Flight Safety Information May 22, 2015 - No. 100 In This Issue Technical issues force return flight to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport Airplane cockpits need a camera's oversight: Column...By: Jim Hall Germanwings pilot suicide has FAA rethinking mental-health tests Texting from tower to cockpit could speed flights Germanwings: Lufthansa pilots may get spot health checks Hacking aircraft...Singing like a bird Build a Hyper-Efficient Jet Engine, Get $2 Million From the Air Force PROS 2015 TRAINING The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award Bombardier Weighs Third CSeries Jet Model Mercedes partners with Lufthansa to design executive jet cabins HK risks losing out as airport fails to serve executive jet needs, industry warns Sichuan Airlines has taken delivery of its 100th aircraft Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Technical issues force return flight to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport ATLANTA (CBS46) - An Air France flight bound for Paris from Atlanta was forced to return to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport after the plane experienced technical issues. The flight was en route to Paris and made it as far as Nova Scotia before the flight returned to Atlanta. The flight landed around 3:45 a.m. at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. Betty York was a passenger aboard the plane. She says she wasn't happy when she heard the flight had to return to Atlanta. "I took an Air France plane supposedly to Paris. It got as far as Boston, turned around did not tell anybody what had happened," says York. "They finally said after they served us a nice meal, and said we're going back to Atlanta, we can't cross the ocean. Now they've turned us loose, they've given us vouchers. There are no shuttles for the vouchers. We have no idea how we're going to Paris because that's where we want to go." It is unclear exactly what caused Flight 689 to return to Atlanta. CBS46 has placed a call to officials at Air France but no information has been given at this time. Passengers on the flight were put up in hotels. They will be booked on other flights Friday morning. http://www.wtvm.com/story/29132555/technical-issues-ground-flight-at-hartsfield- jackson-airport Back to Top Airplane cockpits need a camera's oversight: Column By: Jim Hall "We already require audio recordings. Video footage can answer questions that still remain." An airliner takes off for a foreign destination filled with travelers either excited about vacations they've planned for years or eager to get home with their memories. Soon after, the first officer takes advantage of being alone in the cockpit and sends the plane plunging to earth. All aboard die. This is the familiar scenario of the Germanwings tragedy that riveted the world in March, but I'm actually describing the crash of EgyptAir Flight 990 more than 15 years ago, which killed all 217 passengers and crew. I was chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board at the time and our extensive investigation determined that this was the deadliest example of pilot suicide known up to that time. The circumstances convinced us that airliners should be equipped with cockpit video cameras. Events since then have only strengthened my belief that we need these cameras. Following a crash, investigators rely on the aircraft's "black boxes," which provide audio recordings of the cockpit and electronic parameters such as altitude, speed and aircraft configuration. Sometimes these tools fail to paint a full picture of the events leading up to a crash. If black boxes were supplemented by cockpit video recordings, investigators could establish more precisely what happened, identify the causes of these tragedies and take steps to prevent them in the future. Even though our evidence in the EgyptAir Flight 990 investigation was compelling, Egyptian investigators, who were under significant political pressure from their government to reach a different conclusion, blamed the crash on mechanical failure. Without indisputable video evidence, the story focused on the two different explanations of the crash, drawing attention away from a candid assessment of what really happened. Pilot suicide is also suspected in the Silk Air crash in Indonesia in 1997 and the 2013 crash of a Mozambique Airlines flight, and in most cases the investigating authorities or pilots unions have rejected those findings. A camera in the cockpit would most likely have put to rest any doubt in those cases. In June 2009, Air France Flight 447 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 228 people on board. French investigators determined that pilot error ultimately caused the crash, precipitated by the plane's airspeed measuring instruments becoming unreliable because of a buildup of ice crystals; however, the investigators could not determine exactly what information the instruments provided to the crew. Without seeing what the crew saw, we cannot establish the exact conditions that led to the crash. Cockpit video would have shown us both the instrument readouts and how the pilots reacted to them. This information could have led to specific recommendations of how to change aircraft systems or pilot training to avoid similar tragedies. Despite the clear investigative value of cockpit cameras, significant opposition to them remains. The airlines themselves are unwilling to foot the bill for their installation; however, in 2003 the NTSB stated that it costs less than $8,000 per plane to install a video recording system. The search for Air France Flight 447 cost $40 million, not counting the millions more for the investigation itself, the lost equipment, and payments to the victims' families. This would pay for over 5,000 video recording systems, or more than it would to equip Air France's entire fleet with cockpit cameras almost 15 times over. Pilot unions have also come out against cockpit cameras over privacy concerns, just as they did during the earlier debate over cockpit audio recorders. When audio recorders were mandated, rules were put in place to ensure pilot privacy. Under U.S. law, investigators alone have the right to listen to cockpit audio recordings and only after an accident. If video recorders were installed, they should be governed by the same rules currently in place for audio recorders in order to strike a balance between pilot privacy and investigative value. The EgyptAir and Air France crashes are only two examples in a long list of accidents where cockpit cameras would have helped investigators dispel uncertainty, draw more valuable conclusions and make recommendations to prevent future tragedies. The Germanwings tragedy shows that this concern is as pressing as ever, and that the safety of air travel is a goal towards which we must make constant improvements. Cameras in cockpits will not stop all air travel accidents, but they will ensure that we can learn as much as possible from each one in order to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. Jim Hall, president of Hall & Associates, was chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board. http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/05/21/airline-camera-cockpit-ntsb- column/27736967/ Back to Top Germanwings pilot suicide has FAA rethinking mental-health tests BY ALAN LEVIN France Plane Crash Rescue workers comb debris of the Germanwings jet at the crash site near Seyne-les- Alpes, France, on March 26. The flight's co-pilot intentionally crashed the aircraft into a mountain. WASHINGTON - The U.S. government is taking steps that may change the way airlines screen employees for mental illness in response to the downing of a plane by a suicidal pilot in France two months ago, according to a person familiar with the plan. The Federal Aviation Administration has created a panel of government and industry officials to recommend ways to improve the evaluation of pilots' fitness to fly, said the person, who wasn't authorized to speak about the project. It is one of the most comprehensive reassessments ever of pilot medical rules, the person said. "It's going to go study it in the way it should with the right people involved," American Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker, said at an event in Washington, without elaborating on the committee's work. An American Airlines employee is on the commmittee. Such panels have led to significant rule changes for the industry, including stricter pilot-fatigue standards and training requirements. There have been at least seven fatal crashes caused intentionally by airline pilots around the world since 1982, including on March 24 when investigators say a Germanwings co- pilot suffering from depression flew his plane into a French Alps mountainside. The co- pilot, Andreas Lubitz, and 149 passengers and crew were killed. Currently, airline pilots must receive a medical check by an FAA-approved physician at least once a year to ensure they are fit to fly. Once they reach age 40, the check occurs every six months, according to the agency. While there's no direct psychological screening, pilots must fill out a form that asks questions about their mental health and disclose drugs they are taking, including medications for depression. Lubitz passed an FAA medical exam while training as a pilot in the U.S., according to agency records. It's going to be difficult to effectively screen for the dramatic psychotic breakdowns that have led pilots to commit suicide and kill passengers, Philip Scarpa, a physician and former president of the Aerospace Medical Association, said in an interview. "However, there are lot of things we can do," Scarpa said. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2015/05/21/3643633/germanwings-pilot-suicide- has.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top Texting from tower to cockpit could speed flights After two years of testing, the Federal Aviation Administration is preparing to expand the use of a new technology that allows air traffic controllers and pilots to communicate via text, speeding up the process of clearing flights for takeoff. FAA administrator Michael Huerta, along with officials from Fed Ex, UPS and United Airlines demonstrated the technology known as "Data Comm" Thursday at Newark Liberty Airport, where, along with Memphis International Airport, the new communications tool has been tested since 2013. Data Comm is the latest piece of NextGen,a program that is seeking new air-traffic control equipment and procedures to make air travel safer and more efficient. The new messaging system can whittle the process of clearing a flight for takeoff from minutes to mere seconds, as tasks that once involved a verbal back and forth, writing and typing are reduced to a few clicks of a button. "It's not hard to see the benefit of this technology,'' Huerta said at a news conference. "Airlines stay on schedule. Packages get delivered on time. Passengers get off the tarmac and into the air and ultimately to their destinations much more quickly.'' Data Comm will roll out to Houston Hobby, Houston Intercontinental and Salt Lake City International airports later this summer. By 2016, the FAA is pushing for the system to be in place at more than 50 air traffic control towers across the U.S. And while use of the technology is not mandatory, officials say that it will likely become the primary form of communication between the control tower and cockpit. Before planes can take off, air traffic controllers must let the pilot know whether the flight has been cleared. There are times when the flight plan might also have to be modified, with a new route or cruising altitude put in place because of congestion or bad weather. The traditional way of communicating about the plans and any changes can be tedious. First the controller calls the cockpit, verbally ticking off the details. Then, the pilot has to verbally confirm the plan, and enter the information manually into the plane's flight management system. "So it's a bit like you're calling your friend,'' Huerta explained. "You're asking for directions to his house, you're writing down what he tells you, there's a lot of back and forth discussion . . .and before you know it 15 minutes have gone by and you still haven't left the house.'' With Data Comm, air traffic controllers click a button to transmit the flight plan to the cockpit. The pilots look it over then push a button to say the plan has been accepted, and the information is automatically logged in the flight management system. The speed and efficiency cuts down on delays. For instance, a plane would not have to lose its place in the departure queue while the pilots pull out to receive, relay, and type in the details of a new route. Data Comm also increases safety, officials say, averting the errors that can occur during a verbal exchanges. "Everybody knows voice communications take up time and can lead to miscommunication,'' said Thomas Bosco, director of aviation for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees Newark Liberty and New York's other major airports. And not only do flight delays waste time, they waste fuel as well. "Text clearance saves critical time and that time translates in fuel efficiency,'' said Chris Williams, director of operations for UPS Airlines, which has equipped roughly 44% of its fleet with the Data Comm technology. "We save up to 12 gallons of fuel for each minute that we eliminate from the departure clearance process.'' Huerta said that 800 planes are equipped with the Data Comm technology, and the goal is to more than double that number, to 1,900 aircraft. http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2015/05/21/faa-new-texting-technology- nextgen/27733239/ Back to Top Germanwings: Lufthansa pilots may get spot health checks A Germanwings Airbus A320 similar to the one which crashed The German airline Lufthansa is considering random medical checks for pilots, to help prevent any future disaster like the Germanwings crash that killed 150 people. Lufthansa chief executive Carsten Spohr spoke of such checks in an interview with the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ). They could be like sports doping tests, the paper said. A Germanwings co-pilot deliberately crashed a plane in the Alps in March. It remains unclear why he did so. Andreas Lubitz, 27, is thought to have suffered some sort of mental breakdown. Prosecutors in Duesseldorf found evidence of "an existing illness and appropriate medical treatment". They found torn-up sick notes at his home. Germanwings Flight 4U 9525 - travelling from Barcelona to Duesseldorf - was flown into a mountain by Lubitz, after he locked the plane's pilot out of the cockpit. Germanwings is a budget airline managed by Lufthansa. In the FAZ interview, Mr Spohr said unannounced medical checks for pilots could be introduced, which in terms of the surprise factor would be similar to doping tests for sports men and women. He said that in certain cases a doctor might have to be released from the duty of confidentiality, to reveal concerns about a pilot. Random checks might for example detect a drug that the pilot had concealed from his or her employer. Flight re-enactment Since the disaster Lufthansa and other airlines have ruled that there must always be at least two people in the cockpit. Air accident investigators have staged a test flight to reconstruct conditions on board the Germanwings Airbus A320 which disintegrated on a mountainside in the French Alps after being put into a controlled dive. The German tabloid Bild says experts flew an identical plane, which took off from Hamburg and returned there after flying in German airspace. It took place on 12 May, a spokesman for Germany's crash investigation authority BFU said. French investigators say they hope the reconstruction will help them analyse sounds recorded in the cockpit of Flight 4U 9525. The flight copied the various altitudes, speeds, the cockpit door locking mechanism and pilots' breathing noises. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32842265 Back to Top Hacking aircraft Singing like a bird IT IS one thing to possess the ability to interfere with the avionic systems onboard an aircraft. It is quite another to announce to the world the intention of using such abilities. And it takes a galactic level of stupidity, hubris or, perhaps, courage to tweet that you are going to do it when you are in seat 3A of United Airlines flight 1607, about to depart from Denver to Chicago. Yet that is exactly what Chris Roberts, a security researcher with One World Labs, did last month: Find myself on a 737/800, lets see Box-IFE-ICE-SATCOM, ? Shall we start playing with EICAS messages? "PASS OXYGEN ON" Anyone ? :) The tweet in question (above) suggests Mr Roberts intended to interfere with the Engine Indication Crew Alerting System (EICAS), which informs the crew when something goes amiss with a plane's engine. Or perhaps he wanted to deploy the passenger oxygen masks. Unsurprisingly, he is now helping the FBI with their enquiries. His actions have animated the debate about so-called "cyberjacking"-the ability to take control of aircraft remotely, or interfere with aircraft systems for malicious purposes. How seriously should such claims be taken? Mr Roberts maintains that his intention was to raise awareness of security vulnerabilities. The FBI says Mr Roberts had identified a weakness with the in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems on Boeing 737-800, 737-900, 757-200 and Airbus A320 aircraft. It is thought he accessed the systems by plugging a laptop into one of the electronic boxes usually found under the seats either side of the aisle. Once connected, Mr Roberts claims to have accessed other systems on the aircraft. He admits to having issued a "CLB", or climb command, to the thrust-management computer on a previous flight, resulting in a "lateral or sideways movement of the plane". Industry experts are sceptical of such claims but admit it is theoretically possible. As the data bus for the IFE is not also used for communications or flight systems, at best Mr Roberts may have seen interference between the two systems, says David Stupples, professor of electronics and radio systems at City University in London. Data packets travelling on copper wires (common in older aircraft) may allow some messages to be seen, but probably only the meta-data, such as the origin and destination of the message, rather than the content itself, which is encrypted. The fibre optic architecture of modern aircraft will not suffer similarly. And anyway, to change an aircraft's direction Mr Roberts would have had to persuade it that he was the satellite navigation system. That entails spoofing the signals from up to 16 satellites at a time; a tall order suggests Mr Stupples. There is no room for complacency, however. Last month, the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) raised concerns over plans to replace the current radar- based air-traffic control with one based on satellite navigation and automation. In a report, it warned that with increased reliance on the internet, "unauthorised individuals might access and compromise aircraft avionics systems" and that cyber-based threats present "significant security control weaknesses". The industry is acting. Airbus, for example, is working with Cranfield University in Britain to mitigate the risk. One idea is to have a preset "safe state" for each stage of flight, which the aircraft will adopt in the event of system anomalies being discovered. (In the recent Germanwings tragedy, such a system might have decided that descending over mountainous terrain with no immediate airfield available was so odd as to be countermanded.) Another solution is for all flight safety systems to be triplicated and operated on a "voting" system, meaning any malicious software would need to affect at least two systems. All of which points to how difficult the concept of cyberjacking is. Industry experts and the GAO report suggest the threat of a disgruntled employee infecting the aircraft systems prior to flight (say, during routine maintenance) is more likely. The possibility of hackers taking control of aircraft, while real, should not be overblown. But for one man it has already been costly. Twelve days after his initial tweet, Mr Roberts followed it with one reading: United have cancelled ALL my trips...and my daughters...and no refund on the Air Miles..goodbye 100,000 Miles so it seems... http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2015/05/hacking-aircraft Back to Top Build a Hyper-Efficient Jet Engine, Get $2 Million From the Air Force Get money get paid The U.S. Air Force wants you or your aerospace company to come up with the next generation of jet engines-specifically, a lightweight and fuel-efficient turbo-shaft engine that uses 0.55 pounds of fuel per horsepower per hour while producing at least 2.0 horsepower per pound. That's a lot of requirements to meet, but the payoff is $2 million if the Air Force chooses your design. As Chris Clarke at Planeopnik points out, the winner of the Air Force Prize also gets to keep the rights to their intellectual property. The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory is funding the contest, with the hopes of not only building the next generation of aircraft, both manned and unmanned, but also as a way for USAF to invite more collaborations with the private sector and academic institutions by turning to engineers for new concepts. Source: Planeopnik http://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/a15671/build-a-hyper-efficient-jet-engine-get- 2-million/ Back to Top 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 Bombardier Weighs Third CSeries Jet Model Plane would compete with single-aisle offerings from rivals, commercial aircraft chief says By JON OSTROWER Bombardier Inc.'s new commercial aircraft boss said Thursday that it is considering of a third model of its new CSeries jetliner that could compete with the core single-aisle jet offerings from its European and American rivals. Bombardier's current CSeries jets compete with the smallest models from Boeing Co. and Airbus Group NV. The Canadian company has struggled with slow sales, delays, and high costs for developing those models. A third model would compete in the huge market for single-aisle jets with roughly 160 to 180 seats, said Fred Cromer, president of Bombardier's commercial aircraft division. "We're seeing opportunities where a next version of this plane can be more of a reality," Mr. Cromer said in an interview. Bombardier is currently progressing through flight testing of the first two CSeries models. Certification of the 125-seat CS100 is about 70% complete and the jet is on track for regulatory approvals by year-end and entry into service in mid-2016-about 2½ years after it was first expected. The larger CS300, which seats as many as 160 people in a high-density arrangement, is expected to follow six months later. A notional third model, dubbed the CS500, would compete with larger versions of coming updated models of Boeing's 737 and Airbus's A320 that have sold by the thousands since 2010. Mr. Cromer indicated Bombardier needs to get through testing the first two models to determine if there is an opportunity for a CS500 that might use the same wings, for example, a major cost savings. He said it is too soon to discuss potential specification or capacity for a new model, but that "it would have to be" aimed to compete with the most popular models of the 737 and A320 "otherwise we wouldn't do it." http://www.wsj.com/articles/bombardier-weighs-third-cseries-jet-model-1432239757 Back to Top Mercedes partners with Lufthansa to design executive jet cabins Private jet cabin by Mercedes-Benz Style and Lufthansa Technik Luxury automakers like to crow about their flagship models boasting first-class cabins, but the truly elite class of travelers know there's a class above that. We're talking about private jets, and now Mercedes is applying its skills to those as well. The German automaker isn't building its own jet aircraft. Its design department has, however, collaborated with Lufthansa to create a cabin space for executive jets that looks even more upscale. The concept integrates the walls, ceiling, and floor of the cabin into one fluid, continuous surface, with the furniture similarly integrated into the design with chairs, sofas, beds, and tables. It's even got a fish tank on board and auto-dimming touchscreen glass panels in front of the windows that can control the infotainment system. The design is being showcased by Mercedes-Benz Style and Lufthansa Technik at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibit (EBACE) in Geneva. It's the same show where Brabus displayed its jet cabin design, rival BMW Designworks did the same, and where the Mercedes' Eurocopter cabin design debuted four years ago. There, Mercedes hopes to attract orders from private customers. If the finished product ends up half as stunning as these design renderings look, we don't doubt they'll find a few takers. How much do you want to fly in this jet? More than anything. In time for EBACE 2015, which will take place from 19 to 21 May 2015 in Geneva, Mercedes-Benz Style and Lufthansa Technik have announced their cooperation on the design and completion of VIP aircraft cabins. The two companies will jointly develop an entirely innovative, luxurious and integrated cabin concept for short- and medium-haul aircraft. Dynamic architecture instead of traditional interior cabin design: Under the joint approach adopted by the two companies, the traditional separation of ceiling, wall and floor will be entirely replaced by a dynamic, spiral layout. This gives rise to new, independent spatial zones without the typical arrangement of seat and wall elements. The new sense of space is additionally reinforced by Mercedes's typically strong emphasis on contrast in terms of material, colour and lighting. The overall design is characterised by the aesthetic appeal of state-of-the-art luxury embodied in the Mercedes-Benz brand. Mercedes-Benz Style and Lufthansa Technik plan to target this innovative concept at a private global clientele with a strong affinity for unique design. Lufthansa Technik will contribute its decades of experience in the customisation of VIP and VVIP aircraft in order to harmonise unique design with the particular requirements of an aircraft cabin. "It was an inspiring challenge to transfer our design philosophy of sensual purity into the area of aeronautical engineering. The spectacular architecture of the interior shows creativity and modernity. Sensual surfaces and clear forms, combined with intelligent high-tech features and perfectly shaped modern luxury are the characteristic features of Mercedes-Benz design," explains Gorden Wagener, Vice President Design Daimler AG. "The purpose of our cooperation with Mercedes-Benz Style is to unite the two companies' innovative expertise in the areas of design and technology. Our goal is to offer a highly discerning global clientele a standard of interior design that leaves nothing to be desired. Whether for private or business use, our modular completion concept perfectly fits every purpose," says Walter Heerdt, Senior Vice President VIP & Executive Jet Solutions, Lufthansa Technik AG. Innovative approach, away from the familiar In a departure from the familiar design of aircraft interiors, the cabin concept adopts an entirely new approach. The interior of the cabin is organic and homogeneous like a DNA helix. Floor, wall and ceiling flow into each other. Featuring numerous innovative details, the furniture with its sensuous clarity of design merges seamlessly with the cabin interior. The cabin windows are concealed by so-called black panels, which, inspired by the screen design in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, appear to float in front of the window like a light corona. Innovative Mercedes-Benz Magic Sky technology allows the panels to be dimmed electrically from black to transparent. Displays and touch screens for entertainment and information can easily be integrated into the black panels. In the coming months, the two companies will jointly evaluate the general level of customer interest on the VIP market, in addition to further developing the details of the design concept. About Mercedes-Benz Style Since 2010, in addition to classic automobile design, Mercedes-Benz designers have also created designs for other products in cooperation with selected partners under the label Mercedes-Benz Style. The aim is to transfer Mercedes-Benz's unmistakable, progressive design idiom and high standards of luxury and aesthetic appeal to other spheres of life. All Mercedes-Benz Style products stand out through the dynamic and avant-garde design that is a hallmark of the brand, uncompromising quality and the choice of fine materials finished to perfection. The portfolio of Mercedes-Benz Style includes products from the areas of mobility, lifestyle, sport and interior design. The complete portfolio can be seen at www.mercedes-benz-style.com. About Lufthansa Technik Lufthansa Technik is one of the world's leading providers of technical services for commercial and corporate aircraft as well as VIP and government aircraft. In addition to maintenance, overhaul and repair, Lufthansa Technik also offers special services such as the completion of customised aircraft cabins. In the area of VIP aircraft, Lufthansa Technik has over 50 years of experience in the development and installation of technically and aesthetically high-end solutions. To date, the VIP & Executive Jet Solutions Division of Lufthansa Technik has modified or completed over 100 short-, medium- and long-haul aircraft. More information is available at www.lufthansa- technik.com. http://www.autoblog.com/2015/05/21/mercedes-lufthansa-private-jet-cabin-poll/ Back to Top HK risks losing out as airport fails to serve executive jet needs, industry warns Industry groups say executive jets get the lowest priority for slot allocation and parking at Hong Kong's airport. Photo: Dickson Lee Hong Kong's government will fail to attract more of the world's business elite to the city if it does not expand airport facilities for private jets, industry executives warn. "Hong Kong is really its own worst enemy. It is crowded, it's expensive, and it's becoming very, very difficult to manoeuvre a business aircraft in and out of Hong Kong," Mark Thibault, managing director of consultancy T3 Aviation told the South China Morning Post. "Slots are very difficult to get, and some people are finding refuge for hangar space in nearby airports like Subic Bay (Philippines)," he said. Industry insiders calculate that about 120 business jets use Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) as their home base, but that fewer than 70 parking spaces are available at any given time, making it hard for domestic business jets - let alone those of visitors - to secure a spot. "We get the lowest priority when it comes to slot allocation and parking," said Charlie Mularski, chairman of the Asian Business Aviation Association and a Hong Kong-based regional vice-president of trip support company Universal Aviation. "We are seeing clients on roadshows skipping Hong Kong because they find themselves having trouble finding slots and parking space to come in, or [having to] drop off and then relocate somewhere else." "Slots are very difficult to get, and some people are finding refuge for hangar space in nearby airports like Subic Bay (Philippines)" MARK THIBAULT, T3 AVIATION Executives cite an anecdote of Microsoft founder Bill Gates being refused a parking space for his jet in Hong Kong as typical of the problems faced by their clients who must get permission to park before they get permission to land. Microsoft declined to comment. Macau, Taiwan, and the Philippines are the usual alternatives for jet owners to park their planes, but time apart, it doubles the landing, parking and handling bills every time an aircraft touches down in Hong Kong, which adds up to at least HK$35,000 for a large- cabin jet. What's more, it adds thousands of US dollars in fuel and crewing costs for flying each extra hour. Hangar space for a Gulfstream G550 jet costs more than US$70,000 a month in Hong Kong compared with US$7,500 in Subic Bay, according to Thibault. Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre (BAC), 35 per cent owned by Sun Hung Kai Properties, is the airport's only handler for business jets. It declined to respond to the Post's inquiries on its capacity and traffic figures because "it is sensitive commercial information". The Civil Aviation Department, however, says 9,117 business aircraft movements were recorded at the airport in 2014, representing a tiny 2.3 per cent of total traffic. Industry executives say more capacity and a second service provider are crucial to keeping business aviation competitive. But while the business jet lobby may be unhappy, the vast majority of firms that choose Hong Kong as a regional hub for Asia do so because of its commercial airline connectivity. Premium airlines make the bulk of their income flying executives around the region - and the world - in business or first class seats and have invested heavily in providing the flight connections that give senior managers multiple travel options during the business day. "We believe immediate short-term measures must be taken to maximise the efficiency and economic benefits of HKIA by prioritising the use of wide-body aircraft for new frequencies," a Cathay Pacific spokeswoman told the Post. Cathay and sister airline Dragonair connect around 90 destinations worldwide. The Airport Authority says its plan to build a third runway will solve a number of capacity constraints faced by the city's airport - currently the world's seventh busiest by passenger traffic. "By expanding the airport into a three-runway system, the airport can serve more flight movements, which can meet the growth of aviation demand," it said in an emailed response to questions. The section of the AA website dedicated to persuading the public of the need for the third runway says that business jets accounts for "an insignificant" portion of traffic and would only be allowed 'residual' slots. "Business jets are NOT allowed to apply (for) scheduled slots. Commercial airlines have absolute priority over business jets," the document says. Industry insiders say capacity problems could be eased if largely idle space belonging to the Government Flying Service (GFS), sited next to BAC, was used. GFS, almost twice as big as BAC, is home to the government unit tasked with emergency operations and has a fleet of 11 aircraft, mostly helicopters. David Dixon, an industry veteran and president of jet broker Jetcraft in Asia, said the government does not fully appreciate the economic value creation linked to business aviation. "They think this is a lifestyle business and low on priority. But people who own business aircraft are the people who own businesses, people whom InvestHK is trying to attract. They come here for business - very rarely are these shopping or golfing trips. It is a real shame Hong Kong is waving a big red flag to these people," Dixon said. http://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/1806721/hk-risks-losing-out- airport-fails-serve-executive-jet-needs Back to Top Sichuan Airlines has taken delivery of its 100th aircraft. The all-Airbus operator was handed over its latest jet, an A321, in Hamburg on 22 May. The aircraft, registered B-1663, is configured with 194 seats - eight in business and 186 in economy. Powered by International Aero Engines V2533 powerplants, the aircraft is on long-term lease from Air Lease Corporation. "We are happy to receive the 100th aircraft from Airbus. The latest addition to our all- Airbus fleet will further increase our capacity to satisfy the growing market demand for air traffic in China," says Sichuan's chairman and president Li Haiying. "We are expanding our route networks not only across China, but also to Asia, Australia, Europe and North America." The carrier's fleet now comprises of 93 A320s and seven A330s. It also has five A320s, one A321 and 20 Comac C919s on order. A Sichuan Airlines spokesman tells Flightglobal the carrier will end with a fleet of 106 aircraft this year, and the target is to grow to 180 aircraft by 2025. FlightMaps Analytics shows that the majority of Sichuan Airlines' flights are domestic services within China. It also has international services to Moscow, Vancouver, Australia, Thailand, Nepal and Male. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/picture-sichuan-airlines-takes-100th-aircraft- 412671/ 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 Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection & Investigation Course 9-11 Sept. 2015 Hotel Ibis Nanterre La Defense (near Paris) France http://blazetech.com/resources/pro_services/FireCourse-France_2015.pdf 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