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Emirates introduces 16 self-service bag drop machines and 8 self-service kiosks at Dubai Airport Pg03 Payload fairing manufacture for Atlas V shifts to RUAG America Pg06 Royal Thai Air Force awards USD 162 million contract to Textron for pilot and AME training Pg on Beechcraft T-6C 10 Oct 15th, 2020 Only 44 potential cases of in-flight COVID-19 transmission in over a billion passengers in 2020 – IATA reports ed cases, IATA’s outreach to airlines and public health authorities combined with a thorough review of available litera- ture has not yielded any indication that onboard transmission is in any way com- mon or widespread. Layered Approach of Preventive Mea- sures Mask-wearing on board was recom- mended by IATA in June and is a com- mon requirement on most airlines since the subsequent publication and imple- mentation of the Takeoff Guidance by the International Civil Aviation Organi- zation (ICAO). This guidance adds mul- n a recent report by IATA the incidents New insight into why the numbers are tiple layers of protection on top of the of inflight COVID-19 transmission are so low has come from the joint publica- airflow systems which already ensure a reportedI to be considerable very low. tion by Airbus, Boeing and Embraer of safe cabin environment with very low The figures speak for themselves, since separate computational fluid dynam- risks of inflight transmission of disease. the beginning of 2020, there have been ics (CFD) research conducted by each “ICAO’s comprehensive guidance for 44 cases of COVID-19 reported in which manufacturer in their aircraft. While safe air travel amid the COVID-19 crisis transmission is thought to have been as- methodologies differed slightly, each de- relies on multiple layers of protection, sociated with a flight journey (inclusive tailed simulation confirmed that aircraft which involve the airports as well as the of confirmed, probable and potential airflow systems do control the move- aircraft. Mask-wearing is one of the most cases). Over the same period some 1.2 ment of particles in the cabin, limiting visible. But managed queuing, contact- billion passengers have travelled. the spread of viruses. Data from the less processing, reduced movement “The risk of a passenger contracting simulations yielded similar results: in the cabin, and simplified onboard COVID-19 while on board appears very • Aircraft airflow systems, High Ef- services are among the multiple mea- low. With only 44 identified potential ficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, sures the aviation industry is taking to cases of flight-related transmission the natural barrier of the seatback, the keep flying safe. And this is on top of the among 1.2 billion travellers, that’s one downward flow of air, and high rates fact that airflow systems are designed case for every 27 million travellers. We of air exchange efficiently reduce the to avoid the spread of disease with high recognize that this may be an underes- risk of disease transmission on board in air flow rates and air exchange rates, and timate but even if 90 of the cases were normal times. highly effective filtration of any recycled un-reported, it would be one case for • The addition of mask-wearing amid air,” said Powell. every 2.7 million travellers. We think pandemic concerns adds a further and Aircraft design characteristics add a these figures are extremely reassuring. significant extra layer of protection, further layer of protection contributing Furthermore, the vast majority of pub- which makes being seated in close to the low incidence of inflight transmis- lished cases occurred before the wear- proximity in an aircraft cabin safer than sion. These include: ing of face coverings inflight became most other indoor environments. • Limited face-to-face interactions as widespread,” said Dr.David Powell, IATA’s Although there is no way to establish passengers face forward and move about Medical Advisor. an exact tally of possible flight-associat- very little www.mrobusinesstoday.com 1 Oct 15, 2020 COVID-19 NEWS the breathing space of the other pas- sengers”, said Dan Freeman, the chief engineer for Boeing’s Confident Travel Initiative. “We then compared a similar scenario in other environments, such as an office conference room. Based on the airborne particle count, passengers sit- ting next to one another on an airplane is the same as standing more than seven feet (or two meters) apart in a typical building environment.” Using CFD, cabin air flow and droplet dispersion models validated in full-scale cabin environment testing, Embraer analyzed the cabin environment consid- ering a coughing passenger in several • The effect of the seat-back acting as curate simulation of the air in an A320 different seats and air flow conditions in a physical barrier to air movement from cabin, to see how droplets resulting from our different aircraft to measure these one row to another a cough move within the cabin airflow. variables and their effect. The research • The minimization of forward-aft flow The simulation calculated parameters Embraer completed shows that risk of air, with a segmented flow design such as air speed, direction and tempera- of onboard transmission is extremely which is directed generally downward ture at 50 million points in the cabin, up low, and the actual data on in-flight from ceiling to floor to 1,000 times per second. transmissions that may have occurred, • The high rate of fresh air coming Airbus then used the same tools to supports these findings. into the cabin. Air is exchanged 20-30 model a non-aircraft environment, with Luis Carlos Affonso, Senior Vice-Pres- times per hour on board most aircraft, several individuals keeping six feet (1.8 ident of Engineering, Technology and which compares very favorably with meters) distance between them. The Strategy, Embraer, said, “The human need the average office space (average 2-3 result was that potential exposure was to travel, to connect, and to see our loved times per hour) or schools (average 10- lower when seated side by side on a ones has not disappeared. In fact, at times 15 times per hour). plane than when staying six feet apart like this, we need our families and friends • The use of HEPA filters which have in an environment such as an office, even more. Our message today is that more than 99.9% bacteria/virus removal classroom or grocery store. because of the technology and proce- efficiency rate ensuring that the air sup- “After multiple, highly-detailed simula- dures in place, you can fly safely – all ply entering the cabin is not a pathway tions using the most accurate scientific the research demonstrates this. In fact, for introducing microbes. methods available, we have concrete the cabin of a commercial aircraft is one • “There is no single silver-bullet mea- data which reveals the aircraft cabin of- of the safer spaces available anywhere sure that will enable us to live and travel fers a much safer environment than in- during this pandemic.” “The detailed safely in the age of COVID-19. But the door public spaces,” said Bruno Fargeon, computational fluid dynamics research of combination of measures that are being Airbus Engineering and the leader of the the aircraft manufacturers demonstrates put in place is reassuring travellers the Airbus Keep Trust in Air Travel Initiative. that combining the aircraft’s existing world over that COVID-19 has not defeated “The way that air circulates, is filtered design features with mask-wearing their freedom to fly. Nothing is completely and replaced on airplanes creates an ab- creates a low-risk environment for CO- risk-free. But with just 44 published cases solutely unique environment in which VID-19 transmission. As always, airlines, of potential inflight COVID-19 transmis- you have just as much protection being manufacturers and every entity involved sion among 1.2 billion travelers, the risk of seated side-by-side as you would stand- in aviation will be guided by science and contracting the virus on board appears to ing six feet apart on the ground.” global best practices to keep flying safe be in the same category as being struck by Using CFD, Boeing researchers tracked for passengers and crew,” said de Juniac. lightning,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s how particles from coughing and This research effort demonstrates the Director General and CEO. breathing move around the airplane cooperation and dedication to safety of • The interaction of design factors in cabin. Various scenarios were studied all involved in air transport and provides creating a uniquely low-risk environ- including the coughing passenger with evidence that cabin air is safe. Aviation ment had been intuitively understood and without a mask, the coughing pas- earns its reputation on safety with each but not previously modelled prior to senger located in various seats including and every flight. This is not different the CFD simulations by the three major the middle seat, and different variations for flying in the time of COVID-19. A manufacturers in each of their aircraft of passengers’ individual overhead air recent IATA study found that 86% of cabins. The following are highlights vents (known as gaspers) on and off. recent travellers felt that the industry’s from the manufacturers’ research: “This modeling determined the COVID-19 measures were keeping them Airbus used CFD to create a highly ac- number of cough particles that entered safe and were well-implemented. www.mrobusinesstoday.com 2 Oct 15, 2020 COVID-19 NEWS Emirates introduces 16 self-service bag drop machines and 8 self-service kiosks at Dubai Airport 8 self-service kiosks which complement the desks manned by Emirates check-in agents to reduce waiting time for customers dur- ing peak periods and improve the customer experience in Dubai.

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