Flight Safety Information - December 11, 2023 No. 236 In This Issue : Incident: China Eastern A332 at Shanghai on Dec 9th 2023, could not retract landing gear : Incident: Northern Air Cargo B734 near Chicago on Dec 7th 2023, smoke in cockpit : Incident: Jetblue A321 near Columbus on Dec 9th 2023, smoke indication in cabin : Southwest flight slid off Colorado Springs runway : NTSB releases preliminary report into November Plano plane crash that killed 87-year-old pilot : The Crosscheck: Tools To Prevent Runway Incursions : FAA Promotes Rule Requiring Drug Testing At Non-U.S. Repair Stations : GPS Is 30 Years Old: Here’s How It’s Changed Aviation : US Air Force announces retention bonuses of up to $600,000 in desperate bid to fix pilot shortage : CALENDAR OF EVENTS Incident: China Eastern A332 at Shanghai on Dec 9th 2023, could not retract landing gear A China Eastern Airbus A330-200, registration B-6538 performing flight MU-533 from Shanghai Pudong (China) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was climbing out of Shanghai's runway 17L when the crew stopped the climb at about 1800 meters due to being unable to retract the landing gear. The aircraft dumped fuel and returned to Shanghai for a safe landing on runway 16L about 2:20 hours after departure. A passenger reported there was unusual noise, that he could hear even through his noise-cancelling headset. Later the crew announced that due to a mechanical failure they needed to return to Shanghai. The airline reported "mechanical failure". A replacement Airbus A330-200 registration B-6545 is estimated to reach London with a delay of about 4.5 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=51231eac&opt=0 Incident: Northern Air Cargo B734 near Chicago on Dec 7th 2023, smoke in cockpit A Northern Air Cargo Boeing 737-400, registration N403YK performing flight NC-5711 from Newark,NJ to Salt Lake City,UT (USA), was enroute at FL360 about 70nm southwest of Chicago Rockford,IL (USA) when the crew donned their oxygen masks, reported smoke and decided to divert to Rockford. The crew opted for a straight in approach to runway 07 and landed safely on runway 07 about 14 minutes after leaving FL360, vacated the runway and stopped on the parallel taxiway for inspection by emergency services. The airline reported there was a mechanical concern. Crew and aircraft are safe, the cargo was already unloaded. The cause of the mechanical discrepancy is under review. https://avherald.com/h?article=51225ee2&opt=0 Incident: Jetblue A321 near Columbus on Dec 9th 2023, smoke indication in cabin A Jetblue Airbus A321-200, registration N984JB performing flight B6-223 from New York JFK,NY to Los Angeles,CA (USA) with 65 people on board, was enroute at FL360 about 40nm north of Columbus,OH (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Columbus reporting they had received a "smoke bell warning in the cabin". During the descent the crew reported it appeared the warning had gone. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Columbus' runway 28L about 35 minutes later. A replacement A321-200 registration N937JB reached Los Angeles with a delay of about 7 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Columbus about 13 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5123baa2&opt=0 Southwest flight slid off Colorado Springs runway Snowy conditions led a Southwest Airlines flight to slide off the runway Friday evening in Colorado Springs. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado — The snow storm that blew in Friday night made for a more challenging landing at the Colorado Springs Airport. A Southwest Airlines flight arriving from Las Vegas slid a short distance past the runway after touching down. An airport spokesperson told News 5 that no one was injured and no damage was reported from the skid. However, the plane had to be towed back to the gate by the ground crew, which is standard procedure. News 5 viewer Kim Preather was on the flight and shared photos and video of the landing. She wanted to share her appreciation for the pilots and the ground crew at the airport for helping to get everyone home safely. There were a handful of delayed flights Friday night as a result of the slide because the runway was closed for roughly 45 minutes for the towing operation. https://www.koaa.com/news/covering-colorado/southwest-flight-slid-off-colorado-springs-runway NTSB releases preliminary report into November Plano plane crash that killed 87-year-old pilot McDonald's friends say that, even at almost 88 years old, he was still a 'perfectionist' in the cockpit – a 'very safe guy' who made a point to fly weekly. Monroe McDonald loved aviation. And he was a renowned pilot among his aviation-loving peers, too, even appearing on the cover of Vintage Airplane magazine in a 2002 photo that captured him piloting his Mooney M20C – the same plane that crashed in Plano on Tuesday, November 21. McDonald didn't make it. “I'm coming in from the north of you – northwest – and my destination was Air Park Dallas, but it may be too dark for me,” he said in his final moments, in a message sent to air traffic control. “I’m going to have to fly over it. I may have to come to Addison [Airport].” Two and a half weeks after his fatal crash, the National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report into what happened on McDonald's final flight. It confirmed much of what was already known through the earlier press conferences and surveillance video being released -- that, at 5:48 p.m., McDonald performed a "go-around" after attempting to land his plane, which he'd flown to the single-runway airport called the Air Park-Dallas Airport from Eagle Roost Airpark in Aguila, Arizona, on a visit to see family and friends in Plano, then crashed in the parking lot of a nearby shopping center. Dash camera captured and witnesses reported the plane's low descent and crash in the moments that followed, at which point "the airplane’s left wing [dipped] perpendicular to the ground and [entered] a near-vertical descent" to the ground, where it eventually came to a stop, engulfed in flames, in the parking lot outside of Mama’s Daughter’s Diner in Plano -- about .25 miles west of his intended destination at the nearby airport. The plane, the report states, came to its rest inverted and "a post-impact fire ensued and spread to an unoccupied vehicle" nearby before the "airplane was destroyed by the fire." In the course of its crash, the report said the engine separated from the fuselage and, along with the plane's propeller, was embedded into the ground near its final resting place. The wings, the report noted, "remained attached to the fuselage and exhibited leading edge accordion crush damage consistent with a nose low impact." It also added that "black rubber transfer and broken pavement, consistent with the landing gear being extended, were located on the pavement at the accident site." The report added that the airplane was then transferred to a secure off-site facility for additional examination. McDonald's friends say that, even though he was just days away from his 88th birthday, he was still a “perfectionist” in the cockpit – a “very safe guy” who made a point to fly weekly. McDonald grew up in Dallas, graduated from SMU. was an engineer and moved to Aguila, Arizona, years ago to join the Eagle Roost community, which is centered around aviation. He’d been celebrated himself by the FAA for having 50 years of piloting and aircraft operations under his belt. https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/plano-plane-crash-november-2023-ntsb-preliminary-report/287-4c2b2f09-28ef-4247-b5f4-230e7e304ae8 The Crosscheck: Tools To Prevent Runway Incursions Roger Cox December 11, 2023 I have written previously that improvements to tools, staffing and work environments would help mitigate runway incursions. I suggested the FAA require anti-blocking circuits in ATC and aircraft radios to prevent some runway incursions. That would lessen one of the risks that cause incursions, but there are other risks as well. Sometimes two airplanes or an airplane and a vehicle wind up at almost the same spot on a runway even when their radio transmissions are clear. That requires some different tools. One of the tools the FAA has developed to mitigate the risk is the Runway Status Light (RWSL) system. The lights work pretty well but do they work well enough? RWSL systems consist of two types of lights—Runway Entrance Lights (REL) and Takeoff Hold Lights (THL). They function automatically and are independent of air traffic control. RELs are installed in the pavement where taxiways intersect with runways, and they illuminate in red to indicate to a taxiing pilot that an airplane is approaching or the runway is occupied by another airplane. THLs are installed along runway centerlines, and they illuminate in red to indicate to a pilot about to take off that another airplane or a vehicle has encroached on the runway. The system has had some success. The FAA in 2019 said “the effectiveness of RWSL at the 15 airports where it was operational in 2017 found an overall 52% reduction in the average runway incursion rate, with 15,484 potential saves by the technology.” What the agency didn’t say was there had also been a few incursions despite the presence of RWSL. On Jan. 29, 2016, an Airbus A321 crew operating a late-night flight from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Florida commenced the takeoff roll despite the fact that the THLs were illuminated. The tower controller caught her own mistake in issuing them takeoff clearance in time to stop the takeoff when controllers’ ASDE-X (Airport Surface Detection System, Model X) surveillance system alerted. The captain claimed he never saw the truck on the runway and recalled that the THL lights went out as they accelerated. He didn’t know that was feature of the system. On Dec. 14, 2016, a Canadair CL-600 regional jet crossed the runway hold short line to Runway 28L at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) at the taxiway Juliet (J) intersection while another air carrier flight was on takeoff roll. Taxiway J was not equipped with RELs since it was a high-speed taxiway and was only intended to be used as an exit. Even though an RWSL system was installed at the airport, it didn’t prevent the incursion. More notable incursions took place at RWSL- equipped airports in 2023. On Jan. 13, an American Airlines Boeing 777-200 crossed Runway 4L without ATC clearance at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York. A Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-900ER was forced to abort its takeoff as a result of the incursion. The FAA’s RWSL diagram of JFK shows there is an REL at the “J” taxiway by Runway 4L, the point where the American flight crossed that runway. It should have prevented the incursion. A Learjet 60 took off without clearance from Runway 9 at Logan International Airport (BOS) in Boston on February 27 and almost struck a JetBlue E190 that was about to land on Runway 4R. According to the FAA Mandatory Occurrence Report filed for the event, the “Runway 9 status lights displayed red.” Were the lights bright enough? Was the warning timely? We don’t know. On August 11, a Cessna Citation 560XL overflew a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 at San Diego International Airport (SAN), resulting in a loss of separation. SAN’s Runway 9/27 is equipped with RELs, but the preliminary report at this writing did not say if they were a factor in the incident. So far, neither the completed nor the preliminary NTSB reports on these incidents have suggested any design flaw in the RWSL system, but it seems to be a question worth asking. RWSL systems are now deployed at 20 major U.S. airports and if there are improvements needed, now is a good time to find out. On Oct. 13, the FAA informed the NTSB that it would spend more than $100 million to reduce runway incursions at 12 airports. The projects include changing confusing taxiways, adding lighting systems, and providing flexibility on the airfield. No new RWSL installations were mentioned. Following several serious incidents in late 2022, the FAA named a six-member Safety Review Team to examine safety and reliability in the nation’s air traffic management system in April. In a final report released on Nov. 15, the independent team recommended that training more controllers is the biggest near-term step the FAA can make to improve system safety and efficiency. The report makes 24 recommendations overall. FAA ‘Sprint Efforts’ As one of the tools to prevent incursions, however, RWSL may have reached the point of diminishing returns. A hint of the direction the FAA seems to be going is in its most recent reply to NTSB Recommendation A-00-066. That recommendation proposed a ground movement safety system that would provide direct warnings to flight crews. The FAA says it will make a “sprint effort” toward a Surface Awareness Initiative to provide surface traffic displays at airport towers that do not currently have a surface surveillance system. This sounds like an attempt to find a less costly way than RWSL systems to prevent incursions at second and third level airports. Other “sprint efforts” are being devoted to an Approach Runway Verification (ARV) system to aid controllers in checking aircraft runway alignments and a new Runway Incursion Device (RID) memory aid for controllers. A measure of the persistence of the runway incursion threat is the age of the NTSB recommendation. It was issued in 2000 and replaced a similar recommendation issued in 1991. If you are less than 32 years old, this effort to stop runway incursions is older than you are. It appears that the FAA is making an all-out effort to improve the tools we need to operate our complex air traffic management system without having any more runway incursions. Let’s hope the effort pays off. https://aviationweek.com/business-aviation/safety-ops-regulation/crosscheck-tools-prevent-runway-incursions FAA Promotes Rule Requiring Drug Testing At Non-U.S. Repair Stations In a move under consideration for “decades,” the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced yesterday (Dec. 6) it plans to mandate that aviation repair stations in foreign countries require their employees to submit to drug and alcohol testing if they perform safety-sensitive maintenance procedures for U.S. airlines. According to the FAA, such testing is rare, and the new requirement would affect approximately 977 repair facilities in 65 countries. The FAA wrote that the testing would ensure that “employees are held to the same high level of safety standards, regardless of where they are physically located.” The Transport Workers Union said that the U.S. airline industry has generated 35,000 jobs for aircraft mechanics offshore since 2017, while eliminating more than 5,000 technician jobs at home. Union President John Samuelsen told Reuters that under the new rules, “Airline mechanics in China and other lower-wage, lower-standard countries who work on U.S. commercial aircraft will have to undergo drug and alcohol testing—just like mechanics here.” According to the FAA, some U.S.-based maintenance facilities argue they “are operating at an economic disadvantage as maintenance facilities abroad are not required to subject employees to drug and alcohol testing and, therefore, are essentially circumventing the associated costs to maintain a testing program.” The FAA estimated the future cost to airlines of repair stations overseas complying with the new rules would be $102.3 million over a five-year span. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/faa-promotes-rule-requiring-drug-testing-at-non-u-s-repair-stations/ GPS Is 30 Years Old: Here’s How It’s Changed Aviation • GPS helps pilots around the world navigate their flight routes. SUMMARY • GPS technology revolutionized aviation by allowing pilots to know their exact location, making flying safer and more efficient. It also enables air traffic controllers to manage traffic flow effectively. • The development of GPS stemmed from the space race and the realization that the location of users on the ground could be determined by their distance from orbiting satellites. • GPS has evolved over time and is now owned by the United States Space Force, providing extreme navigational precision for pilots and aiding air traffic controllers in scheduling departures and arrivals at airports. Modern technology has significantly changed the way pilots operate aircraft over the years. Perhaps the biggest adaptation of modern technology was the introduction of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology into aircraft. GPS systems within aircraft allow pilots to know exactly where they are located on the Earth as well as air traffic controllers to know the location of pilots in their airspace. This contributes to the traffic flow management systems throughout the world and makes flying safer and more efficient. Brief history of GPS GPS systems utilize satellites and ground stations to locate the system user. A transmitter on an aircraft connects to satellites to determine the exact coordinates. This information is relayed to ground stations, adjusted for time and the rotation of the Earth, then sent back to the aircraft with the exact location. Per Aerospace Corporation, GPS technology was developed during the space race, after the first satellite, Sputnik, was launched into space. Scientists noticed the frequency of radio signals changed as the Sputnik satellite orbited the Earth. This led to the realization that the location of users on the ground could be determined by its distance from the orbiting satellite. Eventually, this idea grew into Transit, which was the world's first global navigation system. The technology was developed by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) and was typically used for military operations. The evolution of GPS After the development of basic navigation technology, GPS was developed. After Korean Air Lines flight 007 was shot down due to crossing into Soviet prohibited airspace because of navigational errors, the United States government decided to make GPS effective for civilian use. In 1993, 30 years ago, modern GPS technology became available to anyone on Earth. This incorporated a 24 satellite system to ensure the location of anyone that wanted to use it. These satellites were launched by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) over the course of several years. As the system was incorporated, the signal was purposely degraded by the US government. This was known as selective availability, which was initially established to give slight errors to users in order to protect information of US military assets. This was turned off in 2000 due to the development of GPS-blocking technology, called jamming, that could be implemented in regional areas. GPS in modern aviation Nowadays, GPS is owned by the United States Space Force and is operated outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is supported by various airmen and civilians to ensure proper function. The system itself has gone through many upgrades since it was incorporated for civilian use. In modern aviation, GPS allows pilots to operate with extreme navigational precision, even as the aircraft they pilot travels at incredibly high speeds. In aircraft, GPS can be operated in three modes: en route, terminal, and approach, which each have varying tolerances. The approach mode especially increases the vertical and lateral tolerance to ensure it stays away from terrain and other aircraft as it begins the landing process. GPS is also extremely important for air traffic controllers to schedule departures and arrivals at airports. Most large airports utilize RNAV, or area navigation, which is a form of GPS instead of radio-based navigation aids. This allows controllers to utilize arrival procedures for incoming aircraft at varying airspeeds and routes. https://simpleflying.com/gps-30th-anniversary-aviation-uses/ US Air Force announces retention bonuses of up to $600,000 in desperate bid to fix pilot shortage The US Air Force (USAF) has announced a new round of retention bonuses, offering up to $600,000 over 12 years, the Air Force Times reported. Announced on November 30, the bonuses are aimed at manned aircraft and drone pilots, combat systems operators, and air battle managers, with amounts ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 per year, depending on aircraft type and when they commit. The move aims to retain skilled airmen and address a decades-long pilot shortage that has affected policy-making and managerial jobs. Fighter and bomber pilots, as well as mobility, search-and-rescue, and special operations pilots, could earn $30,000 to $35,000 a year on three- to four-year contracts, per the report. Pilots who sign up for an extra five to seven years could earn another $37,500 to $42,500 per year, while those committing to eight to 12 additional years stand to earn $45,000 to $50,000 a year. Airmen operating command-and-control and intelligence aircraft also qualify for the bonuses and could get annual payments of $30,000 to $35,000 over three to 12 years. Some pilots opting for an additional five to 12 years may receive a lump sum payment of up to $200,000 upfront. The new initiative, which will run until the end of 2028, will supplement non-financial incentives offered by the USAF to those in the demo, such as giving troops more of a say over where they are based and what assignments they get. Early data indicates a positive response to the demo program, with 210 contract extensions signed in the first 10 days, service spokesperson Master Sgt. Deana Heitzman said, per the Air Force Times. The USAF said in September that it had missed its annual target of around 1,500 new pilots for the eighth year in a row. According to the Air Force Times, staffing issues, maintenance problems, and unexpected setbacks meant the force decided to limit its training numbers to 1,350 airmen rather than the planned 1,470. "We're going to try to make sure we are still flying because that's what we do as an Air Force," Maj. Gen. Clark Quinn, the general in charge of pilot training told reporters, per the publication. https://www.businessinsider.com/us-air-force-offering-pilot-shortage-retention-bonuses-2023-12 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