Flight Safety Information - October 17, 2023 No. 201 In This Issue : Incident: Emirates A388 near Dubai on Oct 16th 2023, engine trouble : Incident: American B38M at Miami on Oct 15th 2023, bird strike : Turbulence ahead? Aviation Weather Center has new updates for pilots, passengers : India Changes Rules To Make Commercial Pilot Licenses Valid For 10 Years : CAAN suspends AOC of Manang Air helicopter over flight safety concerns (Nepal) : EU to tighten rules for airline mergers : ANA's New Air Japan Subsidiary Is Hiring Pilots & Cabin Crew : Cirrus Aircraft Celebrates 500 Vision Jet Deliveries with Limited Edition Series Incident: Emirates A388 near Dubai on Oct 16th 2023, engine trouble An Emirates Airbus A380-800, registration A6-EVF performing flight EK-412 from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Sydney,NS (Australia), was climbing out of Dubai when passengers heard a number of compressor stalls shortly followed by the crew levelling off at FL250. After working the checklists the crew decided to return to Dubai, dumped fuel and landed safely back on Dubai's runway 30L about 2:20 hours after departure. A replacement Airbus A380-800 registration A6-EVP reached Sydney with a delay of about 12 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground about 24 hours after landing bac https://avherald.com/h?article=50fcd831&opt=0 Incident: American B38M at Miami on Oct 15th 2023, bird strike An American Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration N335RT performing flight AA-1400 from Miami,FL (USA) to Kingston (Jamaica) with 164 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing out of Miami's runway 27 when the aircraft was struck by a bird and received a cracked windshield. The aircraft stopped the climb at about 14,500 feet and returned to Miami for a safe landing on runway 27 about 40 minutes after departure. The FAA reported: "AIRCRAFT SRUCK A BIRD CRACKING THE WINDSHIELD, MIAMI, FL". A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration N998NN reached Kingston with a delay of about 3.5 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=50fce8e5&opt=0 Turbulence ahead? Aviation Weather Center has new updates for pilots, passengers Whether you’re a career pilot, love aviation as a hobby, or just want to be prepared as a passenger next time you board a flight, a recent update to the Aviation Weather Center webpage is designed to make looking up weather information a better experience. Within the past week, the website has been updated to improve the layout of the site and make it easier to use on mobile devices. One of the changes made to the website is on the main page, where you can see a map of current weather conditions and access an interactive map called the Graphical Forecasts for Aviation, or GFA. This map is full of information, including weather observations both from flights and observation stations on the ground. There are plenty of other useful layers than can be turned on and off for the map, including National Weather Service warnings, the locations of fronts and areas of high and low pressure, current radar imagery, and METAR information. If you just want METAR data for airports, there is a spot at the bottom of the page to type in the airport’s identifier. Image of the main page of the updated Aviation Weather Center website, with interactive maps and a place to get METAR information. Image of the main page of the updated Aviation Weather Center website, with interactive maps and a place to get METAR information. Besides the main GFA map, there are plenty of others to check out. Under the weather menu, you can also access a map that shows the current state of the ceiling, or how low the clouds are in the sky, as well as any visibility issues across the country with METAR style information. If you’re new to looking at aviation data, don’t worry, an icon at the bottom right will show you the map legend, and has a link to what all of the symbols and abbreviations mean. If you’re interested in the cloud types and coverage, there’s also a map for that in the menu. There are also maps for any precipitation occurring across the country, including rain, snow, mix, and ice. If you’re interested in thunderstorms, there’s a specific map for that as well, that shows the coverage of thunderstorms from scattered to widespread, as well as any severe thunderstorms occurring. An overlay of the Storm Prediction Center severe weather outlooks is also on the map, if there’s any severe weather risk. Besides precipitation, there are also maps dedicated to temperatures, wind speeds and direction, turbulence intensity, and icing probabilities. There’s also plenty more on the website besides interactive maps. There are several products available on the website in the product menu, including METAR and TAF data, forecast discussions, and more. In the tools section, information on the weather at different terminals for both normal and winter weather are available, as well as a portal that has forecasting tools to use. While the website is focused on people who are in the field of aviation, detailed information on what the symbols and terminology mean makes it accessible even if you don’t have much experience with reading these maps. I encourage you to at least give it a look, it’s good information to know and can be fun to learn. https://www.mlive.com/weather/2023/10/turbulence-ahead-aviation-weather-center-has-new-updates-for-pilots-passengers.html India Changes Rules To Make Commercial Pilot Licenses Valid For 10 Years India's aviation ministry has made several other changes to industry rules. SUMMARY • India's Civil Aviation Ministry has made amendments to several rules for ease of doing business in the aviation industry. • Commercial pilot licenses (CPL) in India will now be valid for 10 years, reducing the burden on both pilots and regulatory authorities. • Other changes include clarifications on lights around airports and the removal of the requirement to validate foreign licenses. India’s Civil Aviation Ministry has made amendments to several rules governing licenses and other regulatory requirements. With a rapidly expanding aviation industry, many are choosing to join various airlines in India as pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, and ground personnel, among other positions. Expecting the aviation workforce to increase severalfold over the coming years, authorities in India have now changed some rules to improve the ease of doing business in this sector. Commercial pilot licenses to remain valid for 10 years The Civil Aviation Ministry of India has amended the Aircraft Rules, 1937. Among the most significant changes is the validity duration of commercial pilot licenses (CPL) in India. Until now, CPL was valid for five years. But new rules dictate that it would be valid for 10 years. The ministry issued a statement that said, “This change is expected to reduce administrative burden on pilots and aviation authorities like DGCA, promoting a more streamlined and efficient licensing process.” This would, indeed, come as a relief to pilots who, until now, had to renew their licenses after every five years. This would also unburden the regulatory authorities who have to allocate time and resources to carry out all the inspections and documentation for such renewals. Other amendments Of course, rules related to other departments and even those pertaining to lights around the airports have been tweaked. For example, the term ‘light’ has been clarified to include lantern lights and laser lights extending up to five nautical miles from an airport. In case such lights remain unattended for a period of 24 hours, action can be taken to extinguish them. The requirement of validation of foreign licenses has also been removed to align “the regulations with the evolving needs of the aviation sector.” Rules related to ATC competency have also been relaxed a little. Air traffic controllers are now required to complete 10 hours of simulated exercises, including those related to various emergency procedures. An assessment of their ratings is also required within 10 days of the completion of these exercises. Popular career choice India attracts a large number of people looking to join the aviation sector. Last year, India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, issued a record-breaking 1,000+ CPLs in the country. Despite a high training cost, hundreds of new students start their flight training, hoping to bag a lucrative position at airlines. With more than 1,000 planes on order from various Indian carriers, thousands of pilots will be required to join the workforce over the next decade. Boeing actually believes that India will need more than 30,000 pilots over the next 20 years. Clearly, Indian authorities are anticipating a greater workload in the coming years, with the DGCA itself looking to hire hundreds of more employees over the next few years. Hopefully, the amendments made to some of the aviation rules will help all the stakeholders involved. https://simpleflying.com/embraer-cae-double-phenom-300-pilot-training-capacity/ CAAN suspends AOC of Manang Air helicopter over flight safety concerns (Nepal) KATHMANDU, Oct 14: In response to recurring accidents involving its helicopters, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has taken the decision to suspend the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Manang Air. This action follows two separate helicopter accidents involving Manang Air within a three-month period, prompting the regulatory authority to suspend the AOC granted to the company. The most recent incident occurred today, with a Manang Air helicopter bearing the call sign '9N-ANJ,' on its way to Lukla, crashing at 7:25 AM in the vicinity of Khumbupasanglhamu Rural Municipality-4, Lobuche. In the wake of this accident, CAAN made the decision to suspend Manang Air's AOC, underscoring the significance of adhering to strict safety protocols within the aviation industry. It is worth noting that an earlier accident involving a Manang Air helicopter took place on July 11. The helicopter with the callsign 'Nine N AMV' experienced an accident in Likhupike, Solukhumbu. https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/caan-suspends-aoc-of-manang-air-helicopter-over-flight-safety-concerns/ EU to tighten rules for airline mergers New antitrust commissioner will seek tougher concessions on airport take-off and landing slots Regulators in Brussels will seek tougher concessions from airlines looking to merge in order to ensure fair competition, the new EU antitrust commissioner Didier Reynders has said. Airlines typically offer to give up valuable airport take-off and landing slot concessions to rivals to clear the way for deals. But there is evidence that these concessions have not always worked for previous deals, with some slots not taken up or not used on the routes originally planned. Brussels will now ask airlines to ensure slots are allocated to rivals on routes with competition concerns. In some cases, airlines may also be asked to sell assets not core to their passenger business to gain clearance. In his first interview since becoming commissioner for competition, Reynders told the Financial Times: “We see some remedies are not efficient. In the past, the main request [to airlines] was to ask [to offer] slots to other companies.” But he said that if it were “impossible and not enough”, regulators needed to seek other concessions from airlines, such as forcing them to sell assets. “Some years ago, we were sure the slots solution was fine. Maybe the results are not there,” added Reynders, who is caretaker commissioner while Margrethe Vestager is on unpaid leave to run for president of the European Investment Bank. His comments coincide with a wave of consolidation in the European airline industry following the disruption of the pandemic. One antitrust lawyer said the Commission had changed the way it looked at airline mergers since the pandemic because of “scepticism” over the old system. The Commission could insist on the disposal of assets that would “directly support the entry and viability” of a competitor. The assets could range from planes to cargo businesses or contracts with airport ground handlers. Last week Air France-KLM joined the dealmaking flurry as it agreed to take a 20 per cent stake in Scandinavian airline SAS as part of a rescue deal involving private equity firm Castlelake and the Danish state. Germany’s Lufthansa in May agreed a €325mn deal to buy a 41 per cent stake in ITA Airways, the successor to bankrupt Alitalia, which people familiar with the matter expect to be probed by the Commission. In February, British Airways owner International Airlines Group, IAG, agreed to buy the 80 per cent of Spain’s Air Europa it does not already own for about €400mn. The EU is expected to announce a competition investigation into the IAG deal on the grounds it could reduce competition on Spanish domestic and international routes. The FT reported in April that the deal faces a lengthy probe and could even be blocked. The Commission is also investigating the impact of the proposed acquisition of Asiana by Korean Air on connectivity between the EU and South Korea. Regulators have tended to require airlines to divest valuable take-off and landing slots before approving deals, in effect shrinking their foothold at busy airports to encourage more competition and consumer choice. But such remedies are most effective only at the busiest airports. Barclays analysts noted that in the case of IAG’s bid for Air Europa “slot divestitures would not be effective” because Madrid Airport is not slot constrained. https://www.ft.com/content/b749e786-c2f2-4762-8c36-1745af5624f2 ANA's New Air Japan Subsidiary Is Hiring Pilots & Cabin Crew The recruitment drive is on for Japan's newest airline. SUMMARY • AirJapan, the new medium-haul subsidiary of All Nippon Airways, is actively recruiting pilots and cabin crew for its scheduled services starting next year. • The airline is seeking experienced captains and individuals for cabin crew and corporate functions. • AirJapan's inaugural flight is scheduled for February 9, 2024, operating from Tokyo Narita Airport to Bangkok using Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners. AirJapan, the new medium-haul subsidiary of All Nippon Airways, has started recruitment of pilots and cabin crew ahead of the start of international flights early next year. Pilots and cabin crew required Japanese startup carrier AirJapan has begun recruiting pilots and cabin crew in advance of the launch of scheduled services early next year. With applications being accepted from today, AirJapan's recruitment program is seeking applications from experienced ("mid-career") captains, as well as for cabin crew and other corporate functions within the airline. According to the carrier, applicants for flying roles should possess a global outlook, specialized skills, and a strong desire to undertake the responsibility of operating flights on behalf of the company. The carrier's inaugural flight is scheduled to operate from Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) on February 9, 2024. The airline is due to commence operations with a fleet of Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners. Pilot requirements Those being accepted as flight crew for AirJapan will be taken on as pilots until the age of 60, whereby they will transition to become contract pilots until the age of 65. Applicants must hold Japanese residency status and have the right to live and work in Japan. Additionally, alongside the requisite current flying licenses, applicants should have three or more years of experience flying jet aircraft in Japan, with 2,500 flying hours in command of commercial aircraft (with 1,000 hours in command of jet aircraft). AirJapan Boeing 787 Photo: AirJapan Given the strict selection criteria for the piloting roles, it would be fair to assume that AirJapan is seeking to attract applications from competitors in the Japanese market, with pilots potentially coming from Japan Airlines and its subsidiaries. Applications for flight crews are being accepted from today (October 16) until November 15, 2023. Further details can be found on the airline's website at www.air-japan.co.jp/en/ More about AirJapan According to All Nippon Holdings, the new airline's parent company, the startup is an "entirely new brand for medium-haul international routes." Starting in February 2024, AirJapan's new service from Narita to Bangkok will carry flight numbers NQ001 and NQ002. The carrier will deploy Boeing 787-8 Deamliners with 324 economy class seats made of premium Japanese faux leather. Rather than aiming for the ultra-low-cost market, AirJapan passengers will enjoy a seat pitch of 32 inches. The seats will also have smartphones and tablet holders and will offer both Type-A and Type-C charging ports. AirJapan will offer a pre-purchase menu with 13 types of meals available and an in-flight purchase menu. Other services onboard will include WiFi, which will be free of charge. Additional amenities, such as blankets, will be available for purchase onboard. Outbound flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, departing from Narita at 17:55 and reaching Bangkok at 23:15 local time. The return service will depart from Bangkok at 00:15 the following day, landing in Japan at 08:10 local time. The distance between these two cities is 2,889 miles (4,622km). AirJapan aims to cater to the diverse needs of leisure and business travelers by offering a wide range of services and fare options. It will offer three fare types for purchase - simple, standard, and selected. By setting up AirJapan, ANA Holdings aim is to support the Japanese government's target of attracting 60 million foreign visitors to Japan by 2030. https://simpleflying.com/air-japan-hiring-pilots-cabin-crew/ Cirrus Aircraft Celebrates 500 Vision Jet Deliveries with Limited Edition Series DULUTH, Minn. and KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cirrus Aircraft today revealed the Special Edition Vision Jet (SF50) to commemorate 500 deliveries of the world's first single-engine personal jet. The Vision Jet has been the best-selling jet for five years and has become a proven asset for business and personal travel, widely utilized by Part 91 and 135 operators. With inflight Wi-Fi and the Cirrus IQ™ mobile app, the G2+ Vision Jet is now more connected than ever enabling streamlined business travel. "With the delivery of the 500th Vision Jet, Cirrus Aircraft celebrates the marketplace success of a category-defining aircraft," said Zean Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer of Cirrus Aircraft. "The Vision Jet is the only jet that features advanced innovations like the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System® (CAPS®), Safe Return Autoland, Wi-Fi, Cirrus IQ and Auto Radar along with a suite of other safety, comfort and convenience features. Cirrus Aircraft makes aviation more accessible with the G2+ Vision Jet's best-in-class performance and low operating cost." The 500th Vision Jet delivery is confirmation of the SF50's breakthrough success supported by its expanding ecosystem of concierge solutions which make ownership straightforward and offer inflight connectivity, aircraft management, progressive maintenance and a global support network. Efficient and Sustainable Platform for Business Aviation Operators The Vision Jet has the capabilities and comforts that can achieve many of the missions that larger corporate jets do at significantly smaller operating costs making it the ideal supplement to every corporate fleet. The Vision Jet adds flexibility for short regional and longer cross-country missions with lower fuel burn due to its innovative single-engine and V-tail design. All Vision Jets can be powered by SAF fuel as well. According to Conklin & De Decker, the Vision Jet has the lowest CO2 emissions rate compared to all general and business aviation jets. Concierge Owner and Operator Support Cirrus Aircraft offers an entire ecosystem of owner support services for Vision Jet owners throughout their lifetime of aircraft ownership. For example, JetStream™ simplifies ownership by setting a predictable cost of ownership and is inclusive of a range of services from recurrent training to subscriptions (Jeppesen Charts, Sirius XM Weather, Garmin Connext) to maintenance coverage. Cirrus Aircraft offers progressive inspections for aircraft operating over 400 hours per year which help reduce the operating cost per hour and minimize downtime compared to routine FAA 100-hour requirements. 500th Limited Edition Design Five Limited Edition Vision Jet liveries were created by Cirrus Aircraft's Xi Design team to celebrate this industry milestone which were all inspired by the jet's unique design and bold colorways. Owners chose from five exterior color options to complement the Obsidian Black and Vision Blue paint. Energetic graphic lines accentuate the movement and motion of the design on the exterior. All commemorative aircraft are embellished with 500th Limited Edition branding throughout. The interior features blues, grays and carbon fiber. The crew seats are heathered gray Alcantara capped by a leather shoulder and headrest featuring an embroidered 500th edition emblem. The center of the seat is a cascade of diamond-patterned leather with stylistic perforations. Legacy of Innovation After the initial release of the Vision Jet in 2016, the first major evolution of the SF50 was the introduction of the Generation 2 (G2) Vision Jet in 2019. The G2 Vision Jet included RVSM Certification enabling the aircraft to attain a maximum altitude of 31,000 feet (FL310). This increase in altitude brought with it more speed and better efficiency. The G2 also acquired an Auto Throttle and engineering improvements providing 200 lbs. of additional payload. In 2020, Safe Return Autoland was introduced. Based on the Garmin Auto Land system, the Vision Jet was the first jet aircraft to receive and certify this safety feature. In 2021, the G2+ Vision Jet was introduced with up to a 25% increase in takeoff performance and Wi-Fi. The G2+ Vision Jet enables convenient regional travel by unlocking 40% more airports than previous generations when fully loaded on a hot day. In 2023, Cirrus Aircraft introduced Cirrus IQ and Garmin's Auto Radar to the Vision Jet, providing pilots with increased situational awareness and connectivity during all stages of pre-flight and inflight activities. Cirrus Aircraft has a long legacy of innovating and is the two-time partnering recipient of the prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy for the inclusion of the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System and Autoland on the Vision Jet. The addition of Safe Return Autoland added a secondary safety system that, with the touch of a button, safely lands the Vision Jet at the nearest suitable airport avoiding weather, traffic and terrain while autonomously communicating with Air Traffic Control and putting emergency responders in motion. About Cirrus Aircraft Cirrus Aircraft is the recognized global leader in personal aviation and the maker of the best-selling SR Series piston aircraft and the Vision Jet®, the world's first single-engine Personal Jet™, and the recipient of the Robert J. Collier Trophy. Founded in 1984, the company has redefined aviation performance, comfort and safety with innovations like the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System® (CAPS®) – the first FAA-certified whole-airframe parachute safety system included as standard equipment on an aircraft. To date, worldwide flight time on Cirrus aircraft has passed 15 million hours, and 250 people have returned home safely to their families as a result of the inclusion of CAPS as a standard feature on all Cirrus aircraft. The company has seven locations in the United States, including Duluth, Minnesota; Grand Forks, North Dakota; Greater Dallas, Texas; Greater Phoenix, Arizona; Greater Orlando, Florida; Knoxville, Tennessee and Benton Harbor, Michigan. Learn more at cirrusaircraft.com. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cirrus-aircraft-celebrates-500-vision-jet-deliveries-with-limited-edition-series-301958058.html Curt Lewis