Flight Safety Information - May 30, 2023 No. 103 In This Issue : Incident: El Al B788 at Boston on May 28th 2023, tyre damage, steering failure, possibly hard landing : Incident: Easyjet A320 at London on May 28th 2023, engine failure : Incident: KLM B772 near Dubai on May 26th 2023, engine shut down in flight : Plane passenger faces 10 years in prison after opening Asiana jet door mid-flight : How Boeing's Competency-Based Pilot Training Enhances Aviation Safety : Airline to start weighing passengers before boarding in 'essential' safety move : Air India Will Phase Out Expatriate Pilots Eventually : A European startup airline said it bought an Airbus A380 to fly across the Atlantic starting next year despite other carriers ditching the jet due to high costs Incident: El Al B788 at Boston on May 28th 2023, tyre damage, steering failure, possibly hard landing An El Al Boeing 787-8, registration 4X-ERB performing flight LY-15 from Tel Aviv (Israel) to Boston,MA (USA), landed on Boston's runway 22L and was instructed to vacate the runway when the crew responded "stand by" and subsequently advised they had a nose gear steering problem. Using asymmetric braking they managed to vacate the runway onto runway 27 and stopped clear of runway 22L. Emergency services closed runways 09/27, 04L/22R and 04R/22L as result of the occurrence. A runway inspection revealed debris on runway 22L. The aircraft was towed to the apron. According to information The Aviation Herald received, the aircraft suffered a hard landing resulting in damage to the nose gear and nose tyres as well as possible fuselage damage. The FAA reported they have no such report. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Boston about 33 hours after landing. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=509cc343&opt=0 Incident: Easyjet A320 at London on May 28th 2023, engine failure An Easyjet Airbus A320-200, registration G-EZTL performing flight U2-8569 from London Gatwick,EN (UK) to Dalaman (Turkey), was climbing out of Gatwick when the crew stopped the climb at FL200 due to the left hand engine (CFM56) emitting bangs and streaks of flame. The aircraft returned to Gatwick for a safe landing on runway 08R about 35 minutes after departure. Passengers reported hearing the engine failure (bangs) and subsequently the crew announced an engine had failed. The airline reported a suspected mechanical problem prompted the return to Gatwick. The flight needed to be delayed overnight, the passengers were offered hotel accomodation. The passengers would be rebooked onto other flights. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=509c7d9d&opt=0 Incident: KLM B772 near Dubai on May 26th 2023, engine shut down in flight A KLM Boeing 777-200, registration PH-BQL performing flight KL-876 from Bangkok (Thailand) to Amsterdam (Netherlands) with 286 passengers and 12 crew, was enroute at FL340 about 540nm northeast of Dubai (United Arab Emirates) in Iranian Airspace, when the crew drifted the aircraft down to FL200 due to an engine (GE90) failure and shut down. The aircraft set course to Dubai where the aircraft landed without further incident about 105 minutes after leaving FL340. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=509aa813&opt=0 Plane passenger faces 10 years in prison after opening Asiana jet door mid-flight • Passenger who opened plane door in mid-air, caused panic reveals he was ‘uncomfortable’: report • Pulse-pounding video shows airplane panic as passenger opens door while in the air • Dramatic video of deadly plane crash mysteriously surfaces • Man claims airline forced him to move seats over prosthetic leg The South Korean airline passenger who opened the emergency exit door of a plane while it was airborne — claiming he needed to get off “quickly” — has been arrested for the bizarre caught-on-video move. The 33-year-old Asiana Airlines flier was busted Sunday for violating aviation security law – a charge that carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, said officials in Daegu, South Korea, where the plane eventually landed. The man, who has only been identified by his surname, Lee, told cops he opened the door because he was “uncomfortable” and “wanted to get off the plane quickly,” Reuters reported. He said he recently lost his job and was stressed. “I’m really sorry to kids,” the man told reporters outside court Sunday. “I wanted to get off the plane soon.” The Asiana Airlines Airbus A321-200 was carrying approximately 200 people for an hourlong flight from the South Korean island of Jeju to Daegu on Friday when the terrifying incident occurred. Its passengers included teenage track-and-field athletes who were en route to a competition, Asiana Airlines said. The plane was preparing to land but still 700 feet above ground when Lee pulled open the emergency door. https://nypost.com/2023/05/29/flier-arrested-for-opening-jet-door-mid-flight/ How Boeing's Competency-Based Pilot Training Enhances Aviation Safety Observation, facilitation, and dialogue between learners and trainers are the hallmarks of competency-based pilot training at Boeing. Flight crews must acquire adequate training on all aircraft systems, human behaviors, and the interaction between man (flight occupants) and machine (aircraft). Crew training includes knowledge and understanding of all procedures during normal and abnormal operations. A lack of understanding of complex systems and behaviors could lead to catastrophic events. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) states that adequate pilot training is one of the two significant factors influencing flight safety. The other is the airworthiness of the aircraft (up-to-date maintenance). Student pilots who train at US FAA-certified flight schools must attend 40–50 hours of theoretical training for each certificate they earn (private pilot, instrument, commercial, CFI, and potentially CFII). Each of these ratings has an associated theoretical test in addition to the well-known practical by an FAA examiner. Lack of pilot training may lead to major and minor accidents in commercial aviation. Aircraft manufacturers, aviation regulatory authorities, and aircraft operators ensure adequate flight training is provided to the crew. Boeing, being the largest aircraft manufacturer in North America, is no different when it comes to offering a variety of training programs for the flight crew. Boeing focuses on competency-centered learning methods enabling competency development among the learners. Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) Based on the training guidelines set forth by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Boeing developed a CBTA program that standardizes pilot training to enhance the safety of air travel. Working closely with airline operators, regulatory authorities, and pilot unions, Boeing developed an immersive training curriculum that is based on competencies rather than conventional lecture-based training. Boeing aims to certify instructors and provide access to high-tech training tools at campuses around the world. The training sessions include relevant ground and flight data, and real-life scenarios are practiced to enhance the learning experience for pilot trainees. Trainees aspire to earn their aircraft type ratings and qualifications to fly Boeing airplanes. The competency-centered training offered by Boeing allows students to spend more time with their instructors in a variety of learning environments. From briefings to desktop simulators and immersive learning aids, students get a thorough understanding of competency-based developmental techniques before entering the flight simulator. Inside the high-fidelity full-flight simulators, student pilot trainees interact with their instructors, examiners, and sometimes representations from regulatory authorities. Student pilots undergo all aspects of flight, from understanding the aircraft type to the steps involved in deviating from normal flight procedures; trainee pilots must know it all. The training program enables trainees to work through real-world scenarios, which are similar to task-based training approaches, as they hone their competencies and behaviors as pilots. According to Boeing’s quaternary innovation release about the CBTA program, "Instructors observe and record the trainee's behaviors, decisions, and interactions from their jump seat in the simulator. As they watch the trainee perform the various maneuvers, they are not lecturing or directing the trainee's actions. They are taking notes, offering guidance and assessing the pilot's behaviors, preparing for the conversations and feedback sessions that will follow." Hallmarks of CBTA Boeing takes pride in its offering of the CBTA program. The observation, facilitation, and dialogue between learners and trainers are the hallmarks of CBTA, as described by Boeing. Trainers rate students’ behaviors and proficiencies in four main areas of training. Those areas are teamwork, communication, decision-making, and crew management. The purpose is to provide a smooth transition from traditional lecturing to moderating training briefings and guiding students’ learning. According to a CTBA trainer at Boeing, "Instead of telling the student pilots what to do step by step, I ask them to show me what they know already. That allows me to see their experience level, then shape the training accordingly." Technological advancements in aircraft With continuous advancements in aircraft technologies, pilots must have technical instruction on how to fly the airplane and training that enhances their skills. Trainees must acquire situational awareness and effective communication skills to become crew members. Moreover, problem-solving and decision-making scenarios are instilled within the curriculum to maximize learning outcomes for trainees. The training and development team at Boeing, along with its industry partners, is keen to offer a comprehensive and standardized training package. The training package will benefit not only Boeing pilots but also its customers across the globe. Boeing aims to impart the core competencies that complement and maximize the technical knowledge airline pilots have of their airplanes. According to Boeing, "Airplane operators are working to establish individual CBTA programs, but there is no global standard for instruction, including for how to analyze streams of airplane data and flight statistics or to meet the distinct requirements of various regulatory authorities. Ultimately, airlines and regulators are responsible for determining pilot training requirements. But, as an airplane manufacturer, Boeing recognized its obligation to help develop a comprehensive and standardized training package that would strengthen safety through advancing Boeing's training offerings and serving operators worldwide." Preventing threats and errors Flight safety remains a priority for aircraft manufacturers, including Boeing. In order to safely operate today’s aircraft, pilots must be able to mitigate and manage the most prevalent threats and errors. According to the Vice President of Boeing’s Global Aerospace Safety Initiative, Lacey Pittman, "We're working with operators to identify, develop and assess the competencies pilots need in order to operate today's airplanes safely. By partnering with our operators and with global regulatory authorities to strengthen our baseline training, together we are raising the bar on aerospace safety." Threats and errors are identified based on pilot feedback after flights. Moreover, data from non-conventional situations pilots face is collected to determine possible threats to flight safety. Hard evidence from current and past flights, along with known operational hazards, is obtained to be included in the training curriculum. The learning design team at Boeing analyzes numerous safety risks obtained from airline operators. The designers combined industry data on airplane specifications with reporting by pilot unions, airlines, third-party observers, and regulatory authorities. Based on the information, specific findings are tested during flight tests and incorporated into pilot training at Boeing. https://simpleflying.com/boeing-competency-based-training-safety-enhancements/ Airline to start weighing passengers before boarding in 'essential' safety move The decision has been made by Air New Zealand in a bid to improve aircraft safety for passengers and crew. The scheme is voluntary, so people won't have to be weighed if they don't want to. An airline will ask passengers to step on the scales along with their hand luggage before boarding their flights next month. Air New Zealand is set to ask over 10,000 people flying during the month of June to take part in its passenger weight survey, which has been hailed as "essential" for improving aircraft safety. The initiative has already been carried out for the airline's domestic flight network back in 2021 and it will soon be kicking off for international travellers after being delayed due to the pandemic. But it's an entirely voluntary scheme, so passengers are free to decline taking part if they don't want to be weighed. In a bid to encourage flyers who might be unsure to participate in the survey, Air New Zealand's load control improvement specialist Alastair James reassured that the number on the scales would not be visible to anyone. He said: "We know stepping on the scales can be daunting. We want to reassure our customers there is no visible display anywhere. No one can see your weight – not even us. It's completely anonymous." "It's simple, it’s voluntary, and by weighing in, you’ll be helping us to fly you safely and efficiently, every time." The initiative is a requirement from New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority as it helps to ensure the "safe and efficient operation of the aircraft". Everything that goes on an airplane is weighed beforehand, including hold luggage, cargo and even the meals onboard. And to find out the weight of the passengers and crew, average numbers are needed, gathered by surveys just like this one. The weighing will take place at the entrance to the gate lounge on certain Air New Zealand flights coming out of Auckland International Airport until July 2, 2023. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/airline-start-weighing-passengers-before-30109627 Amazon’s air cargo head changes jobs, will now oversee workplace-safety unit • Amazon’s air cargo chief is shifting roles to oversee the company’s workplace health and safety unit. • Sarah Rhoads, who joined Amazon in 2011, has become one of Amazon’s top logistics executives and helped to rapidly expand its air cargo arm. Sarah Rhoads, who was responsible for Amazon’s burgeoning air cargo business, is shifting roles to oversee the e-retailer’s workplace health and safety division. John Felton, Amazon’s head of worldwide operations, announced the move in a note to staffers on Thursday, according to a copy of the memo viewed by CNBC. Rhoads will also be in charge of Amazon’s global operations learning and development unit, which deals with things like career advancement and skills improvement in the company’s front-line workforce. “Safety is paramount in every aspect of aerospace and other industries look to aviation for best practices in safety,” Felton wrote in the memo. “Sarah’s background as a decorated military pilot and her success leading Amazon Global Air positions her as the ideal leader to assume this critical role.” Raoul Sreenivasan, who joined Amazon in 2016 and currently oversees planning, performance and cargo for Amazon Global Air, will take over most of Rhoads’ Amazon Air responsibilities, Felton said. Prior to joining Amazon, Sreenivasan worked at DHL and TNT Express, a European courier acquired by FedEx. Rhoads, a former U.S. Navy F-18 pilot, has been one of the top executives in Amazon’s sprawling logistics business. She joined the e-commerce giant in 2011. Over the past several years, Amazon has steadily moved more of its fulfillment and logistics operations in house, building a transportation network that the company says rivals UPS in size. As part of an effort to handle and deliver more of its own packages, Amazon launched an air cargo business. Rhoads joined Amazon Air in its early days and has overseen much of the unit’s growth, including the opening of a $1.5 billion air hub in Kentucky. Amazon has contracted more passenger airlines to fly packages in addition to other operators like Atlas Air and ATSG . Sun Country, a leisure-focused carrier, began flying converted Boeing 737 freighters for Amazon in 2020, after travel collapsed in the Covid pandemic. In October, Amazon announced that it reached an agreement with Hawaiian Airlines to fly leased Airbus A330 converted freighters, which would be the largest aircraft in Amazon’s fleet and its first Airbus jets. The planes will help replace older jets in the company’s fleet, Amazon said. Air cargo rates have plunged from record highs hit during late 2021, when port snarls and a dearth of international flights pinched capacity and drove up prices. The rebound in air travel has added capacity to the market, while inflation has fueled shifts in consumer spending. FedEx last year said it would park some aircraft and reduce some of its flights as part of its plan to slash costs. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is in the midst of a broad overview of the company’s expenses as the company reckons with an economic downturn and slowing growth in its core retail business. Amazon rapidly scaled up its fulfillment and transportation network in recent years in response to a pandemic-driven surge in demand. It’s since closed, canceled or delayed several warehouses across the U.S. The company has also faced growing pressure to address its workplace-safety record. Employees criticized Amazon’s coronavirus response, arguing it wasn’t doing enough to protect them on the job, and the company has faced widespread scrutiny over the injury rates in its warehouses. In September, Amazon appointed Becky Gansert to oversee its workplace health and safety unit after Heather MacDougall resigned from the company, CNBC previously reported. Amazon has disputed reports of unsafe working conditions. During MacDougall’s tenure, the company set ambitious goals to reduce injuries, including a plan to cut recordable incident rates, a federal government measurement covering injury and illness, by half by 2025. Last year Amazon committed to become “Earth’s Best Employer,” adding it to its list of corporate values, even as labor unrest intensified. The executive tasked with overseeing that effort, Pam Greer, departed Amazon last April, according to Bloomberg. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/25/amazons-air-cargo-head-will-now-oversee-workplace-safety-unit.html Air India Will Phase Out Expatriate Pilots Eventually The airline has stepped up the pilot hiring process to meet future needs. Air India is currently expanding in every way possible. One of the most significant growth areas is its fleet and network, and finding qualified crew to operate its aircraft has been challenging. The carrier’s decision to hire expat pilots to operate some planes was criticized, but now Air India's CEO has clarified that it is only a temporary solution to a temporary problem. Temporary solution Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has clarified the airline’s position on expat pilots. In an interview with The Hindu and Businessline, he explained that the airline’s current expansion has been unlike anything it has witnessed in recent years. For many years the carrier was actually shrinking, with several planes grounded and many others flying after cannibalizing other aircraft for parts. But after the Tatas took over, there was ample financial backing to get the grounded fleet back in the air and also welcome additional planes on short-term leases. But this posed a new challenge. Finding qualified crew with enough experience quickly, particularly for some of its widebody fleet, has been a challenge. Air India has been able to lease 11 Boeing 777s and will also receive six Airbus A350s in the coming months. This amounts to an increase in widebody fleet by 17 aircraft in 12 months. Wilson explained that hiring expat pilots to fly some of these planes is, in fact, just a temporary solution, saying, “The expatriate pilot plan, I need to make this very clear, is a temporary solution to a temporary problem … 17 aircraft [are] coming in [in] the space of less than 12 months. You do not have the pipeline ready to fly those aircraft overnight, as it takes time to build. And clearly we would want to build it from within and staff these aircraft from within... the time is just too short. “The intention was and remains for them to fly only so long as it takes to recruit and promote from within. And that is actually happening faster than we expected.” Indeed, Air India has been on a hiring spree, adding as many as 50 pilots a month. This will likely continue until the end of this year and will take off again once more planes begin to trickle in. Need expat pilots for now For now, expatriate pilots are required by the carrier to meet its immediate network expansion strategies. Air India is said to be promoting pilots internally as well as hiring pilots for its widebody fleet. But the time taken to train them means that expat pilots are here to stay for the time being. Wilson said that without the expat pilots, Air India would not be able to fly some of its widebody aircraft and consequently not be able to serve many destinations with additional frequencies. He added that the expat pilots are “not taking away anything actually. They are providing an opportunity which will ultimately be filled in India.” https://simpleflying.com/air-india-phase-out-expatriate-pilots/ A European startup airline said it bought an Airbus A380 to fly across the Atlantic starting next year despite other carriers ditching the jet due to high costs • Global Airlines purchased an Airbus A380 from the German investment firm Doric Aviation. Global Airlines • The European startup carrier Global Airlines purchased its first plane — an Airbus A380 superjumbo. • The carrier said it planned to equip the plane with around 471 seats and fly from the US and the UK. • The plan differs from many other carriers that have been retiring the A380 because of high costs. A little-known startup carrier called Global Airlines has bought its first plane — the mammoth Airbus A380. The carrier announced the purchase on Monday, revealing that the jet was acquired from the German investment firm Doric Aviation. According to Doric, it now has 14 A380s in its roster — 13 of which are flying with Emirates and one that is being remarketed, meaning it is going to a new operator. "Contrary to popular belief, the A380 is widely recognized as the best way to fly, offering unparalleled comfort and features that lead to a unique travel experience," the firm said. While it is more common for new carriers to lease jets at the start of business, Global noted that this was a full purchase. "Acquiring our aircraft rather than leasing showcases our commitment to financial security and resilience from day one," Global Airlines CEO James Asquith wrote in a press release. Asquith is known as the youngest person to ever travel to every sovereign country on the planet and runs the house-swap platform Holiday Swap. With Holiday Swap as the parent company, Asquith's aviation venture started in July 2021 and has earned "significant backing from investors." He said he planned to acquire three more A380s "in the coming months" and fly them between the UK and the US starting next spring. The airline has also discussed introducing a "gamer cabin" on board, but it is unclear whether that would ever come to fruition. While the purchase price for the jet — which is set to be fitted with approximately 471 seats across economy, business, and first-class — has not been disclosed, Global said it was "understood to be in the eight-figure range." "The purchase of our first aircraft demonstrates that we are well on the way to launching Global," Asquith said. "The next step is to overhaul and refit the aircraft to our high specification, providing our customers with the best experience in the sky today." Global said the decision to use the double-decker plane over more efficient jets like the Boeing 787 was because the A380 was "the world's most comfortable aircraft" and would be the best option for passengers on long-haul flights. "Combining the most advanced aviation technology and an inspired cabin design, it is celebrated for its outstanding quality in every aspect," the company said on its website. "Leading the industry in standards for innovation, experience and efficiency, it is adored by passengers, pilots and crew alike." However, this is not the same sentiment many other carriers have had over the years, especially during the pandemic. With the plane's four engines and immense size, carriers including Air France, Thai Airways, and Malaysia Airways have retired the jet due to its high operating costs. Production of the jet also ended in 2021 due to the lower-than-expected order rate, with Emirates being the only carrier to truly invest in the plane, with more than 120 purchased. Several carriers — including Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa — have also continued flying the A380 post-pandemic. "In the end, you have to face facts, and we could see that we were building A380s faster than people were ordering them," Bob Lange, Airbus' head of business analysis and market forecast, said in 2019. https://www.businessinsider.com/european-startup-airline-bought-a380-fly-between-the-us-uk-2023-5 Curt Lewis