Flight Safety Information - October 15, 2024 No. 205 In This Issue : Incident: Skywest CRJ2 near Rapid City on Oct 13th 2024, loss of cabin pressure : Incident: PIA A320 near Karachi on Oct 13th 2024, loss of cabin pressure : Incident: Brussels A319 at Brussels on Oct 12th 2024, smoke in cockpit : Incident: Delta B739 at Salt Lake City on Oct 8th 2024, engine shut down in flight : Why another delay of Boeing's new 777X plane is such a big deal : Woman Alleges She Was ‘Kicked Off’ Delta Flight After Revealing Shellfish Allergy to Staff: ‘I Don’t Know What I Did’ : SriLankan Airlines Airbus pilots clash midair : Near miss on runway at San Diego International Airport : SpiceJet settles $23.39 million dispute with aircraft lessors Aircastle and Wilmington Trust for $5 million : Pilot shortage looms as FAA retirement rule leaves gaps in workforce : Delta Anticipates 'Normalized' Pilot Hiring In The US With 5,000 New Positions Expected Next Year : Boeing Plane Deliveries Plummet, and This Strike Isn't Helping : NTSB Releases Final Report Of Envoy Air Embraer E170 Turbulence Incident Caused Serious Injuries To Crew : FlightSafety International - Pilot Instructor hiring event in Wilmington, DE : Calendar of Events Incident: Skywest CRJ2 near Rapid City on Oct 13th 2024, loss of cabin pressure A Skywest Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 on behalf of United, registration N930SW performing flight UA-5293 from Denver,CO to Williston,ND (USA), was enroute at FL330 about 30nm west of Rapid City,SD (USA) when the crew donned their oxygen masks and initiated an emergency descent to 10,000 feet due to the loss of cabin pressure. The aircraft subsequently diverted to Rapid City for a safe landing on runway 32 about 30 minutes later. A passenger reported the crew donned their oxygen masks due to the loss of cabin pressure, the passenger oxygen masks were not released however. The airline reported the aircraft diverted due to a mechanical indication. The passengers continued their travel on a different aircraft. A replacement CRJ-700 registration N788SK reached Williston with a delay of about 7:20 hours. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Rapid City for about 30 hours, then positioned to Chicago,IL (USA). https://avherald.com/h?article=51ef53ab&opt=0 Incident: PIA A320 near Karachi on Oct 13th 2024, loss of cabin pressure A PIA Pakistan International Airways Airbus A320-200, registration AP-BOM performing flight PK-144 from Al Ain (United Arab Emirates) to Islamabad (Pakistan), was enroute at FL350 about 250nm north of Karachi (Pakistan) when the crew initiated an emergency descent to FL110 due to the loss of cabin pressure. The aircraft turned south and diverted to Karachi for a safe landing on runway 25L about one hour after leaving FL350. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 26 hours before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=51eee7a6&opt=0 Incident: Brussels A319 at Brussels on Oct 12th 2024, smoke in cockpit A Brussels Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration OO-SSX performing flight SN-2298 from Stockholm (Sweden) to Brussels (Belgium), was on approach to Brussels' runway 25L when the crew reported smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 25L. The airline reported a small device in the avionics bay had overheated. The faulty device was replaced. The aircraft returned to service about 6.5 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=51eef5aa&opt=0 Incident: Delta B739 at Salt Lake City on Oct 8th 2024, engine shut down in flight A Delta Airlines Boeing 737-900, registration N811DZ performing flight DL-871 from Salt Lake City,UT to Seattle,WA (USA) with 156 people on board, was climbing out of Salt Lake City's runway 34L when the crew stopped the climb at 9000 feet due to one of the engines (CFM56) being shut down in flight. The aircraft returned to Salt Lake City for a safe landing on runway 34L about 20 minutes after departure. Tower advised another aircraft on approach that there was an emergency in progress with an engine on fire, a Boeing 737. Subsequently tower advised another aircraft that there was a 737 climbing out at about 8000 feet, that had lost an engine and was climbing very slowly. The airport reported the aircraft returned soon after takeoff after reports of an "engulfed engine". No injuries were reported. The airline reported the aircraft with 152 people on board returned due to a mechanical issue. A replacement Boeing 737-900 registration N806DN reached Seattle with delay of about 2:45 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=51eef3c6&opt=0 Why another delay of Boeing's new 777X plane is such a big deal Boeing's 777X, its largest passenger plane, is delayed yet again. Flight-test problems and an ongoing strike pushed the timeline to 2026, costing billions. With about 500 orders from airlines like Qatar and Emirates, much is riding on the new widebody. Boeing's future is dependent on the upcoming 777X, the world's largest passenger plane in production, which has been delayed once again. The revolutionary jetliner, with folding wingtips and increased fuel economy compared to competitors, is now expected in 2026, Boeing said Friday. In the same announcement, the embattled planemaker said it would cut its workforce by 10% and discontinue the 767 cargo plane. More than a dozen airlines, including British Airways, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines, have placed about 500 orders for the twin-engine 777X, which was originally supposed to start flying passengers by 2020. But the new jet is already five years behind schedule and $1.5 billion over budget, a number that's only expected to grow. CEO Kelly Ortberg, who took over the top job in August, cited certification flight-test issues, which were paused in August due to a component problem, and a labor strike that started in mid-September. Boeing said in a preliminary third-quarter earnings report that the latest 777X setback will cost $2.6 billion. At least one customer has already said it is unhappy with the new 777X delay. A lot was already riding on the new 777X, especially proving its modified design was the right strategy over building a new plane from scratch. But the strike, combined with ongoing 737 and 787-related fires, will make adding an entirely new plane to the mix increasingly more difficult. Experts said Boeing will need to earn back the trust of airlines that have raised concerns about the planemaker's ability to certify and deliver planes. Boeing has about 6,200 aircraft on backlog. Boeing also doesn't want to fall further behind rival Airbus. The European planemaker's A321neo family has outsold the 737 since 2019, and it's already launched the 777X's competing Airbus A350 widebody, which has over 1,300 orders to date from the likes of Korean Air, Delta Air Lines, Singapore Airlines, and Lufthansa. The 777X's familiarity and more spacious 10-abreast cabin are huge selling points against the A350, which is smaller than the 777-9 model but cheaper and longer-ranged. Boeing needs to prove it can safely update an old aircraft Unlike Airbus' A350, Boeing based the 777X on its classic 777-300ER but modified it to be larger and more efficient. The 777-300ER is Boeing's best-selling 777 variant, selling over 800 units since 2000. Key differences between the two 777 types are the size, engines, and wings. The new plane has tips that fold up to ensure it fits in the same gate space as the classic model. Operationally, the 777X is similar to its predecessor — and that's by design. Its flight deck resembles that of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner — meaning pilots can jump between all aircraft with little extra training, and airports save on infrastructure costs. Boeing's last completely new widebody plane was the 787 way back in 2003. While the Dreamliner is a cash cow with over 2,300 orders and about 1,100 delivered, the planemaker wasn't ready to invest in another challenging, time-consuming, and expensive clean-sheet widebody this time around. Opting for the cheaper update has already caused problems before When building the 737 Max — an update to the popular narrowbody — Boeing installed a system that was responsible for crashing two planes in 2018 and 2019. The system, known as MCAS, was new. But Boeing didn't clue airlines in because it was selling the Max as an enhanced version of the next-generation 737 family rather than as an entirely new plane and needed it to require minimal pilot training. Similar design flaws on its 777X would further plague Boeing's chance at revival. "There's a lot of things that Boeing's going to have to do that was not done on the 777-300ER," Aviation Week's chief regulation and safety editor said in a July 2023 podcast. "The biggest thing, again, as we're seeing on the 737s, is validating these system safety assessments that have to do with making assumptions about pilot reactions during non-normal situations." The 777X needs the trust of key Middle Eastern customers Middle Eastern carriers Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad Airways make up the bulk of the 777X orders, taking interest in both the $442 million 777-9 and the $410 million 777-8. Emirates added 90 more 777Xs to its order book in late 2023, bringing its total to 205, 35 of which are for the smaller variant. Qatar and Etihad have ordered 94 and 25 777-9s, respectively, for a collective 324 777X planes across the three airlines. The 777X's size and efficiency make it favorable for these carriers' strong hub-and-spoke networks that rely on big planes to shuttle as many people as possible between cities at once. The three carriers plan to phase out fuel-hungry planes like the A380 quad-jet and replace them with the more efficient 777X. Despite the substantial investment, Emirates president Tim Clark has voiced his concern over Boeing's 777X delays, and he isn't pleased with the latest setback. He told Business Insider on Monday the airline has already made "significant and highly expensive" fleet adjustments to accommodate Boeing's "contractual shortfalls." "I fail to see how Boeing can make any meaningful forecasts of delivery dates," Clark said. "We will be having a serious conversation with them over the next couple of months." Still, Clark told The Air Current in June that the 777X is a promising plane but noted that its problems are bad for airlines relying on Boeing to fulfill their demand needs because it's taking so long to certify. Aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia told BI in July that Boeing is likely too far in to cancel the program. Airlines and Boeing will eventually benefit once the new widebody hits the market. "The 777X is definitely worth pursuing," Aboulafia said. "It's the largest jetliner on the market, which is always useful for slot-constrained airlines. And the order book is respectable, if not fantastic, for a program at this stage." https://www.yahoo.com/news/why-much-riding-777x-boeings-095702864.html Woman Alleges She Was ‘Kicked Off’ Delta Flight After Revealing Shellfish Allergy to Staff: ‘I Don’t Know What I Did’ A TikTok user claims that airline workers were cooking shellfish and ”escorted” her off a flight from L.A. to Boston A TikTok user is alleging she was removed from a Delta flight after alerting airline staff to her shellfish allergy. On Oct. 6, Ellie Brelis shared two videos to TikTok, claiming that she was "escorted off" her flight from Los Angeles to Boston that day after detailing her allergy to their airline. Brelis revealed in her first 2-minute-long clip that she was "supposed to be on" a then-departing plane to see her doctor the next day regarding "really, really serious allergies." As she revealed, she experienced a "mild" anaphylactic shock on a flight three days before. While trying to "make sure" it didn't happen again, Brelis claimed she was "kicked off the plane for having an allergy." Representatives for Delta Air Lines did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Sunday, Oct. 13. In her initial TikTok upload, filmed while crying at the gate, Brelis told her followers that she "upgraded" her seat to "try to be safer," but was allegedly removed from the flight that still had her checked baggage onboard. Related: Mom Furious After Unaccompanied 14-Year-Old Daughter Was Forced Off Flight, Left Alone at Toronto Airport Brelis said she takes the same steps each flight to alert crews of a shellfish allergy she has, per CBS News, which includes her allergy being documented with Delta. She also said she spoke with flight attendants about her EpiPens ahead of her recent planned departure to Boston. "She brought out another flight attendant into it and all of a sudden, it just kind of became this really big commotion where they said they were concerned because they were cooking shellfish in first class and they couldn't not serve it," Brelis, who was not flying first class, said, per the outlet. According to CBS News, she was then removed from the plane by a medical representative for the airline. "Just to be clear, I was literally on the plane and they escorted me off," she said in a follow-up video. "I don't know what I did." Delta advises passengers to notify the airline of allergies ahead of flights via its Accessibility Service Request form on its website or by calling its Accessibility Services team. "While we are unable to guarantee a peanut-free or allergen-free flight or prohibit other customers from carrying these products on board, we strive to make reasonable accommodations for your needs," the airline's website notes. Brelis revealed in her second video on the matter that Delta rebooked her for a red-eye flight around five hours later, and had to contact Medair, claiming that she'd have to "talk to a doctor" who would deem if she's "fit to fly." Per CBS News, the TikTok user eventually bought a seat on a JetBlue flight and was not refunded for the Delta trip. “Somehow it kind of all just evolved really quickly to where there were so many different people involved. And I was really embarrassed and didn’t understand how it had gotten to be such a an ordeal because I’ve flown many, many times in my life and I’ve always done the exact same thing,” Brelis told The New York Post. As Brelis told The Post, she is typically seated in the back section of a plane and those around her are advised not to eat shellfish. “I understand. I always have a risk when I fly,” she told the outlet, “but flying is a part of life and I think we should all have the ability to do it, whether or not we can eat shellfish or peanuts.” https://www.yahoo.com/news/woman-alleges-she-kicked-off-171820688.html SriLankan Airlines Airbus pilots clash midair ECONOMYNEXT – Pilots of a SriLankan Airlines flight from Sydney to Colombo were involved in a tense verbal altercation, with one of them being locked out of the cockpit of an Airbus A330, aviation sources said. A senior cabin crew member intervened to defuse the situation and ensure that the copilot could return to the cockpit. Sri Lankan airlines in a statement on Monday confirmed an incident on UL607, and said the captain has since been grounded. Flight UL607 took off without incident until the female First Officer requested a toilet break. Standard safety procedures require another member of the cabin crew, usually the purser, to enter the cockpit to accompany the pilot flying at the time. While the First Officer waiting to enter toilet and before a cabin crew member had entered the cockpit, the captain had closed the door and allegedly refused to reopen it. Words were exchanged via the communication link between the cockpit and outside, and it reportedly took considerable effort from a senior crew member to persuade the captain to end the standoff, according to a source familiar with the case. After the flight landed safely in Colombo, the First Officer lodged a complaint, which has now been referred to the Civil Aviation Authority, the aviation regulator. “SriLankan Airlines confirms that an investigation is currently underway in accordance with civil aviation regulations regarding the incident on flight UL 607 from Sydney to Colombo today (14 October),” the airline said. It was “fully cooperating with the relevant authorities, and the captain has been grounded pending the outcome of the investigation.” The national carrier stressed that safety and compliance with all regulatory requirements remained Sri Lankan Airlines’ top priority. https://economynext.com/srilankan-airlines-airbus-pilots-clash-midair-183533/ Near miss on runway at San Diego International Airport Air traffic control cleared two Southwest Airlines planes on the same runway. SAN DIEGO — An aborted takeoff at San Diego International Airport last week is raising concerns about public safety. A Southwest Airlines flight was cleared to cross the runway at the same time a different Southwest jet was cleared for takeoff. It happened on October 11 around 8:40 a.m. The incident began when Southwest 785 was cleared to cross the main runway, runway number 27, on taxi path B6, according to air traffic control audio recordings. Ground control: “Southwest 785 cross 27 on Bravo 6, continue taxiing via Charlie.” Southwest pilot: “Clear to cross 27 at Bravo 6, continue taxiing via Charlie. Southwest 785.” Seconds later, an air traffic controller cleared a different flight, Southwest 1478, to take off on the main runway 27. Air traffic: “Southwest 1478 clear for takeoff.” Southwest pilot: “On 27, clear for takeoff Southwest 1478.” The two flights were on a collision course, when the air traffic controller abruptly cancelled the takeoff clearance. Air traffic: “Southwest 1478 cancel takeoff clearance.” Pilot: “Say again?” Air traffic: “Cancel takeoff plans for Southwest 1478.” Pilot: “Southwest 1478 is rejecting.” The air traffic controller then told Southwest 785 not to cross the runway. Air traffic: “Southwest 785 hold position. Pilot: “Hold position. Southwest 785. We're past the hold short line.” Air traffic: “Roger, just hold position please.” Both Southwest flights were able to stop in time, avoiding a collision. The FAA emailed CBS 8 the following statement: “This information is preliminary and subject to change. An air traffic controller cancelled the takeoff clearance for Southwest Airlines Flight 1478 at San Diego International Airport because another Southwest plane was cleared to cross the runway. The second Southwest aircraft never entered the runway. The FAA is investigating the incident, which occurred around 9 a.m. local time on Friday, Oct. 11.” “It says the second Southwest aircraft never entered the runway. That's wrong. When you cross that hold short line you have, in effect, entered the runway,” said pilot Robert Katz, referring to the FAA statement. Katz has 43 years of experience as a flight instructor. “The bottom line here is that there was a breakdown in communication between these two, these two people in the tower. And, that's where the fault lies. It's not with either pilot of either airplane,” said Katz. Nobody was injured in the incident. A passenger on Southwest 1478, who wanted to remain anonymous, reported the aborted takeoff to CBS 8. “Just before liftoff, pilot abruptly slammed on brakes and skidded towards end of runway. After we came to a stop, pilot taxied us off runway. Pilot said tower had told him to abort takeoff. Pilot said a plane had moved out onto end of runway. Pilot said brakes and fuel would then have to be checked before we could leave,” the passenger wrote. The takeoff of Flight 1478 from San Diego to Dallas was delayed by three hours, according to flight records. Katz, the veteran flight instructor, said he’s not surprised the near miss happened at San Diego International Airport. “This airport has one runway. It is short. San Diego is operating way over capacity and it is going to be, in my opinion, the scene of the next major catastrophe in the United States,” Katz said. Southwest Airlines emailed CBS 8 to clarify that the Flight 1478 experienced “no skidding” and also emailed CBS 8 the following statement: “Southwest Airlines Flight 1478 stopped safely on the runway at San Diego International Airport on Friday after an air traffic controller instructed the Crew to discontinue their takeoff roll. Southwest is in contact with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees.” In August 2023, a near miss occurred between a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 and a Cessna Citation business jet at San Diego International Airport. The FAA said an initial investigation indicated that the controller had previously cleared the Citation to land on Runway 27 and then instructed Southwest Flight 2493 to taxi onto that runway and wait for instructions to depart. The facility's automated surface surveillance system alerted the controller about the developing situation and the controller directed the Cessna to discontinue landing. The initial review showed that the Cessna passed over the top of the Southwest airplane by about 100 feet, according to a Reuters report. https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/near-miss-at-san-diego-airport/509-04081911-de4d-4c0c-9c2d-fdeda7c113b8 SpiceJet settles $23.39 million dispute with aircraft lessors Aircastle and Wilmington Trust for $5 million Indian budget airline SpiceJet has successfully settled a $23.39 million dispute with aircraft lessors Aircastle and Wilmington Trust for $5 million. SpiceJet settles $23.39 million dispute with aircraft lessors for $5 million Budget airline SpiceJet has settled a $23.39 million dispute with aircraft lessors Aircastle and Wilmington Trust, according to a statement released by the carrier on Tuesday, October 15. This resolution comes shortly after the airline settled a similar dispute with US-based aircraft leasing firm BBAM, according to a PTI report. The agreement will see all ongoing litigation and disputes between the parties withdrawn from relevant legal forums. SpiceJet has agreed to pay an aggregate sum of $5 million to settle the dispute, along with an agreement regarding the treatment of certain aircraft engines, as per the report. Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of SpiceJet, told PTI, “We have successfully resolved this long-standing dispute with Aircastle and Wilmington Trust. With this and other significant settlements, SpiceJet continues to strengthen its financial position and lay the groundwork for a more resilient future.” This settlement is part of a series of financial agreements the airline has secured in recent weeks. Earlier this month, SpiceJet resolved a dispute with BBAM. Additionally, on September 24, the company settled a dispute with Engine Lease Finance Corporation (ELFC) for an undisclosed amount, lower than the initial claim of $16.7 million, as per PTI. These resolutions mark significant progress for SpiceJet in addressing its financial challenges and legal disputes with lessors. SpiceJet to enhance its fleet by another 10 aircraft Meanwhile, on October 8, the Airline said it would enhance its fleet by another 10 aircraft by next month, with the first plane set to be inducted on October 10. SpiceJet said in a release that seven of these aircraft will be acquired on lease, while three previously grounded ones are being reintroduced. The Gurugram-headquartered airline has only 19 aircraft in operations, while as many as 36 planes were grounded as of October 8, according to the live aircraft fleet tracking website, Planespotter.net. The announcement comes on the back of SpiceJet securing ₹3,000 crore fresh capital infusion through QIP late last month. https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/spicejet-settles-23-39-million-dispute-with-aircraft-lessors-aircastle-and-wilmington-trust-for-5-million-11728972278881.html Pilot shortage looms as FAA retirement rule leaves gaps in workforce CLEVELAND, Tenn. — A Federal Aviation Administration mandate requiring pilots to retire at 65 is contributing to a growing shortage of commercial pilots, industry experts say. Chris Erlinson, President of Tennessee Flight Trade, highlighted the increasing demand for air travel and the resulting strain on the airline industry. "Right now, the airline industry is experiencing an unprecedented shortage of pilots," Erlinson said. The shortage is expected to worsen, with potential cuts to flight routes. "We're going to eventually see more routes being cut from air travel simply because we don't have enough people to fly," Erlinson said. The scarcity of pilots is attributed to several factors, including heightened minimum requirements for becoming an airline pilot and the lowered retirement age. "We've raised the minimum requirements for somebody to become an airline pilot. We lowered the retirement age, and because of that, you've got an absolute shortage and scarcity in who and who can become an airline pilot," Erlinson explained. The FAA says while there are no age limits for pilots in the U.S. except for commercial airline pilots, airlines cannot employ pilots after they reach 65. CNN reported in 2023 that more than half of the current pilots will reach the mandatory retirement age within the next 15 years, with younger pilots not filling the gap. Erlinson and his team are addressing the issue by training young aspiring pilots. "We've had students that have started as early as 10 years old in their pilot training, and just build their hours and build up their time, and then once they hit a certain number of hours in a certain age, they're able to go to work for the airlines," Erlinson said. The impact of the pilot shortage is already being felt, with some cities experiencing reduced flight frequencies. "Some cities that were getting eight flights a day, now they're only getting three flights a day," Erlinson warned. https://newschannel9.com/news/local/arc-chattanooga/pilot-shortage-looms-as-faa-retirement-rule-leaves-gaps-in-workforce Delta Anticipates 'Normalized' Pilot Hiring In The US With 5,000 New Positions Expected Next Year Delta Air Lines expects its pilot hiring to return to normal in 2025. Expecting a better 2025 After a post-pandemic boom and increase in demand for pilots, in 2024, many airlines slowed down their hiring. On January 1, Simple Flying reported that Delta Air Lines was cutting its hiring by about half compared to 2023. Spirit Airlines suspended hiring earlier this year and even furloughed some pilots. And the list goes on. According to a report from Airline Geeks, Delta believes that pilot hiring will return to normal levels in 2025. During its third-quarter earnings call last week, airline leadership shared it expects hiring in 2025 to hit nearly 5,000 pilots. According to Future and Active Pilot Advisors (FAPA) data, in 2019, American carriers hit nearly 5,000 hires. Delta President Glen Hauenstein said, "As you know, pilot constraints as the majors were hiring early in the recovery period put a lot of strain on availability of pilot crews for the regional carriers and we've been working very closely with them." Delta's pilot hiring in 2024 According to data from FAPA, Delta hired 870 pilots through August. This puts the airline just short of its forecast in January, when it shared it would hire about 1,000 pilots. At the time, the airline said, “Delta’s 2024 hiring projections are representative of a continued healthy and robust demand for pilots. What we anticipate for the coming year is a very strong, yet more normalized, growth pattern that is reflective of Delta’s full operational restoration post-pandemic and continued focus on industry leadership.” Despite lower numbers in 2024, Delta's hiring is still significantly higher than what it was pre-pandemic. Data from FAPA shows that in 2019, Delta hired just 492 pilots. In 2021, that number rose by about 50%, even though the airline hired no pilots through the first five months of the year. 2022 and 2023 were massive years for Delta and other airlines across the industry in the United States. In 2022, Delta hired 2,392 pilots, and was only beat by United Airlines. The Atlanta-based carrier's strongest month in 2022 saw 214 pilots hired. In 2023, Delta hired 2,424 pilots. Of the nearly 2,500 pilots, 302 were hired in January. Last year, no airline hired more pilots than Delta. Suspension of hiring in 2024 (current data available through August) Seven US airlines have suspended pilot hiring at some point in 2024. Alaska Airlines started early this year, hiring ten pilots in January and eight in February. Since March, the airline has not hired a single pilot. American Airlines temporarily suspended hiring in March but picked up in April. From June through August, the airline did not hire anyone. American's year-to-date total is 749 pilots. Frontier did not hire any pilots in February but hired 139 from March through June and then suspended hiring again. JetBlue has not hired any pilots since May, and its total for 2024 is 122. Southwest Airlines hired more than 260 pilots in the first three months of the year and then took its foot off the gas. From April through June, the Texas-based carrier did not hire any pilots. In August, 22 were added to its roster before another suspension. Spirit Airlines has not hired any pilots this year and even furloughed some recently. Finally, United Airlines suspended hiring in May and June, but has hired more pilots than any other US carrier. In 2024, United has hired 1,028 pilots. https://simpleflying.com/delta-anticipates-normalized-pilot-hiring-2025/ Boeing Plane Deliveries Plummet, and This Strike Isn't Helping As Boeing's (NYSE: BA) protracted labor strike entered its fourth week, the airplane manufacturer got some more bad news: Airplane deliveries have fallen for a fourth straight month. As local daily The Seattle Times reported on Tuesday, Boeing delivered 44 commercial airplanes to its customers in June, 43 planes in July, and just 40 in August. Tuesday's tally for September -- 33 planes -- marks the fourth straight down month for the airplane builder. Boeing's bad news This news isn't entirely unexpected. Negotiations with the International Association of Machinists that broke down last month resulted in 33,000 machinists walking off the job on Sept. 13. Meaning, for more than half the month of September, Boeing wasn't building any new 737s, 767s, or 777s in Washington. (Boeing 787s are built at a non-union plant in South Carolina). Plus, Boeing had already been slowing production of its 737s (the company's best-selling airplane) to focus on quality, hoping to avoid the repeat of an incident when a door plug blew off of a 737 midair back in January. Still, the numbers are disturbing. Earlier this week, Boeing updated its orders and deliveries data to reflect airplane orders and deliveries received through the end of September. Year to date, Boeing has delivered 291 commercial airplanes to its airline customers. Boeing did book 315 gross new orders, including 65 orders in September, which should have been enough to replenish its backlog (currently at 6,197 planes). However, cancellations, conversions, and changes to the order tally to account for planes that have been ordered -- but customers might not actually end up buying -- reduced net new orders year to date to just 121 planes. Result: Boeing's backlog is still shrinking. How does Boeing compare to Airbus? To fully appreciate how bad these numbers are, it's important to put them in context. Globally, Boeing's biggest competitor in selling commercial airplanes to airline customers is Airbus (OTC: EADSY). In September, Airbus reported 50 planes delivered -- so 52% better than Boeing. Airbus also raked in 235 gross new orders. That's 261% more new orders than Boeing. So clearly, the strike (which hurts manufacturing and deliveries, but shouldn't greatly affect plane orders) isn't Boeing's only problem. And year to date, Airbus has delivered 497 airplanes to its customers, or 71% more than Boeing. Long story short, Airbus is beating Boeing soundly in the growth rate race. The bigger picture for investors Investors also need to view all of the above within the wider context of how these two companies are growing -- or failing to grow -- over time. And here, the story turns to a tale of slowing airplane demand more generally. In the case of Boeing, gross orders of 315 through the first three quarters of 2024 equals a 63% slowdown in sales year over year. In Airbus' case, gross orders through the first three quarters of 2024 stand at 667 planes. That's as compared to 1,280 gross orders taken in through this time last year -- a 48% reduction in demand for Airbus airplanes. That being said, despite the slowdown in demand for new planes -- and in stark contrast to Boeing -- Airbus has managed to hold steady and even grow a bit its rate of planes delivered this year as compared to last. Through September 2023, Airbus delivered 488 airplanes; through September 2024, it's delivered 497. That's only 2% year-over-year growth, granted. But that's still better than Boeing's decline. And Airbus isn't contending with a crippling labor strike that will slow its delivery rate even further. Even at a steep 34 times earnings (but with no net debt), Airbus looks like a better stock than unprofitable, debt-laden, and strike-hobbled Boeing. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-plane-deliveries-plummet-strike-130900076.html NTSB Releases Final Report Of Envoy Air Embraer E170 Turbulence Incident Caused Serious Injuries To Crew The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on an Envoy Air turbulence accident last year, which seriously injured a flight attendant. The report concluded the probable cause to be a severe bout of clear air turbulence (CAT) as the aircraft performed its initial descent into Chicago O'Hare. Envoy Air severe turbulence approaching Chicago On August 14th, 2023, a flight attendant suffered a fractured ankle after an Envoy Air Embraer ERJ-170 performing flight AA3788 from Des Moines International Airport (DSM) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) ran into severe clear air turbulence during its approach to Chicago. The flight had 64 passengers onboard, as well as two pilots and two flight attendants. According to the NTSB's final report, the flight crew knew of a "buildup of weather" on their route and kept the fasten seatbelt sign on for the duration of the flight. Additionally, the pilots informed the cabin crew that, due to the possibility of turbulence, they should take caution and only provide service during the flight at their discretion. The cabin crew chose not to perform this service and would remain seated for most of the flight. After being advised by Air Traffic Control (ATC) that it was safe to descend to 11,000 ft as the flight neared Chicago, pilots initiated a descent and advised cabin crew to prepare the aircraft. During the descent, pilots noticed a "small cumulous cloud" ahead and the aircraft encountered turbulence at an altitude of 26,650 ft, causing an overspeed for around two seconds. Fractured ankle During this brief period, the flight attendant was on her feet and was attempting to return to her seat when her left foot gave way and she was "slammed" into the floor. The aircraft itself was not damaged during the turbulence and would land safely in Chicago. The flight attendant was met by paramedics and taken to hospital, where she was diagnosed with a fractured left ankle. The Captain of the flight was a 41-year-old male with 9,188 flight hours (985 on the ERJ-170), and the first officer was a 25-year-old male with 1,904 total flight hours (882 hours on the ERJ-170). Clear air turbulence The NTSB report stated that, "given the weak convective environment and the likelihood of wind speed shear," the flight "likely encountered clear air turbulence" during its initial descent. Clear air turbulence is considered the most dangerous form of turbulence as it is almost impossible to detect or predict. This means pilots (and therefore cabin crew and passengers in the back) essentially have no warning about any impending turbulence, significantly raising the risk of injury in the cabin. CAT was responsible for the high-profile Singapore Airlines accident back in May that led to the death of one passenger and several more injuries. Turbulence incidents have been on the rise in recent years, a phenomenon some scientists are attributing to climate change - in fact, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recently hosted a conference in Montreal to discuss how the aviation community can mitigate the growing threat of turbulence. https://simpleflying.com/ntsb-final-report-envoy-air-turbulence/ YOUR NEXT DESTINATION Now Hiring at Our Center in Wilmington, Delaware FlightSafety is seeking experienced pilots to join the ranks of the best flight instructors in the industry at our Wilmington Learning Center. Use your seasoned skills to make an impact on aviation in a profound way. Competitive Incentives Available · Schedule 60 Days in Advance · Sign on and Monthly Bonuses · Competitive Base Salaries · Full Relocation Support · Be Home Every Night · Career Growth RSVP Today Interested in attending? RSVP and submit your application. 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