A China Southern Airline A380 pilot named "King Of Quarantine"

Ma Jian, a China Southern Airbus A380 pilot, spent 189 days and 4,536 hours in quarantine during 2021, and was aptly named the “King of Quarantine.”

On Thursday, January 13, China Southern Airlines tweeted a photo of Ma Jian, the airline’s 2021 “King of Quarantine.” He is an Airbus A380 captain.

https://twitter.com/CSAIRGlobal/status/1481813324027289601

In 2021 he spent 189 days or 4,536 hours in isolation due to the travel restrictions imposed by the Chinese Government to prevent new COVID-19 cases. China Southern Airlines posted a Ma Jian photo to celebrate the “great sacrifice and dedication” of its crew during the COVID-19 pandemic, reported FlightGlobal.

“Every China Southern Airlines pilot knows that they maintain the stability of the international logistics supply chain and have become a symbol of China’s national strength during the epidemic.”China Southern Airlines

Even though he was spending 189 days in isolation, Jian was on duty approximately 75 days in 2021. Ma Jian completed 505 hours of flying, about one hour of work for every five hours he spent in quarantine.

While he was working, Ma Jian delivered thousands of passengers and supplies around the world onboard the superjumbo A380, said China Southern on social media.

China has imposed severe travel restrictions in the last couple of years. The country has set a zero-COVID policy and has tight border controls. This has impacted the services airlines can offer.

For pilots like Ma Jian, the long stretches under quarantine can be lonely and challenging. Nonetheless, many people are going through more difficult times than them, Ma Jian said. He added that they can go home after each quarantine and hug their families.

Approximately 30 A380 pilots working with China Southern Airlines have been quarantined for more than 300 days each in the last two years. Additionally, many Boeing 777 pilots were also under quarantines for more than 170 days last year.

Flight attendants don’t have it any easier, though. For example, Liu Hui, a flight attendant for the carrier, spent 310 days in quarantine the last couple of years.

China Southern Airlines is currently the world’s fifth-largest airline and the largest in China

According to OAG, China Southern Airlines is currently the world’s fifth-largest airline and the largest in China. The carrier is behind American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, and United.

China Southern Airlines’ main route at the moment goes between Shenzhen and Shanghai, with 401 scheduled flights. Guangzhou-Beijing has 400 scheduled flights in the month.

Approximately 32% of all China Southern Airlines flights are operated with the carrier’s Boeing B737-800 fleet. The airline uses its Airbus A320 fleet on 28.5% of all flights. Meanwhile, it only has 31 scheduled flights using the Airbus A380, or just 0.04% of the airline’s services this month.

If you've ever been a frequent flyer on long-haul routes, chances are. at some point in time, you would have spotted "ETOPS" written on the aircraft.

Aviation Stack Exchange

ETOPS means Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards. It is a certification that permits twin-engine aircraft to fly routes which may, at the time, be 60 minutes flying time from the nearest airport that is suitable for an emergency landing.

ETOPS have been in practice in commercial aviation for over 15 years now. The ICAO issues Standards And Recommended Practises (SARPS) for ETOPS and ETOPS were extended to four-engine aircraft like the Boeing 747-8 and the terminology is now updated to EDTO – Extended Diversion Time Operations.

A brief history

Early combustion engines were highly unreliable, and often a 4-engine piston aircraft would show up at the airport with only 3 of its engines working.  Because of this, twin-engine aircraft were required to fly in beeline routes in the range of a suitable airport for landing. In 1953, the FAA imposed what is known as the “60-minute rule” on two- and three-engine airplanes, disallowing them to fly more than 60 minutes outside the closest airport.

A piston-engine fighter | Representative | Husu-Kit

With the advent of technology and the introduction of jet engines, which were obviously much more reliable than piston engines. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) now began to approve flights with twin engines 120 minutes away from an accommodating airport. This new policy was now twice as long as the previous time requirement. It made twin-engine aircraft more popular since their fuel efficiency was much better than a 4-engine aircraft.

ETOPS certification

Although flights continue to become safer, it remains very important for aircraft to go through rigorous tests to maintain ETOPS certification. The higher the ETOPS rating is, the more difficult it is for the aircraft to maintain approval, with the upside being added levels of safety and efficiency of an aircraft.

Wikipedia

The ETOPS certification requires the manufacturer to demonstrate that flying with one engine is relatively manageable by the flight crew, safe for the airframe, and an extremely rare occurrence. Additionally, they must also showcase that the flight crew’s training and maintenance procedures are up to high standards.

Many operators prefer flying an ETOPS approach as opposed to non-ETOPS as they significantly improve reliability, performance, and aircraft dispatch rates.

The importance and meaning of ETOPS came to the fore when the first ETOPS certification was given to Trans World Airlines (TWA) in 1985.

Getting started

There are different levels of ETOPS certification, each allowing aircraft to fly on routes that are a certain amount of single-engine flying time away from the nearest suitable airport.

ETOPS under-90

Airbus A300 twinjets, the first twin-engine wide-body aircraft, had been flying across the North Atlantic, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean under a 90-minute ICAO rule since 1976.

CNN

ETOPS 120

 Trans World Airlines operated the first 120-minute ETOPS (ETOPS-120) service on February 1, 1985, with a Boeing 767-200 from Boston to Paris.

Modern Airliner Magazine

ETOPS 180

 ETOPS-180 and ETOPS-207 cover about 95% of the Earth. The Boeing 777 was the first aircraft to be introduced with an ETOPS rating of 180 minutes in 1989.

Aviation Stack Exchange

ETOPS 240

 In November 2009, the Airbus A330 became the first aircraft to receive ETOPS-240 approval.

A330-300 | Airways Magazine

ETOPS 330

On December 12, 2011, Boeing received type-design approval from the FAA for up to 330-minute extended operations for its Boeing 777 series, all equipped with GE engines. The first ETOPS-330 flight took place on December 1, 2015, with Air New Zealand connecting Auckland to Buenos Aires on a 777-200ER.

Infinite Flight Community

The very first ETOPS-330 approval given to a four-engine aircraft was in February 2015, to the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental.

ETOPS 370

The A350 XWB was first to receive an ETOPS-370 before entry into service by European authorities. This enabled economical nonstop routes between Europe and Oceania and the high-demand London-Sydney route.

Aviation Voice

The A350 XWB's current ETOPS certification covers 99.7% of the Earth's entire surface, allowing point-to-point travel anywhere in the world except directly over the South Pole.

Bottomline

Engines must have an in-flight shutdown (IFSD) rate better than 1 per 20,000 hours for ETOPS-120, 1 per 50,000 hours for ETOPS-180, and 1 per 100,000 hours for beyond ETOPS-180.

Private jets are exempted from ETOPS by the FAA but are subject to the ETOPS 120-minute rule in EASA's jurisdiction

Government-owned aircraft (including military) do not have to adhere to ETOPS regulations.

SOURCE(s)

COVER: Aviation International News

Indian aviation regulator DGCA has asked UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to share the report of the probe into the near-collision of two India-bound Emirates passenger jets on January 9 at the Dubai airport. The planes had come on the same runway during take-off from the airport.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to share its investigation report on this incident.

"Both are their registered aircraft and the place of occurrence is their airport and so, as per ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation), it will be investigated by them. However, we have asked them to share the investigation report as and when available".Arun Kumar, Chief, DGCA

About the Incidence

The two Emirates jets which had a close shave on January 9 were the Dubai-Hyderabad B777 flight (EK-524) and the Dubai-Bengaluru B777 flight (EK-568). The EK-524 was accelerating to take off just when EK-568 came on the same runway, they noted. Therefore, EK-524's take-off was rejected by the air traffic controller. EK-524 was scheduled to depart at 09:45 PM while EK-568 was scheduled to take off at 09:50 PM.

“On January 9, flight EK524 was instructed by air traffic control to reject take-off on departure from Dubai and this was completed successfully. There was no aircraft damage, nor were there any injuries. Safety is always our top priority, and as with any incident we are conducting our own internal review. The incident is also under investigation by the UAE AAIS and we are unable to comment further."Spokesperson, Emirates

Past similar incidents

The near-collision incident was the second close shave involving Emirates flight in recent days. UAE Authorities are probing the take-off of a Washington-bound flight on December 20, 2021, that nearly impacted the ground in the neighbourhood. The plane reportedly came within 175 feet of the impact of the ground. The aircraft continued safely to Washington.

This image is for representative purposes only.

On March 27, 1977, 583 passengers had lost their lives when a KLM Boeing 747 began take-off in low daylight visibility while a Panama jumbo was still backtracking the same runway and a collision happened at this Tenerife Los rodeos airport. Both the aircraft was completely destroyed and the runway was damaged. All 284 occupants of the KLM aircraft and 335 of the 396 occupants of the Panama aircraft were killed. This was among the worst Aviation disaster.

A tri-services Court of Inquiry (CoI) into the December 8 helicopter crash which killed Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat has attributed the crash to an unexpected change in weather, resulting in pilot disorientation and the helicopter hitting a surface.

This is the main preliminary finding of the Court of Inquiry (CoI) which ruled out mechanical failure, sabotage, and negligence. The Court of Inquiry (CoI) was instituted to probe the crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu that claimed the lives of General Rawat, the country’s first CDS, his wife Madhulika, and 12 armed forces personnel.

About the Crash

The Russian-origin helicopter, considered extremely safe and reliable, was fully serviceable when it crashed near Coonoor. The low-flying helicopter flew into cloud cover seconds before it went down in a fireball, barely seven minutes before it was scheduled to land in Wellington.

The helicopter took off from the Sulur airbase at 11:48 AM and was scheduled to land at the helipad at the Wellington golf course at 12:15 PM. The air traffic control at Sulur, however, lost contact with the helicopter at 12:08 PM, 20 minutes after it took off. The helicopter was descending to land when it ran into sudden clouds which resulted in pilot disorientation.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paying tribute to Late CDS Bipin Rawat

The Mi-17 V5 was carrying General Rawat, his wife Madhulika, and 12 other armed forces personnel including Brigadier LS Lidder and Lt Col Harjinder Singh, Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan, Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh. While 13 of the 14 onboard died in the crash, Group Captain Varun Singh succumbed to injuries a week later.

FDR, CVR Input Analysed

The IAF in its statement said based on its findings, the COI has made certain recommendations that are being reviewed. It said that the inquiry team analyzed input from the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder, which are collectively colloquially known as the black box of an aircraft, besides questioning all available witnesses to determine the most probable cause of the accident.

“The inquiry team analysed the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder besides questioning all available witnesses to determine the most probable cause of the accident."Spokesperson, Indian Air Force

On January 5, IAF head Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari, along with Air Marshal Manvendra Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Training Command, who headed the tri-service inquiry into the crash that took place in the forest near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu briefed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the probe. The helicopter was being flown by Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan and Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh.

The sole survivor of the crash, Group Captain Varun Singh, breathed his last on December 15 after putting up a week-long fight against death.

Developed by Russian Helicopters, the Mi-17V5 is designed to carry personnel, cargo and equipment. The Mi-17V5 can carry a load of around four tonnes in a full cargo role. It can also insert assault forces behind the enemy lines, a role frequently demonstrated by the IAF during military exercises.

The helicopter is equipped with modern avionics, a self-defence system and other advanced features that enhance its survivability. The Mi-17V5, which has an armoured cockpit, can be fitted with rockets, cannons and small arms for carrying out offensive roles. It has a service ceiling of 6,000 metres, a top speed of 250 kmph and a maximum range of around 1,180 km with additional fuel tanks.

The Indian Coast Guard has been on the lookout for about 14 new helicopters for surveillance tasks as well as several offshore security-related activities for quite some time now.

The bidding which began last year saw Airbus offering its H22M chopper while  Russia pitched the Kamov KA 32A11M.

The Coast Guard's last such attempt was in 2018 that failed to materialize after the contest was withdrawn amid allegations of leak of confidential documents.

Reportedly, Russia has backed off from the $1 billion competition to deliver twin-engine helicopters to the Indian Coast Guard, leaving Airbus as the sole contender for the contract.

Apparently, the US hesitation in the bidding process, despite the Sikorsky S92 fulfilling all the requirements put forward by the ICG has taken many by surprise. Interestingly, the Russians too, haven't provided an official explanation for the withdrawal.

ALH "Dhruv" Mk-III | Vertical Magazine

The Indian Coast Guard had received 3 Advanced Light Helicopters ALH Mk-III last year, which was manufactured by the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Tech and Specs

The Airbus H225M 

EDR Magazine

The 11-tonne-category, twin-turbine H225M is relied upon as a force multiplier by many air forces worldwide thanks to its outstanding endurance and fast cruise speed.

Seating (troops + crew)31Max takeoff weight (MTOW)11,000 kgEngine type2 x Safran Helicopter Makila 2A1Max* range with standard fuel tanks at Vreco920 kmRotor diameter16.20 mOne engine inoperative (OEI 30s)1,784 kW

With air-to-air or hover in-flight refuelling options, the helicopter’s impressive 700-mile range can be increased. The H225M’s five-blade rotor, powered by two Makila 2A1 engines, delivers unusually low vibration, and the modular Spheriflex design of the rotor’s mechanical assembly allows for minimal maintenance.

Russian Kamov Ka-32A11M

Reporter

The all-weather multipurpose civil Ka-32 with coaxial rotors and an MTOW of 11 tons, was developed by the Kamov Design Bureau of “Russian Helicopters” JSC. It has Russian and EASA Type certificates. Currently, over 240 Ka-32s have been built, which are in operation in more than 30 countries all over the world. The coaxial rotors give the helicopter a range of important stabilization and maneuverability advantages, which is especially important for firefighting missions. There are more than 100 configuration options for the Ka-32 series.ASIANSKYMEDIA

The Ka-32A11M is an upgraded version of the Ka-32A11BC helicopter and features:

Max. load-carrying capacity on external sling increased to 5,300 kgIncreased flight safety at 2.5-min OEI rating (2400 hp - 2700 hp)Substitution of imported components. Glass “cockpit” adapted to the use of NVGNew fire-fighting system SP-32 with expanded tank capacity to 4,000 liters. Compared to its overseas competitors, the new Russian made SP-32 water tank has a more attractive price and can carry up to four tons of water

SOURCE(S)

COVER: DNA India

In July 2021, the Indian government had proposed an air bubble to the South Korean government and the Centre has been waiting for its response, which was confirmed by Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020, because of the Covid pandemic. However, special flights have been operating between India and around 40 countries since July 2020 based on air bubble arrangements formed with them.

The response is awaited for the proposed air bubble agreement sent to South Korea

Reason behind the sudden mention

This response of the Aviation Minister came up after a tweet made by Congress Lok Sabha member from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor. In the tweet, he was talking about the 8000 Indians living in South Korea who are protesting the absence of an air bubble between India and South Korea.

He also mentioned that since March 2020 India has suspended direct flights to and from South Korea, doubling travel costs for NRIs there, and was not clear why since COVID-19 is well controlled there.

https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1481941852563853312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1481941852563853312%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatoday.in%2Findia%2Fstory%2Findia-proposed-air-bubble-south-korea-july-waiting-aviation-minister-scindia-1900271-2022-01-14

In response, Scindia said on Twitter that an air bubble was proposed to the government of South Korea in July 2021 and the response is still awaited.

He further mentions that the Indian government is actively watching, engaging with countries, and calibrating its approach by the global Covid-19 situation and Needless to say, safety is our top priority.

https://twitter.com/JM_Scindia/status/1482002330665222156

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on January 13 has also held a meeting with the chiefs of Indian carriers on various issues, including increasing the number of wide-body planes and resolving regulatory concerns. Wide-body planes like A350 have bigger fuel tanks, larger seating capacity and they can travel to longer distances as compared to narrow-body aircraft like A320. There are a lot of matters been looked after amid the spread of Omicron, COVID-19 latest variant. From Domestic Air traffic management to the new launch of airlines Indian Aviation Industry is riding on a rollercoaster ride.

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