Flight Safety Information August 3, 2015 - No. 151 In This Issue Malaysia Seeks Help In Finding More Possible MH370 Debris MH370 deep in minds of Australians, Malaysia Airlines CEO Christoph Mueller says Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 Accident (UK) Gulfstream finds design flaw in jet that crashed at Hanscom Pilots warned of drones flying near JFK airport Aircraft Swerves to Avoid Drone in South Jersey Sullenberger: Drones likely to cause airplane accidents Fatal helicopter crash grounds Russian helicopters Air safety review for Tasmania NGT bans pesticide spraying while passengers onboard aircraft (India) Skidded aircraft in Padang removed from runway (Indonesia) CASA CN-235 Accident (Colombia) PROS 2015 TRAINING Facebook's Aquila Aircraft, Which Can Beam Data At 10Gb/s Using Laser Beams, Is Complete People in Aviation: August 2015 China's Business Aviation Market Zooms a Little Slower ERAU - Unmanned Aircraft Systems Workshop ISASI 2015, Germany, August 24 - 27, 2015 Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Malaysia Seeks Help In Finding More Possible MH370 Debris Debris found earlier on Reunion Island is being tested. Malaysia Airlines flight crew members head for the the departure lounge at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, in Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015. Malaysia's Civil Aviation Authority officially declared the MH370 crash an accident on Thursday, fulfilling a legal obligation that will allow efforts to proceed with compensation claims. (AP Photo/Joshua Paul) KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysian officials said Sunday that they would seek help from territories near the island where a suspected piece of the missing Malaysia Airlines jet was discovered to try to find more plane debris. A new piece of debris, meanwhile, found on Sunday on the French island of Reunion in the western Indian Ocean turned out to be a "domestic ladder," and doesn't belong to a plane, Malaysian Director General of Civil Aviation Azharuddin Abdul Rahman told The Associated Press amid media reports that a new plane part was found. Malaysian government officials will ask territories near Reunion to alert them if they find any debris that could be from a plane, a transport ministry official said on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media. A wing flap suspected to be from the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was found Wednesday on Reunion. It arrived Saturday at a French military testing facility, where it will be analyzed by experts. Air safety investigators, including one from Boeing, have identified the component as a flaperon from the trailing edge of a Boeing 777 wing, a U.S. official has said. Flight 370 is the only missing 777 and many are convinced the flap comes from the ill-fated jet. The new piece of debris found on a beach near the town of Saint-Denis on Sunday morning had nothing to do with the investigation involving the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, Rahman said. "I'm the one leading the investigation in France for the analysis of the (wing flap) piece brought back. I read all over media it (the new debris) was part of a door," he told the AP by phone from France. "But I checked with the Civil Aviation Authority, and people on the ground in Reunion, and it was just a domestic ladder." In this photo dated Wednesday, July 29, 2015, French police officers inspect a piece of debris from a plane in Saint-Andre, Reunion Island. Malaysia's transport ministry confirmed Sunday that the flaperon that was found has been identified as being from a 777, saying it had been verified by French authorities together with Boeing, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and a Malaysian team. Experts will try to establish whether the part comes from Flight 370, which disappeared on March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. The experts are expected to start their inquiry on Wednesday. On Monday, an investigating judge will meet with Malaysian authorities and representatives of the French aviation investigative agency, known as the BEA. Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said in a statement Sunday that representatives from Malaysia, the U.S., China, France and Boeing would take part in the verification of the flaperon. About two-thirds of those aboard Flight 370 were Chinese. Liow said Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation was reaching out to authorities in territories near Reunion to allow experts "to conduct more substantive analysis should there be more debris coming on to land, providing us more clues to the missing aircraft." "I urge all parties to allow this crucial investigation process to take its course. I reiterate this is for the sake of the next of kin of the loved ones of MH370 who would be anxiously awaiting news and have suffered much over this time," Liow said. "We will make an announcement once the verification process has been completed." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/malaysia-mh370- search_55be84f8e4b0d4f33a0329d8? Back to Top MH370 deep in minds of Australians, Malaysia Airlines CEO Christoph Mueller says French gendarmes and police inspect the flaperon, believed to be from MH370, that washed ashore on Reunion Island. Australians are some of the hardest customers in the world to convince that Malaysia Airlines has left its safety problems in the past, Malaysia Airlines' new chief executive concedes. In his first public outing since part of a wing believed to be from Flight MH370 was found on a remote island in the Indian Ocean last Wednesday, Christoph Mueller said Australia, Britain and China were three markets in which there had been "significant repercussions" for the airline from the disappearance of the Boeing 777 in March last year and the shooting down of another Malaysia Airlines flight, MH17 over Ukraine, four months later. "In Australia it's easy to explain with all good intentions but every mentioning of the search for 370 correlates with our demand," he told Fairfax Media. "Our demand does not correlate with price any longer but mentioning on social media - it's very adverse. It is very regrettable but it's a fact." Christoph Mueller was called "The Terminator" after slashing costs at airlines before he joined Malaysia Airlines. It highlights the challenge ahead for Mr Mueller, a German who earned the nickname "The Terminator" during his time at Ireland's flag carrier Aer Lingus, in reshaping what he has described as a "technically bankrupt" airline. Since taking the reins in May, he has ditched routes, begun cutting 6000 jobs from its 20,000-strong workforce and next month is set to unveil a new brand. Mr Mueller would not be drawn on the discovery on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean last week of a flaperon believed to be from MH370, saying he would not "participate in any speculation" about the search for the plane carrying 239 passengers and crew, including six Australians. "There are investigators currently busy in all different parts of the world - I leave it to them to draw conclusions," he said in Sydney on Monday. Malaysian authorities have confirmed the flaperon was from a Boeing 777. The wreckage was under forensic examination in Toulouse in southern France to determine whether it was from MH370. Other debris Locals on Reunion Island had since found various other debris including a suit case, but officials have been much more sceptical about whether they were from MH370. Mr Mueller said MH370 and MH17 had triggered a "very looking forward debate" between the aviation industry and governments about gaps in the system such as aircraft tracking. "Everyone has received their wake-up call," he said. Malaysia Airlines will stop flying between Brisbane and Kuala Lumpur from Sunday, and reduce flights to Sydney and Melbourne this month from three times a day to two. It will also trim services to Adelaide and Perth. It is a major change from just before the the loss of MH370 and MH17 when the airline boosted flights to Australia by a third. Mr Mueller said the airline's brand recognition, particularly in the Australian market, had "taken a severe hit". "It's one of the reasons why we had to cut back our capacity in Australia," he said. While declining to give specifics, Mr Mueller said the launch of a new company on September 1 was more than about simply "repainting" the airline, but involved installing a new management team, shareholding structure, revamping its product and setting up a new air-operator's licence. More than a logo "Brand is not just the name and the logo but is more what your airline stands for. We will embark on the idea that we provide value for money for our travellers," he said. He admitted it was "a very very difficult" job but insisted he could turn around the financial fortunes of an airline that had lost money every year since 2010. "It is very hard but it fortunately, isn't mission impossible. It requires us to roll up our sleeves and get going," he said. "The strategic issues anyhow needed to be addressed - the two tragedies came on top and made the whole thing more difficult on the revenue sides. We are very determined to get it done in the next three years." He intended to have completed the axing of 6000 jobs by June next year as part of efforts to cut the airline's costs by 30 per cent within two years. Mr Mueller was to speak on a panel at the CAPA Australia-Pacific Aviation Summit in Sydney on Tuesday. http://www.smh.com.au/business/aviation/mh370-remains-deep-in-minds-of- australians-malaysia-airlines-ceo-says-20150803-giq26a.html#ixzz3hkaR5s4k Back to Top Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 Accident (UK) Status: Preliminary Date: Friday 31 July 2015 Time: 15:09 Type: Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 Operator: Salem Aviation Registration: HZ-IBN C/n / msn: 50500040 First flight: 2010 Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535E Crew: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Passengers: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Total: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Blackbushe Airport (BBS/EGLK) ( United Kingdom) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Milano-Malpensa Airport (MXP/LIMC), Italy Destination airport: Blackbushe Airport (BBS/EGLK), United Kingdom Narrative: An Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 jet was destroyed when it crashed into a car auction next to Blackbushe Airport, U.K.. The aircraft was coming to land on runway 25 when it went down in the parking lot of a car auction past the end of the runway. An intense fire erupted, which consumed the aircraft. All aboard died. Among the passengers were the stepmother and sister of Osama bin Laden. Runway 07/25 at Blackbushe is 1335 m (4380 ft) long asphalt runway. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Gulfstream finds design flaw in jet that crashed at Hanscom The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the plane crash that killed seven people on May 31, 2014, at Hanscom Field in Bedford. The manufacturer of the plane that crashed during takeoff in Bedford last year, killing seven people, including the co-owner of The Philadelphia Inquirer, said the accident could have been avoided by "a simple check" of the plane's steering gear, according to an accident report released Friday. In the report, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. said the inflight crew tried to take off with a gust lock engaged, despite repeated system warnings. The gust lock is designed to lock flight controls when the jet is parked, to prevent movement during strong winds. "The crew should have aborted," officials wrote in the report. "Instead, having incorrectly assumed they had resolved the gust lock issue, the crew continued the takeoff roll without comment." When the jet began routine take off procedures on May 31, 2014, the lever moved to an "intermediate position," making it possible for the pilot to accelerate up to 143 miles per hour, but not to take off, the report said. Though Gulfstream's report largely placed blame on the crew, officials said they were "actively working" to improve the system. In a new fleet of jets, planes will be prevented from moving at high speeds while the gust locks are engaged. Pre-flight checks had been performed in full prior to takeoff only twice in Gulfstream jet's previous 175 flights, records show. An advisory stating that the rudder limit was reached flashed during the plane's taxi. A rudder is used to steer the plane, and the alert is used to indicate when a rudder is moving too much during travel. According to recordings from the aircraft, the pilot told another crew member that this warning had lit up, but did not investigate the alert. The FAA requires manufacturers to provide an "unmistakable warning" when the gust lock is activated, but the signal on the GIV model has multiple meanings that may have confused pilots, The Philadelphia Inqurier reported. As the plane continued to move, the throttle became locked. At this point, the pilot "should have, as per training and flight manual guidance on a normal takeoff, confirmed that the control column relaxed into a neutral position," the report said. During acceleration, the pilot told his crew the steering was locked but he was unable to engage controls, causing the plane to continue beyond the runway and crash, the report said. A simple check of the rudder control pedals could have demonstrated the the gust lock was engaged and the flight controls were locked. The company submitted their findings to the National Transportation Safety Board in May. Files about the investigation were released to the NTSB website Friday. In its own report, SK Travel, the company that owned the jet, urged the FAA to require Gulfstream to "correct the deficiencies" in the gust lock. In addition to Katz, the crash killed the two pilots, a flight attendant, and three friends who returning to New Jersey after a fund-raiser at the Concord home of author Doris Kearns Goodwin and her husband, Richard. http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/08/01/gulfstream-says-jet-that-crashed- bedford-has-design-flaw/zB9FhzHig7LDKk1C2omdDL/story.html Back to Top Pilots warned of drones flying near JFK airport Delta flight surprised by close encounter with a drone at JFK (WPIX - New York/NDN) Two airplanes flying near one of the nation's busiest airports each came within 100 feet of a drone on Friday, according to audio from each flight's radio calls. The first, JetBlue Flight 1843, reported spotting a drone at 2:24 p.m. while approaching John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. In the audio recording, the cockpit says that the drone passed just below the planes nose when the jet was flying at an altitude of about 800 to 900 feet. Then at about 5 p.m., Delta Flight 407 -- which had 154 people on board -- was preparing to land when the cockpit reported seeing a drone below its right wing. Both planes landed safely and each incident are being investigated by the FAA, though it's unclear whether the two incidents are related. Dangerously close Drones that fly too close to commercial flights pose a serious threat to the larger aircraft, Phil Derner of NYCaviation.com told CNN affiliate WPIX. They can be sucked into the engine or even crash into the cockpit window. "Going into an engine can destroy an engine," Derner said. "Going into the cockpit window can injure a pilot or even kill a pilot." Unmanned aircraft systems are neither supposed to fly within five miles of an airport without notifying the airport operator and control tower nor are they supposed to go above 400 feet. The FAA says it gets about two reports per day from pilots saying they spotted an unmanned aerial vehicle. http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nation-and-world/pilots-warned-drones-flying- near-jfk-airport Back to Top Aircraft Swerves to Avoid Drone in South Jersey The FAA says the pilot of a small airplane reported a close call with a drone near Sewell Airport. An aircraft traveling over South Jersey Sunday afternoon was forced to make a sharp turn to avoid a drone in the air, the FAA said. According to FAA officials, the pilot of a Piper PA28 aircraft spotted an Unmanned Aircraft System, or drone, in the air in Washington Township, about 25 miles northwest of the Sewell Airport. The pilot reported to the FAA that he was forced to make an evasive turn to avoid hitting the drone. The aircraft was flying approximately 1000 feet in the air. There were no reports of any injuries. The FAA is investigating the incident. http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Drone-South-Jersey-Washington-Township- New-Jersey-Sewell-Airport-FAA-Piper-PA28-320441622.html#ixzz3hkbqlCLM Back to Top Sullenberger: Drones likely to cause airplane accidents The increasing availability of drones is all but certain to cause an airplane accident, in part because it's difficult to catch people in the act of flying the small unmanned devices, CBS News aviation and safety expert Chesley Sullenberger said Sunday. "We've seen what a six-pound or an eight-pound bird can do to bring down an airplane," Sullenberger said on "Face the Nation," a nod to the flock of birds that knocked out both of his engines and forced him to land a plane in the Hudson River in 2009. "Imagine what a device containing hard parts like batteries and motors can do that might weigh 25 or possibly up to 55 pounds to bring down an airplane. It's not a matter of if it will happen. It's a matter of when it will happen." There has been a dramatic increase in the number of unmanned aircraft flying near commercial planes, and in some cases, pilots have had to alter their courses to avoid a collision. Sullenberger said the devices are becoming ubiquitous because they are relatively cheap and easy to procure, but that it "allows people to do stupid, reckless, dangerous things with abandon." "I'm heartened that the aviation and the legal authorities have raised the penalties for doing these things. Unfortunately, the essential element that's still missing is the certainty of prosecution because it's been difficult to catch them in the act. This must stop," he said. The pilot also weighed in on the recent discovery of a wing flap suspected to be from the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 jet near the French island of Reunion. "We shouldn't make too many judgments about one single piece of debris any more than we would expect to discover why an entire house fell down by looking at one piece of lumber," Sullenberger said. But he added that a century of knowledge about metals and structures would allow investigators to draw some conclusions about what kind of forces affected the metal and the speed and energy of the impact. He said investigators are "writing a true life, non-fiction detective story of hundreds of pages. And right now, we're probably on page five." http://www.cbsnews.com/news/sullenberger-drones-likely-to-cause-airplane-accidents/ Back to Top Fatal helicopter crash grounds Russian helicopters The helicopter burst into flames after hitting the ground The Russian defence ministry has grounded its fleet of Mi-28 attack helicopters after a fatal accident at an air show on Sunday. One pilot died and another jumped clear as the helicopter crashed during an aerobatic display by the elite Berkut squadron in the Ryazan region, about 170km (105 miles) south-east of Moscow. The Russian military has blamed the crash on a hydraulics failure. There have been six other Russian air force crashes in recent weeks. The two-seat gunship was performing stunts and firing flares with three other helicopters. It then began to spin rapidly, before falling to the ground and bursting into flames. Its pilot Lt Col Igor Butenko was killed. His son told Russian media that the accident was not due to pilot error. "There are situations when it's impossible to survive no matter how well-trained the pilot is," he told Lifenews. The Russian defence ministry says the condition of the other pilot is "satisfactory". There were no injuries to spectators at the air show. An investigation has been launched into the cause of the crash, although the surviving pilot has said that a hydraulic failure was the cause. The country's fleet of Mi-28s will remain grounded until the investigation is completed. The Mi-28 is an attack helicopter widely used in Russia, as well as countries such as Iraq and Kenya. At least five people have been killed in recent military aviation crashes. In the past few years, the air force has received hundreds of new helicopter and planes as part of a programme to modernise and reequip Russia's military. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33754767 Back to Top Air safety review for Tasmania Airservices chief air traffic controller Paddy Goodall, left, and Hobart tower manager John Glass at Hobart airport. Picture: Peter Mathew Source: News Corp Australia Airspace safety in Tasmania will be reviewed, despite Airservices Australia conceding it had failed to implement a previous safety recommendation for radar-controlled landings at Hobart and Launceston airports. Airservices Australia revealed yesterday that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority had suggested it review operations at both airports to ensure they were adequate to cope with a rapid increase in air traffic. As well, it had been told CASA's Office of Airspace Regulation would undertake its own independent review of airspace operations at Hobart and Launceston. Sources said this would be a "full airspace review". The reviews follow a CASA audit last month of Airservices' operations, which CASA said yesterday was confidential and would not be publicly released. Pilots have expressed frustration that there is still no radar or other surveillance-based method of controlling planes on approach to the two airports, despite the widely held belief that this would be delivered by a $6 million TASWAM radar-like system introduced in 2010. Instead, below 8500 feet, aircraft are kept apart by "procedural separation", whereby tower controllers use radio contact with pilots, visual observations and other aids. Airservices says this is safe and appropriate for the level of traffic, but the Virgin Independent Pilots Association has described it as "nowhere near" as safe as surveillance control and has questioned why TASWAM is not being used to separate planes below 8500ft. Aviator and former CASA chairman Dick Smith has attacked procedural separation as "a 1930s system" no longer appropriate for busy city airports, particular in Hobart, a capital city experiencing a tourist boom. Airservices said the new reviews were evidence that both CASA, which sets safety stand- ards, and itself as the service provider were "on top of the situation". "Airservices will review the services we provide and CASA will review the actual airspace classification," said Hobart air traffic control tower manager John Glass. "It shows that both the regulator and the provider are on top of the situation and are out there looking at our operation all the time to ensure safety is of paramount importance." Airservices chief air traffic controller Paddy Goodall said Airservices would ensure that airspace procedures kept pace with the increased traffic, in Hobart in particular. "(CASA has said) that we should keep an eye on the increased activity to make sure that we are prepared to respond in adequate time," Mr Goodall said. "The (Hobart) airport has plans between 2015 and 2035 to double the amount of passengers that come through here. "When they see that, it raises the same red flags with them as it does with us: (it says) 'Hey, we need to be ahead of the game here'." Mr Goodall confirmed that Airservices had failed to implement a June 2010 Office of Airspace Regulation recommendation that it introduce surveillance control of aircraft to the ground level at Hobart and Launceston. This report, obtained by The Weekend Australian, noted that TASWAM was being used as a tool to assist local tower controllers with "better situational awareness" but not to separate aircraft below 8500 feet. "An approach (surveillance) control service should be introduced to manage the airspace below 8500ft," the 2010 report concluded, formally recommending this approach to be adopted in both Hobart and Launceston. The report said a yearly 8 per cent increase in Hobart passenger numbers, with 1.8 million passengers already passing through the terminal, was a consideration. As well, it said the cost of providing a surveillance control service to ground level at Hobart and Launceston would be less, "due to the availability of (TAS)WAM". However, the recommendation was never implemented by Airservices, which said yesterday it instead addressed the report's concerns by improving the use of TASWAM by radar controllers in Melbourne, providing an after-hours service for Hobart and Launceston. Mr Goodall said the cost of extra staff and training, as well as more grounds stations to improve TASWAM coverage to the point where it could provide surveillance control, was judged by Airservices to be unjustified. "It's all achievable and not insurmountable but in terms of cost benefit it (justification) is just not there at the moment," he said. Airservices communications manager Rob Walker said the increased traffic meant "the service will have to change" in Tasmania. However, the cost of expanding TASWAM to provide surveillance control was estimated by engineers to be at least $10m. While Airservices insisted TASWAM was never intended to provide a surveillance control service, Airlines of Tasmania managing director Shannon Wells said the industry had been led to believe it would. Mr Wells said a review appeared justified and if it backed surveillance to the ground, this should be introduced regardless of cost. "If the demand and need is there to make it radar, it doesn't really matter what it costs - we've got to look at doing it," Mr Wells said. A pilot training school at Hobart had doubled training movements in the past 18 months and, combined with a tourism boom, plans for an extended runway and increased use of Hobart as a gateway for Antarctic flights, it was time to reconsider surveillance control. "It needs to be looked at," Mr Wells said. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/air-safety-review-for- tasmania/story-e6frg95x-1227465586862 Back to Top NGT bans pesticide spraying while passengers onboard aircraft (India) New Delhi: Heeding to the plea of a United States-based neurologist, the National Green Tribunal today directed the Centre to ensure that no disinfectant fumigation is carried out in aircraft while passengers are onboard. "You are supposed to kill mosquitoes not the human beings. You cannot take risk with the health of the people. "Carry out the disinfectant fumigation prior to loading of passengers or when the aircraft is empty," a bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar said. The green panel directed the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to issue necessary directions in this regard. The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Jai Kumar, a neurologist and director of the Primary Stroke Centre at Baylor Hospital in Texas. Kumar had contended that spraying of pesticides on planes with chemicals like phenothrin, an organo-phosphorus neurotoxin, was injurious to human health as their use carries risk of causing cancer and auto-immune diseases like lupus, Parkinson's disease and memory loss. According to the petitioner, while all other airlines have stopped spraying of pesticides, this practice is prevalent in all the Indian airlines operating internationally. http://www.firstpost.com/india/ngt-bans-pesticide-spraying-while-passengers-onboard- aircraft-2376826.html Back to Top Skidded aircraft in Padang removed from runway (Indonesia) A team from state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura (AP) II at Minangkabau International Airport in Padang, West Sumatra, on Monday managed to remove a passenger jet that had skidded off a runway at the airport, an official has said. Citilink Indonesia president director Albert Burhan said the team was in the process of removing the Citilink Indonesia Flight QG 970 aircraft, which skidded off when landing at 7:30 p.m. local time on Sunday, to the airport's hangar for a further technical investigation. "At 8:50 a.m., the aircraft had been successfully lifted from the incident site and is now being moved to a safer location. While waiting for the completion of the removal process, Citilink has dispatched a technical operations team that will examine the aircraft," said Albert as quoted by Antara on Monday. He further explained that Citilink's board of directors' members and National Transportation Safety Commission (KNKT) officials would fly to Padang to monitor the last stages of the aircraft's removal process. They also planned to visit passengers who were suffering from minor "shock" from the incident. Albert said Citilink flight schedules at the airport would be returning to normal in stages after flight delays during the removal process, which lasted for around one hour, and other security checks of the airport's runways by airport authorities. He said the team had faced difficulties in the removal process as the wheels supporting the aircraft's body sank into soil which was muddy due to heavy rain. As of early on Monday, at least 130 passengers were being accommodated at nearby hotels at Citilink Indonesia's expense while the remainder have returned home with transportation costs covered by the airline. As reported earlier, Citilink Indonesia flight QG 970, serving the Jakarta-Padang route, was overran the runway when landing at Minangkabau International Airport at 7: 27 p.m. on Sunday. The Airbus A320 aircraft was carrying 178 passengers including three babies and six crew members. All passengers survived the incident and none suffered serious injuries. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/03/skidded-aircraft-padang-removed- runway.html#sthash.SbR0I8dB.dpuf Back to Top CASA CN-235 Accident (Colombia) Status: Preliminary Date: Friday 31 July 2015 Type: CASA CN-235M-100 Operator: Fuerza Aérea Colombiana Registration: FAC1261 C/n / msn: C-118 First flight: 1997 Crew: Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Codazzi ( Colombia) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Military Departure airport: Palanquero-German Olano AB (PQE/SKPQ), Colombia Destination airport: Valledupar Airport (VUP/SKVP), Colombia Narrative: A CASA CN-235 transport plane operated by the Colombian Air Force was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Codazzi, Colombia. All 11 persons on board sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft departed Palanquero Air Base at 16:00 hours local time on a flight to Barranquilla via Valledupar. The Air Force stated that the pilot reported an engine failure prior to the accident. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were said to have been poor. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Back to Top Facebook's Aquila Aircraft, Which Can Beam Data At 10Gb/s Using Laser Beams, Is Complete Earlier today, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company had completed construction on its first, full-scale aircraft, dubbed Aquila. Facebook has talked about Aquila before-it's essentially a solar-powered, unmanned aircraft that can beam data to the ground using lasers, while airborne. According to Zuckerberg, Aquila has a wingspan similar to a Boeing 737 (roughly 42 meters), but it weighs less than a typical car and can remain airborne for months. Facebook undertook this project as part of its Internet.org efforts. If you're unfamiliar with Internet.org, it is an initiative led by Facebook, with the goal of bringing together leaders in technology, nonprofits, and local communities to help connect the two thirds of the world that doesn't have internet access. Zuckerberg explains in his post announcing the completion of Aquila, "This effort is important because 10% of the world's population lives in areas without existing internet infrastructure. To affordably connect everyone, we need to build completely new technologies." In addition to designing and building the solar powered, lightweight aircraft, Facebook also pioneered some interesting laser communication technology. Also from the post, "We've successfully tested a new laser that can transmit data at 10 gigabits per second. That's ten times faster than any previous system, and it can accurately connect with a point the size of a dime from more than 10 miles away." Transmitting data with lasers is nothing new. But achieving those kinds of speeds, within a low-power envelope, while airborne is impressive. Free Space Laser Communications Facebook's Aquila Will Transmit Data Between Aircraft Using Laser Beams. Aquila will fly at approximately 60,000 feet-well above commercial aircraft-and remain in the air for up to 3 months at a time. A ground station will transmit a radio internet signal to a "mother" aircraft, which will then in turn feed other aircraft in the constellation using free space laser communication tech. The aircraft will then blanket wireless internet access to the ground below. Zuckerberg closes his announcement with, "Over the coming months, we will test these systems in the real world and continue refining them so we can turn their promise into reality." I'm hoping their efforts pay off. The internet has not only afforded me a career that I love, but I can't imagine not having access to the wealth of information that is on- line. It's high time everyone has access as well. http://www.forbes.com/sites/marcochiappetta/2015/07/31/facebooks-aquila-aircraft- which-can-beam-data-at-10gbs-using-laser-beams-is-complete/ Back to Top People in Aviation: August 2015 Marenco Swisshelicopter appointed Philippe Harache chairman. An engineer who began his career at the helicopter division of Aerospatiale, Harache helped found Eurocopter, became CEO of Eurocopter International in 1994 and later became senior executive vice president of the group. Greg Brinkman was promoted to president of ExcelAire from COO. Previously Brinkman was a corporate pilot for the investment firm Kidder, Peabody and launched Associated Aircraft Group. The National Air Transportation Association elected Priester Aviation president and CEO Andy Priester chairman and Marathon Jet Center owner and partner Marty Hiller vice chairman. The association also added two board members: Scott Owens, senior v-p of McClellan Jet Services; and Jeff Ross, president and CEO of Ross Aviation. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International added Jonathan Downey and Lauren McCollum to its board of directors. Downey is the founder and CEO of Airware, a San Francisco-based company established in 2011 that is building a hardware, software and cloud service for commercial unmanned systems. McCollum is director of legislative affairs for intelligence, joint and science and technology programs at Lockheed Martin. GA Telesis appointed Jason Reed president of its Component Solutions Group, the company's rebranded component sales division. Reed previously served with Airbus Americas/Satair Group as vice president and head of operations for material and logistical program activities in North America and Latin America. Thomas Mepham was named CEO of Sequa. He has 27 years of aerospace experience, most recently as senior v-p of power, controls and sensing systems and as president of sensors and integrated systems at UTC. Jet Advisors appointed Peter Schmidt COO. Schmidt, who earned an engineering degree and a master's degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was most recently COO of Linear Air. In addition, he co-founded and sold several companies and was co-inventor on four patents in the automated analysis field. Gulfstream Aerospace named John Ortega vice president and general manager of its manufacturing facility in Mexicali, Mexico. Ortega, who joined the company in 2007, was previously director of composites/sub-assembly in Savannah, where he oversaw operations that support production of large-cabin Gulfstreams. Chuck Stumpf was named executive v-p of business development for Silver Air. Stumpf has more than two decades of experience as a business aviation executive, including stints with XOJet, JetSuite and HMS Aviation. Columbia Helicopters promoted Steve Bandy to senior v-p of operations. Vice president of operations since 2012, Bandy joined Columbia in 1989 as a copilot. Astronautics of America named Dan Ryan vice president of programs and product manager. Ryan has 35 years of industry experience, having spent 29 years with Honeywell as well as serving with DRS Environmental Systems. Airbus Helicopters appointed Robert Boman director/site manager for its Columbus, Miss. helicopter assembly plant and operations. Boman joined Airbus Helicopters in 2008 as head of human resources in Columbus. Mark Rosenker was elected to the board of directors of Flyht Aerospace Solutions. Currently a consultant to CBS News, Rosenker is a retired major general with the U.S. Air Force and former NTSB chairman. Erickson appointed Glenn Johnson to its board of directors. Johnson, who will chair the audit committee, has 30 years of aviation experience with Alaska Air Group, from which he retired as president of the company's Horizon Airlines subsidiary. The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) named Greg Kinsella chairman and Joe Salata vice chairman. Kinsella, who had been vice chairman of the organization, is base president in Washington, D.C., for Jet Linx. Salata is vice president of flight operations at Flight Options. Also, the ACSF elected the following to its board of governors: Tom Huff, aviation safety officer for Gulfstream; Bob Rufli, director of flight operations at Landmark Aircraft Management and Charter; Alan Ray, chief safety officer for OneSky; and Al Pod, president of A3P Technologies. Benjamin Dow has joined Jet Quest as director of large-cabin Citation sales and acquisition. Dow was formerly director of aircraft sales at FirstFlight in Horseheads, N.Y. Aircelle (Safran) appointed Pierre Jorant vice president of programs, Gilles Poilvet vice president of administration and finance, Francis Gauvain vice president of human resources and facilities, and Philippe James continuous improvement vice president. Jorant joined Safran in 2008 and in 2011 became general manager of Sichuan Services Aero-Engine Maintenance. Poilvet has served with Aircelle since 2002, most recently as vice president of programs. Gauvain has been with Safran companies since 1981 in numerous roles, including deputy for the Snecma human resources department. James has been project manager for development of the Vinci rocket engine, and head of the combustion devices design department. Epic Aviation promoted Dev Sharma to director of sales west and Doug Crowther to director of national accounts and business development. Sharma has served with Epic for 18 years, most recently as California and Hawaii regional sales manager. Crowther joined the company last year as director of into-wing sales and before that was COO for a Seattle-based FBO. EagleMed named Robin Welch program manager for the Wichita area. Previously she served with the Kansas University School of Medicine, steering physician recruiting for the state of Kansas with a focus on rural and urban underserved areas. Asian Sky Group (ASG) has reorganized the sales responsibilities in its Hong Kong office, naming Luke Fehon vice president of sales for Japan, Taiwan and Southeast Asia; Jane Wang vice president of sales for China, Hong Kong and Macao; and Nadav Kessler responsible for Asia-Pacific rotary sales. ASG also appointed Jonathan Taryoto as a sales director based in Bangkok. Hunt & Palmer appointed Paul McCluskey vice president of commercial aviation, based in the new Daytona Beach, Fla. office. McCluskey has aviation experience with both scheduled and charter operations and is a co-founder of the Air Charter Association of North America. Esterline CMC Electronics appointed four new vice presidents following Esterline's acquisition of Barco's aerospace and defense division. Patrick Champagne, previously vice president of cockpits and systems integration at CMC, has become vice president of products, display solutions; Marc Gagné, formerly director of engineering services and of the Hybrid Microelectronics business for CMC, is vice president of operations; Ben Hendsbee, a 20-year CMC employee who has served in the commercial services organization, was named vice president of commercial services; and Kristof Vierin, one of the founders of the Barco Avionics Division, was appointed vice president of sales. Elliott Aviation appointed John Murphy director of paint and interior. Murphy has more than 35 years of aviation experience, most recently as senior director of completions with Jet Aviation in St. Louis. Boutsen Aviation named Timothée Marcie as a sales executive based in Monaco. Marcie previously served with Dassault Falcon, where he was responsible for new aircraft sales for Northern China out of Beijing and Eastern China out of Shanghai. Mark Schenkel was appointed controller for Pentastar Aviation. Schenkel previously served as controller at MCM Management. Spectrum Aeromed hired Curtis Haug as a sales assistant for the German office. Most recently Haug was an account representative for a vehicle manufacturing company. Andrew Hoy, formerly with ExecuJet Aviation Group and Jetcraft, has launched the Affinity Aviation Group to provide aviation services, from sales and acquisition to the eventual operation of FBOs and charter. Sari Sawaya was named group executive director. Sawaya has held positions at ExecuJet Middle East and Jetcraft. Swiss Aviation Consulting named Simon Diggelmann key account manager for the Camo team. Most recently Diggelmann was technical manager for a large business jet operator. Four of Duncan Aviation's project managers have earned their Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, an internationally recognized credential. Tammie Burns, Ryan DeVall, Matt Lentel and Will Morris completed 12 hours of college credit, developed by Lincoln-based Nebraska Wesleyan University and taught on site at Duncan Aviation, and passed the PMP certification exam. Hal Bryan was promoted to senior editor of the Experimental Aircraft Association's publications. Bryan, who joined the association in 2009 as its first online community manager, was a business development manager with the team responsible for Microsoft's Flight Simulator software. Western Aircraft named Derek Freeman avionics sales manager and Jay Reeder turboprop sales account manager. Freeman has more than 30 years of aviation experience, most serving as a senior avionics engineer for Kelowna Flightcraft. Reeder was previously material operations coordinator for EuroTec Vertical Flight Solutions. Tom Anderson was appointed senior v-p of commercial and customer support for ATR. Anderson previously held management positions with Airbus, Virgin America, JetBlue and Boeing. The company also named Roberto Del Pezzo head of quality. Del Pezzo has served with ATR partner Alenia Aermacchi since 1983 and has held numerous senior roles in product support, manufacturing and quality. AWARDS & HONORS GAMA awarded the Edward W. Stimpson Aviation Excellence scholarship award to Takoda Benedict of Tri-Village High School in New Madison, Ohio, and the Dr. Harold S. Wood Award for Excellence-given to a university student who is a flight team member at a National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) member school-to Kelly Abplanalp. Benedict is a graduating senior who will pursue aviation studies at Liberty University. Abplanalp, a senior at the University of Wisconsin, is captain of the Wisconsin Flying Team and president of the Badger Aviators. NBAA named Christina Henderlong the first recipient of the Dale "Potsy" McBurney Aviation Scholarship. Presented at NBAA's Flight Attendants/Flight Technicians Conference in Tucson, Ariz., the scholarship was established to help business aviation professionals advance their careers. Henderlong, an instructor executive flight attendant with the U.S. Air Force, plans to use her training to help the Air Force Distinguished Visitor Airlift mission promote the role of the flight attendant in business aircraft. Janice Barden, chairman and founder of Aviation Personnel International, was inducted into the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. The Ohio Department of Aging annually honors Ohio residents or native-born Ohioans who are at least 60 and who have been exemplary leaders and role models in their fields. Barden, who was born in Cleveland, founded Aviation Personnel International in 1971, creating the first female-owned and - operated search firm dedicated to the business aviation industry exclusively. The Citation Jet Pilots Owner Pilot Association is inducting the late Dr. Sam Williams, an aeronautical engineer and founder of Williams International, into its Hall of Honor. Williams will be honored during the CJP Convention next month. The association is recognizing Williams for his "vital and storied part of the Citation legacy," specifically the engines that have powered the CitationJet series from the original CJ to the CJ4 and M2. Ira Berman, Gulfstream senior v-p of administration and general counsel, was recognized as a "Legend In Law" by The Burton Awards Program. Co-sponsored by the American Bar Association in association with the Library of Congress, the Burton program recognizes individuals based on reputation, background, experience, demonstrated competence in a specialized area of law, the complexity and scope of the leadership matters they handled, and their success in global and national issues. Berman has served with Gulfstream since 1997 and has expanded his role to cover legal, human resources, environmental health and safety, real estate and facilities, security, risk management, government contracts and trade compliance. He also serves as corporate v-p for Gulfstream parent General Dynamics. http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2015-08-03/people-aviation- august-2015 Back to Top China's Business Aviation Market Zooms a Little Slower Gulfstream accounted for 32.3 percent of business jets sold in China, followed closely by Bombardier. Companies are cautiously optimistic but say the economy presents challenges. Credit Carlos Barria/Reuters China's fast-growing business aviation market has hit a rough patch. During an eight-year run beginning in 2005, deliveries of new jets expanded by about 20 percent a year, according to industry data. But now the country's economy is growing at its slowest rate in nearly a quarter-century. Customers have less to spend. And those who can spend are afraid of becoming casualties in the government's anti-corruption austerity campaign. Growth hit only 15.5 percent in 2014, according to a report by Asian Sky Group consultancy, released in mid-April. With deliveries lagging one to two years behind orders, the worst may be yet to come, one analyst said. "I don't think anybody's been spared," said Jeffrey Lowe, managing director at Asian Sky Group. "If you look at all the other high-end commodities that have been impacted as far as China sales, it's certainly not surprising that business jets are feeling the crimp." Asian Sky's report said the combined markets of China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan were "very much in decline." The net number of aircraft added to the combined fleets was more than 100 in 2012, a number that dropped to 64 in 2013 and 59 last year, it said. Deer Jet, the largest charter operator in the region, was in 1995 the first company to offer charter services inside China. It has been forced to adapt as demand has evaporated, said the company's vice president, Fang Xinyu. Mr. Fang said Deer Jet had reduced its fleet by more than 30 percent in the past two years, because of a slowing economy and "some factors not related to the industry itself." Mr. Lowe estimated that China's large charter companies have seen a 40 percent drop- off in business since President Xi Jinping launched his austerity campaign after assuming power in late 2012. "Charters have gone away, just like gift-giving and banquets," he said, noting that for most large Chinese charter operators, the central government had been one of the biggest sources of business. Chartering a large aircraft from Deer Jet for a domestic flight costs 60,000 to 80,000 renminbi, or $9,600 to $12,900, an hour. But even if government demand bounces back, Mr. Fang said, many challenges remain, particularly in terms of regulation and infrastructure. "We need more airspace, more flexible scheduling, more parking slots and more professionals," he said. "These things will play a decisive role in China's business aviation development." The industry's uncertainty was reflected in April at the three-day Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition in Shanghai, a gathering of multinational manufacturers, charter and management companies, and other service providers. Recent installments have been upbeat affairs, often featuring announcements of large orders. At last year's exhibition, Minsheng Financial Leasing confirmed it had placed orders for 70 business jets. This year, there were no major jet orders. "Clearly China is going through a time of change," said Ed Bolen, president and chief executive of the National Business Aviation Association, a Washington-based industry organization that co-hosts the Chinese aviation exhibition. "If you look at the past two years, it has cooled down a little." Mr. Lowe of Asian Sky said the slowdown has touched all aspects of the market. He added that many of China's state-owned banks - including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Agricultural Bank of China and the China Development Bank - had entered the business-jet leasing market following the lead of Minsheng, which placed its first order in July 2010. Now many of those banks are looking to sell underused aircraft, creating sales competition for manufacturers like Gulfstream, Bombardier and Dassault Falcon. But even without external pressures, the business-jet market may simply be hitting its natural level, Mr. Lowe said. "We're seeing more financings, we're seeing more refinancings and a lot more pre- owned aircraft, too. But those are all the things that should be happening in a maturing market," said Mr. Lowe, who has worked in sales at Gulfstream and Bombardier. For plane manufacturers, "I don't think China was their top-performing market last year, let's put it that way. Whether that's 50 percent down, I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised." Exactly how much new jet sales have cooled is difficult to pin down, as manufacturers would not disclose details of jet orders. China is not the only market that has slowed down recently; Russian and Latin American demand has decreased as well, leading Bombardier to announce in May that it would slash 1,750 business-jet division jobs. Gulfstream is the most popular aircraft manufacturer in China, accounting for 32.3 percent of business jets there. Roger Sperry, the company's regional senior vice president of international sales for Asia Pacific, described the mood of the industry in China as "cautiously optimistic." "Customer interest continues to be strong - it's just taking longer to close deals," Mr. Sperry said. He added that Gulfstream's customers were primarily public and private companies, followed by individuals. Michael Han, regional vice president of sales for greater China at Bombardier Business Aircraft, which is close behind Gulfstream, declined to discuss specifics, but said his company had faced "some challenges" in the Chinese market in the past few years. Yet the slowdown in sales, leases and charters is hardly chasing anyone out of the Chinese market, analysts say. One is even predicting a comeback year. Jason Liao, chief executive of the China Business Aviation Group, said he expected orders to grow more than 15 percent this year on the back of China's most recent stock boom. He said he was aware of "five or six" orders in recent months by people who had become rich on the bull market's high returns before sudden share price slumps in June and July. "The amount of wealth that has been created by the stock market in the past six months is staggering," Mr. Liao said in early June. "We have people calling us now saying, 'I've made so much money on the stock market, now I want to buy a jet.'" Even if stock market volatility continues or prices decline further, some data suggests China's business aviation market will continue to find new ways to make money. Most notably, business jets are still used at only a fraction of the rate they are in all other markets. According to Bombardier, Greater China had four aircraft for every $100 billion of gross domestic product in 2013, compared with 23 in Africa, 42 in Latin America and 69 in North America. Bombardier is projecting 11 percent compound annual growth for aircraft delivery to Greater China through 2023. "The Chinese business aviation industry is still in an early stage of development; the potential market is still huge," Mr. Fang said. "This is just the beginning." http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/04/business/international/chinas-business-aviation- market-zooms-a-little-slower.html?_r=0 Back to Top UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS WORKSHOP Professional education seminars for aviation practitioners The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) course is designed to identify the key concepts, attributes, and challenges of UAS operations. The UAS sector is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic segments within aviation industry. Currently the majority of UAS growth has been in support of military and security operations however, recent congressional mandates have unlocked a bourgeoning civilian market with interest in a broad range of uses such as aerial photography, precision agriculture, mapping, monitoring climate and environmental conditions, and public safety. Who Should Attend: This course is designed for UAS Engineers, Transitioning Military UAS Operators, Mission Coordinators, Entrepreneurs, Field Service Representatives, UAS Technicians, UAS Program Managers or others wishing to obtain further knowledge of UAS operations. Attendees will gain knowledge of: * UAS System Components and Classification * Regulatory Environment for UAS * Issues Associated with UAS Airspace Integration * Future and Current Trends Affecting the UAS Industry Course Topics: * The UAS Market * UAS Systems Design and Development * UAS Sensors Packages * UAS Navigation Systems * National Airspace System Integration DECEMBER 8 - 10 REGISTER TODAY Embry-Riddle Increases Its Commitment to Continuing Education Embry-Riddle is a premier university for aviation training and education; join us for your professional development needs. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS WORKSHOP Course Dates: December 8-10, 2015 Course Location: ERAU Daytona Beach Campus, FL Course Fee: Early Bird Fee: $1,300 (Prior to Sept. 16, 2015) Standard Fee: $1,400 SAVE THE DATE - DECEMBER 8 THRU 10, 2015 CONTACT: Sarah Ochs, Director of Professional Programs Email: case@erau.edu Phone: (386) 226-6928 www.daytonabeach.erau.edu/uas 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 Upcoming 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 AViCON - Aviation Insurance Conference September 10th and 11th, 2015 Stevensville, MD 21666 http://www.rtiforensics.com/news-events/avicon 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/ Safeskies 2015 Aviation Safety Conference 22 to 24 September 2015 Realm Hotel, Canberra www.SafeskiesAustralia.org Back to Top JOBS AVAILABLE: Director, Aviation Safety NetJets www.netjets.com/careers Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) Program Advisor Virgin Australia http://careers.virginaustralia.com/cw/en/job/496246/fatigue-risk-management-systems- frms-program-advisor Head of Safety Qantas http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/job-search-current-vacancies/global/en Safety Specialist Netjets www.netjets.com/careers Business Aviation Regional Sales Manager ARGUS International, Inc. https://home2.eease.adp.com/recruit/?id=18211162 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 Curt Lewis