Flight Safety Information - July 31, 2024 No. 152 In This Issue : Incident: Wideroe DH8A near Hammerfest on Jul 28th 2024, cracked windshield : Incident: Gol B38M at Belem on Jul 21st 2024, tail scrape on departure : Accident: Marabu A320 at Munich on Jun 27th 2024, tail strike on landing : A panel that blew off a Boeing jet will get star billing during a Washington hearing : Runway incursions on the rise : Boeing’s KC-46 has a new top-tier deficiency : Hobby Airport ground stop lifted after 2.5 hours due to emergency runway repair : Aviation Minister Grounds Arik Air Operations, AMCON Reacts (Nigeria) : Crashes and collisions dominate $15bn of aviation insurance claims: Allianz : Copa Airlines says Venezuela to suspend flights to and from Panama : Airbus Delivered 323 Airplanes in H1 2024 : JetBlue to phase out its smallest jet next year — but delay delivery of 44 new aircraft : China Eastern Airlines Receives 7th C919 Aircraft : Calendar of Events Incident: Wideroe DH8A near Hammerfest on Jul 28th 2024, cracked windshield A Wideroe de Havilland Dash 8-100, registration LN-WIP performing flight WF-910 from Tromso to Honningsvag (Norway) with 21 passengers and 3 crew, was enroute at FL230 near Hammerfest when a crack developed in the windshield prompting the crew to divert to Hammerfest for a safe landing on runway 05 about 15 minutes later. The aircraft remained on the ground in Hammerfest for about 30 hours, then positioned to Tromso, where the aircraft is still on the ground about 24 hours after landing in Tromso. https://avherald.com/h?article=51bc8c50&opt=0 Incident: Gol B38M at Belem on Jul 21st 2024, tail scrape on departure A Gol Transportes Aereos Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration PS-GPP performing flight G3-9062 from Belem,PA to Santarem,PA (Brazil), departed Belem's runway 06, the aircraft's tail however touched the runway surface on departure. The aircraft stopped the climb at about 2500 feet and entered a hold at 2000 feet. The aircraft subsequently landed back on runway 06 about 22 minutes after departure. Brazil's CENIPA reported the aircraft sustained minor damage. The aircraft resumed service about 27 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=51bc81b5&opt=0 Accident: Marabu A320 at Munich on Jun 27th 2024, tail strike on landing A Marabu Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration ES-MBC performing flight DI-6023 from Hurghada (Egypt) to Munich (Germany) with 167 passengers and 6 crew, landed on Munich's runway 26L but struck its tail onto the runway surface. The aircraft rolled out without further incident and taxied to the apron. The aircraft was unable to continue its schedule and remained on the ground in Munich until Jul 23rd 2024, when the aircraft positioned to Sofia (Bulgaria) maintaining a maximum FL110 enroute for repairs. Germany's BFU reported the rear of the fuselage touched the runway during landing, the aircraft sustained substantial damage, the occurrence was rated an accident and is being investigated by the BFU. On Jul 30th 2024 the airline reported that none of the 167 passengers and crew were injured. https://avherald.com/h?article=51b9ed79&opt=0 A panel that blew off a Boeing jet will get star billing during a Washington hearing A panel that blew off a Boeing 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight was displayed for the media Tuesday at the National Transportation Safety Board’s laboratory in Washington, D.C., and will be a key part of a two-day investigative hearing set for next week. Federal investigators have been examining the mid exit door plug since not long after it blew off during a Jan. 5 flight, when the plane was at 16,000 feet and climbing toward cruise altitude. It was discovered in the backyard of a home near Portland, Oregon. A preliminary report from the NTSB said that four bolts used to help secure the part to the jetliner were missing when the plane rolled out of a Boeing factory near Seattle, before it was delivered to Alaska Airlines. Door plugs are panels that seal holes left for extra doors when the number of seats is not enough to trigger a requirement for more emergency-evacuation exits. From inside the plane, they look like a regular window. They are only intended to be opened for maintenance and inspections. The one on the Alaska Airlines plane was installed at a Spirit AeroSystems plant in Wichita, Kansas, but was removed at the Boeing plant so workers could fix damaged rivets. The NTSB says it will use information from the hearing on Tuesday and Wednesday to complete its investigation of the blowout and make safety recommendations. https://apnews.com/article/boeing-alaska-airlines-door-plug-blowout-3b0bff9d5becb9124f402e545c94fd23 Runway incursions on the rise Allianz Commercial experts identify risks and claims in the aviation sector in our latest insurance outlook. Runway incursion incidents, such as taking off or landing without clearance, are among the most persistent threats to aviation safety, given the consequences of a collision. In the US, over the last decade the rate per one million takeoffs and landings rose from 25 to over 30. With airports becoming even busier – global air passenger volume is expected to hit an all-time high in 2024 (+10.4% year-on-year) – there is increasing scrutiny on what is being done to manage the risks. Contributing factors include weather-related factors such as low visibility; airport-related factors such as congestion; Air Traffic Control (ATC)-related factors such as incorrect or inadequate clearance; or crew-related factors such as improper knowledge of signals and signs. Ensuring good communication between crew and ATC during taxi is crucial to reduce the chances of an incident occurring. Crews also need to ensure they have a proper knowledge of airport surface markings, lights, and signs. Technology also has an important role to play in supporting crews and ATC. https://commercial.allianz.com/news-and-insights/expert-risk-articles/runway-incursions.html Boeing’s KC-46 has a new top-tier deficiency DAYTON, Ohio — The Air Force and Boeing identified a new KC-46 deficiency this spring that’s causing damage to the tanker’s air system ducts — adding to the aircraft’s running list of unresolved, high-risk design flaws. The latest deficiency, designated a Category 1 issue based on the degree of risk and operational restrictions it imposes on the aircraft or its operator, involves a faulty fuel pump. Boeing, the company building the tanker, noticed this spring that vibrations from a KC-46 fuel pump were damaging air ducts in its bleed air system. Kevin Stamey, the Air Force’s program executive officer for mobility and training aircraft, told reporters Tuesday Boeing has worked quickly to repair damaged ducts and the program is currently testing a workaround for the issue. A longer-term design fix is likely, he added, noting that the deficiency may soon be downgraded to a lower category because of these measures. “We potentially have a path to downgrade that as we work toward a permanent fix,” he said during a media briefing at the Air Force’s Life Cycle Industry Day conference in Dayton, Ohio. “The mitigation is designed to minimize the damage caused by the vibration.” The Air Force and Boeing are in varying stages of resolving seven Category 1 deficiencies. Col. David Hall, senior materiel leader for the program, said during the same briefing that three of those are close to a resolution. Among the more high-profile issues involves the tanker’s remote vision system, or RVS — a camera system that tanker operators use to a refuel a receiver aircraft. After years of delay and rework, the Air Force in 2022 approved a redesign of Boeing’s design, dubbed RVS 2.0, that addresses image distortion and shadowing issues in the previous version. RVS 2.0 was supposed to be delivered this year, but that timeline has since shifted to 2026. Stamey said a recent schedule risk assessment indicates that spring of that year is the target for that delivery. Boeing is also redesigning the tanker’s boom actuator, which is required to ensure it can safely fuel the A-10. Stamey said the company has completed prototype hardware for the fix and began lab testing it in May. Per its development contract with the Air Force, Boeing must pay to fix most of the Category 1 deficiencies discovered before the program’s initial operational test and evaluation concludes. The company has racked up more than $7 billion in charges due to KC-46 design and manufacturing problems. Asked whether the service is concerned the company’s development issues portend later future production challenges, Stamey was optimistic about Boeing’s quality management efforts. “To their credit, they lean forward when they have a quality escape,” he said. “They’ve added inspectors on the line and they’re very sensitive to it.” https://www.defensenews.com/air/2024/07/30/boeings-kc-46-has-a-new-top-tier-deficiency/ Hobby Airport ground stop lifted after 2.5 hours due to emergency runway repair Hobby ground stop could last at least 2-4 hours amid runway closure It could be until late Tuesday night before flights can land or take off from Hobby Airport after a runway closure. HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Hobby Airport's temporary ground stop, which at one point was estimated to last two to four hours, was actually lifted earlier than first thought. The aviation hub on the city's southeast side reported on social media about the Runway 13R/31L closure at about 4 p.m. The airport halted all flights from arriving or departing and urged passengers to check with their airline for the status of their flights. Tammy Rose in SkyEye flew above one runway, noticing an airport officer next to a "breakage" in the pavement of the only operating runway. Rose later reported that Hobby's tower crew informed her that the closure could take at least two to four hours, with an estimated reopening between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Flights were being diverted to other airports like Corpus Christi, Austin, and Bush Intercontinental. In a follow-up report during Eyewitness News at 6:30 p.m., Rose reported that the closure could be lifted earlier. ABC13's Lileana Pearson also noted from inside the terminal that boarding announcements were being made, indicating an imminent return to normal operations. By 6:40 p.m., the airport tower informed SkyEye that the stop was lifted. Officials elaborated that no flights were canceled due to the fix. https://abc13.com/post/hobby-airport-ground-stop-runway-maintenance-southwest-airlines/15123528/ Aviation Minister Grounds Arik Air Operations, AMCON Reacts (Nigeria) The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered that the operations of Arik Air should be grounded. The Minister or the Ministry of Aviation has not issued any statement to explain why that directive was given but inside source indicated that the action was not unconnected to legal issues. Recently Abuja Court had ordered sale of Arik Air’s aircraft to offset debts owed Arthur Eze and others by the airline. The Court issued a significant judgment ordering the sale of aircraft, hangar and movable assets belonging to Arik Air Limited. The Court specifically ordered the sale of aircraft bearing registration numbers B737-700/5N-MJF; B737-0–/5N-MJQ; Dash 8-Q400, 5N-BKK. Reacting to the order of the Minister, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) which is currently managing the airline under receivership, issued a statement signed by Chief Executive Officer, Captain Roy Ilegbodu, stating that the management of the airline under receivership was dismayed by the directive to ground its operations by the Minister. “The management of Arik Air (In Receivership) is dismayed by the sudden order issued by the Honourable Minister of Aviation to ground our Aircraft. This decision, made without warning or consultation, has serious repercussions for our valued passengers, dedicated employees, and the broader Nigerian economy. “Our priority has always been to connect people and facilitate commerce, especially on critical domestic routes. The grounding of our fleet disrupts these vital services, leaving passengers stranded and inflating already high travel costs. This decision hurts everyday Nigerians who rely on our flights for business, family, and essential activities. The decision also disregards ongoing judicial processes,” the airline said. It also recalled that on February 26, 2016, a judgment was made in favor of Atlas Petroleum International Limited and Engineer Arthur Eze. However, there is an ongoing case in the Federal High Court, where Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) is asserting its secured interest in Arik’s assets. “Despite this, a writ of attachment was issued on July 18, 2024, targeting our Aircraft, subsequent to which, further to an originating motion filed by AMCON, the High Court of the FCT on July 25, 2024 clearly instructed all parties to maintain status quo. We therefore are perplexed as to the grounding of our fleet, which is an overreach of the ongoing judicial processes and directives of court. “We believe this action undermines the rule of law and sets a dangerous precedent, prioritizing unsecured private interests over the public good and the rights of secured creditors. We are committed to following the legal process and have full faith in the judiciary to resolve these matters fairly. “Arik has always been a proud partner in Nigeria’s growth, providing reliable and safe air travel. We urge the authorities to reconsider this decision, lift the grounding order, and allow us to continue serving the public and supporting the economy. We stand with our passengers and employees during this challenging time and are working tirelessly to resolve this situation. Your support and understanding are greatly appreciated. “We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused to our esteemed passengers,” the statement also said. THISDAY learnt that the money, which was borrowed under the management of the founder of the airline, was not serviced by AMCON because the government agency claims it only pays creditors. https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2024/07/30/breaking-aviation-minister-grounds-arik-air-operations-amcon-reacts/#google_vignette Crashes and collisions dominate $15bn of aviation insurance claims: Allianz • Analysis of 32,000 industry claims over five years shows such incidents account for over half the value of all claims (63%) and a third by number • Growing aviation sector will see gross written insurance premiums (GWP) hit a 20-year high in 2024 of more than US$8bn • Significant increase in aircraft repair costs and growing shortage of mechanics impact future claims activity. ‘Air rage’ claims plummet • Sustainability still a major challenge for the industry, but new compliance may enhance the green transformation Covid-19, the energy crisis, Russia’s war - to say that the aviation industry, and its insurers, have had to face significant challenges in recent years is an understatement. However, aviation has rebounded well from these difficulties with several 2023 parameters showing "best ever" safety results. This year, the volume of global air passengers is expected to hit an all-time high (+10.4% year-on-year), driven by Asia-Pacific and North America. While the general outlook for the industry is positive, there are still lots of challenges to tackle, according to Allianz Commercial’s Aviation Risk, Claims and Insurance Outlook. The aviation sector produces some of the highest value and high-profile claims across the corporate insurance sector around the world, the report notes. Analysis of more than 32,000 industry claims from 2019 - 2024 with a total value of US$15bn (€14bn) shows that collision or crash incidents (63%) and faulty workmanship or defective products (22%) are accountable for 85% of the value. Other incidents like natural catastrophes (4%), machinery breakdown (3%) or fire (1%) account for a much smaller proportion of claims by value. “The aviation market is in an interesting and possibly unprecedented place with the traditional market cycle having been interrupted by the impact of the pandemic and wars. The continual growth of the aviation sector will see premiums hit a 20-year high in 2024 of more than US$8bn”, says Tom Fadden, Global Head of Aviation at Allianz Commercial. “We see a growing interest in multinational insurance, and more enquiries for international insurance placements for entire programs across lines of business, driven by increasing geopolitical and regulatory concerns and a desire from clients for a highly managed insurance structure. Yet dark clouds continue to hover for insurers with well-publicized losses and inflation pressurizing bottom lines.” Soaring repair costs, lack of mechanics, runway, and ground incidents an increasing issue There has been a significant increase in aircraft repair costs in recent years, driven by higher labor rates, and the cost of aircraft parts, among other factors, such as inflation. The shift to next generation aircraft continues to impact claims, especially when it comes to engine disassembly and repair costs. Furthermore, a growing shortage of aircraft mechanics may impact future claims activity. It may take longer to complete repairs if vendors lack manpower, or efficiency. More "less experienced" mechanics on the line could mean they do not have the ability to repair a part, meaning it will need to be replaced with a new one, which typically is more costly. An obvious concern is the shortfall ultimately leads to an accident, despite the systems of checks and balances in place in the industry. “One also cannot ignore the fact that runway excursions are trending higher in 2024 than in 2023, with at least 23 reported globally through January to May 2024. Causes include weather issues and technical problems,” says Cristina Schoen, Global Head of Aviation Claims, Allianz Commercial. “There has also been a noticeable rise in ground handling claims at large airports worldwide. Elsewhere, while ‘air rage’ claims have plummeted since the pandemic, we see an increase in damage claims resulting from the growing demand for helicopter trips and getaways.” SAF and eVTOL aircraft takeoff but compliance is the main lever to reach Net Zero targets Aviation contributes around 2% of global emissions and is focused on its sustainability efforts, pledging to reach Net Zero by 2050. The lack of a silver bullet solution for decarbonization should not take away from the exciting developments underway. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) continues to attract a lot of attention with mandatory targets starting to be implemented. Improvements on existing technology continue to advance apace, as do innovations. The market for eco-friendly electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which can transport passengers or cargo, is set to grow significantly in the future – the first insurance coverages for operational uses are likely to be placed this year. Yet one unheralded development that could force as greater accountability as any technological advancement is the development and subsequent implications of the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and similar regulations worldwide. They require companies to disclose comprehensive information on their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance and impact. “Standardized reporting may foster investor and stakeholder confidence in the industry and the best performing companies, demonstrating industry leadership in decarbonization. Most importantly, it should improve sustainability practices across the sector. Companies will be forced into engaging with the topic by such accountability. Investment will surely follow engagement,” says Adam Tozzi, Head of Underwriting Global Tasks and Processes, Aviation, at Allianz Commercial. “Allianz has all the fiscal sophistication and disciplined balance sheet protection that you would expect of a global insurer that has been offering financial strength and support to our aviation customers for over a century,” concludes Fadden. “As the 110th anniversary of the issuance of our first ever aviation insurance policy approaches, we continue to be laser focused on volatility management, risk selection, detailed sub-segment steering and being a stable and long-term partner to our clients.” https://commercial.allianz.com/news-and-insights/news/aviation-trends-2024.html Copa Airlines says Venezuela to suspend flights to and from Panama PANAMA CITY, July 30 (Reuters) - Copa Airlines said on Tuesday that Venezuela has decided to temporarily suspend all commercial flights between Panama and Venezuela beginning on Wednesday evening. The Panamanian airline said the suspension will start at 8:00 p.m. Venezuelan time, and apologized to its clients for any inconvenience caused by the decision. Venezuela's transportation ministry had said in a statement that it will suspend flights from and to Panama and also the Dominican Republic temporarily due to their government's interference in Venezuelan affairs. The transportation ministry claimed the decision was taken "under the presumption of the use of civil aviation for purposes not compatible with safety principles." Panama and the Dominican Republic were among the countries that have asked for a complete review, involving independent observers, of Sunday's presidential election in Venezuela. Venezuela announced on Monday it would withdraw its diplomatic personnel from seven countries in Latin America, including Panama and the Dominican Republic. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/copa-airlines-says-venezuela-suspend-flights-panama-2024-07-30/ Airbus Delivered 323 Airplanes in H1 2024 ‍DALLAS — Airbus made public today its Half-Year results for the year 2024, which show a fairly consistent and powerful position in the middle of a historic crisis in commercial aviation due to the enormous shortage of raw materials to produce aircraft. The European manufacturer revealed that, since January, it has delivered up to 323 aircraft to customers worldwide, the highest number since 2019. The last plane presumably included in this group is the first Airbus A220-300 unit delivered to Croatia Airlines, which landed in Zagreb on July 29 from Mirabel (YMX) in Canada. In terms of orders received, Airbus collected 327 aircraft units during the first half of 2024, which is enormously below the previous year’s results (1,080 aircraft). The central figure behind this massive difference is the rapidly growing Indian market. At the Paris Air Show 2023, IndiGo (6E) placed the biggest-ever Airbus order in history for 500 A320neo family jets. Pending approval from the FAA, the A321XLR is already certified to fly within Europe but is yet to be transatlantic to North America. Photo: Adrian Nowakowski/Airways As If the Raw Material Shortages Never Happened Of the 323 aircraft delivered during the first six months of 2024, the A320 family, with 261 airframes, was the plane customers most repeatedly received from Airbus. This statistic will grow positively as the European manufacturer boosts production by opening a new final assembly line in Toulouse (TLS). The raw materials crisis inside Airbus has yet to affect orders or deliveries. Since 2021, the company has kept very consistent in its statistics, with natural slight growths as the market develops over time. Still, predictions indicate that a productivity downfall will eventually happen, as the Russia-Ukraine war has severely limited access to resources to build new planes. The previously mentioned 6E would reportedly not see any A320neo from its latest largest order in any of its hubs until at least 2030, and the last plane would not arrive until 2035 at the earliest. One of the key players in Airbus's consistency of production, at least for now, is the finalization of the Beluga XL fleet upgrade. The last unit ever produced by the manufacturer made its commercial debut in June 2024, growing the fleet to six XLs. In financial terms, Airbus reported revenues of €28.8 billion, a 3.8% increase from last year. https://www.airwaysmag.com/new-post/airbus-delivered-323-airplanes-h1-2024 JetBlue to phase out its smallest jet next year — but delay delivery of 44 new aircraft The New York-based carrier now plans to phase out the final two dozen or so Embraer E190 jets in its fleet by the end of 2025, executives confirmed Tuesday. The news comes despite revelations that JetBlue will actually lean more heavily on the rest of its existing fleet. The carrier detailed plans Tuesday to delay delivery timelines for dozens of new jets amid a push to return the company to profitability for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. JetBlue's E190s headed for the exit The E190 is easily the smallest aircraft in JetBlue's fleet, carrying 100 passengers in a two-by-two configuration — a capacity nearly 30% smaller than that of the Airbus A220 generally replacing the fleet. JetBlue has 22 E190s still flying today, chief financial officer Ursula Hurley said on a conference call with analysts Tuesday. The carrier plans to retire six of those jets by the end of 2024 and the remaining 15 by the end of 2025, Hurley said. Sure, these jets have advantages — at least in the main cabin — over similar aircraft operated by the regional fleet of the "Big Three" legacy airlines. Even these smaller E190s on JetBlue boast the seatback screens, live television and free Wi-Fi that are staples of the airline's brand. But the aircraft (and its seatback screens, for that matter) more than show their age nowadays. TPG flew the aircraft as part of a 2021 search to find the "worst airline seats in America," though it generally drew better reviews than some of its counterparts. JetBlue otherwise focusing on existing fleet Even as JetBlue bids farewell to its E190 fleet, the carrier is tapping the brakes on new jets. The airline announced a major shift Tuesday, revealing an agreement with Airbus to push 44 A321neo aircraft deliveries beyond 2030 — a deferral of nearly $3 billion in expenses. It comes as the airline has battled subpar financial performance in recent years and as prolonged maintenance (stemming from an engine issue at Pratt & Whitney affecting numerous A320neo family aircraft) has complicated the carrier's future plans. JetBlue expects to have an average of 11 aircraft grounded at any given point in 2024 — a number it expects will rise in 2025 and affect the airline (and other carriers) in the coming years. "At this stage, we simply can't afford to continue taking delivery of costly new aircraft that may need to be parked due to engine availability issues," Hurley said Tuesday. Pushing back those new aircraft deliveries will require changes in JetBlue's plans though, leaders acknowledged. While not delaying the phase-out of its E190s, the carrier is planning to extend the life of a handful of A320 aircraft. JetBlue aircraft types JetBlue leaders note the sunsetting of the E190 will give the airline a simpler fleet of A220s and A320 family aircraft. Although, today, there remains a good bit of variance on what you'll find within its A320 family of planes, including: A321LR (long range) with Mint Suites and two Mint Studios A321neo with Mint Suites A321neo with updated interior A321 classic with legacy interior A321 classic with legacy Mint seats A320 with updated interior A320 classic with legacy interior In any event, the A220 remains a better interior and passenger experience than the outgoing E190s. It also offers far more extra-legroom Even More Space seats; also, compared to the E190, its improved fuel efficiency offers JetBlue a far better option in terms of costs-to-operate. Network shake-up mostly over Despite the shake-up in its aircraft plans, leaders said another major Jetblue shake-up is largely complete: its significant network changes. Over four announcements since the spring, JetBlue has revealed more than 50 route cuts and announced plans to exit 15 cities. Many of the changes — including some announced just last week — take effect in October. But the big surprises appear to be nearly complete, CEO Joanna Geraghty told analysts. "We may have some more modest ones to come, but you should not expect this level of network changes ... ongoing," Geraghty said. Future of transatlantic As part of its recent network changes, JetBlue has doubled down on its "bread and butter" East Coast leisure markets in New England, New York, Florida and Latin America. It's also rerouted some of its Mint-equipped aircraft out of Europe for the winter months in favor of warm-weather destinations like Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). This is a strategy that president Marty St. George chalked up to a mere seasonal shift — not a change in JetBlue's overall bullishness on Europe — speaking to TPG in an exclusive interview last month. Geraghty reiterated Tuesday that Europe remains "an important part of the JetBlue market" and that recent changes are "by no means a retreat." She acknowledged aircraft deferrals announced this week "will have an impact" on its future transatlantic growth. https://thepointsguy.com/news/jetblue-e190-retirement/ China Eastern Airlines Receives 7th C919 Aircraft Summary • China Eastern Airlines has expanded its C919 fleet by receiving its seventh aircraft of the year. • The carrier is the sole user of the C919 and has ordered an additional 100 aircraft from COMAC. • China Eastern's C919 fleet primarily operates flights between Shanghai and various domestic destinations, with plans to expand the fleet to ten aircraft by the end of 2024. On July 29 at 16:25, China Eastern Airlines' C919 aircraft, registered number B-919H, carried out the MU9006 transfer flight from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA), officially joining the China Eastern Airlines fleet. This is the third C919 aircraft received by China Eastern Airlines this year as the global launch customer of the C919. Currently, China Eastern's C919 fleet has reached seven aircraft. China Eastern Airlines is currently the sole user of the C919 aircraft. On September 28, 2023, it signed a purchase agreement with COMAC in Shanghai to order an additional 100 C919 aircraft in addition to the initial batch of five. On May 28 this year, on the first anniversary of the C919 commercial operation, China Eastern received its sixth C919, the first of the 100 additional orders. The seventh C919 aircraft, which has just joined the fleet, is the second of these 100 additional orders. China Eastern's C919 operational network On May 28, 2023, just over five months after receiving the first C919, China Eastern used the C919 to operate a commercial flight from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), completing the C919's first commercial passenger flight. This also marked the official entry of China's self-developed commercial trunk-line aircraft into commercial operation. After receiving its first three C919s, China Eastern operated flights exclusively between its base at Shanghai Hongqiao and the new Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU). Following receiving the fourth, fifth, and sixth C919s, China Eastern launched regular commercial routes from Shanghai Hongqiao to Beijing Daxing, Xi'an Xianyang, and Guangzhou Baiyun. The domestic routes currently operated by China Eastern's C919 Inaugural flight day Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) - Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) May 29, 2023 Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) - Beijing Daxing (PKX) January 9, 2024 Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) - Xi'an Xianyang (XIY) March 8, 2024 Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) -Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) June 14, 2024 Notably, in February 2024, China Eastern's first C919 aircraft flew to Singapore Changi International Airport (SIN) to participate in the Singapore Airshow as a ground display model at the COMAC stage. According to China Eastern's statistics, in the first three weeks of the summer travel season in China (July 1 to August 31), the China Eastern C919 fleet operated 366 flights, transporting more than 49,000 passengers with an average load factor of 86%. As of July 28, 2024, the China Eastern C919 fleet has accumulated 3,031 flights, carrying nearly 405,000 passengers. Scale operation of the C919 The scale operation of the C919 is of great significance in enhancing China's competitiveness in the global aviation market. As the launch customer for the C919, China Eastern signed the first confirmed order for five C919s as early as 2021, with the last of these being delivered on March 1, 2024. On September 28, 2023, China Eastern placed an additional order for 100 C919s. According to China Eastern, the fleet will reach ten aircraft by the end of 2024. Meanwhile, the other two major state-owned airlines, Air China and China Southern Airlines, each ordered 100 C919s in April this year. China Southern, like China Eastern, ordered the C919 basic version, while Air China ordered the C919 extended-range version. Photos published on the Chinese internet show that the first C919 aircraft for China Southern Airlines and Air China have recently completed painting and are about to undergo production test flights, with delivery expected soon. This was further confirmed by China Southern Airlines' WeChat official account. According to their July 25 news, China Southern plans to receive its first C919 aircraft by the end of August. Earlier this month, on July 10, the first batch of eight captains from China Southern completed the C919 type rating training at COMAC. https://simpleflying.com/china-eastern-airlines-c919-aircraft/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS • 2024 FAA Drone and AAM Symposium, July 30-August 1 | Baltimore, MD • 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 • DEFENCE AVIATION SAFETY 2024 - 2 OCTOBER - 3 OCTOBER 2024 - LONDON • 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