Flight Safety Information - September 19, 2024 No. 187 In This Issue : Incident: American B738 at Dallas on Sep 18th 2024, hydraulic issue : Incident: Delta A339 at New York on Sep 12th 2024, fumes in cabin : Faulty component could have caused “extensive damage” to Cathay Pacific jet, report finds : FAA investigates after cabin pressure malfunction injures Delta passengers : Textron SMS Wins FAA Approval : C919 aircraft lands in Lhasa, to carry out high plateau test flight missions : Airbus to build a new Training and Flight Operations Campus in Toulouse : China aircraft lessor orders 50 737 MAX jets, in boost to Boeing : Graduate Research Survey : Calendar of Events Incident: American B738 at Dallas on Sep 18th 2024, hydraulic issue An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N883NN performing flight AA-2181 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to Greenville,SC (USA), was climbing out of Dallas Ft. Worth when the crew stopped the climb at FL190 reporting a hydraulic issue and decided to return to Dallas. The aircraft landed safely on runway 18L about one hour after departure. A replacement Boing 737-800 registration N984NN reached Greenville with a delay of about 3:10 hours. The FAA reported: "American Airlines Flight 2181 returned safely to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport around 3 p.m. local time on Wednesday, September 18, after the crew reported a hydraulic issue. The Boeing 737-800 was headed to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in South Carolina. The FAA will investigate." https://avherald.com/h?article=51de1bc0&opt=0 Incident: Delta A339 at New York on Sep 12th 2024, fumes in cabin A Delta Airlines Airbus A330-900, registration N404DX performing flight DL-3 from New York JFK,NY (USA) to London Heathrow,EN (UK) with 293 people on board, was climbing out of New York when the crew stopped the climb at FL250 reporting fumes in the cabin, the crew donned their oxygen masks. The crew subsequently decided to return to JFK and requested medical assistance for one of the passengers. The aircraft landed overweight but safely back on JFK's runway 13R about 50 minutes after departure. There were no injuries. A replacement Airbus A330-900 registration N405DX reached London with a delay of about 4 hours. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 34.5 hours, then positioned to Seattle,WA (USA) and remained on the ground in Seattle until Sep 17th before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=51de1951&opt=0 Faulty component could have caused “extensive damage” to Cathay Pacific jet, report finds HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s air safety authority said Thursday that a defect in an engine component of a Cathay Pacific Airways Airbus A350 that caused a fire, forcing a Zurich-bound flight to return to Hong Kong, could have caused “extensive damage” to the aircraft. The report on the Sept. 2 incident by Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority said the steel braided sheath of a fuel hose connecting to a fuel spray nozzle was ruptured. Had the faulty component not been promptly detected and repaired, it could have escalated into a more serious engine fire. A preliminary investigation found soot on a section of the aircraft’s core engine, indicating signs of a fire. Five other fuel hoses in the Cathay jet also were found to have either “frayed metal braids or collapsed structures,” the report said. Cathay Pacific Airways did not immediately comment. The engine fire aboard the Cathay plane caused cancellations of 70 flights and triggered inspections of the carrier’s fleet of 48 Airbus A350 jets. Other airlines, such as Japan Airlines, conducted inspections on similar models in their fleets following the incident. The report released Thursday recommended that Rolls-Royce, which makes the Trent XWB-84 and XWB-97 engines that power Airbus’ A350 jets, provide information including the inspection requirements of the affected components “to ensure their serviceability.” After the incident, the European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued a directive requiring a one-time fleet inspection for some A350s after receiving safety recommendations from Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority. https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-business/ap-faulty-component-could-have-caused-extensive-damage-to-cathay-pacific-jet-report-finds/ FAA investigates after cabin pressure malfunction injures Delta passengers Authorities are investigating a flight that turned around after the aircraft did not properly pressurize. Passengers bled from the ear and nose, local media said. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after pressurization issues on a Delta Air Lines flight forced the plane to turn around and caused injuries. Delta Flight 1203 departed Salt Lake City with 140 passengers on board early Sunday and was headed for Portland International Airport in Oregon when “the aircraft was unable to pressurize above 10,000 feet,” Delta said in an emailed statement to The Washington Post. The flight was forced to return to Salt Lake City International Airport and landed around 8:30 a.m. Oxygen masks were not deployed, and medical personnel who met passengers at the gate identified 10 people who needed further medical evaluation or treatment, Delta said. “We sincerely apologize to our customers for their experience on flight 1203,” the airline said in the statement. “The flight crew followed procedures to return to SLC where our teams on the ground supported our customers with their immediate needs,” it added. Cabin pressurization is important for ensuring that passengers and crew are able to breathe well on planes and stay conscious. Local NBC affiliate KSL TV 5 spoke with a passenger it identified as Jaci Purser, who said during a broadcast that she suffered a ruptured ear drum on the flight. “I grabbed my ear and I pulled my hand back and there was blood on it,” she said in a televised interview. “It sounds like I am underwater when I talk,” she added. Another passenger told KSL TV 5 that she witnessed a fellow flier suffering from a severe bloody nose. The FAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-900ER, was taken out of service after landing Sunday morning, but it was allowed to operate again the next day. “Delta technicians worked the pressurization issue on the aircraft successfully,” the airline said. The plane is not part of Boeing’s beleaguered 737 Max series, which came under intense scrutiny earlier this year when a door plug on an Alaska Airlines flight blew out midair after it appeared to have been installed without four bolts meant to keep it intact. https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2024/09/19/delta-flight-cabin-pressure-issue-investigation/ Textron SMS Wins FAA Approval Federal regulators have authorized a new Safety Management System covering manufacturing of Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft – and including a quality and risk reporting system. Textron Aviation received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to implement its new Safety Management System plan, to support design and manufacturing of Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft. The manufacturer noted the approval follows a previously accepted and approved SMS program covering maintenance and support of those two brands. “This FAA approval is a testament to our commitment to product safety at every level of operation,” according to Todd McKee, Textron’s senior vice president, Integrated Supply Chain. The SMS is a system for managing product safety, involving organizational structures, accountabilities, policies, and procedures – and Textron has adopted a voluntary reporting tool that allows employees, customers, or suppliers to report aircraft quality risks or hazards anonymously, directly to the company’s SMS Committee. That committee will evaluate risks based on the information provided, investigate causes, and plan a response. Based on the findings, processes and tools are updated to promote continuous improvement in safety and quality. Textron stated. “By integrating the insights and expertise of our employees, customers and suppliers into our SMS, we not only enhance our ability to identify and mitigate risks but also strengthen the collaborative continuous improvement of our products and services,” according to Chris Hearne, senior vice president, Engineering. https://www.americanmachinist.com/news/article/55140998/aircraft-builder-sms-wins-faa-approval-textron-aviation C919 aircraft lands in Lhasa, to carry out high plateau test flight missions (ECNS) -- A homegrown C919 passenger aircraft landed at Lhasa Gonggar International Airport in Xizang Autonomous Region on Thursday. It will carry out a series of high plateau scientific research and test flight missions, according to Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (CACC). The C919 jet reached Lhasa after a 2-hour-and-8-minute flight from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Sichuan. It will carry out test flights of key systems for high plateau operation, including environmental control, avionics and power devices, as well as high plateau airport adaptability checks, so as to meet the needs of C919 for operating high altitude routes and developing new aircraft, said CACC. Lhasa Gonggar International Airport, located in the valley of the Yarlung Tsangpo River at an altitude of 3,569 meters above sea level, is surrounded by mountains. The meteorological environment around it is complex and variable. The C919 aircraft has a layout of 158-192 seats, with a range of 4,075-5,555 kilometers, according to the company. Up to now, nine C919 aircraft have been delivered to customers, including China Eastern Airlines, Air China, and China Southern Airlines, according to CACC. Since its commercial operations on May 28, 2023, the C919 has logged over 10,000 flight hours, completed more than 3,700 commercial flights, and carried over 500,000 passengers. https://www.ecns.cn/cns-wire/2024-09-19/detail-ihehhmat3658414.shtml Airbus to build a new Training and Flight Operations Campus in Toulouse In response to the forecasted demand for an additional 2.3 million trained workers in the airline services sector by 2043, Airbus is creating additional training capacity with the construction of a new campus. Training and Flight Operations Campus The demand for an additional 2.3 million trained workers in the airline services sector is forecasted over the next 20 years, according to the latest Airbus Global Services Forecast, and in response Airbus is creating additional training capacity with the construction of a new campus. The training centre will contribute to maintaining quality and occupational safety standards within aviation, as well as supporting airlines’ crew training needs for the introduction of new Airbus aircraft into their fleets and their future growth. This aviation Training and Flight Operations Campus in Toulouse-Blagnac will welcome its first trainee pilots, mechanics and structure specialists during 2026. In an architecturally innovative building, the campus can enroll around 10,000 trainees every year and will offer more space for up to 12 Full Flight Simulators (FFS) and 12 Airbus Procedure Trainers. Structure labs and numerous training rooms, also for Virtual Reality (VR) and computer-based training, will complete the centre's facilities. In addition, new office space will be created for around 600 Airbus employees. The new facility will be the largest of 15 Airbus pilot training centres globally and the only one of its kind in Europe. Airbus operates 43 Full Flight Simulators (FFS) worldwide. Currently, six FFS of all Airbus Family aircraft are available to customers for training in Toulouse. An existing A330 FFS will be replaced by a new A330neo FFS, while one additional A350 FFS will be added when the new facility opens, increasing the number of FFS then to seven. The brand new Training and Flight Operations Campus will co-locate all the Airbus Training Services activities in France into one facility, together with the teams from Flight Operations and NAVBLUE, Airbus’ flight operations solutions and services subsidiary. Customers and employees will benefit from combined expert synergies, enriching exchanges at the centre which will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. "Integrated in our worldwide Airbus Training Services offering at 22 sites on five continents, this setup will allow us to embed our attractive aviation personnel training offer into a state-of-the-art facility, creating for our customers in Europe an unforgettable journey through a modern, unique and immersive learning experience", highlights Maia Kuilenberg, Head of Airbus Training Services. Airbus has commissioned the architectural firms Kardham and Rodrigo Ferrer and the French construction firm GIE-Burothèque with the design and construction of the new campus. During the construction phase, which will begin in October 2024, airline customers will be able to continue their training at the current training centre. https://aircraft.airbus.com/en/newsroom/stories/2024-09-airbus-to-build-a-new-training-and-flight-operations-campus-in-toulouse China aircraft lessor orders 50 737 MAX jets, in boost to Boeing (Reuters) -China Development Bank Financial Leasing said its aircraft leasing unit would order 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets, in a boost to the planemaker that has been grappling with a slowdown in Chinese orders and a strike by factory workers. Publicly disclosed Boeing plane purchases by Chinese customers had slowed significantly since Sino-U.S. trade relations deteriorated in 2018 and the manufacturer dealt with a lengthy return to service for the MAX in China after two deadly crashes. The order for 50 MAX jets is the largest by a Chinese customer since China Southern Airlines ordered the same number of MAX planes in 2015, according to data from Boeing's website. Boeing declined to comment. The planemaker's deliveries to China had been gradually recovering in recent months after a lengthy hiatus. CDB Aviation Lease will take delivery of the planes between 2028 and 2031, its parent said in a statement, adding it would boost the proportion of next-generation aircraft in its fleet. The deal comes less than a week after more than 30,000 Boeing factory workers went on strike seeking higher pay, which has resulted a halt to production of the planemaker's best-selling aircraft, the MAX, among other airplanes. Boeing said on Wednesday that tens of thousands of workers will be placed on temporary suspension due to the strike. The MAX order is the second major aircraft deal announced by China Development Bank Financial Leasing in the last week. The firm last week said it would purchase 80 Airbus A320neo planes, with deliveries expected to begin in 2030. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-aircraft-lessor-orders-50-004636381.html Graduate Research Survey I am a former United States Air Force aviator with over 30 years of flying experience, now pursuing a Ph.D. in Aviation at Saint Louis University. My research focuses on Human Factors, particularly sleep and fatigue. My journey in aviation has been defined by a commitment to excellence, service before self, and integrity towards a greater good. For my dissertation, I am studying pilots' likelihood to report sleep disorders in Part 121 commercial aviation operations—a critical issue affecting both pilot health and aviation safety. My Research This anonymous survey is designed to be completed in 10-12 minutes and aims to build a predictive model to better understand situational factors influencing pilots' reporting behaviors. Your participation could contribute to long-term safety improvements in the aviation industry, including enhanced fatigue countermeasures and better sleep disorder screening. The survey is entirely confidential, with no way to trace responses back to individuals, and has been approved by the Saint Louis University Institutional Review Board (IRB). Thank you for considering taking part in this important research. Survey Link: https://slu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_agHdxCbY0E1D3Ho CALENDAR OF EVENTS • 2024 Ground Handling Safety Symposium (GHSS) - September 17-18, 2024 - Fort Worth, TX • Safety is not a Secret - September 27-28, 2024 - Seminar, JUNGLE AVIATION AND RELAY SERVICE • 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