Flight Safety Information October 4, 2016 - No. 195 In This Issue Cessna 208B Grand Caravan CFIT Accident (Alaska) Underwater search operation for missing IAF AN-32 aircraft terminated Kalstar pilots violated procedures prior to E195 overrun Allegiant Air and the FAA Agree the Airline Is Dealing With Its Safety Issues Achievements in Aviation Safety and Security highlighted on UAE Civil Aviation Day Kenya: U.S Lauds Kenya On Air Safety but Still No Clearance for Direct Flights LIAT pilots under investigation China is worried its fighter pilots are dumb Frontier Airlines making major hiring push for pilots, flight attendants JetBlue Is Turning Supermarket Clerks and Baggage Handlers Into Pilots Air Traffic Controllers And Pilots Can Now Communicate Electronically Egyptian Who Hijacked Jet Is Ordered Deported From Cyprus Cessna Delivers 5,000th Light Business Jet Massive Airplane Engine to be given to MTSU by Southwest Airlines CHINA PLANS A SPACE PLANE FOR TOURISTS Dream Chaser: The Spacecraft That Will Transform Humanity's Access to Space GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Cessna 208B Grand Caravan CFIT Accident (Alaska) Status: Preliminary Date: Sunday 2 October 2016 Time: ca 13:30 Type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan Operating for: Ravn Connect Leased from: Hageland Aviation Services Registration: N208SD C/n / msn: 208B-0491 First flight: 1995 Engines: 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A Crew: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Total: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Airplane damage: Damaged beyond repair Location: 19 km (11.9 mls) W of Togiak, AK ( United States of America) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Quinhagak Airport, AK (KWN/PAQH), United States of America Destination airport: Togiak Village Airport, AK (TOG/PATG), United States of America Flightnumber: 3153 Narrative: A Hageland Aviation Services Cessna 208 Caravan operating as Ravn Connect Flight #3153 from Quinhagak with two crew and one passenger onboard impacted mountainous terrain 12 statute miles northwest of its intended destination of Togiak. All three occupants died in the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20161002-0 Back to Top Underwater search operation for missing IAF AN-32 aircraft terminated CHENNAI: The underwater search operation of Indian Air Force transport aircraft AN-32, that went missing along with 29 crew on July 22, has been terminated. Official sources told Express that the underwater search by National Institute of Ocean Technology was suspended after the remotely operated Underwater vehicle, which has taken a long break for more than two years suffered technical glitches. "The ROV was used to conduct searches in three possible underwater locations after Geological Survey of India vessel Samudra Ratnakar zeroed in on 15 possible locations after conducting survey using multi-beam echo sounder and side scan sonar," said sources. "The ROV did dip twice but during the third dip it developed tethering problems as such we could not maneuver it properly," said sources. The issue with ROV was that it is not an industrial version which could be used for commercial purpose. It is basically for research and development purpose. It also had tethering issues. "Even we did not have required spares for the ROV. The other reasons for terminating the underwater search operations was due to rough weather as North east monsoon has set it besides Sagarnidhi has been on sea for a long time," the sources said. Sources said that Sagarnidhi would be busy with scientific schedules and would go back for search operations once the ROV gets ready. However, no details were given on when the search operation would resume. http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2016/oct/03/underwater-search-operation-for-missing-iaf-an- 32-aircraft-terminated-1524725.html?pm=home Back to Top Kalstar pilots violated procedures prior to E195 overrun The crew of a Kalstar Aviation Embraer 195 failed to follow procedures during an unstable approach while attempting to land at Kupang on 21 December 2015, resulting in the aircraft overrunning the runway. Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) says in its final report into the accident of the aircraft (registered PK-KDC) that the approach to Kupang, and its previous port of Ende, "exceeded the requirements of the company's stabilised approach criteria that required the initiation of a go-around." During the approach, which was being flown by the first officer, the crew failed to conduct a briefing or read out the landing check-list. As the aircraft flew over the final approach point, it was 2,000ft above the required altitude and subsequently was above the approach profile. In an attempt to remedy the situation, the captain suggested lowering the aircraft's landing gear to increase drag, which was a "non-standard configuration setting". During the remainder of the approach, the enhanced ground proximity warning system issued 'high speed', 'caution terrain' and 'sink rate' aural warnings for one minute until the aircraft touched down. It did so in the middle of the runway at a speed of 200kts, around 62kts higher than the target speed. During the roll-out, braking pressure was low and reverse thrust was deployed, but the aircraft overran around 200m from the end of the runway. None of the five crew or 125 passengers on-board were injured, however the aircraft was substantially damaged. Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that the aircraft was subsequently written off as a result of the accident. The NTSC found that although both crew were qualified for the flight, there was a "steep authority gradient" between the captain and first-officer, which resulted in the captain's suggestions not being challenged. "Despite both crewmembers being aware of the company requirements, they both continued the unstabilised approaches, which eventually resulted in the over-run of the runway at Kupang," it adds. It also noted that Kalstar did not provide effective oversight of its pilots, and as such some procedures had been repeatedly neglected by crew. In response, the operator briefed all its pilots on procedures for approach and landing, stabilised approach criteria and responding to EGPWS alerts. It also restructured its operations department to include a separate unit for pilot training, and developed flight operation quality assurance methods for monitoring crew proficiency. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top Allegiant Air and the FAA Agree the Airline Is Dealing With Its Safety Issues Whether it's the FAA or its own pilots, Allegiant has had trouble avoiding perception that it has safety issues. - Jason Clampet Federal aviation officials are satisfied that Allegiant Air is taking steps to address problems that inspectors found during a three-month review of the low-cost airline. Allegiant met a Friday deadline for telling the Federal Aviation Administration how it would comply with suggested improvements in training, maintenance and procedures. None of the shortcomings were considered severe enough to warrant regulatory action against the airline. "We were always a safe airline. This gives credence to our claim," Jude Bricker, Allegiant's chief operating officer since January, said in an interview Friday. The FAA does a lengthy review of all airlines every five years but moved up its inspection of Allegiant by two years after an aborted takeoff, a plane that nearly ran out of fuel, and other events. Among the weaknesses identified by inspectors: An inspector saw an instructor giving wrong advice to a pilot training on a simulator to land after an engine failure, dispatchers didn't get required training about fatigue, ground workers didn't follow procedure while planes pushed away from the gate, and there were paperwork and training-material problems. "They found these findings, they are minor in nature by the FAA's own classifications, and we're going to not challenge them," Bricker said. Allegiant declined to publicly release its response to the FAA. A spokesman for the FAA, Ian Gregor, said the agency received Allegiant's response and found it sufficient. "The carrier has already taken action to mitigate many of our findings," Gregor said, adding that the FAA will keep working with Allegiant if there are issues that still need to be addressed. "Clearly the FAA thinks everything is fine, and that concerns us from the reports we have seen over the years," said Greg Unterseher, director of representation for Teamsters Local 1224, which represents Allegiant pilots. The union has frequently accused the airline of cutting corners on maintenance and safety. Bricker said the number of aborted takeoffs and flights that landed somewhere other than the planned destination has been declining since the company announced a contract agreement with pilots in late June. "Some of that is seasonal - we fly a lot less of a schedule in September," he said, "and I think some of it is just that it's a little less tense out there and we are executing better." Allegiant said safety-related incidents have dropped 55 percent this year compared with the same period last year. Service reports to the FAA, one measure of maintenance and repair issues, are down 65 percent, according to FAA records. The airline is part of Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Co. Its shares rose $1.72 to close at $132.07. They are down 21 percent in 2016. https://skift.com/2016/10/01/allegiant-air-and-the-faa-agree-the-airline-is-dealing-with-its-safety-issues/ Back to Top Achievements in Aviation Safety and Security highlighted on UAE Civil Aviation Day Every year, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has, with the support of the Federal Cabinet, marked the 5 October as the UAE Civil Aviation Day. This is the third year that the UAE celebrates the occasion with the aim of highlighting the country's rich aviation history and legacy, current developments and innovation in the sector, as well as promoting the safety and efficiency of air transport as a mode of travel. As a central trading hub between the East and the West, and a bourgeoning global tourism and business destination, the UAE's transport legacy has successfully been transported into the modern world. At 4pm on 5 October in 1932 at Al Mahatta Airport in the Emirate of Sharjah, a British-owned Imperial Airways flight arrived from Gwadar, Pakistan (located in India at the time) marking the first ground aircraft landing in the UAE and the significance of the occasion. The Hanno aircraft, a four-propeller Handley Page H.P.42 biplane, had four passengers as well as its British captain, Horsey, when it made its historical landing in the UAE on its way to Bahrain. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, UAE Minister of Economy and chairman of GCAA, said: "The celebration of this day reflects the concerted efforts by our aviation industry in the past decades resulting in the remarkable progress and cutting-edge development we make use of today. The UAE's main objective is to ensure the steady growth of the aviation sector while maintaining the highest standards of safety and security, as well as fostering innovation which is deeply embedded in the core of the air transport industry and is a key driving force of the sector worldwide. We will keep seeking excellence in everything we do and set an international example to be admired and followed." In 2015, the UAE was ranked highest in the world in compliance with international aviation safety standards after intensive audit trough the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)'s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme. The UAE scored a success rate of 98.86%, which is the highest rate in history given by ICAO. Al Mansoori added: "Scoring first place in the world in aviation safety comes as a result of GCAA's hard work locally, regionally and internationally. Efforts and initiatives by the GCAA in deploying aviation safety culture have had a fundamental impact in the improvement that we are witnessing in the country. Aviation safety has always been our top priority parallel with exceptional service quality and assurance of growth capability". Similarly, the UAE attaches immense importance to civil aviation security and leaves no stone unturned to ensure the safety and security of civil aviation operations. As a Contracting State of ICAO, the UAE has played a vital role in the development of civil aviation security, at regional as well as international levels, in order to safeguard civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference. The UAE believes that the focus on research and innovation across the aviation sector worldwide not only leads to more efficient aircraft technology and safe and secure operational practices, with associated environmental benefits, but also helps build research capacity at universities and skills. As a consequence, the UAE launched the "Aeronnovation Programme" aimed at stimulating innovation in the industry in June 2015. The Aeronnovation programme also includes a biennial award scheme aimed at incentivising creativity and innovation within the industry for improvement in passenger experience, improvement in safety standards and reduction of emissions. The country's seven national airports continue to prosper in the global aviation industry and are growing fast, moving up in the overall rankings and overtaking the top global hubs. Passenger numbers at Dubai International (DXB) continued to rise in March with 7.2 million guests bringing Q12016 passenger traffic numbers at DXB to 20,948,690, an increase of 6.8 per cent compared to the 19,606,324 that visited the airport during the same period in 2015. In addition, Dubai World Central (DWC) is set to become the world's largest airport with a capacity of 160 million passengers and 12 million tons of cargo per year by 2020. On the other hand, more than six million passengers were welcomed at Abu Dhabi International Airport in the first quarter of 2016. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, GCAA director general, said, "Home to two of the fastest growing internationally acclaimed airlines, extensive development of aviation infrastructure and the plans to develop the first-of-its-kind all-encompassing aviation hub city, places UAE in a unique position to create a connected future. We are committed to deliver the vision of our leadership to make UAE the economic, trade and tourism destination for more than two billion people by transitioning to a knowledge-based economy." The UAE has taken vital steps to ensure that the governance of air transport facilitates - both the operations of UAE airlines and the airlines of its bilateral partners - continues to develop alongside the growth of its air transport services. In this regard, the UAE made significant progress in 2015 undertaking the final signature of 16 Air Services Agreements (ASAs), convening 48 bilateral ASA consultations and signing 27 Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) and two Records of Discussion. The UAE has also concluded agreements with 168 countries paving the way for its both airlines and the airlines of its bilateral partners to expand their operations. Significantly, the UAE has 131 'open sky' or fully liberal agreements in place allowing the UAE to maintain its position as the second country in the world with the largest number of open skies agreements, the first country being the USA. Laila Ali Bin Hareb Al Muhairi, GCAA assistant director general of strategy and international affairs, said: "The UAE GCAA is driven to continue to conclude liberal agreements with countries worldwide, paving the way for its both airlines and the airlines of its bilateral partners to expand their operations, as well as to liberalise the flow of air traffic to and from partner countries and beyond." Laila Ali Bin Hareb Al Muhairi, GCAA assistant director general of strategy and international affairs. To mark the occasion, and to spread awareness to about the achievements in the aviation industry, GCCA will host a number of activities for the general public including hot air balloon adventure rides, special formation flights by several aircraft types from the Jazira Aviation club, as well as various competitions, arts & crafts, and family activities on the Jazirah Aviation field in Ras Al Khaimah. Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; chairman, Dubai Airports, chairman and chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group said: "The UAE is today one of the world's leaders in aviation, and we continue to maintain our edge, because we are fortunate enough to have visionary leaders. Aviation in the UAE is recognised as a strategic economic driver, and a clear vision from our leadership has laid the groundwork for the right infrastructure, systems, and investments in innovative products and customer experiences required to build a leading global aviation hub. I am optimistic of the prospects that lay ahead of us in the upcoming years as aviation continues to be a key economic sector and driver in the UAE, leaving an enduring mark for the benefit of future generations." Sheikh Khalid Issam Al Qassimi chairman of Sharjah Civil Aviation said: "The fifth of October marks our pride and appreciation of the UAE's achievements in aviation since 1932. This success is the outcome of collaborative efforts of various sectors and entities that work together to assert the UAE's leading position in the world. This day is also a motivation for us to exert further efforts and keep up with the latest advancements to ensure our leadership." Mohammed A. Ahli, director general of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority said: "The aviation industry in the United Arab Emirates and its key performers, the airlines and airports, have reached greater heights and continue to stride further. The aviation sector in the Emirate of Dubai is proud to be a partner in this process through our contribution to the development of civil aviation in the UAE and globally for the benefit of the travelling public and the peoples of the world, through providing efficient connectivity, safe and secure air transport system and cooperation with the international organizations, such as, ICAO." James Hogan, president and chief executive officer of Etihad Aviation Group, said: "Etihad Airways and its partner airlines are proud to have played a key role in the emergence of the UAE as a centre for global aviation. We remain committed to supporting the creation of world-class aviation infrastructure, and more importantly, the development of a workforce of aviation professionals in the United Arab Emirates." Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of Flydubai commented: "UAE Civil Aviation Day recognises the success of the UAE and how it has established itself as a global aviation hub. Flydubai will continue to support Dubai's economic development in creating free flows of trade and tourism." Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said: "The UAE's aviation sector has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade and is today acknowledged as one of the fastest growing aviation industries in the world. The Civil Aviation Day celebrates the immense progress the country has made in developing its aviation sector, as well as the people who made this happen. From the time Air Arabia burst on to the scene as the region's first low-cost- carrier back in 2003, we have seen how the UAE aviation sector has gone from strength to strength maintaining strong performance in an ever-changing marketplace." The UAE has also played a role in bringing together the key players in space activities and civil aviation. In March 2016, the UAE hosted the ICAO and United Nations Office for Outer Space (UNOOSA) at an international symposium on the challenges and opportunities in space activities and civil aviation. Addressing the audience at the symposium, Al Mansoori highlighted the need for the industry to take into account the public interest rather than focusing on pure profit and he called for a solid legislative and regulatory framework to ensure the safety and security of the ever expanding space sector. http://www.arabianaerospace.aero/achievements-in-aviation-safety-and-security-highlighted-on-uae-civil- aviation-day.html Back to Top Kenya: U.S Lauds Kenya On Air Safety but Still No Clearance for Direct Flights The US Department of Transportation (DOT) Thursday praised Kenya's "significant progress" in ensuring civil aviation safety but did not commit to approving direct flights between the two countries. "The US Federal Aviation Administration and the Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority have been in close collaboration as Kenya has marched toward full compliance with international standards," a DOT spokesperson said. "They will remain in close touch and mutually determine next steps." The official's comments came in response to a Nation query regarding Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia's recent claim that Kenya has met all requirements for the start of direct flights between Nairobi and the US. Kenyan officials have repeatedly suggested during the past year that direct air links with the US would soon be established. But Washington has not publicly committed to allowing airlines to fly that route. Substantial gains for Kenyan business and the country's tourism industry are expected if passengers and cargo can move more expeditiously to and from the US. Financially troubled Kenya Airways would likely reap benefits if it becomes able to fly directly to US destinations. Direct-flights are not the same as non-stop flights. A direct flight makes a scheduled stop at an intermediate airport between its point of origin and its final destination. Passengers generally remain on the same plane, however, saving time spent in transit. DELTA AIRLINES Delta Air Lines came close in 2009 to inaugurating direct service between Atlanta and Nairobi, with a stop in Dakar, Senegal. US aviation officials, however, refused to clear the service one day prior to its scheduled start. Specific reasons for the abrupt cancellation were not provided, with US authorities citing general concerns regarding "security vulnerabilities in and around Nairobi." Kenyan officials reacted angrily at the time to the last-minute US decision. Moses Wetang'ula, who was serving as foreign minister in 2009, summoned then-US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger to his office to express Kenya's displeasure. http://allafrica.com/stories/201610010002.html Back to Top LIAT pilots under investigation The Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCA) says it is investigating a matter involving two senior LIAT pilots. The two are accused of operating an aircraft in contravention of their license agreement, which places a barrier on the age of a pilot and a co-pilot in a single cock-pit. ECCA says it cannot comment on the status of the investigation because of its sensitive nature. Chairman of the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA) Carl Burke says since both men are members of the association he would only comment after the probe ends. Last week, the two pilots one over the age of sixty and the other over sixty-five were allegedly scheduled to fly the same plane. The pilots' license appears to prohibit this. If found culpable, the men who are senior both in age and rank could face dismissal. LIAT acting CEO Julie Reifer-Jones could not be reached for comment. http://antiguaobserver.com/liat-pilots-under-investigation/ Back to Top China is worried its fighter pilots are dumb China has the third largest air force in the world and may surpass the United States within the next 15 years. But in an aerial shooting war with the U.S. Air Force, Beijing will need more than aircraft - also fighter pilots with well-honed skills capable of facing off with some of the best jocks in the world. Right now, Chinese pilots struggle. Underdeveloped tactics and training regimens which discourage initiative - among other problems - means that, as a whole, China's top guns are less proficient than they could be. The People's Liberation Army Air Force is also well aware of this, and is changing the way it trains pilots, according to a recent report by the RAND Corporation, a think tank with close ties to the U.S. Air Force. These changes, over time, could do much to reduce the skill gap between the Chinese and American air forces. China's air force doesn't match the United States, because for most of recent history, it didn't need to. The traumatic experience of World War II, when 14 million Chinese lost their lives in a Japanese invasion and occupation, shaped Chinese strategy to favor large ground forces. For much of the Cold War, Beijing's leaders viewed the risk of another invasion, particularly from the Soviet Union, as their number one military threat. To be sure, China has undertaken major military reforms since the 1980s aimed at extending presence into the South and East China Seas, thereby forcing the naval and air forces of an opponent - namely the United States - to operate from farther away. China is also shrinking its army but expanding its air force and navy, and rethinking how to fight war on different terms. A Chinese Su-27 Flanker | (U.S. Air Force/Courtesy War Is Boring) But the PLA's highly centralized, top-down structure remains in place and stifles the skills of its fighter jocks. Unrealistic plans and by-the-book training regimens don't translate well in combat, when those plans can be blown away the moment they meet enemy contact. Training pilots to adapt to changing conditions - and to make decisions on the spot - "remains new to many pilots accustomed to having most, if not all, of their tactical maneuvers dictated to them by PLAAF unit commanders in the control tower," the report stated. Take, for instance, the most important aircraft in a fighter formation - the lead plane. Basically, the plane in front, manned by an experienced pilot responsible for commanding the formation and (usually) leading dogfights. Chinese lead pilots often lack tactical skills, aerial maneuvers and changing flight plans without instructions from the ground. To make matters worse, they often defer to "ground command and guidance personnel during confrontations," the RAND report quoted the Chinese air force newspaper Kongjun Bao. "As such, there were many unfavorable factors that come about during air combat [training]. For example, ground commands often are not able to keep up with the complex and changeable air situation," Kongjun Bao added. "Pilots relied too much on the commands and guidance from the ground, which was not conducive to enhancing the enthusiasm and initiative of airborne combatants." The same problems crop up during mock attacks on ground targets. In one exercise, commanders tested pilots by changing their targets on an "ad-hoc" basis, but the nervous aviators choked, flew too low and missed. Of course, the reason we know this is because China is deliberately pushing its pilots into unfamiliar territory and, in PLAAF terminology, forcing them to "fight and win: in "actual combat conditions." Details are few, but RAND notes that the Chinese air force is making its pilots develop their own flight plans while giving them "full autonomy over their sorties, from starting their engines to changing navigation routes and flying tactics in the air," RAND noted. Beijing is even shuffling pilots between different air bases to mix up the terrain. During mock air battles, commanders have restricted the amount of information shared between formations before they wage simulated duels. The PLAAF will even "frequently remove safety restrictions," the report added. But even better pilots might not matter much, in the end. Beijing anticipates a potential conflict with the United States to take place in the Western Pacific, where China enjoys a numerical advantage. Over Taiwan, that advantage could be 3:1 just in aircraft, according to a separate RAND study published in 2008. The odds get even worse for the Pentagon if China can successfully knock out America's nearest air bases, such as Kadena in Japan, with an onslaught of ballistic missiles. Now fast forward to 2030, and combine those numbers with fighter pilots schooled for more than a decade in dogfighting ... the right way. From drones to AKs, high technology to low politics, War is Boring explores how and why we fight above, on, and below an angry world. Sign up for its daily email update here or subscribe to its RSS Feed here. http://theweek.com/articles/651532/china-worried-fighter-pilots-are-dumb Back to Top Frontier Airlines making major hiring push for pilots, flight attendants Frontier Airlines is going through a hiring spree, looking to bring more than 800 flight attendants by the end of next year and launching three partnerships with smaller regional airlines to help recruit and then hire their pilots once they reach a certain level of experience. The moves come as the Denver-headquartered airline prepares to grow its fleet by more than 14 percent next year, increasing its number of operating airplanes from 63 to 72 as it grows in more locations outside its traditional home base. But it also comes as it works on labor issues in other arenas, including the so- far-rocky implementation of a contract with a new ramp-services contractor and a protracted dispute over pay with its existing pilots. Those 800 new flight attendants will include 200 who will be based at Frontier's Denver crew base, which remains its largest base of operations, with more than 70 daily departures from Denver International Airport. They will represent nearly a 60 percent increase in employed flight attendants for the company, spokesman Jim Faulkner said. While some of the increased personnel needs come from normal attrition cycles and some from the boost in fleet, an element of the hiring spree also relates to the new, larger planes that Frontier will be flying. It's in the process of replacing its 138-seat Airbus A319s with 186-seat A320s and 230-seat A321 models. While the A319s required only three flight attendants each, the A321s demand five per flight, Faulkner noted. The growth of the fleet is also a key reason why Frontier on Sept. 20 announced a partnership with Idaho- based Empire Airlines that followed similar partnerships with regional fliers Great Lakes Airlines of Wyoming and Silver Airlines of Florida. As part of the Frontier Career Pilot Program, Frontier will work with its partners to recruit and interview new pilots. Then after those pilots advance to becoming captains, build at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time, meet dependability metrics and receive letters of recommendation, they are guaranteed to transition to Frontier as a first officer. Those programs come not only as Frontier grows but as industry experts forecast that retirements in the coming years will make highly qualified pilots much more in demand. "This program and our partnerships with these highly regarded and respected regional airlines will become an important element of Frontier's overall strategy to fulfill our pilot staffing needs in the future," said Jim Nides, Frontier vice president of flight operations. Frontier and parent company Indigo Partners LLC is negotiating a new contract with its pilots, who gave up significant concessions in their last contract talks with former owner Republic Airways to keep the then- teetering airline from shuttering. Now, however, Frontier is on pace to be profitable for a third straight year, and pilots are so dissatisfied with the pace and substance of negotiations, an association leader told the Denver Post, that they've asked the National Mediation Board to take control of the talks. The NMB has not issued any decision on that request, Faulkner said on Monday. Also, the airline continues to transition to a new ramp-services contractor, Simplicity, after having several issues that led to the end of the contract with former contractor Swissport. Staffing issues during that transition dropped Frontier into last place among the 12 national airlines in July for its on-time arrival percentage. Hiring for the flight-attendant positions will continue Tuesday with recruiting meet-and-greet events from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 5 to 7 p.m. at the NW Club at the National Western Complex. Job applicants must have a high-school diploma or GED, must be at least 20 years of age, must have a valid passport and must not have tattoos between their shoulders and fingers, on their neck or chest areas or behind their ears. http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2016/10/03/frontier-making-major-hiring-push-for-pilots.html Back to Top JetBlue Is Turning Supermarket Clerks and Baggage Handlers Into Pilots Ground operations members unload baggage from a JetBlue aircraft on the tarmac at Long Beach Airport in California. Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg No experience necessary as airline expands applicant pool U.S. carriers look to fill labor pipeline as shortage looms What do a supermarket clerk, an airline baggage handler and a heavy-equipment operator have in common? They're among the first participants in JetBlue's new program to turn people with little or no flight experience into pilots. The initial six recruits begin the second phase of training Monday, after three weeks studying meteorology, aerodynamics, aircraft systems and the like. They'll now spend about seven months in Arizona to begin flight training at CAE Oxford Aviation Academy. If successful -- and if they can handle the $125,000 price tag -- they should become first officers at JetBlue Airways Corp. in 2020. U.S. carriers are seeking new ways to recruit as the industry faces a projected shortage of 15,000 aviators by 2026, according to the University of North Dakota. JetBlue's Gateway Select program is the first of its kind in the U.S., although similar efforts have been used in Europe and Asia. It is one of seven recruitment programs at the New York-based airline. 'Raw Aptitude' "I've been a pilot coming up on 30 years now, and I'm literally blown away by the enthusiasm and raw aptitude these six individuals have," said David Freiwald, a JetBlue flight instructor. Of the recruits, one had 100 hours of flight time as a private pilot, another had about 35 hours and the rest had never flown a plane. The airline declined to make any students available for interviews. JetBlue's pilots union doesn't support the program. "We don't see a need for it," said Patrick Walsh, chairman of the Air Line Pilots Association group at the carrier. "There are thousands of qualified pilots applying with JetBlue currently." He declined to comment on the quality of the training regimen. JetBlue is working with lenders to provide financial assistance when needed for Gateway Select recruits, said Warren Christie, senior vice president for safety, security and training. The training program's cost covers lodging and food during certain phases. "A lot of programs you pay for flight training, but there isn't a job offer at the end," he said. Majoring in commercial aviation at the University of North Dakota, the largest public aviation program in the U.S., can cost more than $150,000 for an out-of-state student when flight-training fees are included. Winnowing Process JetBlue, which says it doesn't have a pilot shortage, received 1,480 applications after the program was announced late last year and narrowed down the group through assessments and tests before inviting 120 people for interviews. The carrier selected 24 who, divided into groups of six, all will be in training by next year's third quarter. Major U.S. carriers long have relied on hiring pilots who already have the required minimum of 1,500 flight hours, typically amassed in military aircraft or by working as a civilian instructor before snagging a job at a regional airline. At Gateway Select, training focuses on JetBlue's 100-seat Embraer SA E190 jets, although the program could be extended to the larger Airbus Group SE planes in the carrier's fleet. Gateway Select emphasizes working as part of a two-person cockpit crew. It also provides more time in simulators than traditional training, to force students to contend with challenging situations such as bad weather and mechanical failures. Each is assigned a JetBlue pilot as a mentor. Next Round The next round of recruiting is set for the middle of next year, and JetBlue expects to select 24 to 48 participants to begin training in January 2018. "These six candidates are going to learn how to fly from the very beginning using the same training philosophy and operating philosophy our current pilots use," Christie said. "What you learn first is what you remember the longest. What they're learning today is what they're going to employ in four years as JetBlue first officers." http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-03/from-clerk-to-cockpit-jetblue-s-raw-pilot-recruits- move-forward Back to Top Air Traffic Controllers And Pilots Can Now Communicate Electronically Air traffic controllers at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C., are using new technology that lets them exchange digital messages with pilots. Cliff Owen/AP The control tower at a major metropolitan airport can be a pretty chatty place. Some of the chatter comes from air traffic controllers literally and phonetically spelling out the routes pilots need to follow to their destinations, using the foxtrot-lima-sierra-tango alphabet. When a weather issue - say, a line of thunderstorms - pops up, routes have to be changed, often while the plane is already on the taxiway. So the controllers spell out new directions to the pilots, the pilots take them down and then carefully read back the instructions to the tower. If To Err Is Human, Should Technology Help Us Shed Some Humanity? If the pilot mishears the instructions - well, the process begins again. All of this can take several minutes, delaying departures, burning fuel and emitting carbon. But now technology is coming to the rescue. The Federal Aviation Administration's new system, called Data Comm, lets traffic controllers and pilots exchange information electronically - still in the air-traffic lingo, but displaying like text messages. Data Comm technology gives air traffic controllers and pilots the ability to transmit flight plans, clearances, instructions, advisories, flight crew requests and reports through a digital message service. Brian Naylor/NPR One carrier already using the new system is delivery company UPS. In the cockpit of a Boeing 767, UPS pilot Capt. Gregg Kastman points to a screen near the center of the console. This is where he now receives "a lot of the messaging we used to have to receive via voice" over the radio, he says. That includes route clearance, route changes and frequency changes. The Data Comm system "allows us to view the message, and reprogram our computers in seconds, which used to take minutes to process," he says. And that difference of a few minutes, he adds, "is tremendously important." Imagine inclement weather moving in on a busy airport. Some 30 or 40 airplanes may be there waiting for takeoff, needing new routing instructions, Kastman says: "A couple minutes multiplied by 40 aircraft can easily lead to well over an hour in delays." For a cargo company managing an intricate schedule of arriving and departing flights, coordinated also with ground transportation, such delays can be a major headache. For customers, a delay may mean the shoes you ordered don't arrive in time or an important replacement part doesn't get delivered. For passengers, it could mean a missed connection. FAA Assistant Administrator Jim Eck says passengers should notice a difference from the new technology. Data Comm is intended "to make the whole system feel more stable and more predictable," he says, "so there isn't a lot of time spent sitting in an airplane wondering what's going on, and when am I going to get off." The Data Comm system - part of the FAA's Next Gen program to modernize the nation's air traffic control system - is already up and working at most of the major airports, for now with the exception of Chicago's O'Hare. The $740 million upgrade is expected to be in service at more than 50 towers by year's end. The FAA says all the major airlines have signed on; eight U.S. passenger and cargo airlines have added or are currently adding the system. http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/10/03/496393787/air-traffic-controllers-and-pilots- can-now-communicate-electronically Back to Top Egyptian Who Hijacked Jet Is Ordered Deported From Cyprus EgyptAir Flight 181, which was hijacked in March, at Larnaca airport in Cyprus. Credit Petros Karadjias/Associated Press A court in Cyprus ordered on Friday the deportation of an Egyptian man accused of hijacking a passenger jet, forcing it to divert to Cyprus and demanding to see his former wife, who lives there. Judge Dona Constantinou of the Nicosia District Court ruled that the man accused of the hijacking, Seif Eldin Mustafa, 59, should be returned to Egypt, despite his claim that he might be tortured or even killed if he was sent back. In rejecting his claims, the judge found that he "never suggested political motives for his actions" in March, and that he had no record of participating in protests or of facing charges relating to his political beliefs. Dina el-Fouly, a spokeswoman for EgyptAir, laughed when told of the ruling. "We haven't been told anything yet, but this is good news," she said. The hijacking was perhaps the most bizarre in a series of mishaps and tragedies that have plagued Egyptian aviation and devastated tourism in the country. The terrorist bombing of a Russian charter flight over the Sinai Peninsula last October killed all 224 people on board, and the crash of an EgyptAir jetliner in May in the Mediterranean Sea, which killed the 66 people on board, remains under investigation. Seif Eldin Mustafa after leaving court in March. Credit Petros Karadjias/Associated Press Mr. Mustafa was no terrorist, according to the authorities, but an ordinary criminal: Imprisoned on multiple charges of forgery and fraud, he was among hundreds of inmates who escaped in 2011 during the 18-day uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak. He surrendered to the police in 2014 and was released the next year. The police then sought to question him in connection with other crimes, and he was considered to be on the run at the time of the hijacking. Mr. Mustafa commandeered EgyptAir Flight 181, with more than 60 people on board, after it departed Alexandria, bound for Cairo, on the morning of March 29. He told the crew that he was wearing an explosive belt and threatened to blow up the plane unless the pilot landed in Cyprus, Greece or Turkey. As the plane landed in Larnaca, on the southern coast of Cyprus, Mr. Mustafa made a series of incoherent demands, calling for the release of female prisoners by Egypt's military government and for the delivery of a letter to his former wife, who lives with their three children. The former wife, Marina Paraschos, went to the airport and helped officials persuade him to surrender. She later told reporters that her husband had been abusive and that they had scarcely been in touch since the end of their marriage, which lasted from 1985 to 1990. Mr. Mustafa, who lived in Cyprus until 1994, had been deported to Egypt three times on charges of harassing Ms. Paraschos, Cypriot officials said, entering the country with a fake passport at least once. Get news and analysis from Europe and around the world delivered to your inbox every day in the European morning. Receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. He had resisted extradition after he was detained in the hijacking, saying he feared prosecution and abuse by the Egyptian authorities. The judge dismissed those claims, finding that there was no suggestion of a political motive. She also noted that the hijacking charges in Egypt do not carry the death penalty, which is forbidden in Cyprus; that he applied for political asylum in Cyprus only after the Egyptian authorities had requested his extradition; and that he holds a valid Egyptian passport. "The judge said it was an oxymoron for him to say that he would be tortured and his rights violated if he is sent back to Egypt, when he had a valid passport and was free to enter and leave Egypt as he pleased" before the hijacking, Marianna Tsangari, a Cypriot state lawyer involved in the case, said in a phone interview on Friday. "Basically, his claims didn't stand," Ms. Tsangari said. "There was no evidence to support his claims that he faces the risk of torture in Egypt nor that he faces persecution for his political beliefs." Mr. Mustafa seemed calm in court, holding his forehead in his hand and bending over to listen to the translation of the proceedings provided by an interpreter, Ms. Tsangari said. Eleni Loizidou, the main lawyer in the case, said in a phone interview that the judge's ruling was in keeping with a decision by the Cypriot government to deny Mr. Mustafa's request for asylum. In that proceeding, the government also noted that Mr. Mustafa could have left Egypt, using his passport, at any time before the hijacking, if he was legitimately fleeing persecution. The judge ordered that Mr. Mustafa be extradited within 10 days; his defense lawyer, Robertos Vrahimis, indicated that his client planned to file an appeal during that period. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/01/world/europe/seif-eldin-mustafa-egyptair.html?_r=0 Back to Top Cessna Delivers 5,000th Light Business Jet Cessna Aircraft has delivered its 5,000th light business jet, a Citation M2 that was handed over last week to Helitrip Charter, which is leasing the aircraft to UK aircraft charter firm Catreus, the company announced today. In June, the Wichita-based aircraft manufacturer shipped the 7,000th Citation, a line of jets that spans light to super-midsize. Kriya Shortt, senior vice president of sales and marketing at parent Textron Aviation, said the company "transformed" the light jet segment. Cessna entered the light jet segment in 1972 when it delivered the first Citation 500. The company's current lineup of light jets consists of the Citation Mustang, M2, CJ3+ and CJ4. Catreus manages and operates a mixed fleet of aircraft, among them the Citation Mustang, M2, Bravo, Excel, XLS and XLS+. This latest delivery adds a second M2 to the company's fleet, which flies 3,000 charter hours a year, Cessna said. Catreus recently received approval to operate the M2 at London City; it already has identical approvals for the remainder of its aircraft types. http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2016-10-03/cessna-delivers-5000th-light- business-jet Back to Top Massive Airplane Engine to be given to MTSU by Southwest Airlines The MTSU Aerospace department has received quite the gift from Southwest Airlines... An airplane engine. The unveiling of the massive engine will be done at 10:00, Tuesday morning (October 4, 2016). The engine will be at the MTSU Flight Operations Center maintenance hangar at the Murfreesboro Airport (1940 Memorial Blvd., Murfreesboro TN). As for the engine, it is a CFM International "CFM56" engine that is used on aircraft. The engine will be used in Murfreesboro to teach maintenance management students about modern, high-bypass turbofan engines that are part of commercial transportation. CFM International made the engine that has a thrust range of 18,500 to 34,000 pounds of force. Since 1974 when they were introduced, more than 30,000 have been produced. The 2016 cost is $1 million per engine. Its dry weight is more than 5,200 pounds. http://wgnsradio.com/massive-airplane-engine-to-be-given-to-mtsu-by-southwest-airlines--cms-35320 Back to Top CHINA PLANS A SPACE PLANE FOR TOURISTS NO BOOSTERS INCLUDED Space Plane Concept China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology Go high enough in the atmosphere, and eventually you'll reach space. That is assuming a vehicle can, somehow, carry itself there--as the atmosphere thins, traditional flight becomes difficult and then impossible. Getting to space takes a rocket, sometimes carried by an airplane, like Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, which blasts off from the underbelly of its White Knight Two transport--or it takes a rocket launch from a platform on the ground. A state-backed firm in China wants to get rid of all the extra parts, instead completing the entire process with one rocket-powered spaceplane that takes off like a rocket, and returns to earth like a shuttle. New Scientist reports: "The vehicle will take off vertically like a rocket and land on the runway automatically without any ground or on-board intervention," [China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology team leader Han Pengxin] says. It will burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen. Han's team has designed two versions of their rocket plane. The first has a mass of 10 tonnes and a wingspan of 6 metres. This one, he says, should be able to fly five people to an altitude of 100 kilometres - where space officially begins - at speeds up to Mach 6, giving 2 minutes of weightlessness. But a scaled up 100-tonne version, with a 12-metre wingspan, could fly 20 people to 130 kilometres at Mach 8, giving 4 minutes of weightlessness. That larger spacecraft is fast enough to help deliver small satellites into orbit, with the help of a small rocket stage add-on that would sit on top of the vehicle. And that payload-carrying capability will reduce tourist ticket prices, says Han. They also intend to make it reusable, so each plane should be good for up to 50 flights. The flights will, according to Han, cost around $200,000 to $250,000, a price point roughly identical to Virgin Galactic's similar space tourism offering, with about the same time in space. Instead of catching a ride into the upper atmosphere like SpaceShipTwo, its predecessor SpaceShipOne, or NASA's X-15 rocket place, China's space plane as intended will launch vertically from the ground, like the retired Space Shuttle and Buran, its Soviet clone. Two other spaceplanes, the Air Force's mysterious unmanned X-37B robot and the unmanned version of Sierra Nevada Corporation's Dream Chaser both are designed to ride to space on the top of rockets, jettisoning the booster stages as they clear gravity. (Incidentally, the United Nations recently selected Dream Chaser for its first ever space mission, designed to open space infrastructure up to countries that lack their own space programs.) Unlike the Shuttle or the X037B, the smaller version of China's space plane will carry all its fuel internally, and the concept seems to lack booster rockets. The larger space plane will use a single booster add-on, carrying it farther into space. The most successful spaceplane currently flying is a military robot. In the more than a decade since SpaceShipOne cleared the atmosphere, its Virgin Galactic successor program has yet to carry any paying customers, and that's without the hurdle of starting from vertical launch. NASA's space shuttles operated for three decades before retirement, using boosters for every launch. A new program that promises to carry itself to space with the fuel contained in a single body, and promises to do it by the end of the decade, is a neat idea, but one that is at best deeply optimistic and unproven. http://www.popsci.com/china-plans-space-plane-for-tourists Back to Top Dream Chaser: The Spacecraft That Will Transform Humanity's Access to Space The United Nations is set to launch a revolutionary global space program A Model of the Dream Chaser space shuttle on display at the IAC in Guadalajara, Mexico GUADALAJARA, MEXICO-The UN has commenced a remarkable initiative that will enable developing nations to have access to space. To do so, the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs has partnered with private space firm Sierra Nevada Corporation to utilize the company's unique Dream Chaser vehicle for affordable unmanned scientific missions to low-Earth orbit that will begin in 2021. According to the announcement made at the International Astronautical Congress, these missions will promote the peaceful use of outer space and foster collaboration between nations without space programs. To learn about the Dream Chaser's development and the possibilities that will emerge because of the UN's partnership with SNC, the Observer sat down with, Mark Sirangelo, the Colorado-based company's Vice President and the pioneer behind this groundbreaking project. What is Dream Chaser and why is it such a special spacecraft? Dream Chaser is essentially the next version of the Space Shuttle and we started developing it about 10 years ago while the Shuttle was still flying. We realized at some point that program would stop and wondered what would be next or what would become Space Shuttle 2.0. The Shuttle was a big moving van. If you were moving from New York to Los Angeles you would need a big van with a small cab up front and a large cargo area in the back. Similarly, the Space Shuttle was used to build the infrastructure in space, mainly the International Space Station. Now that it's built, you don't really need a moving van. You probably want a good SUV to get you around. So we set out to build what we call a Space Utility Vehicle that would be convertible to do many different things like taking up cargo to keep the space station running, and taking up several passengers. It's about having something that's much less expensive, reusable like the shuttle, and can be multiple vehicles in one. We started development of the Dream Chaser in 2005 and for the first five years we did it on our own. We then began getting the attention of NASA who would partner with us. After losing five different contracts, we eventually won a long-term contract to be NASA's spacecraft that will deliver supplies to the International Space Station. It's a pretty cool vehicle in a lot of ways. It's a green vehicle in the sense that it doesn't have any hazardous materials on board. We can actually land at airports around the world. We can land anywhere a 737 can land. In fact, there are at least a dozen different airports looking at getting qualified to be a landing airports for space. What is the process to become qualified? They have to go through the FAA, it's like qualifying to be an airport. Interesting enough, two have gone through most of the process. One is in Houston, Texas and the other is in Huntsville, Alabama-a commercial airport. We realized that we've got something special because we're the only vehicle that can do this. That's when we began looking beyond NASA to see what else we could do with the Dream Chaser. We asked ourselves, what can we do for business? And what can we do for the good of humanity? So we started looking at ways for providing the vehicle. NASA or the US Government does not own the vehicle, so we can do other things with it. We could contract it out to other countries who would like to have a space program, other space agencies, companies that may want to do manufacturing in space. So one of the ideas we came up with to show how Dream Chaser could do good for the world was our new partnership with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. SNC Vice President Mark Sirangelo and UNOOSA Director Simonetta Di Pippo announce the new space program at the IAC. What sparked this new relationship between the UN and Sierra Nevada Corporation? I met the very progressive leader of UNOOSA, Simonetta Di Pippo, and we sat down to discuss an idea. It was pretty simple: Dream Chaser can be a floating laboratory in low-Earth orbit, so why don't we offer it to countries that don't have access to space? Dream Chaser is about the size of a 50-75 passenger regional Jet and with that space we could have about 25-30 laboratory slots. We proposed that UNOOSA could act as the organizer of this and create an opportunity for countries who don't have a space program to get access to a laboratory aboard the vehicle. We thought it would take years for the UN to approve the program but it took only six months. It's moved rapidly because of the positive mission and it's something to show the world is moving forward. This was also a way to create some excitement about space exploration. An opportunity like this for a country that's never had access to space could be the biggest thing that country does for that year. Some young man or woman who lives in that nation, could be inspired by this. This program could promote the peaceful use of space and could also benefit a lot of young people around the world who could potentially have their experiments flown to space on Dream Chaser. What would be the process for a developing nation to fly a mission on Dream Chaser? The UN would put together a high-level scientific panel that could review applications from different nations. Sierra Nevada would give them a set of parameters for what can actually be done in space aboard the Dream Chaser. Nations would come to us with what they would like to do. The idea is to open the program to the global community and we hope it will be successful. We are targeting 2021 for the first mission, 5 years from now. It sounds like a long time but for the space industry but it's not. Dream Chaser is already built so we don't have to spend money to get it in operation for this program. We just have to adjust it to house the laboratory. Remember, it won't go to the International Space Station, it will remain in orbit as a floating lab. What other ways could a nation benefit from utilizing this program? When people send experiments to space, they don't usually come home. Just the data does. And that's because there isn't a vehicle with the ability to do that. Dream Chaser would come home with the scientific hardware it takes up. This means that countries that invest in their experiments would be able to retrieve it and be able to update or fix it and we can fly it again. It's a very unique concept. Plus, landing anywhere in the world could be a big deal for a developing nation-to have scientific experiments from space land in your home country. Robin Seemangal focuses on NASA and advocacy for space exploration. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, where he currently resides. Find him on Instagram for more space-related content: @nova_road. http://observer.com/2016/10/dream-chaser-the-spacecraft-that-will-transform-humanitys-access-to- space/ 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