Flight Safety Information - January 26, 2024 No. 020 In This Issue : Incident: Silkway West B744 at Singapore on Jan 22nd 2024, flaps problem on departure : Incident: Atlas B748 at Anchorage on Jan 24th 2024, engine pod strike : Incident: France BCS3 near Frankfurt on Jan 23rd 2024, aileron failure : Raytheon Beechcraft B200 King Air - Gear Collapse on Landing (Houston - HOU) : Pilot avoids collision after noticing another plane on runway at Southwest Florida International Airport : Senator Tammy Duckworth calls on FAA to reject Boeing's request for safety waiver for the 737 Max 7 : A US Air Force fighter wing is asking the public to please stop pointing lasers at its aircraft : EASA Extends A320ceo Wing Fatigue Cracking Inspections To All A320neo Models : Textron Aviation Offers Internships For Aspiring High School Students : Pakistan's National Airline faces crisis as yet another flight attendant vanishes into Canada : GOL Airlines Files For Bankruptcy in the U.S. : The 737 Max grounding will cost Alaska Airlines $150 million : NASA’s little helicopter on Mars has logged its last flight : ACSF Annual Safety Symposium : CALENDAR OF EVENTS Incident: Silkway West B744 at Singapore on Jan 22nd 2024, flaps problem on departure A Silkway West Airlines Boeing 747-400 freighter, registration 4K-BCI performing flight 7L-634 from Singapore (Singapore) to Baku (Azerbaijan), was climbing out of Singapore's runway 02C when the crew stopped the climb at FL140 due to a problem with the flaps. The aircraft entered a hold, dumped fuel and returned to Singapore for a safe landing at a higher than normal speed (about 190 knots over ground) on runway 02C about 100 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 43.5 hours before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=51420933&opt=0 Incident: Atlas B748 at Anchorage on Jan 24th 2024, engine pod strike An Atlas Air Boeing 747-800 freighter, registration N860GT performing flight 5Y-8938 from Seoul (South Korea) to Anchorage,AK (USA) with 5 crew, was landing on Anchorage's runway 07R in low visibility conditions at about 06:21L (15:21Z) when the crew initiated a go around after the outboard right hand engine (GEnx) struck the runway surface and climbed back to 3000 feet. The aircraft positioned for another approach to runway 07R and landed without further incident about 15 minutes later. The FAA reported: "AIRCRAFT #4 ENGINE POD STRUCK THE GROUND ON LANDING, ANCHORAGE, AK." The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Anchorage about 28 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5141f9a2&opt=0 Incident: France BCS3 near Frankfurt on Jan 23rd 2024, aileron failure An Air France Bombardier C-Series CS-300, registration F-HZUP performing flight AF-1435 from Berlin (Germany) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), was enroute at FL340 about 70nm north of Frankfurt/Main (Germany) when the crew decided to divert to Frankfurt reporting their right hand aileron had failed causing some control problems. The aircraft landed safely on Frankfurt's runway 25C about 25 minutes later and taxied to the apron with emergency services in trail. The airline reported that a computer failure occurred, the aircraft however remained controllable. Passengers reported the captain announced that they had an indication concerning their flight controls, the right hand aileron was broken. After landing the captain told them, that no qualified maintenance was available. The passengers disembarked and were booked onto other flights from Frankfurt to Paris. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 46 hours, then positioned to Paris. https://avherald.com/h?article=5141f622&opt=0 Raytheon Beechcraft B200 King Air - Gear Collapse on Landing (Houston - HOU) Date: Thursday 25 January 2024 Time: 13:54 Type: Raytheon Beechcraft B200 King Air Owner/operator: Amdel Holding LLC Registration: N510GS MSN: BB-1746 Year of manufacture: 2001 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: William P Hobby Airport (HOU/KHOU), Houston, TX - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Private Departure airport: Falfurrias-Brooks County Airport, TX (KBKS) Destination airport: Houston-William P. Hobby Airport, TX (HOU/KHOU) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: The aircraft sustained unreported but apparent minor damage subsequent to the collapse of the right main landing gear during landing at William P Hobby Airport (HOU/KHOU), Houston, Texas. The sole pilot onboard the twin-engine airplane was not injured during the incident. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/351164 Pilot avoids collision after noticing another plane on runway at Southwest Florida International Airport FORT MYERS, Fla. (WSVN) — A pilot who noticed another plane on the runway in her path averted collision with her quick thinking, saving the passengers onboard a Frontier Flight 3796, an aircraft flying from Cleveland, Ohio to Fort Myers, Florida. If trouble strikes while you’re on a flight, you hope for a few things: That the pilots in the cockpit know what they’re doing, that your fellow passengers stay calm, and that flight attendants remain composed, or at least look like it. The flight John Cunniff was on checked off all those things after he noticed that the seemingly smooth landing was anything but normal. “I was sitting in a seat that had a flight attendant in one of the jump seats facing me and while that was going on, she kept a pretty good poker face,” he recalled, “But when I was getting off the plane, I mentioned to one of the other flight attendants, ‘I bet the pilots missing a heartbeat or two after that.’ And she said, ‘Not just the pilots, some of us flight attendants, too. We were very worried.'” Cunniff said take off was smooth and the flight took about three hours, but when it came time to land, the pilot quickly maneuvered the plane back up to avoid another plane on the runway. “It seems like the very last minute that the pilot applied power and started to climb,” recounted Cunniff, “And it took a moment to realize, oh, we had to change from landing to going around again.” The pilot managed to thrust the plan upward from 100 feet off the ground to 2,700 feet above the airport. Cunniff acknowledged the pilot’s efforts in avoiding the other plane. “Our pilot handled it really well,” he said. “You know, she obviously got the plane to a safe place and got us back down on the ground just fine.” The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating this incident. https://wsvn.com/news/local/florida/pilot-avoids-collision-after-noticing-another-plane-on-runway-at-southwest-florida-international-airport/ Senator Tammy Duckworth calls on FAA to reject Boeing's request for safety waiver for the 737 Max 7 In a letter obtained exclusively by CBS News, Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, demanded that the Federal Aviation Administration reject Boeing's request for a safety waiver on the so far uncertified 737 Max 7, the smallest of the four 737 Max variants. "Boeing forfeited the benefit of the doubt long ago when it comes to trusting its promises about the safety of 737 MAX, and the FAA must reject its brazen request to cut corners in rushing yet another 737 MAX variant into service," she wrote in the letter sent late Wednesday to FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker. The letter was penned on the same day that Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with legislators in the wake of an incident earlier this month in which the door panel of a 737 Max 9 blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight. The FAA has grounded all 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft since the event, but announced Wednesday that it had cleared the way for the aircraft to return to service following a rigorous inspection and maintenance process. Alaska Airlines said it expected to begin bringing its 737 Max 9 planes back into service on Friday, while United Airlines said its fleet would begin returning to service on Saturday. The issue in Duckworth's letter centers around an anti-ice system on 737 Max engines that Boeing identified and self-reported to the FAA last year. The regulator approved Boeing's guidance to mitigate the problem on the existing fleet of Max aircraft while Boeing engineered a fix by May of 2026. The FAA issued an Airworthiness Directive in August 2023 that it said "was prompted by a report indicating that use of engine anti-ice (EAI) in dry air for more than five minutes during certain environmental and operational conditions can cause overheating of the engine inlet inner barrel beyond the material design limit, resulting in failure of the engine inlet inner barrel and severe engine inlet cowl damage." The FAA told airlines that pilots should limit the use of the anti-ice system to less than five minutes until Boeing's fix was available. While the issue has never occurred in-flight, Boeing determined it was theoretically possible under specific weather conditions, and in a worst-case scenario, could result in components breaking off. Letter From Sen. Tammy Duckworth to FAA by Faris Tanyos on Scribd An uncontained engine failure on a previous generation Boeing 737 resulted in debris puncturing the cabin of Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 in April 2018, resulting in a passenger being partially sucked out of the plane and killed. Boeing is seeking a limited-time exemption that would also apply to the 737 Max 7 as it goes through the certification process. The exemption would also allow Boeing to deliver the Max 7 to airlines once certified. The company has more than 4,300 orders for the 737 Max family of aircraft. The issue also exists on 737 Max 8 and Max 9 aircraft already flying. It is a waiver Duckworth says Boeing should be denied. "It is such a bold face attempt to put profits over the safety of the flying public," Duckworth said in an interview with CBS News. "They want a special permission to be allowed to continue to use this component with a known problem on an aircraft that has yet to be certified and allow it to be put into service. You cannot have a new baseline where we're going to certify aircraft that are not safe to fly." Boeing declined to comment on the letter. CBS News has also reached out to the FAA for comment. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senator-tammy-duckworth-asks-faa-to-reject-boeing-request-safety-waiver-737-max-7/ A US Air Force fighter wing is asking the public to please stop pointing lasers at its aircraft A US Air Force fighter wing is asking people to stop aiming laser pointers at its aircraft. The UK-based fighter wing said this activity poses a "serious threat to flight safety." It's not the first time the US military has been forced to ask the public to stop doing this. A US Air Force fighter wing based in the UK published an advisory asking people to stop pointing lasers at its aircraft. The 48th Fighter Wing out of RAF Lakenheath said on Thursday that there have been recent incidents of laser pointers being aimed at fighter aircraft during flight operations, raising "significant concerns." "This dangerous activity, known as 'lasing,' poses a serious threat to flight safety," the fighter wing wrote in a media advisory. "These actions not only endanger the lives of pilots and crew but create a hazard to the towns, villages, and homes underneath the approach corridor to RAF Lakenheath." "While a surface-to-air lasing incident is always a hazard for aircrew's near-term vision & long-term optical health, it becomes a critical hazard that impacts safe operation of the aircraft at low altitude," the fighter wing said, adding that the action carries potential legal ramifications. Located 70 miles northeast of London, RAF Lakenheath is the largest US Air Force-operated base in England with over 4,700 military personnel. It's also the only base under US Air Forces in Europe that operates F-35A and F-15E fighter jets. The 48th Fighter Wing's advisory on Thursday is not the first time that the US military has asked the public not to point lasers at aircraft in flight. In 2022, for example, the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico said doing so could be "catastrophic" for aircrew and possibly people on the ground. "Contrary to what laser users may think, the devices' compact size, easy availability, and widespread ownership can make hand-held lasers, such as the pointers used in classrooms, significantly dangerous to aircrews," the 58th said in a statement at the time. It said the FBI emphasizes that "lasing an aircraft in flight is a federal crime, punishable by $250,000 fines and up to five years of imprisonment." It is unclear what the recent incidents were at RAF Lakenheath, but back in 2016 at the airbase, there was actually an incident in which the aircrew of an F-15E Strike Eagle was "momentarily disoriented" by a laser. A spokeswoman for the 48th Fighter Wing told Stars and Stripes at the time that "the irresponsible or malicious use of lasers can threaten the lives of aircrew, passengers, and even individuals on the ground should it result in an aircraft crash." In addition to the general public, the US military has also had problems with other militaries — including its adversaries — pointing lasers at its aircraft in recent years. The Pentagon in 2018 accused China of shining lasers at US military pilots operating out of a base in Djibouti, and similar incidents were reported near the East China Sea. And earlier this year, the US Navy slammed Iran for shining a laser at an attack helicopter flying above Middle Eastern waters. https://www.businessinsider.com/us-fighter-wing-asks-public-stop-aiming-laser-pointers-aircraft-2024-1 EASA Extends A320ceo Wing Fatigue Cracking Inspections To All A320neo Models Initially, EASA required operators to inspect certain areas of the wing for only the A320ceo aircraft family. SUMMARY • EASA has extended inspections for certain areas of the wings of Airbus A320ceo family aircraft to the A320neo family. • The new directive superseded the previous one. • If any fatigue cracks are found during inspections, airlines must contact Airbus for approved repair instructions, and specific actions have been outlined for Airbus A321neo aircraft. • The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has superseded a previous airworthiness directive (AD), extending inspections of certain areas of left-hand and right-hand side wings for all Airbus A320ceo and A321neo family aircraft that have the Sharklets modification installed on them. Previously, the directive only required operators to inspect A319ceo, A320ceo, and A321ceo wing manhole access panel attachment holes in the bottom wing skin panels 2, between Rib 13 and Rib 23. The European regulator superseded the AD on January 25, 2024. Inspecting A320ceo and A320neo wings According to EASA, fatigue cracking might happen in the affected areas of the wings if an affected aircraft has the Sharklets installed. While all Airbus A320neo family aircraft come with modifications from the factory, some A320ceo family aircraft were built with wingtip fences. The manufacturer introduced the extended winglets in 2009, delivering the first Airbus A320 with Sharklets in 2012. The Sharklet retrofit program began in 2013. “This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to crack initiation and propagation, possibly resulting in reduced structural integrity of the wings.” Initially, Airbus issued an Airbus Alert Operator Transmission (AOT) A57N018-21, providing visual inspection instructions. Subsequently, EASA issued AD 2021-0256 in November 2021, requiring airlines to repeatedly conduct detailed visual inspections (DET) of the affected wing areas, according to the AD’s requirements. However, since AD 2021-0256, new investigations revealed that the inspections have to be extended to all Airbus A320 models, including the A319neo, A320neo, and A321neo. In response, the European plane maker issued AOT A57N018-21 Revision (Rev.) 01 with the affected area's Structural Repair Manual (SRM) tasks. Still, EASA detailed that the previous SRM tasks needed to be more adequate for the A321neo specifically. As a result, the European regulator issued the latest AD on January 25. Its effective date is February 8, 2024. EASA also defined Group 1 aircraft as those with a post-modification (MOD) and/or post-Service Bulletin (SB) configuration, meaning either a post-delivery Sharklet retrofit or aircraft that already had the winglet upon delivery. All other aircraft are considered to be Group 2. Inspections and corrective actions for potential cracks For Group 1 aircraft, EASA has defined several thresholds, depending on the MOD and/or SBs used to fit Sharklets, to accomplish DETs of the affected areas. Airlines must contact Airbus before the jet’s next flight for approved repair instructions if any fatigue cracks are found. Inspections and corrective actions done before the effective date of the directive are accepted as compliant with the AD. However, airlines still have to report the results of each DET of the affected areas of the wings to Airbus. Specific actions were defined for Airbus A321neo aircraft, with operators having to contact the manufacturer for approved repair instructions within five months of the directive's effective date. Furthermore, EASA has outlined additional future repair(s) requirements, compelling airlines to do post-repair inspections of the affected areas within the defined flight hour (FH) or flight cycle (FC) thresholds. If an airline wants to fit Sharklets to an aircraft with wingtip fences, the applicable actions of the directive will apply to the A320ceo family aircraft from the effective date of the AD. https://simpleflying.com/easa-require-airbus-a320-family-sharklet-inspections/ Textron Aviation Offers Internships For Aspiring High School Students Textron Aviation announced today (Jan. 24) that applications for its summer high school internships are due by Feb. 12. The internship opportunities will run from June 3 to July 12 and are open to students aged 16 to 19. In addition, Textron is offering K-12 educators “externships” in Wichita, Kansas, between June 10-14 and July 15-19 to “provide an opportunity for educators to gain valuable insights into the aviation industry and explore potential career pathways.” The student internships are paid part-time positions that enable young people with an interest in aviation to learn from Textron’s professionals while contributing their own skills and efforts to real-world projects. Areas of interest include piloting, engineering, maintenance, avionics, flight operations and customer service, according to Textron. According to the company, “These exclusive internships are designed to provide young minds with hands-on experience and exposure to diverse skills within the aviation industry.” The educator externships are programmed to enable participants to work with aviation professionals to learn, firsthand, about modern advances in all levels of aeronautical technology. Textron said, “These externships aim to inspire and empower educators, enabling them to bring real-world experiences and knowledge back to their classrooms.” https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/textron-aviation-offers-internships-for-aspiring-high-school-students/ Pakistan's National Airline faces crisis as yet another flight attendant vanishes into Canada Pakistan International Airlines flight attendants have been failing to report back after landing in Toronto, and while some blame low salaries and fear of privatization, the airline blames Canada. Yet another Pakistan International Airlines flight attendant disappeared in Canada last week after touching down in Toronto, the airline's spokesman, Abdullah Hafeez Khan, confirmed on Wednesday. For more stories from The Media Line go to themedialine.org Khan said that flight attendant Faiza Mukhtar landed in Toronto on Jan. 19 on PIA flight PK-781 from Islamabad, and was supposed to depart the following day on flight PK-784 from Toronto to Karachi. However, "she did not board the flight and disappeared," Khan told The Media Line. Mukhtar's disappearance follows at least seven disappearances in 2023 by PIA flight attendants after landing in Canada. Khan confirmed that in late December, Syed Ali Abbas and Farkhanda Shaheen landed in Toronto on a flight from Lahore and failed to report back for their departing flight. Earlier that month, Ayaz Qureshi also failed to report back after landing on a flight from Lahore to Toronto. In November, flight attendants Khalid Afridi and Fida Hussain Shah vanished soon after landing in Toronto on a flight from Islamabad. Several others also slipped away in Canada in the months before that. Khan said that "crews seeking asylum are common throughout South Asia and other developing countries, therefore this situation is not exclusive to PIA." According to some sources, the wave of disappearances comes in the wake of low salaries for flight crews and fear about a privatization plan for the airline. However, the airline attributes the disappearances to Canada's liberal asylum policies. It has attempted to stop the flow by raising the minimum age for flight attendants traveling to Canada. Khan said the airline had set up a unit to investigate the disappearances. "Strict departmental action will be taken against those who abandon duty and they will be fired from the job. These individuals will be subject to serious legal action right away as they get back home," he said. "There is no failure [on the part of the airline] as we have tried to put in the most stringent possible efforts to curtail that. However, the laws of Canada are so liberal that those measures become counter-effective. On the other hand, we are now seeking some legal measures against the perpetrators, involving law enforcement agencies." Khan said the airline was "strictly monitoring the situation and keeping an eye out to make sure that our flight attendants are not engaged in any strange conduct or sending money abroad." A persistent problem The Media Line has obtained information about PIA flight attendants failing to return and seeking asylum in Canada and other countries as early as 2018. Shazia Saeed arrived in Paris, France, in 2019 on PIA flight PK-734, and vanished after sneaking away from the crew's hotel. Yasir Ali vanished in July 2020 after landing in Toronto on flight PK-781 from Islamabad. Fareha Mukhtar disappeared in September 2021 after landing in Toronto. A flight attendant identified only as Mahira disappeared after landing in Toronto in 2018. She now lives in Canada and provided legal assistance to Fareha Mukhtar when she applied for asylum. A male flight attendant vanished in Toronto in January 2021, followed a day later by Zahida Baloch. Waqar Ahmad Jadoon vanished in January 2022 after landing in Toronto on flight PK-781. In October of that year, Ejaz Shah disappeared after landing on the same flight. Initially founded as Orient Airways in 1946, the airline underwent a series of transformations before becoming Pakistan International Airlines in 1955. As Pakistan's national carrier, it has played a pivotal role in connecting Pakistan to the world and fostering economic and cultural exchanges. The airline has achieved significant milestones, including being the first Asian carrier to operate the Boeing 777 and introducing innovative services. Despite its achievements, the airline has faced a tumultuous journey in recent years, grappling with financial challenges, governance issues, and controversies. “As Pakistan’s flag carrier confronts crisis, comprehensive reforms that tackle corruption, political interference, governance deficiencies, and labor disputes are imperative,” Syed Junaid Agha, a Karachi-based aviation expert, told The Media Line. "Allegations of misappropriation, financial corruption, and mismanagement have eroded public trust and contributed to the financial woes of the national carrier. The lack of transparency and accountability has allowed corruption to fester, adversely impacting the airline's ability to compete on the international stage." Agha said that “the resolution of salary issues is equally critical to restoring the confidence of the workforce and creating a foundation for sustained success in the challenging global aviation landscape. Political interference further exacerbates the crisis, with appointments and decisions often driven by political considerations rather than merit. As a result, PIA's ability to adapt to the dynamic aviation industry has been hampered, leaving it vulnerable to external pressures." In recent years, there has been a discernible rise in the number of Pakistanis attempting to enter Europe and North America to flee difficult economic conditions. Some have taken illegal and dangerous risks to do so. Last June, at least 400 Pakistanis lost their lives when an overcrowded boat transporting illegal immigrants from Libya to Italy sank off the Greek coast. A special meeting of the Senate‘s Standing Committee for Overseas Pakistanis, chaired by Senator Rukhsana Zuberi, was held in Islamabad on Wednesday. It was told that "44,000 Pakistani nationals were barred from leaving the country from different airports in 2021 to 2023." A report provided by the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment found that in 2023, about 1 million Pakistanis left the country. Most were labor professionals. Educated and skilled young people were also among those headed overseas. "Economic factors are an important driver in the choice to migrate," Tanzeela Javed, a Rawalpindi-based expert on Canadian immigration, told The Media Line. "Pakistan is experiencing tough economic difficulties such as currency depreciation, unemployment, and inflation," Javed said. "A lot of people think that a brighter future is outside the nation because of the dearth of employment possibilities and the unstable economy. Subsequently, people looking for possibilities outside to create a more stable and financially viable living include young graduates, entrepreneurs, and talented professionals. … The trend of Pakistani migration is not limited to any specific demographic. Rather, it spans across various age groups and professions. Families, students, and individuals alike are making the difficult choice to leave their homes in pursuit of a safer and more promising future." Javed said that "in Canada, while anybody is waiting for a decision on an asylum claim, he cannot be deported to his country of origin. Even if he enters the country without a visa or entry permit, he cannot be deported until his asylum application has been considered. It is true that the Canadian asylum rules are so generous, and it always benefits the applicant." She urged national policymakers “to focus on enhancing security measures, fostering economic growth, and promoting inclusivity to create an environment where citizens feel secure and optimistic about their future within the country." https://www.jpost.com/international/article-783822 GOL Airlines Files For Bankruptcy in the U.S. • The airline files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid delivery issues and increased costs. GOL Airlines — a Brazilian low-cost carrier — recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a United States Bankruptcy Court, according to a press release issued by the airline. The airline stated that it plans to continue “safe and reliable air transportation” with no scheduled interruptions. All flights will operate, and it will continue to honor all existing reservations. The airline’s filing announced that its holding company, Abra Group, has committed to providing financing of USD 950 million, which the company will attempt to secure through court approval. Celso Ferrer, GOL’s Chief Executive Officer, stated that “GOL has undertaken significant efforts to provide the best travel experience” for its customers while continuing to improve its “profitability and financial position.” Abra Group is the holding company for Avianca Colombia, which went through Chapter 11 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other significant airlines still in service, including LATAM, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Aeroméxico, who all have undergone this process. The company stated that this process “is in the best interest of its stakeholders, including employees and customers,” while promising a reliable flight schedule and “best-in-class service.” Ramifications of the Pandemic GOL is not the only carrier feeling the continued effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As mentioned, the airline is following the example of fellow Latin American airlines such as LATAM and Avianca with the Chapter 11 process. The decision to file for bankruptcy is not a shock, as the airline has been facing issues with aircraft delivery throughout 2023. Ferrer stated in December 2023 that Boeing’s delay with their 737 MAX aircraft has been its “main challenge,” which will continue to affect the airline in the new year with the new restrictions facing Boeing’s production lines. With these delays, Ferrer added that the airline is “not able to grow at the pace” that it planned to, keeping Gol’s capacity offering below pre-pandemic levels. Analysts and rating agencies agree that the airline has “strong operating figures,” with the airline posting a historic net operating revenue record in Q3 of 2023. However, because of its capacity strain, the airline faces multiple issues balancing increasing expenses without increasing cash flow. The airline holds a 33% market share in Brazil, only second to LATAM Brasil, making it a vital part of the Brazilian air network. The airline is confident that this move will secure a brighter future for the airline, helping to pay off existing debts while strengthening its financial base. With capacity issues looming, GOL will need delivery of its new aircraft sooner rather than later to keep competing with LATAM Brasil and providing low-cost services nationwide for Brazilians. https://airlinegeeks.com/2024/01/25/gol-airlines-files-for-bankruptcy-in-the-u-s/ The 737 Max grounding will cost Alaska Airlines $150 million The grounding of the 737 Max 9 after a January 5 incident that blew a hole in the side of an Alaska Airlines plane earlier this month will cost the airline about $150 million, Alaska announced Thursday. The loss is significant to an airline the size of Alaska, which reported on Thursday an adjusted income of $38 million in the final three months of the year and $583 million for the full year. The fourth quarter income was better than forecast for Alaska. The door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines flight on January 5, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane. While no passengers were killed, the incident led the Federal Aviation Administration to order a grounding of all 737 Max 9 jets. With 65 of the planes Alaska has the second most 737 Max 9 jets in its fleet, behind only United, which has also warned it expects a first quarter loss at least partly due to the cost of the grounding. On Wednesday, the FAA spelled out inspection procedures to return the planes to flight. Alaska Air said the first of its grounded jets will be back in service on Friday with more planes added every day as reviews are completed and each aircraft is deemed airworthy. “We expect inspections on all our 737-9 Max to be completed over the next week,” it said. The cost to Alaska Air is primarily from lost revenue, as the cost to compensate customers for hotels when their flights are canceled and overtime for staff will be balanced by the fuel savings achieved by flying 3,000 fewer flights. Alaska could ultimately pass the cost onto Boeing, as CFO Shane Tackett told investors Thursday that “we fully expect to be made whole for the profit impact of the grounding.” But he said there are no details of that compensation as of yet. The airline also expects that most passengers will be willing to return to the 737 Max 9 once it starts flying again. “I think at first, people will have some questions, some anxiety just like they did two years ago,” Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci said, referring to when all models of the Max were approved to fly again following a 20-month grounding precipitated by two fatal crashes. “But I believe over time, the confidence will get back into this airplane.” The airline said Thursday that even if the planes return to service as planned, it will have had to cancel about 3,000 flights this month due to the grounding reducing its overall capacity by about 7% for the quarter as a whole. Minicucci told NBC in an interview Tuesday that the carrier found “some loose bolts on many” Boeing 737 Max 9 during its inspections. But when asked during an investors call Thursday if he was reconsidering the airline’s decision to buy only Boeing aircraft going forward, he would not back off those plans. “We have a long-standing deep relationship with Boeing. But like I said, it’s not acceptable what happened. We’re going to hold them accountable, and we’re going to raise the bar on quality on Boeing,” he said. “We got 231 737s that we’ve been happy with. And until the incident, we were happy with the Max. We have 185 on order that are coming to us. We believe with the network configuration we … have, the Boeing airplane is 737 is well suited for our network. So that is the long-term plan, but we’re going to hold Boeing’s feet to the fire to make sure that we get good airplanes out of that factory.” Even with the $150 million hit from the grounding, Alaska said it still expects to report a full-year 2024 profit of about $381 million to $635 million, but that guidance suggests it could fall short of estimates of $583 million, according to analysts surveyed by Refinitiv. Analysts are forecasting a loss of $79 million in the first quarter. Alaska and United are the only US airlines with the 737 Max 9 jet in their fleets. But it doesn’t mean they’re the only affected by the problems at Boeing. Southwest Airlines said Thursday that it now expects fewer 737 Max deliveries from Boeing this year than it had booked because one of the models it orders, the 737 Max 7, has yet to be certified by the FAA. Its order book calls for the delivery of 27 of the Max 7 this year, along with 53 of the Max 8, but the airline said that “should no longer be relied upon.” “The FAA will ultimately determine the timing of the [737 Max] 7 certification and entry into service, and the company therefore offers no assurances that current estimations and timelines are correct,” it said. Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said the airline is no longer counting on any of the 737 Max 7 planes being delivered in 2024 but that it will be ready to change which planes it gets from Boeing. “If we don’t get the Max 7, we’ll take a Max 8,” he said in an interview on CNBC. He said it’s not clear what the FAA decision announced Wednesday to limit the growth of 737 Max production going forward will have on its deliveries. “As always, if there’s an adjustment, we’ll adjust,” he said. “Again, I support that [limitation]. Anything that helps Boeing improve quality, address the issues, is good for Boeing, and it is good for Southwest Airlines.” American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said he doesn’t expect a delay in the deliveries of the planes it is due to get from Boeing this year. But he also had criticism of the aircraft maker. “We need them to produce a quality product every time. We need everyone at Boeing getting their act together. It’s just essential,” he said in an interview on CNBC. “It’s not acceptable. We don’t need the distraction. Southwest does not have any 737 Max 9 jets, the one that was grounded this month, nor orders to buy any. But it does have more than 200 of the 737 Max 8, making up about a quarter of its fleet. CEO Bob Jordan said his airline, which flies nothing but Boeing 737’s, said he doesn’t believe that passengers will be reluctant to book on his airline due to its use of Boeing and 737 Max jets. “Our customers want confidence in our product. They have a lot of confidence in Boeing, just like I do,” he said on CNBC. “The Max 8 is a terrific aircraft. I have confidence Boeing will address the issues. And our customers have a lot of faith in Southwest Airlines.” https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/25/investing/alaska-airlines-737-max-cost/index.html NASA’s little helicopter on Mars has logged its last flight CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s little Mars helicopter has flown its last flight. The space agency announced Thursday that the 4-pound (1.8-kilogram) chopper named Ingenuity can no longer fly because of rotor blade damage. While it remains upright and in contact with flight controllers, its $85 million mission is officially over, officials said. Originally intended as a short-term tech demo, Ingenuity logged 72 flights over three years at Mars. It accumulated more than two hours of flight time, traveling 11 miles (18 kilometers). That’s more than 14 times farther than planned, according to NASA. It soared as high as 79 feet (24 meters) and hit speeds of up to 22.4 mph (36 kph). “While we knew this day was inevitable, it doesn’t make it any easier” to announce the end of the mission, said NASA’s Lori Glaze. “It’s almost an understatement to say that it has surpassed expectations.” Ingenuity hitched a ride on NASA’s Perseverance rover, landing on Mars in 2021. It ended up serving as a scout for the rover and proved powered flight was possible in the thin Martian atmosphere. Images beamed back this week from its last flight showed that one or more of its rotor blades suffered damage while landing and may have hit the surface. The blades are no longer usable, according to NASA. The helicopter ascended to 40 feet (12 meters) on its final flight last week, hovering for a few seconds before descending. It mysteriously lost contact with the nearby rover — its communication relay — while still 3 feet (1 meter) off the ground. Once communication was restored, the damage was confirmed. The reason for the loss of communication is under investigation. Ingenuity’s success prompted NASA in 2022 to add two mini helicopters to a future Mars mission. https://apnews.com/article/mars-helicopter-damage-grounded-nasa-c39e22c85cb84eb88b6efcfb78bde0cd CALENDAR OF EVENTS • SINGAPORE AIRSHOW 2024 - February 20 - 25 • HAI Heli-Expo 2024 - February 26 - 29 - Anaheim, CA • 2024 Women in Aviation International Conference - March 21-23 (Orlando) • SMU Air Law Symposium - March 21-22, 2024 ( Dallas, TX) • 2024 ACSF Safety Symposium – Air Charter Safety Foundation - April 1-3, 2024 • Airborne Public Safety Association, Inc. (APSCON 2024) - July 29 - August 3; Houston TX • Asia Pacific Airline Training Symposium - APATS 2024, 0-11 September, 2024, Singapore • • 2024 ISASI - Lisbon, Portugal - September 30 to October 4, 2024 • 2024 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition - Oct. 22-24 (Vegas) Curt Lewis