Flight Safety Information - December 13, 2024 No. 248 In This Issue : Incident: VivaAerobus A320 near Zacatecas on Dec 11th 2024, smoke and smell : Accident: Piedmont E145 near Charlotte on Dec 11th 2024, turbulence injures passenger : Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor : Passengers experienced ‘hard jolt,’ then ‘free fall’ on turbulent flight. Investigators blame the pilots : U.S. DOT Fines Ethiopian Airlines and Etihad Airways for Unauthorized Flights : JetBlue Inaugurates New Base for Pilots and Attendants in San Juan : Boeing to invest $1B in SC 787 Dreamliner facility, adding 500 jobs : Boeing whistleblower claims ‘thousands’ of broken parts, including crucial steering tools, ended up on airplanes : Inside Boeing’s struggle to make its best-selling plane again : How Long Will Alaska Airlines Keep Flying Hawaiian’s Boeing 717s? : General Aviation Manufacturers Association Announces New Leadership : 6th International Accident Investigation Forum 21-23 May 2025, Singapore : Calendar of Events Incident: VivaAerobus A320 near Zacatecas on Dec 11th 2024, smoke and smell A VivaAerobus Airbus A320-200, registration 9H-SWI performing flight VB-1000 from Mexico City to Ciudad Juarez (Mexico), was enroute at FL340 about 40nm east of Zacatecas (Mexico) when the crew decided to divert to Zacatecas reporting there was smell and smoke on board. The aircraft landed safely on Zacatecas' runway 20 about 20 minutes later. The airline reported a burning smell and smoke came out of the cabin, the aircraft therefore diverted to the nearest airport. A replacement A320-200 registration XA-VDB reached Ciudad Juarez with a delay of about 5:45 hours. The occurrence aircraft positioned to Monterrey (Mexico) after about 6 hours on the ground in Zacatecas and returned to service the following day about 24 hours after landing in Zacatecas https://avherald.com/h?article=5217971b&opt=0 Accident: Piedmont E145 near Charlotte on Dec 11th 2024, turbulence injures passenger A Piedmont Airlines Embraer ERJ-145 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N630AE performing flight AA-5780 from Charlotte,NC to New Bern,NC (USA), was enroute at FL190 about 120nm east of Charlotte when the crew decided to return to Charlotte for a safe landing about 70 minutes after departure. The FAA reported (providing the tail number of the replacement aircraft): "AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED MODERATE TURBULENCE ON TAKEOFF INJURYING A PASSENGER AND RETURNED TO CLT, CHARLOTTE, NC.", one passenger received minor injuries. A replacement Embraer ERJ-145 registration N664MS reached New Bern with a delay of about 2:45 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 3 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=52179520&opt=0 Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor The head of the Federal Aviation Administration, who has led a tougher enforcement policy against Boeing since a panel blew off a jetliner in January, said Thursday that he will step down next month, clearing the way for President-elect Donald Trump to name his choice to lead the agency. Mike Whitaker announced his pending resignation in a message to employees of the FAA, which regulates airlines and aircraft manufacturers and manages the nation’s airspace. He became the agency's administrator in October 2023. Since then, the challenges confronting Whitaker have included a surge in close calls between planes, a need for stricter oversight of Boeing. antiquated equipment and a shortage of air traffic controllers at a time of high consumer demand for air travel. “The United States is the safest and most complex airspace in the world, and that is because of your commitment to the safety of the flying public,” Whitaker said in the message to employees. “This has been the best and most challenging job of my career, and I wanted you to hear directly from me that my tenure will come to a close on January 20, 2025.” Whitaker took the helm of the FAA after the Senate, which is frequently divided along partisan lines, voted 98-0 last year to confirm his selection by President Joe Biden. The agency had been without a Senate-confirmed chief for nearly 19 months, and a previous Biden nominee withdrew in the face of Republican opposition. FAA administrators — who hold a job that has long been seen as nonpartisan — generally serve for five years, but that has not happened recently. Whitaker's predecessor, Stephen Dickson, also stepped down early before fulfilling his term. Whitaker worked as a lawyer for TWA and spent 15 years at United Airlines, where he oversaw international and regulatory affairs. He served as deputy FAA administrator during the Obama administration, and later as an executive for an air taxi company. Less than three months into his tenure leading the FAA, a Boeing 737 Max lost a door-plug panel during an Alaska Airlines flight over Oregon, renewing safety concerns about the plane and the company. Whitaker grounded similar models and required Boeing to submit a plan for improving manufacturing quality and safety. Whitaker said the FAA's oversight of Boeing had been “too hands-off — too focused on paperwork audits and not focused enough on inspections." In August, the FAA said it had doubled its enforcement cases against Boeing since the January door-plug blowout. Senators from both parties praised Whitaker on Thursday before a hearing on the FAA's air traffic control system, which has been plagued by a shortage of controllers and old equipment. A computer system that offers safety information to pilots failed in January 2023, causing more than 1,300 flight cancellations and thousands of delays in a single day. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who led the opposition to Biden’s first pick to lead FAA, said the unanimous confirmation vote for Whitaker was a “testament to his experience, his judgement and his apolitical nature. He has ably led the agency during a challenging period.” Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., who heads the Senate aviation subcommittee, said Whitaker’s oversight of Boeing has been essential. “Our aviation system is safer because of his service,” she said. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, which will consider Trump’s nominee to replace Whitaker, said the successor “needs to be ready on day one to continue the job of restoring the FAA’s safety culture and providing real oversight of the aviation sector.” After Trump was elected president in 2016, he considered his personal pilot for the top FAA job before settling on Dickson, a former Delta Air Lines executive. Trump's choice this time could be affected by input from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has clashed with the FAA for slowing the Starship mega rocket developed by the billionaire's SpaceX company. Musk, a huge campaign donor whom Trump named to lead an attempt to cut the size of government, has accused the FAA of being overly bureaucratic. https://www.yahoo.com/news/faa-administrator-mike-whitaker-step-153228519.html Passengers experienced ‘hard jolt,’ then ‘free fall’ on turbulent flight. Investigators blame the pilots Passengers experienced ‘hard jolt,’ then ‘free fall’ on turbulent flight. Investigators blame the pilots As they were coming in for a landing, a “plume” of bad weather suddenly appeared in front of Hawaiian Airlines pilots who hit severe turbulence just seconds later. Dozens of passengers were injured. Passengers experienced a “hard jolt” and then a “free fall” sensation. One passenger crawled back to their seat during the incident. Phones, jackets and water bottles “floated” around passengers and “two hard hits” occurred during the incident. The details from the 2022 incident near Kahului, Hawaii, are described in a just-released National Transportation Safety Board final report which blames the pilots for flying over the plume instead of going around it. Prior CNN reporting from the incident says 36 people were injured with 20 going to the hospital. According to the NTSB’s final report, before Hawaiian Airlines flight 35, flying on an Airbus 330-299, departed Phoenix and headed for Honolulu, the captain was informed of “potential turbulence and embedded convective activity” over the Hawaiian Islands. After a mostly uneventful flight, the pilots described a “plume” appearing vertically in front of the aircraft filled with 283 passengers. “It’s building fast,” one pilot said. The crew called the lead flight attendant onboard, but within a few seconds, the airplane lurched. The lead flight attendant was never able to alert the other seven flight attendants. “Flight attendants and passengers who were not restrained were thrown upward, impacting the ceiling or baggage compartments above them, and then downward onto the floor. A passenger who had left her seat to go to the lavatory reported that she felt the airplane shake; she then ‘flew’ face first into lavatory ceiling and was ‘thrown abruptly’ onto the floor,” the report says, noting the plane experienced vertical accelerations twice the force of gravity. One flight attendant ended up with serious injuries, and three had minor injuries. A 14-month-old child was also among the passengers injured and later transported to the hospital. Investigators said prior to this flight, there were only seven reports of minor turbulence in the area, but the agency also said the National Weather Service had forecast the potential for unstable atmosphere and flying conditions, meaning the flight crew was aware of what could occur along its route. Honolulu Emergency Medical Services told CNN that the patients’ injuries included a serious head injury, lacerations, bruising and loss of consciousness. One passenger was out of her seat to go to the bathroom and said she felt the airplane shake then flew face first into the bathroom ceiling before she was thrown onto the floor. She had to crawl back to her seat. The storm was later identified as a Kona storm, which brings heavy rainfall and strong winds to Hawaii from the Southwest. A voice recorder in the cockpit recorded pilots saying after the turbulence that they should have “gone around.” The NTSB lists the probable cause of the incident as “the flight crew’s decision to fly over an observed storm cell instead of deviating around it despite sufficient meteorological information” that there was the potential for severe weather. The seatbelt sign was turned on before the event. However, the captain never made another announcement about the turbulence, potentially contributing to more passenger injuries, the NTSB said. Injuries were treated by flight attendants and trained passengers. The captain had over 12,000 hours of flying time and nearly 6,000 hours on the same make and model plane. Damage occurred throughout the cabin, including a passenger service unit that fell from an overhead carrier and missing ceiling panels. More damage occurred throughout the plane, including a flight attendant handset and exit signs. Hawaiian Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but previously told CNN it was “supporting all affected passengers and employees.” https://www.yahoo.com/news/passengers-experienced-hard-jolt-then-221553432.html U.S. DOT Fines Ethiopian Airlines and Etihad Airways for Unauthorized Flights The U.S. Department of Transportation has fined Ethiopian Airlines and Etihad Airways for violating airspace restricted to US flights, during codesharing flight operations. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has levied significant financial penalties against Ethiopian Airlines and Etihad Airways for operating flights in violation of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restrictions. Ethiopian Airlines was fined $425,000 for using United Airlines’ designator code, while Etihad Airways received a $400,000 fine for utilizing JetBlue Airways’ code in prohibited regions. The violations were discovered during an investigation by the DOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP). Investigations found that both airlines had operated flights in airspace restricted by the FAA to US carriers. Why were the Fines Imposed? Codeshare Agreements: Both airlines had codeshare agreements with US carriers (United Airlines and JetBlue Airways, respectively). This means they were allowed to sell seats on each other’s flights and use each other’s flight codes. Notably, under this codesharing agreement, foreign carriers must comply with certain FAA requirements applicable to US carriers. FAA Restrictions: The FAA imposes restrictions on certain airspace, particularly in regions with ongoing conflicts or instability. These restrictions are designed to protect US carriers and their passengers from potential risks. Violation of Codeshare Agreement: By operating flights in restricted airspace using the codes of US carriers, Ethiopian Airlines and Etihad Airways violated the terms of their codeshare agreements. They were essentially operating flights on behalf of a US carrier, but breaching requirements applicable to a US airline. USDOT Jurisdiction: As the regulatory body overseeing US aviation, the USDOT has the authority to enforce compliance with US aviation regulations. These include those related to codeshare agreements and airspace restrictions. In essence, the fines were levied because the airlines misused the privileges granted to them under the codeshare agreements by operating in restricted airspace. This arguably puts the safety and security of passengers at risk. DOT Investigation Findings The DOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) conducted thorough investigations that uncovered multiple instances of unauthorized flight operations. The OACP investigators uncovered that Ethiopian Airlines operated numerous flights between Ethiopia and Djibouti. The airline conducted these flights using United Airlines’ code during a period from February 2020 to December 2022. Notably, these flights continued even after the OACP issued an initial investigation letter, demonstrating a clear violation of operating regulations. The investigation into Etihad Airways revealed a similar pattern of misconduct. Between August and September 2022, the airline operated multiple flights between the United Arab Emirates and the United States. These flights used JetBlue Airways’ designator code in airspace prohibited to U.S. operators. Despite receiving formal notifications from OACP in September and November 2022, Etihad Airways continued these unauthorized operations. It then operated additional flights between January and April 2023. Summary The DOT investigators found that both airlines violated the conditions of their operational authority. They had effectively engaged in air transportation without proper DOT authorization. As a result of these findings, the DOT has not only imposed substantial financial penalties. It has also ordered both Ethiopian Airlines and Etihad Airways to cease and desist from similar future violations. These enforcement actions underscore the DOT’s commitment to maintaining strict compliance with aviation regulations and ensuring the safety and integrity of international air travel. https://aviationsourcenews.com/u-s-dot-fines-ethiopian-airlines-and-etihad-airways-for-unauthorized-flights/ JetBlue Inaugurates New Base for Pilots and Attendants in San Juan The new route aligns with JetBlue's JetForward strategy, focusing on leisure and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) travel markets. NEW YORK- JetBlue (B6), Puerto Rico’s primary carrier, inaugurated its first crew base outside the continental United States at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in San Juan.The strategic expansion brings significant employment opportunities to the region, with over 400 crewmember jobs projected by next year. JetBlue Crew Base in San Juan JetBlue Airways’ (B6) new crew base will accommodate more than 100 pilots and 300 flight attendants, positioned in Terminal A of the airport. This facility enables crewmembers to initiate and conclude flight trips from Puerto Rico, supporting airline operations across the Caribbean and enhancing operational flexibility during potential disruptions. Simultaneously, JetBlue launched new flight services connecting San Juan to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, demonstrating the airline’s commitment to expanding Caribbean connectivity. The crew base development follows JetBlue’s 2020 establishment of a Tech Ops maintenance base in San Juan, indicating a continued strategic investment in the region’s aviation infrastructure. The base’s implementation supports local employment and strengthens JetBlue’s operational resilience in the Caribbean market. By creating a dedicated crew base, the airline improves its ability to manage flight schedules, respond to operational challenges, and provide consistent service across its network. Positioning crewmembers directly in Puerto Rico allows for more efficient resource allocation and reduces logistical complexities associated with managing flight personnel from distant locations. This approach reflects JetBlue’s strategic approach to regional expansion and commitment to developing robust, localized aviation resources. JetBlue Expands Caribbean Connectivity JetBlue launched new flights connecting San Juan, Puerto Rico, and St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The route spans 94 miles, enhancing Caribbean connectivity and expanding the airline’s regional network. St. Croix offers travelers diverse experiences, including historical sites, pristine beaches, and a vibrant cultural landscape. The destination attracts tourists seeking both relaxation and adventure in the Caribbean region. Warren Christie, JetBlue’s chief operating officer, highlighted the strategic importance of the new route. The service demonstrates JetBlue’s commitment to serving Caribbean markets and connecting U.S. Virgin Islands residents with broader travel networks. The flight schedule includes two daily roundtrips: Flight No Departure Arrival Departure Time Arrival Time B6 2940 SJU STX 3:00 p.m. 3:44 p.m. B6 2941 STX SJU 4:45 p.m. 5:35 p.m. JetBlue will operate the route using Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring complimentary amenities including: • Unlimited broadband Fly-Fi • Name-brand snacks and drinks • Seatback entertainment The new route aligns with JetBlue’s JetForward strategy, focusing on leisure and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) travel markets. It complements the airline’s existing services connecting San Juan with multiple destinations across the Caribbean and mainland United States. Executive Remarks Warren Christie, JetBlue’s chief operating officer, emphasized the strategic significance of the new San Juan crew base. The facility represents a direct investment in the local community, creating job opportunities for Puerto Rican residents and supporting the airline’s network expansion in the Caribbean region. Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi highlighted the crew base as a testament to JetBlue’s commitment to Puerto Rico. He noted the island’s recent tourism growth and positioned the new base as a positive economic development for the region. Carlos Mercado Santiago, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, underscored the crew base’s importance to the tourism sector. He articulated how the base will enhance flight frequencies, create new market opportunities, and generate economic benefits for local communities. The statements from JetBlue executives and government officials collectively emphasized three key points: community investment, economic development, and strategic regional expansion. By establishing a dedicated crew base in San Juan, JetBlue demonstrates its long-term commitment to Puerto Rico’s aviation and tourism infrastructure. The collaboration between JetBlue and Puerto Rican authorities signals a mutual understanding of the economic potential in developing robust local aviation resources. This strategic alignment positions the airline to capitalize on growing Caribbean travel demand while providing meaningful employment opportunities for local residents. https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2024/12/13/jetblue-opens-san-juan-base/ Boeing to invest $1B in SC 787 Dreamliner facility, adding 500 jobs Boeing has pledged to invest $1 billion more into its Charleston-area manufacturing campuses, adding 500 new jobs over the next five years, even as the company has struggled financially. The company, in a statement, said the investment will “support increased 787 Dreamliner production targets.” North Charleston has been home to Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner production facility for more than a decade. The company currently employs more than 7,800 people across its North Charleston and Orangeburg facilities. “Since the creation of Boeing South Carolina in 2009, we’ve marked many important milestones,” said Boeing’s South Carolina site leader Scott Stocker “I’m thrilled for this next phase of growth, which is made possible by our incredible teammates and the confidence our customers have in our airplanes. This decision reflects Boeing’s commitment to the workforce, the 787 program and the community.” The expansion is expected to be complete in 2027. The aerospace giant’s announcement comes roughly a month ahead of 220 planned layoffs in the Palmetto State, announced by the company last month. Boeing reported a financial loss of more than $8 billion in the first nine months of this year, with $6 billion of that coming between July and September. In response, CEO Kelly Ortberg announced in October the company would cut 10% of its workforce, or about 17,000 employees nationwide. The layoffs followed a seven-week strike by 33,000 unionized machinists on the West Coast — mostly in Washington but also Oregon and California — as the company and union negotiated a new contract. The strike did not include non-unionized workers in South Carolina. Ortberg has said the cuts were caused by overstaffing, not the work stoppage. Boeing spokeswoman Libba Holland said the announcement is solely focused on the 787 Dreamliner and will not impact employment in other parts of the country. She declined to provide details about the type of jobs involved in the North Charleston expansion. https://www.yahoo.com/news/boeing-invest-1b-sc-787-193109920.html Boeing whistleblower claims ‘thousands’ of broken parts, including crucial steering tools, ended up on airplanes Sam Mohawk, a Boeing employee of 13 years, claimed some factory workers took flawed airplane parts from storage and installed them on airplanes in order to keep production moving. Boeing and other aircraft manufacturers have dealt with staggering supply-chain issues since the pandemic. A Boeing quality investigator is doubling down on claims he made earlier this year about the airline manufacturer’s use of faulty parts, which could make aircraft less safe or lead to malfunctions. Sam Mohawk, a Boeing employee of 13 years, alleged employees have resorted to secretly installing defective parts onto aircraft because of supply shortages, leaving shoddy units unaccounted for in factory storage, and potentially on airplanes laden with passengers and cargo. Boeing, for its part, denies the allegations. “There's so much chaos in that factory that there's a desperation for parts because we have problems with our parts suppliers,” Mohawk told CBS News in an interview published Sunday evening. “In order to get the plane built and out the door in time, I think, unfortunately, some of those parts were recycled back onto the airplanes in order to keep building the airplane and not stop it in production.” Boeing factories keep compromised units in a “parts jail,” Mohawk said, where the company can track the items to keep them out of production. Because pandemic-damaged supply pipelines have prevented aircraft manufacturers from ramping up plane production, some Boeing factory workers allegedly circumvented protocol to remove items from the parts jail, unbeknownst to Mohawk’s team, and installed them on aircraft. In addition to bolts and smaller units, workers also took important items like rudders, which control an aircraft’s steering. According to Mohawk, 42 flawed or nonconforming rudders went missing, evidence that the practice of nabbing parts behind lock and key is pervasive. “I think it's happening repeatedly,” Mohawk said. “We have thousands of missing parts.” Boeing told Fortune it completed two investigations into Mohawk's claims, which included interviewing employees and walking the factory, but did not find evidence that any defective parts ended up on Boeing aircraft. The company said Mohawk’s claims did not impact aircraft safety. "This is an example of how Boeing listens to employees and thoroughly reviews their concerns about safety and quality,” the statement said. Airplane ‘Russian roulette’ Boeing will have a long list of New Year’s resolutions following a 2024 defined by disaster. The airline manufacturer’s dreadful year began when a door plug ripped off a 737 Max jet belonging to Alaska Airlines mid-flight, setting in motion a series of investigations into Boeing’s safety culture and other aircraft compromises. The airline manufacturer is still unable to return to its full production capacity, which has exacerbated its delayed deliveries of jets to airlines, having halted production of its 737 Max and other models at its major plants during a 54-day strike over workers’ wages and insurance costs. Shortly after the Alaska Airlines disaster, the FAA capped 737 Max production at 38 aircraft per month until the manufacturer could prove it made significant and lasting changes to its quality assurance protocols. The potential installation of shoddy parts on jets could have massive consequences for Boeing and its passengers, as it means those aircraft may not last their usual 30-year lifespan. A “catastrophic event” would be imminent should the vehicles not be properly investigated. “It's like Russian roulette, you know?” Mohawk said. “You don't know if it's gonna go down or not.” At the core of Boeing employees’ concerns, according to other whistleblowers, is the prioritization of productivity over safety. It’s a sentiment Mohawk said contributed to workers’ urgency to keep production going, even at the expense of safety. “The idea is to keep those airplanes moving, keep that line moving at all costs,” Mohawk said. Past allegations Mohawk made similar allegations in June, claiming in a complaint made with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that Boeing lost as many as 400 shoddy 737 Max parts as of last year. The company also allegedly deleted records of many of those parts from its catalog system and “intentionally hid” those poorly stored, damaged parts from the FAA before a scheduled inspection of a facility, he claimed. Boeing said its data systems do track nonconforming parts, and none of these items were included on its planes. The company has also appeared to have made changes to how it approaches quality assurance. FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker said last week the manufacturer has already taken steps to “reset.” Following the strike, the company took a month before resuming production to ensure employees were properly trained and to allow the supply chain to catch up with the ramp-up in production. “In previous strikes, they’ve just come right back and started production,” he told NBC News. “This time following safety management principles they’ve been very systematic, so that is a positive development.” https://www.yahoo.com/news/boeing-whistleblower-claims-thousands-broken-022700454.html Inside Boeing’s struggle to make its best-selling plane again SEATTLE (Reuters) - Since a crippling strike at many of Boeing's U.S. plane factories ended more than a month ago, progress ramping up production of its best-selling 737 MAX jet has been deliberately slow. Safety inspectors inside the 737 MAX factory outside Seattle laboriously scoured half-constructed planes for flaws they may have missed during the seven-week work stoppage. Other workers poured over manuals to restore their expired safety licenses. The factory was initially so lifeless in mid-November that one employee left early because the bins of fasteners he was tasked with replenishing weren't being used, according to a source inside the plant. The result: no new 737 MAX plane has been completed. Boeing said on Tuesday that it had restarted MAX production last week, as first reported by Reuters. Boeing's cautious approach, following criticism that the planemaker for years rushed production, has garnered praise from regulators and some airline CEOs. But it also has some smaller suppliers who cut jobs or operating hours during the strike hesitating to staff-up again, creating further uncertainty in an already fragile supply chain, according to three suppliers, one analyst and an industry source. Both Boeing and rival Airbus have struggled to meet production goals due to supply chain delays. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg in October told analysts he was anticipating a bumpy return from the supply chain post strike. Parts that used to take a day to be finished at a processing shop now take a week, one supplier told Reuters. This account of Boeing's effort to restart production of its strongest-selling jet is based on interviews with a dozen Boeing factory workers and 10 suppliers, most of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the media. It shows that Ortberg is sticking to his pledge to cautiously restart 737 MAX production, prioritizing safety and quality due to heightened regulatory scrutiny following a January mid-air panel blowout on a near-new plane. The interviews also revealed that some suppliers are still struggling to recover from the strike, after wrestling with slumping plane production during COVID-19, and the 2019 MAX grounding following two fatal crashes involving the model. Boeing "will continue to steadily increase production as we execute on our safety and quality plan and work to meet the expectations of our regulator and customers," Boeing spokesperson Jessica Kowal said. "We will also continue to work transparently with our suppliers, listening to concerns and looking for opportunities to improve collaboration to ensure our entire production system operates safely and predictably.” FAA IN THE FACTORY After weeks of inertia, there were fresh signs of movement inside Boeing's Renton 737 MAX factory last week, three sources said, with green fuselages entering the final assembly line where the wings and tail get attached. The restart, while not bringing immediate relief, is good news for financially-strapped fuselage supplier Spirit AeroSystems which was running low on storage space during the strike. A Reuters reporter saw over 100 MAX fuselages lined up at Spirit's Wichita factory this week. Spirit Aero spokesperson Joe Buccino said the company was "working closely with Boeing as they restart production." Boeing executives have privately said they hope to produce 15 to 20 MAX jets this month, two of the 10 suppliers and one industry source said, although one of them cautioned that the chance of hitting the higher end of that target is unlikely. The Boeing spokesperson did not comment on those numbers. Boeing typically closes most planemaking operations between Dec 24 and January 1. While Boeing doesn't disclose production figures, the planemaker said in October that before the strike it was preparing to hit a target of 38 737 jets per month by year's end. At the factory, daily tasks are paired with exacting efforts to clean up and take steps to avoid error, with note-taking FAA officials carrying clipboards and donning reflective vests a regular sight, they said. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker praised Boeing on Dec 5 for not following past practice by immediately restarting production after the strike, instead focusing on workforce and training. Still, Whitaker told Reuters that Boeing has a long journey to achieve its targeted safety culture. "The plant's cleaner, as you would expect, but they're frank about the fact that they've got a long way to go," he said. Stabilizing Boeing's MAX production is key both for the planemaker and for the financial health of its supply chain on the jet with 4,200 outstanding airline orders and which is expected to drive revenues for years to come Six out of the 10 suppliers told Reuters they won’t bring back workers before 2025, partly because they are unsure whether Boeing will need to again change its production plans. Two suppliers said they were told by Boeing that the planemaker is expected to give a private update on a key internal 737 supply chain production milestone for the supply chain, this month. "Supplier trust in Boeing rates is at a low point," said Glenn McDonald, a supply chain specialist at U.S. aerospace consultancy AeroDynamic Advisory, which advises clients in areas like business and corporate strategy. "Suppliers have been burned before by investing for rates that didn’t come ... that doubt becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy." BRUISED SUPPLIERS In the short term, Boeing can likely count on excess parts and components it has amassed this year to build its planes since until the strike it largely continued purchasing from suppliers at a higher rate than it needed because it was producing fewer jets due to the blowout. Then, purchasing largely slumped during the strike. As production comes back online, supplier skepticism over Boeing's rates could impede needed investments to meet Boeing's plans for a return to a rate of 38 and above next year, according to three suppliers, McDonald and an industry source. Boeing's struggles mean it will take longer to return 737 MAX production to its pre-strike levels than after a 2008 work stoppage, when the planemaker got back to a monthly rate of 31 in about 25 days, McDonald said. That longer recovery is being acutely felt by some of the hundreds of small suppliers that dot Boeing's manufacturing heartland in Washington state. Smaller aerospace suppliers are less bullish on making capital investments than many of their larger counterparts, said Christopher Chidzik, principal economist at the Association for Manufacturing Technology, a trade group. In October, despite the Boeing machinists strike, aerospace producers increased orders of manufacturing technology to the highest level of 2024, indicating that they used the downtime to replace and expand technology used on production lines, he said. Smaller job shops went against that trend, he added. Seattle-area supplier Rosemary Brester hoped she and her husband would be able to get their metal aircraft components processed more quickly following the end of the strike, but delays persist. The couple, who have been running Hobart Machined Products since 1978 out of a workshop beside their home, rely on a finishing specialist to anodize and paint their precision parts before sending them to larger companies that sell to Boeing. This used to take a day, now it takes a week, because the finishing specialist has been short-staffed since laying off workers during the strike. "All we can do is manufacture to the schedule we have, maybe expedite parts and pay a bit more to get them to our customers on time," she said. "Until I see some real stability, I'm not going to hire anybody," Brester said. Carmen Evans, co-owner of New Tech Industries in Mukilteo, Washington near Boeing's colossal Everett factory complex, said the small supplier is ready to produce more specialized tooling for its largest customer. But they are now in a type of limbo as they wait for Boeing's MAX factory to start humming again. "It's not like the floodgates have opened up yet," she said. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/inside-boeing-struggle-best-selling-110358760.html How Long Will Alaska Airlines Keep Flying Hawaiian’s Boeing 717s? The Boeing 717 has been the mainstay of Hawaiian Airlines interisland operation for 20 years. Hawaiian Airlines is the second largest operator of the Boeing 717 in the world. However, the aircraft are approaching 25 years old and operate in a hot, humid environment, speculation has mounted about a replacement. Last year, Hawaiian Airlines CEO Peter Ingram indicated that a replacement plan for the fleet was in the works. The airline had mentioned possible candidates for the interisland operation that included the Embraer E195-E2, used Airbus A319s, or a combination of Airbus A320NEOs. Then a multi-billion dollar acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines happened. Rumors and speculation ran rampant that Alaska might decide to scrap Hawaiian’s fleet of 717s earlier than later and instead run a combination of Hawaiian A321s and Alaska 737s through the island chains to replace the aging and orphan fleet. Alaska Highlights Merger Strategy Earlier this week, Alaska Airlines held its annual investors day. While most airlines host an annual event to highlight their business strategy, Alaska’s was particularly interesting in light of the recent merger with Hawaiian Airlines. During the event, the airline announced that they planned to inaugurate service between Seattle and Tokyo Narita utilizing Hawaiian’s Airbus A330. The airline also will introduce service to South Korea from Seattle next year. Hawaiian would drop Honolulu-Narita service to make way for this new route. This route would compete directly against Delta in an attempt to further Alaska’s claim that it is Seattle’s hometown airline. The airline also announced that the synergy between the two airlines would result in a potential $500m for 2025, up from the previously expected $250m gain. The gains would be realized by synchronizing schedules between the airlines to offer greater connectivity to Hawaii and the west coast of the US. Alaska’s CEO Shared More Thoughts About the Hawaiian Acquisition, Evolving Strategy and More During the investor day, the airline didn’t really highlight the interisland market. However, Alaska’s CEO Ben Minicucci did open up on a recent Air Show podcast. During the show, Minicicci mentioned that the combination of the airlines means that their goal is to have most flying to/from Hawaii on Hawaiian Airlines branding. That means that Hawaiian branding could be on Boeing 737s sometime in the future. For now though, each airline will continue to operate under their respective brands and crews until a single operating certificate is achieved. Minicucci also stated that the new fleet as part of the merger will give Alaska additional flexibility. Right sizing markets will be possible as the Airbus A321NEO is a better fit for Hawaii to Las Vegas at any time of day than the Boeing 737 MAX fleet. The Boeing 787 offers additional flexibility to connect large, distant markets. Minicucci sees the opportunity to build a larger international gateway from its Seattle hub. Minicucci did address the lingering Boeing 717 question during the podcast. He stated that the Boeing 717 still “has some legs on it” which gives the airline flexibility to determine the proper replacement. He stated that they’ll need to figure out the right solution within the next five years. Furthermore, Minicucci stated that the “[Boeing] 717 might stay longer than we think”. He charged his staff to determine what the right eventually replacement would be appropriate for the market. The bottom line though is that the airline has time to get it right. There you have it. The mighty Douglas derivative will likely live on in the Hawaiian Islands through the end of this decade. https://avgeekery.com/how-long-will-alaska-airlines-keep-flying-hawaiians-boeing-717s/ General Aviation Manufacturers Association Announces New Leadership Pete Bunce is retiring after serving as president and CEO of GAMA for two decades. Pete Bunce has been GAMA’s president and CEO since April 2005. [Credit: GAMA] After leading the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) for 20 years, Pete Bunce is retiring as president and CEO, the GA industry organization announced Thursday. The GAMA board of directors announced that James Viola, currently the president and CEO of Vertical Aviation International (VAI), will assume the lead role in March. “GAMA has an outstanding reputation as a leader across the international aerospace ecosystem, and I am honored and excited to work with GAMA’s members and team to further advance the critical interests and contributions of the aviation industry," Viola said in a statement. "I look forward to championing general aviation’s significant work to provide growth and opportunity for individuals and businesses, enable innovative and technological advancements for safety and efficiency, and support the economic development and welfare of communities across the globe." Viola brings decades of aviation experience to the role. For the past four years in his position at VAI, he represented and supported the interests of the global helicopter industry and expanded the organization to recognize and support over vertical aviation stakeholders. This included rebranding the Helicopter Association International (HAI) to VAI to acknowledge the rapid expansion and technological evolution occurring in vertical aviation, GAMA said. “James Viola has an incredible passion for general aviation and will do a remarkable job representing the interests of GAMA member companies and leading the tremendous GAMA staff," said Chuck Wiplinger, GAMA chair and president and CEO of Wipaire. "His military, flying and regulatory experience, along with his proven leadership of a renowned international aviation association, will make him an extremely effective advocate for the economic and societal contributions of the global general aviation industry." Viola has more than 35 years of aviation experience, including more than 20 as a U.S. Army aviator, achieving the rank of colonel. He is an airline transport pilot and CFI for both helicopters and airplanes with more than 7,000 flight hours. He also holds several master’s degrees, including one in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College and one in international relations from Auburn University. Prior to his stint at VAI, Viola spent over a decade with the FAA working on maintaining consistency and standardization in the application of safety oversight activities for GA. “GAMA has been fortunate to have Pete Bunce leading GAMA for the past 20 years and we are confident that James will carry on and strengthen that foundation and work," said Eric Hinson, GAMA immediate past chair and president and CEO of Simcom International. "On behalf of the entire GAMA membership, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Pete, who has done a tremendous job over the last 20 years growing GAMA’s membership, broadening its policy and regulatory reach, honoring our nation’s veterans and being a staunch advocate for the industry,” Bunce joined GAMA in 2005, leading the organization through the economic crisis of 2008, the pandemic, and numerous FAA reauthorizations. "Over the past two decades, I could not have asked to work for, and with, a more supportive board of directors and fellow GA association head colleagues," Bunce said. "I look forward to watching Jim take GAMA to new heights as our industry journeys into the most exciting time in aerospace since the dawn of the jet age." Bunce said he will stay on to assist with the transition and shift to a special adviser until his official retirement date in April 2025. https://www.flyingmag.com/news/general-aviation-manufacturers-association-announces-new-leadership/ REGISTER NOW! 6th International Accident Investigation Forum 21-23 May 2025, Singapore The Transport Safety Investigation Bureau of Singapore is pleased to announce that registration for the 6th International Accident Investigation Forum (IAIF/6) is NOW OPEN! This triennial Forum will bring together the international safety investigation community to discuss topics, including: · Organisational and management issues in air accident investigation · Upcoming amendments to ICAO’s standards, recommendations and policies · Challenges and lessons learnt from recent investigations · Emerging challenges for air safety investigators. Find out more or register for the Forum at https://www.mot.gov.sg/6thIAIForum. Alternatively, scan the QR code below. For enquires, please contact Jen Tan (jen_tan@mot.gov.sg) and Ren Wei (lim_renwei@mot.gov.sg). 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