Flight Safety Information July 16, 2014 - No. 142 In This Issue Global Aerospace Supports Safety Through Its Airport Safety Advocacy Program (ASAP) Helicopter Safety Is in the Spotlight Jet doing maintenance test veers off runway at KCI Airport At least 20 injured and one person escorted from plane on a stretcher after severe turbulence Journalist stopped by TSA agent who didn't know District of Columbia was in the U.S. Global Flight Systems Unveils Solar-Powered Drone (Video) Hundreds of birds poisoned and killed at Bush Airport PRISM TO HELP PREPARE FOR E-IOSA GE Aviation plans $50 million 3-D printing facility in Auburn to make jet engine parts The world's top 10 airlines Small is beautiful: how a tiny device cuts aircraft noise IS-BAO Training In Jeddah THE ALPA 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM Upcoming Events Employment (New Positions) Global Aerospace Supports Safety Through Its Airport Safety Advocacy Program (ASAP) Parsippany, New Jersey - Global Aerospace understands the importance of a robust aviation safety culture and we are dedicated to supporting the aviation industry and providing continuously evolving safety tools. The Airport Safety Advocacy Program (ASAP) was designed not only to provide airports with affordable and comprehensive insurance coverage, but also to enhance their safety efforts by bringing our industry- leading SM4 Safety Program's resources to its participants. Global Aerospace understands that airports face an increasing number of operational and economic challenges. Their effective operation is crucial to a safe, reliable aviation system in the U.S. and around the world. As a result, we have designed ASAP for both general aviation and commercial airports in the United States. ASAP provides financial support directly to the contracted state airport association for member airports that bind their insurance with Global, while extending safety tools and membership reimbursement opportunities to its members. Every airport and association that becomes part of this program will have access to our safety training webinars provided by our SM4 partner, ICF SH&E. This program is not exclusive to specific brokers and each airport can continue to use their current broker. Marilena Sharpell, Executive Underwriting Officer at Global Aerospace said, "We realize that airports are facing numerous challenges and the support that state associations provide is invaluable. Associations provide vital information, lobbying and support to airports while also giving them an opportunity to share best practices in meetings, conventions and forums. We greatly respect this mission and want to do our part to support their efforts." ASAP Associations currently contracted with Global Aerospace: - Aviation Council of Pennsylvania - Florida Airports Council - Kentucky Aviation Association - South Carolina Aviation Association - Tennessee Aviation Association For more information about ASAP or how you can become a member, please contact your local broker or Rick Underwood (Vice President, Manager Aeroinsure Products, Global Aerospace, Inc.) at 888-228-0001 or runderwood@global-aero.com. About Global Aerospace? Global Aerospace is the leading provider of aerospace insurance with a worldwide portfolio of clients who are engaged in every aspect of the aviation and aerospace industries. Headquartered in London, we have offices in Canada, Cologne, Paris, Zurich and throughout the United States. Across the world we employ over 350 people. Our experience dates back to the 1920s and our underwriting is backed by a pool of high quality insurance companies representing some of the most respected names in the business. For additional information on Global Aerospace, please visit www.global- aero.com. To learn more about the company's SM4 safety program, please visit sm4.global-aero.com. http://www.avweb.com/press-releases/223.html Back to Top Helicopter Safety Is in the Spotlight Chopper accidents happen too frequently, but can this be the year best practice changes the statistics? By ANDY PASZTOR And DOUG CAMERON A crash in 2013 in the Dordogne, France, killed a Chinese tycoon and French winemaker Agence France-Presse/Getty Images THE COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER industry sees 2014 as a pivotal time to reduce stubbornly high global crash rates, as industry officials seek new ways to promote, as well as to measure, safety. With previous safety efforts stalled in nearly every region of the globe-and U.S. chopper accident counts actually rising slightly in recent years-manufacturers and operators are resorting to a simplistic slogan. "Land and Live" urges pilots to make more frequent precautionary landings. Spotty success with traditional crash-prevention strategies has also shifted the focus toward life-saving technologies, aimed at protecting passengers and crew if something goes terribly wrong. "We've clearly reached a plateau, and we need to break through that," said Matthew Zuccaro, president of Helicopter Association International and co-chair of the International Helicopter Safety Team. On average, nearly 40 commercial rotorcraft still go down world-wide each month; and since the latest ground-based simulators are just being phased in for many pilots, training flights remain the most dangerous type of commercial operation. There were 439 civilian accidents globally in 2012, the last year for which the IHST has reliable data, amounting to 15% more than in 2011 and higher than in any of the preceding four years. The numbers are only slightly better in the U.S., where annual crash totals have crept past the 2008 level of 143; and the 30 fatal accidents in 2013 substantially exceeded numbers at the start of the safety drive in 2005. Running out of fuel, blundering into dangerous weather, and overlooking early signs of malfunctions all continue to claim lives. Despite years of voluntary efforts and stepped-up government scrutiny, "We've seen some trends going in the wrong direction," according to Christopher Hart, acting chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. Industry leaders projected a much different outcome when they initially set out to dramatically bring down crash statistics. In 2005 they launched an ambitious initiative targeting an 80% reduction in global accident rates by the end of 2015. It was patterned after a hugely successful effort by the U.S. airline industry, which flew some 3.7 billion people over the past five years without a single passenger fatality due to a crash. " We've seen some trends going in the wrong direction. " By contrast, Mr. Zuccaro acknowledges that the helicopter industry, which by some measures averages one accident per roughly 20,000 hours of flight time, remains far from its goal. "We're not going to achieve that in 10 years," he says, partly due to the wide disparity of users, from single-engine private choppers to small agricultural operators to fleets of multi-crew, medical evacuation models jammed with the latest night-vision goggles, flight-data recorders and video cameras. The industry takes credit for cutting accident rates by roughly 30% over the past five years, though segments such as agricultural spraying are persistently high risk. But industry officials have basically stopped measuring global accident rates altogether and opted instead to compile total accident numbers, arguing it is too hard to determine annual cumulative flight hours. By contrast, outside experts contend that analyzing yearly changes in crash rates per hours flown is a much better safety tool. To raise the bar, some advocates are embracing advanced fly-by-wire systems and encouraging use of simulators. But there are some prominent gaps, such as Robinson Helicopter Co., a leading manufacturer of less-expensive workhorse models, which many industry officials contend is reluctant to voluntarily install video cameras. A spokeswoman says the company is "researching and evaluating options" for a lightweight system that could help investigators identify causes of crashes. Reaction to safety threats has been most pronounced in the U.K., following a series of crashes involving rotorcraft transporting workers to offshore oil and gas platforms in the North Sea. U.K. air safety regulators in February rolled out a series of measures including a ban on flying in severe weather and an examination of whether escape windows had to be enlarged, or larger workers banned from flying. Another mandate covered new breathing equipment to improve survivability in the event of a ditching in the North Sea's often hostile waters. http://online.wsj.com/articles/2014-helicopter-safety-is-in-the-spotlight-1405099952 Back to Top Jet doing maintenance test veers off runway at KCI Airport 2 crew members on board, no passengers KANSAS CITY, Mo. -A jet doing a maintenance test veered off a runway at Kansas City International Airport early Wednesday morning. An E170 jet, with USAirways branding, veered off a runway at Kansas City International Airport early Wednesday morning. Only two crew members were on board. They were not hurt. The crew was on a maintenance run at the time. Two crew members were on board. There were no passengers. The E170 Republic, which was branded as a USAirways jet, went off a runway about 4:30 a.m. during a test taxi run. Airport officials said the runway is closed, but other runways are operational. The Federal Aviation Administration has released the plane, but the runway remains closed as crews work to remove the jet, according to airport spokesman Joe McBride. McBride said the the jet was supposed to be used for USAirways Flight No. 3408 at 5:50 a.m. from Kansas City to Washington, D.C. The airport said the flight was canceled and passengers booked on another flight. http://www.kmbc.com/news/jet-doing-maintenance-test-veers-off-runway-at-kci- airport/26976374#ixzz37daNFKvQ Back to Top At least 20 injured and one person escorted from plane on a stretcher after severe turbulence hit South African Airways flight Twenty people have been injured on board a South African Airways plane after it struck sever turbulence en route to Hong Kong. Medics were waiting at the Hong Kong airport to assist passengers on SA286, which had departed Johannesburg on Tuesday, the airline said in a statement. Television footage showed rescue workers wheeling one injured passenger on a stretcher. On standby: Medics were waiting at Hong Kong Airport as the South African Airways plane landed, following reports of injuries due to turbulence Three crew members and 17 passengers were injured, airline spokesman Tlali Tlali said. The Hong Kong fire department said two people were critically injured. The victims were taken to three hospitals. The airline said 165 passengers were on the Airbus 340-300 when the turbulence hit the aircraft as it flew over Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2694270/Twenty-injured-sever-turbulence-South- African-Airways-flight.html Back to Top Journalist stopped by TSA agent who didn't know District of Columbia was in the U.S. A Washington, DC TV reporter was stopped on his way into the Orlando airport by a TSA agent who thought the District of Columbia was in a different country. Justin Gray told WFTV he was confused at first when the agent looked at his driver's license and asked to see a passport. But when he realized what was going on, his confusion turned to concern about the caliber of TSA employees working to ensure the safety of those who fly out of Orlando International Airport. That concern didn't go away even after Gray was eventually allowed through security. Gray told WFTV that he stopped at a TSA supervisor to inform him of the shocking knowledge gap. 'Should be concerned @TSA agent on duty thinks "District of Columbia" is foreign country. It's a bizarre place but passport not needed,' tweeted Gray, a Cox Media Washington correspondent. Soon after he aired his complaints on Twitter, Gray got a response from TSA. Room for improvement: Gray's license clearly says USA at the top right. His complaints were met with an assurance from a TSA higher-up that Orlando agents would be instructed on valid forms of ID including the Washington DC license '@TSA says every Orlando agent being shown pic of DC license,' Gray wrote. Meanwhile, one industry insider told WFTV that the problem is widespread. 'They simply have not been either applying or maintaining standards for good personnel,' said Douglas Kidd from the National Association of Airline Passengers. 'It makes you wonder what's going on with their training and their policies.' http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2693941/Journalist-stopped-TSA-agent-didnt-know-District- Columbia-US.html Back to Top Global Flight Systems Unveils Solar-Powered Drone Eos-Alpha Launch Global Flight Systems today unveiled the Eos-Alpha, a fully autonomous solar-powered drone designed for continuous day and night flight at low altitude. On its inaugural flight, the Eos-Alpha remained aloft for more than 27 hours, securing its position as the 4th team in history to achieve continuous day and night flight with a solar-powered aircraft. The Eos-Alpha was launched on June 28th, 8:20 am EST and was retrieved at 11:45 am EST the following day. Global Flight Systems, which has been discretely developing its own solar-powered aircraft technology, is employing the Eos-Alpha prototype solely as a means to test critical design elements for larger, more capable drones in development. The Eos-Beta, currently under construction, will be the first solar-powered aircraft to sustain continuous flight above sixty thousand feet when it is completed this fall. The Eos-150, its flagship product, will be capable of operating globally with a significant payload and a continuous flight time of up to two years. The Eos series of solar-powered drones is possible due to recent developments in the areas of lightweight structural materials and high-energy battery systems. Global Flight Systems (http://www.global-flight-systems.com) is a Boston-area startup dedicated to the development of solar-powered high altitude drones that provide unique capabilities unmatched by either existing aircraft or satellites. Such drones will permit rapid global expansion of high-speed wireless data and voice networks as well as persistent, real-time sensing and imaging. Global Flight Systems is now actively seeking investment to accelerate the development of the Eos-Beta high-altitude prototype and the Eos-150 product. http://www.avweb.com/press-releases/225.html Back to Top Hundreds of birds poisoned and killed at Bush Airport HOUSTON -- Hundreds of birds were poisoned and killed at Bush Intercontinental Airport this past weekend as part of a "bird abatement project" that animal rights groups call cruel and inhumane. Just after daybreak on Saturday and Sunday, the I-Team captured on video something strange happening- birds dropping mysteriously from the sky in distress. "It was going around and around in circles, you know, like how somebody is drunk or dizzy," said parking lot worker Betrice Miles. She was talking about pigeons and grackles exhibiting seizure-like behavior, and the beginning of a slow death. Miles' co-worker Shara Kelly shot video of one dying bird on her cell phone. "It was right there for a long time just flipping and flipping and flipping," Kelly said. "And I was like, why are these birds dying like that, I don't know if it's something that somebody fed them." It was-a toxicant called Avitrol, that's sold in the form of corn kernels. United Airlines said in cooperation with the Houston Airport System, it hired a licensed pest control contractor to put it down to "reduce the health and safety risks posed by birds at airport property." But United called the birds "pests" in an internal company e-mail the I-Team obtained. That e-mail maps out 20 different bait tray sites throughout all terminals at Bush Intercontinental as well as and a United maintenance hangar. While and Avitrol's manufacturer describes it's used as a frightening agent to scare flocks away, the I- Team confirms through airport sources that hundreds of birds were killed over the weekend. "These deaths look anything but humane," said Dr. John Hadidian, Senior Scientist with the Humane Society of the United States. One of the effected birds, a great-tailed grackle, took a full hour to die-sometimes struggling to move its legs, sometimes appearing paralyzed with its beak open for several minutes at a time. "The birds that are dying after ingesting this compound are suffering and in great distress," Dr. Hadidian said. Hadidian said the Humane Society recognizes bird engine strikes as a real threat-most notably remembered with the successful landing of a U.S. Airways jet on the Hudson River after a double-engine bird strike. But the Humane Society and other animal rights groups advocate for non-lethal abatement methods. Those can range from noise-making devices to laying down pigeon birth-control pellets to control over-populations. "The Houston Airport System employs a multi-pronged system in addressing the need to keep the wildlife outside the operational perimeter (of all its airports), said spokesman David Hebert in a written statement. "This program primarily includes the utilization of loud noises, in an effort to displace the animals, and the installation of traps, but can also employ the use of mitigation chemicals that have been approved for use by the Federal Aviation Administration, the United States Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service," Hebert said. He added the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reviewed the weekend abatement project and "it was determined that all measures in question fall within the accepted regulatory guidelines." While Avitrol is a federally approved chemical and the company's website states effected birds "are not in pain," the toxicant is not without controversy. Dr. Hadidian said several local and state governments, including San Francisco, Boulder, Colorado and the State of New York, have banned Avitrol in its entirety. "I trust my eyes and I look it and I say that is a horrible way for an animal to die," Dr. Hadidian said. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said while no violations occurred over the weekend, it said the Houston Airport System may not have reported all bird deaths as required last year. A spokesperson for the federal agency said it plans to send a letter to Houston airport officials requesting the information. United Airlines said in contracts to handle bird abatement about once a year. http://www.wfaa.com/news/texas-news/267328141.html Back to Top Back to Top GE Aviation plans $50 million 3-D printing facility in Auburn to make jet engine parts GE Aviation's Auburn facility will be the site of a new 3-D printing initiative that will manufacture jet engine parts. AUBURN, Alabama -- GE Aviation said today that it will spend $50 million on a new 3-D printing initiative at its existing operations in Auburn, a first-of-its-kind project that will mass produce fuel nozzles for jet engines and help raise employment here to more than 300 people later this decade. Plans for the high-volume, additive manufacturing facility were announced this morning by Gov. Robert Bentley and GE Aviation officials at the Farnborough International Airshow near London. "GE Aviation's decision to launch a 3-D printing initiative at its Auburn plant speaks volumes about the ability of an Alabama workforce to carry out cutting-edge manufacturing," Bentley said in a statement provided by the Alabama Department of Commerce. "This is tomorrow's technology, and we are proud to say it will be performed right here in Alabama." Additive manufacturing, also known as 3-D printing, represents a significant technology breakthrough for the company and the jet propulsion industry. Unlike traditional manufacturing that cuts away at a metal slab to produce parts, 3-D printing "grows" parts from a computer-aided design file using layers of fine metal powder and an electron beam or laser. It's a faster way to produce parts, with less waste. GE Aviation's 300,000-square-foot Auburn plant, which makes machined parts for jet engines, opened last year and now employs more than 70 people. The company said today that the 3-D printing project will accelerate hiring. Equipment installation is expected to begin later this year, with production of the fuel nozzles starting next year. By the end of 2015, the plant could have up to 10 printing machines with the potential to grow to more than 50. At the completion of the $50 million project, the company's investment in Auburn will top $125 million since 2011. Information about incentives related to the project was not immediately available. The fuel nozzles will be used on the LEAP jet engine, which will enter airline service in 2016 and power aircraft including the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX. Production is expected to ramp up from 1,000 fuel nozzles annually to more than 40,000 by 2020. GE Aviation will partner with local universities and community colleges to prepare for the work. Alabama Industrial Development Training and Southern Union State University will continue to be involved in pre-employment training programs. In addition, the company is working with Auburn University and Tuskegee University on student internship and co-op opportunities. Auburn Mayor Bill Ham said the city looks forward to a long relationship with the company. "We are delighted that GE Aviation has chosen Auburn, Alabama for this advanced technology manufacturing operation," he said in a statement. http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2014/07/ge_aviation_plans_50_million_a.html Back to Top The world's top 10 airlines... and Qantas is no longer one of them Cathay Pacific named the World's Best Airline for 2014 Qantas slipped down from tenth in 2013 to 11th this year Awards announced annually at the Farnborough International Air Show Skytrax conducts survey with more than 19 million passengers worldwide The World's Best Airline for 2014 has been crowned, with Cathay Pacific flying past last year's winner Emirates to take out the top spot. Along with the title for the year, the airline also nabbed a record, becoming the only carrier to win the prestigious award four times after claiming the title in 2003, 2005 and 2009. Australian airline Qantas slipped out of the top 10 for the second time, coming in at number 11. Last year Qantas ranked 10th, and its highest position was in 2008 when it was named third in the world. It comes after some setbacks for the airline this year, including job losses and questions over foreign ownership. Cathay Pacific was named the World's Best Airline for 2014 at the annual World Airline Awards Qantas slipped down from its tenth spot last year to come in 11th Water floods a Qantas plane bound for Melbourne Earlier this month the airline suffered some bad press when an Airbus A380 bound for Melbourne was forced to turn back after water flooded the aisles. A leaking pipe caused water to spill into the upper deck cabin, prompting some passengers to share photos on social media - including American actress Yvette Nicole Brown, best known for her role on the sitcom Community. Malaysian Airline, previously a top 10 airline on three different occasions, experienced a sharp decline in the wake of MH370's disappearance, now ranked at 18th. The annual World Airlines Award announcement came at the Farnborough International Air Show in the UK, and the awards are based on research by aviation firm Skytrax. Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Ivan Chu told The Sydney Morning Herald that he was 'extremely proud, for both Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong' to receive the award. Second and third place were given to Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines, while Emirates slipped to fourth from first place in 2013. Locally, it was better news for Qantas as they were named the Best Airline in the Australia/Pacific region. Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand rounded out the top three. Indonesian airline Garuda won the award for best cabin crew The best first class cabin was taken out by Singapore Airlines The ranking also includes divisons for best cabin crew, which was taken out by Garuda Indonesia, and the best first class cabin, awarded to Singapore Airlines. Qatar was ranked in the top spot for the best business class while Korean airline Asiana had the best economy class cabin. Jetstar was the fourth best budget airline, with AirAsia and AirAsiaX coming in first and second. Qatar had the world's best business class cabin for 2014 The Sydney Morning Herald report that the Skytrax Awards survey nearly 19 million airline passengers from 160 countries worldwide to come up with the results. The World Airline Awards are non-for-profit and free from any third party influence, and any airline passenger worldwide can cast a vote. In June Etihad Airways tried to withdraw from the rankings, citing a disagreement with the rating system but despite this came in ninth overall. As airlines are chosen by consumers they cannot be omitted form the awards. AIRLINE OF THE YEAR 2014 Cathay Pacific Airways Qatar Airways Singapore Airlines Emirates Turkish Airlines ANA All Nippon Airways Garuda Indonesia Asiana Airlines Etihad Airways Lufthansa BEST IN AUSTRALIA AND PACIFIC Qantas Virgin Australia Air New Zealand Jetstar Airways Fiji Airways Tiger Airways (Australia) Air Tahiti Nui AirCalin Air Vanuatu Solomon Airlines http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2693884/The-worlds-10-airlines-Qantas-no-longer-one- them.html Back to Top Small is beautiful: how a tiny device cuts aircraft noise A tiny device, shown here mounted upstream of a circular opening used to equalise the pressure in wing fuel tanks, reduces the whistling noise produced by the Airbus 320. [Photo courtesy of Lufthansa] SPECIAL REPORT / The name - vortex generator - sounds more complex than the device itself. Yet the small component developed by German researchers provides a big solution to noise produced by one of the most widely flown passenger aircraft. Under pressure from airlines and new regulations, aircraft manufacturers are locked in a fierce competition to produce planes that are easier on the ear and the environment. During rollouts of new or revamped models of engines and aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow this week, manufacturers are touting new or updated commercial products billed as the cleanest and quietest ever. The vortex generator, however, required no big shift in technology or major manufacturing investment. Developed by the German Aerospace Centre, or DLR, the device diverts wind from vents on the underside of wings on the Airbus 320. It reduces the sound radiating from the aircraft in its clean configuration, just before the landing gear and flaps are deployed for landing. For Jan Werner Delfs, who heads DLR's Department of Technical Acoustics, the A320's noise is like the sound produced by blowing across the opening of a beer bottle, though at many magnitudes of difference. In the airplane's case, the whistle occurs when air passes over circular openings used to equalise the pressure in fuel tanks mounted inside each wing. "If you listen to landing aircraft you can always say this is an A320," Delfs explained in a telephone interview from the northern German town of Braunschweig. "You believe those tones are coming from the engines, but they are really coming from those holes." 'Very annoying' tone The DLR attached a 5-cm triangular piece of aluminium sheet metal upstream of the two vents on each wing, in order to divert the air flow and stop the whistle. A decade of research went into the vortex generator, which stems from efforts to mask a similar whistle produced when air blows over the gun ports of warplanes. "You will certainly very much notice the difference," Delfs said, noting that it knocks about six decibels off the sound contour of the A320. "It's not only the question of decibels, by the way. It's also a question of the kind of sounds and tones, (which) are usually perceived as much more annoying than some featureless noise without tones. If you have a rushing by of something, it's not very annoying, but if you have a distinct tone, it's very annoying. So it's not just the decibels, its the way [the noise] is perceived." This year, Germany's Lufthansa began installing the device on more than 150 A320s and its sister models, the A319 and A321, and announced that it was deploying new aircraft with the device pre-installed. The airline - Europe's second carrier in passenger numbers - said it was part of its overall scheme to make airplanes quieter. A Lufthansa spokesman told EurActiv that the noise appears to affect only the Airbus line of single-aisle jets. He said the airline was spending "a single-digit million amount" to retrofit its fleet. An Airbus spokesman at Farnborough said the device is available as a retrofit on its aircraft and is already being installed on new-model A320s. Other Airlines, including Air France, have announced that they are installing the sound-reducing component on the affected Airbus aircraft. Investing in the future Both airline and components manufacturers are rolling out other technologies that reduce both noise and air pollution. The world's dominant aircraft manufacturers, Airbus Group and the Boeing Company, are competing with each other at this week's biennial Farnborough trade show to announce new or revamped aircraft that are billed as quieter and offer better fuel efficiency. Boeing, for instance, announced a stretch version of its signature 737 line - the 737 Max 8 - that it says is 20 percent more fuel efficient than its Next Generation 737, which it previously sold as one of the most efficient mid-size passenger jets. Airbus, meanwhile, announced a revamp its long-range 330 jet, promising a 14 percent reduction in fuel consumption over its predecessor. Both airlines say these aircraft combine new engines and aerodynamic features to make their airlines quieter as well as cleaner on the environment. Aviation engineers say today's newest engines are on average 75% quieter than those produced just a few years ago, and one engine expert told EurActiv the race is on to make the aircraft body itself quieter. "Before, the designers of the airplane hadn't had to worry to worry about noise very much because the airplane noise was buried by the engine noise - was overwhelmed by the engine noise," said Alan H. Epstein, vice president for technology and environment at Pratt & Whitney, the Connecticut-based aircraft engine manufacturer. "And now the engine people have cut it down to about equal and the next generation of engines will cut it down still more. That leaves the airplane people exposed - they have to get to work, and they are starting to, to reduce the airframe noise." New EU regulation Yet even as planes become quieter, the steady growth of air traffic means noise remains a political bombshell in Europe, which leads the world in noise-based flight restrictions. EU states are obliged to limit noise around airports under a 2002 regulation, and the European Parliament and Council approved on April 16, 2014 new aviation noise rules (Regulation 598). The new regulation, which is due to take effect in 2016, puts the EU in line with the International Civil Aviation Organization's "balanced approach" to noise reduction through measures such as requiring the use of modern aircraft, quieter ground-control operations and - as a last resort - restrictions on nighttime flying. Still, it could take years for new technology and policies to pay off. More immediate solutions might be found with relatively simple developments, like the vortex generators. "This tone problem and the vortex generator is rather exceptional," said Delfs of DLR's Department of Technical Acoustics. "It's an exceptionally simple means to get rid of this noise." Other noise-reduction efforts may be far more complex and take longer to develop, he said. "At the moment, we are at a stage where any further decibel reduction takes a lot of effort because today's aircraft are [already] relatively silent." POSITIONS: "By fitting these vortex generators to our Airbus short and medium-haul fleet, we are continuing to invest in active noise protection", Kay Kratky, member of the Lufthansa German Airlines Board, said in a statement announcing the retrofit. "In addition to the extensive modernisation of our fleet over the next few years, this is one of several steps that we are taking to reduce noise. It shows our commitment to working towards a balance between the interests of aviation and local residents, especially at our hubs." In announcing a new version of its signature 737 passenger jet at the Farnborough International Airshow in England, Ray Conner, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and chief executive, said: "This new 200- seat 737 MAX 8 ensures we'll retain our leadership in comfort, capacity and lower operating costs in the heart of the single-aisle market. With this increase in capacity and confidence in our engine and airplane testing, we're on track to deliver a 20 percent more fuel efficient product than today's Next-Generation 737." Fabrice Brégier, president and chief executive of the Airbus Group, told journalists at the Farnborough International Airshow that the company's A330neo - a revamped version of an existing transcontinental passenger jet - offers "the latest in fuel-saving technologies combined with the best-in-class comfort, reliability and operational efficiency of the A330." Airbus says the plane will use 14% less fuel per flight and use quieter engines. http://www.euractiv.com/sections/aviation/small-beautiful-how-tiny-device-cuts-aircraft-noise-303505 Back to Top 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. NEXUS Flight Operations Services is pleased to host the IBAC/IS-BAO Fundamentals and/or IS-BAO Auditor Workshops to be held 4th - 5th August 2014 in our Jeddah Headquarters The program consists of: Fully integrated Safety Management System, Organizational essentials Training program/tracking system, Regulations/requirements tracking system, Standard Operating Procedures, Maintenance Control system, Operations and Maintenance Manuals, International operations procedures and equipment requirements checklist, Administrative organization, Emergency response plan. At the core of IS-BAO is a comprehensive Safety Management System (SMS) designed to integrate all activities of a flight department or charter organization so they are operated in the most risk-averse manner possible. To register, please click on the links below for online registration and payment directly with IBAC. 4th August 2014 | Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Fundamentals of IS-BAO Workshop There is a $500 per person registration fee for this full day course 5th August 2014 | Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 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 For more information please see www.ibac.org/is_bao Back to Top THE ALPA 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM A Celebration of Pilots Helping Get the Job Done Safely & Securely August 4-7, 2014 | Washington Hilton | Washington, DC SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBITING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE Contact Tina Long at tina.long@alpa.org for more information or click here to download the sponsorship brochure. AGENDA AT A GLANCE Visit http://safetyforum.alpa.org for full agendas MONDAY - AUGUST 4, 2014 8:30-9:00 General Session-ALPA Air Safety Organization Update (Open to all ALPA Members Only) 9:30-6:00 ALPA ASO Group Workshops & Council Meetings - (invitation only) 9:30-4:30 Jumpseat Forum (invitation only) 12:00-5:00 Aviation Security Forum (invitation only) TUESDAY - AUGUST 5, 2014 8:00-6:00 ALPA ASO Group Workshops & Council Meetings - (invitation only) 9:00-5:00 Joint Aviation/Security Forum - (invitation only) WEDNESDAY - AUGUST 6, 2014 - 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM 8:30-9:00 Opening Ceremony 9:00-10:30 Panel: Surviving a Main Deck Lithium Battery Fire: New Technological Solutions 10:30-11:00 Break with the Exhibitors 11:00-12:30 Panel: Smoke In the Cockpit-Where Seconds Matter 12:30-1:45 Keynote Luncheon-100 Years of Commercial Aviation Mr. Paul Rinaldi - President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association 1:45-3:15 Panel: Finding the Runway with a Smoke-Filled Cockpit-Using All the Tools 3:15-3:45 Break With the Exhibitors 3:45-5:15 Panel: Landing A Distressed Airliner-What's Waiting at the Airport? 5:15-5:25 Presentation of the ALPA Airport Safety Liaison and ALPA Airport Awards 5:25-5:30 Closing Remarks 5:30-6:30 Hospitality Reception (Sponsored by Boeing) THURSDAY - AUGUST 7, 2014 - 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM 8:30- 10:00 Panel - Current Security Threats and Countermeasures 10:00-10:30 Break with the Exhibitors 10:30-11:30 Panel: A Discussion With Key Regulators 11:30-11:40 Presentation of the ALPA Presidential Citation Awards 11:40-1:00 Lunch (on your own) 1:00-2:30 Panel: Pilot Health & Occupational Safety 2:30-3:00 Break with the Exhibitors 3:00-4:30 Panel: Modernizing Our National Airspace System: The Flight Path, The Potholes and the Promise 4:30-5:00 Closing Ceremony 6:00-7:00 Awards Reception (Sponsored by Airbus) 7:00-10:00 Awards Dinner 10:00-11:00 Post Awards Reception Back to Top Upcoming Events: International System Safety Society Annual Symposium 04-08AUG2014 - St. Louis, MO http://issc2014.system-safety.org ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition Atlanta, GA September 7 - 10, 2014 http://annual.aci-na.org/ IFA - Maintaining Airworthiness Standards and Investing in the Most Important Asset 'The Human Element' 17 - 18 September, 2014 Emirates Eng Facility, Dubai www.ifairworthy.com Public Safety and Security Fall Conference Arlington, VA October 6 - 9, 2014 http://aci-na.org/event/4309 IASS 2014 Abu Dhabi, UAE November 11-13, 2014 http://flightsafety.org/meeting/iass-2014 Back to Top Employment: Position Available - Safety Investigator Etihad Airways www.etihad.com/careers NTSB Position Available - Electronics Engineer https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/374545600 Position Available: Assistant Chief Flight Instructor LeTourneau University www.letu.edu/jobs Curt Lewis