Flight Safety Information March 2, 2016 - No. 044 In This Issue PROS 2016 TRAINING NASA Spaceman Back From Record Year Flight; Gives Thumbs Up American Airlines Flight Slides on Runway at O'Hare Airport No injuries when private jet slides off O'Hare runway Pilots call for research into impact of drone hitting passenger jet (U.K.) Airlines to Introduce an 'Economy Minus' Class Apple says it helped in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Aviation Exec Accused of Selling Feds Bad Parts FAA orders checks on fuel valves in Boeing planes Strengthening Russian Aviation with Global Standards Metro Aviation Adds Customer Support, Safety Veterans to Team (HAI Convention News) Russia's Aeroflot Loses Money in a Year Most Airlines Are Big Winners Singapore Airlines Takes Delivery Of First Airbus A350-900 SpaceX Keeps Aborting Liftoffs Because Rocket Fuel Is Tricky Explorer, Physician and Leadership Expert - Dr. Joe MacInnes...to Share Lessons in Safety Leadership at CHC Summit 2016 Research Survey Request RESEARCH SURVEY...MENTAL HEALTH & FLYING SURVEY NASA Spaceman Back From Record Year Flight; Gives Thumbs Up Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA rest in a chair outside of the Soyuz TMA- 18M spacecraft just minutes after he and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls) CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (CBSMiami/AP) - Astronaut Scott Kelly is back on earth Wednesday after spending a year in space. Kelly landed in barren Kazakhstan with a Russian cosmonaut who shared his whole space station journey. Their Soyuz capsule parachuted onto the central Asian steppes and ended a science-rich mission at the International Space Station that began last March and was deemed a steppingstone to Mars. It was a triumphant homecoming for Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko after 340 days in space. Kelly pumped his fist as he emerged from the capsule, then gave a thumbs-up. He smiled and chatted with his doctors and others as photographers crushed around him in the freezing cold. "The air feels great out here," NASA spokesman at the scene, Rob Navias, quoted Kelly as saying. "I have no idea why you guys are all bundled up." Clearly animated and looking well, he said he didn't feel much different than he did after his five-month station mission five years ago. Kelly and Kornienko had checked out of the space station 3½ hours earlier. In total, they traveled 144 million miles through space, circled the world 5,440 times and experienced 10,880 orbital sunrises and sunsets during the longest single spaceflight by an American. Kelly posted one last batch of sunrise photos Tuesday on Twitter, before quipping, "I gotta go!" His final tweet from orbit came several hours later: "The journey isn't over. Follow me as I rediscover # Earth!" Piloting the Soyuz capsule home for Kelly, 52, and Kornienko, 55, was the much fresher and decade younger cosmonaut Sergey Volkov, whose space station stint lasted the typical six months. The two yearlong spacemen faced a series of medical tests following touchdown. Before committing to even longer Mars missions, NASA wants to know the limits of the human body for a year, minus gravity. As he relinquished command of the space station Monday, Kelly noted that he and Kornienko "have been up here for a really, really long time" and have been jokingly telling one another, "We did it!" and "We made it!" "A year now seems longer than I thought it would be," Kelly confided a couple weeks ago. Not quite a year - 340 days to be precise, based on the Russian launch and landing schedule. But still record-smashing for NASA. Kelly's closest U.S. contender trails him by 125 days. Russia continues to rule, however, when it comes to long-duration spaceflight. The world record of 438 days was set by a Russian doctor during the mid-1990s. "A really smart person said to me one time, 'Teamwork makes the dreamwork in spaceflight,' and spaceflight is the biggest team sport there is," Kelly said Monday. He acknowledged each of the 13 U.S., Russian, European and Japanese space fliers with whom he and Kornienko lived during the past year. "It's incredibly important that we all work together to make what is seemingly impossible, possible." For NASA, that mission possible is Mars. Scientists are hoping for more one-year subjects as NASA gears up for human expeditions to Mars in the 2030s. Radiation will be a top challenge, along with the body and mind's durability on what will be a 2½-year journey round trip. With his one-year mission, Kelly has "helped us take one giant leap toward putting boots on Mars," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement. The choice of the pioneering Kelly turned out to be a bonanza. His identical twin, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, offered himself up as a medical guinea pig so researchers could study the differences between the genetic doubles, one in space and the other on the ground. They provided blood, saliva and urine samples, underwent ultrasounds and bone scans, got flu shots and more, all in the name of science. "My brother @StationCDRKelly is back home on our planet! Talk about aliens. He's been off the planet for a year," Mark Kelly joked via Twitter. Kelly and Kornienko were due to split up later Wednesday. Kelly heads to Houston with two flight surgeons and several other NASA reps, arriving late Wednesday night. That's where he'll be reunited with his two daughters, ages 21 and 12; his girlfriend, a NASA public affairs representative at Johnson Space Center; and his brother and his brother's wife, former Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. "Excited to welcome him back in Houston," Giffords tweeted. Kornienko returns to his home in Star City, Russia, near Moscow, to his wife, daughter and toddler grandson. Kelly has spent more time in space, altogether, than any other American: 520 days over the course of four missions. Realizing this is likely his last journey, it was "a little bittersweet" saying goodbye to his orbiting home. He'll have plenty of pictures, at least, for the scrapbook - he posted 1,000 dramatic, color-drenched pictures of Earth on his Twitter and Instagram accounts. "What a ride he took us on!" fellow astronaut Reid Wiseman said in a tweet from Houston. "Those of us who dream of sending astronauts to deep space thank Scott Kelly for his sacrifice," said Jim Green, director of planetary science for NASA, "and are thrilled to welcome him home." http://miami.cbslocal.com/2016/03/02/nasa-spaceman-back-from-record-year-flight- gives-thumbs-up/ Back to Top American Airlines Flight Slides on Runway at O'Hare Airport An American Airlines plane slid on the runway at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport Tuesday, officials said. An American Airlines plane with 65 passengers and five crew members on board was heading out for departure when it slid on the taxiway and needed assistance straightening out, the airline said. American Airlines Flight 1051, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83, requested to be towed to the terminal after sliding on Taxiway J, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and the airline. The plane is expected to take off later Tuesday after it has been de-iced again. It was the second incident at the airport. A corporate jet, which had two passengers on board, also exited the runway just after noon, according to the Chicago Fire Department. Chicago Department of Aviation spokeswoman Karen Pride said the aircraft, operated by a company called Net Jets, was originally destined for Executive Airport in Wheeling. Pride said no injuries were reported. The FAA is investigating both incidents. More than 400 flights flying in and out of Chicago were canceled Tuesday ahead of snow forecast for several northern suburbs. An icy mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow began to fall Monday night and continued into Tuesday morning before turning to all snow. http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/American-Airlines-Flight-Slides-on-Runway-at-OHare- Airport-370693301.html Back to Top No injuries when private jet slides off O'Hare runway No one was injured when a private jet slid off the end of a runway at O'Hare International Airport early Tuesday afternoon, officials said. A few minutes later, an American Airlines plane asked to be towed after sliding on a taxiway, officials said. The private jet, an Embraer Phenom E505P, landed at O'Hare a little after noon and slid off runway 9L/27R, said FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory. Neither of the two people onboard were injured, according to Cory and Karen Pride, a spokeswoman for the city's Aviation Department. The runway remained closed about 1:30 p.m., Cory said in an email. The plane, operated by NetJets - a Berkshire Hathaway company that offers both leased and shared-ownership planes - was destined for Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling, according to Pride. A few minutes after the Embraer slid off the runway, the pilot of American Airlines Flight 1051, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 that travels to and from Newark, N.J., asked to be towed to the terminal after the plane slid on Taxiway J. The slide-off is at least the third time an airplane has slid off the runway, O'Hare's newest, since Dec. 30. The mishaps come as about 400 flights have been canceled at O'Hare and about 70 at Midway Airport because of weather conditions, according the Aviation Department and the FAA. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-private-jet-slides-off-ohare- runway-20160301-story.html *************** Date: 01-MAR-2016 Time: 12:02 Type: Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 Owner/operator: NetJets Registration: N358QS C/n / msn: 50500250 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: None Location: Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL (ORD/KORD) - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Departure airport: Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL (ORD/KORD) Destination airport: Chicago-Executive Airport, IL (PWK/KPWK) Narrative: An Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 corporate jet suffered a runway excursion after landing on runway 09L at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, Illinois, USA. Two following flights aborted their approach to runway 09L. NetJets flight 358 departed O'Hare at 11:37 hours local time, bound for nearby Chicago- Executive Airport. A missed approach was flown there and the airplane returned to O'Hare. Weather reported about the time of the incident (12:02 LT / 18:02 Z): KORD 011755Z 35019KT 3/4SM R10L/2800V5000FT -SN BR BKN010 OVC016 M03/M04 A2978 RMK AO2 P0000 T10331044 KORD 011811Z 36019G26KT 1SM R10L/2600VP6000FT -SN BR BKN010 OVC017 M03/M05 A2978 RMK AO2 PK WND 01026/1756 P0000 T10331050 https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=185058 Back to Top Pilots call for research into impact of drone hitting passenger jet (U.K.) British Airline Pilots Association warns tests are needed after 23 near-misses were investigated in just six months A quadcopter drone The battery of a standard quadcopter drone would cause an uncontained engine failure if it entered the core of a jet engine, a flight safety specialist warned. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Tests must be done into what would happen if a drone hit a passenger jet, say airline pilots following a recent spate of near-misses. The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) wants the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to back research into the possible consequences of such a collision. The former RAF and British Airways pilot Steve Landells warned that a drone hitting an airliner could result in an uncontrolled engine failure or a smashed cockpit windscreen. Twenty-three near-misses between aircraft and drones were investigated by the UK Airprox Board (UKAB) in just six months, according to its latest reports, including 12 given an A rating - meaning there was a serious risk of collision. Landells, Balpa's flight safety specialist, said although there was a large amount of data on the effects of bird strikes on planes that was not a true representation of what would happen with a drone because "birds don't have a big lump of lithium battery in them". Near miss with airliner should spur review of drones, says Labour Read more He said it was "very likely" that the battery of a standard quadcopter drone entering the core of a jet engine would cause an uncontained engine failure, as happened to a BA plane that became engulfed in flames and smoke as it was taking off in Las Vegas last September. "You end up with very high-velocity bits of metal going anywhere they like. That could be through fuel tanks, through hydraulic lines and even into the cabin," he said. "Losing the engine is not going to cause an aircraft to crash because they are designed to fly with one engine down. But an uncontained engine failure is going to be different every time. That could be very serious indeed." Landells said he wanted testing with drones to be carried out because it appeared none had been done before. "The first thing we want to do is get a drone or at least the critical parts of a drone flying at a windscreen of an aircraft. The indications so far with computer modelling are that you'll end up with penetration of a windscreen. "One possibility is that the battery smashes the windscreen and the inside layer of the windscreen shatters and you end up with a lot of glass in the cockpit, probably moving at quite high speed. As a pilot, I don't want to be sitting there when that's going on." He added: "There's also a possibility that it might just bounce off. We don't know at the moment." Landells said the initial tests could cost about £250,000. The stories you need to read, in one handy email Read more Philippa Oldham, the head of transport and manufacturing at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, described the consequences of a drone hitting an airliner as "such an unknown thing" that would depend on a number of factors including the size and speed of the drone and the location of the collision. "There's a lot of scenario planning going on around that at the moment," she said. "The impact potentially could be anything from nothing to a destruction of an engine." People who fly drones close to planes could be convicted of endangering the safety of an aircraft, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years, the CAA said. A CAA spokesman said the regulator had a number of schemes aimed at raising awareness of the safety requirements for using drones, such as its Dronecode campaign. Advertisement He added: "We are already working alongside the DfT and industry partners to better understand the potential risks and outcomes of a drone hitting a manned aircraft." The DfT said in a statement: "Public safety is our first priority and we are working very closely with the Civil Aviation Authority, industry and airline operators to improve our understanding and knowledge of this emerging technology. "It is important to ensure that clear and proper regulations are in place and we will set out more details in a government strategy on the use of drones later this year." Drone near-misses There were 23 near-misses between aircraft and drones in just six months, according to aviation investigators. The UK Airprox Board (UKAB) has published reports on the incidents, which took place between 11 April and 4 October last year. Here is a summary of the 12 that were put in the most serious risk category: 25 April A military Lynx helicopter was forced to conduct an "evasive manoeuvre" to avoid hitting a drone over Hambrook, Gloucestershire. The pilot said the object passed just one rotor span away down the side of the helicopter. 17 June The pilot of an autogyro was on a training flight over Detling, Kent at 450 metres (1,500ft) when he encountered a drone. The aircraft missed the drone by about 20 metres and the pilot assessed the risk of collision as high. 9 July Both members of the flight crew on an RJ1 aircraft spotted a drone at an altitude of 1,200 metres over Detling, Kent. It passed 18 metres below the left wing. The UKAB concluded that it would have been impossible for the drone to have been flown legally because at that height it could not be seen by an observer on the ground. 26 July A silver drone passed within two wing lengths of a BE200 aircraft as it was coming in to land at Southampton airport. Investigators found that "chance had played a major part" in a collision being avoided. 11 August A Chinook pilot was carrying out a simulated engine malfunction near RAF Odiham, Hampshire when a quadcopter drone with an attached camera was seen about 25 metres to its side. 27 August The pilot of a Dornier Do328 short-haul jet - which typically has capacity for about 30 passengers - was at 850 metres on the approach to Manchester airport when he spotted a bright blue drone. The UKAB determined that the drone was not permitted to be within that airspace. 13 September A Boeing 737 suffered a near-miss with a drone shortly after taking off from Stansted airport, Essex. The incident happened so quickly there was no time to take avoiding action, the pilot said. 13 September In the skies above the Houses of Parliament a drone came within 20 metres of an Embraer 170 jet on its approach to London City. The UKAB considered that the drone operator was the cause of the near-miss. 22 September Shortly after a Boeing 777 had taken off from Heathrow airport a drone narrowly passed down the right hand side of the airliner. Investigators concluded that the drone was at the same height and within 25 metres of the jet. A report was made to police but the drone operator was not traced. 30 September A drone was flown within a few metres of a passenger jet landing at Heathrow. The pilot of the Airbus A319 stated that the drone may have been just six metres above and 23 metres to the left when it passed by the aircraft. The jet was flying at an altitude of 150 metres and was on the final approach to the west London airport when the drone was spotted. 2 October A Dornier Do328 pilot assessed that there was a high risk of collision when a drone passed his left wing by less than 15 metres. The incident occurred at an altitude of 900 metres shortly after take-off from Manchester airport. 4 October A PA28 light aircraft pilot was flying over Otherton airfield, Staffordshire as a drone passed about six metres from his wing tip. http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/mar/02/pilots-research-impact-drone- hitting-passenger-jet Back to Top Airlines to Introduce an 'Economy Minus' Class Smaller seats, and even fewer perks than economy. There's a new class of service coming to an aircraft near you: "basic" economy - also dubbed by consumer advocates, "economy minus" or "last class." Already offered by discount carriers and one major, Delta Air Lines DAL 1.37% , the product category is likely to intensify what critics call the industry's race to the bottom, as airlines cut amenities and services in order to satisfy bargain-hungry passengers and boost profits. America's other legacy carriers, American Airlines AAL 2.02% and United Airlines UAL 1.99% , say they're on the verge of introducing their own version of a "basic" economy fare. Until now, economy-class passengers flying one of the major airlines could expect a minimum level of service and amenities, including seats with at least 30 inches of "pitch" between them, a rough measure of legroom; the ability to change a reservation after paying a fee; the option to upgrade to a better seat; free snacks; and one free carry-on. With the new basic economy class, some, if not all, of these niceties may be lost. What would economy "minus" look like? Based on the disclosures from the industry thus far, passengers in basic economy will face one or more of the following: The industry's smallest airline seats - between 28 and 30 inches of seat pitch No itinerary changes or refunds No "free" carry-on bag Meals, snacks, sodas and entertainment are extra. No advance seat assignments Of the majors, Delta was the first to introduce "basic" economy system-wide. The carrier quietly started a remodeling of its economy class, testing options as early as 2012. Among the amenities lost to Delta basic-economy passengers: the ability to alter the departure date or time, even if you pay a penalty; the option to upgrade to a better seat; and the choice of an advance seat assignment. The old economy class got renamed as "Main Cabin," and kept many of the once-standard comforts of what used to be called economy. Delta says it was just giving price-conscious customers what they wanted-a no frills, low- cost alternative. "It's popular in that it gives customers who are price sensitive, but not concerned with seat choice, exactly what they are looking for," said Anthony Black, a Delta spokesman. "Customers enjoy knowing with Delta Basic Economy they're getting a competitive price, free sodas and coffee, snacks, movies, SkyMiles and Delta's excellent operational service." United, American are following suit American says it plans to launch its basic economy product sometime in the first half of the year, but has declined so far to give any details of what it will look like. Scott Kirby, the president of the world's largest carrier, told an earnings call last October American's new product would be "competitive on price with ultra-low-cost carriers." The product would have "less frills" and a "really cheap price," Kirby said. United Airlines, meanwhile, has indicated it has similar plans, but hasn't unveiled the timing for the rollout of its version of economy-minus. "Over time, we'd like to give customers greater ability to choose fares that offer a varied set of amenities, whether they be fares that include multiple options or deeply discounted fares that would simply include the ticket," United spokesman Jonathan Guerin said. "This would better permit our customers to choose their own mix of fares and frills and better enable us to compete with carriers that offer no-frills service." Pay less, for less In his comments to investors, Kirby suggested that more than half of American's passengers would be willing to book a "basic" ticket because they aren't frequent travelers or interested in a premium product. They don't want to pay extra just because they're on a legacy carrier and are not necessarily interested in a "better" experience, he indicated. Major airlines, meanwhile, have already moved the seats closer together in economy, while installing more luxurious, lie-flat seats in the front. http://fortune.com/2016/03/01/airlines-basic-economy/ Back to Top Apple says it helped in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 In response to a question about emergency situations posed today at a House committee hearing, Apple's General Counsel said the company assisted in a search following the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. APPLE SAYS IT HAS "EMERGENCY PROCEDURES" IN PLACE At the hearing, Rep. Cedric Richmond asked Apple's Bruce Sewell how the company might handle a hypothetical - say, if clues to a forthcoming nuclear explosion were locked in an iPhone. In Sewell's response, at about 3:31:15 in the embedded video, he said Apple would attempt to find "all of the data that surrounds that phone." Sewell gestured toward other times Apple had cooperated in emergencies, including looking for a lost child and assisting the FBI after the Malaysia Airlines plane went missing in 2014. "When the Malaysia Airline[s] plane went down, within one hour of that plane being declared missing, we had Apple operators cooperating with telephone providers all over the world, with the airlines [and] with the FBI to try to find a ping, to try to find some way we could locate where that plane was," Sewell said at the hearing. He continued, saying that Apple would use all "emergency procedures" it has available to help in the situation posed by Richmond. An Apple spokesperson declined to elaborate on Sewell's comments. Sewell was questioned - and occasionally grilled - during the hearing over Apple's stance on encryption. The company continues to fight with the FBI in a legal dispute over helping to crack the security on an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters. http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/1/11143404/apple-mh370-plane-investigation Back to Top Missing MH370: Possible Boeing 777 Part Found Off Mozambique, Sources Say An object that could be debris from a Boeing 777 has been found off Mozambique and is being examined by investigators searching for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, sources told NBC News. Early photographic analysis of the object suggests it could have come from the doomed jet, which vanished almost exactly 2 years ago. It was found on a sandbank in the Mozambique Channel - the body of water between Mozambique in eastern Africa and Madagascar - and in the same corner of the southern Indian Ocean where the only confirmed piece of debris, a flaperon, was found last July. Location of possible Boeing 777 parts found that could be from MH370. NBC News Investigators in Malaysia, Australia and the U.S. have looked at photographs of the latest object and sources say there is a good chance it derives from a Boeing 777. Boeing engineers are looking at the photos, according to sources, but the company has declined to comment. The object has the words "NO STEP" on it and could be from the plane's horizontal stabilizer - the wing-like parts attached to the tail, sources say. It was discovered by an American who has been blogging about the search for MH370. The development comes days ahead of the second anniversary of the jet's disappearance en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board. Possible Boeing 777 parts found that could be from MH370. No trace has been found of Flight MH370 except for the single barnacle-encrusted flaperon that washed up on the eastern shore of Reunion, east of Madagascar, last July. French aviation experts verified it as part of aircraft 9M-MRO after more than one month of forensic analysis at a laboratory near Toulouse. There have been false hopes over the course of the investigation: In January, aviation officials ruled that two objects recovered from Malaysia's east coast were not from the missing airliner. One of them, a six-foot-long metal item found in the eastern state of Terengganu, was examined by officials from the transport ministry, the Department of Civil Aviation and Malaysia Airlines. However, the sonar search operation has turned up a 19th-century shipwreck. Almost three-quarters of internationally-agreed 46,000 square mile search zone has been covered so far in the hunt for the missing airliner - an area of ocean floor larger than the state of South Carolina. The operation is due to be completed by the middle of this year. The Joint Agency Coordination Center says that if no "credible new information" about the jet's location emerges, the search will end. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-jet/missing-mh370-possible-boeing-777-part- found-mozambique-sources-say-n530066 Back to Top FAA orders checks on fuel valves in Boeing planes Boeing aircraft at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ordered checks on fuel valves on a wide range of Boeing aircraft to ensure they are safe and replace affected valves that could cause possible fuel tank explosions. The order, or airworthiness directive, is effective April 5 and involves Boeing's 737, 757, 767 and 777 jets. The FAA estimated that the new directive would affect 2,140 airplanes in the United States. An airworthiness directive is a legally enforceable regulation issued by the FAA to correct an unsafe condition in an aircraft, engine or propeller. The new directive resulted from fuel system reviews conducted by the planemaker, the FAA said on Tuesday. http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/01/faa-orders-checks-on-fuel-valves-in-boeing- planes.html Back to Top Strengthening Russian Aviation with Global Standards IATA Proposes Agenda for Russia, Signs Agreement with Russian Association of Air Transport Operators Moscow - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) proposed an agenda to strengthen aviation in Russia based on the further implementation of global standards and best practices. "A healthy aviation sector is vital for Russia-connecting the communities across the country's vast land mass and proving vital trade and cultural links globally. These are difficult times for Russian aviation and there is no silver bullet solution to invigorating the sector. However a partnership agenda that extends the positive impact that global standards are having in safety and distribution will strengthen the foundations of the sector for success," said Tony Tyler, IATA's Director General and CEO. Tyler made his comments at the first IATA Aviation Day Russia where IATA signed a cooperation agreement with the Russian Association of Air Transport Operators. The agreement helps to mark the 20th anniversary of the opening of IATA's office in Moscow and deepens IATA's overall partnership with Russian aviation. Aeroflot was IATA's first Russian member airline, joining the association in 1989. Today 11 Russian airlines are IATA members. The important contribution of IATA's global standards to Russian aviation were recognized in a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Russian Ministry of Transport and IATA in 2009. "IATA is a long-time partner of Russian aviation and this has created significant value. The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) aligns some 400 airlines-including our 11 Russian members and five other Russian airlines-with the global benchmark for operational safety. And the Billing and Settlement Plan has helped to link the country's consumers to the world with global best practices for ticket distribution. Today we are deepening our partnership with Russia with a commitment to cooperate even more broadly with the Russian Association of Air Transport Operators. By working in partnership with all stakeholders-including the government-I am confident that we can create even more value with connectivity as a catalyst for economic and social development," said Tyler. IATA proposed the following agenda for the Russian government: Costs: Continue to recognize the benefits of lowering and eventually removing VAT for domestic air transport. Ensure that airport charges and infrastructure developments are agreed by airlines and the airport operators with a focus on cost-efficiency and aligned with the global principles agreed by governments through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). These include transparency, meaningful consultation and non-discrimination. Smarter Regulation: Adopt the Montreal Convention 1999 (MC99) to provide global standard risk coverage for passengers and shippers and to facilitate e-cargo implementation. Ratify the Montreal Protocol 2014 of the Tokyo Convention to close a gap in international law with respect to the growing problem of disruptive passengers. Accelerate the adoption of the global standard for special and atmospheric referencing- QNH and WGS 84-to deliver even greater safety and cost benefits as Russia modernizes its air traffic management system. Join the Smart Security initiative of IATA and Airports Council International to improve airport security and reduce passenger hassle by combining new technology with regulatory best practices. Environment: Support a global agreement through ICAO on a Market-Based Measure to manage aviation's carbon footprint. The air transport industry is united in its call for a mandatory global carbon offset scheme. Read Tony Tyler's speech For more information, please contact: Corporate Communications Tel: +41 22 770 2967 Email: corpcomms@iata.org http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2016-03-02-01.aspx Back to Top Metro Aviation Adds Customer Support, Safety Veterans to Team (HAI Convention News) Air medical transportation provider Metro Aviation (Booth 9337) strengthened its safety and operational support teams with the hiring of air medical safety veteran Ed Stockhausen and emergency services specialist Becky Ross. Metro named Stockhausen director of safety. Stockhausen will oversee initiatives at Metro's completion center in Shreveport, La., along with its 34 operational bases throughout the U.S. He will work to build upon the company's existing safety practices. Metro has achieved Level IV of the FAA's Safety Management System (SMS) Pilot Project for both Part 135 and 145. Stockhausen brings a long background in aviation safety management. He has spent the past decade as v-p of safety for Air Methods, where he helped the operator also achieve SMS Level IV. He also has served as chairman of the Air Medical Operators Association's Safety Committee and on HAI's Safety Committee. He further has developed and presented courses for the Association of Air Medical Services. His career began in 1977 as crew chief and loadmaster for the U.S. Army Parachute Team, The Golden Knights. Ross, meanwhile, becomes Metro's second director of transport business services. Metro in May created the position with the hiring of Eveline Bisson to support its operational customers. In this role, Ross joins Bisson in providing support to Metro's operational programs across the country. Ross formerly was assistant v-p of emergency services for Vidant EastCare in Greenville, N.C. She also had worked with Metro this fall as a consultant for one of its operational customers that was experiencing major changes. She had stepped in as interim program director, while changes were implemented to put the operator on a stronger footing. "The air medical industry has experienced significant change in the last few years," said Metro president Mike Stanberry. "We want to make sure our customers not only survive in this changing climate, but excel and continue to provide their communities with the excellent service they have come to expect." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/general-aviation/2016-02-28/metro-aviation- adds-customer-support-safety-veterans-team Back to Top Russia's Aeroflot Loses Money in a Year Most Airlines Are Big Winners An Aeroflot Airbus A320. As more consumers worldwide embrace digital tools to plan and book trips abroad, brands must offer multiple language options along each stage of the process, or lose ground to OTAs Unlike Turkish Air and others, Aeroflot doesn't have a reliable network in place to make up for troubles at home. - Jason Clampet Russia's largest airline, Aeroflot, has bucked the trend of strong profits in the airline sector by reporting a loss of $88 million for 2015. Despite posting a 13.4 percent rise in passenger numbers and holding the lion's share of the domestic market, Aeroflot lost money for the second consecutive year, reporting a 6.49 billion ruble ($88 million) shortfall. The company attributed the loss to Russia's recession and the costs of taking on routes and staff from Transaero, which was Russia's second-largest airline before it collapsed in October. While Aeroflot said passenger numbers for domestic flights were up by almost a third, those for international flights dropped 6.2 percent as cash-strapped Russians opted against foreign holidays. Many world airlines have posted strong profits for 2015, helped by low fuel costs. https://skift.com/2016/03/01/russias-aeroflot-loses-money-in-a-year-most-airlines-are- big-winners/ Back to Top Singapore Airlines Takes Delivery Of First Airbus A350-900 The FINANCIAL -- Singapore Airlines has on March 2 taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 from the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse. It is the first of 67 A350 aircraft on firm order, including seven of an ultra-long-range variant for which Singapore Airlines will be the launch customer. Today's significant milestone was marked by a ceremony in Toulouse attended by Singapore Airlines CEO, Mr Goh Choon Phong, Airbus Executive Vice President Head of Programmes, Mr Didier Evrard, Rolls-Royce President - Civil Aerospace, Mr Eric Schulz, as well as invited guests, according to Singapore Airlines. "The addition of the A350-900 exemplifies Singapore Airlines' longstanding commitment to operate a young and modern fleet," said Mr Goh at the delivery ceremony. "The A350 will be a game-changer for us, allowing for flights to more long-haul destinations on a non-stop basis, which will help us boost our network competitiveness and further develop the important Singapore hub." Mr Goh added: "In addition to the latest technologies provided with the new aircraft, our customers will enjoy our latest-generation in-flight cabin products on the A350-900. This includes our award-winning Business Class, Premium Economy Class and Economy Class seats, as well as our highly advanced in-flight entertainment system, Krisworld." Singapore Airlines' initial batch of A350s will be fitted with 253 seats in three classes, with 42 in Business Class, 24 in Premium Economy Class and 187 in Economy Class. Configuration details of A350-900s that will be used on medium-range flights as well as those that will be used for ultra-long-range flights will be announced at a later date. With advanced technology and superior operating efficiency, the newest addition to the Airline's fleet will offer customers an improved travelling experience with features such as higher ceilings, larger windows, an extra wide body and lighting designed to reduce jet lag. The aircraft will initially be operated on flights within Asia for crew training purposes, after which it will be used for long-haul services to Amsterdam, from 9 May 2016. It will also be used for all-new services between Singapore and Düsseldorf, which are due to be launched in July this year, as well as on many more destinations in the Singapore Airlines network, details of which will be announced through the course of this year. From 2018, an ultra-long-range variant of the A350 known as the A350-900ULR will be added to Singapore Airlines' fleet, for the re-launch of the world's longest non-stop flights, between Singapore and New York, as well as to Los Angeles and a third destination in the United States. http://finchannel.com/index.php/business/travel-news/item/55187-singapore-airlines- takes-delivery-of-first-airbus-a350-900 Back to Top SpaceX Keeps Aborting Liftoffs Because Rocket Fuel Is Tricky SPACEX IS, DEPENDING on how you count, on its fourth or fifth attempt to launch the SES-9 satellite. The first two launches both got scrubbed because of the fickleness of superchilled liquid oxygen, which SpaceX is betting will give its rockets an edge. Except when it comes to reliable launch schedules, it seems. The company debuted its upgraded Falcon 9 rocket with not just liquid but superchilled liquid oxygen in December, which also ran into liquid oxygen hiccups during launch. The Falcon 9 carries kerosene as fuel, but kerosene needs oxygen to combust-and there's no oxygen in space. Rockets have to bring their fuel and their oxygen. Liquid oxygen, cooled to just below the element's boiling point of -297.3 degrees Fahrenheit, is already standard in high-powered rockets that launch spaceships and satellites. Liquid oxygen is a thousand times denser than gas, so its advantages are obvious-like a thousand-fold obvious. "It makes the tank a lot smaller," says Angela Faulkner, an aerospace analyst with Faulkner Consulting. Packing the oxygen in more densely means more room for both oxygen and fuel, which in turn means a bigger payload traveling further into space. "You want the most energy possible becauuse you want to boost up payloads," says Faulkner. But liquefying oxygen adds complications, too. Now you need to insulate the tank. You need a vent to allow any oxygen that heats up to boil off so it doesn't blow up the tank. (All that swirling white "smoke" before a launch is actually liquid oxygen boiling off.) And you need to continuously top off any oxygen that does escape before launch. SpaceX is making it even harder on themselves-cooling the oxygen down another 40 to - 340 degrees F. The tradeoffs here are less obvious. Once oxygen is already liquid, the density gains from cooling aren't as dramatic, probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 percent based on the properties of oxygen. (SpaceX declined to comment on specifics.) Keeping the oxygen at -340 F, on the other hand, obviously has presented some challenges to SpaceX. But the company has reason to squeeze every bit room it can out of supercooling oxygen. To achieve the dream of reusable rockets, those rockets need extra fuel to steer themselves on the way down. Supercooling the oxygen may just give it the rockets that edge. The satellite in this upcoming launch needs to get especially far from Earth, depleting more fuel than in December's launch with the successful landing. Tune in Friday to see how it goes-weather and liquid oxygen willing. http://www.wired.com/2016/03/spacex-keeps-aborting-liftoffs-rocket-fuel-tricky/ Back to Top Explorer, Physician and Leadership Expert - Dr. Joe MacInnes to Share Lessons in Safety Leadership at 2016 CHC Safety & Quality Summit March 2, 2016-Vancouver, British Columbia - Dr. Joe MacInnes, a medical doctor, undersea explorer, author and leadership expert, has been confirmed as the keynote speaker for the gala dinner at the 12th-annual CHC Safety & Quality Summit. The Tuesday, April 5, dinner at the Westin Bayshore hotel is expected to attract up to 600 people - most of whom will also be attending what is recognized as the world's premier safety conference for rotary-wing aviation. Dr. MacInnes' medical research is focused on human factors in the use of complex technologies in the deep sea. Between 1964 and 1994 Dr. MacInnes led 30 research expeditions, logging 5,000 hours, in the Great Lakes, Atlantic, Pacific and Artic Oceans. He built the world's first undersea polar station, was among the first to dive the Titanic and was journalist-physician on the James Cameron National-Geographic project that made the first-ever 11 kilometre solo dive into the Mariana Trench. Since 1994, Dr. MacInnes has studied leadership in lethal environments, looking to improve the relationship between humans and the natural world. Throughout his career Dr. MacInnes has worked on projects with the U.S. Navy, the government of Canada and the Russian Academy of Sciences. With hisextensive experience in, and researching, extreme situations, Dr. MacInnes has developed a unique approach to leadership that is expected create insightful discussion at the April event. Past speakers at the CHC Safety & Quality Summit's gala dinner have included astronaut and physician Dr. Dave Williams, commander of the International Space Station Chris Hadfield, leadership author Simon Sinek, commercial airline Capt. Chesley Sullenberger, U.S. Navy Commander Fred Baldwin, safety experts Dr. Scott Shappell and Dr. Jerry Cockrell, and aviation leader Sergei Sikorsky. Details about the dinner, including how to purchase tickets, are available at www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com About CHC CHC Helicopter is a leader in enabling customers to go further, do more and come home safely, including oil and gas companies, government search-and-rescue agencies and organizations requiring helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul services through the Heli-One segment. The company has a fleet of more than 220 aircraft and operates on six continents. Contact Information: SUMMIT Irina Sakgaev Safety & Quality Applications Specialist CHC Helicopter +1.604.232.7302 summit@chc.ca MEDIA Liam Fitzgerald Communications Advisor +1.778.999.2923 Liam.Fitzgerald@chc.ca INVESTORS Laura Campbell Director, Investor Relations +1.604.232.7316 Laura.Campbell@chc.ca Back to Top Research Survey Request For my Research on future cockpit layouts, I kindly request 10 minutes of your time to answer the attached survey. The topic Gamification might surprise some, but it is a growing discussion for modern workplaces and its often fatiguing conditions. http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/PilotInteractionInModernCockpits/ Thank you, Capt. Tilmann Gabriel MBA FRAeS ISO/IEC 17024 Certified Global Aviation Expert Assistant Professor Programme Director MSc Air Transport/Aircraft Maintenance Management City University of London Back to Top RESEARCH SURVEY MENTAL HEALTH & FLYING SURVEY Hi, my name is Daniel Danczyk. I am soliciting participation in my survey on mental health and flying. If you are involved in seeing pilots with mental health or substance abuse issues, or are involved in their cases, please complete my anonymous survey (link below). On average, completion takes no more than 5-7 minutes. You do not need to be a clinician to participate; I am looking for anyone that is involved in the medical treatment or certification of pilots, whether they are doctors, airline employees assisting with monitoring, private consultants, HIMS participants, government, or other experts. Below the survey link is a more detailed description of my study including consent and contact information. Thank you so much for your time! Daniel Danczyk, MD Fellow in Aerospace Medicine AME/Flight Surgeon/Pilot/Psychiatrist Mental Health and Flying Survey https://src.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0xLGAkp4CAtv36d STUDY/CONSENT INFORMATION IRB #: 15-008911 Mayo Clinic: Office for Human Research Protection Protocol Title: Airline transport pilots and mental health: A Comparison of the medical certification process between the U.S. and various European countries. Principal Investigator: Lawrence Steinkraus, MD You are being asked to participate in a research study about pilots and their mental health. The purpose of this research is to study how mental health medical certification is processed for pilots in their respective country. You are being invited to participate because you are involved in some aspect of their aeromedical-mental health certification. If you agree to participate you will be asked to complete an online anonymous survey questionnaire. This will take no more than 10-15 minutes of your time. No information will be recorded about you other than your country of origin. Confidentiality will be maintained by NOT being able to trace back your responses to you. In other words, your survey response will be assigned a random number for tracking/statistical purposes but cannot be traced back to you. You will receive no payment for your participation. There are no known risks to you from taking part in this research study. You may refuse to answer any question(s) that you do not wish to answer. The benefits which may reasonably be expected to result from this research study are to improve the process for mental health medical certification of pilots in your country. Please understand your participation is voluntary and you have the right to withdraw your consent or discontinue participation at any time without penalty. Your submission of the survey questionnaire signifies your consent to participate. Moreover, your current or future medical care at the Mayo Clinic will not be jeopardized if you choose not to participate. If you have any questions about this research study you can contact my co-investigator, Dr. Daniel Danczyk, at danczyk.daniel@mayo.edu. If you have any concerns, complaints, or general questions about research or your rights as a participant, please contact the Mayo Institutional Review Board (IRB) to speak to someone independent of the research team at 507-266-4000 or toll free at 866-273-4681. Curt Lewis