Flight Safety Information September 3, 2014 - No. 181 In This Issue Preliminary MH17 crash report to be published within a week European Air-Safety Body Calls for Improved Information Sharing. Man arrested for pointing laser at WSP aircraft Farquharson to fill in as CASA director of aviation safety Taiwan lobbies for observer status in ICAO PRISM TO HELP PREPARE FOR E-IOSA Chinese airline 'failed to stop smoking on flight'; passengers threaten to sue Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Campus Offers Aviation-Focused Professional Programs for 2014 Small UAS Challenge ISASI 2014 - Annual Seminar, October 13-16, 2014 - Early Bird Registration Deadline Upcoming Events Employment Preliminary MH17 crash report to be published within a week - investigators Emergencies Ministry members walk at the site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash, MH17, near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. (Reuters / Maxim Zmeyev) A preliminary report on the reasons behind the Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash in eastern Ukraine will be released within days. However, it will take one year to perform a full investigation which will answer all questions, the Dutch Safety Board (DSB) said. The report will be ready at the end of the week or early next week, DSB spokeswoman Sara Vernooij said. The document will shed some light on the cause of the tragedy, though many questions will remain unanswered, she stressed. According to Vernooij, the preliminary report will include the first results from the flight recorders and data from other sources such as satellites and radars. As for the full report, "it'll take about a year to complete," she said, adding that it is likely to be published in summer 2015. The spokeswoman stressed that all of the agency's specialists involved in the investigation have been working from The Hague, as the final report can be prepared without a visit to the crash site. However, DSB still plans to send experts to Ukraine, when the area around the crash site becomes safer. She added that they will examine certain debris and confirm available data on the ground. The Dutch investigation is being executed in accordance with the norms and standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Vernooij said. All 298 people aboard the Malaysia Airlines jet died as it crashed in Ukraine's Donetsk region on July 17. The majority of those on the plane - which was allegedly shot down - were citizens of the Netherlands. Both sides involved in the Ukraine conflict - the government and militias which refused to recognize the February coup in Kiev - accuse each other of bringing down the aircraft. It was initially alleged that the plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. However, claims were also made that the flight was shot down by a military jet which was in the area at the same time. The investigation of the tragedy was hampered by fighting in the area around the crash site, with Kiev and rebels accusing each other of attempting to conceal the facts. http://rt.com/news/184592-mh17-preliminary-report-crash/ Back to Top European Air-Safety Body Calls for Improved Information Sharing Safety Body Calls for Involvement of Intelligence Agencies By ROBERT WALL The European Aviation Safety Agency says the region needs to improve information sharing on flight risks. Getty Images BRUSSELS-Europe needs to improve information sharing on risks to flights, including exchanging intelligence data, the head of the region's air-safety agency said on Wednesday, as the global aviation community reacts to the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine that has heightened concerns about operations near conflict zones. "We believe that there should be a need, a requirement, to establish in Europe an alert system," Patrick Ky, the head of the European Aviation Safety Agency said during a hearing of the European Parliament's transport committee. The flow of information "could be improved," he said. National intelligence organizations need to be involved in providing information on flight risks, he added. The call for greater information sharing and involvement of intelligence agencies belonging to European Union member states was backed by the European Commission, the EU's executive arm. Information needs to be shared, Matthew Baldwin, director of air transport for the commission said at the session. The EU doesn't have its own intelligence agency. Eurocontrol, the organization that manages the region's air traffic, already receives some information from military authorities, though it isn't happening in a consistent way and could be improved, said Frank Brenner, the agency's director general. The July 17 downing of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing BA -1.04% 777 that was cruising at 33,000 feet in airspace the Ukrainian government declared safe has increased nervousness in the airline community about flying in conflict zones. Ukraine and the U.S. accuse pro-Russian separatist rebels of having shot down the plane with a sophisticated antiaircraft missile. Russia denies the charge. Legislators expressed consternation the Ukrainian airspace was kept open for flights above 32,000 feet, when local authorities barred flights below that level. In the wake of the shoot down, airlines have avoided flying over other war-torn areas, including Iraq and Syria. Airlines also suspended flights to Tel Aviv after a rocket fired from the Gaza strip landed near the airport. Mr. Ky said EASA's safety alerts were entirely based on information from the U.S., highlighting the need for Europe to take a stronger role. Governments are responsible for notifying airlines when parts of their airspace aren't safe to traverse. Carriers also have the authority to unilaterally avoid areas. British Airways IAG.MC +2.55% was among the airlines that avoided flying over eastern Ukraine even before the country closed the airspace after Flight 17 came down killing all 298 people on board. The International Civil Aviation Organization, the aviation safety arm of the United Nations, in late July convened a meeting with stakeholders, including the International Air Transport Association that represents more than 200 carriers, to discuss concerns. ICAO also will convene a high-level conference on aviation safety in February. A task force, set up by ICAO, is due to make recommendations in a few months, said Giancarlo Buono, the regional director for safety and flight operations in Europe for the International Air Transport Association. Two specific areas being explored are how critical information can be better incorporated in alerts to airlines and how to set up a centralized system for information sharing, he told the legislators. Another challenge for the authorities is that countries have different risk assessments when they make decisions on closing airspace. After Russia annexed Crimea, flights in the region were barred because of uncertainty over who controlled the airspace. Mr. Ky said the Ukrainian government at one point suggested some flights could continue, but EASA kept its guidance for airlines to avoid the region because it deemed the risk too high. ICAO is also likely to urge countries to share information more broadly on why they are closing airspace when such actions are taken to help airlines and others in their risk assessment. Officials have indicated that the reason Ukraine closed airspace below 32,000 feet in the region where Flight 17 was downed wasn't clearly understood. Regulators are struggling to find a way to ensure smaller airlines-and those from countries lacking large intelligence organizations that can warn aviation authorities of threats-aren't handicapped. Stakeholders are seeking ways for information to be shared widely across the aviation sector to keep passengers safe. ICAO may present a proposal on how to better share data as early as next month. Mr. Ky said Europe has to evolve its setup to deal with aviation risks in parallel with the wider internationally action. Devising an intelligence sharing system doesn't have to be expensive, he said, and can be done by standardizing processes. http://online.wsj.com/articles/european-air-safety-body-calls-for-improved-information-sharing- 1409735732 Back to Top Man arrested for pointing laser at WSP aircraft A man has been arrested for pointing a laser at a Washington State Patrol aircraft on night duty on Monday. Troopers say the incident happened in Pierce County. Pilots led troopers on the ground to a residence and the 27-year-old man was arrested. The man was booked into the Pierce County Jail for unlawful discharge of a laser. http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/2014/09/02/man-arrested-for-pointing-laser-at-wsp- aircraft/14981885/ Back to Top Farquharson to fill in as CASA director of aviation safety CASA deputy director of aviation safety Terry Farquharson. (CASA) Terry Farquharson is filling in as the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's (CASA) acting director of aviation safety until the successor to John McCormick is named. McCormick ended his five and a half year run as the director of aviation safety on Sunday, August 31 and has left the organisation. CASA spokesperson Peter Gibson said Farquharson, currently the deputy director of aviation safety, started as acting director on Monday. The appointment of a new director of aviation safety would have to wait until a full board of CASA has been formed. That was due to occur after the formal announcement of three new board members. Aviation Business reported last Friday the three new people to be appointed to the board were Anita Taylor, Ian Smith and David Cox. Taylor was most recently was president of the Gliding Australia, Smith is the Australian Maritime and Defence Foundation of Australia president, while Cox is chief operating officer of the faculty of engineering and information technologies at Sydney University and a former head of engineering at Qantas. It was understood the three names have been submitted to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss. CASA's three current board members were chair Allan Hawke, as well as the recently-appointed deputy chair Jeff Boyd plus Trevor Danos. The director of aviation safety also sits on the CASA board. The fully formed CASA board would then consider the best candidate from an international search undertaken by an external recruitment company. The process was believed to have come down to two candidates. However, the appointment of a new director of aviation safety was expected to be some time away given the minister's office needed to approve any name put forward by the CASA board and take that name to cabinet. Australian Aviation has sought comment from Minister Truss's office. http://australianaviation.com.au/2014/09/farquharson-to-fill-in-as-casa-director-of-aviation-safety/ Back to Top Taiwan lobbies for observer status in ICAO BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE Republic of China (Taiwan) is lobbying to be named as an observer in the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), rather than a "guest" as it was during the last assembly in 2013. In late September to early October 2013, Taiwan's civil aviation authorities were welcomed to participate in the ICAO's 38th Assembly as "guests" and according to a US Department of State communique published during that time, "Taiwan's active participation in this year's Assembly will promote global aviation safety and security, and will strengthen ICAO as an institution." Taiwan however is of the view that its contributions would be more meaningful as an "observer" of the ICAO rather than a "guest". According to the Taiwanese Embassy in St. Kitts and Nevis, "As an indispensable part of global aviation responsible for managing the heavily traveled Taipei Flight Information Region (Taipei FIR), Taiwan aspires to meaningful participation in the ICAO by becoming an observer to the body's meetings, mechanisms and activities, so as to better contribute to the safeguarding of regional and global aviation safety." Taipei FIR, the Embassy disclosed, "covers 180,000 square nautical miles and is adjacent to 4 FIRs: Fukuoka, Manila, Hong Kong and Shanghai. It is located off mainland China's eastern seaboard between Japan and the Philippines." And in 2012 alone, services provided by Taipei FIR reached 40 million travelers, through 1.3 million controlled flights. "Taiwan has roughly 150 scheduled flights to and from Europe, 400 the US, 660 Japan and over 1200 across the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport was ranked 16th globally in international passenger traffic by the Airports Council International (ACI) in 2012, stating Taiwan is connected to 117 cities around the globe by 58 domestic and foreign airlines via 181 air passenger routes and 86 air freight routes." The Embassy expresses Taiwan's hope that its attendance of the ICAO's 38th Assembly last year would act as a catalyst to Taiwan regaining its seat in the aviation body. "With that meaningful attendance, Taiwan has gained better knowledge of the development of international aviation standards, obtain first-hand information crucial to aviation safety, and be able to exchange views on the international civil aviation matter with other countries and members of international civil aviation community. Hence that attending has been regarded as part of the concrete steps forward for Taiwan in its ICAO campaign since 2009." Indicating that its "exclusion from the ICAO's platform...is indeed a hurdle to ICAO's pursuit of a seamless sky", Taiwan is of the view that it "can...contribute to regional and global aviation safety by sharing its advance aviation technologies. International support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the aviation body has been widely acknowledged by stakeholders around the world." http://www.sknvibes.com/news/newsdetails.cfm/88645 Back to Top Back to Top Chinese airline 'failed to stop smoking on flight'; passengers threaten to sue Passengers on China United Airlines flight 5216 on Saturday said they found people smoking in a toilet as the plane flew from Chengdu to Beijing. Photo: SCMP Pictures A Chinese budget airline endangered lives when it failed to stop passengers from smoking on a flight, according to a group of disgruntled travellers who are now threatening to sue the carrier. Passengers on China United Airlines (CUA) flight 5216 on Saturday said they found people smoking in a toilet as the plane flew from Chengdu to Beijing. They said that when the aircraft was grounded at Taiyuan due to thunderstorms, passengers also smoked on the steps as they left the plane and again just outside the jet as it sat on the tarmac. The passengers said that a request that all travellers undergo a further security check before re-boarding the plane due to safety concerns, was declined by the cabin crew who said it was unnecessary, according to The Beijing News. CUA responded by saying on its official microblog that its cabin crew immediately ordered the passengers to cease smoking and confiscated their cigarettes and matches when notified by other passengers. The airline said that it is still investigating the case and pledged to "punish its cabin crew seriously if they are found guilty of any wrongdoing". But the passengers insisted the airline had not done enough to ensure their safety and threatened to bring the case to court. "We are planning to file a lawsuit against CUA, demanding it attach importance to passengers' safety," the group said. Xu Ke, an aviation safety scholar, said the passengers were right to request that everyone go through another security check after the plane was grounded at Taiyuan, as smoking and matches pose a fire risk. "Otherwise, how can you make sure other passengers did not also bring matches or other safety hazards?" Xu told the South China Morning Post on Tuesday, saying that passengers had caused fires in the past by smoking in toilets. "After all, safety is the number one priority," Xu said. The incident has lead online commenters to wonder how the smoking passengers were able to bring matches through airport security checks, with posters worried that terrorists may take advantage of any security loophole. Xu the safety expert said it could be difficult for airport security scanners to detect single matches without a box hidden in a passenger's hand luggage. He added that only more upgraded scanning technology could be able to detect individual matches. Smoking on a plane is normally subject to a fine up to 200 yuan, but could also result in up to 10 days in detention under serious circumstances, according to Chinese public security law and civil aviation regulations. In 2004, a man was caught smoking in the toilet on a plane after he triggered a smoke detector alarm. He was detained for five days. China United Airlines was formed in 1986 by the PLA Air Force. The airline was acquired by commercial China Eastern Airlines in 2004 and now operates as a budget carrier. CUA is the only commercial airliner to fly from Nanyuan Airport, a military air base in southern Beijing. The airline owns a fleet of more than 20 planes and has total assets of about 1.4 billion yuan. http://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1583702/chinese-airline-failed-stop-smoking-flight- passengers-complain Back to Top Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Campus Offers Aviation-Focused Professional Programs for 2014 SOURCE: EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY AUG 27, 2014 DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - As part of Embry-Riddle's commitment to continuing professional education and lifelong learning, the university is hosting a variety of aviation-focused short courses and workshops at the Daytona Beach Campus taught by aviation industry subject-matter experts. These Professional Programs courses are designed for industry professionals involved in the operation, management and supervision of aviation organizations. The staff at Professional Programs can also create specialized programs to offer on- site, customized education and training in a variety of aviation, safety and security subjects. "Embry-Riddle's professional programs are offered through all three campuses and provide an opportunity for aviation professionals to continue their education past the 'traditional' university level," said Sarah Ochs, Director of the College of Aviation's Professional Programs in Daytona Beach. "A great example of a customized curriculum from this past year is the aviation operations and safety workshop organized for South African aviation and regulatory agencies that was held at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus." For a complete list of professional and corporate education programs at our Daytona Beach, Prescott and Worldwide Campuses, go to: http://proed.erau.edu/index.html. Fall 2014 Certificate of Management in Aviation Safety Short-Courses* at Daytona Beach Campus Oct. 20-24, 2014: OSHA/Aviation Ground Safety This course gives the participant working knowledge of OSHA's General Industry Safety and Health standards. In addition, participants will gain a fundamental working knowledge of an aviation ground safety program. Participants will also receive the OSHA 30-Hour General Industry Safety & Health Card. Oct. 27-31, 2014: Aviation Safety Program Management Participants will gain working knowledge of the development and management of an effective safety program. Topics include economics of safety; risk management; safety climate; regulatory safety and health programs; safety analysis techniques; and safety management systems. Nov. 3-7, 2014: Aircraft Accident Investigation and Management This course will teach the fundamentals required to conduct or manage an aircraft mishap/accident investigation. The participant will review the investigation sequence from the preplanning stage through the general survey and specific analysis of a mishap/accident, culminating with the determination of contributing factors and probable cause/s. *The above series of courses can be completed independently or as part of the Embry-Riddle Certificate of Management in Aviation Safety; discounts are available for multiple course selection. Fall 2014 Workshops at Daytona Beach Campus Oct. 2-3, 2014: Airline Network Planning This short course is intended for air transport industry managers and aviation professionals entering a management role and focuses on airline schedule planning framework, profitability forecasting models, fleet assignment and revenue management. Nov. 17-18, 2014: Introduction to Aviation Safety Management Systems Participants will gain a solid foundation in basic Safety Management Systems (SMS) concepts that will support further implementation of SMS within their organizations. Topics include safety culture; human factors; reactive, proactive and predictive safety management tools; external audits; safety assurance; and SMS implementation overview. Nov. 19-21, 2014: SMS: Applications & Implementation This course will give participants an expanded background in intermediate and advanced Safety Management Systems (SMS) concepts, and will support both implementation and continuous improvement of an active SMS within their organization. Attendees will be able to implement the theory, principles and applications of SMS as well as the current FAA guidance for operators and organizations. Dec. 9-11, 2014: Unmanned Aircraft Systems The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) course identifies the key concepts, attributes and challenges of UAS operations. Topics include core concepts; UAS regulation; sensors, payloads and geospatial data; human factors in UAS; and national airspace integration. For detailed course descriptions and dates, and to register online, go to: www.proed.erau.edu. For more information, please contact Sarah Ochs, Director of Professional Programs at (386) 226-6928 or case@erau.edu. About Professional and Corporate Education at Embry-Riddle Facilitated by industry leaders from around the globe, the curriculum at Embry-Riddle covers the operation, engineering, research, manufacturing, marketing and management of modern aircraft and the systems that support them. Individuals and organizations benefit from professional development courses offered on two residential campuses and at classrooms around the world. Learn more about upcoming seminars and workshops at www.proed.erau.edu. Daytona Beach, Fla., Campus Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus offers participants world-class technical and research lab facilities led by a team of leading industry experts and top academics. Prescott, Ariz., Campus The Prescott Campus is home to the Robertson Safety Institute (RSI), a nationally recognized center for research, development and corporate outreach in safety education. The Institute includes the Robertson Crash Lab, aviation safety and security archives and access to advanced engineering, scientific and forensic resources. Worldwide Campus With more than 150 campuses across the globe and the option to take online courses, Embry-Riddle Worldwide's Professional and Corporate Education Program offers over 25 targeted courses in aviation, aerospace UAS and business management that can deliver professional development solutions via classroom, online, a live webcast or a blended training approach. About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world's largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, is a nonprofit, independent institution offering more than 70 baccalaureate, master's and Ph.D. degree programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, Engineering, and Security and Intelligence. Embry-Riddle educates students at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., and through the Worldwide Campus with more than 150 locations in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The university is a major research center, seeking solutions to real- world problems in partnership with the aerospace industry, other universities and government agencies. For more information, visit http://www.embryriddle.edu, follow us on Twitter (@EmbryRiddle) and https://www.facebook.com/EmbryRiddleUniversity, and find expert videos at https://www.YouTube.com/EmbryRiddleUniv. www.erau.edu Back to Top NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AIR RACES EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO Small UAS CHALLENGE OVERVIEW: The objective of the sUAS ERAU Challenge held in conjunction with the National Championship Air Races is to educate the public on UAS opportunities and operations, highlight the rapidly expanding business opportunities of UAS, highlight Nevada's and ERAU's leadership in the field, and showcase the innovative developments in multiple areas of UAS design (e.g., system, subsystem, and element development and configuration, verification and validation testing, application, and integrated system demonstration). Participants of this inaugural event will benefit by displaying their sUAS and its capabilities to a broad range of aviation enthusiast, businesses, governmental and media organizations. Two major issues surrounding the use of sUAS in national airspace system (NAS) are safety and liability;concerns that are also paramount to the Reno Air Races. To mitigate these concerns (i.e., Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations governing the use of UAS are in the development phase), an indoor facility (hangar) and/or an outdoor facility with safety nets and other safety precautions will be used. Since no flying will occur outside a controlled area, the FAA rules would not apply and competitors can participate in the challenge knowing their safety and legal concerns are mitigated. However, participants are required to sign an acknowledgement of liability and that they are entering the challenge at their own risk. The race course will be challenging and damage to participant's sUAS is possible. PARTICIPANTS: The Challenge is open to any private, academic or commercial participant, limited to one vehicle per entity and a maximum field of 20 entries or as determined by the event staff. The sUAS must be able to take off and land vertically (VTOL), be less than approximately 36 inches in major axis, less than 18 inches in elevation, and weigh less than 10 pounds. The sUAS will be required to use an electric propulsion, actuation, and powersystem, controlled by remote transmission using the FCC unlicensed bands (operators for all entries will be required to hold at least a Technician Class Amateur Radio license, show documentation or demonstrate that transmission power levels of their design conform to unlicensed requirement levels). To ensure control reliability, a spectrum analyzer will be employed to ensure deconfliction. CHALLENGE: The Challenge will be composed of three separate events combining for an overall and individual event champion. The events will be (subject to change): - Obstacle Course (emphasizing agility and maneuverability, time measured) - Dead Lift (lifting ability, weight measured both maximum and specific weight) - Time Trial (speed over a closed course, time measured) Initial inspection of each sUAS will occur prior to the competition start from 9:00am to 10:00am each morning to ensure compliance with size and modification rules. A full list of rules will be available upon request. The Challenge will take place over three days with check in at 9:00am and the competition from 10:00am to 1:00pm daily. The course will be open for practice on Thursday of race week. Thursday, Sep 11: Registration and practice Friday, Sep 12: Qualifications Saturday, Sep 13: Eliminations Sunday, Sep 14: Finals There will be no charge for entry in the ERAU sUAS Challenge and each entry will receive complementary general admission tickets to the National Championship Air Races for Thursday through Sunday. Back to Top INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF AIR SAFETY INVESTIGATORS ISASI 2014 45TH ANNUAL SEMINAR "Investigations and Safety Management Systems" This year's seminar will take place at the Stamford Hotel in Glenelg, near Adelaide, Australia, from 13 -16 October, 2014. All current information regarding seminar registration, hotel reservations and speakers can be found on the official seminar website at www.asasi.org. Please note the deadline for Early Bird Registration and the discounted rate at the hotel is midnight September 4. Questions can be directed to: Mr. Lindsay Naylor ISASI 2014 Seminar Chair lindsaynaylor77@gmail.com or Ms.Barbara Dunn International Seminar Chair - ISASI avsafe@shaw.ca Back to Top Upcoming Events: ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition Atlanta, GA September 7 - 10, 2014 http://annual.aci-na.org/ Small UAS CHALLENGE September 11-14, 2014 Reno, NV 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 ISASI 2014 - Annual Seminar October 13-16, 2014 Adelaide, Australia www.isasi.org IASS 2014 Abu Dhabi, UAE November 11-13, 2014 http://flightsafety.org/meeting/iass-2014 ERAU UAS FUNDAMENTALS COURSE December 9 - 11, 2014 ERAU Daytona Beach Campus, FL www.daytonabeach.erau.edu/uas FAA Helicopter Safety Effort three-day safety forum April 21-23, 2015 Hurst, Texas eugene.trainor@faa.gov www.faahelisafety.org Back to Top Employment: ARGUS PROS CHEQ Manager Please submit your cover letter and resume at: https://home2.eease.adp.com/recruit/?id=13469062 Curt Lewis