Flight Safety Information February 23, 2015 - No. 035 In This Issue FAA and Industry Continue to Grapple With Fuel-Tank Fixes for Some Cargo Jets US Lakenheath jet crash pilot made 'dude' mayday call Pilots errors caused Oct. F-16 collision in Kansas No Fatalities in SC Military Plane Crash in Georgia Bahamas Cites Poor Decisions by Crew as Cause of Plane Crash New Zealand helicopter crash prompts grounding of aircraft in Australia PROS 2015 TRAINING ICAEA - Istanbul April 2015 Looming pilot shortage boosts South Florida flight schools Announcing the EAAP Courses in Human Factors for 2015 2015 Southeast Regional Chapter of ISASI's annual meeting Israeli-Made 'TaxiBot' Airplane Tow Vehicle Makes Debut In Germany Upcoming Events FAA and Industry Continue to Grapple With Fuel-Tank Fixes for Some Cargo Jets Regulator's latest proposal includes alternative fixes for nearly 150 Boeing 757 cargo aircraft A FedEx Boeing 757 cargo jet at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Va., in August 2011. By ANDY PASZTOR U.S. air-safety regulators and aviation industry officials continue to clash over reducing fuel-tank explosion risks on some widely used cargo jets, seven years after such federal fixes were mandated for some 3,000 Boeing and Airbus passenger planes. The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday released its latest proposal requiring modification of nearly 150 older cargo aircraft to combat hazards of vapors inside fuel tanks igniting on the ground or in the air. Projected to cost U.S. operators of these Boeing 757 cargo models as much as $380,000 a plane for the most extensive fixes-and potentially encompassing many more 757 models world-wide-the initiative aims to ensure the safety of the 757 cargo fleet eventually will be comparable to passenger jets in terms of fuel-tank flammability. The dispute, under way for years, is one of the last controversial regulatory issues stemming from the fuel-tank explosion that destroyed TWA Flight 800 over Long Island Sound in 1996, killing all 230 people aboard. The accident prompted a flurry of FAA electrical wiring-related directives spanning all commercial aircraft, including a 2008 mandate to install nitrogen-gas-generating equipment on most Boeing and Airbus passenger jet. Much of the safety work on passenger jets has been completed. So-called inerting systems reduce oxygen levels inside main fuel tanks to prevent a stray spark or short- circuit-originating inside or outside the tanks-from igniting volatile vapors. However, in 2008, the agency exempted cargo carriers from those nitrogen-inerting requirements. Four years later, the FAA initially sought to reduce the vulnerability of 757 cargo planes to fuel-tank explosions, but its proposal stalled in the face of industry opposition. Now, FAA officials are again demanding that U.S.-registered 757 cargo jets phase in such inerting systems, or operators can opt for less-expensive solutions that would relocate certain wiring and follow up with periodic inspections. The alternative solutions, which cost a fraction of installing inerting systems or swapping out main fuel- tank measuring devices, weren't part of the earlier proposal. The latest proposal also stretches out certain anticipated compliance deadlines. As a result, the FAA is extending the period for public comment. In an unusual twist, the FAA's current strategy is to accept alternative fixes that mean a slightly higher level of risk for cargo carriers, versus passenger jets. The agency explained that "it normally does not differentiate between the safety requirements or corrective action" imposed on the two parts of the industry. But after reviewing the original cost estimates and earlier industry comments, the FAA in this case proposed what it called "less costly risk reduction on cargo airplanes." The document, however, emphasized that option "does not provide a sufficient level of risk reduction for passenger operations." The FAA, though, reiterated that some modifications are necessary for 757 cargo models because a pre- existing electrical problem inside a fuel tank, combined with a single additional failure in related wiring or equipment, can be "reasonably anticipated to occur" more often than allowed under agency rules. Under those scenarios, the risk of a catastrophic event "is in excess of the FAA's threshold," according to the agency. Still, large portions of the industry remain opposed, arguing in previous comments to the 2012 proposal that any 757 fuel-tank fixes are unnecessary, costly and otherwise burdensome. The disagreement highlights the political and economic challenges regulators face as they seek to steadily raise the safety bar for a U.S. airline industry that suffered its last fatal passenger jet crash in February 2009. Chicago-based plane maker Boeing Co., as well as cargo carriers FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc., have contended the FAA needs to recalculate its risk and cost assessments. Boeing has told the agency the statistical likelihood of a fuel-tank explosion on cargo planes is significantly less than one in a billion flight hours. As part of the standoff with the FAA, the company hasn't provided detailed technical backup for less-sweeping fixes. On Sunday, a Boeing spokesman said the company "works closely with the FAA to monitor the fleet for potential safety issues and take appropriate action," adding it is a continuous process. Other critics of the agency's original position had argued it amounted to de facto imposition of passenger fuel-tank requirements on cargo carriers. In the end, the FAA concluded again that new safeguards are necessary for each 757 cargo jet to prevent possible "fuel tank explosions and consequent loss of the airplane." http://www.wsj.com/articles/faa-and-industry-continue-to-grapple-with-fuel-tank-fixes-for-some-cargo- jets-1424575690 Back to Top US Lakenheath jet crash pilot made 'dude' mayday call F-15 crash, Weston Hills, Lincolnshire The pilot of the crashed jet was heard to say "Dude, I'm getting out" before ejecting A pilot who ejected from a US fighter jet moments before it was destroyed radioed a colleague to say: "Dude, I'm getting out." The F15-D jet from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk crashed into a field near Spalding, Lincolnshire on 8 October. The pilot, who ejected safely, sent the message to a colleague while on a training mission. US Department of Defense documents reveal the jet went into a flat spin at 15,000ft (4,600m) above sea level. 'Lazy manoeuvre' The documents, released after a BBC Freedom of Information request, show the pilot ejected at about 6,000ft (1,830m). Transcripts of an interview with a technical sergeant, who was sitting in the back seat of another jet, reveal he was left "very shaken". Fire coming from aircraft The F-15 crashed in a field off Broad Gate in Weston Hills The technical sergeant said: "[The pilot from the crashed jet] said something over the radio about 'that was a bad one' or something, which I thought was just like a lazy manoeuvre, or something like that. "I saw what I thought was smoke ... kind of brownish greyish smoke coming out from one of the engines." He then talked about seeing the plane yaw (turn on the horizontal plane). "A few seconds later that yaw rate increased, so he started spinning. "After 6,000ft, number 2 [the pilot from the crashed jet] basically said 'Dude, I'm getting out'." Parachute and ejector seat from the plane The parachute from the plane's ejector seat tangled in a telegraph wire The £28.6m ($44m) F-15 crashed into a field near Weston Hills at about 15:30 BST on 8 October 2014. A USAF spokesman at RAF Lakenheath said the accident investigation board had yet to finish its study into the cause of the crash. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-31513257 Back to Top Pilots errors caused Oct. F-16 collision in Kansas Two F-16s collided on a training mission last October when an F-16 student pilot failed to keep eyes on his instructor during a mock dog fight, according to an Air Force Investigation Board report released Friday. Both pilots, assigned to the Air National Guard's 138th Fighter Wing at Tulsa, Oklahoma, survived the crash near Moline, Kansas. The student pilot returned to base with five feet of the jet's wing missing. The instructor pilot, whose aircraft was a total loss, was forced to eject and suffered minor injuries. The total damage estimate of the crash is about $22 million, with no damage to private property, according to the report. The two pilots took off at 2:03 p.m. Oct. 20 from Tulsa Air National Guard Base for a routine training mission. The lead pilot was the instructor, who had about 2,400 flight hours. The student pilot, with 106 hours in the jet, followed. They flew about 80 miles to the Eureka Military Operating Area in Kansas for a "tap the cap" training scenario. For this mission, the two pilots would fly an oval over an area of about 10 nautical miles while waiting for an attacker, another F-16 from the unit, to come from an unknown direction. The two pilots successfully completed one run in the scenario, took out the attacker, and prepared for another run. At 2:20:17 p.m., the attacker came into view, approaching the two at about 20 nautical miles north on the nose of their F-16s. The pilots defaulted to the instructor serving as the "engaging fighter," whose main duty was taking out the enemy. The student pilot's role was the "supporting fighter," keeping a visual of his wingman at all times and taking a shot if possible. As the enemy jet approached, the instructor called for a "bracket" maneuver, where the two jets split off to let the enemy fly between, and to attempting to merge from behind for a shot. The student pilot took the right of the bracket. When the pilots began to merge, the student was in the best defensive position. The report stated that at this point, the instructor should have told him to go for the shot. The student pilot involved in the mishap was able to return to base even though his jet was heavily damaged. (Photo: Air Force) "(The instructor) acknowledged that he should have initiated a role exchange to give the engaged fighter responsibilities (to the student) since he was clearly the most defensive fighter. ... but he did not initiate this role swap," the report states. At 2:21:00, the instructor radioed "1's tally one," which means he could see the adversary, but couldn't make a declaration of hostile intent. He turned toward the enemy to take a shot if the student, serving in support, could identify the other jet as hostile. Three seconds later, the student pilot radioed "Two's in 14 thousand," identifying his altitude and attempting to say he was joining the fight. This was the incorrect radio call, the report stated. Instead, the student pilot should have said "greasing in," to tell the instructor he was going to engage. This was the last time the student pilot saw the instructor. He called "2's merged hostile viper" at 2:21:08, turning across the enemy jet's tail. The instructor, from a distance of almost two miles, saw this turn, and incorrectly assumed the student had turned away from him, instead of his actual maneuver to merge behind the enemy jet like a car entering a highway from an on ramp. "Viewing an F-16 1.5-2 (nautical miles) away, rotating either toward or away from you, and similar in color, top to bottom can be misperceived as attested by (the instructor) pilot," the report states. The instructor moved to get close behind the aircraft and tried to take a shot. After eight seconds, the student pilot radioed "2's engaged." At this point, the instructor realized that he misidentified the turn, and that the other F-16 was coming in on a collision course. The jets were about 2,000 feet apart with 800 knots of closure. The instructor pilot tried to maneuver, but there wasn't enough time. The student pilot's F-16 collided with him, destroying the flaperon, severing the fuel manifold and shattering the right horizontal tail, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable. The student pilot lost five feet of his right wing, but was able to keep it in control. He reported seeing white smoke from the other F-16 as it descended, and radioed to the pilot "bailout, bailout, bailout." The instructor's cockpit began to fill with smoke, and he said he was disoriented during the descent. "(Instructor pilot) described the fall of the aircraft as a leaf falling from a tree," the report states. He heard the radio call convincing him to eject. Another F-16 joined the student pilot on his wing to make sure the jet was safe enough to return to base, where the student pilot was able to land without incident. The instructor landed about 1.5 miles from the wreckage site, with the jet previously serving as an enemy overhead kept watch and directed the instructor pilot to walk to a nearby farmhouse for rescue. The two talked by radio, with the instructor pilot first asking where the student was, and then making sure this pilot had enough fuel. Accident Investigation Board President Col. Christopher Alderdice wrote in his opinion of the investigation that the student pilot "disregarded his primary responsibilities" to keep a visual and de-conflict flight paths with the instructor pilot. Additionally, contributing causes to the crash were the student not radioing that he couldn't see the instructor, the instructor misperceiving the student's turn at the merge and the instructor not switching roles when the student was in better position to fight. http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/2015/02/20/pilots-errors-caused-f16-collision- kansas/23739889/ Back to Top No Fatalities in SC Military Plane Crash in Georgia STATENVILLE, Georgia (AP) - A military plane flying from a South Carolina base crashed in Echols County, Georgia. The Valdosta Daily Times reports that the F-18 jet crashed at 2:53 p.m. Sunday; it was flying from Beaufort Marine Corps Station in Beaufort, South Carolina and crashed about 4.5 miles east of Statenville near Ga. 94, according to military authorities at the scene. 2nd Lt. Brianca Williams from Moody Air Force Base says that two pilots parachuted from the plane. She says both were taken to South Georgia Medical Center. There were no fatalities connected with the crash. Moody responded as the nearest military base; the downed plane was not from Moody AFB as initially reported by civilian authorities. The cause of the accident is under investigation. http://www.wltx.com/story/news/2015/02/22/no-fatalities-in-sc-military-plane-crash-in- georgia/23863883/ Back to Top Bahamas Cites Poor Decisions by Crew as Cause of Plane Crash NASSAU, Bahamas - Investigators looking into a small plane crash that killed a prominent Christian minister and eight others last year have found it was likely caused by bad decisions by the crew during stormy weather, the islands' civil aviation department said Sunday. A Learjet carrying the Rev. Myles Munroe and members of his Bahamas Faith Ministries crashed Nov. 9 after striking a shipping crane as it attempted to land in Grand Bahama. The crash killed everyone on board, including Munroe's wife. On Sunday, the islands' civil aviation department said its accident investigation unit had concluded its probe into the crash. In a final report, investigators determined that poor decision-making by the crew as they attempted to descend below the authorized altitude without being able to see the runway area was the probable cause. The jet was trying to land during heavy rain and reduced visibility as a storm front passed over the area. During a second attempt at landing at the Grand Bahama International Airport, the crew struck a crane at a shipyard during a "go-around procedure," according to the Sunday statement from the civil aviation department. The right outboard wing, landing gear and right wing fuel tank separated from the plane on impact, according to the department. The aircraft spun out of control for roughly 1,578 feet (526 yards) before slamming into a recycling facility. Nobody on the ground was hurt. Munroe was a best-selling author, motivational speaker and influential Christian pastor who frequently spoke on television and gave sermons around the world. At the time of the crash, he and the others were flying to a global leadership forum that he had organized in the Bahamas. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/bahamas-cites-poor-decisions-crew-plane-crash- 29143825 Back to Top New Zealand helicopter crash prompts grounding of aircraft in Australia Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority orders grounding of some Robinson R44 aircraft, the second most common helicopter type in Australia A Robinson R44 helicopter. Casa says the grounding has taken place because there is a possibility the main rotor blade could come apart . Photograph: Bob Adams/flickr Photograph: Bob Adams/flickr A fatal crash in New Zealand has sparked the grounding of a commonly-used helicopter by Australia's flight safety watchdog. Two people were killed when the Robinson R44 helicopter crashed near Queenstown on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has now ordered Australian pilots to ground their Robinson R44 aircraft - of which 485 are registered in the country - saying there is a possibility the main rotor blade could come apart. The directive applies to aircraft using C016-7 rotor blades. The R44 is the second most common helicopter type in Australia. The aircraft could be grounded for days, but Casa spokesman Peter Gibson said investigations would be undertaken as quickly as possible. "We don't want to keep the aircraft on the ground a minute longer than is necessary," he said. The precautionary grounding would not affect aircraft providing Queensland and Northern Territory cyclone relief, he said. "The R44 is used in passenger charter transport, mustering, aerial agriculture, but not typically used in those sorts of rescue applications," Gibson said. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/22/new-zealand-helicopter-crash-prompts-grounding-of- aircraft-in-australia Back to Top Back to Top Hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Approaches the One-Year Mark A woman writes a message of support for family members of passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang, outside Kuala Lumpur March 18, 2014. Samsul Said / Reuters Jacquita Gonzales could hear the urgency in the caller's voice when asked about her husband of 29 years. Patrick Gomes was an in-flight supervisor for Malaysia Airlines and one of its planes had disappeared. It was Saturday, March 8, 2014. Almost a year later, it's a question with no solid answers for the 52-year-old or anyone else. Nothing from Flight 370 has been recovered for 352 days, threatening to make it the first commercial jet ever to be lost without a trace. With no debris and no knowledge of what happened, distraught families are struggling for closure. "There are huge holes, huge gaps in our lives," said Gonzales, a daycare center teacher in Kuala Lumpur. Angry at the whole search process and the lack of information coming through, families have formed self- help groups on social networks and also meet in Subang Jaya, outside Kuala Lumpur to talk in person. They yell and cry and debate the many conspiracy theories around MH370 - it flew to Afghanistan; it was shot down by China; it caught fire. Mostly, they console each other. Sarah Bajc, a 49 year-old American teacher, uses her knowledge of Mandarin to bring together Malaysian and Chinese relatives of those who died. She also set up a crowd-funded a third-party investigation into the disappearance. She's still living in the Kuala Lumpur apartment she picked out with Philip Wood, a 51-year-old International Business Machines Corp. executive from Texas. He was on MH370 to pack up his home in Beijing before moving to Malaysia. Read MoreUnited Had the Most Pet Fatalities of Any U.S. Airline in 2014 Presumed Dead "I've never been to formal counseling, but I've stayed grounded through a strong family and dear trusted friends," Bajc said. "I get through each day by focusing on what I can control. They have treated the investigation like a joke, and have been callous and malicious in their treatment of the families. The world should not accept their incompetent, irresponsible and selfish behavior." After 327 days of hunting for the plane, Malaysia's civil aviation department on Jan. 29 finally declared Flight 370 an accident and all on board presumed dead. It was to help the families obtain assistance, including compensation. Malaysia's government has taken the airline private, plans to cut jobs and has appointed a new chief executive to restructure the company. "We have endeavored and pursued every credible lead and reviewed all available data," Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, director general of the department, said in a statement Jan. 29. The information "supports the conclusion that MH370 ended its flight in the southern Indian Ocean." Vanish Without Trace Even after a multinational search of 4.6 million square kilometers of the Indian Ocean, or about one percent of the Earth's surface area, the world is little closer to finding out what really happened to Flight 370 with 239 people on board. Investigators are still trying to figure out how one of the most sophisticated aircraft of modern aviation era simply vanished without any trace. "It's really on an unprecedented scale. I can't recall a search that's been as difficult as this," Ken Mathews, a former air accident investigator who's worked with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board as well as its U.K and New Zealand peers, said by phone from Cairns, Australia. "Without anything specific to go on, it's very difficult." Malaysian Airline System Bhd.'s Flight 370, with 227 passengers and 12 crew on board, vanished while on a routine commercial flight to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. The plane was deliberately steered off its course, Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak has said. Not One Body Boats, armed with sonars capable of spotting objects no bigger than a shoebox, haven't found a single man-made item across 22,000 square kilometers of silt-covered seafloor - no seat cushion, life jacket, or any object that usually floats if a plane crashes on sea. The current phase of the investigation is likely to be completed in May, when sonar scanners will have examined an area of about 60,000 square kilometers that's almost as large as West Virginia. The searches not finding a single body only adds to the pain of those grieving. Wanting to see the remains is important to convince the minds and achieve closure, according to Wallace Chan Chi-ho, who specializes in bereavement at an assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Such behavior is common among people who've lost loved ones in disasters, such as the September 11, 2001 attacks in the U.S., he said. "It is difficult to make sense of the loss, especially when the dead bodies cannot be found. Seeing the dead bodies is part of the grieving process," he said by e-mail. "Bereaved persons may often join together, as they can find mutual understanding. It is somehow difficult for others to understand them." Families' Anger Malaysia's government pronouncing those on board as dead has only angered the families. Relatives of Chinese passengers, who made up 153 of those on board, traveled to Kuala Lumpur to seek meetings with Malaysian authorities, according to the Facebook page of MH370 Families, a non-profit organization. Don't give them "death sentence" without hard evidence, says a Feb. 13 posting. "So far, I cannot accept such a result, with little evidence provided to us," Bai Jie, 23, whose mother was on board the missing flight, said by phone from Beijing Jan. 29. "They just quickly announced the result without enough communication with family members," she said. Wen Wancheng, 63, from Shandong province, arrived in Kuala Lumpur Feb. 12. He said about 40 relatives will be there in the city by Lunar New Year, traditionally a time when families get together for reunion. Feb. 19 was the first day of the Lunar New Year this year. Holiday Ruined The timing of the announcement, just before the New Year, also hasn't gone down well, he said. "After the announcement, we family members cannot spend a good holiday as it made the sad sentiment even worse," Wen said in a phone interview from Kuala Lumpur. They intend to stay in the city to continue their protest, Wen said. Others are taking to social media. Gonzales and families of the nine other cabin crew members share a chatroom on messaging service Whatsapp Inc., where she's nicknamed "boss" in reference to her late husband's job. "Sometimes we are up till 2 a.m. or 3 a.m., talking about our families," she said. Chatting and meeting up with other relatives is a "form of therapy," she said. "In the early days, some of the MH370 families would meet when there were issues to settle, decisions to make about the government, about Malaysia Airlines," she said. "But you know, everyone has to slowly get back to their lives, look after children. If anything, you need to do it for the children." Dating Again Bajc, who also hasn't resorted to any formal counseling, and has relied on family and close friends to go through the crisis, echoed the same sentiment. "If I went back to the States I would have my family, but in Malaysia, I have the friendship and the support of the people who are in the same situation that I am in," she said. "They say it's socially acceptable to start dating again after a year of being a widow. But I don't know where Philip has gone to. I can't just move on like this. Philip needs to return, even if it is just his remains." In the 62 years since a De Havilland Comet flight from London to Johannesburg kicked off the modern passenger aviation industry, no scheduled commercial jet has ever disappeared without a trace. Investigators tracked the aircraft to a remote stretch of the southern Indian Ocean based on a series of failed connections between the aircraft and an Inmarsat Plc satellite as it flew south before its fuel ran out about 2,500 kilometers southwest of Perth, Australia. "People say it gets better, but nothing has changed for me when there are no answers," said Grace Subathirai Nathan, 27, whose mother Anne Catherine Daisy, an executive with Axa Affin General Insurance, disappeared on the Malaysian flight. "What I feel on March 8, I still feel it today," she said. "I try to carry on with life but I have not moved on in life. Sometimes I find myself crying on the way to work and on the way back." http://skift.com/2015/02/22/hunt-for-malaysia-airlines-flight-370-approaches-the-one-year-mark/ Back to Top ICAEA - Istanbul April 2015 ICAEA forum - Istanbul, 2015 Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. ICAEA Istanbul 2015 Human Factors, Communications and Safety The International Civil Aviation English Association announces the 17th international forum, hosted by 27-28 April 2015 ** Programme now available ** CLICK HERE TO REGISTER VENUE: Radisson Blu Conference & Airport Hotel, Istanbul Key note speakers, panellists and workshop facilitators will discuss: * The role of English in communication and human factors * Language proficiency and culture in human factors * Training strategies to mitigate safety issues in cross-cultural communications * English as a common link for CRM among international crews * Training for optimum on-board communications * Human factors in air to ground communication - culture, language and the communication interference * The role of English communication in human factors on the flight deck, with ATC and between cabin crew * Communication in the cabin among crew and with passengers For more information and registration details visit ICAEA For more information please contact: info@icaea.aero Copyright © ICAEA 2015, all rights reserved unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences*|IFNOT:ARCHIVview email in browser Looming pilot shortage boosts South Florida flight schools With 35,000 pilots projected to retire within the next six years, the U.S. airlines already are struggling with a severe crew shortage, something about 25 local flight schools hope to capitalize on. Flight training is expensive but pilot jobs are becoming plentiful. An unprecedented pilot shortage is looming, and that has enrollment taking off at about 25 local flight schools. About 35,000 pilots are projected to retire within the next six years, the result of captains and first officers facing mandatory retirement at age 65, even as jetliner fleets continue to grow. "It's unlike anything the industry has ever seen before," said Andrew Henley, head of the American Flyers flight school at Pompano Beach Airpark. "They're looking to us to help fill that pilot shortage." South Florida is one of nation's busiest training hubs because of its year-round good weather. The quick growth of Asian airlines creates challenge: how to train enough pilots The most critical need is at regional airlines because their best pilots are often taken by the large carriers, which offer significantly better pay and benefits. "Several regional airlines have had to cancel flights or not offer as many flights because they don't have enough pilots," said Jan Shakespeare, who oversees the professional pilot program at Broward College. "We're definitely trying to gear up for it." Shakespeare said her program currently has more than 200 students, a slight increase over last year's enrollment. But she said the number of inquiries has increased markedly. "The major stumbling block for anyone interested in becoming a pilot is the funds required," she said, noting it costs about $50,000 to graduate from that college's aviation program - plus another $6,000 to $7,000 to earn a two-year associate degree in professional pilot technology. Broward College partners with Silver Airways, a Fort Lauderdale-based regional airline. That puts school graduates at the front of the line when the carrier considers prospective pilot candidates. Jeff Johnson, dean of aeronautics at Lynn University in Boca Raton, said three regional airlines - Commuter Air, Envoy Air and Atlantic Southeast Airlines - have asked to partner with the school in hopes of corralling more pilot candidates. Do airlines face a pilot shortage or a salary problem? Do airlines face a pilot shortage or a salary problem? "That's never happened before," he said. "It shows they're really kind of hurting." About 55 students are enrolled in Lynn's program, up about 25 percent from last year. Most likely will be regional airline pilots shortly after graduating, Johnson said. "It's a pretty sure bet that if someone actually makes it through the training and meets all the requirements of the airlines, they'll be hired," he said. "I've never seen anything like this." Randee Morris, 24, is a flight instructor with Palm Beach Flight Training in Lantana, which partners with Palm Beach State College to offer an associate degree in aeronautical science. She hopes to fly for a major carrier, where entry level first officers generally are paid about $70,000 per year. But she knows she'll first have to work for a regional airline, where the starting pay is about $22,000. "It comes with the territory," she said. Nova Southeastern University has partnered with American Flyers to offer a four-year college degree that includes two years of pilot training. The three-year-old program has gained between six and 15 students per year and now has a total of 63 enrolled, said Kimberly Durham, dean of NSU's Institute for Human Service, Health and Justice. Students who work their way up to a major airline can expect to be well paid as they gain seniority. The most experienced captains on international flights make as much as $600,000 per year, said Dan Ramirez, a regional airline captain and an adjunct professor in the NSU aviation program. "But you have to remember, these are 25,000-hour pilots with a lot of experience," he said. "Only about five to 10 percent of pilots are paid top dollar." Those who remain at a regional airline also can earn a good living, as captains generally are paid $95,000 to $170,000, he said. All airline pilots must meet high proficiency standards and have at least 1,500 hours of flight time. Pelican Flight Training at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines has seen an increase in foreign students from Latin America, Russia and China because several international airlines face pilot shortages too, particularly in Asia, said Brian King, the school's general manager. Students in that program pay $80,000 to $100,000 on flight training but usually complete it in about a year. "That allows them to go into work force quicker, that's one of our pitches," he said. "But the cold reality is they're not going to jump into a six-figure job right out of the gate." Not all flight school students are looking for a career. Freddy Antolinez, owner of Endeavor Flight Training, a school at Opa-locka Executive Airport, said few of his student pilots want to fly for U.S carriers. That's because the starting pay is so low, the result of the airlines not fully recovering from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, he said. "The only local people learning to fly already have successful careers," Antolinez said. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-pilot-shortage-20150220-story.html Back to Top Announcing the EAAP Courses in Human Factors for 2015 The European Association for Aviation Psychology (EAAP) training courses in "Human Factors in Flight Safety: Safety Management Systems (SMS), Risk Management and Safety Investigation" will be conducted in Dubai and Barcelona, in May 2015. In addition to these courses, a new Advanced Course "Human Factors in Aviation Safety: an Integrated Approach to Safety Management" will also be conducted in Barcelona, in May 2015. Registrations are now open for these popular and internationally respected courses, to be held from: 10 - 14 May 2015, in Dubai, hosted by Emirates, and, 18 - 22 May 2015, in Barcelona, hosted by Vueling. 26 - 30 May 2015, in Barcelona, the new Advanced Course, hosted by Vueling. Full details on the 2015 EAAP courses are included in the Registration Brochures for both the Dubai and Barcelona courses, which are now available for download from the EAAP website at: http://www.eaap.net/courses.html The experienced team of Dr Rob Lee, Kristina Pollack and Brent Hayward will again be conducting the 2015 courses on behalf of EAAP. The first of these courses was conducted at Ispra, Italy in 1999. Since then, the course has been continually updated in asccordance with ongoing changes in the aviation industry, and held regularly, in locations including Luxembourg, Stockholm, Madrid, Lisbon, Interlaken, Dublin and Dubai, with a total of more than 350 participants from civil and military aviation attending, as well as personnel from other high technology industries. In 2015, a new Advanced Course will be introduced. It will be a leading edge course based on current and future developments in human factors in safety management in civil and military aviation. The Advanced Course will cover some topics from Human Factors in Flight Safety, SMS, Risk Management and Safety Investigation in greater depth, as well as including new material not in the present course The courses are recognised by EAAP as contributing towards certification requirements for those wishing to become an EAAP-certified Aviation Psychologist or Human Factors Specialist. As detailed in the Registration Brochure, EAAP members are offered reduced registration fees for the course, and there is also a significant additional "Early Bird" discount for those who register early. Course participant numbers are limited, so those wishing to attend are encouraged to register as soon as possible to secure a place. Those with any questions about the courses, please email Brent Hayward: bhayward@dedale.net Back to Top 2015 Southeast Regional Chapter of ISASI's annual meeting Back to Top Israeli-Made 'TaxiBot' Airplane Tow Vehicle Makes Debut In Germany taxibot(Israel Hayom/JNS) An Israeli-made robotic airplane tow vehicle made its debut at Germany's Frankfurt Airport on Thursday. Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI) "TaxiBot" was designed to ferry the most commonly used passenger airplane, the Boeing 737, from its terminal to the runway. The TaxiBot was first tested on a commercial Lufthansa flight, and later, after a thorough and prolonged review, was approved by Israeli and European aviation authorities. On Thursday, IAI and Lufthansa signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a larger TaxiBot model to support larger aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380. The TaxiBot is an upgrade over the traditional airplane towing vehicle, known as a pushback truck. The pushback truck pulls an airplane away from a terminal to a safe distance, so that the pilots can use the airplane's thrusters to maneuver the plane without fear of jet exhaust damaging the terminal or spreading debris. But the drive from the terminal to the runaway burns a lot of fuel. The TaxiBot, alternatively, Taxibot allows the pilot to drive the plane from the cockpit via remote control and take it from the terminal to the runway, without having to use the plane's engine. This reduces air pollution and fuel consumption. "We have started an eco-friendly revolution in the commercial aviation industry," said IAI Corporate Vice President Shuki Eldar. http://jpupdates.com/2015/02/22/israeli-made-taxibot-airplane-tow-vehicle-makes-debut-germany/ Back to Top Upcoming Events: Fundamentals of IS-BAO March 5, 2015 HAI Heli-Expo - Orlando, FL USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1628315 IS-BAO Auditing March 6, 2015 HAI Heli-Expo - Orlando, FL USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1628316 Fundamentals of IS-BAO March 31, 2015 Houston, TX USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1657515 IS-BAO Auditing April 1, 2015 Houston, TX USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1657517 Fundamentals of IS-BAO April 15, 2015 Toluca, Mexico https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1657510 IS-BAO Auditing April 16, 2015 Toluca, Mexico https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1657512 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