Flight Safety Information February 28, 2017 - No. 043 Incident: American B738 near Denver on Feb 27th 2017, severe turbulence Incident: Aeropostal MD82 at Barquisimeto on Feb 27th 2017, engine fire Lightning hits Delta jetliner on approach to Dayton International Airport Laser Attacks Pose 'Real Threat' to Aviation Safety: British Pilots' Association Addressing mental health issues among pilots Flight from Cancun to JFK makes emergency landing at JAX Australian safety bureau probing SIA flight Cardiff-Anglesey flight operator suspended on safety grounds Seattle drone pilot gets jail time as FAA reports increase in possible collisions FAA Cautions about Transponder and ADS-B Testing Second Annual FAA UAS Symposium on for March 27-29 India aviation regulator probes P&W engine issues on Airbus A320 NEOs Aircraft crisis for new Biman routes (Bangladesh) Climate-friendly aircraft routing could cut environmental damage U.S. Navy orders 12 new fighter aircraft from Boeing With aging jets and a shortage of pilots, the Air Force weighs buying throwback 'light-attack' plane Business jet arrivals, departures rise in January (Trump speech fact check) No evidence he achieved cost savings on fighter jet NASA buys two more seats to the International Space Station on Russia's Soyuz rocket SpaceX Could Beat NASA Back to the Moon Incident: American B738 near Denver on Feb 27th 2017, severe turbulence An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N978NN performing flight AA-1296 from San Diego,CA to Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA) with 166 passengers, was enroute at FL370 about 140nm south of Denver,CO (USA) when the crew reported severe turbulence and decided to divert to Denver. The aircraft landed on Denver's runway 26 about 35 minutes later. The aircraft taxied to the apron requesting emergency services to follow them, the crew indicated there were no injuries on board. After arrival at the gate a number of passengers requested medical attention, mainly for motion sickness, following checks the paramedics reported no injuries. More than an hour after landing two passengers changed their mind and were taken to a hospital. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 4 hours, then continued the flight and reached Chicago with a delay of 4 hours. Denver International Airport reported, two passengers were taken to a hospital. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL1296/history/20170227/2230Z/KSAN/KORD http://avherald.com/h?article=4a58e289&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Aeropostal MD82 at Barquisimeto on Feb 27th 2017, engine fire An Aeropostal McDonnell Douglas MD-82, registration YV2957 performing flight VH-150 from Caracas to Barquisimeto (Venezuela), was on approach to Barquisimeto when the crew received a right hand engine (JT8D) fire indication. The aircraft continued for a safe landing, tower confirmed smoke from the engine, the aircraft stopped on the runway and was evacuated via slides. Emergency services foamed the right hand engine. There were no injuries. The right hand engine (Photo: I-SAR Venezuela): http://avherald.com/h?article=4a58e8fd&opt=0 Back to Top Lightning hits Delta jetliner on approach to Dayton International Airport This Delta jet was hit by lightning and this photo shows a blackened area of the tail section where the airliner was believed to have been hit. (Courtesy/John DiPietro) DAYTON -- A Delta Air Lines jetliner was hit by lightning on its approach to Dayton from Atlanta on Tuesday morning and landed safely, a spokesman with the airline confirmed. "I can confirm Delta flight 1521 from Dayton to Atlanta was delayed following a lightning strike of the inbound aircraft," Michael Thomas, corporate communications, said Tuesday evening in an email. "Delta sent another aircraft to Dayton to accommodate those customers," Thomas said in the email. A caller to WHIO-TV sent a photo of apparent damage done to the tail section of the jet that was struck by lightning. That photo appears with this report. The flight, scheduled to leave Dayton at 10:25 a.m. for the return trip to Atlanta, left at 4:33 p.m. and landed there at 5:58 p.m. http://www.whio.com/news/local/lightning-hits-delta-jetliner-approach-dayton- international-airport/gy5SiObkb751lpSKz9dxMI/ Back to Top Laser Attacks Pose 'Real Threat' to Aviation Safety: British Pilots' Association The number of laser attacks on aircraft is still "dangerously high," although incidents are down slightly from 2015, said the British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA). BALPA was commenting on data released this week from the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which revealed there were 1,258 laser attacks on aircraft reported in 2016. Having a hard time growing your agency? Not with Smart Choice! Benefit from no start-up fees, no lengthy contracts, bonus and contingency sharing, low volume commitments, and the some of the best rated carriers in the industry. Start today - join now! At more than three incidents a day on average, "this is still a real threat to aviation safety," the pilots' association said. Heathrow remains the airport experiencing the highest level of attacks at 151 incidents - up from 121 in 2015, BALPA said, noting that Birmingham and Manchester airports also continued to experience high numbers of attacks, and incidents at Glasgow have almost doubled from 2015. "Shining a laser at aircraft is incredibly dangerous and a real threat to flight safety," said Steve Landells, BALPA flight safety specialist, in a statement. "The power of these devices is increasing and we're concerned that, if left to escalate without significant intervention, we could see a serious incident happen in the near future." Although last year's incidents were down from 2015 - possibly the result of BALPA's campaigning - Landells said that pilots are "concerned that at more than three reports a day this figure is still dangerously high." "We're also concerned that under-reporting of incidents could mean that we don't have a true idea of the scale of the problem," he added. "We've been campaigning for tougher punishments for offenders for many years and so are encouraged by the recognition of this problem in the new Vehicle Technology and Aviation bill, which proposes to increase the powers of the courts to allow them to impose prison sentences on those putting lives at risk by shining a laser at an aircraft," Landells emphasized. "BALPA wants to see these people stopped before they commit this reckless act and we hope that the bill will give police and authorities the powers to ensure they don't happen in the first place." http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2017/02/28/443020.htm Back to Top Addressing mental health issues among pilots Hundreds of commercial airline pilots currently flying may be clinically depressed, a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has found. The new findings, published a year and a half after the tragic Germanwings crash, signal the need to tackle stigma and better support pilots dealing with mental health issues. When it comes to concerns such as depression, suicidal tendencies and other similar mental health struggles, a culture of stigma often prevents sufferers from coming forward, voicing their distress and seeking the necessary support. Clinical depression is particularly prevalent in people working in high-stress occupations, such as the military, emergency medical services and the police force - or as commercial pilots. A new study conducted by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health last year revealed that a significant number of airline pilots suffer from depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. The study is the first to describe airline pilot mental health - with a focus on depression and suicidal thoughts - outside of the information derived from aircraft accident investigations, regulated health examinations, or identifiable self-reports. After surveying almost 1,850 anonymously reporting airline pilots on their mental health, it found that 12.6% of them met the depression threshold, while a further 4.1% reported having suicidal thoughts. Globally, depression is a common mental disorder that affects more than 300 million people, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) states that in the US, 6.7% of the US adult population will be affected by clinical depression, making it one of the leading causes of disability for those between the ages of 15 and 45. Germanwings crash: a tragic wake-up call for the industry This sensitive issue was brought to the forefront of the aviation industry, and indeed the whole world, in the aftermath of the tragic Germanwings crash almost two years ago. On 24 March 2015, Germanwings flight 9525 was deliberately crashed into the French Alps by co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, killing all 150 passengers on board. Investigations into the incident revealed that Lubitz was suffering from depression and had previously been treated for suicidal tendencies and declared unfit for work. Although the tragedy sparked urgent action from aviation authorities across the world regarding safety regulations, the delicate issue of pilots' mental health continues to be veiled in stigma. Despite recent efforts from the authorities, barriers to the full disclosure of mental health problems remain entrenched in the industry, while a robust support network is still absent. "Our goal was to provide information on the prevalence of mental health issues in pilots around the world to assist those groups that are working on identifying ways to improve the current system," says Joseph Allen, assistant professor at Harvard's Department of Environmental Health and senior author of the study. "We should be seen as a first screening to identify what the extent is of pilots who suffer from mental health issues." Lifting the veil on mental health Harvard's research into aviation health and the airplane cabin environment stretches back to over 10 years ago, when the university's environmental health department was listed as a centre of excellence by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). "We have done many studies on air quality and noise in airplanes; we've looked at passenger comfort and flight attendant health," Allen says. "But up until now we haven't really been able to 'get into the cockpit', so to speak, and look at environmental factors and health related to the pilots." The cross-sectional study was based on an anonymous web-based survey organised between April and December 2015, and a total of 3,500 pilots took part in the general health questionnaire. The questions were formulated in such a way that a focus on mental health was not obvious. "We need to do more to remove the stigma surrounding mental illness." Out of the 1,850 respondents who gave answers relating to their mental state, 233 met the criteria for likely depression and 75 reported having suicidal thoughts within the previous two weeks. A greater proportion of male pilots than female pilots reported that they had experiences "nearly every day" of loss of interest, feeling like a failure, trouble concentrating, and thinking they would be better off dead. The study also found that depression was more likely among pilots who used higher levels of sleep aid medication and those who were experiencing sexual or verbal harassment. "It's really important to note that flying is the safest form of transportation and thinking of the Germanwings crash specifically, that pilot was not just suicidal, he was homicidal," Allen says. "And that is a critical distinction. "We recognised the reluctance of pilots to participate in research studies due to the fact that it can interfere with their occupation. There's a stigma around mental health and this is for pilots and everybody else. "Studying mental health in pilots raises that additional and understandable concern that by participating in the study, they could be declared not fit to fly, or somehow this information could be released and could adversely impact their employment," he adds. Pervasive stigma in the industry In the US, the FAA sets requirements for aeromedical examiners to evaluate the fitness of pilots. While each pilot is subject to a general health evaluation once or twice a year, depending on their age, mental health disorders can only be recorded through self-disclosure to an aviation medical examiner (AME) during one of these meetings. cockpit dashboard The FAA specifies that "certain medical conditions such as a psychosis, bipolar disorder and severe personality disorder automatically disqualify a pilot and prohibit them from flying." Official guidelines encourage the examiner to pick up on cues such as the appearance, behaviour, mood and communication skills of the pilot during their general health exam. "Most people would be surprised to know that the way pilot mental health is assessed in the US and other parts of the world too, is done through self-disclosure through their annual check-up," Allen says. "Self-reporting can be OK if - and this is critical - it is safe, confidential and non- stigmatised. So there again are obvious barriers to pilots fully disclosing they have a mental health issue if they are concerned that by self-reporting, it would impact their career." Addressing recommendations from an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) in June 2015, FAA administrator Michael Huerta acknowledged these challenges, saying: "We need to do more to remove the stigma surrounding mental illness in the aviation industry so pilots are more likely to self-report, get treated, and return to work." Efforts to create a new web of support Some of the recommendations ARC released in its 2015 report included enhanced AME training, with a particular focus on mental health concerns; developing pilot assistance programmes and education programmes in collaboration with air carriers; and raising awareness among pilots about available support groups. In Europe, authorities have also been looking at ways to strengthen pilot screening and improve the assessment of pilots' mental health since the Germanwings crash. This year, the European Commission is expected to propose legislation that will require airlines to run checks on mental health and ensure those struggling have support programmes to fall back on. "I think it's incumbent on everyone involved in aviation safety to address the issue of mental health of pilots," Allen says. "This includes the regulators, it includes the airlines, the pilots and the aviation medical examiners. "I'm encouraged by what I see as efforts by all of those groups to ask tough questions about how we're currently managing or assessing mental health in pilots and working to come up with solutions for enhanced training, enhanced pilot support programmes. "I want to be clear that flying is the safest form of transportation," he adds. "I think what we are seeing here is that there's an opportunity to do better in terms of pilot mental health." http://www.airport-technology.com/features/featureaddressing-mental-health-issues- among-pilots-5751138/ Back to Top Flight from Cancun to JFK makes emergency landing at JAX Hydraulics issue forced American Airlines unscheduled stop JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - An American Airlines flight from Cancun to JFK in New York was diverted to Jacksonville International Airport on Tuesday morning because of an issue with the plane's hydraulics. American Airlines flight 1139 landed safely at JAX at 9:43 a.m. The flight included 154 passengers and six crew, according to American Airlines. The Boeing 737 was in the air for one hour and forty-five minutes before landing in Jacksonville. The plane has been towed to gate C5, where engineers will need to inspect the plane. American Airlines sent a replacement aircraft from Miami. The passengers must go through a Customs screening at JAX before they can board the new aircraft for the continuation of their flight to New York. http://www.news4jax.com/news/flight-from-cancun-to-jfk-makes-emergency-stop-at-jax Back to Top Australian safety bureau probing SIA flight The Australian air safety authority has launched a probe into an incident involving a Singapore Airlines (SIA) aircraft. Flight SQ291 was approaching Canberra Airport on Feb 22 when the pilot brought the Boeing 777 below the stipulated lowest safe altitude. The incident happened about 20km from the airport. While there were no injuries and the plane was not damaged, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) was alerted to the incident and is investigating, a spokesman told The Straits Times. SIA confirmed that it has been approached by the authority. The Australian authority is expected to complete its probe into the SIA incident and issue a report by June. "We are extending our full cooperation on this incident," said SIA spokesman Nicholas Ionides. It is unclear how the lapse occurred and whether it was detected by the cockpit crew themselves or by air traffic controllers. Neither the authority nor airline would shed more light on the matter, citing ongoing investigations. For all flights, pilots have to ensure that the aircraft does not fly below the stipulated lowest safety altitude. This is to keep the plane at a safe height above an obstacle or terrain during landing approaches, said qualified pilot and founder of Revion (flight) Ground School, Toh Youhao. The actual altitude depends on flight rules set by different air traffic regulators and also the highest obstacle or terrain along the flight path. Typically, it is at least 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle. The safety buffer is critical as it allows for errors in the air by including an additional area that a pilot might stray into, experts noted. Mr Toh said: "It is the job of the pilots to find out what the lowest safety altitude is. "The information is provided in the pre-flight package and also available in flight charts that pilots can access." The Australian authority is expected to complete its probe into the SIA incident and issue a report by June. The report will likely detail the circumstances that led to the incident and point out lapses that should be rectified The ATSB gets thousands of reports each year but investigates only those that are deemed more serious. It is currently probing 112 aviation incidents. http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/australian-safety-bureau-probing-sia-flight Back to Top Cardiff-Anglesey flight operator suspended on safety grounds An aircraft operated by Van Air An airline which operated flights between Cardiff and Anglesey has been grounded for safety reasons. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has suspended Czech-registered Van Air's permission to fly in the UK following an incident on the Isle of Man during Storm Doris on 23 February. The Wales north-south air link began in 2007 and receives around £1m of Welsh Government subsidy every year. Danish operator North Flying Airport Service will now operate the service. The CAA said passengers can still book flights as normal. A CAA spokesman said the incident last Thursday is being investigated by the Czech civil aviation authorities, which regulates Van Air. "The safety of the travelling public is always our number one priority and we remain in contact with the relevant parties," he said. This is the second time an operator of the Wales north-south air link has been grounded for safety reasons. In 2015, the CAA revoked the air operators licence of Links Air. A Welsh Government spokesman said: "Van Air has sub-contracted Danish operator North Flying for the short-term operation of the route, allowing the service to continue to run as normal. "The CAA is aware of this arrangement and has raised no issues with the Welsh Government." http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-39119245 Back to Top Seattle drone pilot gets jail time as FAA reports increase in possible collisions Drone over water (Credit: DJI) A Seattle man was sentenced to 30 days in jail on Friday after a drone he was operating injured two people during the city's 2015 Pride Parade. Paul M. Skinner was found guilty of reckless endangerment in the incident, which left one woman unconscious. It was the first time the City of Seattle had charged somebody over the use of a drone in public space, but it likely won't be the last. Drone usage is increasing steadily, and according to a new FAA report, so is the number of possible accidents. During the last fiscal year, the FAA was notified more than 1,200 times about possible collisions with drones and aircraft, That's up from 874 reports in 2015. Washington state alone saw 19 incidents between July and September. In August last year, firefighters battling a blaze in Washington's Olympic National Park had to stop air support for an entire day due to a drone. In July, a small plane had to make an evasive maneuver to avoid a drone near the Space Needle. That's separate from the incident where a drone crashed into the Space Needle last month. There have also been several unconfirmed reports of a drone striking an aircraft, including an incident last August in San Jose, Calif., where a Cessna pilot reported damage to his plane. Operating drones around airplanes and helicopters is dangerous and illegal. While the FAA has been unable to confirm any strikes, they have reported several near misses. In March last year, a Lufthansa jet approaching Los Angeles reported that a drone passed within 200 feet of the aircraft. If a collision between a drone and aircraft is confirmed, that could deal a setback for Amazon and other companies that are seeking to use drones for deliveries. The FAA is currently considering regulations for flying drones beyond an operator's line of sight, which is regarded as a requirement for drone deliveries. To head off collisions, companies such as Microsoft and Airbus are looking at ways to improve safety in the skies. Last week, Microsoft's venture arm led a funding round for the startup AirMap, which builds a map of real-time airspace for drone pilots. Meanwhile, the FAA said they will continue to ramp up their efforts to combat illegal drone usage. "Safely integrating unmanned aircraft into the national airspace system is one of the FAA's top priorities, and the agency wants to send a clear message that operating drones around airplanes and helicopters is dangerous and illegal," the FAA said in a post about the report. "Unauthorized operators may be subject to stiff fines and criminal charges, including possible jail time." Seattle city officials also crack down on drone operators who cross the line into illegality. After Friday's sentencing, which is likely to be appealed, City Attorney Pete Holmes told The Seattle Times he was proud of the results of the case. "Operators should know that we will continue to go after them when they disregard public safety," Holmes said. http://www.geekwire.com/2017/seattle-drone-pilot-gets-jail-time-faa-reports-increase- possible-collisions/ Back to Top FAA Cautions about Transponder and ADS-B Testing Incidents of improper ground testing of transponder and ADS-B OUT equipment have resulted in false position information, including simulated altitude, being transmitted from the test aircraft and received by aircraft in flight. As a result of these reports, the FAA has issued a Safety Alert For Operators to advise them of the problem and recommend solutions. According to the FAA, in at least one instance, an ADS-B OUT system ground test created a false airborne target that generated a TCAS resolution advisory (RA) to an airliner on approach. "Pilot reaction to this RA required unnecessary maneuvering in congested airspace and initiated ATC re-sequencing actions that affected multiple aircraft and negatively impacted operations in the area for about 30 minutes." The FAA advises repair stations and maintenance personnel performing transponder and ADS-B systems testing to evaluate the adequacy of their methods and adhere to proper test procedures, including antenna shielding, to prevent propagation of test signals that could affect ATC operations or airborne aircraft. Theagency also recommends that maintenance personnel be aware of any local requirements to alert ATC of impending testing and review guidance contained in relevant advisory circulars. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2017-02-27/faa-cautions-about- transponder-and-ads-b-testing Back to Top Second Annual FAA UAS Symposium on for March 27-29 Event will focus on integrating drones into National Airspace System WASHINGTON--The Federal Aviation Administration and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International will co-host the 2nd Annual FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Symposium March 27-29, 2017 in Reston, Va. The gathering will focus on the potential for UAS and what it takes to get to full integration into the National Airspace System. Attendees will hear directly from senior FAA officials about the UAS regulatory environment and will have an opportunity to talk face- to-face with FAA experts about the operational challenges facing UAS pilots today. Speaker and workshop sessions will cover topics such as options for operating in the NAS, the future of airspace authorization, and how to address challenges around traffic management, infrastructure and security. Building on the 2016 event, this year's has been expanded to three days and will include a Resource Center staffed by subject matter experts versed on everything from waivers and certifications to policies and regulations. More information also is available at the event website. http://www.tvtechnology.com/news/0002/second-annual-faa-uas-symposium-on-for- march-2729/280444 Back to Top India aviation regulator probes P&W engine issues on Airbus A320 NEOs New Delhi: First Airbus 320 neo plane receiving a water cannon salute at Avionics Complex, Air India hanger IGI in New Delhi. Air India inducted the first Airbus 320 neo plane, touted as fuel efficient, into its fleet and plans to take 13 more such aircraft on lease this year.(PTI) India's aviation regulator said it is investigating issues that have arisen with the Pratt and Whitney engines in Airbus Group's A-320 NEO narrow-body jets brought into service over the past year by two local carriers. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said late on Tuesday at least two incidents involving A320 NEO planes fitted with the engines flown by IndiGo - owned by InterGlobe Aviation and privately-held GoAir - were under investigation. Airbus began rolling out the A320 NEOs in January 2016 and it has so far delivered about 70 to customers worldwide. The model accounts for only a small part of the IndiGo and GoAir fleets, but numbers are set to grow rapidly with IndiGo having over 400 of the jets on order and GoAir set to add over 100. Two GoAir A320 NEOs made emergency landings following technical issues last month, and in January an IndiGo flight was aborted after one of its engines developed a fault while accelerating for take-off. Both incidents were widely reported in local media. A spokeswoman for Pratt & Whitney, which is part of United Technologies Corp , said in an e-mail the engine maker was supporting GoAir and IndiGo in assessing the situation and minimizing any disruption. "We are working closely with our customers and our suppliers in order to address and resolve these issues quickly," she said. IndiGo and GoAir were not immediately reachable for comment. A DGCA official told Reuters the problems with the engines are a "high-level issue that it's very concerned about." Another official separately stated the regulator has a "senior committee looking into the engine issues." The DGCA has ordered the airlines to carry out inspections of the engines once they complete 1,000 hours, instead of 1,500 hours as recommended by Pratt & Whitney. It has also mandated repeat inspections every 500 hours thereafter. It has also ordered the airlines not to fly the aircraft if metal chip particles are detected in the jet's engine oil - one of the common issues the engines have faced. One industry source told Reuters Pratt & Whitney had earlier advised the airlines that they could still fly the engine for up to 10 hours after such particles had been detected. The DGCA said the 10 hour provision has been revoked. http://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/india-aviation-regulator-probes-p-w- engine-issues-on-airbus-a320-neos/story-yVH0GqJBojz2hSPjoH16JK.html Back to Top Aircraft crisis for new Biman routes (Bangladesh) Biman has 'floated tender to lease two Boeing 737 800 aircraft' for the newly launched routes COURTESY If Biman wants to launch its flight on more routes with these aircraft, regular flight schedule might hit a snag Biman Bangladesh Airlines failed to start flights on five new routes in the wake of aircraft shortage. Sources said in April last year, the national flag carrier planned to launch its operation on the new routes - Dhaka-Guangzhou, Dhaka-Colombo-Male, Dhaka-Delhi and Dhaka-Hong Kong after conducting a feasibility study. Biman had 14 aircraft in its fleet, but most of the time the leased two aircraft - Boeing 777 200 ERs - were grounded due to poor engine conditions. The Engineering Department tries to make one aircraft airworthy, replacing equipment from one another. Biman took the two aircraft on lease from Egypt to operate Dhaka-New York flight in 2014. After induction of the two aircraft, Biman could not make flight on the route due to poor engine conditions. Recently, it phased out Airbus 310 which was a major setback of the airlines. Sources said now the airliner operates on seven domestic and 15 international flights with 12 aircraft. If Biman wants to launch its flight on more routes with these aircraft, regular flight schedule might hit a snag, said an official. Shakil Meraj, general manager and spokesperson of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, told the Dhaka Tribune that the management has already floated a tender to lease two Boeing 737 800 aircraft. After completing all procedures, Biman will be able to fly on those routes next summer (Usually Summer schedule begins on March 28) A team of Biman Bangladesh Airlines is scheduled to go abroad in March to inspect aircraft condition before going for any further lease. Mentioning previous experience, an official of Planning Division said Biman had not been able to lease any aircraft on time due to long process of the airlines. Moreover, in many cases, lessee airliners cannot put trust in the national carrier due to their previous bitter experience with Biman. "We cannot say the airliner must complete all the procedures by March before commencement of new route operation," added the official. Though the management is planning to begin new routes, the preparation is not adequate. Seeking anonymity, another official of Marketing Department said Biman needs to start selling functions at least two months before commencement of the new routes, but everything delays due to lack of decision which will come from the Biman board of directors. http://www.dhakatribune.com/business/2017/02/28/aircraft-crisis-new-biman-routes/ Back to Top Climate-friendly aircraft routing could cut environmental damage Photograph of an Airbus A380 Changing direction: rerouting could reduce environmental impact Rerouting transatlantic flights to follow the most climate-friendly path could damage the climate 10% less for an increase in costs of just 1%. That's according to a team from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and the UK. "An attractive aspect of our approach is that it potentially enables some mitigation of aviation's climate impact...using the current aircraft fleet," Volker Grewe of the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Germany, and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, explains. "Some mitigation options involve changes in aircraft or engine design, which would take decades to implement given the slow - and expensive - turnover of the global fleet." Volker and colleagues modelled routings for 800 daily flights across the Atlantic under five typical winter weather patterns and three typical summer patterns. The team combined the EMAC chemistry-climate model with an air-traffic simulator, choosing 85 variations for each flight path - 17 horizontal and five vertical. Then they picked the most "eco- efficient", which is the path with the best ratio of climate-impact reduction to cost increase. Multiple impacts Aircraft have an impact on the climate by emitting carbon dioxide, water vapour, nitrogen oxide and particulates. These alter the concentration of the greenhouse gases ozone and methane, and also form contrails. Where and how high the plane is, as well as the time of day and season, all alter the size of its climate effect. "It is now well established that - unlike the climate effects of CO2 - the non-CO2 climate effects such as contrail formation depend sensitively on when and where the aircraft emissions occur," says Grewe, "and these sensitive regions vary in location and importance from day to day, as they are strongly influenced by the prevailing weather patterns." Contrails, for example, form if the hot, moist exhaust from the jet engine becomes saturated with respect to water when it mixes with the air in the atmosphere. And the trails only persist if the ambient air is saturated with respect to ice. Contrails affect both incoming radiation from the Sun and the exit to space of infrared radiation emitted by Earth and its atmosphere. On average, the trails cause warming, but close to sunrise and sunset they can result in cooling. Ozone and methane In general, aircraft emissions tend to boost the amount of ozone and decrease methane concentrations, with the warming from the extra ozone outweighing the cooling from the reduction in methane. But this varies a lot locally, and in some regions the emitted nitrogen oxides cause cooling. "Put simply, if we can avoid those regions in the atmosphere where the non-CO2 emissions have the largest climate effect, we can reduce the climate impact significantly," says Grewe. "Our modelling study showed that a large reduction of aviation's climate impact is feasible at relatively low costs." Rerouting flights could cut their climate harm but may increase fuel and staff costs. Cost- efficient reductions in climate impact mostly resulted from avoiding the formation of warming contrails or from producing cooling contrails, Grewe and his colleagues found. Close collaboration Investigating such mitigation options requires close collaboration between atmospheric scientists and disciplines like air-traffic management, Grewe says. He believes all sectors must play a role in meeting the internationally agreed 2 °C target for the total climate effect of human activity. "This is particularly challenging for the aviation sector, given the predictions of its continued growth over coming decades," he says. "Hence, we need a combination of various mitigation options - technological, such as cleaner and more efficient engines, and operational, i.e. more eco-efficient routes. To make this happen, a political framework is required, which aims at limiting aviation impacts. It might be on an international or regional basis." Airlines would in all likelihood need regulations or a market incentive such as a price on climate impact to carry out such climate-friendly routing. While the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has decided to implement the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), non-carbon-dioxide effects are still not considered in political decisions to limit the climate effect of aviation, Grewe says. Reliable forecasts "Implementing our proposed approach...is likely to be at least 5-10 years in the future - it should be considered 'exploratory' at present," he adds. "We have to convince all stakeholders that the approach is worthwhile and feasible in practice, and that the costs associated with it are proportionate. And because the location of the climate-sensitive regions varies markedly from day to day, we also need to clearly establish that we can reliably forecast these areas sufficiently far in advance, so that re-routing aircraft to avoid them can be done with confidence." Now the scientists, who included a road map in their paper in Environmental Research Letters (ERL), are looking for more funding. They are also participating in ATM4E, a European project investigating whether it's possible to avoid climate-sensitive regions in areas with high traffic density, as well as how the approach can be made operational, included in a weather forecast system, and verified. http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2017/feb/28/climate-friendly-aircraft-routing- could-cut-environmental-damage Back to Top U.S. Navy orders 12 new fighter aircraft from Boeing Boeing's contract with the U.S. Navy includes seven EA-18G aircraft and five F/A-18E fighters. Pictured, a Sailor directs an EA-18G Growler on the flight deck of the USS Nimitz. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Cody M. Deccio Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Boeing received a $678.6 million contract to provide seven Lot 40 EA- 18G Growlers and five F/A-18E Super Hornet fighters for the U.S. Navy. In addition to the aircraft, the contract also includes associated airborne electronic attack kits, which support the Growler's communication jamming capabilities. The U.S. Department of Defense says work on the contract will be performed at various locations including El Segundo, Calif.; St. Louis, Mo.; Bethpage, N.Y., and others. The work is expected to be complete by February 2019. Boeing received all funding from Fiscal 2016 procurement funds at the time of the contract award. The Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting activity. The F/A-18E Super Hornet is a twin-engine multirole fighter produced as a redesign of the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. It is approximately 20 percent larger than its predecessor, and features an aerial refueling system. The EA-18G Growler is a Super Hornet modified to perform electronic attack missions. http://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2017/02/28/US-Navy-orders-12-new-fighter-aircraft- from-Boeing/7161488287399/ Back to Top With aging jets and a shortage of pilots, the Air Force weighs buying throwback 'light-attack' planes The Air Force is considering propeller-driven planes like this one in its battle against the Islamic State. The U.S. Air Force is facing a potentially protracted air war against the Islamic State. Aging fighter jets and a shrinking pilot corps is forcing the Air Force to look at using "light- attack" propeller planes. (Dan Lamothe, Jason Aldag/The Washington Post) The U.S. Air Force, faced with a potentially protracted war against the Islamic State, aging fighter jets and a shrinking force of pilots, is examining the adoption of a new fleet of "light-attack" planes that are both a throwback to earlier U.S. operations and a current staple of militaries in South America and the Middle East. The aircraft would be able to carry out airstrikes against the Islamic State and other militants for less money than the F-16 Fighting Falcon or the F/A-18 Super Hornet. Options available could include Embraer's A-29 Super Tucano propeller plane, which the United States has delivered to Afghanistan and other allies, and Beechcraft's AT-6, a version of which the U.S. military already uses in pilot training. [The Air Force fighter pilot shortage is already a crisis - and it could soon get worse] Air Force generals have discussed the proposal several times in recent weeks, saying that the planes could supplement existing aircraft, including drones, in regions where there is no enemy capable of shooting down U.S. planes. Gen. David L. Goldfein, the service's top officer, said the proposal is part of an ongoing dialogue that dates back years and could soon include an experiment in which private companies demonstrate what the planes can do. "I'm not interested in something that requires a lot of research and development here," Goldfein said during a recent appearance at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "I'm looking for something that I can get at right now, commercial, off the shelf, low-cost, that can operate in an uncontested environment, that can deliver the capabilities that we need, that can also be something that perhaps our allies and partners that are in this fight with us" use. Goldfein added: "If you assume this fight will be going on for a little bit of time, there is room and time for us to get after this." Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein addresses commanders at the Eaker Center for Professional Development on Feb. 2. (Melanie Rodgers Cox/Air Force) The experiment will follow related efforts in Iraq and the United States. In the most recent, U.S. Central Command deployed two Vietnam-era, twin-engine OV-10G Broncos on loan from NASA to Iraq in 2015, flying them in missions against the Islamic State to assess how light-attack planes might help in the air war. The experiment was described by Navy Capt. Andy Walton in an article last year in Proceedings Magazine, a publication of the U.S. Naval Institute. He detailed one mission over Iraq in an OV-10G in which he and a colleague observed militants for hours as they traveled down the Tigris River in canoes, and then fired on them with laser-guided rockets. The use of the planes was the latest step in a program called Combat Dragon II, which dates back nearly a decade and involves Special Operations Command. Goldfein cited it recently, noting that some testing was carried out when he was the commander of Air Forces Central Command from August 2011 to July 2013. One of his bosses at the time was Marine Gen. Jim Mattis, now defense secretary, who supported the program as chief of U.S. Central Command. The Air Force published a paper in 2008 that identified the need for a plane that could carry out both attacks and aerial observation. It called the plane "OA-X" and said continued reliance on other aircraft, ranging from the B-1 bomber to the F-16, at "rates that are much higher than planned and programmed" would wear them out. An OV-10 owned by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, bottom, flies in formation. (Photo released by NASA) An OV-10 owned by NASA, bottom, flies in formation. (NASA) The Air Force, the paper said, "faces a critical gap in its ability to conduct air support for extended periods in the Long War," a reference to counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations worldwide. It recommended that the aircraft should have an armored protection for the crew and engine, missile warnings and countermeasures, among other features. Air Force officials estimate that the cost of flying a propeller plane like the A-29 or AT-6 would be a few thousand dollars per hour. In comparison, it costs about $18,000 per hour to fly the A-10 attack jet. Other hourly costs are: $19,000 for the F-16; $24,000 for the F-15E; $42,000 for the F-35A; $44,000 for the AC-130J; $62,000 for the F-22A; $63,000 for the B-52; $77,000 for the B-1B; and $120,000 for the B-2, according to service statistics. The light-attack effort has new momentum in part because one of its chief critics in Congress, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has shifted his opinion on the U.S. military experimenting with the aircraft. In 2011, he criticized research the Navy wanted to do for Combat Dragon as unnecessary because of the existence of the A-10, the slow-moving jet that has long carried out close- air support for U.S. troops in combat. At the time, light-attack planes were seen as a potential replacement for at least some A-10s, which McCain has long championed. However, the service, which once said it would retire all 283 snub-nose "Warthogs" to save an estimated $4.2 billion, now plans to keep them because of their utility in the fight against the Islamic State. McCain said in a recent report titled "Restoring American Power" that the Air Force should not only keep its A-10s but also buy 300 "low-cost, light- attack fighters that would require minimal work to develop." The planes could carry out counterterrorism operations, perform close-air support and help to season pilots as the Air Force addresses its pilot shortfall, the report said. The shortfall has become an increasing problem as pilots leave the military at a rate that Goldfein and then-Air Force Secretary Deborah James declared a crisis last summer. Data released to The Washington Post showed there were about 723 fighter pilot vacancies in the service among 3,495 jobs, leaving 21 percent unfilled. The Air Force has attributed the shortage to recruiting by the commercial airline industry; frequent deployments keeping pilots away from their families; and a reduction in stateside training amid budget constraints. It says it sees the new light-attack plane as an inexpensive way to get entry-level military pilots into planes as quickly as possible. "When they end their commitment at the end of 10 years, we're losing a lot of them to the airlines," said an Air Force official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive personnel matter. "Just to keep up ... you have to match that exit every year in the production and seasoning of pilots. You've got to have cockpits for those pilots to go to to get that experience and seasoning after you do initial training." https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2017/02/28/with-aging-jets-and- a-shortage-of-pilots-the-air-force-weighs-buying-throwback-light-attack- planes/?utm_term=.3938246d8384 Back to Top Business jet arrivals, departures rise in January Textron Aviation's Cessna Citation XLS+ was the third most-used business jet domestically between February 2016 and January 2017, according to the Federal Aviation Administration's monthly Business Jet Report. Mike Fizer/Textron Aviation Courtesy photo The Federal Aviation Administration's latest report on business jet operations showed improvement in January 2017. The monthly Business Jet Report said domestic operations - arrivals and departures - increased 2.57 percent year over year while international fell 3.36 percent. Total worldwide business jet operations increased 1.57 percent year over year. During the period, three of the top 5 most utilized jets were the Cessna Citation Excel, XLS+, Hawker 800 and Beechcraft Beechjet, the report said. http://www.kansas.com/news/business/aviation/article135431874.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top (Trump speech fact check) No evidence he achieved cost savings on fighter jet TRUMP: "We've saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the price'' of the F-35 jet fighter. THE FACTS: The cost savings he persists in bragging about were secured in full or large part before he became president. The head of the air force program announced significant price reductions in the contract for the Lockheed F-35 fighter jet December 19 _ after Trump had tweeted about the cost but weeks before he met the company's CEO about it. Pentagon managers took action even before the election to save money on the contract. Richard Aboulafia, an analyst with the aerospace consulting firm Teal Group, said there is no evidence of any additional cost savings as a result of Trump's actions. -AP http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news.php?id=85552 Back to Top NASA buys two more seats to the International Space Station on Russia's Soyuz rocket Delays at SpaceX and Boeing have left the agency without options NASA has agreed to fly at least two more astronauts on upcoming Russian Soyuz missions to the International Space Station, the space agency announced in a press release. The news comes in the wake of delays to NASA's Commercial Crew Program, an initiative where two American companies - SpaceX and Boeing - are being paid to create spacecraft that can ferry astronauts to the ISS. Those flights were originally supposed to happen this year, but are now estimated to take place no earlier than 2019. The additional seats are being worked into an existing contract with Boeing, which helps operate the ISS. The agreement extension covers two seats on Soyuz flights this year and next year, and includes options for seats on three Soyuz flights in 2019. Boeing acquired theses seats from Russian aerospace company RSC Energia, and has been trying to sell them to NASA since January. The total cost of all five seats is $373.5 million, or $74.7 million per seat - a touch short of the $81.7 million NASA has been paying Roscosmos. FLIGHTS WITH SPACEX AND BOEING SHOULD BE CHEAPER THAN RUSSIA - WHEN THEY HAPPEN The US hasn't had the capability to send its own astronauts to space (or bring them back) since the Space Shuttle program was discontinued in 2011. Private US spaceflight companies were growing at a rapid pace then, so NASA decided to fund these companies so they could become a sort of space taxi service for American astronauts. The Commercial Crew Program was intended to give NASA a cheaper alternative to Russia, but the program has been hampered by delays and cost issues. The space agency is also planning to fly astronauts on its own Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS) maybe as early as 2019, but that program has also been delayed. In 2015, NASA spent $490 million on six more Soyuz seats as a hedge against the possibility that the SpaceX and Boeing spacecraft wouldn't be ready in time. Seats on the Soyuz are typically sorted out three years in advance when dealing directly with Roscosmos. (NASA was able to book the two new seats with less time since they had already been accounted for when they were bought by RSC Energia.) It was a prescient move because Boeing delayed - twice - the first crewed flight of its spacecraft, Starliner, in 2016. And SpaceX followed suit at the end of the year, saying in December that the human-rated version of its Dragon spacecraft wouldn't fly with a crew until at least 2018. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME NASA HAS EXTENDED THE CONTRACT WITH RUSSIA Two weeks ago, the Government Accountability Office - a federal agency that performs audits for Congress - released a report that estimated SpaceX and Boeing won't be ready to fly humans to space until 2019. The GAO cited concerns about a particular defect in SpaceX's engine turbines, as well as Boeing's reliance on Russian rocket engines as some of the reasons. NASA addressed the GAO report implicitly in the press release about the contract extension with Russia. "NASA's Commercial crew transportation providers Boeing and SpaceX have made significant progress toward returning crew launches to the US, but external review groups have recommended an option to protect for delays or problems in certification," the agency wrote. The contract extension with Russia was actually announced a week ago, and it was first spotted by SpaceNews, which points out the curious nature of how NASA quietly published the news. The agency is currently in a transitional phase as it waits for President Donald Trump to name a new NASA administrator. NASA IS WAITING FOR TRUMP TO NAME A NEW ADMINISTRATOR Robert Lightfoot, who is serving as acting administrator, recently sent a memo to NASA employees explaining his interest in accelerating NASA's plans for human spaceflight. He asked for NASA and Lockheed Martin, which makes Orion and SLS, to evaluate whether it would be possible to put a crew on the first flight of that spaceship / rocket combination in 2018 instead of 2021. It's a bold idea for a space agency that is known for caution, but it aligns with what we know the Trump administration wants out of NASA: an increased emphasis on human spaceflight and space exploration in general. "President Trump said in his inaugural address that we will 'unlock the mysteries of space,'" Lightfoot wrote. "The SLS and Orion missions, coupled with those promised from record levels of private investment in space, will help put NASA and America in a position to unlock those mysteries and to ensure this nation's world preeminence in exploring the cosmos." http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/28/14761058/nasa-russia-spacex-soyuz-seats- contract-space-station-iss Back to Top SpaceX Could Beat NASA Back to the Moon SpaceX's plan to fly two private citizens around the moon would put the company ahead of NASA's planned crewed flight with its Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket. Yesterday, SpaceX announced its intention to send passengers on a crewed Dragon spacecraft, launched with a Falcon Heavy rocket, around the moon near the end of 2018. This would follow on the heels of the company's robotic and crewed flights to the International Space Station, and an uncrewed Falcon Heavy moon trip. NASA's own mission, which would be the first crewed flight using the SLS and its new Orion spacecraft, is scheduled for 2021. NASA recently began an investigation into whether it could put astronauts on SLS and Orion's first launch, scheduled for 2018 - but officials have said that a crewed version of that launch wouldn't fly until 2019. Assuming SpaceX is on schedule, its fly-around would come first. [SpaceX Falcon Heavy to Be Reusable (Video)] SpaceX going first "might change the acceptable-risk discussions NASA has with the ASAP [Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel]," Scott Hubbard, researcher in the Stanford University Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, told Space.com. "I could imagine that if this independent entrepreneur has done it, and successfully identified the risk factors, it would be real information, not speculation." "Others might then ask about [the] need for SLS and Orion - but two suppliers are always better from a competition/cost POV," he added via email. Hubbard worked at NASA for 20 years and ultimately led its Ames Research Center, and he currently chairs SpaceX's independent Safety Advisory Panel for Commercial Crew, which focuses specifically on the design and risks of their program to carry astronauts to the International Space Station. During Elon Musk's teleconference yesterday, the SpaceX CEO said that NASA astronauts would "take priority" if the agency wanted to be the first to fly that type of mission. NASA released a statement saying the agency would work closely with SpaceX to ensure the company met all safety requirements and continued to fulfill its space station delivery contract. As for SpaceX's ambitious time frame, Hubbard said it should be feasible in principle, purely considering the company's transportation capabilities, but that technical questions remain. "The key technical issue will be demonstrating life support in the Dragon for two people for the duration of the mission," he said. "With reasonable margins, the length of mission will be longer than planned for commercial crew. The key programmatic issue is level of risk: Is it understood? Has it been mitigated sufficiently?" If SpaceX can address those issues, it will be on track to launch a moon mission on the 50th anniversary of Apollo 8, NASA's first mission to orbit the moon. That could certainly serve to spur other commercial spaceflight companies, and NASA, into action. Hubbard pointed to when he held a workshop with The Planetary Society that said astronauts could orbit Mars by 2033, and not long after Lockheed Martin came out with a Mars Base Camp plan for 2028 and SpaceX came out with their Red Dragon Mars mission now scheduled for 2020. This moon announcement "sets a bold new goal," Hubbard said. "There are people that are out there moving the goalposts with some significant technical credibility behind them, and this goal of two paying customers and an Apollo 8 loop around the moon in 2018 could well stimulate others to join in." "The more groups you have trying this, the better off we are as a spacefaring nation or a spacefaring species," he added. http://www.space.com/35861-spacex-could-beat-nasa-to-the-moon.html Curt Lewis