Flight Safety Information - May 15, 2024 No. 097 In This Issue : Incident: LATAM Brasil A320 at Brasilia on May 13th 2024, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Hop! E170 at Toulouse on May 11th 2024, unsafe gear : Shorts 360-200 -GearUp Landing (US Virgin Islands) : Boeing Has Violated Prosecution Deal for 737 Max Crashes, DOJ Says : Air Force pilot dies after aircraft ejection seat goes off while on the ground : Trump’s Boeing 757 clipped parked plane after landing at Florida airport Sunday, FAA says : FAA Investigating Donald Trump’s 2nd Boeing 757 Wing Clip Incident : Boeing whistleblower, aviation group launch safety reporting system : An introduction to NDT in aircraft inspection : ACSF Safety Symposium Highlights Risks, Opportunities : EASA To Hold Business Aviation Workshop in January 2025 : FAA Pilot Certificates Pick Up Steam in April : AIRLINE HIRING SOFTENS : Mercy Air hosts open house hiring event seeking next generation helicopter pilots : 5th American tourist arrested at Turks and Caicos airport after ammo allegedly found in luggage : CALENDAR OF EVENTS Incident: LATAM Brasil A320 at Brasilia on May 13th 2024, engine shut down in flight A LATAM Brasil Airbus A320-200, registration PR-MYI performing flight LA-3008 from Sao Paulo Congonhas,SP to Brasilia,DF (Brazil) with 106 people on board, was on approach to Brasilia when the crew reported an engine had failed and was shut down. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 11R, vacated the runway and stopped clear of the runway. The aircraft was subsequently towed to the apron. The airline reported the captain informed the passengers about an engine problem, there was no panic on board. The aircraft was towed to the apron. The aircraft is still on the ground in Brasilia about 25 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5189f1ca&opt=0 Incident: Hop! E170 at Toulouse on May 11th 2024, unsafe gear A Hop! Embraer ERJ-170 on behalf of Air France, registration F-HBXI performing flight AF-4190 from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Toulouse (France), was on final approach to Toulouse's runway 14R when the crew initiated a go around from about 1600 feet MSL (about 1000 feet AGL) due to an unsafe gear indication. The crew subsequently declared emergency, positioned for another approach to runway 14R and landed without further incident about 17 minutes after the go around. The French BEA announced they have dispatched four investigators on site, the aircraft had an anomaly on the landing gear position indicator and declared emergency. The aircraft is still on the ground in Toulouse about 71 hours (almost 3 days) after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5189d209&opt=0 Shorts 360-200 -GearUp Landing (US Virgin Islands) Date: Tuesday 14 May 2024 Time: 08:55 Type: Shorts 360-200 Owner/operator: Air Flamenco Registration: N916GD MSN: SH3751 Year of manufacture: 1989 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Saint Croix-Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX/TISX) - U.S. Virgin Islands Phase: Landing Nature: Cargo Departure airport: San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU/TJSJ) Destination airport: Saint Croix-Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX/TISX) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: Air Flamenco flight WAF2203 made a gear-up landing on runway 10 at Saint Croix-Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX). The plane was heading to St. Thomas Cyril E. King Airport (STT/TIST), however, was redirected to Saint Croix-Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX/TISX). https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/387926 Boeing Has Violated Prosecution Deal for 737 Max Crashes, DOJ Says The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday notified Boeing that it violated terms of a settlement that allowed it to duck criminal prosecution after two deadly 737 Max crashes, a development that leaves the company vulnerable to potential future charges. The aerospace company breached the 2021 deferred prosecution agreement by failing to “design, implement, and enforce a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of the U.S. fraud laws throughout its operations,” federal prosecutors said in a letter filed in a Texas court. Prosecutors said they had not decided what to do next, adding that they would alert the court about any new charges no later than July 7. Boeing has until June 13 to respond. In a statement to The Daily Beast on Tuesday, Boeing confirmed that it had received the Justice Department’s letter. “We believe that we have honored the terms of that agreement, and look forward to the opportunity to respond to the Department on this issue,” it said. “As we do so, we will engage with the Department with the utmost transparency, as we have throughout the entire term of the agreement, including in response to their questions following the Alaska Airlines 1282 accident.” After a two-year investigation, prosecutors charged Boeing with deceiving federal regulators about the capabilities of a new feature on its planes implicated in both the deadly crashes, which killed a combined 346 people in 2018 and 2019. In January 2021, Boeing agreed to pay a $2.5 billion penalty, and undergo three years of monitoring, to settle the single charge of fraud. But the plane-maker has been thrust back into an uncomfortable spotlight in recent months, beginning with the Jan. 5 mid-air blowout of a door plug on a 737 Max 9 operated by Alaska Airlines. A preliminary investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board released in February found that four bolts meant to hold the door plug in place were missing before the jet took off. The next month, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department had quietly launched a criminal investigation into the blowout. The families of the 346 crash victims have long held that they want to see Boeing properly held accountable for its role in the double tragedies, and have pushed for federal investigators to reopen their probe. Paul Cassell, a professor of law at the University of Utah College of Law who is representing the families, called the Tuesday letter “a positive first step” in a statement. “But we need to see further action from DOJ to hold Boeing accountable, and plan to use our meeting on May 31 to explain in more detail what we believe would be a satisfactory remedy to Boeing’s ongoing criminal conduct,” he said. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-violated-prosecution-deal-737-015916713.html Air Force pilot dies after aircraft ejection seat goes off while on the ground An Air Force instructor pilot has died after the ejection seat on his aircraft activated while the plane was operating on the ground, officials said. The incident occurred on Monday at Sheppard Air Force Base near Wichita Falls, Texas, when Capt. John Robertson of the 80th Operations Support Squadron was in a T-6A Texan II aircraft during ground operations and he was suddenly ejected from the plane, causing him severe injuries, according to a statement from Sheppard Air Force Base released on Tuesday describing the incident. Robertson died early Tuesday morning from the injuries he suffered in the accident, Air Force officials said. "This is a devastating loss for Captain Robertson's family and loved ones, and for the entire 80th Flying Training Wing," said Col. Mitchell J. Cok, the acting wing commander. "Captain Robertson was a highly valued Airman and instructor pilot. Our deepest condolences go with all who knew and loved him." An interim safety board investigation was convened immediately following the incident, according to Sheppard Air Force Base, and a “full Air Force Safety Investigation Board is expected to be in place later this week.” The board will release its report when the investigation is complete but they did not disclose when they expected this to happen. "We are thankful for the M1 maintenance team who immediately provided live-sustaining care, and for the heroic efforts of the security forces, fire and medical personnel here on base and at United Regional Hospital,” Cok said. “Their efforts allowed time for Captain Robertson's family to be at his side when he passed." https://www.yahoo.com/gma/air-force-pilot-dies-aircraft-061639676.html Trump’s Boeing 757 clipped parked plane after landing at Florida airport Sunday, FAA says KEY POINTS • The wing of a Boeing 757 jet owned by former President Donald Trump struck a parked plane at a Florida airport after landing safely and taxiing early Sunday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration said. • It is not known if Trump, who had held a campaign rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, on Saturday, was on his aircraft when its winglet struck the rear elevator of a parked VistaJet in West Palm Beach. • No injuries were reported in the collision. The wing of the Boeing jet owned by former President Donald Trump struck a parked plane at a Florida airport after landing safely and taxiing early Sunday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration said on Tuesday. It is not known if Trump, who had held a campaign rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, on Saturday, was on his Boeing 757 when its winglet struck the rear elevator of a parked VistaJet in West Palm Beach. No injuries were reported in the collision. The FAA notice about the incident, which occurred at 1:19 a.m. ET on Sunday, gives the tail number of Trump’s aircraft, N757AF. In a statement, the FAA said, “A privately owned Boeing 757 landed safely at West Palm Beach International Airport around 1:20 a.m. local time on Sunday, May 12.” “While taxiing, its winglet contacted a parked and unoccupied corporate jet,” the FAA said. “The incident occurred in an area of the airport where the FAA does not direct aircraft. The FAA is investigating.” A winglet is a short fin that projects upward from the wing of an aircraft. They are used to reduce aerodynamic drag. CNBC has requested comment from a spokesman from Trump’s presidential campaign about the incident. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/14/trump-jet-clipped-parked-plane-after-landing-at-florida-airport-faa-says-.html FAA Investigating Donald Trump’s 2nd Boeing 757 Wing Clip Incident The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a wing-clip incident at West Palm Beach International Airport which occurred on May 12, involving former president Donald Trump’s Boeing 757. “A privately owned Boeing 757 landed safely at West Palm Beach International Airport around 1:20 a.m. local time on Sunday, May 12,” the FAA stated. At the request of Donald Trump, details of his private fights are not published by flight tracking sites. However, the Aviation Safety Foundation’s incident record shows the flight took off from Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey. “While taxiing, its winglet contacted a parked and unoccupied corporate jet,” the FAA stated. “The incident occurred in an area of the airport where the FAA does not direct aircraft. The FAA is investigating.” The aircraft involved is N757AF, registered to DJT Operations I LLC, a Donald Trump company. The number is visible in white on dark blue on the tail side of the aircraft which the former president has nicknamed Trump Force One. According to the FAA’s incident report, the Boeing 757 winglet struck a corporate jet owned by VistaJet. There were no reported injuries, though the extent of the damage to either aircraft is unknown. This Is Not Trump Force One’s First Wing Incident The Aviation Safety Foundation record shows the presidential candidate’s plane also had an unfortunate wing accident with a different corporate jet in November of 2018. In this case, Trump’s plane was parked and a taxiing Bombardier Global Express jet hit the Boeing 757’s winglet. While there were also no injuries reported, the Global Express flew to a Bombardier service centre in Hartford, Connecticut for repairs instead of completing a planned trans-Atlantic flight. Trump’s 33 Year Old Boeing 757 Had Service Stints In Denmark And Mexico According to Planespotters data, The aircraft has been in and out of service over the past 30 years and changed hands. It was first delivered to Danish operator Sterling Airways in 1991 and withdrawn from use by the carrier in September of 1993. It re-entered service, following a transfer of registration with Mexico’s TAESA Lineas Aereas in July of 1994 on lease from Lonella Ltd. In 1995, Vulcan Northwest acquired the aircraft, re-registered under its present tail-number. Vulcan reconfigured the plane as a VIP aircraft. It remained with Vulcan Northwest until it was transferred to Vulcan Aircraft in 2003 and ultimately to Donald Trump in August of 2010. The former President has not kept the aircraft flying constantly, putting it in storage on 2019. Trump Force One most recently returned to service on October 19, 2022. https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisagarcia/2024/05/15/faa-investigating-donald-trumps-2nd-boeing-757-wing-clip-incident/?sh=4d3a5f5d4c53 Boeing whistleblower, aviation group launch safety reporting system PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — One of the more outspoken Boeing whistleblowers and an aviation advocacy group are launching an online safety reporting system to track flight issues around the globe. Ed Pierson first sat down with KOIN 6 News in early April to discuss what he says are quality control and safety issues with the plane manufacturer and the larger aviation industry. Now, the Foundation for Aviation Safety has launched its own reporting system where anyone from the flying public, or even flight crews or manufacturer employees , can log complaints or raise red flags when it comes to a flight issue. “A passenger, if they’re on a flight and it gets diverted or there’s some report of an equipment malfunction, or an air crew member, anyone that sees something aviation safety related that’s concerning, can submit this report,” said Pierson. “We’re going to collect this information, compile it, and they we’ll use it to go back to the airlines, the FAA, and say ‘Hey, did this actually happen and what are you doing about it?”’ The foundation is concerned that current logs of Service Difficulty Reports, or SDR’s, reported to the FAA aren’t being updated regularly following months of negative headlines for airlines and Boeing. That includes the now infamous door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight that departed Portland in early January. Last summer, the FAA announced a “modernization effort” to improve the reports. Pierson said anyone submitting reports through their system can do so anonymously, or by name. “We’ve even had airline mechanics reach out to us, telling us things,” said Pierson. “The only way we fix these problems is if we know about them.” https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/boeing-whistleblower-aviation-group-launch-safety-reporting-system/ An introduction to NDT in aircraft inspection Complex and technically advanced non destructive testing technologies are increasingly being used on operational aircraft, with suppliers and users facing challenges as devices move from the laboratory to the hangar. Waygate Technologies, which is a Baker Hughes business makes NDT equipment for remote visual inspection (RVI), ultrasonic testing (UT), and industrial x-ray computed tomography (CT). These inspection technologies are used to test initial materials as well as finished aircraft components and are also being used as part of in-field maintenance processes. The company’s Real3D technology displays components as a 3D model and includes various software tools to measure internal and external features and detect various kinds of defects. According to Henning Juknat from Waygate, as the use of composites in aerospace has increased, so has the industry’s reliance on UT. However, the technology used for composite part inspection will vary. “Different technologies have different strengths, depending on the material and geometry of the part being inspected and the surrounding parts in assemblies,” says Juknat. “For example, industrial CT systems can be best used to inspect individual turbine blades, while the same blade as part of an engine on a wing might be better suited to RVI borescope or ultrasonic inspection.” The aerospace industry is conservative with innovation, relying on “well-proven” technologies for inspection, but always wants to improve productivity and extend the lifetime of components. “It takes time to trial, test and validate new technologies, but we have developed close relationships with our end users to ensure that we have an understanding of the challenges and opportunities so that we can continue to invest in the right areas,” says Juknat. Approved technology Matt Day, UK and Ireland sales manager for NDT equipment provider Dolphitech agrees there can be a lag between ambition and reality: “OEMs can take years to approve new technology unless there is a problem that needs a solution quickly. If the process of sourcing new technologies is well documented with an obvious solution to a clear problem, then they can move extremely quickly.” The company’s Dolphicam2 products are used to measure composites, metals and multi-layered materials. In May 2014, DolphiCam was accepted for NDT on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Dolphitech also worked with Airbus on the certification of the technology for the A350 XWB for impact damage assessment of its carbon fiber reinforced plastic skin. According to Day, composites present a challenge for NDT because, unlike metals, barely visible impact damage is difficult to identify. “A small mark on the surface can result in a problem 30-40mm in diameter underneath,” Day says. The main focus is the speed at which people want to find defects, and the ability to use the data as quickly as possible. As well as this, “more companies are pushing towards the digital arena and everybody’s talking about NDT 4.0,” he says. CT data inspection Evaluating data with an industrial CT scanner Scalability Adaptix has developed a form of industrial 3D x-ray technology that uses digital tomosynthesis (DT) rather than CT. “We are not saying this technique will replace ultrasound or CT in aerospace inspection, but it can add a new tool to aerospace to drastically reduce reliance on both,” says Andy Barnes, managing director, NDE at the company. Recently, Adaptix participated in a UK Government funded program to develop AI-based auto-defect detection technology. According to Barnes, Adaptix has the only deployable large 3D x-ray unit in the world that can image the trailing edge of an Airbus wing and other parts in situ. “We are currently scaling this to robot mount the capability for manufacture and through life,” Barnes says. “With no other method scalable to inspect a full wing with 3D x-ray, we are in a great position to enable auto-inspection, NDE4.0 and digital twins to aerospace for even the largest parts.” Barnes believes that while aerospace has proactive individuals and business units for R&D, startups can find the slow pace of technology implementation in aerospace tough. Another challenge with using NDT in maintenance is the lack of skills, as well as the cost of qualification. AI could help solve this problem. “While defects need to be registered by a qualified human inspector, we can reduce the burden on the workforce by introducing AI software to help automate the process,” says Barnes. “Eventually, we are aiming to have an automated robotic detection system to inspect parts on manufacture, register the digital twin with a quality assurance plan, then inspect the through life according to that plan using the same robotic auto-detection system with accompanying software. If we do this, we will have realized NDE4.0.” Real-time plotting UK-based R&D service and training provider TWI’s IntACom program aims to reduce the cost of inspecting components with complex geometries in the aerospace industry. One of the projects delivered a prototype automated inspection cell using two six-axis robot arms that can inspect highly curved components in less time than existing systems. The program reached technology readiness level (TRL) 9 and is now routinely used as part of an inspection service for aerospace manufacturers who send volume parts to TWI. In the cell, data is collected from both an ultrasonic data acquisition unit and either one or two robots simultaneously. This allows for real-time 3D plotting and display of the data against a CAD model, making locating a defect within the component quick and easy, which helps improve safety. Dr Calum Hoyle, software and robot team manager at TWI says, “The ability to map in 3D the UT data based on a robotic feed allows greater defect measurement accuracy to be achieved when compared to a human operator. This is primarily down to the large size of the component which makes achieving continuity with a human inspector difficult.” Mentor Visual iQ Carrying out remote visual inspection with Waygate’s industrial videoscope product, Mentor Visual iQ Composites offer special challenges to NDT technology. Ian Nicholson, consultant engineer at TWI says, “Higher attenuation, and varying velocity profiles due to different layer makeups make post-processing data more challenging. “Users tend to rely more on lower frequency probes to increase penetration through the material. However, this increases wavelength and therefore reduces the resolution for the total focusing method and minimum detectable defect size.” Automation and robotics To most equipment suppliers, robotics and automation are fast becoming a part of the offering to users in the aerospace sector. According to Juknat, AI and assisted / automated defect recognition (ADR) are a rapidly evolving aspect of NDT. “We passionately believe that AI and robotics have a real opportunity to deliver productivity gains as part of in-situ inspection workflows,” Juknat says. “Others in the industry feel the same. There are numerous publicly available examples of such technologies being developed to deliver productivity gains.” Day agrees that increased productivity is a big plus for AI: “Machine learning is becoming more prevalent, especially for high volume production and in the manufacture of 3D printed parts,” “There are only a few companies that can carry out CT inspection as a service and it can be very expensive. Machine learning can reduce the number of parts that need to go through a CT inspection by up to 30 times, and achieve the same level of confidence.” However, most people agree that machine learning and AI will not replace the human in the loop human for final sign-off or for second opinions. The human will always be there. Morgan Ward NDT carries out inspections on aircraft around the world and works with suppliers within the UK at their production sites. The company also inspects parts in-house. According to Ben Kirkpatrick, technical director, advances in technology within the sector mean that probes and equipment have better screen resolutions and more storage capacity for data. “It helps technicians find smaller defects at an earlier stage, which helps to prevent an aircraft having a maintenance or a safety issue,” says Kirkpatrick. “Automation and robotics are already used in the manufacturing process on a large scale, but an NDT inspector will always be required as there are always be anomalies.” ultrasonic testing Waygate’s Krautkraemer RotoArray Compact used for ultrasonic testing Moreover, Kirkpatrick believes that variables in operational aircraft such as previous repairs, access to different hangar configurations or the availability of the machines to carry out the inspections will make the implementation of AI more difficult. Nicholson feels that AI and machine learning have applications in automated defect recognition and for analyzing large amounts of data but warns that more development needs to be undertaken. “We need to be sure it won’t miss any defects or miss or false call ones,” he asks. “The ultimate vision is the deployment of inspection systems using robotic arms mounted on mobile platforms deploying NDT inspection techniques,” Nicholson says. “Upon routine arrival of the plane into the hangar, these mobile robots would exit from their dock charging stations and know what areas of the plane to inspect, collect the inspection data required, and generate an NDT report to confirm if the inspected parts on the plane are still fit for purpose.” Changes in the industry will dictate the development of NDT technology believes Day: “More companies are using composites, not just Airbus and Boeing. There are new eVTOL aircraft and drone manufacturers,” he says. “These aircraft must be inspected, and we do see cases where we cannot penetrate the material with ultrasound. “Companies have the technology to bond two materials together, but because of the number of variables – plies, resin, temperature, vacuum, the final project material can be altered very easily, making it hard to build up a database of reference standards.” However, Day is optimistic about new ways of working prompted by the Covid lockdown, such as the concept of remote witnessing of inspections a process the FAA set out the criteria for during the Covid-19 pandemic. He says, “We can inspect things in person and a working procedure for witnessing remotely has been agreed. This means a Level 3 inspector can stay in their office and monitor multiple inspectors from a central location without having to travel.” https://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/features/an-introduction-to-ndt-in-aircraft-inspection.html ACSF Safety Symposium Highlights Risks, Opportunities The annual gathering was held at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University campus At the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) Safety Symposium held in early April, speakers and participants shared important safety information, lessons learned, and opportunities for improvement. The symposium began with an acknowledgment that the business aviation industry hasn’t gotten off to a good start in the first quarter, with three fatal business jet accidents and nine fatalities occurring in the U.S., up from two accidents and two fatalities during the same period last year. Held at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, not only was the ACSF Symposium an opportunity for business aviation operators to share safety ideas, but the organization also welcomed Embry-Riddle students to participate and learn more about business aviation safety. The event began on April 1 with a panel of industry experts sharing their career experiences, and this was well-attended by Embry-Riddle students who are interested in business aviation opportunities. Business Aviation Career Panel Embry-Riddle students Turueno Garcia and Trevor Simoneau moderated the panel session, which featured Richard Meikle, FlightSafety International executive v-p of operations and safety; Joan Sullivan Garrett, MedAire founder and chairman; Megha Bhatia, chief science and chief marketing officer at JSSI; and Greg Johnson, COO of Tuvoli. The panelists shared experiences from their careers, responding to questions from Garcia and Simoneau, such as what they learned in college that they expected and didn’t expect to learn; who they learned the most from early in their careers; the most impactful advice they received; what makes them leave fear of failure behind and try to bring their ideas into being; what they are excited about; problems they are trying to solve; and what they think about the new generations entering the aerospace industry. “Something I learned going through college was what's my next immediate threat,” said Meikle. “Every morning I'm looking at my calendar and saying what's my next threat, knowing that the day’s probably going to shuffle. Obviously, academic stuff is really important as well. But the other thing I think college teaches you is how to interact with other humans. And that is something that I think we are losing a little bit as a society because you walk into the student common and you watch them and probably 80 percent are on a headset or some device.” Bhatia emphasized sales skills as a key learning opportunity. “You may be the smartest person in the room, but if you can't get the point across clearly, effectively, and in a way that the audience can consume it, then it's not getting across. You do not have to be in a sales job. And it may not be the core thing you want to do. But if you can do the sales job even for two hours ever in your life, do it. Their resilience, their rejection, get used to it. It's a part of the process and knowing that, you’re going to come out on top.” Discussing the role of mentors helping her build MedAire over the past 40 years, Garrett said, “There have always been people, women in the industry that I saw that were so successful, and I said, ‘If she can do it, I can do it.’ And so I'm going to tell you, if I can do it, you can do it. You just have to have the vision. You just have to have the dream. You just have to have the desire to do what it takes to get to where you want to be.” Johnson credited mentors with believing in him but also highlighted his willingness as a young new entrant to aviation to take a risk and submit a business plan for an aircraft management operation, even though he had little experience in the field. “You’ve got to make those leaps,” he said. "I'm a big believer in that saying: luck is the intersection of opportunity and preparation.” Accidental Inspiration Scott Griffith, founder and managing partner of SG Collaborative Solutions, shared two stories about events that shaped his career and led to the development of the aviation safety action programs (ASAP) that have helped make commercial aviation the safest mode of transportation. At age 17, Griffith was logging time toward his private pilot license and took off one day for a short flight to another airport. Not realizing that a front had gone through, he ended up landing with a tailwind and, while standing on the brakes and screeching to a halt at the end of the runway, his airplane’s wingtip scraped the airport’s wind tetrahedron. “The plane spun around and I came to a stop,” he recalled. “This old man came running out and yelled at me. ‘What are you doing? Don't you know you can't land with a tailwind?’ And he looked at me and he said, ‘Are you okay?’” After Griffith assured him that he was okay, the man said, “‘Well, let me help you paint that tip of your wing, and nobody has to know about it.’ And I thought, oh my gosh, he just saved my entire career.” Griffith could have kept this a secret, but he admitted, “I went back and told the owner of the flight school what happened. And he said, ‘Since you came forward, there will be no repercussions.’ Had I not done that, I would carry that secret with me for the rest of my life. So flash forward about 20-some-odd years. When I went into the airline industry, I created a program for pilots that come forward and disclose not only the risks outside their cockpit but also the risks coming from themselves. And that was transformative for the airline industry.” The other formative event was when Griffith witnessed an iconic, tragic accident, the Delta Flight 191 L-1011 crash at DFW Airport in Texas on Aug. 2, 1985, which was due to a powerful microburst downdraft. While doing a walkaround of the Boeing 727 he was flying, Griffith saw the L-1011 burst out of the clouds, lower than he’d ever seen such a large airplane. After hitting a building, the Tristar bounced back into the air, then crashed onto Highway 114, killing the occupant of a car and 136 passengers and crew. As Griffith stood there with the sun shining on the tarmac, he recalled, “Everything’s just normal.” Then the wind from the microburst struck the 727, followed by a torrent of rain. Some passengers inside the 727 saw the fire, heard the sirens from the crash, and started heading for the exit, and some were panicking. After helping the passengers back into the terminal, he said, “My brain couldn't get wrapped around what I had just seen.” The event spurred Griffith into working on a laser-prediction system and his master’s degree thesis. What struck him and still raises questions is that a well-equipped airplane piloted by a skilled crew with the best training in the world “couldn't see…nor understand the risk environment” because the microburst essentially was invisible. The important issue is that accidents and incidents are what he characterized as “the tip of the iceberg” that we can see sticking above the water. What organizations like ACSF are doing by creating a mechanism for members to share safety information is helping identify those invisible risks, the ones that live below the surface. “These are risks that live in your system and with your people,” he said. SG Collaborative Solutions helps companies develop systems to mitigate these risks, by setting up a collaborative culture run by a reliability management team. “I took the words from the ACSF call to action,” he said. Before setting up a safety management system (SMS), he recommends developing a collaborative just culture program. “Build on that with your ASAP programs or FOQA [flight operations quality assurance] programs, align everything, and then integrate that into something called SMS. “But we've introduced a term called RMS, which means reliability management system. And what is collaborative high reliability? It's comprised of a collaborative just culture program, a reliability management team, and a reliability management system. It’s evidence-producing because no one has done it until recently. We've had three organizations achieve it. [The RMS] is documented, monitored, measured, aligned, and integrated, and it's the first integrated approach to get independently audited by a third party. “Reliable organizations involve more attributes than just safety.” Flexjet’s Just Culture “Why do we do what we do?” asked Kent Stauffer, v-p of safety at fractional-share operator Flexjet. Characterizing his presentation as “observations from an operator that has access to lots of mistakes,” he explained, “I’m going to talk about how people fit into this model, why we do what we do, and what contributes to our errors. What are we trying to accomplish? We’re trying to get to a high-reliability organization." “We all don’t have enough people,” he acknowledged. While pilots have been an issue, “Did you know the maintenance shortage is worse? The pilot gap is being shortened and will be solved quicker than maintenance.” But there are also not enough people in air traffic control, at the regulators, and at companies that supply aviation, work at FBOs fueling aircraft, and teach. The latter is critical because so many new people are starting aviation careers and “now you have a knowledge gap,” he said. Another gap is cultural, with people from different backgrounds coming together. “You still have not solved the issue yet to get to your high-reliability organization. It’s not only not about people, not enough education, and what I see is not enough of the organizational structure to understand and compensate for that.” Stauffer listed four attributes that Flexjet communicates to its people to help inculcate the company’s safety goals. The first is to be fit for duty, and part of this means getting adequate sleep. Flexjet is developing its own fatigue management software to manage this critical issue because existing tools didn’t meet the company’s needs. “We’ve found that when our pilots call in fatigued,” Stauffer said, “a high percentage of the time it involves something that's absolutely uncontrollable, like the fire alarm went off in the hotel. Undiagnosed sleep issues are a problem.” Next is acknowledging your limitations. It’s okay to say, “'I’m not okay.' You can tell others about it. Don’t be a martyr,” he emphasized. Flexjet also teaches new-hire pilots to be willing to use tools like the go-around and saying “unable” to air traffic controllers. “We tell them, if you need to go around, you will not be penalized. We will reward you when you do: ‘Phenomenal job, thank you very much.’” Controllers frequently give instructions that a flight crew might feel aren’t suitable but, in the spirit of being helpful, will not refuse. “The answer should be ‘No, we’re not going to do that.’ It’s okay to acknowledge this.” Third is integrity. “Do the right thing every time. You have to define it in your organization. That means that everybody has to understand what that is.” Being accountable is fourth on the list. Stauffer pointed out that pilots more often provide reports to Flexjet’s ASAP, so it might be necessary to encourage other groups such as mechanics to participate more. “Radically embrace a just culture. You have to define it. If we don’t define, measure, and audit, do we really have one? You’ve got to have something to define what it is you’re expecting in your just culture.” Stauffer is well aware of human limitations and offered some tips to overcoming these. Communication is key, but “first by listening” then by using standard terminology; “turning our brain on” instead of tuning out; not being accusatory; and avoiding emotions in written communications. We also need to recognize other people’s strengths and understand the people we work with. Culture is key, he explained. “If you’re blaming people, you’re not learning anything. Just culture is exceptionally valuable, and the information you’re getting from it is valuable.” Finally, we must have empathy. “You can't fire people who make mistakes, otherwise none of us would have jobs. You can’t get to the root of it until you truly understand and care about when they make a mistake.” In response to a question from the audience about the most outstanding learning that Flexjet has from its FOQA program, Stauffer said the company receives hundreds of reports to its ASAP per month. “It’s invaluable.” Many of the reports would never have come to light without the ASAP, and they have driven improvements such as new trip notes for specific airports. More importantly, the data from ASAP enables sharing within and outside Flexjet. “Data helps us get to where we need to go,” he said. “Sharing is important.” Excursions and Incursions Retired NTSB air safety investigator Roger Cox highlighted the risks of runway excursions and incursions, citing a number of accidents and takeaways from each that could have eliminated the risk factors that led to the accident. “The most popular way to wreck a corporate airplane is an excursion,” he said. Pointing to what seems like an increase in the number of such accidents, he explained, “We have to look at the risk factors, and how to figure out as operators what they are and what we can do about [them].” One important takeaway from studying these accidents: “You can make your own commit-to-stop policy. It can be in the air but written in advance so that everyone knows and agrees to it and everybody understands what’s going to happen. [An excursion with] low energy is better than high.” Cox also recommends that pilots and operators take the time to study accidents without waiting for the final NTSB report, which is usually released up to two years later. “Look at the accident database for your airplane. See how many times the crew misunderstood their own braking system. If you’re not on speed in the touchdown zone, you’re asking for it.” Inspiration from Tragedy The second day of the ACSF Safety Symposium featured Scott and Terry Maurer, parents of Colgan Flight 3407 victim Lorin Maurer, highlighting issues facing families when accidents happen, especially given the poor business aviation record during the first quarter. Their presentation focused not just on the tragic accident that took the life of their daughter and the other 49 victims but on tools that they believe can help prevent accidents. “This is a tough subject,” Scott Maurer said. “I want all of you to know we’ve done this many times, we want to do it for you, and it’s also a way of us honoring those loved ones we’ve lost.” “We’re so pleased yesterday that you started by recognizing the people who lost their lives [in the first quarter],” said Terry Maurer. “Remember them, say their names. If you can confront someone who has had a loss, they just want to talk about their loved one, so ask them.” After detailing the painful circumstances of the accident and the initial poorly handled assistance given to the victims’ families, Scott Maurer outlined his recommendations to the symposium attendees. “If an accident were to happen, or if something bad were to happen, one of the takeaways Terry and I think would be beneficial to you, number one, be a good listener. Information is critical. If somebody says, ‘This is what I’m looking for, I would like an answer,’ you’ve got to get them the right answer…in a timely manner. “You need to communicate with compassion. Yes, you have a business to run. I use the phrase, ‘There’s a difference between no and hell no.’ The attorney’s going to be whispering in your ear saying, ‘You shouldn’t do this, you can’t do that, no, no, no.’ When I talk to CEOs and executives, my comment to them is, ‘What would you do if it was your son or daughter, wife, cousin? Would you be wondering what your bottom line is going to be? Whether you’re going to get sued? Heck no. You’d do the right thing. “Be compassionate. Make sure you’re providing those basic needs. Terry and I didn’t know it was time to go to bed; we didn’t know it was time to eat. You’ve got to help people survive those first couple of days. “I always like to say, empower them, let them make some decisions because that’s empowering. What would you like? What are you looking for? Allow them to get back into getting to some control. He concluded: “Put the families first, do not be defensive, do not impede the message, and I can’t say enough, communicate, communicate, communicate.” For the Maurers, whose daughter Lorin adopted the motto “It’s a beautiful day and it’s great to be alive,” Scott said, "Every day is not a beautiful day and it doesn’t always feel great to be alive. But I’m so proud to put that message out here because it meant enough to my daughter that she put it here, she put it there. And it gives you an alternative. You have a choice when you get out of bed in the morning, you can smile or you can frown. My daughter attempted to put a smile on every day and say it’s a beautiful day and it’s great to be alive and live life. And what we have found from so many people, as they share stories with us about their experiences with our daughter, is in 30 short years she led a pretty full life and we’re so thankful for all the people who engaged with her and gave her a good life. “One thing I do want to say to all of you: I want to challenge you. You had this conference for a good reason; you gathered here for a good reason. You got a lot of good tools. In two days you’re going to go back to your old world, and by next week, maybe this didn’t happen. Don’t let that be the case. Please leave this conference and take a tool and something you got from this conference and maybe next year, [the organizers] can ask them to report back, ‘What did you take away from last year that you put into your business to make it better?' That’s my ask.” Content Rich Conference The two-day ACSF Safety Symposium included many more presentations from industry experts, including a fascinating summary by Bryan Willows on Bristow’s plans to field advanced air mobility aircraft; Convergent Performance’s Jermaine Cadogan on building a just culture; system theoretical analysis by Shem Malmquist of Florida Institute of Technology; Cabin Mastery Consulting’s Sharon Lipinski on “The Biological Basis of Complacency;” and “Clear as Mud, the Confusing Side of Safety” by Flexjet’s Tim Wade. The PowerPoint presentations of all the speakers are available at www.acsf.aero/2024-acsf-safety-symposium/speakers/.  https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2024-05-14/acsf-safety-symposium-highlights-risks-opportunities EASA To Hold Business Aviation Workshop in January 2025 • The two-day event will be at the European air safety agency's headquarters in Cologne, Germany EASA is holding a two-day workshop for the business aviation industry in Cologne, Germany, from January 21 to 22, 2025. According to the regulator, the event is intended as a platform for discussions “to support industry and manufacturers’ expectations for their projects in the coming years.” The workshop is mainly intended for business aircraft manufacturers and type certificate holders, as well as national aviation authority officials involved in certification and operations. EASA also expects leading industry associations such as EBAA, GAMA, and NBAA to be involved. More information about the workshop will be released over the coming weeks, EASA said. Registration for the workshop will open in September. According to EBAA’s new secretary-general, Holger Krahmer, European regulators have tended not to adequately consider the needs of smaller sectors such as business aviation. The Brussels-based industry group is concerned over issues such as what it regards as discriminatory policies relating to carbon emissions reductions, such as the ReFuelEU requirements for the use of sustainable aviation fuel that currently lacks a book-and-claim option. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2024-05-14/easa-hold-business-aviation-workshop-january FAA Pilot Certificates Pick Up Steam in April • Pilot certificate issuances were up 19% YOY student pilots • Student certificates were down 9% over 2019 levels, even while up 23% YOY. FAA pilot certificate issuances jumped by 19% year over year (YOY) in April, with the number of air transport pilot (ATP) certificates up 14%. However, this was down by 4% from 2019 levels, industry analyst Jefferies reported. The agency issued 9,899 pilot certificates in April, including 5,089 student, 2,282 private, 1,529 commercial, and 999 ATP. While up YOY, this marked a 13% dip from March, when 11,324 certificates were issued in all. Jefferies said the YOY increase in ATPs suggests U.S. airlines should have success in finding pilots. ATP issuances were 5% above the 12-month average. Commercial certificates, up 11% YOY in April, are down by 1% from 2019 levels. Student certificates were down 9% over 2019 levels, even while up 23% YOY. Private certificates increased by 18% YOY and inched up by 1% from pre-pandemic levels. While up YOY, the numbers suggest a flattening from surges over the past year. On a trailing 12-month basis, FAA certificates are 28% above pre-pandemic levels, with student certificates 23% higher; ATP, +53%; and commercial, +19%. Jefferies estimates the net U.S. airline population grew by 1.9% last year, to 141,800. This represents a 1% deficit of needs but is buffered by aircraft delivery delays, the analyst said. As aircraft deliveries pick up and pilot retirements increase, Jefferies believes the undersupply could grow, potentially reaching a 7% shortage by 2030. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2024-05-14/faa-pilot-certificates-pick-steam-april AIRLINE HIRING SOFTENS PILOTS, FLIGHT SCHOOLS ADAPT With major airlines slowing or pausing pilot hiring, flight schools and airline pilot hopefuls are shifting their focus to alternatives that get them on the flight deck faster. The rush to return to pre-pandemic travel minimums created a hiring and aircraft buying boom at part 121 airline carriers that reached its peak last year with all major airlines hiring pilots at a record-breaking pace. Now, hiring numbers are trending downward as airlines like United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines have announced slowdowns or complete hiring freezes. Hiring numbers at the 12 major airlines year-to-date are 2,989 pilots; 4,361 pilots were hired by this time last year. The first two months of 2024 saw the largest dip in hiring with 984 pilots hired in January and 732 in February. March and April held at 641 and 632 pilots hired, respectively. Equipment delays from Boeing and Airbus are also contributing to the hiring slump. While manufacturing issues abound at Boeing, Timothy Genc, Chief Advisor and Executive Editor at Future and Active Pilot Advisors, said that Airbus currently has a backlog of almost 8,800 aircraft to be delivered. And over the last couple of years, pilots have had most of the bargaining power, but it appears that trend is going away as well. “Regionals are slowing down a little bit,” Genc explained. “They're still offering some pretty big incentives for upgrade or for direct entry captains. But if we do the math, about this time last year is when some of the regionals started saying, you know what? I think we're good right now on first officers, but what we really need are captains.” Many of the first officers hired early last year and in late 2022 may be getting ready to upgrade to captain, which could mean a reduction in direct entry captain bonuses and a need for more first officers again, but all in all Genc predicts hiring at the regionals will continue trending downward. Some regional carriers are opting to no longer pay for airline transport pilot and cargo transport pilot certificates and requiring pilots to obtain their own certificates and cover the costs themselves. “That of course would be indicative of the fact that we're really not hurting for first officers the same way that we used to be. If we're throwing money somewhere, it's going to be a direct entry captains, not at first officers,” Genc explained. Many accelerated flight programs and colleges are still offering partnerships with major airline cadet programs or regional airlines, but as hiring numbers continue to fall, alternatives like flying cargo, smaller airlines, charter, and Part 91K fractional ownership air carriers are becoming more viable options for pilots looking to get into the flight deck quickly. “Most of those partnerships are usually with a regional airline,” Genc said. “So people still have the option of doing whatever it is they're going to do. I think a lot of aviation programs are pretty lacking in their ability to say, here's actually what's going on in the industry and how you should be preparing.” Flight schools like Kilo Charlie Aviation (KC Aviation), an accelerated career-focused pilot program located in New Century, Kansas, are taking a proactive approach to help students see the benefits of a career not only at the airlines but also with Part 135 and Part 91K. “Everyone at the major Part 135/91k operators know that they were a hidden gem that does not get a lot of attention in the pilot media,” Robert Renfro, part owner and chief revenue officer of KC Aviation, said. “I wanted our students to see and compare both. We bring Airlines in to do presentations, but we also bring in all the hiring business jet operators to present. More importantly we bring in both groups of pilots and our students see a major difference in the quality of life that our business jet pilots have over the airline pilots; typically. “Some of the biggest career flight schools advertise being the ‘fastest to an airline,’” Renfro continued. “We focus on ‘fastest to a career.’" Renfro said many charter, corporate, and fractional ownership operators are hiring pilots with 1,000 hours, offering competitive pay. Those jobs can put students in the right seat of a jet six to eight months faster than the typical route of building hours by instructing and starting at a regional airline with 1,500 hours. Renfro said, "100 percent of our students have been hired by the time they have 1,500 hours," most of them hired by charter operator Wheels Up, SkyWest, and the rest "sprinkled to all the airlines and Part 135 operators.” The good news is, even with hiring numbers slumping, there will still be a continuing need for new pilots across all carrier types. American Airlines, for example, is planning to hire around 1,300 pilots this year to fill vacancies left by retiring pilots. Pilot pay is also improving with new pay rate contracts in the works or recently approved at Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and more. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2024/may/14/airline-hiring-softens?=utm_source=News&utm_medium=Content&utm_campaign=RSS Mercy Air hosts open house hiring event seeking next generation helicopter pilots LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Mercy Air is looking for its next generation of helicopter pilots. Interested candidates attended a hiring event on Tuesday at the base located at Las Vegas Boulevard near east Larson Lane in Henderson. Mercy Air said it is hiring pilots for its bases in Arizona and California, where they are most needed. "It's not specifically for this base because there is so many pilots in Las Vegas because of the tour industry. This base is a very desirable base, and it's a little bit harder to get into, but along the river and the other areas in the country, there are many positions that are needed. There is a nationwide shortage for the pilots and mechanics," said pilot William Langholz. Mercy Air provides air medical transport to the communities it serves 24/7. https://www.news3lv.com/news/local/mercy-air-hosts-open-house-hiring-event-seeking-next-generation-helicopter-pilots 5th American tourist arrested at Turks and Caicos airport after ammo allegedly found in luggage Another U.S. tourist was arrested for carrying ammunition in luggage at the Turks and Caicos airport on Monday, weeks after the arrest of an American tourist in the Caribbean territory made national headlines. The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police told CBS News that "a visitor was arrested at the Howard Hamilton International Airport yesterday [May 13th] after ammunition was allegedly found during a routine security check." Police did not provide further details about the name or gender of the person arrested. Monday's arrest brought the total number of Americans facing charges for ammunition possession in the British territory to five. Four of the detained Americans have said they brought in the ammunition – but by mistake. Ryan Watson, a 40-year-old Oklahoma father of two, made national headlines after ammo was found in his luggage by airport security in April. He is currently out on bail - though confined to the island while his case moves forward – and officials require him to check in at the Grace Bay Police Station every Tuesday and Thursday. He faces a possible mandatory minimum 12-year prison term. Just days after Watson's arrest, 30-year-old Tyler Wenrich, a Virginia EMT and father, was detained before boarding a cruise ship on April 20th. He faces a possible 12-year sentence after officials allegedly found two bullets in his luggage last month. "I feel like, as a very honest mistake, that 12 years is absurd," his wife, Jeriann Wenrich, told CBS News in April, who said she doesn't want to see her 18-month-old son grow up without a dad. Bryan Hagerich is another American awaiting trial after ammo was found in the Pennsylvania man's checked bag in February. "I subsequently spent eight nights in their local jail," Hagerich told CBS News. "Some of the darkest, hardest times of my life, quite frankly." Possessing either a gun or ammunition is prohibited in Turks and Caicos, but tourists were previously able to just pay a fine. That changed in February when a court order required even tourists to potentially face mandatory prison time in addition to paying a fine. The territory's attorney general has said that if a court finds there were exceptional circumstances surrounding the discovery of ammunition, the sentencing judge has discretion to impose a custodial sentence of less than 12 years. Eight firearms and ammunition prosecutions involving tourists from the United States have been brought on the island since November 2022. The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory in April urging Americans traveling to Turks and Caicos to "carefully check your luggage for stray ammunition or forgotten weapons before departing from the United States," noting that "declaring a weapon in your luggage with an airline carrier does not grant permission to bring the weapon into the Turks and Caicos Islands and will result in your arrest." "U.S. gun owners may want to take the Turks and Caicos Islands' actions into account before risking a trip to the Caribbean jurisdiction," the National Rifle Association said in a news release Monday. "Even U.S. gun owners confident in their ability to purge their luggage of any potential contraband may want to consider the wisdom of spending their money in a jurisdiction that would treat their countrymen in such a manner." https://www.cbsnews.com/news/another-american-detained-turks-and-caicos-airport-ammunition-luggage/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS • Blazetech - Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection, and Investigation Course June 4 - 7, 2024 • (APTSC) Asia and Pacific Turboprop Safety Conference - June 26 - 27, 2024Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia • 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 • Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 17 & 18 September - London • 2024 Ground Handling Safety Symposium (GHSS) - September 17-18, 2024 - Fort Worth, TX • 2024 ISASI - Lisbon, Portugal - September 30 to October 4, 2024 • International Congress of Aerospace Medicine ICAM 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal, 3 - 5 October 2024 • Aviation Health Conference back on Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th October 2024 • 2024 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition - Oct. 22-24 (Vegas) • Sixth Edition of International Accident Investigation Forum, 21 to 23 May 2025, Singapore Curt Lewis