Flight Safety Information March 24 2014 - No. 061 In This Issue Chinese plane spots object in Malaysia jet search area Source: Flight 370's altitude dropped after sharp turn Malaysia Airlines Jet Makes Emergency Landing In Hong Kong After Generator Fails Mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 could spur air safety changes India pilots suspended over Bollywood dance performance Brisbane bound aircraft lands safely after fire report China Plane In Sea Search Lands At Wrong Australia Airport PRISM SMS Asia Pacific Aviation Safety Seminar, 21-22 May 2014, Bangkok, Thailand The Wings Foundation, Inc. Upcoming Events Chinese plane spots object in Malaysia jet search area Territorial disputes and historical mistrust are set aside during efforts to find the plane that vanished more than two weeks ago. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - A succession of satellite images from the Australians, the Chinese and the French, as well as a Chinese plane's report of "suspicious objects," has bolstered hopes for a breakthrough in the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. It has also raised hopes of a different kind: that the multinational effort to find the missing plane may prove to be a step toward easing some of the potentially dangerous tensions that have been growing in Asia. Although many of the problems in this region are seemingly intractable, fraught with territorial interests and historical mistrust, the search for the jetliner has prompted countries to cooperate and engage with one another on sensitive issues. On Monday, a Chinese search plane spotted "suspicious objects" in the southern Indian Ocean, China's state media reported. The crew sent the coordinates to the Australian command center as well as a Chinese icebreaker, which was en route, but it was unclear how far away the icebreaker was. China and Japan have sparred for months over islands in the East China Sea, but now are working with the Australian-led team of U.S. and New Zealand planes that has been combing the waters off the coast of western Australia for the last four days. India and China, despite their long rivalry, will share an air base in Malaysia to conduct sweeps of another section of the Indian Ocean. In all, 26 countries are taking part in coordinated operations to solve one of the great mysteries of aviation history. "Obviously we have now had a number of very credible leads and there is increasing hope, no more than hope, that we might be on the road to discovering what did happen," Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Sunday. Australia's maritime authority said Monday morning that the first of 10 military and civilian aircraft, two more than used Sunday, had taken off to look for objects spotted by satellite in the same general area of the southern Indian Ocean about 1,500 miles southwest of Perth, capital of Western Australia state. "The weather forecast in the search area is expected to deteriorate, with rain likely," the authority said in a statement. That could make it difficult for spotters to see debris, including a wooden pallet that was observed Saturday and that could have come from Flight 370 - though such pallets are also commonly used on ships. The underlying issues that had produced the tensions in the Asia-Pacific region will not evaporate just because of the current cooperation on the search. But it could subtly help improve the climate in which those issues are addressed. In the dark days of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union used "confidence-building" measures of cooperation on small matters to make it easier to deal with the larger concerns of nuclear survival. In much the same way, some experts see reason to hope the search for the airliner will make it easier for Asian powers to deal with the larger problems dividing them. "We're seeing a level of collaboration that's pretty much unprecedented," said John Blaxland, an expert on Asia-Pacific defense and security issues at Australian National University. He likened the current broad- based team effort to the cooperation after the devastating tsunami that struck Indonesia and other countries in the Indian Ocean region a decade ago. "It's a silver lining to a new dark cloud that has emerged," Blaxland added. "I think it's a pretty exciting and encouraging development." Relatives of Flight 370 passengers, particularly those from China, have been very critical of the Malaysian government's handling of the investigation, and some U.S. Republican lawmakers Sunday complained about what they regard as a lack of openness and cooperation from Malaysia. But President Obama's deputy national security advisor, Tony Blinken, said Sunday: "If there's anything encouraging in a tragedy like this, it's you have countries working together in ways that they haven't before. "We have the South Koreans, the Chinese, the Australians, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, all working in the same direction, which is to get to the bottom of what happened," he said on CNN. The White House is preparing for an Obama trip next month to East Asia, where he plans to visit Malaysia, among other countries. Though events in the Middle East and now Russia have occupied the president's foreign policy efforts, leaving him less time to pursue the administration's strategy to step up its role in Asia, the U.S. has been extensively involved in the Flight 370 case, with the FBI, Navy, NASA and other agencies helping with the investigation and search. "There clearly is a political element to it for many countries, particularly China," said Euan Graham, a maritime security specialist at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. With Chinese nationals accounting for the majority of the 239 people aboard Flight 370, Beijing faces considerable "grass-roots pressures that it has capabilities it can deploy in China's interests. This is a test case that [Beijing] can make the grade." On one hand, China's response to the missing flight has demonstrated its technical prowess and formidable resources - from its pictures, taken from one of its many satellites, to the ships Beijing has in the Indian Ocean now steaming toward the location of the objects. China's extensive naval presence in the region has been a growing concern among a number of Southeast Asian nations that feel Beijing has been throwing its weight around to advance its commercial and political interests. China has clashed with Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines over fishery and other issues. The effort to find Flight 370 has presented opportunities for Beijing to show a different face. Although Beijing has been frustrated at Malaysia's management of the search and investigation, Chinese officials at times have tried to be diplomatic, passing on information about satellite findings right away to Malaysian officials to allow them to announce it to the international media, as well as sharing it quickly with Australia. "That was a very significant courtesy they extended to Malaysia," said Blaxland. "I think we're seeing countries recognize that collaboration on such issues is in everybody's interest.... I don't view this as a zero-sum game." (le lien a été supprimé !) Back to Top Source: Flight 370's altitude dropped after sharp turn Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (CNN) -- As a growing number of airplanes scoured the southern Indian Ocean in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, authorities released new details that paint a different picture of what may have happened in the plane's cockpit. Military radar tracking shows that the aircraft changed altitude after making a sharp turn over the South China Sea as it headed toward the Strait of Malacca, a source close to the investigation into the missing flight told CNN. The plane flew as low as 12,000 feet at some point before it disappeared from radar, according to the source. The sharp turn seemed to be intentional, the source said, because executing it would have taken the Boeing 777 two minutes -- a time period during which the pilot or co-pilot could have sent an emergency signal if there had been a fire or other emergency onboard. Authorities say the plane didn't send any emergency signals, though some analysts say it's still unclear whether the pilots tried but weren't able to communicate because of a catastrophic failure. The official, who is not authorized to speak to the media, told CNN that the area the plane flew in after the turn is a heavily trafficked air corridor and that flying at 12,000 feet would have kept the jet well out of the way of that traffic. Earlier Sunday, Malaysian authorities said the last transmission from the missing aircraft's reporting system showed it heading to Beijing -- a revelation that appears to undercut the theory that someone reprogrammed the plane's flight path before the co-pilot signed off with air-traffic controllers for the last time. That reduces, but doesn't rule out, suspicions about foul play in the cockpit. The new details give more insight about what happened on the plane, but don't explain why the plane went missing or where it could be. Analysts are divided about what the latest information could mean. Some argue it's a sign that mechanical failure sent the plane suddenly off course. Others say there are still too many unknowns to eliminate any possibilities. CNN aviation analyst Miles O'Brien called the fresh details about the flight a "game changer." A satellite image released by China shows an object in the southern Indian Ocean.A satellite image released by China shows an object in the southern Indian Ocean. Flight MH370: What went wrong? 'Gonna have to go out there and look' "Now we have no evidence the crew did anything wrong," he said. "And in fact, now, we should be operating with the primary assumption being that something bad happened to that plane shortly after they said good night." If a crisis on board caused the plane to lose pressure, he said, pilots could have chosen to deliberately fly lower to save passengers onboard. "You want to get down to 10,000 feet, because that is when you don't have to worry about pressurization. You have enough air in the atmosphere naturally to keep everybody alive," he said. "So part of the procedure for a rapid decompression ... it's called a high dive, and you go as quickly as you can down that to that altitude." Military radar tracked the flight between 1:19 a.m. and 2:40 a.m. the day it went missing, the source told CNN, but it's not clear how long it took the plane to descend to 12,000 feet. "It explains so many pieces that didn't fit together before," she said. "Now, if we have a scenario where something happened, the plane made a dramatic turn and dropped from 35,000 feet to 12,000 feet, this scenario would fit what a pilot would do in the event of a catastrophic onboard event, such as a rapid decompression, a fire, an explosion. That's what you would have to do, descend, get down and turn around and try to get back to an airport that could accommodate an ailing plane." If the latest information is accurate, the theory of pilots trying to save the plane fits, said Mark Weiss, a former American Airlines pilot and CNN aviation analyst. But that's a big if, he said. "We've had so much information come out and so much contradictory information come out, that I caution against jumping to any types of conclusions at this point," he said. Challenging search As speculation over what led to the flight's disappearance showed no signs of slowing, investigators appeared to be beefing up their efforts to comb the southern Indian Ocean. Buoyed by a third set of satellite data that indicated possible debris from the plane in the water, the international team led by Australia fought bad weather as it looked for signs of the Boeing 777 and the 239 people who were aboard when the plane went missing on March 8. The search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane resumed Monday morning, with additional aircraft joining the operation, Australian authorities said. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said 10 aircraft will search for possible objects in an area about 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) southwest of Perth. That includes two jets from China and two from Japan, which were on the way to join the search area on Monday, authorities said. France's Foreign Ministry said Sunday that radar data from a satellite pointed to floating debris in the Indian Ocean 2,300 kilometers (1,430 miles) from Perth, Australia. The data were immediately passed along to Malaysian authorities, and French satellite resources will home in more on the area, the ministry said. Satellite images previously issued by Australian and Chinese authorities have also captured possible large floating objects, stoking hopes searchers may find debris from the missing plane. But so far, searchers have turned up empty-handed after more than two weeks of scouring land and sea. On Saturday, searchers found a wooden pallet as well as strapping belts, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority's John Young said. The use of wooden pallets is common in the airline industry. "It's a possible lead ... but pallets are used in the shipping industry as well," he said Sunday. Authorities have said random debris is often found in the ocean. The flying distance to and from the search area presents a big challenge for search aircraft. Photos: The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Photos: The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Will we ever find Flight 370? Could this ocean robot help find missing plane? "They're operating at the limits of their endurance," said Mike Barton, the authority's rescue coordination chief. If search crews do turn up anything, they'll soon have more technology to help them. The U.S. Navy is sending a super-sensitive hydrophone listening device to Australia to be on standby if debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is found and a search for the plane's voice and data recorders can be done, a U.S. military official said Sunday. The device is pulled behind a ship at slow speeds and is used by the Navy to locate downed aircraft to a depth of 20,000 feet. Nothing but water, and questions Was turn reprogrammed? Malaysian officials, in a written update Sunday on the search, cast doubt on the theory that someone, perhaps a pilot, had reprogrammed the aircraft to make an unexpected left turn during the flight. "The last ACARS transmission, sent at 1:07 a.m., showed nothing unusual. The 1:07 a.m. transmission showed a normal routing all the way to Beijing," it read. The Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System measures thousands of data points and sends the information via satellite to the airline, the engine manufacturer and other authorized parties, according to CNN aviation and airline correspondent Richard Quest. Had the plane been reprogrammed to change course, the ACARS system should have reported it during its last communication at 1:07. The ACARS is supposed to report new information every 30 minutes, but it was silent at 1:37. "It is important because it is more consistent (with an emergency). In other words, if the pilots had put in this waypoint that they were going to turn to and that they knew in advance of their last communication that they were going to turn, then everyone was (saying) that this had to be a premeditated act," Schiavo said. "Now if this information is correct, and it was not premeditated, then it does fit very closely with the scenario that, whatever happened, happened suddenly and they turned perhaps to go back to an emergency airport." Hope, only hope Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott voiced hope that investigators could be closing in on an answer to questions that have dogged authorities for days: What happened to the plane, and where is it? "We have now had a number of very credible leads, and there is increasing hope -- no more than hope, no more than hope -- that we might be on the road to discovering what did happen to this ill-fated aircraft," Abbott said at a news conference. In one of the great aviation mysteries in history, the airliner carrying 239 people disappeared March 8 after it took off from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on a flight to Beijing. An exhaustive search covering 2.97 million square miles -- nearly the size of the continental United States -- has yielded some clues but no evidence of where the Boeing 777 is or what happened to it. Countries from central Asia to Australia are also engaged in the search along an arc drawn by authorities based on satellite pings received from the plane hours after it vanished. One arc tracks the southern Indian Ocean zone that's the focus of current attention. The other arc tracks over parts of Cambodia, Laos, China and into Kazakhstan. (le lien a été supprimé !) Back to Top Malaysia Airlines Jet Makes Emergency Landing In Hong Kong After Generator Fails HONG KONG (AP) - A Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to Seoul has made an emergency landing in Hong Kong after a generator failed. Hong Kong's airport says firefighters were put on standby for the arrival of the Airbus A330-300, which landed without incident just before 3 a.m. on Monday. Malaysia Airlines says in a statement that flight MH066 was diverted to the southern Chinese city after the main generator supplying normal electrical power failed. However, the jet's auxiliary power unit was able to continue supplying power. The airline said the 271 passengers bound for Incheon International Airport near Seoul were put on flights with other carriers. Searchers are continuing to look for a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 that disappeared March 8 on an overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. (le lien a été supprimé !) Back to Top Mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 could spur air safety changes (CNN) -- Cameras in the cockpit. Real-time streaming of communications and flight information. Increased capacity flight data and voice recorders. Transponders that detach on impact and float. Once the mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is solved, there are changes in air safety that might result from the lessons of the disappearance of a jumbo jetliner in the age of instant communications. The technologies -- each of which has its supporters and its detractors -- come into question as the search for Flight 370 enters its third week. Here's a look at some possible technological changes: Camera images beamed from cockpit to ground Investigators would be able to see and hear all that transpires in the cockpit. Are batteries a clue to MH370's fate? Searching for plane in 'roaring 40s' Malaysians slow to act on critical lead? Telegraph: Last messages of Flight 370 Former American Airlines pilot Mark Weiss and other experts agree that images could prove highly important during investigations. The National Transportation Safety Board has for years campaigned for cockpit video, arguing that images would have helped it solve what happened in crashes like that of EgyptAir 990 in 1999, which the agency concluded was a deliberate act by the co-pilot. A camera would have clarified who was in the cockpit and what was happening. Opponents, however, are not ready to welcome Big Brother in the sky. Many pilots -- and unions that represents them -- worry about an invasion of privacy. "Years ago there was an American Airlines flight that took off out of Chicago and an engine came off the wing, and that airplane went right into the ground," Weiss told CNN. "They had a camera on that airplane, and people were able to see inside the airplane exactly what was happening to them." Union officials have said that having a camera monitor what pilots do would affect their ability to perform. Longer life for batteries powering locator beacons The hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is two weeks old. That means it's near the halfway mark in the minimum battery life for the pinging beacon device on flight recorders. When the expected battery life runs out, possibly around April 6, the job of finding the flight data and cockpit voice recorders -- to which the beacons are attached -- will get significantly harder And, thereby, so will the job of solving the mystery of Flight 370. Every commercial airplane is required to have pingers -- technically called underwater locator beacons -- to help locate lost aircraft. One is attached to the flight data recorder; another to the cockpit voice recorder. The depletion of a device's battery will not wipe out data, however. Data has been known to survive years on modern recorders in harsh sea water conditions. The battery life on the beacons has been a hot subject since the crash of Air France Flight 447 in 2009. The flight was carrying 228 people when it disappeared from radar between South America and Africa en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. It took two years to find the aircraft's flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder in oceanic mountainous terrain under 13,000 feet of water. The battery died before searchers could locate the wreckage. Since then, regulators and the airline industry have undertaken efforts to increase the beacon battery life from 30 to 90 days. There are also efforts to require pingers to be attached to aircraft airframes, making it easier to locate wreckage. The next-generation pingers emit pings that can be heard 6 to 10 miles away, said Anish Patel, president of beacon manufacturer Dukane Seacom Inc. Uplinking information from plane to satellite before a crash The Air France crash spurred U.S. aviation safety officials to look into uplinking critical flight data to orbiting satellites from airplanes flying across oceans. Today, flight data recorders use computer chips to record information about how the plane is working in flight. The cockpit voice recorder captures audio from crew members including pilots. But all that data could be uncollected if the plane crashes in a large body of water. Then, the devices can't be retrieved without help from special recovery teams. The National Transportation Safety Board had been researching a new system that would uplink airplane data about a plane's location, direction, equipment functions and about 30 other parameters to orbiting satellites, which would then beam the data back to the ground for storage. In the event of a crash, that data could be easily accessed and analyzed for clues. Such a system would be pricey but advocates contend that it could save millions of dollars in operations to recover onboard flight data devices when a crash occurs. Searching for the Air France devices and aircraft wreckage cost $40 million, according to a report by France's aviation investigation agency, the Bureau d'Enquetes et Analyses. But critics cite potential reasons why in-flight data uplinks might not work, including high costs, limited bandwidth, security concerns, privacy issues, and cumbersome aviation bureaucracies. In fact, two powerful government bureaucracies with oversight of the U.S. aviation industry -- the NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration -- disagree about the promise of in-flight uplinks. Real-time streaming of flight information In the age of Netflix streaming and trans-Atlantic Wi-Fi on flights, why can't aircraft-in-flight data come in real time? Canadian company Flyht Aerospace Solutions says it can. The company makes the Automated Flight Information System, or AFIRS, which automatically monitors data such as location, altitude, and performance. The data can be live-streamed when something goes wrong. The technology would have answered many questions about Flight 370, according to Flyht director Richard Hayden. "We would know where the aircraft has gone, where it is, and we would have information on what had happened in the meantime," he said. On a normal flight, the system would send updates every five to 10 minutes. And it could be programmed to recognize when something is wrong, such as a deviation in flight path, to automatically begin streaming second-by-second data. The main objection has been cost, but Hayden said AFIRS is designed to save carriers money. "A typical installation would be under $100,000 including the box and the installation parts and the labor," said Hayden. "Normally our customers recover that expense in a matter of months to, at most, a couple of years by virtue of the savings it creates." Those savings come from troubleshooting mechanical problems while the plane is in the air, he said, as well as collecting data that can help cut fuels costs. Former Inspector General of the Department of Transportation Mary Schiavo doesn't believe carriers will get on board. "(Airlines are) very cost sensitive," she said. "They simply will not add additional safety measures unless mandated by the federal government." Increased capacity for data and voice recorders Today's recorders are better than recorders of the past, when data was recorded on magnetic tape. But they fall short of current technical potential. Voice recorders, for instance, have only two hours of recording capacity. Since Flight 370 flew almost seven hours beyond the point where something went terribly wrong, it's almost guaranteed that crucial cockpit sounds have been erased. Cockpit voice recorders memorialize pilot's words -- from the inconsequential to the tragic. In 1999, a voice recorder captured the last words of the startled captain of EgyptAir 990 as he fought to maintain control of his plane. The cockpit voice recorder helped establish that the pilot was trying to pull the plane out if a dive while his co-pilot, investigators determined, flew it into the ocean. Voice recorders also record clicks and hums -- sounds that can reveal pilot's actions. Flight data recorders capture a wide array of data, including altitudes, air speeds, headings, engine temperatures, flap and rudder positions. And the types of data recording is growing as technology advances, a National Transportation Safety Board official said. "We see recorders that come in for the newer aircraft of at least a few hundred (types of data) if not more than 1,000," the official said. They must record the previous 36 hours of operations. Pilots, however, don't like being recorded -- via audio or video. "It's their work environment," said Peter Goelz, a CNN aviation analyst and former NTSB managing director. "They believe that the voice recorders intrude on their work environment." Two hours of voice recording capacity is not adequate, he said. "It should be the last 24 hours," Goelz said told CNN. "There is no reason in the world now not to have data recorders digitally recording in 24-hour time." Some have suggested designing flight data and voice recorders that detach from the plane on impact or shortly before impact. The transponders would then float. (le lien a été supprimé !) Back to Top India pilots suspended over Bollywood dance performance to mark Holi on SpiceJet flight An image from a video posted to YouTube shows a crew member on a SpiceJet flight from Goa to Bangalore, India, performing a Bollywood dance routine as the flight's first officer (at right) videotapes the performance, March 17, 2014. DELHI -- While the world's attention has been fixed on the hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, two Indian pilots have been suspended for joining in with a preplanned airline publicity stunt and allegedly putting their flight's safety in jeopardy in the process. The pilot and first officer of the March 17 SpiceJet airlines flight were suspended after the first officer left the cockpit to record the cabin crew's well-choreographed dance number on his cell phone. Flight attendants danced in the aircraft's center aisle at 35,000 feet to mark Holi, the most raucous and colorful event on the Hindu religious calendar. In a 3-minute video uploaded to YouTube, at least four SpiceJet crew members on the Goa to Bangalore flight are seen dancing to Bollywood hit "Balam Pichkari" while the first officer records the performance on a mobile phone near the cockpit door, which appears closed in the video. India's aviation regulator said the pilots had endangered aircraft safety and created an "unruly environment." The regulator even threatened to suspend the airline's license, pending an investigation. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation sent a notice to SpiceJet saying the "cabin crew's acts had drawn the attention of other crew on duty, thus reducing their preparedness/alertness." "The frequent movement of the dancing crew may have affected the aircraft's center of gravity during flight and created turbulence," added the Directorate. Crews on five of SpiceJet's flight routes were performing the Bollywood number, "to liven up the journey for passengers on Holi festival," according to airline spokeswoman Priti Dey. "We are looking together into the report in cooperation with the DGCA," Dey said, adding that the cockpit was manned at all times as per DGCA regulations. Pilots are permitted to leave the cockpit during flight, to use the bathroom, for instance. "The dance was professionally choreographed and was a Holi delight for the passengers, much like it is done by several airlines around the world to celebrate special occasions. The entire dance sequence lasted only for 2.5 minutes," said Dey. Budget Indian airlines often plan elaborate mid-flight spectacles, in part to make the journey memorable, and in hopes that videos of the performances will make their way onto social networking sites for some free publicity. Sources said the airline suspended the first officer and the pilot for an indefinite period. The pilot did not leave the cockpit himself, but as the officer in charge, he permitted the first officer to leave the cockpit to film the dancing. The airline had planned for this event and even carried extra cabin crew members to man the aircraft during the dance number. Generally there are four crew members on the flight, but the jets on which the dance was performed carried two extra, to compensate for some staff being temporarily distracted. (le lien a été supprimé !) Back to Top Brisbane bound aircraft lands safely after fire report The plane forced to land at Brisbane Airport after smoke filled its cockpit. Emergency crews were on standby as a plane, filling with fumes, was forced to land at Brisbane Airport this afternoon. Firefighters rushed onboard the aircraft after it landed safely and two crew members and one passenger were treated for minor smoke inhalation, Nine News reported. The Qantaslink Dash 8 landed safely and all passengers disembarked, a Qantas spokeswoman said. "QantasLink flight QF 2128 from Sydney to Gladstone diverted to Brisbane due to reports of fumes in the cockpit," she said. "The aircraft landed normally and will undergo an engineering inspection to determine the source of the fumes. Thirty three passengers on board will continue their journey this evening on another QantasLink flight." The incident happened about 5pm. (le lien a été supprimé !) Back to Top China Plane In Sea Search Lands At Wrong Australia Airport The first Chinese plane heading to Australia to join the hunt for a missing Malaysia Airlines jet landed at the wrong airport on Saturday, underscoring the difficulties facing the increasingly complex multinational search effort. The Chinese IL-76 military aircraft made an unexpected stop at Perth International Airport before heading to its correct destination at RAAF Base Pearce outside Perth, where search and rescue operations for Flight MH370, which has been missing for two weeks, are now being coordinated. "They landed at Perth and then they landed here," RAAF Corporal Janine Fabre told Reuters. "We don't know why." RAAF Base Pearce, a dusty collection of runways and low-slung buildings about 21 miles north of Perth, is taking on the feel of a model United Nations as aircraft and ships - not to mention journalists - from at least six countries descend on the region. But as the number of search vehicles and nationalities increases, so too do the challenges including security sensibilities, language and operational and command issues. (le lien a été supprimé !) Back to Top Back to Top Asia Pacific Aviation Safety Seminar, 21-22 May 2014, Bangkok, Thailand The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) is holding the next Asia Pacific Aviation Safety Seminar (APASS) on 21-22 May 2014 in Bangkok. The seminar, hosted by THAI Airways International, is organised by the AAPA Flight Operations & Safety Working Group. This seminar is designed to create a common meeting place for all airlines from the Asia Pacific region, airports, aircraft manufacturers, regulators, insurers, ground handlers, MROs, service providers and suppliers to discuss and to be updated on the latest developments in aviation safety. Why attend? * Excellent networking opportunities for all safety stakeholders to exchange ideas on the important fundamentals and applications of aviation safety best practices, in-service experience and lessons-learned with like-minded aviation safety experts. * Topic-specific workshops in Cabin Safety, Flight Operations Safety and Safety Performance Indicators will enable participants to exchange views and debate on the practical approaches in managing some of the leading safety issues facing the region. Click here to find out more >> (le lien a été supprimé !) Back to Top The Wings Foundation, Inc. Wings Foundation, Inc., founded by a group of American Airlines Flight Attendants, celebrates 25 years as a 501 © (3) non-profit. Wings' mission, to provide assistance to fellow AAL Flight Attendants in critical financial need due to illness, injury or disability or other catastrophic events, is fulfilled only with the support of thousands of AAL Flight Attendants, American Airlines, Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the KIWI Club, recycling of aluminum on board cans and many generous contributors. WINGS is an all-volunteer organization with an industry low overhead of 6%. In lieu of a splashing gala, the WINGS volunteers have chosen to reach out to their supporters with a thank you card displaying an illustration exclusively designed by Ms. Ferris ((le lien a été supprimé !)). For more information and a peek at the illustration visit: (le lien a été supprimé !) Back to Top Upcoming Events: WATS 2014 April 1-3, 2014 Orlando, FL (le lien a été supprimé !) North Texas Business Aviation Safety Show-Down is set for April 3rd (le lien a été supprimé !) Middle East Air Cargo and Logistics Exhibition & Conference 2014 April 9-10, 2014 Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) (le lien a été supprimé !) Airport Show Dubai May 11-13, 2014 Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) (le lien a été supprimé !) National Safety Council Aviation Safety Committee Annual Conference Savanah, GA - May 14-15, 2014 Contact: tammy.washington@nsc.org (le lien a été supprimé !) Asia Pacific Aviation Safety Seminar 21-22 May 2014, Bangkok, Thailand (le lien a été supprimé !) Curt Lewis