Flight Safety Information - December 7, 2023 No. 234 In This Issue : Incident: KLM B78X over Celtic Sea on Dec 6th 2023, engine trouble : Accident: Emirates A388 enroute on Dec 4th 2023, turbulence injures 14 : Ural Airlines pilots asked to resign after landing Airbus A320 in Russian field : Pilot Mental Health: Safety Board Chair Calls for FAA Action on ‘Bureaucratic Nightmare’ : 2 aircraft clip wings at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport; FAA investigating : Pentagon grounds all Osprey aircraft after fatal crash : Flight Diverts To Florida After Passenger Recreates Scene From The Movie “Airplane!” : Saudi Arabia contributes $1.5m toward launch of new regional aviation safety body : Mexico's military-run commercial airline to launch with military planes : UK fraud agency makes one arrest, launches probe into fake jet engine parts : Toddler escapes parents to ride baggage belt at airport: ‘Just wanted to go home’ : Russia’s Aviation Crisis Continues: Cargo Plane Catches Fire Upon Takeoff : CALENDAR OF EVENTS Incident: KLM B78X over Celtic Sea on Dec 6th 2023, engine trouble A KLM Boeing 787-10, registration PH-BKA performing flight KL-741 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Bogota (Colombia), was enroute at FL320 about 160nm west of Brest (France) when the crew decided to return to Amsterdam due to some indications for the right hand engine (GEnx). The aircraft descended to FL310 for the return, dumped fuel and landed safely on Amsterdam's runway 06 about 2.5 hours after departure and taxied to the apron. The aircraft is still on the ground about 9 hours after landing. The rotation was cancelled. https://avherald.com/h?article=51214464&opt=0 Accident: Emirates A388 enroute on Dec 4th 2023, turbulence injures 14 An Emirates Airbus A380-800, registration A6-EEV performing flight EK-421 from Perth,WA (Australia) to Dubai (United Arab Emirates), was enroute at FL380 over the Persian Gulf when the aircraft encountered turbulence causing injuries to a number of cabin crew and passengers. The aircraft continued to Dubai where the aircraft landed safely on runway 30L about 10:20 hours after departure. The airline reported the aircraft briefly encountered unexpected turbulence mid flight resulting in a small number of crew members and passengers sustaining injuries. The crew and volunteers, with assistance from medical support via satellite link, provided medical assistance to the injures. The flight continued to Dubai, where medical services awaited the flight on landing. 14 people were assessed by medical services. Passengers reported meal service was just in progress and was stopped when the turbulence hit. A number of people were thrown against the ceiling and back onto the floor twice leaving cracks in the cabin ceiling. https://avherald.com/h?article=51212eb5&opt=0 Ural Airlines pilots asked to resign after landing Airbus A320 in Russian field The relatives of the two pilots that were forced to land an Airbus A320 passenger jet in a Russian cornfield have said the men were asked to resign following the incident. Russian news outlet Izvestia was reportedly told about the development on December 6, 2023, directly from relatives of the Ural Airlines pilots. According to sources the Russian flag carrier gave no explanation, but both pilots Sergei Belov and Eduard Semenov refused to sign resignation letters. Confusion surrounding the crash has grown since the Airbus A320 was forced to land in a field just outside of Novosibirsk, in southern Siberia, on September 12, 2023, after running low on fuel. Following the incident, it was reported that the Airbus A320 experienced a failure of its hydraulic system as it approached Omsk Tsentralny Airport (OMS), and the crew chose to divert to another airport. However, as the plane flew to the alternative airport it became apparent the aircraft did not have enough fuel to land there. After an initial report into the incident was published on October 31, 2023, the Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia (Rosaviatsiya) came out and said a new investigation was needed due to “newly discovered circumstances”. Izvestia then reported on November 17, 2023, that Rosaviatsiya had “identified 15 errors and contradictions” with the original report. Among its concerns the Russian agency was particularly troubled by the “unacceptably low level” of the pilots training and discrepancies found in the report. The Airbus A320 is still stranded in the Russian field with a decision on its fate yet to be confirmed. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/ural-airlines-pilots-resign Pilot Mental Health: Safety Board Chair Calls for FAA Action on ‘Bureaucratic Nightmare’ Unraveling the "bureaucratic nightmare" that is the FAA's mental health processes will be tough. But NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy is firm that it needs to be done. Just two years ago, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Steve Dickson, encouraged pilots to seek mental health treatment if needed, but also referred to the risk to their careers of doing so as “perceived.” But at a summit about mental health Wednesday, it was clear that the risk to any aviation professional’s career is very real. “There’s a culture right now, which is not surprising to me, that you either lie or you seek help,” said Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, which held the event in Washington, D.C. “We can’t have that. That’s not safety.” The issue received new attention in October after an Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson nearly brought down a plane in while suffering a mental health crisis. Emerson said that he had experienced depression-like symptoms since the death of a friend in 2018 — some five years before the incident. Emerson is not alone. More than 55% of pilots have expressed reluctance to report mental health issues due to fear of career reprisals, according to researcher William Hoffman, an affiliated assistant professor of aviation at the University of North Dakota. Long Waits, Little Financial Support Stephanie Day, a Horizon Air flight attendant and aspiring pilot, said Wednesday that by her best estimate, it will have taken at least eight years for the FAA to let her fly as a solo pilot after she first disclosed seeking mental health treatment in 2016. She plans to reapply before the end of the year and expects the FAA to take around 12 months to make a decision. She asked, Has it been worth it? “This is my journey, and it is worth it to me.” She was joined at the summit by other aviation professionals, including pilots, instructors, and the parents of John Hauser, who took his own life when dealing with depression as a student pilot. The consensus was that the costs of both being out of work and receiving treatment all push individuals towards either not reporting mental health issues or self-medicating. The FAA’s required psychiatric evaluations to return to work can cost thousands of dollars and are not covered by insurance. “We got the message loud and clear from all sides: If you want to fly, you can’t admit anything is wrong, at all,” said Laila Stein, a certified flight instructor at Jeff Air Pilot Services in Indiana and a recent graduate from Western Michigan University. FAA Faces ‘Wave’ of Medical Requests When a pilot or other aviation professional wants to return to work after receiving mental health treatment, they must secure sign off from the FAA in terms of a medical certificate. Applications for those certificates have surged in recent years. “The wave hit us,” said Penny Giovanetti, director of the medical specialties division at the FAA, of the requests for medical certificates from pilots receiving mental health treatment. That wave has come in just the past few years as the agency has faced numerous challenges from the pandemic, a leadership change, and staffing issues. Giovanetti emphasized that the FAA is aware of and addressing the issues. She is “optimistic” that processing times will improve — just not soon due to a “horrendous” backlog. “It is a very cumbersome federal bureaucratic nightmare,” is how Homendy described the process. FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker on Tuesday formed a new rulemaking committee to review the agency’s pilot mental health rules and processes. The aim is to make recommendations “that break down the barriers that prevent pilots from reporting and seeking care for mental health issues.” The committee will have around 20 voting members, all of whom will come from outside the FAA, Giovanetti said. She did not disclose the timeline for naming those committee members. Aviation Professionals Need More Support on Mental Health Many want to see the FAA do more than simply speeding up the time it takes to re-certify pilots and others after they experience mental health issues. Panelists called for more peer support on the issue, which many keep private, as well as expanding the list of approved medications that pilots can take. Homendy called for some form of an amnesty period from the FAA where aviation professionals who have experienced issues can come discuss their situation openly without fear of repercussions. “We are all human,” Homendy said. “Who hasn’t among us faced some sort of crisis in our lives? We expect pilots will be some super heroes and continue on as if nothing’s happened in our lives … Everyone is in need of help at some point.” https://skift.com/2023/12/06/pilot-mental-health-safety-board-chair-calls-for-faa-action-on-bureaucratic-nightmare/ 2 aircraft clip wings at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport; FAA investigating No injuries reported after GoJet, SkyWest planes make contact waiting for gate space Two regional aircraft clipped wings on the ground at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Tuesday, resulting in no injuries and prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate, officials said. The wingtips of GoJet Flight 4423 and SkyWest Flight 5433 made contact around 7 p.m. while the two jets were waiting for gate space at the airport, the FAA said in a statement based on preliminary information provided to Fox News Digital. Both aircraft "taxied safely to the terminals, where passengers exited normally," the statement said. The FAA said the agency is investigating the incident and provided no further details. FAA ESTABLISHES COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES FOR PILOTS, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS SkyWest told Fox News Digital that its flight, operating as United Express, arrived safely at O’Hare before its wing made contact with another aircraft. No injuries were reported, and its passengers deplaned normally at the gate. Its maintenance teams are inspecting the aircraft, the airline said. GoJet told Fox News Digital in a statement that its flight landed at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and was parked waiting for a gate when another aircraft operator clipped the wing of the aircraft. "The crew immediately reported it to air traffic control, safely taxied to the gate and all passengers deplaned normally," the statement said. "There were no reported injuries and our maintenance team is inspecting the aircraft for damage." The SkyWest flight had arrived from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, while the GoJet flight had arrived from Richmond, Virginia, WBBM-TV reported. PILOTS SAY THEY NEED TO PRIORITIZE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AS PRESSURES MOUNT Close calls involving aircraft have been on the rise, with a panel of independent experts concluding last month that the FAA needs better staffing, equipment and technology to help prevent these incidents. Former FAA acting administrator Dan Elwell tells ‘The Claman Countdown’ that more approved hours in a flight simulator could help streamline pilot training to help with shortages.video This tech in pilot training could help staff shortages: former FAA acting admin. Former FAA acting administrator Dan Elwell tells ‘The Claman Countdown’ that more approved hours in a flight simulator could help streamline pilot training to help with shortages. A shortage of air traffic controllers has forced workers into frequent overtime, leading to fatigue. Some workers have reported employees showing up to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs or sleeping on the job, The New York Times reported last week. The report found that some air traffic controllers have even developed physical or mental health problems and avoid seeking help over concerns it might jeopardize their jobs. https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/2-aircraft-clip-wings-chicagos-ohare-international-airport-faa-investigating Pentagon grounds all Osprey aircraft after fatal crash Dec. 7 (UPI) -- The Pentagon on Wednesday grounded its entire fleet of V-22 Osprey aircraft while an investigation continued into a deadly crash involving the aircraft near Japan. Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind said in a statement that an initial assessment suggested a "potential material failure" caused the crash rather than human error. He stressed, though, that the underlying cause of the crash remains unknown. "The standdown will provide time and space for a thorough investigation to determine causal factors and recommendations to ensure the Air Force CV-22 fleet returns to flight operations," the statement said. The Navy and Marine Corps agreed to join the Air Force in grounding flights of all models of the CV-22 while Boeing and Bell, which jointly built the hybrid aircraft told The Washington Post they are "standing by to provide support" if asked. The CV-22 is a variant of the Osprey V-22 aircraft, which is capable of lifting off and hovering like a helicopter, that is used by the Air Force's Special Operations. Three U.S. Marines died and others were critically injured in an Osprey crash in Australia in August. In 2022, five Marines died when a MV-22B Osprey crashed during training exercises in California and four U.S. soldiers were killed when an Osprey crashed during NATO training exercises in Norway. The decision to ground the Osprey comes as Japan expressed concern last week over continued flights of the aircraft following the Nov. 29 crash off the shore of Yakushima that killed eight crew members. The United States had initially suspended flights of CV-22 Ospreys, like the one involved in the fatal crash, but had continued regular flights of other models. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, however, stressed on Friday that Japan had "officially" requested that all flights of the Osprey, except search and rescue operations, be halted. A joint U.S.-Japanese crew of search and rescue divers discovered the wreckage of the crashed Osprey as well as the remains of the crew members over the weekend. This week the Pentagon identified those involved in the U.S. crash as Staff Sgt. Jake Galliher, 24; Maj. Eric Spendlove, 36; Maj. Luke Unrath, 34; Capt. Terrell Brayman, 32; Tech. Sgt. Zachary Lavoy, 33; Staff Sgt. Jake Turnage, 25; and Senior Airman Brian Johnson, 32. https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2023/12/07/Osprey-grounded-Pentagon-accident-Japan/3291701949872/ Flight Diverts To Florida After Passenger Recreates Scene From The Movie “Airplane!” In 1972 George Carlin laid out the “seven words you can neve say on television.” There are also words you can’t say at an airport or on an airplane. One of them is “bomb.” Another is saying “hi” to your friend “Jack” as passengers did at the security checkpoint in the 1980 comedy Airplane! One Breeze Airways passenger decided to find out and used the first banned word of aviation on Tuesday evening. Breeze Airways flight 717 from Orlando to Providence, Rhode Island diverted to Jacksonville, Florida and two passengers were arrested after a couple got into an argument, and a man said bomb. Forty five minutes after takeoff, pilots decided to put the Airbus A220 down. The FBI responded. The man pulled off the aircraft can be seen on video apologizing to passengers as he’s placed into handcuffs. A couple of hours later the flight was cancelled and passengers were told they would fly the next day and reimbursed for a hotel room. Isn’t it obvious, though, that someone who makes an off-handed remark about a bomb, or jokes about a bomb, doesn’t have a bomb? A deleted scene from Friends makes this very important point. Monica and Chandler headed off on their honeymoon in the episode where Rachel told Ross she’s pregnant. But since it was scheduled to air shortly after 9/11, they didn’t show the part at airport security where Chandler makes a joke about a bomb and winds up being detained. I was just making a joke. I know the sign says no jokes about bombs, but shouldn’t the sign really say “no bombs.” I mean isn’t that the guy we really have to worry about here, the guy with the bombs? Not the guy who jokes about his bombs, not that I have bombs, because if I did I probably wouldn’t joke about about them. I’d probably want to keep that rather quiet. Of course it’s not just ‘bomb’ or ‘hi, jack’ that may get you in trouble. There are a lot more words you cannot say in an airport or on a plane without risk. Even naming your wifi hotspot ‘Samsung Galaxy Note 7″ or ‘bomb on board’ can get you in trouble. Even someone saying ‘bomba’ on a United flight got passengers deplaned in 2018. Snapchatting a friend that you’re a ‘terrorist with womens’ hearts can be enough to cause trouble, if your seat opponent can see your screen. https://viewfromthewing.com/flight-diverts-to-florida-after-passenger-recreates-scene-from-the-movie-airplane/ Saudi Arabia contributes $1.5m toward launch of new regional aviation safety body RIYADH: A new body to monitor aviation safety in the Middle East and North Africa region was on Wednesday unveiled at an international industry conference being held in Riyadh. Abdulaziz Al-Duailj, president of the Saudi General Civil Aviation Authority, inaugurated the new MENA Regional Safety Oversight Organization — which will be based in Riyadh — during a ceremony as part of the 15th International Civil Aviation Organization meeting. A memorandum of agreement was later signed by representatives of MENA-RSOO member states including Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia, Palestine, Libya, Mauritania, and Yemen. ‎Inauguration ceremony ‎of the Regional Safety Oversight Organization ‎for the ‎Middle East and North African States (MENA-RSOO) which is hosted by ‎Riyadh ‎‎(Wednesday, December 6, 2023) by Abdulaziz Al Duailej President of the General ‎Civil Aviation Authority inaugurated.‎ (Supplied) The new organization will aim to help develop and implement national training and safety programs, improve the monitoring of air safety, and work with nations to meet aviation safety standards. In a speech, Al-Duailj said: “The establishment of the new organization will be a milestone for all its member states and is also a testimony to their commitment to aviation safety, quality, and efficiency. “This step confirms the Kingdom’s keenness and commitment to aviation safety through its continued cooperation with international partners, to ensure the highest standards of air safety are achieved,” he added. Al-Duailj noted that the ICAO wanted to see unified safety standards and the integration of technology throughout the civil aviation industry, especially regarding the design of aircraft engines, autonomous control, remotely piloted service aircraft, personal transportation via air taxis, and the overall performance of the air traffic network. On Saudi Arabia’s financial contribution toward the setting up of the MENA-RSOO, he said: “Through this, the Kingdom aims to activate the role of this organization and support it with an amount of $1.5 million for the first two years of its establishment, in order for the organization to carry out its tasks and responsibilities in supporting air safety programs in our region. “It also aims to assist member states in strengthening and raising the legislative and supervisory capabilities of their national air safety systems, enabling them to achieve higher levels of compliance with international rules and recommendations,” Al-Duailj added. Salvatore Sciacchitano, president of the ICAO Council, said that the organization’s inauguration was an important step toward enhancing safety in the civil aviation sector. “It embodies the amount of cooperation exerted to develop civil aviation safety in the Middle East,” he added. He pointed out that the sector was an essential driver of economic growth and connectivity between countries. Abdenbi Manar, director general of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization, noted ‎that the transportation sector played an essential role in the progress of nations. He said: “It contributes to creating wealth and job opportunities, whether at the ‎industrial level or the infrastructure of the transportation system, and air transport ‎is usually an integral part of this system. “The air transport sector is distinguished from other types of transportation by its ‎speed, efficiency, regularity, and high level of safety. “Also, it relies on international ‎standards, whether at the institutional level or at the legal, financial, and technical ‎level,” Manar added.‎ The five-day ICAO conference is being hosted by the GACA until Dec. 7, with the participation of more than 100 countries and international organizations, and at least 700 industry experts. https://www.arabnews.com/node/2421381/saudi-arabia Mexico's military-run commercial airline to launch with military planes MEXICO CITY, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Mexico's newest commercial airline, due to be run by the military, is set to launch later this month using military aircraft after a deal to lease planes fell through, local media reported on Wednesday. The airline, which revives the Mexicana name, will take flight using two Boeing 737-800s and a previous-generation 737-300, newspaper Reforma reported, citing sources. The planes have been sent to be inspected, the head of Mexico's aviation authority AFAC told newspaper El Financiero. AFAC declined a request for comment. Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mexicana was initially set to receive 10 rented Boeing 737-800s in September and October. It is now also looking to strike a deal with regional carrier TAR to rent at least one Embraer 145, according to media reports. Transportation Minister Jorge Nuno said on Wednesday he was unsure which planes would be used, but that the airline was gearing up to start flying several "initial" routes on Dec. 26. Earlier this week he said Mexicana was still determining which routes to fly depending on the availability of planes. The airline, backed by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, already pushed back its launch date from the beginning of this month due to lack of planes. Tickets were briefly available for sale online but the option was later taken down. Mexicana will be unable to resume ticket sales until it obtains an air operator license, which it cannot do until it obtains the planes, Nuno added. Lopez Obrador has vowed to revive the airline to offer low-cost options to travelers. Mexicana had been a major national carrier when it entered bankruptcy proceedings in 2010. The company's take-off would mark another step in the administration's handover of traditionally civilian-led duties in the sector to the military. A slew of airports previously operated by the transportation ministry have been placed under military control in recent days. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/mexicos-military-run-commercial-airline-launch-with-military-planes-2023-12-06/ UK fraud agency makes one arrest, launches probe into fake jet engine parts LONDON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Britain's Serious Fraud Office said it made one arrest on Wednesday after launching a criminal investigation into allegations that London-based firm AOG Technics had distributed fake parts for aircraft engines. The SFO said it raided an address in the London area and seized material about possible fraud by AOG Technics, which is accused of supplying falsely documented parts for use in the world's most-sold passenger jet engine, the CFM56. "This investigation deals with very serious allegations of fraud involving the supply of aircraft parts, the consequences of which are potentially far-reaching," SFO director Nick Ephgrave said in a statement. AOG could not immediately be reached for comment. CFM56 engines power the previous generation of Boeing 737s and about half the previous generation of Airbus A320s. While industry sources say the parts in question are not considered critical, CFM International, a joint venture between France's Safran (SAF.PA) and U.S. GE Aerospace (GE.N), has warned that fake parts make it impossible to verify airworthiness. Safran and GE allege AOG sold thousands of parts for the CFM56 with false certification documents, and Safran has been calling for a criminal probe since October. The discovery over the parts has prompted airlines to ground some planes and change parts on others, but so far only a fraction, less than 1%, of the 23,000 existing CFM56 engines have been affected. The suspected forgery came to light after reports made by a Portuguese maintenance company in June, and regulators in Britain, the United States and the European Union have since issued alerts over the parts. The SFO said the individual it had arrested was currently being questioned, adding that it was working with regulators to determine whether there are grounds for prosecution. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/uks-sfo-makes-one-arrest-launches-probe-into-fake-jet-engine-parts-2023-12-06/ Toddler escapes parents to ride baggage belt at airport: ‘Just wanted to go home’ A 3-year-old boy who managed to slip past his parents and security was caught on surveillance camera going for a conveyor belt joyride at an airport in Chile. Footage captured the moment that the little daredevil slithered past a check-in counter at Santiago International Airport in Chile on Nov. 16 and boarded for a joyride that lasted a few minutes before being caught, according to NewsFlare. Footage shows the boy climbing onto the conveyor platform after sneaking by a check-in desk. While the video plays out, bags are seen trailing the boy at the same time another camera angle shows the conveyor belt rigorously switching the 3-year-old into another lane. That’s when airport workers appeared and noticed the toddler on the belt as one airport employee hopped over the machine to press a button that cut the ride short. The airport claimed they had no idea how the little guy snuck past tight security, vowing they would “reinforce safety measures and protocols with airline operators” to prevent something like that from happening again. Bags are seen trailing the boy as another camera angle shows the conveyor belt taking the toddler through restricted areas. Airport workers noticed the toddler on the belt as one airport employee stopped the machine and rescued the boy. The airport said they are collecting information to determine how the incident occurred and will “reinforce safety measures and protocols” to prevent it from happening again. “We are collecting all the information to determine how this situation occurred and reinforce safety measures and protocols with airline operators to prevent it from happening again, beyond the responsibility that parents and caregivers should have for the children in their care,” an airport spokesperson said in a statement to Chilean newspaper La Tercera. Social media users on TikTok were hysterical of the little boy’s stunt that lasted just minutes on the conveyor belt. “Just be honest this little guy thought he found a magical tunnel lol 😂, what treasure awaits 😆,” one user joked. “He just wanted to go home!” a replier jokingly said. “15 [years old] and still wanna try this 😂😂,” another funny reply read. What do you think? Post a comment. The little boy’s mischievous act follows a similar incident that occurred in 2019 when another small child at an airport in Atlanta. A 2-year-old was injured and taken to a hospital with a severely swollen as well as bruised hand when he escaped his mother to get close to a conveyor belt at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Airport footage showed the boy sneak through a ticket counter and get on the conveyor belt when a bag pushed him into the machine, NBC News reported. https://nypost.com/2023/12/07/news/toddler-escapes-parents-to-ride-baggage-belt-at-airport/ Russia’s Aviation Crisis Continues: Cargo Plane Catches Fire Upon Takeoff Evidence suggests that an acute shortage of spare parts following Western sanctions could be leading to Russian planes taking off with unsafe components. On Dec. 7, a Tu-204 cargo plane caught fire while taking off from the Russian city of Ulan-Ude in Buryatia – the latest in a series of incidents which points to Western sanctions taking their toll on Russia’s aviation industry. According to the Head of the Republic of Buryatia, Alexei Tsydenov, an engine of a TU-204 cargo plane, belonging to the Aviastar-TU airline, caught fire upon take-off from Baikal airport. The plane then landed without casualties. According to the Russian Telegram channel Baza, the plane was set to fly from Ulan-Ude to the Chinese city of Zhangzhou. However, a few minutes after takeoff, the plane's left engine caught fire. The pilots first reported the situation to airport control and dumped fuel, after which they initiated an immediate descent. All airport services were put on alert and the plane is understood to have landed without anyone suffering injuries. Videos and photos of the burning plane in the sky have been posted online. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the West imposed large-scale sanctions on the Russian aviation industry. These have limited the Kremlin's ability to maintain high-tech developments, including aircraft. This has led to many apparent aviation incidents that Moscow has been trying to play down. On Dec. 2, at around 1 p.m., an Aeroflot Airbus A321 flying from St. Petersburg to Moscow requested an emergency landing at Sheremetyevo Airport. The decision was made due to a left engine failure. The landing was reportedly carried out with 162 passengers on board. On the same day, a Yamal airlines “Superjet 100” landed at the Roschino airport in the Russian city of Tyumen due to technical problems. There were more than 70 passengers on board, in addition to the crew. The passengers were subsequently flown to their final destination, Ufa, on the airline's backup aircraft. It is also reported that, on Dec. 2, S7 Airlines announced a reduction in its flight program to several destinations. The carrier explained this in terms of “seasonal redistribution of aircraft and schedule optimization.” On Nov 23, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry (HUR) published classified documents pointing to an aviation collapse in Russia. An acute shortage of spare parts has reportedly led to so-called “aviation cannibalism” in Russia, whereby some aircraft are dismantled to repair others. According to the available data, by mid-2023, more than 35 percent of aircraft in Russia were “donated.” https://www.kyivpost.com/post/25173 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