Flight Safety Information September 6, 2016 - No. 175 In This Issue Probe finds crashed Emirates airliner tried to go around Emirates 777 crash inquiry details chaotic evacuation DOT Finalizes Haneda Awards Police: Cincinnati-Houston flight diverted due to drunk passenger Flight MH370 Update: Families Frustrated Over Inconclusive Probe Committee to advise FAA on integration of drones into airspace EU aviation groups want all drones to be registered Bombardier Safety Standdown Celebrates 20 years of Leadership in Aviation Safety Virgin America to cut staff in merger with Alaska Airlines Brazil's Embraer seals airplane deals with Chinese companies Air India chairman warns truant pilots of disciplinary action. Air Force, Running Low on Drone Pilots, Turns to Contractors in Terror Fight Vietnamese Carriers In 40 Airbus Jet Order A330 jet engine slides off truck near Sydney Airport, causing traffic disruption GE Spends $1.4 Billion on 3-D Printer-Makers for Jet Engines SIU Carbondale to Start New Aviation Program NEW GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Probe finds crashed Emirates airliner tried to go around FILE- In this Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016 file photo made from video shows smoke rising after an Emirates flight crash landed at Dubai International Airport. A preliminary report into last month's Emirates airliner crash landing in Dubai has found that the pilot attempted to abort the landing after an initial touchdown and that the plane ultimately hit the runway as its landing gear was retracting. (Hayen Ayari via AP, file) (Associated Press) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - A preliminary report released Tuesday into last month's Emirates airliner crash landing in Dubai found that the pilot attempted to take off again after briefly touching down, and that the plane ultimately hit the runway as it tried to climb with its landing gear retracting. One firefighter was killed responding to the accident, which destroyed the Boeing 777- 300, but all 300 people onboard Flight EK521 managed to escape. The accident was the most serious in Emirates' more than three decades of operations, and was the second major air disaster for a Dubai government-backed airline in less than five months. The findings released Tuesday in a 28-page report by the United Arab Emirates' General Civil Aviation Authority were broadly in line with an Associated Press analysis a day after the crash that was based on flight data, air traffic control communications and interviews with aviation experts. Investigators found that the crew received a warning indicating wind shear - a sudden change in wind speed or direction - as the plane approached Dubai on its return from Thiruvananthapuram, India. As it neared the ground, a headwind started to shift to a tailwind and then back again. The right landing gear hit the ground first, with the left following only three seconds later, according to the report. The nose gear stayed in the air. A warning system alerted the crew of a "long landing," indicating that the plane had not touched down where it was supposed to, and the plane took to the air again as the crew tried to make a second landing attempt. Six seconds into the air, the crew began to retract the landing gear. After making it only about 85 feet off the ground, the twin-engine plane began to lose altitude. Three seconds before impact, the crew tried to push the jet engines all the way from an idle to full power. Cockpit warnings blared "Don't sink, don't sink!" as the engines began to throttle up. It was too late. With the landing gear still retracting, the back of the plane and then the engines hit the runway at 125 knots (144 mile per hour). https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/probe-finds-crashed-emirates- airliner-tried-to-go-around/2016/09/06/b9b33970-740a-11e6-9781- 49e591781754_story.html Back to Top Emirates 777 crash inquiry details chaotic evacuation Investigators have detailed the extraordinary evacuation of the crashed Emirates Boeing 777-300 at Dubai, disclosing that cabin crew had to cope with problems at all 10 exits. The General Civil Aviation Authority has also revealed that passengers were already unbuckling seat-belts and leaving their seats as the aircraft was still sliding along the runway. Investigators have determined that the 777 came down on its engines and fuselage, with its undercarriage retracted, after failing to climb away during a go-around on 3 August. The aircraft shed its right-hand engine at it came to a halt, resulting in an intense fuel-fed fire. While the aircraft had five exits on each side, the evacuation slides for those on the left were badly affected by the wind. The inquiry also notes that cabin crew assigned to the two forward left-hand doors were initially unable to open them - possibly because the aircraft was listing to the right - and required assistance. Four of the left-hand doors were ultimately opened - the central door was left shut owing to smoke outside - but their slides were either blown up against the aircraft or, in one case, detached before it could be used. Passengers could only evacuate from the rearmost left-hand exit before the wind made its slide unusable. Four of the right-hand exits - on the side facing the fire - were opened. The forward slide was initially wind-blown and subsequently deflated after some occupants had escaped, while the second exit was temporarily barred from use due to smoke. Passengers evacuating down one of the slides on the aft right-hand doors "became stuck", says the inquiry, because it filled with water during the firefighting effort. Cabin crew redirected passengers to the rearmost right-hand door slide, which had to be held down by firefighters owing to the wind. While cabin crew had instructed passengers to leave belongings behind, the inquiry states that "several passengers" evacuated the aircraft carrying their baggage. The aircraft's captain and senior flight attendant were the last to leave the aircraft. They were forced to jump from the forward left-hand door - the slide for which had detached - because the aircraft had filled with smoke as a fuel tank exploded, and they could not locate the cockpit evacuation ropes. Flight EK521 had been transporting 282 passengers, of which 269 had been seated in the economy-class cabin and the other 13 in business-class. None was in the first-class section. Despite the chaotic situation, all the passengers, as well as the 18 crew members, survived the accident, although a firefighter attending the crash was fatally injured during a wing tank explosion about 9min after the jet had come to rest. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top DOT Finalizes Haneda Awards SAN FRANCISCO-The U.S. Transportation Department's (DOT) Sept. 1 final decision on route awards for Tokyo Haneda Airport had few surprises-but it ended the long-running dispute over whether Minneapolis deserved a Haneda flight. The DOT granted the five daytime slots to Haneda to: American Airlines and Delta for service from Los Angeles. United Airlines for service from San Francisco. Hawaiian Airlines for service from Honolulu. Delta for service from Minneapolis. The latter flight was subject to an often-contentious debate in the dockets, American challenged whether the Delta flight served the public interest more than American's proposed flight from Dallas/Fort Worth. American pointed to Delta's Seattle-Haneda flight, which American and Hawaiian claimed the Atlanta-based airline was operating at the bare minimum to avoid triggering the DOT dormancy rule (Aviation Daily, Aug. 16). The DOT ultimately required Delta to operate that flight daily, without change of gauge, prompting Delta to surrender the route. The Japanese government made six new slots available at Haneda for U.S. carriers: five daytime and one at night. Hawaiian's award of a night flight to Honolulu was uncontested. The new flights to Haneda supplant the four slots currently operated by U.S. carriers. Service on the new daytime routes could begin as early as Oct. 30, the DOT said. www.aviationweeks.com Back to Top Police: Cincinnati-Houston flight diverted due to drunk passenger Man arrested after plane lands in Nashville NASHVILLE -A flight from Cincinnati to Houston was diverted to Nashville because of a drunk passenger, police said. According to court affidavits, Mohammed Nasser Aldoseri, 26, told officers he had "eight Lemon Drop shooters" before boarding United flight 3550 at Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport on Monday, an affidavit states. Once in flight, police said, Aldoseri "broke an out of service lavatory door and once inside he regurgitated into the sink and began to speak very loudly in Arabic causing extreme concern for passengers and flight crew." The pilot diverted the plane to Nashville, where Aldoseri was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and public intoxication. The flight continued on to Houston about two hours after landing in Nashville. http://www.wlwt.com/news/police-cincinnatihouston-flight-diverted-due-to-drunk- passenger/41530408 Back to Top Flight MH370 Update: Families Frustrated Over Inconclusive Probe As Official Says Plane Wreckage Likely Overlooked Families Of Missing Flight MH370 Passengers Urge Malaysia, Australia, China To Continue Search The relatives of passengers of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 have arrived in Australia to get answers from the government over the inconclusive investigation into the plane's disappearance as the search nears its end. With no new credible clues about the plane's whereabouts, authorities have decided to suspend the search operation that has been ongoing for over two years in a remote part of the southern Indian Ocean. The next-of-kin are pressurizing the Australian government as the suspension of the search is making it difficult for the families to find closure. The family members who reached Perth Tuesday, on a self-funded trip, will meet the authorities in charge of the search and will be shown a small fragment of recovered wreckage, BBC reported. Flight MH370 went missing on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board -- mostly Chinese nationals -- while on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. A $180 million search to scour a 46,000-square-mile area has been ongoing with no information on what might have happened. The relatives "just want to know what efforts are being made so new credible information can be found for the search to go on," Grace Nathan, whose mother Anne Daisy was on board the plane, told Australia's ABC radio. "I really have mixed emotions about the whole trip... I live in denial about what's happened." Questions over the ongoing probe into the plane's disappearance come just a week after the Daily Beast reported that the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), the agency which is leading the search for the missing plane, said it needed to re-examine a few spots more thoroughly because it might have overlooked some of the plane debris. The agency is going to use a remotely operated vehicle in October to check "sonar contacts that are judged to warrant a closer look" found "scattered throughout the greater search area," spokesman Daniel O'Malley told the Daily Beast. The overall hunt is scheduled to end by December. Meanwhile, some of the relatives of the passengers have accused Malaysian authorities of ignoring possible new evidence washing up along the African coast. Last month, three pieces of possible aircraft debris were retrieved in the waters off Mozambique, with the largest one being a triangular piece of metal, with red and white colors on one side. The debris pieces are due to be sent to Malaysia for examination. Since last year, several debris pieces have washed up on shores near the African coastline. A flaperon found last year in the French-controlled Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean has been confirmed to be from the missing plane, following which several other parts this year have been said to be "likely" from the jet. http://www.ibtimes.com/flight-mh370-update-families-frustrated-over-inconclusive- probe-official-says-plane-2411688 Back to Top Committee to advise FAA on integration of drones into airspace After issuing its long-awaited guidelines for the nonrecreational use of drones, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced the first meeting of a new Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) Drone Advisory Committee (DAC), scheduled for Sept. 16 in Washington, D.C. The DAC's membership list reads like a virtual "who's who" of the commercial drone and civil aviation industries. Headed by Intel Corp. CEO Brian Krzanich, the 35-member committee includes representatives from Amazon.com Inc., Alphabet Inc., United Parcel Service Inc., General Atomics Technologies Corp., Garmin Ltd., Lockheed Martin Corp., Harris Corp., MITRE Corp., Rockwell Collins Inc., Stanford University and various other companies, industry associations, and state and local government organizations. Commercial businesses stand ready with a range of new drone services, such as package delivery, traffic monitoring, mapping and pipeline inspection. The DAC gives drone regulators, operators and manufacturers a critical forum to build policies that balance safety, legal and regulatory concerns with the promotion of long-term industry growth. The DAC plans to meet three times a year. The initial meeting will focus on identifying priority issues and building them into an agenda for future action. The meeting is open to the public but requires advance registration to attend. https://about.bgov.com/blog/committee-advise-faa-integration-drones-airspace/ Back to Top EU aviation groups want all drones to be registered The EU bodies want drone software to prevent them from flying in certain areas - a feature already implemented by some drone makers A string of aviation associations has called for all small drones in Europe to be registered. The ability to trace nuisance drones back to their owner or pilot would improve compliance with regulations, the groups said in a joint statement. Near-misses involving drones and aircraft are on the rise - 10 UK cases risked collision this year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). US users must already register drones weighing more than half a pound (228g). A total of 10 associations in the EU have made the call, including the European Cockpit Association and the International Air Transport Association. "The recreational use of drones is rapidly increasing, and the related risk of incidents and accidents with manned aviation must be mitigated," the bodies said. Safety risks associated with drones were often underestimated, they added. Prevention not detection The UK's CAA has not joined calls for a drone register. "Our overall aim is to prevent any kind of conflict in the air from happening in the first place," a spokesman told the BBC. "Registration has advantages, but it's a complicated decision to make about what the benefits of registration are." But registration could be used as a means to ensure drones are safe to use, according to Stephan Appt at law firm Pinsent Masons. "You can also obviously attach some requirements to the registration which could be evidence of technical security, that everything that needs to be checked has been or that the device can land properly if there is an emergency," he told the BBC. Besides registration, the European and international bodies are also requesting that drones be equipped with altitude and distance restricting software preventing them from entering sensitive airspace - a feature known as "geofencing". Some drone makers, including DJI, already include such technology in their products, but there is no universal requirement to do so. The British government has planned a consultation on drones and regulation that will take place later this year. http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37285825 Back to Top Bombardier Safety Standdown Celebrates 20 years of Leadership in Aviation Safety - Forward-thinking agenda to cover new topics such as aviation security, preventing collisions with drones, the impact of people and perceptions on work - New key speakers this year include Tom Anthony from the University of Southern California, Amy Grubb from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Jim Williams from Dentons US MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC--(Marketwired - Sept. 6, 2016) - Bombardier Business Aircraft revealed today the topics and speakers that will contribute to marking the 20th anniversary of its annual Safety Standdown event. One of the most comprehensive human factors safety conferences in the industry, this year's event will take place September 27-29, at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Registration for the seminar is now open and we look forward to welcoming all aviation professionals regardless of the aircraft type they operate. The Safety Standdown program continues to tackle the risks posed to aviation safety by everyday distractions. General Sessions presented by key industry experts will cover a range of relevant safety topics, such as professionalism and crew resource management, as well as brand new topics that include aviation security, preventing collisions with drones, the impact of people and perceptions on work. Sessions will take place in the mornings and breakout workshops will be offered in the afternoons. One of the highlights of this year's seminar will be the presentation of the Bombardier Safety Standdown Award. The 2016 recipient will be a peer-nominated professional who sets the highest standards for safety in aviation. "We are proud to celebrate this major milestone with our customers and other aviation professionals," said Andy Nureddin, Vice-President and General Manager, Customer Services, Bombardier Business Aircraft. "This significant achievement reflects the growth of the industry as a whole, and the necessity for effective and accessible safety training for all operators. With the help and support of our industry and government experts, Bombardier Business Aircraft continues to bring the most current and most pertinent information to the aviation community," he added. "Each year we refine and expand our program to elevate awareness with respect to human factors safety training," said Antonio Cortés, Associate Professor, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Safety Standdown Advisory Council Chairman. "Through a proactive and community approach, we identify needs within our industry and offer the best and most pertinent training possible. Our goal is to make all of aviation safer for everyone." About Safety Standdown Originally conceived in 1996 as a human factors safety-training event for the Learjet flight demonstration team, the conference quickly garnered a reputation for excellence beyond Bombardier's customer base. In 1999, in response to growing interest within the industry, Bombardier opened the seminar to all pilots. In 2010, Safety Standdown expanded beyond the seminars into a year-round global human factors program offering online and social media resources. As of October 2015, more than 8,600 corporate, commercial and military aviation professionals have attended Safety Standdown seminars around the world, including Brazil, Canada, China, Mexico, Switzerland and USA. About Bombardier Bombardier is the world's leading manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation. Bombardier is headquartered in Montréal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, we posted revenues of $18.2 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier. Notes to Editors Follow @Bombardierjets on Twitter to receive the latest news and updates from Bombardier Business Aircraft. To receive our press releases, please visit the RSS Feed section. Bombardier, Learjet and The Evolution of Mobility are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/bombardier-safety-standdown-celebrates-20- years-of-leadership-in-aviation-safety-tsx-bbd.a-2155540.htm Back to Top Virgin America to cut staff in merger with Alaska Airlines Virgin America Airbus A320-200© Virgin America Virgin America Airbus A320-200 Virgin America (VX, San Francisco, CA) has announced it will be cutting approximately 225 management positions as part of its merger with Alaska Airlines (AS, Seattle Tacoma Int'l). A filing with Californian labour regulators seen by Bizjournal said the move aimed to remove all duplicate white-collar posts at Virgin America's Burlingame headquarters the merger would invariably create. The lay offs will begin on October 11, 2016 and will run until June 30, 2018. Alaska expects to close the USD4 billion merger by December of this year. Operationally, it expects to attain a single Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) by the first quarter of 2018. http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/49024-virgin-america-to-cut-staff-in-merger- with-alaska-airlines Back to Top Brazil's Embraer seals airplane deals with Chinese companies Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer's CEO Frederico Curado (R) pours champagne on an new Embraer E190-E2 during its unveil in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, February 25, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazilian airplane manufacturer, Embraer, has signed a contract to sell up to five E190 planes to China's Colorful Guizhou Airlines for a value of up to $249 million, the company announced late on Friday. In a press release, Embraer said the sale was concluded Friday during a Brazil-China business seminar in Shanghai, attended by Brazil's President Michel Temer. The deal includes the confirmed purchase of two planes and the right to purchase three more. The first two will be delivered in 2017. Embraer also sealed the sale of two Phenom 300 private jets to Colorful Yunnan General Aviation. Embraer's director-general Paulo Cesar de Souza, stated that this sale confirms China's growing interest in Embraer. He added that over the past 15 years, Embraer has delivered 230 planes to China. "China has huge potential for us and...represents 12 percent of our income," commented de Souza, who highlighted that Temer was presented in order to send a message of trust to investors and promote the commercial interests of Brazilian companies. Colorful Guizhou's chairman, Zhai Yan, also said that "we hope that the E190 fleet can help us build a sky passageway inside and beyond Guizhou Province, and eventually contribute to improving the connectivity of China's Southwest Region. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2016-09/04/content_26692418.htm Back to Top Air India chairman warns truant pilots of disciplinary action MUMBAI: Air India chairman Ashwin Lohani has warned pilots against "sabotaging" the airline's operations after a section of them decided to not report for duty protesting pending salaries and allowances. He added any such employee would face disciplinary action. "Recently there have been case of delays/cancellation of flights due to indiscipline by a small section of pilots. Such instances besides resulting in loss of revenue also cause tremendous inconveniences to passengers besides lowering the image of the organisation," he wrote in a letter to his staff. "Such acts specially at this juncture when all of us are making efforts together to achieve a turnaround in the organisation and also focusing on employee welfare are just not acceptable," he added." Such attempts at sabotaging the progress of Air India and also instigation by mischievious elements shall not be tolerated under any circumstances and employees responsible for the same shall be liable for exemplary disciplinary action," he said. Air India's flights on Sunday were delayed as the pilots, part of the union,Indian Commercial Pilots' Association, decided not to show up for work or respond to duty calls. The pilots had raked up a long debated issue of salary parity between the employees of the erstwhile Indian Airlines and Air India, the two staterun carriers that were merged in 2007. The crew also accused the management of delays in payment of special allowances when they flew aboard and also denial of some weekly offs. The national carrier in the past has struggled with employees striking work over alleged disparity of salaries and career progression. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/air-india- chairman-warns-truant-pilots-of-disciplinary-action/articleshow/54017345.cms Back to Top Air Force, Running Low on Drone Pilots, Turns to Contractors in Terror Fight An Air Force pilot, left, prepared to launch a Predator drone from an American military base in the Persian Gulf region in January. Credit John Moore/Getty Images WASHINGTON - The American military's extensive use of drones against the Islamic State and other terrorist groups has resulted in a shortage of Air Force pilots and other personnel to operate the aircraft, leading the Pentagon to rely more on private contractors for reconnaissance missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the Pentagon has used contractors to perform many duties traditionally carried out by uniformed personnel, like protecting military bases and feeding service members. The contractors who are now serving as drone pilots are based in the regions where the drones are flown, and they are legally prohibited from being "trigger pullers" and firing weapons, Air Force officials said. But there is no limit on the type of reconnaissance they can perform, and they are providing live video feeds of battles and special operations. As the Obama administration has accelerated its campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq, Syria and Libya over the past 10 months, the Pentagon has added four drones flown by contractors to the roughly 60 that are typically flown every day by uniformed Air Force personnel. Over the next two years, the Pentagon plans to add six more operated by contractors, the officials said. The number and identities of contractors working on the drone flights are considered classified information, the Air Force said. But Pentagon officials said there are at least several hundred contractors, many of them former drone or fighter pilots who are making double or triple their military salaries. "This is opening up a whole new can of worms - we have seen problems with security contractors on the battlefield since 9/11, and there's been an improvement in oversight in that area, but that came after a decade of problems," said Laura A. Dickinson, a law professor at George Washington University, who has written extensively about the United States' use of military contractors. "With drones, this is a new area where we already do not have a lot of transparency, and with contractors operating drones there's no clearly defined regime of oversight and accountability." Drones were first used extensively by the United States military in the Balkans in the 1990s. By the mid-2000s, the Air Force was flying more than a dozen drones a day in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere. The number of flights rose steadily to about 60 in 2010, when the military began plans to scale back because the war in Iraq was winding down. But in 2014, President Obama ordered a stepped-up military campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Later that year, Mr. Obama, who had said that a small number of troops remaining behind in Afghanistan would have no combat role, decided to authorize a more expansive mission for them. The Air Force was not prepared for this increased demand. Finding pilots was difficult. They typically work long hours in windowless rooms staring at computer monitors and do not get many days off. Many of those who fly armed drones have been found to have post-traumatic stress disorder because they have witnessed so many airstrikes. There is also a powerful perception in the Air Force that drone jobs are less prestigious and glamorous than flying more traditional military aircraft, and recruitment has been hard. The pilots have also become targets for terrorists who say drones have been used to indiscriminately kill civilians. This past spring, the Islamic State released a detailed list of several dozen senior Air Force officers who the group said were connected to the drone program. The list included photographs of the officers, their home addresses and other personal information. Operating drones requires an extensive support network. One pilot and a camera operator typically control a drone, and since a drone is expected to be constantly in the air, each one must have several crews. The analysis of the footage taken in by the drones is even more labor intensive. For every drone, there is a need for up to four dozen analysts who can look at the many hours of footage to assess the targets and other intelligence. With little alternative, the Air Force initiated a "get-well plan" in January 2015 that included several measures - among them an increase in pay - to try to alleviate the significant "stress on the force" that had developed. "Airmen have delivered time-critical data, prosecuted targets and supported combatant commanders without fail, but we cannot sustain this pace indefinitely," Deborah Lee James, the secretary of the Air Force, said at the time. "While threats have evolved, the demand for this capability remains constant." Both armed drones and those involved only in surveillance have led to significant success on the battlefield, but the Obama administration has been widely criticized for not being transparent about their use. Air Force officials said there are many safeguards in place to train and monitor contractors. But the officials declined to provide many details about the flights, such as where the contractors are deployed and which companies are operating the flights. The officials also declined to address the role that contractors play in a select group of highly classified drone flights that the Air Force conducts daily for the C.I.A. Air Force pilots, who are essentially on loan to the C.I.A., fly those drones while the agency does its own preflight target planning and post-mission analysis. Erika Yepsen, a spokeswoman for the Air Force, said the missions flown by the contractors "have oversight from both a government flight representative and a government ground representative." She added, "Additionally, planning and execution of these missions are carried out under the same oversight currently provided for military aircrews, and the resulting sensor information will be collected, analyzed, transmitted and stored as appropriate by the same military intelligence units." But the Air Force would not disclose many details about the drone contractors. Contractors are typically compensated far more than service members, and some current and former senior Air Force officials said their use could actually exacerbate the shortage in military drone pilots because the pay of the private sector might lure them away. "The Air Force is the one creating unmanned pilots who have experience - there is nowhere else to draw on pilots from," said Frederick F. Roggero, a retired major general. Mr. Roggero, after his Air Force career, became president and chief executive of Resilient Solutions, which provides consulting on unmanned aircraft safety and security. He compared the situation to the period after World War I. "We are at the same point now culturally - the only pilots with drone experience are coming from the Air Force, and that industry is going to experience exponential growth for unmanned pilots," he said, adding that it would create a new demand that would lure them away from the military. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/06/us/air-force-drones-terrorism-isis.html?_r=0 Back to Top Vietnamese Carriers In 40 Airbus Jet Order Airbus announced orders for 40 aircraft from three Vietnamese airlines during a visit to the country by French President Francois Hollande. Flag carrier Vietnam Airlines signed a Memorandum of Understanding for 10 additional A350-900s in a deal worth USD$3.08 billion at list prices. The carrier already has four aircraft in service, with 10 still to be delivered from a previous order. Vietnam Airlines was the first Asian airline to take delivery of the A350. "The A350 is the suitable aircraft for our proposed intercontinental routes to Europe and the US," Vietnam Airlines' chief executive Duong Tri Thanh said. Privately owned Vietjet placed a firm order for 20 A321s, comprising of 10 A321ceo and 10 A321neo aircraft. The order is worth USD$2.4 billion at list prices. Budget carrier Jetstar Pacific finalised an order for 10 A320ceo aircraft worth USD$980 million at catalogue prices. Jetstar Pacific is a joint venture between Vietnam Airlines and Australia's Qantas. http://news.airwise.com/story/vietnamese-carriers-in-40-airbus-jet-order Back to Top A330 jet engine slides off truck near Sydney Airport, causing traffic disruption Police have charged a truck driver after a jet engine for an A330 passenger aircraft slid off the back of his heavy vehicle near Sydney Airport. The 7-tonne engine suffered moderate damage in the incident on Forest Road in Arncliffe about 9.30am on Tuesday, and police were forced to close one side of the road. The A330 engine that fell from the truck near Sydney Airport on Tuesday. Photo: NSW Police Traffic was disrupted for nearly two hours while a crane was used to salvage the engine, which was wrapped in a grey covering emblazoned with General Electric logo. The American manufacturer's aviation subsidiary is one of the world's largest makers of jet engines. A crane is used to lift the A330 jet engine back onto a truck. Photo: NSW Police It was good luck for emergency services that the crane happened to be in the area at the time, and could quickly be used to move the engine. The jet engine is believed to have been destined for the RAAF, which has A330s in its fleet. Qantas and Virgin Australia also fly the same wide-body aircraft but both confirmed the engine did not belong to them. Police will allege the 51-year-old driver of the truck used restraints for a 900 kilogram load, when the engine weighed almost eight times more. The driver was breath tested at the scene but gave a negative result. Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander John Hartley said the assistance of the crane helped to minimise traffic disruptions in the area. "Operators travelling with oversize loads need to take appropriate precautions to ensure their own safety, and the safety of other motorists," he said. "Incidents such as these can lead to serious crashes and it's lucky other motorists weren't injured or even killed." The driver is due to appear at Sutherland Local Court on November 1. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/a330-jet-engine-slides-off-truck-near-sydney-airport- causing-traffic-disruption-20160906-gra0v7.html Back to Top GE Spends $1.4 Billion on 3-D Printer-Makers for Jet Engines Jet-engine maker already uses Swedish company's EBM technology General Electric Co. announced $1.4 billion in European acquisitions to add 3D printing technology to manufacture parts for jet engines and cars. The U.S. company agreed to buy Sweden's Arcam AB for 5.86 billion kronor ($680 million), alongside a separate transaction to acquire SLM Solutions Group AG of Germany, it said in a statement on Tuesday. GE's aviation division is looking to print more than 100,000 jet-engine parts by 2020. The U.S. company is buying into Arcam's claim that its technology using electron beams to melt metal powder into firm objects is superior to competing laser-based processes. GE already became Arcam's top customer last year, placing the largest order to date to help produce turbine blades for jet engines. "We chose these two companies for a reason," said David Joyce, chief executive of GE Aviation. "They each bring two different, complementary additive technology modalities. Over time, we plan to extend the line of additive manufacturing equipment and products." GE offered 285 kronor per Arcam share, about 53 percent more than Arcam's closing price of 186 kronor on Monday. Arcam's board is backing the bid. Its shares had been little changed this year, valuing the company at 3.84 billion kronor. SLM investors are set to receive 38 euros a share in the agreed deal, a 37 percent premium to its prior close. Combined the businesses generated $142 million in 2015 revenue. Arcam jumped 53 percent to 285.50 kronor as of 9:25 a.m. in Stockholm, while SLM climbed 38 percent to 38.42 euros in Frankfurt. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-06/ge-to-spend-1-4-billion-on-3-d- printer-makers-for-plane-parts Back to Top SIU Carbondale to Start New Aviation Program CARBONDALE, Il. (KMOX) - Trans States Airline is set to sign an agreement this week with Southern Illinois University in Carbondale providing students a path to becoming professional pilots. Aviation management and flight professor José Ruiz says more than 600,000 aviators are going to be required over the next 20 years. Under the new program, students must have at least their F.A.A. private pilot license, agree to get their certified flight instructor license and work as a flight instructor at SIU Carbondale to meet Trans States Airlines' hiring requirements. http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2016/09/06/siu-carbondale-to-start-new-aviation-program/ Back to Top NEW GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Dear colleague in the aircraft ground handling industry My name is Mario Pierobon and I am conducting a doctoral study on aircraft ground handling safety at Cranfield University. As part of my research I have developed a survey that requires you to consider 40 different hazards that are peculiar to the aircraft ground handling environment and for each of them perform two exercises. The first exercise is about assessing the level of control an aircraft ground handling company has over a given hazard. The second exercise concerns establishing a relationship between the hazard (a situation or a condition that can lead to an accident) and a predetermined series of accident outcomes in terms of which accident outcomes a given hazard is likely to be associated with. In order to participate to this survey you are requested to have a management role in the aircraft ground handling industry. The survey may be accessed at the following link https://cranfielduniversity.eu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3abRtXF0f6D7oEJ Thank you in advance for your kind support, if you need any additional information you may reach me at m.pierobon@cranfield.ac.uk. Kind regards Mario Pierobon PhD Candidate (air safety), Cranfield University Curt Lewis