Flight Safety Information December 20, 2013 - No. 260 In This Issue NTSB gets first look at salvaged Makani Kai airplane FAA Holds Off on New Policy for Identifying Pilot Sleep Apnea Brazil Court Shortens Legacy Midair Pilots' Sentences Air India appoints 'biggest violator' as its operational head, pilots furious EU agrees new rules to shield air crew whistleblowers Crash probe renews debate over culture in aviation United: Unaccompanied minors must flight nonstop Warning Sounded on Cuts to Pilot Training Think ARGUS PROS India finally flies indigenous fighter jet Spying doesn't pay - Brazil snubs US firm in awarding fighter jet contract The 10 Biggest Aircraft Deals Of 2013 Schools to offer Embry-Riddle flying credit? (Florida) NTSB gets first look at salvaged Makani Kai airplane HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The president of Sea Engineering, the company that recovered the Makani Kai airplane that crashed off Molokai, said the aircraft was in pieces on the ocean floor. "The wings were separate. The fuselage was separate. The engine was separate from rolling on the rocks in the swell," Patrick Ross said. The Cessna Grand Caravan sat aboard the salvage vessel Kahana at Pier 29 Thursday morning. Ross said sections of the plane were scattered across a 100-foot-long debris field. It took his crew about ten hours to float all the pieces to the surface. Pilot Clyde Kawasaki said the plane's power failed suddenly, shortly after take off from Kalaupapa on Molokai last Wednesday. The hope is the engine holds the answer to what went wrong. "It's actually in much better shape than I thought it would be. The propeller, I really anticipated that it would have fallen off. We're fortunate in the regard that many of the components are still attached," NTSB Air Safety Investigator Jim Struhsaker said. "I'm really glad we have the engine because it's an important piece of the puzzle," Makani Kai owner Richard Schuman said. He said the appearance of the salvaged aircraft is misleading. The plane was intact when it hit the ocean and sank. But it was under water for nearly a week. Ross said Saturday's large northwest ocean swell took it apart. "The damage was done by the ocean, not by the impact, not by the crash," he said. "A layman person if he looked at that right now, if he didn't know it was an airplane, he wouldn't know it was an airplane. It doesn't resemble anything near an airplane," Schuman said. The engine was cleared of saltwater and doused in a preservative. It will be sent to the manufacturer for the NTSB and others to analyze. "We'll do our best to get a look inside but we will not disassemble it here," Struhsaker said. Nine people were aboard the plane and made it out safely. State Health Director Loretta Fuddy died in the aftermath. Sea Engineering searched the ocean floor for personal effects but only found some tools and a tool belt. http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/24265511/ntsb-gets-first-look-at-salvaged-airplane Back to Top FAA Holds Off on New Policy for Identifying Pilot Sleep Apnea By ANDY PASZTOR Faced with stiff opposition from some pilot groups, lawmakers and physicians, the Federal Aviation Administration has at least temporarily put on hold plans to step up medical scrutiny of overweight commercial and private aviators susceptible to sleep disorders. The move followed complaints that the agency's proposed policy-intended to identify undiagnosed sleep apnea-would result in undue delays and extra costs for certain pilots seeking licenses. The FAA sought to institute a new screening procedure for pilots with excess weight or other risk factors, without going through a formal rule-making process or seeking public comment. Last month, FAA officials said they intended to move ahead quickly with the policy in order to reduce the threat of pilots nodding off or losing concentration in the cockpit. Critics who complained the FAA was acting arbitrarily included the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the nation's largest membership and advocacy group for private pilots. On Thursday, the association, based in Frederick, Md., issued a statement indicating that the FAA's top medical official told the association the proposed changes wouldn't be implemented in January. Instead, AOPA said the FAA agreed to consult with industry groups "to find a way to balance" concerns of pilots and the FAA. The FAA "heard the concerns of pilots, AOPA, aviation medical examiners and Congress loud and clear," according to AOPA President Mark Baker, who met with FAA chief Michael Huerta on Wednesday. An FAA spokeswoman said The FAA "is continuing to work with aviation stakeholder groups to provide clear guidance on the agency's plans." The statement reiterated that untreated sleep apnea already disqualifies a pilot from flying, and that medical standards wouldn't be affected by any policy changes. But the agency said it is "pursuing a new approach to help" physicians diagnose sleep disorders during recurring medical examinations of pilots. Soon after the FAA's initial announcement, legislation was introduced to bar the agency from proceeding without conducting what is likely to turn into a lengthy and controversial rule making. Some studies indicate that roughly 7% of the general population experience sleep apnea, a condition that can cause chronic drowsiness in addition to heart and lung damage. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304773104579269111869242846 Back to Top Brazil Court Shortens Legacy Midair Pilots' Sentences The American pilots of the Embraer Legacy 600 who the Brazilian courts found negligent in the 2006 Amazon midair that killed all 154 aboard a Boeing 737 had their sentences cut by the Superior Tribunal of Justice (STJ), Brazil's second-highest court. Hard-line judge Laurita Vaz reduced the sentences of the pilots-Joe Lepore and Jan Paladino-to two years and four months "in open regime," recognizing that the TRF1 circuit court had double-counted the factor of "failure to observe a professional rule" in arriving at the previous sentence of three years, one month and 10 days. Lawyer Theodomiro Dias told AIN he has already appealed to the full chamber because the appeals judge refused to examine if the circuit court erred in interpreting snippets of cockpit voice recorder dialog out of context, ignoring more technical proof. How the Brazilian "open regime" sentence would be applied in the U.S. remains "uncertain," Dias told AIN. The TRF1 already overturned the trial court's suspension of the pilots' flying licenses. The FAA has declined to extend to the U.S. its Brazilian equivalent ANAC's administrative suspension of the licenses. http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ainalerts/2013-12-19/brazil-court-shortens- legacy-midair-pilots-sentences Back to Top Air India appoints 'biggest violator' as its operational head, pilots furious S P Suri has been with Air India since 1983. Pilot union is furious after Air India appoints as its head of operations SPS Suri, a pilot with a long record of endangering passengers, turning up late (or not at all) and even falling asleep on flights. Beleaguered national carrier Air India sparked a fresh controversy by appointing as it head of operations a pilot with a laundry list of operational violations. SPS Suri (58), who has been with the airline since 1983, has over a dozen violations to his name, including two in 2012. Pilots' unions have strongly opposed the move. A senior member of the Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Committee (CASAC) has written to the chariman and managing director of Air India about Suri's appointment. "The biggest violator is now our boss. How the management and the ministry want to run the show is pretty clear. Now the only option is to quit the airline and look for another job," said a senior pilot from the Indian Commercial Pilots Association. Documents available with Mumbai Mirror describe Suri's many operational lapses. On July 5, 2012, he was operating Air India flight 348 from Delhi to Shanghai when the flight reported major mid-air turbulence. Over 20 passengers, including two cabin crew members, sustained serious injuries, and baggage lockers, arm rests and lavatories were also damaged. Suri, however, not only chose to fly the damaged plane to Shanghai, but also flew it back to Delhi the next day, endangering the lives of another 200-odd passengers. From the accounts of crew members, it was established that Suri could have landed the aircraft in Kolkata but, to shield his mistake, decided to proceed with the journey. Suri, who was a general-manager rank officer at the time, described the incident as minor turbulence and warned his crew members to keep mum about what had actually happened. The matter was not even reported to the Directoral General of Civil Aviation. Later, when the DGCA got to know if it, Suri was suspended from flying. However, despite his suspension and a pending inquiry, Suri manage to get himself on a Delhi-Mumbai flight on August 1, 2012 as an additional crew member, in violation of immigration and aviation guidelines. Another inquiry was ordered, and the civil aviation ministry in anger withdrew the additional crew member facility given to pilots. On April 1, 2009, Suri, who was operating flight AI 307 from Tokyo to Delhi, allegedly fell asleep during the flight. Both pilots did not respond to communications from air traffic control in Tokyo. It was only when they entered Chinese air space that the two finally responded to air traffic control in Shanghai. On November 15, 1987, Suri had reported late for a flight, delaying it by several hours. When questioned by the operations department, he said that he was unable to recollect the incident. "His plea that he doesn't recollect the incident after a period of five months cannot be accepted as the delay was entirely due to him. Consider action for the addition expenditure involved due to delay," the then director of operations said. In July 1996, Suri simply didn't turn up for a flight. A few weeks later, the airline learnt that he had gone to the US for eye treatment. When the airline ordered an inquiry into the matter, Suri reported sick. In 2003, senior IAS officer R S Khwaja complained of rough landings on two flights, one on November 17 and the other on November 19. An investigation revealed that Suri was the pilot on both flights. Aviation expert Vipul Saxena said, "The most important factor is the character and the personality of an official, not the number of hours flown. He should be able to motivate and inspire young pilots. On many occasions, Suri has been found wanting on both these counts." Air India chairman and managing director Rohit Nandan couldn't be reached for comment. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Air-India-appoints-biggest-violator-as-its- operational-head-pilots-furious/articleshow/27684109.cms Back to Top EU agrees new rules to shield air crew whistleblowers Airline crew members will be shielded from reprisals when they report incidents to air safety authorities, according to new legislation agreed by all EU institutions yesterday (17 December). The European Parliament's transport committee endorsed a compromise text yesterday (17 December), negotiated with EU member states earlier in December, on new EU rules aimed at strengthening air safety and accident prevention, also known as the regulation on "occurrence reporting". "The agreement reached between the Parliament and the Council is a true progress for air safety in Europe," said centre-right MEP Christine de Veyrac (European People's Party, France), the rapporteur on the dossier. "The negotiations were difficult but it was essential to ensure that the strengthening of air safety is above any other consideration," she said. The inter-institutional compromise tackles both technical issues and what is known as the "Just culture" dimension, "the core objective" of the proposal, which lays more solid ground for protection of employees and crew members who report safety incidents. The agreement will introduce an appeal mechanism for employees who find themselves punished in some way for reporting an incident related to air safety as well as penal protection for the whistleblower in all 28 EU member states. The regulation also foresees a mandatory closed list of examples of incidents that must be reported if they occur, while safeguarding the possibility for a voluntary based mechanism of reporting incidents not included in the list. In both cases, the reported problems will have to be relayed to the competent national authorities, the airline company, the manufacturer of the plane or the European Air Safety Authority (EASA) depending on the nature of the problem. More importantly, the text will make it possible for whistleblowers in countries where legal protection is lower or people who are employed in small airlines where fear of self- incrimination tends to be greater, to directly notify the problems to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) if they are afraid of repercussions at home. As an example, in France there are 42,000 reported incidents per year, while in Slovenia the number drops to two a year, a difference which is "obviously due to fear of repercussions and self-incrimination." The rapporteur hailed the outcome of the negotiation, saying that "the person that reports an incident to safety authorities only to strengthen air security will no longer have to fear that their reporting can be sanctioned by the hierarchy or the justice." Better exchange of information The other novelty concerns the exchange of information between member states. So far, if a company faced a problem in the airspace of a foreign country, the host country was not informed about the details of the incident. Under the new rules, member states will be obliged to notify each other about all the details surrounding the problem (the nature of the incident, plane type, etc.). However, all elements that could lead to the identification of the company facing the incident will be protected (time, flight origin, company name, etc). The proposal of the European Commission for a regulation on occurrence reporting was presented a year ago. EU transport ministers had initially watered the text down, notably the confidential "just culture" environment provisions. However, during subsequent trilateral talks between the European Commission, Council and Parliament, MEPs succeeded in imposing their views, notably due to the "weakness of the Lithuanian presidency", a Parliament source told EurActiv. "The Lithuanian presidency didn't deliver anything on transport policy, this is the only agreement they reached, all the rest is left to the Greeks. So the Parliament took advantage of the presidency's weakness in the negotiations, we managed to get a quick agreement and to impose everything we wanted," the source explained. The three institutions started negotiations on the occurrence reporting regulation on 30 September and concluded them on 25 November this year. POSITIONS: European pilots and air traffic controllers welcome the agreement reached by EU institutions over the new Occurrence Reporting Regulation. "As safety professionals we know that a genuine, far-reaching Just Culture environment, based on trust, is a key ingredient for improving aviation safety. This regulation sets the scene for a pro-active approach to prevent air accidents and loss of life in Europe," said Nico Voorbach, the President of the European Cockpit Association. "We welcome the deal struck by the European Parliament and the Member States on this important piece of legislation. This regulation will provide the tools for controllers and pilots to report - in line with our professional commitment to safety - honest mistakes or mishaps in an open, "no-blame" environment. It is now crucial to work together and put these new rules into practice at the national and organisational levels," said Alexis Brathwaite, the president of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controlers' Association (IFATA). http://www.euractiv.com/transport/eu-agrees-improved-air-safety-pr-news-532414 Back to Top Crash probe renews debate over culture in aviation (AP) New details about the crash of an Asiana Airlines jet have renewed questions about whether a culture of strict deference to more-senior pilots can compromise air safety. Documents and testimony from the National Transportation Safety Board this week showed there was confusion and poor communication in the cockpit of the Asiana jet as it approached San Francisco International Airport in July. Two of the pilots told investigators they opted against voicing critical concerns or grabbing the controls because they were subordinate to the instructor. The co-pilot, who was sitting in a jump seat at the back of the cockpit, told investigators that the plane seemed to be descending too quickly from a high altitude. He "prepared in his mind to recommend something" to the two more-senior pilots at the controls, "but he did not." The pilot flying the plane was an experienced flier who was being trained on the Boeing 777. But when asked whether he considered aborting the landing and circling around as they came in too low and too slow, he said such a "go-around" maneuver should be done only by the captain or an instructor pilot. "That is very hard to explain; that is our culture," investigators quoted him saying. The pilot also said he was momentarily blinded by a beam of bright light. He wasn't wearing aviator sunglasses because he said that would be disrespectful in the presence of a superior like his instructor in the next seat. After cockpit culture was identified as a factor in several South Korean airliner crashes in the 1980s and '90s, procedures and hierarchies were overhauled in Korea and elsewhere, including the U.S., improving that situation. But the Asiana crash on July 6 thrust the issue back to the forefront. The plane's tail clipped a seawall, and the aircraft spun down the runway. Three Chinese teens died, including one who was run over by two fire trucks as rescuers rushed to the scene; 304 people survived, the vast majority without major injuries. The National Transportation Safety Board hasn't identified a cause of the crash yet, but during a daylong hearing Wednesday much of the testimony focused on confusion about automated speed settings and pilot training. Board Chairman Deborah Hersman said all international airlines have their cultural differences but that it wasn't an emphasis of the hearing. "Certainly in any cockpit on any airline from any country of the world, there are cultural issues that can come into play," she said. She added that investigators were trying to focus on all issues carefully and fairly and dealing only with the facts of the situation. "We have not talked a lot about cultural issues in today's hearing, and I would ask you to reserve judgment until the NTSB finishes its fact-finding in this matter," she said. An Asiana official speaking on condition of anonymity because of sensitivities of the ongoing NTSB investigation said the airline's policy is that any pilot can call for a go- around. "This policy is emphasized in Asiana's crew resource management program, which requires any crew member to speak up when the situation requires it," said the source, noting that all the facts have yet to be analyzed. After the hearing, John McGraw, a former high-ranking FAA official who is now an aviation consultant, said there are long-term issues involving cockpit hierarchies. "There is a cultural element here," McGraw said. "It's not just Asian - there are a lot of cultures around the world where people don't want to challenge their superiors." Nationality aside, pilots have a culture of their own that can create complications, McGraw said. "Pilots don't like to admit that they should do a go-around when the approach isn't going well" because it looks bad to the passengers and irritates superiors by burning more fuel, he said. Robert Francis, a former vice chairman of the safety board who is not involved in the current investigation, said evidence of deference in the Asiana cockpit points out the need for the airline and Korean aviation officials to pay more attention to "cultural issues" in pilot training. Still, Francis said the cause of the accident apparently wasn't cultural issues but the pilots' failure to realize they were making a dangerous approach. "There's nothing more basic than monitoring your airspeed, and they clearly weren't doing that," Francis said. So-called "crew-resource management" programs at many airlines stress that pilots shouldn't hesitate to raise safety concerns or correct an unsafe action, even by a more- senior captain. Those programs were prompted, in part, by a 20-year string of disasters that plagued South Korea's airlines. In 1983, a Korean Air flight that flew into Soviet air space was shot down, killing all 269 aboard. In 1987, a Seoul-bound flight exploded, killing all 115 aboard. Asiana's deadliest plane accident was in 1993 when a domestic flight crashed south of Seoul, killing 66 people. Regimented, authoritarian cockpit culture that makes junior pilots reluctant to challenge captains was highlighted in some of the crashes, including a Korean Air Boeing 747 that smashed into a hillside in Guam in 1997, killing more than 200 people. By 1999, after about 700 people had died in more than a dozen South Korea airliner accidents, the government demanded safety overhauls that included changing their cockpit culture, which had given senior pilots authority over the co-pilot, as well as improving English language standards. More foreign pilots were hired as well. The changes were deemed successful: By 2002, Delta and Air France resumed partnerships with Korea Air, and until last July, there had been no more South Korean fatal passenger jet crashes. However, in July 2011, an Asiana cargo freighter plane crashed into the ocean, killing two pilots. After the Asiana crash, South Korea's transportation ministry again demanded a safety review and revisions, but said cockpit culture had been greatly improved. "Hiring foreign pilots has helped ease the hierarchy that existed in the cockpit," Kwon Yong-bok, an aviation safety director told Bloomberg. "Communication among the pilots has improved a lot." This month, Asiana hired a longtime Japanese pilot and safety official to improve safety. http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2013/12/12/crash-probe-renews-debate-over-culture-in- aviation/amntwfc/?page=1 Back to Top United: Unaccompanied minors must fly nonstop CHICAGO (AP) - Hey, kids! United Airlines says children flying alone need to go nonstop or stay home. United says it's no longer allowing children ages 5 to 11 to fly without an adult on flights that include connections. It also says its optional service for unaccompanied minors ages 12-17 will only be offered on nonstop flights. It made the changes quietly two weeks ago. United charges $150 extra, each way, for children flying alone. United's new policy for young children is similar to policies at US Airways and Southwest. Delta Air Lines and American will still help young children who are flying alone get to connecting flights. http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/united-unaccompanied-minors-must-flight-nonstop- 2D11777989 Back to Top Warning Sounded on Cuts to Pilot Training Air Force Responds to Cost Concerns by Reducing Flight Hours to 120 Hours or Less, Fewer Than Those of Allies-and China A decision by Air Force officials to reduce flying time in order to cut costs has meant many U.S. pilots now receive fewer training hours than counterparts among some European allies, India and even China, according to U.S. military officials. The training cutbacks, ordered as part of a government budget squeeze, are giving rise to concerns about the preparedness of fighter squadrons in some areas, notably South Korea, where tensions with North Korea remain high. U.S. pilots in South Korea flew only 120 training hours this year, Air Force officials said, and pilots in the U.S. flew on average even fewer hours-far less than a generation ago, when officers logged up to 300 hours yearly. According to U.S. intelligence assessments, Chinese pilots receive as many as 150 hours of training a year, officials said. An Air Force F-16 fighter jet set to land during an exercise at the Osan U.S. Air Base in South Korea in April. U.S. officials noted China is investing heavily in pilot training and developing a new stealth fighter. "They are making a concerted effort to increase the quantity and quality of their training while we are doing the opposite," said one official. A Chinese embassy representative in Washington didn't respond to a request for comment. In addition to training cutbacks, the Air Force last year temporarily closed its elite training center in Nevada, the Weapons School, and canceled its top training exercise, known as Red Flag, meant to improve pilots' combat-survivability skills. The Air Force had planned to spend $4.7 billion this fiscal year on training, but budget cutbacks trimmed that by $434 million. Some liberals and deficit hawks in Congress argue that Pentagon spending should be curbed even more. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) noted Thursday that the U.S. spends as much on defense as the rest of the world combined. Military officials counter that spending cuts in the past two years have led to a decline in "readiness"-a euphemism for the likelihood service members can survive a fight and overpower U.S. enemies. Independent defense analysts said the budget dynamics of recent years have forced many short-term Pentagon fixes-such as grounding planes and cutting flying time-instead of long-term or permanent changes such as reducing the force, closing bases or retiring older planes. "The strength of the Department of Defense is to think beyond today," said David Berteau, a defense analyst at the nonpartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies. But he said the budget dynamic has inhibited the ability to do that. "The question is do you maintain more airplanes and airmen or do you have a smaller force but a more ready one?" he said. "That is the core trade off; it is capability vs. capacity." The budget bill cleared Wednesday by the Senate will allow the Air Force to restore some flying hours. But many of the cuts will continue. "Readiness and training problems will persist because the top line is coming down," said Raymond Conley, a defense analyst at Rand Corp., a think tank that does research for the government. Many lawmakers oppose solutions such as closing bases or retiring older airplanes. "Once you retire a whole air platform, it's not like you can press a button and bring them out of mothballs," said Rep. Rob Wittman (R., Va.), chairman of the readiness subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee. "The whole idea of this nation's strategy needs to be driven by where the threats exist, not budgets." Air Force officials warn that the reductions could have national security implications. "Our training system is still the best in the world," said Air Force Lt. Gen. Burton M. Field, the service's deputy chief of staff for operations. But funding cuts are putting that at risk, he said. "Are we there yet? I don't think so. But I do know we are at a place where we have a lot of squadrons that aren't ready to go to the Korea fight." The Air Force's budget squeeze is compounded by the bills it faces to modernize its force. To offset purchases and restore training, officials are considering the elimination its KC-10 refueling tankers, A-10 ground attack planes, and MQ-1 Predator drones. But those cuts are unpopular with some lawmakers, who appear likely to block them, officials said. The training cutbacks have fallen heaviest on younger, more inexperienced pilots. Experienced pilots resumed flying first because they have responsibility for training junior officers. As a result, it takes longer for young pilots to move from wingman to flight lead to instructor pilot, according to the Air Force. "You know the game chutes and ladders? What we are finding right now is the chutes are longer than the ladders," said Lt. Col Brian Stahl, a F-16 pilot. "We need to get the younger pilots back flying more, and that is what we are having difficulty doing right now." Air Force officials worry that basic skills have grown rusty. "When pilots don't fly, they make mistakes," Gen. Field said. "In a high-threat environment is when mistakes become deadly." http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304773104579268651994849572 Back to Top Back to Top India finally flies indigenous fighter jet LCA Tejas performing at the Air show during the Aero India 2013 at Yelahanka air base in Bangalore on Friday. Thirty years after it was conceived, India's indigenous light combat aircraft Tejas - the lightest military jet in its class - Friday got initial operational clearance, paving the way for its induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF). Tejas can fly at a speed of more than 1,350 km per hour and can be compared to some of the world's best fighter aircraft -- the Mirage 2000, F-16 and Gripen fighter jets. It is expected to cost about Rs.200 crore per aircraft initially, with the cost coming down as production increases. The ceremony at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) complex here saw Defence Minister A.K. Antony handing over the "service release documents" to IAF chief N.A.K. Browne following initial operational clearance (IOC-II) given by the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification, an establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Antony described it as "a great day for the whole nation" and "a momentous occasion". The minister, however, acknowledged that the project had gone through periods of "frustration" and "setbacks" and said questions were raised about continuance of the "wasteful project". "Last few years, I myself had my share of criticism. Ultimately, India will succeed ... that was the determination," he said. Air Chief Marshal Browne said the day marked "a historic milestone" and India had joined a select group of nations to design and produce their own state-of-the art fighter aircraft. The LCA will now be called Tejas Mark I. It will be called Tejas Mark II after final operational clearance (FOC) slated for end of 2014. Before FOC, the "fourth generation fighter plane" is to be equipped with mid-air refuelling ability, a more powerful engine and new missiles. IAF will have two squardons of Tejas Mark I and four squardons of Tejas Mark II and the combat aircraft will replace the ageing MiG fleet of IAF. The IOC-I was achieved in 2011 but the IAF wanted several improvements in the fighter jet before it could be inducted. The fighter plane has undergone improvements since IOC-I in terms of its angle of attack and weapons delivery and has been tested for operation in different weather conditions. The test pilots Friday gave a display of modern avionics at the HAL grounds here and demonstrated the ability of Tejas to fire missiles with helmet-mounted display system. HAL has started producing Tejas Mark I at its Limited Series Production hangar here and the first fighter jet is expected to be delivered to the IAF in March next year. Officials said HAL plans to initially produce eight LCAs every year and then scale up production to 16. Tejas can fly 1,700 km non-stop and has "glass cockpit display system". K. Tamil Mani, director general at the Aeronautical Systems of DRDO, told IANS Thursday that "the aircraft is 65 percent indigenous". He said the engine, ejection seat and radar are among the components that have been imported. Officials estimate the development cost of the Tejas to be around Rs.10,000 crore. Antony said IOC-II of Tejas was a significant milestone in indigisation through self- reliance. "We can declare we are nearing success. We have passed the semi-final," he said. The minister said India can make world class fighter aircraft, warship and tanks. He called for major breakthrough in the next five years in all areas in which India was lagging behind. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/375725/india-finally-flies-indigenous-fighter.html Back to Top Spying doesn't pay - Brazil snubs US firm in awarding fighter jet contract Fallout from the NSA spying scandal - Brazil has snubbed the US firm Boeing and awarded a 4.5 billion dollar jet contract to the Swedish firm Saab. The deal will supply Brazil's air force with 36 new Gripen NG fighters by 2020. It will also generate billions of additional dollars in future supply and service contracts. Until earlier this year, Boeing had been considered the front runner for the contract. However, revelations of spying by the US National Security Agency in Brazil, including the president's personal communications, appears to have soured relations. http://www.euronews.com/2013/12/19/spying-doesn-t-pay-brazil-snubs-us-firm-in- awarding-fighter-jet-contract/ Back to Top The 10 Biggest Aircraft Deals Of 2013 A Boeing 777-9X model at the Dubai Air Show It's been a banner year for the world's biggest airline manufacturers, with hundreds of billions of dollars pouring into their coffers as clients order the newest, fuel-efficient aircraft. The Boeing Company's (NYSE:BA) new 777X aircraft has been in particular demand from the Middle East. Rival Airbus, a unit of EADS (EPA:EAD), saw sales of its similarly sized A350 twinjet also soar, and reaped a huge order for the A380, the world's biggest airplane. 1. Emirates - $76 billion The Dubai-based airline owned by the local government made history at the Dubai Air Show in November with the biggest single order ever for Boeing: 115 firm orders for the 777X-9X and 35 for 777-8Xs. Those two newest versions of the successful 777 twinjet haven't flown yet; they will enter service around 2020, and that's why Boeing does not include them in its official price list yet, although their prices can be deduced from other deals. 2. Etihad Airways - $26.9 billion Also at the Dubai Air Show, the Abu Dhabi-based airline announced it had bought 50 Airbus A350s, 36 of the smaller A320neo medium-range jets, and one A330-200 freighter. 3. Etihad Airways - $25.2 billion At the same time, the fast-growing Etihad said it had ordered 17 Boeing 777X-9X, 8 of the smaller 777-8X, 30 of the 787-10 Dreamliner, and one 777-200 freighter. 4. Lion Air - $24 billion The Indonesian budget airline, which in 2012 had set the previous record for Boeing's biggest order with a $22 billion commitment for 737s, also bought from Airbus in 2013, with 169 A320s and 65 A321. This was the biggest order ever for the European consortium. 5. Emirates - $20 billion On the same day it announced its record-breaking order for Boeing, Emirates also said it had placed 50 firm orders for the Airbus A380. Emirates is already the largest operator of the world's biggest passenger airplane, and this was the largest order ever for the giant double-decker jet, each costing $404 million, according to the published Airbus price list (but airlines get discounts for orders of this size -- and Airbus is trying hard to move the A380, which has sold a relatively paltry 259 units so far). 6. Qatar Airways - $19 billion Also at the Dubai Air Show, whose 2013 edition broke the record for most orders at an aviation trade event, another state-owned Mideast carrier, Qatar Airways, announced a commitment for 50 Boeing 777-9X. 7. Ryanair - $15.6 billion Ryanair Holdings PLC (DUB:RYA), the biggest budget airline in Europe, ordered 175 Boeing 737-800s -- the only airplane it flies -- for $15.6 billion. 8. FlyDubai - $11.4 billion The budget airline that's also owned by the government of Dubai, like Emirates, bought 100 Boeing 737 Max -- the re-engined, more fuel-efficient version of the world's best- selling jetliner, that will enter service in 2017 -- and 11 of the current-model 737-800. That order was also announced in November at its hometown air show. 9. EasyJet PLC - $11 billion London-based low-fare airline EasyJet Plc (LON:EZJ) stayed with Airbus for its fleet renewal and expansion with an $11 billion order for 35 current-model A320s and 100 re- engined A320neo models. 10. Japan Airlines - $9.5 billion Tokyo-based Japan Airlines Co. Ltd. (TOK:9201), historically a Boeing-only airline, also made history by switching to Airbus for the first time with an order for 18 A350-900s and 13 A350-1000s. While not included in the list, Embraer-Empresa Brasiliera de Aeronautica (BVMF:EMBR3) and Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD.A) have both received large orders for small, cheaper regional aircraft from American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:AAL). The newly merged airline, the biggest in the world after combining with US Airways, bought 30 CJR900 NextGen aircraft from Bombardier for $1.42 billion and purchased 60 E175s from Embraer for about $2.5 billion. http://www.ibtimes.com/10-biggest-aircraft-deals-2013-1515402 Back to Top Schools to offer Embry-Riddle flying credit? (Florida) Flagler high school kids may soon be able to have their head in the clouds in class - and get college credit for it. The Flagler County School Board discussed a potential partnership with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University that would let high school kids take college-level classes in subjects like aviation, aerospace science and engineering before graduating high school. The dual-enrollment classes would be offered as part of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Aerospace Institute program. Leo Murphy, Embry-Riddle director of aeronautical science advanced placement programs, told the board that the program offers students a fast-track to careers in the aerospace or engineering industries. "It is the actual Embry-Riddle course and material taught by Embry-Riddle professors," he said. The University can also train high school teachers with graduate-level coursework so they can teach the courses themselves, he said. The challenge of the classes, and the opportunities they offer, can energize bright but underachieveing students to do well in science and math, he said. There is no minimum grade point average required for students to enroll. One former student, he said, was flunking out of high school but got into an Embry-Riddle program, got A's in it, and is now pursuing a master's degree. The program can also help parents by cutting back on the amount of college tuition they'll have to pay later, he said. Kids in the program, he said, could knock out about $40,000 worth of undergraduate Embry-Riddle classes before leaving high school. School Board Chairman Andy Dance called the program's potential exciting, especially as the timing coincides with planned expansion at the Flagler County Airport. Sue Dickinson thought it could be a good opportunity. One of her cousin's sons went there, she said, and when he arrived, he'd never been in a plane. "They interviewed him, took him up, and when he was back down, he said that was what he wanted to do," she said. "They had him flying in two weeks. They don't waste time." http://www.palmcoastobserver.com/news/palm-coast/News/120620138368/Schools-to- offer-Embry-Riddle-flying-credit Curt Lewis