Flight Safety Information - June 21, 2024 No. 124 In This Issue : Incident: Southwest B38M at Oklahoma City on Jun 19th 2024, low altitude alert : Incident: United A320 at Hartford on Jun 20th 2024, dropped engine parts on departure : Flight Safety International Pilot Hiring Event - Columbus, OH - July 19 : Incident: Flybondi B738 at San Carlos de Bariloche on Jun 20th 2024, runway excursion on landing : Incident: Sky Vision A320 near Jeddah on Jun 12th 2024, captain died in flight : Incident: Malaysia B738 at Hyderabad on Jun 20th 2024, engine shut down in flight : Accident: Cargojet B763 at Cincinnati on Jun 17th 2024, panel fell off the aircraft : Two crop dusters collide west of Arco airport, 1 pilot killed (Idaho) : 2 grenades confiscated at Pittsburgh airport checkpoint : Gov't orders T'way Air to implement measures over repeated safety, delay issues (Korea) : Details of Aviation Lessor Settlements With Russia Over Trapped Planes : Aircraft lessor DAE sees China's COMAC breaking Airbus, Boeing duopoly : How Emirates pilots reduce fuel and emissions during operations : CAE opens a brand-new Gulfstream business jet training center in Georgia : New law requires FAA to close loopholes that allow foreigners to anonymously register their planes : NTSB Releases Preliminary Reports On Two Airline Close Calls : CALENDAR OF EVENTS Incident: Southwest B38M at Oklahoma City on Jun 19th 2024, low altitude alert A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration N8555Z performing flight WN-4069 (dep Jun 18th) from Las Vegas,NV to Oklahoma City,OK (USA), was on final approach to Oklahoma's runway 13 just past midnight when the aircraft descended to about 1725 feet MSL/525 feet AGL about 7.9 nm before the runway threshold at 00:06L (05:06Z). The approach controller told the crew "Low Altitude Alert" and queried "you good out there?", the crew initiated a climb to 3000 feet MSL. The controller cancelled the approach clearance and instructed the crew to go around, subsequently provided vectors for an approach to runway 17R where the aircraft landed without further incident about 10 minutes later. The FAA reported: "After an automated warning sounded, an air traffic controller alerted the crew of Southwest Airlines Flight 4069 that the aircraft had descended to a low altitude nine miles away from Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City. The FAA will investigate." The airline reported they are in contact with the FAA regarding the irregularities on the approach. https://avherald.com/h?article=51a2a32a&opt=0 Incident: United A320 at Hartford on Jun 20th 2024, dropped engine parts on departure A United Airbus A320-200, registration N490UA performing flight UA-325 from Hartford,CT to Denver,CO (USA) with 129 people on board, was climbing out of Hartford's runway 24 advising they possibly needed to return to Hartford, they were working on an issue. The following departure reported there was debris on the runway right at the center line. UA-325 stopped the climb at 4000 feet, entered a hold until the runway was cleared. The crew suspected a blown tyre and queried tower about what kind of debris this was and advised they were overweight, so not in a hurry to land back, the engines, especially the right hand engine, were running within parameters, they had a light pop upon rotation for takeoff and might have had a tyre damaged or a bird strike. The aircraft returned to Hartford for a safe landing on runway 29 about 45 minutes after departure. The airline reported the aircraft lost a portion of the sound dampening outer liner. The FAA reported: "United Airlines Flight 325 returned safely to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut around 8:45 a.m. local time on Thursday, June 20, after the crew reported an abnormal noise. The Airbus A320 was headed to Denver International Airport. The FAA will investigate." A ground observer reported on departure the aircraft left large pieces of debris behind. A subsequent runway inspection confirmed large pieces of debris, sheet metal. Upon landing the aircraft left even more debris on the runway. https://avherald.com/h?article=51a225e0&opt=0 YOUR NEXT DESTINATION Now Hiring at Our Center in Columbus, Ohio FlightSafety is seeking experienced pilots to join the ranks of the best flight instructors in the industry at our Columbus Learning Center. Use your seasoned skills to make an impact on aviation in a profound way. COMPETITIVE INCENTIVES AVAILABLE · Schedule 60 Days in Advance · Sign on and Monthly Bonuses · Competitive Base Salary · Full Relocation Support · Be Home Every Night · Career Growth RSVP Today Click here to RSVP and/or submit your resume. Date: Friday, July 19, 2024 Time: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET Location: 4010 Bridgeway Avenue, Columbus, OH 43219 Contact Kevin.Goeppner@flightsafety.com for more information. We look forward to seeing you. Incident: Flybondi B738 at San Carlos de Bariloche on Jun 20th 2024, runway excursion on landing A Flybondi Boeing 737-800, registration LV-KAY performing flight FO-5240 from Buenos Aires Ezeiza,BA to San Carlos de Bariloche,RN (Argentina), landed on Bariloche's runway 29 at about 08:49L (11:49Z) but overran the end of the runway and came to a stop with the nose gear on soft ground and main gear just on paved surface. Argentina's JST announced a team of investigators has been dispatched on site rating the occurrence a serious incident. https://avherald.com/h?article=51a2229c&opt=0 Incident: Sky Vision A320 near Jeddah on Jun 12th 2024, captain died in flight A Sky Vision Airlines Airbus A320-200 on behalf of Nesma Airlines, registration SU-SKC performing flight NE-130 from Cairo (Egypt) to Taif (Saudi Arabia), was enroute at FL310 over the Red Sea about 150nm northwest of Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) when the first officer told the passengers via PA that the captain had just died and they needed to divert to Jeddah. The aircraft landed safely on Jeddah's runway 34C about 30 minutes later. https://avherald.com/h?article=51a21c6c&opt=0 Incident: Malaysia B738 at Hyderabad on Jun 20th 2024, engine shut down in flight A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration 9M-MXU performing flight MH-199 from Hyderabad (India) to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) with 138 people on board, was climbing out of Hyderabad when the crew stopped the climb at FL290 due to a malfunction of the right hand engine (CFM56), which emitted sparks. The crew shut the engine down, drifted down to FL190 and returned to Hyderabad. The aircraft entered a hold to burn off fuel and landed safely on runway 27L about 2.5 hours after departure. The airline reported an issue with one of the engines on climb after takeoff. https://avherald.com/h?article=51a20f1d&opt=0 Accident: Cargojet B763 at Cincinnati on Jun 17th 2024, panel fell off the aircraft A Cargojet Boeing 767-300, registration C-FCJU performing flight W8-1926 from Cincinnati,KY (USA) to Vancouver,BC (Canada), was climbing out of Cincinnati's runway 27 when the crew stopped the climb at FL250 reporting a panel fell off the aircraft, and decided to return to Cincinnati. During the descent the crew advised they were unable to use the speed brakes and requested a S-turn for descent instead. The aircraft subsequently performed an ILS approach to runway 18C and landed without further incident. The crew advised they were able to vacate normally and taxied to the DHL apron. The FAA told The Aviation Herald: "Cargojet Airways Flight 1926 returned safely to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport around 1:30 p.m. local time on Monday, June 17, after the crew reported a panel fell from the aircraft. The Boeing 767 was scheduled to fly to Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia. The FAA is investigating." The NTSB announced they have opened an investigation into the occurrence rated an accident. https://avherald.com/h?article=51a205a7&opt=0 Two crop dusters collide west of Arco airport, 1 pilot killed (Idaho) ARCO, Idaho (KIFI) — Two crop duster planes ( Air Tractor AT-802 and Air Tractor AT-502B) collided in mid-air on Thursday west of the Arco airport. Butte County Sheriff's Office said they got the report at 12:30 p.m. It happened near the intersection of 3600 West and US 26/93. One pilot was killed and the other pilot was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. Names of the pilots will not be released until next of kin have been notified. The NTSB and the FAA were notified and will be investigating, the sheriff's office reported. https://localnews8.com/news/2024/06/20/crop-dusters-collide-near-arco-airport/ 2 grenades confiscated at Pittsburgh airport checkpoint TSA has confirmed that its security officers stopped two passengers on Wednesday from smuggling grenades onto flights leaving Pittsburgh International Airport. TSA intercepted a “smoke grenade” from one traveler’s carry-on bag, TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said. A more iconic, circular grenade was discovered the same day at a security checkpoint at the airport. Farbstein said the passengers and incidents appear to be unrelated. The “smoke grenade,” if active, would have triggered clouds of thick yellow smoke. “Yellow is just not a good look,” Farbstein quipped Thursday on X, formerly Twitter. “And besides, you know that there’s no smoking on a plane!” In another tweet, she wrote: “Most people plan on having a blast on their trip, but this guy wasn’t thinking along those lines.” Farbstein, in all seriousness, said the federal agency she represents confiscates at least one grenade a day at U.S. airport checkpoints. “Grenades, live or inert, are not allowed on planes,” she told TribLive. “Fortunately, the vast majority of them are inert. That’s the good news.” Travelers continue to try to bring many firearms and associated weapons onto flights, Farbstein said. As of Thursday, TSA officers have confiscated 16 guns this year at the airport’s checkpoints. A Texas man was stopped last month from bringing his 9mm handgun through a security checkpoint at Pittsburgh International. “Nobody wants to wait in a checkpoint line because someone with a gun was careless and brought his gun with him,” Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s federal security director for the airport, said at the time. Last year, Pittsburgh International Airport set a record for the number of guns confiscated in a year — 44. The previous record was 35 guns, set in 2019. Passengers who bring firearms into an airport security checkpoint can face federal civil fines up to $10,000. Repeat offenders can be fined up to $13,910. Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in a hard-sided, locked case, Farbstein said. The case must be declared at an airline check-in counter. Last year, a record 6,737 firearms were caught at checkpoints nationwide. https://triblive.com/local/2-grenades-confiscated-at-pittsburgh-airport-checkpoint/ Gov't orders T'way Air to implement measures over repeated safety, delay issues (Korea) SEOUL, June 21 (Yonhap) -- The government on Friday ordered low-cost carrier T'way Air to come up with measures to address repeated safety and flight delay issues. The Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport said it has conducted a special inspection of T'way Air and has ordered the airline to implement safety measures by next month. The airline experienced four flight delay incidents last week alone, affecting hundreds of international passengers on flights between South Korea and overseas destinations, including Japan and Thailand, due to maintenance problems. Air safety authorities also plan to implement special safety management for T'way Air, which plans to soon launch four routes to Europe, and low-cost carrier Air Premia, which is expanding its long-haul routes, particularly to North America. T'way Air will begin flights to Rome, Paris, Barcelona and Frankfurt, Germany, later this year. Air Premia is scheduled to launch flights to Seattle and Honolulu next year. T'way will take over the European routes from domestic industry leader Korean Air Co. as part of conditions set by the European Union over Korean Air's envisioned merger with No. 2 player Asiana Airlines Inc. Further, the ministry plans to conduct a thorough investigation into the delay and cancellation incidents of T'way Air and Air Premia during the summer season and impose penalties, such as fines, if they fail to fulfill consumer protection obligation measures. The ministry noted that consumer dissatisfaction within the air travel industry has increased of late, and it plans to push for the enhancement of safety operations of the airline industry. A spokesperson of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has told Yonhap News Agency that the organization will be "ready to react appropriately" against possible flight delay and maintenance issues of the European operation of T'way Air. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240621007300320 Details of Aviation Lessor Settlements With Russia Over Trapped Planes Aircraft leasing firms have struck settlements with Russia totalling around $2.7 billion for over a quarter of the roughly 400 aircraft stuck in the country since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In return, international lessors handed ownership of the planes to state insurance company NSK, which transferred them to Russian airlines. Lessors have been suing dozens of insurers over losses of at least $8 billion over the trapped planes. Some of the world’s largest aircraft lessors faced off against their insurers in a Dublin courtroom last week at the start of a months-long battle over around 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion) of insurance claims related to the jets. A similar case is scheduled for London in October. Some cases are also due to be heard in U.S. states. Below are details of settlements reached between lessors and Russia. AERCAP Ireland-based AerCap, the world’s largest lessor, said in September 2023 it had received $645 million from NSK in a settlement over 17 jets and five spare engines leased to state-controlled airline Aeroflot and its subsidiary Rossiya. Sponsored by SIAA In December 2023, the lessor reached a second settlement worth $572 million over 47 aircraft and five spare engines leased to JSC Ural Airlines and JSC Siberia Airlines (S7). AerCap has sued insurers such as AIG and Lloyd’s of London for $3.5 billion over the loss of 116 aircraft and 23 aircraft engines in London’s High Court under its all-risks policy. AIRCASTLE ADVISOR Aircastle said in January 2024 it had received $43 million in a settlement relating to four aircraft formerly on lease to two Russian airlines. Aircastle filed a claim in New York against more than 30 insurers in October 2022 over nine aircraft and other equipment stranded in Russia. Aircastle said in 2022 it had booked $252 million in impairment losses for the jets. AIR LEASE Air Lease said in December 2023 it had received about $64.9 million in cash as part of an insurance claim settlement for four Airbus jets it had leased to S7 Airlines. The settlement does not include five other aircraft previously leased to S7. BOC AVIATION BOC Aviation received $219 million in October 2023 for nine aircraft leased to Aeroflot subsidiaries Pobeda and Rossiya and $50 million in December 2023 for three aircraft leased to S7, out of a total of five aircraft leased to S7, according to court documents presented at the Dublin trial, where BOC is suing insurers. Singapore-based BOC recognized an $804 million asset write-down in August 2022 relating to 17 aircraft in Russia. CDB AVIATION Irish-based lessor CDB Aviation, owned by the China Development Bank, said in October 2023 it had settled for 1.417 billion yuan ($195 million) over four planes and in December 2023 said it had settled for 145 million yuan for one plane. The first settlement was for planes leased to Aeroflot and the second for a plane leased to S7, according to Dublin court documents. CDB Aviation recognized a 747 million yuan asset write-down in August 2022 but said this was not the full value of the jets. DUBAI AEROSPACE Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) said in December 2023 it had received a cash settlement totalling around $118 million for seven aircraft previously leased to Aeroflot. It wrote off almost $600 million for 19 aircraft stuck in Russia in 2022. DAE and its subsidiary Falcon are suing 11 insurers for $900 million in London over 21 aircraft and equipment. GA TELESIS GA Telesis said in December 2023 it had received an insurance settlement for two planes previously leased to Rossiya. It did not provide financial details. SMBC AVIATION CAPITAL Irish-headquartered SMBC, owned by a consortium including Japan’s Sumitomo Corp. and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, said in October 2023 it had received a settlement of $710 million for 16 aircraft and their engines previously leased to Aeroflot. SMBC fund GAEL received $18 million in September 2023 for one aircraft leased to Aeroflot, according to Dublin court documents. SMBC also received $46 million in December 2023 for three aircraft leased to S7, out of a total of 10 aircraft leased to S7, according to the documents. SMBC recorded an impairment of $1.6 billion in 2022 to cover the full financial impact of having 34 jets stuck in Russia. ($1 = 0.9321 euros) ($1 = 7.2604 Chinese yuan renminbi) https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2024/06/21/780616.htm Aircraft lessor DAE sees China's COMAC breaking Airbus, Boeing duopoly DUBAI, June 21 (Reuters) - Chinese state-owned planemaker COMAC has the opportunity to break Airbus and Boeing's duopoly of the passenger jet market over the next decade, the chief of aircraft leasing company Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) told Reuters. Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab and Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab are the main suppliers of aircraft to airlines, but the European planemaker is struggling to boost production amid record orders and Boeing is under scrutiny from regulators after a mid-air panel blowout on a new plane in January. The narrow-body C919 jet, which is manufactured by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) and is pitted against Airbus' A320 and Boeing's 737 MAX, is a "perfectly fine aircraft", Firoz Tarapore said in a recent interview. "Over the next decade COMAC has a unique opportunity to break this duopoly into a triopoly because on the one hand Airbus is sold out, and Boeing is having production problems," he said in Dubai this month. COMAC's planes fly almost exclusively within China and with one Indonesian airline. The planemaker is pursuing certification with Europe's aviation regulator for its C919 jet while also looking for international customers. Aviation industry sources, however, caution that COMAC is a long way from making inroads internationally, especially without benchmark certifications from the United States or European Union, or more efficient planes. Tarapore said that the demand for aircraft from China and nearby countries is "extremely robust" and that COMAC has a "a very good chance of making a solid inroad". As global travel surged after the pandemic, airlines rushed to order new planes. But problems in the aerospace supply chain and aircraft maintenance industry, including labour shortages and engine issues, have resulted in delivery delays of new jets complicating airline growth plans and garnering COMAC attention. Airbus has said production slots for its popular A320 family of aircraft are sold out until the end of the decade. Boeing, on the other hand, is engulfed in a sprawling safety crisis. It faces investigations by U.S. regulators, possible prosecution over past actions and slumping production of its strongest-selling jet, the 737 MAX. Tarapore said he hopes Boeing will initiate structural and cultural change that results in the "production of high-quality aircraft at a rate that is in line with historical standards and consistent with what Boeing needs to produce to stay relevant". Problems at Boeing are slowing supplies for DAE, one of the world's top 10 lessors, with a 500-strong fleet of owned, managed or ordered aircraft. DAE has previously said it expects to receive only around half the number of aircraft from Boeing this year than the planemaker had committed to deliver. "In 30 years from now, I believe we will not be talking about a duopoly, we will definitely be an industry where COMAC plays a much more significant role," Tarapore said. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/aircraft-lessor-dae-sees-chinas-comac-breaking-airbus-boeing-duopoly-2024-06-21/ How Emirates pilots reduce fuel and emissions during operations Emirates has explained how its pilots reduce fuel and emissions during operations. Flying smarter and maintaining a strong focus on minimising fuel consumption and emissions starts in the cockpit. Emirates embarked on implementing “Green Operating Procedures” (‘Green Ops’) in 2016, taking a multi-pronged approach that looks for opportunities to reduce on-ground and in-flight fuel use, in addition to providing pilots with the necessary education, awareness, data analytics and technology to help them manage their flights as efficiently as possible. Led by an internal cross-functional Operations Efficiency Steering Group, the airline aims to mitigate unnecessary fuel burn and emissions wherever possible, while ensuring the highest safety standards embraced by Emirates are never compromised. In the last financial year 2023-2024, ‘Green Ops’ and other operating initiatives helped Emirates reduce fuel burn by more than 48,000 tonnes and carbon emissions by over 151,000 tonnes. Captain Hassan Al Hammadi, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President Flight Operations said: “We’re proud of the work done across the Flight Operations team, and the contributions of our pilots in significantly reducing fuel consumption and emissions. This could have only happened through collective discipline, commitment, and dedication to sustainable aviation practices in the cockpit, all while maintaining the highest levels of safety. We’ve equipped our pilot community with the latest tools and applications to monitor and review their flight performance, helping them to improve their awareness of how their flying techniques impact fuel consumption and emissions. We’ll continue to invest in cutting-edge technologies and accelerate solutions that yield long-term environmental benefits.” Here are some of the key operational measures taken in the air and on the ground wherever operationally feasible during each Emirates flight to reduce unnecessary fuel burn and emissions: Discretionary Extra Fuel The Commander of the flight bears the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that each flight uplifts a sufficient quantity of fuel for safe operations. Depending on the assessment of prevailing operational circumstances, the Captain may choose to uplift extra fuel beyond the minimum stipulated by regulatory standards. This initiative aims to encourage the Captain to uplift extra fuel based on well-founded judgment and legitimate operational needs. The goal is to furnish Captains with pertinent data and analysis, aiding them in making more informed and precise decisions regarding the uplift of extra fuel. With this initiative uplift of discretionary extra fuel has reduced significantly. Flight speed optimisation An aircraft’s speed directly impacts its fuel consumption and emissions. To accurately calculate the optimised speed for a flight, a number of considerations are made based on a thorough calculation that seeks to minimise total operating costs while maintaining adherence to departure and arrival schedules. Depending on prevailing operating conditions, pilots may have the opportunity to adjust speed to decrease fuel consumption without compromising the integrity of the flight schedule. This inflight speed management is an integral part of all Emirates’ pilot SOPs. Reduced flap landing Aircraft have the flexibility to land using a variety of flap configurations. Emirates pilots carefully assess and select the flap setting that minimises aerodynamic drag, reducing fuel consumption as a result. This decision is made without compromising safety and is adapted to different runway conditions. Idle reverse thrust As soon as the aircraft is on the ground, pilots have the option to use different levels of reverse thrust, providing backwards thrust to decelerate the aircraft. Based on prevailing conditions and runway length, Emirates pilots will prioritise the use of idle reverse thrust to reduce fuel consumption. Reduced engine taxi-in (RETI) During ground taxiing after landing, aircraft don't require power from all engines. Emirates pilots take advantage of every opportunity to engage in reduced engine taxiing by shutting down one or two engines (depending on the aircraft's engine configuration) upon landing. This practice is implemented without compromising safety or operational efficiency. Since it was introduced, the use of RETI has increased by almost seven fold. Optimised flight routings A pioneer and early adopter of flight planning efficiencies, Emirates has been using flexible flight routes since 2003. Working directly with air traffic control and other industry bodies across its network, the airline works hard to optimise each route flown between cities. Optimising routings enables Emirates to carry and use less fuel on flights, resulting in lower emissions. It also means time saved for customers. Technology and Innovation - Flight Pulse Emirates introduced FlightPulse (collaboratively developed with GE Digital Aviation Services), an extensive self-service data analytics tool to all its pilots, incorporating crucial elements of operational data and analytics pertaining to the safety and fuel efficiency performance of each flight. This tool has significantly transformed the monitoring of flight operations data. The rollout of FlightPulse has fostered improved collaboration between Flight Operations management and the pilot community at Emirates, ultimately enhancing safety and efficiency of flights. This initiative demonstrates the airline’s commitment to industry innovation through technology adoption to improve fuel efficiency. Centre of Gravity Optimisation The aircraft's centre of gravity (CG) significantly influences the safety and efficiency of a flight. Loading the aircraft at the optimised Centre of Gravity ensures proper weight and balance, increasing its aerodynamic efficiency which ultimately saves fuel. Emirates has a rigorous policy of loading aircraft to come as close as possible to the ideal trim line to minimise fuel burn. APU Usage One way Emirates reduces fuel consumption on ground is by minimising use of the aircraft auxiliary power unit (APU), instead using the electrical ground power unit (GPU) in order to reduce emissions. APU use has been reduced by more than 30% since this initiative was introduced. Adjusted potable water uplift Emirates uses an exacting scientific method of calculating potable water required for a flight to reduce weight for more efficient fuel uplift. Each flight uploads the required amount of potable water without compromising on passenger comfort. https://www.timesaerospace.aero/news/sustainability/how-emirates-pilots-reduce-fuel-and-emissions-during-operations CAE opens a brand-new Gulfstream business jet training center in Georgia Canadian simulator and training giant CAE has inaugurated a new facility in Savannah, Georgia, which will be dedicated to the training of Gulfstream executive jet pilots and technicians. The new training center is located close to Gulfstream’s HQ and production facility, and it has the capacity for as many as four full-flight simulators (FFS). The Savannah facility is the first executive aviation training center to be built exclusively for Gulfstream and CAE’s fifth in the United States, adding to those it already operates in New Jersey, Nevada, Texas and Florida. CAE also operates a sixth North American executive jet training center in its home city of Montreal. The new center officially opened on June 20, 2024, but one simulator, that for Gulfstream G550 aircraft, has actually been in operation since January 2024. A second simulator, for Gulfstream G280, is expected to become operational in July 2024. CAE will also offer a maintenance training program for Gulfstream G280, G650, and G500/G600 jets. In this regard, CAE has been pioneering the use of virtual reality tools, which reduces the need for real aircraft to be available during the training. Operators worldwide are currently stepping up efforts to train more pilots and technicians, as the industry is facing labor shortages. CAE expects that the executive jet industry will need 32,000 new pilots and 74,000 MRO technicians by the year 2032. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/cae-opens-a-brand-new-gulfstream-business-jet-training-center-in-georgia New law requires FAA to close loopholes that allow foreigners to anonymously register their planes Those loopholes were highlighted in a 2019 WFAA investigation that showed how easy it was for drug dealers, terrorists and other criminals to obscure ownership when DALLAS — A new law gives the Federal Aviation Administration six months to close loopholes that allow foreigners to anonymously register their planes. As a result, aircraft trusts and shell companies that register planes will be required to have more detailed and transparent record keeping. Those loopholes were highlighted in a 2019 WFAA investigation that showed how easy it was for drug dealers, terrorists and other criminals to obscure ownership when they register planes in the United States. “It’s a good first step,” said Ladd Sanger, a Dallas aviation attorney. “We need to identify the people, the breathing bodies that are behind these aircraft ownership in Mexico and around the world.” In 2020, a year after the WFAA initial story aired, The Government Accountability Office issued a report titled, “Aviation: FAA needs to better prevent, detect and respond to fraud and abuse risks in aircraft registration.” The GAO report made 15 recommendations. The Federal Aviation Administration agreed with the recommendations. But four years later, the recommendations had largely not been implemented. “The FAA is aware of this problem, but hasn't changed its registration process,” U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said during an April congressional hearing. Grassley sponsored legislation that requires the FAA to implement the GAO recommendations. This past May, Grassley’s bill was included as a provision in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. The legislation allowed $105 billion to fund the FAA through fiscal year 2028. Grassley spotlighted WFAA’s investigation in his report to Congress. By law, the FAA will have to collect information on every individual who registers a plane. They also are required to collect information on entities that own more than 25% of the aircraft. They’ll also have to verify the applicant and dealer’s eligibility to register a plane in the United States. “That’s really at the heart of what needs to be done here,” Sanger said. Additionally, the FAA will have to increase registration and dealer fees to ensure the fees cover the FAA’s costs to collect and verify applicant information while keeping pace with inflation. Currently, it only costs $5 to register a plane, along with a cost of $10 for a dealer’s aircraft registration certificate, and $2 for each additional certificate issued to the same dealer. WFAA’s February 2019 story revealed that there were more than 1,000 planes registered to two P.O. Boxes in Onalaska, Texas, a town of 3,000 people with no airport. It had more registered planes than big cities such as Seattle, San Diego, or New York City. The investigation found Onalaska was the epicenter of that legal loophole. The initial WFAA story spawned a federal investigation, shook up the aircraft trust industry, and disrupted drug smuggling in Latin America, thousands of miles away. The federal probe also led to the discovery of a Ponzi scheme involving hundreds of millions of dollars in fake plane deals. The 2023 federal trial that followed resulted in the conviction of Debra Mercer-Erwin, a well-known Oklahoma City businesswoman on drug smuggling charges. Mercer-Erwin owned Aircraft Guaranty Corp., the company that registered more than a thousand planes in Onalaska. She remains in federal custody awaiting sentencing. She faces up to life in prison. “Someone once told me that real change doesn't come from within, the change comes from the outside,” said Jesus Romero, a former intelligence official who testified at Mercer-Erwin’s trial. “My concern is, how are we going to enforce those changes?” Romero said. “The FAA doesn't have the resources to do that.” Romero served as chief of the Joint Interagency Task Force South in Guatemala, a multi-U.S. agency set up to detect and monitor drug trafficking. He also authored the book “Final Flight: Queen of Air,” which highlights Mercer-Erwin’s role in helping to facilitate the smuggling of hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States through Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. In his book, Romero called Mercer-Erwin “a major player” in “a transnational criminal organization associated with the Mexican Cartel.” Under the new law, the FAA has six months to act on the GAO recommendations. Then, the FAA is required to report to Congress on the agency’s progress. WFAA asked the FAA about the status of complying with the new law. The agency sent a one-line statement, saying, "We comply with Congressional mandates." “It's going to take teeth and enforcement and due diligence by the FAA,” Sanger said. “But at least there's a framework here, and the problem has been recognized.” https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/special-reports/onalaska/broken-trust-new-law-requires-faa-to-close-loopholes-that-allow-foreigners-to-anonymously-register-their-planes/287-27c1b734-4a67-4194-98f3-de904bff067b NTSB Releases Preliminary Reports On Two Airline Close Calls This week, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) published a pair of preliminary reports on “close calls” involving airliners at Hollywood Burbank Airport in California and JFK Airport in New York. Unusually, the California incident occurred more than a year ago in February 2023. But the preliminary report—usually posted within weeks of the incident—was delayed by the recent reclassification of the incident as a more serious “Class 3” event. The more recent near miss at JFK occurred on April 17, when a Swiss Air Airbus A330 crew aborted its takeoff from Runway 4L after spotting conflicting taxiing traffic on the runway. In that incident, one controller had cleared the Swiss Air flight for takeoff, while a ground controller had cleared four other airliners to cross the same runway. Unlike another incident last year at JFK, the Swiss Air Airbus did not trigger the Model X (aka ASDE-X) airport surveillance detection equipment since the aircraft did not attain the required acceleration and velocity levels to qualify as a “departure state.” But the alert crew spotted the crossing traffic and discontinued the takeoff. In the Feb. 22, 2023, incident at Hollywood-Burbank Airport, crews of both an inbound Mesa Airlines Bombardier CRJ900 and a SkyWest Embraer EMB-170 responded to traffic/collision alert system (TCAS) “resolution advisories,” averting a collision. According to this week’s “preliminary” report, at their closest point, the two aircraft were determined to be within 1,700 feet of each other. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/ntsb-releases-preliminary-reports-on-two-airline-close-calls/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS • (APTSC) Asia and Pacific Turboprop Safety Conference - June 26 - 27, 2024 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia • Airborne Public Safety Association, Inc. (APSCON 2024) - July 29 - August 3; Houston TX • Asia Pacific Summit for Aviation Safety (AP-SAS 2024), Aug. 13-15, Beijing, China. • 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 • Safeskies Australia Conference, Canberra Australia - 16th and 17th of October 2024 - www.safeskiesaustralia.org • 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