Flight Safety Information November 1, 2016 - No. 216 In This Issue Philippines confident of keeping safety aviation ratings Inspector general recommends better oversight of airport badges FlightSafety International introduces Master Aviation program for helicopter pilots Cirrus jet gets federal approval COMAC to build 168 seat single aisle aircraft CEFA Aviation and USC Aviation Safety combine to present eight days of flight data analysis and visualization training GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Philippines confident of keeping safety aviation ratings Philippine aviation officials are confident of maintaining the country's safety aviation ratings with the US and Europe, a ranking official of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said. File photo SEATTLE - Philippine aviation officials are confident of maintaining the country's safety aviation ratings with the US and Europe, a ranking official of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said. Capt. Manuel Antonio Tamayo, deputy director general of CAAP, said officials of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) are set to conduct an audit on the country's aviation safety rating in the middle of next year. "We are confident based on what's going on. And we have so much time to improve," he said. Tamayo said ICAO representatives visited the Philippines to conduct a pre-audit in September. The unit of the United Nations (UN) conducts an audit every two years. "They were here the other month to check on the status," he said. Tamayo explained the team found weakness in three of the eight audit points particularly on manpower. "Out of the eight, we are strong on the five. The five pulled us up. But what we want to do is bring up the three as well," he said. These eight audit protocols include legislation, organization, licensing, operation, airworthiness, accident investigation, navigation services, and aerodromes. Tamayo explained CAAP is now training more personnel and is looking for ways to compete with the private sector so their employees would not be pirated. Likewise, he said they assured ICAO the programs undertaken by CAAP would continue despite the change in management after President Duterte took over last June 30 "We had to talk to them, In fact we had teleconference last week. They just wanted to know who we are and where we came from," he said. Auditors, Tamayo said, are pushing for the establishment of an Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in line with the ICAO Convention and to comply with the European Union (EU). Furthermore, Tamayo said CAAP Is also pursuing efforts to focus as regulator and not as operators of airports. "We should not be operators, we should be regulators," he said. Representatives from the US-Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have been visiting the Philippines to ensure the country's compliance to aviation safety ratings Tamayo said FAA's Jim Spillane is set to visit the Philippines on Nov. 7 to finalize a technical assistance program that would help maintain the country's aviation security rating. The Philippines passed the aviation safety audit of ICAO paving the way for the lifting of safety security concerns in February 2013. A few months later the European Commission lifted the ban imposed on flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) from entering the European airspace. Almost a year later, the US-FAA upgraded the Philippines back to the Category 1 status allowing for PAL to mount more flights to the US. The country was downgraded by the US-FAA to Category 2 status in 2008 due to safety security concerns raised by ICAO thus prohibiting airlines from the Philippines to mount additional flights to the US. http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/11/01/1639137/philippines-confident-keeping-safety-aviation- ratings Back to Top Inspector general recommends better oversight of airport badges A new report said airports don't always account for employee badges properly, creating a risk that unauthorized people could gain access to off-limits areas. The report, prompted in part by missing badges at the Atlanta airport, recommended that the Transportation Security Administration improve its oversight of airport badges, particularly those that have been lost, stolen or are otherwise unaccounted for. The report was issued this month by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's inspector general's office. It began an inspection after reports last year of employee badges that had gone missing from U.S. airports, notably Hartsfield-Jackson International. The Atlanta airport acknowledged last year that some 1,450 badges were missing over a period of about two years, out of about 39,000 such badges in use at the world's busiest airport. The airport said the badges are de-activated once reported lost or stolen, and each displays a photo of the employee and is assigned a unique PIN, reducing the risk of illicit use. Four U.S. Senators sent a letter last year to the TSA asking for an accounting of lost or stolen badges at Hartsfield-Jackson. Airport employees pass through the screening checkpoint. KENT D. JOHNSON / AJC The airport said at the time that no one with a lost or stolen badge had successfully gained access to secured areas, and that officials did not see the issue as a security threat. In August 2015, Hartsfield-Jackson began screening workers at a new employee security checkpoint in response to a gun-running scheme involving a baggage handler uncovered in late 2014. The inspector general's report found that the issue of badges goes beyond Atlanta, with discrepancies in the numbers of active and unaccounted-for badges. A test found 62 badges were incorrectly listed as active and had to be deactivated. Those badges belonged to people who were no longer employed, whose employers had not reported the change to the airport, the report said. In some cases, the employers had collected the badges, but in others they had not. "Unless airport operators and employers properly account for the access media badges of individuals no longer employed at the airport, as well as lost and stolen badges, there is a risk that former aviation workers or unauthorized individuals can access nonpublic areas," the report concluded. The public version of the report, which had "sensitive security information" redacted, did not cite any instances of misuse. TSA agreed with report recommendations to to conduct tests of badge controls, to better explain rules for lost and stolen badges, and to share best practices some airports use to mitigate the risks. TSA said it is adding more auditing and inspections, and continues to work with the IG's office and the aviation industry to improve practices and oversight. Hartsfield-Jackson said it will comply with any recommendations from the report. http://www.myajc.com/news/business/inspector-general-recommends-better-oversight-of-a/ns2Ct/ Back to Top FlightSafety International introduces Master Aviation program for helicopter pilots FlightSafety International has announced the introduction of its Master Aviator program for helicopter pilots. Students practice with instruction inside a FlightSafety flight simulator, as well as classroom and engine repair and maintenance. FlightSafety Photo "We are pleased to now offer the FlightSafety Master Aviator program for helicopter pilots," said David Davenport, the company's executive vice president. "Master Aviator sets a new standard for pilot achievement and recognition, and helps pilots to develop a deeper knowledge of the helicopter they fly and to ensure a safe and correct response to a broad range of demanding, unexpected situations." The progressive Master Aviator curriculum builds upon the fundamentals covered by initial and recurrent training. FlightSafety Master Aviator for helicopter pilots is earned by completing two advanced aircraft- specific core courses and a choice of four electives. At least one FlightSafety initial or recurrent training event must also be completed every eight months. The one-day core courses include Helicopter Human Factors / Crew Resource Management (HF/CRM) and Surviving Inadvertent Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). The CRM course enables the pilots to master the key aspects of CRM that uniquely apply to helicopter operation. This includes situational awareness, conflict resolution and communication skills. They will also experience how effective crew performance and decision-making can overcome situations caused by error chains, human factors and fatigued or stressed operators. The IMC course will help the pilots to be fully prepared when weather conditions unexpectedly and rapidly change in order to have sound and well-practiced strategy to maintain the safety of their aircraft. This course provides the tools needed to react appropriately as decisions made in the first pivotal moments often decide the outcome. Pilots will also review and fully understand the major causes for inadvertent IMC accidents and master best practices for the safest responses. The elective courses include Helicopter/Rotary Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B); Fatigue Management; Safety Management Systems for Aviation Professionals; Air Medical Resource Management; Warm Weather Operations; Cold Weather Operations; Adverse Weather and Monsoon Conditions; Helicopter Approach and Landing Accident Reduction (ALAR); and Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). Other specialty and enrichment courses include General Emergency Training; Night Vision Goggles (NVG) Initial and Recurrent; Corporate Aviation Security; Hazardous Materials (Will Not Carry); Safety Management System (SMS) for Managers; and Weather Radar. http://www.verticalmag.com/press-releases/flightsafety-international-introduces-master-aviation- program-helicopter-pilots/ Back to Top Cirrus jet gets federal approval A Cirrus Vision Jet takes off from Duluth Airport for a test flight on Tuesday. Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com Hailing it as the start of a "new era in personal transportation," Duluth's Cirrus Aircraft on Monday announced the government approved its new jet for sale. "Never before has a turbine aircraft solution come along that rewrites the rules in so many ways - iconic design, ease of operation, smart economics, simplified ownership and more," Cirrus co-founder and CEO Dale Klapmeier said in a news release. With the Federal Aviation Administration certification, the Vision SF50, the first single-engine jet built for personal use, can start going out to customers by the end of the year. The jets retail for nearly $2 million - well above the comparatively affordable propellor-driven models that range from roughly $370,000 to $835,000. There already have been nearly 600 reservations made for the jets, with each customer putting down a $100,000 deposit. The first deliveries are expected in December. The SF50, with its single engine sitting atop the body of the plane, has been 10 years in the making and will add to a fleet of 6,500 Cirrus planes being flown in 60 countries. The jet also contains Cirrus' signature full-plane parachute. That Cirrus Airframe Parachute System, or CAPS, has helped 140 people in emergencies over the years. "Innovation, safety, ease of use and comfort have always been hallmarks at Cirrus, and combining these with the performance of a strong, lightweight carbon-fiber airframe and 300-plus knot cruise speed over- delivers," Patrick Waddick, president of innovation and operations, said in a news release. "This is not just a product, it's an experience." Cirrus has led sales of personal aircraft for years. The company came to Duluth in 1994 and also has a facility in Grand Forks, N.D., and one under construction in Knoxville, Tenn. The Knoxville location, called the Vision Center, will be used for deliveries, maintenance and customer service when it is fully opened next year. That doesn't mean Duluth operations are being moved - quite the contrary, thanks to production of the Vision Jet. "We have over 750 team members working in Duluth and are adding to that daily as Vision Jet production ramps up," Cirrus spokesman Ben Kowalski said. "We are also expanding our facility's footprint in Duluth by 20 percent to accommodate Vision Jet production." Initial deliveries will take place in Duluth and move to Knoxville likely in the middle of next year. The FAA approval was expected by Cirrus, which started producing its planes before certification was complete. The news is well-timed, as the jet will be on display today through Thursday at the National Business Aviation Association expo in Orlando, Fla. http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/4149129-cirrus-jet-gets-federal-approval Back to Top COMAC to build 168 seat single aisle aircraft, it is going to give Airbus and Boeing a run for their money Commercial Aircraft corp. of China Ltd, commonly known as COMAC, is working on a 168-seat single aisle aircraft C919, hoping that the plan would help the plane maker break into big league. The dream basically here, is to challenge duopoly of Airbus Group SE and Boeing Co. in the global market for air planes. That ambition is slowly taking shape in a hangar in Shanghai. The first test flight has been postponed at least twice since 2014. The builder claims that it already has commitments from 21 customers of 517 planes. At the Zhuhai Air Show this week, COMAC is set to showcase the aircraft with a mock-up and could announce more interest from prospective buyers. The passenger jet project is part of an ambitious plan by President Xi Jinping to transform China from a maker of sneakers, apparels and toys into one that can compete with the likes of Airbus and Boeing. Getting the C919 from the design board to the skies is crucial for Xi, who has identified aerospace among sectors that could help accelerate modernization of the economy to resemble Japan and Germany. "Domestic airplane manufacturing is a good case of the country's ambition to secure a foothold at the very top of the global value chain. There's still some serious groundwork to do to eventually realize its ambition of mastering sophisticated design and manufacturing processes," said Liu Yuanchun, executive dean of the National Academy of Development and Strategy at Renmin University of China in Beijing. COMAC kicked off research and development on the C919 in 2008 as soon as the establishment of the company. The mission was to realize the dream of building and flying a large commercial aircraft -- hailed as the "flower, and "pearl, of modern manufacturing and embodiment of the nation's technological standing. "China may eventually pull it off with the C919, but the aircraft may be initially confined only to the domestic market and to some interest from a few developing countries," Shukor Yusof, a founder of aviation consulting firm Endau Analytics in Malaysia told ET. "Safety concerns may deter the world's top airlines from opting for the jet," he added. Shukor feels that with few upgrades, the jet would be taken seriously by the world but he also feels that to reach that comfort levels, it could take two more decades. http://www.businessinsider.in/COMAC-to-build-168-seat-single-aisle-aircraft-it-is-going-to-give-Airbus- and-Boeing-a-run-for-their-money/articleshow/55155285.cms Back to Top If you cannot see this page correctly, please click here. CEFA Aviation and USC Aviation Safety combine to present eight days of flight data analysis and visualization training We are pleased to announce that CEFA Aviation and University of Southern California will be offering a joint training session at USC this December. CEFA's 3 days' session will focus on how to utilize flight data and CEFA's leading technology to create training/safety materials to help pilots brief on new and challenging airports, debrief on unusual flights and SOP deviations, help management gather more insight about the operational risk areas and will assist the safety professionals to better investigate the root cause of operational incidents/events. The course combines instruction, real-life examples and hands-on exercises so that students walk away with the knowledge they need to get the most out of their CEFA's visualization solutions. This course will run 7-9 December, 2016. The USC's 'Data for Safety Management' course will provide first-hand experience in the collection and analysis of safety critical flight data. To create an understanding of the basics of Flight Data Analysis, how Flight Data Analysis contributes to a SMS, and how Flight Data Analysis can result in positive improvements in aviation safety performance. This five day course will present the basics of flight data analysis based upon real-time flight information. It will present opportunities to analyze collective flight data as would be utilized by a commercial aircraft operator. The course will present CEFA's latest animation technology to depict flight profiles and examine other sources of data including video and air traffic control data that may be used in creating a data- based safety case. This course will run 12-16 December, 2016. Course Outline * Flight Data Recorders, types, capabilities and history * Evolution of Flight Data Analysis * Relationship to Aircraft Accident Investigation * Cases Studies * International Regulatory Standards * Relationship to SMS * FOQA, ASAP, ASRS * Cockpit Voice Recorders * Video Data * Technical Standards and Performance * Recovery of CV's and FDR's * Air Traffic Control Data * Components with Non Volatile Memory * Commercial Safety Data Services * Animation of Flight Data * ADS-B Practical Exercise CEFA Session: CEFA FAS Visualization Technology and Application Dates: December 7th - December 9th Location: USC Viterbi School of Engineering, Los Angeles, California, United States Fees and registration: Click here USC Session: Data for Safety Management Dates: December 12th - December 16th Location: USC Viterbi School of Engineering, Los Angeles, California, United States Fees: Please contact scalese@usc.edu Class sizes are limited, providing a highly interactive educational experience, so don't wait and register now for this training session! GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY SURVEY FOR UNIVERSITY PROJECT My name is Eleonora Orlandi, I spent the past 12 years in the sky initially as an airline pilot and then as a corporate pilot. At the moment I am working on the final project for completing a Msc in Aviation Safety Management with City University of London. The provisional title for my project is "RISK MITIGATION MANAGEMENT IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY AND THE ANIMAL KINGDOM". As we all know Risk management is a substantial factor in aviation safety and various variants of risk management models exist. The risk model proposed by the university during the course of my study has been developedwithout using observations from animal behavior related torisk and risk mitigation. Can this model be complemented byunderstanding how certain animals manage risk? And if yeshow and to what extend? As part of the research I have developed a very short survey (it takes max 2 minutes). I would love to hear opinions of professional pilots from everywhere in world. If you have been flying as an airline, corporate or cargo pilot for more than one year, can you please spare two minutes of your time and complete the following survey https://it.surveymonkey.com/r/YZY375S Thank you for your help! Curt Lewis