Flight Safety Information April 15, 2015 - No. 073 In This Issue South Korea Orders Review of Airbus A320 Pilots After Jet Skids Off Runway Air Safety Institute regains control of Facebook page Aircraft Using NextGen Systems Vulnerable To Hacking, US Agency GAO Warns Air Force grounds T-6 II fleet of training aircraft PROS 2015 TRAINING JetBlue Wants to Turn Former TWA Terminal Into Hotel Asia Pacific Airline Training Symposium...15-16 September 2015 2015 NSC Aviation Safety Committee Meeting...Meeting Dates: May 13-14, 2015 6th Pan American Aviation Safety Summit Early Bird Registration closes on 15 April 2015...:...EAAP "Human Factors in Flight Safety: SMS, Risk Management & Safety Investigation GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) South Korea Orders Review of Airbus A320 Pilots After Jet Skids Off Runway A plane from the South Korean carrier Asiana Airlines after it skidded off the runway this week at Hiroshima Airport in Japan. Credit Yomiuri Shimbun/European Pressphoto Agency SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea said on Wednesday that it would review the qualifications of all the pilots of Airbus A320 passenger jets flown by carriers based in the country, one day after one of the airplanes skidded off a runway while landing at Hiroshima Airport in Japan. Twenty-five people had minor injuries in the accident on Tuesday, according to the South Korean carrier Asiana Airlines. The Airbus A320, operated by Asiana, approached the runway so low that it clipped a 20-foot-tall wireless communication tower that stood almost 1,000 feet before the runway. Two years ago, another Asiana plane, a Boeing 777, crashed at San Francisco International Airport after its tail touched a sea wall as the jet came in too low. The accident, said to have been caused by pilot error, left three people dead and more than 180 injured. Japanese news reports about Tuesday's accident included photographs that showed damage to the communications tower, which was used to send signals to incoming planes. Part of the tower's antenna was found stuck in the plane's landing gear, they said. On Wednesday, the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport called in the top managers of all South Korean airline companies to instruct them to bolster airplane maintenance and pilot training. It also told reporters that it would conduct a review of all Airbus A320 pilots for job suitability, especially checking their ability to deal with emergencies. Yeo Hyung-ku, vice minister for transport, said that airline companies needed to consider the mental state of pilots as a potential cause of an accident, in an apparent reference to the pilot at the controls of the Germanwings jetliner that crashed into the French Alps last month. All 11 Airbus A320 jets in South Korea are operated by Asiana and its affiliate, Air Busan. The Asiana plane involved in the Hiroshima accident was carrying 73 passengers and eight crew members from Incheon International Airport in South Korea. It careered off the tarmac and rotated almost 180 degrees before coming to a halt on the grass beside the runway. All the passengers were evacuated using escape chutes. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/world/asia/south-korea-airbus-a320-pilot-review- asiana.html?_r=0 Back to Top Air Safety Institute regains control of Facebook page Facebook investigating hacker The Air Safety Institute regained control of its Facebook page April 14, within 24 hours after hackers hijacked the page, posted inappropriate content, and thwarted all of the association's attempts to take back control of the page. Staff at Facebook helped AOPA regain control of the page and eliminate the posts. AOPA is taking additional security measures to prevent this from happening again. The hijacking appears to be from the same hackers who recently took over the Facebook pages of other highly visible brands. Facebook told AOPA it is investigating the hackers and their methods; the social media company said it will report back with its findings once the investigation is complete. The hack was isolated to the Air Safety Institute Facebook page and did not affect the association's membership database, member information, or other AOPA products and systems. http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/April/14/Hacker-hijacks-Air- Safety-Institute-Facebook-page Back to Top Aircraft Using NextGen Systems Vulnerable To Hacking, US Agency GAO Warns Picture shows the cockpit of an Airbus A320 flight simulator in Vienna on March 26, 2015. Reuters/Leonhard Foeger Modern commercial airliners using the Next Generation (NextGen) Air Transportation System are vulnerable to attacks during flight by anyone who remotely takes over the plane's Wi-Fi system, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). The NextGen system is a modernization effort started in 2004 by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to shift air traffic control from ground- based technology to satellites. "Modern aircraft are increasingly connected to the Internet. This interconnectedness can potentially provide unauthorized remote access to aircraft avionics systems," the government agency said in its report. "Internet connectivity in the cabin should be considered a direct link between the aircraft and the outside world, which includes potential malicious actors." According to the report, even planting a virus or malware in websites visited by the passengers could provide an opportunity to access the plane's onboard information system through the infected machines. This risk is further compounded by the presence of smartphones and tablets in the cockpit, if these devices have the capability to transmit information to the aircraft avionics systems. "If the cabin systems connect to the cockpit avionics systems and use the same networking platform, in this case IP, a user could subvert the firewall and access the cockpit avionics system from the cabin," the report warned, citing cybersecurity experts. In contrast to the FAA's decades-old legacy communications infrastructure, which relies on point-to-point, hardwired information systems, the plans for NextGen call for an overarching system of interconnected systems. Legacy National Airspace System (NAS) ATC Systems Compared to NAS IP Networks. GAO "The older systems are difficult to access remotely because few of them connect from FAA to external entities such as through the Internet. They also have limited lines of direct connection within FAA," the report said. However, the NextGen programs are designed to increase interconnectivity with other systems and use IP networking to communicate within FAA. "According to experts, if one system connected to an IP network is compromised, damage can potentially spread to other systems on the network, continually expanding the parts of the system at risk," the report added. So, in theory, it is possible for someone with just a laptop or a smartphone to not only infect the plane's computers with a virus, but also commandeer the aircraft and take control of its navigation systems. In order to overhaul these cybersecurity weaknesses, the GAO recommended an "organization-wide threat modeling," which includes, among other things, certification of avionics software and hardware, and ongoing monitoring of security controls following the deployment of the new system. http://www.ibtimes.com/aircraft-using-nextgen-systems-vulnerable-hacking-us-agency- gao-warns-1882440 Back to Top Air Force grounds T-6 II fleet of training aircraft The Air Force grounded its entire T-6 Texan II training aircraft fleet and has no immediate schedule to get the planes back in the air, according to Air Education and Training Command. However, the Associated Press reported that most of the planes are expected to be back in the air Wednesday after a fleet-wide inspection was expected to be completed Tuesday night. AETC flies 446 of the turboprop aircraft as entry-level pilot training. The aircraft are largely flown at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi; Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma; and Laughlin Air Force Base and Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. AETC first stood down the aircraft on April 10 following indications of an engine oil line malfunction, according to AETC. The command is undergoing a fleetwide inspection, called a Time Compliance Technical Order, to determine the next step. "All AETC wings flying the T-6 are meeting the inspection requirements as safely and quickly as possible to minimize impacts to flying training operations," AETC said in a statement. "The personal safety of AETC aircrew members is, as always, the Air Force's primary concern." The Navy and Marine Corps use the same aircraft to train entry-level pilots. The Navy is aware of the Air Force's decision to ground the T-6s, and is monitoring the situation, but has made no decision to ground the plane, according to Lt. Tim Hawkins, a Navy spokesman. The aircraft is among the newest in the Air Force's fleet, first deployed in May 2000 at a unit cost of nearly $4.3 million, according to the Air Force. It is produced by Raytheon Aircraft Co. http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/tech/2015/04/14/air-force-grounds-t6- fleet-of-training-aircraft/25771765/ Back to Top Back to Top JetBlue Wants to Turn Former TWA Terminal Into Hotel New York-based airline would partner with developer to renovate jet age structure at JFK The former Trans World Airlines terminal at New York's Kennedy Airport could see new life as a hotel under a proposed plan. JetBlue Airways Corp. is angling to get into the hotel business, joining the growing ranks of developers and investors looking for lodging opportunities inside major U.S. airports. The low-cost airline and its partner, New York-based hotel developer MCR Development LLC, are in advanced negotiations with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for the rights to turn the iconic Trans World Airlines terminal at Kennedy Airport into a modern hotel, according to people familiar with the matter. Talks could still fall apart, these people said, but the MCR and JetBlue partnership has emerged as the preferred bidder and is in exclusive discussions with the Port Authority. MCR would be the majority investor. The possible deal is the latest sign that airport hotels are emerging as a sweet spot in the lodging sector as developers and investors seek new ways to tap top-tier cities without paying premiums for downtown addresses. Airport properties have long generated reliable business from flight crews, stranded passengers and early fliers. But as occupancy levels at these hotels have reached new highs, analysts say they are increasingly attracting business from travelers who want to fly in, meet and go home, rather than spend time getting in and out of crowded downtown districts. The municipal owners of airports, meanwhile, are looking to make their facilities more attractive by providing convenient, swankier lodging. Other projects are taking shape across the country, from San Francisco to Atlanta. Minneapolis-based hotel developer Graves Hospitality Corp. is preparing to break ground on a $100 million luxury hotel, with spa, swimming pool and roof deck bar, at the Twin Cities' international airport. In Denver, a Westin airport hotel is slated to open before the end of the year. "Airport locations are hot," says R. Mark Woodworth, senior managing director at PKF Hospitality Research, a hotel consultant and appraiser. Analysts say these properties have become a popular route to penetrating major urban markets where opportunities may be limited. Hotel occupancy rates at airports hit a record high of 72.5% in 2014, according to data tracker STR Inc. These levels are influenced to some degree by rising levels air travel, but the steady ascent from less than 60% in 2009 suggests airport hotels are improving alongside other types of lodging. While that level is on par with city center hotels, the average daily rate for airport hotels was about $103, or about 63% less than downtown lodging. That is largely because many of the existing airport hotels are of older, no-frills stock. Most of the new airport projects are more luxurious, allowing operators to charge higher rates. "There is a good opportunity for investors in airport hotels to close that gap," Mr. Woodworth says. Benjamin Graves, Graves Hospitality's chief executive officer, says because his luxury airport hotel will be between downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, and will be a short drive to the Mall of America, "we anticipate we will be the highest for room rates" in the area market. Developers often can negotiate for a monopoly, or near-monopoly, on lodging that sits directly on airport property, offering an edge over hotels that ring airports. Some also can take advantage of cities' plans to upgrade airport facilities and install new amenities, from designer boutiques and movie theaters to sleek rail systems that connect terminals. Denver International Airport has plans for concerts, festivals and art shows in and around the 519-room Westin hotel set to open in the fall. "We hope this bring locals to the airport," says Kap Malik, a design director for Gensler, the architecture firm behind the Denver project. The developers face some unusual hurdles. Airport locations are governed by Federal Aviation Administration rules, and there are numerous restrictions around security and building dimensions, says Scott Berman, the U.S. leader of hospitality at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Windows, for example, need to be soundproofed to muffle the roar of jet engines. "They are incredibly expensive to build," Mr. Berman says of airport hotels. Developers might have to spend 10% more at an airport compared with other types of hotels and often have to negotiate for public subsidies to make up the difference, he added. The campaign to transform Kennedy Airport's famed TWA terminal to a hotel has been marked by several twists and turns. The landmark Eero Saarinen-designed property opened in 1962. With its curved, winged shape that suggested flight itself, the TWA Flight Center became an icon of the jet-set era. The building closed in 2001, after TWA ceased operations. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 2008 spent $20 million to remove asbestos and restore the interior to make it more attractive to developers. Hotelier André Balazs initially won the rights to develop the hotel in 2013 but dropped out before getting started. "It was going to take so long and we had more interesting opportunities," he told the Journal last year. The Port Authority relaunched the bidding process last year and narrowed its interest to MCR and JetBlue and Mr. Schrager's group, which included private-equity firm Ares Management and New York real-estate investor Steve Witkoff for a $400 million project. MCR intends to build about 500 rooms said a person briefed on the plan. The hotel project, JetBlue's first, would open across from its main terminal at the airport. http://www.wsj.com/articles/jet-blue-wants-to-get-into-hotel-business-at-jfks-former- twa-terminal-1429035857 Back to Top Asia Pacific Airline Training Symposium 15-16 September 2015 * Centara Grand Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand Call for Papers The Journal for Civil Aviation Training (CAT) is now accepting presentation abstracts for the world's largest aviation training event in the Asia Pacific region. A limited number of speaker slots are available at the 12th APATS event, to be held 15-16 September, 2015, at the Centara Grand Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand. Over many years the challenges in aviation training have evolved, and increasingly detailed research has helped to develop a better understanding of the issues. Many conferences have provided an excellent platform on which to reveal the type and extent of the problems, but frequently the optimum solutions to these have been more difficult to discern. The challenge for APATS 2015 is to identify and present practical solutions to some of the current headline topics in the aviation training world. The overall theme of APATS 2015 is "Training Solutions". Presentation abstracts are invited to present best practice in the following areas, and the conference will be shaped by those abstracts. How do we: 1. Recruit and retain new aviation professionals? 2. Select ab intio pilots, experienced crews and captains? 3. Adapt to cultural issues in the cockpit? 4. Deliver effective CRM? 5. Ensure that ICAO Level 4 Aviation English is properly examined? 6. Train to improve situational awareness? 7. Implement Evidence Based Training? 8. Train for Upset Prevention and Recovery? 9. Train to deal with lithium battery fires? 10. Deliver balanced assertiveness training for cabin crew? Preference will be given to air carriers and training organisations with real world insights and "Lessons Learned" information. In no case will sales presentations be accepted. Actual presentations must fit into the APATS format which is 20 minutes, followed by a Q&A period. Longer presentations may be accepted if an in-depth explanation is required. In each case we are looking for two or three clear take-away ideas, so that those who deliver training, or who need certain capabilities can leave the conference with some specific plans to improve training. To propose a presentation for the APATS conference, please send a maximum 200 word abstract by 30th April, 2015. Abstracts are required to be accompanied by a short biography of the speaker which should include contact information, titles, positions and employers, academic background and any conference presentation experience. Authors of accepted speaker proposals will be notified by 31st May, 2015. Abstracts can be sent to Chris Long, Conference Chair, at chris.long@halldale.com. File a copy to fiona@halldale.com and put "APATS 2015 ABSTRACT" in the subject block. For more information about APATS 2015, please visit www.halldale.com/apats Best regards, Chris Long APATS 2015 Conference Chair Back to Top 2015 NSC Aviation Safety Committee Meeting Meeting Dates: May 13-14, 2015 Meeting Location: Embassy Suites Charleston Area Convention Center 5055 International Blvd North Charleston, South Carolina 29418 480-945-7666 Hotel Reservations: *Hotel cutoff date has been extended one more week. The preferred method is to book your hotel room online For phone reservations call 1-800-362- 2779 and mention the National Safety Council Registration Form View Meeting Agenda Highlights of the meeting include: * Tour of Boeing's Boeing South Carolina Facility. In Charleston, Boeing fabricates, assembles and installs systems for aft (rear) fuselage sections of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and joins and integrates midbody fuselage sections. The site is also home to the company's newest 787 Dreamliner final assembly and delivery facility. * OSHA Discussion - Updates and discussion on topics affecting each one of us. * Learn New Ideas - Participate in discussions and grow your skills * Networking and Benchmarking Opportunities Should you have any questions, please contact Tammy Washington, NSC Staff Representative at tammy.washington@nsc.org or 630-775-2227. Back to Top 6th Pan American Aviation Safety Summit The Regional Aviation Safety Group - Pan America (RASG-PA), the Medellin Tourism Bureau and the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority in partnership with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Latin America and Caribbean Air Transport Association - ALTA, will be sponsoring the 6th Pan American Aviation Safety Summit and the 8th RASG-PA Annual Plenary Meeting. This year the Summit will be held June 22-26th in Medellin, Colombia at the Intercontinental Medellin Hotel. For additional information please visit: http://www.alta.aero/safety/2015/home.php Back to Top Early Bird Registration closes on 15 April 2015: EAAP "Human Factors in Flight Safety: SMS, Risk Management & Safety Investigation" training courses Dubai & Barcelona, May 2015 Early Bird registrations for the "Human Factors in Flight Safety: SMS, Risk Management & Safety Investigation" courses to be held in both Dubai and Barcelona next month will close on 15 April 2015.* (*Please note that these are separate but identical 5-day courses. The course program is the same in each location, with minor differences in course content reflecting participant experience and goals). The Dubai course will be held from 10-14 May 2015, kindly hosted by Emirates at the Emirates Aviation College, Dubai, UAE. More details & the Dubai Registration Brochure are available here: http://www.eaap.net/read/2581/hf-in-flight-safety-training- course.html The Barcelona course will be held from 18-22 May 2015, kindly hosted by the Barcelona- based airline Vueling at the CAE Barcelona Training Centre. More details & the Barcelona Registration Brochure are available here: http://www.eaap.net/read/2554/hf-in-flight- safety-training-course.html Please note that completion of this training course is recognised by EAAP as contributing towards certification requirements for those wishing to become an EAAP-certified Aviation Psychologist or Human Factors Specialist. The experienced team of Dr Rob Lee, Kristina Pollack and Brent Hayward will conduct these courses on behalf of EAAP. The first of these was conducted by the same team at Ispra, Italy in 1999, and since then the course has been held regularly in locations including Luxembourg, Stockholm, Madrid, Lisbon, Interlaken, Dublin, Dubai and Barcelona, with a total of more than 400 participants attending to date. As detailed in the Registration Brochures, EAAP members are offered reduced registration fees for the course, and there is also a significant additional "Early Bird" discount for those who register by 15 April 2015. Course participant numbers are limited, so those wishing to attend are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Those with any questions about the course, please email Brent Hayward: bhayward@dedale.net Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST Hello, you are receiving this message as a courtesy to Mr. Hussain Alhallaf, a Ph.D. candidate at Florida Institute of Technology's doctoral program in Aviation Sciences in the College of Aeronautics. He is examining the relationship between factors affecting the aviation profession and the concept of aviation professionalism, specifically understanding aviation professionalism, and is seeking your assistance to complete an online questionnaire, which would take 10-15 minutes to complete. Mr. Alhallaf endeavors to understand why the aviation profession is such an important career and how can we improve ourselves as professionals within the aviation profession. In addition to taking the survey we also are seeking your generosity in distributing the survey's link. Your assistance and participation are totally appreciated. To participate, you may access the online survey via the following link: http://questionpro.com/t/ALRnkZSa9Y If you have any questions or are unable to distribute the email to your members, please do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail at halhallaf2014@my.fit.edu or by Cell phone at (386) 847-7671. Thank you for your cooperation. Yours faithfully, Hussain Alhallaf Ph.D. candidate in Aviation Sciences Back To The Top Upcoming Events: 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 Aviation Safety Program Management Seminar Daytona Beach, FL Apr.20-24, 2015 www.erau.edu/cmas Fundamentals of IS-BAO April 23, 2015 PCAT Safety Smackdown, San Antonio TX USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1657525 IS-BAO Auditing April 24, 2015 PCAT Safety Smackdown, San Antonio TX USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1657526 Safety Smackdown Partnership for Corporate Aviation Training San Antonio, TX April 20-22, 2015 http://www.p4cat.org/ WATS 2015 21-23 April Orlando, Florida, USA www.halldale.com/wats ERAU Aircraft Accident Investigation Seminar Daytona Beach, FL Apr. 27-May 1, 2015 www.erau.edu/cmas ISASI MARC Meeting/Dinner April 30, 2015 Herndon, Virginia http://isasi.org/Documents/EventsAndAlerts/ISASI%20MARC%202015%20Dinner.pdf GWBAA Safety Standdown April 30th NTSB Academy www.gwbaa.com ERAU Advanced Aircraft Accident Investigation Seminar Prescott Campus, AZ May 4-8, 2015 www.erau.edu/cmas IATA Cabin Operations Safety Conference May 5-7, 2015 Paris, France www.iata.org/cabin-safety-conference ERAU Aviation SMS Seminar Daytona Beach, FL May 12-14, 2015 www.erau.edu/sms Aircraft Accident Investigation - Fire and Material Failures New course offered by BlazeTech Corp. Woburn MA USA 19-21 May 2015 www.blazetech.com Fundamentals of IS-BAH June 15, 2015 St. Hubert, Quebec Canada https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659069 IS-BAH Auditing June 16, 2015 St. Hubert, Quebec Canada https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659079 6th Pan American Aviation Safety Summit June 22-26th Medellin, Colombia http://www.alta.aero/safety/2015/home.php Back to Top JOBS AVAILABLE: Vice President of Operations: HAI https://www.rotor.org/AboutHAI/Employment/ApplyJobOnlineForm.aspx Director of Safety: HAI https://www.rotor.org/AboutHAI/Employment/ApplyJobOnlineForm.aspx Curt Lewis