Flight Safety Information May 16, 2014 - No. 100 In This Issue FAA, NTSB investigating close call between 2 planes EU is safest for aviation in world Radical rethink for air safety Flames Seen In Engine Of American Airlines Jet PRISM SMS Boeing's 737 Turns 8,000: The Best-Selling Plane Ever Isn't Slowing Airbus Wins China Southern Order for Bestselling A320 Family Jet Air Charter Safety Foundation Asap Expands To West Coast ERAU Unmanned Aircraft Systems Short Course, Seattle Campus Upcoming Events FAA, NTSB investigating close call between 2 planes Preliminary data shows planes were as close as 5.3 miles laterally, 800 feet vertically HONOLULU - The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating an incident nearly three weeks ago when two jets came within miles of each other. On April 25, United Airlines Flight 1205 from Kona to Los Angeles responded to a warning from the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System about 200 miles northeast of Kona. The warning told the crew to avoid a U.S. Airways Boeing 757 heading westbound. The FAA says the required separation between aircraft in the airspace where the incident occurred is either 5 miles laterally or 1,000 feet vertically. Preliminary data shows that the aircraft were 8 miles apart when the alert came. The United plane was told to descend. On the next radar hit 12 seconds later, the aircraft were 5.3 miles apart laterally and 800 feet apart vertically. The FAA says it not drawing conclusions about whether the aircraft were on a collision course. The agency began investigating the incident immediately and says it has taken steps to prevent a recurrence. FAA officials say the TCAS performed as it was designed. A joint FAA and NTSB investigation team was scheduled to arrive on Oahu on Thursday. Since the 1980s, the FAA has required the TCAS on airliners with more than 30 passenger seats to help prevent mid-air collisions. It alerts pilots to potential conflicts and may issue them instructions to climb or descend to avoid the conflict. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating an incident nearly three weeks ago when two jets came within miles of each other. United Airlines says it is working with the NTSB in its review of the incident. http://www.kitv.com/news/faa-ntsb-investigating-close-call-between-2-planes/26007202#ixzz31spO0FUG Back to Top EU is safest for aviation in world * Global flights to double by 2030 * Flight safety remains the number one worldwide priority, particularly after the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, aviation and state officials said during the fifth international conference on "Aviation Safety Performance: Can it be measured?" held in Nicosia. According to aviation officials, 33 mln flights took off in 2013 globally, transporting over 3 bln passengers, while figures are expected to double by 2030. The global accident rate was lowered to 2.4 accidents per million departures in 2012, with the EU regarded as the safest aviation region in the world. Cyprus, as the only EU member state in the region, can play a leading role in facilitating the adoption of common aviation standards and procedures, Communications and Works Minister Marios Demetriades told delegates. In his address to the conference, the minister noted the island's strategic position between three continents, and said the Cyprus government's policy is to encourage regional cooperation in flight safety and civil aviation issues. Aviation safety is a top priority for the government and we never take it for granted, Demetriades, stressed. "It is our duty and hence our commitment, to ensure that aviation operations maintain the highest level of safety performance and meet national and international standards," he said, adding that the government is backing efforts by Eurocontrol Director Network Manager Joe Sultana to restructure the Civil Aviation Department. Raymond Benjamin, Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), said in a video message that safety has been a guiding priority for his organisation, which is committed to improving aviation safety. He referred to the Global Safety Information Exchange (GSIE), a collaborative network established in 2010 between ICAO, IATA, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the European Commission, that uses common accident criteria. According to GSIE, the harmonised accident rate for 2012 is 2.4 accidents per million departures, a 33% improvement in industry performance over 2011 figures. The European Commission's Aviation and International Transport Affairs Director, Matthew Baldwin said that the EU has become in recent years the safest aviation region in the world. In his speech, delivered by the Head of the European Commission Representation in Cyprus George Markopouliotis, Baldwin noted that between 2002 and 2012, there were on average 2 fatal accidents per 10 mln flights in the EU, while the respective figure for the U.S. stood at 2.1. He added that the EU accident rate has remained stable during the last decade, while traffic is expected to almost double by 2030, and called for vigilance to preserve and further improve the EU safety record. Baldwin also referred to a recently revised "Regulation on the reporting, analysis and follow-up of occurrences" in civil aviation, obliging member states and the industry to collect data on such occurrences and mitigate safety risks on the basis of this information. The legislation will be applicable by November 2015, he noted, and the Commission will present by 2015 a modern regulatory approach to safety and the governance of the European Aviation Safety Agency. Baldwin concluded that aviation contributed significantly to the EU economy, with the industry supporting 5.1 mln jobs and adding 365 bln euros to the Union's GDP. The Chairman of the Flight Safety Foundation - Mediterranean (FSF-MED) Michael Constantinides said in his opening remarks that, according to ICAO figures, 33 mln flights were conducted in 2013, transporting over 3 bln passengers, while noting that figures are expected to double by 2030. Despite these numbers, air travel continues to be the safest option and safety levels continue to rise, Constantinides said, adding that there is no room for complacency. Everybody considers flight safety as the number one priority and that the aim should be zero accidents. The Chairman of FSF-MED welcomed the Israeli presence from the aviation sector, both as speakers and participants at the event, and said that Cyprus aims at establishing similar relations with all neighboring countries. Catalin Radu, the President of the European Civil Aviation Conference said that aviation safety is faced with a lot of challenges and noted the pressure some European countries are under, due to the economic crisis. He added that measuring safety performance can be quite challenging and noted that performance indicators should be specific and measurable, and targets must be achievable. http://www.financialmirror.com/news-details.php?nid=32533 Back to Top Radical rethink for air safety Tracking aircraft by satellite, cloud storage of black box data and other technological innovations were being considered Monday by aviation officials in the wake of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370's disappearance. The fate of MH370 has become one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history since it vanished on March 8 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. Despite a massive international search in the Indian Ocean, no trace of the missing Boeing 777 has been found. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is holding a special meeting Monday and Tuesday in Montreal to discuss how to prevent a recurrence of this tragedy as well as the mystery that surrounds it. "Meeting participants will explore the use of existing technologies that may provide the means to support globally track airline flights at a reasonable cost," said a statement. These technologies could allow, for example, basic data such as an aircraft's position, altitude, speed and course recorded and transmitted via satellite in the event of a sudden change, said the ICAO. French authorities had already lobbied the ICAO to adopt the new standards following the June 2009 crash of an Air France flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris that killed 228. The jetliner's black box was not recovered from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean until 2011, after an exhaustive search of a zone not covered by ground radar. "For the general public, it has become unthinkable that a flight can simply disappear," says a European Union discussion paper posted on the ICAO website. "An aircraft should be permanently tracked, even beyond radar coverage and in case of an accident, it should be immediately located." Ahead of the two-day meeting, the ICAO asked industry groups for a complete list of technologies that might be useful to the airline sector. Twenty-two companies, including Globalstar and Rockwell Collins, responded to the call. "The responses received so far to the ICAO questionnaire showed that there are existing commercial off- the-shelf solutions providing global coverage for hardware costs under USD $100,000," said the ICAO. British satellite operator Inmarsat has also offered a basic tracking service to all of the world's passenger airlines free of charge. Inmarsat, which has played a role in the search for the missing plane, said the service would allow a plane to determine its location using GPS and send that data over Inmarsat's global network at 15-minute intervals. While GPS (Global Positioning System) is commonplace in cars and mobile phones, the international air traffic control network is still almost entirely based on radar. In the so far fruitless search for the Malaysian jet, electronic pings from Inmarsat equipment on the lost plane led investigators to search for wreckage in the Indian Ocean. Inmarsat said it would also offer a "black box in the sky" service under which a plane that had deviated off course -- which is believed to be the case with flight MH370 -- could transmit historic and real-time information from the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. The ICAO meeting is expected to lead to a working group that should present its recommendations within five months. AFP http://travel.iafrica.com/bulletinboard/923182.html Back to Top Flames Seen In Engine Of American Airlines Jet FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - An American Airlines jet with 183 passengers aboard returned to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport after flames were seen in one of the Boeing 757's two engines. The incident began about 2 p.m. Thursday shortly after American Flight 2287 took off from DFW for Tulsa, Oklahoma. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford says the crew declared an emergency when flames were seen in the right engine. The jet landed safely at 2:07 p.m. with no injuries and without further incident. American spokeswoman My-Linh Bui (MYE'-lihn BOO'-wee) said only that the incident was caused by "a maintenance issue." All passengers were rebooked onto another aircraft and arrived in Tulsa about 5:30 p.m., about three hours behind schedule. The incident began about 2 p.m. Thursday shortly after American Flight 2287 took off from DFW for Tulsa, Oklahoma. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford says the crew declared an emergency when flames were seen in the right engine. The jet landed safely at 2:07 p.m. with no injuries and without further incident. American spokeswoman My-Linh Bui (MYE'-lihn BOO'-wee) said only that the incident was caused by "a maintenance issue." All passengers were rebooked onto another aircraft and arrived in Tulsa about 5:30 p.m., about three hours behind schedule. http://www.kolotv.com/news/nationalnews/headlines/Flames-Seen-In-Engine-Of-American-Airlines-Jet- 259476281.html Back to Top Back to Top Boeing's 737 Turns 8,000: The Best-Selling Plane Ever Isn't Slowing The 8,000th 737 delivered today to United Boeing's 737 aircraft just marked an aviation first: The 8,000th model has rolled off the assembly line, a round-number milestone for the best-selling airplane of all time. Boeing (BA) will deliver the aircraft, a 737-900ER, on Wednesday to United Airlines (UAL), the buyer of the first 737 sold in the U.S. For an idea of just how popular the 737 is among airlines-several have built their entire business models around that one airplane-consider that Boeing's archrival, Airbus (AIR:FP), finished its 8,000th overall plane in August. The 737 program started in 1967, seven years before Airbus delivered its first airplane. Today, however, Airbus is a strong competitor in the market for medium-range, single-aisle aircraft with its A320 family, which made its debut in 1988 and topped 6,000 deliveries last month-an illustration of how much more quickly airplanes are turned out in recent decades than in the early days of the 737. Boeing builds 42 737s each month and says it will boost output to 47 in 2017 because of strong demand; Airbus is increasing A320 production from 42 to 46 per month by 2016. The initial 737-100, ordered by Lufthansa (LHA:GR), was 93 feet long and 93 feet wide by wingspan, prompting engineers to dub it "the square." The plane was designed as a complement to Boeing's 727 model for routes of as long as 1,000 miles. United sought a 737 that was 6 feet longer, leading Boeing to build a 737-200. That design proved to be far more popular with airlines and was followed by variations that went through the 900ER, the currently the largest version of the plane. "The 737 continues to be an important part of United's narrow-body fleet, and this tradition will continue with our order for 100 737 MAX 9 aircraft," United's vice president in charge of fleet, Ron Baur, said in a statement. Boeing's next generation of the aircraft is called the 737 MAX, which will be available in 2017 and come in three versions of varying size. Those models will replace the current 700, 800, and 900ER series. Southwest Airlines (LUV), which flies an all-737 fleet, is the MAX launch customer, with 200 firm orders and options for 191 more. Boeing had a celebration on Monday with workers at its plant in Renton, Wash., where the 737 has been built since 1970. And there will likely be many more such parties in the Puget Sound area as the program topples future delivery milestones. Engineering prowess has made the plane-along with its A320 nemesis- durable, flexible, cost-effective, and profitable for airlines. As that evolution continues, seeing the 737 soar to 16,000 seems like a real possibility. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-16/boeing-s-737-turns-8-000-the-best-selling-plane- ever-isn-t-slowing Back to Top Airbus Wins China Southern Order for Bestselling A320 Family Jet Airbus Group NV (AIR) won an order from China Southern Airlines (1055) Co. for 80 A320-family airliners, extending its foray in the world's most populous country, where Airbus has a factory that churns out the single-aisle aircraft. The order is for 30 A320 airliners with a classic engine, and 50 of the more advanced A320neo that comes with more fuel-efficient powerplants, according to Airbus. Based on current list prices, the order has a value of about $7.96 billion. The single-aisle aircraft market forms the backbone of the global air-travel industry and is split between Airbus and Boeing Co. (BA:US) with its 737 model. Airbus has made its A320neo the fastest-selling jet in commercial aviation history as customers clamor for models that burn less fuel, the single-biggest expense for most airlines. The A320 classic, which comes in different sizes, sells for $93.9 million in the mid-sized version, while the A320neo has a list price of $102.8 million. Customers typically get discounts. Delivery is set to begin in 2016, with some of the airliners coming off the Chinese final assembly line, Toulouse, France-based Airbus said. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-05-16/airbus-wins-china-southern-order-for-bestselling-a320- family-jet Back to Top Air Charter Safety Foundation Asap Expands To West Coast The Air Charter Safety Foundation's aviation safety action program (Asap) is now available to operators based in the FAA's Western Pacific region. The first charter operator to sign up for Asap on the West Coast is Van Nuys-based Jet Edge. A charter operator in the further reaches of that region-Guam-is also interested in joining Asap, according to ACSF president Bryan Burns. Other operators in California and Nevada have expressed interest as well, and efforts are under way to introduce the ASAP into the New England region, too. The Asap brings airline-like reporting of safety issues to Part 135 charter operators, including the immunity provision that prevents the FAA from using Asap reports for enforcement actions. "The whole point is it's designed to identify and report safety issues that would potentially go unreported to management," Burns said. "The key is immunity and the fact that the FAA won't use these to take legal action against the employees who filed the reports." The ACSF Asap started in 2012 in the Great Lakes region, and there are now six operators participating there. To sign up, an operator needs to work with its local FAA principal operations inspector and sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that outlines how the program is structured and will be administered, including the immunity provisions. Immunity does not include willful and gross misconduct, drugs, alcohol or intentional rule-breaking. "This is all stated in our MOU," he said. Participants Share Safety Data As more operators join the Asap, the ACSF shares de-identified safety data with all participants. "Most of these small to medium operators may get two or ten reports a month," Burns explained, "but there's not a lot of data [from each operator]. When we start looking at all this data collectively [from all participants], we'll be able to discern what to use for corrective action or training." The reports are evaluated by the ACSF event reporting committee, which includes FAA, company and ACSF personnel. As of March, the ACSF Asap had collected 63 reports, and some of these resulted in changes to standard operating procedures and manuals, checklist changes and in one case an avionics manufacturer's updating of its FMS software. An operator that highlighted a problem with passenger distractions during critical phases of flight changed its passenger briefing procedures and updated its agreements with passengers to emphasize limited interaction with the crew during critical flight phases. "Everything we do is intended to put measurable, quantifiable results into the equation," Burns said. A future step for the ACSF is to add Part 91 flight departments to the Asap, not just Part 135 and 91K (fractional) operators. "We're hearing from FAA FSDOs that they are encouraging Part 91 operators to participate," he said. "We hope that will facilitate an addendum to the MOU that will incorporate them into the program." Beyond the cost of membership of the ACSF, there is currently no charge to operators who want to participate in the Asap. The ACSF is evaluating a fee structure as the Asap grows, however, to cover the cost of running the event reporting committee and managing data gathering and dissemination and providing the Web-based application tool software that is central to the Asap. Ben Walsh, director of safety for charter/management provider Jet Edge, has a corporate aviation and airline background and always wondered why tools like the Asap weren't available for non-airline operations. "It seems like a no-brainer for any operator to implement," he said. While Jet Edge's FAA inspectors weren't initially aware of the Asap, they were open to the opportunity and Walsh was able to persuade them to learn about the program. It took about a year to implement the Asap, including time lost to last fall's government shutdown, and on February 1 Jet Edge went live with the program. Jet Edge's pilots, technicians, dispatchers and cabin attendants are filing an Asap report about every 3.5 days. The reporting uses software similar to the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System form, according to Walsh. Not only does the Asap guarantee immunity, but none of these records will follow a pilot around during his career. The participating operator and even FAA inspectors get immunity as well. What Jet Edge does with the reports depends on the nature of the problem. For one example, Jet Edge used four months of flight operational quality assurance (FOQA) data to evaluate the occurrence of unstabilized approaches. Other areas being examined include rotation rates and second-segment climb performance, taxi speeds and more. Every year, each pilot undergoes an extra day of no-jeopardy training to address issues such as unstabilized approaches or any other Asap-generated problem. "Asap will tell you why these are happening," he explained. "If you get a FOQA report and the crew files a report about jamming up with ATC or a weather problem, you get a bigger picture. "We're all about that proactive decision," Walsh said. "It's a huge change from what our pilots have experienced. We know about what's happening and we're not going to be caught off guard. Many operators know nothing about what's going on until there's an accident." "The challenge is making sure that everybody is well educated about what the program is," ACSF's Burns concluded. "The FAA and FSDOs have done a great job getting the message out." http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2014-05-02/air-charter-safety- foundation-asap-expands-west-coast 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