August 30, 2023 - No. 036 In This Issue : Automated Caravan Undergoes Flight Tests In Simulated Class B Airspace : Extra Holes Drilled In MAX Pressure Bulkheads : Spirit AeroSystems 737 Aft Bulkhead Statement : Aeromexico Boeing 737-800 gets damaged in towing incident : FAA AD details PW1100G checks needed to prevent uncontained failure : P&W says ‘significant’ number of A320neo family engines will have to be removed : Worker death prompts US FAA to issue aviation ground safety alert : Meredith effect : German Air Force A340s To Be Retired After Technical Hitch : $15,000 grant to aid in interior restoration of Whiskey 7 Automated Caravan Undergoes Flight Tests In Simulated Class B Airspace Garrett Reim August 21, 2023 Reliable Robotics has wrapped up tests demonstrating flights of its automated aircraft in simulated Class B airspace in Northern California. Three test flights of the company’s modified Textron Cessna 208 Caravan turboprop took place over several hours on July 25 and Aug. 15 and were intended to demonstrate an uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System, Reliable Robotics says. The campaign is part of the FAA’s Urban Air Mobility Airspace Management Demonstration and was funded by the FAA through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The aircraft was flown from Reliable Robotics’ control center at its headquarters in Mountain View, California, with a onboard test pilot observing. The company shared aircraft telemetry through its control center with OneSky, an uncrewed traffic management software developer, which then transmitted the data to the FAA’s NextGen Integration & Evaluation Capability research lab. “Reliable executed the aircraft test points via automation, including deconfliction from weather and aircraft with a remote pilot-in-command initiating the flight change for the aircraft,” says Davis Hackenberg, vice president of government partnerships. “The tests were scripted in a manner that did not require significant dynamic updates from the aircraft, but human [air traffic] controllers were in the loop to manage the full set of traffic in the corridor, both live and simulated.” During the flight test, the company demonstrated rerouting and updating a flight plan to vector around weather, as well as slowing the aircraft to create more space between other aircraft in a congested corridor, he explains. “Watching our system successfully operate in a live-test environment is exciting, and we are proud to help pave the way for future integration of large uncrewed aircraft,” says Hackenberg. In July, the FAA formally approved the certification plan for Reliable Robotics’ continuous autopilot engagement system, which it intends to retrofit onto Caravans. Reliable Robotics is aiming to start automated cargo operations using the aircraft in the U.S. Extra Holes Drilled In MAX Pressure Bulkheads By Russ Niles Published: August 24, 2023 Boeing has found another significant manufacturing flaw in its 737 MAX aircraft and it’s likely to throw a curveball at deliveries of its most popular aircraft. The company says fuselages from its largest contractor, Spirit AeroSystems, have random extra holes drilled in the rear pressurization bulkhead. The Air Current broke the story on Wednesday and said the issue may be widespread. Boeing inspectors reportedly found bulkheads with “hundreds” of misaligned and duplicated holes in the structure, some of which were filled with fasteners. They passed Spirit’s quality control inspections. Boeing confirmed the issue and said it has a plan to address it. “During factory inspections, we identified fastener holes that did not conform to our specifications in the aft pressure bulkhead on certain 737 airplanes,” Boeing told msn.com. Boeing is trying to increase production rates of the 737 to address a hefty backlog and this will be a hiccup in those plans. Spirit AeroSystems 737 Aft Bulkhead Statement WICHITA, Kan. – Aug. 23, 2023 We are aware of a quality issue involving elongated fastener holes on the aft pressure bulkhead on certain models of the 737 fuselage produced by Spirit AeroSystems. Because Spirit uses multiple suppliers for the aft pressure bulkhead, only some units are affected. Spirit will continue to deliver units to Boeing. Spirit has implemented changes to its manufacturing process to address this issue. We are working closely with our customer to address any impacted units within the production system and address any needed rework. Based upon what we know now, we believe there will not be a material impact to our delivery range for the year related to this issue. Boeing has determined that there is no immediate safety of flight concern associated with this issue for the 737 fleet and that the in-service fleet may continue to operate. Contacts: Media: Forrest Gossett 316-371-6751 forrest.s.gossett@spiritaero.com Investor Relations: (316) 523-7040 Ryan Avey ryan.d.avey@spiritaero.com Aeromexico Boeing 737-800 gets damaged in towing incident Bart Noëth The Aeromexico Boeing 737-800 (registered XA-AMV) got damaged during a towing incident at Seattle Airport, United States. One video footage that appeared online, the tug is seen making a sharp left turn and hitting the aircraft Another online video reveals damage to the aircraft’s fuselage. Previously, the 737-800 arrived from regular flight AM494 between Mexico City, Mexico and Seattle. FAA AD details PW1100G checks needed to prevent uncontained failure BY RYTIS BERESNEVICIUS 2023-08-22 The United States (US) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published an Airworthiness Directive (AD) detailing the nature of inspections required for Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines used on the Airbus A320neo family aircraft. According to the FAA, the latest AD was issued after an Airbus A320neo experienced an engine shutdown, forcing the flight crew to abort a takeoff attempt in December 2022. Subsequent analysis by Pratt & Whitney, which included a review of its records and a re-evaluation of its analysis methodology, resulted in the conclusion that high-pressure turbine (HPT) 1st-stage and 2nd-stage hubs were “susceptible to failure much earlier than previously determined”. As such, the manufacturer issued an instruction to all PW1100G operators to conduct an ultrasonic inspection (USI) to detect cracks and prevent premature failures of the HPT 1st-stage and 2nd-stage hubs on August 4, 2023. These engines need to be removed by September 15, 2023, “due to the urgency of the safety of flight issue,” the FAA noted, as the “longer these parts remain in service, without the inspections required by this AD, the higher the probability of failure”. The updated analysis also identified the same issue on PW1400G engines, which are used exclusively on the Irkut MC-21, a Russian-made aircraft that has since switched to a domestically made powerplant due to sanctions imposed on Russia following its unlawful invasion of Ukraine. “This condition, if not addressed, could result in uncontained disk failure, release of high-energy debris, damage to the engine, damage to the airplane, and loss of the airplane,” the FAA directive read. Series of engine failures The FAA first addressed a failure related to the Airbus A320 aircraft family engine in March 2020 when an Airbus A321ceo, powered by the International Aero Engines (IAE) V2500 engine, experienced an uncontained HPT 1st-stage disk failure. This resulted in high-energy debris penetrating the engine cowling. In response, the FAA issued an emergency AD in April 2020, while Pratt & Whitney found that the failure “was a result of a material anomaly attributed to deficiencies in the manufacturing process”. Based on an analysis of the same event, the engine maker said it had “identified a different population of HPT 1st-stage disks and HPT 2nd-stage disks that are subject to the same unsafe condition identified” in the emergency AD. As a result, the FAA issued another directive in September 2021, requiring the removal of certain HPT 1st-stage and 2nd-stage disks on both the IAE V2500 and PW1100G engines. However, Pratt & Whitney claimed to have found “another subpopulation of HPT 1st-stage disks and HPT 2nd-stage disks that, because of their susceptibility to the same material anomaly, require inspection and possible removal from service”, which prompted the FAA to issue another AD in October 2022. It required a USI of the two HPT disks on the IAE V2500 and PW1100G engines. If cracks were found, operators had to replace either one or both HPT 1st-stage or HPT 2nd-stage disks. However, the incident in December 2022 forced Pratt & Whitney to go back to the drawing board once again and re-evaluate its engineering analysis methodology. Immediate safety threat The FAA will publish the latest AD on August 22, 2023, with the authority saying that the condition “requires the immediate adoption of this AD without providing an opportunity for public comments prior to adoption”. Typically, the FAA publishes a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), inviting stakeholders to comment on the proposed change. “The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public justifies forgoing notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule,” the agency added, noting that the presence of the manufacturing anomalies on the two HPT disks discovered after the incident in December 2022 “indicates an immediate safety of flight problem”. Still, in the US, there are only 20 engines affected by the directive. The FAA estimated that inspection of one HPT hub will take around 100 working hours for $85 per hour. Meanwhile, replacing either of the two hubs will cost airlines $171,085 per product ($85 labor, 171,000 parts) per engine. Operators must perform the USIs within 30 days of the effective date of the directive, August 27, 2023. IAE also holds the type certificate for the PW1100G and PW1400G engines, also known as the Geared Turbofan (GTF). Meanwhile, P&W holds the type certificates for the PW1500G and PW1900G, used exclusively on the Airbus A220 and Embraer E2 aircraft families, respectively. During its Q2 2023 results presentation in July 2023, RTX, the parent company of Pratt & Whitney, disclosed that “a significant portion of the PW1100G engine fleet” would have to be removed and inspected faster than anticipated in the next 12 months. The engine maker added that the accelerated inspections will need to be carried out “within the next nine to twelve months,” and around 200 engines will be removed for inspection by mid-September 2023. P&W says ‘significant’ number of A320neo family engines will have to be removed BY RYTIS BERESNEVICIUS 2023-07-25 Pratt & Whitney’s parent company, RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies), has revealed that a significant number of engines powering the entire Airbus A320neo aircraft family will need to be removed for inspection. “Pratt & Whitney has determined that a rare condition in powder metal used to manufacture certain engine parts will require accelerated fleet inspection,” RTX said in its Q2 2023 results announcement, adding that the issue does not affect engines currently in production. RTX said it anticipates “a significant portion” of operators of the Airbus A320neo family aircraft, comprising of the A319neo, A320neo, and A321neo and its derivatives, will have to remove the PW1100G engine quicker than anticipated for inspection “within the next nine to twelve months”. This includes around “200 accelerated removals by mid-September of this year”, the company said. “The business is working to minimize operational impacts and support its customers. Management will provide additional detail on this matter during the earnings call,” RTX added. According to ch-aviation.com data, 1,321 Airbus A320neo family aircraft are powered by the PW1100G engine with 68 different airlines globally. Out of those, 211 are stored, meaning that a total of 15.9% of the PW-powered A320neo family fleet is currently inactive. In comparison, there are 1,474 Airbus A321neo family aircraft powered by the CFM International LEAP 1-A, of which 74 are stored or in maintenance (5%), an analysis of ch-aviation.com data showed. Throughout the year, Pratt & Whitney has struggled with its engine operations and airlines have complained about operational reliability and slow turn-around times (TAT) at engine shops. The affected engines included the PW1500G and PW1900G, powering the Airbus A220 and Embraer E2 aircraft, respectively, as well as the PW1100G. The engine family is also known as the Geared Turbofan (GTF). The most high-profile case related to P&W’s engine issues was when India-based Go First suspended operations, blaming Pratt & Whitney for “close to 50% of its A320neo fleet” being grounded by December 2022. In June 2023, Pratt & Whitney published a roadmap for the future of the GTF program, saying that it has improved time-on-wing (TOW) for the GTF since the inception of the program. Still, while airlines in cooler environments “experiencing time on wing that the company expected at this point in the program”, operators based in “hotter, sandier environments are seeing shortened intervals and lower time on wing than expected”. “In addition, industry-wide supply chain pressures have affected material availability, which has led to increased turnaround times in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) shops,” the company added. As a result, 10% of the GTF-powered fleet was grounded at the time. Furthermore, Pratt & Whitney has been expanding shop capacity for the GTF engine family, which should see Aircraft on Ground (AOG) “rates coming down through the end of 2023”. “We have more design enhancements ahead in 2024 and 2025 to further improve durability, including improved turbine and combustor hole drilling techniques and modified cooling hole patterns,” Matt Teicholz, vice president of Engineering for the GTF engine, concluded. Worker death prompts US FAA to issue aviation ground safety alert By David Shepardson August 25, 20232:51 PM CDT WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - The death of an airline employee in December and another serious injury prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue a safety alert on Friday to airlines in an effort to prevent more incidents. The safety alert reiterates that "it is important for workers to remain clear of operating engines until they are shut down," the FAA said. The alert comes as questions arise about U.S. aviation safety after a series of troubling near-miss incidents. The FAA has said it will hold runway safety meetings at 90 airports over the next few weeks. In December, a ramp agent was fatally injured at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama when the worker was sucked into an engine of an American Airlines (AAL.O) regional carrier flight parked at the gate. The flight was operated by Envoy Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Airlines and the worker was employed by Piedmont Airlines, another American subsidiary. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued Piedmont Airlines a citation for one serious violation in June for exposing ground crew workers to ingestion hazards while performing aircraft marshalling, wing-walking and baggage-handling tasks. Piedmont faces $15,625 in proposed penalties, the maximum allowed by law. The company has contested the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Piedmont said on Friday its policies and procedures "are compliant with FAA requirements and actively address all the concerns outlined in the citation." In another event, a wing walker sustained a serious injury when an aircraft was being repositioned, the FAA said. Meredith effect The Meredith effect is a phenomenon whereby the aerodynamic drag produced by a cooling radiator may be offset by careful design of the cooling duct such that useful thrust is produced by the expansion of the hot air in the duct. The effect was discovered in the 1930s and became more important as the speeds of piston-engined aircraft increased over the next decade. The North American P-51 Mustang makes significant use of the Meredith effect in its belly radiator design. The Meredith effect occurs when air flowing through a duct is heated by a heat-exchanger or radiator containing a hot working fluid such as ethylene glycol. Typically the fluid is a coolant carrying waste heat from an internal combustion engine.[2] The duct must be travelling at a significant speed with respect to the air for the effect to occur. Air flowing into the duct meets drag resistance from the radiator surface and is compressed due to the ram air effect. As the air flows through the radiator it is heated, raising its temperature slightly and increasing its volume. The hot, pressurised air then exits through the exhaust duct which is shaped to be convergent, i.e. to narrow towards the rear. This accelerates the air backwards and the reaction of this acceleration against the installation provides a small forward thrust.[3] The air expands and decreases temperature as it passes along the duct, before emerging to join the external air flow. Thus, the three processes of an open Brayton cycle are achieved: compression, heat addition at constant pressure and expansion. The thrust obtainable depends upon the pressure ratio between the inside and outside of the duct and the temperature of the coolant.[2] The higher boiling point of ethylene glycol compared to water allows the air to attain a higher temperature increasing the specific thrust. If the generated thrust is less than the aerodynamic drag of the ducting and radiator, then the arrangement serves to reduce the net aerodynamic drag of the radiator installation. If the generated thrust exceeds the aerodynamic drag of the installation, then the entire assemblage contributes a net forward thrust to the vehicle. The Meredith effect inspired the early American work on the aero-thermodynamic duct or ramjet, due to the similarity of their principles of operation.[2] In more recent times the phenomenon has been utilised in racing cars by mounting the engine cooling radiators in tunnels.[4] German Air Force A340s To Be Retired After Technical Hitch Tony Osborne August 16, 2023 Credit: German Air Force The German Air Force has declared it will immediately retire its two VIP Airbus A340s within weeks after technical problems with one of the aircraft forced the cancellation of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s visit to the Asia-Pacific region. After making a fuel stop in Abu Dhabi, en route to Sydney, the 24-year-old A340 carrying Baerbock and her delegation was unable to retract its flaps, forcing the aircraft to dump fuel and return to Abu Dhabi on Aug. 14. Having made a safe landing, the aircraft performed a functional check flight with no issues, but when it took off again for Sydney, the flap issue re-occurred, forcing a second return to Abu Dhabi. Officials called a halt to the trip, with Baerbock saying it was “logistically impossible to continue my Indo-Pacific journey,” adding that the situation was “beyond annoying.” She had been due to visit Australia, Fiji and New Zealand and is understood to have returned to Germany on a commercial flight. The issues have once again highlighted availability issues with the German Air Force’s fleet. The service has previously struggled with shortfalls in transport and combat aircraft, but additional funding to the force has improved the situation. The German Air Force was preparing to begin retiring the A340s this year anyway, with one set to be withdrawn in September, and the other at the end of 2024 following the arrival of a trio of A350s. Now, the force has stated on its social media that the two A340s—which were previously operated by Lufthansa—would be removed from service “as soon as possible” in the coming weeks, adding that the “robust and modern” A350s were available for flights. However, the incident in Abu Dhabi is just the latest in a history of flight woes to affect the German Air Force’s VIP fleets. In October 2018, then-Finance Minister Olaf Scholz—who is now serving as Germany’s chancellor—was stranded in Indonesia after rats chewed on internal cabling onboard one of the A340s. Shortly on the heels of the rats incident, then-Chancellor Angela Merkel made a late arrival to a G20 summit in Argentina in November 2018 when the military transport aircraft on which she was due to fly broke down, forcing her to fly commercial. $15,000 grant to aid in interior restoration of Whiskey 7 Work will restore historic plan’s navigator and radio operator stations By BEN BEAGLE ben@livingstonnews.com The C-47 known as Whiskey 7 is shown flying during the National Warplane Museum’s 2021 airshow. The museum has received a grant to help restore the interior of the plane as it would have appeared during World War II. GENESEO – The National Warplane Museum in Geneseo has received a $15,000 grant from the Rochester Area Community Foundation to help restore the interior of the museum’s C-47 Skytrain aircraft known as “Whiskey 7.” The plane flew during the second wave of the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, but later served as a corporate plane and had the World War II-era interior replaced with different configurations. At one time, the interior of the plane included a dry bar and lounge. Today, the plane's seating includes period pieces installed along each side the interior fuselage, but not the type of seats used when transporting paratroopers to the drop zones. The grant will be used to target completion of recreated navigator and radio operators stations which had been removed in 1946. The cargo area seating will also be enhanced. Original period equipment will be purchased and installed so that the upgrades will reflect what the interior of the plane actually looked like during D-day in 1944. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to continue the restoration of our flagship aircraft,” said National Warplane Museum President W. Austin Wadsworth. With an 80th birthday celebration of Whiskey 7 planned on Sept. 23 at the museum, Wadsworth said the grant was also “a wonderful early birthday gift.” The Sept. 23 event will include food, music and dancing. More information about the plane’s birthday bash is available online at www.nationalwarplanemuseum.com. The National Warplane Museum, 3489 Big Tree Lane, off Route 63, is a non-profited organization dedicated to education through the preservation and display of historical aircraft and other factors. The Rochester Area Community Foundation grant program looks to fund projects that result in the preservation of historical assets with attention to projects that foster economic development and provides opportunities for the community to engage with the region’s rich historical assets. Whiskey 7 was the lead plane of the second wave of airborne paratroopers over Normandy. The National Warplane Museum has worked to restore and maintain the aircraft for many years. The goal of the latest restoration effort is to take Museum visitors back in time and give them a realistic picture of the plane’s interior during its use in World War II. Curt Lewis