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Pilots who hide their mental health issues to continue flying are more likely to be successful.
Annie Vargas saw her son slip away and begged him to get help. Her son Brian Wittke (a 41-year old Delta Air Lines Pilot and father of three) resisted, fearing that seeking treatment for depression could cost him his license. Vargas said that the drop in air travel caused by the pandemic affected Wittke's mental health. Vargas sent Wittke a text message on the morning of 14 June 2022. However, his location information was not available. When the text reappeared in 2022, Wittke was dead by suicide near his home in the Utah Mountains outside Salt Lake City. Interviews with over 30 commercial airline pilots, industry officials and medical experts, along with a review medical studies, revealed that many pilots hide mental health issues for fear of losing their license if they disclose therapy, medication or seek help. This puts themselves and their passengers in danger. In order to write this article, I spoke with at least 24 commercial airline pilots from the U.S. as well as foreign carriers. They said they were reluctant about disclosing mental health problems, even if minor or treatable, for fear of immediate grounding, and a costly, lengthy medical review which could lead to their career ending. Pilots cited a variety of reasons why they did not come forward about mental health issues, including airline policy, regulatory requirements, and social stigma. REAL PEOPLE REAL PROBLEMS Vargas stated that "real people have real problems." "They shouldn't be punished for dealing with their problems." Vargas told the reporter that she spoke to the media because she wanted the tragedy of the family to challenge the mental health culture in the aviation industry. Details of Vargas' account were confirmed by Wittke’s wife. Delta described Wittke as a valuable team member, and referred to his death as "tragic and heartbreaking". The pilot community is stigmatized against seeking mental healthcare, according to the report. Delta, like many other major U.S. carriers offers confidential peer-support programs and counseling for its staff. Delta recently launched an employee assistance program for its pilots. It offers access to coaching and therapy, and takes into consideration medical certification requirements. The airline stated that it would continue to strive to provide additional solutions. In many industries, employees or regulators such as the Federal Aviation Administration do not need to be involved in seeking medical or psychological care. Pilots are subject to stricter standards in aviation. They must maintain their FAA medical certificate by meeting rigorous physical and mental criteria. In some cases, they may be required to undergo medical examinations every six months. Pilots who have anxiety or depression could be grounded. Mild cases can be resolved quickly. Severe conditions, however, require an FAA review which can take up to one year. In a press release, the FAA stated that it was committed to prioritizing mental health for pilots. It is constantly updating its approach in line with the latest medical research. Interviews reveal that stigma and the fear of being grounded remain a major obstacle to addressing mental health in pilots. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has increased the oversight of medical examiners. It also requires that airlines offer pilots peer support programs. The FAA in the United States has expanded its list of antidepressants approved for mental health conditions. The FAA has created a path for pilots to disclose an ADHD diagnosis. Airlines and pilot unions expanded confidential peer-support programs. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia allows pilots who suffer from depression or anxiety to maintain their medical certification if they manage safety risks. This is done on a case by case basis, even while they are receiving treatment. Kate Manderson said that her team usually completes certification reviews within 20 days. The gap between perception and policy is still wide. A 2023 study of 5 170 U.S. pilots and Canadians found that more than half avoided healthcare due to concerns of losing their flying status. A morbid pilot saying captures the feeling: "If you're not lying, you're not flying." Pilot unions, industry groups and advocacy groups are calling on the FAA adopt the recommendations made by its Aviation Rulemaking Committee. These recommendations will protect pilots who report issues and expedite their return to duty. The U.S. House of Representatives voted in September to require that the FAA implement these changes within two year. WAITING TO be cleared to fly Elizabeth Carll is a 36-year-old commercial airline pilot in the United States. She believes that reforms are needed now. She was grounded in 2021 during her training as a pilot after she revealed she was taking a low dosage of anti-anxiety medicine. She waited for six months to get an appointment with a mental health specialist approved by the FAA after a six-month mandatory waiting period. After spending more than a full year reviewing the report, the regulator decided that it was outdated and ordered a new examination. Carll did not experience financial hardship while she was in training as a flight attendant, but any change to her medication could result in the same long and costly process. "The joke is that you ignore it and pretend that it doesn't occur because people are scared of losing their livelihood." A spokesperson for the FAA said that it is updating its mental-health policies and has approved more medication. When asked about Carll's situation, the spokesperson declined to comment and refused to disclose how long it usually takes for medical reports of pilots who are undergoing mental health treatment. The FAA spokesperson stated that "we encourage pilots to seek early help if they are suffering from a mental health condition, since the majority of these conditions, when treated, will not prevent a pilot's ability to fly." In June, the safety of pilots was brought to light when Air India Flight 171 crashed shortly after takeoff and killed 260 people. In a preliminary report, it was found that both fuel shutoff switches were manually operated. This ruled out mechanical failure. The final report will be released in a few months. The Indian government reported that Air India had a slight rise in sick leave among all its fleets after the crash. The airline directed pilots to an app that promotes mental health. Air India did not provide a comment. Former Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph David Emerson, who was riding off-duty in the cockpit in 2023 when he tried to shut down a passenger aircraft's engines in November of that year, received a sentence for time served as well as three years probation. In court documents, Emerson admitted to police that he had a nervous break down and was on psychedelic mushroom therapy. He refused to be interviewed by this article. "A BETTER PIPET TODAY" The financial impact of a pilot being grounded due to a medical concern can be severe. After using their sick leave, pilots are often put on disability which can drastically reduce their income. Troy Merritt is a 33-year old U.S. commercial pilot who voluntarily grounded himself on December 20, 2022, and began taking medication when he realized that depression and anxiety were affecting his ability to safely fly. To get back into the cockpit, he had to take stable medication for six months and undergo a series psychological and cognitive testing -- some of which was not covered by his health insurance. The process, he said, cost him around $11,000. This figure could not be independently confirmed. Merritt had been grounded 18 months before he was able to return to flying. He lived off disability insurance. He said that pilots shouldn't have to wait for six months before reapplying for a medical certification if they responded well to treatment. The FAA should also review such applications in 30 days. Avoiding mental health care opens the door for pilots to avoid taking care of themselves. Merritt, speaking from his home near the Los Angeles International Airport, said that this is when cockpit problems can occur. Merritt said that he is living proof of the benefits that mental health treatment can have on pilots. He spoke under the condition that his employer not be identified. After his recovery, he began to train to fly in larger aircraft to destinations such as Shanghai and Hong Kong - long-haul flights that he had previously found intimidating. He said, "I am a better pilot than I used to be." Reporting by Rajesh K. Singh in Salt Lake City, Chicago, Dan Catchpole, Erica Stapleton, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Joe Brock, Los Angeles. Doyinsola Oladipo, Lisa Barrington, Aditya Kahra, Abhijith Ganapavaram, and Suzanne Goldenberg contributed additional reporting from New York City and Seoul.
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We know what we can about Malaysia's missing MH370 aircraft, 11 years after its disappearance. A new search will begin.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, with its 239 passengers and crew on board, disappeared nearly 12 years ago. It remains one of aviation's biggest mysteries. On March 8, 2014, the Boeing 777 was missing while it was on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. The flight carried more than 150 Chinese and 50 Malaysians, along with citizens of France and Australia, Indonesia, India and the United States. Satellite data analysis revealed that the plane crashed in the southern Indian Ocean off the coasts of Western Australia. Two major searches have failed to yield any significant results. On December 30, 2025, a new search will begin for the missing aircraft. What is known? The plane's last transmission was made about 40 minutes after departing Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing. As the plane entered Vietnamese airspace, Captain Zaharie Ahmed Shah signed off by saying "Goodnight, Malaysian 3 7 Zero". Its transponder was then turned off shortly after, making it impossible to track. The plane was detected by radar as it flew back over Penang Island and northern Malaysia, then out to the Andaman Sea and towards the tip Indonesian island Sumatra. The plane then turned south, and all contact was lost. Underwater Searches Malaysia, Australia, and China have launched an underwater search of a 120,000 square km area (46,332 square miles) in the southern Indian Ocean based on automatic connections between a satellite Inmarsat and the plane. After two years, the search was abandoned in January 2017 after costing about A$200,000,000 ($131.54,000,000). No trace of the plane had been found. In 2018, Malaysia accepted an offer by the U.S. exploration company Ocean Infinity to conduct a 3-month search. The firm would only be paid if the plane was found. The search area was 112,000 square kilometers (43,243 sq miles) to the north and proved unsuccessful, too, ending in May 2018 DEBRIS Only three wing fragments from MH370 have been confirmed. More than 30 pieces were collected along the coasts of Africa and islands in the Indian Ocean. The majority of the debris used for drift pattern analysis to narrow down the possible location of the aircraft. INVESTIGATION RESULTS In a 495-page report published in July 2018 on the disappearance of MH370, it was stated that the Boeing 777 controls had been manipulated deliberately to cause it to go off course. However, investigators were unable determine who is responsible. The report also highlighted the mistakes made by Kuala Lumpur's and Ho Chi Minh City's air traffic control centers and issued recommendations for avoiding a repeat of this incident. The investigators did not offer any conclusive conclusions on what happened to MH370. They said that the discovery of the wreckage is crucial. CONSPIRACY THEORIES Inability to find the crash site of MH370 has sparked a number of conspiracy theories. These range from mechanical errors or a remotely controlled crash to more bizarre explanations such as an alien abduction, or a Russian plot. Aviation experts in recent years have suggested that an experienced pilot could be responsible for deliberately steering the plane off course. Investigators found no suspicious activity in the captain's background, his financial affairs, or his mental state. SEARCH RESUMPTION In December 2024, the Malaysian government announced that it would resume its search for wreckage in response to a new proposal by Ocean Infinity. Ocean Infinity would receive $70,000,000 if substantial wreckage was found. The search began in March of this year, but was stopped after a few days due to bad weather. The search will begin on December 30, and be carried out in the southern Indian Ocean in an area of 15,000 square kilometers (5,790 square miles). No precise location was given. Malaysia's Transport Ministry said Ocean Infinity confirmed that it will resume seabed operations, intermittently conducted, for 55 days. The search would take place in an area "that is assessed as having the highest probability to locate the aircraft."
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Malaysia announces that the search for missing flight MH370 will resume in this month.
Malaysia's Transport Ministry announced on Wednesday that the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 would resume on December 30. This comes more than a year after the flight, bound for Beijing, disappeared in what is considered one of aviation's biggest mysteries. Flight MH370 was a Boeing 777 carrying 227 passengers, 12 crew members, and it disappeared en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur in 2014. Since then, multiple search operations have been carried out but none of them has yielded any results. In April, the most recent search of the southern Indian Ocean had to be suspended after only a few weeks because of poor weather conditions. The transport ministry announced that Ocean Infinity confirmed it will resume seabed operations intermittently for 55 days. The statement said that the search would be conducted in an area with the highest likelihood of finding the aircraft. The exact location of the search zone has not been specified. Malaysian investigators at first did not exclude the possibility that the aircraft was deliberately diverted. Some debris, which is confirmed, and others that are believed to be from this aircraft, washed ashore along the coasts of Africa and islands in the Indian Ocean. The ministry stated that the resumed search would be done in accordance with terms and conditions set by the government and Ocean Infinity to restart the MH370 wreckage hunt. Malaysia will pay $70 million to the company if substantial wreckage is discovered during the search of an area covering 15,000 square kilometers (5,790 square miles) in the southern Indian Ocean. Ocean Infinity conducted previous searches for the plane until 2018, but did not find any substantial wreckage. The 495-page report on the disappearance of the Boeing 777 in 2018 found that the controls had been deliberately manipulated so as to cause it to deviate from its course. However, investigators were unable determine who was at fault and did not offer a conclusion about what happened. They said they would wait until the wreckage is located before determining the truth. Investigators found nothing suspicious about the financial background, the training, and the mental health of the co-pilot and captain. On the flight were more than 150 Chinese passengers. Other passengers included 50 Malaysians, as well as residents of France, Australia and India, as well as the United States, Ukraine, Canada and other countries. Families of the victims have sought compensation from Malaysia Airlines and Boeing as well as aircraft engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, Allianz Insurance Group, and others. (Reporting and editing by Martin Petty; Danial Azhar is the reporter)
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Airbus inspects A320s after a fuselage defect affects deliveries
Airbus engineers found more defects in the A320 fuselage panel set as they prepared to inspect hundreds jets. The chief executive of Airbus said that this flaw is affecting deliveries. The presentation made to airlines by revealed that 628 planes, including 168 in service already, need inspections due to recently discovered quality issues on metal panels at some planes' fronts. According to the presentation, this figure includes 245 assembly lines. Industry sources estimate that about 100 of these are scheduled for delivery in 2018. Another 215 are at an earlier stage called Major Component Assembly. The presentation also showed that some panels on the plane's rear, as well as other parts, had similar problems with thickness, but none of these are currently in use. Airbus' spokesperson declined to provide specific numbers, but said that the aircraft in question were both in production and service. Bloomberg reported earlier that the detailed figures refer to a population of jets which will be inspected. Instructions are expected to be given to airlines within days. The first report of the problem with industrial quality was made earlier this week. Sources in the industry said that it was already discovered on several dozen undeliverable planes. The opposite of the Emergency Recall Sources said that despite the fact that Airbus A320s were recalled over the weekend for a software update, the fuselage issue is not considered a safety concern. AIRBUS "ASSESSING SITUATION" Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, said on Tuesday that the data is still evolving and that decisions will be made in the coming days on what impact it may have on Airbus' December deliveries. Guillaume Faury confirmed that the problem had affected deliveries during a "weak November". Airbus will publish its November data on the Friday, but Faury’s comments leave a question mark about targets for this year. Some analysts have stated that they are becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. Faury said that he was assessing the situation and trying to determine the impact on his operations. He added that there may be more information in the coming days. One airline source estimated that inspections would only take a few minutes, but repairs will likely take much longer. The Air Current reported on the possibility of work being shifted out of its usual order, resulting in an expensive process that requires more labour. In the presentation, it was shown that the affected parts were the wrong thickness after a stretching and milling process carried out by Seville's Sofitec Aero. The company, which is one of the two suppliers of affected parts, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The Wall Street Journal was the first to identify it. (Reporting and editing by Michael Perry; Tim Hepher)
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Bloomberg News: Adani Group to expand India airports by $15 billion by 2030
Bloomberg News reported Wednesday that India's Adani Group plans to invest $15 billion in order to increase passenger capacity at their airports from 200 million to 200 millions annually within the next five-year period. The report was based on people who are familiar with the issue. Reports said that the plan included adding terminals, new taxiways and a runway to the Navi Mumbai Airport, which will open on December 25. According to the report, the company will also upgrade capacity at airports in Ahmedabad Jaipur Thiruvananthapuram Lucknow and Guwahati. The airport unit of the group operates eight airports in India, including Navi Mumbai Airport located just outside India's financial center. Adani Group didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. Bloomberg News reported that the group had been planning to list Adani Airports by 2027 as part of an investment plan that required $100 billion over the next several years. (Reporting and editing by Rashmi aich in Bengaluru, Angela Christy from Bengaluru)
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Sources say that Chinese autonomous driving company Momenta has filed for Hong Kong IPO.
Two people familiar with the matter have confirmed that Chinese autonomous driving developer Momenta filed a confidential application for an initial public offering in Hong Kong. Momenta responded to a request for comment by saying that it had not filed a Hong Kong IPO in confidence, without providing any further details. Sources said Momenta was joining a growing number of Chinese companies that are aiming to debut at the Asian financial centre, having opted out New York due to increased U.S.-China relations. Reports in September indicated that Momenta considered moving its IPO from New York to Hong Kong, after the approval granted by China's securities regulatory authority to list in the United States expired in June. The details of the Hong Kong IPO plan, including its size and timing, was not immediately available. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd. (HKEX), Hong Kong's exchange operator declined to comment. Sources could not be identified as the information is confidential. Hong Kong's stock exchange has enjoyed its best year of new listings since the year 2021. Dealogic data shows that a total of $32 billion was raised by mid-November. This is up 200% compared to a year ago. Momenta is one of the leading Chinese suppliers of advanced driving assistance system features. Its technology is similar to Tesla's autonomous technology, which can navigate city traffic while under the supervision and control by a human driver. The company's investors include Toyota Motor Japan and Bosch, a German auto parts manufacturer. Reporting by Staff; Editing by Emelia Matarise and SonaliPaul
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Families of victims plan to file a lawsuit for wrongful death in UPS cargo plane crash
According to the law firm representing the victims, the families of victims of a UPS cargo plane crash are planning to file a lawsuit for wrongful death on Wednesday. UPS MD-11 cargo plane crashed in Louisville, Kentucky on November 4 immediately after takeoff, killing 14 people. According to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board, crash investigators found fatigue cracks on a support structure that connects the plane's left pylon to its wing and engine. Bob Clifford said that the preliminary report "suggests this plane is old, tired and beyond its useful lifetime," one of the lawyers representing the families. As the plane took off, the left engine of the aircraft separated from the wing. The plane crashed seconds later into an industrial park near the airport, killing all three of the crew and 11 on the ground. UPS and other operators grounded all MD-11 cargo jets after the crash. Boeing, which acquired MD-11 through its 1997 merger McDonnell Douglas with, told UPS and FedEx that it had recommended they suspend the flight operations of MD-11 freighter. Reporting by Dan Catchpole, Seattle; Editing and production by Muralikumar Aantharaman and Les Adler
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US Postal Service using 2,600 EVs for mail deliveries
USPS receives $3 billion in funding from Congress to support infrastructure and EVs USPS bought 8,700 Ford E-Transits, of which 2,010 are in service Senate Republicans block USPS from scrapping EVs and charger equipment By David Shepardson WASHINGTON, 2 Dec - The U.S. Postal Service currently uses more than 2,600 vehicles to deliver mail, according to a letter sent by the agency on Tuesday. In 2023, Congress granted USPS $3 billion to purchase electric vehicles and charging equipment under the then-President Joe Biden. This included $1.2 billion specifically for EVs. In a letter dated November 17, USPS Government Relations Chief Peter Pastre stated that "we are deploying" (battery-electric vehicles) on routes and delivery units, where BEVs can save us money compared to internal combustion engines. He added that the $3 billion had been fully committed. USPS has announced that it has purchased 8,700 Ford E-Transit cars, of which 2,010 deliver mail at 65 locations. USPS has also 612 Next Generation Delivery Vehicles, specially designed electric Next Generation Delivery Vehicles by Oshkosh Defense that deliver mail from 15 locations. USPS also installed 6,650 charging stations at 75 locations and stated that the number of EVs in service is increasing weekly. In June, Senate Republicans failed to get USPS to abandon thousands of electric cars and charging equipment as part of a huge tax and budget bill. USPS warned that abandoning its electric vehicles could cost $1.5 billion. This includes $1 billion for replacing the current fleet of EVs, and $500 million to replace the EV infrastructure. USPS said in its letter that it had acquired 26,000 internal-combustion vehicles to replace the fleet of aging vehicles, including 2,600 gas-powered Oshkosh cars. USPS's older vehicles, dating back to late 1980s, cost an average of more than $8,000. The White House fired Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in March. He had been leading efforts to restructure a U.S. Postal Service has been around for almost five years. USPS has lost over $100 billion since 2007. In February, President Donald Trump announced that he would consider merging the Postal Service and the Commerce Department. This move was criticized by Democrats as a violation of federal law.
German Economy Minister: Investors find Uniper and Sefe 'attractive.'
Potential investors see Uniper and Sefe as attractive assets, said Germany's Economy Minister on Wednesday.
Her remarks were made during an investor conference in Frankfurt on German energy infrastructure, where more than 50 institutional investors representing over 10 trillion euros (11.6 trillion dollars) of global invested capital gathered.
The second conference of its kind, organized by the state-backed lender KfW is aimed at generating investor interest in Europe’s largest economy. It has been contracting in the past two years and only modest growth is expected in 2025.
Berlin spent approximately 20 billion euros in 2022 to stabilize both Sefe & Uniper after Russia cut and then stopped gas supply. The German government is required to reduce stakes in each group to maximum 25% plus one share, by 2028.
Katherina Reiche, Economy Minister, said: "I am interested in the fact that both companies have been deemed interesting and attractive."
"At this time, I can't say with whom we are discussing the matter," she continued, noting still that Germany has become a magnet to large energy investors.
(source: Reuters)