World

Vanishing cockpit recordings are impeding probes of near-crashes

Cockpit recordings from a series of recent air-safety incidents in the US, including three near-collisions on runways, aren’t available to investigators — raising questions about whether rules related to the devices are sufficient.

Black boxes on all six jetliners involved in four close calls since December were automatically overwritten after crews continued on flights or conducted other routine operations, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

The loss of the data has renewed longstanding calls by the NTSB for the US government to require airlines to capture 25 hours of sound — the standard in Europe since 2021 — increasing the odds that they’ll have useful recordings. Currently, devices in the US record two hours of sound and, when available, can be one of the most helpful tools in determining how accidents occur.

“Twenty-five hours should be the standard across all the countries, Jennifer Homendy, the NTSB chairwoman,” said in an interview. “For us coming late to this, following the European standard, is embarrassing.”

Changing the rules for cockpit recorders faces a number of challenges. In September, the Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates the aviation industry, dropped its effort to require extended recorders. An FAA advisory committee rejected the creation of a new rule “due to competing priorities and resources,” FAA acting Administrator Billy Nolen said at the time in a letter to the NTSB.

The regulator has said it plans to resubmit its request for a 25-hour rule this year and a spokesman referred to the letter when asked to comment.

Pilot unions say they need assurances the privacy of crew members will be prioritized. While the NTSB is prohibited from releasing the raw recordings from the cockpit, there is a “lack of protection against carriers and others from leaking it,” the Air Line Pilots Association, the largest flight-crew union in North America, said in a 2015 letter to the FAA.

JetBlue Airways Corp. Chief Executive Officer Robin Hayes defended the existing recorder standard in an interview, saying so much flight data is available through other sources there is little to gain by changing it. The Airlines for America trade group said it generally supports going to 25-hour recorders, but added there are “many details and considerations that need to be addressed.”

Agencies also typically have a legal duty to show the costs of a new rule don’t outweigh the benefits. New technology makes it easier to store large volumes of digitized sound data, and major manufacturers such as Honeywell International Inc. and L3Harris Technologies Inc. already sell units with those capabilities. But with fatal crashes so rare now, it’s difficult for FAA to show recorder changes will prevent future accidents.

Investigative Tool

Crash-proof black box recorders have been used in air travel for about 60 years. They’re designed to withstand high impacts and fire, and have proved highly reliable after accidents. In addition to the cockpit recorder, a separate device captures 25 hours of detailed flight data.

The NTSB has cataloged more than 40 instances since 2002 in which the voice recordings weren’t available.

Recent incidents, now at the center of debate on the rule, include a December 18 United Airlines Holdings Inc. flight, which descended to within several hundred feet of the ocean after taking off from Maui, Hawaii, and a January 13 runway incident at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport involving planes operated by American Airlines Group Inc. and Delta Air Lines Inc. Separately, on January 23 there was a runway incident in Honolulu involving a United jet and a smaller plane, and on February 4 a FedEx Corp. jet came within 100 feet (30.5 meters) of colliding with a Southwest Airlines Co. plane.

Previous cases where recording data was lost include an Air Canada jet that missed other planes on the ground by as little as 20 feet in San Francisco in 2017, and a 2009 flight in which pilots flying from San Diego to Minneapolis went silent for more than an hour and flew past their destination.

While no one was injured in these incidents — meaning investigators could interview pilots and obtain other evidence — cockpit recordings allow investigators to verify crew accounts and identify subtle actions during the chain of events, said James Cash, who formerly served as the NTSB’s chief technical adviser for recorders.

“It’s tough to do that from interviews, especially when they are some period of time later,” Cash said.

Plane crashes in Philippines, search underway for 4 on board

Plane-bus collide at LA airport, four hospitalized

World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM