Flight Safety Information May 29, 2014 - No. 109 In This Issue Search area for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 'can now be discounted' Alaska: Near miss reported between passenger jet and cargo plane World's biggest jet engine about to get bigger, quieter LETU partners with Skywest for pilot cadet program Airplane clips power lines in southern Kentucky Suspected drone in near miss with WA aircraft FAA doubles down on long overwater trips by Boeing 787 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 Search area for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 'can now be discounted' STORY HIGHLIGHTS NEW: Australia's deputy PM defends searching the southern Indian Ocean The joint search agency says the original search area is not plane's final resting place U.S. Navy official: The pings detected are no longer believed to have come from the plane The pings had been at the center of the search since they were picked up weeks ago (CNN) -- The 850-square-kilometer swath of the Indian Ocean where officials have focused their hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 probably isn't the right place, the joint search agency said Thursday. The area off the coast of western Australia is not the "final resting place of MH370," the Australia-based Joint Agency Coordination Centre said. Officials zeroed in on that zone after acoustic pings originally thought to be from the black boxes of the missing plane were detected in early April. "The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has advised that the search in the vicinity of the acoustic detections can now be considered complete and in its professional judgment, the area can now be discounted as the final resting place of MH370," a statement from the JACC said. MH370 search goes back to square one Photos: The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Photos: The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 But Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss defended the country's efforts in the southern Indian Ocean. "We are still very confident that the resting place of the aircraft is in the southern ocean and along the seventh ping line," Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss told parliament Thursday. "We concentrated the search in this area because the pings and the information we received was the best information we had available at the time. And that is all you can do in circumstances like this ... follow the very best leads." Unlikely to be from Flight 370 Hours earlier, a U.S. Navy official told CNN that the pings at the center of the search for the past seven weeks are no longer believed to have come from the plane's black boxes. The acknowledgment came Wednesday as searchers wrapped up the first phase of their effort in the southern Indian Ocean floor without finding any wreckage from the Boeing 777. Authorities now almost universally believe the pings did not come from the onboard data or cockpit voice recorders but instead came from some other man-made source unrelated to the jetliner that disappeared on March 8, according to Michael Dean, the Navy's deputy director of ocean engineering. If the pings had come from the recorders, searchers would have found them, he said. When asked if other countries involved in the search had reached the same conclusions, Dean said "yes." Underwater search for MH370 postponed for at least 2 months "Our best theory at this point is that (the pings were) likely some sound produced by the ship ... or within the electronics of the Towed Pinger Locator," Dean said. The pinger locator was used by searchers to listen for underwater signals. Signals still being studied "Always your fear any time you put electronic equipment in the water is that if any water gets in and grounds or shorts something out, that you could start producing sound," Dean explained. He said it is not possible to absolutely exclude that the pings came from the black boxes, but there is no evidence now to suggest they did. However, a U.S. Navy spokesman called Dean's statement to CNN "speculative and premature." "I am not saying that what Michael Dean said was inaccurate," the spokesman said, "but what we are saying is that it is not his place to say it." The Navy is continuing "to work with our partners to more thoroughly understand the data acquired by the Towed Pinger Locater," the spokesman said. "As such, we would defer to the Australians, as the lead in the search effort, to make additional information known at the appropriate time," the spokesman said. ATSB Chief Commissioner Martin Dolan, whose agency judged that the plane isn't in the area where the pings were detected, said the signals were still being analyzed. "We are a cautious and evidence-based organization, and at this stage, we do not understand the signals sufficiently to understand their cause," he told CNN, declining to comment specifically on Dean's statement. Key role in search The pings have played a key role in shaping the search for the plane, which disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard. Search officials expressed "cautious optimism" in the pings when they were discovered April 5 and 8. Angus Houston, the man leading the hunt for the missing plane, said as recently as this month that the pulse signals remained "the most promising lead" in the search. The optimism stemmed from the fact the pings were detected near an arc where an Inmarsat satellite had last communicated with the plane. And it was bolstered by the pinger's steady one-ping-a-second cadence, matching that of equipment known to be on the plane. But caution stemmed from the ping's 33.3 kHz frequency, slightly lower than 37.5 kHz design frequency. There were also concerns because the four ping detection sites were miles apart. But experts said crash damage or deep ocean pressures could alter the pinger frequency. And they said the plane's two black boxes could have been separated during an explosion or crash. And they noted sounds can travel far, and even echo, in underwater environments. Dean said Wednesday officials were also concerned because, after twice detecting pings on April 5, searchers had difficulty reacquiring the pings the next day. One incident -- the loss of the pinger signal on April 8 -- had the peculiar impact of both lowering and raising expectations. The signal loss made it harder to zero in on the black boxes. But it also boosted confidence that they had found the pingers, since the batteries were expected to die at about that time. Truss, the Australian deputy prime minister, said the next stage of the search will begin in August and is expected to take up to 12 months. "Hopefully there will be a breakthrough earlier and so it won't take that amount of time," he said. "But unfortunately, this is a painstaking effort in a very large ocean." http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/29/world/asia/malaysia-missing-plane/ Back to Top Alaska: Near miss reported between passenger jet and cargo plane ANCHORAGE, ALASKA - The National Transportation Safety Board is reporting a "near miss" between an Alaska Airlines passenger jet and a cargo plane over Anchorage's Fire Island south of the city's main airport. Agency spokesman Clint Johnson says the Alaska Airlines flight inbound from Portland, Ore., was starting to land at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport just after 3 p.m. Tuesday when air traffic controllers gave instructions for a "go-around." The order was given to avoid an Ace Air Cargo Beechcraft 1900 prop-jet taking off for Sand Point from the airport's north-south runway. Johnson says the passenger jet veered right and the cargo plane turned in the same direction. The aircraft passed within a quarter-mile of each other at the same elevation. The Alaska Airlines jet, Flight 135, landed safely. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2014/0528/Alaska-Near-miss- reported-between-passenger-jet-and-cargo-plane Back to Top World's biggest jet engine about to get bigger, quieter SEATTLE - At over 10 feet in diameter, the original GE90 engine developed for the first Boeing 777-200 in the 1990s was the world's largest jet engine. Now, larger version holds that title aboard the extended range 777-300. However, the new GE9X is in development for the Boeing 777X and that fan diameter goes beyond 11 feet and has at least 102-thousand pounds of thrust. Each. Across the street from Boeing field, General Electric engineers and technicians are busy at work inside Boeing's Low Speed Aeroacoustic Lab. It's one of only a handful of labs around the world that study engine and aircraft noise. It has a large open-section wind tunnel that blows air past large scale engine models to listen for noise levels coming off of fan blades and other parts. The lab, which is lined with precision microphones, can simulate how that noise would be heard around airports. The engine fan system currently being tested is about one-fifth of the size of a full size engines. The idea is to make the GE9X even quieter than the GE90, boosting the engine into what's called "stage five," which is dramatically quieter than so called stage one engines from the early days of the jet age. "We can actually scale them up to full scale predictions if we have a winning design for the 9X program," said Tony Opalski, GE's lead test engineer for the GE9X. GE is testing three types of fan blades in the tunnel, considered so secret they would only allow us to film the blade tip while the engine was stopped. The testing started in late January and is scheduled to run until October. Most of the crew, which fluctuates between five and 10 people, are based at GE's Aviation Division outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. Opalski said the testing is a series of structured building blocks that lead up to that final configuration that will include the engine nacelle, or covering that most people see surrounding the engine when they visit the airport or fly. But the testing isn't just about making things quieter; it's about making the engine more fuel efficient, producing fewer emissions. "Economics to airlines is all about fuel burn," said Chuck Johnson, GE Aviation's program lead for the 9X. "We're committing to a 10 percent fuel burn improvement on the GE9X." The GE9X is also expected to push the envelope of other technologies including CMC or ceramic matrix composites, stronger and lighter than metal and used in high heat applications inside the engine's core where temperatures reach levels where even the toughest metals can melt. There is a lot of work to go. Testing is expected to start in 2016 in preparation for FAA certification before going to Boeing for test flights of the 777X starting in 2018. The first delivery of the 777X to airlines expected in 2020. http://www.nwcn.com/news/Worlds-biggest-jet-engine-about-to-get-bigger-quieter- 261020081.html Back to Top LETU partners with Skywest for pilot cadet program LeTourneau University expanded its pilot pipeline program Wednesday with an agreement to put graduates in the cockpit with SkyWest Airlines. The arrangement with the Utah-based regional carrier comes seven months after a similar agreement was made with American Eagle Airlines to provide a direct pathway for graduates to land employment. "We can now give students a great return on their investment by partnering with SkyWest to offer a clear pathway to the commercial airline industry," said LeTourneau Provost Philip Coyle. "This program will open up great opportunities for both students and SkyWest." The university's aviation program has about 240 students. Coyle said growth was expected in the program as airlines continue to struggle to attract qualified pilots. The shortage is leaving some regional airlines so thin on pilots they have had to trim service. Fred Ritchey, dean of the School of Aeronautical Science, said the agreement would benefit the university's recruitment efforts as well. Brad Wooden, a former SkyWest pilot who's been a flight instructor at LeTourneau for nine years, said the requirements for the program will be slightly different than under the American Eagle program, but the goal for success in transitioning students into a career as a commercial pilot is the same. "This will help students make decisions on which college to attend by having clearly- defined paths from the time they enter as freshmen," he said. Jovita Perez-Segovia, an aviation student at LeTourneau, agreed. "I think the program will help a lot by getting advice from people in the industry so I can get through any challenges I might come across in my career," Perez-Segovia said. SkyWest's Wes Horrocks said LeTourneau's graduates already are a known quantity for the airline. "We have had so many great pilots come to Skywest from the LETU aviation program, and now by partnering with the school, we will have more involvement as far as mentoring the students while in the program then guaranteeing them an interview with Skywest upon graduation," he said. SkyWest Capt. Ben Lowe said LeTourneau grads are "topnotch." "The pilot students graduating from LETU represent their school and faith very well," he said. "The world is in need of those topnotch aviators with integrity." With a fleet of 338 aircraft, SkyWest operates more than 1,700 flights each day to 182 destinations throughout North America. Its partners include United Airlines, Delta Airlines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. It employs more than 10,000 people. It is similar in size to Fort Worth-based American Eagle, which provides commercial service to Longview's East Texas Regional Airport, where LeTourneau's aviation program is headquartered. http://www.news-journal.com/news/local/letu-partners-with-skywest-for-pilot-cadet- program/article_f81767a0-58a1-5e25-ac12-4983786834fa.html Back to Top Airplane clips power lines in southern Kentucky FRANKLIN, KY (WSMV) - No injuries were reported after a small plane crashed into power lines Monday afternoon in Simpson County, KY. Emergency officials said the plane missed a nearby landing strip and went down in a wheat field near Tuck Road in Franklin. The plane is still intact, and the two occupants on board, James McGaugh and his wife, of Cross Plains, were not hurt. Officials said the pilot had just taken off from the private airstrip about a mile away when the plane experienced trouble. Witnesses say it appeared the single-engine plane couldn't get any lift after taking off. "If you clip a power line with an aircraft and you come down and land and you can walk away from it, you're extremely lucky," said Simpson County EMA director Bob Palmer. McGaugh told Channel 4 News that as soon as he realized he could not get any lift, his thoughts turned to his wife, who was in the passenger seat. "My wife is about to die," was his first reaction. The couple recently bought the plane in Springfield. They were on their way to Gallatin at the time of the crash. The FAA will investigate the crash Tuesday morning. http://www.wsmv.com/story/25613872/airplane-clips-power-lines-in-southern-kentucky Back to Top Suspected drone in near miss with WA aircraft Unidentified object above military airspace. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has been unable to identify an object it suspects to be a drone that nearly collided with an aircraft just above military airspace in Perth last month. In a report released yesterday on the March incident, the ATSB revealed an unidentified object, believed to be an unmanned aerial vehicle, had been spotted flying just above controlled airspace near Perth and appeared to be tracking towards a Skippers Aviation De Havilland DHC-8 aircraft. The aircraft's crew were forced to take "evasive action" to avoid a collision with the object, and manage to pass it 20m horizontally and 100ft vertically. The pilot reported to the ATSB that the object had been grey in colour and cylindrical in shape. The ATSB said the Australian Defence Force had advised the suspected UAV was not one of its fleet and it was not aware of any UAV operations in the area at the time of the near collision. The ATSB was unable to confirm the details of the object nor of any reported UAV operators in the area at the time. The height at which the suspected UAV was flying, along with the bright strobe light the object was reported to have emitted, suggest the object was commercial rather than personal in nature. The incident is the second in weeks involving a near collision between an unmanned aerial vehicle and an authorised aircraft. Last month the ATSB reported a near miss between a UAV and a Westpac Rescue Chopper near Newcastle in NSW. The aircraft's crew were forced to act fast to avoid a collision after spotting a UAV tracking towards the helicopter. No-one was hurt in the incident. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/386544,suspected-drone-in-near-miss-with-wa- aircraft.aspx#ixzz336oGWbDW Back to Top FAA doubles down on long overwater trips by Boeing 787 Boeing's 787 Dreamliner will be allowed to fly as far as 5½ hours from an airport, instead of the previous three hours, giving airlines more options for long routes across the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans and the two poles. By Alan Levin Boeing's 787 Dreamliner will be allowed to fly farther from the nearest airport on some long overwater trips after U.S. regulators concluded that the once-troubled plane has proved its reliability. The action is a vote of confidence for the world's first jetliner built chiefly of composite plastics, a plane that was grounded last year to fix battery meltdowns on two Japanese airlines and whose delays during development meant that its 2011 debut ran more than three years late. The clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration will let airlines put 787s on more direct routes, cutting fuel consumption. The FAA's decision means Dreamliners will be able to fly as far as 5½ hours from an airport, the top duration for any plane, instead of the previous three hours. Airlines must also be approved for such so-called extended operations, known by the acronym Etops. In the U.S., where United Airlines is the only current 787 operator, that would come from the FAA. "Foreign airlines must obtain approval from their own civil aviation authorities" for flights at the maximum range, the FAA said Wednesday in a statement. While the twin-engine 787 has been used on oft-traveled long-range routes like those across the northern Pacific, the new rule gives airlines more flexibility to fly in the southern reaches of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans, and over the North and South poles. "Our customers are eager to expand their 787 operations," Larry Loftis, Boeing's general manager for the Dreamliner program, said in a statement. "We're delighted that this capability, which was designed into the airplane from the very beginning, has been certified." The FAA's action applies to the 787-8 model, which can fly as far as 7,850 nautical miles. The new -9 version has a maximum range of 8,300 nautical miles, or farther than Boeing's newest four-engine 747. The Etops regulations are designed to ensure that commercial aircraft in the world's most-remote airspace can safely divert to an alternate airport in the event of an engine failure or fire, according to the FAA. In the early days of the jet age, twin-engine planes weren't allowed to fly more than 60 minutes from an airport because they weren't deemed dependable enough. Regulators have gradually increased the time allowed from a diversion spot amid improvements in engines and other safety enhancements. FAA engineers based their decision on data from 250,000 hours of service on each of the two engine types available on the Dreamliner, according to the agency's statement. The engine makers are General Electric and Rolls-Royce. Boeing's Dreamliner deliveries totaled 146 to 19 customers, according to the company. As of May 19, the global 787 fleet's tally was 97,520 commercial flights, with an estimated 18.3 million passengers. The cases for the 787's lithium-ion batteries were redesigned last year after units in two planes overheated and, in one case, caught fire. The first occurred Jan. 7, 2013, aboard a Japan Airlines. 787 on the ground in Boston. Another battery overheated nine days later on an ANA Holdings Dreamliner flying over Japan. The Dreamliner is the most-advanced model from Boeing, with features including an increased reliance on electricity to power the plane's systems. http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2023712556_boeing787etopsxml.html 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 Gulf Flight Safety Council Doha, Qatar 22nd of June 2014 membership@gfsc.aero 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