Flight Safety Information May 18, 2020 - No. 099 In This Issue Canadair CT-114 Tutor - Fatal Accident (Canada) Incident: Jazz CRJ9 near Montreal on May 13th 2020, smell of smoke in cabin Incident: United B789 over Pacific on May 14th 2020, cracked windshield Kobe Bryant's pilot had no alcohol or drugs in system, autopsy finds Nigeria impounds UK aircraft for violating virus ban Sea-Tac Airport wants TSA to check passengers' temperatures Face masks, blood tests and onboard janitors Cessna SkyCourier Completes First Flight How greater diversity in the cockpit could help airlines avoid a looming pilot shortage Parking a $375 million airplane takes more than just locking the door Spike in demand for pilot and aircraft engineer licences (Ireland) US Navy begins search for next jet trainer to replace T-45 Goshawk SpaceX's NASA astronaut launch debut jumps its place in line, now up next GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY The USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Has Moved Online! Canadair CT-114 Tutor - Fatal Accident (Canada) Date: 17-MAY-2020 Time: 11:30 LT Type: Canadair CT-114 Tutor Owner/operator: Canadian Armed Force - Snowbirds Registration: 114161 C/n / msn: 1161 Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Kamloops Airport (YKA/CYKA) - Canada Phase: Initial climb Nature: Military Departure airport: Kamloops Airport, BC (YKA/CYKA) Destination airport: Comox Airport, BC (YQQ/CYQQ) Narrative: A Canadair CT-114 Tutor of the Canadian Armed Forces 431 Sqn, 15 Wing, "Snowbirds" crashed shortly after takeoff on a house's garage in a residantial area near Kamloops Airport (YKA/CYKA), British Columbia. The pilot ejected safely and was injured, the other crew member, the squadron's public affairs officer, ejected but was killed. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/236121 Back to Top Incident: Jazz CRJ9 near Montreal on May 13th 2020, smell of smoke in cabin A Jazz Canadair CRJ-705, registration C-GFJZ performing flight QK-8831 from Montreal,QC to Toronto,ON (Canada) with 12 passengers and 3 crew, had just reached cruise FL330 when the crew declared emergency reporting smoke in the cabin. The aircraft returned to Montreal, on approach to Montreal the crew requested ambulances and advised of the possibility to evacuate the aircraft on the runway. The aircraft landed safely on runway 06R about 21 minutes after reporting smoke in the cabin and stopped on the runway. Emergency services inspected the interior of the aircraft and assessed the condition of the passengers, then the aircraft taxied to the apron, where the passengers disembarked normally. Emergency services reported there was no visible smoke in the cabin, however a strong smell of an eletrical fire was present. The Canadian TSB reported maintenance identified a light ballast in the cabin as source of the odour and replaced the ballast. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/JZA8831/history/20200513/0940Z/CYUL/CYYZ http://avherald.com/h?article=4d756c59&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: United B789 over Pacific on May 14th 2020, cracked windshield A United Boeing 787-9, registration N26952 performing flight UA-2862 (scheduled dep May 13th, actual dep May 14th) from Hong Kong (China) to San Francisco,CA (USA) with 4 crew, was enroute at FL400 over the Pacific Ocean about 470nm east of Tokyo Narita Airport (Japan) when the crew decided to declare PAN PAN reporting the captain's winsdshield had cracked, to turn around maintaining FL400 and divert to Tokyo Narita for a safe landing on runway 16R about 90 minutes later on May 15th just past midnight. The flight had departed Hong Kong with a delay of almost 21 hours on May 14th. The aircraft had arrived in Hong Kong on May 13th on schedule, but remained on the ground for 24 hours before continuing onto the next leg to SFO. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL2862/history/20200513/1205Z/VHHH/KSFO http://avherald.com/h?article=4d7556d9&opt=0 Back to Top Kobe Bryant's pilot had no alcohol or drugs in system, autopsy finds Los Angeles (CNN)The pilot of the helicopter that crashed in January, killing Kobe Bryant and all eight other people aboard, had no alcohol or drugs in his system that day, according to an autopsy report. Ara Zobayan was piloting the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter on the morning of January 26 when it went down on a hillside in Calabasas, California. Toxicology screens tested for cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, marijuana and alcohol among others, according to reports from the Los Angeles County coroner. The cause of death in the autopsy reports for each of the nine people aboard that Sunday morning was listed as blunt trauma and the manner of death was accident. The report on Bryant said his injuries were "rapidly if not instantly fatal." The flight was on its way to Thousand Oaks for a basketball game, where Bryant, 41, was expected to coach his daughter's team. Gianna Bryant, 13, and two teammates, Payton Chester and Alyssa Altobelli, died. Also killed were Sarah Chester, Payton's mother; John and Keri Altobelli, Alyssa's parents; and basketball coach Christina Mauser. Zobayan, 50, was an instrument-certified pilot who earned his commercial pilot's license in 2007, according to the Federal Aviation Administration's pilot certification database. He was a certified flight instructor for instrument instruction for helicopter pilots, the records show. The database shows Zobayan was up to date on FAA-required annual medical exams. National Transportation Safety Board member Jennifer Homendy told reporters in January that Zobayan had a commercial certificate and was a certified flight instructor who had 8,200 hours of flight time as of July 2019. She said he had 1,250 hours of flight time on the S-76 helicopter. The NTSB investigation into the crash is ongoing. https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/15/us/kobe-bryant-crash-autopsies/index.html Back to Top Nigeria impounds UK aircraft for violating virus ban Flair aviation, given approval only for humanitarian operations, caught operating commercial flights Nigerian authorities said they have impounded a British aircraft for violating coronavirus lockdown restrictions. Flair Aviation, a UK-based company, was given the approval only for humanitarian operations but they were caught conducting commercial flights, according to Sirika Hadi, Nigeria's federal minister of aviation. ''The craft is impounded, crew being interrogated. There shall be maximum penalty. Wrong time to try our resolve! Flag of Nigeria,'' Hadi said in a Twitter post on Sunday. Several countries across the world have imposed travel bans to curb COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. With a population of nearly 200 million, the West African country has confirmed 5,959 virus cases, with 182 deaths and 1,594 recoveries. More than 4.71 million cases have been reported in 188 countries and regions since the virus emerged in Wuhan, China last December. Brazil has overtaken Spain and Italy to become the country with the fourth largest number of confirmed infections in the world. A significant portion of COVID-19 patients, nearly 1.74 million, have recovered, but the virus has claimed more than 315,000 lives, according to data compiled by the US-based Johns Hopkins University. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/nigeria-impounds-uk-aircraft-for-violating-virus-ban/1844958 Back to Top Sea-Tac Airport wants TSA to check passengers' temperatures Airlines are urging the TSA to start checking passengers' temperatures as an extra layer of protection for other travelers and airline employees. SEATAC, Wash. - Airlines are urging the TSA to start checking passengers' temperatures as an extra layer of protection for other travelers and airline employees. The Wall Street Journal reports the TSA will start checking temperatures at roughly a dozen US airports as soon as this week. A Port of Seattle spokesperson said Sea-Tac Airport has volunteered to be part of the temperature check program. A TSA spokesperson said on Saturday "no decision has been made regarding specific health screening measures at airports - including Sea-Tac Airport." Paine Field in Everett is using a heat-sensing camera that automatically detects passengers' temperatures as they pass by. There's already some pushback on temperature screenings, including from Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security. "I cannot find any law that gives TSA the authority to perform temperature checks as reported. The health and safety of our Transportation Security Officers have already been put at great risk the past few months - the Administration should not put these frontline workers in further danger in order to provide passengers a potential false sense of safety," Thompson said in a statement. For now, masks will become the norm. Starting Monday, anyone inside Sea-Tac will be required to wear a face covering. Many airlines are already requiring masks for passengers on flights. https://www.king5.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/sea-tac-airport-wants-tsa-to-check-passengers-temperatures/281-4dfd99ad-2e7a-4366-a6b1-908e3dcb94fb Back to Top Face masks, blood tests and onboard janitors. Flying's about to feel very different With the summer holidays fast approaching following several months of lockdown, many of us are wondering when we might return to the skies. But even as some airlines move to resume service when countries ease coronavirus restrictions, it's unlikely the experience will feel much like the type of flying we've come to know. Airlines have been one of the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic, with many carriers forced to park entire fleets - or close for good - while the industry racks up estimated losses of $252 billion. Now, as operators try to emerge from the ashes, they will have to implement a host of changes to get back off the ground. Many of those will depend on government guidelines. Bi- and multi-lateral agreements will be required before most long-haul flights can return, for instance, notes Peter Harbison, chairman emeritus of Centre for Aviation (CAPA). Meanwhile, airports will need to design their own comprehensive health and safety measures, likely involving biometrics and touchless check-in. And that's all before you get to departures. Here's a look at how things might look once you reach your gate. Health screenings First and foremost, airlines will need to comply with health and safety regulations of the moment before allowing passengers to get on board. For some carriers, that will mean asking travelers to produce negative coronavirus test results, or so-called immunity passports, prior to boarding. Last month, Dubai-based airline Emirates announced it had became the first airline to conduct "rapid" 10-minute blood tests at departure gates. Such measures would be virtually impossible to roll out on an international level, however, notes Joanna Bailey, editor of aviation news site Simple Flying. "Some airlines are doing it (coronavirus testing) right now, but it's just not practical to roll this out in every location," she said. More likely, then, would be a series of en masse health-monitoring measures - such as the infrared body temperature check recommended by the U.S.'s Federal Aviation Administration - which, while adding another layer of complexity to the boarding process, would be less physically intrusive. Stricter hygiene Tighter health measures will follow onboard too. The IATA has sought to reassure passengers that onboard virus transmission remains low, thanks in part to "operating theater quality" air filtration systems, but airlines will likely go further to ramp up their hygiene levels. Already, face masks are common among crew and passengers, which IATA says is a suitable alternative to social distancing. The U.S.'s top three airlines - United, American and Delta - have, however, stopped short of making them mandatory once on board. The era of affordable travel will come to an end. Beyond that, cabins will likely assume a more minimalist aesthetic in the name of hygiene. That means possible restrictions on hand luggage, no more blankets or pillows, cashless payments and regular disinfectant fogging. Some predictions have even suggested airlines will employ onboard janitors to maintain hygiene levels, especially around "high-touch" areas, such as bathrooms. So far, European budget carrier Ryanair is alone in requiring passengers to ask permission to use the bathroom. Missing middle seats The restriction of middle seats has become one of the most widely bandied solutions to in-flight social distancing, with some going as far as outlining plans for a drastic redesign of onboard interiors. Already Southwest, Delta, American and Qantas are among airlines to announce a temporary end to booking middle seats, or a general reduction in capacity. However, some are skeptical that it will become a broadly adopted reality. "The 'noise' around the middle seat being left vacant should be dismissed, since there is no evidence that traveling in aircraft carriers (present) more risk of exposure to Covid-19 than any other form of transport," John Grant, senior analyst at aviation analytics firm OAG said. Some airlines may keep middle seats empty in the short term to provide "passenger reassurance," Grant acknowledged, though that will not be a viable option for most carriers in the long run. Doing so would slash airlines' maximum load to 62%, well below the standard 77% breakeven level. Dining and entertainment Airlines have shown marked improvement in their in-flight dining and entertainment options over recent years, replacing bland, overcooked dishes with sometimes truly tasty multi-course menus. But much of that progress will be put on hold in a post-Covid-19 environment. Many carriers have announced they will suspend catering for short-haul flights, while services for long-haul services will be reduced. That means fewer trolley rounds, more prepackaged goods, and the end of free-flowing hot drinks or ice in your gin and tonic. "We will see prepackaged meals and drinks left on passengers' seats before they get on the plane to limit staff interaction," predicted Jesse Neugarten of discount bookings site Dollar Flight Club. Meanwhile, travelers may be advised to pack their own tablets and reading material as touchscreen entertainment systems, commonly seen as hotbeds for bacteria, and seatback pockets are stripped back. Impact on fares Travelers have enjoyed a steady reduction in air fares over recent decades, as competition and innovation have ramped up. But with fewer operators in the skies - and those that are there running at reduced capacity - that direction of travel could be thrown off course going forward. "The era of affordable travel will come to an end," IATA's director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said last week. It will take time to start filling flights again, so there will be frequent low fare promotions. "Fewer planes, fewer people flying and lower load factors all suggest airlines will need to maintain higher fare prices," Simple Flying's Bailey agreed. In the near term, however, travelers willing to test out the new normal can expect to bag a deal as struggling operators incentivize flyers to return to the skies. Indeed, based on data from previous downturns including 9/11 and the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, Dollar Flight Club sees discounts of up to 35% running through to 2021. "It will take time to start filling flights again, so there will be frequent low fare promotions," said CAPA's Harbison. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/18/when-is-it-safe-to-fly-and-what-will-flying-be-like-after-coronavirus.html Back to Top Cessna SkyCourier Completes First Flight The Cessna SkyCourier twin-turboprop prototype lifted off on its first flight Sunday morning from Beech Field at Textron Aviation's east campus in Wichita. Piloted by senior test pilot Corey Eckhart and chief test pilot Aaron Tobias, the utility twin flew for two hours and 15 minutes. "We were very pleased with how the Cessna SkyCourier performed throughout its first flight," Eckhart said. "It was particularly impressive to see how stable the aircraft handled on takeoff and landing. The Cessna SkyCourier already displays a high level of maturity in its flight characteristics, especially for a first flight. We were able to accomplish everything we wanted on this flight, and that's an excellent start to the flight test program." With an initial order from FedEx for 50 copies of the high-wing airplane and options for 50 more, the SkyCourier is capable of flying 200 ktas powered by two 1,100-shp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65SC turboprop engines driving 110-inch McCauley propellers. It also features a Garmin G1000 NXi flight deck. Configurable for both cargo and commuter operations, the high-wing turboprop is designed to carry a payload of up to 6,000 pounds with an 87-inch cargo door, a flat floor, and a nearly 70-inch tall and wide cabin to accept three standard LD3 air cargo containers. In a passenger configuration, it will have seating for up to 19 passengers, with a netted rear cabin area for luggage and equipment. It also will be available in a mixed passenger/cargo combination. Along with the prototype, five additional flight and ground test articles will be part of the airframer's flight validation program and will expand on testing flight controls and aerodynamics. "I'm proud of the way the team has persevered through disruptions caused by the Covid-19 global pandemic and remained focused on getting us to this point," said Textron Aviation CEO Ron Draper. "The Cessna SkyCourier will be an excellent product in its segment due to its combination of cabin flexibility, payload capability, superior performance, and low operating costs. Our customers will be very pleased with what they experience from this aircraft." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-05-17/cessna-skycourier-completes-first-flight Back to Top How greater diversity in the cockpit could help airlines avoid a looming pilot shortage Before the new coronavirus hit, the airline industry was bracing for a severe pilot shortage. But just as the pandemic has forced school closures across the country, it's also disrupting aviation training programs, which could mean even fewer pilots are trained to fly tomorrow's fleet of commercial aircraft. There are many reasons for the anticipated shortage, including increased regulation, growing demand for air travel and an aging workforce, coupled with a mandatory retirement age of 65. But there's one cause that also offers a solution: The industry has long struggled to recruit women, people of color and members of other marginalized groups. As a scholar of aviation education and policy, I believe a stronger focus on attracting a diverse workforce and embracing a more inclusive culture is pivotal to ensuring there are enough pilots as Americans return to the skies in record numbers after this crisis passes. Lack of diversity Upon entering the field of aviation in 2014, it took me about a year on the job before I fully grasped that I was, more often than not, the only woman in the room - and frequently the youngest to boot. Eventually, I had the opportunity to critically examine the systemic problems that have led to a lack of diversity in both the academic aviation world and the broader industry it reflects. I found that women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community were significantly underrepresented, yet their mere presence was often used to symbolize progress in diversifying the industry. And little has changed. A review of the latest Civil Airmen Statistics indicates that a little over 4% of Airline Transport Certificate holders - the required certification to fly for a major carrier - are women. No major U.S. carrier hired a female pilot until 1973. The situation is even worse for African Americans, who were not hired to pilot a commercial airplane until the 1960s. Things changed only because of a six-year battle against Continental Airlines waged by Marlon Green, who filed a discrimination complaint against the carrier. In 1963, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in his favor, paving the way for the first black pilot, David Ellsworth Harris, whom American Airlines hired in 1964. Green would follow suit at Continental in 1965. But even today there are few African American pilots. Sociologists Louwanda Evans and Joe Feagin estimate that the number in 2012 was fewer than 700 - less than 1% of all commercial pilots. Fewer than 20 were black women. Pilot shortage I believe this lack of inclusion has contributed to the looming pilot shortage the industry has worried about for several years. Every few years, Boeing releases a report forecasting the number of professionals that the aviation industry will need in the coming years, from pilots and maintenance technicians to cabin crew. In its most recent report, Boeing estimates that North America is short 212,000 pilots through 2038. One of the problems is the field's high barrier for those who lack resources and support. The cost of a flight education at a traditional four-year institution can range from US$50,000 to upwards of $100,000, in addition to rising tuition fees. Another issue is a culture that isn't very inclusive. For an ongoing research project, I've been interviewing African American women in a variety of positions in the aviation industry about the challenges pursuing a successful career in the field. I've found that the lack of mentors, access to the industry, resources and "people who look like you" have all been barriers to entry and retention in the industry. There is also a perception problem, where women are not seen as authoritative enough for positions like captain of an aircraft. In a recent CNN article, aviation writer Kathryn Creedy put part of the blame on work rules that "haven't changed in 50 years." A sexist work environment is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit against Frontier Airlines, which is accused of discriminating against pregnant and breastfeeding women. Beyond tokenism In the various months devoted to recognizing historically marginalized groups such as women, African Americans and LBGTQ people, the aviation industry joins the chorus of group that use the calendar to highlight historic diversity firsts. For example, you'll often see articles in February showcasing the "first African American pilot" or the "first all LGBTQ flight crew." Unfortunately, those firsts did not spark a significant change that led to real diversity in the cockpit, which continues to be dominated by white men. The problem with celebrating diverse talent only during the designated month is that this approach does not require the industry to reflect on why it needs diversity and inclusion policies in the first place. In her 2013 book, "Cabin Pressure: African-American Pilots, Flight Attendants, and Emotional Labor," sociologist Louwanda Evans writes about how mere representation can't paper over entrenched discrimination. And this problem, in turn, is contributing to the looming pilot shortage. The principles of justice and equity should be enough to convince carriers to make their policies and practices more equitable and inclusive to individuals who have not typically been drawn to the industry. But if they need more convincing, the clear economic imperative should do the job. https://theconversation.com/how-greater-diversity-in-the-cockpit-could-help-airlines-avoid-a-looming-pilot-shortage-123242 Back to Top Parking a $375 million airplane takes more than just locking the door Large numbers of commercial airplanes are parked at airports around the world now, and these multimillion-dollar machines need constant attention. Craig Barton may have the most difficult parking valet job in history. As airlines around the world have grounded substantial numbers of their planes after the coronavirus pandemic decimated travel, the head of technical operations for American Airlines has spent the past two months trying to figure out where to park hundreds of planes. We're talking aircraft like the $375 million Boeing 777-300, a wide-body that's 242 feet long and boasts a wingspan of 200 feet. "It's not the same as just putting your car in your garage and walking away for a month," Barton said. "There's not one place in the world where we could stick a few hundred airplanes." Since January, as COVID-19 has spread across the globe and governments have ordered stay-at-home lockdowns, people have stopped flying and bookings have vanished. By the second week in May, the Federal Aviation Administration was reporting that the number of commercial flights operating in the US, both domestic and international, had dropped 71% from the same period last year. Airlines, many of which had been on years-long aircraft buying sprees, suddenly found themselves with more planes than they needed. That left them with only one option: Keep the extra planes grounded until demand for air travel returns. According to Cirium, a data and analytics firm that focuses on the travel industry, about 17,000 jets are now parked worldwide, representing about two-thirds of all commercial airliners. It's not just a terrible financial prospect for an airline -- an airplane not carrying paying passengers is a depreciating asset -- it's also billions of dollars of highly sophisticated aircraft, all needing parking spots. And it's about more than just finding a place to wait out the pandemic, says Barton, who's responsible for overseeing American's fleet of 950 planes. Every airliner also needs constant attention so it's ready to return to the sky. "We have almost daily tasks that we have to do on each one," he said. Looking for a parking space What does a parking lot of planes look like? I went out to Oakland International Airport, across the bay from San Francisco, to see for myself. Out in the distant reaches of the airport, far from the terminals where they might receive fresh loads of passengers, about a dozen Alaska Airlines Boeing 737s sat silently in the spot where they've been parked since March. Lit by a setting sun that gave their shiny white fuselages a warm glow, the planes rested close together near a disused hangar, the Eskimo face on every tail smiling over a chain-link fence into an empty employee car park. Further out, near the bay's shore, a dozen more 737s in the bright blue, red and yellow livery of Southwest Airlines also shimmered in the fading light. It was clear none of these airliners were going to be taking off anytime soon. The wheels on the landing gear were secured with bright yellow chocks, and the engine intakes were covered by what looked like plastic wrap. Overhead, where normally a plane would be taking off every few minutes, the sky was eerily quiet. If the fur-hooded man whose face is the logo for the 88-year-old Alaska really knew what was going on, his broad smile surely would've faded. The scene at Oakland is just a small slice of the new reality being played out around the world because of COVID-19. At major hubs like Dallas-Fort Worth and Hong Kong and at sprawling airports in the deserts of the southwest specifically designed for storing aircraft, commercial planes crowd aprons and taxiways, sometimes even spilling onto runways that've been closed to fit them. In some places, they're lined in neat rows. In others, they're packed in formations so tight they look like they'd need an army to untangle. American, the largest airline in the world, is parking aircraft not just at its DFW home base, but also at airports in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Pittsburgh, where it operates large maintenance bases, and at facilities in Mobile, Alabama; San Antonio; Greensboro and North Carolina. Other airlines are also parking their planes in multiple locations, but with carriers everywhere the goal is to use whatever space is available. Teruel, Spain, is a popular choice for many European airlines, and faced with little room in the city-state of Singapore, for example, the country's flagship carrier has flown its giant Airbus A380s to remote Alice Springs, Australia. The engine inlets of the parked aircraft are covered to, among other things, prevent birds from nesting inside. Though American had monitored possible effects from the coronavirus since the first reports of the pathogen began to surface, the plane-parking efforts didn't begin in earnest until the second week of March. "It became clear that our flying operation was going to be much smaller than the number of aircraft that we have," Barton told me in a Zoom interview from American's headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. "Everything has been changing so dynamically, even within a week." Using its network operations team, American reduced its schedule from more than 3,300 flights per day at the end of February to less than 1,000 by May. The airline has now parked 460 aircraft, which represents almost half its fleet. And for some of the planes still in service, they might be "lazy flying," which means they make one or two trips a day, instead of a normal schedule of four or five. This level of storing airplanes is unprecedented, said Barton, who recalls when American had to park some aircraft after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks (when US airspace was closed for two days) and during the subsequent air travel slowdown. But the airline's effort over the last year to park its fleet of 24 Boeing 737 Max aircraft, which are still grounded worldwide following two crashes that killed 346 people, gave it a place to start. "We had some experience over the past year in what it takes to keep aircraft down for extended periods of time," he said. "And that's honestly helped us." Airliners from Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines crowd the apron at Hong Kong International Airport. Most of American's parked aircraft are currently in an "active parked state," which means the airline can call them back into service at any time. Barton explains: "We know we're not gonna fly for a few days, but we still have to look after it." These are typically newer aircraft, like American's Boeing 777s and 737s and its Airbus A319s, A320s and A321s (American is the largest operator of the narrow-body A321, which costs about $118 million). No matter how long an active parked state lasts, from a few days to several months, the process starts when a flight crew ferries the aircraft to its parking location. For two to three days after it arrives, mechanics walk around it to check the interior, pull off any catering, drain the water and seal up the engines, pitot tubes (small tubes near an aircraft's nose that measure airspeed) and any other access points to prevent animals and anything else from getting inside. After that prep work is completed, the plane enters a short-term storage program where maintenance workers must perform set tasks every 10 days. The list includes running the engines (with the coverings off, of course), rotating the tires, running the Auxiliary Power Unit (these power an aircraft's electrical system when the engines aren't running), turning on the air conditioner, running the flaps systems to exercise the hydraulics, and either keeping the batteries charged or unhooking them completely. (Extra care is necessary on a Boeing 787 to keep its batteries from draining -- an expensive repair.) And during this time, the plane's existing maintenance calendar doesn't stop, even when it's sitting on the ground. Much like a tune-up for your car, these routine checks keep an airplane in service for decades. Every 30 days, an aircraft gets a little more care, but the schedule mostly repeats on the 10-day cycle. It's a lot of work, but Barton said the goal is to protect American's multimillion-dollar investment by making sure the aircraft still function. "Touching an aircraft every 10 days -- you have to put about eight hours of work into it every 10 days," he said. "So it's more or less a person a day per airplane we park to try to manage the storage program." Reactivating a plane for service, which takes about three days, basically reverses the storage intake process. Mechanics take off the coverings; restore and purify the water systems; check the fuel tanks and lines to clear any algae; and finish any maintenance checks still on the aircraft's calendar. "If you've stored it properly, you've validated throughout the whole process that the aircraft systems still work," Barton said. "So it's not like you're going out and hoping that the airplane will start back up." Into retirement If they expect that an airplane will be parked for a year or so, airlines prefer to store it in a desert location where drier air results in less corrosion. Barton says keeping an aircraft's cabin free of humidity is key. "[That way] it won't start to smell. That's what we worry about the most." Long-term storage locations in the US include Pinal Airpark in Marana, Arizona; Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, California; and Roswell International Air Center in New Mexico. These are also aviation "boneyards," where airplanes long out of service waste away under the hot sun. All have arid climates and plenty of room to fit hundreds of aircraft (Roswell is more than 4,000 acres), from Boeing 747s to small regional jets. Mark Bleth, the manager and deputy director in Roswell, said demand for space from airlines ramped up quickly in March. "We could see it was inevitable planes would be coming here, " he said. "We didn't know the scale of it, no one did." By the first week of May, Roswell had taken about 300 aircraft, on top of 160 that were already there. The airport has room for about 300 more, but if new planes continue to arrive at their current pace of about five per day, Roswell will run out of room by the end of June. And at Pittsburgh, a long line of Embrarer regional jets look like they're waiting for takeoff. The daily parking fee -- between $10 and $14, depending on the aircraft's size -- is cheaper than parking in downtown San Francisco. Much higher costs come from the necessary maintenance, which involves onsite MROs, or maintenance, repair and overhaul providers. Bleth estimates it takes about 200 hours to get an aircraft into long-term storage, plus the time needed to handle any regular checks after that. The tasks here are similar to those for a plane in active storage but include installing window coverings to protect cockpits and passenger cabins from the sun and paying extra attention to the engines so they don't corrode. I talked to Bleth via Zoom as he stood on the edge of a taxiway under a bright blue sky. Behind him, a line of United Airlines Boeing 757s stretched far into the distance. It looks like the airport could span all the way to Texas, but Bleth said they still had to close a runway temporarily to store new arrivals and move aircraft already there to remote areas. "There was quite a bit of restructuring just to start intaking the planes," he said. "Now we're reshuffling again to optimize everything they have." Most of the planes arriving at facilities like Roswell are those that airlines don't plan to use again. For American, that includes its Boeing 767s and 757s and the Embraer E190s and Airbus A330s it inherited from its 2014 acquisition of USAirways. Those aircraft were already on the books to be retired over the next couple of years, but the travel slowdown accelerated that schedule. (Roswell is also storing American's 737 Max fleet until the planes can be recertified by the Federal Aviation Administration to carry passengers again). Aircraft set for retirement face a variety of futures. They can be sold to other airlines, converted to freighters, an especially busy market right now, Bleth said. Or they may be scrapped completely for parts. American's McDonnell Douglas MD-80s, which retired to Roswell last year, will most likely meet the latter fate. But with air travel nowhere close to rebounding, Bleth expects a full house in New Mexico for a long time. "We're thinking this inventory will be here for a while, whether it's resold or it's still part of the airline." Older aircraft set for retirement are sent to aviation "boneyards" in southwest deserts. Shown here: Pinal Airpark in Marana, Arizona. Back to the skies Barton doesn't know when air travel might return to "normal" -- the TSA is screening about 95% fewer passengers in May than the same month last year -- though he hopes July could show some improvement. When and if that point comes, American, like most other airlines, will have a leaner fleet, but the goal is to keep all parked aircraft feeling as if they've never stopped flying. As he put it, "the whole process is designed around ensuring that when the aircraft comes back into the operation it's as safe and reliable as it was when it entered into that storage program." Barton said American is putting together what it believes to be the safest way to run an operation in the postcoronavirus world. Like all major US airlines, it's reducing onboard service, regularly "fogging" cabins with disinfectant between flights, limiting the number of seats sold and requiring the cabin crew and passengers to wear masks. Like all other airlines, its aircraft also use High-Efficiency Particulate Air filters that completely change the cabin air every two minutes while filtering out 99% of viruses and bacteria. The biggest question, of course, isn't just when passengers will feel safe traveling again. Rather, with large-scale events like conferences, festivals and sport tournaments canceled for the rest of the year, will there be anything to travel for? Ryan Ewing, an aviation journalist and founder of AirlineGeeks.com, said the industry's return will depend on when those business and leisure opportunities open up again. "It's very bizarre and it's very bleak for the outlook in the long term," he said. "But it's hard to predict this kinda stuff, because you never know when people might want to fly again ... People may be so tired of being in their houses, that they'll wanna get out and travel." https://www.cnet.com/features/parking-a-375-million-airplane-takes-more-than-just-locking-the-door/ Back to Top Spike in demand for pilot and aircraft engineer licences (Ireland) Irish Aviation Authority says it has made all necessary arrangements to separate safety regulation and air navigation The IAA regulates aviation safety, controls air traffic and aids aircraft in navigating through Irish and north Atlantic air space. Photograph: Getty Images A spike in demand for pilot and aircraft engineer licences put pressure on resources at air travel regulators last year, according to a government-commissioned report. The annual report of the regulator, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), recently confirmed that the number of aircraft engineer's licences it issued jumped 42.1 per cent to more than 2,500 last year. Peter Kearney, IAA chief executive, attributed the growth mainly to Brexit. Ahead of the UK leaving the EU in January, aviation professionals based there sought Irish licences to allow them to continue working in the trade bloc. A recently-published government report on the IAA notes that the increase in licence applications by pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers presented a challenge to the regulator. The document adds that the regulator had coped with the growth in applications, but was under pressure to deal with the requests as there was a short time-span for approvals. The Department of Transport commissioned the section 32 report, as it is known, from UK consultants Helios. Legislation establishing the IAA requires that the government publish a report on the regulator every five years. The IAA regulates aviation safety, controls air traffic and aids aircraft in navigating through Irish and north Atlantic air space. Airlines pay for its services. The organisation received €197 million in revenue last year. Helios recommends that the Government should press ahead with proposals to split safety regulation from air navigation services. Dividing the roles is in line with international civil aviation organisation recommendations, the report points out. Passengers' rights Under the Government's proposals, the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR), which oversees passengers' rights among other roles, would take responsibility for safety. Helios notes that the speed of separation has been slower than some department officials and IAA executives expected. Its report recommends that the separation is concluded quickly, and that the IAA and CAR implement transition arrangements while ensure that safety is maintained through the process. Helios notes that the IAA is at the "forefront of aviation safety" in the way it handles many of its tasks, and says this is reflected in the consistently good scores it receives from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and other bodies. The IAA said at the weekend that it had made all the necessary arrangements to separate safety regulation and air navigation. "The project awaits the required legislation to give effect to the separation," it added. https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/spike-in-demand-for-pilot-and-aircraft-engineer-licences-1.4255690 Back to Top US Navy begins search for next jet trainer to replace T-45 Goshawk The US Navy (USN) has begun its search for a new jet trainer to replace its Boeing T-45 Goshawk fleet. As part of its new Undergraduate Jet Training System programme, the service wants a nondevelopmental, land-based jet trainer capable of field carrier landing practice and nuclear aircraft carrier touch-and-go landings by 2028 or sooner, according to a request for information posted online on 14 May. The service wants a two-pilot aircraft with ejection seats. The jet should be able to be flown from either cockpit. The USN is interested in knowing what aircraft can integrate advanced technologies, such as Precision Landing Mode, which is used to help land the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet on aircraft carriers. It also wants the trainer to have an automatic ground collision avoidance system. The service wants an assessment of how certain aircraft would handle the forces of high sink rate landings, the hallmark of training for landing on the short deck of an aircraft carrier. Each example of the next-generation trainer is expected to fly 400h per year. The USN wants to conduct field carrier landing practices at an annual rate of 1,200 per aircraft. It also wants each trainer to perform carrier touch-and-go landings 45 times per year. Candidate aircraft should have a flight life of at least 14,400h, and be able to sustain 43,200 landings. The service does not plan to conduct arrested landings or catapult launches from aircraft carriers using the jet trainer. That approach differs from its current T-45 fleet, which conducts carrier landings and launches. The aircraft should have an operational ceiling of 41,000ft, and be capable of speeds greater than 600kt (1,110km/h). Likely competitors in the USN's next generation trainer programme include the Boeing-Saab T-7A, which won the US Air Force's T-X competition; Lockheed Martin's T-50A, based on the FA-50 light-attack/trainer developed with Korea Aerospace Industries; and Leonardo's T-100, based on the company's M-346. The T-45 is a variant of the 1970s-era British Aerospace Hawk, developed jointly for the USN by McDonnell Douglas and the UK company. Boeing acquired the programme in 1997 when it merged with McDonnell Douglas. Cirium fleets data shows that the navy currently operates a 194-strong Goshawk inventory, with its aircraft aged between 10 and 31 years. https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/us-navy-begins-search-for-next-jet-trainer-to-replace-t-45-goshawk/138400.article Back to Top SpaceX's NASA astronaut launch debut jumps its place in line, now up next BARRING SURPRISES, SPACEX'S NEXT LAUNCH WILL BE THE COMPANY'S FIRST NASA ASTRONAUT LAUNCH EVER. According to NASASpaceflight.com reporter Michael Baylor, SpaceX's Starlink-7 satellite launch has been indefinitely delayed due to drone ship constraints, meaning that the company's Crew Dragon astronaut launch is now up next. As a result, SpaceX's next orbital launch has been delayed by at least eight days. In return, however, that launch will arguably be the most important in the company's 18-year history, (hopefully) marking the biggest step by far SpaceX has taken towards its main goals of democratizing spaceflight and enabling the sustainable, permanent settlement of Mars. Known as Demonstration Mission 2 (Demo-2), it will simultaneously be the first crewed launch under NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP) and SpaceX's first astronaut launch ever and is scheduled to lift off no earlier than (NET) 4:33 pm EDT (20:33 UTC), May 27th. Formerly scheduled to launch no earlier than (NET) May 7th, 17th, 18th, and 19th after a number of technical and weather-related delays, SpaceX's 8th 60-satellite Starlink launch has now been delayed until sometime after Crew Dragon's late-May inaugural astronaut launch. According to NASASpaceflight and speculated about in-depth on unofficial forums in the days prior, the schedule swap decision was made due to constraints in SpaceX's drone ship. While simple on the face of things, the change does reveal a bit of the hidden strategy behind SpaceX's management of both its rocket fleet and the ships that recover them. SpaceX's next launch will have crew onboard. The Starlink launch is in fact now postponed until after Demo-2 due to not enough time to turnaround OCISLY. GO Quest is leaving Cape Fear and has set a destination of Cape Canaveral with an ETA of Tuesday 19th. The Starlink launch might be canceled. Rough seas are forecasted for the 19th and they cannot delay further without conflicting with DM-2 recovery. For each drone ship booster landing, it takes at least a week for the ship to be towed several hundred miles downrange to the recovery zone and at least as long to return to port. Add in the time required to safe and secure a landed Falcon 9 or Heavy booster, navigate sea states to prevent damage to - or the outright loss of - that booster, and the work needed to safely lift it off the drone ship's deck onto dry land and it can easily be 9-10 days before a drone ship is ready for another landing. At the same time, SpaceX's turnaround record is about eight days between booster landings. Had SpaceX persevered and attempted to launch Starlink-7 on May 19th and Crew Dragon's inaugural astronaut launch on May 27th, it's possible that things would have worked out, with both booster landings occurring on schedule on the same drone ship. However, given just how much of a priority Crew Dragon Demo-2 is compared to an internal Starlink launch and a tropical storm threatening to delay Starlink-7's launch and landing even further, SpaceX clearly decided that it just wasn't worth the risk. Given the extraordinary importance of Demo-2, set to be the first time the United States has launched its own astronauts into orbit in almost nine years, it's not exactly surprising that SpaceX has chosen conservatism this time around and prioritized its inaugural NASA astronaut launch. According to Spaceflight Now, the Crew Dragon capsule assigned to SpaceX's inaugural NASA astronaut launch - pictured above - actually joined the new Falcon 9 rocket that will launch it at Pad 39A on May 15th. Now fully fueled with liquid hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide, the spacecraft could be mated with Falcon 9's upper stage at any moment (if it hasn't been already). Once fully assembled, Falcon 9 booster B1058, a new Falcon 9 upper stage, Crew Dragon capsule C206, and an expendable trunk section will be rolled horizontally out to Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Pad 39A to perform a crucial pre-launch static fire test. Rollout and static fire operations could begin at any point within the next few days. It remains to be seen whether drone ship OCISLY will remain in the Atlantic Ocean or head back to Port Canaveral before departing again to catch booster B1058. https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-nasa-astronaut-launch-debut-up-next/ Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Dear Participants, You are being asked to participate in a research study of your opinions and attitudes about stress and mental health. This research started almost two years ago. The purpose of this study is to examine mental health issues in aviation, specifically Part 121 airline pilots. During this study, you will be asked to complete a brief online survey about your opinions on various life circumstances, stress, and mental health topics. This study is expected to take approximately 15 minutes of your time. In order to participate, you must possess an FAA issued Airline Transport Certificate (ATP) and you must also be currently working as a pilot for a Part 121 air carrier that is headquartered within the United States. Participation in this study is voluntary and data will be collected anonymously, stored confidentially, and you may choose to opt out of the study at any time. We sincerely appreciate your consideration and time to complete our study, as it is another small but important step towards increasing safety in aviation. Please click on the link below to complete the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7ZG6M6L For more information, please contact: Tanya Gatlin - Student Researcher Gatlint1@my.erau.edu 281-924-1336 Dr. Scott Winter - Faculty Advisor winte25e@erau.edu 386-226-6491 The USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Has Moved Online! The following upcoming courses will take plane in our virtual WebEx classrooms. Software Safety Philosophies and methods of developing software, analyzing software, and managing a software safety program. May 11-14, 2020 4 Days Tuition: $2125 SeMS Aviation Security Management Systems Managing and implementing aviation security measures at medium to small size aircraft operators, all airports, and Indirect Air Carriers, with emphasis on risk assessment and cyber security. May 11-15, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 Safety Management Systems for Managers Providing Managers and Supervisors an understanding of the principles of an SMS and a clear vision of the role of the manager. May 27-28, 2020 1.5 Days Tuition: $1025 Aviation Safety Management Systems Providing the skills and practical methods to plan, manage, and maintain an effective Aviation Safety Management System. Special emphasis for safety managers, training, flight department and maintenance managers and supervisors, pilots, air traffic controllers, dispatchers, and schedulers. June 1-12, 2020 9.5 Days Tuition: $3625 Human Factors in Aviation Safety Presenting human factors in a manner that can be readily understood and applied by aviation practitioners in all phases of aviation operations. Emphasis is placed on identifying the causes of human error, predicting how human error can affect performance, and applying countermeasures to reduce or eliminate its effects. June 15-19, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 Earn Credit for FlightSafety International Master Technician-Management Program Students taking the following USC courses will earn elective credits towards FlightSafety International's Master Technician-Management Program • Human Factors in Aviation Safety • Gas Turbine Accident Investigation • Helicopter Accident Investigation • Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance • Safety Management for Ground Operations Safety • Accident/Incident Response Preparedness Earn Credit for National Business Aviation Association Certified Aviation Manager Exam Students taking the following USC courses will earn two points toward completing the application for the National Business Aviation Association Certified Aviation Manager Exam. • Aviation Safety Management Systems • Accident/Incident Response Preparedness • Human Factors in Aviation Safety • Aircraft Accident Investigation • SeMS Aviation Security Management Systems For further details, please visit our website or use the contact information below. Email: aviation@usc.edu Telephone: +1 (310) 342-1345 Curt Lewisone: +1 (310) 342-1345 Curt Lewis