Flight Safety Information - December 4, 2023 No. 231 In This Issue : Incident: China Eastern A333 near Xiamen on Dec 3rd 2023, uncontained engine failure : Incident: American B788 at Philadelphia on Nov 29th 2023, first officer incapacitated on final approach : Accident: Gol B738 at Joao Pessoa on Nov 29th 2023, tail strike on landing : Focus on FOQA at Citation Jet Pilots Convention : India's aviation watchdog proposes less work, more rest for pilots : Drunk and Asleep on the Job: Air Traffic Controllers Pushed to the Brink : The FAA is all mixed up about about pilot mental health : US Navy says it will cost $1.5M to salvage jet plane that crashed on Hawaii coral reef : 2 men caught with guns at Dulles International Airport within 3 days : Alaska Air to buy peer Hawaiian for $1.9 billion : CALENDAR OF EVENTS Incident: China Eastern A333 near Xiamen on Dec 3rd 2023, uncontained engine failure A China Eastern Airbus A330-300, registration B-8970 performing flight MU-721 from Shanghai Hongquiao to Hong Kong (China), was enroute at 10400 meters (about FL341) about 30nm north of Xiamen (China) when the left hand engine (Trent 772) suffered the separation of one and a half of the fan blades ejecting the fan blades through the top of the engine. The aircraft suffered from severe vibration afterwards until landing on Xiamen's runway 05 about 19 minutes after leaving 10400 meters. Passengers reported there was a loud bang from the left hand engine, then there were severe vibrations throughout the remainder of the flight associated with sounds like a tractor and strong burning smell. Passengers at the left hand windows shouted that the left engine was broken. The crew announced there was a malfunction of the aircraft and they were diverting to Xiamen. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=511ef863&opt=0 Incident: American B788 at Philadelphia on Nov 29th 2023, first officer incapacitated on final approach An American Airlines Boeing 787-8, registration N880BJ performing flight AA-755 from Paris Charles de Gaulle (France) to Philadelphia,PA (USA), was on final approach to Philadelphia's runway 27R when upon contacting tower the captain reported they had a medical emergency on board and needed emergency services at the gate. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on the runway about two minutes later, the captain subsequently explained the first officer had a seizure. The aircraft taxied to the apron. According to information The Aviation Herald received the first officer suffered a seizure and became unconscious extending his legs in a cramp so that the legs became jammed under the rudder pedals. The captain took control of the aircraft, the relief pilot in the cockpit with the assistance of the purser was able to move the first officer out of the seat, subsequently the relief pilot took the right hand seat for a normal landing and taxi. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=511f022f&opt=0 Accident: Gol B738 at Joao Pessoa on Nov 29th 2023, tail strike on landing A Gol Transportes Aereos Boeing 737-800, registration PR-VBL performing flight G3-1634 (dep Nov 28th) from Sao Paulo Guarulhos,SP to Joao Pessoa,PB (Brazil), landed on Joao Pessoa's runway 16 but struck its tail onto the runway surface at 01:42L (04:42Z). The aircraft rolled out without further incident and taxied to the apron. A post flight inspection revealed damage not only to the tail bumper but also the lower fuselage of the aircraft. The aircraft is thus still on the ground in Joao Pessoa on Dec 2nd 2023 (3 days and 6 hours after landing). https://www.avherald.com/h?article=511e5b30&opt=0 Focus on FOQA at Citation Jet Pilots Convention • CJP members have an enviable safety record Members of the Citation Jet Pilots (CJP) association gathered in Nashville in early October to celebrate their safety record and continue learning how to improve and share CJP safety information with the Citation pilot community. For the third year in a row, CJP members have not had any incidents or accidents, a remarkable record for the 1,358 members who fly 954 Citations. “We have very good fliers,” said Charlie Precourt, former Space Shuttle commander, chairman of the CJP safety committee, and owner of a CJ1+. Precourt shared some initial results of the CJP flight operations quality assurance (FOQA) program, which uses the ForeFlight Data Analysis system (formerly CloudAhoy) for post-flight analysis. The FOQA system has already recorded 5,000 flights by CJP members, and a few “items are warranting attention,” he said. For the most part, CJP members are flying better than average industry standards on unstable approaches. “In less than 2 percent [of approaches] would we trigger the unstable approach criteria,” he said, “while the industry standard is 3 percent instability at a gate.” A gate is a point where a pilot has to determine either if the approach is stable or if a correction needs to be made or a go-around initiated. While most stable approach criteria use gates at 1,000 feet (IFR) and 500 feet (VFR), the CJP’s Safe To Land initiative has selected a more flexible final gate of 200 feet where pilots must go around if stable approach criteria aren’t met. This gives pilots more flexibility to make corrections, within certain parameters, from 500 feet to 200 feet. “We implemented the lower gate to 200 feet,” Precourt explained. “If we included that, we’d be much less than 2 percent. There are a lot of unstable approaches being fixed between 500 and 200 feet.” Interestingly, the data show that exceedances are occurring 10 times more on visual approaches compared to IFR approaches, and visuals are flown 50 percent of the time. These include occasional high sink rates below 1,000 and 500 feet during visual approaches, including some as high as 2,500 fpm for more than six seconds below 1,000 feet. “What is pushing people into that corner, and can we do something?” he asked. Some of this may be due to air traffic control (ATC) instructions, but CJP is planning to launch a project to study these anomalies. To mitigate these situations, Precourt recommended, “The use of the word ‘unable’ [with ATC] is the most powerful tool you have. They can’t fly your airplane.” Other parameters are showing good results—for example, the Safe To Land goal of not exceeding a 15-degree bank below 200 feet. “We are doing well with this,” he said. Pilots are maintaining the proper landing reference speed (Vref) at the runway threshold, and touchdown point is “most densely packed at [the correct] 1,000 feet.” Citation models at Smyrna, Tennessee Citation Jet Pilots Owner Pilot Association convention 2023 Owner-pilots flew a variety of Citation models to Smyrna, Tennessee, to attend the Citation Jet Pilots Owner Pilot Association convention in nearby Nashville. (Photo: Matt Thurber) That said, the CJP FOQA parameters are still a work in progress, and some items aren’t being used because the parameters aren’t yet trustworthy. “We’re working towards getting all of them turned on,” he said. “We want to get you accurate information.” Some of the parameters that haven’t been switched on and need further research include runway remaining, but the trend at meeting the parameter of slowing to 70 knots by 1,000 feet runway remaining is a “good trend,” according to Precourt. N1 rpm on final is another parameter that likely will be switched on, and this measures whether the power setting is stable during the approach. “If you’re at idle for 25 or 30 seconds [on approach], you’re struggling,” he said. Precourt outlined an ongoing discussion about traffic pattern operations for Citation pilots. FAA best practices say to avoid straight-in approaches unless flying an IFR approach. But when in visual conditions, the best way to enter the traffic pattern is over the airport, then turn on downwind leg but 500 feet above the light airplane traffic pattern altitude. Speed on downwind should be Vref+20, and below 2,000 feet, the maximum descent rate should be 1,000 fpm. At an airport with parallel runways, use an instrument approach or the avionics’ visual approach feature to set up guidance to the correct runway. Two mid-air collision accidents, at North Las Vegas (2022) and Centennial, Colorado (2021), were due to one of the aircraft not properly lining up with the assigned runway. "Having a backup approach in your FMS is really advised,” he said. Another critical element for visual approaches that aren’t straight-in is to maintain the correct distance from the runway while flying the traffic pattern in a jet. The downwind leg is best flown at 1.5 to 2 nm from the runway, and base leg should be no closer than 2.5 nm from the runway threshold, Precourt advised, but 3 nm is best. After stabilizing at 160 knots on downwind, pilots should set landing configuration (landing gear down and full flaps) before turning base and then slow to Vref+10. An ongoing debate is about whether pilots should follow vertical glide path guidance from an ILS or LPV approach when the visual glide path indicator (PAPI or VASI) becomes visible or transition to the glide path indicator. “Some PAPIs or VASIs are not coincident with the ILS,” he said. But pilots should transition to following the PAPI or VASI at decision altitude because they provide obstacle clearance, while the ILS or LPV vertical guidance provides obstacle clearance only to the end of the approach, the decision altitude point. “Get off the PFD [primary flight display] glide path and transition to VASI/PAPI,” he recommended. Summarizing his discussion of the CJP FOQA program, Precourt said, “We’re being given a gift with this data. We are three years running where nobody else in general aviation can touch our record. This is a big part of our success in our future.” https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2023-12-01/focus-foqa-citation-jet-pilots-convention India's aviation watchdog proposes less work, more rest for pilots NEW DELHI, Nov 4 (Reuters) - India's air safety watchdog proposes reduced night work hours and more rest for pilots, among measures to address rising complaints of pilot fatigue, according to draft regulations seen by Reuters on Saturday. The proposal from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation come more than two months after it decided to conduct a review of pilot fatigue data collected during spot checks and surveillance of airlines. The review was launched after an IndiGo (INGL.NS) pilot collapsed and died in August before his flight. Changes would include cutting the maximum flight duty period to 10 hours from 13 hours for pilots operating at night, and increasing the minimum weekly rest period to 48 hours from 36 hours. The directorate did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the draft. Such rule changes are usually circulated for comments from airlines, pilots and other stakeholders before being finalised. While pilot fatigue is a global problem, India is at the heart of the matter as the world's fastest-growing aviation market, with hundreds of planes on order by IndiGo and Tata group-owned Air India. IndiGo, India's biggest airline, has said the pilot who died had a 27-hour break before duty and was in good health. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/indias-aviation-watchdog-proposes-less-work-more-rest-pilots-draft-2023-11-04/ Drunk and Asleep on the Job: Air Traffic Controllers Pushed to the Brink A nationwide shortage of controllers has resulted in an exhausted and demoralized work force that is increasingly prone to making dangerous mistakes. Separate portraits, from the shoulders up, of Neil Burke, Michelle Hager and Ashley Smith. Each is looking off to one side. From left, Neil Burke, Michelle Hager and Ashley Smith, who recently left jobs as air traffic controllers, voiced concerns about staffing shortages and safety.Credit...Mohamed Sadek for The New York Times One air traffic controller went into work drunk this summer and joked about “making big money buzzed.” Another routinely smoked marijuana during breaks. A third employee threatened violence and then “aggressively pushed” a colleague who was directing airplanes. The incidents were extreme examples, but they fit into a pattern that reveals glaring vulnerabilities in one of the most important protective layers of the nation’s vaunted aviation safety system. In the past two years, air traffic controllers and others have submitted hundreds of complaints to a Federal Aviation Administration hotline describing issues like dangerous staffing shortages, mental health problems and deteriorating buildings, some infested by bugs and black mold. There were at least seven reports of controllers sleeping when they were on duty and five about employees working while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The New York Times obtained summaries of the complaints through an open-records request. Air traffic controllers, who spend hours a day glued to monitors or scanning the skies with the lives of thousands of passengers at stake, are a last line of defense against crashes. The job comes with high stakes and intense pressure, even in the best of conditions. Yet the conditions for many controllers are far from ideal. A nationwide staffing shortage — caused by years of employee turnover and tight budgets, among other factors — has forced many controllers to work six-day weeks and 10-hour days. The result is a fatigued, distracted and demoralized work force that is increasingly prone to making mistakes, according to a Times investigation. The findings are based on interviews with more than 70 current and former air traffic controllers, pilots and federal officials, as well as thousands of pages of federal safety reports and internal F.A.A. records that The Times obtained. While the U.S. airspace is remarkably safe, potentially dangerous close calls have been happening, on average, multiple times a week this year, The Times reported in August. Some controllers say they fear that a deadly crash is inevitable. In the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, there were 503 air traffic control lapses that the F.A.A. preliminarily categorized as “significant,” 65 percent more than in the prior year, according to internal agency reports reviewed by The Times. During that period, air traffic increased about 4 percent. A database of aviation safety issues is peppered with recent mistakes by exhausted controllers. A controller at the air traffic control center in the Jacksonville, Fla., area instructed one airliner to turn into the path of another, later blaming being overworked and fatigued. A controller at a facility that monitors the skies above Southern California told a plane to fly too low, attributing the lapse to being “extremely tired” after working “continuous” overtime. “If I can make a small mistake like that, I can make a bigger one,” the controller wrote in a submission included in the database, which is maintained by NASA. Many controllers are aviation enthusiasts who are drawn to the job because it can pay six figures. Some relish the opportunity to earn more by working overtime. But The Times found that the combination of six-day workweeks and round-the-clock schedules has caused controllers to develop physical and mental health problems. Many avoid seeking professional help because doing so might jeopardize the medical clearances they need to work. Some turn to sleeping pills or alcohol to cope. Others resign or retire. One was Ashley Smith, a longtime controller in Atlanta who said she had witnessed her overworked colleagues engaging in physical fights and making dangerous errors. The F.A.A. estimated that more than 1,400 controllers — or about 10 percent of the total work force — would depart this fiscal year. Neil Burke, who worked as a controller in the New York metropolitan area, witnessed numerous mistakes by overly tired controllers.CreditCredit...Photographs and Video by Mohamed Sadek Neil Burke worked as a controller for more than a decade, including at the facility that directs air traffic in and out of airports in the New York metropolitan area. It is widely regarded as one of the country’s most complex control rooms. For years, controllers there have worked six days a week and 10-hour days. Mr. Burke, who left the F.A.A. last year because of a medical issue, said he had caught himself and other overly tired controllers making mistakes. “What happens when you stretch a rubber band too much?” Mr. Burke asked. “It breaks.” Jeannie Shiffer, an F.A.A. spokeswoman, said the agency “maintains the safest, most complex and busiest airspace in the world.” She added, “The nation absolutely needs more air traffic controllers, and growing the work force will result in better working conditions and more flexibility.” Air Safety in the United States Near Misses: A New York Times investigation found that U.S. passenger planes come dangerously close to crashing into each other far more frequently than the public knows. Air Traffic Control Lapses: Two planes nearly collided in Austin, Texas, almost killing 131 people. The incident was a harrowing example of America’s fraying air safety system. A Call for ‘Urgent Action’: Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration turned to outside experts after a string of near misses at U.S. airports. In a new report, the experts called for addressing the shortage of air traffic controllers and improving aging tech. An Alarming Pattern: Sydney Ember, an economics reporter for The Times, joined “The Daily” to explain why an aviation system known for its safety is producing such a steady stream of close calls. Ever since the Reagan administration replaced thousands of striking controllers, the agency has struggled to keep pace with waves of retirements. The problem grew worse during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the F.A.A. slowed training of new controllers. For the current fiscal year, the F.A.A. sought $117 million to train controllers and hire 1,800 new ones. Yet training is difficult; many aspiring controllers fail. The F.A.A.’s hiring plan is expected to have “a negligible improvement over today’s understaffed levels,” with a net increase of fewer than 200 controllers by 2032, the National Airspace System Safety Review Team, a group of experts appointed by the agency, said in a November report. Swarmed by Insects From 2011 to 2022, the number of fully certified controllers declined more than 9 percent, even though traffic increased. Based on targets set by the F.A.A. and the union representing controllers, 99 percent of the nation’s air traffic control sites are understaffed. (Under a looser standard that the agency prefers, Ms. Shiffer said, 63 percent of facilities are considered inadequately staffed.) To help fill that gap, controllers at 40 percent of the facilities worked six-day weeks at least once a month last year, according to the controllers’ union. Several locations required controllers to do so every week. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/02/business/air-traffic-controllers-safety.html The FAA is all mixed up about about pilot mental health Airline pilots are responsible for the safety of millions of people every day, but recent events have highlighted the ways their own well-being is neglected. Pilots experience mental illness and substance misuse, just like the rest of us. Yet the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and its policies may stand in the way of pilots getting help when they need it — ultimately putting the flying public in danger. With approximately 167,000 commercial airline pilots flying for major, small and regional airlines, an estimated 13,861 to 21,042 pilots have depression — 12.6 percent, 1.5 times higher than the general population. The FAA estimates the prevalence of substance misuse is 8.5 percent, while other experts note that the prevalence may be as high as 15.4 percent, consistent with the general population. That means that between 13,360 and 25,718 pilots are currently struggling with substance misuse. Meanwhile, the FAA’s mandated annual medical screening for substance misuse leads to rates of referral at about 0.5 percent of all pilots. This arithmetic is alarming. A flurry of news stories over the past several months illustrate the consequences of failing to identify these grave health concerns. In the latest frightening episode, an off-duty pilot who reported experiencing depression and using illegal drugs attempted to cut a commercial aircraft’s engines while riding in a jump seat. The FAA’s mission calls for “providing the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world,” but incidents like these suggest that the agency may not be meeting its goal of safety, particularly when it comes to identifying and helping pilots address substance misuse and mental illness. Indeed, FAA policies may actually be contributing to these problems. The agency requires pilots to undergo medical certification at least annually assessing whether the pilot is medically qualified to fly. To be compliant, pilots must meet with an Aviation Medical Examiner and disclose all visits to health professionals within the last three years, including the reason and providing the dates, names and addresses of providers. While these requirements are taxing and invasive for pilots to provide, they are in other ways too lax and unreliable, because they rely almost entirely on self-disclosure. Underreporting is common among people with mental illness and substance misuse problems; it is hard to recognize when we need help, and can be even harder to ask for it. Pilots are no exception, and they have a lot to lose by coming forward. For these reasons, the detailed disclosures required by the FAA are often perceived by pilots as a barrier to seeking the help they need. The fear of losing their pilot’s license and their livelihood, even temporarily, is paramount, causing them to sacrifice their well-being and the safety of the aerospace. FAA requirements are effectively encouraging pilots to stay quiet when sick. One study reported that 26.8 percent of pilots acknowledged underreporting to their Aviation Medical Examiner and 56.1 percent avoided accessing needed health care; some even recognized that their struggles could affect flight safety. Interestingly, commercial pilots were found to be more likely to underreport than other pilot classes, and nearly 50 percent of pilots acknowledged knowing a colleague who had underreported information. This suffering in silence creates a risk to aerospace safety and to all of us as passengers. It is time for the FAA to become more curious, more open minded and more realistic about the well-being of their workforce. They need to be more collaborative with mental health and well-being experts who understand the nuances of working with these safety-sensitive professionals, and they must incorporate mental health best practices into their policies and procedures. Other safety-sensitive industries — e.g. health care and law — are already leading the way. They are shifting work cultures; changing laws around licensure to only inquire about current impairing conditions; increasing access and incentivizing well-being activities; and creating supportive work environments. Even aviation medical examiners recognize this need; ultimately, we all have the same goal for maintaining a safe and efficient aerospace. Beyond these changes, the FAA needs to confidentially gather more accurate data on pilot well-being; it is clear there is a problem needing to be addressed, but without this data it is unclear how unsafe the airspace truly is. Policies and procedures must be less stigmatizing, more encouraging of self-disclosure, more supportive of preventative treatment seeking and include evidence-based approaches to identification of pilots who would benefit from support through the annual medical certification process. If passenger safety is to be maintained, the airline industry must shift from a culture of silence to loudly emphasizing that the well-being of pilots is a priority. Richard Frank is director of the Brookings Schaeffer Initiative on Health Policy. Robyn Hacker is assistant professor of psychiatry with the Behavioral Health and Wellness Program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/4336555-the-faa-must-prioritize-pilot-well-being-to-improve-flight-safety/ US Navy says it will cost $1.5M to salvage jet plane that crashed on Hawaii coral reef • A jet plane crashed on a coral reef in Hawaii nearly two weeks ago. HONOLULU -- The U.S. Navy estimates it will cost $1.5 million to salvage a jet plane that crashed on a coral reef in Hawaii nearly two weeks ago, officials said Saturday. Navy spokesman Mohammad Issa said the salvage efforts are focused on protecting the environment and safely recovering the aircraft in a way that retains its combat capability. He said $200,000 has already been spent on the operation. The Navy plans to use inflatable cylinders to lift and roll the jet plane off the reef where it crashed on Nov. 20. The P-8A, the military’s version of a Boeing 737 jet, slammed into an environmentally sensitive bay about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Honolulu when it overshot the runway at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. None of the nine people on board were injured. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Rear Adm. Kevin Lenox, the commander of Carrier Strike Group 3 who is leading the salvage effort, said Friday he is confident the operation can be carried out without further damaging the reef. The Navy released underwater video on Wednesday showing the aircraft's landing gear wheels resting on parts of crushed coral and much of the rest of the plane floating above the reef in Kaneohe Bay. A Navy team has removed nearly all of the estimated 2,000 gallons (7,500 liters) of fuel from the aircraft. Hawaii state officials are due to examine the reef for damage once the plane is removed. Kaneohe Bay is home to coral reefs and a range of marine life, from sharks to octopus and fish. The area hosts an ancient Hawaiian fishpond being restored by community groups. Contractors performed a similar feat when they removed a barge weighing 1,000 tons (907 metric tons) from sensitive seagrass habitat in the Outer Banks of North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2015. The plane weighs about 60 tons (54 metric tons). The Navy considered floating the jet within range of a crane on the runway and then lifting the plane onto land. But Lenox said the inflatable cylinder option was the safer method, was expected to have little to no effect on the coral and would not impact the aircraft. The jet is in good condition and the Navy hopes to get it flying again, Lenox said. The Navy uses the P-8A to search for submarines and conduct surveillance and reconnaissance. The Boeing-made plane is assigned to Patrol Squadron 4 stationed at Whidbey Island in Washington state. A separate crew from Whidbey Island has deployed to Hawaii to take over the squadron’s patrol missions near Hawaii. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/us-navy-cost-15m-salvage-jet-plane-crashed-105333830 2 men caught with guns at Dulles International Airport within 3 days Two men were caught with handguns at Virginia’s Dulles International Airport’s security checkpoints this week. A man from Pennsylvania was caught with a loaded handgun at one of the airport’s security checkpoints on Thursday while attempting to get onto a flight, the Transportation Security Administration said in a news release. Officials with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police Department took the 9 mm handgun loaded with 15 bullets from the man. He was cited on a weapons charge, the TSA said. The man, who claimed that he didn’t know he had his gun with him, could see a penalty of up to $15,000 for bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint. “Two guns caught in a three-day span says a lot about the continued vigilance of our TSA officers,” Scott T. Johnson, TSA’s federal security director for the airport, said in a statement. “Claiming that you forgot that you had a loaded gun with you is a tragic accident waiting to happen. There is no excuse for bringing a gun to the checkpoint.” On November 27, a man from Hagerstown, Maryland, tried to bring a 9mm handgun loaded with 15 bullets, including one in the chamber, through a security checkpoint, according to the TSA. The authority said that there were also 12 additional bullets packed with it. The gun was confiscated and the man also faces a civil penalty of up to $15,000. According to a news release, 23 handguns have been captured at Dulles security checkpoints this year. Those who are traveling by plane can bring their firearms inside a checked luggage. But it has to be approved by the TSA. Over 6,000 guns were detected at airport security checkpoints throughout the country, the TSA said. In April, a Tennessee man was stopped by security officers from bringing his handgun onto a flight from Dulles International Airport. Just last week, Reagan National Airport set a new record for number of guns caught at security checkpoints after a Maryland woman was caught with a loaded handgun at one of the airport’s security checkpoints during Thanksgiving travel. https://wtop.com/local/2023/12/2-men-caught-with-guns-at-dulles-international-airport-within-3-days/ Alaska Air to buy peer Hawaiian for $1.9 billion Dec 3 (Reuters) - Alaska Air Group Inc (ALK.N) said on Sunday it would acquire Hawaiian Holdings Inc (HA.O) for $1.9 billion, including debt, placing a bet on a troubled airline with lucrative routes as U.S. antitrust regulators fight consolidation in the sector. Alaska Air said it would pay $18 per share in cash, close to four times Hawaiian's closing price on Friday. The whopping premium reflected how battered Hawaiian's shares were. The Maui wildfires, high fuel costs and jet engine recall issues at some of Hawaiian's Airbus SE (AIR.PA) planes contributed to heavy losses and a 65% share price drop in the last 12 months. The deal is bound to attract antitrust scrutiny as U.S. regulators challenge JetBlue Airways Corp's (JBLU.O) proposed $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit Airlines Inc (SAVE.N) in court. Antitrust enforcers have been suspicious of mergers between small airlines despite 80% of the U.S. aviation sector controlled by four players: United Airlines (UAL.O), American Airlines (AAL.O), Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) and Southwest Airlines (LUV.N). They were successful in getting JetBlue in July to abandon a three-year-old alliance with American Airlines. The tie-up with Hawaiian would give Alaska Air, valued at $5.1 billion, control of more than 50% of the market for Hawaii flights, to one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. "This is where people want to come spend time and vacation and have weddings and anniversaries. This is something that we believe that will remain strong for years to come," Alaska Air CEO Ben Minicucci said in an interview. He expressed confidence that regulators would approve the deal by the end of 2024 because the two airlines overlap in just 12 of the 1,400 flights they collectively operate. Alaska Air also defended its 270% premium offer as a bargain, noting that the deal values Hawaiian at 0.7 times its annual revenue, far below the industry average of 1.7 times. It added it expected a minimum of $235 million in annual savings. Alaska Air approached Hawaiian to discuss a potential tie-up over the summer, people familiar with the matter said. Hawaiian posted a net loss of $159.3 million in the first nine months of 2023, smaller than the $189.9 million in the year-ago period. The Maui wildfires led to lower air traffic, a 4% spike in jet fuel costs is weighing on its losses, and issues with engines made by RTX Corp's (RTX.N) Pratt & Whitney grounded some of its Airbus A321neo fleet. In an investor presentation, Alaska Air noted Hawaiian's long history of profitability prior to those issues, with operating margins fluctuating in mid-teen percentages between 2010 and 2019. The deal is expected to generate high single-digit earnings gains for Alaska Airlines within the first two years with no material impact on long-term balance sheet metrics, the company said. After retiring the Airbus planes it inherited with its acquisition of Virgin America in 2016, Alaska Air has been only flying Boeing Co's (BA.N) 737 planes since end-September this year. The combined company will operate a mixed fleet for now, Minicucci said, without ruling out future rationalization. It will be based in Seattle under his leadership, and Honolulu will become a key Alaska Airlines hub. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), a trade union representing 600,000 manufacturing and aerospace employees, said it will take all steps to protect the rights of members at both carriers. https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/alaska-air-buy-hawaiian-airlines-19-bln-2023-12-03/ 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