Flight Safety Information - June 25, 2024 No. 126 In This Issue : Incident: Star Flyer A320 at Kitakyushu on Jun 21st 2024, hydraulic failure : Incident: Maldivian A320 at Male on Jun 23rd 2024, engine compressor stall : Incident: Ajet B738 at Moscow on Jun 23rd 2024, failure of stabilizer trim : 2 men run over in Denver International Airport accidents; Safety director "alarmed" : American Airlines Boeing 737 struck by garbage truck in North Carolina : FAA wants industry input on use of AI in aviation safety : World’s best airline for 2024 named by Skytrax : easyJet to digitise onboard Aircraft Technical log to cut down on paper use and weight : Airbus adjusts aircraft delivery targets, reserves funds for satellite business amid supply chain issues : Qantas to buy 14 turboprop aircraft for regional fleet : CATL expects its batteries to power electric aircraft with up to 3,000 km range : Boeing is just too big to jail : UN aviation authority condemns North Korea GPS jamming near Incheon airport : CALENDAR OF EVENTS Incident: Star Flyer A320 at Kitakyushu on Jun 21st 2024, hydraulic failure A Star Flyer Airbus A320-200, registration JA05MC performing flight 7G-76 from Kitakyushu to Tokyo Haneda (Japan) with 146 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing out of Kitakyushu runway 18 when the crew stopped the climb at FL160 reporting a hydraulic failure. The aircraft returned to Kitakyushu for a safe landing on runway 18 and was towed off the runway. The flight was cancelled. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 5 hours, then departed for flight 7G-82. https://avherald.com/h?article=51a4d5cf&opt=0 Incident: Maldivian A320 at Male on Jun 23rd 2024, engine compressor stall A Maldivian Airbus A320-200, registration 8Q-IAN performing flight Q2-700 from Male (Maldives) to Thiruvananthapuram (India), was climbing out of Male's runway 18 when the right hand engine (CFM56) suffered a compressor stall prompting the crew to stop the climb at FL170 and return to Male for a safe landing on runway 18 about 25 minutes after departure. A replacement ATR-72-212A registration 8Q-IAZ reached Thiruvananthapuram with a delay of about 11 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Male about 33 hours later. https://avherald.com/h?article=51a4d317&opt=0 Incident: Ajet B738 at Moscow on Jun 23rd 2024, failure of stabilizer trim An Ajet Boeing 737-800 on behalf of THY Turkish Airlines, registration TC-JGU performing flight TK-3979 from Moscow Vnukovo (Russia) to Antalya (Turkey), was climbing out of Vnukovo when the crew stopped the climb at FL260 reporting they had a flight control problem subsequently clarifying they were unable to use the stabilizer trim associated with the inability to use autothrottle and autopilot. The aircraft returned to Vnukovo, burned off fuel and landed safely back about 2.5 hours after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground in Vnukovo for about 2.5 hours, then departed again and reached Antalya with a delay of about 6:15 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=51a4b75d&opt=0 2 men run over in Denver International Airport accidents; Safety director "alarmed" The top safety official at Denver International Airport said he's "alarmed" by two separate airfield incidents, nine months apart. Both incidents saw a man get hit by trucks as they were doing their jobs on the ground at the airport. "I don't think this is something we would expect," DIA Director of Airport Safety Travis Krabbenhoft told CBS News Colorado. "The airport has continued to grow. We see more and more traffic out there as we have more and more flights." The most recent incident occurred on May 20 as a "wing walker" for Southwest Airlines was directing a plane to push back. "Wing walker" refers to the ground crew staff who help marshall planes onto and off the runway and direct ground traffic at airports. Airport video from 9:30 p.m. that night shows the Southwest employee attempting to stop traffic on an airport road when the driver of a Southwest truck crashed into the wing walker. "It's a terrible accident," Krabbenhoft said. "Certainly things could have been done differently." The wing walker was transported to University Hospital. The vehicle driver was issued three violations and lost his privileges to drive on the airfield, according to Krabbenhoft, "for not driving in an appropriate way." According to a Denver Police report, the Southwest driver said "he did not see the wing walker." "Our teams looked into that incident and it was handled internally," Chris Perry, a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines, said. "We don't have anything additional to share." CBS News Colorado learned of a more serious airfield accident nine months earlier, on Aug. 21, 2023. In that early morning incident, an employee of Millstone Weber, a subcontractor, was driving a water truck as part of concrete work near runway 17L-35R when he ran over an employee of Sturgeon Electric, who was working on the project, according to an airport report. Neither Millstone Weber nor Sturgeon Electric have responded to messages from CBS News Colorado seeking comment. The Sturgeon employee was seriously injured and hospitalized. According to the airport's investigation of the incident, the Millstone Weber water truck driver may have been fatigued as he had been working "extended shifts" that had violated the company's "Fatigue Management Plan." According to the investigation, the driver was allowed to work as many as 14 hours a day during a six-day workweek. But records show he had been working as many as 17.5 hours per day; "a violation of Millstone Weber's Fatigue Management Plan," according to the after-action investigation. Those same records show the driver had worked 71 hours the week before the accident, and for two weeks in July, had worked 74 hours each week. Krabbenhoft said, "That system failed and we need to do something to make sure that's not continuing in the future." The airport's investigation showed for eight weeks before the accident, the water truck driver's hours had exceeded the allowable hours during five of the eight weeks. Krabbenhoft declined to say what, if any, penalties were being imposed on the contracting company, citing likely litigation. He said it was hard to compare DIA's airfield safety record to other airports since there is currently no centralized national database for these kinds of incidents. He said DIA would typically expect one or two such accidents per year. He went on to say anyone driving on the airfield undergoes driver training that exceeds FAA requirements. https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/2-men-run-over-denver-international-airport-accidents/ American Airlines Boeing 737 struck by garbage truck in North Carolina An American Airlines 737 was struck by a garbage truck while passengers were boarding the aircraft at Greensboro Piedmont Triad Airport. The Boeing 737-800 with registration N862NN was preparing to operate flight AA1716 bound for Dallas with 143 passengers and six crew members. However, while it was parked at gate 45, it was struck by the garbage truck. As a result, the B737 received damage to its left wing trailing edge. The collision caused the plane to shake, and a piece of the garbage truck was left wedged in the wing of the aircraft which was significantly damaged. All those on board disembarked safely and returned to the terminal. “During boarding of American Airlines flight 1716 from Greensboro, NC (GSO) to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), a vehicle made contact with the wing of the aircraft.” American Airlines spokesperson “All customers and crew members onboard deplaned and returned to the terminal, and the aircraft has been taken out of service for maintenance. We thank our team members for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience,” continued the statement. https://airlive.net/news/2024/06/23/american-airlines-boeing-737-struck-by-garbage-truck-in-north-carolina/#google_vignette FAA wants industry input on use of AI in aviation safety The agency is looking for information from industry on 11 different topics – including providing a capability statement – by July 2. WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wants to know what AI capabilities industry has in store that can help the agency improve aviation safety, according to a request for information (RFI) released last week, Cate Burgan writes for MeriTalk. Continue reading original article. The Military & Aerospace Electronics take: 25 June 2024 - The Federal Aviation Administration says it " envisions a new safety analytics system that will vastly expand and accelerate insights from current and additional sources of data and provide a comprehensive understanding of causal factors of safety events to help predict high-risk operations and environments. The end state will be built on commercially available analytics tools that are widely used by a substantial number of companies and organizations to make similar improvements to the safety of operations or to reduce mistakes in operations." More information about this information request is available at https://sam.gov/opp/3b64883ffbc34c38ae3f89a6142dc725/view. https://www.militaryaerospace.com/commercial-aerospace/article/55090819/faa-wants-industry-input-on-use-of-ai-in-aviation-safety World’s best airline for 2024 named by Skytrax If, however, we absolutely must, the way to make that experience the best it can possibly be is to fly with Qatar Airways. At least that’s the verdict from this year’s Skytrax Awards, which were announced Monday. For the eighth time in the 25-year history of the prestigious awards – known as the Oscars of commercial aviation – Qatar was named the World’s Best Airline, in recognition of the quality of service it offers passengers on its modern fleet. “This is a remarkable achievement for Qatar Airways to win this World’s Best Airline title for 2024, the eighth time they have triumphed,” Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted said in a statement to mark the award ceremony, which gathered airline execs and cabin crew in a manor house near London’s Heathrow Airport. “We congratulate Qatar Airways on this success which should be a source of great pride and satisfaction for the airline management and staff.” The Middle Eastern carrier has built a strong reputation over the past decade, helping Qatar’s award-winning Hamad International Airport establish itself as a global aviation hub to challenge regional rivals Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Qatar’s fleet of 230 airplanes ranges from its 10 much-loved A380 superjumbos, to Boeing 777-300ERs, Boeing 787-8s and 787-9s, Airbus A350-900s and A350-1000s, plus a range of smaller capacity jets. “This is a proud Qatar Airways moment and it is my honor to share this award with my hard working colleagues,” the airline’s CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said in a statement released by Skytrax. “This award is testimony to our relentless dedication to providing unparalleled service and innovation. We look forward to more wins in the future.” Close-run contest Saudia was named by Skytrax as winner of the World's Most Improved Airline award. Qatar’s victory meant second place for last year’s winner, Singapore Airlines, but only just. UK-based Skytrax said the votes, gathered from surveys of more than 21 million customers from 100 countries about 350 airlines, were the closest run since the awards began in 1999, requiring a recount. The rest of the top 10 was, once again, devoid of North American airlines, with Dubai’s Emirates airline in third, Japan’s ANA All Nippon Airways in fourth, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific in fifth, Japan Airlines in sixth, Turkish Airlines is seventh, Taiwan’s EVA Air in eighth, Air France in ninth and Swiss International Airlines in 10th. There were plenty of consolation prizes. Five-time winner Singapore picked up the prize for World’s Best Cabin Staff – an achievement senior VP, Tan Pee Teck, put down to the “unwavering dedication and professionalism” of its in-air teams. Singapore also won for Best First Class service and Best Airline in Asia. The world’s best airports for 2024, according to Skytrax ANA, meanwhile, picked up the accolade for World’s Best Airport Services, as well as Best Airline Staff Service in Asia. Saudia was named World’s Most Improved Airline, beating Taiwan’s Starlux and Iceland’s Play into second and third places. At the budget end of flying, AirAsia was once again crowned the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline – repeating an achievement it has made every year since 2010. Singapore’s Scoot was named the World’s Best Long Haul-Low Cost Airline. AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes said his airline’s unwavering success was thanks to the work of its “Allstars” cabin crew coupled with strong brand loyalty. “No other companies come to my mind in achieving such a winning streak, and we are very proud of it,” he said in a statement. We dedicate this award to all of our Allstars who work tirelessly to make today happen, and also to everyone who has remained loyal to us through the ups and downs AirAsia has experienced.” Still in Asia, Bangkok Airways picked up the World’s Best Regional Airline prize for the eighth consecutive year, while Vistara was named best India/South Asian carrier and Fiji Airways was Best Airline in the Australia/Pacific region. Ethiopian Airlines was named Africa’s best, for the sixth year in a row. Turkish Airlines was Europe’s best, airBaltic was Eastern Europe’s winner and Hainan Airlines was best in China. Delta Air Lines was declared the Best Airline in North America, also picking up the award for Best Airline Staff Service for the region. The post-Covid world of heightened germ awareness, the top 10 of the World’s Cleanest Airlines were mostly based in Asia. Cathay Pacific took the top spot, with ANA, EVA, Qatar and Singapore lining up next. The World’s Top 20 Airlines of 2024 1. Qatar Airways 2. Singapore Airlines 3. Emirates 4. ANA All Nippon Airways 5. Cathay Pacific 6. Japan Airlines 7. Turkish Airlines 8. EVA Air 9. Air France 10. Swiss International Air Lines 11. Korean Air 12. Hainan Airlines 13. British Airways 14. Fiji Airways 15. Iberia 16. Vistara 17. Virgin Atlantic 18. Lufthansa 19. Etihad Airways 20. Saudi Arabian Airlines The World’s Best Cabin Crew 2024 1. Singapore Airlines 2. ANA All Nippon Airways 3. Garuda Indonesia 4. EVA Air 5. Cathay Pacific Airways 6. Hainan Airlines 7. Japan Airlines 8. Thai Airways 9. Qatar Airways 10. Malaysia Airlines World’s Best Low-Cost Airlines 2024 1. AirAsia 2. Volotea 3. Flynas 4. Transavia France 5. Indigo 6. Vueling Airlines 7. airBaltic 8. Iberia Express 9. Ryanair 10. easyJet 11. flyDubai 12. Jet2.com 13. Eurowings 14. SKY Airline 15. JetSMART Airlines The World’s Best Regional Airlines 2024 1. Bangkok Airways 2. Aegean Airlines 3. Azerbaijan Airlines 4. Rex Airlines 5. Azul Brazilian Airlines 6. Virgin Australia 7. Royal Air Maroc 8. Porter Airlines 9. Alaska Airlines 10. Hong Kong Airlines The World’s Cleanest Airlines 2024 1 Cathay Pacific Airways 2 ANA All Nippon Airways 3 EVA Air 4 Qatar Airways 5 Singapore Airlines 6 Asiana Airlines 7 Hainan Airlines 8 Japan Airlines 9 China Airlines 10 Korean Air The full list of winners can be found on the Skytrax website https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/24/travel/worlds-best-airline-2024-skytrax/index.html easyJet to digitise onboard Aircraft Technical log to cut down on paper use and weight easyJet is replacing weighty Paper Technical and Cabin Logs previously used by cabin crew, engineers, ground crew and flight crew with the new e-techlog system, which will be rolled out across its 346-strong fleet of aircraft during 2025. The move represents another way the airline is trying to reduce its operational waste, with the transition expected to save more than 300,000 sheets of paper from being printed and stored every year. Additionally, the new e-techlog system will help streamline the maintenance reporting process for flight crew, cabin crew and engineering – enabling easyJet to increase line maintenance productivity in the process. Bolstered by real-time flight and cabin crew reports, the new system will in particular aid easyJet with fewer ground delays, lowering aircraft maintenance times to enable greater aircraft availability and ultimately less disruption for passengers. David Morgan, Chief Operating Officer at easyJet, said: “Rolling out Ultramain’s state-of-the-art technology across our fleet of aircraft will not only improve the reporting processes for our crew and engineering teams but will also see fewer delays on the ground, which will help further enhance the travel experience for our customers. “Our continued investment into innovative solutions like the e-techlog means we’ll not only find quicker solutions to defects but by cutting our paper use and the weight on the aircraft, we are also taking another small but important step to reduce our environmental impact too.” Speaking on the transition to digitised reporting, Mark McCausland, President and CEO of Ultramain Systems, added: “We are thrilled to welcome easyJet as our newest ULTRAMAIN ELB partner and user. By embracing a paperless process for their electronic technical and cabin logbook, easyJet has demonstrated a dedication to excellence and innovation. “Together, we are paving the way towards a more efficient future in aviation. We are excited to support easyJet as they transition to a more efficient, paperless operation.” Once fully rolled out, the e-techlog will be run through Ultramain’s software and will be installed on operational iPads accessible to easyJet personnel on the ground and in the air. This will enable both crew and engineers to raise and share maintenance issues, in real-time whilst on the ground, and in doing so give the engineers ample time to order new parts in advance, saving on-ground delays and operational downtime. Additionally, transitioning from pen and paper to a fully digitised process leaves no room for errors or misinterpretation as the software will enable engineers to identify the problem instantly as they board the aircraft thanks to the interactive cabin map feature included with the e-techlog. https://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/easyjet-to-digitise-onboard-aircraft-technical-log-to-cut-down-on-paper-use/ Airbus adjusts aircraft delivery targets, reserves funds for satellite business amid supply chain issues (MENAFN) On Monday, Airbus, the prominent European aerospace corporation, disclosed that it will deliver fewer aircraft in 2024 than originally anticipated, attributing this shortfall to persistent supply chain disruptions. Specifically, the company highlighted challenges in obtaining crucial components such as engines, airframes, and cabin equipment. Initially, Airbus had projected delivering 800 commercial aircraft in 2024, but this target has been revised down to 770. This adjustment marks a decrease of 30 units from the initial forecast and reflects ongoing supply chain difficulties that have plagued the industry. Last year, Airbus managed to deliver 735 commercial aircraft, and the anticipated increase to 800 deliveries for 2024 was seen as a significant goal. The delivery of aircraft is a critical financial milestone for Airbus, as the company receives payments upon the successful delivery of planes to customers. Therefore, any reduction in the number of deliveries can have substantial financial implications. In addition to revising its delivery targets, Airbus announced a financial measure concerning its satellite division. The Space Systems Management Team has conducted a comprehensive review of all its programs, leading to the decision to reserve a fee of €900 million ($965 million) from the profits of the first half of the year. This substantial reservation underscores the challenges and financial considerations within the satellite business segment, indicating a cautious approach to managing and allocating resources amid a turbulent supply environment. Overall, these announcements from Airbus underscore the multifaceted challenges the company faces in maintaining its production and delivery schedules, as well as managing its diverse business operations in the aerospace sector. https://menafn.com/1108369455/Airbus-adjusts-aircraft-delivery-targets-reserves-funds-for-satellite-business-amid-supply-chain-issues Qantas to buy 14 turboprop aircraft for regional fleet The news: Qantas will buy 14 DeHavilland Dash 8 turboprop aircraft for its regional QantasLink fleet as it phases out 19 smaller Q200 and Q300 turboprop planes. The numbers: Qantas did not disclose the cost for the new aircraft but said the majority of the investment would be within the FY25 net capex guidance of $3.7 billion to $3.9 billion, with the remaining spread into FY26. The first aircraft will join the QantasLink fleet by the end of 2024. The context: Qantas said the Q400 aircraft are over 30% faster than the Q200 and Q300 aircraft, saving customers time travelling to and from regional destinations, with the younger fleet also likely to improve operational reliability. The investment will bring the number of Q400 aircraft in the fleet to 45, with no material change to QantasLink’s overall turboprop capacity at the completion of the fleet changes. The investment comes as the Qantas Group progresses its broader jet fleet renewal program, with QantasLink’s third Airbus A220 aircraft to be delivered in the coming weeks. The source: ASX https://www.capitalbrief.com/briefing/qantas-to-buy-14-turboprop-aircraft-for-regional-fleet-d74b18c0-1895-4096-ab1e-4221e0c8a575/ CATL expects its batteries to power electric aircraft with up to 3,000 km range CATL has successfully test flown a 4-ton civil electric aircraft and expects to release an 8-ton electric aircraft in 2027-2028. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL, SHE: 300750) has made progress in its electric manned aircraft partnership project, which is expected to support a range of about 2,000 to 3,000 kilometers by 2027-2028, the battery maker's chairman Robin Zeng said. Zeng made the remarks at the 15th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, which kicked off Tuesday in Dalian, in China's northeastern Liaoning province, the first time the company has revealed information about the range of its electric aircraft, according to a report in China Daily. The company has successfully test-flown a 4-ton civil electric aircraft and expects to release an 8-ton civil electric aircraft in 2027 to 2028, Zeng said. The 8-ton aircraft can support a range of about 2,000 to 3,000 kilometers, Zeng said. CATL's electric aircraft project uses Condensed Battery, which has an energy density of up to 500 Wh/kg in a single cell, twice the energy density of current mainstream EV batteries, the China Daily report noted. The Chinese battery maker unveiled the Condensed Battery in April 2023, saying at the time that the battery was expected to be used in the electric airplane sector. CATL was conducting collaborative development of civil electric manned projects and implementing aviation-grade standards in the process to meet aviation-grade safety and quality requirements, its chief scientist, Wu Kai, said on April 19, 2023 at the Shanghai auto show. The Condensed Battery will also be able to be used in electric vehicles and would be ready for mass production within 2023, Wu said at the time. CATL's efforts to build electric airplanes are being conducted with China's state-owned aircraft maker Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, and the two formed a joint venture in July 2023. The company's exploration of electric aircraft started with smaller planes, ranging from 1-ton to 8.8-ton, Zeng said at the BEYOND International Science and Technology Innovation Expo on May 22 in Macau. CATL was already test-flying 4-ton aircraft, but reaching a commercial level will require success with aircraft in the 8-ton class and above, Zeng said at the time. The company still needed to continue working on the product, which was expected to be launched in 2027 and 2028, according to Zeng. CATL, BYD working on even faster 6C charging tech, report says https://cnevpost.com/2024/06/25/catl-batteries-to-power-electric-aircraft-3000-km/ Boeing is just too big to jail NEW YORK, June 24 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Justice isn’t always blind. When it comes to levying punishments on powerful companies, the challenge is to inflict enough pain that bad behavior is deterred, but not so much that it creates unintended suffering elsewhere. Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab, an American icon in a heap of trouble, exemplifies that quandary. Prosecutors are recommending that the Department of Justice bring criminal charges against the $104 billion aviation company, according to sources cited by Reuters, for breaching the terms of its deferred prosecution agreement. After two crashes killed 346 people, Boeing agreed in 2021 to a three-year settlement, opens new tab that shielded it from criminal prosecution, but in which it admitted former employees had misled regulators, pledged to do better, and paid $2.5 billion. The government says Boeing has failed to live up to its side of the bargain. Boeing disagrees. There’s a problem, though. Boeing is a national champion with a big economic footprint, and that could limit the amount of pain the government is able to inflict. For example, commercial aviation is essentially a duopoly shared between Boeing and its European rival Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab. It’s also the nation’s single largest exporter, with over $30 billion of foreign revenue in 2023. And what hurts the U.S. aircraft-maker also hurts numerous small subcontractors who supply Boeing planes’ parts. Customers like Southwest Airlines (LUV.N), opens new tab, already reeling from delayed jet deliveries, might see their problems worsen. One of the biggest threats of a prosecution for a company like Boeing – debarment from government contracts – is also hard to enforce. Consolidation has already left too little competition in the sector, and over a third of the company’s $78 billion of revenue last year came from government contracts. Past guilty pleas, opens new tab by Boeing, including for felonies, opens new tab, did not stop the company from quickly getting back on the government-contract gravy train. In 2003, for example, the Air Force suspended some of the company’s units from winning work, but granted two waivers to the Boeing units for space and rocket contracts. Then there are fines. Those hurt, but not much for a company that has already lost around $100 billion of market capitalization in the past five years. Boeing could find itself subject to more mundane punishments, like the appointment of “monitors” who sit in the companies’ offices and report back to regulators, something imposed on banks in the past for money-laundering slips, for example. Such scrutiny might have an effect, since the company, and its outgoing CEO Dave Calhoun, haven’t been able to fix various self-inflicted problems. Prosecutors will hope so anyway. Boeing should face criminal charges for breaching the terms of a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement, U.S. prosecutors have recommended to the Department of Justice, according to two Reuters sources. Under the 2021 deal, the DOJ agreed not to prosecute Boeing for allegedly defrauding the Federal Aviation Administration. In return, Boeing admitted former employees misled regulators about aspects of the 737 MAX line of planes that was involved in two fatal crashes, agreed to reform its compliance programs, pledged to inform the government regularly of its progress, and paid a $2.5 billion settlement. In May, the DOJ said Boeing had failed to “design, implement and enforce a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of the U.S. fraud laws throughout its operations." The government said it would inform the court by July 7 whether it intended to proceed. https://www.reuters.com/breakingviews/boeing-is-just-too-big-jail-2024-06-24/ UN aviation authority condemns North Korea GPS jamming near Incheon airport ICAO warns DPRK to prevent recurrence, as Seoul accuses Pyongyang of endangering aircraft through signal disruptions UN aviation authority condemns North Korea GPS jamming near Incheon airport The U.N. aviation authority has sent a warning to North Korea over its jamming of GPS signals near the inter-Korean border this year, after Seoul accused the DPRK of endangering hundreds of civilian aircraft. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted a resolution last week condemning the GPS jamming by North Korea between May 29 and June 2, according to a press release by South Korea’s foreign ministry. “This marks the first instance where the ICAO explicitly identified North Korea as the perpetrator of GPS signal disruptions,” the ministry stated, noting that the ICAO previously addressed such jamming in 2012 and 2016 but did not “explicitly” name the DPRK at the time. Under the resolution, the ICAO agreed to notify Pyongyang of its decision urging measures to prevent recurrence, according to the press release. North Korea jammed GPS signals near the inter-Korean maritime border in the Yellow Sea for several days from late May. South Korea’s biggest airport, Incheon International Airport, is located not far from the border on an island in the Yellow Sea, and the foreign ministry’s press release alleged that the DPRK’s signal jamming affected “500 civilian aircraft from 20 countries.” Retired commercial pilot and aviation consultant Ed Condit told NK News that GPS jamming not only affects ship navigation but can also cause problems for pilots flying aircraft around the Korean Peninsula. If aircraft don’t have alternative navigation systems on board, interruptions caused by GPS jamming “would be critical,” forcing crews to “abandon their approach or divert,” he said. However, most modern airliners have alternative navigation systems available, the expert said, though these are “less precise.” Condit noted that GPS jamming is becoming more prolific, especially around conflict zones, leading flight crews to train more extensively on using alternative or “old school” navigational methods. When aircraft experience difficulties due to DPRK jamming, Condit said Incheon International Airport’s air traffic control tower radar coverage would likely “immediately identify any aircraft going off course while utilizing GPS navigation.” In such cases, the aircraft crew should “alert air traffic control of the issue and report they are on backup navigation.” The U.S. and South Korean forces held joint space operation drills in April in which they trained to conduct strikes in response to North Korean GPS jamming attacks. While the ICAO resolution marks the first time it has condemned North Korea for disrupting GPS signals, the aviation authority has repeatedly denounced DPRK missile launches as “a serious risk” to international air traffic. Pyongyang has dismissed these concerns, stating in 2022 that its test launches are “conducted with full consideration in advance into the safety of civil aircraft in international flights” and that they don’t “pose any threat or harm to the safety of civil aviation.” While North Korea typically provides advance notice of planned space launches, it does not do this for its tests of various weapons systems, including ballistic missile launches that overfly Japan. https://www.nknews.org/2024/06/un-aviation-authority-condemns-north-korea-gps-jamming-near-incheon-airport/ 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