Flight Safety Information April 28, 2016 - No. 083 In This Issue Big dent seen in jetliner's nose during emergency landing JetBlue Pilot Arrested for Allegedly Flying Drunk Records show small but still alarming number of pilots fly under the influence Pilots Looking for Jobs in Hong Kong: is It Worth It? Canadian forces to train Ukrainian forces to investigate flight safety Passenger Remains in Custody After Attacking Korean Air Flight Attendant FAA confirms it is reviewing Allegiant Air operations U.S. Naval Test Pilot School wins CNO Aviation Safety Award The Air-Traffic System U.S. Airlines Wish They Had Afghanistan's Airlines Face Threat of Closure Diverted Jet aircraft runs short of fuel, makes emergency landing Bombardier Gets Delta Airlines Order of up to 125 C Series Aircraft China Eastern signs for 35 A350s and 787-9s PhD Research Request Graduate Research:...Pilot Laser Study Big dent seen in jetliner's nose during emergency landing Dent almost two-feet wide is seen in nose of American Airlines jetliner that was forced to head back to the Seattle-Tacoma airport after a bird strike on April 27, 2016 KIRO-TV SEATTLE --Officials say an American Airlines flight headed to Dallas returned to the Seattle Tacoma International Airport and made an emergency landing after striking possibly two or more birds during takeoff. Sea-Tac Airport officials said in a tweet that Flight 2310, with 150 passengers, landed safely Wednesday afternoon. The plane was an Airbus A321, the carrier said. CBS Seattle affiliate KIRO-TV's news helicopter captured video of the landing. It showed a dent nearly two feet wide from the birds on the nose of the plane as it rolled on a runway. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/big-dent-seen-in-planes-nose-during-emergency-landing- in-seattle/ Back to Top JetBlue Pilot Arrested for Allegedly Flying Drunk A JetBlue pilot is due in court today, arrested after allegedly flying while under the influence of alcohol. Dennis Murphy had already piloted two flights between Orlando and JFK International Airport in New York when he was selected for random alcohol testing on April 21, 2015, according to a complaint filed in the Eastern District of New York last week. According to the breath alcohol technician, Murphy's "face was red and he was chewing gum rapidly" on the way to the testing office, the complaint said. After allegedly blowing an 0.111 and a 0.091, he asserted the results "must have been caused by the gum." Murphy, who had been hired by JetBlue only three months prior, also questioned why he was being tested so soon after his start date, according to the complaint. His co-pilot later told agents he'd observed Murphy "drinking an unknown beverage from a cup before and during" both flights, which carried a combined 270 passengers. The co- pilot said he'd also noticed Murphy taking a bathroom break, according to the complaint. The maximum penalty, if convicted, is 15 years. JetBlue immediately removed him from flight status, and Murphy later submitted his resignation. "JetBlue has a zero tolerance drug and alcohol policy," the airline said in a statement. "Following last year's incident, the crewmember was removed from duty and is no longer employed at JetBlue." The Air Line Pilots Association International declined to comment on the case, "because, having voluntarily resigned from his airline, the pilot is not a member of ALPA and is not represented by ALPA in this matter." "However, it is important to note that instances of substance abuse are extremely rare among the approximately 100,000 professional airline pilots in the United States who safely fly passengers and cargo on more than 27,000 flights every day. The airline piloting profession in North America is one of the most highly scrutinized careers, and airline pilots' professionalism has contributed to making flying the safest form of transport for passengers and air cargo shippers," the association said in a statement today. http://abcnews.go.com/US/jetblue-pilot-arrested-allegedly-flying- drunk/story?id=38711452 Back to Top Records show small but still alarming number of pilots fly under the influence The good news: The number of pilots who fly or attempt to fly under the influence of alcohol and drugs, or engage in illegal behavior, is very low, according to Federal Aviation Administration records. The bad news: There are still some pilots who are flying under the influence and engaging in illegal behavior. According to FAA records obtained by Fox News through a Freedom of Information Act request, 64 pilots of U.S. carriers were cited for violating alcohol and drug provisions from 2010 to 2015. And 38 pilots tested positively for illegal drugs in 2015 alone. The legal limit for alcohol for a pilot is 0.04 percent, which is half of the legal limit for automotive drivers. On average, one pilot is caught over the limit per month in the U.S., the data shows. The percentage of airline and airport staff - including pilots, mechanics, dispatchers, ground security and air traffic controllers - that tested at or below the alcohol limit in 2015 was about 0.2 percent, or 119 out of 56,000 tested. That low number should be a comfort, but of course any incidents with commercial jets are alarming. "According to FAA data, there is no leveling off or decrease in this trend, in fact drug use seems to be climbing," retired military pilot Peter Bartos told Fox News. "The general public probably has no idea that this abuse is occurring with such regularity at certain airlines." http://mashable.com/2016/04/27/pilots-under-influence/#pG2qO8RJ5qqk Back to Top Pilots Looking for Jobs in Hong Kong: is It Worth It? While Cathay Pacific is about to welcome its first Airbus A350 (scheduled for May), other Hong Kong-based carriers are also anticipating the expansion of their fleets with dozens of new aircraft to arrive in the upcoming several years. But unfortunately, local carriers are facing the danger of ending up with too many aircraft and too few pilots to fly them. To address the issue, they are already sending out their headhunters to various locations around the world. With that in mind, AviationCV.com looks into the work & living conditions for expat pilots in Hong Kong. With over 7 million residents, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China is home to thousands of Chinese, Americans, British, Canadians, French, Japanese, South Koreans and nationals of other countries. Its expat community is known for being very open, friendly and supportive. According to an HSBC survey, about one-third of expats in Hong Kong took less than six months to feel at home, indicating that it is rather easy for expats to adapt to the local environment. "Historically, Hong Kong has been a gateway to Asia, attracting thousands of expats to work and live here. In addition, its British past has strongly influenced the legislative and cultural life of the city which, some may say, makes it more of a Western, rather than an Eastern one. The fact that English is one of the two official languages already says a lot. Without a doubt, this makes a very strong case for any pilot considering HK as the next base for one's career," comments Skaiste Knyzaite, CEO of AviationCV.com. Hong Kong is also home to over a dozen of various aircraft operators, including Cathay Pacific (CPA), HK Express (HKE), Air Hong Kong (AHK), Metrojet (MTJ) and others. Local carriers operate a total of approx. 300 aircraft, including narrow-bodies (Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 NGs) and wide-bodies (Boeing 747 and 777). "10 years ago a lot of foreign pilots used to complain about their employers. But since then companies have significantly improved their HR policies, particularly due to the ever- growing pilot shortage issue. Rosters and annual leaves have become way more stable while medical, accommodation and other allowances - much more favourable, not to mention the positive changes in terms of salaries," adds Skaiste Knyzaite. For instance, today, the low-cost airline HK Express offers up to 8-12 thousand USD for Hong-Kong-based First Officers, while Captains may expect up to 17-19 thousand USD per month*. Moreover, the carrier provides wide possibilities for accumulating experience with Captains and First Officers having on average 830 and 840 productivity hours per year, respectively. Notably, approx. 7% of the carrier's First Officers receive an upgrade to the Captain's position each year, meaning career opportunities for pilots with both moderate and substantial experience. All in all, with expected delivery of additional 36 Airbus A320-200s in the near future, at least 200-250 pilots can expect to get a job offer from HK Express. "No wonder that 2/3 of Hong Kong expats reported an increase in their earnings after re- locating to HK, against the ~40% global average. Still, we understand that due to personal circumstances not every pilot is ready to move to an absolutely new country or region. But it's always a matter of priorities, isn't? After all, in many cases, Asian carriers pay double compared to most European or US airlines. Moreover, due to the outstanding number of pilots needed, the overall competition for jobs at Asian airlines is not as tough as back in the Old world," says the CEO of AviationCV.com. With regards to living costs, pilots may find that Hong Kong is actually not as expensive as is commonly believed to be. In many respects living in HK costs the same or is even cheaper than in London, New York or Paris. For example, the average rent price of a 1 bedroom apartment outside the centre in HK is slightly above USD 1400. The prices in more remote residential areas may be even lower, particularly for the Tung Chung area which is situated not far from the Hong Kong International Airport (HKG). In addition, the city has one of the best public transport systems out there: over 90% of all daily travels in HK are conducted on public transport (trams, MTR, busses, other). It means that having to work from the airport and spending your leisure time in the centre or the great outdoors while residing in an area in-between is not an issue. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12199955/pilots-looking-for-jobs-in-hong- kong-is-it-worth-it Back to Top Canadian forces to train Ukrainian forces to investigate flight safety FILE - In this July 17, 2014 file photo people walk amongst the debris, at the crash site of a passenger plane near the village of Grabovo, Ukraine. Dutch prosecutors have said in a statement on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015 for the first time that they have found possible parts of a BUK missile system at the site in eastern Ukraine where Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was brought down last year, killing all 298 people on board. Prosecutors say the parts "are of particular interest to the criminal investigation as they can possibly provide more information about who was involved in the crash of MH17." (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky, File)In this July 17, 2014 file photo people walk amongst the debris at the crash site of a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane near the village of Grabovo, Ukraine. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky, File) Canadian military trainers are developing a program to train Ukrainian forces to conduct flight safety investigations - a move that builds on an existing program in Canada and comes almost two years after the deadly crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over a contested region of Ukraine. "They'll learn how to conduct investigations for flight accidents. It's actually geared towards the ministry of transportation-type tasks and actually doesn't have much to do with combat or that kind of fighting," said Lt.-Col. Tim Arsenault, commander of Canada's training mission in Ukraine, when asked whether the program was sparked by a recent spate of Russian jets buzzing U.S. navy ships. The goal is to hold the programs, which will be general 'flight safety 101' courses, in Ukraine and they will be similar to a course run in Winnipeg in January that saw two Ukrainians brought over to Canada for training. Those who complete the course will be considered "specialist advisors" to the Chain-of- Command, and conduct local investigations and manage their units' flight safety programs. "We are currently establishing the required liaisons and working out the details to run a course very similar to the Canadian course in Ukraine in the near future," said Cpt. Jean- Pierre Coulombe, spokesperson for Joint Task Force Ukraine. Aircraft safety emerged as a concern two years ago after multiple Ukrainian government aircraft were shot down by pro-Russian rebels during a period of heavy fighting in the eastern part of the country. At least 10 military aircraft were shot down as well as a passenger jet carrying 283 passengers. That jet, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 crashed on July 17, 2014, over the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, killing all on board. An investigation initiated by the Ukrainians but conducted by the Dutch Safety Board concluded in October 2015 that the plane broke apart in mid-air after being hit by a Russian-made Buk missile. The investigation report did not offer any theories as to who actually fired the missile, beyond saying it likely was fired from within a 320-square kilometre area around the fighting. A criminal investigation of the crash, led by the Dutch, won't wrap up until later this year. It took weeks to negotiate a truce with the rebels to allow investigators in to begin removing the wreckage for investigation. During that time, countless locals and reporters were allowed to comb through the crash site and among the exposed remains of the passengers. Arsenault said the decision to develop the course came after Ukrainian officials asked for help in improving their flight safety. "Initially, the program was sparked by a request by the Ukrainian government," he said. "They expressed the desire to improve their skills with that kind of a safety program." Arsenault says the Canadian Forces trainers are aiming to have the first program start this fall, with a second kicking off early next year before the mission wraps in March 2017. The training is one part of a mutli-pronged Canadian effort to support Ukrainian forces. Canadian trainers have been focused on working with Ukrainians to improve their ability to handle things like military police training, mine and ordinance disposal, logistics modernization and institutional development, with a view to being able to step back into more of a mentorship role by the time the mission ends. Efforts such as mine disposal have come along more quickly than the others, Arsenault said, because of the specialized nature of that kind of work, and he anticipates that Canadian trainers will be able to hand over that training to the Ukrainians by this summer. "The Ukrainians are now capable of leading the training," he said. Canada is one year into the two-year training mission which has seen trainers challenged with adapting to differences in military culture and encouraging the Ukrainians to commit to investing in their younger leadership and listening to their ideas. The Canadian trainers created what's described as a "junior leadership development academy" to develop talent in the lower ranks of the military and prepare them to work with senior leaders. "We created a trend because our American counterparts have developed a similar program based on ours as well as the Lithuanians," Arsenault said. "I think we're on the right road. It's not always easy for our Ukrainian counterparts," said Arsenault. "They're trying to rebuild and reform their military institutions while conducting significant operations in the east of the country. But we're doing our best to help them make those changes." http://ipolitics.ca/2016/04/27/canadian-forces-to-train-ukrainian-soldiers-to-investigate- airline-crashes/ Back to Top Passenger Remains in Custody After Attacking Korean Air Flight Attendant A passenger on a Korean Air flight who allegedly attacked a crew member will remain in police custody until at least his next court hearing in early May. The male passenger, identified as Kwon Woo Sung of South Korea by the Guam Pacific Daily News, attended a hearing Tuesday morning in the District Court of Guam where a judge denied his motion for a release. Sung has been charged with interference with flight attendants, which carries a 20-year prison sentence, fines or both. He was on Korean Air Flight 2115 from Guam to Seoul on April 17 when he reportedly drank five beers. When the flight attendants decided to cut the passenger off from any more alcohol, he went to the bathroom and was caught smoking a cigarette inside the stall. After Sung admitted he was smoking, he told crew members he'd pay a fine and then ordered two more beers. When a flight attendant told him that he would not be served more alcohol, he verbally attacked her, according to court documents. The crew member told her supervisor about the incident, who told the man that he was creating an issue on the flight. Sung threatened the supervisor and eventually began dragging him down the aisle before fellow passengers jumped into action and subdued the man for the remainder of the flight. The attendants and passengers tied the man's hands and feet until the plane landed safely in Seoul, where Sung was taken into custody by local authorities. http://www.travelpulse.com/news/impacting-travel/passenger-remains-in-custody-after- attacking-korean-air-flight-attendant.html Back to Top FAA confirms it is reviewing Allegiant Air operations The FAA has confirmed that it is reviewing Allegiant Air's operations. Here, a passenger aircraft with Allegiant Air's fleet is parked on the tarmac at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. Allegiant's traffic accounts for 95 percent of customer traffic at the airport. [Times]Maurice Gallagher Jr. is CEO of Allegiant. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed Wednesday that it is conducting a detailed, 90-day inspection of Allegiant Air's operations in response to "various internal issues" tied to maintenance and safety. Such a comprehensive review is normally conducted at all airlines every five years. But the FAA said it moved up its review of Allegiant by nearly two years to ensure the airline has remedied problems in operations. The review began about April 1 and continues through June. The FAA provided little detail about the reasons for the review, but said the issues were related to two flights last summer. One involved a near-crash of an aircraft in Las Vegas that suffered a jammed elevator on its tail during a takeoff that was aborted. The second involved an emergency landing in Fargo, N.D., due to low fuel at an airport that was partly closed. The FAA's review comes as Allegiant officials recently have confirmed problems with operations after a year of steadfastly insisting all was well with the airline. Allegiant CEO Maurice Gallagher Jr. last week conceded the airline had a "bad summer" in 2015, with several emergency landings at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. The airline carried about 95 percent of the airport's record 1.6 million passengers in 2015. Gallagher announced the airline's local management team had been replaced and Allegiant would hire five mechanics to work out of Pinellas County. The airline also held a "media day" earlier this month at which officials emphasized increased spending on safety. One intent of the event was to generate positive press to counter continued reports about problems, the airline told financial analysts Wednesday as it announced quarterly earnings. "We've been proactive trying to make sure the message gets out," Gallagher said. "We certainly want to be ahead of (negative reports) and do the proper thing. It's just part of our maturation process." The Allegiant pilots union, involved in bitter contract negotiations, said Allegiant's recent comments on problems are overdue. "It's clear that Allegiant's bare-minimum approach to its operation isn't working," said Dan Wells, president of Teamsters Local 1224. "The federal government is conducting a high-profile investigation, and with an emergency occurring virtually every week due to a preventable maintenance issue, passengers are increasingly saying it isn't worth the risk to fly Allegiant." Allegiant officials declined to comment. The FAA's decision to move up the safety and operations review comes as the Las Vegas- headquartered airline continues to suffer apparent operational problems. On Monday, the airline canceled 10 flights, rescheduling all a day later. None of the flights was tied to St. Pete-Clearwater. Over the weekend, two Allegiant flights suffered maintenance problems. On Saturday, Allegiant technicians discovered during an overnight maintenance check that an aircraft's outer window panel was missing and that it had hit the engine where it damaged a front engine fan blade. The panel would either have fallen off in flight or as the plane taxied, the FAA said. The inner portion of the window held firm, so the cabin did not lose pressure. The FAA did not identify that flight's destination or where it originated. On Sunday, Flight 633 from Sanford, near Orlando, bound for West Virginia made an emergency landing after a low oil pressure reading led the pilots to shut down an engine, an internal Allegiant memo shows. It turned out the engine actually had adequate pressure and a sensor system had malfunctioned. By airline standards, it was a relatively minor event, even though it caused an unscheduled landing. All airlines encounter such problems. But this incident elicited a swift response from top Allegiant executives. "A comprehensive investigation is under way," according to the memo to Allegiant's maintenance and operations teams by the airline's vice president of maintenance and engineering, Kurt Carpenter, and Eric Gust, vice president of operations. Allegiant officials told analysts that stories about Allegiant's well-publicized maintenance issues are still not affecting ticket sales. The airline reported $71.9 million in net income for the first quarter, up 11 percent from the same period last year. That was on $348 million in operating revenue, up 5.9 percent from 2015. The airline flew 2.59 million passengers in the quarter, up 15 percent from 2.25 million. http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/airlines/faa-confirms-it-is-reviewing-allegiant- air-operations/2274997 Back to Top U.S. Naval Test Pilot School wins CNO Aviation Safety Award Vice Adm. Paul Grosklags, commander, Naval Air Systems Command, presents the 2015 Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award to U.S. Naval Test Pilot School Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Timothy Davis and service members, civilian employees and contractors in front of the school's 1952-vintage NU-1B Otter. U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS)won Navywide recognition for outstanding safety performance while instructing military pilots, flight officers and engineers in techniques for aircraft and aviation systems test and evaluation in 2015. Vice Adm. Paul Grosklags, commander, Naval Air Systems Command, and Rear Adm. Shane Gahagan, commander, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, presented the 2015 Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award to USNTPS March 31. "When I consider the stable of aircraft that you support here - from the oldest aircraft in the naval inventory to some of our most technologically advanced - and where most of the students have a very limited time in the type of aircraft they are flying here, it is truly an awesome achievement for you all to receive this award," said Grosklags. USNTPS graduated 65 flight test pilots, flight test officers and flight test engineers in 2015. Although students are already experienced and accomplished military pilots and flight officers or civil service engineers, the school's 11-month course of instruction requires students to fly in aircraft with which they have little or no experience, practicing flight test maneuvers to which they have just been introduced. The school's commanding officer credited that safe and successful graduation to a robust safety program and the deliberate use of operational risk management for every syllabus event. "This has everything to do with the attention to detail, the communication and the integrity that each of you show every day on the deckplates here," said USNTPS Commanding Officer Marine Lt. Col. Timothy Davis. "We are only able to safely accomplish our unique mission by placing the proper emphasis on safety and ensuring everyone in the command understands and properly manages the risks involved." Also central to the command's safe accomplishment of its mission is its aircraft maintenance department. Because students learn to test and evaluate a wide variety of aircraft, the maintenance department must support diverse, aging and sometimes unique airframes - more than 40 aircraft of 12 different type/model/series, as well as visiting aircraft . "It's impressive to note that in 2015 alone, the maintenance department logged about 57,000 work-hours in support of 4,700 missions and 6,700 flight hours," said Grosklags. "Those maintenance activities serve as the foundation for these folks to safely fly that day or the next." Depending on the airframe, the maintenance department must comply with requirements issued by U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force publications and processes, as well as Federal Aviation Administration and commercial flight authorities. Grosklags also recognized several USNTPS people for their noteworthy individual contributions to the command's safe mission execution. These included Cmdr. Pete Walczak, Marine Majs. Allen Wold and William Cronkright, Chief Aviation Maintenance Administrationman Michael Thomas and civilians Barb Gordon, Keith Humphries, Scott Bear, Rich Gill and Melissa Guerin. The annual CNO Safety Awards recognize outstanding safety performance or contributions to safety management in naval aviation, afloat units, shore activities and expeditionary units. Winners are selected by the Commander, Naval Safety Center, who serves as the CNO's special assistant for safety matters. http://www.dcmilitary.com/tester/tenant_profile/u-s-naval-test-pilot-school-wins-cno- aviation-safety/article_9c085058-c684-5cb9-abad-d77aa7271890.html Back to Top The Air-Traffic System U.S. Airlines Wish They Had As Congress debates splitting up the Federal Aviation Administration, some see a model in Nav Canada Air-traffic controllers work in Calgary International Airport in Alberta. The Nav Canada system is looked upon as a model for the U.S. to follow. Flying over the U.S.-Canadian border is like time travel for pilots. Going north to south, you leave a modern air-traffic control system run by a company and enter one run by the government struggling to catch up. Airlines, the air-traffic controllers' union and key congressional leaders all support turning over U.S. air-traffic control services to a newly created nonprofit company and leaving the Federal Aviation Administration as a safety regulator. It's an idea that still faces strong opposition in Congress, but has gained traction this year. The model is Nav Canada, the world's second-largest air-traffic control agency, after the U.S. Canada handles a huge volume of traffic between the U.S. and both Asia and Europe. Airlines praise its advanced technology that results in shorter and smoother flights with less fuel burn. The air-control tower at Toronto's Pearson International Airport. Nav Canada was founded as a nonprofit company in 1996. In Canada, pilots and controllers send text messages back and forth, reducing errors from misunderstood radio transmissions. Requests for altitude changes are automatically checked for conflicts before they even pop up on controllers' screens. Computers look 20 minutes ahead for any planes potentially getting too close to each other. Flights are monitored by a system more accurate than radar, allowing them to be safely spaced closer together to add capacity and reduce delays. And when flights enter U.S. airspace, pilots switch back to the old way of doing things. The key, Nav Canada says, is its nongovernmental structure. Technology, critical to efficient airspace use these days, gets developed faster than if a government agency were trying to do it, officials say. Critics say slow technology development has been the FAA's Achilles' heel. "We can fly optimal routes because of the technology they have. It makes a big difference," American Airlines vice president Lorne Cass says. "These are things customers don't see except they shave off minutes." Mr. Cass, who has worked for several airlines and the FAA, first visited Nav Canada in 2004 to see new technology. "They've always been pretty good at continuous modernization," he says. "They just have more flexibility than the FAA has." Since New Zealand did it in 1987, dozens of countries have spun off air-traffic control services into some type of private or government-owned corporation, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Australia. Twenty years ago the Canadian government turned over air-traffic control services to a newly created not-for-profit corporation. Nav Canada has a board of directors, charges airlines and private aircraft for its services, sells bonds to raise capital and pumps earnings back into the company. The U.S. has debated splitting the FAA into a safety regulator and a service provider since the 1990s. But this year was the first that legislation was actually introduced. Rep. Bill Shuster, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, proposed creating a nonprofit corporate air-traffic control company modeled after Nav Canada. The legislation, supported by most U.S. airlines and, significantly, the air-traffic controllers' union, made it out of committee in the House but was rejected by the Senate and now faces a floor fight if there's any chance of resurrecting it this year. Mr. Shuster, a Pennsylvania Republican, vows to continue. Critics of the idea say airlines could gain too much control of airspace and burden private jets and small planes with higher fees and more delays. Some in Congress have argued the FAA should remain under congressional oversight and others have suggested the FAA moves lots of airplanes safely and doesn't need overhauling. The FAA has said it is working to improve its technology. Nav Canada started when the Canadian government was bogged down with budget deficits and a major contract to build a new system for air-traffic controllers faced escalating costs, according to officials involved at the time. Staffing was frozen. Flight delays were growing. "We had general dissatisfaction from everybody," says Neil Wilson, Nav Canada's chief executive. "We had a safe system, but it was not a system that was delivering all that it could." A controller in the Montreal en route center communicates with a United Airlines flight through digital text messages. Moving to a company from government agency meant phasing out ticket taxes passengers paid and replacing that with charges assessed on airplanes. Airlines and corporate jets pay based on size and length of flight. Small-plane private pilots pay an annual fee of C$68 (about US$54) for unlimited use of air-traffic control services. Fees have actually come down. Nav Canada's third reduction in the fees it charges will go into effect later this year. But the biggest change has been the ability to get new technology to controllers to improve flying. Sidney Koslow, an air-traffic technology expert from Mitre Corp., a nonprofit launched by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that advises government on technology, was recruited to Nav Canada two months before the government transfer. The new company could insist on real progress from the contractor developing new data-processing workstations for controllers and manage it tightly. The Raytheon Corp. contract turned into a major success, he says, creating a system now used in other parts of the world as well. "People say air-traffic control ought to be run like a business. If it's a business, it's run like a business," says Mr. Koslow, Nav Canada's chief technology officer. In government, you often need giant programs with huge promises to get funding. But Nav Canada opted for small projects, often with no idea what the outcome should look like. The company hired a corps of techies that the federal agency had never had and involved controllers in development. "We're convinced you're better off doing things incrementally than a big bang approach," Mr. Koslow says. Data linkage between cockpits and control centers is one example. Text messages with cockpits have been in use across oceans, in parts of Europe and across all of Canada for several years. Controllers in Montreal who handle planes to and from North America and both Europe and Asia say the texting system virtually eliminates problems of mishearing instructions and readbacks over the radio because of foreign accents. Another innovation adopted around the world is electronic flight strips-critical information about each flight that gets changed on touch screens and passed from one controller to another electronically. Nav Canada has used them for more than 13 years. Many U.S. air controllers still use paper printouts placed in plastic carriers about the size of a 6-inch ruler that controllers scribble on. American's Mr. Cass says it's unfortunate controllers at US airports are still using paper strips. "The person who says "cleared for takeoff" is the last to get the latest information because it's printed out on other side of the room," he notes. "Frontline controllers do a hell of a job. They do the best they can with what they have. There's no doubt they have to be creative sometimes." On a recent day, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Flight 25, flying from Amsterdam to Houston, sent a message asking to climb to 36,000 feet, which was quickly granted with one click. One mouse click actually does three tasks for controllers: It changes the plane's flight plan, changes the information strip and instructs the pilot to make the change. Then 36 minutes later, the same plane requested a climb to 38,000 feet. Air-traffic controller Sebastien Bourgon uses electronic flight strips in the control tower at Montreal's Trudeau International Airport. ENLARGE Air-traffic controller Sebastien Bourgon uses electronic flight strips in the control tower at Montreal's Trudeau International Airport. PHOTO: LUTHER CAVERLY The FAA is rolling out data messaging with pilots on the ground, delivering clearances to cockpits by text before they push back from the gate. An FAA spokeswoman says data communications in the air will be deployed in fiscal year 2019. It's also testing a prototype electronic flight-strip system for control towers in Phoenix and uses electronic flight strips instead of paper in en route centers. Jerome Gagnon, a shift manager in Montreal's control tower, says the electronic system has reduced workload, errors and noise. "We don't want controllers to just be heads down. There's a lot of stuff that happens out the window," he says. Rarely do controllers have to call each other to coordinate flights anymore, but making changes with the FAA on cross-border flights can't be done electronically. As he explains the process in the Montreal tower, other controllers start laughing. One blurts out incredulously: "You still have to call the FAA by phone!" Nav Canada has used electronic flight strips for more than 13 years. A previous version of this story incorrectly said the organization has been using them for 13 years. (April 27, 2016) http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-air-traffic-system-u-s-airlines-wish-they-had- 1461776053 Back to Top Afghanistan's Airlines Face Threat of Closure Carriers are accused of flouting tax and safety rules Safi Airways, Afghanistan's leading private airline, has to repay $16 million in back taxes. The airline is contesting the size of the bill and asking for more time to pay. KABUL-Afghanistan's airlines, a vital transportation link in the war-torn country, are under threat of closure and suspension of services for allegedly flouting tax and safety rules, according to the country's aviation authority and senior airline executives. The Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority is accusing the industry of skirting millions of dollars in taxes and ignoring aircraft-age rules that are intended to prevent older and potentially dangerous aircraft from flying. Safi Airways Co., the leading private airline in Afghanistan, has been asked to repay $16 million in backdated taxes, the civil-aviation authority and the airline have said. Kam Air, another private airline, has been sent a $14 million bill, according to the civil-aviation authority. And East Horizon Airlines, the country's third private airline, has been grounded since December 2015 after falling short of the aviation authority's safety rules because of the age of its fleet, which included two Soviet-era turboprops that went out of production in the 1970s, the authority said. The airlines aren't contesting that they owe the government back taxes, or that they should hew to safety regulations. But with the industry's survival at stake, they are pushing back for more time to pay tax bills and leniency from government regulators. "Cooperation should take place," said Ghulam Hazrat Safi, the owner of Safi Airways. "All of [the airlines] are on the verge of collapse." Safi Airways is contesting the size of its tax bill and wants more time to pay. Kam Air declined to comment for this article, but has agreed to a repayment plan according to the ACAA. East Horizon Airlines' owner, Fahim Hashimy, called the decision by the authority to ground his fleet because of safety concerns unreasonable; he said it was almost impossible to lease or buy new aircraft while the country remained under a ban from European Union airspace. He also said the planes' manufacturer, Antonov State Co. of Ukraine, had certified the aircraft as safe to operate. A spokesman for Antonov confirmed the aircraft were in satisfactory condition and said they were safe to fly until May 8. Mr. Hashimy, currently, is negotiating the purchase of a Chinese-made turboprop plane from the Philippines. The billions of dollars that flowed into Afghanistan after the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 has slowed, following the drawdown of coalition troops. The government acknowledges a drop in demand for air travel among aid workers and contractors is weighing on carriers, though it declined to provide specific figures. Domestic air travel has offered a lifeline to areas that militant insurgencies have made too dangerous to travel by road. More than 1.1 million passengers passed through Afghanistan's four international airports last year, according to ACAA, with direct flights to the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and several neighboring countries that connect the landlocked country to other parts of the world. The more than $30 million tax bill is coming due at the same time as increasing foreign competition. Afghanistan in 2013 signed an open-skies agreement with the U.A.E., and many passengers chose to switch to foreign competitors such as Emirates Airline and FlyDubai. Mr. Safi of Safi Airways said it is difficult to compete with airlines that have broader access to international markets and offer low prices. "The open-skies agreement signed in Afghanistan is a killer for Afghan airlines and the economy," Mr. Safi said, adding that the loss of the lucrative Kabul-Frankfurt route had cost him $40 million. Citing safety deficiencies on several carriers and in the country's system for overseeing its civil aviation, the EU in 2010 banned all Afghan airlines from its airspace, another blow to companies hoping to secure new routes and win the confidence of international banks and potential investors. Over the past decade, several private businesspeople had seized the opportunity to set up their own airlines. The state airline, Ariana Afghan Airlines Co., had lost most of its fleet to a lack of investment, in addition to rockets and bombs during years of war. But upstart airlines also shrugged off government calls to pay certain government taxes, such as passenger and landing duties, according to the airport authority. The ACAA itself is working on a plan to be removed from the EU blacklist and is hoping to present its case soon, said Mohammad Qasim Wafayezada, the ACAA's deputy director general on policy and planning. He added that the government had tried to support domestic airlines in the past by offering tax breaks such as exemptions from parking and landing fees, but these could no longer be extended because the government was under pressure to raise taxes. "Because of poor investment, when political support declined, the airlines have declined as well," Mr. Wafayezada said. Many Afghans want the airlines to keep flying because they are a lifeline to areas that are too dangerous to reach by road. In Ghor and Badghis provinces, for example, residents have campaigned for East Horizon Airlines to resume operations-despite the questions arising over the safety of its aircraft. The ACAA says that allowing airlines to flout tax and safety rules isn't an option and companies should consider mergers to survive. "Because of the problems these airlines have between themselves, we haven't been able to bring them together," the ACAA's Mr. Wafayezada said. "The current and future situation of civil aviation of Afghanistan is not really a bright one." http://www.wsj.com/articles/afghanistans-airlines-face-threat-of-closure-1461835802 Back to Top Reagan National Airport to Hold Emergency Drill A simulated aircraft accident at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will test first responders over the weekend. The airport says in a statement that it will hold an emergency preparedness exercise Saturday. The airport says the simulated accident will give first responders a chance to put emergency plans into action and provide hands-on training for airport and airline staff, hospitals, local jurisdictions and other emergency personnel. The airport says there will be a brief period of fire and smoke and emergency personnel will respond as they would in an emergency using sirens, firefighting equipment and helicopters. The airport says the exercise will be held in a remote area of the airfield. It will not affect flights and should not be visible to most passengers. http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Reagan-National-Airport-to-Hold-Emergency- Drill-377392361.html Back to Top Diverted Jet aircraft runs short of fuel, makes emergency landing LUCKNOW: A Jet Airways flight from Dehradun to New Delhi made an emergency landing at Amausi airport due to shortage of fuel. The flight, an ATR with nearly 70 people on board, had taken off from Dehradun around 1.40 pm and was supposed to reach Delhi by 2.45 pm. It reached the Delhi airspace on time but could not land because of poor weather conditions. Top Comment Pilot should have calculated fuel required to reach Lucknow & should have requested Delhi's ATC to provide alternate destination to land. Mohit Monani The ATC in Delhi asked the pilot, Rahul Madan, to make a long circuiting and head to Lucknow, Delhi's alternate airport. Barely minutes before reaching Lucknow, the pilot noticed low fuel indications and alerted the ATC in Lucknow. Airport director Pradeep Kumar Srivastav said that "full emergency landing was declared at 3.38 pm". "The aircraft was prioritised over others and all emergency arrangements were made," he said. The aircraft landed safely at around 4 pm. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Diverted-Jet-aircraft-runs-short-of-fuel-makes- emergency-landing/articleshow/52011853.cms Back to Top Bombardier Gets Delta Airlines Order of up to 125 C Series Aircraft Delta Air Lines Inc. agreed to buy at least 75 C Series narrow-body jets from Bombardier Inc., giving the Canadian manufacturer the marquee U.S. customer it has been seeking for months. Deliveries of the first jets will begin in 2018, Montreal-based Bombardier said Thursday in a statement. Based on published list prices, the order would be valued at about $5.6 billion, the company said, though carriers typically negotiate discounts. Delta also has options for an additional 50 planes. The deal announced Thursday allows Bombardier Chief Executive Officer Alain Bellemare to exceed a target of 300 firm orders for the C Series by the time the jet enters service in the third quarter. Before the agreement with Delta, Bombardier had racked up 243 firm orders for the C Series. It's waiting for Air Canada to convert a letter of intent -- disclosed in February -- for at least 45 CS300 aircraft into a firm commitment. The state-of-the-art C Series, with a composite frame and efficient fuel consumption, is more than two years late and more than $2 billion over budget. Deutsche Lufthansa AG's Swiss International unit will become the first carrier globally to operate the jet when it deploys CS100s on European routes. With the order, Delta becomes the biggest buyer of Bombardier's C Series. Bombardier made the announcement as it swung to an adjusted loss of 3 cents a share for the first quarter. That compares with an average 1-cent loss predicted by analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Revenue fell to $3.91 billion, compared with the $3.98 billion average estimate. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-28/bombardier-wins-delta-order-in- key-boost-to-c-series-program Back to Top China Eastern signs for 35 A350s and 787-9s China Eastern Airlines has signed for 20 Airbus A350-900s and 15 Boeing 787-9s as part of a long-haul fleet modernisation programme. The airline says, in a filing to the Shanghai stock exchange, that it is taking delivery of the A350s in batches from 2018 to 2022. All the A350s are exclusively powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Two aircraft will arrive in 2018, three in 2019, and two in 2020 before the remaining 13 are introduced in 2021-22. China Eastern adds that it will receive the 787-9s over the period from 2018 to 2021. It has not given an engine selection for the Boeing jets. Four 787s will be delivered in 2018, followed by six in 2019, and the other five in 2020- 21. The long-haul renewal restores a commitment to the 787 lost in 2011 when China Eastern ditched a 787 order in favour of the 737. As part of the fleet upgrade programme the carrier is to withdraw 12 Airbus A330s and six Boeing 767s from service. It values the A350 deal at just under $6 billion and the 787 agreement at $3.9 billion, but says that the airframers have granted significant concessions. flightglobal.com 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