Flight Safety Information - May 4, 2023 No. 085 In This Issue : Incident: Scoot B789 near Adelaide on Apr 29th 2023, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Lufthansa B748 at Buenos Aires on Apr 29th 2023, could not retract landing gear : An airline had to remind its pilots to keep cockpits 'sterile' after one invited a friend onto the flight deck and asked crew to serve her food and alcohol,reports say : FAA Plans New Sky Lanes for Air Taxis : Swarm of bees covering airplane wing at IAH delays Delta flight from Houston : Passenger 'voted' off of Trenton-Atlanta Frontier flight after altercation : Customs officials find 22 snakes in woman's checked bags at India airport : Air Canada’s pilots vote to join pilot union ALPA : Nigeria becomes first in Africa with highest airlines on IOSA registry : Go First pilots, cabin crew may make a beeline at Air India's recruitment drive. How to apply : Analysis-Delta's pilot deal turns up the heat on rival airlines' union negotiations : United Airlines to hire 15,000 in preparation for busy summer : NASA Selects Emily Nelson as Chief Flight Director : AIRBUS - Position Available: Aviation Safety Officer Incident: Scoot B789 near Adelaide on Apr 29th 2023, engine shut down in flight A Scoot Airlines Boeing 787-9, registration 9V-OJC performing flight TR-3 from Sydney,NS (Australia) to Singapore (Singapore) with 311 people on board, was enroute at FL360 about 250nm northeast of Adelaide,SA (Australia), when the crew needed to shut the left hand engine (Trent 1000) down due to low oil quantity and pressure. The aircraft drifted down to FL200 and landed safely on Adelaide's runway 23 about 50 minutes after leaving FL360. A replacement Boeing 787-9 registration 9V-OJF positioned from Singapore to Adelaide and reached Singapore as flight TR-3V with a delay of about 25 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Adelaide about 50 hours after landing. The airline stated the aircraft diverted to Adelaide as a precaution, spare parts needed to be sent to Adelaide, hence the aircraft could not be recovered in time. Passengers were offered a relief flight on Sunday (Apr 30th). https://avherald.com/h?article=50886090&opt=0 Incident: Lufthansa B748 at Buenos Aires on Apr 29th 2023, could not retract landing gear A Lufthansa Boeing 747-8, registration D-ABYP performing flight LH-511 from Buenos Aires Ezeiza,BA (Argentina) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany), was climbing out of Ezeiza's runway 11 when the crew stopped the climb at FL110 due to being unable to retract the landing gear. The aircraft dumped fuel and returned to Buenos Aires for a safe landing on runway 11 about one hour after departure. The aircraft is still on the ground in Buenos Aires about 24 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=5088155c&opt=0 An airline had to remind its pilots to keep cockpits 'sterile' after one invited a friend onto the flight deck and asked crew to serve her food and alcohol, reports say • An Air India pilot spent over an hour in the cockpit with a "female friend" on a flight to Dubai in February. • According to a complaint reported by Indian media, he asked cabin crew to serve her food and alcohol. • On Monday, Air India reminded its 1,800 pilots of the "sterile" cockpit rule, reports say. Air India had to remind its pilots to keep cockpits "sterile" after being rebuked by regulators when a pilot let a friend onto the flight deck, the Hindustan Times reported. The pilot from the national airline – which was state-owned until 2021 – spent over an hour in the cockpit with the woman on a Delhi to Dubai flight, according to a complaint seen by the newspaper. The captain also asked for the cockpit to "appear welcoming, warm and comfortable, as though he was preparing his living room for a lady friend," aviation news site SimpleFlying reported. A cabin crew member filed the complaint with Air India four days after the February 27 incident, but the country's aviation watchdog wasn't involved until April 21. According to the Times of India, the complaint also said that the pilot asked the crew member to bring his friend "drinks and snacks" and "serve her in the cockpit." "I told him, 'Captain, I am not comfortable serving alcohol in the cockpit'," the complaint adds, saying that the pilot then became "snappy and rude" toward other the crew member. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation then issued notices to Air India CEO, Campbell Wilson, and its head of safety, for taking too long to report it, per the HT. It also took the whole crew off the flight roster pending investigation. On Monday, Air India warned all its pilots — numbering over 1,800 per the Economic Times — reminding them of the sterile cockpit rule. It says that any non-essential activities are forbidden in the cockpit during the critical phases of flight, meaning when the plane is below 10,000 ft. "Recent incidents have highlighted that there have been instances of a lapse in maintaining a sterile cockpit, which resulted in avoidable errors posing flight safety hazards," Air India said, per the Hindustan Times. The sterile cockpit rule was first adopted by the US's Federal Aviation Administration in 1981, after accidents like Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 were attributed to unnecessary conversation between pilots. A spokesperson for Air India told Insider it is conducting an internal investigation into the incident alongside the regulator's independent inquiry. "The pilot in command of the flight has been chargesheeted following an internal inquiry by Air India and the crew is off-rostered as instructed by DGCA," they added. https://www.businessinsider.com/air-india-warns-pilots-captain-spent-hour-friend-in-cockpit-2023-5 FAA Plans New Sky Lanes for Air Taxis Electric vehicles under development could initially move about cities similarly to helicopters , says FAA chief Acting FAA chief Billy Nolen expects a widespread rollout of air taxis that will transform transportation, if regulators get it right. U.S. air-safety regulators are planning for new traffic lanes in the sky, intended to accommodate flying taxis being developed by startups and backed by major airlines. The Federal Aviation Administration expects the planned air taxis—electric vehicles designed to fly quietly—to initially buzz around American cities as soon as next year much as helicopters do today, said Billy Nolen, the agency’s acting administrator. Flying taxis would communicate with air-traffic controllers as needed and use existing heliports and “vertiports” set up for the new vehicles, according to the FAA. Once they become more common, the agency expects flying taxis to more frequently connect major airports with city centers. “If we’ve gotten it right—from the regulatory framework, from the level of safety that the public expects, and if all that comes together—then it’s a world that we only thought about as science fiction before that becomes science fact in the moment,” Mr. Nolen said Wednesday at The Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything Festival in New York. At the event, Mr. Nolen announced that the agency had issued a new blueprint for flying taxis, called its concept of operations for urban air mobility. Flying taxis are likely years away from becoming a common presence in U.S. cities. A number of prototypes are in various stages of development and certification by the FAA, which must issue safety approvals for the vehicles, operating procedures and integration into the nation’s complex airspace. Mr. Nolen said he expects the first air taxis to win FAA approval as soon as next year. It isn’t yet clear how much flying taxi rides may cost, or whether the flying public will embrace them as a safe alternative to public transit or car services. At The Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything Festival, the former United Airlines chief executive offers his view of the potential commercial aviation service. Mr. Nolen said he expects the public to welcome flying on the vehicles once regulators demonstrate they come with the same level of safety that passengers expect on commercial flights. “What I’ve said to the industry: When you put the first paying passenger on board, it has to meet the same standard, whether I’m on a Cessna, whether I’m on a Gulfstream corporate jet, or whether I’m on a Boeing 787,” Mr. Nolen said. Investors have been pouring millions of dollars into startups that are racing to develop flying taxis, which take off and land vertically like a helicopter but fly horizontally like an airplane. Major U.S. commercial carriers including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines are investing in some of these startups, betting that they may one day zip their passengers between airports and city centers much faster than cars or public transit. If the air taxis eventually emerge as a more common mode of transportation, the FAA said it expects more complex lanes for the vehicles to take shape, allowing two-way traffic and passing—all generally below the altitude for current commercial aviation. The FAA said it plans to impose rules for controlling this section of airspace that the industry may manage and monitor, potentially using technology to prevent flying taxis from getting too close to each other, according to the FAA’s new regulatory blueprint for the vehicles. Existing FAA air-traffic control would keep commercial and private planes out of the flying taxis’ carved-out airspace, according to the agency. The vehicles are expected to initially have pilots on board. Gradually they could rely more on automation, according to the FAA, with humans on the ground monitoring operations and intervening in the case of any emergencies. https://www.wsj.com/articles/faa-plans-new-sky-lanes-for-air-taxis-4771376a Swarm of bees covering airplane wing at IAH delays Delta flight from Houston A Wednesday Delta flight in Houston was delayed by a swarm of bees. A Delta Air Lines flight in Houston was delayed Wednesday afternoon after the airplane was swarmed by some unticketed passengers. Twitter user Anjali Enjeti documented her delayed trip from Bush Intercontinental Airport to Atlanta, which hit unexpected turbulence when thousands of bees covered the airplane wing, preventing travelers from boarding the plane. My flight leaving Houston is delayed because bees have congregated on the tip of one of the wings. They won’t let us board until they remove the bees. But how on earth will this happen? Won’t they leave the wing when we take off? pic.twitter.com/DhodBz0m5n — Anjali Enjeti (she/her) (@AnjaliEnjeti) May 3, 2023 According to Enjeti, the captain reportedly announced multiple hurdles stood in the way of clearing the bee-sieged wing: a bee keeper was not allowed to touch the airplane, pest control was not allowed to spray the airplane and the airport was not able to spray the bees with water. Update from captain himself 1.) Bee keeper isn’t allowed to touch airplanes! So they’re not coming! 2) Pest control is not allowed to spray planes. 3) airport does not have hose to spray them off with water! 4) fire department can’t come — can’t understand reason why Enjeti said shortly after 2:30 p.m., Delta decided to move the plane so another flight could use the gate. The bees reportedly departed once the plane's engine was turned on. In a statement Wednesday night, Delta said the flight was delayed nearly three hours while the "friendly" bees were removed. The bees were removed by pushing the plane back, which caused the insects to fly away. The 92 passengers were then allowed onto the flight, which reached Atlanta with no other problems. Last year, millions of honeybees died on a Delta Air Lines flight when a plane traveling from California to Alaska was diverted to Atlanta, where bees were left in crates for hours while the plane waited in the heat. In that incident, the bees were, in fact, ticketed passengers. Alaska beekeepers were expecting to receive a $48,000 shipment of bees. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/houston-flight-delayed-bees-airplane-wing-18076711.php Passenger 'voted' off of Trenton-Atlanta Frontier flight after altercation • According to the FAA, there have been 586 reports of unruly passengers so far in 2023. The video, posted to TikTok by a passenger, shows a verbal altercation between a couple, a flight attendant, and another passenger sitting a few rows away. TRENTON, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Video posted to social media appears to show a woman being "voted" off of a Frontier Airlines flight from Trenton to Atlanta on Monday. The video, posted to TikTok by a passenger, shows a verbal altercation between a couple, a flight attendant, and another passenger sitting a few rows away. "Mind your (expletive) business!" a female passenger can be heard yelling on the plane as it sat on the tarmac. A TikTok user captured the fight between a couple, a flight attendant, and another passenger on a Frontier Airlines flight from Trenton to Atlanta. Later she pleaded with a flight attendant not to kick her and the man she was with off the flight. "The fact that you are requesting us to get off is ridiculous," she said. Ground crew members in orange vests eventually pulled the couple off the flight, but then other passengers took a vote on whether to kick a third person off the plane who appeared to argue with the couple. "If you can hear me and want her removed from the flight, raise your hand!" yelled one passenger. Several passengers raised their hands and the woman was eventually removed by a man who appeared to be with the ground crew. 6abc reached out to the Mercer County Sheriff's Office and the airport. Neither responded to the disturbance and no charges were filed. Frontier Airlines also did not respond. In recent weeks there have been a number of incidents on flights across the country, including a man who appeared to throw punches at a flight crew on a plane from Texas to California on Monday. According to the FAA, there have been 586 reports of unruly passengers so far in 2023. Passengers on the Frontier flight were left wondering why police didn't respond to the incident in Trenton. "I want to know why these regular people is on here telling these people to get off this plane. Because where is the police?" asked one passenger. https://6abc.com/airplane-fight-frontier-airlines-trenton-to-atlanta-tiktok-video-passenger-voted-off/13209140/ Customs officials find 22 snakes in woman's checked bags at India airport Customs agents at Chennai Airport seized 22 snakes of various species and a chameleon after finding the reptiles inside luggage belonging to a passenger who had arrived in India from Kuala Lumpur, officials said. Photos and video footage shared on social media by India's Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs showed several large snakes packed into transparent plastic containers that appeared to have been sealed with duct tape. Agents discovered the animals while searching the traveler's luggage as she passed through customs at the Chennai Airport. The traveler, who officials only described as a woman, hauled the snakes and chameleon from Malaysia to Chennai in her checked bags, the Indian Express reported. They were seized under India's Wildlife Protection Act, which intends to "provide for the protection of wild animals, birds and plants ... with a view to ensuring the ecological and environmental security of the country." The most recent discovery at Chennai Airport followed another similar one in January when customs agents found and intercepted a traveler whose baggage contained 45 ball pythons, three marmoset, three star tortoises and eight corn snakes, officials said at the time. Those reptiles were deported back to Bangkok, according to the Indian Express. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/india-chennai-airport-22-snakes-found-by-customs/ Air Canada’s pilots vote to join pilot union ALPA Air Canada’s pilots have decided to join much larger pilot union Air Line Pilots, International (ALPA). The flight deck crew for the largest Canadian airline, which had been collectively represented by the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA), voted “overwhelmingly” to approve a merger with the larger union, the two labour groups said in a joint statement on 1 May. About 92% of ACPA’s approximately 4,500 pilots participated in the vote, with 84% in favour of the merger, they say. Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge pilots elect to join ALPA pilot union ACPA was the largest such union in Canada, representing both passenger and cargo pilots flying for Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge. ALPA currently represents more than 69,000 pilots at 39 US and Canadian airlines. “With this historic vote, Air Canada pilots have signalled, unequivocally, they want to join the world’s largest pilots union in negotiating strong contracts, establishing better working conditions, and advancing aviation safety,” the labour groups add. The final step in the merger will take place later this month when the executive board of ALPA will vote to ratify the agreement. The tentative agreement was signed in March following several major contract wins for ALPA at various airlines in North America. Pilots across the industry have been winning hefty pay raises amid the pilot shortage and more general wage inflation, with US carriers such as Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines recently concluding new contract negotiations. https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/air-canadas-pilots-vote-to-join-pilot-union-alpa/153085.article Nigeria becomes first in Africa with highest airlines on IOSA registry The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Wednesday, formally presented United Nigeria Airlines with its Operational Safety Audit Certificate otherwise known as IOSA, thus making the airline the sixth in Nigeria to obtain the safety standard. The joining of IOSA by the airline has made Nigeria the first in Africa to have six airlines registered on the registry of IOSA. The certificate which was presented by the IATA’s Area Manager in West and Central Africa, Dr. Samson Fatokun was received by the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the airline, Mazi Osita Okonkwo at the airline’s office in Ikeja, Lagos. Established by IATA in 2003, IOSA uses internationally recognised quality auditing principles to assess the operational management and safety controls of airlines to certify them consistently. As a result, IOSA has become accepted as the international standard for airline safety and operational evaluation. In his presentation, Fatokun said that United Nigeria Airlines achieved the IOSA within two years which he described as a great achievement worthy of congratulations. Fatokun while pointing out that, it was the first time United Nigeria would be coming on the IOSA registry remarked: “we know what it takes to achieve it. United Nigeria achieved it in two years. It is a great accomplishment and we will like to congratulate the airline. You should be proud of yourselves ” Advising that sustenance of the certificate was equally important, Fatokun said: “IOSA is an end and also a means you can use to go higher. I congratulate you and say you have done well. We have very few airlines in West African region that have it. You are one of the few. It is very good and we hope you sustain it. We also have 6 airlines in Nigeria that are on IOSA register. There is no country that has as much as that”. He used the occasion to call on others that are yet to join the IOSA train to do so, saying: “We will encourage those airlines which are not in the registry to join. Our solemn encouragement is for them to join. The membership objective is safety. Any airline that aspires for safety, we will help them. We urge those airlines that are not in the register to approach us and see how they can be members”. The IATA’s representative, however, made it clear that to become an IATA member, the airline must first be on the IOSA registry. Responding on behalf of United Nigeria Airlines, Mazi Okonkwo thanked both the airlines’ management team and IATA for making the achievement possible. His words: “This is a journey we started 6 months ago. We thank our team that worked so many hours. We also thank IATA and the audit team that guided us throughout the process. “It couldn’t have been easy without our airline’s team, the regulator, ground handlers, and other stakeholders. It involves visiting our ATO that trains our pilots to ensure that our books are in order. In terms of United Nigeria Airlines, this is one step along our set objectives. It is a requirement and it is good to have such a stage in our development”. Assuring that the airline will tap from all the advantages of IOSA membership, Okonkwo said: “We will explore all the advantages abound in the IOSA registry. The business of flying is the business of safety. It is a collaborative work with the NCAA and IATA. “It is also about benchmarking on safety standards according to the global best practices. We now have a certified benchmark to work with. Codeshare will be part of it and we will announce the airlines we will be codesharing with”. https://tribuneonlineng.com/nigeria-becomes-first-in-africa-with-highest-airlines-on-iosa-registry/ Go First pilots, cabin crew may make a beeline at Air India's recruitment drive. How to apply Last month, Air India had to reduce its flights, especially for Middle East regions due to a shortage of crew members. Recently, Air India advertised that the airline will hire more than 1,000 pilots for its fleet Air India may hire cabin and cockpit crew from Go First, which has reportedly gone bankrupt, as part of its expansion plans after recently placing a large order of 500 aircraft, sources close to the development revealed. Recently, Air India advertised that the airline will hire more than 1,000 pilots for its fleet with the tagline "Let's fly to new heights, together." "Fly into the future with Air India, With Air India, you get a chance to be part of the most exciting aviation story in the world. With 500 aircraft joining our fleet, you can become part of history in the making as you script your own success story. We are offering multiple opportunities and accelerated growth across our A320, B777, B787 and B737 fleet for Captains and First Officers, as well as Trainers," the Air India advertisement read. Last month, Air India had to reduce its flights, especially for Middle East regions due to a shortage of crew members. How to apply? Meanwhile, a member of Twitter's pilots' group posted about ‘spot interviews for pilots’ which are being conducted by Air India. She hashtagged it as Go First loss can be Air India's gain Air India currently has a total of around 120 aircraft and 1,800 pilots for wide-body and narrow-body. Similarly, Air India has a cabin crew strength of around 4,000. Air India is also looking for Narrow Body Pilots and for expansion plans, 1,000 pilots are required on an immediate basis. Meanwhile Go First, which filed for bankruptcy on Tuesday and suspended operations till Friday, currently has around 50 aircraft in its fleet, with 50% grounded due to engine outages. However, GoFirst has about 800 cockpit crew and about 2,000 cabin crew. Aviation industry sources told ANI that, "It would be a win-win situation for both Air India to hire experienced crew members at that time." https://www.livemint.com/news/india/go-first-pilots-cabin-crew-may-make-a-beeline-at-air-indias-recruitment-drive-how-to-apply-11683181302671.html Analysis-Delta's pilot deal turns up the heat on rival airlines' union negotiations (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines' industry-changing pilot contract that offers $7 billion in higher pay and benefits is putting pressure on rival carriers to hand out similar deals ahead of a busy summer travel season. Any proposal that falls short of Delta's deal will likely have no takers among the unions, but airline executives say even matching that contract could balloon operating costs at a time when a worsening economy has clouded travel outlook. The Delta deal, working conditions and other topics will be discussed at a global conference of pilots in Montreal through Sunday. "Delta is out there as a marker," American Airlines CFO Devon May told Reuters. "That's what we are looking towards as we are working with our pilots union to get a deal done." The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier has estimated that matching Delta's offer will cost it about $8 billion over four years. American Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines are all in the middle of contract negotiations with their pilots. Southwest and United have not quantified the potential impact publicly, but both expect a marked increase in non-fuel operating costs. Jason Ambrosi, head of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and an architect of Delta's deal, told Reuters the big increases in pay rates and benefits will not break airlines. They serve as a way for pilots to make up for concessions made during earlier crises like after Sept. 11, he said. "Guess what? That's what pilots are worth," Ambrosi said. "I'm not going to make any excuses for why we got the deal we got." But some industry officials say hefty raises for pilots will likely spark demands for similar deals from flight attendants and other workers, potentially resulting in millions of dollars in additional costs. Delta, whose earnings have recovered from pandemic lows faster than rivals, has to deal with just one major union. Its flight attendants are not unionized. But American, United and Southwest have unions with multiple worker groups. Delta's deal has put competitors in a bind. One Southwest official, who asked not to be identified discussing labor talks, said the company is "realistic" about the situation and any deal less than Delta's would likely be voted down. Airlines have leaned on higher ticket prices amid strong travel demand to mitigate cost pressures, but consumer spending is at risk. MARKET SHIFT Industry executives say Delta's agreement has shifted the market. The carrier's pilot union said it made no concessions in the deal, which included dozens of work-rule improvements and quality-of-life related items. In an update to its members this week, United's pilot union said it is seeking similar improvements. Dennis Tajer, a spokesman for American's pilots union, said while pilots are not ready to sacrifice market-linked compensation, work-life balance and scheduling certainty have become a far bigger priority. "The new currency for our pilots, regardless of age, is quality of life," he said. "Delta came in and changed what pilots believed was possible." American pilots have voted to authorize a strike if a new employment contract isn't reached. Southwest pilots are voting for a similar measure and United pilots are picketing. While pilots cannot walk off the job until the National Mediation Board grants them permission, union officials warn further delays will make it harder to attract and retain talent and that impacts airlines' flight schedules. United executives declined to provide a timeline for the pilot deal. They said the airline has the pilots it needs to fly its summer schedule. American has said it has as much as 50 underused mainline jets and about 150 regional aircraft grounded because of a shortage of pilots. Tajer, the union rep for American's pilots, said while the company is not facing a problem in attracting pilots, it is hard pressed for enough instructors to train them. A deal will increase the population of instructor pilots, he added. Southwest, too, has a surplus of under-utilized aircraft. Casey Murray, head of the Dallas-based airline's pilot union, said it has lost more pilots in the first four months of this year than it did in all of 2022. ALPA's Ambrosi said any gains at larger airlines will also be felt at mid-sized players like JetBlue, Spirit, and Frontier, which will have to pay competitive wage to retain pilots or else will have an "attrition issue." https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/analysis-deltas-pilot-deal-turns-101813113.html United Airlines to hire 15,000 in preparation for busy summer Airlines are in hiring mode after struggling to keep up with the significant return to travel following the pandemic United Airlines is preparing for a busy summer travel season with an extensive hiring plan. The carrier is planning to hire thousands of new workers this year. In the first four months of the year, United said it hired 7,000 new workers and plans to hit 15,000 new hires by year's end – which would match the number of last year's hires. The airline began the year with 93,000 workers and said it plans to add 50,000 by 2026. "We are in hiring mode here at United Airlines," Kate Gebo, the company's executive vice president of human resources, told reporters. The airline said it already has enough pilots to operate the peak summer schedule. Airlines got caught understaffed when air travel bounced back from the depths of the pandemic faster than anticipated. Shortages of pilots and flight attendants contributed to a jump in the rates of canceled and delayed flights last year. United Airlines added almost 150 new flights this past winter. Airline-industry jobs have jumped by more than 117,000 — an increase of 32% — to more than 480,000 as of this February, according to the latest figures available from the Transportation Department. That is a 5% increase over the pre-pandemic peak. Delta Air Lines hasn't disclosed its 2023 hiring plans, but CEO Ed Bastian has said the airline has hired nearly 20,000 workers since the start of 2021. Southwest Airlines planned to hire 7,000 workers this year, but are reducing that number because the airline hasn’t received as many new Boeing jets as it expected. United executives said they plan to hire 2,300 pilots this year and expect nearly 500 to retire. Federal law requires airline pilots to retire by age 65. United is using career fairs, including one in Houston on Thursday, to find workers. United also announced 3,800 of its new jobs this year will be in Chicago, where the company is headquartered. Airline executives said they will add another 2,300 in Denver, 2,100 in Houston, 2,000 in Newark, New Jersey, and 1,600 in San Francisco. https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/united-airlines-hire-15000-preparation-busy-summer NASA Selects Emily Nelson as Chief Flight Director NASA has named Emily Nelson its new chief flight director, leading the group that directs human spaceflight missions from the Mission Control Center at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Norm Knight, the agency’s director of flight operations, selected Nelson to replace Holly Ridings, who held the position from 2018 to 2022, and now helps lead the agency’s Gateway Program, an international partnership to establish humanity’s first space station orbiting the Moon. Nelson has been the acting chief flight director since Riding's departure. “Being a flight director is about accepting great responsibility and exercising excellent leadership and judgment – responsibility for the mission, for your team, and for the astronauts we fly,” Knight said. “Emily’s tenure leading our flight control teams has proven that she is remarkably knowledgeable on the realities of human spaceflight and eminently composed when facing daunting challenges. She is unequivocally the right person to lead our flight director office as we endeavor to push the boundaries of human spaceflight exploration.” In this role, Nelson manages 31 active flight directors and flight directors-in-training who oversee a variety of human spaceflight missions involving the International Space Station, including integrating American-made commercial crew spacecraft into the fleet of spacecraft servicing the orbiting laboratory, as well as Artemis missions to the Moon. “We are thrilled to announce Emily as chief fight director as her program and operations experience will continue to ensure the safe and successful completion of every mission as we prepare to transition to a commercialized low Earth orbit where NASA will be a customer of many,” said NASA Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche. “Emily’s dedication to mission excellence makes her the ideal choice to lead the teams that will send our astronauts around the Moon on Artemis II, and as we prepare for operations on the lunar surface via the Artemis campaign that will land the first woman and person of color on the Moon.” Nelson, born in Okinawa, Japan, and raised in Austin, Texas, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1998. She joined NASA in 1998 as a flight controller in the space station’s thermal operations group. She was selected as a flight director in 2007, becoming the 70th flight director in NASA’s history. Since then, she has served as the lead flight director for several missions including the station’s fourth utilization and logistics flight with the space shuttle, Atlantis, in 2010, a complex series of spacewalks to repair the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, and five space station long-duration expeditions. She previously served as deputy chief flight director while continuing to support real-time operations from mission control. https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-emily-nelson-as-chief-flight-director Position Available: Aviation Safety Officer Airbus is an international pioneer in the aerospace industry. We are a leader in designing, manufacturing and delivering aerospace products, services and solutions to customers on a global scale. We aim for a better-connected, safer and more prosperous world. A commercial aircraft manufacturer, with Space and Defense as well as Helicopters Divisions, Airbus is the largest aeronautics and space company in Europe and a worldwide leader. Airbus has built on its strong European heritage to become truly international - with roughly 180 locations and 12,000 direct suppliers globally. The company has aircraft and helicopter final assembly lines across Asia, Europe and the Americas, and has achieved a more than six fold order book increase since 2000. Position Summary: The Aviation Safety Officer (ASO) is a full time position within the Airbus Helicopters North America (AHNA) Aviation Safety. The ASO shall assists in the management of all aspects of the aviation safety function for the Grand Prairie Facility. The ASO is primarily responsible for managing internal aviation safety and ensuring compliance with applicable aviation safety regulations and policies. The ASO shall coordinate closely with the Senior Director, Safety Programs, Flight Safety Officers (FSO's), and other Airbus departments to identify, investigate and manage aviation safety hazards; coordinate and carry out actions to manage or mitigate risk; and provide support of AHNA's Safety Management System (SMS). Primary Responsibilities: 1. Internal Flight Safety: 50% · Serve as the Grand Prairie facilities focal point for aviation safety matters and safety promotion activities · Monitor aviation production, maintenance, and flight operations to identify hazards. · Maintain an internal aviation safety incident reporting system, manage investigation of internal aviation incidents, and initiate corrective action(s) as necessary. · Engage in continuous feedback and communication for all safety report submitters · Monitor and evaluate the results of corrective actions; ensure that the feedback loop and control measures are in place and working efficiently. · Maintain the facilities flight line safety program to include providing training and administering access control of the flight line. · Participate in Flight Test development pre-Type Inspection Authorization meetings and Safety Review Boards to identify and mitigate flight risks. · Represent Aviation Safety at operational departmental meetings to raise awareness to safety hazards, initiatives, and other safety information. 2. Company SMS: 40% · Assist the Manager, Safety Management System with the development and implementation of AHNA's Safety Management System (SMS) for the Grand Prairie facility. · Organize and facilitate the Safety Action Group (SAG) for the Grand Prairie facility and where necessary escalate risk to the Safety Review Board (SRB) · Responsible for the development and management of facilities Emergency Response Plan (ERP) for aircraft accidents. · Facilitate Safety Risk Management activities with other stakeholder to identifying, assessing, analyzing, and mitigating aviation safety risks · Ensures accurate and timely delivery of required safety reports, including monthly and quarterly summary reports, as well as ad hoc queries. Provides weekly/monthly management reports on safety goals and objectives as required. · Oversee the development, delivery and maintenance of SMS training to ensure employees possess the competencies appropriate with their role in aviation safety. 3. Accident Investigation: 10% · Participate and provide technical expertise regarding accidents investigations as requested by AHNA's Senior Director, Safety Programs and/or Manager of Accident Investigation. Additional Responsibilities: · Other duties as assigned. Qualified Experience / Skills / Training: Education: Required: · Bachelor's Degree in aviation, safety or a related field; or equivalent experience Preferred: · Master's Degree preferred Experience: Required: · Minimum of seven (7) years' experience in flight operations and/or aviation safety. Preferred: · Experience as a fleet operator and/or certified instructor. · Accident investigation experience. Licensure/Certifications: Required: · Formally trained in SMS and accident investigation Preferred: · FAA commercial/instrument pilot or equivalent with rotorcraft-helicopter rating and/or A&P certificate strongly preferred. Knowledge, Skills, Demonstrated Capabilities: · Broad knowledge of aviation safety programs, technical publications, aircraft systems, helicopter aerodynamic principles, FAA operational and safety management regulations, and other fields relating to conduct of flight programs. Communication Skills (Spoken, Written, Influencing, Proficiency in Other Languages): · English proficiency required. · Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in written form required. · Ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with governmental and civilian representatives and customers. Technical Systems Proficiency: · Proficiency in GSuite and Smartsheet · Technical working knowledge of Flight Data Monitoring systems with associated software. · Technical knowledge of Helicopter Usage and Monitoring Systems (HUMS). Travel Required: · 30% Domestic and International. Citizenship: · US Person under ITAR definition (U.S. Citizen, green card holder or person covered under our existing ITAR license) Clearance: · None Decision Making, Complexity: · Responsible for assisting to develop internal processes and protocols. · Responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable safety procedures, rules, and regulations. Organizational information: Direct Reports : · Exempt : 0 · Non-exempt : 0 Job Dimensions, Contributions to Success: · Integral in maintaining a safe aviation organization and compliance with applicable safety procedures, rules, and regulations. Nature of Contacts: · Involved Communication on a daily Basis with internal and external parties Physical Requirements: · Onsite: 70% · Vision: able to see and read computer screen and other electronic equipment with screens, able to read documents, reports and engineering drawings on daily basis. · Hearing: able to hear to participate in conversations in person and via teleconference or phone and to hear sounds on production floor including safety warnings or alarms on a daily basis. · Speaking: able to speak in conversations and meetings, deliver information and participate in communications on a daily basis. · Equipment Operation (personal computer, telephone, copies, fax machine, and related office equipment and using electronic identification card to enter building floors and internal doors): able to operate most office and personal electronic equipment and some basic tools. Daily · Carrying: able to carry documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30lbs/14kgs several times a week. · Lifting: able to lift documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30lbs/14kgs several times a week. · Pushing / Pulling: able to push and pull small office furniture, aircraft systems and equipment several times a week. · Sitting: able to sit for long periods of time in meetings, working on computer several times a week. · Squatting / Kneeling: able to squat or kneel to retrieve or replace items stored on low shelving. · Standing: able to stand for discussions in offices or on production floor several times a week. · Travel: able to travel independently and at short notice. · Walking (include routine walking such as to a shared printer to retrieve documents): able to walk through office and production areas including uneven surfaces several times a week. · Personal Protective Equipment required: Required PPE includes, but is not limited to, Safety Shoes, Safety Glasses, Hearing Protection, Respirators/Masks, and/or Protective Gloves as required by site and/or customer site · Equal Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or other legally protected status As a leader in our field, Airbus Helicopters, Inc. provides relocation assistance for qualified positions and a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. As a matter of policy, Airbus Helicopters, Inc. does not sponsor visas for US positions unless specified. Only applicants with current work authorization will be considered. Airbus Helicopters, Inc. does not offer tenured or guaranteed employment. Employment with Airbus is at will, meaning either the company or the employee can terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, with or without notice. NOTE: Airbus Helicopters, Inc. reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. This position description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment. APPLY HERE Curt Lewis