Flight Safety Information November 30, 2016 - No. 238 In This Issue Colombian jet crash: What went wrong on doomed flight? Preliminary Information - Colombian Avro RJ.85 Accident (Medellin) 4G broadband in the sky: In-flight internet for airline passengers project completes test flights Malaysia Airlines says eyeing new airline for pilgrim flights Russian government assigns 5 billion for domestic aircraft As DOT Secretary Elaine Chao Would Likely Ease Airline Regulation Air Force Not Able to Fly Enough Flights to Train Pilots Bombardier delivers first CS300 passenger jet French.boost.to.jet.engine.plan, Kaveri project being revived.. UK's first elevated rooftop helipad with a Deck Integrated Fire Fighting System certified to UK CAA Students building airplane on weekends Embry-Riddle Worldwide Named No. 10 Best Online Engineering Degree Program in U.S. Colombian jet crash: What went wrong on doomed flight? A possible electrical failure is being blamed for the air disaster that killed 71 people in the mountains of Colombia, wiping out a top Brazilian soccer team. The chartered plane was carrying players and staff from the Chapecoense club, who were on their way to Medellin for the two-game Copa Sudamericana final - which is South America's second-biggest club cup. There were also 22 sports journalists on board, to cover the end of what had been a fairytale season, and nine crew members. Only five people survived, making it the world's deadliest air disaster this year. Two black boxes have been recovered from the crash site. Authorities posted pictures on Twitter this morning, saying they appear to be "in perfect condition". Crash investigator Alfredo Bocanegra said that communication with Bolivian aviation officials suggested the plane was experiencing electrical problems. Local residents watch as rescue workers recover the victims of the air crash. Photo / AP Authorities are also investigating the possibility of engine failure, following a reported testimony from a female flight attendant that the plane ran out of fuel. News of the possible cause comes amid reports the team was forced change flights at the last minute due to red tape. London's The Sun reports the team could have flown directly to Medellin on their original plane, but were forced to stop in Bolivia and change onto the potentially faulty aircraft due to rules governing international flight services in South America. A recorded phone call shows the pilot pleading with the mayor of Chapeco - the team's hometown - to try and get permission to fly direct using a Bolivian plane. However, his request was refused because a ruling official from Brazil's National Civil Aviation Agency said the team must fly with a Brazilian or Colombian airline. Flight LMI2933 crashed and split into two at 10:15pm local time on Monday. Treacherous weather conditions severely hampered the rescue operation as ambulances struggled to reach the remote crash site. Survivors were carried half an hour down a mountain on stretchers, before being taken to hospital by ambulance. Rescue workers comb through the wreckage site. Photo / AP The first survivor to arrive at hospital was 27-year-old fullback Alan Rushchel, who is currently in intensive care with a spinal fracture. Reserve goalkeeper Jakson Follmann is in hospital, and has reportedly had one his legs amputated this morning and is in a critical condition. Female flight attendant Ximena Suarez, journalist Rafael Henzel and technician Erwin Tumiri have also been named as survivors. Goalkeeper Marcos Danilo lived through the impact, but died in hospital after making a heartbreaking call to his wife. It's not the first air tragedy to devastate a sporting club. In February 1958, a British European Airways plane crashed in Germany, killing 23 people -including eight Manchester United players. They were on their way home from Serbia after qualifying for the semi-finals of the European Cup, and had stopped in Munich to refuel. A snowstorm forced the pilot to abort two takeoff attempts, and on the third attempt there was too much ice on the wings for the aircraft to get enough lift. It smashed through a fence and ran into an empty house. There were no survivors among the 75 people on board a Southern Airways DC-9 when it hit trees in the mountains of West Virginia in 1970. The crash was the worst disaster in American sports history, with 38 members of the Marshall University Thundering Herd gridiron team killed in the explosion. In 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashed in Chile's Andes mountains with 45 people on board, including a rugby union team. The 16 survivors lived for two months in the mountains - feeding on the remains of their fellow passengers, whose bodies had been preserved in the snow. In December 1987, a navy plane carrying a Peruvian soccer team plunged into the Pacific Ocean, killing 16 players and the club's coach. Eighteen players and five team officials were killed in the African country of Gabon in 1993, when a plane carrying Zambia's national soccer team crashed on the way to a World Cup qualifying game in Senegal. The most recent air disaster with sporting links was in 2011, when a Russian plane chartered by one of the country's elite ice-hockey teams crashed during takeoff. All but two of the 45 people on board were killed, including 27 players, two coaches and seven club officials. Brazilian President Michel Temer has declared three days of official mourning. Crowds have gathered in Chapeco, the club's home town, as heartbroken fans struggle to come to terms with the enormous loss. The Cinderella team joined Brazil's first division in 2014 for the first time since the 1970s. It made it to the Copa Sudamericana finals after defeating two of Argentina's most fierce teams. "This is unbelievable, I am walking on the grass of the stadium and I feel like I am floating," Chapecoense spokesman Andrei Copetti told The Associated Press. "No one understands how a story that was so amazing could suffer such a devastating reversal. For many people here reality has still not struck." FIFA President Gianni Infantino said it is a "very, very sad day for football". "We are so sorry to hear about the aeroplane crash in Colombia, it is shocking and tragic news. At this difficult time our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends," he wrote in a statement. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11757725 Back to Top Preliminary Information - Colombian Avro RJ.85 Accident (Medellin) Status: Preliminary Date: Monday 28 November 2016 Time: ca 22:00 Type: Avro RJ.85 Operator: LAMIA Bolivia Registration: CP-2933 C/n / msn: E.2348 First flight: 1999-03-26 (17 years 8 months) Engines: 4 Lycoming LF507-1F Crew: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 9 Passengers: Fatalities: 64 / Occupants: 68 Total: Fatalities: 71 / Occupants: 77 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near La Unión ( Colombia) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Int'l Non Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Santa Cruz-Viru Viru International Airport (VVI/SLVR), Bolivia Destination airport: Rionegro/Medellín-José María Córdova Airport (MDE/SKRG), Colombia Flightnumber: LMI2933 Narrative: LAMIA Bolivia flight LMI2933, an Avro RJ.85, was destroyed after impacting mountainous terrain south of Medellín, Colombia. The aircraft carried the Brazilian Chapecoense football team for a match to Medellin. Aerocivil Colombia reported that six occupants have survived the accident; two crew members and four passengers. One of the passengers reportedly died during transfer to a hospital. Later, when search operations in the wreckage had been suspended, police guards found another survivor. In a statement the Rionegro/Medellín airport authority reported that the flight declared an emergency between La Ceja and La Unión, stating problems with the electrical system. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20161128-0 Back to Top 4G broadband in the sky: In-flight internet for airline passengers project completes test flights Inmarsat, Deutsche Telekom, Nokia, and Thales have completed test flights of high-speed internet for air passengers. Deutsche Telekom is providing 300 base stations for the new in-flight broadband network. Image: Nokia A project to build a high-speed internet service for air passengers has reached a key milestone. Inmarsat, Deutsche Telekom, Nokia and Thales say they have completed a set of test flights over the UK for their European Aviation Network (EAN), which combines satellite and air-to-ground 4G services to create in-flight broadband for airline passengers. The service combines Inmarsat's S-band geostationary satellites with a 4G ground network made up of about 300 Deutsche Telekom ground towers across the 28 European Union states to provide high-speed broadband in the air. Outages and delays highlight how airline industry needs new IT approaches The airline industry is plagued by legacy systems and single points of IT failure. How'd we get here? Mergers, bankruptcy restructurings, and falling behind the cloud curve. Read More The flights serve to test the performance of the EAN system, including the onboard equipment from Thales and the ground network provided by Deutsche Telekom and Nokia. The trials have tested whether the system could successfully attach to the ground system, and featured a broadband video conference with both sides connected via the dedicated EAN LTE mobile network. In-flight internet access will be a $1bn revenue business by 2020, according to Inmarsat, with half of passenger aircraft offering in-flight broadband by 2022. The service is designed specifically for high-traffic flight paths and busy airport hubs and will provide 50Gbps of bandwidth, which is said means passengers should get a "reliable high-bandwidth broadband service in the air that matches their expectations on the ground." Since the project was announced in September 2015, Deutsche Telekom and Nokia have been rolling out the ground component while Inmarsat and Thales have worked on the satellite communication. With the test flight program now under way, the EAN will be introduced in mid-2017, the companies said. Flash To The Future The Flash Requirements Finder is designed to help you find exactly what you need in an all-flash storage array. Simply answer seven questions - ranging from your goals to your security needs - and we'll help you pinpoint a solution that checks all the boxes on your "must list". You'll see a breakdown of cumulative responses from other IT leaders that delivers instant insight to all-flash adoption trends, challenges and requirements from across the IT landscape. Presentations provided by Hitachi Data Systems The LTE ground network for EAN differs from 'normal' LTE networks as it needs to work at speeds of up to 1,200km/h (746mph), at cruising altitudes requiring cells with a range of up to 150km (93 miles). http://www.zdnet.com/article/4g-broadband-in-the-sky-in-flight-internet-for-airline-passengers-project- completes-test-flights/ Back to Top Malaysia Airlines says eyeing new airline for pilgrim flights Malaysia Airlines Berhad is finalising plans to form a new airline, utilising the six A380 aircraft it has, to service the Haj and Umrah market. The national carrier said in a statement on Wednesday that it was already transporting Islamic pilgrims on charter flights to Saudi Arabia and was "in a good position to cater to increased passenger demand on this route". The group expects to record a loss for the year 2016, although significantly smaller than initially expected. It remains cautious in its 2017 outlook. http://www.reuters.com/article/malaysia-airline-flights-idUSL4N1DV331 Back to Top Russian government assigns 5 billion for domestic aircraft Russia's Ministry of Transport will receive five billion rubles from the state budget to purchase Sukhoi Superjet 100 and L-410 aircraft. Four billion of the amount will be spent on the SukhoI Superjet 100 passenger aircraft, whereas the remaining one billion will be used for L-410, lenta.ru reports. It is worth noting that in October 2015, the State Transport Leasing Company received 30 billion rubles. The STLC and Sukhoi Civil Aircraft had a contract for 32 SSJ-100 aircraft with an option to acquire 28 more aircraft. For the time being, the STLC has paid the full cost of ten ready-made aircraft and advanced the delivery of 22 Sukhoi Superjet 100 airplanes in 2016-2017. The purchased aircraft will then be used for lease or rent. The purpose of the measure is to promote the development of the sale system for regional Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft. The measures will subsequently ensure state support for the production of L-410 aircraft for local airlines. Russia's Ministry of Industry has developed a new strategy for the domestic aviation industry before 2030. Officials admit that the current model of the Russian aviation industry is inefficient, while governmental resources to support the industry are very limited. Therefore, the state support for the aviation industry is to target priority areas only, such as research and development, after-sales service and the attraction of private businesses in the aviation industry, including for privatization purposes. Sukhoi Superjet 100 is a a new-generation regional jet that was designed, developed and produced with the assistance of Alenia Aermacchi. The basic version of the liner has a range of 3,048 kilometers, and the LR modification - 4,578 kilometers. The Sukhoi Superjet 100 made its debut flight six years ago. This 95-seat passenger plane was said to come to replace outdated Tu-134, Yak-42 and other regional aircraft. Pravda.Ru http://www.pravdareport.com/business/companies/30-11-2016/136296-russian_aviation_industry- 0/#sthash.5TSJuW5U.dpuf Back to Top As DOT Secretary Elaine Chao Would Likely Ease Airline Regulation Don't expect prospective Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to get aggressive with airlines or private industry in general. Calls to force airlines to distribute their ancillary services and fares to outlets they disdain are likely to go nowhere. - Dennis Schaal Elaine Chao's record at the Labor Department suggests she'd have a light hand when it comes to safety regulation as transportation secretary and would seek to shift responsibility from the federal government to states where possible. President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Chao was his choice for the Cabinet post. "Secretary Chao's extensive record of strong leadership and her expertise are invaluable assets in our mission to rebuild our infrastructure in a fiscally responsible manner," Trump said in a statement released by his campaign. Chao said Trump "has outlined a clear vision to transform our country's infrastructure, accelerate economic growth and productivity, and create good paying jobs across the country." Chao, 63, was labor secretary under President George W. Bush and the first Asian-American woman to serve in a president's Cabinet. She also is the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, which might be of some help if Trump is to fulfill his promise of generating $1 trillion in infrastructure spending. Chao's record suggests she'd be skeptical of new safety regulations and may attempt to roll back existing regulations. Under Chao, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration didn't issue a single significant new safety regulation for four years, and mine safety inspectors were cut and inspections reduced, said Thomas McGarity, a University of Texas law professor and author of "Freedom to Harm," a book about the labor department that includes Chao's tenure. Among the pressing issues facing the next transportation secretary will be how to boost the nation's aging infrastructure so that it can accommodate population growth and not become a drag on the economy, modernizing the nation's air traffic control system, ensuring that new transportation technologies are adopted in a safe manner and responding to a surge in traffic fatalities. Whether it's integrating drones into the national airspace, deploying self-driving cars or "some other new technology, she's not going to be especially inclined to second-guess the industry when they say that this will be safe," McGarity said. As labor secretary, her job was to protect the nation's workforce, including setting safety standards and addressing issues related to wages and retirement. She updated overtime regulations for "white-collar" workers and rules intended to force unions to disclose more details on their financial condition to members. Chao is "a strong advocate of letting the markets function as they will, not intervening into private sector arrangements," McGarity said. Mitch Bainwol, president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, applauded Trump's selection of Chao as "a superb choice." "Big issues await," he said. "The traditional regulatory approach is increasingly challenged to keep pace with the rapid rate of innovation in our sector." More recently, Chao had been on the board of directors for Bloomberg Philanthropies, run by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. She resigned last year after learning the organization planned to expand an environmental initiative to shutter coal-fired power plants. Almost 90 percent of Kentucky's electricity comes from coal, and her ties to the organization were used against McConnell in his Senate race. Chao came to the United States from Taiwan with her family at age 8. Her family settled in New York, where her father, James Si-Cheng Chao, became a wealthy shipping magnate. Chao received her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard. She went on to become head of the Peace Corps and deputy secretary at the Transportation Department. She was head of the United Way of America and worked at the Heritage Foundation, a Washington think tank, before becoming labor secretary. https://skift.com/2016/11/29/as-dot-secretary-elaine-chao-would-likely-ease-airline-regulation/ Back to Top Air Force Not Able to Fly Enough Flights to Train Pilots Air Force General to VOA: 'We Can't Produce the Sorties' As the U.S. military continues to rely heavily on air power in its combat missions abroad, a shortage of maintainers needed to keep Air Force planes flying is preventing the force from completing its training mission. "We're not able to produce the sorties at home for training for our pilots," Lt. General John Cooper said in an exclusive interview with VOA. Cooper, who is in charge of managing maintenance manpower, said the Air Force had been "living on the edge" with its maintainer numbers and hit a 3,800 maintainer shortage in 2015 due to a series of shrinking budgets from Congress. "We were driven to the force structure that we were at last year and growing from sequestration. There's no doubt about it. That's in the history books," he said. A training increase was approved this year that added about 500 maintainers, but there's still a shortage of about 3,300. Cooper told VOA that even if the Air Force consistently maximizes the training pipeline, the force won't be out of the maintainer manpower hole until 2021. More with less Despite the lack of manpower, many maintainers at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia say they have kept a can-do attitude. "We all understand that (having to do) more with less is happening, but I mean, regardless, jets have to fly," said a Senior Airman named Nick, who wished to be identified only by his first name because of his commander's concern of potential retaliation from terrorist enemies. Major General Scott Vander Hamm, who's in charge of fixing the fighter pilot shortage, admitted the Air Force's hardworking ethos has led to little relief, and it will soon have to start doing "less with less" if it's unable to get out of the manning deficit. "We owe them capacity, more people, and we owe that now, as soon as we can," Vander Hamm told VOA. The Air Force is paying out bonuses to its seasoned technicians to try to keep them in the force during a time where they're expected to keep the ongoing missions running while training a massive influx of airmen. Creating another problem However, while new recruits are slowly pulling the force out of the manpower hole, Colonel Pete Fesler, the commander of the First Fighter Wing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, said they are compounding another maintenance issue. "A bigger problem for me is not pure numbers, but the skill levels within the maintainers that I have," Fesler told VOA. "I've got a very high number of inexperienced maintainers and a relatively small number of experienced maintainers to help teach those guys." Many at the base say that not only is there a decreasing quantity of Air Force sorties, or flights, the decreasing quality of training is creating a less-prepared future force. "With the mission, just how fast-paced it is, they don't get to properly train (and) show us step by step how to do things. A lot of times they'll take over and finish themselves just to keep within the time constraints," a young maintainer who asked to be identified only by his first name, Donovan, said. Older maintainers told VOA that they remembered feeling like they were "carted around by the hand" during training and admitted that they were taught more effectively than they are now able to teach the new maintainers. Lt. General Cooper said the Air Force is aware of this experience issue, which he said will likely take an additional five to seven years to fully correct. He's hoping the retention rate for maintainers will continue to remain slightly higher than the rest of the force as it struggles through these tough years to come. "Just everybody hang in there," he said. "It's going to take a little time." http://www.voanews.com/a/air-force-not-producing-enough-flights-needed-to-train-pilots/3615579.html Back to Top Bombardier delivers first CS300 passenger jet Bombardier Inc. on Monday celebrated the first delivery of the CS300 variant of its new C Series passenger jet. The milestone delivery was made to airBaltic, which Bombardier says in a press release is expected to put the aircraft into service on Dec. 14. Bombardier has handed over the first CS300 C Series passenger jet to launch customer airBaltic. The CS300 is the larger of the two C Series aircraft. The first delivery of the smaller CS100 came earlier this year to its launch customer SWISS. The C Series has become a common sight in Wichita, as Bombardier has made extensive use of its local flight test center on the program. Around half of all the flight testing on the Canadian-built C Series has been done in the Air Capital. There are also manufacturing ties to Wichita, as the city's largest employer, Spirit AeroSystems Inc. (NYSE: SPR) builds the engine pylons for the C Series passenger jet. Bombardier now has 250 firm C Series orders, including 20 slated for airBaltic. http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/news/2016/11/28/bombardier-delivers-first-cs300-passenger-jet.html Back to Top French boost to jet engine plan, Kaveri project being revived NEW DELHI: India's quest to develop its own fighter jet engine got a leg up after a $2million consultancy agreement was finalised with leading French defence manufacturer Safran to help revive the Kaveri project. The project stalled in 2014 after the Kaveri gas turbine engine developed for combat planes and unmanned aircraft was unable to provide the required power thrust - a fact French experts expect to correct after study. Initial assessments by the French company show that 25 - 30% more work is needed for the Kaveri engine to be combatworthy. A detailed joint development plan will be drawn up that could use offset credits - the obligation is 50% of contract cost, which translates to over 3 billion euros - coming from the Rafale fighter jet deal. As reported by ET in July, France has offered a 1billion euro investment to revive the project. Several rounds of discussions have already taken place since January between Safran, which has developed the M88 engines for Rafale, and Indian developers. Apart from the initial consultancy fees, India may not need to spend on development as the French side has proposed to make the Kaveri flightworthy within 18 months for integration into the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft by 2020. The Indian Air Force is committed to buying at least 80 of the LCA Mk 1A fighters that will meet higher technical requirements than the version inducted this year. The aircraft is currently powered by American GE 404 engines that faced a procurement delay after the nuclear tests in 1998, causing a setback to the Tejas programme. A joint working group on jet engine technology has also been formed with the US under the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI). http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/french-boost-to-jet-engine-plan-kaveri-project-being- revived/articleshow/55694504.cms Back to Top UK's first elevated rooftop helipad with a Deck Integrated Fire Fighting System certified to UK CAA standards The UK's first onshore elevated helipad with a Deck Integrated Fire Fighting System (DIFFS) at Kings College Hospital London has been certified to UK CAA CAP 1264 by CAA International (CAAi). The construction phase of the helipad was managed by Watts Group Limited during a period when UK best practice was transitioning from Health Building Note (HBN) 15:03 to UK CAA CAP 1264, the latest UK design and operational standards for helicopter landing areas at hospitals. Following an in-depth review of the helipad drawings, the feasibility study and comprehensive onsite inspections by UK CAA Regulators, the helipad was given the green light for helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) and air ambulance operations. To meet the design requirements of ICAO Annex 14 (Volume II), CAP 437 and the latest CAP 1264, the helipad's physical characteristics (surface, tie-down points, safety net, and access points), environmental and operational factors, visual aids and fire fighting systems all had to be assessed. Tim Messer, Project Director for Watts Group Limited said, "To achieve UK CAA compliance, we had to increase the water storage tanks from 8m3 to 20m3. The system also required new foam mixing equipment, larger pumps and associated controls. The CAA certification gives assurance that HEMS operations at KCH can operate safely and best serve patients in time critical conditions". For more information on CAAi helipad certification, please visit http://caainternational.com/customer- sectors/airlines-ato/heliport-review or email daniel.maney@caainternational.com. Photo caption: UK's first onshore helipad with DIFFS at Kings College London is now certified to UK CAA requirements. Notes to Editor: CAA International (CAAi) is a globally recognised aviation consultancy and is part of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) International Directorate. CAAi offers advisory services, professional training and aviation examination services to help clients deliver and promote best practice in aviation safety, security, economic regulation and consumer protection, helping to create a flying world fit for the 21st Century. CAAi's expert advice is sought wherever technical knowledge, legal probity and commercial judgement are critical. Drawing on the experience and know-how of technical professionals - current regulators and project management specialists, CAAi delivers tailored solutions shaped to meet the needs of all sectors of the Aviation Industry. Watts Group Limited offers expert, professional advice at every stage of the property lifecycle. The firm's core capability in project management and technical due diligence is complemented by a broad spectrum of specialist consultancy services, all delivered to a wide range of commercial and public sector clients. The Group is well known for its strong presence in the UK and Northern Ireland. With lengthy experience of the property transaction process, Watts has built a reputation for independence and commercial acumen and is well placed to serve clients in all sectors of the market. Back to Top Students building airplane on weekends Every Saturday morning a group of local students meet at Minden Tahoe Airport to build a real two passenger airplane. These young builders have been working for over a year together with a group of adults who are teachers, pilots and builders. This project is sponsored by the local Sports Aviation Foundation. The Foundation seeks to promote youth education and sports aviation at Minden Tahoe Airport. The Foundation is graciously supported by Big George Enterprises, GE, Click Bond, and individual donors. The hangar where the plane is being built is contributed by the Minden Tahoe Airport. All of the participants are sincerely thankful for this strong community support. The project is open to all students who would like to learn about aviation and aircraft. Volunteers and donors who would like to assist in the project are welcome. The aircraft under construction is a single engine Murphy Elite. The progress has been considerable. The control surfaces are complete and the wings and fuselage are under way. Interested parties should contact Mike Bradford at 781-1721. More information is available on the websites http://www.sportsaviationfoundation.org and http://mevbuildaplane.org/ http://www.recordcourier.com/news/local/students-building-airplane/ Back to Top Embry-Riddle Worldwide Named No. 10 Best Online Engineering Degree Program in U.S. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide recently was named one of the nation's Best Online Engineering Degree Programs for 2016 by CollegeChoice.net, an independent online service for prospective college students and their families. Factors in determining the 2016 ranking included tuition cost, financial aid offerings, time to completion, on-campus residency and online program features and services. This information was gathered by using statistical and research websites and individual school online portals to ensure the accuracy of the data involved. Engineering is always a growing, in-demand profession. The job prospects from the Bureau of Labor Statistics predict a 3 percent growth over the next eight years with a median wage of $76,870, which means there may not be a better time to consider an online engineering degree. While an online engineering bachelor's degree will still take nearly four years to complete, online students enjoy flexibility and challenging coursework as they work toward finishing a degree. With the prominence of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and other forms of adaptive digital learning, the gaps between these two styles of learning is narrowing. Online students can achieve connectivity to their professors and peers through collaborative assignments and video and project-based learning tools. For information on Embry-Riddle Worldwide MOOCs, go to http://worldwide.erau.edu/massive-open-online-courses ). Embry-Riddle Worldwide and Online Campus offers the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology to working professionals who need a flexible schedule and access to world-class faculty. The university is regionally accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. For information on this degree as well as Worldwide's other Engineering Degree Programs such as the Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering and the Master of Systems Engineering, go to http://worldwide.erau.edu/degrees/?field-of-study=engineering The Engineering Technology degree, which is held to the same academic standards as programs on the university's residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., requires 122 credit hours, virtual labs, research projects and a capstone course. This is a 100 percent online degree with no on- campus requirements. Labs are done virtually through the online learning management system, capstone courses are a team-based design project, and projects can be completed within a student's own community. Courses are also taught asynchronously and can be downloaded to a smartphone app so a student can study wherever they are. The Top 10 schools are: 1. Columbia University 2. Duke University 3. University of Virgina 4. Cornell University 5. University of California - Los Angeles 6. Georgia Institute of Technology 7. University of Southern California 8. Ohio State University 9. Pennsylvania State University - World Campus 10. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide A complete list of the Top 50 can be found at http://www.collegechoice.net/rankings/best-online- engineering-degrees/. - See more at: http://news.erau.edu/headlines/ww-no-10-online-engineering/#sthash.mk5Ka43x.dpuf Curt Lewis