Flight Safety Information February 11, 2020 - No. 030 In This Issue FAA says approaching 737 MAX test flight, awaits Boeing proposals U.S. Transportation Dept. IG to audit FAA pilot training requirements after Boeing 737 MAX crashes Incident: Nordstar B738 at Krasnojarsk on Feb 10th 2020, flaps problem Incident: Pobeda B738 at St. Petersburg on Feb 10th 2020, cracked windshield Incident: Tway B738 near Taipei on Feb 9th 2020, power bank smoking Incident: Qantas B789 at London on Feb 9th 2020, tail strike indication on departure Duckworth to FAA: Require Life-Saving Epinephrine Auto-Injectors Be Carried on Every Flight $5M Settlement in Fatal Defective Aircraft Crash Transplant-ready organs are 'frequent flyers' with delay-prone commercial airlines Turkey introduces new fines for aviation safety New CEO For Women In Aviation: Allison McKay Mitsubishi Aircraft shows Asia commitment by attending airshow Malaysia regulator fears airline expansion curbs after FAA downgrade Airbus unveils 'blended wing body' plane design after secret flight tests Voyager 2 bounces back from glitch in interstellar space Electronic Systems Investigation from SCSI ACSF Safety Symposium FAA says approaching 737 MAX test flight, awaits Boeing proposals FILE PHOTO: Grounded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are seen parked at Boeing Field in Seattle SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is narrowing the issues needed before it can conduct a certification test flight on the grounded Boeing 737 MAX, but will not commit to a timetable for lifting a flight ban, its top official said. "We are following a very diligent process and it is important that we stay focused on the process and not on the timeline," FAA Administrator Steve Dickson told reporters. "Having said that we are approaching a milestone: the certification flight is the next major milestone and once that is completed I think we will have a good bit more clarity on where the process goes forward from there," he said during a visit to the Singapore Airshow. The certification flight to be carried out by FAA pilots "is not scheduled yet because we still have a few issues to resolve, but we continue to narrow the issues. We are waiting for proposals from Boeing on a few items," he added. The 737 MAX was grounded last March following two fatal crashes in the space of five months. Boeing has adjusted cockpit software which has been blamed in part for overwhelming pilots and dropped objections to simulator training for pilots. Dickson said he expected close technical alignment between global regulators over the criteria for reversing the grounding, when the time for that decision comes, but noted there could be differences in how the jet is put back to service worldwide. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/faa-says-approaching-737-max-093630465.html Back to Top U.S. Transportation Dept. IG to audit FAA pilot training requirements after Boeing 737 MAX crashes FILE PHOTO: Aerial photos show Boeing 737 Max airplanes on the tarmac in Seattle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation Department's Office of Inspector General said on Monday it will audit Federal Aviation Administration pilot training requirements for U.S. and foreign air carriers after two deadly crashes of Boeing's 737 MAX. The audit will also review international civil aviation authorities' requirements for carriers' pilot training regarding the use of flight deck automation. Pilots have been harshly critical of Boeing's decision not to disclose details of a new automation system - known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS - that has been linked to both fatal crashes. The Inspector General cited a report by Indonesia's Lion Air that "responses to erroneous activations of MCAS contributed to the crash, raising international concerns about the role of pilot training." The report said Boeing's safety assessment assumed pilots would respond within three seconds of a system malfunction. But on the fatal flight and one that experienced the same problem the previous evening, it took both crews about eight seconds to respond. Boeing declined to comment on the new review. The FAA said it would cooperate with the inspector general's review. "Raising and harmonizing pilot training standards across the globe are among the FAA's top aviation safety priorities," the FAA said. "We continue to pursue expanded conversations among the world's aviation regulators to identify ways to enhance international aviation safety through robust pilot training programs." Boeing has proposed new simulator training for pilots on a series of scenarios before they are allowed to resume 737 MAX flights. The MAX is not expected to be freed to fly until late April at the earliest. In March, the department's IG said it would audit the FAA's certification of the Boeing 737 MAX. The Trump administration on Monday proposed an additional $30 million in it 2021 budget "to improve aviation oversight, following recommendations from the Boeing 737 MAX investigations." The funding would support 13 new full-time positions for the creation of an office mandated by Congress to oversee the FAA's delegation of some certification tasks to Boeing and other plane-makers. The FAA would also use some of the funds for data collection and for "technological advances that we use to assess safety data," Deputy FAA Administrator Dan Elwell said. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/transportation-department-ig-audit-faa-202312661.html Back to Top Incident: Nordstar B738 at Krasnojarsk on Feb 10th 2020, flaps problem A Nordstar Boeing 737-800, registration VQ-BDO performing flight Y7-108 from Krasnojarsk to Moscow Domodedovo (Russia) with 173 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing out of Krasnojarsk's runway 29 when the crew stopped the climb at FL070 due to problems with the flaps. The aircraft entered a hold to burn off fuel and returned to Krasnojarsk for a safe landing on runway 29 at a higher than normal speed (about 170 knots over ground) about 2:40 hours after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration VQ-BPM reached Moscow with a delay of 10 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d322aa1&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Pobeda B738 at St. Petersburg on Feb 10th 2020, cracked windshield A Pobeda Boeing 737-800, registration VQ-BTC performing flight DP-515 (scheduled dep Feb 9th) from St. Petersburg to Ekaterinburg (Russia), was climbing through FL150 out of St. Petersburg when the crew decided to return to St. Petersburg due to a cracked windshield. The aircraft landed safely back in St. Petersburg about 26 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration VQ-BTH reached Ekaterinburg with a delay of about 4 hours. The airline reported the aircraft suffered a cracked windshield. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d3228d0&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Tway B738 near Taipei on Feb 9th 2020, power bank smoking A Tway Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration HL8069 performing flight TW-667 from Seoul Gimpo (South Korea) to Taipei Songshan (Taiwan), was descending towards Taipei when a passenger's power bank began smoking. Cabin crew responded, a fire extinguisher was discharged and the passenger's bag and device were secured. The aircraft continued for a safe landing at Songshan Airport. The airline confirmed the occurrence reporting the power bank overheated and began to emit smoke, however, did not catch fire. The aircraft did not receive any damage. The aircraft performed the return flight after 3 hours on the ground and reachd Gimpo Airport with a delay of 100 minutes. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d322ca6&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Qantas B789 at London on Feb 9th 2020, tail strike indication on departure A Qantas Boeing 787-9, registration VH-ZND performing flight QF-10 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Perth,WA (Australia), departed Heathrow's runway 27R when the crew received indication the tail had contacted the runway surface. The crew stopped the climb at 6000 feet, entered a hold to dump fuel and returned to Heathrow for a safe landing on runway 27L about 55 minutes after departure. A post flight inspection revealed both tail strike sensors had triggered. Qantas confirmed the aircraft returned to Heathrow following a suspected tail strike. Engineers inspected the aircraft and found no damage to the fuselage. The flight needed to be cancelled nonetheless due to crew duty time limitation. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Heathrow about 26 hours after landing back. At the time of departure and landing back Britain was under the influence of winter storm Ciara (aka Sabine), that continues to cause high winds gusting up to 48 knots even throughout Feb 10th 2020. The Boeing 787s have tail strike indication systems. Boeing described that system: "The tail strike alert system detects ground contact which could damage the airplane pressure hull. A two-inch blade target and two proximity sensors are installed on the aft body of the airplane. The EICAS caution message TAIL STRIKE is displayed when a tail strike is detected. This indication is accompanied by a beeper and Master CAUTION light." http://avherald.com/h?article=4d31fa98&opt=0 Back to Top Duckworth to FAA: Require Life-Saving Epinephrine Auto-Injectors Be Carried on Every Flight U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA-17) today urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to require that more U.S.-based airlines as well as regional air carriers-and all cargo operators-include epinephrine auto-injectors in their onboard emergency medical kits (EMKs). In a letter, Duckworth and Khanna sent this week after the FAA shared the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) recommendations for EMKs in an Information for Operators (InFO) shared with carriers that have been certified under 14 CFR Part 121, the members commend this first step by FAA and also called on the agency to move forward and modernize the required content list for onboard EMKs to include epinephrine auto-injectors as well. "Traveling with severe allergies can be difficult but, without access to proper medication, it can also be deadly," said Duckworth "It is imperative that the FAA act quickly to ensure the safety of passengers with severe allergies by including epinephrine auto-injectors in EMKs." "The stress, fear and panic that millions of food allergy families endure is unimaginable, particularly when they are up in the air without normal access to emergency equipment," said Khanna. "I'm proud to work with Senator Duckworth to request the Federal Aviation Administration recognize the wide-spread need to equip passenger airline medical kits with epinephrine autoinjectors. This is a simple step that will undoubtedly save lives for countless travelers." "The worst place for a life-threatening allergy attack or reaction to strike is midflight, tens of thousands of feet up in the air," Schumer said. "Ensuring that all aircraft are stocked with epinephrine auto-injectors could be a true lifesaver. To keep the traveling public safe in the air, the FAA must act quickly to require epinephrine auto-injectors in onboard emergency medical kits." Duckworth is the Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety, where she has been a strong advocate for aviation safety. Last year, Duckworth and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) called on the airline industry to reverse its efforts to prevent airplanes from being required to carry life-saving medications, such as Epinephrine auto-injectors, in onboard emergency medical kits. https://www.riverbender.com/articles/details/duckworth-to-faa-require-lifesaving-epinephrine-autoinjectors-be-carried-on-every-flight-39701.cfm Back to Top $5M Settlement in Fatal Defective Aircraft Crash Superior Air Parts settles case for defective aircraft engine crankshaft which resulted in two fatalities. Attorney Ladd Sanger of Slack Davis Sanger LLP, Kevin Boyle of Panish, Shea & Boyle and Joe Bosco of LaRose & Bosco have obtained a $5 million settlement on behalf of the family of James Kos and Dane Sheahen who were killed in a March 2016 plane crash, as a result of a defective experimental aircraft engine developed by Superior Air Parts, Inc. with a crankshaft forged by Ruhrtaler Gesenkschmiede F.W. Wengeler GmbH & Co. KG. Dane Sheahen was piloting the RV-8 aircraft he had built from a kit containing a Superior Air Parts XP-400 experimental aircraft engine that had recently been developed to serve the growing experimental aircraft market. During the March 12, 2016 flight, the engine's crankshaft broke and caused the plane to lose power and crash, killing both occupants. "This engine and crankshaft had only been in operation 20 hours before the crankshaft suffered a fatigue failure which resulted in the crash," said attorney Ladd Sanger. "There were no obvious metallurgical deficiencies in the crankshaft, therefore the failure was probably the result of detonation issues and unusual stresses caused by the Superior design." According to Sanger, "Superior Air Parts failed to adequately test the engine design before releasing it to the market. Once in the field, Superior knew these engines were suffering premature failures yet the company was slow to react until this tragic crash occurred." https://www.aviationpros.com/engines-components/aircraft-engines/press-release/21124986/5m-settlement-in-fatal-defective-aircraft-crash Back to Top Transplant-ready organs are 'frequent flyers' with delay-prone commercial airlines Next time you're flying with one of the major carriers, stop and consider: A lifesaving human organ may be traveling with you, albeit in the cargo hold. And that's not the most startling finding to come from a journalistic probe conducted by Kaiser Health News and the Center for Investigative Reporting. This is: "Scores of organs-mostly kidneys-are trashed each year and many more become critically delayed while being shipped on commercial airliners." Correspondent JoNel Aleccia and colleagues found that, between 2014 and 2019, flight delays of two hours or more left close to 170 organs un-transplantable. Another 370 organs barely made it in time to the intended patient and an anxious transplantation team. One of the life-threatening blunders Aleccia describes is relayed by a transplant surgeon, Malay Shah, MD, of the University of Kentucky/UK HealthCare. Shah says a kidney he was waiting on sat in a nearby airport for three hours before anyone told him it was there-despite its being in a box prominently labeled "Human Organ for Transplant." "It's scary," Shah tells the investigators. "Organs traveling by this mechanism are treated as simply 'baggage' or 'cargo.'" Paul Conway of the American Association of Kidney Patients says wasted organs represent losses to not only affected patients but also their communities. He asks: "With all of the advances going on with drugs, with medical procedures, how can you have a logistics error be the barrier" to human organ transplantation? https://www.healthexec.com/topics/quality/transplant-ready-organs-fly-commercial-airlines Back to Top Turkey introduces new fines for aviation safety Turkey stepped up measures in aviation safety as the civil aviation authority increased fines for people behaving dangerously both on the ground and in the air. According to new regulations published in the Official Gazette on Tuesday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM) introduced a slew of raises for fines, from unruly passengers to hobbyists flying drones without proper authorization. Disorderly passengers who are deemed a flight risk by captains due to aggressive behavior or refusal to obey rules will be fined TL 2,603, according to new regulations. Drone enthusiasts who fail to register their drones with local authorities will be fined TL 9,013, while those who inaccurately list the specifications of their drone will be fined TL 18,025. Those who fly their drones in restricted spaces without proper authorization will be fined between TL 1,803 and TL 18,025, depending on the severity of the infraction. According to the decision made by the SHGM on Feb. 23, 2016, drones heavier than 500 grams must be registered with the SHGM. In order for these vehicles to be used for commercial purposes, a drone pilot's license is required. This license is obtained from flight schools authorized by the SHGM. According to the SHGM, the number of civil unmanned ariel vehicles (UAV) registered in Turkey was 27,423 as of the end of last year and an additional 6,179 more vehicles have been added this year. Thus, the total number of registered UAVs reached 33,602. Drones have been a danger to flight safety and caused the loss of millions of dollars all around the world. Hobbyists flying their drones close to civil aviation flight paths or airports have caused hundreds of flights to be diverted or canceled each year, causing a logistical nightmare for law enforcement and aviation authorities. https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/2020/02/11/turkey-introduces-new-fines-for-aviation-safety Back to Top New CEO For Women In Aviation: Allison McKay Women in Aviation International has a new CEO starting this month. Allison McKay, formerly the VP at the Helicopter Association International Foundation, will join WAI and will be responsible for "the future strategic vision of the 14,500-member strong organization while overseeing the board of directors, professional staff, and daily operations." McKay takes over for WAI founder and former President/CEO Dr. Peggy Chabrian, who says, "It's been my pleasure and honor to serve as WAI president for the last 25 years since the organization was founded. I wish Allison all the best for continued growth and new opportunities for WAI in the next 25 years." Chabrian will attend WAI's next conference, scheduled for March 5-7 in Orlando. "The WAI board of directors formed an executive search committee to conduct an extensive search for a new leader to continue our organization's critical role in encouraging more women to pursue careers in aviation and aerospace," said Marci Veronie, board chair. "Allison's substantial experience in corporate philanthropy, event management, and government relations, plus her strategic thinking and long-term relationships with key industry stakeholders, established Allison as the best candidate to lead WAI into a strong future while inspiring the next generation as they enter our industry," she added. "I am thrilled to work for this great organization, to meet many members at our conference next month, and to move WAI in a direction that will construct programs and initiatives to propel women of all ages and backgrounds to follow their own personal aviation dreams," Allison McKay said. "Thanks to Dr. Peggy Chabrian's dedication to this industry and her vision to create the annual conference and the organization, I am honored to carry on this work and direct the future of this organization." McKay says that fundraising, strategic planning and workforce development are her priorities as she begins as WAI's new CEO. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/new-ceo-for-women-in-aviation-allison-mckay/ Back to Top Mitsubishi Aircraft shows Asia commitment by attending airshow Coronavirus led others to cancel but Japanese company keen to show off latest model Mitsubishi Aircraft wants to show its commitment to Asia through the Singapore Airshow, says Alex Bellamy, chief development officer. (Photo by Mayuko Tani) SINGAPORE -- Mitsubishi Aircraft is exhibiting its SpaceJet passenger plane in an expanded booth at the Singapore Airshow, after fears of coronavirus contagion led to cancellations. More than 70 companies, including Lockheed Martin, withdrew from the biennial show that was supposed to showcase 930 companies. This has given the Nagoya-based aircraft maker, an upstart in an industry dominated by global multinationals such as Boeing and Airbus, the opportunity to show its commitment to the region. The goal is "making people aware of the SpaceJet so for the next five or 10 years, as they begin to grow their network, we will be at the forefront of their mind," said Alex Bellamy, chief development officer. Despite facing cancellations of appointments with Taiwanese suppliers, Bellamy said he still expects Asia to grow faster than saturated markets such as the U.S. and Europe. Two years ago, Mitsubishi Aircraft had a smaller booth at the Singapore Airshow, where it just showed a video of its new passenger jet. This year, its booth is near the media center and features a mock cabin that the company claimed was the most spacious in regional travel. Visitors are greeted at the entrance by a gleaming model of the SpaceJet 100, a 76-seater passenger jet unveiled just last year and is expected to go into service in 2023. The display shows how the company, a unit of Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, has shifted its focus from becoming the manufacturer of Japan's first passenger jet to developing aircraft that has a market and creating a self-sustaining business. The M100 is configured for the U.S., the world's largest regional jet market, where there are restrictions on the size of planes regional carriers can fly. Prospective orders for the M100 will soon exceed 500, according to Mitsubishi officials. For now, Mitsubishi has to get its legacy model for the Japanese market, the 90-seater M90, certified to fly. The M90 has been in development since 2008, before Mitsubishi brought in foreign engineers in 2016 to turn around the delayed project. On Feb. 6, the company announced the sixth delay for the M90's delivery, which is now likely to be around April 2021 from an initial estimate of mid-2020. "Most of the testing for type certification should be accomplished this year, with one or two exceptions," said Bellamy in an interview. The test aircraft that has incorporated more than 900 design changes has been undergoing ground tests in Nagoya since January and is expected to take off for flight tests in the U.S. by the end of April, he said. Bellamy said the company did not want to rush engineers and compromise safety. Documentation, in English and Japanese, has also taken longer than expected. "The volume of documentation we process every day is extremely high," he said. Furthermore, the flight control box is an analog device that requires all components on the circuit board to be resoldered whenever a change is made, and is taking a year to update by its supplier. While Japan is keenly waiting for the jet to finally take off, Bellamy sees other challenges, such as how to keep suppliers on board. Mitsubishi's suppliers include Rockwell Collins, an avionics giant, and Pratt & Whitney, an engine maker, both of which are owned by United Technologies, a multinational corporation. "The biggest challenge we have to make it a success is to convince the supplier base to work with us on a cost basis," he said. "The suppliers have merged and merged and merged to be very significant pieces of our business, while we are so small to the point that they can't see us." One of the reasons Mitsubishi Aircraft has come to the Singapore Airshow is to look for new suppliers and to "make them passionate about what we are doing." https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Aerospace-Defense/Mitsubishi-Aircraft-shows-Asia-commitment-by-attending-airshow2 Back to Top Malaysia regulator fears airline expansion curbs after FAA downgrade FILE PHOTO: A Malaysian Airlines flag flies in front of the traffic control tower at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang July 18, 2014. REUTERS/Olivia Harris/File Photo KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian airlines could be barred from introducing new routes in China, South Korea and Japan after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgraded the country's air safety rating late last year, Malaysia's aviation regulator said on Tuesday. In its first comments since the FAA downgrade, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) said it was concerned its carriers would suffer the same fate as Thailand when it was downgraded by the FAA in 2015 here China, South Korea and Japan all stopped Thailand-based airlines from flying charters and new routes because of safety concerns raised by the International Civil Aviation Organization, which was followed by the FAA downgrade. MAVCOM Chief Operating Officer Azmir Zain said Malaysian carriers could lose as much as 4 billion ringgit ($966 million), or 24% of their revenue a year, if China, Japan and South Korea took the same restrictive steps against them. Malaysia's airline industry is dominated by state-owned Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia Group Bhd (AIRA.KL) and its long-haul arm AirAsia X Bhd (AIRX.KL). Azmir said that MAVCOM had yet to hear from the three countries about any action they might take. Azmir also cast doubt over claims by the Malaysian government that it would be able to regain the top FAA category in 12 months, noting that Thailand had yet to restore its rating and the Philippines took six years to return to Category 1 following its own downgrade. The FAA's safety ratings do not affect existing flights. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-aviation-usa-idUSKBN2050H2 Back to Top Airbus unveils 'blended wing body' plane design after secret flight tests SINGAPORE, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Airbus on Tuesday unveiled a curvaceous aircraft design that blends wing and body, designed to slash carbon emissions by some 20%. The European planemaker has been carrying out flight tests of a 3.2-metre-wide (10.5 feet) technology demonstrator, code-named Maveric, at a secret location in central France since last year. It lifted the veil on the design at the Singapore Airshow. The concept of a "blended wing body" design has been around since the 1940s and led to the U.S. B-2 bomber, as well as the X-48 research project between Boeing and NASA a decade ago. Such aircraft are complex to control but produce less aerodynamic drag, making them more efficient to fly. Planemakers are revisiting such designs as the passenger jet industry tries to commit to more environmentally friendly aircraft. "We believe it is high time now to push this technology further and study what it brings to us," Jean-Brice Dumont, executive vice-president of engineering at Airbus, told reporters. "We need these disruptive technologies to meet our environmental challenge. It is the next generation of aircraft; we are studying an option." He said it was too early to say whether such shapes could contribute to the next generation of medium-haul planes, expected in the 2030s. Since the previous generation of tests, aerospace has seen improvements in materials that make such aircraft lighter, and computing power has increased, improving flight controls, Dumont said. Airbus is now studying how the cabin would work and how the aircraft would be integrated into airports. One unresolved question is whether such a plane would have windows or use video screens to give passengers a sense of their surroundings. Another issue that has dogged such experiments in the past is how to handle sensations of movement. Because passengers would be sitting further out from the centre of the aircraft, compared to the classic 'tube and wings' model, they would move further when the aircraft turns. Rival Boeing has put more weight on a potential cargo role. https://www.yahoo.com/news/airbus-unveils-blended-wing-body-031328413.html Back to Top Voyager 2 bounces back from glitch in interstellar space The venerable NASA spacecraft is gathering science data again. An artist's depiction of one of the twin Voyager spacecraft exploring interstellar space. Voyager 2 is taking the measure of its exotic surroundings once again. On Jan. 25, the venerable probe, which has been exploring interstellar space since November 2018, failed to execute a spin maneuver as intended. As a result, two onboard systems remained on longer than planned, sucking up so much energy that Voyager 2 automatically shut off its science instruments. Mission team members expressed confidence at the time that they could troubleshoot the problem, and their confidence has been borne out: Voyager 2's science gear is back up and running, NASA announced Wednesday (Feb. 5). "Mission operators report that Voyager 2 continues to be stable and that communications between Earth and the spacecraft are good," agency officials wrote in a mission update yesterday. "The spacecraft has resumed taking science data, and the science teams are now evaluating the health of the instruments following their brief shut-off." Voyager 2 and its twin, Voyager 1, launched a few weeks apart in 1977 to perform an unprecedented "grand tour" of the outer solar system. Both spacecraft conducted flybys of Jupiter and Saturn, revealing a great deal about the solar system's two biggest planets. Voyager 2 then zoomed past Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989; the probe remains the only craft to have gotten up-close looks at either of these "ice giants." And both Voyagers just kept on flying, entering extended interstellar missions. Voyager 1 popped free into interstellar space in August 2012, and its twin followed suit six years later. The two spacecraft are still going strong after more than 42 years in space, but they can't keep up their pioneering work forever. The radioisotope thermoelectric generators that power the Voyagers are running low on juice and will likely be tapped out by the mid-2020s, NASA officials have said. Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 are currently about 13.8 billion miles (22.2 billion kilometers) and 11.5 billion miles (13.5 billion km) from Earth, respectively. It takes more than 17 hours for light to travel from Earth to Voyager 2, meaning that mission team members have to wait a day and a half to see if their commands work. https://www.space.com/voyager-2-resumes-science-operations.html Curt Lewis