Flight Safety Information May 10, 2016 - No. 091 In This Issue Delta flight makes emergency landing in Nashville Shortage of Pilots Attracts Attention of Industry INTERVIEW: Flight Safety Foundation chief explains why data matters Investec closes $1 billion A380 aircraft-lease deal with Emirates Qatar Airways cuts flights because of aircraft shortages The Only Solution to TSA's Problems: Get Rid of It Thomas Cook faces air crew half term strike ballot Seeking 500 pilots a year, PSA Airlines sweetens the pot Delta Orders 75 New Jets to Improve Shorter Flights U.S. FIGHTER JETS JOIN FINNISH AND SWEDISH CROSS BORDER TRAINING Call for Nominations For 2016 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award PhD Research Request Delta flight makes emergency landing in Nashville A Delta flight from Atlanta to Chicago had to make an emergency landing in Nashville on Sunday after hitting turbulence that caused an engine covering to come off. According to The Tennessean, Delta Flight 762 was flying above Cleveland, Tenn., on Sunday afternoon when the plane hit turbulence, causing the Boeing 717's engine lights to turn on, alerting crewmembers. Delta says in a statement that the outermost covering of the plane's right engine, or cowling, had come off during the mid-flight turbulence. The plane's crew declared an emergency for priority air traffic control handling to Nashville. Delta spokesman Morgan Durrant confirmed that the aircraft landed safely and taxied to the gate where customers disembarked the aircraft. Fliers had a quick layover in the terminal before boarding another aircraft to continue their travel to Chicago Midway International Airport on Sunday evening. Delta says it will "fully investigate the incident as the safety and security of the airline's customers and employees is its top priority." http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2016/05/09/delta-flight-makes-emergency-landing-in- nashville.html Back to Top Shortage of Pilots Attracts Attention of Industry May 07--UND researchers are forecasting a shortage of more than 14,000 pilots in 10 years, a figure that highlights a growing concern among those in the aviation industry. Stakeholders from across the industry cite a number of factors for the deficit, from new federal regulations to starting pay at smaller regional airlines. Regardless of the cause, the shortage appears to already have hit those regional airlines. Great Lakes Airlines cited a pilot shortage when it announced its decision to suspend service at Devils Lake and Jamestown in 2014. John Nord, manager of the Devils Lake Regional Airport, said they haven't had any missed flights because of a lack of pilots since SkyWest Airlines came to town. Ryan Riesinger, executive director at the Grand Forks International Airport, said the issue hasn't affected its existing service. But he said it could be an obstacle to the airports, such as Grand Forks adding additional flights. "I think partially because of pilots, but also just because of the number of aircraft, there are limitations on the number of routes they can fly," Riesinger said. Keeping pace Elizabeth Bjerke, chairwoman of the department of aviation at UND, said the recession, a federal change in the pilot retirement age from 60 to 65 and high oil prices halted what was expected to be a pilot shortage in 2009. But those trends are reversing. "Now we're really seeing that pilot shortage in the U.S., and they've been seeing it for years in other parts of the world," she said. Bjerke also cited a federal law that requires commercial airline pilots--including first officers--to obtain an airline transport pilot certificate, which necessitates 1,500 hours of flight time. The Federal Aviation Administration allows UND students to get a "restricted ATP" with 1,000 hours, however. Faye Malarkey Black, president of the Regional Airline Association, wrote in the organization's magazine earlier this year that "new ATP, commercial and private pilot certificates (are) failing to keep pace with mandated" retirements at major airlines. "Major airlines draw from regional airlines to fill these positions, and the related attrition could exceed the entire regional airline pilot workforce within a decade, imperiling air service to small (and) medium-sized (airports) nationwide," she added. A UND study predicted the U.S. airline fleet will have a deficit of 14,439 pilots by 2026. But there are some signs of improvement. The number of applicants to UND's commercial aviation program jumped to 495 this year from 397 in 2015, according to the UND study led by Associate Professor James Higgins. "I'm hoping that we're attracting more young people into the career because the opportunities are amazing right now," Bjerke said. But Bjerke acknowledged the cost of flight training remains a challenge. And Patrick Smith, a pilot based in Boston who runs a popular blog on the aviation industry, said that long and costly process, combined with the low pay at many regionals, deters potential pilots. "One of the wild cards here is your average wannabe pilot's willingness to suffer for his art, so to speak," Smith said. "There's never been a shortage of pilots willing to basically work for nothing. It's only pretty recently that I've sensed a change there." Smith believes that has to do with pilots realizing working for a regional airline isn't necessarily a "temp job" anymore because that sector of the industry has grown significantly. And while regional airlines are already feeling the pinch, Bjerke said major airlines are concerned as well. Reversing the trend Black said airlines are taking on a number of ideas to meet the shortage, including partnering with primary training institutions, offering tuition reimbursement and establishing "flow programs" that offer a defined career and pay progression. On top of cost and affordability issues, Bjerke said it will be important to spread the word about the opportunities in the aviation industry. She said pay at regional airlines has improved, and some young alumni are making the leap to major airlines fairly quickly. Bjerke pointed to the example of Swayne Martin, a commercial aviation student at UND who maintains a website and YouTube channel about his flight training. One popular video shows him and his friends flying from Grand Forks to Fargo to pick up an order of Chipotle. Martin hopes his online efforts help inspire more people to choose aviation as a career. "People my age aren't necessarily looking to become a pilot just from a monetary standpoint," he said. "It ends up being something that somebody is interested in because they love to fly or love to travel, more so than just because it's a job." http://www.aviationpros.com/news/12205002/shortage-of-pilots-attracts-attention-of- industry Back to Top INTERVIEW: Flight Safety Foundation chief explains why data matters Where did you start out? My first aviation job was at Sikorsky in Bridgeport, Connecticut. I was a quality inspector for tail cones on the S-76 helicopter. I worked on the shop floor and it was a great way to learn. From there I joined Textron Lycoming as programme manager for the ALF502 and FL507 geared turbofans, which powered the Bombardier Challenger 600 and BAe 146. Later I became the marine and industrial programme director responsible for the US Navy Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), high-speed ferries in Hong Kong and industrial power generation. When Lycoming was purchased by Allied Signal, I moved to Phoenix, Arizona to run Regional Propulsion. I had the opportunity to move back to Connecticut to become general manager of AlliedSignal Aerospace Precision Products, which produced inertial navigation systems for cruise missiles and tracking devices. There were four facilities with more than 1,100 employees. It was great to experience the military side of the business. Throughout this time, however, my heart was always in propulsion and I was proud to consider myself an "engine guy", so next I joined Pratt & Whitney as programme director for International Aero Engines (IAE). I then became vice-president for operational commercial engines with full responsibility for the 14,000-engine commercial fleet. I returned to IAE as president and chief executive from 2007 to 2009. I then served as senior vice-president for airline customers and led the team that launched the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan (GTF). In 2012, when we bought Rolls Royce out of the IAE joint venture to give us the majority control, I was asked to return to IAE as president and chief executive for the second time to lead the integration into Pratt & Whitney. After the integration, I decided to retire and quickly became restless. How did you come to lead the Flight Safety Foundation? I was contacted by some former colleagues now on the FSF board of governors. Based on our conversations, I knew that I could add value to a very prestigious organisation. In mid-2014, I became the president and chief executive of the FSF, an international non- profit organisation founded in 1947 to advance aviation safety. How did your experience prepare you for this new role? During my tenure at Pratt & Whitney, when I was responsible for the commercial fleet, I was also on the safety board, which had overall responsibility for the integrity and safety of our flying engines. This allowed me to become very involved in aviation safety, including the process and procedures that are required to develop and maintain a safety culture. What's next? We are currently working on an initiative called the Global Safety Information Project. It is focused on understanding how data is collected and shared to improve aviation safety. In the beginning, it is focused on the Pan-America and Asia-Pacific regions. We are very pleased with the improvements aviation has enjoyed during the past 20 years. But to continue to maintain this rate of improvement, as aviation traffic continues to grow at almost 5% per year, we must find new ways to share and learn from our safety data. What's the most challenging part of your job? The hardest part is that some people think just because we have enjoyed the safest levels in aviation during the past few years, that the job is done. They think there are better ways to invest time and resources. We know that the job of improving aviation is a journey and takes work every day. We cannot let up or take our eyes off the ball, because even one accident that could have been prevented is one too many. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/interview-flight-safety-foundation-chief- explains-w-424753/ Back to Top Investec closes $1 billion A380 aircraft-lease deal with Emirates Investec Bank, a lender in the aviation market, has closed a $1 billion operating lease transaction with Emirates Airline [EMIRA.UL], it said on Monday. The deal will pay for the delivery and sale and leaseback of four A380-800s, the world's largest passenger jet, Investec said in a statement. Investec Aviation Finance has around $5 billion of aircraft assets under management through its own balance sheet and managed funds, it said. It said the transaction included aircraft dating from 2013 and 2016. Investec, a specialist bank and asset manager, acquired the 2013 aircraft from Stellwagen Finance, the holding company for Aviation Finance Company (AFC), while the 2016 aircraft were delivered from Airbus, it said. Investec, which operates mainly in South Africa and the United Kingdom, acted as the sole arranger for both the financing and leasing elements of the deal. Financing was provided by banks and institutional investors across the Middle East, Europe and Asia, Investec said without elaborating. Islamic financing was involved in two of the deliveries, it said. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-investec-bank-emirates-airline-airbus-idUSKCN0Y00XV Back to Top Qatar Airways cuts flights because of aircraft shortages Qatar Airways is making selective flight cancellations in several markets because of a delay in Airbus aircraft deliveries, Qatar Airways executive communications manager Christine Sarkis confirmed to ATW in Doha. The route cuts include Adelaide, its most recently launched schedule. Sarkis was not able to give details on how many aircraft types and deliveries are delayed. An Airbus spokesperson told ATW the European manufacturer does not comment on delivery schedules. "We leave this to our customers [airlines]. But our delivery guideline for 50 A350 XWBs in 2016, which had been announced earlier this year [in January], is still valid." The Doha-based carrier introduced a daily Doha-Adelaide route using A350 XWBs from May 3. Qatar, which became the A350 XWB launch customer in 2015, is the first airline to fly the A350 to Australia, Group CEO Akbar Al Baker said in a statement. According to its website, Qatar has seven A350-900s in operation. The oneworld member is also the launch customer for the stretched version, the A350-1000, which is scheduled to be delivered in 2017. Sarkis said the airline is minimizing the impact on passengers as much as possible and accommodating them on other flights. Reuters has reported there are 15 additional routes affected by selective flight cancellations-including Boston, Houston and Miami in the US, and services to Copenhagen, Jakarta and Manchester. Separately, Qatar announced it will upgauge its daily Doha-Guangzhou (China) service with the introduction of its Airbus A380 on the route from July 1. Guangzhou will be Qatar's fourth A380 destination, after London, Paris and Bangkok. Qatar operates a fleet of 184 aircraft to more than 150 destinations. http://atwonline.com/airframes/qatar-airways-cuts-flights-because-aircraft-shortages Back to Top The Only Solution to TSA's Problems: Get Rid of It Long delays at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints at major airports nationwide have been causing passengers to miss flights. The situation will likely get worse during summer, experts predict. JFK, according to Fox News Travel, has "by far" one of the worst TSA checkpoints. But security delays are not the TSA's only problem. Newark Liberty International, which runs a close second to JFK on Fox News' list of US airports with "the worst TSA checkpoints," also was slammed for lax screening and reports of employee theft. That resulted in a rare occurrence in government: Several employees were actually dismissed. Not to be outdone, a screener at JFK last summer was likewise busted for theft, trying to abscond with a passenger's Rolex watch. Another TSA security screener at JFK was arrested three weeks later on an unrelated theft charge. And, of course, there is the competency issue. As The Post's Philip Messing reported last fall, "security screeners at Kennedy and Newark airports have consistently failed to find weapons and bombs being smuggled by undercover operatives posing as airline passengers." There is a ready solution to the TSA's problems: Replace the agency. In large airports with multiple security checkpoints, airlines should be required to hire their own screeners and set their own procedures, bypassing the TSA. Competition among the airlines would help set the proper balance between safety and efficiency, based on passenger preference and demand. This same competitive process would also weed out unnecessary procedures that add little to safety while increasing delays. Hiring private screeners would be a step in the right direction, but we also need to rethink how airport security is provided. Understandably, dissatisfaction with the TSA is widespread. Twenty-two airports, including Kansas City International and San Francisco International, already have switched to private firms for security screening, and others, like Seattle-Tacoma International and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International, are considering doing likewise. American Airlines reported that in a single week in March nearly 6,800 of its passengers missed flights because of TSA security delays. In some cases, security lines have taken 90 minutes or more to clear. Long delays are not necessary to keep us safe. The problem is the TSA is a government bureaucracy that has little incentive to balance safety considerations against customer satisfaction. The requirement that passengers remove their shoes is just one bureaucratic hurdle that slows lines but does little, if anything, to make us safer. I was recently selected for enhanced security screening while flying out of Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel, presumably because I had a new passport. Security personnel quickly took everything out of my bag and then repacked it. But they never asked me to remove my shoes. When the TSA's human robots harass us by confiscating our toiletries and forcing us to remove our shoes, they create the illusion of "doing something" to make us secure. But much of the experience is unnecessary theater. Privatizing security screening is a step in the right direction. A private company, which could be replaced if it's not performing to the satisfaction of the flying public, would have an incentive to properly staff security lines to minimize delays. The TSA, which has 15 percent fewer screeners than in 2011, has no such incentive. But privatization alone wouldn't fully solve the problem when Washington still mandates security procedures. We need the people who conduct the security screening, and who make the screening rules, to weigh the expected benefits of a screening procedure against the likely costs, in terms of traveler delays and dissatisfaction. Only the competitive profit-and-loss system does that well. Most of the benefits of airline safety accrue directly to airlines and their passengers. So, if the airlines are ceded responsibility for security screening, they also should be held strictly liable for any harm caused by security breaches. Travelers have suffered unnecessary delays and harassment from the TSA for nearly 15 years. It's time to turn to a truly private alternative. It would make us safer, less hassled and freer. Flying might even become fun again. http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=8763 Back to Top Thomas Cook faces air crew half term strike ballot Thomas Cook Airlines cabin crew are voting on possible strike action during the May half- term school holidays in a dispute over health and safety after changes to their rest breaks. Cabin crew will be allowed one 20-minute break over 12 hours, according to the Unite union, and more than 1,000 cabin crew have begun voting in a ballot for industrial action. The union said staff were previously entitled to a 20-minute break every six hours. The ballot of staff who work on flights from 10 airports across the UK closes on May 25, and could lead to industrial action taking place during half term. Unite said there were mounting concerns that cabin crew were being "pushed to the limit in an attempt to maximise profits". It accused the travel company of a "repeated refusal to agree to talks and reach a sensible negotiated solution". A Thomas Cook spokesman told The Guardian: "We would like to reassure our customers that nothing matters more to us than safety. "It's regrettable the union has chosen this path because the crew rest procedure, which includes monitoring all crew rest on all flights, was introduced with the agreement of the union. "It also meets the regulations of industry experts the Civil Aviation Authority and does not compromise on safety. "We have offered to meet union representatives and the message we hear directly from our crew is that they're looking forward to a great summer of flying customers on holiday." The union's national officer, Oliver Richardson, said: "Our members are deeply concerned about the impact these changes to rest breaks are having on inflight safety. Fatigue is a major contributory factor to accidents and slower response times when there is an incident. "The primary purpose of cabin crew is the safety of passengers, but instead Thomas Cook seems intent on working them to the bone to extract as much money as possible out of passengers at the expense of safety." Cabin crew typically work shifts of 10-15 hours and up to 60 hours a week. Shifts include pre-flight preparations, safety and security checks, boarding, inflight service of headsets, drinks, food, duty-free sales and other promotions. Thomas Cook has introduced an Airshoppen service. This additional inflight service allows passengers to order goods online before their flights and have them delivered to their seats. It involves cabin crew sorting and bagging orders before takeoff and collecting payment during the flight. The service could take up to two hours to deliver, Unite said. http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/61553/thomas-cook-faces-air-crew-half-term- strike-ballot Back to Top Seeking 500 pilots a year, PSA Airlines sweetens the pot PSA AIrlines Inc. has announced another strategy to attract more pilots as it now needs to hire 500 per year over the next few years. The Dayton-based company will offer a $20,000 retention bonus to active first officers beginning this month, to be paid in quarterly installments over two years or until they upgrade to captain. PSA also is instituting a $250 monthly allowance for pilots to offset the cost of commuting hotel expenses. This marks the latest hiring strategy of PSA, the only commercial passenger airline headquartered in Ohio and one of the fastest growing in the business. The regional carrier of American Airlines (NYSE: AAL) began offering a $5,000 sign-on bonus for all new pilots hired in 2016. The retention strategy comes as PSA looks to boost employment as its fleet rapidly grows on orders from its parent company. PSA also has an agreement that allows pilots career advancement into American Airlines, another factor contributing to its need to recruit new talent. PSA is headquartered in Dayton with major operations here including 920 local jobs, according to the 2015-2016 DBJ Book of Lists. The company has been growing thanks to an order by its parent company that will mean it operates 150 Bombardier aircraft over the next two years. It currently has 106 Bombardier passenger aircraft in its fleet. The carrier has grown significantly including upping its number of local employees from 600 a few years ago. PSA also has started on a new $14 million maintenance hangar at the Dayton International Airport, which will double the number of aircraft it keeps in Dayton overnight. Last month it held a job fair to fill another 70 jobs to help crew in that hangar. Overall, PSA has nearly 2,400 employees and operates 700 daily flights to 90 destinations. It has flight crew bases in Dayton, Cincinnati, Knoxville, Tenn. and Charlotte, N.C. It also has maintenance facilities in Dayton, Canton, Cincinnati and Charlotte. http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/news/2016/05/09/seeking-500-pilots-a-year-psa- airlines-sweetens.html Back to Top Delta Orders 75 New Jets to Improve Shorter Flights The airline's big order for a spacious 110-seat jet could make shorter flights a lot more comfortable. Despite all the grumbling about cramped coach cabins, so far the solutions have been largely ineffectual: remember Sen. Chuck Schumer's quixotic bid to force airlines to give us more living space? (Not surprisingly, it fizzled.) But a solution has materialized from an unlikely source-Canada's Bombardier, a major maker of regional jets. The very mention of regional jets, or RJs, would normally conjure visions of knee- knocking, elbow-crunching agony. But the new 110-seat model, known as the CS100, is not an RJ-which typically have fewer than 100 seats; rather, it hits the sweet spot between those junior jets and the smallest of the full-size narrowbody jets like the Boeing 717 and Airbus A319, which seat around 130 or more. Delta, which is ordering 75 of the new plane type, says that the CS100 will primarily operate short to medium-haul flights on the carrier's domestic network. This is where passengers will notice a difference, since many of the jets will operate on routes that are currently served with RJs with a typical capacity of 50 to 76 seats. Delta CEO Ed Bastian, who raved about the plane at a recent briefing in Atlanta, says the most noticeable change will be in the passengers' personal space. "It's got an absolute widebody feel within a narrowbody," he says, citing larger overhead bins and a roomier cabin as two of the features customers will notice most. Even better? Coach seats will be 18.5 inches wide and configured in a two-by-three layout, meaning that more than 80 percent of seats will be at a window or an aisle-yes, keeping those dreaded middle seats to a minimum. Seat pitch will be a standard 31 inches in coach; Delta said it will also have a comfort plus zone and a first-class cabin with two-by-two seating, with the total seat count on the plane yet to be determined. Delta president Glen Hauenstein went so far as to say that the CS100 will be "one of the most comfortable aircrafts in our fleet." Long-suffering fliers will be waiting to see if he's right: deliveries of the jet are due to begin in 2018. http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2016-05-09/delta-orders-75-new-jets-to-improve- shorter-flights Back to Top U.S. FIGHTER JETS JOIN FINNISH AND SWEDISH CROSS BORDER TRAINING U.S. Air National Guard fighter jets have joined exercises by non-aligned Finland and Sweden, in a larger push to strengthen ties with the Nordic states, Finland's Air Force reports. round 150 U.S. personnel and six Boeing F-15 fighters from the Oregon National Guard arrived at Finland's Rissala air base, in its eastern region of Karelia on Monday. Although not formally members of U.S.-led NATO, Finland and Sweden both have the option to join the alliance on their initiative and have participated in joint exercises with NATO allies for years. On this instance, U.S. F-15 jets will join the Cross Border Training drill, held by the Finnish and Swedish Air Forces, with the aim of raising their readiness to determine and respond to threats in their sovereign skies. The practice maneuvers will include both air combat training and refuelling practice, lasting until May 20. This is far from the first squadron-level visit of U.S. F-15 fighters to Finland, as U.S. pilots were first deployed to Finland's Pirkkala air in 1997. The move of joining the drill near Finland's border with Russia, does represent the U.S.'s growing concern with Moscow's western reinforcement. While Kremlin officials have repeatedly threatened to retaliate in light of NATO's increased rate of rotating troops and kit through Eastern Europe, the Nordic countries have also been the brunt of Russian military rhetoric and activity. Last week Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia would likely have a "military response" to the scenario of Sweden joining NATO, while over the course of last year Russian aircraft violated Finnish airspace at least six times. Sweden and Finland have continued cooperation with NATO in the meantime and according to recent polls there are more Swedes in favour joining the alliance , than those against. NATO membership remains more controversial in Finland, whose 1,300km border with Russia is larger than than of any other EU state. However politicians in Finland have openly called for the debate about membership to be reopened and the country has taken steps to shore up defences, in tandem with NATO allies. Last summer the Nordic country performed its first ever practice air to ground bombing since the Second World War. http://www.newsweek.com/us-fighter-jets-join-finnish-and-swedish-cross-border- training-457581 Back to Top Call for Nominations For 2016 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation and Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) are now accepting nominations for the 2016 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award, honoring a leader in aviation safety. The award will be presented during the 69th Annual International Air Safety Summit, taking place Nov. 14-16 in Dubai, UAE. Presented since 1956, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award recognizes notable achievement in the field of civil or military aviation safety in method, design, invention, study or other improvement. The award's recipient is selected for a "significant individual or group effort contributing to improving aviation safety, with emphasis on original contributions," and a "significant individual or group effort performed above and beyond normal responsibilities." Mechanics, engineers and others outside of top administrative or research positions should be especially considered. The contribution need not be recent, especially if the nominee has not received adequate recognition. Nominations that were not selected as past winners of the Award can be submitted one additional time for consideration. Please note that self-nominations will not be considered. The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award's story dates back 70 years. On April 14, 1945, after visiting family in Pittsburgh, Laura Taber Barbour was aboard a Pennsylvania Central Airlines DC-3 when it crashed into the rugged terrain of Cheat Mountain near Morgantown, West Virginia. All passengers and crew were killed. In the years following, her husband, Dr. Clifford E. Barbour and son, Clifford E. Barbour, Jr., established the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award in her honor. The Award Board, composed of leaders in the field of aviation, meets in June of each year to conduct a final review of nominees and selection of the current year's recipient. Please help us honor this year's most deserving recipient. Nominations, including a 1-2- page narrative, can be submitted via the Laura Taber Barbour Foundation website at http://ltbaward.org/the-award/nomination-form/ or the Flight Safety Foundation website at http://flightsafety.org/aviation-awards/laura-taber-barbour-air-safety-award. Nominations will be accepted until June 1, 2016. For more information, including a complete history of Award recipients, see www.ltbaward.com. ABOUT THE LAURA TABER BARBOUR AIR SAFETY AWARD: The Award was established in 1956 through early association with the Flight Safety Foundation and from its founding has enjoyed a rich history of Award Board members, nominees and Award recipients. In 2013, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation was formed from members of the Award Board, the aviation community and the Barbour family. As the foundation plans to broaden the scope of its intent, with great purpose, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award will continue to spotlight those champions who pioneer breakthroughs in flight safety. Back to Top PhD Research Request Helicopter Pilots, 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 any type of small civil helicopter organization (5 aircraft and under) 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 Curt Lewis