Flight Safety Information July 1, 2020 - No. 132 In This Issue Incident: Transavia B738 near Amsterdam on Jun 28th 2020, anti-ice problem Incident: NORRA AT72 at Helsinki on Jun 30th 2020, smoke in cockpit EU bans Pakistan airline from flying to Europe for 6 months UAE seeks to verify credentials of Pakistani pilots in its airlines Seven years on, Nepali airlines still barred from flying over EU skies Boeing kept FAA in the dark on key 737 MAX design changes, government report says Airbus Announces Job Cuts Amid Massive Dip In Aircraft Orders BOC Aviation cancels 30 Boeing 737 MAX but backs grounded jet Aeromexico becomes latest LatAm airline to file for bankruptcy Online Unmanned Aircraft Systems from SCSI SCSI Slovenia Fall Course Series AVIATION SAFETY SURVEY GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: Transavia B738 near Amsterdam on Jun 28th 2020, anti-ice problem A Transavia Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration PH-HSA performing flight HV-6003 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Porto (Portugal), was climbing through FL200 out of Amsterdam's runway 24 when the crew stopped the climb advising they had a minor technical problem. The crew decided to return to Amsterdam telling approach they had an anti-ice problem. The aircraft landed safely on runway 18R about 30 minutes after departure. The aircraft returned to service 24 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d95f028&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: NORRA AT72 at Helsinki on Jun 30th 2020, smoke in cockpit A NORRA Nordic Regional Airlines Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A on behalf of Finnair, registration OH-ATG performing flight AY-1014 from Tallinn (Estonia) to Helsinki (Finland) with 15 passengers and 4 crew, was on approach to Helsinki's runway 04R at 12:03L (09:03Z) when the crew reported smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft landed and vacated the runway onto a taxiway about 2200 meters past the runway threshold and stopped clear of the runway. The aircraft was evacuated, there were no injuries. The airline reported the smoke was caused by a failure in the power supply of the propeller anti-icing unit. Emergency services reported the aircraft had a slight smoke generation in the cockpit after the aircraft landed at Vantaa Airport. The passengers were safely taken to the terminal. In the evening of Jun 30th 2020 Finland's Onnettomuustutkintakeskus (AIBF) announced, they have opened a preliminary investigation into the occurrence rated a serious incident. The passengers of a NORRA aircraft had to be evacuated due to smoke. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d95b18a&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top EU bans Pakistan airline from flying to Europe for 6 months ISLAMABAD (AP) - The European Union's aviation safety agency said Tuesday that Pakistan's national airline will not be allowed to fly into Europe for at least six months after the country's aviation minister revealed last week that nearly a third of Pakistani pilots had cheated on their pilot's exams. Pakistan International Airlines spokesman Abdullah Hafeez said PIA has not been flying to Europe because of the pandemic. But the airline had hoped to resume its flights to Oslo, Copenhagen, Paris, Barcelona and Milan within the next two months. "It is hurting us really bad," he said of the pilots scandal. An inquiry into the May 22 Airbus A320 crash that killed 97 people at the southern port city of Karachi resulted in the stunning revelation that 260 of 860 pilots in Pakistan had cheated on their pilots exams, but were still given licences by the Civil Aviation Authority. The government has since fired five officials of the regulatory agency and criminal charges are being considered. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency "is concerned about the validity of the Pakistani pilot licenses and that Pakistan, as the State of operator, is currently not capable to certify and oversee its operators and aircraft in accordance with applicable international standards," the organization said in its letter announcing the ban. PIA has grounded 150 of its pilots for cheating. But Hafeez told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday that PIA had alerted the Civil Aviation Authority, the Pakistani regulatory body that issues pilots licences, of its concerns over some of the licenses. In 2019, PIA grounded 17 pilots over concerns about their licences after one of its aircraft skidded off the runway in northern Pakistan. "The saddest part for PIA is that we had alerted the regulatory agency and the government," Hafeez said. He said the national airline will have a difficult time regaining its reputation and said that more than a decade ago PIA was considered one of the better airlines. Aviation experts fear the ban by the European Union could also affect PIA flights to the United Kingdom and Canada because its aircraft will not be able to fly over Europe forcing longer routes. "We have really hit rock bottom I am so sad to say," said Hafeez. The inquiry into the May 22 crash of PIA flight 8303 in Karachi blamed pilot error saying the pilot came in to land too low, ignoring warnings from the air traffic control tower, insisting he could manage. The plane hit the runway and took off again but the pilot's engines were damaged. The inquiry also chastised the air traffic controller for not telling the pilot that the engines were damaged. After the aborted landing, the aircraft was in the air for 17 minutes before crashing into a crowded neighborhood on the edge of Jinnah International Airport when both engines gave out. Two passengers survived and a 13-year old child on the ground was killed. According to the cockpit voice recorder found later among the plane's debris, the pilots had been discussing the coronavirus throughout the flight, which had apparently affected their families. Pakistan's aviation minister Khan last week told reporters that out of the 262 pilots who had cheated on their licences, 141 worked for PIA, which employs 450 pilots. That's more than a third of the workforce. The remaining pilots worked for private airlines. https://www.yahoo.com/news/eu-bans-pakistan-airline-flying-145606602.html Back to Top UAE seeks to verify credentials of Pakistani pilots in its airlines ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates is seeking to verify the credentials of the Pakistani pilots and engineers employed in its airlines after the South Asian government grounded 262 pilots for holding "dubious" qualifications. Pakistan grounded the pilots on June 26 on suspicion that they allegedly falsified their examinations to qualify for flying aircraft, leading to them having licenses the country's aviation minister termed "dubious. A total of 262 of the country's 860 pilots were affected, including 141 of national carrier Pakistan International Airline's (PIA) pilots. The Director General of the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi requested the verification of the credentials of Pakistani pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, and flight operations officers working in the Middle Eastern country in a June 29 letter reviewed by Reuters to the Director General of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority Hassan Nasir Jamy. "We would like to request your good offices to verify the licensing credentials of the attached pilots list who are currently holding UAE's pilots licences based on licences and qualifications issued by Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority," the letter said. Pakistan's aviation ministry did not respond to a request for comment. The European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) on Tuesday suspended PIA's authorisation to fly to the bloc for six months because of the licensing concerns. In a statement on Wednesday, the Pakistan Airlines Pilots Association (PALPA), the union for PIA's pilots, alleges the announcement of the "dubious" license holders was a planned government move against the pilots to cut their headcount. "The malicious efforts of some at the helm of affairs with a mindset to cut the pilots down to size has resulted in PIA being reduced to an airline on paper," the union said. The PALPA rejected the government's list of pilots with licences deemed dubious, and pointed out that it was full of discrepancies, demanding a judicial investigation. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-airlines-pilots/uae-seeks-to-verify-credentials-of-pakistani-pilots-in-its-airlines-idUSKBN242572 Back to Top Seven years on, Nepali airlines still barred from flying over EU skies KATHMANDU: Stating that the European Aviation Agency found no change in Nepal's air safety status in the last seven years, the European Commission has decided to continue its ban on Nepali airlines from flying into the 28-nation bloc of the European Union. The ban will also restrict Nepali Airlines including Nepal Airlines Corporation and Himalaya Airlines from conducting repatriation charter flights to and from the EU countries to rescue stranded people in the times of COVID-19 pandemic. According to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, lack of improvement in safety oversight by the country's aviation regulator - Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal - has led the EC to continue its ban on all Nepali airlines from flying within the EU. The European Commission in its recently updated air safety list stated that all Nepali airlines are subject to an operating ban within the European Union as they do not meet international safety standards. A total of 96 airlines including 20 air carriers certified in Nepal are banned from EU skies, the EC stated. The EC blacklisted Nepal, placing restrictions on Nepali airlines, for the first time in 2013 immediately after the International Civil Aviation Organisation raised significant safety concerns. The ICAO, however, removed Nepal's aviation from its blacklist in July 2017. The EU's major demands were revision of civil aviation policies and reducing helicopter accident rates in the country. Amidst this, the government is also working on splitting CAAN into operational and regulating bodies, which was among the issues raised by the EU to get Nepal off from its air safety list. "Ninety airlines certified in 16 states (Afghanistan, Angola -with the exception of two airlines, Armenia, Congo-Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Libya, Moldova -with the exception of three airlines, Nepal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone and Sudan) are placed on the EU blacklist," the agency said, adding, "The list of air carriers certified in Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of Congo, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Nepal, and Sierra Leone has been reviewed and amended, with new carriers from these countries added, and carriers which do not exist any longer removed." However, the stated air carriers could be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with. In a statement, EC's Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean said: "The EU Air Safety List should be used as an instrument that helps airlines and countries listed reassess and improve their flying standards. The decision to include the Armenian carriers on the EU Air Safety List has been made based on the unanimous opinion delivered by the Air Safety Committee. The Commission, with the assistance of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, stands ready to cooperate and invest in Armenia to improve its aviation safety." "The EU Air Safety List not only helps to maintain high levels of safety in the EU, but also helps affected airlines and countries to improve their levels of safety, in order for them to eventually be taken off the list." In addition, the EU Air Safety List has become a major preventive tool, as it motivates countries with safety problems to act upon them before a ban under the EU Air Safety List would become necessary, the statement read. "This update of the Air Safety List is based on the unanimous opinion of the aviation safety experts from the Member States who met from 12-14 May 2020 under the auspices of the EU Air Safety Committee, via videoconference," the EC said, adding that the assessment was made against international safety standards, and notably the standards promulgated by the ICAO. The EASC member states will hold their next meeting in November to update the air safety list. https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/seven-years-on-european-union-ban-on-nepali-airlines-remains/ Back to Top Boeing kept FAA in the dark on key 737 MAX design changes, government report says • Boeing failed to submit certification documents to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) detailing changes to a key flight control system faulted in two fatal crashes, a long-awaited government report seen by Reuters has found. • The flight control system, known as MCAS, was "not an area of emphasis" because Boeing presented it to the FAA as a modification of the jet's existing speed trim system, with limited range and use, according to the report. The 52-page report by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General (IG), dated June 29 and set to be made public Wednesday, laid bare mistakes made by both the planemaker and FAA in the development and certification of Boeing's top-selling aircraft. Boeing failed to submit certification documents to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) detailing changes to a key flight control system faulted in two fatal crashes, a long-awaited government report seen by Reuters has found. The flight control system, known as MCAS, was "not an area of emphasis" because Boeing presented it to the FAA as a modification of the jet's existing speed trim system, with limited range and use, according to the report. The 52-page report by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General (IG), dated June 29 and set to be made public Wednesday, laid bare mistakes made by both the planemaker and FAA in the development and certification of Boeing's top-selling aircraft. The FAA declined to comment beyond the department's response attached to the report. The IG did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Boeing spokesman said the company had taken steps to enhance safety and was committed to transparency. "When the MAX returns to service, it will be one of the most thoroughly scrutinized aircraft in history, and we have full confidence in its safety," he said. The IG's report is the latest of reports faulting the plane's approval, while the Justice Department has an ongoing criminal investigation. The 737 MAX has been grounded from commercial flight worldwide since March 2019 after two crashes killed 346 people in Ethiopia and Indonesia over a five-month span. Boeing's so-called MCAS stall-prevention system has been faulted in both crashes, when the system repeatedly and forcefully pushed down the jet's nose as pilots struggled to intervene. Crash investigators have pinpointed a cocktail of other factors. The inspector general report details activities from the early phase of the certification process in January 2012 through the second crash and details allegations of "undue pressure" from Boeing management on workers handling safety certification. The IG's office will issue recommendations to the FAA later this year, the Transportation Department said in comments about the draft report submitted on June 8. Regulators in the dark Boeing kept the FAA in the dark on significant changes to MCAS, the report said. Then, the FAA first conducted its first-ever detailed review of the system in January 2019, three months after the first crash in Indonesia. The review resulted in documentation that was never finalized, the report said. The report noted that after the Indonesia crash the FAA completed a risk analysis that found that the uncorrected risk to the 737 MAX was 2.68 fatalities per 1 million flight hours, which exceeded the FAA's risk guidelines of 1 fatality per 10 million flight hours. A December 2018 FAA analysis determined a risk of about 15 accidents occurring over the life of the entire 737 MAX fleet if the software fix was not implemented. After the crashes, Boeing proposed and FAA accepted a redesign of MCAS software that would include additional safeguards against unintended MCAS activation. Boeing agreed to develop the software update by April 12 and operators would have until June 18, 2019, to install the software. As Boeing worked on proposed software upgrade for MCAS, a second plane crashed in March 2019 in Ethiopia. 'Too deferential to Boeing' The FAA is currently evaluating the MCAS upgrades during a series of certification test flights this week that could pave the way for the jet's return domestically by year end. "While we have not found any evidence of an inappropriately close relationship between FAA and Boeing to date, some FAA personnel expressed concern that FAA executives are too deferential to Boeing," the report said. In response to the report, the Transportation Department said the FAA's certification of the 737 MAX was "hampered by a lack of effective communication" between the agency and U.S. planemaker. Crucially, that included the "incomplete understanding of the scope and potential safety impacts" of the changes Boeing made to the jet's flight control system to give it more power and authority, the agency said. "Key FAA certification engineers and personnel responsible for approving the level of airline pilot training were unaware of the revision to (MCAS)," the report said. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/01/boeing-kept-faa-in-the-dark-on-key-737-max-design-changes-report-says.html Back to Top Airbus Announces Job Cuts Amid Massive Dip In Aircraft Orders European passenger-jet maker Airbus announced Tuesday that it will cut 15,000 jobs over the next year, as the airline industry faces unprecedented losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Airbus, which employs about 135,000 people worldwide, has seen a 40% drop in its business since the spread of the coronavirus. "With air traffic not expected to recover to pre-COVID levels before 2023 and potentially as late as 2025, Airbus now needs to take additional measures to reflect the post COVID-19 industry outlook," the company said in a statement. Europe's largest airplane maker said it planned to cut 5,100 jobs in Germany, 5,000 in France, 1,700 in the U.K., 900 in Spain and another 1,300 in other locations around the world by the middle of next year. The total of 15,000 includes 900 job cuts that had been announced as part of a restructuring plan before the pandemic. Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said the company was facing "the gravest crisis this industry has ever experienced." "The measures we have taken so far have enabled us to absorb the initial shock of this global pandemic," Faury said. "Now, we must ensure that we can sustain our enterprise and emerge from the crisis as a healthy, global aerospace leader, adjusting to the overwhelming challenges of our customers." Airbus did not rule out layoffs, but said it would first seek voluntary departures and early retirements. Even so, the company faces tough negotiations with governments and unions to get the cuts it is seeking. Britain's Unite union called the measures "industrial vandalism." In France, where President Emmanuel Macron's government earlier this month announced a nearly $17 billion (15 billion euro) support package for the aviation industry, Force Ouvriere and other unions vowed to oppose the cuts, according to Reuters. "It's going to be a mighty battle to save jobs," Francoise Vallin of the French Confederation of Management - General Confederation of Executives (CFE-CGC) union, said. The announcement at Airbus wasn't a surprise to many industry watchers, as aircraft orders have dried up amid a sharp decline in traffic for airlines due to the pandemic. Airbus rival Boeing, which has been reeling from the 15-month grounding of its 737 Max plane and the coronavirus pandemic, announced in May that it is cutting 12,000 U.S. jobs, including 6,770 involuntary layoffs. https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/06/30/885812031/airbus-announces-job-cuts-amid-massive-dip-in-aircraft-orders Back to Top BOC Aviation cancels 30 Boeing 737 MAX but backs grounded jet (Reuters) - Aircraft leasing company BOC Aviation said on Tuesday it had cancelled an order for 30 Boeing 737 MAX planes although its chief executive remained confident in the jet which has been grounded for more than a year. The lessor, which is based in Singapore and listed in Hong Kong, will also defer the delivery of some other Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, it said in a statement. BOC is the latest lessor to strike deals with Boeing to cancel 737 MAX orders as the jet remains grounded pending regulatory approval following two crashes. "We discussed with Boeing what is the best way to deploy our capital in a time like this because everyone realises this is not a short term downturn, it is a long one," BOC Aviation Chief Executive Robert Martin told Reuters. BOC also recently carried out billions of dollars of purchases of new jetliners, including 737 MAXs, in the purchase-and-leaseback market, agreeing to rent them back to airlines. "It became clear to us that the best way for us to support the MAX and other Boeing products is by us doing purchase-and-leasebacks during this period and these replaced a number of direct (Boeing) orders we had," Martin said. "This is not in any way a loss of confidence in the MAX. We are absolutely confident, otherwise we would never have done ... purchase-and-leasebacks." Norwegian Air said on Monday it had cancelled orders for 92 737 MAXs and would claim compensation from the U.S. planemaker for the grounding of the jet.. Although Boeing appears keen to avoid a snowball effect of cancellations, analysts say the two sets of 737 MAX announcements are different. Norwegian, which was struggling before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the airline industry, has been forced to restructure its debt while lessors are mainly involved in compromise deals. When lessors agree to buy future planes from airlines it can help Boeing shore up deliveries at a time when alternative finance for the MAX is uncertain. In return, Boeing is seen willing to let lessors lighten commitments amid the heightened risk of the coronavirus crisis. Plane manufacturers are also producing fewer jets than originally planned, giving them an incentive to shave leasing company orders to keep them in balance with airline orders. Asked why BOC didn't simply defer rather than cancel all its MAX orders, Martin said: "That possibility was open to us but we don't have unlimited capital". https://finance.yahoo.com/news/boc-aviation-cancels-30-boeing-171818974.html Back to Top Aeromexico becomes latest LatAm airline to file for bankruptcy MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican airline Aeromexico said on Tuesday it had begun restructuring under Chapter 11 proceedings, the latest Latin American airline to run into serious trouble as the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on tourism and business travel. In a statement, Aeromexico categorized the Chapter 11 process as "voluntary" and said it was sticking to its goal of boosting operations in the coming weeks. Aeromexico is the third airline to file for bankruptcy protection in Latin America, where carriers have been more affected by the crisis than anywhere else in the world. The Mexican firm said it was maintaining its plan of quadrupling its international flights and doubling domestic flights next month as the coronavirus lockdown eases. Tickets, reservations, electronic vouchers and Premier Points remain valid, the airline said. Aeromexico said it was in talks to obtain new, preferential financing as part of the Chapter 11 restructuring, known as debtor-in-possession financing. Latin America's two largest airlines, Chile's LATAM Airlines Group and Colombia's Avianca Holdings , filed for Chapter 11 restructuring in May. Unlike in the United States or Europe, Latin American governments have so far declined to bail out airlines, straining their finances. Analysts predict many airlines in Latin America could disappear due to the effects of the pandemic, leading to weaker competition and higher ticket prices. Investment holding company Aimia Inc threw Aeromexico a $50 million financial lifeline on Monday, after loaning it $50 million in May. Delta Air Lines holds a 49% stake in Aeromexico and a 20% stake in LATAM, and their bankruptcy processes put the U.S. carrier's investment at risk of suffering a severe reduction in value or worse. https://www.yahoo.com/news/aeromexico-begins-voluntary-process-chapter-233821213.html 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