Flight Safety Information June 24, 2015 - No. 123 In This Issue Police: 3 unruly passengers held after flight from Ireland JAL group carrier flew aircraft that missed inspections for six months Transport minister outlines overhaul of Thai aviation agency Mjets exceeds global safety standards Missing Dornier exposes aviation safety loopholes Video: Pilot Crash Lands Stricken Floatplane Connected Aircraft Tapping Into Real-time Weather Info U.S. official: Russian bombers threaten commercial air safety Refueling Discipline Crucial for Pilots and FBOs How Aircraft Noises May Increase the Chance of Heart Diseases PROS 2015 TRAINING New Boeing chief Dennis Muilenburg eyes profitable Dreamliners Watch a F-35 fighter jet take off from a ski jump 'Largest aircraft leasing deal in Saudi Airlines history underway NASA, Partners Test Unmanned Aircraft Systems Boeing says India too can make large aircraft China's Airlines Are In A Super Cycle Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Police: 3 unruly passengers held after flight from Ireland BOSTON - Massachusetts State Police say they are holding three men who were allegedly intoxicated and acting unruly on a flight from Ireland to Boston. Police spokesman David Procopio said the flight crew called police before landing Tuesday to report three unruly passengers. When the Aer Lingus flight arrived at Logan International Airport around 1 p.m., troopers took the three men into protective custody. A spokeswoman for the Irish airline said the men were "causing disruption" on Aer Lingus flight 135 but that there were never any safety issues. Officials didn't release the men's identities or say how they were misbehaving. Police said the men were Irish and were on the flight together. Procopio said the men won't be criminally charged but are being held in custody until they are no longer intoxicated. http://www.bostonherald.com/ Back to Top JAL group carrier flew aircraft that missed inspections for six months J-Air Corp., a passenger airline wholly owned by Japan Airlines Co., flew some of its aircraft for half a year without inspections being carried out on engine-related parts, JAL officials said Wednesday. The group carrier is conducting an emergency inspection on three Bombardier CRJ200 jets in its fleet, forcing 23 flights linking such airports as Osaka and Aomori to be canceled for the day, affecting about 800 passengers, they said. According to JAL, the components used to attach the engines to the fuselage should have undergone an inspection six months ago. Company regulations require the first such inspection about seven years after the aircraft's introduction. The three planes never went through the examination. They made between 1,580 and 2,178 flights during the six-month period without the required inspection. The airline is investigating why it failed to conduct the inspection. Six other CRJ200s in its fleet are unaffected, the officials said. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/06/24/business/corporate-business/jal-group-carrier-flew- aircraft-missed-inspections-six-months/#.VYqbY_lVhBd Back to Top Transport minister outlines overhaul of Thai aviation agency Transport Minister Prajin Juntong BANGKOK: - THE TRANSPORT Ministry has outlined a major restructuring of the Civil Aviation Department, and associated budgetary requirements, as it strives to resolve the aviation-safety crisis. Transport Minister Prajin Juntong said yesterday that under the proposed restructuring, the department would be transformed into the National Office of Civil Aviation. Two other new bodies would be formed - an Airports of Thailand Department and an Office of Monitoring and Analysis of Aviation Problems, under the Office of the Prime Minister - to increase the level of screening in the sector's inspection system. Around Bt2.1 billion will be allocated from the 2016 fiscal budget to cover the establishment of these new organisations, and another Bt400 million might be needed for additional staffing, he said. In regard to the International Civil Aviation Organisation's recent red-flagging of Thailand for its failure to address significant safety concerns, Prajin acknowledged that it would take time to provide sufficient safety oversight to ensure the effective implementation of applicable ICAO standards. "There is some problem in finding qualified personnel to inspect the certificates, which will lead to a delay in the new round of examination of the air operators' certificates," he explained. The ICAO originally expected the inspection work on the affected airlines to be undertaken before July 11, but the deadline will now be extended. Forty-one airlines - 28 domestic carriers and 13 foreign-based airlines - operating out of Thailand will come under the new round of certificate inspection. The Transport Ministry will hire certified foreign personnel to make up for the shortage of domestic inspectors, said the minister. The planned hiring process will be finalised this week and presented to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, he added. Meanwhile, Thai AirAsia yesterday announced that it would continue its expansion and budgeting as planned, despite the unresolved aviation-safety crisis. "This year, Thai AirAsia plans to operate five more routes, mostly to China and India. We have just received three aircraft, and will have another two later this year. We will also have a new hub, U-tapao Airport, to link Thailand and destinations overseas," said chief executive officer Tassapon Bijleveld. By the end of this month, the airline will operate from Bangkok to Bangalore, which will be its second destination in India. He said Asia Aviation, the listed majority shareholder of Thai AirAsia, had not been affected by the ICAO's decision to red-flag Thailand on its website last Thursday. The budget carrier can give an assurance that it will continue operations as usual, he added. However, Thai AirAsia X on Monday announced the suspension of its service to the Japanese city of Sapporo from August 1, although it plans to reintroduce the service once the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau gives it long-term traffic rights. The Bangkok-Sapporo route was launched a few months ago and now contributes about 10 per cent of AirAsia X's income. Meanwhile, Tassapon said Thai AirAsia aimed to carry 14.5 million passengers this year, as previously projected. It is also confident that Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) will not have any further impact on its future bookings, said the CEO. The airline is satisfied with its first-quarter results and expects the air-travel sector to continue to expand this year, especially in the final quarter, he added. He expressed confidence in Thai AirAsia's ability to ensure the utmost safety standards, while citing the fact that many countries had recently increased safety precautions, including ramp inspections, station audits and base audits, all of which had shown AirAsia "to be within acceptable parameters, with no issues for concern". http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Transport-minister-outlines-overhaul-of-aviation-a- 30262951.html Back to Top Mjets exceeds global safety standards MJets executive chairman Jaiyavat Navaraj (left) and quality & safety director Harold Stoddard inspect one of the company's business jets inside Mjets hangar, Don Mueang Airport. (Photo by Boonsong Kositchotethana) As Thai airlines have been affected by Thailand's aviation safety oversight issues, one private Thai firm has proactively ensured no similar doubt is cast upon its operations. Mjets Ltd, Thailand's largest business airline, has had its entire operation certified under standards that exceed the yardsticks established by global authorities. The firm, which also runs Thailand's sole private jet terminal at Bangkok's Don Mueang airport, is the first in the country to comply with the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (ISBAO). ISBAO is an industry code of best practice established in 2002 by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), a Montrealbased nongovernmental organisation founded in 1981 representing global business aviation. While there are some 20,000 business aviation operators managing 33,600 aircraft around the world, only close to 400 firms have been certified under ISBAO, which is similar to the globally recognised ISO 9000 family of standards. Securing the ISBAO certification raises the bar for Thailand's business airlines, showing the world the industry meets the most stringent global standards, MJets executive chairman Jaiyavat Navaraj said. He denied that Mjets, an affiliate of Bangkokbased Minor Hotel Group, sought ISBAO certification due to doubts about the company's safety and quality performance. Unlike the Thai Civil Aviation Department, which was flashed a yellow card by the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in March for its oversight of the aviation regulatory regime, no doubt has ever been cast on the Thai business aviation field, Mr Jaiyavat said. Japan, South Korea and China began to restrict Thai airlines' flights to their airports after ICAO identified Thailand as having "significant safety concerns" for aviation practices following a failed audit. Mjets took the initiative to acquire the worldclass accreditation before the ICAO issue exploded, with the process taking seven months, he said. Mr Jaiyavat urged Thai civil authorities to make ISBAO mandatory for other business airlines in Thailand as part of their ongoing attempt to elevate aviation standards. http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/tourism/600904/mjets-exceeds-global-safety-standards Back to Top Missing Dornier exposes aviation safety loopholes By Capt Mohan Ranganathan On March 8, 2014 the Malaysian Airlines flight MH 370 disappeared over the Indian Ocean, and there has been no trace of it despite a massive search operation. On June 9, the Coast Guard's Dornier aircraft also went missing off Tamil Nadu coast, raising serious concerns, not relating to just the defence forces but also for civil aviation. How are the two interlinked? The MH370 victims' families from Tamil Nadu were not even contacted or taken care of by the country's civil aviation authorities. The recent appeal of Deepa Lakshmi, wife of flight deputy commander Subash Suresh who was on board the missing Dornier aircraft, to prime minister Narendra Modi exposes the lack of concern and compassion on the part of aviation officials. It is obvious that the system, both in civil and military aviation, lacks the human touch. In the MH370 event, the aircraft reportedly flew close to 200km from Port Blair before flying south. It was not discovered because there was no working radar in the Andamans during night. Thus, government claims about secure borders and high vigilance levels lie exposed. In this context, I would like to highlight a report submitted by a former member of the Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council more than four years ago. He reported that in case an aircraft crashes into the sea, there was an agreement with the Coast Guard at Trivandrum. Chennai airport does not have a facility to carry out search and rescue operation.Coast Guard also asked for 30 to 45 minutes advance notice during office hours and 60 to 90 minutes advance notice during non-working hours, he reported. This is unacceptable as the safety of passengers and their rescue in water depends on the speed of response. Initial reports about the Dornier indicated that the ATC radar tracked it at 9,000ft, about 130km south of Chennai. There was a sudden drop of altitude of about 200ft before the aircraft disappeared from the radar screen.A drop of 200ft is possible with a sudden loss of power on one engine, based on the levels of experience of the pilots. The question is: "Did they lose an engine or did the engine explode?" Reports of an explosion and fireball noticed by local fishermen add credibility to this theory . The Dornier aircraft must be carrying satel lite communication equipment as they do fly at very low altitude over waters, to keep constant touch with the base station. The sudden stoppage of signals can be confirmed from Immersat and the Naval authorities must be aware of where the last signal came from. If the aircraft was destroyed by an explosion, there will be debris close to that position. Our inability to mount a successful search and rescue operation - in notso-deep waters -stands exposed and it is for the government to address this on a war footing. Mere words won't help. Immediate proactive action is required to develop regional systems for search and rescue operations. (The author is an aviation expert) http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Missing-Dornier-exposes-aviation-safety- loopholes/articleshow/47793896.cms Back to Top Video: Pilot Crash Lands Stricken Floatplane The final harrowing moments of a deadly midair collision were captured on video on Sunday after a Cessna 185 floatplane collided with a Cessna 172 in Alberta, Canada. The pilot of the stricken 185 made an emergency landing at the airport in Fort McMurray, flipping over after touching down in the damaged plane. Two occupants aboard the 172, which was owned by a local flight school, were killed. A search helicopter located the Skyhawk in an isolated area about 30 miles east of Fort McMurray. Video of the 185's crash landing shows it overflying the airport with only one float, which dangles precariously from the airplane. Upon touching down in the grass, the airplane is seen flipping forward. Moments later the pilot can be seen running from the wreckage. http://www.flyingmag.com/technique/accidents/video-pilot-crash-lands-stricken- floatplane#701HrhKggllpysgF.99 Back to Top Connected Aircraft Tapping Into Real-time Weather Info WSI's Turbulence Auto-Pirep System (Taps) will be available in the Pilotbrief app, or it can be accessed by dispatchers who can communicate it to the flight crew. Until recently, passengers in a modern airliner could tap into far more information about weather than was available to the crew piloting their airplane. Passenger connectivity speeds have grown rapidly, and because of the slow pace of regulator approval, far more useful and powerful information has been available on passengers' mobile devices via the Internet, but that is finally changing. "There is pent-up demand," said Mark Miller, senior vice president and general manager of aviation for weather information provider WSI. Cockpit connectivity is nearing a tipping point. Aircraft are being equipped for a lot of cabin connectivity purposes, but tapping into it for the cockpit is in "various stages of getting to fruition." In addition to providing weather information for a variety of industries, WSI offers the Pilotbrief service online as well as on an iPad app. WSI, a division of The Weather Company, also provides the weather data for the FAA's ADS-B in Flight Information Services-Broadcast system, as well as for the Sirius XM WX system. For business aircraft operators flying under Part 91, there generally aren't regulatory restrictions preventing pilots from using in-flight Internet connectivity available through air-to-ground telecom or satcom systems. The same is not true for commercial aircraft operators, although the FAA does provide guidance on the subject. Advisory Circular 00-63A acknowledges that electronic flight bags (EFBs) are "an acceptable means to view METI [meteorological information] and AI [aeronautical information] in the cockpit." However, the agency notes that because software and data connectivity are required, the EFB must be classified as Class 2 with Type B software "and requires an authorization for use via OpSpec/MSpec/Letter of Authorization (LOA) A061, Use of Electronic Flight Bag." In addition, for Part 121 operators regulations about record retention apply, and the operator should have a network security plan to ensure data confidentiality, integrity and availability when pilots are accessing the cabin Internet system. The advisory circular also points out that pilots should not use airborne Internet to access non-pertinent information. "At the end of the day, airlines have to work with their principal inspectors to get approval for their implementation," said Miller. "The guidelines provide a framework, but that's open to interpretation at the inspector level. That's the challenge our customers are facing, and we've been diligently working through the process." Feedback from WSI customers indicates, however, that regulators worldwide are becoming more amenable to pilots using the Internet to access valuable weather information. AVIATION CENTER To provide the information that its customers want, WSI has its own aviation center where 35 aviation meteorologists monitor weather and a variety of hazards such as turbulence, convection, volcanic ash and dust and provide alerts. With many of its customer airlines, WSI receives the operations' flight plans, releases and schedules so the preflight briefing can include the latest weather information tailored to the flight plan. This information is also available as on overlay in Pilotbrief for improved pilot situational awareness, Miller explained. And if the operator has airborne connectivity, pilots can more easily receive continuous updates and adjust the flight path as necessary. One piece of information that is becoming more refined via WSI is turbulence. WSI installs its Turbulence Auto-Pirep System (Taps) in the aircraft. Taps monitors accelerometers already in the aircraft and records turbulence that exceeds a specified threshold, and the information is sent back to WSI. Currently the turbulence information is transmitted via Acars, and more than 650 airline aircraft operated by airlines in North America, over the North Pacific and even one in China are participating. Miller said the turbulence information will be available in the Pilotbrief app, or it can be accessed by dispatchers who can communicate it to the flight crew. "Taps is a set of algorithms encoded into the condition trend monitoring system in the aircraft," he said. "There's no hardware and no [added] sensor, and it has a very low cost to get up and running." WSI is hoping to have Taps installed on 1,000 aircraft by year-end. While it could work on business jets, too, Taps is better suited to large fleets, he said. "Customers that have launched Taps are seeing a significant reduction in crew injuries and maintenance costs from turbulence." WSI is also tapping into winds aloft data provided by connected aircraft. "There are a number of different applications you can envision for connected aircraft," he said. "And there is equal value for data coming back; the aircraft becomes a node on the network, and we have a continuous flow of information to and from the aircraft." For pilots who use the Pilotbrief app, especially flying business jets with airborne Internet access, WSI is working on optimizing the data flow to avoid high data charges. One way to do this is to host mapping data, which doesn't change much, onboard a server on the aircraft and download only the updated weather data. "Everybody is motivated to optimize that experience for the ultimate end user, who is the pilot," Miller said. "To me it's one of these transformative times in aviation, the convergence of technology and the potential to unlock so much in terms of safety and efficiency." http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2015-06-23/connected-aircraft-tapping-real- time-weather-info Back to Top U.S. official: Russian bombers threaten commercial air safety LONDON - Russia's increasingly aggressive military flights near European airspace pose a risk to commercial air safety in the region's crowded skies, the commander of the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command said Friday. The past year has seen a marked increase in the number of long-range Russian bombers that have approached European airspace near Britain, the Baltics or Scandinavia and have been escorted out of the area. Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson said U.S. forces in the area are following accepted safety practices to make sure that accidents are avoided but Russian bombers do not take basic safety measures to prevent dangers to commercial air travel. "When we fly on a flight plan, we announce it, we squawk, our transponders are on, we talk to air traffic control. We're following all the international norms," Wilson said in a meeting at the RAF club in London. "That isn't happening with Russia." Wilson said so far Russian bombers have stopped short of crossing into European airspace but said the practice brings "unannounced" Russian bombers into international airspace heavily used by commercial pilots who depend on air traffic control guidance. "We would not do that," he said. "It puts people at risk." The Russian bomber runs have not caused any accidents. But a civilian plane was shot down last summer over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people aboard. Ukraine and the West suspect it was destroyed by a Russian surface-to-air missile fired by Russian soldiers or Russia-backed separatist rebels fighting in the area. Russia denies that and has suggested it was a Ukrainian missile. Wilson said Russia's motives in the increased bomber runs are unclear and part of a troubling pattern that includes the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine last year. "Russia is using disinformation and misinformation and skillfully manipulating the media," he said. http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2015/06/19/us-official-russian-bombers-threaten- commercial-air-safety/28982503/ Back to Top Refueling Discipline Crucial for Pilots and FBOs Assuming your fuel is fine can leave you with few options, all unwelcome Refueling Discipline Professional pilots can be absolute perfectionists regarding preflight planning, cockpit resource management and adherence to SOPs. So, why is it that a large percentage of them aren't equally fastidious about what's in the fuel tanks of their aircraft? That's a question asked by an increasing number of concerned pilots and FBO owners, among others. They know that pilots' and passengers' lives depend upon fuel quality and purity. Consider the recent experience of a San Diego-based broker who sold a 2007 Piper Meridian to a buyer in Coolangatta, Australia, just south of Brisbane. As a condition of the sale, the broker needed to ferry the airplane from California to Australia, a 6,700+ nm, four-leg trip with long flights over some of the most isolated sections of the Pacific. San Diego to Honolulu was the first and longest leg, a nearly 2,300-nm stretch over open water. For the broker, ETOPS truly meant, "engine turns or pilot swims." He had confidence, though, that the Meridian's single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6A turboprop was up to the job - if fed with pure jet fuel. The broker was fastidious in his preflight preparations, including draining all aircraft fuel sumps, checking for contamination and discarding the fuel samples in an EPA-approved waste tank. At the FBO he owns, he also checked the quality of the fuel on the truck that would fill the Meridian's wing and ferry tanks, ensuring that the fuel met ASTM standards, that the refueling personnel were properly trained, and that the tanks and trucks contained only "clean and bright" Jet-A. After fueling the aircraft, he let the wing tanks settle for several hours and then again sampled the aircraft fuel to ensure it was pure, free of water and other contaminants. After some minor delays, he launched off on the 10+ hr. mission from San Diego-Gillespie Field to Hilo, Hawaii. Favorable winds saved fuel, so he was able to divert from Hilo and press on farther. He arrived in Oahu late in the evening, just before midnight. No line service personnel were on duty at the FBO, so he chocked the airplane by himself and secured it for the night. The next morning, he returned to the FBO and requested fuel. As a precaution, he asked one of the line service managers when they last sampled the Jet-A in their trucks. The manager replied that checking fuel quality was a "night shift" function. A red flag shot up. The broker said he arrived late on the previous evening and there was no "night shift" on duty. So, how could the "night shift" have sampled truck fuel and checked it for contaminants? When requested, the line service manager also could not produce logs of when the fuel trucks last were checked for fuel quality. However, he verbally assured the broker that the fuel was quite pure. At that point, the skeptical broker insisted upon witnessing the FBO's line service personnel check the trucks for fuel purity before he would allow his airplane to be refueled. A couple of quarts of Jet-A were tapped off the first truck and fed into a standard white bucket. The results were damning. The sample was filled with water and other contaminants. It appeared that the truck's fuel hadn't been checked in weeks. The broker requested a second truck. When the fuel sample was tapped into the white bucket, it was full of sand and other particulates, but at least there was no water. After several samples were drawn, the fuel eventually appeared "clean and bright," free of visible contaminants. The broker also insisted that the line service personnel perform a specific gravity check using a hydrometer to check for dissolved water or other invisible liquid contaminants, such as other types of fuel. The line service personnel at the FBO seemed surprised at the need for such meticulous fuel checks, but the broker explained that it was no more unreasonable than asking that, before commencing a surgical procedure, your doctor's team be required to scrub with antimicrobial soap, don sterile garments and snap on fresh latex gloves. Once assured that the Meridian could be replenished with clean fuel, the broker filled the tanks and departed for Majuro, Marshall Islands, an almost 2,000-nm leg. At each stopover, the broker was equally meticulous about checking fuel quality and draining the aircraft's sumps. The rest of the trip went without incident, as the aircraft flew on to Honiara on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands and finally south to Australia's Gold Coast. Many business aircraft pilots assume that fuel sold by well-established, reputable FBOs is clean, pure and dry. They simply don't bother to check fuel purity at refueling stopovers. Perhaps that's why the questions posed to customers by line personnel are typically, "How many gallons? With or without Prist? What type of credit card?" They are not accustomed to pilots' inquiring about or personally checking the FBO's fuel quality. It's true that most FBOs attempt to adhere to the fuel storage, handling and dispensing protocols contained in FAA Advisory Circular AC 150/5230-4B and even perhaps ATA Specification 103, the airline association's Standard for Jet Fuel Quality Control at Airports, and the ASTM's Aviation Fuel Quality Control Procedures, a comprehensive guide by fuels expert Jim Gammon. But it's also true that many people who refuel aircraft are entry-level employees, young, inexperienced and minimally paid. Mentoring is often minimal and oversight casual. Compliance with standards is not assured. Fueling a $60 million business jet may be a line service specialist's first job in the aviation industry. There's little incentive to study fuel quality control procedures when you're being paid $10 per hour and a penny per gallon. During initial indoctrination, refuelers may receive cursory training regarding how to check fuel specific gravity, assure safe vapor concentrations and confirm static bonding. But if a fatal aircraft accident were to occur as a result of an FBO's mishandling of fuel, it's questionable if many line service specialists could provide clear and convincing testimony in court that they had taken all prudent steps to assure fuel purity. An FBO's potential liability in a tort action could exceed several hundred-million dollars. That's a key reason why the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) created the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handlers. IS- BAH starts by incorporating NATA's Safety 1st ground audit check, but it also follows IS-BAO for the SOP disciplines, personnel resource management, continuous improvement SMS processes and meticulous record-keeping protocols. In February 2015, SRC Aviation at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi became the first FBO to be certified to the IS-BAH standard. The following month, American Aero, a Signature Select FBO at Fort Worth-Meacham International Airport (FTW), became the first FBO in the Western Hemisphere to earn Stage I IS-BAH certification. Riggs Brown, president of American Aero, worked closely with Robert Agostino, aviation director at Group Holdings, an affiliated company that has earned Stage III IS-BAO certification, to develop the disciplines needed to earn IS-BAH certification. "We already had the SOPs in place, but it was more challenging to implement the safety management system," says Brown. "Similar to IS-BAO, IS-BAH's SMS is a non-punitive, self-reporting process." Agostino, who also serves as American Aero's vice president, says that earning IS-BAH certification was a top priority. "Safety doesn't end when the engines stop turning and the chocks are in place. The whole purpose of IS- BAH, as with IS-BAO, is to determine if you have the habit patterns that promote safety. SMS is a continuous feedback, closed-loop process that determines whether you have personnel or process issues," says Agostino. He notes that while the process is non-punitive, "there is no protection against negligence or malfeasance." "IS-BAH is the logical extension of the safety envelope, and it sets an international standard for operations in business and general aviation aircraft ground handling," says Brown. As with IS-BAO, IS-BAH certification requires a multi-step audit by an accredited third-party. The audit checks the FBO's organizational structure, its normal and emergency procedures and its SMS. "It's a voluntary accreditation that clearly demonstrates that we deliver the best and safest services in the industry," says Brown. David Gonzales is American Aero's line service manager. "Fuel quality is our No. 1 priority." This starts by checking the documentation accompanying every load of fuel from the supplier in accordance with ASTM D1655 (jet fuel standards) and ATA Spec 103 procedures, as shown in Figure 1. The fuel batch and serial number of the tank trailer also are recorded. Before accepting a fuel load from a supplier, Gonzales insists on parking the truck for several minutes to let any water and contaminants settle to the bottom of the tank. A fuel sample then is taken to check that the fuel is "clear and bright," free of visible water and that it meets temperature-adjusted, density standards in accordance with ASTM D1298. Contaminated fuel must be discarded into a waste tank for disposal and subsequently salvaged by a third- party firm. Clear and bright fuel samples are emptied into a reclamation tank that recycles fuel back into the FBO's storage tanks. Every morning, as shown in Figure 2, Gonzales' team samples aircraft fuel at storage tanks, filters, pumps and trucks. Any sediment, particulates or water is drained off and discarded into the waste tank. Clean fuel samples are recycled through the 30-gal. reclamation tank. The two-tank system already has paid for itself because it minimizes the quantity of fuel that must be discarded into the waste tank. "We've adhered to ATA 103 and NATA safety protocols for the past 24 months. For instance, we top off our trucks every day because we don't want condensation to form inside the tank that could contaminate the fuel," says Gonzales. As shown in Figure 3, American Aero also has procedures in place that enable pilots to have line service personnel check the fuel coming from the truck prior to having their aircraft refueled. Available checks include visible free water, ASTM D2276 particulate color and particle assessment. Some flight crewmembers also may want to see a thermo-hydrometer test to check fuel density and a dye test to check for water saturation in the fuel. Most checks can be performed with a visual fuel sampler vessel (Figure 4). If pilots sump their aircraft, the fuel sample must be discarded into the FBO's waste tank, even if it's "clear and bright," free of contaminants and water. Once fuel is dispensed from the FBO's truck and into a customer airplane, it cannot be returned to the FBO's storage facility, a rule to prevent possible inadvertent contamination. On occasion, an FBO may have to defuel an aircraft for fuel system maintenance, repairs or an inspection. The captured fuel may be used to refill the same aircraft from which it was drained, but it cannot be returned to the FBO's storage tanks for use in other aircraft. How to Check Your Fuel A surprising number of turbine aircraft pilots do not regularly sump the fuel tanks of their aircraft to check for water and contaminants. Take the case of a San Diego-based business aircraft that is stored in a leased hangar at Gillespie Field. The hangar owner, who also supplies fuel for the aircraft at its home base, asked the flight department manager if he would like to have fuel samples drawn from the aircraft, to which he assented. When samples were taken, several gallons of fuel in the white bucket contained water, odorous microbial contaminants and particulates. Several of the sump drains also temporarily stuck open, as they were partly clogged by contaminants and strands of tank sealant. When the process was complete, the hangar owner disposed of the fuel samples in a 30-gal. waste tank, almost overfilling it with contaminated fuel. Asked how often the aircraft's fuel tanks were sumped, the flight department manager said that it wasn't a regular procedure conducted by flight crews and he couldn't recall when the aircraft's fuel purity was last checked. This lapse was in spite of the aircraft's routinely being flown on missions to Hawaii and back. However, many conscientious flight department managers, including those with IS-BAO certifications, also do not require flight crews to sample aircraft fuel routinely. Rather, to comply with AFM requirements for fuel sample checking, they have maintenance crews sump the tanks and log the events. Most flight departments have their aircraft refueled as soon as possible after landing, and then it sits for several hours. This provides time for most water and contaminants to settle to the bottom of the aircraft fuel tanks before sumps are drained and fuel samples taken. Few flight departments require pilots to check sump drains during layovers. But many carefully vet the fuel handling processes of FBOs from which they buy Jet-A. Most require one flight crewmember to be present during aircraft refueling to assure that the correct type of fuel is put into the tanks and that line service personnel comply with best standards for fuel quality checking. In case of any questions regarding fuel purity, many departments require their flight crewmembers to have line service personnel perform ATA Spec 103 spot checks on fuel dispensing equipment, such as a white bucket check or visual fuel sampler vessel check. In some cases, spot checks of fuel quality by flight crews have triggered comprehensive investigations of some FBOs by major flight departments. Lack of proper fuel handling procedures, plus missing logs and records, has led to some FBOs being blacklisted by major flight departments. Flight departments and FBOs have well-established industry resources, such as those cited above, to help them develop procedures that assure aircraft are replenished with pure, clean and dry ASTM-standard aviation fuels. But fuel safety ultimately depends on the willingness of all involved to embrace best practices voluntarily. A cavalier approach to aircraft fuel quality management could introduce an aircraft operator to an unwelcome, extended stay on a polar ice cap, or in a broiling, hostile desert, or on a life raft a long, long way from home. B&CA This article appears in the June issue of Business & Commercial Aviation under the title, "Refueling Discipline." http://aviationweek.com/business-aviation/refueling-discipline-crucial-pilots-and-fbos Back to Top How Aircraft Noises May Increase the Chance of Heart Diseases Recent studies from the US and UK have revealed that aircraft noises can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This means that people living close to airport runways, therefore constantly exposed to the nonstop noise of airplane engines, are at higher risk of developing certain diseases. Is there any real foundation? Let's examine: INFLUENCE ON NEWLY BUILT AIRPORTS The constant noise produced by engines has been proven to cause harm to health and reduce the quality of people's lives. After these studies were released, it is believed that their findings should have influence on future plans on building new airports and runways. Professor Stephen Stansfeld from Queen Mary University of London, wrote in an editorial that "the results imply that the siting of airports and consequent exposure to aircraft noise may have direct effects on the health of the surrounding population. Planners need to take this into account when expanding airports in heavily populated areas or planning new airports." LET'S LOOK AT STATS: 20% MORE LIKELY? The British Medical journal published a study online where it looked at the health of people living close to Heathrow airport in London, and it revealed that those with the higher exposure to aircraft noises have up to 20% more chances of developing cardiovascular diseases. These mainly include strokes and coronary heart disease. Linked to this, a study on the health of Americans over the age of 65 living close to 89 US airpots revealed that their risk went up "3,5% for every extra 10 decibels of noise". SLEEP DISTURBANCE AND ANNOYANCE ARE HEAVY FACTORS These studies obviously show just a possible link between the development of cardiovascular deceases and aircraft noise exposure, but no actual proof. However, it is widely recognised that sleep disturbance, annoyance(?) and all other factors that are immediate consequences of the noise caused by planes constantly flying over your home, generally reduce life quality, making the development of diseases more likely. http://clapway.com/2015/06/23/how-aircraft-noises-may-increase-the-chance-of-heart- diseases/#ixzz3dyqGnliJ Back to Top Back to Top New Boeing chief Dennis Muilenburg eyes profitable Dreamliners Dennis Muilenburg The steady procession of 787 Dreamliners under assembly at Boeing's Everett facility near Seattle gives the impression of success for an aircraft programme that has been a commercial triumph but beset by operational mishaps. About 10 widebody aircraft roll out of the factory for delivery to customers each month. The 250 aircraft already delivered are beginning to fulfil the promises of fuel-efficient, reliable transport that made airlines order more than 800 787s before the first had even flown. FirstFT is our new essential daily email briefing of the best stories from across the web However, as each aircraft left the facility in Everett in this year's first quarter, about $26m in Boeing's operating profit departed with it. Although the company has conquered the series of production challenges and reliability issues that faced the aircraft during its inception, costs for manufacturing 787s remain stubbornly high. The challenge of producing 787s profitably - a landmark that Boeing hopes to pass later this year - is one of the biggest issues facing Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing's chief operating officer, as he prepares to take the helm as chief executive on July 1. Boeing unexpectedly announced on Tuesday that Jim McNerney, chief executive since 2005, would step down in Mr Muilenburg's favour but remain chairman. Dreamliners cost more than other aircraft to produce because of a range of problems, including the deployment of extra workers to each aircraft. The problem is one of a series facing Boeing that are enviable compared with those of 10 years ago, but nonetheless pressing. The company must discover how to make the investments needed to deliver its backlog of 5,700 orders for commercial aircraft - worth $435bn - without substantially damaging profit margins. The challenges across the industry of the ramp-up were apparent at last week's Paris Air Show when the chief executive of France's Safran, a jet engine maker, questioned the planned production rates . Greg Smith, Boeing's chief financial officer, said after Boeing's first-quarter results in April that the company was making "good improvements on unit cost" for the 787. "Still got a long way to go, but making good progress," he added. Richard Aboulafia, an analyst at the Virginia-based Teal Group, says that deferred production costs - higher-than-expected costs of producing early aircraft, which will be amortised over the programme's lifetime - have reached $27bn after about 250 aircraft, however. "Every time they deliver one they're setting fire to nearly $30m," Mr Aboulafia says. The 787's problems are especially acute because it is one of two revolutionary aircraft developed in the past decade - along with Airbus's A380 superjumbo - that have proved difficult to manufacture reliably. The 787's wings and fuselage are formed mainly from plastic composites, rather than traditional aluminium. The design's novelty caused a series of cost and time overruns in development. Small fires in two overheating batteries led to the fleet's grounding from January to April 2013. The experience prompted both big manufacturers to retreat into developing new aircraft mainly by tweaking existing designs, rather than from a clean sheet. Chart: Boeing's order backlog Even the introduction of the two less groundbreaking designs of Boeing - the re-engined 737Max narrow- body and the 777x variant of its 777 wide-body jet - is expected to prove demanding. Production of the first 737Max, which will carry more efficient engines, started on May 29 this year. The 777x will feature carbon-fibre wings, like the 787, and is due to start production in 2018. Mr Muilenburg must also decide what to do about plugging the gap in Boeing's range between the 737 and 787 - a hole that was previously filled by the longer-range 757 narrow-body. Loren Thompson, an analyst at the Virginia-based Lexington Institute, says that Airbus will always pose the greatest competitive threat to Boeing. "Any problems in terms of costs and delays in its jetliners will be the top of the chief executive's priority list," he says. On the military side, the company is due to start delivering 179 air-to-air refuelling tankers to the US Air Force and is seeking, in consortium with Lockheed Martin, to win the contract to supply the air force with a new long-range strike bomber. The Boeing consortium is competing against Northrop Grumman. Chart: Projected new aircraft deliveries: 2015-34 "The most important near-term objective the company has is to secure the award for the air force's long- range strike bomber, which ultimately could be worth $100bn over several decades," Mr Thompson says. Nevertheless, there is general consensus that Mr McNerney has revived Boeing's competitiveness. Boeing's sales, which were $52.5bn in 2004, were $90.8bn last year. It is a measure of his achievement that the problems he bequeaths to Mr Muilenburg are mainly ones of growth and investment, rather than managing decline. "When McNerney came to Boeing, it was a fairly troubled organisation," Mr Thompson says. "He has step- by-step turned it into a well-run company, with huge additional opportunities." http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/1bb610a8-1a01-11e5-a130-2e7db721f996.html#axzz3dycT8cxc Back to Top Watch a F-35 fighter jet take off from a ski jump Here's the first time an F-35B has taken off from a ski jump. The little boost not only looks cool, like a stunt ramp, but helps the fighter jet take off with a more upward flight path. These type of ski ramps are actually installed on aircraft carriers so it's important for the, um, troubled (cursed?) aircraft to nail it lest it take a dive into the ocean. The use of a ski-jump for carrier operations is used around the world for both standard fixed wing and STOVL (Harrier) carrier aircraft. This configuration allows for less thrust and/or higher operating weights, depending on a myriad of variables, than a traditional flat deck. http://sploid.gizmodo.com/watch-a-f-35-fighter-jet-take-off-from-a-ski-jump-1713506791 Back to Top Largest aircraft leasing deal in Saudi Airlines history underway The deal consist arranging debt and equity financing to acquire 30 Airbus aircraft of A320-200 model and 20 aircraft of A330-300 model. (Courtesy: Saudia) International Airfinance Corporation (IAFC) has appointed Quantum Investment Bank Ltd and Palma Capital Limited, both regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, as exclusive Arrangers for Saudi Arabian Airlines' largest aircraft leasing deal in history. The deal consist arranging debt and equity financing to acquire 30 Airbus aircraft of A320-200 model and 20 aircraft of A330-300 model to be leased to Saudia. Mr. Ammer Al-Selham, Chairman of the Board of Quantum Investment Bank Ltd added: "Quantum aspires to strengthen its relationships with public and private institutions in Saudi Arabia in the near future and provide them with Shariah-compliant financing solutions. We consider this as our modest contribution to the development of our economy and in line with the vision of our wise leadership towards a stronger Saudi economy and the well-being of its people." Saudi Arabian Airlines, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, will become the first airline in the world to operate the Airbus A330-300 Regional, following an Operating lease agreement signed with IAFC for 20 A330-300 Regional and 30 A320ceo. Commenting on the announcement Dr. Idriss Ghodbane CEO of Quantum Investment Bank Ltd mentioned, "I would like to thank our team who has been working for more than a year on this transaction. We at Quantum aim to provide our clients with the most innovative financing solutions in a Sariah compliant manner and introduce to our investor base selected landmark transactions with attractive risk return profile." Moulay Omar Alaoui, CEO of IAFC and also Chairman of Palma Capital Ltd said: "We are very pleased to partner with IAFC and Quantum in this transaction. Palma is bringing a strong expertise in the aviation sector and a deep knowledge of the industry. http://english.alarabiya.net/en/business/aviation-and-transport/2015/06/24/Largest-aircraft-leasing-deal- in-Saudi-Airlines-history-underway-.html Back to Top NASA, Partners Test Unmanned Aircraft Systems WASHINGTON, June 23, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA, working with government and industry partners, is testing a system that would make it possible for unmanned aircraft to fly routine operations in United States airspace. Through the agency's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace System (UAS-NAS) project, NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and Honeywell International, Inc., are flying a series of tests which began on June 17 and will run through July at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. "We are excited to continue our partnership with GA-ASI and Honeywell to collect flight test data that will aid in the development of standards necessary to safely integrate these aircraft into the National Airspace System," said Laurie Grindle, UAS-NAS project manager at Armstrong. This is the third series of tests that builds upon the success of similar experiments conducted late last year that demonstrated a proof-of-concept sense-and-avoid system. The tests engage the core air traffic infrastructure and supporting software components through a live and virtual environment to demonstrate how an autonomous aircraft interacts with air traffic controllers and other air traffic. "This is the first time that we are flight testing all of the technology developments from the project at the same time," Grindle said. This series of tests is made up of two phases. The first is focused on validation of sensor, trajectory and other simulation models using live data. Some of the tests will be flown with an Ikhana aircraft, based at Armstrong, that has been equipped with an updated sense-and-avoid system. The system includes a new traffic collision avoidance program and other advanced software from Honeywell. Other tests will involve an S-3B plane from NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, serving as a high- speed piloted surrogate aircraft. Both tests will use other aircraft following scripted flight paths to intrude on the flight path the autonomous craft is flying, prompting it to either issue an alert or maneuver out of the other aircraft's path. These flights will also conduct the first full test of an automatic collision avoidance capability on autonomous aircraft. During the June 17 test, which lasted a little more than five hours, the team accomplished 14 encounters using the Ikhana aircraft and a Honeywell-owned Beech C90 King Air acting as the intruder. A second test was flown the following day, with a total of 23 encounters. The project team plans to fly more than 200 encounters throughout the first phase of the test series. "Our researchers and project engineers will be gathering a substantial amount of data to validate their pilot maneuver guidance and alerting logic that has previously been evaluated in simulations," said Heather Maliska, Armstrong's UAS-NAS deputy project manager. The second phase of the third test series will begin in August and will include a T-34 plane equipped with a proof-of concept control and non-payload communications system. It will evaluate how well the systems work together so that the aircraft pilots itself, interacts with air traffic controllers and remains well clear of other aircraft while executing its operational mission. The aircraft, which will have an onboard safety pilot, will fly an operationally representative mission in a virtual airspace sector complete with air traffic control and live and virtual traffic. For more information about NASA's aeronautics research, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics For more information on the UAS-NAS project, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/1dOi6Qz SOURCE NASA http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-partners-test-unmanned-aircraft-systems- 300103363.html Back to Top Boeing says India too can make large aircraft However, a made-in-India plane still a long way off as it requires huge inputs PARIS, JUNE 23: It is very much possible for large airplanes to be manufactured in India, although it will take a long time because requirements are huge for capital, skills and infrastructure, top aircraft maker Boeing has said. The $105-billion global giant also said the government's 'Make in India' programme has become a major incentive for foreign investors and every company wanted to be associated with it because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personal involvement in this initiative. Stating that India is on the right track and it needs to gradually move up, senior Boeing executive Dinesh Keskar said the country and the companies there would need to consistently develop the skill-set and required to get to a stage of making large planes. He was replying to a query on whether large airplanes like Boeing 787 can ever be made in India. "That will be a long time. Even China, which is way ahead in manufacturing, is still not doing it. It takes three things - a huge amount of capital, a highly skilled labour force and top-end facilities," Keskar told PTI in an interview here. "Boeing bets it big every time it builds a new plane. You need billions of dollars," said Keskar, Senior Vice- President for Asia Pacific and India Sales at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. He was here for the Paris International Air Show, which concluded this weekend. Explaining further, the aircraft industry veteran said, "You need an amazing amount of skilled labour who knows how to build different systems and integrate it all together. "Today, there are only two companies, Boeing and Airbus, who know how to do this. Others are making smaller planes. So, money, skills and facilities are the three things we need." The Boeing executive said India has the money and workforce, but no Indian firm has so far decided to do it. "Even the smaller airplanes are not being made so far. I think, we should start with 50-seaters or 100- seaters and then look at the bigger ones. That is how it can work," he said. Airbus concurs Rival Airbus India Managing Director Srinivasan Dwarkanath also said it was very much possible for India to manufacture large planes over the years. Giving the example of the proposed replacement for the Indian Air Force's Avro aircraft fleet, he said it would "totally" make in India. "I don't see a reason why it (manufacturing of large aircraft) cannot happen in India," said Dwarkanath, who was also here for the Air Show. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/logistics/boeing-says-india-too-can-make- large-aircraft/article7347354.ece Back to Top China's Airlines Are In A Super Cycle Chinese tourists are traveling overseas at record pace. In the first-quarter this year, Chinese airlines reported a 39% year-on-year rise in international passenger numbers to 9.6 million. Yet, international travel has just begun. International traffic accounts for only 9.3% of the airlines' total volume. Meanwhile, the airlines' domestic market remains healthy, growing at 11% in the first quarter. Domestic air passengers have passed 132 million, a new record. Morgan Stanley this morning raised its 2015 earnings forecast by 7-33% for the airlines, saying they will get a boost from "strong traffic momentum" and "reasonably low fuel prices." Chinese airlines do not hedge and are likely to benefit the most from lower fuel prices. "As our earnings are 8%-49% above consensus, we think the Street has not fully factored in the positive outlook yet. Assuming no major rebound in fuel prices or collapse in RMB exchange rates, we believe Chinese carriers will deliver strong earnings above the historically high levels seen in 2010," wrote analyst Edward Xu and team. Morgan Stanley's favorite airline is China Southern Airlines (1055.HK/ZNH). By the end of this year, China Southern will be the seventh largest carrier between north Asia and Australia/New Zealand. It is the largest of the mainland Chinese carriers that fly that route. The broker also likes budget Spring Airlines (601021.China). Spring has been focusing on Japan, Korea and Thailand, and has become the sixth largest carrier between China and Japan (and the largest budget airline on that route). Morgan Stanley estimates that international travel will increase by 143% year-on- year to account for 30% of total revenue in 2015. This morning, airlines rallied strongly on the travel data. China Southern gained 6%, China Eastern Airlines (0670.HK/CEA) rose 4.3%, Air China (0753.HK/AIRYY) gained 3.6%. Spring Airlines rose 3.1%. http://blogs.barrons.com/asiastocks/2015/06/23/chinas-airlines-are-in-a-super-cycle/ Back to Top Upcoming Events: Fundamentals of IS-BAO July 7, 2015 Alexandria, VA USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659131 IS-BAO Auditing July 8, 2015 Alexandria, VA USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659136 EAA AirVenture Schedule July 19-26, 2015 Oshkosh, WI http://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-airventure-schedule-of-events Fundamentals of IS-BAO July 21, 2015 Orlando, FL USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659145 IS-BAO Auditing July 22, 2015 Orlando, FL USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659149 Fundamentals of IS-BAO August 19, 2015 Madrid, Spain https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659089 IS-BAO Auditing August 20, 2015 Madrid, Spain https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659096 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: NTSB Human Performance Investigator https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/404707900 Curt Lewis