Flight Safety Information - December 4, 2024 No. 241 In This Issue : Incident: Spring Japan A321 at Sapporo on Nov 29th 2024, runway incursion by vehicle : Incident: Sichuan A320 near Guilin on Nov 30th 2024, power bank ignoring no smoking sign : Incident: Commut E145 near Monroe on Dec 2nd 2024, smoke in cockpit : Incident: Endeavor CRJ9 at Chattanooga on Dec 2nd 2024, hydraulic failure : Delta launches first-of-its-kind pilot training facility in Salt Lake City : A false alarm triggered an emergency landing for an American Airlines flight from Chicago to Las Vegas : NTSB finds no sign of mechanical failure in deadly plane crash at Falcon Field : Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800's Left Roll Was Caused By Pilot's Accidental Rudder Setting : NTSB Probes Top Safety Concerns in Part 135 : Airbus opens its 1st safety promotion center in China : Currently, United Airlines maintains a single Beijing route from San Francisco (SFO) with Boeing 777-300ER. : Move to employ foreign pilots riles Thai pilots : Calendar of Events Incident: Spring Japan A321 at Sapporo on Nov 29th 2024, runway incursion by vehicle A Spring Airlines Japan Airbus A321-200 freighter, registration JA82YA performing flight IJ-407 (dep Nov 28th) from Tokyo Narita to Sapporo New Chitose (Japan), was cleared to land on Sapporo's runway 01R just after midnight and on final approach when a construction vehicle entered the runway. The aircraft continued landing. Japan's TSB reported: "At approximately 00:00 on November 28, a construction vehicle entered the runway while a Spring Japan cargo plane was approaching after receiving clearance to land." and opened an investigation. https://avherald.com/h?article=5211a48a&opt=0 Incident: Sichuan A320 near Guilin on Nov 30th 2024, power bank ignoring no smoking sign A Sichuan Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration B-6719 performing flight 3U-8925 from Chengdu to Xiamen (China), was enroute at 10700 meters/FL351 about 40nm south of Guilin (China) when a power bank carried by a passenger began to emit smoke prompting the crew to divert to Guilin, where the aircraft landed safely on runway 19 about 30 minutes after leaving 10700 meters. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 100 minutes, then continued the journey and reached Xiamen with a delay of about 2 hours. The airline reported a passenger's power bank emitted smoke and released information about how to carry power banks. https://avherald.com/h?article=5211995e&opt=0 Incident: Commut E145 near Monroe on Dec 2nd 2024, smoke in cockpit A CommutAir Embraer ERJ-145 on behalf of United, registration N14148 performing flight UA-4830 from Little Rock,AR to Houston Intercontinental,TX (USA), was climbing through FL250 out of Little Rock when the crew reported smoke on the flight deck and decided to divert to Monroe,LA (USA) where the aircraft landed safely on runway 04 about 20 minutes later. The FAA reported: "CommuteAir Flight 4830 landed safely at Monroe Regional Airport in Louisiana around 1:10 p.m. local time on Monday, Dec. 2, after the crew reported smoke in the flight deck. The Embraer E145 departed Clinton National Airport in Arkansas and was headed to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. The FAA will investigate." The aircraft is still on the ground in Monroe about 25 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5211a2ad&opt=0 Incident: Endeavor CRJ9 at Chattanooga on Dec 2nd 2024, hydraulic failure A Endaevor Canadair CRJ-900 on behalf of Delta Airlines, registration N131EV performing flight DL-5276 from New York La Guardia,NY to Chattanooga,TN (USA) with 59 people on board, was on a final ILS approach to Chattanooga's runway 02 when the crew initiated a go around reporting a hydraulic failure. The aircraft entered a hold for about 20 minutes, then positioned for another approach to runway 02, landed without further incident and stopped on the runway due to the loss of nose wheel steering. The aircraft is still on the ground in Chattanooga about 11.5 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=52118a8f&opt=0 Delta launches first-of-its-kind pilot training facility in Salt Lake City SALT LAKE CITY — Delta Air Lines is opening a trailblazing pilot training facility in Salt Lake City. Delta said the training facility was a $50 million investment, and on Tuesday, chief of operations and president of Delta TechOps John Laughter explained how it would pioneer the company’s pilot training in the Mountain West. Once complete, the 50,000 square feet facility will host four simulators in total — with two already live and operational now. The third simulator is scheduled to be installed in February. Tours are given of a flight simulator during Delta Air Lines’ new $50M Salt Lake City Flight Operations Training Facility ribbon cutting in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. In addition to the simulation bays, the facility contains seven classrooms for pilots in training and other Delta teams, as well as 10 pilot briefing rooms. Laughter said the facility also has room to expand on the other side, making it a plausible place for long-term training operations. Bigger than its square footage or price tag, laughter said the facility will offer a sense of “great quality of life” for pilots in the Mountain West, too. Laughter said of the 37 simulators Delta has in total, the four in Salt Lake City are the only ones that aren’t located at Delta’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. This was strategic, and the Salt Lake City destination offered a central place for pilots to utilize, meaning they would no longer have to fly to Atlanta to train. A flight simulator at Delta Air Lines’ new $50M Salt Lake City Flight Operations Training Facility in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. “This is about our commitment to quality pilot training, but it’s also about our great partnership with Salt Lake City and the state of Utah and we wouldn’t be here without that partnership,” he said. Delta further expects the training facility to positively impact Utah’s economy, as it plans to spend $100,000 monthly on hotel rooms for the roughly 350 pilots expected to visit each month in 2025. https://ksltv.com/711758/delta-launches-new-pilot-training-facility-the-first-of-its-kind-in-salt-lake-city/ A false alarm triggered an emergency landing for an American Airlines flight from Chicago to Las Vegas • An American Airlines Boeing 737 made an emergency landing during the Thanksgiving weekend. • The FAA said the crew reported a "possible electric issue." • An airline spokesperson said an indicator light was later confirmed to be false. • An American Airlines jet made an emergency landing Sunday after the crew reported a "possible electric issue." The 14-year-old Boeing 737 was operating Flight 1047, from Chicago O'Hare to Las Vegas. Data from Flightradar24 shows it flew for about half an hour before turning back to Chicago. "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 Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The FAA will investigate the incident, it added. The Aviation Herald, which first reported the incident, said the crew reported the autopilot and autothrottle disconnected, a takeoff configuration warning horn, and door lights were activated. "An indicator light identified a possible mechanical issue that, after inspection, was confirmed to be false," an American Airlines spokesperson told Business Insider. The same 737 flew to San Francisco later that day, per Flightradar24. Sunday's incident occurred during the Thanksgiving weekend, one of the US's busiest travel periods. From Sunday, November 24, to Thanksgiving Day, the FAA documented a record 232,000 flights across the US. American Airlines said last month it expected to fly 8.3 million people across more than 77,000 flights — with Sunday the busiest day. Passengers later re-departed for Las Vegas on a replacement aircraft, an airline spokesperson told USA Today. The incident came eight days after an American Airlines passenger was taken to hospital after a 777 encountered turbulence between Brazil and Miami. It became a four-hour flight to nowhere. https://www.businessinsider.com/american-airlines-737-made-emergency-landing-after-false-warning-light-2024-12 NTSB finds no sign of mechanical failure in deadly plane crash at Falcon Field MESA, Ariz. - The National Transportation Security Board on Dec. 3 released its preliminary report on a devastating Election Day plane crash that left five people dead near Falcon Field Airport. The agency says security video captured the airplane accelerating on the runway, but for some reason it began to decelerate and never got off the ground. The plane continued down the runway, eventually slamming into a fence and then a car on Greenfield Road in Mesa. Four people on the plane were killed, along with the driver of the car. Officials say the plane was thoroughly investigated and there was no sign of any mechanical problems. Officials are still investigating why the plane slowed down and never stopped. https://www.aol.com/ntsb-finds-no-sign-mechanical-215741255.html Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800's Left Roll Was Caused By Pilot's Accidental Rudder Setting During an ordinary flight from Brisbane, a Virgin Australia pilot inadvertently input full rudder trim, according to the Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB). Leaning into a roll above the skies of Byron Bay In September last year, on October 6, Virgin Australia was operating a flight onboard its Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Bearing registration VH-YQR, the pilot had received a request from the cabin crew to enter the flight deck. Reaching over to the flight deck door switch, the pilot inadvertently reached across the aisle stand to activate the door switch; however, they accidentally input full left rudder trim. This immediately led to the aircraft entering a momentary roll, and while the crew suspected something, it was not wholly abnormal. The pilot monitoring continued to hold the switch selection while looking towards the cockpit door, awaiting it to open. Five seconds later, the aircraft began to roll left, and the first officer was unsuccessful in correcting his roll due to the autopilot being active, and the left rudder trim input being still engaged. Eventually, the co-pilot brought the wings back to level, and the pilot (PM) was able to release the complete left rudder trim switch. At the aircraft peak of the roll, it was around 42 degrees left, and this engaged the bank angle alert. During this time, one airline's cabin crew received minor injuries. Following the occurrence, the crew immediately got to work to determine what caused the incident and checked the rudder trim, which had been displaced around 5 degrees. The trim returned to neutral, and the flight continued to Melbourne, landing around an hour later. Mistakenly selected the wrong switch The full rudder trim and flight deck door switch are in a similar location on the flight deck aisle stand panel, which is located between the two pilot seats. The initial autopilot countered the increased left rudder trim and induced the left roll. After five seconds of full left rudder trim, the autopilot was unable to succeed in its capacity to counteract the roll and saw the aircraft continue to roll left above the skies of Byron Bay. Virgin Australia, Australia's second-largest airline behind the Qantas Group (Qantas and Jetstar), immediately changed its flight deck door entry procedure following the incident, limiting the time required for the door unlock switch to be engaged. Flight crews have been briefed and understand the lessons learned from the flight on October 6 last year. They have changed their non-technical skills program to reflect the incident. The ATSB has also confirmed that due to the seriousness of the incident and potential catastrophe that could have occurred, incidents such as these are reported to the operator and also to the aircraft manufacturer so that any occurrences can be taken into consideration in the development of new technologies and can be reflected on as lessons learned. Virgin Australia commenced operations in August 2000. The airline, which operates a fleet of 94 Boeing 737 aircraft (including the 737-700, 737-800, and 737 MAX 8), and calls' Brisbane its home base. It operates 33 destinations across Australia and has a modest international network. Qatar Airways has recently sought to acquire a 25% share in the carrier. As part of the deal, VA would wet lease QR aircraft to commence daily services between Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney to Doha, with an exclusivecodesharee agreement that would see the Australian airlines VA flight numbers be placed on services beyond Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH). https://simpleflying.com/virgin-australia-boeing-737-800-left-roll-accidental-rudder-pilot/ NTSB Probes Top Safety Concerns in Part 135 Safety board pushes for certified dispatcher in Part 135 One of the NTSB’s longstanding recommendations for Part 135 charter operators is to implement flight data monitoring programs. The NTSB highlighted several safety issues with Part 135 in a recently published aviation special investigation report (AIR-24-03). The report revealed the findings of a study of 116 fatal and 460 non-fatal accidents over 12 years (2010 to 2022). As a result of those findings, there is now a fresh set of safety recommendations that could lead to significant changes for Part 135 operators. Safety issues identified in the July report included operational control and flight locating deficiencies, weight and balance concerns for single-engine aircraft, the importance of implementing organizational risk management strategies such as scalable safety management systems (SMS), and the use of flight data monitoring (FDM) programs. In addition, the report identified a need for improvements in the collection of flight activity data for Part 135 certificate holders. Over the years, the NTSB has become frustrated with making recommendations to the FAA; some are acted on, while many others are ignored. The Safety Board, following the issuance of this report, has issued three new and reiterated two existing recommendations to the FAA. The new recommendations include improving operational control by using certificated dispatchers for nearly all Part 135 operators, new weight and balance requirements for single-engine aircraft, and improved methods of gathering data that relate to the flight activities for Part 135 certificate holders. Older recommendations include strengthening organizational risk management by implementing proactive SMS and FDM programs. According to the report, “Historically, accident rates for Part 135 operations have fluctuated year-to-year but have remained higher than the accident rates for Part 121 commercial airline operations, which are subject to the FAA’s highest level of regulation and oversight.” One goal of the report and subsequent recommendations, according to the NTSB, is to close the gap in accident rates between Part 135 and Part 121 operations without hindering the operator’s ability to provide services. Certificated Dispatchers The NTSB’s recommendation is to require all Part 135 operators (except single-pilot and single-PIC operators) to use certificated dispatchers who hold joint responsibility with the PIC for the safety and operational control of flights. On-demand charter, helicopter air ambulance (HAA), scheduled commuter, and air tour operators currently employ personnel to perform various flight support duties. Terms or titles such as flight follower, flight monitor, flight coordinator, operational control agent or specialist, flight locator, and flight scheduler are commonly used, but none of these individuals are required to hold an FAA-issued dispatcher certificate, and their duties are not defined by current Part 135 regulations. In contrast, Part 121 domestic and flag operators use certificated dispatchers who hold joint responsibility with the pilot-in-command for the safety and operational control of flights and whose responsibilities include pre-flight planning such as fuel planning and weather; flight dispatch, release, and cancellation decisions; and active flight monitoring. Dispatcher certification requires the completion of an approved training course and passing scores on knowledge and practical tests. In addition, there are recurrent training and competency checks. A certificated dispatcher is inherently more accountable for their performance since their certificate can be suspended or revoked if they perform in an unsafe manner. Former GrandView Aviation president Jessie Naor agrees with the NTSB’s recommendation to require certificated dispatchers in charter operations but feels there are alternatives and best practices within the industry that work well; although, she stresses, those would need to be codified. “As an industry, we cannot keep sending flight crews on trips and leave them with zero operational oversight,” said Naor, the host of The VIP Seat podcast. “Many professional Part 135 and management companies already understand this and have a process, but not all, particularly when flying Part 91. Every flight and every significant change to a flight needs the approval of another set of experienced eyes beyond the flight crew. Too often, the pilot or pilots do all the flight planning and are permitted to make go/no-go decisions on their own.” Twelve accidents were identified in the NTSB report that highlighted operational control or flight locating deficiencies; these accidents killed 45 people and resulted in 13 serious injuries. Often the pilots of these accident flights were unsupervised, lacking operational support from their company. Accordingly, these deficiencies could all be addressed using certificated dispatchers. In one accident, a HAA flight operating under VFR encountered IMC and crashed in Ohio, fatally injuring the pilot and two medical personnel. The company operated 17 aircraft from 15 different bases and employed 70 pilots and 12 operations control specialists. The duties of the operations control specialist included analyzing weather information to determine marginal or hazardous conditions. Investigators found that company procedures did not include elements such as en-route weather risks or refusals of previous requests for flight (known as weather turndowns) from other operators. The operations control specialist for the accident flight did not fully use the weather tool available for pre-flight and in-flight planning; the accident pilot spent only 28 seconds reviewing the weather information. As a result, crucial meteorological risks were overlooked including snow, icing, and reduced visibility along the accident flight route. Sean Mulholland, a former director of safety for a large HAA operator, believes employing a certificated dispatcher for every flight could be challenging for some operators. “I have always been an advocate of third-party flight following and flight planning assistance. However, these capabilities often come at great financial cost. While a certificated dispatcher for every flight might improve the margin of safety, this approach would likely create a financial barrier insurmountable for smaller, simpler operations,” he said. “Operators implement processes and controls that effectively manage risk without them,” he continued. “A threshold of operational complexity that includes fleet size, type of operation, and a comprehensive risk profile should be established based on safety data and analysis to determine the appropriate triggers for any certificated dispatcher requirement.” During Naor’s tenure at GrandView, she was deeply involved in building a large flight operations organization that included business jets and helicopters. Naor provided some additional insight into current practices for operational control and certified dispatchers, saying, “In smaller departments, it’s as simple as a director of operations or their designee, like base captains or other pilots with experience in the aircraft looking at the weather and runway conditions at each field, en-route weather, fuel planning, and the flight risk assessment for each leg before departing.” She added, “When we look at accident reports, many could have been avoided if someone else had stopped the flight or modified the planning. Pilots have added pressure from the clients on the ground, the desire to get home to the family overnight, and other forces that need a stopgap, and operational control is supposed to be just that. But the use of operational control varies widely—some chief pilots will only look at a flight risk assessment, and if the score is low enough, they approve the flight to depart. That’s not good enough; the entirety of the flight plan needs careful review and support, which is why the NTSB is suggesting certificated dispatchers.” As an organization grows, employing certificated dispatchers can be beneficial, Naor agreed. “As our business grew, it became impossible for a single person, or even the entire 119 management personnel team, to carefully review every flight leg and change daily. Suppose the company does not have the infrastructure to do this. In that case, a licensed dispatcher or similar must be considered, either employed by the company 100% of the time or shared across multiple operators.” Naor believes that it takes more than just hiring a dispatcher: an organization must have processes in place to ensure operational control. She further pointed out, “It’s important to note that it’s not only the dispatcher or approver that matters, but the process of approving the flight. Just checking the weather and the duty times of the flight is minimal; the approval process should be as in-depth and detailed as the pilot’s flight planning, and the dispatcher must understand the company’s operating procedures, the experience of the flight crew, the aircraft, and many other factors.” Single-engine Aircraft/Weight and Balance The next recommendation is to expand the applicability of load manifest and recordkeeping requirements to include Part 135 single-engine aircraft operations. Current regulations (CFR 135.63(c)) require operators of multi-engine aircraft to prepare and retain a load manifest for each flight—this is not the case for single-engine aircraft. Single-engine aircraft employed in Part 135 operations are now larger and more complex than in the past. Five related accidents in the study resulted in 11 fatalities and six serious injuries. Most of these accidents were in remote areas of Alaska where there are many additional challenges. In one accident, a single-engine float-equipped airplane operating as an on-demand charter flight entered an aerodynamic stall and crashed after takeoff; the pilot was fatally injured, and the two passengers were seriously injured. As the pilot prepared for departure, the cargo load weighed 800 pounds (200 pounds greater than anticipated) and consisted of masonry mortar bags, food, stores, two propane tanks, and a utility sink. As the aircraft taxied for takeoff, witnesses noted that the aft portion of the floats was deep underwater. The aircraft failed to get airborne during its first takeoff attempt. During the next takeoff, the airplane slowly lifted off, attained a nose-high attitude, cleared some trees, rolled left, and crashed. Post-accident analysis revealed the aircraft was loaded about 76 pounds over maximum gross takeoff weight with a center of gravity near the aft limit. Pilots would benefit from assistance of certificated flight dispatchers, according to the NTSB. © AdobeStock Organizational Risk Management Strategies Additionally, the NTSB applauded the FAA’s recent requirement for Part 135 operators to develop, implement, and maintain appropriately scaled SMS. The NTSB has classified its previous recommendation to require all Part 135 operators to establish SMS programs as “Closed—Acceptable Action” because the FAA will now mandate SMS. Part 135 operators must provide the FAA with a declaration of compliance (14 CFR 5.9) by May 28, 2027. Mulholland is now the director of safety for Magnifica Air, a new Part 121 airline, but in the past has participated in industry safety events such as the NTSB’s “roundtable” discussion on implementing SMS in small to midsized operations. Mulholland believes Part 135 operators are ready to meet the SMS mandate, saying, “I believe that the Part 135 community is ready for the SMS mandate. SMS has been in place at large and small Part 135 operators for over a decade. Many colleges and universities include SMS as part of their curriculum, creating a pool of prospective employees with the knowledge and capability to implement the program. Also, many third-party providers of software and consulting services, as well as industry consortiums and foundations, offer reasonably priced tools and expertise for those who need them. There is no shortage of resources in the market to help any Part 135 operator subject to the SMS mandate to implement a Part 5-compliant program that meets the needs of their operation.” Naor concurred: “While an SMS may initially seem overwhelming to an operator, once you understand what it is, it’s not nearly as intimidating and can be very simple to implement. The terminology is the biggest hurdle to overcome. There are plenty of free online programs and even more paid consultants to help set up your SMS and train you. “The key for operators is not to let the system just sit unused once it’s created; the three-year implementation period means a functioning SMS that has data, reports, and findings in it, so don’t wait until year three; you need to be using it and putting information in it now,” she noted. Another longstanding NTSB recommendation is for all Part 135 operators to install flight data monitoring devices capable of supporting a flight data monitoring program. The NTSB again reiterated this recommendation in its special investigative report. When asked about FAA-mandated FDM programs for Part 135 operations, Naor responded, “FDM is a natural extension of SMS—SMS data is observational and contributed by humans, which can be messy and inconsistent, while FDM is pure data from an aircraft." She further maintained, “Once a company has fully embraced just culture in their SMS, pilots feel comfortable sharing mistakes company-wide, and management is transparent in handling and using the data, the next phase is FDM. Just like SMS, you uncover information you would have never learned without it, and I have heard many reports from large operations that the maintenance cost savings well exceed the cost of running the programs. However, the mountains of data from these systems must be organized; focus on one or two in the beginning, such as stabilized approaches. You’ll quickly discover your higher-risk airports that might need additional training time in the simulator. The possibilities are endless.” Mulholland, while supportive of FDM programs, has a different view on whether the industry is ready. “In my opinion, the Part 135 industry is not yet ready for an FDM mandate. There are still major challenges in terms of easy access to system-generated parametric data, portability of data, as well as costs associated with hardware, software, analytical expertise, and data legal protections,” he said. “This is not to say that there are currently no options for gathering data from camera-based systems, electronic flight management systems, flight data recorders—when present—or even portable systems such as tablet computers. “Given the lack of uniformity in Part 135 aircraft fleet avionics, there are many challenges in turning disparate data sources into cohesive analyses and actionable information. There are also financial barriers for which operators, especially smaller ones, are not prepared. Investments in hardware, software, technical expertise, and an emerging trend of equipment manufacturers monetizing safety data can keep FDM capabilities out of reach.” Naor and Mulholland both had similar concerns about data usage and protection. Naor said, “You’ll also have to contend with the legal implications of having this data, and this is where FAA oversight gets tricky. Once you have this data, you need to use it and do something with it; do not turn on an FDM system unless you have someone who can make meaningful observations and corrections to the operation. We need to ensure the data is protected and isn’t used punitively. I’m not sure how the FAA will handle this as a regulator whose job is to enforce laws and how their approach will vary from inspector to inspector.” Mulholland further expanded on data protection and the cost of implementing an FDM program. “Many operators also express concerns about legal liability and enforcement exposure associated with FDM data. Without the data protections of a formal, FAA-approved flight operations quality assurance (FOQA) program, many operators choose not to pursue FDM. Such approvals can be time-consuming and expensive. Operators must choose where best to make safety investments that are right for their operation. “A mandated FDM program may force an operator to limit investment in other areas, which may be more effective in managing their risk. Operators should be encouraged to rely on the outputs of their safety management system to guide their safety dollars rather than by imposed mandate. The regulator could also help by simplifying the FOQA program approval process to reduce the barriers of time and complexity, thereby encouraging more to pursue this avenue of aafety assurance within their SMS.” There are several significant changes on the horizon for Part 135 operators. On the heels of the new FAA SMS mandate, a few new recommendations could further impact these companies. As an example: excluding the smallest operators, there are more than 1,300 charter operators in the U.S. If the FAA acts on the proposed certificated dispatcher requirement, the industry could be overwhelmed with training and hiring so many dispatchers. Other pending requirements such as an FDM mandate could add further challenges for the charter industry. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2024-10-30/ntsb-probes-top-safety-concerns-part-135 Airbus opens its 1st safety promotion center in China Erik Buschmann (L), chief operating officer of Airbus China, Yannick Malinge (C), head of aviation safety governance of Airbus, and George Xu, Airbus executive vice president and CEO of Airbus China, attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony of Airbus's first safety promotion center in China, in Tianjin, north China, Dec. 3, 2024. European aircraft manufacturer Airbus opened its first safety promotion center in China on Tuesday at its facilities in the northern port city of Tianjin, part of the company's global efforts to strengthen safety culture within the organization and improve safety awareness throughout the industry. Airbus now has four safety promotion centers worldwide. The other three are in Toulouse, France; Bangalore, India; and Hamburg, Germany. "The center in Tianjin aims to promote Airbus' safety culture among our Chinese aviation industry partners and all Airbus China employees," said George Xu, Airbus executive vice president and CEO of Airbus China. Airbus employees and external visitors, such as airlines and suppliers, will learn how Airbus incorporates safety in aircraft design and manufacturing, as well as how its safety management system collaborates with partners to improve safety across the ecosystem, the aircraft maker said. Inaugurated in 2008, the A320 Family Final Assembly Line Asia (FALA) in Tianjin is the first Airbus production line established outside Europe. The Airbus Tianjin expansion project, which broke ground in September 2023, is expected to contribute to the company's overall A320 family development plan, supported by its global production network of 10 final assembly lines. The production network will include two final assembly lines in Tianjin (one under construction), two in Toulouse, France, two in Mobile, the United States (one under construction), and four in Hamburg, Germany. http://www.china.org.cn/business/2024-12/04/content_117585414.htm Currently, United Airlines maintains a single Beijing route from San Francisco (SFO) with Boeing 777-300ER. LOS ANGELES— Chicago-based United Airlines (UA) has filed a request with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a new international flight route connecting Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Beijing Capital Int’l Airport (PEK), China. The proposed route would introduce three weekly flights starting May 1, 2025, reported Ben Schlappig on OMAAT. United Los Angeles to Beijing United plans to utilize a Boeing 787-9 aircraft for this 10,058 Km (6,250 miles) route. The aircraft configuration includes 257 total seats: 48 business class, 21 premium economy, and 188 economy seats. Earlier, as per some reports, United Airlines also deployed Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner for Beijing Flights. Here’s the Flight Schedule: The United flight will depart from Los Angeles at 11:10 PM and arrive in Beijing at 4:45 AM two days later. The Return flight will depart Beijing at 12:00 PM, landing in Los Angeles at 9:35 AM. Remember, the route will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays westbound, and Thursdays, Saturdays, and Mondays eastbound. Currently, United maintains a single Beijing route from San Francisco (SFO) with 777-300ER, with Air China (CA) being the only other carrier offering nonstop service between Los Angeles and Beijing. Flights Capping between the US and China The United States and China currently maintain a bilateral agreement that caps combined weekly flights between the countries. They are permitted 50 weekly frequencies, with current U.S. carriers operating well below this limit. Before the Pandemic, the US and Chinese carriers used to operate more than 300 weekly flights across multiple cities distanced by the Pacific. This was four times higher than the flights served in 2024, as per the Cirium Diio Data. Post-pandemic air travel between the United States and China remains significantly reduced. Despite increasing flight caps, U.S. airlines have been hesitant to maximize available frequencies. United already operates extensive long-haul international routes from Los Angeles, including destinations like Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Shanghai, Sydney, and Tokyo. The proposed Beijing route would further solidify the airline’s international network from the key West Coast hub. American Airlines currently serves London, Sydney, Tokyo, and seasonal Auckland from Los Angeles. Delta offers year-round routes to Paris, Sydney, Tokyo, and seasonal destinations including Auckland, Brisbane, and Tahiti, with plans to resume Shanghai flights in June 2025. The low current flight frequency suggests a high probability of this new route approval. 777 Operations from Newark In a separate development last month, United Airlines planned to deploy Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on three strategic international routes from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in spring 2024. Starting March 29, United will introduce the Boeing 777-300ER on Newark to Dubai and Newark to Frankfurt routes. The expansion continues on May 22 with the deployment of 777 on the Newark-Rome service, as confirmed by route analyst Ishrion Aviation. United currently operates 96 Boeing 777 variants, including 22 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The route expansion suggests potential fleet reconfiguration or recent aircraft acquisitions to support these new international destinations. https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2024/12/03/united-airlines-los-angeles-to-beijing-china-flight/ Move to employ foreign pilots riles Thai pilots The domestic aviation industry is thriving, with the cabinet on Tuesday approving foreign pilots flying domestic routes temporarily to address the pilot shortage, while the Thai Pilots Association is preparing to submit a petition to restrain this amendment. Teerawat Angkasakulkiat, president of the Thai Pilots Association, said the statement from the government citing a pilot shortage totally missed the point as there are many unemployed pilots in the country. Within this week, the association plans to express its objection by submitting the petition to both the Labour Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT). "Not only for this year, but we're concerned that during the next high season, the government might consistently allow foreign pilots to fly domestic flights, which would eventually affect local pilots in the long run," he said. Karom Polpornklang, a deputy government spokesman, said on Tuesday that the tourism boom has led to a shortage of commercial pilots. Unesco lists tom yum kung as humanity’s intangible cultural heritage The cabinet recognised the need for more pilots and approved a temporary measure on Tuesday allowing foreign pilots to fly on domestic routes. However, strict licence inspections and safety standards must be enforced to ensure compliance with all safety requirements. Mr Karom said the cabinet meeting approved a proposal from the Labour Ministry to allow foreign pilots to operate flights within Thailand, citing a ministry explanation that tourism promotion is an urgent government policy, leading to increased demand for air travel. However, airlines lack sufficient aircraft and pilots to accommodate the growing number of passengers. As a result, airlines are addressing the issue by temporarily leasing aircraft along with crew members, including foreign pilots, to operate domestic flights. The airlines were granted permission to lease aircraft along with crew, including pilots. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/2913577/move-to-employ-foreign-pilots-riles-thai-pilots 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