Flight Safety Information - September 30, 2024 No. 194 In This Issue : Incident: Tiger Taiwan A320 at Kaohsiung on Sep 29th 2024, loss of nose wheel steering : Incident: Algerie B738 at Abidjan on Sep 28th 2024, rejected takeoff due to burst tyres : Incident: PIA A320 near Karachi on Sep 29th 2024, hydraulic failure : Incident: British Airways A319 near Manchester on Sep 27th 2024, fumes in cabin : Accident: ANZ A21N at Wellington on Sep 26th 2024, hard landing and tail strike : Air India's new fatigue policy under fire: Is pilot safety at risk? : Caught On Camera: LSG Sky Chefs Truck Smashes Into Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-700 In Seattle : Which Countries & Airlines Have The Most Female Pilots? : Advancing the Safety of All Who Fly: Embry Riddle, Boeing Partner to Advance Airline Safety : Air Canada: $250.000 fine for overflights in Iraqi airspace : Close call over Arabian Sea: Qatar Airways, EL AL planes come within 1 minute of each other : This September, let's end childhood cancer. Together. : Calendar of Events Incident: Tiger Taiwan A320 at Kaohsiung on Sep 29th 2024, loss of nose wheel steering A Tiger Air Taiwan Airbus A320-200, registration B-50005 performing flight IT-322 from Macau (Macao) to Kaohsiung (Taiwan), landed on Kaohsiung's runway 09 but needed to stop on the runway being disabled by the loss of nose wheel steering. The aircraft needed to be towed to the apron. The airport was closed for about 90 minutes as result. A number of flights needed to divert. The aircraft is still on the ground in Kaohsiung about 29 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=51e58a95&opt=0 Incident: Algerie B738 at Abidjan on Sep 28th 2024, rejected takeoff due to burst tyres An Air Algerie Boeing 737-800, registration 7T-VKF performing flight AH-5318 from Abidjan (Ivory Coast) to Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), was accelerating for takeoff when the crew rejected takeoff due to two main gear tyres having burst. The aircraft came to a stop on the runway. The airport was closed for about 4 hours as result until the aircraft could be towed off the runway. The airline reported two main tyres burst during takeoff disrupting traffic at Abidjan. Replacement wheels were sent to Adbidjan from Algiers. https://avherald.com/h?article=51e56f7a&opt=0 Incident: PIA A320 near Karachi on Sep 29th 2024, hydraulic failure A PIA Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration AP-BLS performing flight PK-260 from Muscat (Oman) to Peshawar (Pakistan), was enroute at FL370 about 210nm northwest of Karachi (Pakistan) when the crew decided to divert to Karachi reporting a hydraulic failure. The aircraft landed safely on Karachi's runway 25L about 55 minutes later. The airline reported the aircraft diverted to Karachi due a technical malfunction. As there are no PIA flights between Karachi and Peshawar, the passenger were booked onto a flight to Islamabad (about 80nm east of Peshawar). The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Karachi about 9 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=51e4ee8f&opt=0 Incident: British Airways A319 near Manchester on Sep 27th 2024, fumes in cabin A British Airways Airbus A319-100, registration G-DBCG performing flight BA-1306 from London Heathrow,EN to Aberdeen,SC (UK), was climbing through FL280 out of Heathrow when the crew donned their oxygen masks and decided to divert to Manchester reporting fumes in the cabin. The aircraft landed safely on Manchester's runway 05R about 30 minutes later. A passenger reported the crew announced they were diverting due to the smell of fumes, the flight crew had donned their oxygen masks. The aircraft remained on the ground in Manchester for about 9.5 hours, then positioned back to Heathrow. https://avherald.com/h?article=51e49cd1&opt=0 Accident: ANZ A21N at Wellington on Sep 26th 2024, hard landing and tail strike An ANZ Air New Zealand Airbus A321-200N, registration ZK-NND performing flight NZ-272 from Brisbane,QL (Australia) to Wellington (New Zealand), touched down hard on Wellington's runway 34 at 15:07L (03:07Z) and struck its tail onto the runway surface. The crew initiated a go around, subsequently decided to divert to Auckland, climbed the aircraft to FL180 and landed on Auckland's runway 23L about one hour after the go around. According to information The Aviation Herald received, the aircraft encountered windshear on short final, touched down at 2.9G causing the fuselage to wrinkle, and struck its tail onto the runway surface. The airline later reported that an inspection of the aircraft did not show evidence of a tail contact with the ground. The flight data have been sent to Airbus to determine what maintenance actions are needed before the aircraft can return to service. The aircraft is still on the ground in Auckland about 32 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=51e3a526&opt=0 Air India's new fatigue policy under fire: Is pilot safety at risk? Under the new policy, fatigue reports will be reviewed by multiple departments, and if deemed unsubstantiated, will be marked as 'sick' Air India’s new policy, which introduces a review system for fatigue reports from pilots and cabin crew, has stirred concerns about its potential to discourage self-reporting due to fears about retribution. The policy mandates a committee to examine fatigue reports, prompting questions about its impact on crew safety and transparency, reported The Economic Times. The Tata-owned airline announced on Friday that all fatigue reports would initially be logged as such in the system. However, these reports will now be reviewed by the flight operations department, the cabin crew data team, and the airline’s medical department. If the review determines that the report is unsubstantiated, the fatigue status will be changed to ‘sick’ on the crew portal, according to an internal memo. Concerns over transparency While some crew members fear this policy may prevent open communication about fatigue, a senior Air India executive defended the decision, saying it is essential to prevent the misuse of the “no-questions-asked” fatigue policy. The executive explained that the review process would help differentiate genuine fatigue caused by airline operations from personal issues. “We are introducing this system to ensure the integrity of fatigue reporting, and it is aligned with global best practices,” the airline executive said. Air India’s move mirrors a similar policy by IndiGo, where all fatigue reports are initially marked as sick and later reviewed. If the reports are found to be valid, the crew members have their sick leave reinstated. Air India responds to pilot fatigue Insiders suggest the policy change comes in response to a notable rise in fatigue reports at Air India over recent months, many of which were linked to personal factors rather than operational reasons. “Our new fatigue protocol is a positive step in preventing fatigue and is followed by leading airlines globally. It is compliant with the regulations and is non-punitive. We will continue to use scientific tools such as Jeppesen and Boeing Alertness Model to protect our crew from potentially fatiguing rosters,” an Air India spokesperson told The Economic Times. Potential risks of the new policy Critics, on the other hand, argue that policies like this could lead to genuine cases of fatigue being overlooked. An airline official warned, “If crew members abuse the no-questions-asked fatigue policy, it compromises the system for others. For example, if a particular flight schedule consistently receives fatigue reports, we can adjust it. But misuse diminishes that safety net.” The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a United Nations body responsible for aviation safety, encourages airlines to support self-reporting of fatigue. According to an ICAO report, airlines should analyse fatigue data regularly and offer feedback to staff, taking appropriate actions where necessary. Many senior crew members agree that if the data is transparently analysed, it could lead to improved fatigue management policies. These policies would enable airlines to adjust flight patterns that contribute to crew exhaustion. Concerns over pilot fatigue handling Air India Express, the low-cost arm of Air India, has already implemented measures such as providing overnight rest for pilots on late-night flights to Gulf countries, replacing the previous practice of quick turnarounds. However, pilots at Air India have complained in the past about long wait times at airports without proper rest facilities, which they say adds to fatigue. One pilot expressed frustration, saying, “After finishing a flight, I often have to wait an hour for my hotel room to be ready. This leads to fatigue, but will the committee count that as a valid issue or dismiss it as a personal problem?” Experts also caution that the success of such policies will depend on close oversight by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Amit Singh of Safety Matters Foundation told The Economic Times, “Without a pilot representative involved, there’s a risk of bias in how fatigue reports are handled. The DGCA doesn’t even have complete data on fatigue at this point.” Debate over delayed fatigue rules The DGCA had previously set new rest rules for pilots that would require airlines to submit fatigue reports quarterly. However, these rules have been indefinitely delayed due to pushback from airlines, which claim that implementing them would force the cancellation of up to 20 per cent of flights during the peak summer travel season. As the debate over Air India’s fatigue policy continues, the question remains: will this policy enhance safety or hinder open reporting of critical fatigue issues? Only time will tell if the airline can strike the right balance between preventing policy abuse and ensuring the well-being of its crew. https://www.business-standard.com/companies/news/air-india-s-new-fatigue-policy-under-fire-is-pilot-safety-at-risk-124093000291_1.html Caught On Camera: LSG Sky Chefs Truck Smashes Into Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-700 In Seattle An Alaska Airlines plane, believed to be a Boeing 737-700, was recently damaged after an airline catering truck struck the jet below its tail in Seattle. The truck did not appear to slow its speed before making contact, prompting many to believe the driver was distracted. The mishap is the latest in a slew of ground incidents that have occurred at airports around the country this year. Aircraft damage from collisions with ground support equipment (GSE) can undoubtedly be a costly mistake for the parties involved. Driving straight into the plane Video of the incident was shared on Instagram by airport_ramplife and _aviation_things_. From two different vantage points, the footage depicts an LSG Sky Chefs catering truck driving at a considerable speed behind the aircraft at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). As it gets closer to the aft of the plane, the truck appears to maintain its speed, colliding with the jet just below its tail and horizontal stabilizer. It is unclear whether the aircraft was actively being pushed back from the gate or being pulled in. Notably, the plane's beacon light was not illuminated at the time of the crash, but the tug’s lights were on, and wing walkers were positioned on both sides of the aircraft. Driver fired on the spot? The video has garnered over 140 comments and has viewers divided over who might be at fault. Some blame the driver, while others claim the wing walker on the Captain’s side of the aircraft should have been in the right spot. “The wing walker not at the end where he supposed to be and I’m 100% positive that the driver was on his phone I seen it live many times working on the ramp…,” one person commented. Another commenter who claims to work at the catering company suggested that the driver was “fired as soon as it [the truck] made contact with the aircraft,” and that they “might as well just walk away.” Simple Flying reached out to Alaska and LSG Sky Chefs late Sunday to confirm more details, such as exactly when the event occurred and the aircraft's tail number. However, representatives from each party could not be immediately reached. Given the length of the fuselage and the plane’s eyebrows, the aircraft appears to be a 737-700. It is the only variant in Alaska’s fleet that still features the upper cockpit windows. They used to assist pilots with more visibility, but modern avionics have prompted airlines to cover up the windows and Boeing to deliver new aircraft models without them. Flight data suggests the aircraft could be N614AS, and the incident may have happened last week on Sunday or Monday. According to FlightAware, the aircraft is Alaska’s only 737-700 that has not flown in the past five days. It last flew on September 22nd from Portland International Airport (PDX) as AS9810. Alaska Airlines To End Seasonal Service Between Los Angeles & Fort Lauderdale 4 Months Early The move represents a loss of more than 42,000 seats that were originally scheduled. Although the flight number suggests the aircraft was ferried and had no passengers onboard, it could have been scheduled to operate later that evening or the following day. Planespotters.net lists the 24.9 year-old aircraft as parked and undergoing maintenance. Costly mistakes Ground incidents are often avoidable and lead to expensive consequences. https://simpleflying.com/catering-truck-alaska-airlines-boeing-737-700-hit-seattle/ Which Countries & Airlines Have The Most Female Pilots? In recent years, women have made great strides in what has long been considered male-dominated jobs. Yet, the Air Line Pilots Association International trade union says that globally, less than 6% of all airline pilots are women. Airlines are now actively encouraging women to become pilots One of the significant challenges women face working in a male-dominated field like aviation is the need for promotion opportunities. Studies have shown that many male-dominated industries are reluctant to adapt to change, which can impact a company's resilience and growth. When women are excluded from specific sectors, it can have a knock-on effect on customers. In recent years, companies have realized this and put much more emphasis on diversifying their hiring practices, openly encouraging women to apply for predominantly male jobs like commercial airline pilots. India has the largest percentage of female pilots When you hear what country has the most significant percentage of female airline pilots, it may come as a surprise. Because of equal pay acts, some may automatically assume that it would be the United States, Canada, or one of the Scandinavian countries. While it is true these countries have many female pilots, they fail in comparison to the number of female airline pilots in India. UK Civil Aviation Authority Sees 26% Rise In Women Earning Pilots License Women still make up less than 10% of new pilots. According to statistics taken from the International Society of Women Airline Pilots (ISWAP) by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), 12.4% of all commercial pilots hired by Indian airlines are women. Of the Indian airlines, the largest employer of female pilots is Gurugram-headquartered Indian low-cost regional airline Zooom Air, with nine of its 30 pilots being women. Indians will spend $410 billion on air travel by 2030 Up to and now again, after the COVID-19 global pandemic, a rising middle class in India is changing the way Indians travel. Globally, the middle class has always been the largest spender, with India's middle class expected to be the world's fourth-largest spender on air travel by 2030. In a report compiled by Booking.com and American multinational strategy and management consulting firm McKinsey & Company published in the Economic Times, they predict that by 2030, the amount of money Indians will spend on travel will be as much as $410 billion. Another driving force behind the boom in outward Indian travel is the youth factor. The median age in India is 28.2, ten years lower than that of any other major economic power, making India one of the fastest-growing markets for people traveling for business or looking to vacation abroad. Indian airlines are encouraging women to become pilots Add to this the fact that 32.3 million Indians live and work outside India, including 8.5 million in the Arab Gulf States alone, and you can see why India is poised for a massive uptick in travel. Indian airlines are aware of the travel trend and are actively encouraging women to train to become commercial pilots to avert a pilot shortage. IndiGo and SpiceJet are hiring pilots at a blistering pace and already have a significant percentage of women pilots. SpiceJet has even said that in a few years, it expects a third of its pilots to be women. While this might seem like an almost impossible task, given that the vast majority of pilots are men, you must remember that women in the United States did not get the right to equal pay before President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act in 1963. Slowly but surely, women are making up larger segments of the aviation workforce. Another reason an Indian woman may wish to pursue a career as a commercial airline pilot is that, unlike many jobs in India where there is a gender pay gap, pilots' pay is the same for both men and women. This is because airline pilots' pay is dictated by union agreements and is based on a combination of seniority and flight hours. The airlines with the greatest percentage of female pilots While some of the data is six years old, Forbes Magazine compiled a list of airlines with the highest percentage of female pilots by percentage. Somewhat interestingly, there are no Indian airlines on the list. United Airlines: 7.4% of all pilots are women Lufthansa: 7% of all pilots are women British Airways: 5.9% of all pilots are women Air Canada: 5.5% of all pilots are women TUI: 5.3% of all pilots are women KLM: 5.2% of all pilots are women JetBlue: 5% of all pilots are women easyJet: 5% of all pilots are women Air New Zealand: 4.7% of all pilots are women Delta Air Lines: 4.2% of all pilots are women American Airlines: 4.4% of all pilots are women Qantas: 4.3% of all pilots are women Cathay Pacific: 3.7% of all pilots are women Southwest Airlines: 3.6% of all pilots are women Virgin Atlantic: 3.2 % of all pilots are women Emirates: 1.5% of all pilots are women Norwegian: 1% of all pilots are women https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/which-countries-airlines-have-the-most-female-pilots/ar-AA1rrvfX Advancing the Safety of All Who Fly: Embry Riddle, Boeing Partner to Advance Airline Safety Participants from Embry Riddle’s Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety SMS course in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Representatives from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University’s Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety recently traveled internationally to deliver an aviation safety certification course focused on Safety Management Systems (SMS). The course, taught on behalf of Boeing, took place in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, at the SF Airlines headquarters. It included over 40 safety leaders from 10 cargo airlines interested in further advancing the global safety of all who fly. Robert Sumwalt, executive director of the Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety, was joined by Embry Riddle’s Dr. Bob Waltz, an adjunct professor in the Worldwide Campus as well as an aviation industry leader for nearly 40 years, and representatives from Boeing, who coordinated the program. Program details were also organized by Embry Riddle Daytona Beach Campus Professional Programs Director Sarah Ochs. According to Sumwalt, the Boeing center has three key objectives: to provide education and training to support safety awareness, to lead and conduct relevant research to enhance safety, and to support safety thought leadership. “This meaningful partnership with Boeing has the unique characteristic of satisfying each of our key objectives as well as fulfilling our mission to advance the safety of all who fly,” Sumwalt added. Collaborative Training The five-day course, organized by Boeing in partnership with Embry Riddle, included classroom lectures, group exercises and open discussion. The program culminated in a final scenario-based mitigation activity addressing the SMS pillars of safety policy, risk management, safety assurance and safety promotion. John Gong, a member of the Boeing Global Strategic Initiatives team, said that the diverse mix of course content and stories shared by experts in the field created a dynamic learning environment. “Mr. Sumwalt and Dr. Waltz have decades of industry experience that really made the course relevant and engaging for all participants,” Gong said. “One of our team’s goals is to strengthen and support the aviation ecosystem as a whole, and our partnership with Embry Riddle to provide this in-depth training is a major step forward.” Dr. Waltz, a former vice president of flight operations for a major airline (and a current airline captain) who has vast experience implementing and overseeing an SMS, appreciated the opportunity to be a part of the forward-thinking program. “Throughout my career, my focus has been on preventing accidents in high-reliability organizations, along with the value of proper preparation and customer care should an accident or incident occur,” he said. “Safety certification programs like the one we’ve offered with Boeing further not only global safety but also global collaboration — a consideration that cannot be overlooked in the pursuit of safety excellence.” Boeing has also contracted with Mr. Sumwalt and Dr. Waltz to teach an advanced SMS course to the aviation regulatory authority of Indonesia in the near future. Looking Back The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made its first aviation safety recommendation on SMS in 2007, resulting in a 2015 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirement for commercial air carriers to implement an SMS. Earlier this year, the FAA requirement was expanded to include commuter and air tour operators, as well as aircraft manufacturers. Sumwalt, who was vice chair at NTSB when the initial recommendation was made, regularly speaks on the importance of a strong safety management system. “SMS isn’t just about process and procedures,” he said. “To have a strong safety management system, you must have a commitment to a safety mindset and culture, and that starts at the top of the organization.” He added that programs like this one are vital to continuous improvement. “Safety isn’t a one-and-done activity. You’ve got to continue to flex that muscle and engage in learning and practice to ensure that you’re in the right mindset to prevent issues if you can.” Continuing the Dialogue Dr. Alan Stolzer, author of “Safety Management Systems in Aviation” (3rd Edition), along with Sumwalt and John Goglia, stresses the importance of talking not only about when things go right but where improvements can occur. “While countries such as the United States and China have implemented SMS years ago, for other countries, there is still a lot of work to do,” Stolzer said, noting that SMS is a standard set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the aviation branch of the United Nations. “It’s important that we continue to think about, study and analyze situations and scenarios so that we can advance safety performance internationally.” Stolzer also acknowledges that safety means different things to different people and that those definitions can vary country-by-country and even between aviation operators. As Dean of the College of Aviation at Embry Riddle's Daytona Beach campus, Dr. Stolzer is an active researcher and has been the principal investigator on several federally funded grants related to aviation safety. In other words, he’s made safety his life’s work. “Because of cultural differences, we may never reach consensus on every aspect of safety in operations, but that doesn’t mean we should stop trying,” he said. Fortunately, the principal vision of the Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety at Embry Riddle is to lead and foster innovation and collaboration among industry, government and academic leaders, focusing on research, academic programs, professional education and consulting that will enhance aviation and aerospace safety. That’s a mission we can stand behind. https://news.erau.edu/headlines/advancing-the-safety-of-all-who-fly Air Canada: $250.000 fine for overflights in Iraqi airspace The U.S. Department of Transportation has fined Air Canada $250.000 for violating safety policies and operating flights over Iraqi airspace. This violation occurred as part of a so-called air-sharing agreement with United Airlines, under which the US airline's aircraft were used for Air Canada flights. The violations occurred between October 2022 and January 2023 and constitute a violation of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ban that prohibits US airlines from flying over Iraqi airspace for safety reasons. Background: The ban and the security situation in Iraqi airspace The FAA has for years issued strict safety guidelines for overflights over certain countries, including Iraq. Iraqi airspace has been classified as a high-risk area since the military conflicts and political instability in the Middle East. Numerous aviation authorities around the world have imposed similar overflight bans to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. In these areas there is an increased risk of military conflicts and potential missile launches, as has happened on isolated occasions in the past. The FAA ban applies to US airlines and their partner companies without restriction. It applies not only to aircraft with US registration plates, but also to aircraft operated under code-sharing agreements. This is precisely where the crux of the problem lies for Air Canada. Since the airline used United Airlines aircraft under an air-sharing agreement from October 2022 to January 2023, these aircraft were subject to FAA regulations, even though Air Canada was the operating airline. The incidents and their background The US Department of Transportation's investigation showed that Air Canada operated a "significant" number of flights between the United Arab Emirates (Dubai) and Canada using United Airlines aircraft. The Canadian airline used the Boeing 777-300, which resulted in longer flight times and an overflight of Iraqi airspace. The Boeing 787 is normally used on this route, which has different flight performance. Air Canada said in a statement that the change in aircraft type was due to operational needs and that the violations were "unplanned, unintentional, limited in number and of short duration." Despite this statement, the US Department of Transportation made it clear that Air Canada had violated the terms of its operating license, which requires that all operations involving US airlines comply with US safety regulations. The use of Iraqi airspace by United Airlines aircraft - also under Air Canada's control - was a clear violation of the applicable regulations. The consequences: a fine and a settlement Following a formal investigation by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the agency decided to impose a penalty of $250.000 on Air Canada. The penalty was officially imposed on September 27, 2024. As part of a settlement, Air Canada was agreed to pay half of the penalty within 60 days. The remainder of the penalty will be suspended on the condition that Air Canada does not commit any further violations in the next 12 months. The incident highlights the complexity of international flight operations, particularly in the context of code-sharing agreements between airlines from different countries. Air Canada and United Airlines have operated such an agreement for years, allowing the two companies to operate flights on behalf of each other. However, this also means that the strict regulations of the other authority must be observed. The importance for the aviation industry The incident highlights the importance of complying with international aviation safety regulations, especially when different airlines and countries are involved. The FAA, as one of the world's leading aviation authorities, has not issued its regulations without reason. Iraqi airspace is still considered at risk, forcing airlines to choose alternative routes, even if this means longer flight times or higher operating costs. For Air Canada, this incident could also have reputational damage. While the airline acknowledges that the violations were unintentional, there is little room for error in the highly regulated aviation industry when it comes to safety. In addition, airlines must be able to handle complex operational challenges without violating international regulations. An incident with far-reaching consequences The incident highlights the importance of strict compliance with international aviation regulations and safety requirements, especially in crisis regions such as the Middle East. For Air Canada, the fine is a warning to be even more careful when planning and operating flights under code-sharing agreements in the future. Although the case has been closed for the time being with the imposed fine and the settlement, the possibility of further legal or regulatory consequences remains if a similar incident occurs again. https://aviation.direct/en/Air-Canada-fined-%24250-for-flying-over-Iraqi-airspace Close call over Arabian Sea: Qatar Airways, EL AL planes come within 1 minute of each other The incident occurred on March 24 at 35,000 feet over the Arabian Sea and the two aircraft came as close as 9.1 nautical miles, or around one minute of each other, even as the regulation separation for the area was 10 minutes. EL AL’s Boieng 777-200 aircraft was operating a scheduled flight from Israel to Thailand’s capital Bangkok, while the Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER aircraft was operating a flight from Doha to Male in the Maldives. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating a serious incident of “airprox” or aircraft proximity — flights coming closer than the mandated minimum separation while airborne —in which two wide-body aircraft belonging to Qatar Airways and Israel’s EL AL were involved. The incident occurred on March 24 at 35,000 feet over the Arabian Sea and the two aircraft came as close as 9.1 nautical miles, or around one minute of each other, even as the regulation separation for the area was 10 minutes. The AAIB has released a preliminary report with details of the incident and the investigation process. The final investigation report is likely to be released within a couple of months, per sources in the know. Airprox is a situation in which the distance between aircraft as well as their relative positions and speed have been such that the safety of the aircraft involved may have been compromised. It is not clear yet whether the aircraft involved in this incident were on a collision course. Airprox incidents are classified into three categories—serious risk of collision, safety of the aircraft may have been compromised, and no risk of collision. Although both the aircraft were not headed to or from India, the AAIB is conducting the investigation as the area where the incident occurred falls under the Mumbai Flight Information Regions (FIR) where air traffic services are managed by the Mumbai air traffic control (ATC). While the probe is underway, two air traffic controllers on duty at the time of the incident were off-rostered as per the protocol in such cases and sent for corrective training, per sources. Festive offer EL AL’s Boieng 777-200 aircraft was operating a scheduled flight from Israel to Thailand’s capital Bangkok, while the Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER aircraft was operating a flight from Doha to Male in the Maldives. “Both aircraft were on their designated flight route and were at the same flight level F350 (35,000 feet). ELY081 (EL AL flight) was following Airway L875 and QTR8E (Qatar Airways flight) was following Airway L894. The airway L875 and L894 intersect each other at a Waypoint ‘GOLEM’ in Mumbai FIR. The breach of standard separation took place between the aircraft, at waypoint ‘GOLEM’ in Mumbai FIR. NO TA/RA alert (alerts generated by Traffic Collision Avoidance System, or TCAS) was generated in aircraft,” the AAIB noted in a preliminary report on the incident. According to experts, the TCAS alerts are sounded only when two aircraft come in close proximity and there is a threat of collision. The fact that the alerts were not generated in either aircraft cockpit could possibly mean that while the planes did come too close for comfort, there was no risk of collision, a source said, but added that details will only be clear once the final probe report is out. The AAIB investigation team has visited the Oceanic Control Centre, South Subsector—which handles air traffic in Mumbai FIR—to assess the situation and to collect evidence. ATC tapes and recordings of the automation system have been examined, and initial statements of various officials have been recorded. “Based on the statements, initial phase of interviews of three involved ATCOs (air traffic control officers) have been conducted. One of the concerned trainee’s statement was also recorded by the Investigation team. Another of the concerned trainee’s statement has been recorded by the Investigation team at Delhi,” the preliminary report said on the progress of the investigation. The AAIB has also received documents and data for the two flights from both the airlines, and these are being analysed as part of the probe. https://indianexpress.com/article/business/aviation/qatar-airways-el-al-planes-close-call-airprox-9594320/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS • 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