Flight Safety Information September 15, 2011 - No. 191 In This Issue ISASI - Kapustin Scholarship Winners Passengers evacuate plane on emergency slides at Dulles At Least 30 Killed in Angola Plane Crash US wants electronic cigarettes banned on aircraft Laser Illumination of Aircraft - A Growing Threat Senator Blocking FAA Bill's Advance Safety Team Eyes Additional AF447 Recommendations Next generation 777 comes into focus Berkshire Agrees to Settle Australia Suit Over Chopper Crash DGCA removes its top safety officer (India) NTSB Course - Managing Communications Following an Aircraft Accident or Incident BlazeTech - 12th Annual Course on: Aircraft Fire & Explosion INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF AIR SAFETY INVESTIGATORS "Air Safety Through Investigation" FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Richard Stone, 801-299-1561 DATE Sept. 15, 2009 ISASI 2011 Lauds 'Kapustin' Scholars Recipients of the 2011 ISASI Rudolph Kapustin Memorial Scholarship received well-deserved recognition from ISASI's annual air accident investigators conference attendees. Daniel Robert Scalese, 23, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA; and Ainsley Marie Robson, 30, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), Daytona Beach, Florida, Award recipients beamed with cheer at the applause they received from the 230 attendees at ISASI 2011, being held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Both scholars made presentations before the assembled accident investigators and related safety experts. The ISASI Scholarship, established in memory of all ISASI members who have died, was named in honor of the former ISASI Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter president, a staunch advocate of the Society. ISASI executive advisor Richard Stone and former ISASI vice-president, Ron Schleede, administer the fund. It is intended to encourage and assist college-level students interested in the field of aviation safety and aircraft occurrence investigation. A major application requirement is the completion of 1,000 (+/- 10%) word essay in English addressing the challenges for air safety investigators. The Scholarship awards USD $2,000, a one-year ISASI membership, and a fee-free attendance at an accident investigation course at the FAA's Transportation Safety Institute, the Southern California Safety Institute, and the Cranfield University Safety and Accident Investigation Centre. No dues funds are used to support this program. It is totally dependent upon voluntarily (tax free in the U.S.) contributions. Daniel Scalese is completing his undergraduate work Aerospace Engineering, and mathematics, at USC . Born in Dillon, Montana (MT), USA, he calls Big Sandy, MT his hometown. His interests are varied: flying, rowing, aircraft design, and automobiles. Daniel plans to "...do Graduate study at the University of Southern California, either full time or part time while working in the aviation industry toward a career in Aircraft design, aerodynamics, or air accident investigation." Ainsley Marie Robson, is pursuing a twin Master's Degrees: Science in Aeronautics (specialization in Aviation/Aerospace Safety Systems), and Business Administration (specialization in Airport Administration), at ERAU, Daytona Beach, Florida.She expects to complete her studies 2012. Her permanent home is in Levittown, Pennsylvania, but she was born in Trenton, New Jersey, USA. Ainsley's interests include: boating, horseback riding, skiing, reading, shopping, photography, and traveling. Her professional leanings are toward: safety, marketing, public relations, operations, and international affairs. Asked if she holds pilot's license, she responds, "Nope, but it's on the bucket list of things to do. As for her future she says," Like any student my future plans included working towards graduation and finding that ever elusive job in the Aviation industry." Her professional aspirations? "One day I would like to work in a position where many of my different interests and skills can be combined into one job." Back to Top Passengers evacuate plane on emergency slides at Dulles Washington (CNN) -- An engine problem forced passengers -- including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- to evacuate a United Airlines flight at Dulles International Airport on Wednesday, officials said. Flight attendants shouted "everyone get out" after passengers spotted smoke coming from the plane's right engine and notified the crew, according to one passenger who was onboard. Passengers slid down the plane's emergency slides onto the airport's tarmac, officials said. "I am shaking ... People were screaming," passenger Jodi Gersh wrote in a Twitter post after evacuating. "Attendants opened (the) rear door to see where smoke was coming from," she wrote in another post. "They then very loudly started yelling 'everyone get out.' Very scary." Ginsburg was on the flight and was not injured, a Supreme Court spokeswoman said. Passengers evacuated from the Boeing 757 onto the tarmac just after the aircraft left the gate, said Rob Yingling, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. There were 179 passengers and six crew members onboard, United spokesman Mike Trevino said. Yingling said an engine problem caused the evacuation. The Federal Aviation Administration said there was a report of a fire onboard. Trevino said the airline was investigating the incident, but did not confirm whether there had been an engine problem or a fire. Video from CNN affiliate WUSA showed firefighters at the scene. Flight 586 was scheduled to fly to San Francisco, Trevino said. Passengers will head to San Francisco on a different plane scheduled to leave Dulles later Wednesday, he said. Dulles is located in Chantilly, Virginia, about 25 miles from downtown Washington. Back to Top At Least 30 Killed in Angola Plane Crash A military plane has crashed in central Angola, killing at least 30 people, including three Angolan army generals. Portuguese-language news outlets say the plane crashed Wednesday while trying to take off from the airport in the central city of Huambo. The Angolan Air Force jet, built by Brazilian aircraft-maker Embraer, was carrying a delegation of high-ranking Angolan military officers. At least six people survived the crash. The cause of the crash is unknown. http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2011/09/14/at-least-30-killed-in-angola- plane-crash/ ******** Status: Preliminary Date: 14 SEP 2011 Time: ca 11:50 Type: Embraer 120ER Brasilia Operator: Força Aérea Nacional Angolana - FANA Registration: T-500 C/n / msn: 120359 ? First flight: Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PW118 Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: 30 / Occupants: 36 Airplane damage: Written off Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Huambo Airport (NOV) (Angola) Phase: Takeoff (TOF) Nature: Military Departure airport: Huambo Airport (NOV) (NOV/FNHU), Angola Destination airport: Luanda Airport (LAD) (LAD/FNLU), Angola Narrative: An Angolan Air Force Embraer 120 Brasilia was destroyed when it crashed at Huambo, Angola. The airplane broke in two and caught fire. Six occupants survived the accident. Conflicting media reports indicate that 26 or 30 occupants were killed. Three army generals were among the fatalities. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top US wants electronic cigarettes banned on aircraft DOT wants the vapor producing devices off airliners If you thought those electronic cigarettes which deliver nicotine in a vapor form might slide by on airlines, the US Department of Transportation has some bad news for you. It wants them banned. In the Federal Register today, the DOT said it want a new rule prohibiting the use of electronic cigarettes and similar products, as tobacco products are now prohibited. From the DOT: "Electronic cigarettes cause potential concern because there is a lack of scientific data and knowledge of the ingredients in electronic cigarettes. The Department views its current regulatory ban on smoking of tobacco products to be sufficiently broad to include the use of electronic cigarettes. The Department is taking this action to eliminate any confusion over whether the Department's ban includes electronic cigarettes. The proposal would apply to all scheduled flights of U.S. and foreign carriers involving transportation to and from the U.S." The DOT says Amtrak has already banned the smoking devices on trains and the US Navy has axed electronic cigarettes below decks in submarines. Several states have taken steps to ban either the sale or use of electronic cigarettes, the DOT notes. The Department is also considering whether to extend the ban on smoking, including electronic cigarettes, to charter flights of US carriers and foreign air carriers with aircraft that have a designed seating capacity of 19 or more passenger seats. http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/78672 Back to Top SAVE THE DATE! Laser Illumination of Aircraft - A Growing Threat Washington Hilton Hotel | Washington, DC October 27, 2011 Shining lasers into aircraft flight decks is dangerous and illegal. But, the number of incidents has doubled in recent years. This one-day conference, hosted by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA) and the Air Transport Association (ATA), should not be missed by anyone who wants to know more about this outbreak and what is being done to address it. This event will draw greater attention to the dangers associated with the intentional laser illumination of aircraft flight decks. Presentations will promote legislation that would make this act a specific federal crime, support an increase in criminal prosecutions, and bolster public awareness. Invited speakers include representatives of the U.S. Congress, the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. Department of Justice, ALPA, ATA, pilots, law enforcement, the aviation medical community, laser manufacturers, and more. Please save the date. This conference will offer great value to anyone interested in learning more about mitigating this serious threat. Specific details of the conference, to include its agenda and registration process will be published soon in future editions of Flight Safety Information. Sponsorship Opportunities are Available! Contact Tina Long at tina.long@alpa.org Senator Blocking FAA Bill's Advance WASHINGTON - The bill to extend the FAA's operating authority is in peril yet again. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) won't agree to the bill because of a provision on transportation enhancements in the highway bill that the FAA extension is moving with. "I'm not interested in holding up the FAA bill," Coburn says, going on to blast the offending portion of the highway bill. "I'm interested in not spending money that doesn't help bridges and highways and wasting 10% of the surface transportation budget on something that doesn't help anybody." The FAA endured a bruising partial shut down in late July because Congress could not agree on an extension. After thousands of FAA workers were furloughed, construction jobs halted across the country and the nation lost $400 million in tax revenues, Congress finally agreed on a bill that expires on Sept. 16. This time around, the 22nd extension, which would set the expiration date at Jan. 30, did not include controversial elements and was cruising through Congress at a rapid clip. In addition to his objections over the provision that would require states to spend money on certain upgrades such as bike paths, Coburn is holding the bill up because of a separate disaster aid funding measure of $7 billion. He is writing an amendment that would pinpoint offsets for the spending. In the Senate, one member's objection can gum up the works, preventing unanimous consent to pass legislation. One member can also use the threat of a filibuster to force the Senate to pass legislation by a two-thirds vote. During a floor speech Wednesday morning, news reports quoted Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) comparing the objections to the actions of a "dictator" and warning that he cannot bring the bill to the floor in time, leaving open the possibility that the FAA could again be shut down. However, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas), the top Republican on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, does not believe Coburn's objection will stop the bill completely. "At this point the sentiment is that we not let the FAA shut down," Hutchison says. http://www.aviationweek.com Back to Top Safety Team Eyes Additional AF447 Recommendations AF447 final report to address human factors, data transmission The relatively low rate of commercial aircraft accidents in recent years has meant that crashes may trigger individual safety recommendations but not shake up the entire aviation system. However, the ripple effects from Air France Flight 447 may defy that axiom. As investigators drill down into the sequence of events that led to the crash of the Airbus A330-200 on June 1, 2009, during a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, they are putting the spotlight on a range of concerns that had not yet received close scrutiny. The preliminary report has already highlighted the susceptibility of airliners to pitot tube icing, which results in inaccurate airspeed information. Icing of the speed probes is considered the triggering event that set into motion the sequence that led pilots to enter a stall from which the aircraft did not recover. But with the French air-accident investigation office (BEA) now working on its final report, other issues are under the microscope, including why the pilots failed to properly respond to the stall condition while the aircraft plunged from 38,000 ft. at a high rate of descent. Particularly puzzling is why the proper control inputs were not made to recover the aircraft, especially since there was ample warning of an impending stall and enough time for corrective action. By year-end, the BEA expects a newly convened human-factors expert group to scrutinize these issues, in the hope of providing relevant safety recommendations in the final report, due next year. The focus will be on issues such as cockpit ergonomics, human-machine interface and the actions of the crew. Effectively, the panel is supposed to determine what the pilots thought was happening, versus what was actually happening. The BEA says the seven-member panel comprises three of its own human-factors specialists, a psychiatrist, an outside aviation human-factors expert, a test pilot and an airline A330 pilot. Airbus and Air France specialists also may be consulted during the review. The investigation has been particularly contentious in France, where pilot representatives claim that the flightcrew is being blamed for the accident when technical issues were key factors. The deliberations also are important for Airbus, whose officials-in an effort to deflect any questions about potential equipment shortcomings-have been quick to point out that the crew failed to make proper nose-down inputs to regain control of the aircraft The BEA also has been sponsoring work to explore how accident data can be recovered more easily. The AF447 probe was hobbled because it took almost two years to recover the cockpit voice and flight data recorders. As part of the final report, French investigators plan to propose that aircraft be able to broadcast key position and flight information in case of emergencies to help in accident inquiries. The recommendation builds on a BEA-sponsored study that assessed the benefits of such a system. The working group, while looking at the feasibility of using automatic triggers, determined that a system can be set up so information is broadcast in all cases when something goes wrong without a large number of false alarms. In most cases, or 80% of accidents, at least 15 sec. pass between when a fault occurs and an accident ensues; more than 30 sec. transpire for 57% of cases, the BEA says. For the rare accidents occurring during cruise, all have more than 10-sec. warning time. Furthermore, a review found that for 85% of the cases globally, data transmission is possible via Inmarsat satellites and that this information could limit the search area for wreckage to a radius of 4 nm in 82% of the events. Iridium satellites also could be employed in most cases, although in extreme conditions data could be lost. Moreover, the BEA says that by transmitting only position data every minute, a crash location could be pinpointed to within 4 nm in 85% of the cases; this would greatly ease recovery operations. The search team for AF447 had to scour a huge area because the precise impact point was unknown. Also potentially factoring into the final report are data to emerge from other Airbus widebody events. Air France confirms that one of its A340s recently experienced an incident when it hit turbulence, with the aircraft rapidly climbing and the autopilot disengaging. The sequence of events appears to be similar to what initially transpired on AF447. http://www.aviationweek.com Back to Top Next generation 777 comes into focus Building on its 777-300ER, Boeing is evaluating its next moves in the 300 to 415-seat market with its conceptual 777-8X/9X, powered by a smaller GE90-derived engine, composite wing, a possible fuselage stretch and higher economy seating capacity. This marks what is likely to become the second major incremental evolution of the 777 family, 15% better than today's aircraft. Boeing's available options that are now coming into focus look to grow the 213ft metallic wingspan of the long-range twin to as much as 71.3m (234ft) with a carbonfibre design, and 30.5m (10ft) wider than the 747-8. Initial estimates being evaluated by Boeing point to a lower maximum takeoff weight of around 342t (753,000lbs) for the 777-9X, which would anchor the family and preserve the payload range capability of today's aircraft. The move would transform significant portions of the 777's manufacturing footprint with the introduction of composite fabrication to the wing's primary structure. The 777 programme has seen such transformations before, transitioning to a moving U-shaped final assembly line between 2006 and 2010 continually refining and consolidating the manufacturing process. Without confirming details, Boeing said in response to queries that the 777 family "will benefit from years of additional refinements based on customer input and the application of new 787 technologies before the [Airbus] A350-1000 is scheduled to enter service". "We are confident that, when the market demands it, we can develop and deliver a superior airplane that provides unparalleled value to our customers. We have been working hard on developing options and we feel very comfortable with where we are in that process," it said. To power the new jet, Boeing and General Electric look to be investigating a scaled down GE90, part of its GE9X study, by evaluating a 325cm (128in) diameter fan with a lower 99,500lb thrust, a reduction of 15,500lbs from the 343cm (135in) GE90-115B that powers the 777-300ER today. The engine would draw on technology introduced on the GEnx platforms, as well as implement ceramic matrix composites for the turbine section. With a late-decade service entry, the larger wing and its increased lift to drag ratio, coupled with the a 10% improvement in specific fuel consumption for the GE9X engine, along with material improvements across the aircraft would aim to improve fuel burn by 15% on a per seat basis. Boeing is currently studying the entry into service timing of its widebody models to follow the 787-9 in late 2013. In response to the A350-900, Boeing is evaluating the pacing of a larger 787-10X stretch and the 777-8X/9X. As part of the studies, Boeing is examining optimising the fuselage around the new larger wing and looking at both a fuselage stretch and a shrink of the 777-300ER. One conceptualisation of the -9X would be an additional stretch to the 777-300ER, while the - 8X would be a shrink of the 365-seat jet, The 777-8X and -9X would allow Boeing to span the products between the proposed 330-seat 787-10X and 467-seat 747-8. Further, as part of the study Boeing would offer a new 787-style interior, with LED lighting and larger overhead bins to the type, as it has done with its 747-8 and 737 families. In the cockpit, Boeing is looking at flight deck and avionics updates for future air traffic management systems, as well as systems architecture upgrades that would bring parts of the 787's ARINC 629 standard and increased electrical usage to the 777. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top Berkshire Agrees to Settle Australia Suit Over Chopper Crash (Bloomberg) - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK/A) agreed to settle Australian insurance claims stemming from a 2005 crash by a Royal Australian Navy helicopter in Indonesia in which nine people were killed. The Australian government and the Defence Force sued Berkshire and other insurers in December for refusing to pay A$19.8 million ($20.5 million) in claims the government and the defense department incurred in compensating families of the victims and in the legal costs of a Navy Board inquiry. The government and the insurers reached a settlement in mediation last month, Shamus Toomey, the government's lawyer, told Federal Court Justice Geoffrey Flick at a hearing in Sydney today. Terms of the settlement are confidential, Toomey said after the hearing. Berkshire was a primary insurer, responsible for 29.75 percent of any payouts, according to court documents. Great Lakes Re (UK), a unit of Muenchener Rueckversicherungs AG, and Converium Insurance UK Ltd., a unit of SCOR Holding Switzerland AG, each covered 27.25 percent of the policy. The rest of the coverage was shared by 21 other insurers. The Australian Navy Sea King helicopter Shark 02 crashed April 2, 2005, on the island of Nias while transporting a medical team on a rescue mission to help civilians affected by a March 2005 earthquake. Maintenance The insurers had claimed the policy was void because it required the aircraft to be flight worthy at the start of each flight and the Australian Navy, in a 2007 report, said a series of errors and non-compliance with maintenance regulations were to blame for the accident. The crash was caused by a failure of mechanical linkages within the flight control system, because a nut was fitted incorrectly, according to the report. The government had argued that reasonable care was taken to ensure the helicopter was airworthy and it didn't breach the policy. The government and the defense department paid A$17.8 million to the families of those killed and sought to recoup A$2 million of the A$8.8 million that was spent on an inquiry following the crash. The A$2 million is the maximum coverage provided by the insurers for legal costs, according to the court documents. The case is Commonwealth of Australia vs Berkshire Hathaway International. NSD1715/2010. Federal Court of Australia (Sydney). Back to Top DGCA removes its top safety officer (India) Regulator seeks review of the action taken on various aircraft-related accidents and remedial measures adopted New Delhi - India's aviation regulator has removed its highest-ranking safety officer from his responsibility for complacency in handling the department that deals with prevention of accidents. Bir Singh Rai, deputy director general of the Directorate of Air Safety, was removed from his duties with immediate effect by the director general of civil aviation, Bharat Bhushan, said two government officials, who declined to be identified. Rai was leading the safety department since the 2010 retirement of then joint director general A.K. Chopra. "It was building up," said a government official cited above. "He could not produce timely reports on safety, investigations are running delayed." Bhushan confirmed the removal of Rai from safety department, but declined to comment further. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has called a meeting of local airline executives this week seeking a review of the action taken on various aircraft- related incidents and accidents and the remedial measures adopted. Lalit Gupta, deputy director general of the aircraft engineering directorate in DGCA, has been given the additional portfolio of the air safety department. Rai's new portfolio hasn't been announced. Rai could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. Text messages sent on his mobile remained unanswered. DGCA has been criticised in recent years for issues, including the threat of a possible downgrade in safety rankings by the US aviation regulator, licences issued to pilots based on fake marksheets, and several minor and a few major air crashes. Besides, said the second government official, Rai had a confrontation with a foreign newspaper reporter leading to a statement that riled DGCA and government officials. After agreeing initially, Rai had refused to share accident investigation reports involving aircraft in India under the Right to Information Act (RTI), which Toronto's Star newspaper had sought. "These are not for the public," Rai was cited as saying in Star's 9 July report. "If you want to complain, go ahead. Complain to the Prime Minister of India." The decision to remove Rai wasn't unexpected, according to Mohan Ranganthan, an air safety expert and member of the government-appointed Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council. "It is a good move because the number of accidents and incidents and their investigations has become a joke in the past few years," said Ranganthan. He mentioned an accident involving a Kingfisher Airlines aircraft as a case in point. A turboprop ATR aircraft belonging to the airline and flying from Bhavnagar to Mumbai in November 2009 with 36 passengers on board skidded off the runway as it landed, causing extensive damage but no loss of life. The aircraft had to be scrapped. DGCA classified the event as an "incident" in its 2010 investigation report, as Mint reported on 25 November, though under its own rules it was supposed to be classified as an accident. DGCA withdrew the report and reclassified it as an accident. An incident does not warrant a rise in insurance premiums for airlines and makes the safety record look better, Ranganathan said. The second government official cited earlier, however, said removing an official will not change safety standards in the country. For a fleet of more than 1,000 aircraft flying in India, there are only 14 people in the air safety directorate to monitor them, averaging one person for 71 aircraft. "It cannot be changed overnight. There are a lot of problems in the department. It is a systematic fault and not one person can be blamed. If so many people retire and there is no intake, workload increases manifold. What do you do?" he said. "Five years back, there were fewer aircraft, fewer flights and no RTIs to add to the work." http://www.livemint.com/2011/09/14221933/DGCA-removes-its-top-safety- of.html?atype=tp Back to Top Title Managing Communications Following an Aircraft Accident or Incident Co-sponsor Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA) Description The course will teach participants what to expect in the days immediately following an aviation accident or incident and how they can prepare for their role with the media. ID Code PA302 Date, Tuition and Fee October 13-14, 2011 $730 for all applications with payment received by September 13, 2011 $802 for all applications with payment received September 14 - October 4, 2011 $852 for all applications with payment submitted between October 5 and 12:00 pm (noon) ET on October 12, 2011 $50 processing fee will be added to tuitions for all offline applications. A tuition invoice can be ordered for a $15 processing fee. All payments must be received by October 12 or admission will be denied. Times 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Location NTSB Training Center · 45065 Riverside Parkway · Ashburn, Virginia 20147 Status OPEN. Applications are now being accepted. Apply to Attend October 13-14, 2011 CEUs 1.3 Overview ? How the National Transportation Safety Board organizes an accident site and what can be expected in the days after an aviation disaster from the NTSB, FAA, other federal agencies, airline, airport, media and local community ? Strategies for airline and airport staff to proactively manage the communication process throughout the on-scene phase of the investigation ? How the NTSB public affairs officers coordinate press conferences and release of accident information and what information the spokespersons from the airport and airline will be responsible to provide to the media ? Making provisions for and communicating with family members of those involved in the accident ? Questions and requests likely encountered from the airlines, airport staff, family members, disaster relief agencies, local officials and others > Comments from course participants > See the 199 organizations from 28 countries that have sent staff to attend this course Performance Results Upon completion of this course the participant will be able to: ? Be better prepared to respond to a major aviation disaster involving a flight departing from or destined for participant's airport ? Demonstrate greater confidence in fielding on-scene questions about the many aspects of the investigation and its participants, including what types of specific information may be requested ? Identify the appropriate Public Affairs roles for the various organizations involved in an accident investigation. ? Be more productive in the first few hours after an aviation disaster by understanding which tasks are most important and why ? Perform job responsibilities more professionally and with greater confidence given the knowledge and tools to manage the airport communications aspect of a major aviation disaster Who May Attend This course is targeted to those who, in the event of an aviation disaster, will need to provide a steady flow of accurate information to media outlets and/or other airport, federal or local authorities. Accommodations Area hotels and restaurants Airports Washington Dulles International (IAD): 10 miles Washington Ronald Reagan National (DCA): 30 miles Baltimore/Washington International (BWI): 60 miles More Information Email TrainingCenter@ntsb.gov or call (571) 223-3900 12th Annual Course on: Aircraft Fire & Explosion in Investigation, Vulnerability and Protection against Accidents, Combat & Terrorist Attacks This fall, BlazeTech will offer the annual professional course on the above subject from Nov 8th to 11th, 2011 in Woburn, MA with new materials to cover topical subjects such as Lithium ion battery fires, composites, recent accidents, UAVs, concealed explosives and detection systems. The course is organized into four one-day modules that are stand-alone yet complementary. Aircraft systems and related accidents, tests and analyses are discussed on Days 1 to 3 while the investigative process is presented on Day 4. You may register for any or all days: * Day 1 Vulnerability to Combat and Terrorism: physico-chemical characterization of key threats and the aircraft response to them * Day 2 Fluids-Related Fire and Explosion: fuels, oils and hydraulic fluids, fuel tank explosion and inerting, SFAR 88, engine burst and fires, and post crash fires. * Day 3 Materials-Related Fires: flammability of polymers, composites and assemblies (insulation, seats), fires in cabin, cargo and hidden areas, detection/suppression. * Day 4 Accident Investigation: fire & explosion patterns recognition, reconstruction of timeline & pathline, other forensic tools and human factors. The course will provide a cohesive integrated presentation of fundamentals, small- and large-scale testing, computer modeling, protection systems, standards and real accidents. This integrated approach will enable you to address various systems and circumstances (accidents, combat and terrorist attacks). The course will benefit professionals who are responsible for commercial/military aircraft, helicopters or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles including design, operation, prevention, maintenance, testing or management of fire and explosion safety, combustible fluids, material specifications, detection and suppression systems, bomb threats and security, structural analysis, survivability, vulnerability, safety management system, accident investigation, risk mitigation team and risk analysis. For further information: www.blazetech.com/firecourse.html or contact Dr. Albert Moussa, amoussa@blazetech.com 781-759-0700. Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC