Flight Safety Information November 27, 2015 - No. 238 In This Issue APPELLATE COURT DECISION BANS...AIR FRANCE 447 CONTRE-EXPERTISE Landing gear collapses as jetliner lands in Mexico City Air Force hires civilian drone pilots for combat patrols; critics question legality JetBlue Eyes Flying-Time Rules With New Pilot-Training Program UK air safety body confirms there is no issue with Loganair Passengers on BA flight which burst into flames in Las Vegas sue plane and engine manufacturers France: Document shows fear of radical airport workers as early as 2004 Man steals woman's boarding pass, checks into flight at Salt Lake airport CASA embarks on restructure to improve service delivery (Australia) PROS 2015 TRAINING First New Fighter Jets to Touch Down in Philippines SpaceLiner concept jet could fly at Mach 25 GAGAN receivers for all aircraft by 2017 (INDIA) This Seattle company's flexible airplane wing design could result in radical fuel savings Global airlines industry predicts China's emergence as largest travel market SIA chief wins top aviation award MEET THE WOMEN CHANGING AFRICA'S AVIATION SECTOR Graduate Research Survey Research Survey Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) APPELLATE COURT DECISION BANS AIR FRANCE 447 CONTRE-EXPERTISE PARIS - A French appellate court has banned judicial use of all research for a Contre-Expertise in the Air France 447 case. Amplifying a November 17 summary decision, the new 42 page opinion was a blistering rejection of an analysis highly favorable to Airbus. The rejected report countered an earlier 700 page investigation into the June 2009 crash of a Rio-Paris Airbus 330 that took 228 lives. The decision also moves the six year old case from Investigative Magistrate Sabine Kheris's court to the Pôle Judiciaire Specialise Dans Les accidents Collectifs. Established in December 2011 at Paris and Marseille, this new court department focuses on mass accidents including airplane crashes. The appellate court assigned the matter to Judges Robinson and Aubertin, who have expertise in these complex cases, similar to American class actions. The new judges can accept the original experts' report, commission a new Contre Expertise, assign the case to a prosecutor or even begin pretrial hearings. Attorneys for Airbus are highly critical of the appellate court's rejection of the Contre Expertise and have already raised the possibility of a further appeal. The appellate court reversed Investigative Magistrate Kheris's decision to turn down a motion to reject the Contre-Expertise from attorneys for Air France and the Association of Families of Victims of Flight 447. In addition the new decision specifically excluded all interviews, documents, mail, emails, test flight data, exhibits and testimony from future hearings in the mass accidents court. Ruling that the Contre-Expertise failed to preserve and balance the constitutional rights of parties representing Air France and families of victims from 32 countries, the decision was highly critical of Investigative Magistrate Kheris's decision. Adding that some of these families do not have legal representation, it held that Kheris was obligated to insure technical experts from opposing sides were fairly represented in the Contre-Expertise. A key issue was the decision of the Contre-Expertise team to exclude Air France and the family association experts from an Airbus 330 check ride demonstrating an approach to stall similar to Air France 447. The appellate court ruled that "this new research and analysis may not be done only within the framework of a Contre-Expertise," that includes just one party in the case. The decision adds that the Contre-Expertise unfairly "deprived Air France ... and the civil parties of their right... to ask, modify or supplement questions... or to include experts of their choice," in this investigation. In many ways the first expert's report filed with the investigative magistrate in 2012 underscored the conclusions of the civilian investigators at the French Bureau Bureau d'Enquętes et d'Analyses Pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile (BEA). After more than three years of research that 2012 BEA document attributed the accident to numerous causes including incorrect flight director indications, loss of angle of attack protection and display to pilots, lack of training on how to handle abnormal air speed indication, absence of any visual information to confirm approach to stall after the loss of limit speeds, erroneous airspeed messages from the electronic centralized aircraft monitor (ECAM) and an obsolete high altitude stall recovery procedure no longer used by the world's airlines. Under the French criminal code, aircraft accidents are considered potential criminal matters that can result in manslaughter prosecution leading to jail time and substantial damages. Back to Top Landing gear collapses as jetliner lands in Mexico City MEXICO CITY (AP) - A landing gear on a Boeing 737 of the Mexican airline Magnicharters partially collapsed as the plane landed at Mexico City's international airport Thursday evening, but no one was injured, authorities said. Emergency crews rushed to the runway after the plane's left-side wheel strut apparently buckled. It was unclear if any sparks or flames occurred during the incident, but photos published by local media showed one landing gear strut bent and collapsed and what appeared to be retardant foam sprayed around it. An airport official said the plane did not leave the runway during the mishap and there had not been any fire. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to be quoted by name The official said the passengers did not use emergency chutes to evacuate the aircraft, but rather left by the regular exits and stairways. Airport authorities said some of the 139 passengers were treated for "nervous crisis," but none of them or any of the five crew members were injured. There was no immediate information on what caused the accident. One of the airport's runways was closed for about four hours, but takeoffs and landings were able to continue. The Magnicharters plane was arriving from the Caribbean coast resort of Cancun. Online aircraft registries indicate the plane is about 27 years old. http://news.yahoo.com/landing-gear-collapses-jetliner-lands-mexico-city-025547025.html ************** Status: Preliminary Date: Thursday 26 November 2015 Time: 18:26 Type: Boeing 737-322 Operator: Magnicharters Registration: XA-UNM C/n / msn: 24248/1636 First flight: 1988-11-01 (27 years 1 months) Engines: 2 CFMI CFM56-3C1 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 139 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 144 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Mexico City-Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX) ( Mexico) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Cancún Airport (CUN/MMUN), Mexico Destination airport: Mexico City-Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX/MMMX), Mexico Flightnumber: GMT779 Narrative: A Boeing 737-322 operating flight GMT779 from Cancún suffered a landing accident at Mexico City-Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX). The left hand main landing gear collapsed while the aircraft landed on runway 05L. http://www.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20151126-0 Back to Top Air Force hires civilian drone pilots for combat patrols; critics question legality Air Force's Reaper drone An MQ-9 Reaper drone during a training mission at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nev., on Nov. 17. (Isaac Brekken / Getty Images) The Air Force has hired civilian defense contractors to fly MQ-9 Reaper drones to help track suspected militants and other targets in global hot spots, a previously undisclosed expansion in the privatization of once-exclusively military functions. For the first time, civilian pilots and crews now operate what the Air Force calls "combat air patrols," daily round-the-clock flights above areas of military operations to provide video and collect other sensitive intelligence. Contractors control two Reaper patrols a day, but the Air Force plans to expand that to 10 a day by 2019. Each patrol involves up to four drones. Civilians are not allowed to pinpoint targets with lasers or fire missiles. They operate only Reapers that provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, known as ISR, said Air Force Gen. Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle, head of Air Combat Command. "There are limitations on it," he said. The contractors "are not combatants." Nonetheless, the contracts have generated controversy within the military. Critics, including some military lawyers, contend that civilians are now part of what the Air Force calls the "kill chain," a process that starts with surveillance and ends with a missile launch. That could violate laws barring civilians from taking part in armed conflict. Battling Islamic State The extremist group Islamic State has seized large swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria for its self-styled caliphate. The militants espouse an especially harsh interpretation of Islam and have used brutal tactics to impose their rule. The use of contractors reflects in part the Pentagon's growing problem in recruiting, training and retaining military drone pilots for the intensifying air war against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. It is several hundred short of its goal of 1,281 pilots. The contractors are Aviation Unmanned, a small, 3-year-old company based in Addison, Texas, and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., a far-larger firm based in Poway, outside San Diego, that is the only supplier of armed drones to the Pentagon. A redacted Air Force document approving the classified contract with Aviation Unmanned notes that the "lack of appropriately cleared and currently qualified MQ-9 pilots is a major concern." The five-page document, dated Aug. 24, says the company will provide pilots and sensor operators for government-owned Reapers to help respond to "recent increased terrorist activities." A similar document, dated April 15, approved a classified contract to lease a General Atomics-owned Reaper and ground control station for a year and to hire the pilots, sensor operators and other crew members needed to fly and maintain it. The Reaper "is needed immediately" for surveillance and reconnaissance, the document states. Both documents black out the cost, as well as most details of the missions and sensors involved. The Reaper is a larger, heavier and more powerful version of the better-known Predator. Both are made by General Atomics. The Pentagon requires the Air Force to fly 60 combat air patrols with Predators and Reapers each day. They plan to ramp up to 90 patrols a day by 2019. Most are controlled from ground stations at Creech Air Force Base, near Las Vegas, command hub for Pentagon drone operations in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and elsewhere around the globe. An Air Force spokesman denied that the use of contractor pilots blurs traditional lines of military responsibility in a combat zone. "Planning and execution of these missions will be carried out under the same oversight currently provided for military aircrews, and the resulting sensor information will be collected, analyzed, transmitted and stored as appropriate by the same military intelligence units," the spokesman, Benjamin Newell, wrote in an email. General Atomics employees also provide logistics support, software maintenance, flight operations support, aircraft repair, ground control and other work on most Air Force drones. The company was paid more than $700 million over the last two years for those services, according to Air Force records. A General Atomics spokeswoman, Kimberly Kasitz, said the privately owned company had no comment for this article. Aviation Unmanned executives did not respond to repeated phone messages and emails over the last week. The little-known Aviation Unmanned was founded by a former Reaper pilot and instructor, and it provides aircraft, training and operations in support of commercial and government contracts, according to its website. The Pentagon's reliance on contractors is a relatively recent phenomenon. In 1991, the vast U.S.-led force that pushed Iraq's troops out of neighboring Kuwait in the Persian Gulf War was nearly 100% military personnel. That changed dramatically as the Pentagon cut its force, and weapons systems became more sophisticated. By 2010, the number of contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan had surpassed the number of U.S. military personnel and federal civilian employees, records show. The use of drones began in 1995 when the Pentagon used a Predator to gather intelligence during the Balkan wars. Their success persuaded Air Force commanders and intelligence officials to embrace the new technology. Today, nearly every airstrike or special forces ground raid in Iraq and Syria relies on live video or data from electro-optical infrared cameras, wide-area radars and other high-tech sensors on drones. How fully civilians should participate is a matter of intense debate in the Air Force. A lengthy article in the 2013 Air Force Law Review, a publication of the judge advocate general's office, contended that over-reliance on contractors in a combat zone risks violating international law that prohibits direct civilian participation in hostilities. It cites a Predator missile attack that killed 15 civilians in central Afghanistan in February 2010. Although the military piloted and operated the drone, the decision to fire a Hellfire missile "was largely based upon intelligence analysis conducted and reported by a civilian contractor." "It is imperative that Defense Department contractors not get too close to the tip of the spear," the author, Maj. Keric D. Clanahan, warned. The combat air patrols flown by drones involve six steps in the kill chain: Find the target, map the location, track its movements, aim a laser to pinpoint it, fire the missile and assess the damage. "The more closely related an activity is to the kill chain, the greater the likelihood the activity should be barred from contractor performance," he wrote. The article urged the Pentagon to "only allow military personnel to serve as aircraft pilots and ... sensor operators." In an interview, retired Air Force Gen. David A. Deptula, who was deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, said he did not believe contractors are in danger of crossing the line into a combatant's role. "Weapons deployment only involves less than 2%" of drone missions," he said. Most flights provide aerial surveillance or intercept and analyze electronic emissions from the ground. But William D. Hartung, director of the arms and security project at the Center for International Policy, a left-leaning think tank in Washington, warned that there is a thin line between tracking an individual or vehicle and firing a deadly missile. "The best way to avoid this slippery slope is to prohibit any use of contractors to fly any mission involving drones," he said. "Military aircraft should be flown by military personnel, period." Mary Ellen O'Connell, a professor of international law at the University of Notre Dame, also expressed alarm at the growing civilian role. Military drones should be flown only by those who "wear a uniform [and] are trained in the law of armed conflict," she said. http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-drone-contractor-20151127-story.html Back to Top JetBlue Eyes Flying-Time Rules With New Pilot-Training Program Curriculum aims to show novices can gain proficiency more quickly than current rules allow JetBlue's in-house pilot-training program would be unique in the U.S. By ANDY PASZTOR JetBlue Airways Corp. has devised a new, in-house pilot-training program for students who have no previous flying experience, seeking to demonstrate to regulators that novices can attain proficiency more quickly than current rules allow, according to people familiar with the details. From the start, the trial program would focus more than current ones on simulator training, emergency decision-making and coordinating crews in complex jetliners, rather than emphasizing routine flying time in simpler planes. Most airline pilots in the U.S. currently are required to log at least 1,500 hours at the controls of smaller aircraft before getting a commercial license. The fledgling aviators in the JetBlue program still would have to meet this requirement, but by assessing students at various intervals short of 1,500 hours, the airline seeks to show that its curriculum can produce outstanding pilots who have spent fewer hours in actual aircraft, the people said. Some airlines, flight schools and other critics have said the 1,500-hour requirement is so lengthy and expensive that it can deter high-quality prospective fliers, raising the risk of a nationwide pilot shortage as more veterans retire. JetBlue's move is the most dramatic industry response yet to find alternate ways to recruit and train new hires. While complying with all Federal Aviation Administration requirements, the people familiar with the details said, the airline hopes the initiative will serve as a catalyst for ultimately cutting the 1,500-hour requirement. Advertisement JetBlue spokesman Doug McGraw disputed that the carrier advocates changes to the current regulations. He said the trial program-expected to include about two dozen participants-is intended to build "the complex skills required of airline pilots from the first day." The carrier has enough applicants for the time being, Mr. McGraw said, but the goal is "to ensure the quality of our current cadre of pilots is maintained," and that JetBlue continues attracting "the best pilots in the industry well into the future." Before they could slide behind the controls of a JetBlue plane, every student would have to "meet the full slate of requirements" spelled out by the FAA, Mr. McGraw said. In addition, once they start flying regular routes, graduates initially will face more-rigorous supervision than typical JetBlue pilots. If regulators approve the trial program, JetBlue would become the only U.S. carrier to offer some applicants a training concept widely used around the globe that guarantees airline jobs for fledgling aviators. American pilots typically now gain experience at aviation schools or in the military, and then seek jobs at airlines. Complete in-house training programs at airlines haven't been seen in the U.S. since the Vietnam War, which led to a severe commercial-pilot shortage. Student pilots will have to pay for their training just as others do now, but the entire program will be run by JetBlue, with the carrier making a hiring commitment at the outset, contingent on students meeting all training standards. Pending regulatory approval of the program, the initial batch of students could start by next summer. It is projected to take at least four years to complete the training. The training initiative was reported earlier by Bloomberg News. Since the company started envisioning the curriculum months ago, according to the people familiar with the details, supporters inside JetBlue were focused on using the program to gather data to buttress arguments for reducing the FAA's current experience mandate. FAA officials overseeing training programs have declined to comment. JetBlue's approach, however, already is generating controversy inside and outside the company, the people familiar with the details said, especially from pilot-union leaders who see it as a tactic to try to undermine the established experience level, which was mandated by Congress. According to a spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association, North America's largest pilot union, JetBlue's plan "is not an effective way to secure qualified aviators." In a letter to members, leaders of the local union chapter blasted the move as a way to avoid "dealing with the need to improve rates of pay, rules and working conditions." On the other hand, critics of the 1,500-hour rule say it has made pilot training too long and expensive for many candidates. Combined with low salaries and airline bankruptcies, training requirements have "turned off an entire generation of prospective pilots from joining the industry," said consultant Roger Cohen, a former president of the Regional Airline Association. Germany's Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Canada's CAE Inc., a major simulator and training provider, have been in discussions about participating in the program, according to one person familiar with the details. The JetBlue spokesman said "we have not finalized all of our partner agreements." A Lufthansa spokesperson couldn't be reached immediately. A spokeswoman for CAE, which supports JetBlue's training facility in Orlando, Fla., declined to comment. JetBlue's plan comes amid continuing debate over loosening the flight-hour requirement, which was put in place in the wake of the Colgan Air turboprop crash near Buffalo, N.Y., six years ago. An industry-and-labor advisory group, tasked to review the issue for the FAA, isn't expected to call for significant reduction in experience levels for most new airline pilots, according to one of the group's members. The panel is likely to end up recommending marginal reduction in-flight hours, but primarily for ex-military fliers and graduates of four-year academic aviation programs, this person said. http://www.wsj.com/articles/jetblue-eyes-flying-time-rules-with-new-pilot-training-program-1448576165 Back to Top UK air safety body confirms there is no issue with Loganair Orkney MSP Liam McArthur said Loganair flights are a 'lifeline' to his constituentsOrkney MSP Liam McArthur said Loganair flights are a 'lifeline' to his constituents The UK's air safety body has confirmed Loganair flights operating in the north Scotland are safe - despite the concerns of pilots. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) held talks with northern isles MP Alistair Carmichael as well as MSPs Tavish Scott MSP Liam McAruthur MSP after a number of high-profile incidents. There has been growing concern about the safety of "lifeline" air services to and from Orkney and Shetland, with a number of emergency landings in recent weeks. The three local politicians held talks with CAA officials, who confirmed that Loganair services met European safety requirements. Balpa, the pilots union, recently wrote to Loganair expressing fears about the maintenance of planes. In a joint statement, Mr Carmichael, Shetland MSP Mr Scott and Orkney MSP Mr McArthur said: "This was a useful discussion with senior representatives of the Civil Aviation Authority. "It enabled us to relay some of the concerns being expressed by our constituents and to seek assurances that these are taken seriously by the airline and the regulator. "The CAA clarified to us that Loganair's services meet European safety requirements. "Loganair has acknowledged that improving reliability of their services is an absolute priority. "This will, of course, require action on a number of fronts. In the meantime, we remain determined to keep representing the interests and views of our constituents, who depend on these lifeline services." The Scottish Government has insisted it is working with Loganair to improve services to and from the north of Scotland. https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/islands/762052/uk-air-safety-body-confirms-there-is-no- issue-with-loganair/ Back to Top Passengers on BA flight which burst into flames in Las Vegas sue plane and engine manufacturers Exclusive: Boeing and General Electric face multi million-dollar claim for pain, suffering and emotional stress they suffered when aircraft was engulfed in flames and smoke before take off Passengers evacuated by slide after plane burst into flames Las Vegas runway fire Passengers who were on board a British airways Boeing 777 which burst into flames on the tarmac at Las Vegas airport in September have launched a multi-million-dollar claim against the aircraft and engine manufacturers. A writ seeking damages from Boeing and GE has been lodged in Chicago by 65 passengers, nearly all from the UK, seeking compensation for the pain, suffering and emotional stress they suffered when the aircraft was engulfed in flames and smoke moments before take off. Other passengers are expected to join the claim which could be worth $100 million (Ł66 million). Just landed in Vegas to see this...plane on fire on the Tarmac...people still onboard and running off! Passengers on board another British Airways flight, the BA038 from Beijing which crash landed at Heathrow in January 2008, received substantial but undisclosed damages from Boeing and Rolls-Royce, the engine manufacturer. Other cases have seen American juries award passengers up to $1 million each for trauma suffered during similar incidents. In this case, it is alleged the aircraft and engines were "defective and unreasonably dangerous." There were 157 passengers and 13 crew on board the BA flight 2276 when the left engine suffered a catastrophic failure and caught fire shortly before take off in September. The pilot succeeded in bringing the aircraft to a halt and those on board were evacuated using emergency slides, around 14 people needed hospital treatment for minor injuries. "As the plane was accelerating down the runway, there was a loud bang and a sudden emergency stop," said Dominic Worthington, one of the passengers taking legal action. "First of all the crew told us to stay seated but I remember people started screaming 'there's a fire, there's a fire!' "I remember looking out the window and seeing smoke filling the air and I thought the whole aircraft was going to erupt in flames," he added. "I still suffer from the incident and have sleepless nights, flashbacks and stress. It's difficult to get over something like this, you just don't expect it would ever happen to you." According to the writ, a key engine component the high pressure compressor system, was defective. The component, which squeezes air in the engine with fuel before burning, was subject to "fracture and failure". Both companies, the writ says, should be held liable for the condition of the engine. It was these defects which led to the "uncontained catastrophic failure" which culminated in the engine bursting into flames. The two companies are also accused of lobbying against stricter inspection rules proposed by the American air safety watchdog, the Federal Aviation Administration. "Our clients are not critical of BA and feel that the pilots and cabin crew performed heroically in guiding the aircraft to an emergency stop, and then evacuating all occupants," said James Healy-Pratt of Stewarts Law, which is bringing the action. "Our clients deserve the real truth of how this failure happened." A Boeing spokesman said the company sent information to airlines that had been made publicly available by the US accident investigators, the National Transportation Safety Board. "If the investigation shows any specific Boeing-related actions are recommended or required, Boeing will notify operators." A spokesman for GE Aviation said it could not comment on the legal action because it had not received the writ. "With regards to the specific aircraft incident, GE continues to support the US National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation of the event to determine the root cause. "Since 1995, the GE90 engine has powered hundreds of Boeing 777 aircraft worldwide with extraordinary reliability. Under any statistical measure, the GE90 engine family is among the most reliable engines in the history of commercial aviation." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/12016985/Passengers-on-BA-flight-which- burst-into-flames-in-Las-Vegas-sue-plane-and-engine-manufacturers.html Back to Top France: Document shows fear of radical airport workers as early as 2004 * Confidential government document pointed to fear of airport radicals in 2004 * Russian passenger plane may have been brought down by airport worker in Eygpt * Document says several workers appeared radicalized after trips to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India and Mali. (CNN) French intelligence services were concerned as early as 2004 about the radicalization of many airport workers at Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport, according to a confidential document from the French Interior Ministry. This document, seen by CNN, targets three shipping companies operating at the airport, which is in Roissy, about 20 kilometers (13 miles) northeast of central Paris. The radicalization of airport workers has caused new concern following the crash in October of a Russian passenger plane in Egypt's Sinai region. Some Western intelligence officials believe the Russian jet was brought down by a bomb smuggled on board by an airport worker in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el- Sheikh. Just this week, a French counterterrorism source told CNN that the monitoring of Islamic radicalization among public transit workers and airport workers has been going on for "a couple of years" and included the "national railway service SNCF, Paris public transport company RATP and airports such as Roissy Charles de Gaulle and Orly." On Thursday, the same source told CNN that "more than a hundred public transit workers from the company RATP have left for Syria since 2012." 'Illegal prayer sites' at airports But the document, which is from June 2004, shows that the monitoring had been going on far longer than that. In 2004, the Paris Airport Authority -- the authority in charge of all Paris airports -- provided two prayer rooms for Muslims. But they were not being used by Islamic radicals, the document says. Instead, the document says, there were "illegal prayer sites at the airport used by several Muslim airport workers" who at the time "belonged to mosques preaching radical Islam" in their neighborhoods on the Paris outskirts, including Argenteuil, Sevran and Bobigny. Debris lies in the Sinai Peninsula where a Russian plane crashed. The radical airport workers, the document says, were "easily swayed young people who are mostly Muslim," coming from "the same neighborhood, the same cities." The document says that sometimes several members of the same family, who appeared to be radicalized, worked at the airport together. These families, the document said, seemed to be "the leaders of this movement." According to the document, some of these people "openly showed anti-American views and showed their support and enthusiasm regarding the 9/11 attacks." Some people working for airport cargo companies had "access to airside" -- the other side of the security cordon from the street -- and were "known by intelligence services as radicalized individuals and who are under a fiche S" and who traveled to "sensitive areas of the world in order to learn more about Islam." Fiche S is an intelligence file used by law enforcement to flag and monitor someone who could be a national security threat. Visits to an Osama bin Laden training camp The document lists the names of several airport workers who appeared to have been radicalized after trips to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India and Mali. Some of the airport workers also appeared to be close friends with "people traveling to paramilitary training camps," according to the document. It mentions trips to the university of Dimaj in the city of Sa'dah, Yemen, in 1997 and 1998, where there was a paramilitary training camp financed by Osama bin Laden. The document says the threat could be more significant because "some individuals are temporary workers" and some of them "are still unknown to the intelligence services." The document says these three companies worked with "10 temporary employment agencies and it is particularly difficult to monitor every single temporary airport worker." The authorities who wrote the document note that this "phenomenon of radicalization is amplified by the fact that some union workers are helping some individuals to work together based on affinity, neighborhood of origin, or religion which facilitates proselytism." http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/26/europe/france-longtime-official-fear-of-airport-radicals/ Back to Top Man steals woman's boarding pass, checks into flight at Salt Lake airport SALT LAKE CITY - A man stole a misplaced Southwest Airlines boarding pass, made it through airport security and got as far as the flight check-in gate, where the boarding pass was approved, before airport officials were alerted and confronted him in an incident earlier this month, airport police said. Michael Salata, 61, was arrested Nov. 5 shortly after checking into Southwest Airlines Flight 1760 from Salt Lake City to Oakland, California. Salata, of Salt Lake City, is being investigated on suspicion of fraudulent handling of a recordable writing, a third-degree felony, said Salt Lake Airport Police Chief Craig Vargo. Salata allegedly snatched the boarding pass from a Southwest Airlines kiosk, where it had been printed and then accidentally left. He was confronted around 9 p.m. after the woman who had misplaced the pass checked into the flight using a replacement boarding pass uploaded to her phone, Vargo said. The woman was just a few passengers behind Salata in line to board the airplane, police said. "He tried to make it seem like it was a mistake, that the boarding pass printed incorrectly or that he grabbed the wrong boarding pass, (something) to that effect," Vargo said. The chief didn't know whether police detained Salata on the jetway leading to the plane or whether he had found a seat on the aircraft. Salata, a registered sex offender in Utah, reportedly cleared security while showing the woman's boarding pass. He had no items with him that would be cause for alarm, Vargo said. "It wasn't like he was able to get anything past the screening checkpoint that would have been a risk to anybody else," he said. Transportation Security Authority spokeswoman authority Lori Dankers didn't say whether the TSA agent who cleared Salata was disciplined or whether he or she is still employed by the agency. ... Our TSA agent made a mistake to properly identify the individual. -Lori Dankers, Transportation Security Authority spokeswoman "We are aware of the incident. ... Our TSA agent made a mistake to properly identify the individual," Dankers said in an email. "However, there are multiple layers of security in place. ... Both the ticketed passenger and the other individual were fully screened." Southwest Airlines spokeswoman Brandy King said in an email that "all protocols were followed by our employees," adding that she was first notified of the incident regarding Salata by a reporter. "All passengers must go through the same TSA security screening before arriving at a gate. The security screeners are tasked with verifying a passenger's boarding pass and identification," King said. "Our systems are built to provide notification if a passenger's boarding pass has already been scanned. In the event that we have two of the same boarding passes, we would work to verify that the correct passengers were onboard and take appropriate action with local authorities, if necessary." Vargo, who has worked at the airport for more than 25 years, said he had never seen someone check into a flight the way Salata did. "We have a very good working relationship with TSA," Vargo said. "Unfortunately, I think a human element (is to blame). Individuals make mistakes, but luckily we do have a layered approach and multiple people out here looking for things." http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=37517476&nid=148&fm=home_page&s_cid=toppick2 Back to Top CASA embarks on restructure to improve service delivery (Australia) The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is conducting an organisational restructure in an effort to improve its regulation of air safety and how it serves the aviation community. CASA director of aviation safety Mark Skidmore said one of the key objectives of the major change in the organisation's structure would be to reduce the time people and organisations spent dealing with the regulator. There would also be a greater emphasis on online services in an effort to "streamline the application, processing and delivery of as many services as possible". Moreover, the restructure would "streamline CASA's senior management". There would be three main groups under a restructured CASA. First, a stakeholder engagement group whose role would be to ensure the regulator's communications with the aviation and broader community was consistent and that information was delivered effectively. Second, an aviation group will "manage and deliver all collaboration and interaction with the aviation community. This includes entry control, surveillance, regulatory services, standards setting, regulatory development and regulatory implementation", CASA said in a statement on Thursday. Third, a sustainability group would provide internal and external support functions. Skidmore said feedback from industry clearly showed the aviation safety watchdog's had to improve its interaction with the aviation community at all levels. "CASA has been consulting widely and often over the past year and now is the time to start delivering real change," Skidmore said in a statement. CASA Director of Aviation Safety Mark Skidmore (CASA) "This change in structure is a vital step in the process of renewing CASA so that our organisation meets the legitimate safety and regulatory needs of the aviation community while delivering the best possible aviation safety system for all Australians. The restructure would be conducted in stages and was expected to be completed by the middle of 2016, CASA said. Aviation groups have expressed frustration with the pace of change at CASA, with The Australian Aviation Associations' Forum (TAAAF), saying in October the organisation was "being swamped by the damage being caused by legacy regulations only now coming into force". "New CASA regulations are threatening the viability of industry and especially general aviation operations, with millions of dollars required to be invested for no commensurate safety gains," TAAAF said in a statement in October. CASA is currently conducting a tour of Australia seeking feedback from the aviation community on its Flight Plan 2030, a statement of the organisation's long-term strategic intent that is due to be published by the end of the 2015/16 financial year. http://australianaviation.com.au/2015/11/casa-embarks-on-restructure-to-improve-service-delivery/ Back to Top Back to Top First New Fighter Jets to Touch Down in Philippines Manila is buying 12 FA-50 combat planes amid growing tensions in South China Sea A T-50 advanced jet trainer takes off during training at the First Fighter Wing of the South Korean air force in Gwangju, south of Seoul, in this Aug. 14, 2013 file photo. The Philippines is buying the weaponized FA- 50 version. MANILA-The Philippines has lacked fighter jets for 10 years, but that situation-which has long embarrassed the military here-is set to end Saturday when two Korean-built FA-50 fighters touch down at Clark Air Base north of Manila. The planes' delivery is a milestone in the Southeast Asian country's efforts to build a "minimum credible deterrent" in the face of growing external threats, notably from China in the hotly contested South China Sea. The Philippines' neighbors have similar territorial concerns and are also investing heavily in new weaponry. But Manila's new air power is only one piece in the complex puzzle of turning its military-depleted after decades of underinvestment-into a viable force, and security analysts warn that Beijing's advantage in the South China Sea may be too overwhelming for the Philippines' new fighters to change the balance of power. The FA-50s can provide some deterrent, but only if the Philippine government demonstrates that it is serious about using them, said Jose Antonio Custodio, a Philippine defense consultant. So far, "the Philippines has remained passive in its physical protection of its territory," Mr. Custodio said, noting Manila surrendered Scarborough Shoal, an important fishing ground 100 miles west of the Philippines, to Chinese vessels in 2012. The efficacy of the new planes would depend "on the government's political will to use the assets". But that could mean going toe to toe with a rival that spent $165 billion on defense last year, according to U.S. estimates, and has 1,700 fighter jets. The Philippines spent $3.3 billion on defense last year. Manila has been investing in its navy, as well as its air force, to help defend its scattered island possessions, but its navy too is hopelessly outgunned by China. Investment is pouring into air forces around Southeast Asia, partly out of concern for China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea. China is building at least three air strips on new man-made islets in disputed waters, satellite imagery appears to show, making investment in Southeast Asian air defenses an even higher priority. Vietnam and Indonesia have both recently ordered new Russian Sukhoi fighters, while Indonesia also bought American F-16s and Korean T-50s. Malaysia is studying options, including Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet, as it prepares to order new fighter jets. In October, Vietnam announced it had ordered an advanced air defense system from Israel. The decision by the Philippines to buy 12 FA-50s for $420 million in 2014 was the biggest arms purchase in its history, and its first swoop for brand-new fighter planes in half a century. Korea Aerospace Industries, which builds the planes, aims to complete deliveries by 2017. The FA-50s are likely to be based at Subic Bay, a former U.S. facility that would put the jets within striking distance of the disputed Spratly Islands. "We're happy that we now have the tools to build a real fighter capability," said Col. Enrico Canaya, the air force's spokesman. The jets are part of a multibillion-dollar arms-buying strategy launched by Philippine President Benigno Aquino III in 2012, but which has since faltered due to bureaucratic delays. Mr. Aquino only signed off a raft of military acquisitions worth $1 billion in September that had been approved by the Philippine Congress two years earlier, including a $100 million weapons package for the FA-50s. For the Philippine air force, these are baby steps in what will prove a lengthy rebuilding process after its last combat jets, U.S.-built F-5 Freedom Fighters, were axed in 2005 because there was no money to keep them flying. Mr. Canaya said air force pilots would spend the next two years getting to grips with the FA- 50, and wouldn't even start combat training until 2017 or 2018. "It really is a big challenge for an air force to build this capability from nothing," he said. The FA-50 barely even qualifies as a fighter: It is a weaponized version of a trainer jet, the T-50, which KAI developed with U.S. aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. Already, the Philippines' defense department is considering how to give the air force added punch, possibly by acquiring second-hand American F-16s or Swedish Gripen fighters built by Saab, according to defense officials. Mr. Canaya said the air force aims to develop a fully fledged combat wing by 2028. At $35 million per plane, the adapted trainer aircraft are a questionable use of scarce resources, Mr. Custodio said, arguing that more capable jets, like F-16s, could have been acquired more cheaply. Indonesia, for example, recently acquired 24 second-hand F-16s from the U.S. for $750 million, or $31 million per plane. The U.S., which has also provided Manila with used naval ships, sold two second-hand C-130 Hercules transport planes to the Philippines for $55 million earlier this year. The Philippines must now rebuild its aging air bases, buy new radar systems, and invest in new surveillance planes to keep its air force modernization on track, before finally ordering a full-caliber fighter jet. "It is long overdue," he said. http://www.wsj.com/articles/first-new-fighter-jets-to-touch-down-in-philippines-1448604736 Back to Top SpaceLiner concept jet could fly at Mach 25 Europe to Australia in 90 minutes? It's possible with supersonic craft (CNN) -London to Melbourne in 90 minutes? Paris to San Francisco in under an hour? That's travel at 25 times the speed of sound -- or barely enough time to take in an in-flight movie. Few areas of aviation generate wilder predictions than hypersonic flight -- but a team in Germany might just have cracked it. Hypersonic means speeds of Mach 5 or over, or more than five times the speed of sound. Supersonic is Mach 1, or the speed of sound. Since the withdrawal of the Concorde in 2003, commercial aviation has remained purely subsonic, but that could change in the coming decades. Take new aircraft concepts like the Japanese HYTEX, capable of speeds of Mach 5, or the European Lapcat- II, expected to reach Mach 8. Then there's the nascent space tourism industry, with companies such as Virgin Galactic and XCOR Aerospace hoping to take a select few on leisure trips to the edge of space. Researchers at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) are taking their own approach. A team has applied space technology principles to propose what is possibly the world's most advanced hypersonic airliner concept to date. The SpaceLiner The result of 10 years of ongoing research by the Space Launcher Systems Analysis (SART) department at the Institute of Space Systems in Bremen, the SpaceLiner is a revolutionary hypersonic spaceplane concept capable of flying some 50 passengers across the globe at speeds of up to 25 times the speed of sound. It's based on a two-stage concept, not unlike the Space Shuttle, where both the booster and passenger stages start in an upright configuration. Propelled by 11 rocket engines during launch (nine on the booster stage and two on the passenger stage) the system accelerates into the mesosphere using traditional cryogenic rocket propulsion. Once the booster stage is empty, the smaller passenger vehicle separates from the booster stage and continues accelerating, flying autonomously, just like an aircraft -- except that it does so while reaching astonishing speed of up to Mach 25. After reaching a maximum altitude of about 80 kilometers, the passenger stage commences a gliding descent towards its destination. Not only is the SpaceLiner concept incredibly fast, it's also environmentally friendly. It uses liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen (LOX/LH2) propellants so only water vapor is produced. Most of the flight processes will be fully automated, but there would still be two pilots to monitor all onboard and flight procedures -- and to provide reassurance to passengers. Re-usability is key With performance like this, it'd be possible to go from Europe to Australia in 90 minutes. The SpaceLiner hopes to capture a slice of the existing very-long-haul premium air travel market, but this will only be possible if costs can be brought down to a reasonable level. Up until now everything that relates to space travel has been prohibitively expensive, which explains why this field has remained the preserve of a handful of governments and ultra-rich individuals. SART researcher Dr. Olga Trivailo explains that the high costs are "due to limited technology application and, thus, demand, which underpins low production rates of space systems." One of the keys to lowering costs, and a cornerstone of the SpaceLiner project, is re-usability. The SpaceLiner vehicle is designed to be fully re-usable, from the system's engines, to the passenger vehicle and the booster stage, which would be able to return independently to the launch site after separating from the passenger stage. The rocket engines are expected to withstand at least 25 launches, while both stages might last up to 150 cycles. The DLR engineers have avoided relying on any untested technology. It'd add too much complexity, risk, and development time to what is already an extremely complex project. A laboratory for new ideas The SpaceLiner's passenger stage will start off in an upright position, meaning that seating arrangements will need to differ from those of conventional airliners. During the first 10 minutes of flight, passengers will experience forces of up to 2.5G -- 2.5 times their body weight on Earth, or about half the G forces you'd get on a roller coaster. There's no need for passengers to undergo special training as they would with space travel, but the advent of hypersonic flight still presents a great opportunity to test new passenger cabin concepts. Architects and designers have been brought into the SpaceLiner project to help devise the passenger experience of the hypersonic era. The hypersonic flight market Even if costs can be brought down, hypersonic flight is likely to remain a premium product, at least at the beginning. The number of potential routes flown by the SpaceLiner would be limited to intercontinental distances of more than 9,000 kilometers, where the time-saving would be most beneficial. Potential routes could include Australia to Europe, as well as linking destinations in the Far East, Europe, America's West Coast and the Trans-Pacific market. The SpaceLiner would need space ports to be strategically located close to main population centers and business hubs in order to capture business traffic, while at the same time being sufficiently removed from densely populated areas in order to minimize noise issues during take-off. Coastal locations are the most desirable so that the starting phase can occur over water. SART has already identified several suitable launch sites in Europe, Australia and the U.S. that meet these criteria, with the Netherlands' north coast being a particular favorite. It will take some time to fly hypersonic According to SART's own estimates, SpaceLiner flights are still a few decades away, maybe as much as 30 years. If it's ever to become a reality, the SpaceLiner will need the involvement of the aerospace industry as well as investors with deep pockets. Dr. Trivailo estimates that the SpaceLiner would require an initial investment of 28 to 30 billion euros ($30 to 32 billion) to make it to the prototype stage. But there's a lot more to the SpaceLiner than flying passengers faster across continents. By designing a fully reusable space system for regular passenger traffic, SART researchers hope that their work will make space travel more cost-effective. If their space hardware went into serial production, costs might be brought down and space travel would be more accessible to more people. Don't pack your suitcase just yet, but affordable space tourism could be that little bit closer to reality. http://www.kcra.com/spaceliner-concept-jet-could-fly-at-mach-25/36629304 Back to Top GAGAN receivers for all aircraft by 2017 (INDIA) GAGAN will make airline operations more efficient and reduce costs. AAI recommends its installation The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has recommended to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to ensure that the airlines install GAGAN (GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation) receivers on all aircraft flying in Indian airspace from April 1, 2017. GAGAN has been jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation and the AAI. P. Laxminarayana, Director, Research and Training Unit for Navigational Electronics, Osmania University, said that GAGAN has been certified and will make airline operations more efficient and reduce costs. "The system is already being used by the Railways, Forest Department and other departments," he said speaking at the Disha annual seminar organised by the CNS Engineers of Indian Air Navigation Service Provider here on Wednesday. GAGAN would reduce usage of equipment and spectrum required for landing. However, the system still had problems relating to ionosphere interference since India is near the magnetic equator. "The Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad, has been studying the interference for the past 11 years at 25 locations across the country," he added. Indigenous software K.J.Sunder Paul, Assistant General Manager, said there was a need for development of indigenous software in the area of control and navigation system (CNS). "Though India is strong in software development, we do not focus on this. We are asking that NASSCOM involve itself in the development so that we can cut costs and get support at home," he said. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/gagan-receivers-for-all-aircraft-by- 2017/article7921477.ece Back to Top This Seattle company's flexible airplane wing design could result in radical fuel savings Look out the window of most Boeing 737s, and you'll see fuel-saving curved winglets at the tips of the jet's wings, developed by Seattle-based Aviation Partners Inc. Look out a similar window five or six years from now and you may see the next iteration of Aviation Partners ingenuity: flexible and continuous control surfaces that reduce drag by getting rid of sharp edges that cause turbulence. A FlexSys flap on a business jet. Note the absence of sharp breaks between flap and wing, a distinctive feature of normal flaps. The design of the first blended winglets was so successful, saving up to 6 percent of fuel on Boeing (NYSE: BA) aircraft, that the two companies formed a joint venture to build and sell them. Now, the membrane-like flexible wing flaps are expected to allow air to flow more smoothly over them. This could decrease fuel burn up to 3.5 percent if added to existing aircraft designs, and up to 12 percent if built into a new jet. The technology was developed by Sridhar Kota, a mechanical engineer and professor at the University of Michigan. In 2000 Kota founded FlexSys Inc., a company intended to commercialize the technology. This week, FlexSys and Aviation Partners announced a joint venture to commercialize the flexible technology. "It is robust, it is scalable, the technology is ready. Now it's a matter of choosing the right application and getting it certified; that's where Aviation Partners comes in," said Kota. "They have the expertise, they're a fantastic group." Aviation Partners CEO Joe Clark said his company, which continually comes up with new breakthroughs, is considering many different applications of the technology. "It's pretty exciting, it's pretty new," Clark said in an interview. "We think it's a breakthrough technology, we think it's a disruptive technology." He adds that the company will have certified equipment available in two years. Frost and Sullivan aerospace analyst Michel Merluzeau agrees with the promise. "It really potentially is an interesting technology for future designs," he said. Just a few percent fuel savings is very significant for airlines, and efficiency increases are the key reason why the market has been so strong for Boeing and Airbus jets. A NASA analysis says that winglets' 4 percent to 6 percent fuel savings on a Boeing 737 can save about 100,000 gallons of fuel a year. Aviation Partners tracks the fuel savings from winglets it has delivered, a number now above 5 billion gallons. The company predicts double that by 2020. http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2015/11/25/this-seattle-companys-flexible-airplane-wing.html Back to Top Global airlines industry predicts China's emergence as largest travel market A weaker global economy _ and a slowdown in China _ will likely dampen some of the growth in air travel over the next two decades. The International Air Transport Association says the number of airline passengers is expected to double to 7 billion by 2034. That figure marks a decrease from a prior forecast of passengers totaling 7.4 billion in 2034, reflecting lower economic growth in China that will likely reduce demand for travel and potentially limit airplane orders for manufacturers Boeing and Airbus. Despite the lower forecast, China is expected to add 758 million new passengers for a total of 1.2 billion flyers. Those gains would likely mean that China surpasses the United States as the world's largest passenger market by 2029.-AP http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=69243&icid=1&d_str= Back to Top SIA chief wins top aviation award Singapore Airlines (SIA) chief executive Mr Goh Choon Phong received the 2015 Asia Pacific Airline CEO of the Year award From starting long-haul budget carrier Scoot and joint-venture airline Vistara in India, to forging partnerships with other carriers, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has made significant strides with chief executive Goh Choon Phong at the helm since 2011. Knowledge. Support. Transparent Pricing. More reasons to say I'm with Scottrade. Click to learn more! To recognise his efforts, Mr Goh was named Asia-Pacific Airline CEO of the Year by industry think-tank Centre for Aviation (Capa) at its annual awards ceremony on Monday. Selected by a panel of judges and top executives from the industry, Mr Goh was chosen by Capa "for his daring and successful implementing of several major new strategic initiatives that have positioned the SIA Group for future growth despite intensifying competition from low-cost carriers and Gulf carriers". Since Mr Goh took charge, SIA has made more major strategic changes than any full-service airline group in Asia and perhaps the world, said the centre's executive chairman Peter Harbison. Besides launching Scoot here and Vistara in India, SIA has also recently proposed a takeover of short-haul budget carrier Tigerair. In August, the airline also launched its new premium economy class which offers economy travellers more comfort and facilities for a higher fare. "The evolution of SIA under the first five years of Mr Goh's leadership has been remarkable, particularly given how the group has generally been known for its conservative, slow-moving nature," Mr Harbison said. Now in its 13th year, Capa's aviation awards for excellence are intended to reward airlines and airports that are not only successful but have also provided industry leadership in an always-changing environment. Others that were honoured this year include Qatar Airways, Bangkok Airways, Peach Aviation and the Qantas Group, as well as Dubai and Mumbai airports. http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/sia-chief-wins-top-aviation-award#sthash.AfJCjOZq.dpuf Back to Top MEET THE WOMEN CHANGING AFRICA'S AVIATION SECTOR Two weeks ago, the chief executive officer of Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde Gebremariam, told CNN in an interview centered on the future of the African aviation sector, that the continent will be ready to tap into the huge potential of the sector when it succeeds in tackling its infrastructural challenges. "The continent is a huge land mass with more than a billion young people and these days it is attracting a huge flow of foreign direct investment. Putting all things together and Africa is going to be the next and last frontier in globalization, growing very fast in the 21st century", he said. However, it appears several women in Africa's aviation sector are already making a huge difference. Siza Mzimela, CEO, Fly Blue Crane After leaving her job with South African Airways where she was the chief executive officer, Siza Mzimela, went ahead to launch her own airline company, Fly Blue Crane, an independent South African airline. The airline took its first flight in September 2015, flying the Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Kimberley and Nelspruit routes. "Fly Blue Crane is positioned to deliver what customers want - the enhanced convenience of frequent flights through high on-time performance, commitment to consistent service excellence, advanced online technologies that will make the booking and travel process fuss-free, and of course highly competitive fares", she said at the launch of the carrier. Dr. Ola Orekunrin, Medical Director, Flying Doctors Nigeria This Hull-York Medical School graduate is a British-Nigerian and a specialist in aviation medicine. She was one of the youngest medical doctors to earn a degree from her department where she graduated at the age of 21. In 2007, she set up West Africa's first and only full air ambulance service, Flying Doctors. The company takes pride in being able to reach their patients at any time regardless of the location, with a response time of 20 to 30 minutes and a team of doctors who are accessible 24 hours a day, everyday. Sibongile Sambo, CEO, SRS Aviation Often credited with being South Africa's female aviation pioneer, Sambo is the founder and CEO of SRS Aviation which is the first 100 percent black, female-owned aviation services company in South Africa. SRS Aviation was launched in 2004, long before other aviation pioneers began making an appearance on the continent. The services SRS Aviation provides include: offering South African and international clients professional and personalized flight options including VIP Charter, tourist charter and helicopter services, to destinations around the world as well as maintenance, sales and fleet management services to private jet owners. Refilwe Ledwaba, Founder, Southern African Women in Aviation and Aerospace Industry (SAWIA) Refilwe Ledwaba always had the desire to raise generations of female aviation entrepreneurs and experts, who find it easier to access their dreams and aspirations. This is due to the fact that before she became an aviation pioneer, she had issues with finances. "One of my biggest challenges was finances, I simply did not have the money to pay for my training and I did not know where to go for scholarships or bursaries", she says. This led to her establishment of SAWIA, which has various programmes to aid young ladies pursue and actualize their dreams in the aviation sector in South Africa. http://venturesafrica.com/meet-the-female-game-changers-in-africas-aviation-sector/ 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: Deputy Director of Flight Operations & Technical Services Helicopter Association International https://www.rotor.org/AboutHAI/Employment.aspx Position Available: Airline Safety Manager - Investigation (Engineering) Cathay Pacific https://career10.successfactors.com/career?_s.crb=Q%252ffWkAOt5SsrsXlBnG3GK%252bmGYsU%253d Auditors Needed Wyvern Consulting, Ltd James.nicoletti@wyvernltd.com Curt Lewis