Flight Safety Information April 18, 2013 - No. 080 In This Issue Certification: a missing link in the safety chain? Gunfire hits passenger jet landing at Tripoli airport New details emerge in Marine Corps helicopter crash near N. Korea Hawaiian Airlines flying part to American Samoa after bird strike damages aircraft Milestone for Corporate Aviation Safety Executive Baltia advances into Phase II of the FAA Air Carrier Certification Woman Barred From Boarding Flight with Foul-Smelling Durian Fruit A Brief History of Airline Software Screwups Ethiopian Airlines readies grounded 787 to resume flights Grenade-shaped lighter causes partial evacuation of Miami airport Indonesian Pilots Have A Nasty Crystal Meth Problem PROS IOSA Audit Experts Deer Jet Launches First Fractional Aircraft Program in China Florida - House passes bill to restrict drone spy aircraft Blues Islands gain training approval from European Aviation Safety Agency Boeing, USDA, FAA Extend Aviation Biofuels Program Flight Safety Foundation Seeks More Involvement in Helicopter Industry Florida Tech Announces New Ph.D. in Aviation Sciences Certification: a missing link in the safety chain? The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) faces significant challenges to certificate new aircraft including finding sufficient resources to do the job while remaining up to speed on new technology, according to a senior US transport watchdog. In testimony before a US Senate committee examining the FAA's progress on key safety initiatives, Gerald Dillingham of the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) said that although the aviation agency recognises the value of certification as a safety tool, the task is becoming increasingly difficult. Citing a report from the US Aircraft Certification Process Review and Reform Aviation Rulemaking Committee, Dillingham said these certification challenges will become increasingly difficult to overcome, as industry activity continues growing and government spending for certification remains relatively flat. As one means of responding to its ever-increasing certification workload, the FAA delegates many activities to FAA-approved individuals and organisations called designees to better leverage its resources. FAA s designees perform more than 90 per cent of FAA's certification activities. "However, our prior work has shown that there are concerns that designee oversight is lacking, particularly with the new organisational designation authorities in which companies rather than individuals are granted designee status," said Dillingham. "There are also concerns that, when faced with certification of new aircraft or equipment, FAA staff have not been able to keep pace with industry changes and, thus, may struggle to understand the aircraft or equipment they are tasked with certificating." He said the implementation of a safety management system within the FAA should reduce certification delays and increase available resources to speed the introduction of advanced technologies. In response to a provision in the 2012 FAA Reauthorization, FAA is assessing the certification process and identifying opportunities to streamline the process. Dillingham who is director of physical infrastructure issues said the GAO had formed its opinion on the FAA's safety oversight efforts after a review of FAA documents and interviews with agency officials. In her testimony, Deborah Hersman who is chairman of the US National Transportation Safety Board updated the Senate committee on Boeing's 787 battery technology which led to the grounding of the new aircraft in January. "In its notice of proposed Special Conditions for the Boeing 787 airplane issued in 2007, the FAA indicated that large, high capacity, rechargeable lithium ion batteries were a novel or unusual design feature in transport category airplane, " she said. "The FAA noted that this type of battery has certain failure, operational, and maintenance characteristics that differ from those of the nickel-cadmium and lead-acid rechargeable batteries approved at that time for installation on large transport category airplanes. "As such, the FAA approved the use of these batteries by issuing nine special conditions to provide a level of safety equivalent to existing airworthiness regulations. Boeing performed a series of tests to demonstrate that the battery complied with the conditions and would not pose a higher safety risk. "It was determined that the probability of a smoke event was once in every 10 million flight hours. However, as of January 16, 2013, when the FAA issued its airworthiness directive grounding the 787 fleet, the fleet had accumulated less than 52,000 in service flight hours and had two smoke events involving its lithium ion batteries." http://www.airtrafficmanagement.net/2013/04/certifcation-becoming-missing-link-in- safety-chain/ Back to Top Gunfire hits passenger jet landing at Tripoli airport A Libyan plane with some 150 passengers on board was shot at as it prepared to land at Tripoli airport last evening but sustained no major damage, airline sources said. The Buraq Air Boeing 737 was a few miles from the capital's airport when the incident occurred. It was not immediately clear whether it was accidental fire or an attack. Celebratory gunfire is a regular occurrence in post-war Libya, which is awash with weapons left over from the 2011 war that ousted Moammar Gadhafi. "As the plane prepared to land at Tripoli airport, it was hit on the bottom, in the lavatory at the front of the plane," a Buraq Air source said. "The plane landed safely afterwards." http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2013/04/18/gunfire-hits- passenger-jet-landing-at-Tripoli-airport.html Back to Top New details emerge in Marine Corps helicopter crash near N. Korea A firefighter tries to extinguish a U.S. Marine helicopter CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter after it made a "hard landing" during exercises with South Korea. Most of the Marines involved in Tuesday's helicopter crash near the North Korean border were Hawaii-based infantry personnel, a military official said. All 21 U.S. troops on board the CH-53E Super Stallion survived what's been called a "hard landing" near a South Korean training range only miles from the Demilitarized Zone. Three Marines, including an enlisted crew member, and two U.S. soldiers remain hospitalized in stable condition, 1st Lt. Gregory Carroll, a Marine spokesman based in Japan, said Wednesday. He described the injuries as minor, mostly cuts and fractures. The troops were participating in an annual joint training exercise called Foal Eagle. It involves about 10,000 U.S. military personnel partnered with their South Korean counterparts and is scheduled to end April 30. The CH-53E, one of the Corps' workhorse transports, was deployed to South Korea from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in southern California, said Capt. Garron Garn, a spokesman for the Japan-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, to which the aircraft was assigned while overseas. Its five- person crew was carrying 14 infantry troops with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, plus the two soldiers who are based in South Korea, Carroll said. The military has not identified anyone involved in the mishap, and Carroll said no one would be made available for interviews. An investigation is underway. A local firefighter who responded to the scene told Stars and Stripes that the incident occurred as the helicopter was attempting to land. It appears a powerful wind gust may have contributed to the accident, he said. Photos taken at the scene suggest the wreckage caught fire. Stripes, citing unidentified South Korean officials, reported the troops were evacuated from the helicopter before it burned. http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20130418/NEWS/304180001/New-details- emerge-Marine-Corps-helicopter-crash-near-N-Korea Back to Top Hawaiian Airlines flying part to American Samoa after bird strike damages aircraft Hawaiian Airlines is flying an aircraft part to American Samoa, where a bird strike caused one of its flights to Honolulu to return to Pago Pago after damaging the plane. Radio New Zealand International reports the local Hawaiian Airlines station manager told local authorities that the part was expected to arrive on Wednesday, and that passengers from the cancelled flight would be rebooked on a new flight. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports a spokesman for Hawaiian, a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: HA) says the bird strike damaged the radome, or nose cone, which covers the navigational instruments on the Boeing 767. http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/blog/morning_call/2013/04/hawaiian-airlines-flying- part-to.html Back to Top Milestone for Corporate Aviation Safety Executive The Corporate Aviation Safety Executive (CASE) now has some 40 aviation companies both from the UK and abroad. This growing group provides a platform for business aviation operators to "share best practice and harmonise standard operating procedures" in the safety arena. "Groundbreaking" Air Safety Central social media tool from Vistair is helping to drive membership and increase safety data sharing. "As anyone who has worked in corporate aviation will know it is a highly competitive area," said Malcolm Rusby, founder of CASE and head of safety at TAG Aviation. Rusby continued "The Corporate Aviation Safety Executive provides a platform for aviation companies to put aside commercial or political considerations and come together to collaborate towards a common aim: a safer business aviation sector." The group was formed four years ago and is open to any corporate aviation operators - from one-man providers up to airlines with 50 or more aircraft - interested in sharing information and best practice in the flight safety arena with an emphasis on monitoring and benchmarking. "I've worked in aviation safety for many years and was always frustrated at the way aviation companies clung onto vital performance data rather than share it to drive up safety standards, even if there was no commercial sensitivity at stake," said Malcolm Rusby. Although composed of mainly UK-based operators CASE is increasingly looking to branch out to mainland Europe to invite them to its quarterly meetings and other activities. "We have a very broad range of people who are part of the CASE community, contributing to our aim of improving data sharing and harmonising standard operating procedures," continued Malcolm Rusby, "in addition we are supported by a number of business partners who share our values and are helping us grow our membership." One of those business partners is Vistair, the leading provider of innovative safety and management software solutions to the global aviation industry. In partnership with CASE Vistair has developed Air Safety Central, a powerful safety culture tool combining social media principals with its own market-leading SafetyNet system. Described as "groundbreaking" by many in the corporate aviation sector Air Safety Central is a free-to-use, web-based social network that allows airline safety managers to post completed but anonymous safety investigations to its flying community. "Through Air Safety Central crew can review data, comment on aspects of any incident and share best practice through the social network with minimal training requirements," said Malcolm Rusby. "It's groundbreaking stuff and as far as I'm aware it is unique in this sector." Ian Herbert, founder and CEO of Vistair, said: "We've supported CASE since its formation and were delighted to be able to help out when we were approached by Malcolm with the concept for Air Safety Central." "Recent years have seen more and more airlines break out of the traditional mould where various parts of the business remain entrenched in their own little silos, and anything more that can be done to encourage the sharing of data has to be good for improvements in airlines' overall flight safety procedures," Herbert concluded. http://corporatejetinvestor.com/articles/milestone-for-case-247 Back to Top Baltia advances into Phase II of the FAA Air Carrier Certification YPSILANTI, Mich. - Today Baltia Air Lines (BLTA) filed an 8K Report showing that it has successfully completed the Gate 1 requirements and has advanced into Phase II of the FAA Air Carrier Certification process. The Report states: On March 28, 2013, at the FAA East Michigan Flight Standards District Office Baltia Air Lines senior staff and their FAA counterparts conducted a Formal Meeting to review Baltia's certification documentation and management readiness. On April 10, 2013, Baltia received confirmation that Baltia's management personnel, system design, and other supporting documentation were found to be satisfactory. The FAA Certification Team has determined that Baltia meets the requirements of FAA Order 8900.1 Volume 10 Chapter 2 Section 6 and is fit to enter into Phase II of the ATOS Certification Process. Mr. Igor Dmitrowsky, President of Baltia stated, "Obtaining our gate passage is the single most stringent requirement of the certification process. It's a major milestone in our company's rapid progress toward becoming America's newest airline." Mr. Dmitrowsky further stated, "I am proud of our staff whose dedication has made this milestone event possible. Everyone at Baltia is excited about this major accomplishment." In an interview, Mr. Barry Clare, Vice President of Finance stated, "There are no words to express the elation I had when Baltia was told that it had obtained gate passage. The staff and all of Baltia's shareholders have been waiting for this event for a very long time. Everyone at Baltia was hugging and congratulating each other when news of the gate passage was received." Mr. Clare also stated, "I would like to thank all of Baltia's shareholders for their support and for believing in us. I'm very proud to be part of America's newest airline." About Baltia Baltia's goal is to become the leading U.S. airline in the trans-Atlantic market between major U.S. cities and capital cities of Eastern Europe, including Russia, Latvia, Ukraine, and Belarus. Baltia intends to provide high quality three-class passenger service, and reliable cargo and mail transportation. Baltia plans to begin their foreign scheduled air transportation as the only U.S. airline offering nonstop service to St. Petersburg, Russia. http://www.eturbonews.com/34375/baltia-advances-phase-ii-faa-air-carrier-certification Back to Top Woman Barred From Boarding Flight with Foul-Smelling Durian Flies into Rage, Angrily Chows Down in Middle of Airport There are a lot of things that can ruin a good vacation and lord knows one of them is the whole airport/airplane experience in general. Lost luggage, security checks, kids kicking your seat. But this bizarre news story from China will make you grateful those security checks are there after all. Anyone familiar with durian? It's billed as "the world's stinkiest fruit," with a smell that might be described as, "the contents of a college student's laundry basket meets the smell coming off that old guy at the gym who never wears deodorant. " Like natto here in Japan, the smell of durian is notably revolting to many, but apparently not to one Chinese woman who attempted to carry a large amount of the fruit onto a plane at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. Luckily security, either trying to do a solid for other passengers or literally driven into a rage by the smell of the durian, stopped the woman and told her to ditch the fruit before boarding. A reasonable person might sigh, bid farewell to their cargo and get on with their flight, but durian lovers are clearly not reasonable people. Instead the woman, apparently very fond of the fruit, went crazy, smashing the fruit on the floor and snarling at the security officers, "If I can't take it on board, I'll just eat it here!" And then literally proceeded to eat and finish three whole kilograms of floor durian on a bench in the middle of the airport. Now imagine having to sit next to the woman on a crowded flight while she slowly, happily munches away on the world's foulest smelling fruit and suddenly all the hassle of those security checks seems worth it after all. http://en.rocketnews24.com/2013/04/18/woman-barred-from-boarding-flight-with-foul- smelling-durian-flies-into-rage-angrily-chows-down-in-middle-of-airport/ Back to Top A Brief History of Airline Software Screwups Frequent fliers have grown accustomed to a certain amount of inconvenience, but with completely computerized booking systems, one minor glitch is enough to shutter not just a single flight, but an entire airline. And it seems to be happening with increasing regularity. Yesterday's grounding of over 400 American Airlines flights is the latest in a string of software-fueled meltdowns that have halted flights, enraged travelers and added yet another layer of potential failure into an already convoluted system. While the cause of yesterday's outage remains unclear, American Airlines says that it was unable to connect with its online booking system, Sabre, which handles everything from boarding passes to tracking checked baggage. "There's no such thing as a minor glitch anymore," Mike Boyd, airline analyst and chairman of the Boyd Group International, told Wired. "With everything computerized, there are failures. They're like teenage kids. You don't always know why they do what they do." The increased computerization of the airline industry over the last 30 years has obvious benefits for both airlines and consumers, but the major thrust behind the integration of software systems is more for security than utility. "We can't go back to a manual system because of legal issues," says Boyd. Every airline passenger has to be registered in advance, have their background checked, cross- referenced with a series of databases and eventually approved for flight. The days when you could just walk up to a counter, book a flight and hop on board have long been over. "When airlines switch computer systems, you can bet on major problems." One of the first reported cases of software halting a flight happened to Spirit Airlines in early 2001, when the company flipped the switch on a new booking system. That resulted in cancelled flights and delays across the East Coast and Midwest, leaving passengers stranded in airports from New York to Palm Beach, FL. Delta Airlines suffered a similar failure in 2004 when a computer glitch forced the grounding of flights out of Atlanta, GA, eventually extending all the way to Salt Lake City, UT. The cause of the problem, according to Delta, was a breakdown in data that calculates the weight and balance of the plane based on passenger-related information. But in recent years, the most frequent cause of software breakdowns is mergers. "When airlines switch computer systems, you can bet on major problems," says Boyd. "Sometimes for days." The most recent merger-related failure was caused when United Airlines adopted Continental's software after the companies joined forces last year. Despite months of pre-planning and employee training, the "cutover" (the process of consolidating the two IT systems) resulted in technical issues that surfaced at airports across the country. Twitter feeds lit up with horror stories of bungled bags, ultra-slow check-ins and malfunctioning kiosks as United's geek-squad worked through the weekend to fix the system. Another United failure attributed to "network connectivity" in 2011 lead to widespread cancellations after the airline's system mysteriously shut down for several hours. And when U.S. Airways merged with America West, the airlines had similar glitches in their software combination. Naturally, the biggest issue after a meltdown of the scale American Airlines suffered yesterday is getting stranded passengers onto already booked - or overbooked - flights. According to a statement posted by American Airlines on its Facebook page, customers can book new flights through either American or other airlines "and American will honor the fare difference." When reached for comment, the FAA would only say that computers have played an important role in aviation over the years. American Airlines couldn't be reached for comment, but Sabre - the software company responsible for American's booking system - told Wired that, "American Airlines mistakenly reported they were having an issue with the Sabre reservations system, which they subsequently corrected." Sabre is one of four or five major software providers to airlines, and while the systems "work 99.99 percent of the time," says Boyd, "it's that .01 percent" of problems that causes massive headaches for airlines and travelers. And it won't end anytime soon. http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/04/airline-software-screw-ups/ Back to Top Ethiopian Airlines readies grounded 787 to resume flights; waiting for FAA green light ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - The chief executive of Ethiopian Airlines says it is seeking approval from America's Federal Aviation Administration and from Boeing to put its grounded Boeing 787s back into service. Ethiopian Airlines chief executive officer Tewolde Gebremariam told The Associated Press that the company expects FAA approval within a few days. The Boeing 787 Dreamliners has been grounded since January because of a risk of fire from the plane's lithium batteries. United Airlines earlier this month put its grounded Boeing 787s back in its flight schedule. United has a 787 scheduled to fly starting May 31. Boeing Co. has proposed a fix for the 787's batteries, but it needs approval from the FAA. Back to Top Grenade-shaped lighter causes partial evacuation of Miami airport MIAMI A novelty lighter that looked like a grenade caused a major disruption at Miami International Airport Thursday morning when police evacuated a security checkpoint to make sure the fake weapon wasn't real, authorities said. Shortly after 5 a.m., police reported finding a suspicious package at one of MIA's busiest security checkpoints. Traffic backed up into MIA as police swarmed Terminal D and guards cleared the area, forcing travelers to cram into other checkpoints serving the part of the airport that houses American Airlines. By 7:30 am, Checkpoint Three was reopened and operations at the airport began returning to normal. Greg Chin, an MIA spokesman, said he was told the suspicious package was a cigarette lighter that looked like a grenade. The passenger traveling with the lighter will not be charged, NBC 6 reported. Shortly after the checkpoint reopened, Chin sent out a message to media that said in part: "Please advise your readers and viewers to not travel with novelty items that look like weapons." http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/04/18/3989264/suspicious-package-causes- partial.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top Indonesian Pilots Have A Nasty Crystal Meth Problem The lackluster safety record of Indonesian airlines, highlighted by a recent non-fatal Lion Air crash in Bali, includes a troubling history of pilots using methamphetamine. At least three Lion Air pilots have been arrested for either consumption or possession of meth since 2011, The Jakarta Globe reported. The pilots flying the Lion Air Boeing 737-800 that crashed in Bali both passed initial drug tests. In February 2012, a Lion Air pilot was arrested after being found with .4 grams of meth, testing positive for the drug hours before he was supposed to fly. His license was revoked and he was sent to rehabilitation, according to the Jakarta Globe. In an article at the time, the New York Times suggested too much work as a potential motive for using meth, which increases concentration and alertness. The Indonesian air travel industry is rapidly expanding, and may be understaffed. A Transportation Ministry spokesperson told the Times that the 7,000 pilots working for the country's 57 airlines are "not enough." Lion Air, which has recently signed major deals to buy jets from Boeing and Airbus to match its growth, denied its pilots do not get enough time to rest on the ground. Another possible reason for using the drug is simply to have fun. Last year, crystal meth became the number one drug in Indonesia, where it is known as "shabu-shabu," according to Reuters. In 2012, Benny Mamoto, the head of Indonesia's National Narcotics Agency (BNN), said a large number of pilots, who have the money to buy drugs, could be users. According to the BNN, "pilots considered crystal meth as being part of their lifestyle," the Jakarta Post reported. "There is a possibility that airline crews are linked to drug networks," Mamoto told that newspaper. Nearly all Indonesian airlines are banned from flying in European Union airspace because they are deemed "unsafe." The State Department suggests Americans traveling to Indonesia avoid local carriers. Methamphetamine use by pilots in the U.S. is considerably lower than in Indonesia, though not insignificant. The drug was detected in at least one pilot every year from 1991 to 2002, and in 2004 and 2005, according to a 2008 Federal Aviation Administration report. http://www.businessinsider.com/why-indonesian-pilots-use-crystal-meth-2013- 4#ixzz2QomtgTo0 Back to Top Back to Top Deer Jet Launches First Fractional Aircraft Program in China Deer Jet launched the first fractional aircraft program in China yesterday here at ABACE 2013. It is now selling shares in a Gulfstream G450 and a G550, the latter of which is on display this week in the show's static display. "As the largest aircraft charter company in Asia and the first to do aircraft management in China, it is our responsibility to create a fractional share product here," said Hu Lei, general manager of asset management for Deer Jet. "We also believe it is the right time to offer this type of program in China." The 18-year-old Beijing-based firm which has 30 business jets spanning 13 types in its charter and management fleet, said its new Deer Jet "Time Share" program is customized for the Chinese customer. It is targeted for customers who fly between 100 to 300 hours per year, a usage range where "whole aircraft ownership would be too expensive and jets cards are uneconomical," said Hu. There are actually two distinct products under Deer Jet Time Share: fractional aircraft shares and block charter. The main difference is that fractional-share customers have an equity stake in an aircraft, while those who choose the block-charter option do not. Under its Chinese-centric fractional program, Deer Jet said it would sell only 10 shares per aircraft. However, customers must buy at least two shares, meaning that there will not be more than five owners per aircraft. Two shares equates to 120 flying hours per year, which Hu said is "more than enough" for the average private jet flyer in China. Fractional-share contract terms are for five years, after which Deer Jet will buy back an owner's shares at current market prices. Customers can exit the program early for a "small penalty," Hu told AIN. Besides the buy-in costs for the fractional share, customers pay a monthly management fee that covers both fixed and operating costs. Thus, customers pay no hourly occupied fees, though they are docked flight hours for positioning flights. Deer Jet is guaranteeing aircraft availability for fractional customers-something it does not do for charter clients-and will use both its charter and managed aircraft as a backup fleet to fulfill this promise. There are no service area boundaries under its fractional program, according to Deer Jet, so customers can fly their aircraft anywhere in the world. Due to government restrictions here in China, fractional-share customers must book flights at least three days in advance. http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/abace-convention-news/2013-04-17/deer-jet- launches-first-fractional-aircraft-program-china Back to Top Florida - House passes bill to restrict drone spy aircraft At least 11 states including Florida are considering restricting the use of drones by local and state police agencies. Photo from the U.S. Air Force. Without debate or dissent, the House unanimously sent Gov. Rick Scott a bill forbidding random use of unmanned drone aircraft in police surveillance Wednesday. Scott has said he looks forward to signing the "Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act" when it reaches his desk. The bill forbids law-enforcement use of drones except in cooperation with investigations authorized by the Department of Homeland Security or in short-term emergencies. Police could get search warrants for aerial video spying on specific people, locations or vehicles -- and the flying vehicles could still be used in a search for a missing child or elderly person, or an escaped convict or in hostage situations. But any evidence gathered by simply flying over a large gathering, or spying on a criminal suspect without first getting a warrant, would be inadmissible in court. Residents could get a court injunction to stop unwarranted surveillance, if police routinely fly drones over their neighborhoods. The bill by Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, (SB 92) passed the Senate last week. Rep. Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne, had a companion measure (HB 119) pending on the House calendar and he substituted Negron's Senate-passed bill for his own -- so the bill can go straight to Scott for his signature. There was no debate or opposition to the bill in either chamber. http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=32482774 Back to Top Blues Islands gain training approval from European Aviation Safety Agency Blue Islands are the only airline based in the Channel Islands that are certified to provide their own approved ATR training to pilots and cabin crew, both in house and externally. The local airline is approved under the European regulator EASA* as an Approved Training Organisation. The approval means that Blue Islands can now train for initial, annual, recurrent and revalidation training that is required by all flight and cabin crew to become type -rated for the ATR aircraft. The training can be completed at the Blue Islands main operational base in Jersey and their simulator base in Morlaix, France. Rob Veron, managing director of Blue Islands is delighted with the approval. "This is a huge achievement for our operational team as we are the only airline in the Channel Islands to have gained this approval. This means we no longer have to send away any of our locally based crew, we can be more dynamic with our programmes and further cement our roots here in the islands." In addition, Blue Islands were one of the first airlines in Europe to gain approval to issue cabin crew attestations. These are the cabin crew equivalent to a pilots' license to fly. Second only to Virgin Atlantic, Blue Islands can now issue approved documentation to their cabin crew. *European Aviation Safety Agency http://www.businesslife.co/BusinessNews.aspx?id=blues-islands-gain-training-approval- from-european-aviation-safety-agency Back to Top Boeing, USDA, FAA Extend Aviation Biofuels Program The USDA has extended for five years its agreement to work with the FAA and commercial aviation partners, including Boeing and industry trade group Airlines for America, to help develop a viable biofuel for the aviation industry. The new agreement follows the 2010-2012 Farm to Fly initiative, a collaboration between USDA, Airlines for America and Boeing that builds upon the work of USDA's Regional Biomass Research Centers, which are working with industry partners to produce energy- producing feedstocks within different regions of the US. The renewed agreement focuses on future goals: designating personnel, evaluating current and potential feedstock types and systems, developing multiple feedstock supply chains, developing state and local public-private teams, communicating results, and issuing periodic reports. In October, 2010 USDA and the FAA jointly announced a three-year agreement to develop aviation fuel from forest and crop residues and other "green" feedstocks in order to reduce dependence on foreign oil. Under this partnership, the agencies have combined their experience in research, policy analysis and air transportation to explore the different kinds of feedstocks that could be processed by bio-refineries to produce jet fuels. The federal government and its partners hope to support the annual production of 1 billion gallons of drop in aviation biofuel by 2018, USDA says. Earlier this week, biofuels manufacturer Joule announced it has converted waste CO2 into gasoline and jet fuel components. The company says this technology will allow it to expand its Sunflow product line - which uses solar energy to convert industrial waste CO2 into fuels - and help address global demand for hydrocarbon fuel replacements. United Airlines this month announced a host of fuel-savings initiatives, including using biofuels, intended to help the company reach its goal to save 85 million gallons of fuel in 2013. In 2011, United operated the first US passenger biofuel flight powered with a mixture of renewable algae-derived jet fuel and conventional jet fuel, and has signed letters of intent to negotiate the purchase of more than 50 million gallons of sustainable biofuels. Last summer, United Airlines joined the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group, an industry working group that aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of aviation biofuels. The group's members, including AirFrance, British Airways and Boeing, represent around 32 percent of commercial aviation fuel demand, United says. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/04/17/boeing-usda-faa-extend-aviation- biofuels-program/ Back to Top Flight Safety Foundation Seeks More Involvement in Helicopter Industry Flight Safety Foundation (FSF), an international aviation safety organization based in Alexandria, Va., paid a visit to Heli-Expo in Las Vegas last month to renew its dedication to the helicopter community. Founded in 1947, the non-profit organization's mission is "the improvement of global aviation safety." The foundation has "a pretty rich past with helicopters, but we've kind of [inadvertently] drawn away from it in the past 10 years," said Kevin Hiatt, president and CEO. "But due to what's happening in the helicopter end of this business with more accidents, we're starting to take more of an active interest." FSF's experience and industry knowledge shows that the use of its Basic Aviation Risk Standards (BARS) system, as well as confidential safety audits provided by its members, can assist any operation with the effective management of risk. "We need to make sure that safety isn't something that's just added on to the top of an operation," said Hiatt, a former captain and chief pilot for a major airline. "It has to become a core value. We have to manage the risk." Visit www.flightsafety.org to learn more about the organization, its information databases, and its safety programs. http://www.aviationtoday.com/the-checklist/Flight-Safety-Foundation-Seeks-More- Involvement-in-Helicopter-Industry_79017.html Back to Top Florida Tech Announces New Ph.D. in Aviation Sciences Seven Areas of Specialization to Provide Key Skills to Graduates MELBOURNE, FLA.-The Florida Institute of Technology College of Aeronautics (COA) announces plans to launch a new doctoral program, a Ph.D. in Aviation Sciences beginning in the 2013 fall semester. This innovative program includes seven areas of specialization to prepare new doctoral graduates to meet the challenges of aviation research in the 21st century. The Ph.D. in aviation sciences program, designed to produce outstanding aviation research and academic professionals, builds on the college's 45 years as one of the nation's top university-based aviation programs. The curriculum consists of a minimum of 51 semester credit hours with three main components: An 18-hour core study program of research design, statistics and aviation courses A 12- hour program with areas of aviation specialization chosen by the student; concentrations are available in human factors, safety, airport development and management, education and training, organizational development, operations research, and environmental/sustainability and meteorology A minimum of 21 credit hours of dissertation research in the area of specialization "This announcement is a historic moment for the Florida Tech College of Aeronautics," said Vice President for Aviation Programs and Dean of the College Ken Stackpoole. "We are very pleased to offer this new Ph.D. in aviation sciences program to leading candidates who seek outstanding careers in academia, government and the aviation industry." For details, visit: http://www.fit.edu/programs/grad/phd_aviation_sciences. Also, contact the college's Michael Gallo, Ph.D., at gallo@fit.edu or (321) 674-8375. To learn more about the COA, visit http://coa.fit.edu. Back to Top TWITTER For late breaking aviation news, follow us on Twitter @ curtllewis01 Curt Lewis