Flight Safety Information - July 17, 2023 No. 136 In This Issue : Incident: Aeromexico B789 near Los Angeles on Jul 16th 2023, problems to control the airplane : Incident: Ryanair UK B738 at Rome on Jul 15th 2023, rejected takeoff due to engine problem : Incident: BAW A388 at Johannesburg on Jul 12th 2023, smoke in cockpit and cabin : Incident: Qantas A388 over Slovakia on Jul 14th 2023, technical problem, overweight landing with max reverse needed in London : A passenger took over controls and crash landed a small plane at Martha’s Vineyard Airport after the pilot suffered a medical condition, officials say : Italy shuts main Sicily airport until Wednesday due to fire : Frontier Airlines kicks 2 women off Las Vegas-bound plane following profanity-laden fight, forced to divert : Nigerian Authorities Warn Airlines Over Fuel Contamination Incidents : K9 Jets To Begin Flying Pets Between Dubai & London In September : China Eastern takes delivery of second homegrown C919 jet -CCTV : Latvia Achieves its First Safety Assessment Rating : IATA urges Sri Lanka to adopt aviation blueprint Incident: Aeromexico B789 near Los Angeles on Jul 16th 2023, problems to control the airplane An Aeromexico Boeing 787-9, registration N967AM performing flight AM-647 from Los Angeles,CA (USA) to Mexico City (Mexico), was climbing through FL290 out of Los Angeles just about to cross the border to Mexico when the crew declared PAN PAN PAN and decided to return to Los Angeles. The crew descended the aircraft to FL280 and subsequently advised they had problems to control the airplane, upon query by the air traffic controller the crew reported the autopilot was still engaged, they had a lot of alarms ongoing however. The aircraft positioned for an approach to Los Angeles's runway 25l, the crew reported again on final approach they had sort of a flight control problem. The aircraft following on final approach was instructed to go around while the B789 was still on short final, the controller reasoned they needed more space behind the landing emergency, other approaches were advised runway 25L was not available and were directed onto runway 25R. The B789 landed safely on runway 25L about 30 minutes after stopping the climb at FL296 and taxied to the apron. The aircraft is still on the ground in Los Angeles about 8 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=50bdefbd&opt=0 Incident: Ryanair UK B738 at Rome on Jul 15th 2023, rejected takeoff due to engine problem A Ryanair UK Boeing 737-800, registration G-RUKL performing flight RK-3207/FR-3207 from Rome Ciampino (Italy) to Manchester,EN (UK), was accelerating the engines for takeoff from Ciampino's runway 15 when the crew rejected takeoff at very low speed due to one of the engines not reaching the target power. The aircraft returned to the apron. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 2:20 hours, then departed and reached Manchester with a delay of about 2.5 hours. A passenger reported the captain announced one of the engine settings wasn't okay, so they rejected early. The aircraft taxied to a remote stand where three engineers attended to the left hand side of the aircraft. The air conditioning was briefly turned off. The captain subsequently announced that there had been no findings, however, a lot of paperwork was to be filled out, they would soon be on their way. https://avherald.com/h?article=50bd98dc&opt=0 Incident: BAW A388 at Johannesburg on Jul 12th 2023, smoke in cockpit and cabin A British Airways Airbus A380-800, registration G-XLEH performing flight BA-56 from Johannesburg (South Africa) to London Heathrow,EN (UK) with 429 people on board, was climbing out of Johannesburg's runway 03L when the crew stopped the climb at about FL280 reporting smoke in the cockpit as well as in the cabin. The airport immediately assigned runway 03L/21R for the emergency and kept the runway sterile. The aircraft returned to Johannesburg for a safe landing on runway 21R about 50 minutes after departure. The aircraft stopped on the runway, the crew shut the engines down and requested emergency services, who had been deployed in full force affecting operation of the airport (fire cover available), to check their aircraft. Emergency services reported everything on the aircraft looked okay. The aircraft was towed to the apron after about 45 minutes. According to information The Aviation Herald received the occurrence was a "fume event". A number of members of the crew were complaining about dizziness and nausea and were sent to be assessed at a hospital. The aircraft had had a fuel leak about one week prior to that occurrence. Passengers reported there was a burning odour in the cabin that became stronger and stronger, the crew told them about a hydraulics and landing gear problem. The aircraft remained on the ground in Johannesburg for about 30 hours, then departed for the flight again as flight BA-56D and reached London with a delay of about 30:20 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=50bcc8e8&opt=0 Incident: Qantas A388 over Slovakia on Jul 14th 2023, technical problem, overweight landing with max reverse needed in London A Qantas Airbus A380-800, registration VH-OQI performing flight QF-2 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Singapore (Singapore), was enroute at FL330 just about to cross from Slovakia into Hungary when the crew decided to turn around and return to London reporting a technical problem. The aircraft climbed to FL340 for the return, the crew subsequently advised they would be doing a heavy weight (=overweight) landing, for landing on runway 27L they would need max reverse and would exit the runway at the very last turn off, however, no assistance was needed. They might have trouble to meet the waypoint (altitude and speed) restrictions for the assigned arrival route. The aircraft landed safely on Heathrow's runway 27L about 3:45 hours after departure. Passengers reported they were told the navigation system did not work properly. Residents below the approach path into London reported they did hear the aircraft at a very unusual time (during night curfew) with a strange very loud noise. The aircraft had another problem on their flight to London the same day, see Incident: Qantas A388 over Germany on Jul 14th 2023, autopilot failure. https://avherald.com/h?article=50bccfb8&opt=0 A passenger took over controls and crash landed a small plane at Martha’s Vineyard Airport after the pilot suffered a medical condition, officials say A small plane pilot suffered a medical emergency in the air Saturday, prompting a passenger to take over controls and make a crash landing with no landing gear at Martha’s Vineyard Airport, authorities said. The pilot of the aircraft, a Piper Meridian Turboprop six-seater plane, suffered a medical condition as it approached the airport Saturday afternoon, the West Tisbury Police Department said in a statement. The passenger then took over the controls and “crash landed” at approximately 3:15 p.m. in the grass near a runway, Massachusetts State Police said. The hard landing caused the aircraft’s left wing to break in half, state police said. The woman, 68, suffered minor injuries, West Tisbury police said. The man was extricated from the plane and flown to a Boston hospital in serious, life-threatening condition, state police said. Both are Connecticut residents, according to state police. The plane had departed from Westchester, New York, earlier in the afternoon. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident, the FAA said in a statement to CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/16/us/marthas-vineyard-airport-plane-crash-landing/index.html Italy shuts main Sicily airport until Wednesday due to fire ROME, July 17 (Reuters) - The airport in the Sicilian city of Catania, close to some of the main tourist hot spots in eastern Sicily, has been shut down until Wednesday due to a fire, its management company wrote on Twitter. The fire broke out late on Sunday and there were no injuries, the airport said. Firefighters said they managed to contain the blaze about 90 minutes after it was called in, but provided no details on possible causes or any link to current high temperatures in the region. Catania was among several Italian cities that imposed a hot weather red alert on Sunday, along with the Sicilian capital of Palermo and the third island's largest city of Messina, as the country braced for record high temperatures in the coming days. Flights at the Sicilian airport, which according to the Assoaeroporti sector group, ranked fifth for traffic in Italy last year and first on the island, have been suspended until 1200 GMT on Wednesday, the company said. Ansa news agency reported dense smoke in the lower part of the facility after the fire broke out, sending people rushing out of the airport shouting and in distress. The Catania airport is regularly used by tourists heading to places like Mount Etna and Taormina, which is about 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) away, and Siracusa, with its Greek Theatre and the historical centre on the Ortigia island. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italy-shuts-main-sicily-airport-until-wednesday-due-fire-2023-07-17/ Frontier Airlines kicks 2 women off Las Vegas-bound plane following profanity-laden fight, forced to divert A packed Frontier Airlines plane heading to Las Vegas ended up being diverted to Denver International Airport Tuesday night after a profanity-laden fight broke out between two female passengers. Frontier Airlines flight 2143 left Philadelphia around 10:30 p.m. (ET) and was scheduled to arrive in Las Vegas around 8:40 p.m. (PT), but was approximately an hour late after passenger became "disruptive" and forced the plane to deviate to Denver Frontier Airlines confirmed to Fox News Digital. Once arriving in Denver, the two female passengers were escorted from the plane by the Denver Police Department. A woman on board captured the four-letter-word filled exchange and posted it on Instagram. The woman told Fox News Digital that two women, who were traveling together, began loudly arguing and fighting one another. After a male Frontier Airlines' flight attendant attempted to quiet the passengers three times, the flight attendant eventually moved one of the women to a different seat in hopes to quiet the loud passengers on the late-night flight. The woman's video captures the woman continuing to argue and swear loudly even after being separated. "Shut the f--- up, b----," one of the women yell repeatedly. "We're 30,000 feet in the air," another passenger is heard exclaiming. Frontier Airlines fight The Frontier Airlines flight was on its way from Philadelphia to Las Vegas, when a fight broke out between two women, who appeared to be traveling together. In the video, it appears that one of women hits the flight attendant as they attempt the arguing passengers to calm down. "Don't f---ing touch me," one of the woman yells at the flight attendant. "Don't f---ing touch me." Frontier Airlines fight The Frontier Airlines flight was forced to divert to Denver International Airport after a fight broke out between two women who were traveling together. Eventually, the plane was forced to divert to Denver International Airport. Once the plane arrived, police officers are seen coming aboard the plane and arresting the two women. Fellow plane passengers are heard erupting in applause as the unruly passengers are taken off the plane. According to Frontier Airlines, the plane, which has capacity for 140-200 passengers, was grounded in Denver for about an hour before departing, once again, to Las Vegas. https://news.yahoo.com/frontier-airlines-kicks-2-women-002514286.html Nigerian Authorities Warn Airlines Over Fuel Contamination Incidents The NCAA is investigating fuel suppliers at three Nigerian airports. A recent discovery of significant quantities of water-contaminated fuel within an aircraft has resulted in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) commencing an investigation across the country's airports and fuel suppliers to identify the root cause of this issue. However, the NCAA has alerted airlines operating flights to and from Nigeria to be vigilant about refueling aircraft in order to ensure fuel quality is up to the industry standard. The discovery of contaminated fuel The issue was first discovered when a Max Air Boeing 737-300 earlier this month experienced the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) shutting down due to fuel contamination. This happened while the aircraft was on the ground at Yola International Airport (YOL). The Independent reports that fuel was dumped onto the airport apron, during which time multiple drums of water were collected from both aircraft tanks. Since the airline, prior to the discovery, had purchased fuel from Lagos, Abuja, and Kano airports, the NCAA requires fuel suppliers to carry out water checks. Reports suggest that while the NCAA is investigating the source of the contaminated fuel, it will additionally examine the browsers and fuel procedures of Max Air to ensure the airline was following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place. Furthermore, it is reported that any party identified as having issues will have their license to operate suspended. As an additional precaution, the petroleum regulatory agency in Nigeria will also be consulted to ensure the problem has been solved. Risks of water contamination As noted by Acorn Welding, water is the most common cause of fuel contamination within aircraft fuel tanks. This poses safety risks to flight operations, increasing the chance of the water freezing, blocking fuel lines, and damaging the fuel pumps. This is primarily because the fuel, unlike water, would be treated for use at various operational conditions and temperatures, resulting in the contaminated water freezing unexpectedly and affecting the operation of the system. If the system gets blocked, the fuel supply to the engine could stop, resulting in the engine shutting down, which presents its own set of challenges during a flight. Ultimately, the presence of water in fuel will severely degrade the fuel quality. This is one of the primary reasons why fuel tanks should be sumped before flights, as it helps detect the presence of water, dirt, or debris within the fuel tank. The process of sumping is generally included in the pre-flight checklist. IATA's Fuel Quality Pool Aside from the checks carried out by regulators, airlines also inspect fuel. While airlines can individually check the fuel, they also have the option of joining IATA's Fuel Quality Pool (IFQP) program. This program ensures that fuel facilities meet the regulatory requirements by sharing the workload of inspecting facilities among airlines jointly serving airports. This provides advantages for the airlines and the fuel suppliers as this program reduces repetitive inspection of fuel at airports, as all quality reports are shared among member airlines. Additionally, the inspections are more effective because of the stringent evaluation criteria set up by the pool. Moreover, the IFQP reduces workload and expenses by 85% for participating member airlines and fuel suppliers. https://simpleflying.com/nigerian-authorities-warn-airlines-fuel-contamination-incidents/ K9 Jets To Begin Flying Pets Between Dubai & London In September The service starts at nearly $10,000 for one passenger and a furry friend. Private jet charter company K9 Jets plans to launch service between Dubai and London in a few months. The company, which officially began operations in May, provides on-demand, pay-per-seat charters allowing passengers to travel with their pets in the cabin. So far, about 150 pets have flown with K9 Jets, and the service seems to be catching the attention of many. As the company plans to debut the new service between the Middle East and the UK capital, its summer charters have reportedly sold out. Driven by demand K9 Jets will launch its first Dubai-London service on September 25th. Adam Golder, the company's founder, and Client Director, spoke about how demand inspired the new service, according to Gulf News. “Since our launch, most of our flights have been transatlantic. But we have had so many requests, phone calls and enquiries from Dubai, so we decided to launch the service. Regarding pre-bookings from Dubai, we have had four passengers book seats in the first hour of launch. We are a small company and must sell a certain number of seats to be financially viable. We have plans to sell approximately 15 seats on the Dubai-London service.” The company plans to offer a second flight on the route in December. Golder said it is intended for families who wish to return to the UK during the winter break. The founder also noted that the company could operate other flights depending on the demand. How it works The service from Dubai will originate from the private jet terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport, according to Gulf News. Travelers must bring essential and mandatory materials such as medical certificates and export and import documents. Check-in happens one hour before departure, and a familiarization session lasts about 15 minutes to get the pets acclimated with each other onboard. "We devise a seating plan based on the pets' temperament. We try and keep assertive pets apart from each other," Golder added. "There are a few barks in the beginning, but they tend to calm down and sleep through most of the flight due to the white noise." According to Gulf News, around 75% of K9 Jets' customers are middle-class people seeking to relocate for work and cannot afford to charter an entire jet on their own. "It's a mix of professions from banking to tech; we've had a few US military persons use our services as well," Golder explained. "The remaining travel is for pleasure. Some have a house in London and want to travel for the holidays." The cost of luxury Flying on the charter company is not entirely cheap as the cost depends on the hours traveled. From Dubai to London, the price is $9,925 for one passenger and one large dog that weighs over 51 pounds or two smaller dogs under 40 pounds, according to Gulf News. Dogs are permitted to stay outside of a crate during the flight, but they must stay by their owner's side and remain on a leash. Golder also said that the company is cat friendly, but they must always be in the crate. Other routes seem to be priced similarly, according to the company's website. The Teterboro, New Jersey-Farnborough, London route starts at $8,925 but goes as high as nearly $11,000. Travelers who wish to visit Paris from New Jersey will have to shelve as much as $10,850, and flying to Lisbon, Portugal, will cost passengers the most at $11,850. https://simpleflying.com/k9-jets-flying-pets-dubai-london/ China Eastern takes delivery of second homegrown C919 jet -CCTV BEIJING, July 16 - China Eastern Airlines 600115.SS has taken delivery of a second Chinese-made C919 narrowbody jet, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday, as the first customer for the type looks to ramp up flights. The C919 is the product of state-backed Commercial Aviation Corp of China (COMAC) which began developing the jet 15 years ago to rival the Airbus AIR.PA A320neo and Boeing BA.N 737 MAX single-aisle jet families. COMAC delivered the first C919 to China Eastern in December and the plane completed its first commercial flight in May, which was trumpeted by state media as a symbol of China's industrial prowess and national pride. The second C919 has the same cabin configuration as the first plane and will join it to fly the Shanghai-Chengdu route, CCTV said. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/china-eastern-takes-delivery-of-second-homegrown-c919-jet-cctv Latvia Achieves its First Safety Assessment Rating WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today that Latvia achieved its first International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) with a Category 1 rating. Under the Category 1 rating, Latvia’s civil aviation authority follows the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) safety standards. It can provide service in the United States and enter into code-share agreements with U.S. carriers without limitation. The FAA’s IASA program assesses a country’s ability to follow ICAO’s safety standards. Carriers from the countries the FAA assesses have either applied to fly in the U.S., currently conduct operations in the U.S., or participate in code-sharing agreements with U.S. airlines. https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/latvia-achieves-its-first-safety-assessment-rating IATA urges Sri Lanka to adopt aviation blueprint SINGAPORE, 17 July 2023: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urges Sri Lanka to develop an aviation blueprint to generate greater economic growth and prosperity through having a stronger aviation industry. “Aviation connectivity can play a much bigger role in Sri Lanka’s economic development and social advancement. But this will not happen by chance. Government support will be critical to growing a strong airline sector and developing Colombo as an aviation hub. We urge the government and all industry stakeholders to collaborate on developing an aviation blueprint to strengthen the aviation industry’s competitiveness and bring greater prosperity to Sri Lanka. And IATA stands ready to support through our expertise and sharing of industry best practices,” said IATA’s regional vice president for Asia Pacific, Philip Goh. Passenger traffic is swiftly recovering post-Covid, but Sri Lanka’s aviation needs a blueprint. Aviation has a role to play IATA noted that aviation has a strategic role to play in 15 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Trade and tourism rely on aviation, and this helps to create jobs, alleviate poverty and generate prosperity. In a 2018 IATA study, Sri Lanka’s aviation sector supported 700,000 jobs and contributed USD8 billion to the GDP. This has the potential to increase to over 1 million jobs contributing nearly USD30 billion to the GDP by 2038. In his keynote remarks at Aviation Day Sri Lanka, organised by IATA and the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL), Goh suggested three areas to consider in the aviation blueprint: facilitating sustainable growth, safety, and sustainability. Facilitating Sustainable Growth: “Sri Lanka’s aviation blueprint needs to facilitate the industry’s sustainable growth, and having an updated airport masterplan is the first step. I urge the government to engage in a consultative approach involving airlines to ensure that industry input is factored in,” said Goh, Goh urged Sri Lanka to digitise processes for passenger and cargo facilitation. “Many of the country’s passenger and cargo processes are paper-based. As traffic grows, digitisation will be key to addressing capacity constraints, increasing efficiency and improving the travel experience. IATA’s One ID and One Record initiatives can help support this,” said Goh. Goh also highlighted the need to keep costs low, particularly jet fuel. Airlines pay more for jet fuel in Sri Lanka than other major airports in Asia. He recognised much has been done in recent months to lower the cost of jet fuel. He encouraged the government to review and consider limiting or capping the amount CEYPETCO can mark up for supplying fuel at the airport. Safety: “Sri Lanka’s aviation sector needs to grow sustainably safely, and IATA is doing our part to support the country’s efforts. Utilising the International Airlines Training Fund, IATA will support the aviation industry in Sri Lanka by conducting safety-related training in August for CAASL and Sri Lankan Airlines,” said Goh. Goh encouraged the government to explore how the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) can contribute to greater aviation safety in Sri Lanka. Sustainability: “I am delighted that net zero carbon from aviation by 2050 is one of the stated policy goals of Sri Lanka’s sustainable aviation environment policy, including the need to ensure the availability of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in the country,” said Goh. SAF is expected to abate more than 60% of aviation carbon emissions by 2050. Goh called on the government to adopt a comprehensive consultation process involving airlines and other aviation stakeholders as the government develops sustainability policies. https://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2023/07/iata-urges-sri-lanka-to-adopt-aviation-blueprint/ Curt Lewis