Flight Safety Information February 5, 2015 - No. 025 In This Issue Taiwan Plane Crash: Rescuers Race to Recover Bodies, Wreckage TransAsia Pilots Called Mayday Two Minutes After Takeoff Air-Safety Officials Overwhelmingly Support Universal Tracking of Jetliners Body fragment, airplane parts found in Pinrang waters PROS 2015 TRAINING Research Survey Request Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship Position Available Upcoming Events Taiwan Plane Crash: Rescuers Race to Recover Bodies, Wreckage TransAsia Plane Crash Leaves More Than 30 People Dead Emergency workers sort through luggage recovered at the site of the TransAsia plane crash in Taipei on TAIPEI-Rescuers worked Thursday to recover bodies and wreckage from TransAsia Airways Flight 235 as aviation officials analyzed data downloaded from the plane's black- box recorders. At least 31 of the 58 people on board were killed, Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration said. TransAsia said the two pilots and a pilot-in-training were among the dead. Twelve were still missing early Thursday, and 15 survived with injuries. It was TransAsia's second deadly crash in seven months. The cause of the crash wasn't known. RELATED TransAsia: Two Plane Crashes in Seven Months The control tower lost communication with the pilots four minutes after takeoff from Taipei's Songshan Airport, officials said. The plane was en route to Kinmen, a Taiwanese island near China's mainland, around 10:53 a.m. local time. Many of the passengers were mainland Chinese tourists. The plane, an ATR-72 turboprop, clipped an overpass before plunging into the river. Drivers with dashboard cameras took dramatic images of the plane as it went down, which quickly spread on social media within hours of the crash. The CAA asked TransAsia to conduct thorough checks on all its ATR-72 planes after the crash. TransAsia said Thursday that three of its nine ATR planes had resumed flying after passing inspections. The carrier said all its international routes, flown by Airbus A320s, were operating as normal. The CAA also requested checks on 12 ATR-72 planes operated by EVA Airway's Uni Air unit. EVA said that 10 ATR planes have already passed the tests and some have resumed flying. Air-safety concerns in Asia have been growing as the region's traffic continues to boom and in response to a series of tragedies last year, including the Dec. 28 crash of AirAsia Flight 8501, which went down in the Java Sea after taking off from Surabaya, Indonesia, on its way to Singapore. The exact cause of that accident is unclear. Memories of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared nearly a year ago and still hasn't been found, also haunt the region. Taiwan, which has a mature regulatory system and has been actively engaged in international safety efforts for decades, generally isn't considered among the Asian countries that outside safety groups worry about the most. The latest analysis conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations agency that sets nonbinding safety standards for carriers and regulators, indicates that Asia has at least three of the 10 countries around the globe deemed to have the most serious safety shortcomings. A TransAsia passenger plane crashed into a shallow river in Taipei, Taiwan Wednesday. Did aircraft design improve chances of survival? WSJ's Jason Bellini has #TheShortAnswer. A spokesman for Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council, which is leading the investigation, said data from the plane's black box had been downloaded, and an initial reading-which will include details on the flight path, altitude and some of the cockpit communication- was expected in the next couple of days. "We are in the process of confirming and double-checking the data," said spokesman Thomas Wang. "We will not be determining the cause of the crash until the end of the investigation." Air traffic in Asia has increased rapidly in recent years, making it the world's biggest aviation market, but the growth has been a struggle for some safety regulators, airlines and governments. Taiwan Plane Crashes in River in Taipei A TransAsia plane carrying 58 people crashed shortly after takeoff. It was Taiwan's second deadly air accident in seven months. Police control traffic next to the wreckage of the TransAsia flight. The front section of the wreckage of the TransAsia plane is lifted onto the bank of the Keelung River, outside Taiwan's capital of Taipei. A military police officer inspects passengers' luggage recovered from the wreckage of the TransAsia plane. This image shows the TransAsia Airways plane clipping a bridge and hitting a taxi before crashing into the Keelung River in Taipei. Rescuers on Wednesday lift the wreckage of the plane out of the river in Taipei. Early Thursday, officials said 31 people were killed and 15 injured. Twelve people are still missing. Rescuers check the wreckage of the TransAsia plane. The control tower lost communication with the pilots four minutes after takeoff from Taipei's Songshan Airport, officials said. Rescuers work on the wreckage salvaged from the Keelung River in Taipei on Wednesday. Many of the passengers were Chinese tourists. Rescue workers help passengers as they wait to be transported to land from the wreckage. Soldiers recover wreckage from the Keelung River on Wednesday. Senior management at Taiwan's TransAsia Airways bow to show their regret for the crash during a news conference in Taipei on Wednesday. Emergency personnel try to extract passengers from the plane on Wednesday morning. Rescue personnel lift a passenger from the waters around the wreckage. An injured passenger is helped onto land by emergency personnel along the riverbank. A rescue team carries items from the TransAsia plane. The plane's black box, which is actually orange, was recovered and sent to a lab for analysis. Rescuers try to open a hole into the crashed plane to search for those trapped inside the fuselage. Rescuers carry a victim from the plane crash. Police control traffic next to the wreckage of the TransAsia flight. The front section of the wreckage of the TransAsia plane is lifted onto the bank of the Keelung River, outside Taiwan's capital of Taipei. "You have an industry which is booming but a civil aviation administration which is weak," Mr. Benjamin said of portions of the Asian market. Experts stress that raising the safety bar is particularly difficult in Asia partly because the gap in governmental capabilities-between the most advanced aviation powerhouses such as Singapore and developing countries such as Nepal-is more pronounced than other regions. Over the past five years, the number of passengers carried annually in the Asia-Pacific region has jumped by two-thirds to more than one billion, surpassing Europe and North America and accounting for 33% of the global total in 2013. The fast expansion of aircraft fleets and the strain on pilot-training systems have added to safety risks. TransAsia Chief Executive Peter Chen said the company was eager to find out what went wrong, particularly because the aircraft was relatively new. Mr. Chen also pledged compensation to the victims, but didn't provide further details. According to the carrier, the plane was delivered in April. During the time of delivery, one of the engines was found to be functioning improperly, and a replacement was immediately provided. The plane was made by France's Avions de Transport Regional, a joint venture between Airbus Group NV and Italy's Finmeccanica SpA. Video footage taken from a vehicle shows the plane clipping a bridge as it crashes to the ground. Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office said it was asking authorities in Taiwan to do all they can "to rescue the compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, including the mainland tourists." In late July, TransAsia Flight 222 heading from Taipei to Penghu, another outlying island, crashed a few minutes before landing in the wake of a passing typhoon, killing 49 people. After that crash, the company set out rules that no TransAsia flights can take off unless visibility is at least 50% above government standards. TransAsia, a regional airline that specializes in short-haul flights, is Taiwan's third- biggest air carrier by fleet size after China Airlines Ltd. and Eva Airways Corp. TransAsia's wholly owned low-cost carrier, V Air, received government approval to commence operation last year. Witnesses told the Taipei Fire Department they saw two bodies falling from the sky around the time of the crash. They also said pieces of plane debris hit a taxi on the ground. The driver was taken to the hospital. http://www.wsj.com/articles/taiwan-plane-crash-rescuers-race-to-recover-bodies- wreckage-1423119260 Back to Top TransAsia Pilots Called Mayday Two Minutes After Takeoff (Bloomberg) -- The TransAsia Airways Corp. flight that crashed in Taipei made a distress call soon after being given the go-ahead to take off, according to a recording of air traffic control communications. "Mayday, mayday, engine flameout," a male voice said, two minutes after a female controller cleared flight 235, according to an archived recording on LiveATC.net. Both the pilot Liao Jian-zong and co-pilot Liu Zi-zhong of the twin-engine turbo propeller plane died in the accident, according to the Civil Aeronautics Administration website. Though the controller responded immediately, nothing further could be heard from the pilots, according to the recording. LiveATC.net is a website supported by users and advertising, relying on volunteers to post air-traffic control audio transmissions. At least 31 people died while 15 of the 58 people aboard the ATR72 aircraft survived after it crashed into the Taiwanese capital's Keelung River yesterday. The accident is the second for the Taipei-based carrier in less than a year after a similar aircraft type went off course and hit houses on the outlying island of Penghu. Taiwanese air crash investigators were unable to immediately verify the pilot's final words and will await a review of the cockpit voice recorder before commenting further, Aviation Safety Council spokesman Thomas Wang said by phone. TransAsia also declined to comment. Clipping a Taxi Pilot Liao had 4,914 hours of flying experience and his co-pilot 6,922 hours, TransAsia said in a Feb. 4 statement. Besides the two, there was an observer on board - Hong Bing-zhong with 16,121 hours of experience. As the recovery continues into its second day with 12 unaccounted for, rescuers widened their search area to extend down the Keelung river, the adjoining Tamshui river and five nautical miles out to sea. Flight 235 took off from Songshan airport in downtown Taipei for an hour-long flight to the island of Kinmen off mainland China. Footage taken from a dashboard-mounted camera in a car showed the plane's wings tilted at a steep angle as it swerved over an elevated highway, with one tip clipping a taxi and the railing before plunging into the Keelung River. Two people in the taxi suffered injuries, the city government said. Two tour groups from mainland China with 31 members were aboard the plane made by Toulouse, France-based ATR. The nose and tail of the aircraft have been brought ashore and the two Pratt & Whitney engines have been found. The cockpit-voice recorder and the flight-data recorder were both recovered yesterday and sent for analysis. Parts of the wings still remain under water and rescue divers, boats and helicopters are in the area. The Taipei-based airline said it will issue victims NT$200,000 ($6,373) each in emergency funds and NT$1.2 million for funeral expenses. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-04/transasia-pilots-called-mayday- two-minutes-after-takeoff Back to Top Air-Safety Officials Overwhelmingly Support Universal Tracking of Jetliners ICAO Compromise Means Airline Industry Group Will Support Airliner Tracking Plans By ANDY PASZTOR MONTREAL-International air-safety officials meeting here endorsed the goal of implementing the universal tracking of virtually all airliners world-wide within the next few years, even negotiating a last-minute compromise to gain the support of the leading global airline trade group. Participants in the International Civil Aviation Organization's safety summit expressed strong support Tuesday for tracking commercial planes at least once every 15 minutes during normal operations, even when they are flying long overwater or polar routes outside traditional ground-based radar coverage. In case of an emergency or when pilots lose control of aircraft, ICAO's proposed standard calls for position reports at least once a minute. Such requirements also have been supported in concept by airline representatives, but the board of the International Air Transport Association, the industry's premier global organization, late last year balked at implementing them by the end of 2016. Despite initially and publicly pushing for swift voluntary compliance, IATA changed course and ended up opposing the 2016 compliance deadline as being too expensive and difficult for many carriers to endorse. But in a surprise move Tuesday, IATA chief executive Tony Tyler 's comments to the safety summit indicated that his organization's leadership had softened its opposition by agreeing to participate in an ICAO-sponsored "implementation initiative" designed to phase in the proposed standards by November 2016. National regulators could move to mandate universal tracking before the standards kick in, or they could take additional years to require carriers to comply. But Mr. Tyler's latest position, according to people familiar with the details, represents a face-saving compromise that still makes it possible for IATA to work closely with ICAO, an arm of the United Nations, and outside experts on instituting tracking initiatives. Details of the compromise weren't hammered out until Monday night in extensive negotiations, these people said. In his remarks, Mr. Tyler said "the only way forward is through the combined efforts" of airlines, ICAO, national regulators and other parts of the global aviation. But he also expressed some reservations about ICAO's overall approach. Apparently reflecting some nagging concerns among IATA officials, Mr. Tyler said "we must assure that hasty action" doesn't create unintended consequences or boost implementation costs. And he urged delegates to the conference to heed his "caution against early establishment of standards on distress tracking." In a brief interview afterward, Mr. Tyler said "everybody wants this to be done, and everyone wants it to be done the right way." He added that the final outcome is "a good way to make sure that what will eventually come into force is appropriate." ICAO officials were less muted in their reaction. Describing the compromise as a major breakthrough, they said that it is expected to clear the way for universal tracking. Nancy Graham, ICAO's top safety official and the head of its Air Navigation Bureau, told the meeting afterward that it was "a very, very positive outcome." She said the guidance from participants amounted to a "good steer you have given us to move the work forward." Since the deadline for ICAO's "implementation initiative" basically mirrors the voluntary compliance timetable initially envisioned by IATA itself, industry officials said now there is likely to be a unified effort to phase in standards and provide technical assistance. ICAO's proposals received widespread support during the meeting, with representatives from the U.S., Singapore, Brazil, Malaysia, Spain and other countries urging speedy progress. Singapore's representative said that "quite clearly, the world expects action by ICAO, states and industry." Michael Huerta, head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, told the meeting it is important for everyone to recognize "that the proposal is not as simple as it may sound." The tracking initiative was prompted by the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in March 2014, when the jetliner wasn't observed by any tracking system as it flew for hours toward the remote part of the Indian Ocean where crashed. Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, the head of Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation, told participants that delaying universal tracking would be "nothing short of negligence." The meeting also endorsed another aspect of future tracking systems, proposed features calling for automatic broadcast of flight data when something goes terribly wrong on an aircraft or pilots lose control. Such standards wouldn't kick in until 2021 at the earliest, and they would be focused on new planes built after that date. Significantly more study is anticipated before such real-time distress-tracking technology would become widespread. But Marion Blakey, president and chief executive of the Aerospace Industries Association, which represents a wide range of manufacturers, said her members and their foreign counterparts "do not currently foresee any technological impediments" holding back short-term or longer-range tracking enhancements. ICAO avoided controversy over another subject when the Dutch delegation backed off from its earlier call for airlines to provide hostile-zone warnings directly to airline passengers. Demands for such information-sharing appeared headed for a showdown because ICAO leaders strongly opposed the concept. But at Tuesday's session, officials from the Netherlands merely asked ICAO's leadership to monitor whether carriers are following industry standards when it comes to keeping passengers informed about flights over conflict areas. http://www.wsj.com/articles/air-safety-officials-overwhelmingly-support-universal- tracking-of-jetliners-1422987419 Back to Top Body fragment, airplane parts found in Pinrang waters A fisherman found the fragment of a body thought to be that of a passenger of AirAsia flight QZ8501 in waters in Pinrang regency, South Sulawesi, on Tuesday. Parts of an aircraft suspected to be parts of QZ8501 were also found in the same area and waters in North Mamuju regency, West Sulawesi. "A local fisherman found a leg in Pinrang waters this morning," said Fauzan Mahmud, a search and rescue (SAR) team member, on Tuesday. He said the fisherman found the body fragment not far from Minangakae Beach in Mattirosompe district, Pinrang regency, South Sulawesi. The body part was taken to Bhayangkara Hospital in Makassar and will be flown to Surabaya, East Java, for identification. Fauzan further explained that the suspected airplane parts were found by fishermen in the coastal area of Langnga in Mattirosompe district, Pinrang. On Monday, an aircraft emergency door was found by a fisherman in Pinrang waters, not far from the location where the body fragment was found on Tuesday. The airplane part was hooked to the fisherman's fish net. On the same day, several pieces of an aircraft body were also found in coastal areas in North Mamuju regency, West Sulawesi. SAR Mamuju post head Muhammad Rizal said the airplane parts found in North Mamuju over the last two days comprised pieces of an aircraft's overhead compartment and windows. "All of the pieces will be collected at the joint SAR post in Majene regency. The objects will be taken to Makassar and flown to Surabaya," said Rizal. He said the search operation conducted by the SAR team Tuesday was focused in Majene waters and southern parts of the area, including waters in Pinrang and Pare-pare. Meanwhile, several other SAR team members were continuing to trace parts of QZ8501 as well as passenger bodies. (ebf) - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/02/04/body-fragment- airplane-parts-found-pinrang-waters.html#sthash.V731Nu7P.dpuf http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/02/04/body-fragment-airplane-parts-found- pinrang-waters.html Back to Top 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 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Hello, My name is Samuel Lien and I am a Masters of Applied Science student working under the supervisions of Dr. Jonathan Histon in the Human in Complex Systems (HCOM) Lab of the Human Factor Research Group in the System Designs Department at the University of Waterloo. The reason we are contacting you is that we are conducting a study that looks at the effect of information asynchrony on pilot-ATC communication. We are currently seeking subject-matter experts including active or retired professional pilots (commercial or higher rating) and air traffic controllers (terminal / enroute) as our participants to the study. Participation in this study involves going to our online experiment website from your computer as the experiment will be conducted online. In appreciation of the time you have given to this study, you can enter your name into a draw for 1 of 10 prizes. The prizes include $100 amazon.com gift card. Your odds of winning one of the prizes is approximately 1 in 4. I would like to assure you that the study has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through a University of Waterloo Research Ethics Committee. However, the final decision about participation is yours. To be clear, this experiment is not an official Nav Canada / FAA / NASA funded/sponsored/endorsed research activity but is a student research project. If you are interested in finding out more, please visit the website link here at: http://rbhagat.uwaterloo.ca/IDEA/ Or, please contact me or Dr. Jonathan Histon at the contact information below. Sincerely, Samuel Lien, Dr. Jonathan Histon Humans in Complex Systems Lab Systems Design Engineering University of Waterloo slien@uwaterloo.ca, jhiston@uwaterloo.ca 519-888-4567 x32529 Back to Top Position Available Assistant/Associate Professor Organization Name DB-College of Aviation Instruction Division Daytona Beach Campus Brief Description The Applied Aviation Sciences Department has a Tenure Track/Non-Tenure Track Assistant/Associate Professor position within the Aerospace and Occupational Safety (AOS) program. The AOS program focuses on exposing students to Aviation Safety, Fire Safety, Safety Management, Risk Management, Hazard Identification, System Safety, regulatory processes related to DOT, FAA, OSHA, and EPA, and to aviation accident investigations processes at the program's Crash Lab. Detailed Description Teaching obligations will include teaching 12 undergraduate credit hours (4 courses) per semester with possible graduate teaching obligations. Teaching areas will require flexibility in order to teach a variety of courses that may include aviation safety management (SMS, FOQA, ASAP, VDRP, etc.) system safety, human factors, engineering hazard controls, accident investigation or industrial hygiene. Expectation include appropriate scholarly activity, participation in applied research, and a variety of activities designed to support the Aerospace and Occupational Safety degree program. This is nine-month position, renewed annually, with the possibility of summer teaching assignments. Job Requirements Ph.D. in Aviation Safety, Human Factors, Occupational/Public Health, Risk Management, Industrial Hygiene, Industrial/Occupational Safety, or related field and a proven record of teaching required. A doctorate in education (Ed.D.) or a candidate enrolled in a doctoral program with appropriated aviation/aerospace safety experience will be given consideration as well. Preferred - An earned doctorate with extensive work experience in aviation/aerospace safety, occupational/industrial safety, industrial hygiene, allied field. Additionally, candidates with CSP or CIH are desired. Candidates must show evidence of substantial and successful teaching experience of safety-related courses, along with service activities associated with the profession. Additionally, candidates must show exceptional promise in research related to safety and health. Position available beginning August, 2015. Additional Details Our Culture: As the world's leader in aviation and aerospace education, Embry-Riddle offers a fast- paced, energetic workplace that's sky-high with opportunity. Family friendly, innovative, and collaborative describe our culture. This culture is enhanced by the importance we place on family and maintaining a healthy balance between professional and personal life. We value our faculty and staff and encourage innovation and flexibility which contributes to our overall success and the success of our students. Open communication and frequent sharing of feedback are essential in every day interactions. Opportunities abound for those who desire personal growth and development during their careers at Embry-Riddle. Join our team of over 2,500 professionals and see why we've been recognized as one of the best places to work over and over again! EEO Statement: Embry-Riddle University is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for qualified individuals. The university does not tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other status protected by federal, state or local law. Diversity Statement: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is committed to being a global leader in diversity and inclusion in higher education. We continually strive to recognize, respect and celebrate the differences and cultural identities among individuals as we recruit, support, and embrace our diverse community. We work to provide a safe environment where self-expression is welcome. We strive to create a campus climate free of discrimination so that networks, partnerships and cultural competency continue to be fostered through leadership, integrity, care and respect. We are Embry-Riddle. How To Apply For information on applying for open jobs, please read the following: * Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University considers applications for open positions only. You can obtain information regarding these openings from our online postings, media advertisements, or by contacting our recruitment team. * We retain applications until the vacancy has been filled. You may apply online for multiple positions. * Only applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be considered for open positions. Individuals whose qualifications and experience best meet the needs of the University will be contacted for an interview. * If you need reasonable accommodations during the application or interview process, please let us know as soon as possible. * If you have not created a profile (using your email address and creating a password) please click on the "Register Today" button. Once you have created your account, you will be able to successfully apply for the vacancy of your choice. * Please log back in to your profile often to check the status of your application. Please follow the steps below to update/add documents to your iRecruitment profile: 1. Log into your iRecruitment profile by visiting www.erau.edu/jobs. Click "Available Positions" and then "Login Here". 2. Once logged in, if you would like to update your profile, click "My Account" (on the left side near the top). You can add/delete documents on the "Personal Information" tab, or click on the remaining headings to view and/or update your profile. Please remember to SAVE often. 3. When you are finished updating your information, click the SAVE button and then the Home tab near the top right. This will take you back to the Welcome Page of your profile. Back to Top Upcoming Events: Fundamentals of IS-BAO February 10, 2015 Long Beach, CA USA https://www.regonline.com/eventInfo.asp?eventID=1651572 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 ERAU OSHA & Aviation Ground Safety Seminar Daytona Beach, FL Apr.13-17, 2015 www.erau.edu/cmas ERAU Aviation Safety Program Management Seminar Daytona Beach, FL Apr.20-24, 2015 www.erau.edu/cmas ERAU Aircraft Accident Investigation Seminar Daytona Beach, FL Apr. 27-May 1, 2015 www.erau.edu/cmas ERAU Advanced Aircraft Accident Investigation Seminar Prescott Campus, AZ May 4-8, 2015 www.erau.edu/cmas ERAU Aviation SMS Seminar Daytona Beach, FL May 12-14, 2015 www.erau.edu/sms Curt Lewis