Flight Safety Information August 11, 2020 - No. 162 In This Issue Accident: American A321 at Charlotte on Aug 10th 2020, dropped slat Incident: Delta A321 at Detroit on Aug 10th 2020, rejected takeoff due to pressurization message Incident: Easyjet Europe A320 at Milan on Aug 5th 2020, fumes in cabin Incident: Piedmont E145 at Roanoke on Aug 10th 2020, rejected takeoff due to smoke in cockpit Incident: Jet2 B752 at Manchester on Aug 10th 2020, engine fault Incident: Indigo A20N at Shirdi on Aug 9th 2020, hydraulic problem Cessna 340A - Accident (France) Air safety watchdog to check airports hit by heavy rain after crash Investigators Find Black Box of Crashed Air India Express Jet, Probe Begins Rolls-Royce to carry out extra inspections on some Trent XWB engines Top AirAsia officials suspended as pilot alleges safety lapses How Aircraft Navigated Before GPS Southwest Airlines no longer sanitizing armrests and seatbelts between flights, memo says Gogo is trying to sell its commercial in-flight internet business Bye Aerospace Selects Aviation Safety Resources to Develop Next-Generation Parachute Recovery System Cathay Pacific Strips Seats From 777 Aircraft For Cargo Heathrow CEO: 'Tens of thousands of jobs' being lost because UK cut off from US, Canada and Singapore SpaceX is manufacturing 120 Starlink internet satellites per month RTCA August Webinar: Spectrum & AI...RTCA Free 2-part webinar, Wednesday, 8/19, 1pm ET SCSI Online Investigation and Safety Courses 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 SURVEY:...GA PILOTS AND PIREPs. Graduate Research Survey (1) Graduate Research Survey (2) Accident: American A321 at Charlotte on Aug 10th 2020, dropped slat An American Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N198UW performing flight AA-1642 from Detroit,MI to Charlotte,NC (USA), departed Detroit's runway 22L and completed the flight with a seemingly uneventful landing on Charlotte's runway 36L about 85 minutes after departure. A post flight inspection revealed however that one slat was missing from the aircraft. The aircraft was unable to continue its schedule and is still on the ground in Charlotte about 12 hours after landing. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL1642/history/20200810/1040Z/KDTW/KCLT http://avherald.com/h?article=4db1e214&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Delta A321 at Detroit on Aug 10th 2020, rejected takeoff due to pressurization message A Delta Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N331DN performing flight DL-1315 from Detroit,MI to Salt Lake City,UT (USA), was accelerating for takeoff from Detroit's runway 22L when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed advising they had received a message and needed no assistance. The aircraft taxied clear of the runway and stopped on an adjacent taxiway for about 30 minutes. The crew subsequently reported they needed to return to the gate, they had received a message for something regarding the pressurization, that required them to stop. A replacement A321-200 registration N383DZ is estimated to reach Salt Lake City with a delay of about 2:45 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4db1e09c&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Easyjet Europe A320 at Milan on Aug 5th 2020, fumes in cabin An Easyjet Europe Airbus A320-200, registration OE-IVR performing flight U2-2931 from Milan Malpensa (Italy) to Split (Croatia), was climbing out of Milan's runway 35L when the crew stopped the climb at about FL107 reporting fumes in the cabin and decided to return to Milan Malpensa. The aircraft landed safely on runway 35R about 15 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 48 hours before returning to service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4db1db0b&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Piedmont E145 at Roanoke on Aug 10th 2020, rejected takeoff due to smoke in cockpit A Piedmont Airlines Embraer ERJ-145 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N634AE performing flight AA-4873 from Roanoke,VA to Philadelphia,PA (USA) with 36 people on board, was accelerating for takeoff from runway 24, when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed reporting smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft stopped on the runway and was evacuated. The runway was closed for about 80 minutes until the aircraft was moved off the runway. A replacement ERJ-145 registration N654AE reached Philadelphia with a delay of 2.5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4db1cfc0&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Jet2 B752 at Manchester on Aug 10th 2020, engine fault A Jet2.com Boeing 757-200, registration G-LSAN performing a test flight from Manchester,EN to Manchester,EN (UK), was in the initial climb out of Manchester's runway 05L when the right hand engine (RB211) emitted a loud bang and streaks of flame. The aircraft levelled off at 5000 feet and returned to Manchester for a safe landing on runway 05R about 25 minutes after departure. The airline reported the crew returned to Manchester as a precaution following a minor fault. The aircraft had been on a test flight. The aircraft had flown a rotation to Bodrum (Turkey) on Aug 8th 2020. http://avherald.com/h?article=4db1ccdb&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Indigo A20N at Shirdi on Aug 9th 2020, hydraulic problem An Indigo Airbus A320-200N, registration VT-IJE performing flight 6E-2019 from Delhi to Shirdi (India) with 64 people on board, was descending towards Shirdi when the crew stopped the descent at FL100 and decided to divert to Mumbai (India). The aircraft climbed to FL190 for the diversion and landed safely on Mumbai's runway 27 about 35 minutes after aborting the approach to Shirdi. The aircraft was towed to the apron. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Mumbai about 21 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4db187c4&opt=0 Back to Top Cessna 340A - Accident (France) Date: 10-AUG-2020 Time: 14:20 LT Type: Cessna 340A Owner/operator: Private Registration: N413JF C/n / msn: 340A-0746 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Category: Accident Location: Vitry-aux-Loges, near Orléans-Saint-Denis-de-l'Hôtel airport - France Phase: En route Nature: Private Departure airport: Perpignan-Llabanere Airport (PGF/LFMP) Destination airport: Saint-Denis-de-l'Hôtel airport (LFOZ/ORE) Investigating agency: BEA Narrative: The Cessna plane crashed after engine problems and was destroyed by fire. Both occupants sustained minor injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/239779 Back to Top Air safety watchdog to check airports hit by heavy rain after crash NEW DELHI: Air safety regulator plans to conduct special audits of airports across the country affected by heavy rain, the watchdog's chief told Reuters, days after an air crash killed 18 people and raised questions about safety. An Air India Express plane with 190 people on board, overshot the rain-soaked runway at an airport near the southern city of Kozhikode on Friday. The Boeing 737 landed in tailwind, skid off the runway and broke in half. • "We will conduct additional checks at major, busy airports across India that are affected by the monsoon rains," Arun Kumar, head of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in an interview late on Monday. • "We will review everything - the condition of the runway, its incline, the lighting as well as drainage." Kumar said the special audit was over and above the DGCA's routine checks and could cover a dozen airports including those in Chennai, Kochi, Trivandrum as well as Mumbai, all of which get heavy annual rains. Air India Express is the low cost arm of state carrier Air India. The flight was repatriating Indians stranded in Dubai due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The black boxes have been recovered and their data is being examined. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is leading the probe into the crash. Boeing and the US National Transportation Safety Board are also taking part in the effort, Kumar said. "Once the findings are finalised, and if something is amiss we will take action to rectify it," he said. The crash was the worst in India in a decade, and the second fatal accident on a "table-top" runway which is typically found in high-altitude areas. Table-top runways are built by excavating the peaks of hills and have steep drops at one or both ends, increasing the danger if pilots under- or over-shoot their approach. At Calicut airport, where the plane crashed on Friday, the pilot landed a third of the way along the runway, Kumar said on Sunday, leaving less room to bring the plane to a halt. Airports with table-top runways are subject to the same rigorous regulatory requirements and are periodically audited for safety, Kumar said. In 2010, an Air India Express plane overshot a similar runway in the southern city of Mangalore. It fell down a hillside and burst into flames, killing 158 people. A government-led committee looking into that crash had suggested installing an Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) on table-top airports. EMAS is a special surface usually installed at the end of the runway to quickly stop an aircraft. However, a second committee suggested that if the runway safety area was increased at Calicut airport, the EMAS would not be needed, Kumar said. Subsequently, the runway safety area was increased to 240 metres, more than the 90 metres prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, he said. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/air-safety-watchdog-to-check-airports-hit-by-heavy-rain-after-crash/articleshow/77479252.cms Back to Top Investigators Find Black Box of Crashed Air India Express Jet, Probe Begins The black box of an Air India Express jet that overshot the tabletop runway of the Calicut International Airport while arriving from Dubai, nosedived and split into two was recovered on Saturday, even as authorities launched an investigation into the worst air disaster in India in a decade that has claimed 18 lives. Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri visited the site of the accident on Saturday to assess the situation on the ground. "It (the plane) overshot the runway while trying to land amid what were clearly inclement weather conditions prevailing at that time," he said at a news briefing, but added that it was still too early to speculate on the cause of the crash. The Union minister said two separate teams reached Kozhikode from New Delhi to carry out investigations into the crash. Responders managed to rescue most of the passengers because the plane did not catch fire while descending the slope at the end of the runway, he added. Puri said there was no question over the pilots' competence. An official from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were recovered from the crash site on Saturday. The cockpit voice recorder keeps a recording of all the conversations taking place in a plane's cockpit and along with the flight data recorder, which logs data such as airspeed, altitude and fuel flow, it can help in determining the cause of the crash. Air India Express AIX1344 was a repatriation flight under the Vande Bharat programme for Indians who were stranded outside the country amid travel restrictions brought on by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. On Saturday, the sample of one of the passengers who died in the accident tested positive for the infectious disease, with state health minister KK Shailaja asking all those engaged in rescue operations to go into self-quarantine as a precautionary measure and get themselves tested. Puri earlier said the passengers included 174 adult passengers, 10 children, four cabin crew and two pilots. "We were happy when we were about to touch down and I told my wife sitting beside me that rain was a welcome sign. But the happiness was short-lived. Suddenly, there were big jerks and loud cries. I tumbled out of my seat and lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes at the hospital, I was happy to see my injured wife. A pregnant woman, who was sitting next to us, was not so lucky," said a survivor, who did not wish to be identified. Many people eager to see their injured relatives engaged hospital workers, who could be seen repeatedly asking them to maintain social distancing under Covid-19 prevention rules. The commander of the aircraft, Deepak Vasant Sathe, a former fighter pilot with the Indian Air Force, had 10,000 hours of flying experience on the Boeing 737 aircraft, Puri said. Out of those, he flew 6,662 hours as commander. Sathe had landed at the challenging airport 27 times, including more than 10 times this year. His co-pilot, 32-year-old Akhilesh Kumar, also had experience of 1,728 hours of flying with the aircraft. "He (Sathe) was a very accomplished, experienced, decorated person in command of the aircraft. There is absolutely no doubt over their competence," Puri said. The minister left from Delhi to Kozhikode on Saturday morning along with two probe teams. One flight took off around 2am from Delhi, carrying investigating officers from DGCA, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the CEO of Air India Express and other officials of the national transporter, people aware of the developments said. Another flight from Mumbai to Kozhikode took off around 6am, carrying a rescue team of Air India to provide support and assist families of those affected by the accident, they added. Air India Express is a subsidiary of state-run airline Air India. "Reached Kozhikode to take stock of the status & implementation of relief measures after the air accident last evening. Will hold consultations with senior civil aviation officials & professionals. Digital Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder of the ill-fated aircraft have been retrieved. AAIB is conducting investigations. It is very unfortunate that 18 people including the two pilots have lost their lives in this air accident. I once again offer my condolences to the families of the bereaved & wish speedy recovery to those injured," Puri tweeted. The civil aviation ministry's accident investigation division, AAIB, will conduct a detailed investigation into the crash. The bureau's role is to conduct independent aircraft accident investigation and to obtain a preliminary report on the accident and assist in setting up of a committee of inquiry and formal investigation in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rules. The so-called tabletop airport has limited space at the end of the runway, and several international airlines have stopped flying bigger aircraft into Kozhikode in the past due to safety issues over the length of the runway. Puri said that there was no need to speculate on what happened during the crash till the probe was been completed and DGCA filed an investigation report. "We will look into all the issues. Let me tell you that there are tabletop airports not just in our country, but all over the world. These airports pose a problem but then landing clearances are given based on the experience of the pilots. Let us not speculate as a full and comprehensive probe will take place," he added. According to a route playback on flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, the plane circled the airport twice before attempting to land. In its second instance, it aborted the attempt with 2,000 feet to go. The crash has claimed at least 18 lives, including the two pilots. Air India Express on Saturday said it will provide an interim compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family members of the deceased passengers over 12 years of age and above Rs 5 lakh to those of passengers below the age of 12. Rs 2 lakh each will be given to critically injured passengers and Rs 50,000 to other injured passengers. The Kerala government said the condition of 23 of the 149 injured undergoing treatment at various hospitals was critical while one more person succumbed on Saturday, taking the death toll to 18. According to an official document issued by the government, four of the deceased were children -- three girls and a one-year old boy -- and seven were men and other women. Two girls were aged two and the other was five. "It was raining heavily and we suddenly heard a deafening sound and the aircraft came out of the boundary wall and fell on the road. We couldn't believe it. Soon, we heard cries for help. Smoke was billowing and there was smell of aircraft fuel also," said Mohamad Sahal, one of the first people to reach the spot. Air India Express said the families of the deceased pilots were escorted to Kozhikode. The airline also said three relief flights had been arranged to assist passengers and their family members affected in the accident that also brought back memories of the crash of Air India Express flight IX 812 on May 22, 2010, at the Mangaluru International Airport. The flight from Dubai had overshot the runway and plunged down the cliff into a wooded valley, killing 158 people. An aviation official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that it emerged DGCA had issued a show-cause notice to the director of the Kozhikode airport on July 11 last year after it found "various critical safety lapses". DCGA had pointed to cracks on the runway, water stagnation and excessive rubber deposits among other lapses in its show-cause notice, the official added. Safety concerns over flight operations at tabletop runways in airports were raised following the 2010 Air India Express crash in Mangaluru. A court of enquiry report by Air Marshal BN Gokhale had then noted tabletop airports required extra skill and caution while carrying out flight operations. It said that the hazard of "undershooting" and "overshooting", in particular, can lead to grave situations, as was the case in the Mangaluru accident. https://www.aviationpros.com/airlines/news/21149493/investigators-find-black-box-of-crashed-air-india-express-jet-probe-begins Back to Top Rolls-Royce to carry out extra inspections on some Trent XWB engines LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Rolls-Royce will carry out extra inspections on some of its Trent XWB engines which power the Airbus A350 airliner. Rolls-Royce said on Tuesday that the issue would not cause significant customer disruption or material cost, as it affected a small number of XWBs of a certain age. The Trent XWB-84 engine is set to be subject to an Airworthiness Directive from regulator EASA, Rolls said, because of wear on a small number of Intermediate Pressure Compressor blades found on a minority of engines which have been in service for four to five years. None of those engines have experienced abnormal in-flight operation, it said, adding that it would carry out inspections on all Trent XWB-84s of a similar service life as a precaution. There are just over 100 of them. "Given the limited scale of additional work which we anticipate will be required at existing shop visits to address this wear, together with the availability of replacement parts and spare engines, we do not expect this issue to create significant customer disruption or material annual cost," Rolls said in a statement. Problems with its Trent 1000 engine which powers the Boeing 787 airliner are expected to cost Rolls-Royce 2.4 billion pounds ($3.1 billion) to fix over a 2017-2023 period. Rolls recently said it was considering strengthening its finances to help it withstand the pandemic. It burned through 3 billion pounds in the first half of the year as planes stopped flying, cutting the revenue it receives from flying hours. https://www.yahoo.com/news/rolls-royce-carry-extra-inspections-090622638.html Back to Top Top AirAsia officials suspended as pilot alleges safety lapses India's aviation regulator suspended two senior executives at the local affiliate of AirAsia Group Bhd after a pilot alleged there were safety lapses at the airline and subsequently was fired. AirAsia India's head of operations, Manish Uppal, and head of safety, Mukesh Nema, were suspended for three months, Arun Kumar, chief of India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation, said Tuesday in a text message, confirming local media reports. In a video posted in June that's been viewed more than 6 million times on YouTube, pilot Gaurav Taneja questioned AirAsia India's policies on sick leave, landing procedures and handling of the coronavirus. Taneja posts under the username Flying Beast and has more than 3.5 million YouTube subscribers. AirAsia India counted sick days as mandatory break days for pilots, depriving them of the required rest before flying an aircraft, Taneja said. He alleged that the airline sets targets for pilots to land using a specific fuel-saving approach, which can be more dangerous at certain airports. AirAsia India also didn't follow standard operating procedures related to flying during the pandemic, Taneja alleged. A spokesperson for AirAsia India, which is 51% owned by Tata Group, said the airline has made interim appointments to fill the two posts, in accordance with directions from the aviation regulator. "As an airline that prioritises safety above all, we continue to engage with the authorities," the company said in an emailed statement. The airline hadn't responded previously to Taneja's accusations. Taneja's allegations come with aviation safety under the spotlight in South Asia. In May, a Pakistan International Airlines Corp jet crashed in Karachi, killing all but two of the 99 people on board, and on Aug 7 an Air India Express flight overshot a runway in the southern Indian state of Kerala and fell down a hillside, killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 100. Covid-19 placed unprecedented pressure on airlines around the world, with air travel virtually drying up. AirAsia's Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes has described the coronavirus crisis as "by far the toughest challenge" the airline has faced. Auditor Ernst & Young last month said the ability of AirAsia and its long-haul unit AirAsia X to continue as going concerns could be in "significant doubt". https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1966523/top-airasia-officials-suspended-as-pilot-alleges-safety-lapses Back to Top How Aircraft Navigated Before GPS Modern avionics have made navigation the least of the concerns for any pilot, with computers giving precise route coordinates. But how did aircraft navigate before GPS became a standard navigation tool? Aircraft used different methods to navigate pre-GPS, including dead reckoning, celestial navigation, and more. When aircraft first took to the skies in the 1900s, flights would use visual aids for all navigational purposes, with very little in the way of hardware. However, with the entry of aircraft into military use, flying at higher altitudes and longer distances, accurate navigation became essential for any flight. Of course, planes could use onboard radios to communicate with the ground, receiving instructions from the ground crew. While this was workable during takeoff and landing, radios had a limited range in terms of distance, meaning communication became impossible once aircraft were a few hundred miles away. Instead, crews used several manual ways to calculate their position. Celestial navigation was a common method of finding a plane's location, where navigators would use a bubble sextant to calculate the aircraft position relative to the sun, moon, or stars. This method was used up until the jet age in the 1960s, with early 747s even having a sextant port on the cockpit roof. Dead reckoning was another common navigation method on long flights. In dead reckoning, navigators would use previously known positions to estimate the plane's current position using speed and flight time. While the weather could hamper these estimates, it was a relatively accurate way to calculate the plane's location. To better provide information while in flight, ground bases would use a system known as LORAN. Two land-based radio transmitters would send each other signals at a set interval, allowing plane navigators to use the time difference to find their exact location. While this was an ideal solution, weather and frequency disruptions could easily distort the transmission, leaving the crew with unreadable data. On commercial aircraft Planes have been flying commercially for decades now, but GPS has only come into active use in the last two decades. Prior to using GPS as we know it, modern aircraft had a number of other tools at their disposal. Some may recall that flight decks previously used to have navigators onboard, a person dedicated to tracking the aircraft's route and radio communications. This was mainly found on long flights over the ocean, where radar contact could be lost and fewer diversion airports were available. Modern avionics, and a push to reduce inflight crew, has resulted in these navigators now no longer being needed on commercial flights. The beginning of the jet age also marked the introduction of a new navigation method: inertial navigation systems (INS). The INS phased out older celestial systems, relying on highly sensitive motion and rotation sensors instead. This marked the first use of partially-computerized navigation sensors, a trend that would continue until GPS became standard on all flights. The INS systems also made aircraft navigators mostly redundant, which is why no modern aircraft has a navigators seat. The introduction of the inertial navigation system revolutionized flight navigation, allowing pilots to follow set flight paths based on their current positions and take the guesswork out of the calculations. The advent of GPS GPS, or Global Positioning System, actually came into operation well before it became a mainstay in all cockpits and mobile devices. GPS was initially created for military purposes only, with the project starting in 1973 and the first satellite launching in 1978. However, in 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed an executive order allowing passenger aircraft to use the system once it was fully operational. The reason to allow GPS for commercial use was due to the recent Korean Air Lines crash in 1983. KAL007 crashed after it was shot down by Soviet fighter aircraft due to the plane mistakenly entering Soviet airspace on its way to Seoul. In response to the crash, the US authorized the use of GPS for flights to provide for more accurate navigation. In 1994, the FAA authorized the use of GPS on aircraft, setting up the next generation of aircraft navigation. Soon after, GPS became available for mobile devices too, which is what makes Google Maps and flight tracking software work. A long journey Aircraft navigation has come a long way from pilots flying with little information to having everything on a screen before them. While older methods of navigation are gone from the cockpit, pilots still learn many older tools. Dead reckoning continues to be taught to pilots, even if they fly aircraft with GPS. This is because technology can fail, forcing pilots to manage the aircraft manually. Aircraft navigation continues to evolve even today. Companies are already developing the next generation of technology to allow for autonomous flight, making pilots redundant the same way navigators did. https://simpleflying.com/how-aircraft-navigated-before-gps/ Back to Top Southwest Airlines no longer sanitizing armrests and seatbelts between flights, memo says • Focus will be disinfecting of high-touch areas like tray tables, lavatories Southwest Airlines is changing up its sanitization practices in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. An internal memo obtained by USA Today states that flight crews are to focus cleaning efforts on high-touch areas like tray tables and lavatories before takeoff and that armrests and seat belts will no longer be wiped down between flights. USA Today reports that the memo specifically says the tray tables and lavatories "are the most important areas to clean between each flight as they are prone to contamination from customer use and food/beverage consumption." Southwest spokeswoman Ro Hawthorne said Southwest aircraft will be "disinfected during our overnight cleaning process, when Southwest Teams spend six to seven hours per aircraft cleaning all interior surfaces," according to CNN. Disinfecting wipes will be available for customers onboard Southwest airplanes. The company made headlines back in May when another internal memo stated that customers would not be denied permission to board planes if they refused to wear a mask. That policy has since been reversed and face coverings are now required, according to Southwest.com. To view the full Southwest Airlines policy for enhanced cleaning and social distancing measures, click here. https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2020/08/10/southwest-airlines-no-longer-sanitizing-armrests-and-seatbelts-between-flights-memo-says/ Back to Top Gogo is trying to sell its commercial in-flight internet business • It supplies major airlines like Delta, United, and Alaska In-flight internet provider Gogo is trying to sell its commercial airline business as it continues to lose money during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company announced on Monday. CEO Oakleigh Thorne said on a conference call that the company has had "extensive discussions with multiple parties" and that he "feel[s] optimistic that a deal may happen." A sale would be a huge change of course for Gogo, which pioneered in-flight connectivity. But the attempted sale comes as Gogo, like many other businesses in the air travel industry, is struggling. The company, which provides in-flight connectivity to major airlines like Delta, United, and Alaska, lost $86 million on $96 million in revenue during the second quarter of 2020. Its sessions per day in the North American market dropped 91 percent, from 125,000 before the pandemic to just 11,000 in April, though the company says those crept back up to about 40,000 so far in August. Making matters worse, Thorne said Monday that Gogo was also hurt by airlines retiring dozens of planes that are already equipped with its in-flight connectivity tech. (Gogo is not alone; Global Eagle, which handles in-flight Wi-Fi for Southwest Airlines, filed for bankruptcy last month.) • GOGO SAYS DAILY IN-FLIGHT INTERNET SESSIONS DROPPED 91 PERCENT IN APRIL To cut costs, the company furloughed some 600 workers in April, slashed executive pay, and laid off another 143 in July - the majority of which were in the company's commercial aviation division. Gogo applied for but did not receive around $230 million in funding from the government's Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The layoffs and other cost-cutting measures (like working with suppliers to renegotiate contracts) have helped generate "savings [that] should be adequate to tide us through the sunnier days," Thorne said Monday on the call. But, he said, Gogo's executives believe their job is to "realize the value" of both its commercial and business aviation businesses "for our shareholders." Since the business aviation division has seen a faster rebound than the commercial division - and since Gogo has less competition there - Thorne said he believes the company's commercial business would be better off if it was combined with a competitor. "Gogo commercial aviation brings an attractive and unique set of assets" to any buyer, Thorne said. "We are really proud of the commercial aviation team and the tremendous capabilities they've built, and think it will have a bright future as part of a larger, more fully integrated entity." Gogo has spent the last few years developing satellite-based technology to both lighten the load on its strained air-to-ground network and to help keep pace with more vertically integrated competitors like ViaSat, which both makes satellites and sells connectivity to airlines. The company is also working on a 5G network that Thorne said is still slated to launch in 2021. Thorne didn't lay out exactly what a sale would look like, and he declined to take questions about the talks that Gogo has already had. "Everyone agrees that [in-flight connectivity] and commercial aviation is an attractive growth industry. Airlines are moving to free service, which will drive adoption, and OEMs and airlines are poised to drive more operational applications as the quality of in-flight broadband grows in the future," Thorne said. "But for [in-flight connectivity] players to capture this attractive growth potential and drive innovation, the industry would benefit from fundamental changes through either horizontal or vertical business combinations." https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/10/21362385/gogo-covid-19-sell-business-earnings-loss-pandemic Back to Top Bye Aerospace Selects Aviation Safety Resources to Develop Next-Generation Parachute Recovery System for eFlyer 2 ENGLEWOOD, CO and NICHOLASVILLE, KY (August 10, 2020) Bye Aerospace, developer of the eFlyer family of FAA Part 23-certified all-electric aircraft, announced the selection of Aviation Safety Resources, Inc., (ASR), an innovative company that designs, tests and produces emergency recovery systems for aviation, to supply its Soteria line of whole aircraft recovery parachutes systems for the eFlyer 2. Under the terms of the agreement, ASR will design, prototype, test and deliver a recovery system specifically for the eFlyer 2, according to George E. Bye, CEO of Bye Aerospace. "We continue to push forward on our FAA certification program with efficiency and urgency, remaining focused on safety as our highest priority," said George E. Bye, Bye Aerospace CEO. "We applaud Bye Aerospace for their commitment to safety," said Larry Williams, ASR president and CEO. "Our Soteria line whole-aircraft emergency recovery parachute systems are designed to safely bring down an entire aircraft and its occupants in the event of a severe inflight emergency. Soteria solutions provide aircraft designers and, ultimately customers, sleeker installations and more cost-effective safety solutions. We look forward to collaborating with the Bye Aerospace team to develop a recovery system that matches the unique configuration of the eFlyer 2." Williams said ASR's patented technology and enhanced design provide space saving opportunities and reduce weight compared to traditional systems. In addition, Soteria uses high-tech materials that extend repack cycles, reducing overall operating costs over the life of the aircraft. Bye Aerospace's current and future families of aircraft feature exemplary engineering, research, and electric aircraft solutions producing no CO2 and are designed to answer compelling market needs. These critical market needs include five-fold lower operating costs, zero emissions, and decreased noise. Bye Aerospace estimates the eFlyer will eliminate the release of millions of metric tons of CO2 each year for pilot training. "The synergy of all the eFlyer2 systems and how they're displayed, how they're monitored, along with the safety and redundancy required, are all brand new," Bye said. "They are the result of close collaboration between our team and a number of innovative suppliers. We are thrilled to add ASR to our Tier 1 team of trusted partners. We know we can rely on ASR's innovative and market-leading technologies to further enhance safety and we appreciate their full support in meeting our delivery dates." https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/business-general-aviation/press-release/21149529/bye-aerospace-bye-aerospace-selects-aviation-safety-resources-to-develop-nextgeneration-parachute-recovery-system-for-eflyer-2 Back to Top Cathay Pacific Strips Seats From 777 Aircraft For Cargo After operating thousands of cargo-only passenger flights since late March, Cathay Pacific has deployed two widebody aircraft with seats removed to maximize floor loading of cargo in the passenger cabin. The Hong Kong-based airline removed the economy and premium economy seats from two Boeing 777 passenger planes to create more space for personal protection equipment and high-value products, it said in a cargo-oriented newsletter published Friday. Cathay Pacific began flying the modified aircraft at the end of July to Australia, which has suffered from limited air shipping supply. It is participating in Australia's International Freight Assistance Mechanism, which the government created to help agricultural exporters get products to market after airlines closed passenger networks because of the coronavirus pandemic. The emergency program, which has been extended until year's end, coordinates and subsidizes shipments through a select group of freight forwarders and airlines. The seatless aircraft, which were reconfigured by HAECO in Xiamen, China, can carry 12 extra tons of cargo, according to Cathay Pacific. The overhaul and maintenance company also modified the seat track and marked lashing points for securing cargo to the floor The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department requires the airline to place cargo in customized bags made from a fire-retardant material that helps keep the cargo intact. Other airlines are using "seat bags" to protect aircraft interiors from boxes placed in seats, but this is the first known example of an airline receiving an operating exemption for floor loading with bagged cargo. Each bag is secured to the floor with a net. Safety requirements include keeping the front and rear seat rows in place to protect the doors and bulkheads from cargo that might shift during turbulence. Two or three airline employees accompany the cargo in the cabin to periodically check on the cargo and respond to any potential fire. All aviation authorities that allow airlines to operate with cabin cargo require cargo marshals because cabins aren't equipped with fire-suppression systems. Dangerous goods are never allowed in the upper deck. Redeploying idle aircraft for dedicated cargo service has been lucrative for passenger airlines. Cathay Pacific is late to the game of removing seats from passenger planes to create more space for cargo. Air Canada and Lufthansa did so in April. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration last month granted U.S. carriers the authority to strip cabins of seats for cargo purposes. But Cathay Pacific is a combination carrier with a fleet of 20 Boeing 747 freighters at its disposal and likely didn't feel the urgency of pure passenger airlines to increase cargo capacity. Cathay Pacific, which has been carrying medical supplies and other goods in seats and overhead baggage compartments since May, developed special procedures for loading cargo on cabin floors. Warehouse workers put the cargo bags in half-sized containers in the order they will be positioned in the plane. The containers are towed to the aircraft and unloaded one box at a time into hydraulic catering service trucks that are lifted to the rear doors of the aircraft. Ground handlers then wheel boxes into the cabin, position them according to the load plan and zip and secure the bags. Cabin loading takes much more time and manpower than loading a pure freighter with containers and pallets. Cathay Pacific estimates the load time at about three hours but says it hopes to get faster as it refines the handling process. Alex Leung, the cargo products manager, said Cathay could convert more planes to seat-less freighters if demand persists, especially as the need for pandemic supplies collides with the peak shipping season this fall. Cathay is only operating about 10% of its normal passenger schedule this month and has warned it expects to record a $1.3 billion loss for the first half of 2020. https://www.yahoo.com/news/cathay-pacific-strips-seats-777-203935610.html Back to Top Heathrow CEO: 'Tens of thousands of jobs' being lost because UK cut off from US, Canada and Singapore The boss of Heathrow, one of Britain's largest international airports, has warned that the UK economy is being "strangled" and that "tens of thousands of jobs" are being lost due to Britain being "cut off" from major travel destinations - US, Canada and Singapore. In a statement on Tuesday, John Holland-Kaye, CEO at Heathrow said: "Tens of thousands of jobs are being lost because Britain remains cut off from critical markets such as the US, Canada and Singapore. The government can save jobs by introducing testing to cut quarantine from higher risk countries, while keeping the public safe from a second wave of COVID." The group reported an 88% decline in passengers year-on-year at 860,000 for July. While this reflected an uptick in passenger traffic on the month, due to the UK government's creation of the first 'travel corridors' on 4 July, it is still significantly down on the year. It noted that more than half of these passengers, over 480,000, went to European destinations due to those places being quarantine free but opening up travel to major destinations, namely US, Canada, and Singapore, would allow a greater volume of passengers to travel. "The vast majority of Heathrow's route network (60%) remains grounded, requiring a 14-day quarantine on arrival, preventing the UK from travelling to and trading with these countries. Airport testing could safely open up these routes and kickstart the UK's economic recovery," Heathrow said in its statement. Heathrow has insisted that airport testing would be better than quarantine measures. It highlighted how it had already unveiled a range of measures such as UV robots, UV handrail technology, Fly Safe pit stops, and Hygiene technicians to reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting COVID-19 at the airport. On 9 August, the travel industry urged the government to rethink its 14-day quarantine policy as rising cases of coronavirus is now putting popular travel destinations, such as France and Greece, at risk of that policy being applied. Spain, Belgium and Andorra are also at risk of falling under that quarantine policy. On Sunday (9 August), Britain's confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 1,062 - the first time the daily total has risen above 1,000 since late June. Last month, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned that it will take five years for the travel industry to return to the pre-pandemic level of passenger demand. "The trajectory of new COVID-19 cases has been worse than we expected in our April forecast update. While business confidence (and we think GDP growth) has rebounded, consumer confidence has not. "We will likely see a degree of pent-up demand to visit friends and family in the near-term as travel restrictions are lifted but we are less optimistic about the return of business (in particular) and leisure travel. As a result, we have revised down our passenger forecast over the next five-year period. In our new forecasts, we expect RPKs to decline by a little more than 60% in 2020 compared to 2019, with a return to pre -COVID levels not occurring before 2024." It predicts that the global airline industry will lose $84.3bn (£64.5bn) in 2020. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/heathrow-ceo-tens-of-thousands-of-jobs-being-lost-because-uk-cut-off-from-us-canada-and-singapore-071042522.html Back to Top SpaceX is manufacturing 120 Starlink internet satellites per month • SpaceX is manufacturing its Starlink satellites at an unprecedented rate for the space industry. • Elon Musk's space company told the FCC that its Starlink unit is "now building 120 satellites per month." • Starlink is SpaceX's ambitious plan to build an interconnected network of about 12,000 small satellites, to beam high-speed internet from orbit to anywhere in the world. SpaceX is manufacturing its Starlink satellites at an unprecedented rate for the space industry, analysts say, as the company dives headlong into building a space-based global internet service. Elon Musk's company told the Federal Communications Commission in a presentation last month that its Starlink unit is "now building 120 satellites per month" and has "invested over $70 million developing and producing thousands of consumer user terminals per month." "Invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Starlink to date," the SpaceX presentation added. Starlink is SpaceX's ambitious plan to build an interconnected network of about 12,000 small satellites, to beam high-speed internet from orbit to anywhere in the world. The company has so far launched nearly 600 Starlink satellites and is currently building a system of ground stations and user terminals, to connect consumers directly to its network. It's difficult to contextualize what SpaceX's satellite production rate means given the difference in size and complexity of spacecraft built by other companies. But Quilty Analytics founder Chris Quilty told CNBC that Starlink manufacturing is happening at a speed never before seen in the satellite sector. Quilty's boutique research and investment firm focuses on the satellite communications sector, which he founded after leading Raymond James' coverage of the space industry for 20 years. "To put it in perspective, Iridium, which previously held the record for the largest commercial satellite constellation, was manufacturing satellites at the rate of about six satellites per month at the peak of production," Quilty said. Iridium's NEXT satellites are nearly three times the mass of a Starlink satellite, at about 670 kilograms versus an estimated 260 kilograms. But, even with the caveat that each Starlink is smaller than an Iridium satellite, SpaceX is building its spacecraft 20 times as fast. Notably, Quilty pointed out that Iridium's satellites were built by European aerospace conglomerate Thales Alenia Space. Additionally, rival satellite internet startup OneWeb was building satellites at a rate of about 30 per month before it went bankrupt - and Quilty highlighted that OneWeb's production line was designed and built in collaboration with Airbus, another European aerospace giant. That makes Starlink the only of the three with satellites built solely by a U.S. firm, as well as the most productive. "American ingenuity wins again," Quilty said. Behind SpaceX and Amazon plans launch thousands of satellites On the customer side, SpaceX last week told the FCC that is already seeing "extraordinary demand" from people interested in Starlink's internet service. The company said "nearly 700,000 individuals" across the United States said they were interested in the service, causing SpaceX to request that the FCC increase the number of authorized user terminals to 5 million from 1 million. Right now it seems the primary bottleneck for Starlink's service lies in how quickly SpaceX can launch the satellites, according to industry analytics firm Bryce Space and Technology. The company has been launching Starlink missions about once per month with its Falcon 9 rocket fleet. "At 60 satellites per Falcon 9, SpaceX is also driven to bring its Starship launch vehicle online as soon as it can, as the company says each will be able to carry 400 Starlink satellites at a time," Bryce senior space analyst Phil Smith told CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/10/spacex-starlink-satellte-production-now-120-per-month.html Back to Top RTCA August Webinar: Spectrum & AI RTCA Free 2-part webinar, Wednesday, 8/19, 1pm ET. Part I - FAA, ASRI, Collins Aerospace and United Airlines discuss: "Spectrum: Generating Change in Aviation". Part II - Tech Talk by ATCA: "Are We Ready for AI & ML in Aviation?" Register: https://bit.ly/31oOdB6 Back to Top 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 SURVEY: GA PILOTS AND PIREPs "Dear GA pilot, Researchers at Purdue University are seeking general aviation (GA) pilots to participate in an online study, partially funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) NextGen Weather Technology in the Cockpit (WTIC) program. The goal of this study is to evaluate opportunities for speech-based or other "hands-free" technologies that GA pilots might use to submit PIREPs. If you are able and willing to participate, you will be asked to review a set of 6 weather-related flight scenarios and record PIREPs as if you are flying. The study will last approximately 20 minutes and can be completed using a laptop or desktop computer. Participation in this study is completely voluntary. You can withdraw your participation at any time during the study for any reason. If you agree to participate, you will be asked to acknowledge your voluntary participation. Then there are 4 questions about your flight history, 6 weather scenarios, and 4 questions about PIREPs. Responses to the survey will be completely anonymous. We ask that you complete the study in a quiet location free from background noise. You must be at least 18 years of age or older to participate. When you are ready to begin, please click here: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6lZhv409DcoV8KF and follow the instructions in Qualtrics. Please feel free to share this link with other pilots you know. Email any questions or concerns to Mayur Deo and Dr. Brandon Pitts at nhance@purdue.edu." 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 Curt Lewis