Flight Safety Information - October 10, 2024 No. 202 In This Issue : Incident: Arabia Maroc A320 at Nador on Oct 8th 2024, locked flaps : Incident: THY A359 near New York on Oct 8th 2024, captain died in flight : Air France says jet flew over Iraq as Iranian missiles descended on Israel : Helicopter pilot who crashed into a hotel had drunk a ‘significant amount of alcohol,’ report finds : Europe's EASA aviation regulator issues new risk warning for Israel airspace : Forged documents for aircraft parts went undetected for years, report says : Aviation industry urges steps to prevent unapproved parts from airplane use : Airbus delivered 50 new aircraft and won orders for 235 more in September 2024 : Emirates Trained 30 New Pilots and 820 Cabin Crew for A350 : Air India buys 85 Airbus jets, may add Boeing jets, sources say : American Airlines flight forced to make emergency landing in Bakersfield : Calendar of Events Incident: Arabia Maroc A320 at Nador on Oct 8th 2024, locked flaps An Air Arabia Maroc Airbus A320-200, registration CN-NMR performing flight 3O-122 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Nador (Morocco), was on approach to Nador when the flaps locked at 0 degrees. The crew entered a hold to work the related checklists. The aircraft landed on Nador's runway 08 about 35 minutes later at a higher than normal speed. The aircraft is still on the ground in Nador about 12 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=51eb7cc4&opt=0 Incident: THY A359 near New York on Oct 8th 2024, captain died in flight A THY Turkish Airlines Airbus A350-900, registration TC-LGR performing flight TK-204 from Seattle,WA (USA) to Istanbul (Turkey), was enroute at FL390 near Igloolik,NU (Canada) when the captain (59) became incapacitated prompting the crew to divert the aircraft to New York's JFK Airport, where the aircraft landed about 3.5 hours later. The captain was pronounced dead upon arrival. The airline reported: "The Captain Pilot of our Airbus 350 type aircraft with the tail registration TC-LGR, operating the flight number TK204 from Seattle to Istanbul, fainted during the flight. When the first medical intervention to our captain on the plane was ineffective, the cockpit crew consisting of 1 captain and 1 co-pilot decided to make an emergency landing, but our captain lost his life before landing. Having worked at Turkish Airlines since 2007, the captain was 59 years old. A periodic health examination was carried out on 08.03.2024 at the Aviation Medical Center authorized by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation, and no health problem was detected that would prevent him from working. Our plane has decided to land in New York, and our passengers' return home is planned via New York station. As the Turkish Airlines family, we wish God's mercy upon our captain and patience to his grieving family, all his colleagues and loved ones." The aircraft is on the ground in JFK about one hour after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=51eb7941&opt=0 Air France says jet flew over Iraq as Iranian missiles descended on Israel Air France has opened an investigation into how a jet flying from Paris to Dubai went over Iraq as Iranian missiles fired at Israel crossed the same airspace, the airline said Wednesday. Iran launched dozens of missiles towards Israel on October 1 in what it said was a response to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and others in Lebanon. The missiles had to pass through Iraq’s airspace to reach Israel. Air France Flight AF662 was flying over Iraq when the Iranian attack began at around 4:45 p.m. UTC (11.45 a.m. ET) and left Iraqi airspace “shortly before” 5 p.m. UTC (12 p.m. ET), the airline told CNN in a statement. Iraqi airspace was not officially closed by local authorities until 5:56 p.m. UTC (12:56 p.m. ET), it added. “Thanks to the information we gathered we were able to identify a forthcoming attack on Israel by Iran, involving the launch of ballistic missiles,” Air France said. “As a result, and without waiting for instructions from the Iraqi authorities, Air France decided to suspend the overflight of the country’s airspace by its aircraft from 5 p.m. UTC [12 p.m. ET],” it added. The airline said its jets “were already avoiding Israeli, Lebanese and Iranian airspace,” and that Flight AF662 was flying through “a special corridor used by all airlines.” Some hours before the strike, the White House said it had “indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel.” Air France stressed that a number of its other flights had been diverted to avoid the region on the night of the attack. “Air France constantly monitors geopolitical developments in the areas it serves and flies over, to ensure the highest levels of flight safety and security,” it said, adding “the safety of its customers and crews is its top priority.” French television channel LCI, which first reported the incident, said Air France pilots saw the missiles in the night sky from the cockpit, and that Iraqi air traffic control had wished the pilots “good luck.” Asked by CNN, an Air France spokesperson would not confirm that the pilots saw missiles fly past. The incident comes as the conflict in the Middle East further spirals. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned the Lebanese people they face falling “into the abyss of a long war” as his country escalates its attacks on Hezbollah, which is continuing to fire rockets into northern Israel. The Israeli cabinet is also considering how to respond to Iran’s October 1 strike, after pledging Tehran “will pay” for launching its largest-ever attack on Israel. Meanwhile, Israel’s offensive in Gaza rages on. Palestinians fleeing sites of Israel’s renewed military operation in the north of the strip are being shot at as they evacuate, according to residents there and footage shared with CNN documenting their journey. https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/09/travel/air-france-iraq-iran-israel-missile-intl/index.html Helicopter pilot who crashed into a hotel had drunk a ‘significant amount of alcohol,’ report finds A pilot who died when he crashed a helicopter into a hotel in Australia had “significant blood alcohol content” during the unauthorized flight, according to an official report into the incident. Hundreds of guests and staff were evacuated from the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Cairns in Far North Queensland on August 12, when the aircraft hit the top floor and burst into flames. At the time, charter company Nautilus Aviation said the pilot was a member of its ground crew who had attended a party the night before the crash to celebrate a promotion. He wasn’t authorized to fly the aircraft but had access to the helicopter, the keys to which were routinely left inside the aircraft when it was parked inside the hangar. The report released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) Thursday found that the pilot “was affected by a significant amount of alcohol” and flew “well below the 1,000 ft (304 meters) allowed for flight over a built-up area.” Investigators did not reach a conclusion as to why the pilot took the helicopter, or if he did so with the intention of crashing it into a hotel. “For reasons unknown, pilot actions resulted in a collision with a building while conducting an unauthorised and unnecessary flight, while affected by alcohol, late at night and at low heights over a built-up area, and without night flying endorsements,” the report concluded. The pilot had been out with friends at various venues around Cairns and was seen consuming alcohol, according to witnesses and security camera footage, the report said. Cameras also caught the moment he positioned one of Nautilus Aviation’s Robinson R44 Raven II helicopters onto a helipad at Cairns Airport at around 1:30 a.m. local time. For several minutes, the pilot turned off the helicopter’s cockpit and strobe lights before taking off and heading in the direction of Cairns city center, the report said. Australian Federal Police and airport safety officers were on duty that night but were not near the hangar. The report found they wouldn’t have seen a helicopter that was operating at night with no lights. “It was apparent that the pilot was wanting to conceal the departure from the airport from air traffic control and airport staff,” the report said. There was no cockpit recorder or flight data recorder, but investigators pieced together the aircraft’s movements from its GPS tracker and ground radar data. The report said the pilot was not authorized to fly the plane and while he had flown a Robinson R44 before, he hadn’t done so at night. It found the helicopter wasn’t upright when it hit the hotel, but there was also no sign of mechanical failure. https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/09/australia/helicopter-crash-cairns-alcohol-intl-hnk/index.html Europe's EASA aviation regulator issues new risk warning for Israel airspace PARIS, Oct 9 (Reuters) - The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Wednesday warned airlines to have strict risk monitoring procedures for flights within the airspace of Israel. "The European Commission and European Union Aviation Safety Agency have updated the Conflict Zone Information Bulletin (CZIB) for Israel issued on September 28. The revised CZIB recommends air operators to implement a stringent monitoring process and risk assessment for each flight when intending to operate within the airspace of Israel," it said. "The recommendation is valid until October 31 and can be reviewed earlier and adapted or withdrawn subject to the revised assessment," it added. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/europes-easa-aviation-regulator-issues-new-risk-warning-israel-airspace-2024-10-09/ Forged documents for aircraft parts went undetected for years, report says Report finds that dependence on paper, lack of information sharing hampered efforts to keep unapproved airplane parts out of the aviation ecosystem. In June 2023, a keen-eyed employee at TAP Air Portugal spotted a discrepancy: Parts for an airplane engine didn't seem to match the paperwork. The employee contacted the manufacturer, Safran, which quickly determined the documents had been falsified, setting off a worldwide scramble to identify and track thousands of suspect components. The investigation later determined that fewer than 1 percent of the Safran engines were affected, but the incident underscored the challenge of ferreting out fraud in an airliner manufacturing supply chain that is dependent on a sprawling global network of companies. Details of the case over parts supplied by London-based AOG Technics were contained in a report published Wednesday by an industry group analyzing the broader problems revealed by the episode. The group, the Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition, released recommendations to tighten up procedures to prevent unapproved parts from making their way onto commercial aircraft. https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2024/10/09/forged-documents-parts-aircraft-manufacturing/ https://www.redlakenationnews.com/story/2024/10/10/news/forged-documents-for-aircraft-parts-went-undetected-for-years-report-says/126085.html Aviation industry urges steps to prevent unapproved parts from airplane use WASHINGTON, Oct 9 (Reuters) - A report issued by an aviation industry coalition on Wednesday called for new steps to help prevent future unapproved parts from entering the aviation supply chain. The report from the Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition that was created in February called for strengthening vendor accreditation, digitizing documents and improving part traceability. It also proposed adopting best practices for receiving and inspecting parts and scrapping and destroying non-usable material. In 2023, jet engine maker CFM International, co-owned by GE Aerospace and France's Safran (SAF.PA), opens new tab, said thousands of engine components may have been sold with forged paperwork by British distributor AOG Technics. In December, British police made an arrest and launched a probe into allegations that the London-based firm had distributed fake parts for aircraft engines. "These recommendations will close holes and add new layers of safety to strengthen the integrity of the supply chain,” said former National Transportation Safety Board chair Robert Sumwalt, one of the group's co-chairs. "We were able to stop a rogue actor and quarantine the parts last year thanks to swift action from the aviation industry, but more is needed to stop anyone who tries to take a shortcut in the future." GE Aerospace (GE.N), opens new tab led the formation of the Aviation Supply Chain group that includes Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab, Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab, Safran (SAF.PA), opens new tab, American Airlines (AAL.O), opens new tab, Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), opens new tab and United Airlines. The report said that less than 1% of CFM engines in service were affected by the issue but said the incident "showed more needed to be done." The issue impacted a small number of CFM56 models, the world's most-sold passenger jet engine. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/aviation-industry-urges-steps-prevent-unapproved-parts-airplane-use-2024-10-09/ Airbus delivered 50 new aircraft and won orders for 235 more in September 2024 Airbus has just released its latest figures for orders and deliveries. The data, relating to September 2024, is said to reflect the challenging environment in which the European planemaker continues to struggle as it tries to keep up with soaring demand for its products. The company announced orders for 235 new aircraft during the month. This total includes 35 A320neo family aircraft, five A350-900s, and five A350-1000s. The order book added 15 A320neos for CDB Leasing, plus 190 A321neos which are allocated to Cebu Pacific (70), 65 to CDB Leasing, and 55 to undisclosed customers. The identities of the customers of the widebody orders are also yet to be announced, although according to Bloomberg, Air India is suspected as the leading contender for the A350s along with at least some of the A320neos. In terms of new aircraft deliveries, the company delivered 50 planes during the period. This figure represents a drop of 9% over the same month in 2023. However, on the positive side, the quantity of new planes delivered brings the total so far in 2024 to 497 aircraft, up 2% from 488 at the same stage in 2023. In September 2024, the company delivered 50 new planes to 29 customers. The breakdown comprises of a single A220-100, four A220-300s, one A319neo, 12 A320neos, 28 A321neos, one A330-900, two A350-900s, and a single A350-1000. Airbus is continuing to target 770 new aircraft deliveries for the full year of 2024 despite its ongoing supply chain challenges. This target was reduced downwards from the original figure of 800 in July 2024, with the organization citing shortages of engines and other key components as third-party suppliers continue to face staffing shortages resulting from the pandemic and their own supply chain issues further up the line. Given that the company is sitting at 497 aircraft in the year to date, there is still a shortfall of 273 aircraft that must be delivered to meet the 2024 target figure of 770. Even this remaining number, if achieved, would represent an 11% increase over the last quarter of 2023 – an increase that some analysts believe will be hard to achieve. Airbus had been hoping to ramp up production of its A320neo family of narrowbody planes to 75 per month by 2026, however, this figure has now been delayed to 2027. The company is currently only managing around 50 single-aisle airframes each month, with the production of the A220 family of planes at Mirabel in Canada said to be facing particularly challenging production issues and delays. So far in 2024, Airbus has won orders for a total of 667 aircraft, or a net total of 648 after cancellations. While the company does not publish or publicize its annual order target levels, it is widely assumed that given its forecast production capability, the planemaker aims to achieve around 1,100 net new orders per year. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/airbus-orders-deliveries-september-2024 Emirates Trained 30 New Pilots and 820 Cabin Crew for A350 The airline's future fleet includes 65 A350s and 205 777Xs, supporting expansion plans and route optimization. DUBAI- Emirates Airlines (EK) invests $48 million in advanced pilot and cabin crew training equipment for its upcoming Airbus A350 fleet. The investment includes three full flight simulators, a fixed base training device, and cabin emergency evacuation and door trainers. Emirates A350 Preparations The airline introduces an industry-first Pilot Support System (PSS), developed in-house. This system enables interactive flight deck setup and flight planning in an immersive environment before entering the simulator. It also allows instructors to replay and review crew performance during debriefing. Emirates’ first A350 full flight simulator received the highest Level D qualification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) with zero findings, a significant achievement in simulation technology. This advanced system enhances training efficiency and pilot skill mastery. The second A350 simulator is undergoing onsite acceptance and is expected to receive EASA approval in November. Emirates has ordered a total of three full flight simulators for its A350 fleet. A fixed base training device complements the simulators, replicating the A350 flight deck with realistic visual and audio systems for comprehensive training sessions. Training Pilots and Cabin Crew The airline has trained 30 pilots and 820 cabin crew members on the A350, with over 50 pilots expected to complete training by November. Capt Bader Al Marzooqi, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Flight Training, highlights the airline’s 54% increase in pilot training capacity. The new equipment and facilities ensure pilots and crew are prepared for operational challenges. Emirates collaborates with IATA and Airbus to implement an enhanced Competency-Based Training and Assessment program for A350 type rating. This partnership aims to elevate industry standards in pilot training. The airline’s future fleet includes 65 A350s and 205 777Xs, supporting expansion plans and route optimization. Emirates will open a 63,318 sq.ft. pilot training facility housing six full-flight simulator bays for A350 and Boeing 777X aircraft. The expanded facilities will offer 17 full flight simulators with an annual capacity of 130,000 training hours. Emirates continues its pilot recruitment drive, scheduling an online information session on October 16 for prospective aviators. If you are interested, then make sure to apply here. Emirates A350 Routes Dubai based carrier delays the launch of its Airbus A350 operations, rescheduling the aircraft’s debut for November 4. The airline will receive its first A350 this month, with five more A350-900s expected by the end of 2024. Further, Emirates has configured its A350s with three classes: business, premium economy, and economy. Here are the updated Emirates A350 scheduled operations as reported by Aeroroutes: Dubai to Edinburgh: Starting November 4 (Unchanged) Dubai to Bahrain: Starting November 15 (Previously September 15) Dubai to Kuwait: Starting November 15 (Previously September 16) Dubai to Ahmedabad: Starting January 1, 2025 (Previously October 27) Dubai to Bologna: Starting January 1, 2025 (Previously December 1) Dubai to Bombay: Starting January 1, 2025 (Previously October 27) Dubai to Colombo: Starting January 2, 2025 (Previously January 1, 2025) Dubai to Lyon: Starting March 1, 2025 (Previously December 1, 2025) Dubai to Muscat: Starting March 1, 2025 (Previously December 1, 2025) https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2024/10/10/emirates-trains-a350-pilots-and-cabin-crew/ Air India buys 85 Airbus jets, may add Boeing jets, sources say PARIS/DELHI (Reuters) -Air India is continuing a dramatic turnaround by placing a new order for 85 Airbus planes and could buy more Boeing jets on top of an historic order for European and U.S. jets last year, industry sources said. The Airbus order emerged in a routine industry update as the national carrier mourned the death of the former chairman of parent Tata Group, business and aviation pioneer Ratan Tata. Airbus said late on Wednesday an unnamed customer had placed an order for 75 A320-family jets and 10 long-haul A350s. Three sources said that Air India was the airline behind the order. Two of the sources said Air India was also in talks for a potential top-up order from Boeing. Air India did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Airbus deal, first reported by Bloomberg News. Airbus, whose routine monthly bulletin was published shortly before Tata announced the death of its former chairman at the age of 86, declined comment on any talks with customers. Boeing did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Ratan Tata took over from the Tata conglomerate's former chairman and founder of Air India, J.R.D. Tata in 1991 and served as chairman for over 20 years. The trained pilot was involved in the development of Vistara, a joint venture with Singapore Airlines, and AirAsia India. Following his retirement, Tata Group took back ownership of Air India after nearly 70 years of public control. "While admittedly it will take considerable effort to rebuild Air India, it will hopefully provide a very strong market opportunity to the Tata Group's presence in the aviation industry," Ratan Tata said on X in 2021. Air India is now in the midst of a multi-billion-dollar revamp to restore a once prestigious brand. Last year, it agreed to buy 470 jets as part of the project to restore its fortunes under its founding Tata Group, which regained control in 2022 after decades of public ownership. The order, the largest at the time by a single airline, was split between 250 planes from Airbus and 220 from Boeing, with neither planemaker having the capacity to sweep the whole order. Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer Nipun Aggarwal, who led the secret London negotiations, was later quoted as saying Air India had also negotiated a total of 370 options and purchase rights from Airbus and Boeing on top of the main order. Air India said last year that it had options for 70 Boeing jets but did not publish a breakdown for Airbus. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/air-india-buys-85-airbus-103157046.html American Airlines flight forced to make emergency landing in Bakersfield BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — An American Airlines flight with 130 passengers diverted to an emergency landing at Meadows Field. The flight was from Dallas to San Luis Obispo and landed in Bakersfield due to a landing flap issue. The flight safely landed around 12PM followed by two fire trucks until it docked. “The flight attendant came up and said hey we have a little trouble with the flaps and I said really, he said yeah they didn’t want to take the chance trying to land in San Luis Obispo,” said Mike Martinez, a passenger on that flight. “They were rerouting us to Bakersfield where the land strip was a little bit longer, little bit flatter just to be safe.” “It was a really hard break landing but other than that it was fine, saw some firetrucks behind us and stuff but thank god we are all okay…I was a little afraid yeah for sure,” said Debbie Treece, another passenger on the flight. The call for the fire department was for a potential brake fire, “Big concern that if they make a no flap landing that there is potential for a brake fire, hot brakes.” Folks that deboarded were told that the plane was going to be fixed or they will be bused to San Luis Obispo. This is now the fourth aircraft issue in Bakersfield in a week, one was a crash of a private plane on Oct. 2, in which the pilot suffered major injuries. An airplane parachute was deployed. Another of a private plane where the pilots wife landed the plane after the her husband had a fatal heart attack midflight. She landed the plane safely at Meadows Field. Passengers on today’s emergency landing said this experience will not affect their decision to fly, “I’ll still be taking flights, yeah, unless something happened maybe a lot worse then I may have to think about that one,” said Treece. Kern County Fire Department said the fire trucks were precautionary in case a fire broke out from the landing. Besides changing travel plans, the passengers of this American Airlines flight were unharmed. https://www.kget.com/news/local-news/american-airlines-flight-forced-to-make-emergency-landing-in-bakersfield/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS • Safeskies Australia Conference, Canberra Australia - 16th and 17th of October 2024 - www.safeskiesaustralia.org • 2024 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition - Oct. 22-24 (Vegas) • INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SUMMIT - November 5 - 7, 2024 (Rio De Janeiro) • NATA’s Aviation Business Conference (ABC) - November 12-13,2024, Nashville, TN • Sponsor the 2025 Fuzion Safety Conference! March 4 & 5, 2025 (Orlando) • Sixth Edition of International Accident Investigation Forum, 21 to 23 May 2025, Singapore Curt Lewis