Flight Safety Information August 11, 2016 - No. 157 In This Issue Transportation Safety Board of Canada pushes for more hot air balloon safety regulations India's Air-Traffic Controller Shortage Alarms Aviation Pros Airplane makes emergency landing at Albany International Airport Firm suspends Heathrow airside security passes of 300 cleaners and caterers Tonga set to resume flying Chinese aircraft grounded over safety concerns Air Arabia pilot champions careers in aviation for women Boeing admits 'softness' in widebody orders, weighs Everett slowdown Qantas Is Launching Free, Fast Wi-Fi On Domestic Aircraft ISASI 2016, Reykjavik, Iceland...17 to 20 October, 2016 (ISASI) DFW Regional Chapter (DFRC) Summer Meeting, September 8, 2016 Transportation Safety Board of Canada pushes for more hot air balloon safety regulations Nine years after a hot air balloon accident near Winnipeg, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada suggested Monday it "continues to be concerned" that operators are not regulated in the same manner as operators of other commercial aircraft. Hot Air Balloon Red Blue Yellow Lifting Off"Hot air balloons are considered aircraft under the Aeronautics Act," TSB stated in a release. "However, while balloons can carry up to 12 fare-paying passengers, those operators are not regulated at a level comparable to that of other commercial aircraft operators." The release comes nine days after a major accident in the United States. On July 30, 16 people were killed when a hot air balloon crashed, near Lockhart, Texas after hitting power lines, The Associated Press reported at the time. In February 2013, a balloon flying over Luxor, Egypt caught fire and plunged 1,000 feet to the ground, crashing into a field and killing at least 19 foreign tourists, AP reported. TSB did not refer to either the Texas or Luxor tragedies in its release Monday, but did refer to an incident in Manitoba in 2007. On Aug. 11 of that year, seven people were injured after a FireFly 12B hot air balloon "attempted a landing in a field adjacent to Birds Hill Provincial Park" north of Winnipeg, TSB reported earlier. The balloon operator had a Special Flight Operations Certificate issued by Transport Canada. "One pilot and 11 passengers were on board, for a local sightseeing flight of about one hour's duration, originating in the southeast of Winnipeg and terminating in the northeast of Winnipeg," TSB said in its investigation report released in 2008. TSB, a separate organization from Transport Canada, investigates marine, pipeline, railway and aviation incidents. It does not determine criminal or civil liability. In the 2007 hot air balloon incident near Winnipeg, "the winds in the landing area were much stronger than anticipated, and the balloon touched down and skipped several times," TSB said in its investigation report released in 2008. "The basket was dragged on its side for about 700 feet and tipped far enough for the burners to strike the ground. When the balloon stopped, a propane fuel leak occurred and an intense fire ensued before passenger evacuation was completed." Three people - the pilot and two passengers - were seriously injured, while four passengers had minor injuries. As part of its investigation report, TSB recommended that Transport Canada "provide a level of safety equivalent to that established for other aircraft of equal passenger carrying capacity." TSB noted that "while balloons can carry up to 12 fare-paying passengers, those operators are not regulated at a level comparable to other commercial aircraft operators." Another recommendation was that "balloons carrying fare-paying passengers have an emergency fuel shut-off." But as of April, 2014 Transport Canada had "rejected" the recommendation to mandate emergency fuel-shut-offs, "citing certain unspecified practical and technical problems with the implementation of the recommendation," TSB states on its aviation watch list. TSB has other recommendations, which have yet to be implemented, on its aviation watch list. Some date back to 2007, when TSB released a report into a 2005 accident at Toronto International Airport involving an Air France airplane that overran the end of the runway after landing and caught fire, seriously injuring 12. Transport Canada should "mandate training for all pilots involved in Canadian air transport operations to better enable them to make landing decisions in deteriorating weather," TSB said in 2007. On Aug. 2, 2005, an Air France Airbus A340 landed in heavy rain about 3,800 feet down a 9,000-foot runway at Toronto/Lester B. Pearson airport. It continued at 80 knots past the west end of the runway, crossing a service road and Convair Drive, finally stopping on the east side of Etobicoke Creek. Its landing gear and two inboard engines left gouges in the pavement of Convair Drive. The plane also knocked down a guard rail and approach light tower. Two crew members and 10 passengers were seriously injured, most from the impact. A total of 33 were taken to hospital by ambulance. Most of the upper portion of the main fuselage was consumed by fire. About 15 minutes before landing, "some aircraft on the same radio frequency were advising [air traffic control] that they were proceeding to alternate airports," TSB reported. "Having made their decision to land, the crew members used all their energy to concentrate on this task and missed cues that should have warranted a review of that decision," TSB stated in its investigation report. "The cues included the following: the runway looked like a lake; the aircraft deviated above the glide path; the landing was going to be farther down the runway than usual; the wind speed was reportedly increasing and the wind direction was changing; braking action was reported as poor; and the visibility became close to nil near the threshold." TSB added it "believes that the ability to capture and interpret cues that are essential in the decision-to-land process is inadequate, especially when the cues are ambiguous or not immediately compelling. Consequently, pilots will continue to land in deteriorating weather once the landing decision has been made, in spite of cues that indicate that a go- around or balked approach should be executed." As part of its investigation report, released Dec. 12, 2007, TSB recommended that Transport Canada "and other civil aviation authorities require crews to establish the margin of error between landing distance available and landing distance required before conducting an approach into deteriorating weather." As of March, 2016 TSB said the federal government "anticipates" that "proposed regulatory amendments" will be published some time in 2016. TSB says it "remains concerned that ongoing delays in this essential but lengthy consultation process prevents the implementation of these important regulatory amendments." TSB added that "landing accidents and runway overrun occurrences remain on TSB's Watchlist and continue to expose Canadians to unnecessary risks until [Transport Canada's] proposed regulatory amendments are implemented." http://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/insurance/transportation-safety-board-canada- pushes-hot-air-balloon-safety-regulations-1004098061/ Back to Top India's Air-Traffic Controller Shortage Alarms Aviation Pros India has just plowed $50 million in a new 102-meter (335 feet) air-traffic control tower in New Delhi. Now comes the hard part: finding qualified flight controllers to operate it. Air Traffic Control tower in New Delhi. Designed by HOK, the same firm that drafted Apple Inc.'s research headquarters in California, the tower will be operational in about six months. Yet, it may struggle to handle more flights without enough controllers, according to aviation officials. The nation's busiest airport needs 600 of the technicians ideally for stable operations, but employs only 360, the officials say. The world's fastest-growing major aviation market is grappling with a paucity of traffic controllers to meet growing demand, as many of them shun employment with the state- run Airports Authority of India, where starting monthly salaries can be as low as $250, and choose monetarily rewarding jobs with private airlines. About a third of India's planned air-traffic controller positions are vacant, the government said last year. The shortfall has meant existing ATCs are overworked. "It is a huge safety hazard," said Mohan Ranganathan, a former commercial pilot and an independent aviation safety consultant based in the southern Indian city of Chennai. "The air traffic controllers are being flogged in violation of fatigue rules." Safety Rating The dearth of talent in the world's second-most populous country is threatening to reach crisis proportions as a slew of budget carriers unveil plans to add hundreds of aircraft to cater to the travel boom fueled by rising incomes and lower fares. Adding to the challenge is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious programs to connect smaller towns and villages by air. The situation came to a head when the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration downgraded India's aviation safety rating in 2014, concluding the nation couldn't find enough officials to ensure safe operation of flights. The U.S. regulator said India's oversight processes don't meet global standards, putting the country on par with Zimbabwe. The ranking was restored a year later following some corrective action to address shortcomings. Expanding Fleets Even so, the air-traffic controller shortage will only intensify in the coming years as local carriers buy more planes. Boeing Co. estimates India will need 1,850 aircraft valued at $265 billion over the next two decades. At least 709 planes are already on order. Go Airlines India Pvt. said it will buy 72 A320neos from Airbus Group SE at Farnborough last month. SpiceJet Ltd. is in talks for 150 aircraft and IndiGo, the nation's biggest carrier, has ordered 430 Airbus narrow-body jets on top of more than the 100 it already flies. Officers receive flight plan information. Officers receive flight plan information. Photographer: Prashanth Vishwanathan/Bloomberg "There is a huge disconnect between what is required in terms of infrastructure, both physical and manpower, and what is being planned," said Kapil Kaul, South Asia CEO for Sydney-based CAPA Centre for Aviation. "We are heading towards a serious infrastructure shortage but choose to ignore reality." A new aviation policy unveiled in June by Modi is also fueling carriers' expansion plans. In the making for more than a decade, it aims to revive hundreds of unused Indian airports, and provide subsidy to airlines that fly to remote areas. More routes, more planes mean more controllers. Few Facilities The problem is not just limited to India. By 2030, the world will need another 40,000 air traffic controllers to handle flights, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization. Yet, there are so few training facilities in Asia, the fastest-growing travel market, that the region will have a deficit of more than 1,000 controllers each year, ICAO said. The Indian government is in the process of hiring as many as 600 air traffic controllers, who will be trained at three facilities across the country, but only about 60 will be deployed in New Delhi, according to airport officials. The new policy has a passing mention of an intention to set up a "world-class training centre" for local and overseas air-traffic officials. It still has no clear and well thought out strategy to build skills and capabilities, according to CAPA. "It is surprising that the ministry of civil aviation hasn't felt the need for more stringent supervision and review of manpower," said Jitender Bhargava, a former executive director of flag carrier Air India. "The problem is systemic and unless accountability is introduced, the vicious cycle of shortages will continue." http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-09/india-s-air-traffic-controller- shortage-alarms-aviation-pros Back to Top Airplane makes emergency landing at Albany International Airport American Eagle flight lands safely at Albany Int'l Airport after smoke is detected in passenger cabin COLONIE, NY (WRGB) -- Emergency crews scrambled to respond after a pilot of an American Airlines flight from Washington D.C. reported smoke in the cabin Wednesday morning. Airport officials tell CBS6 American Eagle flight 5446, which was carrying nearly 40 people, reported the smoke while descending into Albany. The plane landed safely two minutes later, and the flight was evacuated. We're told an initial investigation suggests a small light fixture caused the smoke, and no fire was found on board. http://cbs6albany.com/news/local/airplane-makes-emergency-landing-at-albany- international Back to Top Firm suspends Heathrow airside security passes of 300 cleaners and caterers after two women are arrested on suspicion of fraud * Staff who work beyond passport control use passes to get flight-side * Airline services company said it suspended passes as a precaution * Two women, aged 20 and 24, have been arrested on suspicion of fraud * It is understood the alleged fraud involves the flight-side passes Three hundred employees at a company that supplies airline lounge services have had their airside security passes suspended after police arrested two women on suspicion of fraud at Heathrow airport. It is believed the two women arrested, who are aged 24 and 20, are workers at the airport. Airline services company Sodexo has suspended the passes as a 'precautionary measure', according to Sky News. Most of the affected staff are cleaners and caterers. Staff who work in the flight-side area of the London airport undergo rigorous security checks before they are given a pass to take them beyond passport control. The current investigation relates to those given handed to staff. Police are investigating a reported plot relating to flight-side passes at Heathrow Airport The possibility of criminal activity at the airport will raise fears over security, after a flight from Sharm el Sheikh to Russia last year was brought down by terrorists using a bomb smuggled on board. It is understood that the plot is not related to the sale or cloning of the passes. Kevin Hurley, former head of counter terrorism at the City of London Police, says it may have been a plan to access and possibly steal from the airport's cargo centre. He told Sky News: 'Billions go through this airport every year. But the real issue is the threat in terms of airport security; this is a potential serious breach for Heathrow Airport.' Scotland Yard has said the two women were detained on suspicion of fraud and money laundering last week and were bailed until November. A Met Police spokesman said: ' We can confirm that officers from the Met's Aviation Policing Command are investigating an allegation of fraud, reported to them on 28 July 2016.' Airport authorities have insisted safety is their 'top priority' but declined to comment further The spokesman added: 'Detectives arrested two women from Surrey, aged 24 and 20, on suspicion of fraud and money laundering on Wednesday, 3 August. 'They have been arrested in relation to an allegation that money has been fraudulently taken from a bank account. Other matters have come to light during the enquiries and form part of the ongoing investigation. 'The women were taken into custody at a west London police station and have subsquently been bailed to return to the police station in late November. 'Detectives searched a residential address in Surrey under the Police And Criminal Evidence Act.' A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said: 'We can't comment on the specifics of an ongoing police investigation. 'Our top priority is the security and safety of our passengers and colleagues and we have taken appropriate action until the investigation is completed.' http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3733090/Two-young-female-airport-workers- arrested-scam-involving-airside-security-passes-Heathrow-Airport.html#ixzz4H17UojT5 Back to Top Tonga set to resume flying Chinese aircraft grounded over safety concerns Tonga is ignoring pressure from New Zealand to get internationally recognised certification for its grounded MA60 aircraft and will resume flying it this week. The plane, gifted to Tonga by the Chinese government, has been grounded for over a year after New Zealand suspended aid to the Kingdom over safety concerns. The MA60 aircraft type has been involved in a number of crashes and is not certified for use in the USA or European Union. Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully says he understands the Tonga Civil Aviation Division has issued an Air Operator Certificate for the plane without involving the Pacific Aviation Safety Office or New Zealand authorities. He says he has continued to reinforce New Zealand's aviation safety standards with the Tongan Government and offer help with this. "However we also accept that Tonga is a sovereign nation and entitled to make its own decisions in such matters," he said. Suspension of New Zealand aid into Tonga's tourism sector is no longer an issue as funding has been redirected into other areas. ONE News understands the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may update its travel advisory on Tonga given this latest development. https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/tonga-set-resume-flying-chinese-aircraft- grounded-over-safety-concerns Back to Top Air Arabia pilot champions careers in aviation for women Ghada Mohamed Al Rousi remembers the thrill and the adrenalin rush that came from riding a roller coaster as a small child. At the time, she had never given a thought to becoming a pilot, but once she set foot in a flight deck a few years ago, the thrill was back. "When I first entered the cockpit I just felt 'I can do it," said Al Rousi, an Emirati who is a First Officer with Air Arabia. "Wanting to become a pilot was a feeling I didn't necessarily feel when I was younger. It came a few years ago. But as soon as I felt that way it was always in my mind that I wanted to do a pilot training course." Air Arabia, a low-cost carrier based in the UAE, operates service to more than 100 destinations throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Asia and Europe with its fleet of Airbus A320s. Becoming a pilot for women of other nationalities may be a bit easier than it is for Arab women, who come from a conservative culture, concedes Al Rousi. "I would say 'don't listen to the others, listen to yourself. It's your life and your country will support you.'" She believes that, in the world of aviation, people are growing increasingly supportive of women pilots. "I do think that there are still some minds that need to be changed," she said, adding: Simply the best way to change these minds is to get more women flying planes. Once women have a more visible presence flying planes, attitudes will start to change. Boeing's 2016 Pilot & Technician Outlook released in July outlines a need for 617,000 new pilots - about 31,000 per year - through 2035. This is an increase of about 11% over last year's forecast with the largest increase in demand attributed to the Asia-Pacific region, followed by North America and Europe. 300x300v4 Panasonic 300"Boeing is a big proponent of getting more women... into the aviation community overall, but certainly as pilots and technicians because of the need," said Sherry Carbary, VP Flight Services at Boeing Commercial when the report was released. She noted that women pilots only represent six percent of the total pilot population so it's a "huge opportunity". Al Rousi believes that women - who are grossly underrepresented in the field and other aviation professions - could help meet the forecasted demand for pilots in the coming years. However, the path to the flight deck is challenging and requires hard work, stressed Al Rousi, who took an 18-month training program at Alpha Aviation Group. "At the beginning, it was not easy because I knew there were a lot of people waiting for me to finish and to pass and not to be behind with my course," she said. "So I was having to focus a lot. I was also away from my family for a while when I was doing the basic flight training in Greece." Al Rousi is First Officer with Air Arabia. She urges women to consider the pilot profession Ground school was also demanding because students had to absorb "so much information in such a short time", she said. "I was studying a lot and constantly thinking I had to pass." Upon graduation, Al Rousi took a short detour while waiting for her license. She went to the Dubai Air Show and to Bahrain on behalf of Air Arabia and Alpha Academy to do marketing and promote awareness of opportunities for women. She is a cheerleader of sorts, promoting the possibilities of aviation careers. There are also groups, such as the Arabian Section of the Ninety Nines that actively promote women in aviation in the region, she noted. Fourth Annual Meeting - Jordan - 2015. Image: The Arabian Section of the 99s Fourth Annual Meeting of The Arabian Section of the 99s. Image: 99s Al Rousi sees two ways to get more women to consider the pilot profession in the region: provide more opportunities to fly, and give women the confidence to believe that they can become good pilots. "When you enter the cockpit, you are not thinking about anything else in the world. You are just thinking about your flight," said Al Rousi. "Your mind is focused on doing your job which is to safely fly the aircraft. "For a few hours, you enter a different world where you only think about what you are doing. It's an amazing feeling and I hope it is a feeling more women can experience." https://www.runwaygirlnetwork.com/2016/08/10/air-arabia-pilot-champions-careers-in- aviation-for-women/ Back to Top Boeing admits 'softness' in widebody orders, weighs Everett slowdown Boeing 777s in various stages of completion at the final assembly factory in Everett. (MIke Siegel/The Seattle Times) Boeing will decide in the next couple of months whether to further cut back planned production of its large 777 jet and may also cancel a planned production increase for the 787 Dreamliner. Citing "softness" in the widebody-jet market, Boeing Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith said Wednesday that the airplane manufacturer will decide in the next couple months whether to further cut back planned production of its large 777 jet. Smith indicated that the dearth of widebody-jet sales may also mean Boeing won't raise output of the 787 Dreamliner as high as planned. Coming on the heels of last month's signal that Boeing could shutter the 747 jumbo-jet assembly line, the latest wavering on production means Boeing's Everett plant could lose substantial work that would trigger significant job cuts. Boeing has already shed more than 3,500 jobs in Washington state so far this year, with more to come due to previously announced cost-cutting efforts. John Monroe, a former 777 executive at Boeing and now chief operations officer at the Economic Alliance of Snohomish County (EASC), said the Everett community would feel the impact of a Boeing downcycle at a plant that currently employs about 37,000 people. He said a dip in Boeing work would also hit many suppliers to the jet maker around Everett. "Our experience has been that significant production-rate cuts have been followed by reductions in the workforce," Monroe said. "Job cuts seem inevitable." Boeing has already committed to slowing production of the current 777 from today's rate of 8.3 jets per month - that's 100 per year - down to 7 jets per month in 2017. The rate will decrease further to 5.5 jets per month during the transition to the new model 777X in 2018. Speaking at the Jefferies Industrials Conference in New York, Smith said it's unclear if new orders will arrive in time to match those planned production rates. "Over the next couple of months, we'll know," Smith said. "We'll either solidify those orders ... or we'll modify the production rate." Boeing has said it needs to sell 40 to 60 jets per year to fill all the open 777 delivery slots between now and the end of the decade. So far this year, it has booked just eight net new orders. Smith did not indicate how much lower the rate might go. Local aviation analyst Scott Hamilton of Leeham.net said the 777 order backlog suggests a rate of about 4 aircraft per month is sustainable without further sales. One indicator that the 777 market is in trouble came in a regulatory filing late last month by global aircraft lessor Intrepid Aviation. Intrepid, which has six 777s on order from Boeing, revealed it hasn't yet found airlines to take four of those planes - three scheduled for delivery in fall next year and the fourth in early 2018. Sam Pearlstein, aerospace analyst with Wells Fargo, wrote in a note to investors that, "This highlights why Boeing's goal of 40-plus annual new 777 orders will remain a challenge." On Wednesday, Smith also lowered expectations on production of the 787 Dreamliner. Boeing is now producing 12 of the jets per month and planned to raise that to 14 per month by the end of the decade. Now that rate hike looks uncertain. "We're going to match supply and demand, and if it doesn't play out to be 14, then we'll adjust accordingly," Smith said. "It's not the end of the world if you went from 14 to 12 ... We can still be profitable." While the 787 sold at record levels before entering service, sales slowed dramatically afterward. In the first five years of sales, Boeing sold 700 Dreamliners. In the five and a half years since, it has sold 400 more. So far this year, Boeing has added just 19 net new orders for the jet. Last week, Leeham.net's Hamilton wrote that even the planned rate of 12 Dreamliners per month could be challenging to sustain without an uptick in 787 sales. In an interview Wednesday, Hamilton said that if 787 production is further pared back, it's likely the cutbacks will come in Everett rather than at the assembly line in North Charleston, S.C. The South Carolina line's prospects are bolstered by the fact that Boeing will build the largest Dreamliner model, the 787-10, only at that plant. If the 787 rate were cut, along with the possibility of a 777 production cut and the 747 line closing, "By the end of the decade, it's very possible we could be looking at some lean times in Everett," Hamilton said. And he warned that the new 777 model in development, the 777X, doesn't have enough sales to suggest a big recovery when it enters service in 2020. Boeing, which has 306 firm orders for that new jet, has booked no new orders within the past year. Hamilton said that's only enough to sustain a production rate of four or five a month. "The 777X isn't going to be any kind of savior," he said. Hamilton said Washington state officials need to do "a deep dive into the potential scenarios" and come up with a proactive plan to capture new work for Everett - whether that's Boeing's next new airplane or aerospace work from other companies. Monroe said his economic- development group is talking to various European companies, both aerospace and non-aerospace, about locating new facilities in Snohomish County and will continue to push an economic-diversification strategy. He said the state should also step up the funding of worker-retraining programs. Over the past couple of years, as Boeing has shed jobs in Washington state, its local unions have ratcheted up the pressure on state legislators to make the company accountable for maintaining jobs here, by linking the state's aerospace tax incentives to employment levels. Yet as further job losses now loom, Monroe argued for the opposite approach to keep as much Boeing work here as possible. He said state legislators "need to avoid any reductions in the tax incentives programs that could adversely affect Boeing." Jon Holden, president of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) district 751, said the union has "great concern" over any job losses. He said that in the event of a real industry downturn, the IAM is prepared to discuss how to handle tax incentives - implying that Boeing needn't be penalized if job cuts are the result of an industry downcycle beyond its control. But since the previous peak employment in fall 2012, Boeing has shed 11,000 jobs in Washington state, and Holden said this was a period of record production, when Boeing chose to move thousands of jobs to other states. "If there is no accountability (by Boeing), we'll continue to see infrastructure, capability and capacity created elsewhere," Holden said. "Even in a downturn, we should protect the infrastructure here so that when there's an upswing, that upswing will happen in our state." Smith meanwhile told his Wall Street audience Wednesday that even if the potential cuts he discussed do happen, the company's cash flow will stay healthy - thanks largely to planned increases in production of the single-aisle 737 jet built in Renton. "You are still going to see growing cash flows going forward," Smith assured investors. "That is ultimately what matters." http://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/boeing-weighs-further- reduction-in-777-output/ Back to Top Qantas Is Launching Free, Fast Wi-Fi On Domestic Aircraft Qantas is gearing up for the rollout of free in-flight wifi on about 100 domestic aircraft, under a partnership with global broadband services provider ViaSat that will tap into the NBN network. The new service will feature speeds up to 10 times faster than conventional on-board wi- fi, meaning you can not only stream movies, TV shows, the latest news bulletins and live sports on domestic flights via the internet, but the Qantas Flight Operations and Engineering teams are looking at how they can use inflight connectivity to help with turbulence, maintenance, medical emergencies and connections. In-flight trials are expected to begin with a single Qantas Boeing 737 aircraft in late 2016, retrofitted with equipment to enable high-speed Wi-Fi. A full roll-out across Qantas Domestic's fleet of A330s and B737s is planned from early 2017, with the aircraft to be fitted with modems and the advanced antenna that receives the satellite signal. But how can Wi-Fi help with turbulence? At the moment, pilots download the latest weather maps on their iPads just before takeoff. They also have on-board radar to help them track storms as well as getting any major updates via radio. Having internet in the cockpit takes this to the next level. Pilots would be able to stream richer information on real-time weather conditions expected along the flight path - using this to dodge areas of turbulence and make better use of tailwinds to reduce flying time. Then there's maintenance. Modern aircraft generate huge amounts of data. A single hour of flying can create several gigabytes of information from hundreds of sensors, particularly from the engines. Pilots are alerted to anything important, but a lot of other data can't really be accessed until the aircraft is on the ground. By streaming this information back to base via the internet, Qantas says, engineers can closely monitor the technical performance of the aircraft in real-time and be ready if something needs attention. If they detect a replacement part is needed (like, a new fuel filter) the idea is that they'll get a head start on making sure it's available when the aircraft lands. Medical assistance gets a look in, too. From time to time, passengers fall ill on a flight. Qantas says its crew are trained in first aid and also often gains the assistance of passengers who are medical professionals. But sometimes it's hard to tell how serious a condition is, so erring on the side of caution means landing. These medical diversions, which average two or three a month across Qantas, can cause often unnecessary disruption, since it often turns out that the aircraft could have kept flying with no negative effect on the sick passenger (who also wants to get to their destination, particularly if it's home). Qantas recently trialed one device which scans a patient's heart condition if they are experiencing chest pains. The heart data is sent by Wi-Fi to a medical officer on the ground, providing a better diagnosis of the passenger which then informs whether the aircraft needs to be diverted to another airport or if the passenger is stable enough to be treated when landing at the original destination. The convenience of being able to update your itinerary in-flight is also another possibity. When flights are delayed, it causes problems for passengers who have an onward connection. Qantas has a team inside its Integrated Operations Centre that looks after rebooking passengers when this happens, but you often can't get this information until you land. With on-board Wi-Fi, Qantas is looking at sending passengers an updated itinerary in-flight so that you can have more certainty, and make any other arrangements ahead of time. Qantas says it will be "engaging with relevant regulators" on the certification and approval for the new service. http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/08/qantas-is-launching-free-fast-wi-fi-on-domestic- aircraft/ Back to Top ISASI 2016, Reykjavik, Iceland 17 to 20 October, 2016 The International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI) will hold their 47th annual seminar at the Grand Hotel Reykjavik, Iceland, from the 17 to 20 October 2016. The seminar theme is: "Every link is important" Papers will address this theme in conjunction with other contemporary matters on aviation safety investigation, including recent case studies, new investigation methods and aviation safety trends or developments. Registration and details of the main seminar, tutorial and companion programmes are available at www.esasi.eu/isasi-2016. We look forward to seeing you in Iceland Back to Top RSVP by contacting Erin Carroll, DFRC President by September 1 Email: erin.carroll@wnco.com or Telephone: (214) 792-5089 Curt Lewis