Flight Safety Information October 18, 2016 - No. 205 In This Issue NTSB to Decide Probable Cause for Ohio Jet Crash Pilot killed as PAF Mirage jet crashes in Karachi Aviation Authority reassures Kenyans on air safety IATA presents IOSA certificate to Med-View Airline (Nigeria) TSB renews push for recorders on small aircraft after Prentice plane crash (Canada) Fort Hood Aviation Accidents FAA LISTS MORE INSTRUMENT APPROACHES FOR CANCELLATION FAA seeks to overcome perception NextGen is not delivering TARMAC AEROSAVE's 400th Aircraft NASA unveils a new testbed for electric aircraft Aurora Demonstrates DARPA Aircraft Autonomy Program Korean Air expands business jet charter unit BOOK SIGNING:...The Crash Detectives Investigating GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (1) GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (1) GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (2) Stop By and Visit At NBAA - BACE 2016 NTSB to Decide Probable Cause for Ohio Jet Crash FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2015, file photo, firefighters work at the scene where a small business jet crashed into an apartment building in Akron, Ohio. The National Transportation Safety Board is scheduled to meet in Washington on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016, to decide the probable cause of a corporate jet crash that killed the two pilots and seven passengers, and occurred within two miles of Akron Fulton International Airport while descending for landing. No one on the ground was injured. Federal investigators are set to decide the probable cause for a corporate jet crash that killed nine people on approach to an Ohio airport last November. The National Transportation Safety Board is scheduled to meet on Tuesday in Washington. The jet crashed less than two miles from the runway at Akron Fulton International Airport. Surveillance video from a nearby business shows the jet descending at a high rate of speed over trees before crashing into an apartment building and exploding. No one on the ground was injured. The two pilots on board were killed, along with seven employees of a commercial real estate company based in Boca Raton, Florida. Transcripts of cockpit conversations between the pilots indicated that it was the first officer, Renato Marchese, and not the flight's captain, Oscar Chavez, at the controls when the jet crashed. A former pilot with Fort Lauderdale- based charter company, Execuflight, told NTSB investigators last month that it was an informal policy at the company for captains to control a plane during takeoffs and landings, and not first officers, when passengers were on board. Marchese's previous employer fired him about nine months before the crash. Execuflight owner Augusto Lewkowicz told investigators that he hired Marchese based on a recommendation from another pilot and didn't dig into his past. Marchese's previous employer fired him for not learning quickly enough and for his inattention to details, such as accurately calculating weight and balance numbers needed to determine whether an aircraft is safe to fly. There are indications in NTSB documents that the plane's total weight exceeded the number the pilots used by 600 pounds. Former Execuflight pilot Donnie Shackleford told investigators that Marchese had said he was worried about working with Chavez because of their inexperience flying in wintry weather. Shackleford said he was dismissed from the company about a week before the NTSB interview. According to Shackleford, Marchese told him not long before the crash: "If they put me and Oscar together we're going to get ourselves killed." The crash occurred on rainy day with a low cloud cover. A flight instructor on a small plane that landed minutes before the crash had radioed Chavez and Marchese that his plane had emerged from the clouds at the minimum altitude acceptable for a safe landing at the Akron airport. The jet pilots acknowledge the instructor's transmission. A transcript of the cockpit voice recorder indicates that Chavez warned Marchese that he was flying too slowly on approach and that the jet was in danger of stalling. http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/ntsb-decide-probable-ohio-jet-crash-42872179 Back to Top Pilot killed as PAF Mirage jet crashes in Karachi The plane took off from Masroor Base, before it crashed in Musharraf Colony. PHOTO: EXPRESS KARACHI: A pilot of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was killed on Tuesday as his Mirage jet crashed near Karachi's Musharraf Colony. According to Squadron leader Baqir Ali, PAF Mirage jetbearing tale number 921 took off from Masroor Base, before it crashed near Musharraf Colony. The pilot died on the spot, police officials stated. "A Mirage plane crashed near Musharraf colony," Senior Superintendent Police city confirmed. "The pilot ejected from the aircraft and sustained fatal injuries," PAF spokesperson said in a statement, adding that though the pilot did not survive himself, he "succeeded in saving precious lives on ground." "No loss of civilian life or property has been reported. A board of inquiry has been ordered by Air Headquarters to determine the cause of the accident," the statement read. Last month, a PAF pilot was killed as his fighter jet crashed in Jamrud, Khyber Agency. "The pilot of the aircraft Flt Lt Omer Shazad sustained fatal injuries," the military's media wing ISPR said. The PAF aircraft was on a routine operational training mission. Officials claim the aircraft crashed due to a technical fault. Speaking to The Express Tribune, a senior official of the political administration said, "A team of Swat scouts and Levis officials have been sent to the site of the incident." http://tribune.com.pk/story/1201845/pilot-killed-paf-aircraft-crashes-karachi/ *************** Date: 18-OCT-2016 Time: Type: Mirage Owner/operator: Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Registration: 921 C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Musharraf colony, Karachi - Pakistan Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: Masroor Base Destination airport: Masroor Base Narrative: The military fighter jet crashed on a training flight due to a technical malfuntion of the plane. The pilot died in the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=190723 Back to Top Aviation Authority reassures Kenyans on air safety On Sunday, national carrier Kenya Airways cancelled five flights, citing deficiency in cabin crew. The crew are on a boycott over mistreatment my the management.[Photo/thebestofzambia.com] The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has once again reassured Kenyans of their safety amid Kenya Airways woes. Director General, Capt Gilbert Kibe said in a statement that the Authority was committed to executing its mandate and involving all stakeholders in addressing grievances of employees. "The Authority has learned about the intended strike by Kenya Airlines Pilots Associations (KALPA) and takes note of the immense negative impact the strike will have to the aviation consumer and the aviation industry..." "..The aviation regulator remains committed to its role and implores the aviation stakeholders involved, the Kenya Airways Management and KALPA to resolve the grievances as provided for by the Government of Kenya," read in part the statement sent to newsrooms on Monday. Capt Kibe said Kenya Airways had confirmed to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority Kenyans' safety remains paramount to all operations and shall not be compromised. On Sunday, national carrier Kenya Airways cancelled five flights, citing deficiency in cabin crew. The crew are on a boycott over mistreatment my the management. http://www.hivisasa.com/nakuru/transport/175029 Back to Top IATA presents IOSA certificate to Med-View Airline (Nigeria) The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Monday formally presented Med-View Airline with its Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) Certificate. The certificate was presented to the airline's Managing Director, Alhaji Muneer Bankole by IATA's Area Manager, South-West Africa, Mr Samson Fatokun in Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the IOSA programme is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. Created by IATA in 2003, IOSA uses internationally recognised quality audit principles and is designed to conduct audits in a standardised and consistent manner. Successful companies are included in the IOSA registry for a period of 2 years following an audit carried out by an organisation accredited by IATA. With the presentation, Med-View Airline has now joined Arik Air, Aero Contractors, FirstNation Airways, Allied Air and Overland Airways as the IOSA certified airlines operating in Nigeria. Speaking at the ceremony, Bankole noted that the process of certification began over two years ago when the airline received a request to enroll for the programme. He said this was in line with the Abuja Declaration of 2012 that all African airlines should complete their IOSA certification by December 2017 toward enhancing air safety in the continent. Bankole thanked the staff of Med-View and its customers for the support and patronage, adding that the airline would not relent in its quest to enhance safety. He appealed to the Federal Government to support domestic airlines in addressing the challenges of scarcity of aviation fuel and foreign exchange which were critical to their operations. "The industry today is challenging. Government must support the airlines because of their significance to Nigeria's image and the economy,'' Bankole said. Congratulating Med-View for achieving the feat, Fatokun said many airlines which started the programme could not complete it due to its rigorous nature. He said: "It is a thing of joy for any airline on this part of the globe to be on IOSA register. "That means you are operating on the same level of safety with other globally known airlines on the IOSA register. "It takes a lot of hard work to go through the process. So, we want to congratulate the Med-View management and staff for achieving this IOSA certification.'' Fatokun urged the airline not to relent on its oars because the register was reviewed by IATA every two years, adding that they should work assiduously to remain in the register. He urged them to strive to become formally registered with IATA in order to be able to play on a global level and be an example to other African airlines. https://www.today.ng/business/198934/iata-presents-iosa-certificate-med-view-airline Back to Top TSB renews push for recorders on small aircraft after Prentice plane crash (Canada) The Transportation Safety Board has renewed its call for on-board flight recorders on small aircraft following the crash that killed former Alberta premier Jim Prentice - a request the board said it first made 25 years ago. Mr. Prentice and three others were killed Thursday night after the Cessna Citation they were in crashed north of Kelowna, B.C. The TSB has said its investigation could take more than one year. Late Monday, the TSB released a statement that said the absence of cockpit-voice and flight-data recorders - which were not required on the Cessna involved in the crash - would make the investigation particularly challenging. "In Canada, Transport Canada requires medium and large commercial aircraft to be equipped with onboard flight recorders, but there are still no requirements for such recorders on smaller aircraft," Kathy Fox, the board's chair, wrote in the statement. "As early as 1991, the board made a recommendation calling for the upgrade of flight recorder requirements. This latest accident is another reminder of how important these recorders are. If we are to get to the underlying causes of these tragic accidents, Transport Canada and the aviation industry need to take immediate action to address this outstanding safety issue." In an e-mail, Transport Canada said it is bringing forward new regulations on cockpit-voice recorders for the minister to review in coming months to bring Canada in line with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the United States. It did not elaborate on what those regulatory changes will be. It noted the aircraft involved in Thursday's accident was not required to have a cockpit-voice recorder because it was certified to be flown by a single pilot. Twenty-five years ago, following an Ontario crash of a Beechcraft King Air A-100 that killed four people, the TSB called for legislation upgrading flight recorder requirements. It said it could not determine exactly why the aircraft slammed into the ground and a cockpit-voice recorder or flight-data recorder could have pointed to a cause, or associated safety deficiency. In 2013, following a Yukon crash of a de Havilland DHC-3 Otter that killed one person, the TSB recommended the federal government "work with industry to remove obstacles to and develop recommended practices for the implementation of flight-data monitoring and the installation of lightweight flight recording systems by commercial operators not currently required to carry these systems." Monday's statement said the aviation industry has developed several different lightweight flight recording systems that could be installed in smaller aircraft at a low cost. "The TSB urges the industry and private corporate aircraft owners to take advantage of the new, low-cost flight recording technology to advance safety in their operations," Ms. Fox wrote. The TSB said it is currently in the field phase of the investigation into Thursday's crash and is focused on collecting information from the site. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/tsb-renews-push-for-recorders-on-small-aircraft-after- prentice-plane-crash/article32407064/ Back to Top Fort Hood Aviation Accidents Report: 90 aircraft incidents, 2 fatal, since 2005 at Fort Hood FORT HOOD - A report of accidents at Fort Hood from 2005 to 2015, released Monday to FME News Service, show there were 90 aviation incidents during that time frame. Of the aviation accidents, 13 involved a Black Hawk. The most reported aircraft-involved incidents - 40 - were with AH-64 Apache helicopters, and the remaining 37 incidents were spread out among all other aircraft, to include unmanned aircraft. One of the fatal crashes was the Nov. 23, 2015, UH-60 Black Hawk crash that killed four soldiers, according to the report by the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center based at Fort Rucker, Ala. The unit is responsible for recording and investigating accidents. The other fatal aircraft accident was an Apache crash in July 2005 in which one soldier died. There were five other incidents in which an aircraft hit the ground during the 11-year time frame. Three of the crashes were unmanned aircraft and the remaining two impacts involved Apache helicopters with minor injuries to personnel. The report included only incidents in Fort Hood air space and not those involving Fort Hood soldiers at other locations, such as training at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., or overseas. The remaining 83 reported aircraft accidents included an engine smoking when being turned on and a soldier losing the tip of a finger by accidentally putting a hand in the path of a moving rotor. According to the report, 2006 saw the most incidents with 26, followed by 17 in 2007 and 15 in 2005. The least number of reported accidents occurred in 2010 and 2011, with two each year. Prior to the reporting period, the only other notable incident involving Fort Hood soldiers occurred in November 2004, when a Black Hawk crashed approximately 30 miles north of post and killed seven soldiers, including 4th Infantry Division Brig. Gen. Charles B. Allen. The crash would not have been included because it was off post, as well as two months before the time frame. The report, which had been requested first by the Austin-American Statesman, also contained information on 664 reported ground accidents. http://www.tdtnews.com/news/article_26871752-94ee-11e6-a382-bf6086abfeb5.html Back to Top FAA LISTS MORE INSTRUMENT APPROACHES FOR CANCELLATION The FAA, continuing to remove redundant and underutilized ground-based instrument approaches from service as new technology comes on line, has announced the fate of 125 of 198 procedures it had listed as candidates for cancellation. FAA lists 736 instrument approaches to be cut The FAA lists additional instrument approaches to be cut. According to a final rule published Oct. 17, 59 of the 125 instrument approaches will be canceled, with 66 either retained based on comments from system users, or determined to be duplications of approaches already addressed. The rule takes effect Nov. 10. The announcement leaves unresolved for now the status of 73 procedures. The FAA said it might reevaluate the retained approaches under the ongoing review known as the National Procedures Assessment (NPA) initiative. In a previous stage of the NPA, the FAA last November eliminated 334 instrument procedures, but backed off its original intention to cancel up to 736 procedures. "Removing identified ground-based NDB and VOR SIAPs is an integral part of right-sizing the quantity and type of procedures in the National Airspace System (NAS). As new technology facilitates the introduction of area navigation (RNAV) instrument approach procedures, the number of procedures available in the NAS has nearly doubled over the past decade. The complexity and cost of maintaining the existing ground based navigational infrastructure while expanding RNAV capability is not sustainable," the FAA noted in the newly published rule. AOPA, serving on an RTCA study committee, helped draft the approach cancellation criteria published by the FAA in June 2014. The association also is heavily engaged with the FAA as the agency pursues another NextGen initiative to establish a VOR Minimal Operational Network that would allow IFR aircraft to navigate in the event of a GPS outage, said Rune Duke, AOPA director of airspace and air traffic. "AOPA continues to work closely with the FAA to ensure that pilots have all-weather access to airports and an efficient en route navigation structure," he said. "As the FAA decommissions VORs and legacy procedures, we are working closely with our FAA counterparts to ensure the transition to Performance Based Navigation is smooth for general aviation." https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2016/october/17/faa-lists-more-instrument-approaches-for- cancellation Back to Top FAA seeks to overcome perception NextGen is not delivering ATC tower at Washington Dulles International Airport FAA is fighting a perception problem over how much progress is being made in implementing the NextGen air traffic control (ATC) modernization program, a top agency official said. "There's just not a recognition of some of the accelerated things that have been happening," FAA assistant administrator-NextGen Jim Eck told reporters on the sidelines of the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) Conference and Exposition in National Harbor, Maryland. FAA is about halfway through an 18-year ATC modernization initiative encompassing a variety of technologies and procedural changes, all coming under the umbrella of NextGen. A number of members of Congress and US airline executives have complained that NextGen has moved too slowly. Part of the problem, Eck said, is that much of FAA's focus has been on building foundational technologies to make NextGen capabilities possible, and the full benefits will only be realized once all of the elements come together. FAA expects NextGen's benefits "to rise exponentially when we get all of these things in place," Eck said, noting that the agency estimates $160.6 billion in total NextGen benefits for US National Airspace System (NAS) users by 2030. "There was a lot of work that had to go into infrastructure upgrades" to lay the groundwork for NextGen, he explained. Eck said the final foundational piece of NextGen is the Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) system for which Lockheed Martin was awarded a $344 million contract in July. "TFDM will work by integrating digital flight plans with surface surveillance data to create accurate, real-time predictive tools for the terminal environment," according to Lockheed. "TFDM will share data among controllers, aircraft operators and airports so they can better stage arrivals and departures, and manage traffic flow within terminal airspace for greater efficiency." Moving from paper to electronic flight strips "is one of the first big things" TFDM will make possible, Eck said, adding that US air traffic controllers at major airport towers will start using electronic flight strips in 2020. Eck acknowledged criticism that FAA still uses paper flight strips and will continue to do so for several more years. "The fact of the matter is electronic flight strip information by itself isn't that much different than paper" in terms of efficiency, he said. Electronic flight strips become extremely beneficial when they are integrated with data shared among the entire ATC system, which is what TFDM will make possible, Eck said. The goal of NextGen is to move from a "tactical and reactive" ATC system to "strategic air traffic management," Eck said, explaining, "Right now the future time and position of a given aircraft is not known by all parties [in the ATC system] ... The transformation we're looking for is that everyone in the system knows where the aircraft is [in real time] and where it is going." But this transformation is about more than implementing new technology, he cautioned. "The technology we need is within our grasp," Eck said. "We know what we need and we know the people that can build the technology. There's nothing we need to invent. Technology is not the issue. The challenge is getting everyone [in the ATC system] to use it the same way. The technological shift means everyone has to do their job differently in the future." NextGen's benefits will only be totally realized when the airline industry fully equips to take advantage of the technology FAA is putting in place, he added. "Now that we've got our infrastructure done and we've done a lot of work on [advanced navigation] procedures, we're focusing on [airlines] getting equipped with ADS-B [Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast] capability," Eck said, noting that "all of the major carriers have detailed plans for equipage." For regional airlines, ADS-B equipage is "more challenging," he conceded. The primary message Eck wants to communicate to both airlines and Congress about NextGen is that, despite some challenges in the early years of the program's implementation, it is starting to generate real benefits for system users and those benefits will only increase over time. "By and large, when you're building on the front end, there's not a lot to talk about unless it's not going well," he said, referring to delays and cost overruns in the first years of NextGen. But "there's now some really good progress being made here," Eck emphasized. http://atwonline.com/air-traffic-management/faa-seeks-overcome-perception-nextgen-not-delivering Back to Top TARMAC AEROSAVE's 400th Aircraft TARMAC AEROSAVE, Europe's leading aircraft storage and recycling company, based in Tarbes (France) and Teruel (Spain), has just been delivered of its 400th aircraft. At the MRO Europe 2016 Show in Amsterdam, 19-20 October 2016, this is the opportunity to get an update on the company's development. Major storage and hangar extension projects are continuing over the next two years. Extension of French and Spanish facilities After delivery of a new 3,000 m2 logistics building, in early 2016, and customer offices in Tarbes, TARMAC AEROSAVE continues to extend its facilities. In Teruel, the storage development work is now finished. Meanwhile, a new mid-haul hangar will be available in early 2017, a 5000 m2 logistics building and customer offices will be available at the end of 2017. In Tarbes, new investment is underway, including a 7,500 m2 logistics building which will be available at the beginning of 2017, storage extensions able to accommodate twenty very wide-bodied aircraft by mid-2017 and a hangar for painting aircraft to accommodate very wide-bodied aircraft, including the A380, which will be operational at the end of 2017. Eventually, TARMAC AEROSAVE will have four hangars on these two sites for extra wide-bodied jets, a hangar for medium aircraft, and 15,000 m2 of logistics hangars and aircraft storage for more than 250 wide-bodied jets. Extending services With Part-147 approval, TARMAC AEROSAVE has become a maintenance training organisation for all its sites. This means that it can deliver type ratings for Airbus A320, A330, A340 and Boeing B737-6/7/8/9 families, as well as mandatory training. TARMAC AEROSAVE has also obtained EN-9120 approval involving the supply and import-export of aircraft spare parts and engines, with all related logistics. With these new approvals, TARMAC AEROSAVE now has a full portfolio of services for all commercial aviation operators. About Tarmac Aerosave Founded in 2007 under the auspices of AIRBUS, SUEZ and SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES, TARMAC AEROSAVE has been based in Tarbes-Lourdes in France since early 2009 and in Teruel, Spain, since 2013. It is Europe's leading company for aircraft and CFM engine storage, maintenance and recycling, and the processes developed and designed by the company are new and fully environmentally friendly, implementing a unique diamond wire cutting gantry. TARMAC AEROSAVE holds EASA and FAA Part 145 maintenance approvals for Airbus, Boeing, ATR and Bombardier aircraft, and EASA Part-147 for its training centre. TARMAC AEROSAVE also holds ISO 9001, ISO 14 001, EN 9110, and EN 9120 certifications. TARMAC AEROSAVE in numbers: 400 aircraft accommodated on its sites since 2009, 100 aircraft currently stored, 80 aircraft and 75 CFM56 engines recycled to date, storage capacity for 250 aircraft in Europe. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12270125/tarmac-aerosaves-400th-aircraft Back to Top NASA unveils a new testbed for electric aircraft The agency aims to make electric flight the standard in the next decade. In order to hit its ambitious goal of transitioning aircraft to electric propulsion in the next ten years, NASA has announced a new research wing at the NASA Glenn Research Center's Plum Brook Station in Ohio. Meet NASA's Electric Aircraft Testbed -- or "NEAT" for short -- a new space for NASA Glenn engineers to design, develop and test electric aircraft like the like the GL-10 Greased Lightning VTOL and the LEAPTech wing. Although it wasn't NASA's inaugural electric flight, NEAT's first test in September used a 600-volt power source to test an electrical system, "that could realistically power a small, one or two person aircraft." The short term goal is to turn NEAT into a flexible testbed that can build and test power systems for even larger passenger aircraft without having to crash anything in the process. The long-term goal, however, is to create a 20-Megawatt power system that will be light, yet powerful enough to actually get off the ground. "What we're hoping to learn now is how to make it more efficient and light-weight," NASA Glenn's technical lead on Hybrid Gas Electric Propulsion Dr. Rodger Dyson said. "Next year we're going to upgrade the size of these motors -- we'll use the same technology to test the higher-power stuff next." https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/17/nasa-electric-aircraft-testbed-neat/ Back to Top Aurora Demonstrates DARPA Aircraft Autonomy Program Advanced autonomy system demonstrated on a Diamond DA-42, Cessna Caravan and Bell UH-1 helicopter MANASSAS, Va., Oct. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Aurora Flight Sciences is breaking ground in the world of automated flight through its work on the Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program. On October 17 Aurora demonstrated automated flight capabilities with ALIAS flying a Cessna Caravan through basic maneuvers under the supervision of a pilot. Aurora's ALIAS technology has now been successfully demonstrated on three separate aircraft, from three original equipment manufacturers, in less than twelve months. Developed under contract through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), ALIAS utilizes a robotic system that functions as a second pilot in a two-crew aircraft, enabling reduced crew operations while ensuring that aircraft performance and mission success are maintained or improved. In the first phase of the program, Aurora succeeded in developing a non-invasive, extensible automated system that was tested on both a simulator and in flight on a Diamond DA-42 aircraft. Under Phase II, Aurora demonstrated the adaptability of ALIAS by installing it into the Cessna Caravan. Having successfully flight tested ALIAS on two separate platforms, work on installing the integrated ALIAS system onto a third air vehicle - a Bell UH-1 helicopter - is currently underway. Aurora's Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program According to DARPA documents, the Agency's vision of ALIAS is to create "a tailorable, drop-in, removable kit that would promote the addition of high levels of automation into existing aircraft, enabling operation with reduced onboard crew." The goal for this capability is reduced pilot workload, improved mission performance and increased aircraft safety. Key elements of Aurora's solution include the use of in-cockpit machine vision, non-invasive robotic components to actuate the flight controls, an advanced tablet-based user interface, speech recognition and synthesis, and a "knowledge acquisition" process that facilitates transition of the automation system to another aircraft within a 30- day period. Aurora is currently developing a product based on ALIAS technology for transition to military and commercial customers. "Demonstrating our automation system on the UH-1 and the Caravan will prove the viability of our system for both military and commercial applications," said John Wissler, Aurora's Vice President of Research and Development. "ALIAS enables the pilot to turn over core flight functions and direct their attention to non-flight related issues such as adverse weather, potential threats or even updating logistical plans." http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aurora-demonstrates-darpa-aircraft-autonomy-program- 300346201.html Back to Top Korean Air expands business jet charter unit Korean Air has expanded its private jet charter operation following the arrival of a new Gulfstream G650ER. A spokesman says that the private jet charter operation has been split into an separate department, and that its fleet comprises the Gulfstream G650ER, two Global Express XRS BD700s, and two Boeing BBJ 737-700s. The two BBJs are registered HL8222 and HL7759. HL8222 is a seven year old jet that Flight Fleets Analyzer lists as managed by Korean Air's sister company Hanjin Heavy Industries. HL7759 is a 10 year old jet recently acquired from Samsung Techwin, a local technology company recently rebranded Hanhwa Techwin. The two Global Express aircraft are registered HL8230 and HL8238. HL8230 was delivered to Korean Air six years ago, while HL8238 is a 2010-vintage jet that formerly served with Samsung Techwin. The G650ER is registered HL8068. In addition, the unit's website shows a single Sikorsky S-76C helicopter as available for charter. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/korean-air-establishes-business-jet-charter-unit-430466/ Back to Top BOOK SIGNING: The Crash Detectives Investigating the World's Most Mysterious Air Disasters Book signing and general aviation-safety-geek mingle after the Wednesday (19OCT) presentations at the ISASI conference in the lobby bar of the Grand Hotel Reykjavik SIGTÚN 38, 105 REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND European and Asian attendees, this will be your first opportunity to get The Crash Detectives as it does not go on sale in Europe until March 2017. Christine Negroni author of The Crash Detectives Investigating the World's Most Mysterious Air Disasters Published by Penguin Books Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (1) Dear MRO colleagues: My name is Kole Osaretin Uhuegho, and l am conducting a doctoral study on Safety Climate in MRO's in the USA at the Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne. As part of my research l have developed the Aviation Maintenance Safety Climate Survey (AMSCS) that consist of two sections followed by a set of demographic questions. It will take about 20 minutes to complete the survey. To participate in this study, you are required to be a maintenance personnel at all levels within an MRO working in the USA. Please note that all responses will be anonymous and no identifying information about the respondent will be reported The Study Link: http://fluidsurveys.com/surveys/cgr/kole-s-amscs/ Thank you in advance for your kind support, if you need any additional information, you may reach me at kuhuegho2014@my.fit.edu or Professor Micheal.A Gallo at gallo@fit.edu Kind regards Kole Osaretin Uhuegho PhD Candidate Aviation Science College of Aeronautics Florida Institute of Technology Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (2) 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 (3) 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 Stop By and Visit At NBAA - BACE 2016 DATE November 1-3, 2016 LOCATION Booth 1482 Orange County Convention Center Orlando Executive Airport Orlando, FL Curt Lewis