Flight Safety Information August 13, 2015 - No. 159 In This Issue Flight MH370 Update: Flaperon Shows Missing Malaysia Airlines Plane Intact On Indian Ocean Floor Flight MH370: France To Look For Debris Until Next Week U.S. Airline Accident Rate Remained Near Record Low Last Year UPS Pilots (Independent Pilots Association) Continue Fight For 'One Level Of Safety' JetSuite Joins Aviation Safety Action Program ONTARIO: Gag gift causes airport evacuation For 'safety': Uzbekistan Air to begin weighing passengers Rise in drone hazards irritates pilots, concerns officials Two sailors injured after jet refueling fire on USS Harry S. Truman PROS 2015 TRAINING China on a quest to develop VTOL aircraft technology Honda Aircraft could deliver first jet by 'late summer' Charles Taylor Adjusting expands London aviation adjusting team Rich Russians cutting back on private jet travel Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Announces Return to Brazil After 72 Years LeTourneau (University) finds success with aircraft dispatcher certificates Former Pa. man named NASA flight director See Pilot Error, The Acclaimed Air Safety Film Inspired by Air France 447 GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST RESEARCH REQUEST ISASI 2015, Germany, August 24 - 27, 2015 Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Flight MH370 Update: Flaperon Shows Missing Malaysia Airlines Plane Intact On Indian Ocean Floor, Expert Says As the search continues for missing Malaysia Airliner Flight 370, debris recently found on Reunion Island could provide new clues as to what happened to the plane. Pictured: Co- pilot and Squadron Leader Brett McKenzie of the Royal New Zealand Airforce helped to look for objects during the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in flight over the Indian Ocean, April 13, 2014, off the coast of Perth, Australia. Greg Wood - Pool/Getty Images Recent evidence suggests Malaysia Airline Flight MH370 could be sitting intact on the Indian Ocean's floor, according to a satellite communications expert who was part of the early stages of the investigation after the plane went missing. The flaperon found July on Reunion Island indicated that the flight likely ran out of fuel and floated for a while before sinking, Zaaim Redha Abdul Rahman told Bernama, a Malaysian national news agency. Zaaim Redha took part in the initial search to find the plane and helped analyze flight data to determine that it had landed in the Indian Ocean. Recent debris found from the plane has provided new clues of what happened to the missing airliner, he said. "It (the flaperon) was only slightly damaged and was just encrusted with barnacles. Its appearance indicates that it was not violently torn off from the aircraft's main body...it does seem that it got detached pretty nicely at its edges," Zaaim Redha said. In contrast to part of the plane's wing recently found on Reunion Island, he pointed out that no debris from Germanwings Flight 9525, which was flown into the French Alps in March, was found exceeding one foot. "If MH370 had crashed with a really hard impact, we would have seen small pieces of debris floating on the sea immediately after that," he said. The Malaysia airliner went missing March 8, 2014. Despite a multi-national search for the whereabouts of the plane, no traces turned up until late last month, when debris was found washed ashore on Reunion Island, a French territory. While there were reports of other debris, only part of a wing has been confirmed as originating from the plane. Zaaim Redha said the flaperon indicated it likely sat for some time at the bottom of the ocean with the plane before detaching and being pulled to shore by currents. The remnants were found far from the area investigators were searching, indicating either that the plane was far from the route investigators were searching or it had been pulled a long way by currents. "Going by how the earth rotates, it's highly possible that the piece of debris could have floated (over a long distance) because the ocean current can be really powerful," he said. Other sightings of debris have been reported, including in the Maldives, which joined the search for the missing Malaysia airliner last weekend, but so far none of the findings have been authenticated. http://www.ibtimes.com/flight-mh370-update-flaperon-shows-missing-malaysia-airlines- plane-intact-indian-2049930 Back to Top Flight MH370: France To Look For Debris Until Next Week; Flaperon In 'All Probability' From Missing Plane, JACC Says A French military transport plane taxis on the runway at the airport in Saint-Denis at the start of a search mission along the coast near Saint-Andre on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean on Aug. 7, 2015. Reuters/Stringer France will continue air-and-sea search operations around the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean until the beginning of next week for more debris that may be linked to missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, an official from the French island said, late Wednesday. French authorities launched the search for new debris on Reunion Island last Friday. The focus of an international search for the plane shifted to the island near Madagascar after a wing flap washed up on its shores last month. Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is leading the search for the plane, reviewed its analysis and said that the discovery of the flaperon -- 17 months after Flight MH370 went missing -- "is consistent with the current underwater search area in the southern Indian Ocean." However, French officials investigating the flaperon have not confirmed that it comes from the missing plane. "Coordinated searches will continue until the beginning of next week," the Reunion Island official reportedly said, adding that search operations have so far yielded "no significant elements." Since the flaperon's discovery, several other objects have also been collected from Reunion Island -- located about 2,300 miles west of the primary search area off the southwestern coast of Australia -- but authorities have ruled out their link to Flight MH370. Australia's Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) said Wednesday that the flaperon in "all probability" was from the missing Boeing 777-200. The agency's comments came on the same day as families of those on board the plane rejected Malaysia's claim about the flaperon because France and Australia had not yet confirmed the link. Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak announced last week that the part belonged to the plane. Meanwhile, Zaaim Redha Abdul Rahman, a satellite communications expert, told Bernama, a Malaysian national news agency, that recent evidence suggested that Flight MH370 could be sitting intact on the Indian Ocean floor. Analysis of the flaperon indicates that the plane likely ran out of fuel and floated for a while before sinking, according to Zaaim Redha. "It (the flaperon) was only slightly damaged and was just encrusted with barnacles. Its appearance indicates that it was not violently torn off from the aircraft's main body...it does seem that it got detached pretty nicely at its edges," Zaaim Redha reportedly said. Other sightings of debris have been reported, including in the Maldives, which joined the ongoing search for the missing plane last weekend, but so far none of the findings have been authenticated. The debris found on the Maldives will reportedly be sent to Malaysia for inspection. Malaysian authorities have also alerted nearby Madagascar and South Africa to be on the lookout for possible debris. Over 23,166 square miles of an expanded 46,332 square miles of the southern Indian Ocean have been scoured so far to locate Flight MH370, which went missing on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board while on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. http://www.ibtimes.com/flight-mh370-france-look-debris-until-next-week-flaperon-all- probability-missing-2051499 Back to Top U.S. Airline Accident Rate Remained Near Record Low Last Year Experts say recent high-profile crashes have prompted mistaken public perception of risk Planes taxi at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York in this 2008 photo. In 2014 the accident rate for U.S. airlines hovered near a record low, according to preliminary data from federal crash investigators. By ANDY PASZTOR The accident rate for U.S. airlines hovered near a record low in 2014, according to preliminary data released by federal crash investigators, even as aviation experts see a spate of foreign crashes leaving average fliers increasingly concerned about safety. As U.S. passenger airlines racked up their fifth straight year without a fatal crash, last week the National Transportation Safety Board reported that the overall mishap rate for domestic carriers was one accident for roughly 300,000 departures, barely higher than the record low figure of one accident for every 400,000 or so flights the year before. By another measure, the latest data amounts to one accident per roughly 700,000 flight hours, or about half as frequently as during the late 1990s. Commercial aviation in this country has become so safe that pilots routinely go through an entire career without ever experiencing engine trouble serious enough to result in an in-flight shutdown. In the extremely rare circumstance that an engine falters precisely during the moment of takeoff-the most critical moment of any flight-some jetliner models have automated systems able to compensate and safely make the plane climb with minimal input from the cockpit crew. Based on statistics, taxiing around crowded airports has become the most hazardous portion of flights in this country. "We find ourselves with the kind of problem you want to have," according to Peggy Gilligan, the Federal Aviation Administration's top safety official. "Safety numbers are already so low that you must count close calls, accidents that didn't happen" to target safety enhancements, she noted in the text of a speech to state aviation officials last Saturday in Washington. Last year, a total of 641 people died around the world in commercial aviation, and the rate of serious jet accidents hit a historic low, according to the International Air Transport Association, the leading global airline industry trade group. Passenger airlines in the U.S. racked up their fifth straight year without a fatal crash, officials said. But despite such gains, experts agree that recent crashes-including high-profile fatal events in fast-growing Asian markets-have prompted the mistaken public perception that airline travel may be more risky today than in recent years. Roughly 3.5 billion airline passengers are expected to fly world-wide this year on almost 40 million scheduled flights. Tony Tyler, IATA's chief executive, has said that "Asia certainly grabbed the headlines" recently, "and not in the way they would have wanted." Earlier this year, Mr. Tyler said that unless one-of-a-kind events such as the mysterious 2014 disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 are resolved, they will leave "a shadow over us for a while" and potentially erode public confidence in the industry. Patrick Ky, Europe's top safety regulator, has gone further. While "safety indicators have never been better," the executive director of the European Aviation Safety Agency believes general public perception of industry safety probably has never been worse. The reason, Mr. Ky said during an interview earlier this summer, "is that there were a couple of recent, very dramatic" events that grabbed the public's attention, including Flight 370 and the suspected pilot suicide that brought down Germanwings Flight 9525 in March. "One Germanwings is one too many, for sure," Mr. Ky said. "The challenge that I put to our organization is to aim for zero accidents, which we will never reach." In the U.S., the preliminary NTSB data shows there was a roughly 15% increase in the number of fatal general aviation accidents in 2014, climbing to 253 from 222 a year earlier. Despite government and industry efforts to reduce crashes involving private planes, there also was an uptick in the overall rate of all types of accidents involving such aircraft, measured against estimated flight hours nationwide. http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-airline-accident-rate-remained-near-record-low-last- year-1439311216 Back to Top UPS Pilots (Independent Pilots Association) Continue Fight For 'One Level Of Safety' As They Mark Fatigue Crash Anniversary LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As UPS pilots mark the second anniversary of the crash of Flight 1354 on approach to Birmingham- Shuttlesworth International Airport, they are again calling for an end to the carve-out of all-cargo airline operators from new, science-based pilot rest rules. The NTSB in its final report cited fatigue as a contributing factor in the August 14, 2013 crash that killed Captain Cerea Beal, Jr. and First Officer Shanda Fanning. Shortly before takeoff, the plane's Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) captured the crew discussing their own fatigue, as well as their belief that all pilots should be covered by the FAA's new science- based safety rest rules. "We will not forget the words of our fallen friends in advocating for one level of aviation safety," said Captain Robert Travis, President of the Independent Pilots Association (IPA). Acting on a Congressional mandate requiring all commercial carriers to use science- based rest and operating rules, the FAA in 2011 issued its first major revision of pilot flight and duty limits and rest requirements (FAR Part 117) in 60 years. An intense, last minute lobbying effort by UPS and other cargo operators resulted in the FAA's "carve- out" of all-cargo air operators from the new regulations. The IPA immediately filed suit in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the FAA's Final Rule on both procedural and substantive grounds. A final decision is expected sometime in 2016. The IPA also continues to support the Safe Skies Act, legislation that would immediately require both cargo and passenger airline operators to adhere to the same single standard and use the new science based pilot rest rules. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and six of her colleagues re-introduced this important legislation in the current Congress on June 18, 2015. "It's time to close this dangerous loophole that puts our entire aviation system at risk," said Travis. "Whether it be through legislation, through the courts or in discussions with UPS, we are determined to create a safer working environment for the men and women who fly for UPS, and to ensure one level of safety in our nation's skies." CONTACT: Brian Gaudet, Independent Pilots Association (UPS Pilots), (301) 957-4323 or bgaudet@ipapilot.org Back to Top JetSuite Joins Aviation Safety Action Program JetSuite, which operates the Phenom 100 (above) and Citation CJ3, is one of fewer than 2 percent of U.S. charter operators participating in the FAA's Aviation Safety Action Program. JetSuite is the latest charter operator to sign up for the FAA's Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), which is administered by the Air Charter Safety Foundation. JetSuite operates a fleet of Citation CJ3s and Phenom 100s and is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. According to JetSuite, it is one of fewer than 2 percent of Part 135 charter operators that has implemented an ASAP, which went live on June 15. While JetSuite has implemented a safety management system (SMS), that is still not a regulatory requirement for charter operators. But the ASAP helps with that process because the voluntary reporting that is part of SMS is also central to the ASAP, according to Robert Hamel, JetSuite's safety manager. Under the ASAP, reporters (pilots, mechanics, dispatchers and other personnel) have a mechanism for reporting any hazard or safety-related issue, without fear of punitive action by the FAA. Reports are submitted online and reviewed by JetSuite's event review committee (ERC). Reporters can also elect to fill out a NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System form automatically for that event. If for some reason a reporter can't get online right away, there is a process for calling a telephone number and leaving a message. The reporter then has three days to fill out the online form. "We want to make sure they have every avenue available to report [an issue]," Hamel said, "in case they're at an FBO and the Web is down." As part of the implementation of the ASAP, JetSuite issued a learning notice to its employees. They in turn must acknowledge that they have read the notice, Hamel explained, and this also gives them an opportunity to add any comments or concerns. "The initial feedback has been wonderful," he said. "It's been positive every time we talk to the pilots and mechanics." Reporting issues in its own ASAP doesn't just help JetSuite but also other participants, because the ACSF shares de-identified information with ASAP-using members. This could help JetSuite see specific issues related to the types of aircraft it operates or more generic flight or maintenance issues that arise among fellow charter operators. Hamel recommends that more charter operators join the ASAP. "There's lots of room for growth," he said. "If they're considering it and think they don't have the resources, the first call should be to the ACSF; they can alleviate a lot of concern." The ACSF, he pointed out, "does a lot of the heavy lifting," including working with an operator's FAA regional office to set up the memorandum of understanding that governs the program and provides protection for reporters. "The process is relatively easy," he added. "There's really not much of a downside to it. It creates another avenue for pilots, mechanics and dispatchers to report safety concerns, and it will improve safety in our operation and others. And it eliminates the possibility of severe repercussions from the FAA." http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2015-08-11/jetsuite-joins- aviation-safety-action-program Back to Top ONTARIO: Gag gift causes airport evacuation The evacuation began when police received a report that security in the Terminal 4 screening area spotted a dangerous-looking object on their conveyor belt. A gift meant to elicit laughter didn't seem so funny when it caused an airport terminal to be evacuated and 11 flights to be delayed. Everyone was ushered out of terminal four at the Ontario International Airport Wednesday, Aug. 12, when at 5:29 a.m. a security official spotted a dangerous-looking object in a box on the conveyer belt, said Officer Rob Pedregon of the airport police department. "It was inside a metal box and had the resemblance of a hand grenade," Pedregon said. The building was evacuated and hundreds of people were asked to wait outside the terminal doors. Meanwhile, a bomb squad began analyzing the object, Pedregon said. By 6:30 a.m. they deemed it safe, removed it and people were allowed back in, the officer said. The object turned out to be a plaque with a life-sized replica of a hand grenade mounted to it and a sign above it reading, "Complaint Department: Please take a number." A tag with the number one printed on it was attached to the fake grenade's pin. Pedregon said that sure, the thing is funny, but when you look at it through an X-ray machine, it's anything but. "Usually something (of this nature) you can clear right away, but when you're looking at half an object that looks like a hand grenade with a pin in it, you say, 'Whoa, let's stop everything (and analyze it)," he said. Eleven flights were delayed as a result of the evacuation. Most were delayed less than an hour and none exceeded two hours, an airport official said. http://www.pe.com/articles/airport-776663-device-suspicious.html Back to Top For 'safety': Uzbekistan Air to begin weighing passengers Uzbekistan Airways says it will begin weighing passengers -along with their carry-on bags - as part of an effort to "ensure flight safety." After check-in, the carrier says customers will be asked to proceed to a "special weighing machine" near their departure gates. Uzbekistan Airways promised individual passenger information would not be revealed, saying the combined passenger-and-baggage weight data would be categorized only as belonging to a man, woman or child. "As for the rest, the full confidentiality of results is guaranteed," Uzbekistan Airways said in a statement. It goes on to say, "According to the rules of International Air Transport Association, airlines are obliged to carry out the regular procedures of preflight control passengers weighing with hand baggage to observe requirements for ensuring flight safety." Weight information is an important component of flight safety, especially on smaller aircraft. "We will appreciate your assistance and thank you in advance for the help in the solution of our common task of flight safety!," the airline adds in language seemingly directed at passengers. The Daily Mail of London suggests Uzbekistan Airways' move could "mean some overweight people could be excluded from busy flights on smaller planes if limits are exceeded." However, the carrier made no such mention of that possibility in announcing its plans. Today in the Sky has reached out to Uzbekistan Airways for comment. Small island airline starts charging fliers by weight Regardless, the airline is not the first to weigh its passengers. Samoa Air, a small, island-hopping airline in the South Pacific, began charging passengers by weight in 2012. Even today, the carrier boasts of the pay-by-weight scheme on its website, declaring: "A world first: The 'Samoa Air System' of pay by weight 'Pay only for what you weigh'!" Samoa Air flies turboprop flights within the Samoan islands. And, in 2013, it expanded its weight-based pricing policy to several short-hop international flights to the U.S. territory of American Samoa. In a 2013 interview, Samoa Air CEO Chris Langton told The Associated Press that its "planes are run by weight and not by seat, and travelers should be educated on this important issue. The plane can only carry a certain amount of weight and that weight needs to be paid. There is no other way." http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2015/08/12/-safety- uzbekistan-air--begin-weighing-passengers/31527425/ Back to Top Rise in drone hazards irritates pilots, concerns officials Pilots in record numbers are reporting problems with what they describe as buzzing, flying pests. Not mosquitoes. Drones. The FAA was asked what is being done about them. So far this year, pilots have reported drones flying near their aircraft at least 650 times, nearly triple all of 2014. In June alone there were 138 reports, up from 16 last year. This as demand for hobbyists drones, weighing anywhere between two pounds and more 50 has soared. Drones being flown too high, or too close to airports are attracting the concern of the FAA. CBS NEWS Federal aviation administrator Michael Huerta described his level of concern about the number of drones that are up in the air right now. "The very, very small ones we feel represent much less of a hazard," he said. "We're much more concerned about the higher performance unmanned aircraft, those that are interacting in the airspace with commercial aircraft, with private pilots. Huerta believes some recreational drone users don't know the rules: Fly below 400 feet and more than five miles from an airport. Drone Dangers And he calls the recent California wildfires a game changer. There have been more than a dozen cases of drones disrupting firefighting efforts. "If you are flying an unmanned aircraft in a way that is unsafe, we will find you and we will hit you where it hurts," said Huerta. "The penalties are pretty significant. There can be fines up to $25,000 and possibly significant jail time." But the FAA has issued only five fines since 2011 at least three more are pending. Since owners don't have to register drones, cracking down essentially means catching the operator in the act. Huerta admitted that finding the operators may be difficult. "It's not all that easy to do, but it doesn't mean there's any less resolve on our part to do it," he said. Currently the FAA says currently there is not technology to track a drone, and often they rely on local law enforcement to investigate. One possible solution here would be a software fix that would limit how high a drone could fly and how close it could fly to an airport. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rise-in-drone-hazards-irritates-pilots-concerns-officials/ Back to Top Two sailors injured after jet refueling fire on USS Harry S. Truman An F/A-18 Super Hornet assigned to Fighter Attack Squadron Thirty Seven (VFA-37) "Raging Bulls" lands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) on Sept. 17, 2009. Two sailors were injured on the U.S. Navy's USS Harry S. Truman Tuesday night when a jet fighter (similar to the one pictured) caught fire when it was refueling on the deck of the carrier. UPI/Daron Street/U.S. Navy | License Photo NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Two sailors were injured on the U.S. Navy's USS Harry S. Truman Tuesday night when a jet fighter caught fire when it was refueling on the deck of the aircraft carrier. The pilot of the F/A-18C "Hornet" ejected and landed on the flight deck after the fire broke out. Another sailor suffered non-life threatening injuries. "The fire was immediately extinguished by the ship's flight deck firefighting team," the U.S. Navy said in a statement. The sailors were transported to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C. Officials have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire. The aircraft is currently in the Atlantic Coast near Virginia. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2015/08/12/Two-sailors-injured-after-jet-refueling- fire-on-USS-Harry-S-Truman/6131439395663/ Back to Top Back to Top China on a quest to develop VTOL aircraft technology: Sina Military A Russian Yak-141 VTOL fighter jet. China is working hard to develop a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft for strategic and economic purposes, reports the Beijing-based Sina Military Network. Citing the Kanwa Defense Review, a Canada-based Chinese-language military magazine, the report said China is believed to have been developing VTOL technology for more than a decade already but appears to be another 15-20 years away from a finished product. Kanwa added that China has not openly sought technological assistance from Russia in this field or advocated jointly developing VTOL technology to speed up the process. While the potential for collaboration in the future remains open - such as Russia providing China with the technology of its Yak-141 supersonic VTOL fighter jet - cooperation between the two countries is unlikely because China has never sought to develop a major arms project with another country and Russia appears unwilling to transfer the technology to China, Kanwa added. According to Sina Military, VTOL aircraft are the most powerful combat weapons for amphibious assault ships, and China has already announced that it is developing large- sized amphibious assault vessels. VTOL aircraft operating from amphibious assault ships offer crucial air support for landing missions and can be used for anti-submarine missions or to counter naval mines. In peacetime they can also be used in rescue missions or for disaster relief. With China embroiled in territorial disputes in the South China and East China seas, and with Taiwan always remaining an issue, VTOL aircraft would provide a major strategic boost for the People's Liberation Army Navy, Sina Military said. In particular, VTOL aircraft are ideal for China's coastal regions and reefs and islands in the South China Sea because they can still take off and land even when airports have been damaged, saving valuable time in combat situations. Perhaps more importantly, VTOL aircraft would provide China with financial relief because they justify the development of large-sized amphibious assault ships, which are much cheaper to produce than aircraft carriers. As an example, one US Nimitz-class aircraft carrier costs around US$4.5 billion to manufacture, whereas a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship costs just US$700 million. VTOL aircraft are not without weaknesses. They are restricted by high fuel consumption and can use up to one-third of the aircraft's fuel capacity just for take-off, meaning they are unsuited for long-distance missions. They are also unable to carry a large weapons payload, meaning its combat capabilities are relatively weak. They are difficult to pilot and require longer maintenance and repair times. Conversely, VTOL aircraft remain attractive because they do not need runways and can take off from narrow spaces, damaged airports, freeways and rooftops. They are easy to hide while on the ground and their fast take-offs reduce runway preparation time and operational response time. With unique capabilities between that of a fighter jet and helicopter, they can also perform complex maneuvers and stop suddenly in mid-air to avoid missiles. A successfully developed VTOL aircraft is significant, Sina Military said, as it will also mean that China has achieved major breakthroughs in engine fans, vector propulsion technology, aerodynamic designs, and new materials that can potentially be applied to other aircraft. http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass- cnt.aspx?cid=1101&MainCatID=11&id=20150813000044 Back to Top Honda Aircraft could deliver first jet by 'late summer' GREENSBORO, N.C. - Honda Aircraft Co., which is based in Greensboro, is hoping to deliver its first HondaJet by late summer, according to a report this week by Reuters. Reuters quoted company executives, who are showing the jet in Brazil. The Federal Aviation Administration is nearing final certification of the jet for delivery, but Honda Aircraft's top executive said it's hard to anticipate unseen challenges. "Aviation certification is a very complex process, which is why it is so difficult to enter the market," said Michimasa Fujino, chief executive of Honda Aircraft, at an industry event in Sao Paulo. http://myfox8.com/2015/08/13/honda-aircraft-could-deliver-first-jet-by-late-summer/ Back to Top Charles Taylor Adjusting expands London aviation adjusting team Charles Taylor Adjusting (CTA) has further strengthened its London aviation loss adjusting team with the appointment of three senior aviation engineers and loss adjusters. Chris Whittington joins from a leading London market aviation insurer as Senior Surveyor & Adjuster, Chris Ayres has been appointed as Surveyor & Adjuster having joined from an international loss adjusting business and Sam Edwards joins from Monarch Aircraft Engineering as an Aviation Surveyor. * Chris Whittington is an experienced licenced aircraft engineer and loss adjuster. He has ten years' operational maintenance experience on various aircraft types including Boeing and Airbus, gained with leading airlines and maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities. He moved in to loss adjusting in 2005, initially with CTA, before moving to a London market aviation insurer to gain experience of claims management from an underwriting perspective. Chris holds an MSC in Safety and Accident Investigation - Air Transport from Cranfield University and the Certificate in Insurance from the CII. * Chris Ayres has been working in loss adjusting for six years with an international aviation adjuster. He was previously an aviation engineer with 18 years' experience with international airlines including Virgin Atlantic, British Midland and British Airways where he was a licenced aircraft engineer. Chris has type approval on numerous Airbus and Boeing aircraft. * Sam Edwards is a fully qualified and licenced aircraft engineer with type approval on multiple Airbus and Boeing aircraft. He has worked in the aviation industry for over 14 years gaining extensive hangar and line maintenance experience. David Harvey, Principal Surveyor & Director, CTA Aviation London, said: "These appointments increase the depth of expertise we can offer to London and international aviation insurers on claims handled by our London office. Chris Whittington and Chris Ayers bring long experience of loss adjusting and aviation surveying to our team. I am also pleased to welcome Sam Edwards to our team. We believe it is important to bring experienced aircraft engineers into the insurance market to offer insurers access to the latest engineering best practice and to support the development of the next generation of adjusters. Robert McParlin, Managing Director, CTA Aviation, said: "We are committed to providing insurers with access to high levels of technical expertise to handle their aviation claims wherever they occur in the world. These new appointments increase the strength and capability of our London team and support the development of our international network. We have a significant presence in Asia and have recently extended our established aviation adjusting capabilities in Latin America, with the relocation of John Leonard from London to Mexico City. About Charles Taylor Adjusting (www.ctplc.com/adjusting): Charles Taylor Adjusting is one of the leading loss adjusting businesses in the market. It provides loss adjusting services across energy, marine, aviation, property, casualty and special risks along with average adjusting services for ship owners. The business primarily focuses on larger and more complex commercial losses arising from major insured incidents and claims. Charles Taylor Adjusting is a business of Charles Taylor Plc (www.ctplc.com) which is quoted on the London Stock Exchange (CTR). Charles Taylor plc is a leading provider of professional services to clients across the global insurance market. The Group has been providing services since 1884 and today employs over 1,200 staff in 69 offices spread across 28 countries in the UK, the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe the Middle East and Africa. The Group offers services, principally on a fee-based model and operates through three businesses - Management, Adjusting and Insurance Support Services. It also own insurers in run-off. Charles Taylor's vision is to become the professional services provider of choice to the global insurance market www.ctplc.com/adjusting Back to Top Rich Russians cutting back on private jet travel VistaJet isn't for the 1%. It's for the 0.001% Rich Russians are significantly cutting back on private jet travel as the slumping Russian economy and weaker currency force them to stick to a budget. The number of private jet flights between Russia and Europe has dropped by over 20% in the first seven months of this year compared to the same period last year, according to data from WINGX Advance, which tracks air traffic. Traffic between Russia and the U.S. was also down about 18% in the first half of this year. Rich Russian oligarchs and business owners have been cutting back on their spending as the Russian economy enters a deep recession, which was caused by harsh international sanctions and sharply lower oil prices. "The purchasing power effect has hit lots of wealthy Russians," said Richard Koe, managing director at WINGX Advance. "They're definitely cutting back on charter flights." New York-based attorney Ed Mermelstein, who represents many Russian oligarchs and wealthy businessmen, said many of his clients have been selling their jets. "They're certainly not happy about the fact that they're tightening their belt after so many years of high flying," he said. LunaJets, a website for private jet bookings, has seen a marked drop in private jets flying in and out of Russia this year. But air traffic hasn't come to a complete standstill, said LunaJets CEO Eymeric Segard. "If Russian executives prefer to fly less, we see their European, American and Middle Eastern counterparts flying to Russia to continue business transactions," he said. Private jet flights in Europe's largest markets, including France and the U.K., have been relatively stable, but the drop in demand from Russia is especially bad news for jet manufacturers, including Bombardier (BDRBF). "Lower demand in Russia is worrisome for business jet manufacturers, as [Russian] buyers there tend to favor the larger, longer-range business jet models," said Ray Jaworowski, a senior aerospace analyst at Forecast International. http://money.cnn.com/2015/08/12/luxury/russia-private-jet-flights/ Back to Top Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Announces Return to Brazil After 72 Years SAO PAULO, Aug. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly 72 years after Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University first helped establish an aviation school for the Brazilian Air Force, the university announced its return to the now ever-growing Brazilian industry on Tuesday during the opening ceremony of the Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (LABACE). At LABACE, known as the largest convention in South America for the aerospace industry, Embry-Riddle took the opportunity to announce its plans to return to Brazil with education and training offerings through potential partnerships with other universities, companies and government agencies. Plans are now in motion to open a new office in Sao Paulo in November to begin fostering business relationships in Brazil and throughout Latin America. "Embry-Riddle recognizes the great strides Brazil has made since the university first established roots here during World War II to assist the country's air force in establishing the Escola Técnica de Aviacao (ETAv) in Sao Paulo," University Interim President Dr. John R. Watret said. "As Embry-Riddle begins to reestablish itself in Brazil, it is important to note that the mission the school set out to complete more than 70 years ago remains the same: Meeting the immediate and growing demand for qualified aviation and aerospace professionals to drive increased safety, innovation and operational efficiency," said William Hampton, Senior Vice President of External Relations. In the last decade, Brazil experienced a 194 percent increase in aviation growth according to the Brazilian Civil Aviation Authority. More growth is on the horizon with the Regional Aviation Development Plan to improve and/or build 270 airports for commercial aviation. "The foundation for this growth would not have been possible without groundbreaking aviators, such as the alumni from the Escola Técnica de Aviacao," said Lou Seno, Vice President for Corporate and Government Relations. During the opening ceremony at LABACE, Watret and Lt. Brig. Nivaldo Luiz Rossato, Commander of the Brazilian Air Force, recognized Francisco Drezza as the top- performing student in the first class of air traffic controllers from ETAv and as a pioneer of Brazil's air traffic control management. Additional alumni from ETAv who were recognized in the presence of industry leaders and Brazilian government authorities during an Embry-Riddle alumni luncheon included Remy Gomes Ferreira, Nelson Garcia Perez, Alberto Bertulucci and Irineu Tonon. MEDIA CONTACT: Melanie Hanns, Director of University Communications/Media Relations, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; (386) 226-7538, (386) 283-0753; melanie.hanns@erau.edu About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world's largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, is a nonprofit, independent institution offering more than 75 baccalaureate, master's and Ph.D. degree programs in its colleges of Arts & Sciences, Aviation, Business, Engineering and Security & Intelligence. Embry-Riddle educates students at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., through the Worldwide Campus with more than 125 locations in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and through online programs. The university is a major research center, seeking solutions to real-world problems in partnership with the aerospace industry, other universities and government agencies. For more information, visit www.embryriddle.edu, follow us on Twitter (@EmbryRiddle) and facebook.com/EmbryRiddleUniversity, and find expert videos at YouTube.com/EmbryRiddleUniv. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/embry-riddle-aeronautical-university-announces- return-to-brazil-after-72-years-2015-08-11 Back to Top LeTourneau (University) finds success with aircraft dispatcher certificates LeTourneau and Longview ISD create aviation partnership LONGVIEW (KYTX) - There are many reasons LeTourneau University is unlike any other college, such as the fact that it is the only christian university to offer aircraft dispatcher courses. And for the students who took that course this summer, they all found success. Since LeTourneau was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to offer these courses, all six students who took the class passed the practical exam on their first attempt with the FAA. By passing, these students earned a FAA aircraft dispatcher certificate. Director of flight operations Laura Laster said she couldn't be more proud of the students. "I was beyond pleased," Laster said. "It was a little nerve-racking the first time that we sent the first two people to take the exam, but in the end, everyone passed. I am just so excited for the program." These students took classes over a five-week period, which included classes for 40 hours a week. LeTourneau senior Joshua Slagell said it took a lot of preparation before taking the exam. "It felt really good being able to go through all of this," Slagell said. "I had a some of the knowledge beforehand, but there was so much that we learned throughout those five weeks. It was like drinking from a fire hydrant." Laster said a dispatcher is more important to flying than people realize. "The dispatcher is the person that the general public would never see," Laster said. "They are working, monitoring every flight, planning every flight, checking the weather. It's a really unseen job that's very important to aviation safety. You have to have a dispatcher who knows how to do the job very well." Stephen Kintner teaches air traffic control at LeTourneau and also took and passed the exam as well. With this certificate, he said these students have a good chance to make it in the aviation industry. "There is a high demand for aircraft dispatchers in the United States," Kintner said. "They have opportunities to get into the aviation industry, and I know this is a great step in the right direction for all of them." Slagell said he's ready for what his next step will be once he graduates from LeTourneau. "Right after college, assuming that I do not get hired by the FAA, I will start applying with different airlines and see where it goes from there," Slagell said. Laster said she hopes to build the class size to double digits by next summer and continue growing the program for years to come. http://www.cbs19.tv/story/29774809/letourneau-finds-success-with-aircraft-dispatcher- certificates Back to Top Former Pa. man named NASA flight director Former Chambersburg, Pa., resident Scott Stover is among some elite company. The 37-year-old is one of only 86 people in National Aeronautics and Space Administration history to serve as a flight director. And most recently, he was promoted to lead flight director for the International Space Station, a post he will hold for six months ending in September. "It's a dream come true to be able to do this," Stover said. NASA's flight directors lead teams of flight controllers, support personnel and engineering experts from around the world. They also are involved in cargo and vehicle integration with the station and developing plans for future exploration missions. Stover said that as lead flight director, he is responsible not only for what happens at Mission Control in Houston, but at the International Space Station as it orbits Earth. "My eyes are always on crew safety," he said. "That's our No. 1 job - to make sure the crew is safe. The buck stops here when I'm on console." Stover said his interest in space travel and research started at an early age when he was growing up in Franklin County. He said he was an avid watcher of science fiction programs such as "Star Trek," and his parents took him to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., to see artifacts from the original U.S. space missions. Stover parlayed his skills in math to excel in science. After graduating from James Buchanan High School in 1996, he said he earned a bachelor's of science degree in aerospace from Pennsylvania State University in 2000, and a master's in space architecture from the University of Houston in 2004. NASA documents show Stover was involved with a number of space shuttle and space station missions before he became a flight director in 2009. Stover said the lead flight director typically serves terms of two or four month, but last- minute personnel changes bumped his tenure to six months. He said ownership of the lead position is so short, in part, because of the stressful nature of the job. "I work 50 to 60 hours a week, and I'm on call pretty much all the time," he said. "I get calls in the middle of the night to answer questions." Stover said his next dream is to one day leave the confines of Mission Control to participate in the research astronauts are performing in space. "We're doing research that will benefit everybody," he said. "NASA is alive and well." Stover is the son of Richard and Linda Stover of Mercersburg. http://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/tri_state/pennsylvania/former-pa-man-named- nasa-flight-director/article_e9aff61e-4151-11e5-961e-d3a81e1720cc.html Back to Top See Pilot Error, The Acclaimed Air Safety Film Inspired by Air France 447 Image of Vimeo Trailer Link https://vimeo.com/110034584 with clickable link Now Available on DVD at pilot-errormovie.com/pilot-error-dvd/ Streaming (outside the United States only) at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/piloterror/117084584 (231) 720-0930. Email info@pilot-error.com Upcoming Screenings with training pilot talkbacks: St. Helena, California: Cameo Cinema, August 17 Whitehall Michigan: Howmet Playhouse, August 25, 26, 27 London, England: City University London, September 16 Ann Arbor Michigan: Quality 16, September 23 and 24 Lakeland, Florida: Polk Theater, October 22 Dewey Decimal Productions 1487 Glen Ave. Muskegon, MI 49441 231 720-0930 rogerdrapoport@me.com www.pilot-errormovie.com "Like" us on FACEBOOK! www.facebook.com/PilotErrorTheMovie Watch our TRAILER! https://vimeo.com/110034584 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 (En Español) August 25, 2015 Monterrey, Mexico https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1736215 IS-BAO Auditing (En Español) August 26, 2015 Monterrey, Mexico https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1736218 Fundamentals of IS-BAO September 15, 2015 St. Louis, Missouri USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1660854 IS-BAO Auditing September 16, 2015 St. Louis, Missouri USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1660878 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 OSHA & Aviation Ground Safety Training Course (ERAU) Oct. 19-23, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/cmas Aviation Safety Program Management Training Course (ERAU) Oct. 26-30, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/cmas Aircraft Accident Investigation Training Course (ERAU) Nov. 2-6, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/cmas Aviation Safety Management Systems (SMS) Seminar (ERAU) Nov. 17-19, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/sms Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Seminar (ERAU) Dec. 8-10, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/uas '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: Operations Integrity Risk Specialist Air New Zealand https://careers.airnz.co.nz/jobdetails?jobmc=111020RE Assistant Director, Flight Standards NetJets http://www.netjets.com/careers , requisition #843 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 Curt Lewis