Flight Safety Information April 4, 2017 - No. 068 Incident: Skywest CRJ2 near Newburgh on Mar 30th 2017, lavatory smoke indication Incident: THY A332 at Madinah on Apr 3rd 2017, hydraulic failure Incident: THY B738 at Istanbul on Apr 2nd 2017, suspected tailstrike Boeing 737 tipped on it's tail 2 survive after plane crashes at Olympic National Park Aviation industry in standoff over making 'black boxes' deployable and able to share data faster Shift in Earth's magnetic poles means changes at local airport Lufthansa Technik equipping eight aircraft a week for Ka-band GE Sees 15% Boost by 2020 in Brazil Aircraft-Engine Service Unit Honeywell Introduces New Lightweight Satellite Communications System for Cockpit Safety Pilots association sounds warning over safety cuts Safety verdict lifts troubled Hong Kong air traffic control system Marine Corps plans to offer pilots retention bonuses for first time since 2011 Woks away: China's plan to make jet fuel from restaurant leftovers Boeing Co. says it signed new $3B deal with Iranian airline SafeSkies Australia - 2017 Conference Research Survey 'POSITION:...INTERNAL EVALUATION PROGRAM (IEP) EVALUATOR Position Available:...Director Safety Assurance. Incident: Skywest CRJ2 near Newburgh on Mar 30th 2017, lavatory smoke indication A Skywest Canadair CRJ-200 on behalf of Delta Airlines, registration N936SW performing flight OO-4281/DL- 4281 from Newburgh,NY to Detroit,MI (USA), departed Newburgh's runway 09 and was about to be handed off to departure when the crew requested to return to the aerodrome reporting a maintenance issue. The aircraft levelled off at 2500 feet and returned for a safe landing on runway 09 about 15 minutes after departure. A passenger reported the aircraft departed with a delay of about 2.5 hours due to maintenance work on a wing anti-ice system. Immediately after departure a sound consistent with the smoke detector alarm in the aft lavatory occurred, a flight attendant received a call from the flight deck, proceeded to the aft lavatory and checked the lavatory. The aircraft returned to Newburgh, no emergency services were waiting at the runway. After arriving at the gate the captain announced they had received a SMOKE TOILET indication. The passengers disembarked, the flight was delayed to the next day and finally reached Detroit with a delay of about 16 hours. The occurrence aircraft departed again the next morning and reached Detroit with a delay of 16 hours. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL4281/history/20170330/1817Z/KSWF/KDTW http://avherald.com/h?article=4a722233&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: THY A332 at Madinah on Apr 3rd 2017, hydraulic failure A THY Turkish Airlines Airbus A330-200, registration TC-JIO performing flight TK-98 from Istanbul (Turkey) to Madinah (Saudi Arabia), was on approach to Madinah's runway 35 when the crew advised of a hydraulic failure and requested to be towed off the runway. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 35 and was towed to the apron. The occurence aircraft is still on the ground in Madinah about 19 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4a721ec2&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: THY B738 at Istanbul on Apr 2nd 2017, suspected tailstrike A THY Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration TC-JVV performing flight TK-322 from Istanbul (Turkey) to Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) with 140 people on board, departed Istanbul's runway 35L but stopped the climb at 5000 feet due to a suspected tail strike. The aircraft entered a hold to burn off fuel and returned to Istanbul for a safe landing on runway 35R about 100 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration TC-JHS reached Ashgabat with a delay of 4 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service the next morning about 11 hours after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4a721d8a&opt=0 Back to Top Boeing 737 tipped on it's tail Date: 03-APR-2017 Time: Type: Boeing 737-301(SF) Owner/operator: Tri-MG Intra Asia Airlines Registration: PK-YGG C/n / msn: 23743/1510 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Minor Location: Wamena Airport (WMX) - Indonesia Phase: Standing Nature: Cargo Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: A Boeing 737-301SF cargo plane tipped on it's tail at Wamena Airport. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=194530 ************* Spilt cooking oil gives airplane extra 'lift' Spilt cooking oil caused the airplane's cargo to slide to the back, lifting its nose off the ground at Wamena Airport in Papua. - The Jakarta Post/Wamena Airport/ANN PAPUA, INDONESIA: A cooking oil spill on board an aircraft in, caused its cargo to slide to the back of the plane, causing its tail to tip downward and touch the apron during unloading at the Wamena Airport here on Monday. The Tri-M.G. Airlines aircraft carried a variety of cargo, including the cooking oil that spilled. ''During the unloading, the cooking oil in the centre part of the cabin spilled, causing the base of the plane to become slippery. "It caused the rest of the cargo to slump to the rear of the plane, lifting the front part approximately two meters from the surface of the apron," said Wamena Airport head Rasburhani. The plane arrived at Wamena Airport at 3pm local time from Timika. The unloading process was completed at 3:40pm. "The aircraft has returned to its normal condition," Rasburhani told The Jakarta Post. The incident only caused some scratches on the back of the plane. "We are waiting for the results of the investigation from the Transportation Ministry's directorate of operations and airworthiness maintenance," he said. - The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network http://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2017/04/04/spilt-cooking-oil-gives-airplane- extra-lift/#8e3hWK1HQDvYLqRH.99 Back to Top 2 survive after plane crashes at Olympic National Park Two people on board a plane that crashed into the side of a mountain at Olympic National Park in Washington state on Sunday evening have survived after making a distress call picked up by a nearby Delta Air Lines flight, federal officials and Delta Air Lines told ABC News. Delta Air Lines confirmed that Flight 589, from Seattle to Shanghai, heard the distress call on the emergency frequency and established communication with the pair on the ground. The pilots of Flight 589 contacted air traffic control, leading to the dispatch of a Navy search-and-rescue team from a base on Whidbey Island. The Navy team rescued the instructor and student from an elevation of about 5,000 feet on Mount Jupiter at approximately 6 p.m. local time with an MH-60S helicopter. The crew members administered emergency medical care before flying them to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where they arrived at approximately 8 p.m. local time, according to a spokesperson at the hospital. The nursing supervisor at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle says the pair are in serious condition but are improving in the intensive care unit. National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson Peter Knudson told ABC News the student and instructor on the single engine Cirrus SR-22 aircraft crashed around 3:48 p.m. local time. The NTSB is investigating the incident. A U.S. Navy helicopter and rescue crew tends to a plane crash on April 2, 2017, in Olympic National Park, in Washington, where both people on board survived.more + Photos from the Navy show rescue workers tending to the crash on the side of a snowy mountain. An FAA spokesperson told ABC News the crash occurred under unknown circumstances after departing from Everett's Paine Field and the plane suffered substantial damage in the incident. The parachute on board the Cirrus SR-22 aircraft was not deployed during the crash, according to the FAA. Cirrus aircraft are equipped with a parachute that can be deployed in the event of an emergency. http://abcnews.go.com/US/survive-plane-crashes-olympic-national- park/story?id=46550629 ************* Date: 02-APR-2017 Time: 15:48LT Type: Cirrus SR22 Owner/operator: Private Registration: N167CB C/n / msn: 0822 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Olympic National Park, W of Brinnon, WA - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Training Departure airport: Snohomish County/Paine Field (KPAE) Destination airport: Narrative: The aircraft force landed to snow covered mountainous terrain near Mount Jupiter west of Brinnon, Washington near Duckabush Valley ataround 5,000-foot elevation. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the two occupants onboard received minor injuries. At c1900 a US Navy SH-60 from NAS Whidbey Island lowered personnel to the wreckage. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=194523 Back to Top Aviation industry in standoff over making 'black boxes' deployable and able to share data faster Two possible technology updates are deployable recorders, with transmitters for easier location from crash sites, and streaming data devices A Malay couple watch Malaysia Airlines aircraft at Kuala Lumpur International airport on Jan. 23. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 went missing in March 2014 while traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers aboard. By ANDY PASZTOR Three years after Malaysia Airlines Flight 370's unresolved disappearance sparked efforts to implement new flight-data recorder technology, the global aviation community is deadlocked over the best way to ensure investigators will have timely access to vital clues in future crashes. Technical, marketing and jurisdictional disputes-pitting Boeing Co. and U.S. regulators against Airbus Group SE and European authorities-have blocked consensus over prospective changes to today's "black boxes" that help unravel accidents. The most prominent disagreement involves "deployable" recorders, devices designed to capture real-time flight data and cockpit conversations, just as damage-resistant black- box recorders do. But while conventional black boxes are intended to be recovered from wreckage, the alternative devices, already used in a broad range of military jets and helicopters world- wide, are designed to be jettisoned automatically prior to impact and to float. Airbus AIR, -0.14% and other proponents say that supplementing current systems with deployable technology would lead to easier searches, with features including built-in emergency transmitters that can pinpoint locations on the surface of water. In the opposing camp, Boeing's BA, -0.12% position is that the deployable technology is unnecessary partly because there are so few crashes of big jets, and the recorders are expensive to maintain and potentially hazardous if ejected by mistake. The disagreement has played out in various forums, both in public and private. Federal Aviation Administration officials say it is hard to justify the costs of deployable recorders versus the safety benefits. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/aviation-industry-in-standoff-over-making-black- boxes-deployable-and-able-to-share-data-faster-2017-04-03 Back to Top Shift in Earth's magnetic poles means changes at local airport OTSEGO COUNTY, Mi (WPBN/WGTU) -- A change in Earth's magnetic poles is changing how airports around the world label their runways. Airport runways are named according to their magnetic compass heading. For example, 28 is the name for 280 degrees and 18 for 180 degrees. "The magnetic deviation of the earth takes place, and so airports have to adjust for that deviation," said Kevin Klein, director of Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City. Cherry Capital hasn't had to change its headings since the 1940's. "The runway heading sets up with the magnetic and with the compasses and all the instruments that are in the aircraft," Klein said. "So we want to make sure that those line up appropriately." The Gaylord Regional Airport is currently about six degrees off, and that number could get up to 10 degrees. Instead of building a new runway, the airport can repaint the runway and put in new signs that reflect the new compass heading. If you're boarding a plane any time soon, there's no need for concern. It does not affect pilots much, just the airport. "If you're shooting an approach into here, instead of saying you're on the approach to runway 27, you're on the approach for runway 28 now," said Nicholas Beyer, the Chief Pilot at North Country Aviation. "There's really no difference." The Gaylord Regional Airport will have to do regular maintenance to the paint within the next six years anyway, so they'll use that project to change the numbers. The manager of Gaylord Regional Airport said he's been there almost ten years, and this is the first time they've had to make these types of changes. Funding for the change will come from a federal state block grant. http://upnorthlive.com/news/local/shift-in-earths-magnetic-poles-means-changes-at- local-airport Back to Top Lufthansa Technik equipping eight aircraft a week for Ka-band Lufthansa Technik is ramping up a programme to equip Lufthansa Group A320 aircraft with Ka-band technology. The German airline's semi-autonomous maintenance unit is equipping eight aircraft a week with radomes and antennas, together with internal wiring, on 10 maintenance lines at its facilities in Budapest, Hamburg, Malta and Sofia. The job takes three days, and the company is hoping to have fitted out 100 aircraft by May, says Lukas Bucher, head of connectivity. The Lconnect programme "integrates all systems in such a way that no major work on the structure will be required for later advances in technology", Bucher says. Although Lufthansa Technik is currently only providing the installation to its parent group's aircraft, "our objective is to deliver a superior customer service to Lufthansa Group and then to sell it to other airlines", he says. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/aix-lufthansa-technik-equipping-eight- aircraft-a-we-435817/ Back to Top GE Sees 15% Boost by 2020 in Brazil Aircraft-Engine Service Unit General Electric Co.'s Brazilian operation overhauling aircraft engines is poised to expand 15 percent by 2020 even as the country's economy continues to sputter. The U.S. company's Celma unit will handle 550 engines in three years from the current level of 480, said General Manager Julio Talon. Celma's sales have doubled over the last seven years to $2 billion as the operation catered to international customers such as Southwest Airlines Co., American Airlines Group Inc., and FedEx Corp. "I bring a jet engine or a part from anywhere in the world in five days,'' Talon said in an interview in Rio de Janeiro's International Brazil Air Show. "In 65 days, the engine is back with my customer after being serviced. This is 15 to 20 days faster than any competitor." Talon has added 100 mechanics annually during the last six years to maintain, repair and overhaul the engines, connecting with prospective employees through a partnership with the social-service arm of Brazil's Industry Federation. That kind of hiring is a rarity in a country where the economy has contracted two years in a row and the jobless rate rose to a record 13.2 percent in the three months through February. The competitiveness of the GE operation is taking a blow as the Brazilian government ended a payroll tax break in an effort to meet budget targets. As a result, Petropolis, Brazil-based Celma faces a 6 percent increase in labor cost. "My competition is in China or Malaysia,'' Talon said. "Tax incentives can't be applied as short-term policies.'' https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-04/ge-sees-15-boost-by-2020-in- brazil-aircraft-engine-service-unit Back to Top Honeywell Introduces New Lightweight Satellite Communications System for Cockpit Safety Honeywell's Aspire 300 weight and size reduction enhances fuel efficiency for airlines while providing the latest in cockpit communications HAMBURG, Germany, April 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today released its latest global satellite communications system, the Aspire 300, delivering International Civil Aviation Association-approved cockpit voice and safety services that improve the overall safety of airline operations. Even slight improvements in size or weight are significant in a cockpit, and the new system is 75 percent smaller with an antenna that is 90 percent smaller than those in other cockpit systems in the market today - saving airlines thousands of dollars per aircraft in fuel costs. "Having access to consistent and reliable cockpit communications is critical for flight safety. Honeywell's Aspire 300 satellite communications system is approved for cockpit safety services, voice, and datalink for oceanic, long-range communications," said Warren Nechtman, vice president, Connectivity Equipment, Honeywell. "Our latest technological advancements also deliver significant savings in terms of weight, power and volume while dramatically enhancing the aircraft's overall safety of operation for airlines." Honeywell's Aspire 300 system connects to Iridium's low-earth orbit satellite network, the only satellite constellation that provides pole-to-pole coverage, which is necessary for effective cockpit voice and safety services. It also satisfies the Future Air Navigation System and controller pilot data link communications flight requirements. This enables a direct data link communication, similar to text messaging, between the pilot and the air traffic controller, giving the pilot the ability to take advantage of the North Atlantic Track System - the daily set of trans-Atlantic flight paths based on wind conditions - and optimize flight time and fuel savings, as well as help lower operational costs. Featuring a smaller patch antenna, the new lightweight Aspire 300 system can sit alongside Honeywell's JetWave fuselage mount antenna, which provides global high-speed Wi-Fi to the aircraft. The two systems complement each other by providing the latest technologies in cockpit safety and cabin connectivity. "Honeywell's expansive connectivity product portfolio caters to airline needs from the cockpit to the cabin. Whether it is air-to-ground, L-band or GX Ka-band satellite communications, Honeywell has the solutions to meet the needs of different aircraft types," Nechtman said. Unlocking the Power of Connected Aerospace With thousands of products on aircraft around the world, and more than 100 years of experience providing satellite communications, mechanics, engines, cockpit technology and more to the aerospace industry, Honeywell is well-positioned to lead the aerospace industry's Connected Aircraft evolution. Honeywell is changing the concept of aviation, how to innovate for it, and the speed at which new technologies, information and services are put into the hands of the passenger, pilot, operator and maintenance personnel. If you would like to learn more about Honeywell's connectivity offerings, please visit us at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2017. Honeywell experts will be available at Booth #2E78 for further information. Supporting Resources Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 software-industrial company that delivers industry specific solutions that include aerospace and automotive products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help everything from aircraft, cars, homes and buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom. SOURCE Honeywell http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/honeywell-introduces-new-lightweight- satellite-communications-system-for-cockpit-safety-300433399.html Back to Top Pilots association sounds warning over safety cuts This photograph shows the extensive damage caused to the plane when AC624 from Toronto skidded off the main runway in 2015.(Transportation Safety Board of Canada ) Two years after an Air Canada flight leaving Toronto undershot the runway in Halifax, injuring two dozen people and resulting in a class-action lawsuit, the Canadian Federal Pilots Association is warning that a major aviation accident in Canada is likely on the horizon due to cuts in aviation safety oversight. According to new data revealed in an Abacus Data study of 243 Transport Canada frontline aviation inspectors, 81 per cent are predicting a major aviation accident in the near future due to the state of aviation safety in Canada. Respondents of the survey were "veteran aviators" with an average of 28 years of pilot experience and 11 years working as an inspector. The survey found most (67 per cent) of pilot inspectors haven't flown an actual aircraft in at least a year, and many have flown actual aircraft so infrequently that their licences have become or will soon become invalid. Moreover, 70 per cent of respondents reported that they sometimes or frequently were assigned tasks they had not been trained to do and only 55 per cent had completed all mandatory training. "We have inspectors assigned to oversee helicopter companies who would not know how to fly a helicopter if their life depended on it," said Capt. Greg McConnell, national chair of the Canadian Federal Pilots Association, which commissioned the survey. In addition to dwindling skills and qualifications of its inspectorate, the report found that an increasing reliance on what's called Safety Management System (SMS), which transfers response of setting acceptable levels of risk and monitoring safety performance to the airlines themselves, has left inspectors uncomfortable. Transport Canada's website says these management systems are to provide additional rigour to government's current oversight program of inspections and audits, but McConnell told the Chronicle Herald that cuts to Transport Canada has severely reduced that federal oversight. He said annual inspections have been replaced by SMS reviews that can happen as infrequently as every five years. And with strapped resources, inspectors can't even keep up with these lower levels - according to internal documents obtained by the Canadian Federal Pilots Association, Transport Canada has completed only 50 per cent of its planned SMS assessments in 2016-17. In addition, the heavy administrative burden associated with SMS has left inspectors office bound auditing companies' paperwork, and conducting actual SMS surveillance of airlines less frequently than ever before. McConnell said this means operators can only see on paper if airlines are operating safely. This is at odds with the International Civil Aviation Organization, which requires countries like Canada to "maintain a program of oversight that includes traditional audits, inspections and enforcement" in conjunction with SMS. McConnell said the Transportation Safety Board has raised similar concerns about how Canada runs SMS in the past. "Flying in Canada has become more risky than any time in the last 15 years," McConnell said. Inspectors are also concerned with Transport Canada's decision to remove a number of classes of aircraft like business aircraft - which include the type of plane former Alberta Premier Jim Prentice was on when it crashed in October last year, killing him and four others - and aircraft doing aerial work (such as water bombers), as well as urban heliports and aircraft parts suppliers, from planned surveillance. McConnell said the government nixed planned surveillance for these areas over the last four years but made it official quietly with an internal process bulletin in August. In addition, major urban airports like the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, and soon all other airports, are no longer subject to full safety assessments - the Transport Canada inspection covers only one part of an airport's safety plan - and McConnell said the government is mulling over removing air taxi class aircraft from planned surveillance. With the the House of Commons transport committee beginning a study of aviation safety this week, McConnell said he's hoping members will play close attention to the report and work to beef up regulations before a serious accident occurs. "The opinions of this expert group show that Transport Canada's aviation safety oversight has gone terribly wrong," McConnell said. Transport Canada did not make someone available for an interview or provide comment on the report by deadline. http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1456334-pilots-association-sounds-warning-over- safety-cuts Back to Top Safety verdict lifts troubled Hong Kong air traffic control system Experts conclude HK$1.56 billion operation is 'safe, reliable and generally smooth' but urge aviation chiefs to remain vigilant Experts who are reviewing the operation of the city's troubled air traffic control system have urged the Civil Aviation Department to remain vigilant and continue to fine-tune it. This comes despite them concluding the system was "safe, reliable and generally smooth". An interim report published on Monday also acknowledged the capability of the aviation regulator to handle the teething issues of the HK$1.56 billion system. Hong Kong air traffic control system to get glowing review in report, source says However Civic Party lawmaker Jeremy Tam Man-ho, a former commercial pilot, said a system update implemented last month still fell short of addressing reliability issues. Throughout testing and since the commissioning of the Raytheon Auto Trac III system in November, reports of glitches and flight disruptions have drawn public attention. Three main problems were identified - aircraft positions falsely displayed, flight plans not showing up on screens and a server disruption at the control tower. After four months of investigations, the five-member panel of engineering, air traffic and civil aviation experts issued a report of mostly praise and approval. The panel said air traffic controllers handled the situation "professionally", with no fallback system activated. "The system's availability has well exceeded 99.9 per cent, meeting international best standards," Director-General of Civil Aviation Simon Li Tin-chui said. He also said the system had handled 3.75 per cent more air traffic up until February, - compared with the same period last year. Of the issues that occurred, the report said "there was no impact on safety and the impact on [air traffic control] operations was minimal". Li said he believed the report had concluded that problems were properly addressed. "Of course, we cannot be 100 per cent sure there will be no other minor teething issues," he added. Recommendations included scheduling maintenance to off-peak hours, and fine-tuning the system constantly. The panel also called on the department to speed up the full integration of satellite-based flight monitoring, which went live on March 20 and was heralded as a solution to the problem of aircraft disappearing from radar screens. Two Hong Kong officials accused of misconduct over new aviation headquarters But lawmaker Tam said problems such as flights showing up in wrong positions or altitudes remained, while others were "frozen" at their take-off locations for periods of time. Fellow lawmaker Lo Wai-kwok, representative for the engineering sector, backed the report. "There is no reason for the experts to defend the department should there be any wrongdoing," he said. A final report by the panel of experts will be released by November 30. http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/2084470/safety-verdict-lifts- troubled-hong-kong-air-traffic-control Back to Top Marine Corps plans to offer pilots retention bonuses for first time since 2011 For the first time in six years, the Marine Corps wants to offer retention bonuses to pilots, the three-star general in charge of Manpower and Reserve Affairs told Congress on Wednesday. "The commandant is going forward, requesting from the secretary of Navy and the secretary of defense authority to pay a retention bonus in three communities: F-35, F-18 - because the legacy platforms are our most challenged platforms right now - and then the V-22," Lt. Gen. Mark Brilakis said. "F-35 and V-22 are currently growing communities. We don't want be to caught short in those aviation communities." Brilakis did not tell lawmakers how many pilots will be eligible for bonuses in fiscal 2018 or how much money they might receive. Separately, the Corps plans to offer experienced maintainers a financial incentive to re-enlist for four years, during which they will stay in their current squadron for two years, he said. Marine Corps Times Lack of experienced maintainers is fueling the Corps' aviation crisis "This bonus is going to take that hard-won experience at the senior sergeant, staff NCO level, retain it in the squadron at certain numbers so they can train the next generation in those certification requirements," Brilakis told the House Armed Services Military Personnel subcommittee. The moves come as the Marine Corps struggles to keep aging planes and helicopters flying amid nonstop combat missions and budget cuts. When the Marine Corps shrank from 202,000 to 182,000, it ended up with fewer company grade officers than it needs in its tactical squadrons, Brilakis said. "We want to make sure that we have the opportunity and leverage to maintain those young officers as they come out of their required commitment to us," Brilakis said. Lawmakers are expressing growing concern about the militarywide pilot shortage and aviation readiness crisis, which could become even worse if Congress passes a temporary spending bill for the rest of fiscal 2017. Marine Corps Times Top Marine aviator: 'If I don't get more money, I'll stop flying in July or August' Half of the Marine Corps' 20 tactical aircraft squadrons will have to stop flying this summer if Congress does not pass a spending bill for the fiscal year, the head of Marine aviation said in a separate hearing on Tuesday. The temporary budget funding the military ends on April 28. If Congress decides to pass another temporary budget, six Marine Corps F/A-18 squadrons and four AV-8B Harrier squadrons will have to cease flying operations, said Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, deputy commandant for aviation. "I think that's a debilitating gut shot to the nation's force and readiness," Davis told the House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Forces subcommittee. "That's the last thing I want to see." The Marine Corps is flying some of the military's oldest aircraft, and budget cuts combined with problems with getting spare parts have left aviation readiness rates "unacceptable," Davis said. "Of the about 326 aircraft I should have on my flight line, I could get airborne in about 146," he said. Marine Corps Times More than half of all Marine aircraft unflyable in December Davis is particularly concerned about the Marine Corps' fleet of F/A-18 Hornets, which are showing their age. "The F-18s I'm flying today, they got a 55 percent break rate," Davis said. "That means they're up in the morning, but they go off in the sortie - that first sortie of the day, they come back, and they're down. Usually we get two or three sorties out of those airplanes back in the day. We can't do that right now." As of last month, Marine Corps F/A-18 pilots flew an average of 9.1 hours per month, but they are supposed to be flying 16 hours per month, Davis said. That lack of flying time will have an impact when today's pilots become tomorrow's squadron commanders, he said. "I worry about five years from now, where we are, that we don't have the experience base to go, 'That doesn't look right,' and, 'Here's how you fix that,'" Davis said. "That's the debilitating impact of not having enough flight hours to generate for our youngsters right now." The challenges facing Marine aviation could result in higher casualties if Marine pilots have to fight an enemy with sophisticated fighters and anti-aircraft defenses, Davis said. "In a higher-end threat, we could have a hard time being as successful," Davis said. "We'll still go fight, because we like to fight. We'll go and we'll go with great aplomb, but I think we could have some additional losses we weren't anticipating." https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/articles/marines-to-offer-retention-bonuses-to-pilots- again Back to Top Polish prosecutors: Russians 'deliberately' caused jet crash Wreckage of the plane crash site that killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski and 96 others is seen near Smolensk, in western Russia, on April 10, 2010. The plane, carrying his wife and high-ranking military and civilian leaders, crashed as it landed in thick fog. Polish prosecutors alleged Monday that a new analysis shows that two Russian air traffic controllers and a third Russian official in the control tower deliberately contributed to the disaster. File photo by Alex Natin/UPI | License Photo April 3 (UPI) -- Poland's top prosecutor charged Monday there is "no doubt" that Russian air traffic controllers deliberately caused a jet carrying Poland's president and nearly 100 others to crash in 2010. Poland's National Prosecutor Marek Kuczynski made the allegations to reporters in Warsaw one week before the seventh anniversary of the crash of the Polish Air Force jet at a rarely used airport near the city of Smolensk 225 miles southwest of Moscow. On April 10, 2010, the Polish crew tried to land the Tupolev Tu-154 in heavy fog, and it clipped a tree approaching the runway and crashed. A total of 97 died, including top government and military officials and the president's wife. "Previously gathered and new evidence has allowed prosecutors to press new charges against air traffic controllers, Russian citizens and a third person who was also in the control tower, for the crime of intentionally causing an air-travel disaster," Marek Pasionek, deputy head of the national prosecutor's office, said at the news conference. Separate Polish and Russian investigations found that pilot error was mainly to blame, but Poland's Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz has said the crash was probably an "assassination." Kuczynski said his findings revealed that two Russian air traffic controllers and a third person in the control tower willingly contributed to the crash. He said Poland wants to question the three Russians. They were guilty of "deliberately causing a catastrophe," Kuczynski said. Early investigations blamed the crew for failing to approach safely after no technical problems were found involving the plane. In 2015, Poland opened a new investigation after the election of the Law and Justice party, which is led by Jaros?aw Kachzynski, the twin brother of the late president, Lech Kachzynski. Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the new charges. "The circumstances of this tragedy have been thoroughly studied, and we cannot agree with such conclusions," Peskov said. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/04/03/Polish-prosecutors-Russians- deliberately-caused-jet-crash/7781491231492/ Back to Top Woks away: China's plan to make jet fuel from restaurant leftovers Plans to mass-produce jet fuel from restaurants' waste kitchen oil will come a step closer in China next year when a major state-owned refiner begins construction of a full-scale production plant. Zhenhai Refining and Chemical, a Sinopec subsidiary based in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, said the plant would convert 100,000 tonnes of leftover kitchen oil into 30,000 tonnes of aviation-grade biofuel a year. The fuel would be sold to airlines operating long-haul international flights, especially to countries that charged high emissions taxes, it said. Although biofuel does not add extra carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, since it originally comes from plants or animals that are part of the biological cycle, some researchers have argued it is not suitable for long-term storage and might constrict or even block fuel flow in pipelines because of its tendency to form a gel at low temperatures. In another blow to its aviation prospects, the US Air Force reported last year that jet fighters using biofuel had been infested by thriving colonies of bacterium that threatened the safety of mechanical and electronic components. But Zhenhai Refining spokesman Huang Zhongwen told the South China Morning Post passengers need not worry because the new fuel would be "absolutely safe" for planes, adding that it would also not smell like a kitchen. Sinopec, China's largest oil company, started the project in 2011 as a countermeasure to a carbon tariff on civil aviation proposed by the European Union. The first sample product was synthesised in a Sinopec laboratory the following year but the biofuel was not used in a commercial flight until March 2015, when a Hainan Airlines Boeing 737 used a 50-50 mix of conventional jet fuel and biofuel to fly 156 passengers from Shanghai to Beijing. "The flight was a one-off; just for show," Huang said. "The plant, however, means long- term business." The design of the plant, to be built in Ningbo's Zhenhai district, was near completion and other preparations were proceeding smoothly and on schedule. "We have confidence about breaking ground in 2018 ... output will meet the annual demand of certain long-distance flights," Huang said. He declined to provide the investment cost or what the biofuel would sell for. According to Boeing, a major maker of passenger jet planes, more than 1,500 commercials flights had used biofuel since 2011. These were all for demonstration purposes, however. The world's 100,000 daily flights still stick to conventional fossil fuel. Using waste kitchen oil was a challenge, said Professor Li Xuebing, a biofuel researcher with the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, in Shandong province. "The barrels come in with all kinds of stuff: vegetable oil, animal fat, various proteins, salt, pepper ..." he said. But researchers had developed sophisticated technology to filter out the "junk", Li said. They heated the oil to over 350 degrees Celsius to get rid of water molecules, which might damage jet engines, and added hydrogen to extend the fuel's shelf life and combustion efficiency. That added to the cost of the final product and made it more expensive than fossil fuel. But Li said the Sinopec's aviation biofuel had met stringent safety standards. For instance, it did not form a gel at temperatures low as minus 47 degrees Celsius, and its manufacturing process should kill off all sorts of bacteria. "Chemically speaking, it should be almost identical to fossil fuel," he said. "Even better, in fact, on some performance benchmarks." Sinopec might struggle to find enough raw material, however. Chinese restaurants produce more than five million tonnes of waste oil a year, according to some estimates, but most of that goes down drains and some is sold to underground workshops which recycle it and sell it back to restaurants as cheap "gutter oil". The use of gutter oil in restaurants has become one of the biggest food safety concerns in China. Li said he was not sure whether the refinery would be able to collect enough gutter oil for mass production. "There is tough competition," he said. http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/02/woks-away-chinas-plan-to-make-jet-fuel-from- restaurant-leftovers.html Back to Top Boeing Co. says it signed new $3B deal with Iranian airline TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Boeing Co. said on Tuesday it has signed a new, $3 billion deal with Iran's Aseman Airlines to supply 30 737 MAX aircraft to the carrier, the first major sale by a U.S. company to the Islamic Republic under new President Donald Trump. The new agreement comes on top of the $16.6 billion sale Boeing previously made in Iran following the landmark nuclear deal struck with Tehran under the Obama administration. Trump long has criticized the atomic deal, though he toured a Boeing plant in February and touted the firm's work as proof of a coming American manufacturing renaissance. Chicago-based Boeing said the deal also includes purchase rights for an additional 30 737 MAX aircraft for Tehran-based Aseman, which flies domestic and international routes. It said the first deliveries of the single-aisle aircraft to Aseman would start in 2022. Boeing lists 3,621 unfilled orders for the 737 MAX aircraft, which undergo final assembly in Renton, Washington. The first is expected to be delivered to Norwegian Air Shuttle in May. "According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, an aerospace sale of this magnitude creates or sustains approximately 18,000 jobs in the United States," Boeing said in a statement. "Boeing continues to follow the lead of the U.S. government with regards to working with Iran's airlines, and any and all contracts with Iran's airlines are contingent upon U.S. government approval." Aseman spokesman Amir Reza Mostafavi told The Associated Press that the deal came following several round of talks over the past year between the airline and Boeing. He said the firms signed the deal March 18 and the first aircraft will be delivered in 2019, contradicting Boeing. The European Union blacklisted Aseman from European skies in December because of safety concerns. The airline did not operate flights to European destinations at the time. Less than a week after that decision, the airline sealed a deal to lease seven planes made by European manufacturer Airbus. Those aircraft are expected to begin arriving next month. The new Boeing deal comes as part of the nuclear agreement reached between Iran and world powers. After the atomic accord, Boeing struck a December deal with Iran Air, the country's flag carrier, for 80 passenger planes worth $16.6 billion. Iran Air also will lease 29 new Boeing 737s. In January, Iran Air signed agreements to buy 118 planes from Airbus, estimated to be worth some 22.8 billion euros ($25 billion). Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan, a deputy transportation minister, later said Iran would cut the number of Airbus planes to 112. Washington granted permission for Boeing and Airbus to make the sales in September. Both manufacturers needed the approval of the U.S. Treasury for the deal because at least 10 percent of the airplanes' components are of American origin. The Treasury similarly would need to approve this latest deal. Iran's nuclear deal with world powers, which limits its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of some international sanctions, specifically allowed for the purchase of aircraft and parts. Iran represents one of the last untapped aviation markets in the world, home to 80 million people. However, Western analysts are skeptical that there is demand for so many jets or available financing for deals worth billions of dollars. Another wildcard is U.S. politics. Trump has threatened to renegotiate terms of the Iran deal, while some lawmakers have suggested putting new sanctions in place and criticized Boeing for selling aircraft to the Islamic Republic. https://www.yahoo.com/news/boeing-co-says-signed-3b-085603660.html Back to Top 2017 Conference To register for the Conference click on the link: https://conlog.eventsair.com/safeskies- 2017/online-rego Safeskies 2017 Conference will be held Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th October 2017 at the National Convention Centre Canberra. The Sir Reginald Ansett Memorial Lecture/Dinner will be held Tuesday 3rd October 2017 at Parliament House Canberra. The Safeskies Conference has been held biennially since 1993, in Canberra, and is one of the most highly regarded aviation safety conferences in the world. It is preceded by the Sir Reginald Ansett Memorial Lecture and the Conference Dinner, held in the magnificent Australian Parliament House. One of the major attractions of the Safeskies Conference is the bringing together of operational people from airlines, Defence, Government, training organisations, charter operators, Air Traffic Managers, suppliers and Regulators, both local and international. As a non partisan, independent not for profit body, Safeskies can facilitate exchange of information and opinions between agencies and organisations involved in aviation safety. Safeskies can also provide independent commentary and advice on safety matters. Thank you to all our supporters, or as we like to describe them, investors in aviation safety because we rely on assistance both financial and in kind from many organisations in military, government and industry. www.safeskiesaustralia.org Back to Top Research Survey Dear Aviation Colleague, my name is Arjun Rao. I am research associate at the Center for Aviation Studies at the Ohio State University. My colleagues and I would greatly appreciate your response to a short survey to better understand pilots's use of weather information products during flight. Participation in this survey is voluntary. All answers reported in the analysis will not bear any connection to you or any response that you might provide. Thank you very much in advance for your participation on this survey. Your responses are greatly appreciated and will help our efforts to improve GA safety. The link to the survey is : https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3yJ3oNLMYh4lO17 Please let me know if you have any questions/would like me to provide additional information. Once again, we appreciate your help. Regards, Arjun ************************************************** Arjun H. Rao, Ph.D. Research Specialist The Ohio State University Center for Aviation Studies Room 125, 140 West 19th Ave., Columbus, OH 43210 614-688-2634 rao.119@osu.edu https://aviation.osu.edu/ Back to Top Compass Airlines, LLC 7500 Airline Drive, Suite 130 Minneapolis, MN 55450 compassairline.com 612-713-6880 Manager of Safety Programs Compass Airlines is seeking a Manager of Safety Programs to join our team at our Minneapolis, Minnesota - Headquarters location. We are looking for an innovative and technical individual, with exceptional business judgment, as well as the initiative and competence to make a significant contribution to the Compass organization. Job Purpose: The Manager of Safety Programs reports to and assists the Director of Safety (DOS) in managing daily operations of the Compass Airlines Safety Department to ensure the highest level of safety and regulatory compliance at Compass. The position represents senior management in the accident investigation process and supports the Director of Safety in the performance of critical safety, emergency, instructional and analytical functions required by FAA, NTSB, DOD, OSHA, EPA, and corporate policies. Job Qualifications: Required: Bachelor's degree (BA or BS) or equivalent in Aviation Safety, Engineering, Management or in a similar program whose major emphasis is safety and systems analysis applicable to the major aviation technical areas; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Airline experience is required, reflecting extensive operational experience in aviation and a broad knowledge of Federal Aviation Regulations. Normally this experience will be gained through a combination of formal education and experience gained through service in either an operational position requiring FAA certification, i.e. as a flight deck crewmember, aviation mechanic, dispatcher, safety investigator, or an airline position(s) providing equivalent exposure and experience. The ability to lead large and small groups with assurance and clarity. The ability to take the initiative in sometimes intellectually and emotionally trying situations. The ability to speak for the Company and in professional and public forums relating to aviation safety and regulatory activities. Advanced mathematical and analysis competency. Experience with advanced database, root cause analysis, and aviation control, scheduling and tracking software systems. Experience with business software including: MS Word, Excel, Outlook, and Powerpoint. Preferred: Experience with Safety Management Systems and 14CFR Part 5 Computer programming experience. Experience with aviation safety programs such as Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA), Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), Internal Evaluation Program (IEP). Experience with investigations of accidents and incidents to include root cause analysis. Experience conducting risk assessments. Physical Demands: The position involves prolonged periods during which individuals are either working with their computer while seated at a desk or standing in front of a group of people teaching and/or leading discussions. The position involves occasional travel to conduct investigation and audit duties in airline terminals, aircraft hangars, airport ramps, and incident/accident sites that may require stamina and dexterity for their successful accomplishment. Job Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities: Overall Knowledge of Aviation Safety : Flight Operations Safety Ground Operations Safety Maintenance Operations Safety OSHA Regulations and Safety Recommendations FAA Regulations with regard to Aviation Safety and Safety Management Systems Fatigue and Fatigue Risk Mitigation Familiarity with the NTSB investigative process and ICAO Annex 13 on Accident Investigations Communication Skills Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills are required. Organizational and Leadership Skills Must have effective interpersonal and organizational skills. Must display advanced leadership skills appropriate to all organization levels, inside and outside the company. Must have above average skills in the planning and organization of analyses and investigations and similar level skills regarding attention to timetable and detail in the performance of such activities. Problem Solving/Analytical/Reasoning Ability Must have ability to apply knowledge and common sense in understanding and dealing with employees and customers. Must deal with all situations diplomatically and professionally. Must possess above average analytical and organizational skills. APPLY HERE Back to Top Position Available: Director Safety Assurance Job Title: Director Safety Assurance Location: Seattle Role Summary The Director Safety Assurance leads the safety risk management (SRM), employee injury prevention, OSHA compliance program, Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), and supports the overall implementation and sustainability of Alaska Air Group's Safety Management System (SMS). This Director drives safety process innovation to ensure the system for capturing safety risk is proactive and robust to avoid negative outcomes. Scope & Complexity * This position supports highly complex safety and risk management activities for Alaska Air Group (AAG) and its subsidiaries. Key Duties * Directs the sustainability and improvement of AAG's Safety Management System (SMS) and the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP). o Leads and facilitates cross-divisional safety risk management (SRM) reviews. o Advises and supports cross-divisional safety management system (SMS) executive safety review boards (ESRB), safety review boards (SRB), and division analysis groups (DAG) with key enterprise safety performance metrics. o Maintains a strong and transparent relationship with the FAA on SMS performance. o Supports and consults with the Internal Evaluation Program on safety risks through regular updates with Audit Program leadership. o Prepares and presents safety risk analysis reports to Board Safety Committee and management. o Provides analysis and updates to periodic (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.) executive safety performance reports. o Serves as the primary AAG liaison to industry and regulatory bodies on SMS. * Leads the safety analysis program through the application of sound risk management principles and sustainable mitigation strategies. o Develop risk-based tools and techniques to strengthen operational programs, processes, and controls. o Directs and coordinates cross-divisional safety investigations and ensures adequate evidence to support root-cause analysis/findings. o Creates a system for the robust analysis of safety performance and ensures transparency of mitigation efforts. o Supports safety communication and promotion efforts to ensure all employees are aware of company safety campaigns, initiatives, and programs. * Directs all code-share safety monitoring of AAG's foreign and domestic partner airlines to ensure a single level of safety across the alliance network. * Coordinates and supports external reviews of company operating divisions, including the biennial Department of Defense (DOD) and IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) evaluations. * Manages the safety Performance Based Pay (PBP) system. * Team Management & Development o Cultivates and motivates direct/indirect reports through coaching, mentoring, and by providing regular and meaningful feedback. o Identifies and provides career development opportunities through developmental assignments and formal/informal training. * Performs special analyses and reviews, including system implementations and/or safety and compliance investigations. Job-Specific Skills * Required o A minimum of 6 years of applicable experience in aviation, airline operations, aviation safety, or managing a Safety Management System (SMS). o Proven ability to quickly understand complex airline operational processes. o Proven experience directing and implementing change management initiatives. o Experience leading high-performance teams. o Experience leading safety and compliance investigations. o Demonstrated ability to quickly scope situations, develop an accurate understanding of risks, and develop plans responsive to those risks. o Ability to engage with and establish credibility with business partners at the most senior/executive level. o Minimum age of 18. o Must be authorized to work in the U.S. * Preferred o Lean or Six Sigma certification is preferred. o Safety or Auditor Certification is preferred (e.g., Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), etc.) o FAA Airmen Certification is preferred. Job-Specific Leadership Expectations * Embody our values to own safety, do the right thing, be kind-hearted, deliver performance, and be remarkable. o Strong communication (e.g., verbal, written, presentation) and interpersonal skills, with the ability to create collaborative relationships that drive outcomes in the best interest of the company, with others in the organization, and with key external business partners. Education * High school diploma or equivalent is required. * A Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree is required. * A Master of Arts or a Master of Science degree is preferred. Curt Lewis