Flight Safety Information August 26, 2015 - No. 169 In This Issue Shoreham airshow crash: the lines of investigation California Doesn't Want Drones Flying Over Your Backyard FAA sits on study results for three years United flight lands safely in Austin after fuel emergency Flight Operations Resume At Dublin Airport After Fire In Hangar How Airplane Emergency Slides Are Tested In Phoenix Peru reinstates shoot-down law for suspected drugs smuggling aircraft Airline pilots describe their near-disasters on Reddit, and their passengers had no idea Flight Attendant Busted with More than 40 Pounds of Cocaine 70Mbps Gogo in-flight internet approved by FAA PROS 2015 TRAINING U.S. startup seeks crowdfunding to produce business jet Farmers harvest jet fuel Cirrus Jet Nearing Certification Finish Line Korean Air Welcomes its First B747-8 Intercontinental Aircraft AAR Reaches 60-Year Milestone in Aviation Is Emirates the Best Airline to Work for as a Flight Attendant? Kent State Aeronautics & Dispatch Program Back To School with ERAU - Aviation Safety Seminars for Professionals GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Shoreham airshow crash: the lines of investigation Aviation experts say the Air Accidents Investigation Branch will look at a number of factors in trying to determine what brought down the 1950s fighter Wreckage from the 1950s Hawker Hunter fighter is removed from the scene of the crash Mechanical failure The Air Accidents Investigation Branch team at Farnborough will be looking for signs of engine or instrument failure in the wreckage of the Hawker Hunter. According to Tony Cable, a former AAIB investigator and consultant at Accident and Failure Technical Analysis Ltd, there could still be evidence of what went wrong even after the impact and ground fire. "You might get information of what the control settings were at the time of impact. Was the stick pulled fully back?" he said. The 1950s fighter had no black box or digital data recorder, so the copious amounts of video and photographic evidence from the airshow crowd may prove the best lead. Experts say the age of the aircraft should not have been a factor, assuming it was well maintained, but the restrictions the Civil Aviation Authority introduced on vintage planes this week suggest there are potential concerns. Stephen Wright, a lecturer in aviation at the University of Leeds, said investigators would immediately look at the Hunter's maintenance history. "That becomes the property of the AAIB and is quarantined. That's the baseline, and investigators can work backwards from what happened. What condition the aircraft is in, what's been worked on recently," he said. Mechanical failure was possible, he added: "The AAIB will be trying to establish if the plane was supplying sufficient thrust to complete the manoeuvre. They are designed to turn on a sixpence. The only reason it wouldn't have done so if there was a problem." Pilot error All display pilots have to be licensed and assessed, and follow prepared routines within the level of difficulty to which they have been approved. The pilot in the Shoreham crash, Andy Hill, was vastly experienced, but there have been regular fatalities among those flying at airshows, because they perform difficult and risky manoeuvres. Hill was attempting his stunt at an altitude that left little scope for recovery if he did lose control of the plane. Flight Global's safety editor, David Learmount, said the footage suggested the pilot was trying to lift the plane's nose in the final moments. Bird strike There is no evidence of birds in the footage, but a bird strike remains a possible, if unlikely, factor. Wright said: "It was low altitude. It could ingest a bird. That would flame the engine." One video sequence appears to show a flash from the engines. "That could indicate that part of the engine has detached, a blade has come out." Physical strain Stunt flying and tight turns in fighter jets put the pilot under considerable G-force, and even experienced pilots have been known to black out. A Red Arrows pilot who was killed in crash at the Bournemouth airshow in 2011 was found to have lost consciousness in the seconds before impact. CAA guidance to display pilots also warns of the possibility of visual confusion when flying near the coast, with a "goldfish bowl effect" making it difficult to gauge position accurately. A combination of factors As aviation's comprehensive safety regulations and maintenance checks reduce obvious and known risks, accident reports often identify a sequence of errors or circumstances. Learmount has suggested that a combination of mechanical failure and pilot error could be an explanation "That could have been something in the mechanics or the engine, a twang, that would be tremendously distracting at a point when milliseconds matter.," he said. http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/aug/25/shoreham-airshow-crash-the-lines-of-investigation Back to Top California Doesn't Want Drones Flying Over Your Backyard So the state Assembly passed a bill to create a no-fly zone over private property. A drone flies over San Francisco. A California bill banning drones from flying over private property passed in the state Assembly on Monday, much to the frustration of drone enthusiasts who say it's too broad and oversteps federal authority. The legislation would generally prohibit sending the remotely operated aerial devices into a "no-fly zone" extending 350 feet above private property. It would not restrict people from flying drones above their own property, above private property with the owner's permission or above public spaces such as streets or parks. "When we're in our backyards, with our families, we have an expectation that we have a right to privacy," state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D), author of the bill, said in a press release. "Drones have upended all those expectations, and it's important that we set reasonable boundaries so that our privacy and security remain intact. This bill would extend our long-established definitions of trespassing and privacy, and bring them into the 21st century, by applying them also to drones." Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D) described the bill as a security measure when he presented it on the floor Monday, the Los Angeles Times reported. "If you drive on someone's property with a car, you're trespassing. If you're looking on someone's property to break in, you're trespassing," he said. "It makes no sense that a drone should be able to look in your window and the operator should not be guilty of the same trespass." Dave Shevett, who lives south of Boston and chairs the US Drone Racing Association, called the California bill part of "a troubling trend." While such restrictions would largely not affect his group, which organizes drone races and other events in large outdoor areas with permission, he thinks the measure poses risks to individual drone hobbyists -- like himself. "The problem with that particular bill is it's overly broad," Shevett told The Huffington Post, arguing that it wrongly treats all drones as if they were equipped for surveillance. "When people hear the word drone, the first thing they think of is camera platforms hovering over their houses ... and one of our biggest challenges when we're talking to folks is that not all drones are the same," he said. Not all have cameras. Shevett also pointed to the difficulty of keeping drones from accidentally crossing boundaries, especially in rural areas where the boundaries aren't always clear. "If one of these strays over somebody's property line, even if it's just going around a turn or whatnot, is that suddenly an arrestable offense?" he asked. Brian Wynne, president and CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), said in an emailed statement that his organization is "deeply disappointed with the passage of SB 142" this week. "The Supreme Court has ruled that property rights do not extend infinitely into the sky. Only the [Federal Aviation Administration] can regulate airspace; states and municipalities can't," Wynne argued. "For the safety of our skies and to ensure that there is no confusion between state and federal law," he added, "we need Washington to make finalizing these rules a top priority." He also suggested that such a bill could stifle innovation in the drone industry. "A study by AUVSI estimates that in the first decade following [drone] integration into the national airspace system, California's economy will gain more than 18,100 jobs and more than $14 billion in economic impact," Wynne said. "It is our hope that the California Senate and, if necessary, Governor Brown, will take this enormous potential into account and reject this restrictive legislation." The drone privacy bill now moves to the state Senate for a final vote. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/california-drone- ban_55dcaf45e4b04ae49704a9ec?kvcommref=mostpopular Back to Top FAA sits on study results for three years It is not surprising that a 2012 study conducted by NASA for the FAA found that air traffic controllers sometimes experience fatigue, which can negatively impact their on-the-job performance ["U.S. air controller study shows chronic fatigue," Aug. 11]. Not surprising because fatigue issues are common among shift workers. Controllers are shift workers, no different physiologically than truck drivers, doctors, nurses, firefighters, policemen and other 24/7 occupations. The bigger story regarding the 2012 study is that the FAA sat on it for more than three years and denied multiple FOIA requests by the Associated Press to release it, thus giving the appearance of a coverup. Only after the AP obtained a draft copy did the FAA finally let it go public. FAA Administrator Michael Huerta had a propeller loose if he thought that the contents of the 270-page study, which was unclassified and widely disseminated within the ranks of more than 18,000 air traffic employees, could somehow remain hidden from the public. So much for "transparency and open government." Apparently Huerta did not get the White House memo with that particular subject line. http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/readers/2015/08/26/air-traffic-controllers-suffer- fatigue-croft/32355763/ Back to Top United flight lands safely in Austin after fuel emergency 2:10 p.m. update: A United flight has landed safely after calling in a fuel emergency to the Austin airport. The flight triggered an alert after the pilot notified the airport that the plane only had about 30 minutes of fuel remaining as it approached, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport spokesman Jim Halbrook said. The airplane was 30 miles from the airport when the pilot made the report, which was easily close enough for the plane to land safely. The plane landed on runway 35 Right, approaching from the southeast. All other recent take offs and landings were using the airport's other runway, Halbrook said. http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/austin-firefighters-responding-to-aircraft-emergen/nnQyQ/ Back to Top Flight Operations Resume At Dublin Airport After Fire In Hangar Dublin Airport fire A fire at the Dublin Airport temporarily suspended flight operations Wednesday. In this photo, Aer Lingus Airbus A320 are parked away from the passenger terminals at Dublin Airport in the Republic of Ireland on June 2, 2002. Reuters/Paul McErlane Flight operations at the Dublin Airport in Ireland resumed after they were suspended when a fire broke out in a hangar early Wednesday. Flights were suspended for over an hour and the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said on its Twitter feed that operations resumed after the fire was brought under control. Staff members were evacuated from the hangar and there have been no reports of any injuries so far. DAA Communications Manager Siobhan O'Donnell said all the people present were accounted for, RTE News reported Wednesday. An aircraft inside the hangar was not damaged in the fire, the DAA added. The report also said that the fire broke out in a restricted area, which could not be accessed by passengers. While a number of planes circled the airport early Wednesday, some were diverted to Belfast and Shannon, the RTE report added, citing Flight Radar 24. Pilots reportedly informed passengers on board the flights about the fire. Dublin fire units, including Finglas, Kilbarrack and Swords, and the Dublin headquarters reached the site to tackle the situation, the Mirror reported. http://www.ibtimes.com/flight-operations-resume-dublin-airport-after-fire-hangar-2068783 Back to Top How Airplane Emergency Slides Are Tested In Phoenix Workers look at a an emergency airplane slide during a deployment test at UTC Aerospace Systems in Phoenix. Every time you board an airplane, you get the same flight attendant spiel: "Please take a moment to find the exits closest to you, keeping in mind that your closest exit may be behind you." But the likelihood you'll have to actually use one of those exits or the emergency slide that automatically pops out when the exit door is opened is pretty slim. Still, every one of the emergency slides on an aircraft has been deployed before at a testing facility. One of those is right here in Phoenix, at UTC Aerospace Systems. The warehouse contains sections of real airplanes - chunks of exit rows and a wing or two are suspended on platforms near the ceiling to model the actual height of an airplane. The emergency exit of a 737 is opened and the slide pops out in a sudden burst, like a party horn, completely inflating in a matter of seconds. Eric Tanori, UTC Aerospace Systems' manufacturing engineering supervisor, said a few seconds can make a big difference. "A lot of times they're used where there's fire or smoke in the cabin and so people need to get out of there pretty quickly," said Tanori. Then the slide is shuffled to the next test. "(It) is called an air-retention test to make sure that everything holds air, because a lot of our configurations also get used as rafts," Tanori said. In the event of a water landing, the slides can be detached from the plane and used as makeshift boats. They test that here, too, in a large pool. Besides the sound, what's also noticeable is the smell of paint. Workers touchup the slides after the tests. The current aviation safety code requires them to be silver, a color that reflects heat well. Tanori said it's critical to make sure every centimeter is coated. "If heat really gets to one of those seams and it bursts open, then the whole slide is going to deflate in a matter of a few seconds, also," said Tanori. Once the slide passes the tests with flying colors, it gets packed up and sent to an airplane exit somewhere. Perhaps the one closest to you on your next flight. http://kjzz.org/content/182917/how-airplane-emergency-slides-are-tested-phoenix Back to Top Peru reinstates shoot-down law for suspected drugs smuggling aircraft The Peruvian National Congress approved the Airspace Surveillance and Control Law on August 20, authorising the country's air force to shoot down aircraft suspected of transporting drugs, weapons, or explosives. A shoot-down law that was enacted in 1995 was suspended in 2001 after a Peruvian Air Force (Fuerza Aérea del Perú: FAP) Cessna A-37B Dragonfly working with a CIA tracker aircraft as part of the Air Bridge Denial programme mistakenly shot down a Cessna light aircraft that was transporting a family of American missionary workers. The new law authorises the FAP to shoot down aircraft that fail to comply with instructions to land if they are suspected of carrying drugs, weapons, or biological agents. http://www.janes.com/article/53797/peru-reinstates-shoot-down-law-for-suspected-drugs-smuggling- aircraft Back to Top Airline pilots describe their near-disasters on Reddit, and their passengers had no idea Scary truth ... Behind the cockpit doors, things can go a little awry. FLYING is, in a sense, an act of blind faith. When you board a plane, you are granting your complete trust to your pilot and airline. There have been many tragedies in the sky in recent years, from the Germanwings' mass-murder suicide to MH370's disappearance and the AirAsia QZ8501 crash. And even more recently, Saturday's deadly explosion in Shoreham. But despite the heartbreak we feel, we still need to travel. So we pack our bags, assure ourselves "not this time", turn the other cheek and trust that our pilot will get us safely from point Shoreham crash ... The Hawker Hunter jet ploughed into a busy road during an airshow. But it appears the scary truth is, while we munched on our reheated stewed beef and went square-eyed over our tiny screens, there could have been so many more accidents. In a stomach-churning discussion on Reddit, pilots have revealed just how close they have come, sometimes mere seconds, from disaster - and their passengers didn't have a clue. So from serious engine failure to nauseatingly low air pressure levels and quick-thinking pilots being forced to concoct makeshift oven mitts to touch hot controllers, this is our pick of the bunch. Note: if you have a fear of flying, this isn't for you. WHAT'S YOUR SCARIEST TRAVEL EXPERIENCE? Tell us below. A near miss One poster explained how their father, a former captain for Eastern Airlines, had just about reached take- off speeds when another jet taxied across the runway. By this stage, his plane was going too fast to stop, so he had to lift off early. He managed to clear the other plane by what felt like a whisker. But his passengers? They had no idea. 'All the passengers noticed were their ears popping' One commercial airline captain, flying an Embraer 175, described how the cabin pressure control channels failed on one occasion, causing a rapid loss of cabin air pressure - putting everyone's consciousness at risk, including their own. When you are flying at 30,000 feet, you only have about 30 seconds before you start slipping. The pilot had to urgently start a steep emergency descent, at which point they flipped the pressurisation switch to manual, then back to automatic, which got it to the working channel. "Pretty sure all the passengers noticed were their ears popping," they said. "It gave us about 80 seconds of a scare though." This pilot saved the day in not one, but two, sticky situations A vintage biplane pilot, who took people on aerobatic rides, grappled with a number of problems. On one occasion, the engine exploded mid-flight forcing them to land in a field. But because they stayed calm and their passenger was foreign and unable to understand what was being said on the radio, it was just assumed that landing in a field was standard practice. Another time, there was a tyre blowout as the plane landed on its grass runway. This meant the plane stopped in about 50m instead of the usual 200m. But the passenger had no idea there was a problem until fire crews were called in to help push the aircraft back. "Most of the time, the passenger doesn't know what normal is, so it's no different for them when things go awry, assuming you get a safe landing out of it," they said. This air traffic controller faced a very dicey situation An air traffic controller explained how they lost contact with a pilot, which can happen when they are on the wrong frequency or the radios go berzerk. The poster said it wasn't uncommon, and it was usually easily rectified. But on this particular occasion, the drop-out happened at the worst possible moment. The pilot unknowingly ended up cruising on the wrong altitude when his flight plan actually had him on another. There were now about dozen planes in his path, coming head-on. "He ended up running one heck of a gauntlet through all these people as I was descending and climbing them to get them out of his way," they wrote - and they were relieved nothing worse happened. That was until the pilot suddenly decided to change altitude, perhaps knowing instinctively he should have by now. Meaning all at once, all those planes that had moved out of his way were right back in his path. Now that's the kind of stress nobody needs. 'They couldn't touch the controls, they were using clothing as oven mitts' One poster said their father retired as a pilot with 36,000 hours of flying - but not before facing an exceedingly nerve-racking moment. Taking off for a flight from Orlando to Boston in the US, he noticed there was abnormal amounts of hot air flushing into the cockpit. It appeared the mechanics on the ground hadn't wired the engine valve shut like they were meant to. Instead, it was left wide open, with the maximum amount of hot air pouring straight in. He had to make an emergency landing in Jacksonville, but not before enduring a lot of discomfort. Unable to touch the controls because they had heated up so much, he and his co-pilot had to create makeshift oven mitts out of their clothes so they could steer the plane. By the time they hit the ground, they were totally drenched in their own sweat. So why are passengers so often left in the dark in these incidents ? It seems it's for our own benefit and peace of mind. "Airline pilot here. Most of us would rather not saying anything about emergencies while in flight. However when it comes to a near disaster occurring, almost never," reads one post. But of course, it wasn't all doom and gloom in the discussion. One pilot piped up, saying "in seven years and 6000 hours of commercial flying, nothing close to a disaster has ever happened". To which he got the response: "now let's all upvote this and get back to our lives which already contain enough fear." Werd. http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/airline-pilots-describe-their-near-disasters-on-reddit-and- their-passengers-had-no-idea/story-fnndib5x-1227499756604 Back to Top Flight Attendant Busted with More than 40 Pounds of Cocaine Nigeria's Arik Airlines has become the subject of close scrutiny by the country's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after a flight attendant for the carrier was arrested at Heathrow Airport in London for suspected drug possession, Premium Times reported. Monday, the flight attendant, identified by Premium Times as Chika Udensi, was found with about 44 pounds of a substance that tested positive for cocaine. According to the Times, The National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom informed the NDLEA of the arrest, and in a statement made Tuesday, via Premium Times, the Nigerian drug agency declared that a "full scale" inquiry would reveal the individuals behind the act. Regarding the investigation, NDLEA Chairman Ahmadu Giade said to Premium Times, "We shall work closely with our international collaborators on the matter. Arik Airline will be sanctioned if found wanting." Giade cited to Premium Times Nigeria's "cordial working relationship with the United Kingdom in drug control," a collaboration that has caused "a drastic reduction in the number of arrests made in the United Kingdom from flights originating from Nigeria over the years," he said. Udensi's arrest is the second time in two years a crewmember of an Arik flight was collared for suspected drug possession, according to Premium Times. In 2013, the United Kingdom Border Force took two into custody after a package of drugs worth almost $950,000 was found inside an aircrew transport bus. The suspects, Premium Times reported, were two women aged 37 and 32, and had just flown in on an Arik Air flight from Lagos, Nigeria. Mr. Giade indicated to Premium Times that the agency would invoke Section 25 of the NDLEA Act against Arik. This statute states, in part, that, "it shall be the duty of every commercial carrier to take reasonable precaution to ensure that its means of transport are not used in the commission of offences under this Act ... to prevent unauthorized cargo in its means of transportation." "The law refers to the precautionary measures to include training of personnel, promotion of integrity of their personnel, submission of cargo manifests in advance, use of tamper-resistant, individually verifiable seals on containers and reporting to the Agency at the earliest opportunity all suspicious circumstances relating to drug trafficking," Mr. Giade explained to Premium Times. http://www.travelpulse.com/news/impacting-travel/flight-attendant-busted-with-more-than-40-pounds-of- cocaine.html Back to Top 70Mbps Gogo in-flight internet approved by FAA You may remember that Gogo shared some good news in April last year: its in-flight internet service was set to be upgraded from 9.8Mbps to 70Mbps. That's all thanks to a much improved satellite antenna fitted in planes called 2Ku. The upgraded system was meant to be streaming content on planes by now, but the FAA has only this week issued the final Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) required to use it. So, 70Mbps internet is coming to Gogo flights, it's just going to take a bit longer than we (and Gogo) originally thought. Gogo already has 7 commercial airlines signed up for the improved service, which translates into over 500 aircraft waiting for those antenna upgrades. The plan now is to start installing the new antennas later this year and then switching on 2Ku access from early 2016. As well as a huge increase in speed, 2Ku is future-proofed to work with new spot beam satellites, which will see the connection speed increase again from 70Mbps to 100Mbps. With that connection being shared across an entire aircraft full of people, even small bumps in speed will help, especially if Netflix is allowed. The image above shows you what the two low-profile, high-efficiency Ku-band satellite antennas look like. They are twice as spectrally efficient and designed in such a way as to not impact the overall drag of an aircraft in flight. Gogo says a flight anywhere in the world will be able to use the improved Gogo internet such is the coverage offered by Ku satellites. So now it's just a case of waiting to see if your flight gets it next year. http://www.geek.com/news/70mbps-gogo-in-flight-internet-approved-by-faa-1632082/ Back to Top Back to Top U.S. startup seeks crowdfunding to produce business jet An artist rendering shows a TriFan 600 aircraft with the ability to both takeoff and land vertically, in this image released by XTI Aircraft Company on August 25, 2015. XTI Aircraft, a Denver, Colorado-based aerospace startup firm, launched an equity crowdfunding campaign on Tuesday to raise $50 million to fund the production of the TriFan 600, a six-seat fixed wing jet that can take off and land like a helicopter. XTI was founded in 2009 by David Brody, the former chairman and chief executive officer of AVX Aircraft Co, who developed and patented the concept for the new business jet. The company's leaders include Jeffrey Pino, the former president of Sikorsky Aircraft, a unit of United Technologies Corp that is being sold to Lockheed Martin Corp, and Charles Johnson, the former president of Cessna, the business jet maker owned by Textron Inc. The group's chief engineer is Dennis Olcott, the former chief engineer at Adam Aircraft, and for the PiperJet program. XTI launched the equity crowdfunding campaign under new rules approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in March 2015. Equity crowdfunding is when private investors fund startup companies in return for equity. It is also seeking venture capital, private equity and high net worth investors for the project. The company said its financing approach would allow both accredited and non-accredited investors to support XTI Aircraft by reserving non-binding equity in the company. "We fully expect that investors, especially crowdfunders and those with an interest in aviation, will be drawn to the idea of having their own 'Kitty Hawk' moment by being part of a truly new aircraft program that will change flight as we know it," the company said. In development for over two years, XTI is designing the TriFan 600 to become the first commercially certified high-speed, long-range vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) airplane. The aircraft is designed to fly as fast and as high as current business jets, but able to land and take off from any paved, helipad-sized space, cutting out the need to travel to airports. The jet uses three ducted fans for liftoff, and then rotates two wing fans forward to enable high-speed flight, XTI said. It said the new jet would have a maximum cruise speed of 400 mph (640 kph) and a range of 800 to 1,200 miles (1,300 to 1,900 km). XTI said it reduced risk on the program by using existing, proven technologies in its design. It said the expected launch time of the new aircraft would be determined after it met certain financing milestones. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/26/us-tech-xti-crowdfund-idUSKCN0QU1QV20150826 Back to Top Farmers harvest jet fuel Farmer Wes Frederick watches as a small combine in the background harvests a test plot of canarita -- similar to a mustard seed -- to be produced into jet fuel, on his land west of Flasher on Monday. The plot was planted and harvest by Agrisoma, based in Saskatoon, SK, Canada. Harvest is underway for North Dakota's first crop of jet fuel. "Yields are looking pretty good," said Garret Groves, of Canadian seed producer Agrisoma Biosciences. "We've had some stuff we're really happy with, and we've had some stuff that's been OK." Western North Dakota farmers agreed to plant 6,000 acres of carinata, a variety of mustard seed and alternative crop to canola that can be made into a biofuel. Groves said some producers growing the crop faced extreme heat but yields are slightly above average given the conditions. "For the most part, things have been pretty promising," Groves said. "Thirty bushels is a pretty good average." Though with only 25 percent of the acreage harvested, that average could climb, Groves added. Farmer Wes Frederick chose to plant 100 acres of carinata on his land west of Flasher. He said the fact that the seeds don't fall out of their shells as easily and its ability to grow in drier areas weighed on his decision to give the new crop a try. "I'm always looking for something different," he said. "It works great in our rotation." Frederick usually rotates between sunflowers, wheat and corn. "This puts another broadleaf in," he said. Frederick said the crop also has the benefit of being close to canola for sale price but the seed is cheaper, leading to a lower cost of production and potentially higher profit margins. He doesn't have to worry about getting stuck with leftover crop either because his contract is for all that he produces. The harvest on Frederick's land started Monday with a test plot on a pea stubble field. The blacker soil left by the peas allowed the crop to emerge better than the rest of his crop planted on wheat and corn ground. As a no-till farmer finding land to plant the crop on will be his biggest challenge but one he expects to take on if his yields prove high enough. In addition to Flasher in the southwest, about one-third was planted around Mott and there was some acreage around New Leipzig. In the northwest, there was some near Tioga and some in northeast Montana. Groves said all of it should be combined inside of a month. The crop will be delivered to the Ray Farmers Union Elevator, likely in November. Agrisoma is working on adding other elevators to the delivery list for next year. Canada-based Patterson Grain will sell it on the market and it will be processed in the U.S., Groves said. One potential consumer, the U.S. Navy, is targeting carinata to help reach its goal of serving half of its energy needs with non-oil sources by 2020. The carinata planted is expected to yield between 1,800 pounds and 1 ton per acre, according to Groves. That amounts to about 100 to 115 gallons of jet fuel per acre. Groves said Agrisoma also is on its way to its goal of having farmers replant the crop again next year and adding more farmers to the planting list. "We've had a fair amount more interest this year going into next year," he said. The company has a goal of 50,000 acres planted next year. Groves said Agrisoma will likely start signing contracts in October through the end of November. http://bismarcktribune.com/business/local/farmers-harvest-jet-fuel/article_571de09b-75f1-5252-a506- 73ed57bcf05b.html Back to Top Cirrus Jet Nearing Certification Finish Line The Cirrus Vision Jet is progressing toward certification on schedule after the FAA issued the SF50's Type Inspection Authorization (TIA), marking the start of formal FAA flight evaluations of the single-engine jet's type design, airworthiness, performance and handling. The TIA allows Cirrus to begin certification flight tests with an FAA pilot on board, one of the final elements needed for type certification. Three conforming Vision SF50 prototypes are involved in the certification program, which Cirrus says is on track for completion by the end of the year. Recent successful testing for the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) in the Vision Jet paves the way for in-flight deployment testing, expected to be carried out this fall. Wing and stabilizer cyclic lifespan and stress testing are currently underway, along with updates to the avionics. "Our employees and partners are rightfully proud of this accomplishment," said Pat Waddick, President of Innovation and Operations at Cirrus Aircraft "Our customers and the entire aviation industry should be excited - the Vision Jet is on its way!" http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/jets/cirrus-jet-nearing-certification-finish-line#EJ1JqTORjSQsdVKP.99 Back to Top Korean Air Welcomes its First B747-8 Intercontinental Aircraft Korean Air, the flagship carrier of South Korea, welcomed its first Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental at a ceremony held at the Boeing Everett Delivery Center in Seattle. Present at the ceremony to celebrate the delivery of the aircraft, representing Korean Air, was the airline's Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Mr. Walter Cho and representing Boeing was its President and CEO for commercial aircraft, Mr. Ray Conner. "This new aircraft delivers better fuel economy." Walter Cho said. "That's important to a global airline such as ours. And it supports our goal to build and operate a first-class fleet of world-class aircraft." With the addition of the B747- 8 Intercontinental to its fleet, Korean Air became the first airline in the world to operate both types of the B747-8. In 2012, Korean Air introduced the B747-8 Freighter and operates six of these aircraft. About 70% of the aircraft, by structural weight, incorporates new advanced aluminum alloys and carbon composites to reduce the weight drastically and giving a 16% improvement in fuel consumption and emissions over its predecessor the 747-400, while generating 30% less noise. With a range of 14,815km, the new B747 will be the fastest wide body passenger jet in the world with a normal cruising speed of Mach 0.86. Korean Air B747-8iKorean Air's new B747-8 Intercontinental is configured with 368 seats in a three-class configuration; 6 First Class, 48 Prestige Class (26 seats on the upper deck and 22 seats on the main deck) and 314 Economy Class. The aircraft also features Korean Air's brand new First Class Kosmo Suites 2.0 designed with a sliding door and higher partitions to provide added privacy for passengers. The suites are also equipped with updated in-flight entertainment systems, with large 24-inch high-definition monitors and new handheld touch remotes. The airline's Prestige Class Suites will feature staggered seating and privacy panels, along with 18" high definition touch screens. The aircraft also features an all-new, 787 Dreamliner-inspired interior that includes new curved, upswept architecture, giving passengers the feel of more space and comfort. Commencing September 2015, Korean Air plans to operate its B747-8 Intercontinental from Seoul on the Frankfurt and Singapore routes. The airline also plans to introduce the aircraft on the San Francisco and Hong Kong routes from November. Korean Air will continue to introduce cutting-edge, environmentally friendly aircraft for sustainable growth. Furthermore, as a global leading carrier, Korean Air will put in its utmost efforts to differentiate its service and continuously modernize its fleet. http://www.eturbonews.com/63021/korean-air-welcomes-its-first-b747-8-intercontinental-aircraft Back to Top AAR Reaches 60-Year Milestone in Aviation WOOD DALE, Illinois, August 25, 2015 - AAR (NYSE: AIR) announces it has reached a significant milestone - 60 years in the aviation industry. On this date in 1955, AAR's founder Ira A. Eichner incorporated his start-up aircraft radio and equipment supply business in downtown Chicago. What began as a one-man operation is now an industry-leading provider of aviation services to commercial airlines, OEMs and governments around the world, with global headquarters located near O'Hare International Airport and more than 5,000 employees in 20 countries. Much of the company's strength and stability is related to consistent leadership with only two CEOs since the company's inception: Eichner and his successor, David P. Storch. From the beginning, they have created a culture of innovation and execution with an intense focus on quality and safety of flight. AAR's parts supply business, which expanded internationally in 1965, now maintains one of the industry's most extensive inventories of airframe and engine parts worldwide. AAR also pioneered the development of a supply chain business that offers custom solutions ranging from individual components to integrated rotable and consumable inventory and repair management programs. It is one of the largest providers of power-by-the-hour component support with more than 700 aircraft under contract. Since entering the commercial and military aircraft maintenance market in the late '80s, AAR's 1MRO network has grown to the third largest in the world with five facilities in North America and was recently named Best Airframe MRO in the World by ATE&M magazine. The Company further diversified into the government and defense sectors by offering similar MRO and supply chain solutions. AAR also became a leading supplier of expeditionary services to the U.S. military, its allies and the United Nations by providing rapid deployment shelters, command centers and airlift services. AAR prides itself on doing things right and was named as one of Forbes' 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America in 2014. As a middle-market company with a strong balance sheet, AAR is now in the unique position of being big enough to design large-scale solutions but small enough to insure the speed and flexibility to meet customers' needs. "From the beginning, with Ira's focus on the niche aircraft radio industry and building a culture of quality and safety, AAR has excelled at innovating and executing to deliver operational and financial efficiencies for our customers around the world," Storch said. "We are focused on our industry-leading aviation solutions that allow our customers to do what they do best - better connect the world. We're proud of our 60_year history and look forward to continuing to do things right for many decades to come." AAR is celebrating its 60th anniversary with employee and customer events around the world at MRO Americas, Paris Air Show and Singapore Air Show, to name a few. About AAR AAR is a global aerospace and defense company that employs more than 5,000 people in over 20 countries. Based in Wood Dale, Illinois, AAR supports commercial, government and defense customers through two operating segments: Aviation Services and Expeditionary Services. AAR's Aviation Services include inventory management; parts supply; OEM parts distribution; aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul; and component repair. AAR's Expeditionary Services include airlift operations; mobility systems; and command and control centers in support of military and humanitarian missions. More information can be found at www.aarcorp.com. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12107216/aar-reaches-60-year-milestone-in-aviation Back to Top Is Emirates the Best Airline to Work for as a Flight Attendant? Emirates offers a lot of perks to its cabin staff. Some of these extras are things that other airlines would not even dream of giving their most senior flight attendants. At the same time, the carrier, which is the largest in the Middle East, demands more of its in-flight employees than almost any other carrier in the world. Year after year, Emirates is ranked as one of the world's best airlines. It's not a surprise that people want to work for such a highly regarded company. According to Gulf News, last year the Dubai-based carrier hired more than 5,000 new flight attendants. That seems like quite a lot, but getting a cabin staff job with Emirates is not easy. The airline claims to get about 500 new applications every day. That is more than 180,000 per year. International Talent Very few of these flight attendants are from Dubai. The most common nationality for Emirates cabin staff is British. So what draws people to the airline? Maybe some want to work for a brand that is known for its upscale, glamorous image. Many, however, are probably in it, at least partially, for the perks. A Jet-Set Life Emirates seems quite generous when it comes to giving extras to its employees. Even the newest flight attendants get a deal that would make the most senior cabin staff at a U.S. legacy carrier envious. Emirates attendants have their accommodations paid for. They are whisked to and from work in private cars. Their base salary is tax free and they get 30 days of annual leave (and free tickets to go wherever they choose during their break). This "pampering" is not a new phenomenon. Way back in 2008, the Wall Street Journal did a story on the charmed life of Emirates flight attendants. The paper highlighted perks like totally free living arrangements, 50 percent discounts at local restaurants and health clubs, and generous housing allowances for crew members who had families. Of course, all these extras came at a slight cost: Emirates employees' salaries were (and still are) lower overall than those of U.S.-based legacy carriers. Judging by the number of applicants who are still trying to get into an Emirates uniform, it seems that many think it is worth trading the extra income for a glamorous jet-set lifestyle that would not be possible at other airlines. A Tough Job to Get The airline is looking for a very specific type of flight attendant. Image is very important to Emirates. Part of the application process involves submitting photographs, and an entire day of orientation for new hires is dedicated to makeup, grooming and uniform appearance. Two Emirates attendants, in an interview with the Huffington Post, said there is actually a manual with rules that cover lipstick shades, makeup application and even nail styles and nail polish colors. While they don't have to fret over finding the correct shade of lipstick to match their hat, male flight attendants are also held to rigorous image standards. They have to undergo the same training in skincare, uniform appearance and hair care as their female counterparts. Trouble in Flight Attendant Paradise? Earlier this year, there were rumblings amongst flight attendants about shortened layovers and longer- than-acceptable flight hours. Some insiders told the WSJ that Emirates was holding employee roundtables where cabin crew could air their grievances to management. One of the biggest concerns: having annual leaves shortened last year. Also, crewmembers that had been promoted to the premium classes were forced to cover for shortages by returning to economy class. They saw this as a demotion. Emirates is hiring a lot of new flight attendants. Is the airline really expanding that fast? It is hard to tell, and Emirates has never released turnover numbers, so no one knows how many crewmembers have quit in the last year. Compared to other airlines, Emirates offers an amazing number of perks. However, there is a tradeoff with more stringent rules about appearance and conduct. In a way, Emirates attendants are still paying for their jet set lifestyle, but with effort, not with money. http://www.travelpulse.com/news/airlines/is-emirates-the-best-airline-to-work-for-as-a-flight- attendant.html Back to Top Kent State Aeronautics & Dispatch Program Kent State Dispatch Program 1) It's available as an academic minor on all 5 of our degrees; Flight, Management, ATC, Systems Engineering, and Aeronautical Studies 2) Only 4-year institution in Ohio with a Part 65 Dispatch program 3) Graduated two classes now with a total of 21 graduates who have completed the practical exam 4) Several students have been hired by local Part 135 operators 5) The dispatch specific classes can be taken over 2-semesters or together during an 8-week summer session. www.kent.edu/caest Back to Top CERTIFICATE OF MANAGEMENT IN AVIATION SAFETY Professional education seminars for aviation practitioners Embry-Riddle will host a variety of aviation safety focused executive education courses at its Daytona Beach Campus; all courses are offered in a face-to-face traditional classroom setting taught by subject matter experts from the aviation industry. Who Should Attend: These courses are tailored for industry professionals involved in the operations, management, and supervision of aviation organizations. What You Will Learn:The certificate is designed for participants interested in obtaining a strong safety foundation; the objective is to produce aviation industry professionals who are skilled in providing expertise in safety management and technical guidance on FAA, OSHA, DOT and EPA Compliance Issues. The certificate requires completion of three 5-day courses in Occupational Safety and Health & Aviation Ground Safety, Aviation Safety Program Management & Aircraft Accident Investigation and Management (Basic or Advanced). REGISTER TODAY ONLINE ERAU FALL 2015 CERTIFICATE OF MANAGEMENT IN AVIATION SAFETY SERIES: OCT. 19-23, 2015: OSHA & Aviation Ground Safety Oct. 26-30, 2015: Aviation Safety Program Management Nov. 2-6, 2015: Aircraft Accident Investigation LOCATION: DAYTONA BEACH CAMPUS, FLORIDA CONTACT INFORMATION: Ms. Sarah Ochs, Director of Professional Programs Email: case@erau.edu Phone: (386) 226-6928 www.erau.edu/cmas Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Volunteers needed to take a survey for research: Provide feedback on failure to follow procedure Dear aviation maintenance personnel, If you have experiences to share about the causes of failure to follow procedures on Part 121 aircraft in the maintenance world, we would like to hear from you! Your experiences uniquely describe the daily events in the aviation maintenance hangar and can provide critical information that may identify, mitigate, or even prevent failures to follow procedures in the future. In this survey, we will be asking supervisors, AMTs, other maintenance professionals with Part 121 aircraft experience to answer multiple choice format questions and share your experiences in paragraph format. This is a rare opportunity to shape what is currently known about failures to follow procedure and positively impact aviation mechanics within the industry. We appreciate your time and thank you for your participation in advance. We encourage you to share your experiences. Click the following link or type the address into the address bar of your Internet browser to complete the survey: www.tinyurl.com/FFP-AMT ********** More Information Who is conducting this research? Alex Chaparro, PhD (Alex.Chaparro@wichita.edu), and Brady Patzer (bspatzer@wichita.edu) of Wichita State University (WSU). WSU is an FAA Center for Excellence in the area of Composites and Advanced Materials. The project is sponsored by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, in Oklahoma City, OK. What are we studying? This study is examining the causes of failures to follow procedure in aircraft maintenance. Why participate? Participating in this study provides an opportunity to impact actionable methods for handling failures to follow procedure. This study could improve the efficiency and safety of aviation maintenance work. Who is eligible? We need input from AMTs and others who have worked on Part 121 aircraft. Of particular interest are those 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. No individual responses will be reported. How do I participate? Click the following link or type the address into the address bar of your Internet browser to complete the survey: www.tinyurl.com/FFP-AMT Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Title: Research Study on Aviation Professionalism needs you support. Hello, you are receiving this message as a courtesy to Mr. Hussain Alhallaf, a Ph.D. candidate at Florida Institute of Technology's doctoral program in Aviation Sciences. Mr. Alhallaf is examining aviation professionalism and is seeking assistance from industry members through completion of an online survey, which would take 10-15 minutes. Mr. Alhallaf's research is the first to empirically study perspectives on professionalism and personal development in aviation. This study is dedicated to Colgan Air flight 3407 (2009), many other aviation catastrophic events, and the aviation industry as a whole. In addition to taking the survey we also are seeking your generosity in distributing the survey's link. The study is targeting participants who work/study in the aviation profession. To participate, you may access the online survey via the following link: http://questionpro.com/t/ALRnkZSa9Y By supporting academic research and donating time and input to the institutions that train the next generation of aviation professionals, you are active in ensuring the future safety of the flying public. Get involved with us. If you have any questions or are unable to distribute the email, please do not hesitate to contact me via e- mail at halhallaf2014@my.fit.edu or by Cell phone at (386) 847-7671. Thank you for your cooperation. 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 Upcoming Events: 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 BARS Auditor Training October 6-8, 2015 Dubai, United Arab Emirates http://flightsafety.org/bars/auditor-training 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: Staff Engineer ALPA https://jobs-alpa.icims.com/jobs/1193/staff-engineer/job Assistant Airline Safety Manager - Investigation (AASM-I) Cathay Pacific https://cathaypacific.tms.hrdepartment.com/jobs/1580/Assistant-Airline-Safety-Manager-Investigation- AASM-IHong-Kong-Hong-Kong Operations Integrity Risk Specialist Air New Zealand https://careers.airnz.co.nz/jobdetails?jobmc=111020RE Curt Lewis