Flight Safety Information - February 13, 2024 No. 032 In This Issue : Incident: Srilankan A333 at Melbourne on Feb 12th 2024, smell of smoke on board : Accident: United B772 enroute on Feb 10th 2024, severe turbulence injures : Incident: Indigo A20N at Delhi on Feb 11th 2024, runway excursion after landing : United Airlines Reportedly Grounds Brand New Airbus A321neo Aircraft Because Pilots Can’t Turn Off the ‘No Smoking’ Signs : Man indicted for aiming laser pointer at aircraft in Spokane : 2 detained after mid-air Southwest Airlines fight : Lawmakers Urge FAA To Ease Path to Mental Health Care : Singapore Airlines in $1.2M lawsuit after cabin crew member ‘slipped’ on flight : Airbus Can Now Make Parts For C295 Tactical Transport Aircraft In India : Embry-Riddle Doing $1 Million Pilot Skills Study : Spirit Airlines pilots sending out résumés after JetBlue deal collapse: ‘It’s very stressful’ : U.S. seizes cargo jet Iran illegally sold to Venezuela : CALENDAR OF EVENTS Incident: Srilankan A333 at Melbourne on Feb 12th 2024, smell of smoke on board A Srilankan Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration 4R-ALQ performing flight UL-605 from Melbourne,VI (Australia) to Colombo (Sri Lanka), was climbing out of Melbourne's runway 16 when the crew stopped the climb at about FL215 reporting smell of smoke on board. The aircraft returned to Melbourne for a safe landing on runway 16 about 50 minutes after departure. Passengers reported they smelled smoke in the cabin which appeared to be coming from the cockpit. Soon after the captain announced they would return to Melbourne. The airline reported a technical issue prompted the return to Melbourne. All passengers disembarked safely. The aircraft is still on the ground in Melbourne about 13 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=514ddcf1&opt=0 Accident: United B772 enroute on Feb 10th 2024, severe turbulence injures 16 A United Boeing 777-200, registration N788UA performing flight UA-1890 from Los Angeles,CA to Newark,NJ (USA), was enroute when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence. The aircraft continued to Newark for a safe landing. The FAA reported: "AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED SEVERE TURBULENCE INJURYING FLIGHT ATTENDANTS AND PASSENGERS, NEWARK, NJ." and stated three flight attendants and thirteen passengers received minor injuries. https://avherald.com/h?article=514dd2cc&opt=0 Incident: Indigo A20N at Delhi on Feb 11th 2024, runway excursion after landing An Indigo Airbus A320-200N, registration VT-IZN performing flight 6E-2221 from Amritsar to Delhi (India), landed on Delhi's runway 28, slowed to taxi speed and taxied along the runway at about 40 knots over ground in order to vacate the runway via the last turnoff at 08:30L (03:00Z), however, missed the turn off and came to a stop with the nose gear past the runway end. About 25 minutes later the aircraft was pushed back onto the runway and towed to the apron. The airline reported the aircraft missed the exit taxiway after landing due to low visibility. https://avherald.com/h?article=514dc3f0&opt=0 United Airlines Reportedly Grounds Brand New Airbus A321neo Aircraft Because Pilots Can’t Turn Off the ‘No Smoking’ Signs United Airlines grounded its brand new fleet of Airbus A321neo on Monday because pilots are unable to turn the ‘no smoking signs’ off even though these signs must remain illuminated at all times when passengers are onboard. Aviation insider xJonNYC first spotted the temporary grounding on social media site X, and a short time later, aviation journalist Seth Miller discovered that United Airlines had asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for a special exemption. UA: UNconfirmed, no context, unknown source, presumed inaccurate: "Issue going on with United’s Neos right now. Something cabin interior related is all I know. UA1774 delayed." Smoking was banned on domestic US flights back in 1990, and a year later, the ban was extended to all international flights, but when officials wrote up the rules, they decided that there should still be a way for pilots to manually turn off the illuminated ‘no smoking signs’ that appear throughout all passenger plane cabins. Over the years, U.S. airlines have sought and been granted exemptions to these rules, allowing them to hardwire the illuminated ‘no smoking sign’ to remain on at all times, removing the ability of pilots to override this feature. In fact, United noted in its letter to the FAA on Monday that the ‘no smoking signs’ on all of its Boeing aircraft can’t be turned off. The computer software on the new Airbus A321neo aircraft, which recently joined United’s fleet, is programmed to keep the seat belt signs switched on at all times with no pilot override, but it would appear that United may have failed to get the necessary exemption before putting them into service. In a statement, United told us: “We are removing our five Airbus A321neo aircraft from service while we seek FAA approval for the “No Smoking” sign to remain automatically illuminated rather than operated from the cockpit.” “We’re working to minimize the disruption for customers, and we expect to cover all of today’s A321neo flying with other aircraft types, resulting in no cancellations due to this issue today. We hope to have these aircraft flying again shortly.” Later on Monday, the FAA gave permission for United to put its A321neos back into service while it evaluates the exemption request. Miller notes that both Allegiant Airlines and Frontier have recently filed exemption requests for software-restricted ‘no smoking’ signs on their Airbus A320 fleets, although both airlines haven’t grounded their aircraft while awaiting the exemption. https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2024/02/12/united-airlines-reportedly-grounds-brand-new-airbus-a321neo-aircraft-because-pilots-cant-turn-off-the-no-smoking-signs/ Man indicted for aiming laser pointer at aircraft in Spokane SPOKANE, Wash. — A man was indicted on federal charges Monday for aiming a laser pointer at two separate aircraft this past October. The U.S. Attorney's Office says Johnny R. Blackstock shines a laser at a Life Flight helicopter that was taking a patient to the Spokane area. Soon after, Blackstock also shined a laser at a Spokane County Sheriff's Office Air One helicopter on patrol in the area. “Pointing a laser at an aircraft can have life-threatening consequences. Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies protecting the community and first responders life-flighting a patient for medical help face extreme danger from actions like this,” U.S. Attorney Waldref said. “I am grateful for our law enforcement partners and first responders who put themselves at risk to protect and serve our community.” The United States Department of Transportation is investigating the case. https://www.kxly.com/news/man-indicted-for-aiming-laser-pointer-at-aircraft-in-spokane/article_50b13132-c9f4-11ee-bcb1-9f2be07f69ef.html 2 detained after mid-air Southwest Airlines fight Two men were detained after a fight broke out on a plane out of Oakland bound for Hawaii. It happened on a Southwest Airlines flight Monday morning. Passengers said the fight broke out about an hour into the flight, but it’s unclear exactly what led the two to exchange blows. Other passengers quickly pulled the two apart and both man were detained after the flight landed in Kauai. It’s unclear if they were charged. Southwest said in a statement, “We commend our crew and customers for their professionalism in diffusing this situation." https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/east-bay/2-detained-after-mid-air-southwest-airlines-fight/3452348/ Lawmakers Urge FAA To Ease Path to Mental Health Care In a joint letter, lawmakers urged FAA to remove barriers discouraging mental health care Experts agree that the FAA system discourages reporting of mental health issues. © AdobeStock U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee and aviation subcommittee members urged FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker to take “decisive actions” that would encourage aviation professionals to seek mental healthcare. “We are concerned about the FAA’s approach to ensuring aviation professionals can obtain mental healthcare in a timely and efficient manner,” the lawmakers said in a joint letter sent last week. “It is clear to us that talented aviation professionals—our constituents—often suffer in silence because of the fear that medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, could potentially prolong their return to work, or even prevent them from pursuing their aviation careers.” While medical standards are designed to ensure safety in the National Airspace System, “they cannot be so cumbersome or potentially punitive as to prevent healthy aviation professionals from having the ability to work,” said the letter signed by T&I Chair Sam Graves (R-Missouri) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-Washington), along with subcommittee Chair Garret Graves (R-Louisiana) and Ranking Member Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee). They supported the FAA’s steps to create a Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee, but stressed that “valuable time cannot be wasted by simply restating what previous findings have already been uncovered.” The lawmakers said the FAA needs to move on efforts that reduce the stigma around mental health care, remove barriers without jeopardizing safety standards, reduce wait times on special issuance medicals, and strengthen the trust of the workforce. NBAA welcomed the call for action. “This issue is a priority for business aviation, and we know it’s a priority for FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) because it’s vital to aviation safety,” said NBAA president and CEO. “We will continue to work with the agencies, Congress, and others to ensure those in our industry can get mental health care without concerns over whether doing so will impact their employment.” The issue has been of such concern that the NTSB in December held a day-long summit to probe into the barriers discouraging the aviation workforce from seeking and reporting mental healthcare. Meanwhile, the topic will be discussed at a United States Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) all-hands meeting on the eve of Heli-Expo on February 26. USHST plans to unveil a Peer Pilot Program during that meeting to offer resources to pilots. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2024-02-12/lawmakers-urge-faa-ease-path-mental-health-care Singapore Airlines in $1.2M lawsuit after cabin crew member ‘slipped’ on flight A former Singapore Airlines cabin crew member is suing the carrier after he allegedly slipped and fell on a grease patch while working on a flight from San Francisco, United States (US). Durairaj Santiran, 36, claims that while carrying out his duties on September 5, 2019, aboard an Airbus A350 he fell, resulting in him suffering a slipped disc. According to the new broadcaster CNA, Santiran appeared in court on February 13, 2024, in Singapore wearing a brace for support. The former employee claims that Singapore Airlines failed to provide a safe working procedure and a safe place to work by not addressing the grease patch, resulting in an unsafe area to develop. “Had reasonable care been exercised the grease patch would have been removed or such steps taken to prevent access to the unsafe location,” Santiran’s lawyers told the court. The court heard that Santiran slipped on the grease patch when he was serving customers and banged his head on the floor as he fell. Due to the slip, he rested for the last part of the flight and was taken off the A350 at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) in a wheelchair. A lawyer for Singapore Airlines argued in court that there was no grease patch and if he had fallen this was not the cause. The lawyer also said that had he slipped on a grease patch then that fall was not the cause of his injuries. Santiran had previously stated that when he noticed the grease patch shortly before takeoff, he informed his superior who asked him to clean it off. After failing to remove the grease patch, Santiran advised his superior who said they would log the issue. According to Santiran, his superior also asked the cabin crew to try and remove the grease for a second time before the first meal. The attempt was also unsuccessful. Cross-examination In court the lawyer for Singapore Airlines disputed the timeline of events set out by Santiran and when he first saw the grease patch and informed his superior. During cross-examination, the lawyer asked why he had not seen the patch during preflight checks. The lawyer also questioned why he was telling the court he tried to clean up the grease patch before informing his superior when a previous statement contradicted that. “You said you informed (your superior) then she told you to clean it up, but now your version is you saw the grease patch, you tried to clean it up before you told her, but you could not remove it, then you told her about this,” the lawyer said according to CNA . Santiran admitted that the two accounts were different, and Justice Vinodh Coomaraswamy also pointed out that he had previously said crew members were asked to clean the stain when it was only him that was asked. Santiran is seeking $1.26 million in damages including future loss of earnings. The trial continues. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/singapore-airlines-santiran-grease-patch Airbus Can Now Make Parts For C295 Tactical Transport Aircraft In India The certification is significant in creating a complete industrial ecosystem to manufacture the aircraft and ensure a steady supply line of parts in India for the aircraft. The first C295 was delivered to the Indian Air Force in September last year Airbus Defence and Space, the manufacturer of C295 tactical aircraft, received approval from the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA), the regulatory authority, to produce detailed parts and assemblies in India. The approval from the Indian regulator is significant in the C295 aircraft deal to manufacture the tactical airlifter domestically. India formalised the acquisition of 56 Airbus C295 aircraft to replace the ageing Avro-748 Fleet of the Indian Air Force. The first 16 aircraft will be delivered in a "fly-away" condition, while the remaining 40 will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL). The certification is significant in creating a complete industrial ecosystem to manufacture the aircraft and ensure a steady supply line of parts in India for the aircraft. The first 16 C295s will be assembled in Seville, Spain and the first C295 was delivered to the Indian Air Force in September last year in a ceremony in Seville. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari received the aircraft at the aerospace major's production facility. "This certification demonstrates the continuing trust and confidence of DGAQA in Airbus quality standards. All detailed parts for the C295 will be manufactured in India under exacting Airbus quality standards," Jorge Tamarit Degenhardt, Vice President - Head of the C295 India Programme, Airbus Defence and Space, said. "We continue to work in strong partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited to apply a robust and comprehensive quality framework for successful aircraft manufacturing in India for the C295 'Make in India' programme under the policy of Aatmanirbhar Bharat," he added. The C295 Deal In October 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the manufacturing facility for 295 planes in Vadodara. It will be the first military aircraft manufactured in India by a private consortium. The Avro-748 fleet entered the Indian Air Force almost six decades ago and formed the workhorse of the Air Force's transport fleet, which included the An-12s, An-32, Dornier 228, Ilyushin-76 and was later joined by C-17 Globemaster, C-130J Hercules. The Avro-748 is a turboprop medium airlift originally manufactured by Avro and later by Hawker Siddeley and is known as Hawker Siddeley HS 748. The C295 is known to be a superior aircraft used for tactical transport of up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers and for logistic operations to locations that are not accessible to current heavier aircraft. Six pilots from the IAF and 20 technicians have already undergone extensive training at the Seville facility. The aircraft can airdrop paratroops and loads and can be used for casualty or medical evacuation. It is capable of performing special missions as well as disaster response and maritime patrol duties. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/airbus-can-now-make-parts-for-c295-tactical-transport-aircraft-in-india-5043779 Embry-Riddle Doing $1 Million Pilot Skills Study Flight student, Justin Tan (Left seat) and Flight Instructor, Chris Lozano (Right seat) take off and fly in a Cessna 172. August 31, 2018 (Embry-Riddle/Josh Asiaten) The FAA has given Embry-Riddle a $1 million grant to study how pilots fly and think at the same time. According to a university news publication, the goal is to develop training methods that efficiently meld all the motor skills and brain work necessary to safely and efficiently operate an aircraft. “This work aims to bring pilot training and operational performance to a new level,” said ERAU Associate Professor Dr. Barbara Holder. “It has the potential to make training more effective and efficient, especially for new pilots.” All pilots are taught the basic manual skills of flying an airplane and those are relatively simple to grade. The more esoteric requirements for staying ahead of the airplane are tougher to measure. “The FAA wants airline operators to ensure that pilots are equally proficient in technical flying skills, such as hand-flying and autopilot operations, and non-technical skills,” said Holder. “Pilots employ both technical and non-technical skills together to perform effective and safe Flight Path Management (FPM) and, therefore, effective training and assessment of both is necessary.” Holder and her researchers will partner with three domestic airlines and one international carrier to create a baseline of current skills and assessment methods and see how they can be improved. “My personal goal is to create an assessment methodology that’s effective, efficient and reliable, that integrates technical and nontechnical skills, and that represents how the practice of flying is performed when it is done well in real-world flight operations,” said Holder. The study is expected to last three years. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/embry-riddle-doing-1-million-pilot-skills-study/ Spirit Airlines pilots sending out résumés after JetBlue deal collapse: ‘It’s very stressful’ JetBlue, Spirit Airlines to appeal judge’s ruling that blocked $3.8B merger Some pilots at Spirit Airlines are worried and scouring for other opportunities after a judge last month blocked the low-cost air carrier’s proposed merger with competitor JetBlue Airways, throwing its future into doubt. Spirit pilots, recruiters and industry sources told Reuters that the ruling has led to increased job applications at other places of employment. Spirit Chief Financial Officer Scott Haralson last week said the company was looking into “right sizing” its labor costs, adding to the uneasiness. A Spirit spokesperson said attrition levels are not out of the ordinary and pilot resignations this year have trended below its forecast for 2024. “We remain confident about Spirit’s future and are committed to the well-being of our team members,” the spokesperson said. The ultra-low-cost carrier has struggled to return to sustainable profitability due to softer demand in core markets and the grounding of dozens of its aircraft due to a snag with RTX’s Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan engines. Analysts are not sure about Spirit’s ability to survive if the $3.8 billion merger deal remains blocked. Some analysts have suggested that the company could face bankruptcy if it cannot shore up its finances, and S&P Global, Moody’s and Fitch all downgraded the airline’s credit ratings after the ruling, citing higher default and refinancing risks. Stress, worry set in “It’s very stressful,” said one Spirit pilot with more than five years of experience who has applied for jobs at Delta Air Lines, United and American Airlines. Another Spirit pilot said he’s spoken to numerous colleagues who are looking for other opportunities. The pilots spoke on the condition of anonymity. Spirit’s pilot union declined to comment. Job applications at United from Spirit pilots have increased since the court decision, two industry sources told Reuters. United, which plans to hire 2,000 pilots in 2024, down from 2,350 in 2023, in a statement said it has “a strong applicant pool.” The job market for pilots has cooled after a two-year boom. Hiring has slowed for five straight months, data from Future & Active Pilot Advisors show, as major carriers have mostly caught up with staffing needs. Hiring in January was down 18% from a year ago. Flying for United, Delta or American Airlines is seen as an upgrade for pilots at regional and budget carriers like Spirit, but the rise in interest reflects growing worry about Spirit’s future. “With a seniority-based system you don’t normally move between companies and only in times of failure or real hardship would you even consider it,” said Kit Darby, a US aviation consultant who specializes in pilot career development. Darby said he has recently spoken to half a dozen Spirit pilots seeking new jobs or career advice. An exodus of pilots could hurt Spirit’s operations but also reduce costs. The airline had about 3,500 pilots at the end of 2023. A judge last month blocked Spirit’s proposed merger with JetBlue. CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Spirit last week dismissed speculation about its future as a “misguided narrative,” saying it has boosted liquidity to survive even if the merger fails to close. The Florida-based airline has cut its capacity growth plans. Spirit late last year slowed pilot hiring and promotions to the captain’s chair. It also suspended training for new pilots and flight attendants and offered voluntary time off for cabin crew members. What do you think? Post a comment. Spirit last week said it was working on solutions for its labor costs as it has “a lot of staffing” across the board. A spokesperson declined to provide more details. Those comments left pilots with more questions. One said he was not sure how Spirit would resolve over-staffing, saying he hoped enough pilots would leave voluntarily to avoid potential furloughs. https://nypost.com/2024/02/12/business/spirit-airlines-pilots-sending-out-resumes-after-jetblue-deal-collapse/ U.S. seizes cargo jet Iran illegally sold to Venezuela The United States seized a Venezuelan-owned cargo jet with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) grounded in Argentina, after its arrival two years ago prompted an investigation into possible terrorism ties, Biden administration officials said on Monday. The Boeing 747 plane was sold to Venezuela state airline Emtrasur by Iran’s Mahan Air - a transaction that the Justice Department believes violated the U.S. sanctions. Mahan Air is blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury for alleged arms trafficking. "Mahan Air, known to ferry weapons and fighters for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah, violated our export restrictions by selling this airplane to a Venezuelan cargo airline," stated Matthew Axelrod, the U.S. assistant secretary of export enforcement. "Now, it’s property of the United States government." Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on Monday called the seizure "shameless robbery." "The disgraceful theft is added to the list of criminal aggressions against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Venezuela, free and sovereign, will give a forceful, direct and proportional response to this attack." Argentinian court's decision to hand over the plane follows the change in Argentinian government and President Javier Milei's pledge to forge close ties with the U.S. and Israel. Amos Ben Gershom/GPO Le président argentin Javier Milei et le Premier ministre israélien Benjamin NetanyahouAmos Ben Gershom/GPO The crew of 19 Venezuelans and Iranians included a pilot believed to be a high-ranking IRGC member. The five Iranian men on board claimed they were training Venezuelans to fly the jet. Venezuela is viewed complicit in facilitating Iranian and Hezbollah agents' operations in the region. Iranian officials are accused of the 1992 Buenos Aires Israeli embassy bombing that killed 30 and wounded 242 people. Tehran is also blamed for the 1994 bombing at a Jewish community center in Argentina's capital that killed 86 and wounded over 300 people. Argentina home to Latin America’s biggest Jewish population of approximately 180,500 people. https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/1707813226-u-s-seizes-cargo-jet-iran-illegally-sold-to-venezuela 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