Flight Safety Information April 21, 2016 - No. 078 In This Issue Donald Trump's Jet Is Grounded by the F.A.A. Jet Blue flight makes emergency landing at ILM Pilots on doomed Akron jet crash disagreed over speed and descent in final moments FAA documents show pilot of doomed airplane was fired by previous employer Jet plans to hire 400 pilots in 18 months (India) Russian Crash Probers Hint At FlyDubai Go-Around Errors Former NTSB investigator was pilot in crash that killed 4 near Chugiak Air Ambulance Industry Turns to Tech for Improved Safety SCHIPHOL SAFETY "INADEQUATE": AIRPORT, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CRITICIZED Embry-Riddle Refreshes Fleet with Diamond Twin-Engine DA42-VI Aircraft Australian Society of Air Safety Investigators -...2016 ANZSASI SEMINAR PhD Research Request Graduate Research:...Pilot Laser Study Donald Trump's Jet Is Grounded by the F.A.A. Donald J. Trump exiting his Cessna jet on Jan. 24. The plane had been flying with an expired registration since February. Donald J. Trump's Cessna jet has been grounded. The aircraft, which records show has been used to shuttle Mr. Trump to dozens of campaign events in recent months, has been flying with an expired registration since Feb. 1. On Wednesday, a Federal Aviation Administration official informed the plane's pilot that the Cessna cannot fly until it has been reregistered. "F.A.A. inspectors have contacted the chief pilot of N725DT about the aircraft's expired registration," Laura J. Brown, a spokeswoman for the F.A.A., said in a statement, referring to the plane's tail number. "The aircraft owner is currently working with the F.A.A.'s Aircraft Registry and will reregister the aircraft before further flight." The failure of DJT Operations CX, the limited liability company controlled by Mr. Trump that owns the 1997 Cessna 750 Citation X, to renew the plane's registration was the subject of a recent article in The New York Times. Ms. Brown would not comment on whether the F.A.A. plans to take any action against the Cessna's owner, the operator or both. Though it is unlikely that the agency will seek the maximum penalty, flying with no registration could result in a civil penalty of up to $27,500, a criminal fine of up to $250,000 and imprisonment for up to three years. Fines are often assessed. Once the Cessna's registration is resubmitted, Mr. Trump's jet could be flying in a matter of days, though it has been known to take much longer, depending on the circumstances. It costs $5 to register an aircraft, and it is valid for three years. DJT Operations CX was warned that the Cessna's registration was set to expire. The warning notices, though, were sent to the Delaware address of National Registered Agents, the company that registered DJT Operations CX. When asked on Wednesday to comment on the status of the Cessna's registration, Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for Mr. Trump, reiterated her comment from the day before. "The standard renewal process is just about complete," she said. Mr. Trump, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, had campaign events scheduled on Wednesday in Indianapolis and Berlin, Md. Ms. Hicks would not say how Mr. Trump was getting to and from those events. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/21/nyregion/donald-trumps-jet-is-grounded-by-the- faa.html?_r=0 Back to Top Jet Blue flight makes emergency landing at ILM A Jet Blue flight traveling from Fort Lauderdale to LaGuardia made an emergency landing at ILM (Wilmington, NC) Wednesday evening. According to Gary Broughton, Operations Director, the emergency landing happened around 7:18 p.m. when a man, approximately 65 years old, was having a heart attack or stroke. A person on the airplane immediately applied CPR. EMS also applied CPR to the man when the plane arrived, but they were unable to revive him. http://www.wect.com/story/31778293/jet-blue-flight-makes-emergency-landing-at-ilm Back to Top Pilots on doomed Akron jet crash disagreed over speed and descent in final moments Nine lost souls: Doomed flight that crashed in Akron tears apart lives, leaves many unanswered quest Akron plane crash: Nine killed aboard charter jet that crashed into Ellet apartment building Tuesday Weather may have contributed to deadly plane crash, is among factors investigators will explore NTSB recovers voice recorder from Akron plane crash There was troubling conversation in the final moments of a doomed jet flight into Akron Municipal Airport in November as the pilot repeatedly corrected the co-pilot on altitude, air speed, rate of descent and flaps, according to documents released Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board. There was one other troubling issue: co-pilot Renato Marchese was in command of the Hawker 127-700 that crashed Nov. 10, 2015 killing all nine aboard. A year earlier, he received a scathing review by his previous employer for failure to have memorized facts necessary for flying. An instructor in a Boeing 737 class said Marchese was "having difficulty transitioning from the sterile environment of the simulator, to real world line flying." The NTSB also noted that both Marchese and Capt. Andres Chavez weren't following custom for the company that owned the plane, Execuflight. Captains, or chief pilots, are the ones who fly when there are passengers. Co-pilots, also known as first officers, fly when there are no passengers. According to the report: "Based on recorded information, the [first officer] was the pilot flying on the approach. The NTSB interviewed multiple Execuflight pilots and management pilots, and were told that, in practice, Execuflight captains would typically operate as [pilot in command] on all revenue legs with passengers, and the [first officers] would fly the "empty" legs that did not have revenue passengers onboard." Area pilots troubled Akron area pilots who read the transcript shared a common theme: Was Marchese an inexperienced pilot? He was flying in difficult, overcast conditions, and the conversation between Marchese and Capt. Andres Chavez suggested that Marchese was making numerous mistakes that required correction. The plane was going slow without its flaps fully extended. Flaps provide additional lift - but they also slow a plane even more when fully extended. The plane made a sudden steep descent at low altitude, and Chavez quickly told Marchese to correct immediately. They broke through clouds and Marchese leveled off, but that slowed the plane even more. Ten seconds after that maneuver, the stick began to shake, indicating a stall was imminent. Five seconds later, the computer said "Pull up," but it was too late. While there are indications that they gave the engines more power, it takes more than five seconds for the additional thrust to affect the plane. At that point, Chavez began uttering expletives. Transcripts of the cockpit conversation from Dayton to Akron, plus more than 1,000 other pages of documents released by the NTSB. The docket can be accessed at http://go.usa.gov/cuxVP. The transcript is accompanied by an employment history for Marchese. His Boeing 737 trainer said that he was sometimes was late for classes without explanation and lacked memorized facts necessary for flight. There are no official findings of cause, and the NTSB said that more records may be added as they become available. Danny Lewkowicz, president of Execuflight, the Florida company that owned and operated the downed airplane, said Wednesday that he had not yet seen transcripts of the pilots conversation before the crash. Lewkowicz stressed that he could not give an assessment of what caused the crash. That, he said, would be forthcoming in another NTSB report making recommendations that, in turn, would strengthen aviation safety across the industry. He did say he expects the families of the deceased to file lawsuits against his company seeking damages. "Well of course, that's the nature of how things work here. Lawsuits are common in the United States," he said. "And we hope we don't get sued but we expect to get sued. And we'll have to defend ourselves on anything that was thrown our way." "We strongly believe that we were not negligent in this terrible accident. We wished that it hadn't happened for the sake of the families and our staff," Lewkowicz continued. "But unfortunately it did." Without reading the transcript of the pilots' fateful last words, Lewkowicz noted that there's "easy money" flights when the sun is shining and there are stressful flights at night and in stormy weather. These and other factors, including nearby air traffic, can contribute to the level of stress evident in the pilots' recorded dialogue. "What I will say is the pilots were busy," said Lewkowicz, who had listened to the tapes shortly after the accident and sent a technician to help the NTSB transcribe them. "They had their hands full. They were shooting an approach in some real bad weather. When people are stressed, they can make a mistake. And when there is terrible weather, it can stress pilots." "There was a lot going through their mind," he said. The corporate jet was carrying two crew members and seven employees of Pebb Enterprises of Boca Raton, Fla. when it crashed into an Ellet neighborhood during its approach. No one on the ground died; a four-unit apartment building off Mogadore Road was destroyed and a couple of neighboring homes were damaged. http://www.ohio.com/news/local/pilots-on-doomed-akron-jet-crash-disagreed-over- speed-and-descent-in-final-moments-1.677299 Back to Top FAA documents show pilot of doomed airplane was fired by previous employer The pilot in control of the plane that crashed into an Akron apartment building on Nov. 10, 2015 - a disaster that killed all nine people on board - was terminated from his previous employer because of subpar piloting skills, according to investigatory records released Wednesday. Renato Marchese, 50, the first officer who - according to cockpit transcripts - was attempting to land the plane, had missed training sessions with his last employer and was "having difficulty transitioning from the sterile environment of the simulator to real world line flying," one class instructor noted. He and Captain Oscar Andres Chavez, 40, were employed by ExecuFlight, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., aircraft charter business. Marchese also failed to have aspects of flight committed to memory, requiring aircraft manuals to aid him. "This is not acceptable," wrote management at the now-defunct Sky King Airlines, his former employer. "All attention is required to focus on flying the aircraft." In December 2014, Marchese was shown to have arrived late to work without explanation on two occasions. Later that month, he was asked to explain the cause of his delays but never did. In all, his superiors described his aviation proficiency as "well below the acceptable progression levels." Marchese had been hired by Sky King in September 2014 and was terminated in February 2015. The reason for his firing was listed as "unsatisfactory work performance." Chavez, the other pilot, also was terminated from his previous employment at Heralpin USA in April 2015 for failing to obtain proper training. However, interviews conducted by the Beacon Journal suggest Chavez did not complete the training because he had accepted a position with ExecuFlight and would be required to undergo the same training there. http://www.ohio.com/news/local/faa-documents-show-pilot-of-doomed-airplane-was- fired-by-previous-employer-1.677410 Back to Top Jet plans to hire 400 pilots in 18 months (India) NEW DELHI: With domestic traffic growing at over 20% and competition in the full service carrier (FSC) segment heating up, Jet Airways has decided to increase the utilisation of Boeing 737 aircraft that are used for flights within India and to neighbouring countries. For this, the Naresh Goyal-promoted airline will hire 400 pilots in the next 18 months so that it has the manpower required to sweat its assets optimally. In the past few months, Jet and several other Indian airlines had seen a sizeable number of their pilots go to IndiGo and Gulf carriers. To check further exodus, Jet has given an average 10% salary hike to pilots recently. "We currently have 1,600 pilots for the four types of aircraft in our fleet - the single aisle turboprops and B-737s and the widebody Boeing 777 and Airbus A-330. We will be hiring up to 300 pilots for our single aisle fleet by the end of this year and in 18 months we plan to hire another 100 pilots. They will all be Indians," Jet's chief people officer Rahul Taneja told TOI. He added that the airline will promote 100 first officers or co-pilots as commanders. Latest Comment Jet currently has a fleet of 116 planes. Last November, it ordered 75 B-737 MAX-8 aircraft, which is Boeing's answer to Airbus' highly successful A-320 Neo. This order includes conversions of 25 next-generation 737s to 737 MAX 8s, as well a s options and purchase rights for additional 50 aircraft. However, this will not lead to fleet expansion as the new planes will be used to replace Jet's old aircraft. In fact, the airline is expected to place a big order for planes using its new-found economies of scale with equity partner Etihad. "We are hiring more pilots to be able to optimally utilize our aircraft and increase their productivity. The additional manpower will help us continue to offer the best possible work-life balance to our valuable employees," Taneja said. The Indian FSC market is seeing competition with the entry of Tata-Singapore Airlines JV Vistara last year and the recent improvement in Air India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Jet-plans-to-hire-400-pilots- in-18-months/articleshow/51919191.cms Back to Top Russian Crash Probers Hint At FlyDubai Go-Around Errors Russian's Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) has issued five "prompt" safety recommendations in its interim report on the crash of FlyDubai Flight 981, a Boeing 737- 800 that plunged into the ground after a second missed approach at Rostov-on-Don Airport early on the morning of March 19. Four of the recommendations address pilot actions and potential disorientation during go- arounds with both engines operating near the end of a flight, when an aircraft weight is reduced and the engines provide more acceleration. A fifth recommendation calls for 737- 800 operators to take note of the findings. The early recommendations hint that disorientation as a result of the dynamic maneuver- a full-power go-around with both engines operating and low aircraft weight after 6 hr. of flying-could have played a major role in the crash. Fatigue or circadian rhythm issues also could be involved, given that the aircraft was attempting the second landing at approximately 3:30 a.m. local time. Based on flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) information, an international team of investigators determined that the crew abandoned the second instrument landing system approach to Runway 22 at a height of 722 ft., then climbed steeply to approximately 3,280 ft. before entering a steep dive and crashing 400 ft. past the runway threshold. What happened during that climb will be key to solving the mystery. Data show the pilots may have initiated the second abort due to an abrupt 20-kt. increase in indicated airspeed, possibly signaling wind shear. The pilots, in response, set maximum power to the engines, raised the landing gear and began climbing at approximately 4,000 fpm. Investigators said the final portion of both approaches was flown with the autopilot and autothrottle turned off, but the flight director engaged. The flight director provides a visual indication on the primary flight display of how the pilot should control the aircraft to follow a pre-programmed course. At a height of 1,900 ft. with a pitch attitude of 18 deg. nose-up, the pilot flying pushed forward on the control column. This caused the flaps, which had been set at 15 deg., to automatically retract to 10 deg. to prevent over-speed damage. After a reduction in power, the crew restored full power, and the pilot flying pulled back on the control column, resulting in a climb rate of about 3,200 fpm. At an altitude of approximately 3,000 ft., investigators said there was a "simultaneous" control column nose-down input and stabilizer nose-down deflection. Pilots use the control column to deflect the elevator while an electrical switch on the control column can be used to move the stabilizer to provide trim control. The FDR showed that the stabilizer nose-down trim control input lasted 12 sec., and the CVR verified the sound of the trim system in motion. The combination of control inputs resulted in a 1g pushover that resulted in a steep dive from which the crew did not recover. Two recommendations call for airlines to provide "additional training," including simulator scenarios, on go-arounds with two engines operating from various heights and lower aircraft weights. The IAC also wants airlines to study the safety recommendations it issued after the November 2013 crash of a Tatarstan Boeing 737-500 at Kazan and May 2006 crash of an Armavia AirbusA320 near Sochi. Both crashes involved crew mistakes, in part caused by higher-than-normal accelerations caused by two-engine go-arounds. These can induce somatogravic illusions, which can lead a pilot to believe forward acceleration is causing the aircraft is pitch-up steeply. Another recommendation calls on airlines to analyze recommendations made by the French safety agency BEA in its August 2013 Airplane State Awareness during Go-Around (Asaga) study. BEA concluded that pilots are ill-prepared for go-arounds. These are relatively rare events in which the pilot must complete many actions in a short time, leaving little margin for error in handling automation and control of the aircraft. Failure to handle either can lead to a loss of control. Along with calling for somatogravic illusions to be incorporated into simulators, which would involve modifying the simulator, the BEA recommended more training for go- arounds, particularly with both engines operating, and installation of devices to limit thrust during go-arounds. www.aviationweek.com Back to Top Former NTSB investigator was pilot in crash that killed 4 near Chugiak Investigators examine the scene of a fatal airplane crash Wednesday morning, April 20, 2016, off Beach Lake Road near Chugiak. The pilot of a small plane that crashed near Chugiak Wednesday morning, killing all four people onboard, was a former National Transportation Safety Board investigator with extensive aviation experience in Alaska. Anchorage Fire Department Chief Dennis LeBlanc said the crash, off Beach Lake Road, was reported shortly after 9 a.m. Anchorage police identified the victims of the crash Wednesday afternoon as pilot George Kobelnyk, 64, and co-pilot Christian Bohrer, 20. The two passengers were Sarah Glaves, 36, and Kyle Braun, 27. The aircraft was registered to Kobelnyk, based on a tail number provided by National Transportation Safety Board investigator Shaun Williams. Kobelnyk had worked for both the NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration in Alaska, according to his wife. According to the FAA database, Bohrer had a commercial pilot certificate issued in May 2015 and a flight instructor certificate issued in September 2015. FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer said the plane crashed under "unknown circumstances." Plane crash Williams said at a 3 p.m. news conference that the debris field spanned about 100 yards. The plane was in pieces in a densely wooded area. It had taken off from the Birchwood Airport. Williams said one witness had watched the plane take off, but he had not yet spoken with that person. "The airplane fragmented upon impact with some of the trees," he said. "We'll know more once we start moving the wreckage." Chugiak Volunteer Fire and Rescue Chief Clifton Dalton said he heard about the crash at 9:07 a.m., when a citizen reported hearing the crash and seeing a plume of black smoke. Deborah Schaffer, a volunteer staying in an RV space at Birchwood Camp, not far from the crash site, said she didn't see the plane go down, but heard it. Schaffer said she heard a plane fly "really low" overhead despite nearby power lines and then heard the plane sputter, followed by a loud thud. She pulled on shoes and a jacket and ran outside. "I could see black smoke," she said. "That's when I called it in." Dalton said firefighters drove on two four-wheelers about a half-mile down mushing trails before discovering the fiery wreck. Virginia McMichael of Chugiak Volunteer Fire and Rescue said the plane had ignited a brush fire, but crews were dealing with it. Nine units were at the scene shortly after the crash, she said. Firefighters had the flames under control in 10 or 15 minutes, Dalton said. "We were fortunate it wasn't a super dry day," he said. The fire could make the investigation more difficult, Williams said. "That takes away a lot of our evidence," Williams said. "So we have to go back to what we do have and work from there." By 1:30 p.m., the bodies of the four victims were carried out from the crash site along muddy trails on the back of a four-wheeler, according to Dalton. 'He could do it all' George Kobelnyk's wife, Susan Kobelnyk, said her husband was "a very experienced aviator" who flew daily. "Otherwise, he's just a guy who loved his family," Susan Kobelnyk said. George Kobelnyk served as the president of the Mustang Hockey Association in the early to mid-1990s, said acquaintance Chuck Homan. Kobelnyk volunteered his time to coach and referee youth hockey teams, Homan said. "He was very dedicated to the association," he said. Current NTSB Alaska region chief Clint Johnson, who started at the agency in 1998, said he actually took Kobelnyk's place at the Alaska office. Kobelnyk had left some years earlier to work as a senior manager for the FAA. Kobelnyk is quoted as an NTSB investigator in Anchorage Daily News articles beginning in 1986. He investigated at least one deadly aviation accident every year up until 1996, the articles show. "He was a very good investigator," Johnson said. "He was a real champion for safety. It's a sad day for the Alaska office of NTSB." Kobelnyk is listed as the only contact for Alaska Aviation Adventures on the company website. The company provides mountain flying and flight instruction, flightseeing and other services, according to its website. Kobelnyk held multiple certifications, including as a flight instructor and transport pilot, according to a federal pilot registration database. He also held multiengine airline and helicopter certifications. "He did everything," Susan Kobelnyk said. "He could do it all." 'A really bright young guy' Rep. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak, said he first got to know Bohrer in Juneau. Bohrer traveled to the state capital with his 4-H Club as a teenager. Stoltze said he remembered him as thoughtful, smart and deliberate. "I connected with him," said Stoltze, who lives near the Birchwood Airport. "He was a really bright young guy and was really excited about learning about government. He had a passion for his community." Stoltze said he stayed in touch with Bohrer, who returned to Juneau a couple of times. Stoltze attended Bohrer's Chugiak High School graduation. Bohrer also played on the school's baseball team, and Stoltze said he ran into him at some of his games. "One of the good things about this job is getting to work with young people and Christian Bohrer was just one of the most outstanding young people I ever got to encounter," Stoltze said. Stoltze said Bohrer was brimming with potential. "He's somebody (who) would have accomplished a lot of good things," Stoltze said. "He was just one of those all-American good kids. His parents were proud of him." 'We're just all in shock' It wasn't clear what exactly brought the others together onto the plane Wednesday. One of the passengers, Kyle Braun, may have been flying for work, according to a family friend. Braun grew up in the Butte and graduated from Palmer High School, said Kelli Hyden. He "traveled the world," she said. He loved to hunt, fish, hike and go four-wheeling. He had been taking care of his mother since his father died about a year ago, Hyden said. "He was a great guy -- caring, compassionate, generous. He took care of his family." she said. "We're just all in shock." Hyden said Braun worked as a drafter and took Wednesday's flight for his job, though she said she didn't know the specifics of where they were going. "He was flying for work and he was really eager to learn something new," she said. Questions remain Many questions about the crash remained unanswered by late Wednesday. Williams said he did not have information on where the plane was headed or what caused it to crash. Williams said the plan was to return Thursday to recover the wreckage and move it to a storage location for further investigation. He said representatives from Cessna Aircraft Company and Lycoming Engines would help with the investigation. "No two airplanes come apart the same way. So that's a challenge. We have to sit there and go through every single piece, look at every break, every bend in the metal to determine exactly what caused this unfortunate event," he said. https://www.adn.com/article/20160420/former-ntsb-investigator-was-pilot-crash-killed- 4-near-chugiak Back to Top Air Ambulance Industry Turns to Tech for Improved Safety Drones and remote telemedicine could be key to safer air medical operations in hazardous situations New technology to help keep air medical crews safe Air medical crews could keep out of harm's way thanks to recent innovations in telemedicine technology. Photo courtesy Dan Megna Over the last 20+ years, the air ambulance industry has experienced some turbulence. In 1990, there was only one air ambulance accident in the U.S. with a fatality. Throughout the 90s, the number of air ambulance crashes, mostly involving helicopters, began to climb. The number of accidents peaked in 2004, when there were 19 accidents and 29 fatalities. Accidents have leveled off since then, but it's still very much an issue the industry struggles with. Fast-forward to the present, the air ambulance industry has seen rapid growth. In 2003, according to the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), there were 545 helicopter air ambulances in the U.S.1 Today there's almost twice that number. TechNavio estimates that the industry will experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.57% over the period of 2014 to 2019, with an increasing number of vendors and a growing number of people in need.2 As we move into 2016, one of the biggest challenges facing the air ambulance industry is adequate safety, and one of the most promising prospects is the development of patient transport drones combined with remote-controlled telemedicine. The military has experienced several incidents in which soldiers were in need of medevac services, but were unable to receive these critical services due to their location in hot zones deemed too high-risk for standard helicopter medevac response. In an attempt to find a solution, the U.S. Army sponsored a Small Business Innovative Research grant asking for concepts of an autonomous vertical, takeoff and landing, unmanned aircraft system for medical missions such as critical item resupply and casualty evacuation. With the increase in air medical helicopters and airplanes deployed, there's a greater probability of accidents, simply because it's hazardous work. When rescuing patients from remote areas in bad weather, unfamiliar landing zones or from military hot zones, both the civilian and military markets can benefit from the type of innovation sought by the research grant. In 2007, United Medevac Solutions was fortunate to participate on this futuristic project with a collaborative team organized by the Aerospace Engineering Department at Georgia Tech University. The concept was for the unmanned flying ambulance to arrive remotely piloted and once the ground medic loads the patient onto a specially designed stretcher platform, vital signs are monitored, IV fluids and medications can be administered and other life-saving procedures can be performed via remote control telemedicine. In the years since, multiple companies have continued the development of these drone platforms, and in 2015 an Israeli company, Urban Aeronautics, actually built a working prototype of an unmanned aerial medevac aircraft for military use.3 Once this is proven as a military product, the same concept will have immediate applications in the civilian air medical industry. Sending drones instead of piloted ambulances into hostile weather and obscure environments will save air medical crew members' lives. Often, air medical crews feel compelled to respond to emergencies when they shouldn't because of the human factor-a desire to help even when conditions aren't safe. Unmanned flying ambulances could rescue patients injured by natural disasters, lost in dangerous territory or unexpectedly suffering from a medical emergency. These drones could also deliver food and supplies to isolated populations or inaccessible areas. The air ambulance industry has always been dangerous. Sweeping technological progress is helping to change that, and we are seeing much progress in 2016. As we move further into the 21st century, a combination of drones and telemedicine will provide timely service, reduce flight crew risk/expenses and save lives. http://www.jems.com/articles/2016/04/air-ambulance-industry-turns-to-tech-for- improved-safety.html Back to Top SCHIPHOL SAFETY "INADEQUATE": AIRPORT, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CRITICIZED The cooperation between Schiphol Airport and Air Traffic Control is "inadequate" in the field of safety and both parties are insufficiently aware of the risks that entails, according to the Dutch Safety Board. The number of dangerous situations at the airport increased significantly - from 17 to 41, the Telegraaf reports. The Safety Board points to an argument between the two parties, which took five months to settle. That illustrates that the cooperation between Air Traffic Control and Schiphol is "inadequate", according to the Safety Board Both the airport and Air Traffic Control claim that the incident is behind them and cooperation is improving. http://www.nltimes.nl/2016/04/20/schiphol-safety-inadequate-airport-air-traffic-control- criticized/ Back to Top Embry-Riddle Refreshes Fleet with Diamond Twin-Engine DA42-VI Aircraft Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach, Fla., campus has begun to receive 10 Diamond Twin Star DA42-VI aircraft to replace the current fleet of Diamond DA42-L aircraft used by the school for multiengine flight training over the last six years. The all-carbon composite DA42-VI is powered by Austro jet-fuel piston engines that will burn 40 percent less fuel and generate more than $3 million in fuel savings over the next eight years compared to conventional powered twins. The plane is also notable for superior safety and performance. "The completely modernized aerodynamics, airframe, jet-fuel engines, glass cockpit and air conditioning appeal to the students, while the low noise signature and eco-friendly design and functionality are important not only to the university but our local community," said Ken Byrnes, chair of the Flight Department at the Daytona Beach Campus. Paul Cairns, assistant chief flight instructor at the campus, added, "The advanced technology in the DA42-VI translates into fewer controls in the cockpit and a shorter check list. It feels like flying a jet, but in some ways it's almost as easy as operating a car." After the new aircraft undergo Embry-Riddle maintenance checks and FAA inspections, it's estimated that all student pilots will be flying the DA42-VI by mid-August. In addition, the Advanced Flight Simulation Center on the campus will convert its current DA42 flight- training devices to match the new aircraft. View video of the new aircraft. The Flight Department at Embry-Riddle's Prescott, Ariz., campus will begin the process of reviewing its need for a twin-engine trainer in 2017 as the current fleet of Diamond Twin Star DA42-NG aircraft reach the end of their existing lease period. "Of course, with the Daytona Beach Flight Department selection of the Diamond DA42-VI, we'll give strong consideration to fleet compatibility across the university and will work closely with Daytona to leverage their experiences with their new fleet of Diamonds," said Jerry Kidrick, chair of the Prescott Campus Flight Department. The university announced its plans to acquire the new aircraft in November 2015. http://news.erau.edu/top-news/embry-riddle-refreshes-fleet-with-diamond-twin-engine- da42-vi-aircraft#sthash.9PXp4ud6.dpuf Back to Top Australian Society of Air Safety Investigators - 2016 ANZSASI SEMINAR ANZSASI 2016 - NOVOTEL BRISBANE 3 - 5 JUN NOTE: EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION CLOSES AT THE END OF THIS MONTH The cut-off date for the discounted 'early-bird' registration is FAST approaching so complete your Seminar registration and book in your travel and accommodation requirements for ANZSASI 2016 NOW! OVERVIEW We believe that the annual ANZSASI Seminar is without doubt the best value for money Aviation safety Seminar held in Australia. * This year the Seminar will be held in Brisbane at the Novotel Hotel, Creek Street, from Friday to Sunday June 3-5 (2016). The Novotel Brisbane, in Creek Street, is ideally suited being centrally located, and adjacent to public transport. It is a short walk from Central Station allowing easy access from the airport and the Brisbane rail network. The registration fee includes a welcome cocktail reception on the Friday evening and delegate's dinner on the Saturday night. The Seminar also includes two full days of presentations on Saturday and Sunday. * On the Saturday morning Mr Martin Dolan (ATSB Chief Commissioner) will open the Seminar as our Keynote speaker. Our program also includes presentations from Prof Geoff Dell (CQU), Prof Graham Braithwaite (Cranfield University, UK), and representatives from the ATSB, TAIC (NZ), DSTA, Safety Wise Solutions, UNSW and a number of other key speakers from industry. A wide range of subjects will be covered at the Seminar including: * Human Factors, UAV, Rotary wing, Underwater recovery, Aircraft tracking, Cabin air quality, Noise cancelling systems, Safety auditing, Airline training, Weather, Investigative challenges, Runway excursions, Runway misalignment and, Investigating parachute accidents. SEMINAR REGISTRATION AND HOTEL RESERVATIONS The draft Seminar program will be available shortly. Information on the Seminar, Seminar registration and accommodation at the Novotel Brisbane are available on the ASASI website, just follow the following link: www.asasi.org * Note: Once you open the link, you will see the internal links to the Seminar on the right hand side of the ASASI home page. Click on the separate links for the registration details and the hotel bookings. * You can register now for the Seminar with 'early bird' rates running up to 01 May. So if you register now you can receive a significant discount. * The Novotel is also offering discounted accommodation rates to Seminar attendees. (Be sure to include the applicable discount code when making bookings). ANZSASI 2016 WILL PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LEARN FROM EXPERTS AND LEADERS IN THE FIELD OF AVIATION SAFETY AND SAFETY INVESTIGATION 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. This research is in conjunction with safety efforts by the US Helicopter Safety Team and the Helicopter Association International. There are series of questions regarding safety management systems, incidents and accidents, and company performance. To participate, you must be between age 21 to 60, had some aircrew experience with a small civil helicopter organization (less than 5 aircraft) and in the United States in last 10 years. Current helicopter student pilots can participate. Please follow the link below and fill but if you start, please finish the survey. It will only take about 12 minutes to complete. The survey does not include any identifiable data about the crewmember, places of employment, or OEM. 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: Pilot Laser Study Over the last few years, laser strikes occurring in commercial aviation have significantly increased. As little research has been done in this area, we are interested in conducting research on the impact this is having on pilots. According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority, the number of reported incidents have increased ten-fold in the past decade. This trend looks like it could continue as handheld lasers are rapidly increasing in power and decreasing in price. Pilots who have experienced a laser strike while operating an aircraft have raised concerns ranging from distraction, to not being able to fly the aircraft due to blindness. The reporting requirements currently for laser strikes vary from country to country and data is limited. The objective of this study is to determine what occurred during the incidents and how pilots have been affected by a laser strike(s). The data will be analysed and then shared with airline industry officials, regulatory bodies and various stakeholders. The objective is to provide research that can help us avoid or prepare for these types of incidents. The survey is completely confidential and no personal information will be shared. The survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes and your participation can make a big difference in an area of growing concern. Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this important survey. https://city.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/pilot-laser-study Balbir.chopra@city.ac.uk Curt Lewis