Flight Safety Information - November 21, 2023 No. 225 In This Issue : Incident: Transat A21N over Atlantic on Nov 7th 2023, altitude deviation +280/-2200 feet : Incident: Alaska B739 at Portland on Nov 18th 2023, blew left main tyre on landing : Boeing P-8A Poseidon - Runway Overrun/Excursion (Hawaii) : Electronic Warfare Confounds Civilian Pilots, Far From Any Battlefield : Lawsuit claims Delta flight attendants over-served off-duty pilot who groped and kissed passenger : Air Force to Upgrade Pilot Eyewear with Laser, Ballistic Protection : More Clear-Air Turbulence From Climate Change Raises Safety Concerns : EU Urges Denmark & Cyprus to Adhere to Air Safety Regulations or Face Legal Action : Help wanted: United Airlines teams with Pittsburgh-area aviation school to address growing mechanics shortage : United Maintains Pilot Hiring Blitz : Aviation safety in Africa is improving, but airline industry seeks to always get better : Faulty Foam System Fills Hangar : CALENDAR OF EVENTS Incident: Transat A21N over Atlantic on Nov 7th 2023, altitude deviation +280/-2200 feet An Air Transat Airbus A321-200N, registration C-GOIW performing flight TS-123 from London Gatwick,EN (UK) to Toronto,ON (Canada) with 182 people on board, was enroute at FL320 over the Atlantic Ocean about 560nm eastnortheast of Goose Bay,NL (Canada) when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence causing the aircraft to deviate about +280 and -2200 feet from the assigned altitude before the crew managed to stabilize the aircraft. The aircraft continued to Toronto for a safe landing. Canada's TSB reported "the aircraft entered an area of severe clear air turbulence causing the aircraft to climb 280 feet and descend 2200 feet before stabilizing." A post flight severe turbulence inspection was carried out. The aircraft returned to service about 6 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5116bcd9&opt=0 Incident: Alaska B739 at Portland on Nov 18th 2023, blew left main tyre on landing An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900, registration N481AS performing flight AS-1423 from San Jose Cabo (Mexico) to Portland,OR (USA), landed on Portland's runway 10R when one of the left main tyres blew. The aircraft taxied to the apron. The FAA reported: "DURING LANDING, AIRCRAFT SUFFERED A BLOWN LEFT MAIN TIRE CAUSING DAMAGE TO LEFT FLAP, PORTLAND, OREGON." The aircraft remained on the ground in Portland for about 23.5 hours before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=5116aa65&opt=0 Boeing P-8A Poseidon - Runway Overrun/Excursion ( Hawaii) Date: Monday 20 November 2023 Time: c. 13:59 Type: Boeing P-8A Poseidon Owner/operator: US Navy (USN) Registration: 169561 MSN: 66094/8026 Year of manufacture: 2020 Engine model: CFMI CFM56-7B27E Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 9 Aircraft damage: Substantial Category: Accident Location: Kaneohe Bay MCAS (Marion E. Carl Field) (NGF/PHNG), Kaneohe, HI - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Military Departure airport: Destination airport: Kaneohe Bay MCAS (Marion E. Carl Field) Airport, HI (NGF/PHNG) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: Boeing P-8A Poseidon 169561 (coded YD-561), operated by VP-4 "The Skinny Dragons", suffered a runway overrun and came to stop into Kaneohe Bay during a landing attempt at Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Air Station (Marion E Carl Field) (NGF/PHNG), Kaneohe, Hawaii. Weather may have been a factor to the incident. The nine occupants were not injured and the aircraft received substantial damage. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/348182 Electronic Warfare Confounds Civilian Pilots, Far From Any Battlefield Planes were built to trust GPS signals. Jamming and spoofing in the Middle East and Ukraine have diverted flights and caused inaccurate onboard alerts. Electronic warfare in the Middle East and Ukraine is affecting air travel far from the battlefields, unnerving pilots and exposing an unintended consequence of a tactic that experts say will become more common. Planes are losing satellite signals, flights have been diverted and pilots have received false location reports or inaccurate warnings that they were flying close to terrain, according to European Union safety regulators and an internal airline memo viewed by The New York Times. The Federal Aviation Administration has also warned pilots about GPS jamming in the Middle East. Radio frequency interference — intended to disrupt the satellite signals used by rockets, drones and other weaponry — spiked after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 and has grown even more intense this fall in the Middle East. The interference can involve jamming satellite signals by drowning them out with noise, or spoofing them — mimicking real satellite signals to trick recipients with misleading information. The radio interference has so far not proven to be dangerous. But aircraft systems have proved largely unable to detect GPS spoofing and correct for it, according to Opsgroup, an organization that monitors changes and risks in the aviation industry. One Embraer jet bound for Dubai nearly veered into Iranian airspace in September before the pilots figured out the plane was chasing a false signal. “We only realized there was an issue because the autopilot started turning to the left and right, so it was obvious that something was wrong,” crew members reported to Opsgroup. Airplanes can typically fly safely without satellite signals, and large commercial aircraft have at least six alternative navigation systems, pilots said. Business jets such as Dassault Falcons, Gulfstreams and Bombardiers appear to be more susceptible to signal spoofing, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency said. The strain on aviation could be a harbinger of far-reaching economic and security problems as the weapons of electronic warfare proliferate. Financial markets, telecom companies, power providers, broadcasters and other industries around the world rely on satellite signals to keep accurate time. One study from Britain said that a five-day disruption of satellite signals could cost the country $6.3 billion. Satellite signals have long been known to be susceptible to jamming and spoofing. They transmit from orbit, more than 12,000 miles above Earth, and are so weak that their power compares to that of a lightbulb. But many experts had dismissed spoofing attacks as too complicated and expensive for all but highly-trained experts, according to Todd Humphreys, a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. A Dassault Falcon 6X long-range business jet near Paris in June. Business jets such as Dassault Falcons, Gulfstreams and Bombardiers appear to be more susceptible to signal spoofing, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency said.Credit...Benoit Tessier/Reuters Prices have fallen quickly. Today, an enthusiastic amateur with a few hundred dollars and instructions from the internet can spoof satellite signals. Governments, too, have been more willing to overtly interfere with signals as part of their electronic warfare. “What’s changed over the last couple of years is that spoofing has moved from theory in research articles and in laboratories to actual events in the wild,” Professor Humphreys said. It is not always possible to distinguish jamming from spoofing, or to determine who is behind the interference. Israel said in mid-October that it had restricted GPS in the region and had warned pilots not to rely on satellite navigation systems for landing. Israel’s Defence Forces did not respond to questions. Russian interference is well-documented. A 2019 report by the Washington-based analytical nonprofit group C4ADS showed extensive spoofing from a Russian-controlled air base in Syria. The report also indicated that, when the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, traveled to remote locations or Russian-occupied Crimea, he was flanked by mobile GPS-spoofing technology. Russia has disrupted GPS signals to misdirect Ukrainian drones and throw precision-guided shells off their targets. Ukraine also jams Russian receivers but lacks the same level of sophistication. Jamming is common in conflict zones. Spoofing, until recently, was rare. “I have never seen this level of spoofing,” said Martin Drake, a technical expert for the British Airline Pilots’ Association who recently retired after 42 years as a pilot. The interference has been felt up to 190 miles away from battlefields and “appears to go well beyond simple military mission effectiveness,” according to Eurocontrol, Europe’s primary air-traffic-control manager. The worst-affected regions include the skies above the Black Sea area from Turkey to Azerbaijan; the Mediterranean Sea extending from Cyprus to Libya; the Baltic Sea near Poland and Latvia; and the Arctic near Finland and Norway. The increase in intensity and sophistication of such radio interference has been remarkable. Airbus said it recorded nearly 50,000 interference events on its aircraft last year, more than four times as many as the year before. This came on top of an over twentyfold jump in radio-interference events from 2017 to 2018, as recorded by a voluntary incident reporting system run by Eurocontrol. Eurocontrol said the increased jamming since 2018 was most likely meant to interfere with battlefield drones. In the Middle East, Professor Humphrey’s research team found widespread spoofing with false signals telling pilots that their aircraft were directly above the airport in Tel Aviv when they were far away. Opsgroup said that it had received around 50 similar reports. In some cases, onboard equipment showed that planes were approaching airports in Baghdad, Cairo or Beirut, Lebanon, when they were not. “The effects of this false signal are for the first time being seen in the last two months,” Mark Zee, the founder of Opsgroup, said from New Zealand. The spoofing attacks, he said, have exposed a fundamental flaw in aviation electronic design, which is based on the idea that GPS signals can be trusted, and need not be verified. Investigators working at the site of a damaged building after a drone was shot down in Moscow in August. Both Russia and Ukraine have disrupted GPS signals in attempts to misdirect drones and guided missiles off their targets.Credit...Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters That faith dates back decades. After a Korean Air Lines plane inadvertently strayed into Soviet airspace in 1983 and was shot down, the United States authorized GPS for civilian use. In 2001, the government made those signals more precise. The world quickly became addicted to them. The U.S. government calls them “an invisible utility.” Smartphones, cars, stock exchanges, data centers and countless industries rely on them for time, navigation or both. Similar systems exist around the world, such as Galileo in Europe, Glonass in Russia and Beidou in China. Experts noticed the risk of jamming in 2012, when a ground-based signal booster failed at Newark Liberty International Airport. The source of the problem, it turned out, was a driver who had parked his company-issued Ford truck close to the airport and used a GPS jammer to hide his whereabouts from his employer. Since then, truck drivers who want to work longer hours, Pokémon Go players who want to cheat and even car thieves who want to disable a car’s navigation system have used small, inexpensive jammers that have created unintended disruptions. Some signal receivers now come equipped with technology to counteract jammers. Spoofing is harder to handle because the signal appears legitimate. Only the European navigation satellite system, Galileo, incorporates an authentication system that can provide confidence that a signal is from its satellites. Galileo, which currently is the most accurate and precise navigation satellite system, plans to introduce an even stronger level of authentication, according to a spokesperson for the European Commission. But even Galileo’s authentication cannot protect against one of the most dreaded types of spoofing, known as “meaconing.” In a meaconing attack, a spoofer would record satellite signals, and then rebroadcast them with an amplification or a delay. Experts have not publicly confirmed any meaconing attacks in the Middle East. Opsgroup said that the latest events should prompt manufacturers to re-examine the integration of satellite signals in aircraft electronics, known as avionics, without a safeguard that can identify false signals. “It will take some time for manufacturers to catch up,” Mr. Zee said. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/21/world/europe/ukraine-israel-gps-jamming-spoofing.html Lawsuit claims Delta flight attendants over-served off-duty pilot who groped and kissed passenger • The plaintiff says she reported the conduct to a flight attendant who, instead of intervening, served the off-duty pilot a fifth can of wine. MINNEAPOLIS — A Twin Cities woman is suing Delta Airlines and an off-duty employee of a Delta subsidiary, claiming flight attendants overserved alcohol to the Wisconsin woman who then groped and kissed the passenger against her will. Alison Petri says she informed a flight attendant mid-flight about the behavior, but instead of stopping it or reseating anyone, they served the person a fifth can of wine. "You can’t leave on an airplane. So if you’re being assaulted, you really are dependent on the crew doing the right thing. And they didn’t. And then they continued to not do the right thing," Petri said. Petri said shortly after the woman boarded the plane, she told Petri and the other passenger next to her that she was a pilot, and she was going through a tough time. But as she began consuming alcohol on the flight, Petri said the woman grew more and more inappropriate – touching Petri and even kissing her on the mouth despite being told to stop. Then, before deplaning – the woman groped Petri one last time, the lawsuit alleges. "She groped my butt. I turned to her and said, 'We are not doing that!" Petri said. Petri immediately informed the gate agent, then reported the incident to airport police. Meanwhile, surveillance video captured the off-duty worker falling on an escalator and being physically unable to get back up without help. The woman was initially criminally charged with 5th-degree criminal sexual conduct and disorderly conduct. A prosecutor dropped the sex charge but the woman pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, admitting physical contact, with the agreement the case would be dropped after she serves probation. The civil complaint now filed in federal court includes a photograph of the woman holding a vape pen. Petri said she was puffing clouds of vape into the air with a flight attendant nearby, but no one stopped her. The civil file also includes Facebook Messenger messages between the woman and one of the flight attendants, who reached out to warn her about Petri's complaint. "Do u have any idea what she might have said?" the woman asked. "You kissed her," the flight attendant answered. "Omg I did?" the woman asked. "Yeah, you were pretty bombed," the flight attendant answered. The flight attendant later tells the woman to "stick with your story," then tells her that when Delta questioned him, he told them that he wasn't aware of any physical contact and did not serve her alcohol. Petri and her attorney believe the texts are evidence that Delta employees tried to cover up the misconduct. Since the incident, Petri said she's suffered anxiety on flights which she often has to take because of her work around the country advocating against childhood drowning. The lawsuit cites other instances where Delta employees allegedly over-served alcohol. "Ms. Petri does not want to see this happen to any other person. And when you see the sheer number of other instances that this has happened in the past, this is necessary to ensure it doesn’t happen to another person," said attorney Jeff Storms. A Delta spokesperson said the woman no longer is employed by a Delta subsidiary. "While we don’t have any specific comment on this pending litigation, Delta does not tolerate inappropriate or unlawful behavior. Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and our people," the spokesperson said in a statement. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/lawsuit-claims-delta-flight-attendants-over-served-off-duty-pilot-groped-kissed-passenger/89-34a00d91-13b0-4538-b9ff-8fcb064382ce Air Force to Upgrade Pilot Eyewear with Laser, Ballistic Protection The devices, developed in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory, will also include night eyewear that allow more natural light. U.S. Air Force pilots will soon receive upgraded eyewear that includes protection against laser strikes, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center announced. The eyewear consists of eight devices, known as the “Block 3 Family,” and also includes separate day and night spectacles, ballistics spectacles, and visors designed to integrate with night vision goggles. The upgrades include night eyewear that increases visibility through lenses that allow more natural light, and a first offering of a combined laser and ballistic protection option, the service said. The Air Force said it will distribute more than 42,000 of the eyewear devices to units by 2027. In October, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) said service pilots have reported a surge in laser strike incidents, which often involve shining the beams from laser pointers into a cockpit. “Since 2010, a total of 244 injuries have been reported, underscoring the escalating and pervasive threat,” OSI said. Eye health is vital for Air Force pilots, said Captain Pete Coats, lead manager for the Human System Division’s Aircrew Laser Eye Protection Program (ALEP). “The consequences of getting lasered without having proper protection could not only prevent the pilot from flying and landing an aircraft safely, but it could also cost them their career,” Coats said. “So, our goal is to ensure the right eyewear is available to everyone.” The type of upgraded eye gear pilots receive will be mission dependent and be made available for most all aircrews. U-2 and F-35 Lightning II aircraft pilots will not receive the devices. “If flying low and slow or hovering like a helicopter or CV-22 Osprey, aircrew would prefer to have ballistic protection as well as laser protection,” said Mark Beer, ALEP deputy manager. “However, if you’re in a fighter aircraft or flying in a bomber at high altitude, the chances of you needing ballistic protection are not nearly as high.” https://www.flyingmag.com/air-force-to-upgrade-pilot-eyewear-with-laser-ballistic-protection/ More Clear-Air Turbulence From Climate Change Raises Safety Concerns Turbulence is a well-known air travel challenge, leading to bumpy and sometimes harrowing flights. It can result from atmospheric pressures, jet streams, flying over mountains or through storms. Some turbulence can strike unexpectedly, even under clear skies. Worryingly, researchers find this unpredictable clear-air turbulence is increasing due to climate change. Data from the National Transportation Safety Board shows that flight attendants are most likely to suffer severe injuries during turbulence events. From 2009 to 2022, there were 163 serious injuries related to turbulence on commercial airlines in the U.S. Of these, 34 were injured passengers, and 129 were injured crew. Depending on the intensity, the safety risks turbulence poses to unfastened passengers and flight crew can be significant, but they are preventable. How Passengers Can Prevent Turbulence Injuries Passengers can safeguard themselves against turbulence-related injuries by following airline and Federal Aviation Administration guidelines. When the seatbelt light turns on, passengers should comply immediately. Because some air turbulence is unpredictable, it’s best to keep seat belts fastened even when the seatbelt sign is off, particularly if you plan to sleep. As a general rule of flying safety, passengers should always pay attention to safety briefings. While these may seem repetitive, they vary by airline and aircraft type. Passengers should also read the safety card on the seat to familiarize themselves with the locations and operation of safety equipment onboard. Those traveling with young children should secure them in FAA-approved safety seats. Stowing carry-on items, as instructed by cabin crew, can also help avoid injuries. During turbulence, loose items can become airborne projectiles. Flight Attendant Injuries Due to Turbulence The FAA works to reduce turbulence injuries by advising airlines on turbulence avoidance and management strategies. These include promoting best practices for managing turbulence events, enhancing safety training for airline staff, and collecting comprehensive data on turbulence incidents to improve safety procedures. The FAA is modernizing the Pilot Report System (PIREPS), which pilots use to communicate weather conditions, including turbulence. The Administration is also improving automation, allowing pilots and air traffic controllers to enter and share reports digitally. Greater awareness and more data enable airlines to better navigate around known turbulence risks. But, despite safety measures, flight attendants remain highly vulnerable to turbulence-related injuries. Between 2009 and 2022, the NTSB reported a significant number of severe injuries among crew members, with a notable 78% occurring while performing their duties. The NTSB’s 2021 report on reducing turbulence-related injuries includes recommendations for policy changes, such as ensuring attendants are seated and buckled earlier during descent to lower injury rates. An Urgent Call For FAA Action Jana Price, Ph.D., National Resource Specialist at the NTSB, stresses the urgency for the FAA to implement policies in a recent post on the NTSB Safety Compass. Price offers several examples of turbulence causing sudden descents of up to 18,000 feet, leading to severe flight attendant injuries, including broken bones and fractured spines. She urges the FAA to protect flight attendants. “Flight attendants spend their careers working to keep us safe. Our 2021 safety research report concluded that asking flight attendants to be seated earlier during the descent phase of flight could reduce serious injuries and accidents related to turbulence,” Price writes. “The FAA has not made updating its guidance in this area a priority, but the agency must do so to avoid serious injuries that are entirely preventable.” Climate Change Is Making The Worst Turbulence More Common Research indicates that climate change exacerbates clear-air turbulence, a particularly hazardous type because it is invisible and hard to predict. The warmer air caused by carbon dioxide emissions increases wind shear in the jet streams, strengthening clear-air turbulence globally. Researchers from the University of Reading found turbulence rising over busy airspaces like the North Atlantic, where the annual duration of severe turbulence had increased by 55% from 1979 to 2020. Moderate turbulence increased by 37%, and light turbulence increased by 17% during this period. Other flight routes over the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the South Atlantic also significantly increased. “Airlines will need to start thinking about how they will manage the increased turbulence, as it costs the industry $150 to $500 million annually in the United States alone,” says Mark Prosser, a meteorologist who led the study. “Every additional minute spent traveling through turbulence increases wear-and-tear on the aircraft, as well as the risk of injuries to passengers and flight attendants.” Findings suggest the airline industry needs more significant investment in turbulence avoidance over the coming decades. “Following a decade of research showing that climate change will increase clear-air turbulence in the future, we now have evidence suggesting that the increase has already begun,” says Paul Williams, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Reading who co-authored the study. “We should be investing in improved turbulence forecasting and detection systems to prevent the rougher air from translating into bumpier flights in the coming decades.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisagarcia/2023/11/20/more-clear-air-turbulence-from-climate-change-raises-safety-concerns/?sh=5c74ef154b39 EU Urges Denmark & Cyprus to Adhere to Air Safety Regulations or Face Legal Action The European Commission launched infringement procedures against Denmark and Cyprus, issuing formal notices to both nations for inaccuracies in implementing specific EU aviation safety legislation provisions. Infringement procedures conducted by the European Commission are formal actions taken against EU member states for violating EU law, involving a structured process of notices, opinions, and potential court referrals to ensure compliance, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports. For Denmark, the European Commission found shortcomings in adhering to aviation safety regulations. The issues include not having well-qualified staff, non-compliance with oversight procedures, and improper acceptance and approval of aviation company manuals, all of which contravene Regulations (EU) No 1321/2014 and (EU) No 748/2012. In the case of Cyprus, identified flaws relate to various aspects of airport supervision, outlined in Regulations (EU) No 139/2014 and (EU) 923/2012, including confirming airport-related obligations and evaluating the sufficiency of Cyprus’s safety management system. Both Denmark and Cyprus will face a two-month deadline to address the concerns presented by the Commission and enact the requisite measures. Failure to comply within this timeframe may prompt the Commission to consider issuing a reasoned opinion, the next formal step in the infringement process. A reasoned opinion provides a detailed explanation of the alleged breaches and offers the countries an additional opportunity to rectify the issues before further legal action is pursued. Air travel, deemed one of the safest modes of transportation, is assured by the EU to provide European citizens with the utmost safety standards in the skies. The foundation of the European aviation safety system rests upon a framework of standardised safety regulations jointly supervised by the European Commission, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and National Aviation Authorities. These regulations are applicable across all EU Member States, encompassing crucial facets of aviation, including airworthiness, aircrew, aerodromes, air operations, and the provision of air navigation services. The EU’s aviation safety management strategy is grounded on occurrence reporting, which involves documenting, analysing, and addressing safety-related events in civil aviation. Standardised accident investigation rules are also in place to prevent the recurrence of safety issues. In the realm of EU aviation, the Air Safety List restricts unsafe third-country air carriers, ensuring compliance with international safety standards, with oversight conducted by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The EU’s commitment to aviation safety extends globally through collaborations with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), technical cooperation projects, and bilateral agreements with key international partners. https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/eu-urges-denmark-cyprus-to-adhere-to-air-safety-regulations-or-face-legal-action/ Help wanted: United Airlines teams with Pittsburgh-area aviation school to address growing mechanics shortage United Airlines is partnering with a West Mifflin aviation school to deliver more mechanics as a growing shortage of such technicians threatens to disrupt travel throughout the U.S. in the years and decades ahead. Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics is one of three aviation maintenance schools participating in a new United program designed to give students a direct path to a job as a mechanic, formally known as an aviation maintenance technician. The partnership is being developed at a time when one of the world’s top jet makers and a national aviation consultant are warning that a growing shortage of mechanics could mean fewer flights and more delays and cancellations in the coming years. In its pilot and technician outlook, Boeing estimated that 125,000 mechanics and avionics specialists will be needed by 2042 to meet the growing demands of the U.S. aviation industry. Furthermore, consultant Oliver Wyman, in its bleakest scenario, is predicting a shortage of more than 48,000 aircraft maintenance workers by 2027. And even under its more likely scenario, it estimates a shortfall of almost 43,000. “The imbalance between supply and demand will persist and even worsen over the next 10 years,” it stated. “It is likely to result in fewer flights and delays and cancellations or airlines having to compensate by keeping more spare aircraft or parts on hand.” The Aviation Technician Education Council has said that the shortage is due in part to upcoming retirements. It projected that 38% of mechanics are at least 60 years old. United will need more mechanics to service its growing fleet. The airline plans to take delivery of 800 new aircraft over the next nine years. As a result, it expects to hire thousands of new technicians by 2026 to take care of those planes. It has already hired more than 3,200 mechanics systemwide in the U.S. over the past 18 months. The carrier is hoping that the new Calibrate Technician Pathway Program it is launching in partnership with the PIA will help it to stay ahead of the curve. Joe Beyer, a United senior manager overseeing the program, said the airline is adequately staffed today in terms of mechanics. “Some of these efforts are being proactive so we don’t get behind the eight ball,” he said. While the airline has had a longstanding relationship with the PIA, this the first time the two are formally partnering, he said. Under the new Calibrate program, students who are selected will have priority screening consideration for jobs as well as mentorship opportunities with employees at United’s 42 technical operations stations in the U.S. To be eligible, students must maintain a high grade point average and strong attendance. United anticipates hiring as many as 300 students a year from PIA and the other schools through the program. “The industry is in a bit of a mechanics’ shortage situation. The goal of the program is to identify the top students in these tech schools and get them into our program so that when they complete school and get their licenses, they’re teed up for priority hiring,” Mr. Beyer said. The job can pay well. At United, aviation maintenance technicians start at about $36 an hour. Top pay, without overtime, can reach $125,000 a year. Overall, average starting salaries for mechanics run from $49,000 to $55,000 a year, with the overall median at $71,000, said Steven Sabold, PIA vice president of operations. But he pointed out that others can run upward to six figures. Mr. Sabold said the partnership with United is a significant one because larger legacy carriers in the past typically haven’t hired a lot of graduating students with little or no experience to work as mechanics. “But because of the demand we’re in, they’re seeking additional options” to bring people in, he said. "Being selected for this partnership gives us great pride and enhances our confidence that our graduates stand among the best entry-level A&P technicians in the country,” PIA President Suzanne Markle added in a statement. PIA’s main campus, established in 1929, is at the Allegheny County Airport in West Mifflin. It also has campuses in Youngstown, Ohio; Hagerstown, Md.; and Myrtle Beach, S.C. It currently has about 600 students enrolled in aviation maintenance or aviation electronics. United isn’t the only airline with which the school has teamed. Others include Delta, Republic Airways, Piedmont, PSA, and SkyWest. The Calibrate Technician Pathway program, which involves aviation maintenance schools like PIA and the U.S. Army Reserves, is one of two initiatives United has launched in search of more mechanics. The other is an internal paid internship program. Mr. Beyer said the airline also has tried to raise awareness of the careers available as aviation maintenance technicians at the high school level and even down to grade school. “We’re just being proactive and getting geared up to build our own pipeline,” he said. United currently flies to six destinations from Pittsburgh, including San Francisco, Denver, Chicago and Washington-Dulles. In its report, Oliver Wyman said the shortage will affect everyone in the industry, from the smallest regional airlines to the biggest carriers. “The shortage is already pushing up wages and will likely continue to put upward pressure on them, which will ultimately make the profession more appealing,” it stated. One way the industry can overcome mechanic shortages is by expanding the pool of candidates, it suggested. It stated that most current mechanics are white and male, Only 2.6% are women. “The aviation industry needs more outreach to female and minority populations, even as young as those still in middle school, to educate them on the career possibilities.” In addition, the industry needs to work with the Federal Aviation Administration to introduce more cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence, drones and virtual reality into the training “to make the profession more engaging to Gen Z workers,” the report stated. https://www.post-gazette.com/business/development/2023/11/21/united-airlines-aeronautics-allegheny-county-airport-boeing-mechanics/stories/202311210053 United Maintains Pilot Hiring Blitz United Airlines is on pace to beat its 2022 record of hiring 2,500 pilots in a year. According to AirlineGeeks the airline brought in 270 pilots in October, bringing its new-pilot total for 2023 to 2,296. The airline has embarked on a rapid expansion program that includes the addition of 230 aircraft in the next year and a total of 700 new aircraft by 2033. United’s quest for more pilots may be aided by slower hiring at many of its competitors. AirlineGeeks says most other airlines have cut back on pilot hiring and Spirit has stopped altogether. Although the overall pilot shortage seems to be easing, it seems all airlines are scrambling to keep their left seats filled. Although regionals can direct hire captains, large carriers can only hire FOs and must qualify them as captains. AirlineGeeks says Delta is turning FOs into captains in as little as four and a half months. https://www.avweb.com/uncategorized/united-maintains-pilot-hiring-blitz/ Aviation safety in Africa is improving, but airline industry seeks to always get better African airlines need to become more active in the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA’s) regional safety and flight operations groups (which are action oriented), IATA regional VP Africa and the Middle East Kamil Alawadhi has urged. IATA is the global representative body for the airline industry and he was addressing the fifty-fifth annual general meeting of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), in Entebbe, Uganda. He described the current participation by African carriers in these groups as “weak”. He highlighted that it was necessary for African airlines to be more strongly involved, in order to drive an agenda that better suited them. “I urge AFRAA/IATA members to be part of the forums that discuss and debate to drive our activities under the governance of the highest levels at IATA.” Regarding aviation safety in Africa, this had seen “marked improvements” overall, and also, more specifically, with regard to air traffic management, navigation and surveillance. But, “our goal as an industry is to always improve”. “Our associations share a common vision – the development of a safe, secure and sustainable aviation industry in Africa that facilitates business, trade and tourism and contributes positively to Africa’s economic growth and development,” he stressed. “The continent is home to the world’s most rapidly growing population but accounts for just 2% of air passenger and cargo transport activity.” He pointed out that all IATA-member airlines were on the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registry, while all AFRAA-member airlines were either on the IOSA registry or on that of the IATA Standard Safety Assessment (ISSA). The ISSA covers small-scale operators of small (usually single engine) aircraft. Earlier this year, IATA announced its Focus Africa Initiative, in which AFRAA was an “absolutely instrumental” partner. One of the areas covered by the initiative is safety. Important in this area is the Collaborative Aviation Safety Improvement Programme. This is aimed at reducing the accident and serious incident rate and improving operational safety across the continent. It will do so by means of collaboration between ten partners, from across the industry, to pool resources and prioritise the areas that need attention. Global safety initiatives are also relevant to Africa, and Africa is relevant to them. “With your help we are creating the world’s most comprehensive database for aviation safety through our Global Aviation Data Management programme,” cited Alawadhi. “I encourage every airline to contribute its data. By contributing, you’ll enable us to have the complete picture of safety performance, assisting you evaluate your own operations, and for IATA to identify trends and emerging risks to prioritise actions for safety improvement.” https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/aviation-safety-in-africa-is-improving-but-airline-industry-seeks-to-always-get-better-2023-11-21 Faulty Foam System Fills Hangar Airlive is reporting that at least three aircraft were damaged when a malfunctioning foam fire suppression system filled a hangar in Texas. According to the time stamp on the surveillance video, the mishap happened on Oct. 28 at McKinney National Airport likely just before noon. It’s not clear what triggered the foam, but it’s most commonly referred to as an equipment problem and not human error. The time lapse of the video shows about 10 minutes of the incident and in that time foam fills the hangar up to the windows of a business jet. Airlive says the foam is corrosive. Technical websites say the planes have to be thoroughly rinsed and then inspected for damage before being put back into service. It’s not clear who owned the planes. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/faulty-foam-system-fills-hangar/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS • 2024 Women in Aviation International Conference - March 21-23 (Orlando) • 2024 ACSF Safety Symposium – Air Charter Safety Foundation - April 1-3, 2024 • 2024 ISASI - Lisbon, Portugal - September 30 to October 4, 2024 • 2024 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition - Oct. 22-24 (Vegas) Curt Lewis