Flight Safety Information April 25, 2014 - No. 085 In This Issue Search for missing Malaysian jet may take years: U.S. official Aviation inspectors raise 'red flag' over airline safety (Canada) Drunken passenger causes hijack scare in Bali Worries over air traffic safety (Zimbabwe) Close shave for Singapore Airlines and Jetstar planes over Northern Territory (Australia) FAA looking at whether plane landing at Newark Airport flew too close to departing jet American Airlines plane carrying congressman makes emergency landing in Tampa. PRISM SMS Envoy Partners With TCC With Pilot Shortage Looming Aircraft dismantling market to rise to $80 million in 2014 Embry-Riddle Partners on Electric Airplane Project Embry-Riddle to offer SMS Workshop for Aviation Executives May 20-22 ICAO Loss of Control In-Flight Symposium Upcoming Events Search for missing Malaysian jet may take years: U.S. official (Reuters) - The search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is likely to drag on for years, a senior U.S. defense official told Reuters on Friday, as an underwater search for any trace of the plane's wreckage off west Australia appeared to have failed. The official, speaking under condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the search effort, said two weeks of scouring the Indian Ocean floor with a U.S. Navy submersible drone had turned up no wreckage. He said the search for the jetliner, which vanished on March 8 with 239 people on board, would now enter a much harder phase of scouring broader areas of the ocean near where the plane is believed to have crashed. "We went all in on this small area and didn't find anything. Now you've got to go back to the big area," the official said. "And now you're talking years." On Friday, the undersea drone Bluefin-21 is expected to finish what may be the last of its 16-hour trips to depths of more than 4.5km (2.8 miles) searching a 10 square km (6.2 square mile) stretch of seabed about 2,000 miles northwest of Perth. Authorities had identified the area as their strongest lead in determining the plane's final resting place after detecting what they suspected was a signal, or "ping", from the plane's black box recorder on April 4. But the U.S. official said Malaysia would have to decide how to proceed with the search, including whether to bring in more underwater drones, even with the understanding that the search could continue for years without a refined search area. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/25/us-malaysia-airlines- idUSBREA3O0B520140425 Back to Top Aviation inspectors raise 'red flag' over airline safety (Canada) Transport Canada cuts mean fewer in-person inspections, survey of inspectors finds A survey of aviation inspectors in Canada shows they fear a major accident in the near future because of gaps in safety inspection. Aviation inspectors condemn Transport Canada's safety system A survey of Canada's aviation inspectors shows they are increasingly concerned about aviation safety because of Transport Canada rules that leave responsibility for setting acceptable levels of risk up to the airlines. The survey, conducted by Abacus Data on behalf of the Canadian Federal Pilots Association (CFPA), indicates 67 per cent of Canadian aviation inspectors believe the current system increases the risk of a major aviation accident, up from 61 per cent in 2007. Critics slam changes to aircraft safety inspection system First Air captain ignored co-pilot's warnings before Nunavut crash The concern comes amid cuts to Transport Canada that mean inspectors are spending more time overseeing paperwork, and less time inspecting airplanes and airline safety systems. At issue is the Safety Management Systems (SMS) approach, introduced in 2008, that asks any airline with planes carrying 20 or more passengers to monitor safety performance themselves. Under the change, the inspector's role is mainly to evaluate the airlines' systems with occasional inspections. The CFPA expressed concern about the SMS approach to safety when it was introduced. A similar survey in 2007 found 74 per cent of inspectors expected a major aviation accident or incident in the near future. Now, 84 per cent of inspects expect such an accident. Daniel Slunder, president of the CFPA, said Transport Minister Lisa Raitt should see the increased concern as a "red flag." "We've already seen the major accident inspectors feared when a First Air jet crashed in Nunavut in 2011. The next crash could be in Toronto or some other major Canadian city," Slunder said in a news release. A Transport Canada assessment had found no problems with First Air's SMS just months before the crash, which killed 12 people. More time between mandatory inspections Transport Canada has decreased the frequency of mandatory inspections of airlines from one year to three years because of dwindling resources, the CFPA claims. Some airlines may go uninspected for up to five years, it says. Transport Canada also has ended unannounced in-person inspections in favour of audits of company paperwork, according to Christine Collins, president of the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees. Canada's auditor general has already raised concerns about the lack of traditional inspections. "Transport Canada is not adequately managing the risks associated with its civil aviation oversight," Auditor General Michael Ferguson said in his 2012 report. CBC News has reached out to Raitt for comment but her office has not replied. A statement from Air Canada said safety is a "core value" for the airline. "We have invested significant resources in our integrated Safety Management System. We believe SMS is a highly effective additional layer of safety that encourages everyone working at Air Canada to make safety their top priority in whatever they do," the statement said. Air Canada also pointed to other air transport agencies, such as International Air Transport Association (IATA), that have audited their safety systems. WestJet has declined comment. The National Airlines Council of Canada, a trade association representing Canada's four largest passenger air carriers, including WestJet, Air Canada, Jazz and Air Transat, issued a statement saying its members are "committed to SMS as an enhancement of existing safety processes." "The aviation industry has invested heavily into the development and implementation of enhanced safety systems and protocols, which have certainly played a role in making air travel safer than ever. There is no basis in fact to suggest otherwise," the NACC said in its statement. The CFPA survey, conducted from Feb. 13 to March 14 of this year, was based on 284 responses to an email questionnaire from licensed pilot inspectors and technical inspectors. http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/aviation-inspectors-raise-red-flag-over-airline-safety- 1.2620472 Back to Top Drunken passenger causes hijack scare in Bali JAKARTA, Indonesia - A drunken passenger who caused a hijack scare on a Virgin Australia flight by trying to break into the cockpit was arrested Friday after the plane landed on Indonesia's resort island of Bali, officials said. The airport was closed for nearly two hours because of the incident, forcing several flights to be diverted, director general for air transport Herry Bakti Gumay told Metro TV. The Australian passenger acted aggressively and began pounding on the cockpit door before being handcuffed by the crew, Heru Sudjatmiko, airport manager for Virgin Australia, told the station. The passenger was arrested for creating a disturbance, he said. "There was no hijacking at all," he said. "It was only a miscommunication." A hijack alert had been issued by the pilot about one hour before the plane landed, Indonesia air force spokesman Hadi Tjahjanto said. The Boeing 737 was carrying 139 passengers and six crew members from Brisbane, Australia, to Bali, which is a leading tourist destination for Australians. "The aircraft landed safely and at no point was the safety of passengers in question," an airline spokeswoman said in Australia. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/drunk-passenger-causes-hijack- scare-in-bali/2014/04/25/789c9efa-cc4f-11e3-b81a-6fff56bc591e_story.html Back to Top Worries over air traffic safety (Zimbabwe) While Zimbabwe has no record of major flight disasters, there are concerns that sky safety could be compromised as local civil and military aviation are operating with aged radar systems. Civil air traffic has been using old equipment and the military has also failed to upgrade its plane detection and control system, according to reliable sources. This is despite the fact that the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) invested $30 million in refurbishing Harare International Airport in 2012. Sources revealed that CAAZ is seeking to install a new radar system at the airport at a cost of $19 million. The State Procurement Board is handling the tender. The sources some managers at CAAZ wanted to upgrade the general communication system as this would save millions of dollars. CAAZ Public Relations Manager, Anna Julia Hungwe, refused to shed light on the tendering process. "All the questions can only be responded to by the State Procurement Board as they are mandated to process tenders on behalf of State owned enterprises," she said. A 2012 parliamentary committee report on transport pointed out that civil aviation was in disarray. "Harare Airport is the only international airport in the world without a flight information display system. The committee was told that the runways, taxi ways, terminal buildings and air navigation equipment that support aviation at Harare Airport and other airports throughout the country were long overdue for rehabilitation," said the report. Radar systems are used to detect, control, guide and monitor air traffic. Zimbabwe is ranked under Category 2 by the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency, which means that the CAAZ is not providing sufficient safety oversight of its air carrier operators in accordance with the minimum standards. Air Zimbabwe sued CAAZ for over $8,5 million for damages after its MA60 aircraft destined for Bulawayo collided with wild pigs on the runway in November 2009. The aircraft veered off the runway into bushes and two of the 34 passengers sustained minor injuries but the plane was extensively damaged. In his opening remarks of the Inclusive government's last parliamentary session in October last year, President Robert Mugabe said CAAZ would be split into two units in a move aimed at enabling government to improve its international obligations and responsibilities with respect to aviation safety oversight and security functions. Said Mugabe: "In the transport, communications and infrastructural development sector, the Civil Aviation Act will be amended to provide for the separation of the two entities, namely, the Airports Management Administration and the Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority." A report by the African Development Bank said weather installations at the country's aerodromes were also inadequate. "Shortcomings in surveillance raise concerns about search and rescue operations and broadband infrastructure is not available at most airports," reads part of the AfDB report, adding that while CAAZ was making progress in addressing these deficiencies, much remained to be done. http://www.thezimbabwean.co/news/zimbabwe/71354/worries-over-air-traffic- safety.html Back to Top Close shave for Singapore Airlines and Jetstar planes over Northern Territory (Australia) Air-safety investigators are looking into a close shave between Singapore Airlines and Jetstar passenger jets over the Northern Territory on Thursday afternoon. The Singapore Airlines A330 aircraft was flying from Brisbane to Singapore when an air- traffic controller cleared the Jetstar A320 to climb through the larger plane's cruise level, which resulted in a so-called "loss of separation". The Jetstar plane was flying from Darwin to Brisbane. The Australian Air Transport Safety Bureau said the incident occurred about 75 kilometres east-south-east of Tindal in the Northern Territory. The air force has a base at Tindal, which is near Katherine. The bureau has not revealed how close the planes came to each other, and will not release a final report into the incident until November. A "loss of separation" occurs when two aircraft fly within 305 metres vertically and 9.26 kilometres on a horizontal axis of each other, raising the risk of collision. Following a spate of high-profile incidents, last October the ATSB released a 114-page report into "loss of separation" cases between June 2008 and June 2012. The bureau raised concerns in the report about the "relatively high" number of aircraft that have flown too close to one another in the country's military-controlled airspace. While Airservices Australia monitors the bulk of this country's airspace, the Department of Defence oversees both civilian and military aircraft in airspace at Darwin, Newcastle and Townsville. The ATSB pointed out in the report that most of the incidents in military-controlled areas were the "result of controller actions", and Darwin and Williamtown in Newcastle were "in particular over represented". The bureau's report showed that a loss-of-separation incident between planes under air traffic control in Australia occurs on average once every three days. However, the ATSB emphasised in its report that the rate of near misses due to civilian air traffic control was one of the lowest in the world. In almost 90 per cent of cases, the bureau said there "was no or a low risk of aircraft colliding", while only about six cases a year "represent an elevated safety risk". http://www.smh.com.au/business/close-shave-for-singapore-airlines-and-jetstar-planes- over-northern-territory-20140425-zqz9z.html#ixzz2ztylZkBv Back to Top FAA looking at whether plane landing at Newark Airport flew too close to departing jet NEWARK - The Federal Aviation Administration is looking into whether two planes were too close to each other as one was taking off and the other landing at Newark Liberty International Airport Thursday afternoon, an agency spokeswoman said tonight. The possible "loss of separation" involved an Express Jet Airlines Embraer E145 taking off from one of the airport's long north-south runways and a United Airlines Boeing 737 landing on Runway 29, the airport's east-west airstrip. It is not clear how close the planes came to each other, at what stage of takeoff and landing the planes were or the speed of the Embraer. The incident was reported to airport authorities by the pilot of Express Jet flight 4100, according to an official familiar with the incident. That plane was bound for Memphis, the FAA spokeswoman said. It took off at 3:03 p.m., according to flightaware.com, a flight tracking website. United Airlines Flight 29 was en route from San Francisco, according to the spokeswoman. More planes have been using Runway 29 since earlier this month as another of the airport's north-south airstrips is being overhauled. http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2014/04/ Back to Top American Airlines plane carrying congressman makes emergency landing in Tampa An American Airlines plane with a U.S. congressman on board was forced to make an emergency landing in Tampa Thursday night after reporting the smell of smoke in the cockpit. The carrier says Flight 3454, from Tallahassee to Miami, had 46 passengers and crew of 3. The plane landed safely at 9:30 p.m., American Airlines spokeswoman Laura Masvidal told CBS Miami. That was five minutes after reporting the smoke smell, the Tampa Bay Times quotes Tampa International Airport spokeswoman Janet Zink as saying. Masvidal said the source of the smoke was being investigated. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami (R, Miami) was among the passengers, as was Miami- Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. Carvalho tweeted that there was an explosion as well as smoke, but Masvidal told CBS Miami she wasn't aware of an explosion. When the plane was on the ground, Carvalho posted a "selfie" of himself, Diaz-Balart and some others, the Tampa Bay Times says. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/american-airlines-plane-carrying-congressman-makes- emergency-landing-in-tampa/ Back to Top Back to Top Envoy Partners With TCC With Pilot Shortage Looming Envoy, formerly American Eagle Airlines is offering Tulsa Community College students a job out of college and $10,000 in tuition reimbursement. TULSA, Oklahoma - In a time when few of us have job security, let alone a five-year- plan, Envoy, formerly American Eagle Airlines is offering Tulsa Community College students a job out of college and $10,000 in tuition reimbursement. With this pipeline program, Envoy is trying to make up for a shortage of pilots. Thousands of pilots are hitting the mandatory pilot retirement age of 65. One study predicts 18,000 pilots will retire through 2022. Now, flight students are totally fine with this new opportunity to pick up their pilot jobs. "Say, this is your path and we can guarantee that there is a job waiting for you at the end of this path," said Envoy pilot and TCC Graduate, Robert Bowlin. Sounds like a dream come true for any college student. Graduate and Envoy will guarantee you a job, plus, thousands of dollars in tuition reimbursement. "The opportunities they can provide for us as a student. That's incredible! We didn't have any of that before," said flight student Drew Falls. Falls wants to fly for a major airline. "It's kind of a distant thing, but seeing them here at the school kind of brings it here a little closer to home," said Falls. TCC Chief Flight Instructor, Matthew Wise, said, "They want to put a name to the face to the airline because they want to have presence here." Wise said the lack of pilots has been looming for years. "It's huge. And if you think it's huge here, go international and see how huge it is," he said. He said his students are positioned perfectly to get a pilot job, and now there's a direct path. "Isn't it great? You know they can come in and know they're going to have a pipeline to a major airline. The career path is there for them," said Wise. Bowlin said he understands why there's a pilot shortage, and it's not just because of the retirement age. "Frankly, I think a lot of people are doing the math, saying it costs a lot to get there and there may not be that initial return on investment," Bowlin said. That's what Envoy is trying to improve with this job guarantee and $10,000 in tuition. "It's a huge opportunity, and it's something to look forward to, for sure," Falls said. Envoy pilots, like Bowlin we talked to in the story, will go to flight classes throughout the semester to work with students. This program is also at Oklahoma University, Oklahoma State University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University and Spartan. http://www.newson6.com/story/25334336/envoy-partners-with-tcc-with-pilot-shortage- looming Back to Top Aircraft dismantling market to rise to $80 million in 2014 WASHINGTON and BRUSSELS - The total global market value of the aircraft dismantling services market is set to reach $80 million in 2014, according to a new industry study by top aviation consultant TeamSAI Consulting, conducted in partnership with the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA). A rapid increase in the number of aircraft reaching the end of their economic life presents considerable opportunities for the aircraft dismantling and recycling industry, according to the study. Industry operators predict that between 1,200 and 1,800 aircraft will be dismantled and torn down over the next three years. It also found that close to $3.2 billion worth of harvested parts will be made available to the commercial aviation supply chain in the form of aftermarket parts annually, offering around 50 per cent savings compared to new OEMs parts. Martin Fraissignes, AFRA's Executive Director, comments: 'This substantive piece of research confirms that our industry is both vibrant and growing. 'As our sector grows, it is increasingly clear that it is not just about having enough dismantling and recycling capacity, it must be the right capacity. Hence AFRA's commitment to ensuring that as many companies as possible agree to follow our Best Management Practice Guide and secure AFRA Accreditation so that aircraft owners know with certainty that their assets will be dealt with in the most environmentally responsible manner. It is important that the good practices we have developed are adopted by new entrants as well as established operators in the industry'. 'This study underscored the impact that currently high levels of aircraft retirements is having on the aftermarket supply chain, especially for mature fleets', said David A. Marcontell, TeamSAI's President & COO. 'Put differently, there are $3.2 billion worth of alternatives to new parts or expensive repairs out there, undoubtedly having a material impact to OEM's, MRO's, and aftermarket parts distributors alike', he added. TeamSAI Consulting's survey of the global aircraft dismantling and recycling sector is based on the input of 36 AFRA members. http://www.eturbonews.com/45053/aircraft-dismantling-market-rise-80-million-2014 Back to Top Embry-Riddle Partners on Electric Airplane Project Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is partnering with a company founded by Erik Lindbergh, the grandson of Charles Lindbergh, to curb emissions and noise from aircraft engines by developing new electric and hybrid power systems. Lindbergh, CEO of Powering Imagination, and Dr. Richard Anderson, Director of the Eagle Flight Research Center at Embry-Riddle, noted that pollution and noise from aircraft engines is becoming a serious P.R. problem for aviation. Powering Imagination's Quiet Flight Initiative is partnering with the Green Flight Program at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach, Florida, campus, where students and faculty will convert a Diamond HK36 motorglider to electric power for testing. The aircraft will also be used for assessing new components of electric propulsion systems when it makes its first flight, which is expected to take place in mid-2015 from the Daytona Beach Campus. http://www.flyingmag.com/pilots-places/pilots-adventures-more/embry-riddle-partners- electric-airplane-project#IA8Jpohbh6MYg2Qo.99 Back to Top Embry-Riddle to offer SMS Workshop for Aviation Executives May 20-22 Daytona Beach, Fla. - Aviation professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge in Safety Management Systems (SMS) concepts and implementation of SMS within their organization can take advantage of a three day course being offered on the Daytona Beach Campus from May 20-22. Topics will include: safety risk management (hazards, risks, and controls); human factors; reactive, proactive, and predictive safety management tools and methods; positive safety culture; and SMS implementation overview. Attendees will be able to explain the theory, principles and application of SMS and will understand the ICAO requirements for implementation as well as the current FAA guidance for operators and organizations. All participants will receive a signed copy of Safety Management Systems in Aviation, authored in part by Dr. Alan Stolzer, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, College of Aviation, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. For more information, click here or email case@erau.edu About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world's largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, is a nonprofit, independent institution offering more than 60 baccalaureate, master's and Ph.D. degree programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business and Engineering. Embry-Riddle educates students at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., and through the Worldwide Campus with more than 150 locations in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The university is a major research center, seeking solutions to real- world problems in partnership with the aerospace industry, other universities and government agencies. Back to Top DO NOT MISS THIS KEY AVIATION EVENT, REGISTER NOW! Although Loss of Control In-flight (LOCI) accidents are rare, they have accounted for one third of all fatalities in scheduled commercial aviation over the last ten years, more than any other category of accident. Addressing LOCI has therefore become a priority for the aviation industry. ICAO will convene a Loss of Control In-flight (LOCI) Symposium on 20-22 May 2014 in Montreal to share information and experiences of professionals from a wide variety of aviation disciplines to address this safety priority. Our List of Speakers includes: - Bertrand de Courville, Consultant to IATA, Co-chair of the European Commercial Aviation Safety Team. - Peggy Gilligan, Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety, FAA. - Kevin Hiatt, Senior VP for Safety and Flight Operations, IATA. - Jules Kneepkens, Rulemaking Director, European Aviation Safety Authority. - Terry McVenes, Director, Operational Safety and Regulatory Affairs, Boeing. - Harry Nelson, Executive Operational Advisor to Product Safety, Airbus. Click here to see the full list of our confirmed speakers >> Who Should Attend: The Symposium will attract aviation professionals from regulatory authorities, accident investigation bodies, manufacturers, airlines, training schools, international organisations, and members of the research and academic community. Sponsorship and Exhibition Opportunities: Industry stakeholders with relevant products and services are invited to exhibit and/or sponsor at this event in order to gain visibility with government and aviation industry audiences. For more information please contact: Ms. Enza Brizzi. ENGAGE. SHARE. MAKE A DIFFERENCE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER For more information go to:www.icao.int/meetings/loci Follow us at: Back to Top Upcoming Events: Airport Show Dubai May 11-13, 2014 Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) www.theairportshow.com/portal/home.aspx International Humanitarian Aviation Summit 12-14MAY Toledo, Spain wfp.org National Safety Council Aviation Safety Committee Annual Conference Savanah, GA - May 14-15, 2014 Contact: tammy.washington@nsc.org http://cwp.marriott.com/savdt/artexmeeting/ Embry-Riddle to offer Aviation SMS Workshop Daytona Beach, FL May 20-22, 2014 www.erau.edu/case ICAO Loss of Control In-Flight Symposium 20-22 May 2014 - Montreal www.icao.int/meetings/loci Asia Pacific Aviation Safety Seminar 21-22 May 2014, Bangkok, Thailand http://bit.ly/APASS2014 International System Safety Society Annual Symposium 04-08AUG2014 - St. Louis, MO http://issc2014.system-safety.org Curt Lewis