Flight Safety Information March 6, 2014 - No. 047 In This Issue Winglets go a long way to give airlines fuel savings Aircraft engineers' license terminated for copying exam American Eagle jet makes emergency landing in Greenville China expresses concern over aviation safety after DPRK rocket Ethiopian Aviation Academy Graduates 130 Professionals FAA proposes fix for 737 autothrottle PRISM SMS National Airlines receives FAA certification as newest US Flag/Domestic carrier Gulf Flight Safety Council meets in Abu Dhabi Upcoming Events European Association for Aviation Psychology (EAAP) - Courses Winglets go a long way to give airlines fuel savings Wingtip extensions are costly and becoming ubiquitous, but they pay for themselves in a few years United was the first U.S. airline to use the split scimitar, during a Feb. 18 commercial flight from Houston to Los Angeles, only a couple of weeks after it was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration for use on Boeing 737-800 aircraft. (Chuck Berman, Chicago Tribune) Boeing calls the odd-looking upturned wingtips on aircraft "blended winglets," Airbus calls them "sharklets" and Southwest Airlines, in ads, simply calls them "little DooHickeys." Whatever the name, these wingtip extensions have become prevalent in recent years and have saved airlines billions of dollars in fuelcosts. The newest, and funkiest-looking, version was used on a United Airlines commercial flight for the first time last month. The new design features the upturned wingtip but adds a downward-facing sword and sinister-looking pointed tips, which together make it a "split scimitar winglet." http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-03-04/business/ct-airline-winglets-0302-biz-20140304_1_fuel- savings-jet-fuel-southwest Back to Top Aircraft engineers' license terminated for copying exam The control tower at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport. Licenses of some Maldivian aircraft engineers have been annulled for allegedly cheating in the international examinations held to grant licenses. Aircraft engineers are granted licenses after they pass from both theory and practical tests. A statement issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Greece said that the examinations held by the Greece-based Hellenic Aviation Training Academy (HATA) to award licences for Maldivian aircraft engineers in 2012 and 2013 are invalid. The statement says that the licenses that had been awarded on those tests have been seized now. "We are now investigating the events that transpired during those examinations with the cooperation of world's aviation authorities. Also the licenses that have been issued upon those tests have been seized now," the statement read. A Maldivian civil aviation authority official said that licenses of 12 Maldivian aircraft engineers have been annulled. He also said that this was done under CAA allegations for copying at the examinations and bribing the examiners. http://www.haveeru.com.mv/news/53907 Back to Top American Eagle jet makes emergency landing in Greenville Passenger Tiffany Liou tweeted a photo of American Eagle Flight 3400 after it made an emergency landing at an airport in Greenville, Texas on March 5, 2014. An American Eagle jet made an emergency landing at an airport in Greenville, Texas Wednesday night shortly after taking off from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. "Smoke in plane," tweeted passenger Tiffany Liou. "We are all fine." Flight 3400 had been on the way to Moline, Illinois when the cockpit crew decided to make an emergency landing at Majors Airport in Greenville. The flight path outlined by the FlightAware website shows the Embraer ERJ-145 jet making a sharp U-turn about 20 miles east of Greenvile and then coming in for a landing. It listed the time of the flight at just 8 minutes. Liou tweeted that the pilot and crew "did a great job keeping us calm and evacuating us." She said passengers had been taken to a nearby recreation center until they could continue their journey. "All our stuff is still on the plane," she wrote. No injuries were reported. The cause of the smoke is under investigation. The airport in Greenville is about 58 miles east of DFW. http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/American-Eagle-jet-makes-emergency-landing-in-Greenville- 248683441.html Back to Top China expresses concern over aviation safety after DPRK rocket China on Thursday said it attaches great importance to the safety of civil aviation and "relevant country" should follow international practice to ensure the security of civilian facilities in airspace and maritime space. A foreign ministry spokesman made the remarks in response to reports that neighboring Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) had launched rockets into airways. The Republic of Korea (ROK) has reportedly claimed that the DPRK's artillery launch on Tuesday happened minutes before a Chinese commercial plane crossed the same area. Qin Gang said no specific matters related to China's civil aviation safety were reported on Tuesday. But, "we will check the situation with relevant parties and express our concern which is necessary." "I want to stress here that we attach great importance to the security of China's civilian flights," Qin Gang said at a regular press briefing. "If any country is to hold training or exercises, it should take measures in accordance with international practice to ensure the safety of civil (facilities) in relevant airspace and maritime space," Qin said. The spokesman also called on parties to keep restrain, prevent escalation and preserve peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/846650.shtml#.Uxh9D_ldU8k Back to Top Ethiopian Aviation Academy Graduates 130 Professionals The Ethiopian Aviation Academy graduated 21 pilots, 21 aviation technicians, 68 marketing professionals and 20 cabin crew on Tuesday (March 4). Ethiopian's Chief Operating Officer, Ato Mesfin Tassew, gave diplomas to all the graduates as well as flight wings to graduating pilots and cabin crew. The graduates included one Swiss pilot trainee and 19 cabin crew trainees from other African countries, Togo, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and Guinea. Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Chief Executive Office of Ethiopian, Tewolde Gebremariam said Ethiopian was a prime symbol of Africa and a notable example of Africa's excellence in air transport. He pointed out it was dedicated to expand and push forward capacity building efforts through its Academy, the leading Pan African aviation academy on the African continent. He said the graduation of trainees from six sisterly African countries was a manifestation of Ethiopian's dedication to serve Africa in leading the skills revolution and in providing quality training with the objective of deploying adequate professionals for the continent's air transport. Ethiopian, he said, had spent US$55 million expanding the capacity of its aviation academy from 200 trainees to over a 1,000 in the last two years, and it planned to increase the training capacity to over 4,000 trainees annually by 2025. The Ethiopian Aviation Academy has made impressive progress in bolstering and expanding capacity building for trainees with the aim of producing sufficient skilled professionals for Ethiopia, for Africa and beyond. This will enable Ethiopian to keep up its reputation for sustained profitability and reliability throughout the world. http://allafrica.com/stories/201403060197.html Back to Top FAA proposes fix for 737 autothrottles The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing that airlines update the autothrottles on newer Boeing 737 aircraft, to avoid a problem with slowing down prematurely before landing and potentially crashing. A faulty altimeter reading caused a Turkish Airlines flight to slow down inadvertently and crash Feb. 25, 2009, near Amsterdam, killing nine and injuring 117. The Dutch Safety Board blamed the crash on a faulty altimeter that automatically slowed down the plane before it stalled and hit the ground. But U.S. investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board said pilots could have recovered if the crew detected and responded to the low decreasing airspeed. Since that crash, Boeing installed a warning that says "airspeed low, airspeed low" on the same models of 737 involved in the latest proposal. But some safety experts have criticized the lack of similar warning aboard other aircraft, such as the 777 involved in the Asiana Airlines crash that killed three people July 6 in San Francisco, which the NTSB is still investigating. The latest FAA proposal, which was published Monday in the Federal Register, cited reports of a single, erroneous altimeter reading causing the 737 autothrottle to prematurely slow the plane down while approaching to land. The problem could result in a crash, FAA said. To correct the problem, the FAA proposed fixing the autothrottle on about 500 planes, which are 737-600, -700, -700C, -800 and -900 series. The remedy costs about $85 per plane. The FAA is inviting comments on the proposal until April 17. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/03/04/faa-737-autothrottle-turkish-airlines- crash/6014177/ Back to Top Back to Top National Airlines receives FAA certification as newest US Flag/Domestic carrier ORLANDO, FL - National Airlines is proud to announce that on February 28, 2014, the FAA approved National to become the United States' newest Flag/Domestic air carrier. National Airlines has a long history of supporting governments and militaries around the world -- by, among other things, flying ad hoc cargo shipments in and out of crisis areas and also operating charter passenger operations for sports teams in the United States, visitors to/from Cuba, and contractors traveling between the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan. US Flag/Domestic authority will allow National Airlines to expand its services to include conducting scheduled passenger flights throughout the United States and across the globe. It also provides an opportunity for National Airlines to continue its support of the US government travelers under the Fly America Act, whereby US government funded travelers fly on US Flag Carriers whenever available. National Airlines maintains the highest standards of safety, security, and compliance. "This is nowhere more important than in the Middle East, which has been a significant market for National Airlines," said Glen Joerger, National Airlines' President. "This operating authority will further strengthen our position as an emerging passenger carrier of choice for discerning customers seeking US Flag service in the region," he added. "This tremendous addition to National's operating certificate reinforces our corporate commitment to serve every facet of transportation and logistics for our key clientele around the globe," continued Joerger. About National Airlines National Airlines is in the National Air Cargo family of enterprises. National Air Cargo and National Airlines are headquartered in Orlando, Florida. National Airlines' service as a global cargo carrier and passenger charter provider complements its sister companies: Together they provide multi-modal logistics solutions to getting difficult-to-move cargo quickly and safely to wherever you need it, and through the charter passenger service they have been honored to transport a diverse group of guests, from orchestras, to international and US sports teams headed to heated competitions, to alumni and other associations ready to cheer them on. And soon the premier passenger service National has been able to provide for its charter guests will be available for individuals to book and enjoy as well. http://www.eturbonews.com/43395/national-airlines-receives-faa-certification-newest-us-flagdomes Back to Top Press Release - Gulf Flight Safety Council meets in Abu Dhabi The Gulf Flight Safety Council (GFSC) has conducted its first meeting for the year 2014 on Sunday 2nd of March in Gulf Center for Aviation Studies (GCAS) building in Bateen Airport (Abu Dhabi). The Council conducts its meeting periodically every three months to exchange information on Flight Safety issues among more than two Hundred Members (200) representing more than Eighty (80) different agencies from around the world that have interest in the Gulf region Flight Safety. Among the recent activities of the GFSC, which aims to improve Flight Safety in the Gulf Region, was the organization of the Aviation Safety Management Systems course delivered last week in Dubai by the University of Southern California (USC). This is the first course of an ongoing educational partnership between the GFSC and the USC that will deliver the Safety and Security Program in the Gulf region. The Gulf Flight Safety Council has addressed many regionally and internationally important Flight Safety issues in its Sunday meeting. The Council has emphasized the importance of the continuous cooperation and exchange of information among all stakeholders in the Aviation field as a cornerstone in building the highest possible level of safety regionally and internationally, the attendees also agreed on seconding the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) point of view that does not endorse the approach of Safety Ranking of Air Carriers conducted by some Websites; and stand with the view of the airline community that safety is not a competitive issue. GFSC strongly supports and encourages all possible mechanisms to exchange information that enhances flight safety, said Captain Mohammed Ahmed Malatani the Chairman of Council after the Sunday meeting. For additional information, contact Captain Mohammed Ahmed Malatani: chair@gfsc.aero or +966 505 356760 About the Gulf Flight Safety Council The Gulf Flight Safety Council began over a cup of coffee several years ago in Oman, when a small group of individuals sought to establish a focus for Gulf regional flight safety issues. From those humble beginnings the GFSC has grown into a diverse organization consisting of members from all over the region and around the world, including manufacturers, regulators, air traffic service providers, business jet and VVIP operators, airli Back to Top Upcoming Events: 25th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference March 6-8, 2014 Disney's Coronado Springs Resort Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA www.wai.org/14conference/index.cfm 8th World Cargo Symposium March 11-13, 2014 Los Angeles, California https://www.iata.org/events/wcs/pages/index.aspx Middle East Air Cargo and Logistics Exhibition & Conference 2014 April 9-10, 2014 Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) http://cargomiddleeast.com Airport Show Dubai May 11-13, 2014 Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) www.theairportshow.com/portal/home.aspx Back to Top European Association for Aviation Psychology (EAAP) - Courses "Human Factors in Flight Safety: Safety Management Systems (SMS), Risk Management and Safety Investigation" training courses to be conducted in Dubai and Barcelona, May 2014. Registrations are now open for these popular and internationally respected courses, to be held from: 11 - 15 May 2014, in Dubai, kindly hosted by Emirates, and, 19 - 23 May 2014, in Barcelona, kindly hosted by Barcelona-based airline, Vueling. Full details on the 2013 EAAP courses are included in the Registration Brochures for both the Dubai and Barcelona courses, which are now available for download from the EAAP website at: http://www.eaap.net/read/1801/human-factors-in-flight-safety-courses.html The experienced team of Dr Rob Lee, Kristina Pollack and Brent Hayward will again be conducting the 2013 courses on behalf of EAAP. The first of these courses was conducted at Ispra, Italy in 1999, and since then the course has been continually updated, and held regularly, in locations including Luxembourg, Stockholm, Madrid, Lisbon, Interlaken, Dublin and Dubai, with a total of more than 320 participants from civil and military aviation attending, as well as from other high technology industries. The course is recognised by EAAP as contributing towards certification requirements for those wishing to become an EAAP-certified Aviation Psychologist or Human Factors Specialist. As detailed in the Registration Brochure, EAAP members are offered reduced registration fees for the course, and there is also a significant additional "Early Bird" discount for those who register early. Course participant numbers are limited, so those wishing to attend are encouraged to register as soon as possible to secure a place. Those with any questions about the course, please email Brent Hayward: bhayward@dedale.net Back to Top Curt Lewis