Flight Safety Information August 10, 2015 - No. 156 In This Issue Only black box can shed light on MH370 mystery, say aviation experts Maldives join hunt for MH370 after debris sighting claims Pilot lands jet despite smashed windshield and damaged GPS Questions after Delta flight caught in damaging storm O'Hare-Bound Jet Diverted To Indianapolis For 'Pressurization Issue' Plane Makes Emergency Landing At Phila. Airport Flight grounded after both pilots fail alcohol test Sweden revokes Iraqi Airways permit over poor safety record Airlines under siege from hackers 4 Commercial Planes Report Drone Encounters at Newark Airport: FAA Aircraft makes emergency landing as fire catches engine Germanwings Crash Families Prepare Lawsuit in U.S.: Report Drones an increasing threat to emergency responders, pilots THE FRENCH CONNECTION TO MALAYSIA AIR 370 FLAPERON FLAP PROS 2015 TRAINING Model airplane group seeks to restore image tarnished by drone pilots Emirati cadet pilots 'the future of Etihad Airways' Air India plans to replace ageing A320s on Gulf routes Now pilots, cabin crew testing positive for alcohol to be grounded for 3 months (India) Russian Stealth Supersonic Aircraft PAK FA Revolutionizes Aviation Indian aviation growth fastest globally FAA approves more than 1,000 commercial drone permits GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST RESEARCH REQUEST ISASI 2015, Germany, August 24 - 27, 2015 Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Only black box can shed light on MH370 mystery, say aviation experts Flaperon that was found on Reunion Island. KUALA LUMPUR: The Government's confirmation that the two-metre-long aircraft wing part, which was discovered on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, belonged to MH370 will inspire searchers to intensify their operations to look for more debris in the waters surrounding the island. Last Thursday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that international experts had affirmed that the maintenance record seal on the aircraft part, known as a flaperon, provided the conclusive proof that it belonged to MH370. The Beijing-bound Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which took off from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 12.41am on March 8 last year with 239 passengers and crew members on board, had vanished from the radar about 49 minutes after takeoff. While the search for more aircraft parts and debris - and of course the main body of the Boeing 777 plane - continues, special emphasis will also be given to locating the black box, which would contain a recording of various vital aspects of the flight and, if found and analysed, may shed some light on the events leading to the plane's disappearance. Intensify search operations: For instance, the black box belonging to Air France's ill-fated Flight 447, which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on June 1, 2009 - killing all 228 people on board - was only found a good two years later. Universiti Kuala Lumpur's Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology principal specialist, Ahmad Maulan Bardai, said search efforts should be intensified to detect the main body of the MH370 plane. "Once the plane itself is found, there's a possibility of locating the black box too," he told Bernama, when contacted. Pointing out that any damage to the box would depend on the impact of the crash, he said if it was still in satisfactory condition, there was a good chance for investigators to retrieve and analyse its data. Durable: Meanwhile, a trainer attached to Advanced Technology Training Centre's Aircraft Maintenance Department, Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, explained that the black box was very durable as it was made of a hardwearing metal, which could withstand massive impact, and coated with a fire-resistant substance. The black box, which actually consists of a cockpit voice recorder and data recorder, can withstand an impact equivalent to 3,400 times the gravitational pull and temperatures of up to 1,100 degrees Celsius. "It can withstand both high and low temperatures... right now, we don't know where it's lying but it is important to go on searching for the voice recorder. "Once it's found, it may become easier for investigators to finally find the answers to the various questions that have been haunting the authorities all these months," he said. Ismail said since it weighed about 10kg, it was highly improbable for the black box to be found floating on sea but, he added, it could not have necessarily remained in one place under the sea either as strong waves could have swept it from one place to another. "If the black box was thrown out of the aircraft (upon impact), it will not be able to float but it can move. "It's different with the flaperon as it is made from composite material and is light and wide in shape, making it easier for it to float," he said. Getting closer: Head of the National Council of Professors' Political, Security and International Affairs Cluster, Prof Datuk Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, said the current phase of the search operations should be intensified to uncover more trails, which could lead to the actual location of the plane. "The search mission's seriousness (in finding the missing MH370) had somewhat ebbed in recent months. But now the time has come for them to enhance and mobilise their efforts. "Perhaps we are getting closer to locating the plane's body. But finding it is not going to be easy, more so because it may be located on the seabed," he added. Mohamed Mustafa also agreed with Ahmad Maulan on the importance of tracking down the black box, which could hold the key to unravelling the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the MAS Boeing 777-200ER aircraft from the radar that fateful day. On March 24 last year, 17 days after it vanished, Najib announced that flight MH370 had ended in the southern Indian Ocean, based on United Kingdom-based global satellite communications firm Inmarsat and UK air accident investigators' analysis of the data relayed between the plane and ground station by satellite. http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/08/10/MH370-black-box-experts/ Back to Top Maldives join hunt for MH370 after debris sighting claims This picture taken by the ECPAD on August 9, 2015 shows a French serviceman looking out over the Indian Ocean, off the French overseas island of La Reunion, during searches for more wreckage of flight MH370 (AFP Photo/Patrick Becot) The Maldives joined a regional search for wreckage from missing flight MH370 following reports that islanders in the Indian ocean atoll nation had spotted unidentified debris, police said Sunday. Maldivian police are responding to several sightings of debris washed up along the northern atolls of the archipelago, some of which occurred about a month ago, a police spokesman said. Authorities were alerted to the sightings yesterday. "There is new attention to these sightings after the discovery at Reunion," the spokesman said referring to a wing part found in late July on the French territory located 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometres) south-west of the Maldives. After that discovery, the Malaysian authorities alerted nearby Madagascar and the South African coast as possible locations for debris to wash up. The Indian Ocean nation of Mauritius has also joined the search. Mohamed Shareef, a minister at the Maldivian President's office, said officials were working closely with the Malaysian aviation authorities in seeking to identify any possible debris from the missing aircraft. "We are collecting any unidentified debris and storing them in a warehouse so that the Malaysians can carry out tests and determine if it is from their plane or not," Shareef told AFP by telephone. "We ourselves are not doing any testing, but we have sent photographs of what we found and await their response." Local media reports said the biggest piece of debris, an eight by two feet long panel, had washed up a few days earlier and it appeared to be material used in resort construction. However, the authorities were preserving it to be examined by foreign experts. Shareef said the Maldives had shared defence radar and surveillance data with Malaysia following reports last year that an unidentified airliner had been seen flying low over some of the islets shortly after the MH370 went missing. "We checked radar data and other information from that day and the answer was negative. There was no big jet liner over that area and we shared that information with the Malaysian authorities," Shareef said. The Boeing 777 disappeared on March 8 last year, sparking the largest multinational search operation in history, now focused on the southern Indian Ocean based on satellite data hinting at the plane's path. http://news.yahoo.com/maldives-join-hunt-mh370-debris-sighting-claims- 173237512.html Back to Top Pilot lands jet despite smashed windshield and damaged GPS This article, Pilot lands jet despite smashed windshield and damaged GPS, originally appeared on CNET.com. Pilot lands jet despite smashed windshield and damaged GPSThat's one damaged plane. Fox 13 screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that's taken over our lives. I've sat in meetings in which important people said they were "flying blind." I wonder if they realize what flying blind is actually like. The crew of a Delta Airlines Airbus 320 does. They were flying from Boston to Salt Lake City when the weather from hell decided to blind their path. It wasn't just the thunder and lightning. It was a hailstorm that completely shattered their windshield and crumpled the nose of the plane. The GPS navigation system was interfered with too. So, as Fox 13 reports, flight 1889 had to perform an emergency landing in Denver late on Friday night. It's remarkable how sanguine pilots sound during an emergency. "Our windshield is pretty severely damaged," says the pilot to air traffic control with a tone that might be same as he uses when saying: "I think I'll have a grande non-fat latte." Passengers who relayed their experiences to Fox 13 said that the plane seemed to drop substantially. One described it as "the scariest 10 minutes of my life." According to passenger Robin Jones, the captain kept everyone informed of how difficult the situation was, including telling them about the windshield. A Delta spokeswoman told me: "Delta flight 1889 from Boston to Salt Lake City diverted to Denver due to damage to the aircraft after encountering a thunderstorm that produced hail while in flight. The flight landed without incident, and passengers were re- accommodated on another aircraft. The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority." She added that the crew followed all the correct procedures and that the maintenance team is currently examining the plane. Reports suggest that one person was taken to hospital with minor injuries. More Technically Incorrect Of course, those familiar with flying planes will say this was all entirely normal. This is entirely unhelpful to those of us who simply get on a plane and hope it gets to the other end without one or other end being ripped off. Between the pilot and air traffic control the plane landed without incident, as well as without a nose cone. There is something about Denver and nose-cone disappearance. Earlier this year, an Icelandair flight from Rejkjavik to Denver landed minus its nose. The pilots reportedly didn't even know that the plane was noseless. As for Delta, I am somehow also reminded of the insane, meme-filled flight safety video the company released in May. And now there's another, which makes a joke about turbulence. I suppose, just like the pilots, there's no point in panicking. You have to have faith in the machines and the software. https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/pilot-lands-jet-despite-smashed-203002034.html Back to Top Questions after Delta flight caught in damaging storm Large hailstones slammed into the windshield of a Delta flight heading from Boston to Salt Lake City. Lightning also struck the plane before it made an emergency landing in Denver Friday night. It is the third time this summer an airliner has been damaged in a hailstorm, and now there are questions about why the pilots couldn't see the storms coming, but passengers could on their wireless devices, reports CBS News correspondent Kris Van Cleave. There were tense moments in the cockpit as Delta Flight 1889 crossed the Nebraska- Colorado border and flew right into a weather cell. Passengers said lightning bolts lit up their windows and one hit the engine. They also said hail the size of baseballs pelted the aircraft. "Our windshield is pretty severely damaged," the pilot told air traffic control. While strong winds rolled the airplane 40 degrees, the pilots were virtually flying blind. "This is Delta 1889. Denver, you need to understand we have no weather radar. That is out too," the pilot said. "I will keep you steady for five minutes and slowly bend you in," air traffic control responded. One passenger said the hail was coming down so hard the sky looked like a snow cone maker. After the emergency landing in Denver, passengers couldn't miss the damage to the Airbus A320. "We went around the corner from the window, we could see the shattered windshield. We could see kind of a hole over the engine where lightning had struck. We could see the nose of the plane was missing. It was really intense," passenger Rob Wessman said. In June, a Delta flight to Seoul, Korea, hit a hail storm, and in July, a brand new American Airlines 787 departing Beijing had to turn back after being pounded by hail. "The irony is that pilots flying small planes or sometimes passengers in the cabin with a personal electronic devicehave the ability to see weather information that the airline pilots flying their flight don't," CBS News aviation and safety expert Sully Sullenberger said. He said unlike passengers, pilots don't have access to the Internet in the cockpit, and their radar systems sometimes aren't able to detect weather patterns like hail storms. "While it's important to keep us cyber safe, there's got to be a way that we can get better weather info in our airliners as soon as possible," Sullenberger said. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/delta-flight-hit-hail-lightning-storm-boston-salt-lake- city-lands-safely/ Back to Top O'Hare-Bound Jet Diverted To Indianapolis For 'Pressurization Issue' INDIANAPOLIS (CBS/AP) - The Federal Aviation Administration says a United Airlines flight was diverted to Indianapolis because of a pressurization problem. FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford says the flight aboard an Embraer E145 headed from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport was diverted to Indianapolis International Airport on Sunday morning. "The crew followed procedure to safely bring the aircraft to a lower altitude and land in Indianapolis because of a pressurization issue," said a spokesman for ExpressJet, which operated the flight for United. "Two customers requested to be checked by medical personnel and were cleared to continue their travels." Lunsford says the FAA will follow up with the airport to determine the cause of the pressurization problem. http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/08/09/ohare-bound-jet-diverted-to-indianapolis-for- pressurization-issue/ Back to Top Plane Makes Emergency Landing At Phila. Airport Skywest plane on fire But it quickly went out when pilots turned the engine off. As the plane pushed back from the jet bridge, the engine turned on and an auxiliary unit caught fire. "The plane just stopped in mid-tarmac and the pilot said the fire marshal was coming to check our engines", Cobucci said. The aircraft had to be towed to the terminal, then passengers were boarded onto another plane to Cincinnati. An American Airlines plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Philadelphia global Airport after the report of an engine fire. Phil Cobucci didn't think much of the Friday morning delay of his Delta flight from Nashville to Cincinnati. Awkward moment when your plane catches on fire. He also shared a photo showing the flames via Twitter. A man who did see the fire from a nearby gate said it went out within "5-10 seconds". Sumrall said that the plane was up and running again within the hour. As bad as the images that flooded on social media looked, witnesses said that it only lasted a few seconds and there was no drama or panic among fellow travelers. http://www.jewocity.com/blog/plane-makes-emergency-landing-at-phila-airport/19190 Back to Top Flight grounded after both pilots fail alcohol test An AirBaltic flight from Oslo to Crete was delayed for five hours while a sober flight crew was located Passengers were initially told the pilot was "unwell" Photo: AP/FOTOLIA An AirBaltic flight carrying 109 holidaymakers was grounded on Saturday after four of the five crew members failed alcohol tests. According to the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet, police were tipped off prior to departure by a passenger who suspected the crew had been drinking. Police carried out checks and discovered both the captain and first officer, as well as two of the three flight attendants, were over the drink-fly limit. The four were taken into custody, while the charter flight from Oslo to Crete, operated by the Latvian budget carrier AirBaltic on behalf of the travel firm Star Tour, was delayed for around five hours until sober crew members had been located. Janis Vanagds, an AirBaltic spokesman, told the Latvian English-language website LSM that it has a "zero tolerance policy". "Zero tolerance means no alcohol," Vanags said, "It's very straightforward - safety is our number one priority. "There has been an initial test and that is being followed up with more detailed tests. When we have the results we will take appropriate action. I apologize to all customers who have been affected by this incident." Helena Therese Langeland, a passenger on board, said: "It is surprising that people who have such huge responsibility in their jobs, don't take it seriously and have so little professionalism." AirBaltic, Latvia's flag carrier, was founded in 1995 and serves 60 destinations including London and Aberdeen. The drink-fly limit is extremely stringent. In the UK it is 20 milligrammes of alcohol per 100ml of blood, compared to the drink-drive limit of 80mg per 100ml. Test failures are rare. According to a 2010 report, the Federal Aviation Administration - the US equivalent of the CAA - more than 10,000 pilots are tested each year, with about 12 failing, on average. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/11793713/Flight-grounded-after-both- pilots-fail-alcohol-test.html Back to Top Sweden revokes Iraqi Airways permit over poor safety record Iraqi Airways Boeing 737-800© Boeing Iraqi Airways Boeing 737-800 The Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen) has revoked Iraqi Airways' traffic permit to operate flights between Iraq and Sweden using its own aircraft after the carrier failed to secure a Third Country Operators certificate (TCO) from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). A TCO confirms EU-wide compliance with international safety standards and is a mandatory requirement for any non-EU carrier wishing to serve the bloc. In its letter to the Iraqi national carrier seen by ch-aviation, Transportstyrelsen ordered Iraqi Airways to suspend flights to Sweden using its own aircraft but left the door open to the carrier to use wet-leased machinery. "The decision by EASA to reject the application by Iraqi Airways for TCO raises such safety concerns that the basis for continuing operations by Iraqi Airways with [its] "own aircraft" is not at hand and these operation[s] should not continue," it said. The ch-aviation route database shows Iraqi Airways has served Gothenburg Landvetter, Malmö and Stockholm Arlanda in Sweden. http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/39306-sweden-revokes-iraqi-airways-permit- over-poor-safety-record Back to Top Airlines under siege from hackers The airline industry is under siege from cyberattackers, and lawmakers are struggling to help. In recent months, hackers have infiltrated the U.S. air traffic control system, forced airlines to ground planes and potentially stolen detailed travel records on millions of people. Yet the industry lacks strict requirements to report these cyber incidents, or even adhere to specific cybersecurity standards. "There should be a requirement for immediate reporting to the federal government," Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who chairs the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), told The Hill. "We need to address that," agreed Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee. With recent revelations that the same suspected Chinese hackers that pilfered millions of people's information from the government might also have stolen travel records from United Airlines and American Airlines, lawmakers insist the need for legislation is urgent. "We need a two-way exchange of information so that when a threat is identified by the private sector, it's shared with the government, and vice versa," Collins added. "That's the only way that we have any hope of stopping further breaches." But with a crowded September legislative calendar, many wonder if Congress will even be able to approve the FAA's budget, let alone pass a cybersecurity bill. The growing cyber threat to the aviation industry is getting hard to ignore, though. "I don't think these kinds of attacks ... are a huge surprise to security information insiders," said Tim Erlin, director of risk strategy at Tripwire, which monitors networks for malicious activity. "We see these kinds of weakness and have seen them for years." The FAA recently acknowledged serious security concerns plague the industry. The agency agreed with a March government watchdog report that found "significant security control weaknesses" in the FAA's systems. The report said the flaws could help potential cyber saboteurs disrupt or reroute the nearly 3,000 U.S. flights in the air at any given moment. The findings came only a month after the FAA itself admitted hackers had spread malicious software throughout its networks. The audit found the FAA has no overarching structure to defend its networks. The conclusion was particularly concerning as the FAA is transitioning to its NextGen system, which will tighten the digital bonds between air traffic control computers. The switch will help guide flights more efficiently, but also make it easier for hackers to rapidly infiltrate the entire network. The industry is also grappling with the unexpected rise of digital spies looking to plunder travel records. "I bet you two months ago, no airline really thought that they may be a target for a foreign intelligence service," said Jeff Schmidt, a registered pilot and CEO of JAS Global Advisors, a security consultancy for government and critical infrastructure firms. "That's a whole different kind of adversary. And one that they were not preparing for." In the last month, both United Airlines and American Airlines - the world's first and fourth highest-grossing airlines, respectively - admitted they were investigating suspected breaches. According to reports, both airlines were hit by the same Chinese hacking group that cracked two databases at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Intelligence and national security experts believe Beijing intelligence officials are hoping to cross-reference the purloined travel logs with the OPM security clearance data they stole on 21.5 million Americans. Both airlines are major government contractors, striking deals to carry military personnel and federal employees. The attacks could lead to foreign governments "knowing which people travel together, where they tend to go, what their habits are, what foreign cities they frequent," Schmidt said. The result, officials fear, is the outing of undercover U.S. agents around the globe. "It's all a part of this, you can call it grooming," Schmidt said. "It's a long process to try and develop relationships in a very old-fashioned, human intelligence way." Those national security implications make the incidents particularly concerning for lawmakers, not to mention the fact that they found out about them through the media, not from the company itself. That's why, Nelson said, the airline industry needs mandatory, immediate reporting requirements. "All the more reason for a cybersecurity bill," he said. But for years, Congress has been unsuccessful in its efforts. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), the Senate Appropriations Committee's top Democrat, tried three years ago to move a cyber bill that would have included rigid breach reporting requirements for critical infrastructure sectors, including aviation. "We were blocked," she told The Hill recently. "So it's time for not looking at an individual bill, but one that's overall for critical infrastructure." Congress is currently struggling to pass the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA), punting on the measure yet again this past week. The bill would facilitate the exchange of data on hackers between companies, including airlines, and the government. But the Senate Intelligence Committee voted down a CISA amendment from Collins that would have mandated critical infrastructure industries like aviation hand over cyber threat data over to the government. "In the vast majority of cases, I believe that information sharing should be voluntary," Collins told The Hill. "But when it comes to critical sectors of our economy, I believe it should be mandatory." "I hope that the continuing concerns that people are having as they witness more and more serious breaches makes them more sensitive to the fact that the critical infrastructure of this country - whether it's our electric grid, our water systems, or our air traffic control system - are at serious risk," she added. Lawmakers say they want to encourage better public-private communication with the FAA authorization bill, which funds the agency. Congress is coming down to the wire on the spending measure, delaying its consideration until September, just a month before the end of the fiscal year. "I've spent a great amount of time and energy identifying cyber vulnerabilities in our aviation sector, pushing the FAA to better communicate with Congress about threats and their efforts to prevent successful attacks," said Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), chair of the House Aviation Subcommittee, in an email. "Cyber issues are one of the key sections of the upcoming FAA authorization bill that I've worked closely on." But security specialists are split on whether breach reporting and information sharing would actually help thwart the cyberattacks that have beset the airline industry. "What's troubling," Schmidt said, "is that you can't say 'this is the kind of adversary you should be preparing for.'" But Tripwire's Erlin and others contend such legislation "absolutely has value." "If OPM and other organizations could effectively share intelligence about what's going on, they may be able to use that information to help protect themselves from the same type of attack being successful," Erlin said. But he cautioned the value is limited. As foreign intelligence services become the primary hackers, the attacks become more unpredictable "It is troubling," Schmidt said, "because I'm not sure what the right response is to this." http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/250614-airlines-under-siege-from-hackers Back to Top 4 Commercial Planes Report Drone Encounters at Newark Airport: FAA The crews of four commercial airplanes reported seeing a drone flying near the approach path of the runway while landing Sunday at a Newark airport, Federal Aviation Administration officials said. Each plane was approaching Newark Liberty International Airport at altitudes between 2,000 and 3,000 feet when the drone was spotted, officials said. None of the flights had to take evasive action and all landed safely with no delays. The encounters occurred just after noon. Crews from an ExpressJet, Northwest Airlink and two United Airlines flights reported the drone sightings. "It's terribly frightening that an artificial object like that could get in the way of a major U.S. or international airliner and cause grave danger to lives on board," said passenger Jorge Lauro after arriving at Newark from Portugal with his family. Some airline passengers say officials should take precaution to make sure sightings like these happen less often. "I think that definitely it's a cause for concern," passenger Aaron Diskind said. "You want steps to be taken so that type of thing doesn't happen." It was at least the third drone incident at local airports reported this month. De Blasio Jeered at Dominican Day Parade A pilot reported an unmanned aircraft while approaching John F. Kennedy International Airport a week ago. Two days earlier, two planes attempting to land at JFK reported seeing a drone flying near them, and one of them had a close call with the unmanned aircraft, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Operating drones and similar objects in New York City must have official clearance to fly withing 5 miles of an airport. FAA rules do not permit people to fly unmanned object above 400 feet because of the possibility of colliding with commercial aircraft. The FAA recently has seen a significant increase in pilot reports of unmanned aircraft near airports around the country, federal officials said. It is unsafe and illegal to fly an unmanned aircraft anywhere near a manned aircraft, and violations may result in fines of up to $25,000 and criminal charges. http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Drone-Crosses-Path-of-Aircraft-at-Newark- Airport-Authorities-321181931.html Back to Top Aircraft makes emergency landing as fire catches engine LAHORE: An aircraft of a private Pakistani airlines carrying around 300 passengers escaped an accident after one of its engines caught fire soon after take-off from the Lahore airport on Sunday, according to local media authorities. A Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) official told a private media outlet that Shaheen Air International's flight NL-766 had taken off at 12pm on Sunday from Allama Iqbal International Airport for Dubai, reportedly. "Soon after take-off, the pilot found that one of the two engines has caught fire. He switched it off and informed the control tower about it," he said. The CAA alerted all departments for any emergency during the landing. "Thank God, the pilot managed to land the aircraft safely at 12:35pm," the official added. Passengers were told the plane had developed a technical fault, which was why it landed back in Lahore. However, their patience ran out when the airlines staff continued delaying the flight, reportedlly. http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2015/08/10/national/aircraft-makes-emergency- landing-as-fire-catches-engine/ Back to Top Germanwings Crash Families Prepare Lawsuit in U.S.: Report BERLIN - The families of passengers killed in the Germanwings crash will take legal action against Lufthansa in the United States after rejecting the carrier's compensation offer as inadequate, according to a German newspaper, citing the families' lawyer. Germanwings, a unit of Lufthansa, in June offered 25,000 euros ($27,500) per victim for the pain and suffering caused by the March 24 crash that killed all 150 onboard. The 25,000-euro offer is on top of 50,000 euros per passenger already paid as immediate financial assistance to relatives. United States law provides for large payouts for emotional damages, unlike German law. A low six-digit amount would be adequate compensation, Elmar Giemulla, a lawyer representing some of the victims said last month. Three Americans died in the crash into the French Alps. "We are preparing a lawsuit in the United States and see good chances for a place of jurisdiction there," newspaper Bild am Sonntag quoted Giemulla as saying. Damage claims have not been set yet but plaintiffs will follow American law, Giemulla said. Related: Germanwings Crash: Pilots Should Face Mental Health Tests, Experts Say Planned legal action will aim to find out why co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, who had previously suffered from depression, was allowed to fly, Giemulla said. Giemulla did not return calls seeking comment. Evidence shows Lubitz locked the captain out of the cockpit of Germanwings flight 4U9525 from Barcelona to Duesseldorf and deliberately steered the plane into a remote mountainside. Giemulla will cooperate with New York-based law firm Kreindler & Kreindler, the newspaper said. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/german-plane-crash/germanwings-crash-families- prepare-lawsuit-u-s-report-n406676 Back to Top Drones an increasing threat to emergency responders, pilots Drones warning This public service announcement provided by the U.S. Forest Service shows a poster warning people not to fly drones near wildfires. A spate of drone sightings near firefighting aircraft is fueling calls for more oversight and self-policing in the skies. (U.S. Forest Service via AP) SAN DIEGO - As Jason Thrasher lowered his helicopter to a park with seven firefighters aboard, he saw what he thought was another firefighting chopper battling a blaze that was threatening homes. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pilot suddenly identified the object as a four-rotor drone only 10 feet from his windshield, forcing him to make a hard left to avoid a collision about 500 feet above ground, according to a report he filed the next day. "If that drone came through my windshield, I have no idea what could have happened," Thrasher said in a phone interview. "If that drone hits my tail rotor, for sure it's going to be catastrophic." The near-miss last September in Nevada City, about 60 miles northeast of Sacramento, explains why drones have quickly become a serious nuisance and concern for firefighting pilots and other first responders, fueling calls for more oversight and self-policing in the skies. The U.S. Forest Service has tallied 13 wildfires in which suspected drones interfered with firefighting aircraft this year - 11 since late June - up from four fires last year and only scattered incidents before. Last month, the sighting of five drones in a wildfire that closed Interstate 15 in Southern California and destroyed numerous vehicles grounded crews for 20 minutes as flames spread. Firefighting agencies have introduced public service announcements to warn drone hobbyists, while lawmakers are seeking stiffer penalties for interfering. "When you can't support firefighters on the ground, fires get bigger," said Ken Pimlott, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. "It's significant, and it's a huge issue." On Aug. 2, for the second time in three days, a commercial pilot reported a drone while approaching John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. On Tuesday, as flames engulfed a Vietnamese restaurant in San Diego, the local fire department pleaded with drone operators to leave the area, tweeting, "You are interfering with fire operations." A simple explanation for the growing number of encounters is that consumer drones are more common as prices fall. The Consumer Electronics Association predicts U.S. sales will reach 700,000 this year, up from 430,000 last year and 128,000 in 2013. The industry group estimates this year's average sale price at $149, down from $160 last year and $349 in 2013. Twenty members of Congress from California asked the Federal Aviation Administration last month to consider a requirement for drone makers to include technology that aims to prevent operators from interfering with first responders. One bill in the California Legislature would raise fines and introduce jail time for anyone who impedes firefighters, and another would grant immunity to first responders who destroy interfering drones. Greg McNeal, a Pepperdine University law professor, likens worries about safety and ethical boundaries to concerns years ago about use of camera-enabled cellphones in locker rooms and other public places. Governments are wrestling with how to regulate a new consumer technology that can wreak havoc when misused. Most operators who flew near wildfires were probably unaware of the dangers, said McNeal. Others are "straight reckless," he said, perhaps motivated to get images that no one else has to sell them. The U.S. Forest Service reports potential drone sightings this year in eight wildfires in California, two in Washington state and one each in Colorado, Minnesota and Utah: -A plane dropping retardant on a fire near San Bernardino, California, came within about 500 feet of a drone on June 24. Another pilot soon came within the same distance of a second drone, forcing the grounding of four firefighting aircraft for 2½ hours. -A reconnaissance airplane in eastern Washington state spotted a drone on July 11. Pat McCabe, a U.S. Forest Service aviation supervisor seated next to the pilot, saw the droneland about three miles from the fire perimeter and get loaded into a grey or black SUV, whose driver sped away. "The intelligence gathering stopped, and now our focus was on the drone," said McCabe. The sighting occurred as water- and retardant-dropping aircraft were scheduled to stop for the day. If it was earlier, McCabe said those planes and helicopters would have been grounded. -A drone appeared about 200 feet from the left wing of a reconnaissance aircraft near Milford, California, on June 29. The firefighter pilot, who was about 1,500 feet above ground, left the area and was ordered to return to base. Under FAA guidelines, drone hobbyists should fly no higher than 400 feet, stay clear of stadiums and people, and avoid flying within five miles of airports. During wildfires and other emergencies, the FAA imposes temporary restrictions. Software, including a product from Pepperdine's McNeal named AirMap, can alert operators to FAA-restricted areas. But, some firefighting officials say, wildfires spread so quickly and unpredictably that there may be a dangerous lag before flight restrictions are in place. The prospect of public shaming may be the best deterrent, said Jon Resnick, spokesman for SZ DJI Technology Co., one of the largest consumer drone makers. "Technology can only do so much," he said. "At a certain point, common sense needs to take hold." http://wraltechwire.com/drones-an-increasing-threat-to-emergency-responders- pilots/14820983/#zzpA5pgR3uTz4iss.99 Back to Top THE FRENCH CONNECTION TO MALAYSIA AIR 370 FLAPERON FLAP By Roger Rapoport When a Boeing 777 wing flaperon washed up on the shores of the French territory Reunion Island, frustrated Malaysian officials thought they had their answer to conspiracy theorists. After being derided and ridiculed for 17 months over their inability to find a single piece of the plane, Kuala Lumpur leaders had hope. Unfortunately none of them were prepared for dealing with the conservative approach of the French aviation accident experts, legal system and military investigators. The emerging split between Malaysian officials and French authorities studying a flaperon that may be linked to Malaysia Air 370 hardly was entirely predictable in the nation that invented the word bureaucracy. French experts studying the piece recovered on Reunion Island at a military facility outside Toulouse are under the direct supervision of a counterterrorism judge. In this case the margin for error is truly zero. While the Malaysian government insists that the missing part is indeed from the Boeing aircraft that disappeared in March of 2014 on a flight to Beijing, the French scientists are taking a much more conservative approach. To understand why it's helpful to know a little French aviation history. In 1986 an Air France 320 pilot flying more than 130 passengers including children and special needs guests crashed his plane into a Habsheim, Germany air show. Three died and 34 were injured. The Air France pilot was jailed in the subsequent felony case. There were suits and countersuits alleging, among other things, that the flight recorders had been tampered with in an effort to exonerate the airline and manufacturer. Those charges were never verified amidst a flurry of exposes, documentaries and books. More recently following the 2009 crash of Air France 447, the French BEA led a series of sea searches which failed to locate the missing Airbus 330 over a 22 month period. As in the Malaysian Air 370 case, some victim's relatives accused the French government of dragging their feet in an effort to protect the airline, manufacturer and regulatory officials. In the spring of 2011, with financial assistance from Airbus and Air France, the French Government hired experts from Woods Hole Institute in Massachusetts. This team launched a new search with the assistance of French scientists on a BEA hired vessel. The three month hunt in the South Atlantic ended early when the American led team found the vessel in just six days. Another reason why French investigators are cautious about leaping to conclusions was premature coverage of the sixteen month investigation of the Air France 447 accident Leaked cockpit transcripts prompted misled journalists to leap to the conclusion that the accident was entirely pilot error. In fact, as the diligent French BEA analysis proved in 2012, the accident was the result of multiple factors including an automation surprise. In this case a flight director that appeared to be working after the autopilot shut off, prompted an inexperienced and poorly trained copilot to climb into an aerodynamic stall. While many of the French government's recommendations for increased simulator time and training, new stall recovery procedures, hardware and software modifications were implemented by the aviation industry, one will have to wait until at least 2021. That was the BEA's endorsement of instant satellite tracking of mysteriously off course planes outside ground radar coverage. Had that four year old concept been adapted at a cost of $500,000 per plane or less, Malaysia Air 370 could have been tracked and found. While the Malaysian government is determined to link the newly discovered flaperon to Flight 370, French officials, under judicial supervision, are determined to avoid leaping to conclusions. Fortunately the French scientists doing the analysis are among the world's best at underwater recovery. Roger Rapoport is the author of The Rio-Paris Crash: Air France 447 and the producer/screenwriter of the feature film Pilot Error (www.piloterrormovie.com) www.fsinfo.org Back to Top Back to Top Model airplane group seeks to restore image tarnished by drone pilots An industry group representing hobby model airplane enthusiasts since 1936 has asked federal agencies to stop characterizing their members as the irresponsible drone pilots who interfere with aircraft fighting wildfires. The Indiana-based Academy of Model Aeronautics said in December that it created a "Know Before You Fly" campaign to educate the "legions of new 'drone' fliers taking to the skies. "Our concern is that our members are broad-brushed with a small number of irresponsible people that don't know the rules," Richard Hanson, AMA government and regulatory affairs representative, said in a recent telephone interview. In the letter, the group blamed recent drone confrontations - several which occurred in the skies over San Bernardino County - to enthusiasts who have disregarded public safety. "Errant consumers flying in an unsafe manner do not represent the organized hobbyist community," said the letter to the top administrators of the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Hanson said drone pilots who interfered with wildfire-fighting efforts in Southern California have been referred to as hobbyists when it is not known who they really are. "They could be someone hoping to sell their images to a news media outlet or someone seeking to get known on YouTube," Hansen said. Late last month, as drone legislation traveled through Congress and the state Legislature, San Bernardino County supervisors set aside $75,000 in potential reward money for tipsters who would help authorities arrest and convict drone operators who interfered with firefighting efforts at three recent wildfires. At the Lake, Mill2 and North fires, firefighting aircraft were temporarily grounded because drones flew above the fires, presenting a hazard to pilots. At one point in the North fire, five drones were spotted above the blaze. As a result, planes and helicopters that drop flame retardant or water were ordered away from the area for pilots' safety. "Our more than 176,000 members know where to fly and where not to fly," the letter said. "They know how to check for temporary flight restrictions, such as those put in place around wildfires, and to stay well clear of any unmanned aircraft." The website knowbeforeyoufly.org has a newly created click-on icon explaining the importance of not flying near wildfires, Hanson said. The AMA has negotiated agreements with two of three major drone manufacturers to put educational materials about regulations and safe flying practices inside boxes containing drones and related parts, Hanson said. Negotiations are proceeding with the third, he said. At a recent industry trade association meeting in Atlanta, the organization began enlisting the help of major retailers and web distributors to help get the message out, Hansen said. "The FAA commends the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) for its commitment to safety and education," said FAA spokesman Ian Gregor. "It is critical that all hobbyists adhere to the AMA's rigorous standards to ensure that model aircraft operations pose no hazards to manned aircraft or to people on the ground," Gregor said. "We value our partnership with the AMA and will continue to work closely with them to promote safe model aircraft operations." Some members of the AMA are concerned that new laws proposed in several states could endanger the opportunity for its members to fly model aircraft. Don Baligad, a Yucca Valley resident who purchased his first drone about six months ago, said he believes that some of the drones in the skies could be from news organizations or governmental agencies. John Miller, a spokesman for the San Bernardino National Forest, said his agency does not use drones in California. http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20150809/model-airplane-group-seeks-to-restore- image-tarnished-by-drone-pilots Back to Top Emirati cadet pilots 'the future of Etihad Airways' Amid terracotta sands on the outskirts of Al Ain, cadets are hard at work in classrooms with names such as Yeager, Bader, Lindbergh and Earhart. The names, of course, refer to the famous pilots Chuck Yeager (the first pilot to travel faster than sound), Charles Lindbergh (the first solo transatlantic pilot), Douglas Bader (a Second World War flying ace) and Amelia Earhart (the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic), and the rooms are part of the Etihad Flight College. Etihad set up its college in 2014, having bought the fixed-wing training division from Mubadala's Horizon Flight Academy. The college has an intake of up to 120 cadet pilots each year, both for its own staff of more than 2,000 pilots and for its partner airlines. Some 65 to 75 per cent of students are Emirati nationals. Some 230 Emirati pilots have graduated from the cadet pilot programme since it started in 2006. The cadets graduate from the programme as second officers. With another four months of supervised line flying, they can qualify to become first officers. When Etihad set up its flight college, it made two major shifts in training from how Horizon had operated - it insists on its high school leavers taking an aviation science degree at Abu Dhabi University first, and it now trains using the multi-crew pilot licence (MPL) programme rather than the traditional air transport pilot's licence (ATPL). "Four years ago we identified that university education was needed before coming here," says Phil Chandler, the general manager of Etihad Flight College. "Before that, cadets tended to be younger and less experienced, coming out of high school. These cadets are the future of Etihad." While 90 per cent of students pass first time, the failure rate was higher before it was mandated that cadets graduate from university first. Still, the average age of a cadet is 23 to 24; there is currently even a 21-year-old studying at the college. University also gets the cadets speaking English - which Mr Chandler says is key. "Few pilots learn in a foreign language - Italians training in Italy learn in Italian, Germans in German. But we fly multicultural crews and the job of a pilot has an international flavour: there are 123 nationalities at Etihad." There are 145 cadets studying at the college - situated at Al Ain International Airport - across all intakes; 93 are Emirati, but there are also students from the US, UK, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Oman and the Seychelles. The MPL programme means that instead of flying a prescribed number of hours in single- pilot aircraft to gain a commercial pilot's licence before being thrown into a dual-pilot environment with an airline, cadets learn flexibly, focusing on multi-crew flying and airline operations from the start. The course takes about 20 months and 329 flying hours, with 12 examined take-offs and landings in an A320 overseen by a UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) approved flight examiner. A graduating cadet is ready to work on an A320 the very next day as a second officer. While the military set up such practices decades ago, the MPL has not been universally embraced by airlines, with some preferring the ATPL - although Lufthansa, Tiger Air, easyJet and Air Arabia, among others, train with the MPL. In the Yeager classroom on this day, eight students, six of them Emirati, are writing copious notes and listening intently to their instructors. There are two women in the class - one Italian, one Emirati. One woman who graduated from the college five years ago is now flying A380s, says Mr Chandler. That's not to be sniffed at, when the ratio of women is 33:1 among the world's 130,000 commercial pilots, according to the International Society of Women Airline Pilots. Khaled Al Dhaheri, 27, from Al Ain, hopes to graduate next February. He was studying civil engineering when he applied for the Etihad programme in 2010 and switched to the aviation science degree. "I've flown to Fujairah and back. My favourite thing is the views - I saw Athens from the cockpit on an observational flight," he says. Khalifa Al Yammahi, also 27, has just started flight training manoeuvres around Al Ain. From Fujairah, he is looking forward to a training flight over his home emirate and "going home in the air". Mohammed Al Bloushi, 24, is from Al Ain. He was already two years into an aerospace engineering bachelor's degree in Canada, having applied unsuccessfully for the Etihad programme. He got accepted second time around and is now finishing level two of ground school. He hopes to be working on A320s a year from now, on short-haul regional flights of no more than five hours, to places such as Qatar, India or Pakistan. "My family was not so supportive originally, but aviation started booming a few years ago and now it's a good profession in the UAE. I want to do something to support the development of my country. Five years from now I hope to be a captain. Eventually? An astronaut. I'd love to be in the new Mars programme." business@thenational.ae http://www.thenational.ae/business/the-life/emirati-cadet-pilots-the-future-of-etihad- airways#full Back to Top Air India plans to replace ageing A320s on Gulf routes The airline currently has 15 Airbus A320 classic, including one on lease, in its fleet of 103 aircraft National carrier Air India plans to deploy new fuel-efficient planes on the Gulf routes, replacing A320 classic aircraft after questions were raised about safety of passengers flying its ageing fleet, sources said. The airline currently has 15 Airbus A320 classic, including one on lease, in its fleet of 103 aircraft. "We have decided to move away the old classic A320 fleet from the Gulf routes and replace it with the new leased A320s current engine option (ceo) from the coming winter," airline sources told PTI. The state-run airline has already announced its plans to replace 19 A320 planes as part of its ageing A320s replacement programme. It has entered into a deal with a Chinese firm for five sharklets-equipped A320 (ceo) aircraft and all these planes are to be inducted into the fleet for the winter schedule, which commences from the last Sunday of October. Besides, the airline has also tied-up with a leading Kuwaiti aircraft lessor to dry lease another 14 A320Neos (new engine option) planes, which are to be inducted between April 2017 and March 2018. The airline's narrow-body fleet forum, Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) had in March sought grounding of the 26-year-old fleet of Airbus A320s by the aviation regulator DGCA on the ground that the planes were not "technically" fit to fly. "The A-320 classic aircraft which are 26 years old (one of the oldest in the world) are being operated with repetitive snags endangering flight safety... DGCA should not permit AI to operate these lethal snag-prone classic aircraft for passenger safety," ICPA had said in a letter to the DGCA, prompting a rebuttal by the airline. Besides, Air India is also mulling to service some of tier-II/III cities with narrow-body A319s and A320s, which are currently being catered to by smaller aircraft, they said adding, "these cities have a huge traffic potential and could be tapped in a big way with such planes." "As far as capacity deployment for the winter schedule is concerned we have not added too many new flights. This time, however, we have departed from the conventional schedule and instead opted for a flexible one," the sources said. Air India has decided to marginally reduce its domestic operations during the winter and has proposed to fly 1,705 flights a week as against 1,718 being operated by it during the on-going summer schedule, which would come to an end on the last Saturday of October. http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/ai-plans-to-replace-ageing-a320s- on-gulf-routes-115080900194_1.html Back to Top Now pilots, cabin crew testing positive for alcohol to be grounded for 3 months (India) The measures require airlines to maintain separate records of pre-flight and post-flight breath analyser examination for the flight crew as well as keeping them off the roster for three months in case of violations. Several pilots of commercial airlines have tested positive for alcohol in breath analyser tests before boarding a flight in the past. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has cracked down on alcohol consumption by pilots and cabin crew with the introduction of a strict reporting system and more stringent punitive measures for those testing positive in breath analyser tests. Jet Airways pilots grounded for risking passengers' lives mid air The measures require airlines to maintain separate records of pre-flight and post-flight breath analyser examination for the flight crew as well as keeping them off the roster for three months in case of violations. In the case of a repeat offense the suspension goes up to three years. The DGCA issued a directive this week, titled 'Procedure for medical examination of aircraft personnel for alcohol consumption', stating that the airline should preserve all breath analyser examination records for a period of one year. The order states that the operator shall maintain separate records of pre-flight and post- flight breath analyser examination for the flight crew, cabin crew and maintenance personnel. With regard to pre-flight breath analyser examination, if a crew member tests positive for alcohol consumption and refuses to undergo the test for a second time that individual would be kept off flying duty for three months. Besides, the individual's license would stand suspended for that period. According to DGCA, if it is a case of repeat violation, the crew member would be suspended for three years. In case, a crew member tests positive for alcohol consumption post-flight, then that person would have to immediately surrender his or her license. An Instructor/Examiner/Check Pilot/Check Cabin Crew detected positive for alcohol consumption during post-flight breath-analyser examination, will lose such ratings/authorisation for a period of three years, the circular noted. Information about action taken on positive tests and post-flight medical examination of crew members have to be submitted every month by the flight operator to the Director of Air Safety (HQ). Whenever a designated VIP is to be carried on board a flight, the operator shall ensure pre-flight breath-analyser examination of the crew members assigned to operate such flight, the circular said. The DGCA order also states that in the event of a plane accident at an airport or near its vicinity, the officer-in-charge of that particular airport should ensure that crew members are immediately subjected to medical check-up for consumption of alcohol. "The level of blood alcohol compatible with safe flying is zero," the directive states. Aviation expert Jeetendra Bhargava said, "The DGCA decision is a welcome step and will serve as a deterrent for pilots and cabin crew who may have been casual on the issue in the past and put flight safety at a risk." AI grounds two pilots for tail-strike on landing in Mumbai These stringent steps should have been taken long ago as pilots of airlines such as Jet Airways and Air India have tested positive for alcohol in breath analyser tests before boarding a flight, he added. Bhargava said that the mandatory reporting of positive tests for alcohol consumption in both pre-flight and post-flight situations was very much required as airlines have tended to shield their pilots on the issue. Now that it has been made mandatory for airline managements to report the cases to DGCA, this will serve as a much needed deterrent. "We cannot take an even 0.1 per cent risk as far as flight safety is concerned," he added. "The stricter rules will curb some pilots or cabin crew who think a small peg or two doesn't matter as there is a higher chance of getting caught and the punishment has become more serious," Bhargava pointed out. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pilots-cabin-crew-testing-positive-for-alcohol-can-be- grounded-for-up-to-3-years/1/457400.html Back to Top Russian Stealth Supersonic Aircraft PAK FA Revolutionizes Aviation The PAK FA is a single-seat, twin-engine jet fighter, and the first operational aircraft in Russian service to use stealth technology. It was designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. The aircraft will be used to achieve air superiority and assist in ground attacks. Besides its ability to fly at speeds well above Mach 2, the T-50 boasts other, even more important, features such as invisibility to radar and powerful weapons which will be unveiled later. Test flight of T-50, fifth generation fighter aircraft designed by Sukhoi OKB So far Russia has five such aircrafts. The aircraft meets all the requirements of the fifth generation fighter. It is undistinguished, has a supersonic cruise speed, it is able to maneuver with large congestion, equipped with advanced electronics and is multifunctional. It's capable of performing all known aerobatic maneuvers, a feature that sets it apart from any foreign competitors. This aircraft is able to "stop" in midflight bringing down speed to zero performing a free fall and then re-gaining altitude and speed. The Deputy Head of Flight Operations Company "Sukhoi", honored test pilot, Sergey Bogdan, has tested more than fifty different types of combat aircrafts. According to him the T-50 has a much higher controllability than other machines. "It has a high sustainability. In the future, it will carry out fundamentally new aerobatics," said Bogdan. "Engine nozzle deflects in such a way that the plane stabilizes its position. Dangerous unfolding moments do not arise, making it pretty amazing," says test. A special suit for pilots who will fly the newest Sukhoi PAK FA (also known as T-50) jet fighter has been developed by Russian engineers and scientists. The suit was specially designed to make the pilot feel comfortable during supersonic-speed flights. It is equipped with an anti-G system which features a hose for delivering air to the pilot. The gear also features pockets for flight documents. In the abdominal area there is a metal plate which presses against the pilot's body to maintain blood flow to the head. The costume was developed and is being currently tested by Zvezda R&D center in the city of Tomilino, near Moscow. http://sputniknews.com/military/20150809/1025561474.html#ixzz3iPShInet Back to Top Indian aviation growth fastest globally Propped up by discounted air tickets and increased holiday travelling, India has become the fastest growing aviation market in the world in June, as indicated by the statistics available with International Air Transport Association (IATA). In June, the country registered a year-on-year growth of 16.3% in domestic air passenger traffic, which is more than double the global growth of 6.5% during the same period. India posted the highest growth among the seven major international markets including the US and China. China, which is witnessing an apparent slow down in its economy, trailed India, clocking a growth of 12.1%. Russian Federation saw a growth of 9.5%. Australia, on the other hand, witnessed a decline of 2.1%. "June was another healthy month for air connectivity, although slower trade activity in emerging Asia-Pacific markets and the impact of the Greek debt crisis on European travel remain worrisome," said Tony Tyler, director general and CEO of IATA. Commenting on the importance of improved air connectivity under the new aviation policy, Tyler said, "That is what we are hoping for in India with the imminent announcement of its new aviation policy. Improved air connectivity would make a major contribution to the government's efforts to make it easier to do business in India. For that, we need a policy framework that reduces onerous taxes and regulation and that continues to improve infrastructure and cost efficiency. Aviation has much to contribute to any country's economy. But it will not happen by accident." The peak travel season should serve as a reminder to all governments of the importance of aviation policies focused on enabling aviation to catalyse economic growth. In air-cargo sector, the data for global air freight markets showed a fall in demand in June. Air freight volumes measured in freight tonne kilomtres rose just 1.2% compared with a year ago, indicating of a consistent fall in trade activities and weaker than expected global growth. The IATA report states that Asia-Pacific carriers saw a fall of 0.3% in freight tonne kilometres in June 2015 compared to June 2014, and capacity expanded 4.0%. The region has experienced a notable slowdown in imports and exports over recent months, and latest data shows emerging Asia trade activity is down 8%. Growth for the year-to-date was 5.4%. In addition to generally weak trade growth, the region is the most exposed to China market where government policies are more focused on stimulating domestic markets. No India specific data was available for the cargo growth rates. http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-indian-aviation-growth-fastest-globally- 2111850 Back to Top FAA approves more than 1,000 commercial drone permits Small businesses dominate roster of companies cleared to operate drones for profit in the U.S. Just one year ago the ability to operate commercial drones in the U.S. was more concept than reality. Only two companies in the country were cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate those types of drones, and they were located in the far northern hinterlands of Alaska. One year later, the commercial drone industry looks drastically different. On Wednesday the FAA announced that it had approved more than 1,000 applications from companies seeking to operate commercial drones, and currently approving applications at a rate of roughly 50 per week. That news is significant, considering that roughly a dozen companies were approved to operate drones commercially at the beginning of 2015. Since then, the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry and the FAA have worked to streamline the approval process. The agency has also loosened certain aspects of its commercial drone regulations to allow approved companies greater flexibility in how they use commercial drones. Those efforts have driven a drastic uptick in the number of companies approved to fly under so-called "Section 333 exemptions" as well as a broadening of the applications for which these drones are employed. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) recently examined the first 500 commercial drone permits issued by the FAA and found exemptions spanned 20 major industries across 48 U.S. states. A closer look revealed a number of interesting data points that offer some indication of how the commercial drone industry is shaping up, at least at this early stage. An oft- cited economic impact report published by AUVSI in 2013 indicated that in the first decade following the integration of commercial drones the U.S. would see roughly $82 billion in economic impacts, stemming from both the manufacture and operation of drones as well as from the efficiencies they create. The report cited agriculture as the largest potential growth segment for commercial drone use by far, dwarfing all other industries. In the more recent AUVSI analysis, agricultural applications accounted for 106 out of 500 applications. But as a sector it comes in third overall, behind "general aerial surveying" (128) and "general aerial photography" (125) - two broad categories that encompass most of the commercial drone industry in the U.S. The distinction between "surveying" and "photography" is essentially the difference between data and imagery. Surveying is 3D topographical maps or the collection of multispectral data, while photography encompasses the collection of standard imagery or videography, often used for real estate marketing purposes. (Incidentally, real estate- though not considered its own industry segment-was mentioned in 153 of the first 500 applications). The numbers further indicate a more diverse adoption of drone technology in the commercial world than envisioned just a few years ago. The construction industry accounted for 74 of the first 500 commercial exemptions, followed by utility inspection (69) and film and television (65), where drones have supplanted the costly manned aircraft previously used to capture aerial imagery. "Bottom line, the data shows there is a mature commercial UAS market that is waiting to take to the sky," AUVSI CEO Brian Wynne says. Perhaps the most interesting data point in AUVSI's analysis has less to do with the particular kinds of businesses moving into the commercial drone space, but their relative size. Eighty percent of the first 500 exemptions were granted to small businesses rather than their larger, corporate counterparts. Why that is isn't exactly clear, though Wynne notes that there's a lot of room for startups to run alongside larger, established companies by providing "drones as services." The growing market involves companies leasing drones to other companies that want to utilize drone data, but may not wish to invest in their own drone hardware and capabilities. While 500 commercial drone use permits makes for a relatively small sample size from which to judge an industry that's still finding its legs in the U.S., Wynne says an ongoing analysis of the second 500 exemptions indicates that current trends-such that they are- are holding steady. "I can't say too much except that a lot of the trends are continuing," Wynne says. "But we have noticed a few new applications for the technology, which we will describe in the next report." By the time that analysis becomes available the industry is on pace to have hundreds of new entrants in the commercial drone space. The FAA received 2,500 applications thus far, and a summary approval process introduced earlier this year-in which similar applications are batched and evaluated collectively-has accelerated the rate at which the FAA is able to approve Section 333 applications. If current trends hold, thousands of companies will already be operating commercial drones across a wide range of industries by the time the Section 333 process is replaced by a set of universal commercial drone use regulations sometime in the first half of next year. http://fortune.com/2015/08/09/faa-commercial-drone-permits/ Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST Aircraft Maintenance Technician Decision-Making Purpose of Project My name is Robert Norcross. I am a doctoral student at Northcentral University in Arizona. I am conducting a research study about aircraft maintenance technician decision-making processes when aircraft repair information is not in the aircraft maintenance repair manuals. Focus group sessions will be held to gain your valuable experience, views, and opinions on nine questions pertaining to the research topic. Your views on the questions are important to me and I invite you to participate. The focus group sessions should last between 30 and 60 minutes and held at a date and time convenient for you. The focus group sessions will use www.gotomeeting.com and a conference call phone number. You are eligible to participate in this research if you: 1. 1. Are older than 18 years of age. 2. 2. Hold a Federal Aviation Administration issued Airframe and Power Plant certificate. 3. 3. Issued the Airframe and Power Plant certificate on or before 1 January 2010. 4. 4. A resident of the United States. Risks: There are minimal risks in this study. Some possible risks include: discomfort sharing views about the proposed research questions, other participants knowing your identity. To decrease the impact of these risks: you can refuse to answer any question, stop participating at any time, or request to answer the questions with a phone call to the researcher. Benefits: If you decide to participate, there is no direct benefits/compensation to you. The potential benefits to others are improved efficiency and less time and money spent reworking aircraft discrepancies. If you are interested in participating please contact me, Robert Norcross at R.Norcross4749@email.ncu.edu or 757-281-9289. Back to Top RESEARCH REQUEST Volunteers needed to take a survey for research: Who is conducting this research? Alex Chaparro, PhD (Alex.Chaparro@wichita.edu), & Brady Patzer (bspatzer@wichita.edu) of Wichita State University What are we studying? This study is examining the causes of failures to follow procedure in aircraft maintenance to identify potential strategies to mitigate their impact and rate of occurrence. Why participate? Participating in this study will be an opportunity to provide input on actionable methods for handling failures to follow procedure. This study could improve the efficiency and safety of aviation maintenance work. Who is eligible? We are interested in surveying mechanics, supervisors, and inspectors that currently work with part 121 aircraft, who have either failed to follow procedure in the past, or have seen other personnel fail to follow procedure for any reason. Your responses will be held confidential. How do I participate? If you are interested, please navigate to the following website to complete the survey: https://wichitastate.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_7P5Iije0oWJNfgN The entire survey will take approximately 20-30 minutes. 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 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 2015 International Air Safety Summit (IASS) Flight Safety Foundation November 2-4, 2015 Miami Beach, Florida http://flightsafety.org/meeting/iass-2015 'DTI QA & SMS Workshops are Back in Town!' (Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Melbourne FL, and YOUR town just contact us) www.dtitraining.com Back to Top JOBS AVAILABLE: Maintenance Program Developer NetJets http://www.netjets.com/careers requisition #926 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 Curt Lewis