Flight Safety Information September 23, 2015 - No. 189 In This Issue Official: Jet Engine Probe After Las Vegas Fire to Take Time FAA investigates aborted takeoff in Platteville Search continues for AT-3 pilots in central Taiwan Levi's Stadium is blinding pilots UN agency may delay plane tracking proposed after MH370 Commercial jet satellite trackers to check in more frequently American Airlines jet makes emergency landing in Sacramento Chinese Fighter Jet Flew Across Nose of US Military Surveillance Plane Airports test unmanned traffic control towers Moyle to lead Society of Aviation and Flight Educators GAO Criticizes FAA for Lack of Commercial Space Budget Details PROS 2015 TRAINING Report: China inks deal to buy 300 Boeing jets BBA Aviation to buy jet charter group Landmark for £1.3bn Flexjet introduces fourth new-aircraft program in a year Airports blame airlines for aviation-funding standstill Pope Francis will fly American Airlines while in the U.S. NASA technology to help airlines cut fuel consumption U.S., Cuba to hold talks on normalizing airline service Best way to see supermoon? On a Chinese moon-viewing flight IFA Forum 2015 - Hong Kong, 3-4 NOV 2015 iSMS - Safety Management System Training Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Official: Jet Engine Probe After Las Vegas Fire to Take Time Federal crash investigators aren't saying how long it will take to determine why an engine on a British Airways jet burst into flames during takeoff in Las Vegas. National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Eric Weiss said Tuesday the engine teardown is expected to be technically challenging. He says no immediate updates about preliminary findings are planned. Flight 2276 to London aborted takeoff Sept. 8, and 157 passengers and 13 crew members escaped down emergency chutes while firefighters doused the flames. No serious injuries were reported. The burned GE90 engine was removed from the Boeing 777 at McCarran International Airport last week and shipped to a General Electric plant near Cincinnati, Ohio. The NTSB says fragments of the engine's high-pressure compressor were found on the runway and the engine case was perforated. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/official-jet-engine-probe-las-vegas-fire-time- 33961483 Back to Top FAA investigates aborted takeoff in Platteville FAA inspects the plane that rests in a soybean field near the Platteville Municipal Airport. Officials investigate Tuesday a downed aircraft that came to rest south of the Platteville, WI airport in a soybean field. PLATTEVILLE, Wis. -- Alaine Olthafer-Lange was standing in the Platteville Municipal Airport lounge at about 10 a.m. Monday, her back turned to a large window with a clear view of the runways. "A student was waiting for a lesson and said something to the effect an airplane wasn't able to stop at the end of the runway," she said. "Andy (Lange, her husband and airport manager) yelled, 'You better call 911.' Andy took the truck out immediately to see what had happened." A Cessna 421B Golden Eagle, owned by Blue Hansa LLC, of Dayton, Ohio, skidded of the runway during an aborted takeoff. The plane's landing gear then collapsed and it traveled on its underside at least 100 feet down an incline and into a soybean field. The fixed-wing, multi-engine aircraft had a crew of two and one additional passenger on board at the time, but no injuries were reported, according to FAA reports. First responders were on scene for about 20 minutes Monday, and the airport never ceased operations. Federal Aviation Administration investigators spent about two hours at the airport Tuesday, inspecting the plane that still was resting in the soybean field. They declined to answer questions from TH Media. Platteville Municipal Airport Commission President Bill Kloster, a retired U.S. Army aviator, was on hand with investigators. "They looked at the aircraft, the runway, marks the tires left, trying to piece everything together," he said. "What caused the accident is not determined. They'll continue to work in the information-gathering phase until they have enough to compile their report, which could take a substantial amount of time as they normally do." Local officials Tuesday again declined to release the name of those on the plane, citing the ongoing FAA investigation. A call seeking comment placed Tuesday to a Dayton, Ohio, company that has the same address as Blue Hansa and that shares the same business agent was not returned. http://www.thonline.com/news/tri-state/article_822c4a68-dbdd-571c-abaf- 22d52150a3dd.html *************** Date: 21-SEP-2015 Time: 10:00 Type: Cessna 421B Golden Eagle Owner/operator: Blue Hansa LLC Registration: N813CA C/n / msn: 421B0894 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Platteville Municiple Airport (KPVB), Platteville, WI - United States of America Phase: Take off Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Platteville Muni (KPVB) Destination airport: Narrative: The aircraft experienced a landing gear collapse subsequent to a runway overrun during an aborted takeoff at Platteville Municiple Airport (KPVB), Platteville, Wisconsin. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the two occupants onboard were not injured. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Search continues for AT-3 pilots in central Taiwan AT-3 training aircraft. Taiwan's military was continuing a search for two missing pilots Tuesday after their AT-3 Air Force Academy training aircraft lost contact with air traffic controllers earlier that day during a routine training flight. The Huadong Defense Command said that a total of 60 servicemen would soon reach the area near the location where the aircraft was last seen on radar screens to search for them. In addition to the ground search effort, the Air Force also deployed an EC225 rescue helicopter and an S-70C rescue chopper to search for the missing pilots and the aircraft, but as of press time the search had proved unsuccessful. Heavy cloud cover meant the helicopters could not be flown at a low enough altitude to conduct search and rescue work, officials from the Air Force's Chiayi base said, adding that the helicopters had been recalled to base. The Air Force was expected to dispatch another S-70C the following morning to continue with the search effort, the officials said. The pilots did not issue any abnormal calls and nothing seemed wrong with the plane before it lost contact, said Major General Huang Chih-wei, deputy head of the academy, at a Tuesday news briefing. There were also no abnormalities in the aircraft's flight record over the past three months, he said. All training with AT-3 aircraft has been suspended following the incident, Huang said, adding that the cause of the plane's disappearance is pending further investigation. According to the military's initial information, the twin-engine jet took off from an air force base in the southern city of Kaohsiung at around 11:55am and lost contact with air traffic controllers 30 minutes later, the Air Force said. The plane disappeared off radar screens in the skies over Nantou county in central Taiwan, it added. Major Wang Ching-chun, 32, was in the front seat of the plane, and 1st Lieutenant Huang Chun-jung, a 23-year-old with 116 flight hours, was in the back seat during the routine training flight, according to the Air Force. Wang, who had clocked 1,489 flight hours, is a flight instructor at the academy, Huang Chih-wei said. The last deadly accident involving an AT-3 occurred last October, when Colonel Chuang Pei-yuan was killed after his aircraft collided with another AT-3 trainer during a routine aerobatic training mission and crashed in a field in Kaohsiung's Zihguan district. http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news/content?id=20150923000127&cid=1101 Back to Top Levi's Stadium is blinding pilots Pilots described the lights as "incapacitating" as they tried to land at nearby San Jose Mineta International Airport. Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers and host of Super Bowl 50, may be a serious airport safety hazard. According to NBC Bay Area, pilots have been filling complaints to the Federal Aviation Administration because the stadium's lights are blindingly bright at night, making it difficult to land at nearby San Jose Mineta International Airport. NBC's investigation revealed at least six instances of pilots complaining about the lights. The problem prompted NASA to get involved and issue two separate safety alert bulletins to the FAA, the San Jose airport and the Santa Clara Stadium Authority. Accounts from the complaints are rather terrifying. One woman who was preparing to land called the lights "incapacitating." Another pilot warned that the lights could create "flicker vertigo." Another said that a sign on top of the stadium could be confused for a runway in bad weather. At the very least, the lights make it very difficult to operate an airplane. Bright light flooded the cockpit, impairing her night vision and making it difficult to see outside. The beams were so bright, Kurowicki said, that it felt like a laser event. She could only look outside for moments at a time. "The captain I was flying with noticed where it was coming from and we heard other pilots in the area complaining about the lights coming from the stadium," Kurowicki said. "And at that point all we were really worried about was getting the aircraft on the ground safely." The FAA has not asked the 49ers to dim the lights. In a statement, the administration said that it brought the issue to the stadium operator, who agreed to provide advance warning whenever the lights were being tested, calibrated or otherwise turned up extra bright at night. The 49ers released a statement pledging their cooperation: "We have a great appreciation for the FAA and have worked with them to establish protocols and guidelines in the event the boards need to be recalibrated. Our top priority is always to maintain the highest level of safety and security for all guests visiting Levi's Stadium as well as the general public." Unfortunately for pilots flying on certain Sunday nights, that's no guarantee they'll have a safe landing. http://www.sbnation.com/2015/9/22/9378593/levis-stadium-lights-49ers-faa- complaints Back to Top UN agency may delay plane tracking proposed after MH370 MH370.jpg A woman whose relative was aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 holds placard after police stopped protesting relatives from entering a road leading to the Malaysian embassy in Beijing on Aug 7, 2015.The United Nations agency that oversees civil aviation may delay a plan to require that airlines track the location of their planes by two years, to 2018, according to an internal report seen by Reuters. PHOTO: REUTERS [PARIS] The United Nations agency that oversees civil aviation may delay a plan to require that airlines track the location of their planes by two years, to 2018, according to an internal report seen by Reuters. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) had proposed that by November 2016, all large aircraft carrying passengers report their position at least once every 15 minutes, part of a broader plan meant to avoid a repeat of the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. But an advisory committee at ICAO has recommended a delay to November 2018 to give carriers more time to implement the change, according to the Sept 1 report. The group also recommended that ICAO consider requiring automated tracking systems, something that would likely force some airlines to install new equipment on planes. When the 15-minute plan was first proposed, ICAO said the small number of long-haul aircraft that do not have tracking equipment on board would have the option of reporting their position over radio, which meant no airline would be required to retrofit planes. But the advisory group, called the Normal Aircraft Tracking Implementation Initiative (NATII) said manual reports could distract pilots, causing safety problems, and might not be accurate. It made the recommendations after consulting with airlines that fly in remote areas and running a "table top exercise" to test tracking procedures. ICAO did not comment directly on the advisory group's recommendations, but said its governing council would make a final decision on timing in November. "We will continue to work with all concerned to see that flight tracking becomes a commonplace capability sooner than later," said a spokeswoman in an emailed statement. An ICAO source familiar with the matter said several nations had expressed concerns that the 2016 deadline was too soon because of the planning and training that would be needed. The European Union is pursuing more stringent plans. The European Aviation Safety Agency is leaning toward a three-minute interval, sources say. In 2009, an Air France jet - whose maintenance systems were reporting its position every 10 minutes - vanished in the South Atlantic, leaving investigators a 17,000- square-km (6,600-square-mile) area to look for the jet. Its main wreckage was found after two years. News that NATII was pushing for a delay was first reported by Air Traffic Management magazine. http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/transport/un-agency-may-delay-plane-tracking- proposed-after-mh370 Back to Top Commercial jet satellite trackers to check in more frequently The International Civil Aviation Organization is striving to have flights over oceans more closely monitored in the near future in the wake of 2014's Malaysia Airlines disappearance. The "Australian Enhanced Flight Tracking Evaluation" performance report posted Monday on the ICAO website describes the evaluation that was conducted from January through August over Australian air space to verify that increasing the frequency of position reporting of wide-body aircraft flying over the ocean to every 15 minutes or less can be accomplished using already available technologies and procedures without causing additional risk. The 15-minute reporting requirement would replace the current 30- to 40-minute interval required for reporting a commercial aircraft's location. The change is intended to ensure air traffic control can respond faster to incidents and potential traffic conflicts. It would also have the added benefit of less costly search and rescue procedures, since the area to search will be much smaller, which may be reflected in underwriting policies for insurers, observers say. Canberra, Australia-based air navigation service provider Airservices Australia and London-based satellite service provider Inmarsat P.L.C. participated in the aircraft tracking capability evaluation with a goal of proving that existing systems and technologies could meet the 15-minute requirement. "The 15-minute flight check-in requirement is not meant to address the MH370 issue," said Mary McMillan, Washington-based vice president of safety and operations for Inmarsat and a commercial pilot and captain for United Airlines for over 25 years. "It is to ensure operators have a more up-to-date situational awareness around the position of their plane, which would greatly reduce the search area in the case when somebody goes missing. "What is ironic is the MH370 had all the latest equipment and held all the capability for long-range communication and navigational surveillance, but for whatever reason, it was disabled. It was our Inmarsat satellite that was pinging the plane to ask, 'Hey, are you still out there?' and we continued to ping them until it ran out of power." The proposed timeline for the Normal Aircraft Tracking Implementation Initiative lists November for a proposed adoption of standards and recommended practices, with proposed changes to become effective March 2016. A spokesman for the Montreal-based International Air Transport Association said the IATA is concerned about the proposed timelines. "Once the findings of the Normal Aircraft Tracking Implementation Initiative are known, it is important that any proposed risk-based variations enable airlines to choose the best option for their aircraft and operations. IATA believes the proposed standards and recommended practices (SARPs) to be too prescriptive and consequently there could be unintended consequences arising." http://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20150922/NEWS06/150929957/-commercial- jet-satellite-trackers-to-check-in-more-frequently?tags=%7C83%7C302 Back to Top American Airlines jet makes emergency landing in Sacramento Emergency landing An American Airlines plane made an emergency landing in Sacramento on Tuesday after reporting a clogged fuel line. An American Airlines jet carrying 146 people made an emergency landing in Sacramento after reporting a clogged fuel line Tuesday morning, officials said. Despite the fuel-line problem, the plane was able to fly and land safely at Sacramento International Airport, said Chris Harvey, spokesman for the Sacramento Fire Department. No one was injured during the emergency landing, officials said. Flight 1218 departed Sacramento just after 9 a.m. heading for Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport when an indicator light in the cockpit pointed to a possible mechanical issue, the airline said. That's when the pilot decided to return to Sacramento, it said. "Our maintenance team is currently inspecting the aircraft," the airline said. "We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience." http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-american-airlines-emergency-landing- 20150922-story.html Back to Top Chinese Fighter Jet Flew Across Nose of US Military Surveillance Plane The Pentagon confirms that a Chinese fighter jet flew too close to an American reconnaissance aircraft last week over the Yellow Sea off the coast of China. A U.S. official says the Chinese fighter flew about 500 feet from the nose of a U.S. Air Force RC-135 surveillance aircraft, but the Pentagon is still reviewing whether it constituted an "unsafe" maneuver. Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters Tuesday that the incident occurred on Sept. 15 in the Yellow Sea, approximately 80 miles east of the Shandong Peninsula. "One of the maneuvers conducted by the Chinese aircraft during this intercept was perceived as unsafe by the RC-135 air crew," said Cook who added "there's no indication this was a near collision." According to Cook, the pilot of the U.S. aircraft believed "that the plane passed in an unsafe fashion in front of the plane." He said the incident is still being reviewed by military officials. A final determination has to be made by the Joint Staff which initially determined the maneuver was not a standard encounter, but could still be considered safe. There was little doubt over an incident on Aug. 19, 2014 when a Chinese fighter jet executed a risky maneuver known as a "barrel roll" in front of a Navy P-8 surveillance aircraft flying in international airspace 135 miles east of Hainan Island. A Pentagon spokesman said at the time that the Chinese fighter made multiple passes around the P- 8 that sometimes brought it as close as 20 feet to the American aircraft. Rear Admiral John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman at the time, described the Chinese pilot's maneuver as ""very, very close, very dangerous". The United States filed a diplomatic protest with China over that encounter. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/chinese-fighter-jet-flew-nose-us-military- surveillance/story?id=33961584 Back to Top Airports test unmanned traffic control towers Air traffic controllers using the remote system The view of the airport that the humans, miles away, see Airports are increasingly using unmanned air traffic control towers - relying on technology rather than humans to do a highly specialised job. A remote system has just been rolled out in Leesburg Executive Airport in Virginia. Sweden's Ornskoldsvik airport has had the same system - which uses cameras and sensors - since April this year. The technology could revolutionise air traffic services, according to the UK's National Air Traffic Service (Nats). The remote system - designed by Swedish defence firm Saab - includes 14 high- definition cameras and sensors that can spot aeroplanes in all weathers. At Ornskoldsvik, the planes are controlled by a person sitting 90 miles (144km) away at Sunsvall airport. That airport is due to have the same system installed later this year. A spokesman for Saab told the BBC that the technology could be a huge benefit to air traffic control, reducing costs as small airports could pool controllers. People on aircraft will see an empty control tower The technology can do a better job than humans, he said. "The cameras and sensors pick up and see aircraft in any environment - in fog, rain and the dark. It is better than the human eye." The system would also allow for pop-up airports that the military could deploy in war zones - attaching the system of cameras to trucks rather than towers. He said that interest in the system is increasing, with some major airports considering installing remote towers as back-ups and added that the company is in talks with UK airports. The UK's Nats said that it was in discussions with a number of manufacturers about offering the service in the UK. "The introduction of remote control towers is one of the most exciting technological developments in the history of our industry," said Nats general manager of operations Paul Jones. "We're excited by what remote towers could mean for airports' business," http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34278788 Back to Top Moyle to lead Society of Aviation and Flight Educators Bill Moyle has been named executive director of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators.The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) has named Bill Moyle of Waxahachie, Texas, as its executive director. Moyle succeeds Doug Stewart, who stepped down in February. Moyle has more than 13,000 flight hours and holds an airline transport pilot certificate with Boeing 727 and Cessna Citation 500 series type ratings. He has been a captain, first officer, instructor, and check airman for two airlines. He is a flight and ground instructor and a longtime member of the FAA's FAASTeam. Moyle was a vocational technical high school teacher in Connecticut in 1974. He instructed in Cessna Citations for Danbury Airlines, where he developed systems training for the company. He has been an MD-80 team leader at McDonnell Douglas, and more recently he was FlightSafety International's program manager for the Cessna CE500 Citation series and was an examiner and instructor. "We're fortunate to have found a leader with Bill's aviation and education background," said Donna Wilt, SAFE board of directors chairwoman. "We believe he has the right stuff to lead SAFE as we continue to expand representation and services to aviation educators in the United States and worldwide." http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/September/21/moyle-to-lead-safe Back to Top GAO Criticizes FAA for Lack of Commercial Space Budget Details A Falcon 9 rocket lifting off Feb. 11 on the second of more than a dozen launches planned for 2015. Credit: SpaceX The GAO found that while the number of commercial launches has increased in recent years, the FAA didn't provide sufficient details about how that affected its workload to justify an increase in its budget. Credit: SpaceX WASHINGTON - A report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office Sept. 21 concluded that the Federal Aviation Administration has not provided enough information about the workload of its commercial space office to justify the $1.5 million in additional funding it requested for 2016. The GAO report on the commercial space launch industry, requested by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), chairman of the House Science Committee, said that FAA did not include metrics required by White House Office of Management and Budget guidelines to explain why it needed to add 13 full-time equivalent positions to its Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) in the next fiscal year. "FAA's justification did not provide a detailed analysis of the staffing changes requested and is based on the number of projected launches," the report stated. "FAA's budget submission also did not consider alternative approaches such as paying additional overtime, rather than hiring additional staff." FAA officials have said on several occasions this year that the budget increase to hire additional staff is needed to cope with what it projects to be an increased workload from suborbital and orbital commercial launches and other licensing activities, such as commercial spaceports. Without an increase, those officials warned that it may have to delay processing of launch license and other applications. The GAO report cautioned about using predictions of launches as a reason for hiring additional staff because, in recent years, "the actual number of launches during those years was much lower than what FAA projected." In one example, the FAA projected it would license more than 40 launches and reentries in 2014, but the actual number was about 20. The report also revealed a split among companies in the commercial launch business about the importance of increasing AST's budget. While industry organizations like the Commercial Spaceflight Federation have expressed their support for the proposed budget increase, only three of the nine companies surveyed by the GAO believed the office has insufficient resources to deal with its workload. Three other companies thought the office has sufficient resources, and the remaining three expressed no opinion. The report did not identify which companies held those opinions, but did list the nine companies contacted by the GAO: Blue Origin, Boeing, Masten Space Systems, Orbital ATK, SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, Virgin Galactic, Vulcan Aerospace and XCOR Aerospace. The FAA, in its response to the GAO, said it is improving its launch prediction methodology and will also provide additional details about its workload to justify any future budget increases. However, it also argued that those metrics don't capture the workload the office faces, as it handles initial discussions with dozens of potential projects that may later apply for licenses. "For example, the FAA currently has 54 distinct projects in 'pre-application coordination' for possible FAA authorization," Jeff Marootian, assistant secretary for administration at the Dept. of Transportation, wrote in an Aug. 5 letter to the GAO included in the report. "Pre-application coordination, which is required under the commercial space regulatory framework, represents a heavy workload for AST, and it is a crucial step in the licensing process." The FAA requested $18.1 million for AST in its 2016 budget request, an increase of $1.5 million over its 2015 budget. House and Senate appropriations bills, though, provided less than that: a bill passed by the House June 9 increased AST's budget by $250,000, while a bill approved by Senate appropriators June 25 added $825,000. Smith, in a Sept. 21 statement about the report, did not directly address the budget issue, but suggested the office make the most of its current resources. "As the commercial space sector grows, FAA AST should exercise all of its existing authorities and maximize its current resources," he said. "GAO's report highlights ways that can be done, such as utilizing overtime and facilitating the development of industry standards to respond to increased workloads." Smith added that the report justifies the need to extend the current "learning period" that limits the FAA's ability to enact regulations governing the safety of spaceflight participants. The GAO said that a majority of companies and industry organizations it talked with endorsed an extension of the learning period, which is set to expire Sept. 30. Both the House and Senate have passed bills that would, among other provisions, extend the learning period by five or ten years. The two bills have yet to be reconciled, but Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee, said Sept. 15 he was hopeful a final bill would be ready "in the next few weeks." http://spacenews.com/gao-criticizes-faa-for-lack-of-commercial-space-budget- details/#sthash.9sTFQocO.dpuf Back to Top Back to Top Report: China inks deal to buy 300 Boeing jets HONG KONG - China's official news agency says Chinese companies have agreed with Boeing to buy 300 jets and build an aircraft final assembly plant in China in deals signed during President Xi Jinping's visit to the United States. The Xinhua news agency said Wednesday that a group of Chinese companies inked the jet purchase agreement after Xi's arrival in Seattle. The report said China Aviation Supplies Holding, ICBC Financial Leasing and China Development Bank Leasing signed the deal with Boeing. It gave no details of the plane models involved or the deal's value. State-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China has also signed a cooperation agreement with the U.S. plane maker to build a 737 aircraft completion center in China. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/report-china-inks-deal-to-buy- 300-boeing-jets/2015/09/23/8ad0bdfa-61d0-11e5-8475-781cc9851652_story.html Back to Top BBA Aviation to buy jet charter group Landmark for £1.3bn The British aviation support firm wants to buy out its private equity-owned American rival, the plane services and charter hire group Landmark BBA Aviation offers support services such as fueling, hangar space, ground handling and aircraft maintenance BBA Aviation is to buy Landmark, the US aircraft services and private jet-hire company, from private equity firm Carlyle for $2.1bn (£1.3bn). The deal will double BBA's size - the British aircraft support business itself has a stock market valuation of £1.3bn. BBA's chief executive Simon Pryce said the proposed purchase would be used to extend its Signature flight services brand around the world. The surging economy in the UK and US has helped lift the market for private aviation services, as well as increasing stock market valuations to a level at which private equity owners are looking to sell. "This is a transformational step in the continued execution of BBA Aviation's strategy that is both strategically and financially compelling. It represents a unique opportunity to materially expand our global Signature FBO [fixed base operator] business," he said. "The acquisition would enable customers to benefit from an extension of Signature's industry-leading service offering and its operational excellence across a much larger network of high quality locations. Combining Signature and Landmark would also realise significant cost synergies as well as substantial tax benefits." The deal will increase Signature's network of locations from 133 to 189, the majority of which will be in North America. Mr Pryce added that the acquisition could result in a combined cost base reduction of $35m, though the deal will cost $25m and the combined group plans $19m of extra capital expenditure. Additional benefits include shifting some of Landmark's tax base from the US to the UK, as the owner will be British-based BBA. The deal will be funded by a £748m rights issue as well as new debt facilities. FTSE 250-listed BBA said it had reached and agreement with Carlyle on the terms of the deal, but that it remains contingent on the approval of BBA's shareholders. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/epic/bba/11884309/BBA-Aviation-to- buy-jet-charter-group-Landmark-for-1.3bn.html Back to Top Flexjet introduces fourth new-aircraft program in a year DALLAS, TX - Flexjet LLC announced today that it will add an Embraer Legacy 450 midsized program to its current new-aircraft collection. "We are excited to announce this midsized aircraft program that will bring one of the world's most innovative business jets to the fractional marketplace," said Flexjet Chairman Kenn Ricci. "With the program being launched this month, Flexjet is offering a real-time solution to current and prospective Owners in need of a more spacious, more capable and more technologically advanced midsized aircraft." Flexjet's midsized program will use the Legacy 450 as its principal aircraft. Flexjet is finalizing the development of the Flexjet-exclusive LXi artisan interiors for the Legacy 450, with deliveries of the aircraft beginning in 2016. The Legacy 450 is an incomparable choice for owners of older aircraft such as the Cessna Citation Excel/XLS. In terms of size, the Legacy 450 will fit squarely in the center of Flexjet's fleet: The niche between the super light Learjet 75LXi and the super midsized Challenger 350. Further increasing the aircraft's appeal, it will be offered as part of Flexjet's premium LXi Cabin Collection, with the finest luxury interiors. Flexjet Chief Executive Officer Michael Silvestro said, "We know that current and prospective Owners are seeking cabins that are larger and more luxurious than those typically found in this category, complemented by the newest technology and optimized performance. We are thrilled to bring the innovative Legacy midsized cabin solution to the market starting this month." The Legacy 450 includes features never before seen in midsized aircraft, such as marble floor entryways and a seven-layer sound wall that will make the cabin extremely quiet and lessen passenger fatigue. Flexjet designers have worked tirelessly on the development of exclusive artisan interiors for the Legacy 450 that will be unique to Flexjet, as they have with the entire LXi collection. The Legacy 450 will have digital flight controls based on Fly-By-Wire technology and be powered by a pair of Honeywell HTF7500E engines, the most environmentally friendly in their class. With the ability to take off from airfields as short as 3,825 feet, the Legacy 450 can fly at altitudes as high as 45,000 feet and will have a range of approximately 2,600 nautical miles with four passengers, including NBAA IFR fuel reserves. At six feet tall and six feet, 10 inches wide, the cabin of the Legacy 450 is the largest in its class and features a baggage capacity 20 percent larger than that of its closest competitor. The Flexjet edition of the Legacy 450 offers a best-in-class, flat-floor cabin and features seating for eight passengers. In addition, the fully reclining club seats may be converted into a lie-flat bed for complete rest, as needed. The Embraer midsized aircraft will join Flexjet's LXi Cabin Collection, which also includes the Learjet 75, the Challenger 350, the Global Express and Gulfstream's G450, G500 and G650. Flexjet also has announced that it is accelerating deliveries of the Gulfstream G450 business jet in response to heavy market demand for long-range international travel. This accelerated delivery schedule is part of an order placed for up to 50 new aircraft from Gulfstream's iconic line of business jets which includes the G450, G500 and G650. http://www.eturbonews.com/64053/flexjet-introduces-fourth-new-aircraft-program-year Back to Top Airports blame airlines for aviation-funding standstill Airports are blaming airlines' opposition to a proposal increasing the amount of money passengers can be charged to help pay for facility improvements for a standoff in Congress that is threatening federal aviation funding. Airport groups in Washington have been pushing Congress to nearly double the cap on the fee that is added to every plane ticket, which is known as the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC), from $4.50 to $8.50. Airlines have countered that passengers are already charged enough fees by the federal government when they purchase airfare. The feud has occurred against a backdrop of a Sept. 30 deadline for Congress to renew expiring funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which includes money that is used to pay air traffic controllers. The American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) said Monday that airlines should drop their opposition to the facility charge to help clear the way for Congress to pass an extension of the expiring FAA bill. "It's groundhog day...again. The airlines continue to oppose self-help for airports while helping themselves to billions of dollars in bag fees and other ancillary charges," AAAE President and CEO Todd Hauptli said in a statement. "With the federal government on the verge of a possible shutdown and with the path forward for a long-term FAA bill far from certain, it's time for Congress to reject airline rhetoric and provide airports with the certainty and flexibility they are seeking to address growing infrastructure needs through a modernized PFC program," Hauptli continued. The fight between airlines and airports over passenger fees has simmered all year as the deadline for lawmakers to approve a new funding bill for the FAA has approached. The FAA's current funding bill is scheduled to expire in September, and airports are hoping to convince lawmakers to include the increase in the PFC cap in a potential extension of the agency's spending bill. Airports have been pushing Congress to raise the cap on the fee to help pay for a backlog of improvement projects, arguing that it has not been adjusted since 2000. They argue that airlines are being hypocritical by opposing airport facility fees while they charge passengers for a host of things, like checking baggage. "Since 2008, airlines have collected more than $22.8 billion in baggage fees and more than $18.6 billion extra in ticket change and cancellation fees," AAAE said on Monday. "That total of more than $41.4 billion in baggage and ticket change fees does not include other airline ancillary charges such as pet transportation, sale of frequent flyer award miles to airline business partners and standby passenger fees." Airlines have countered that passengers are charged enough fees and taxes already and that airport projects are adequately funded in other ways such as the FAA's separate Airport Improvement Program. "Pushing to nearly double the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC), the Airport Tax paid by passengers every time they travel through an airport, is not only unnecessary, it is invented out of thin air," the group that lobbies for airlines in Washington, Airlines for America, said in a blog post about the PFC increase proposal. "American families and the U.S. economy can't afford another tax increase, especially for a funding crisis that doesn't really exist," the airline group continued. Congress established the PFC in 1990. The FAA says, "Airports use these fees to fund FAA-approved projects that enhance safety, security, or capacity; reduce noise; or increase air carrier competition." http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/254409-airports-blame-airlines-for-aviation- funding-standstill Back to Top Pope Francis will fly American Airlines while in the U.S. Pope Francis disembarks from his airplane upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Sept. 22, 2015, on the start of a 3-day trip to Washington. American Airlines will be responsible for transporting Pope Francis during his travels in the U.S., airline officials announced Tuesday. After wrapping up events in D.C., Pope Francis will take an American Airlines charter from Joint Base Andrews to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. He also will fly American from Kennedy Airport to Philadelphia, and then from Philadelphia to back to Rome. The plane is a 777-200 and its FAA-approved call sign will be Shepherd One. The plane was chartered by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Pope flew from Cuba to Joint Base Andrews aboard Alitlia, the national airline of Italy. Here is Pope Francis' public flight schedule: Sept. 24: Andrews Air Force Base (ADW) to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) ADW: Depart at 4 p.m. JFK Arrive at 5 p.m. Sept. 26: JFK to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) JFK: Depart at 8:40 a.m. PHL: Arrive at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 27: PHL to Ciampino-G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA) PHL: Depart at 8 p.m. Arrive Mon., Sept. 28 American Airlines spokesman Ross Feinstein said teams from the airline have been preparing for the papal flight for nearly a year. The crew of Shepherd One includes pilots, flight attendants, aviation maintenance technicians, charter coordinators, corporate security representatives and the airline's operations team. They are based out of a variety of locations including Miami, Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Tulsa and Raleigh/Durham. Here is a list of other instances where a pope have traveled via American: 1999: TWA: STL-Rome (Pope John Paul II) - 767-300 1995: TWA: EWR-BWI-Rome (Pope John Paul II) - 767-300 1993: American Airlines: DEN-Rome (Pope John Paul II) - 767-300ER This aircraft is still in service today. (Flying MIA-MVD this evening.) 1987: TWA: Eleven-day, nine-city tour (Pope John Paul II) - 727 & 747 1979: TWA: Six-day, six-city tour and ADW back to Rome (Pope John Paul II) - 727 1965: TWA: Rome-JFK-Rome (Pope Paul VI) - 707 https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dr-gridlock/wp/2015/09/22/pope-francis-will- fly-american-airlines-while-in-the-u-s/ Back to Top NASA technology to help airlines cut fuel consumption Even four minutes of flight time shaved off of each leg of a trip made by an airline could result in massive fuel and time savings, according to researchers. WASHINGTON: Two passenger airlines in the US will soon test an application developed by NASA that is designed to help carriers save time, substantially reduce fuel consumption and slash carbon emissions. During the next three years, Virgin America and Alaska Airlines will use the Traffic Aware Planner (TAP) application, to make "traffic aware strategic aircrew requests" (TASAR). "TAP connects directly to the aircraft avionics information hub on the aircraft," said David Wing, TASAR project lead at NASA's Langley Research Centre in Hampton, Virginia. "It reads the current position and altitude of the aircraft, its flight route, and other real- time information that defines the plane's current situation and active flight plan," Wing said. "Then it automatically looks for a variety of route and altitude changes that could save fuel or flight time and displays those solutions directly to the flight crew," Wing said. TAP also can connect with the plane's Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) receiver and scan the ADS-B signals of nearby air traffic to avoid potential conflicts in any proposed flight path changes, making it easier for air traffic controllers to approve a pilot's route change request. For airlines with Internet connectivity in the cockpit, TAP also can access information - such as real-time weather conditions, wind forecast updates and restricted airspace status - to further increase flight efficiency. The software is loaded onto a tablet computer, which many airline pilots already use for charts and flight calculations. Wing and his team have tested the TASAR software twice aboard a Piaggio P180 Avanti aircraft, a high-performance technology test bed owned and operated by Advanced Aerospace Solutions, LLC of Raleigh, North Carolina. The system worked well on its initial test flight from Virginia to Kentucky, according to its test pilot. "We used it to make a route change request from air traffic control, which they granted. We got a shortcut that saved four minutes off the flight time," the test pilot said. Even four minutes of flight time shaved off of each leg of a trip made by an airline could result in massive fuel and time savings, according to researchers. The software provided similar results as flight tests continued in the northeast corridor. A second round of flight tests was recently completed to ensure readiness for operational use by partner airlines. The TASAR flight tests came after a dozen pilots provided feedback on the technology in a simulation at the University of Iowa Operator Performance Laboratory. In addition, aerospace systems manufacturer Rockwell Collins of Cedar Rapids, analysed TASAR to make sure it is safe and can be readily certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/nasa-technology-to- help-airlines-cut-fuel-consumption/articleshow/49074523.cms Back to Top U.S., Cuba to hold talks on normalizing airline service: U.S. official The United States wants to strike a deal that lets U.S. airlines schedule flights to Cuba as soon as possible, a State Department official said, ahead of the first aviation talks since March. Delegations will convene in Havana on Sept. 28-29 as the countries inch toward normal relations after more than half a century of hostility that followed Cuba's 1959 revolution. The two nations restored diplomatic ties and reopened embassies this summer. Both sides would like to reach an agreement, the official said, which could benefit U.S. carriers such as American Airlines Group Inc and JetBlue Airways Corp expecting demand and more revenue from Americans wishing to visit the communist-ruled island. Key issues the sides must discuss are aviation safety and security, the official said. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration must sign off on Cuba's operations, although cooperation is already under way to accommodate specialist groups that charter U.S. airlines to fly to Cuba. The United States will also address the potential for Cuba's state-owned carrier, Cubana de Aviación, to share its flight codes with U.S. airlines and sell tickets on flights operated by U.S airlines, according to the official. The official added that Cuba is aware it would be challenging for Cubana to fly to the United States. For one, individuals could claim its planes as compensation for their property stolen during the Cuban revolution. Charles Rivkin, assistant secretary of state for economic and business affairs, will lead the U.S. delegation. The United States does not have a timetable for reaching a deal, the official said. No follow-up talks are currently scheduled. On Friday the United States unveiled new rules to ease trade, travel and investment restrictions with Cuba that will allow some U.S. companies to establish offices in Cuba, expand banking and Internet activities and eliminate limits on the amount of money that can be taken there. The changes, while significant, stop short of allowing across-the-board investments by U.S. companies or general U.S. tourism, activities banned under the U.S. trade embargo that only Congress can remove. The majority Republicans are unlikely to do that anytime soon. U.S. citizens can solely visit Cuba for a dozen purposes, including cultural exchange, journalism and religious activities. The Obama administration is pushing for an aviation deal before Congress lifts the embargo, the official said. That means airlines would let only authorized customers book flights to Cuba on their websites. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/23/us-cuba-usa-trade-airlines- idUSKCN0RM1PS20150923 Back to Top Best way to see supermoon? On a Chinese moon-viewing flight * This year's Mid-Autumn Festival will coincide with a supermoon and total lunar eclipse * China's budget carrier Spring Airlines is offering seats with the best moon views * The campaign is aimed at homesick travelers who're away from family during festival season (CNN)It's a hat trick for moon lovers. This year's September 27 marks three important lunar events -- a supermoon, a total lunar eclipse and Asia's Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival. The Moon Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. In China and parts of Asia it's believed to be the day with the brightest moon of the year. It's also the first time in more than 30 years that a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse are happening on the same day. To welcome the day, companies in China are introducing a range of "moon-viewing flights." Unobstructed moon view Spring Airlines, the country's budget airline, will offer around 100 scenic flights from September 26 to 28. "Festivals are the days when homesickness is at its worst," Yi Mao, the airline's head of marketing, tells CNN. "And Moon Festival is an important festival for the Chinese." It's a day of reunions for families and friends in China, who will come together to eat mooncakes under the full moon. "We hope the moon-viewing flights will take care of the emotional needs of our customers who are still on the road during the festival." Even if the weather's cloudy on the ground, there will be an unobstructed view once the plane climbs above the clouds. More than 100 of Spring Airlines' seats dedicated to the festival have been sold so far. http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/22/travel/china-supermoon-viewing-flights/index.html Back to Top IFA Forum 2015 - Hong Kong, 3-4 NOV 2015 www.ifairworthy.com Back to Top iSMS - Safety Management System Training Back to Top Upcoming Events: Fundamentals of IS-BAO October 1, 2015 Farnborough, UK https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1661564 IS-BAO Auditing October 2, 2015 Farnborough, UK https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1661567 Fundamentals of IS-BAO November 2, 2015 Hong Kong, China https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1724162 IS-BAO Auditing November 3, 2015 Hong Kong, China https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1724176 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 New HFACS workshop Las Vegas December 15 & 16 www.hfacs.com '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: Flight Training Human Factors Specialist Emirates www.emirates.com/careers Manager Group Safety Management Systems Virgin Australia Location: Brisbane, Australia http://careers.virginaustralia.com/cw/en/job/496413/manager-group-safety- management-systems Business Aviation Regional Sales Manager ARGUS International, Inc. https://home2.eease.adp.com/recruit/?id=18211162 Vice President Flight Operations FEDEX Express https://www.appone.com/MainInfoReq.asp?R_ID=1120042 Curt Lewis