Flight Safety Information October 21, 2016 - No. 208 In This Issue A300B4 Runway Excursion (Brazil) Reports of 'Sweet Smell' on Spirit Airlines Flight Leads to Investigation at LAX FAA issues safety directive for GII, GIII and GIV FAA's Role in Product Liability Could Be in Jeopardy FAA Proposes NavWorx AD Pilots in fatal mid-air crash near Fort McMurray didn't see each other, TSB finds Govt goes on hiring spree ahead of air safety audit (India) Air safety bureau praises Esso Australia crew for averting disaster Ensuring the safety of every aircraft in the sky At least one pilot tested positive for alcohol every 2 days from Jan to June (India) Aircraft Safely Flying Closer in Southern California Well-connected...Why one national airline is bucking a continent-wide trend China to Surpass U.S. as World's Largest Aviation Market by 2024 Airport, British Airways make it official: New Orleans to London flights to start in 2017 Asia's aircraft leasing industry in a buying mood Frontier Airlines takes 1st U.S. delivery of new Airbus jet Textron Begins a Limited Production Run of Scorpion Jet, But No Contract Yet Bombardier to Cut 7,500 Jobs Over the Next 2 Years New US-Russian Crew Arrives at International Space Station VisionSafe - Lithium Battery Fires GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY (2) Stop By and Visit At NBAA - BACE 2016 A300B4 Runway Excursion (Brazil) Date: 21-OCT-2016 Time: 06:30 LT Type: Airbus A300B4-203F Owner/operator: Sterna Linhas Aéreas Registration: PR-STN C/n / msn: 236 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Minor Location: Recife-Guararapes International Airport, PE (REC/SBRF) - Brazil Phase: Landing Nature: Cargo Departure airport: São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport, SP (GRU/SBGR) Destination airport: Recife-Guararapes International Airport, PE (REC/SBRF) Narrative: Sterna Cargo flight 9302, an Airbus A300B4-203F, suffered a landing incident at Recife- Guararapes International Airport, Brazil. The aircraft apparently came to rest off the runway with the nose resting on the ground. It's unclear if the nose landing gear had collapsed or if it had failed to extend. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=190789 Back to Top Reports of 'Sweet Smell' on Spirit Airlines Flight Leads to Investigation at LAX A Spirit Airlines plane is seen in a photograph provided by Spirit Airlines. About 20 people reported feeling ill on a Spirit Airlines flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles on Thursday leading to an investigation by LAX officials. Spirit Airlines Flight 404 landed around 12:20 p.m. at Terminal 3, Charles Pannunzio of LAX Media Relations told KTLA. LAX police were on the scene assessing the reported illness. Less than a hour later Spirit Airlines officials released a statement about the illness, clarifying the situation. Passengers aboard the plane reported a sweet smell in the mid-section of the aircraft for a brief time, according to Stephen Schuler, a manager with Spirit media relations. Flight attendants notified the pilots of the odor, but no smell was detected in other parts of the aircraft. The smell dissipated quickly and the flight continued to LAX without further incident, Schuler said. All the passengers were deplaned and none requested medical attention. http://ktla.com/2016/10/20/20-people-report-feeling-ill-on-spirit-airlines-flight-at-lax/ Back to Top FAA issues safety directive for GII, GIII and GIV Inspections needed after 'life limit' notices were omitted from maintenance manual Roll out of the Gulfstream III in this 1978 file photo. (Nancy Heffernan/Savannah Morning News) The Federal Aviation Administration has issued an urgent airworthiness directive for Gulfstream business jet models GII, GIII and GIV due to missing "life limit" notices on the planes' elevator assemblies and skins. The elevator assemblies control the aircraft's pitch and those that have exceeded their life limit could result in an elevator failure and loss of aircraft control, according to the FAA. The notice to re-inspect these Gulfstream models was issued after the FAA discovered the life-limit requirements for these parts of the plane were missing from maintenance manuals. The directive requires revision of the maintenance or inspection program to establish the life limit of all elevator assemblies and skins on affected airplanes. Owners of these Gulfstream models have been given 30 days from Friday, Oct. 14 to comply with the directive, which was issued without the usual notice and opportunity for prior public comment given the urgent nature of the problem. "The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public justifies waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule because failure of the elevator could result in loss of control of the airplane," the agency said. The FAA estimates that a simple fix consisting of a one-hour maintenance inspection at a cost of about $85 a plane can address the problem. But Gulfstream began addressing the problem two years ago, said Gulfstream spokeswoman Heidi Fedak. "The recent FAA Airworthiness Directive is applicable to those GII, GIII and GIV aircraft that used an option available since the 1990s to make it easier to inspect the elevator on the horizontal tail," Fedak said. "The option included a part number that was not included the Aircraft Maintenance Manual, where life limits are listed." Gulfstream realized the omission in 2014, Fedak said. "We immediately updated the manuals and issued a Customer Bulletin to the affected operators, requiring them to review their logbook for the option and record the serial number and cycles of the part for proper tracking," Fedak said, adding that the FAA airworthiness directive is standard practice when life limits are updated in the maintenance manual. Fewer than 230 aircraft - approximately 25 percent of the GII, GIII and GIV fleet - selected the option that prompted the FAA directive, she said. "At this time, none of the parts have met the life-cycle limit." http://businessinsavannah.com/bis/2016-10-18/faa-issues-safety-directive-gii-giii-and- giv Back to Top FAA's Role in Product Liability Could Be in Jeopardy AOPA wants the Supreme Court to weigh in on a ruling that could turn the aviation industry on its ear. AOPA filed a briefing with the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on a recent U.S. Court of Appeals product liability decision. A product liability decision handed down by a U.S. Court of Appeals in North Carolina earlier this year could upend how state courts, as well as aircraft OEMs, view a manufacturer's responsibilities for aircraft and the parts they create. At issue is whether a state can impose tougher safety standards on aviation than those already mandated by the FAA. Until recently, the aviation industry believed it had years ago found a point of balance on how it wrestled with product liability issues. Critics of the new Appeals Court ruling worry a change to that long-held understanding will raise the cost of flying for the entire aviation industry. In the April ruling, the Appeals Court said the FAA's regulatory role in certifying aircraft and aircraft parts does not prevent juries in state courts from imposing tougher design standards. The Appeals Court decision resulted from a decade-old liability suit between the widow of a man killed in a 2005 aircraft accident and the company that built the aircraft engine's carburetor, a device the widow claims was defective and hence responsible for the accident. In a friend-of-the-court briefing filed with the U.S. Supreme Court, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) said Congress gave the FAA the authority to regulate aviation, including aircraft and parts certifications, and that this fact preempts a state's right to impose stricter standards. AOPA General Counsel Ken Mead said, "It's vitally important that manufacturers have one set of standards, established by the FAA, to adhere to. Otherwise they can face the nearly impossible and very costly challenge of trying to follow a hodgepodge of potentially contradictory state standards. That's bad for safety, it's bad for manufacturers and it's bad for aircraft owners who end up, quite literally, paying the price." In an earlier contentious period when product liability was also an issue, Cessna Aircraft in 1986 halted manufacturing of its entire piston-engine line. Only when the product liability issue was settled did the company return to building aircraft. Those produce liability deliberations took nearly a decade before the lines at Cessna began rolling again in 1996. No time frame has been announced for when or even if the U.S. Supreme Court might hear the issues of this current debate about states' rights. http://www.flyingmag.com/faas-role-in-product-liability-could-be-in-jeopardy Back to Top FAA Proposes NavWorx AD The FAA has proposed an AD that would require the removal of certain NavWorx ADS-B transceivers because it claims the devices might broadcast "unreliable position information to air traffic control and nearby aircraft, resulting in potential aircraft collision." NavWorx says the FAA is wrong and is urging customers to respond to the proposed AD. The FAA says there are about 800 aircraft with Model ADS600-B part number (P/N) 200-0012 and 200-0013 and Model ADS600-EXP P/N 200-8013 transceivers installed and they're saying it should only take an hour to take them out. The agency says a software change to change the devices' source integrity level (SIL) was not authorized and that makes them non-compliant with TSO-154c, the TSO that governs ADS-B performance. The agency is also disallowing claims under its ADS-B rebate program for the devices. NavWorx disagrees with both and we have reprinted the company's statement on the matter in its entirety. The FAA has proposed an AD for our model ADS600-B part number (P/N) 200-0012 and 200- 0013 and Model ADS600-EP P/N 200-8013. The proposal is just that; a proposal. We disagree with the FAA's positon that the units supposedly communicate unreliable position information. The FAA has never shared with us any instance of our units doing so, there is no support for this claim in the docket, and we are unaware of any unit doing so. In fact, for two and a half years the FAA had no problem with the ability of our units to correctly communicate the position of aircraft with the units. Unfortunately, in January of 2016 the FAA would have cut off functionality of these units because they were broadcasting a SIL of 0. This action was the result of a March 2015 notice to deny TIS-B access to ADS-B units that were uncertified and broadcasting with a SDA of 0. The units subject to the proposed AD are neither uncertified nor do they broadcast with a SDA of 0. To insure continued access to TIS-B data we implemented a minor change so the units would broadcast a SIL of 3, which our testing had confirmed was appropriate, allowing them to continue to be identified for TIS-B purposes. The proposed AD would deny these units access to TIS-B data. We intend to file comments on the proposal and would encourage you to do likewise regarding your experience with our units. In the meantime we continue to work with the FAA to resolve our disagreements. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FAA-Proposes-NavWorx-AD-227170-1.html Back to Top Pilots in fatal mid-air crash near Fort McMurray didn't see each other, TSB finds June 2015 collision killed flight instructor Nabeel Chaudhry and student Amjed Ahmed A fatal mid-air collision near Fort McMurray last year was another example of why small aircraft should be equipped with technology that alerts pilots when other planes get too close, according to an investigation report from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. Pilots in small planes use visual flight rules instead of instruments when they fly in good weather, meaning they have to rely on their eyes to avoid collisions with other aircraft But visual scanning can be unreliable due to the limitations of human vision. When pilots are landing a plane or teaching a student, their attention is focused on the task at at hand, meaning the range of their peripheral vision decreases, leaving them with "tunnel vision." Flight instructor Nabeel Chaudhry, 33, and his student Amjed Ahmed, 32, died when the Cessna 172P they were in collided with a Cessna A185E float plane about 21 nautical miles northeast of Fort McMurray on June 21, 2015. The plane broke up in flight. The pilot of the float plane survived after crash-landing his plane at the Fort McMurray airport. His plane lost its right float in the collision. In its report, the TSB repeats an earlier call for small planes to be equipped with aircraft collision avoidance systems, which are not required by regulation. "If used, these technologies offer the potential to significantly reduce the risk of mid-air collisions," the report states. "If visual flight rules aircraft are not equipped with aircraft collision avoidance systems, it is highly likely that accidents will continue to occur due to the inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid technique of collision avoidance." In the incident, the instructor had three opportunities to see the other plane, but factors such as the position of the wing while he was making a turn, and the colour of the other plane against an overcast sky, could have impeded his ability to see it. "Even though the two aircraft flew in close proximity to each other for a number of seconds, it was unlikely that the instructor would have picked up the traffic peripherally due to the increased workload while instructing," the report states. The other pilot was tied up talking to the tower controller at the Fort McMurray airport and performing other cockpit duties in preparation for landing. "This may have rendered his peripheral vision ineffective," the report says. "In summary, neither pilot saw the other aircraft in time to avoid a mid-air collision, due to the inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid principle." Investigators also found that the two planes never established radio communications with each other, which also increased the risk of a collision in an uncontrolled airspace. Weather conditions were good at the time of the 7:17 p.m. crash and both planes were certified, equipped and maintained properly. Investigators didn't find any evidence of airframe failure or system malfunction. This diagram shows how the two planes collided in mid-air on June 21, 2015. The instructor and student in the Cessna 172 died in the crash. The pilot of the float plane was uninjured after crash landing at the Fort McMurray airport. (Transportation Safety Board of Canada ) http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/pilots-in-fatal-mid-air-crash-near-fort- mcmurray-didn-t-see-each-other-tsb-finds-1.3814039 Back to Top Govt goes on hiring spree ahead of air safety audit (India) Aviation ministry wants to fill vacancies at the Air Accident Investigation Bureau before UN aviation watchdog ICAO's audit of India's air safety readiness in March The outcome of the International Civil Aviation Organization audit will be critical for India as it could affect international expansion plans of new as well as old Indian airlines. Photo: Abhijit Bhatlekar/Mint New Delhi: The civil aviation ministry plans to hire more than a dozen officers including a new head for its Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) five months before a key international safety audit is expected to take place. "It has finally advertised these positions, including DG (director general) ahead of ICAO audit," said a government official who asked not to be named. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations' aviation watchdog, will conduct an audit of India's air safety readiness around March and the aviation ministry wants to complete staffing the bureau before the audit team arrives. The outcome of the audit will be critical for India as it could affect international expansion plans of new as well as old Indian airlines. AAIB was formed in May 2012, but while the idea was to make it independent of the civil aviation ministry, that hasn't happened and it is still staffed by officials of the ministry. Interestingly, ahead of an earlier audit by ICAO in 2015, the ministry had sought to find people for AIIB though nothing much came of the plan. According to the ministry's advertisement, to qualify for the post of director general of AAIB, an applicant should hold a degree in engineering and have about a decade-and-a- half of experience in areas such as air safety and air traffic control. The salary scale starts at Rs37,400 per month. Significantly, the post has been opened up for senior pilots for the first time. Besides the director general, the ministry plans to hire 16 others as directors, deputy directors and accident investigation officers. The upper age limit has been set at 56 and all appointments will be for a period of five years. The last date for submitting applications is 7 December. An aviation expert said he does not see AAIB getting qualified people. "Somebody who is an active pilot, who has been in an airline job, would be earning much more than that. Why should he give that up and come for a Rs37,400 job?" asked Mohan Ranganathan, a Chennai-based air safety analyst and a former member of the ministry-appointed air safety council. Pilot salaries start at Rs2 lakh a month and rise to Rs5 lakh or more for those with 15 years of experience. "Nobody is going to come. So, what will happen is the accident investigation board will be filled with people with zero operational experience," he added. ICAO, of which India is a member, completed an audit of aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in 2012 and placed the country in its list of 13 worst- performing nations. This triggered an audit by US aviation regulator, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in 2014, which downgraded India's ranking, citing lack of adequate regulatory oversight. Indian airlines were not allowed to add new routes to the US or sign commercial pacts with US airlines during this period. The ratings were restored last year. But India's regulatory oversight on safety has remained under the scanner. The government told visiting ICAO and FAA teams in December that it would create a new and stronger aviation regulator to be called the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). But minister of state for civil aviation, Jayant Sinha, told Parliament in July that a civil aviation authority was not required for now. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is also currently without a director general. Balwinder Singh Bhullar, an officer from the aviation ministry, holds additional charge of DGCA. Earlier this month, several aviation ministry officials including Bhullar attended an ICAO annual summit in Montreal, Canada. A government official familiar with the development said on condition of anonymity that many of the foreign delegates wanted to talk about air safety issues in India. "But the talking points of some of the ministry officials were centered around how they have introduced a new regional aviation policy," the official said, "That's not what ICAO wanted to hear." http://www.livemint.com/Politics/OHvpzKDWoUQsEkTc4exVaJ/Govt-goes-on-hiring-spree- ahead-of-air-safety-audit.html Back to Top Air safety bureau praises Esso Australia crew for averting disaster A Sikorsky helicopter similar to the one which narrowly avoided crashing into the ocean. The safety and transport bureau has applauded the crew of a Sikorsky helicopter owned and operated by Esso Australia, the Australian affiliate of oil giant ExxonMobil, after they narrowly avoided a major catastrophe when one of the chopper's engines failed shortly after takeoff in 2013. The Australian Transport and Safety Bureau yesterday released the findings of its investigation into the incident that occurred during a routine passenger ferry flight to a number of the company's offshore platforms throughout the Bass Strait oil and gas fields. The investigation found the twin-engine helicopter, which was carrying 10 passengers and two flight crew, came within 9m of crashing into the ocean after one of its engines failed when a high-pressure turbine blade fractured. The crew recalled that immediately after setting the nose-down attitude, there was a loud bang accompanied by significant airframe vibration. That resulted in the helicopter yawing to the right before rapidly descending, the ATSB report says. "The manufacturer concluded that the failure was due to a combination of metal fatigue, blade creep and oxidation deposits," the report adds. It found that despite the engine failure and rapid descent, the crew was able to recover the main rotor speed, regain control of helicopter and fly direct to the coastline. "Effective crew interaction, thorough pre-briefing and anticipation of what can go wrong has been shown to increase the likelihood of a successful outcome," the report says. The engine manufacturer is continuing its investigation into the cause of the blade fracture. Esso has said it would be replacing its fleet of six Sikorsky helicopters with four, larger capacity Finmeccanica AW139 helicopters. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/air-safety-bureau-praises-esso- australia-crew-for-averting-disaster/news-story/d7845a5330f30b495f1615ce79dc1def Back to Top Ensuring the safety of every aircraft in the sky Mr Ang at the Singapore Air Traffic Control Centre. He is one of the 390 air traffic controllers at the CAAS and has been on the job for 10 years. With the number of flights at Changi Airport expected to double over the next 10 years, the CAAS intend Singapore air traffic controllers handled about 650,000 flights last year. As the global aviation community marks The International Day of the Air Traffic Controller today, Aviation Correspondent Karamjit Kaurlooks at what it takes to ensure smooth landings and take-offs. It is not a job for the faint-hearted. The training takes 3½ to four years, with one in four dropping out. And even if one makes it, the work itself is stressful. But despite being glued to monitors for nine hours a day - with half-hour breaks in between - Mr Anthony Ang, one of 390 air traffic controllers at the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), takes satisfaction from guiding pilots safely from take-off to landing. Getting into the control chair, though, is not easy. It starts with a three-hour aptitude test and two rounds of interviews, Mr Ang told The Straits Times at the Singapore Air Traffic Control Centre near Changi Village on Tuesday. "It's very intense. They stress you out and drain you mentally with numbers and tests." Safe take-offs and landings: What it takes to do the job of an air traffic controller Mr Ang, 39, tried twice to be an air traffic controller. In 2003, he passed the test but failed to get past the first interview. Three years later, he gave it another go and made it - though his reward was some of the most intense training he has experienced. "The first three months were hectic with intensive lessons and about 15 written exams," he said. "For some papers, the passing mark was as high as 85 per cent, and 70 per cent for other papers. Halfway through, I asked what I had got myself into." But he persevered and completed the course which also includes on-the-job training and simulator sessions. "It is a long and tough process but critical for the work that we do. Of utmost priority is the safety of persons on board the aircraft," said Mr Ang, who has been on the job for 10 years. With the number of flights at Changi Airport expected to double in the next 10 years, the CAAS intends to grow the pool of air traffic controllers to about 600 by the end of the decade. Based on air traffic projections and aircraft orders, the International Civil Aviation Organisation - the United Nations' civil aviation arm - estimates that the world will need another 40,000 air traffic controllers by 2030. Singapore's air traffic controllers, who are usually based at either the Changi Airport control tower or the air traffic control centre, manage the Singapore flight information region, which is more than 1,000 times bigger than the Republic's own airspace. It includes areas in Riau - including parts of Batam and Bintan. Handling up to 11 or 12 flights at any one time is demanding and requires focus, the ability to multitask and make decisions under immense pressure, Mr Ang said. "Emotional stability is critical. When you step into the tower or the control room, your mind must be absolutely clear," said the father of an 11-year-old boy and a girl aged seven. For Mr Ang, a hot beverage 15 minutes before his nine-hour shift starts helps him to be focused. "The moment I sit in my chair and plug in, it's 100 per cent concentration," he said. Whether it is dealing with bad weather or communication issues with pilots who may not be very proficient in English, every shift has different challenges, Mr Ang said. His toughest was on Nov 4, 2010, when a Qantas Airbus A380 aircraft made an emergency landing at Changi Airport after one of its four engines exploded in mid-air. Mr Ang, who was in the Changi Airport control tower at the time, said: "There was no panic but we were prepared for a pressure cooker situation with one runway down for a few hours, which meant all flights in and out had to be handled with just one runway. At the end of my shift that day, I was completely drained out. "But there is no other job I would rather do," Mr Ang said. http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ensuring-the-safety-of-every-aircraft-in-the-sky Back to Top At least one pilot tested positive for alcohol every 2 days from Jan to June (India) In September, the aviation regulator had asked low-cost carrier IndiGo to investigate four pilots who had posed for a photograph with a whisky bottle inside an aircraft, citing safety concerns. (Facebook photo) According to the aviation safety regulator, at least one pilot tested positive for alcohol every second day between January and June this year. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) shared this data on October 13 in response to a query filed under the Right to Information Act. The data revealed that 89 pilots tested positive during mandatory breath-checks before operating a flight. "It shows lack of enforcement by the regulator. If these many pilots were caught, it indicates several unreported cases," said Captain Mohan Ranganathan, retired Boeing commander and a former member of a government-appointed independent air safety panel. He added, "This would not stop unless they make it a criminal offence. They are risking hundreds of lives." The DGCA data stated that such safety lapses almost tripled from 69 cases in 2011 to 186 in 2015. While DGCA chief BS Bhullar did not respond to HT's calls, officials from the regulator's air safety department told HT that cases have increased owing to the better enforcement. "Earlier, we used an outdated device called Alco sensor III, which was easy to trick. There were cases when pilots suspected to be tipsy popped a mint before blowing into the device and got away. But the devices used now do not register a value unless air is blown with extremely high force. As a result mouth fresheners cannot save you," said a senior DGCA official requesting anonymity. Alcohol tests are carried out before and after flights to check for violations that can invite suspension. A pilot stands to lose licence for repeat offences. While most of these violations took place before the pilots entered the cockpit in August, the DGCA asked Jet Airways and Air India to file police complaints against a pilot each from the respective airlines after two pilots were caught drunk after touchdown. According to reports both the pilots- repeat offenders were banned from flying for four years. http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/at-least-one-pilot-tested-positive-for- booze-every-2nd-day-from-jan-to-june/story-pGTAU7oflkAN4z0UBA71SK.html Back to Top Aircraft Safely Flying Closer in Southern California New ATC wake turbulence standards no longer weight-based. As part of the FAA's RECAT, arriving and departing aircraft are safely flying closer together over Southern California. Travelers in Southern California may have noticed arriving and departing aircraft are flying a bit closer together these days. It's not a mistake but rather part of the FAA's aircraft re-categorization (RECAT) recently implemented in the region. Specifically, the newest RECAT II program allows tighter separation between the most common aircraft in the area, but based upon a new wake turbulence category, rather than the decades-old weight-based separation standards. The RECAT II evolved from a decade of collaborative research by wake turbulence experts, extensive safety and risk analysis and four years of RECAT Phase I operational experience at 23 major U.S. airports. For operations within the Southern California TRACON (SCT) airspace, aircraft are grouped into seven wake categories based on the following definitions: Category A - The Airbus A380. Category B - Upper Heavy aircraft. Category C - Lower Heavy aircraft. Category D - Large aircraft. Category E - Small Plus aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of more than 15,400 pounds up to 41,000 pounds. Category F - Small aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 15,400 pounds or less. Category G - Heavy aircraft not included in Category B or C. Also included under the new RECAT II program for reduced separation standards are the Los Angeles Airport Traffic Control Tower (KLAX), Santa Ana John Wayne (KSNA), San Diego Lindbergh Air Traffic Control Tower (KSAN) Ontario Air Traffic Control Tower (KONT) and Burbank Air Traffic Control Tower (KBUR). http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft-safely-flying-closer-in-southern-california Back to Top Well-connected Why one national airline is bucking a continent-wide trend INSIDE the atrium of a gleaming new building on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, trainee air stewards flit between the classrooms and aeroplane simulators that surround a large indoor swimming pool. The expensive aviation academy belongs to Ethiopian Airlines, and seems a world away from the unrest that on October 9th prompted the government to declare a national state of emergency. The firm's CEO, Tewolde Gebremariam, brushes off the idea that the airline will be affected. "We are not concerned," he shrugs. He has reason to be confident about the business. Ethiopian is Africa's largest and most profitable airline, earning more than its rivals on the continent combined. Its expansion has been rapid: by 2015 it served 82 international destinations, with 13 more added this year. According to unaudited figures, it nearly doubled its profits in the last financial year (see chart). And that is amid national turmoil. It helps that its regional rivals are competing only feebly on routes in Africa. According to the International Air Transport Association, African carriers are likely collectively to record a net loss of $500m this year. Kenya Airways, which has been in the red for four years on the trot, is flogging some of its aircraft and last month announced it would raise more equity. South Africa's national carrier, which Ethiopian overtook in size last year, has been unprofitable since 2011, and could be insolvent without government guarantees. Ethiopian's lead also comes from its own strengths. It took advantage of its plum location in the Horn of Africa. Mr Gebremariam circles Addis Ababa on a line connecting China with Brazil via India and the Gulf. It beat rivals who were still fixated on the former colonial routes to and from Europe, and captured Asian traffic. In particular it took an early punt on Chinese demand. In 1973 it was the first African carrier to fly to China. Today a bustling Chinese transit counter at Addis Ababa's Bole airport testifies to the importance the company attaches to the market. And Ethiopian has reduced flights to small African capitals like Brazzaville, in the Republic of Congo, which offer little business, in favour of more flights to the country's booming oil port of Point Noire. The fact that it is state owned helps keep costs low, but it behaves like an international firm, not a national flag carrier, says Rob Prophet, an aviation consultant. It takes no state subsidies. And although few doubt the closeness of senior executives to the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, analysts say its management is independent-minded. Now it wants to be the continent's first pan-African airline. It is opening hubs in Togo and Malawi, and teaming up with smaller rivals. But it is unlikely to be all smooth cruising. Middle Eastern rivals, including Qatar Airways, are expanding across the continent. Poor infrastructure is problematic. A new four-runway airport outside Addis Ababa may improve matters, but few expect it to open on time. And regional instability may hurt sales. Ethiopian was founded in 1945, but it was not until the country's long peace from 1991 that it took off. If the country now nosedives, its national airline will take a hit too. http://www.economist.com/news/business/21709075-why-one-national-airline-bucking- continent-wide-trend-well-connected Back to Top China to Surpass U.S. as World's Largest Aviation Market by 2024 China is set to overtake the U.S. to become the world's largest aviation market by passengers by 2024 as more people take to the skies domestically and internationally, according to the International Air Transport Association. The number of people flying to, from and within China will almost double to 927 million annually by 2025, from 487 million last year, according to forecasts from IATA made in an e-mailed statement, and reach 1.3 billion by 2035. In comparison, passengers in the U.S. will increase to 904 million by 2025, from 657 million last year, according to the predictions. Global passenger travel is predicted to surge, with most of that growth coming from the Asia-Pacific region as economies expand and more people can afford to fly. India is set to surpass the U.K. as the world's third-largest aviation market by 2025, according to IATA, with 263 million passengers compared with 256 million, it said in an e-mail. "People want to fly," Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and chief executive officer said in a report this week. "Runways, terminals, security and baggage systems, air traffic control, and a whole raft of other elements need to be expanded to be ready for the growing number of flyers." Boeing Co., the world's biggest planemaker, expects the Asia-Pacific region will need over 15,000 new planes and more than half a million new pilots and technicians over the next 20 years as economic growth boosts air travel. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-21/china-to-surpass-u-s-as-world-s- largest-aviation-market-by-2024 Back to Top Airport, British Airways make it official: New Orleans to London flights to start in 2017 London is calling. After a four-year courtship, New Orleans airport officials made it official Thursday, announcing that British Airways will begin offering nonstop flights to and from London starting in March. The flights, slated to begin March 27, will connect New Orleans to London's Heathrow Airport four times per week. They're scheduled to leave London at 3:40 p.m. and arrive in New Orleans at 7:40 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Departing flights will leave New Orleans at 9:10 p.m. on the same days and arrive in London at noon the next day. The new service, announced Thursday morning at Louis Armstrong International Airport, was celebrated by dozens of local officials and business leaders and a top-ranking British Airways executive. Many referred to it as a game-changer that would generate tens of millions of dollars in new visitor spending in Louisiana. "Reconnecting New Orleans and London with nonstop flights makes perfect business and tourism sense for our state," Gov. John Bel Edwards said. "More travelers come to the U.S. from the U.K. than any other nation outside the Americas, and New Orleans experienced the biggest growth rate in overseas visitors of any U.S. city last year." An online search Thursday showed the price for a round-trip economy ticket on the inaugural flight March 27 and returning April 3 starts at about $953. The flight to London is scheduled to take eight hours and 40 minutes; the return flight clocks in at 10 hours. The airline plans to use Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner planes on the route. The planes can hold 214 passengers in three cabins: 154 in economy, 25 in premium economy and 35 in business. For local officials and business leaders, Thursday's announcement came after years of trying to persuade a large international carrier to offer nonstop service between New Orleans and a premier European destination - with London being the top choice. "We are delighted to be adding New Orleans to the British Airways global network," said Simon Brooks, British Airways' senior vice president of sales. "It's such a vibrant city, and like London, it boasts an iconic music and arts scene. I'm sure it will be a big hit with British visitors." Simon said the Boeing 787 is "known for its smooth ride" and boasted that it has the largest windows of any commercial airliner and offers views of the horizon from every seat. More than a decade into New Orleans' post-Hurricane Katrina recovery, nonstop service to and from a world business capital like London, local business leaders have contended, would help draw more international travelers and diversify the city's tourism-heavy economy. Simon touched on that Thursday, saying the airline was excited to connect "our two cities as developing technology hubs and look forward to increased business opportunities as a result of the new service." New Orleans hasn't had a nonstop flight to Europe since 1982. Though negotiations aren't yet finalized, New Orleans' tourism bureau is expected to kick in $1 million a year for three years to British Airways to help subsidize the flights and an additional $400,000 a year that will go toward marketing and sales. Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the incentives pale in comparison with the estimated $41 million in annual tourism spending in the metro area that the new service will generate. http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/business/article_3c251ff0-9651-11e6- bf51-437f2d6c71b5.html Back to Top Asia's aircraft leasing industry in a buying mood Passenger demand is soaring in Asia. (Courtesy of Hong Kong International Airport) HONG KONG -- Asian aircraft leasing companies are in the midst of an investment spree, snapping up rivals -- and their planes -- to cater to surging demand for air travel. Behind the growing travel bug is the rise of both the region's middle class and budget carriers in emerging markets. Irish aircraft leasing company Avolon Holdings, a unit of Chinese conglomerate HNA Group, said earlier this month it will buy the aircraft leasing business of U.S. financial group CIT Group for $10 billion. The Dublin-based company currently owns and manages about 430 aircraft, including those yet to be delivered. The combined entity will be the world's third-largest airlcraft leasing company, with a fleet of 910 planes, more than double Avolon's current number. The merged company will do business with more than 150 airlines. HNA in January acquired Avolon through its Bohai Leasing unit for $7.6 billion. Its string of large acquisitions underscores the company's strategy of placing aircraft leasing at the core of its revenue strategy. The company aims to complete acquisition procedures by next March after receiving regulatory approval. Avolon plans to procure about 350 advanced small aircraft, including the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX. Narrow-body jets for short- and medium-haul routes are the bread and butter of budget carriers, which typically focus on keeping flight volume high and operating costs low. This suggests the company is projecting a long-term increase in demand. Avolon CEO Domhnal Slattery has indicated that more investment is on the way, saying the recent buyout was not the ultimate goal of the company's expansion strategy. Also in an expansionary mood are BOC Aviation, the leasing unit of Bank of China (BOC), and Hong Kong-based infrastructure company NWS Holdings. In June, BOC Aviation raised 8.7 billion Hong Kong dollars ($1.12 billion) by listing its shares on the Hong Kong stock exchange. It plans to add 220 or so new aircraft to its fleet by 2021, which would boost the number of planes its owns by 80% to about 480. NWS Holdings in March set up a joint venture with U.S. leasing company Aviation Capital Group. The new company plans to spend $2 billion to buy about 50 aircraft. Last year, the Hong-Kong based company brought Irish leasing company Goshawk Aviation under its wing. NWS Holdings is a unit of Hong Kong-based property developer New World Development. The group intends to bolster its business in mainland China, widely seen as a promising growth market. Leasing aircraft is a profitable business, with an annual average yield of about 7-9%. Top- ranked Dutch leasing giant AerCap and the No. 2 player -- a leasing unit of General Electric -- together own more than 1,000 aircraft worldwide, leaving smaller rivals far behind. Asian players are looking to catch up with their much larger U.S. and European rivals through buyouts and other aggressive measures. Boeing estimates that some 45,000 airplanes will be in operation worldwide by 2035, double the 2015 figure. Also, passenger tallies are expected to grow at an annual pace of 4.8%, buoyed by the rise of budget carriers in fast-growing emerging markets. Aircraft leasing demand is growing on the back of such trends. Some market watchers predict that the leasing ratio will rise to over 50% over the next decade from around 40% at present. To cope with surging passenger demand, major Asian air-travel hubs, such as Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore's Changi Airport, are undergoing large expansions. http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Trends/Asia-s-aircraft-leasing-industry-in-a-buying-mood Back to Top Frontier Airlines takes 1st U.S. delivery of new Airbus jet DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL - Airbus has delivered its first A320neo jet equipped with fuel-efficient CFM engines to a U.S. carrier, Denver-based Frontier Airlines. Barry Biffle, Frontier's president and CEO, said the new jet's efficiency "will help us lower costs even more and pass those savings along to our customers." Airbus has delivered its first A320neo jet equipped with fuel-efficient CFM engines to a U.S. carrier, Denver-based Frontier Airlines. Barry Biffle, Frontier's president and CEO, said the new jet's efficiency "will help us lower costs even more and pass those savings along to our customers." Read more at the Denver Business Journal: http://bizj.us/1opydu http://www.9news.com/news/travel/frontier-airlines-takes-1st-us-delivery-of-new-airbus- jet/339370469 Back to Top Textron Begins a Limited Production Run of Scorpion Jet, But No Contract Yet WASHINGTON - Textron AirLand has begun a limited production run of its Scorpion jet in advance of a first flight later this year, its chief executive officer announced Thursday. Textron has yet to land a first customer for the aircraft, the internally-funded clean-sheet design the company has been promoting in international markets since its 2013 debut. But Textron wants to take advantage of growing interest in the aircraft, likely caused by recent successful weapons tests and an agreement with the Air Force to assess the airworthiness of the platform, said Scott Donnelly, the company's chairman and chief executive officer. "Given the level of activity, we've gone ahead and sort of pulled the trigger on initiating a small production build to help validate our manufacturing processes," he said in an Oct. 20 earnings call. Textron developed Scorpion as a high-performing but inexpensive ISR and strike asset, costing $20 million to acquire and clocking in at $3,000 per flight hour, according to the company. Donnelly did not specify how many Scorpion jets would be produced in the initial production batch or where they would be built, but the company had previously built two planes at its facility in Wichita, Kansas. Only the first aircraft has flown so far, but that one is not considered production representative. "We have a lot of customer conversations going on right now. We think there's a number of opportunities to demonstrate this aircraft," Donnelly said. "We have a lot of customers that want to fly the aircraft, and that's really what led us to want to accelerate both the expense side as well to ... initiate a limited rate of production. Because we need to have these assets available for customer demonstrations, customer flights and hopefully, eventually, customer sales." Producing a limited batch of aircraft will also help validate the company's manufacturing processes and support Air Force requirements as the service assesses the jet, he said. The service in July announced it had signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Textron to conduct an airworthiness assessment at the company's expense. The goal of the review is to make it easier for US defense contractors to internationally sell military aircraft that are not planned for procurement by the US services. Donnelly noted that he had seen an uptick in customer interest since the agreement was announced. "I think as we've established this CRADA with the Air Force and now have a path to certification, the level of activity with customers has stepped up considerably," he said. "It's the right time for us to step up and demonstrate this aircraft and its performance capability and get much more aggressive about the marketing and test flights." While there is no firm date for the aircraft to complete its airworthiness assessment, Donnelly said Textron personnel are working with officials at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to finalize detailed test plans and review data. Meanwhile, the company has also conducted weapons testing of the jet in preparation for the first flight of a production-conforming jet, which Donnelly said will occur "very soon." The Scorpion recently completed its first weapons demonstration at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, a company statement said. During the event, an airborne laser on the Scorpion's L-3 WESCAM's MX-15Di sensor suite guided Hydra-70 unguided 2.75-inch rockets, BAE Systems' Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) and AGM-114F Hellfire missiles to their targets. The acceleration of Scorpion testing and production - which resulted in higher expenses than had originally been planned for in this stage of the program - has led to some pressure on earnings, Donnelly conceded. "This is certainly not, still, a sure bet," but Textron would not take the financial risk if it wasn't seeing strong interest from customers that indicated the time was right to start production and more aggressively pursue marketing and test flying the aircraft, he said. One potential path to a future contract is the UK's Air Support to Defence Operational Training program, Bill Anderson, president of Textron AirLand, told Defense News this July. This summer, Thales and QinetiQ selected Textron's Scorpion as the aircraft in its proposed offering for the contract. According to a QinetiQ news release, the Scorpion was chosen for its high performance, reliability and low acquisition costs. http://www.defensenews.com/articles/textron-begins-a-limited-production-run-of- scorpion-jet-but-no-contract-yet Back to Top Bombardier to Cut 7,500 Jobs Over the Next 2 Years It will shed jobs for the second time this year, cutting about 10% of its global workforce. Canadian plane and train maker Bombardier will shed jobs for the second time this year, cutting about 10% of its global workforce over two years as it deepens turnaround efforts at its rail division. The Montreal-based company, which has struggled in recent years with cost overruns in its aerospace unit, said on Friday it will cut about 7,500 jobs globally with about two- thirds of those in Bombardier Transportation. The rest of the cuts will be made in the aerospace division. It said restructuring charges of $225 million to $275 million will be accrued as special items, beginning in the fourth quarter and through 2017. "We understand these are difficult decisions ... but in the end what we are going to be left with is a leaner, stronger organization," Bombardier Chief Executive Alain Bellemare said in an interview adding the moves were part of a broad turnaround plan, aimed at improving operations amid cost and productivity concerns. Bombardier said it expects recurring savings of about $300 million by the end of 2018. In February, the company cut 10% of its workforce, also over two years, and with nearly half of the cuts in its rail arm, which has a large workforce in Europe. As it did in February, Bellemare said Bombardier BDRAF -0.27% will simultaneously be "strategically hiring" for its growth areas: The CSeries family of narrowbody jets and its Global 7000 business jet, which is expected to make its first flight next month in a boost for a plane whose entry into service has been delayed two years. Last month, Bombardier sliced in half the 2016 delivery forecast for its CSeries aircraft and said it expected full-year revenue to be at the lower end of its previously announced range. The company will also hire to support major rail contract wins, it said in a statement. Canada's second-largest pension fund, Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, owns a 30% stake in the rail business, which it bought last November for $1.5 billion, providing a bigger cash cushion for Bombardier's plane-making unit. Bellemare said he did not expect the job cuts, which include 2,000 workers in Canada including 1,500 in Quebec, would impact the company's separate talks with the federal government over a $1 billion investment in the CSeries. Ottawa is under pressure from the Quebec government, which last year invested $1 billion in the CSeries program for a nearly 50% stake in the project, to match that investment. Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains, who is in control of the negotiations, has cited "good quality jobs" as one factor in the talks. "I think it has to be very clear that the decisions we are taking are not related to our discussions with the federal government," CEO Bellemare said. "We are doing this because we want to save jobs in Canada." http://fortune.com/2016/10/21/bombardier-7500-jobs-layoffs/ Back to Top New US-Russian Crew Arrives at International Space Station A Russian Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko nears the International Space Station ahead of docking in this still image from a video camera on the space station captured on Oct. 21, 2016. Credit: NASA TV The newest space station crew has arrived at last. NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko docked with the International Space Station at 5:52 a.m. EDT (0952 GMT) this morning (Oct. 21) after a smooth two-day trip aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. The trio launched into orbit early Wednesday, nearly a month later than their initial Sept. 23 liftoff target due to a technical issue with their spacecraft. The Soyuz linked up with the space station as as both spacecraft sailed 251 miles (403 kilomters) over southern Russia. Ryzhikov, who piloted the spacecraft, is experiencing spaceflight for the first time; both Kimbrough and Borisenko have been to space once before. [Launch Photos: Soyuz Rocket Lofts Expedition 49 Crew Into Space ] The three crewmembers will be able to open their hatch to the space station by approximately 8:35 a.m. EDT (1235 GMT), when they will be greeted by Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin, the space station's current commander; along with NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi. The hatch opening and greetings, along with the new arrivals' first chance to talk with their families back on Earth, will be streamed live here on Space.com, courtesy of NASA TV. NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko arrived at the International Space Station Oct. 21, 2016 after a two-day journey on the Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft. Here, they pose with their Sokol launch and entry suits Sept. 9. The three new crewmembers will remain on the station until February, and their first few days will be busy ones. Beyond adapting to life in microgravity, just two days after their arrival, Orbital ATK's Cygnus supply spacecraft will arrive at the station, bringing more than 5,100 lbs. (2,300 kilograms) of supplies, according to NASA. The supply spacecraft launched Oct. 17 but took a long route to the station to avoid conflicting with the crew's arrival. After Onishi and Rubins grapple the spacecraft with the station's robotic arm, Canadarm2, and berth it to the station, the astronauts will begin the long unloading process. "We look forward to all those vehicles arriving [and] taking them on the space station," Kimbrough said at a news conference in July. "It's kind of like Christmas every time one shows up, because there's a bunch of fresh food and new clothes and new equipment for us to work on." They won't have to share those supplies for long: Less than a week later, on Oct. 29, Rubins, Onishi and Ivanishin will head home on the Soyuz spacecraft they arrived on in July, and Kimbrough will take over as space station commander. On Nov. 15, NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet will launch toward the station. The crew will also entertain a Russian Progress supply spacecraft's arrival and a Japanese HTV craft full of supplies before the end of the year. http://www.space.com/34463-new-space-station-crew-arrives-at-last.html Back to Top Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY 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