Flight Safety Information July 1, 2016 - No. 129 In This Issue IL-76 aircraft with 10 people aboard disappears in Russia Kamyshinskaya Airlines (AN-2) Accident (Russia) North Carolina Flight Has Rough Landing at Florida Airport EgyptAir Flight Data Indicates Smoke Present In Cabin Of Doomed Plane 'High-Temperature Damage' Found On EgyptAir Wreckage GlobalAir.com Aviation Scholarship Now Open for Applications Industry pushes for reform of Civil Aviation Safety Authority (Australia) Inmarsat's SBB-Safety selected by Airbus Investigation launched into Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 fire Airline pilots seek to halt Norwegian Air's flight bid after Brexit GE Wins Shot at Voiding Pratt Patent in Jet-Engine Clash A pilot's dozen: British Airways adds 12th A380 to its fleet Boeing to Develop new Midsized Aircraft Bridgewater State's Aviation Program Flying High with Agreement with Cape Air Nigeria To Acquire Super Mushshak Aircraft From Pakistan What China's Really Doing Up In Space Today in History - Midair Collision (July 1, 2002) IL-76 aircraft with 10 people aboard disappears in Russia An Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft flies during military training on Northern navy on March 16, 2015 in Murmansk, Russia. (GettyImages Photo) Military plane was used by Russian Emergencies Ministry to extinguish wildfire A Russian IL -76 with ten people on board has gone missing in the country's Irkutsk region. The military aircraft, designed for carrying cargo, was used to put out a forest fire, Russian Emergencies Ministry reports. Read also: Two Russian pilots die in chopper crash in Syria The institution provides no preliminary information on the potential reasons of the incident. It is stated, all the persons on the plane are the members of the crew. Russia has organized a search operation in the area of the presumed disappearance. "7 aircraft (5 planes and 2 helicopters) have been dispatched for search operation, as well as ground team of the Baikal Search and Rescue unit and rescue and recovery service of Irkutsk Region", the officials said. Read also: Helicopter crashes in Vladimir region in central Russia IL-76, created in 1974, is considered the most popular heavy cargo aircraft in the Russian Federation. Around a thousand planes of this model has been created in Russia in the past 40 years. Approximately 70 of them were lost overall, a third of that number was destroyed in military operations. http://uatoday.tv/news/il-76-aircraft-with-10-people-aboard-disappears-in-russia- 684150.html Back to Top Kamyshinskaya Airlines (AN-2) Accident (Russia) Status: Preliminary Date: Thursday 30 June 2016 Time: 07:30 MSK Type: Antonov 2R Operator: Kamyshinskaya Airlines Registration: RA-33462 C/n / msn: 1G228-12 First flight: 1987 Crew: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: 2 km (1.3 mls) from Novopokrovskoye, Balashovsky District ( Russia) Phase: Maneuvering (MNV) Nature: Agricultural Departure airport: ? Destination airport: ? Narrative: An Antonov 2 biplane was destroyed in an accident near Novopokrovskoye, Russia. Both pilots were killed. The aircraft impacted terrain during an aerial application flight. A fire developed, which consumed the aircraft. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20160630-0 Back to Top North Carolina Flight Has Rough Landing at Florida Airport An American Airlines flight from North Carolina had a rough landing at a Florida airport. Airline spokesman Ross Feinstein says Flight 2043 experienced a mechanical issue with its landing gear upon landing late Thursday at Palm Beach International Airport. Feinstein says the Airbus A319 landed safely but had to be towed off the tarmac. Brad Heisle of Boynton Beach tells WPTV (http://bit.ly/29ahJ6E) he heard a loud boom and the plane "started shaking like crazy" when it landed. The flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, carried 118 passengers and six crew members. Feinstein says no injuries were reported and the passengers were bused to the airport from the tarmac. Feinstein says the airline took the aircraft out of service and canceled a 6 a.m. flight Friday from West Palm Beach to Philadelphia. http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/north-caroline-flight-rough-landing-florida-airport- 40272605 Back to Top EgyptAir Flight Data Indicates Smoke Present In Cabin Of Doomed Plane Map showing the path of EgyptAir flight 804 Egyptian investigators say there was smoke on board the EgyptAir plane that went down on May 19, killing all 66 people aboard. Investigators were able to successfully download information from the flight data recorder, and they say preliminary information shows that it was able to record the entirety of the flight. They hope the data on the two recorders - recovered from the sea two weeks ago - will shed some light on the cause of the crash, which remains a mystery. So far, there have been no claims of responsibility for bringing down EgyptAir Flight 804, and no distress call was made from the plane. As NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports, "Automated electronic messages sent by the plane just minutes before it disappeared showed that smoke detectors went off in a toilet and in the avionics section below the cockpit." A statement from the Egyptian investigators says the new information from the flight recorder is consistent with these Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System messages. They were first published by The Aviation Herald: "00:26Z 3044 ANTI ICE R WINDOW 00:26Z 561200 R SLIDING WINDOW SENSOR 00:26Z 2600 SMOKE LAVATORY SMOKE 00:27Z 2600 AVIONICS SMOKE 00:28Z 561100 R FIXED WINDOW SENSOR 00:29Z 2200 AUTO FLT FCU 2 FAULT 00:29Z 2700 F/CTL SEC 3 FAULT no further ACARS messages were received" As Eleanor reports, "The voice and flight data recorders, often referred to as the 'black boxes,' were recovered from a depth of about 10,000 feet in the Mediterranean Sea." She adds that the cockpit voice recorder is still being repaired in Paris. The investigators also say that some of the recovered wreckage from the front of the plane "showed signs of high temperature damage and soot." They say they are working to "try to identify the source and reason for those signs." The search continues for remains of the passengers. As we have reported, the plane disappeared from radar over the Mediterranean while flying at an altitude of 37,000 feet. On Monday, France opened a manslaughter inquiry into the crash, "but said there is no evidence so far to link the crash to terrorism," as The Associated Press reported. http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/30/484147759/egyptair-flight-data- indicates-smoke-present-in-cabin-of-doomed-plane Back to Top 'High-Temperature Damage' Found On EgyptAir Wreckage Egyptian investigators said some parts from the front section of EgyptAir Flight MS 804 "showed signs of high-temperature damage and soot" after they were recovered from the Mediterranean seabed. The finding adds credence to pre-crash telemetered Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) messages indicating smoke in a lavatory and in the AirbusA320's avionics bay. The ACARS messages were confirmed in recovered flight data recorder (FDR) information from the aircraft. Investigators have successfully downloaded all 1,200 parameters recorded by the FDR for the duration of the May 19 Paris-Cairo flight, which ended north of Egypt's coastline. The recording stopped at the aircraft's cruising altitude of 37,000 ft., consistent with the point when the aircraft's Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system also stopped sending position data to ground stations. Officials continue to repair the cockpit voice recorder's memory module at the French aviation safety agency's laboratory. Meanwhile, recovery of aircraft parts and human remains continues at the crash site. www.aviationweek.com Back to Top GlobalAir.com Aviation Scholarship Now Open for Applications June 30, 2016 - GlobalAir.com is pleased to announce the opening for application submissions for the GlobalAir.com Calvin L. Carrithers Aviation Scholarship. The scholarship is offered to all students who are U.S. Citizens and currently enrolled in an accredited university or college aviation program for the 2016-2017 school year. Students from around the United States have benefited from the Calvin L. Carrithers Aviation Scholarship Program after its successful launch in 2014. In 2015-2016, students from University of North Dakota, Florida Institute of Technology and Eastern Kentucky University were chosen as recipients. Annually, four students are awarded $1,000 scholarships that pay $250, twice a semester. As a part of the scholarship, students must share their flight training or aviation management experiences by writing weekly bogs to help inspire the next generation of aviation professionals. Jeff Carrithers, President and CEO of GlobalAir.com, explains, "We are ecstatic with the results of the scholarship program these past two years. It is so very clear that our industry is in need of additional aviation professionals. We initially offered the program to pilots but quickly realized that there are many aviation professions we didn't even consider until we reviewed applicant essays. Last year's recipients were two pilots and two airport management students." Carrithers continues," We want to be able to give support to college students studying aviation, as well as provide them a way to share their experiences with industry peers. I believe it is extremely important for them to have a way to introduce themselves to the industry and begin networking now as they initiate their careers in such a fast-paced field." The application process for the program involves a short essay detailing their career path, letter of recommendation and proof of enrollment. Scholarship recipients will be chosen based on these qualifications and they will be notified of winning by mid-August. The GlobalAir.com scholarship team is welcoming any qualified and passionate aviation student to apply before August 10th 2016 for consideration. The application and additional information can be accessed at: https://www.globalair.com/scholarships/ Colleges or students that would like more information about the program can email Lydia Wiff (Scholarship Curator) at Lydia.Wiff@globalair.com. Students and parents are also encouraged to visit the GlobalAir.com booth at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh (hangar C, booth 3015) to learn more. We look forward to working with the next generation of Aviation Professionals! http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12227328/globalaircom-aviation-scholarship- now-open-for-applications Back to Top Industry pushes for reform of Civil Aviation Safety Authority (Australia) Aerial Application Association of Australia CEO Phil Hurst outside Canberra Airport. Picture: Ray Strange An alliance of Australia's major aviation association bodies has called on the incoming government to reform the aviation regulator and to put in place a 100-day plan to help revive the country's flagging general aviation industry. Phil Hurst, chief executive of the Aerial Application Association of Australia, says aviation has the potential to drive job growth and economic activity that could add about $2 billion to government coffers if the right policy settings were adopted. Whatever the result of tomorrow's federal election, Mr Hurst said the new government should issue a letter of expectations to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and put in place a 100-day plan to clarify the regulator's obligations and duties, and ensure the safe - operation of aircraft and passenger traffic through our skies. "At some point CASA must accept it does not have the expertise to be all things and it must come up with a more mature safety model," Mr Hurst told The Australian. "It has always relied on a strong industry to deliver a lot of regulatory functions on its behalf - eg, training, checking, testing, etc - and it should certainly build on this to be leaner and more effective." Mr Hurst said a "high level" taskforce made up of industry and departmental staff should be established to oversee the implementation of the Forsyth review recommendations and that a General Aviation Directorate should be created to simplify the regulations and systems that apply to smaller operators. The Aviation Safety Regulatory Review report, chaired by industry veteran David Forsyth, called in 2014 for sweeping reforms after it criticised CASA for taking too hard a line and maintaining an adversarial approach to the industry, which had lost trust in the authority. "By committing to these relatively straightforward actions, a new government could free itself of much of the baggage that has plagued the aviation safety regulator for years, and which was comprehensively identified in the Forsyth review," Mr Hurst said. "The last thing aviation needs is another review or delay in getting on with the job of reform of CASA and other aviation agencies." Mr Hurst's calls for reform echo noises from other aviation industry groups like the Australian Aviation Associations Forum (TAAAF) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which have blamed creeping over-regulation for the destruction of small aviation businesses. A 66-page TAAAF report said it was imperative that the Civil Aviation Act was rewritten to align with international standards and that action must be taken to ensure education and aviation training remain on par with global best-practice. That report also called for the realignment of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development and CASA to implement policy effectively and create a performance-based regulatory system. It points to Australia's pilot certification regulations, which cover 3000 pages, whereas the same material in the US - which has better safety statistics - covers just 100 pages. "If we get a genuine partnership with an incoming government then we can really start to make headway into making the aviation sector more vibrant and capable of generating more jobs and activity," Mr Hurst said. "The bottom line is that industry creates safety - every day it is the pilots and other crew, maintainers, air traffic controller, refuellers, managers etc who deliver safety. "CASA's key function is to do the quality assurance to ensure minimum standards it sets are being met. And of course to set the minimum standards in a way that enables industry safety and capacity rather than cripples it. "Without an understanding of these different roles, CASA will continue to be caught up in the 'old world' low-trust thinking that ignited the Forsyth review." http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/industry-pushes-for-reform-of-civil- aviation-safety-authority/news-story/4cf50e60b2c89a6e7fde561a60ac920c Back to Top Inmarsat's SBB-Safety selected by Airbus Inmarsat's SwiftBroadband-Safety (SB-S) service has been selected by Airbus as a cockpit communications solution for the A320 and A330 aircraft families. In a landmark agreement, SB-S will feature in the Airbus A320 single-aisle and A330 wide-body families. The advanced IP-based broadband communications platform will be available with equipment from Cobham's AVIATOR S series, as selected by Airbus, to deliver next generation services for the global aviation industry. SB-S will mark a paradigm shift in aviation safety and efficiency. Using Inmarsat's global L-band satellite network, it delivers much faster data and voice communications due to its unprecedented speed and capacity, which are several orders of magnitude greater than cockpit communications systems in the market today. These advanced capabilities will transform the quality and security of cockpit communication and information shared between pilots, air traffic controllers and airlines, with Inmarsat's satellite technology also ensuring consistent, high-speed global coverage for SB-S. Airlines around the world will also benefit from a myriad of new digital applications never before available, including continual positional awareness for flight tracking, flight data streaming (also known as 'Black Box in the Cloud'), and electronic flight bag applications for pilots, such as graphical weather for improved situational awareness. The selection of SB-S by Airbus reinforces Inmarsat's status as the world's leading provider of satellite safety services, serving around 95% of the world's long-haul aircraft. The inclusion of the A320 family will also position SB-S as an advanced Light Cockpit Satcom solution on single-aisle Airbus aircraft, marking an exciting new era for the aviation industry. The selection was possible as SB-S is delivered via advanced airborne equipment that addresses factors which have traditionally impacted demand in the single- aisle market, such as size, weight and cost. Around eight out of ten commercial aircraft in the world are single-aisle. Captain Mary McMillan, Inmarsat Aviation's vice president, safety and operational services, said: "We are delighted that Airbus has selected SwiftBroadband-Safety for its A320 and A330 aircraft families. This is testament to SwiftBroadband-Safety's ability to deliver an always on, always secure cockpit solution for the digital age, with expanded connectivity and reliability. "Inmarsat has been delivering critical safety information to the world's airlines, private jet operators and government agencies for over two-and-a-half decades. In the past, these services were almost exclusively utilised by airlines travelling in areas not served by traditional radar, such as routes over the ocean or remote locations. However, with growing aircraft congestion and the need for increased data security, Inmarsat is engineering a new generation of satellite communication services to provide a wider range of benefits. "SwiftBroadband-Safety will introduce unprecedented new capabilities, allowing airlines to significantly improve flight safety operations and provide a more efficient service to passengers. Airlines also benefit from continuous monitoring of aircraft performance and fuel usage." Inmarsat's partner Cobham SATCOM has been selected by Airbus to provide the equipment that delivers SB-S service onboard the A320 and A330 aircraft families. The equipment, known as the AVIATOR 200S and 700S, will provide a seamless connection between the aircraft cockpit and Inmarsat's extensive global satellite network. Under Cobham's contract with Airbus, the equipment will be fitted onto the aircraft from 2018. Kim Gram, vice president of Aero Satcom at Cobham Satcom, said: "Inmarsat has made an immense contribution in the forward progression of our industry, from the development of the original idea of smaller and lighter satcom hardware, continuing its influential work in industry standardization groups, to the ultimate deployment of services on its global satellite network." http://www.airtrafficmanagement.net/2016/06/inmarsats-sbbsafety-selected-by-airbus/ Back to Top Investigation launched into Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 fire The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has launched an investigation into the June 27 Singapore Airlines (SIA) Boeing 777 fire at Singapore Changi Airport. CAAS's Air Accident Investigation Bureau will lead the probe "and will get to the bottom of the matter," Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a statement. The 777-300ER, operating as flight SQ368, was en route from Singapore to Milan, but turned back to Singapore two hours after taking off when pilots saw indications of an engine oil leak, according to Lee and CAAS. Upon landing at 0650 local time June 27, the aircraft's right GE Aviation GE90-115B engine caught fire. As 222 passengers and 19 crew remained on board, Changi airport emergency services extinguished the fire within 5 minutes, according to CAAS. All 241 people on board were then safely disembarked, CAAS and SIA said. "GE has dispatched technical representatives to the scene to support the airline and investigators," GE Aviation spokesperson Rick Kennedy told ATW. "GE continually monitors and analyzes the more than 2,000 GE90-115B engines in airline service and we are not aware of any issues that would hazard the safe flight of aircraft powered by this engine." CAAS said the runway where the 777 landed was closed for about 5 hours following the incident. Some flights were delayed, but all flights took off within an hour of their scheduled departure time, according to CAAS. http://atwonline.com/safety/investigation-launched-singapore-airlines-boeing-777-fire Back to Top Airline pilots seek to halt Norwegian Air's flight bid after Brexit Opponents of Norwegian Air's bid to fly to the United States have new ammunition for their argument: Brexit. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), International maintains that because Britain's decision to leave the European Union casts uncertainty on how international air rules will now apply to airlines in the United Kingdom, the Department of Transportation (DOT) should halt Norwegian Air UK's application to gain access to more airports in the U.S. and EU. The Open Skies agreement allows airlines in the EU to fly to any location in the U.S., and vice versa. "Significant uncertainty surrounds the timing of the UK's exit from the EU and its effect on air transportation, including how UK airlines that no longer fall under the U.S.-EU air transport agreement will need to seek approval to serve the United States," Tim Canoll, ALPA's president, said in a statement. "With so much in flux following the Brexit vote, the DOT must suspend processing of NAUK's application until we can determine the rules that would apply to its application." ALPA and other union groups submitted a new filing with the DOT this week, urging the agency to suspend its processing of Norwegian Air UK's application "until the post-exit regulatory structure that will pertain to the grant of operating authorizations to UK air carriers is determined." Norwegian applied for a foreign air carrier permit for its UK subsidiary in order to conduct scheduled and charter flights to the U.S. from London's Gatwick Airport. The low-cost air carrier has for years been seeking approval to use airports covered under the U.S. and EU's Open Skies agreement. The company also established a subsidiary, Norwegian Air International, in Ireland - a member of the EU. Norwegian currently flies to some airports in the U.S. under the banner of its parent company, Norwegian Air Shuttle. But the company says its model for cheaper transatlantic flights requires access to more Open Skies airports, which would provide more route flexibility. The DOT tentatively approved a permit for the carrier's Ireland-based subsidiary in April after consulting with both the Justice and State departments and finding no basis to reject the application. The agency's move roiled the aviation industry, union groups and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. Critics argue that Norwegian Air is attempting to skirt more stringent Norwegian labor and tax laws and claim the air carrier is undermining competition by hiring pilots contracted through Asia, where labor costs are lower. But Norwegian officials have emphasized that the company will not be using any Asian- based cabin crew on transatlantic flights, and says it chose to establish itself in Ireland for access to future traffic rights to and from the EU and to secure better aircraft financing rates. http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/285941-airline-pilots-seek-to-halt-norwegian-airs-flight-bid-after-brexit Back to Top GE Wins Shot at Voiding Pratt Patent in Jet-Engine Clash * Patent office says it will review validity of Pratt patent * GE has 'reasonable likelihood' of invalidating patent: agency General Electric Co.'s arguments that United Technologies Corp. obtained new patents on decades-old jet-engine technology may have some merit after all, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A three-judge panel said Thursday it would take a second look at a patent obtained by United Technologies' Pratt & Whitney unit in 2013, after deciding that GE had a "reasonable likelihood" of winning its legal argument. Challenges against other Pratt patents are pending. The dispute opens a new front in the battle between the engine giants over the global market to power narrow-body jets. GE has filed more than a dozen petitions with the agency, claiming that the Pratt patents were invalid because they covered ideas that date back to the 1970s. GE also has a pending challenge against a patent owned by Rolls- Royce Holdings Plc for a part of a gas turbine engine. Both sides will get a chance to submit further legal arguments, and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board will issue a final decision in about a year. The losing side can then challenge that finding with an appeals court in Washington that specializes in patent law. "Pratt & Whitney will vigorously defend" the patents, the company said in an e-mailed statement. "After long disputing the feasibility of a geared engine, GE's actions confirm the fundamental advantages of Pratt & Whitney's GTF engine design." GE said this is "the first step" in its effort to invalidate a number of patents that it believes were improperly granted. "These concepts were well-known in the industry long before patents were sought on them," the company said by e-mail. Latest Setback The decision is a blow for Pratt, which spent $10 billion developing its new geared turbofan engine to take on GE. Pratt's turbine has faced a cooling issue and problems with error alerts, generating criticism from a customer of Airbus Group SE's A320neo jet. The plane is offered with engines from either Pratt or CFM International, a joint venture of GE and Safran SA. Pratt, in filings with the patent office, said GE is wrong in its interpretation of what the patents cover and relies on improper hindsight to argue that they don't contain anything new. Instead, GE is relying on arguments that were already considered and rejected during the original application process, Pratt said. Pratt President Bob Leduc has said the company has about 3,500 patents on its engine, and GE is going after a small number of broad ones. "We think they went after the most generic patents, but the magic of the gear is in the details, not in the generic," he said in a June 7 interview. "We are adequately protected, we believe, from an intellectual-property perspective." Little Different The patents challenged by GE were all issued since 2011 and relate to the way gas turbine engines are built. In several instances, GE said it's little different than what it developed with NASA in the 1970s. Other challenged patents cover things like the fan casing of an engine or a geared turbofan. None of the patents are involved in lawsuits, according to GE's petitions, indicating that there may be a behind-the-scenes dispute or GE is looking for bragging rights. GE submitted additional petitions challenging more Pratt patents in April, and even more on June 28. Those cases are pending an initial review by the agency. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board, where the petitions were filed, has become known as a "death squad" for patents because of the high rate of rejection. It's easier to invalidate a patent at the agency than in district court because different standards are used. The Supreme Court on June 20 upheld the review process used by the agency. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-30/ge-wins-shot-to-invalidate-pratt- airplane-engine-patent-in-u-s Back to Top A pilot's dozen: British Airways adds 12th A380 to its fleet The last A380 in BA's original Airbus order, the giant airliner arrived last week at London's Heathrow airport. British Airways' newest Airbus A380 has the registration LEL. Taking delivery of an Airbus A380 isn't like driving a new car home from the dealership. For one, an A380 is a lot more complicated than your average sedan and it will cost you a cool $432 million (or thereabouts). That's about £326 million, or AU$581 million. And for the biggest commercial aircraft you have a prepare a pretty massive parking space. But that's exactly what happened last week when British Airways welcomed its newest A380 to its fleet. The last of the airline's original order of 12 aircraft (sorry, there are no baker's dozens with airplanes), it arrived at BA's home base at London's Heathrow Airport from Toulouse, France, where Airbus completes final assembly of the double-decker airliner. BA is one of 13 airlines currently operating the A380. From Heathrow, BA's A380s fly to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Hong Kong, Singapore, Johannesburg, Miami and Washington, D.C. http://www.cnet.com/news/pilots-dozen-british-airways-adds-12th-a380-to-its-fleet/ Back to Top Boeing to Develop new Midsized Aircraft Boeing seeks to develop new "middle of the market" aircraft due to high demand from Asian market Due to high demand from the fast-growing Asian market, Boeing Co (NYSE:BA) has decided to build "middle of the market" aircraft after seeking approval from its board. However, it would not be an easy task as the aircraft manufacturer would have to meet the price levels evaluated during the survey along with the manufacturing cost. Despite the challenges, Boeing just might go for the new aircraft expected to have seating capacity of 270 passengers; the company aims to offer flights for up to 10 hours while flying to routes between 2,900 and 5,000 nautical miles. According to the research report, Boeing estimates demand of roughly 3,000 to 5,000 midsized commercial aircraft that is also expected to replace as many as 2,000 jets of existing aircraft variants of similar specs. According to the report, the new midsized aircraft might replace the old 757, along with the current version of 767 that would generate sales of 2,200 jets. "It is not easy, it is not impossible. We are not there yet." Boeing's airplane development general manager Mike Delaney told reporters in a briefing. "But in the last six months Mike's team has closed the gap pretty good." The aircraft manufacturer is said to have conducted meetings with 36 various airline customers to evaluate the demand of the aircraft after which it gained confidence in the midsized aircraft. The company expects the aircraft will enter into service by the middle of the next decade, subject to the approval from its board. However, Boeing will still face tough challenges to meet the delivery timelines without incurring any technical delays. Some industry analysts expect the company to start receiving new orders of the aircraft by the end of this year after which the company will focus on developing the new variant. Along with the middle of the market aircraft, Boeing is also working on various other models, including both single aisle and wide body jets. The company was reportedly working on the larger version of its best seller 737 Max commercial jet having seating capacity of around 250 passengers. Also, yesterday the company was also reportedly looking ahead to stretch its 777X variant to launch a new jumbo jet having seating capacity of more than 400 passengers. However, these new variants are still on paper as the company has not yet officially announced the launch of new variants. Increasing the Competition Through the launch of middle of the market aircraft, Boeing is poised to increase competition with its biggest rival Airbus Group SE (OTCMKTS:EADSY) that has a higher share in Asian markets. The new model, if launched, is expected to receive high demand from Asian airlines that might offset orders placed for Airbus' jets. Along with the midsized aircraft, if the company also launches its extended version of 777X variant that will figure in the jumbo jet category, it is expected to compete with Airbus' A380 jumbo jet that is already facing issues in getting new orders. Boeing has reportedly conducted talks with airlines, including Emirates, that operate jumbo jets to evaluate the market of the new aircraft. On receiving positive feedback, the company is looking forward to offering the new variant. Tough Market Conditions Boeing seems to be bullish with respect to launching bigger commercial aircraft as airlines around the world are shifting their focus from wide-body bigger jets to single aisle smaller aircraft. Boeing estimates in its 20-year future outlook that more than 70% of the new orders would comprise smaller single aisle commercial jets as compared to large wide- body jets. This might be a tough challenge for Boeing as the company has stopped receiving more orders of its wide-body jets. According to its year-to-date order book, the company received only four orders of its 747, seven orders of 767, 12 777 and only 13 orders of 787 as compared to 240 orders of its 737 variants during the same period. However, if the company receives advance orders of the new variant, the company will be profitable in the long run. http://www.bidnessetc.com/70968-boeing-develop-midsized-aircraft/ Back to Top Bridgewater State's Aviation Program Flying High with Agreement with Cape Air June 30--NEW BEDFORD -- As the demand grows for more pilots, Bridgewater State University officials said they are proud to extend their partnership with Cape Air that allow their students better job opportunities. "It is the strongest aviation program in New England, and it is one of the most affordable aviation programs in the United States of America," said BSU President Fred W. Clark Jr. at the flight academy in the New Bedford Regional Airport Wednesday afternoon. "At a time when the world needs pilots ... I think the timing is right to make an investment in our program, to make an investment in this place, and to make an investment in our students," he said. Clark and Craig A. Bentley, senior vice president of operations at Cape Air signed a new memorandum of understanding and unveiled the 10-year-old simulator now upgraded with state-of-the-art technology. Some of them tried their hands taking off using the simulator that includes three screens precisely picturing the city landscape. The MOU signed allows Cape Air to work with graduate Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs) and create prospective pilots who have the opportunity to work with Cape Air or Jet Blue, Bentley said. Rob Marducci, 25, who graduated this May, said he comes from a military family and has always loved airplanes. "This was the cheapest school in the area, and they had a pretty good reputation," he said of his decision to go to the BSU Aviation Training Center on Shawmut Avenue. He said he wants to join the team of trainers at the center to continue earning the miles he needs to fly a commercial aircraft. BSU has had a strong partnership with Cape Air for three decades. Its aviation program received national accreditation in August 2014, officials said. About 120 students are enrolled and 15 CFIs graduated this year, said Elmore Leonard, dean of Ricciardi Business College at BSU. "To fly in a regional airport, they need 1,500 hours. By being a CFI and doing a co-op at Cape Air helps them build those hours," he said. Flying for six years and an instructor at the academy for three, Christi Ellis, 33, said it is a strong program offering great training at a good price. "You get a lot of bang for your buck," she said. The department offers a BS degree in aviation science with a concentration in aviation management or flight training, according to the BSU website. http://www.aviationpros.com/news/12227242/bridgewater-states-aviation-program- flying-high-with-agreement-with-cape-air Back to Top Nigeria To Acquire Super Mushshak Aircraft From Pakistan GABORONE, Botswana - The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has concluded a deal for the acquisition of 10 Super Mushshak light basic trainer jets from Pakistan to boost training at the force's main flight training school in the northern city of Kaduna. Speaking at a graduation ceremony of pilots at the 301 Flight Training School in Kaduna last week, NAF Chief of Staff Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar said the aircraft would be supplied shortly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). Abubakar said the sale agreement included the deployment of Pakistani pilots and aircraft maintenance technicians to the country to train locals in the operation and maintenance of the aircraft. Further, he said the NAF had just completed an airport expansion to accommodate the new aircraft. The defense chief added that the NAF garrison in Kaduna will, before the end of this year, take delivery of three Pakistani-made JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft and Russian-made Mil Mi-35 helicopters to boost ongoing counterinsurgency operations against Islamist militant group Boko Haram in the northeast of the country. "The induction of the Super Mushshak trainer aircraft will boost our capabilities by training our pilots in the full spectrum of military flight training," Abubakar said. In addition to the 10 new pilots who graduated locally, the NAF has sent 10 pilots for specialized combat training in the United Kingdom while another 10 are being trained in South Africa. Eight more fighter aircraft and helicopter pilots are undergoing training at the International Aviation College in the city of Ilorin, Abubakar said. The NAF has embarked on a costly force modernization program, with many deals for the supply of new aircraft and aerial defense weapons under currently negotiation. According to NAF director of public relations and information, Capt. Ayodele Famuyiwa, the country is also negotiating with the US for the acquisition of up to 20 Brazilian-made secondhand A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to replace the aging fleet of Alpha jets, which form the vanguard of the airborne counterinsurgency units. "The US will soon authorize the sale of the A-29 Super Tucano aircraft, which would be used to replace the nation's ailing and aging Alpha jets. There are strong indications that the US government may give that nod much sooner than expected," Famuyiwa told Nigerian daily newspaper Punch. According to the 2016 Nigerian defense budget, the NAF plans to order up to 20 JF-17s from PAC at a cost of $25 million, while the cost of the 10 Super Mushshak basic trainers was estimated at $10.2 million. This week, Nigeria unveiled a King Air 350i aircraft, which has been fitted with a new sensor turret to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The aircraft, which now features an electro-optical/infrared sensor ball turret fitted under the fuselage, will be deployed in support of the counterinsurgency campaign in the northeast. Since the beginning of June, Nigeria has received aviation assets that include one secondhand Alpha jet from the US as well as three H135 (formally known as EC135) and three AS365 Dauphin helicopters from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation for deployment on internal security missions. http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/international/mideast- africa/2016/07/01/nigeria-super-mushshak-trainer-aircraft-pakistan/86590010/ Back to Top What China's Really Doing Up In Space Ralph Jennings CONTRIBUTOR Chinese officials announced a carrier rocket launch on Saturday and hailed a breakthrough in space technology when its reentry module was found on land a day later. China launches things with enough regularity that its space program doesn't turn eyeballs toward the skies as it did decades ago. But from a public relations standpoint, the program sits cloaked in darkness. The civilian and military departments in charge let on few details about the long-term mission yet indicate with every new move that the program is developing. One common fear: China is fixing for a Ronald Reagan-style Star Wars scenario whereby it could fire things at other countries and intercept incoming missiles. NASA researchers are not allowed to work with Chinese state enterprises and China isn't a member of the international space station. Per another possibility, the ruling Communist Party wants to keep its popularity alive through major national achievements such as putting a Chinese person on the moon someday - a stated goal - or coming back with cool stuff from Mars . The program with an unknown price tag has already launched people into space five times since 2003. Then you hear from skeptics who worry China wants to harvest resources out there someplace. No one knows what's up for sure except for the hushed space program coordinators. But the real motive may be more utilitarian than political. China might just be using its 49- year-old program to prove new technology that can be used down here as well as up there. Fanfare in Chinese state-run media over recovery of the Long March-7 reentry module Sunday hints that technology is underpins the space program. The official Xinhua News Agency called China's 230th carrier rocket launch "a move paving the way for technological breakthroughs in China's future manned spacecraft" because, according to an official from the China Aerospace Scienceand Technology Corp., it shows that later modules can stay longer in orbit and carry more people. That advance makes sense as the government plans to open its own space station by 2020. Tools proven in space can also be applied on earth, says Andrew Yang, secretary general with the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies think tank in Taiwan. Space launches can test new materials that can't be assembled in normal earth conditions and vehicles able to travel between space and the earth's atmosphere, he says. He anticipates possible, but not necessarily, military use of the space program. "Landing on the moon or an outer space voyage will certainly be a big challenge for guidance and long-distance tracking," Yang says. "That's for glory of course because it's elevating China to an advanced level, and at the same time you can do more to test high tech." Chinese astronaut Nie Haisheng (4th R) sits inside Shenzhou-10 spacecraft that landed on the grasslands of north China's Inner Mongolia region on June 26, 2013, after a 15-day mission in space. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) Space technology, which is closely linked to the terrestrial aeronautics industry, may also form part of China's government-engineered shift toward an economy dominated by private investment and invention. It will at least contribute to the 159.6 billion yuan ($24 billion) in total assets of the China Aerospace Science Industry Corp., the program's chief contractor. The country wants to nurture new sectors to replace old, not-so-sustainable ones such as foreign-invested export manufacturing. The factory economy has faded over the past five years due to rising costs and spikes in air pollution. Expect space gear to create an "ecosystem" of technology, says Jeffrey Wilson, international political economy senior lecturer at Murdoch University in Australia. "Another aspect is the establishment of all the downstream technical and engineering capacity that comes with a space program," he says. "This creates dozens of technological spillovers by establishing an ecosystem of computing, telecommunication and aerospace firms, which can ultimately go on to support capacity in non-space domains." http://www.forbes.com/sites/ralphjennings/2016/06/30/what-chinas-really-doing-up-in- space/#52d02dc94e9a Back to Top Today in History - Midair Collision (July 1, 2002) Status: Final Date: Monday 1 July 2002 Time: 23:35 Type: Tupolev 154M Operator: Bashkirskie Avialinii Registration: RA-85816 C/n / msn: 95A-1006 First flight: 1995 Total airframe hrs: 10788 Engines: 3 Soloviev D-30KU-154-II Crew: Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9 Passengers: Fatalities: 60 / Occupants: 60 Total: Fatalities: 69 / Occupants: 69 Collision casualties: Fatalities: 2 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Überlingen ( Germany) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Int'l Non Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Moskva-Domodedovo Airport (DME/UUDD), Russia Destination airport: Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN/LEBL), Spain Flightnumber: 2937 Narrative: Bashkirian Airlines flight 2937 (a Tupolev 154) originated in Ufa (UFA), Russia and flew to Moscow (DME) to pick up passengers. From Moscow the aircraft continued as a charter flight to Barcelona (BCN). The flight used the RNAV-Route Salzburg - Traunstein - Kempten - Trasadingen at FL360. Communications were handed over from Munich to Zürich ACC at 23:30:11. At that moment one controller was responsible for the entire traffic in the Zürich airspace. He was monitoring two frequencies and two radar scopes. On one frequency (119,925 MHz) he was guiding one traffic for an approach into Friedrichshafen and on the other frequency (128,050 MHz) he had to control four aircraft. Among these four aircraft were Bashkirian 2937 and a DHL Boeing 757 cargo plane, en route from Bergamo (BGY), Italy to Brussel (BRU), Belgium along RNAV-Route ABESI- AKABI-TANGO, also at FL360. . Between 23:25:43 and 23:33:11 LT the controller tried several times to establish contact with Friedrichshafen by phone. Because of working on the telephone net of Skyguide, the controller was not able to reach Friedrichshafen. At 23:34:42 the Tupolev's Honeywell 2000 TCAS gave a Traffic Advisory because of the DHL 757 in the area. Seven seconds later the radar controller issued descent instructions to flight 2937: "Descend flight level 350, expedite, I have crossing traffic". This descent was necessary for continuation of the flight to Barcelona and to achieve a vertical separation with respect to the approaching DHL Boeing 757. At 23:42:56 the crews of both aircraft received a Resolution Advisory (RA)-command from their TCAS. The DHL crew complied with this and initiate a descent. At the same time the Tupolev crew were trying to deal with the conflicting descent (by ATC) and climb (TCAS) instructions. Seven seconds after the Resolution Advisory-command, the ATC controller repeated the instruction to descend. The Bashkirian crew then decided to follow the ATC controller's instructions. A little later the TCAS aboard the Boeing 757 gave the crew a Resolution Advisory to "increase descent". They then contacted ATC, reporting that they were doing a TCAS descent. Since both aircraft were descending, the TCAS of the Russian plane warned the crew to "increase climb" to avoid a collision. This was eight seconds before the collision. Just prior to the collision, both crews detected the other aircraft, and reacted to avoid the collision by attempting appropriate flight manoeuvres. Nevertheless, at 23:35:32 both aircraft collided at approx. FL354. The tail fin of the Boeing 757 struck the left side of the Tupolev 154 fuselage near both overwing emergency exits, while the Tupolev's left wing sheared off 80% of the Boeing's tail fin. The Tupolev immediately broke up in four pieces (left wing, right wing, main fuselage and tail unit including the engines). The Boeing 757 lost control and crashed 8 km north of the Tupolev, just after losing both engines. That night, from 23:00 the configuration of the radar data processing of Skyguide was modified. Thus the system was operating in FALLBACK modus. This requires among other facts, that radar separation values were increased from 5 NM to 7 NM. Also, the STCA (Short Term Conflict Alert) was not available at that time. The STCA at Karlsruhe Upper Area Control Center (UAC) however did work. From 23:33:36 on the controller of Karlsruhe UAC, tried in vain to get in contact with Zürich-ATC until 23:35:34. Between 23:33:36 and 23:34:45 the busy signal was to be heared afterwards the ringing tone. According to his statements the controller tried repeatedly to establish the connection via the priority button, but it failed. CAUSES: The following immediate causes have been identified: - The imminent separation infringement was not noticed by ATC in time. The instruction for the TU154M to descend was given at a time when the prescribed separation to the B757-200 could not be ensured anymore. - The TU154M crew followed the ATC instruction to descend and continued to do so even after TCAS advised them to climb. This manoeuvre was performed contrary to the generated TCAS RA. The following systemic causes have been identified: - The integration of ACAS/TCAS II into the system aviation was insufficient and did not correspond in all points with the system philosophy. The regulations concerning ACAS/TCAS published by ICAO and as a result the regulations of national aviation authorities, operational and procedural instructions of the TCAS manufacturer and the operators were not standardised, incomplete and partially contradictory. - Management and quality assurance of the air navigation service company did not ensure that during the night all open workstations were continuously staffed by controllers. - Management and quality assurance of the air navigation service company tolerated for years that during times of low traffic flow at night only one controller worked and the other one retired to rest. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20020701-0 Curt Lewis