Flight Safety Information - May 12, 2023 No. 092 In This Issue : Incident: Tibet A319 at Shenzhen on May 6th 2023, smell of smoke in cabin : Incident: Aeroregional B735 near Quito on May 5th 2023, loss of cabin pressure : Three Georgia men die in Phoenix Air jet crash off California coast : Passenger planes could have AI pilots: airline president : Why Colorblindness Doesn't Have To Be An Obstacle For Aspiring Pilots : How Virgin Atlantic Is Updating Its Software To Meet Safety Targets : Emirates and Etihad are partnering. Will it mean a Mideast super airline? : Heart Aerospace receives order for 40 ES-30 electric aircraft : Oregon-Based Mercy Flights Joins Air Charter Safety Foundation : EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023 Notice Includes Important Procedure Updates for Pilots Flying to Oshkosh : Analysis-Jet orders boom as airlines fear shortage Incident: Tibet A319 at Shenzhen on May 6th 2023, smell of smoke in cabin A Tibet Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration B-6467 performing flight TV-9918 from Shenzhen to Mian Yang (China), was climbing out of Shenzhen's runway 15 when the crew levelled off at 3600 meters due to a burning smell being reported from the cabin. The aircraft returned to Shenzhen for a safe landing on runway 16 about 40 minutes after departure. The airline reported smoke appeared in the cabin shortly after takeoff. A fault in the air conditioning system in the back of the aircraft was identified by maintenance, which did not affect flight safety. The flight was cancelled. https://avherald.com/h?article=508fb994&opt=0 Incident: Aeroregional B735 near Quito on May 5th 2023, loss of cabin pressure An Aeroregional Boeing 737-500, registration HC-CTF performing flight RER-870 from Loja to Quito (Ecuador), had been enroute at FL320 and was descending towards Quito when the aircraft experienced the loss of cabin pressure, the passenger oxygen masks were released. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Quito's runway 36. Ecuador's DGAC reported they are investigating an Aeroregional incident in the morning of May 5th 2023, when a depressurization occurred and the oxygen masks were released. The aircraft returned to service about 21 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=508f4bec&opt=0 Three Georgia men die in Phoenix Air jet crash off California coast Three men from Georgia died in a jet crash off the California coast during a U.S. Navy training exercise Wednesday, according to Cartersville-based aviation contractor Phoenix Air Group. The men — Eric Tatman of Marietta, Spencer Geerlings of Newnan and Shane Garner of Taylorsville — were employees of Phoenix Air. Phoenix Air’s Learjet 36 had the flight crew of three on board when it went down into the water off San Clemente Island in Southern California at about 7:40 a.m. Wednesday morning. San Clemente Island is owned by the Navy and has a military airstrip, training facilities and a live fire range. The U.S. Coast Guard conducted a search of the ocean where the plane crashed, and debris from the crash was found. “We’ve been searching all day and all night” using helicopters and boats, said U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Levi Read on Thursday morning. The Air Force , Navy and U.S. Customs and Border Protection were also involved in the search, which Phoenix Air said continued until the Coast Guard declared Thursday there were no survivors. The plane took off from Point Mugu, a Navy facility on the mainland, and crashed about one nautical mile from San Clemente Island. It was one of two Phoenix Air Learjets participating in a Navy training exercise, and the other aircraft landed safely. Both aircraft were flying in a military restricted area, according to Phoenix Air. Phoenix Air is an aviation charter operator and government and military contractor based at the Cartersville-Bartow County Airport northwest of Atlanta. The aviation company gained national attention for a contract with the State Department in 2014 during the Ebola epidemic, when the company flew a patient from Monrovia, Libera to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. The National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Department of Defense are investigating the crash, according to Phoenix Air, which said it is fully cooperating in the investigations. https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-airport-blog/three-georgia-men-die-in-phoenix-air-jet-crash-off-california-coast/JS634NMTNFACRESL4D3IBVGNEE/ Passenger planes could have AI pilots: airline president Tim Clark, president of the airline Emirates, believes artificial intelligence could replace real-life pilots in passenger airplanes — but not in his lifetime. “You might see a one-pilot aircraft,” the 73-year-old told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble on Tuesday, despite growing concerns about what AI is capable of achieving. While Clark believes there would still be one human in the cockpit no matter how much AI advances, he is also urging people to “harness” and “use” the new technology, not “fear it.” “Could the aircraft be flown on a fully automated basis? Yes, it could, technology is right up there now,” he claimed. “[But] there’ll always be somebody on the flight deck in my view.” “A lot of people are concerned about what AI should and shouldn’t be doing … but if you’re in business and you’ve got something as powerful as this coming along and you’re very processes driven, manpower intensive, you’ve got to take time to look at what this could do to improve what you do,” Clark added. The British executive’s remarks come as AI is rapidly advancing — and causing confusion and concern among the public and tech experts. Google announced Wednesday it will add “markup” in the metadata of photos produced by its own AI models to show that the images are computer-generated. This news follows the release of viral deepfake images of Pope Francis wearing a surprisingly drippy white puffer jacket and former President Donald Trump resisting arrest. A completely fake, AI-generated photo of Selena Gomez at the 2023 Met Gala became the most-liked photo on Twitter despite the “Look At Her Now” singer never stepping foot on this year’s carpet. People are using AI to recreate the uniquely identifiable voices of real-life singers and actors to reimagine songs and scenes from projects they have nothing to do with — or just make something entirely new. Passenger planes in the future might have AI pilots, says Emirates airline president Tim Clark However, Clark thinks there will always be one human pilot flying airplanes. What do you think? Be the first to comment. The AI-generated song “Heart on My Sleeve,” which featured simulated vocals by Drake and The Weeknd, racked up 15 million views on TikTok, 275,000 views on YouTube, and over 600,000 streams on Spotify before it was pulled from streaming services. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Snapchat influencer Caryn Marjorie unveiled a sexy ChatGPT-powered AI doppelgänger of herself that prospective boyfriends can talk to — for $1 a minute. The bot, known as the CarynAI, already has over 1,000 boyfriends and some 5,000 more on a waiting list ready to talk about their future plans — or even sex — with the computer-generated hottie. And a recent study conducted by researchers at the Qualcomm Institute at the University of California San Diego found that ChatGPT-generated healthcare assistants could express more sympathy toward patients than humans can. https://nypost.com/2023/05/11/passenger-planes-could-have-ai-pilots-airline-president/ Why Colorblindness Doesn't Have To Be An Obstacle For Aspiring Pilots These days there are more tests to help assess the level of color blindness. It is no surprise that there are strict eyesight and other health requirements for pilots. Several vision defects or weaknesses will prevent you from training or working as a commercial pilot. In the past, color blindness was one of the conditions that would prevent a Class 1 medical certificate. With advances in understanding, there are now more options. The situation now depends on the exact nature of the problem. Medical and vision requirements for pilots All commercial pilots must meet strict health requirements specified by the appropriate national regulator. For example, in the UK, this is the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA); in the US, it is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); and in the EU, it is the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). There are many similarities in the requirements of different regulators – but there can be differences. The detail here is based mainly on the requirements from the US FAA. A commercial airline pilot needs a Class 1 medical certificate (there is also Class 2 for other commercial pilots and Class 3 for recreational or private pilots). This needs to be periodically renewed (with validity depending on age). There are very detailed and strict requirements for all aspects of health, including cardiology, blood pressure, mental health, as well as many specific conditions. There are many exemptions possible for certain treatments and medications. Regarding vision, the general vision requirements are that distant vision must be 20/20, while intermediate and near vision must be 20/40. The wearing of glasses and contact lenses for this is allowed. Testing for color blindness The specific requirements for color vision have changed over the last ten years or so. In the past, color blindness would prevent issuing a Class 1 license, but this has changed as the testing ability for defects has improved. The standard test for color blindness is the Ishihara test, which has been in use since the 1960s. Note that (for the FAA at least) the use of any form of color-correcting lenses is not permitted. The Ishihara test involves reading numbers from a series of colored test plates or cards. Each of these comprises a circle consisting of two contrasting colors in different shades. Hidden within these is an identifiable number pattern. Anyone able to correctly differentiate those colors will see the number. Most commonly, there is a 24 or 28-plate test. Getting the first set (usually the first 15 or 21 cards) correct is a simple pass. Failing this standard testing, however, no longer means a pilot will fail the overall medical exam. Research and understanding of color blindness have advanced, particularly in recognizing the complexities of different shades of color. Since the early 2010s, testing rules have been changed. There is discretion now to test the actual limits of color blindness. Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today. Flexibility in testing FAA testing guidelines show how color blindness may be permissible. Instead of simply requiring full-color vision, the guidelines state that pilots should have: “Ability to perceive those colors necessary for safe performance of airman duties.” Most regulators now allow additional testing in the event of a failed Ishihara test. Depending on the nature and extent of color blindness, pilots may have success with other methods. The regulators differ in what tests they will accept. These alternative tests aim to determine whether a pilot has sufficient/normal trichromacy. Passing any one regulator-approved test is sufficient. Commonly used alternative tests include: • The Farnsworth Lantern Test (or FALANT). This shows vertical red, white, or green lights for two seconds at a time. This is a common test used by UK CAA, US FAA, and Australian CASA. • The Dvorine plate test. This is an alternative plate test that may give different results for some. • Color Assessment and Diagnosis (CAD) Test. This is an alternative computer-based color test. The CAA and EASA will accept this test – with the CAA stated requirements of “6 SU for deutan deficiency, or less than 12 SU for protan deficiency.” • Anomaloscope testing. This is a very specific medical and research-based testing technique. It involves using an anomaloscope where the viewer matches the color and brightness of a presented color. More flexibility for private pilots licenses The same additional testing can be used for Class 2 and 3 licenses. For a third-class medical license (required for a private license or PPL), there is even more flexibility. A pilot can be tested using an Operational Color Vision Test. This requires testing the ability to read an aeronautical chart and differentiate strobe lights flashed by the control tower. And even if color blind tests are failed, a class 3 license can be issued to only fly during daylight hours. https://simpleflying.com/aspiring-pilots-colorblindness-guide/ Pilot landing at Boston Logan International Airport reported a laser being flashed at the plane A pilot who was landing at Boston Logan International Airport Tuesday night reported that a green laser was flashed at the plane, according to FAA officials who are investigating the incident. SkyWest Flight 3984, an Embraer 175, was traveling from Baltimore/Washington International Airport to Logan. As the plane was landing at around 9 p.m. on Tuesday, a green laser was apparently flashed at the aircraft. https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/05/10/pilot-landing-at-boston-logan-international-airport-reported-a-laser-being-flashed-at-the-plane/ How Virgin Atlantic Is Updating Its Software To Meet Safety Targets The British carrier is keen to remain on top of health and safety requirements. Aviation is one of the most scrutinized industries concerning health and safety. Along with all the requirements that airlines must meet in this space, there are ambitious sustainability targets to meet. As such, carriers are increasingly turning to technology to help them reach their goals. Safety underpins everything Safety is at the forefront of Virgin Atlantic’s operations. Despite its risqué marketing, it’s always been serious about the health and safety of its crew and passengers. Thus, it has partnered with specialists in Environment, Health, Safety and Quality System (EHSQ) to minimize risk across its operations. It has been working with cloud-based software outfit Intelex in this field for 13 years, but it has recently been scaling up collaborations with the company amid Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) initiatives. After all, Virgin has been ramping up its sustainability motives in recent years. In December, it announced that it targets a 100% sustainable aviation (SAF) passenger flight this year. It also shared that it plans to purchase 70 million gallons of US SAF. These announcements are on the back of several other sustainability movements coming out of the airline. For instance, it is partnering with Airbus and other major airlines to develop direct air carbon capture and storage technology. It has also joined forces with Albawings, Corendon Dutch Airlines, and Boeing to catalyze increased operational efficiency. Keeping it together With its fingers in many pies and plenty of change occurring, it can be a tough task to keep track. As a result, Virgin needed a simple-yet-smart system that provided its management the right visibility into different parts of the set-up but wasn’t a challenge for its users as they looked at the data. Notably, the airline has to share data with the likes of IATA and adhere to regulations set by authorities, including the CAA. So, it utilized Intelex’s EHS Incident Management Application to standardize its processes and used this as a foundation going forward. Altogether, it used regulatory standard taxonomy to make data sharing more smooth. Danny Miller, Specialist – Safety Systems Development, Virgin Atlantic, noted that his company leveraged the flexibility of the Intelex system and has a “single source of truth” that fits several of the airline’s requirements. He added that as a robust application, Intelex offers an off-the-shelf functionality, along with customization capabilities that meet the firm’s specific needs within the air travel market. Navigable by desktop and mobile, Virgin introduced the new system in December 2021 and quickly saw employee engagement increase. Miller shared: “This flexibility and ability to customise the system been a great first step for Virgin Atlantic to truly optimise the application. We’re looking forward to creating more smart forms for other specific event types in the future.” “Using Intelex Incident Management Software, we were able to identify which data points – especially for its SPIs and KPIs – were used in multiple forms and used at an incident level, allowing the EHS team to compare different types of events, giving us a much wider range of data to analyse to be more pro-active.” Moreover, the integration of some of Virgin Atlantic’s present systems into the Intelex Safety Management System is assisting with the breakdown of some silos. As Miller had put it: “We integrated Intelex with our employee and core databases to allow automated update of employee info as well as accurate flight information. We found that having these functions has been phenomenal, as they have allowed automation of processes.” Across the board Virgin formed an “Aircraft Damage” report that asks specific questions about the event type and includes “built-in business rule thresholds.” Intelex explained that these thresholds allow the system "to automatically close reports deemed "low priority" with “a risk rating and a classification and provide feedback to the person making the report.” However, higher-priority reports are tagged for a more in-depth review. Reporting rates have risen considerably with the implementation of Incident Management over the last year and there has been a refined focus on reporting near misses. We'd love to see you on Instagram - follow us here! Miller concluded that health and safety investigators have used the information to become more efficient, and there are fewer injuries occurring. Overall, Virgin is seeing more engagement in health, safety, and security than ever before. https://simpleflying.com/how-virgin-atlantic-software-meet-safety-goals/ Emirates and Etihad are partnering. Will it mean a Mideast super airline? One country, two major airlines operating world-class long-haul fleets out of different major aviation hubs located close to one another. On paper, the United Arab Emirates’ ownership of two powerhouse global longhaul carriers with largely overlapping international air networks that converge so closely might seem an extravagance too far. Isn’t one enough? And so, the announcement by Emirates and Etihad of a new deal to work more closely will inevitably revive rumors of a potential merger between the two: something long discussed at a kind of academic level in aviation circles, particularly during tough economic times, but one potentially stymied by local politics – and the fact that their status symbol hub airports are an hour apart on the ground. Earlier this month, the two airlines, both still coming back from the disruption caused by the pandemic, agreed on a so-called “interline” partnership. The move raises questions about what that means for passengers, and whether a new regional super airline is finally on its way. Emirates and Etihad are both flag carriers of the UAE, the small Gulf country made up of seven emirates. Emirates, established in 1985, is based in Dubai and is one of the world’s largest airlines by most metrics. Etihad is newer, established in 2003 and based in Abu Dhabi. Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport are fewer than 150 kilometers (100 miles) apart and the drive between them takes around 75-90 minutes depending on traffic. By and large, the Emirati capital city Abu Dhabi is known for being smaller and quieter than its glitzy, livelier northeastern neighbor Dubai, but both certainly have their draws for travelers in addition to being regional economic centers. One of the big questions that pops up every time Emirates and Etihad are mentioned in the same announcement is whether it means a closer partnership – reciprocal agreements for frequent flyer benefits, codeshare flights and even a prospective merger. Addison Schonland, partner at consultancy AirInsight Group, plays down the prospect of a merger, characterizing the interline agreement as “primarily a regional tourism marketing effort.” “When these two airlines announced previous memorandums of understanding on aviation security in 2018 and another in 2022 on promoting Abu Dhabi, these agreements did not lead to integration,” he says. “Every time Emirates and Etihad announce joint initiatives, they are asked if this would lead to integration. Every time the answer is a firm ‘no’.” Indeed, says Schonland, “these airlines follow their own strategies on codeshare and interline agreements, like the recent one between Emirates and United Airlines or the one between Etihad and Gulf Air in 2021.” But what is interlining, and what does it mean? Interline agreements are one of the earliest steps two airlines take when they want to cooperate. Usually, from the passenger standpoint, if you’re connecting from a flight on airline A to airline B, interlining means that you can check your bags in with airline A and not have to collect them at the connecting airport to then check them in again with airline B. This agreement between Emirates and Etihad seems to be a little more expansive than that and looks to also cover what is known as open-jaw ticketing: flying into one city and out of another. That’s the kind of thing that travelers to Europe or Japan do quite often, to avoid having to backtrack on themselves as they explore – and it can be really useful. “In the initial stages of the expanded interline, each carrier will focus on attracting visitors to the UAE by developing inbound interline traffic from select points in Europe and China,” the two airlines said in a joint statement about the partnership. “The ‘open jaw’ arrangement will allow visitors to cover as much ground as possible when exploring Abu Dhabi, Dubai or any other emirate, saving time by removing the need to fly home via their arrival airport.” To give an example, let’s imagine that you’re coming from Europe or China at the beginning of this new program. If you were flying into Dubai International Airport but wanted to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, you’d have to travel down and back to fly home from Dubai. Now, you can fly into Dubai and out of Abu Dhabi, or vice versa. The double open-jaw is where options might get very interesting Relatively unusually, you can also do a kind of double open-jaw. “Customers traveling into the UAE also have the option of ‘multi-city flights,’ with the choice to travel from one city on both carriers’ networks, and conveniently returning to another point served by either Emirates or Etihad,” said the airlines’ joint statement. That’s convenient for a number of reasons. First, you might find flight deals or better timings for your schedule out of one airport in your home region but back to another – flying out of Copenhagen and back into Stockholm, say. Second, you may well be able to use this on a longer trip as well: flying from Beijing to Abu Dhabi, spending time exploring the UAE, and then flying out of Dubai to somewhere else, perhaps a city that Etihad itself doesn’t serve but Emirates does. If the new interlining agreements are eligible in the region where you’re flying from, you might find some real bargains, especially if the idea of a stopover for a few days on the trip out and on the way back sounds appealing. Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai are attractive from the stopover point of view: They’ve got loads of hotels at many price points, including some very reasonably priced resort-style hotels with big pools and sunshine on tap. It’s worth keeping an eye out to see whether either Emirates or Etihad – or both – start to offer extended stopover options, or expand existing stopover deals like the Dubai Connect program. Here, if your connection to your onward destination is more than six and less than 26 hours, Emirates will put you up in a hotel for the night as a mini-stopover. Architects design a flying taxi 'vertiport' for Dubai Should I fly Emirates or Etihad? From an on-board perspective, both Emirates and Etihad are highly regarded airlines with some of the best passenger experience you can find. By and large, for most passengers you won’t find much of a difference in economy between the two airlines. However, if you do have the option to choose between flights, pick airplanes – of either airline – with wider economy class seats like the Airbus A380 and A350, rather than the narrower seats of the Boeing 777 and 787 that these airlines operate. There’s usually no pricing difference, but the difference between 18.5” and 17” in seat width can feel massive, and the extra room at the shoulder and in the aisles is also a plus. And bear in mind if you’re more of a premium economy traveler, Emirates is the only one of the two airlines to offer it, and only on some routes. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/emirates-etihad-interline-partnership/index.html Heart Aerospace receives order for 40 ES-30 electric aircraft The backlog of the Heart Aerospace ES-30 grew by 40 units following an order from Swedish aircraft lessor Rockton Heart Aerospace’s backlog for the electric ES-30 aircraft has grown by 40 aircraft after converting an earlier Letter of Intent (LOI) with Swedish lessor Rockton to firm orders for 20 aircraft with purchase rights for 20 more. The Swedish electric aircraft manufacturer announced the news on May 10, 2023. Following the order from Rockton, the ES-30 backlog stands at 250 firm orders, options and purchase rights for 120 aircraft, and LOIs for 91 additional electric aircraft. “The industry’s interest and need to enable a sustainable transition is increasing by the day and the ES-30 is the most promising technology available for the regional aircraft segment,” said Niklas Lund, the Managing Director and Partner of Rockton. “Its reserve-hybrid configuration enables a meaningful range and payload for the commercial airline market and the airplane will be continuously upgraded as new improved battery technology becomes available, making it an asset with enhanced performance the longer you own it.” According to Simon Newitt, the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Heart Aerospace, the Nordic region will be the leader in adopting electric aircraft, with “several concrete infrastructure projects already underway”. “As a Swedish leasing company, Rockton is clearly a part of this pioneering spirit and we’re happy to have them as a partner,” Newitt added. The ES-30 is a regional electric aircraft developed by Heart Aerospace with an electric range of 200 kilometers (124.2 miles), while also having an extended reserve hybrid range of 400 km (248.5 mi) with 30 passengers. If the aircraft is carrying 25 travelers, the range goes up to 800 km (497 mi). In March 2023, BAE Systems and Heart Aerospace announced a partnership to develop the battery system for the ES-30. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/heart-aerospace-receives-order-for-40-es-30-electric-aircraft Oregon-Based Mercy Flights Joins Air Charter Safety Foundation Mercy Flights, a Medford, Oregon-based civil air ambulance company, is the newest member of the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF). The nonprofit ACSF now includes more than 310 aviation-centric businesses, including charter and fractional operators. Mercy Flight will now participate in the ACSF’s third-party facilitation of the FAA’s voluntary Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP). The voluntary program, administered in cooperation with the FAA, “is designed to help operators identify, report and resolve potential safety issues without fear of reprisal from the FAA,” according to the ACSF. The program incorporates tracking and corrective action recommendations to assist in enhancing and improving participating members’ overall safety culture. With 73 years of history, Mercy Flights completed 24,878 transports in 2022. It operates a Beechcraft King Air C90GTx turboprop twin as well as a Bell 407GX helicopter. The fixed-wing King Air is staffed by two pilots, a flight nurse and a paramedic. The single-pilot Bell 407 also is crewed with a flight nurse and paramedic. CEO Sheila Clough said, “Addressing safety through the auspices of the ACSF and its ASAP is one more extremely important milestone in [our] plan and our mission.” https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/oregon-based-mercy-flights-joins-air-charter-safety-foundation/ EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023 Notice Includes Important Procedure Updates for Pilots Flying to Oshkosh There are several important Federal Aviation Administration-approved changes in the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023 Notice (commonly referred to as the Oshkosh NOTAM), featuring arrival and departure procedures for the Experimental Aircraft Association’s 70th fly-in convention on July 24-30 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh. These changes are based on pilot feedback and FAA review of arrival procedure recommendations. The document is in effect from noon CDT on Thursday, July 20, until noon CDT on Monday, July 31, and outlines procedures for the many types of aircraft that fly to Oshkosh for the event, as well as aircraft that land at nearby airports. The Notice was designed by the FAA to assist pilots in their EAA AirVenture flight planning. It is now known as the Oshkosh Notice instead of a NOTAM because of a changed FAA internal procedure. Some of the 2023 changes include: • A change in the AirVenture ultralight pattern at Wittman Regional Airport. • Guidance regarding Oshkosh aircraft parking areas, including North 40/South 40 designation. • Elimination of the Fond du Lac diversion procedure. • The start time of the daily air shows has been changed from 2:30 to 2:15 p.m. CDT. • The Notice and its procedures are effective through noon CDT on Monday, July 31. The ATC-assignable transition points approaching Oshkosh from the west that will ease holding and congestion will again be in effect in 2023. These points are at Endeavor Bridge, Puckaway Lake, and Green Lake. They will be announced on the arrival ATIS when ATC activates them at times of highest traffic flows. “The most essential information for any pilot flying to Oshkosh involves reading and thoroughly understanding the 2023 AirVenture Notice to ensure safe operations on arrival and departure,” said Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety. “This FAA Notice document states the official requirements and expectations for pilots. We also urge all pilots to log appropriate cross-country time prior to their trip to Oshkosh so they have the proficiency and confidence to fly safely.” EAA is also hosting a webinar on June 14 at 7 p.m. regarding flying to AirVenture 2023 and changes in this year’s Notice. Pilots are encouraged to participate to build their knowledge prior to their flights to Oshkosh. Pilots can download a digital version of the Notice at EAA.org/NOTAM, or order a free printed copy via that website or by calling EAA Membership Services at 800-564-6322. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/business-general-aviation/press-release/53060203/experimental-aircraft-association-eaa-eaa-airventure-oshkosh-2023-notice-includes-important-procedure-updates-for-pilots-flying-to-oshkosh Analysis-Jet orders boom as airlines fear shortage PARIS (Reuters) - Planemakers can't build them but airlines can't stop buying them. Stay ahead of the market Even as they wrestle with industrial problems preventing the delivery of jets sold before the pandemic, Airbus and Boeing are totting up billions of dollars of new orders stretching beyond 2030 amid a rebound in air travel. From Air India to Ireland's Ryanair and a new national airline in Saudi Arabia, a handful of carriers have placed firm or provisional orders for 700 jets. Turkish Airlines' surprise announcement on Thursday that it plans to order 600 jets in June spells what would be the fourth mega-deal in a few months - upstaging Air India's record order for 470 Airbus and Boeing jetliners. Turkey's national champion last month announced a 10-year strategic plan including a goal of 170 million passengers by 2033, compared to over 85 million in 2023. "They are aspiring to build a mega-connector airline from everywhere in Europe to everywhere in Asia and Africa," said Rob Morris, head of global consultancy at UK-based Ascend by Cirium. That would intensify a battle for connecting traffic between Istanbul's hub and rival centres in Europe and the Middle East. The announcement surprised many in the industry, however. U.S. industry analyst Richard Aboulafia highlighted its timing - days before Turkey's May 14 elections - and noted the weight simultaneously being given to strategic aerospace projects including a fighter, attack helicopter and drones. "And now this plan to make Turkey an airline centre of the world too. The timing looks almost too coincidental," Aboulafia, managing director of Aerodynamic Advisory, said. An order of such magnitude could also become swept up in broader political topics such as discussions over Turkey's objection to Sweden joining NATO, Jefferies analysts cautioned. Regardless of the scope or timing, however, analysts said Turkish Airlines' announcement marked a strong statement of intent as carriers that survived the pandemic fight for market share without waiting for global supply chains to stabilise. OVERLAPPING DEMAND Istanbul, where President Tayyip Erdogan opened a new $12 billion airport in 2018, is seen by many as a geographically efficient location to challenge major hubs in Dubai and Doha. Chairman Ahmet Bolat said Turkish Airlines would order 200 long-haul jets and 400 smaller narrow-bodies needed to feed such traffic. The airline's fleet is roughly split between Airbus and Boeing. Pressure to act was highlighted by Ryanair, whose boss admitted this week to paying more than in the past to secure dwindling supplies of narrow-bodies later this decade. "Airlines are getting worried about future new aircraft availability and so are perhaps getting spooked into ordering early," Morris said. The risk, a senior industry source warned, is that multiple airlines are buying planes to try to serve the same travel demand. The resulting overhang could trim profits more broadly. "It's a civil arms race. Everyone is buying the same planes for the same people - who knows who is going to win? Probably no-one," the source said. As well as being the world's sixth largest pre-COVID tourist destination, Turkey already competes with Gulf majors Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad for transit traffic. Riyadh Air joined the super-connector race with a major Boeing order in March. Locking in jets so far ahead also involves a gamble on inflation, with escalation clauses potentially adding billions to the value of a large order by the time planes are delivered from the end of this decade. Only airlines with strict control of costs or strong political support can afford such exposure, experts said. The boom also comes at a time when airlines face growing pressure to cut emissions. Critics say ordering planes so far ahead risks diverting attention from a new generation of single-aisle jets, which are expected to become available from the mid- to late 2030s. Planemakers say currently sold jets are already significantly cleaner than the ones they replace and therefore maximise the benefit from new fuels that are seen as the industry's best hope of meeting net-zero targets in 2050. But some strategists also see an effort by fast-growing airlines to bring forward purchases of current-generation jets in anticipation of a shortage leading up to technology change. "The industry will argue this is part of their net-zero strategy because they are efficient aircraft. But they will still be in service in 2050, so that would put a limit on fuel improvements from now to then," a senior industry adviser said. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/analysis-jet-orders-boom-airlines-104633081.html Curt Lewis