Flight Safety Information January 8, 2016 - No. 006 In This Issue PROS 2016 TRAINING UAV registrations at 181,000; model aircraft group fights rule San Diego-Bound Airplane Struck by Lightning; No Injuries Man cited after security breach at airport, air base Widespread flight cancellations at SLO airport due to lightning strikes Flight Diverted To Detroit Airport Due To Disruptive Passenger; Woman Carried Off Plane By Police United Airlines fined $2.75 million over treatment of disabled fliers and tarmac delays President Jokowi to hold Cabinet meeting on aviation amid safety concerns (Indonesia) EASA to boost civil aviation in Azerbaijan FAA proposes $417,500 civil penalty against FedEx January/February 2016 FAA Safety Briefing Congresswoman fights ban on burying female WWII pilots at Arlington Sorry NASA, Europe says it's going to the Moon instead of Mars Upcoming Events Jobs Available UAV registrations at 181,000; model aircraft group fights rule FAA administrator Michael Huerta said the mandatory registration process for recreational unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has proceeded smoothly, with 181,000 registrations completed so far. The number of registrations represents owners of UAVs weighing between .55 lbs. and 55 lbs.; an owner can register multiple vehicles using the same number. FAA launched a registration website Dec. 21. "We're encouraged by the registration numbers we're seeing so far," Huerta said Jan. 6 in a speech at a consumer electronics conference in Las Vegas. He added that the 181,000 registrations "is just the beginning. Now that we have set up the registration system, our challenge is to make sure everyone is aware of the requirement and registers." The sizable number of registrations has occurred despite a public campaign by the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) that encourages the organization's members to "hold off" on registering. Owners of small, recreational UAVs who purchased their devices prior to Dec. 21 have until Feb. 19 to register. According to AMA's government regulations blog, the organization is telling members who owned UAVs prior to Dec. 21 to not register "until advised by the AMA or until the FAA's legal deadline of Feb. 19." AMA has called FAA's UAV registration requirement an "unnecessary regulatory burden on our members." The organization said the requirement "is contrary to the intent of Congress," adding that it is "fully considering all possible legal and political options." AMA said it is also working with FAA "on an automated process allowing members to register through membership in the AMA [that] will allow modelers to use their AMA number as their registration number." FAA's registration website is now the only way for UAV owners to register. But Huerta said FAA is exploring "new methods of making the registration process even easier for consumers. For example, we are working to support potential third-party applications, such as smart phone apps, that could enable manufacturers or retailers to scan a code on a drone and automatically register it." FAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on AMA's "hold off" campaign. http://atwonline.com/regulation/uav-registrations-181000-model-aircraft-group-fights-rule Back to Top San Diego-Bound Airplane Struck by Lightning; No Injuries A San Diego-bound airplane was struck by lightning while approaching Lindbergh Field Thursday, but no one was hurt. Southwest Airlines flight 1783 from Las Vegas sustained a lightning strike while approaching San Diego International Airport around 7 a.m., but was able to land safely, according to the airline. The plane was taken out of service, which caused a delay of about two hours for travelers on the next flight. A second plane will accommodate passengers on Southwest Airlines flight 518 from San Diego to Phoenix, according to the airline. http://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2016/01/07/san-diego-bound-airplane-struck-by-lightning-no-injuries/ Back to Top Man cited after security breach at airport, air base Security breach at Boise Airport, Gowen Field. BOISE - A 34-year-old Boise man was hospitalized early Sunday morning after he was found wandering around in restricted areas of the Boise Airport and Gowen Field air base. A spokesman for the Idaho National Guard said the man, later identified as Keith Warehime, was spotted on surveillance video and detained by a roving security patrol. "It is a very rare occurrence," said Major Chris Borders of the security breach. Warehime didn't get into any of the buildings or vaults at the air base. According to Boise Police, Warehime apparently climbed a barbed wire fence to gain access to a restricted area of the airport. Witnesses told investigators that, at one point, the man made entrance to an airport building before making his way to the grounds of the air base, which is adjacent to the airport. Investigators believe Warehime, who was shaking uncontrollably and acting erratic and confused, may have been intoxicated at the time. He was taken to a Boise hospital to receive medical attention. Police cited him for two counts of misdemeanor trespassing. A spokesperson for the Boise Airport declined an on-camera interview about the incident. He told KTVB he can't discuss security at the airport because it involves sensitive information. An investigation into what happened is ongoing. http://www.ktvb.com/story/news/crime/2016/01/07/man-cited-after-security-breach-at-airport-air- base/78421794/ Back to Top Widespread flight cancellations at SLO airport due to lightning strikes After lightning knocked-out instruments in the control tower at the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport Wednesday afternoon, all flights scheduled to land and take off after dark had to be cancelled. Airport officials told KSBY they plan to have the parts repaired and resume night operations by Friday evening. However, about 10 flights were cancelled Thursday and many others were delayed, causing long lines and some frustrated travelers. Thursday's arrival and departure board filled with cancellations and delays showed the impact of several lighting strikes hitting the airport the day before. Assistant Airport Director Craig Piper said it had been an interesting 24 hours at the airport. "This is unusual," Piper said. "I've been here 15 years and I've never see this happen." Smoke filled the control tower cab, prompting the entire tower to be evacuated. Firefighters determined there was not a fire, but controls for the runway and taxiway lights were struck and smoking. "It essentially fried some of the components in there that you don't just have sitting on the shelf so we have a couple of those parts on order," Piper told KSBY. Without working runway lights, flights can't operate after dark or in low visibility, causing major cancellations. "It really has disrupted the passenger service here at the airport," Piper said. Connie and Michael Amarel of Vandenberg Village brought their son up to the airport Thursday and learned his flight to Phoenix was delayed by almost an hour. "If he can't get out before it gets dark we'll probably end up coming back and picking him back up if he doesn't get out," Michael said. "But he has to be at work tomorrow at 7a.m.," Connie Amarel said. Jerin Seibenlist was trying to get to snow in Utah Thursday. "My flight was cancelled," Seibenlist said. California winter is getting in the way of her January ski trip. "I'm just frustrated," she said. "There's no other flight tonight to get to Salt Lake City so basically that just takes a whole day off of our trip we have ski tickets for tomorrow. It's a bummer." Airport officials advise travelers to check with their airline ahead of time, as most flights have been impacted by this event. Since the lightning strikes were an unpredictable weather event, the best airlines can do is rebook you for a daytime flight. Airport staff told KSBY it would be a long process to get people rescheduled and to their destinations over the next day or so. http://www.ksby.com/story/30915283/widespread-flight-cancellations-at-slo-airport-due-to-lightning- strikes Back to Top Flight Diverted To Detroit Airport Due To Disruptive Passenger; Woman Carried Off Plane By Police ROMULUS (WWJ/AP) - Authorities say a flight from New York to Chicago was diverted to Detroit Metropolitan Airport due to a disruptive passenger. United Airlines flight 3461 operated by Shuttle America landed about 8 p.m. Thursday at the airport in Romulus. Airport spokesman Brian Lassaline told The Detroit News a passenger was removed and was in custody early Friday. According to a report by WDIV, a woman assaulted another passenger on the flight and was restrained. The station broadcast video taken from inside the plane showing authorities carrying a woman through the plane's main aisle while passengers applauded. The plane from LaGuardia Airport had 69 passengers and four crew members. It continued on to O'Hare International Airport, arriving about an hour late. FBI officials are investigating the incident. http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2016/01/08/flight-from-nyc-to-chicago-diverted-to-detroit-airport-due-to- disruptive-passenger/ Back to Top United Airlines fined $2.75 million over treatment of disabled fliers and tarmac delays Holiday travelers check in at the United Airlines ticket counter at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport in December 2013. The airline has been fined $2.75 million for violating rules regarding the treatment of passengers with disabilities and keeping passengers stranded on delayed flights more than three hours. The U.S. Department of Transportation has fined United Airlines $2.75 million over the carrier's treatment of disabled passengers and for stranding passengers on delayed flights for more than three hours. The federal agency said an investigation of United Airlines' treatment of disabled passengers was sparked by "a significant increase in the number of disability-related complaints." "A review of these disability-related complaints revealed that United failed to provide passengers with disabilities prompt and adequate assistance with enplaning and deplaning aircraft," the Transportation Department said in a statement. Those complaints included an incident in October when a passenger with cerebral palsy was forced to crawl out of a United flight because airline crew failed to provide him with a special wheelchair that he requested. The airline publicly apologized to the flier a week later. In an employee newsletter Thursday, United Airlines said it had begun testing a new smartphone app and other technology so that passengers and crew members can more quickly order wheelchairs on planes and in terminals. "We expect this to greatly improve our ability to have wheelchairs where they need to be, when they need to be there, so that our customers can get on their way home or to their next destination with ease," said Jon Roitman, senior vice president of airport operations at United. Of the $2-million fine assessed over the violations against disabled passengers, United has agreed to spend $150,000 to improve audits of its wheelchair vendors and $500,000 toward developing the technology to make it easier for passengers to request wheelchairs. The remaining $750,000 of the fine was because of five lengthy delays that stranded passengers on the tarmac at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Dec. 8, 2013, plus another lengthy delay at Houston's William P. Hobby Airport on May 20, 2015. All six delays kept passengers on the planes for more than three hours because of severe weather. Under a 2010 rule, commercial airlines are prohibited from holding passengers on a delayed flight for more than three hours without giving them the option to leave the plane. The time limit extends to four hours for international flights. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-united-airlines-fined-20160107-story.html Back to Top President Jokowi to hold Cabinet meeting on aviation amid safety concerns (Indonesia) Safety first: Technicians perform maintenance work on an aircraft at the Garuda Maintenance Facility in Tangerang, Banten. The Indonesian National Air Carriers Association has said that it is committed to ensuring that all its members prioritize aviation security and safety. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo will hold a limited Cabinet meeting on Friday to discuss aviation-related issues after a rating website named the country's airlines among the least safe in the world. The meeting will be centered on airport patterns and the use of airspace in Java related to the improvement of flight safety. "The meeting will start at 3 p.m," Ari Dwipayana, presidential communication team head, said in text massage. The Indonesian National Air Carriers Association (INACA) has questioned the assessment criteria in a survey conducted by airlinerating.com, the results of which were released on Wednesday. The survey results said that Indonesian airlines shared the lowest ranking with Nepali and Surinamese airlines, having been awarded just one out of seven stars. According to INACA chairman M. Arif Wibowo, clear criteria was sorely needed as the aviation industry was fully regulated. "Safety is mandatory and the INACA is committed to ensuring that all its members prioritize aviation security and safety. We will always obey the rules and regulations, either those of the Indonesian government, the International Civil Aviation Organization [ICAO], the Federal Aviation Administration [FAA], the European Aviation Safety Agency [EASA] or other international regulators," said Arif in a press release. (dan) http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/08/jokowi-hold-cabinet-meeting-aviation-amid-safety- concerns.html#sthash.y6BHKeJP.dpuf Back to Top EASA to boost civil aviation in Azerbaijan Azerbaijan will be able to further develop its civil aviation, as the European Commission intends to boost this field in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The European Commission has awarded European Aviation Safety Agency a $5.4 million technical contract to support the sustainable development in the countries such as Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Armenia in line with international and European standards. The EASA will begin implementing the 4-year contract starting this February. The Agency will provide training, dedicated initiatives on safety management and civil aviation administration management, effectively addressing safety findings, support for the implementation of existing comprehensive aviation agreements, and support for the harmonization of regulations and working practices with international safety and security standards. Azerbaijan has invested huge funds to develop the civil aviation in the country. It's an important member of the International Civil Aviation Organization Council. Around $15 billion has been invested in developing the aviation in Azerbaijan over the last 10 years. Four new airports were constructed and two more were modernized, helicopter and aircraft fleets were fully renewed, the most modern planes such as the Airbus, Boeing and even Boeing Dreamliner were put into operation. Recently the country hosted the 35th session of the Interstate Council on Aviation and Airspace, where ICAO Council President, praised the work carried out by the Azerbaijani government in the aviation sector. Last year saw the 105th anniversary since the first flight over Baku. The rapid development of civil aviation started in Azerbaijan since the French biplane Farman-4, piloted by Sergey Utochkin, made a few circles above awestruck onlookers and successfully landed with a thunder of applause. Azerbaijan Airlines is a major air carrier and one of the leaders of the aviation community of CIS countries. AZAL with the newest airplane fleets, consisting of 25 airplanes, does not have a single old plane. For its services, AZAL received a prestigious "4 Stars" from the leader in air transport research, the world- famous British consulting company Skytrax last June. http://www.azernews.az/business/91428.html Back to Top FAA proposes $417,500 civil penalty against FedEx WASHINGTON-- The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a $417,500 civil penalty against FedEx. The penalty is for allegedly operating an aircraft not in compliance with FAA Regulations. The FAA alleges "FedEx failed to rebalance a horizontal stabilizer tab control surface on the Boeing 727 after repainting the part. The Boeing 727 Structural Repair Manual identifies the work as a major repair and requires rebalancing the control surface after the work is done." The FAA alleges that FedEx's failure to perform the rebalancing requirements rendered the aircraft unairworthy and that the company operated the aircraft on at least 133 flights when it was in that condition. "Safety depends on every operator paying close attention to every regulatory requirement," said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta in a statement. "It's also critical for operators to implement internal controls to ensure that they're following all applicable protocols and regulations." The FAA said FedEx has asked to meet to discuss the case. http://wreg.com/2016/01/07/faa-proposes-417500-civil-penalty-against-fedex/ Back to Top January/February 2016 FAA Safety Briefing http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/2016/media/JanFeb2016.pdf Back to Top Congresswoman fights ban on burying female WWII pilots at Arlington Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., on Wednesday introduced a bill that would allow the cremated remains of women who flew non-combat missions during World War II to be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. The WASP Arlington Inurnment Restoration Act would overturn former Army Secretary John McHugh's decision earlier this year to not allow the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, to be inurned at the storied cemetery. McSally, a retired Air Force colonel and the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat, said that WASP pilots have been eligible for inurnments at Arlington since 2002, but McHugh revoked that eligibility in early 2015. "This decision is simply appalling," McSally said. "At a time when we are opening all positions to women, the Army is closing Arlington to the pioneers who paved the way for pilots like me and all women to serve in uniform. It doesn't make sense." In a Tuesday blog post, Arlington National Cemetery said that's not quite what happened. The cemetery said that the confusion stemmed from a law allowing the secretary of Defense to declare certain groups as active duty to make them eligible for certain Veterans Affairs Department benefits, such as burial and inurnment at national cemeteries maintained by VA. But Arlington is not run by VA, the cemetery said. The cemetery's administration made a mistake when officials misinterpreted that law and granted eligibility to some WASPs before 2010. McHugh clarified the eligibililty issue in 2015, and said those who were mistakenly inurned there would remain. And because space is extremely limited, the cemetery said, it must be more stringent on its eligibility criteria. "WASPs have never been eligible either for inurnment or burial at Arlington," the cemetery said. "The service of Women Airforce Service Pilots during World War II is highly commendable and, while certainly worthy of recognition, it does not, in itself, reach the level of active duty service required for inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery." McSally said the issue of WASP eligibility was brought up by the family of former WASP Elaine Harmon, who died in April. Harmon's family tried to inurn her in Arlington, but was rejected. "This was our grandmother's last wish and we want to see this through," Whitney Miller, Harmon's granddaughter, said in McSally's release. According to the Air Force's Historical Studies Division, the WASP program graduated 1,074 female pilots during World War II. The women ferried combat aircraft across the country, towed airborne targets for gunnery training, and trained combat pilots. Thirty-eight died during the war - 11 were killed during training, and the other 27 died during missions. http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/2016/01/07/congresswoman-fights-ban-burying-female- wwii-pilots-arlington/78377124/ Back to Top Sorry NASA, Europe says it's going to the Moon instead of Mars The European Space Agency has become increasingly bold with its lunar preferences. NASA has made it clear for the last half decade that it considers Mars the next destination for its astronauts. Nevertheless, since President Obama took the Moon off the table during a 2010 space policy speech, potential partners for NASA's "Journey to Mars" have fallen by the wayside. Earlier this decade, both China and Russia, the two nations now capable of launching humans into space, signaled their intentions to first explore the Moon. Now they have been joined by arguably NASA's most important partner in the coming years, the European Space Agency (ESA). In a new video titled "The Moon Awakens," the agency says it will take lessons learned from the International Space Station and team with other interested partners to return humans to Earth's natural satellite by the end of the next decade. The discovery of lunar water has changed everything for human exploration. "This new exploration will be achieved not in competition, as in the past, but through peaceful, international cooperation," the narrator says. "Eventually we will see a sustained infrastructure for research and exploration where humans will live and work for prolonged periods. Here we will put into practice the lessons of the International Space Station, to establish a facility akin to those we see in Antarctica today. In the future the moon can become a place where the nations of the world work together." The only nod the video makes to exploring Mars is in characterizing the lunar surface as "a place where we can learn to move onward into the Solar System." The video comes at a critical time for NASA with the United States entering into a presidential election year. Although space has played almost no role in the political discourse during the primaries, a new president will bring a new NASA administrator, one who is perhaps not as committed to President Obama's avoid-the-Moon strategy. Several of the leading Republican contenders, Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, both played an important role in passing a recent law that allowed US companies to mine lunar resources, including water ice that could be converted into fuel. NASA officials, including Bill Gerstenmaier, chief of the agency's human space flight operations, have indicated they will work with their international partners to facilitate their human landings on the Moon but that this is not an objective for NASA. This is largely because Obama so clearly took the Moon off the table during his 2010 speech, declaring, "We've been there before." Europe's space agency appears to have joined the chorus of other international space groups that have set their sights on the Moon because it is close, has many potential resources from water to rare minerals, and because it offers an attainable goal. A number of independent groups, such as NASA's own advisory council and the National Research Council, have questioned whether NASA's aim to land humans on Mars in the 2030s is realistic given the agency's budget and Apollo-like strategy of building expensive, expendable rockets. The new ESA video comes after a year in which its new director general, Johann-Dietrich Wörner, has spoken extensively about his ideas for a "Moon Village." This concept would allow nations to collaborate to develop resources, such as water ice or rare metals. Moreover, they could also work toward becoming more self-sufficient in space by growing crops and harvesting other resources on the lunar surface. Like US commercial companies, ESA appears to be interested in the polar regions of the Moon, where there are cratered areas of perpetual darkness that harbor water ice, as well as nearby areas that receive nearly continual sunshine and would provide a reliable source of solar energy. Recently the US Federal Aviation Administration endorsed the concept of a "Moon Village" and encouraged cooperation between US companies and Europe in future exploration. http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/01/sorry-nasa-europe-says-its-going-to-the-moon-instead-of-mars/ Back to Top Upcoming Events: Embry-Riddle A³IRCON January 14-17, 2016 Phoenix, AZ http://commons.erau.edu/aircon/2016/ 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/ 50th Annual SMU Air Law Symposium March 31 - April 1, Dallas, TX http://smulawreview.law.smu.edu/Symposia/Air-Law.aspx 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 IATA OPS Conference April 18-20, 2016 Copenhagen, Denmark http://www.iata.org/events/Pages/ops-conference.aspx 3rd International Accident Investigation Forum 19-21 April 2016, Singapore Aviation Academy http://www.saa.com.sg/iaif2016/ ICAEA Workshop: Aviation English Training for Operational Personnel April 29-30, 2016 Santa Maria Island, The Azores, Portugal www.icaea.aero Back to Top Jobs Available: Deputy Director of Flight Operations & Technical Services Helicopter Association International https://www.rotor.org/AboutHAI/Employment.aspx Curt Lewis