Flight Safety Information October 29, 2015 - No. 215 In This Issue U.N. aviation panel rejects ban on air shipments of fire-prone batteries Cargo airplane crashes in Somalia Scientests develop quick way for pilots to detect hypoxia symptoms FAA zeroes in on Allegiant jets' unsecured tail bolts Fireworks cause increasing flight safety fears easyJet to Double Percentage of Female Pilots Pakistan Set To Receive T-37 Aircraft From Turkey For Free First Class Graduates from Human Factors in Aviation Course in Brazil No apology for families of Fox Glacier sky dive crash victims (New Zealand) TAIC won't apologise to Fox Glacier crash victims' families (New Zealand) PROS 2015 TRAINING Stop By and Visit At NBAA - Booth N812 China buys Airbus jets worth $17B during Merkel visit Supersonic jet promises travel from London to New York in half an hour Japan Government Approves Mitsubishi Regional Jet's First Flight Swiss-built business jet to compete against Cessna Citations Russian space agency want to send humans to the moon by 2029 SAVE THE DATE...ISASI-2016 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST (1) Upcoming Events U.N. aviation panel rejects ban on air shipments of fire-prone batteries Firefighters battle a blaze onboard a UPS cargo plane at Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia in this 2006 file photo. WASHINGTON - A U.N. aviation panel has rejected a ban on rechargeable battery shipments on passenger airliners, despite evidence they can cause unstoppable, in-flight fires. Two aviation officials told The Associated Press the International Civil Aviation Organization panel voted 10 to 7 against a ban. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak about the vote publicly. The United States, Russia, Brazil, China and Spain, as well as organizations representing airline pilots and aircraft manufacturers, voted in favor of the ban. The Netherlands, Canada, France, Australia, Italy, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Japan and the United Kingdom, as well as an international airline trade association, voted against it. U.S. government tests show small quantities of overheated batteries can cause explosions that can disable aircraft fire protection systems. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/breakingnews/story/2015/oct/28/un-aviation- panel-rejects-ban-air-shipments-fire-prone-batteries/333027/ Back to Top Cargo airplane crashes in Somalia SOMALIA, Oct 29 - A cargo airplane with around 10 crew members has crash landed in Somalia in territory controlled by the Islamist Shabaab insurgents outside the capital Mogadishu, a government official said Thursday. The aircraft crashed in the Omar Bere area, some 45 kilometres (30 miles) south of the capital Mogadishu on Wednesday. "We have confirmed a plane crash over Shabaab-controlled areas in Lower Shabelle," local government official Mohamed Hussein told AFP. "We assume that the wreckage of the aircraft and any survivors are in the custody of the militants." There was no information as to what the plane had been carrying, and no immediate response from the Shabaab. The cause of the crash was also unknown. The Shabaab, east Africa's long-time Al-Qaeda branch, is fighting to overthrow the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu, which is protected by 22,000 African Union troops. https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2015/10/cargo-airplane-crashes-in-somalia/ Back to Top Scientests develop quick way for pilots to detect hypoxia symptoms Automatic detection for the condition would make pilots and airplane passengers more safe. Air Force researchers hope to develop a system that can automatically detect hypoxia in pilots. Photo by Angelo Giampiccolo/Shutterstock DAYTON, Ohio, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Researchers with the U.S. Air Force may have found a way to detect hypoxia in pilots in real-time during flights by measuring volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, in their breath, according to a new study. Hypoxia is a deficiency of oxygen reaching the tissues. A sudden loss of cabin pressure, speeding up the lack of oxygen flowing through the body, could result in a pilot losing consciousness before being able to take actions in the cockpit for both passengers and to keep the plane in the air. Researchers at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base think an automatic system may be able to detect hypoxia based on pilot's breath, allowing either the pilot or systems on the plane to take action. "Despite the myriad of advances in aerospace technology, many modern, high- performance aircraft still rely on the pilot to recognize the symptoms of hypoxia in order to initiate appropriate procedures in the event of a malfunction," said Dr. Claude Grigsby, a technical advisor in the Human Signatures Branch in the 711th Human Performance Wing, in a press release. "This research provides the basis for both the utility of exhaled breath monitoring to monitor for hypoxia as well as targets for future solid state senor development." The researchers worked with eight pilots, simulating a "fairly standard" hypoxic event while in flight. The volunteer participants were exposed to five minutes of reduced oxygen levels to simulate higher altitudes, and then were given five minutes of oxygen "recovery," a typical in-flight response to the condition. For each of the participants, VOC levels were measured before and after the simulated hypoxia and recovery, as well as every minute during the simulations. Although the results showed VOC levels drop after a hypoxic event, researchers are unsure how this works. "We are working to better understand hypoxic episodes mechanistically to validate our findings and to improve our non-invasive chemical sensing platforms," said Dr. Sean Harshman, a research scientist in the 711th Human Performance Wing at Wright- Patterson Air Force Base. "Our future and ongoing studies seek to confirm the data presented in this manuscript, develop a flight worthy chemical sensor, and begin further mechanistic studies of respiratory hypoxia." The study is published in the Journal of Breath Research. http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2015/10/28/Scientests-develop-quick-way-for-pilots- to-detect-hypoxia-symptoms/3391446040788/ Back to Top FAA zeroes in on Allegiant jets' unsecured tail bolts; one expert says risk is 'catastrophic' * Mechanics' findings follow checks spurred by aborted takeoff * Federal agency has 'intensified focus' on flight operations, repairs * Allegiant flies from Fresno to Las Vegas and the Phoenix area An Allegiant Air jet flies by the Luxor Resort and Casino after taking off from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas on May 9, 2013. BY ALAN LEVIN AND MARY SCHLANGESTEIN When two Allegiant Air pilots couldn't control their plane and scrubbed a takeoff from Las Vegas in August, the carrier discovered that a critical piece of equipment in the tail had come loose. Allegiant ordered inspections of its other Boeing MD-80s to ensure that all similar connections were secured. Eight days later, Allegiant said in response to questions from Bloomberg that all its aircraft "were found to be in working order." By that time, mechanics had already come across two other jets with bolts in similar locations that weren't properly locked in place, according to company repair logs obtained by Bloomberg. Later that month, they discovered another unsecured bolt on a third plane. While Allegiant says the fasteners weren't on the same component that failed in Las Vegas, the Federal Aviation Administration says it is aware of the findings and has stepped up oversight of the airline. The news comes in the wake of two high-profile emergencies in Las Vegas involving Fresno-bound Allegiant jets that had engine fires, a problem unrelated to the bolts. Allegiant flies from Fresno to Las Vegas and the Phoenix area. The aborted Aug. 17 takeoff occurred after a device that moves one of the jet's two elevators - panels on the tail used to climb and descend - was disconnected, according to Allegiant. The maintenance logs from the follow-up checks show that two planes each were found to have an unsecured elevator bolt, while the third jet had an unsecured bolt on another key part - an aileron, which is on the wing and is used in turns. Because the findings on the three other planes didn't specifically involve the so-called elevator boost actuator at issue in Las Vegas, they weren't considered part of the inspection results, Allegiant spokeswoman Kimberly Schaefer said last week in response to questions from Bloomberg about the maintenance logs. "During the fleetwide inspection of the elevator boost actuators, Allegiant mechanics made additional repairs to other aircraft, as they do each and every day," Schaefer said by email. "As these repairs were outside the scope of the fleet campaign in question, they were logged per normal procedure." FAA rules require the reporting of all maintenance actions - including fixing mistakes such as poorly attached bolts - but they don't have to be disclosed immediately. Those actions are entered into a database shared quarterly with the agency. John Goglia, a former member of the National Transportation Safety Board, said the multiple instances of unsecured bolts and their locations on the aircraft were so serious they "should result in a focused FAA audit." "This is not a coffeemaker that we're talking about here," Goglia said in a telephone interview. "This is a primary flight control on the airplane. Anything less than perfect work on this system can have catastrophic results." Allegiant, a unit of Allegiant Travel Co., specializes in flights to vacation destinations centered on Las Vegas and Orlando, Fla. Flight 436 on Aug. 17 was supposed to fly to Peoria, Ill., from Las Vegas, carrying 158 passengers and six crew members. THIS IS A PRIMARY FLIGHT CONTROL ON THE AIRPLANE. ANYTHING LESS THAN PERFECT WORK ON THIS SYSTEM CAN HAVE CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. John Goglia, a former member of the National Transportation Safety Board WHILE WE RESPECT THE CREDENTIALS OF MR. GOGLIA, HE DOES NOT HAVE ANY SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT OUR COMPANY OR THE DETAILS OF OUR OPERATION. Allegiant's response As the MD-80 rumbled down a Las Vegas runway, the front of the plane began to rise off the ground prematurely, defying the pilots' attempts to keep the nose down, according to an FAA report. They abruptly halted the takeoff roll at 138 mph, according to the report. Allegiant's inspections of its MD-80s found two other planes with elevator bolts that weren't properly connected, the maintenance records show. On Aug. 27, a mechanic working on another MD-80 discovered an unsecured bolt on an aileron, a maintenance log shows. Those assemblies are considered so crucial that mechanics are supposed to insert pins to ensure the nuts used to fasten the bolts can't come undone. "Any failure to properly secure any part of a flight control is a major problem," said Goglia, the ex-NTSB member who is also a former aircraft mechanic. "More than one occurrence clearly indicates a maintenance organization that is not functioning properly." Allegiant responded: "While we respect the credentials of Mr. Goglia, he does not have any specific knowledge about our company or the details of our operation." AAR Corp.'s AAR Aircraft Services does large-scale maintenance on Allegiant's MD-80s in Oklahoma City. Mechanics from Allegiant and AAR work on the areas of the aircraft where the wrongly secured bolts were found, Schaefer said. "Since hearing of the Aug. 17 incident, AAR has been working with Allegiant and the FAA to investigate," AAR spokeswoman Kathleen Cantillon said by email. "AAR has a 60-year history and culture of safety and compliance." Work on flight-control systems is considered critical because errors can lead to accidents, Goglia said. The NTSB concluded that an improperly installed elevator bolt caused an Emery Worldwide Inc. cargo jet to lose control and slam into the ground in the Sacramento area in 2000, killing all three people on board. The FAA said its intensified focus on Allegiant was also prompted by a separate July incident in Fargo, N.D. in which a pilot reported a low-fuel emergency. Allegiant said it's working with the FAA in examining that episode. Earlier this year, the FAA put Allegiant under heightened surveillance as pilots neared a potential strike, a step the agency sometimes takes during possible labor actions or when a carrier is struggling financially. Allegiant won a court order in April blocking the walkout, and in May said the FAA had ended the additional scrutiny. http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/article41735844.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top Fireworks cause increasing flight safety fears as passenger planes and military aircraft are deliberately targeted (UK) The Civil Aviation Authority has revealed that some aircraft have been hit and other flights have had to be diverted due to both careless displays and malicious attacks FireworksFlight fears: Fireworks have caused 80 recorded safety alerts for both passenger and military aircraft Almost 80 aircraft have reported safety alerts involving fireworks in the skies over Britain - with EIGHT actually being hit. Official figures show that some airports have been forced to redirect flights and military aircraft have also been targeted. Pilots have seen a marked increase in firework incidents in recent years, with a quarter of them occurring around Heathrow. Many are accidental with the explosives straying into the flight paths of planes as they take off or land. But the Freedom of Information data from the Civil Aviation Authority shows that some of the cases involve deliberate attempts to fire at aircraft. On November 3, 2013 a passenger plane landing at Heathrow reported: "Large explosive fireworks allegedly fired directly towards aircraft on short final. "Approach continued with normal landing." The figures, which begin in 1983, show an overwhelming 80 per cent of reports are made in the two weeks either side of November 5. In the 1990s there were six reported incidents, but in the decade after 2000 the number had soared to 49 - and there have already been another 16 since 2010. Fright night: A passenger plane it makes a final landing approach to Heathrow Airport In November 2000, a plane on approach to Leeds Bradford Airport reported "struck by a firework at 100ft. No damage evident". Similar reports of being stuck on approaches to other airports describe "scorching of paintwork" and crews hearing small "thuds". In November 2007, a passenger jet landing at East Midlands Airport was "struck by a rocket firework" and "showed some scorching of paintwork above P1's [pilot] windscreen." In December 2011 a military aircraft was "targeted by a firework during night flying" while attempting a landing and it diverted to RAF Linton, together with other aircraft. The report stated: "Military a/c targeted by a firework during night flying whilst on approach to Church Fenton (Leeds Airport) at 300ft. "Due to potential threat, the targeted a/c and another a/c diverted to RAF Linton." In 2000, the pilot of an Airbus A320 reported he "flew through an exploding firework" less than a mile from Manchester airport. The CAA said the main sources of fireworks incidents were careless display organisers. Under CAA guidelines they are required to notify them and their local air traffic control 28 days before a display. Belfast City Airport was forced to reroute all incoming planes after attempts to stop a display just over a mile from the airport failed in October 2013. No passengers or flight crew have been injured in firework incidents, but the CAA warned of the dangers of setting off fireworks near a flight path or airport. A spokesman said: "During the busy fireworks period in October and November, large public displays are notified to the aviation industry so that pilots are aware of the times and locations of specific events. "Anyone holding a firework display close to an airport or airfield should inform the CAA." http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/fireworks-cause-increasing-flight-safety- 6722925 Back to Top easyJet to Double Percentage of Female Pilots In an initiative to increase its proportion of female pilots, easyJet, the low-cost UK airline, hopes to double its number of female entrant pilots in the next two years. Currently, 6 percent of easyJet's new pilot intakes and 5 percent of the airline's total 2,500 pilots are female - consistent with the small percentage of female pilots throughout the industry. "We have made sustained progress in our senior management and M&A (management and administration) communities in recent years, but we recognize that the proportion of our pilots who are female is too low, as it is across the industry as a whole," said Brian Tyrrell, head of flight operation at easyJet. In order to attract more female entrant pilots and promote its cadet program, easyJet is launching a series of educational opportunities through partnerships with schools, youth organizations and groups that encourage young women to take up STEM education. Additionally, easyJet will reserve ten places each year for women to join its training program, and will offer training loans of about 100,000 euros, underwritten by the airline. easyJet will also facilitate new opportunities for its current female pilots to achieve captaincy or take on leadership roles, through increased mentoring, as well as loans for A320 type ratings for those entering from other airlines. Pauline Vahey, chair of the British Women Pilots' Association (BWPA), which is partnering with easyJet, said, "This initiative demonstrates that easyJet is a pioneer in the industry, not unlike the early women pioneers in aviation who founded the BWPA sixty years ago this year." http://www.flyingmag.com/careers/easyjet-double-percentage-female- pilots#ly2XBLV7KY4YdGMu.99 Back to Top Pakistan Set To Receive T-37 Aircraft From Turkey For Free Turkey is set to provide Pakistan with 34 T-37 aircraft and their spare parts for no cost in what has been termed a landmark deal signed between the two countries in Ankara on Wednesday. T-37 Pakistan Image Source: Wikimedia Commons Pakistan had expressed its desire of acquiring the aircraft from Turkey a few months back and now, Istanbul has moved quickly to provide 34 T-37, a jet trainer and light attack aircraft to its ally without any cost according to a statement issued by Pakistan's defense ministry. The agreement was reached during the meeting of Pakistan-Turkey High Level Military Dialogue Group (HLMDG) which concluded in Ankara on Wednesday. Director General Defense Procurement, Maj. Gen. Naveed Ahmed and Chief of Logistics Turkey, Maj. Gen. Serdar Gulbas signed the agreement while Secretary Defense Lt. Gen. (Retd) Muhammad Alam Khattak and Deputy Chief of Turkish General Staff, Gen. Yasar Guler signed the Joint Communiqué. Pakistan's secretary defense highlighted the country's defense capability and military capacity and requirements in light of the current global perspective during the visit. Pakistan has already signed numerous deals with the likes of China, Russia and US this year and in a bid to further shore up its defensive capabilities, has now opted to agree to a deal with Turkey that might not be as flashy as the previous deals, is a necessary one. Reminding journalists of the brotherly relations Pakistan and Turkey have enjoyed since 1947, the secretary said, "Pakistan desires to further translate these relations into strategic cooperation, signifying strategic importance of our relations". During the visit, the two countries also agreed to increase cooperation at regional and multinational forums such as UN, OIC, ECO and D-8. Khattak also said that HLMDG has done considerable work this year to review progress achieved on decisions that were taken in the last HLMDG meeting. This year's meeting also discussed topics pertaining to politico-military matters and defense industry cooperation. Khattak is hopeful that in the coming years, this cooperation will further expand to defense industries from strategic to joint venture levels - something that Islamabad has been working on with all the major stakeholders in the region. Turkey using T-37 to increase cooperation with Islamabad This agreement comes at a time when Turkey is looking out for Pakistan's increased security and defense cooperation to even the playing field in a bid to counter the emerging threat that is being posed by the Islamic State terrorist group as well as the threat Turkey is facing from Kurdish rebels. An old technology with limited functionality However, one has to question about the whole merit of such a deal considering the fact that the aircraft Pakistan is acquiring is an old piece of technology that was last produced in 1975. Manufactured by Cessena, the aircraft are currently serving the needs of the Turkish Air Force, Royal Moroccan Air Force and the Colombian Air Force. Moreover, the T-37 is not your average trainer plane that would be able to travel for long distances. Although it is a really great option to use for training purposes, the aircraft will not withstand the requirements of modern aerial combat. Also, the fact that these aircraft are more than 50 years old, means that the Pakistan Air Force will be spending quite a lot of time in maintaining these old machines which means that the Air Force will be paying a cost for the maintenance of an aviation technology that has become obsolete. http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/pakistan-turkey-t-37-aircraft/ Back to Top First Class Graduates from Human Factors in Aviation Course in Brazil Brazil Course Students completed the Human Factors in Aviation course with a day of in-person instruction at PUCRS in Porta Alegre. Earlier this month, a group of aviation professionals completed a Human Factors in Aviation course offered by Embry-Riddle and Brazil's Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Taught by professors John Scribner of Embry-Riddle and Eder Henriqson from PUCRS, the course provided expert insight into the human factors aspects of aviation such as fatigue management and aeronautical decision making; and human factors issues in automation as well as cockpit design. The offering drew 23 students who participated in both online and classroom learning. This new course is part of a university initiative to support Brazil's growing aviation industry and comes more than 70 years after Embry-Riddle's involvement in establishing nation's first flight training school. Other outreach activities have included hosting student recruitment events and engaging in ongoing discussions with industry, government and education officials. http://news.erau.edu/news-briefs/first-class-graduates-from-human-factors-in-aviation- course-in-brazil#sthash.sKRSNtIP.dpuf Back to Top No apology for families of Fox Glacier sky dive crash victims (New Zealand) Families of victims who died in the Fox Glacier sky diving plane crash will not receive an apology from the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) - despite admitted problems with its investigation Tom McCready (left) and Andrew McGregor - independent air accident investigators at dig site Fox Glacier in March 2014 Eight parachutists and the pilot died when the Walter Fletcher plane plunged to the ground on 4 September 2010. Four tourists - from Ireland, Australia, Germany and England - were among those killed. TAIC said today that it had changed its original finding that it was the weight and balance of the aircraft caused the crash. It now says it is unlikely that either weight or balance was the primary cause of the crash. The original report, in May 2012, by the TAIC blamed the crash on the pilot, the company that operated the plane, the firm that modified the converted topdressing plane and industry regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The Commission today said that its decision to allow key parts of the plane wreckage to be buried, just three days after the crash, had limited its ability to determine the true cause of the accident. But TAIC is refusing to apologise to the families of victims. Chief Commissioner Helen Cull QC said the commission's actions in reviewing its own findings spoke louder than words. Ms Cull told a news conference in Wellington this afternoon she had complete confidence in her management team, even though there had been shortcomings with the crash investigation. She said the true cause of the accident may never be known. Ms Cull said a shortage of people and money had been addressed, with more than $1 million of new funding and additional investigators being hired. The Commission today said that its decision to allow key parts of the plane wreckage to be buried, just three days after the crash, had limited its ability to determine the true cause of the accident. The review, commisioned by TAIC, said that the possibility of a mechanical failure could not be ruled out, but the state of the control structure parts, which were buried for three and half years, was such that the true cause may never be found. The review said additional damage to the plane wreckage was caused by it being moved three times during the course of the investigation. Serious questions about the conduct of the investigation were raised at the inquest into the crash and independent air crash investigators have since highlighted a number of problems with the investigation and its original conclusions. These doubts led an investigative team from TV3 to uncover the wreckage of the plane, which was then trucked to Christchurch and made available to TAIC for further examination. TAIC subsequently comissioned the independent review. The review found resourcing at the accident site was inadequate, procedures for controlling and handling evidence should have been better and further testing and analysis should have been done. The review said Commission staff had responded to the criticisms and overall accepted its conclusions. TAIC said the investigation had been undertaken under difficult circumstances. "The investigator in charge was the only available Commission air investigator on that day. He attended the accident from Christchurch while continuing to deal with the aftermath of a major earthquake (on the same day as the accident) that had affected his home and family." But it said the benefit of reviewing the investigation was to fix any gaps and strengthen its operating procedures and it said actions had been taken to address the gaps identified by the review. These included: - Seeking more government money to better resource investigations, including employing additional investigators and contracting experts to undertake detailed testing where required. - Ensuring at least two accident investigators go to every site and that they have a mix of technical and operational investigative skills. Independent investigator Andrew McGregor helped the media team excavate the wreckage and said by not doing a full new report, the Commission was trying to bury its own failings. "It is a complete backdown and they should have written a proper report really, I think they're trying to patch over the original report by adding an addendum or something extra, but they should have re-written it." Family of crash victim highly critical of TAIC Overseas relatives of the crash victims have also been highly critical of the Commission's handling of the crash investigation. Chris Coker, whose son Bradley was one of the nine people killed, told Nine to Noon he was angry that the real cause of the crash may never be known. "It's difficult enough to lose your child in an instance like this, but to have no redress, and to be lied to, is just very, very, very painful. "It's a complete and utter breach of trust." He said at the time the families were told by the authorities that all the wreckage had been taken to a "safe location" when in fact it had already been buried. He said both TAIC and CAA should face some action. "When you're responsible for someone else's life, it's not acceptable that you can carry on like this," he said. The aircraft control column - buried with other vital control systems only 3 days after the crash. http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/288291/no-apology-for-families-of-sky-dive- crash-victims Back to Top TAIC won't apologise to Fox Glacier crash victims' families (New Zealand) The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has for the first time admitted making a string of mistakes while investigating the 2010 Fox Glacier air crash. Nine people died when their skydiving plane crashed and burst into flames shortly after take-off. Investigations by TV3's 3D programme led to an official review, which has found investigators got the cause of the crash wrong, and mishandled evidence. "Our actions are speaking louder than words," said TAIC Commissioner Helen Cull. "We have said if there is something wrong with the process, let's look at it and let's review it, let's get more resources." Lack of resources is one issue identified in TAIC's review of the crash - that review was initiated after 3D dug up large parts of the plane when it was revealed investigators allowed crucial components to be buried just four days after the accident. TAIC now accepts it made mistakes, including that it took 27 hours to get an investigator to the scene, the investigation team was short staffed, the scene examination was "unduly short", and the wreck was released prematurely. "From day one, every single pilot and aviation I talked to said they had it wrong," says one of the victim's son's, Jake Millar. "They thought they had it right. It took a team of journalists from 3D for them to come and say 'no, you guys do have it wrong'." "What people can have confidence in is that some gaps were identified and now have been addressed," says Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss. So what about the cause of the crash? TAIC originally stated: "The most likely reason for crash was the plane being excessively out of balance". But now it's changed that, saying balance issues were not the most significant factor. It said the plane pitched up uncontrollably, but now states the plane was in fact controllable. TAIC also initially ruled out technical defects. The review now says technical defects cannot be excluded. "When they're burying evidence three or four days after the crash and then saying no technical defects were identified, I think that speaks for [itself]. It's bad practice," says Mr Millar. "They've completely changed their mind on the cause of the crash," says independent air crash investigator Andrew McGregor. So what did cause the crash? Well, TAIC says it may never know. Mr McGregor thinks the crash report should be completely rewritten to reflect that. "They got the cause wrong, now they are trying to patch it up by adding a bit to the original report," he says. "What they should do is start from scratch, rewrite it, this time compressively in accordance with international best practice guidelines." The Commission says it won't apologise to the families of the victims - but is taking action to stop any future botch ups, including hiring more investigators and having a default policy of retaining and securing all wreckage and evidence. http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/taic-wont-apologise-to-fox-glacier-crash-victims- families-2015102917#ixzz3pxTQaTwh 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 China buys Airbus jets worth $17B during Merkel visit German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, speaks as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang looks on during an ASEM high-level meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. (Muneyoshi Someya/Pool Photo via AP) (Associated Press) BEIJING - China has committed to buying 130 Airbus jets worth $17 billion during a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Merkel and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also attended the signing Thursday of agreements between Nokia Corp. and phone carrier China Mobile Ltd. and between Volkswagen AG and a Chinese bank, ICBC Ltd. The China Foreign Exchange Trade System and Deutsche Borse, which operates the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, also agreed to set up a joint venture. Such agreements are a fixture of foreign leaders' visits to China and are meant to emphasize the commercial benefits of amicable relations with the world's second-largest economy. The Airbus sale calls for China to buy 30 A330 jets and 100 A320 jets. Airbus has headquarters in France and Germany and employs 15,000 people at its German factory. Merkel, who was on her eighth visit to China since taking office in 2005, endorsed the addition of China's yuan to the basket of currencies used by the International Monetary Fund, along with the dollar, the euro, the pound and the yen. That change would have limited practical effect but is sought by Beijing as a symbol of China's rising status in the global economy. Merkel also said Germany wants to play a role in operating the Chinese-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Berlin is a founding member of the bank proposed by Beijing to finance construction of ports, railways and other trade-related infrastructure. The German leader said Berlin "would like to make our own contributions" to Chinese-led initiatives to expand trade links between Asian countries and between the region and Europe. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/china-buys-airbus-jets-worth-17b-during- merkel-visit/2015/10/29/8c29038c-7e19-11e5-bfb6-65300a5ff562_story.html Back to Top Supersonic jet promises travel from London to New York in half an hour The Skreemr would hit speeds of over 10 times the speed of sound and take passengers from London to New York in just a half hour. (Charles Bombardier) There's been a lot of news lately about faster air travel with the release of a bevy of plans for supersonic jets. But designers of a concept aircraft named Skreemr say their aircraft could fly passengers from London to New York in an unbelievable half an hour. Charles Bombardier and Ray Mattison say scramjet technology would be used for the Skreemr's engines that uses the speed of the aircraft to forcefully compress the incoming air for engine combustion instead of from a tank on board. Scramjets are designed to be smaller, lighter and faster, which will allow the Skreemr to hit speeds exceeding Mach 10 - 10 times the speed of sound --or around 7,673mph, The Globe and Mail reported. Bombardier, who came up with the idea for the Skreemr's sleek design, envisions a 75- passengers in luxury craft with four wings and two large rockets on the rear. The Skreemr would be launched at very high speed with the help of a magnetic railgun launching system and liquid-oxygen or kerosene rockets would be fired to enable the plane to rapidly climb higher in the sky and reach Mach 4, which is around twice the speed of Concorde. The craft could be launched using a magnetic railgun system to catapult it into the sky at high speed. (Charles Bombardier) While Bombardier came up with the idea, Mattison, from Design Eye-Q in Minnesota, created the renderings of the concept. So far, scramjet technology is being tested in the the U.S. and China for military purposes, so it's unclear if the Skreemr would be used for commercial flights. Earlier this month, designs for the Concorde 2, based on a patent awarded to Airbus in July appeared, which would travel at 4.5 times the speed of sound and could take people between London and New York in one hour --three times faster than the original Concorde, which made its final flight in 2003. Meanwhile, a group of Concorde enthusiasts, called Club Concorde, made up of ex-pilots, airline executives and have pledged $250 million to get the legendary jet back in the air by 2019. http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2015/10/28/supersonic-jet-promises-travel-from- london-to-new-york-in-half-hour/ Back to Top Japan Government Approves Mitsubishi Regional Jet's First Flight Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. Unveils First MRJ Passenger Jet After Four-Year Delay The Mitsubishi Regional Jet passenger aircraft. Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg Company will start taxiing tests before first flight Regional jet is set to launch during the week of Nov. 9 Japan's government gave approval for Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp.'s new passenger jet to fly, opening the way for its first flight in the week of Nov. 9. Mitsubishi Aircraft will perform high-speed taxiing tests and evaluations before the first flight, the company and its parent, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., said in a statement Thursday. The planemaker, based at Nagoya airport in central Japan, said last month it would put off the first flight to November, its fifth delay, to make improvements to a flight pedal in the cockpit. Mitsubishi Aircraft has tapped bullet-train specialists to ensure the completion of the jet as it competes with Brazil's Embraer SA and Canada's Bombardier Inc. in the market for planes with fewer than 100 seats. The company has won 407 orders, including options and purchase rights, for its two types of planes, which seat 78 to 92 passengers. ANA Holdings Inc., Japan's largest airline, is the first buyer, while the two biggest customers are SkyWest Inc. and Trans States Airlines Inc. in North America. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-29/japan-government-approves- mitsubishi-regional-jet-s-first-flight Back to Top Swiss-built business jet to compete against Cessna Citations Swiss airplane maker Pilatus first flew its PC-24 business jet in May. First deliveries of the jet are set for 2017. Swiss airplane maker Pilatus first flew its PC-24 business jet in May. First deliveries of the jet are set for 2017. KCAC Aviation's Angelo Fiataruolo stands next to Pilatus' PC-24 business jet mockup at the 2014 National Business Aviation Association Convention. KCAC Aviation's Angelo Fiataruolo stands next to Pilatus' PC-24 business jet mockup at the 2014 National Business Aviation Association Convention. KCAC Aviation Courtesy photo Angelo Fiataruolo can't wait for Olathe-based KCAC Aviation to receive its first Pilatus PC-24 business jet. Fiataruolo, principal and general manager of KCAC, said of the first five PC-24s his company has been allotted to sell, four of them are already spoken for. "These are very substantial, non-refundable deposits ... so they are firm orders," Fiataruolo said. Pilatus' first entry into the business jet market, the PC-24, will mean some competition for Wichita's Textron Aviation and its Cessna Citation business jets. The PC-24 achieved first flight in May, and since then its test program has racked up about 100 flight hours, according to Pilatus. Deliveries of the PC-24 are set to begin in 2017. In the U.S. those deliveries will begin in the second half of 2017, Fiataruolo said. "It's going to be a barn burner, same as the 12 has been," he added. The 12 that Fiataruolo speaks of is the PC-12, Pilatus' single-engine turboprop that since its introduction in the U.S. in 1994 has been good business for KCAC, which has fixed- base operations at Johnson County Executive Airport in Olathe and Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield, Mo. KCAC is one of six U.S. authorized sales and service centers for Pilatus, a Swiss airplane maker. Its nine-state sales territory includes Kansas. "The PC-12 has meant a doubling in revenue: from 2003 to today ... we're north of $50 million in revenue," he said. "My forecast at end of 2020 - when I can order as many PC- 24s as I want - we will have doubled again, north of $100 million (in revenue). So it means that much to us." Fiataruolo said the jet's 500-cubic-feet cabin, a 1,950-nautical-mile range with four passengers, short takeoff capability on unpaved runways and a large cargo door borrowed from the PC-12 makes the PC-24 "just a lot of airplane for the money." The list price on the jet is just below $9 million, he said. Fiataruolo said he thinks the PC-24 will complete directly with the Cessna Citation XLS- Plus, while aviation forecaster Rolland Vincent thinks it also will compete with the Citation CJ4. Vincent said Pilatus has a good reputation in the industry. "It's a very capable company," Vincent said. "They're privately held and very systematic. They kind of do one thing at a time, and do it very well." Vincent said Pilatus has built a strong following around the PC-12, noted for its low operating costs and high reliability. "The customers who have bought them are raving fans," he said. "And the aircraft hold their value better than any other aircraft in the market." That will make the PC-24 competition for Cessna. "It's definitely going to cause people to look," Vincent said. The challenge for Pilatus will be getting corporate flight departments interested in its jet. It's a customer base where Cessna has made significant inroads, he said. Pilatus' sales strength has been in the owner-operator market, Vincent said. "It's their first jet design, but they don't have a lot of experience, a lot of success" with corporate flight departments, Vincent said. Pilatus said in May it has 84 orders for the jet. http://www.kansas.com/news/business/aviation/article41679585.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top Russian space agency want to send humans to the moon by 2029 The United States might not have much interest in getting humans back to the moon, but it seems Russia wants to set boots on our lunar neighbor within the next 14 years. RT News is reporting The Russian Federal Space Agency, aka Roscosmos, is gearing up to land a manned mission on the moon by 2029. If all goes well, Russia is also in talks with China to establish a manned lunar station beyond that. Russian scientists are already hard at work on designing the country's new spacecraft, which they hope to fire off for a test flight as soon as 2021. From there, they'd like to dock the craft at the International Space Station by 2023, then send an uncrewed ship to the moon in 2025. After that, they hope to load up a team and send humans there by 2029. If Russia goes ahead with the plan, it'll mark the first time in 57 years (at that point) humans have been back since the Apollo missions. With Russia apparently gearing up for a moon trip, the European Space Agency has apparently signed on to piggyback a rover mission as part of its own push to return humans to the moon. China also wants to land humans on the moon in the mid-2020s, though those plans are a bit less definitive. So, basically every space agency except for NASA is fired up for the moon. Which, sure, they've already been there. But, still: Here's hoping we actually make it to Mars at some point (no pressure, guys). For those keeping score, NASA is currently aiming to have humans on Mars by the 2030s. So, once that eventually rolls around, they might be able to stop off for lunch at a Russian moon colony on the way. http://www.blastr.com/2015-10-28/russian-space-agency-want-send-humans-moon- 2029 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 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