Flight Safety Information - September 23, 2024 No. 189 In This Issue : Incident: Algerie B738 and Cygnus B752 at Marseille on Sep 11th 2024, operational error causes loss of separation on runway : Incident: LAM B737 at Lichinga on Sep 19th 2024, bird strike : Incident: DHL Austria B763 at Amsterdam on Sep 18th 2024, flaps problems twice : Incident: Jetblue A321 near Salina on Sep 21st 2024, cargo smoke indication : Incident: Hawaiian A332 at Portland on Sep 20th 2024, thermal battery runaway : Incident: Anadolujet B738 at Hakkari on Sep 20th 2024, overran runway on landing : Commercial Airline Pilot Arrested After Trying to Use a ‘Fantasy’ Passport to Get Through Immigration Checks in Brussels : JetBlue flight makes rapid emergency landing in Kansas over smoke alert in ‘intense few minutes’ that left travelers in tears : FAA soon to release final SFAR for powered-lift aircraft : SCHROTH reveals secondary cockpit barrier for A320, A330 and A350 : Graduate Research Survey : This September, let's end childhood cancer. Together. : Calendar of Events Incident: Algerie B738 and Cygnus B752 at Marseille on Sep 11th 2024, operational error causes loss of separation on runway An Air Algerie Boeing 737-800, registration 7T-VKL performing flight AH-1136 from Chlef (Algeria) to Marseille (France), was cleared to land on Marseille's runway 31R. A Cygnus Air Boeing 757-200 on behalf of DHL, registration EC-NYM performing flight QY-1683 from Marseille (France) to Bologna (Italy), had previously been cleared to line up runway 31R and wait. The B738 was descending through about 500 feet AGL when tower instructed the aircraft to go around due to other traffic on the runway. The B738 positioned for another approach to runway 31R and landed safely about 13 minutes after the go around. The B752 departed and reached Bologna without further incident. The French BEA rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation. https://avherald.com/h?article=51e06f03&opt=0 Incident: LAM B737 at Lichinga on Sep 19th 2024, bird strike A LAM Linhas Aereas de Mocambique Boeing 737-700, registration C9-BAR performing flight TM-191 from Lichinga to Nampula (Mozambique), was climbing out of Lichinga when the aircraft received a bird strike. In the absence of abnormal indication the crew continued the climb to FL330, but subsequently descended the aircraft to FL250 and decided to divert to Nacala (Mozambique) for a safe landing about one hour after departure. The airline reported the aircraft diverted to Nacala as result of a bird strike soon after takeoff from Lichinga. The passengers were rebooked onto other flights. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 30 hours after landing in Nacala. https://avherald.com/h?article=51e00cd7&opt=0 Incident: DHL Austria B763 at Amsterdam on Sep 18th 2024, flaps problems twice A DHL Air Austria Boeing 767-300 freighter, registration OE-LYA performing flight QY-6700 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to London Luton,EN (UK), was climbing out of Amsterdam's runway 36L when the crew stopped the climb at FL060 reporting a flaps problem and decided to return to Amsterdam for a safe landing on runway 06 about 22 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 2 hours, then departed again from runway 36L, again needed to level off at FL060 reporting the same problem as before and returned to Amsterdam again advising they would land at a higher speed than normal (about 170 KIAS), but expected a normal landing. The aircraft landed safely on runway 06 about 170 knots over ground about 15 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 27 hours before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=51e00773&opt=0 Incident: Jetblue A321 near Salina on Sep 21st 2024, cargo smoke indication A Jetblue Airbus A321-200, registration N944JT performing flight B6-1189 from New York JFK,NY to San Diego,CA (USA) with 130 people on board, was enroute at FL360 about 40nm northeast of Salina,KS (USA) when the crew received a cargo smoke indication and decided to divert to Salina for a safe landing on runway 17 about 20 minutes later. Passengers reported the captain announced a cargo smoke indication, some fellow passengers also indicated they had heard a bang. Subsequently some mist came through the air conditioning vents. A replacement A321-200 registration N945JT positioned to Salina, resumed the flight and is currently estimated to reach San Diego with a delay of about 8 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Salina about 8 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=51e00627&opt=0 Incident: Hawaiian A332 at Portland on Sep 20th 2024, thermal battery runaway A Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330-200, registration N388HA performing flight HA-26 from Honolulu,HI to Portland,OR (USA), was descending towards Portland when the crew reported a passenger's iPad had overheated and caught fire. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Portland's runway 28L. The FAA reported: "Hawaiian Airlines Flight 26 landed safely at Portland International Airport around 8:45 p.m. local time on Thursday, Sept. 19, after the crew reported an iPad caught fire. The Airbus A330 departed from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. The FAA will investigate." https://avherald.com/h?article=51df8123&opt=0 Incident: Anadolujet B738 at Hakkari on Sep 20th 2024, overran runway on landing An Anadolujet Boeing 737-800, registration TC-JKU performing flight VF-4316 from Ankara to Hakkari (Turkey), was on approach to Hakkari when the crew aborted the approach due to weather conditions and entered a hold. Subsequently the crew positioned for another approach to runway 29 and continued to touch down at about 13:16L (10:16Z), but were unable to stop the aircraft before the end of the runway. The aircraft stopped with the nose gear on soft ground, the main gear on the paved surface of the runway end safety area and became disabled. There were no injuries. https://avherald.com/h?article=51dee1ee&opt=0 Commercial Airline Pilot Arrested After Trying to Use a ‘Fantasy’ Passport to Get Through Immigration Checks in Brussels A pilot for Brussels Airlines has been arrested after he allegedly attempted to use a so-called ‘fantasy’ passport to get through immigration checks at Brussels-Zaventem International Airport, prosecutors have revealed. The incident happened earlier this summer, although it has only just come to light after Ingrid Moriau of the Halle-Vilvoorde prosecutor’s office explained the case to local news outlets. The pilot was due to work on an international flight leaving Brussels and was subject to a standard passport check by immigration officers. When asked to present his passport, he allegedly handed over a document that looked like a genuine passport but was, in fact, counterfeit. Prosecutors have described the document as a ‘fantasy’ passport because they are often made to make a political statement rather than to illegally get into a country because the person doesn’t have a valid visa. Unsurprisingly, the pilot has already been terminated by Brussels Airlines. Why the pilot decided to use a fraudulent passport to evade routine immigration checks remains a mystery, although local media report that Belgium aircrews have recently become upset at strict new border controls. In many countries, pilots and flight attendants get to bypass lengthy immigration checks and won’t have their passports stamped to show they are entering or leaving a country. In some cases, this is possible because international aircrews enter a country on a document known as a ‘general declaration,’ which acts as a record of them working for an airline and entering a country for only a short period for work purposes. In other cases, immigration authorities simply have a much more relaxed attitude towards aircrews and assume that their documents are going to be in order because they work for an international airline. The penalties for having incorrect documentation can also vary greatly from country to country. Pilots and flight attendants who forget to pack their passports can sometimes escape any form of punishment, but in places like the United Arab Emirates, they’ll be deported on the next flight home, just like a passenger who was allowed to board a flight without their passport. https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2024/09/22/commercial-airline-pilot-arrested-after-trying-to-use-a-fantasy-passport-to-get-through-immigration-checks-in-brussels/ JetBlue flight makes rapid emergency landing in Kansas over smoke alert in ‘intense few minutes’ that left travelers in tears A JetBlue flight was forced to make a rapid emergency landing in Kansas — leaving some passengers in tears — Saturday evening after pilots were alerted to possible smoke in the cargo hold, officials said. The cross-country flight took off from New York City’s JFK Airport and was destined for San Diego but was diverted to Salina, Kansas around 6:30 p.m. over what ultimately was a false alarm, JetBlue said in a statement Sunday. “JetBlue flight 1189 diverted to Salina, Kansas, when the pilots received an alert that there might be smoke in the cargo hold, descending safely and landing without incident,” a JetBlue spokesperson said in an email. “Upon inspection, we determined the smoke indication presented to our pilots was a false indication.” The plane dropped down more than 30,000 feet in less than 10 minutes as it landed at the airport, according to Flight Radar 24 data reported on by KAKE. https://nypost.com/2024/09/22/us-news/jetblue-plane-makes-emergency-landing-in-kansas-after-smoke-alert-goes-off/ FAA soon to release final SFAR for powered-lift aircraft The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is preparing to release a crucial regulation that will help pave the way for the commercialization of eVTOL aircraft in the U.S., according to Christopher Coes, acting under secretary of transportation for policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Speaking at Honeywell’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Summit on Sept. 19, Coes announced that the final special federal aviation regulation (SFAR) for powered-lift pilot certification and operations is expected to be published in the “next month.” “I think you’ll see it is quite responsive to [industry] comments,” Coes told attendees. “It will come well ahead of certifications that the FAA is working very hard with our manufacturers.” The SFAR was a hot topic at last year’s summit, where the draft version faced considerable criticism. Industry concerns focused on the certification process for pilots, the requirement for dual flight controls, energy reserves for electric aircraft, and flight simulation training devices. Many in the industry felt the rules governing pilot certification and operations of a novel technology like powered-lift eVTOLs should be modernized to reflect the unique aspects of electrification and range. Honeywell held its third annual Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Summit on Sept. 19 in Washington, D.C. However, at this year’s summit, the mood had shifted toward cautious optimism for the release of the final SFAR. “There’s great anticipation for the rule, which we’re told is coming in just a few weeks,” said Kristie Greco Johnson, senior vice president of government affairs with the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). “If the FAA can deliver [the rule] in just a few short weeks, it’ll be a major accomplishment for the agency.” While Coes contends the final SFAR will be released in the next month, the FAA technically has until Dec. 16 to finalize the regulation, according to the FAA reauthorizaton bill. The same bill also mandated that a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operating beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) be issued by Sept. 16. However, the FAA missed that deadline, raising concerns about the SFAR’s timely release. There is broad consensus that the U.S. faces stiff competition from global players to lead in AAM, with first movers like Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation aiming for a 2025 commercialization of eVTOLs, the pressure is on the FAA to meet expectations. Globally, major AAM markets, including those in Europe and the United Kingdom, seem to be aligning toward the middle of the decade for mass eVTOL commercialization. The same can said for Saudi Arabia, as Sulaiman Almuhaimedi, executive vice president of aviation safety and environmental sustainability at the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), said the region is targeting early 2026 to launch operations at a large scale. These operations will start with piloted eVTOLs in remote areas, later expanding into more complex operations, Almuhaimedi said. Meanwhile, commercialization of eVTOLs in Canada will likely follow closely behind the U.S. and Europe, with Transport Canada taking a more passive approach to eVTOL rulemaking and leaving Europe and the U.S. to handle the bulk of the regulatory work. “With AAM, we’re taking a step back because we don’t have active applications,” said Ryan Coates, director of the remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) taskforce for Transport Canada, noting that the agency will likely look to validate the type certificates that are first issued by the FAA or EASA. https://verticalmag.com/news/faa-soon-to-release-final-sfar-for-powered-lift-aircraft/ SCHROTH reveals secondary cockpit barrier for A320, A330 and A350 Passengers flying in the United States are accustomed to seeing cabin crew members use trolleys to block the entrance to the forward galley during those brief instances when the cockpit door is open, such as to accommodate pilots’ use of the lavatory or their meal service. But starting in mid-2025, any new commercial aircraft operated by scheduled airlines in the US must have a physical secondary barrier installed between the cabin and cockpit (pdf). And in less than five years, existing aircraft are expected to be retrofitted, as outlined by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which was signed into law on 16 May 2024 by US President Joe Biden. While the FAA mandated hardened cockpit doors following the tragic events of 9/11, installation of a secondary barrier aims to protect flight decks from an unauthorized intrusion when the cockpit door is open. During this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Runway Girl Network got a firsthand look at the ‘Installed Physical Secondary Barrier’ or IPSB that will be line-fitted by Airbus to every A320, A330 and A350 series aircraft headed to US scheduled carriers from the middle of next year onwards. The cross-platform IPSB system chosen by Airbus is produced by Arnsberg, Germany-headquartered SCHROTH Safety Products GmbH, which also operates an engineering and manufacturing site in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and is perhaps best known in commercial aviation for manufacturing seat belts and passenger restraint systems. “Outside of seatbelts and airbags, we have been actively involved in cockpit security so we’re already a supplier to the A350 cockpit door module,” explained company president Martin Nadol. When the US law mandating IPSBs for new aircraft was signed last year, SCHROTH felt well placed to address the requirements of the rule. “It’s a safety product just like everything else we do. And we had some ideas,” said Nadol. “Our engineering team was very creative and thought about how to design such a secondary barrier… And we came up with this folded design which saves a lot of space and also offers a lot of flexibility in the installation, also with structural movement of the aircraft and vibration [considered].” SCHROTH president Martin Nadol is demonstrating the Installed Physical Secondary Barrier, IPSB, on the AIX show floor A patented locking mechanism facilitates at least a five-second delay for anyone seeking to open the SCHROTH IPSB and enter the space from the cabin side. If there is an intruder, this delay ensures there is extra time for the pilot “to get back into the cockpit and at least shut the cockpit door”, Nadol explained. Nadol is demonstrating the Installed Physical Secondary Barrier, IPSB, on the AIX show floor. Here we see the full barrier. And Nadol is using the locking mechanism. The lightweight structure is installed on the cabin side, before one enters the galley so it effectively creates a mantrap where the flight attendants can still work in the galley and prepare meals even while the secondary barrier is closed. Rotation The Air Line Pilots Association is among the stakeholders that have been pushing for secondary barriers for many years. “So far, airlines have used trolleys and carts to block the aisle but that is not a very professional solution and this offers much more in terms of security,” Nadol said of the SCHROTH IPSB. SCHROTH’s product has been selected by Airbus for linefit across the entire A320 family, the A330 and A350 so this will be on every large Airbus twinjet being delivered to US scheduled operators from mid-2025. The product will also be offered for retrofit. AmSafe Bridport, a competitor to SCHROTH, is providing the secondary barriers for the Airbus A220. And while SCHROTH was not successful in winning Boeing’s IPSB tender, Nadol confided to RGN that “there’s some further opportunities with other airframers.” Meanwhile, lawmakers have strongly urged the FAA to appoint the necessary Committee that will address the aircraft retrofit requirement in the bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (pdf). https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2024/09/schroth-reveals-secondary-cockpit-barrier-for-a320-a330-and-a350/ 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 • 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