Flight Safety Information May 26, 2015 - No. 102 In This Issue Old And New Issues Inundate IATA Safety Agenda Anonymous threats prompt military jet escort and three plane searches Probe launched after Air France jet flies near Mount Cameroon Is Asiana Undermining Its Own Safety Chief? Remoteness of aircraft crash site hinders efforts at recovery Military-aircraft fuselage to aid in medical training Sinkhole Reported at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Plane runs off runway at BWI airport PROS 2015 TRAINING The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award Egypt to Buy 46 MiG Aircraft in $2 Billion Deal Malaysia Airlines to cut thousands of jobs while preparing for restructuring and new name Two Australian aviation safety appointments made Sikorsky S-97 Raider Achieves First Flight GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST GRADUATE RESEARCH PROJECT Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Old And New Issues Inundate IATA Safety Agenda In a normal year, trying to mitigate the three persistent and long-standing safety concerns for airlines-loss of control inflight, controlled flight into terrain and runway excursions-would be more than enough to fill the working hours for International Airline Transport Association's (IATA) Kevin Hiatt, senior vice president for safety and flight operations. This year, however, Hiatt is also addressing three recent high-profile atypical incidents-the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370) in March 2014, the shoot-down of MH17 in July 2014 and the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 in March of this year. IATA, which represents 250 member airlines carrying 84% of the world's passengers, has a large stake in the final analysis of these accidents, which often spawn mandatory upgrades or changes. Another mission that is at least as important is the deployment of proactive measures to prevent future incidents and accidents-typical or atypical. It is too soon to tell how the recent events might affect the "six-point safety strategy" Hiatt oversees for IATA. The strategy addresses operational risks-including loss of control (LOC), controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and runway excursions-and emerging safety threats such as lithium-ion batteries and laser attacks. This purview could expand based on the MH370, MH17 and Germanwings events. The strategy also looks to bolster operational efficiency with standardized safety audits while supporting the use of safety management systems and effective recruitment and phasing out of nonprecision legacy navigation practices such as nondirectional beacon and VOR approaches. Longer-term projects have to be balanced with unanticipated events, and this past year the "Big 3"-MH370, MH17 and Germanwings-have dominated the agenda. Kevin Hiatt, IATA senior vice president for safety and flight operations. Credit: IATA "Germanwings is a very big topic at the moment," says Hiatt. At IATA's operations conference in Los Angeles in April, the primary focus of the 20 member airlines that met to discuss "major issues" was the deadly crash in the French Alps in March-a CFIT that the French prosecutor has ruled as purposeful. The co- pilot was later found to have had a history of mental health issues that predated his being hired by Germanwings. Hiatt says the response to the crash has been concentrated in three areas: further studies on pilot fitness; global requirements for "four eyes" in the cockpit at all times; and new information and guidance for the protection of safety information. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is taking an early lead in pilot mental health assessments, says Hiatt, by launching task committees of airlines and other outside experts to examine how airlines might determine the overall soundness of pilots downstream of the initial screening and vetting process. The crash also highlighted the benefits of having two crewmembers on the flight deck at all times, a standard operating procedure in the U.S. since 2001, but one that is not yet universal, in part because of unfamiliarity with the process. Regarding the increasing melding of criminal and civil investigations, Hiatt says the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is working to keep crash- related events from becoming a public spectacle and to guard against rushes to judgment. Operational changes that ICAO has called for since investigations into the disappearance of MH370 are notionally set for action by IATA airlines starting next year, although deliberations continue. During ICAO's high-level safety conference in February, 130 nations agreed to implement a Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (Gadss) in phases; the first entails mandatory position-reporting by an aircraft at least every 15 min. during normal operations, and more frequent updates when certain anomalies occur. Airlines are supposed to comply with the tracking plan starting next year. Individual states and stakeholders are sending comments about Gadss directly to ICAO, where the Air Navigation Commission is processing the input. "Some agree, some agree but with comments, and some disagree with comments," Hiatt says of the general process for input from states. "Everyone in principle is still on board with what came out of the high-level safety conference," he adds, noting that comments are being weighed. "That's what we're waiting for next." Hiatt says IATA is "on board" in concept with Gadss, although it wants more specificity about implementation of tracking in oceanic and remote areas. In parallel with the comment process, an ICAO-led Normal Aircraft Tracking Implementation Initiative (Natii), which includes IATA, is sponsoring a proof-of-concept (POC) study to figure out the nuts and bolts of implementing Gadss. The group is preparing its first "tabletop" exercise; flight demonstrations will follow. The group is expected to produce a final report from the POC in August. "The POC for the Gadss document will form the tracking initiatives the airlines will set up," says Hiatt. "Some [airlines are already] trying it on their own, and some are already doing what will probably be the result of the Natii." FedEx and Qatar Airways are "already there," he says, but "most airlines are probably waiting to see what needs to be specifically put into place." Actions following the shoot-down of MH17 in Eastern Ukraine have been more immediate, although perhaps more qualitative than quantitative. After the high level safety conference, ICAO agreed to build a portal on its website where member nations could post information to help airlines evaluate the risks of flying in certain conflict zones. "There have not been a lot of postings," says Hiatt, "but we anticipate that as some of the bigger players-the U.S. and U.K.-[begin posting], we'll see more use." He says airlines are turning to the nascent site "to see who is posting what and comparing it to what they know through their own intelligence sources." Will airlines abandon the site if the wealth of information does not expand? There's "always that potential," Hiatt says, but he notes that carriers are being patient. He believes that as more information is added, the visit rate will go up. Perhaps the most pressing of the "traditional" safety issues on IATA's agenda is loss of control. IATA, along with its partners, has developed new website materials with accident reports, animations, case studies and some recommendations. "What we're doing now with ICAO is to conduct regional workshops to help mitigate and hopefully [bring] the [LOC accident rate] down," says Hiatt. "We also created an IATA pilot-training task force with 13 airline representatives and OEMS and put together a practical guide [so operators can develop] their own upset recovery training programs." Upsets typically precede a LOC accident. IATA is also tracking "emerging" threats in the cabin. At its second cabin safety conference in Paris in early May, Hiatt says the 280 delegates, 91 airlines, four OEMs and six regulators discussed lithium-ion batteries in the cabin, unintended escape slide deployments, child safety seat restraints and updated safety videos designed to hold passengers' attention. There was no resolution on child safety seat restraints. Because the definition of child sizes differs from country to country, as do opinions on the best type of equipment to use, the debate remains active, Hiatt says. Discussions on lithium-ion batteries in the cabin focused on guidance for flight attendants on what to do when a passenger laptop or tablet goes into an uncontrolled overheat, and how to handle the emerging problem of tablets being crushed by seat movements, particularly in the lay-flat seats in the premium cabin. For overheating computers, Hiatt says, there is no real change in the solution: "Get it on the floor and douse it with as much water as you can." As for the premium-seat tablet problem, he says passengers "may see some airlines getting more aggressive with cabin safety talks on stowing devices." http://aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/old-and-new-issues-inundate-iata-safety-agenda Back to Top Anonymous threats prompt military jet escort and three plane searches Four international flights received heightened scrutiny 'out of an abundance of caution' after telephone threats that did not appear to be credible, say authorities. NEW YORK - Anonymous telephone threats against commercial airliners, possibly from the same source, caused a scare on Monday involving four international flights at airports in New York and New Jersey. Authorities said the threats did not appear to be credible. They described searches done on three of the jets as a precaution. In one instance Monday morning, US military jets escorted an Air France flight into New York City after someone claimed a chemical weapon was aboard the aircraft, the FBI said. "Out of an abundance of caution, Air France flight number 22 was escorted to John F. Kennedy airport by U.S. Air Force fighter jets following a phone threat," the FBI said in a statement. "There were no incidents or hazards reported on board the flight by either the passengers or its crew. The plane has been cleared." A Saudi Arabian Airlines flight arriving at Kennedy also was being checked out because of another threat, authorities said. A third threat was made against an American Airlines jet flying from Birmingham, England, to Kennedy while it was still in the air, said airline spokesman Kent Powell. Authorities initially told the pilot to land and taxi to a remote area away from the terminal but later radioed that the threat was not credible and cleared the plane to go to the terminal, Powell said. At Newark Liberty International Airport, passengers were removed from a United Airlines flight after it arrived from Madrid, said United spokeswoman Mary Clark. The plane was being inspected Monday afternoon at a spot away from the terminal. Maryland State Police said they received an anonymous call at the McHenry barracks in the western part of the state threatening commercial aviation about 6:30 a.m. Monday and referred it to the FBI. They declined to comment further. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2015/0525/Anonymous-threats-prompt-military-jet-escort-and-three- plane-searches-video Back to Top Probe launched after Air France jet flies near Mount Cameroon PARIS (Reuters) - French investigators have opened a probe after an Air France jet with some three dozen people on board narrowly avoided hitting the highest mountain in central Africa in early May, according to information published by France's BEA air accident agency. The Boeing 777 jet was making a short trip from Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, to Cameroon's largest city of Douala, where it was due to pick up more passengers en route to Paris, when it ran into bad weather on May 2. While cruising at about 9,000 feet, the pilots of Flight 953 diverted northwards to avoid storm clouds, but their route back towards Douala took the passenger jet towards the 13,000-foot Mount Cameroun, the BEA and the airline said. That triggered an emergency warning from an automated ground-proximity warning system urging the crew to "pull up," the BEA said in a regular update of new investigations. The crew climbed to about 13,000 feet and continued to Douala, where it landed after a flight that lasted 44 minutes. Air France said the crew of Flight 953 had reacted in accordance with their training and the plane's manuals. Pending the result's of the airline's own internal investigation, they are receiving "pedagogical, managerial and medical support," a spokesman said by email. The airline said it had also more information to all crews about the landscape around the coastal city of Douala. http://townhall.com/news/politics-elections/2015/05/26/probe-launched-after-air-france-jet-flies-near- mount-cameroon-n2003860 Back to Top Is Asiana Undermining Its Own Safety Chief? String of incidents at South Korean airline prompts worries safety czar doesn't have enough power The damaged wheel of Asiana's Airbus A320 after the plane skidded off the runway while landing in Hiroshima, Japan, on April 14. SEOUL-Two years ago, in the wake of a fatal accident in San Francisco, Asiana Airlines Inc. brought in a high-profile expert to revamp safety procedures at the South Korean carrier. But after a number of new safety concerns where a jet skidded off a runway in Japan, some Asiana pilots and independent experts are questioning whether the company could be inadvertently undermining its safety czar's effectiveness. Asiana's safety chief, Akiyoshi Yamamura, doesn't have power over hiring and firing pilots, and can only propose measures that must be approved by a safety panel he doesn't lead. That challenges his ability to effect meaningful change in safety policy, experts say. For example, an Asiana pilots union leader said members aren't using a hotline Mr. Yamamura established to anonymously propose safety improvements because they don't think he has the authority to make changes. The union, which counts more than 900 pilots, prefers to raise such matters through management-labor meetings, the leader said. "There's not much [Mr. Yamamura] can do alone in his capacity as chief safety officer. Although he is an executive, his reach is quite limited. He's an outsider," said Kim Byung-soo, an Asiana pilot. Mr. Yamamura declined to comment. Asiana declined to comment on whether his effectiveness is undermined by the company's corporate structure. July 26, 1993 Asiana Boeing 737 crashes into a ridge in Mokpo, South Korea, in bad weather, killing 66 passengers and two crew members. Aviation safety and pilot training have come under scrutiny in Asia as traffic rises in the region and investigations continue following a series of tragedies over the past year, including the Dec. 28 crash of AirAsia Bhd. Flight 8501 in the Java Sea and the disappearance in March 2014 of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which still hasn't been found. Seoul-based Asiana has had two recent safety incidents. On April 14, an Asiana plane skidded off a runway in Hiroshima, Japan, after hitting an approach light and a six-meter-tall communications tower just before touchdown, leaving 25 passengers injured. Last year, Asiana was ordered to suspend its Incheon-Saipan route for a week after the airline found that pilots on a flight to the Pacific Island ignored an engine problem and continued the journey, in violation of safety rules; the captain lost his job over the incident. Asiana, South Korea's second-biggest airline behind Korean Air Lines Co., brought in Mr. Yamamura, now 67 years old, in December 2013 as executive vice president and chief safety officer, a newly created post. The Japanese aviation veteran had spent more than 40 years at Japan's All Nippon Airways Co. as a pilot, safety officer and auditor, and had worked as a safety inspector at the International Air Transport Association. "There's not much [Mr. Yamamura] can do alone in his capacity as chief safety officer. Although he is an executive, his reach is quite limited. He's an outsider."-Asiana pilot Kim Byung-soo Since joining Asiana, Mr. Yamamura, who leads a staff of 49 people, has increased training hours for pilots based on experience levels and tweaked lessons using feedback on difficult takeoffs and landings. For some pilots, training on new routes rose to 90 hours from 60 hours. He also set up the safety hotline. But an Asiana spokesman said Mr. Yamamura isn't responsible for detecting and punishing violators-a role experts say most safety czars have. Mr. Yamamura's role is limited to proposing measures, the spokesman said. His remit covers the entire company, but his department sits apart from the flight business division, which manages pilot personnel matters, the spokesman said. Safety infractions are reported to a disciplinary division, which doesn't report to Mr. Yamamura. An Asiana spokesman said the roles of safety chiefs and the division between disciplinary and safety units are the prerogative of individual airlines, adding that structures vary across the industry. Park Jun-soo, a director at Seoul's transport ministry who worked as a safety inspector at the International Civil Aviation Organization, said there are no international rules on safety chiefs, but it is the industry's best practice for them to have nearly full control over safety issues, including monitoring, detection and punishment of violations. Tom Haueter, a former aviation safety officer at the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board who Asiana hired as its representative during the San Francisco crash probe, said that while Asiana has been proactive in introducing safety programs that meet global standards, the limits on its safety chief are problematic. "Like in other airlines, Asiana's safety officer can't make drastic changes alone. But he may need to have greater power to raise issues, investigate violations and direct changes," said Mr. Haueter, whose term with the carrier ended once the NTSB report was completed. He met Mr. Yamamura, he said, but didn't work with him. Airlines that lack a strong chief safety officer also tend to have difficulties persuading pilots and mechanics to voluntarily report incipient hazards before they turn into incidents or accidents, since they are more likely to be punished for doing so. There is widespread agreement among experts, however, that such reports are essential to improving safety. In contrast, experts point to Korean Air Lines, which hired an American, retired Delta Air Lines Inc. executive David Greenberg, as safety chief in 2000 after accidents in the late 1980s and 1990s tarnished its brand. As Korean Air's executive vice president for operations, Mr. Greenberg wasn't directly involved in hiring and firing, but he was responsible for monitoring and discipline of safety infractions, as well as promotions and transfers, a Korean Air spokesman said, putting him on equal footing with other executives at the airline. Mr. Greenberg, who left the airline in 2005, chaired safety-committee meetings and reported to the CEO what was discussed and adopted, a protocol that continues under Korean Air's current safety chief, Michel Gaudreau. Mr. Gaudreau declined to comment. In contrast, the safety panel Asiana set up in the wake of the San Francisco accident is chaired by Chief Executive Officer Kim Soo-cheon, a spokesman said. At monthly meetings, Mr. Yamamura can propose safety measures, which the body discusses and may adopt giving him less autonomy than Korean Air's safety czar. Korean Air hasn't had a major accident in years, which Jung Yun-sik, an aeronautical science professor at Kyungwoon University, attributed in part to Mr. Greenberg's efforts and his power over discipline and personnel. The cause of Asiana's Hiroshima accident is still under investigation. Japan's Transportation Safety Board said May 13 that the plane's digital flight data recorder showed the captain appeared to try to turn the plane around and reattempt the landing two seconds before it hit the structure. http://www.wsj.com/articles/is-asiana-undermining-its-own-safety-chief-1432578973 Back to Top Remoteness of aircraft crash site hinders efforts at recovery Bryan Keane (69) and Paul Smith (58) died when Cessna crashed near Mount Leinster The wreckage of the crashed Cessna on the Carlow-Wexford border. Photograph: Dwane Doran Efforts will be made in the coming days to recover the wreckage of the four-seater aircraft from the "hilly and remote" spot where it crashed in the Blackstairs Mountains on Sunday, killing the two men on board. Bryan Keane (69) and Paul Smith (58), from Co Meath, died when their Cessna 172 crashed at Blackstairs Commons near Mount Leinster on the Carlow-Wexford border shortly before 2.40pm on Sunday. The Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) said, depending on weather conditions, it would "endeavour to commence recovery of the aircraft wreckage in the coming days, while continuing to gather information regarding the event". Salvage operation The location of the crash site is not easily accessible, and there are no access roads near it. Investigators and recovery teams have been taken to the scene by Rescue 117, the Coast Guard helicopter based at Waterford Airport. The South East Mountain Rescue Association has also been to the site. The salvage operation is being run out of the GAA clubhouse in Kiltealy. Once recovered, the wreckage of the single-engine, fixed-wing aircraft will be examined, and an investigation will be carried out to establish the cause of the crash. It is expected to be some time before the investigation is completed. The two men set off from Ballyboy Airfield, two miles northeast of Athboy, Co Meath, on Sunday afternoon in clear weather conditions. They were accompanied by their pet dogs. A hillwalker reported the crash to gardaí after finding the wreckage, and a rescue operation was instigated. Both bodies remained at the scene on Sunday night before being taken to University Hospital Waterford for postmortems. Well-known locally The men were from Athboy and were well-known locally. Mr Keane was chairman of the Athboy Credit Union. The credit union said he had worked tirelessly for the good of the organisation over 20 years. "He will be remembered with great fondness, affection and respect," it said. It offered prayers for Mr Keane's family. He is survived by his wife, five children and three grandchildren, as well as six siblings. Mr Smith is survived by his wife, a son and daughter, three grandchildren and five siblings. A family day planned for next Sunday in Ballyboy Airfield to raise funds for Down Syndrome Ireland has been cancelled as a mark of respect to the two men, who used the airfield regularly. On its Facebook page, the airfield thanked the flying community for their support. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of those involved in Sunday's tragedy," the post said. Condolences were also posted by members of the public, who described the deaths as a massive loss and said the men were "true gentlemen", and would be "sadly missed". http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/remoteness-of-aircraft-crash-site-hinders-efforts-at- recovery-1.2225808 ****************** Date: 24-MAY-2015 Time: 14:40 Type: Cessna T182T Turbo Skylane Owner/operator: Private Registration: N247P C/n / msn: T18208280 Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Unknown Location: Mount Leinster, Blackstairs Mountains, Leinster Province - Ireland Phase: En route Nature: Private Departure airport: Ballyboy Airfield (EIMH) Destination airport: Narrative: Impacted Mount Leinster. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Military-aircraft fuselage to aid in medical training DAYTON - The fuselage of a military transport aircraft to be used for aeromedical evacuation training has begun arriving at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Officials say the C-17 Globemaster III fuselage was dismantled into sections for transportation to the base near Dayton. The sections will be reassembled to provide simulated in-flight and ground training for more than 600 nurses, doctors and medical technicians at the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine. The training is expected to enhance their ability to provide care for stable to traumatically wounded critical- care patients while in the air. Officials said the C-17 is the most commonly used aircraft for aeromedical evacuation. The trainer will provide medical personnel with a realistic environment that will include simulated capabilities such as aircraft noise and temperature changes. http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/05/26/military-aircraft-fuselage-to-aid-medical- training.html Back to Top Sinkhole Reported at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Delays and cancellations at DFW Airport on the first day of FAA furloughs were minimal, but the ripple effect from other airports nationwide could affect operations. Departure delays have been reported at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport after a sinkhole was reported on one of the runways, according to the FAA. The FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center reported runway 18L was closed after a sinkhole. Delays were reported between 16 to 30 minutes and increasing. FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford said the sinkhole was reported this morning but there's no word on how big it is or what caused it. Cynthia Vega with DFW Airport says it is gathering information and looking into the reports. http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Sinkhole-Reported-at-Dallas-Fort-Worth-International-Airport- 304994481.html Back to Top Plane runs off runway at BWI airport A small plane went off the runway at Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport on Tuesday morning, but no one was injured. It was a small, business jet with two passengers on board, according to Jonathan Dean, an airport spokesman. He said the airplane arrived at 8 a.m. at the airport, and as it went from the runway to a taxiway, it apparently experienced a mechanical problem. The plane's nose gear ended up in the grass. There is no impact on the airport's commercial operations, according to Dean. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dr-gridlock/wp/2015/05/26/plane-runs-off-runway-at-bwi-airport/ 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 Egypt to Buy 46 MiG Aircraft in $2 Billion Deal - Report According to one of Vedomosti's two sources in the aviation industry, the deal for the 46 MiG-29 fighter jets will cost up to $2 billion. Egypt has agreed to buy 46 of Russia's MiG-29 fighter jets in a deal that may be worth up to $2 billion, the largest order for MiG aircraft since the fall of the Soviet Union, newspaper Vedomosti reported Monday, citing two unidentified aviation industry sources. Cairo has historically purchased U.S.-made military hardware, but Washington suspended future sales after the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi in 2013. Since then, Egypt has turned to a number of other suppliers, including Russia, for its military needs. Last year Egypt bought Russia's advanced S-300 anti- aircraft system for a sum not less than $500 million, one of Vedomosti's sources said. According to one of Vedomosti's two sources in the aviation industry, the deal for the 46 MiG-29 fighter jets will cost up to $2 billion. The MiG-29 was first fielded in the 1970s to counter U.S. fighter jets such as the F-15 and F-16, and has been continuously upgraded by Russia's MiG aircraft company over the years. The deal will be a boon to MiG, securing a production portfolio that would keep MiG-29s rolling off the assembly line until around 2020, Konstantin Makienko, deputy director of the Moscow-based Center for the Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, told Vedomosti. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/egypt-to-buy-46-mig-aircraft-in-2-billion-deal- report/522304.html Back to Top Malaysia Airlines to cut thousands of jobs while preparing for restructuring and new name Money-losing Malaysia Airlines is planning to cut thousands of jobs as it tries to revamp its image and turn a profit in a restructuring. Thousands of jobs from the money-losing Malaysia Airlines could vanish in the next week as the troubled travel company tries to take off with a new name and a $1.66 billion restructuring. About a third of the airline's 20,000-person workforce is expected to be cut soon, with even more layoffs likely later in the year, Reuters reported. The airline - most infamous for the MH370 flight that disappeared without a trace more than a year ago - is also trying to sell two of its A380 jets, reduce its overall fleet and eliminate some unprofitable routes, according to the new CEO, Christoph Mueller. Mueller took command of the company May 1, after helping to revamp several other major airlines, including Germany's Lufthansa and Ireland's Aer Lingus. He said Malaysia Airlines will be called Malaysia Airlines Berhad as of September 1, and will take on a slimmer structure similar to a "start-up." "It's not a continuation of the old company in a new disguise, everything is new," he told Reuters. Malaysia Airlines is still reeling from the mysterious disappearance of M370 last March, which the company acknowledged a factor in its financial woes. He assured customers in a statement that the airline's operations would remain "very much business as usual" during the transition, adding: "You can continue to make reservations in full confidence that our flights and schedules are operating as normal." The cuts come as the company not only struggles with crashing finances - it has lost more than $1 billion in the past four years, and last year saw its worst quarterly earnings since 2011 - but also as it remains haunted by two disastrous flights from last year. First is the MH370 flight, which inexplicably vanished in March with 239 people on board and has still not been found. Its disappearance continues to spark debates and conspiracy theories even after the Malaysian government declared everyone on board to be dead. Then, in July, Flight MH17 was shot down over rebel-held territory in Ukraine, killing all 298 people aboard. The cause of that cold-blooded attack is still being investigated. A press release from Malaysia Airlines last August specifically cited MH370 as a major factor in the company's continued financial failures. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/malaysia-airlines-cut-thousands-jobs-restructuring-article- 1.2235407 Back to Top Two Australian aviation safety appointments made Two key aviation safety appointments have been confirmed by the Australian government. Sir Angus Houston will continue as chair on the Board of Airservices Australia and Jeff Boyd will be the new chair of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Board for a three-year term. Boyd has been deputy chair of the Board since July 2014 and will succeed Dr Alan Hawke, who has served on the CASA Board since July 2009. http://www.impactpub.com.au/micebtn/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18672:two- australian-aviation-safety-appointments-made&catid=15:btn-news&Itemid=50 Back to Top Sikorsky S-97 Raider Achieves First Flight WASHINGTON - The Sikorsky S-97 Raider hit an important milestone Friday with the successful first flight of its experimental rotorcraft. The S-97, with two pilots, took off at the company's West Palm Beach, Fla., facility about 7 a.m. and performed all of its proscribed movements over roughly an hour. The flight test took on the basics - among them three take-offs and landings, and movements in all cardinal directions at 10 knots - before more advanced tests over the year. "This was, we feel, a really spectacular day for Sikorsky and aviation in general," said Mark Miller, Sikorsky's vice president for research and engineering. "It's not every day you have a first flight, and when you add on top of that a very differentiated, new and compelling product like the S-97 Raider, it makes it even more special. "We're very excited, it was everything we wanted it to be and more, and it's the start of a new generation of helicopters and capabilities that we're really excited about," Miller said. With the platform, Sikorsky officials said the company was firmly planting its flag for the Army's future vertical lift - light concept and armed aerial scout requirement. The S-97 was envisioned at one point as a contender replacement for the US Army's OH-58 Kiowa Scout, but the Army changed plans and scuttled the armed aerial scout for budgetary reasons, using the AH-64 Apache on an interim basis. Company officials touted Raider's usefulness for special operations missions and as a demonstrator for a larger aircraft that would fit the Army's Joint Multi-Role helicopter replacement program for the service's Black Hawk fleet. The Raider is also queued up, should the Army seek a new armed aerial scout again. Confident in the Raider, Miller said the platform cannot be viewed as a replacement for a helicopter because it can do things helicopters, "cannot even dream of doing in the future," fly faster, higher, hotter and heavier. "This is a fundamentally different capability than what an Apache will give you," he said. Miller said the company had "really placed a big bet here." Sikorsky is funding 75 percent of the Raider program out of pocket, with the remaining 25 percent coming from 54 principal suppliers. "This industry has been criticized for not being creative and innovative and we think, and everything we've seen today reaffirms, that this is a game-changing technology," Miller said. "It is fundamentally twice the speed of a helicopter, with some attributes better than a helicopter." The Raider is based on the X-2 technology that Sikorsky developed in the late 2000s, but double the size at 11,000 pounds, with room for six troops for combat assault missions or extra equipment or ammunition. Sikorsky pilot Bill Fell said the S-97 was "rock solid," noting how little vibration or sound it produced, and how responsive it was. He and co-pilot Kevin Bredenbeck, who had been chief pilot for the X-2, spoke confidently about how different the S-97 is from a conventional helicopter and how impressed they are with its performance. Its rigid rotor system provided a "phenomenal amount of control," Fell said. "You very quickly make inputs in roll and in pitch and there's no lag like a typical articulated rotor system. The aircraft responds immediately to your control input." The program was originally scheduled to take place 48 months after its clean-sheet design, a much faster pace than the defense industry normally sees, but the schedule slipped by a few months. Miller said the use of additive manufacturing and other new approaches took longer than advertised, but they expect to recoup some of the delay across the one-year controlled test program. That program will see the pilots take the aircraft to its full speed, 220 knots with stub wings and ordnance, and faster when stripped down, said Andy Bernhard, the program's chief engineer. The tests will expand methodically to include the speed objective and high-G maneuvers. The test program includes two aircraft, one to demonstrate its full capability and another for customer demonstrations and for exploring the integration of mission systems and weapons. "We think it is a game-changing capability, and we are going to tee it up to the customers, and over the coming months put them in the seat with us and see what this can do," Miller said. "We're hoping that's going to open some eyes and change some thoughts about how soon they're going to introduce this into the inventory." http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/land/army-aviation/2015/05/22/sikorsky-s97-raider-achieves- first-flight/27777997/ Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST Dear pilots This survey is part of a research for master degree in safety engineering. In this survey we would like to have your opinion on parameters regarding workload during the following flight phases: approach, landing and missed approach. It is important for us to get your perspective on these parameters according to your own professional experience. This survey is appointed to Air Carrier "GLASS COCKPIT" trained pilots. However, Air Carrier Non "GLASS COCKPIT" pilots are welcome to answer this survey as well. Please note that this survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Kind regards, Jack Limor Ben Gurion University https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1E24NQIZrPQM7tFOCAFz0y4uQvell44TZ2d0ZfSc4Skw/viewform?c=0&w=1 Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH PROJECT Hello, my name is Andrea Savia and I am an MSc student in Safety and Human Factors in Aviation at Cranfield University. I write this message to look for aircraft operators (airline, cargo and private) that are willing to join my research project. The aim is to study the current practices and processes associated with safety data analyses across the airline industry. This study will explore the sources of safety data, analytical methods and tools as well as the outputs. The collected information from each company will be benchmarked against an industry best practice, defined by regulator bodies and other relevant literature. As a result, the participants will be able to use the results of this research project to evaluate the maturity of their safety data analyses. At the end of the project, all participants will receive a copy of the thesis that will help them to assess their current position within the industry and to identify future improvements. To collect the information I intend to interview a relevant person or two within the safety department (via Skype). All information will be confidential and stored at a password protected computer and the results will be de-identified in the written thesis. If you are willing to cooperate or desire more information, please contact me via e-mail at a.savia@cranfield.ac.uk or by phone at +44 (0)7574 304188. Thank you for your cooperation. 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