Flight Safety Information - September 8, 2023 No. 174 In This Issue : Incident: Easyjet A319 at London on Sep 7th 2023, electrical smell in cabin : Incident: Southwest B737 at Raleigh/Durham on Sep 7th 2023, bird strike : A helicopter crashes off the United Arab Emirates coast. 2 pilots are missing : Passenger yelling ‘Allahu Akbar’ tackled while trying to open airplane door in middle of flight : An American Airlines flight attendant was reportedly led off the plane by police after a passenger told people there was a camera in the bathroom : Flight Attendant Reportedly Assaults Passenger In Altercation Over Baby’s Stroller : Airlines are racing to find fake parts in Airbus and Boeing engines : Air India Given Conditional Approval To Restart Simulator Training : Biman Bangladesh Targets U.S. Return Despite Safety Obstacle : Delta Air Lines Is Going On A Recruitment Tour Of The US : 5 Ways Composite Materials Have Revolutionized Aircraft Design : Company Defends Training Chinese Pilots : GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST Incident: Easyjet A319 at London on Sep 7th 2023, electrical smell in cabin An Easyjet Airbus A319-100, registration G-EZBH performing flight U2-8059 from London Gatwick,EN (UK) to Barcelona,SP (Spain), was climbing out of Gatwick when the crew stopped the climb at FL290 due to an electrical smell in cabin and decided to return to Gatwick, where the aircraft landed safely on runway 08R about 37 minutes after departure, vacated the runway and stopped on the parallel taxiway for an inspection by emergency services. The aircraft subsequently taxied to the apron. The airline reported fumes in the cockpit prompted the return to Gatwick. The passenger have disembarked safely, their onward journey is currently being arranged. https://avherald.com/h?article=50e1549f&opt=0 Incident: Southwest B737 at Raleigh/Durham on Sep 7th 2023, bird strike A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration WN919WN performing flight WN-1954 from Raleigh/Durham,NC to Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA), was in the initial climb out of Raleigh's runway 23R when the crew stopped the climb at 3000 feet reporting they had a bird strike, it looked like the bird hit the #1 engine (CFM56, left hand), they still had a little bit of power on that engine. The aircraft returned to Raleigh for a safe landing on runway 23R about 15 minutes after departure. https://avherald.com/h?article=50e16fdd&opt=0 A helicopter crashes off the United Arab Emirates coast. 2 pilots are missing DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A helicopter crashed off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, with two pilots now missing, authorities said Friday. The crash happened offshore, though the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authorities did not specify where. It identified the aircraft involved as a Bell 212, which can carry 14 passengers and a pilot. Officials said the two pilots aboard were from Egypt and South Africa and had taken off Thursday night from Al Maktoum International Airport, the second airfield in Dubai. Aerogulf, the owner of the helicopter, described the flight as “routine training operations between Al Maktoum International Airport and an offshore rig.” The oil-rich UAE has multiple oil rigs off the coast in the Persian Gulf. “We are working with the aviation authorities and doing all we can to gather information as quickly as possible,” Aerogulf said in its statement. “At this moment our thoughts and prayers are with our crew and their families.” Aerogulf also provides heavy lift and flights for aerial photography, its website says. Rescuers had recovered crash debris and still searched for the crew, the state-run WAM news agency said. https://qz.com/a-helicopter-crashes-off-the-united-arab-emirates-coast-1850816790 Passenger yelling ‘Allahu Akbar’ tackled while trying to open airplane door in middle of flight A crazed man yelling “Allahu Akbar” tried to open a door in the middle of a flight from Israel to England Monday — before a brave passenger stepped up and tackled him. Victor Troboloni, an Albanian who was on his way to visit his ailing mother in London, grabbed the hulking, unidentified attacker and held him down with other passengers while crew members zip-tied him. “It was a very scary situation,” Troboloni told the Sun, before adding that he was thinking, “I might never see my mother again.” Flight W9 4452 on Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air was forced to land in Belgrade, Serbia, following the incident, according to Israeli news station i24 News. “The company is dealing with the onward flight of all customers to London,” Wizz Air told the network Tuesday. “The safety and security of passengers and crew are the company’s top priority. The company regrets the inconvenience caused by this unexpected incident.” In the aftermath of the security breach, a fellow passenger tackled the suspect and placed him in a headlock, according to cellphone footage obtained by the Sun. In the clip, the unnamed attacker was seen screaming as Troboloni, 45, takes him to the floor. “He tried to open the fire exit, he was sitting at the back and it’s easy to open a fire exit, just pull the handle and that’s it,” Troboloni told the outlet. Passengers teamed up to stop man who tried to open plane door, stab flight attendant “I got the guy down. He was very heavyweight … I headlocked him and the stewardesses tied his hands with plastic cable ties … I had to do it.” Fellow passengers helped Troboloni hold him down until a flight attendant could find cable ties to restrain him until the plane touched down in Eastern Europe. “I held him for 10 minutes, he got out of breath, he got tired, he was tied up for 45 minutes to 1 hour before we landed in Belgrade,” Troboloni reportedly said. The suspect yelled “Allahu Akbar,” Arabic for “God is most great,” during the ordeal, the heroic passenger told the UK tabloid. Officials could not offer a motive for the attack or say whether the suspect was connected to any terror groups. Before punching a male crew member, the suspect was seen pacing back and forth from the pilot’s cabin to the back emergency exit. “I saw him going up and down, maybe looking for weak points on the aircraft … checking seat numbers,” the plane engineer reportedly said. “So I know what’s going on midair … you’ve got no escape. “It was a very scary situation.” The incident harkened back to a domestic United Airlines flight in March when multiple passengers restrained a lunatic who allegedly tried to open an emergency door and stab a flight attendant. Last month, Delta passengers rushed to the aid of a flight attendant who was slashed by a man who allegedly threatened to decapitate her after their plane landed in New Orleans, subduing him until authorities arrived. https://nypost.com/2023/09/07/deranged-passenger-tackled-while-trying-to-open-airplane-door/ An American Airlines flight attendant was reportedly led off the plane by police after a passenger told people there was a camera in the bathroom Federal authorities and the Massachusetts State Police are investigating a "potential criminal act" on board an American Airlines flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Boston on Saturday, the police announced. The authorities didn't provide details about what may have occurred, but the local news station Boston 25 reported that it concerned a passenger alleging there was a camera hidden in the plane's bathroom. A trooper with the police unit that responded to the incident told another local outlet, WSOC-TV, that it involved "a juvenile, a phone, and a flight attendant." A passenger told Boston 25 that a male flight attendant had stopped a teenage girl from entering the bathroom, saying he needed to wash his hands. She used the bathroom after him, the outlet reported. The girl's mother was then seen stopping other passengers from using the bathroom and warning them there was a hidden camera inside, the passenger told Boston 25. When the Airbus A321 landed at Boston Logan International Airport at about 10 a.m., the passenger said the police and airline staff checked the bathroom before the flight attendant was escorted off. The Massachusetts State Police said in its statement that its officers met the plane upon landing and initiated an investigation. It added that crimes that occur during flight were the responsibility of federal authorities, which asserted their jurisdiction over Saturday's incident. In a statement shared with Insider, American Airlines said it is taking the incident "very seriously." "American Airlines flight 1441 from Charlotte (CLT) to Boston (BOS) was met by law enforcement upon arrival. We take this matter very seriously and are fully cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation, as safety and security are our highest priorities," the statement said. https://www.insider.com/hidden-camera-in-american-airlines-plane-bathroom-investigated-by-fbi-2023-9 Flight Attendant Reportedly Assaults Passenger In Altercation Over Baby’s Stroller A woman was removed from the American Airlines morning flight from New York JFK to London Heathrow this past Saturday after an altercation over her baby’s collapsible stroller. She says that a flight attendant, who objected to the stroller going in the overhead bin above her seat, assaulted her and sent her mother to the hospital. A passenger who assisted the woman writes that she was carrying her sleeping baby, carry on bag and collapsible stroller. They helped her carry the stroller down the aisle of the aircraft, but a flight attendant told her “very loudly and aggressively” to turn over the stroller to be gate checked. She told the crewmember that it would easily fit in the overhead bin. The stroller was tagged, though, from a previous flight and seeing this the flight attendant insisted – raising his voice and grabbing her arm. The mother responded “don’t yell and don’t touch me.” Other crewmembers joined in and the original flight attendant “continued to harangue and talk over her…accused us of not listening.” The baby’s mother, and her family, were kicked off of the flight. American Airlines allows collapsible strollers in their overhead bins, and a gate agent in San Diego once confiscated a similar stroller from me requiring it to be gate checked even though it fit in the bag sizer. According to the passenger this is the stroller in question: The woman filed a police report over the incident. Several years ago a video went viral of an American Airlines flight attendant who grabbed a stroller from a passenger, nearly hitting their baby. https://viewfromthewing.com/american-airlines-reportedly-assaults-passenger-in-altercation-over-babys-stroller/ Airlines are racing to find fake parts in Airbus and Boeing engines The counterfeit General Electric and Safran engine parts were supplied with forged documents by a London-based supplier AOG Technics, Owen Bellwood reports for Jalopnik. LONDON - Global airlines are having a time of it right now, with shortages of everything from ground workers and planes getting in the way of seamless service. Now, carriers operating certain Airbus and Boeing planes are racing to fix a new problem: fake engine parts. According to a new report from Bloomberg, airlines flying older-generation Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 planes might have been duped into fitting their engines with counterfeit parts. Now they’re all rushing to find the fake parts and replace them before anything bad happens, Owen Bellwood reports for Jalopnik. Continue reading original article. The Military & Aerospace Electronics take: 8 September 2023 - Bloomberg and Jalopnik report that counterfeit parts were for the CFM56 jet engine, which powers older generation Boeing an Airbus aircraft. The counterfeits were sold with forged certification, according to the the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EUASA). The safety agency said the parts were supplied by AOG Technics in London. The company, Bloomberg reports, has not "provide[ed] detail on the actual origin of the questionable parts.” “The documentation of parts is a very critical issue,” said Klaus Mueller, a senior adviser at AeroDynamic Advisory and a former senior executive at MTU Aero Engines AG and Deutsche Lufthansa AG’s maintenance arm. “The industry is taking this topic very, very seriously.” https://www.militaryaerospace.com/commercial-aerospace/article/14298658/airlines-are-racing-to-find-fake-parts-in-airbus-and-boeing-engines Air India Given Conditional Approval To Restart Simulator Training The airline's simulator training facilities were suspended last month. SUMMARY • Air India has received conditional approval to resume pilot training on its simulators. • The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted permission for Air India to resume training for 30 days after the carrier rectified the discrepancies highlighted in previous audits. • Air India has two simulator training facilities in India - one in Hyderabad and one in Mumbai. Air India has been given conditional approval by India’s aviation watchdog to resume pilot training on its simulators. The carrier landed in hot water earlier when lapses were found in its internal safety audits. Shortly after that, Air India’s simulator training facilities in the country were suspended. Approval granted Air India has been given permission by India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), to resume pilot training on its aircraft simulators in India. The airline’s simulator training facilities were suspended temporarily last month after the DGCA found lapses in Air India’s internal safety audits. Latest reports say that the airline has been given permission to resume training on the simulators for 30 days after it rectified the discrepancies highlighted by the DGCA. Air India has an Airbus simulator in Hyderabad for its narrowbody fleet of the A320 family of planes and a Boeing simulator in Mumbai for the Boeing 777 and 787 fleet. Business Standard reports that Air India has initiated an internal audit of the two simulators and will hand over the report to the DGCA after 30 days. Pilot training at these facilities has also begun. Lapses found in the audit In August, Air India failed an internal safety audit upon further verification by a two-member surveillance team from the DGCA. This internal safety audit comprised a list of 13 checks on different aspects of Air India's operations, including but not limited to policy changes, ramp operations, loading management, cargo handling, maintenance, and cabin surveillance. The DGCA surveillance team was not happy with the outcome of the enhanced verification of the unspecified 13 safety checkpoints. It found falsified reports made by Air India on some issues and also went through CCTV footage, auditee statements, official records, and passenger manifests as part of its investigation. Not too long after, Air India’s simulator training facilities were put under the microscope, eventually getting suspended. Crucial for pilot training The approval to restart simulator training is a massive relief for Air India, as a longer suspension could have affected its operations. Airline pilots undergo periodic training and license renewals, requiring them to train for various flight scenarios under simulated conditions. The cockpit crew have to take regular certification courses and ground training refreshers to keep their licenses valid. Had Air India’s simulators been suspended for long, it would have had to rely heavily on training facilities abroad. The airline is on a massive pilot-hiring spree and has already hired more than 600 pilots since April this year. As such, its simulators see a good chunk of its pilots being trained every day. Hopefully, its report to the DGCA will help resolve any previously found issues. https://simpleflying.com/air-india-conditional-approval-simulator-training/ Biman Bangladesh Targets U.S. Return Despite Safety Obstacle Biman Bangladesh Airlines has filed an application with the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) seeking permission to resume flights to the U.S. from next summer. The carrier hopes to launch operations between Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC) and New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), flying five times per week using 298-seat Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The proposed route would operate with a stop in Izmir, Turkey. Biman last served the U.S. on its own metal until July 2006, DOT data shows, operating to JFK via Brussels. However, its U.S. exemption authority and foreign air carrier permit expired in 2018. If the airline secures fresh approval, it says the service would “promote fair competition in the marketplace and ... will facilitate the expansion of fair international air transport opportunities in the public interest.” The carrier has also identified Boston, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark and Washington as future U.S. route targets, which could be served via Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Birmingham, Brussels, Istanbul, Izmir, Manchester, New Delhi or Rome. Despite the application, Biman acknowledges that it is unable to launch flights to the U.S at present owing to Bangladesh’s Category 2 safety rating with the FAA. However, it believes that the safety rating will be ungraded “soon” and has asked the DOT to review its application, but wait until Category 1 is achieved before making a decision. Although there are no nonstop flights operating between Bangladesh and the U.S., traffic flows between the countries are strong. Sabre Market Intelligence data shows that O&D traffic amounted to 330,000 two-way passengers in 2022, with Bangladesh-New York accounting for about 172,000 passengers. However, Biman is not expecting a JFK service to be profitable in the first year of operation. Documents submitted to the DOT outline that a loss of $53.2 million is expected, equating to losses of more than $1 million per week. Bangladesh and the U.S. signed an Open Skies agreement in October 2020, paving the way for the two nations to establish “a modern civil aviation relationship.” The deal included unrestricted capacity and frequency of services, open route rights, a liberal charter regime and codesharing opportunities on routes between the countries. Separate to the DOT application, Aviation Week reported in late August that Biman has restarted flying to Japan after an absence of almost 17 years with a route to Tokyo. Service commenced on Sept. 1, linking DAC with Tokyo Narita International Airport three times per week. https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airports-networks/biman-bangladesh-targets-us-return-despite-safety-obstacle Delta Air Lines Is Going On A Recruitment Tour Of The US Delta Air Lines is touring the United States to hire more cabin crew. SUMMARY • Delta Air Lines is going on a national recruitment tour, offering opportunities to become cabin crew. • Flight attendants who are fluent in a second language may be assigned to flights requiring proficiency in that language. • After six weeks of intensive training new cabin crew can earn an average of $36.44 per hour, higher than salaries at other major airlines. Ever wanted to be a flight attendant for a leading US airline? Now’s your chance, as Delta Air Lines is going on a US national recruitment tour. Applications open September 7 Delta Air Lines announced that the application window to become cabin crew with the airline opens September 7. Furthermore, information sessions are being made available with Delta Air Lines recruiters and frontline flight attendants to learn about the opportunities available to help serve Delta Air Lines passengers in flight in many ways. However, flight attendants fluent in a second language beyond English can find themselves in a “language of destination” role. The role means those flight attendants could be assigned to flights requiring proficiency in the relevant foreign language. Tour has five stops As Jennifer Martin, Managing Director – In-Flight Service Customer Experience, Learning and Hiring, commented that, Delta is excited to showcase flight attendant career opportunities outside of Atlanta and recruit top-tier applicants in their local communities. The schedule on the Delta Air Lines’ flight attendant hiring tour are: Greater Orlando Area Sept. 11 at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sept. 12 at 8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Greater Rhode Island Area Sept. 14 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sept. 15 at 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Greater Austin Area Sept. 18 at noon, 3 p.m. and 6:00 PM Sept. 19 at 9 a.m. and noon Greater Minneapolis Area Sept. 21 at 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sept. 22 at 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Greater Las Vegas Area Oct. 3 at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Oct. 4 at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. Training to be on Delta Air Lines’ Cabin Crew The training will be six weeks of safety training first, then customer service. One below can see an NBC Today review of the activity: Delta Air Lines will teach successful applicants how to evacuate an aircraft cabin in 90 seconds or less, deal with inflight medical emergencies, and address the rise of unruly passengers. But the job is not all chaos – flight attendants get assigned community service and use iPhones to help with inventory – mostly in the galley. Delta commissioned a short multi-part documentary about their flight attendant training a few years ago. You can watch the first part here: To unionize or not to unionize? Currently, Delta Air Lines’ flight attendants are nonunionized. However, the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) are attempting to unionize the work group. Comparing salary According to Indeed.com, Delta Air Lines pays, on average, $36.44 an hour for flight attendants. That’s versus $29.55 at Southwest Airlines, $30.13 at Alaska Airlines, $34.04 at United Airlines, and $34.68 at American Airlines. Again, these are average hourly salaries – and most airlines are in union negotiations about adjusting flight attendant pay and work rules. Furthermore, Delta Air Lines pays boarding pay to flight attendants. https://simpleflying.com/delta-air-lines-us-recruitment-tour/?newsletter_popup=1 5 Ways Composite Materials Have Revolutionized Aircraft Design Composite materials increase the life span of the aircraft. Composite materials have revolutionized the aviation industry through their lighter weight, excellent strength, and extraordinary mechanical and thermal properties. A composite material is a unique combination of two or more materials whose characteristics, when combined, exhibit properties that are significantly greater than a single material alone. The precise combination of two metal alloys surpasses the tensile strength and thermal conductivity of many conventional metals, including aluminum and iron. When and why? The use of composite materials on aircraft dates back to the 1980s on the Airbus A300. The manufacturer used composite materials on various primary and secondary parts of the airframe, including the stabilizers. Airbus aimed to test the then-new technology to minimize aircraft weight and increase operating efficiency. At the time, the use of composites was complex and expensive due to the need for more advancements in the manufacturing of such materials. Today, most new aircraft are manufactured with a variety of composite materials. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350 XWB comprise composites on more than 50% of their structures. Both aircraft also feature composite wings that contribute to their extraordinary fuel efficiency. Apart from the airframe, composite materials have shown tremendous advantages in the design and functionality of jet engines. This article explores five ways in which composite materials have revolutionized the aviation industry. 1 Extraordinary weight savings Composite materials are lighter than standard materials like aluminum and iron. Similarly, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) is a lightweight material with much greater tensile strength than many metals. In the CRFP, microscopic carbon fibers are attached to a plastic resin. Modern aircraft wings, including the Airbus A350’s wing, are made up of such high-strength composites. Using lightweight materials on modern aircraft contributes to their net fuel burn. It is common for newer jets to cut the overall aircraft weight by up to 25% by using lightweight composite materials. Rolls-Royce uses Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) on various engine hot sections to improve thermal performance. The use of such composites minimizes the engine weight while extending the life of components that undergo extreme temperatures. According to Rolls-Royce, CMCs deliver the high-temperature capability of ceramics with the strength and reliability that is required for gas turbine engine applications but weigh less than current alloys. 2 Immense load bearing capabilities Lightweight materials are not always high-strength materials, but this is not the case with composites that are used in aerospace applications. Every area of the airframe requires a specialized load-bearing material to handle the environmental factors, in addition to the fuel and payload, in flight. Composites offer immense load-bearing capabilities that surpass those of some conventional materials. According to Boeing, Selecting the optimum material for a specific application meant analyzing every area of the airframe to determine the best material, given the operating environment and loads that a component experiences over the life of the airframe. For example, aluminum is sensitive to tension loads but handles compression very well. On the other hand, composites are not as efficient in dealing with compression loads but are excellent at handling tension. Manufacturers ensure the right use of the right materials to optimize the overall design. Precisely heat-treating and layering fibers enable the CRFP to achieve the desired load-bearing properties. Through multiple trials and simulations, manufacturers optimize the Strength Ratio (SR), which is the ratio of the maximum load and applied load. Modern aircraft use high-quality composites with precisely fabricated sheets to achieve the required level of rigidity and strength. 3 Excellent thermal shock resistance Today’s jet engines run hotter than previous generation engines, thanks to the internal temperature requirements for optimum efficiency. The combustors of modern turbofan engines use CMC-based insulation panels and surface liners. With internal temperatures approaching 3,000 degrees F (1,700 degrees C) during the combustion process, these engines require greater thermal shock resistance. General Electric (GE) uses CMCs on numerous hot-section components and assemblies of commercial and military engines. Combustor liners, high-pressure (HP) turbine nozzles, and shrouds are manufactured using CMCs. Greater thermal shock resistance results in the longevity of the component and the entire engine module. That means the maintenance work scope will be much simpler the next time the engine is in the shop. During operation, the fuel burn is also lowered, which also lowers carbon emissions in the environment. 4 Lower cost and time of maintenance During the lifetime of the aircraft, it requires less maintenance due to the increased strength composite materials provide. Moreover, composites are less prone to corrosion over time, which in turn further reduces the need for maintenance. For Boeing’s refueling and mobility platforms, such as the MQ-25 Stingray (the world’s first autonomous aerial refueler), the company is innovating to enhance operational survivability for aerial refueling missions. Along with its partner, Aurora Flight Sciences, Boeing uses lightweight, high-strength structural materials made from composites. The materials used on the skin of the aircraft offer anti-corrosive properties. Such materials are less prone to repetitive maintenance and the lifecycle of the airframe is increased. Airbus claims that its A350 XWB requires 50% fewer maintenance tasks than the previous designs. Moreover, the airframe must be checked for maintenance every 12 years compared to eight years on the A380. Boeing states that the 787 airframe requires much less in-service maintenance compared to conventional designs due to reduced wear and tear of parts. Interested in more technical content? Check our complete guides section here. 5 Recyclability of composites The aviation industry-wide sustainability efforts have made the use of composites and their recyclability even more prominent. Composite materials are easier to recycle through pultrution, melting, and grinding. Carbon-based composites such as CFRPs can be recycled by thermal reclaiming of fibers from the resin. The composite is ground to the desired dimensions before processing through specialized chemicals. The recycling of composites has potential applications in turbine blades, combustor liners, and the skin of the airframe. Raw material suppliers take advantage of the recyclables and reuse them in various different forms. The residual can be reused in manufacturing secondary components. While a continuous industry-wide effort is being made to optimize the composite recycling process, it won’t be too long until most of the composite structure can be recycled. https://simpleflying.com/composite-materials-advantages-list/#extraordinary-weight-savings Company Defends Training Chinese Pilots A South African flight school has confirmed that three former Canadian fighter pilots are training pilots in China but denies they’re doing anything wrong. In response to questions from the Globe newspaper, Edward Lee, spokesman for the Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA), said Paul Umrysh, David Monk and Craig Sharp are not passing along any NATO secrets to their Chinese students and use only open-source materials or curriculum supplied by the customer. “The training TFASA provides never includes information about NATO,” Lee told the Globe. “TFASA has strict protocols and a code of conduct in place that are designed to prevent any TFASA employee sharing any information or training that is, or might be considered to be, legally or operationally sensitive, or security classified.” Several NATO countries, including Germany, the U.K., Canada and the U.S., are investigating the actions of former military pilots who work for TFASA. Lee said their training has already been cleared by the U.S. and U.K. but did not supply any supporting documents. Meanwhile, both the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canadian Security Intelligence Service have confirmed they’re investigating the three former Royal Canadian Air Force pilots. Lee said Canadian officials have contacted the three who have been named and an unspecified number of other TFASA employees contacted others asking them to quit their jobs. Lee said there is reason for them to stop. “Any suggestion that the company, or its employees, offer assistance in equipping foreign powers with advanced tactics, techniques or procedures, or advanced technology, is simply incorrect,” he told the Globe. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/company-defends-training-chinese-pilots/ GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST I started my academic career with a BSc. in Aviation Management at Florida Institute of Technology and graduated in 2005. After relocating to Europe and completing the ATPL training, I started flying the B737NG for a scheduled low-cost carrier for four years. Afterwards, relocating to Dubai to fly for a major long-haul airline on the B777 for 8.5 years. In 2020 relocated to the UK to fly for a British long-haul airline. During Covid while there wasn't any flying, I started the MSc. in Aviation Safety, Risk Management and Regulation studies with Cranfield University and I am currently working on my thesis to complete the master's program. My thesis looks at Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) and the overall effectiveness that FRMS has achieved so far. It intends to focus on organisational factors within the operators and regulators to identify those factors that contribute to implementing an effective FRMS. The survey is targeted for pilots that are actively flying (either long or short-haul) and would like to share their experiences with the FRMS within their organisation. It is a short survey and should take no longer than two to three minutes of your time. I will hugely appreciate everyone's feedback. Survey Link: https://cranfielduniversity.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4UdHcIxHD4Wweb4 Kind regards, Erdem Serifoglu Curt Lewis