Flight Safety Information - May 31, 2023 No. 104 In This Issue : Incident: TAP A332 at New York on May 26th 2023, hit something on departure : Incident: Egypt B738 at Jeddah on May 28th 2023, tyre damage on landing : Incident: France A359 near Osaka on May 28th 2023, weather radar and airspeed malfunction : GPWS Pioneer Don Bateman Passes Away : PIA aircraft stopped in Malaysia for ‘unpaid dues’ : US woman who spat on passenger, opened aircraft door and used emergency slide convicted : FAA proposes removing expiration date on flight instructor certificates : EMBRY-RIDDLE PRESCOTT CAMPUS WINS NATIONAL SAFETY COMPETITION Incident: TAP A332 at New York on May 26th 2023, hit something on departure A TAP Air Portugal Airbus A330-200, registration CS-TOO performing flight TP-208 from New York JFK,NY (USA) to Lisbon (Portugal) with 267 people on board, was climbing out of JFK's runway 22R when the crew advised they needed to return to JFK having hit something on departure just after becoming airborne and requested to level off at 3000 feet. The crew subsequently explained something had hit them on the engine or wing. The aircraft returned to JFK for an overweight landing on runway 22L about 15 minutes after departure. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in New York about 3 days 16.5 hours after landing back. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=509d7108&opt=0 Incident: Egypt B738 at Jeddah on May 28th 2023, tyre damage on landing An Egypt Air Boeing 737-800, registration SU-GEM performing flight MS-643 from Cairo (Egypt) to Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), landed on Jeddah's runway 16R but damaged a tyre on landing. The aircraft is still on the ground in Jeddah about 18 hours after landing. The airline reported the aircraft burst one of its tyres during landing in Jeddah. On May 29th 2023 The Aviation Herald received photos showing the left hand main tyre completely gone and the right main tyre of one of the gear struts seriously damaged. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=509c07dd&opt=0 Incident: France A359 near Osaka on May 28th 2023, weather radar and airspeed malfunction An Air France Airbus A350-900, registration F-HTYO performing flight AF-291 from Osaka (Japan) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France) with 324 people on board, was enroute at FL350 about 420nm northeast of Osaka when the crew decided to turn around and return to Osaka due to a malfunction of the weather radar and malfunction of the airspeed indications. The aircraft descended to FL200 and landed safely on Osaka Kansai's runway 24R about 3:10 hours after departure. Japan's Ministry of Transport reported a post flight inspection revealed a dent at the nose of the aircraft, that was not present before the flight. The malfunctions of weather radar and airspeed are thought to be related to the dent. The cause of the dent, possibly a bird strike, is under investigation. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=509c056d&opt=0 GPWS Pioneer Don Bateman Passes Away The individual responsible for the revolutionary air safety system GPWS passes away. Today, flying as we know it is the safest mode of transport. This is primarily due to the improvements made in technologies and systems over the decades, which are integrated into the airplanes we fly today. And one such crucial safety system is the GPWS, which in full stands for Ground Proximity Warning System, which Don Bateman created. About Don Bateman Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Bateman studied at the University of Saskatchewan and graduated as an electrical engineer. While his career started at a telephone equipment company, he then moved to Renton and took a job with aviation giant Boeing, where he worked on the avionics of the Boeing 707. Shortly after that, Bateman joined United Control, an aircraft electronics maker in Seattle which is now part of Honeywell. This is where Bateman formed a small team to work specifically on testing and creating flight safety systems. Bateman and his team went on to create perhaps one of the most essential air safety systems, the GPWS. In the 1960s and 1970s, one of the most common types of air accidents was aircraft crashing into terrain, more commonly known as Controlled Flight Into Terrain, or CFIT. The prevention of such accidents was the goal of Bateman and his team, and they succeeded with the creation of GPWS. However, the team led by Bateman kept working on the system for decades later to improve the system and make it safer and more technologically advanced. Bateman played a vital role in making air travel safe over the years and is known as the person who has saved more lives than anyone in aviation history. Over the course of his life, Bateman received multiple awards for his work, including the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, awarded to him by President Barack Obama. Don Bateman passed away Sunday, May 21st, at the age of 91, from complications of Parkinson's disease. Function of GPWS GPWS is essential for informing pilots when an aircraft is in danger of colliding with terrain or when the aircraft is close to the ground but in the wrong configuration (an example being the aircraft coming to land on a runway with landing gears still retracted or incorrect flap settings). The system takes data input from various systems on the aircraft to get information from the radio altimeter, machmeter, air data computer, ILS, landing gear/flap position, and navigation systems. Data from these systems are analyzed, and the GPWS operates in the appropriate mode to provide the pilots with appropriate alerts and warnings, both visually and aurally. Each mode has a first boundary, which, when exceeded, alerts the pilot. However, some of the more essential modes (one, two, and four) have a secondary boundary, which, if the aircraft exceeds, the system will give out a warning call for the pilot, indicating an immediate action is necessary. Operational Mode Alert call-outs (exceeding the first boundary) Warning call-outs (exceeding the second boundary) 1. Excessive Rate of Descent "Sink Rate" "Pull Up" 2. Excessive Terrain Closure "Terrain x2" "Pull Up" 3. Altitude loss during TO/GA (Take-Off / Go-Around) "Don't Sink" 4. Proximity to terrain in the wrong configuration (Landing Gear / Flap position) "Too Low Gear"/"Too Low Flaps" "Too Low Terrain" 5. Descending below the glide slope "Glide Slope" 6. Descending below minimums / Exceeding bank angle "Minimums"/"Bank Angle" Over the years, a seventh mode has been implemented, wherein the GPWS system uses data from the Air Data Computer to recognize any signs of possible wind shear in the vicinity of the aircraft. If a possible wind shear is detected, the system gives a direct warning call out to the pilot, "Windshear" so that the pilot can be prepared for any necessary actions to be taken. Though the system cannot detect the exact location of the wind shear, it is helpful for pilots to be aware of its presence, especially during the landing phases of a flight, in which case an early warning might allow the pilot to be better prepared to react or perform a go around, as required. To learn more about the GPWS system, check out our detailed guide of the GPWS system here. https://simpleflying.com/gpws-pioneer-don-bateman-passes-away/ PIA aircraft stopped in Malaysia for ‘unpaid dues’ A Boeing 777 aircraft of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was stopped at Kuala Lumpur International Airport over a legal dispute. The aircraft’s leasing company had approached a local court on claims that the airline owed it $4.5 million. The claim has been disputed by the PIA, which stated that it owned the aircraft and the leasing company only owned one of the mounted engines. PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan added that the actual dues stood at $1.8m, which have been paid to the company. The claim submitted by the company to seek the impounding order was ‘incorrect’ and PIA has engaged its legal team in Kuala Lumpur to contest the matter in court, the spokesperson added. The passengers of the said flight have been accommodated on an alternative aircraft, while the disputed Boeing 777 will also operate as a normal commercial flight from Kuala Lumpur, the PIA spokesman concluded. This is the second dispute that resulted in the seizure of a PIA aircraft in Malaysia. In January 2021, another Boeing 777 was held back for two weeks over a case involving $14 million in unpaid dues. https://www.dawn.com/news/1756992/pia-aircraft-stopped-in-malaysia-for-unpaid-dues US woman who spat on passenger, opened aircraft door and used emergency slide convicted The American Airlines passenger was upset when she was told not to use her phone as the plane was departing. A woman in the United States who flew into a rage was convicted for assaulting two people on a flight and activating an emergency slide while the plane was moving. Cynthia McKnight, 24, was sentenced to time served and three years’ probation last Friday after she pleaded guilty to two counts of simple assault, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York. She agreed to pay US$42,128 (S$57,000) in restitution as part of her sentencing, according to her plea agreement. The incident involving McKnight was one of 2,455 reports of unruly passengers that were sent to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2022. On April 19, 2022, McKnight was on an American Airlines flight from Buffalo to Chicago. She was asked by flight attendants to stop using her phone as the plane was departing. She refused to do so, and was irate with the request, according to court documents. McKnight left her seat and headed towards the front of the plane, where she argued with one passenger and spat on another, an affidavit said. The aircraft was required to return to the gate as a result of the altercation. McKnight tried to exit the aircraft while it was still in motion on the ground. A flight attendant tried to stop her from opening an aircraft door, but McKnight pushed her. The 24-year-old was eventually able to open a door, which activated the emergency slide. She slid down and tried to run away but airport officials and the transportation authority apprehended her on the tarmac, the affidavit said. McKnight resisted arrest, and damaged a wall once inside the transportation authority’s police station. She later told the authorities she was under the influence of alcohol. McKnight said she was “upset that the flight was delayed”, and that she wanted to get off the plane. As for why she spat on a passenger, she said it was because the other person was recording her. Because McKnight deployed the plane’s emergency slide, American Airlines deemed the aircraft inoperable, the affidavit said. The passengers had to disembark and make new flight plans. McKnight is accused of causing US$50,000 in damage. According to data from the FAA, reports of unruly passengers spiked in 2021, when 5,973 reports were made. The figure for 2023 stands at 708 so far. https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/us-woman-who-spat-on-passenger-opened-aircraft-door-and-slid-down-emergency-slide-pleads-guilty FAA proposes removing expiration date on flight instructor certificates The FAA is seeking public comment on a proposed rule that would remove the expiration date on flight instructor certificates. The proposed rule, published in the Federal Register May 23, 2023, notes that the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has been advocating for this change since 1999 — telling the FAA that it imposes an “unnecessary and costly burden” on CFIs. The association also notes that this action would bring flight instructor certificates in line with other pilot certificates that do not expire. “AOPA asked the FAA to eliminate the expiration date on a flight instructor certificate and add a three-month grace period to allow a flight instructor to reestablish recent experience by completing a Flight Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC) within those three months,” the FAA wrote in its rulemaking proposal. “AOPA asserted that these changes would directly benefit the public, encourage many flight instructors with expired certificates to rejoin the instructional community, and eliminate the need for over 9,700 salary hours of unnecessary administrative processing at the Airman Certification Branch of the Civil Aviation Registry Division. AOPA also maintained that these changes would not adversely affect the quality of flight training or flight safety.” “AOPA appreciates the FAA’s recognition and proposed adoption of AOPA’s recommendations to make it easier for CFIs to remain current, proficient, and knowledgeable,” AOPA President Mark Baker. “These steps will create significant savings in both time and money for thousands of CFIs, while maintaining the highest levels of pilot training and safety for the general aviation community.” The proposed amendments to CFI renewal requirements include the three-month grace period that AOPA sought, allowing CFIs whose currency has lapsed that extra time to restore it without having to take a new CFI practical test. The proposed rule gives CFIs several options to maintain — or restore — currency, including: Pass a practical test. Demonstrate that within the preceding 24 calendar months, the person has endorsed at least five students for a practical test and at least 80% of those students passed that test on the first attempt. Show, within the preceding 24 calendar months, that the flight instructor has served as a company check pilot, chief flight instructor, company check airman, or flight instructor in a Part 121 or Part 135 operation, or in a position involving the regular evaluation of pilots. Successfully complete an approved FIRC within the preceding three calendar months. Present a record showing that, within the preceding 24 calendar months, the person passed an official U.S. Armed Forces military instructor pilot or pilot examiner proficiency check in an aircraft for which the military instructor already holds a rating or in an aircraft for an additional rating. And a new option: Designating the FAA’s WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program as an approved program that flight instructors can use to satisfy flight instructor certificate renewal requirements. “Flight instructors are an integral part of the aviation community and play an important role in reducing the number of general aviation accidents by providing training and modeling best practices,” the FAA says in the proposed rule. “Lessons and activities provided to flight instructors by the WINGS curriculum help to ensure flight instructors are familiar with current flight training standards and procedures. For these reasons, the FAA has determined that § 61.197 should include a standalone method that would allow persons to renew their flight instructor certificates or establish recent experience, as proposed, by serving as a flight instructor and participating in the WINGS program.” Comments on the proposed rule must be made by June 22, 2023. You can see the full rule here, which includes a place to submit your comment. https://generalaviationnews.com/2023/05/29/faa-proposes-removing-expiration-date-on-flight-instructor-certificates/ EMBRY-RIDDLE PRESCOTT CAMPUS WINS NATIONAL SAFETY COMPETITION The team from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott took home the national championship title from the 2023 National Intercollegiate Flying Association Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott took home the national championship title from the 2023 National Intercollegiate Flying Association Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott took home the national championship title from the 2023 National Intercollegiate Flying Association Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Photo courtesy ERAU-Prescott. The annual NIFA competition pits collegiate aviation teams against each other in a series of air and ground competitions in which participants demonstrate their flying skills and knowledge. This year’s event took place May 8 through 13 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Teams from 30 colleges and universities were invited to compete. Embry-Riddle’s Prescott, Arizona, team, the Golden Eagles, scored their third consecutive national win and fifteenth overall win. The second place national winner was the University of North Dakota. Third place went to Southern Illinois University. Fourth place was awarded to Western Michigan University, and fifth place went to Ohio State University. The championship trophy is awarded to the team with the most cumulative points during the competition. Additional awards are presented for the flight event championship; ground event championship; safety; top scoring contestant; achievement; and individual trophies for events such as short-field landing, power-off-landing, and message drop. There are also achievement interviews and a judges’ trophy. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2023/may/30/embry-riddle-prescott-campus-wins-national-safety-competition Curt Lewis