Flight Safety Information October 26, 2015 - No. 212 In This Issue Air Canada flight suffers lightning strike on approach to TLV The FAA Wants New Helicopters to Have Crash-Resistant Fuel Tanks Logan Airport worker caught taking selfies on airplane wings This Little Device Could Save Pilots' Lives Report: Pilots in deadly Black Hawk crash disobeyed orders Southwest jet returns to Love Field after 'mechanical issue' Court orders TSA to set rules for full-body airport scanners SLEEPING IN AIRPORTS RANKS THE BEST AND WORST AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD PROS 2015 TRAINING Stop By and Visit At NBAA - Booth N812 NASA Researchers work on Fuel Additive that could reduce Jet Fuel Volatility China-developed C919 passenger aircraft aims to replace Boeing 777 Safi Airways aims to add up to 20 aircraft Saudi carrier flynas in talks to purchase four new aircraft PHILIPPINE AIRLINES ALLOCATES $700 MILLION FOR NEW AIRCRAFT Saudia to ground 19 of its aircraft SAVE THE DATE...ISASI-2016 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST (1) Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Air Canada flight suffers lightning strike on approach to TLV Tel Aviv bound flight forced to divert to Cyprus after lightning strike causes damage to aircraft's wing; passengers set to depart for Israel this afternoon. An Air Canada flight from Toronto to Tel Aviv got a shocking (and terrifying) surprise when it was struck by lightning on approach to Ben Gurion airport on Sunday morning. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter As a result of the strike, the pilot made an 180 degree turn and landed in Cyprus. The plane was carrying 300 passengers and crew members. The passengers were all transferred to hotels, and are set to depart for Israel at 4:30 PM on Monday. Guy Katzovich, a passenger aboard the flight told ynet, "We were approaching Tel Aviv when all of a sudden we started to bounce around, and many people were throwing up, because the plane was rocking from side to side. I saw lightning hit the plane's right wing, it felt like a nightmare. "At a certain point the plane did an 180 degree turn, and we felt the plane start a climb, and the distance from Tel Aviv began growing on the navigation screen. After about five minutes, we saw that the destination had been changed to Paphos in Cyprus. It took a few minutes before they announced that the destination had been changed due to the weather," he said. "It's my understanding that the company originally wanted to land and refuel in Paphos before taking off back towards Tel Aviv, but apparently they found external damage to the aircraft as a result of the strike. We are set to depart for Israel today on another plane, because the one we came in is grounded," Katzovich concluded. Air Canada's office in Israel issued a response saying, "Lightning struck one of our aircraft yesterday, causing damage to the wing, consequentially grounding the plane. The incident happened in the middle of the storm, and the pilot decided that he could not land in those conditions with a damaged wing, and thus decided to land in Cyprus. Our primary concern is for the safety of our passengers, and the safety of the flight. The plane landed in Cyprus and the passengers were put up in hotels. Air Canada has sent out an empty 'dreamliner' with technicians, and parts on board. According to the company, "The plane is set to land in Paphos, drop of the parts, and continue on to Israel with the passengers around 4:15PM." http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4716434,00.html Back to Top The FAA Wants New Helicopters to Have Crash-Resistant Fuel Tanks Alan Levin U.S. aviation regulators plan to require all newly built helicopters to have crash-resistant fuel tanks to cut the risks of leaks and deadly fires after accidents as part of the broadest effort in decades to improve rotor-aircraft safety. The Federal Aviation Administration asked an advisory committee to draft new regulations requiring the technology, according to a Sept. 28 letter sent to the National Transportation Safety Board and posted on the agency's website. That marks a significant shift on a controversial safety issue that has been linked to more than 200 civilian deaths since 1994. The U.S. Army has cut casualties from fires after helicopter crashes with the use of bladder-like fuel tank linings developed during the Vietnam War, but some operators and manufacturers argued that such technology was too expensive and would hamper operations. "It is going to be extremely difficult and expensive to figure out how to incorporate it into an existing design," Walter Desrosier, the vice president for engineering and maintenance at the General Aviation Manufacturers Association trade group, said in an interview. The FAA asked the industry panel, called the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee, to explore ways to better protect helicopter occupants from crashes, according to an Oct. 8 letter. It was spurred by a recent study showing better protections would save lives, according to the FAA letter. The agency also is asking for a review of other safety measures, including requiring seats that don't break loose in accidents and structural changes to prevent occupants from being crushed. New Standards The action was spurred by emerging data on helicopter crashes and how to prevent them in the future, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said in an interview Wednesday. "What we want to do is take advantage of what more do we know," Huerta said. In the 1980s and 1990s, the FAA adopted helicopter safety standards for new designs. Since then, however, only 16 percent or fewer helicopters sold have the protections because manufacturers mainly produce aircraft based on older designs. "This approach has resulted in a very low incorporation rate of occupant protection features into the rotorcraft fleet, and fatal accidents remain unacceptably high," the FAA said. While the helicopter industry supports reviewing whether new standards make sense, it hasn't endorsed any specific measures, Desrosier said. Requiring fuel-tank upgrades may cost manufacturers millions of dollars, an expense that wouldn't justify whatever benefit it creates, he said. One option may be to create a streamlined protection system that would be cheaper to install on existing models, he said. UT, Airbus GAMA represents helicopter makers including United Technologies Corp.'s Sikorsky Aircraft division, Airbus Group SE's Airbus Helicopters Inc. and Textron Inc.'s Bell Helicopter. GAMA members delivered 971 new helicopters last year, according to the group's annual statistical report. The Helicopter Association International, a trade group representing fleet operators, supports the FAA's effort though it hasn't endorsed changes to fuel tanks or other specific measures, said Chris Dancy, a spokesman. The group will work on the advisory committee, he said. Safer fuel tanks were developed by the military in the 1960s in response to the high number of casualties in Vietnam after helicopters caught fire in the aftermath of crashes that were otherwise survivable. Companies including Robertson Fuel Systems LLC of Tempe, Arizona, have built such tanks for military aircraft and ground vehicles, as well as race cars, according to company founder S. Harry Robertson. Their system, known as "Robbie Tanks," work by preventing leaks even after being pierced by bullets or fractured by an impact. The safety board on July 23 urged the FAA to impose stricter standards. The FAA agrees with the NTSB on the need to upgrade fuel tanks and has started the rulemaking process, the FAA's Huerta wrote in the September letter. Wichita Crash The NTSB's July recommendation was prompted by an Oct. 4, 2014, helicopter accident in Wichita Falls, Texas. Surveillance video that captured the crash showed a flight nurse and paramedic survived the impact, but died when fuel spilled and ignited, according to the NTSB. From 1994 to 2013, there were 135 helicopter accidents in which fire broke out after impact, resulting in 221 deaths and 37 serious injuries, according to NTSB. Of those crashes, only three had crash-resistant fuel systems. After the U.S. Army began requiring fuel protections in the 1960s, it saw a 75 percent decrease in injuries and zero fatalities attributed to post-crash fires, according to the NTSB letter. The letter didn't specify the years when the decrease took place or how many deaths there were prior to the requirement taking effect. The FAA didn't set a deadline for when it would complete its new regulations. It must first draft the rule and then allow the public and industry to comment. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-21/vietnam-era-fuel-tank-safety-for-helicopters- sought-by-u-s-faa Back to Top Logan Airport worker caught taking selfies on airplane wings A worker at Logan Airport was spotted on the wings of two planes taking selfies, according to police. The incident happened Thursday night in the hangar area. State Police said the worker was seen taking selfies on the wing of an American Airlines 737 and a JetBlue plane. The worker was escorted away and the jets were checked out for any damage. An American Airlines spokesman said no damage was found and the 737 made its scheduled departure for Chicago Friday morning. While most passengers were outraged, some said they could understand the temptation. http://www.whdh.com/story/30337070/logan-airport-worker-caught-taking-selfies-on-airplane-wings Back to Top This Little Device Could Save Pilots' Lives Aviation safety experts say that "Angle of Attack" indicators in small airplanes could help prevent accidents. AOA indicators use a variety of symbols to warn pilots. In this one, red means the angle of attack is too high. (Alpha Systems) Safety experts from the government, alphabet groups and the private sector gathered last week in Washington, D.C. for a daylong forum on how to reduce accidents due to aircraft "loss of control" in flight. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), who sponsored the forum, says that LOC accounts for 46 percent of all fatal general aviation crashes. The Federal Aviation Administration and others have been promoting Angle of Attack (AOA) indicators- cockpit gauges that give visual cues about the airplane's position and help warn the pilot of possible stall conditions -as a way to prevent such accidents, and workshop participants discussed products that already are available, as well as safety research results and training challenges involved in using the devices. Wendell Griffin, Director of Accident Investigation and Prevention at the FAA, called AOA indicators "the biggest win for us so far" in helping to prevent LOC accidents. Sean Elliott, executive director of the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), said that while regulations have been streamlined to encourage use of AOA indicators, even basic systems are currently in the $2,000 range. "I think the cost/benefit is still out of whack," he said. "If you could make the price tag in the hundreds of dollars and not in the thousands, you would see wide adoption." Elliott said that NAFI has asked members to pledge to study AOAs and consider equipping their aircraft. Dennis Beringer, a research engineering psychologist with the FAA's Human Factors Research Division, discussed how different AOA indicators present data to pilots. Comparing a selection of displays from current and proposed systems, he noted their disparity in symbology, and said, "We need to put into place display standards for these things to make sure they are effective across the board." Thomas Turner of the American Bonanza Society pointed out that current aftermarket AOA systems require pilot calibration, a process that involves precise flying that may be beyond the skills of some, resulting in indicators that are improperly calibrated. The NTSB recently added a checkbox on its accident report forms to indicate whether aircraft were equipped with an AOA system at the time of an accident, but, according to Beringer, "we have not had enough accidents to draw any conclusions." Meanwhile, the University of North Dakota has been sifting through data from its flight data monitoring program, which gathers detailed information on the 115,000 annual flights of the university's fleet of 120 aircraft. Associate professor Jim Higgins told workshop attendees of one intriguing finding: On the base-to- final turn, the aircraft nose would typically drop about 0.7 degrees more on airplanes equipped with AOA indicators than on those without. "One interpretation would be that pilots are responding to the angle of attack awareness and lowering the nose when turning final," Higgins said. Regardless of equipment on board, Jonathan Sackier, a surgeon representing AOPA, said that 12 percent of fatal accidents are caused by a medical condition, and urged pilots to do a better job of evaluating their fitness to fly before every flight. Sackier led off his presentation with a personal anecdote that brought home the urgency of the workshop topic, noting the death of a colleague and his young daughter in a crash just days before. "If something eminently preventable led to the death of my friend and his daughter, how obscene is that?," he said. "His memorial service starts in 30 minutes. I chose to continue my commitment to be here in his honor." http://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/little-device-could-save-pilots-lives- 180957032/#BuOz5KERtwqiVTEW.99 Back to Top Report: Pilots in deadly Black Hawk crash disobeyed orders NEW ORLEANS - The pilots of a Black Hawk military helicopter that crashed last March, killing all 11 service members aboard, had disobeyed direct orders by flying into worsening weather, according to an investigation report. The military said in June the crash was caused when the pilots became disoriented at night off the Florida coast. The training took place as dense fog rolled in from the Gulf of Mexico. The full report, obtained by The Associated Press late Thursday through a public records request, said the pilots were not authorized to fly in such bad weather and others failed to challenge the overconfidence of the lead pilot. The report was a joint investigation by the Louisiana National Guard and U.S. Special Operations Command. Details of the report were previously reported by the Irish Times in June. The training involved two Black Hawk helicopters from the Louisiana National Guard taking teams of Marine special operations servicemen over water so they could rappel into the sea. Both crews "disobeyed a direct order ... by choosing to fly in lower then (sic) briefed weather minimums." The report went on to fault the lead pilot, Chief Warrant Officer George Wayne Griffin Jr., 37, of Hammond, Louisiana, for pushing ahead with the mission even though weather was worsening March 10. According to the report, the training was supposed to take place only if cloud cover was no lower than 1,000 feet and visibility was 3 miles. Conditions were worse, with cloud cover as low at 200 feet. Fog began to set in about 40 minutes before the helicopters took off at 8:16 p.m., according to testimony. The same service member told investigators that Griffin dismissed concerns from members on boats where the training was to take place. Records show that the National Guard felt that Griffin was a top-notch veteran pilot fully capable of doing the training. "No one spoke up and questioned the wisdom to conduct the mission," the report said. Griffin Jr. and Strother both were decorated veteran pilots. Griffin had twice served in Iraq; Strother had served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo. The Louisiana National Guard did not return messages seeking comment. The U.S. Special Operations Command declined to comment. http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/guard-reserve/2015/10/23/report-pilots-deadly-black-hawk- crash-disobeyed-orders/74464070/ Back to Top Southwest jet returns to Love Field after 'mechanical issue' A Southwest Airlines jet with 134 passengers on board returned to Dallas Love Field shortly after takeoff Saturday morning after a potential mechanical issue. Flight 3390, bound for Baltimore/Washington International Airport, lifted off at 9:53 a.m, but then circled the airport several times before making a safe landing. Dallas Fire-Rescue deployed emergency equipment for an Alert II "major aircraft emergency" as the the Boeing 737 touched down at the in-city airport. A Southwest spokesman told WFAA that the jet was temporarily removed from service pending maintenance to resolve the unspecified problem. Passengers were transferred to an alternate flight, and were expected to arrive at BWI about two hours late. http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/local/dallas-county/2015/10/24/southwest-jet-returns-love-field-after- mechanical-issue/74527768/ Back to Top Court orders TSA to set rules for full-body airport scanners Did you think the Transport Security Administration was reckless when it started installing full-body scanners at airports several years ago? So did the Competitive Enterprise Institute -- and the libertarian think tank just won a legal victory that could make the TSA clean up its act. In the wake of a lawsuit, the US Court of Appeals has ordered the TSA to finalize a rulemaking schedule for the scanners by November 22nd. The agency was supposed to have established rules for the scanners before it even installed them, but it has dragged its heels ever since -- even a 2011 order to "promptly" establish rules didn't do much. With this ruling, the TSA doesn't have much of a choice. Provided the TSA honors the deadline, the verdict might just curb its use of the scanners, which some say are too invasive. The security body will have to justify how and why it uses the machines, and open itself to the same public commentary that you see with other kinds of government rulemaking. It's doubtful that you'll avoid the scanners entirely, but the TSA may have to give you more exceptions or think twice about some of its deployments. http://www.engadget.com/2015/10/25/court-orders-tsa-rules-for-body-scanners/ Back to Top SLEEPING IN AIRPORTS RANKS THE BEST AND WORST AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD When it's raining outside, does it rain inside too at your local airport? If you live in anywhere Port Harcourt International Airport in Nigeria, your answer may be yes, and similarly, if you live in New York City, you may have similar gripes with the dreaded LaGuardia Airport. Thanks to travel website Sleeping In Airports, travelers now have the inside scoop as to which airports to frequent and which to avoid at all costs when jetsetting around the country or around the world. And with "virtually no seating, broken air-conditioning, and a tent for an Arrivals Hall," Nigeria's Port Harcourt International Airport took top honors as the worst airport in the world. Of course, many of the most problematic international airports are largely a side effect of unstable political and economic conditions in their home countries (think Nepal, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Afghanistan, and Pakistan). So while multi-hour queues and lack of air conditioning, seating, or dining options are certainly frustrating, they're not altogether unsurprising. But what about North America's list? What excuses do we have for our less than ideal airport conditions? LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York (which was once likened to a "third-world country" by Vice President Joe Biden), was dinged for "questionable cleanliness, uncomfortable chairs, and limited restaurant variety," and because its "terminals seem to grow more decrepit each year, with numerous voters noting the leaky ceilings, torn carpet, and the spots of mold." Of course, LGA does have a multi-billion dollar renovation plan in play, and we'll have to see if that results in much improvement. The New York region is generally a disaster for airports, it seems, with both Newark Airport and JFK making the worst 10 list as well, at numbers 5 and 9 respectively. Two of Chicago's airports, Chicago Midway and Chicago O'Hare, also made the list of shame. But of course, there's always a silver lining - with the report highlighting some of the best airport experiences, which can get your vacation started early. Singapore's Changi Airport is considered the very best in the whole world, with "extreme efficiency experienced when moving from the airplane to the city center," the "luxurious layover indulgences, which include a fish spa, a sauna, a butterfly garden, showers and a koi pond," and of course, " a multi-story slide, a gym, a free movie theatre, and the free city tours." And as for North America, the top honor goes to Vancouver International Airport in Canada, which boasts "giant aquarium in the international departures lounge, dozens of art and museum exhibits, plenty of local First Nation's inspiration, self-guided tours," free Wi-Fi, luggage storage, and showers. In the U.S., Tampa International Airport is where you want to be, with "constant cleanliness, the natural light, the excellent food options, the great views, the permanent art exhibits and the fast free Wi-Fi." So there you have it friends. With holiday and travel season fast approaching, never go anywhere without knowing what to expect from your airport. After all, it could make or break your whole trip. http://www.digitaltrends.com/web/did-your-least-favorite-airport-make-the-list-of-the-worst-airports-in- the-world/#ixzz3pffK7iZ4 Back to Top Back to Top Stop By and Visit At NBAA DATE Nov. 17 - 19, 2015 LOCATION Booth N812 Las Vegas Convention Center 3150 Paradise Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89109 Back to Top NASA Researchers work on Fuel Additive that could reduce Jet Fuel Volatility NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory NASA - National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationPasadena, CA - Airplane accidents are especially dangerous because jet fuel is highly flammable under crash conditions. On impact, jet fuel is dispersed in the air as a fine mist, which triggers a sequence of events that can lead to a fire engulfing an entire plane. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech, have been working on additives that inhibit the formation of this highly flammable mist during collisions. These additives are based on long molecules called polymers. "This research is about making fuel safer and saving lives," said Project Manager Virendra Sarohia, based at JPL. A new Caltech-led study in the journal Science describes polymers that could increase the safety of jet fuel and diesel fuel, particularly in the event of collision or a deliberate attempt to create a fuel explosion as part of a terrorist attack. "The new polymers could reduce the intensity of post-crash fires, providing time for more passengers to escape," said Julia Kornfield, a professor of chemical engineering at Caltech who mentored Ming-Hsin Wei, Boyu Li and Ameri David. Their doctoral research is presented in the study. Fuel misting also happens in jet engines under normal operations. The engine repeatedly ignites a combination of a spray of fuel and compressed air, and this process thrusts the plane forward. The problem arises when a fuel mist is created outside the engine. For example when a plane crashes, the entire volume of fuel could be involved in misting. "Once we control the mist in a crash, this aviation fuel is hard to ignite," said Sarohia, who collaborated with JPL technologist Simon Jones. "It allows time to fight fires and time to evacuate people from the accident." Various tests have been conducted in relation to the new study. Impact tests using jet fuel show that the polymers reduce flame propagation in the resulting mist. In other tests, the polymers showed no adverse effects on diesel engine operation, researchers say. Larger-scale production is needed to provide enough polymer for jet engine tests. "Years of testing are required to achieve FAA approval for use in jet fuel, so the polymer might be used first to reduce post-crash fires on roadways," Kornfield said. How the Polymers Work A polymer is a large molecule that has regularly repeated units. The new technology consists of polymer chains that are able to reversibly link together through chemical groups on their ends that stick together like Velcro. If you link these polymers end-to-end, very large chains form, which the study authors call "mega-supramolecules." "Our polymers have backbones that, like fuel, have just carbon and hydrogen, but they are much, much longer. Typically our polymers have 50,000 carbon atoms in the backbone," said Kornfield. "Such long polymers, specially constructed for a fuel additive, are unprecedented. Many years of laboratory effort have gone into the design of their structure and the development of careful methods for their synthesis," said Jones. Sarohia likens the mechanism of the fuel additive to the clotting of blood. While blood is in the veins, it should flow freely; clotting in the veins could be fatal. But blood is supposed to clot when it gets to the surface of skin, so that a person doesn't bleed out. Similarly, the jet fuel with the polymer added should flow normally during routine operation of the aircraft; it's only during a collision that it should act to control the mist. JPL's Involvement Sarohia has been working on this research since the 1970s. The Tenerife Airport disaster in the Canary Islands in 1977, in which 583 passengers aboard two planes were killed in a runway collision, demonstrated the need for safer jet fuel. An international collaboration resulted in successful sled-driven plane crash tests of a fuel additive in the early 1980s. But the analyses of a 1984 full-scale impact test in California's Mojave Desert were mixed. There was no more activity in the research program for more than a decade. It looked as though the program had ended for good. But Sarohia remembers that after the September 11th, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, his daughter asked him, "Where's your fuel?" That got him thinking about the polymer again. Not long afterwards, Sarohia received the support of JPL to restart the investigation of a polymer to control fuel mist. In 2003, Sarohia and colleagues demonstrated in tests at China Lake, California, that the polymer could be effective even at 500 mph impact speeds. The results provided the impetus for the Caltech-JPL collaboration. The fuel additive tested in the 1980s consisted of ultralong polymers that interfered with engine operation. Therefore each and every aircraft would need to be retrofitted with a device called a "degrader" to break the polymers into small segments just before injection in the engine. However, the new polymers can release their end associations during fuel-injection and disperse into smaller units that are compatible with engine operation. "The hope is that it will not require the modification of the engine," Sarohia said. Long-haul diesel engine tests also show that the polymer has the potential to reduce emissions of particulate matter by controlling the fuel droplet size. These megasupramolecules may also reduce resistance to flow through pipelines. Ongoing research is establishing methods to produce the larger quantities of the polymer required to explore these opportunities. The Science study was funded by the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Schlumberger Foundation, and the Gates Grubstake Fund. http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2015/10/26/nasa-researchers-work-on-fuel-additive-that-could-reduce- jet-fuel-volatility/ Back to Top China-developed C919 passenger aircraft aims to replace Boeing 777: Reports The passenger aircraft C919 that made its debut at an exhibition in November 2010 will begin to roll off the production line from November 2. BEIJING: A China-made large passenger aircraft expected to give the Boeing 777 a tough competition is set to take off commercially, a media report said on Monday. The passenger aircraft C919 that made its debut at an exhibition in November 2010 will begin to roll off the production line from November 2, the China Daily reported. Its maiden flight is expected to be in the third quarter of the next year, according to Wang Jian, chairman of the AVIC Electromechanical Company. The C919 has been developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), which develops home-grown passenger aircraft, including the short-range jet ARJ21. The single-aisle narrow-body aircraft has been marketed over the past years aimed at competing with the Boeing 737 and Airbus 320. Wang said that as of now, a total of 514 China-made C919 aircraft have been ordered by 21 customers around the world. He said that according to the current plan, the C919 will make its maiden flight in the third quarter next year, or possibly in 2017. The C919's "successor" -- the wide-body aircraft C929 -- has also entered the research stage in terms of key technologies. According to Wang, the C929 will use a domestically-manufactured engine and have a capacity of more than 300 passengers, aiming to replace the Boeing 777 in the future. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/china-developed-c919-passenger- aircraft-aims-to-replace-boeing-777-reports/articleshow/49537560.cms Back to Top Safi Airways aims to add up to 20 aircraft The Afghan carrier Safi Airways is looking to buy 10 to 20 narrow-body aircraft over the next couple of years as it looks to ramp up its expansion. Joshua Bustos, the chief executive, said that he is mainly looking at Airbus A319, A320 and Boeing 737. "I am happy with Boeing or Airbus, whichever vendor is going to work with Afghanistan to help secure its future," he said in Dubai. Mr Bustos is looking to grow Safi's network with routes within 3 to 3.5 hours' flying time from Kabul. This includes Kuwait, Beirut, Kazakhstan, Iran and major cities in India. Currently, Safi flies to three domestic and four international destinations. Safi, which is currently banned by the EU to fly to European cities, is working with authorities to get access into Europe. "We hope to change the perception of what an Afghan airline is like," said Mr Bustos, adding that once the ban is lifted, he would target cities with large numbers of Afghan expatriates. "We will probably look at Frankfurt first, if we get approval," he said. The Kabul-based carrier is currently "shelving" long-haul plans with increased focus on reaching profitability. "We are focused first on domestic, regional and then long haul. I would never consider long-haul unless there was a significant incentive to do so," said Mr Bustos. "We need to expand quickly into the region and make sure that we don't become irrelevant." The airline is also looking to grow via codeshare with intentions to talk to Air China and Etihad. Meanwhile, the Saudi budget carrier flynas is also in talks with Airbus and Boeing to buy additional aircraft. The chief executive Paul Byrne said he is looking to add four aircraft over the next four years at the rate of one a year. http://www.thenational.ae/business/aviation/safi-airways-aims-to-add-up-to-20-aircraft Back to Top Saudi carrier flynas in talks to purchase four new aircraft: CEO Flynas turned profitable earlier this year and has seen nine consecutive months of profit since, according to its chief executive. (Photo courtesy of Flynas) Saudi Arabian budget carrier flynas, which made its first profit this year, is in talks with plane manufacturers Airbus and Boeing as it seeks to purchase four new aircraft over the next four years, its chief executive told reporters on Sunday. "Profitability has given us confidence. We're talking to Airbus and Boeing to see their best offer," Paul Byrne said on the sidelines of an aviation event in Dubai. Flynas turned profitable earlier this year and has seen nine consecutive months of profit since, Byrne said. The airline currently has about 26 aircraft in its fleet with the average age of eight and half years, he said. The growth in fleet will come at one aircraft per year for the "foreseeable" future and may see the airline switch from Airbus to an all-Boeing fleet, Byrne said. http://english.alarabiya.net/en/business/aviation-and-transport/2015/10/25/Saudi-carrier-flynas-in-talks- to-purchase-four-new-aircraft-CEO.html Back to Top PHILIPPINE AIRLINES ALLOCATES $700 MILLION FOR NEW AIRCRAFT Philippine Airlines will allocate up to $700 million for the acquisition of new aircraft and spare parts in 2016. According to PAL President Jaime Bautista, the national flag carrier estimates that it will spend between $500 to $700 million. The budget includes a previously announced order for five Airbus A321 aircraft and two Boeing 777 aircraft, which are due to arrive in the coming year. Bautista noted that some of the aircraft would be leased, while others are purchased. With strong demand for air travel anticipated to continue, Bautista does not foresee the financing of the aircraft to be a problem as Philippine Airlines has achieved profitability. "There are many companies who will be willing to finance us," said Bautista. An announcement is also expected by the end of this year on the much anticipated replacement of the ageing A340 fleet. Philippine Airlines is planning to replace the fuel-inefficient aircraft with either the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787. However, the carrier has not revealed which aircraft it prefers. "We are waiting for Airbus and Boeing to make their final and best proposals," said Bautista. The new long-range aircraft will be included under a separate order than the $700 million budget that has been allocated for the coming year. Philippine Airlines is still contemplating financing options for those aircraft including the sale of shares or acquisition of a strategic partner. PAL has revealed in the past that it is interested in working with an established foreign carrier that could acquire up to 40 percent of the national flag carrier. "We still prefer a strategic partner," said Bautista, noting that the carrier would like to grow its network and possibly enter an alliance. http://www.philippineflightnetwork.com/2015/10/philippine-airlines-allocates-700.html Back to Top Saudia to ground 19 of its aircraft JEDDAH: Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, (Saudia) Saleh Al-Jasser, has announced that 19 planes will be taken out of service during the upcoming period, of which 15 are the Embraer type and four '747' jumbo jets. During the ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone of the new air operations building in Jeddah, he said that Saudia has a fleet of 124 passenger aircraft and the number is expected to rise to 200 by 2020. Saudia will receive its new Dream Liner planes next December, he said, adding that its first commercial flight will be completed at the beginning of 2016. Al-Jasser pointed out that women will also be employed in administrative jobs. He said that the privatization of the catering company of Saudia has reached its final stages now, and will be put on the stock market for public subscription shortly. The privatization of ground services has also reached its final stages as well. He also noted that the new operations building will used by Saudia's employees and will be completed along with the New King Abdulaziz Airport, which will cost SR350 million. Al-Jasser revealed that the company will also be undertaking a significant project to support its expansion in future stages by tendering a license for a Saudi city in Al-Khalidiya neighborhood. The city will be constructed over a space of 1.5 million square meters and will include commercial and residential towers. He said this project will achieve economic returns for the company that will help it expand and develop. Al-Jasser also noted that the headquarters of the company will be one of its landmarks in addition to other buildings such as the Prince Sultan Academy, while all old buildings will be replaced with new investment buildings for the company. In a related matter, President of the General Authority for Civil Aviation, Suleiman Al-Hamdan, said that the new King Abdulaziz International Airport will be completed in mid 2016, and that one year will be needed to test the equipment, which means actual operations will start in the middle of 2017. He further said that the new operation's building will serve as the central point of reference for aviation companies and their growing developments, calling for the need to provide a perfect working environment to guarantee high quality performance right across the sector. He said that this field doesn't accept delay, and rather only accepts distinction and complete accuracy. http://www.arabnews.com/news/825931 Back to Top SAVE THE DATE ISASI is pleased to announce that our 2016 seminar will be held in Reykjavik, Iceland from October 17 - 20, 2016 The theme for the seminar is "Every Link is Important" Details for the hotel, technical program, including the Call for Papers, companion program, and social events will be available on the ISASI web site in the near future We look forward to seeing you all next October Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST I am a Senior First Officer with British Airways (BA), based at London, Heathrow flying the B777. I have been with BA for 15 years and have been flying the 777 for 6 years. Before that I was flying the 747-400. Prior to BA I flew the 747-400 with Virgin Atlantic, B757s and B767s with UK charter airline 'Airtours' (now part of Thomas Cook) and my professional flying career started as a manufacturer's pilot - flying Jetstream turboprops for British Aerospace. Before flying commercially, I worked with British Aerospace within the Technical Sales discipline and was, in my leisure time, involved with general aviation as an flying instructor. I am completing a Master's degree (MSc) in Air Transport Management with City University London and the final piece of that jigsaw is a project/dissertation and I have chosen the subject of 'Ice Crystal Icing'. Rather than the complex aero/thermodynamic concepts involved, I am exploring the operational and training challenges that airline flight crews face with this phenomenon. This qualification is not being sponsored by my employer; I have undertaken to finance it myself - the rationale being that as I intend to retire from airline flying in 5 years from now that new aviation challenges may become available to me based on this contemporary qualification and my aviation background (that is the plan any way!) the survey link follows https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ice-crystal-icing Sincere thanks, Mike Skelhorn Back to Top Upcoming Events: 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 Washington DC? Tuesday-Thursday 5-7 April http://flightsafety.org/bars/auditor-training 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 Air Cargo Safety and Security Symposium ALPA Washington, DC November 5, 2015 http://aircargoconference.alpa.org 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 2016 DTI SMS/QA Symposium January 3, 4, & 5 2016 Disney World, FL 1-866-870-5490 www.dtiatlanta.com Back to Top JOBS AVAILABLE: Interdisciplinary Engineer (Mechanical or Aerospace Engineer) NTSB https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/419032300 Human Performance Investigator NTSB https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/413256600 Curt Lewis