Flight Safety Information February 8, 2016 - No. 027 In This Issue PROS 2016 TRAINING Airport workers seen with laptop used in Somalia in-flight jet blast Somalia plane bomber was meant to be on Turkish flight Bodies found after 2 aircraft go down off Los Angeles coast The International Society of Air Safety Investigators...SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR THE JEROME F. LEDERER SeaPort Airlines files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy TERRIFYING MOMENT LIGHTNING STRIKES AIRPLANE WING CAUGHT ON VIDEO Two killed in crash of vintage airplane near Maricopa Boeing Heads for 1,000 Annual Airplane Deliveries FAA Cabin Safety Expert Shows News 9 How To Survive An Airplane Crash UAE carriers have 453 aircraft U.N. agency seeks to end rift on new aircraft emission rules Airbus Drops P&W Engines for A321Neo First Flight, Uses CFM Fractional Pilots needed for PhD Research GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST Back to Top Airport workers seen with laptop used in Somalia in-flight jet blast Sources say a laptop computer concealed a bomb (CNN)Somali intelligence officials say two airport workers handled a laptop that concealed a bomb that later exploded in a passenger plane. In a video made public on Sunday by officials, one airport worker takes the laptop and hands it to another employee. The employees then hand it over to a man who was killed when the laptop explosion blew a hole in the plane's fuselage, said Abdisalam Aato, a spokesman for the Somali Prime Minister. Both workers have been arrested. Somali officials identified the lone fatality as suspect Abdullahi Abdisalam Borleh. He was sucked out of the airliner through the hole from the blast Tuesday. Bomber knew where to sit Investigators suspect Borleh, a Somali national, carried a laptop computer with a bomb concealed onto the plane, according to a source familiar with the investigation. He knew precisely where to sit and how to place the device to maximize damage, the source told CNN. Given the placement, the blast likely would have set off a catastrophic secondary explosion in the fuel tank if the aircraft had reached cruising altitude, the source said. But the explosion happened at a lower altitude, between 12,000 feet and 14,000 feet, killing the Somali national and injuring two others. Though preliminary tests showed the bomb contained a military grade of the explosive TNT, the source said, it failed to bring down Daallo Airlines Flight 3159. The pilot turned around and landed the Airbus safely in Mogadishu. "Security at our airport is strong, but we need to do more," Aato told CNN in response to concerns about airport security. "While threats will always be there, this could happen at any other airport," he said. Somalia asked U.S. officials for help with investigations, and several FBI agents are on the ground assisting in Mogadishu, the spokesman said. "This was a sophisticated attack ... so we reached out to our international partners," Aato said. Militants behind attack Investigators believe the attack was orchestrated by Al-Shabaab, although they are not certain Borleh was a direct member of the group, according to the source. No group immediately claimed responsibility. Al-Shabaab is an al Qaeda affiliate, though some of its it has factions have declared loyalty to ISIS. It has been responsible some of the deadliest violence in recent years in Somalia and surrounding nations, including Kenya and Uganda. At least 20 people have been arrested in connection with the blast aboard the plane, the spokesman said. http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/07/africa/somalia-airplane-explosion-video/ Back to Top Somalia plane bomber was meant to be on Turkish flight: airline executive NAIROBI (Reuters) - A suspected suicide bomber who blew a hole in the fuselage of a Daallo Airlines plane last week and forced it to make an emergency landing in Mogadishu was meant to be on a Turkish Airlines flight, the Daallo chief executive said on Monday. The bomber was sucked out of the plane through the one-meter wide hole when the blast ripped open the pressurized cabin in mid-air, officials said. The pilot landed the plane in the Somali capital, from where it had taken off. No group has so far taken responsibility for the attack but a U.S. government source last week said the United States suspects Islamist militant group al Shabaab, which is aligned to al Qaeda, was responsible for the blast. Mohamed Yassin, Daallo Airlines chief executive, said most of the passengers who were on the bombed flight were scheduled to fly with Turkish Airlines, but were ferried to Djibouti by one of his planes after the Turkish carrier canceled its flight, citing bad weather. "That particular passenger (who was behind the blast) boarded the aircraft on a Turkish Airlines boarding pass and was on the list for the Turkish Airlines manifest," Yassin told Reuters by telephone from Dubai. Yassin said Daallo picked up the 70 stranded Turkish Airlines passengers to fly them to Djibouti, including the suicide bomber. In total, the flight had 74 passengers. Turkish Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Somalia, mired in conflict since civil war broke out in 1991, has few air links outside East Africa. In 2012, Turkish Airlines became the first major international commercial airline to fly out of Somalia in more than two decades. Mogadishu's heavily guarded airport, which is often compared to the Green Zone in Baghdad, has several safety perimeter fences and checkpoints. It houses a large U.N. compound along with several other Western embassies. Somali officials said an investigation had been launched and arrests made, including airport workers. CCTV footage released by the Somali National Intelligence Agency (NISA) appears to show two airport workers inside the terminal handing the suicide bomber a lap top stuffed with explosives, according to the government spokesman. "Some of the people that we have arrested are co-operating," spokesman Abdisalam Aato told Reuters. He said security at the airport has been stepped up and that the government was seeking new technologies to improve screenings. Al Shabaab, which wants to topple the government and impose a harsh version of Islamic law, has targeted the airport in the past. It has also attacked the Turkish embassy in Mogadishu. Yassin said Daallo has been reassured by Somali officials that security was being improved, and will keep flying to Somalia. We have been there for 25 years," he said. "Our efforts to keep Somalia linked to the rest of the world will continue." http://news.yahoo.com/somalia-plane-bomber-meant-turkish-flight-airline-executive- 100554606.html Back to Top Bodies found after 2 aircraft go down off Los Angeles coast Los Angeles (CNN)Divers recovered two bodies and wreckage of a plane off the coast of Los Angeles Sunday, the county sheriff's department says. The bodies will be identified by the medical examiner's office. Two small planes went down Friday, after what could have been an in-flight collision. A total of three people may have been aboard the two aircraft. The search operation continues Monday. Authorities discovered a log book that helped them identify one of the planes and people on board -- two men, ages 61 and 81. Another plane, believed to be piloted by a 72-year-old woman, was expected to arrive at Torrance airport Friday but never showed, the U.S. Coast Guard says. One of the aircraft was a Beechcraft and the other was a Super Decathlon, a plane that's often used for aerobatic stunts. The incident occurred near the community of San Pedro, south of downtown Los Angeles and just west of Long Beach. http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/08/us/los-angeles-planes-down/ Back to Top The International Society of Air Safety Investigators SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR THE JEROME F. LEDERER AWARD CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS. No nominations for the award were received this past year. Usually we get one to three nominations per year. Surely there are some deserving investigators among us. Therefore, I urge ISASI members to nominate a person or persons who you believe deserves consideration for this award. The ISASI Awards Committee is seeking nominations for the 2016 Jerome F. Lederer Award. To be considered this year, your nomination letter must be received by May 31, 2016 The purpose of the Jerome F. Lederer Award is to recognize outstanding contributions to technical excellence in accident investigation. The Award is presented each year during our annual seminar to a recipient who is recognized for positive advancements in the art and science of air safety investigation. The nomination process is quite simple. Any member of ISASI may submit a nomination. The nominee may be an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization. The nominee is not required to be an ISASI member. The nomination may be for a single event, a series of events or a lifetime of achievement. The ISASI Awards Committee considers such traits as duration and persistence, standing among peers, manner and techniques of operating, and of course achievements. Once nominated, a nominee is considered for the next three years and then dropped. After an intervening year, the candidate may be nominated for another three-year period. The nomination letter for the Lederer Award should be limited to a single page. This award is one of the most significant honors an accident investigator can receive; therefore, considerable care is given in determining the recipient. Each ISASI member should thoughtfully review his or her association with fellow investigators, and submit a nomination when they identify someone who has been outstanding in increasing the technical quality of accident investigation. Additional information regarding the award can be found on the ISASI website. Nominations should be mailed, or e-mailed to the ISASI office or directly to the Awards Committee Chairman, Gale Braden, 13805 Edmond Gardens Drive Edmond, OK 73013 USA, email address, galebraden@cox.net www.isasi.org List of Winners Recipients of the ISASI Jerome F. Lederer Award * 2015 - Ladislav Mika (Ladi) * 2014 - David King * 2013 - Frank S. Del Gandio and Myron P. "Pappy" Papadakis * 2012 - Curt Lewis * 2011 - Paul-Louis Arslanian * 2010 - Michael Poole * 2009 - Capt. Richard B. Stone * 2009 - Australian Transport Safety Bureau * 2008 - Don Bateman * 2007 - Tom McCarthy * 2006 - Richard H. Wood * 2005 - John D. Rawson * 2004 - Ron Chippindale (deceased 2/12/08) * 2003 - Caj Frostell * 2002 - Ronald L. Schleede * 2001 - John Purvis and The Transportation Safety Board of Canada * 2000 - Nora Marshal * 1999 - Capt. James McIntyre (deceased 11/19/01) * 1998 - A. Frank Taylor * 1997 - Gus Economy * 1996 - Burt Chesterfield * 1995 - Dr. John K. Lauber * 1994 - U.K. Aircraft Accidents Investigation Branch * 1993 - Capt. Victor Hewes * 1992 - Paul R. Powers * 1991 - Eddie J. Trimble * 1990 - Olof Fritsch * 1989 - Aage A. Roed (deceased 1/25/03) * 1988 - H. Vincent LaChapelle * 1987 - Dr. Carol A. Roberts * 1986 - Geoffrey C. Wilkinson * 1985 - Dr. John Kenyon Mason * 1984 - George B. Parker * 1983 - C.O. Miller (deceased 10/20/03) * 1982 - C.H. Prater Houge * 1981 - Dr. S. Harry Robertson * 1980 - John Gilbert Boulding * 1979 - Gerard M. Bruggink * 1978 - Allen R. McMahan * 1977 - Samuel M. Phillips Back to Top SeaPort Airlines files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy SeaPort Airlines Cessna 208B Grand CaravanŠ SeaPort Airlines SeaPort Airlines Cessna 208B Grand Caravan SeaPort Airlines (K5, Portland Int'l, OR) says it has voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Federal Bankruptcy Court in Oregon. In a statement, the carrier blamed its woes on an ongoing shortage of qualified flight personnel brought on by new US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations which require First Officers to have a minimum of 1,500 hours ATP experience to operate for a Part 121 airline. "The announcement comes after the airline took a number of necessary steps to reduce its route network as a result of a national pilot shortage," it said. Though it is a Part 135 carrier, SeaPort says the poaching of their pilots by Part 121 carriers has severely affected its operations so much so that last month, it was forced to close stations at Sacramento Int'l, Visalia, Burbank, San Diego Int'l, El Centro, San Felipe (Mexico), Salina, Great Bend, and Kansas City Int'l while EAS contracts to Tupelo and Muscle Shoals were abandoned in October last year. Under the supervision of an Oregon Bankruptcy Court, SeaPort will draw up a restructuring plan that will allow it to emerge a strong and viable airline. As part of its turnaround, Rob McKinney has resigned as president and CEO with his senior vice president, Timothy Sieber, having now assumed the reigns at the company. "The difficult decision to file for bankruptcy protection was necessary to preserve the future of our airline," Sieber said. "I am confident we will come out the other side of reorganization with a financially stronger airline in a better position to handle the challenges of the industry and provide the quality service our customers, employees and partners deserve." SeaPort's financial standing was called into question earlier this month when Executive Express Aviation LLC (trading as Southern Airways Express (9X, Memphis Int'l)) filed an objection to the US Department of Transportation's (DOT) impending decision to award SeaPort's sister carrier ADI Aerodynamics (8N, Pontiac) scheduled interstate passenger service rights. In its objection, EEA said it had not been paid for leasing work undertaken for and on behalf of SeaPort on its Salina, Harrison, and Great Bend EAS contracts for January of this year claiming that the Oregonian carrier and ADI's principal owner, James Beardsley, had shifted funds away from the airline and its creditors towards ADI as it became apparent it would complete licensing. "Executive Express Aviation believes that James Beardsley continues to operate SeaPort Airlines in a manner inconsistent with the public interest, and that, if his scheduled Certificate is made effective, he will do likewise with ADI," EEA argued. "We believe that SeaPort will again this month invoice the Department for EAS flights which were not operated by SeaPort and will allocate said funds to other purposes. We believe that the Department should fully investigate the unethical transfer of funds received by SeaPort, as the vast majority of their revenue comes directly from the Department." ADI subsequently responded calling on the DOT to dismiss the "unauthorized objection," arguing that it hinges on a contract dispute between EEA and SeaPort and "has nothing to do with ADI." http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/43785-seaport-airlines-files-for-chapter-11- bankruptcy Back to Top TERRIFYING MOMENT LIGHTNING STRIKES AIRPLANE WING CAUGHT ON VIDEO Footage uploaded online recently shows the terrifying moment that the wing of a passenger airplane is hit by lightning while flying through turbulent weather. Mitchell and Amy Stewart onboard Etihad Airways Boeing 777-300ER Flight 37 from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Charles De Gaulle Airport in France witnessed the terrifying moment Wednesday. Mitchell, who sat by the window during the seven-hour flight from Abu Dhabi International Airport, managed to capture the impressive display of natural fireworks. The video, posted to YouTube on February 3, 2016, has gone viral online with tens of thousands of views on YouTube alone. The video was also uploaded to Reddit. The rare footage shows the moment that a mesmerizing spiral of electrical discharge emerges from the clouds and touches the right wing of the airplane as it approaches Charles De Gaulle Airport in France on Wednesday. The lightning bolt strikes the tip of the passenger airplane's right wing as it flies through clouds. Mitchell said the airplane made a safe landing at about 2 p.m. local time, shortly after the lightning strike. "The plane went on to make a safe landing in Paris shortly after," Amy and Mitchell explained in the video description on YouTube. Online viewers have marveled at the steady hands of the videographer who appeared totally unperturbed by the scary-looking electrical discharge. Some viewers compared the lightning to a Harry Potter-like spell cast on the plane in the sky. "The movement of the plane as it created that connection is just awesome to see. The continuing residual trail was even better. Incredible capture." "How did the camera catch the lightning so perfectly? Every other video I've seen of lightning, the camera flares and the image is washed out." "[I]Would not have been able to hold the camera still like that. I'd be too busy trying to keep from shitting myself!" But some Reddit users suggested that the video does not actually show a direct hit. "That is a static discharge. The strike was on the opposite wing." Commercial airliners are often hit by lightning. In August 2015, for instance, an amateur videographer captured the moment that lightning struck a Delta Air Lines plane before take off at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. To prevent air accidents due to lightning strikes, commercial planes are provided with effective shielding that protects the plane from damage and the passengers from feeling the impact of lightning strikes. In most cases, passengers are unaware that the plane has been hit by lightning. The Daily Mail reports that a spokesperson for Etihad Airways explained that modern passenger aircraft are designed and equipped with devices that prevent damage to aircraft and protects passengers. "Around the world, aircraft are struck by lightning on a daily basis, and are equipped with devices which prevent the accumulation of static electricity. The amazing footage captured by our guest on flight EY37 from Abu Dhabi to Paris demonstrates this brilliantly," the spokesperson said. Captain Steven Draper, a spokesperson for the British Airline Pilots Association, (BALPA) explained, "Lightning strikes do not affect the flying of an airplane. In many cases there is little or no damage caused by lightning strikes. However, sometimes a small part - often the nose cone - needs to be replaced. Areas that are prone to lightning damage are normally fairly straightforward to replace." "Airplanes have a published 'turbulence speed' which provides the best passenger comfort and protection from the turbulence. In a storm the pilot may adopt that speed," he added. The incident comes after two Australian friends, Nick Panayiotou and Daniel Dudman, narrowly escaped (see video above) being struck by lightning while filming a thunderstorm in Oyster Bay, a suburb about 20 kilometers southwest of Sydney, Australia. http://www.inquisitr.com/2769612/terrifying-moment-lightning-strikes-airplane-wing- caught-on-video/ Back to Top Two killed in crash of vintage airplane near Maricopa Authorities say a World War II-era plane has crashed near the town of Maricopa, about 35 miles south of Phoenix. Mark Clark of the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said authorities initially confirmed that one person died in the crash of the vintage airplane. Hours later, the office clarified that although the plane was listed as a single-seat aircraft, "when the wreckage was recovered, a second victim was found. There are now two deceased persons in this crash," Clark said in a news release Friday night. Victims' identities will be released after family notifications are made, he said. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said preliminary information on the crash indicated the plane was a P-51D Mustang, a type of single-engine American fighter used during World War II. Gregor said the preliminary information indicated the plane caught fire after crashing. The spokesman said the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash. Maricopa is about 35 miles south of Phoenix. http://tucson.com/news/state-and-regional/update-two-killed-in-crash-of-vintage- airplane-near-maricopa/article_07e6c476-cc50-11e5-8a64-0320ecbbee9f.html Back to Top Boeing Heads for 1,000 Annual Airplane Deliveries An expected slowdown in aircraft deliveries this year is just a blip on the radar. Shares of Boeing (NYSE:BA) have plunged about 15% year to date, including a 9% drop on the day of its Q4 earnings report last week. Clearly, investors are focused on Boeing's announcement that it will cut production of the 777 jet in early 2017, as well as its guidance that the commercial airplanes division will deliver fewer planes in 2016 than in 2015. However, the outlook is much brighter than it may appear. While deliveries will probably be down in 2016, Boeing is primed for strong growth thereafter. Five years from now, Boeing could be approaching a major milestone that has never been reached in the commercial aircraft business: delivering 1,000 planes in a year. 737 production will rise In terms of sheer sales volume, the Boeing 737 far outstrips any of the company's other models. While it sometimes draws unfavorable comparisons to the rival Airbus (NASDAQOTH:EADSY) A320 family, Boeing's 737 has sold extraordinarily well in recent years. Just last year, Boeing secured 588 net firm orders for the 737 family. That gave it 4,392 unfilled orders at the end of the year. It's true that Airbus ended 2015 with more than 5,500 unfilled orders for the A320 family, but that includes some suspect orders. In any case, Boeing's backlog is enough to keep the production line running for more than eight years at its current rate. Accordingly, Boeing plans to increase production to meet demand. In late 2013, Boeing made plans to raise 737 production to 47 aircraft per month in 2017. A year later, it announced a further increase to 52 per month in 2018. Aerospace Boeing Finally, on Boeing's earnings call last week, CEO Dennis Muilenberg said the company would raise production again to 57 per month in 2019. That's around the same time that Airbus plans to increase A320 family production to 60 per month. As a result of all these rate increases, annual production (and deliveries) of the Boeing 737 will rise to about 684 units by 2020. Widebody deliveries will also rise Boeing's widebody output will also rise over the next five years or so. The company is currently in the process of increasing the 787 Dreamliner production rate from 10 per month to 12 per month. Boeing plans to boost 787 production to 14 per month before the end of the decade. Thus, by 2020, it will be building about 168 Dreamliners each year. Production of the older 767 is also scheduled to increase in the next two years to meet demand for freighter and tanker variants from FedEx and the U.S. military, respectively. By the end of 2017, Boeing will be building 2.5 per month -- or 30 per year -- up from 1.5 per month today. For the 777, another key model for Boeing, the future is murkier. In the short term, Boeing is cutting production from 8.3 per month to 7 per month. However, the company has also applied for permits to raise production as high as 10.4 per month by 2021. Boeing has cautioned that getting these permits is just a precaution, and there is no firm plan to increase production. Yet it has already racked up 306 orders for the next- generation 777X, with four years to go until its scheduled entry into service in 2020. If the backlog grows significantly in the next few years, it might make sense for Boeing to ramp up 777 production to 10.4 per month, which would translate to about 125 aircraft per year. The 747 jumbo-jet's potential sales volume is even less clear. Boeing is slashing 747 production to just 0.5 per month to cope with a lack of new orders. However, Muilenberg sees potential replacement demand for 240 large freighters in the period beginning around 2019. If this demand materializes, Boeing could return to producing at least one or two 747s per month. Heading for 1,000 Assuming that Boeing returns to a production rate of 8.3 per month for the 777/777X program around 2020, total production of the 737, 777, and 787 programs would be about 950 aircraft per year. A potential 777 production increase to 10.4 per month in 2021 would add another 25 to that total. Finally, the smaller 747 and 767 programs could together produce several dozen jets annually by the end of the decade. Based on this outlook, it's not clear whether Boeing's commercial aircraft production will reach 1,000 planes per year by 2021 -- but it will probably be very close. This represents a substantial growth opportunity relative to the 762 planes Boeing delivered last year. What's more, most of the production increases needed to reach 1,000 jets per month are already scheduled and backed up by plenty of firm orders. Boeing's steady growth and rising cash flow should drive the stock much higher over the next five years. http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/02/05/boeing-heads-for-1000-annual- airplane-deliveries.aspx Back to Top FAA Cabin Safety Expert Shows News 9 How To Survive An Airplane Crash OKLAHOMA CITY - Here in Oklahoma, most of us are accustomed to tornado and fire drills. But here in the metro, safety experts are preparing the world for a different emergency -- an airplane crash. Consider it constructed chaos. Our plane just crash landed in the middle of a severe storm and the cabin is on fire. All coordinated for your safety. "We know airplanes don't crash very often, but we know 97 percent of the people survive," said Cynthia McLean of the FAA Cabin Safety Research. "We think about safety in our homes. We think about safety in our cars, but we tend to not think about safety when we get on an airplane." McLean and her team do think about safety here at the only FAA Cabin Safety Research facility in the nation. The outside of the simulator also moves, lifting and tilting to run participants through crash drills. The FAA recommends before boarding: Wear shoes with laces, long pants and long sleeves or bring a jacket. Also bring a hat to protect your head. Back inside the cabin, McLean recommends bending over, putting your hand on your seat, putting your hand under your knees or hold onto your ankles. "That is the best protection when the crash (slap) forces," she said. So, you survived the crash. Next step is to get out as fast as possible and holding onto the arm rests. "It makes you stable and less likely to knock you down," she said. If it's dark, count the lights to the nearest exit. Once there, pull the handle down and the exit will flip up. The final piece of survival is just be ready. http://www.news9.com/story/31162805/faa-how-to-survive-an-airplane-crash Back to Top UAE carriers have 453 aircraft National airlines in the UAE had 453 passenger aircraft at the end of 2015 and more than half of them are operated by Dubai's Emirates, according to official data. At the end of last year, Emirates had 248 planes while 119 were owned by Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways, 50 by FlyDubai and 36 by Air Arabia, showed the figures by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). In statements published in Emarat Al Youm daily, GCAA director general Saif Al Suwaidi said 30 local and international airlines use the UAE's airports and that carriers from 10 countries are banned from using the country's airspace. He said GCAA had banned 34 aircraft from using the UAE airports for violating aviation rules. He said the UAE had signed 168 aviation agreements covering nearly 80 per cent of the countries of the world, adding that the local aviation sector has growing fast over the past years, recording an annual growth of about 10 per cent. http://www.emirates247.com/business/corporate/uae-carriers-have-453-aircraft-2016- 02-08-1.620197 Back to Top U.N. agency seeks to end rift on new aircraft emission rules MONTREAL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Europe and the United States tried to bridge differences over emissions standards for aircraft on Sunday as global aviation leaders prepared to adopt new rules that could affect Boeing Co and Airbus Group's production of the largest jetliners and freighters. Proposals being debated in Montreal by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations' aviation agency, would force makers of the world's largest passenger jets to upgrade or stop producing certain models as early as 2023, according to sources close to the negotiations and documents seen by Reuters. U.S. and European negotiators are trying to come up with the world's first carbon dioxide emissions standards for aircraft as part of the industry's contribution to efforts to combat climate change. Aviation was not included in the global climate deal agreed by a UN conference in Paris in December, but ICAO is trying to nail down the first of its two-part strategy as soon as Monday after six years of talks. It is due to finalize a market-based mechanism for all airlines later this year. Differences remain on where to place the bar on efficiency, with the United States and Canada pushing for more stringent targets than the European Union, while environmental groups have accused Europe of dragging its feet. "The CO2 standard will push industry to be as fuel-efficient as possible in all market conditions to reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and the impact of aviation on climate change," stated the Canadian paper presented at ICAO last week. The proposals could revive pressure on European planemaker Airbus to upgrade the world's largest passenger jet, the A380 superjumbo, with new engines. Airbus recently examined that proposal to boost sales, but it has dropped down its list of priorities. It could also spell the end for Boeing's struggling 747-8 passenger jet and freighter and force the U.S. planemaker to upgrade at least one of its two smaller freighters. Airbus and Boeing declined to comment on negotiations. The Montreal talks, which run until Feb. 12, are designed to set ambitious rules for new types of aircraft in the future. A less stringent standard would apply to aircraft already in production, but this has led to the fiercest arguments since some of these planes would need to have costly improvements. The fuel efficiency standards would apply to smaller business and regional jets, along with larger commercial planes weighing at least 60 tonnes that account for the majority of aviation sector emissions, two sources familiar with the matter said. The rules for in-production aircraft would come into effect by 2023, but could also be phased in over a five-year period until 2028, one source said. The tougher standard for new designs could go into effect by 2020. Participants have been weighing 10 different options for new targets, with one being the weakest and 10 requiring the greatest reduction in emissions, the documents seen by Reuters showed. European representatives have said they will not back a standard higher than 6 on large planes in production. The United States and Canada had initially backed options 8 and 9 but said they would not budge below a 7, and at one stage did not rule out breaking off talks, the sources said. However, on Sunday some progress was reported in narrowing differences. Tougher standards have higher cost implications for planemakers. While Airbus and Boeing have already planned more fuel-efficient upgrades to most of their programs, including the popular A320 and B737, some jets would have to be upgraded or cease being produced by as early as 2023. "They're not content," one delegate said of the jetmakers. A question mark remained over the current-generation wide-body jets produced by Airbus and Boeing, the A330 and 777-300ER. Both are likely to be superseded by new models before 2023, but aviation analysts have said recent market experience and low oil prices suggest demand for older jets can be resilient. Environmental groups said the standard will boost efficiency, but it will only make a small dent on the industry's greenhouse gas emissions, which are projected to triple or quadruple from current levels by 2040. They say the standard needs to be accompanied by a strong global market-based approach. http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/latestnews/2016/02/07/UN-agency-seeks-end-rift-new- aircraft-emission-rules Back to Top Airbus Drops P&W Engines for A321Neo First Flight, Uses CFM Pratt turbine has suffered glitches related to cooling Airbus Group SE has decided not to use Pratt & Whitney engines that have suffered engineering glitches for the first test flight of its A321neo, the largest and most widely- ordered variant of the European company's new single-aisle jet, and will instead employ rival turbines from CFM International. Airbus said it still aims to deliver the first A321neos powered by Pratt by the end of 2016, with CFM-equipped aircraft being handed over in early 2017. Spokesman Stefan Schaffrath said many tests are independent of engine type and that it "doesn't matter" which turbines are actually used on initial flights. The A320neo series is critical to Airbus's future, with the more efficient upgrade of the company best-selling model winning close to 4,500 orders since it went on sale in 2010. As of December, United Technologies Corp.'s Pratt had won 28 percent of engine contests and CFM, a joint venture of General Electric Co. and France's Safran SA, 33 percent, with the rest undecided. Qatar Delay The switch involving the A321neo test plane comes amid technical difficulties that mean the Pratt engine requires special measures to reach the right temperature on startup. Airbus didn't offer a specific reason for the change, while Pratt spokeswoman Sara Banda said it didn't want to speak for clients. Qatar Airways Ltd., earmarked as the first A320neo customer, refused delivery in December and said recently it would be "months" before it takes a plane. Airbus hasn't indicated when it plans to hand over the first Qatar aircraft, and neither has it said publicly when deliveries to India's IndiGo will proceed. U.S. competitor Boeing Co. began developing a rival aircraft more than a year after Airbus got to work. Boeing sent the first 737 Max to a paint shop on Nov. 30, meeting to the day a time line set four years ago. Airbus appeared to be sticking to its own schedule until the delays emerged in December. Airbus shares fell 4.9 percent to 51.39 euros Monday before trading 4.5 percent lower as of 12:51 p.m. in Paris. Safran fell as much as 7.5 percent to 50.25 euros after analysts at Jefferies and Deutsche Bank cut their price targets, citing concerns including currency hedging and new-engine pricing. Greg Hayes, chief executive officer of United Technologies, said in December that the cool-down process for the Pratt geared turbofan deployed on the A320neo had issues, and that the problem would be addressed in February with "more robustness" to be introduced to some parts. Deutsche Lufthansa AG is the only airline to have taken delivery of an A320neo, though the German carrier received its own aircraft about two weeks late. IndiGo's first jet is also late. The company said before its recent IPO that the Neo would save it 15 percent in fuel costs. Instead, it has been forced to lease in used planes to make up for the loss in planned capacity. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-07/airbus-forgoes-pratt-engines-for- a321neo-first-flight-uses-cfm Back to Top Fractional Pilots needed for PhD Research 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 Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST I am originally from South Africa where I worked as a Multimedia Designer and Lecturer for over a decade. I moved to Dubai, UAE in 2013 and am currently pursuing a career in Aviation Safety. My father is in aviation, my wife is in aviation along with all our friends. I finally got the hint. I will be completing a MSc. in Aviation Safety with this final research project. The scope of the research is: 'Evaluating the perception of stress among air traffic controllers in the United Arab Emirates as a safety risk to operational performance'. I am interested in the views of ATC operators from around the world to help establish a baseline for the research and gain further insight into the ramifications of stress in this sector on a global scale. The link to the survey is as follows: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/InternationalATCStress I look forward to the feedback. Kind Regards, Gary Peck MSc Aviation Safety Emirates Aviation University Curt Lewis