Flight Safety Information March 16, 2016 - No. 053 In This Issue MH370: ATSB Says New Reunion Debris 'Unlikely' From Missing Jet Ecuador plane crash kills 22 Coroner calls for safety changes following Afghanistan helicopter crash which killed five servicemen Plane carrying medical patient does belly skid at Van Nuys Airport Seattle-bound flight diverted for intoxicated passenger Saudi Arabian Airlines to enforce upgraded civil aviation system on crew Nigeria to unveil new national aviation policy within 2 weeks Women in Aviation Reaches $10 Million Milestone UN Calls for Space Travel Regulations Flying doctor service Gun toters at Atlanta airport security checkpoints face federal charges Drones present minimal threat to aircraft, says study Lockheed hails progress on hypersonic military aircraft Meridian Air Charter Adds Ultra-Long Range Jet Boeing To Reorganize Commercial-Jet Unit New material could make aircraft deicers a thing of the past ISASI Military Air Safety Workshop - 19-21APR (ISASI) Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter (MARC) Meeting/Dinner - 05MAY Aviation Research Request Aviation Safety Specialist Available Immediately MH370: ATSB Says New Reunion Debris 'Unlikely' From Missing Jet An object found on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion earlier this month is "unlikely" have come from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, investigators search for the jet said Wednesday. The 8-by-15-inch piece of ocean debris was found March 3 by Johnny Begue, the beachcomber who last year discovered a barnacle-covered wing fragment that is the only confirmed piece of wreckage from MH370. Begue's discovery came to light at as two other objects were reported to authorities in Mozambique on the east African coast. The Boeing 777 vanished on March 8, 2014 while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. Related: Airlines Ordered to Boost Real-Time Tracking for Jets Australian authorities leading the hunt confirmed Wednesday that the two objects from Mozambique - a suspected chunk of horizontal stabilizer found in a sandbank Feb. 27 by American Blaine Gibson, and an item bearing serial number '676EB' picked up in December by a South African teen - would be examined by forensic experts. "Arrangements are being made for the debris to be transported to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) laboratories in Canberra," the ATSB said in an operational update. "Both items will be examined by investigators from Australia and Malaysia, as well as specialists from Boeing, to confirm if they come from an aircraft and establish their origin." It said officials from Malaysia are continuing discussions with French authorities about debris found on Reunion. "Current advice is that it is unlikely to be from an aircraft," it added. The hunt for MH370 will end for good this summer if the wreckage isn't found within the 46,000-square mile search zone in the southern Indian Ocean. "If we don't find the aircraft within the priority search site ... that's the point at which the search will stop," ATSB Chief Commissioner Martin Dolan told NBC News earlier this month. Three-quarters of the search zone has been completed so far. Dolan said the governments involved in the search - Malaysia, China and Australia - "don't have the appetite" to widen the search area, having already spent almost $100 million mapping and scanning the ocean floor. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-jet/mh370-atsb-says-new-reunion-debris-unlikely-missing- jet-n539881 Back to Top Ecuador plane crash kills 22 (CNN)A plane carrying Ecuadorian military personnel crashed Tuesday in the eastern Pastaza province, according to a statement from Ecuador's army. Twenty-two people were on board the training flight. President Rafael Correa said in a tweet that all 22 died. "There are no survivors," wrote Correa. "It's a tragedy." The cause of the crash was not immediately clear. It in statement, the army said that the plane and its occupants -- two pilots, a mechanic and 19 paratroopers -- were taking part in a training exercise. http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/15/americas/ecuador-plane-crash/ *************** atus: Date: Tuesday 15 March 2016 Time: ca 14:30 Type: IAI Arava 201 Operator: Aviación del Ejército Ecuatoriana - AEE Registration: E-206 C/n / msn: 0090 First flight: 1992 Crew: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Passengers: Fatalities: 19 / Occupants: 19 Total: Fatalities: 22 / Occupants: 22 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Hacienda la Palmira, Pastaza ( Ecuador) Phase: Unknown (UNK) Nature: Military Departure airport: ? Destination airport: ? Narrative: An IAI Arava 201 transport plane carrying three crew members and 19 skydivers crashed in Pastaza Province, Ecuador. All aboard were killed. Back to Top Coroner calls for safety changes following Afghanistan helicopter crash which killed five servicemen A coroner has recommended that the Ministry of Defence make a number of safety improvements after five service personnel were killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan, lawyers said. Experienced Warrant Officer Class 2 Spencer Faulkner died alongside Captain Thomas Clarke, Corporal James Walters, Lance Corporal Oliver Thomas, and Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan when their Lynx mk 9A crashed in a valley in the Kandahar province on April 26 2014. Coroner Darren Salter recommended the Ministry of Defence reviews manning levels and the impact this has on strain for service personnel as he delivered a narrative conclusion at Oxford Coroner's Court, lawyers Irwin Mitchell said. The coroner also said that flight data recorders should be put into newer aircraft after concerns were raised that a safety alarm had not sounded as the helicopter plummeted to the ground. 'Question marks' Speaking after the verdict, families of those killed in the crash said they felt "let down" by the Ministry of Defence and that "significant question marks" remain over what caused the accident. In a statement read out on the court steps, the family of Lance Corporal Thomas said: "The Ministry of Defence, and those involved, had a duty of care to their employees and passengers, and in our opinion they did not provide Oliver with this by their failure to adhere to the rules and procedures set out, and as a family we feel very let down." Read more: Afghanistan helicopter crash servicemen would have had to be 'naughty' to induce weightlessness Paying tribute to Lance Corporal Thomas they said: "The last two years have been extremely difficult since the loss of Oliver, who was loving what he was doing in Afghanistan. "He was highly respected by his colleagues and described as the 'go to man' doing an extremely difficult job for his country. "His future was tragically taken away from him and us. "As the coroner said, this was a case of controlled flight into terrain, due to lack of situational awareness and misjudgement of height." 'Tragic loss' The family of Captain Thomas Clarke said: "The tragic loss of Tom has left a hole in our lives which we will never be able to fill. "Words cannot do justice to how much he meant to his family, friends and colleagues. "Tom left a lasting impression on anyone who came into contact with him. His bravery, integrity and kindness were a mark of the man he was." The family said they will never know for certain what caused the tragedy. They said: "We recognised that his role in the Army Air Corps, as a helicopter pilot, could be dangerous, but he was always the consummate professional, whose flying and leadership skills were held in high regard by his peers and senior officers. "There are still significant question marks over how this accident happened. Expert opinion has differed quite widely so we will never be certain as to the cause." 'Lessons to be learnt' But they said they were satisfied that all that could be done to ascertain the cause had been done. And they welcomed the coroner's recommendation that all military aircraft should be fitted with flight data recorders "to ensure lessons can be learned and future tragedies prevented". The inquest, which lasted a week, had heard that decorated serviceman WO Faulkner was flying his last operation before retiring on his forthcoming 40th birthday when he died in the crash. Read more: Welsh servicemen killed in helicopter crash in Afghanistan would have died rapidly, inquest told WO Faulkner, who had 22 years service with the military, left behind his widow Cally and two young children. In a statement after the inquest, his widow said: "We just wanted answers about what happened and what went wrong to cause the crash. It has been very difficult hearing evidence, but we are thankful to the coroner for investigating the events of that tragic day. "Nothing can ever bring Spencer back to us but we hope that lessons will be learned from this incident to reduce the risk of similar accidents in future. "Throughout this Inquest I and the other families have heard all the witnesses speak about the true professionalism of each of the men killed in this incident. Spencer was always committed to doing his very best for the Armed Forces, but he was also a family man who was loved by everyone." 'More changes' He said: "We know some things have changed already, but obviously we want to see as much change as possible to ensure that accidents like this don't happen again. "Our service personnel are under a lot of stresses and strains, and we expect them to do a fantastic job, but to do that they must be given the right tools, the right procedures and the right equipment to do that." Asked if he had faith these would be taken forward, he said: "The MoD is a big organisation, I appreciate that sometimes these things take a little bit of time, but fingers crossed. "This is the second investigation following the serious inquiry, so let's hope that the MoD is listening." 'Consider findings' An MoD spokesman said: "This incident was subject to a thorough service inquiry and steps have since been taken to minimise the risk of it happening again. "We will now study the coroner's findings carefully to identify any further lessons that may be learnt." He said: "We know some things have changed already, but obviously we want to see as much change as possible to ensure that accidents like this don't happen again. "Our service personnel are under a lot of stresses and strains, and we expect them to do a fantastic job, but to do that they must be given the right tools, the right procedures and the right equipment to do that." Asked if he had faith these would be taken forward, he said: "The MoD is a big organisation, I appreciate that sometimes these things take a little bit of time, but fingers crossed. "This is the second investigation following the serious inquiry, so let's hope that the MoD is listening." http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/coroner-calls-safety-changes-following-11045795 Back to Top Plane carrying medical patient does belly skid at Van Nuys Airport Van Nuys CA. A twin engine beach craft plane make a belly landing at the Van Nuys airport late Tuesday night. The plane was doing some kind of medical transport with five people were on bard that suffered no injuries on the landing. The plane reported landing gear trouble on approaching the airport. VAN NUYS >> A medical flight had to belly land at Van Nuys Airport Tuesday night but the patient on board was taken to a hospital for treatment of previous injuries, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The belly skid landing took place about 9:30 p.m., according to the department's Margaret Stewart. There were five people on board and there were no new injuries to anyone on board, Stewart said. One person who was being taken here for medical treatment was taken to a hospital by ground ambulance for that treatment. The plane was a King Air fixed-wing aircraft with landing gear problems, Stewart said. http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20160315/plane-carrying-medical-patient-does-belly-skid-at- van-nuys-airport **************** Date: 15-MAR-2016 Time: c21:30 LT Type: Beechcraft 200 Super King Air Owner/operator: Life Guard International Registration: N111PV C/n / msn: BB-772 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Minor Location: Van Nuys Airport, CA - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Ambulance Departure airport: Destination airport: Van Nuys Airport, CA Narrative: The ambulance aircraft was forced to land wheels up after a landing gear problem was identified in-flight. There were no injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=185461 Back to Top Seattle-bound flight diverted for intoxicated passenger SEATTLE - A Seattle-bound Alaska Airlines flight was diverted to Portland after the airline said an intoxicated passenger became disruptive. It happened Monday night on Flight 800 from Sacramento. The airline says the passenger, seated in Row 9, became agitated after the crew asked him to calm down. The plane was 200 miles out of Portland when the captain decided to divert and have the passenger removed. Police met the plane at the gate and took the passenger into custody. The flight arrived in Seattle at about 1:15 a.m. -- one hour and 45 minutes late. http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/seattle/2016/03/15/seattle-bound-flight-diverted-intoxicated- passenger/81802056/ Back to Top Saudi Arabian Airlines to enforce upgraded civil aviation system on crew JEDDAH - The Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has completed all the arrangements to enforce the modernized civil aviation system that governs the functioning of its flight crew, according to an official source at the airline. The source said in a press statement on Tuesday that Saudia will implement the new system well before its due date, setting an exemplary example for other aviation companies. The Saudi national flag carrier issued the statement in the backdrop of the rumors being circulated recently that the European Union may slap a ban on flights of all airline companies that were granted license by the American Federal Aviation Administration, including Saudia, from entering its air space unless they implement the new aviation system governing the work hours of the flight crew. "Saudia would strictly enforce all the flight safety criteria and regulations drafted by the concerned local and international bodies," the source added. The source said Saudia strictly follows the international aviation rules and regulations, drafted by the concerned international and national bodies and organizations, to regulate the air traffic around the world. "These systems are subject to changes and updating every now and then, keeping pace with the latest developments in the aviation industry across the world. While introducing or updating any rules and regulations by the concerned international civil aviation organizations, they usually issue circulars to the national aviation bodies to strictly enforce them within the stipulated period of time," the source noted. http://saudigazette.com.sa/business/saudi-arabian-airlines-enforce-upgraded-civil-aviation-system-crew/ Back to Top Nigeria to unveil new national aviation policy within 2 weeks - Minister Sen. Hadi Sirika at the Ministerial screening The Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has said that the Federal Government would unveil a new national aviation policy within the next two weeks. This is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by Sunday Iyogu, the Principal Information Officer in the minister's office. According to the statement, Mr. Sirika made the disclosure when a delegation from the Department for International Development (DFID) Nigeria, led by its Deputy Head, Nick Hamer, paid him a courtesy visit. He said the ministry would engage relevant parties, the media and members of the public, to acquaint them on government's policy direction and programmes towards actualising the change agenda in the sector. The minister said the government recognised DFID's positive participation in the social and economic activities of Nigeria, of which the nation had benefited from investments and guidance of the British Government. Mr. Sirika, therefore, pledged the readiness of the government for continuous support and partnership with the DFID where necessary. Earlier, Mr. Hamer had said that the visit was to explore areas of partnership in aviation sector especially in the area of security and safety of the nation's airports and users. "DFID is a United Kingdom Government's department responsible for administering overseas aid and the goal of the department is to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty," he said. (NAN) http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/200220-nigeria-unveil-new-national-aviation-policy- within-2-weeks-minister.html Back to Top Women in Aviation Reaches $10 Million Milestone WAI scholarship winners Women in Aviation International has surpassed $10 million in scholarship awards since it began the program 20 years ago. Continuing its growth streak, once again the annual International Women in Aviation Conference set records for being one of aviation's largest, most diverse networking, mentoring and now, hiring events in the U.S. Just under 5,000 people attended the four-day convention in Nashville, Tenn., this month, and a little more than 2,000 of those participated in one-on-one interviews with charter and crew management companies, aerospace manufacturers, MROs and airlines. "My most exciting moment of this conference was when the Martha King CFI Scholarship winner took us over the $10 million mark for scholarships awarded," WAI president and co-founder Peggy Chabrian told AIN. "It is amazing, considering that our aviation and aerospace scholarship program is just 20 years old." Chabrian pointed out that WAI membership now stands at 13,000, with members in 63 countries around the world. WAI has 102 chapters that provide education and hands-on outreach about careers in aviation. The 27th annual conference comprised a job fair; IA Recurrency program; AOPA Rusty Pilots seminar; tours of local aviation sites, including the Beech Heritage Museum; and more than 40 educational sessions that encompassed topics ranging from corporate-aviation and airline-career panels to practical flying tips, upset training and ADS-B. A "Girls in Aviation" youth outreach and Pioneer Hall of Fame induction ceremony capped a busy 96 hours for conference attendees. "We have people coming here from all segments of the aviation industry," said Chabrian. "A lot of senior executives from industry are here mixing in with mid-level managers and front-line workers. On the other hand, we've got university students right down to grade-school students learning about aviation through our Girls in Aviation program," she said. General-session speakers included FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James, both of whom spoke about efforts to keep their workforces diverse and free from issues surrounding sexual harassment. http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2016-03-15/women-aviation-reaches-10-million- milestone Back to Top UN Calls for Space Travel Regulations Commercial companies are close to making space tourism a reality. Blue Origin's New Shepherd is intended to ferry tourists outside the atmosphere, where they'll float for four minutes in zero gravity before returning to Earth. Courtesy of Blue Origin Space tourism is near, and the United Nation's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) made an announcement Tuesday, calling for space travel rules to be enacted by 2019. The agency "recognizes that sub-orbital and outer space flights will foster new tourism and transport markets, and that investments in related research and development remain at a very healthy level," said ICAO President Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, according to Agence France-Presse. "Personally, as an engineer, I am very excited to see the dream and theory of normalized space flight now becoming such a tangible reality." Which innovative new product has been a game-changer this year? Tell us & win! Learn More The announcement was made at the Second ICAO/UNOOSA Symposium, which is being held in Abu Dhabi from March 15 to March 17. According to the Wall Street Journal, the ICAO possesses no enforcing authority. However, their guidelines and regulations are influential for national laws and airline safety regulations. How receptive certain countries and corporations will be to the new call for space travel rules remains to be seen. Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the recently passed commercial-space competitiveness legislation from the U.S. Congress keep their distance from regulating space tourism, "as long as passengers receive explicit warnings about the hazards and the vehicles have basic safeguards," the Wall Street Journal reported. Already, commercial companies are close to making space tourism a reality. Blue Origin's New Shepherd is intended to ferry tourists outside the atmosphere, where they'll float for four minutes in zero gravity before returning to Earth. In mid-February, Virgin Galactic unveiled the VSS Unity, also intended to carry passengers to heights around 50 miles. However, more testing is needed for both ventures. "If we do not find a way to meaningfully and pragmatically manage the important changes, national requirements will not be harmonized, technology would be over- or under-utilized, and there will be more operational and commercial uncertainties," Aliu said, according to the Wall Street Journal. http://www.rdmag.com/news/2016/03/un-calls-space-travel-regulations Back to Top Flying doctor service Airlines should be more thankful there is usually an off-duty medical professional among their passengers IN BRITAIN there is roughly one doctor for every 350 people. There is a pretty good chance, therefore, of finding a physician among the passengers on most commercial flights. Thank heavens, because airlines lean on off-duty medical staff pretty heavily. A 2013 study by the University of Pittsburgh found that there was a medical emergency for every 604 commercial flights. Seventy-eight per cent of these were dealt with by medically qualified passengers who happened to be on board. Of the total, half were handled by doctors and 28% by nurses and the like. According to the study, "The most common in-flight problems reported were syncope (fainting) or near- syncope, respiratory symptoms, nausea or vomiting, and cardiac symptoms." It is partly down to the happy probability of a doctor being on board that only 7% of flights on which there is a medical emergency have to be diverted. Given how much it costs to divert a plane, particularly if trouble comes early during a long-haul flight (when the pilot might have to jettison tens of thousands of dollars' worth of fuel in order to land), you would think that carriers would be pretty grateful for the voluntary help they receive. Often they are. Some airlines reward medical professionals who step in during an emergency with a complimentary flight; others, such as Turkish Airlines, give doctors free air miles if they identify themselves before they board. So one has to marvel at the heroic stinginess that easyJet recently displayed after Edward Southall, a retired doctor, attended to an elderly lady who fell sick on a flight from London to Thessaloniki. According to the doctor, quoted in the Independent: For the first half-hour, the flight proceeded normally. Then, he says: "The senior cabin crew member stood right next to me when he phoned through to the flight deck and said 'A woman is seriously ill and we may have to consider diverting'. A moment later a call came over the PA asking if a doctor or nurse was on board and I responded immediately."Dr Southall was asked to attend to an elderly Greek lady. He recalls: "She was very pale and sweating, and appeared breathless and distressed. With the aid of the on-board emergency kit, I was able to listen to her chest, take her blood pressure and pulse and generally assess her condition."I explained to the crew that I felt it was possible to monitor her for a while and continue to Greece without diverting to another airport." Later, when the drinks trolley came down the aisle, Mr Southall was, of course, given a cup of coffee at easyJet's pleasure. But that's where the bounds of its gratitude ended. When he wondered whether he might have a Kit Kat to go with the hot drink, he was told to pony up £1.20 ($1.73). The doctor later e-mailed the airline to ask whether it was "appropriate or proportionate" that he should "be offered a free coffee but be asked to pay for the Kit Kat?". EasyJet at first ignored him, he says, and only after some badgering did it offer him a free piece of checked baggage on his next trip. Strangely, when he took his story to the Independent, the airline changed its tune and offered him a free flight. "We are sorry we didn't get this right on this occasion," it lamented. http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2016/03/flying-doctor-service Back to Top Gun toters at Atlanta airport security checkpoints face federal charges As the number of guns caught by security screeners at the world's busiest airport continues to rise, federal law enforcement is unleashing another tool in its arsenal to deter travelers from taking their firearms to airport checkpoints. Atlanta police sergeants were trained Tuesday to begin levying federal charges against travelers who attempt to take guns through Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport security checkpoints. It's against federal law to take a gun beyond security checkpoints, but in 2014 Georgia law changed and reinforced the right to carry guns in all airport terminals in the state. That change also meant that since then, those who are properly licensed have been released with their guns returned to them. "This new policy fills that gap," said FBI spokesman Stephen Emmett. With the new policy to take effect in coming weeks, the passenger would be federally cited, the weapon impounded and the passenger would be summoned to appear in federal magistrate court. The issue of gun rights has made the world's busiest airport a nexus of differing airport, state and federal interests for years, against a backdrop of shifting state law. Last year 144 guns were found at Atlanta airport security checkpoints, a record for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Officials say many instances involve travelers who forget they have a firearm in their bag. Guns found at Hartsfield-Jackson and other airport security checkpoints. Source: TSA When a gun is found at a security checkpoint at the Atlanta airport, a Transportation Security Administration agent sounds an alarm and shuts down the checkpoint lane. Atlanta police are called to retrieve the gun from the X-ray machine or wherever it is found. Police take the passenger and gun to the airport precinct, and those without a valid license can be arrested. TSA typically imposes a fine as high as $7,500. http://airport.blog.ajc.com/2016/03/15/gun-toters-at-atlanta-airport-security-checkpoints-face-federal- charges/ Back to Top Drones present minimal threat to aircraft, says study Using data on bird strikes, study estimates danger from consumer drones is minor A DJI Phantom 3 drone seen during a demonstration in San Jose, California, on Nov. 17, 2015. Credit: Martyn Williams Just how likely is it that a drone hits an aircraft and causes a death or injury? Not very, according to research from George Mason University. The study suggests the Federal Aviation Administration could significantly loosen rules regarding private drone use and not endanger general aviation. Citing a number of "near misses" with drones, the FAA recently began requiring pilots to register before flying their drones and agree to abide by several basic rules of the sky. Almost 400,000 pilots have registered in the last three months, the FAA said on Monday. The FAA's requirement, covering drones weighing over 250 grams (0.55 pounds), got George Mason University research fellow Eli Dourado thinking: Just how dangerous might drones be? He started by turning to the FAA's wildlife strike database, a voluntary database of incidents involving animal strikes with aircraft, and married that with an estimate of 10 billion birds in U.S. airspace. He looked at the amount of time the birds spend flying and where bird strikes happened. He also drew on an FAA database of the average weight per species. The result? "A two-kilogram drone would cause an injury once every 187 million years of continuous operation," he said. Put another way, with a million drones in the sky flying continuously, they'd lead to an accident that would cause an injury or death once every 187 years. "It's pretty safe by existing aviation standards," he added. Dourado did the research with Samuel Hammond, a master's degree fellow at the university. Dourado admits there are some limitations to his estimate. Birds are softer and more likely to get squished on impact than drones made of plastic and metal, so they might represent less of a threat. But birds are also more likely to be encountered in flocks, where the danger of having several sucked into two or more engines is greater. Perhaps the most famous instance of this was US Airways flight 1549, which had to ditch into New York's Hudson River after numerous bird strikes took out both engines. The 2009 water landing caused several injuries, most of them minor. The research also doesn't take into account the possibility of someone maliciously trying to hit an aircraft - - something a bird is unlikely to do, but also something that it's almost impossible to regulate against. The takeaway from the study? "The FAA is considering a micro UAS rule that would allow a 2kg drone to operate in more or less unregulated fashion as long as it stays away from an airport," said Dourado. "This shows it's a pretty good approach, and we could go a bit heavier." http://www.pcworld.com/article/3044532/drones-present-minimal-threat-to-aircraft-says-study.html Back to Top Lockheed hails progress on hypersonic military aircraft An artist's impression of the HTV-3X, which Lockheed says is capable of operating stably from takeoff up to six times the speed of sound. Lockheed Martin revealed on Tuesday it is on the brink of a technological breakthrough that could lead to the US developing military aircraft that can fly six times the speed of sound. Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed's chief executive, outlined the proposed hypersonic aircraft as she also disclosed the company was working on a laser weapon that could be used on the battlefield. At the company's annual media day, Ms Hewson expressed optimism about future US military budgets following years of cutbacks. She said that lawmakers seemed set to pass an increase in the budget for 2016-17. However, her most eye-catching remarks were about innovation. She said a series of technological advances were on the verge of making possible weapons systems that had been mooted for years but never come to fruition. A hypersonic aircraft would give US military planners a significant advantage in reaching targets before opponents had time to react. However, military engineers have struggled for decades with so-called scramjet engine technology to power such an aircraft. Fuel burns in a stream of air moving at supersonic speeds inside the engine, but there have been far reaching questions about the technology's efficiency and stability. "We're proving a hypersonic aircraft can be produced at an affordable price," said Ms Hewson. Referring to Lockheed's F22, the most sophisticated US fighter jet, Ms Hewson said: "We estimate it [the hypersonic aircraft] will cost less than $1bn to develop, build, and fly a demonstrator aircraft the size of an F-22." The aircraft would be capable of speeds up to six times the speed of sound, or Mach 6. Orlando Carvalho, head of Lockheed's aeronautics division, said the company had been working on an engine involving scramjet technology for the hypersonic aircraft with Aerojet Rocketdyne, the rocket manufacturer. He added that given Aerojet Rocketdyne's engine work and Lockheed's efforts on materials for the aircraft, innovation was "much more rapid" at present than in the past. "That said, it's going to require a significant amount of development work, investment and maturing of the technology," said Mr Carvalho. Lockheed envisages working on the hypersonic project throughout the 2020s, with aircraft potentially entering service in the 2030s. Richard Aboulafia, analyst at the Teal Group, said the idea of having hypersonic jets available was "extremely attractive" for military planners. But it was unclear the fundamental problems around scramjet technology had been resolved. Ms Hewson insisted the proposed hypersonic aircraft had produced a "controllable, low-drag, aerodynamic configuration capable of stable operation from take-off... to Mach 6". Meanwhile, she showed a slide of an experiment involving a laser weapon, where a hole had been burnt in the bonnet of a pick-up truck, disabling its engine. The truck was similar to those used by insurgent groups. Ms Hewson said the challenge with the technology was both to increase the power of the laser and reduce its weight. She also said Lockheed was working on a missile capable of Mach 20. News of the innovation comes as Lockheed reshapes itself. Last year, the company agreed to buy Sikorsky, the helicopter manufacturer. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/781f6c08-ead6-11e5-bb79-2303682345c8.html#axzz4344Y9QaB Back to Top Meridian Air Charter Adds Ultra-Long Range Jet Teterboro, NJ, March 15, 2016 - Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, NJ, is pleased to announce the addition of a Falcon 7X (N221HJ) to its growing charter fleet of private business jets. This ultra-long range aircraft was completed in 2008, and seats up to fourteen passengers. It also has the capacity to sleep up to seven for long haul trips. It is based at Teterboro Airport, and is immediately available for charter (Certificate IMJA053F). The Falcon 7X is a large cabin, tri-jet manufactured by Dassault Falcon Jet. It has a range of up to 6,847 statute miles with a maximum speed of 592 mph, and it is the first business jet to incorporate fly-by-wire technology, a system that replaces conventional manual flight controls with an electronic interface. Until the launch of the Falcon 8X in 2014, the 7X model was the company's flagship and debuted at the Paris Air Show in 2005. This late-model Falcon comes fully-equipped with all of the features and amenities expected from today's discerning business traveler: leather club seating, a full galley with microwave and convection ovens, coffee maker and espresso machine, private lavatory with sink, and even a wine cooler refrigerator. The aircraft also features the latest technology, including complimentary domestic Wifi, an inflight satellite phone system, large 18" bulkhead monitors with Airshow® 3D moving maps, individual viewing monitors, a multi-function printer/copier/fax machine, and a multimedia entertainment center that features a DVD/CD player. Mike Moore, VP of Aviation Sales, says, "We are truly excited to be able to offer this beautiful Falcon 7X to our clients. While this is not our first ultra-long range jet in our managed fleet, it is our first 7X. This Dassault model now gives us the opportunity to cater to our transatlantic customers who want to choose from a range of options. With plenty of room to stretch out on long haul trips, and with all the modern amenities onboard, we expect demand to be high for this charter aircraft." Meridian currently manages a wide range of aircraft types that are available for private charter: Global 5000, Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream GIV-SP, Falcon 7X, Falcon 900EX EASy, Falcon 2000EX EASy, Falcon 2000, Challenger 605, Challenger 604, Challenger 601, Gulfstream G200, Hawker 900XP, Hawker 800XP, Citation XLS, and Citation VII. Other aircraft types can also be obtained through Meridian's extensive network of qualified operators. About Meridian Meridian is a full-service, private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport (TEB) in Teterboro, NJ, located just minutes from New York City. Meridian owns and operates businesses that include Air Charter, Aircraft Management, Aircraft Maintenance, and a world-class Executive Terminal / FBO. We also have charter sales offices located throughout California, including Hayward Executive Airport (HWD), Van Nuys Airport (VNY), San Jose International Airport (SJC), and Sonoma County Airport (STS). In 2016, the company is planning to open its second FBO at Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) in Hayward, CA. Meridian has earned numerous industry awards and accolades for its exceptional service and high safety standards: 2015 Best US & Northeast FBO by FltPlan.com; 2015 Best CSRs by Professional Pilot PRASE Survey (#3 for Victor Seda and #4 for Betsy Wines); 2015 Best FBO at TEB by AIN FBO Survey; 2015 Best FBO at TEB by Professional Pilot PRASE Survey; ARG/US Platinum Rated; IS-BAO Registered (Stage 2); Wyvern Wingman Certified. For more information, please visit our website at www.meridian.aero http://robbreport.com/LuxuryNewswire/jets-yachts/meridian-air-charter-adds-ultra-long-range- jet#sthash.ATcFXUix.dpuf Back to Top Boeing To Reorganize Commercial-Jet Unit Boeing Co. said Tuesday it is consolidating portions of its commercial-jet unit in a bid to reduce its overhead costs. Boeing has been under fierce competitive pressure from European rival Airbus Group SE for decades, which has slowly eroded its market share and cost-conscious airlines forced jet prices lower. In February, Boeing announced it was moving to cut costs and has sought to eliminate layers of executive management " to lean out our structure from the top down while continuing to perform on our development programs and keep our delivery commitments to customers," Boeing Commercial Airplane Chief Executive Ray Conner wrote in a note to employees on Tuesday. Boeing also is working to offset the high development and production costs of the 787 Dreamliner and maintain its forecast goal of recovering nearly $30 billion in deferred expenses from building its first several hundred aircraft. "Given the competitive environment we face, it makes sense to realign our leadership in a big-picture way instead of making piecemeal adjustments," Mr. Conner said. The moves follow last week's announcement of the retirement of Chief Technology Officer John Tracy and broader management changes that elevate four executives, including Mr. Shanahan, to Mr. Muilenburg's executive advisory group. The shift eliminates a dedicated executive link between the chief executive of Boeing's commercial unit and the production operations of its five commercial jet programs. Boeing's commercial program general managers will now report directly to Mr. Conner to "strengthen ties between the manufacturing and operations parts of the business," he wrote. The effort also takes Boeing's two oldest and lowest volume twin-aisle jet programs, the 767 and 747 jumbo jet, and consolidates them under the oversight of Elizabeth Lund, the site leader for the company's Everett, Wash., jet factory. Ms. Lund is currently vice president and general manager of the long-range 777 program. Mr. Conner announced that its 767 general manager, Brad Zaback, will serve as Ms. Lund's deputy on the 777 program and Bruce Dickinson, who now runs the 747 jumbo jet program, will oversee the newly consolidated 747 and 767 programs. The 747 and 767, closely located in Boeing's Everett, Wash., factory, are almost entirely produced today as freighter aircraft, or -- in the case of the 767 -- as the U.S. Air Force's new aerial refueling tanker. Boeing has in January announced plans to cut production of the aging jumbo jet to just six annually starting in September. http://www.nasdaq.com/ Back to Top New material could make aircraft deicers a thing of the past SLUGs coatings on the right three panels at a test station repel snow and ice, but snow builds up on an untreated panel (far left). Credit: Chihiro Urata Instead of applying a deicing agent to strip ice from an aircraft's wings before stormy winter takeoffs, airport personnel could in the future just watch chunks slide right off without lifting a finger. Scientists report they have developed a liquid-like substance that can make wings and other surfaces so slippery that ice cannot adhere. The slick substance is secreted from a film on the wing's surface as temperatures drop below freezing and retreats back into the film as temperatures rise. The researchers present their work today at the 251st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). The liquid-secreting materials the researchers developed are called self-lubricating organogels, or SLUGs. "The SLUGs technology has a host of formulations and applications, including in a gel form that can be encapsulated in a film coating on the surface of a wing or other device," says research director Atsushi Hozumi, Ph.D. "We came upon this idea when we observed real slugs in the environment," Chihiro Urata, Ph.D., explains. "Slugs live underground in soils when it is daytime and crawl out at night. But we never see slugs covered in dirt. They secrete a liquid mucus on their skin, which repels dirt, and the dirt slides off. From this, we started focusing on the phenomenon called syneresis, the expulsion of liquid from a gel." The gel and the liquid-repellent substance are held in a matrix of silicone resin. The mix is cured and applied to a surface as a nearly transparent and solid film coating, Urata explains. Both Urata and Hozumi are at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (Japan). The team examined the anti-icing properties of several types of organogels under tests at various temperatures, Urata says. The discovery of the material's thermo-responsive secretion properties was an unexpected surprise. The tests also showed that the secretion was a reversible process. The syneresis gradually starts when temperatures fall below freezing. So although ice can still form, it cannot adhere to the surface and it slips off. Once the temperature rises above freezing, the liquids return back to the film. Urata sees potential applications for SLUGs beyond aircraft and singles out antifouling coatings in packaging, paints, ship bottoms, metal molds and more. Their research is currently focusing on increasing the transparency of the SLUG's coating, Urata says. "We are planning a short-term project to apply the coating where transparency is essential. For example, we are just beginning a project to field-test the durability and visibility of SLUGs coating on signage in Japan's northern counties." http://phys.org/news/2016-03-material-aircraft-deicers.html#jCp Back to Top Back to Top The International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI) Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter (MARC) Cordially invites you to attendour spring 2016 Dinner/Meeting Location: Crowne Plaza Dulles Airport Hotel Herndon, Virginia, 20170. Date/Time: Thursday, May 5, 2016, 6:00 - 9:30 pm Guest Speaker Honorable T. Bella Dinh-Zarr, Vice Chair, National Transportation Safety Board To: ISASI Members, Associates, and Guests: Please plan to attend this important annual event. We anticipate a large turnout for this event because our distinguished guest speaker. Please make your reservations early; as space will be limited and I must confirm the dinner numbers with the hotel by Thursday, April 21st. Don't forget that companions and other guests are most welcome. From: Ron Schleede President, MARC; Vice President, ISASI (H) 1-703-455-3766; (Cell) 571-212-4255; Email: RonSchleede@aol.com Date: Thursday, May 5, 2016 Times: 6:00 pm-Reception with cash bar 7:00 to 8:00 pm-Full buffet dinner ********************************************************** RESERVATION FORM The International Society of Air Safety Investigators Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter (MARC) Spring 2016 Dinner/Meeting Thursday, May 5, 2016, 6:00 pm Crowne Plaza Dulles Airport Hotel There will be a "networking" cash bar beginning at 6:00 pm, followed by a full buffet dinner beginning at 7:00 pm. The program will begin about 8:00 pm. Adjournment anticipated about 9:30 pm. Yes, I will be attending: Name__________________________ Telephone___________________ Email Yes, I will be bringing a guest (s): Name__________________________Telephone____________________ Email Name__________________________Telephone____________________ Email Payment Method: Check, or Credit Card. Badge Name Company Name______________________________________ If paying by check, please make checks payable to ISASI-MARC, in the amount of $50.00 per person, if paid before April 21, 2016. The cost after April 21, 2016, will be $55.00, if space is available. This includes dinner, taxes, gratuity, and routine function expenses. Please mail checks to: Ms. Ann Schull, ISASI International Office, 107 E. Holly Avenue, Suite 11, Sterling, VA, 20164. (Telephone: 703-430-9668; FAX: 703-430-4970) If paying by credit card, please provide your reservation information, along with the following credit card information directly to Ms. Ann Schull by telephone, FAX, email, or regular mail. Back to Top Aviation Research Request I am Mohamed Hassan Elmugamer Taha, having many years of experience in aviation safety. I would like to request your participation in my Survey Questionnaire (Linke Attached) regarding the imposing of ban on re-registration of aging aircraft for commercial/ public transport category as part of my degree in: MSc Aviation Safety BY Emirates Aviation University Dubai UAE. Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/L5SCDF6 Once again thank you for your kind assistance. Mohamed Hassan Elmagamer Taha Msc Aviation Safety Emirates Aviation University Back to Top Aviation Safety Specialist Available Immediately - Captain Samir (Sam) Kohli Over 30 years of senior management experience in the aviation industry. Extensive exposure to airport and airline management. In-depth operational experience: · 21 years of military service as a pilot; · Aviation safety manager; and · Air accident investigator. Upper Management Experience bestows an ability to · Focus on core issues · Take correct decisions balancing the needs to safety and continuity of operations with the financial aspects of aviation businesses, delivering high value to investors and shareholders safely. Experience in various business cultures, including: · Asia, · Middle East, · Africa, · Europe and · South America. Proven ability to negotiate with unions and politicians make him the ideal executive to manage a high- value and high-risk operation. Available immediately. Please click here to view detailed CV: http://1drv.ms/1USoisM Curt Lewis