Flight Safety Information July 22, 2015 - No. 143 In This Issue NTSB Boss 'Speaking to the Choir' At Oshkosh Germanwings crash parents decry Lufthansa response and payout Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 Crash Illustrates Different Realities in Russia vs. West Lufthansa jet has near-miss with drone near Warsaw Keep your stupid drones away from piloted aircraft, rages CAA (UK) UK 'Dronecode' aims to stop pilots from flying dangerously Drunk woman, 26, on Air New Zealand flight forced the plane to turn around because she wouldn't stow her baggage Panic Ensues as Aero Aircraft Loses Tyre Bali Airport Reopens After Third Closure Due to Volcano Ash Meriden company developing glasses for pilots to combat laser pointers Safety in African aviation LAX Closes Runway For Safety Upgrades; Causes Major Flight Delays PROS 2015 TRAINING AirVenture Opens With Strong Attendance, More Aircraft FAA OK's Touch-Screen Avionics For King Air FedEx Agrees to Buy $10 Billion of Boeing 767 Jet Freighters Museum to take ownership of historic Howard Hughes plane Why airlines keep pushing biofuels: They have no choice ISASI 2015, Germany, August 24 - 27, 2015 Aircraft Crash Survival Investigation and Analysis - Course Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University MOOC To Investigate Aviation Accidents USAIG Welcomes NATA's Safety 1st to its Performance Vector Safety Initiative Live Webcast Today - Keep America Flying:...A Flight Plan for Safe and Fair Skies NTSB Course: "Managing Communications Following an Aircraft Accident or Incident" Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) NTSB Boss 'Speaking to the Choir' At Oshkosh NTSB Chairman Chris Hart says the Board is seeking solutions to combat fatal Loss-of-Control accidents in GA As of Monday afternoon, there had been two minor prangs marking the AirVenture 2015 migration to Wittman Regional Airport: a crumpled nose gear and a gear-up landing. Even so, NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart says the attendees at the world's largest general-aviation (GA) gathering set the bar for safety and professionalism in the GA pilot population. "In our experience, one of the big reasons that people come to shows like this is because they're safety-conscious and they want to improve their safety," Hart says. "One of our challenges is, when we talk to this group, we're preaching to the choir - they're already safety-conscious. The question is, how do we reach the ones who aren't here and perhaps should be here?" Hart notes that while the fatal-accident rate for GA has been "more or less flat" for the past years, the rate for business aviation has been going down, meaning the rate for personal aviation is doing the opposite. "That's what concerns us," he says. "How do we get our hands around personal flying getting worse?" Among the various causes of fatal accidents, Loss of Control (LOC) is the most dominant, at fault in more than 40% of accidents, says Hart. The NTSB is planning a deep dive on LOC in Washington on Oct. 14, to discuss the causes and possible interventions, which could result in recommendations to the FAA or other parties. Preventing stalls would be a good start to fixing the problem, as LOC generally progresses from an aerodynamic stall. "One way to do that is more training; another is with angle-of-attack (AOA) indicators," says Hart. AOA systems were a hot topic at last year's show, with Bendix King launching a new low-cost device called the KLR10, and the FAA streamlining installation processes. The systems have a visual and often an audio indicator to alert the pilot to when the AOA is approaching the stall, a condition that can occur at any airspeed. "The take-up is great around air shows," says Bendix King's new president, Justin Ryan, a former naval aviator, but sales slow outside of shows like AirVenture. As a U.S. Navy pilot, Ryan flew by referencing AOA along with other instruments. "We haven't yet found the magic formula to keep (pilots) interested all the time," he says. Hart-who has single-engine, multi-engine, commercial, instrument and second-in-command licenses and ratings-says owners are not installing the potentially life-saving equipment due to cost. "It's usually because an AOA is expensive to buy and install," he says. Other technology the NTSB is interested in seeing more of is cameras in the cockpit, not only for accident investigations, but to "help us find out what's happening in the real world." Hart says companies could use the information "as a management tool, not as a punishment tool." Resistance has been-and continues to be-stiff in both the rail and commercial-aviation industries, for which the NTSB has called for in-cockpit video cameras. The potential for misuse of consumer technology in the cockpit-primarily texting-is a topic that Hart says "keeps him awake" at night. "We now have fatal accidents in every mode of transportation due to improper use of personal electronics," Hart says, noting that the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency has determined that a driver is 23 times more likely to have an accident when texting. While the practice is prohibited for commercial aviation, Hart says the same is not true for GA. Given the meteoric rise in smart phones, Hart says the NTSB investigators as a regular practice now check the phones of pilots involved in crashes to see if the device was in use at the time, whether for phone calls, texting or app usage. http://aviationweek.com/oshkosh-2015/ntsb-boss-speaking-choir-oshkosh Back to Top Germanwings crash parents decry Lufthansa response and payout The relatives of children killed in the Germanwings plane crash have demanded an apology from the airline's parent firm, Lufthansa, saying it ignored them and offered an "insulting" payout. The letter from parents in Haltern, Germany, said Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr prioritised customers over them. The airline said Mr Spohr had spoken with families. It has pledged to pay them up to €85,000 (£60,000; $93,000). A Germanwings co-pilot is suspected of deliberately crashing the plane. All 150 people aboard the Airbus 320, flying from Barcelona to Duesseldorf, were killed when the plane came down in March. Investigators say co-pilot Andreas Lubitz locked the captain out of the cockpit before beginning a descent into the French Alps. Lubitz is known to have suffered depression in the past. Lufthansa twice refused to renew his medical certificate in 2009 because of the condition, according to a preliminary report by French accident investigators. Flight debris in the French Alps Debris from the flight was scattered over a wide area The parents of 16 children, who were part of a school trip from Haltern that was travelling aboard the plane, said Mr Spohr had failed to apologise for the crash. They said the airline should have said sorry for permitting Lubitz to fly despite his medical history. They also said Lufthansa had not yet apologised for failing to apply a rule - enforced by some carriers - that would have required two people to stay in the cockpit at all times. The letter (in German) criticised Mr Spohr for not having spoken with the bereaved and for ignoring invitations to attend the funerals. "We have not heard from you," it said. "A couple of personal words in conversation with you would have shown us that you weren't just there for the public but for us too." The letter also said the parents were deeply offended by a compensation offer, saying the sum "deeply insults us, and above all else our children". A Lufthansa spokesman, quoted by the Associated Press news agency, said Mr Spohr had tried his best to talk to the families and had attended several memorial services. "Mr Spohr was in touch with many relatives and friends and family of the victims but it's obvious that he was not able to be in personal touch with each and every one of the more than 1,000 relatives that we have,'' the spokesman said. Mr Spohr had spoken to some parents of the Haltern schoolchildren, he added. The airline is currently negotiating a payout to the relatives of those killed in the crash. Reports say the airline has offered €25,000 to the families, with an additional €10,000 for immediate kin of the dead. The €25,000 offer will be given on top of €50,000 already paid as immediate financial assistance, according to Reuters. Lufthansa said in April that it had set aside $300m to cover costs arising from the crash, including compensation for the families. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33613680 Back to Top Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 Crash Illustrates Different Realities in Russia vs. West Russian media generates variety of theories, all blaming Ukraine People walked among the crash debris on July 17, 2014, near the village of Grabovo, Ukraine. PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS MOSCOW-For the West, the downing one year ago of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 underlined the brutality of Moscow's hybrid intervention in eastern Ukraine. In Russia, the downing is still living large on television screens, blamed squarely on the Ukrainians-with the possible connivance of Western secret services. Within hours of the crash on July 17, 2014, Russian state television began to spew a jumble of explanations for the tragedy, all of which fingered Kiev and absolved Russia and pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine of guilt. Theories included an attack from a Ukrainian fighter jet, a Ukrainian surface-to-air missile, or a botched attempt to kill President Vladimir Putin, whose presidential plane had passed near Ukraine hours earlier. Such stories still abound, with some embellishments. "Everyone believes that Ukraine is responsible, and that has not changed," said Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin political commentator based in Moscow who has lately proposed that the U.S. helped plan the shoot down. That is why, he says, no U.S. citizens were on board. "In the U.S. they know the truth, but they will never tell it." In fact, there was one American among the 298 crash victims. The ability of Russians and Westerners to see such different realities over the Malaysia Airlines catastrophe exposes a fallacy of U.S. policy toward Russia since the end of the Cold War. After the rise of the Internet and the fall of the Berlin Wall 25 years ago, the West assumed that Russians and Westerners would naturally come to believe the same things. Free access to information would, like the free hand of capitalism, "propel the world toward common beliefs and ways of life," said Sam Greene, director of the Russian Institute at King's College London. "Now we're finding out that's not quite true," Mr. Greene said. "There's a whole reassessment going on now about what to do about it." Russia hasn't censored its Internet nearly as much as China, so Russians still enjoy mostly unfettered access to information from outside the country, albeit often not in their native language. How Mr. Putin got Russians to ignore those sources and believe a state-run media that has a tradition of mendacity says a lot about how little Russia has changed since the end of the Cold War-and how some primitive Soviet-era propaganda strategies remain effective. It also serves as a warning to the West that relations with Russia, now at a post-Cold-War nadir, could stay that way for some time. Boris Nemtsov, a Putin critic and former deputy prime minister who was gunned down outside the Kremlin early this year, said in an interview before his death that anti-American myths and resentment are widespread and would likely linger even if Mr. Putin steps down after his current term expires in 2018, or the term after that, in 2024. "Putin has eaten the brains of a whole generation of Russians," he said. "I think it will remain this way at least until he leaves." After the CEO of France's Total oil company-a rare ally of Russia in a time of multiplying economic sanctions and international isolation-was killed when his plane slammed into a snowplow operated by a drunken driver at a Moscow airport, Kremlin commentators suggested the CIA had assassinated him. In the U.S. and Europe, officials are discussing possible counter-propaganda strategies, but none look easy as Mr. Putin has taken control of all major television and newspapers since his rise to power. The Kremlin has meanwhile selectively blocked some websites and funds a host of others, making the search for objective Russian news confusing. In the past year Moscow opposition news services have revealed how the government pays beehives of bloggers-so-called trolls-who write under numerous Facebook accounts and identities on newspaper message boards. Their comments don't support the Kremlin line as much as attack Western news reporting as biased, suggesting that the truth is unknowable. The mélange of misinformation and conspiracy theory makes any conclusion about world events seem questionable or a matter of opinion. Television, meanwhile, is a more-focused instrument for persuasion, said Mr. Greene at King's College. Last year public opinion polls showed that fewer than 5% of Russians thought that Russia or Russian-backed rebels had shot down the Malaysia Airlines flight. The vast majority blamed the Ukraine military. The rest of the world has largely assigned blame to Russia or Russia-backed rebels. The putative assassination of Mr. Putin was one of the first theories circulated over Russia's main state-controlled television station, the First Channel. A commentator explained that Mr. Putin, who was flying home that day from a summit in South America, had flown near the Polish capital of Warsaw about 45 minutes before the doomed Malaysian flight. The Ukraine military appeared to mix the planes up, shooting down the Malaysia flight by accident, said the commentator, citing a confidential source in Russia's Federal Transport Agency. Mr. Putin landed safely. Simultaneously, the same channel put forward another theory, suggesting a poorly trained Ukrainian missile crew shot down the airliner by mistake-as had happened in 2001, when a Russian passenger plane exploded over the Black Sea, killing all 78 on board. First Channel ran old footage from that catastrophe, showing a Ukrainian leader at the time falsely denying responsibility. [Kiev admitted days later that one of its errant missiles was probably to blame.] The network also interviewed a supposed military expert as saying pro-Russian rebels today didn't have a missile that could reach a passenger airliner at cruising altitude. "Only Ukrainian troops could have destroyed the civilian airliner," Igor Korotchenko, a Russian defense commentator, pronounced the day of the crash on First Channel. Today the main debate in Russia is whether a Ukrainian missile shot down the airliner or a Ukrainian fighter jet. The day after the downing, state television aired a Russia Defense Department briefing in which a senior officer suggested that a Ukrainian Su-25 shot down the flight. Ukraine denied it, and pointed out that the Su-25, which was designed to destroy tanks, was built with an unpressurized cockpit and cannot fly high enough to have reached the airliner. The next day, the managers of Russia's Wikipedia said there was a flurry of attempts to edit its article about the Su-25, trying to change it to say that the plane could fly at higher altitudes. http://www.wsj.com/articles/mh17-crash-illustrates-different-realities-in-russia-vs-west-1437557400 Back to Top Lufthansa jet has near-miss with drone near Warsaw Near-miss ... A drone has reportedly flown as close as 100 metres to a Lufthansa jet carrying 108 people on approach to Warsaw, Poland. Photo: Bloomberg Berlin/Warsaw: A Lufthansa plane with 108 passengers on board nearly collided with a drone as it approached Warsaw's main airport on Monday afternoon, the airline said on Tuesday. The drone came within 100 metres of the Embraer plane when the Munich to Warsaw flight was at a height of about 760 metres, the airline and the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA) said. Police are investigating, a PANSA spokesman said. The plane landed safely at 1409 GMT (11am AEST), a Lufthansa spokeswoman said. PANSA changed landing directions for other planes until the area was clear. However, police and military helicopters sent to the area did not spot the drone. The incident was first reported by the Aviation Herald. It cited the pilots as telling air traffic controllers they "should take care of your airspace" and "it is really quite dangerous". With the use of commercial drones for applications from filming to sports events and agriculture booming, the European Union is currently working on new regulations for drones to protect the safety and privacy of its citizens. The regulations are due to be presented in the autumn as part of the European Commission's new aviation package. Among the few member states with specific regulations, Germany in June introduced new rules that prevent the use of drones within 1.5 km of airport perimeter fences. Anyone wishing to fly a drone beyond that exclusion zone and in controlled airspace must request permission from air traffic authorities and fly no higher than 50 metres, depending on the size of the aircraft. Drones caused alarm in France earlier this year when several flights were spotted operating over sensitive sites in Paris. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr sees opportunities for the group in the field of commercial drones, saying last month Lufthansa's maintenance and pilot training units could provide expertise. http://www.smh.com.au/world/lufthansa-jet-has-nearmiss-with-drone-near-warsaw-20150721-gihl23.html#ixzz3gcIVWYgX Back to Top Keep your stupid drones away from piloted aircraft, rages CAA (UK) Alarmed authority notes near miss between passenger jet and quadcopter The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has complained of six incidents since May of last year in which boys and their toys almost collided with piloted craft in British airports' airspace. An Airbus 320A passenger jet managed to miss a hovering drone at Heathrow by a mere 6m (20ft) last July, a frightening proximity considering the likely outcome of a quadcopter's entrance into a jet engine at 700ft above ground level. "Buzzing" incidents are too common, complain the CAA, which cites a UK Airprox board publication which counts six between May 2014 and March 2015. In each incident, pilots flew their hobby craft within 20ft of aeroplanes at UK airports. "Drone users must understand that when taking to the skies they are entering one of the busiest areas of airspace in the world," said Tim Johnson, CAA director of policy. Toy pilots could find themselves thinking over their actions for five years, at Her Majesty's hospitality, if found guilty of recklessly endangering an aircraft, or any person therein. The CAA has launched its "Dronecode" to ensure hobbyists are aware of their responsibilities to fly safely and legally. The Dronecode initiative follows complaints that on each occasion of near-collision with passenger aircraft, the drone pilots were flying their toys well above the established height limits, with some reported as high as 2,000ft from ground level. Following buzzing incidents at a blaze in southern California last weekend, state politicians have encouraged legislating for emergency services to be able to knock them out of the sky when endangering other aircraft. There is currently no duty to obtain a license for drone pilots, nor must the toys themselves be registered. None of the hobbyists who have buzzed passenger aeroplanes at British airports have been identified. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/07/22/ Back to Top UK 'Dronecode' aims to stop pilots from flying dangerously If we were to create a list of "top places you shouldn't fly a drone," airports would certainly rank high. As the BBC reports, the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has recorded six incidents between May 2014 and March 2015 where drones have almost collided with aircraft. In one instance, the wing of an Airbus A320 passed 6 meters below a quadcopter flying near Heathrow airport. To combat the problem and reckless drone flying in general, the CAA has created a "Drone Safety Awareness Day" and a "Dronecode" to better educate pilots. The latter is a streamlined version of its existing UAV rules: keep your drone within sight and less than 400 feet high, stay away from aircraft and airports, and use common sense to keep others safe. They're worth adhering to, otherwise you risk having your drone confiscated or, at the very least, receiving a good earful from the police. SOURCE: Civil Aviation Authority http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/22/dronecode-aircraft-misses/MqeU+%28Engadget%29 Back to Top Drunk woman, 26, on Air New Zealand flight forced the plane to turn around because she wouldn't stow her bag correctly * Drunken passenger forces Air New Zealand pilot to turn the flight around * The passenger, 26, yelled at crew members and refused to listen to instructions * She spat at a police officer after being escorted off the flight * The passenger has been sentenced to 80hrs of community service A pilot was forced to turn a plane just moments before take off after a drunken woman laughed through an airline's inflight safety briefing and then refused to secure her carry on luggage. The woman, Damelza Matenga, 26, was drunk when she boarded an Air New Zealand flight from Auckland to Napier in New Zealand after attending a concert on July 3, her lawyer told Hastings District Court, according to Stuff. After laughing through the inflight safety demonstration, she then refused to put her carry on luggage in the overhead locker or underneath her seat, the police summary of facts show. The Air New Zealand flight had to turn back three weeks ago after a drunken passenger created chaos aboard the flight and then spat in the face of an officer after being arrested The flight crew and pilot became so concerned with her behavior, they decided to turn the plane around and head back to the terminal rather than risk take off. But the drama continued after police boarded the plane to arrest her. The communications and Social Media Manager for Air New Zealand, Cara Mygind, told Daily Mail Australia: 'Flight NZ5203 from Auckland to Napier returned to the gate on July 3 after a passenger failed to follow crew instructions. As is standard procedure in these situations, the matter was handed over to the relevant authorities.' On the tarmac, with the other passenger looking on, Matenga abused police and spat at one of the officers, the police facts state according to stuff. Ms Matenga pleaded guilty on Tuesday to charges of disorderly behaviour and assaulting police. Ms Matenga has been sentenced to complete 80 hours of community service. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3170147/Drunk-26-year-old-woman-Air-New-Zealand-flight-forced-plane-turn-wouldn-t-stow-bag-correctly- SPAT-police-tried-speak-her.html#ixzz3gc9F8tvy Back to Top Panic Ensues as Aero Aircraft Loses Tyre | Plane Returns to Terminal, No one Hurt (Nigeria) Aero-Contractors There was panic amongst 100 passengers on board Aero flight NG127, which had taken off from from Lagos and was bound for Abuja on Tuesday, as it was discovered that the aircraft had lost a tire. According to Global Village Extra, the plane successfully took off but the pilot had to return to the airport when the discovery was made. No one was hurt, and passengers, who still wished to continue with their journey, were transferred to other flights. According to a passenger on the plane, named Emma: "It was as if the pilot didn't even know that his aircraft had lost a tyre because he took off from the ground. It was after those of us who were close to the door started screaming that he realised what had happened. The pilot later made an emergency return mid-air, and this happened around 4 p.m. In fact, it was when we landed that we noticed that it was a serious tyre burst. But nobody was hurt and we must appreciate the pilot's maturity and professionalism in handling the situation and landing the plane with a burst tyre." Speaking on behalf of the airline, an individual named Simon Tumba, stated: "Aero flight NG127 from Lagos to Abuja on this day (Tuesday) made an air return as a result of a burst tyre, which occurred just as the airplane was lifting off. The pilot did the right thing by not trying to abort the take off. He controlled the airplane into the air and following all training procedures, he brought the plane back to a safe landing. At no time during all of this were the passengers' lives at any risk. http://www.bellanaija.com/2015/07/22/panic-ensues-as-aero-aircraft-loses-tyre-plane-returns-to-terminal-no-one-hurt/ Back to Top Bali Airport Reopens After Third Closure Due to Volcano Ash Bali's international airport reopened after the third closure in two weeks caused flight cancellations and disrupted the plans of holidaymakers. The airport began operating at 3:30 p.m. local time as the wind direction shifted to the west, carrying volcanic ash from Mount Raung away from Bali, Transport Ministry spokesman Julius Barata said by phone. PT Garuda Indonesia reinstated 14 flights that were previously canceled while Lion Group, which operates Lion Air and Wings Air, resumed operations in and out of the island, they said in separate statements. Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd. canceled all Wednesday flights to and from Bali's capital of Denpasar earlier. The closure came amid the peak holiday season for Bali and followed a six-day public holiday to celebrate Eid, when more than 200 million of Indonesia's Muslims travel home to be with their extended families. The Indonesian archipelago is lined with volcanoes, and eruptions have often disrupted flights "Passengers are more prepared and we're more coordinated, so the situation is less hectic than the first time," Ida Bagus Ketut Juliadnyana, a spokesman for PT Angkasa Pura I, which manages the airport, said by phone before it was reopened. Thousands of tourists were stranded earlier this month as the volcanic eruption in eastern Java forced authorities to shut Bali's airport for three days through July 11. The airport was closed again for the early part of July 12. Garuda previously said it canceled 32 flights scheduled for Wednesday afternoon on expectation the airport will be closed through 7 p.m. local time, in line with a notice distributed by the Transport Ministry. Lion Group earlier said it rescheduled 35 flights. Indonesia's Transport Ministry will keep monitoring the situation, Barata said. The Indonesian archipelago is lined with volcanoes, and eruptions have often disrupted flights. A prolonged closure could pose a significant threat to Bali's economy, given that the island's beaches, surfing, culture and nightlife make it among Asia's most popular travel destinations. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-22/bali-shuts-airport-for-third-time-in-fortnight-as-volcano-erupts Back to Top Meriden company developing glasses for pilots to combat laser pointers MERIDEN - A local company is looking to start production of a device to protect pilots from the harmful, hazardous effects of laser pointers aimed into the cockpits of planes. PerriQuest Defense Research Enterprises, at 639 Research Parkway, recently unveiled prototypes of special glasses that pilots can wear to fight the temporary blindness and disorientation caused when "weaponized" laser pointers are shone at airplanes, a PerriQuest spokesman said Tuesday. The company is "getting very close to production, to putting them on an assembly line," spokesman Anthony DeMaio said. The glasses are designed to battle a problem that's getting more and more frequent - pilots being temporarily stunned by laser pointers aimed from the ground. "We're seeing this with more frequency. It's more brazen, and at bigger, busier airports," DeMaio said. According to a report by the Federal Aviation Administration, "The danger from laser pointer illumination is the visible beam hitting an aircraft's windshield, which can scatter light and completely obliterate a pilot's forward vision." This has happened more often while planes are below cruising altitude; generally either during ascent or landing, DeMaio said, and though it can be caused to a lesser extent by the pointers used to make presentations, it's been more of an issue with pointers designed to shine brighter and farther, DeMaio said. "The beam starts as a relatively small dot, but by the time the beam has traveled that far, it's a pretty large cone that covers the windscreen," he said. "It's a very unique problem because the sorts of lasers that are being used for these attacks, most people don't come across because they're designated for labs; the general public wouldn't have a reason to come across them." The FAA notes a few significant cases of such an occurrence in a report on the issue, including one case from 1996, when a police helicopter in Florida was "illuminated by a red spot light the size of a basketball, leading the pilot to believe a laser-sighted weapon was aimed at the aircraft." "It was determined that the perpetrators were two local individuals shining a laser pointer into the trees, not realizing the light beam could reach the helicopter," according to the report. It's happened more recently as well. According to the Washington Post, last week 12 flights reported that lasers were pointed at them as they flew over New Jersey. In fact, from 2004 to 2008, laser illumination events have increased in aircraft more than 20 times over, and in cockpits specifically nearly 30 times over, according to information from the FAA. Asked what the experience would be like for pilots, DeMaio struggled to find a comparison. "It's a very high-energy photon," he said of the laser pointer's light particle. "It's not really replicated by a flashlight. If you stare at the sun, you'll get that blind spot - although if you take the green laser which the eye is very sensitive to, the light bounces and rattles around the retina. It would be like having a lot of very intense flashbulbs in rapid succession, all at once, flashed at you, but I'm not even sure physiologically if that's totally accurate," DeMaio said. "It hits the cockpit and illuminates everything," he said, adding that there is the chance for retina damage if the exposure is prolonged, though more devastating to the control of an aircraft is "laser dazzle," which can have a disorienting physiological effect. It's a federal offense to purposely shine a laser pointer at an aircraft in flight, but to protect pilots and their passengers from the effects, PerriQuest is developing a set of glasses that filter out the frequencies of light produced by the laser pointers. "To look at them, they have a colorful, almost translucent appearance," DeMaio said. The glasses would let pilots distinguish between the various colors found in a cockpit, but would shade them from the harmful laser pointers. DeMaio said the company was presenting the concept product at an aviation union safety conference Tuesday. Mark Poole, one of three owners of the Meriden Aviation Center based at Meriden-Markham Airport, said that while he hadn't heard of the technology, "it sounds interesting." Poole said that, though he was aware of the issue with laser pointers nationally, it hasn't been an issue locally. "It's certainly not something that's so rampant that we talk about it on a regular basis," Poole said of the flight school students. "I've never seen or experienced it myself. That'll change, of course, the first time someone experiences it, but I haven't heard of anything like it around Meriden or the airports in our area. I think you get it more where there are bigger concentrations of people around cities." DeMaio said the glasses start at $485 a pair. The company is targeting "whole fleets, or whole workforces." http://www.myrecordjournal.com/meriden/meridennews/7541072-129/meriden-company-developing-glasses-for-pilots-to-combat-laser-pointers.html Back to Top Safety in African aviation It has confirmed been confirmed that RwandAir's CEO John Mirenge will deliver the opening address to AVI Consult's "Safety in African Aviation" Conference which will be held in the Rwandan capital of Kigali on November 19 and 20, 2015. It is expected that the RwandAir CEO will in his speech focus on the airline's determined progress vis-a-vis flight safety, culminating in being awarded the coveted IOSA certification last December and earlier this year attaining full IATA membership. During this conference, other key topics will be dealt with such as runway safety, safety management systems, operations engineering, and aviation insurance, among others. This year's conference includes two in-depth training seminars about practical tips on safety culture and improving runway safety. There will be over 2.5 hours of networking time each day set aside to make those crucial business connections. Alongside the main conference, additional activities and workshops are planned prior to and after the key event, including: * A 3-day Fundamentals of Airworthiness Certification Course: November 16-18 * A 2 -day Flight Data Management course: November 17 & 18 * A 5-day IATA Dangerous Goods Course (cat. 6): November 23-27 All sessions will take place in Kigali, and all will be taught by inspiring experts. http://www.eturbonews.com/61683/safety-african-aviation Back to Top LAX Closes Runway For Safety Upgrades; Causes Major Flight Delays EL SEGUNDO (CBSLA.com) - Travelers, be advised: The Los Angeles International Airport has closed one of its four runways for safety repairs. It will be closed through the summer and has already caused major flight delays. The Federal Aviation Administration reports the average flight delay nationwide Tuesday night was 15 minutes at airports in cities not affected by weather issues. The average delay at LAX was 56 minutes, due to the closed runway. Lance Manker and his wife landed at LAX from Oakland nearly two hours late Tuesday night because of the construction. Other Oakland travelers arrived up to three hours late. "I got an email early in the morning that said due to runway repairs in L.A. our flight would be delayed," Manker said. "Our original flight was delayed about an hour and then it turned out to be an hour and 45 minutes." People traveling through LAX are advised to check their departure terminal online for possible changes. They should also check airport screens upon arrival. "LAX is an older airport so they're just trying to make improvements, so it's just the price of progress," another LAX traveler said. Additional LAX runways will be repaired through June 2017. An LAX spokesperson was not available for comment Tuesday night. http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/07/21/lax-closes-runway-for-safety-upgrades-causes-major-flight-delays/ Back to Top Back to Top AirVenture Opens With Strong Attendance, More Aircraft On July 20, the first day of EAA AirVenture2 015, Experimental Aircraft Association chairman Jack Pelton was excited about the strong opening for the annual aviation extravaganza. Attendance is already up over last year, more aircraft are flying in and campers are inundating Camp Scholler as the weather gods, so far, are blessing Oshkosh, Wis., with comfortable temperatures and on the opening day dramatic cumulus cloud backdrops to the performers in the daily airshow. A most important part of AirVenture is ongoing advocacy efforts, not only on behalf of general aviation and its participants as represented by the huge variety of aircraft at the show, but also the urgent need to attract new entrants to the aviation industry. One major change in that effort is the new Aviation Gateway Park, which grew out of the former College Park. Gateway Park incorporates the aviation university and career fair representatives from previous shows and now also includes the Innovation Pavilion and educational forum tents. These are adjoined by the new Drone Cage, and the entire area is part of an effort to attract young people by highlighting the latest technology and opportunities in aviation. "We have to engage their hearts and minds to get them interested," Pelton said. FOCUS ON REGULATIONS EAA's major push at this year's AirVenture involves advocacy efforts, primarily the regulations that affect EAA members and their freedom to fly. "We're working really hard on some new activities in trying to change the regulatory environment to be able to allow all these great new safety enhancements," Pelton said, "to get the regulatory environment that will allow this stuff to be put in the airplane without having to go through the onerous certification requirements that are for aircraft with higher performance levels." This includes the ongoing attempt to allow owners of certified production aircraft to install capable and modern avionics that don't meet FAA Technical Standard Order (TSO) standards but that offer great improvements in safety and reliability. Pelton is even more passionate about the lack of progress by the FAA in simplifying third-class medical certificate requirements, which he said "is probably the most disappointing and frustrating in terms of advocacy." This effort took two years of internal FAA debate before it was drafted as a notice of proposed rulemaking, then was sent from the FAA to the Department of Transportation last September, where it has inexplicably languished. "It's stuck there," Pelton said, expressing the hope that Congress might force the DOT and FAA to act via the Pilots Bill of Rights 2 legislation, which could see some action in September. Another problem for general aviation, Pelton explained, is renewed discussions about moving the aircraft traffic control organization from the FAA into a separate air traffic organization funded by service fees paid by aircraft owners and operators. "We are not supporters," he said. "There are too many risks. We're keeping our gunpowder dry until [the proposal] comes out." This year's "Meet the Administrator" session, where FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and other FAA officials hold forth in an open forum with EAA members (Thursday, July 23 at 11:30 a.m., Forum 7) promises to be different than previous years, where the opportunity for audience engagement was limited to a few minutes at the end of the session. Pelton explained that more time will be available for audience members and the media to ask questions. "It's going to be different this year," he said. "In prior years we were trying to be somewhat protective...there was some good stuff [we were working on]." But the key issue now, the third-class medical reform that would allow more pilots to fly without the need to obtain a medical certificate, is not advancing. "[The Administrator] tried, it's going nowhere," Pelton said. "It's time for you guys to ask the hard questions." http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/general-aviation/2015-07-21/airventure-opens-strong-attendance-more-aircraft Back to Top FAA OK's Touch-Screen Avionics For King Air At one's fingertips...touch-screen Pro Line Fusion for the King Air. Commercial aviation's first touch-screen primary flight displays have received FAA certification as standard equipment on Beechcraft King Airs. Textron Aviation will now begin deliveries this quarter of the King Air 250 turboprop equipped with Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics. The aircraft is making its North American debut this week at the EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Certification for the Pro Line Fusion-equipped King Air 350i/ER is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of this year, followed by the King Air C90GTx in the first half of 2016. The touch screens bring pilots intuitive interactive maps, easy-to-use icons, and the ability to simply touch the items that they want to control. "This advanced, state-of-the-art avionics system transforms pilot operations," says Craig Olson, vice president and general manager, Business and Regional Systems for Rockwell Collins. Pro Line Fusion is already certified as an upgrade to Pro Line 21-aircraft currently in service. Similar upgrades for earlier King Airs equipped with Pro Line II are also nearing certification and will be available through Rockwell Collins-authorized dealers worldwide. Pro Line Fusion includes a fully loaded package for operation in future global airspace: DO-260B compliant ADS-B, SBAS-capable GNSS, localizer performance with vertical guidance (LPV) approaches, and radius-to-fix (RF) legs. It is software-upgradeable for easy updates and can host Rockwell Collins' HGS-3500 Head-up Guidance System, EVS-3000 Enhanced Vision System, Multiscan weather radar and Airport Moving Map. http://aviationweek.com/oshkosh-2015/faa-ok-s-touch-screen-avionics-king-air Back to Top FedEx Agrees to Buy $10 Billion of Boeing 767 Jet Freighters FedEx Corp. agreed to buy 50 Boeing Co. 767 freighters with a list value of about $10 billion, the model's largest-ever order, as it upgrades the fleet at the FedEx Express unit. The order gives new life to the 767, which was developed in the 1980s and pioneered long-range flights for twin-engine jets. FedEx Express, the world's biggest cargo airline, is the last remaining customer as passenger carriers shift to newer aircraft such as Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and Airbus Group SE's A330. "We appreciate their confidence in the airplane," Doug Alder, a spokesman for Chicago-based Boeing, said Tuesday in an e-mail. Deliveries of the 767-300F jets would run over a five-year period starting in fiscal 2018, according to a statement from Memphis, Tennessee-based FedEx. The transaction includes options for another 50 of the aircraft, and FedEx said the company's firm 767 orders now total 106. For Boeing, the deal is a victory amid a tough market for wide-body aircraft and ensures more work on commercial versions of the 767 while the planemaker develops an aerial tanker based on the aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. Meanwhile, FedEx extends its strategy of replacing older, less fuel- efficient planes such as the tri-engine MD-10 with new models. The order "will enable us to reduce structural costs, improve our fuel efficiency and enhance the reliability of our global network," FedEx Express Chief Executive Officer David Bronczek said in the statement. Boeing and FedEx had been in talks on an order of at least 25 of the aircraft, people familiar with the matter had said. FedEx directors met in Seattle, the planemaker's commercial hub, earlier this month, the people said. Both the civilian and military versions of the 767 are built at Boeing's plant in Everett, Washington. Buyers typically get a discount from catalog prices. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-21/fedex-agrees-to-buy-10-billion-of-boeing-767-jet-freighters Back to Top Museum to take ownership of historic Howard Hughes plane FILE - In this Oct. 29, 1980 file photo, Howard Hughes' wooden flying boat the "Spruce Goose," is towed by a tugboat from its hangar in Long Beach, Calif. The gigantic historic wooden airplane whose fate was mired in a financial dispute, will permanently stay in Oregon. The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum has reached an agreement with the Aero Club of Southern California to take full ownership of the plane in the coming weeks, said California attorney Robert E. Lyon, who represents the Aero Club. Lyon said the agreement was reached in early July 2015. (AP Photo, File) PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Legendary mogul Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose, a gigantic historic wooden airplane whose fate was mired in a financial dispute, will permanently stay in Oregon. The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum has reached an agreement with the Aero Club of Southern California to take full ownership of the plane in the coming weeks, said California attorney Robert E. Lyon, who represents the Aero Club. Lyon said the agreement was reached in early July. The McMinnville, Oregon-based nonprofit has been home to the Spruce Goose for more than two decades, but it still owed a payment to the California club from which it bought the plane. The details of the agreement were not disclosed. But the dispute centered on the original purchase terms, which in addition to the $500,000 price tag also included a percentage of the museum's earnings from displaying the Spruce Goose. "It's comforting to know it will finally be in its resting place where it will be properly taken care of," Lyon said. Dubbed a flying boat, the Spruce Goose has a 320-foot wing span - larger than a football field - and floats that allow it to land on water. Originally envisioned as part of a fleet of flying boats that would deliver cargo and troops over the heads of U-boats during World War II, the Spruce Goose was built in 1947 by Hughes with $18 million in federal funds. Hughes, an oil and film industry tycoon, also spent $7 million of his own money on the project. The plane was made almost entirely of birch wood - a material that was not crucial to the war effort. Hughes, a passionate aviator, flew it only once, on Nov. 2, 1947, in a mile-long test flight above California's Long Beach Harbor. Hughes then stored it in a special hangar, and it never flew again. After the tycoon's death in 1976, the Smithsonian briefly contemplated cutting up the plane and putting its pieces on display. But aviation enthusiasts protested and vowed to keep the legendary plane intact, said Lyon, who remembers as a boy seeing the airplane's giant wings trucked from Culvert City to Long Beach in 1946. The Aero Club of Southern California acquired the aircraft, he said, and put the Spruce Goose on display in a hangar. In 1992, the Spruce Goose was sold to Delford Smith, the founder of Evergreen International Aviation. The plane was transported to McMinnville in pieces by truck and barge, reassembled and restored by a team of experts. Smith founded the museum in 2001, with the Spruce Goose as its centerpiece housed in a giant glass and steel building. In recent years, the museum was embroiled in a state investigation and the bankruptcies of Evergreen Aviation and Evergreen Vintage Aircraft, a for- profit affiliate of museum that owned its real estate and many of its planes. But the state said it won't take enforcement action against the nonprofit. A settlement reached in May resolved both bankruptcies and secured several of the museum's airplanes and its real estate. http://news.yahoo.com/museum-ownership-historic-howard-hughes-plane-200644762.html Back to Top Why airlines keep pushing biofuels: They have no choice NEW YORK (AP) - The number of global fliers is expected to more than double in the next two decades. In order to carry all those extra passengers, airlines are turning to a technology very few can make work on a large scale: converting trash into fuel. They have no other choice. As people in countries such as China, India and Indonesia get wealthier they are increasingly turning to air travel for vacation or business, creating an enormous financial opportunity for the airlines. The number of passengers worldwide could more than double, to 7.3 billion a year, in the next two decades, according to the International Air Transport Association. But many in the industry believe that without a replacement for jet fuel, that growth could be threatened by forthcoming rules that limit global aircraft emissions. "It's about retaining, as an industry, our license to grow," says Julie Felgar, managing director for environmental strategy at plane maker Boeing, which is coordinating sustainable biofuel research programs in the U.S., Australia, China, Brazil, Japan and the United Arab Emirates. Cars, trucks and trains can run on electricity, natural gas, or perhaps even hydrogen someday to meet emissions rules. But lifting a few hundred people, suitcases and cargo 35,000 feet into the sky and carrying them across a continent requires so much energy that only liquid fuels can do the trick. Fuel from corn, which is easy to make and supplies nearly 10 percent of U.S. auto fuel, doesn't provide enough environmental benefit to help airlines meet emissions rules. "Unlike the ground transport sector, they don't have a lot of alternatives," says Debbie Hammel, a bioenergy policy expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council. That leaves so-called advanced biofuels made from agricultural waste, trash, or specialty crops that humans don't eat. United Airlines last month announced a $30 million stake in Fulcrum Bioenergy, the biggest investment yet by a U.S. airline in alternative fuels. Fulcrum hopes to build facilities that turn household trash into diesel and jet fuel. FedEx, which burns 1.1 billion gallons of jet fuel a year, promised Tuesday to buy 3 million gallons per year of fuel that a company called Red Rock Biofuels hopes to make out of wood waste in Oregon. Southwest Airlines had already agreed to also buy some of Red Rock's planned output. These efforts are tiny next to airlines' enormous fuel consumption. U.S. airlines burn through 45 million gallons every day. But airlines have little choice but to push biofuels because the industry is already in danger of missing its own emissions goals, and that's before any regulations now being considered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and international agencies. The industry's international trade group has pledged to stop increasing emissions by 2020 even as the number of flights balloons. By 2050, it wants carbon dioxide emissions to be half of what they were in 2005. Like airlines, the U.S. military is also supporting development of these fuels for strategic and financial reasons. For biofuels makers, it is a potentially enormous customer: The military is the biggest single energy consumer in the country. Making biofuels at large, commercial scale is difficult and dozens of companies have gone belly up trying. The logistics of securing a steady, cheap supply of whatever the fuel is to be made from can take years. Financing a plant is expensive because lenders know the risks and demand generous terms. A sharp drop in the price of crude oil has made competing with traditional fuels on price more difficult. The airlines are now seeing some of these difficulties up close. A United program to power regular flights between Los Angeles and San Francisco with fuels made from agricultural waste was delayed when the fuel producer, AltAir, had trouble retrofitting the existing refinery. The companies now say the flights should begin in August. Red Rock's planned deliveries to Southwest have also been pushed back, to 2017 from 2016, and construction of the plant has not yet started. But many in the industry say they are not surprised, or daunted, by the time and effort it will take to bring large amounts of biofuels, at competitive prices, to market. "We really are trying to create a brand new fuel industry," says Boeing's Felgar. "We've always known this is a long term play, and our industry is long term." And if any industry is going to crack fuel from waste on a big scale, the airline industry might be the best bet. Instead of having to build the infrastructure to distribute and sell these fuels at hundreds of thousands of gas stations, jet fuel only has to be delivered to a small number of major airports. For example, nearly half of United's passengers fly through its five hubs in Houston, Chicago, Newark, San Francisco and Denver. Still, after the many disappointments that have plagued biofuel development, few want to promise an imminent biofuel revolution. "I'm not Pollyannaish about this," says Felgar. "I'm not optimistic, I'm not pessimistic, but I'm determined." http://www.businessinsider.com/why-airlines-keep-pushing-biofuels-they-have-no-choice-2015-7#ixzz3gcSFO34W Back to Top ISASI 2015, Germany, August 24 - 27, 2015 "Independence does not mean isolation". The International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI) will hold their 46th annual seminar at the Kongress am Park, Augsburg, Germany, from August 24 - 27, 2015. For all current information including the link to the registration and hotel pages please go to www.esasi.eu/isasi-2015 Note: Cut off dates for hotel reservations are June 23rd for the Dorint & July 23rd for the Ibis & the Intercity For questions regarding Sponsorship please contact Ron Schleede - ronschleede@aol.com or Steve Hull - steve.hull@rtiforensics.com Exhibitors should contact Steve Hull or Ann Schull - isasi@erols.com Back to Top Aircraft Crash Survival Investigation and Analysis * When: Sept. 21-25, 2015 * Where: Embry-Riddle Prescott, AZ Campus, Robertson Aviation Safety Center I * Early Bird Fee (Before August 1, 2015): U.S. $1,750 * Standard Course Fee: U.S. $2,000 * CEUs: 2 * Register Online: http://proed.erau.edu/programs/aviation-safety-accident-investigation/aircraft-crash-survival-investigation-and- analysis/index.html This exciting 5-day course entails a detailed analysis of the aircraft accident environment with particular emphasis on survivability factors. It explores factors and forces that cause injury and examines the injury-role played by impact forces and occupiable space compromises. The students will examine crashworthiness and delethalization technologies and concepts with a focus on the best ways to protect occupants during a crash. Selected aircraft accidents will be used as case studies, including use of the nation's largest full-scale investigation laboratory, the Robertson Aircraft Accident Investigation Lab. An in-depth review of basic kinematics and development of injury-related information will be completed. Back to Top Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University MOOC To Investigate Aviation Accidents Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide will be delivering a massive open online course (MOOC) on aircraft accident investigation at the end of the summer. Students will have the chance to try out their data collection skills in a virtual crash laboratory hosted by the Daytona Beach, FL-based institution. The new course will cover various aspects of the aircraft accident investigation process, from initial field investigation to publication of the final accident report. The university said an emphasis will be placed on the study of human factors and survival investigative techniques and the application of accident investigation findings in industry and research. The class will analyze aircraft accidents and evaluate causal factors. Participants in Embry-Riddle's aircraft accident investigation MOOC will be given the chance to practice data collection skills in Worldwide's Virtual Crash Laboratory. Participants will be given the chance to practice data collection skills in Worldwide's Virtual Crash Laboratory. Launched in May 2014, the lab introduces students to an animated crash using a short video. They then choose a male or female avatar to be the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator who walks through the crash site. They'll collect and export data that satisfies accident investigation criteria: survival factors, human factors, aircraft structures, aircraft systems, operations and maintenance. The MOOC, which is limited to 2,500 students, runs August 17 to September 13, 2015 and is hosted on the Canvas Network. It's expected to take between four and eight hours of work per week. All study materials will be provided within the course, and students who complete all four modules will receive a certificate of completion. There are no pre-requisites. http://campustechnology.com/articles/2015/07/20/embry-riddle-aeronautical-u-mooc-to-investigate-aviation-accidents.aspx Back to Top USAIG Welcomes NATA's Safety 1st to its Performance Vector Safety Initiative New York, NY (July 21, 2015)... USAIG proudly welcomes NATA's Safety 1st (National Air Transportation Association) to its Performance Vector safety initiative. Performance Vector delivers valuable, forward-looking safety support for USAIG-insured operators of turbine aircraft. Eligible policyholders can choose annually from a range of safety enhancing programs and services delivered by the industry's leading providers. Safety 1st is the educational outreach and training arm of the NATA, with curricula developed through collaboration with NATA members and industry experts. Since 2011, USAIG's Performance Vector program has had an option that enables policyholders to customize a 5-course e-Learning package. With the addition of Safety 1st, the course list is expanded to include options ideal for personnel who perform vital line service and support functions. NATA Safety 1st course additions include: * NATA Safety 1st Professional Line Service Training (Initial/Recurrent) * NATA Self-Fueling & Ramp Safety * NATA Safety 1st Supervisor Online * NATA Customer Service, Safety & Security * NATA Safety 1st Deicing Training * NATA Safety 1st Certified Trainer * NATA Aircraft Flight Coordinator Training * NATA OSHA Package "Having Safety 1st trained and credentialed personnel is a hallmark of professional-ground service operations that are serious about safety and controlling risk. We are delighted to bring these superb NATA programs to our policyholders through Performance Vector" said David McKay, USAIG President and CEO. "NATA is proud that our Safety 1st program is now offered as part of the Performance Vector Safety Initiative. We are honored to be recognized by USAIG as the industry leader in line service safety training and hope that USAIG-insured operators will take advantage of this proactive opportunity," stated NATA President and CEO Thomas L. Hendricks. Performance Vector programs meet aviation regulatory requirements, accreditation protocols and industry standards such as FAA, IS-BAO, NBAA's Certified Aviation Manager program, and ICAO. Eligibility for additional Performance Vector services refreshes upon each policy renewal. For additional information about the USAIG Performance Vector program, check the Safety tab at usaig.com or contact Paul S. Ratté, USAIG Director of Aviation Safety Programs at: safety@usaig.com. Back to Top Live Webcast Today - Keep America Flying: A Flight Plan for Safe and Fair Skies Back to Top Title Managing Communications Following an Aircraft Accident or Incident Co-sponsor Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA) Description The course will teach participants what to expect in the days immediately following an aviation accident or incident and how they can prepare for their role with the media. ID Code PA302 Dates, Tuition and Fee October 22-23, 2015 $1034 early registration, by September 19, 2015 $1134 late registration, between September 20 and October 19, 2015 $100 processing fee will be added to tuitions for all offline applications. A tuition invoice can be ordered for a $25 processing fee. Note: payment must be made at time of registration. Times Day 1: 8:30am - 5pm Day 2: 9am - 3pm Location NTSB Training Center * 45065 Riverside Parkway * Ashburn, Virginia 20147 Status OPEN. Applications are now being accepted. Apply to Attend SIGN UP FOR THIS COURSE HERE CEUs 1.3 Overview * How the National Transportation Safety Board organizes an accident site and what can be expected in the days after an aviation disaster from the NTSB, FAA, other federal agencies, airline, airport, media and local community * Strategies for airline and airport staff to proactively manage the communication process throughout the on-scene phase of the investigation * How the NTSB public affairs officers coordinate press conferences and release of accident information and what information the spokespersons from the airport and airline will be responsible to provide to the media * Making provisions for and communicating with family members of those involved in the accident * Questions and requests likely encountered from the airlines, airport staff, family members, disaster relief agencies, local officials and others > Comments from course participants > See the 219 organizations from 28 countries that have sent staff to attend this course Performance Results Upon completion of this course the participant will be able to: * Be better prepared to respond to a major aviation disaster involving a flight departing from or destined for participant's airport * Demonstrate greater confidence in fielding on-scene questions about the many aspects of the investigation and its participants, including what types of specific information may be requested * Identify the appropriate Public Affairs roles for the various organizations involved in an accident investigation. * Be more productive in the first few hours after an aviation disaster by understanding which tasks are most important and why * Perform job responsibilities more professionally and with greater confidence given the knowledge and tools to manage the airport communications aspect of a major aviation disaster Who May Attend This course is targeted to who, in the event of an aviation disaster, will need to provide a steady flow of accurate information to media outlets and/or other airport, federal or local authorities. Accommodations Area hotels and restaurants Airports Washington Dulles International (IAD): 10 miles Washington Ronald Reagan National (DCA): 30 miles Baltimore/Washington International (BWI): 60 miles More Information Email TrainingCenter@ntsb.gov or call (571) 223-3900 Courses, forums and symposia are added to the schedule throughout the year. Subscribe to the e- newsletter to learn about upcoming events and new programs:http://app.ntsb.gov/trainingcenter/list/list_mw020207.htm Back To Top Upcoming Events: EAA AirVenture Schedule July 19-26, 2015 Oshkosh, WI http://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-airventure-schedule-of-events 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 Fundamentals of IS-BAO August 25, 2015 Denver, CO USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1737105 IS-BAO Auditing August 26, 2015 Denver, CO USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1737126 Fundamentals of IS-BAO August 30, 2015 Casablanca, Morocco https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1725994 IS-BAO Auditing August 31, 2015 Casablanca, Morocco https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1725997 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 Regulatory Affairs Training Course September 15 & 16 Fort Worth, TX http://jdasolutions.aero/services/regulatory-affairs.php Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUPS) Training Course September 15 & 16 Fort Worth, TX http://jdasolutions.aero/ Back to Top JOBS AVAILABLE: Manager Airline Safety Cathay Pacific http://www.cathaypacific.com/careers Airline Safety Manager - SMS (ASM-SMS) Cathay Pacific http://www.cathaypacific.com/careers Director, ICAO Liaison International Business Aviation Council DILpost@ibac.org Auditor Quality Assurance JetBlue https://careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/client_jetblue/external_general/gateway.do?functionName=viewFromLink&jobPostId=5760&localeCode=en- us Curt Lewis