Flight Safety Information May 11, 2016 - No. 092 In This Issue Carbon-offset deal would cost airlines $6.2 billion in 2025: IATA Icon A5, An Airplane For Non-Pilots, Hits Turbulence After Fast Start Global Pilots raise concern on Brazilian airspace safety After 30 years of service, India is retiring its iconic British-built Sea Harrier fighter jets US is getting further behind in airspace management technology Business Jets Industry Projected to Record Exponential Growth on a Global Level Frontier Airlines pilots challenge breastfeeding policies Embraer Executive Jets aims to have enduring Legacy Call for Nominations For 2016 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award PhD Research Request Carbon-offset deal would cost airlines $6.2 billion in 2025: IATA A global market-based measure to curb aviation emissions would cost the airline industry up to $6.2 billion in the year 2025, but carriers could face higher charges if governments fail to reach a deal by October, the International Air Transport Association said. Government representatives are gathering Wednesday at the United Nations's civil aviation agency to negotiate a draft deal on carbon-neutral growth from 2020 which is to be voted on at a fall assembly. "That of course is the result the industry is counting on," IATA Chief Executive Tony Tyler told participants at a global sustainable aviation forum in Montreal on Tuesday, in reference to a draft deal in the fall. By 2035, the deal would cost airlines up to an estimated $24 billion, as air traffic grows, according to figures from the Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO. The cost projections are for sample years after the deal would become active in 2021. Airlines are nevertheless urging ICAO's 191-member states to reach a global agreement in the fall because the cost of a patchwork of national and regional agreements could be even higher. "A market-based cost will be much more efficient, and much fairer than the alternative which is a patchwork of inefficient and ineffective charges and taxes which are cooked up primarily just to raise cash rather than to tackle climate change," Tyler said. "We expect that the cost will be not insignificant, but it will be manageable." According to ICAO data cited in an IATA position paper, the estimated cost of offsetting a flight carrying 267 passengers from Moscow to New York on a B777 would cost up to $804 in offsets. Aviation was not included in the global climate deal reached at a U.N. conference in Paris in December, and ICAO is tasked with nailing down a strategy to limit emissions after six years of talks. The plan would allow airlines to offset their emissions by buying carbon credits from designated environmental projects around the globe, but countries remain divided on how offset obligations are shared between developing and developed states. ICAO's proposed Carbon Offsetting Scheme for International Aviation recommends bringing in the carbon offsets agreement in phases to accommodate developing nations and exempting the world's least- developed countries. But in a recent position paper, China raised concerns that the deal would "impose inappropriate economic burden on developing countries, where the international aviation market is still maturing." http://www.reuters.com/article/us-climatechange-aviation-idUSKCN0Y12U2 Back to Top Icon A5, An Airplane For Non-Pilots, Hits Turbulence After Fast Start Most people who aspire to become private pilots start with flight school before thinking about buying an airplane. But Icon Aircraft, a California start-up, has orders to deliver 2,000 of its new amphibious airplanes over the next few years, and nearly half of the purchasers do not have a pilot's license. This might have been considered the wave of the future had the company's chief executive not decided to try a revolution on more than one front with his A5 light sport aircraft. Former fighter pilot and Icon founder Kirk Hawkins has entered the general aviation market with a two- seater that takes off on land or water, looks like a jet ski, performs like a small plane and takes just a few weeks to learn to fly. "Aviation as most people know it has different mission and different motives, it's unemotional transportation," Hawkins told me after we flew a demonstration flight over Napa County in California, home to the company headquarters and manufacturing plant. The A5, on the other hand is a "pure lifestyle product," Hawkins said. Don't think of it as another private plane, he says, but rather as the latest power sports vehicle - and one that may drive fundamental changes in what people expect from aviation and even how pilots learn to fly. Hawkins says he's "democratizing flight," arguably an odd characterization for an airplane that costs upwards of $200,000. Still there's no diminishing what the company has accomplished with the A5. Heavily influenced by marine and auto designs and under the direction of aeronautical engineer Jon Karkow, formerly of Scaled Composites, and Klaus Tritschler, who came from BMW, the single-engine prop plane has wings you can sunbathe on and a diving platform for swimming after the plane arrives at its lake-side destination. Useful, post-landing recreational amenities are not something one usually finds on private airplanes. This year, the A5 was a finalist, along with the Airbus A350, for aviation's Collier prize, which recognizes the best achievements in aviation each year. The plane is both simple and complex in that it responds promptly to pilot inputs with a streamed-down, sports-car inspired, intuitive instrument display. At the same time the company spent more than a year developing the A5's unique two-part wing so that it qualified for FAA certification as resistant to a common but deadly safety issue; loss of control during a stall. On our flight, Hawkins purposefully caused the plane to lose lift and while the shrill alarm sounded in the small cockpit and the ride got bumpy, it remained aloft and maneuverable. Icon is betting that the A5 speaks to people interested in flying but overwhelmed by the tremendous amount of study required to fly within a complicated air transport system. Neophytes can learn to safely operate the A5 with just 20 hours of training, according to Icon marketing material. That's enough to qualify for a sport pilot certificate, which allows the holder to fly light aircraft during daylight hours, in good weather, below 10,000 feet. "We believe the first thing you do is become a sport pilot. Go out and forget the infrastructure and learn how to fly and build your confidence," Hawkins said. "Spend a year and learn to fly and if you want to graduate into the next level it will take you there." Approachable pilot training is not a phrase one hears often, and the promise of it may account for the sizeable number of non-pilots who have placed deposits on the A5. Still, Icon encountered rough air last month when some customers went public in trade magazines and in online pilot forums with their dissatisfaction about a highly restrictive sales contract they received from Icon. At a general aviation festival in Florida in April, a presentation by an Icon executive deteriorated as pilots who might otherwise have been fans of the aircraft, attacked the company over terms governing the maintenance, operation and sale of the plane and prohibiting lawsuits against the company. Civil litigation against plane builders is a considerable factor in the industry, one which Hawkins believes is not "being dealt with aggressively." It's harming development of new aircraft, Hawkins told me. This is "what's keeping people from flying and what's hurting flying." As recently as last week, Hawkins was promising that the company would review the contract and may modify some of the terms. But in a lengthy discussion about the plane, its role in the future of aviation and the pushback from the general aviation community Hawkins was clear, no aspect of the status quo will go unchallenged, including company's desire to claim control of what happens to the airplane even after it is delivered to purchasers. By tackling general aviation on several fronts, Hawkins can be sure of one thing; his company's investors, its would-be-customers, and even its competitors will be keeping a keen eye on what happens next. http://www.forbes.com/sites/christinenegroni/2016/05/09/icon-an-airplane-for-non-pilots-hits-some- turbulence-after-fast-start/#1832df216c02 Back to Top Global Pilots raise concern on Brazilian airspace safety MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA) - representing over 100,000 commercial airline pilots in more than 100 countries around the world - is working closely with the Brazilian Civil Aviation Authorities and its member association Associação Brasileira de Pilotos da Aviação Civil (ABRAPAC) to address the continuing serious safety concern throughout Brazilian airspace posed by large unmanned balloons. The urgent need for action to resolve this issue was graphically illustrated by the incident involving a burning balloon and a commercial airliner on 9 May 2016 at Guarulhos Airport in Sao Paulo. IFALPA and ABRAPAC are urging the Brazilian Authorities to immediately enforce laws banning these dangerous activities. Regulations and effective enforcement action must restrict the balloon activity to specific areas at specific times, thus enabling the airspace to be formally closed to aircraft. ABRAPAC and the Civil Authorities in Brazil have the full support of IFALPA whilst they work to ensure the safety of passengers is not threatened by the illegal launching of these balloons. For further information please contact Captain Martin Chalk, IFALPA President, at +44 7432 616 119 or martinchalk@ifalpa.org. http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160510006921/en/Global-Pilots-raise-concern-Brazilian- airspace-safety Back to Top After 30 years of service, India is retiring its iconic British-built Sea Harrier fighter jets It's the end of the runway for one of the world's most iconic naval fighter aircraft. On May 11, the Sea Harrier will fly its last sortie for the Indian Navy, the only remaining operator of the British-built fighter jet. With the ability to vertically take off and land on aircraft carriers with very short runways, the Sea Harrier entered service with Britain's Royal Navy in 1980. In the 26 years it served on British aircraft carriers, the jet saw action in the Falkland Wars and the Balkans. The Royal Navy phased out the aircraft in 2006. "Unusual in an era in which most naval and land-based air superiority fighters were large and supersonic, the principal role of the subsonic Sea Harrier was to provide air defence to naval fleet by operating from their aircraft carriers," the Indian Navy said in a statement. Sea Harriers, made by Hampshire-based British Aerospace, were inducted into the Indian Navy in 1983 following the phasing out of the Seahawks. The jets had an operational speed of 640 knots or 1,186 kilometres per hour and were also capable of air-to-air refuelling. The aircraft was already something of a legend by the time India inducted it, thanks to its successful deployment in the Falklands War of 1982. "Its usage in the Falklands War (1982) was its most high-profile and important success, where it was the only fixed-wing fighter available to protect the British Task Force over 8,000 miles from homeland," the statement from the Indian Navy added. Since its induction, the Sea Harriers have been the air arm of India's battleships, INS Viraat and INS Vikrant. While INS Vikrant has already been dismantled, the navy is in the process of phasing out INS Viraat too. "You could take off and land at any speed from zero to 160 knots," Arun Prakash, former chief of Indian Navy, wrote on May 09. "While others 'landed and then stopped', Harrier pilots had the luxury of 'first stopping and then landing'!" The Indian Navy had initially purchased 30 Sea Harriers and assigned its best pilots to the aircraft. Yet, over the past three decades, some 15 Sea Harriers have crashed, killing eight pilots. The last such incident took place in the Arabian Sea in 2009, killing the pilot. The decision to phase out Sea Harriers is also largely due to the huge maintenance cost. The British Royal Navy had phased out Sea Harriers after British Aerospace stopped production in 1998. India's Sea Harriers-which are likely to be rested at museums across the country-will be replaced by the much younger and sophisticated Russian Mig 29K jets. http://qz.com/678795/after-30-years-of-service-india-is-retiring-its-iconic-british-built-sea-harrier-fighter- jets/ Back to Top US is getting further behind in airspace management technology US NextGen air traffic control technology is a decade old even as it's introduced and the nation is rapidly falling behind other countries with more advanced air traffic management systems. A panel of US airlines and the head of the US National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) outlined the consequences of not having a dependable, steady revenue stream to support national airspace growth through technology advances. Speaking at the Phoenix SkyHarbor International Aviation Symposium in Phoenix May 10, NATCA president Paul Rinaldi said FAA was doing better at implementing some satellite-based NextGen technology, but the problem was that this technology was already 10-11 years old. "It may be that we are moving up to an iPhone 1 level, but some of our competitors are on iPhone 6 or 7. Our system is very big, but that's not an excuse for why we can't streamline our processes and give our stakeholders what they need to be more efficient," Rinaldi said. JetBlue Airways EVP operations Jeff Martin said US NextGen roll-out progress was "a horse race" with airlines leading sometimes and the government leading other times. Rinaldi warned that neighboring airspace management organizations, such as NAV Canada, had the stable revenue streams that enabled them to modernize, adapt and be more dynamic. As an example, Rinaldi said NAV Canada was "running full steam ahead" to adopt a space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) air traffic surveillance system, while the US was stuck with an "archaic system". NAV Canada is an independent, non-profit organization set up in 1996 to manage ATC. It is being held up by some in the US as a model it could emulate. But there has been congressional resistance to separating ATC management from FAA and placing that role under an independent corporate structure. JetBlue's Martin and FedEx Express SVP flight operations Jim Bowman said most US airlines favored pursuing a space-based ADS-B course, which they believe will also increase safety and enable continuous tracking of individual airliners, and it had been proposed to FAA as an alternative option. "Now is the time to be adaptive," Rinaldi said. "We should build our own system. It should be an American system. It should not be a Republican or a Democrat or a union thing. It's a United States thing and it should be about what's best for this country." http://atwonline.com/air-traffic-management/us-getting-further-behind-airspace-management-technology Back to Top Business Jets Industry Projected to Record Exponential Growth on a Global Level There used to be a time when air travel in itself was a luxury for millions of people all across the world but low cost airlines completely overhauled the airline market but a private jet was always considered a luxury that could be afforded only by the utlra rich. As a result, it was an industry that not many thought would grow substantially over a period of time, however the latest projections released by the agency Research and Agency would certainly make for great reading for anyone who is directly or indirectly involved with the global private jet industry. The agency projects that the industry would grow into a global $33.2 billion industry by the year 2020 and that does make for excellent reading for anyone who might have thought that the current economic climate might damage the rate of growth of an item that is usually used by high net worth indivduals whose wealth depends on industrial growth. The global economic downturn that has been triggered by the depression in China this year is not going to be a huge factor when it comes to the global business jet industry, according to the study and the order for those jets are going to increase at a consistent pace over the next four years. The industry was pegged at $20.3 billion dollars in the year 2013 and it has been growing ever since. The report states that it expects the industry to be worth $33.2 billion in 2020 and the yearly growth is pegged at 6.86$ (by CAGR). Europe and North America are going to lead the list as far as order are concerned and significant sales are projected to take place in Africa as well and it is interesting to note that the smaller variants of the business jets are going to drive the growth that the industry is predicted to see in the next four years. Emerging markets like Asia and countries in South America might have seen a slowdown of sorts and that might affect the number of orders from those continents but the demand from North America is going to increase 3.5 folds in the years to come. Overall, there is no denying that industry is on the right track. http://www.newseveryday.com/articles/41122/20160510/business-jets-industry-projected-to-record- exponential-growth-on-a-global-level.htm Back to Top Frontier Airlines pilots challenge breastfeeding policies (CNN)Four female pilots are filing discrimination charges against Frontier Airlines, alleging the company's policies on pregnancy and nursing fail to accommodate breastfeeding requirements. The American Civil Liberties Union on Tuesday filed the formal complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Denver-based pilots, who are all employed at Frontier, claim that upon returning from maternity leave, the airline did not provide proper accommodations to pump breast milk. In their charge, Shannon Kiedrowski, Brandy Beck, Erin Zielinski and Randi Freyer say their employer did not give them a designated location to breastfeed at the airport, nor on the aircraft. The group also says Frontier did not offer temporary work reassignments in the final stages of their pregnancies, when they were unable to fly. Instead, they were forced to take eight to 10 weeks of unpaid leave, they claim. "There's a very clear law that requires employers to provide breaks and non-bathroom locations for employees to express breast milk," said Galen Sherwin, senior staff attorney with the ACLU Women's Rights Project. "None of these were available to the pilots." Six percent of commercial pilots are women, Sherwin said. Frontier Airlines challenged the claims. "Our policies and practices comply with all federal and state laws as well as with the relevant provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between Frontier and its pilots group," the airline said. "While there are many workplaces that might allow for nursing mothers to express breast milk during a break from work activities, the duties of a commercial airline pilot present unique circumstances. We have made good- faith efforts to identify and provide rooms and other secure locations for use by breastfeeding pilots during their duty travel." According to the ACLU, the pilots have faced a number of setbacks as a result of the company's policies. Coupled with the demand of flight schedules, the pilots were often made to delay pumping, resulting in pain and discomfort. Three of the women say they developed breast tissue infections, because the airline's policy did not allow them to pump on a regular schedule. Kiedrowski says she was disciplined when a co- pilot complained that she pumped on the plane. First Officer Erin Zielinski, who had planned to breastfeed her child for one year, said she quit nursing early when her milk supply dried up. In 2014, while flying a regular Denver to Los Angeles route, Zielinski said she had 15 minutes to pump in the plane lavatory, between flight preparation, flying the aircraft and readying the plane for a quick turnaround back to Denver. "I love my job as a pilot so much, except for this issue," Zielinski said. "We don't want future moms to have to go through this. We want a better policy for everyone going forward. There are more and more female pilots being hired, including at Frontier. We don't want anyone to have to choose between flying and breastfeeding." Some of the women also claim they suffered financial stress from unpaid leave before giving birth. In a contract negotiated by Frontier Airline Pilots Association in 2007, pilots can work through the 32nd week of pregnancy, provided they have medical clearance. The pilot will then request maternity leave. Once the pilot has given birth, maternity leave is granted for up to 120 days -- and must be taken in concurrence with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act -- paid from sick and/or vacation time. The group "sought information, support, and accommodations from Frontier, but were met with indifference or outright hostility," according to the ACLU. http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/10/travel/frontier-airlines-breastfeeding-policy/ Back to Top Embraer Executive Jets aims to have enduring Legacy Flying privately takes #PaxEx (and indeed #PilotEx) to a whole new level and Embraer Executive Jets firmly believes it understands what's required to satisfy the world's most demanding clientele. Last month, the Brazilian manufacturer achieved a new milestone when Cleveland-based fractional ownership operator Flexjet took delivery of its 1,000th business jet - a midsize Legacy 500. The delivery took place a little more than a decade after Embraer fully committed to the business aviation market. The aircraft is the fourth of its kind to join the Flexjet fleet, and part of a firm order for both Legacy 500 and Legacy 450 types. An emotional Marco Tulio Pellegrini, Embraer's president & CEO, said: "I have no words. We brought the Phenom 100 out in 2005, the Phenom 300 out in 2009, and for the last three years it's been the most delivered jet in the industry. We introduced the Legacy 450 and 500 and we have a big center in Melbourne. It's like a dream that's been materialized." He hinted that he expects the midsize Legacy 450/500 types to outstrip the Phenom 300 sales, a bold assertion. So what makes these jets special? The Legacy 450/500 program consists of two highly advanced aircraft for the midsize market, and the 500 boasts a transcontinental US range. Both aircraft feature a 6ft tall flat-floor cabin and inflight entertainment system with a high-definition video system, surround sound, multiple audio and video input options, Honeywell Aerospace's Ovation Select cabin management system (CMS) - controllable via the in-seat passenger control units (PCUs), or downloadable apps for both iOS and Android devices - plus three options for voice communications and connectivity. They are also the first midsize business jets with digital flight controls, based on full fly-by-wire technology, featuring side-stick controls. This technology enables a smoother flight for passengers by transmitting the manual input from the pilot electronically rather than mechanically and increasing the number of control surfaces that can be actuated simultaneously. Business jet travelers demand connectivity. Even during short flights, these passengers require maximum inflight comfort, entertainment and productivity. The Legacy 450 and 500 each come with a broad range of cabin entertainment, control and integrated communications. The author flew the 500 on a short flight around Melbourne, Florida recently, and the Wi-Fi worked well for email, (although I wasn't happy with my Twitter selfie, which only materialized when I hit the ground). Turn right when you go in and you hit the designated front facing VIP seat on the right of the forward cabin. As a general rule in private flying, this seat is one of the forward front-facing chairs. The VIP seat offers a PCU that determines the temperature and lighting, including adjustments for color and intensity of the interior wash. There is another master control unit inside the galley, which controls the lighting, IFE, temperature and the galley functions. Monitors mounted on the forward and aft bulkheads showed the Airshow flight tracker throughout the short hop. These 17-in monitors can also come in 20-in variants if desired. Adding to the #PaxEx visual comfort, the 500 also features 12 of the largest windows in the super-midsize class, which flood the cabin with ambient light and making it appear larger than it really is. They are also positioned so passengers' heads are actually next to them, rather than the usual need for looking slightly down. The window shades on the demonstrator were manually operated, but powered versions are available. B/E Aerospace supplies the seats, which have optional heating, massage and adjustable lumbar support, plus foldout leg rests. They also join together to provide single lie flat beds, while the aft divan converts into a lie-flat double bed. The aircraft I flew featured double-club seating for four, which converts into fully flat berths when required. Aft there was a three-place, foldout divan, certified for full-time occupancy, plus a single club. It's possible to configure the cabin in several ways since the emergency exit is in the aft lavatory. Such innovations have meant that in a little over ten years, Embraer has taken a solid slice of the executive jet sector from a standing start. This in a depleted market that is not yet out of the woods. But if the first decade represents its take-off in #bizav, there is reason to be hopeful about the cruise. https://www.runwaygirlnetwork.com/2016/05/10/embraer-executive-jets-aims-to-have-enduring-legacy/ 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