Flight Safety Information August 7, 2020 - No. 159 In This Issue Incident: Azul A20N at Porto Velho on Aug 4th 2020, engine fire indication Incident: LOT E195 at Poznan on Aug 4th 2020, takeoff, bird strike, return, takeoff, birdstrike Accident: UTAir Cargo AN74 at Gao on Aug 3rd 2020, total electrical failure, overran runway Incident: Atlas B744 at Shanghai on Aug 5th 2020, triple engine pod strike Report says Memphis pilot became disoriented in fatal Atlanta crash Report: Airbus A320 contained engine failure and unnecessary emergency evacuation EMERGENCY EVACUATION AT STANSTED AIRPORT SLOWED BY PASSENGERS TAKING CABIN BAGGAGE United adds coronavirus UVC light cleaning protocol for pilots as pandemic continues Pakistan International Airlines fires 28 pilots with fake license DICKSON: SFAR EXTENSIONS TO CONTINUE AS NEEDED Iberia Begins to Operate Its Airbus 350 at Quito Airport. UAH gets $1.1 million grant as lead in research on safe use of drones in disasters SpaceX launches 57 more Starlink satellites, lands rocket at sea XTRAirways selects Vistair to provide Document Management ALS Aviation Courses offered during August / September 2020 The USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Will Offer Online and In-Person Classes This Fall Trinity College Dublin and EASA Air Ops Community Survey on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on aviation workers Swinburne University Capstone Research Projects 2020 - Airline pax preferences Study Swinburne University Capstone Research Projects 2020 - UAM/RCO Study Graduate Research Survey (1) Graduate Research Survey (2) GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (3) Incident: Azul A20N at Porto Velho on Aug 4th 2020, engine fire indication An Azul Linhas Aereas Airbus A320-200N, registration PR-YRI performing flight AD-4545 from Manaus,AM to Porto Velho,RO (Brazil) with 174 passengers and 6 crew, was descending towards Porto Velho when the crew received an engine #1 fire indication (LEAP, left hand), shut the engine down and discharged the fire suppression which extinguished the indication immediately. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Porto Velho's runway 01. Brazil's CENIPA opened an investigation into the occurrence and did not yet release the aircraft back to service. The aircraft is still on the ground in Porto Velho about 44 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=4daeffad&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: LOT E195 at Poznan on Aug 4th 2020, takeoff, bird strike, return, takeoff, birdstrike, diversion A LOT Polish Airlines Embraer ERJ-195, registration SP-LNL performing flight LO-8625 from Poznan (Poland) to Palma Mallorca,SP (Spain), departed Poznan's runway 28 when the aircraft received a bird strike. The aircraft continued the departure at first, the crew subsequently levelled off at FL240 and decided to return to Poznan, where the aircraft landed safely on runway 28 about 35 minutes after departure. Maintenance checked the aircraft, performed an engine test run and released the aircraft back to service. After about 2:20 hours on the ground the aircraft departed again from runway 28 but suffered another bird strike. The crew stopped the climb at FL190 and diverted to Warsaw (Poland) where the aircraft landed safely about 45 minutes after second departure. The aircraft is still on the ground in Warsaw about 2.5 hours after landing. A replacement Embraer ERJ-195 registration SP-LNA reached Palma Mallorca with a delay of 6:50 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 7 hours after landing in Warsaw. On Aug 6th 2020 a passenger reported none of the passengers did notice (feel or hear) any bird strike. Some time after takeoff the captain announced dead birds had been found on the runway and very likely their flight had hit them. Procedures required them to return to Poznan for a check. After landing in Poznan the crew indicated technicians would arrive from Warsaw to inspect the aircraft, however, the technicians did not arrive. After local inspection the aircraft departed again, the aircraft instead of turning south turned to the east, the captain announced they had hit birds again and were now diverting to Warsaw. A replacement aircraft took them to Mallorca. https://avherald.com/h?article=4dad4dee&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: UTAir Cargo AN74 at Gao on Aug 3rd 2020, total electrical failure, overran runway on landing A UTAir Cargo Antonov AN-74 on behalf and in colours of United Nations MINUSMA operations, registration RA-74044 performing flight UNO-52P from Bamako to Gao (Mali) with 4 passengers and 7 crew, went past the runway while landing at Gao at about 10:15L (10:15Z) coming to a stop on soft ground with all gear collapsed and nose and belly substantially damaged. One occupants received serious, 10 occupants minor injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Locals report the aircraft performed a forced landing. MINUSMA reported the aircraft arriving from Bamako with 7 crew and 4 passengers made a difficult landing at Gao. One occupant received serious injuries, the others minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. An airport employee watching the accident reported the aircraft performed an emergency landing and went off the runway. Local media report the aircraft overran the end of the runway. The pilot received serious injuries, the others on board minor injuries. On Aug 6th 2020 Rosaviatsia reported based on the testimony of the flight's captain (57, 12,970 total hours): the aircraft was enroute when the electrical generator of the right hand engine failed, the crew decided to start the APU, an in the moment they started the APU the left hand generator failed, too. Two attempts to start the APU were unsuccessful. The crew declared emergency. When the crew selected flaps and gear, neither flaps nor gear reacted and did not extend. The gear was manually lowered. After touchdown the thrust reversers did not operate, too. The aircraft went past the runway end at about 140-160 kph (75-86 knots), the runway was wet. The aircraft received substantial damage. https://avherald.com/h?article=4dacc90a&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Atlas B744 at Shanghai on Aug 5th 2020, triple engine pod strike An Atlas Air Boeing 747-400 on behalf of DHL, registration N408MC performing flight 5Y-8939 from Seoul (South Korea) to Shanghai Pudong (China) with 2 crew, landed on Pudong Airport's runway 17R at 02:05L (18:05Z Aug 4th) when the aircraft suffered engine pod strikes on the #1, #2 and #4 engines (outboard left, inboard left, outboard right, CF6). The aircraft rolled out without further incident. The FAA reported the damage was "unknown" when "AIRCRAFT SUFFERED POD STRIKES TO THE #1, #2 AND #4 ENGINES ON LANDING, SHANGHAI, CHINA." The aircraft is still on the ground in Shanghai about 46.5 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=4daee036&opt=0 Back to Top Report says Memphis pilot became disoriented in fatal Atlanta crash MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The National Transportation Safety Board says in a report that a Tennessee businessman who was flying a plane that crashed in Georgia in 2018 likely lost control after becoming disoriented in cloudy weather after taking off. Memphis businessman Wei Chen and three passengers were killed in the December 2018 plane crash in Atlanta. Chen was a Memphis resident and CEO of Sunshine, which distributes Chinese construction and industrial equipment. An experienced pilot who flew around the world in a single-engine airplane in 2011, Chen was at the controls of the Cessna 560 jet when it crashed on its way from Atlanta's Fulton County Airport to Millington-Memphis Airport. https://wreg.com/news/report-says-memphis-pilot-became-disoriented-in-fatal-atlanta-crash/ Back to Top Report: Airbus A320 contained engine failure and unnecessary emergency evacuation at Gatwick Airport Date: Friday 1 March 2019 Time: 20:20 Type: Airbus A320-214 Operator: LaudaMotion Registration: OE-LOA C/n / msn: 3147 First flight: 2007-05-09 (11 years 10 months) Engines: 2 CFMI CFM56-5B4/P Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 169 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 176 Aircraft damage: Substantial Aircraft fate: Repaired Location: London-Stansted Airport (STN) ( United Kingdom) Phase: Takeoff (TOF) Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: London-Stansted Airport (STN/EGSS), United Kingdom Destination airport: Wien-Schwechat International Airport (VIE/LOWW), Austria Flightnumber: OE327 Narrative: LaudaMotion flight 327, an Airbus A320, was a scheduled flight from London Stansted Airport, U.K. to Vienna International Airport, Austria. The captain was the PF for the sector and it was a line training sector for the co-pilot. There were five flight attendants (FAs), including an additional crew member. The aircraft pushed back and taxied out to runway 22 without event. ATC clearance was then given for the aircraft to line up and take off from runway 22. At the time it was dark outside, and the weather was clear with the wind from 160° at 5 kt. In the cabin, the lights had been dimmed for takeoff, as is normal practice. Having lined up on the runway, the captain set the throttles to full power/toga and commenced the takeoff roll. About one second after the co-pilot said "thrust set", at a groundspeed of 31 kt, a loud bang was heard and the aircraft immediately drifted towards the left of the runway. The captain said "stop stop stop" and rejected the takeoff. The aircraft came to a stop between the centreline and the left side of the runway. The captain then set the parking brake, selected the public address system (PA) button and announced "attention crew: on station" twice. The co-pilot then informed ATC that they were stopping on the runway and then completed the actions for 'ENG 1 FAIL' and 'ENG 1 REVERSER UNLOCKED' electronic centralised aircraft monitor (ECAM) messages; there were no fire indications. The left engine was shutdown at 20:06:23 hrs. After the ECAM messages had been actioned the captain contacted the RFFS, who were quickly on the scene, to confirm that there were no signs of fire visible from the outside. As a result, it was decided to vacate the runway using the thrust from the right engine and he asked ATC for clearance to do so. At 20:07:21 hrs, just as the captain was about to make a PA to instruct the FA to return to normal operations, he noticed an amber 'DOOR L [LEFT] FWD [FORWARD] CABIN' caution message illuminated on the ECAM. At first, he thought it was a fault but then saw the evacuation slide deployed at Door L1 out the left cockpit window and passengers moving across the front of the aircraft. The captain then had a conversation with the Senior Flight Attendant (SFA), over the interphone, during which the captain asked why the evacuation had been initiated. She replied that she believed he had ordered one, which he denied. After this conversation, the APU was started and the right engine, which was still operating while the evacuation was underway, was selected off at 20:09:38 hrs. During the evacuation, the escape slide at door 3R (aft right-hand side) initially inflated and floated in the air because the engine was still running. This exit was then blocked. The slide at door 3L inflated correctly. Several passengers brought hand baggage with them, but it was removed from them and placed by door 3R. A similar situation with baggage occurred at doors 1L and 1R. Probable Cause: AAIB Conclusions: The left engine experienced a contained engine failure. All the damage found in the engine was consistent with the release of one or more high-pressure compressor stage 1 blades as a result of high-cycle fatigue arising from aerodynamic excitation of the blades. A single inlet guide vane lever arm, which had been improperly assembled in the connecting link on the inlet guide vane actuation ring, was identified as the source of the stimulus that resulted in the blade release. As a result of the engine failure and subsequent rejected takeoff, the Senior Flight Attendant commanded an emergency evacuation that was not necessary in the circumstances. This was probably the result of a combination of factors that heightened her emotional response to the event and affected her decision making. The factors included inexperience as a flight attendant, weaknesses in her training and communication difficulties during the event. As a result of the flight crew not being consulted before the evacuation was commenced, the right engine remained running for the first few minutes of the evacuation. This led to an increased risk of serious injury to those passengers that evacuated on the right side of the aircraft. Indeed, several passengers sustained minor injuries having been blown over by the exhaust. During the evacuation several passengers hindered the evacuation by taking their cabin baggage with them. While some were removed by the flight attendants at the supervised exits, this was not possible at the overwing exits. Two Safety Recommendations are made regarding passengers evacuating with carry-on baggage. Accident investigation: Investigating agency: AAIB Status: Investigation completed Duration: 1 year and 5 months Accident number: AAIB-25599 Download report: Summary report https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20190301-0 Back to Top EMERGENCY EVACUATION AT STANSTED AIRPORT SLOWED BY PASSENGERS TAKING CABIN BAGGAGE • Pressure is growing to lock overhead bins during take-off and landing Passengers who insisted on taking their cabin baggage during an emergency evacuation at Stansted airport hindered the escape, an official accident investigation has concluded. A Laudamotion flight to Vienna was accelerating along the runway when the left engine suffered a contained failure. During the subsequent evacuation, 10 passengers were hurt. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has urged "research to determine how to prevent passengers from obstructing aircraft evacuations by retrieving carry-on baggage". The report recommends that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (Easa) build in "a more realistic simulation of passenger behaviour in regard to carry-on baggage in the test criteria and procedures for the emergency demonstration". On the evening of 1 March 2019, a Laudamotion Airbus A320 with 169 passengers and seven crew, was departing from Stansted airport in Essex to Vienna, the airline's base. The emergency evacuation rules designed to keep you safe As the jet began its take-off roll, the pilots heard a loud bang, which turned out to be a contained failure of the left engine. They stopped the aircraft on the runway as the fire service attended. When it became clear there was no fire danger, the pilots prepared to taxi the aircraft off the runway. But due to a mix-up, the senior member of cabin crew ordered an emergency evacuation. The report says evacuation was "not necessary in the circumstances" but was "probably the result of a combination of factors that heightened her emotional response to the event and affected her decision making". The evacuation command was potentially dangerous, the report says: "As a result of the flight crew not being consulted before the evacuation was commenced, the right engine remained running for the first few minutes of the evacuation. "This led to an increased risk of serious injury to those passengers that evacuated on the right side of the aircraft. "Indeed, several passengers sustained minor injuries having been blown over by the exhaust." "Passengers crossing behind the engine exhaust could have been exposed to 'wind' speeds of 65 mph or greater, even with the engines running at idle." What concerned the investigators most, though, was behaviour during the evacuation. Safety briefings are supposed to emphasise the importance of leaving hand baggage behind in an evacuation. But the report says: "One passenger thought that about half of the passengers took their hand baggage with them. "While some were removed by the flight attendants at the supervised exits, this was not possible at the overwing exits." In a report two years ago, the Royal Aeronautical Society said: "This trend appears to be increasing and can only be exacerbated by the increasing volume of cabin baggage being permitted by some operators for commercial reasons. "Aviation authorities should consider the feasibility of introducing a certification requirement for a means of remotely locking, from the flight deck, overhead bins in passenger cabins that do not contain emergency equipment, for taxi, take-off and landing." But some safety experts fear that locking the bins could delay evacuation as passengers struggled to retrieve their belongings. Laudamotion was created by the former racing driver, Niki Lauda, but is now part of the Ryanair Group. https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/stansted-airport-flight-emergency-evacuation-cabin-baggage-a9657001.html Back to Top United adds coronavirus UVC light cleaning protocol for pilots as pandemic continues • Flight decks will receive Ultraviolet C light and electrostatic spray cleaning United Airlines will clean the flight decks of its planes with ultraviolet light, which will sanitize the cockpits and reduce the need for people who are not trained pilots to touch the sensitive equipment. Most of the airline's pilot flight decks will be disinfected with Ultraviolet C light technology when located safely in an airport hub, the company shared in a Thursday press release. The advanced cleaning method will utilize handheld AUVCo blades from the UV light sterilization company, American Ultraviolet, which are designed to kill viruses without contact. "Flight decks have many working parts, screens and components that are challenging to clean with traditional hand wipes and liquids, especially for someone who isn't a pilot," United's Senior Vice President of Flight Operations Bryan Quigley said in a statement. "The UVC lighting gives us a faster, more effective disinfection of one of the most important areas of the aircraft." When activated, the blades will be hovered over the "sensitive switches and touch screen displays within the flight deck" and should likely sanitize these critical surfaces for pilots. The announcement was made a day after United Airlines said it has updated its coronavirus mask policy to keep passengers safe, the company has made it a point to show that it's looking out for the health of commercial airline pilots as well with a new cleaning protocol. United's use of ultraviolet light comes from the airline's partnership with Cleveland Clinic - an American academic medical center that has been providing the company health and safety guidance throughout the pandemic. "United implementing UVC lighting in its flight decks is an important tactic because we know that the virus can be killed by ultraviolet light," said Dr. James Merlino, a chief clinical transformation officer at Cleveland Clinic. "It's one more measure that we can implement to ensure that we're doing all we can to keep passengers, flight attendants and crews safer." Throughout aircraft cabins, United is using electrostatic sprayers to disinfect surfaces before customers, pilots and other flight crew board. The method is targeted at sanitizing hard-to-reach overhead bins, tray tables and other high-touch spots. Currently, the flight deck will be the only area that receives UVC light and electrostatic spraying treatments. Additional details about United's cleaning protocols can be found at United CleanPlus, the company's published health and safety commitment. Alternatively, customers can text the airline directly with any cleaning-related questions they may have, which began last week. Texting "Clean" to FLYUA (35982) will connect customers to a United Automated Assistant. In late June, Alaska Airlines began testing UV light treatments to combat the novel coronavirus. By late July, JetBlue began its own UV light tests. https://www.foxbusiness.com/money/united-airlines-coronavirus-uvc-light-cleaning-pilots Back to Top Pakistan International Airlines fires 28 pilots with fake license Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) laid off 60 pilots, of which 28 were sacked for holding fake licenses. The decision follows the recent investigation of the local regulator that found 40% of Pakistani pilots to hold dubious degrees. In June 2020, in the aftermath of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) study that revealed that 262 out of 860 active Pakistani pilots had not sat the pilot exams themselves, PIA had immediately grounded 150 of its 426 pilots. On August 4, 2020, the flag carrier of Pakistan revealed that 60 pilots were sacked. Additionally to the 28 that were dismissed for holding fake credentials, a number of them were fired for unjustified absence or general incompetence. "Recently, two employees involved in corruption within the company were also fired," a PIA spokesperson told local news. The results of the PCAA review were published after the crash of PIA Flight PK8303 that claimed the lives of 97 people on May 22, 2020. Early findings pointed at the negligence of the pilots and the lack of adequate reaction from the air traffic controllers. The European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) suspended the country's flag carrier from operating to and from the European Union. The ban came into force on July 1, 2020, for a period of six months. In Vietnam, 27 Pakistani pilots (11 with Vietjet Air and 1 with Jetstar Pacific) were grounded by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, pending further investigation. On July 10, 2020, the United States banned Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights from its airspace, citing "serious concern to aviation safety". On July 15, 2020, the FAA, under the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program, found that the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority was not complying with ICAO safety standards. Thus, the South Asian country was officially downgraded to a Category 2 rating, preventing all operators from flying to and from the United States. https://www.aerotime.aero/clement.charpentreau/25591-pakistan-international-airlines-fires-28-pilots-with-fake-license Back to Top DICKSON: SFAR EXTENSIONS TO CONTINUE AS NEEDED The FAA is working to provide predictability without degrading safety as it shapes the special rules that are helping keep general and business aviation operating during the coronavirus pandemic, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in an industry webinar on August 4. Dickson took up the topic of the FAA's work to issue and update the special federal aviation regulation (SFAR) that has given many pilots a workaround for medical, training, and currency requirements they could not meet because of pandemic-related shutdowns in comments to the National Business Aviation Association's first virtual Business Aviation Town Hall. He said the FAA chief counsel's office has worked nearly a 24/7 schedule including weekends to address 22 regulatory areas in which the SFAR has restored some order to a chaotic state of affairs. "The deadlines and the rules are there for a reason, right? And so we can only push things so far," he said, adding that "in most cases we have introduced some sort of mitigating factor that would enable an extension and make it defensible and not a degradation of safety." Dickson, who has been head of the FAA for about a year, offered the example of "requiring the pilot to review certain material that may be applicable to their role" as a mitigating factor that would allow an expired compliance deadline to be extended. The agency continues to look at the SFAR process carefully, Dickson said, "and it's not a complete blank check, certainly, but as it makes sense we'll continue to do these extensions and do them with enough predictability so that our stakeholders can plan their operations knowing whether they [can] have the extension or not." His comments elicited an appreciative response from NBAA CEO Ed Bolen, who suggested that the FAA may have to deal with relief in such areas as nighttime landings in future SFAR extensions. "AOPA appreciates the FAA's recognition of the challenges presented by the pandemic for thousands in the GA community to maintain their currency and duration requirements in times of social distancing," said Christopher Cooper, AOPA director of regulatory affairs. "Since April, the original SFAR and its first amendment have provided GA the relief needed to safely operate to support the fight against the pandemic, and avoid unnecessary costs caused by expiring certificates and privileges. As the pandemic persists, AOPA will advocate for continued SFAR relief beyond September." Does the SFAR apply to you? Pilots want to know if the special federal aviation regulation applies to their individual situation. AOPA has created easy-to-follow flowcharts to help you determine if the provisions in the SFAR apply to you. • When does my medical expire? • Knowledge tests for Part 61 pilot certificates and ratings • Flight review • Recent instrument flight experience • Small unmanned aircraft systems (Part 107 commercial operations) https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/august/06/dickson-sfar-extensions-to-continue-as-needed Back to Top Iberia Begins to Operate Its Airbus 350 at Quito Airport A sunset illuminated by the Quito summer sun and an arc of water prepared by aeronautical firefighters at the Quito International Airport bode farewell to the Iberia Airbus A350 yesterday afternoon, the most modern aircraft in the fleet of the Spanish company, which began operating on the Madrid - Quito - Madrid route. It is the first time that this model airplane visits an airport in Ecuador. Through a statement released by the airline, Iberia explained that these flights are operated in compliance with the regulations established by both Ecuador and Spain, and following all the prevention and hygiene measures of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the Spanish Agency Aviation Safety (AESA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). These measures can be found on the company's website. Andrew O'Brian, president and CEO of Corporación Quiport, the company that manages and operates the Quito airport, stressed the importance of starting this operation for the city. "The A350 is the most modern aircraft currently operating commercial flights. It offers a number of advantages in terms of fuel consumption that makes the operation more efficient and friendlier to the environment. In terms of service, the aircraft is ideal for intercontinental flights and offers a high-quality product for our passengers who can enjoy a more pleasant flight. I congratulate Iberia on this milestone in our joint operation," commented O'Brian. "Starting yesterday, the Spanish airline operates with its modern Airbus A350 the three weekly flights that it has scheduled between Quito and Madrid, that it will offer on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays during the month of August," the statement said. High technology at the service of the client and the environment According to the information provided by Iberia, the Airbus A350 offers great improvements over the A340/600 fleet, which it replaces, both in the customer experience and in its operation, which is much more sustainable. These aircraft have a configuration of 348 seats: 31 in Business class, 24 in its new Premium Economy cabin and 293 in Economy class. A currentless ventilation system with ozone filters renews the air inside the aircraft every two to three minutes, which contributes to its purity and improves the cabin humidity level by between 11 and 16 percent. The windows are panoramic and the lighting is with LED lights. In addition, the materials with which this aircraft is built, added to the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines Iberia has equipped its Airbus A350-900 with, make it the quietest on the market. It is a twin-engine aircraft, which has a range of 14,800 km, and consumes 25 percent less fuel than other models of similar capacity, which also represents a 25 percent reduction in CO2 emissions. https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/press-release/21149088/corporacin-quiport-sa-iberia-begins-to-operate-its-airbus-350-at-quito-airport Back to Top UAH gets $1.1 million grant as lead in research on safe use of drones in disasters The UAH grant is being awarded as the lead institution for disaster preparedness and response research. The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) will receive $1.1 million of the $3.3 million in research, education and training grants awarded to universities that comprise FAA's Air Transportation Center of Excellence (COE) for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), also known as the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE). The UAH grant is being awarded as the lead institution for disaster preparedness and response research to provide insight into the safe integration of UAS into the disaster preparedness and response areas. The research will look at how UAS can aid in disaster preparedness and response to different natural and human-made disasters. It will focus on procedures to coordinate with the Department of Interior, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal, local and state organizations to ensure proper coordination during those emergencies. "The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) decision to award UAH a $1.1 million grant to effectively deploy drones in response to emergencies is a testament to the innovative work taking place in the Huntsville community," said U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby. "I am grateful the Department of Transportation continues to invest in our state, promoting work that integrates education, industry and government. I look forward to the developments and research at UAH made possible by this grant." U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced the FAA research grants on Aug. 6. "These grants will help develop a greater array of innovative strategies to more effectively deploy drones during emergency response situations," said Chao. The FAA's COE program, authorized by Congress, is a long-term, cost-sharing partnership among academia, industry and government. The program enables the FAA to work with center members and affiliates to conduct research in airspace and airport planning and design, environment and aviation safety. The COE also allows the FAA to engage other transportation-related activities. There are currently 1.65 million recreational and commercial drones in the active UAS fleet. That number is expected to grow to as high as 2.31 million by 2024. The ASSURE grants are aimed at continuing the safe and successful integration of drones into the nation's airspace. "Collaboration is hugely important as we work to safely integrate UAS into the aerospace system," FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said. "These important grants fund the research which allows us to learn and implement the safety measures associated with UAS operations in the airspace." https://www.uah.edu/news/items/uah-gets-1-1-million-grant-as-lead-in-research-on-safe-use-of-drones-in-disasters Back to Top SpaceX launches 57 more Starlink satellites, lands rocket at sea • The internet megaconstellation continues to grow. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - SpaceX successfully launched dozens of Starlink internet satellites and two small Earth-imaging satellites into orbit Friday (Aug. 7) in the second of what's expected to be a series of Starlink rideshare missions. A two-stage Falcon 9 rocket carrying 57 SpaceX Starlink satellites, along with two BlackSky Global Earth-observation satellites, lifted off at 1:12 a.m. EDT (0512 GMT) from Pad 39A here at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. It was the fifth launch for this Falcon 9's first stage. And the booster pulled off yet another landing this morning, settling softly onto the deck of SpaceX's "Of Course I Still Love You" droneship in the Atlantic Ocean about eight minutes after liftoff. This is SpaceX's 10th Starlink mission since 2019, and the company's 12th overall mission for 2020. SpaceX has been relying on its fleet of used, flight-proven boosters to sustain a rapid launch cadence. The company has had a stellar summer, with the launch and landing of two NASA astronauts on the Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station - a first for a private company - and isn't slowing down anytime soon. The third time was the charm for SpaceX as its Falcon 9 rocket roared to life and lit up the night sky over Florida's Space Coast. Nighttime launches are always a stunning spectacle, and this one did not disappoint. The rumble from the rocket's nine engines seemed especially loud tonight and could still be heard even after the rocket disappeared from view. Tucked inside the Falcon 9's nose cone this morning was a stack of 57 internet-beaming satellites. Part of SpaceX's Starlink megaconstellation, the satellites will join hundreds already in orbit. To date, the company has launched 595 Starlink satellites as it works to complete the huge constellation. SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has said that SpaceX needs between 400 and 800 Starlink satellites in orbit to begin to roll out minimal coverage. As that goal draws nearer, SpaceX has been teasing the arrival of a beta program, which will help the company test the service for eventual worldwide consumption. SpaceX is also taking other steps to make Starlink service a reality. For example, the company has gained approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for up to one million user terminals. Musk has said that he wants the terminals to be easy to operate. Resembling a "UFO on a stick," as Musk calls it, each terminal is equipped with actuators to ensure that it points at the sky at all times. All a user has to do is plug it in and point it at the sky. Hitching a ride with the Starlink stack today were two small, Earth-observing satellites for BlackSky. The rideshare was arranged by another company called Spaceflight, which finds rides to space for smaller satellites. SpaceX also has its own rideshare program, which books small satellites directly instead of going through a third-party service. (Three small Earth-observing satellites built by San Francisco-based company Planet flew on the previous Starlink mission last month, in a deal booked directly through SpaceX.) The Starlink satellites on this mission are a bit different than the ones that have launched previously. That's because they're outfitted with a special visor that will help reduce their apparent brightness. The sunshade, as SpaceX is calling it, is a deployable visor designed to prevent sunlight from reflecting off the shiniest parts of the satellites, such as the antennas. The company - as well as astronomers and dark-sky advocates around the world - are hoping to decrease the Starlink fleet's overall brightness. This will enable them to appear as dark as possible in the night sky, thus minimizing their impact on night sky observations. When the very first set of Starlink satellites launched, it caught the astronomy community off guard as the satellites appeared brighter in the sky than SpaceX intended. Scientists around the globe voiced their disapproval, concerned that the bright satellites would inhibit scientific observations. A previous Starlink launch back in June featured one satellite outfitted with the experimental visor; today's mission is the first in which all 57 sport it. The first stage of the Falcon 9 featured in today's mission is now a five-time flier, as it previously launched the Demo-1 mission in 2019, which sent an uncrewed Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station; a trio of Earth-observing satellites for Canada; and two Starlink missions this year. It is the third Falcon 9 booster to launch five times, and the second to launch and land successfully five times. The first booster to launch five times, designated B1048 by SpaceX, experienced an inflight anomaly. There was some residual cleaner trapped inside an engine part, which resulted in the booster missing its intended landing on the drone ship. (The booster did deliver the payload to orbit with no issues, however.) SpaceX subsequently changed its refurbishment techniques and has now launched and recovered two different boosters five times. Each of these should fly again soon, especially if SpaceX is going to keep up its rapid launch cadence. The Falcon 9's first stage successfully landed on SpaceX's drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" approximately eight minutes after liftoff. To do so, the booster separated from its upper stage and conducted a series of orbital ballet moves, reorienting itself for landing. The rocket conducted a series of three engine burns to slow itself enough to gently touch down on the deck of a floating platform. The massive drone ship, stationed out in the Atlantic Ocean, is one of two vessels that SpaceX uses to catch its returning boosters. To date, the company has successfully recovered 56 first-stage boosters. Once they're back in Florida's Port Canaveral, the boosters are transported back to SpaceX facilities, where they're carefully inspected and repurposed to fly again. The current iteration of the Falcon 9 was finalized in 2018. Known as the Block 5, it features 1.7 million pounds of thrust as well as some other upgrades that make it capable of rapid reuse. SpaceX boasts that each of these boosters can fly as many as 10 times with minor refurbishments in between, and as many as 100 times before retirement. (To date, SpaceX has launched and landed the same booster a maximum of five times.) Rapid reuse, coupled with the fact the company now has two drone ships to recover its first-stage boosters, means that the company can launch more frequently. SpaceX launched a total of four times between the end of May and the end of June, and it plans to conduct a number of launches through the end of 2020. Ahead of today's launch, SpaceX deployed its twin fairing catchers, GO Ms. Tree and GO Miss Chief. These two boats act as giant, mobile catcher's mitts, snagging payload fairings in their attached nets as they fall back down to Earth. Whether or not they're able to make a catch depends on many factors, including the weather. To facilitate reuse, SpaceX has equipped its payload fairings (also known as the rocket nose cones) with parachutes and software that guides them to the recovery zone. If Ms. Tree or Ms. Chief are unable to catch the fairings, which come back to Earth in two pieces, the boats can scoop them up out of the water and carry them back to port. Once back in Port Canaveral, the fairings (along with the booster) are refurbished and reused, so long as they're intact. SpaceX has reflown fairings several times, most of which were retrieved from the ocean and refurbished. However, on a recent mission, the dynamic boat duo made its first double catch, snagging both falling fairings. SpaceX attempted to catch the fairings today but did not succeed, company launch commentators said about 48 minutes after liftoff. Today's launch was the third attempt at getting this particular mission off the ground. The launch was originally scheduled to blast off in mid-June, but was delayed due to the need for extra rocket checks. Another attempt on July 8 was called off due to poor weather at the launch site. https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-launch-rocket-landing.html Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top TheUSC Aviation Safety & Security ProgramWill Offer Online Classes This Fall The following upcoming courses, including NEW Safety Performance Indicators course, will take place in our virtual Webex classrooms. Software Safety Philosophies and methods of developing software, analyzing software, and managing a software safety program. Online Course August 17-20, 2020 4 Days Tuition: $2250 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. Online Course August 17-21, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2650 Accident/Incident Response Preparedness This course is designed for individuals who are involved in either preparing emergency response plans or responding to incidents and accidents as a representative of their organization. This updated course has been extended to four full days to integrate communications in the digital age. Online Course August 24-27, 2020 4 Days Tuition: $2250 Human Factors in Aviation Safety This course presents 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. Online Course August 24-28, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2650 Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance This course provides supervisors with aviation safety principles and practices needed to manage the problems associated with aircraft maintenance operations. In addition, it prepares attendees to assume safety responsibilities in their areas of operation. Online Course August 31-September 4, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2650 Threat and Error Managment This course provides students with sufficient knowledge to develop a TEM program and a LOSA program within their organizations. Online Course September 9-11, 2020 2.5 Days Tuition: $1375 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. Online Course September 14-25, 2020 9.5 Days Tuition: $3750 Hazard Effects and Control Strategies This course focuses on underlying physical, chemical, and biological characteristics and effects, and hazard control strategies. The following hazards are specifically addressed: electrical hazards, electrostatic discharge, toxicity, kinetic hazards, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, thermal hazards, noise, fire and explosion, high pressure, etc. Online Course September 14-15, 2020 2 Days Tuition: $1200 Damage Assessment for System Safety Sophisticated mathematical models and methods have been developed to estimate the level of impact of a hazardous condition. This course provides an overall understanding of these methods to help managers and system safety analysis reviewers understand the analysis conducted and results obtained by the experts in the field. Specifically, methods for modeling the impact of fire and explosion, debris distribution from an explosion, and toxic gas dispersion are discussed. Online Course September 16-18, 2020 3 Days Tuition: $1625 Safety Management Systems for Ground Operation Safety This course provides airport, air carrier and ground service company supervisors and managers with practices that will reduce ground operation mishaps to personnel and equipment. It provides an understanding of how ground operations safety management is an essential part or an airport's or air carrier's SMS. Online Course September 21-23, 2020 2.5 Days Tuition: $1375 Safety Performance Indicators This course teaches how SPI's are developed, monitored, analyzed and modified in order for an organization to correctly know its safety performance. The course utilizes guidance provided in ICAO Annex 19 and the ICAO Safety Management Manual Doc. 9859. Online Course September 24-25, 2020 2 Days Tuition: $1200 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 Photo Credit: PFC Brendan King, USMC Back to Top Back to Top Swinburne University Capstone Research Projects 2020 - Airline pax preferences Study Airline Passenger Carrier Preference Research Project 2020 The Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) business model has disrupted the aviation industry. It has generated new passenger demand, provided passengers with more choice and created many competitive challenges for the traditional Full-Service Carriers (FSC). As the global airline market continues to change and adapt to new challenges, airline passenger preferences and intent to travel may also change. As part of our undergraduate research project at Swinburne University of Technology we are conducting a survey on passenger preferences regarding the decision to fly between LCC and FSC airlines. This survey asks for your views on various issues associated with airline choice and seeks to better understand passenger risk perceptions and the perceived value offered by each airline model. You will be asked to complete an online questionnaire, which also includes an explanatory statement. The study takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. To access the survey, please go to the following link: https://swinuw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3wwfJDvc7chU3Cl Participants who complete the study will be eligible to enter a draw to win an iPad. This research project is being supervised by Peter Renshaw at the Department of Aviation, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. If you have any questions, please contact Peter at prenshaw@swin.edu.au *** Image from: Uphues, J. (2019). Full service carrier vs. low cost carrier - What's future-proof? Retrieved from https://www.inform-software.com/blog/post/full-service-carrier-vs-low-cost-carrier-whats-future-proof Back to Top As part of our Swinburne Bachelor of Aviation undergraduate research project, we have constructed a survey for members of the aviation industry and those who have not worked in aviation to provide feedback on their attitudes and opinions about Urban Air Mobility and single-pilot and/or autonomous airline operations. If you are an active participant in the aviation industry as a passenger or through employment, we invite you to take part in this survey to help give the industry a better understanding of the general sentiment towards these emerging technologies and operational concepts. To participate please follow the link below to our online survey: https://swinuw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9zRhPPbCfnsHH3T It should take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Participants who complete the survey will be eligible to enter the draw to WIN AN iPad. Thank you very much for your time. This research project is being supervised by Peter Renshaw at the Department of Aviation, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. If you have any questions, please contact Peter at prenshaw@swin.edu.au Back to Top Graduate Research Survey (1) Stress and Wellbeing for Global Aviation Professionals Dear colleagues, I am inviting you to participate in a research project on wellbeing in the aviation industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. This situation has affected aviation professionals around the world, and this research seeks to identify wellbeing strategies that work across professions, employers, families, and nations. All responses to this survey are anonymous. The findings of this research will inform future work by the USC Aviation Safety and Security Program and the Flight Safety Foundation to improve wellbeing for aviation professionals during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Please click or copy the link below to access the survey, and please share it with any interested colleagues. https://usc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cC2nlWEAazl22TX This research will support a treatise towards a Master of Science in Applied Psychology degree at the University of Southern California's Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. The researcher is also on the staff of the USC Aviation Safety and Security Program. Thank you, and please contact us with any questions, Daniel Scalese - Researcher scalese@usc.edu Michael Nguyen - Faculty Advisor nguyenmv@usc.edu Back to Top Graduate Research Survey (2) Critical Evaluation of the Gaps in SMS Debriefing Tools and Development of Potential Solutions I am inviting you to take part in a study of Feedback within Aviation Safety Management Systems. An airline/organisation Safety Management System (SMS) relies on pilot safety reports (ASAP or ASR) or data (FOQA, FDM) to discover hazards and threats in the operation. In return, the pilots depend on up to date information from the airline's safety department to make sound decisions regarding safety. The safety department can accomplish that by debriefing or giving feedback on the safety reports or data. A literature review of safety report feedback/debrief within Safety Management Systems showed that safety reports are not fully debriefed. This survey aims to gather data regarding pilots' perspective of safety report/safety data debriefing. In addition, the survey also aims to find out the opinions of a potential solution. This study is undertaken as part of a thesis for an Air Safety Management Master of Science degree at City, University of London. https://cityunilondon.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8eadW14UUZYaurj Bengt Jansson Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (3) 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