Flight Safety Information - October 3, 2023 No. 191 In This Issue : Incident: Lufthansa A359 at Munich on Oct 1st 2023, could not retract landing gear : Incident: Easyjet Europe A319 near Munich on Sep 30th 2023, smoke in cockpit : Delta is fourth major U.S. airline to find fake jet aircraft engine parts with forged airworthiness documents from U.K. company : Collings Foundation Reaches Settlement With Nine-0-Nine Crash Victims : Gun found at Pittsburgh International Airport checkpoint; third time in a week : Weapons by the thousands: 5,072 firearms confiscated at U.S. airport checkpoints so far in 2023 : Can Aspirin Help Prevent Blood Clots on Long Flights? Doctors Weigh In : Operators Launch New Part 135 Charter Association : Aeromexico To Add 17 Transborder Routes To U.S. In 2024 Following Safety Upgrade : Soaring to new heights: Why airlines are courting women pilots : United Airlines closes in on large order for Airbus A321 narrowbody jets : United Airlines Signs Deal For 1 Billion Gallons Of Novel SAF From Cemvita : FAA Broadens 112-In. PW4000 Hub Inspection Requirements Incident: Lufthansa A359 at Munich on Oct 1st 2023, could not retract landing gear A Lufthansa Airbus 350-900, registration D-AIVB performing flight LH-476 from Munich (Germany) to Vancouver,BC (Canada), was climbing out of Munich's runway 26R when the crew stopped the climb at FL100 reporting they had not been able to retract the landing gear. The aircraft returned to Munich for a safe landing on runway 26L about 45 minutes after departure. The flight was cancelled. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 21 hours before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=50f1d471&opt=0 Incident: Easyjet Europe A319 near Munich on Sep 30th 2023, smoke in cockpit An Easyjet Europe Airbus A319-100, registration OE-LQI performing flight U2-3901 from Milan Malpensa (Italy) to Prague (Czech Republic), was enroute at FL320 about 40nm east of Munich (Germany) when the crew decided to divert to Munich reporting smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft landed safely on Munich's runway 26R about 17 minutes later. A replacement Easyjet Switzerland positioned from Berlin (Germany) to Munich, resumed the flight and delivered the passengers to Prague with a delay of about 7:40 hours. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 34 hours before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=50f1cd14&opt=0 Delta is fourth major U.S. airline to find fake jet aircraft engine parts with forged airworthiness documents from U.K. company As many as 21 of Delta’s engines could have been affected, according to Bloomberg calculations based on data provided by the airline, which would represent the most among U.S. carriers that have disclosed a number. Delta Air Lines Inc. has discovered unapproved components in “a small number” of its jet aircraft engines, becoming the latest carrier and fourth major US airline to disclose the use of fake parts. The suspect components — which Delta declined to identify — were found on an unspecified number of its engines, a company spokesman said Monday. Those engines account for less than 1% of the more than 2,100 power plants on its mainline fleet, the spokesman said. American Airlines Group Inc., United Airlines Holdings Inc. and Southwest Airlines Co. previously disclosed finding parts from AOG Technics Ltd. on aircraft engines. That London-based company is at the center of probes by regulators into spare engine parts it sold for a longstanding type of jet engine made by CFM International Inc., a joint venture of General Electric Co. and Safran SA. Delta would not say if the engines with the fraudulently documented parts had been on planes while they were in service. The problematic pieces, which were certified by AOG, were detected during engine work by an unnamed third party, the spokesman said. As many as 21 of Delta’s engines could have been affected, according to Bloomberg calculations based on data provided by the airline, which would represent the most among US carriers that have disclosed a number. As many as 96 total engines were impacted by parts supplied by AOG, GE has said. “Delta has been informed by one of our engine service providers that a small number of engines they overhauled for us contain certain parts that do not meet documentation requirements,” the company said in a statement. “Working with the overhaul provider, we are in the process of replacing those parts and remain in compliance with all FAA guidelines.” None of Delta’s aircraft are currently flying with unapproved parts, and the discovery hasn’t affected flight operations, the Delta spokesman said. Airlines, maintenance providers and regulators across the globe have been scouring records to hunt down AOG-supplied parts with forged airworthiness documents after European authorities in August determined the parts broker had supplied suspect components. Virgin Australia Airlines Pty also found engines with suspect parts. AOG last month was ordered by a London judge to hand over records to help identify additional suspect parts after GE and Safran filed a lawsuit seeking documents relating to “every single sale of products.” https://fortune.com/2023/10/03/delta-fourth-major-us-airline-fake-jet-aircraft-engine-parts-forged-airworthiness-documents-uk-company-aog/ Collings Foundation Reaches Settlement With Nine-0-Nine Crash Victims The Collings Foundation has settled legal claims involving eight of the 10 passengers who were aboard its B-17 Nine-0-Nine when it crashed at Hartford’s Bradley International Airport on Oct. 2, 2019. Two other passengers reached a deal in 2021. Terms of the settlement, which was mediated by a retired judge, will not be made public, but lawyers for both sides released a joint statement to NBC. “While it is our sincere hope that this resolution brings peace and closure to those affected, The Collings Foundation deeply regrets the injuries and losses suffered by the passengers and their families that day,” the statement read. The NTSB said in its final report the aircraft lost partial power in two engines on takeoff for a fundraising flight and the pilot headed back to the field. The board faulted the pilot for lowering the landing gear prematurely, causing drag that resulted in the plane losing altitude and clipping approach lights before hitting the ground before the runway and colliding with some unoccupied vehicles. It caught fire after coming to rest in a tank farm. The NTSB also rapped the foundation for lax maintenance practices and dysfunctional safety management system. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/collings-foundation-reaches-settlement-with-nine-0-nine-crash-victims/ Gun found at Pittsburgh International Airport checkpoint; third time in a week • The TSA says the firearm was detected at the security checkpoint on Friday. PITTSBURGH — Another gun was recently found at a security checkpoint at Pittsburgh International Airport. The Transportation Security Administration said officers found a loaded 9mm handgun on Friday. A Georgia man now faces fines for the incident. The firearm was the third gun found by the TSA at the airport last week, following incidents on Sept. 24 and Sept. 26. Guns are not permitted to be carried onto a flight. A firearm may only be transported as checked baggage if it's properly stored and packed according to TSA guidelines. "There is absolutely no excuse for bringing a gun to one of our checkpoints," Karen Keys-Turner, TSA's federal security director for the airport, said in a statement. "Travelers are responsible for the items that they have in their possession. Firearms should never be brought to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage. Responsible gun owners know this." https://www.wtae.com/article/pittsburgh-airport-security-checkpoint-gun-found/45413828 Weapons by the thousands: 5,072 firearms confiscated at U.S. airport checkpoints so far in 2023 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Transportation Security Administration is forecasting that last year's records are going to be broken by the end of 2023. The agency said it has intercepted 5,072 firearms at airport security checkpoints so far this year. At the current rate, the TSA said it will likely surpass last year's record of 6,542 firearms. In the third quarter of this year, which ended September 30, Transportation Security Officers have stopped $1,820 firearms at checkpoints. This equates to about 19.8 weapons per day, and 94 percent of which were loaded, the TSA said. "Firearms are prohibited at security checkpoints, in the secure area of an airport or in the passenger cabin of an aircraft even if a passenger has a concealed carry permit or is in a constitutional carry jurisdiction," said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. If a passenger brings a firearm to the TSA checkpoint, the attending security officers will contact local law enforcement to safely unload and take possession of the firearm. The passenger with the firearm may be cited or even arrested, depending on local law, and they may face a civil penalty up to $15,000. “Passengers may travel with a firearm, but it must be in their checked baggage,” said Pekoske. “Firearms are only permitted in checked baggage, unloaded in a locked hard-sided case and must be declared to the airline when checking the bag at the ticket counter." TSA recommends passengers pack an empty carry-on bag to ensure no firearms are unintentionally left in their travel bag. https://cnycentral.com/news/local/weapons-by-the-thousands-5072-firearms-confiscated-at-us-airport-checkpoints-so-far-in-2023 Can Aspirin Help Prevent Blood Clots on Long Flights? Doctors Weigh In. Sitting in a cramped airplane seat for a long time can lead to blood clots, also known as deep vein thrombosis. It’s been said aspirin can help prevent them—but is that true? To find out, we asked doctors. According to the CDC, more than 300 million people travel on long-distance flights of more than four hours each year. If you’ve ever flown a long-haul flight, you’ve probably heard about deep vein thrombosis (DVT)—blood clots, typically in the calves, that have been associated with flying. These clots can travel to the lungs and cause life-threatening blockages known as pulmonary embolisms. DVT is primarily a concern on long flights, defined as four hours or more. “Four hours is the criteria, but the more significant risk is at eight hours or longer,” says Dr. Lin Chen, director of the Travel Medicine Center at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and associate professor at Harvard Medical School. That’s all scary enough to make some travelers think about reaching for aspirin, which is known for its blood-thinning properties, before a flight. But does aspirin actually help? What causes deep vein thrombosis on flights? Flight-related DVT is believed to be caused primarily by lack of mobility—a concern considering how much legroom on planes has decreased over the years, especially in economy. “Our veins—they’re not like the arteries that have the heart pumping them,” says Dr. Danielle R. Bajakian, a vascular surgeon at the New York-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center and director of the Columbia Vein Program. “Veins have your calf muscles that are pumping the blood. So, without mobility, blood pools in your veins.” Bajakian, who notes that the chances of developing blood clots after a long flight are considered to be roughly one in 5,000, describes a theory about another possible contributor to DVT: “There’s a theory that with differential air pressure in the airplane [the difference between air pressure inside and outside the cabin], there’s decreased oxygenation of blood and that, in theory, can also increase the risk of blood clots.” But there has been debate about this idea. In addition, individual factors may increase the risk, including obesity, pregnancy, being over the age of 40, recent orthopedic surgery, use of birth control or hormone replacement therapy, active cancer, and a prior history of DVT. Can taking an aspirin before a long flight prevent blood clots? The verdict is still out. As stated on its website, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend taking aspirin prior to a long flight for the purpose of preventing blood clots. Both Bajakian and Chen say that’s because there isn’t enough data to suggest that aspirin makes a difference for fliers. “There are physicians who may potentially recommend it, and that data is not based on any notable studies,” Bajakian says. “The data comes from the orthopedic literature, where there’s a suggestion that in patients who have had hip surgery, DVT prevention is treated with aspirin. But there’s really no data to suggest that that is something that’s warranted to prevent blood clots in the veins while traveling.” Chen says that while she does not encourage travelers to take aspirin prior to long flights, she is not completely against it, so long as the patient doesn’t have any health issues (such as an allergy to aspirin or risk of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, for example) that would make aspirin use dangerous. “If a traveler asks, ‘Should I take aspirin before an upcoming long-haul flight?,’ I would tell them that the guidelines don’t show evidence that it prevents deep vein thrombosis, but if they have no contraindications, no issues with tolerance, if they want to do it, I don’t tell them absolutely not do it.” Depending on the person’s risk factors and health history, physicians may recommend a prescription anticoagulant, like injectable low weight molecular heparin or an oral alternative, prior to a long flight, but as with aspirin or any other medication, that’s a preventative measure that should only be pursued under the supervision of a doctor. How else can fliers prevent blood clots? The good news is that travelers can minimize their risk of DVT without medication. If you are physically able to, it’s a good idea to walk up and down the aisle; Bajakian recommends doing so once an hour, if possible. Doing calf exercises in your seat can also be beneficial, which is why Bajakian suggests storing items in the overhead bins and not under the seat in front of you so that you have as much legroom as possible. Staying hydrated, wearing compression socks, and avoiding sedatives that may keep you in your seat can also help. While these measures are typically offered to travelers with higher risk of DVT, “I really recommend them for anybody who’s going to be on a long plane flight,” says Bajakian. https://www.afar.com/magazine/can-aspirin-help-prevent-blood-clots-on-long-flights Operators Launch New Part 135 Charter Association Charter operators have formed the US Private Aviation Association (USPAA), an organization devoted to the Part 135 private air charter industry. “USPAA aims to elevate industry standards, foster cooperation, and drive progress as a dedicated voice for Part 135 private air charter operators,” said USPAA Chairman Dann Standard, of Augusta, Georgia-based Bravo Air. “It is our priority that we advocate for fair regulations and policies that promote safety, growth and innovation in our industry.” There are more than 1,800 private air charter companies across the U.S. that operate 11,000 aircraft, according to the association. The USPAA was created to provide a platform for operators to connect, share insights and engage in collaborative efforts to support and grow the air charter industry, it said in a launch announcement Sept. 28. “We formed USPAA because we recognized the urgent need for an organization dedicated to our unique challenges and opportunities as private charter air operators,” said Erik Neiderman, a founding board member with STA Jets, based at John Wayne Airport, Orange County, California. Among issues the industry faces is the pending FAA mandate that Part 135 charter operators and Part 91 air tour companies implement safety management systems, which have been required for commercial airlines since 2018. The association’s website (usprivateaviation.com) also highlights the issue of illegal charter operations and how to identify them. “We knew from day one that an organization like USPAA could bring operators together to meet common goals and address common issues,” said Chuck White, a founding board member with Hera Flight, of Clearwater, Florida. “We now have a dedicated voice that is focused exclusively on Part 135 operators. That is what we need for advocacy, collaboration and innovation in the private air charter industry.” Membership in the USPAA is open to all private air charter operators with a Part 135 certificate. Associate memberships are open to individuals, businesses and industries that work with private air charter operators. https://aviationweek.com/business-aviation/safety-ops-regulation/operators-launch-new-part-135-charter-association Aeromexico To Add 17 Transborder Routes To U.S. In 2024 Following Safety Upgrade Aeromexico plans to open 17 new transborder routes to the U.S. from seven Mexican airports in 2024—an expansion made possible by the U.S. FAA’s recent upgrade of Mexico to the agency’s highest safety rating. Mexico’s safety rating was downgraded by the FAA to Category 2 status in May 2021, preventing the country’s airlines from adding new routes or increasing frequencies to the U.S. However, Category 1 status was reinstated on Sept. 14. Aeromexico has not revealed specific start dates or frequencies for the new routes. The airline says in a statement it plans to “gradually introduce” the new services starting in January 2024. The flights will be mostly operated with Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, according to the SkyTeam member. The routes will be flown as part of the Aeromexico-Delta Air Lines transborder joint venture (JV), with Delta placing its code on the new services. From Mexico City Benito Juárez International Airport, Aeromexico plans to launch flights in 2024 to Boston, Detroit (DTW), Salt Lake City (SLC) and Washington Dulles. From Mexico City Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU), the airline next year will open service to Texas destinations Dallas/Fort Worth and McAllen. NLU, which opened in 2022, is Mexico City’s second airport. From Bajio, Mexico, the airline will start flights in 2024 to Atlanta (ATL) and DTW. From both Guadaljara and Queretaro, Aeromexico will also open service next year to ATL and DTW. From Merida, Mexico, the carrier will launch flights in 2024 to ATL. From Monterrey, Aeromexico will next year start service to ATL, Los Angeles, New York John F. Kennedy and SLC. “With the new routes and increased frequencies to current destinations, [Aeromexico] plans to operate nearly 60 daily frequencies to the [U.S.] by July 2024, representing a 35% increase in departures compared to 2023, with a presence in 36 U.S. markets,” the carrier says. “Delta is planning to operate 34 daily frequencies to Mexico in July 2024, serving seven different Mexican destinations. The Aeromexico-Delta [JV] will deliver over 30% more seats year-over-year [in July 2024], widening options for passengers to travel between the U.S. and Mexico.” In total, by mid-2024 the Aeromexico-Delta JV will offer more than 90 daily flights between Mexico and the U.S. on nearly 60 routes. “This reinforces the commitment of the cross-border alliance to bring the two countries closer together through a robust network and seamless connectivity,” Aeromexico says. Aeromexico’s transborder route expansion announcement follows confirmation from Viva Aerobus that it intends to open six new routes to the U.S. from Monterrey. https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airports-networks/aeromexico-add-17-transborder-routes-us-2024-following-safety Soaring to new heights: Why airlines are courting women pilots Just above the rolling vineyards of Northern California, Sarah Ward's dream was taking flight. "When it's calm and nice out, that's when you can't believe that this is what you get to do every day," she said, navigating a Cessna 172-S 3,000 feet above ground. After earning her private license in October 2022, these days she's one step closer to becoming a commercial pilot. It wasn't always the plan. In fact, you could say becoming a pilot wasn't even on her radar. "I didn't grow up in an aviation family. So, I was never exposed to it," she said. But then, she got a job as a flight attendant, and that was her ticket to whole new world. "It's like I got an all-access pass to what it is to be a pilot," Ward told KPIX. "And that was the first time where it entered my brain where it's like, 'Hmm. I can do this." When it comes to the aviation industry, women have remained largely grounded. But as airlines face unprecedented staffing shortages, there's been a push to recruit more female pilots. Sue Royce is a pilot and the chair of the local chapter of the 99s, an organization founded by aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. She said less than 6% of pilots these days are female. Her organization has been helping women break into the industry with mentoring and grants. "If a woman wants to fly, why shouldn't she be able to?" she said. The good news: Things seem to be moving in the right direction. Mike Smith, the owner of Mike Smith Aviation in Napa, said more and more female students are now taking lessons. And not only are they as good as men, in many cases, they're better. "Many men typically think they already know how to do it and they're not so open to learning as many of our female students are," he explained. For Ward it's about inspiring other women to follow her lead — that and sticking the landing. And now that she can do that, the sky is no longer the limit. "Now, it's a pinch me moment," she said after her wheels touched ground. "You feel good after a good landing." https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/soaring-to-new-heights-why-airlines-are-courting-women-pilots/ United Airlines closes in on large order for Airbus A321 narrowbody jets - Oct 3 (Reuters) - United Airlines (UAL.O) is set to announce an order for 60 Airbus (AIR.PA) A321 narrowbody jets on Tuesday, a person with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The order could also include Boeing (BA.N) jets, said the source, who was not authorized to speak publicly. Airbus and Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment. United declined to comment. Bloomberg was first to report the Airbus order but did not include aircraft numbers. Both Airbus and Boeing have laid out ambitious ramp-up goals as air travel and aircraft sales rebound, with Airbus producing in-demand single aisle planes even faster than the U.S. planemaker. Last year, United Airlines unveiled a huge order of 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 100 737 MAXs to grow post the pandemic and replace older, less-efficient aircraft. At that time, the order had sparked concerns about United Airlines' balance sheet. The company has said it expects to take delivery of about 700 jets by 2032, the cost of which may reach $50 billion, according to brokerage Jefferies. The rush to order jets comes amid a boom in travel demand and when airlines are facing increasing pressure to cut emissions. Some analysts have said new aircraft shortages due to a broken supply chain have spooked airlines into placing large orders for jets. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/united-airlines-closes-large-order-airbus-a321-narrowbody-jets-bloomberg-news-2023-10-03/ United Airlines Signs Deal For 1 Billion Gallons Of Novel SAF From Cemvita United Airlines has signed a 20-year deal with Cemvita, a Houston-based start-up that produces sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from recycled carbon dioxide. Under the agreement, Cemvita will supply the carrier with 50 million gallons per year over the period. Cemvita’s technology represents a potential solution to current SAF shortages as its production process uses microbes to synthetically recreate plant photosynthesis, converting carbon dioxide from other companies’ waste streams into non-fossil fuel, plastics, and chemicals. The company claims sourcing and using carbon dioxide in this way would not only produce more SAF with far less land, water, and electricity requirements than traditional SAF production methods, but would also be more reliable and efficient than relying on crops. Moji Karimi, co-founder of Cemvita along with his sister, Dr. Tara Karimi, said of the process: “If you think about it, in today’s refineries we’re using petroleum as a feeder stock and then we turn that into fuels and the process also creates emissions. In the biomanufacturing facilities of the future you could use carbon dioxide as a feeder stock and produce fuels that are low carbon, zero carbon or even carbon negative.” https://aviationweek.com/special-topics/sustainable-aviation-fuel/united-airlines-signs-deal-1-billion-gallons-novel-saf FAA Broadens 112-In. PW4000 Hub Inspection Requirements A new FAA mandate requires more frequent inspections of certain Pratt & Whitney PW4000-series low-pressure compressor (LPC) fan hubs and broadens the population of parts that need the checks. Set for publication Oct. 3 and based on manufacturer-recommended guidance, the mandates change the recurrent eddy current inspection (ECI) intervals on affected parts to 550 flight cycles (FC). A 2018 mandate still in place has the interval at 2,000 FC. The new requirements supersede the 2018 directive. The new inspection protocols cover any LPC fan hubs installed on 112-in fan variants: the PW4074, PW4074D, PW4077, PW4077D, PW4084D, PW4090, and PW4090-3 engines—all of which power Boeing 777s. Pratt’s previous guidance, mandated by FAA, targeted only two part numbers. The revised inspections also eliminate required fluorescent penetrant inspections. “The FAA determined that affected LPC fan hub assemblies can meet the published certificated life limit without the need for the required repetitive FPI inspections ... and the repetitive ECI inspections require shortened intervals,” the agency said. Pratt first alerted operators of its recommended changes in a January 2022 service bulletin. The manufacturer issued an updated bulletin this past August. Expansion of the affected disk population was based on information gleaned from the probe of a 2017 Air France A380 engine failure over Greenland. “Investigation of this uncontained failure revealed that, due to the similarity of design and material processing for the LPC fan hub assembly, the ECI inspections should be done on all LPC fan hub assembly part numbers installed,” the agency said. The French BEA-led probe into the accident concluded that a crack developed in a specific area called a macro zone introduced during the part’s forging. The crack formed 1,850 cycles into the part’s 15,000-cycle life and expanded over the next 1,650 due to dwell fatigue until it caused the part to fail. Dwell fatigue, which caused several premature fan disk failures in the early 1970s, is well understood as a product of a material’s response to constant stress. However, up until the Air France failure there was no evidence dwell fatigue presented hazards to parts made from titanium alloy Ti-6-4, the material in the GP7200 fan hub, because of the material’s properties, the BEA said. The probe led to a series of inspection protocols on the GP7200 and similar engines. https://aviationweek.com/mro/safety-ops-regulation/faa-broadens-112-pw4000-hub-inspection-requirements Curt Lewis