Flight Safety Information May 13, 2015 - No. 093 In This Issue Crew rescued after Oceana-based jet crashes in Arabian Gulf Hawaiian Airlines Plane Makes Emergency Landing at Kahului Airport Indigo has maximum number of CAT-IIIB equipped aircraft (India) NAS Corpus Christi to inspect training aircraft following flight line flooding FAA selects MSU to lead unmanned vehicle research center La. Tech contributing to FAA Center of Excellence, unmanned aircraft research Drones plan to cut aircraft bird strikes Fort Smith Airport Receives FAA Grant For Fire Protection The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award PROS 2015 TRAINING What goes up... American Airlines is grounding US Airways for good in October after more than 75 years Boeing Confident on Jet Output, Accelerating Cost Cutting Mitsubishi to create Seattle engineering center for MRJ jet China set to delay maiden flight of C919 commercial jet Pilatus PC-24 makes first flight Former Chicago aviation chief lands new job with U.K. airports owner Aviation Master of Science at City University London Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Crew rescued after Oceana-based jet crashes in Arabian Gulf MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- A U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 211 crashed at 1:30 p.m. (GMT), today, shortly after launching from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) operating in the Arabian Gulf. The two personnel aboard the strike fighter ejected from the aircraft, survived the crash and were quickly recovered by search and rescue personnel from the ship. The recovered Naval Aviators are being evaluated by medical personnel aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt. Initial reports indicate both are conscious and alert, and without serious injury. The crash was not a result of hostile activity. "The Navy has informed us just recently that, in the last hour or two, that the F/A-18 Super Hornet that took off on the Teddy Roosevelt, which is deployed from Norfolk into the Fifth AOR to support Operation Inherent Resolve, crashed today after takeoff," Virginia Senator Tim Kaine said. "The pilots, as we understand, were both rescued alive, and the cause of the crash is unknown. But you wouldn't necessarily know it from the discussion here on the floor that there's a war going on and people are risking their lives every day. And we pray that the news about both these pilots being safe is, in fact, accurate." Strike Fighter Squadron 211 is based at Naval Air Station Oceana in Va. Beach and is assigned to Carrier Air Wing 1. USS Theodore Roosevelt, with its embarked carrier air wing, is currently in the U.S. 5th Fleet supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, conducting strike operations against ISIL in Iraq and Syria. The Navy is investigating the cause of the crash. http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/military/2015/05/12/crew-rescued-after-oceana-based-jet-crashes-in-arabian-gulf/27177753/ Back to Top Hawaiian Airlines Plane Makes Emergency Landing at Kahului Airport Hawaiian Airlines emergency landing, May 12, 2015. A Hawaiian Airlines flight was diverted to Maui for an emergency landing after experiencing what airline officials called a "left engine surge" while en route from Honolulu to Kona. Flight 118 left Honolulu at 6:55 a.m. on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 and made the emergency landing at Kahului Airport on Maui at 7:26 a.m. As a precaution, emergency crews sprayed the engine with foam and the aircraft was towed to the gate, airline officials tell Maui Now. There were a total of 73 passengers and 5 crew members on board at the time of the incident. All passengers deplaned and will be re- accommodated on other flights. The flight was originally scheduled to land in Kona at 7:30 this morning. This was the second incident in two weeks involving an emergency landing of a Hawaiian Airlines plane at Kahului Airport. On May 1, 2015, a 260 passenger plane returned to the Maui airport soon after departure to Oakland due to an odor of fumes in the cabin. http://mauinow.com/2015/05/12/hawaiian-airlines-plane-makes-emergency-landing-at-kahului-airport/ Back to Top Indigo has maximum number of CAT-IIIB equipped aircraft (India) NEW DELHI: Indigo owns the maximum number of aircraft laced with CAT-IIIB system, which helps in dealing with low visibility during takeoff and landing, followed by Air India and Jet Airways in the second and third position respectively, Parliament was informed today. Indigo has 96 such aircraft, followed by Air India 84, Jet Airways 51 and Go Air 19, Minister of Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. Interestingly, Alliance Air, Jet Lite and Spicejet does not have even a single CAT-IIIB compliant aircraft. Raju further said that Air Asia and Vistara A320 aircraft are by default CAT-IIIB compliant. However, they have to undergo DGCA approval process. To avoid delays and cancellation during low visibility, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed all scheduled domestic airlines to ensure aircraft deployment to/from Delhi during low visibility conditions are CAT-III compliant and both the commander and co- pilot are also CAT -III trained. Raju further noted that operators have been advised to reschedule flights of non-CAT-III complaint aircraft to/from IGI Airport, Delhi between 1000 hours to 2000 hours, and in case the visibility conditions are not favourable, passengers have to be informed well in advance to avoid inconvenience. However, he clarified that the government has not taken a decision to impose ban on the flights of the small aircrafts of all the airlines in fog prone zones during winter. As per the information provided by Delhi International Airports Limited (DIAL) many as 42 flights were cancelled between December 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015 due to fog at IGI airport, Delhi. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/47249878.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst Back to Top NAS Corpus Christi to inspect training aircraft following flight line flooding A Navy trainer sits on the flight line at NAS Corpus Christi with water over the landing gear. May 12th CORPUS CHRISTI -Naval Air Station Corpus Christi wasn't immune to all the flooding from last night's heavy downpour. Dozens of Navy aircraft used for training were lashed to the flight line as the winds and water came rushing in from Corpus Christi Bay. Crews will now need to closely inspect 38 of the T-6 aircraft for potential damage to the landing gear, electronics and fuselage. There were no flights out of the air station on Tuesday. The Navy hopes to be back in the air on Wednesday with the resumption of training flights. http://www.kristv.com/story/29046041/nas-corpus-christi-to-inspect-training-aircraft-following-flight-line-flooding Back to Top FAA selects MSU to lead unmanned vehicle research center STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Federal Aviation Administration announced Friday that Mississippi State University will lead a team of 13 universities in running a new national center to research unmanned aerial vehicles. The National Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems could signify that Mississippi's effort to become a bigger player in the rapidly expanding world of drones is nearing liftoff. The Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) is supposed to help the FAA find ways to safely combine drones with current manned aircraft. The research areas initially will include technology to allow aircraft to detect and avoid each other, how to fly safely at low altitudes, and how to work with air traffic control. "We expect this team will help us to educate and train a cadre of unmanned aircraft professionals well into the future," U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. The FAA expects the center to begin research by September and be fully operational by January 2016. Congress has put up $5 million so far to fund the effort, with the universities planning to match the money. "This has been a six-year effort for Mississippi State and three years for our partner universities. We picked our team because they know unmanned systems and they know the FAA. That will make it easier to turn UAS research into FAA rules quickly," retired Air Force General James Poss, who leads MSU's team, said in a statement. Research areas initially will include detect-and-avoid technology, low-altitude operations safety and compatibility with air traffic control operations. The idea is to maximize the potential of drones while minimizing changes to current manned aircraft rules. U.S. Senator Thad Cochran said the alliance is meant to be the nation's top civilian academic center for research and policy development related to unmanned aircraft. "Unmanned systems are here to stay and this national center will help ensure that they are used to improve American security and productivity, while protecting privacy," Cochran said in a statement. MSU said the center's research will be concentrated at the Raspet Flight Research Lab on its Starkville campus, as well as a base at the Stennis Space Center to use airspace over the Gulf of Mexico, and in Mississippi's Delta region for learning about drone uses in precision agriculture. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International projects the industry will create more than 100,000 jobs and $82 billion in economic impact in the first decade after the FAA allows normal commercial operations. Today, Mississippi has about 250 jobs in the sector, including Northrop Grumman Corp.'s assembly facility in Moss Point, as well as Stark Aerospace and Aurora Flight Sciences at Golden Triangle Regional Airport near Columbus. State officials hope the research effort multiplies that figure. Governor Phil Bryant said he was "thrilled with the FAA's decision." http://wreg.com/2015/05/11/faa-selects-msu-to-lead-unmanned-vehicle-research-center/ Back to Top La. Tech contributing to FAA Center of Excellence, unmanned aircraft research RUSTON - Louisiana Tech University will play an important role in the future of commercial unmanned aircraft research and development as part of a national team of leading universities that comprise the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS.) The team of leading UAS and aviation universities and industry partners, led by Mississippi State University and its Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE), will focus on research, education and training in areas critical to safe and successful integration of UAS into the nation's airspace. ASSURE will form teams between its member universities, government agencies and industry partners to address both government and commercial UAS challenges. As an associate member of the ASSURE coalition, Louisiana Tech's contributions will include the development of UAS communication and control technologies and standards with applications related to Louisiana economy and industry such as forestry, precision agriculture, and oil and gas. "This is the largest coalition of universities and companies in the world who will shape the future research and development in the area of unmanned aircraft systems and drones," said Dr. Rastko Selmic, the AT&T Professor of Electrical Engineering at Louisiana Tech. "Louisiana Tech will participate in creating this technology that represents the future of aviation and remote sensing." Selmic says Louisiana Tech and its students and faculty will collaborate with leading universities and industry partners in UAS and drone technology. "Our students in engineering, computer science, aviation, GIS, photography and other programs will be exposed to technology that is promising to change ways we live and conduct daily routines." The research focus for this ASSURE-led FAA Center of Excellence will initially include areas such as detection and avoidance technology, low-altitude operations safety, control and communications, spectrum management, human factors, compatibility with air traffic control operations, and training and certification of UAS pilots and other crewmembers. Dr. Stan Napper, Louisiana Tech's vice president for research and development, says that Louisiana Tech is beginning to build and organize capabilities for research, education, and innovation in the field of unmanned aerial systems. "The university will take a multidisciplinary approach in our efforts, in part because it is one of the core strengths of our institution - working across disciplines," said Napper. "It is also because we recognize that the growth and development of the UAS field and its market applications will depend on a wide range of capabilities and innovations across multiple fields including engineering, aviation, computer science, geographic information systems, and others." Napper says the presence of an aviation school, strong engineering and computer science programs, and a culture of multi-disciplinary collaboration give Louisiana Tech a particular comparative advantage in developing a center of excellence in UAS. "We will have an opportunity to integrate principles of entrepreneurship into our programs and align our resources with trends and developments in the market and workforce needs related to UAS." The FAA expects this new UAS Center of Excellence will be able to begin research by September 2015 and be fully operational and engaged in a robust research agenda by January 2016. "ASSURE will develop new standards and technologies that will enable safe and secure usage of drones in everyday life," Selmic said. "When leading high-tech companies such as Amazon, Google, Facebook, FedEx and others already invest significantly in drone-based technologies, that means that the drone tech revolution is near or already here. "We want Louisiana Tech to be a part of that process as a leading academic institution in the State in educational and research activities in UAS area." In addition to Louisiana Tech and Mississippi State, other member institutions include Drexel University, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Kansas State University, Kansas University, Montana State University, New Mexico State University, North Carolina State University, Oregon State University, University of Alabama-Huntsville, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, University of North Dakota and Wichita State University. This coalition represents the top institutions in the United States for UAS research. "This world-class, public-private partnership will help us focus on the challenges and opportunities of this cutting-edge technology," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "We expect this team will help us to educate and train a cadre of unmanned aircraft professionals well into the future." Congress mandated that the FAA establish the Centers of Excellence under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014. Like university think tank partnerships, the agency's Centers of Excellence bring together the best minds in the nation to conduct research to educate, train and work with the FAA toward solutions for aviation-related challenges. http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/local/2015/05/12/la-tech-contributing-faa-center-excellence-unmanned-aircraft- research/27199275/ Back to Top Drones plan to cut aircraft bird strikes FLOCKS of drones could be used to drive birds from airports to significantly cut the number of potentially-catastrophic collisions with aircraft, Airbus revealed today. The idea is among shortlisted entries to a competition organised by the plane maker for the future of flight. The drones plan would involve birds being guided away from airports, a bit like sheepdogs rounding up sheep. The birds would be moved to "birdports" - attractive habitats nearby - using birdsong and decoys. An Airbus spokesman said: "The idea is designed to reduce bird strikes to aircraft significantly and to enhance aircraft availability. "The drones use tactics of separation, alignment and cohesion to manipulate flocks and divert them." A team of students from Japan who devised the drones scheme will hear if they have won on 27 May. The Fly Your Ideas contest attracted more than 500 entries. Other shortlisted ideas included using energy from the vibration of aircraft wings in flight to power cabin lighting, and a catering trolley which automatically sorts rubbish. The aviation industry regards bird strikes as the "biggest manageable risk to safety" and incidents cost airlines globally some £650 million a year. Among the most dramatic involved an aircraft carrying 155 passengers being forced to ditch in the Hudson river in New York in 2009 after both its engines were knocked out by a flock of geese. A year later, a Thomas Cook plane survived a "significant" bird strike while trying to land at Manchester Airport. In 2002, a charter plane with two pilots on board ploughed on to a road and hit a car outside Aberdeen Airport after crashing off the runway following a bird strike on one engine. The greatest risk to aircraft from birds is on take-off and landing, with even the most minor incident estimated to cost an average of £13,000 because of delays caused by inspections to check damage. The latest incidents in Scotland include a mail flight from Inverness to Stornoway being forced to turn back last month after the pilot reported a bird strike after taking off. The Civil Aviation Authority said airports had to have measures in place to cut the risk. Scottish airports such as Edinburgh - the country's busiest - use a variety of methods from restricting tree growth and broadcasting raptor calls to shooting birds. A CAA spokesman said: "Bird strikes - especially those involving large and flocking birds - can be a risk to aircraft, and so appropriate mitigation and management measures must be put in place to reduce the risk of an incident occurring. "Key to this is the effectiveness of the airport's habitat management - which individual airports are responsible for, in partnership with local authorities and other stakeholders. "CAA considers airport habitat management across the UK to be generally effective at managing the birds trike hazard, and as a result the number of serious bird strike incidents that occur in the UK is relatively low. "The CAA has also worked with industry to develop aircraft engines which are capable of withstanding the impact and/or the ingestion of larger flocking birds." http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/drones-plan-to-cut-aircraft-bird-strikes-1-3771513 Back to Top Fort Smith Airport Receives FAA Grant For Fire Protection Gatehouse Washington Burea File Photo Fort Smith Regional Airport Director John Parker, standing, discusses the transition of the 188th Fighter Wing with U.S. Sen. John Boozman, far right, R-Ark., and other officials April 10, 2014, in Washington. Sens. Boozman and Tom Cotton, along with U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, not pictured, helped push through a nearly $592,000 Federal Aviation Administration grant for a new fire truck at the regional airport. The Fort Smith Regional Airport will receive nearly $592,000 in grant money from the Federal Aviation Administration to be used for fire protection. U.S. Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton, along with U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, jointly announced Tuesday that the airport FAA grant money - $591,785 - will be pay for 90 percent of a new 1,500-gallon Index B Aircraft Rescue and Fighting (ARFF) vehicle and four fire protection suits to assist the airport in meeting FAA safety requirements. The congressmen pointed to the airport's key role in economic development for the Fort Smith region. The airport's 10 percent portion for the new fire truck will be about $60,000, according to Airport Commissioner Scott Archer. Following a change in mission for the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Wing to a space-based targeting operation last June, a joint-use agreement with the airport for shared aircraft fire protection was dissolved. The airport created its own firefighting operation last fall. In a news release, Boozman called the FAA grant money an "important investment" in the Fort Smith region's economic development. Cotton said it was "imperative" for the Fort Smith airport to have its equipment needs met so it can continue to serve as a "critical engine of economic growth for the community." "In an area with as much economic promise as Fort Smith, a thriving regional airport is key, and I am proud to join with my colleagues to celebrate this grant," Womack said in the release. "It is yet another building block to continued prosperity for Fort Smith." "The congressmen were extremely instrumental in getting the discretionary funding grant accomplished," Airport Director John Parker said. The Fort Smith Airport Commission pulled $500,000 from its reserve fund last year to cover costs associated with aircraft fire protection. That included a two-year contract for fire protection service with Pro-Tec. Airport staff sought the 90 percent FAA grant from discretionary funding while a new lease agreement is worked out with the Air National Guard to make up for the token $1 a year as part of the joint-use agreement in exchange for fire protection. A new lease agreement will help offset the costs associated with airport-provided aircraft fire protection, Archer said. The airport commission approved the purchase of a new $550,000 fire and rescue truck, along with more than $100,000 in ancillary equipment on condition of receipt of the FAA grant. The low bids were accepted by the airport commission in late February and the fire truck will take one year to build after it is ordered from E-One of Ocala, Fla. About $37,000 was spent late last year to restore two fire and rescue trucks formerly used by the Air National Guard at the airport. The trucks, which were transferred to the airport through the U.S. Forest Service, may continue to be held at the airport after the new fire truck is received. Parker said they would evaluate that option next year after the new fire truck is received. Parker said at the most recent airport commission meeting the airport is seeking government funding to help build a new fire station. "It's huge for the airport to have a new machine," Airport Commissioner Jan Nordin said. "The other two have been maintained well, but they are basically on loan." http://swtimes.com/business/fort-smith-airport-receives-faa-grant-fire-protection#sthash.Kg2l4uN4.dpuf Back to Top The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award It's time to honor individuals or groups that have made significant contributions to aviation safety-either in the past year or over a longer period of time. Nominations for the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award are being accepted through June 1, 2015. The release contains detailed instructions, but the basics are simple. The award's recipient is selected for a "significant individual or group effort contributing to improving aviation safety, with emphasis on original contributions," and a "significant individual or group effort performed above and beyond normal responsibilities." To nominate someone or a group, fill out the form available at the following links and provide a 1-2-page narrative. Submit nominations at the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award website via http://ltbaward.org/the-award/nomination-form/ ...or the Flight Safety Foundation website at http://flightsafety.org/aviation-awards/laura-taber-barbour-air-safety-award Remember--this year's nominations are due on or before June 1. Thank you in advance for your nomination! Sincerely, The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award Board www.ltbaward.org Back to Top Back to Top What goes up... American Airlines is grounding US Airways for good in October after more than 75 years of flying American Airlines plans to shut down the carrier over a 90-day stretch US Airways flights will slowly be replaced by American flights After more than 75 years of flying, the end is near for US Airways. American Airlines plans to shut down the venerable carrier over a 90-day stretch that could begin as soon as July, which would mean a final departure around October. American executives designed the gradual fade-out to avoid the kind of technological glitches and massive flight delays that plagued United Airlines after it abruptly switched to Continental's computer systems in 2012. American Airlines plans to shut down the venerable carrier over a 90-day stretch American Airlines plans to shut down the venerable carrier over a 90-day stretch US Airways flights will slowly disappear and be replaced by American flights in a single reservations system. It's one of the trickiest parts of merging two airlines. 'It's absolutely critical because it's really the core system for almost every customer-facing transaction that happens at the airline,' said Maya Leibman, the chief information officer for parent American Airlines Group Inc., now the world's biggest airline operator. Even if all goes smoothly, vestiges of US Airways will remain. Most noticeably, American won't finish repainting all the US Airways jets until mid-2016 and even later for a few US Airways Express planes. Company executives expect that they will still be combining labor groups and flight-operating systems through 2017, four years after the merger. The disappearance of US Airways isn't likely to affect fares. American already sets those for both carriers. Since 2005, mergers have eliminated five big airlines and left four companies controlling more than 80 percent of the U.S. air-travel market. Fares have been rising modestly, and fees have gone up sharply. US Airways flights will slowly disappear and be replaced by American flights in a single reservations system US Airways flights will slowly disappear and be replaced by American flights in a single reservations system US Airways traces its roots back to 1939 and the founding of an airmail-delivery outfit in western Pennsylvania that was called All-American Airways. It became Allegheny Airlines, gobbled up Mohawk Airlines, and morphed into US Air and then US Airways. When US Airways combined its reservations system with that of America West Airlines after their 2005 merger, there were disruptions at several airports. Kerry Philipovitch, who is American's senior vice president of customer experience and held the same position at US Airways, blamed lack of adequate training for employees. This time, she said, American plans to train 9,000 airport employees and 2,000 reservations agents for the changeover. From the start, the company decided to switch US Airways to the computer and reservations systems of much larger American. That reduced the number of employees who would need retraining, and it stood in contrast to United, which adopted the systems of smaller Continental. American simplified things by taking care of some business separately, such as merging the frequent-flier programs earlier this year. And it is getting technology advice from IBM. American notified travel agents Tuesday that as soon as July, all US Airways flights at least 90 days out will change to American flights in the schedule. But the wind-down of US Airways could still be delayed - executives declined to commit to a deadline. 'I've worked in technology long enough to know not to give any specific dates,' Leibman said, 'because when you don't necessarily meet that date for a good reason, it looks like a failure to the outside world. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3079680/What-goes-American-Airlines-grounding-Airways-good-October-75-years- flying.html#ixzz3a14Xaq9p Back to Top Boeing Confident on Jet Output, Accelerating Cost Cutting Plane maker says recent airline fleet changes haven't altered fundamental market view Capt. Bruce Johnson explains the cockpit instruments of American Airlines' first Boeing 787 Dreamliner at the airline's maintenance hangar at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on April 29 in Grapevine, Texas. Boeing Co. executives moved to reassure investors that jetliner demand remained intact as it plans further production increases alongside an expanded cost-cutting program. Slowing economic growth in emerging economies and recent moves by two U.S. airlines to defer new aircraft buys and continue flying older planes haven't altered strong demand, Boeing Co. Chief Executive Jim McNerney said Tuesday. "Nothing about our fundamental view of the market has changed," Mr. McNerney said at Boeing's annual investor day in Chicago. Concerns about economic growth, over-ordering and a sharp drop in jet fuel prices have unnerved some investors about the ability of Boeing and rival Airbus Group NV to sustain higher production rates, and though the oil benchmark has climbed in recent days, fleet planning changes by the parents of American Airlines and United Airlines added to the concerns. Boeing is enjoying unprecedented demand for new jetliners, driven by the need to replace older fleets. Mr. McNerney said requests for cancellations and deferrals remained at historic lows, and pricing was steady as it targeted securing as many new orders for jets this year as it delivers, known as the book-to-bill ratio. Following the protracted and expensive development of its advanced 787 Dreamliner, Boeing has moved toward increasing incremental updates to its existing aircraft, rather than undertake all-new designs. Boosting jet production and lowering costs are central to Boeing's effort to increase profits and shareholder returns, and buybacks remain a key priority for the company, which repurchased $2.5 billion in stock during the first quarter. Mr. McNerney said the notoriously cyclical jetliner business has been fueled by pent-up demand held back in the years following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and stimulated by new technology on its 787. The result, he said, is a "supercycle" where expanding output and orders drastically outpaced an increase in flying. Mr. McNerney expected those production increases to moderate by the end of the decade, more closely matching a 5% annual increase in air travel. "If there are no other [geopolitical] events" that disrupt demand, "that's the rate at which our production rates will be growing. I think it's not a matter of predicting a dip, it's a matter of returning to production rate increases that align with demand," he said. Boeing has further expanded its cost-cutting push-known as Partnering for Success-to 500 suppliers from 150 and boosted the target for trimming expenses at its defense arm by an additional $1 billion, building on $5 billion in reductions already implemented. The aerospace giant has assigned 400 engineers to work with suppliers to make their operations more efficient. Highlighting both the increasing demand and necessity of building more efficiently, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Chief Executive Ray Conner said the company will build 52 737s a month in 2018 inside the same industrial footprint at its Renton, Wash., factory as the one where it built 21 of the single-aisle jets each month early last decade. Mr. Conner reiterated the company's plans to accelerate output and said its industrial plans could accommodate as many as 60 737 jets each month, but that higher output would depend on market demand. "You can take these rates down, you can take them up and still maintain the kind of efficiencies that you've seen with the higher rates," said Mr. Conner. "You create a lot of flexibility to respond to the market in a way without throwing your cost line off and being able to maintain your margins. Your revenue line may change a bit, but your margin line won't." At the end of the first quarter, Boeing had more than 5,700 jets on order worth $435 billion at contractual prices. The shares were recently down 0.2% at $145.65, narrowing earlier losses and in line with the decline in the broader market. http://www.wsj.com/articles/boeing-confident-on-jet-output-accelerating-cost-cutting-1431442500 Back to Top Mitsubishi to create Seattle engineering center for MRJ jet One of the four initial Mitsubishi Regional Jet aircraft undergoes ground testing in Japan. The planes will conduct flight tests next year in Moses Lake, Wash. Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. will establish a Seattle engineering center with a local partner that will employ about 150 people to support its forthcoming MRJ regional jet, which will undergo flight testing in Moses Lake next year. Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. said Tuesday it will establish a Seattle engineering center with a local partner that will employ about 150 people in support of its forthcoming MRJ regional jet. The Seattle engineering center will be operated by local firm AeroTEC, which provides airplane manufacturers with engineering support to speed development and certification. To accommodate the growth, AeroTEC will move in July to a new, substantially expanded facility in the Sodo area near its current site, said company President Lee Human. Human said about 50 of the jobs will be filled by Mitsubishi engineers from Japan. AeroTEC has already assigned some 45 of its own engineers to MRJ support and is recruiting locally and internationally for the remaining 55 positions. "We'll assist Mitsubishi Aircraft with the analysis and additional engineering support needed to expedite the certification and entry into service of the airplane," Human said. The MRJ is set to fly for the first time in Japan this October. Smaller than any of Boeing's jets, it will come initially in 92-seat and 78-seat variants and is scheduled to enter service in 2017. After the first flight, Mitsubishi will bring four test airplanes to Moses Lake next year for its flight-test program, also supported by AeroTEC. That's one more test plane than originally planned. Last July, at the Farnborough Air Show in England, Mitsubishi said the flight-test program would bring about 100 jobs for pilots, engineers and technicians to the Central Washington town. Human said Monday that figure may increase to support the additional test plane. The jobs at the Seattle engineering center are in addition to those in Moses Lake. Human said that once the initial MRJ model is certified, he expects AeroTEC to support the follow-on models as well as any modifications on the initial variants. There has been discussion of developing a possible 110-seat version after the first two MRJ models are in service. Alex Pietsch, director of Gov. Jay Inslee's aerospace office, said the president of Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. America briefed state officials on the planned jobs growth Monday. The Seattle engineering center should both provide jobs for local engineers and bring additional aerospace talent to the region, he said. "We're excited," Pietsch said, "We were hopeful all along that this relationship with Mitsubishi and the MRJ would continue to develop." http://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/mitsubishi-aircraft-sets-up-seattle-engineering-center-for-mrj-regional-jet/ Back to Top China set to delay maiden flight of C919 commercial jet SINGAPORE - May 13 The maiden flight of China's Comac C919 commercial jet is behind schedule and its delivery could be pushed back as much as two years, sources familiar with the programme said, dimming its hopes of challenging Airbus and Boeing. The narrow-body aircraft, which will be able to carry 156-168 passengers and compete with the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, was originally scheduled to fly by end-2015 but two sources said it would be delayed to the first half of 2016. The final assembly of the first aircraft is taking longer than expected at the production facility in Shanghai, said the sources, who declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak to the media. "Comac is proceeding extremely cautiously with the first aircraft. It is deliberately checking everything ... to ensure that there are no safety issues," one source said. State-owned Comac, which is leading the design, development and production efforts into the C919, declined to comment. Industry observers believe the C919 can eventually challenge Airbus and Boeing in the narrow-body segment, which accounts for more than 50 percent of the aircraft in service. Delivery of the first plane, scheduled for 2018, is also likely to slip, perhaps to as late as 2020, the sources said. That means the C919 will be later, and a technologically inferior product, than the re-engined and improved variants of the 737 and A320 that will enter service in the next two years. Comac has commitments for 450 C919s, mainly from Chinese airlines and leasing firms backed by Chinese banks and financial institutions. Further delays will make it harder for the plane to make an impact beyond its home market. The first aircraft is in its sub-assembly facility, which is next to Shanghai's Pudong International Airport, and it will be rolled to the adjacent final assembly plant once the tail, vertical stabilizer and horizontal stabilizer are fixed. The two CFM International Leap 1C engines, manufactured by a joint venture between General Electric's aviation unit and France's Snecma, will then be fixed. Systems from international suppliers such as Honeywell, United Technologies subsidiary Goodrich, Rockwell Collins and Parker Aerospace will be installed in the coming months. "There is still a lot of work to do. At the pace that Comac is proceeding, they will only complete the systems integration around end-2015," one of the sources said. The aircraft would then undergo ground tests which could take several more months, pushing the flight test programme further out. Comac will be hoping to learn from its much-delayed 100-seat ARJ-21 jet, which received its type certification in December, more than 12 years after it was conceived. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/13/china-airplane-idUSL3N0Y44G520150513 Back to Top Pilatus PC-24 makes first flight The Pilatus PC-24 made its maiden flight May 11. The first flight of the $8.9 million Pilatus PC-24 business jet, announced in 2013 and originally expected to fly by late 2014, has completed its first flight in Switzerland. Deliveries are still expected in 2017 as originally announced two years ago. The jet is designed to use unpaved as well as paved runways and comes with a cargo door as standard equipment. Cabin layouts include six- to eight-seat executive floor plans, 10-seat commuter floor plans, and emergency medical or passenger and cargo "combi" arrangements. The jet powered by two 3,400 pounds-static-thrust Williams FJ44 engines took off in less than 2,000 feet and climbed to 10,000 feet in about three minutes. Engineers monitored the flight from the ground. The pilots reported no problems and excellent handling characteristics. The landing gear was left down per the flight test protocol for the 55-minute flight. Onlookers burst into another round of applause as the wheels of the PC-24 gently came into contact with the tarmac. Paul Mulcahy earned more applause as he left the cockpit, saying to the crowd that this is "a real Pilatus aircraft!" Three PC-24 prototypes will be built and used to complete a rigorous test program of 2,300 hours over the next two years. Fewer than half those hours will actually be flown in Switzerland. Pilatus sold 84 PC-24s in 36 hours at the 2014 European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE). http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/May/12/Pilatus-PC-24-makes-first-flight Back to Top Former Chicago aviation chief lands new job with U.K. airports owner Rosemarie Andolino had been Chicago Aviation Commissioner since 2009. Rosemarie Andolino joins Manchester Airports Group. Former Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner Rosemarie Andolino has been named CEO of British airport owner MAG's new North American division. Andolino, who left her post with the city in November, will oversee a New York-based team that will develop and operate terminal and retail solutions, passenger lounges and parking facilities in North American airports, the company said Tuesday. U.K.-based Manchester Airports Group, which reported revenue last year of about $1 billion, owns and operates four UK airports: Manchester, London Stansted, East Midlands and Bournemouth. "The combination of Rosemarie's experience of major U.S aviation projects and MAG's existing expertise drawn from its running of four U.K. airports, makes me confident that we will have a unique offering for the North American market," Charlie Cornish, MAG chief executive, said in a press release. Andolino, who most recently was vice president of aviation in the Chicago office of Jacobs Engineering Group, oversaw the $10 billion airfield expansion project at O'Hare International Airport and the $26 million remodeling of O'Hare's international terminal, which was unveiled last year. The mayor's office announced in June that Andolino was leaving her $187,000-a-year city job for the private sector. Andolino, who was named commissioner in 2009, had no prior aviation or transportation experience before Mayor Richard M. Daley tapped her to lead the O'Hare modernization program in 2003. She had previously served as first deputy commissioner in the city's Department of Planning and Development. The city last weekend named Ginger Evans, vice president for engineering at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, as the new aviation commissioner. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/ct-andolino-aviation-commish-ceo-mag-0513-biz-20150512-story.html Back to Top Aviation Master of Science at City University London For many Executives, the aviation management career begins with a master's degree from City Over the last 15 years, City University London's Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering has educated over a thousand students to attain one of its three distinctive and highly sought-after Master of Science (MSc) degrees in Air Transport Management, Air Safety Management and Aircraft Maintenance Management. There are a wide variety of elective modules from which all students on either of the three programmes can freely choose from. The MSc programmes are very popular because they can be fitted around a full time work schedule which can be interrupted by career moves such as a First Officer being promoted to Captain. City's MSc modules are offered at the London City Campus, at the DIFC Dubai facility, in Bahrain and in Frankfurt, Germany. Prospective students can apply online at any time of the year. These Master courses are specifically designed for Aviation professionals, who hold a professional aviation license, have a minimum of 2 years industry experience and are currently employed in the aviation industry. Fluency in written and spoken English and two references are also required, but no prior Bachelor degree. Beginning with the new academic year 2015/16, entry into one of the three MSc programmes will be enhanced by a new induction workshop in which all students of one calendar quarter take part in a three-day workshop acquainting them with higher education skills, the essentials of academic study and guidance for successfully obtaining a City MSc degree. Students will also be introduced to administrative support officials, industry experts and alumni. The new group of students will be expected to elect a class spokesperson who will articulate the coherent interests and values of that class. The first third quarter induction workshop will be held at City University London in September and the fourth quarter induction workshop will take place at City's DIFC facility in Dubai in November. The induction workshop will conclude with a paper in which each new student is expected to write about what his or her industry will be like in the future. After undergoing the induction, the student can then proceed to select one of the three MSc degree programmes and its three core modules. Every student must also select five elective modules of his/her choice. A module consists of a pre-reading/studying phase at home, a three-day presence phase in one of the campuses (London, Dubai, Bahrain or Frankfurt), followed by assessment tests (written on the third day) and coursework (written at home within six weeks after the presence phase). The induction workshop and the eight modules should take the student approximately two years to complete. This will of course be dependent on the amount of time he or she can devote to their degree programme alongside their professional work commitments. Finally, each student is required to select a topic for an academic research project and write a dissertation about it, supervised by a Senior Lecturer or Professor. City students have over the years addressed many interesting topics in aviation through their dissertations and several have earned distinctions which allow their research to be used by other academics worldwide and become public research documents. The project phase takes between six and nine months; it draws on all of the topics studied in the modules but also comprises a 15,000- word statement proving that each student would have achieved an outstanding postgraduate degree. The culmination is the graduation ceremony at London's prestigious Barbican Centre (graduations are also conducted in Dubai), where both graduands and their professors join in celebration of the academic achievement. All alumni are permitted to retain their City email addresses - the alumni network guarantees an indissoluble bond of connection with the University and fellow/sister graduates. City graduates can be found in the executive ranks of all major airlines, air force corps, aircraft maintenance teams, air traffic control facilities, aviation organisations and regulatory bodies. 473 students are currently enrolled in the Aviation Master Programmes, based in 67 countries around the world, a true global entity for exchanging cultural views on aviation and management. A City aviation master's degree is an inspiring way to acquire an academic qualification alongside a professional aviation license/apprenticeship training, and gives the graduate an excellent toolkit for his/her future career in aviation management. Consider joining us for an elite MSc Degree in Aviation Management (Air Transport/Air Safety/Aircraft Maintenance) http://www.city.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/air-transport-management http://www.city.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/air-safety-management http://www.city.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/aircraft-maintenance-management Back to Top Upcoming Events: 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 Safety Management Systems Training & Workshop Course offered by ATC Vantage Inc. Tampa, FL August 6-7, 2015 www.atcvantage.com/training Back to Top JOBS AVAILABLE: Operations Director www.helioffshore.org contact: info@helioffshore.org Managing Director, Safety Airlines for America http://airlines.org/careers/ Curt Lewis