Flight Safety Information - October 23, 2023 No. 205 In This Issue : Incident: Arabia Maroc A320 at Tangier on Oct 22nd 2023, runway excursion on landing : Incident: Alaska B738 at Portland on Oct 16th 2023, mistaken instruction leads to loss of separation : Incident: American B738 at Washington on Oct 20th 2023, unreliable airspeed : SFO ATC Loses Patience With Sloppy Qatar Airways Pilot : JetBlue plane tipped backwards as passengers get off at JFK Airport : Air Rage Is Getting Worse, And Airlines Can’t Fix It : Pakistan International Airlines runs out of fuel, 77 flights cancelled : European Commission assesses level of aviation safety in Kazakhstan : Aviation Authority: These are the airlines currently flying out of Tel Aviv : Regulator still awaiting aircraft details of new Mexicana operation : S7 talks reignite insurer hopes of fresh settlements over seized aircraft : Nepal Airlines issues RFP for three STOL aircraft : Private Aviation Has a Pilot Shortage. Here’s Why. : American Airlines buys 10 A321neo from Alaska Airlines : CALENDAR OF EVENTS Incident: Arabia Maroc A320 at Tangier on Oct 22nd 2023, runway excursion on landing An Air Arabia Maroc Airbus A320-200, registration CN-NMI performing flight 3O-378 from Barcelona,SP (Spain) to Tangier (Morocco), landed on Tangier's runway 10 at 16:44L (15:44Z) but went off the runway. There were no injuries, however, the aircraft sustained damage to its right hand engine (CFM56). The airline reported the aircraft experienced a hard landing in unstable weather conditions during its landing at Tangier Airport. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=5101de4c&opt=0 Incident: Alaska B738 at Portland on Oct 16th 2023, mistaken instruction leads to loss of separation An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N508AS performing flight AS-1299 from Santa Ana,CA to Portland,OR (USA), was on final approach to Portland's runway 28L when the crew performed a go around from low height about 100 feet AGL due to weather conditions. Tower instructed the Boeing to maintain runway heading and climbed to 3000 feet, which was read back. At that time a Skywest Airlines Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of Delta Airlines, registration N304SY performing flight DL-3978 from Portland,OR to Seattle,WA (USA), was accelerating for takeoff from Portland's runway 28R. After the Embraer became airborne, the controller transmitted the instruction "Skywest 3978, when able start your right turn 340", however, the Boeing read the instruction back (Alaska 1299) and began to turn to the right. Tower upon recognizing the wrong aircraft began to turn right immediately instructed "AS-1299, fly runway heading" followed shortly by "Alaska 1298, fly heading 270" twice, however, without response, the Boeing began to turn left. Tower transmitted traffic information about the Embraer, the Boeing crew acknowledged, now tower again instructed "fly runway heading, maintain 3000 feet" which the crew read back and turned the aircraft back onto the extended runway center line. The Boeing subsequently diverted to Redmond,OR (USA) for a safe landing, the Embraer continued to Seattle for a safe landing. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=5101e4b4&opt=0 Incident: American B738 at Washington on Oct 20th 2023, unreliable airspeed An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N840NN performing flight AA-575 from Washington National,DC to Miami,FL (USA) with 179 people on board, was climbing out of National's runway 19 when the crew stopped the climb at about 11,000 feet reporting unreliable airspeed. The crew decided to divert to Washington's Dulles Airport, while diverting and the crew working the checklists the ADS-B data became unreliable showing the aircraft at 40,000 feet and then at 0 feet until landing. The aircraft landed on Dulles's runway 19L about 50 minutes after departure, at the time of touchdown the ADS-B again showed 43,800 feet. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration N850NN reached Miami with a delay of about 10 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground at Washington Dulles about 38 hours after landing. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=51015b3d&opt=0 SFO ATC Loses Patience With Sloppy Qatar Airways Pilot As an aviation geek, I love listening to air traffic control audio, and always enjoy the VASAviation YouTube channel, which does a great job covering interesting air traffic control interactions. The latest video from the channel involves an air traffic controller and a Qatar Airways pilot… In this post: Qatar Airways pilot struggles to keep up with SFO ATC The differing perspectives on this interaction Bottom line Qatar Airways pilot struggles to keep up with SFO ATC VASAviation has the air traffic control audio plus a visual of a recent interaction between an air traffic controller and a Qatar Airways pilot in the cockpit of an Airbus A350-1000 flying from San Francisco (SFO) to Doha (DOH). As you’d expect, it’s very important for pilots to accurately read back the instructions they’re given by air traffic controllers. That’s especially true on the ground, which is where the most things can go wrong, and it’s also where we’ve recently seen the most close calls. There’s simply no margin for getting things wrong, While air traffic controllers sometimes talk fast and have a lot of instructions, this is something that pilots are supposed to be prepared for. After all, they’re expected to study airport charts prior to their flight, to be sure they’re familiar with the standard operating procedures at an airport. In this case, a Qatar Airways jet was taxiing out to runway 28R at SFO for departure, but communication became a bit of an issue, to put it mildly. What makes this so bad isn’t any individual mistake, but rather how many consecutive errors there are: The Qatar Airways pilots are supposed to be on the San Francisco tower frequency (since the plane is crossing active runways) but aren’t, and it takes quite some time for them to correct that At this point the controller is already a little impatient, saying “third time we’re trying to call you, you gotta be on frequency if we’re gonna move you” Then the Qatar Airways pilots are given taxi instructions for getting to the departure runway, which the pilot reads back incorrectly multiple times — first he forgets about crossing runway 1L, then he forgets about holding short of runway 28L At this point the controller says “that’s like three readback errors in a row, you need to listen more carefully” The controller then tells the pilots of an American Airlines flight that they should contact NorCal departures (which you do after takeoff), yet the Qatar Airways pilot reads that back, saying he’ll contact NorCal departures At this point the controller says “no, why would you contact NorCal? I’m still working you. I have multiple airplanes on frequency. Listen for the callsign!” I can see how all of these mistakes can happen individually. However, what’s most shocking and concerning is how the pilot reads back to contact NorCal departures before even being takeoff clearance. I mean, that’s something even a brand new private pilot would know not to do. It shows the pilot really wasn’t thinking, and that’s giving him the benefit of the doubt. The differing perspectives on this interaction It’s always interesting to see the different perceptions people have on these situations. VASAviation gets a good mix of pilots and general enthusiasts commenting on these situations. There are a couple of things most people can agree on: Pilots at Qatar Airways (and other Gulf carriers) deal with an incredible amount of fatigue, and San Francisco is one of the carrier’s longest routes, so one has to wonder if exhaustion factored into this on some level It sounds like English isn’t this guy’s first language, but that’s not an excuse to get details wrong; if you say 28L vs. 28R, for example, that can’t be blamed on a language barrier Looking at the comments, you have one person who claims to be one of the pilots in the aircraft immediately behind the Qatar Airways jet, and he says the following: I was there holding short #2 of 01R heading to Boston and the captain and I nearly died of laughing, especially the contact NorCal departure…that was painful to hear. Gosh I was wondering the entire time, the captain seemed to never cue up and made me wonder was it the entire crew’s first time in SFO or what. Meanwhile someone who claims to be one of the pilots in the aircraft immediately behind the above aircraft had a similar reaction: I was the Skywest right behind you and we were also dying! Both our jaws were on the floor. Others give the pilot the benefit of the doubt, assuming he was probably a very junior first officer who was stressed out, and having a controller talk fast in a foreign language didn’t make the situation easier: All the controller had to do is wait and not ride this poor guy a**. You’re 25, a newly minted F/O with 250 hours, seating in the right seat doing comms while the captain has the tiller. It’s your first time in SFO. The controller is talking really fast, almost yelling at you in a foreign language, you have the wrong mental image of the runways (expecting reference to the 19s instead of the 01s), and now the captain is grumpy because you missed a couple of calls. Holy cow, guys… show some restraint! Everyone can have a first or a bad day. If that’s the case, my one question is why the captain didn’t briefly take over communications when it was clear there was such a struggle? Keep in mind that flights of this length have four pilots… Bottom line An interaction between SFO ATC and a Qatar Airways A350 pilot is getting a bit of attention, after the pilot made repeated mistakes. Errors happen, but perhaps most bizarre of all is that he incorrectly stated to contact NorCal departures, which isn’t a mistake any pilot should make when they haven’t even been given takeoff clearance. https://onemileatatime.com/news/sfo-atc-loses-patience-qatar-airways-pilot/ JetBlue plane tipped backwards as passengers get off at JFK Airport Passengers had a scary experience at JFK after the nose of a plane lifted toward the sky shortly after landing. QUEENS (WABC) -- Passengers at JFK Airport had a scary experience Sunday night as the nose of a plane lifted upward toward the sky. The plane had just landed from Bridgetown, Barbados. Citizen app video shows the front of the plane lifted up, while the tail stayed on the ground. JetBlue says the plane tipped backwards because of a shift in weight and balance as people were getting off their flight. No injuries were reported. Officials say the plane was taken out of service to be inspected. https://abc7ny.com/jetblue-plane-tipped-jfk-airport-scary/13957025/ Air Rage Is Getting Worse, And Airlines Can’t Fix It The airline industry faces a crisis from its own customers, trying to balance the service promise made in countless commercials with the serious responsibility of keeping passengers and crew safe onboard. The aircraft cabin can be a stressful, vulnerable space. The role of airline crew is to ensure cabin safety, but they are often caught up between marketing and reality. Passengers often view the role of flight attendants as advertised: the friendly service providers onboard who are there to keep passengers comfortable. While that is part of their role, it’s not the main reason they are on the plane. They are onboard to handle fires, medical or security situations, and, critically, to save lives during an aircraft emergency. The rise of passengers acting out on planes puts that vital role in peril. The Unruly Passenger Crisis Thom McDaniel, Vice President of Transport Workers Union International and a flight attendant with Southwest AirlinesLUV -0.7%, said, “Pre-pandemic, we would have assaults happening on airline workers at about 300 a year, and those increased by about 3,000% in 2020, and they’re continuing to go on.” Analysis by the International Air Transport Association shows that unruly passenger incidents increased in 2022. Unruly passenger incidents on flights from one per 835 flights in 2021 to one per 568 flights in 2022. Unruly behavior, including a failure to comply with crew member instructions, verbal abuse, and intoxication, were the most common categories of incidents in 2022. While rare, physical abuse of crew has increased by 61% globally since 2021, occurring once every 17,200 flights. So far this year, the Federal Aviation Administration has recorded 1,670 reports of unruly passengers. While this is far below the 2021 spike of 5,793 reports, it is still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. The FAA recorded 1,161 unruly passenger incidents in 2019, 889 in 2018, and 544 in 2017. Overall, the trend is on the rise. “The increasing trend of unruly passenger incidents is worrying,” said Conrad Clifford, IATA’s Deputy Director General. “Passengers and crew are entitled to a safe and hassle-free experience on board. For that, passengers must comply with crew instructions. While our professional crews are well-trained to manage unruly passenger scenarios, it is unacceptable that rules in place for everyone’s safety are disobeyed by a small but persistent minority of passengers. There is no excuse for not following the instructions of the crew.” But while there may be no excuse, there are also too few consequences. On international flights, there is a lack of clarity on who has the jurisdiction to penalize the offending passenger: the airline’s country of operation, the country of departure or destination, or the passenger's country of citizenship. A survey from IATA member airline legal departments in 2020 found that in 60% of incidents, jurisdictional issues were cited as the reason that prosecutions did not proceed. And prosecutions are sometimes no more effective on domestic flights than international flights. Addressing the issues of international flights, IATA has called for stronger regulation. They suggest governments have the legal authority to prosecute unruly passengers, regardless of their state of origin, and to enforce measures that reflect the severity of the incident. The U.S. Department of Transportation has well-established rules that should protect crew. Assault of cabin crew falls under 49 U.S. Code § 46504 interference with flight crew members and attendants. “An individual on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States who, by assaulting or intimidating a flight crew member or flight attendant of the aircraft, interferes with the performance of the duties of the member or attendant or lessens the ability of the member or attendant to perform those duties, or attempts or conspires to do such an act, shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both. However, if a dangerous weapon is used in assaulting or intimidating the member or attendant, the individual shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life.” Since late 2021, the FAA has adopted a no-tolerance policy and referred more than 270 of the most severe cases to the FBI under a partnership to ensure unruly airline passengers face criminal prosecution. “Unruly behavior poses serious safety concerns for passengers and crew alike, which is why we are addressing this issue aggressively,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “If you act out on an airplane, you can face criminal prosecution and fines up to $37,000 per violation.” The Montreal Protocol 2014 The United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization Montreal Protocol 2014 addresses this issue by giving mandatory jurisdiction to the State of the intended landing. In this way, it gives States powers to deal with unruly passengers that land in their territory, no matter where the aircraft is registered. MP14 became effective January 1, 2020, and 43 States have ratified it, but not all. Some States may have concerns over preserving their citizens’ constitutional protections. The US, for example, has yet to sign the Protocol. According to IATA, the states that signed on to MP14 account for around a third of international passenger traffic. But the unruly passenger crisis is pervasive and global. IATA urges all states to ratify the agreement as soon as possible. Airline Industry Action The airline industry has also introduced programs and guidance to prevent and de-escalate incidents. Airlines have collaborated with airports, bars, restaurants, and duty-free shops and led awareness campaigns on the consequences of unruly behavior. “In the face of rising unruly incident numbers, governments and the industry are taking more serious measures to prevent unruly passenger incidents. States are ratifying MP14 and reviewing enforcement measures, sending a clear message of deterrence by showing that they are ready to prosecute unruly behavior. For the industry’s part, there is greater collaboration. For example, as the vast majority of intoxication incidents occur from alcohol consumed prior to the flight, the support of airport bars and restaurants to ensure the responsible consumption of alcohol is particularly important,” said IATA’s Clifford. “No one wants to stop people having a good time when they go on holiday—but we all have a responsibility to behave with respect for other passengers and the crew. For the sake of the majority, we make no apology for seeking to crack down on the bad behavior of a tiny number of travelers who can make a flight very uncomfortable for everyone else,” he concluded. Airline Workers Unite Against Passenger Assaults The Transport Workers Union (TWU) gathered at Newark Liberty International Airport this summer to raise awareness about the ‘Assault Won’t Fly’ campaign. It targets the increasing incidents of unruly passengers assaulting airline staff. As American Airlines flight attendants voted to strike over Labor Day, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) cited “additional work duties, difficult scheduling, and passenger aggression” in their list of complaints. The airline industry faces a staffing shortage. BoeingBA -1.5% predicts the aviation industry will need 938,000 new cabin crew members over the next twenty years, 177,000 in North America alone. This requires airlines to become more attractive employers and safe workplaces. It will be easier for the industry to meet those numbers by getting governments to help resolve the unruly passenger crisis. Regulators mark the divide between cabin crew members' service and safety roles. The regulation of cabin crew numbers relative to passengers on an aircraft is there to ensure safety and security, not beverages and snacks. Airlines are working to support crew’s critical safety function without diluting the brand value of their service role. The industry hopes the rising wave of unruly passenger incidents may recede if governments enact stricter regulations. Protection From Abusive Passengers Act The ‘Protection from Abusive Passengers Act‘ has earned the support of cabin crew and their unions. This bipartisan proposal would bar violent passengers from flying if convicted of assaulting aviation workers. These passengers would also be excluded from the TSA PreCheck and Customs’ Global Entry programs. U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer from New Jersey, who supports the rule, stated, “We need to put an end to assaults against our airline workers and ensure these criminals are brought to justice and held accountable. If you put your hands on an airline worker, you should never be allowed to fly again, period.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisagarcia/2023/10/20/air-rage-is-getting-worse-and-airlines-cant-fix-it/?sh=54c199bd6404 Pakistan International Airlines runs out of fuel, 77 flights cancelled 77 PIA flights, mostly international, were abruptly cancelled on Sunday following a fuel supply suspension by Pakistan State Oil Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the airline found itself in a state of crisis on Sunday, with its operations coming to a standstill due to a shortage of fuel. This is one of the most severe challenges faced by the airline in recent years, as 77 flights were abruptly cancelled on Sunday following a fuel supply suspension by Pakistan State Oil (PSO). The ongoing financial troubles of PIA, which has reportedly incurred losses amounting to PKR 750 billion, have not been a stranger to recurrent crises. However, the present situation appears to be the direst in recent memory, with PSO citing mounting unpaid dues as the reason for the suspension of fuel supply to PIA’s aircraft. Initially, the national carrier had scheduled 81 flights for take-off on Sunday, including 52 international and 29 domestic routes. Unfortunately, all but four international flights were cancelled, leaving numerous passengers stranded. Pakistan's top court rejects military trials for civilians involved in May 9 riots The airline has confirmed that both domestic and international flights were affected by the suspension of fuel supply from PSO. However, in a late-night development, the airline managed to partially restore flight operations, with flights to Jeddah departing from various cities. PIA’s top management has been actively working to re-establish communication with PSO and resolve the fuel supply issue. Late on Sunday night, PIA announced that 61 flights were scheduled for Monday, with 42 of them set to operate on international routes and 19 on domestic routes. The airline expressed optimism that the scheduled evening flights on Monday would proceed as planned once a credit line was made available to cover fuel expenses. This crisis unfolds at a time when the interim government is seeking to expedite the process of relieving the burden of the beleaguered entity. Last month, the Privatisation Commission outlined a clear timeline for the privatisation of PIA, highlighting the government’s intention to divest the loss-making state institution as soon as possible. The widespread cancellation of flights has left thousands of passengers distressed, and PIA employees, witnessing the airline’s continuous decline, have expressed that the situation has never been this dire. Travellers were left uncertain about their departures, with some returning home while others chose to remain at the airport in the hopes of reaching their destinations. The airline has been working to accommodate passengers on alternative flights and has issued apologies for the inconvenience caused by the flight cancellations. ‘Conspiracy’ against PIA Safdar Anjum, the General Secretary of PIA’s Senior Staff Association, has alleged that the airline is being intentionally destroyed as part of a “planned conspiracy.” Anjum pointed fingers at the airline’s management, labelling them as “incompetent” and demanding their removal. He claimed that the executive team was brought in to dismantle the airline, alluding to a hidden agenda to facilitate its privatisation. An aviation expert, however, emphasised that PIA’s woes were primarily due to poor management practices that emerged when individuals were hired on deputation by the airline. The crisis continues to unfold, and PIA remains at a critical juncture, with its future hanging in the balance. https://www.firstpost.com/world/pakistan-international-airlines-runs-out-of-fuel-77-flights-cancelled-13285952.html European Commission assesses level of aviation safety in Kazakhstan A meeting was held between Hors Classe Adviser at the Directorate-General for International Partnerships of the European Commission Henrik Hololei and Director General of the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan Catalin Radu, and employees of the organization. The delegation of the European Commission got acquainted with the activities and development prospects of the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan. The Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan informed the Commission about its work and progress of implementation of tasks to ensure flight safety. The parties discussed a wide range of issues, including ensuring flight safety, aviation security and further cooperation. Henrik Hololei positively assessed the implemented approaches to managing the civil aviation industry in Kazakhstan and increasing the level of compliance with international flight safety standards, especially over the past year and a half. He also noted the importance of aviation for the socio-economic development of the country and the prospects of aviation in Middle Corridor. It was previously reported that flight safety in Kazakhstan increased to 82% following an audit by the International Civil Aviation Organization. https://akipress.com/news:738642:European_Commission_assesses_level_of_aviation_safety_in_Kazakhstan/ Aviation Authority: These are the airlines currently flying out of Tel Aviv Civil Aviation Authority publishes list of airlines flying in and out of Israel despite war with Hamas. Israel's Civil Aviation Authority published a list detailing which airlines have canceled their flights from Ben Gurion, including Delta, United, American Airlines, Air Canada, Air India, Lufthansa, LOT, Swiss Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, Air France, British Airways, and others. Among the airlines which continue flying to and from Tel Aviv are El Al, Israir, Arkia, Flydubai, Etihad, TUS, Blue Bird, and others. Israir flights operate from Athens, Larnaca, Dubai, Rome, Budapest, Prague, Tbilisi, Batumi, Varna, Frankfurt, Paris, Baku, and Istanbul. Israir is also operating a daily flight from the Ramon airport to Athens, Vienna, Oslo, Paris, and London. Arkia is operating flights to Athens, Larnaca, Amsterdam, Dubai, Tbilisi, Budapest, Warsaw, and Sofia. Blue Bird Airways flights to and from Israel operate at Athens, Larnaca, and Crete. TUS flights to and from Israel operate from Athens and Larnaca. Flydubai operates flights to Dubai twice daily, as well as from Dubai to Israel. Etihad operates flights to and from Israel out of Abu Dhabi. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/378997 Regulator still awaiting aircraft details of new Mexicana operation Mexico’s aviation regulator is still awaiting details of aircraft for the planned new state-run airline which will operate under the former Mexicana brand. Earlier this year the Mexican government disclosed plans for a new carrier overseen by the country’s defence ministry that will use the Mexicana brand, more than a decade after the original operator collapsed. The new operation, which is set to operate a fleet of 10 Boeing 737s, has been slated to to begin operations from the start of December. The livery of the Mexicana operation was disclosed in August this year Asked about the certification of the new carrier during a press conference on 22 October in Cancun ahead of the opening of this year’s ALTA AGM & Airline Leaders Forum, general director of Mexico’s civil aviation regulator (AFAC), Miguel Vallin, said that it is so far still to receive details of aircraft registered for the carrier. “So far it’s registration has not be been presented. We just require this information so we can do the proper [certification] process,” he says, adding that the new airline cannot begin to sell tickets until this process is completed. The airline has outlined a proposed route network of 20 domestic destinations it plans to serve out of Mexico City’s secondary Felipe Angeles international airport, though no schedule has yet been disclosed. Vallin reiterates the aim of the carrier is to reduce the costs of air travel in the country and to boost connectivity to key cities, particularly cities in the north, “so we can guarantee more connectivity and better prices”, he says. ”The intention is the airline will begin at the start of the December. We are working on it, this is why we bought the Mexicana brand,” he says. ”But the issue of aircraft and registration – this is an issue for the airline.” https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/regulator-still-awaiting-aircraft-details-of-new-mexicana-operation/155477.article S7 talks reignite insurer hopes of fresh settlements over seized aircraft Russia’s S7 Airlines is nearing a deal with aviation lessors to settle disputes over jets detained in the country following the invasion of Ukraine, in a move which could further reduce the (re)insurance industry’s overall loss. Russia’s largest private airline in settlement talks with lessors Follows Aeroflot settlements with lessors AerCap, SMBC and CDB $10bn+ of disputed claims currently; majority in London Aviation market sources said S7, Russia’s largest private airline and the second-largest overall, has approached a number of international lessors to reach a sanctions-compliant deal which could see the airline’s domestic insurers – thought to include Ingosstrakh and NSK – pay out for stranded aircraft. The talks have been described as being at an “advanced stage”. Lessors involved are understood to include Ireland-based AerCap and SMBC Aviation Capital – both of which have recently penned multi-million dollar settlements with Russian flag carrier Aeroflot and its subsidiaries over seized aviation assets. Publicly available data reveals that S7 had more than 40 aircraft leased from AerCap worth in excess of $740mn at the time of the invasion in February 2022. Talks between S7 and its lessors are noteworthy as a number of legal claims filed by lessors against aviation (re)insurers in both London and Dublin concern aircraft on lease to JSC Siberia Airlines, the legal holding company behind S7. These include separate High Court claims brought by Carlyle Aviation Management and Falcon 2018, an entity managed by Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, against insurers including AIG, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, Axa XL, Lloyd’s Insurance Company and Munich Re-backed MGA Global Aerospace. It comes shortly after The Insurer reported that a number of lessors – including US-headquartered Air Lease Corporation – had notified their international (re)insurers that they were pursuing settlement talks with Russian airlines. However, discussions are at an early stage and significant uncertainty remains, with issues over sanctions and aircraft value still requiring clarity, sources said. Last month, AerCap agreed to settle an insurance claim over 17 jets and five engines leased to Aeroflot and its subsidiary Rossiya, part of a wider dispute involving more than 400 Western-owned planes. The $645mn commercial settlement – which was approved by US and Russian authorities – is expected to be a model and framework that AerCap will try to replicate with other Russian airlines and operators. It noted that settlement discussions were ongoing with respect to claims under the insurance policies of several other Russian airlines, but stressed that it remained uncertain as to whether these discussions would result in any insurance settlement. Crucially, it set a structure for other settlements to follow which – if agreed – would see the current ~$10bn of disputed claims shrink to $2bn-$2.5bn and which could then be subject to further negotiated settlement between insurers and the lessor companies. The landmark deal – which saw the aircraft become the property of Russian state-owned insurer NSK – has been followed by two further settlements between lessors and Aeroflot worth a combined $904mn. News of the S7 talks comes less than a week after Dublin-based CDB Aviation – the lessor owned by China Development Bank – reached an insurance settlement of $194mn covering four aircraft previously on lease to Aeroflot. China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co said in a Hong Kong stock market filing that the payment was made by NSK in “full compliance with all applicable laws, sanctions and regulations”. This followed news that lessor SMBC Aviation Capital had penned an insurance settlement of $710mn for a number of aircraft previously leased to Aeroflot. Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, SMBC’s parent company, said in a 2 October stock exchange filing that it had received the cash settlement from NSK with respect to 16 aircraft and their engines. Despite the settlements, all three lessors – AerCap, CDB and SMBC – and their parent companies said they continue to actively pursue litigation in London and Irish courts under insurance policies with other insurers relating to losses with Russian airlines. https://www.theinsurer.com/analysis/s7-talks-reignite-insurer-hopes-of-fresh-settlements-over-seized-aircraft/ Nepal Airlines issues RFP for three STOL aircraft Nepal Airlines (RA, Kathmandu) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for three short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft. The RFP, formally titled NAC-PURCHASE/ 01/STOL/80-8, was issued on October 22, 2023, and invites bids from STOL aircraft manufacturers who wish to participate in the single-stage, two-envelope bidding process. The state-owned airline seeks brand-new aircraft with zero flight hours and no more than 25 hours of flying for test flight performance. The RFP documentation stipulates a minimum engine capacity of 620 shaft horsepower that can provide at least 4,000 hours of flying before any mandatory overhaul. The aircraft must be able to operate on runways of 1,500 feet or less, be FAA and EASA approved, and come with a fully integrated digital avionics package (including an FDR, a CVR, a 406 MHz ELT with latitude and longitude transmission, HF Radio, and a second ADF radio). Each aircraft must be able to carry a minimum of 18 passengers plus one cabin crew. All passenger seats should be able to be removed/folded and reinstalled when necessary. Stretcher capacity should also be facilitated. Aircraft types with a true airspeed of less than 180 KTAS will be disqualified, as will any aircraft type not acceptable to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). "The aircraft must be delivered in fully airworthy condition and shall have accomplished all applicable airworthiness directives, mandatory service bulletins/modifications published and effective on the date of delivery which requires compliance within 12 months from the date of delivery," the RFP says. The airline also requires the aircraft to have a minimum one-year (or 1,200 flight hours) warranty for the airframe and engines and a minimum three-year warranty for the avionics package. The bidder must submit certain financial and production information, including three year's worth of audited balance sheets and income statements, and detail their minimum average annual turnover for the past three years. In addition, the bidder must demonstrate that they have been manufacturing STOL aircraft for the past ten years. The aircraft type offered must also have been in production for at least ten years, and the manufacturer needs to have sold at least 75 of them. Nepal Airlines buys aircraft because lessors are generally unwilling to place aircraft into the market. Nepal's Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kiranti, has told Kathmandu-based outlets that he wants to acquire up to ten aircraft for Nepal Airlines over the next twelve months. The airline is now operating just six aircraft - two A320-200s, two A330-200s, and two DHC-6-300s. The minister argues that the small fleet is hampering the airline's ability to serve existing passenger demand effectively and is a barrier to growth and profitability. "Without this, tourists will not come," he said. "There is no alternative other than adding aircraft to the airline." Prospective suppliers of the three STOL aircraft must submit two separate sealed envelopes, one containing the technical bid and the other the financial bid. A non-refundable fee of USD100 must accompany the submission, and it must be received at Nepal Airlines' Kathmandu offices by 1200L (0800Z) on December 5, 2023. https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/133220-nepal-airlines-issues-rfp-for-three-stol-aircraft Private Aviation Has a Pilot Shortage. Here’s Why. Following recent salary hikes at commercial airlines, corporate pilots are reassessing their pay. After Delta, United, and American Airlines recently announced that they were hiking salaries, private aviation’s pilot shortage suddenly became even more acute, in no way aided by the fact that some commercial airlines now pay six-figure signing bonuses. According to industry surveys, corporate pilots sometimes earn just 60 percent of their commercial-airline peers’ salaries during a 30-year career. “The lure of a much bigger salary can be hard to fight,” says Sheryl Barden, CEO of Aviation Personnel International, who has seen veteran pilots from Fortune 500 flight departments—long viewed as the job to retire from—leave for the airlines. The outflow is also a lasting side effect from the pandemic. “Covid exacerbated the shortage when the airlines retired so many pilots early,” says Dondi Pangalangan, senior vice president of strategic initiatives at Clay Lacy, specialists in private-aircraft management, charter, and maintenance. “That created a hole. Now it’s a vacuum, sucking every pilot in our industry towards it.” The issue impacts everyone from mom-and-pop charter businesses to the world’s largest fractional provider, NetJets, whose union of 3,100 pilots says that over 7 percent of its members left between January and September, with another hundred departures anticipated by year’s end. A representative for the union, which is currently attempting to negotiate a new contract, says NetJets needs to be more competitive when it comes to pay scales and flight scheduling—though the latter is, by nature, more haphazard and demanding in business aviation than with mass-market carriers. (NetJets declined to comment.) Parity will require long-term investment. A recent National Business Aviation Association survey reports that pay increases for pilots rose 12 percent from 2022 to 2023, and retention bonuses were commonly about $27,000 per year. “It cost us $30 million to raise our pilots’ salaries,” says Kenn Ricci, principal of Directional Aviation Capital, parent of Flexjet, the second-largest fractional provider. “We’ll have to do that regularly to stay competitive in the marketplace.” How can private fliers best navigate the situation? Anthony Tivnan, president of Magellan Jets, advises clients to inquire about operators’ pilot-retention rates, explaining that “some companies prioritize keeping their pilots happy, so they’re not seeing the same exodus.” Along that line, Pangalangan says the level of safety protocols built into an operator’s ethos is a key indicator of how much it values its pilots. “We designed our culture around keeping our pilots happy,” says Richard Kane, CEO of Verijet, an upstart charter operator that uses the Cirrus Vision Jet for its fleet type. The company has grown from two aircraft in 2020 to 20 this year, yet has a backlog of training slots for new pilots. Tradewind Aviation, which also recently increased its number of aircraft, understands its role as “a waypoint to advance someone’s career,” according to president Eric Zipkin. Tradewind has a partnership with United’s Aviate pilot-development program, which means most enrolled will remain until they accrue the flight hours for United’s regional fleet. But it’s still a stopgap solution to a shortage that could linger for years. “Knowing they have a commercial job waiting is an incentive to stay,” says Zipkin of younger pilots using private aviation as a springboard to the majors, but “there’s just no slack in the system.” His remedy? “It’s an operational problem, so the only solution is to chip away slowly.” https://robbreport.com/motors/aviation/private-aviation-pilot-shortage-1235367119/ American Airlines buys 10 A321neo from Alaska Airlines American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth) has bought ten second-hand A321-200Ns from Alaska Airlines (AS, Seattle Tacoma International), the latter revealed in its quarterly earnings report. Alaska Airlines retired the ten aircraft, which are just 5.6 years old on average, at the end of September 2023, as it pursues its fleet unification strategy centred on Boeing narrowbody jets. The aircraft were initially contracted by Virgin America on lease from GECAS in 2015. Only four were delivered to the low-cost carrier before its takeover by Alaska Airlines, while the other six entered into service directly with Alaska Airlines. The ch-aviation fleets ownership module shows that Alaska Airlines owned one of the ten aircraft, while the other nine were leased - four from Jackson Square Aviation, two each from AerCap and SMBC Aviation Capital, and one from Merx Aviation Finance. The carrier recorded a USD14 million gain on the "interest expense associated with certain A321neo lease agreements which were modified as part of Alaska's fleet transition". American Airlines already operates seventy A321-200NX and has four more on order from Airbus (as well as fifty A321-200NY(XLR)s). All of its current A321neo were delivered directly from the manufacturer. https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/133204-american-airlines-buys-10-a321neo-from-alaska-airlines CALENDAR OF EVENTS • NATA Aviation Business Conference - November 1-2, 2023 • CHC Safety & Quality Summit 2023: November 14 – 16, 2023 Curt Lewis