Flight Safety Information May 15, 2014 - No. 099 In This Issue Malaysia Airlines Missing Plane Search Halted Again Over Technical Problems City Jet flight turns back after 'part of wing falls off' What happens if a drone gets sucked into a passenger jet engine NTSB RECOMMENDS IMPROVEMENTS TO AGRICULTURAL AVIATION FBI: DRUNKEN PASSENGER GROPES 3 ON UK-BOUND FLIGHT Saudi aviation liberalization will need higher safety standards say experts PRISM SMS Pair gets jail for stealing luggage amid chaos of Asiana jet crash Chinese airline to buy 50 Boeing aircraft for $6 billion Saudi Arabian Aviation Agency Orders DeTect MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar System ERAU Unmanned Aircraft Systems Short Course, Seattle Campus Upcoming Events Malaysia Airlines Missing Plane Search Halted Again Over Technical Problems SYDNEY, May 15 (Reuters) - The search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 hit a fresh snag on Thursday after it was found the underwater drone at the heart of the operation had been damaged, forcing what could be another lengthy delay. The Australian agency coordinating the search effort, now in its third month, said communications equipment on the sophisticated Bluefin-21 drone was damaged on its first day back after almost two weeks away for maintenance and resupply. The issue was discovered on Wednesday, the Joint Agency Coordination Center (JACC) said, just two hours into the drone's first mission since returning to the search area in the Indian Ocean about 1,600 km (1,000 miles) northwest of the west Australian city of Perth. "Examination of the communications problem has established that a hardware defect exists in the transponder mounted on the Ocean Shield and that a defect may also exist in the transponder mounted on the Bluefin-21," a JACC statement said, referring to the Australian naval vessel towing the drone. "This inhibits the ability of the two devices to communicate with each other," it said, The Boeing 777 disappeared on March 8 along with its 239 passengers and crew during a scheduled service between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing, sparking the most expensive search in aviation history. Aerial searches failed to turn up any sign of the plane and officials are now relying on unmanned submersibles like the Bluefin- 21, which scour the ocean floor using sophisticated sonar equipment. Officials have said that it could take a year to search the 60,000 sq km (23,000 sq mile) area where the plane is believed to have crashed, and questions about how to proceed and how to split the bill are growing. Parts to repair the Bluefin drone, on loan from the U.S. Navy for less than three more weeks, will not arrive in Australia until Sunday and it will take several days to reach the search area once repairs are completed. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/15/malaysia-airlines-missing-plane_n_5328110.html Back to Top City Jet flight turns back after 'part of wing falls off' Passengers onboard a flight from London to Florence were left terrified after a six-foot section of the the wing collapsed as the aircraft took off. The Telegraph's Cole Moreton was onboard the plane, and filmed exclusive footage showing what appears to be part of the engine housing hanging off the wing of the Avro RJ85 aircraft. "On take off there was a strange noise then a bang and six-foot plus section of the left wing that looked like suddenly came loose and hung down, flapping in the jetstream. It seemed hydraulic pistons had snapped as they were flapping too. Passengers were alarmed and told the cabin staff, who appeared to inform the captain" said Moreton The aircraft circled above the Thames estuary before making an emergency landing back at London City Airport, where it was met by emergency services. None of the 61 passengers onboard are believed to have been injured in the incident. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/aviation/10832781/City-Jet-flight-turns-back-after-part-of-wing-falls-off.html Back to Top What happens if a drone gets sucked into a passenger jet engine Engine killers. Last week's near-collision between a hobby drone and a passenger aircraft portends what could happen as the sky gets a lot more crowded. And the nightmare scenario that has people concerned about drones is that one of them flies too close to a passenger jet and gets sucked into an engine. Pilots deal with similar collisions with some frequency already-except they involve birds. And the outcome can be for the affected engine to die in midair. Bird strikes are such a big problem in aviation that there are annual bird-strike conferences and several countries with bird-strike task forces. It was a collision with a flock of birds that caused the problems leading to 2009s "Miracle on the Hudson" emergency landing in the New York area. And the phenomenon even has its own awesome acronym: BASH, which stands for Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard. (The industry term for gooey bird remains in an engine is also amusing: snargle.) This video shows what is likely a real-life bird strike: 757 airplane bird strike (engine failure) And this video shows a test scenario where an engine tears itself apart after a foreign object is thrown into it: (the action starts about 17 seconds in): Bird Strike Jet Engine Test Robert Harwood, the aviation director for Ansys, a company that develops simulations for aircraft emergencies, says that a drone getting sucked into an engine would probably be a lot like a bird strike. "Except obviously, with a drone it's probably metallic or plastic, so it's going to be more substantial than something fleshy." In a jet engine there are several concentric rings of high-speed fan blades that simultaneously push air backwards and compress it for combustion. An object such as a bird or drone that enters the intake dislodges the blades from their ring, bending or breaking them and seizing their rotation. This causes what's known as catastrophic engine failure. This is bad, because that engine is dead. Most passenger jets have two or four engines, and can fly with one or more disabled. The most likely times for any drone collisions are around takeoff and landing-because planes are at lower altitudes then-which increases the chances of a successful emergency landing if needed. Regulator-mandated engine specifications help ensure that any explosions and debris from a drone collision would be contained. Regulators such as the US Federal Aviation Administration even go so far as to require that all aircraft engines undergo tests involving launching dead birds (or something of equivalent weight) into the engines to make sure the damage is localized. "The engines themselves are designed so if the blades break the shroud will prevent it from piercing and going into the cabin," says Harwood. With drones, he says, "if it's a bigger drone and moving more quickly, it changes the equation." There's could also be an added danger of combustion in gas-powered drones. But just how much any of this is different from a bird collision we don't yet know conclusively. The FAA isn't making anyone launch drones into engines as part of their turbine intake collision tests, according to an agency representative. The FAA is currently conducting trials for new rules that would open the skies both for hobbyists, and commercial ventures like Amazon's planned drone courier service. Assuming regulation is rolled out, the main danger to airplanes would be rogue hobbyist drone operators who fly their drones in takeoff or landing zones. Even with rogue hobbyists, Harwood says that drone collisions are not a huge area of concern for the aviation community. He sees the risk of mid-air collisions as statistically very low. http://qz.com/209090/what-happens-if-a-drone-gets-sucked-into-a-passenger-jet-engine/ Back to Top NTSB RECOMMENDS IMPROVEMENTS TO AGRICULTURAL AVIATION; CALLS FOR STRONGER COLLABORATION BETWEEN REGULATORS AND INDUSTRY WASHINGTON - The National Transportation Safety Board has released findings from its Special Investigation Report on the Safety of Agricultural Aircraft Operations. As a result of the safety issues identified in the study, the NTSB issued eight safety recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Agricultural Aviation Research & Education Foundation urging the two organizations to work together to develop and distribute agricultural operations-specific guidance on fatigue management, risk management, aircraft maintenance, and pilot knowledge and skills tests. Agricultural operations, a niche group within the general aviation community, are subject to many safety hazards because they fly low enough to have to be concerned about obstacles such as power lines, communications towers, and meteorological evaluation towers. While these operations have historically ranked sixth or seventh among general aviation sectors in terms of hours flown, they have ranked third in terms of the number of annual accidents. Based on a review of these data and the findings from several agricultural operation accident investigations, last year, the NTSB initiated a special investigation to better understand the issues affecting the industry. During the 2013 aerial application season, the NTSB investigated 78 accidents, which included gathering information in the areas of pilot work and sleep schedules, pilot training and experience, and aircraft maintenance. "Ag operations are inherently flown at low altitudes, often close to obstacles and hazards. That kind of flying requires rigorous risk assessment and risk management to operate safely," said NTSB Board Member Earl Weener. Investigators found that collisions with obstacles are a prevailing concern in the industry. In addition to the special report and recommendations, the NTSB issued a new Safety Alert, "Preventing Obstacle Collision Accidents in Agricultural Aviation." The alert encourages ag-operators to conduct thorough preflight and aerial surveys, use technology to identify and maintain awareness of obstacles, and have a better understanding of the performance limitations and requirements of their aircraft. A companion Video Safety Alert was created and released to help inform and educate pilots, operators, and maintenance personnel. To view the full report, including recommendations, click on the following link: http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safetystudies/SIR1401.html To watch the Video Safety Alert, click on: http://youtu.be/761wsC8Ombc www.ntsb.gov Back to Top FBI: DRUNKEN PASSENGER GROPES 3 ON UK-BOUND FLIGHT PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A drunken, unruly airline passenger groped three women before air marshals arrested him and the London-bound plane turned back to Philadelphia, according to court documents. Robert John Coppack, 40, of La Verne, California, will remain in custody until a detention and probable cause hearing Monday in federal court. According to an FBI affidavit, two women sitting with Coppack complained about his behavior on the overnight US Airways flight Tuesday, prompting the crew to steer him toward the back of the plane. Coppack then groped a retired flight attendant as he walked down the aisle, the affidavit said. Coppack, who told his seatmates he had been drinking vodka, was also aggressive and verbally abusive, the affidavit said. He was detained on board by an air marshal on the flight, and later charged with intimidating the crew and interfering with their work. Neither a public defender assigned to his case nor relatives listed at his California address returned calls for comment Wednesday. The plane arrived at Heathrow Airport in London about four hours late, airline spokeswoman Michelle Mohr said. Coppack was traveling on a British passport, and told officials he has dual citizenship, the affidavit said. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_FLIGHT_RETURNED?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014- 05-14-17-28-25 Back to Top Saudi aviation liberalization will need higher safety standards say experts Enjoying the largest domestic market in the Middle East, the aviation industry in Saudi Arabia still hasn't managed to replicate the rapid growth of its GCC neighbours because of the regulatory impediments. Nevertheless, as a result of the long-awaited reform, the GACA expects Saudi annual traffic to reach 100 million passengers per year by 2020. However, the increasing scope of operations still presents a lot of challenges, including those regarding aviation safety standards. Currently in Saudi Arabia just the national carrier - Saudi Arabian Airlines - and a single LCC - flynas - serve a population of 28 million, in contrast to the four airlines available to the neighbouring UAE's 9 million people. However, with the domestic economy buoyed by high oil prices, a growing young and increasingly affluent population as well as improving aviation infrastructure and a market opening up to more competition, the outlook for Saudi aviation is strong. The passenger traffic carried by the country's local airlines increased at an annual average growth rate of 12.2% between 2008 and 2012 alone. However, the most significant change for Saudi Arabia's market, which has been looming for some time, is set to come in 2014. Under the on-going regulatory reform process, two new players, Saudi Gulf Airlines and Al Maha Airways, have been already awarded licences to operate domestic and international flights and are expected to intensify the competition in the market. The related challenges, however, are also likely to follow. "The increasing activity within the Saudi Arabian civil aviation sector will naturally affect the demand for appropriate line maintenance support of the intensified operation, requiring an increased number of skilled personnel and staff to maintain the new aircraft. However, while job opportunities in the aviation sector are on a rise, so is a shortage of people equipped with the right skills within the regional. The Middle East is expected to require over 53,000 additional technical personnel over the upcoming two decades," said Asta Zirlyte, the head of FL Technics Line Maintenance Dep. "At the same time, while establishing a new line station might cost up to $80 thousand in equipment and tooling, training of the appropriate amount of qualified professionals might add a significant amount to this number, not mentioning the time it requires." Al Maha Airways plans to have 10 A320s flying during its first 12 months of operations, and expects to add another 10 to 15 narrowbody aircraft followed by a number of widebody machines afterwards. If all goes according to the plan, the complete Al Maha Airways fleet should consist of around 50 aircraft. SaudiGulf Airlines has ordered 16 CS300s from Bombardier and intends to base itself at Damman, initially operating a limited schedule of three to four flights daily to Jeddah and Riyadh. A planned international expansion will cover routes in the Middle East, as well as Africa and South Asia. In addition, Flynas has embarked on a plan to take over 20% of Saudi traffic and carry 20 million passengers by 2020. The airline currently covers 23 Middle East destinations and is moving into the long-haul market seeking to serve an impressive eight destinations in five countries. The airline's aircraft utilization has already improved and increased to from 5.4 hours per day in 2009 to more than 13 hours per day in 2013. Foreign LCCs are also watching the market in the Kingdom. Cebu Pacific, plans to operate to Dammam and Riyadh from Manila, targeting 1.5 million migrant worker market of Filipino expatriates, who are thought to be living in Saudi Arabia. Currently, many of the Gulf airports have either already surpassed or are nearing full utilization. As for Saudi Arabia, the airports in the country have lately been operating at an average passenger capacity utilization of 130%. To cater to the growing traffic, Saudi Arabia is making huge investments to expand its airports. "Reducing turn-around times might take some of the pressure off the insufficiently developed infrastructure, while this issue is being dealt with. This is exactly what third-party line maintenance providers might offer. Having much experience of working with LCCs, third-party line maintenance providers' main focus is on minimizing the carriers' maintenance-related downtime. The carriers would then be provided with the necessary reaction speed and faster AOG resolutions, which would result in significant cost savings to the carriers as well as the ability to focus on their primary activities. In addition, the HR-related issues could be managed on timely manner, as independent providers usually already have all the necessary capabilities to cover the possible fleet-related changes of their clients," Zirlyte said. http://www.arabianaerospace.aero/saudi-aviation-liberalization-will-need-higher-safety-standards-say- experts.html?utm_source=googleNews&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=news_feed#sthash.LQgig4Er.dpuf Back to Top Back to Top Pair gets jail for stealing luggage amid chaos of Asiana jet crash Couple who stole stranded luggage at SFO after Asiana crash sentenced to jail, must pay restitution Prosecutor says luggage theft amid chaos of Asiana crash at SFO was 'deplorable...a serious breach of trust' A couple who stole stranded luggage from passengers diverted away from San Francisco International Airport last year because of the Asiana Airlines crash have been sentenced to jail. Sean Sharif Crudup, 44, and Raychas Elizabeth Thomas, 32 -- both Richmond residents who worked for United Airlines -- pleaded no contest to grand theft and possessing stolen property and were sentenced this week to nine months and six months in jail, respectively, said San Mateo County Dist. Atty. Steve Wagstaffe. Both were also given three years' probation and ordered to pay about $6,000 in restitution, the majority of it to Nordstrom department store. Surveillance video showed Crudup going into an airport baggage office at the airport, taking a piece of luggage, bringing it out and handing it to Thomas. "Ms. Thomas had taken a bunch of the clothing to Nordstrom to sell it back," Wagstaffe said at the time of the couple's arrest. "A search warrant was issued for their home in Richmond, and a large number of the items were found there." Crudup and Thomas were arrested at the airport where the thefts occurred. They were heading to Hawaii on July 25, 2013 -- Crudup's birthday, three days before Thomas'. "Thievery when no one's around, I find it deplorable, especially if they're taking advantage of a case like this.... I find it a serious breach of trust," Wagstaffe said last year. The victims in the case were flying to San Francisco from the Cayman Islands. Their luggage contained several pieces of jewelry and clothes worth about $30,000. But the victims' plane was diverted, Wagstaffe said in an interview, first to Houston and finally to Los Angeles, where they rented a car to drive north. But when they arrived at the luggage area at SFO, their baggage was nowhere to be found. The prosecutor did not identify the victims. The Asiana crash last year killed three young Chinese students who were aboard Flight 214 and injured nearly 200 other passengers and crew members. It also wreaked havoc on airline operations in the Bay Area for several days, canceling outgoing flights and causing a large number of incoming flights to be diverted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-asiana-luggage-conviction-20140514-story.html Back to Top Chinese airline to buy 50 Boeing aircraft for $6 billion BEIJING, MAY 15: A new low cost Chinese carrier has signed an agreement with Boeing to purchase 50 aircraft worth over $6 billion, the largest ever deal made by a private airline in China. Jiuyuan Airlines, based in Guangzhou City, China's southern business hub, got approval from the Civil Aviation Administration in February and is expected to begin flights in the second half of this year. The deal was signed yesterday. The aircraft, including Boeing's 737-800 and 737 MAX, are expected to be in operation by 2020, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The budget carrier plans prices as low as 9 yuan ($1.46) to tap a new client source. Guangzhou is the top destination of Chinese migrant workers. "Boeing has sold more than 1,000 aircraft to China in the past 40 years and will sell another 1,000 in the next 6 to 7 years," said Ian Thomas, President of Boeing China. "China will need almost 6,000 more planes in the next 20 years worth more than $780 billion," Thomas said. Jiuyuan Airlines is jointly owned by Shanghai Juneyao Airlines Co Ltd, Elion Resources Group Limited Company, Xinhualian Holding Co Ltd and Juneyao's Ji Guangping with a registered capital of 600 million yuan. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/international/chinese-airline-to-buy-50-boeing-aircraft-for-6- billion/article6011687.ece Back to Top Saudi Arabian Aviation Agency Orders DeTect MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar System Advanced bird radar will be installed at King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar system at Boston's Logan Airport in 2009 The MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar is currently used by the US Air Force and Navy and at commercial airports throughout Europe and Africa. The MERLIN avian radar is proven, operational technology with over 100 MERLIN systems currently operating at sites worldwide in aviation safety and environmental applications. Panama City, Florida, USA (PRWEB) May 15, 2014 DeTect, Inc. (http://www.detect-inc.com) today, May 15, 2014, announced that it has received an order from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for a MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar system for the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Airport (GIZ) in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. According to DeTect's President, Ron L. Merritt, "this will be the first bird radar system at a commercial airport in the Middle East and the fifth commercial airport in the world to use a bird strike avoidance radar operationally for real-time aircraft-bird strike risk warnings." DeTect's MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar system is the most advanced and widely-used technology available for bird- aircraft strike hazard (BASH) management and for real-time detection, tracking and alerting of hazardous bird activity at commercial airports, military airfields, and military training and bombing ranges. Since 2003, MERLIN systems have been providing real-time birdstrike alerts to air traffic controllers, flight safety managers and pilots at US Air Force and Navy airfields and at commercial airports in Europe. NASA also used two MERLIN systems to support 22 space shuttle launches from 2006 through 2012. About DeTect ... DeTect™ is a fully integrated radar company headquartered in Panama City, Florida, USA with radar manufacturing facilities in Florida and Colorado and additional offices in Arlington, Virginia; Montreal, Canada; and, London, England. The company is the world leader in advanced bird radar technologies for real-time aircraft-bird strike avoidance, wind energy bird and bat mortality risk mitigation, and industrial bird control with over 120 of its MERLIN™ bird radars operating in the US, Canada, Europe, Africa and Asia. Other DeTect radar products include HARRIER™ Security and Surveillance radars and RAPTOR™ Radar Wind Profilers. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/05/prweb11850832.htm 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 Upcoming Events: 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