Flight Safety Information April 6, 2016 - No. 067 In This Issue Fatal U.S. Small Plane Accidents Declined in 2015 BAe-125 Aircraft Missing (Japan) European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) - Junior Aviation Professionals Position Man Sentenced to Prison for Disrupting Airline Flight Air France-KLM CEO to Take Top Airline Industry Job Poughkeepsie native named CEO of Delta Air Lines CEO Says Malaysia Airlines Has First Monthly Profit in Years AIN Blog: Simulator Vs. Airplane Upset Training Sun 'N' Fun airplane festival begins in Lakeland Saudi Arabia places ban on Mahan Air citing safety concerns Passenger plane with 179 people on board makes emergency landing Multi-million dollar jet risks getting impounded when airline fails to pay debt Pilatus Aircraft Reports Global Orders More Than Doubled Last Year Slimmed-down aircraft wing expected to reduce fuel and emissions by 50% Meet The 'Rocket Girls,' The Women Who Charted The Course To Space PhD Research Request Graduate Research Request Survey Invitation (ISASI) Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter (MARC) Meeting/Dinner - 05MAY Fatal U.S. Small Plane Accidents Declined in 2015 Industry officials expect dramatic improvements this year as regulatory changes take effect The overall number of fatal crashes of small planes fell about 5% from the year before, according to the FAA. Here, a single-engine plane crashed at the Georgia Club golf course in Statham, Ga., on Dec. 20, 2015, killing the pilot. By ANDY PASZTOR The rate of fatal accidents involving small airplanes in the U.S. declined slightly last year, despite years of escalating efforts by industry and safety regulators to dramatically reduce private aircraft crashes. In the data released Friday by the Federal Aviation Administration, there were 11.3 deadly general aviation accidents per one million flight hours during the fiscal year ending last September, roughly 3% below the three-year average. The overall number of such accidents declined roughly 5% from the year before, while total fatalities fell nearly 12%. Those statistics cover everything from home-built aircraft to single-engine, propeller-driven planes to noncommercial turboprops. However, industry officials say 2016 will usher in regulatory changes that are anticipated to result in more dramatic improvements. The revisions, among other things, are intended to accelerate installation of enhanced safety systems on private planes and ensure that new pilots have the necessary practical skills and theoretical knowledge. This year could "really be a milestone" for general aviation because the FAA is slated to complete far-reaching "changes in how we certify both pilots and airplanes," according to Jens Hennig, vice president of operations for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the segment's primary trade group. Such strategic moves "are the types of changes that can make a marked improvement in safety," Mr. Hennig, who is a member of various expert advisory groups, said in an interview Saturday. The most recent results, which were circulated among government and industry experts and put out on the FAA's website, still meet the agency's internal performance benchmarks and document a slight improvement after what the FAA said were "relatively static" numbers stretching back to the beginning of the decade. The modest improvement, however, highlights the continuing challenges in significantly reducing the frequency of fatal accidents for the approximately 200,000 private aircraft registered nationwide. The goal for the government and industry is to slice the fatal-accident rate by 10% between 2009 and 2018. So far, private aviation has largely relied on the same type of consensus-based, voluntary safety initiatives that have helped U.S. airlines and the FAA eliminate fatalities stemming from commercial plane crashes over the past eight years. Airliners world-wide last year had a rate of less than two major accidents per million flight hours, but without a single passenger fatality on a jetliner stemming from pilot error, aircraft malfunctions, weather or other accidental causes, according to the International Air Transport Association. With the release of its data, the FAA stressed that various initiatives are under way in conjunction with manufacturers and pilot organizations to target the root causes of accidents. Until the new rules fully take effect, however, safety experts will continue to emphasize pilot education to prevent accidents, particularly in which aviators stall aircraft or otherwise get overwhelmed in perfectly functioning planes. These "loss of control" accidents account for nearly half of all fatal crashes involving general aviation nationwide. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board recently identified reducing such crashes as one of its top 10 priorities, citing that pilots and passengers "die at alarming rates every year due to a loss of control." Industry and government experts have identified more than two dozen safety enhancements, ranging from training to hardware, to combat loss of control accidents. On a wider scale, the FAA and general aviation groups are beginning to use voluntary safety reports to pinpoint and try to mitigate budding hazards. General aviation accidents and incidents are now being incorporated into broader, industrywide databases "to identify trends and look for system risks," according to the FAA. At a "safety summit" between the FAA and private-aviation representatives in Washington on Thursday, Michael Whitaker, the agency's No. 2 official, said the private-aviation segment's fatal accident rate was beginning to decline, yet still more than 380 people died in general aviation crashes last year. "While we still have more work to do," said Mr. Whitaker, "government and industry are building on our momentum and commitment to improve general aviation safety." http://www.wsj.com/articles/fatal-u-s-general-aviation-accidents-declined-slightly-in- 2015-1459630945 Back to Top BAe-125 Aircraft Missing (Japan) Status: Date: Wednesday 6 April 2016 Time: 14:35 Type: British Aerospace U-125 (BAe-125-800) Operator: Japan Air Self-Defence Force - JASDF Registration: registration unknown C/n / msn: First flight: Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: / Occupants: 6 Airplane damage: Missing Airplane fate: Presumed damaged beyond repair Location: 10 km (6.3 mls) north of Kanoya Air Base ( Japan) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Military Departure airport: Kanoya Air Base (RJFY), Japan Destination airport: ? Narrative: A British Aerospace U-125 of the Japan Air Self-Defence Force is reported missing over the Kagoshima prefecture, Japan with 6 persons on board. The aircraft operated on a navaid calibration flight out of Kanoya Air Base. Search and Rescue are being progress. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20160406-0 Back to Top European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) - Junior Aviation Professionals Position Our Junior Qualification Programme (JQP) is a new recruitment initiative aimed at bringing in latest academic knowledge to the Agency while giving you an opportunity to check-in for a career in the fascinating world of aviation. It is targeted at high-potential recent graduates and junior professionals with a Bachelor's degree or higher in a discipline related to our core activities: Aircraft Certification and Organisation Approvals, Standardisation activities, development of regulatory matters and Safety Analysis. If successful in the competition, the JQP will offer you the unique opportunity to: Learn and work with some of the most highly qualified aviation experts Get involved in interesting and rewarding aviation safety projects Enlarge your network and maximise your professional development Experience a multinational work environment The qualification phase lasts approximately 2 years and will include consecutive assignments in different business areas aiming to give a comprehensive insight in the EU aviation system accompanied with: 1:1 Mentoring by highly experienced professionals Cross-functional project work Various learning opportunities to advance personal competencies and technical knowledge Regular performance feedback Responsibilities As a Junior Aviation Professional you will pursue two programme phases which will prepare you for your future assignments in the Agency: Orientation/Generalisation phase You will undertake consecutive placements in our Strategy and Safety Management, Certification and Flight Standards Directorates. You will shadow the work of the experts to get an overall understanding of our core activities. In this phase, you will acquire general knowledge about the aviation safety system, important processes, tools and techniques used in the daily work of our experts. Specialisation phase You will transfer and apply acquired knowledge to live projects. Complexity as well as autonomy will gradually increase, yet you continue to be mentored and will have regular performance check-ups. You will specialise during this phase towards your targeted and desired position. Experience and qualifications: Thorough knowledge of one of the official EU languages and a sound knowledge of another official EU language Be a national of a Member State of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and entitled to the full rights as a citizen Basic understanding of aviation regulatory frameworks governing national and international aviation activities as demonstrated by training or professional exposure Knowledge of basic Project Management principles and techniques Knowledge of aviation safety topics as shown by examples (e.g. Airworthiness, Operations, ATM/ANS, Safety Analysis etc.) Collaboration, Communication & Cross-Cultural Sensitivity Meet the character requirements for the duties concerned Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post APPLY HERE https://targetjobs.co.uk/employer-hubs/european-aviation-safety-agency-easa/441171- junior-aviation-professionals Back to Top Man Sentenced to Prison for Disrupting Airline Flight A New York man was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for disrupting a United Airlines flight by trying to get into the cockpit and yelling "jihad!" David Patrick Diaz, 36, of Poughkeepsie was sentenced to nine months in prison and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $22,152 to United in restitution and to complete mental health and substance abuse treatment. U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga said Diaz "terrorized the passengers and endangered the safety of everyone on the plane." Diaz admitted that he disrupted a flight from Washington, DC's Dulles Airport to Denver on March 16, 2015. Investigators say less than a minute after it took off, he ran to the front of the plane, pulled on the cockpit door handle, and shouted, "The plane is not going fast enough. We need to go faster. It's going to go down. We are going down." Related: Man Admits to Charging Cockpit of Plane Leaving Dulles, Shouting About Jihad After three passengers and a flight attendant tackled him, he yelled that there was something in the belly of the plane and the words "jihad" and "bomb." The plane returned to Dulles, and Diaz was arrested. He pleaded guilty in January to a charge of interfering with the flight crew. In court documents, prosecutors said he had alcohol abuse and mental health problems. While awaiting trial and sentencing, he was arrested three times for drunk driving and public intoxication. "The defendant has a history of using drugs and/or alcohol and then engaging in reckless conduct that could harm others," government lawyers said. Investigators said Diaz boarded then left two Virgin America flights before getting on the United flight to Denver. On March 15, 2015, he boarded a flight to Dallas, walking back and forth before deciding he wanted to fly the next day and left the plane. On March 16, he boarded a different flight to Dallas but was so noncompliant with crew instructions that the pilot taxied back to the gate and ordered Diaz off the plane. Prosecutors said before boarding the United flight, he had consumed 14 alcoholic drinks at airport bars. http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-sentenced-prison-disrupting-airline-flight- n551021 Back to Top Air France-KLM CEO to Take Top Airline Industry Job Alexandre de Juniac is first leader of a French airline to take the helm at the International Air Transport Association Air France-KLM Chief Executive Alexandre de Juniac attends a Paris news conference in July. PARIS- Alexandre de Juniac, the chief executive of Air France-KLM, is leaving his post after struggling to push through restructuring measures aimed at boosting the competitiveness of the ailing airline group. Mr. de Juniac will step down in July to take over as chief executive of the International Air Transport Association, or IATA, both the carrier and the world's largest airline lobby group said on Tuesday. Air France shares dropped more than 6% in early trading Wednesday in response to the news. Pending approval of IATA members at their annual meeting in June in Dublin, Mr. de Juniac would take over from former Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd.'s CEO Tony Tyler, who announced plans to retire at the end of his five-year mandate. Mr. de Juniac departs Air France-KLM, Europe's largest airline by traffic, amid continued uncertainty about a restructuring plan he launched in September 2014. The proposal is intended to make the airline group more competitive against budget airlines such as Ryanair Holdings PLC and easyJet PLC in Europe, and long-haul competition from rapidly expanding Middle East carriers. Under the plan, Air France proposed to slash 2,900 jobs and close long-haul routes unless it could gain concessions from employees. Opposition to the plan boiled over last October when workers besieged senior management, even tearing the clothes off some senior executives. Talks between the airline and union about job cuts are continuing. Air France-KLM in 2015 delivered its first net profit in eight years, though largely as a result of a sharp drop in fuel costs. The airline's annual fuel bill fell €446 million ($508 million) last year, helping it deliver a €118 million net profit. Since taking the top post at the French arm of Air France-KLM in 2011, Mr. de Juniac carried out cost-cutting plans to refocus on its low-cost unit, Transavia. He took over as CEO of the entire group in 2013. The Franco-Dutch airline group has been losing ground to rivals, though. British Airways parent International Consolidated Airlines Group SA last year reported a €1.5 billion net profit. IAG delivered an adjusted operating margin of 11.2%. Air France-KLM's comparable figure was 3.1%. Air France-KLM also remains hobbled by debt, which still stood at €4.3 billion at the end of last year even after it pared the total by €1.1 billion in 2015. The airline also has cut some of its plan to purchase planes due partly to uncertainty over its growth prospects. Despite his struggles in turning around Air France-KLM, Nomura analyst James Hollins said Mr. de Juniac's departure likely would be viewed negatively by investors, by whom he is well regarded. Air France-KLM's board has hired a recruitment consultancy to help with the search. A new chief executive could provide new momentum to the reform drive, though, Mr. Hollins said and "inject a deeper sense of urgency across the group for the need to deliver meaningful cost cuts and strategic progress with Transavia." Mr. de Juniac, who will be the first leader of a French airline to take the top job at IATA, becomes head of the trade body at a time of deep divisions among some of its members. Several U.S. and European airlines, including Mr. de Juniac during his tenure at Air France-KLM, have tried to lobby their governments to resist the growth of some of their Mideast rivals, including Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways, whom they accuse of receiving unfair state aid. It is a claim the Persian Gulf airlines have rejected. At a meeting of the trade group last year in Miami, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar Al-Baker urged the IATA to defend market liberalization. "Any rollback of liberal market access and open skies policies reverberate across the whole world and will lead to retaliatory protectionism," he said at the meeting. http://www.wsj.com/articles/air-france-klm-ceo-to-quit-to-take-top-iata-job-1459874760 Back to Top Poughkeepsie native named CEO of Delta Air Lines A former Poughkeepsie resident has been picked to lead one of the country's top commercial airlines. Edward Bastian, who attended St. Mary's School and graduated of Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Poughkeepsie, will officially be appointed to CEO of Delta Air Lines on May 2, according to company's website. Bastian previously served as president of the company and as a member of its board of directors. Before serving as president, Bastian served as executive vice president and chief financial officer. "Ed played a pivotal role in finalizing Delta's acquisition of Northwest Airlines in 2008 and managing the airlines' successful integration," according to a statement on the company's website. "Since that time, Ed and his team have overseen Delta's continued transformation through strategies to make the business less vulnerable to economic cycles." Prior to joining Delta, Bastian served as vice president of finance for Pepsi Cola International, vice president of business processes re-engineering for Frito-Lay and vice president-finance and controller for Frito-Lay International. He also served as a strategic planning partner for Price Waterhouse (now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers). Bastian graduated St. Bonaventure University in Allegany with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He now splits his time between Delta's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and his home in Florida, his mother, Mary, said Tuesday. "He has worked hard and diligently throughout his whole career," said Mary Bastian, 80. "He was one of the youngest partners ever at Price Waterhouse. He worked at Pepsi Cola in the Frito-Lay division and went to Delta without any knowledge or background in airlines. Now, he just loves what he is doing." In addition to his business acumen, Mary Bastian praised her son's character: "He is selfless, unassuming and does have any pretense. He is a great father to his four children. It would be hard to say other than wonderful things about him." Edward Bastian was not available for comment Tuesday, according to a spokesperson for the company. http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/local/2016/04/05/poughkeepsie-native- named-ceo-delta-air-lines/82653878/ Back to Top CEO Says Malaysia Airlines Has First Monthly Profit in Years Malaysia Airlines Berhad chief executive Christoph Mueller speaks during an interview with the Associated Press at Malaysia Airlines office in Sepang, Malaysia on Wednesday, April 6, 2016. The chief executive of Malaysia Airlines said Wednesday that the carrier recorded a profit in February, its first positive monthly result in years, and is on track to return to the black by 2018. In an interview with The Associated Press, CEO Christoph Mueller described the airline as a "ship that has many leaks," but said the monthly profit was a sign that things are on the right track. He said revenue has improved and costs are down, underpinned by low jet fuel prices. Twin disasters in 2014, including the disappearance of Flight 370 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, hurt the airline's reputation. But Mueller said its main problems were an unsustainable network of routes, high operating costs and archaic information technology systems, among others. "Our target is to break even by 2018," said Mueller, a turnaround veteran hired a year ago under a $1.5 billion overhaul that included cutting 6,000 jobs and axing unprofitable routes. "For a company that lost 2 billion ringgit ($511 million) just last year, if you are able to break even for a month or so, it means the financial gap between revenue and cost has significantly closed, and that is good news that tells us that we are on the right trajectory," he said. Even before the disasters, the national carrier was ailing from mismanagement that saddled it with at least $1.7 billion in losses since 2011. It reeled further after Flight 370 vanished in March 2014 with 239 people on board and a second Boeing 777 carrying 298 people was shot down over Ukraine a few months later. The company was removed from Malaysia's stock exchange the same year, with the government pumping in 6 billion ringgit ($1.5 billion) under a radical restructuring. In December, Malaysia Airlines unveiled an alliance with Emirates that allows it to piggyback on at least 70 of the Gulf carrier's global routes so it can focus on Asia. The only long-haul route it has kept is to London. Mueller called the alliance a "win-win" situation. He said Malaysia Airlines isn't shrinking, but instead has added many new destinations to its network through the Emirates partnership. He said the company is focusing on Asia, the strongest market for international air travel, so that it can leave "strong footprints" in the region. "The ambition of Malaysia Airlines is to grow again when we can afford growth," he said. "If you grow as a loss making airline, you just increase the losses." Mueller said the airline's fleet currently comprises 15 Airbus A330-300 planes, six superjumbo A380s and 54 Boeing 737-800s. He said four new A350-900 jets will be delivered in 2018, and that the airline will likely phase out its A380s at that time. The A380s are currently used for its London route. The airline retired its 17 Boeing 777s after the 2014 disasters involving the aircraft. Asked if this was to remove the stigma associated with the tragedies, Mueller said it was because the 777s were the oldest planes in the airline's fleet, averaging 16 1/2 years, and were the least fuel efficient. Mueller acknowledged that it would be bad for Malaysia Airlines and the industry if Flight 370 remains a mystery. "A forever missing aircraft is certainly a heavy burden for the industry as a whole," he said. An ongoing search in the southern Indian Ocean, where aviation experts believe the plane crashed after deviating from its original flight path, has found nothing so far. A wing part was found last year on Reunion Island in the western Indian Ocean. More plane debris was discovered recently in Mozambique and other parts of Africa and is being examined. In rejuvenating the business, Mueller said the airline's products are "tired" and don't appeal to young travelers. The carrier has embraced changes including introducing a new business class with lie-flat beds, new menus and inflight Wi-Fi. It also plans to refurbish airport lounges. To save costs, Mueller said he has reduced the number of suppliers from more than 20,000 to about 4,900. The target is to reduce the number to 2,000. A year after taking over the job, Mueller said it has been hard work cutting through the corporate culture of a state-owned company where red tape was thick and employees had many "entitlements." He said he is fostering a more open working environment in which hierarchies and bureaucracy are being slowly removed. Employers are encouraged to communicate more freely with each other and to work as a team, he said. While there is still some unhappiness among staff, he said morale is picking up. "We have 220 projects. I cannot pick one and say this is the one that will save the airline. We have to repair in a lot of cases," Mueller said. "My biggest problem is that the day has only 24 hours and the week has only seven days." http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/ceo-malaysia-airlines-monthly-profit- years-38185772 Back to Top AIN Blog: Simulator Vs. Airplane Upset Training Preparing for the next upset training maneuver in Flight Research's Sabre 60. (Photo: Matt Thurber) For the longest time, sophisticated and multimillion-dollar full-motion flight simulators have not been terribly useful for an important element of pilot training: flight outside the normal flight envelope and especially full stalls. Most simulators don't have the aerodynamic modeling for beyond-the-normal-envelope flight, whether because the aircraft manufacturer didn't supply this data or because the simulator manufacturer couldn't justify the expense of doing its own flight-testing to support these flight regimes. There is growing interest in using flight simulators for upset training and teaching pilots how to recover from loss of control, but to do so the simulators must be equipped with the proper aerodynamic modeling. This is now happening, and part of the reason is that beginning in March 2019, U.S. Part 121 pilots will be required to undergo full stall recovery training in simulators to conform with the mandate by Congress in the Airline Safety and FAA Extension Act of 2010, which is the same law that requires all Part 121 pilots to have an ATP certificate. The FAA has also updated Part 60 simulator rules to introduce "new technical standards for full stall and stick pusher maneuvers, upset recognition and recovery maneuvers, maneuvers conducted in airborne icing conditions, takeoff and landing maneuvers in gusting crosswinds, and bounced landing recovery maneuvers." Business jet pilots so far are exempt from the new Part 121 rule, although they will be exposed to upset prevention and recovery training during their ATP training. Many flight operations are sending business pilots to upset training programs, which range from in- airplane training using aerobatic airplanes and even business jets to simulators that now can model the full flight envelope, including deep stalls and high-speed upsets. FlightSafety International was first to incorporate such aerodynamic modeling in one of its simulators, a G550 done in partnership with Gulfstream. Other FlightSafety simulators are getting the same treatment. CAE is working on this, too, and it won't be long before simulator-based upset training well outside the normal envelope is available for a wide variety of airplanes, after the new Part 60 rules take effect. Of course, Aviation Performance Solutions has been using regional jet simulators for a long time in its upset prevention and recovery training courses, by putting pilots in the simulator and replicating typical airliner-type edge-of-the-envelope upset scenarios in the simulator following flights in the company's aerobatic Extra 300s. In the past year, I've attended both the FlightSafety G550 simulator-based upset-training program and Flight Research's in-airplane program in a Sabreliner 60 and Aermacchi Impala military jet trainer. The question I most often get after participating in these programs is which is better for upset training, the simulator or the airplane? There is no clear answer, because both types of training are beneficial, and there are advantages in either case. What I liked about the G550 simulator training at FlightSafety's Savannah learning center was the ability to replicate actual accident scenarios right down to the ground. While it is not possible for training purposes to stall from a low altitude and crash in a real airplane (well, not impossible, but not recommended), this is easily replicated in a simulator with proper aerodynamic modeling. In one scenario I stalled the G550 at 800 feet agl and had to try to recover. The visual display makes the sense of "about to smack into the ground" plenty realistic, and it took me a few tries to learn how to finesse the controls to avoid a secondary stall and crashing. The other scenarios that we practiced were equally compelling and instructive. One involved using bank to recover from high angle-of-attack induced by stuck pitch control, and this exact maneuver has proved a lifesaver in the runaway-trim situation that confrontted the crew flying a Falcon 7X in May 2011. The upset training in the Flight Research Sabre and Impala proved equally beneficial, in my opinion. We stalled the Sabre and held the yoke fully aft, allowing the stall to develop fully. This is something that can't be done in most medium and heavy jets, and it allowed me to feel the full stall and all of its perturbations, something that can't be duplicated in any simulator. The other maneuvers that we performed in the Sabre underscored another difference, and that is the ability for the pilot to feel the real g loads in the airplane. While we couldn't do any radical maneuvers in the Sabre, we certainly did in the Impala, and these helped me learn how to react promptly and correctly to situations where I was upside down and headed to an even worse condition if I didn't do something. Again, this is a situation that is difficult to replicate in the simulator. Obviously we did all of these maneuvers at a safe altitude. My conclusion? If I were the head of a flight department, I would definitely include upset training as part of our regular recurrent training program. And I would alternate between the in-airplane and simulator-based training so pilots could get the benefits that both offer. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/blogs/ain-blog-simulator-vs-airplane-upset- training Back to Top Sun 'N' Fun airplane festival begins in Lakeland The Sun 'N' Fun airplane festival has begun in Lakeland, which makes the city's regional airport one of the busiest. ? The ABC Action News app brings you the latest trusted news and information. ABC Action News is Taking Action For You with leading local news coverage, "Certified Most Accurate" weather forecasts, and award-winning I-Team investigations. ABC Action News, WFTS, covers local news in Tampa Bay and Florida. iPhone: http://bit.ly/http://bit.ly/iOS-wfts Android: http://bit.ly/abcaction-android http://tampa.suntimes.com/tpa-news/7/85/279453/sun-n-fun-airplane-festival-begins-in- lakeland Back to Top Saudi Arabia places ban on Mahan Air citing safety concerns Saudi Arabia has announced a ban on Iran airline Mahan Air from using its airspace and airports citing safety concerns. Although the privately owned Iranian carrier does not fly to the Saudi Kingdom, GACA - the Saudi Arabian regulator said it decided to "stop completely permits granted to Iran's Mahan Air, ban it from landing in the kingdom's airports or passing through its air space," according to a statement carried by SPA state news agency. The authority cited "violations of national regulations related to safety of international carriers". Saudi and Iran have severed diplomatic ties as a result of conflict in Yemen and a worsening of relationships between the two countries http://www.arabianaerospace.aero/saudi-arabia-places-ban-on-mahan-air-citing-safety- concerns.html#sthash.hQA5QOak.dpuf Back to Top Passenger plane with 179 people on board makes emergency landing after pilots hear 'unidentified hissing noise' in cockpit and put on their oxygen masks * Air Berlin flight was en route to Leipzig in Germany from Las Palmas, Spain * But three hours into journey, a hissing noise was heard in the cockpit * Captain diverted to Nantes with both flight crew in oxygen masks A plane with 179 passengers on board was forced to make an emergency landing after the pilots heard a hissing noise in the cockpit that they could not identify. They both put on their oxygen masks and diverted their Air Berlin Airbus A320 - en route to Leipzig in Germany from Las Palmas, Spain - to Nantes in France. The plane was eventually taken out of service for 18 hours. Air Berlin told MailOnline Travel: 'Due to a hissing noise in the cockpit that could not be identified, both pilots decided to apply their oxygen masks for safety reasons immediately' The incident happened on Saturday after the flight left Spain at 4.52pm, around two hours 50 minutes into the flight. It arrived at Nantes at 7.42pm. The plane was then flown to Munich, Germany, and was subsequently used for a return flight to Dusseldorf. Both The German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation and France's aviation accident investigation bureau (BEA) are looking into the incident. The incident was first reported in The Aviation Herald, which said that 'fumes had been noticed on the flight deck prompting both flight crew to don their oxygen masks'. It added that one pilot was taken to hospital. However, the Herald's version of events was not confirmed by the airline. Air Berlin told MailOnline Travel: 'Air Berlin confirms that flight AB2191 from Las Palmas to Leipzig on 2nd April 2016 had to make an unscheduled landing in Nantes, France, with 179 passengers and six crew members on board. 'Due to a hissing noise in the cockpit that could not be identified, both pilots decided to apply their oxygen masks for safety reasons immediately. They landed the aircraft safely in Nantes. Both pilots were fully functional. The passengers were accommodated in hotel rooms and were then transported to Leipzig on a replacement aircraft. 'Air Berlin regrets the inconvenience caused to the passengers. The aircraft was examined in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and has since been deployed for use in flight operations once again. The pilots are doing fine and are back in their regular service operations.' http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3524469/Passenger-plane-179- people-board-makes-emergency-landing-pilots-hear-unidentified-hissing-noise-cockpit- oxygen-masks.html#ixzz452oAGk9U Back to Top Multi-million dollar jet risks getting impounded when airline fails to pay debt to delayed passenger Officials threatened to impound the Thomas Cook Airlines plane. Picture: Aero Pixels A PASSENGER whose flight was delayed has exacted the ultimate revenge against an airline by securing a court order to impound one of its multi-million dollar jets. The unidentified woman from Germany had been locked in a four-year battle with Thomas Cook Airlines over a compensation payout of $US680 ($AU900) over a flight from Austria to the Caribbean that took off 22 hours late due to mechanical issues. The woman was entitled to compensation under European Union regulations, which allows qualified passengers on late or cancelled flights to claim reimbursement depending on the distance and time of delay. But Thomas Cook Airlines never came through with the payment, and the woman took the matter to an Austrian court. A court order was issued over the payment, and an official told Salzburg Airport last week he was empowered to ground a Thomas Cook Airlines jet, worth tens of millions of dollars, until the airline came through with the money, NBC News reports. Thomas Cook's sister airline, Condor, paid the money straight away and the aircraft avoided getting impounded. Thomas Cook's sister airline Condor eventually came through with the goods. Picture: Eric Salard "We first heard of the claim on Friday, when we were notified by the airport in Salzburg," Condor spokesman Johannes Winter told NBC News. "Once we heard of it, we immediately paid. We are very sorry that it took this long." Jonas Swarzenski, the legal chief of compensation company FlightRight, which represented the woman, said he believed it was an innocent blunder by the airline. "Some airlines use the tactic of blocking requests or taking so long that people give up," he told NBC News. "I think this was just an administrative mistake by the airline, the claim probably just got lost on somebody's desk." Mr Swarzenski said only 15 per cent of travellers who were entitled to EU compensation ever actually made a claim. According to the regulations, qualified passengers can claim financial compensation when they are denied from boarding, their flight is cancelled or their aircraft arrives more than three hours late, both within the EU and between EU and non-EU airports. http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/multimillion-dollar-jet-risks-getting- impounded-when-airline-fails-to-pay-debt-to-delayed-passenger/news- story/3fb4e76dd32c1df127d540aec903783f Back to Top Pilatus Aircraft Reports Global Orders More Than Doubled Last Year Pilatus PC-12 NG airplanes being built in the central Swiss town of Stans, Oct. 30, 2014. Pilatus Aircraft Ltd., maker of the best-selling, single-engine turboprop aircraft in the world, on Tuesday reported slightly weaker sales and profit for 2015 but a huge jump in customer orders. The Swiss-based manufacturer booked sales last year of 1.12 billion Swiss francs ($1.17 billion), down modestly from 1.17 billion Swiss francs in 2014. However, the results marked the third time yearly sales topped 1 billion Swiss francs. Operating income slipped last year to 191 million Swiss francs from 200 million Swiss francs from the previous year. Pilatus sold 121 aircraft in 2015, compared with 127 in 2014. However, orders soared to 1,367 last year from 561 in 2014. The company, which is based in Stans, Switzerland, made substantial investments last year in research and development as well as infrastructure as it works toward beginning deliveries in 2017 of its first business jet, the PC-24. Those investments weighed on financial results. Sales of its single-engine turboprop, known as the PC-12 NG, rose by four last year to 70, with 49 percent of those sales coming from North America. Since 1991, Pilatus has sold and delivered more than 1,350 PC-12 aircraft, making it the world's best-selling such airplane. A PC-12 NG in flight. Pilatus warned that its 2016 results may not be as strong as its 2015 results. The cost of developing the PC-24 will weigh on financial results. "The expansion of our infrastructure to cover future requirements - the roll-out of our five-axis milling concept involving a total of seven high-performance milling machines, the surface treatment centre, the new assembly hall - it all adds up to a substantial cost: We are talking about investment in the triple digit million range," Oscar J. Schwenk, the company's chairman, said in a statement. Further, deliveries related to an order from the Australian air force for 49 military training aircraft, known as the PC-21, will not be completed until 2017. http://www.ibtimes.com/pilatus-aircraft-reports-global-orders-more-doubled-last-year- 2348791 Back to Top Slimmed-down aircraft wing expected to reduce fuel and emissions by 50% Every bit of weight on an aircraft increases the fuel, emissions and money required to put it in the air. NASA and Boeing have been working together to design a longer, thinner and lighter wing - so different from typical commercial transport aircraft wings that it requires a brace, or truss, to provide the wing extra support. Researchers expect the lighter weight, lower drag truss-braced wing to reduce both fuel burn and carbon emissions by at least 50% over current technology transport aircraft, and by 4 to 8% compared to equivalent advanced technology conventional configurations with unbraced wings. The wind tunnel model tested has a 50% greater wingspan than a comparable aircraft with current wing technology. Engineers are using detailed computer modeling of aerodynamics to iterate the design. Using computational results showing how air would flow around the model, they modify the dimensions and shape of the wing and truss to improve areas that may generate undesirable air flow that would increase drag and reduce lift. Then engineers test models in a wind tunnel using multiple experimental techniques to validate the computations and aircraft performance predictions. In this image, Greg Gatlin, NASA aerospace research engineer from NASA's Langley Research Center, inspects the truss-braced wing during testing in the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel complex at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. NASA and Boeing engineers are analyzing results from the recent test and plan to further explore the wing design. The truss- braced wing is part of NASA's Advanced Air Transport Technology project, which addresses the challenge of developing energy efficiency improvements to reduce emissions and perceived community noise dramatically without adversely affecting safety. Every U.S. aircraft uses NASA-developed technology. The agency is committed to transforming aviation by reducing its environmental impact, maintaining safety and revolutionizing aircraft shapes and propulsion. http://phys.org/news/2016-04-slimmed-down-aircraft-wing-fuel-emissions.html#jCp Back to Top Meet The 'Rocket Girls,' The Women Who Charted The Course To Space The women of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory helped launch the first American satellites, lunar missions and planetary explorations. Those "human computers," as they were called, are seen here in 1953. In the 1940s, an elite team of mathematicians and scientists started working on a project that would carry the U.S. into space, then on to the moon and Mars. They would eventually become NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (or JPL), but here's what made them so unusual: Many of the people who charted the course to space exploration were women. Nathalia Holt tells their story in her new book, Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, from Missiles to the Moon to Mars. Holt tells NPR's Ari Shapiro that the women worked as "computers." Jean Jennings (left) and Frances Bilas set up the ENIAC in 1946. Bilas is arranging the program settings on the Master Programmer. The Forgotten Female Programmers Who Created Modern Tech "In a time before the digital devices that we're used to today, it was humans that were doing the calculations," she says. "And so you needed these teams of people - many of whom were women, especially during World War II - and they were responsible for the math." Barbara Paulson was one of those women. She tells Shapiro that while her sisters were preparing to be secretaries, she took a different path. She says, "I had had quite a bit of math in high school. ... I know my mother certainly wanted us all to graduate from college, but why I veered off into this ... I can't remember. ... But I did, and it helped me get the job that I did get at JPL." Today, Holt says, "There is hardly a mission that you can find in NASA that these women haven't touched." Interview Highlights On how Holt first learned about the women who worked at the Jet Propulsion Lab Holt: In 2010, I was expecting my first child. And my husband and I were just having a terrible time coming up with a name. We finally thought of Eleanor Frances. We googled the name, and the first Eleanor Frances that popped up was a woman named Eleanor Francis Helin. And there was this beautiful picture of her at NASA in the 1960s accepting an award. And I was stunned by this picture because I hadn't realized that women even worked at NASA at this time, much less as scientists. And so what I found is that there was this group of women who, starting in the 1940s, worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. On tracking down the Jet Propulsion Lab women Holt: It was quite difficult to track down this group and find their stories. In fact, I think it was over 40 Barbara Paulsons I talked to before I found the right Barbara Paulson. ... But when I found the real Barbara Paulson, the one I was searching for, it was so wonderful. And right from the beginning, Barbara had these amazing stories and incredible memory. On one of the first stories Paulson shared Holt: I think it has to be the Explorer 1 [satellite]. That has to be right at the beginning. ... Paulson: Well, Explorer 1 was launched Jan. 31, 1958. And that would've been after Sputnik had been launched. ... I was asked to graph the results coming back from the Explorer 1 satellite. And I worked most of the night, through the night, at JPL with my mechanical pencil and graph paper and light table that I was working on. And that was all the equipment that I had. ... As I look back on so many things, I get more excited now than I did then. But it was exciting. I mean, it was great news that it was ... in orbit around the Earth. On what Holt hopes her book will accomplish Holt: My hope is that these women serve as role models, not just for my daughter of course, but for all of the women that are interested in science. It's a difficult time for women in technology right now. In 1984, 37 percent of all bachelor's degrees in computer science were awarded to women, and today that number has dropped to 18 percent. And even for women that are working in science today, it's about half of all women that leave midcareer. So I think these stories are important for inspiring and being role models that are so much needed for women today. NPR Recorded Interview Here! http://www.npr.org/2016/04/05/473099967/meet-the-rocket-girls-the-women-who- charted-the-course-to-space Back to Top PhD Research Request Fellow Helicopter Crewmember, This is a request for you to participate in a research study for my doctoral degree. The purpose is to study the relationship between safety management systems, incidents and accidents, and company performance for small helicopter companies with less than 5 aircraft and in the last 10 years. The survey asks several questions to determine if you can continue. There are series of questions on safety management systems, incidents and accidents, and company performance. To participate, you must be between age 21 to 60, had aircrew experience in a small civil helicopter organization with less than 5 aircraft and in the United States in last 10 years. You may currently be a helicopter student pilot. Please follow the link below and fill out pre-survey questions to confirm your eligibility. The survey does not include any identifiable data about the crewmember or places of employment. It will take about 12 minutes to complete. The survey will remain active through the end of April 2016. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5VPCZZ5 Thank you very much for your participation! Principal Investigator Scott Burgess Doctoral student at Northcentral University S.Burgess4793@email.ncu.edu Back to Top Graduate Research Request Research Survey Invitation Are you or have you been a pilot, UAS-pilot or air traffic controller? Do you have an interest in how UAS are integrated into the National Airspace? If so, please consider taking my survey which forms part of a masters research project to see if there are differences in the attitudes of pilots, UAS-pilots, and air traffic controllers when it comes to the integration of UAS into national airspace. The survey will take around 20 minutes to complete and can be saved at any stage. Responses are anonymous. SURVEY LINK: https://coventry.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/unmanned-air-systems-integration Back to Top Survey Invitation Hello: You are invited to participate in a research study that is designed to examine the relationship between pilot attitudes and the execution of flight safety checklists. Your participation is of great value because of your unique perspective as a pilot that will help in understanding why pilots choose to execute flight safety checklists or not. The survey will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete. A status bar is provided at the top that tracks your progress as you complete the survey. Please note this survey is part of a doctoral dissertation study being conducted at Northcentral University. Before clicking on the link below, it is important for you to know the following: 1. Your responses will be confidential and will be accessible only to my professor and me. 2. Your responses will remain completely anonymous and no identifying information will be collected. 3. No reference will be made in oral or written reports that could connect you in any way to this study. 4. Your participation is completely voluntarily and you are not required to participate in the study. 5. If you begin completing the survey and opt not to continue, you may simply close your browser's window to close your session. This action will eliminate you as a participant. 6. By clicking on the link below you are indicating that you are a licensed pilot and are at least 18 years old and have agreed to voluntarily participate in this study. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Barry Hyde at B.Hyde0394@email.ncu.edu. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/bhyde_ncuresearchstudy 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. Curt Lewis