Flight Safety Information January 31, 2017 - No. 023 In This Issue FAA Caves In to City Demand To Close Santa Monica Airport Textron Aviation gives $100,000 for engineering at Kansas State Airlines Scramble to Adjust to Trump's New World Trump Immigration Ban Makes U.S. Airlines Less Secure Lufthansa wins approval to lease 38 aircraft from airberlin Singapore Airlines looking to hire more overseas pilots Emirates airline changes pilots and flight crew on US flights because of Donald Trump 'Muslim travel Citation business jet turns 45 this month Mitsubishi to Boost U.S. Engineers After Jet Delivery Delays Man Arrested For Flying Drone Near Police Helicopter NTSB Assistant General Counsel James Rodriguez Joins Holland & Knight EL native named Director of Safety at HAI NASA studies cosmic radiation to protect high-altitude travelers University Research Study 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 FAA Caves In to City Demand To Close Santa Monica Airport After the city of Santa Monica shortens SMO airport's runway to 3,500 feet, large business jets like those in the background will no longer be able to use the iconic airport. (Photo: Matt Thurber) California's Santa Monica Airport (SMO), both historically important and a key part of the National Airspace System (NAS), will close at the end of 2028, the FAA said on Saturday following two weeks of negotiations between city leaders and the agency. Somewhat sooner, possibly within a year, the city of Santa Monica, which owns the 227-acre airfield, will cut the 4,973-foot runway down to 3,500 feet, effectively eliminating access to the larger jets that currently fly there. Before Saturday's surprise settlement, the city and FAA had been embroiled in multiple lawsuits, with the city council and its airport commission firmly arguing for closing the airport while the FAA and pro-airport proponents repeatedly pointed out that after World War II, the city had signed an instrument of transfer to keep the airport open in perpetuity. Despite that requirement and the FAA's and airport proponents' efforts to retain this important link in the NAS, the FAA and the city have signed a settlement agreement allowing the city to close the airport forever on Jan. 1, 2029. Probably in recognition of the city's claim that a portion of the airport is not subject to the 1947 instrument of transfer with the government, the FAA also consented to allow the city to close nearly 1,500 feet of runway, a portion of which can be used to build runway safety areas and/or an emergency overrun with crushable concrete. The consent agreement took airport users and organizations that have worked for years and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to protect the airport by complete surprise. It was, said Santa Monica Airport Association (SMAA) president Bill Worden, "a shock to us." "The news that FAA has reached a settlement to close and restrict SMO with the current city council governing Santa Monica is obviously very disappointing," added SMAA vice president Dave Hopkins. While the city had attempted to evict the airport's two FBOs-Atlantic Aviation and American Flyers-and refused to sign new leases with airport businesses after allowing all airport leases to expire last July, the city, according to the FAA, "is obligated to enter into leases with private aeronautical service providers to ensure continuity of those services until the runway is shortened and it decides to provide such services on its own." While the city has the right to take over FBO services, it cannot restrict the sale of leaded fuel for piston engines as long as the FAA permits such fuel to be used for aircraft in the U.S. The agreement also requires the city to give 30 days' notice before shortening of the runway and before closing the airport. PRECEDENT-SETTING DECISION Having long argued the importance of SMO to the NAS, the FAA gave no reason why it acceded to the city's demands to allow it to close SMO. Airport proponents fought not just to keep SMO open but also to prevent its closing from setting a precedent for other local governments seeking to shutter their airports. According to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, "Mutual cooperation between the FAA and the city enabled us to reach this innovative solution, which resolves longstanding legal and regulatory disputes. This is a fair resolution for all concerned because it strikes an appropriate balance between the public's interest in making local decisions about land-use practices and its interests in safe and efficient aviation services." SMAA's Fry doesn't agree, and he told AIN, "At a time when the country is focused on rebuilding infrastructure, closing an airport that was supposed to remain a public-use airport 'in perpetuity' makes no sense. This action immediately increases the closure threat to an additional 230-plus airports across the U.S. that were deeded to towns and cities from the federal government after World War II to develop our freedom of movement by air." NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen isn't happy with the FAA's capitulation to the city of Santa Monica. "We are disappointed that the government decided to settle this case," he said, "especially given that NBAA has long been committed to aggressively supporting business aviation access to SMO, through every legislative and legal channel available. If there are further avenues available to us, we intend to explore them." "We were surprised at the announcement of the settlement between the FAA and the city of Santa Monica regarding its airport," said Jack Pelton, chairman and CEO of the Experimental Aircraft Association. "It is certainly a disappointing development, first concerning the immediate ability to shorten the runway, and the ultimate ability to close the airport in 2028. While we can only guess at the inside discussions to reach this settlement, as to our knowledge the airport's stakeholders were not a part of it. The founding principles of FAA grant assurances are to maintain stability for an airport and its users as part of the National Airspace System, above local political maneuvering." NATA lamented the eventual loss of the airfield and the fact that airport businesses weren't consulted during negotiations between the FAA and city. "The agreement...is clearly a compromise that will have to be studied closely to fully understand its implications to both SMO and the entire national airport system. Certainly, it does not change the necessity of airports like SMO to the L.A. region. Ultimately, the city of Santa Monica is simply diverting a segment of its traffic to neighboring airports," said NATA president Martin Hiller. "It is disappointing that businesses both on and off the field that depend on SMO were not part of the negotiations." However, he is "pleased that the FAA has stated the city is obligated to extend leases to current aeronautical service providers until such time as the city is ready to operate a proper aeronautical service operation...providing services consistent with industry standards and expectations and selling the kinds of fuel widely used in the industry and support use of the field-a point we note is covered in the weekend agreement." Hiller said that the reduction in runway length is a "game changer" and will certainly change the mix of traffic in and out of SMO, requiring a review by the city, other regional communities and private investors as to the "appropriate type of aeronautical service businesses to operate at the field." Questions remain about how the city will manage the airport, and especially how it will make up for the reduction in landing fee and fuel flow revenue from the larger aircraft that currently use the airport once the runway is shortened. Jet charter and fractional-share customers, for one example, might find SMO's new 3,500-foot runway too short to meet regulatory requirements. It is not clear whether the settlement agreement addresses the city's ability to raise landing fees and fuel fees to such a high level that all types of operators are discouraged from using the airport and possibly hastening its closure. "The devil is in the details," said AOPA president Mark Baker. "We are working to learn more about the fine points of the settlement, but our main goal-to keep this airport permanently open and available to all general aviation users-remains unchanged." Santa Monica city manager Rick Cole said that the city plans to implement the shortening of the runway to 3,500 feet immediately. "This will significantly reduce jet traffic flying over our neighborhoods and stops commercial charters until we close operations in 2028." Local attorney and airport proponent David Shaby, however, believes the entire process will take longer. "It is my understanding that that process will take approximately one year," he said. "This is a historic day for Santa Monica," said mayor Ted Winterer. "After decades of work to secure the health and safety of our neighborhoods, we have regained local control of airport land. We now have certainty that the airport will close forever and future generations of Santa Monicans will have a great park." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/general-aviation/2017-01-29/faa-caves-city-demand-close- santa-monica-airport Back to Top Textron Aviation gives $100,000 for engineering at Kansas State Kansas State among universities in new Textron training program Textron Aviation, the Wichita-based division of Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT), has pledged $100,000 to support engineering education at Kansas State University. In conjunction with the gift will also be the creation of the Textron Aviation Women in Engineering Conference Room, which will be used to help support the Women in Engineering program, as well as for other engineering students, as part of the engineering school's Academic Success Center. Textron Aviation is furthering its support of Kansas State University through a $100,000 gift that will help boost the university's school of engineering and its women in engineering program. Enlarge Textron Aviation is furthering its support of Kansas State University through a $100,000... more COURTESY TEXTRON AVIATION "Textron Aviation is committed to developing the next generation of STEM professionals," Michael Thacker, senior vice president of Engineering at Textron Aviation, said in a press release from the university. "We are proud to partner with K-State in diversifying and strengthening the pipeline of engineering professionals." Darren Dawson, dean of the college of engineering at KSU, said the funds will help support the education of students whose work will be a benefit to aviation and other industries. "We are fortunate to partner with leaders like Textron Aviation, who recognize and support the need to empower a broad array of innovators for our future," Dawson said. The gift is part of continuing support to the university from Textron Aviation, which, among other areas of partnership, recently included $150,000 to help support the aviation education program at Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus in Salina. http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/news/2017/01/30/textron-aviation-gives-100-000-for-engineering- at.html Back to Top Airlines Scramble to Adjust to Trump's New World Carriers seek clarity as passenger lawyers say American border officers are pressuring green card holders. As new U.S. travel rules plunged several large American airports into chaos, lawyers for some travelers who are long-term legal residents said the government had urged them to relinquish their status as a requirement for reentering the country. This was among the more curious developments over a weekend in which a Trump administration order restricting entry into America was met with condemnation abroad and furious protests at home. The official U.S. document, Form I-407, "record of abandonment of lawful permanent resident status," was distributed on several aircraft that landed this weekend at Los Angeles International Airport, said Rachel Odio, an immigration lawyer with pro-bono law firm Public Counsel. Other travelers saw the forms after they had been detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees in the airport, she said. U.S. DHS Public Counsel assisted about 50 travelers detained at LAX since the Trump's executive order was issued Friday. Several federal courts subsequently temporarily restricted full enforcement of the ban as constitutional challenges move forward. A spokeswoman for the CBP didn't immediately return a call seeking comment. "It's absurd. There's no legal basis for it," Odio said of the requests to renounce residency. Because many of the forms are being signed "under duress" in isolated airport rooms without access to family, attorney representation, or even food, "there is definitely a strong argument that their signature is without consent." Airlines seeking clarity Trump imposed the travel ban on people from seven predominantly Muslim nations: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, and Yemen. The policy didn't include several nations with ties to past U.S. terror attacks or where Trump's companies do business, including Egypt, Pakistan or Saudi Arabia. On Monday, Trump attempted to blame the upheaval on a technical glitch at Delta Air Lines Inc., though the glitch occurred two full days after his order was issued and after protests had begun. Delta didn't respond to Bloomberg's queries about the president's comment. The International Association of Air Transport (IATA) said the executive order "placed additional burdens on airlines to comply with unclear requirements" and imposed implementation costs and penalties. IATA is seeking "clarity" from the U.S. administration. "Moreover, we urge all governments to provide sufficient advance coordination of changes in entry requirements so that travelers can clearly understand them and airlines can efficiently implement them," the Geneva-based group said in a statement. Lufthansa spokeswoman Christina Semmel said the travel changes have caused only "a few recorded cases" whereby the airline hasn't allowed a customer to travel to the U.S. "Customers who have been affected by these new regulations are offered a free rebooking or are given a full refund," she wrote in an e-mail. A New York-based spokeswoman for British Airways, Michele Kropf, said none of the carrier's customers had been refused entry to the U.S. due to the order. Emirates, which said it has changed some flight staffing to comply with the U.S. requirements, is offering refund and travel rebooking options for people affected. In a statement, Air France said it was "obliged to offload 15 passengers" from nations subject to the U.S. decree, while KLM informed seven passengers on Saturday that they could not fly to the U.S. "Air France's main concern is to protect its customers, including the possible consequences of arriving in a country they are not allowed to enter, and to limit the inconvenience caused to them by the decision of the U.S. authorities," the airline said. KLM, its sister carrier under the same ownership group, said it "regrets the inconvenience caused to its passengers who were confronted with this sudden change of circumstances." Green card question Ally Bolour, an immigration lawyer in Los Angeles, said he was told by one traveler from a Qatar Airways Ltd. flight from Doha that U.S. officials had distributed the 407 forms before passengers disembarked. He said attorneys at the airport had tried to circulate word to passengers not to sign the forms. "Nobody I had talked to who had come through [immigration] had signed," Bolour said on Monday, calling the situation "highly, highly unusual." A spokeswoman for Qatar Airways didn't immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment. A counter-protester, right, holds a sign and chants in front of other demonstrators outside Los Angeles International Airport, on Jan. 29, 2017. A counter-protester, right, holds a sign and chants in front of other demonstrators outside Los Angeles International Airport, on Jan. 29, 2017. Photographer: Dania Maxwell/Bloomberg Several travelers at LAX also reported that customs officials had asked a variety of questions about their travel, including one about Trump, Bolour said. "The one question that stuck out to them was 'Do you like Trump?'" he said. "It's very bizarre. But that was a question." On Sunday, the Trump administration slightly loosened the restrictions for those with long-term U.S. resident status, saying those travelers would be admitted subject to "case-by-case determinations." "When you're an LTR (long-term resident) you present your passport, you present your green card and they say 'Welcome home,'" Bolour said. "That's what's supposed to happen." It was unclear exactly why the U.S. would seek to reduce the number of long-term residents, many of whom obtained green cards through marriage. "I have no idea why the government would be trying to have these people sign these forms except maybe to reduce the number of those people from these countries who reside in the U.S.," Odio said. "It's really terrifying." https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-30/airlines-scramble-to-adjust-to-trump-s-new-world Back to Top Trump Immigration Ban Makes U.S. Airlines Less Secure Christine Negroni , CONTRIBUTOR I write about aviation and travel. A flight departs Newark. Photo by Christine Negroni The flight attendant, a green-card holding German citizen working for a U.S. airline was clear: "I don't know where I belong," she told me on Saturday evening. Trump's immigration ban, hastily applied to seven countries, does not include Germany, but the flight attendant has lost confidence in America and is thinking about leaving. She symbolizes the uncertainty spreading across the airline industry following Trump's executive order and it may be responsible in Monday's slump in stock prices for U.S. airlines. Legal residents of America are holding back on international travel, experts tell me in light of new questions about who may and may not be allowed to enter the country. "You've got a valid visa, you've been vetted for a year or more, you were an interpreter for the special forces, you saved lives and you are shit out of luck," said a former head of a large domestic airline, who agreed to speak to me so long as he was not identified. "There are arguably tens of thousands of people who are frozen in place in the U.S.," he said, creating havoc for their employers and for the airlines that would have transported them, not a small number whom would have flown in lucrative business class seats. And what of the airline employees? American carriers may not employ many pilots and flight attendants from the seven named countries, (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen) but the impact could be considerable on Emirates, Etihad and Qatar, airlines with a large Arabic-speaking customer base and which fly to several cities in the U.S. "They may have entire crews that may be impacted, where scheduling has to say 'you cannot fly these flights,'" said John McDonald, a former executive vice president at American Airlines who runs the consulting firm, Caeli Communications. "There doesn't appear to be an understanding or appreciation of how the system works," McDonald said. The speed with which the order was applied, so that legal entrants were transformed into undesirables as they were America-bound, seemed designed to create maximum chaos. It was unlike previous changes in immigration policy where airlines were informed in advance and travelers were advised before departing for America. http://www.forbes.com/sites/christinenegroni/2017/01/30/trump-immigration-ban-makes-airlines-less- secure/#31b63a4d2099 Back to Top Lufthansa wins approval to lease 38 aircraft from airberlin German authorities have cleared Lufthansa to wet lease 38 Airbus A319/320s from airberlin, according to a Bundeskartellamt statement Jan. 30. Under the wet-lease agreement, airberlin will lease the aircraft-which are stationed at German and Austrian airports-to Lufthansa and its subsidiaries Eurowings and Austrian Airlines. Eurowings will take 33 of the aircraft, enabling it to phase out up to 20 older A320s, and Austrian Airlines will take the remaining five. The deal also includes a codeshare between Lufthansa and airberlin equity parent Etihad Airways. The agreement has a six-year term, which can be extended subject to certain conditions. As is common in wet-lease deals, the responsibility for other services-including flight operation, crew planning and maintenance-remains with the wet-lease provider, in this case airberlin. Bundeskartellamt president Andreas Mundt said, "This case raised specific questions. From a competition perspective, the lease of aircraft from a competitor needs to be assessed differently than the takeover of the competitor itself. The agreement between Lufthansa and airberlin does not relate to the routes served by the two air carriers. Lufthansa will not take over any of airberlin slots. Nor will the lease of the aircraft affect the reallocation of slots that have so far been used by airberlin. Naturally, with the additional aircraft Lufthansa will be able to expand its business. However, this potential expansion is not sufficient to justify a prohibition of the agreement." The case, which involved complex legal questions and raised issues that required clarification, led Bundeskartellamt to evaluate extensive market data and talk to a large number of market players. Several Lufthansa competitors submitted comments opposing the wet-lease agreement. On Jan. 18, ATW reported Irish low-cost carrier (LCC) Ryanair will lodge a formal complaint against Lufthansa's plans to wet lease the 38 aircraft. On the other hand, the majority of customers and travel agents did not express any serious competition concerns. Bundeskartellamt also held discussions with the Airport Coordinator Germany and concluded the wet-lease deal would not affect the reallocation of slots that were returned by airberlin. However, based on the results of the competition assessment, it could be left open whether the wet-lease agreement does in fact constitute a merger within the meaning of the German competition law. Other aspects of airberlin's restructuring process-in particular the planned joint venture between TUI, Etihad and Niki-were not part of the Bundeskartellamt investigations, according to the statement. http://atwonline.com/leasing/lufthansa-wins-approval-lease-38-aircraft-airberlin Back to Top Singapore Airlines looking to hire more overseas pilots This is reportedly part of a more aggressive recruitment drive to meet the needs of its growing fleet. Singapore Airlines (SIA) is reportedly expanding its search for cadet pilots beyond Singapore's borders. This is part of an aggressive recruitment drive to hire more pilots to meet the needs of a growing fleet, The Straits Times reported. The carrier had ordered 67 Airbus 350s, six of which arrived last year. Job advertisements recently posted on online pilot forums stated that all nationalities are welcome to apply. Previously, the airline tended to hire Singaporean Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs) for its cadet pilot training programme, industry observers told The Straits Times. The cadet pilot training programme typically takes three years to complete. As a comparison, the carrier continues to seek Singaporeans or PRs for the direct entry second officer position, as posted on its website. More than 80% of its 2,000 cockpit crew are either Singaporeans or PRs. But SIA said it will continue to recruit mainly Singaporeans, according to spokesman Nicholas Ionides. "As an international airline, we do have employees of various nationalities, including pilots who must meet our stringent requirements. This policy has not changed." Last year, SIA became the last Singapore airline to hire women pilots through its cadet pilot intake. http://www.hrmasia.com/content/singapore-airlines-looking-hire-more-overseas-pilots Back to Top Emirates airline changes pilots and flight crew on US flights because of Donald Trump 'Muslim travel ban' Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways and Germany's Lufthansa also affected by the new US policies Dubai-based carrier has 11 flights to US cities each day Getty Emirates airline is reportedly changing its pilots and cabin crews on flights to the United States following Donald Trump's executive order banning travel from several Muslim-majority countries. The Dubai-based carrier, which has 11 flights to US cities each day, made "the necessary adjustments to our crewing, to comply with the latest requirements," an Emirates spokeswoman told Reuters on Sunday The President's executive order temporarily suspended refugees and immigrants travelling from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the US. Reuters reports the ban also applies to pilots and flight attendants from those seven countries, even though all flight crew who are not US citizens already need a special visa to enter the country. Protests across American airports in response to Trump's immigration ban The impact of the ban on operations would be minimal, another spokeswoman told the agency, as Emirates employs over 23,000 flight attendants and around 4,000 pilots from around the world. Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways told Reuters the airline had "taken steps to ensure there will be no issues for flights departing over the coming weeks" while Germany's Lufthansa confirmed airlines and passengers were required to follow the new rules. Separately, Etihad said a number of its passengers had been affected by the new US immigration policies. The carrier said it is offering affected passengers refunds or flight changes where possible. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/emirates-airline-donald-trump-travel-ban-change- pilot-flight-crew-us-dubai-a7554226.html Back to Top Citation business jet turns 45 this month This Cessna Citation 500 business jet is similar to the first one delivered in January 1972. Textron Aviation Courtesy photo Forty-five years ago this month, Cessna delivered its first Citation business jet, an event that arguably changed the course of the Wichita plane maker. American Airlines was the first recipient of the Citation 500 jet in late January 1972, officials of Cessna parent Textron Aviation said Monday. American planned to use the jet for the development of its in-house training program. Since the delivery, the company that is equally known for its light, single-piston-engine airplanes has delivered more than 7,000 Citation business jets that have amassed nearly 35 million flight hours. "This milestone marking 45 years of industry leadership is really a celebration of the thousands of people through the years - customers and employees - who have made the Citation line of business jets the world leader," Kriya Shortt, Textron Aviation senior vice president of sales and marketing, said in a news release. The Citation line encompasses eight jets ranging from light to midsize with two larger models under development: the super midsize Longitude that's expected to be certified later this year and the large- cabin Hemisphere, scheduled for first flight in 2019. http://www.kansas.com/news/business/aviation/air-capital-insider/article129623004.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top Mitsubishi to Boost U.S. Engineers After Jet Delivery Delays To fly fourth jet to U.S. for testing within about a month Mitsubishi Regional Jet's first delivery delayed until 2020 Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp., which announced a fifth delay in the delivery of its passenger jet last week, plans to boost the number of engineers at a Seattle facility by more than a third as it steps up flight tests to meet an extended deadline. The maker of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet will increase staff to more than 200 from about 150 at the engineering center, which opened in 2015, Yugo Fukuhara, vice president of sales and marketing, said in an interview Tuesday in Tokyo. It will also fly a fourth jet to the U.S. within about a month for testing, he said. "We want to make sure we have good coordination with our flight tests in Washington and engineering in Seattle and Nagoya," Fukuhara said. The Nagoya-based builder of Japan's first home-made passenger jet last week pushed back delivery to its launch client ANA Holdings Inc. to 2020, two years later than the previous estimate, after needing changes to some electrical configurations to meet certification requirements. Fukuhara said Mitsubishi has kept its customers informed of the delays and there's been no talk of cancellations. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., the owner of the aircraft maker, has said the development costs are likely to increase about 30 percent with the latest delay, as the conglomerate attempts to break the dominance of Brazil's Embraer SA and Canada's Bombardier Inc. on jets with less than 100 seats. The MRJ can seat as many as 92 people and made its first flight in 2015. In a separate interview with Bloomberg Television's Rishaad Salamat, Fukuhara said the flight test program will continue, declining to provide details of cost escalation. The company is seeking to tap local talent for its Seattle center because the area offers a lot of people who have previously worked for Boeing Co., Fukuhara said. "One of the reasons we made a base in that area is because there are so many Boeing people there," he said. ANA, Japan's biggest airline, said last week it was "disappointed" at this latest delay, but will continue to support the development of the jet as its launch customer. The carrier will maintain its order of 25 planes, including options, it said. St. George, Utah-based SkyWest Inc., which has placed an order for 200 planes including options, said last week that its firm orders for the MRJ aircraft "remain unchanged" and are dependent on flying contracts and scope availability. Bridgeton, Missouri-based Trans States Airlines Inc., which has 100 MRJs on order, said in an e-mail that it was "disappointed" by the additional delay. Mitsubishi isn't the only manufacturer struggling to meet deadlines. Embraer, which is upgrading engines on its jets with less than 100 seats, last month said it was pushing back the entry into service of its E175 E2 jet, which can seat as many as 88 people, to 2021, from 2020. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-31/mitsubishi-to-boost-u-s-engineers-after-delaying- jet-delivery Back to Top Man Arrested For Flying Drone Near Police Helicopter Police near San Francisco arrested a man for flying a drone close to a helicopter during a rescue mission, a rare example of law enforcement detaining someone for piloting a drone. The arrest took place Friday evening while police in Pacifica, Calif. tried to rescue a person who fell off a seaside cliff, according to the Pacifica Police Department. The rescue team planned for a police chopper to airlift the injured person after getting treatment by a medic on the beach. However, while the helicopter approached, the emergency personnel on the ground spotted a drone flying nearby that prompted the pilots to delay their arrival to avoid a possible collision, the police department said in a statement. The police then located the drone's pilot, a 55-year-old Pacifica man, and arrested him for allegedly hampering the rescue effort. A Pacifica Police Department spokesperson told Fortune that police released the man, Gerald Destremps, after he signed a citation that included a notice to appear in court. The case comes as the Federal Aviation Administration has been increasingly fining people for recklessly flying drones, according to a report by tech publication Motherboard. Separately, the FAA settled with aerial photography company SkyPan earlier this month over accusations that the company illegally flew drones without authorization prior to the agency releasing its final rules governing how companies can use drones. http://fortune.com/2017/01/30/bay-area-drone-arrest-police/ Back to Top NTSB Assistant General Counsel James Rodriguez Joins Holland & Knight James F. Rodriguez, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Assistant General Counsel, has joined law firm Holland & Knight as a Senior Counsel in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. Mr. Rodriguez will focus his practice on representing Holland & Knight's transportation industry clients in NTSB accident investigations, accident claims and litigation, and mass-disaster litigation, as well as advising clients on export, import and related trade issues. ***** NTSB Assistant General Counsel James Rodriguez Joins Holland & Knight WASHINGTON (January 27, 2017) - James F. Rodriguez, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) assistant general counsel, has joined Holland & Knight as a senior counsel in the firm's Washington, D.C., office. Mr. Rodriguez will focus his practice on representing Holland & Knight's transportation industry clients in NTSB accident investigations, accident claims and litigation, and mass-disaster litigation, as well as advising clients on export, import and related trade issues. During his tenure at the NTSB, Mr. Rodriguez served as lead counsel for major investigations in all modes of transportation, including those of the sinking of the El Faro cargo ship, the crash of the first SpaceShipTwo spaceplane, the crash of Asiana Flight 214 and the battery fire on a Japan Airlines Boeing 787 at Boston's Logan International Airport. He also was lead counsel for the pipeline explosion in Sissonville, W.Va.; the Seastreak ferry accident in New York City; the Skagit River, Washington, bridge collapse; the collision between a Metrolink train and a pickup truck in Oxnard, Calif.; and the Amtrak train derailment in Philadelphia. Mr. Rodriguez is one of two former NTSB senior attorneys now at Holland & Knight. Former NTSB general counsel Gary Halbert joined the firm in 2011, also in Washington. "Jim's experience as counsel for some of the NTSB's highest profile investigations in recent years will be of great value to our clients across the transportation industry," said John Hogan, chair of Holland & Knight's Litigation Section. "With Jim joining our team, no law firm is in a better position to help clients navigate the NTSB investigation process following a major transportation accident, whether aviation, railroad, pipeline, hazardous materials, marine or highway." "Holland & Knight is well known for its legal work in the area of accident investigation and litigation," said Mr. Rodriguez. "I am proud to be joining some of the best practitioners in this area of the law." Mr. Rodriguez was a captain in the U.S. Air Force and a major in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, including serving in the Judge Advocate General Corps and as an engineer on military satellite programs. He also is an instrument-rated commercial pilot and certified flight instructor. He received a B.S. degree in aerospace engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a J.D. degree from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. After graduating from law school, Mr. Rodriguez was an associate with Kirkland & Ellis, then Weil, Gotshal & Manges. Back to Top EL native named Director of Safety at HAI ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Helicopter Association International (HAI) has appointed Dr. Steve Sparks, formerly of East Liverpool, as Director of Safety. Prior to joining HAI, Sparks was an Aviation Safety Inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the General Aviation and Commercial Division in Michigan. As Director of Safety, Sparks is responsible for managing the association's existing aviation safety programs, and developing new safety initiatives to benefit HAI's membership and the international helicopter community. "HAI is thrilled with the addition of Steve to our team," said Ed DiCampli, chief operating officer for HAI. "I have worked with Steve on the USHST for a number of years and found his passion for safety is boundless. We are pleased that Steve will continue to strive for a zero accident vision and I am confident that his extensive background, training, and experience will be a huge asset in achieving that goal." Sparks said "I'm looking forward to helping HAI continue its leadership in providing strategies for strengthening the safety of the helicopter industry. I am honored to be part of such a fascinating industry that's full of dedicated professionals always wanting to take safety to the next level." In addition to his position with HAI, Sparks also serves as a coordinator with the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) specializing in flight training, pilot development and helicopter operations. He also chairs the USHST Human Factors "Staying Alive" Working Group, which focuses on mitigating helicopter accidents resulting from human error. Sparks' experience includes flight training education, corporate aviation marketing, professional pilot development along and experience in customer relations and Part 142 Training Center operations. He is qualified on both airplanes and helicopters, couple with an MBA in Corporate Finance and an earned Doctorate in Applied Aviation and Space Education. http://www.reviewonline.com/news/business/2017/01/el-native-named-director-of-safety-at-hai/ Back to Top NASA studies cosmic radiation to protect high-altitude travelers NASA scientists studying high-altitude radiation recently published new results on the effects of cosmic radiation in our atmosphere. Their research will help improve real-time radiation monitoring for aviation industry crew and passengers working in potentially higher radiation environments. Imagine you're sitting on an airplane. Cruising through the stratosphere at 36,000 feet, you're well above the clouds and birds, and indeed, much of the atmosphere. But, despite its looks, this region is far from empty. Just above you, high-energy particles, called cosmic rays, are zooming in from outer space. These speedy particles crash wildly into molecules in the atmosphere, causing a chain reaction of particle decays. While we are largely protected from this radiation on the ground, up in the thin atmosphere of the stratosphere, these particles can affect humans and electronics alike. Launched in September 2015 near Fort Sumner, New Mexico, NASA's Radiation Dosimetry Experiment, or RaD-X, used a giant helium-filled balloon to send instruments into the stratosphere to measure cosmic radiation coming from the sun and interstellar space. The results, presented in a special issue of the Space Weather Journal, showcase some of the first measurements of their kind at altitudes from 26,000 to over 120,000 feet above Earth. "The measurements, for the first time, were taken at seven different altitudes, where the physics of dosimetry is very different," said Chris Mertens, principal investigator of the RaD-X mission at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. "By having the measurements at these seven altitudes we're really able to test how well our models capture the physics of cosmic radiation." Cosmic radiation is caused by high-energy particles that continually shower down from space. Most of these energetic particles come from outside the solar system, though the sun is an important source during solar storms. Earth's magnetosphere, which acts as a giant magnetic shield, blocks most of the radiation from ever reaching the planet. Particles with sufficient energy, however, can penetrate both Earth's magnetosphere and atmosphere, where they collide with molecules of nitrogen and oxygen. These collisions cause the high-energy particles to decay into different particles through processes known as nucleonic and electromagnetic cascades. If you could see the particles from the airplane window, you would notice them clustering in a region above the plane. The density of the atmosphere causes the decay to happen predominantly at a height of 60,000 feet, which creates a concentrated layer of radiation particles known as the Pfotzer maximum. Radiation in the atmosphere can be measured in two ways - by how much is present or by how much it can harm biological tissue. The latter is known as the dose equivalent and is the standard for quantifying health risks. This quantity is notoriously hard to measure, as it requires knowing the both the type and energy of the particle that deposited the radiation, not simply how many particles there are. These particles, both the primary high-energy particles and the secondary decay particles, can have adverse health effects on humans. Cosmic radiation breaks down DNA and produces free radicals, which can alter cell functions. The RaD-X mission took high-altitude measurements, few of which previously existed, to better understand how cosmic radiation moves through Earth's atmosphere. Measuring dose equivalent rate over a range of altitudes, they found a steady increase in the rate higher in the atmosphere, a finding seemingly contrary to the concentration of particles at the Pfotzer maximum. This can be explained by the complex interplay of primary and secondary particles at these altitudes, as the primary particles found higher up have a much more damaging effect on tissue than the secondary particles. Because of their time spent in Earth's upper atmosphere, aircrew in the aviation industry are exposed to nearly double the radiation levels of ground-based individuals. Exposure to cosmic radiation is also a concern for crew aboard the International Space Station and future astronauts journeying to Mars, which has a radiation environment similar to Earth's upper atmosphere. Learning how to protect humans from radiation exposure is a key step in future space exploration. The results from RaD-X will be used to improve space weather models, like the Nowcast of Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation for Aviation Safety, or NAIRAS, model, which predicts radiation events. These predictions are used by commercial pilots to know when and where radiation levels are unsafe, allowing rerouting of aircraft in the affected region when necessary. While balloon flights like RaD-X are essential for modelling the radiation environment, they cannot provide real-time radiation monitoring, which NAIRAS requires for forecasting. NASA's Automated Radiation Measurements for Aerospace Safety program works in conjunction with RaD-X to develop and test instruments that can be flown aboard commercial aircraft for real-time monitoring at high altitudes. Currently, an instrument called a TEPC - short for tissue equivalent proportional counter - is the standard instrument for measuring cosmic radiation. This instrument is large, expensive and cannot be commercial built - making it less than ideal for wide-scale distribution. "We need small, compact, solid-state based instruments calibrated against the TEPC that can reliably measure the dose equivalents and can be integrated into aircraft cheaply and compactly," Mertens said. The flight mission tested two new instruments - the RaySure detector and the Teledyne TID detector - in hope that they can be installed on commercial aircraft in the future. These new instruments offer the advantage of being compact and easily produced. During RaD-X mission testing, both instruments were found to be promising candidates for future real-time, in situ monitoring. http://www.spacedaily.com/ Back to Top RESEARCH STUDY Dear Participants, You are being requested to participate in a research study on the use of controlled rest in position. This study is expected to take approximately 5 minutes of your time. In order to participate, you must be at least a student pilot and at least 18 years old. Participation in this study is voluntary, and you may choose to opt out of the study at any time. The study is looking for consumers, student pilots, and airline pilots complete this short questionnaire. We appreciate your consideration and time to complete our study. Please click on or copy and paste the URL below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc2n9UeQunUJMvYPuTegn- t9mjxmxLMGLAX0qblfZmi2apQ8w/viewform For more information, please contact: Dr. Scott Winter swinter@fit.edu We appreciate your interest and participation! Dr. Scott R. Winter, Assistant Professor, Florida Institute of Technology Dr. Stephen Rice, Associate Professor, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 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