June 28, 2023 - No. 027 In This Issue : Spirit AeroSystems and union reach tentative deal, creating path to end US strike : Korean Air delivers first fuselage for Boeing AH-6 helicopters : FAA’s latest AD looks to prevent uncontained Airbus A380 engine failure : HONEYWELL UPGRADE FOR AIRCRAFT AUXILIARY POWER UNIT LOWERS FUEL CONSUMPTION AND CO2 EMISSIONS : OSHA fines American Airlines subsidiary $15k after worker gets sucked into plane engine, dies : New Bill Could Curtail Offshoring U.S. Aircraft Maintenance : Airbus to trial in-flight auxiliary power entirely generated by hydrogen : Textron Aviation Unveils New Hiring & Learning Center To Prepare The Workforce Of Today & Tomorrow : Rep. Angie Craig urges FAA to investigate reports of “poop rain” falling onto cars Spirit AeroSystems and union reach tentative deal, creating path to end US strike A Boeing 737 MAX-10 lands over the Spirit AeroSystems logo during a flying display at the 54th International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, June 22, 2023. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo WASHINGTON, June 27 (Reuters) - Spirit AeroSystems (SPR.N) and its machinists union reached a tentative contract agreement on Tuesday, with about 6,000 workers set to vote Thursday on whether to end a strike at the company's plant in Wichita, Kansas. The four-year contract includes wage increases of at least 23.5% over the life of the deal, guaranteed annual bonuses and a yearly cost of living adjustment, and a $3,000 signing bonus if the contract is accepted by Thursday, Spirit said in a statement. If passed by a simple majority, employees represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) would end the strike and return to work on July 5, the union said. On Monday, Spirit presented a new contract offer after what the Boeing (BA.N) and Airbus (AIR.PA) supplier said were "positive discussions". The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) urged its workforce to ratify the new contract, stating it "addresses our members' concerns with substantial wage increases, maintaining the CORE healthcare plan benefits that the membership insisted on, and includes no mandatory overtime." Spirit shares closed up at 1.95%. "We listened closely and worked hard in our talks over the last several days to further understand and address the priorities of our IAM-represented employees," said Spirit AeroSystems CEO Tom Gentile. "We believe this new offer is fair and competitive and recognizes the contributions of our employees covered under this proposed agreement." Union workers at the Wichita site, which builds the entire fuselage for Boeing's 737 MAX narrowbody jet and the forward sections for most of its other aircraft, as well as pylons for the Airbus A220, on June 21 rejected a proposed four-year contract and voted to strike. Spirit AeroSystems announced on Thursday that it would shut down operations at the site ahead of the strike, which began Saturday. Reporting by Valerie Insinna; Editing by Conor Humphrie Korean Air delivers first fuselage for Boeing AH-6 helicopters Boeing signed a deal in December 2021 for Korean Air to build AH-6 fuselages. (Korean Air) MELBOURNE, Australia — Korean Air has delivered its first AH-6 helicopter fuselage built under a contract with Boeing, the South Korean company announced June 26. Korean Air signed the deal in December 2021 to manufacture eight fuselages for AH-6 helicopters that will undergo final assembly by Boeing Defense, Space and Security. The AH-6 is a modernized, light attack variant of the MH-6 special operations helicopter, which is based on the MD 500/OH-6 light observation helicopter. Korean Air did not specify the eventual user of the helicopters, but Boeing has an outstanding order for eight AH-6i helicopters from Thailand. The American firm was awarded a $103 million contract under the Foreign Military Sales program for the helicopters in February 2022, with delivery set for 2024 and 2025. The Thai AH-6is will be fitted with Wescam MX-10 electro-optic sensors from L3 Harris Technologies, and will be compatible with night vision goggles, according to a 2019 U.S. State Department approval announcement for the proposed sale. The announcement also said the proposed sale includes 50 Lockheed Martin-made AGM-114R Hellfire missiles; 200 BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System laser-guided 2.75-inch rockets; Hydra unguided rockets; Dillon M134 7.62mm miniguns; and 0.5-inch heavy machine guns. The Royal Thai Army intends to use the AH-6i to replace its fleet of Bell AH-1F attack helicopters. Korean Air was the first South Korean company to manufacture the MD 500 helicopter, which is also extensively used by the country’s military. The company has also produced and sold 309 MD 500 helicopters to armed forces, public institutions and private companies from 1977 to 1988, and exported 516 fuselages for the type. The company has also developed an unmanned MD 500, and plans to collaborate with Boeing to expand its overseas sales and new aircraft development and manufacturing business. FAA’s latest AD looks to prevent uncontained Airbus A380 engine failure The United States Federal Aviation Administration issued an airworthiness directive (AD) addressing a potential condition that could result in an uncontained failure of the Engine Alliance GP7200 engines, exclusively used on the Airbus A380. According to the FAA, the AD was prompted by the results of an investigation conducted Engine Alliance’s investigation which revealed that some high-pressure turbine (HPT) interstage seals “were manufactured from material suspected to contain iron inclusion”. The agency warned that if the condition is not addressed, it “could result in uncontained debris release, damage to the engine, and damage to the airplane”. The manufacturer initially detected iron inclusion in a turbine disk, which used the same material as the HPT interstage seals, with the iron inclusion “attributed to deficiencies in the manufacturing process”. As such, the FAA determined that the seals “may have reduced material properties and a lower fatigue life capability due to iron inclusion, which may cause premature fracture and subsequent uncontained failure.” The FAA justified making the issue a final rule AD without a Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) because “no domestic operators use this product”. Still, the FAA issued the directive as the state of design, since Engine Alliance is based in Connecticut, the US. Nevertheless, according to the FAA’s estimates compliance with the AD, which affects GP7270, GP7272, and GP7277 engines, was estimated to cost $274,374 per product. According to ch-aviation.com data, there are currently 68 active Airbus A380 aircraft powered by the engine, with the majority, bar four Korean Air and seven Qatar Airways units, belonging to Emirates. A further 58 are inactive: three still belong to Air France, which phased out the type during the pandemic, 29 are Emirates aircraft, 10 are owned by Etihad Airways, six are assigned to Korean Air, and three to Qatar Airways. A further 12 are either stored or scrapped without an airline assigned to them, ch-aviation.com data showed. The AD is effective June 26, 2023. The FAA is still accepting comments until July 24, 2023. HONEYWELL UPGRADE FOR AIRCRAFT AUXILIARY POWER UNIT LOWERS FUEL CONSUMPTION AND CO2 EMISSIONS Improvements to the 131- 9B APU enable more efficient operation and new savings for operators of Boeing 737 aircraft PHOENIX , June 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) has unveiled a new High-Efficiency Mode (HEM) upgrade for its 131- 9B auxiliary power unit (APU) for Boeing 737 aircraft. HEM is enabled by an innovative and highly efficient diffuser, controlled by software that autonomously regulates airflow to the APU compressor section. The HEM capability upgrade is expected to provide fuel savings and efficiency as well as CO2 emissions savings of 1% to 2% (estimated reduction of 0.5 to 0.6 gallons per APU hour) and increase time-on-wing by up to 1,500 APU flight hours, lowering fuel and maintenance costs. An APU is critical aircraft equipment that provides electrical power and air conditioning while the plane is on the ground to ensure increased passenger comfort. It also supplies the power source when a pilot is ready to start the main engines. The 131- 9B is known for its reliability and lower maintenance costs over its entire life cycle. "Globally, airlines are working to reduce their carbon footprint and every incremental step will help them achieve their net-zero carbon emissions targets," said Heath Patrick , president, Americas Aftermarket, Honeywell Aerospace. "An airline with a fleet of 50 737s could realize as much as $450,000 in annual fuel savings and reduce its emissions by up to 1,100 metric tons of CO2, depending on operating conditions. A major airline carrier recognized a fuel savings of 2.46 percent from the use of the 131-9A auxiliary power unit. Additionally, increased time-on-wing can reduce maintenance costs by decreasing servicing events, providing average savings of $315,000 for each avoided service visit." The upgrade is intended for any aircraft already operating a 131- 9B APU, including Boeing 737-600, 737-700, 737-800, 737-900 and 737 MAX models. It will be available to operators with 131- 9B APUs in the second half of this year. This upgrade can be installed during any regularly scheduled maintenance event and does not require additional downtime to implement for newer 131- 9B APUs (series 49 and above) delivered with the new diffuser, which enables an on-wing upgrade to HEM. The HEM upgrade was previously introduced on the Airbus A320 Series aircraft in 2020 and is now installed on over 700 131-9A APUs. Honeywell's first APU took to the skies in 1950, and the company has built more than 100,000 since then. More than 36,000 APUs, including both fixed wing and rotary wing, are in service today across more than 150 regional, executive, commercial and military applications. About Honeywell Honeywell Aerospace products and services are found on virtually every commercial, defense and space aircraft. The Aerospace business unit builds aircraft engines, cockpit and cabin electronics, wireless connectivity systems, mechanical components and more. Its hardware and software solutions create more fuel-efficient aircraft, more direct and on-time flights and safer skies and airports. For more information, visit www.honeywell.com or follow us at @Honeywell_Aero . Honeywell ( www.honeywell.com ) delivers industry-specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom . Contacts: Media Ahjay Rai (980) 384-5662 Ahjay.Rai@honeywell.com OSHA fines American Airlines subsidiary $15k after worker gets sucked into plane engine, dies; Courtney Edwards, 34, died on December 31 at Montgomery Regional Airport An airline has been fined $15,625 following an incident late last year at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama, where a ground crew worker died after she was "ingested" into an airplane engine. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined Piedmont Airlines, an American Airlines subsidiary, after investigators determined the airline was at fault in the New Year's Eve death of Courtney Edwards, a ground agent for Piedmont Airlines. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that Edwards, a 34-year-old mother of three, approached American Airlines Flight 3408 after it had recently landed when she was sucked into the plane's engine. She did not survive. The plane had just completed a trip from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas. AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUND CREW WORKER DIES AFTER BEING ‘INGESTED INTO THE ENGINE' AT ALABAMA AIRPORT OSHA's $15,625 penalty is the maximum under the law. "The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees that were exposed to ingestion and jet blast hazards," OSHA said. Crystal Byrd, a spokesperson at Piedmont Airlines, told Dallas Morning News the company is investigating the incident. "Safety is always our top priority for our team members," Byrd said. "We appreciate the recommendations from OSHA and will ensure that a thorough review is accomplished." The penalty comes after an NTSB preliminary report released in January was favorable to the airline. It said the ground crew at the airport held two safety briefings immediately before the plane arrived at the gate. Employees were told they should not approach the plane until the engine was shut off and a beacon light was turned off, according to the NTSB report. The co-pilot attempted to inform workers on the ground that the engines were still on but "Immediately thereafter, he saw a warning light illuminate and the airplane shook violently followed by the immediate automatic shutdown of the number 1 engine," the NTSB report read. "Unsure of what had occurred, he extinguished the emergency lights and shut off both batteries before leaving the flight deck to investigate," the report continued. Edwards was seen in surveillance footage behind the plane but disappeared from view. "She was subsequently pulled off her feet and into the operating engine," the report reads. A Piedmont Airlines ground crew worker was killed at Alabama's Montgomery Regional Airport after being "ingested" into an engine. (WAKA) The NTSB report suggested Edwards failed to keep at a safe distance until the airplane's rotating beacon light shut off. American Airlines said in a statement released shortly after the incident, "We are devastated by the accident involving a team member of Piedmont Airlines, an American Airlines regional carrier, at Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM)." OSHA fined Piedmont Airlines after investigators determined the airline was responsible for a safety breach that led to Courtney Edwards' death. (Getty) "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and our local team members," the statement continued. "We are focused on ensuring that all involved have the support they need during this difficult time." The company has 15 business days from receiving the citation to comply with paying its penalties. A fundraiser was created online to support funeral costs and Edwards' children. It has raised more than $122,000 as of Tuesday morning. New Bill Could Curtail Offshoring U.S. Aircraft Maintenance U.S. MRO providers are increasingly challenged in recruiting and retaining new workers at affordable rates. One response to this challenge, used extensively since 2000, has been outsourcing heavy airframe maintenance to foreign repair stations, which can tap large and generally eager pools of workers at wages often lower than those paid in the U.S. But a new bill introduced in the U. S. House of Representatives could make using foreign repair stations more difficult or expensive and, in some cases, impossible. The bill is similar to a 2022 bill passed by the House in September, but which the Senate ultimately referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The new bill, however, may have a better shot at passing—it is backed by unions and at least one neutral observer, but opposed by airlines, U.S. shops and aerospace OEMs. H.R. 1716, dubbed the Global Aircraft Maintenance Safety Improvement Act, seeks more unannounced FAA inspections of foreign repair stations and would require airlines to submit annual reports to the FAA about heavy maintenance work on aircraft performed outside the U.S. The bill forbids new foreign repair stations located in countries that do not meet safety oversight standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and forbids new airline heavy MRO contracts with repair stations in these same countries. In April 2023, these blackballed nations included Mexico and Thailand. However, the FAA has concluded that most significant Asian nations meet these standards, as do El Salvador and Costa Rica, which are home to foreign repair stations used by U.S. carriers. Bill sponsors also want supervisors and staff who approve MRO work at foreign repair stations to be certified under the FAA or some equivalent certification rules. Lastly, two years after enactment, the bill would ban international travel by FAA inspectors—and thus, effectively, foreign repair stations—until the agency issues a final rule requiring drug and alcohol testing at these stations. “I introduced this bipartisan bill so foreign aircraft maintenance facilities will be held to the same safety standards that we have in the United States,” says Rep. Marcus Molinaro (R-NY), who introduced the measure. “This bill is necessary because it will ensure the highest level of aircraft safety and remove the incentive to offshore jobs.” Molinaro is seeking the bill’s inclusion in 2023’s FAA Reauthorization Bill, which is must-pass legislation. Christian Klein, executive vice president of the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA), sees the bill as an expensive and wasteful “solution in search of a problem.” Klein believes the bill would unnecessarily divert resources from an already stretched FAA and could create additional problems. For example, Klein says defect reports would burden carriers and the FAA, and provide an opportunity for a “fishing expedition” by opponents of foreign repair stations. He also argues that prohibition of maintenance in nations where regulators do not meet ICAO standards ignores the fact that their MROs are still subject to largely the same FAA and U.S. airline requirements as domestic shops. The bill’s deadline for a rule on drug and alcohol testing at foreign repair stations runs up against the difficulties that have been frustrating this same proposed rule for years: a patchwork of different privacy laws in other countries and the variety of drugs that afflict different populations. Klein does support another provision of the bill, which would set up a working group to improve oversight of foreign repair stations. There is no question that performance of maintenance at foreign repair stations is subject to almost all the same legal requirements as U.S. shops. The question is how well these requirements are enforced outside the U.S. Former National Transportation Safety Board member John Goglia supports H.R. 1716, arguing that the FAA has not been monitoring performance at foreign repair stations frequently and effectively enough. Goglia says airlines have cut back on staff permanently stationed at foreign repair stations to monitor performance. He also believes that, despite data on foreign repair station defects being reported to the FAA, it will be difficult for the public to access. Goglia also strongly backs drug and alcohol testing for foreign repair stations, pointing out that this policy has long applied to U.S. MRO providers. Technicians in the U.S. are subject to drug tests before they are hired and randomly throughout their careers when there is reasonable cause for a test or after an accident. In 2022, less than 2% of worker tests came back positive for one or more drugs, and about 1% of tests revealed a blood alcohol level of at least .02, according to the FAA. These levels among mechanics appear well below rates for the greater U.S. population. By 2019, the U.S. had the highest rate of drug and alcohol addiction in the world—nearly 6%—according to researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Other highly addicted countries, with more than 4% addiction rates, included Brazil, Russia, Australia and Canada. For Central America, where much U.S. narrowbody maintenance is done, the research institute estimated an addiction rate of 2-3%. U.S. carriers believe safety rules and their enforcement are strong enough now. Airlines For America (A4A) says U.S. carriers already have robust safety management systems that collect maintenance data from both domestic and international shops and other suppliers. “The FAA already has access to that data, nullifying the need for additional onerous and duplicative reporting requirements,” an A4A spokesperson adds. One industry source, who declined to be identified, said most U.S. airlines that use foreign repair stations still maintain staff on-site, although the number of these airline employees can vary. Southwest Airlines, long famous for outsourcing extensively to both U.S. and foreign shops, insists the present system is working well. The carrier says its MRO suppliers meet stringent safety requirements, including screening for safety, compliance with regulations, culture, training and strict operations. Nevertheless, ARSA’s Klein considers it quite possible that some version of H.R.1716 will be enacted. A significant portion of the Republican party has shifted focus from free trade principles toward preserving American jobs, despite U.S. challenges in MRO and other industries with finding enough workers for jobs. More than half of the bill’s 33 co-sponsors are Republican legislators. As with last year’s similar proposed bill, the measure’s fate will likely be determined by the Senate. Airbus to trial in-flight auxiliary power entirely generated by hydrogen Using hydrogen fuel cells to explore the power balance between engines and APU Paris – Airbus UpNext has launched a new demonstrator programme to explore, on the ground and in flight, a new architecture for the generation of non propulsive energy through the use of hydrogen fuel cells. On conventional airliners, the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit), a small additional engine that runs on traditional jet fuel, provides together with the engines the energy required to power a number of non-propulsive aircraft functions, such as air conditioning, onboard lighting and electric power for avionics. With this new technology demonstrator, led from its facilities in Spain, Airbus UpNext will replace the actual APU of an A330 with a hydrogen fuel cell system that will generate electricity. Known as HyPower, the hydrogen fuel cell demonstrator also aims to reduce the emissions of CO2, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and noise levels associated with a traditional APU. New design features and integration techniques will also contribute to maturing the safety and operations of future hydrogen-powered aircraft and will demonstrate the stable operation of a fuel cell in-flight, including its restart. “These tests will mark a new step in our decarbonisation journey and ZEROe programme through an ambitious flight demonstration that will take to the air by end 2025,” said Michael Augello, CEO of Airbus UpNext. “We want to demonstrate the operability and integration of the system, including refuelling the aircraft with hydrogen. We will demonstrate this system in realistic conditions, climbing to 25,000 ft and flying for one hour with 10kg of gaseous hydrogen on board. However, we cannot do this alone and our cooperation with the Spanish Government and external partners will be key enablers of these series of tests.” The flight test campaign will utilise a modified Airbus A330 and a ground test bed of the system. Airbus UpNext will procure a production unit for renewable hydrogen to fulfil the entire need for the test campaign. For more information on Airbus UpNext, click here. @Airbus @AirbusUpNext #sustainability #hydrogen Textron Aviation Unveils New Hiring & Learning Center To Prepare The Workforce Of Today & Tomorrow Textron Aviation today announced the next phase in its ongoing commitment to workforce development and growing its world-class talent: a state-of-the-art Hiring and Learning Center. Intentionally designed for the diverse skill development and training needs of its current and future workforce, the more than 100,000-square-foot facility will be located on Textron Aviation’s East Wichita Campus and serve as the centralized hub for the company’s hiring, training, and talent development initiatives. “Our commitment to investing in our employees is unwavering, and the establishment of the Hiring and Learning Center is just the latest example of how we are advancing our focus on growing a world-class workforce,” said Maggie Topping, senior vice president, Human Resources & Communications. “Centralizing our workforce development within this advanced facility is a success multiplier. It will not only equip our team with paid job training to achieve their full potential but also shape the future of Textron Aviation.” Textron Aviation’s Hiring and Learning Center will bring together programs focused on skill development, job and technical training, and hiring activities that are currently dispersed across multiple buildings and campuses into a single facility with an expanded footprint. As part of the company’s ongoing efforts to set employees up for success right from the start and support them throughout their careers, the facility will house specialty training settings and classes, and participating employees will be paid while completing the courses. The facility will include a paint lab, sheet metal training, flight control rigging, and blueprint reading and interpretation. Additionally, a new K-12 experiential space, multiple classrooms, learning labs, and interviewing and onboarding spaces will be located onsite. In recognition and support of this initiative, the State of Kansas recently awarded Textron Aviation $3,325,000 as part of the Aviation Learning Opportunities & Funded Training (ALOFT) grant. The intended utilization of the grant funds is toward the construction of the facility, which is already underway. SPT Architecture, Conco Construction, and Professional Engineering Consultants are teaming up on the project, which is expected to be completed by August 2024. Textron Aviation’s continued attention on hiring a future workforce is a multifaceted strategy including K-12 initiatives, paid high school and college internships, externships for educators, returnships for experienced professionals re-entering the workforce, military recruitment, and university relationships, including support of technical education institutions and programs. To upskill its existing workforce, Textron Aviation offers multiple earn-and-learn programs that provide structured on-the-job training to build skills and advance careers. The company remains focused on its long-term strategic workforce plan and continues hiring for professional and skilled positions across its global facilities. Based on growth and attrition, Textron Aviation plans to onboard more than 2,000 employees in 2023. Textron Aviation employees have opportunities to try new fields, learn new skills and knowledge, stretch their abilities, and build a career. Rep. Angie Craig urges FAA to investigate reports of “poop rain” falling onto cars (ABC 6 News) – U.S. Representative Angie Craig (DFL-Minn.) wrote to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator, Billy Nolen on Thursday, urging the FAA to investigate reports of “brown excrement” that fell onto cars earlier this week in Burnsville. According to Rep. Craig, on the morning of May 15, a constituent from Burnsville reported brown excrement falling onto their car from a significant height. Considering the flight paths in the area, Rep. Craig said there is reason to suspect that it could have come from an aircraft mid-flight. Rep. Craig said in her letter, “We know that waste contains potential enteric pathogens and can present risks to the environment and human health if not handled properly. There have been many instances of human waste leaking out of aircraft mid-flight, so it is critical that we do everything possible to implement mitigation strategies and are transparent with those communities directly in-flight paths when malfunctions occur.” Rep. Craig continued by saying, “My constituents have the right to live their lives without the threat of sewage getting in their coffee.” Rep. Craig requested Nolen’s response to several questions including: • Has a report been filed with the FAA regarding the May 15th incident? • What safety measures are in place to prevent leakage of fecal matter mid-flight? • In instances where a plane’s septic tank leaks, what has the airline, airport and FAA done • to report it to the affected community? • What power does FAA hold to decrease the likelihood of these leaks? • How many leaks, as of this letter, have occurred within the Metropolitan Airport • Commission? • Which entity is responsible for the damage and clean-up of septic tank leaks? Curt Lewis