Flight Safety Information November 22, 2013 - No. 242 In This Issue AOPA insists FAA withdraw sleep apnea policy Cargo jet takes off from Wichita on short runway Coast Guard suspends jet crash search Helicopter's propeller breaks, injuring two on oilrig FAA Launches Air Carrier Training Group FAA, U.S. Airlines to Develop Voluntary Pilot-Training Upgrades U.S. to Consider Cellphone Use on Planes Airbus Delivers First A320 Family Aircraft With The Runway Overrun Prevention System Laser devices pose growing risk for pilots in Tucson, nationwide ERAU Unmanned Aircraft Systems Workshop: Register Now For Discount Think ARGUS PROS South Korea Military to Decide on $7.8 Billion Fighter Jet Order Two aircraft obtained on lease join PIA fleet Announcing...The Annual "Moral Courage Safety Awards" AOPA insists FAA withdraw sleep apnea policy Intrusive policy doesn't improve safety, raises costs AOPA insists that the FAA withdraw its new sleep apnea policy. In a Nov. 20 letter to the FAA administrator, AOPA President Mark Baker insists that the FAA withdraw its new sleep apnea policy or go through the rulemaking process. "We believe this policy inappropriately bypasses the rulemaking process; overlooks potentially more effective and efficient solutions; provides no clear safety benefit; and imposes unjustified costs on the user community," Baker wrote. The new policy would require some pilots to be screened and, if necessary, treated for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) before receiving a medical certificate. The screening would initially apply to pilots with a body mass index (BMI) over 40. Over time, the FAA would lower the BMI requirement, compelling more pilots to be screened by a board-certified sleep specialist. "While we believe that pilots who experience sleep apnea should seek proper treatment, we also believe that this surprise policy announcement is an inappropriate and ineffective way to ensure that they do," Baker wrote. The letter points out that the sudden announcement bypassed the rulemaking process, which would allow pilots and the public to comment on the proposal. Congress intervened in a similar situation in October after the Department of Transportation attempted to require sleep apnea testing for commercial truck drivers. In that case Congress passed a law requiring the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to go through the formal rulemaking process before requiring testing. The letter also disputes the safety benefits of the proposed policy, saying that sleep apnea was not identified as either a causal or contributing factor in any fatal general aviation accidents in an extensive analysis of a decade's worth of reports. "Any effort to improve general aviation safety must be data driven, and the available data simply do not support the need for this new OSA policy for general aviation," Baker wrote. At the same time, the letter warns, the cost of the new policy could be astronomical in terms of both money and time. Sleep apnea testing for the 124,973 airmen identified as obese by the FAA in 2011 could cost as much as $374 million. Affected pilots would also have to apply for a special issuance medical certificate at a time when the FAA already has a backlog of 55,000 cases. There are more affordable and less intrusive options for addressing sleep disorders, the letter notes, including a provision in the AOPA/EAA Third-Class Medical Petition that would require pilots to participate in a recurring educational course that would teach them how to better self-assess their medical fitness to fly. The letter points out that pilots determine their fitness to fly every time they get in the cockpit, while they visit the medical examiner only periodically. AOPA's position received support from Congress on Nov. 21, when a group of House General Aviation Caucus members introduced legislation to require the FAA to go through the rulemaking process before implementing policy changes related to sleep disorders. The measure is sponsored by Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), chairman of the House aviation subcommittee; Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), ranking member of the aviation subcommittee; Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), co- chair of the House General Aviation Caucus; Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.); Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.); Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.); and Rep. Pat Meehan (R-Pa.). http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2013/November/20/aopa-insists-faa-withdraw-sleep-apnea- policy.aspx Back to Top Cargo jet takes off from Wichita on short runway Boeing 747 Dreamlifter jet takes off from wrong airport (CNN) -- A mammoth cargo plane that landed Wednesday night at the wrong airport in Wichita, Kansas -- one that typically does not accommodate such beasts -- took off without incident Thursday afternoon on a runway half a mile shorter than it usually uses. The Boeing 747 Dreamlifter's massive engines roared as it lumbered down the pavement, then lifted off and disappeared into the overcast sky. A few minutes later, it landed without incident at the airport 12 miles across town where it was originally supposed to land -- McConnell Air Force Base. An investigation has begun into what caused the pilot to land at the wrong airport, said Bonnie Rodney, a spokeswoman for Atlas Air, which operates the Boeing-owned jet. Plane stuck at airport It was laden with cargo intended for Boeing, she said. Boeing said the cargo was a B-787 fuselage. Elaborate precautions had been taken to ensure no one got hurt in the take-off attempt. Police closed nearby roads and urged area residents to stay away from the airport. "Onlookers and gawkers have caused accidents," said Roger Xanders, chief of airport police and fire. The takeoff came less than a day after the plane, which was bound for McConnell from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, missed its mark. Instead of landing, as had been planned, at the military airport on Wichita's southeast side, it landed at the much smaller, general aviation Col. James Jabara Airport on the northeast side. Jabara has no control tower and normally doesn't handle jumbo jets. The Atlas Air 747 Dreamlifter is a modified 747-400 passenger airplane that can haul more cargo by volume than any airplane in the world. When fully loaded, the Dreamlifter needs a runway 9,199 feet long to take off, reports affiliate KWCH. The Jabara runway is 6,101 feet. But a spokeswoman for the airport authority, Valerie Wise, cited favorable weather Thursday and the fact that much of the fuel had been used in the flight from JFK -- which lightened the weight of the plane -- for the conclusion that it was safe to take off on the shorter runway. "The engineers have been running calculations all night," she said. http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/21/travel/kansas-cargo-plane-wrong-airport/ Back to Top Coast Guard suspends jet crash search DANIA BEACH, Fla. -- The Coast Guard is suspending its search for two people still missing after their Mexico- bound jet crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off South Florida, officials announced Thursday evening. During a news conference in Dania Beach with the Coast Guard and the Mexican consulate, Lt. Cmdr. Gabe Somma said the Coast Guard will continue to assist the National Transportation Safety Board by recovering debris but will no longer search for the missing victims. "There have been no signs of survivors," Somma said. "Survivability beyond this time is highly unlikely." The Learjet 35 crashed Tuesday night into the ocean about a mile offshore, and authorities have recovered the bodies of two other people from the wreckage. The search has covered 4,000 square miles, Somma said. More than 1,000 pounds of debris has been located and recovered for the NTSB's investigation. Two pilots, a doctor and a nurse were on the plane. They were flying back to Cozumel, Mexico, when the pilot reported an engine failure and attempted to return to the airport. NTSB investigator Brian Rayner said it's still unclear what caused the crash. Of the debris that's been found, there's no evidence of a fire, he said. Everything seems consistent with a water impact, but neither engine has been recovered. No flight recorder has been recovered, and officials haven't been able to determine whether the plane had one. "At this stage in the investigation, what I'm interested in is the gathering of evidence," Rayner said. "The more we gather, the more we can rule out." Mexico's Transportation Department has identified the pilots as Jose Hiram Galvan de la O. and Josue Buendía Moreno and the passengers as Fernando Senties Nieto and Mariana Gonzalez Isunza. It was not immediately clear which victims remained missing Thursday. The company that runs the medical transport planes said the flight crew had picked up a patient in Costa Rica. Francisco de la Lama, the deputy general consul of Mexico in Miami, said family members of all four victims have come to South Florida. "As you can imagine, they're very devastated," de la Lama said. Federal Aviation Administration officials had warned of potential problems found in the Learjet 35 in June. According to the special bulletin, maintenance workers found cracks in the control column on Learjet Model 35A (C-21A) airplanes. Five airplanes were inspected and all five had cracks in the area at the base of the column where it attaches to the floor. However, the concern was not deemed dangerous enough to warrant a further directive, according to the bulletin. http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/21/3769097/search-for-florida-jet-crash-survivors.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top Helicopter's propeller breaks, injuring two on oilrig The rear propeller of a helicopter broke during landing on an oilrig off southern Vung Tau City. The broken parts flew away from the plane, hitting and injuring two workers on the rig. At 10 am on Thursday, a Mi-17 helicopter of the Southern Aviation Service Company was landing on oilrig RP3 at the Dragon Oil Field of the Vietnamese-Russian oil and gas joint venture Vietsovpetro when its rear propeller collided with the metal guard-net surrounding the landing strip. The clash caused the propeller to break, and parts flew away from the plane, hitting two workers on the rig and causing serious injuries. The injured were taken ashore to Vietsovpetrol's Vietnam-Russia Health Center for emergency treatment. The helicopter is now being kept at the rig pending repair by the Southern Aviation Service Company. The helicopter will be fixed with a new propeller before it flies back to the mainland, the company said. The Southern Helicopter Company is investigating the cause of the collision. http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/15356/helicopters-propeller-breaks-injuring-two-on-oilrig Back to Top FAA Launches Air Carrier Training Group Several weeks after expanding commercial airline pilot training rules, the FAA on Thursday Nov. 21 launched a new government-industry team that will focus on studying training issues with the goal of advocating additional best practices for training new commercial airline flight crews. Earlier this month the agency mandated new commercial airline training provisions aimed at giving pilots more instruction on dealing with flight hazards such as recovering from aircraft stalls and upsets. The new Air Carrier Training Steering Group has been tasked with looking at ways to further expand upon those provisions. "We want to identify additional areas for improvement in training, and make voluntary efforts to address these. We live in a world today where we cannot regulate every aspect of safety," said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. "One of the most successful safety engagements we've had between government and industry is CAST - the Commercial Aviation Safety Team. We are sharing data and looking at trends. When we do this, it's obvious to all of us where we need to act." Huerta said he will also be reaching out to airlines to ask them to support their representatives that are nominated to serve on the group. He said the agency is also looking for recommendations on how to improve training for flight attendants and dispatchers. http://www.aviationtoday.com/the-checklist/FAA-Launches-Air-Carrier-Training- Group_80724.html#.Uo9JrsSRB8E Back to Top FAA, U.S. Airlines to Develop Voluntary Pilot-Training Upgrades Study Cites Undue Reliance by Flight Crews on Automation By ANDY PASZTOR and ALLISON PRANG Federal air-safety officials, two weeks after mandating major upgrades to commercial-pilot training, said they will work with U.S. airlines to develop a host of additional voluntary improvements. The Federal Aviation Administration's move on Thursday underscores a growing industry-government consensus that pilot training must change further to cope with evolving risks, particularly flight crews' increasing reliance on cockpit automation. But unlike yearslong efforts to draw up rules often opposed by many in industry, and frequently difficult to justify on strict cost-benefit grounds, FAA leaders spelled out a new strategy: they intend to join airline-safety experts to craft more-flexible, voluntary changes in training and cockpit procedures to plug safety loopholes. It is the latest step in FAA-industry collaboration, and FAA Chief Michael Huerta told reporters the effort continues the shift from corrective actions after accidents to a system of measures to improve safety before crashes occur. "We still know that there is more that we can [do], and more that we should do to move to the next level of training," he said. In conjunction with a safety summit between the FAA and dozens of industry officials held in Washington, the agency released a long-awaited report highlighting the dangers of undue reliance by flight crews on automation. Prepared over seven years by an international group of experts, the study documents erosion of manual flying skills, poor decision making in emergencies and a reluctance to turn off automation when pilots aren't properly trained in its use. Such lapses pose the biggest threat to commercial-aviation safety around the globe, and the latest findings and voluntary training initiatives are intended to reverse that trend. David Woods, an Ohio State University professor who helped write the report, said "past successes in training have reached a plateau" and "the consistent theme is that the role of pilots is changing." To deal with today's hazards, Mr. Woods said, "training programs need to be refreshed and refocused" to take advantage of new research and technology. "Every professional pilot in America is paying attention to this report," industry consultant Mike Boyd told Fox News. The FAA and industry leaders didn't provide specifics about likely training shifts. But they pledged to set long- term priorities using a new organizational structure, which the agency said will "work on an ongoing basis for an undetermined time period." Earlier this month the FAA issued a rewrite of its commercial-pilot training requirements, calling it the biggest change in such rules in two decades. The revisions, among other things, set more stringent proficiency requirements to handle stalls and other in-flight emergencies; they also includes provisions to ensure aviators properly monitor flight paths and cockpit instruments. But the process stretched over many years, and the final regulations didn't incorporate some important recommendations and findings related to cockpit automation from various industry-labor study groups over that period. Thursday's announcement indicates some frustration with traditional regulatory efforts on the part of the FAA. Even by the standards of making mandatory rules, a process that is "intended to be slow and deliberative," the recent training rule took "unfortunately long" to complete, Peggy Gilligan, the agency's top safety official, told the industry gathering. Airlines and the government both recognize "safety processes need to be able to move more quickly," she said, "and that's really what we're here to ask you to help us do." Ms. Gilligan said the goal was to develop training enhancements that all sides "can agree to implement in a timely and cost-effective way." The automation report calls for changes based on analyses of past accidents and incidents. The committee of experts recommended training adjustments to ensure pilots can intervene decisively and confidently when automated systems malfunction or when these systems disconnect in emergencies that require manual flying. David McKenney, an airline captain who served as one of the panel's three co-chairmen, on Thursday said "all of the current training emphasis is how to interface with the automated systems." Instead, he said, the focus should be on "making sure pilots stay mentally engaged and are prepared to take over" when necessary. Whenever automated flight controls are engaged, according to Mr. McKenney, pilots should be trained to make sure they understand "what the systems are telling them" and that automation is only one of the tools they can use to stay on course and speed. The FAA, which embraced the automation report's conclusions, already has issued guidance to start phasing in a number of its recommendations, including calls for standardized and more pilot-friendly design of flight decks. "Everybody is identifying the problems, yet we're not spending money on the right things," according to Rory Kay, an airline captain who served as co-chair of an FAA-sponsored committee that previously urged steps to boost manual flying skills. The industry is eager to save money by reducing the duration of recurrent training, Mr. Kay said, while "cockpit technology is evolving rapidly" and pilots generally need more comprehensive simulator sessions "to experience both normal and abnormal" automation events. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303653004579212443956599268 Back to Top U.S. to Consider Cellphone Use on Planes Proposal Would Allow for Calls Above 10,000 Feet A JetBlue passenger checking his cellphone last year. Lifting the ban on in-flight cellphone calls would leave it to the airlines to establish a policy. The Federal Communications Commission said it will soon propose allowing passengers to use their cellphones on airplanes, setting up a debate that will pit the technically possible against the socially tolerable. While cellphone use would still be restricted during takeoff and landing, the proposal would lift an FCC ban on airborne calls and cellular-data use by passengers once a flight reaches 10,000 feet. That would remove a regulatory hurdle to in-flight calls, but it would be up to the airlines themselves whether to allow them. Airlines have said they would approach the matter cautiously because of strong objections from their customers. The carriers also would have to install equipment on their planes to communicate with cellphone towers on the ground. The Federal Aviation Administration said last month that it would allow expanded use of electronic devices during flights. Technical concerns about the airborne use of gadgets have faded. But the debate about the social merits of allowing people to make phone calls with a captive audience in the close confines of an airplane cabin promises to be vigorous. At least one FCC commissioner's office was flooded Thursday by negative reaction to the proposal, an aide said. A passenger checks her cellphone before a flight. The FCC move would lift a regulatory hurdle, but any use of cellphones on planes would still have to be approved by the airlines. Since 1991, the FCC has prohibited in-flight use of cellphones due to concerns that they could interfere with wireless networks on the ground. The FAA said recently that cellphones pose no safety threat to aircraft. When the FCC made a similar proposal to lift the restriction in 2004, it received more than 8,000 comments. The commission backed down in 2007 after flight attendants and other groups argued that in-flight calls would be a nuisance. The FCC also was concerned by a "lack of technical information in the record upon which we may base a decision," according to its 2007 decision. That was the same year in which Apple Inc. AAPL +1.19% introduced the iPhone, and cellphone-related behavior has evolved since then. Some international carriers have equipped their airplanes with cellphone technology, but they have to turn those systems off when entering U.S. airspace because of the FCC ban. A survey of 1,600 U.S. adults cited by the FAA showed a split on the issue, with 51% of respondents expressing negative reactions to in-flight phone calls and 47% responding positively. Many U.S. airlines already could allow their passengers to make in-flight phone calls by using onboard Wi-Fi with programs such as Google GOOG +1.15% Voice and Skype, but virtually all U.S. airlines ban that technology, because they say their customers don't want in-flight calls. Gogo Inc., the largest provider of in-flight Internet in the U.S., recently launched a mobile application that allows fliers to use their smartphones to make voice calls and send text messages using onboard Gogo Wi-Fi. Gogo said its business-aviation clients use the application widely to make in-flight phone calls, but all of its U.S. commercial-airline customers have asked the company to disable the app's voice-call function. "It's the social stigma of people having loud public conversations in a public space," said Steve Nolan, a Gogo spokesman. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the nation's largest flight attendant union, said it opposes the lifting of the in-flight cellphone ban. "There are far too many scenarios where in-flight cellphone use would have very negative effects on safety and security," said union spokeswoman Corey Caldwell. "We don't want attendants having to vie for passengers' attention during emergency situations." If the FCC changes its rules, many airlines have said they would be hesitant to allow in-flight calls. Others have suggested they would re-evaluate their policies. Southwest Airlines Co. LUV +2.44% , Delta Air Lines Inc. DAL +1.19% and Virgin America Inc. said Thursday that in-flight phone calls are virtually off the table. "Years of customer feedback" show that "the overwhelming sentiment is to continue with a policy that would not allow voice communications while in flight," Delta said. United Continental Holdings Inc. said that although its customers have expressed concerns about in-flight calls, it would study the FCC proposal. JetBlue Airways Corp. JBLU +1.25% said it welcomes the opportunity to re-evaluate its policy. "Our customer feedback indicates people may not want that policy but, of course, tastes and desires change," said JetBlue spokeswoman Jenny Dervin. "We would prioritize making the cabin comfortable...for those who want cell service and for those who like peace and quiet." Ms. Dervin said officials at the airline were surprised by Thursday's news of the FCC proposal and quickly huddled to begin planning. She said JetBlue would consult with its customers after the proposal was released and, depending on the results, the airline could consider designating a portion of its cabins for fliers who want to make phone calls. Many commercial aircraft in the U.S. used to offer fliers seatback phones, but that technology was largely phased out years ago because few travelers used it. One of the systems, called Airfone and initially owned by Verizon Communications Inc., VZ -0.04% used the same air-to-ground spectrum that Gogo uses today for its in-flight Internet. Seatback phones remain on some private aircraft today, but Gogo purchased the service earlier this year to gain further access to the spectrum it uses and plans to terminate it next month. If the airlines were to offer cellular service, wireless carriers would likely negotiate roaming rates with companies like Gogo, which would then transmit signals to cell towers on the ground, said Andrew Charlton, chief executive of Aviation Advocacy, an airline consulting firm based in Switzerland. In October, the FAA said it would allow passengers to use electronic devices such as e-books and tablets below 10,000 feet as long as their wireless signals were disabled. The agency stressed that cellphones had to remain in airplane mode-with cellular transmissions shut off. The FCC proposal is scheduled to be discussed at the commission's December meeting. The proposal will be sent out as what is known as a Notice of Proposed Rule Making, in which the agency will invite comments on the idea before making a final decision. The entire process could take months. Back to Top Airbus Delivers First A320 Family Aircraft With The Runway Overrun Prevention System Last week Airbus delivered the first A320 family aircraft with the runway overrun prevention system (ROPS), an A319, to American Airlines. American is to equip all of its A320 family fleet with Airbus's ROPS. The delivery coincided with FAA certification for A320 family ROPS technology. In August, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certified ROPS on the A320ceo (current engine option) family. "Runway excursions are the number-one cause of commercial aviation accidents in the world. The patented Airbus ROPS system computes minimum realistic in-flight landing and on-ground stopping distances and compares them to available landing distances in real time," Airbus said in a statement. "The system combines data on weather, runway condition and topography, and aircraft weight and configuration. Depending on the resulting analysis, ROPS may prompt immediate callouts and alerts for pilots, assisting the crew in the go-around decision-making process and/or the timely application of stopping means on touchdown." http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/dubai-air-show/2013-11-21/airbus-delivers-first-a320-family- aircraft-runway-overrun-prevention-system Back to Top Laser devices pose growing risk for pilots in Tucson, nationwide TUCSON - Hundreds of pilots from law enforcement agencies around the state gathered for the largest safety seminar in Arizona focusing on laser beam incidents. FBI Special Agent Brian Nowak said that there were an estimated 4,000 incidents of lasers beamed into the cockpits of aircraft have occurred nationwide this year. In Tucson, a laser is pointed at an aircraft between one and four times a week. Tucson Police Pilot Chris Potter tracks every time the police department's air unit has had a run in with a laser. "Last year we have close to 50 incidents," Potter said. For Potter, it's caused permanent damage. He was flying a couple years ago. "The laser beam came through the window on my right side, penetrated my right eye ... damaged my retina," Potter said. The problem is - many times the laser shines through the cockpit, it can create a dangerous distraction. "It turns into hundreds of laser beams that will bounce around inside the cockpit," Potter said. Currently, if you get caught shining a laser at an aircraft, you could face federal felony charges. There's also a push to toughen state law and possibly add on an assault charge because of the potential for danger. "Lawmakers need to lawmakers need to understand the dangers of what can take place with shining a laser in an aircraft and the dangers that can take place," said Agent Nowak. "With the public, public safety and to the aircraft and the pilots of the aircraft." While laser devices have not been faulted for any crashes yet, Potter said that it's better to stay proactive. "At the very least, this could be damaging to the crew member's eyes...and the greater tragedy could be if a crew loses control of an aircraft," Potter said. Phoenix currently ranks as the number one city in the nation for laser incidents. Tucson ranks high in the number of federal cases involving a laser device. http://www.kvoa.com/news/laser-devices-pose-growing-risk-for-pilots-in-tucson-nationwide/#_ Back to Top ERAU Unmanned Aircraft Systems Workshop: Register Now For Discount Unmanned Aircraft Workshop The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) course is designed to identify the key concepts, attributes, and challenges of UAS operations. The UAS sector is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic segments within aviation industry. Currently the majority of UAS growth has been in support of military and security operations however, recent congressional mandates have unlocked a bourgeoning civilian market with interest in a broad range of uses such as aerial photography, precision agriculture, mapping, monitoring climate and environmental conditions, and public safety. Attendees will gain knowledge of: * UAS System Components and Classification * UAS Design and limitations * Regulatory Environment for UAS * Issues Associated with UAS Airspace Integration * Future and Current Trends affecting the UAS Industry Course Topics: * The UAS Market * UAS Systems Design and Development * UAS Sensors Packages * UAS Navigation Systems * National Airspace System Integration Who Should Attend: This Course is designed for UAS Engineers, Transitioning Military UAS Operators, Mission Coordinators, Entrepreneurs, Field Service Representatives, UAS Technicians, UAS Program Managers or others wishing to obtain further knowledge of UAS operations. Course Dates: Course Location: Course Fee: April 1-3, 2014 ERAU Daytona Beach Campus, FL Standard Course Fee: US $1,450 Early Bird Fee (prior to January 31, 2014): US $1,300 For more information, Please contact Sarah Ochs, Director of Professional Programs Tel: 386.226.6928 * email: case@erau.edu daytonabeach.erau.edu/uas Back to Top Back to Top South Korea Military to Decide on $7.8 Billion Fighter Jet Order South Korean military leaders are set to announce their priorities for new fighter jets today, signaling whether Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) will win a multi-billion-dollar arms deal. The Joint Chiefs of Staff will decide on the amount and capabilities of fighter jets needed, Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min Seok said yesterday. Kim declined to say whether Lockheed's F-35, which features advanced radar-evading technology, is favored after the ministry rejected Boeing Co. (BA)'s F-15 Silent Eagle in the 8.3 trillion won ($7.8 billion) tender in September. Defense Minister Kim Kwan Jin. Photographer: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images "It's no secret the JCS wants the F-35," Kim Jong Dae, a former defense official who publishes the Defense 21+ security monthly, said by phone. "They won't name the fighter, but will stress they need stealth more than anything." A task force of senior defense officials has worked since the end of the tender to identify fighter-jet capabilities South Korea needs after the North conducted its third atomic test in February. Defense Minister Kim Kwan Jin said on Nov. 19 at a parliamentary hearing that the North may now be capable of creating bombs based on uranium in addition to plutonium. 'Fifth Generation' Defense Ministry spokesman Kim said after the tender was suspended on Sept. 24 that South Korea needs a so-called fifth-generation fighter -- a term Lockheed uses to describe the F-35 -- to deal with the North's threat. Buying 60 F-35s could require a further 2.2 trillion won, Kim Kwang Jin, a lawmaker who belongs to both the defense and budget committees of parliament, said. The F-35 had initially been excluded from the bidding due to price along with the Eurofighter Typhoon of European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co. (EADSF) The U.S., Australia, Japan and Israel are among nations that have placed orders for the F-35, the Pentagon's costliest weapon system that has been beset by rising costs and technical troubles, including jittery images in the pilot's helmet. "Having more F-35s acquired by foreign allies and partners is helpful to us in keeping the costs lower for our own acquisition of the fighters that will eventually be the backbone of our fleet," Bruce Lemkin, a former senior U.S. Air Force official who now heads Lemkin International LLC, a consulting firm, said by e-mail. First Strikes Boeing contends its F-15SE would be more effective as the jet could hit underground North Korean nuclear targets harder than the F-35. The company, which has previously supplied F-15s to South Korea, is open to a mixed purchase, James Armington, vice president for East Asia-Pacific business development at Boeing's defense unit, said in an Oct. 29 interview. The growing tensions between the Koreas have contributed to the South revising its defense strategy to include the possibility of first strikes. South Korean President Park Geun Hye said Oct. 1 her government would hasten development of stepped-up surveillance and improved offensive arms. The government has budgeted 1 trillion won next year for the plan. South Korea risks being left behind with "legacy equipment" without the F-35, George Standridge, a Lockheed vice president for aeronautics strategy and business development, said in an Oct. 31 interview. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-21/south-korean-military-to-decide-on-7-8-billion-of-fighter- jets.html Back to Top Two aircraft obtained on lease join PIA fleet Secretary Aviation & Chairman PIA, Muhammad Ali Gardezi inspected the Boeing 737-800 aircraft inducted in PIA fleet on arrival at Jinnah International Airport. Also seen in the picture is Managing Director PIA, Muhammad Junaid Yunus and senior officials of the airline. KARACHI, Nov 21: Two relatively new Boeing 737-800 aircraft obtained on lease from a Turkish airline were inducted into the Pakistan International Airlines fleet on Thursday, while two others are expected to arrive next week. According to a PIA statement, the fuel-efficient 189-seat aircraft were inspected by airline's chairman Mohammad Ali Gardezi and managing director Junaid Yunus at the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. Mr Gardezi said on the occasion that the PIA would now be in a better position to introduce more flights. He said the aircraft would be deployed on Gulf and major domestic routes and instructed the officials concerned to speed up formalities to deploy them for operation without delay. Mr Yunus said these aircraft had been acquired from Corendon Airlines of Turkey and another two similar aircraft would be received, also on damp lease, from Travel Services of Czech Republic next week. He said the PIA had recently introduced additional flights on Toronto and Kuala Lumpur routes. With the increase in the number of aircraft in its fleet, the national airline will offer flights to new destinations and increase frequencies on existing profitable routes. http://www.dawn.com/news/1057745/two-aircraft-obtained-on-lease-join-pia-fleet Back to Top Announcing The Annual "Moral Courage Safety Awards" Presented at Heli-Expo 2014 Presented by the US DOT - Transportation Safety Institute Call For Nominations The purpose of the award is to promote and foster positive safety culture in the rotorcraft industry by recognizing those individuals and organizations that make sometimes difficult operational decisions based on continued safe operations. Example of a deserving individual and organization - I learned of a HEMS pilot who aborted a critical neonatal transport because of unforecast bad weather. It was a tough call and one that haunted him, but he knew it was the right decision to ensure a safe outcome. His organization supported the decision and went so far as to recognize him for making the tough call. Both the individual and the organization should be recognized. Let's face it; it's always easy after the accident to second guess the decisions that put a crew in trouble. What our industry needs is to reward those who make the tough decisions that keep them out of trouble. That's walking the talk of positive safety culture! Sometimes choosing the safest course of action can be difficult, especially if it means modifying the mission. Bottom line, it takes moral courage to do the right thing. You can help - nominate someone today! Who is eligible? Any Crew, Crew Member, Maintainer, Supervisor, Manager, employee and or their organization who demonstrates commitment to a positive safety culture. Email Mr. D Smith for a nomination form. D.smith@dot.gov Or call US 405.694.1644 Curt Lewis