Flight Safety Information January 19, 2017 - No. 015 In This Issue DHB-8 Runway Excursion (Japan). Explosion at Bogoslof Volcano prompts ninth aviation warning during weeks-long eruption No one hurt in helicopter crash at Willard Airport QantasLink accident a result of pilot error Satellite tracking to keep tabs on airliners over oceans Frontier Airlines ranked No. 1 in complaints Korean Air used electric stun gun on five passengers In-Flight Turbulence: Fascinating Study Highlights Aggravating Airplane Behavior India's great plane data CRASH AOPA Air Safety Institute Launches Resource Center This Unbreakable Racing Drone Is Perfect For Terrible Pilots Jet Aviation Acquires Washington Dulles FBO from Ross Aviation Korean military used video game clips to sell real fighter jets Discovery could lead to jet engines that run hotter -- and cleaner Denver International Airport has nation's fastest public Wi-Fi speeds American Airlines is banning carry-on bags and overhead bin use for basic- economy passengers Learn About New FAA Regulations for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems with Free Online Course Call for Abstracts of Technical Papers...ISASI 2017, San Diego CA ESASI SEMINAR 2017 - LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA GRADUATE RESEARCH STUDY SURVEY RESEARCH STUDY SURVEY Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship DHB-8 Runway Excursion (Japan) Date: 19-JAN-2017 Time: 11:56 LT Type: Bombardier DHC-8-Q402 Owner/operator: ANA Wings Registration: JA461A C/n / msn: 4430 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 25 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Unknown Location: New Chitose Airport (CTS/RJCC) - Japan Phase: Landing Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Akita Airport (AXT/RJSK) Destination airport: New Chitose Airport (CTS/RJCC) Narrative: A DHC-8-Q400 of ANA Wings, operating flight ANA/NH1831 from Akita to New Chitose overran on the runway 01R while landing at New Chitose. No injuries were reported among 21 passengers and 4 crew. The runway breaking condition was reported to be good. The runway 01R/19L was closed for 6 hours. Weather data at the time of the accident (11:56 local/02:56 UTC): RJCC 190300Z 35013KT 9999 -SHSN FEW006 BKN050 M02/M04 Q1016 RMK 2ST006 7CU050 A3002 (12:00 local/03:00 UTC, wind 350 degrees at 13 knots, visibility 10km+, light shower of snow, clouds 2 oktas 600 feet, 7 oktas 5000 feet, temperature -02 degree Celsius, dew-point -04 degree Celsius, QNH 1016hPa/3002INS) Back to Top Explosion at Bogoslof Volcano prompts ninth aviation warning during weeks- long eruption Photo courtesy Alaska Volcano Observatory/U.S. Geological Survey FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU) - The Alaska Volcano Observatory says it has recorded about 20 explosive events at Bogoslof Volcano since it began erupting about a month ago. Bogoslof's most recent explosion occurred at around 1:20 p.m. on Wednesday, and sent up an ash cloud about 31,000 feet high, prompting the ninth red aviation warning AVO has issued for the volcano since mid-December. AVO Geophysicist Dave Schneider says Wednesday's eruption was preceded by a series of smaller events earlier in the week. "It's safe to say the explosive activity has been variable," Schneider said. "This was one of the larger events over the past few weeks." The ash cloud is not the highest that the volcano has produced during this eruption, with some previous ash clouds reaching as high as 35,000 feet, according to Schneider. But those differences could be more due to atmospheric conditions than the explosion itself. While the ash cloud does pose a threat to nearby boats and air traffic, wind forecasts show that the fallout is unlikely to be carried towards Dutch Harbor and Unalaska. "So far we've been lucky. The clouds have been moving the ash mostly into the Bering Sea, not Unalaska or Dutch Harbor," Schneider said. As the long-running eruption continues, Schneider says it's difficult to predict when the volcano will finally settle down. Based on past data, eruptions at Bogoslof have lasted weeks and sometimes even months. The volcanic activity has also completely reshaped the island's coastline, a process that Schneider says continues to take place. "We had new data showing that the coastline continues to evolve and that was from before the event today so we'll see what happens after this one," Schneider said. Schneider says scientists are also looking into the possibility that the volcano's vent, currently located underwater, might eventually separate from the ocean during this eruption, which would allow ash clouds from future events to travel further. http://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Explosion-at-Bogoslof-Volcano-prompts-ninth- aviation-warning-since-eruption-began-411143435.html Back to Top No one hurt in helicopter crash at Willard Airport Emergency personnel respond to a helicopter crash at Willard Airport on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017. A University of Illinois Willard Airport official said a helicopter was severely damaged during a minor crash at the airport Wednesday afternoon. But he said both people onboard escaped without any injuries. Airport executive director Gene Cossey said a private independent company, which he declined to name, leases space from the airport for training purposes. Cossey said an instructor and student pilot were in the helicopter at the time of the accident. Cossey said there was never a danger of the helicopter catching on fire. But he said there was a small fuel leak which crews cleaned up. Cossey estimated that the helicopter was about 500 to 800 feet off the ground, but he had not been able to confirm that as of Wednesday afternoon. Cossey said all of the other aircraft leaving and arriving at the airport were able to mostly stay on schedule with only slight delays. He said the crash is under investigation, but he said it will be a minor one since no one was injured and because it is a small aircraft. Several emergency crews and ambulances responded to the scene. SAVOY - A small helicopter crashed during training maneuvers early Wednesday afternoon at Willard Airport but no one was seriously injured, an airport official said. Emergency crews responded shortly after the accident, which occurred at 1:38 p.m. The two-person helicopter was doing air-traffic patterns for training when it hit the ground and flipped over, said airport Executive Director Gene Cossey. "Basically they were doing different training maneuvers and they hit the ground a little harder than they usually do," he said. The aircraft ended up on its side and was seriously damaged, "but both the student pilot and instructor pilot are OK," Cossey said around 2 p.m. He said both occupants received medical attention at the scene but didn't appear to be seriously injured. They were not taken to the hospital, according to UI police spokesman Pat Wade. The accident occurred on Runway 32 left, which runs from southeast to northwest , closer to the hangars and airport tower than the main terminal building at Willard, authorities said. It was a quarter of a mile away from any airport buildings, Cossey said. The helicopter was owned by a private training company, and neither the student nor the instructor are affiliated with the UI, Cossey said. He declined to release the name of the company or the pilots until he is in contact with the business, which provides helicopter training to local pilots. "We're kind of in cleanup mode right now," Cossey said. http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-01-18/update-no-one-hurt-helicopter- crash-willard-airport.html ***************** Date: 18-JAN-2017 Time: 13:30+ Type: Robinson R22 Owner/operator: Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: University of Illinois-Willard Airport (KCMI), Champaign/Urbana, Illin - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Training Departure airport: University of Illinois-Willard (KCMI) Destination airport: University of Illinois-Willard (KCMI) Narrative: The aircraft experienced a hard landing and subsequent rollover at the University of Illinois-Willard Airport (KCMI) in Champaign/Urbana, Illinois. The helicopter sustained substantial damage and the two pilots onboard were not injured. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=192941 Back to Top QantasLink accident a result of pilot error A Qantas Boeing 717 clipped the tail of a Fokker F100 last year at Paraburdoo airport in Western Australia. Pilot error caused a QantasLink aircraft to clip the tail of another plane in the parking bay at Paraburdoo airport in Western Australia, delaying by one day the return to Perth of more than 100 mine workers, according to an investigation. The latest Australian Transport Safety Bureau safety bulletin outlines the cause of this incident along with 11 others that it investigated last year. The incident in October occurred because the Qantas Boeing 717 "deviated" from the taxi line in the bay when trying to make room for an incoming company plane. On board the Qantas flight operated by Cobham Aviation were five crew and 115 passengers, most of them mine workers. As the Qantas B717 began taxiing an engineer noticed that it "deviated from the painted taxi line" and the engineer tried to warn the captain that he was approaching a parked Fokker F100. As the B717 approached the F100 the engineer gave a thumbs up to indicate that the tails were not in contact, but he assumed the B717 would taxi towards the runway. Instead, the B717 continued towards the F100 until the engineer ran towards the front of the aircraft and waved to the captain to stop. The captain braked heavily. The plane's passengers had to disembark and be bussed to another airport before flying to Perth the following day. The report found that one of the contributing factors was that a wing walker was not in place to assist the crew as they taxied. A Qantas spokesman said that immediately after the incident the company had reminded pilots that they were required to follow taxi line markings at all times, except when under the guidance of an aircraft marshaller. Qantas is talking to several stakeholders to expand the parking bay area at Paraburdoo. The ATSB also revealed that a pilot who crash-landed a Cessna aircraft with three passengers on board in October might have failed to lower the landing gear because the pre-landing checklist had been completed "mentally". The pilot was used to flying aircraft with fixed landing gear, an investigation found. The key reason for the Cessna incident at Broome airport appears to be the failure to properly carry out pre-landing procedures. "The pilot may have only completed the pre-landing checklist mentally without actually performing the required actions," the report says. "The pilot's roster required them to operate both the fixed landing gear Cessna 206 and the retractable landing gear Cessna 210. They found this difficult and felt that this may have contributed to the landing gear not being selected down prior to landing." However, the extreme heat that day also may have been a factor. Before the departure from Fitzroy Crossing, the pilot had flown from Broome and then spent about 40 minutes in 41C heat while waiting for late-arriving passengers to board the flight. The ATSB report did not name the charter company or the pilot. This is consistent with its policy of wanting to "reduce the risk of smaller operators not reporting transport safety matters to the ATSB to avoid negative public inferences", a spokesman said. This policy was being reviewed to make it consistent with International Civil Aviation Organisation practice, he added. A Civil Aviation Safety Authority spokesman said CASA was "satisfied all appropriate steps had been taken by the air operator in relation to the accident". http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/qantaslink-accident-a-result-of-pilot- error/news-story/5cce0d4238188ab1a8e3832223ad318d Back to Top Satellite tracking to keep tabs on airliners over oceans WASHINGTON -- Nearly three years after a Malaysian airliner vanished, it's still possible, if unlikely, for a plane to disappear. But that's changing with new satellites that will soon allow flights to be tracked in real time over oceans. New international safety standards also begin to kick-in beginning next year, although the deadline for airlines to meet most of the standards is still four years away. Even then, it could be decades before the changes permeate the entire global airline fleet because some of the requirements apply only to newly manufactured planes. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished from radar on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board. An exhaustive search of a remote corner of the southern Indian Ocean has failed to turn up the aircraft's remains, and search efforts were called off this week. "If the exact same thing happened today, I think we'd have the same result," said William Waldock, a professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, and former accident investigator. "There has been change, but we haven't put anything physical into practice yet," he said. But Atholl Buchan, director of flight operations at the International Air Transport Association, which represents most international carriers, said a repeat of MH370 is "highly unlikely" since many airlines have already increased their efforts to keep tabs on planes over open ocean where they are beyond the reach of land-based radar. "In a few years, new systems and technology, if adopted universally by (air traffic control providers), will allow for global surveillance coverage," he said. Among the changes in the works: --The International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. agency, approved a series of new global safety standards last year in response to MH370, including a requirement that airline pilots flying over ocean out of the range of radar report their position by radio every 15 minutes. Previously, they were required to report every 30 minutes. The new requirement kicks in next year, but many airlines have already switched. --Another new standard requires new planes beginning in 2021 to be able to transmit automatic, minute-by-minute reports on their location if they're in distress. At normal flight speeds, minute-by-minute reports would provide authorities with a search area of a little over 100 square miles. If reports are less frequent, the search area grows much larger. However, the requirement doesn't apply to existing planes. Since airliners often have a lifespan of 20 years or more, it could take decades before all airliners meet the new requirement. --Satellite flight tracking services may solve much of the problem sooner. This week, Aireon, a satellite joint venture, launched the first 10 satellites in what is planned to be a 66-satellite constellation that can track airliners equipped with the latest satellite surveillance technology, known as ADS-B. Aireon expects to have all its satellites launched by the first quarter of next year, providing 100 percent coverage of the globe. It will receive signals every one to eight seconds from all equipped planes, regardless of whether the airline subscribes to the service. Not all planes have ADS-B, but Aireon vice president of aviation services, Cyriel Kronenburg, estimated that 90 percent of planes on long-haul routes over the ocean are already equipped. However, the technology works only if ADS-B is turned on. In the case of MH370, the plane's surveillance technology was inexplicably shut off. --Aircraft "black box" flight data recorders must be equipped with locator beacons that last at least 90 days beginning next year under another standard. The beacon on MH370's black box was required to last only 30 days. But the beacons are only helpful if searchers already know where to look. Because currents and water temperatures can weaken the signals, searchers usually have to be pretty close to pick them up. --ICAO approved a requirement that new aircraft designs certified after Jan. 1, 2021, have some means for retrieving a plane's flight data recorder, or the information contained in it, before the recorder sinks to the ocean floor. One possibility is a deployable recorder that automatically ejects from a plane upon impact and floats to the surface. But the cost of retrofitting new planes could be prohibitive, and there is a risk that recorder could deploy accidentally. An alternative is to have planes automatically relay the data via satellite to ground stations, eliminating the need to search for the box. But there are many unanswered questions about security and custody of the information. http://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2017/01/19/satellite-tracking-keep-tabs- airliners-oceans Back to Top Frontier Airlines ranked No. 1 in complaints in November 2016 DENVER -- Frontier Airlines has been named the worst airline for consumer complaints. The Air Travel Consumer Report issued by the Department of Transportation included flight delays, mishandled baggage and consumer complaints in January 2016. The report listed Frontier Airlines as No. 12 out of 12 major U.S. airlines for consumer complaints. Frontier had 40 complaints in the month -- the most per 100,000 enplanements, according to the DOT. Frontier was listed as No. 11 out of 12 U.S. airlines for mishandled baggage. According to the report, passengers reported problems with one out of every 323 bags handled by the airline. Virgina Airlines was No. 1 for fewest complaints about mishandled baggage with complaints filed for one out of every 1,039 bags. Note, this report was for November, weeks before a storm left flights cancelled and baggage piling up at Denver International Airport. Frontier Airlines did have some good news. Frontier was listed as No. 4 for the overall percentage of flights that arrived on time, behind Hawaiian Airlines, Delta Airlines and Alaska Airlines. http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/frontier-airlines-ranked-no-1-in- complaints-in-november-2016 Back to Top Korean Air used electric stun gun on five passengers Korean Air crew practice using electric stun guns South Korea's national airline has used electric stun guns on five passengers during flights, the BBC has learned. Korean Air is believed to be the only major carrier to routinely have the weapons on board. The airline is ramping up training for staff using the guns after criticism for the way it handled a recent in-flight disturbance. In that incident, US singer Richard Marx was among passengers who helped restrain an unruly passenger. Afterwards, both Mr Marx and his wife Daisy Fuentes used social media to claim that the crew was "ill-trained". Ms Fuentes wrote on Instagram: "They didn't know how to use the Taser and didn't know how to secure the rope" around the passenger. Taser is a brand name of a electric stun gun. The reference surprised many who did not expect airlines to carry the weapons, which are more commonly used by police. Paralysis The carrier told the BBC it first introduced electric stun guns in 2002. It now carries at least one set of weapons on every plane, with two sets on its A380 jumbo jets. A Korean Air spokesman said that of the five incidents, three involved the gun being fired. In those instances, the gun used compressed air to fire darts that release a 50,000-volt electric charge, designed to temporarily paralyse the target. In the two other cases, the weapon was used as a stun gun, with the electric current fired directly into the passenger, with the weapon held against them at close range. Korean Air would not give further details about what prompted each incident, when they occurred or what happened to the passengers. But it confirmed all took place while the aircraft were airborne. 'Asian culture' It also invited media to see a session where crew were practising using Tasers. Korean Air's former president, Chi Chang-hoon, said Asian airlines had not followed US carriers in tackling on-board violence and suggested "Asian culture" was to blame. However, the airline's spokesman said that current protocol limited cabin crews to using tasers "only during life threatening situation or when the safety of an aircraft is threatened". Do other airlines carry electric stun guns? The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said airlines were not required to inform them if they carried the weapons on board. Several major carriers contacted by the BBC declined to comment on whether or not they had Tasers on board, citing security concerns. But some large airlines including Etihad, Malaysia Airlines and India's Jet Airways confirmed they did not carry electric stun guns. And sources at other global carriers, including Emirates and Lufthansa, also said they were not part of standard on-board kit, although the airlines did not officially confirm this. However, most airlines do carry equipment to restrain disruptive passengers including ropes, cuffs and adhesive tape. Are Tasers safe to use on planes? There is some risk to using Tasers or other similar stun guns, although this tends to revolve around the harm to those hit by them. In the UK, there have been at least 17 deaths linked to the use of stun guns since they were introduced by police in 2003. And while not ideal to use one on a plane, there is not thought to be any great risk to the safety of a plane if a Taser was activated. Bear in mind that proponents of air marshals (see below) argue that even when using regular gunfire on a flight - the level of risk is manageable. How common are disruptive passengers? Unruly behaviour on aircraft is a growing problem according to a study by IATA, with a sharp rise of incidents in 2015. Incidents of people getting in fights, being verbally abusive or refusing to follow cabin crew orders were up by 17%. Alcohol or drug use was identified as a factor in one-in-four incidents. In 11% of cases, there was physical aggression or even damage to the aircraft. Some 10,854 incidents of passengers disrupting flights were reported to IATA last year, up from 9,316 incidents in 2014. That's one incident for every 1,205 flights. Are there still air marshals on planes? An air marshal is an undercover armed guard on board a commercial aircraft, to counter hijackings and other hostile acts. In the event of an imminent threat from a passenger, air marshals say they are trained to respond with lethal force. Their use was ramped up, especially in the US, after the 11 September 2001 attacks. It is thought there are now several thousand marshals employed by the US Department for Homeland Security, compared with the 33 flying regularly pre-9/11. Israel's El Al has had armed marshals operating on its flights for more than 30 years. IATA says that - perhaps not surprisingly - countries which do employ air marshals, do not disclose which flights they are on. http://www.bbc.com/news/business-38580804 Back to Top In-Flight Turbulence: Fascinating Study Highlights Aggravating Airplane Behavior Lea Lane , CONTRIBUTOR I travel the world: smart, luxe, connected -- and often. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Airplane etiquette rated. (Photo:Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Are you fed up with nasty fellow flyers, frequent or not? Here's some new info that's not only interesting but in some ways, entertaining: The results of the Airplane Etiquette Study identifies passenger behaviors that most infuriate fellow travelers. Out of all behaviors, including boozing, excessive chatting, undressing and inattentive parenting, one earns the most fury: rear-seat kicking. The study solicited feedback from 1,005 Americans aged 18+. It was commissioned by Expedia and conducted by GfK, an independent global market research company. My comments are in parentheses. Personal space and peace of mind are paramount Sixty-four percent of Americans cited the "Rear Seat Kicker" as the most problematic passenger, edging "Inattentive Parents" (59 percent), defined as "parents who have no control over, or pay no attention to, their crying, whining or misbehaved children." "Aromatic" passengers - those with poor hygiene or those wearing excessive cologne or perfume - are the third least-liked (55 percent), followed by the "Audio Insensitive" (49%), the passenger who talks loudly or listens to music without consideration for fellow fliers. "The Boozer," a drunken, disruptive person, annoys 49 percent of his fellow passengers. However, only 12 percent of Americans claim to consume more than two alcoholic drinks when flying. (That is because they probably cannot remember after two drinks, as alcohol affects you more than you realize at 30k feet.) "Chatty Cathy," the neighbor who strikes up conversation and won't stop, frustrates 40 percent of American fliers. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) report that they "dread" sitting next to someone who talks too much. On the whole, more than one-third (35 percent) of Americans would pay extra to be seated in a "designated quiet zone," should the airline offer one. (One solution is to purchase tickets on planes that have the option of one seat in a row in first class, or buy the seat next to you in coach.) Americans divided on whether to recline seats Thirty-five percent of surveyed Americans dislike the "Seat-Back Guy," the passenger who reclines his seat fully as soon as the plane takes off. A full 37 percent of Americans would choose to have reclining seats banned entirely, or at least restricted to set times on short- haul flights. More than half (53 percent) of Americans do recline their seats when flying, while 23 percent report that they do not because they deem it "improper etiquette." An additional 11 percent do not recline because they feel it is uncomfortable. A quarter (25 percent) of respondents claim that they would recline their seat for retaliatory reasons if the passenger behind them "showed aggressive behavior or was rude." A full 11 percent of those who claim to recline would do so even if the passenger behind them was "noticeably pregnant." Americans report that they are reluctant to address misbehaving passengers directly*. Sixty-two percent would choose to alert the flight attendant to have them handle, while 33 percent would endure in silence. One in ten respondents would "confront a misbehaving passenger directly," while 13 percent would record the offending behavior via their phone camera. And five percent would turn to social media: 3 percent would "shame a fellow passenger's behavior via social channels," while 2 percent would simply "tweet about it." Just under 3 percent of Americans report having "been physically intimate" with a fellow passenger aboard a plane. "The Amorous" passengers - couples who display an "inappropriate level of public affection" towards one another - were cited disapprovingly by 28 percent of Americans. ("Mile-high" club members were not mentioned, but hogging bathrooms is not a good thing.) Mixed levels of attention to flight attendants Nearly four in 10 Americans (39 percent) "always" pay attention to the flight attendant during safety presentations, while a nearly equal percentage, 42 percent, say they do so "occasionally." Two-thirds (66 percent) of Americans turn their phone to Airplane Mode when instructed to do so, though 15 percent "never" do so. (Interesting, as planes can obviously fly safely either way.) Despite the long list of behaviors that incur passengers' ire in-flight, all is not lost onboard. Seventy-nine percent feel that "for the most part, fellow passengers are considerate of one another," and 74 percent "thoroughly clean their space before leaving the plane." Four in 10 fliers report having helped another passenger with luggage, while 28 percent have offered up their seat to another. The full ranked list of onboard etiquette violators includes: The Rear Seat Kicker (cited by 64 percent of respondents) Inattentive Parents (59 percent) The Aromatic Passenger (55 percent) The Audio Insensitive (49 percent) The Boozer (49 percent) Chatty Cathy (40 percent) The Queue Jumper (35 percent) Seat-Back Guy (35 percent) The Armrest Hog (34 percent) Pungent Foodies (30 percent) The Undresser (28 percent) The Amorous (28 percent) The Mad Bladder (22 percent) The Single and Ready to Mingle (18 percent) * For totals that exceed 100 percent, respondents were given the option of choosing more than one answer. Follow me @lealane, or on Instagram, where I'm Travelea; and check out Amazon for my latest book in paperback and on Kindle, Travel Tales I Couldn't Put in the Guidebooks http://www.forbes.com/sites/lealane/2017/01/18/in-flight-turbulence-fascinating-study- highlights-aggravating-airplane-behavior/#6c2b3a586f45 Back to Top India's great plane data CRASH: Aviation regulator loses all info related to pilots and aircraft safety after massive server crash * The loss occurred following a massive software crash in August 2015 * Aviation experts say loss of flight data at such a massive scale may have serious implications not only on passenger safety but also on national security * The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the regulatory body entrusted with air safety operations in the country, has disclosed that its entire data set pertaining to safety and security of planes and pilots has been lost. The loss occurred following a massive software crash in August 2015. Aviation experts say loss of flight data at such a massive scale may have serious implications not only on passenger safety but also on national security. Aviation experts say loss of flight data at such a massive scale may have serious implications not only on passenger safety but also on national security International airports across the world are treated as high-security zones in the wake of rising terror incidents. 'The servers crashed in August 2015 and all information regarding the list of commercial pilot licence holders registered with the DGCA and type rating test (TRT) certified pilots registered with the DGCA got destroyed,' the aviation regulator said in response to an RTI filed by activist Anil Sood. Mail Today has a copy of the RTI reply. Explaining the software crash and the aftermath, a senior DGCA official told Mail Today: 'The data was on NIC (national informatics centre) server, which crashed about two years ago and thus the data got destroyed. 'NIC could not recover that data. We do possess some of the records in the physical form. However, under our program eDGCA, only the current renewals and issuance of new licenses are digitised now.' The central information commission too, in its observation to the RTI, mentioned that this was an appalling state of affairs in respect of record keeping by the respondent public authority, especially when it concerns national security and safety of passengers. International airports across the world are treated as high-security zones in the wake of rising terror incidents (file pic) Security The commission also advised the DGCA to be more diligent in maintain its sensitive data. 'In the interest of the safety and security, not only of the passengers but also in the larger national interest, the DGCA is advised to maintain data in respect of all the pilots in different categories licensed by the public authority in a digitised format,' the information commissioner stated. India has about 11 critical airfields, where, according to DGCA rules, only TRT certified pilots are allowed for take-offs and landings. These airports include Mangalore airport, Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee airport, Kullu Manali airport, Shimla airport, Agartala airport, Port Blair, Calicut, Lengpui at Aizawl (Mizoram), Patna, Jammu and Latur airport. India witnessed two major air crashes at Mangalore and Patna airport. The Mangalore crash of May 22, 2010 is classified among the top 10 deadliest air crashes in the last decade that led to the death of 158 passengers on board. India has about 11 critical airfields, where, according to DGCA rules, only TRT certified pilots are allowed for take-offs and landings (file pic) In the second incident, on July 17, 2000, 60 people were killed when Alliance Air Flight 7412 crashed near Patna airport prior to landing. 'In absence of digital data, anybody can use the identity of another pilot by merely replacing a photograph,' said Capt Mohan Ranganathan, civil aviation expert. 'Logging of duty time and flying hours can be fuzzed, if there is no digital backup.' Experts say loss of data is a cause of grave concerns in the wake of several cases of irregularities including flight operations by the pilots. 'These data are important as it involves not only the safety and security of passengers but in the national interest as well. In common parlance, we can say that this is akin to driving licence portfolios missing from the record of a transport authority,' said a civil aviation expert, requesting anonymity. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-4125828/India-s-aviation- regulator-loses-data-plane-safety.html Back to Top AOPA Air Safety Institute Launches Resource Center The Safety Alliance streamlines database of safety-related educational material. Air Safety Institute Safety Alliance Piper Aircraft The Safety Alliance initiative focuses on increasing safety in GA flight. AOPA's Air Safety Institute has launched a new resource center for aviation safety education. The initiative, called the Safety Alliance, brings videos, publications, articles, courses and quizzes on a wide variety of topics that relate to increasing the safety of general aviation flight. The content is categorized by topic, making it easy for visitors to find the desired information. Whether you're looking for information on weather-related topics, how to operate certain avionics, how to best handle emergency situations, how to make a go/no- go decision and much, much more, the Safety Alliance makes it easy to find good resources to help you learn more about the topic. There is no cost to use the resources within the Safety Alliance. "Further improvement to GA safety requires a team effort and isn't something we can do alone," said Katie Pribyl, AOPA's senior vice president of Aviation Strategy and Programs. "We know that many organizations provide high-quality safety-focused content, and we want to make it easy for pilots to find that information." The collection of resources on the website is the result of a collaboration between AOPA's ASI and a vast group of industry organizations, companies and individuals, including ASA, Leidos, Garmin, Hartzell Propeller, Sporty's, TBM, Jason Blair, Rod Machado and more. The Safety Alliance database is expected to continue to expand on a regular basis. http://www.flyingmag.com/aopa-air-safety-institute-launches-resource-center Back to Top This Unbreakable Racing Drone Is Perfect For Terrible Pilots There's a reason nature uses eggs to protect offspring who develop outside their mothers. Domes are inherently strong and durable, so it also makes sense to build a drone with a similarly bulbous shape to help it survive crashes, collisions, and other accidents when an amateur pilot is at the controls. The DJI Phantom 4 Is the Best Drone I've Ever Crashed The DJI Phantom 4 is a slick, feature-packed drone. People say it's the drone that anybody can fly, ... But an egg-shaped fuselage isn't the only thing the Nimbus 195 racing drone has going for it in the strength department. Even an egg will shatter when thrown against a wall, so the Nimbus 195 improves on nature's design with a one-piece exoskeleton body made from lightweight but incredibly strong carbon fiber that's up to four millimeters thick in some places to help ensure the drone can survive a rough landing. Even the propellers on the Nimbus 195 look like they can take a beating, since they're made from malleable plastic that bends on impact, instead of shattering, so they can simply be bent pack into place for the next flight. But propellers are cheap to replace, drones aren't, so in addition to being able to survive a punishment as extreme as being run over by a car, the Nimbus 195 is even IP 54-rated which means that the drone getting a little wet when landing in a puddle isn't going to fry its electronics. Aerodyne RC, the creators of the Nimbus 195, have created an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign with the hopes of raising $30,000 to help put its racing drone into production- but that doesn't mean it's going to come cheap. If you're already an experienced drone racing pilot, you can pre-order just the Nimbus 195 carbon fiber body for $160, with delivery expected sometime next month. But if you're a novice, and need everything from the carbon fiber body, to the electric motors and electronics, to even a controller, the full Nimbus 195 package will set you back $750. That's certainly expensive, but at least there's little risk of you completely destroying it on your maiden test flight. http://gizmodo.com/this-unbreakable-racing-drone-is-perfect-for-terrible-p-1791069907 Back to Top Jet Aviation Acquires Washington Dulles FBO from Ross Aviation Jet Aviation's newest location at Washington Dulles International Airport is now gearing up to handle the expected influx of business aircraft for the presidential inauguration of Donald J. Trump on Friday. (Photo: Jet Aviation) Jet Aviation announced today that it acquired the Ross Aviation FBO at Washington Dulles International Airport, marking the company's ninth location in the Americas. The move comes just six months after Ross Aviation itself acquired the former Landmark Aviation facility at Dulles from Signature Flight Support, which per the U.S. Department of Justice had to divest six FBOs as part of Signature's absorption of Landmark. The Washington Dulles FBO complex ecompasses six hangars, 10 acres of ramp space and a newly renovated terminal that includes on-site customs and immigration services, VIP lounge, flight planning center, executive conference room and on-site car rental. "We are delighted to expand our FBO network in the U.S.," said Jet Aviation group president Rob Smith. "Washington Dulles is well connected to Jet Aviation's other U.S. locations, particularly Teterboro Airport, and with a large volume of international traffic, it's a significant expansion of our global network." Jet Aviation is now gearing up to handle the expected influx of business aircraft into Washington Dulles for the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump on Friday. http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-01-18/jet-aviation- acquires-washington-dulles-fbo-ross-aviation Back to Top Korean military used video game clips to sell real fighter jets The internet will always find the truth eventually. South Korea proudly showed off footage of its top-of-the-line Kai KF-X fighter jet in 2015; the culmination of over 14 years of work. Unfortunately, a year and a bit later, Korea Times discovered that footage used to show off the fighter's impressive performance actually came from old video games. Whoops. Adding insult to injury, the paper reports that producing the plagiarized clip cost around $40,000 in taxpayer money. South Korea's military was quick to acknowledge that the footage (taken from Battlefield 3 and Ace Combat: Assault Horizon) wasn't authorized and has agreed to cease using the clips. In a bid to avoid national embarrassment, everyone involved is predictably blaming one other. While the military pointed the finger at the company that made the video, amazingly the video producers were quick to hedge their bets, claiming that both the Agency for Defence Development and Korea Aerospace Industries, stating that both companies had a final say. The unauthorized use of footage from the games could lead to legal action, meaning the jet might end up costing South Korea even more cash. Neither Battlefield publisher EA or Ace Combat publisher Namco Bandai has issued a comment. Remember kids, war isn't a game... unless you look really, really closely at promotional videos. https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/18/korean-military-used-video-game-clips-to-sell- real-fighter-jets/ Back to Top Discovery could lead to jet engines that run hotter -- and cleaner Scientists find a new way to remove defects from heat-resistant alloys Date: January 17, 2017 Source: Ohio State University Summary: Researchers have made a discovery in materials science that sounds like something from the old Saturday morning cartoon Super Friends: they've found a way to deactivate 'nano twins' to improve the high-temperature properties of superalloys that are used in jet engines. FULL STORY Researchers here have made a discovery in materials science that sounds like something from the old Saturday morning cartoon Super Friends: They've found a way to deactivate "nano twins" to improve the high-temperature properties of superalloys that are used in jet engines. The advance could speed the development of powerful and environmentally friendly turbine engines of all sorts, including those used for transportation and power generation. The "nano twins" in question are microscopic defects that grow inside alloys and weaken them, allowing them to deform under heat and pressure. In the journal Nature Communications, engineers at The Ohio State University describe how tailoring an alloy's composition and then exposing it to high heat and pressure can not only prevent nano twins from forming, it can actually make the alloy stronger. In tests, the technique, which they've dubbed "phase transformation strengthening," eliminated the formation of nano twins and decreased alloy deformation by half. Strong, heat-resistant alloys enable turbine engines to run cleanly and efficiently, explained Michael Mills, professor of materials science and engineering and leader of the project at Ohio State. When an engine can run at very high temperatures, it consumes its fuel more thoroughly and produces lower emissions. "We found that increasing the concentrations of certain elements in super-alloys inhibits the formation of high-temperature deformation twins, thereby significantly improving the alloys' high temperature capabilities," Mills said. These days, the most advanced alloys are designed on computer -- practically atom by atom -- and Mills' team set out to address what he called a deficit in the "quantitative, comprehensive understanding" of how these exotic metal-based materials deform under high stress. The researchers made the discovery when they were studying nano twin formation in two different commercial superalloys. They compressed samples of the alloys with thousands of pounds of pressure at around 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit -- a temperature comparable to a running jet engine -- and afterward examined the alloys' crystal structures with electron microscopes and modeled the quantum mechanical behavior of the atoms on a computer. In both alloys, the temperature and pressure caused nano twin faults to develop within the superalloy crystals. And, in both alloys, the material composition in and around the faults changed, but in different ways. Through a sequence of atomic-scale jumps, some elments -- such as atoms of nickel and aluminum -- diffused away from the faults, while others diffused into the faults. The researchers were able to detect these fine-scale movements using the advanced electron microscopes at the Ohio State's Center for Electron Microscopy and Analysis (CEMAS), which offers one of the largest concentrations of electron and ion beam analytical microscopy instruments in any North American institution. "In the first alloy, which was not as strong at high temperature, atoms of cobalt and chromium filled the fault," said Timothy Smith, former student at Ohio State and lead author of the study. "That weakened the area around the fault and allowed it to thicken and become a nano twin." But in the second alloy -- the one that didn't form nano twins -- the elements titanium, tantalum and niobium tended to diffuse into the faults instead. As a result, a new and very stable phase of material formed right at the faults. The new phase was so stable that it resisted the formation of nano twins. The tendency for particular atoms to diffuse into the nano twin faults depends on the overall composition of the alloy, the researchers found. "We discovered that when the amount of titanium, tantalum, and niobium in the alloy was increased, while decreasing cobalt and chromium, we could actually strengthen the region around the faults and prevent the fault from widening into a nano twin," Smith said. The researchers' innovative combination of atomic-level imaging and high-end computing is a unique feature of research done at CEMAS, said David McComb, study co-author and director of CEMAS. "Research such as this perfectly illustrates the power of CEMAS to help drive discovery in new materials and processes," he added. The team is continuing to study phase transformation strengthening, to see if tailoring the alloy compositions in different ways might enhance the effect. Smith earned his doctoral degree performing this work, and is now a research materials engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center. The paper's co-authors included Robert Williams, assistant director of CEMAS; Wolfgang Windl, professor of materials science and engineering; Hamish Fraser, Ohio Eminent Scholar and professor of materials science and engineering; and doctoral students Bryan Esser and Nikolas Antolin, all of Ohio State; Anna Carlsson of FEI/Thermo Fisher Scientific; and Andrew Wessman of GE. Story Source: Materials provided by Ohio State University. Original written by Pam Frost Gorder. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference: T. M. Smith, B. D. Esser, N. Antolin, A. Carlsson, R. E. A. Williams, A. Wessman, T. Hanlon, H. L. Fraser, W. Windl, D. W. McComb, M. J. Mills. Phase transformation strengthening of high-temperature superalloys. Nature Communications, 2016; 7: 13434 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13434 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170117135907.htm Back to Top Denver International Airport has nation's fastest public Wi-Fi speeds, says report Denver International Airport is the king of airport Wi-Fi, logging the fastest Wi-Fi speeds among the nation's 20 busiest airports, internet speed-test company Ookla said Wednesday. DIA's speed was - drumroll, please - 61.74 megabits per second! The slowest was Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, coming in at a measly 2.71 mbps. Speedtest site Ookla ranked Denver International Airport as having the fastest Wi-Fi speeds among the nation's top 20 busiest airports. Tests were conducted during the fourth quarter of 2016.Speedtest site Ookla ranked Denver International Airport as having the fastest Wi-Fi speeds among the nation's top 20 busiest airports. Tests were conducted during the fourth quarter of 2016. Ookla tested Wi-Fi and mobile service internet speeds during the last three months of 2016. Researchers lauded Denver's investment in Wi-Fi technology at the airport. "For the 2016 period analyzed in the article, Denver indeed was the fastest of the 20 busiest airports (based on passenger boardings)," Ookla spokeswoman Adriane Holter said. "It is likely this speed is at least heavily partially due to recent investments. That being said, there are lots of factors that impact internet speed in any given location, so I can't say definitely that the top spot is totally due to those investments." Factors that can slow down wireless speeds include the number of users, walls and other structures, and even the speed of the internet connection to the building. Improving Wi-Fi at the airport has been a priority for DIA and the airport has invested significantly, said Robert Kastelitz, DIA's senior vice president for technologies and chief information officer. Since 2015, DIA has spent about $2.5 million to upgrade all the wireless access points to provide optimal coverage throughout the terminals, Kastelitz said. Last year, it contracted with CenturyLink to add two redundant 10 gigabit links for the whole airport. The airport also uses the latest Wi-Fi technology, 802.11ac, to get more compatible devices connected at faster rates. "We knew that this was an amenity that people were asking for and expecting now," DIA spokesman Heath Montgomery said. "We have strategically spent our dollars on this amenity to offer fast and free service." The first-place rank wasn't much of a surprise. Kastelitz said his team is constantly using Ookla to test Wi-Fi speeds at the airport and sees travelers posting their own tests. The fastest speed he's seen posted was 319.86 mbps. "We've done lab tests here, too. With optimal conditions and brand new devices, our internal speeds have hit 579 to 580 (mbps)," Kastelitz said. "So yes, we know that we're the fastest." Back in 2015, DIA also was ranked as the best U.S. airport for Wi-Fi, based on tests by a mobile data analytics company called Wefi, which is now called TruConnect Communications. In tests between March and May 2015, Wefi put DIA's Wi-Fi at 4.73 mbps. Ookla also tested cellular data speeds at DIA, which landed at 12th place out of the 20 busiest airports in the nation. Speeds averaged 16 mbps with AT&T scoring the fastest, at 23.73 mbps. http://www.denverpost.com/2017/01/18/denver-international-airport-wi-fi-speeds/ Back to Top American Airlines is banning carry-on bags and overhead bin use for basic- economy passengers An American Airlines Boeing 757-200. American Airlines Flying American Airlines just got a bit more affordable. On Wednesday, the world's largest airline released details of its upcoming low-cost basic- economy fare class. "American Airlines now has something to offer every customer, from those who want simple, low-price travel to those who want an ultra-premium experience via first class," American Airlines President Robert Isom said in a statement. According to Isom, the new fare class is designed to put American in a better position to compete against the increasing presence of ultra-low-cost carriers. Unfortunately, buying the cheapest ticket also means you'll have to do without many of the amenities that have traditionally been considered obligatory in modern air travel. At the top of that list is carry-on luggage. Basic-economy passengers are allowed to bring a personal item on board as long as it fits underneath the seat. However, any luggage that requires overhead bin space has been banned. It's a policy that echoes United Airlines' basic-economy fare class, which was announced in November. American Airlines' economy seats. American Airlines Both airlines recommend basic-economy passengers check their bags at the counter when they arrive at the airport. According to an American Airlines spokesperson, basic-economy passengers with luggage will be forced to gate-check their bags and pay an additional handling fee. Thus, instead of paying $25 for the first bag at the check-in counter, basic economy passengers will need to fork over at least $50 to gate-check their bags (a bag-check charge plus a $25 gate-handling fee). United will also charge a gate-check fee plus $25 for handling, an airline spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider. To avoid confusion, United will allow only passengers who qualify for free carry-on bags or have paid to check baggage to check in online. Flight attendants will not be tasked with policing the use of overhead bins on board the aircraft, United Airlines President Scott Kirby said during the company's latest earnings call. An American Airlines spokesperson said the same. American Airlines Basic Economy American Airlines Instead, gate agents and terminal staff members will manage the basic-economy baggage policy. In addition to having bag restrictions, basic-economy passengers won't get seat assignments until check-in and will be the last allowed to board. American will begin offering basic-economy fares on February 10, while United's basic economy will begin in the second quarter. United Airlines cabin crew A member of United Airlines' cabin crew. United Airlines Delta Air Lines' less-restrictive basic economy is already up and running. It allows passengers to bring along carry-on bags, but its restrictions in terms of seat assignments and the boarding procedure are similar to American's and United's. American, Delta, and United all make it clear that passengers can still purchase economy- class tickets should they find the basic-economy restrictions a bit much. http://www.businessinsider.com/american-airlines-united-basic-economy-carry-on-bag- ban-2017-1 Back to Top Learn About New FAA Regulations for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems with Free Online Course from Embry-Riddle Register for Massive Open Online Course for sUAS Operators, which begins Feb. 6 DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - If you received a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS), or drone, as a gift this holiday season, or if you want to stay updated on the latest FAA regulations for these aircraft, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is providing a free, two-week online course-Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) - Key Concepts for New Users. Registration for the course is now open. The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) runs Feb. 6 to 19 and introduces novice sUAS users and seasoned aeronauts to numerous aspects of unmanned systems, as well as current and future applications. The MOOC also offers guidance on responsibly piloting aircraft in the National Airspace System (NAS). This course is taught by a team of UAS experts, led by Dr. Scott Burgess, Associate Professor at Embry-Riddle Worldwide's College of Aeronautics. Dr. Burgess has over 30 years of aviation expertise in both military and civilian aircraft, including helicopters and unmanned aircraft systems. "This post-FAA Part 107 course will focus participants toward regulations, safety of flight and flight planning considerations," said Burgess. "We have an outstanding team of faculty with private, commercial and government sector experts teaching on topics such as UAS integration, regulation, international operations, safety and systems. We will also harness the power of social media so participants can interface directly with each other and faculty." Students will learn the basic elements of safety, and airspace definitions and regulations so those individuals using the NAS understand and use best practices for reducing the risk of collisions between aircraft when operating a sUAS. This popular course, previously offered in 2016, has been updated to include the FAA's new 2016 regulations (FAA Part 107) for sUAS operators. For more information and to register go to Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) - Key Concepts for New Users. You may also download Embry-Riddle's free sUAS Consumer Guide, designed to assists a wide variety of users, especially novices, to evaluate options for purchase, appropriate to their skill and experience levels, while introducing key metrics for future consumer sUAS comparison. For additional information on this and other specialized industry training online courses, please contact Gary Burke, Worldwide Director of the Office of Professional Education, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114.Email: training@erau.edu; Phone (386) 226-7232. About UAS at Embry-Riddle Embry-Riddle was one of the first schools in the nation to offer a degree in UAS and today has the nation's largest UAS degree program. The University offers: a Bachelor of Science in Unmanned Aircraft Systems Science at the Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott, Arizona Campuses; a Bachelor of Science in Unmanned Systems Applications through the Worldwide Campus; a Master of Science in Unmanned & Autonomous Systems Engineering at the Daytona Beach Campus; and a fully online Master of Science in Unmanned Systems through its Worldwide Campus. Embry-Riddle is also a co-founder of the ASSURE Coalition (Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence), a Federal Aviation Administration Center of Excellence in Unmanned Aircraft Systems. MEDIA CONTACT: James Roddey, Director of Communications, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.; (386) 226-6198; james.roddey@erau.edu. ABOUT EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world's largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, is a nonprofit, independent institution offering more than 80 baccalaureate, master's and Ph.D. degree programs in its colleges of Arts & Sciences, Aviation, Business, Engineering and Security & Intelligence. Embry-Riddle educates students at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., through the Worldwide Campus with more than 125 locations in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and through online programs. The university is a major research center, seeking solutions to real-world problems in partnership with the aerospace industry, other universities and government agencies. For more information, visit www.embryriddle.edu, follow us on Twitter (@EmbryRiddle) and facebook.com/EmbryRiddleUniversity, and find expert videos at YouTube.com/EmbryRiddleUniv. Back to Top Call for Abstracts of Technical Papers ISASI 2017, San Diego CA August 22 - 24. 2017 The International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI) will hold their 48th annual seminar at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina from August 22 - 24, 2017. This year's theme is: "Investigations - Do They Really Make a Difference?" Abstracts of Technical papers are invited to address the theme in conjunction with other contemporary matters on aviation safety investigation, including recent case studies, new investigation methods and aviation safety trends or developments. For those interested in presenting a paper, submissions of abstracts are due by March 15, 2017. Abstracts should include a title and up to 300-word summary of the main points of the proposed paper. Please also include your name(s), affiliation, position, and a brief resume. Submissions, or any inquiries regarding submissions, are to be sent to: isasi2017abstracts@gmail.com The panel reviewing the submitted abstracts will consider criteria such as the quality of the paper for relevance to the seminar theme and air safety investigation. They will also endeavour to ensure that a broad range of topics are covered during the seminar. Decisions on the selected abstracts will be made by the April 15, 2017 and details on the required format of the final presentations will be issued at that time. Presenters will be required to submit their papers by July 15, 2017. Up to date information on ISASI 2017 can be found at www.isasi.org Back to Top ESASI SEMINAR 2017 - LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA The European Society of Air Safety Investigators (ESASI) will hold their annual seminar in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on the 19 and 20 April 2017. Further details, and previous seminar programmes, can be found at www.esasi.eu . ESASI would welcome proposals for presentations to be given during the 2017 seminar, which should last a maximum of 25 minutes with a further 5 minutes for questions. Presentations should address issues relating to air safety investigations; particular areas of interest are: * challenges faced by air safety investigators, * the environment, and culture, that air safety investigators operate in, * practical experience of applying investigation techniques, * new techniques to aid the investigation, * topical case studies. Details of proposed presentations should be sent to Brian McDermid, by 31 January 2017, at presentations@esasi.eu. The ESASI committee will select the presentations in early February 2017. Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH STUDY SURVEY My name is Ian Fyfe-Green and I am undertaking a Doctorate of Business Administration with the University of Portsmouth Business School. The aim of my research is to assess the impact of regulatory change on aviation risk management, with a specific objective to understand how best to manage this change without inducing error. As part of this research I have developed a survey that will help to answer my research questions, and I hope that around 1000 people across the aviation industry will complete these questions about their experiences. The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete, and consists of a number of questions on aviation, with a final question about the individual for context. Participation in this study is completely voluntary, and I neither need a name or any identifying details; all reasonable steps will be taken to ensure confidentiality. At no point will anyone be able to identify an individual from the responses to the multiple choice questions. If there are any questions about the survey, please contact me at my university email address of ian.fyfe-green@myport.ac.uk Thank you in advance for your valuable insights, I am extremely grateful for any assistance you can provide in facilitating the widest distribution, and in answering the questions themselves. The survey is hosted by QuestionPro, an independent research firm, to field your confidential survey responses. Please click on this link to complete the survey: Start Survey Best Regards Ian Fyfe-Green Back to Top RESEARCH STUDY SURVEY Hello, I'm Dr. Tim Holt and I'm currently the Program Chair for Aeronautics and an Associate Professor with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, AZ. In this position I'm responsible for faculty, curriculum, course updates, course alignment, etc... Furthermore, I teach undergraduate courses in aeronautics, safety, unmanned systems, and airport management for the Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics program. To this day, there are no reported statistics of general aviation pilots that have survived hypoxia during normal flight operations. More often than not there are tales of pilots getting themselves into a hypoxic situation and not surviving; rarely do people hear of those that survive. This leaves the aviation community unsure of the common circumstances that these pilots find themselves that create a hypoxic state, as well as whether or not that reported the occurrence to the proper establishments. The data collected from this survey issued to general aviation pilots, will hopefully give insight as to how best to prevent these occurrences from happening, as well as promote a healthy safety culture to report these events. It is with this in mind that we decided to embark on this research study. This survey is completely anonymous and individual responses will not be recorded. It should only take 5-10 minutes to complete. The link to the survey will provide you the Informed Consent and contact information of the researchers involved in the study. Thank you in advance, it's truly appreciated. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GAHYPOXIA Back to Top Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship The Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship was established by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) to shape the next generation of aviation researchers, honoring the late Najeeb Elias Halaby, an eminent aviator and administrator, for his vision and more than five decades of extraordinary contributions to aviation (http://www.ral.ucar.edu/halabyfellowship.pdf). The Fellowship The recipient of a Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship will spend three months (in 2017 or early 2018) in residence with NCAR's Aviation Weather Research Program, which Mr. Halaby was instrumental in establishing in the 1980s. As the nation's leader in addressing aviation weather research, NCAR plays a unique role in meeting user needs by transferring research results to operations through its Research Application Laboratory (http://www.ral.ucar.edu/). The Fellow will conduct research broadly aimed at improving the integration of weather into decision support tools for enhanced mitigation of weather sensitivities (e.g., weather impact avoidance) and management of air traffic. The Fellowship will provide: * a monthly stipend for three months, including temporary living expenses * round-trip travel expenses to and from Boulder, CO * travel to a conference to present results * page charges for one publication of key results Eligibility and Application The Halaby Fellowship targets graduate students (late Masters or early PhD level) enrolled in an aviation-relevant department or program of a domestic or international university. Interested candidates should have advanced research skills, far-reaching vision, and dedication to get things accomplished. Consideration for this Fellowship will be given to candidates based on the following submitted material: * Curriculum vitae * Proposal (maximum five pages) presenting the research to be conducted at NCAR, the anticipated outcome of that, and how the proposed effort ties into the candidate's ongoing graduate research project(s) * Contact information for three references (one of which should be the student's primary advisor) NCAR will accept applications for the Halaby Fellowship each year. Email Applications by February 28, 2017 to halabyfellowship@ucar.edu Curt Lewis