De: Curt Lewis & Associates, LLC de la part de Flight Safety Information October 10, 2016 - No. 199 In This Issue Third Piece of Debris Confirmed to Be From Missing Malaysian Jet White powder found inside Southwest Airlines jet at FLL SIA 777 in repair after minor tail scrape at Melbourne Mil Mi-17 Helicopter Accident (Afghanistan) Feds urge drone pilots to stay clear of hurricane response efforts EASA lifts flight ban on Super Puma helicopters Indonesia let down by air safety record at ICAO IATA renews RJ's Enhanced IOSA certificate with no remarks Overheating Samsung Note 7 Phones Remain A Problem For Airlines And Travelers Two Hawaiian Airlines workers arrested for theft Sri Lanka's Mismanaged, Cash-Hemorrhaging Airline Is For Sale (And There Are Actually Takers) Oman reaffirms global plan for aviation safety Formaldehyde leak in cargo hold of Alaska Airlines flight leaves passengers without luggage Air NZ passenger tells of 100ft drop Reclined seat causes in-flight brawl GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (1) GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (2) Accident Investigation for Aviation Management Course - Cranfield University Third Piece of Debris Confirmed to Be From Missing Malaysian Jet A piece of debris identified by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau as having come from the left wing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Credit Australian Transport Safety Bureau, via Agence France-Presse - Getty Images SYDNEY, Australia - The Australian government said on Friday that a piece of debris that washed up on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius in May was from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The debris, identified as part of the trailing edge of the rear spar on the left wing of the plane, contained parts and serial numbers specific to the missing jet, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said in a statement. The plane disappeared after taking off from the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, on an overnight flight to Beijing in March 2014. It inexplicably turned south and continued flying for more than six hours, with 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board. The authorities believe it finally went down in the southern Indian Ocean. The latest debris is the third part to be formally identified as from the plane, although the Malaysian government has said additional pieces of flotsam have washed up along the coast of several African nations. Some of those may still be identified as coming from the jet. In its statement, the transport safety bureau said the debris found on the shore of Mauritius on May 10 had serial numbers and identifying marks similar to those on another piece of debris identified in September as part of the right wing flap of the missing plane. That debris, found in late June, washed up on the Tanzanian island of Pemba. The first confirmed piece of debris from the plane was found in July 2015 on the French island of Réunion, also off the east coast of Africa. Although searchers scoured hundreds of thousands of square miles of the southern Indian Ocean from the air in the first weeks after the plane disappeared, no debris was found during those surveys. Since then, ships fitted with deepwater sonar equipment have swept nearly 43,000 square miles of sea floor along a remote, narrow arc of water off Australia's west coast. In July, ministers from Australia, China and Malaysia agreed that unless credible evidence of the plane was found on the seabed, the search would be suspended in December. None of the debris has so far helped the authorities refine the search area for the missing jet. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/08/world/australia/malaysia-airlines-mh370-debris-mauritius.html?_r=0 Back to Top White powder found inside Southwest Airlines jet at FLL FORT LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - Officials at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport gave the all clear after a white powder was discovered on board a Southwest Airlines flight, Sunday. Crews discovered the suspicious substance during a routine check after the jetliner touched down at the airport. No passengers were on board at the time when officials came to inspect the substance. Southwest Airlines officials released the following statement after getting the all clear for takeoff: "The crew in command of Flight 2993 from Baltimore Washington International Airport to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport followed procedure and alerted local authorities after discovering an unusual substance underneath a seat upon arrival in Fort Lauderdale. Authorities inspected the aircraft, deemed the substance non-hazardous and have cleared it for takeoff." http://wsvn.com/news/local/white-powder-found-inside-southwest-airlines-jet-at-fll/ Back to Top SIA 777 in repair after minor tail scrape at Melbourne The tail skid system on a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-300 is being repaired after coming into contact with the runway while departing from Melbourne Tullamarine airport on 9 October. In a statement to FlightGlobal, SIA says flight the aircraft, registered 9V-SYG (MSN 28528), was operating flight SQ238 to Singapore when the incident occurred at 11:23 local time. "Air traffic control advised the crew that there had been a suspected tailstrike," the carrier says. "The captain confirmed that there was no aircraft system alert of a tailstrike, and the flight continued to Singapore where an inspection was carried out upon arrival." Inspections found that although no contact had been made with the fuselage, the aircraft's tail skid system had been damaged. SIA says the affected component is being repaired, and the 777 is expected to return to service on 11 October. Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that the aircraft was built in 2001 and is owned by SIA. It is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 892B engines. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top Mil Mi-17 Helicopter Accident (Afghanistan) Date: 09-OCT-2016 Time: 04:00 a.m. Type: Mil Mi-17 Owner/operator: Afghan Air Force (AAF) Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Dand Ghori district, Baghlan province - Afghanistan Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: Destination airport: army camp in Qarghan Tapa area Narrative: The helicopter crashed as a result of a technical malfunction. All seven occupants, four crew members and three soldiers, died in the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=190568 Back to Top Feds urge drone pilots to stay clear of hurricane response efforts The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) are urging drone operators to stay clear of emergency response efforts to Hurricane Matthew. As the powerful storm moves along Florida's southeast coast, drone pilots are being advised to avoid areas heavily affected by the hurricane, especially in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Any unauthorized drone operations that interfere with disaster recovery efforts may be subject to civil penalties and even criminal prosecution, the FAA and AMA warned. Congress passed an FAA reauthorization bill this summer that prohibits unmanned aircraft systems from disrupting any emergency response operations. Drone pilots that are found to be in violation could face up to $20,000 in fines under the law. The language was drafted in response to numerous reports of drone operators flying too closely to wildfire responders and interfering with emergency-relief activities. "No one should be flying near disaster relief or recovery efforts, air ambulance or search-and-rescue operations unless they're supporting those efforts," Dave Mathewson, executive director of the AMA, said in a statement. "Keeping the skies clear during this critical time will help ensure that first responders can do their jobs safely." The FAA may also implement temporary flight restrictions in certain areas near the storm, which is why pilots are being encouraged to check with the FAA's website before taking flight. http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/299811-feds-urge-drone-pilots-to-stay-clear-of-hurricane-response-efforts Back to Top EASA lifts flight ban on Super Puma helicopters European safety regulators have lifted the grounding order on Airbus Helicopters Super Puma rotorcraft imposed in the wake of a fatal crash earlier this year, but separate flight bans in the UK and Norway remain in force. A total of 13 passengers and crew died when the main rotor separated from the rest of a H225 helicopter (LN-OJF) near Turøy on Norway's west coast on 29 April. A subsequent report issued on 1 June by Norway's SHT air accident investigation agency narrowed the cause to the disintegration of the second-stage planet gear in the main gearbox epicyclic module. It blamed this on a fatigue crack initiated by spalling - the disintegration of a bearing surface. In a response the following day, the European Aviation Safety Agency said it had decided "as an additional precautionary measure" to "temporarily ground the fleet" by prohibiting flights of all civil H225 and AS332 L2 helicopters. EASA says that although the "root cause of this failure is still not fully understood" by Airbus Helicopters, it is confident that with a number of steps put in place by the manufacture,r the Super Puma is now safe to return to service. Key among these is the replacement of one of the two configurations of planet gear. A review of in-service data showed that "one configuration has higher operating stress levels that result[s] in more frequent events of spalling... while the other exhibits better reliability behaviour," says EASA. The two designs are made by separate manufacturers. Airbus Helicopters has not revealed which supplier's product has proved less reliable, but stresses that both were designed to its specifications. EASA says that by limiting the gear configuration to the more reliable version, plus reducing inspections of the particle chip detector and main gearbox oil filters to intervals of 10 flight hours, "an acceptable level of safety can be restored". In addition, it has reduced the service life of the remaining planet gear design, as well as mandating the replacement of the part if it has been involved in an unusual event such as a lightning strike or road accident during transit. SHT had noted that the main gearbox fitted to the ill-fated H225 had been involved in an incident during transportation, but had not identified a positive link with the Turøy crash. However, the flight restrictions imposed by the regulators in both Norway and the UK are still in place. The UK Civil Aviation Authority says it is "united in [its] approach" with its Norwegian counterpart. "Both agencies now await further information from the accident investigation before considering any future action," it says. Airbus Helicopters adds: "We are providing assistance to our customers and working with related stakeholders in order to help them return their aircraft to service at the appropriate time. "Meanwhile, we maintain our full support to the AIBN in the frame of the ongoing investigation." https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/easa-lifts-flight-ban-on-super-puma-helicopters-430157/ Back to Top Indonesia let down by air safety record at ICAO Indonesia's failure to secure a seat on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) council should serve as a wake-up call for the government to revamp the country's notoriously poor aviation infrastructure, experts say. Indonesia only won the support of 96 out of 191 member countries during the ICAO meeting to select new 36 council members held in Montreal, Canada, on Oct. 4. Singapore, on the other hand, managed to get reelected for another term of three years, maintaining control over the regional airspace, including the aerial territory of Indonesia's Riau and Riau Islands provinces. Aviation analyst Chappy Hakim said the lack of support from ICAO members for Indonesia was a result of, among other things, the widespread concerns over the country's poor safety record and infrastructure quality. "It was pointless for Indonesia to woo countries to vote for it in the selection, while at the same time being unable to display good aviation quality," Chappy told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. "ICAO members would not think twice about supporting Indonesia assuming council membership if the country had good aviation oversight," he added. Following the failure to achieve ICAO council membership, Indonesia had to improve its aviation system, Chappy said, and the country should seek to improve its aviation based on a 2007 ICAO audit. ICAO audits are widely used by developed countries when imposing bans on airlines from countries with poor air safety oversight. Its audit in 2007 revealed 121 flaws in the Indonesian system. The ICAO's 2007 audit of Indonesia aviation led the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Commission to impose flight bans on Indonesian airlines, although some airlines have since been exempted from the bans. The most recent major aviation accident in the country was the AirAsia flight QZ8501 crash in December 2014, which killed all 162 people on board. The flight was bound for Singapore from Surabaya, East Java. The failure to achieve ICAO council membership has also cast a shadow over Indonesia's bid to control its air sovereignty, said Gadjah Mada University (UGM) aviation expert Arista Atmadjati. A position on the ICAO council would have given Indonesia "a better lobbying position", Arista said, with the country seeking to take over the flight information region [FIR] above Riau and Riau Islands provinces from Singapore. Singapore has controlled the airspace above the two provinces since 1946 and has stated it will hand over the control to Indonesia, which has been trying to take it over since 1993, when the ICAO gives the go-ahead. Hang Nadim International Airport general manager Suwarso said on Wednesday that following Indonesia's failure to achieve ICAO council membership, the plan to take over the FIR above the two provinces could not be implemented. "It's unlikely we'll take over the FIR above Riau and Riau Islands, as it can only be done if Indonesia becomes an ICAO council member," Suwarso said. There are two FIR territories in Indonesia's skies: FIR 1, controlled by Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Cengkareng, Banten, and FIR 2, which is under the management of Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar, South Sulawesi. Arista said that many international flights opted to use flight information and alerting services from the Singaporean aviation authority. "The service in FIR 1 is considered poor by many flights bound for Singapore, such as officials' poor English and outdated air traffic control [ATC] technology," Arista said. Separately, the Transportation Ministry said in a statement that it would try again in the future to get ICAO council membership. The failure in Montreal had made the country more determined to improve its civil aviation management, the statement read. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/10/07/indonesia-let-down-air-safety-record-icao.html Back to Top IATA renews RJ's Enhanced IOSA certificate with no remarks Amman, Oct. 9 (Petra) -- The International Air Transport Association (IATA) renewed Royal Jordanian's (RJ) IATA Operational Safety Audit (Enhanced IOSA)for the 7th time in a row since the airline first acquired it in 2004, the airline said in a statement Sunday. The renewal, RJ said, came with zero findings, reflects the company's operational effectiveness, its functioning with the highest degree of air safety, and utmost accuracy and professionalism, and its adherence to international practices, which ensure that it offers a distinguished level of air and ground safety. The audit was conducted by a team of auditors from an IATA-accredited audit organization (Quali-audit), in accordance with the checklist that was published by IATA last year and comprises around 1,000 safety standards and recommended practices for all the operational departments. In addition to the audit of the operational areas, the team also audited two regular RJ flights to ensure the airline's compliance with the safety requirements in the air. RJ President/CEO Captain Suleiman Obeidat expressed pride in RJ for maintaining the international certificate, for having it renewed smoothly, with no irregularities mentioned, which means that the company's performance meets the IATA standards. He also pointed out that this achievement is attained through the efforts of all the employees working hard to keep a clean air safety record, stressing that maintaining the safety of passengers, aircraft and employees has always been a top RJ priority. Obeidat added that this certificate, which will be effective until 2018, is a proof of the national carrier's compliance with air safety controls and IATA standards. RJ makes sure to maintain the high international position it has attained, and continues service improvement to increase its competitiveness in the market, he said. The audit covered a number of RJ operational areas, including flight operations, engineering and maintenance, airport services, in- flight services, corporate safety, quality management, crew training, dispatch, ground, cargo operations and security operations, and human resources. IATA makes the IOSA audit mandatory for all its members once every two years. http://www.petra.gov.jo/Public_News/Nws_NewsDetails.aspx?Site_Id=1&lang=2&NewsID=271843&CatID=13&Type=Home>ype=1 Back to Top Overheating Samsung Note 7 Phones Remain A Problem For Airlines And Travelers Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Airlines are struggling to deal with passengers and potentially dangerous Samsung Note 7s as a massive recall campaign for the phones continues. Last week, a phone carried by a passenger on Southwest Airlines overheated, leading to the aircraft's evacuation. According to The Verge, that phone had already been replaced as part of the recall effort. This weekend, Ars Technica reported that up to five post-recalled phones have experienced overheating issues. A man walks by an advertisement of the Samsung Electronics Galaxy Note 7 smartphone in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016. South Korea's government asked Samsung Electronics to extend the refund period for its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones that have been subject to an unprecedented global recall. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) As Samsung investigates this new series of overheating issues, most airlines have taken a strict path towards allowing the hardware on aircraft. Delta Air Lines released a statement derived from a Department of Transportation broadcast on its website, saying: Delta customers may only travel with a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone device subject to the CPSC recall if they comply with the following instructions: Turn off the device; Disconnect the device from any charging equipment; Disable all applications that could inadvertently activate the phone (e.g. alarm clock); Protect the power switch to prevent the phone from being unintentionally activated or turned-on; and Keep the device in carry-on baggage or on their person, and do not place in checked baggage. After last week's events, Southwest issued a similar edict, though neither carrier has released statements about the newest batch of Note 7s, which are technically not part of the recall. At airports, enforcement of the Note 7 ban has been strict, irrespective of whether the device is pre or post-recall. Travelers, meanwhile, have been forced to contend with a device that they cannot use during flight, cutting into valuable productivity time. As wireless carriers look into halting sales of the Note 7 altogether this week, many affected Samsung customers may have no choice but to move to a different handset manufacturer in order to stay connected on the road. http://www.forbes.com/sites/grantmartin/2016/10/09/overheating-samsung-note-7-phones-remain-a-problem-for-airlines-and- travelers/#6ef0cf81fb0e Back to Top Two Hawaiian Airlines workers arrested for theft Two Hawaiian Airlines workers on Maui have been arrested for theft. The company reported Sunday that the workers were ramp employees and the investigation was initiated by the airlines's corporate security department with the help of Maui police. We asked the airline for details on the theft, but a spokesperson said he could not comment. Hawaiian Airlines says the employees have been put on leave without pay. http://khon2.com/2016/10/09/two-hawaiian-airlines-workers-arrested-for-theft/ Back to Top Sri Lanka's Mismanaged, Cash-Hemorrhaging Airline Is For Sale (And There Are Actually Takers) SriLankan Airlines used to make money. The national carrier was a profitable airline for the ten years that it was operated as a joint venture with the Dubai-based Emirates Airline. Then Emirates sold its share in 2008, and one year later the financial downward spiral for SriLankan began. Seven years later, SriLankan Airlines has racked up $3.25 billion in debt, and over the first three months of this year alone its losses have been in the ballpark of $112 million. In May, the Sri Lankan government announced that it would be selling four of its new Airbus A350s, and orders for four more were canceled, which resulted in a $170 million penalty. In March, it was announced that Sri Lanka was looking for foreign investors interested in taking over their their beleaguered, debt- laden national carrier. In July, the government began taking offers for a 49% share and management control of the airline. According to the government, this is part of a broader strategy to privatize state companies and reduce national debt, but it seems more like a Morse code operator feverishly ticking out S-O-S aboard a sinking ship. Chairman of Sri Lankas national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines Ajith Dias addresses journalists during a press conference in Colombo on October 5, 2016. (ISHARA S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) SriLankan Airlines has long been criticized for mismanagement since splitting from the joint venture. From appointing "unqualified political lackeys" to positions of power - which included then-president Mahinda Rajapaksa's brother-in-law, who served as the airline's chairman - to said former president using the airline as his personal charter service, to buying unneeded aircraft, to generally poor business decisions, Sri Lanka has struggled to profitably run the airline that bears its name. This issue was no better manifested than the government forcing the airline to operate a second hub at Mattala International Airport between 2013 and 2015. This was Sri Lanka's second international airport, which was built next to an elephant preserve in remote Hambantota - the site of a large-scale, multi-faceted development endeavor that has yet to gain momentum. This world-class airport lacked nothing except passengers, and was mainly used as a transit hub. According to a government report, an average of just seven passengers per flight were being served at Mattala throughout 2014, and stories abound about how planes would touch down there to neither pick up nor drop off anyone. Needless to say, this second, reportedly unneeded, hub hemorrhaged cash for SriLankan Airlines, and today the government is also looking for foreign companies interested in taking the entire loss-generating airport off their hands. That said, half a dozen firms have submitted offers to take the Sri Lankan government up on their offer. Namely, the private equity firm TPG and BlackRock have shown interest in taking over SriLankan. The "winner" will be selected within a couple of months, according to a senior finance ministry official. Apparently, SriLankan Airlines still has promise and may be salvageable. It has a fleet of 21 leased Airbus planes, attractive routes to India, and is based out of a country that is becoming a prime international tourist destination. http://www.forbes.com/sites/wadeshepard/2016/10/07/sri-lankas-mismanaged-cash-hemorrhaging-airline-is-for-sale-and-there-are- actually-takers/#1f62980415df Back to Top Oman reaffirms global plan for aviation safety The Sultanate has invested more than $8b billion in the civil aviation sector be it in the infrastructure or in runways and other airport facilities. - ONAOman reaffirms global plan for aviation safety Montreal: The Sultanate reaffirmed its support to the international plan for aviation safety and the international plan for air navigation. In his speech, Dr. Mohammed bin Nasser Al Za'abi, CEO of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation and head of the Sultanate's delegation to the meetings of the 39th General Assembly of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in Canada, reaffirmed his country's commitment towards the international organisation. He said that the Sultanate has played a vital role along with the other members of the ICAO in the progress of the international civil aviation march since joining the organisation in 1973. On the communique of the policies and practices of the ICAO, he said the Sultanate supported the efforts extended for preparation of the draft common communique on the policies and practices of the ICAO in the field of protection of environment represented by the international plan for the Global Market-based Measures (GMBM). The Sultanate has invested more than $8b billion in the civil aviation sector be it in the infrastructure or in runways and other airport facilities, he said, adding that such works comprised construction of the new airports of Muscat and Salalah besides other three airports in the Sultanate's governorates. He also said that the Sultanate is currently moving towards the opening of the largest air control centre in the region, which will further boost air traffic. He said that Muscat would host, in 2017, the meeting of the Directors General of Civil Aviation in the Middle East Region who are members to the ICAO. http://timesofoman.com/article/93801/Oman/Transport/Oman-reaffirms-global-plan-for-aviation-safety Back to Top Formaldehyde leak in cargo hold of Alaska Airlines flight leaves passengers without luggage Buckets packed with fish and formaldehyde leaked in the cargo hold of an Alaska Airlines flight from Barrow to Fairbanks Friday, forcing the airline to hold more than 100 pieces of passenger luggage while they are tested for contamination, a company representative said Sunday. The chemical spill happened on Flight 55 from Barrow to Fairbanks on Oct. 7, said Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Nancy Trott. A passenger checked two closed buckets "containing fish and formaldehyde" without alerting customer service agents to the hazardous chemical inside, Trott said. It wasn't clear why the fish were in formaldehyde or whether the passenger, who was not named, was aware that it was hazardous. Some time during the flight, formaldehyde leaked out of at least one bucket, according to the airline. Cargo workers noticed a strong smell when they opened the hold in Fairbanks, Trott said. On Sunday, the exact quantity of the spilled chemical was still being investigated. Formaldehyde is a strong-smelling chemical that is used as a preservative in mortuaries and medical laboratories, as well as an industrial disinfectant, germicide and fungicide. There were no pets in the cargo area during the flight. Alaska Airlines didn't release the other pieces of baggage back to customers, instead hiring a company that specializes in cleaning up hazardous materials to "clean up the spill and test the bags," according to Trott. As of Sunday afternoon, 107 of the 118 bags in the cargo hold had been tested and cleared, she said. The airline has "reached out to everyone impacted to discuss compensation," Trott said. Trott said she was not aware of any criminal investigation related to the incident. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2016/10/09/formaldehyde-leak-in-cargo-hold-of-alaska-airlines-flight-leaves-passengers-without- luggage/ Back to Top Air NZ passenger tells of 100ft drop An Air New Zealand 787-9 Dreamliner was hit by turbulence 40 minutes into a flight from Vietnam. Picture / File Four people, including three crew, have been injured after an Air New Zealand flight hit turbulence, 40 minutes into a Vietnam- Auckland flight. Passengers have described the experience as a "flight from hell". One passenger on the plane said it dropped 100ft. "It came on so fast. 20 seconds of bumps then a drop off then five seconds later up we went followed by a 100-foot fall," said passenger Vince Newbold. Another passenger said crew were thrown to the ceiling. She posted on Facebook the plane was first delayed by two hours because of an issue with the brakes. Then the "flight from hell" took off with everything going well until the plane struck turbulence an hour into the flight. "As the air hostess hands me my tray we hit some really bad turbulence, the plane drops and all my food flies all over the floor and me. "Everyone is screaming and we have no idea what is going on. "A few minutes pass and the crew calling for a doctor over the loud speaker, two crew members had suffered critical injuries, the turbulence had thrown them up to the ceiling, another was injured." She said she was back in Vietnam because the plane returned to Ho Chi Minh City to get them to the nearest hospital. 'Flight from hell' sends passengers and food flying She posted that as well as losing all food trays, four carts were left smashed over the floor. Paramedics boarded the plane to tend to the injured once the plane landed back in Vietnam. She posted the frightening episode in the skies was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Newbold said as the plane hit turbulence, "things went flying". "Two cabin crew are injured with head injuries and a doctor on board said we need to land ASAP," he wrote in an email. A decision was made to return to Vietnam as Darwin was deemed too far away for urgent treatment. Newbold described it as "spooky" and better than any roller coaster he had even been on. The four people onboard flight NZ268 from Ho Chi Minh City all suffered minor injuries in the incident yesterday morning, an Air New Zealand spokeswoman said. The aircraft landed safely and without further incident in Vietnam around 8.20am Sunday New Zealand time. The injured were assessed and treated by medical staff. The flight returned to Vietnam and departed again this morning. It is due to arrive in Auckland this evening. "We thank customers for their patience," the spokeswoman said. http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11725957 Back to Top Reclined seat causes in-flight brawl Australian authorities escorted a man and a woman who figured in a brawl over a reclining seat during a flight from Phuket, Thailand, upon landing in Sydney, Australia. Australian Federal Police (AFP) was investigating the case of the 27-year-old man and 42-year-old woman, who were reported to have had a heated scuffle inside Jetstar flight JQ33 on Wednesday. One of the passengers, finance expert Scott Haywood, narrated the whole incident to Sydney radio station 2GB. The incident started when the woman "fully reclined" her seat behind the man's mother, prompting him to harshly push it back. "One of the passengers was distressed as a lady put her seat back on his mother," Haywood recounted to the radio station. "It was a night flight, so it was two or three o'clock in the morning. This other passenger got out of his seat and clipped that woman's seat who did that to (the seat of his) mother three or four times ." The furious woman threw a sucker punch to the man soon after. "He then got up and laid a couple more on her," Haywood further elucidated. Several passengers attempted to disentangle the unruly pair before the airline staff responded to the situation by separating them from business class to parallel areas of the plane. A Jetstar representative told media outlets that police arrested the duo when the flight landed in Sydney at 2 p.m. "Our crew on board acted quickly and the customers were separated for the remainder of the flight," the spokesman said, according to Sydney Morning Herald. "We don't tolerate disruptive behavior by passengers on our flights. We will conduct a review with a view to banning these passengers traveling with us in the future." http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/822772/reclined-seat-root-of-mid-flight-brawl-cops-escort-unruly-duo Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (1) 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. Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (2) Dear colleague in the aircraft ground handling industry My name is Mario Pierobon and I am conducting a doctoral study on aircraft ground handling safety at Cranfield University. As part of my research I have developed a survey that requires you to consider the degree of implementation of the IATA Ground Operations Manual (IGOM) chapter 4 ramp safety provisions and various management practices in place in your organisation to ensure that safety provisions are implemented. The survey will take approximately 13 minutes to complete. In order to participate to this survey you are required to have a management role in the aircraft ground handling industry and be familiar with IGOM chapter 4 ramp safety provisions. The survey may be accessed at the following link https://cranfielduniversity.eu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_8c5FmAf0bLFJ39P Earlier in the summer I sent out another survey concerning the categorisation of 40 different hazards that are peculiar to the aircraft ground handling environment. If you have not filled in this survey may I kindly ask you to please do so and go to the other following link https://cranfielduniversity.eu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3abRtXF0f6D7oEJ Thank you in advance for your kind support, if you need any additional information you may reach me at m.pierobon@cranfield.ac.uk. Kind regards Mario Pierobon PhD Candidate (air safety), Cranfield University Back to Top Accident Investigation for Aviation Management Course 31 Oct - 11 Nov 2016 https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/Courses/Short/Transport-Systems/Accident-Investigation-for-Aviation-Management Curt Lewis