and others outside of top administrative or research positions should be especially considered. The contribution need not be recent, especially if the nominee has not received adequate recognition. Nominations that were not selected as past winners may be resubmitted for consideration in subsequent years. Please note that self-nominations will not be considered. The Award Committee, composed of leaders in the field of aviation, meets each year to conduct a final review of nominees and selection of the current year's recipient. Please help us identify and honor this year's most deserving recipient. Nominations, including a 1-to-2-page narrative, can be submitted via the Laura Taber Barbour Foundation website at http://ltbaward.org/the-award/nomination-form/. Nominations will be accepted through June 2, 2023. For more information, including a complete history of Award recipients, see www.ltbaward.org. About the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation and Award The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award's story dates back more than 75 years. On April 14, 1945, after visiting family in Pittsburgh, Laura Taber Barbour was aboard a Pennsylvania Central Airlines DC-3 when it crashed into the rugged terrain of Cheat Mountain near Morgantown, West Virginia. All passengers and crew were killed. In 1956 her husband, Dr. Clifford E. Barbour and son, Clifford E. Barbour, Jr., in close association with The Flight Safety Foundation, established the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award in her honor. For the past 65 years, this distinguished award recognizing outstanding achievements in aviation safety worldwide has been presented at Flight Safety Foundation’s International Aviation Safety Summit. In 2013, The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation was formed as an independent non-profit charitable organization composed of members of the Award Board, the aviation community, and the Barbour family. In addition to the annual presentation of the award, in 2019 the Foundation initiated a scholarship program that supports worthy students pursuing professional aviation studies. As the Foundation broadens its scope, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award will continue to recognize those who significantly contributed to aviation safety. For more information on the Foundation, the award, and past winners, visit http://LTBAward.org Share your knowledge and experience at 2023 CHC Safety & Quality Summit. Call for Papers is now open for 2023 CHC Safety & Quality Summit. Theme: Reset 2024: Developing New Safety Mindsets Submission Deadline: May 21, 2023 Much has changed in the past five years. Energy prices have collapsed, then spiked; customers have deferred, then ramped, production. We have grappled with global pandemic and now war in Ukraine. We have welcomed new market entrants in response to a changing environment and changing importance of sustainability. The offshore helicopter industry has had to adapt – quickly - to meet changing demands. As the pace of change has accelerated, it has sparked a state of permacrisis with little time to regroup. Simultaneously, the accident rate has accelerated, from an all-time low in 2019/20, to 12 fatal accidents and 18 lives lost in 2022. Were we distracted, complacent, without the focus and resources? How do we enhance safety, succession and sustainability in a dynamic industry? The CHC Safety & Quality Summit 2023 now calls for papers to address these challenges. Please submit abstracts for consideration on the following topics: 1. New safety performance mindsets. A persistent safety management challenge is the changing human habit. Understanding safety relies on understanding the brains and behaviours at the heart of the flight system. We know the value of a safety management system lies in the willingness and openness of our teams to reflect, learn and change, time and time again. What new insights can we draw from human neurology and psychology to keep the person at the centre of safety, resilience and safety management practice? 2. New talent requirements and the next generation. There are numerous dynamics that stymie recruitment and retention: an experienced but ageing employee population, remuneration limitations, entrants’ skills gaps, changing workplace expectations and persistent poor performance in regard to diversity and inclusion. Are our organisations fit for purpose? What is our succession plan to ensure the safety and quality of our industry in 2024 and beyond? The CHC Safety &Quality Summit will take place in Vancouver, BC, Canada on 14 - 16 November, 2023. Most sessions during the three-day conference will be for 90 minutes. Individual sessions typically attract between 20 to 60 people. Submissions should include proposed session titles, descriptions or outlines, objectives and audience benefits, presenter bibliographies, and contact details. Please send your submission online via links on this page. We look forward to hearing from you by 21 May 2023. Note: Any type of vendor promotions or marketing pitch will not be accepted. Reminder: A valid passport & visa (if applicable) are required to enter Canada and attend the CHC Safety & Quality Summit. Don’t delay – apply or renew your passport & visa today. To submit an abstract, click on the project link below: SUBMIT ABSTRACT Submit Ab Sincerely, CHC Safety & Quality Summit Committee summit@CHCheli.com Curt Lewis