Flight Safety Information July 30, 2014 - No. 156 In This Issue Dutch again unable to reach Malaysian jet crash site in Ukraine Stowaway's body found on Air Force cargo jet Dallas-bound jet returns to Omaha as precaution Force of Air Algérie crash means victims may not be identified ICAO to form Task Force to address air safety issues over conflict zones FAA wants angle-of-attack systems in GA aircraft UK pilots seek urgent meeting with ministers on air safety Ten hours to move disabled aircraft from Dubai airport runway Plane sinks in melting asphalt at Moscow airport PRISM TO HELP PREPARE FOR E-IOSA Boeing forecasts huge need for pilots over next 2 decades F-35 fighter jet: Most expensive weapons program ever Hiring foreign pilots helps bottom line, air force says (Canada) World tour puts A350 aircraft to the test TSA doling out $15,000 for ideas to improve airport lines THE ALPA 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM Upcoming Events Dutch again unable to reach Malaysian jet crash site in Ukraine Dutch, Australian experts unable to access crash site due to fighting Reuters AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch experts trying to recover remains of the victims of the Malaysian plane crash in Ukraine were again unable to access the crash site on Wednesday due to fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces, the head of the Dutch mission said. "Today the convoy of Dutch experts will not travel to the crash site of MH17. The security situation is too unsafe," Pieter Jaap Aalbersberg, the Dutch team head, said in a statement. Although most bodies have been recovered from the site of the July 17 disaster, which killed all 298 passengers and crew, the Dutch want to recover remains of some victims and personal belongings of the 195 Dutch nationals on board. "We will continue to try to get to the area in coming days, but it remains to be seen whether the situation will become safer." http://news.yahoo.com/dutch-again-unable-reach-malaysian-jet-crash-ukraine- 111251137.html Back to Top Stowaway's body found on Air Force cargo jet The body of a young stowaway was found inside a compartment near the wheel well of an Air Force cargo jet that had landed in Germany, U.S. military officials said Tuesday, triggering questions about the security of an aircraft that had made several stops in Africa. Air Force personnel found the boy's body Sunday night after spotting an orange cloth in a small opening by the landing gear during a detailed inspection of the C-130J aircraft when it landed at Ramstein Air Base. When they tugged on the wet cloth, they discovered it was attached to a boy in the compartment, officials said. The Pentagon's press secretary, Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby, said the stowaway was a black male who may have been of African origin. The plane was on a routine mission in Africa and had made stops in Senegal, Mali, Chad, Tunisia and Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily before arriving at Ramstein. A senior U.S. official said Tuesday that initial indications suggest that the boy probably climbed aboard in Mali. A stowaway aboard a military plane is a significant security breach. No Africa Command senior leaders were on the flight. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/stowaways-body-found-on-air-force-cargo- jet/2014/07/29/35dfd6fc-1760-11e4-9e3b-7f2f110c6265_story.html?tid=pm_politics_pop Back to Top Dallas-bound jet returns to Omaha as precaution OMAHA (AP) - Mechanics have been checking an American Airlines jet that made a precautionary landing in Omaha after crew members reported what smelled like an electrical fire in the cockpit. The Dallas-bound jet took off from Omaha just before 6:30 p.m. Monday but soon turned around and landed back at Eppley Airfield. American spokesman Matt Miller said Flight 2323 carried 62 passengers and five crew members. He said a replacement for the MD-80 aircraft took off about 9:30 p.m. and made it to Dallas without incident. Miller didn't know by mid-morning what, if anything, was wrong with the flight's original plane. http://journalstar.com/news/local/911/dallas-bound-jet-returns-to-omaha-as- precaution/article_82eb87d6-9c7f-5292-84af-d6003ef8dc04.html Back to Top Force of Air Algérie crash means victims may not be identified Black boxes from flight AH5017 arrive in Paris, and investigators say it could take several weeks to determine what happened Investigators gather evidence at the crash site of Air Algerie flight AH5017 in Mali's Gossi region. Photograph: Sia Kambou/AFP/Getty Images French air accident investigators say they are reasonably optimistic about establishing what caused an Air Algérie aircraft to fall from the sky over Mali on Thursday, apparently plunging more than 30,000ft in three minutes. However, identifying the 118 victims is likely to prove difficult because of the violence of the crash, say officials at the site in Mali. Flight AH5017 from Burkina Faso to Algeria disappeared off the radar screens during the early hours of last Thursday. Air traffic control recordings show that the Spanish pilots had reported heavy storms and asked to turn back. Minutes later the plane, less than an hour into its flight and laden with fuel, seems to have dropped to the ground. A scorched crater at the site of the crash - in Mali's Gossi region, near the border with Burkina Faso - and a limited scattering of small parts of the aircraft are testament to the violence of the impact. Radar recordings show the plane's last contact at 1.47am local time. A witness reported seeing a ball of flame in the crash area at about 1.50am, suggesting the tragedy happened in minutes. One witness said it was "as if a bomb had fallen" on the desert, and that the plane had hit the ground at a steep angle and at full speed, ruling out any attempt at an emergency landing. Police investigators and gendarmes at the scene say the plane was "pulverised" and they have found no bodies. Even finding traces of the victims - who included one Briton and 54 French people, including entire families - is proving a challenge, with stifling heat alternating with torrential rain in a remote area. The two flight recorders arrived in Paris on Monday. The main black box, which records flight data, was retrieved intact and the information has been extracted. The second, a cockpit recorder, was found damaged. Officials say the magnetic band that stores the sounds and conversations from the cockpit is "creased and broken" in places. Rémi Jouty, director of France's air investigator, the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyse (BEA), told the radio station Europe 1 that finding out exactly what happened to the plane could take several weeks, but he was optimistic about discovering the cause of the crash. General Gilbert Diendéré, chief of staff to Burkina Faso's president, Blaise Compaoré, said: "I don't think we will be able to return any bodies. They were scattered, dispersed. I'm not even sure we'll be able to find all of them. The fall was dramatic and very fast." http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/29/air-algerie-ah5017-plane-crash- investigators Back to Top ICAO to form Task Force to address air safety issues over conflict zones Global airline industry comes together in condemnation of attack on civil aviation Expressing condemnation of the use of weapons against civil aviation, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has joined with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Airports Council International (ACI) and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO) in a declaration, committing the parties to review processes for the overflight of conflict zones. The high-level meeting was called by ICAO in the aftermath of the tragic downing of Malaysia Airlines' MH17 over Ukraine earlier this month, according to a release. "While aviation is the safest form of transport, the MH17 incident has raised troubling concerns with respect to civilian aircraft operating to, from and over conflict zones," a joint statement of the four bodies says. "We have met at ICAO today with collective resolve to urgently review the issues and potential responses to be pursued. As a first step, States have been reminded by ICAO of their responsibilities to address any potential risks to civil aviation in their airspace," the statement reads. ICAO, with support of its industry partners, will immediately establish a senior-level Task Force composed of state and industry experts to address the civil aviation and national security aspects of this challenge, in particular how information can be effectively collected and disseminated; and submit the Task Force findings to a Special Meeting of the ICAO Council for action. IATA will be among the participants on the Task Force. The global aviation industry has also called on ICAO to address fail-safe channels for essential threat information to be made available to civil aviation authorities and the industry; and the need to incorporate into international law, through appropriate UN frameworks, measures to govern the design, manufacture and deployment of modern anti- aircraft weaponry. Tony Tyler, Director General and CEO, IATA, said, "We were told that flights traversing Ukraine's territory at above 32,000 ft would not be in harm's way. We now know how wrong that guidance was. It is essential that airlines receive clear guidance regarding threats to their passengers, crew and aircraft. Such information must be accessible in an authoritative, accurate, consistent, and unequivocal way. This is the responsibility of States. There can be no excuses. Even sensitive information can be sanitised and still remain operationally relevant." In supporting the industry's high expectations of the Task Force, Tyler re-assured the public that flying today remains safe and secure. "Every day, about 100,000 flights take to the air and land safely. The systems supporting global aviation have produced the safest mode of transportation known to humankind. There is no need for major surgery. But we must identify and close some specific gaps in the system that, however infrequently, lead to unspeakable mistakes and tragedies," he said. http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/icao-to-form-task-force-to-address-air-safety-issues- over-conflict-zones-24737 Back to Top FAA wants angle-of-attack systems in GA aircraft Devices could reduce fatal loss-of-control accidents The widespread presence of angle-of-attack indicators in general aviation aircraft could reduce fatal loss-of-control accidents caused by inadvertent stalls, said the FAA, announcing an initiative to promote installing the devices in aircraft and educate pilots in their use. In an Information for Operators (InFO) publication released July 25, the FAA's Flight Standards Service called for voluntary installation of angle-of-attack (AOA) based systems in GA aircraft as original equipment and for retrofitting. The InFO, geared toward airmen, builds on a previously issued policy memo from the agency's Aircraft Certification Service on "streamlining the design and production approval process of non-required/supplemental AOA-based systems for GA airplanes." In urging that general aviation embrace AOA-based systems for safety, the FAA cited the work of the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC), which AOPA co-chairs, and a study of 2,472 fatal general aviation accidents that found that in-flight loss of control was the most prevalent cause. A General Aviation Joint Steering Committee working group then analyzed loss-of-control accidents and issued recommendations for safety improvements. Using a data-driven approach to identify risks and trends through root cause analysis, the working group concluded in March 2013 "that the use of AOA-based systems by the GA community is an effective method for reducing" the likelihood of loss of control accidents during the approach and landing phases in the future. The data also showed that "general aviation makes very little use of angle-of-attack systems for stall avoidance, but a properly installed AOA system, coupled with a pilot with an understanding and training on how to use it could be a key tool in avoiding loss of control," said David Oord, AOPA manager of regulatory affairs and the working group's co- chair. By providing direct information of the wing's angle-of-attack, an AOA system makes it simpler for pilots to maintain awareness during critical or high-workload phases of flight. An AOA system's output will help pilots maintain aircraft control "regardless of weight, airspeed, bank angle, density altitude, configuration, or center of gravity," Oord said. The FAA also saw potential value in AOA systems in pilot training, noting initial research on safety benefits from aircraft equipped with AOA systems at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Through its InFO document, the agency urged flight instructors and pilots to review the operational information provided by manufacturers of AOA systems installed in aircraft they fly; urged aircraft owners and maintenance professionals to review the memo on the streamlined AOA system approval process; and suggested that providers of flight training develop and integrate AOA-system subject material into flight and ground school programs. "We are also encouraging our members to read the InFO, check out the new and innovative AOA systems that are coming out, and consider installing and using one in their aircraft," Oord said. "The benefits from these relatively simple devices could be lifesaving." http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2014/July/29/FAA-wants-angle-of-attack- systems-in-GA-aircraft Back to Top UK pilots seek urgent meeting with ministers on air safety The British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa) has demanded "an urgent meeting" with UK ministers to discuss safety in the air following the shooting down of a Malaysia Airlines flight. Balpa welcomed yesterday's announcement that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) intends to establish a new task force to look into airspace safety, but said: "We are a long way from a solution." The association said of ICAO: "The UN body has at least acknowledged there is a problem with the current system that is supposed to protect passengers and crew from becoming targets." However, it warned: "Groups such as the one announced are often slow and ponderous. So we are asking what can be done now. "We are calling on the UK Government to show leadership in ensuring the safety of UK passengers whichever airline they are flying with and wherever in the world. "Balpa is seeking an urgent meeting with ministers to progress a proposal of a joint Department for Transport and Balpa summit on the issue." The pilots' association said "the same level and quality of data, intelligence and guidance" are currently not shared among all airlines and pilots. "There appear to be variations in the quality, extent and usefulness of intelligence between different airlines, agencies and countries," Balpa added. And it said: "Pilots need to know when they plot flight paths that the guidance on safe areas is independent of any interests other than flight safety." Balpa general secretary Jim McAuslan said: "It's reassuring that the UN aviation body and airlines accept there is a problem with the lack of clear, uniform rules and information guiding pilots on when they should not fly over conflict areas. "What we need now is action from the working group. "The current system allowed 298 passengers, pilots and crew to become targets in a war and pilots want to see a solid and serious solution to stop this happening again. "We will be asking the British government to lead the way." http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2014/07/30/48823/uk-pilots-seek-urgent-meeting- with-ministers-on-air.html Back to Top Ten hours to move disabled aircraft from Dubai airport runway DUBAI // Recovery procedures should be improved to ensure immobilised aircraft are removed more efficiently from runways, an investigation has found. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) made the recommendations after it took crews about 10 hours to remove a damaged Boeing 737-800 from a runway at Dubai International Airport. The Ukranian International Airlines flight from Kiev was landing at about 10pm on September 14 last year when it suffered burst tyres. While no passengers or crew were injured, the aircraft was not moved until 8.23am the following day. The authority found that responsibilities of various parties in removing the plane were not defined and that the recovery "was not implemented in a controlled manner". "Neither the procedures in the possession of the recovery team nor their training was adequate," the report said. "The requirements of disabled aircraft recovery, as prescribed in the UAE Civil Aviation Regulations, lack standards for competency of the recovery personnel and the need for frequent exercises to assess the adequacy of the recovery plan." Among the GCAA's recommendations were that Dubai Airports conduct exercises to test the recovery plan and improve training for managers. Dubai Airports said it is reviewing the authority's recommendations and plans to implement some new operational procedures. "Dubai Airports has a close working relationship [with the GCAA]," it said. "Reports of this nature are intended to provide important information to drive continuous improvement in safety and operational performance. "They are, therefore, extremely technical and detailed and make numerous recommendations for modifications to the operational procedures of several parties, of which Dubai Airports is one such party." The authority also said the Emirates Airline division responsible for the recovery of disabled aircraft at the airport should change some of its procedures. The changes should ensure prompt access to recovery tools, effective team training, sufficient empowerment of the team leader in decision making, and possession of a list of all aircraft types that operate in the airport. Emirates Airline was not available for comment on Tuesday. Investigators with the GCAA also found that national standards for aircraft recovery needed improvement. More stringent aviation regulations would shorten delays and minimise damage to the aircraft during the recovery work, the GCAA said. http://www.thenational.ae/uae/transport/ten-hours-to-move-disabled-aircraft-from-dubai- airport-runway#ixzz38xAXCgBr Back to Top Plane sinks in melting asphalt at Moscow airport A passenger aircraft got stuck at Domodedovo airport for over 4 hours after its landing gear sank in melting asphalt of one of the taxiways due to a strong heat wave that hit Moscow. As temperatures peaked at 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, an S7 flight from Domodedovo Airport enroute from Moscow to Novosibirsk took off at 16:00 local time instead of a scheduled take-off at 11:15. "At 11.15 our aircraft, Boeing 737, had to take off," Evgeny, a passenger on board the flight told Komsomolskaya Pravda. "However, we were informed that the flight is delayed by 45 minutes due to the fact that the plane still has not arrived. At 11.50, when it finally arrived, we were allowed to go on board. The Boeing then drove off and having left the airport building stood up to wait in line for take-off." The Boeing 737 could not take off, since the rear landing gear was stuck in a pothole about 10-15 centimeters deep as the heat melted asphalt underneath the weight of the plane. "But when it came time to fly, he could not budge. The asphalt melted and rear wheels sunk in it by 10-15 centimeters," Evgeny says. The passengers had to disembark as the maintenance crew worked on getting the plane back in take-off mode. "Abnormally high temperatures have led to minor defects to the local seat covers of aircraft parking," Daria Korshunova, a spokeswoman for the airport told Komsomolskaya Pravda. Korshunova also said that flights coming in and out of Domodedovo airport were not affected. The temperatures in Moscow region are expected to climb in the coming days. Wednesday's forecast calls for 31-33 C in the city, with 35 C predicted by the weekend. Meanwhile ecologists from environmental monitoring agency issued a "red" alert pollution warning. http://rt.com/news/176568-moscow-airport-plane-heat/ Back to Top Back to Top Boeing forecasts huge need for pilots over next 2 decades Boeing on Tuesday forecast worldwide demand over the next two decades for 533,000 new commercial pilots and 584,000 maintenance technicians. The projection fuels the debate on whether a pilot shortage is looming. Boeing released a projection Tuesday showing an ever-growing need for more pilots and aircraft-maintenance technicians worldwide as the aviation industry booms across the globe. The Boeing forecast pegs worldwide demand over the next two decades at more than half a million new commercial pilots and nearly 600,000 maintenance technicians. Sherry Carbary, Boeing vice president of flight services, said the supply in the U.S. is currently "keeping up with demand" but that "there could be an issue in some of these developing countries if we don't come together and deal with it." Though Carbary seemed to minimize the risk of a serious pilot shortage ahead, some in the industry fear one developing in high-growth markets overseas and even in the United States. In May, new low-cost carriers in Japan attributed a series of flight cancellations to a pilot shortage. In the U.S., a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report in February found "mixed evidence." The GAO study said reduced pilot wages and employment levels in the past decade suggest there hasn't been a shortage up to now. However, it added that flight schools "reported fewer students entering their programs resulting from concerns over the high costs of education and low entry-level pay at regional airlines." "Nearly all of the regional airlines that GAO interviewed reported difficulties finding sufficient numbers of qualified entry-level first officers," the report states. John Nance, veteran airline pilot and aviation commentator, said it's "myopic" to deny a pilot shortage looms. He cited new safety rules the Federal Aviation Administration put in place a year ago that increased the required flying time to qualify as a first officer on a U.S. airline from 250 hours to 1,500 hours. "The market is having problems right now for the first time in my 45 years with the aviation business," said Nance. "Especially regional carriers and nighttime cargo carriers are desperate right now. These new rules put them in a real corner." He also cited the lack of manual flying experience, as opposed to instrument flying, that contributed significantly to the crash of an Asiana Airlines 777 that killed three passengers at the San Francisco airport last July. "We are going to have a large pilot shortage in the future, especially if we raise the standards to never have another Asiana," Nance said. "We've got a lot of retraining to do in the world." In contrast, the Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA) insists there is no shortage of qualified pilots, only a shortage of pilots willing to work at entry-level wages. According to ALPA's pay-rate data, the average starting salary for new first officers in the U.S. regional airline industry is just $22,400. In response to the GAO report in February, Capt. Lee Moak, president of the pilots association, said, "There is a shortage of pay and benefits for pilots in the regional airline industry, not a shortage of pilots who are capable and certified." Boeing forecasts that North America in the next two decades will need 88,000 new pilots and 109,000 new maintenance technicians. The greatest demand is projected for the Asia-Pacific region, where in the same period airlines will need an additional 216,000 pilots and 224,000 new technicians. Boeing's Carbary said the airline industry, government and training institutions "need to come together now and address this issue so there isn't a shortfall." She said the projected demand should make aviation "a high-tech, sexy industry" for young people starting their careers. http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2024193368_boeingpilotforecastxml.html Back to Top F-35 fighter jet: Most expensive weapons program ever Costs for the F-35 fighter jet are soaring. A Marine Corps' version is priced at $251 million. WASHINGTON, D.C. - A new analysis of the F-35 fighter jet shows it's not only the most expensive warplane ever. Once the engines are added, it's also the most expensive weapons program in history. Defense analyst Winslow Wheeler broke down the costs of the jet's various versions and found they range from $148 million (Air Force F-35A) to $337 million (Navy F-35C). The Marine Corps' F-35B lands in between at $251 million. "It gets worse," said Wheeler. "These are just the production costs. Additional expenses for research, development, test and evaluation are not included." Wheeler's numbers are based on a Senate Appropriations Committee report on the Pentagon's 2015 appropriations bill. The price tags far exceed previous projections. In a June 9 briefing, F-35 developer Lockheed still advertised the cost of the planes without engines. The respected industry publication, Aviation Week, reported July 22 that taxpayers put up $98 million for each F-35A in 2013. "Even those who reject that someone might be cooking the books to make F-35A costs look as good as possible to Congress - and all-important foreign buyers - there should be a consensus that the program needs a comprehensive, fully independent audit," Winslow said. "Surely, an audit will help Congress and Pentagon leadership better understand why F-35B and F-35C prices are going up when they were supposed to be going down." Though the F-35 project has encountered some turbulence on Capitol Hill, opposition has been muted. "It's a done deal so long as no one in Congress does anything," Winslow told Watchdog.org. http://watchdog.org/162083/f-35-most-expensive/ Back to Top Hiring foreign pilots helps bottom line, air force says (Canada) The Royal Canadian Air Force reaps "significant" savings by hiring foreign military pilots but majority of pilot hires remain Canadian. OTTAWA-The Royal Canadian Air Force reaps "significant" savings by hiring foreign military pilots to fly its aircraft, a briefing note says. Thanks to their past experience flying transport aircraft, fighter jets or helicopters, foreign pilots can quickly take place in the cockpits of Canadian military aircraft. "They represent significant training cost avoidance and immediately bolster the . . . occupation to which they are enrolled," reads the note, obtained under access to information legislation. The June 24, 2014 note was prepared for Gen. Tom Lawson, chief of defence staff, the day after a Star story detailed how Canada's air force has been recruiting pilots from foreign countries to train Canadian pilots as well as fly on operational missions around the globe. Titled "RCAF Foreign Pilot Support," the note sets out how the air force has used the expertise of foreign pilots to bolster its operations. At the time, the issue of foreign workers was in the news as the Conservative government brought in reforms to curb abuses as employers hired low-paid, low-skilled workers to fill positions. However, the note to Lawson says that efforts by the Canadian military to recruit foreign military pilots "have no linkage" to the government's controversial temporary foreign worker program. Instead, the note portrays the recruitment of former foreign military pilots as part of a larger effort to bolster pilot training and improve the experience levels within the ranks of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The former foreign military flyers have been tapped to fly many of the aircraft in the RCAF fleet, including Hercules and Globemaster transport planes, CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft and CC-150 Polaris jet, used as a transport and refuelling aircraft. Using pilots who had previously served with foreign air forces is part of a "structured and deliberate" strategy to help the ranks of Canadian military pilots return to "healthy status" while bridging an experience gap and supporting the RCAF's training capacity, the note says. According to an air force spokesperson, the RCAF enrolled 31 former foreign military pilots between 2009 and this spring. During that same time, the RCAF enrolled 501 Canadians to train as pilots as well as welcomed back into uniform another 43 ex-RCAF pilots who had left the military. Still, the briefing note cautions that the enrolment process for foreign pilots is "lengthy and expensive." It says that the RCAF works with Citizenship and Immigration Canada to speed the "timely" processing of foreign applicants since they need to be permanent residents before they can fly for the military. It can take about 12 months to process the applications and the prospective pilots are responsible for all expenses, including the move to Canada, the briefing note says. Another strategy to bolster the ranks of Canadian military pilots is on the "loan" of experienced pilots from foreign air forces, the briefing note says. In these cases, the pilots are still enrolled with the foreign military, which pays their salaries while the RCAF picks up the incremental costs. The RCAF has used such pilots to fill "pressing short term needs" such as instructors to help speed the training of Canadian pilots. As well, the "loaned" pilots assist the Canadian Air Force with the introduction of new aircraft into their fleet, such as the C-130J Hercules transport and Chinook helicopter. The note doesn't put a tally on how much the hiring of foreign pilots saves the defence department in training. However, the air force has said it can take seven years - and $2.6 million - to train a pilot to fly the CF-18, Canada's frontline fighter jet. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/ Back to Top World tour puts A350 aircraft to the test The A350's test flights will take it around the globe THE world's newest airliner has been flying on a world tour on its journey to securing its final certification before going into service. The A350 XWB is undergoing rigorous flight tests with an itinerary including stops at 14 major airports and flying via the North Pole. The large plane is Airbus' answer to rival Boeing's Dreamliner. It will carry 300-400 passengers when in service. The XWB stands for extra wide body, which allows wider 18in seats in economy or more passengers. The plane also uses lighter materials to make it 25 per cent more fuel efficient than earlier models. The test aircraft, numbered MSN5, is one of the fleet of five and one of two with a fully functional cabin, made up to include 42 business class and 223 economy class seats. The flights are being operated by Airbus flight crews joined by pilots from the European Aviation Safety Agency. The tests form part of the last trials required for aircraft Type Certification scheduled for the third quarter of this year. The first airline delivery, to Qatar Airways, is due towards the end of the year. The three-week testing programme includes four trips with starts in Toulouse, France. Trip one, goes to Canada via the North Pole and Frankfurt. The second to Asia, the world's fastest growing aviation market, includes visits to Hong Kong and Singapore. The third takes the aircraft to Johannesburg and Sydney. From Sydney it will fly to Auckland, followed by Santiago in Chile and Sao Paulo before returning to Toulouse. On the fourth and final trip, the A350 will depart from Toulouse to Doha, then onto Perth and back to Doha. From Doha it will fly to Moscow, then to Helsinki from where it will fly back to Toulouse. The A350s have undergone 540 flights and 2,350 hours in the air. Airbus has already won orders for 742 planes from 38 customers. http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/World-tour-puts-A350-aircraft-test/story-22015294- detail/story.html#ixzz38xCJ9CZM Back to Top TSA doling out $15,000 for ideas to improve airport lines Do you have a suggestion for how the Transportation Security Administration could improve its airport security lines? If so, it could pay off. The agency will award a cumulative total of $15,000 to individuals whose ideas help the agency tweak the way it handles its lines. The agency guarantees that at least one recipient will receive $5,000 and that other payouts of at least $2,500 could be awarded up to a total of $15,000. The agency is looking for ideas for queue layouts that can accommodate lanes for several categories of travelers. Many airports, for example, already have lines for PreCheck fliers, who voluntarily submit to a background check in exchange for the ability to go through security without removing their shoes, liquids and laptops for separate screening. But airports also have queues for other categories of fliers, including first-class customers, elite frequent-fliers, active military members, airline crews and travelers who require wheelchair access. The TSA says it's looking for "simulation modeling" concepts that can "be applied in decision analysis and to take in considerations of site specific requirements, peak and non- peak hours, flight schedules and TSA staffing schedules." "Solvers are expected to provide the concept and provide evidence that it works as described in the requirements," the TSA adds in its idea challenge. In a statement to Today in the Sky, the TSA says the "challenge is a targeted request for inventive ideas that allow the agency to crowd source by engaging diverse and non- traditional groups of thinkers and solvers." http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2014/07/29/tsa-doling-out-15000-for- ideas-to-improve-airport-lines/13319461/ 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 Curt Lewis