Flight Safety Information June 20 2016 - No. 120 In This Issue EgyptAir Jet Recorders Become Focus of Probe Into Crash Mystery Crashed EgyptAir jet flight recorders severely damaged Egyptian investigators start analysing flight recorders from crashed EgyptAir plane Departing Spirit jet bumps into United airliner on MSP tarmac FLIGHT RETURNS TO IAH BECAUSE OF HEAT WAVE IN PHOENIX Germanwings, MH370 Tragedies Prompt FAA Scrutiny Of Pilots' Mental Fitness New Space-Based Navigation Prompts Opposition From Some U.S. Airlines European Authorities Set Up Conflict-Zone Intelligence-Sharing System for Airlines New service for reporting aviation safety occurrences (Europe) Zambia to get K70m EU support for aviation safety Nigeria: Chequered History of Aviation Regulation Rwanda: Egyptian Aviation Academy Expresses Interest in Rwanda FAA expected to announce rules for commercial drones this week India Allows Foreign Investors to Buy 100% of Local Airlines The U.S. Pilot Shortage Continues to Rear Its Ugly Head India inducts first three female fighter pilots ERAU hosts national air race for female pilots starting Tuesday ARGUS Charter Operator Flash Survey PhD Research Survey (I) PhD Research Survey (II) EgyptAir Jet Recorders Become Focus of Probe Into Crash Mystery * Memory units extracted for study from battered black boxes * Devices need drying in special ovens after being soaked by sea Egyptian investigators are preparing to test the flight recorder memory units from the EgyptAir plane that crashed in the Mediterranean Sea last month, moving a step closer to finding the cause of the accident that killed all 66 people on board. Examinations began Saturday for parts of the cockpit voice and flight data recorders of the Airbus Group SE A320, the Civil Aviation Ministry said in an e-mailed statement on Sunday. The memory units will be dried in special ovens in preparation for further study, according to the statement. Searchers who recovered the so-called black boxes from the seabed last week said the units had sustained damage. The ministry's statement didn't make clear how much, if any, damage was caused to the memory units. Investigators were able to extract the memory units from both devices, the ministry said, and plan to download the information once the drying is completed. The memory units are considered the most critical part of the device in helping to determine what may have happened to Flight MS804 before it vanished from radar screens on May 19 en route to Cairo from Paris. The recovery of the two devices will help a probe that had been stymied for weeks as authorities searched a wide swath of the ocean for the aircraft. The work was hampered by the depth of the water, with wreckage more than 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) below the surface. Egyptian authorities called in outside help, drafting the search vessel John Lethbridge for the effort. The vessel is continuing to map the area of the crash site. The Civil Aviation Ministry said representatives from France and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board will attend the examination of the black boxes. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-19/egyptair-jet-recorders-become-focus- of-probe-into-crash-mystery Back to Top Crashed EgyptAir jet flight recorders severely damaged CAIRO (Reuters) - The memory units of both flight recorders from crashed EgyptAir flight MS804 are severely damaged and will require "lots of time and effort" to fix, Egyptian aircraft accident investigation committee sources said on Sunday. The committee is analyzing the memory units from the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) before determining if they can be repaired in Egypt or will need to be sent abroad. Search teams retrieved the CVR on Thursday and said at the time that they found it damaged but that the memory unit was intact. They found the FDR on Friday. The two black box recorders are crucial to explaining what went wrong on the Airbus A320, which crashed early on May 19 on its way from Paris to Cairo killing all 66 people on board. The crash is the third blow since October to Egypt's travel industry, which is still suffering from the 2011 uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. A Russian plane crashed in the Sinai Peninsula last October, killing all 224 people on board in an attack claimed by Islamic State. In March, an EgyptAir plane was hijacked by a man wearing a fake suicide belt. No one was hurt. http://www.businessinsider.com/r-crashed-egyptair-jet-flight-recorders-severely-damaged- 2016-6 Back to Top Egyptian investigators start analysing flight recorders from crashed EgyptAir plane Investigators have begun examining the black box flight recorders of an EgyptAir plane that crashed into the Mediterranean last month, hoping to establish the cause of the disaster, authorities said Sunday. The Airbus A320 operating Flight MS804 from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar screens between the Greek island of Crete and the north coast of Egypt on May 19. Sixty-six people were on board. A vast search operation was launched, finding debris and pieces of the plane's fuselage at the bottom of the Mediterranean, before the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were recovered last week. The Egypt-led investigative committee began examining the so-called black boxes on Saturday in the presence of representatives from France and the United States, where the engine was made, said Egypt's civil aviation authority. Both of the devices were damaged and had to be raised from the seabed in several stages, said the authority. Their memory units were removed at the civil aviation ministry's labs in Cairo and were undergoing testing, it said. The data on them is to be unloaded, before it is analysed in a procedure that is expected to last several weeks. If badly damaged, the black boxes would be sent abroad for repairs, otherwise the work could be done in Egypt, the authority has said. Investigators have said it is too early to determine what caused the plane to crash, although a terror attack has not been ruled out. France's aviation safety agency has said the aircraft transmitted automated messages indicating smoke in the cabin and a fault in the flight control unit minutes before it disappeared. On Monday, Egyptian investigators confirmed the aircraft had made a 90-degree left turn followed by a 360-degree turn to the right before hitting the sea. The passengers on the plane were 30 Egyptians, 15 French citizens, two Iraqis, two Canadians, and citizens from Algeria, Belgium, Britain, Chad, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. They included a boy and two babies. Seven crew and three security personnel were also on board. The crash came after the bombing of a Russian airliner over Egypt's restive Sinai Peninsula last October that killed all 224 people on board. http://www.france24.com/en/20160619-egypt-egyptian-investigators-accident-committee- analysing-egyptair-flight-recorders-usa-fra Back to Top Departing Spirit jet bumps into United airliner on MSP tarmac One commercial airliner bumped into another Sunday morning at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, an official said. The incident occurred about 6 a.m. when a Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 heading to Chicago was being backed away from the Concourse E gate and ran into a smaller United jetliner that was parked, said airport spokesman Patrick Hogan. Both planes were damaged, but no injuries were reported, Hogan said. The United Bombadier CRJ700 aircraft had no crew, airport employees or passengers on board, he said. A United spokeswoman said the plane was taken out of service for repairs. Flightaware.com, a commercial airlines tracking website, reports that the Spirit flight was canceled. Messages have been left with a Spirit spokesman for information about the incident. There were delays to other flights in connection with the mishap, one passenger at the airport reported. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. http://www.startribune.com/one-airliner-bumps-into-another-on-msp-tarmac/383553641/ Back to Top FLIGHT RETURNS TO IAH BECAUSE OF HEAT WAVE IN PHOENIX Flight diverted due to heat A Mesa airlines flight to Phoenix returned to Houston Sunday night over concerns regarding the temperature at Sky Harbor International Airport. PHOENIX, AZ -- A Phoenix-bound flight was forced to return to Houston this evening because of weather conditions in the Valley of the Sun. Passengers who were on the plane said the flight crew told them the record-breaking heat is to blame. United flight 6186 -- operated by Mesa Airlines -- departed from Bush Intercontinental Airport at 2:30pm and was minutes away from landing at Sky Harbor Airport when the flight crew notified passengers it would be turning back around because of the weather. Phoenix broke a hot-weather record set nearly 50 years ago on this date, hitting 117 degrees amid a heat wave boiling parts of the Southwest. It is illegal for planes to land or take off once the temperature hits 120 degrees because of the effects the heat have on airplane equipment. The company issued only the following statement regarding the incident: "United Express flight 6181 operated by Mesa Airlines, returned to Houston due to weather in Phoenix. Phoenix passengers will be accommodated on an extra flight that has been added for tomorrow morning." The National Weather Service says the high temperature surpassed the record for June 19 just before 1 p.m. Plus, meteorologist Mark O'Malley says there are still a few more hours to go before the temperature reaches its peak. Forecasters say some areas could see a high of up to 120. The previous record was 115 back in 1968. A strengthening ridge of high pressure lifting out of Mexico is on course to scorch portions of Arizona and southeast California on Sunday and Monday. http://abc13.com/weather/flight-returns-to-iah-because-of-heat-wave-in-phoenix/1391923/ Back to Top Germanwings, MH370 Tragedies Prompt FAA Scrutiny Of Pilots' Mental Fitness Last year's deliberate crash of a Germanwings flight, allegedly by a troubled pilot, weighs heavily on the mind of the FAA with this decision. (Photo via Twitter) Prompted by the tragedies of the Germanwings crash last year and the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in 2014, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is working with commercial airlines and pilots' unions to improve mental health evaluations, and encourage voluntary reporting of pilot mental health issues. In the case of the Germanwings incident, investigators believe a recent breakup led the pilot to lock the captain out of the cockpit and deliberate steer the plane into the side of the French Alps. An Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) comprised of aviation and medical experts has made several recommendations about pilot medical fitness. "Safety is always our first priority and this includes making sure our nation's commercial pilots undergo robust medical evaluations," U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx said in a statement. "The U.S. commercial aviation community is working together to make sure pilots are able to report, and be treated for, any mental health condition. We must be confident pilots are medically fit when they enter the cockpit." "U.S. commercial pilots undergo vigorous and regular medical screening," said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. "While some conditions automatically disqualify someone from flying, many pilots have treatable conditions. We need to do more to remove the stigma surrounding mental illness in the aviation industry so pilots are more likely to self-report, get treated, and return to work." Certain medical conditions, such as a psychosis, bipolar disorder and severe personality disorder automatically disqualify a pilot from obtaining an FAA medical certificate and prohibit them from flying. However, many pilots have conditions that are treatable. Several U.S. airlines already have reporting and monitoring programs that provide pilots with a path to report their condition, be treated for it and return to the cockpit once the FAA has determined - through a thorough evaluation - it is safe to do so. The FAA addresses the medical certificates of those pilots on a case-by-case basis. The FAA, airlines and pilots' unions considered the ARC's recommendations and agreed to these actions: * In January, the FAA began enhanced training for Aviation Medical Examiners so they can increase their knowledge on mental health and enhance their ability to identify warning signs. * Airlines and unions will expand the use of pilot assistance programs. The FAA will support the development of these programs over the next year. These programs will be incorporated in the airline's Safety Management Systems for identifying risk. * The FAA will work with airlines over the next year as they develop programs to reduce the stigma around mental health issues by increasing awareness and promoting resources to help resolve mental health problems. * The FAA will issue guidance to airlines to promote best practices about pilot support programs for mental health issues. * The FAA will ask the Aerospace Medical Association to consider addressing the issue of professional reporting responsibilities on a national basis and to present a resolution to the American Medical Association. Reporting requirements currently vary by state and by licensing and specialty boards. http://www.travelpulse.com/news/airlines/germanwings-mh370-tragedies-prompt-faa- scrutiny-of-pilots-mental-fitness.html Back to Top New Space-Based Navigation Prompts Opposition From Some U.S. Airlines * Carriers' ambivalence comes as Russia is set to take big step toward potentially embracing concept * Delta Air Lines Inc. Executive Chairman Richard Anderson complained about alleged pressure from lawmakers to embrace a space-based aircraft surveillance proposal from Aireon LLC: 'I think we ought to have a better practice in the industry of doing these things on the merits.' By ANDY PASZTOR ARLINGTON, Va.-Some big U.S. airlines are questioning the benefits of proposed next- generation satellite navigation over oceanic routes, even as Russia is about to take a big step toward potentially embracing the concept. The ambivalence of American carriers about the anticipated services was on display at an industry meeting here Friday, when a federally created advisory group launched a cost-benefit analysis of space-based aircraft surveillance slated to be provided in coming years by Aireon LLC. The closely held venture is controlled by Iridium Communications Inc. and a number of European air-traffic control providers. It promises to help airlines save time and fuel by taking more direct routes or adjusting aircraft speed and altitude, all based on traffic and weather conditions. The long-awaited service, called space-based ADS-B, has been closely watched by U.S. aerospace industry leaders as a potential major advance in navigation for routes crisscrossing the Atlantic, spanning parts of the Caribbean and connecting the West Coast and Hawaii. Controllers from the U.K., Ireland, Italy and Singapore already are signed up to use Aireon's system by 2018, with India, the U.S. and two other countries considering signing similar long- term contracts. Next week, representatives of Russia's air-traffic organization are expected to announce they also are mulling contracting with Aireon, according to an industry official familiar with the details. An eventual Russian agreement would encompass remote polar routes-covering more than one-tenth of the world's airspace-which are expected to become more widely used as ultra long-range flights proliferate. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration for years has worked closely with Aireon's management to understand technical details and ensure the ultimate satellite constellation will meet U.S. requirements. But on Friday, senior FAA and airline industry officials raised fundamental questions about the value of the proposition. Teri Bristol, chief executive of the FAA's air-traffic organization, told the group that agency officials are comfortable with the technology. But officials "have had a harder time," she said, justifying "the cost and the benefit case." Mike Whitaker, the agency's outgoing deputy administrator, said he also wanted the group to verify anticipated benefits because it is "incumbent on us to do our due diligence with all new proposed investments." Richard Anderson, head of the advisory group and executive chairman of Delta Air Lines Inc., complained about alleged pressure from lawmakers to embrace Aireon's proposal: "I think we ought to have a better practice in the industry of doing these things on the merits." In an interview, Don Thoma, Aireon's chief executive, said lawmakers have set aside funds for the FAA to evaluate the proposed services without ever demanding a positive decision or including any legislative language mandating final action favorable to the venture. Mr. Thoma said the services also carry safety benefits, adding that he welcomed the cost- benefit study because it would validate Aireon's assertions. The first next-generation Iridium satellites-carrying Aireon's technology-are slated to be launched from a Southern California Air Force base in September. http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-space-based-navigation-prompts-opposition-from-some-u- s-airlines-1466209140 Back to Top European Authorities Set Up Conflict-Zone Intelligence-Sharing System for Airlines EU move prompted by 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over UkrainePeople carry a stretcher past the debris of the downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 aircraft near Donetsk, Ukraine, in July 2014. European officials have created a formal intelligence-sharing network to warn the region's airlines about dangers of overflying various conflict zones. By ANDY PASZTOR European intelligence agencies and air-safety officials have created the first formal intelligence-sharing network to warn the region's airlines about dangers of overflying various conflict zones world-wide. The new system seeks to coordinate and update such threat assessments under the auspices of the European Union, and then quickly disseminate the information to European carriers, according to the region's top aviation safety official. Patrick Ky, executive director of the European Aviation Safety Agency, described the effort in an interview Thursday. He said the initiative, under discussion since late 2014, was approved days earlier by the EU's Council of Ministers. The goal, Mr. Ky said, is to ensure his agency can provide carriers with the best possible guidance about avoiding airspace where fighting on the ground poses potential hazards for commercial aircraft. The advisories won't be binding on airlines, but they are intended to offer the most comprehensive and timely assessment of such in-flight hazards covering parts of the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere. "Now we have the mechanism for the intelligence services" of EU countries to meet and come up with joint threat assessments about specific areas, Mr. Ky said. EASA is involved, he said, "because we are the ones who are asking the questions" about specific conflict zones, and then have the responsibility to consult with airlines before issuing public advisories. Procedures for emergency consultations also have been developed. "I am sure it will help" identify hot spots more rapidly, according to Mr. Ky, allowing EASA to move beyond its historic role of merely reacting when the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, for instance, issues its own airspace warnings. Big international carriers also conduct separate threat assessments-typically also using some nongovernmental security data-before deciding to maintain or shift flights over conflict zones. The European move was sparked by the July 2014 downing of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 jet by a Russian-built antiaircraft missile while cruising over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. Fallout from the incident prompted stepped-up efforts by international aviation authorities and European politicians to pinpoint conflict zones that ought to be deemed off-limits to airliners. Until now, intelligence experts from individual European governments conducted separate threat assessments of such dangers confronting airlines, and information sharing was largely informal. EASA felt it was hamstrung by the lack of coordination, and Mr. Ky pushed hard for procedural changes. Now, according to the EASA chief, a process has been put in place for Europe's intelligence community to reach consensus and speak with a unified voice when it comes to delineating threat levels covering any specific swath of airspace. The aviation arm of the United Nations previously set up its own information-sharing program dealing with conflict zones around the globe, but that doesn't have the benefit of close cooperation with intelligence agencies. Shortly after the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, EASA started looking for ways to work more closely with European military and intelligence personnel to share relevant security information. The move to expand EASA's traditional safety-oversight role initially created friction with some industry officials and EU politicians, but Mr. Ky suggested most of those issues have been resolved. http://www.wsj.com/articles/european-authorities-set-up-conflict-zone-intelligence-sharing- system-for-airlines-1466162759 Back to Top New service for reporting aviation safety occurrences (Europe) New service for reporting aviation safety occurrences The new service will make it easier for small organisations and individuals to report safety incidents. Credit: Eu, 2016 A new online service allows organisations and individuals to report aviation safety occurrences to aviation authorities. Developed by the JRC at the request of the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, and in collaboration with aviation authorities, it will inform industry and regulators about the potential risks and hence support their decision-making. The new service will complement the European Co-ordination Centre for Accident and Incident Reporting Systems (ECCAIRS) and shorten the process which is used to collect different formats of data and convert them into an occurrence report. This represents a major cost- efficiency gain for national authorities and improves the quality of data. Towards a more proactive air safety system While air transport remains one of the safest forms of travel, expected air traffic growth in the next decades - exceeding 2% per year - presents a significant challenge to the EU's efforts to prevent an increase in the number of air accidents. To date, the aviation safety system is mainly a reactive and prescriptive safety system - safety improvements essentially result from technological progress, compliance with prescriptive regulations and lessons learned from accidents. Additional actions are needed to avoid a rise in fatalities and accidents in the future. With this in view, the EU and Member States have started moving towards a more proactive, evidence-based, risk- and performance-oriented safety system. Such a system requires a systematic and continuous collection of safety information to ensure that any new hazards or risks are rapidly identified and mitigation actions implemented and revised if found to be ineffective. In addition, in a safety system where the EU and Member States are aiming to concentrate available resources on higher risks for a better efficiency of safety measures, safety information supports a risk-based oversight of regulated entities. The reporting, analysis and follow-up of occurrences is supported by a broader safety risk management process that helps to identify the main safety issues and risks. This process involves continuous dialogue and full engagement from all involved - the industry, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Member States - as part of routine safety management activity. This includes feedback and lessons learned to improve safety. European legislation (Regulation 376/2014) establishes a framework - across aviation domains and at different levels (industry, national and European) - for the comprehensive collection of safety occurrence data and its analysis. This approach covers the full spectrum of safety management activities, including the adoption and implementation of mitigation actions where relevant. The new service will make it easier for small organisations and individuals to report safety incidents. http://phys.org/news/2016-06-aviation-safety-occurrences.html#jCp Back to Top Zambia to get K70m EU support for aviation safety KALONDE NYATI, Lusaka - THE European Union (EU) is expected to pump about K70 million (€5.6 million) into Zambia's aviation sector to enhance air safety and security, head of delegation Alessandro Mariani has said. And Government says the lifting of the ban for Zambian-registered airlines from flying in the European skies will boost investments in the aviation industry and accelerate economic activity. Mr Mariani said the EU has started preparing the new programme of support to enhance air safety and security in Zambia to be financed from the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) allocation for Zambia.http://epaper.daily-mail.co.zm https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=69918 Back to Top Nigeria: Chequered History of Aviation Regulation By Chris Aligbe Civil Aviation regulation in Nigeria became the function of the National Government in the immediate post-colonial period. Nigeria had bought over the equities of Elder Dempstar and other stakeholders in West African Airways Corporation - WAAC following the withdrawal of Ghana in 1958 on accession to independence; it became imperative that the new nation put in place a regulatory system that will underpin Airline Operations in Nigeria in accordance with ICAO sets of Standard And Recommended Practices (SARP) issued in 1944/45. As at then, Aviation oversight and development functions were domiciled in the Civil Aviation Department of the Federal Ministry of Aviation headed Dr. Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe. It was a self-regulatory regime that lasted for almost three decades. In 1988 a seminar was held for the purpose of developing an Aviation Policy for the country. One of the recommendations that was accepted was the need to create a statutory regulatory agency under the Federal Ministry of Aviation which will be charged with safety and economic regulation of the aviation sector as well as partly handle the provision of Air Traffic Services. Following this, by the last quarter of 1989, a new Agency called "Federal Civil Aviation Authority" (FCAA) was created to carry out the Industry Oversight and regulation with Air Cdr Falope, a retired Air Force Officer as its first Chief Executive. With Falope, were younger industry professionals like Agbabiaka, Obadofin and Demuren. The FCAA, from onset, began earnestly to build a foundation that would host a sound regulatory system in keeping with ICAO SARP. Manpower Development based on training and exposure was a major component in the efforts of the new management. In spite of the efforts to build this system, the whole idea of regulatory independence was an anathema to the Government as the Minister/Ministry still exercised a tight control over the Authority even on safety issues, let alone Economic ones which of course, as at that time, were undeveloped. Critical safety and Airworthiness decisions and approvals, requiring inspection by professionals before being arrived at, were taken and given by Ministers without recourse to the relevant desk officers in FCAA for input or advice. This unfortunate situation hallmarked the regulatory regimes between 1990 to 2006 straddling periods of military and democratic dispensations. Over this sixteen-year period, we saw three transformations of the regulatory Authority from FCAA (Federal Civil Aviation Authority 1989-1995) to DSRAM and DERAM (Directorate of Safety Regulations And Monitoring and Directorate of Economic Regulation and Monitoring 1995-1999) respectively and finally to an NCAA (Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority) whose framework was somewhat weak, incomprehensive and, ipso facto, limited in mandate. In the record of each period, can be found many cases of ministerial inferences in safety regulation. These include the following classic cases: In 1991, the then Minister of Aviation allegedly at the foyer of Hyatt Regency in Jeddah stunned FCAA CEO the Director of Airworthiness and Standard, when he told them that he had given clearance to Hold Trade Airline, one of Nigerian's Hajj Operators, to use a Canadian registered DC8 for Hajj operations. The FCAA CEO was said to have raised issues of FCAA having not certified the airworthiness of the aircraft but got the retort "what other certification do you require"? That aircraft during that operation lost its tyres on take-off, retracted its bare hot nose wheel into its hole close to a hydraulic laden compartment, thus igniting fire. By now, it was airborne and passengers were reportedly falling out of the aircraft and in seconds, the aircraft turned into a flying inferno before crashing, killing all the 262 pilgrims and the crew. In the period between 1995 and 2006, there were at least 26 extensions of overdue maintenance, and reversal, by external forces, of groundings due to safety concerns by NCAA. Two classic cases of this period include: The issuance of an AOC by NCAA to a non-existent airline called 'Air Nigeria' in response to ministerial directive in 2002. This never-heard-of-before professional goof was condemned by ICAO. The next was the Presidential pronouncement grounding operations of Sososliso and Chanchangi in the aftermath of the Sosoliso, Bellview and ADC fatal crashes of 2005/2006. The President's action was, acceptably politically expedient but technically incompetent and an unwarranted interference in safety regulation. The regulatory function suffered one of its greatest violence in 1995 when the then Minister of Aviation, a serving air force officer, Air Cdr. Nsikak Eduok, stunned aviation stakeholders with his reform. Eduok said that he had carried out global studies and consultations which convinced him that the concept of "Autonomous Airport System" was the best for Nigeria. To achieve this new fangled nebulous concept, the Minister wound up the young FCAA, transferred its airspace management schedule to the then NAA (Nigeria Airport Authority), which he re-christened FAAN (Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria). In the place of the two regulatory arms of FCAA: Safety and Economic, Eduok created two Directorates - DSRAM and DERAM, which he put directly in the Ministry of Aviation. Thus, Eduok's reform took the industry ten years back to the dying days of the post-colonial regulatory period. This reform which we have code-named "Eduokian Legacy" has remained the most regressive step in the annals of our civil aviation regulation development. More so, as an analysis of Eduok's reform clearly indicate, the Minister did not seem to have a clear grasp of his reform as can be seen in the appointments he made as well as the unclear structure and profiles of the critical planks of his "Autonomous Airport System". One visible evidence of this position is that, having fired Agbabiaka, Demuren and their colleagues, then outstanding regulators, he transferred one of the most experienced airport managers of the time, Engineer Mamman, then MD of NAA, to DSRAM, which fundamentally dealt with safety oversight, worthiness certification, issuance of AOC and licensing, among other things. Mamman had neither training, exposure nor experience in the above functions. And because there is no relationship between his background and distinguished career in airport management, on the one hand, and regulatory schedule, on the other hand, he could therefore not validly extrapolate his widely accepted competence in airport management to safety regulation and monitoring. So, try as much as he did, the regulatory profile of Nigeria in the Aviation Sector began to show a steep decline. Competences receded at an alarming rate. The UK aeronautical authorities banned certain operations from Nigeria which affected Nigeria Airways and a private cargo airline on account of airworthiness and poor regulatory oversight. Also, throughout this period, the International Federation of Airline Pilots Association (IFALPA) at various forums declared the Nigerian airspace unsafe. All these constituted the profile of Nigeria's aviation regulation dating from Eduok's reform of 1995 to 1999. It is a fact that though in 1999, the then Minister of Aviation, Capt. Benoni Briggs had recreated, in his reform, a new Civil Aviation Authority - the NCAA along with an Airspace Management Agency - NAMA; the rot and decadence which Eduok's reform set in motion continued to dog the industry and, as industry analysts opine, is the remote cause that culminated in the devastating air crashes of 2005/2006 of ADC, Sosoliso and Bellview, in which over 400 lives were lost. In fact, the AIB final reports on ADC and Bellview seem largely to give credence to this industry opinion. A rare loophole lets accredited investors join top VCs in this company The Capt. Briggs reform that recreated NCAA and NAMA became the nucleus of a new regulatory body. However, it must be noted that the 1999 Act was quite inadequate to police, drive the development and advance regulatory practices. It needed extensive rejigging and ramping. It needed freedom from ministerial interference in technical matters. It needed stability in management and indeed some teeth to bite. It needed flexibility of a sort to be able to address emerging trends and to be able to align and conform to new global standards as set by ICAO. These were the challenges Demuren faced when, in 2006, in response to the mournful mood of a beleaguered nation that just lost over 400 lives in three air crashes; he was appointed as the new helmsman at NCAA; thus replacing Engr. Fidelis Onyeyiri. With a mission, with a passion and a sense of history of our ignoble past as well as a commitment to irreversibly reverse our unedifying profile, Dr. Demuren began his tenure by deftly attacking the underbelly of the problem which of course was the weak regulatory framework encapsulated in the NCAA Act of 1999 which contained so many lacunas that allowed interference of all sorts even on vital safety issues. By 2006, Demuren's administration succeeded, with like-minded patriotic legislators and stakeholders, in getting the new "Civil Aviation Act" 2006 enacted. Armed with this Act, Demuren applied himself to building a new regulatory system that would launch Nigeria back into a global reckoning. This, to a far-reaching extent, he did by galvanizing the industry, using all professional and technical competences drawn from within and, largely from outside NCAA. Demuren stayed in NCAA for six years from 2006 to 2012 and within the period, Nigeria attained FAA Category 1 and passed ICAO Safety Audit. For five of the six years, the industry was accident-free and Nigeria came under reckoning when Demuren's-led NCAA was asked to help some other African States grow strong regulatory system akin to NCAA. With this and other achievements, Nigeria attained a peak that put it on global reckoning. Both US and UK gave up their reservations on Nigeria's unedifying aviation safety status while IFALPA no longer considered Nigeria's airspace unsafe. Rather, pilots now accepted and applauded the milestones achieved. When Demuren exited in 2013, he left behind a legacy of resoluteness that resisted interference from political quarters, though we are still far away from the Eldorado as subsequent events and the DANA crash would reveal. When Demuren left, Capt. Fola Akinkotun, a pilot and a trainer of aviation professionals, managing one of Nigeria's two Aviation training institutions based in Ilorin, was named the DG designate. For about six months, Akinkotun's appointment was on hold by the Senate which had the responsibility to screen and confirm his appointment. This period created a field day for intrigues, inordinate ambition, marauding spin doctors and busy bodies canvassing self- directed interests. Eventually, this harrowing period was over for Akinkotun as he received his Senate confirmation in the third quarter of 2013. Unfortunately, Akinkotun suffered severe emotional violence and indubitable injustice when, for no valid reason, he was booted out at the time he was just about settling into his job. He therefore was allowed no time for any foot- print. It was sad for the industry for many reasons. In place of Akinkotun, Capt. Murtar Usman, a pilot with a handful of professional certificates and extensive acquitted background in accident investigation was named DG designate in the first quarter of 2014. Like Akinkotun, Usman's appointment was held down, this time not by the Senate but by forces within the Presidency that sought to reverse the removal of Akinkotun. This attempt created such bad blood among political gladiators involving two executive governors, two ministers and two top and influential political appointees within the Presidency in a Nollywood-type battle royale that left the President in a quagmire. To reverse Akinkotun's removal would have meant meting out the same emotional violence and injustice to Usman who was transferred from his CEO position in AIB to run NCAA. Again, spin doctors went to work and some industry stakeholders canvassed self interest with intrigues at play. For close to eight months, Usman waited for his letter to be transmitted to the Senate for his screening and confirmation. While this waiting game was going on, another Acting DG, Engr Ben Adeyileka held sway for almost 7months. So, between Demuren's exit in the first quarter of 2013 and Usman's assumption of duty in the last quarter of 2014, for a period of almost 18months, NCAA was run on the one hand, by two Acting DGs - Joyce Nkemakolam and Ben Adeyileka, whose mandates were not only limited, but had no legal status and, in consequence, unknown to the Act setting up NCAA and on the other hand, a DG, Akinkotu who was unfortunately not given a chance to perform. The result was that a decline in performance set in as enforcement and compliance became loose, complacency set in, waivers and extensions became prevalent and the devastating impact of "outside managers" assumed a dimension that brought back memories of varied pains that hallmarked the pre-2006 era. The air crashes and incidents of post-Demuren and pre-Usman period all bear testimony to the regulatory decline from Demuren's ridge into the lower trough section in our undulating regulatory performance. These were the challenges that confronted Usman on assumption of duty as DG. Armed with his knowledge of how airlines fly below NCAA regulatory radar, having successfully directed and overseen the investigation of airline accidents in Nigeria, particularly Bellview and ADC accidents, both of which he completed during his tenure as AIB Commissioner/CEO, Usman quietly upped the ante in inspection and safety oversight, pushed up enforcement, all of which heightened compliance by airline operators. Recalcitrant operators faced sanctions and over N60million has accrued from sanctions. Now airlines know that it is no longer business as usual as there is no hiding place for malpractices. Airline operation is today safer than yesterday and one can comfortably say that our regulatory profile has now moved away and up from the lower trough of 2012/2014 to another ridge in the undulating performance landscape of our aviation regulation. The successes recorded in ICAO and FAA Audits of 2015 and 2016 respectively are testimonies. In spite of this achievement, it is still not uhuru and it will not be uhuru until the tremendous challenges of training and retraining as well as staff welfare thrown up by new government policies such as TSA and Government ban on foreign training are addressed. It will not be uhuru until the increasing challenges of consumer protection and economic regulation are brought to their minimum with capacitation of relevant personnel. In spite of the challenges, it is irrefragable that NCAA is stronger and more effective in its regulatory function today than yesterday. Aligbe, Aviation Consultant, wrote in from Lagos http://allafrica.com/stories/201606200535.html Back to Top Rwanda: Egyptian Aviation Academy Expresses Interest in Rwanda By Leonard Tuyisenge The Egyptian Aviation Academy (EAA) has expressed interest in opening a branch in Rwanda in order to assist the region whenever necessary. This was revealed this week when Rwanda's Ambassador to Egypt, Sheikh Saleh Habimana, visited the academy. He was accompanied by his Egyptian counterpart, Namira Negm to assess how the school can start enrolling Rwandan nationals and held talks with the Director of the Academy, Captain Elias Sadek, and other personalities. In an interview with the New Times, Ambassador Habimana said that the aim of his visit was to devise ways and means in which the two countries could work together to ensure that Rwandans start training at the academy. He said the school was very advanced technologically and was ready to consider admitting Rwandan students, as soon as the two countries come to a mutual agreement. Saleh added that EAA was ready to forge a partnership with the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority. Some of the training courses offered by the Academy are: Private Pilot License (PPL), Commercial Pilot License (CPL,Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL), Flight Instructor Course, Evaluation for approval, Multi Crew Pilot License (MPL)- under development, Aviation Management/Op. Others are: Airport Engineering/Mang./Ops, Aircraft Maintenance, Radio Maintenance, Airline Management./Ops , Aviation English, Aviation Medicine and Aviation Regulations. http://allafrica.com/stories/201606200229.html Back to Top FAA expected to announce rules for commercial drones this week A Rakuten delivery drone to be used on a Japanese golf course is seen in a promotional video from the company. Credit: Rakuten The rules may disappoint some proposed commercial operations like those of Amazon.com The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is expected to announce this week rules for the commercial use of drones, but the new regulations will limit their flights to daytime and to within the line of sight of operators. The specifics of the rules, which will allow drones weighing about 50 pounds, could come as soon as Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reported, quoting industry officials. But they are unlikely to please some proposed commercial operations of drones, which would like the aircraft to be allowed to operate at nights and outside the operator's line of sight. The FAA had proposed in February last year draft rules, which would allow commercial drones, also known as unmanned aircraft systems, to operate, though under restrictions such as a maximum weight of 55 pounds (25 kilograms), flight altitude of a maximum of 500 feet (152 meters) above ground level, and rules that limit flights to daylight and to the visual line of sight of the operators. FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said in January that the much-delayed rules would be finalized by late spring. "By late spring, we plan to finalize Part 107, our small UAS rule, which will allow for routine commercial drone operations," Huerta said at an event in May, reiterating the proposed timeline. But Amazon.com told the FAA last year that the rules as proposed would not allow its Prime Air package delivery service to take off. Pointing out that its drones require minimal human intervention, Amazon recommended that the rules "specifically permit the operation of multiple small UAS by a single UAS operator when demonstrated that this can be done safely." Perhaps recognizing that its rules need to evolve quickly with regard to the rapidly changing technology, FAA said in May it was setting up a long-term advisory committee, led by Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, to guide it on the integration of unmanned aircraft systems in the national airspace. The FAA has already been permitting as exemptions some experimental uses of drones. There have been concerns that the unfettered use of drones, particularly by hobbyists could have safety implications after reports that some of these drones were found flying close to aircraft. Some civil rights groups and legislators have also raised privacy concerns about the use of drones, including by businesses. The National Telecommunications & Information Administration released in May a list of voluntary best practices on personal data collections by drones that it said were arrived at in consensus by drone organizations and companies like Amazon and Google's parent Alphabet. New safety rules in the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016, passed by the U.S. Senate in April, propose a pilot program to develop and test technologies to intercept or shut down drones when they are near airports. To avoid conflict between the variety of laws enacted by the states and federal regulations on drones, the bill has proposed that the FAA rules on drones get preemption over local and state laws. But some legislators are expected to oppose the rule that will prevent the states from making laws on drones as the bill goes to the U.S. House of Representatives. http://www.cio.com/article/3085476/faa-expected-to-announce-rules-for-commercial-drones- this-week.html Back to Top India Allows Foreign Investors to Buy 100% of Local Airlines India will allow foreign entities such as funds and portfolio investors to fully own local airlines, raising from an earlier cap of 49 percent, in a bid to lure investment into Asia's third-biggest economy. Shares of InterGlobe Aviation Ltd., Jet Airways India Ltd. and SpiceJet Ltd. rallied. Foreign investment limits in commercial airlines will be increased to 100 percent, with anything above 49 percent needing approvals, the government said in a statement on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration, however, decided to keep the restrictions on foreign airlines' stake in local operators at 49 percent. The rule changes follow days after Modi unveiled a new aviation policy that made it easier for domestic operators to fly abroad. Although the revamp won't allow Singapore Airlines Ltd. or AirAsia Bhd. or Etihad Airways PJSC to raise their stakes in local ventures beyond 49 percent, they can still join hands with overseas investors to set up a fully foreign-owned airline, said Amber Dubey, a consultant at KPMG. "The government plans to go for a massive improvement in India's global and domestic connectivity, affordability and ease of doing business," said Dubey. "Indian carriers can look for enhanced valuations in case they wish to raise funds or go for partial or complete divestment. We may see its positive impact over the next six to 12 months." IndiGo, operated by InterGlobe, rallied 6.3 percent, the biggest gain since April 4, while SpiceJet jumped 7.5 percent. Jet Airways, 24 percent owned by Etihad, surged 7 percent, the most in more than four months. The government also raised investment limits on investment in existing airports as well as defense. The cap on investment in so-called 'brownfield projects' has been increased to 100 percent from 74 percent, without the need for approvals, according to the statement. The government also allowed foreign investment beyond 49 percent in defense, subject to approval in cases that help bring in "modern technology," according to the statement. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-20/india-allows-100-foreign-ownership-in- local-airline-companies Back to Top The U.S. Pilot Shortage Continues to Rear Its Ugly Head American Airlines is paying bigger bonuses than ever to recruit new pilots for its regional affiliates. Delta Air Lines and United Continental are going in a different direction. Adam Levine-Weinberg (TMFGemHunter) Jun 18, 2016 at 9:50AM Today, it is more expensive than ever to train for a career as an airline pilot. At the same time, major airlines are about to be hit with a flood of pilot retirements as pilots reach the federally mandated retirement age of 65. To make matters worse, starting pay at regional airlines -- where most new pilots break into the industry -- remains quite low. Over the past few years, this has resulted in a growing pilot shortage. The pilot shortage has already claimed several victims, most notably Republic Airways -- the second-largest regional airline in the U.S. -- which was forced into bankruptcy earlier this year. REGIONAL AIRLINES HAVE HAD TROUBLE RECRUITING ENOUGH PILOTS RECENTLY. IMAGE SOURCE: THE MOTLEY FOOL. Last week, American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL) returned to a tried-and-true strategy to scrounge up more pilots for its regional carriers: big signing bonuses. Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) and United Continental (NYSE:UAL) are taking a different approach, though. They are trying to reduce regional flying as much as possible. Bigger bonuses than ever In the past few years, as regional airlines have had more trouble recruiting new pilots, most have turned to signing bonuses to meet their hiring quotas. For example, in early 2015, nearly every regional airline was offering a signing bonus of at least $7,500, with many offering $10,000-$12,000. American Airlines is now upping the ante at its three wholly owned regional airlines: Envoy, Piedmont Airlines, and PSA Airlines. Last Monday, all three announced enhanced pilot signing bonuses. They will now pay $15,000 to new hires. PSA and Piedmont are also offering $5,000 referral bonuses to current pilots who recruit new pilots for the company. Envoy, PSA, and Piedmont also emphasize that they offer a direct pathway to becoming a pilot at American Airlines -- where pay rates are much higher. They have also rolled out retention bonuses of up to $20,000 to give current first officers an added incentive to stick around. AMERICAN AIRLINES HAS RAISED ITS SIGNING BONUSES FOR REGIONAL AIRLINE PILOTS. IMAGE SOURCE: REPUBLIC AIRWAYS. American's regional affiliates are spending freely on bonuses because they have to recruit pilots to support planned growth in addition to replacing those who leave (or move up to the mainline carrier). American Airlines currently plans to increase its regional fleet by 26 airplanes this year, including third-party regional airlines it contracts with. It grew its regional fleet at a similar rate last year, with its wholly owned regional carriers supplying the growth. Delta and United go in a different direction Delta Air Lines and United Continental have adopted a radically different strategy to address the growing pilot shortage. They are simply reducing the size of their regional fleets on a permanent basis. Delta was quick to recognize the looming pilot crisis a few years ago. It started adding smaller 110-seat aircraft to its mainline fleet in 2013 while retiring most of the 50-seat jets in its regional fleet. Delta is continuing down this path, having ordered 75 CS100 jets in late April. These jets, which will also hold about 110 seats, will allow Delta to continue retiring 50-seat jets over the next few years. Meanwhile, United Continental has also been snapping up small mainline jets this year. It's part of a new plan for the company to shrink its 50-seat regional jet fleet to fewer than 100 planes by the end of 2019, down from more than 250 at the beginning of this year. Of course, Delta Air Lines and United Continental will have to increase their mainline hiring to staff these new jets in addition to replacing retiring pilots. However, since they offer much better pay than regional airlines (and also compared to most low-cost carriers), they will have no trouble filling their open pilot positions for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, a small mainline jet requires two pilots, just like a 50-seat regional jet. The move toward fewer departures on larger planes reduces the industry's pilot hiring needs, making the pilot shortage a little less severe. Delta and United are reducing their risk The approach taken by Delta and United seems more prudent than the route American Airlines is taking. By proactively reducing their regional fleets, they will be better able to handle any worsening of the pilot shortage. There are certainly advantages to American Airlines' approach. With a big regional fleet, it can offer frequent flights to its hubs, even in relatively small cities. However, if the regional airline pilot pipeline dries up in the next few years, American could be forced to change its fleet plan in a big hurry. 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The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/06/18/the-us-pilot-shortage-continues-to-rear-its-ugly- h.aspx Back to Top India inducts first three female fighter pilots The Sukhoi Su-30MKI, developed by Russia for the Indian Air Force, is among the fighter jets that three women from India will be trained on. File photo courtesy of Indian Air Force. NEW DELHI, June 19 (UPI) -- The Indian Air Force has commissioned its first three female fighter pilots. The three women in their early 20s -- Mohana Singh, Bhawana Kanth and Avani Chaturvedi -- were inducted in the fighter stream of the air force Saturday at a parade in Hyderabad. In February, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee announced that women will be allowed in all armed forces in the nation. India's air force includes 1.2 million. One-hundred women are among the air force's 1,500 pilots, but they previously served only in helicopter and transport units. The three women, who already have 150 hours of flying, will be trained at Bidar or Kalaikunda airbase for one year on Hawk advanced trainer jets before switching to warplanes that include Sukhoi-30MKIs and Mirage-2000s. The Indian air force said induction is on an "experimental basis" over five years but noted it's a "progressive step in keeping with the aspirations of Indian women and in line with contemporary trends in armed forces of developed nations." "So the point is: Is putting women in combat in harm's way that has to be accepted by society," former air vice marshal Manmohan Bahadur with the Center for Air Power Studies in New Delhi told Voice of America India. "It has happened now. In other countries it has happened earlier." http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2016/06/19/India-inducts-first-three-female- fighter-pilots/5741466365999/ Back to Top ERAU hosts national air race for female pilots starting Tuesday Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University race team members, from left, Emmy Dillon, Abbie Pasmore, Debbie Schaum, Sarah Wendt and Sojung An will compete this week in the 40th annual Air Race Classic. Photo courtesy of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Come the end of the week, the skies unraveling westward will awake to more than 50 tiny planes as they descend into Daytona Beach after soaring cross country in a four-day trek. The flurry of planes will be manned by 55 teams of female pilots competing in the 40th annual Air Race Classic - a race between Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Prescott, Ariz., and Daytona Beach campuses as the university plays host while celebrating its own 90-year anniversary. "I think this is huge for the university," said Karen Holbrook, interim president of ERAU. "It provides us an opportunity to be engaged in something that's very important all across the nation that has long-term visibility." The ARC, organized by Air Race Classic, a nonprofit that champions women in the skies, whisks planes 2,720 miles over 12 states and a range of terrains including the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains. Teams, vying for a grand prize of $5,000, two Bose headsets and Abingdon watches, must strategize to sail through daytime skies at optimal altitudes, considering factors like temperature, weather patterns and winds as they soar along. This year's race, themed "The Collegiate Cross Country," will trace a route along colleges and universities known for their aviation programs with several checkpoints where teams fly low to the ground to be timed and can stop to refuel and re-energize with food and beverages. The aviatrixes who land on Daytona Beach soil first aren't necessarily the winners. Rather, the victors are determined through a "handicap" system in which each plane is assigned a unique handicap speed, allowing the different makes and models of contending planes to compete on a level playing field. The team that bests its handicap by the biggest margin ascends to first place. The aviation marathon, running Tuesday through Friday, draws a crossbreed of female aviators. This year's lineup of 130 pilots includes women from across the country - some high school students, others veteran fliers now in their 80s, and others from ERAU's own supply of pilots. Two teams composed of ERAU student pilots, alumni and flight instructors will take to the skies in addition to a team of faculty members. "Riddle Racer Gold" will be anchored by Emmy Dillon, who is graduating from ERAU in December, and Abbie Pasmore, an ERAU graduate and flight instructor currently pursuing a master's degree. "Riddle Racer Blue" will be operated by Sarah Wendt, an ERAU flight instructor who is chasing her second bachelor's degree from the school, and Sojung An, who graduated from ERAU in May. ERAU's competing faculty, copilots Naiara Petralanda and Virginie Rollin, have formed Team Bernoulli and are the first faculty team to compete in the race. Technically, the three are racing against each other. "But we have the same support system and we do help each other out," said Pasmore, now entering her second ARC event. PREPARING FOR TAKEOFF Cascading over the Rocky Mountains in a four-seater plane will give rise to a fleet of challenges. Topping them is turbulence, ERAU's pilots said. "You feel like a beanbag or like a hacky sack being tossed around," Dillon said of trying to steer a 2,000-pound Cessna Skyhawk through the unpredictability of weather and winds. "As annoying as the turbulence can be," the second-time ARC competitor added, "I just think we try our very best to push it out of our heads and do what we need to do to keep going with the race." A second challenge comes with the heat as ERAU pilots zip through the atmosphere without the comfort of air conditioning. "We sweat a lot in the plane, and so you've got to make sure you stay hydrated, but not too hydrated," said Wendt, noting that it's not easy to pull over at a rest area when road tripping through the skies. Since being selected by ERAU to perform in the ARC, the pilots have poured hours into studying and planning, assessing how weather patterns and terrain patterns interact and what kind of safety measures are essential for mountain flying. Once in the air on Tuesday, the teams won't complete their journeys entirely alone. On the ground, Debbie Schaum, associate professor of meteorology at ERAU, will station a cohort of 12 students on campus to provide weather support to the racers. For more than two decades, Schaum has structured a meteorology class around the annual race, using it as a runway to teach students and pilots-in-training about climatology, weather patterns, and sunrise and sunset times for different locations. "This race is all about using weather to your advantage and minimizing the hazards," she said. For the aviation community, the race is also about showcasing the cockpit as a career destination for both boys and girls, Pasmore said. "If it can be more of a level playing field and the guys understand that the girls can be good pilots, too," she said. "It educates everyone to know that we're all on the same playing field and equal." http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20160619/NEWS/160619457 Back to Top ARGUS Charter Operator Flash Survey Dear Air Charter Operators, We are asking for your help in collecting some quick metrics to assess revenue vs. non- revenue flight activity within the charter industry. This is a very short one-question survey that will take less than a minute of your time! Survey Link: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07ecqh07moiomz0q4d/start Back to Top PhD Research Survey (I) Cranfield University Research: Do you or have you worked in aerospace design, manufacturing, or test engineering? My name is Steve Daniels, PhD researcher at Cranfield University, and ground crew for Lightning T-5 XS458. As part of my PhD, I am investigating how many aircraft design professionals have had some form of flying experience, and what effect this may have. If you currently work, or have previously worked in aerospace design, manufacturing, or test engineering (e.g: Conceptual Design, Aerospace Engineering Consultancy, Structural Engineering, Systems/Sub-Assembly Engineering, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Tooling Design, Flight Testing) I'd be grateful if you could spare some time to complete the survey by following the link below. If you know of anyone working in these areas who might also be interested, please share the link: https://cranfielduniversity.eu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_82LinCFK4OdpEJn This research has been approved by the University's ethics committee, and will not record sensitive personal or commercial data. If you have any queries or comments, I welcome any contact at - s.daniels@cranfield.ac.uk Back to Top PhD Research Survey (II) Survey Link: https://cranfielduniversity.eu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_d4IlfWhuMW3RgRn Curt Lewis