Flight Safety Information - October 2, 2023 No. 190 In This Issue : Incident: Iberia A359 at Quito on Sep 28th 2023, lightning strike : Incident: Jetblue BCS3 at Boston on Sep 29th 2023, could not retract landing gear : Incident: Austrian B763 over Atlantic on Sep 29th 2023, smell on board : Incident: United A320 near Denver on Sep 28th 2023, hydraulic failure : India proposes barring pilots and flight attendants from using perfume : REPORT 76% of European pilots admitted to have succumbed to a micronap during the previous four weeks : Why 20 Aircraft Went Off Course Over Iraqi Airspace : WILL AIRLINES START BANNING NEW IPHONE 15? : United Airlines to give conditional job offers to active-duty military pilots : Man tries to open emergency door on Bengaluru-bound IndiGo flight, arrested : FlightSafety - Now Hiring at Our Center in Columbus, Ohio : NATA and The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Form Partnership to Advance AAM/UAM Implementation Incident: Iberia A359 at Quito on Sep 28th 2023, lightning strike An Iberia Airbus A350-900, registration EC-NVR performing flight IB-6453 from Madrid,SP (Spain) to Quito (Ecuador), was on approach to Quito's runway 36 when the aircraft received a lightning strike. The aircraft continued for a safe landing. The aircraft was unable to depart for the return flight and is still on the ground in Quito about 3 days after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=50f147f1&opt=0 Incident: Jetblue BCS3 at Boston on Sep 29th 2023, could not retract landing gear A Jetblue Bombardier C-Series CS-300, registration N3112J performing flight B6-2107 from Boston,MA to Nashville,TN (USA), was climbing out of runway 09 when the crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet reporting a gear issue, later advising they were unable to retract the landing gear. The aircraft returned to Boston for a safe landing on runway 04R about 43 minutes after departure. A replacement BCS3 registration N3062J reached Nashville with a delay of about 2 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Boston about 53 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=50f145f6&opt=0 Incident: Austrian B763 over Atlantic on Sep 29th 2023, smell on board An Austrian Airlines Boeing 767-300, registration OE-LAE performing flight OS-73 from Vienna (Austria) to Montreal,QC (Canada), was enroute at FL360 about 370nm west of Keflavik (Iceland) when the crew decided to turn around and divert to Keflavik reporting an unusual odour on board. The aircraft descended to FL350 and landed safely on Keflavik's runway 10 about an hour later. The remainder of the flight was cancelled. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Keflavik for about 20 hours, then returned to Vienna as flight OS-1492. The airline told Austrianwings the aircraft needed to divert to Keflavik as a precaution following a "Smell Event". https://avherald.com/h?article=50f09101&opt=0 Incident: United A320 near Denver on Sep 28th 2023, hydraulic failure A United Airbus A320-200, registration N419UA performing flight UA-513 from Denver,CO to Indianapolis,IN (USA), was enroute at FL350 about 200nm east of Denver when the crew decided to turn around and return to Denver reporting they had lost their green hydraulic system, needed to do a gravity gear extension, had no nosewheel steering, were unable to vacate the runway and needed runway 07 due to the winds from 060 degrees at 15 knots. The aircraft landed on runway 07 about 50 minutes after turning around. A replacement A320-200 registration N495UA reached Indianapolis with a delay of about 3.5 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=50f14341&opt=0 India proposes barring pilots and flight attendants from using perfume It would be difficult to find an airline that didn’t consider a pilot flying while drunk a fireable offense. But a newly proposed regulation in India could also take action against pilots who use perfume. India’s Office of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which oversees the country’s aviation industry, recently proposed an update to its bylaws regarding alcohol consumption. There is already reference to things other than alcoholic drinks that could cause a positive breath test, namely mouthwash, in the guidelines. However, a new section – bolded here – specifically mentions perfume. It reads: “No crew member shall consume any drug/formulation or use any substance such as mouthwash/tooth gel/perfume or any such product which has alcoholic content. This may result into positive breath analyzer test.” The text continues: “Any crew member who is undergoing such medication shall consult the company doctor before undertaking flying assignment.” While perfumes can contain trace amounts of alcohol, it’s unclear if wearing perfume on one’s body can trigger a false positive breath test. The official air safety requirements for the DGCA were ratified in August 2015. The proposed addition is up for public comment through October 5. Pilot drunkenness has occasionally been an issue in the aviation industry. In 2018, Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, a pilot for Japan Airlines, was sentenced to 10 months in prison after a breath test taken shortly after takeoff showed that his blood alcohol level was nine times the legal limit. And in the US, a Delta pilot named Gabriel Lyle Schroeder was escorted off a fully boarded plane pre-takeoff when he was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol. “Delta’s alcohol policy is among the strictest in the industry and we have no tolerance for violation,” an airline representative told CNN at the time. https://www.cnn.com/travel/india-pilot-perfume-ban-intl-hnk/index.html REPORT 76% of European pilots admitted to have succumbed to a micronap during the previous four weeks A new survey by the European Cockpit Association (ECA) warns of the state of pilot fatigue and the lack of attention paid to it by their companies. Questioned in mid-July, three out of four European airline pilots (76%) admitted to having succumbed to at least one micronap during the previous four weeks, revealed at the end of August a survey carried out by the firm Baines Simmons for the Cockpit Association Europeans (ECA). All the more worrying as this survey covers a large panel: 6,893 pilots, based in 31 countries. For untimely sleepers, there is no doubt: fatigue is the result of too intense rhythms. 73% of pilots say they do not have enough rest time. According to legislation, a flight of less than six hours must be followed by eleven hours of rest. A respite which can, however, in the event of high activity, be reduced to six hours. The computer to replace the driver, a solution? Passengers can always be reassured by remembering that there are two pilots in the cockpit: a pilot flying is at the controls and a pilot monitoring monitors the flight parameters. The magazine Aero Spatium recalled, in June, that aviation safety remains based “ on the principle of cross-check : each pilot always checks what the other is doing in order to correct possible errors ”. However, engineers are already hard at work trying to design a computer capable of replacing humans. A heresy for the National Union of Airline Pilots (SNPL), which brings together three quarters of French pilots and campaigns for the maintenance of pairs at the controls. Two is better… But not always enough. Just ten years ago, a survey of 500 professionals carried out by the ComRes Institute for the British Airline Pilots’ Association also showed that more than half of them (56%) had already asleep. And a third said they discovered when they woke up that their co-pilot… was also dozing. British companies blacklisted A bad joke? Nope. A few days before this survey, the Civil Aviation Authority in the United Kingdom revealed that, during a flight on August 13, 2013, two pilots of an Airbus from an English company had nosedived at the same time. They had just had a series of flights and had only had five hours of sleep the night before. Ten years later, British companies are still among Europe’s worst performers, according to the recent ECA survey. Just like Irish, Maltese and Spanish low-cost companies. But Europeans are not the only ones who are tired… On August 15, 2022, two Ethiopian Airlines pilots missed the landing of their Boeing 737. When they arrived in Addis Ababa, they were awakened by the autopilot alarm. It was triggered when they flew over but did not descend the landing strip. https://airlive.net/reports/2023/10/01/76-of-european-pilots-admitted-to-have-succumbed-to-a-micronap-during-the-previous-four-weeks/ Why 20 Aircraft Went Off Course Over Iraqi Airspace GPS spoofing has led over 20 planes to veer off course in Middle Eastern airspace. SUMMARY • Commercial and private jets flying over Iran have been affected by GPS signal spoofing, causing them to veer off course. This is the first time passenger flights have been targeted to such a sophisticated degree. • GPS signal spoofing occurs when counterfeit radio signals override legitimate GPS signals, leading to navigation system failures and pilots relying on ATC for help in identifying their exact location. • While GPS jamming is more common and easily recognized by pilots, spoofing is harder to detect as the aircraft's GPS receiver accepts the false signals and redirects the plane accordingly. The FAA has issued a warning for flights over Baghdad due to these incidents. Over the past two weeks, more than 20 commercial and private jets flying over Iran have strayed off course after being led off route by deceptive GPS signals sent from the ground. These signals overpowered the jet’s navigation systems and affected multiple aircraft, including Boeing 737s and 777s. Veering off course In a report by the OPS Group, which focuses on flight safety, a targeted 777 was so off course that the crew asked Baghdad Air Traffic Control, “What time is it, and where are we?” The site, which claims to have a membership of 8,000 flight dispatchers, controllers, pilots, and others, began reporting incidents of GPS navigation signal spoofing on September 25th. According to the report, most of these 20 instances occurred in flights flying along airway UMB688 in northern Iraq, a significant airway between the Middle East and Europe. One business jet almost entered Iranian airspace without clearance. But how did this occur? The cause of this is GPS signal spoofing, a type of cyber attack created to steer people or goods off course. Although GPS signal interference has been around for a long time, this is the first time commercial passenger flights have been targeted to such a sophisticated degree. GPS signal spoofing occurs when a counterfeit radio signal is sent to a receiver antenna to override a legitimate GPS satellite signal. A report by the OPS Group stated: “OPSGROUP has now received [Multiple] separate reports, and in most cases, the [Inertial Reference System] becomes unusable, VOR/DME sensor inputs fail, the aircraft UTC clock fails, and the crew has been forced to request vectors from ATC to navigate.” As a result of the navigation system failure, pilots are forced to seek help from ATC to know the exact aircraft location. New interference GPS jamming, a more common occurrence, especially on long-haul flights, is not as dangerous as spoofing, and pilots have learned how to recognize it and cope with it. Flickering readings instantly reveal that the GPS signal is being jammed, especially on flights over Russia heading East. Pilots have multiple checklists and have undergone training on how to handle jamming. For one, they rely on the plane’s navigation system, which does not take any data from the GPS. However, spoofing is much harder to spot as the aircraft’s GPS receiver is unaware that it is reading false GPS signals. The aircraft’s flight management system will accept the fake GPS signal and redirect the plane to the intended flight plan. Warning issued In response to the incidents, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a NOTAM (Notice to Air Men) for flights flying over Baghdad, Iraq, as these airway routes are considered to be sensitive areas by Iran. Iran has two large military bases just off the airway route, one in the western city of Kermanshah with dedicated anti-aircraft weapons and another in the central city of Khorramabad. For context, in 2020, Iran mistakenly shot down Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737, killing the nine crew and 167 passengers aboard, and in September, threatened to shoot down an aircraft entering Iranian airspace without clearance. https://simpleflying.com/20-aircraft-went-off-course-iranian-airspace/ WILL AIRLINES START BANNING NEW IPHONE 15? Users are reporting the hottest new iPhone of the year is literally hot to the touch…will airlines start banning the iPhone 15 due to concerns over fire risk? Will Airlines Begin Banning iPhone 15 Due To Overheating Concerns? Numerous reports are out in which iPhone 15 users complain that the device heats up to such a degree that it becomes untouchable when charging or during heavy use like playing a game or speaking on FaceTime. We’ve seen many complaints like this: “It gets so hot that I’m afraid to touch it and it hurts my leg in my pocket.” “It got to the point where I couldn’t hold the phone anymore.” Thus far, Apple has not publicly commented on these device-specific complaints, instead directing customers to its general page on overheating iPhones. That’s not only a problem for consumers but may be a problem for airlines too. We’ve seen a number of cases in which mobile phones have caught fire. In fact, airlines now carry special bags and protective gloves that flight attendants can use to handle and dispose of a phone that catches fire onboard. Look around on your next flight and you will see that if there are USB ports or plugs, people will be charging their phones. If it is the very act of charging that is a key temperature trigger, it would not surprise me if someone got injured…and then for airlines to (over)react out of an abundance of caution. Hopefully, Apple will not have to throttle performance in order to keep the device temperature lower, but the bevy of complaints is disturbing. CONCLUSION It is true that many electronic devices, not just the iPhone 15, tend to warm up when heavily used, but my older iPhone does not. There appears to be something different about the iPhone 15 that goes beyond anecdotal reports. While Apple remains silent on this, if it is true that it continues to heat to a degree it becomes untouchable, I have to wonder whether airlines may resort to banning it over safety concerns. https://liveandletsfly.com/iphone-15-airlines-banning/ United Airlines to give conditional job offers to active-duty military pilots Sept 28 (Reuters) - United Airlines (UAL.O) said on Thursday it will give conditional job offers to active-duty U.S. military pilots to join the airline as a first officer once they complete service. The plan comes at a time when several U.S. airlines have been grappling with challenges in recruiting enough trained pilots and crew members as they aim to capitalize on the strong surge in international travel demand following the pandemic. United Airlines has more than 16,000 pilots at present, including over 3,000 who have served or currently serve in the United States Armed Forces. Military pilots applying to join the carrier would not need an airline transport pilot certificate at the time of application, but can obtain it before joining. United hired more than 4,000 new pilots in the past 24 months and expects to add over 10,000 this decade, according to the company. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/united-airlines-give-conditional-job-offers-active-duty-military-pilots-2023-09-28/ Man tries to open emergency door on Bengaluru-bound IndiGo flight, arrested Bengaluru police has reported that a man, identified as Swapnil Holey, had attempted to open the emergency exit door mid-air on a Bengaluru-bound IndiGo flight from Nagpur on 30 September. He was later arrested based on the complaint filed by the airline staff. Swapnil Holey had boarded Bengaluru-bound Indigo flight 6E 6803 from Nagpur at around 10 pm on 30 September. According to police, the passenger was seated next to the emergency exit door of the aircraft. Before takeoff, while the crew members were briefing passengers, the man allegedly attempted to open the door. After the flight landed at the Kempegowda International Airport here at 11.55 pm, Holey was escorted by the airline's staff to the police station, a senior police officer said. He was scheduled to take a flight to Bangkok on October 1, police said. Based on the complaint filed by the airline staff, an FIR under section 336 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code was registered and the accused passenger was arrested in connection with the incident, he said. However, he was later released on bail. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels 🚀 Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! This is not an isolated incident of unruly passengers trying to open emergency exit doors on a plane, mid-air. On 21 September, passenger, Biswajit Debnath, was stopped by other passengers when he tried to force open the emergency exit of an IndiGo flight mid-air. He was later arrested. In a similar incident on 20 September, a male passenger onboard an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Chennai tried to open the cover of the emergency exit door prior to take-off on Tuesday night. https://www.livemint.com/news/india/man-tries-to-open-emergency-door-on-bengaluru-bound-indigo-flight-arrested-11696239934910.html YOUR NEXT DESTINATION Now Hiring at Our Center in Columbus, Ohio FlightSafety is seeking experienced pilots to join the ranks of the best flight instructors in the industry at our Columbus Learning Center. Use your seasoned skills to make an impact on aviation in a profound way. COMPETITIVE INCENTIVES AVAILABLE · Competitive Base Salaries · Full Relocation Package · Incentive Programs · Sign on Bonuses · Schedule Stability · Career Growth JOIN US FOR AN INSTRUCTOR HIRING EVENT Date: Friday, October 27, 2023 Time: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET Location: 4010 Bridgeway Avenue, Columbus, OH 43219 RSVP Today NATA and The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Form Partnership to Advance AAM/UAM Implementation Washington, DC, September 28, 2023 – NATA (National Air Transportation Association) and The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) announced a partnership providing the structure for the further development of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)/Urban Air Mobility (UAM) ecosystem. NATA and CNO signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at maturing AAM/UAM education and adoption with the exchange of expertise and information through committee engagement and collaboration on business, outreach, and event opportunities. This strategic partnership is invaluable in the development of a complex transportation system using innovative aircraft, technologies, infrastructure, and operations to move people and cargo between local, regional, intraregional, and urban locations not previously served or underserved by aviation. “The future of AAM/UAM is now. NATA members from across all functional areas, including AAM, part 135, FBOs, airports, and MROs, will more quickly gain the guidance needed to support, maintain, and operate the next generation of aircraft through this collaboration. As safety advancements and education are critical to both NATA’s mission and the safe, successful implementation of eVTOL technology, a partnership between NATA and CNO was a natural fit in fostering these pillars across all stages of AAM/UAM development,” stated NATA President and CEO Curt Castagna. In 2022, NATA formed its AAM Committee to ensure a unified approach to modernization of both the industry’s infrastructure and operational framework. NATA believes communication, collaboration, and cooperation between government partners and all aviation sector stakeholders will be key to creating a healthy and vibrant AAM ecosystem. NATA sees a natural nexus between existing part 135 operators, general aviation airports, FBO infrastructure, and AAM innovation. Urban and rural general aviation airports offer ideal spaces to introduce electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) technology, and NATA members are being proactive in preparing to support, maintain, and operate this next generation of aircraft. James Grimsley, CNO Executive Director of Advanced Technology Initiatives, will kick off NATA’s November Aviation Business Conference in Long Beach, California, discussing the benefits of UAS and AAM technologies to rural locales, international markets, and the national economy, as well as how the CNO is helping to advance this sector. “The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma looks forward to the many positive societal benefits that will be available as a result of emerging aviation technologies,” said Grimsley. “The relationship with NATA further illustrates CNO’s commitment to being a leader in this exciting growth area.” The Choctaw Nation—the third largest Indian Nation in the United States, with more than 200,000 tribal members—has been very involved in the development of emerging aviation technologies, including UAS and AAM. CNO was the first Native American Tribal Government to receive a Public Aircraft Operations Certificate of Authorization from the FAA and is home to one of eight FAA UAS BEYOND sites selected by the DoT. As part of the FAA UAS BEYOND program, CNO has worked closely with the FAA and other agencies to more fully incorporate UAS into the National Airspace System and help deliver the clear safety benefits and operational efficiencies it promises. # # # About NATA NATA (National Air Transportation Association) has been the voice of aviation business for 80 years. Representing nearly 3,700 aviation businesses, NATA’s member companies provide a broad range of services to general aviation, the airlines and the military and NATA serves as the public policy group representing the interests of aviation businesses before Congress and the federal agencies. For more information about NATA, please visit www.nata.aero or view NATA's Social Media Channels. Curt Lewis