Flight Safety Information May 27, 2014 - No. 107 In This Issue Malaysia Airlines Flight 370: Satellite data released after long wait Chinese Flybys Alarm Japan as Tensions Escalate Boeing Acquiring AerData to Expand Airplane Maintenance and Leasing Records Management Capabilities Canadian airlines will let you use devices during takeoff and landing Asiana becomes 11th A380 operator PRISM SMS IJAAA Article Submissions Gulf Flight Safety Council to meet in Doha, Qatar..22nd of June 2014 IS-BAO for Business Aviation in Jeddah ERAU Unmanned Aircraft Systems Short Course, Seattle Campus Upcoming Events Malaysia Airlines Flight 370: Satellite data released after long wait Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (CNN) -- Data from communications between satellites and missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was released Tuesday, more than two months after relatives of passengers say they requested that it be made public. But criticism quickly emerged suggesting that the information provided lacks important elements that would help outside experts put the official version of events to the test. Malaysian authorities published a 47-page document containing hundreds of lines of communication logs between the jetliner and the British company Inmarsat's satellite system. The information provided isn't the whole picture but is "intended to provide a readable summary of the data communication logs," the notes at the beginning of the document say. In the weeks following the plane's March 8 disappearance, a team of international experts used the satellite data and other information, including radar data and engine performance calculations, to conclude that the aircraft ended up in a remote area of the southern Indian Ocean. Some passengers' families, unsatisfied by the official explanation of the plane's fate, say they want an independent analysis of the complex information, a process that could take some time. Michael Exner, one of the most vocal experts among those calling for the release of the data, said a very preliminary review suggested that there were gaps in the notes explaining the data. The explanatory notes at the start of the document "answer a few of the questions we have had, but leave many questions unanswered," he told CNN. CNN Safety Analyst David Soucie said certain key elements, which would allow independent experts to fully test the official conclusion, are missing from the data in the document. "There's not enough information to say whether they made an error," he said. "I think we're still going to be looking for more." Sarah Bajc, whose partner, Philip Wood, was on the missing jet, said she was "annoyed" that Inmarsat and Malaysian authorities hadn't released the data in its entirety. "I see no reason for them to have massaged this before giving it to us," she said. Data guided search For weeks, Inmarsat said it didn't have the authority to release the data, deferring to Malaysian authorities, who are in charge of the search for the plane that disappeared over Southeast Asia while on a scheduled flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Last week, the two sides announced that they would aim to make the information available to the public. The satellite signals -- called "handshakes" -- with MH370 were part of a larger set of data that investigators have used to try to establish the whereabouts of the missing Boeing 777 with 239 people on board. The handshakes continued to take place for roughly six hours after the aircraft dropped off radar screens. Months of searching by dozens of planes and ships in the southern Indian Ocean has so far turned up no wreckage, and investigators have not been able to say for sure where the remains of MH370 might be. The underwater search for the missing plane will effectively be put on hold this week, and may not resume until August at the earliest, according to Australia's top transport safety official. Analysts have said the release of the satellite data could help discount some theories about what happened to the jetliner, and potentially fuel new ones. Relatives of people who were on the passenger jet, scientists studying its disappearance and media covering the search have become increasingly critical about the lack of public information about why the search has focused on the southern Indian Ocean. "I think far too much has been left to experts who have remained behind the curtain," said K.S. Narendran, whose wife, Chandrika Sharma, was on the flight. Inmarsat confident In an exclusive interview with CNN's Richard Quest last week, Inmarsat's vice president of satellite operations said he has "good confidence" that experts have interpreted the data correctly. Malaysia to Inmarsat: Make data public Flight MH370 film pitch garners backlash Family of MH370 passenger reacts to film The company's calculations, he said, have been tested by other people. "No one has come up yet with a reason why it shouldn't work with this particular flight when it has worked with others," Mark Dickinson said. "And it's very important this isn't just an Inmarsat activity. There are other people doing investigations, experts who are helping the investigation team, who have got the same data, who made their own models up and did the same thing to see if they got the same results and broadly speaking, they got roughly the same answers." Experts came to the conclusion that the plane had ended up in the southern Indian Ocean by piecing together three types of information, he said. "We have actually the messages from the ground station to the plane and back again. That essentially tells you the terminal is switched on and powered up. We have some timing information and in addition to that there were some frequency measurements," he said. The timings told them the distance between the plane and the satellite, enabling them to map out arcs. Then they factored in frequency differences, determining that the plane had headed south. 'The right work' It was a startling conclusion -- and Dickinson says investigators made sure to repeatedly check their calculations before sharing them. "You want to make sure when you come to a conclusion like that, that you've done the right work, the data is as you understand it to be," he said. Now, Dickinson says he's well aware that the entire weight of the search rests on the Inmarsat data. "This is all the data we have for what has happened for those six or so hours," he said. "It's important we all get it right and particularly that everyone looking at the data makes the best judgments on it and how it's used. And particularly for the families and friends of the relatives on board, try and make sure that we can help bring this sad incident to a close." Quest said he thinks the expertise of the Inmarsat team and the level of testing to which their work was subjected justifies their confidence in their conclusions. "It is up to the detractors and doubters to come up and say why they believe it's wrong," he said. "Not the other way around." Bajc acknowledged that independent analysis of the data may support Inmarsat's conclusions. "That would be a fine outcome as far as I'm concerned," she said. But if the independent experts come up with alternative flight paths based on the data, Bajc said, then "those need to be investigated." The wait for data The issue of making the satellite data public has become the cause of confusion and contradictory statements. Bajc said the families had first asked for the data more than two months ago. "It seemed a relatively innocent request" at the time, she said, but authorities refused to release it. Malaysian officials told CNN earlier this month that their government did not have the data. But Inmarsat officials said the company provided all of it to Malaysian officials "at an early stage in the search." "We've shared the information that we had, and it's for the investigation to decide what and when it puts out," Inmarsat Senior Vice President Chris McLaughlin said earlier this month. But a senior Malaysian official told CNN that the government needed Inmarsat's help to pass on the data to families "in a presentable way." "We are trying to be as transparent as possible," the official said. "We have no issues releasing the data." Bajc said the delay only added to questions surrounding the information. "It's a little curious to me why this had to become such a big deal," she said Tuesday. http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/27/world/asia/malaysia-missing-plane/ Back to Top Chinese Flybys Alarm Japan as Tensions Escalate TOKYO - In an ominous display of growing territorial tensions between China and Japan, the Japanese Defense Ministry said Sunday that Chinese jet fighters had flown dangerously close to two of its reconnaissance planes in overlapping air defense zones claimed by both nations. The ministry described two episodes that took place on Saturday in airspace over the East China Sea that both countries claim as "air defense identification zones," areas bordering their sovereign airspace in which they require foreign aircraft to identify themselves and provide flight plans. Japan has routinely ignored the Chinese air defense zone since Beijing declared it late last year. China had also not pushed its new air zone, apparently backing off after the United States immediately challenged the Chinese claim by sending a pair of unarmed B- 52 heavy bombers to fly through the airspace without incident. China's military budget is the second largest in the world, behind that of the United States.China's Leader, Seeking to Build Its Muscle, Pushes Overhaul of the MilitaryMAY 24, 2014 The Chinese stance toward at least Japanese military flights appeared to change on Saturday, when a pair of Chinese Su-27 fighters flew within 100 feet of a Japanese YS- 11 propeller-driven reconnaissance plane. Earlier in the day, another pair of Chinese fighters flew within 150 feet of a Japanese P-3C, another type of propeller-driven reconnaissance plane, the ministry said. It said the Chinese fighters took no other measures against the Japanese planes, which returned to base safely. The flybys appeared to signal a dangerous escalation in a game of nerves between the two Asian powers for effective control of the East China Sea, including a group of uninhabited islands administered by Japan but also claimed by China. The nations' Coast Guards regularly play high-seas games of cat and mouse around the disputed islands, with Chinese ships entering or approaching Japanese-claimed waters about once or twice a week. There have also been a growing number of episodes involving aircraft, whose greater speeds mean a higher chance of an accident or of miscalculation quickly spiraling out of control into a full-blown military confrontation. Speaking to reporters, the Japanese defense minister, Itsunori Onodera, called the close approaches by Chinese fighters a dangerous act that heightened tensions. "We received a report from the crews that the fighter planes were armed with missiles," Mr. Onodera said, referring to the Japanese aircrews. "The crews were on edge as they responded." The Chinese Ministry of National Defense confirmed on Sunday that the Chinese military jets had approached the Japanese planes, but, in a statement on its website, it defended the action as a legitimate enforcement of Beijing's air defense zone. The ministry accused the Japanese aircraft of interfering in Chinese-Russian military exercises in the area. "Chinese military aircraft have the right to maintain air safety, and to take the necessary identification and prevention measures against foreign aircraft that enter the airspace of China's air defense identification zone over the East China Sea," the ministry said. It warned Japan to "halt all surveillance and interference" over the area declared for the Chinese-Russian military exercises. "Otherwise, all the possible repercussions will be borne by Japan," the ministry said. Japan's Defense Ministry said that the surge in the number of intercepts of Chinese aircraft began in 2010, after the Japanese Coast Guard arrested a Chinese trawler captain near the disputed islands, known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China. That, and Japan's purchase of three of the five islands two years ago, brought angry reactions from China. Beijing has responded by making increasingly assertive claims over the islands and other parts of the East China Sea, sending its ships and planes in or near Japanese-claimed areas in what some analysts have described as a long-term effort to wear down Japan's resolve. Because Japan is the only Asian nation that is widely seen as able to match China's military abilities, American officials and defense analysts have increasingly warned of the dangers of an unintended clash in the East China Sea expanding into a wider confrontation that could drag in the United States, which has a defense treaty with Japan. On Sunday, Mr. Onodera, the Japanese defense minister, said that Japan had lodged a protest with China over the close approaches by the fighters. "These approaches were meant to intimidate, and were not actions that would normally be taken," he said. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/26/world/asia/japan-east-china-sea.html?_r=0 Back to Top Boeing Acquiring AerData to Expand Airplane Maintenance and Leasing Records Management Capabilities Acquisition expands the Boeing portfolio of services to give airlines and leasing companies a competitive edge SEATTLE, May 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) today announced that it is acquiring AerData Group B.V., which provides integrated software solutions for lease management, engine fleet planning and records management. Based in the Netherlands, AerData also provides technical services for aircraft and engine operators, lessors, and maintenance, repair and overhaul companies. "AerData's tools make it easier for airlines and leasing companies to manage complex maintenance records," said Stan Deal, senior vice president of Commercial Aviation Services, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Increasing the efficiency of records management helps streamline the process of placing airplanes and other valuable assets with operators during leasing transactions. "This is another step we're taking to help our customers be more efficient and gain a competitive edge in the market," Deal added. AerData has approximately 120 employees located in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Ireland. Managing directors Mark Nieuwendijk and Paul van Tol will continue to lead the business. "We are very pleased that Boeing recognizes our hard-won success, and values our products and our talented people," said Nieuwendijk. "By joining the Boeing family, AerData will have access to a broader global support network to help expand and support our customer base worldwide," Van Tol added. "We truly look forward to joining the Boeing Digital Aviation team and working with our Boeing colleagues to deliver greater value for our customers and the aviation industry." AerData's products will become part of the integrated suite of aviation services marketed as the Boeing Edge. These include parts, training, engineering, maintenance and software solutions that increase the efficiency and profitability of airlines and leasing companies. http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140527-904376.html Back to Top Canadian airlines will let you use devices during takeoff and landing American airlines may let you use your mobile devices at every stage of flight, but their Canadian counterparts still insist that you power down until you're in mid-air. That's going to change shortly, though: Transport Canada has greenlit the use of electronics during takeoff and landing. As long as carriers can show that passenger gadgets in airplane mode (that is, with wireless off) won't interfere with avionics, you'll get to use your gear at any time. Of course, you'll get to switch on WiFi for most of a given trip if you're on an aircraft with internet access. As with the FAA's electronics ruling in the States, you shouldn't expect the tech-friendly policy to kick in right away. Air Canada says it's "finalizing measures" that will let it adopt the new rules, while WestJet expects to give the all-clear "early this summer." All the same, the loosened regulations are good news if you'd rather not stop writing a report (or playing Angry Birds) just because you're flying into Vancouver. http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/27/canada-widens-device-use-on-flights/ Back to Top Asiana becomes 11th A380 operator Asiana Airlines has become the 11th operator to take delivery of the Airbus A380. The South Korean airline's first of six A380s was handed over in a ceremony at Airbus's Toulouse facility on May 26. Asiana's A380s are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 900s and are being fitted with a three- class, 495-seat layout. The airline plans to use the A380 initially on regional services from Seoul to Tokyo, Hong Kong and Bangkok, on then on long-haul routes such as to Los Angeles. Airbus says it currently holds 324 firm A380 orders from 20 customers. http://australianaviation.com.au/2014/05/asiana-becomes-11th-a380-operator/ Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top Gulf Flight Safety Council to meet in Doha, Qatar 22nd of June 2014 The Gulf Flight Safety Council will have it's next meeting in Doha, Qatar on the 22nd of June 2014. Key Guest Speakers for the meeting are Captain John Cox and Captain John Ranson from Safety Operating Systems. They will be presenting two topics that are key concerns in aviation safety today - cause and effects of lithium battery dangers on aircraft and smoke evacuation. The meeting is an excellent opportunity for safety professionals from regional operators, military units, regulators and air service providers to network and share information. This meeting is also the AGM for the GFSC. If you are interested in attending please contact GFSC Secretary, Captain Mark Trotter on membership@gfsc.aero Back to Top IS-BAO for Business Aviation The International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) comprises a series of international standards and best practices designed to help business aviation operators worldwide achieve high levels of safety, professionalism and effectiveness. It is administered by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), an international non- governmental association. The organization represents, promotes and protects the interests of business aviation in international policy and regulatory forums. NEXUS Flight Operations Services is pleased to host the IBAC / IS-BAO Fundamentals and/or IS-BAO Auditor Workshops to be held 4-5 August 2014 in our Jeddah Headquarters. Coffee breaks and a working lunch will be fully hosted to all attendees. To register, please click on the links below for full online registration and payment directly with IBAC. 4 August 2014 Fundamentals of IS-BAO Workshop There is a $500 per person registration fee for this full day course. 5 August 2014 IS-BAO Auditing Workshop for Internal Auditors and Support Services Affiliates There is a $750 per person registration fee for this full day course. This includes the IS-BAO Audit Procedures Manual. This course does not provide auditor accreditation. If you wish to become an accredited IS-BAO auditor click here for prerequisite details and registration fees. 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: 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