Flight Safety Information November 20, 2015 - No. 233 In This Issue Embry-Riddle Brasil and CFLY Aviation Announce at NBAA Convention Their New Partnership FAA slaps Martinaire Aviation of Addison with a $509,180 proposed fine Missing Flight MH370 Search Update: Increased Demand From Airlines For Inflight Tracking Systems Laser beam directed at cockpit of landing aircraft Aircraft Laser Strikes Soar To All-Time High Russian investigators: Air Samara pilots blamed for landing accident Jet Blue flight at LAX halted for "unauthorized person" PROS 2015 TRAINING Emirates' 617-Seat Jet Gets Rid of First Class Completely Jet-Propelled 3D-Printed Drone Claims Speed Record Dassault Falcon Jet Completes New Little Rock Expansion LETOURNEAU UNIVERSITY EXPANDS AVIATION EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES IN DFW WITH NEW PARTNERSHIPS Graduate Research Survey Research Survey Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Embry-Riddle Brasil and CFLY Aviation Announce at NBAA Convention Their New Partnership in Delivering Aviation Education and Training in Brazil Francisco Lyra of CFlY Aviation, signs an MOU with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Interim President Dr. John Watret and Fabio Campos, university liason to Brazil, at NBAA 2015. In a signing event at the 2015 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Nev., Embry-Riddle Brasil and CFLY Aviation representatives set the seal on a new partnership to provide aviation education and training in Brazil. The memorandum of understanding, which was signed by Embry-Riddle's liaison to Brazil, Fabio Campos, and CFLY partner, Francisco Lyra, and attended by the university's Interim President, Dr. John Watret, merges the extensive aviation knowledge of the world's largest aerospace university with the combined knowledge of 135 years of aviation expertise and extensive hands-on experience of the Brazil-based aviation consulting company. "It's in our best interests to combine our complementary strengths," Lyra said. "CFLY has the expertise in the Brazilian aviation market and plans to establish an aviation school in Brazil and Embry-Riddle has 90 years of experience in serving the global aerospace industry and plans to expand in Brazil." Embry-Riddle and CFLY initially will offer professional education for working adults in the subjects of aviation business, aviation operations and air traffic management. Embry- Riddle has already offered its first professional program in Brazil earlier this Fall. The Human Factors in Aviation was a five-week long course delivered online and in- classroom and had students from different sectors of the industry. A broader range of Embry-Riddle's programs could be available in the future. Brazilian students may also take Embry-Riddle courses online or at the university's residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., or Prescott, Ariz. "Embry-Riddle's involvement with aviation education and training in Brazil dates back nearly 72 years, to World War II, when the university assisted Brazil's air force in establishing the Aviation Technical School in São Paulo," said Embry-Riddle Interim President Dr. John R. Watret. "We're glad to be back, and excited to help prepare the professionals required by the expanding Brazilian aviation market." Embry-Riddle Brasil's office is scheduled to open April 2016. The office will house the university's operation in South America, including business development, corporate relations, and recruitment. CFLY is currently constructing the Catarina International Airport in São Paulo. Scheduled to open by the end of next year, it will be Brazil's first 100 percent publicly operated airport solely for corporate aviation and will feature FBOs, hangars and maintenance facilities. Media Contact: Fabio Campos, University Liaison to Brazil, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Sao Paulo, Brazil; +55 (19) 99919-8099; (386) 344-4259; fabio.campos@erau.edu About CFLY Aviation CFLY Aviation is an aviation consulting company based in São Paulo, Brazil. The company has more than seven years of experience and a combined 135 years of expertise in aviation, both public and private. CFLY successfully operated a 150,000-square-mile apron at Rio de Janeiro's International Airport during Brazil's 2014 Soccer World Cup and partnered with Greenwich Aerogroup's Brazilian Helicopter Operation to provide transportation services during the event. CFLY is also a strategic partner of Jet Aviation in Brazil. CFLY's services include aircraft and fleet management, aircraft brokerage, infrastructure and hangar management, flight crew management and recruitment and staff management. CFLY also has its own maintenance crew for its 25 First Class Group aircraft, 15 ultra-long-range aircraft and 50 pilots. For more information go to www.cflyaviation.com. http://news.erau.edu/top-news/embry-riddle-brasil-and-cfly-aviation-announce-at-nbaa- convention-their-new-partnership-in-delivering-aviation-education-and-training-in- brazil#sthash.ITuHeAgm.dpuf Back to Top FAA slaps Martinaire Aviation of Addison with a $509,180 proposed fine The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday proposed a $509,180 fine against Martinaire Aviation of Addison for allegedly violating hazardous material regulations in 2013. The FAA charges the cargo carrier with failing to comply with "Notification to Pilot-In- Command" requirements for hazardous materials, such as ammunition and toxic, corrosive and flammable materials, on board its aircraft for 43 flights between Oct. 1, 2013 and Dec. 3, 2013. The agency discovered the alleged violations during a comprehensive hazardous materials inspection at the company's headquarters. The FAA said Martinaire has asked to meet to discuss the case. Phone calls to Martinaire executives were not immediately returned on Thursday. "NOPICs document critical information about hazardous materials," FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said in a statement. "Their purpose is to provide pilots and emergency responders with complete information about hazardous materials on aircraft for emergency response purposes." Martinaire's website says most of its operations are daily scheduled flights for freight forwarders to more than 60 U.S. cities via a fleet of 30 the Cessna CE-208B Super Cargomaster single-engine turboprop aircraft. It also provides charter cargo services, aircraft maintenance services and parts sales. The company has offered scheduled cargo service since 1978. It has 95 pilots, maintenance technicians, aircraft dispatchers and other employees, according to its website. http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2015/11/faa-slaps-martinaire-aviation-of-addison- with-a-509180-proposed-fine.html/ Back to Top Missing Flight MH370 Search Update: Increased Demand From Airlines For Inflight Tracking Systems Ground crew members work among Malaysia Airlines planes on the runway at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, July 25, 2014. Reuters Regional airlines in Southeast Asia are increasingly implementing inflight tracking systems, Air Transport World reported Thursday. In the aftermath of the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, carriers including Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines have reportedly signed up for SITA's Aircom composite flight tracking tool, and smaller airlines have chosen similar systems. "We have seen some 20-30 airlines take up [Aircom] so far, and the ICAO mandate for regular time-stamped reporting next year will only push that number," said IT specialist and SITA Aircraft Solutions senior manager George Hitchins, Air Transport World reported. [The ICAO is the International Civil Aviation Organization, an agency of the United Nations.] After the MH370 disappearance in March 2014, Hitchins said airlines have begun to "realize they had a hole in their reporting" once jets were in the air, Hitchins said. The U.N. has also responded to the disappearance of MH370. Earlier this month, the U.N.'s World Radio Communication Conference agreed to allow satellites to receive specialized transmissions that aircraft currently send to other planes and to ground stations. The transmissions will be transmitted to satellites, which will allow real-time tracking of flights anywhere in the world, the Christian Science Monitor reported. The U.N. also set a deadline of November 2016 for adopting new tracking guidelines, including requiring aircraft to send their positions at least every 15 minutes -- or more in an emergency. "This extends ADS-B signals beyond line-of-sight to facilitate reporting the position of aircraft equipped with ADS-B anywhere in the world, including oceanic, polar and other remote areas," the U.N.'s International Telecommunication Union's Radiocommunication Bureau said in a statement, the Christian Science Monitor reported. MH370, a Boeing 777-200, disappeared in March 2014 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing, with 239 people aboard. The only remnant of the plane -- a wing part called a flaperon -- was found in September on France's Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. http://www.ibtimes.com/missing-flight-mh370-search-update-increased-demand- airlines-inflight-tracking-2193100 Back to Top Laser beam directed at cockpit of landing aircraft Police are investigating two incidents in which a laser beam was directed at the cockpit of two All Nippon Airways (ANA) aircraft as they were landing at Itami Airport in Osaka last month. According to police, the first incident involved a Boeing 737 plane arriving from Matsuyama at around 6:50 p.m. on Oct 17, Fuji TV reported The pilot noticed a laser beam hitting the cockpit window when the aircraft was 300 meters above the runway. The laser beam did not get in the pilot's eyes and the aircraft - with 107 passengers and crew aboard-managed to land safely. The second incident occurred 50 minutes later, involving an ANA aircraft which was at an altitude of 1,300 meters. Police are investigating the incidents as a case of forcible obstruction of business. http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/laser-beam-directed-at-cockpit-of- landing-aircraft Back to Top Aircraft Laser Strikes Soar To All-Time High Despite the threat of hefty punishment, laser pointers remain cheap and offenders are rarely caught. People increasingly are pointing lasers at aircraft, despite hefty fines and prison sentences for those who are caught. On one night this month, aviation authorities logged 20 laser strikes in at least 16 cities, adding to the year's already record number of strikes. The Federal Aviation Administration has reported 5,352 laser strikes in 2015 through Oct. 16, compared with 3,894 in all of 2014. The surge may have to do with the cheap price of laser pointers and their easy availability, said Tammy Jones, an FAA spokeswoman. The tiny lasers -- the kind you see in work meetings -- appear harmless, but when their light hits the windshield of an airliner cockpit, they can completely blind pilots. "We suffered flash blindness, after-imaging and then retinal burning that continued on for a while," pilot Robert Hamilton told CBS News, describing five laser strikes he's experienced as his crews were either taking off or landing. "We have to complete checklists, configure the aircraft, change our speed, change our pitch attitude, prepare the aircraft for landing or taking off, and at that moment to have our vision taken away from us, which is the most critical phase of flight is a very serious safety risk." Federal measures against air strikes include fines of up to $250,000 and up to 20 years in prison. In 2014, the FBI piloted a reward program offering $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of "any individual who aims a laser at an aircraft." Still, those perpetrating the crimes are rarely punished. Since 2005, 162 people have been arrested for laser strikes and only 86 have been convicted -- distressingly low figures compared with the thousands of laser strikes over the decade. Most aircraft aren't equipped to locate the source of lasers. And sometimes, charges against those who are caught are dropped because perpetrators don't fully understand the potential danger of their actions. Offenders are typically males, from teenagers to men in their 50s, according to the FAA. A news helicopter for the NBC affiliate in New York City was hit by a laser last week. A bright green light filled the cockpit as the helicopter flew over Prospect Heights. An NYPD helicopter was hit by a laser strike nearby around the same time. The NBC helicopter's camera crew aimed the lens at the laser source, filming the perpetrators in the act. Police caught two people and charged one with reckless endangerment. On the same night, three aircraft near Dallas Love Field also were hit by laser strikes. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/aircraft-laser- strikes_56460cb2e4b08cda348871ec Back to Top Russian investigators: Air Samara pilots blamed for landing accident Moscow-based Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) has blamed Air Samara pilots for the hard landing accident of a Beechcraft B300 on Nov. 25, 2014. The aircraft, which belongs to State Transport Leasing Co., made a hard landing without gear at Samara Kurumoch International Airport. There were no passengers on board during the technical flight and the pilots were not injured. According to IAC statement, the crew missed the standard operation of gear extension while landing and did not respond the alarm warning the landing gear was not extended, which led to the hard landing without gear. The aircraft rolled off the runway and was seriously damaged. Authorities accused the carrier of failing to comply with rules on flight information collection and analysis. Air Samara's air operator's certificate was suspended shortly after the incident and canceled in February 2015. http://atwonline.com/safety/russian-investigators-air-samara-pilots-blamed-landing- accident *************** Status: Preliminary - official Date: Tuesday 25 November 2014 Time: 22:51 Type: Beechcraft B300 Super King Air 350 Operator: Air Samara Registration: RA-02778 C/n / msn: FL-857 First flight: 2013 Total airframe hrs: 102 Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Samara-Kurumoch International Airport (KUF) ( Russia) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Cargo Departure airport: Ulyanovsk-Vostochny Airport (ULY/UWLW), Russia Destination airport: Samara-Kurumoch International Airport (KUF/UWWW), Russia Narrative: A Beechcraft B300 Super King Air 350 sustained damage in a landing accident at Samara-Kurumoch International Airport (KUF), Russia. Both pilots were not injured. During an ILS approach to runway 23 at Samara, the flaps were selected. However the crew did not use the Final Approach Checklist. They forgot to lower the undercarriage and did not check the position during final approach. The airplane's EGPWS issued several warnings: "Too Low Gear", "Caution Terrain", "Too Low Terrain", and "Terrain Ahead Pull Up". The flight crew assumed these warning were false and ignored them. The aircraft landed gear up and slid to the right off the side of the runway. There was no fire. http://www.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20141125-0 Back to Top Jet Blue flight at LAX halted for "unauthorized person" An "unauthorized person" who turned out to be an off-duty pilot trying to catch a flight delayed a JetBlue flight to New York several hours while the plane was searched by police and a bomb squad. LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- An "unauthorized person" delayed a JetBlue flight at Los Angeles International Airport several hours Thursday while the plane was searched by police and a bomb squad, airport police said. The plane, which had no crew or passengers at the time, was searched as well as the terminal. The person was eventually found to be an off-duty pilot trying to catch a flight to New York, officials said. JetBlue flight 24 to New York was scheduled to depart at 6:30 a.m. An LAX worker reported talking to a man in a pilot's uniform at 6 a.m. on one of the terminal's jet bridges, a secured ramp passengers and crew use to get between the terminal gate and plane when boarding and un-boarding. The man then walked away. Because there were no passengers or crew aboard the plane at the time, the worker mistook the man as someone masquerading as a pilot and called the airport police. "Out of an abundance of caution, aircraft and luggage onboard flight 24 from LAX to JFK are being rescreened following a potential security issue," JetBlue said in a statement. The plane was towed to the west end of the airfield and inspected by the bomb squad. Once the plane and its baggage was cleared at 10:15 a.m., the plane was towed back to the terminal and left for New York at 11:30 a.m. The off-duty pilot was listed on the flight manifest for what is called a "non-revenue" flight, a perk some airlines allow in which pilots can fly free, said Robert Pedregon of LAX's airport police. But because the off-duty pilot, who has not been named, decided he didn't want to wait for that flight and took another to New York, it took much longer for police to figure out what happened. "Bomb, terrorists - in this day and age that's the first thing that goes through my mind, something going down at the airport and it can't be good," JetBlue passenger Pam Biscoe said. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2015/11/19/Jet-Blue-flight-at-LAX-halted-for- unauthorized-person/9921447981620/ Back to Top Back to Top Emirates' 617-Seat Jet Gets Rid of First Class Completely It's Emirates A380s as far as the eye can see at Dubai Airport. Emirates' newest airplane isn't the most luxurious or even the most efficient; it's simply the most packed. Will legroom be the first sacrifice in the plan to squeeze more fliers onboard? If dealing with two seat mates on a plane full of a couple hundred passengers can be stressful, we can only wonder what it will be like to fly the newest double-decker Airbus A380 recently delivered to Dubai-based Emirates Airline. This aircraft seats a whopping 617 people, a new capacity record! Although the plane isn't the biggest in the world, it currently holds the largest number of passengers. How is it possible? The good news is that Emirates isn't shrinking the seats to fit more onboard, but rather removing their whole first class (and that onboard shower Jennifer Aniston loves) and reducing business class to simply increase the number of standard economy seats. Thankfully, as RGN notes, the situation could be much worse: "Even with nearly 80 more passengers more than the 538 of previous A380 record holder Air France, Emirates' high-density super jumbo isn't even starting to approach the 853-passenger certification maximum for the A380." Once on the plane, passengers likely won't be able to tell the difference. Legroom will be the same as on other Emirates A380s at 32 inches, and the personal, on-demand in- flight entertainment (with AC power outlets and USB ports) and complimentary hot meals aren't going anywhere. And, with more seats available, there's always the potential for lower airfares or more frequent sales to the destinations featuring the higher density A380. Speaking of, the 617-seat plane will begin flying December 1 on the Dubai to Copenhagen route, with plans for Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur as well. http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2015-11-19/emirates-617-seat-jet-gets-rid-of-first- class-completely Back to Top Jet-Propelled 3D-Printed Drone Claims Speed Record A new jet-powered drone might be the most complex flying machine ever built using 3D printing. The drone, which made its debut at the Dubai Airshow earlier this month, looks nothing like your average 3D-printed toy plane. It has a 9-foot-long (3 meters) wingspan and an aerodynamic design that gives it a futuristic appearance. But about 80 percent of the sleek, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is designed and manufactured using 3D printing methods, according to Aurora Flight Sciences and Stratasys, the companies that developed the drone. The UAV weighs just 33 lbs. (15 kilograms) and can fly at speeds exceeding 150 mph (241 km/h). [The 10 Weirdest Things Created by 3D Printing] "To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest, fastest and most complex 3D-printed UAV ever produced," Dan Campbell, aerospace research engineer at Aurora Flight Sciences, said in a statement. The inside of the drone's wing.Pin It A close-up look at the inside of the 3D printed drone's wing. The drone consists of several hollow parts that were produced using a common 3D printing process known as fused deposition modeling (FDM), in which a molten plastic material is extruded, layer by layer, onto a surface to form an object. "Aurora's UAV is clear evidence of FDM's ability to build a completely enclosed, hollow structure which, unlike other manufacturing methods, allows large - yet less dense - objects to be produced," Scott Sevcik, developmentmanager at Stratasys, said in a statement. Some parts of the aircraft were made using 3D printing methods other than FDM, such as laser sintering, or SLS, a process in which small bits of material are heated up so that they fuse together to form an object. SLS is often used to print small, highly technical parts in metal. Yet, most of the new drone was printed in ultem, a resilient (and flame- resistant) thermoplastic resin. Overall, 3D printing helped cut in half the time it took to design and build the drone, Sevcik said. And production of the custom plane was cheaper using these methods compared to traditional manufacturing methods, according to Stratasys. Aurora's plane demonstrates how useful 3D printing can be for printing lightweight aircraft like drones, Sevcik said. And he's not the only one who thinks so. This high-tech manufacturing method has been used to print several other UAVs, as well. In August, a slightly smaller 3D-printed drone was launched from the deck of a British warship. Developed by engineers at the University of Southampton, in the United Kingdom, the plane has a 4-foot (1.2 m) wingspan, can reach speeds of 60 mph (97 km/h) and is very quiet in the air, making it perfect for stealth military missions. These drones could one day be printed aboard ships on an as-needed basis and then launched into action. In 2014, a company called Arch Aerial started manufacturing small, 3D-printed drones that run on open-source flight software, making them useful for a variety of applications - from monitoring crops to scanning the landscape for clues at a potential archaeological dig site. http://www.livescience.com/52853-jet-powered-3d-printed-drone.html Back to Top Dassault Falcon Jet Completes New Little Rock Expansion LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, November 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Facility Now Ready for Falcon 8X, 5X Completions Dassault Falcon Jet has completed another major expansion of its Little Rock Completion Center that will add 350,000 square feet of production space to the Arkansas facility. The centerpiece of the $60 million project is a new 250,000 square foot hangar earmarked for Dassault's latest two models - the Falcon 8X ultra long range trijet and the Falcon 5X very large body twin. The new completion hangar will bring the total facility footprint to 1.25 million square feet. The expansion also includes refurbishment of cabinet, upholstery and headliner shops and an upgrade to older hangars. The grand opening ceremony was attended by Little Rock Mayor, Mark Stodola, Bill and Hillary Clinton Airport Commissioner, Stacy Hurst and Danny Games, Deputy Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. The guests were welcomed by Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO, Eric Trappier, Chief Operating Officer, Loik Segalen, and Dassault Falcon Jet President and CEO, John Rosanvallon. "Little Rock is a Center of Excellence for Dassault and a facility that has long been at the forefront of aviation technology," said Trappier. "Here we combine the most advanced digital completion techniques - which Dassault pioneered - with a level hand craftsmanship unrivaled in business aviation. This is where the distinct personality of each Falcon comes to life." The new expansion follows a $20 million 116,000 square foot upgrade in 2008 that added four new state-of-the-art paint bays, along with new production, design and warehouse space, to accommodate the popular very long range Falcon 7X. Today, Dassault Falcon Jet employs 1,850 people at the facility. In 2010, Dassault Falcon Jet received approval from the FAA for the use of 3D data during the completion process, making it the first OEM to receive approval for both 3D type design and completion. In addition to enhancing quality, 3D completion provides an opportunity for the customer to visualize the final configuration of the aircraft. "These investments reflect Dassault's wholehearted commitment to the city of Little Rock, one that goes back over 40 years," said Rosanvallon. "Over that time span, the Little Rock plant has grown by leaps and bounds and is now the largest industrial facility in the Dassault network. I like to say that every moment of every day there is a piece of Little Rock flying someplace in the world thanks to the work done here." History of Little Rock The history of the Little Rock facility dates back to 1975. In that year, Falcon Jet Corp. - then a Dassault Aviation/Pan American Airways joint venture - purchased Little Rock Airmotive, a 61,500 square foot hangar and office facility, and integrated it into its global production line. In the early seventies, FedEx founder Fred Smith had used Little Rock Airmotive to convert a fleet of Falcon 20 aircraft to cargo transports that he used to launch his now famous overnight delivery service. So when Falcon Jet Corp. acquired the facility, its workforce was already familiar with the Falcon product line. Making Little Rock even more attractive was a large pool of artisans skilled in cabinetry, carpentry, leather goods, upholstery and a range of other related activities. Notes for Editors Dassault Falcon is the recognized global brand for Dassault business jets which are designed, manufactured and supported by Dassault Aviation and Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. About Dassault Aviation Dassault Aviation is a leading aerospace company with a presence in over 90 countries across five continents. It produces the Rafale fighter jet as well as the complete line of Falcons. The company employs a workforce of over 11,000 and has assembly and production plants in both France and the United States and service facilities around the globe. Since the rollout of the first Falcon 20 in 1963, over 2,380 Falcon jets have been delivered. Dassault offers a range of six business jets from the twin-engine 3,350 nm large-cabin Falcon 2000S to its new flagship, the tri-engine 6,450 nm ultra-long range Falcon 8X. About Dassault Falcon Jet Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. is a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, France. Dassault Falcon Jet markets and supports the Falcon family of business jets throughout North and South America. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dassault-falcon-jet-completes-new-little- rock-expansion-552072161.html Back to Top LETOURNEAU UNIVERSITY EXPANDS AVIATION EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES IN DFW WITH NEW PARTNERSHIPS LeTourneau University signed agreements Monday with Collin College and McKinney Independent School District that will expand the aviation education opportunities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The agreements were signed at LETU's new educational center located at McKinney National Airport, 1500 Industrial Blvd., where students are in their first semester of taking aviation-related courses. LETU moved into the space during this past year and will begin offering flight training in January 2016. "The whole objective of engaging in this partnership is to ensure that students can earn their college degree with half the financial investment in half the time, yet still receive a world-class education as a professional aviator," said LETU Provost and Executive Vice- President Dr. Philip Coyle. "This can all be done through this three-way partnership." LETU Dean of Aviation Fred Ritchey says this accelerated educational pathway specifically for students interested in becoming professional pilots is new. "To my knowledge, this is the first agreement of this type in the state of Texas," Ritchey said. The Articulation Agreement signed Monday allows MISD students access to dual-credit courses that will allow them the potential to earn an associate's degree from Collin College and up to 15 aviation credit hours, including flight training, with LeTourneau University that transfer directly to LeTourneau University's Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management. "I'm looking forward to showing the nation that we can graduate high school students who have not only completed high school graduation requirements but an associate degree toward completing their Bachelor of Aviation Management degree in two years post high school," said Tamy Smalskas, senior director of college and career readiness. "Why not develop dual credit opportunities to lesson tuition costs for high school students?" The district's aviation program has taken off over the last four years, growing from about 40 students in 2011 to 200 by 2013. Since then, the number of students interested in aviation has remained strong. The presence of an FAA-approved flight simulator on which students can log a portion of their flight training hours, can help save students and their parents a lot of money. The new agreement will open more opportunities for MISD student to take dual credit core content area courses through Collin College and earn an associate's degree, and all of those courses are transferrable to a bachelor's degree in aviation at LeTourneau. Basically, LeTourneau and Collin College are partnering on their courses for our students, and we're partnering with LeTourneau in the aviation field." Collin College plans to expand the number of these kinds of fast-track programs. "The relationship that Collin College and LeTourneau University has created for aviation is the beginning of many to follow," said Kandi Hoye-Nixon of Collin College." We will continue to work together to provide quality education to our residents at an affordable cost." http://www.letu.edu/opencms/opencms/news/2015/Mckinney.html Back to Top Graduate Research Survey Dear Colleagues, I am a mature part time student at City University in London, in the final stages of completing my (self funded) Masters Degree in 'Air Safety Management'. As a part of my degree I have chosen to undertake a study on the constructs surrounding the current approach to 'Airworthiness and Safety orientated Expositions (AOC and Continuing Airworthiness), Repair Station Manuals, Processes, Procedures and Forms we all have to use, and show compliance with, in our day to day working lives. I appreciate that you will more than likely have been asked to take part in such surveys previously, and, as a consequence, are probably a little ambivalent to completing this one. However, my plan is to under take one-to-one' interviews with Business Leaders, consider ideas derived from the theories of and discussions with academics and, finally, my own forty plus years experience in the industry to establish if there is a case for the rationalisation and definition of a symbiotic relationship between commercial 'Business Management Systems' and 'Safety / Regulatory Governance'. Ultimately to see if there is a common Business Management System framework that can support both Safety and Commercial related needs without the need for multiple, oftentimes contradictory, documents. Something we all should find useful. If you would like to find out more about me, or have a particular interest in the subject and would like to discuss the matter further, please look for me on LinkedIn. Thanks Peter Gidlow https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PGidlow-MScSurvey1 Back to Top Research Survey Dear Aviation Colleagues, ***Survey Link https://purdue.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_8nOzSNWYbDGqIsJ ***(copy directly into web browser if link does not work).*** My name is Tyler Spence. I am a PhD student at Purdue University working with Dr. Mary Johnson in the Purdue School of Aviation and Transportation Technology. In the survey that follows, we are seeking input on flight data analysis that may be derived from aircraft with flight data monitoring capabilities like the Garmin G1000, Avidyne Entegra, or Aspen Evolution 1000. We are seeking your input on how we can use metrics, methods, and prototype graphs to improve safety from GA pilots' perspectives. This effort is a part of an FAA-sponsored research project that is exploring ways to improve General Aviation safety performance using flight data. More specifically, our goal is to develop innovative techniques to analyze and present flight data in ways that are useful and meaningful to GA pilots and operators. We are seeking feedback from anyone who uses the GA system including pilots, maintenance personnel, flight instructors, pilot examiners, aircraft owners (individual or fleet), flight data analysts, and administrators. The survey comprises two main sections: 1) Opinions of flight data monitoring and the use of a national database. This part of the survey should take about 10 minutes to complete. 2) Potential flight analysis graphs and figures that could be included in the application tool. This part of the survey should take about 30 minutes to complete. You are free to not answer any questions, and stop participation in the survey at any time. No personally identifiable information will be collected. All answers reported in analysis will only be in aggregate without any connection to you on any response you may provide. Thank you very much for your participation on this survey. Your responses are greatly appreciated and will hopefully help the aviation industry improve the GA safety record. If you have any questions regarding this survey or the information contained within, please feel free to contact the researchers directly at either spence5@purdue.edu or mejohnson@purdue.edu. Back to Top Upcoming Events: Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Seminar (ERAU) Dec. 8-10, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/uas Gulf Flight Safety Council(GFSC) - Safety Summit December 9-10, 2016 Dubai, UAE www.gfsc.aero 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 6th European Business Aviation Safety Conference 2016 February 23-24, 2016 Frankfurt, Germany www.ebascon.eu 2016 Air Charter Safety Symposium | Safety: A Small Investment for a Rich Future March 8-9, 2016 | NTSB Training Center | Ashburn, VA http://www.acsf.aero/events/acsf-symposium/ CHC Safety & Quality Summit | Back to Basics: Prioritizing Safety in a Challenging Economy April 4-6, 2016 Vancouver, BC www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com BARS Auditor Training Washington, DC Tuesday-Thursday 5-7 April http://flightsafety.org/bars/auditor-training Back to Top JOBS AVAILABLE: Auditors Needed Wyvern Consulting, Ltd James.nicoletti@wyvernltd.com Faculty Position in UAS ERAU - Prescott Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Prescott, Arizona, is now accepting applications for a tenure-track faculty position in support of our new B.S. degree in Unmanned Aircraft Systems. We will begin reviewing application materials on December 1, 2015, and the position will begin in the summer of 2016. ERAU is the world's leader in aviation and aerospace education. The University is an independent, non-profit, culturally diverse institution providing quality education and research in aviation, aerospace, engineering and related fields. The City of Prescott is nestled at an elevation of 5,200' in the central mountains of Arizona and is surrounded by granite mountains and ponderosa pine forests. Prescott's citizens enjoy a mild climate with four distinct seasons and a variety of outdoor activities. As the first territorial capitol of Arizona, Prescott has a rich history and a strong sense of community. The detailed job description and application instructions are available at the following link: Please forward this information to any potential qualified candidates. Sincerely, Curtis N. James, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology Dept. Chair, Applied Aviation Sciences Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Bldg. 74, Room 233 3700 Willow Creek Road Prescott, AZ 86301-3720 Office: (928) 777-6655 Email: Curtis.James@erau.edu Curt Lewis