Flight Safety Information January 21, 2015 - No. 015 In This Issue AirAsia Jet Climbed Too Fast, Inquiry Finds Stall Alarms Were Triggered, Says AirAsia Crash Investigator 2 have minor injuries in National Guard helicopter crash Why Airlines Don't Talk About Safety In Their Ads Maldivian civil aviation safety standards up to par: CAA PROS 2015 TRAINING Boeing said poised to win United order for largest 777 jet 70MBPS WI-FI IS COMING TO AN AIRPLANE NEAR YOU Research Survey Request Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship ERAU NextGen 101 Seminar - Washington, D.C. Upcoming Events Positions Available AirAsia Jet Climbed Too Fast, Inquiry Finds A coffin bearing a body recovered Monday by Indonesian Navy divers from the undersea crash site of the AirAsia jet. JAKARTA, Indonesia - The AirAsia plane that crashed into the Java Sea last month had climbed at excessive speeds to an unusually high altitude before plunging and disappearing from radar, Indonesia's top transportation official said Tuesday. Radar data showed that the Airbus A320-200 had been climbing at about 6,000 feet a minute before it crashed, killing all 162 people aboard, Ignasius Jonan, the minister of transportation, told a parliamentary commission. "It is not normal to climb like that; it's very rare for commercial planes, which normally climb just 1,000 to 2,000 feet per minute," he told lawmakers, The Associated Press reported. "It can only be done by a fighter jet." The plane, Flight 8501, crashed on Dec. 28 less than an hour after taking off from the Indonesian city of Surabaya, bound for Singapore. As of Tuesday, forensic experts had identified 45 of 51 victims whose bodies, or body parts, had been recovered, officials said. Shortly before air traffic controllers lost contact with Flight 8501, the plane's pilots had requested permission to increase their altitude to 38,000 feet. The plane disappeared from radar around four minutes later, Indonesian transportation officials have said. Indonesian Navy divers last week separately recovered the aircraft's cockpit voice and data recorders amid debris and thick mud at a depth of around 100 feet in the Java Sea, off the southern coast of Borneo Island. The cause of the crash remains unclear, although weather has been cited as a probable factor. Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee, which is evaluating data from the plane's black boxes, is expected to issue a preliminary report in the coming days. Search vessels also located the plane's fuselage last week, but surface waves as high as 16 feet and strong underwater currents have prevented Indonesian divers from reaching the wreckage to try to raise it using special inflatable balloons, said Jenny Wakana, an AirAsia spokeswoman in Surabaya. Indonesian officials said last week that they suspected the bodies of more victims were still inside the fuselage. That would mean that forensic identification operations at the crisis center in Surabaya, which have slowed in the last few weeks, could increase after the fuselage is raised to the surface, Indonesian officials said. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/21/world/asia/airasia-jets-climb-before-crash-was-unusually-fast- investigators-say.html?_r=0 Back to Top Stall Alarms Were Triggered, Says AirAsia Crash Investigator Cockpit Recording Shows Pilots Were Trying to Recover Plane, Says Investigator In this photograph taken on January 19, 2015, a member of Indonesia's search and rescue team walks past wreckage of AirAsia flight QZ8501 recovered at sea and stored in a warehouse for investigators in Kumai, Central Kalimantan on Borneo island. JAKARTA, Indonesia-The stall warning of AirAsia Flight 8501 can be heard going off on the cockpit voice recorder, a crash investigator said Wednesday. "The warning [alarms] kept on screaming, and in the background, they [the pilot and co-pilot] were trying to recover the plane," the crash investigator speaking on condition of anonymity said. "But what they said wasn't clear," he added, citing the plane's cockpit voice recorder. He added that the flight data recorder also showed that the stall warnings were going off. The investigator's comments followed a description by Transport Minister Ignasius Jonan on Tuesday that the plane, which crashed on Dec. 28, stalled after climbing at a rate beyond the normal limit. The Airbus A320 jet turned away from its assigned flight path en route from Surabaya to Singapore, climbed at a rate of more than 8,000 feet a minute-six to eight times the normal rate-then descended and lost contact within three minutes, Mr. Jonan said, citing data from the plane's automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, or ADS-B, system. All 162 people aboard the flight from Surabaya to Singapore were killed. Indonesian investigators told The Wall Street Journal on Monday they haven't found any indication that terrorism or pilot suicide played a role in the crash. The stall warning of AirAsia Flight 8501 can be heard going off on the cockpit voice recorder. An earlier version of this article misstated the name of the carrier. http://www.wsj.com/articles/stall-warnings-were-going-off-says-airasia-crash-investigator-1421825697 Back to Top 2 have minor injuries in National Guard helicopter crash RAMONA, CALIF. - Authorities say a pair of California pilots from the Army National Guard had only minor injuries after a helicopter crash-landed during training at the end of a runway in rural San Diego County. State fire Capt. Kendal Bortisser says the helicopter came down on its side at Ramona Airport on Tuesday night. The National Guard said in a statement that the forced landing during a routine training mission caused significant damage to the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The pilot and co-pilot got out on their own and were treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to a hospital. Their injuries were not serious. The cause of the crash is under investigation. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2015/01/20/3452096/2-have-minor-injuries-in- national.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top Why Airlines Don't Talk About Safety In Their Ads People stand in the main terminal at Washington Dulles International Airport is shown October 2, 2014 in Dulles, Virginia. Looking around at modern airlines' slogans, you might notice a common trend: Few of them stress safety. Not Delta's "Keep Climbing," not American Airlines' "The new American is arriving," not JetBlue's "You Above All." There was a time when this wasn't the case. Safety was often mentioned in air travel ads when the aviation industry was still nascent in the 1920s and 1930s - back then, airlines had the tricky task of convincing travelers to try a then-unproven means of getting about. The trend lasted until the late 1980s, when Pan Am launched reassuring ads amidst terrorist threats targeting American airliners flying across the Atlantic. Those threats, however, eventually took form as that year's fatal bombing of Pan Am Flight 1o3, which claimed 270 lives in the air and on the ground. The Pan Am attack, says aviation security expert Glen Winn, is ultimately what convinced airlines to quit bragging about safety. "Leading up the destruction of Pan Am 103, [Pan Am] had advertised themselves as not only the safest, but also the most secure," Winn said. "Airlines since then have been really careful how they say what they say." Safety has since all but disappeared from airlines' advertisements. And when airlines are required to discuss safety during on-board safety demonstrations, major brands are trying to make them more fun, revamping their in-flight safety videos to transform mandatory prepare-for-the-worst briefings into informative musicals and short films. Why the shift? Yes, Worldwide commercial aviation deaths per year have declined. But no airline can guarantee passengers total immunity from harm. And several high-profile disasters over the past few months, like Malaysia Airlines Flights 370 and 17 as well as AirAsia Flight 8501, have put travelers especially on edge. Putting the "S-Word" in slogans or commercials, airlines have found, doesn't reassure passengers - it just reminds them of the random chance of danger their next trip might bring, however slight it may be. "When you talk about safety, you bring up a bad taste in people's mouths," said Andy Trinchero, executive director of marketing at aviation marketing firm. "It's something that people don't even want to hear about, really." http://time.com/3669161/airline-ads-safety/ Back to Top Maldivian civil aviation safety standards up to par: CAA Ariel view of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA): CAA issued a statement on January 15, 2015 refuting a media report that Maldivian airlines were amongst one of the most risky airlines. Maldives Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a statement refuting claims made by an international website that Maldivian airlines were amongst the most risky airlines in the world. Statement released by CAA last Thursday said that the country's civil aviation safety standards were up to par which standards set by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). "ICAO audits the safety arrangements of all member countries. Accordingly, last year ICAO had audited this Authority, our airlines and other service providers. The audit showed that Maldivian civil aviation's safety arrangements were up to the required standards," said CAA in their statement. The statement said that CAA held regular audits on all airlines to ensure that safety standards were up to par with ICAO standards, as well as recommended practices. "Hence, given that Maldivian civil aviation's safety standards are within those set by ICAO, this Authority urges the public not to be misled by such reports," read the statement. http://www.haveeru.com.mv/news/58498 Back to Top Back to Top Boeing said poised to win United order for largest 777 jet "An employee works on the nose of a Boeing Co. 777 airplane at the company's facility" CHICAGO - Boeing is poised to win a United Airlines order for 10 of its largest twin-engine jetliners, bolstering the planemaker's efforts to continue producing its 777 at a record tempo, said people familiar with its plans. The Boeing 777-300ERs would be the first of that variant bought by United, as the world's second-largest carrier looks to replace older aircraft plying its longest routes, said three of the people, who aren't authorized to speak publicly because talks are private. The deal would have a value of $3.3 billion based on list prices, though airlines commonly get discounts. By buying now, Chicago-based United might be able to drive a bargain as Boeing seeks orders to keep its Everett, Washington, assembly line humming until a revamped, larger 777 model debuts in 2020, said Richard Aboulafia, aerospace analyst with Teal Group, a Fairfax, Virginia-based consultant. Boeing garnered 63 orders for its best-selling wide-body jet last year, a pace it will need to maintain to avoid cutting production rates later this decade. "Lower fuel prices definitely help" the Boeing case for current-generation aircraft like the -300ER, Aboulafia said in a phone interview. A 49 percent reduction in jet fuel prices since the start of September makes it less imperative for airlines to hold out for even more efficient planes in development, and they can take advantage of better deals on current models. The 777 deal could be announced as early as this week, said two of the people. Luke Punzenberger, a United spokesman, and Doug Alder, a spokesman for Chicago-based Boeing, declined to comment on the potential order. While United was Boeing's first 777 customer in 1995, the carrier hadn't upgraded its fleet with later models, focusing instead on next-generation aircraft such as Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and Airbus Group's A350-1000 that is coming in a few years. The -300ER is the top-selling of Boeing's 777 models, popular for its operating efficiency and large cargo hold. Boeing is working with General Electric, the model's sole engine supplier, to lower the jet's fuel burn by 2 percent by 2016, John Wojick, a Boeing senior vice president in charge of aircraft sales, told reporters in a Jan. 13 briefing. The jetliner seats 386 people in a typical three-cabin layout and can fly 7,825 nautical miles - about 500 miles farther than the four-engine Boeing 747 jumbos that United flies across the Pacific. United also holds orders for 35 A350-1000 jetliners, an Airbus model sized to directly compete with the largest 777. Toulouse, France-based Airbus said this month it would aim to squeeze 20 more seats into the jet for a total of 389 in a bid to boost sales. The A350-1000 order tally shrank by 20 in 2014 to a total of 169, according to Airbus's website. http://www.standard.net/Business/2015/01/21/Boeing-said-poised-to-win-first-United-order-for-largest- 777-jet.html Back to Top 70MBPS WI-FI IS COMING TO AN AIRPLANE NEAR YOU Good news for those of you who enjoy streaming high-definition video at 40,000 feet - the Federal Communications Commission has approved new antennas from Gogo that can provide download speeds of up to 70Mbps (the current average for households in the U.S. is 11.4Mbps). As the technology is optimized further, Gogo says speeds of 100Mbps should be possible from the same hardware setup. The new system is called 2Ku, and once rolled out it has the potential to make flying a much more connected experience. Gogo says the antenna, which is just 4.5 inches tall, is "more spectrally efficient" and provides greater bandwidth for a lower cost. It also has the ability to connect to multiple satellites as it speeds through the air, adding extra stability at the same time. "Clearing the necessary regulatory hurdles to provide this service to an aircraft flying anywhere around the globe is no small feat. Gogo has proven it is a leader at navigating these environments for all aircraft types no matter where they fly," says Gogo President and CEO Michael Small. "We are happy that the launch of 2Ku is proceeding as planned and are continuing to work with the FAA on approval for installation." Don't expect it on your next flight, though: Gogo is planning to roll out the tech to 1,000 aircraft in the second half of 2015. If all goes well, then they'll be deployed more widely after that. 9.8Mbps is the top speed of the Gogo equipment currently installed in some aircraft, though it's not the only company working on bringing Wi-Fi to the skies. AT&T decided to get out of the market in November. High-speed, reliable Wi-Fi connections will make a huge difference to flights, particularly those short-haul trips where entertainment systems are not already provided in the seat in front of you. With hundreds of passengers to cater for, getting a system that allows everyone to stream Netflix simultaneously is going to take some time - but as Gogo's announcement proves, progress is quickly being made. http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/70mbps-wi-fi-coming-airplane-near/#ixzz3PRvYasC8 Back to Top Research Survey Request CASR's Limited Job Task Analysis Validation Survey Extended to February 28, 2015 Limited Job Task Analysis Validation Survey The Center for Aviation Safety Research at Saint Louis University (USA) invites active and recently retired pilots, check airmen and instructors to validate a Limited Job Task Analysis for professional pilots. This task analysis focuses on a select set of phases of flight and seeks your opinion regarding the criticality of the underpinning knowledge requirements. This task analysis was developed with the help of an international panel of subject matter experts and practicing professional pilots. We are requesting you to kindly take this 45-minute online survey (https://slu.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0GuI969wyJB4snP ) to validate our draft of the task analysis. Please note that we need to have all survey responses by February 28, 2015. And, if you have friends who are qualified to support this research, we respectfully ask that you forward this invitation to them, as well. If you have any trouble accessing the survey, please feel free to contact Dr. Manoj Patankar, Executive Director of the Center for Aviation Safety, at patankar@slu.edu or 314-977-8725. Back to Top Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship The Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship was established by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) to shape the next generation of researchers in aviation weather, honoring the late Najeeb Elias Halaby, an eminent aviator and administrator, for his vision and more than five decades of extraordinary contributions to aviation (http://www.ral.ucar.edu/halabyfellowship.pdf). The Fellowship The recipient of a Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship will spend three months (in 2015 or early 2016) in residence with NCAR's Aviation Weather Research Program, which Mr. Halaby was instrumental in establishing in the 1980s. As the nation's leader in addressing aviation weather research, NCAR plays a unique role in meeting user needs by transferring research results to operations through its Research Application Laboratory (http://www.ral.ucar.edu/). The Fellow will conduct research broadly aimed at improving the integration of weather into decision support tools for improved weather avoidance and air traffic management. The Fellowship will provide: * a monthly stipend for three months, including temporary living expenses * round-trip travel expenses to and from Boulder, CO * travel to a conference to present results * page charges for one publication of key results Eligibility and Application The Halaby Fellowship targets graduate students (late Masters or early PhD level) enrolled in an aviation- relevant department or program of a domestic or international university. Interested candidates should have advanced research skills, far-reaching vision, and dedication to get things accomplished. Consideration for this Fellowship will be given to candidates based on the following submitted material: * Curriculum vitae * Proposal (maximum five pages) presenting the research to be conducted at NCAR, the anticipated outcome of that, and how the proposed effort ties into the candidate's ongoing graduate research project(s) * Contact information for three references (one of which should be the student's primary advisor) NCAR will accept applications for the Halaby Fellowship each year. Email Applications by February 28, 2015 to halabyfellowship@ucar.edu Back to Top ERAU NextGen 101 Seminar - Washington, D.C. "The Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide Office of Professional Education is pleased to announce a two-day seminar entitled NextGen 101. The course is designed to identify the key concepts, attributes, and challenges of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). Government and industry employees with an interest in NextGen, aviation stakeholders and members of the military transitioning to a career in civilian education should attend. The course will take place in Washington D.C. on April 21-22, 2015. Course fee is $750 per person or $675 per person with five or more people registering from the same group. For more information and to register, please visit us online at http://proed.erau.edu/programs/specialized- industry-training/nextgen-101-seminar/index.html" Back to Top Upcoming Events: Fundamentals of IS-BAH February 10, 2015 Long Beach, CA USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1651575 IS-BAH Auditing February 11, 2015 Long Beach, CA USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1651581 Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) NTSB Training Center, Ashburn, VA March 10-11, 2015 www.acsf.aero/symposium ERAU NextGen 101 Seminar April 21-22, 2015. Washington D.C. http://proed.erau.edu/programs/specialized-industry-training/nextgen-101-seminar/index.html FAA Helicopter Safety Effort three-day safety forum April 21-23, 2015 Hurst, Texas eugene.trainor@faa.gov www.faahelisafety.org Back to Top Positions Available: Director Safety Assurance Alaska Airlines http://alaskaair.jobs/seattle-wa/director-safety-assurance/32B51332CBA14B28B14EFF0F793F90CB/job/ Curt Lewis