Flight Safety Information - February 9, 2024 No. 030 In This Issue : Incident: Porter E295 enroute on Jan 30th 2024, numerous EICAS messages : Incident: Delta B753 at Minneapolis on Feb 3rd 2024, flaps problem : Incident: One Air B744 near Amsterdam on Feb 8th 2024, two generators failed leaving no lateral navigation : US FAA mandates Boeing 737 MAX rudder loose bolt inspections : Pentagon IDs possible cause of Nov. 29 Osprey crash that killed 8 : US Senate panel votes to boost FAA staffing, rejects hiking pilot retirement age : US National Transportation Safety Board exposes further safety compromises on Boeing 737 Max aircraft : US approves 25-hour cockpit voice recorders, no rise in pilot retirement age : Passenger attempted to enter Israeli flight's cockpit, emergency landing made : Aviation among sectors to be served by Texas hydrogen production plant : Hawaiian Airlines debuts free inflight Wi-Fi from SpaceX’s Starlink : BBN Airlines Indonesia acquires four Boeing 737s, plans to fly 40 planes by 2027 : CALENDAR OF EVENTS Incident: Porter E295 enroute on Jan 30th 2024, numerous EICAS messages A Porter Airlines Embraer ERJ-195-E2, registration C-GKQP performing flight PD-402 from Edmonton,AB to Toronto,ON (Canada) with 39 people on board, was enroute at FL410 when the crew observed numerous EICAS messages, the autopilot disconnected. The crew worked the checklists for an "AVNX MAU 1A Fail" indicating increased landing distance and potential loss of nose wheel steering. The crew continued to Toronto for a safe landing on runway 15L. The Canadian TSB reported the power supply for MAU 1 (Modular Avionics Unit 1) was replaced. https://avherald.com/h?article=514b3ad0&opt=0 Incident: Delta B753 at Minneapolis on Feb 3rd 2024, flaps problem A Delta Airlines Boeing 757-300, registration N592NW performing flight DL-747 from Phoenix,AZ to Minneapolis,MN (USA), was on final approach to Minneapolis' runway 12R when the crew initiated a missed approach reporting they had a flaps problem subsequently adding the trailing edge flaps were limited, about half of trailing edge flap only, the leading edge flaps were available. The crew worked the related checklists, declared emergency as a precaution and landed safely on runway 12R at a higher than normal speed (about 160 knots over ground) and taxied to the apron. The aircraft returned to service the following morning after about 14 hours on the ground. https://avherald.com/h?article=514b37cf&opt=0 Incident: One Air B744 near Amsterdam on Feb 8th 2024, two generators failed leaving no lateral navigation A One Air Boeing 747-400 freighter, registration G-ONEE performing flight HC-211 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Hong Kong (China), was climbing out of Heathrow's runway 09R when the crew stopped the climb at FL250, already over the North Sea reporting they had lost two of their four generators and requested radar vectors advising they had no lateral navigation left. The aircraft initially turned back towards England, then turned again and diverted to Amsterdam (Netherlands) advising they didn't need any fuel dump, and landed safely on Amsterdam's runway 06 about 85 minutes after departure. The aircraft is still on the ground in Amsterdam about 7.5 hours after landing in Amsterdam. https://avherald.com/h?article=514b23d5&opt=0 US FAA mandates Boeing 737 MAX rudder loose bolt inspections WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday it was formally mandating inspections in Boeing 737 MAX airplanes for loose bolts in the rudder control systems after the planemaker recommended them in December. The FAA said all U.S. airlines had completed the inspections in early January and found no missing or loose rudder bolts. The inspection requirement issued on Thursday fulfills U.S. international continued operational safety obligations. The issue of bolts and Boeing planes has taken on new significance since the National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report this week on the Jan. 5 mid-air emergency of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 that lost a cabin panel at 16,000 feet. The agency said evidence suggested the door panel was missing four key bolts. The NTSB said the panel known as a door plug - fitted into this MAX 9 model in place of an optional exit - could have detached from the plane. In December, Boeing recommended the loose-bolt inspections after an international operator discovered a rudder bolt with a missing nut while performing routine maintenance, while Boeing discovered an additional undelivered aircraft with a nut that was not properly tightened. Boeing said on Thursday that since it recommended the inspections in late December, operators have scrutinized more than 1,400 737 MAX airplanes, with only one inspection remaining. "To date, no other airplane has been found with the condition that initiated the inspection," Boeing said. "Operators who completed the inspection do not have to perform additional examinations and can continue safely flying their airplanes." Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell told reporters on Thursday that the NTSB told her this week that markings on the recovered 737 MAX 9 door plug suggested that "there was movement" of the door plug on prior flights. "How come that wasn't detected in the process?" Cantwell said. Alaska and United Airlines both said last month during inspections of MAX 9 jets that they had found loose bolts on numerous airplanes. The FAA on Jan. 6 ordered 171 MAX 9 jets grounded and then lifted that grounding on Jan. 24 after it mandated extensive inspections of the door plugs. The agency also barred Boeing from boosting the existing 737 MAX production rate, pending improvements in quality control. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/us-faa-formally-mandates-boeing-191703610.html Pentagon IDs possible cause of Nov. 29 Osprey crash that killed 8 The Pentagon believes it has identified the mechanical failure that led to a fatal crash of an Osprey aircraft in Japan and the grounding of the fleet for two months, a U.S. defense official told The Associated Press. It is now weighing how the aircraft can be returned to service. The Pentagon’s Joint Safety Council is now working with the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps on plans to get Osprey crews ready to fly again, said Navy Rear Adm. Chris Engdahl, chairman of the council and commander of Naval Safety Command. The Air Force investigation is continuing into the Nov. 29 Air Force special operations command CV-22 crash, which killed eight service members. The crash led to a rare grounding on Dec. 6 of about 400 Osprey aircraft across the three services. Japan also grounded its fleet of 14 Ospreys following the crash. The official who said the mechanical failure had been identified declined to say what the failure was. The discovery has opened the door to discussions on returning the aircraft to flight because mitigations can be put in place. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. While each service will determine when it returns its own fleets to the skies, the council is talking with “commanders across the services on what are their plans to come back to flight, what are their risk decisions,” Engdahl said. “In aviation, they’ve done this before, but probably not on this broad scale with a platform like we have in the V-22″ Osprey. That could include getting service-wide input on how many simulator hours are needed to get a crew back to proficiency, with what type of flying, and what maintenance is needed on each Osprey before they return to the air again, Engdahl said. Flight safety is dependent on pilots maintaining currency on an aircraft — meaning that they are flying regularly enough to be proficient in all types of flying, such as night missions, close formation flying or refueling. After 60 days of being grounded, that will be one of the key issues the services must prepare for as the Ospreys return to flight. They also must make sure the aircraft are ready. Both the Air Force and Marine Corps have been running the Osprey’s engines; the Marines have been conducting ground movements to keep the aircraft working. Marine Corps leadership is also working on a message to send throughout the service that could give each unit up to 30 days to re-certify crews and ensure they are ready to return to flight, according to a second defense official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not been announced publicly. Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Alyssa Myers said the service is cooperating closely with the Air Force and Navy “to make an informed decision for the MV-22′s return to flight. The safety and well-being of our personnel and the reliability of the V-22 continues to be a priority in our discussions as we determine our return to flight.” The Osprey is a fast-moving airframe that can take off like a helicopter and then tilt its engines and rotor blades to a horizontal position to fly like an airplane. While the current Osprey stand-down is one of the largest military aircraft groundings in terms of affecting three services’ flight operations, it’s not the longest. When the Osprey was still in development, two Osprey crashes in 2000 killed 23 Marines and led the Marine Corps to ground the program for nearly 18 months. The Joint Safety Council was established by Congress to get a stronger services-wide look at safety issues following a string of deadly aviation crashes in 2018. https://www.yahoo.com/news/pentagon-ids-possible-cause-nov-145651033.html US Senate panel votes to boost FAA staffing, rejects hiking pilot retirement age WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - A U.S. Senate committee on Thursday voted on legislation to boost safety inspector and air traffic controller staffing, but declined to endorse raising the airline pilot retirement age to 67 from 65. The U.S. House of Representatives in July voted 351-69 on a sweeping bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that would hike the mandatory pilot retirement age to 67. The Senate Commerce Committee voted 14-13 to reject the retirement age hike after the FAA said earlier this week it would prefer additional research was conducted before Congress raised the age. Current international rules would still prevent pilots older than 65 from flying in most countries outside the United States. Differences between the $107 billion five-year FAA Senate bill and the House version will need to be resolved, but the push has gained momentum after the recent in-flight emergency involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab 737 MAX 9 raised questions about FAA oversight of the aircraft maker. Advertisement · Scroll to continue The Senate bill would also approve five additional round-trip flights from Reagan Washington National Airport sought by Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), opens new tab but opposed by other airlines. The Senate bill prohibits airlines from charging fees for families to sit together and requires airlines to accept vouchers and credits for at least five years, but did not adopt many stricter consumer rules sought by the Biden administration. Airlines for America, an industry grade group, praised the bill, saying it was pleased the Senate Commerce Committee opted to "forgo policies that would harm consumers and unnecessarily raise operating costs and passenger fares." The bill hikes maximum civil penalties for airline consumer violations from $25,000 per violation to $75,000 and aims to address a shortage of 3,000 air traffic controllers by directing the FAA to implement improved staffing standards and to hire more inspectors, engineers and technical specialists. Commerce Committee chair Maria Cantwell said the bill makes significant safety improvements. "We put more FAA safety inspectors on factory floors and more air traffic controllers into towers," Cantwell said. "We have a huge responsibility to make sure FAA is doing its job to keep passengers safe." Senator Ted Cruz, the top Republican on the committee, said the bill will "nurture innovation and nascent technology like air taxis, hypersonic planes, and unmanned aircraft." Senators chose not to include new authority for state attorneys general to investigate airline consumer issues, but Cantwell plans to hold hearings and may consider a future bill. The current bill also requires airplanes to be equipped with 25-hour cockpit recording devices and directs the FAA to deploy advanced airport surface technology to help prevent collisions. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senate-panel-votes-reject-hiking-pilot-retirement-age-67-2024-02-08/ US National Transportation Safety Board exposes further safety compromises on Boeing 737 Max aircraft The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its preliminary findings on the in-flight blowout of a fuselage door plug on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on January 5, revealing that four bolts designed to stop such a blowout were not installed on the aircraft. At the time, the aircraft was at an altitude of 16,000 feet, which caused the plane to immediately depressurize and oxygen masks to drop. The Seattle Times reported that a 15-year-old high school student who was sitting in the window seat directly ahead of the blowout might have been thrown out of the plane along with part of the fuselage if not for the swift action of his mother, who secured him immediately even as clothing and a seat headrest were sucked out. In addition, a lawsuit by several of the passengers aboard the flight alleges that many heard a “whistling” coming from near where the blowout occurred before it happened. Initial reports show that none of the plane’s sensors reported any errors and the flight proceeded despite those concerns. After the blowout, the flight immediately dropped to 10,000 feet and the pilots successfully returned to Portland International Airport, landing without further incident. Of the 177 passengers and crew, eight suffered minor injuries. The findings show that the bolts were removed at Boeing’s facility in Renton, Washington, after it was transported there last August for final assembly. During this process, employees from Spirit AeroSystems, one of Boeing’s suppliers, noted five damaged rivets which needed to be replaced. In order to do so, they had to remove a door plug, known as an MED plug, and the four bolts ensuring the plug stayed in place. Photo documentation after repairing the rivets and replacing the MED plug shows that the bolts were not reinstalled after the rivets were repaired. The report notes that those directly involved in working on the plane have not yet been interviewed by the NTSB and that the agency’s investigation is ongoing. The documentation and photographs released by the NTSB are a devastating exposure of the continued disregard for safety by Boeing. The aerospace manufacturer is most notorious for the deaths of 346 men, women and children over the course of two crashes in October 2018 and March 2019, caused by the faulty Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). Numerous investigations in multiple countries revealed that Boeing knew the system was inherently flawed and dangerous, yet pressed ahead with installing it on its new 737 Max aircraft in order to compete for market share with its European rival, Airbus. The numerous problems with 737 Max aircraft are a continuation of the pursuit of profits over lives most exemplified by the 2018 and 2019 crashes. It is only sheer luck that the most recent fuselage blowout did not occur at a higher altitude, where the decompression would have been much more violent. It would have been highly likely that the aforementioned teenager, and perhaps many others, would have lost their lives that day. Responding to the NTSB report, Boeing CEO David Calhoun said that “Whatever final conclusions are reached, Boeing is accountable for what happened. An event like this must not happen on an airplane that leaves our factory.” This statement not merely cynical, but extraordinarily sinister. Before 2020, Calhoun was a member of Boeing’s board of directors and sold $9.5 million worth of stocks in the month before the second 737 Max crash. He rose to CEO after the former chief executive, Dennis Muilenburg (who made more than $80 million during his tenure), was unable to bring Boeing’s stock back up after the quagmire of the second crash. After Calhoun oversaw the reinstatement of the 737 Max, he shed crocodile tears proclaiming, “We will never forget the lives lost in the two tragic accidents that led to the decision to suspend operations.” One must wonder how short Calhoun thinks our memories are. In reality, Calhoun’s main task is restoring Boeing’s stock value, which is down more than 7 percent from what is was a month ago. Other corporations can smell blood in the water, with Tim Clark, the president of Emirates airline, one Boeing’s biggest customers, commenting, “this is the last chance saloon.” The fuselage blowout is not even the only manufacturing-related safety issue that has come up on Boeing Max 737 aircraft in the past several weeks. The deliveries of about 50 planes are currently delayed because of improperly drilled window holes. In a letter to Boeing’s employees, Stan Deal, the head the company’s commercial airplanes division, wrote that “While this potential condition is not an immediate safety issue and all 737s can continue operating safely, we currently believe we will have to perform rework on about 50 undelivered planes.” Deal is fooling no one. If missing bolts can cause part of a plane to come undone, so can improperly drilled holes. Planes are complex machines that must withstand sharp pressure differences between the inside and outside of the aircraft. Even a slight misalignment can cause airflow between the inside and outside, which can erupt dramatically, and dangerously, as it likely did on January 5. Nor is Michael Whitaker, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), who testified on Tuesday before the House Of Representatives Subcommittee on Aviation, when he stated that the FAA will “take appropriate and necessary action” to improve airline safety. The FAA has been a long-standing ally of the airline corporations in working to cut safety regulations. One particular procedure highlights this relationship. Starting in 2005, the FAA began to grant “in-house oversight” for new planes in production and approval of major repairs and alterations. As such, more and more engineers doing inspections began to report to Boeing rather than the FAA, ultimately culminating in a Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) in 2011, when Boeing was granted essentially full authority to audit its own safety practices. The ODA played a key role in covering up the problems in the 737 Max that led to the two crashes, and no doubt played a similar role in allowing for a situation to exist where part of a plane explodes outwards while in flight. Whitaker himself is another example of how the FAA is intimately tied to the airlines and manufacturers it is supposed to oversee. Whitaker’s resume includes acting as a lawyer for Trans World Airlines, director, vice president and senior vice president for United Airlines, Group CEO of InterGlobe Enterprises and COO for a subsidiary of Hyundai. And now he is nominally expected to regulate the corporations which he helped run. https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2024/02/09/omle-f09.html US approves 25-hour cockpit voice recorders, no rise in pilot retirement age The United States (US) Senate has passed a key piece of aviation legislation that will finally require planes to be equipped with 25-hour cockpit voice recorders. The legislation in question, the bipartisan Senate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2023, has now been approved by the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The legislation, which was passed on February 8, 2024, aims to significantly strengthen safety standards in the country and respond to safety concerns over recent aviation accidents and near-misses. In recent years, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been urging the FAA to increase the cockpit voice recording time from two hours to 25 hours to match safety rules in Europe. The NTSB’s investigation into the Alaska Airlines plug door blow out on January 5, 2024, has been hampered because investigators were unable to access important data due to the limited recording time. As well as 25-hour cockpit voice recorders, the bill also addressed the shortage of air traffic controllers in the US that has been partly blamed for a spate of near-misses over the last 18 months. “The bill mandates that the FAA implement new staffing models to close the current gap of 3,000 controllers and requires the FAA to beef up staffing to close the 20 percent shortage of FAA safety inspectors responsible for certification and production oversight,” the Senate Committee said. At the same time, the Senators also rejected the suggestion that the pilot retirement age should rise from 65 to 67 years of age. According to Reuters, the US House of Representatives voted in July 2023 to increase the age pilots can retire to 67. However, on February 9, 2024, the Commerce Committee voted 14-13 to reject the hike. Elsewhere in the newly passed Act, the FAA will be required to raise the safety bar for foreign repair stations to meet US standards. It requires more deployment of surface detection technology at more large and medium-sized hub airports to prevent near-misses. The new legislation strengthens consumer protections, setting the first-ever refund standards for passengers with non-refundable tickets when domestic flights are cancelled or delayed starting at three hours. Henceforth, airline vouchers will need to be valid for up to five years and parents will no longer be charged extra to sit next to their children, while fines against airlines for aviation consumer protection violations will be tripled. The Act also requires the FAA to create new standards for drones and electric air taxis so that the United States is leading the pack on new technology and creates a dedicated Office of Advanced Aviation Technology at the Department of Transportation (DOT). “This bipartisan bill delivers improvements to aviation safety and consumer protections that Americans have been demanding,” said Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Committee. “The bill will put more FAA safety inspectors on factory floors and more air traffic controllers in towers. It forces airlines to improve customer service—establishing mandatory refunds for flight disruptions and barring carriers from charging extra for families to sit together. Aviation is a key sector of the U.S. economy and supports millions of U.S. jobs. We need to make the right investments, hire the best-skilled workers and make our aviation safety system the gold standard of the world.” Commenting on the new legislation, Senator Ted Cruz, Ranking Member of the Committee said: “This bipartisan bill will help ensure the FAA can improve at its core mission of keeping the flying public safe. With the aviation industry facing serious challenges, this legislation charts a course to address many of them while also modernizing and transforming the FAA’s operations. The legislation will also nurture innovation and nascent technology like air taxis, hypersonic planes, and unmanned aircraft.” https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/senate-legislation-aviation-us-faa Passenger attempted to enter Israeli flight's cockpit, emergency landing made N12 reported later on Thursday that security guards detained the passenger on board the flight after he attempted to infiltrate the cockpit. An El Al flight from the Czech capital of Prague to Israel underwent an emergency landing in Thessaloniki, Greece, due to a "violent passenger," Israeli media reported on Thursday. In a statement, Israel's national airline said that flight LY2522 was forced to make an emergency landing in Greece, where the violent passenger was taken off the flight in cooperation with local police. "El Al has a zero-tolerance policy for violence, and we shall continue to ensure the safety of our passengers." N12 reported later on Thursday that security guards detained the passenger on board the flight after he attempted to infiltrate the cockpit. The suspect, who was described by N12 as "most likely an Arab," was handcuffed before being escorted out of the plane in Thessaoliniki. Previous El Al emergency incidents Last year, an El Al flight from Ben-Gurion Airport to Rome, Italy, was forced to turn around above the Mediterranean Sea after smoke was reported from inside the cockpit. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-800, successfully made an emergency landing in Larnaca. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-785835 Aviation among sectors to be served by Texas hydrogen production plant Green Wing logo with white letters against a green backdrop, and leafs on either side HNO International, a green hydrogen systems design, integration and product development company, is working with two other US-based partners to develop what it says will be “the world’s first 500kg per day green hydrogen production facility” in Houston, Texas. The hydrogen produced by this new facility will be made available to the civil aviation market, among other industries. Having joined forces with Element One Energy, an expert in the design and manufacturing of electrolyzers and solid-state hydrogen storage systems, and Pneumatic and Hydraulic Company, which boasts a 60-year legacy in the compressed gas industry, HNO International says construction of the Houston plant is scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of this year, and will open to the public in June. “This state-of-the-art facility is the inaugural installation in HNO International’s Scalable Hydrogen Energy Platform (SHEP), a modular and scalable hydrogen energy system designed to efficiently produce, store, and dispense green hydrogen from water using a 1.25MW electrolyzer,” explains HNO International. An electrolyzer uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. HNO International suggests that SHEP is “an ideal solution” for various industrial and commercial applications. Civil aviation is among those industries. Against a backdrop of increasing interest and investment in hydrogen-powered aircraft — and some notable gains by stakeholders including European airframer Airbus and British hydrogen-electric aircraft developer ZeroAvia — a HNO spokesperson tells RGN: “Our facility will produce fuel cell grade hydrogen, which can apply to a range of applications, including hydrogen-powered aircraft.” A rendering of the Scalable Hydrogen Energy Platform (SHEP) is a scalable, modular hydrogen energy system that produces, stores, and dispenses hydrogen made from water. The Scalable Hydrogen Energy Platform (SHEP) is a scalable, modular hydrogen energy system that produces, stores, and dispenses hydrogen made from water. It features a compact footprint, requiring less than 3,000 sq ft of space. Image: HNO International Headquartered in Temecula, California, HNO International has already made some notable achievements to advance decarbonization and Net Zero goals. It recently successfully demonstrated the clean hydrogen refueling of a Toyota Mirai utilizing its own Compact Hydrogen Refueling Station. Rotation Though HNO International is not in any way affiliated with Toyota, its choice of the Mirai for this refueling test makes sense. In 2021, the Mirai set a Guinness World Record for achieving the longest distance by a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle without refueling. Pneumatic and Hydraulic Company, meanwhile, boasts a hydrogen division called Total Hydrogen Solutions, which already serves a broad range of industries, including notable aerospace clients like SpaceX, Blue Origin and NASA. “Their extensive experience in fluid power solutions and high-pressure systems, along with their distribution lines of over 40 industry-leading brands of related equipment will be instrumental in this project,” says HNO International. https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2024/02/aviation-among-sectors-to-be-served-by-texas-hydrogen-production-plant/ Hawaiian Airlines debuts free inflight Wi-Fi from SpaceX’s Starlink KEY POINTS • Hawaiian Airlines is rolling out complimentary Wi-Fi via SpaceX’s Starlink onboard commercial flights this week. • It is the first major U.S. airline to offer the satellite-based service. • “We think it is really going to set an entirely new standard for connectivity on airplanes,” Peter Ingram, CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, told CNBC. is rolling out complimentary Wi-Fi via SpaceX’s Starlink on board commercial flights this week, the companies told CNBC, the first major U.S. airline to offer the satellite-based service. “SpaceX has really cracked the code – literally, in terms of the technology – to be able to deliver a wide bandwidth of very high quality connectivity to an airplane with a global reach,” Peter Ingram, Hawaiian Airlines CEO, told CNBC. Hawaiian’s plan for complimentary Wi-Fi comes as airlines ramp up their offerings for high-speed connectivity. JetBlue Airways offers Wi-Fi on board for free, and last year Delta Air Lines launched onboard internet free of charge for members of its loyalty program, after years of planning. Hawaiian has an extensive network of flights over the Pacific Ocean, serving the mainland U.S., Japan, Australia and New Zealand, among other destinations, from Hawaii. “It really feels like an experience that should not be possible when you get on a commercial airline flight. And you’re able to connect to the internet and experience it in a way that’s similar, if not better, than what you can experience in your own home,” Chad Gibbs, SpaceX’s vice president of Starlink business operations, told CNBC. “We now have a totally different paradigm, which is that we have incredible amounts of capacity and bandwidth that we can bring to the plane,” Gibbs added. Hawaiian signed an agreement with SpaceX in April 2022, looking to utilize the Starlink network – which consists of more than 5,000 satellites in low Earth orbit and boasts more than 2.3 million customers worldwide. The airline didn’t previously offer inflight Wi-Fi. The companies did not disclose the deal’s value or how much it costs to install each of the aviation-specific Starlink terminals on a commercial aircraft. Ingram emphasized, however, that “the costs of this have gone down from what the early Wi-Fi systems were.” He noted Hawaiian is “actively” installing Starlink terminals, with six completed on its Airbus A321 planes so far. In total, Hawaiian expects to add Starlink to 18 of the A321 jets and 24 of its A330 aircraft later this year. “We think it is really going to set an entirely new standard for connectivity on airplanes,” Ingram said. The companies originally planned to begin installing the Starlink terminals last year, but Ingram said that SpaceX needed to launch more next-generation Starlink satellites and receive certification from the Federal Aviation Administration before installation could begin. SpaceX has been steadily pursuing the licenses needed for a wide variety of aircraft. It’s received certification for smaller jets, with semi-private charter JSX beginning to use the service in late 2022. “To date Starlink has been used on over 30,000 flights, on flights across the U.S. and around the world,” Gibbs said. In addition to Hawaiian, SpaceX has announced Starlink inflight Wi-Fi deals with Latvia’s airBaltic, Japan’s Zipair and Qatar Airways. The addition of Starlink service comes to Hawaiian shortly after the airline struck a deal late last year to be acquired by Alaska Airlines in a $1.9 billion deal. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/08/hawaiian-airlines-debuts-spacex-starlink-free-inflight-wi-fi-.html BBN Airlines Indonesia acquires four Boeing 737s, plans to fly 40 planes by 2027 BBN Airlines Indonesia has acquired four Boeing 737 aircraft as it seeks to build a fleet of 40 planes by 2027. BBN Airlines Indonesia, a part of Avia Solutions Group, the world’s largest ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) provider, reached agreements for three Boeing 737-800 and one Boeing 737-400F in November 2023. All four 737s are currently undergoing maintenance checks and are expected to be ready to serve unscheduled domestic and international passenger charter flights by early March 2024. Martynas Grigas, Chairman of BBN Airlines Indonesia, said: “With the addition of these fleets, we are very confident that we can increase the number of load factors and also be able to open new routes in the future. By early 2024, BBN Airlines Indonesia already has six aircraft in total, and the addition of these fleets is a significant step in developing our fleet to meet the demands of the growing market.” Martynas also revealed that BBN Airlines Indonesia will continue to focus on unscheduled passenger charter flight and air cargo transportation services. The increase in BBN Airlines Indonesia’s fleet is part of the strategic expansion of Avia Solutions Group within the Asia-Pacific region, where the company is currently making significant investments. “This additional fleet will also support ‘s strategic plan to be able to operate a total of 40 aircraft by the end of 2027. We are optimistic that the mission carried out by BBN Airlines Indonesia can strengthen the Indonesian aviation sector as a whole, both on a domestic and international market scale,” Martynas added. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/bbn-airlines-indonesia-boeing-fleet CALENDAR OF EVENTS • SINGAPORE AIRSHOW 2024 - February 20 - 25 • HAI Heli-Expo 2024 - February 26 - 29 - Anaheim, CA • 2024 Women in Aviation International Conference - March 21-23 (Orlando) • SMU Air Law Symposium - March 21-22, 2024 ( Dallas, TX) • 2024 ACSF Safety Symposium – Air Charter Safety Foundation - April 1-3, 2024 • Blazetech - Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection, and Investigation Course June 4 - 7, 2024 • Airborne Public Safety Association, Inc. (APSCON 2024) - July 29 - August 3; Houston TX • Asia Pacific Airline Training Symposium - APATS 2024, 0-11 September, 2024, Singapore • 2024 ISASI - Lisbon, Portugal - September 30 to October 4, 2024 • 2024 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition - Oct. 22-24 (Vegas) Curt Lewis