Flight Safety Information July 29, 2014 - No. 155 In This Issue MH17: Black boxes show shrapnel from rocket caused Malaysia Airlines crash MH17 investigators fail in third attempt to access crash site as fighting continues in Donetsk FAA Suggests Southwest Pay $12 Million Fine Over Jet Repairs Alaska Airlines jet makes emergency stop in Klamath Falls Air Algerie AH5017: Pilots 'asked to turn back' DAYTON-BOUND DELTA FLIGHT MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING AT JFK FAA wants shorter buildings near U.S. airports PRISM TO HELP PREPARE FOR E-IOSA Fighter jet gets new life as storm chaser HondaJet brings first production aircraft to AirVenture Airbus terminates sale of six A380 superjumbos to Japan's Skymark THE ALPA 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM Upcoming Events Employment MH17: Black boxes show shrapnel from rocket caused Malaysia Airlines crash, Ukraine says A man stands at the crash site of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. Ukraine says black boxes recovered from downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 show shrapnel from a rocket explosion caused the passenger jet to crash. The finding was revealed as a convoy of international inspectors, including Australian Federal Police officers, abandoned an attempt to reach the crash site for the second day running amid fierce fighting in the rebel-held area. Data from the doomed airliner's black boxes was decrypted in Britain after being handed over to Malaysian officials by the pro-Russian rebels controlling the crash site. Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council spokesman Andriy Lysenko said international investigators believed data from the flight recorders show "the reason for the destruction and crash of the plane was massive explosive decompression arising from multiple shrapnel perforations from a rocket explosion". Surface-to-air missiles such as the Buk system widely believed to have shot the passenger jet down can explode near their targets, blasting a cloud of shrapnel into them. Investigators leading the probe in the Netherlands, which lost 193 citizens in the air disaster, refused to confirm the latest information from Kiev, saying that they were "waiting to get a more complete idea of what happened". Kiev and its Western allies, including Australia, have accused insurgents of shooting down the plane, killing all 298 people on board, including 38 Australian citizens and residents. Bishop hopeful of agreement to allow armed AFP officers on site Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is in Kiev where she was due to hold talks with Ukraine's president Petro Poroshenko. Ms Bishop is hopeful Ukrainian MPs will ratify an agreement to allow AFP officers in Ukraine to carry weapons onto the site. She says the AFP mission will remain unarmed, but wants approval for weapons to be carried as a contingency plan. "Part of that is to have the right, should it ever be necessary, to bring arms into the country for self-defence," Ms Bishop said. "Now, I don't envisage that we will ever resort to that, but it is a contingency planning, and you would be reckless not to include it in this kind of agreement. "But I stress our mission is unarmed because it is [a] humanitarian mission." The Foreign Minsiter's comments came after the United Nations said the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 "may amount to a war crime". UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay condemned the "horrendous shooting down" of the passenger jet and demanded a "thorough, effective, independent and impartial investigation". Earlier, On the ABC's 7.30 program, Ms Bishop was asked if there would be a criminal investigation into whether Russia armed and trained the rebels believed to have shot the plane down. She said those responsible would be held to account. "We think it is very important that the families of those killed have answers, and we believe it is important that those who are responsible for this, those culpable for this act, are brought to justice," Ms Bishop said. "After all, this was a commercial airline in commercial air space that was shot down, we believe, by a surface-to-air missile. "And those who created the conditions to enable in to happen should account for it." http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-28/shrapnel-from-rocket-caused-mh17- crash/5630400 Back to Top MH17 investigators fail in third attempt to access crash site as fighting continues in Donetsk DUTCH and Australian investigators have failed for a third consecutive day to enter the MH17 crash site amid a risky and deteriorating security situation in the eastern Ukraine. The Australian Federal Police deem the situation too risky, without firm commitments from both Ukrainian and rebel forces to guarantee their safe passage to the site. The investigative teams are now caught in the middle of a war that it surrounding them in the city of Donetsk, just west of the crash site and now known as the capital of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic. Despite attempts by monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to negotiate access to the crash site from the city, which is encircled by Ukrainian troops, the message to let them pass through to the search zone has not been heeded. There are still human remains on the site and important ballistic forensic information to be retrieved which could give a definitive answer on how the Malaysia Airlines jet was brought down on the afternoon of July 17. There is clear frustration on behalf of the Australians and Dutch, who can do little to stop the site being further trampled as the war intensifies. The rebels - who are branded "terrorists" by the Ukrainian government for taking over towns and cities in the eastern Ukraine - have twice over two mornings attempted to escort the unarmed investigators in convoy to crash site, but only made it about halfway before deciding it was too risky to push on. Under fire ... smoke rises over Donetsk city as tensions escalate between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels. Picture: Bulent Kilic The outskirts of Donetsk are guarded by tense pro-Russian rebel troops, who are protecting all points to the city in hastily constructed bunkers of earth and logs. The Ukrainian troops are several kilometres away, intermittently shelling the outskirts with tanks, though most localised heavy fighting is occurring outside the city limits on the route east to the crash site. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev with her Dutch counterpart trying to negotiate the clear and unhindered passage for the Australians and Dutch, said she was not prepared to risk the police investigators' lives. "But we will not be deterred in our efforts to get onto that site and retrieve the bodies of Australians who were killed," Ms Bishop said. Access denied ... members of the Dutch and Australian forensic investigating teams speak in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, before leaving for the crash site of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. Picture: Bulent Kilic The crash site is only 60 or 70km from the Russian border, from where Ukraine has accused the rebels of sourcing their weapons. The rebels are pro-Russian but also seek to create their own state independent of the Ukraine. The separatists, who have been accused of shooting down the airliner killing all 298 people aboard, counterclaim that the Ukrainian government destroyed the jet to drag the world into supporting them in a war with Russia. There are now some short bursts of fire in central Donetsk, appearing to come from near the capital buildings close to where the foreign teams are headquartered. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/mh17-investigators-fail-in-third-attempt-to- access-crash-site-as-fighting-continues-in-donetsk/story-fni0xs61- 1227006022237?nk=f8f1a17c22ab5aac2ec717dd47dec0d4 Back to Top FAA Suggests Southwest Pay $12 Million Fine Over Jet Repairs A section of the fuselage skin which was torn from a Southwest Boeing 737-300 aircraft, seen during a news briefing at the National Transportation Safety Board headquarters in 2011 Photograph by Alex Wong/Getty Images Federal regulators are proposing a $12 million fine for Southwest Airlines (LUV) related to a skin-repair method that was used on dozens of its airplanes. The suggested penalty dates to 2006 on skin-sealing work Southwest hired a contractor to perform on 44 of its Boeing (BA) 737s to eliminate potential cracking of the aluminum on the planes' hulls. The contractor, Aviation Technical Services, did not follow approved procedures for replacing the skins and did not properly stabilize the planes while making the repairs, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The FAA said Southwest flew the planes on "numerous" flights in 2009 and that the agency later approved the repairs after the airline provided proper documentation that the work had met safety standards. But the aircraft did not meet compliance for a certain period while they were being flown, which led to the fine announced on Monday. The agency also found an improper ground-wiring problem on two other Southwest planes. "Having fully resolved the repair issues some time ago, none of the items raised in the FAA letter affect aircraft currently being operated by Southwest Airlines," spokeswoman Brandy King says. Southwest has 30 days to respond to the allegations. Airlines often negotiate lower penalty payments with the FAA. Southwest and the FAA have a history when it comes to maintenance work and oversight. In 2008 the FAA proposed a then-record $10.2 million fine after finding that the airline had operated some 60,000 flights on 46 planes that had not received mandatory repairs. That case also served as a major embarrassment for the agency when its inspector general discovered that the FAA staff overseeing the Dallas-based carrier had grown too tight with the company and were not doing their jobs appropriately. Southwest ultimately paid $7.5 million in that case. In 2010 the FAA proposed a $24.2 million fine against American Airlines (AAL) related to work on almost 300 of its MD-80s aircraft. American paid $24.9 million last year to settle dozens of FAA oversight claims-totaling more than $150 million-that were bundled as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-07-28/faa-suggests-southwest-pay-12- million-fine-over-jet-repairs Back to Top Alaska Airlines jet makes emergency stop in Klamath Falls Not one, but two 737 Alaska Airlines passenger jets landed at the Crater Lake-Klamath Falls Regional Airport Sunday afternoon. The first made an emergency landing at 3:30 p.m. It was a scheduled flight from Orange County, Calif., to Seattle, but had to divert due to an apparent fuel leak in one of the engines, according to airport authorities. The second flight arrived from Seattle about 6 p.m. to pick up the 160 passengers and crew who were stranded at the airport for about three hours. About eight passengers rented cars in Klamath Falls to drive on to their final destinations. "We had our emergency equipment meet the flight as the plane came in," Bill Hancock, airport operations manager said. "That's standard procedure. The jet had to sit on the runway a bit so we could check it out before the passengers were allowed to deplane." The crew and airport officials teamed up to offer food and beverages as the passengers filled the airport waiting lounge. Many were on holiday, and a few were international travelers. Alaska Airlines officials from Medford drove to Klamath Falls to help with the transition between planes and crews. "Everything was handled very professionally," remarked Heather Berkley, who was flying to Seattle. "I received several text messages updating me about what was going on from the airlines." (As a point of full disclosure, Berkley is one of several owners of Pioneer News Group, the parent company of the Herald and News. She was traveling on business). She and Publisher Heidi Wright handed out free Sunday newspapers to the passengers as they waited for the second plane. Linda Tepper, airport business manager, also pitched in to help feed and make passengers comfortable during the layover. Mike Robinson, his wife and two daughters - all of Silverdale, Wash. - were heading home from a vacation at Disneyland. "It wasn't a bad delay at all," he said. "The crew told us what was going on all the time. It went pretty well. My girls made friends with other passengers' girls while we waited." Elizabeth Larsen and her daughter, Carly, were heading home to Spokane. They took the delay in stride, as well. "Carly had texted my mom that we 'crash landed' in Oregon," Larsen laughed. "I had to call my mom right a way and correct that!" She noted, too, that despite the quick descent into Klamath Falls, the crew kept everyone calm. "I had a few seconds of panic. But after that it was just a normal landing." The abandoned jet will be inspected by Alaska staff before it will fly on to Seattle for maintenance, officials said. The fact that the airport does not have commercial airline service since SkyWest/United pulled out in June, was not lost on Alaska Airlines workers. One noted that Klamath Falls treats Alaska staff very well when an emergency such as this happens. http://wallowa.com/news/state_regional/alaska-airlines-jet-makes-emergency-stop-in- klamath-falls/article_f688fb8d-f42e-57df-9fa4-918aa75666e8.html Back to Top Air Algerie AH5017: Pilots 'asked to turn back' The French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, has revealed that the pilots of an airliner that crashed in Mali last Thursday had asked to turn back. Mr Fabius said the crew of Air Algerie flight AH5017 requested to return to Burkina Faso after initially asking to change course due to bad weather. The plane's two flight data recorders have arrived in France. The jet was flying to Algeria when it crashed in Mali, killing all 118 aboard, including 54 French citizens. France has taken the leading role in the investigation. French flags flew at half-mast on Monday as the country began three days of mourning for the victims "What we know for sure is that the weather was bad that night, that the plane crew had asked to change route then to turn back before all contact was lost," Mr Fabius said on Monday. A team of French investigators is currently sifting through the plane's wreckage in Mali, but Mr Fabius said they were facing "extremely difficult conditions". "It's a long, fastidious and extremely complex job," he added. French, Malian and Dutch soldiers from a UN peacekeeping force (MINUSMA) have secured the site, about 80 km (50 miles) south of the Malian town of Gossi, near the Burkina Faso border. Earlier on Monday, a French official confirmed that the two flight data recorders had arrived in France and were now being examined by experts. One of the devices was retrieved almost as soon as rescuers arrived on the spot, while the second was found late Saturday. A source close to the investigation told the AFP news agency that one of them was badly damaged on the outside. But Martine Del Bono, a spokeswoman for the French aviation investigation office, refused to comment on their condition, telling press: "At this stage, we cannot say anymore." Even if both "black boxes" are in good condition, French Transport Minister Thierry Mariani has warned that analysing the flight data and cockpit conversations could take "weeks". French flags were lowered to half-mast on Monday for three days in memory of the dead. Nearly half of those on board were French. There were also 27 from Burkina Faso and further passengers from, among others, Lebanon, Algeria, Canada and Germany. One victim was British. Among the French contingent on board flight AH5017 was a family of 10. The plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83, had been chartered from Spanish airline Swiftair and all six members of the crew were Spanish. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-28528174 Back to Top DAYTON-BOUND DELTA FLIGHT MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING AT JFK Delta Flight 6093 from LaGuardia Airport to Dayton, Ohio made an emergency landing at JFK Airport. The flight took off from LaGuardia at 9:14 p.m. Monday. (WABC) NEW YORK (WABC) -- Delta Flight 6093 from LaGuardia Airport to Dayton, Ohio made an emergency landing at JFK Airport. The flight took off from LaGuardia at 9:14 p.m. Monday. The pilot got a notification of a possible tire issue just after takeoff. The pilot declared an emergency, circled LaGuardia several times and was diverted to Kennedy Airport for the longer runways. The plane landed safely at 11:34 p.m. Passengers were evacuated off the airplane on the runway by the Port Authority Police Department's Crash, Fire and Rescue Officers. They were put on buses and brought to the terminal. http://7online.com/travel/dayton-bound-delta-flight-makes-emergency-landing-at- jfk/225752/ Back to Top FAA wants shorter buildings near U.S. airports The Federal Aviation Administration wants to reduce height limits on buildings near airports, but the proposal has sparked disputes between airlines and airports that support the change, and development interests worried about hurting property values. The FAA says buildings should be shorter to bolster safety at 388 airports nationwide, to give pilots more options up to 10 miles from an airport in case one of an airliner's two engines fails while taking off or landing. The policy change would affect 4,000 tall buildings near airports and 4,000 more that are planned nationwide, according to a 2012 analysis by the Weitzman Group real-estate consultants in New York. Many more developments that haven't yet filed applications with the FAA could be affected, according to study author Peter Bazeli, senior vice president of Weitzman. Airlines and airports say height restrictions are needed after 40 years of tall buildings encroaching on airports. Avoiding tall buildings by altering flight routes can lead to burning more fuel, and reducing cargo or passengers to lighten a plane's load. "Our first concern, as always, is the safety of the operation of our aircraft," said Victoria Day, a spokeswoman for Airlines for America, a trade group for the largest airlines. "The industry looks forward to working collaboratively with local communities to find win-win solutions." But developers say the limits could hurt construction plans from Arizona to the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Even the procedure is contentious. FAA is proposing a brisk policy change, rather than a formal rulemaking that critics prefer and that could take years to complete. Rep. James Moran, D-Va., proposed legislation to require a rulemaking because 170 buildings are affected in his state. Airlines must already ensure there is a safe, alternate route if a plane loses an engine, which is why the policy has traditionally been considered an economic debate, Moran said. A public-comment period, which has already been extended once, ended Monday. FAA doesn't directly restrict the height of buildings, but issues a "determination of hazard" when buildings are too tall near airports. At that point, local zoning boards are reluctant to approve construction and buildings can become unaffordable because of higher insurance costs and smaller size. Summarizing the FAA proposal is difficult because most airports have a variety of flight paths. But one example is that at 10,000 feet from the end of a runway, the current building height limit of 250 feet would be reduced to 160 feet, according to the Weitzman report. "Certainly it's understandable that there might be some accommodation for disaster scenarios," said Bazeli, the study author. "The real concern here is that there is a really significant impact on property owners and communities and cities, and that certainly wasn't fully vetted in 2012 when it was originally proposed." The proposal affects communities differently. Hawaiian Airlines "wholeheartedly supports" the proposal, according to Daniel Lyons, the airline's senior director of operations analytics. All Honolulu flights departing from one runway must turn to the right because of rising terrain and a 447-foot antenna 2 miles from the runway, but then cranes at a container terminal create another obstacle for wide-body planes, Lyons said. "If the trend continues of increasing obstacles on departure paths where no alternative (one-engine) path exists, at some point, federally funded runways will no longer be viable for commercial airline operations," Lyons said. But Jack Longino, mayor of College Park, Ga., which contains several concourses of Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, urged the FAA to drop the change. FAA's purpose isn't for the safety of passengers or airlines, but an attempt to reduce the economic impact on airlines that can't load their aircraft to maximum capacity, he said. Arizona has interests on both sides of the debate. The city of Phoenix, which owns Sky Harbor International Airport, "desires to preserve what clear airspace remains" beyond the east runway, according to aviation director Danny Murphy. But four Arizona lawmakers - Republican Reps. Paul Gosar, David Schweikert, Matt Salmon and Trent Franks - said 75 existing and proposed buildings in their state would be hurt. In Phoenix, the Maricopa County Court Tower and the Virginia G. Piper Sports and Fitness Center would be unable to add equipment or signs to the top of their buildings, the lawmakers said. In Tempe, the proposed Sky Tower would exceed the proposed limit by 217 feet, lawmakers said. "At a time when the U.S. economy is just starting to turn around, the proposed (one engine) policy threatens to derail much needed economic development," the lawmakers said. Another hot spot for the debate is Virginia's Arlington County, which surrounds Washington's Reagan National airport. Rosslyn, along the airport's northern glide path, anticipates 4.5 million square feet of office space and 1,000 new housing units over the next 25 years. The skyline is "meaningful and much-valued asset," according to the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, but the FAA proposal "will hamper development and reduce property values." But Don Gay, an electronics engineer from Arlington who lives 200 yards from the airport, supported the policy change. "Safety must be foremost in this decision; not the financial interests of developers and the temporary creation of jobs," Gay said. "There are other places where buildings can be constructed. When aircraft accidents occur adjacent to airports, it will not be the developers who will be subjected to scrutiny and criticism, but the FAA." http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/07/28/faa-airports-building- height-limits/13271583/ Back to Top Back to Top Fighter jet gets new life as storm chaser GUTHRIE - The Guthrie-Edmond Regional Airport is playing host to a very special aircraft. Right now it's a fighter jet, but it's being modified to do something very different. The A-10 Thunderbolt II is a fighter jet currently used in places like Afghanistan and Kuwait. However, the one sitting in Guthrie is training to be a storm chaser. "It's not built for speed, said A-10 Aircraft Program Manager and Crew Chief Vince Schneider. "It was built to loiter and stay over top of the battle field to protect the army." The A-10 Schneider is working on is retired from active duty, but is getting a new life as a storm penetrating aircraft. The jet will hunt down tornadoes and hurricanes, capturing crucial information. "The mission of this aircraft is to get close to the storm," said Schneider. It's a $13 million project funded by the National Science Foundation. Zivko Aeronautics in Guthrie was chosen to make the project a reality. Schneider is in charge of retrofitting the new technology into the aircraft's old body. A computer server system will be installed where the weapons system used to be. The system will use sensors on the wings to detect things like wind speed, pressure and movement of a storm. The information is then sent to researchers working on the ground. "So they'll get real time, first-hand knowledge of whatever it is they want to sample," Schneider said. The A-10 will be equipped to release small sensors into the storm, similar to what was done in the movie "Twister". The only difference is the sensors will be released from above the storm instead of below it. "We're actually going to drop ours out of the wing tips and the wheel pods," said Schneider. It will take a lot of hard work to equip the Thunderbolt II for its new assignment, but if it helps keep the public safer in the process, Schneider says it's a mission worth accomplishing. "The benefit is to the Air Force. The benefit is to the scientific community. The benefit is to the civilian community, a lot of benefits here," Schneider said. Schneider says it's likely universities like OSU, OU and others will use the aircraft to gather research. The hope is that the information will give researchers a better idea of how storms move so we can alert the public quicker and more accurately. The project is expected to be finished by the end of the summer. http://www.okcfox.com/story/26134567/fighter-jet-gets-new-life-as-storm-chaser Back to Top HondaJet brings first production aircraft to AirVenture The first production HondaJet made its public debut at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 28. The aircraft taxied to Boeing Square, drawing a large crowd of admirers who lined up to see the business jet and take a peek at its interior. "I have finally brought the first production aircraft to Oshkosh to share with you," said Honda Aircraft Co. President and CEO Michimasa Fujino to applause from the crowd. The $4.5 million jet performed its first flight on June 27. The aircraft features over-wing mounted engines, a configuration patented by Honda that reduces drag and noise, and increases fuel efficiency. The GE Honda Aero HF 120 turbofan engine was certified in late 2013. First deliveries are expected in early 2015. The jet is expected to fly 420 knots true airspeed at maximum cruise at FL300, with a maximum cruise altitude of FL430, according to a spec sheet provided by the company. Its flight deck features a Garmin G3000 avionics system and dual touch-screen controllers for overall avionics and system management. The airplane's typical configuration is one crew member plus five passengers; an alternative configuration can support one crew member and six passengers. Fujino said he first visited EAA AirVenture in the 1980s as an engineer with Honda. "I was very shocked to learn that Americans build airplanes in their own garages-even more surprisingly, they fly them," he quipped. "I wanted to design an airplane and share it here at Oshkosh," he said. EAA Chairman Jack Pelton called the HondaJet "a fantastic celebration of innovation like we've never seen before." "The work that's been done by Honda is nothing short of marvelous," he said of the airplane's interior. "This is something that the bizjet community has been looking for." The HondaJet was to fly at the afternoon airshow on July 28, and it remains on display all week at AirVenture. http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2014/July/28/hondajet-flies-to- airventure Back to Top Airbus terminates sale of six A380 superjumbos to Japan's Skymark A model of an A380 Airbus with its evacuation slides deployed is displayed in the lobby at UTC Aerospace Systems in Phoenix, Arizona, July 11, 2014. REUTERS/Nancy Wiechec (Reuters) - Airbus Group NV (AIR.PA) said on Tuesday it has terminated an agreement to deliver six A380 superjumbo jets to Skymark Airlines Inc (9204.T) after the Japanese discount carrier struggled to raise enough cash to pay instalments on the aircraft. In a briefing in Tokyo before Airbus's announcement, Skymark's CEO and chief investor, Shinichi Nishikubo, said that the European aircraft maker had refused to consider changes to the 2011 purchase agreement, including reducing the number of aircraft or offering smaller jets and had notified it of the termination in a faxed message on Sunday. "We didn't get the chance to sit down and have a formal discussion," Nishikubo said. The termination marks a setback for Airbus in Japan after it won its first order ever from Japan Airlines (9201.T) (JAL) last year which agreed to buy more than 30 A350 jets. The European company has struggled to win market share from rival Boeing Co (BA.N) which dominates with around an 80 percent market share helped by strong ties to local aircraft makers like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011.T), which make major portions of its jetliners. Losses incurred at Skymark as it grapples to win market share from Japan's two dominant carriers, ANA Holdings (9202.T) and JAL, meant it was unable to convince lenders to finance the purchase of the six A380s. It had planned to use them for a discount business-class only international flights. Skymark is unlikely to recover 26 billion yen (150 million pounds) in instalments it has already paid to Airbus, Nishikubo said. He plans to hold talks with Airbus regarding cancellation fees, he added. The Skymark cancellation means that no Japanese carrier will now fly the A380. Both JAL and ANA have said they are not interested in buying the largest class of passenger aircraft. Orders for the A380 are hanging in the balance elsewhere, according to aerospace sources, including 10 aircraft earmarked for Hong Kong Airlines. Reuters reported this month the Hong Kong carrier no longer wanted the jets after an associated leasing company struck an expanded deal to buy 70 smaller A320-family aircraft. Since March the order has not been attributed to Hong Kong Airlines, but to an "undisclosed" customer, raising questions over its status, according to a review of Airbus data. Officials for the aircraft maker said at the Farnborough Airshow this month that the Hong Kong order remained on its order book. The four-engine, double-decker A380, which is listed at $350 million, was launched in 2000 as a solution to Europe's congested airports and as a rival to Boeing's 747. But growing demand for large twin-engine jets has sapped demand, while sales have also been hurt by technical problems and the financial crisis, during which many airlines avoided large-scale purchases. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/07/29/uk-airbus-skymark-airlines- idUKKBN0FX1M420140729 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 _______________________________________________________ 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 Captain Lee Moak - President, Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l General Edward Bolton - Assistant Administrator, NextGen, Federal Aviation Administration 9:00-10:30 Panel: Surviving a Main Deck Lithium Battery Fire: New Technological Solutions 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: Responding To the Emergency - Using All the Tools 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 10:30- 11:30 Panel: A Discussion With Key Regulators 11:30- 11:40 Presentation of the ALPA Presidential Citation Awards 1:00-2:30 Panel: Pilot Health & Occupational Safety 3:00-4:30 Panel: Modernizing Our National Airspace System: The Flight Path, The Potholes and the Promise 4:30-5:00 Closing Ceremony Astronaut Garrett Reisman-Commercial Crew Program Manager, SpaceX 6:00-7:00 Awards Reception (Sponsored by Airbus) 7:00-10:00 Awards Dinner 10:00- 11:00 Post Awards Reception SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBITING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE Contact Tina Long at tina.long@alpa.org for more information or click here to download the sponsorship brochure. 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: NTSB Position Available - Mechanical or Aerospace Engineer https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/375124300 or https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/375127300 Curt Lewis