Flight Safety Information - August 15, 2023 No. 157   In This Issue : Incident: Korean A388 enroute on Aug 14th 2023, gear problem : Incident: NORRA E190 at Helsinki on Aug 13th 2023, flock of birds : Incident: United B753 at Houston on Aug 13th 2023, gear trouble, right main gear up on final approach : Dominican Republic could lose category 1 if IDAC fails in US aviation audit : Russian tourists stranded after two-thirds of Boeing 777 fleet out of service : Boeing: Industry Needs 2.28 Million New Staff Over Next 20 Years : FL Technics To Open Dominican Republic MRO Facility : Southwest Airlines brings new Crew Base to BNA Airport for pilots, flight attendants : FAA Rule Change Ignites eVTOL Revolution: Doroni Aerospace Celebrates Light Sport Aircraft Regulations : German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock stranded in Gulf after aircraft malfunction : US airlines scramble to avoid cancellations after massive recall of 1,200 jet engines Incident: Korean A388 enroute on Aug 14th 2023, gear problem A Korean Airlines Airbus A380-800, registration HL7621 performing flight KE-81 from Seoul (South Korea) to New York JFK,NY (USA), was enroute at FL350 over Japan about 80nm northwest of Tokyo (Japan) when the crew decided to return to Seoul. The aircraft initially descended FL340, then FL320 for the return, entered a hold to dump fuel and landed safely back on Seoul's runway 33L about 5:40 hours after departure. A replacement Airbus A380-800 registration HL7619 reached New York with a delay of about 6:45 hours. The airline reported a problem with the landing gear prompted the return to Seoul. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Seoul about 27 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=50d0ff52&opt=0 Incident: NORRA E190 at Helsinki on Aug 13th 2023, flock of birds A NORRA Nordic Regional Airlines on behalf of Finnair, registration OH-LKR performing flight AY-1145 from Helsinki (Finland) to Warsaw (Poland), was climbing out of Helsinki's runway 22R through a flock of birds when the crew stopped the climb at 3000 feet reporting bird strikes on departure. The aircraft returned to Helsinki for a safe landing on runway 22L about 15 minutes after departure. The flight was cancelled. The aircraft is still on the ground in Helsinki about 25 hours after landing back. According to information The Aviation Herald received the aircraft sustained damage in the wing and engine area. https://avherald.com/h?article=50d086fa&opt=0 Incident: United B753 at Houston on Aug 13th 2023, gear trouble, right main gear up on final approach A United Boeing 757-300, registration N77865 performing flight UA-437 from Houston Intercontinental,TX to Denver,CO (USA), was climbing out of Houston's runway 15R when the crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet due to a problem with the landing gear. The aircraft entered a hold for about 30 minutes while troubleshooting the problem, then performed an approach to runway 27, tower cleared them to land and subsequently offered a low approach to the aircraft. While the aircraft overflew the runway tower advised that the right main gear was in the up position. The aircraft entered another hold at 3000 feet, the crew managed to lower the right main gear, too, and the aircraft landed safely on runway 27 about 55 minutes after departure. The airport reported the aircraft's landing gear was stuck and would not come down, which could have resulted in a crash landing. Moments before they would have needed to land the gear came down. The airline reported the aircraft returned to Houston to address a mechanical issue. https://avherald.com/h?article=50d06952&opt=0 Dominican Republic could lose category 1 if IDAC fails in US aviation audit Santo Domingo.- If the Dominican Republic falls short in any of the eight criteria assessed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the country faces the risk of having its category downgraded from one to two in the International Aviation Safety Audit program (IASA). This downgrade would have the consequence of preventing new airlines from operating flights to the country. This information was shared with Diario Libre by Javier Rodríguez, an international advisor of Cuban origin hired by the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC) to assist with the upcoming FAA inspection, the first in 16 years. The IASA audit is a specific assessment of IDAC, the regulatory authority for aviation in the Dominican Republic, aimed at determining whether international civil aviation standards are being met. This evaluation focuses on eight critical elements of aviation, including basic aeronautical legislation, operating regulations, state system and functions, technical specialist training, guidance, procedures, information, safety problem-solving, surveillance, and inspection. Rodríguez explained that a team of eight experts will conduct a week-long visit to IDAC to administer a random questionnaire consisting of 193 detailed questions related to the eight key criteria. It is essential for all eight critical elements to be met, as a failure in any of them would result in the country’s downgrade to category two of the FAA’s IASA program. He emphasized that such a downgrade would have collateral consequences. New airlines would be prohibited from flying to the United States, and existing airlines flying to the U.S. would be unable to expand their operations or add more aircraft to their fleets. Avoiding the audit is not a solution, as it could lead to restrictions on Dominican airlines’ services over U.S. and European territories. Rodríguez stated that the FAA’s intensified scrutiny of the Dominican Republic is due to its rapid growth in the aviation sector, boasting a modern aircraft fleet and new routes. Despite the challenges, Rodríguez believes the country has a strong foundation for success due to its high safety standards. IDAC has taken proactive steps by hiring a permanent advisory team to assist in the innovation process and updating the aircraft fleet of local airlines over the past two years. https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2023/08/15/dominican-republic-could-lose-category-1-if-idac-fails-in-us-aviation-audit/ Russian tourists stranded after two-thirds of Boeing 777 fleet out of service Russian holidaymakers in Turkey were left stranded in Antalya after two-thirds of an airline’s Boeing 777-200ER aircraft experienced breakdowns. According to the Moscow Times, the passengers of Russian carrier Red Wings Airlines, were left stuck in the Turkish tourist city for two days. The tourists, which included families with young children, were due to fly to Yekaterinburg Koltsovo Airport (SVX) but the flight kept being rescheduled. The Boeing 777 and 410 passengers were due to depart Antalya at 9:30 pm local time but after waiting eight hours the tourists were sent back to a hotel. The following day, the flight was rescheduled to take off in the morning but again this did not happen, leaving passengers extremely frustrated. “Two Boeing 777 aircraft out of the three available in the airline’s fleet were simultaneously out of service due to technical reasons,” Red Wings Airlines said in a statement. A second Red Wings flight from Antalya to Zhukovsky was also delayed by 11 hours due to an engine cooling system malfunction. In the Red Wings Airline statement, it confirmed that it had chartered an aircraft from Ikar which would take delayed passengers from Yekaterinburg to Antalya and then bring back the stranded passengers. It was reported that one of the airline’s Boeing 777 aircraft was being repaired at Moscow’s Zhukovsky airport. Under Western sanctions Russia has found it increasingly difficult to fix American and European made planes as the United States and EU restrict the movement of aircraft parts. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/russian-tourists-turkey-red-wings-airlines Boeing: Industry Needs 2.28 Million New Staff Over Next 20 Years China, Eurasia, and North America, drive more than half the demand for new aviation personnel. SUMMARY • Boeing's Commercial Market Outlook predicts that over 48,000 new aircraft will be needed by 2042. • The 2023 Pilot and Technicians Outlook forecasts a need for over 2.8 million new aviation personnel, including pilots, cabin crew, and technicians. • China, Eurasia, and North America are the main regions driving over half of the demand for new aviation personnel. Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) for the next twenty years looks promising in terms of the need for the number of aircraft. As a result of the aviation industry’s strong recovery from the global pandemic, airlines aim to create significant demand for air travel. Airlines, suppliers, and the aviation community utilize the CMO to prepare for and track changes to their individual networks. Boeing’s CMO suggests that more than 48,000 new aircraft will be needed by 2042. Boeing also released the 2023 Pilot and Technicians Outlook (PTO), which forecasts a need for over 2.8 million new aviation personnel, including pilots, cabin crew, and aircraft technicians, in the next twenty years. While the forecast seems steep, Boeing provides calculated numbers for various geographical locations. Massive demand for aviation personnel With the global commercial airplane fleet expected to double by 2042, the industry-wide demand for nearly 2.3 million new aviation personnel will arise. Most airlines have recovered from the pandemic disruptions and are planning for long-term growth. In order to support the commercial fleet, new pilots, cabin crew members, and aircraft technicians are needed. Boeing's 2023 PTO suggests that the industry-wide demand for 2.3 million new aviation personnel over the next 20 years is forecasted to support the commercial fleet and meet long-term growth in air travel. The need for significant personnel through 2042 includes 649,000 pilots, 690,000 maintenance technicians, and 938,000 cabin crew members. The demand will in turn, boost aviation-related training and assessment programs. According to the Vice President of Commercial Training Solutions, Boeing Global Services, Chris Broom, With domestic air travel fully recovered and international traffic near pre-pandemic levels, demand for aviation personnel continues to increase. Our competency-based training and assessment offerings will help ensure high-quality training for future and current aviation professionals and continue enhancing aviation safety through immersive and virtual training solutions. Demand for aviation personnel based on geography Three main regions, namely China, Eurasia, and North America, drive more than half the demand for new aviation personnel. Emerging aviation markets in Asia are experiencing higher-growth phases of network, infrastructure, and airline development. Demand for personnel in Southeast Asia and Asia is expected to double in the next two decades. The forecast for new aviation personnel for the three regions is listed here. Euroasia - 534,000 (143,000 Pilots, 123,000 Cabin Crew, 156,000 Aircraft Technicians) China - 433,000 (134,000 Pilots, 161,000 Cabin Crew, and 138,000 Aircraft Technicians) North America - 429,000 (127,000 Pilots, 177,000 Cabin Crew, 125,000 Aircraft Technicians) Interested in more similar content from the channel? Check out our guides section here. The forecasted number for the three regions is just under 1.4 million, half of the global personnel forecast by 2042. Notably, the demand in China will surpass that of North America. Although by a small margin, it shows the level of growth the Chinese aviation industry can achieve. The forecasted demand for Russia has been included in the Eurasia region, comprising approximately 3% of the global demand for aviation personnel. https://simpleflying.com/boeing-2-million-new-staff-20-years/ FL Technics To Open Dominican Republic MRO Facility Lithuanian MRO provider FL Technics has announced plans to build a new 215,000 ft.2 maintenance hangar in the Dominican Republic. The company confirmed Aug. 15 that the new facility will be located at Punta Cana International Airport on the Caribbean Island. FL Technics says completion of the hangar’s construction is expected sometime in 2025 and, in total, the site’s volume will be 560,000 ft.2 In its first phase, the facility will consist of five base maintenance bays and supporting workshops and will also offer line maintenance services. FL Technics says the move will target the growing narrowbody fleets of the Americas region, which it plans to do via its FAA and European Union Aviation Safety Agency-certified part-145 capabilities. Expansion into the Dominican Republic further grows the company’s global MRO footprint. It currently operates base maintenance hangars in Vilnius and Kaunas in its Lithuania homebase. In addition, it operates UK facilities at London Stansted Airport and Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland, along with an MRO operation in Jakarta, Indonesia. “This expansion is our first physical base maintenance foothold in the region, following the existing FL Technics operations in the Americas, including line maintenance network in Canada,” FL Technics CEO Zilvinas Lapinskas says. “It is a decisive investment as we aim to provide comprehensive MRO solutions to create long-term partnerships and a base for other future developments in the continent.” More growth is eventually planned when construction enters its second phase at Punta Cana—the second-busiest airport in the Caribbean region, with nearly eight million passengers annually. Long-term plans for the MRO infrastructure at Punta Cana include adding capacity through an additional seven bays, taking it to 12 bays overall. “With this strategic alliance, airport customers will have access to a wide range of aircraft maintenance and repair services, including scheduled inspections, component repairs, cabin modifications and painting, among others,” adds Giovanni Rainieri, Punta Cana's airside operations director. https://aviationweek.com/mro/services-support/fl-technics-open-dominican-republic-mro-facility Southwest Airlines brings new Crew Base to BNA Airport for pilots, flight attendants NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced Tuesday that Southwest Airlines will be adding its newest Crew Base at Nashville International Airport. The Crew Base will begin in 2024, bringing about 1,300 jobs to the Nashville community including openings for pilots and flight attendants. “As a top global travel destination and business hub, Tennessee is the ideal location for Southwest Airlines’ newest Crew Base, and we look forward to the continued economic investment, job creation for newly based jobs and opportunity this expansion will bring for Tennesseans across the region,” said Gov. Lee. Southwest’s decision to add its newest base in Tennessee shows how the Volunteer State is a global travel destination with continuing growth. Tennessee recently celebrated a record $27.5 billion in travel spending in 2022, according to data from U.S. Travel and Tourism Economics. Among the top 25 states, Tennessee is the fastest-growing state in travel spending since 2018. The state has also risen from 14th to 11th in the nation for travel spending. BNA Airport welcomes an average of 60,000 passengers everyday for personal and business travel, including 24,500 passengers initiating travel from BNA. Of the 24,500 travelers starting their travel from BNA, 81.5% percent are from Tennessee and 18.5% are from surrounding states. An average of 71% of travelers from Tennessee come from counties outside of Davidson County. New Jobs & Greater Opportunity for Tennesseans Tennessee has been ranked a top-three state for business in 2023, brags an unmatched business climate and offers a skilled workforce and central location all while bringing more than $30 million in capital investment and creating more than 170,000 jobs for Tennesseans since 2019. Southwest Airlines’ decision to name BNA as its 12th Crew Base in the Southwest system is expected to generate an additional 1,300 jobs for Tennesseans, including about 150-250 pilots growing to 500-600 pilots, and roughly 500-700 flight attendants in the new Crew Base beginning in 2024, with continued growth planned. https://fox17.com/news/local/nashville-tennessee-plane-travel-governor-bill-lee-southwest-airlines-brings-newest-crew-base-to-bna-international-airport-davidson-county-local-news FAA Rule Change Ignites eVTOL Revolution: Doroni Aerospace Celebrates Light Sport Aircraft Regulations Doroni Aerospace, the leading innovator in sustainable transportation and urban air mobility, proudly supports the historic move from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) who just released a long-awaited rulemaking proposal, the MOSAIC Rules, which has sweeping changes set to transform the aviation landscape that will do away with weight limits and other restrictions on pilots flying light sport aircraft. This groundbreaking proposal, which includes allowing smaller passenger eVTOLs, or flying cars, under its umbrella, heralds a new era of accessibility and innovation in the world of aviation. The FAA’s MOSAIC Rules will liberate pilots from the shackles of weight limits, empowering them to navigate the skies with ease. One of the groundbreaking elements is the inclusion of eVTOLs, in the light-sport category, a milestone that was previously deemed impossible. With the proposed performance-based requirements and FAA-accepted consensus standards, eVTOL flying cars will be eligible for airworthiness certification under the new regulations. Doron Merdinger, the visionary CEO and Founder of Doroni Aerospace, expressed his excitement and support for the FAA’s monumental step. “This is a game-changer for the aviation industry and a momentous leap towards a more inclusive and advanced future of flight,” he said. “We are thrilled to be part of this transformative moment and look forward to collaborating with the FAA and fellow stakeholders to usher in a new era of aviation.” By expanding aircraft certification to include eVTOLs, the MOSAIC Rules will create more opportunities for individuals to obtain a light-sport repairman certificate in these categories, driving growth and advancement in the sector. This monumental step towards innovation and inclusivity sets the stage for a brighter and more dynamic future of flight. About Doroni Aerospace: Founded in 2016 by serial entrepreneur Doron Merdinger, Doroni Aerospace is revolutionizing sustainable transportation with its cutting-edge electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) technology. With 25 years of experience in design, manufacturing, and managing eight-figure firms, Doron assembled a world-class engineering and technical team to deliver on his ultimate vision of democratizing the power of flight and providing consumers with an entirely new mode of mobility. Doroni’s mission is to offer a safety-centric, eco-friendly mobility option to the public, commonly referred to as ‘flying cars.’ By enabling people to transport themselves intuitively within urban environments and between destinations at a fraction of the time possible with traditional automobiles, Doroni aims to transform the way we travel. To learn more about Doroni Aerospace’s cutting-edge eVTOL technology and its mission to transform sustainable transportation, please visit www.doroni.io or email the company at info@doroni.io. https://uasweekly.com/2023/08/14/faa-rule-change-ignites-evtol-revolution-doroni-aerospace-celebrates-light-sport-aircraft-regulations/ German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock stranded in Gulf after aircraft malfunction Emergency landing is latest in a series of glitches that have plagued government planes German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock was left stranded in the Gulf after the latest in a series of plane malfunctions that forced her aircraft to jettison most of its fuel. The Airbus A340-300 that was carrying Baerbock on a week-long trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, suffered a technical fault with its wing flaps three minutes after take-off on Monday morning following a routine stopover to refuel in Abu Dhabi. The pilot was forced to spend about two hours flying over the desert and the sea to dump around 80 tons of kerosene to enable the aircraft to land safely, prompting questions about the environmental damage caused by the Green minister’s trip. The 23-year-old plane touched down back in the United Arab Emirates at 5.33am local time. It was unclear whether the planned visit, which was due to begin in Canberra on Tuesday would be cancelled or would go ahead. The German air force, which maintains and operates the diplomatic fleet, said that the fuel dump was a standard safety procedure that was necessary to ensure that the plane was not too heavy to land. It said that it was working at “full speed” to enable the delegation to continue its journey. The glitch is one of a long string of incidents to befall German politicians making international trips with the government’s fleet of aircraft. They trigger regular bouts of angst in the German media about the damage to the country’s international image as a centre of engineering prowess as well as questions about the state of the military. Only three months ago, in May, Baerbock was forced to spend an extra night in Qatar after her plane suffered a damaged tyre and mechanics were forced to fly a new tyre from Germany. In 2018, then-chancellor Angela Merkel had to make an emergency landing when her plane — the same one that was afflicted by Monday’s breakdown — suffered a defective electronic distribution box that caused multiple systems, including the radio, to fail. She missed the opening of a G20 summit in Argentina as a result. In 2016, the former German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen, now president of the European Commission, got stranded on a trip to Mali because of a problem with the on-board computer. Other ministers have suffered delays, cancellations or been forced to switch to commercial flights over the past decade after suffering last-minute problems. The German air force is working to phase out the two ageing A340s that have long formed the backbone of the government fleet but which have suffered growing problems. On this week’s trip, Baerbock was due to travel to Australia on a different, almost identical A340-300, but it was unable to fly because of technical problems. In January, chancellor Olaf Scholz made his maiden flight on a new VIP Airbus A350-900 aircraft, one of three purchased as part of an €1.2bn overhaul. The German defence ministry said that the A340 had been chosen for Baerbock, rather than a newer model, based on an assessment of availability and the needs of other users. A spokesperson pushed back at the suggestion that its fleet was less reliable than commercial airlines, insisting that the number of breakdowns and other problems was comparable. “We are just a little smaller and sometimes perhaps a little more visible,” the spokesperson said, “especially here in the Berlin area.” https://www.ft.com/content/791937e4-ac6a-4a26-a3be-9480afd199a0 US airlines scramble to avoid cancellations after massive recall of 1,200 jet engines Several US-based airlines are reportedly working hard to avoid flight cancellations after Pratt & Whitney announced a massive recall of some 1,200 jet engines. JetBlue, Spirit, and Hawaiian are among the companies that are shifting ground crew and changing flight schedules after last month’s announcement by P&W that it was removing the Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines that were found to be tainted with microscopic contaminants in a metal piece of its core. The contamination is said to pose a danger that could cause cracks in certain parts of the engine, according to the company. The GTF engine, which is said to be used by dozens of foreign and domestic airlines, is one of two that can be fitted to the Airbus A320neo, which is the top-selling aircraft in the world. European carrier Wizz Air and India’s Go First are among the carriers that have had to ground aircraft as a result of the engine recall. Spirit Airlines is among several US domestic carriers that are scrambling to avoid flight cancellations following a jet engine recall by Pratt and Whitney. Spirit, the seventh-largest domestic airline in the US, told investors earlier this month that the recall will leave the company with fewer aircraft to fly as well as an over-staffing problem which will impact operations in the fourth quarter and early next year, according to the Financial Times. JetBlue COO Joanna Geraghty, who helps run the country’s sixth largest domestic carrier, told investors earlier this month that the firm would look to lease engines in hopes of minimizing the damage. “We are trying to take whatever self-help measures are available,” she said. “But as you know, the supply is pretty constrained.” Hawaiian Airlines warned it might have to adjust its capacity, but said recently that it was too early to assess the impact. Pratt & Whitney announced last month it was removing the Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines that were found to be tainted with microscopic contaminants in a metal piece of its core. The GTF engine, which is said to be used by dozens of foreign and domestic airlines, is one of two that can be fitted to the Airbus A320neo, which is the top-selling aircraft in the world. The carrier said last month that the impact would depend on availability of the parts that require replacement. The limited availability of replacements for these engines had already limited Hawaiian’s ability to make full use of its Airbus fleet. It had grounded some planes due to lack of engines. P&W is a subsidiary of RTX, the aerospace and defense contractor formerly known as Raytheon Technologies Corporation. The contaminant found in the engine poses a risk that certain parts of the machine could crack. RTX CEO Greg Hayes told investors on an earnings call last month that the company plans to compensation airlines, though he downplayed the recall as “not an existential threat” to his company or its subsidiary. Nonetheless, Hayes acknowledged that the snafu involving the engines “will be expensive.” Shares of RTX were trading down by more than 0.5% on Wall Street on Monday. The Post has sought comment from P&W, JetBlue, Hawaiian, and Spirit. Pratt & Whitney's parent company RTX acknowledged that the recall "will be expensive." The air travel industry has already been beset by turmoil in recent months. Bad weather, staffing shortages, and technical glitches led to massive disruptions, flight delays, and cancellations over the Fourth of July as well as the Christmas holiday periods. Some are leaning on bigger planes that can accommodate more passengers to get around operational challenges. https://nypost.com/2023/08/14/us-airlines-scramble-to-avoid-cancellations-after-jet-engine-recall/ Curt Lewis