Flight Safety Information May 9, 2014 - No. 095 In This Issue Cargo door alert forces Singapore Airlines A380 to turn back mid-flight Bird that collided with airplane was bald eagle India to appoint US firm to boost aviation safety ranking Whose drone is it? St. Louis high-rise crash heralds age of private drones Afghan jet slides off Kabul runway, no injuries PRISM SMS FAA Safety Briefing - May/June 2014 Sikorsky Aircraft lands $1.24 billion deal to build presidential helicopters New aviation program to Troy University (Alabama) ERAU Unmanned Aircraft Systems Short Course, Seattle Campus Graduate Research Survey Upcoming Events Cargo door alert forces Singapore Airlines A380 to turn back mid-flight A Singapore Airlines Airbus A380, not Flight SQ 866, approaches Singapore International Airport on January 7, 2014. A cockpit warning about a cargo door went off mid-flight on an Airbus A380 The superjumbo, headed for Hong Kong, turned back to Singapore, the airline says It landed safely and passengers were transferred to a replacement plane (CNN) -- A Singapore Airlines flight to Hong Kong had to turn back in mid-flight Friday after the pilots received an alert about a problem with a cargo door on the plane, the company said. The aircraft, an Airbus A380 superjumbo, returned to Singapore's Changi airport on Friday afternoon "as a result of a cockpit warning relating to a cargo door," the airline said in an e-mailed statement. Flight SQ 866 landed safely back at Changi at 2:20 p.m. local time, Singapore Airlines said, adding that passengers would be transferred to a replacement flight to Hong Kong. The airline didn't provide further details about the incident, nor did it immediately respond to a question from CNN about whether the cargo door issue affected cabin pressure. The replacement aircraft was expected to arrive in Hong Kong at 8:40 p.m., more than three and a half hours after the original scheduled arrival time, according to the Singapore Airlines website. The double-decker A380 is capable of carrying more passengers than any other commercial aircraft. http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/09/world/asia/singapore-airlines-flight-cargo-door/ Back to Top Bird that collided with airplane was bald eagle SEATTLE - A bird that died in a collision with an Alaska Airlines plane was a bald eagle. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport spokesman Perry Cooper said Thursday the bird was identified by biologists as an "immature bald eagle." The April 25 midair collision forced the Montana-bound plane to return to Sea-Tac, where it landed without incident. The collision had enough force that the bird broke the skin of the Bombardier Q400 operated by airline subsidiary Horizon Air. The bird was still in the plane when it landed. http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/may/08/bird-collided-airplane-was-bald-eagle/ Back to Top India to appoint US firm to boost aviation safety ranking DGCA may name Wicks Group to help restore safety ranking that was downgraded by the US regulator in January FAA highlighted untrained DGCA officials, the absence of documented procedures for new types of aircraft being inducted into India, and a shortage of flight inspectors to monitor India's growing airlines among the reasons it enumerated while downgrading India. New Delhi: India plans to appoint Washington-based consulting firm Wicks Group, PLLC to help restore its aviation safety ranking that was downgraded by the US regulator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in January. FAA's downgrade means Air India and Jet Airways (India) Ltd-the two Indian airlines that fly to US destinations-can't operate new flights to that country and have to suffer the humiliation of additional ramp checks on foreign soil, despite using new planes. "It's a firm run by former FAA officials and it will help us streamline our processes, documentation as per norms. This will be good, irrespective of a FAA downgrade or not in the long term," said a government official who asked not to be identified, referring to the hiring of Wicks. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is finalizing terms of reference for the Wicks Group. Wicks, the same official said, has worked with countries such as Azerbaijan, Cape Verde, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and Tobago and Ukraine and helped restore safety rankings after achieving compliance with international safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (Icao). Glenn Wicks, founder and managing director of Wicks, did not respond to an email seeking comment. John Goglia, a former member of the US National Transportation Safety Board that investigates all aircraft accidents in the US, said in a 31 January interview that "to get back to category 1, it might be helpful for DGCA to hire a consulting firm familiar with FAA audits and Icao requirements", and "other countries have found that helpful". FAA highlighted untrained DGCA officials, the absence of documented procedures for new types of aircraft being inducted into India, and a shortage of flight inspectors to monitor India's growing airlines among the reasons it enumerated while downgrading India. A downgrade does not reflect the safety of India's airlines but the ability of the Indian regulator to follow safety processes. India's aviation regulator so far has hired 29 new flight inspectors; it was meant to hire nearly 75. Many others are not willing to join the regulator, said an airline official who spoke on condition of anonymity. While the government organization has allowed market salaries to those willing to join, applicants do not want to miss out on perks such as free air tickets, promotions and work holidays granted to them in their airline jobs which DGCA cannot match. As a result, most people who are joining DGCA are retired or from airlines that have shut down. Once hired, the inspectors also need to be trained and that would take time, the government official said. FAA also needs to be given a three-month notice for it to assess whether to upgrade India back to normal rankings. It is likely all this will be done by Wicks once it is on board, said a second government official who also asked not to be identified. Restoration of the ranking is critical for airlines to expand into US and avoid unannounced checks by any foreign country. Air India has 21 weekly flights between India and the US, Jet Airways seven, while other Indian airlines fly mostly to South-East and West Asia. New airlines AirAsia and Tata-SIA Airlines hope to launch their operations this year. An airline pilot who flies to the US said that country's transport security administration has been so far easy on Indian airlines and there have been no ramp checks. The pilot asked not to be named. Skilled and well-paid people is critical to India's air safety, an analyst said. "Aviation is a risky business. Honesty and integrity, apart from great skills, are required to run DGCA; now with so many airlines and hundreds of aircraft, the tasks are far more onerous," said M.R. Sivaraman, former director general of DGCA. FAA said it is up to DGCA to work on the problems. "We do not have anything new to say at this time and would leave it to DGCA to discuss their actions," FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette said in an email from Washington on whether hiring Wicks will help. http://www.livemint.com/Companies/VXXkvoDhewWUm9MrrG6f8H/India-to-appoint-US- firm-to-boost-aviation-safety-ranking.html Back to Top Whose drone is it? St. Louis high-rise crash heralds age of private drones This week's crash of a drone onto the 30th-floor balcony of the tallest building in St. Louis makes clear that private drones are out there - and that their pilots are ignoring the FAA's behind-the-times rules. St. Louis police are involved in a quirky whodunit involving a drone and a downtown skyscraper - a high-flying caper that marks how fast America is crashing into the age of private-sector drones and how safety regulators are struggling to keep up. KMOV-TV in St. Louis reported that an office worker at the Metropolitan Square Building found a partly broken DJI Phantom II Quadcopter at about 4 p.m. Wednesday that had crashed onto a 30th-floor balcony of the 593-foot-tall building. The drone pilot, on the ground, apparently skedaddled. The Federal Aviation Administration has estimated that the US could see 7,500 commercial drones operating within a few years. The agency, walloped by interest in the machines, has been ordered by Congress to rewrite safety rules to allow drones to be used for profit. The problem is that all kinds of individuals and companies are already flying camera- toting drones, often illegally. Even for amateur pilots, FAA rules ban flying in densely populated areas, like downtown St. Louis. Chances are, many Americans have already seen drone-derived video footage on TV, presumably some of it taken illegally. There's been an Academy Award for technical innovation in using a drone to shoot a movie. Companies chasing competitive advantage have been frantically lobbying Washington to open a road to legal flying, but the FAA has said it won't finalize new regulations, which are likely to be onerous, until late next year. "The current regulatory void has left American entrepreneurs ... sitting on the sidelines or operating in the absence of appropriate safety guidelines," read an April 8 letter to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta from 33 industry groups, including the National Ski Areas Association. But in the open market, the gates that keep the bulls from running are already open, and courts have sided with the entrepreneurs over the FAA. Last month, a federal administrative judge threw out a $10,000 fine against Raphael Pirker, a pioneering drone pilot who has, among many other things, dramatically swooped drones under and around the Golden Gate Bridge. Today, the FAA allows amateurs to fly drones that weigh less than 55 pounds at heights below 400 feet - basically the existing rules for flying model R/C aircraft. Those rules discourage pilots from flying over densely populated areas. The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Manufacturing industry has seen revenues soar, and it will continue to cruise through the next five years, reports IBISWorld, a market research firm. The kind of drone that crashed into the Met Building in St. Louis retails for $999. "We're watching a car accident in slow motion, because the technology is becoming so inexpensive and easy to use that it's becoming just blindingly obvious that there are useful things to be done here," says Matt Waite, director of the Drone Journalism Lab at the University of Nebraska, in Lincoln. But if drone use is already becoming ubiquitous, the St. Louis drone crash underscores the FAA's main stated concern: How exactly does the agency safely integrate small flying machines into US air space? "There's going to be significant regulations about qualifications, what kind of training the pilots are going to have, what kind of safety systems, whether they have to report data to the FAA, whether there may be background checks required to fly - we just don't know yet," says Mr. Waite. The long wait before a drone regulatory regime is in place hints at the legal, technical, and societal complexity of new FAA rules that would goven the skies, and the right of Americans to record the world from above. "We really want to get it right the first time," FAA spokesman Les Dorr told the Los Angeles Times this week. That debate includes the darker prospects for a drone-filled world. Indeed, if commercial and recreational drone use is taking off despite the FAA's protestations, it's not without trepidation. The Humane Society of the United States last week called on all 50 US states to prohibit so-called "drone-assisted hunting," which HSUS President Wayne Pacelle called "technology-gone-amok." But the beneficial uses are just as obvious, as long as the footage shot from drones is taken safely. A Texas search and rescue company with several major successes under its belt can't legally use the drones it flies to find missing persons. Journalism, in particular, is chasing the technology, with two Midwestern schools already running drone journalism programs. Perhaps because the programs basically advertise the illegal commercial use of drones, the FAA has issued them a cease and desist order until they get proper authorization. (The FAA, however, has certified drone use for some 600 public entities, including police and universities, to fly their drones legally.) Indeed, the drone flotilla is coming, even as debates rage over the role of drones in a society that values privacy but also prizes technological advancements that capitalize on new vistas and frontiers - even if they're just above your head, buzzing outside a downtown high-rise. "It's crazy that a drone actually hit this building and nobody knows where it came from," St. Louis resident Joshua Foster told KSKD-TV. "That's sickening." http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2014/0508/Whose-drone-is-it-St.-Louis-high-rise-crash- heralds-age-of-private-drones.-video Back to Top Afghan jet slides off Kabul runway, no injuries KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - An Ariana Afghan Airlines jet slid off a rain-soaked runway in the Afghan capital on Thursday but none of the 130 passengers on board was hurt. The Ariana flight 312 from New Delhi landed around 5 p.m. local time (12:30 GMT) at Kabul International Airport, the airport's director Yaquob Rasouli said. The Boeing 737 was not damaged in the early afternoon incident and came to a stop off the runway on its own, Rasouli said. A steady rain had been falling for most of the day in Kabul. The state-owned Ariana is Afghanistan's largest airline, and its fleet includes three Airbus and six Boeing aircraft. It operates flights within Afghanistan and to international destinations including China, India, Iran and Pakistan. https://news.yahoo.com/afghan-jet-slides-off-kabul-runway-no-injuries-132111433.html **************** Status: Preliminary Date: Thursday 8 May 2014 Time: 17:04 Type: Boeing 737-4Y0 Operator: Ariana Afghan Airlines Registration: YA-PIB C/n / msn: 26077/2425 First flight: 1993-01-20 (21 years 4 months) Engines: 2 CFMI CFM56-3C1 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Kabul Airport (KBL) ( Afghanistan) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL/VIDP), India Destination airport: Kabul Airport (KBL/OAKB), Afghanistan Flightnumber: 312 Narrative: An Ariana Afghan Airlines Boeing 737-4Y0 sustained substantial damage in a runway excursion accident after landing on runway 29 at Kabul Airport, Afghanistan. Flight FG-312 originated in Delhi, India and operated on a scheduled passenger service to Kabul. Photos from the accident scene suggest that the airplane went off the paved surface at the end of runway 29. It continued for about 200 meters on the grass until it struck ILS aerials. The airplane continued for another 70 meters before coming to rest at a perimeter road with the nose protruding over a small ditch. The occupants evacuated using the emergency slides and overwing emergency exits. There were no signs of fire. Runway 29 is 3500 m (11,483 ft) long and equipped with ILS. An eyewitness reported to ASN that the airplane touched down beyond taxiway E. The remaining runway length from taxiway E is 1850 m (6070 ft). Weather reported about the time of the accident (17:04 local / 12:34 UTC) was: OAKB 081150Z 16006KT 6000 SHRA VCTS SCT040CB BKN080 13/10 Q1018 RETSRA NOSIG RMK WHT WHT 11:50 UTC: Wind 160 degrees at 6 knots; Visibility 6000m; rain showers, thunderstorm in vicinity; scattered CB clouds at 4000 feet AGL; broken clouds at 8000 feet AGL; Temperature: 13°C, Dewpoint 10°C; Recent Thunderstorms and rain OAKB 081255Z 22005KT 2500 +SHRA BKN030 OVC080 12/10 Q1019 NOSIG RMK YLO YLO 12:52 UTC: Wind 220 degrees at 5 knots; Visibility 2500 m; heavy rain showers; broken clouds at 3000 feet AGL; overcast cloud deck at 8000 feet AGL; Temperature: 12°C, Dewpoint 10°C www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Back to Top FAA Safety Briefing Leveraging Certification and Standards to Avoid Monstrous Maintenance Mistakes | May/June 2014 The May/June 2014 issue of FAA Safety Briefing is all about Airworthiness Certification and Standards. In this issue we look at the hidden dangers of layering supplemental type certificates (STC), who to go to when your plane has an issue, and how to take care of an aging aircraft. In addition, you can learn more about the airworthiness directive process and how to apply for an STC. http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/2014/media/MayJun2014.pdf Back to Top Sikorsky Aircraft lands $1.24 billion deal to build presidential helicopters The U.S. Navy on Thursday announced Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. with facilities just west the Chester County Airport in Sadsbury, has been selected to build the next fleet of Marine One helicopters for the use by the president of United States. With the selection comes a $1.24 billion engineering and manufacturing development contract to modify, test and deliver six FAA-certified S-92 helicopters and two trainer simulators to the U.S. Marine Corps. Covering a period of performance into late 2020, the fixed-price incentive firm contract is the initial step to providing by 2023 a VXX presidential helicopter replacement fleet totaling 21 operational aircraft. "We are honored by this news and the vote of confidence in the Sikorsky team and the proven S-92 platform," said Sikorsky President Mick Maurer in a news release. "For 57 years, our company has been trusted with the critical responsibility of building and supporting a safe and reliable helicopter fleet for the president of the United States. We are proud of our record and the bright future for our company. We stand ready to deliver the next Marine One, the world's most advanced executive transport helicopter." Ten nations currently fly the dual-engine, medium-lift S-92 helicopter for their head of state missions. Since 2004, Sikorsky has delivered more than 200 S-92 helicopters, predominantly to operators serving the worldwide offshore oil and gas industry, and for civil search and rescue. Sikorsky submitted its VXX proposal for an existing, in-production helicopter platform to the Navy in August 2013, following a Request for Proposals in May of the same year. Of the six contracted aircraft, two will be designated Engineering Development Models, enabling the Department of the Navy at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland to test the platform's flight performance and mission communication system capabilities as certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. Sikorsky is contracted to deliver the two EDM aircraft during 2018. The remaining four aircraft - designated System Demonstration Test Articles - will perform operational test and evaluation, and then transition to operational status. Sikorsky will deliver two training simulators (one each for maintainers and pilots) ahead of aircraft deliveries in 2018. By early 2019, the Navy is expected to place orders for the first of three lots of 17 production aircraft. Sikorsky expects to complete delivery of these production aircraft by 2023. The Sikorsky team will produce the aircraft in four distinct stages. Assembly of the baseline "commercial off-the-shelf" flight-certified aircraft will occur at the company's S-92 production facility in Sadsbury. At a secure facility in its Stratford, Conn., headquarters, Sikorsky will perform aircraft modifications to meet the requirements of the presidential mission. Later, at a secure facility in Owego, N.Y., principal subcontractor Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training will install the integrated communications and mission systems. When aircraft are returned to Stratford, Sikorsky will install the presidential interior into the 6-foot-high by 20-foot-long by 6.5-foot-wide cabin, and deliver the completed aircraft to the U.S. Navy. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Connecticut, is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture, and service. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides a broad range of high technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries. Congressman Joe Pitts, R-16th of East Marlborough, applauded Sikorsky on its selection to build the next generation of helicopters for presidential use. The new VXX helicopters will be built in Pitts' Congressional District and in Stratford, Conn. "I'd like to congratulate Sikorsky on winning the contract to build the new version of Marine One, the helicopter that flies the president," Pitts wrote in a news release. "This is great news for workers in Coatesville who will play an important role in building the new helicopters. I've been to the facility and I know they will do a great job on this new project. Hopefully, this limited demonstration run will lead to further contracts down the road." http://www.delcotimes.com/business/20140508/sikorsky-aircraft-lands-124-billion-deal- to-build-presidential-helicopters Back to Top New aviation program to Troy University (Alabama) A major announcement today by leaders at Troy University. They are partnering up with a helicopter company to bring the university an aviation program. Troy University announced they will be partnering up with a helicopter company to bring the university an aviation program. Mauna Loa Helicopters searched the nation to find the perfect fit for a partnership. The company wanted to bring an aviation program to a university and Troy was the perfect spot. "We looked in the state of Hawaii we looked in the west coast and we looked in the Midwest and what we found here in Troy was truly unique," said Benjamin Fouts, CEO of Mauna Loa Helicopters. This will be the university's first flight training program and it will provide a minor in aviation operations. Students can choose an associate's degree or the four year Bachelor of Applied Science. "Historically the military has trained 80 percent of civilian pilots. They got their start in the military and that whole program or that whole ratio has really reversed itself," said Fouts. "Were now 70-80 percent are coming through civilian flight schools. So were excited to bring this program to Troy and have this as an offering for the next and upcoming generation." With the increasing demand for pilots this is the perfect opportunity for students to obtain their license. They can pursue the helicopter flight training or the airplane flight training emphasis. But whichever option they chose they're both great for Troy University. "It's about need when you look at the future of aviation you see great opportunities. Its predicted within the next few years more than 90 thousand pilots just in north America in helicopter and fixed wing will be required," said Troy University Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins. The program will take on its first class this fall and for more information you can visit http://http://www.troy.edu/ for more information. http://www.dothanfirst.com/story/d/story/new-aviation-program-to-troy- university/17816/uVyre5pPL0izTV7pbyj10w Back to Top View this email in a web page TWO-DAY CONTINUING EDUCATION UNIT (CEU) COURSE UAS Applications, Operations and Support: Key Topics of Industry This two-day, continuing education unit (CEU) course is specifically designed for professionals and specialists seeking to expand their understanding of the application, operation and support of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Discussions will focus on the considerations, regulations, policies, business opportunities and challenges of the industry. This course is developed and taught by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide faculty with UAS operations and research experience. Who Should Attend: ? Business Developers ? Executive Leadership ? Small Business Owner/Entrepreneur ? Engineers (including aerospace, communications, electrical, GNC, hardware, logistics, software, systems, quality assurance and test) ? UAS Operators, Pilots, Sensor Operators ? Analysts (system, data management, manufacturing, operations, procurement, research and quality) ? Managers (account, contracts, program, project and operations) ? Training Developers/Coordinators ? Administrators (government, contracts, IT and property) ? Planners (mission, facilities, schedule and strategic) ? Technicians (avionics, electronics, manufacturing and radio frequency) ? Writers (technical, grant and proposal) Key Topics: ? Introduction and Impact of UAS ? UAS Designs ? Legislation, Certification and Regulation ? Industry Concerns ? Applications ? Operational Profiles ? Business Opportunities ? Future of UAS When: Where: Course Fee: Thursday, June 5 to Friday, June 6 Embry-Riddle Worldwide Seattle Campus 1000 Oakesdale Avenue SW Suite 110 Renton, WA 98057 USD $700 Time: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with an hour lunch For more information: Al Astbury, Office of Professional Programs Tel: (866) 574-9125 * email: training@erau.edu CLICK HERE FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND REGISTRATION Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 600 S Clyde Morris Boulevard Daytona Beach, FL 32114 USA If you wish to be removed from this group's mailing list, click here Graduate Research Survey I am doing a MSc course at Cranfield University (England) in "Human Factors & Safety Assessment in Aeronautics." As part of my Thesis I am doing a survey related to the degradation of manual flying skills and looking at pilot attitudes towards manual flight. I am trying to get as large and varied background of airline/biz jet pilots from all over the world to take part in it. The main aim of my research is to get data from current line pilots about the issues they face regarding manual flying. Issues such as airline policies, fatigue, workload, training and display design. I am looking to gather data from pilots in many countries. The survey should only take about 10-15 minutes hopefully and it is totally anonymous. Here is the link to the survey https://cranfielduniversity.eu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_1Tf2GY6mkpyR8Il Many thanks Pete Wilson MSc Student and Airline Training Captain 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 www.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 SMS & Risk Management Training Tampa, FL June 4-5, 2014 http://atcvantage.com ERAU Unmanned Aircraft Systems Short Course Seattle, WA June 5-6, 2014 http://proed.erau.edu/programs/specialized-industry-training/unmanned-aircraft-systems- workshop-nv/index.html 6th Annual Aviation Human Factors & SMS Seminar June 24th & 25th 2014 Dallas, TX www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1384474 21st Century Pilot Reliability Certification Workshop June 30th and July 1st, 2014 Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07605 Please contact Kacy Schwartz kacy@convergentperformance.com 719-481-0530 International System Safety Society Annual Symposium 04-08AUG2014 - St. Louis, MO http://issc2014.system-safety.org Curt Lewis