Flight Safety Information June 12, 2014 - No. 119 In This Issue Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Families to Get $50,000 Each Virgin plane kept flying for five days with 'significant structural damage FAA Orders Boeing To Protect 737s From Hackers South Korea Suspends Asiana Flight for Breach of Safety Rules PRISM SMS Air Force Sgt. Pilots honored with monument at Gunter Bombardier's Challenger 350 jet gets Canadian certification Dr. Lynda L. Foley Upcoming Events Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Families to Get $50,000 Each Final Payout Will Be Announced 'When the Issue of the Tragedy' Is Over The wall of hope for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Families of the people on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 are being paid US$50,000 a person as interim compensation, a Malaysian minister said on Thursday. Some of the families have already received the money, paid by the insurers of the airline, said Hamzah Zainuddin, deputy minister for foreign affairs, who is the head of a Malaysia government-appointed committee to oversee the needs of the next of kin of the 239 people on Flight 370. The final payment hasn't been decided and could be the subject of a legal battle between the families, the airline and even Boeing, BA -0.51% the aircraft manufacturer, according to experts. Passenger Profiles Mr. Hamzah said the amount of the final payout will be announced "when the issue of the tragedy" is over. He didn't state how much the final compensation could be. The final compensation can only be determined after the plane is found and an inquiry establishes the cause of the crash. The Boeing Co. 777 jet went missing in the early hours of March 8 while on a routine flight to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. An international search effort involving 26 nations and some of the best hardware has been unable to find any trace of the plane or the people onboard. Experts believe that the plane crashed in the remote Southern Indian Ocean after being deliberately flown hundreds of miles off-course. Malaysia Airlines had previously paid US$5,000 each to help the families meet their out of pocket expenses as they waited in hotels in Kuala Lumpur and Beijing to hear about their loved ones. This doesn't factor into the total compensation families may receive. Under international rules, the airline and its insurers are liable to pay about US$174,000 a person, but the amount could change depending on the outcome of the inquiry or if the families go to court. http://online.wsj.com/articles/malaysia-airlines-flight-370-families-to-get-50-000-each-1402573583 Back to Top Virgin plane kept flying for five days with 'significant structural damage' Sir Richard Branson with a Virgin turboprop aircraft used on regional routes Photo: Paul Kane Virgin Australia Regional Airlines operated one of its turboprops on 13 sectors after an incident that the airline later suspected might have caused "significant structural damage" to the tailplane, says an initial report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. The 68-seat ATR-72 aircraft, registered as VH-FVR, has been grounded in Albury for more than three months awaiting replacement of the horizontal stabiliser, elevator and vertical stabiliser, which provide stability and control to the aircraft. The grounding came five days after an initial incident on February 20, in which pilots reported moderate turbulence as they approached landing on a flight from Canberra to Sydney. The ATSB said the pilots advised the engineers that the pitch controls had disconnected, with a possible overspeed. From the onboard equipment, the engineers were able to establish there had not been an overspeed, but that a vertical load factor of 3.34 gravity force was recorded that exceeded the acceptable limit for the aircraft weight. A flight attendant broke her leg during the incident, and the ATSB report said an engineer had inspected the upper surface of the wing, the rear fuselage and the tail by torchlight that evening for signs of damage, but had not identified any defects and the plane was returned to service the next morning. The aircraft was then operated for a further 13 sectors over the following days, including a final passenger flight from Sydney to Albury on February 25. The ATSB said on descent to Albury, the aircraft passed close to birds, which alerted the captain to a possibility of a birdstrike. "There were no indications that a bird had struck the aircraft, but on the ground, the aircraft's pitch trim fluctuated abnormally," the report said. The captain alerted the maintenance team to a deformity in the vertical stabiliser which may have been a result of a birdstrike and an engineer was dispatched to inspect the aircraft. The ATSB said the engineer used scissor-lift equipment to inspect the tailplane and found there was "significant structural damage" on top of the tailplane. The aircraft was grounded for repairs and the ATSB was advised of the situation. "Later information from the operator suggested that the damage to the tailplane might have been a result of the occurrence involving [the aircraft] on February 20," the ATSB said. The ATSB interviewed the pilots and engineers and inspected the damaged aircraft at Albury. A final report on the investigation is not due until February next year. In response to the initial ATSB report, Virgin issued a statement saying the safety of its guests, crew and aircraft was its number one priority as an airline and there were strong protocols in place to ensure the safety of its operations were maintained to the highest standard. "While this is an isolated issue, we are working with the ATSB, the aircraft manufacturer and our maintenance provider to identify what has occurred," Virgin said. "As the investigation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment in any further detail at this stage." The airline paused growth in its ATR fleet this year, having left an aircraft delivered last September on the ground amid weak demand and talks with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority about improving its procedures after the integration of Perth-based Skywest into its regional arm. However, Virgin regional head Merren McArthur said this month that she expected the aircraft grounded at Albury to be repaired within a month or so, and for the other grounded aircraft to join the flying fleet within a similar time. Virgin has deferred the delivery of six more ATR aircraft and Ms McArthur said the timetable would depend on market demand. http://www.smh.com.au/business/aviation/virgin-plane-kept-flying-for-five-days-with-significant- structural-damage-20140612-39zxx.html#ixzz34R5bImV5 Back to Top FAA Orders Boeing To Protect 737s From Hackers The Federal Aviation Association (FAA) published an order last Friday in the Federal Register, an official federal journal containing government rules and public notices, requiring Boeing to modify the technology aboard 737 jetliners to protect the planes against computer hackers. Effective immediately, the order applies to 737-700, -700C, -800, -900ER, -7, -8 and -9 aircraft. These models feature a digital systems architecture composed of several connected networks. According to the FAA, the network configuration on these models allows increased connectivity with external networks, such as passenger entertainment and information services, which create possible vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers. "This may allow the exploitation of network security vulnerabilities resulting in intentional or unintentional destruction, disruption, degradation, or exploitation of data and systems critical to the safety and maintenance of the airplane, which could result in unsafe conditions for the airplane and its occupants," the FAA explained in its order. According to the FAA, existing regulations do not cover the types of system architectures present on these airline models. The proposed order ensures that unauthorized sources external to the plane do not receive access to the airplane's electronic systems. "14 CFR regulations and current system safety assessment policy and techniques do not address potential security vulnerabilities that could be caused by unauthorized access to airplane data busses and servers," the FAA's order said. Although the order is open for public comment until July 21, the FAA determined that public comment was unnecessary and "would significantly affect the certification of the airplane." The model subject to the order is the most popular plane made by The Boeing Company. By making the rule effective immediately, the FAA hopes to avoid slowing down design and delivery of new planes. "The FAA has determined that notice of, and opportunity for prior public comment on, these special conditions is impracticable because these procedures would significantly delay issuance of the design approval and thus delivery of the affected aircraft," the FAA said. Doug Alder, a Boeing spokesman, said the special conditions laid out in the FAA order are not unusual and help to institutionalize actions already planned by the manufacturer. "They are a normal part of the process for introducing new technology or design features not previously addressed by regulation," Alder said. "Special conditions are one way regulators and manufacturers work together to ensure that commercial airplanes are safe and secure." http://www.hstoday.us/briefings/industry-news/single-article/faa-orders-boeing-to-protect-737s-from- hackers/f52534c49760584b58f8ca9e317f9141.html Back to Top South Korea Suspends Asiana Flight for Breach of Safety Rules Asiana Flight to Saipan Suspended for Seven Days An Asiana Airlines Inc. passenger aircraft takes off from Jeju International Airport in Jeju, South Korea, on Sunday, March 16, 2014. Bloomberg News SEOUL-The South Korean government has ordered Asiana Airlines Inc. to suspend its flights to Saipan for seven days as punishment for violating safety rules in April when it continued with a passenger jet flight despite discovering an engine problem. The punishment marks the first time that a Korean carrier's flights have been suspended over a violation of safety regulations rather than crash-related accidents. The move comes as safety emerges as a priority in South Korea after a ferry sank in April, leaving more than 300 people dead or missing. Asiana, which operates two daily flights to the Pacific resort island, was also ordered to pay 20 million won ($19,646) in fines and place a 30-day suspension on the captain who flew the plane, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Thursday. On April 19, two unidentified pilots of Asiana flight OZ603 bound for Saipan from Incheon International Airport near Seoul continued on their planned course after a warning light came on, signaling there was a problem in one of the plane's two engines, according to the ministry. The problem concerned a blockage in one of the engine oil filters in the twin-engine B767 jet, which was carrying 253 passengers. "To continue to fly an airplane even after knowing about an engine problem is a serious violation of flight safety rules," said a ministry official. The date the seven-day flight suspension begins will be decided later after taking into consideration passengers who have already bought tickets to Saipan, he said. An Asiana spokeswoman said the company would accept the ministry's decision and make sure its passengers don't suffer any inconvenience due to the suspension. Korean Air Lines Co. was the last airline to be slapped with a suspension notice when it had to halt all its flights to Guam for three months in 1997, after one of its passenger planes crashed into a hill there, killing over 200 people. In July, an Asiana Boeing BA -0.45% 777 crash landed at San Francisco International Airport, resulting in three fatalities and injuring more than 180 passengers. http://online.wsj.com/articles/south-korea-suspends-asiana-flight-for-breach-of-safety-rules-1402541417 Back to Top Back to Top Air Force Sgt. Pilots honored with monument at Gunter Thousands of American military men proved an officer's rank wasn't essential to do battle in the skies during World Wars I and II. They were honored this week with a monument at Gunter Annex in Montgomery. A large crowd of Air Force enlisted personnel and officers turned out Monday for the unveiling of the Enlisted Pilots of the Air Force Monument. Traditionally, only officers could be military pilots, but during the World War I and World War II, when there was a pilot shortage, the Sergeant Pilots program allowed about 3,000 enlisted personnel to train at flying schools and pilot almost every type of aircraft. Three of the men who began their careers as Sergeant Pilots were present at the ceremony - retired Col. James P. "Pat" Pool, retired Lt. Col. John W. Beard and retired Lt. Col. Charles L. Fisk. Fisk, who graduated pilot school and flew 53 combat missions in a B-25, attended the event with his family. "I don't have enough words to describe it, really," Fisk said. "It's wonderful. It's great to be here and see everybody." Beard flew 105 combat missions and three consecutive combat tours over North Africa, China and India. "It's the most impressive thing I've ever been connected with, really," Beard said. Pool flew cargo and soldiers to battlefields in the Pacific Theater and took part in the Berlin Airlift, which took place in 1948 and 1949. During the ceremony, he shared humorous stories of his time as a pioneer pilot. He ended his speech on a serious note. "I'd like to close this celebration by remembering the motto of the Sergeant Pilots: 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers," Pool said. Friends and families of Sergeant Pilots who have passed away also attended the ceremony. Four-star Gen. Robin Rand, commander of Air Education and Training Command, dedicated the monument and saluted Pool, Beard and Fisk for their contributions to military aviation and to all those enlisted pilots serving from 1912 to 1942. "Our enlisted pilots were the very best our country had to offer, Rand said. "I am honored to be here today to memorialize their service, and I am truly humbled to count myself among them as a United States Air Force military pilot," Rand added. The monument, sculpted by artist Michael Maiden, depicts the likeness of Corp. Vernon L. Burge, America's first enlisted aviator, standing in front of a marble monument displaying a Wright Flyer replica. It is displayed outside Gunter's Enlisted Heritage Hall and Research Institute, a museum dedicated to preserving the story of enlisted airmen and whose staff was responsible for procuring the monument. http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/dispatch/2014/06/10/air-force-sgt-pilots- honored-monument-gunter/10304891/ Back to Top Bombardier's Challenger 350 jet gets Canadian certification (Reuters) - Bombardier Inc said its Challenger 350 business jet received certification from Canada's transport department. Bombardier said it expected certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration soon. The Canadian plane maker said in December that it had received an order for 10 Challenger 350 business jets from an undisclosed customer in a deal worth about $259 million. The company also has an order from Swiss charter operator VistaJets for 20 Challenger 350 jets with options for 20 more - worth a combined $1.04 billion. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/12/bombardier-approval-idUSL4N0OT3D820140612 Back to Top Dr. Lynda L. Foley has successfully comnpleted her PhD in Education: Training & Development Leadership with honors from Northcentral University. Lynda L. Foley PhD Manager Technical & Simulated Training DFW Airport Back to Top Upcoming Events: 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