Flight Safety Information - August 9, 2023 No. 153 In This Issue : Accident: Volaris A21N at Guadalajara on Aug 5th 2023, hard landing and tailstrike : Incident: Alliance E190 at Adelaide on Aug 7th 2023, fumes on board : Incident: Swiss A333 at Geneva on Aug 3rd 2023, hydraulic problems : Pilot in December plane crash didn't meet flight requirements, aircraft wasn't insured : More air rage: FAA recommends criminal charges for 22 more unruly passengers : TSA caught two guns at Pittsburgh International Airport on Monday : NTSB: Helicopter involved in deadly North Slope flight was flying low over lake before crash : Pakistan International Airlines Could Be Privatized… But Who Would Invest? : How The Creation Of EMAS Made A Drastic Change To Airplane Safety : Buffalo Airways takes delivery of first jet aircraft, a 737 freighter : Chief of Safety, Commander of Air Force Safety Center changes from Leavitt to Choquette Accident: Volaris A21N at Guadalajara on Aug 5th 2023, hard landing and tailstrike A Volaris Airbus A321-200N, registration XA-VSC performing flight Y4-488 from Tijuana to Guadalajara (Mexico), landed on Guadalajara's runway 11 at 11:52L (17:52Z) but touched down hard and suffered a tail strike. The aircraft rolled out without further incident. There were no injuries, the aircraft suffered substantial damage. Mexico's DAAIA (Direccion de Analisis de Accidentes e Incidentes de Aviacion) reported the aircraft XA-VSC suffered a hard landing at Guadalajara, but attributed the aircraft to Viva Aerobus instead of Volaris. The DAAIA quoted the captain of the flight stating: "We were on an ILS approach. The first officer was flying the aircraft, the approach was carried out in a normal way. On short final an instability started, the first officer decelerated the aircraft completely, the aircraft went down, I didn't have time to correct, a strong impact was felt. When we arrived at the apron, we were informed that a tail strike had occurred, a report was recorded in the logbook and the company and authorities were informed." The DAAIA have opened an investigation. The aircraft is still on the ground in Guadalajara about 72 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=50cca4da&opt=0 Incident: Alliance E190 at Adelaide on Aug 7th 2023, fumes on board An Alliance Airlines Embraer ERJ-190 on behalf of Qantas, registration VH-XVP performing flight QF-1974 from Adelaide,SA to Canberra,AC (Australia), was climbing out of Adelaide's runway 23 when the crew stopped the climb at about 4500 feet declaring PAN PAN and reporting fumes on board. The crew requested local standby and advised they were unable to communicate with the cabin at this stage. The aircraft positioned for a visual approach to runway 23, on final approach the crew advised the fumes had dissipated and they would vacate the runway. The aircraft landed safely on runway 23 about 10 minutes after departure and taxied to the apron. The aircraft returned to service about 19 hours after landing back. The airline reported the passengers were accomodated on the next flight to Canberra. https://avherald.com/h?article=50cc9120&opt=0 Incident: Swiss A333 at Geneva on Aug 3rd 2023, hydraulic problems A Swiss International Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration HB-JHI performing flight LX-22 from Geneva (Switzerland) to New York JFK,NY (USA), was climbing out of Geneva's runway 22 when the crew stopped the climb at FL220 reporting a hydraulic problem and decided to divert to Zurich (Switzerland). The aircraft burned off fuel and landed safely on Zurich's runway 34 about 2:15 hours after departure. A replacement A330-300 registration HB-JHG reached New York with a delay of about 6.5 hours. The airline reported the aircraft diverted to Zurich due to a warning indication regarding hydraulic fluid. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 24 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=50cc051a&opt=0 Pilot in December plane crash didn't meet flight requirements, aircraft wasn't insured An investigation found that engine frost may have been responsible for the crash A Transportation Safety Board (TSB) investigation into a near-fatal plane crash last December found the pilot did not meet the requirements to fly a passenger at night, and the aircraft didn't have valid insurance. The single-engine two-seater aircraft crashed the evening of Dec. 5 outside a service station in Bainsville, Ont. The airplane hit hydro wires in its descent and crashed on a grassy median of the 401, according to an air transportation safety investigation report. The flight was going from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield Aerodrome in Quebec to the Cornwall Regional Aerodrome. The crash happened about 125 kilometres southeast of Ottawa. The two occupants of a 1967 Cessna 150 plane were rushed to hospital in critical and life-threatening condition. Plane crashes onto Highway 401 median, badly injuring 2 people Passenger information The pilot had obtained his glider licence in 2014, and his commercial pilot licence in July 2022. According to the investigation, he was in the process of getting a flight instructor rating. The passenger was the owner of the plane but did not have a pilot's licence. Records indicate the pilot had completed five night takeoffs and five night landings within the last six months in a multi-engine airplane, but not in the class of plane involved in the crash. As a result, he did not meet the Canadian Aviation Regulations recency requirements to carry a passenger at night in the aircraft. The investigation also found the aircraft's insurance had expired more than two months before the crash. Although there were communications indicating that all required maintenance for the annual inspection had been done, no records were made available to suggest that an annual inspection was completed, which is required to meet flight standards. The cause of the crash While the cause of the crash was inconclusive, investigators suspect there was a potential for serious carburetor icing in the engine. The carburetor measures the amount of incoming intake air and meters out the proper fuel to air ratio in the cylinder intakes. Under the right conditions, water vapour in the air freezes and adheres to internal surfaces of the carburetor. Unchecked, the ice can quickly lead to a complete engine failure. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/pilot-in-december-plane-crash-didn-t-meet-flight-requirements-aircraft-wasn-t-insured-1.6930314 More air rage: FAA recommends criminal charges for 22 more unruly passengers WASHINGTON — U.S. officials said Tuesday they have referred 22 more cases involving unruly passengers on airline flights to the FBI for possible criminal charges. The allegations include sexually assaulting female passengers, attacking flight attendants, trying to break into the cockpit, making terror threats, and smoking in airplane lavatories. The Federal Aviation Administration said the incidents happened as far back as late 2021 and as recently as April of this year. The FAA can seek fines of up to $37,000 against unruly passengers, but it lacks authority to file criminal charges; that is why the agency refers some cases to the FBI. Reports of passengers acting up on flights peaked in 2021, with many of the roughly 6,000 incidents involving anger over a since-dropped mask requirement. The number dropped under 2,500 last year and under 1,200 so far this year, the FAA said. The FAA said it has referred more than 270 cases to the FBI since late 2021. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2023/08/08/faa-fbi-investigate-airplane-bad-behavior-passengers/70552628007/ TSA caught two guns at Pittsburgh International Airport on Monday TSA officers detected this handgun from being carried onto a flight at Pittsburgh International Airport by a man from Slippery Rock, Pa., on Monday, Aug. 7. (TSA photo) PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers prevented two men from carrying guns onto their flights at Pittsburgh International Airport yesterday (Aug. 7). The first firearm, a loaded 9mm handgun was detected the carry-on bag of a man from Slippery Rock, Pa., and later in the day a second man, a resident of Pittsburgh, Pa., was stopped with a .380 caliber gun along with a gun magazine loaded with eight bullets in his backpack. The incidents were not related. The Pittsburgh man was cited by police because he did not have a firearm permit. He told officials he forgot that he had his gun and ammunition in his backpack. In each instance when a TSA officer spotted the handguns in the checkpoint X-ray machine, airport police were alerted, came to the checkpoint and confiscated the weapons. Each individual now faces a stiff federal financial civil penalty. Federal penalties for bringing weapons to the checkpoint can run as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances. “The frequency in the number of travelers bringing guns to our checkpoints continues to be alarming,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Our officers are doing a tremendous job staying vigilant while screening travelers during this peak summer travel period. These marked the 23rd and 24th guns we have stopped here at Pittsburgh so far this year. Nationwide our TSA officers have prevented more than 3,000 guns from being carried onto flights. Remember, carrying firearms to security checkpoints slows down the security lines for everyone. If you’re flying this summer—or any time of the year--it is vitally important to know that the items you have in your carry-on bag are allowed through our security checkpoints. TSA officers detected this handgun from being carried onto a flight at Pittsburgh International Airport by a man from Pittsburgh, Pa., on Monday, Aug. 7. (TSA photo) TSA officers detected this handgun from being carried onto a flight at Pittsburgh International Airport by a man from Pittsburgh, Pa., on Monday, Aug. 7. (TSA photo) “I urge travelers to take a few moments before they come to the airport to refresh their familiarity with the proper procedures on how to pack a gun for a flight. Firearms should never be brought to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage. Responsible gun owners know this,” she said. Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case. Then the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Firearms are not permitted through a security checkpoint because passengers should not have access to a firearm during a flight. This even applies to travelers with concealed carry permits or are enrolled in the TSA PreCheck® program, who will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges if they bring a gun to a checkpoint. Individuals who bring their gun to a security checkpoint also face a federal financial civil penalty. Last year, 6,542 firearms were caught at 262 out of 430 airport security checkpoints nationwide. Eighty-eight percent were loaded. Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and passengers should do their homework to make sure that they are not violating any local firearm laws. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition. Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? Download the free myTSA app, which has a handy “What can I bring?” feature that allows you to type in the item to find out if it can fly. Or ask on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA. Travelers may send a question by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872). https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/releases/2023/08/08/tsa-caught-two-guns-pittsburgh-international-airport-monday NTSB: Helicopter involved in deadly North Slope flight was flying low over lake before crash A state-chartered helicopter that crashed on the North Slope last month, killing four people, wasn’t reported overdue for more than nine hours despite tracking technology indicating the flight had stopped after flying low over a remote lake, according to a new federal report. Investigators are still determining what caused the helicopter to crash near Wainwright about 50 miles south of Utqiagvik on the morning of July 20. The 1996 Bell 206 helicopter was transporting Alaska Department of Natural Resources employees conducting field work in the area. Those killed in the crash were identified as North Pole pilot Bernard “Tony” Higdon, 48; Fairbanks resident Ronald Daanen, 51; Fairbanks resident Justin Germann, 27; and South Bend, Indiana, resident Tori Moore, 26. The helicopter was owned and operated by Homer-based Maritime Helicopters. It was working under a contract from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources and had departed from Utqiagvik on July 20 around 10 a.m. and was set to stop at the Atqasuk Airport and continue to a remote area east of Wainwright before returning to Utqiagvik by 8:30 p.m., according to a preliminary report issued Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board. The helicopter made a quick stop at the Atqasuk Airport before it crashed into Lake Itinik just after 11 a.m., the report said. A search began after the helicopter did not return to Utqiagvik by 8:30 p.m., the report said. The wreckage was found in the shallow waters of the lake around 3:15 a.m. on July 21, the report said. The bodies were recovered on July 23. The helicopter was equipped with a tracking system that allowed for real-time flight following, according to the preliminary report. The tracking data ended as the flight passed low over the lake’s southeastern shoreline, the report said. NTSB investigators are trying to determine who was responsible for tracking the flight as well as why the helicopter was flying low, according to Clint Johnson, the agency’s Alaska chief. Federal Aviation Administration regulations require operators to track a flight, unless there are other agreements in place, Johnson said. There was also some initial confusion about when the helicopter left Utqiagvik on July 20, Johnson said. Initially the operator and the Department of Natural Resources said the helicopter left around 6 p.m. instead of 10 a.m., when it actually departed, Johnson said. It did not appear anyone could have survived the crash, regardless of the time rescuers arrived, Johnson said. [2 hours lapsed between last signal and overdue report on fatal Alaska helicopter flight] The report lists clear skies with 8 miles of visibility, but Johnson said the nearest weather readings were taken roughly 30 miles from the crash site and conditions can change rapidly and vary widely in the area. The wreckage was removed from the lake on July 30 and eventually brought to Anchorage for examination, Johnson said. A spokesman for Maritime Helicopters did not respond to messages on Tuesday. A spokeswoman for the Department of Natural Resources declined to comment on the report and crash when reached by phone. The NTSB is asking anyone who may have been flying in the vicinity around the time of the crash to contact them by email at witness@NTSB.gov. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/aviation/2023/08/08/ntsb-helicopter-involved-in-deadly-north-slope-flight-was-flying-low-over-lake-before-crash/ Pakistan International Airlines Could Be Privatized… But Who Would Invest? Pakistan has revealed plans to privatize its national carrier, though it’s anyone’s guess if this proves successful. Pakistan paves way for national airline to be privatized Pakistan’s government has this week announced plans to privatize Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). This decision follows Pakistan having secured a $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout in June 2023, a condition of which was that the country would be more fiscally disciplined. As a result, the government has set up a committee to privatize various government assets, and PIA is among those. The attempt to privatize PIA is just in the early stages, but seems necessary, as the airline has racked up hundreds of millions of dollars in losses over the years. PIA is simply a horribly run airline on just about every level. Since 2020, the airline has been banned from the European Union and United States, when it was discovered that many PIA pilots held fake credentials. Even beyond that, the airline has no financial discipline, bloated employee numbers, an outdated and inefficient fleet, and an uncompetitive onboard product. This isn’t the first time that there has been an attempt to privatize PIA. The same thing happened nearly a decade ago, and there was so much backlash from employees that the airline called off those plans. Suffice it to say that finding a buyer for PIA will be a challenge. Then again, it recently happened at Air India, so maybe PIA will get lucky as well (though in fairness, Air India wasn’t previously quite as poorly run as PIA). What could a privatization of PIA look like? Pakistan is a fairly large country (with over 230 million residents), and there’s quite a bit of demand for air travel to and from Pakistan. For one, there’s significant foreign investment in the country, and on top of that, Pakistan exports a huge number of workers to other countries. At first glance, the most logical investment for PIA would be from one of the Gulf carriers, like Emirates Airline or Qatar Airways. After all, these airlines have significant service to Pakistan, and I’m sure it’s a market they’d like to dominate even more. I would imagine that taking over PIA would come with some favorable air rights as well. In 2022, there were reports that Qatar Airways was interested in buying a stake in PIA. That would be a logical enough fit, and on top of that, Qatar Airways is known for investing in other airlines. That being said, usually Qatar Airways makes passive investments in airlines that can easily run themselves (like IAG, the parent company of British Airways), rather than taking on airlines like PIA, which need to be rebuilt from the ground up. It’s also worth keeping in mind how big of a role PIA played in Emirates launching. Emirates started in the mid-1980s with the support of PIA, which provided the airline with technical and administrative expertise, and even provided the airline with its first aircraft. As a matter of fact, Emirates’ two letter airline code is “EK,” and that stands for “Emirates through Karachi,” reflecting that Emirates’ first flight was between Dubai and Karachi. There’s definitely a lot of potential here for an investment. If a party were interested in trying to get involved with PIA, it would no doubt be an uphill battle. That being said, it might not be impossible… maybe? Bottom line Following Pakistan’s latest IMF bailout, the government is now looking to privatize many government assets (or in this case, liabilities), including the struggling national carrier. PIA has been mismanaged for so many years, and turning around the airline will be no small feat. Qatar Airways was reportedly interested in investing in PIA a while back, so I’m curious if that’s still the case, now that the government is looking to sell the airline. https://onemileatatime.com/news/pakistan-international-airlines-privatized/ How The Creation Of EMAS Made A Drastic Change To Airplane Safety Fear of flying is a very common phobia, fed by the splashy news coverage that typically accompanies any air accident, however minor. But these days, flying is incredibly safe. In fact, in 2022, the accident rate was only one in ~830,000 flights. When it comes to fatal accidents, the statistics are even more reassuring – worldwide, out of 32.2 million flights in 2022, only five resulted in deaths. If you can excuse the pun, air travel safety is no accident. For decades, airlines and government agencies have been doing everything they can to make flying safer, and year over year, the number of accidents has decreased as lessons are learned and modifications are made to both planes and crew training. Some flight safety innovations have entered the general lexicon — we're all familiar with the so-called "black boxes" that record flight data, for example, and countless in-flight briefings have drawn our attention to floor-level illumination, automatically-deploying escape slides, and the emergency oxygen supplies that drop from the airplane ceiling "in the unlikely event that..." etc. But there's another innovation being rolled out at airports across the world that has the potential to make air travel even safer, and you've probably never heard of it. EMAS, which stands for "engineered materials arresting system," is a crushable runway surface designed to reduce the risk of serious accidents during the most dangerous phases of flight. What is EMAS? FAA (public domain) Very simply, EMAS is an "arrestor bed" positioned at both ends of a runway, which is stiff enough to be walked or driven on, but soft enough to crumble under the weight of a plane. Made of either crushable cellular cement or silica, covered with a thin "crust" of poured concrete, EMAS is designed to safely slow an airplane by bogging it down. Imagine the effect of speeding off a highway into a plowed field, and you'll get the idea. An EMAS arrestor bed can bring an airplane that leaves the runway at 80 miles per hour safely and quickly to a stop. You might assume that the most dangerous part of a flight is when you're cruising at altitude, miles above the earth. But in fact, most airplane accidents happen close to the ground, either during takeoff or landing. Although the takeoff phase only accounts for a fraction of an average flight time, it's where 14% of fatal accidents occur. The final approach and landing phase is (statistically) even more dangerous, accounting for 49% of fatal accidents (based on data from 2008-2017). There are many reasons for this, which include the risk of engine failure before the plane has built up enough speed to get safely airborne, the danger of bird strikes, and wet or icy runways, which might cause a plane to skid on landing. In each of those eventualities, adding additional space at the ends of runways provides a valuable safety margin. In fact, runway safety area (RSA) standards were put in place in the 1980s, specifically for this reason. But not every airport has the luxury of extending its runways by the recommended distance. For passengers flying from those airports, EMAS might make the difference between life and death. EMAS was first introduced at New York's John F Kennedy Airport in 1996, and since then, it has been installed at 69 airports in the US, and many more worldwide. It's especially useful at airports with short runways that end in dangerous natural features, like hills, valleys, or the ocean. Roland Garros Airport is one of them. Located in Saint-Marie, on the French island of Réunion, the airport's runways could not be safely extended, so in 2017, EMAS was installed to reduce the risks of planes overshooting and ending up in the sea. According to the FAA, since it was first installed at JFK back in the 90s, there have been 20 incidents involving 18 airplanes, where EMAS has been credited with safely bringing the airplane to a stop. These include a Boeing 737 carrying then Vice-Presidential candidate Mike Pence, which skidded off the runway in wet conditions at La Guardia airport in 2016 and was safely stopped by EMAS. After an accident involving EMAS, the runway can be returned to operation within just a few hours, and the damaged portions of the arrestor bed can be replaced easily and cheaply without re-installing the entire system. As a passenger, you likely wouldn't notice an EMAS arrestor pad if you didn't know exactly what you were looking for. If you get on Google Earth, though, and find one of the airports with EMAS installed, you might notice that the runways have dark-colored extensions at either end, with bright arrows painted on them. That's EMAS, and it might save your life one day. https://www.slashgear.com/1360173/creation-emas-airplane-safety/ Buffalo Airways takes delivery of first jet aircraft, a 737 freighter Buffalo Airways officially took delivery of its first jet aircraft, a Boeing 737-300SF, on Aug. 3, 2023. The new aircraft joins the airline’s existing fleet of Second World War-era aircraft, including the Douglas DC-3, C-46 Curtiss Commando, and other turboprops, to meet increased demand for next-day freight delivery to the North. Buffalo first announced that it purchased a 737 in April 2022, but the airline had been working on the project since the summer of 2021. It acquired the 1986 jet from European Aviation Group of Bournemouth, U.K., though the aircraft was formerly operated by Swiftair — an airline based in Madrid, Spain. General manager Mikey McBryan shared a series of updates on Buffalo’s new 737 via social media throughout the first week of August, noting that the aircraft was set to embark on its ferry flight from Bournemouth (EGHH) to Edmonton, Alberta (CYEG), on Aug. 2. The 737 — which currently wears the tail number “2-ESKA” — departed EGHH as scheduled and made a fuel stop in Keflavík, Iceland (BIKF), before carrying on to Iqaluit, Nunavut (CYFB), where the aircraft remained overnight. On Aug. 3 at around noon local time, the 737 departed Iqaluit for its final destination of Edmonton, where it landed at 1:45 p.m. local time. Although Buffalo Airways is headquartered in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, the 737 is to be based in Edmonton, where it will operate Monday through Friday (for overnight freight) from CYEG to CYZF and back to CYEG. McBryan told Skies last year that the new jet would allow the airline to triple its nightly payloads when compared to the C-46 cargo aircraft that it currently operates. Some of the freight comes from contracts with transport and logistics companies like FedEx, UPS, and DHL, which require next-day service. However, 60 to 75 percent of Buffalo’s nightly cargo volume comes from its own courier company, Buffalo Air Express, McBryan said. During its time in Bournemouth, the aircraft underwent a series of repairs and received new engines and landing gear. McBryan noted that Buffalo intended to add ADS-B and a new satellite tracker and communication system to the aircraft, too. Now that 2-ESKA is in Edmonton, it will undergo avionics modifications before receiving its Canadian registration and entering into service. According to a report from ch-aviation, the 737 is to be re-registered as C-FBAE. The 737 underwent repairs with European Aviation Group in the U.K. and receiving new engines and landing gear. The aircraft was formerly operated by Swiftair. Buffalo Airways was initially hoping that its new 737 would be delivered to Canada during the summer of 2022 with entry into service shortly thereafter, but maintenance and regulatory delays pushed that timeline out to the summer of 2023. https://skiesmag.com/news/buffalo-airways-takes-delivery-first-jet-aircraft-737-freighter/ Chief of Safety, Commander of Air Force Safety Center changes from Leavitt to Choquette Brig. Gen. Sean M. Choquette became the 16th Department of the Air Force chief of safety and commander of the Air Force Safety Center, during a change of command ceremony at Kirtland Air Force Base, Aug. 4. Department of the Air Force Director of Staff, Lt. Gen. Kevin B. Schneider, presided as Maj. Gen. Jeannie M. Leavitt relinquished command after serving as the top safety officer since August 2021. “Over the past two years, Gen. Leavitt has translated the work done at the Air Force Safety Center to work at the Pentagon,” Schneider said. “She created a process to improve how the Department of the Air Force handles mishaps and turns this team’s actions into meaningful change.” “She has done phenomenal work with the Air Force Safety Center, putting it on a positive trajectory,” Schneider praised. “She has left big shoes to fill and strong shoulders to stand on as Sean assumes command.” Leavitt is set to retire in September after more than 30 years of service. During her time in the Air Force, she was not only the Chief of Safety and commander of the Air Force Safety Center but, most notably, the first female fighter pilot. She also served as the first Chairman of the Joint Safety Council, a Department of Defense initiative to have services collaborate to safeguard all those that serve. In her last speech as commander and chief of safety, Leavitt thanked her team for their service, “First, I want to thank you for all your hard work and dedication over my tenure here at the Air Force Safety Center.” “As we focused our efforts, our work ensured that the US Air Force and Space Force executed their missions safely by implementing proactive behaviors and fostering a culture that encouraged reporting to prevent mishaps,” she said. “It has really been an honor and pleasure to serve as the chief of safety for the Air Force and Space Force, as well as the commander of the safety center.” “Today we pass this command over to Brig. Gen. Choquette,” Schneider said. “We are all excited to see Choquette take the reins of the Air Force Safety Center and continue its legacy.” “Sean brings a breadth of experience, knowledge, and leadership that will help him lead this tremendous organization,” he commended. Choquette thanked Maj. Gen. Leavitt for her leadership and life of service while praising the safety center’s accomplishments. “I am very excited to be a part of the Air Force Safety Center team.” “On day one of Army flight school, I was indoctrinated into our strong military safety culture,” he reflected. “The class highlighted the Army’s first aircraft accident at Ft Myer, VA in 1908…and that story remains a pillar today in my belief that safety is a combat multiplier and operational imperative.” As the chief of safety, Choquette develops, executes and evaluates all Department of the Air Force aviation, occupational, weapons, space and system mishap prevention and nuclear surety programs to preserve combat readiness. She also directs research to promote safety awareness and mishap prevention, oversees mishap investigations, as well as manages and directs all safety and risk management courses for the Air and Space Forces. More about Choquette and his work, prior to the AFSEC, can be found in his biography. https://www.safety.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3486869/chief-of-safety-commander-of-air-force-safety-center-changes-from-leavitt-to-ch/ Curt Lewis