Flight Safety Information May 6, 2013 - No. 092 In This Issue Spain Plane Crash Video: Vintage Aircraft Crashes In A Fireball At Madrid Air Show Bodies of two US pilots found after Kyrgyzstan crash NASA developing tablet-based app for Alaska pilots Learjet 60 Accident (Venezuela) Dreamliner Prompts New Look at Aircraft Safety Reviews CAA considered Fox Glacier crash prosecution (New Zealand) PROS IOSA Audit Experts Runway incursions a threat to aviation safety Cirrus Aircraft parachute 'saves' are increasing Campers stumble across lost Russian airplane GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST Position Wanted:...Pilot Position-First Officer...(Airline/Cargo) Spain Plane Crash Video: Vintage Aircraft Crashes In A Fireball At Madrid Air Show Crash Air Show Disaster Madrid - Cuatro Vientos MADRID -- A historic jet plane crashed into a hangar and exploded in a fireball at an airshow southwest of the capital Sunday, severely injuring its pilot who later died in the hospital, officials said. A spokesman for Spain's Defense Ministry said the pilot, Ladislao Tejedor Romero, 35, an experienced jet pilot and assistant to Defense Minister Pedro Morenes, died of his injuries in the serious burns unit of Getafe hospital. Some 3,000 people were at Cuatro Vientos airfield watching a showcase of aerial acrobatics and vintage aircraft when the plane, one of the first jet-propelled planes to be manufactured in Spain, crashed, sending a fireball and thick black smoke into the air. The plane, a HA-200 Saeta, was a built in the 1950s as an advanced jet trainer by Hispano Aviacion, ministry spokesman Alfredo Florenza said. It was later given an attack capability. Florenza said the cause of the crash was not known. State broadcaster RTVE showed images of a large plume of smoke rising above hangars Sunday and interviewed witnesses who described the plane diving and crashing into buildings. Spain's airport authority AENA said no one else other than the pilot was injured. Europa Press news agency, however, reported quoting emergency services that two people, a rescue worker suffering from burns and a 57-year-old man suffering from an anxiety attack, believed to be the pilot's father, were transferred to hospital. A third rescue worker suffering from smoke inhalation received first aid at the scene, the agency said. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/05/spain-plane-crash-video-madrid-air-show-vintage- aircraft_n_3219841.html ************* Date: 05-MAY-2013 Time: 13:15 LT Type: Hispano HA-200D Saeta Operator: Fundación Infante de Orleans Registration: EC-DXR C/n / msn: 20/56 Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Madrid-Cuatro Vientos Airport (LECU) - Spain Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) Nature: Demo/Airshow/Display Departure airport: Madrid-Cuatro Vientos Airport (LECU) Destination airport: Madrid-Cuatro Vientos Airport (LECU) Narrative: Crashed into hangar during air show. Pilot (34) died. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Bodies of two US pilots found after Kyrgyzstan crash Rescuers on Saturday recovered the bodies of two US pilots whose refuelling plane crashed in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan shortly after taking off from a base that serves as a hub for military operations in Afghanistan, the emergency situations ministry said. The KC-135 Stratotanker -- believed to be carrying dozens of tonnes of fuel -- crashed and burst into flames around 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the capital Bishkek on Friday, according to US and local officials. "The bodies of two pilots were found this morning at 7 am (0100 GMT) near the site of the crash. The search operation is continuing, the body of the third crew member has not yet been found," a spokesman for the Kyrgyzstan emergency situations ministry told AFP. The two bodies have been taken to the aircraft's US base, the Manas transit centre, rescue officials said. Emergency Situations Minister Kubatbek Boronov told journalists that "the American side is establishing the identity of the dead. Staff from the Manas transit centre are at the scene. They will also investigate the cause of the air incident." Around 50 rescuers were still searching for the third crew member, Boronov said. The rescue operation resumed in the early morning after being called off during the night, as little hope remained of finding the crew alive after the plane broke up and burst into flames soon after taking off from the US base at Bishkek international airport. The Manas transit centre is key to the US campaign in Afghanistan, used to ferry troops into the country, refuel warplanes and evacuate wounded soldiers. http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130504/bodies-two-us-pilots-found-after-kyrgyzstan- crash Back to Top NASA developing tablet-based app for Alaska pilots JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - It takes a bit of nerve to fly in Alaska, where pilots deal with the continent's tallest peaks, coldest weather and many sheer unknowns. Take, for example, the radio silence. Small planes lose contact minutes after leaving cities or villages, and pilots usually don't have accurate maps when they take off because Alaska is the only state that hasn't digitally collected elevation data. "Mars is better mapped than Alaska," said Nick Mastrodicasa, of the state Transportation Department. A partnership linking Juneau with Silicon Valley, however, seeks to change that as part of an early-stage effort to reduce Alaska's pilot fatality rate, which is five times higher than the rest of the nation. Engineers and scientists at NASA's Ames Research Center, the Northern California facility that plays a large role in aeronautics study, are developing a system to reduce crashes by bringing accurate, real- time information on terrain, weather, air traffic - even volcanic ash - into the cockpit of small planes that don't have the sophisticated instrument panels common in larger aircraft. "Our approach is to create a tablet, mobile-based app on the iPad - or some other tablet of your choice - and present all the information in a consolidated format to the pilot," said NASA project manager Parimal Kopardekar. But don't call it just an app since "it's actually more of a complete system," said Joseph Rios, NASA's technical lead on the project. "There's going to be a bunch of stuff in the background in order to make it work," he added. The NASA team is developing ways to compress the data so that it can be wirelessly transmitted to the cockpit. And they're still considering what method will be used to send updates - but satellite, cell and radio are the most likely candidates. The software will include data collected by the Alaska Statewide Digital Mapping Initiative, a state Department of Transportation project. "We're talking about mapping here and putting terrain into the cockpit. It's one use of the topographical data that we're producing," said Mastrodicasa, the initiative director. "Alaska has never been mapped in a digital context - ever," he added. The technology is aimed at helping pilots of small planes that aren't certified to fly at altitudes high enough to evade the state's tall mountain ranges and unforgiving conditions. Pilots must often fly between peaks, contending with harsh winds, severe cold and poor visibility. "If you're going through a pass, you need to make sure that you're going to see both sides of that pass. Otherwise, you end up in the side of a mountain," says Mike Pannone, a retired air traffic controller. "The more information you can get readily available to the pilot - particularly in Alaska - the better off you're going to be," added Pannone, owner of AeroForensics Alaska. The state's vast size and lack of mapping data pose challenges that wouldn't exist if the software was being developed in the Lower 48. But Kopardekar and his team believe that the state's unique challenges make the software all the more useful in the state. Pannone, who attended a round-table this year during which NASA floated the idea for the software to some of Alaska's general aviation enthusiasts and experts, thinks the software will fill an important need. Kopardekar said the feedback he received from Pannone and the rest of the group was very positive. NASA expects to have a prototype ready by 2015, though the process of compiling much of the data is expected to take longer. The terrain mapping, for example, will be halfway done by the end of this summer, and complete in approximately three years. Rios and Kopardekar say that the time it takes to complete the terrain mapping project won't delay their effort. The system is being built in a way that can incorporate new data sources as they become available, so the software could incorporate topographical information piece by piece as its collected and digitized. With the project "we have a real opportunity here to increase the situational awareness for Alaska pilots," Kopardekar said. "It's a really unique opportunity," he added. "And this will result in reduced accident rates or incident rates." http://www.adn.com/2013/05/05/2891268/nasa-developing-tablet-based-app.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top Learjet 60 Accident (Venezuela) Date: 05-MAY-2013 Time: 10:00 LT Type: Learjet 60 Operator: Private Registration: N119FD C/n / msn: 029 Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Urbanización Parque Valencia. Estado Carabobo. - Venezuela Phase: Approach Nature: Executive Departure airport: SVCS Destination airport: SVVA Narrative: A Learjet 60 crashed in a residential zone, killing both occupants. One building and six cars were damaged on the ground. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Dreamliner Prompts New Look at Aircraft Safety Reviews By ANDY PASZTOR Even as Boeing Co.'s Dreamliner resumes service, the battery problems that grounded it for three months are providing momentum for potentially major changes in the way federal regulators certify the safety of cutting-edge aircraft technologies. With plane makers incorporating increasingly sophisticated parts and systems, the Federal Aviation Administration is reassessing how to keep pace with such moves despite budget constraints and limited government expertise. On Friday the FAA proposed new procedures-initiated long before the Dreamliner's world-wide grounding in January-to ensure timely approvals of top-priority safety enhancements. But the agency faces escalating pressure to enact more-sweeping changes, particularly in certifying new models. Manufacturers are pushing for a substantially greater role in vetting hardware, while National Transportation Safety Board officials and other independent safety experts want tougher overall government supervision. The result is a difficult balancing act for the FAA, as it seeks to leverage industry's extensive engineering knowledge and resources without abandoning strict government assurance of safety. The 787 battery saga has highlighted the FAA's dependence on industry for assistance. FAA critics contend that when the 787's batteries were initially approved, the FAA ceded too much control to Boeing and its industrial partners. Now, the FAA and Boeing are conducting a previously announced joint review of those decisions. People familiar with the details said Michael Song, a senior Boeing official overseeing airliner quality control, is among those participating in the study. That doesn't sit well with some FAA critics. It shows "there's no independence to the effort" to identify lessons from the 787's electrical woes, former NTSB Chairman Jim Hall said. "There is no transparency to it." Mr. Song couldn't be reached for comment. An FAA spokeswoman declined to comment, and a Boeing spokeswoman said Mr. Song isn't among those heading the study. By summer, the agency is expected to begin disclosing findings of the 787 review. Deborah Hersman, the NTSB's current chairman, has faulted the FAA for continuing to rely too much on the same basic approach "that was created to certify our grandparents' aircraft." At an NTSB public hearing on the issue last month, she said "perhaps it's time to ask if any changes are needed to update the system." The Government Accountability Office recently concluded that FAA officials "have not been able to keep pace with industry changes and, thus, may struggle to understand the aircraft or equipment" they are supposed to approve. Many industry officials, meanwhile, say the FAA should take more of a back seat. An FAA-chartered study group of industry executives in 2012 urged the agency "to streamline and re-engineer" the entire certification process, partly by shifting work to designated industry officials "to the greatest extent possible." According to the report, the FAA "has limited capacity and must handle competing priorities," including anticipated workload spikes due to accelerated "migration of technologies from large transport airplanes" to smaller aircraft. The agency has said it plans to implement the report's recommendations. Clay Jones, who is retiring as chief executive of aircraft-parts-maker Rockwell Collins Inc., recently said industry should receive a bigger role in vetting new planes because the gap between the technical expertise of regulators and manufacturers has widened over the past decade. "The system is slowing down" safety improvements, he said, adding that "industry will always be ahead of the regulators." Friday's FAA proposal, which calls for all of the agency's offices to comply with clearly defined timetables for concluding certification projects, is intended to address such industry impatience. If local FAA managers lack manpower or expertise to deal with technical questions, for example, the proposal envisions those issues will be promptly resolved by headquarters. The FAA's 2007 approval of the 787's first-of-a-kind battery hardware highlights resource challenges confronting regulators. Boeing has roughly 900 employees serving as designated stand-ins for FAA officials across all of the company's programs. By contrast, the FAA has about 1,400 employees assigned to certification efforts industrywide, responsible for tracking Boeing projects as well as certification requests submitted by a small army of officials representing other companies. Only about two dozen FAA officials were assigned to oversee certification of the 787. FAA manager Steve Boyd told the NTSB last month that the team started with scant knowledge of the plane's advanced battery technology. Then it allowed FAA-designated industry experts from Boeing and its suppliers to run all tests and conduct final safety reviews "with confidence that they [would] make the right call," he said. FAA officials say they have little choice. Without delegating most testing and risk analyses of new planes to manufacturers, "it would virtually be impossible to keep up with industry," agency manager Dorenda Baker said at the same hearing."That's always going to be a struggle."During the NTSB hearings in April, Ali Bahrami, head of the FAA's transport airplane directorate, said that changes inside the FAA so far have produced only limited results. "As we move forward, we have to figure out what the right measures are," he said. "At this point, I would say they are not mature." Less than two weeks earlier, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta tried to reassure the Senate Commerce Committee by asserting that the agency and industry "will never lose sight of our respective roles." But maintaining federal primacy, he told the panel, "does not mean that there is not a seat at the table for bright minds from industry." http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323687604578465263540663612.html Back to Top CAA considered Fox Glacier crash prosecution (New Zealand) The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says it did not go ahead with a prosecution over fatal plane crash at Fox Glacier because it would not have met the burden of proof required by a court. Nine people on board the aircraft died in the crash on 4 September 2010 - the tourists, their jump masters and the Queenstown pilot. The families of four tourists have released an open letter to Prime Minister John Key calling for better safety standards. Coroner Richard McElrea released his findings on Monday in which he said it was unlikely the cause of the crash would ever be fully understood. Mr McElrea recommended converted top-dressing planes be fitted with passenger safety harnesses as soon as possible to control weight distribution in the aircraft, and that loads be restricted to six people. The owner of the skydiving aircraft told the inquest in August last year that the plane was being overloaded, and an earlier Transport Accident Investigation Commission report found the most likely reason for the crash was that there was too much weight too far back in the plane which caused it to stall. The CAA said it considered prosecuting the company involved, Skydive NZ Ltd, but the tests for taking a prosecution are high and the cause of the crash could not be proven. General manager of policy John Kay said the Transport Accident Investigation Commission's conclusion was determined only on the balance of probability. Immediately after the crash the authority limited the number of skydivers allowed on a plane of this sort to six but changed it last year to an overall weight limit that takes account of different sizes. Mr Kay said he would look into calls by the coroner for a six-person limit. Families demand urgent action Following the findings, the parents of four tourists who died in the crash released an open letter to Prime Minister John Key calling for stronger safety enforcement across the country. In the letter, the families of Glenn Bourke of Australia, Patrick Byrne of Ireland, Bradley Coker of Britain and Annika Kirsten of Germany said the need for action is compelling and urgent. "We continue to lack confidence in the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to regulate safety in this type of activity in New Zealand," the families said. They called on the Prime Minister to "take decisive and unequivocal action to reassure the world that New Zealand is a very safe place to visit". "Companies in New Zealand need to be incentivised to prioritise health and safety," the letter said. The families called on the Government to ensure resources are available to enforce the existing regulations. But the Prime Minister on Monday ruled out changing the law to allow parties to sue negligent tourism operators. John Key said the Government would not want to change its position on the ACC faults claim that stops parties from being sued. However, he said he is open to suggestions that passenger seat belts could be made compulsory during take-off in skydiving planes. Call for CAA shake-up Karen Bourke, whose son died in the crash, said the CAA needs a shake-up. She said she would like to see New Zealand's no-blame system changed and a negligence law brought in. "People have to be accountable, and I don't see that in New Zealand." Chris Coker, the father of another who died, told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme the system in New Zealand is weighted against the victim. "When companies fail in their duty to protect the public the law in New Zealand does not allow the injured party to hold them to account." Mr Coker said an improved system would require companies to keep up their safety standards to maintain insurance protection. Responding to the families' criticism, John Kay said the the CAA had a comprehensive surveillance and monitoring regime of aviation companies is in place. He said operators are audited on a reasonably regular basis which varies according to the nature of the company and its safety performance. The five New Zealand residents who died in the crash were: pilot Chaminda Senadhira from Queenstown, Adam Bennett of Motueka, Michael Suter of New Plymouth, Christopher McDonald of Mapua and Rodney Miller from Greymouth. http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/134358/caa-considered-fox-glacier-crash-prosecution Back to Top Back to Top Runway incursions a threat to aviation safety With incursions happening almost once a day, Pearson near-collision highlights risk of a jet colliding with another plane or vehicle on the runway. One of the biggest threats to aviation safety today are runway incursions. A Star analysis of Transport Canada data counted 5,677 incursions by aircraft, vehicles and pedestrians since 1999, averaging almost 400 a year. OTTAWA-The radar screen Toronto's Pearson airport told the heart-stopping tale of a looming disaster. A radar scope in the control tower showed two targets - one of them an Air Canada Embraer jet about to land - on a collision course. The controller, perched high above the runways and taxiways, could see the landing lights of the approaching jet. But the identity of the other target was hidden in the late-evening darkness. Unfolding in the darkness at Canada's busiest airport was a runway incursion, one of the biggest threats to aviation safety today. A Star analysis of Transport Canada data counted 5,677 incursions by aircraft, vehicles and pedestrians since 1999, averaging almost 400 a year. The controller issued urgent orders to the Air Canada crew to abort their landing to avoid the mystery target - instructions that were ignored. On the radar screen, the two targets merged - a nightmare scenario for any air traffic controller. The Air Canada aircraft touched down safely, its crew oblivious to their near-brush - their flight had passed less than 50 feet over a van that had driven into their path. The March 11 incident was "very close," an investigator said later. Just over a week later, pilots of a Boeing 727 cargo jet at Hamilton airport are told to abort their take-off roll. The jet slows to a stop halfway down the runway - ahead are two snowplows. And in April, a controller at Pearson twice orders the crew of a commuter jet to stop on a taxiway. Yet they continue and intrude on an adjacent runway just as a Sunwing Boeing 737 jet is taking off. While aviation has been getting safer, runway incursions - when aircraft or vehicles blunder on to an active runway or even taxiway by mistake - remain a weak spot. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has warned about "potentially catastrophic outcomes" of incursions. "There is ongoing risk that aircraft may collide with vehicles or other aircraft on the ground at Canadian airports," the safety board warned in one report into a close call at the Calgary airport in 2010. The worst aviation accident ever was a runway incursion at the airport in the Canary Islands, when a departing Boeing 747 collided with another jumbo jet on the runway, killing 583 people. "It's a concern worldwide," said Mark Clitsome, director of air investigations for the safety board, the independent agency that probes transportation occurrences. "We've been watching those numbers for last few years and they're not going down. So we're concerned," he told the Star in an interview. The safety board has put runway incursions on its watchlist of transportation problems that pose the greatest risk to travellers. There are many reasons for an incursion. In the case of the Air Canada near-miss, the van had been left in gear when parked at a nearby gate and had rolled across the runway without its driver. More often, inattention and confusion are to blame. Pilots can lose their way in the maze of taxiways or in a moment's inattention neglect to hear a controller's instructions. Radio communications can get mixed up. Airport signs identifying runways and taxiways can be confusing. Vehicle drivers get lost. "A lot of these airports have multiple taxiways and multiple turn-offs from runways. At night, in poor weather or if (pilots) get busy, they could wind up turning onto the wrong taxiway . . . or crossing a live runway," Clitsome said. But technology plays a part, too. The safety board has flagged problems with the radar system that monitors surface movements at Toronto airport and warns controllers of potential conflicts. The system was "at its limits" and outdated software means the radar "provided insufficient warning time to avert a potential collision," the board warned after a 2007 investigation into an incursion. Yet six years later, the recommended upgrades have yet to happen, the Star has learned. Statistics prepared by a working group to curb incursions counted 1,078 incidents between Jan. 1, 2010 and Dec. 31, 2012. Of those, 126 were blamed on air traffic control, 651 were because of pilot errors and 301 were blamed on pedestrians or vehicles. "This is an industry that involves a lot of humans and therefore we always have to be conscious of the human error element," said Rob Thurgur, assistant vice-president, operational support for Nav Canada, the agency that operates the country's air traffic control system. "That's . . . why we have the procedures and the vigilance that is trying to mitigate the human error out of the aviation system," he said in an interview. Thurgur also stressed that incursion statistics need to be viewed in context, noting that in most incidents there's no risk of a collision. Indeed, of the 1,078 incursions in the last two years, only four were classed as "extreme risk." Another 16 were deemed "high risk," 437 had "some risk" and the rest - 621 - had little or no risk, according to numbers compiled by the working group. The safety board concedes that the chance of an incursion leading to a crash remains "relatively rare." But it still warns that the "consequences can be catastrophic" because of the chance for a high-speed collision. The Air Line Pilots Association International has warned that the "risk of a runway incursion event that could kill hundreds of people in a single accident is real and growing larger" because of increasing air traffic. Nav Canada is heading a working group that includes airline pilots, airport operators, the safety board and Transport Canada to look at curbing incursions. "We work collaboratively together to come up with the best phraseology, the best signage, the best documentation and the best technology and the best operation and procedures so we can minimize the risk," Thurgur said. He said technical troubles have delayed the upgrade of the ground radar system at Pearson urged by the safety board. Originally scheduled for last September, it could be early fall before the new system is ready. "Because of the complexity of these systems, they don't just go in overnight," he said. "We frankly ran into some software complications and we've had to make some changes. We're still working towards making that upgrade," Thurgur said. By late summer, Nav Canada is also planning to add an extra layer of surveillance at Pearson, using aircraft radio transponders to track their position on the airport. The system is already up and running in Montreal and Calgary. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/05/06/runway_incursions_a_threat_to_aviation_safety.html Back to Top Cirrus Aircraft parachute 'saves' are increasing Pilot Jeff Ippoliti suspects April 10, 2004, would have been his final day on the planet if it weren't for CAPS, the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System that returned him to the ground unscathed after a frightful flight. Publicity about the successful deployment of Dr. Richard McGlauphlin's Cirrus parachute in the Bahamas in January 2010 might have been a turning point in Cirrus pilots' awareness of the need to use their chutes. McGlauphlin and his daughter survived the plunge into the ocean off Andros Island. Minnesota survivor Pilot Jeff Ippoliti suspects April 10, 2004, would have been his final day on the planet if it weren't for CAPS, the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System that returned him to the ground unscathed after a frightful flight. He's one of 69 people saved, to date, by the unique whole-plane parachute system that comes standard on every airplane that rolls off Cirrus Aircraft's production line in Duluth. Another 188 people have perished in fatal Cirrus crashes, however. And the vast majority of those deaths probably could have been avoided with a simple pull of the handle that triggers the emergency chute, according to Bill King, the company's vice president of business administration. Cirrus carefully reviews all fatal accidents, and King said it appears that in about two-thirds there are nearly identical corollaries where a pilot pulled the handle, brought a plane safely to Earth and walked away from the scene. "I can't begin to describe the absolute frustration we feel, realizing that the outcome of an incident should have been a cell phone call home saying, 'Honey, I'm going to be late for dinner,' instead of a sheriff knocking at the door," King said. "It's extremely frustrating to see families in absolute agony and crisis for no good reason." But the winds appear to be shifting. Cirrus chalked up a record-breaking six parachute saves in 2012 and already has put two more in the books this year. With each successful deployment, King said user confidence in the system is growing. Rick Beach, safety liaison for the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association - COPA - pointed to the growing number of CAPS deployments in recent months and said: "I think it really is a trend." He traces the start of that trend to a high-profile parachute save that occurred in the Bahamas in January 2012, attracting international news coverage - including in the Duluth News Tribune. Dr. Richard McGlauphlin, a doctor from Birmingham, Ala., was flying his Cirrus to Haiti to volunteer his medical services when the airplane developed engine trouble. Unable to make it to a landing strip on Andros Island, he pulled the chute and descended into the sea below. McGlauphlin and his 25-year-old daughter, who had accompanied him, climbed into a life raft that had been stowed onboard the airplane for just such an emergency, and within about an hour, the U.S. Coast Guard arrived to carry them to safety. "COPA has had a longstanding belief that the parachute is a safety feature that more people should use," said Beach, who serves as co-chairman of the organization's pilot proficiency program. As a result of outreach and education efforts, Beach said he believes most COPA members already understood the value and importance of making timely use of the parachute system. "But I think that message is getting out to more people now, whether they're COPA members or not," he said. "This is a system that can protect you and your family," Beach said. "As the understanding of that fact becomes more widespread, I think we'll see more people using the parachute." An overlooked option King noted that the vast majority of pilots who are active today learned to fly in airplanes that lacked parachute systems, and they have not been trained to consider deployment an option. "People don't think of it," he said. "They were trained to fly an airplane until it is in the dirt and the dust has settled." When things start to go wrong in the air, it's easy to become deeply absorbed in trying to overcome the situation, Beach explained. He described putting Cirrus pilots into flight simulators and presenting them with a cascade of in-flight difficulties. "Many of them get so focused on dealing with the problems at hand that they say afterwards they were not even aware of the fact that they had a chute," Beach said. King said it is only after a simulated crash has occurred that many pilots finally remember in embarrassment the parachute system they didn't use. "People tend not to become great thinkers in moments of crisis," King observed. COPA and Cirrus have teamed up in a training effort designed to make pilots think ahead about when and how to use the parachute. King said his employer has budgeted $1 million to improve pilot safety in 2013. When to pull Beach said the success of the parachute system depends on pilots taking decisive action at the right moment. "CAPS is designed to operate quickly, but it still takes eight seconds or more to fully deploy," Beach said of the rocket-launched parachute. So far, CAPS has had a 100 percent success rate when deployed within its design parameters, King said. It has brought the occupants of 33 Cirrus airplanes safely to the ground. To successfully use the system, Cirrus recommends airplanes be flying at a minimum altitude of 1,000 feet and a maximum speed of 133 knots. But Cirrus reports its parachute system has proven even more robust, logging saves of airplanes traveling as fast as 187 knots and at altitudes as low as 441 feet. The system has its limits, however. Beach said there have been at least six accidents where a pilot tried unsuccessfully to deploy the chute at altitudes of 100 feet or less. "The challenge is getting pilots to realize that with the parachute, you need to pull early or you could die," said Beach, noting that the window of opportunity can close quickly in an emergency situation. King said there also have been pilots who tried to pull the chute at high speeds that caused it to separate and fail. In a training video, Patrick Waddick, Cirrus' president and chief operating officer, stressed the need for pilots to think through different scenarios in which they would use the parachute. He encouraged aviators to rehearse what they would do, so that should circumstances ever warrant a parachute deployment, pulling the handle would be almost instinctive. Ippoliti had come to the same conclusion well before his own scare. Tragic lesson The Syracuse, N.Y., attorney took delivery of his Cirrus SR22 in 2001. In Syracuse, Ippoliti met another new Cirrus owner. This man and a partner were killed in a crash shortly afterward when they went into a spin, were unable to recover control and hit the ground without ever attempting to deploy the airplane's parachute. The event made quite an impression on Ippoliti. "I remember thinking back then: That will never be me," he said. "If I'm ever in a bad situation, I'm going to deploy CAPS." A few years later Ippoliti's resolution would be put to the test. On a heavily overcast day in 2004, Ippoliti arrived in Fort Lauderdale to pick up his airplane, which had been in for service on its electronics system. After a successful preflight check, Ippoliti took off. "I got into the clouds at about 380 feet. I was in a climbing turn, and I started to lose my instruments in rapid succession. The last altitude I saw was 680 feet before I lost my altimeter," he said. Without instruments and unable to safely descend due to the low cloud ceiling, Ippoliti was in a pickle. Climbing out of the 12,000-foot-tall cloud cover wasn't a feasible option, either. "I knew I was in trouble," Ippoliti said. He continued to climb until he figured he must have reached at least 800 feet, then Ippoliti reached up and pulled he handle. "It was an instant decision for me," he said. "It worked perfectly," Ippoliti said, recalling his descent under the parachute's canopy. The plane came to rest in a park, and Ippoliti described the touch-down as fairly gentle. "I was very thankful that day that I had bought a Cirrus," he said. Ippoliti's SR22 is still in service, although today it has a new owner. While Cirrus originally designed the parachute system to save only the occupants of an airplane, not the craft itself, King said about half the airplanes that have logged CAPS saves have been returned to service. http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/266211/ Back to Top Campers stumble across lost Russian airplane Campers in the Ural mountains in Russia have found what are believed to be the remains of an Antonov plane and eleven of the thirteen people believed to be on board when it made an unauthorised takeoff last June before disappearing. The group, which included a town police chief, took the plane after a drinking session, possibly for a fishing trip or rural sauna. http://www.euronews.com/2013/05/05/campers-stumble-across-lost-russian-airplane/ **************** Status: Preliminary Date: 11 JUN 2012 Type: Antonov 2R Operator: Avi Zov Registration: RA-40312 C/n / msn: 1G221-48 First flight: 1986 Crew: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Passengers: Fatalities: 12 / Occupants: 12 Total: Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 13 Airplane damage: Written off Airplane fate: mis Location: near Serov, Sverdlovsk region (Russia) Phase: Unknown (UNK) Nature: Illegal Flight Departure airport: ? Destination airport: ? Narrative: An Antonov 2 biplane, RA-40312, disappeared in Russia after being taken on an illegal flight on the evening of June 11, 2012. In the evening of June 11, the Eve of Russia's Day, a group of people were having a drinking party at the airfield near the city of Serov, Russia. They than managed to illegally take An-2 plane parked at the airfield to fly for fishing or sauna party elsewhere. Among the missing men are the Chief of Serov city police, three police inspectors, the guard of the airport, a private company guard, a pensionist, a young unemployed guy and a local mobile shop owner. The exact destination of the flight remains unknown. It's estimated that nine persons were onboard as they left their cars at the airfield, although some reports indicate there were 12 passengers on board, together with the pilot. Because of deteriorating weather conditions the search was called off on November 13, 2012. Almost 300,000 square kilometers were searched. The airplane is presumed to have crashed and the fatality index is presumed. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST: Department of Systems Design Engineering University of Waterloo PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR INVESTIGATING INTEGRATION OF NON-COOPERATIVE UAVS INTO CONTROLLED AIRSPACE We are looking for volunteers to take part in an online survey study examining controllers and pilots' perspectives on the information about non-cooperative object (i.e. birds, unmanned aircraft systems, weather, etc.) that should be gathered by surveillance systems. The results will be used as a foundation to provide mitigation strategies for current radar surveillance systems on how the non-cooperative objects, especially unmanned aircraft, should be displayed. This project is conducted under the supervision of Professor Jonathan Histon. In order to participate in the study, you are expected to have professional working/training experience as an air traffic controller or pilot. In the survey, you would be asked to answer questions about your experience with non-cooperative unmanned aircraft, your preference of information level of detail regarding the display of unmanned aircraft, and potential factors that would affect your communication with the pilots/controllers. The survey takes approximately 30 minutes to complete, which can be finished whenever and wherever at your convenience, as long as you have the access to the internet. Please be noted that no login and passwords are required, therefore the survey has to be completed at one sitting. Participation is voluntary and anonymous. Although no monetary remuneration will be given, your commitment is greatly appreciated. To volunteer for this study, please click: http://edu.surveygizmo.com/s3/1118696/Registration For more information about the study, please contact: Xiaochen Yuan Systems Design Engineering at xiaochen.yuan@uwaterloo.ca This study has been reviewed by, and received ethics clearance through, the Office of Research Ethics, University of Waterloo. Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST: Asking for your Participation in an Online Questionnaire regarding Air Rage during Commercial Air Transportation My name is Peter Kneer. I am a retired German Air Force jet pilot currently working at the German military aviation test center at Manching, Bavaria. I am also working on my Capstone Project at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. The intent is to look into Air Rage / Unruly Passengers in order to get a more thorough understanding of the phenomena, to see and predict trends, and to possibly provide recommendations. With this in mind I would kindly ask airline and airport representatives engaged with this topic to participate in this online survey. Please use the following link to access the AIRLINE SURVEY or paste https://www.umfrageonline.com/s/82349f1 in your browser. Please use the following link to access the AIRPORT SURVEY or paste https://www.umfrageonline.com/s/21d105f in your browser. All responses you provide for this study will remain confidential. If you have any question, concern, or suggestion, please feel free to contact my using my ERAU address kneerp@my.erau.edu Thank you very much for your participation in this research project. Kind regards Peter Kneer Back to Top Position Wanted: Pilot Position-First Officer (Airline/Cargo) Experienced international airline aviator with 8,000+ total flying hours; in excess 2000 hours of B777, 2200 hours of B737, and 1800 hours of A310 experience. Verifiable record of no violations. Solid training record- has passed all commercial airline and check rights on first attempt. Continuous employment in aviation. Dependable employee- 0 no. - Shows throughout career. Facilitate open communication and mutual respect among all work groups. Committed to Safety First. Firm Advocate of Crew Resource Management. U.S. Citizen Contact: jahanzeb737@yahoo.com Curt Lewis