Flight Safety Information June 30, 2020 - No. 131 In This Issue ProSafe T - Comprehensive SMS, Quality and Audit Solution Webinar Incident: S7 A320 near Rostov on Jun 29th 2020, engine shut down in flight Incident: PSA CRJ9 at Charlotte on Jun 28th 2020, gear disagrees Piper PA-32R-301T Saratoga II TC - Fatal Accident (Texas) The first Boeing 737 Max recertification flight just landed Flight 3407: Pilot Record Database Closer to Reality Canadians worry about travel as Westjet and Air Canada sell middle seats Military aviation mishaps and deaths are declining for the first time in years Burdensome Reporting Regulations Proposed by FAA Will Affect Part 91 Corporate Flight Departments Angolan airline bolsters fleet of airplanes Jetstar Asia to dispose of aircraft, cut staff Norwegian Air cancels order for 97 Boeing aircraft UAE Firm to Bid For India's Jet Airways, Hopes to Conclude Deal By July-End Korea Aerospace wins 688 bln-won trainer jet deal British Airways received its first SC-made 787-10 jet, months later than planned A BAD TIME TO BE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE EU could ramp up space exploration in response to SpaceX, China success, report says Online Unmanned Aircraft Systems from SCSI SCSI Slovenia Fall Course Series AVIATION SAFETY SURVEY GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: S7 A320 near Rostov on Jun 29th 2020, engine shut down in flight A S7 Sibir Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration VQ-BOA performing flight S7-2121 from Moscow Domodedovo (Russia) to Rostov-on-Don (Russia), was descending towards Rostov when the left hand engine (CFM56) failed and was shut down. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 23. The Southern Transport Prosecutor Office performed an audit of compliance with safety legislation. There were no injuries as result of the emergency landing. The aircraft is still on the ground about 9 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d9524c3&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: PSA CRJ9 at Charlotte on Jun 28th 2020, gear disagrees A PSA Airlines Canadair CRJ-900 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N547NN performing flight AA-5209 from Charlotte,NC to Cincinnati,KY (USA), was climbing out of Charlotte's runway 36C when the crew declared emergency reporting a gear disagree issue subsequently advising the gear didn't want to come up. The crew stopped the climb at 8000 feet and returned to Charlotte for a safe landing on runway 36C about 20 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 2 hours, then departed again and reached Cincinnati with a delay of 110 minutes. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/JIA5209/history/20200628/1345Z/KCLT/KCVG http://avherald.com/h?article=4d95170f&opt=0 Back to Top Piper PA-32R-301T Saratoga II TC - Fatal Accident (Texas) Date: 27-JUN-2020 Time: c. 03:00 Loc Type: Piper PA-32R-301T Saratoga II TC Owner/operator: Private Registration: N315AM C/n / msn: 3257439 Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Zavalla, Angelina County, TX - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Private Departure airport: David Wayne Hooks (DWH) TOMBALL, TX Destination airport: Private Strip, Zavalla, TX Narrative: The aircraft impacted trees and terrain while on approach to a private airstrip in Zavalla, Angelina County, Texas. The airplane sustained unreported damage and the sole pilot onboard received fatal injures. Preliminary information shows that a Piper aircraft left from Tomball at about 2 a.m. on Saturday and headed to Zavalla. The distance between Tomball and Zavalla is about 130 mi. Emergency personnel did not find the crash site until 12:30 p.m. Saturday. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/237450 Back to Top The first Boeing 737 Max recertification flight just landed, marking a new milestone for the troubled jet The Boeing 737 Max on Monday made its long-awaited first recertification test flight, a major milestone as Boeing works to get the plane cleared to fly again. The 737 Max has been grounded for 15 months, following the second of two fatal crashes in which a total of 346 people were killed. Boeing and the FAA said they will complete several more test flights this week, although several other steps remain before the plane can return to service. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. After 15 months on the ground, the Boeing 737 Max on Monday took a major step toward returning to passenger service as the troubled jet completed its first recertification test flight. A Boeing 737 Max 7, registration N7201S, departed from Seattle's Boeing Field just before 10 a.m. local time for the milestone flight. Boeing and FAA test pilots and certification officials were on board. The flight was the first of three, all expected to occur this week, which the FAA will use to determine whether Boeing has fixed the problems with the plane, and whether it can return to normal service. At publication time, the plane was back in the air following its landing at Grant County International Airport, in Moses Lake, Washington. According to a flight plan, it was set to head back to Boeing Field. It appeared to be undergoing additional tests on the way. The 737 Max has been grounded since March 2019, following the second of two fatal crashes that killed a combined 346 people. The first crash, Lion Air Flight 610, crashed into the Java Sea off Indonesia in October 2018 after 12 minutes, during which the pilots struggled to control the plane. The crash killed 189 people. Although questions immediately emerged about a new flight-control system on the 737 Max - the latest iteration of Boeing's 55-year-old workhorse - the plane largely remained in service, with an emergency Airworthiness Directive issued by Boeing and the FAA warning pilots about possible control issues. In March 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed six minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing all 157 on board. Within days, the plane type was grounded worldwide. On March 13, 2019, the US became one of the last countries to ground the jet. Investigators found that both crashes were linked to the automated system, called the maneuvering characteristics augmentation system, or MCAS. MCAS was designed to compensate for the 737 Max having larger engines than previous 737 generations. The larger engines could cause the plane's nose to tip upward, leading to a stall - in that situation, MCAS could automatically point the nose down to negate the effect of the engine size. But the system could be activated by a faulty reading from a single angle-of-attack sensor, without any redundancies or backups. In both crashes the sensors are thought to have failed, sending erroneous data to the flight computer and, without a redundant check in place, triggering the automated system. Although the grounding was initially expected to last only weeks, Boeing and the FAA found additional safety hazards - eventually requiring Boeing to redesign the jet's entire flight computer rather than just the MCAS software. The certification flights, which are expected to take three days, "will include a wide array of flight maneuvers and emergency procedures to assess whether the changes meet FAA certification standards," according to a statement from the FAA. Although the flights are among the biggest steps remaining before the planes receive a recertification, there are still several steps remaining. "While the certification flights are an important milestone, a number of key tasks remain," the FAA said. "The FAA is following a deliberate process and will take the time it needs to thoroughly review Boeing's work. We will lift the grounding order only after we are satisfied that the aircraft meets certification standards." Numerous federal investigations are underway into the design of the jet, part of an effort to determine how it was allowed to be certified in the first place and whether there was criminal negligence behind the design. Questions remain over whether other countries will accept the FAA's decision on the plane, an industry norm, or choose to conduct their own recertification flights, which would represent a loss of standing for the American agency. In a statement to Business Insider, a Boeing spokesperson said that the company was working with authorities. "We continue to work diligently on safely returning the 737 MAX to commercial service," Boeing said. "We defer to the FAA and global regulators on the process." Boeing previously said it expected the jet to return to service in the second half of this year. Although airlines have eagerly awaited the jet's return, the collapse of travel demand because of the coronavirus crisis has complicated the need for more capacity from the fleet's return. https://www.yahoo.com/news/first-boeing-737-max-recertification-203141427.html Back to Top Flight 3407: Pilot Record Database Closer to Reality Is your pilot safe to fly? That's a question families of Flight 3407 victims have been trying to get the answer to ever since they lost their loved ones in the crash in Clarence Center in 2009. The cause: pilot error. Now, a piece of legislation they've fought for that has been in limbo for the past decade is one step closer to implementation. Monday was the final day for public comment on the pilot record database, which would detail a pilot's test written and flight test results so any airline could see their record. At a Senate Commerce hearing in 2009, the president of the airline testified that if Colgan had access to the captain's complete training record, they would not have hired him. Family members say this has been too long in the making to ensure the most qualified people are in the cockpit. "I just think about COVID and I think about how it's so new and in just three or four months, they're already testing. They have antibody tests. So where there's a will, there's a way. Just as an example, in three or four months, they're moving ahead. And this has been 10 years. It's more important than you think because you want the most qualified pilots in there, and this is a way to weed out the ones who aren't good," said Jen West, who lost her husband Ernie in the crash. Theoretically, the FAA and DOT should have three months to finalize the rule, but as this legislation has been years in the making, family members say they will breathe a sigh of relief when they see the rule officially on the books. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/flight-3407/2020/06/30/pilot-records-database-closer-to-reality Back to Top Canadians worry about travel as Westjet and Air Canada sell middle seats CALGARY (CityNews) - The middle seat on flights has been left empty for months, so flyers can physically distance as they travel. Now, Canada's two biggest airlines are ending that policy and that has travellers feeling very nervous. Some people on social media have said they've now cancelled flights because of the change, some demanding refunds. One man said on a recent flight, he was worried even though there was space. "Like sniffling or sneezing, who knows if they were sick or not." The airlines point to health recommendations from the International Air Transport Association. The trade group called for an end to in-flight physical distancing rules last month, proposing a range of other measures instead. However, some people believe, it's nothing short of a growing hunger to restore revenues. "While everyone else is at risk, they're just worried about the profits, they wanna fill the whole plane right?" said one traveller. The new policies also undermine Transport Canada's guidance to airlines that physical distancing is a key factor in preventing the spread of COVID-19 on flights. Epidemiologists say airflow in airports and cabins is what's crucial adding once the virus is on your flight, it has a chance to spread and then there's always the X-factor of asymptomatic carriers of the virus. But one infectious disease expert said filling flights isn't necessarily life or death. "Through the selection of travellers by a screen for symptomatic illness and the use of appropriate personal protective equipment, we will be reducing risk," said Michael Parkins with the University of Calgary. The changes come into effect in July, meaning as of Canada day, passengers will have a closer neighbour in flight. https://edmonton.citynews.ca/2020/06/29/canadian-airlines-sell-middle-seats-worrying-travellers/ Back to Top Military aviation mishaps and deaths are declining for the first time in years The military services saw an overall decline in the total number of serious aviation mishaps and aviation-related fatalities in 2019, reversing a trend in recent years that saw record-high numbers of serious aviation mishaps and deaths in recent years. Across the force, the total number of major mishaps - defined as those categorized as Class A though Class C, depending on the extent of damage or injury the individual mishaps caused - dropped slightly last year. The Pentagon reported 1,005 major mishaps in 2019, down from 1,036 in 2018, according to a Military Times analysis of Defense Department data. Specifically, for the individual services, the mishap data showed: * The Air Force saw a 7 percent drop in overall mishaps. * The Navy's numbers for Class A though Class C mishaps plummeted 20 percent. * The Army reported a more than 30 percent decline. * The Marine Corps was the only service to see a spike in the number total number of Class A through Class C mishaps, as the total rose to 30 percent. The latest information comes as the Pentagon and top military leaders continue to prioritize the need to reduce the rate of serious aviation mishaps and crashes involving aircraft across the force. For aviation fatalities, the Pentagon reported a sharp decline across the services in 2019. Last year, a total of 13 service members died in mishaps, compared with the previous year's 39 which had marked a 10-year high. The Marine Corps suffered the worst streak of fatalities, reporting eight Marines who died in aircraft accidents, including a late 2018 aerial refueling collision that killed six aircrew between the tanker and fighter jet involved. Despite the broad decline in mishaps, trouble spots remain: the latest data shows that three of the four services reported a rise in the most dangerous type of crashes, the Class A mishaps defined as those that involve death or permanent disability, and/or more than $2.5 million in damage. Among the Class A mishaps, the Corps reported an increase from six in fiscal year 2018 to eight in fiscal year 2019, including a late 2018 aerial refueling collision that killed six aircrew between the tanker and fighter jet involved. The Defense Department's fiscal year starts on Oct. 1. Representatives of the services safety centers, when contacted by Military Times, stressed that each service is committed to training their forces and investigating mishaps, but didn't offer any insights on why they believed their numbers had gone up or down. Several factors are at play when it comes to mishap rates. Aircraft maintenance errors are often cited in safety investigation reports as the cause of a mishap, as is pilot or aircrew error which can be caused by anything from a lack of sleep to a mistake while flying in inclement weather. Another is flight hours, which can affect the frequency of serious incidents in both directions. While more flight hours can mean more opportunities for mishaps, reductions in flight hours come at the cost of the experience and repetition so vital to keeping pilots and crew at the top of their game, creating a dangerous mix when they do get in the air. For example, according to the investigation into the December 2018 crash involving a Marine Corps KC-130J refueler and F/A-18 Hornet, the pilot was unqualified for the nighttime refueling exercise, with only 13 of required 60 flight hours to qualify under his belt. But overall, flight hours did not fluctuate enough to explain the differences in mishap rates between 2018 and 2019, as the Navy and Marine Corps' total flight hours dropped by about 3,000 for each service. In the Army, flight hours jumped by more than 30,000 in 2019, while they declined by the same number in the Air Force despite an increase in Class As for the Army and an overall drop in mishaps for the Air Force. Following the 2018 reporting by Military Times about record-high mishap rates, the congressional armed services committees held hearings and demanded answers from Pentagon officials. At the time, aviation mishaps had spiked by 40 percent in the previous five years. A record 133 service members died in aviation accidents during that period. Experts placed the blame on the budget cuts known as "sequestration" that began in 2013. Those budget cuts forced the aviation community to significantly cut back on training hours and also led to an exodus of many of the most experienced maintainers in the senior noncommissioned officer corps. By late 2018, the House Armed Services Committee announced it would form an independent commission of eight aviation experts from military and industry backgrounds, to survey aviation units across the military and report back their findings. Two years later, progress has been made, but preventable deaths and dozens of destroyed aircraft a year at tens of millions of dollars each still plague the services. Air Force mishaps The Air Force had 667 total major incidents in 2019, down from 716 total in 2018, a reduction of about 7 percent. The service saw the most progress in fatalities, however, dropping from 17 in 2018 to two in 2019, while overall Class A mishaps dropped from 30 to 22. "When the numbers go down the next year, you're not going to necessarily take a victory lap," Maj. Gen. John Rauch, head of the Air Force Safety Center, told Air Force Times in February. "If they return more towards normal, or even a little below normal, you're gonna say, 'We need to continue doing those proactive things.' It's not like one year is going to wash that away." For the Air Force, which by its nature has the most aviation mishaps of any of the services, incidents related to ground operations and those that happen in flight are mostly evenly distributed. However, the Air Force has seen an uptick in Class A mishaps within its fighter and attack communities. Fighters saw the most increases in mishaps, with the F-15, F-16, F-22 and F-35 communities spiking from 190 incidents in 2018 to 243 in 2019. Navy The Navy, home to military aviation's second largest community, saw more than a 20 percent drop in its overall serious aviation incidents from 2018 to 2019. The service almost halved its Class As, down to 8 in 2019. The service's total flight hours dropped by about 3,000 year over year, showing not only a reduction in incidents but an improvement in the mishap rate, as well. "At this time, it is difficult to definitively identify the specific actions or combination of actions that have resulted in a difference between the FY18 and FY19 aviation mishaps," according to Stephanie Slater, spokeswoman for the Naval Safety Center, which overseas Marine Corps aviation. "The Navy and Marine Corps continually evaluate their programs, looking at lessons learned and best practices from a safety perspective to help ensure we maintain and preserve our war fighting capability." Navy aviation's one fatality came late last July, when a Naval Air Station Lemoore, California-based F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed during a training flight over Death Valley, injuring seven tourists and killing its pilot, 33-year-old Lt. Charles Walker. Marine Corps While the other services saw an overall reduction in serious mishaps, the Marine Corps' numbers spiked in 2019, up to 97 from 74 the previous year. Six of eight fatalities in FY19 came from the tanker-fighter crash in late 2018, four more aviation deaths than the service reported the previous year. "As the service's safety advocate, the Naval Safety Center remains committed to identifying hazards and reducing risks to our people and resources," Slater said. "We will continue to provide advanced data analytics as well as in-depth studies, trends and sophisticated modeling data that can be used to help prevent mishaps." Throughout naval aviation, which includes both Navy Department services, fighters had by far the most mishaps, clocking in at 97 incidents for F/A-18s and F-35s, or about 35 percent of A, B and C mishaps. Five of those were Class A accidents. Army Like the Air Force and Navy, the Army reduced overall mishaps, down from 85 in 2018 to 65 in 2019. But its Class As did rise, with 12 in 2019, versus 11 in 2018. "While the Army has seen a relatively steady drop in aviation accident rates over the past decade, anytime the Army encounters an aviation accident, we carefully consider the potential for accident trends and quickly institute measures to mitigate contributing factors," Army spokesman Jason Waggoner told Military Times. As in past years, the UH-60 Black Hawk continued to be the deadliest as well as the most numerous Army airframe with 17 mishaps, two of which were Class As resulting in a death on board. One of them was a medevac flight at Fort Pork, Louisiana, to recover a soldier with heat stroke out on a range. The crash killed the pilot, Maj. Trevor Joseph, but three more aircrew on board survived. Aviation safety commission As all four of the services have touted their efforts to improve their aviation communities' maintenance capacity and safety culture, the National Commission on Military Aviation Safety opened up a system on its website last year, for service members to report safety concerns in their units. "I have a fixed opinion that the difference between a Class C and a Class A is inches and luck," NCMAS chairman retired Army Gen. Dick Cody, a former vice chief of staff, career helicopter pilot and aviation maintenance officer, told reporters in last fall. "We've got the attitude that the absence of an accident doesn't mean the presence of safety. I think we're going to learn as much from the Cs and the As." The commission's report, originally due in March, has been pushed back to December. https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2020/06/30/military-aviation-mishaps-and-deaths-are-declining-for-the-first-time-in-years/ Back to Top Burdensome Reporting Regulations Proposed by FAA Will Affect Part 91 Corporate Flight Departments The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for a Pilot Records Database ("Proposed PRD Regulations") seeks to codify the requirements of § 203 of the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 (the "PRD Act"). The PRD Act was enacted in response to a recommendation made by the National Transportation Safety Board as a result of the crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407. The captain of that flight had previously failed two checkrides with another company, but the existing Pilot Records Improvement Act (PRIA) did not require Colgan to inquire about, nor the prior company to disclose, these failures. The ultimate purpose of both the PRD Act and the Proposed PRD Regulations is to create a robust, standardized recordkeeping system to be used in pilot hiring decisions, but the ultimate result if enacted would be to impose an extremely burdensome new affirmative obligation on certain Part 91 operators. Among other things, the Proposed PRD Regulations: (a) create a central database for the collection of all records relevant to a pilot's performance and qualifications; (b) expand the types of records to be reported to include training and currency records, as well as any records that may reflect negatively on a pilot's flying ability; and (c) expand the requirement to submit these records to "Corporate Flight Departments." The Proposed PRD Regulations define "Corporate Flight Department" as an entity that operates two or more aircraft that require type certificates in furtherance of or incidental to a business. This is a substantial departure from the PRD Act and its legislative history which do not include any reference to Part 91 corporate flight departments. Under the existing PRIA regulations, operators under Part 91 are only required to respond to PRIA requests received from an air carrier and provide information dating back five years from the date of the request. Under the Proposed PRD Regulations, Corporate Flight Departments would have a new affirmative obligation to manually enter records into the FAA's database within 30 calendar days of the event creating the record. Although Corporate Flight Departments wouldn't be required to check the FAA database when hiring a new pilot, they could have access to the database on a voluntary basis. The scope of records that would be required to be submitted under the Proposed PRD Regulations is expansive. At a minimum, it would be all records that a pilot is required to retain under Part 61 to document training and currency requirements, including check flights, instrument approaches, proficiency checks, and landings. The requirement applies to all records the Corporate Flight Department creates related to pilot training, currency, qualifications, and professional competence, so if a Corporate Flight Department collects records in excess of the minimum requirements those records would need to be submitted as well. The expanded scope of records required raises a number of issues. First, the time required to collect and manually enter these records could be overly burdensome for many smaller Corporate Flight Departments. Second, for those Corporate Flight Departments that currently go above and beyond the FAA training requirements, it may create an incentive to limit the amount of training performed and documentation collected. Third, because the records submitted to the FAA would become a permanent record retained for the life of a pilot, examiners and check pilots may be reluctant to provide honest feedback and constructive criticism, both of which are an integral part of any safety program. A final issue is the potential legal risks associated with submitting such detailed information to an FAA database that will be used by future employers. Although it is permissible to require pilots to sign a liability waiver, state employment laws vary and there have been a number of lawsuits on this issue under PRIA, which has more limited scope of records that must be reported. Comments may be submitted to the FAA here through June 29th. The National Business Aviation Association has provided a template as a starting point for submitting comments. https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=f98c1525-fc12-4450-aca0-4f2351447e14 Back to Top Angolan airline bolsters fleet of airplanes LUANDA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Angolan national airline TAAG is due to receive on Monday one aircraft out of the total of six Dash 8 airplanes it bought in April from Canada, TAAG's CEO, Rui Carreira said on Monday. According to Rui Carreira, the arrival of the first aircraft in the country was initially scheduled for the end of April but was further rescheduled due to COVID-19. "With COVID-19, the manufacturer closed the production line. We established a schedule, in which we reaffirmed the initially planned deadlines. Therefore, the arrival of the second aircraft was scheduled for mid-July and so it will be," the TAAG CEO said, adding the other four aircraft were scheduled only after October. The acquisition of the airplanes is part of the renewing process of the company's fleet, with Angolan state spending around 118 million U.S. dollars as a result of a financing contract signed between TAAG and the banking union, represented by ABSA Bank Limited. The aim is to make domestic and regional routes more profitable from the point of view of fuel consumption, maintenance costs and overall operating costs, Carreira said, adding that conditions are being created to achieve the economic and financial efficiency of the company. "When we decided to acquire these aircraft, we were thinking about opening new regional routes, but the pandemic and its implications place limitations on us. And one of them is not being able to open new routes for the time being, given the initial costs that are usually very high and that the company is not in a position to bear," he said. The diversification of the company's fleet, combined with the reduction of operational costs, also aims to extend access to domestic flights for low-income people and to open new sustainable domestic routes, Carreira said. TAAG currently flies at 17 domestic destinations and 26 internationals in Africa, South America, Europe and Asia, with a fleet composed of 13 airplanes. Angola's Ministry of Transport said recently that the regular international commercial flights to and from Angola will remain suspended for an indefinite period. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-06/29/c_139176014.htm Back to Top Jetstar Asia to dispose of aircraft, cut staff Singapore low-cost carrier Jetstar Asia will cut five Airbus A320s and axe 180 staff as it seeks to ride out the coronavirus pandemic. The move will reduce the carrier's fleet to just 13 aircraft, it says. The carrier made the adjustments after consultations with shareholders. Qantas Group owns 49% of the airline and Singapore shareholder Westbrook Investments 51%. A Jetstar Asia A320 at Changi Airport in August 2019 The move was announced in parallel with Qantas's decision last week to slash both its fleet and work force, as well as undertake an A$1.9 billion ($1.3 billion) fund raising. The 180 job cuts represent about 26% of Jetstar Asia's workforce. The majority of the airline's remaining workers will remain furloughed until December 2020. "COVID-19 has delivered the single biggest shock to the aviation industry and as a result we have had to make incredibly difficult decisions to ensure we protect the business and our people as best as possible, while securing our future success," says Jetstar Asia chief executive Bara Pasupathi. "There is no doubt that the travel market will look very different moving forward, so it is imperative that we change and adapt...Singapore and Changi Airport remain a strategic footprint for Jetstar Asia and the Qantas Group and we look forward to growing passenger numbers further through innovation and enhancing the customer experience in the future." https://www.flightglobal.com/fleets/jetstar-asia-to-dispose-of-aircraft-cut-staff/139037.article Back to Top Norwegian Air cancels order for 97 Boeing aircraft COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Low-cost carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle said Tuesday it has cancelled its 97 outstanding orders for planes from U.S. manufacturer Boeing. Norwegian said in a statement it had terminated the purchase agreements of five 787 Dreamliners and 92 737 MAX aircraft. The Oslo-based company also said it had filed a legal claim seeking the return of payments made for the aircraft. It is also seeking compensation for losses it claims it incurred from the global grounding of the 737 Max planes as well as engine issues on the 787. Talks with Boeing have "not led to an agreement with a reasonable compensation," the carrier said in the statement. The 737 MAX has been grounded around the world since March 12, 2019 following deadly crashes involving the plane model. Norwegian Air meanwhile had technical issues with the Rolls Royce engines on the Dreamliner planes. The British company had discovered problems with its Trent 1000 engines, which power Boeing's 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Norwegian said the problems "affected reliability and resulted in premature and unplanned maintenance, which has disrupted the company's operations and caused further significant losses." https://apnews.com/77c76071adfa120dfcdea28c0dd14448 Back to Top UAE Firm to Bid For India's Jet Airways, Hopes to Conclude Deal By July-End Jun. 29--DUBAI -- The UAE-based Imperial Capital Investments LLC has been shortlisted to bid for India's once troubled carrier Jet Airways and will submit documents around mid-July, a senior official said on Sunday. "We will submit our final documents by mid of July. But it may take a couple of days more because of the extension of the pandemic lockdown in India. Hence, there could be difficulty in traveling and we need some key people from our side to travel inside as well as to India to conclude the final documents," said Biraja Jena, chairman of Imperial Capital Investments. Currently, four companies have been shortlisted to bid for Jet Airways. Imperial Capital is bidding along with its partners Flight Simulation Technique Centre Pvt Ltd, Big Charter Pvt. Ltd along with the other short listed consortium which include UK's Kalrock Capital Partners, Canada-based entrepreneur Sivakumar Rasiah and Kolkata's Alpha Airways. A number of companies -- including the UK-based Hinduja Group -- had submitted bids for the grounded airline but were rejected by the creditors. The cash-strapped airline stopped all operations indefinitely in April 2018 after a consortium led by government-owned State Bank of India declined to extend more funds to keep it afloat. Confident of winning bid Confident of winning the bid, Jena hopes to conclude the deal by July end and aims to keep majority stake in the carrier. "Because it is not only good for us but for the airline and employees, crew which is sitting idle for two years now. Plus, we have a definite intention, strategy, business plan and experience to run the airline. We better understand the industry as well," he added. "Managing and running the airline is a highly-specialized job. So, we are better placed because we have a local partner company in India who is manned by ex-pilots. They run aircraft simulators used for pilot training and has been running successfully for the last 10 years. Therefore, we can synergize well," he said. Imperial Capital Investments has appointed global audit and advisory firm Deloitte to study and create the final business model while law firm Luthra and Luthra is looking into the legal aspects. "We need to understand aircraft, their valuation, flight routes, landing rights, airports rights, legal liabilities of employees because there were 4,000 workers when the airline went down," Jena told Khaleej Times in an interview on Sunday. The bidders will submit their final reports to the Committee of Creditors, which have been given access to the collapsed carrier's financial and other data. "We are also putting a lot of effort to figure out what is the best for the airline. At a time when the airlines are under threat due to the pandemic, we want to exploit this opportunity of the (low cost of) landing rights, flight rules, experienced crew to run the airline on an optimum cost plus marginal profit basis. Moreover, we are also exploring cargo activities because now all the airlines which are making money during pandemic is because of cargo freight. We are working on all the fronts. We will be ready in 10 days with this business plan," added Jena. https://www.aviationpros.com/airlines/news/21144034/uae-firm-to-bid-for-indias-jet-airways-hopes-to-conclude-deal-by-julyend Back to Top Korea Aerospace wins 688 bln-won trainer jet deal SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- Korea Aerospace Industries Co. (KAI), South Korea's sole aircraft manufacturer, said Tuesday it has received a 688 billion-won (US$575 million) order to supply trainer jets for South Korea's Air Force by 2024. KAI signed the deal with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration to manufacture a total of 20 TA-50 lead-in fighter aircraft for radar tactical and combat mission training, the company said in a statement. KAI has exported a total of 148 trainer jets worth US$3.1 billion -- 64 T-50 advanced trainer jets worth $2.4 billion and 84 KT-1 basic trainer jets worth $700 million -- to countries such as Indonesia, Iraq, Thailand, Turkey, Peru and the Philippines since its foundation in 1999. KAI's net profit jumped 87 percent to 79.5 billion won in the January-March period from 42.5 billion won a year earlier. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20200630002700320 Back to Top British Airways received its first SC-made 787-10 jet, months later than planned British Airways received delivery of its first 787-10 aircraft. The jet, like all "Dash 10" models, was built at the company's Dreamliner plant in North Charleston. Provided/Boeing Co. British Airways has taken delivery from Boeing of its first South Carolina-made 787-10, about six months later than originally planned. The new Dreamliner aircraft took off from Charleston late Saturday night and arrived shortly before noon local time at London's Heathrow Airport, according to the flight tracking site FlightRadar24. Officials from the British carrier had planned to come to North Charleston to receive their first "Dash 10" months earlier, in January. The aircraft was going to be put into service the next month, on a route from London to Atlanta. But January came and went, and the aircraft, which is the first of a dozen 787-10s British Airways has on order, remained in North Charleston. Then in late May, plane watchers again reported that delivery of the aircraft was imminent. But the month passed, and the jet stayed put. Boeing delivered just four airplanes in May, none of which was a passenger jet. The company also logged nine new orders and twice as many cancellations in the month. British Airways' new 787-10 was registered in the United Kingdom on Friday, ahead of its weekend delivery, according to records from the Civil Aviation Authority. While Boeing's North Charleston plant is expected to send more Dreamliners to London this year - at least one other Great Britain-bound 787-10 is already ready for delivery, according to a spreadsheet from the blog All Things 787 - British Airways' jets aren't likely to be flying from Heathrow to Charleston International anytime soon. The carrier was supposed to run a second season of its new Charleston-London route from March to October, but the flight's return was put off because of COVID-19. Airport officials later announced that British Airways would not be returning to the Holy City this calendar year. During its inaugural run last year, British Airways flew a 787-8 Dreamliner twice weekly from Heathrow to Charleston International. https://www.postandcourier.com/business/british-airways-received-its-first-sc-made-787-10-jet-months-later-than-planned/article_c4f44372-ba21-11ea-851a-8fcbf27b0b8b.html Back to Top A BAD TIME TO BE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE A Commentary By Roger Rapoport FSI SENIOR EDITOR Until last week most American airline passengers knew they were unlikely to be forced into the dreaded middle seat. For the past few months American carriers and many international airlines eager to protect their passengers blocked it out of an abundance of caution. Now, as Covid-19 infections soar, United and American have announced that they are going to begin selling middle seats. Competitors still blocking middle seats such as Delta, Southwest and Jet Blue are in a tight spot. For one thing booking middle seats can mean the difference between profitable and unprofitable flights. That means aviation securities analysts are likely to give the tip of the hat to carriers selling out their flights. With jobs potentially on the lines and stockholders determined to protect their investments, this could put pressure on the rest of the industry to oppose social distancing critical to thwarting the Covid-19 pandemic. A rare example of the industry NOT moving in lockstep when it comes to matching sale fares or bumping up fees for checked baggage and seat reservations, this new policy at American and United could potentially backfire. For one thing, absent mandatory Covid-19 preflight screening to detect infected travelers, the government bailed out industry is relying on an unenforceable honor system. As Fortune reported (FSI June 23) forty-five passengers arriving in Hong Kong on a recent Emirates flight from Dubai "were confirmed or probable (Covid-19) cases." According to Center For Disease Control Director Robert Redfield, as many as many as 24 million Americans may be infected by Covid-19. That means up to 8 percent of the public could potentially be contagious, many of them asymptomatic. This is one of the laudable reasons why the CDC has advised against non-essential travel. Even before United and American decided to sell middle seats it could be challenging to social distance in coach. Only in first class was there a good chance you could achieve the six feet of separation recommended by the CDC. To make matters worse air travelers typically use public transportation to get to the airport where they must go through check in lines, baggage drops, TSA screening, and boarding lounges. On arrival they also have to deal with baggage pick up, airport transit systems, rent- a-car, transit center and cab lines. There is also the touchy issue of sharing an airline bathroom with up to 100 fellow travelers. Unblocking middle seats means closer passenger contact which could potentially contribute to unanticipated virus outbreaks. With Delta Airlines reporting 10 deaths among the 500 employees who have caught Covid 19, it's clear that filling middle seats could also expose flight crews to higher risk. Based on the CDC's alarming numbers a flight with 200 passengers could easily have several asymptomatic passengers on board. This is especially important to the health and welfare of essential and emergency workers who must fly for the public good. To protect physicians, nurses, scientific researchers, first responders and others critical to our health and safety, the airlines should book them in first class at government expense. Some of the $25 billion in American federal bailout money, along with $25 billion in loans, should be appropriated to their airfare. This is the least taxpayers should expect for their generous gift to airlines who used 96 percent of their cashflow on stock buybacks over the past decade. The airlines should also put an end to promoting bargain airfares aimed at nonessential travelers, especially people taking risky vacations. With Florida in the process of shutting down some beaches, bars being closed in Texas and California and victims of the Mardi Gras Covid-19 outbreak wishing they'd skipped New Orleans this year, there's never been a better time to follow the lead of reputable scientific experts who have decided to stay close to home this summer. Safely rebuilding air travel logically means waiting for the arrival of an effective vaccine, something Dr. Anthony Fauci thinks could begin as early as the end of the year. How about a round of applause for those public spirited airlines blocking the middle seat. As for United and American, there's never been a better time to make a short term sacrifice for a long term gain. The financial health of these companies depends on the health of its employees and passengers. GROUNDED: CAN WE EVER FLY AGAIN by Captain Shem Malmquist and Roger Rapoport is available for preorder from Curt Lewis Aviation Books. http://www.lexographicpress.com/shop/grounded-can-we-ever-fly-again Back to Top EU could ramp up space exploration in response to SpaceX, China success, report says It could include a higher investment in Arianespace and a fund for space startups. The European Union could be investing more heavily in rockets, satellites and space exploration, according to a report. European Commissioner Thierry Breton told Reuters on Sunday the EU wants to keep up with the US and China in the space realm, especially given SpaceX's recent success in launching NASA astronauts to the International Space Station and China's moon mission last year. The EU is set to sign a €1 billion ($1.12 billion) deal with Arianespace -- a commercial rocket launcher that operates out of France -- for more involvement in spaceflight innovation, the report says. "Space is one of Europe's strongpoints, and we're giving ourselves the means to speed up," Breton told Reuters, adding the EU will be looking to reusable rockets. "SpaceX has redefined the standards for launchers, so Ariane 6 is a necessary step, but not the ultimate aim: we must start thinking now about Ariane 7." Ariane 6 is a rocket launcher developed by the European Space Agency. Its first flight was scheduled for 2020 but it has yet to take place. Breton is reportedly pushing for €16 billion ($18 billion) in additional funds to be set aside for space exploration in the European Commission's next budget, with €1 billion to be used for a European Space Fund that would help space startups. The EU is also looking to launch a satellite system to provide high-speed internet across the continent, Reuters said, much like the Starlink satellites being launched by SpaceX. https://www.cnet.com/news/eu-could-ramp-up-space-exploration-in-response-to-spacex-and-china-report-says/ TO ALL PROFESSIONAL PILOTS, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS, members of their Management, Regulators and related organizations (airplane, helicopter, civil or military) WE REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT FOR A JOINT AVIATION SAFETY SURVEY (JASS) ON: "AERONAUTICAL DECISION-MAKING, INCL. MONITORING & INTERVENTION IN PRACTICE" Dear aviation colleague, you are invited to participate in a research project conducted by the department of Psychology at City, University of London, which aims to elicit your views and thoughts on Aeronautical Decision-Making, including Monitoring and Intervention in normal operation,by which we mean routine line flights without any incidents or technical malfunctions. The questions deal with teamwork and decision-making issues in various Pilot-roles, e.g. the role of the Pilot Monitoring (PM), Pilot Flying (PF), Pilot in Command (PIC) and Co-Pilot, and respectively in the Air Traffic Controller (ATCO)-roles of the coordinating and radioing/radar ATCO as well as pilot's and controller's training and occupational picture. This survey is completely anonymous - no identifying information will be requested or collected - and all responses will be treated as strictly confidential. The survey is approved by City's research and ethics committee (Approval Code: ETH 1920-1414). The introductory section of the survey will provide you with further information and the informed consent. Please click here to access the survey or copy the survey-link below into your browser. https://cityunilondon.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6n7cxeunMyfy0fz By completing the questionnaire, you can - in addition to supporting aviation safety research - even do more good as we will donate a minimum of €2 for the first 1000 fully completed responses to the UNICEF COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund which helps to care for vulnerable children and communities all over the world. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via email: aviationsafety@city.ac.uk or tom.becker.1@city.ac.uk or via phone: +49 172 7178780. We thank you very much in advance. Your support is truly appreciated. Best regards, Capt. Tom Becker Prof. Peter Ayton 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 Curt Lewis