Flight Safety Information September 30, 2016 - No. 193 In This Issue NTSB's Sumwalt Receives Bombardier Safety Standdown Award Probe confirms actuator jam in Alitalia gear-up landing Smoking tablet forces flight to make emergency landing Former WGN reporter, aviation journalist gives theory on disappearance of Malaysia Flight 370 Malaysia calls for improved safety in global civil aviation CAAS to review 2-person cockpit policy (Singapore) Flight Safety Foundation Urges Independent Criminal Probe of MH17 Shoot-Down FAA Set To Issue Mentoring Rules For Airline Pilots DASR: the new baseline for Defence aviation safety (Australia) First MRJ test aircraft arrives in the US NASA Wants Ideas for the Next Electric Airplane The second ARJ21 aircraft delivered to customer Big air: How Boeing builds a 737 jet in nine days A Short History of the World's Best-Selling Private Jet...Phenom 300 Jet Blue turbulence incident shows need for real-time weather data NASA officials mulling the possibility of purchasing Soyuz seats for 2019 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY ERAU Crisis Communication & Media NTSB's Sumwalt Receives Bombardier Safety Standdown Award Sumwalt, a 14,000-hour pilot, has twice been appointed to the Safety Board. NTSB Sumwalt NTSB member Robert L. Sumwalt III was given this year's Safety Standdown award. Bombardier presented this year's annual Safety Standdown award to the Honorable Robert L. Sumwalt III, Member of the National Transportation Safety Board, for his "outstanding commitment to aviation safety and his continuous efforts to develop more robust safety programs within the aviation industry." Sumwalt has been a fierce advocate for improving safety in a variety of transportation modes in addition to aviation, including teen driver safety, impaired driving, distractions in transportation and rail safety. The award was presented before 475 aviation professionals at the September 28 dinner banquet of Bombardier's 20th Safety Standdown in Wichita, Kansas. A former US Airways and business aviation pilot and flight department manager, Sumwalt was appointed to the NTSB by President George W. Bush in August 2006 and reappointed to a second five-year term in November 2011 by President Barack Obama. Sumwalt has been a regular speaker at national and international aviation events on a variety of safety topics, including many that helped articulate the NTSB's mission. He's also written extensively on aviation safety. As an airline pilot, Sumwalt chaired the Air Line Pilots Association's Human Factors and Training Group and co-founded the association's critical incident response program. He spent eight years as a consultant to NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). Sumwalt earned his undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Aeronautical Science degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, with concentrations in aviation/aerospace safety systems and human factors aviation systems. http://www.flyingmag.com/ntsbs-sumwalt-receives-bombardier-safety-standdown-award Back to Top Probe confirms actuator jam in Alitalia gear-up landing Italian investigators have concluded that an Alitalia Airbus A320's right-hand main landing-gear failed to extend after suffering a jammed actuator. The aircraft carried out a landing at Rome Fiumicino on 29 September 2013 using nose- gear and left-hand main gear. Italian investigation authority ANSV has detailed the circumstances of the accident, concluding that debris in the gear-door actuator caused the jam. Analysis identified two components within the actuator as sources of the debris: the spirolox ring and damping ring. It says the failure appears to have been the result of a design flaw in the spirolox ring which suffered premature deterioration, leading to metal contamination. Actuator failure had been linked to a Wizz Air A320 landing accident atFiumicino, in similar circumstances, less than four months earlier. Airbus introduced a new actuator design in response while Europe's safety regulator ordered checks on the component in other A320s. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top Smoking tablet forces flight to make emergency landing A tablet jammed inside an airplane seat on a Delta flight from Detroit to Amsterdam forced the plane to land in Manchester after the device began to smoke and emit a noticeable smell. ABC News reports that the incident was caused when an unidentified Samsung tablet became crushed inside a passenger's seat. It's unclear exactly what happened, but it sounds like the device fell into the seat and became stuck after the passenger either reclined or returned to an upright position. The tablet and the foam cushioning in the seat then started to release smoke. The plane made an emergency landing in Manchester where the seat was replaced. It was back in the air two hours later. The FAA is still reviewing the incident, however, it seems clear that the recalled Galaxy Note 7 was not involved. "It appears that external factors contributed to this incident," Samsung said in a statement. "This is not related to the Galaxy Note 7. We have reached out to Delta to investigate as the cause is yet to be determined." It makes sense that a crushed device might overheat under pressure, and it's a good reminder to keep an eye on all your devices when you fly. It probably also wouldn't hurt if the airlines gave passengers a little more room to breathe instead of packing in as many people as possible, but that's unlikely to change anytime soon. http://www.technobuffalo.com/2016/09/29/crushed-tablet-flight-diverted/ Back to Top Former WGN reporter, aviation journalist gives theory on disappearance of Malaysia Flight 370 The disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 is one of the biggest aviation mysteries of all time. The plane vanished more than two years ago and investigators still don't know what happened. Aviation journalist Christine Negroni explores the plane's disappearance, and other air disasters in her new book. It's called: "The Crash Detectives: Investigating the World's Most Mysterious Air Disasters." Negroni joined WGN Morning News to talk about the disappearance of MH370 and her book. It turns out Negroni was a reporter for WGN back in the day, so we even surprised her with a hello from her former coworker, photographer Richard "Ike" Issac. http://wgntv.com/2016/09/29/former-wgn-reporter-aviation-journalist-gives-theory-on- disappearance-of-malaysia-flight-370/ Back to Top Malaysia calls for improved safety in global civil aviation KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has reiterated its appeal for countries to enhance standards and strengthen international cooperation to improve safety and security in global civil aviation. Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said two key issues - real-time global tracking of commercial aircraft and the risks to civil aviation flying in conflict zones - have become more important particularly with the rise in terrorism and cyber threats. "We need not have to be reminded how important these policies and procedures are following the unprecedented tragedies of MH370 and MH17. "We know that what we do here in Montreal now will help ensure that the world does not see a repeat of those catastrophes," he said when addressing the 39th International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) General Assembly in Montreal, Canada, on Tuesday. The text of his speech was distributed to the media here today. The assembly is scheduled to run from Sept 27 to Oct 7. Liow said Malaysia had actively participated in the ICAO Taskforce that had led to the mandatory requirement of real-time tracking of passenger aircraft. "We are also heavily engaged in the taskforce to ensure that no other plane suffers the fate of MH17 when flying over a conflict zone. These initiatives are not optional, they will save lives," he said. Flight MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, as it was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with 283 passengers and 15 crew on board. The Boeing 777-200 aircraft is believed to have been shot down over the troubled country. Flight MH370 dropped off radar on March 8, 2014, as it flew from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew on board. The Boeing 777 aircraft has yet to be found, even after an exhaustive search in the southern Indian Ocean where it is believed to have gone down after veering off course. On another matter, Liow expressed the hope that Malaysia would be able to garner support for its bid to be on the council of the ICAO. "It is our sincere hope that you recognise our contributions and support Malaysia's continued membership on the council," he said. The ICAO comprises 191 member states. Malaysia has been a member state since 1958 and has served as an ICAO council member for three consecutive terms since it was first elected to the council in 2007. -- Bernama http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/09/176739/malaysia-calls-improved-safety-global- civil-aviation Back to Top CAAS to review 2-person cockpit policy (Singapore) Two Singapore Airlines (SIA) pilots with their luggage at Changi Airport Terminal 3. Move follows airlines' feedback and industry studies that find few benefits, observers say Karamjit KaurAviation Correspondent The recommendation by Singapore's civil aviation authority that all local carriers must have at least two people in the cockpit at all times is being reviewed, The Straits Times has learnt. It follows feedback from airlines and industry studies that have found few benefits in the practice. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is working with Singapore carriers to review the recommendation it made last year. The European Aviation Safety Agency has suggested that there are better ways to prevent a repeat of the crash in the French Alps in March last year. The key is for airlines to focus on pilots' mental health, and to have in place processes and procedures to ensure troubled pilots are detected early and given the necessary support. Though not compulsory, it has been adopted by all carriers here, including Singapore Airlines (SIA). Singapore was one of several countries to introduce the policy last year after a Germanwings co-pilot - later discovered to have suffered from severe depression - locked his captain out of the cockpit and crashed an Airbus 320. The two-person policy aims to enhance safety by ensuring that a pilot is never left alone, for example, if the other pilot has to step out. But because short-haul flights typically have just two pilots on board, and on longer flights the third pilot is usually taking a break when the other two are flying, it is usually a cabin crew member who ends up in the cockpit when one pilot walks out. With no, or perhaps little, knowledge of flight operations, there is not much the cabin crew member can do if the pilot has malicious intentions, some observers say. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has suggested that there are better ways to prevent a repeat of the crash in the French Alps in March last year. The key is for airlines to focus on pilots' mental health, and to have in place processes and procedures to ensure troubled pilots are detected early and given the necessary support. The European safety authority has made some recommendations, which it hopes will be implemented globally, to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) - the United Nations' civil aviation arm. These will be discussed at the ICAO's assembly, which kicked off on Tuesday and will end on Oct 7, in Montreal, Canada. Among the recommendations, the EASA is pushing for mandatory drug and alcohol testing for all new pilots. It also wants countries to ensure that pilots undergo compulsory aptitude and psychological tests. Peer support groups for pilots should also be compulsory, it says. Singapore is aware of the recommendations, and a CAAS spokesman said that while there are currently no regulations for mandatory drug and alcohol testing, aptitude and psychological testing, and peer support groups, the CAAS will take into consideration the recommendations. All Singapore carriers already have "strict policies and procedures for alcohol consumption and zero- tolerance policies for drug abuse". They also have aptitude and psychological testing as part of their selection process for pilots. "Most of our airlines have peer support groups," she said. SIA spokesman Nicholas Ionides said the airline has a "comprehensive psychological support framework" which involves trained peer counsellors, an aviation psychiatrist and psychologist, and the Civil Aviation Medical Board. This is to ensure flight safety and the mental well-being of pilots, he said. "This support structure has been in place for the last 10 years and, in that time, pilots have been helped." Budget carriers Scoot-Tigerair and Jetstar Asia say they also provide similar support for their pilots. http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/caas-to-review-2-person-cockpit-policy Back to Top Flight Safety Foundation Urges Independent Criminal Probe of MH17 Shoot- Down ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Flight Safety Foundation released the following statement on the results of a two-year Dutch-led investigation into the July 17, 2014, downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in which 298 passengers and crew were killed. "Flight Safety Foundation often has been in the forefront of opposing efforts to essentially criminalize honest mistakes in aviation that happen to have catastrophic consequences," said President and CEO Jon Beatty. "In the case of MH17, however, evidence is mounting that this shoot-down of a civilian aircraft was a premeditated act, where criminal investigation and prosecution may well be appropriate if authorities find out who knew about or gave the command to fire a deadly missile at this plane. We urge all states to cooperate fully in this investigation. Also, because Russia claims the Joint Investigation Team to be biased and difficulty remains in obtaining all evidence, we again call on all states to support a resolution at the U.N. Security Council to form an independent, international panel to fully investigate this tragedy. The 298 souls on board MH17 and their loved ones deserve nothing less." The investigative report by a team of prosecutors from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine says evidence indicates that the Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 was brought down by a Buk missile taken across the Ukrainian border from Russia, according to multiple media reports. Investigators also said that the Buk missile launcher later was returned to Russia. Flight Safety Foundation is an independent, non-profit, international organization engaged in research, education, advocacy and publishing to improve aviation safety. The Foundation's mission is to be the leading voice of safety for the global aerospace community. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12263418/flight-safety-foundation-urges- independent-criminal-probe-of-mh17-shoot-down Back to Top FAA Set To Issue Mentoring Rules For Airline Pilots * The rules, spurred by the 2009 Colgan Air crash, are expected to deal with cockpit discipline and procedures * Federal Aviation Administration officials soon are expected to release rules that airlines have formal peer-mentoring programs for pilots. ENLARGE By ANDY PASZTOR Federal aviation regulators are expected to issue regulations shortly to ensure that all scheduled passenger carriers have formal peer-mentoring programs to promote professional behavior by pilots, according to people familiar with the matter. A big part of the goal is making sure pilots comply with standard operating procedures and avoid extraneous conversations at relatively low altitudes, such as during landing approaches or after takeoffs. Prompted by a high-profile turboprop crash caused by cockpit errors that killed 50 people near Buffalo, N.Y., in 2009, the anticipated rules are arriving years behind schedule. They may not go far enough to fully satisfy safety advocates or airline industry critics on Capitol Hill, these people said. But more than five years after the initial proposal was submitted for White House regulatory review-followed by a series of rewrites that ping-ponged back and forth- Federal Aviation Administration officials now appear ready to release the final version. It complies with a mandate Congress adopted in 2010 legislation, in the wake of a public outcry over the 2009 Colgan Air crash. In the past, the FAA indicated the primary reason for the delay in releasing the regulations was a debate over whether estimated benefits exceeded projected costs. A recent Transportation Department summary computed that between 2015 and 2024, costs and benefits were projected to be roughly equal. According to the summary by the department, which oversees the FAA, the rules also are intended to combat "inadequate leadership (on) the flight deck." Airlines will have to establish or modify pilot-mentoring programs to comply. Many U.S. carriers already have peer-mentoring and support programs in operation, though they tend to be less formal than those initially envisioned by FAA officials and lawmakers. Some of the most effective ones rely on longstanding but often informal arrangements between management and pilot union leaders to help aviators struggling with personal issues or substance abuse problems. Those typically aren't regulated by the FAA. But the package that is expected to be released soon, perhaps as early as the next few weeks, focuses on mentoring programs to help foster leadership skills, professionalism and career development. The website of the Transportation Department anticipates a roughly three-month period to receive and assess public comments. One person familiar with the matter, however, is expecting the requirements to be issued in October as part of final rules. In addition to Congress, the National Transportation Safety Board has urged the FAA to take such a step. In the website summary of the rules, the FAA indicates the proposal aims to "mitigate unprofessional pilot behavior," which "would reduce pilot errors that can lead to a catastrophic event." Write to Andy Pasztor at andy.pasztor@wsj.com http://www.wsj.com/articles/faa-set-to-issue-mentoring-rules-for-airline-pilots- 1475184814 Back to Top DASR: the new baseline for Defence aviation safety (Australia) The next stage in a 20 year drive for excellence in Defence aviation safety begins today with the new Defence Aviation Safety Regulation (DASR). The new regulation brings Australia into alignment with the European Military Airworthiness Requirements, providing a common baseline with more than 30 other countries. Air Marshal Leo Davies, the Chief of Air Force, said the DASR will replace the current system which has evolved over twenty years and is unique to Australia. "The current regulations have served us well, but it is no longer efficient or desirable to maintain an independent system," AIRMSHL Davies said. "The European Military Airworthiness Requirements are quickly becoming a global safety standard and are recognised as global best practice. This will bring benefits and enhance military aviation safety into the future." Air Commodore James Hood from the Defence Aviation Safety Authority said the decision to migrate to the European convention was made after careful consideration. "We have been working with Defence and Industry organisations for three years to make sure we've got the DASR right. I am thrilled that major Australian industry will be involved in phase one tomorrow, including Boeing, Airbus Group, QinetiQ, Raytheon Australia, BAE Systems Australia, Pilatus, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman," he said. "The new DASR are less prescriptive than the current regulation, offering higher levels of safety assurance at lower cost." "Benefits of the transition will include increased efficiencies of global supply chains and maintenance options; employing 'blended workforces' on Defence and civilian aircraft and improve recognition of the approvals and certifications provided by other military and civilian airworthiness authorities. The common convention also allows commercial organisations to pursue innovation across the Defence and civil aviation sectors, which ultimately strengthens the aviation industry in Australia. The new DASR regulation will also improve the freedom of decision for Commanders, required for military operations," AIRCDRE Hood said. Implementation is occurring in two phases, with some organisations migrating tomorrow, with minimal impact to existing management plans, contracts and organisational structures. Having locked in the current level of safety under phase one, organisations can then decide when to exploit the flexibility and efficiencies that DASR offer, depending on particular circumstances. http://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/dasr-the-new-baseline-for-defence-aviation- safety Back to Top First MRJ test aircraft arrives in the US Gallery: First MRJ90 Test Aircraft Reaches US Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp.'s first MRJ90 test aircraft has arrived at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Washington, where it will build hours toward type certification. The aircraft, FTA-1, took off from Nagoya in Japan at 1328 (JST) on Sept. 26 and arrived at Grant County at 0944 (JST) Sept. 29, or 1744 local time Sept. 28. The ferry flight was expected to take at least four days. A previous attempt to ferry the aircraft to the US was abandoned Aug. 28 because of an issue with the monitoring function of the air management system, and the aircraft was forced to return to Tokyo Nagoya. Mitsubishi is planning to send four of five test aircraft to Grant County to do the majority of their flight certification hours because flight testing is far more restricted in Japan. "Mitsubishi Aircraft is committed to carrying out frequent, multiple flight tests in the US to accelerate the development of the MRJ toward type certificate acquisition in 2018," the manufacturer said. The MRJ90 performed its first flight in November 2015, but the program remains heavily delayed. Three engineering bases are involved in the flight-test program: Moses Lake Flight Test Center at Grant County; Seattle Engineering Center and Mitsubishi Aircraft headquarters in Japan. http://atwonline.com/manufacturers/first-mrj-test-aircraft-arrives-us Back to Top NASA Wants Ideas for the Next Electric Airplane Looking beyond the X-57. NASA Electric RFI Concept NASA concept art for a thin-haul commuter airplane. (NASA) NASA is leading the charge toward the next step in electrically powered aviation. Even as the X-57 Maxwell-a demonstrator of distributed electric propulsion and the agency's first crewed X-plane in decades-is being assembled, the agency has released a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit ideas for a follow-on. The new RFI, released on September 16, calls for electric or electric-hybrid concepts in one (or more) of four categories: a conventional airplane capable of carrying four to nine people; a vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) airplane for at least one person; a regional jet-sized airplane capable of operating in airspace under current regulations; and a catch- all that essentially means "good ideas that don't fit in the previous bins." Tantalizingly, the RFI specifically suggests that the first three objectives could be used to address a production aircraft. It's just an RFI, meant to give NASA an idea of what aerospace engineers think is possible rather than to elicit detailed designs, but it telegraphs just how seriously NASA takes electric aircraft. Far from being an only child, the X-57 will be the first in a family of designs, meant to bring electric or hybrid-electric power to ever-larger aircraft. "This request is about feeling out how much larger people think they can go," says Starr Ginn, Deputy Aeronautics Research Director at NASA's Armstrong flight test center. "And is that next-scale vehicle something they could possibly spin off into the commercial market right away, or is it a way to buy down risk for much larger aircraft?" In the best tradition of X-planes, the RFI seeks concepts that are ambitious but still within the realm of practicality. Despite several flying prototypes and one-offs, the industry has been hesitant to embrace electric and hybrid-electric aircraft. The biggest reason is fairly straightforward: fossil fuels are incredibly convenient, while even the best batteries impose serious flight restrictions. The RFI requests concepts for aircraft weighing at least 5,000 pounds at takeoff (1,000 for the VTOL option), capable of reaching at least 150 knots and staying airborne for an hour. That pushes the state of the art for batteries, but there are many, many conventional-fueled aircraft that can meet those specifications without any trouble. (For reference, the bog-standard Beech Baron weighs about 5,100 pounds, boasts a 200-knot cruise speed and four-hour endurance). "We're not going to jump right from a two-passenger airplane to a 100-passenger airplane. Just like in the days of old, advancing from piston engines to jet engines, it took about 40 years to go from a single-pilot airplane (the Wright Brothers) to a 100-person airplane," says Ginn. "These days I think we can move faster, but we've got to take incremental steps that technologies can keep up with." The X-57 Maxwell, a modified Technam P2006, is tentatively scheduled for first flight in 2018. (NASA) Whether or not this RFI results in a flying X-plane is still unknown. After decades of relative obscurity, NASA's aeronautics division got a big boost in the last White House budget request-an increase of nearly $4 billion over ten years. The upcoming X-57 tests are one result of the increase, and NASA is enthusiastically working out the details of three other X-planes that the agency hopes to fly in the near future. But with the presidential election in full swing (though both candidates have space policies, neither has weighed in on aeronautics) and Congressional dysfunction ongoing, it's an open question as to whether that increased budget request will translate into real funding. But if it does, says Ginn, NASA wants to be ready to hit the ground running. Though most electric aircraft prototypes and concepts are designed for use by the same people who fly conventional airplanes, they are sufficiently different that they could cleave one market into two. For example, flight schools are often considered prime markets for electric aircraft, which could potentially cut their operating costs by 80 percent-electric motors are much simpler than their fuel-burning counterparts, and electricity from the grid is far cheaper than gasoline-but they'd have to weigh that against the drawbacks of shorter flights and lengthy battery recharge times. An electric four-to-nine-seater could potentially bring profit back to an all-but-moribund segment of commercial aviation. There could even be as-yet unenvisioned markets: electric propulsion completely removes some of the biggest traditional design constraints, things like fuel tanks, air cooling, even limits to the number of engines. So who knows what comes next? "I am expecting there are going to be some very intriguing configurations that people haven't thought of yet," says Ginn. "The degrees of freedom opened up to design airplanes are so vast now, every designer I talk to about this area is like a kid in a candy store. There are so many things to explore they don't even know where to start." http://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/air-electric- 180960646/#mJVWEyee5G8riKyP.99 Back to Top The second ARJ21 aircraft delivered to customer The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China -- a government-owned designer and constructor of large passenger aircraft -- has delivered its second jet to Chengdu Airlines in Shanghai. It's a huge step for COMAC, who is trying to ease China's dependency on international aircraft producers, and enter a stage of mass industrialization . Delivery completed. This 78-seater aircraft -- equipped with an economy and a business class -- is COMAC's second ARJ21-700. It's expected to begin its routes soon -- the same ones as its sister jet -- which made its maiden commercial flight in late June. It has completed 70 flights, with load factors of above 90 percent. The ARJ21 is the first type of jet to be designed and constructed in China. "The implementation of the ARJ21 has been very smooth. Both experts and passengers spoke highly of the aircraft, from the flight conditions to the service," Chengdu Airlines President Zhuang Haogang said. There are now more than 400 orders for the ARJ21 jet. COMAC will now begin to ramp up their production and they expect, by 2020, their annual output will be at 25. "The ARJ21 is able to operate successfully, and I believe that it will operate better and better with further improvements..." Shen Xiaoming with China Civil Aviation Administration said. The success of the ARJ21 has been a great boost for the industry here, from research and development and marketing, to mass production and customer services. It shows that China can not only progress its own research and design to produce regional jets, but today's students now have a great base to go even further in the industry. http://english.cctv.com/2016/09/30/VIDE1Dm2VvEqwfxYYTzFy5vi160930.shtml Back to Top Big air: How Boeing builds a 737 jet in nine days Any frequent flyer could tell you that a Boeing 737 is one of the most common commercial planes in the industry. What they probably couldn't tell you, however, is that it's built in just nine days. WIRED.com went inside Boeing's Renton plant outside of Seattle, Wash. to get a first- hand look at how these jets are made. Renton is the most productive airplane factory in the world, pushing out 42 of the vessels per month. Each 737 is sent through a production line, which begins with the outer shell of the plane being hauled to the factory from Wichita, Kan.. Once in Renton, days one through three focus on the interior of the plane, such as plumbing and insulation. From there, the shell starts to become a plane as the wings and tail are added. Power is then added to the 737, making initial tests possible. By the eighth day, the engines are added and flight control checks are taking place. The moment of truth comes on day nine with a customer walk through and the plane's first flight. Since launching the 737 airplane in the mid-1960's, Boeing has built more than 9,000 of the single-aisle jets. http://ktar.com/story/1293706/big-air-how-boeing-builds-a-737-jet-in-nine-days/ Back to Top A Short History of the World's Best-Selling Private Jet Phenom 300 When Embraer introduced the Phenom 300 in 2009, it may have seemed like just a larger version of the company's previously launched entry-level jet, the Phenom 100. It had a similar fuselage, though it was a bit longer, and like the 100, it could be flown by a single pilot. Yet, it also was one of the fastest aircraft in the light-jet category, and it had great climb-to-cruising speed, good range, and low operating costs. With a price of $9 million, it was destined to be popular. Indeed, even before Embraer introduced the plane, the fractional-ownership company Flight Options (which is now a sibling of FlexJet) ordered 100 examples, with an option to buy 50 more. It was a $1.2 billion investment, but Flight Options was selling shares of the Phenom 300 faster than it could take delivery of the aircraft. The Phenom 300 quickly became a staple in the fractional and charter markets, giving many business flyers a chance to experience the oval-shaped cabin with its wide center aisle, reclining seats, and enclosed lavatory. Passengers must have enjoyed their flights, because sales of the Phenom 300 have been soaring. In 2012, it became the most delivered light jet, and 2015 marked the third straight year that it was the world's most delivered business jet. http://robbreport.com/aviation/short-history-worlds-best-selling-private-jet Back to Top Jet Blue turbulence incident shows need for real-time weather data The first lawsuit was filed Thursday on behalf of a passenger injured in a Jet Blue turbulence incident on August 11th. Jet Blue flight 429 from Boston to Sacramento was diverted to South Dakota after 22 passengers were injured along with two crew members. Xuan Phan, 55, was headed home to Sacramento after spending more than a month in Boston helping with her new grandson. The lawsuit claims the "fasten seatbelt" sign was off when Phan got out of her seat to walk to the restroom. In the severe turbulence Phan was knocked to the floor and then hit the ceiling. She had a concussion and injuries to her neck and shoulder. "How was this flight allowed to fly straight into a thunderstorm and the passengers weren't warned?" questioned Phan's attorney, Sean Gamble. "I think the public expects our pilots to have accurate up to the minute weather information. So to find out that isn't being provided to pilots is very concerning." Cliff Mass, University of Washington professor of atmospheric sciences, happened to be on a different flight on August 11th, about 150 miles north of Jet Blue Flight 429. Mass said he could see the thunderstorm on his computer. He's been asked to testify as an expert witness in Phan's case. "The irony is that someone in the back of the plane on a laptop or pad that's on wifi has had way more weather information than the pilots that are running the flight and that shouldn't be," said Mass. He wrote about a lack of real-time weather data for pilots on his blog. "I've had a number of pilots that have contacted me, some anonymous, some not, saying this is a real problem this needs to be dealt with," said Mass. He's also heard from a few airlines. Mass said the FAA and airlines have been refining guidelines for the use of I-pads and laptops in the cockpit. "Jet Blue just announced this week they're going to have pads in the cockpit deck that will be able to get weather information in real-time. Alaska Airlines has a lot of interest and they're working on a plan to give their pilots real-time weather information," said Mass. KIRO 7 reached out to Jet Blue to ask about real-time weather data and the lawsuit and is still waiting for a response. A Jet Blue spokesman did say the company does not usually comment on pending litigation. Phan's attorney hopes the lawsuit encourages airlines to improve technology. "We should make travel safer for all of us," said Gamble. http://www.kiro7.com/news/local/jet-blue-turbulence-incident-shows-need-for-real-time- weather-data/451989513 Back to Top NASA officials mulling the possibility of purchasing Soyuz seats for 2019 Congress, which recently has fully funded the private program, will be displeased. Johnson Space Center Director Ellen Ochoa and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden are seated inside a mock-up of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. Chris Ferguson, of Boeing, describes the interior of the spacecraft. Senior managers in NASA's International Space Station program have begun internal discussions about the possibility of buying additional Soyuz seats for US astronauts in 2019, two sources have told Ars. Although any final decision will likely come after the presidential election, the issue is "on people's minds" at Johnson Space Center as confidence in operational commercial crew flights beginning from US soil by or before 2019 is shaky. Ars understands that NASA has not formally broached the topic with Roscosmos, the Russian space agency which builds the Soyuz spacecraft and rockets and manages their launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Negotiations would need to begin fairly soon, however, as it typically takes as long as three years of lead time for the Russians to manufacture additional launch vehicles. Uncertainty in the production timelines for Boeing and SpaceX, which are both developing capsules to carry humans to the space station, has driven contingency discussions about additional seats at the Houston-based space center. Publicly, NASA has maintained the hope that at least one private vehicle would be capable of operational missions by the end of 2017 or early 2018. Boeing has already slipped its schedule into early 2018, however. SpaceX has maintained the possibility of a later 2017 launch date, but with its recent accident, delays seem inevitable. Privately, NASA planners are concerned about additional delays that might slip those schedules further, into 2019. On Thursday, the director of Johnson Space Center, Ellen Ochoa, expressed optimism but not certainty about the private company timelines. "We think it's very doable to have it in 2018, but you're always just month to month with the progress," the former astronaut told Ars. Asked about the SpaceX accident, she added, "It's really hard to say what that impact will be. I would just say both companies are extremely committed. They are working well with us." A politically painful decision A decision to buy seats almost certainly won't be made until December or later, because such an action would be politically painful for the space agency. While it is true that Congress and the President agreed to retire the space shuttle after its final flight in 2011, no one in Washington DC was happy with the gap in US human spaceflight capabilities after the shuttle's end During the first half of this decade, Congress exacerbated this gap by under-funding the commercial crew program, in which NASA gave contracts to several companies for crew transport spacecraft that were significantly cheaper than NASA could have developed. The lower-than-requested funding, totaling more than $1 billion over the course of several years, led to delays in initial flights from 2015 to 2017. But since NASA down-selected to just Boeing and SpaceX in September 2014, Congress has increased its funding level to more closely align with NASA's requests. The agency's own inspector general, Paul Martin, recently concluded that schedule delays beyond 2017 were due to technical challenges with the spacecraft's design rather than funding issues. Hmm, we wonder why the price went up so much in 2010 and 2011. NASA Inspector General With that in mind, Congress will not be positively predisposed to funding requests for additional Russian seats, especially because the price keeps going up. Since the decision to retire the space shuttle in 2009, the Russian price for a seat has skyrocketed from about $30 million for a trip into orbit to $81.9 million for each of the six seats NASA bought for 2018. (This has led more than one aerospace insider to quip, "The Russians are the best capitalists of all.") It seems likely the price for any seats in 2019 would increase substantially, especially because NASA would be providing less than the three years of lead time as is customary for such orders. Trading seats Another wrinkle that NASA must contend with is how to handle trades for seats on commercial crew spacecraft after they begin flying. That is because when Boeing's Starliner and SpaceX's Dragon capsules launch from Florida, they will carry one Russian astronaut in addition to the NASA and any international partner astronauts on board. This is to ensure that every crew that goes to the station has representation of the two main partners, the United States and Russia. The way it works now is that there is an "A-line" Soyuz and, three months later, a "B-line" spacecraft, with a total of four launches a year. The A-line vehicle carries two Russians and one American, and the B-line vehicle typically has one NASA astronaut, one Russian, and one international partner. When the commercial crew vehicles begin flying, there will likely be a Soyuz launch, then a commercial vehicle, then a Soyuz, and so on. Essentially, a Starliner or Dragon will replace the B-line Soyuz now in the schedule. The wrinkle is that it has not been determined how NASA and Roscosmos will trade their seats. For example, one source familiar with the issue said it was unlikely that Russia would pay a comparable amount for a seat on a US commercial vehicle that NASA pays for Soyuz transport. (They might argue, for example, that the US vehicle is still in an experimental mode.) In any case, this may provide an additional point of negotiation-and Congressional consternation-if NASA decides it needs to purchase additional seats in 2019. http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/09/nasa-officials-mulling-the-possibility-of- purchasing-soyuz-seats-for-2019/ Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Dear Airline colleagues, I would be very grateful if airline staff among you accept this invite to complete my short online survey on "exploring the influence of emotionally intelligent leadership on airline safety culture". https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EI-INTEL The survey is an element of my final project which explores how safety leadership who utilize or exhibit emotional intelligence leadership qualities can influence the organisations safety culture. Safety leadership in this context is taken as all management and supervisory staff who act as, or should act as safety leaders in their teams. I am researching to see if the leadership qualities of each individual safety leader can impact safety culture. Emotional intelligence markers are embedded in 10 of the survey questions. The survey contains an introduction and explanatory page, followed by 14 questions and should only take 8 to 10 minutes. If you would like to make any comments on the project, or have any questions, please contact me at Patrick.Morris.1@city.ac.uk. Thank you in advance and best regards. Pat Morris. MSc Student, City University of London. Curt Lewis