Flight Safety Information May 20, 2015 - No. 098 In This Issue Missing MH370: Search Expands, 'Not Possible' to Know Where to Look Next Germanwings plane crash: All victims identified Missing plane found in Baltic Sea without pilots Hungarian Fighter Jet Skids off Runway at Czech Base Alleged plane hacker said he 'messed with' space station, satellites GE pushes a 3D printed mini jet engine to 33,000RPM China's aviation regulator to hold foreign airlines to new safety rules Nigeria: Air Safety - AIB Wants Aviation Professionals to Raise Standards The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award PROS 2015 TRAINING Switzerland's first business jet makes maiden flight Philippine Airlines studying whether to buy Airbus A350 jet Mistubishi to test new regional jet at Moses Lake Global Training and Development Study Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Missing MH370: Search Expands, 'Not Possible' to Know Where to Look Next Investigators hunting for missing Flight MH370 have widened their ocean floor search to a larger zone and don't know where else to focus if the jet can't be found there, authorities announced Wednesday. The underwater operation has been "modified" and experts have started searching a larger area of the southern Indian Ocean even before a survey of the original zone has been completed. Until now, the hunt for Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 had been focused on a 23,000- square mile patch where investigators said it probably crashed. The expanded zone covers 46,000 square miles - an area about the size of Pennsylvania - and will be increasingly difficult to cover as the local winter weather sets in. The jetliner disappeared on March 8 last year en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. A joint investigation by Australia and Malaysia, helped by other international experts, has so far concluded from satellite data that the jet probably changed course and headed south for several hours before running out of fuel. More than three-quarters of the original search area has been covered so far with no sign of the doomed plane, the Australia Transportation Safety Bureau's Joint Agency Coordination Centre said in a short written update. "The search into the expanded area has already commenced, with search efforts focused in the south to take advantage of the last of the usable weather in that area," it said. "The search plan has been modified to enable continuous search operations during winter and to ensure that the entire [46,000 square mile] area is searched as quickly and effectively as possible. The statement added: "Expert advice is that the highest probability of locating the aircraft is within the [46,000 square mile] search area. Beyond that, it is not possible to refine the search area to one of greater likelihood." RELATED: What a Flight Simulator Can Tell Us About Missing MH370 The statement did not explain further, and the ATSB did not immediately respond to a request for clarification. The expanded search zone was agreed in April by ministers from Australia, Malaysia and China. Most of the missing passengers are Chinese. Three specialist ships involved in the ocean floor search - GO Phoenix, Fugro Discovery and Fugro Equator - were all bound for, or returning from, the Australian supply port of Fremantle. "Our work will continue to be thorough and methodical, so sometimes weekly progress may seem slow," it said. "Please be assured that work is continuing and is aimed at finding MH370 as quickly as possible." The expert vessels last week found a previously-uncharted shipwreck almost 13,000 feet below the surface. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-jet/missing-mh370-search-expands-not- possible-know-where-next-n361761 Back to Top Germanwings plane crash: All victims identified All the human remains found at the scene of the Germanwings air crash have been identified and will be returned to their families, a French prosecutor says. The plane crashed in the French Alps on March 24 with 150 people on board. Investigators say co-pilot Andreas Lubitz deliberately crashed the plane after locking the pilot out of the cockpit. Experts have spent six weeks conducting DNA tests on the remains. "The 150 death certificates can now be signed, as well as the 150 burial permits," said Brice Robin, Marseille's city prosecutor. Mr Robin had previously said it was Mr Lubitz's "intention to destroy [the] plane", which was flying from Barcelona to Duesseldorf. This file photo taken on March 26, 2015 shows French gendarmes and investigators working through the scattered debris on the crash site of the Germanwings Airbus A320, in the French Alps near the southeastern town of Seyne. The victims came from 18 different countries, but most were Spanish or German Among the victims was a group of 16 students, 14 girls and two boys, and two of their teachers, from Joseph-Koenig school in Haltern, western Germany. They were travelling back from a Spanish exchange programme on the Germanwings flight. The victims were from 18 countries, including Australia, Argentina and Japan, but most of those on board were either Spanish or German. The plane took off from Barcelona just after 09:00 GMT on 24 March. It made its last contact with air traffic control half an hour later, before descending over the following ten minutes. The Airbus plane crashed in a remote region at 09:41GMT. On 26 March, French investigators said information from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) found at the crash zone revealed that Mr Lubitz had taken over the controls of the plane and sent it into a dive intentionally. A full investigation report is expected to be completed in a year. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32799471 Back to Top Missing plane found in Baltic Sea without pilots The wreckage of a civilian aircraft which disappeared en route from Sweden to Lithuania has been found at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, authorities have said. However, its two pilots are still missing. The aircraft's two pilots were nowhere to be found, Lithuania's defence ministry said on Tuesday. "There were no bodies in the aircraft, so we're continuing our search," defence ministry spokesman Vaidotas Linkus told the AFP news agency. The Antonov An-2 civilian aircraft disappeared on Saturday afternoon with two experienced Lithuanian pilots and no other passengers on board. The pilots did not issue a distress signal before their plane disappeared in good weather conditions, nor did they report any problems when they made their last contact. A Lithuanian military ship detected the aircraft at a depth of 124 metres (407 feet) and 116 kilometres (63 nautical miles) from shore, the ministry said, adding that an underwater camera identified the plane's registration number. The aircraft was heading from Älvängen, north of Gothenburg in western Sweden, to the Lithuanian city of Klaipeda when it went missing. http://www.thelocal.se/20150520/missing-plane-found-in-baltic-sea-without-pilots Back to Top Hungarian Fighter Jet Skids off Runway at Czech Base PRAGUE - The Czech military says a Hungarian fighter jet has skidded off the runway after landing at a base in the Czech Republic. Both pilots on board escaped unharmed. Magdalena Dvorakova, a spokeswoman for the Czech general staff, said the pilots of the two-seater JAS 39 Gripen aircraft were not able to stop before the end of the runway and ejected from the aircraft, which ended up in a field. The Hungarian air force plane was in the Czech Republic Tuesday to participate in a military exercise. The accident happened at the military base in Caslav, some 65 kilometers (40 miles) east of Prague. Military authorities are investigating what caused the incident. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/hungarian-fighter-jet-skids-off-runway- czech-base-31146545 Back to Top Alleged plane hacker said he 'messed with' space station, satellites A computer expert under scrutiny for allegedly hacking a commercial plane bragged in 2012 that he and his colleagues "messed around with" the International Space Station via cyberspace. Chris Roberts, a security professional with One World Labs, told an audience that he "got into trouble for playing with" the Space Station eight or nine years prior. "We adjusted the temperature on it," he told the GrrCON Hacker Conference in response to a question from an audience member. "It was quite fun. We got yelled at by NASA." Roberts added that if NASA is "going to leave open shit that's not encrypted that's their own damn silly fault." He went on to discuss how best to take over a satellite, and acknowledged trying to take control of the Curiosity Rover on Mars. "[Satellites] would be fun to play with even more," he said. "We might need to come back next year and see how many satellites we could actually take control of ... Your homework for the next 12 months: see who can f-k with the most satellites." Roberts initially gained media attention last month after he tweeted a joke mid-flight about releasing the plane's oxygen masks by taking control of its on-board communications systems. When he arrived at his destination, Roberts was detained by the FBI and questioned for several hours. He was later banned from boarding a United flight. At first, the incident caused concern in the cybersecurity world about the potential for researchers to be punished for finding and revealing security vulnerabilities. But details now emerging about Roberts's activities and past comments have cast the episode in a different light. A search-warrant application published over the weekend stated that Roberts told the FBI that he had successfully caused a plane to climb and fly sideways by breaking into its systems. Roberts admitted to similar efforts during the 2012 conference talk, according to Ars Technica, which first reported his remarks. "Sitting on a 737 going down to San Antonio on Tuesday we made friends with the firewall. We overrode the firewall and made friends with the second firewall. Once we were on the second firewall we ran into an Apache Tomcat sitting on [port?] 1433. It's not patched. Have fun with it - carefully. Simple stuff," he said. Roberts described the hacking as "having some fun with [planes'] environments." "How many of you guys fly on the planes that have the Gogo wireless running on them?" he asked security experts in the audience. "I challenge you next time you're on the airplane that has Gogo wireless, see how far through the firewall you can get. See if you can get to the ground-based communication that they use ... Please don't take the airplane out of the sky. And for those of you who are in the airline industry listening to this, fix it please," he said. Roberts's case is earning him a strong measure of skepticism in the cybersecurity world. "There's little to no debate that Roberts's research is motivated by a genuine desire to improve the security of aviation and aeronautics computer systems," wrote Ars Technica Security Editor Dan Goodin on Monday night. "But that's largely where the agreement ends ... Roberts's defenders claim his comments are being taken out of context and that many of the things he's describing aren't technically feasible. Taken another way, however, the comments portray a researcher who either embellished the hacks he described to fellow researchers or felt no compunction or remorse for the potential danger they may have posed to others." http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/242517-alleged-plane-hacker-said-he-messed- with-space-station-satellites Back to Top GE pushes a 3D printed mini jet engine to 33,000RPM Amazing things are happening every day in the world of 3D printing, from zero gravity coffee cups to replacement body parts. Now we can add a fully-functional jet engine to the list. What you see here isn't going to wind up under the wing of a passenger plane. It's a much smaller (and less complex) engine, modeled after the ones you'd find on a jet-powered model airplane. A team of GE engineers created this one foot by eight inch powerplant to showcase the company's additive manufacturing capabilities. Once they finished printing all the parts, they assembled their engine and then headed to the test chamber to fire it up, and pushed the engine to an impressive 33,000RPM. All of the parts used in the engine's construction were created by direct metal laser melting. Like a desktop 3D printer, DMLM builds parts by laying down cross-sections of a 3D model in razor-thin layers. One after another, they're sandwiched together until the part is completed. Instead of pulling filament through an extruder, DMLM heats powered metals with a powerful laser. DMLM offers some major advantages over traditional manufacturing methods. For one thing, GE's team was able to go straight from their models to a finished product. There's also no tooling required and much less waste is produced during the process. Like other 3D printing and additive manufacturing methods, DMLM allows the creation of forms that couldn't be produced using traditional methods. While GE isn't 3D printing entire engines that can power something the size of a passenger plane yet, they did recently get FAA clearance to start producing a 3D-printed jet part for commercial jet engines. This sensor housing isn't very big - it's about the size of a fist - but it's the first FAA-approved 3D-printed part. GE's working on other components now, from fuel nozzles http://www.geek.com/news/ge-pushes-a-3d-printed-mini-jet-engine-to-33000rpm- 1623020/ Back to Top China's aviation regulator to hold foreign airlines to new safety rules A wing of an Airbus A350 XWB passenger jet is seen in front of Dragon Airlines (C) and Cathay Pacific Airways (L) aircrafts before its demonstration flight with China Airlines in Taoyuan International Airport, northern Taiwan, May 18, 2015. REUTERS/Pichi Chuang BEIJING (Reuters) - NOTE: refiling this because it didn't appear to have been edited to take out the "Chinglish". Any queries, please call me (David Stanway) on +86 10 6627 1277. Foreign airlines operating in China will be evaluated by the country's aviation regulator, and those who fail to meet the safety standards will be prohibited from operating in China, China's aviation regulator said on Wednesday. According to the new safety rules, all 156 foreign carriers in China will be scored according to 34 criteria, including number of accidents, their compliance with rules and regulations and the number of safety-related complaints from customers, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said. Foreign carriers will be rated on a 12-point scale, with points deducted for violations or accidents. Carriers risk losing their China operation license if their scores are low, CAAC said. A spokeswoman at Deutsche Lufthansa AG LHAG.DE said she was not aware of the rules. Korean Air Lines Co Ltd 003490.KS and United Airlines Inc [UALCO.UL] could not be reached for comments immediately. CAAC could not be reached for comment, but in a statement, it said similar rules were already in place in the European Union and the United States. Accidents have been on the decline in China in recent years. Earlier this month, a Chinese self-made MA 60 small plane skidded off a runway after landing at the airport in Fuzhou in southeast Fujian province. CAAC blamed the accident on pilot error and said those responsible would face severe penalties. http://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCAKBN0O516H20150520 Back to Top Nigeria: Air Safety - AIB Wants Aviation Professionals to Raise Standards The Commissioner/Chief Executive, Accident Investigations Bureau (AIB), Dr Felix Abali, has said that for Nigeria's air safety sustainability, aviation professionals in the country must raise the standard, professionalism and efficiency. He particularly harped on quality Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) as a panacea to avoiding most of the air accidents in Nigeria. Dr Abali spoke in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State at an event to mark the World Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) day, a copy of which speech was made available to our correspondent in Lagos, said all over the world, the aviation sector is undergoing rapid transformation and becoming more technical intensive and technologically driven. "I implore the management of NCAA, NCAT and NAMA to train and motivate all AIS staff for effective delivery of the task ahead of them. Capacity development is a vital solution to the growing cases of human factor, which underlies most of the accidents and serious incidents in the aviation industry," he stated. He said: "Aeronautical information management is the way forward, not only in Nigeria but globally for the sector to be able to provide its noble role for the effectiveness and efficiency of air navigation. There is no Nigeria aviation. There is only one global aviation, with the same Standards and Recommended Practice (SARPs), with which you must comply assiduously, being the minimum requirements for safe navigation of flight operation." In another development, there are indications that the AIB, may soon release the full reports of at least four air crashes that have occurred in the country in the recent past. A source at AIB said the Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, has ordered the release of the findings before May 29, 2015. The impending reports were accidents that occurred between 2006 and 2010. http://allafrica.com/stories/201505201272.html 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 Switzerland's first business jet makes maiden flight The Pilatus PC-24 taking off on its maiden flight Switzerland has joined an elite club with its first homegrown business jet taking to the air for the first time. With the call sign of HB-VXA, the twin-engine prototype Pilatus Aircraft PC-24 Super Versatile Jet made its maiden flight last week, traveling from Buochs Airport in a 55-minute journey across central Switzerland to Brünig. The Pilatus PC-24 before takeoff The Pilatus PC-24's maiden flight is the result of months of testing The Pilatus PC-24's maiden flight was monitored by telemetry The Pilatus PC- 24 taking off on its maiden flight According to Pilatus, the May 11 flight by test pilots Paul Mulcahy and Reto Aeschlimann came at the end of months of trials and refinements and went off without incident as the Prototype P01 jet climbed to 10,000 ft (3000 m) in about three minutes. Over the journey, the aircraft was accompanied by a Pilatus PC-21 advanced trainer aircraft, while telemetry was monitored by engineers on the ground. The US$9 million PC-24 was first unveiled in Geneva on May 21, 2013 and is designed to compete with the Embraer Phenom 300 and Cessna Citation CJ4. Powered by two Williams FJ44-4A turbofan engines, each generating 15 kN (3,400 lbf) of takeoff thrust each, it has a wingspan of 17 m (55 ft) and can carry 10 passengers. With a design inspired by the popular PC-12 turboprop, it's made to operate from very short and even unmade runways. Pilatus says that it's the first business jet to be equipped with a cargo door as standard, and that the interior is customizable to maximize cargo or passenger space as required. Top speed is 425 kts (489 mph, 787 km/h) and it has a range of 1,949 nmi (2,243 mi, 3,610 km) The company says that three prototypes have been built for the current 2,300 hour test program. Half of these will be flown in Switzerland and the other half in other environments around the world. Certification and first deliveries are scheduled for 2017 with at least 84 units already pre-sold. "It's an emotional moment for sure, and another major milestone in the Pilatus and Swiss aviation history", says Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman of the Pilatus Board of Directors. "Seeing our new business jet take off on its maiden flight is something we've worked very hard for, and dreamt about for a long time. Today, at last, that 'Swiss Dream' became a reality." Source: Pilatus Aircraft http://www.gizmag.com/maiden-flight-switzerlands-first-business-jet/37482/ Back to Top Philippine Airlines studying whether to buy Airbus A350 jet MANILA - Philippine Airlines Inc (PAL) will consider buying Airbus' A350 jet as it seeks to boost its long-haul services, the carrier's top executive said on Wednesday, speaking at the Manila leg of Airbus sales tour. PAL currently uses Boeing's 777 aircraft for its long-haul operations, having retired its last Boeing 747 jumbo in September last year. "There will be a need for us to get more long-haul aircraft for expansion to North America, Europe," PAL President Jaime Bautista told journalists. "Of course we will study it very carefully," he said, asked whether PAL is interested in A350. The potential interest comes with Airbus well placed to deliver 15 of the wide-body A350 planes this year and continues to expect more orders than deliveries in 2015, according to the head of European planemaker, speaking last month. Meanwhile Cebu Air Inc, which operates Philippine low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific Air, appears less interested in the A350 at this point. "I think the fleet strategy always follows the network strategy," said Lance Gokongwei, Cebu Air's chief executive, also attending the Airbus event. "The A350 is very ideal for long haul, we don't have any long-haul routes at this point that require this range." http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/20/airbus-group-pal-hldgs-a- idUSL3N0YB2EY20150520 Back to Top Mistubishi to test new regional jet at Moses Lake MOSES LAKE, Wash. - It's being called a big win for the state of Washington as Mitsubishi has announced it will conduct test flights for its MRJ (Mitsubishi Regional Jet) in Moses Lake. "It's an exciting time for the Port of Moses Lake," Director of Business Development for the Port, Richard Hanover said. "I think it's something that we are extremely proud of here, but what we are working towards is exposure for the port and building our aerospace cluster." This is a win not only for Moses Lake but the region as a whole. Mitsubishi is bringing four planes and 150 jobs to Grant County. "For those jobs to be here, I think it speaks to how important Washington state is to the aerospace industry," Hanover said. The reason why companies are considering Moses Lake is because of the wide open sky and their planes are able to take off at a moment's notice. Hanover says in some countries, it takes several weeks to file a flight plan because the airspace is so congested. "Our tower controls roughly a 45 mile radius from the tower up to 10,000 feet which makes us ideal for flight testing and certification that needs to be done here," Hanover said. Construction of a new 65,000 square foot hanger is also underway at the airport. The hangar is one of the largest privately built projects at the port in decades. A Spokane company should have it completed sometime in June. All this means a boost to the regional economy and the potential for future business. "This actually exposes us to the regional jet market which we haven't been exposed to in the past," Hanover said. Testing of the new jets could begin later this year. http://www.kxly.com/news/spokane-news/mistubishi-to-test-new-regional-jet-at-moses- lake/33115044 Back to Top Global Training and Development Study Be a part of a doctoral study about the experiences of multicultural learners in a corporate classroom setting. The purpose of the study is to explore the student's opinion of learning in a corporate training course using English instruction. This research is intended to understand if different teaching methods are needed to help increase the multicultural learner's understanding of course content. A focus group discussion will be held with study participants to ask their opinions. Who may be eligible? * Identify as Hispanic * Speak Spanish and English * Attended a formal training class at your employer within the past 6 months * Live in the Dallas, Texas area What you will be asked to do? * Participate in a group discussion with several other people * Discuss your personal classroom experience * Commit to about 1 hour of time for the group interview * Agree to be contacted after the group interview, if necessary Compensation You will receive a $10 gift card for your participation. If you have any question or are interested in participating, please contact: April Toussaint, study researcher and doctoral candidate (Northcentral University) Email: A.Toussaint9415@email.ncu.edu / Phone: 972-827-7450 Dr. Timothy Delicath, dissertation committee chair (Northcentral University) Email: tdelicath@ncu.edu The study is for research only and does not involve treatment of any kind. Back to Top Upcoming Events: IS-BAO Auditing June 10, 2015 Toluca, Mexico https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1710550 Fundamentals of IS-BAO June 15, 2015 CBAA 2015: St. Hubert, Quebec Canada https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659064 IS-BAO Auditing June 16, 2015 CBAA 2015: St. Hubert, Quebec Canada https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659075 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