Flight Safety Information September 20, 2016 - No. 185 In This Issue Saudia Plane Crew Mistakenly Hit Hijack Alert Button in Manila Scare Nashville-Bound Southwest Jet Returns Safely to Los Angeles Flight makes frightening landing at Tampa International Airport MiG-21 jet overshoots runway at Srinagar Airport, no one injured (India) Malysian Airlines flight MH17 investigation pinpoints exactly where missile originated JetBlue airplane diverts after lightning strike just moments after take-off from JFK Badass Cow Takes Down Helicopter And Walks Off Like A Boss JetBlue Inks Long-Term Biofuel Deal Allegiant hires staff to improve operational reliability Historic Aviation Carbon Agreement Moves a Step Closer EU aviation experts confirm safety standards of Georgian cargo airline New American Airlines president Robert Isom announces leadership team The Countries With The Most Business Jet Registrations Worldwide Airbus could be making some serious changes to its business Saudia Private Aviation Signs Long Term Agreement with Wyvern for Technical Support Island Air Expands and Promotes Leadership Team FAA Poised to Take On Role as Traffic Cop for Space China Confirms Its Space Station Is Falling Back to Earth Saudia Plane Crew Mistakenly Hit Hijack Alert Button in Manila Scare In this image made from video, people disembark a Saudi Arabian Airlines at the airport in Manila, on Sept. 20. Source: AP Photo Manila, Philippines (AP) -- The flight crew of a Saudi Arabian Airlines plane mistakenly pressed a hijack warning button as it approached Manila's airport on Tuesday, causing airport officials to mobilize security forces and isolate the jet after it landed, Philippine officials said. Manila airport manager Eddie Monreal and other officials said Flight SV872 from Jiddah made the distress call about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the airport. Airport authorities asked for a verification of the emergency message and the flight crew confirmed the distress call twice, he said. It was not immediately clear how the confirmation was made, he said. However, the captain later told the control tower that a button indicating that a hijacking was in progress had been pushed accidently, Monreal said. He said the Boeing 777 was isolated after it landed and security personnel were deployed as a precaution. The passengers were later allowed to disembark. Some of those coming off the plane were dressed in white, likely indicating that they were returning from the annual hajj pilgrimage, a ritual required of all able-bodied Muslims once in a lifetime. The 71-year-old airline, which operates 119 planes, does brisk business during the hajj, which reached its climax last week. Monreal said the plane was carrying 410 passengers and 21 crew members. The incident came after Phillipine officials in February announced they had strengthened security for Saudi Arabia's embassy in Manila and its national airline because of a possible threat. At the time, officials also said additional armed officers were posted in the boarding area for the Saudi flag carrier and to guard the airline's luggage. It did not elaborate on the threat. However, it came as the Sunni-ruled kingdom has been on increasingly hostile terms with Shiite power Iran. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-20/urgent-saudia-airlines-plane-put-in-isolation-at- manila-airport Back to Top Nashville-Bound Southwest Jet Returns Safely to Los Angeles A Southwest Airlines plane bound for Nashville, Tennessee, had to return to Los Angeles just after takeoff because of a mechanical problem (Blown Tires). Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey says none of the 147 people aboard was injured as the jet landed safely on Monday night. The passengers got off the plane on mobile staircases, were taken to the terminal and assigned to other flights. Humphrey says the plane will remain in place on the runway while it's inspected. http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/nashville-bound-southwest-jet-returns-safely-los-angeles-42213891 Back to Top Flight makes frightening landing at Tampa International Airport TAMPA, FL (WFLA) - An American Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Tampa International Airport early Tuesday. Passengers say it was due to a malfunction with landing gear. According to an American Airlines spokesperson: "AA flight 574, an A320 aircraft traveling from Phoenix to Tampa, experienced an indicator light in the cockpit prior to landing. The aircraft landed normally and passengers were deplaned via air stairs and driven by bus to the terminal. No one was injured. There were 146 passengers onboard. The aircraft is currently being evaluated by our maintenance team." News Channel 8 Daytime host Jerry Penacoli was on board the plane. He says passengers were told to brace as if they would crash land. Flight attendants showed passengers how to properly brace for landing. As the flight came down, the flight attendants kept screaming "Brace! Brace! Brace!" and passengers were all screaming, Penacoli explained to a News Channel 8 producer. Penacoli says he and those around him were saying their goodbyes to each other. And miraculously the pilot landed the plane safely. "We were given the full instructions on how to [brace for crash landing]. We were given the full instructions how to do it. As we were getting closer, it was petrifying," he said. Penacoli adds that the pilot deserves high praise. He called it an "extremely emotional ordeal that no one around him wants to endure again." http://wfla.com/2016/09/20/flight-makes-emergency-landing-at-tampa-international-airport/ Back to Top MiG-21 jet overshoots runway at Srinagar Airport, no one injured (India) The Mig-21 aircraft overshot the Srinagar airport runway by 200 metres. (Representative image)MiG-21 jet overshoots runway at Srinagar Airport, no one injured NEW DELHI: An Indian Air Force MiG-21 fighter jet overshot the runway by 200 metres, while landing at Srinagar Airport on Tuesday afternoon. No casualties or injuries were reported. The jet's pilot was safely evacuated, but the runway was damaged. Civilian flights to and from the airport have been stopped. "The fighter jet made an emergency landing at the Srinagar Airport after the pilot noticed a technical snag in the plane. The tyres of the jet were badly burnt due to the emergency landing but timely action saved the plane," airport sources in Srinagar told PTI. Sources further said fire tenders were rushed to the runway to ensure the aircraft did not catch fire. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/MiG-21-jet-overshoots-runway-at-Srinagar-Airport-no-one- injured/articleshow/54423559.cms Back to Top Malysian Airlines flight MH17 investigation pinpoints exactly where missile originated London: The criminal investigation into the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 has pinpointed the exact launch site of the missile that brought it down, a source close to the investigation says. The Joint Investigation Team, including experts from Australia, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine, has gathered evidence of the launch site of a standard that could be presented in a potential criminal trial. The results of their investigation will be made public next Tuesday, first of all to the families and loved ones of the 298 people killed in the July 2014 crash, then in a media conference. The investigators are also expected to identify the weapon used to shoot down the plane - however they are not expected to identify who launched the missile. The investigation into the perpetrators is still continuing, and that evidence will likely be kept in reserve for a potential criminal trial. Leaders and foreign ministers from countries including Australia will discuss the potential for such a trial in the wings of the United Nations general assembly this week. A move for official UN action against the perpetrators faces the threat of a Russian veto in the Security Council. However countries including the UK and Australia have already discussed other jurisdictions that might be used to bring the accused parties to trial. MH17 crash site near the village of Hrabovo in East Ukraine. Photo: Bohdan Warchomij Last year an air safety investigation found that flight MH17 crashed on July 17, 2014, after it was hit by a Russian-made Buk surface to air missile. All 283 passengers and 15 crew members were killed. The dead included 38 Australian citizens or residents. Cockpit wreckage reconstruction of MH17 at the Gilze-Rijen Military Base in the Netherlands. Photo: Getty Images The Dutch Safety Board report used computer simulations and forensic analysis of the plane wreckage to conclude that a Buk warhead detonated outside the aircraft, slightly in front of and above the left side of the cockpit. Thousands of metal fragments penetrated the plane, which broke up in mid-air. The DSB narrowed the missile launch site to a 320 square kilometre area in eastern Ukraine, but said further work to narrow this area was beyond the safety board's mandate. Russia challenged the DSB report on several grounds, claiming that the damage pattern on the plane was not consistent with the type of missile the DSB described. However the DSB dismissed the Russian analysis and confirmed its initial conclusions. A source from the criminal investigation team, which worked separately to the DSB, said their result would be similar to the DSB's, but "more precise". "This is evidence that is meant to be brought before a court," they said. "It is more precise with the exact location from where the missile was launched." The Joint Investigation Team consists of investigators from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine. Open-source investigators Bellingcat have worked independently of the JIT to identify responsibility for the crash of MH17. They concluded the missile was fired from a Buk launcher that entered eastern Ukraine in late June 2014 from Russia. The missile that destroyed MH17 was fired from a field south of the town of Snizhne. Bellingcat also claim that Russia has released "fake" evidence including doctored satellite images to try to shift blame for the crash. http://www.smh.com.au/world/malysian-airlines-flight-mh17-investigation-pinpoints-exactly-where- missile-originated-20160919-grjz94.html Back to Top JetBlue airplane diverts after lightning strike just moments after take-off from John F Kennedy Airport JetBlue Airways aircrafts are pictured at departure gates at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. An airplane that was struck by lightning just moments after taking off diverted to a nearby airport. The JetBlue flight was heading to Bermuda from John F Kennedy Airport in New York on Monday morning when it was diverted to Boston's Logan International Airport, the Aviation Herald reported. The airline's website shows the plane landed at Logan around 9:45 a.m and a Massachusetts Port Authority spokesman says the plane landed without incident. The moment a passenger plane flying over north-west Saudi Arabia is struck by lightning. State police spokesman David Procopio says it's possible the plane was hit by lighting but that it hadn't been confirmed. A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration reached Bermuda with a delay of 4.5 hours. http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/travel-troubles/84449132/jetblue-airplane-diverts-after-lightning-strike- just-moments-after-takeoff-from-john-f-kennedy-airport Back to Top Badass Cow Takes Down Helicopter And Walks Off Like A Boss Beware of the... cow? The bovine revolution has begun. A cow in Australia scuffled with a helicopter over the weekend, and the battle didn't end the way you might expect. When an unidentified chopper pilot tried to round up cows at a cattle station in Coen, on the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, on Sunday, things didn't go so well. Here's the aftermath, posted on social media by Australian student pilot and aviation enthusiast Brendan Grainger: "It's believed the rails underneath the helicopter got tangled up in the cow's horns, causing the chopper to lose balance," the Queensland Police Service wrote on its website. While the chopper was udderly destroyed, the 35-year-old pilot of the Robinson R22 Beta mustering helicopter was uninjured... except, perhaps for his pride. And the cow? According to the Brisbane Times, the cow was just fine. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cow-vs-helicopter- australia_us_57e0dc39e4b08cb14097b8bb?section=& Back to Top JetBlue Inks Long-Term Biofuel Deal BOSTON-JetBlue Airways has forged a deal with Philadelphia-based bioenergy firm SG Preston to purchase more than 33 million gal. of a renewable jet fuel blend over a decade. The airline said it plans to start receiving the fuel in 2019, and is aiming to introduce it at New York-area airports first. The airline's main hub is at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The carrier could use the fuel in other focus cities eventually, Sophia Mendelsohn, JetBlue's head of sustainability, told Aviation Daily. SG Preston provides fuel based on hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA), which will comprise 30% of the fuel blend JetBlue will use in its aircraft. The remaining 70% will be comprised of standard, petroleum-based Jet A. In a statement, the airline called the renewable-fuel deal one of the largest in aviation history, and "the largest, long-term, binding commitment" for the HEFA-based fuel by an airline. The renewable fuel, which can be used across JetBlue's fleet without requiring changes to fueling infrastructure, would power a small percentage of the airline's total flights, at first. The blend would account for about 4% of JetBlue's fuel use for its overall network, Mendelsohn said, or about 20% of the fuel it uses each year at JFK. The HEFA fuel will be derived from various crops grown in North America, she added. The fuel blend will emit a smaller amount of greenhouse gases than standard jet fuel. JetBlue will not know the exact amount of greenhouse gas emissions until the renewable fuel is blended with jet fuel, Mendelsohn said. However, the airline calculates that each gallon of the renewable fuel-before blending- will provide at least a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The airline still expects reductions to be in the double digits after blending, Mendelsohn said. JetBlue expects the cost of the biofuel to be competitive with the cost of Jet A, Mendelsohn said. She noted that several factors went into the decision to choose the fuel based on the HEFA pathway, including its approval by standards organization ASTM International and safety considerations. While focused on this first commercial deal in the near-term, JetBlue remains open to exploring other types of biofuels in the future. "We are not using HEFA exclusively; there are other approved pathways," Mendelsohn said. www.aviationweek.com Back to Top Allegiant hires staff to improve operational reliability Allegiant Air will hire more staff and make more spare aircraft available next summer as it continues with plans to improve operational reliability. The Las Vegas-based carrier will bring on 25 additional mechanics and hire about 100 pilots through the summer of 2017, says Allegiant chief operating officer Jude Bricker on the sidelines of the Boyd Group International Aviation Forecast Summit in Squaw Valley, California. The airline also plans to have about four additional spare aircraft available every day next summer, he tells FlightGlobal. Allegiant is working to improve its operational reliability, which has been impacted by performance of its ageing fleet of Boeing MD-80s. The airline is in the midst of replacing the aircraft with Airbus A320 family aircraft. By end-2017, Allegiant will operate 38 MD-80s, down from 48 at end-2016, its fleet plan shows. It will operate 53 A320 family aircraft by end-2017, up from 33 such aircraft at end-2016. Allegiant recently boosted its third quarter unit revenue guidance after witnessing stronger-than-expected performance in August. "We always do well in the back end of August and September," says Bricker. The airline expects to see sequential year-on-year improvements in unit revenue going forward, with declines likely to flatten out around the second quarter of 2017 onwards, he adds. "We are constraining growth for the summer of next year to effect operations positively," he says, adding that growth will ramp up again once Allegiant adds more new aircraft. The airline expects the first of its order for 12 Airbus A320ceos to arrive in May 2017, says Bricker. It will take 10 of the aircraft in 2017, and the remaining two in the summer of 2018. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top Historic Aviation Carbon Agreement Moves a Step Closer The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expressed optimism for an agreement on a Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) when governments meet for the 39th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) this month. The draft negotiating text for CORSIA, published in early September, broadly aligns with the aviation industry's call for a mandatory global carbon offset scheme as a tool to help manage the industry's emissions. Instead of being mandatory from the start, however, the draft text defines a voluntary "pilot and implementation" period, between 2021 and 2026, after which participation would be mandatory for all eligible states, beginning in 2027. ICAO is the United Nations body charged with managing aviation's climate change impact. ICAO was mandated by its 191 contracting states in 2013 to present a proposal for a global market-based measure to manage aviation's carbon footprint. That proposal is the Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). "I am optimistic that we are on the brink of a historic agreement-a first for an industry sector at the global level," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and CEO. "The aviation industry would have preferred a more ambitious timeline than is currently outlined in the draft text. However, what is most important is that the substance of the negotiating text will allow for meaningful management of aviation's carbon footprint." IATA encourages governments to commit to their voluntary participation as soon as possible. "Last year's much lauded Paris climate change agreement was a combination of voluntary measures to which the vast majority of countries have already committed themselves," said de Juniac. "We expect no less of an outcome. The industry is ready. There is really no reason for governments not to volunteer." The United States, China, Canada, Indonesia, Mexico, the Marshall Islands, and 44 European countries have indicated their willingness to participate, according to de Juniac. "Airlines are committed to environmental responsibility. But achieving it requires a partnership with governments," he added. "That is clear in the development of a global market-based measure such as CORSIA. And it is the same for day-to-day operations. Airlines are investing heavily in new technology, the development of sustainable alternative fuels and operational efficiency. This is particularly the case with investments to modernize air navigation infrastructure which will bring cost-efficiency benefits along with improved environmental performance. Similarly, government incentives to commercialize sustainable alternative fuels are critical to unlocking their environmental benefits with increased production capacity and lower costs." http://www.globaltrademag.com/global-logistics/historic-aviation-carbon-agreement-moves-step-closer Back to Top EU aviation experts confirm safety standards of Georgian cargo airline The European Aviation Safety Agency authorisation would help TCA to better operate in the EU air market. Photo by TCA. Georgia's first air cargo carrier, TCA, has become the second local airline to receive European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) authorisation, confirming it meets international operational and safety standards. This means TCA will enjoy more simplified and less administrative obstacles facing operators outside the European Union (EU) who perform commercial air transport operations into the EU. From now the TCA is authorised to fly to EASA member countries - all 28 EU countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland (Free Trade European Association member countries) - with one single safety authorisation. With this EASA authorisation, TCA met International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards. Having this authorisation was preferential for any non-EU member third country operators who wanted to fly into the EU, said the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency (GCAA). The GCAA noted this authorisation would help TCA to better operate in the EU air market. Earlier this year Georgian Airways received the same authorisation from EASA. http://agenda.ge/news/65645/eng Back to Top New American Airlines president Robert Isom announces leadership team American Airlines jets maneuver around American's terminals at DFW International Airport. American Airlines' recently appointed president Robert Isom announced a new six-person leadership team Monday aimed at helping align commercial and operational functions at the Fort Worth-based carrier. The leadership shuffle reflects a broader shift toward focusing on day-to-day operations at American as the carrier nears the end of its integration with US Airways following the company's 2013 merger. "There are so many big things we've done already, the major milestones getting through the merger," Isom said in an interview with The Dallas Morning News on Monday. "We know there's so much still to come, and the key to unlocking that value has to be about doing the small stuff too." Isom was named American's president last month as part of an executive shake-up that saw former president Scott Kirby leave to take the same position at rival United Airlines. Isom previously was American's chief operating officer, a position he also held at US Airways before the merger. While Kirby had three direct reports, Isom's new leadership team will have six, divided between commercial and operational functions. They are: Commercial team Don Casey, senior vice president of revenue management, who will continue to oversee fare pricing, inventory management, frequent flier redemption and revenue management for joint business agreements. Andrew Nocella, senior vice president of network planning, alliances and sales, will drop the chief marketing officer title but will continue to oversee the company's route scheduling across the globe, global sales and its alliances and partnerships with other airlines. In a letter to employees, Isom said Nocella's charge is to "maximize our global footprint and future flying opportunities and to design a schedule that will support reliable operations." Kurt Stache, senior vice president of marketing and loyalty, will take a key role in the company's customer service efforts, with responsibility for advertising, promotions and the AAdvantage loyalty program. Operations team Kenji Hashimoto, senior vice president of regional carriers, will be responsible for the operations and performance of the regional carriers that shuttle passengers from smaller destinations to major hubs like DFW International Airport. The regional carriers, which include several American subsidiaries as well as contracted third-party airlines, collectively provide about half the departures in American's network. Kerry Philipovitch, senior vice president customer experience, will continue to oversee airport operations, global operations, customer planning and service recovery, while also adding responsibility for the carrier's flight services, international and cargo operations. David Seymour, senior vice president for integration operations, is responsible for making sure American's fleet is "ready to go for every flight, every day," Isom said. Seymour will continue to oversee the carrier's integrated operations center, technical operations, crew planning and scheduling. He will also add flight and safety to his responsibilities. "This new structure purposely moves away from titles like chief operating officer and chief marketing officer. While that may change down the road, today our intention is all about improved collaboration and teamwork for better decision making and execution," Isom said in the letter to employees. The new leadership team will report to Isom, who in turn reports to CEO Doug Parker, along with five other senior executives overseeing areas like finance, corporate affairs and information technology. In a separate announcement Monday, American said it has hired Alison Taylor as its new senior vice president of global sales. Taylor, who will report to Nocella, previously worked in a similar role for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. http://www.dallasnews.com/business/airline-industry/20160919-new-american-airlines-president-robert- isom-announces-leadership-team.ece Back to Top The Countries With The Most Business Jet Registrations Worldwide When you start earning the big bucks, there's only one sure-fire way to cement your status among the super rich. Purchasing a yacht or a mansion would be impressive enough but nothing can compete with the status of owning your very own private jet. Purchasing a large and modern business jet is expensive enough (the Gulfstream 450 comes with a $41 million price tag) but keeping it operational can prove a financial strain over a long period of time. Still, despite the hefty costs involved, many companies operate fleets of private aircraft as they have been proven to boost profitability. A 2010 study revealed that SMEs using corporate jets consistently outperformed those that did not, growing their revenue at a quicker pace than businesses that flew commercial. American companies and wealthy individuals have registered a lot of jets over the years and the country was home to 63 percent of the global fleet in 2014, according to Corporate Jet Investor. The U.S. had 12,051 private jets registered that year, quite a distance ahead of second-placed Brazil's 764. http://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2016/09/19/the-countries-with-the-most-business-jet- registrations-worldwide-infographic/#73bed95290c6 Back to Top Airbus could be making some serious changes to its business Airbus Group is in the midst of a period of financial uncertainty. In July, the European aviation giant announced $1.5 billion in charges due to setbacks in the company's A350 airliner and A400M military transport programs. In response, Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders will announce a major restructuring and cost cutting plan next month, the FT's Peggy Hollinger reported. According to the FT, the plan will see Enders take tighter control over the Airbus' civil aviation subsidiary, which accounts for the majority of the group's income. Further, Hollinger reported that Enders plans to streamline duplicate positions that exist within the mother company and its subsidiaries. Airbus has struggled to ramp up development and production of its next generation A350 airliner. Even though the company remains committed to a goal of producing 10 of the wide-body jets per month by 2018, Airbus delivered just 12 A350s to customers over the first half of the year. At the same time, the A400M military transport has beset by a series of technical issues and development delays. In June, the German government grounded two of its three A400Ms due to issues with the aircraft's drivetrain. According to Bloomberg, the A400M is more than four years late and $5.6 billion over budget. In addition to the charges, Airbus will also slow down production of the A380 superjumbo from 27 planes a year to 12 a year in 2018 to buy the sales team more time to secure orders. http://www.businessinsider.com/airbus-restructure-tom-enders-ft-2016-9 Back to Top Saudia Private Aviation Signs Long Term Agreement with Wyvern for Technical Support and Comprehensive Risk Management Services Yardley, PA: Saudia Private Aviation (SPA), a premium provider of private aviation services in the Middle East, has signed a long term agreement with Wyvern, a world leader in aviation safety, quality and risk management, to implement a comprehensive program ensuring that SPA achieves the highest standard of safety and quality possible. In delivering its services, Wyvern will provide updated operational and technical manuals to SPA which comply with newly implemented regulations of the Saudi Arabian General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA); assess, enhance and implement safety best practices on an on-going basis across SPA's global operations, and provide ongoing assistance that supports the company's internal systems and processes. "We are very pleased to have the support of Wyvern as we continue to offer the best possible level of safety and service to our private aviation clients," said Captain Hamza Ghouth, General Manager of SPA Flight Operations, "and this partnership reflects our company's commitment to always strive to be better, never resting on our achievements." Art Dawley, CEO of Wyvern added, "This partnership indicates SPA's total commitment to risk management across its global operations. Wyvern is pleased to offer its comprehensive Safety, Quality and Risk Management suite of services to SPA on an on-going basis and we appreciate SPA's commitment to a proactive safety culture throughout its organization." With its twenty-five years of experience in providing technical expertise and managing risk in the commercial aviation sector, Wyvern has established itself as the industry leader in supporting the world's largest and most successful private aviation organizations and providing counsel and expertise for operators wishing to advance their capabilities. http://www.wyvernltd.com/ Back to Top Island Air Expands and Promotes Leadership Team Island Air has expanded its leadership team by adding a new senior vice president of operations and promoting two directors to vice presidents. "As part of Island Air's focus on growing our airline and improving operations at all levels, we are continuing to build a strong leadership team," said David Uchiyama, president and CEO of Island Air. "David Lindskoog, and Dee Airman have extensive experience in the airline industry and they fully understand what it takes to ensure the efficient and safe operation of the airline on a daily basis, while also planning for future growth and expansion to meet customer needs and changing travel trends." David Lindskoog has been named senior vice president of operations for Island Air. David Lindskoog has 35 years of experience in airline operations, including 16 years of line flying and 19 years in airline management. Throughout his career, he has served as a key member of the management teams for various airlines including Copa Airlines, North American Airlines and ATA Airlines, successfully effecting changes to streamline operations, improve standards and training, ensure regulatory compliance, foster better safety culture, improve labor relations and implement new systems and technologies. He has been responsible for flight operations, including scheduling, flight training and standards for pilots, dispatchers and crew members. In addition, Lindskoog has guided airlines through major transitions, including moving from a charter company to a major scheduled-service airline, as well as overseeing workforce growth and training relating to the introduction of new aircraft fleet. He also served as senior director of safety at TransPac Aviation Academy. William "Dee" Airman has been promoted to vice president of administration, safety and security for Island Air. William "Dee" Airman has more than 30 years of experience in aviation leadership and safety and security management. For the past two years, Airman served as Island Air's director of safety, security and quality assurance. During that time, he led Island Air through the successful completion of its first International Air Transportation Association Operational Safety Audit, which is the global benchmark for operational safety management in the airline industry. He also led the airline through its first successful codeshare safety review with United Airlines. Part of his new responsibilities will be to oversee human resources and elevate the airline's training curriculum. Airman has extensive experience in domestic and international flight operations, having held management and director-level positions in safety, security, regulatory compliance and systems operations for airlines including Northwestern Airlines, Porter Airlines, flydubai, Emirates and Champion Air. A United States Air Force Academy graduate, Airman served as an Air Force commander, instructor and research pilot for 28 years. http://bigislandnow.com/2016/09/19/island-air-expands-and-promotes-leadership-team/ Back to Top FAA Poised to Take On Role as Traffic Cop for Space Pentagon is ready to hand over task of warning commercial-satellite operators about hazards from objects circling Earth With roughly 1,400 commercial satellites flying and several thousand more expected to be launched into popular low-altitude orbits over the next 10 years, there has been a debate over which civilian agency should serve as traffic cop in space. By ANDY PASZTOR The Federal Aviation Administration appears poised to take on a new role some agency officials have coveted for years: serving as traffic cops in space. Since at least 2013 there has been on-again, off-again debate in Washington about which civilian agency should take over the Defense Department's responsibility to warn commercial-satellite operators about collision hazards from tens of thousands of man-made and natural objects circling the Earth. Some travel at speeds nearly 10 times faster than a bullet. With roughly 1,400 commercial satellites currently flying and several thousand more expected to be launched into popular low-altitude orbits over the next 10 years, Pentagon brass are ready to hand over the painstaking task to civilian authorities. The shift would allow the Department of Defense to focus on its primary mission of protecting military spacecraft from potential jamming, threatening orbital maneuvers or other hostile acts by foreign governments. Recent developments, including comments last week by the FAA's top commercial-space official, indicate the agency has the inside track to take the civilian lead and is now pushing more publicly than before for final White House and congressional action formally giving it that authority. The FAA seeks to take over only the part of the military's job focused on commercial-satellite safety. Agency officials are ready "to actually roll up our sleeves and talk about having the FAA take on the responsibility," George Nield, the associate administrator for commercial space transportation, told an international aerospace conference last week in Long Beach, Calif. "It will be a lot easier for the United States to have conversations about safety with the rest of the world," according to Mr. Nield, without having the Department of Defense in the middle of those discussions. Mr. Nield also disclosed that Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx earlier this month sent a report to Capitol Hill indicating the FAA was ready and able to carry out the proposed new job. The FAA comes under the Transportation Department's authority. "There is broad agreement" that Mr. Nield's organization "is probably the right place" for the new operation, space expert Brian Weeden said in an interview Sunday, adding it would alleviate industry concerns about predictability. Lawmakers and White House officials may not work out the details until a new administration is in place following the November elections. The Federal Communications Commission and other parts of the government historically also have had a say in mitigating the dangers of space debris. Ultimately, lawmakers will have to tackle the broader issue of whether the FAA should gain power to regulate-rather than merely issue potential collision warnings about-the entire range of commercial activities in orbit. At the moment, the FAA has authority to regulate rockets and spacecraft on the way up, and when they return to earth. But no federal agency has explicit authority to regulate the movement of satellites in orbit. The FAA intends to continue using collision-avoidance data already collected by Pentagon assets on the ground and in space, including a global array of extensive radar facilities, optical sensors and advanced surveillance satellites operating in high-Earth orbit. The military also relies on information supplied by allies such as Australia, Canada and Great Britain. Eventually, civilian analysts likely would end up performing most of their own calculations, perhaps supplemented by commercially available data, and then issue warnings to private entities with at-risk satellites. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is expanding its data-collection abilities. "We're certainly expecting an explosion in the information and the data" that will be available in the future to monitor objects in space, Air Force Maj. Gen. David Thompson told the conference. From his vantage point as the second-highest ranking officer at Air Force Space Command, he said some 200,000 objects will be tracked closely, up from roughly 22,000 today. Some are expected to be half the size of a softball. Mr. Nield, whose office issues launch licenses and keeps tabs on space tourism projects, already seems intent on the logistics. "It would be important to have immunity from lawsuits, just like DOD has today," he said during his panel presentation, predicting "it is possible to do the job for a relatively modest cost." The movement comes as the FAA also is stepping up efforts on a separate but related initiative: keeping conventional aircraft safe amid the anticipated boom in commercial space launches. Mr. Nield previously talked about upgrading systems and expanding management of the nation's traditional airspace to incorporate real-time tracking of rocket launches, suborbital flights and, further in the future, possible supersonic transcontinental passenger trips. Creation of additional spaceports and stepped-up commercial launch tempos, he said at last week's conference, could prompt airspace restrictions posing "a very significant impact to the airlines." Carriers could end up complaining, "how come we have to sit on the ground" while other private entities are allowed to launch spacecraft, he said. Write to Andy Pasztor at andy.pasztor@wsj.com http://www.wsj.com/articles/faa-poised-to-take-on-role-as-traffic-cop-for-space-1474239138 Back to Top China Confirms Its Space Station Is Falling Back to Earth China's space agency confirms the Tiangong space station will burn up sometime late next year. In a press conference on Wednesday, Chinese officials appear to have confirmed what many observers have long suspected: that China is no longer in control of its space station. China's Tiangong-1 space station has been orbiting the planet for about 5 years now, but recently it was decommissioned and the Chinese astronauts returned to the surface. In a press conference last week, China announced that the space station would be falling back to earth at some point in late 2017. Normally, a decommissioned satellite or space station would be retired by forcing it to burn up in the atmosphere. This type of burn is controlled, and most satellite re-entries are scheduled to burn up over the ocean to avoid endangering people. However, it seems that China's space agency is not sure exactly when Tiangong-1 will re-enter the atmosphere, which implies that the station has been damaged somehow and China is no longer able to control it. This is important because it means Tiangong-1 won't be able to burn up in a controlled manner. All we know is it will burn up at some point in late 2017, but it is impossible to predict exactly when or where. This means that there is a chance debris from the falling spacecraft could strike a populated area. Fortunately, it's unlikely anyone will be injured. Most of the parts of the space station will burn up in the atmosphere, and the few that do make it to the ground probably won't land in any populated areas. (It's a big planet.) Still, watch the skies late next year. You never know what could be falling down on you. Source: Xinhua News via Space.com http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/satellites/a22936/tiangong-falling-to-earth/ Curt Lewis