Flight Safety Information - December 3, 2024 No. 240 In This Issue : Incident: JAL B738 at Kagoshima on Nov 30th 2024, tyre damage on landing : Incident: ANZ DH8C at Gisborne on Dec 2nd 2024, engine shut down in flight : Incident: American B738 near Chicago on Dec 1st 2024, electrical problems : Incident: Gulf B789 over Iraq on Dec 1st 2024, engine shut down in flight : US airlines have transported passengers for more than two light-years since the last plane crash : GAMA Announces Increase in Third-Quarter Aircraft Value and Shipments : U.K. CAA Encouraged By U.S.-based Part 145 Approval Pace : Civil Aviation Minister Calls for More Women Pilots in Helicopter Industry to Improve Connectivity (India) : Air India Express has Highest Number of Foreign Pilots : Airlines not switching quickly enough to green jet fuel, study says : Calendar of Events Incident: JAL B738 at Kagoshima on Nov 30th 2024, tyre damage on landing A JAL Japan Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration JA336J performing flight JL-647 from Tokyo Haneda to Kagoshima (Japan) with 150 people on board, landed on Kagoshima's runway 34 when one of the right hand main tyres burst. The aircraft rolled out without further incident and taxied to the apron. Japan's Ministry of Transport reported one of the right hand tyres was punctured upon landing at Kagoshima. The aircraft returned to service about 20 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5210f75c&opt=0 Incident: ANZ DH8C at Gisborne on Dec 2nd 2024, engine shut down in flight An ANZ Air New Zealand De Havilland Dash 8-300, registration ZK-NFA performing flight NZ-5166 from Gisborne to Auckland (New Zealand), was climbing out of Gisborne's runway 14 when the crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet and shut one of the engines (PW123) down. The aircraft returned to Gisborne for a safe landing on runway 19 about 30 minutes after departure. The airline reported according to procedures one of the engines was shut down, the aircraft returned to Gisborne. https://avherald.com/h?article=5210f538&opt=0 Incident: American B738 near Chicago on Dec 1st 2024, electrical problems An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N834NN performing flight AA-1047 from Chicago O'Hare,IL to Las Vegas,NV (USA), was climbing out of Chicago when the crew stopped the climb at FL280 and later decided to return to Chicago reporting they had the autopilot and autothrottle disconnect, multiple door lights, the takeoff configuration horn sounded for about 30 seconds, the door lights still continuing a few minutes later. The aircraft landed safely back on Chicago's runway 28R about one hour after departure. The FAA reported: "American Airlines Flight 1047 returned safely to Chicago O’Hare International Airport around 9:45 a.m. local time on Sunday, December 1, after the crew reported a possible electrical issue. The Boeing 737-800 was headed to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. The FAA will investigate." The airline reported a maintenance issue prompted the aircraft to return. https://avherald.com/h?article=5210cdbc&opt=0 Incident: Gulf B789 over Iraq on Dec 1st 2024, engine shut down in flight A Gulf Air Boeing 787-9, registration A9C-FB performing flight GF-5 from Bahrain (Bahrain) to Manchester,EN (UK), was enroute at FL380 in Iraqi Airspace about 150nm northnorthwest of Kuwait City (Kuwait) when the crew needed to shut the left hand engine (Trent 1000) down. The aircraft turned around, drifted down and diverted to Kuwait City for a safe landing on runway 15L about 35 minutes later. A passenger reported the left hand engine caught fire and emitted smoke about 1.5 hours into the flight. A replacement Boeing 787-9 registration A9C-FE was dispatched to Kuwait, resumed the flight and reached Manchester with a delay of about 25 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Kuwait about 34 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5210c084&opt=0 US airlines have transported passengers for more than two light-years since the last plane crash Sometimes, the most important news is when something isn’t happening. When an airplane crashes, we all hear about it. Large crashes are major news events, with shocking pictures repeated endlessly across our television screens. What is much harder to notice is the opposite: the absence of plane crashes. A post on X by Ryan Radia made me aware of just how rare plane crashes have become in the United States. In response, I looked up the relevant data and wrote this brief article to bring it to our attention. The title gives away just how incredibly safe US airlines have become. The last time a US airline crashed was on February 12, 2009, in New York State. Fifty people died.1 Private jets, smaller planes, and helicopters have crashed more frequently, but this article is about the safety of the regularly scheduled flights of commercial airlines that most people travel with (flights regulated as “Part 121”-travel in the US). How far have US airlines carried passengers since February 2009? According to the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics, US airline customers traveled 13.3 trillion passenger miles since then. “Passenger miles” are a straightforward way to account for both the number of passengers and the distance they travel. A single passenger mile represents one person traveling one mile. So, five people traveling ten miles would sum to 50 passenger miles. 13.3 trillion miles is a lot! It’s equivalent to 535 million trips around the Earth or 28 million visits to the moon and back.2 It is such a long distance that it is not unreasonable to measure it in light-years. One light-year is the distance light travels over one year — 5.9 trillion miles. So, the total distance traveled without a crash equals 2.3 light-years.3 It is hard to visualize this vast distance. In the chart, I’ve compared it with Earth’s distance from the sun. The distance passengers traveled on US airlines without a plane crash is 143,208 times further than the distance between the Earth and the Sun. So, if the distance between the Earth and the Sun is represented by a line of the length of 10cm, then the 2.3 light-years would be represented by a distance of 14.3 kilometers.4 It shows me how hard it is to notice the absence of something. I was not aware that no US airline had crashed in the past 15 years. And I didn’t realize what an incredible safety record this represents, given how many people are boarding flights every day. More importantly, this shows us how very safe we can make technologies if we want to. One key reason for the safety improvement in the US airline industry was the open sharing of data. US airlines started to openly share information about all incidents that risked passenger safety with each other. This made it possible for everyone to learn from the aggregate of all incidents rather than just the incidents each airline encountered themselves.5 Because safety has been made such a clear priority, flying is now extraordinarily safe. https://ourworldindata.org/us-airline-travel Two Delta Flight Attendants Found Drunk at Amsterdam Airport Delta Air Lines responded swiftly to the incident, suspending both flight attendants and indicating potential termination proceedings. AMSTERDAM- Delta Air Lines (DL) confronted a serious safety incident involving two flight attendants who failed breathalyzer tests moments before a long-haul international flight from Amsterdam (AMS) to New York (JFK) on Friday morning (November 29, 2024), resulting in their immediate arrest and suspension. The two crew members—one male and one female—were discovered to be intoxicated during their Thanksgiving layover in Amsterdam, dramatically compromising the potential safety of hundreds of passengers. Dutch police conducted breathalyzer tests that revealed substantial alcohol consumption well above legal limits for aviation personnel. The female flight attendant tested seven times over the legal alcohol limit for aircrew, resulting in a substantial fine of €1,900 (approximately US $2,000). Her male counterpart was fined €275 after marginally failing the breathalyzer test by 0.02, demonstrating the severity of alcohol consumption regulations in aviation. Delta Air Lines responded swiftly to the incident, suspending both flight attendants and indicating potential termination proceedings, PYOK reported. Delta flight DL49 demonstrated operational resilience by departing Amsterdam Schiphol with merely a 20-minute delay and ultimately arriving in New York ahead of schedule, despite the last-minute removal of two flight attendants from duty. The incident occurred during a comprehensive joint law enforcement operation at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, where local and national police conducted breathalyzer tests on 445 pilots and flight attendants within a three-hour window on Friday morning. The female Delta flight attendant’s blood alcohol level measured 1.43 grams per liter, dramatically exceeding the European aviation regulatory maximum of 0.2 grams per liter. Her male colleague registered 0.24, further underscoring the significant alcohol consumption before the scheduled flight. European aviation regulations mandate stringent alcohol consumption restrictions for aircrew. The Netherlands specifically prohibits pilots and flight attendants from consuming alcohol within 10 hours of a flight. However, the European Air Safety Agency (EASA) cautions that merely adhering to a “bottle to throttle” time restriction does not guarantee compliance with legal blood alcohol concentration limits. Since February 2021, European countries have been required to implement random alcohol breath tests for aircrew. Foreign aviation personnel are subject to these tests through the Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) inspection program, reflecting a comprehensive approach to ensuring international aviation safety standards. Similar Incidents A veteran Delta Air Lines pilot was sentenced to 10 months in jail in the United Kingdom after pleading guilty to reporting for duty while alcohol-impaired in March 2024. The case underscores the severe legal consequences of compromising passenger safety through alcohol consumption. Captain Lawrence Russell, 63, was arrested in June 2023 and sentenced in Edinburgh after testing 49 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood—substantially exceeding the United Kingdom’s 20-milligram legal limit. Security officers initially became suspicious after discovering a half-consumed bottle of Jägermeister in his carry-on luggage. Prosecutors characterized Russell’s actions as demonstrating a “reckless disregard for the safety of his passengers and crew,” highlighting the potentially catastrophic consequences of pilot intoxication. The sentencing reflects the aviation industry’s zero-tolerance approach to alcohol-related safety breaches. The incident at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport further illuminated the persistent challenges of alcohol consumption among aviation personnel. During a comprehensive spot-check operation, a third crew member from an unnamed airline was found over the alcohol limit, with a female flight attendant registering 1.30 grams per liter of blood, and subsequently fined €1,800. https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2024/12/01/delta-flight-attendant-found-drunk-at-amsterdam/ GAMA Announces Increase in Third-Quarter Aircraft Value and Shipments With a slow, yet steady increase in shipments over the first and second quarter, 2024 is on track to outsell 2023. On Monday, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association released 2024’s third-quarter aircraft shipment and billing report. According to GAMA, the industry has experienced an increase in the value of aircraft shipments and an increase in piston airplanes, business jets, and turbine helicopters. The slow growth from the first and second quarter, along with comparable numbers from the first nine months of 2023, is a welcome sign. When compared with 2023’s third quarter totals, the first three quarters of 2024 show piston airplanes experiencing a 7.5 percent increase in shipments, totaling 1,221 units, meanwhile turboprops decreased 0.9 percent with 435 units, down from 439 in 2023. Business jets have increased 10.1 percent with 501 units, versus 455 in 2023. The total value of aircraft billings is up 20.5 percent, a value of $17.3 billion. Piston helicopters are down 1.3 percent with 156 units in 2024, as compared to 158 in the first three quarters of 2023. Turbine helicopters have seen an increase of 1.9% with 478 units, versus 469 in 2023. Comparing sales figures for 2024, the third-quarter numbers are up from first quarter’s—with total shipments up by 267 units and helicopters seeing a 33-unit gain—but trail the second-quarter figures. From Q2 to Q3 in 2024, the number of aircraft units has decreased by 42 shipments, whereas helicopter shipments are down by 16 shipments. "The health of our industry remains stable, which allows our companies to invest in technology and innovation that drives improved safety and sustainability for all civil aviation sectors,” said Pete Bunce, GAMA president and CEO. “With new sessions and assemblies of governments set to convene shortly in both the U.S. and Europe, GAMA will continue to make the case to government leaders about the essential nature of the general and business aviation industry. Our message is simple and direct: we are ready to work with leaders on constructive policies to support the continued growth and societal health of countries and communities globally through business and general aviation products and operations.” 2024 is on track to meet or exceed 2023’s 4,070 combined shipments. Previous year-end totals were 3,073 (2020), 3,456 (2021), and 3,694 (2022). https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/news/gama-announces-increase-in-third-quarter-aircraft-value-and-shipments/ U.K. CAA Encouraged By U.S.-based Part 145 Approval Pace WASHINGTON--U.S.-based repair stations that support operators in the UK are well-positioned to see few if any disruptions from the upcoming transition to needing a UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Part 145 approval starting Jan. 1, 2025. "I think we're quite well placed in the commercial aviation field," UK CAA Head of Airworthiness Policy and Rulemaking Neil Williams told Aviation Week in a late-November interview. "I think our airlines and big MRO shops have been speaking to their supply chains in the U.S and sorting things out very, very well." As part of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union (EU), U.S. repair stations are required to obtain UK CAA Part 145 approvals by Jan. 1, 2025. The CAA approval replaces the UK's recognition of a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certificate, which U.S. and UK officials agreed to use as part of a post-Brexit bilateral and related transition period. The U.S. and UK opened the application period in January 2023. As of late November, more than 700 u.s. entities had applied, with 300 receiving their approvals. Williams said more were expected in the year's final weeks. "There's quite a lot arriving in our in-trays at the moment to process, because the FAA are getting to the end of doing their evaluation of the supplements that the organizations have to produce," Williams said. "We're working hard to make sure that everybody who's completed the FAA side of the process knows exactly what they're able to do at the start of [2025]." The UK is home to about 200 repair stations that hold U.S. FAA approval--a figure that has been fairly consistent in recent years, Williams said. Just how many U.S.-based shops will seek UK approval is unclear. EASA issued about 1,500 Part 145 approvals to shops based in the U.S., but not all of these have UK-based customers. "I'd expect to see a few more, but it's really hard to say, because we don't have the data that says, 'We're short in this area, or short in another,'" Williams said. "And of course, things do change in this industry. Sometimes slowly, but they do change." With just a few weeks left until the deadline, new applications are not likely to see approvals by January. But Williams said shops that have not yet sent in their paperwork should press on. "We're still encouraging anybody who hasn't applied to come forward and apply if they want to do business with the UK, or they have customers in the UK that they want to continue to support," Williams said. "We want to continue to build those [approval] numbers, not make it too onerous to be able to get an approval, and then let the market decide where they want to place their business." While most commercial-operator needs have been addressed through approvals to date, Williams expects a few gaps in general aviation. "We might have a few companies that say, 'Oh, we can't get this actuator anymore or this [part] because the company hasn't applied for approval,'" he said, adding that the agency is prepared to work with affected stakeholders. "There are some workarounds in our system that shouldn't disrupt small GA operators for being able to accept parts from the U.S." Williams also stressed that the deadline does not affect already-issued parts or maintenance approvals. "Anything that's released up to the end of [2024] out of particularly component maintenance organizations, remains acceptable in our system, even after that date," Williams said. "So if the part is held in stock or it's on a shelf, it's still okay to install it on a UK registered aircraft because it was released under the arrangements are in place today. But if the part was leaving the workshop in January [2025], and the organization doesn't have a UK approval, then obviously that's no longer acceptable." https://aviationweek.com/mro/safety-ops-regulation/uk-caa-encouraged-us-based-part-145-approval-pace Civil Aviation Minister Calls for More Women Pilots in Helicopter Industry to Improve Connectivity (India) Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu highlighted the importance of increasing the number of women pilots in the helicopter industry to enhance connectivity in remote and unserved areas. Speaking at an event in New Delhi, Naidu emphasized the pivotal role helicopters play in reaching regions where building airports or operating commercial flights is not feasible. India’s aviation sector has seen a significant rise in the number of women pilots, with women now making up 15% of all pilots in the country, a stark contrast to the global average of just 5%. However, Naidu called for further efforts to empower women and encourage them to pursue careers not only in commercial aviation but also in helicopter operations. “I would encourage more people, especially women, to become not only commercial aviation pilots but also helicopter pilots,” Naidu said at a conference hosted by The Ninety-Nines, an international organization for women pilots. His remarks were aimed at inspiring more women to take on roles that could help connect India’s remote areas and enhance the country’s overall air connectivity. India is currently one of the fastest-growing civil aviation markets globally, and the government has been taking steps to support the expansion of the helicopter industry. Helicopters are essential for connecting remote locations where traditional air travel options may not be feasible due to geographical limitations or lack of infrastructure. The Minister’s call to action resonates with India’s larger vision to improve connectivity across the nation, ensuring that even the most isolated regions benefit from reliable air transport. His appeal for more women pilots to enter the helicopter industry aligns with ongoing efforts to promote gender diversity and empower women in a field traditionally dominated by men. https://urbanacres.in/civil-aviation-minister-calls-for-more-women-pilots-in-helicopter-industry-to-improve-connectivity/ Air India Express has Highest Number of Foreign Pilots Air India Express officials characterized the foreign pilot recruitment as a strategic bridging mechanism. NEW DELHI- Tata Group-owned low-cost carrier Air India Express (IX) dominates the expatriate pilot landscape, accounting for 144 foreign pilots—representing over 60% of total international recruits. Other carriers including Air India (AI), IndiGo (6E), and Alliance Air (9I) employ 58, 34, and 20 expatriate pilots respectively. Air India Express Pilots Indian aviation is experiencing a significant surge in foreign pilot recruitment, with the number of expatriate pilots tripling from 67 in March 2023 to 236 in recent months, according to Ministry of Civil Aviation data presented to Lok Sabha, as reported by Hindu BusinessLine. The dramatic increase in foreign pilot recruitment directly correlates with substantial fleet expansion. Air India Express inducted 35 Boeing 737 Max aircraft, while Air India leased 11 Boeing 777 aircraft, creating an unprecedented demand for experienced pilots. Notably, both Tata-group airlines reported zero expatriate pilots in March. Air India Express officials characterized the foreign pilot recruitment as a strategic bridging mechanism. The airline cited the limited availability of Boeing 737 pilots and constrained training infrastructure in India as primary motivators for international recruitment. In the past year, the carrier has hired approximately 800 pilots to meet operational requirements. Airlines are treating expatriate pilot recruitment as a temporary solution. Air India and IndiGo have articulated plans to gradually phase out foreign pilots by developing indigenous pilot training pipelines through command upgrades and targeted recruitment initiatives. Challenges for Foreign Pilots Indian aviation authorities have established rigorous protocols for expatriate pilot recruitment, requiring comprehensive screening processes before granting operational authorization. Foreign pilots must successfully complete a medical examination, pass an oral English test, and obtain security clearance from the Union Home Ministry to receive a foreign aircrew temporary authorization certificate. The authorization certificate provides a one-year validity, with smaller airlines and helicopter operators advocating for an extended two-year duration to enhance pilot availability and operational stability. The extensive screening and approval process creates significant administrative hurdles, with an official noting that post-selection, it typically requires four to five months before a foreign pilot can commence flying in India. Historical data reveals nuanced trends in foreign pilot employment within the Indian aviation sector. While current expatriate pilot numbers have recently tripled, they remain below the June 2019 peak of 404 foreign pilots. Between 2014 and 2018, Indian carriers consistently maintained a foreign pilot workforce ranging from 270 to 325 professionals. Mismatched Vistara Pilots Salary In March 2024, Vistara pilots initiated a mass sick leave protest against the new pay structure proposed by the Air India Group, resulting in the cancellation of over 100 flights and significant passenger disruption. The industrial action underscored deep-seated concerns regarding compensation and working conditions in the aviation sector. Under the previous 70-hour guaranteed contract, Vistara pilots’ monthly earnings varied substantially: Junior First Officers averaged 2,00,000 INR, First Officers earned 3,20,000 INR, and Senior First Officers received between 4,00,000 to 4,20,000 INR. The new contract introduced dramatic changes that substantially impacted pilot compensation. The February pay restructuring reduced the minimum guaranteed flying hours from 70 to 40, precipitating significant salary reductions. Junior pilots, including Junior First Officers and First Officers, experienced pay cuts ranging from 80,000 to 1,40,000 INR from their previous monthly salary of 3,40,000 INR. Air India Pilot Pay Cuts An anonymous Air India pilot highlighted the broader industry context, describing the salary structure as having “gone backward since Covid times.” The new contract represents a substantial pay cut for experienced First Officers, with Vistara junior pilots facing potential reductions of up to 50%. The complexity of the new compensation model is evident in management’s approach of offering individualized contracts based on work and position. This confidential strategy has created an environment of uncertainty and frustration among pilots. The anonymous pilot elaborated on the multifaceted challenges, noting a significant reduction in flight hours from 90 to 40-60 monthly. While ultra-long-range (ULR) flights have decreased, potentially reducing physical strain, the absence of a consistent 70-hour guaranteed pay standard has severely impacted pilot earnings. Overtime compensation has also been dramatically altered. Previously, pilots received 2,900 INR per hour, with enhanced rates for extended hours: 3,500 INR for 70-90 hours and 5,000 INR for 90-100 hours. The new structure eliminates these progressive compensation mechanisms. Beyond financial implications, pilots expressed profound psychological distress. One pilot criticized the lack of professional respect, citing instances of last-minute flight assignments that disrupt personal lives, with minimal compensatory acknowledgment. https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2024/12/01/air-india-express-foreign-pilots/ Airlines not switching quickly enough to green jet fuel, study says Dec 3 (Reuters) - Most of the world's airlines are not doing enough to switch to sustainable jet fuel, according to a study, opens new tab by Brussels-based advocacy group Transport and Environment, which also found too little investment by oil producers in the transition. The airline sector is calling for more production of the fuel, which can be made from materials such as wood chips and used cooking oil. "Unfortunately, airlines at the moment are not on the trajectory to have meaningful emissions reduction because they're not buying enough sustainable aviation fuel," Transport and Environment aviation policy manager Francesco Catte said. As it stands, SAF makes up about 1% of aviation fuel use on the global market, which needs to increase for airlines to meet carbon emission reduction targets. The fuel can cost between two to five times more than regular jet fuel. A lack of investment by major oil players, who have the capital to build SAF processing facilities, is hampering the market's growth, the study says. In its ranking, Transport and Environment pointed to Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA), opens new tab, United Airlines (UAL.O), opens new tab and Norwegian (NAS.OL), opens new tab as some of the airlines that have taken tangible steps to buy sustainable jet fuel, particularly its synthetic, cleaner burning version. But 87% are failing to make meaningful efforts, the ranking shows, and even those who are trying could miss their own targets without more investment. Airlines such as Italy's ITA Airways, the successor airline to bankrupt Alitalia, and Portugal's TAP have done very little to secure SAF in the coming years, the ranking shows. A TAP spokesperson said the airline was the first to fly in Portugal with SAF in July 2022, "and is committed to flying with 10% SAF in 2030". "While we would have liked to increase our investment in SAF, the low availability...and high costs...have limited our ability to do so, considering also our start up condition," an ITA spokesperson said. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/airlines-not-switching-quickly-enough-green-jet-fuel-study-says-2024-12-02/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS • Sponsor the 2025 Fuzion Safety Conference! March 4 & 5, 2025 (Orlando) • Annual Women in Aviation International Conference, Gaylord Rockies Resort & Conference Center | Denver Colorado, March 27-29, 2025 • 59th Annual SMU Air Law Symposium is scheduled March 31 - April 2, 2025 • Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) Safety Symposium April 7-9, 2025 • AIA Conference: The Aviation Insurance Association's annual conference in Orlando, Florida from April 25–28, 2025 • Sixth Edition of International Accident Investigation Forum, 21 to 23 May 2025, Singapore • The 9th Shanghai International Aerospace Technology and Equipment Exposition 2025; June 11 to 13, 2025 Curt Lewis