Flight Safety Information February 4, 2016 - No. 025 In This Issue PROS 2016 TRAINING Bomb Suspected in Deadly Explosion on Somali Jet 'It was a big jolt': Tires blow on jet landing at LVIA; all 158 on board safe Pilots say FAA bill is 'unsafe' without lithium battery ban Preliminary report: NTSB says aircraft broke up before crash near Cedar Fort WWII-era plane makes 'belly landing' at Dallas airport Airbus Readies First Singapore Airlines' A350 for Delivery Aircraft deliveries in Russia slow significantly in 2015 China Pilots Told To Rise Above Prostitution, Gambling and Drink Jet engine finally meets a moving assembly line United 232...(A Play) ISASI Kapustin Memorial Scholarship Applications Due in April ISASI Kapustin Memorial Scholarship Applications Due in April Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship PhD Research Request Back to Top Bomb Suspected in Deadly Explosion on Somali Jet NAIROBI, Kenya - American officials said Wednesday that an explosion on a Somali jetliner that punched a three-foot hole through its fuselage in midair and killed one passenger was most likely caused by a bomb. Their preliminary assessment heightened fears that the Shabab militant group in Somalia, suspected in the explosion, had figured out a way to plant the bomb in the plane. The explosion on Tuesday rocked the Daallo Airlines flight, an Airbus A321, soon after it left Mogadishu, the capital, blasting a hole above the right wing. Two passengers were seriously hurt; another was apparently sucked out of the plane. It was unclear if he had been killed by the blast or by the plunge to the ground. Somali officials said Wednesday that they had recovered the body of an older man who had fallen from the sky several miles outside Mogadishu. American officials were initially concerned that the blast might have been caused by a surface-to-air missile. After the stricken plane circled back to Mogadishu, American military advisers who are working in Somalia with African Union peacekeepers rushed to investigate, American officials said. They quickly determined from the way the metal was punched out that the explosion had been caused by something inside the aircraft. Somali news reports indicated that there had been around 70 passengers aboard. Daallo Airlines said in a statement that the plane had been heading to neighboring Djibouti and that the explosion happened about 15 minutes after takeoff. The concern now is that the Shabab, who have killed thousands of civilians in their quest to turn Somalia into a puritanical Islamic state, may be practicing more sophisticated killing tactics, breaching the airport's security and placing a timed explosive device in the aircraft. "The Shabab have upped their game," said one former American military official who works in Somalia. "And we're very lucky that device didn't go off when the plane was higher, or it could have brought the whole plane down." The Shabab seem to be making a comeback after years of defeats at the hands of an African Union peacekeeping force. They are now retaking towns in southern Somalia and building a formidable arsenal of armored personnel carriers, artillery and even American-made Humvees, all stolen from defeated peacekeepers. Last month, Shabab fighters ambushed a Kenyan forward operating base, killing as many as 100 Kenyan soldiers, and possibly more. It was the worst defeat the Kenyan military had ever suffered. The Shabab also recently slaughtered civilians at a beachside restaurant in Mogadishu. Antiterrorism experts say that if a bomb is confirmed as the cause of the plane explosion, it may also have been planted by members of the Islamic State's new branches in Somalia. In recent months, dozens of Shabab fighters have defected to the Islamic State, which has a history of bringing down aircraft. The Islamic State is widely believed to have been behind the bomb that felled a Russian jetliner over the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt in October, killing 224 people. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the explosion aboard the Daallo flight. One passenger, Awale Ali Kulane, a Somali diplomat, said there was a loud bang, the cabin filled with black smoke and the plane lurched down. "Some of the people were reading the Quran, and everybody on board was worried," he said. The American government has a large intelligence and law enforcement presence in Kenya that closely watches Somalia. On Wednesday, an American official said, the United States government asked the Somali government for permission to send F.B.I. agents from Nairobi, Kenya's capital, to Mogadishu to assist in the investigation. So far, the official said, the Somalis have not responded. "There's a lot of guys around here who would love to get their hands on this," said the American official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss pending investigations. "Right now, we're just waiting." http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/04/world/africa/somalia-jetliner-explosion.html?_r=0 Back to Top 'It was a big jolt': Tires blow on jet landing at LVIA; all 158 on board safe Firefighters assist with the evacuation of an Allegiant Air jet Wednesday night after two of the plane's tires blew out on landing at Lehigh Valley International Airport. No one was hurt. (Contributed photo) Tires blow on jet landing at LVIA, but all 158 on board reported safe Two tires blew out on an Allegiant Air jet as the plane landed Wednesday afternoon at Lehigh Valley International Airport, but none of the 158 people on board was hurt, officials said. "The left main tires blew out when it landed," LVIA spokesman Colin Riccobon said. "The plane stopped safely and all the passengers are being deplaned and brought to the terminal." The plane, a fully booked McDonnell Douglas MD-80, was coming in from Orlando, Fla., when it touched down on a wet runway at 5:46 p.m., according to Allegiant Air. "It was a big jolt," a passenger from Bethlehem said. "You heard the first tire go. And another jolt, you heard the second one go. We felt it and then we smelled it. "It kind of felt like they slammed on the brakes a little too soon, but they did a pretty good job bringing the plane to a stop." Firefighters and paramedics were dispatched to the airport to check for damage and injuries, and the plane quickly was evacuated. The 152 passengers and six crew members were taken to the terminal on buses. Allegiant said the plane was scheduled for a return flight to Orlando Sanford International Airport, but that flight was put on hold. "[The passengers] are currently being provided with refreshments at the gate while we determine how to most efficiently get them to their destination," the airline said. "We apologize for this inconvenience to our passengers and are offering $100 ... vouchers for use on future Allegiant flights." Riccobon said he did not believe there was any indication of trouble before the plane landed at LVIA. On landing, each wing of the plane extends a shock strut holding two tires. The nose gear also has two tires. On Wednesday, both tires blew out under the left wing. "Mechanics are on site and examining the aircraft to have it safely moved," Allegiant said in a statement. A few firefighters were asked to remain at LVIA as the mechanics jacked up the landing gear to begin assessing the damage. The plane remained on the runway at 8:50 p.m. Fire officials initially estimated 125 people were on the plane. Allegiant later said the total was 158. http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-t-lvia-allegiant-2-tires-blow-on-landing-20160203-story.html Back to Top Pilots say FAA bill is 'unsafe' without lithium battery ban The union that represents pilots in Washington said Wednesday that a proposed funding bill for the Federal Aviation Administration is "unsafe" because it does not include a ban on shipping lithium ion batteries by air. Most major airlines are already banning passengers from carrying lithium batteries in their luggage after warnings from receiving federal regulators, but aviation groups have been pushing Congress to enact a ban that would have also covered cargo shipments of the devices. The Federal Aviation Administration measure unveiled by the House Transportation Committee does not include a ban on air shipments lithium ion batteries, despite the pressure from aviation groups. Lawmakers said they are deferring to international groups that monitor flights like International Civil Aviation Organization, who have signaled that they are moving close to enacting a worldwide ban on shipping lithium batteries by air. The Air Line Pilots Association said Wednedsay that lawmakers should have enacted a ban of their own to show the U.S. is serious about preventing fires on-board planes that have been associated with the lithium batteries in recent years. "Last week, the international community irrefutably acknowledged existing evidence demonstrating that lithium batteries pose a threat to safe air operations," ALPA President Tim Canoll said in a statement. "As a result, they recommended moving forward on the first phase in a long-term plan that allows for the safe transport of lithium batteries," he continued. "However, today's proposed legislation refuses to recognize the safety risk inherent in the bulk shipment of lithium batteries on passenger and cargo aircraft." Lithium batteries became a topic of concern in aviation circles after a series of incidents involving fires on the Boeing's 787 "Dreamliner" during its 2013 rollout drew attention to problems with transporting the devices on airplanes. The FAA said in its 2015 notice to airlines that "lithium batteries present a risk of both igniting and fueling fires in aircraft cargo/baggage compartments. "To reduce the risk of lithium battery fires, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), and equivalent International Civil Aviation Organization's Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods (ICAO TI), prohibit spare lithium batteries from checked baggage (including baggage checked at the gate or on-board the aircraft)," the agency said in its notice. Lawmakers on the House Transportation Committee said Wednesday that their proposed FAA bill "establishes a Lithium Ion Battery Safety Advisory Committee to foster collaboration on lithium ion battery safety in air transportation," although it stops short of implementing a total ban. The panel said measure also "directs the [transportation] secretary to issue regulations consistent with international technical instructions banning lithium ion batteries as cargo on passenger aircraft." The pilots' union said Wednesday that the House GOP proposal does not go fare enough to prevent problems during flights that are caused by air shipments of lithium ion batteries. "After months of working with key officials to ensure this crucial legislation focuses on vital safety measures, we are disappointed to see that this bill does not advance aviation safety in our country," said Canoll. The pilots' union added that it has other safety concerns with the FAA bill that was proposed by House Republicans on Wednesday, including the GOP proposal to spin off air traffic control from the FAA. "As drafted, the bill does not address the serious safety risks presented by the unregulated carriage of lithium batteries," the union said of the proposed FAA bill. "It also creates an unfair funding system for the new air traffic organization, and fails to protect access to the cockpit through mandatory physically installed secondary barriers," the union continued. "Instead, the proposed legislation actually degrades safety by undercutting the existing regulations regarding medical certification for general aviation pilots." The full text of the proposed FAA bill can be read here. http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/268099-pilots-union-faa-bill-unsafe-without-lithium-battery-ban Back to Top Preliminary report: NTSB says aircraft broke up before crash near Cedar Fort National Transportation Safety Board investigators say that an airplane that crashed last month near Cedar Fort, killing an Arizona couple, had broken up in mid-air before it went down. Donald L. Baker, 59, was the pilot and his wife, Dawn Hunter-Baker, 55, the passenger in the Cessna 525 when it crashed Jan. 18 in a field just east of the Utah County town. The couple, both dead at the scene, were from Tucson. At the time of the crash, some area residents reported hearing an explosion. However, in its preliminary report, released Wednesday, NTSB investigators said the cause of the aircraft's breakup remained under investigation. The wreckage has been taken to the NTSB storage facility in Phoenix for more extensive examination and testing. The agency emphasized that its preliminary report was "subject to change, and may contain errors [that will be] corrected when the final report has been completed." NTSB noted that air traffic control tower data "indicated that shortly after takeoff and while proceeding southbound, the pilot reported that he had experienced a Flight Management System failure, and that he needed to fly straight and climb while he tried to program the backup FMS." Moments later, however, Baker declared a "Mayday," reporting that he had been forced to take manual control. Soon thereafter, "the airplane's airspeed was observed to fluctuate significantly. The airplane was then observed turning to the right before the radar target was lost. There were no further transmissions from the accident airplane," NTSB stated. http://www.sltrib.com/home/3494737-155/preliminary-report-ntsb-says-aircraft-broke ************** Status: Preliminary - official Date: Monday 18 January 2016 Time: 10:00 Type: Cessna 525 CitationJet Operator: Donald L. Baker Registration: N711BX C/n / msn: 525-0299 First flight: 1999 Engines: 2 Williams International FJ44-1A Crew: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Passengers: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Total: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: S of Cedar Fort, UT ( United States of America) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Salt Lake City International Airport, UT (SLC/KSLC), United States of America Destination airport: Tucson International Airport, AZ (TUS/KTUS), United States of America Narrative: A Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1 was destroyed following an airframe in-flight breakup and impact with a snow covered field near Cedar Fort, Utah. Both occupants died in the accident. The flight took off from runway 17 at 09:51 hours local time. Initial air traffic control data indicated that shortly after takeoff and while proceeding southbound, the pilot reported that he had experienced a Flight Management System (FMS) failure, and that he needed to fly straight and climb while he tried to program the backup FMS. The controller then instructed the pilot to climb to flight level 310, as well as provided the pilot with vectors around light precipitation. Clearance was later changed to FL180. After reaching the cleared altitude of FL180, at 09:57, the pilot made a Mayday call: "Mayday, I do need to get up higher 711 Bravo X-Ray, I am losing different instruments, I'd really like to get into clear weather." He was then cleared to climb to FL230. A minute later the Departure controller radioed that he had N711BX at FL202 and queried whether the pilot would like to continue to Tucson. The pilot replied: "That is affirmative." At this time the controller issued the pilot a no-gyro turn to the left to avoid precipitation, after which the airplane's airspeed was observed to fluctuate significantly. The airplane was then observed turning to the right before the radar target was lost. There were no further transmissions from the accident airplane. The airplane's wreckage was located in open, flat pasture ground, about 1 nautical mile southwest of Cedar Fort, Utah, and about 28 nm south-southwest of SLC. A survey of the accident site revealed that the linear debris path of wreckage extended for about 1 nm on a west to east orientation. All of the airplane's primary flight controls were accounted for at the accident site. At the time of recovery, the airplane's left engine had not been located, however, search efforts remain in progress. http://www.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20160118-0 Back to Top WWII-era plane makes 'belly landing' at Dallas airport DALLAS - A plane honoring the Tuskegee Airmen during an event commemorating Black History Month landed with its gears up at a Dallas airport Wednesday morning. Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to the "belly landing" at Dallas Executive Airport around 10:30 a.m. There were no reports of a fire resulting from the landing, and no one was injured. An unknown number of occupants on board the P-51C Mustang aircraft were already exiting the plane when DFR units arrived at the scene, according to DFR spokesman Jason Evans. "Pilot and squadron leader Bill Shepard was uninjured," according to a statement from the Commemorative Air Force, the organization behind the flight. "The aircraft sustained substantial damage, but we will start the restoration process shortly." The Commemorative Air Force Red Tail Squadron is a non-profit organization that calls itself "America's tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen." The group is dedicated to educating people nationwide about the country's first black military pilots who fought in World War II. The plane that landed wheels-up at DEA Wednesday was a restored World War II-era P-51C, the aircraft commonly flown by the Tuskegee Airmen. Other Black History Month events would continue as scheduled, according to the CAF. http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/wwii-era-plane-makes-belly-landing-at-dallas-airport/31794938 *************** Date: 03-FEB-2016 Time: 10:30 CST Type: North American P-51C Mustang Owner/operator: American Air Power Heritage Flying Museum Registration: N61429 C/n / msn: 42-103645 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Dallas Executive Airport (KRBD), Dallas, Texas - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Private Departure airport: Midland Int'l (KMAF) Destination airport: Dallas Exec (KRBD) Narrative: Tuskegee Airman P-51C had a Wheels up belly landing on grass near runway of Dallas Executive airport (Formerly Redbird Airport). Prop separation. Pilot uninjured. http://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=184196 Back to Top Airbus Readies First Singapore Airlines' A350 for Delivery The first Airbus A350-900 for Singapore Airlines has successfully performed its first test flight, as it is readied for delivery in the coming weeks. Singapore Airlines will become the second Asian carrier to fly the A350 after Vietnam Airlines and the fifth operator in the world of the type. This aircraft (MSN 0026) will wear the airline's standard iconic livery, and will now enter into the final phase of production, including additional ground checks and pre-delivery test flights. Singapore Airlines will rely on the A350 as the mainstay for its mid-size widebody fleet. According to Airbus, the airline has placed orders for 67 A350-900, including an ultra-long-range ULR) variant to resume non-stop services from its hub at Changi airport to Los Angeles and Newark. Those routes were previously operated with A340-500 aircraft, but were dropped in 2013 due to high fuel costs and low load factors. The first ten Singapore A350s will be configured with 42 business class seats, plus 24 seats in premium economy and 187 in economy. The carrier expects to enter into service at the end of 1Q 2016. To date, Airbus has reaped a total of 777 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 41 customers worldwide. Current operators are Qatar Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Finnair and TAM. http://airwaysnews.com/blog/2016/02/03/sia-a350-ff/ Back to Top Aircraft deliveries in Russia slow significantly in 2015 Russia's Pobeda Airlines begins service to Milan Russian carriers took delivery of fewer than 60 aircraft in 2015, less than half of the approximately 123 aircraft delivered per year during 2008-2014, according to Russia's State Scientific Research Institute of Civil Aviation. According to the organization, 22.1% of aircraft delivered in 2013-2015 were Boeing 737-800s; 15.4% were Airbus A320s; 12.9% were A321s and 7.1% were A319s. Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) deliveries made up 14.2% of total aircraft deliveries from 2013-2015. During the 2013-2015 time period, deliveries of Russian-assembled aircraft have not exceeded 20 aircraft per year. Russian airlines' passenger fleet includes 547 widebodies and narrowbodies, of which 82 are Russian-built. Regional aircraft includes 206, comprising 125 Soviet-era aircraft, five Antonov An-148s and 76 Western- built aircraft. According to the study, Russian airlines will need up to 1,800-2,200 aircraft through 2034 to replace older aircraft and meet demand. Of that number, 390-540 are widebodies, 1,050-2,070 are narrowbodies, and 370-410 are regional aircraft. The institute said if the downward trend is short-lived, Russia's passenger turnover could grow 2.2 to 2.9 times over 2014, when it reached 241.4 billion RPKs. http://atwonline.com/airframes/aircraft-deliveries-russia-slow-significantly-2015 Back to Top China Pilots Told To Rise Above Prostitution, Gambling and Drink A policeman is silhouetted inside Beijing International Airport. (Representational Image - Reuters Photo) BEIJING: China's airline pilots have been warned to steer clear of prostitutes, gambling and drink ahead of this year's Lunar New Year holiday, part of a campaign to strengthen the country's air safety record. China has experienced few crashes since the early 2000s, the result of stricter safety rules, better training and a relatively young fleet of mainly Western-made aircraft. Praising Chinese pilots for flying 8.46 million hours last year, the China Airline Pilots' Association noted in an open letter that "very few" pilots were selfish or hedonistic. The association did say, however, that some pilots were involved with prostitutes, gambling, drunk-driving and smuggling. Such behaviour "severely challenges legal and moral bottom lines", it said without naming any pilots. The open letter was published on an Chinese aviation website late on Wednesday. The publication comes just ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday when millions travel to their home provinces or overseas and is intended to make sure that pilots maintain their adherence to safety, industry observers said. "Safety is everything in China," said Joe Tymczyszyn, former executive director for the U.S.-China Aviation Cooperation Program. "If there is any small deviation in safety, there is strict, strong punishment." Officials at the pilots' association could not immediately be reached for comment. http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/china-pilots-told-to-rise-above-prostitution-gambling-aand-drink- 1273571 Back to Top Jet engine finally meets a moving assembly line Jet engines, suspended from a track on the ceiling, are moved down the assembly line. Even in these days of industrial robots and assembly line automation, a few things are still built largely by hand. And those include, believe it or not, jet engines. Now the ramp up in demand for commercial aircraft has challenged the jet engine business to take a fresh look at a very old assembly technique. Pratt & Whitney has one of its biggest U.S. engine centers in Middletown, Connecticut. And on one side of the main shopfloor, several jet engines in various states of readiness hang suspended from a track on the ceiling. This installation represents one part of a multi billion-dollar investment Pratt has made in a new engine, and a new way of making it: moving assembly. "It moves down one side of the oval, like a racetrack. And it has progressive steps of assembly," said Tom Mayes, general manager of the Middletown center. Engines under construction can glide with the push of a button from one build station to the next. "The mechanic when he's doing an assembly operation, the computer knows where he prefers the rotation and the up and down and can automatically go there at his desire." On the other side of this same shop floor, engines are still being built the old way. "In a static build structure, the engine doesn't move or rotate," said Mayes, "so you're climbing on ladders to reach the top assemblies, you're crawling on your back to reach bottom assemblies." The engine is suspended in a horizontal position, so a mechanic can adjust the height for easy access. Henry Ford may have invented large-scale moving assembly for automobiles in the early 1900s, but in the aerospace industry, this line is completely revolutionary. And for mechanic Neal Werboff, it's a welcome change. "It is a lot easier. I'm a big guy and reaching up and bending over takes its toll on me," he said. Werboff has worked at Pratt for 37 years, and he said at first he was cautious. "It is futuristic. Like something out of Star Wars... for a jet engine assembly. We've done things so long the old way, that you become entrenched in the way of doing things, and something new like this is like, will it work, is it a good idea, should we change? And the first engine we did on this, I never want to go back to the old way." That reaction, according to engineer Ted Sluis, is exactly the point. "The easier you make the mechanics' job, the better quality product that you get, the more efficient the product is produced, and ultimately the more you can build in a year." Sluis is one of the designers of this system. The reason jet engines have never been built like cars, is because they've always been a low volume business. "If you didn't have the volume on this product line you would never do this," he said. "The investment has to buy itself in. And that efficiency gain has to have a payback over a certain period of time, and without the volume it doesn't do that." The engine that's being built this way is the key to the volume. It's a new technology that Pratt calls PurePower, designed to burn 15 percent less fuel than a conventional engine. The company now has a backlog of orders for about 7,000 of these engines. With the old method of assembly, it could have built about 300 a year in this engine center. Now with moving assembly lines installed here and in its facility at West Palm Beach in Florida, it could potentially build a thousand a year. But managing such a massive investment is never going to be simple. "The real challenge in any new technology is learning how to build it, and learning how to build it at a profit," said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst with the Teal Group. He said Pratt has taken on a formidable set of problems. "Driving down costs, driving down defects when they happen in the manufacturing process, and of course just the investment needed to ramp up to levels that Pratt hasn't seen in the commercial business in decades." Some of those speed bumps were evident in December, when Airbus, the biggest customer for the new engine had to delay delivery of the first of its A320neo jets, in part because of technical issues with the engine. But that was rectified just recently as Lufthansa became the first airline to put the new engine into service. http://www.marketplace.org/2016/01/22/business/jet-engine-finally-meets-moving-assembly-line Back to Top United 232 (A Play) Adapted and Directed by Vanessa Stalling from the book Flight 232 by Laurence Gonzales A Haunting True Story of Compassion and Grace RUN DATES: March 11 - May 1, 2016 PRICES: $15 for Previews, $30 and $35 for Regular Run TIMES: Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 7:00pm AGES: United Flight 232 is recommended for adults and teens "I love you, hurry home. I love you." On July 19, 1989, a DC-10 headed for O'Hare with 296 aboard is paralyzed mid-air. For 44 minutes, the aircraft descended towards an emergency landing and crashed at Sioux City Gateway airport. To the astonishment of all who witnessed the event, 184 of 296 passengers and crew survived. Drawing on the interviews and research conducted by Evanston author Laurence Gonzales for his critically acclaimed book, Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival, this brand new play, United Flight 232, is a reflection on how to comprehend tragedy and celebrate human ingenuity in the face of overwhelming challenges. Drawing on the interviews and research conducted by Evanston author Laurence Gonzales for his critically acclaimed book,Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival, this brand new play is a reflection of our inherent sense of responsibility and compassion towards one another. Read more about this project from Adaptor and Director, Vanessa Stalling, on the Open House page. To learn more about Laurence Gonzales' book, please visit his website at laurencegonzales.com/232.html United Flight 232 was commissioned and developed by The House Theatre of Chicago and the Chicago Performance Lab through the Theatre and Performance Studies Program at the University of Chicago. Show Dates: Mar 11 2016 to May 1 2016 Location: The Chopin Theatre, upstairs 1543 W Division St, Chicago http://thehousetheatre.com/playsandevents/unitedflight232 Back to Top Embry-Riddle Continues Aviation-Focused Professional Education Offerings in Spring DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - As part of Embry-Riddle's commitment to continuing professional education and lifelong learning, the university is hosting a variety of aviation-focused short courses and seminars at the Daytona Beach Campus taught by aviation industry subject-matter experts. These industry-focused courses are designed for aviation professionals involved in the operation, management and supervision of aerospace organizations. The staff at Embry-Riddle Professional Programs can also create specialized programs to offer on-site, customized education and training in a variety of aviation, safety and investigation subjects. For a complete listing of the Certificate of Management in Aviation Safety course schedule, please visit www.erau.edu/cmas Certificate of Management in Aviation Safety Short-Courses The certificate requires the completion of three five-day courses in Occupational Safety & Health and Aviation Ground Safety, Aviation Safety Program Management & Aircraft Accident Investigation and Management (Basic or Advanced). This series of courses can be completed independently or as part of the Certificate of Management in Aviation Safety; discounts are available for multiple course selection. April 18-22 OSHA & Aviation Ground Safety, Daytona Beach, Fla. This course gives the participant working knowledge of OSHA's General Industry Safety and Health standards. In addition, participants will gain a fundamental working knowledge of an aviation ground safety program. Participants will also receive the OSHA 30-Hour General Industry Safety & Health Card. April 25-29 Aviation Safety Program Management, Daytona Beach, Fla. Participants will gain working knowledge of the development and management of an effective safety program. Topics include economics of safety; risk management; safety climate; regulatory safety and health programs; safety analysis techniques; and safety management systems. May 2-6 Aircraft Accident Investigation and Management, Daytona Beach, Fla. This course will teach the fundamentals required to conduct or manage an aircraft mishap/accident investigation. The participant will review the investigation sequence from the preplanning stage through the general survey and specific analysis of a mishap/accident, culminating with the determination of contributing factors and probable cause/s. Continuing Education Seminars: May 24-26 Aviation Safety Management Systems, Daytona Beach, Fla. This concentrated course in Aviation Safety Management Systems (SMS) is tailored for aviation practitioners and taught by Embry-Riddle and industry SMS subject-matter experts. Aviation safety professionals and stakeholders should plan to attend. This course is tailored for any individual actively involved in their organization's safety management system. Web: www.erau.edu/sms June 7-9 Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Daytona Beach, Fla. This three-day Embry-Riddle Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) course is designed to identify the key concepts, attributes and challenges of UAS operations. Eligible participants will also receive the Small UAS Safety Awareness Certificate. Attendees will gain knowledge of: * UAS System Components and Classification * UAS Design and Limitations * Regulatory Environment for UAS * Issues Associated with UAS Airspace Integration * Current and Future Trends Affecting the UAS Industry Web: www.erau.edu/uas For detailed course descriptions, fees, dates and to register online, go towww.erau.edu/dbproed PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS CONTACT:For more information on available courses and programs, please contact Sarah Ochs, Director of Professional Programs, at (386) 226-6928 or dbproed@erau.edu. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12165173/embry-riddle-continues-aviation-focused-professional-education-offerings-in-spring-2016 Back to Top ISASI Kapustin Memorial Scholarship Applications Due in April Applications for the 2016 ISASI Rudolph Kapustin Memorial Scholarship must be submitted on or before April 15, 2016, says ISASI Secretary Chad Balentine, who serves as Scholarship Committee Chairman. Balentine noted that this worthy program is designed to encourage and assist college-level students interested in the field of aviation safety and aircraft occurrence investigation. ISASI funds the Rudolf Kapustin Memorial Scholarship through donations and will provide an annual allocation of funds for the scholarship if funds are available. Applicants must be enrolled as full time students in an ISASI recognized education program, which includes courses in aircraft engineering and/or operations, aviation psychology, aviation safety and/or aircraft occurrence investigation, etc. Applicants must have major or minor subjects that focus on aviation safety/investigation. A student who has received the annual ISASI Rudolf Kapustin Memorial Scholarship will not be eligible to apply for it again. Students who wish to apply should go to http://www.isasi.org/Documents/Forms/ISASI Rudolf Kapustin Memorial Scholarship Form.pdf for guidelines and the application form. Please Note: The 2016 Scholarship Application Form provides updated candidate requirements. Forty students received the ISASI scholarship since its inception in 2002. Back to Top Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship The Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship was established by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) to shape the next generation of researchers in aviation weather, honoring the late Najeeb Elias Halaby, an eminent aviator and administrator, for his vision and more than five decades of extraordinary contributions to aviation (http://www.ral.ucar.edu/halabyfellowship.pdf). The Fellowship The recipient of a Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship will spend three months (in 2016 or early 2017) in residence with NCAR's Aviation Weather Research Program, which Mr. Halaby was instrumental in establishing in the 1980s. As the nation's leader in addressing aviation weather research, NCAR plays a unique role in meeting user needs by transferring research results to operations through its Research Application Laboratory (http://www.ral.ucar.edu/). The Fellow will conduct research broadly aimed at improving the integration of weather into decision support tools for improved weather avoidance and air traffic management. The Fellowship will provide: * a monthly stipend for three months, including temporary living expenses * round-trip travel expenses to and from Boulder, CO * travel to a conference to present results * page charges for one publication of key results Eligibility and Application The Halaby Fellowship targets graduate students (late Masters or early PhD level) enrolled in an aviation- relevant department or program of a domestic or international university. Interested candidates should have advanced research skills, far-reaching vision, and dedication to get things accomplished. Consideration for this Fellowship will be given to candidates based on the following submitted material: * Curriculum vitae * Proposal (maximum five pages) presenting the research to be conducted at NCAR, the anticipated outcome of that, and how the proposed effort ties into the candidate's ongoing graduate research project(s) * Contact information for three references (one of which should be the student's primary advisor) NCAR will accept applications for the Halaby Fellowship each year. Email Applications by February 28, 2016 to halabyfellowship@ucar.edu Back to Top PhD Research Request Dear Fractional Jet Pilot, Fractional jet pilots have achieved an amazing safety record over the last 25 years. Research shows that your pilot group has achieved significantly better safety results when compared with similar jet pilot groups. This research investigates why are fractional jet pilots better than these other pilot groups? Is it due to training/skills, safety culture, union or company leadership? Safety culture has been studied for over a decade at the commercial airline level, and has consistently demonstrated a predictive capability. In recent years, safety culture has been concluded to predict safety performance. Safety culture is an important factor to investigate. My name is Kevin O'Leary and I am a Ph.D. candidate at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I am completing my dissertation by researching the safety culture of fractional jet pilots. This research has the potential to begin the understanding of why fractional pilots have a superior safety record. Due to the nature of this research, the survey respondents have been required to be pre-qualified to participate in this survey. Please follow the link below and fill out the pre-qualification form so that your pilot status can be verified. After verification, an untraceable survey link will be emailed to your email address. This link will be completely separate and remain separate from your pilot verification data. Your identity will never be disclosed and is not connected with the survey answers you provide. The research survey you will receive after completing the pre-qualification form will not include any identifiable data about the pilot, pilot's place of employment or the aircraft primarily flown. The research survey will take about 11 minutes. Please note that these responses will generate a donation to the Corporate Angel Network and potentially improve general aviation safety. https://www.research.net/r/Curt-Lewis-PreQual Thank you very much for your help! Principal Researcher Kevin O'Leary Ph.D. Candidate Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 617-600-6868 Olearyk1@my.erau.edu Curt Lewis