Flight Safety Information April 14, 2017 - No. 076 Accident: Daily DHC6 at Orchid Island on Apr 13th 2017, runway excursion Incident: American B772 near Miami on Apr 12th 2017, engine problem Aérospatiale AS 350B2...crashed into the sea Stung again: On United jet, scorpion falls from luggage bin into passenger's hair United Airlines Pilots Break Their Silence After Passenger Removal Video This Tiny Device Tells Pilots When a Plane Is About to Stall Anchorage air traffic controller helps guide F-18 to safety DFW Airport police won't 'physically lay hands' on passengers Nigeria's main international airport reopens next week after runway repairs U.S. Air Force authorizes increasing service life of F-16 aircraft East Africa: ATCL Set to Send 28 Pilots, Engineers to Addis for Training U.S. Air Force deploys nuke-sniffer jet to Japan Airbus Faces Setback as Delta Reviews $14 Billion Jet Order Refurbs and rental planes in vogue as China's jet-set seek value Boeing's 737 MAX 9 jet makes first flight Graduate Research Survey Request SAFE Encourages Pilot Input on GA Runway Incursions (Survey) Research Survey Accident: Daily DHC6 at Orchid Island on Apr 13th 2017, runway excursion A Daily Air de Havilland DHC-6-400, registration B-55571 performing flight DA-7511 from Taitung to Orchid Island (Taiwan) with 17 passengers and 2 crew, landed on Orchid Island's runway 13 at about 16:32L (08:32Z) but veered left off the runway and came to a stop in a drainage ditch with the left hand wing entangled in a fence. There were no injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial damage however. The airline reported the cause of the accident is yet to be determined, however, wind shear was a possibility. The captain was an experienced pilot with more than 5000 hours of flight experience. Local firefighters reported they treated 4 passengers after the aircraft went off the runway and impacted a fence, none of the passengers was taken to a hospital. No Metars are available, the local weather station reported at 14:00L: visibility 10km, winds from north at 10 knots, overcast cloud, 19 degrees C, dew point 17 degrees C, QNH 1016. At 17:00L the weather station reported visibility 10km, winds from north at 8 knots, overcast cloud, 19 degrees C, dew point 17 degrees C, QNH 1016. http://avherald.com/h?article=4a7951cf&opt=0 ************** Status: Preliminary Date: Thursday 13 April 2017 Time: 16:30 Type: Viking Air DHC-6 Twin Otter 400 Operator: Daily Air Registration: B-55571 C/n / msn: 874 First flight: 2013 Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 17 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 19 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Orchid Island Airport (KYD) ( Taiwan) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Taitung Airport (TTT/RCFN), Taiwan Destination airport: Orchid Island Airport (KYD/RCLY), Taiwan Flightnumber: 7511 Narrative: Due to a strong crosswind, the aircraft veered off the runway and hit the railing on one side of the runway nose-first, damaging its nose, left engine and wing. Three passengers suffered from scratches. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20170413-0 Back to Top Incident: American B772 near Miami on Apr 12th 2017, engine problem An American Airlines Boeing 777-200, registration N780AN performing flight AA-62 from Miami,FL (USA) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), was climbing out of Miami when the crew stopped the climb at FL210 reporting problems with the right hand engine (Trent 895) and returned to Miami for a safe landing on runway 09. The aircraft stopped on the runway, the crew requested emergency services to check the right side of the aircraft. Following the inspection the aircraft taxied to the apron with emergency services in trail. A replacement Boeing 777-200 registration N792AN reached Paris with a delay of 6.5 hours. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL62/history/20170412/2215Z/KMIA/LFPG http://avherald.com/h?article=4a795b55&opt=0 Back to Top Aérospatiale AS 350B2 crashed into the sea Date: 12-APR-2017 Time: 18:30 LT Type: Aérospatiale/Helibras AS 350B2 Esquilo Owner/operator: Heli-Rio Taxi Aereo Registration: PT-YZM C/n / msn: AS2831 Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: off Praia de Itacoatiara, Niteroi , Rio de Janeiro - Brazil Phase: En route Nature: Non Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Destination airport: Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Rio de Janeiro Narrative: A helicopter crashed into the sea some 200m off the Itacoatiara beach, Niteroi. One person escaped from the helicopter and has been rescued; the pilot died. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=194780 Back to Top Stung again: On United jet, scorpion falls from luggage bin into passenger's hair Attention, United Airlines passengers: Don't forget to lather up with "Off." A couple returning from vacation in Mexico apparently brought on an unexpected passenger: a scorpion. It turned out to be another stinging moment in a tough week for the airline, according to a report by CNBC. During a flight from Houston to Calgary, the creature dropped from the overhead bin, landing in the man's hair, according to news reports. When he shook it out onto his tray table and picked it up, it stung him. The scorpion was disposed of in the toilet. And other than suffering what "felt like a wasp sting," the man was okay. "Medical personnel met the aircraft after it arrived in Calgary," United spokesman Charles Hobart told CNBC. "Talk about snakebit," said Andrew Gilman, a crisis management expert. "The next time United does its emergency protocols, they will be dropping insect repellant along with the mask." The airline has been in damage control mode all week as it attempts to tamp down widespread criticism from a deeply troubling video of a paying passenger being forcibly removed by law enforcement officers from his seat to make room for airline personnel on an overbooked flight from Chicago to Louisville. That incident also occurred on Sunday. United chief executive Oscar Munoz has repeatedly apologized to the passenger, who is a physician, and the airline has said it will reimburse all of the passengers on that flight. http://jacksonville.com/news/national/2017-04-13/stung-again-united-jet-scorpion-falls-luggage-bin- passenger-s-hair Back to Top United Airlines Pilots Break Their Silence After Passenger Removal Video United Airlines pilots have now spoken out after the viral video of passenger David Dao being violently removed from a plane. "The safety and well-being of our passengers is the highest priority for United pilots, and this should not have escalated into a violent encounter," says a letter from United Master Executive Council, the union representing United's 12,500 pilots, Business Insider reports. "United pilots are infuriated by this event." The letter also seeks to direct some of the blame away from United (UAL, -1.23%). "This occurred on one of our contracted Express carriers, separately owned and operated by Republic Airline, and was ultimately caused by the grossly inappropriate response by the Chicago Department of Aviation," it says. "No United employees were involved in the physical altercation." "We cannot let this huge distraction affect our ability to do our jobs," the letter continues. "We have successfully flown through more turbulent times, and we will weather this storm as well."United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz has apologized for the incident. "No one should ever be mistreated this way," he said in a statement Tuesday. "We take full responsibility and we will work to make it right." http://fortune.com/2017/04/14/united-airlines-pilots-video/ Back to Top This Tiny Device Tells Pilots When a Plane Is About to Stall It's hard to have an eye on every single mechanism on an airplane at all times - pilots are only human, after all. Luckily, there's a little device called a "stick shaker" that alerts pilots when the airplane is about to stall. Stick shaker stall warning Boeing 737 MPS Flight simulator A recent Qantas flight to Hong Kong put the focus on this tiny life-saver, when 15 people were injured due to extreme turbulence right before the Boeing 747 stalled, according to Business Insider. The turbulence lasted about two minutes before the pilots were able to guide the plane to more stable airspace. So let's talk about what happens when an airplane stalls. This generally happens either because there's an engine failure or because the nose of the airplane is at too high of a pitch, according to pilots on Aviation Stack Exchange. In the latter case, this causes what's called airflow separation, meaning the conditions aren't right for the airplane wing to create any significant lift (which is how airplanes stay in the sky). If a pilot - or the autopilot - guides the nose to an improper angle or the engine begins to stall, a tiny device on the bottom of the steering wheel in the cockpit will begin to shake, causing the entire wheel to vibrate and alert the pilot that something is off. Passengers experienced unexpected in-flight turbulence strong enough that it set the stick shaker alarm off. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau labeled the incident "serious," which, according to The Sydney Morning Herald, means that it was an "accident causing loss of life or aircraft damage nearly occurred." Passengers said the entire plane shook before dropping sharply, according to the Herald. In case you're wondering what a stick shaker alert sounds like. Spoiler: It's loooooouuuud. Generally, the fix is taking the airplane off of autopilot and tipping the airplane nose downward to increase speed and airflow to the wings, according to pilots on Aviation Stack Exchange. In the Qantas incident, the alert was derived from "airframe buffeting," or airflow separation. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will be interviewing the flight crew and releasing a report on the incident. http://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/airplane-stick-shaker Back to Top Anchorage air traffic controller helps guide F-18 to safety ANCHORAGE (KTUU) An Anchorage based air traffic controller potentially saves the life of an F-18 pilot after the plane lost an engine over the Bering Sea. On July 25, 2016, two F-18 left Eielson Air Force Base, headed for Asia when one of the F-18's piloted by Navy Pilot Capt. Jesse Simmermon of the Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 lost an engine. Capt. Simmermon declared an emergency about 2-hours into the flight, turning around, en route to King Salmon, but at that point King Salmon was about 600 miles away, that's when Air Traffic Specialist Jessica Earp stepped in. "He (Capt. Simmermon) did a really good job of downplaying how critical of an emergency he was in actually," said Earp. "He's part of a Marine unit, All Weather Marine Unit who flies F-18's. He was very calm about the idea that he might have to get wet that day. He was worried that he was going to have to ditch his airplane and he was very thankful he didn't have to go swimming in the Bering Sea." Over the period of about 2-hours, Earp helped assist both F-18's travel about 300 miles to reach Saint Paul Island airport. Because of Earp's role in helping the F-18's land safely, she was awarded the Archie League Medal of Safety Award. That's the National Air Traffic Controllers Association's highest honor, typically awarded to an individual who performed life-saving work. Earp says she also received a letter from the pilot and his family, thanking her for saving his life. "I think that both of us were pretty calm and collected throughout the whole thing," Earp said. "It's not until after you get up and walk away that the stress of the situation hits you. In the moment you just don't think about it." http://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Anchorage-air-traffic-controller-helps-guide-F-18-to-safety- 419425264.html Back to Top DFW Airport police won't 'physically lay hands' on passengers Dallas/Fort Worth Airport police have escorted drunk and disorderly passengers off planes at the request of airlines. But they won't "physically lay hands" on a passenger who hasn't committed a crime, the airport's director of public safety Alan Black said Thursday. Black briefed the airport board in response to Sunday's incident in Chicago where security officers from the city's aviation department forcibly removed a 69-year-old passenger from a United Airlines flight that was oversold. "From our perspective, that is not the way we would manage our business," Black said. "If we engage a passenger, it is going to be at the request of an airline and we are only going to engage that passenger if we believe a crime has been committed." Black said the airport's police department is reviewing the United incident and looking at as a case study to help with ongoing training for its officers. "It's just a horrible, horrible situation," DFW Airport's chief executive Sean Donohue said. "It has a negative impact on the entire industry and one I hope we learn from." The passenger, David Dao, suffered a concussion, a broken nose and two lost teeth, his lawyer said Thursday according to Bloomberg News. After United was unable to entice passengers to give up their seats for money, Dao was randomly selected to get bumped but refused to leave the plane. That is when airport police boarded and dragged him off the plane. The seats were needed for United crew members who had to fly to another city to work. When a flight is oversold at American Airlines, the largest carrier at DFW, employees must first ask for volunteers prior to the boarding of the aircraft, according to company policy. "No one may be denied boarding against his or her will until airline personnel first ask for volunteers who will give up their reservation willingly, in exchange for compensation of the airline's choosing," the carrier says on its website. "If there are not enough volunteers, other passengers may be denied boarding involuntarily in accordance with the following boarding priority of American " In such events, American will usually deny boarding based upon check-in time, but we may also consider factors such as severe hardships, fare paid, and status within the AAdvantage program." Separately, Milton De La Paz, the airport's vice president of airline relations, told the board that total passengers at DFW in February dropped 2.2 percent to 4,761,125. He attributed most of the decline to the extra day in February last year due to leap year, adding that the airport's passenger figure would have increased 1 percent without that extra day. Cargo operations also grew 16.7 percent in February partly due to American Airlines' improved international cargo performance. http://www.star-telegram.com/news/business/aviation/sky-talk- blog/article144384039.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top Nigeria's main international airport reopens next week after runway repairs Nigeria's main airport, the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, in Abuja will be reopened next week after a six-week closure to allow for repair works on the runway. The head of the government's digital communications team, Tolu Ogunlesi, confirmed that major works on the runway had been completed as at April 12, 2017. The decision to close the airport was largely due to the dangerous condition of its sole runway. An $18 million contract was awarded for the repairs to an Abuja construction firm, Julius Berger. The airport will officially be reopened next Wednesday (April 19, 2017) to air traffic. He also disclosed that authorities had taken advantage of the closure to upgrade some facilities, especially in the main domestic departure terminals. Kaduna airport served as the main international airport for Africa's most populous nation after the closure of the Abuja by the then Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo on March 8, 2017. Kaduna airport is located about 160 km (100 miles) north of the capital. The government made arrangement for free bus and train services for passengers whose flights took them to Kaduna and had to commute to Abuja. Passengers and some airlines complained about the negative effects of using Kaduna, aside its effect on their business schedules, the state is also known for its notoriety with regards to kidnapping. Abuja airport handled an estimated 5,000 domestic flights in December 2016 alone, making it the second busiest airport in the country. http://www.africanews.com/2017/04/13/nigeria-s-abuja-airport-to-be-reopened-next-week-after-repair- works/ Back to Top U.S. Air Force authorizes increasing service life of F-16 aircraft The U.S. Air Force has authorized increasing the service life of Lockheed Martin's LMT, -0.19% F-16 aircraft to 12,000 flight hours compared to the 8,000 hours it previously flew, the company announced Wednesday. With these modifications the aircraft have an operational life to 2048 or later. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-air-force-authorizes-increasing-service-life-of-f-16-aircraft-2017- 04-12 Back to Top East Africa: ATCL Set to Send 28 Pilots, Engineers to Addis for Training Seeking to embark on capacity building for its employees at affordable costs, Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) will send 28 pilots and aircraft engineers for training at institutions operated by Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa. "Training a pilot in Ethiopia will save US $500 dollars per hour compared to the amount currently paid for such teaching in the United Kingdom and Canada," the Managing Director of ATCL, Mr Ladislaus Matindi, explained yesterday. It is on this backdrop that the national carrier will mid this year dispatch 18 aircraft engineers and 10 pilots for training in Addis Ababa, Mr Matindi explained yesterday, after a meeting with officials from Ethiopian Airlines based in Tanzania. "We are now waiting for approval from the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCCA) before we send them, it is a requirement for the aviation regulator to certify training institutes for our experts," he explained. He further explained that the ATCL Director for Technical Services and Operations, Captain Richard Shaidi, will travel to Ethiopia next week to finalise the deal between the two airlines. "Ethiopia Airlines has well equipped training and maintenance facilities and we can benefit from their expertise. The training will be for new pilots and those in service through recurrent teaching," he remarked. Mr Matindi on the other hand said the airline will continue sending few pilots to Canada to receive training on operation of the new Bombardier aircraft set for delivery mid this year. At the same occasion, Ethiopia Airlines Area Manager for Tanzania, Mr Dahlak Teferi, said the deal will provide a win-win situation between the two airlines. He pointed further that it is not the first time that the two companies are co-operating to improve the capacity of their workforce and operations. The co-operation was heightened during discussions between President John Magufuli and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Mr Hailemariam Desalegn, during the latter's visit to Tanzania. Dr Magufuli said then that the Ethiopian leader agreed during their meeting to strengthen cooperation between ATCL and Ethiopia Airlines. President Magufuli added that the Ethiopian airline will establish a cargo hub in Dar es Salaam for transferring consignments. "The Ethiopian airline has big aircrafts and several destinations worldwide and in Tanzania it has three destinations - Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro," he added. The cooperation, Dr Magufuli said, will help in training and maintenance, expressing optimism that the two leaders believe it will be possible through the experts from both countries. http://allafrica.com/stories/201704140061.html Back to Top U.S. Air Force deploys nuke-sniffer jet to Japan The U.S. Air Force has deployed the WC-135 Constant Phoenix to its military base in Okinawa, Japan. Photo by Senior Airman Stephen G. Eigel/U.S. Air Force/UPI | License Photo April 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force has deployed a nuke-sniffer aircraft at its base in Okinawa, Japan, according to multiple sources. The Boeing WC-135 Constant Phoenix, capable of collecting samples from the atmosphere after a nuclear explosion, arrived at Kadena Air Base, Stars and Stripes reported. The aircraft may be being deployed ahead of a possible sixth nuclear test in North Korea. Recent satellite images indicate ongoing activity at the Punggye-ri nuclear site, where Pyongyang conducted its fifth nuclear test in September 2016. Satoru Kuba, an Okinawan who keeps track of military aircraft activity at Kadena Air Base, and a senior Japan self-defense forces official, each confirmed the WC-135 aircraft's arrival. The Constant Phoenix jet touched down at the air base in Okinawa on Friday, the Nikkei newspaper reported. The aircraft was scheduled to arrive earlier, on March 24, but engine problems resulted in its delay. The WC-135 jet has been deployed before to Japan and has been carrying out missions in the region since October 2006, when North Korea conducted its first nuclear test. The aircraft previously found radioactive debris consistent with a North Korea nuclear test during previous missions. North Korea continues to allocate more than 15 percent of its national budget to defense expenditures, according to Pyongyang's Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun. "In order to handle the critical situation of the nuclear threat and endless war provocations of the United States and its followers, we will apportion 15.8 percent of all spending to defense expenditures, in order to strengthen the self-defense and pre-emptive capabilities centered around our nuclear armed forces," Pyongyang stated Wednesday. But North Korea also revived its foreign affairs committee during a meetings of its Supreme People's Assembly this week, a possible sign Kim Jong Un may be willing to take a step back from escalating tensions with the United States. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/04/13/US-Air-Force-deploys-nuke-sniffer-jet-to- Japan/8291492095495/ Back to Top Airbus Faces Setback as Delta Reviews $14 Billion Jet Order * Airline's CEO says it's holding discussions with planemakers * European manufacturer beat Boeing for wide-body deal in 2014 Airbus SE's expansion into Boeing Co.'s home market faces a potential setback as Delta Air Lines Inc. reviews a $14 billion purchase of the European planemaker's two newest wide-body models. The Atlanta-based carrier, known as an influential and shrewd aircraft buyer, is studying its twin-aisle orders amid signs the long-range travel market is saturated, Ed Bastian, Delta's chief executive officer, said during a quarterly earnings call Wednesday. While he didn't name Airbus, Delta has no twin-aisle orders pending with Boeing, according to the U.S. company's online database. "We continue to see excess capacity in wide-bodies as we look to the future for the industry," Bastian said, adding that Delta, which has orders for the Airbus A350 and A330neo, is in discussions with planemakers. "We continue to look internally as to what that means for Delta. You could anticipate some reductions, I think, broadly over the next several years." Word of the review intensifies concerns that demand for long-haul planes is weakening as a long jet- buying binge draws to close. American Airlines Group Inc. last year deferred its A350 order, while United Continental Holdings Inc. said it may swap its A350 purchase for smaller planes. Wide-Body Worry "It definitely contributes to what's been a building caution, or wall of worry around the wide-body market," said Ken Herbert, an aerospace analyst at Canaccord Genuity. Airbus shares traded 0.6 percent lower at 71.51 euros as of 9:29 a.m. Thursday in Paris. They closed 0.9 percent higher Wednesday after Bastian's remarks, paring earlier gains of as much as 1.5 percent. Boeing closed down 1.4 percent to $176.05, the second-biggest slide among the 30 members of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Airbus confirmed that it is in touch with Delta, while declining to go into detail. "It's not appropriate for us to comment on our customers' internal analysis," spokeswoman Mary Anne Greczyn said by email. "However, as a leading aircraft manufacturer, Airbus continually engages our customers around the world to help optimize their fleet needs." The Toulouse, France-based company out-dueled Boeing for Delta's 50-jet order in 2014 and is slated to begin delivering the first of 25 A350s later this year. They're intended to replace the Boeing 747 jumbos that once shuttled Delta's passengers to Asia. The airline has also ordered 25 A330neos, a model that's yet to fly, as a replacement for its oldest Boeing 767s. The prospect of Delta postponing or canceling the wide-body order adds to uncertainty over Airbus's efforts to make inroads in the U.S. with its next-generation models. American last year delayed its A350 deliveries by an average 26 months and is due to take the first of 22 planes next year, spokesman Joshua Freed said. The planes were ordered by US Airways Group, which merged with American in 2013. United said last year it was reviewing its purchase of A350-1000s. Delta, too, could defer orders to a schedule that better fits its demand forecasts, or shift the mix to other models, according to aviation consultant Scott Hamilton. The carrier may issue a request for proposals for single-aisle aircraft that would pit Boeing's 737 Max against Airbus's A321neo and will also need a mid- market planes, such as the lighter-weight regional A330 or the so-called 797 under consideration at Boeing, he said by email. "At face value, the Delta statement might seem alarming," Hamilton said. "But as so often becomes the case, the 'review' may not be what it seems." Sales of twin-aisle jets have slowed as the market absorbs a surplus after Boeing and Airbus boosted output at a 16 percent annual pace from 2011 through 2015, said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at Teal Group. Late last year, Boeing announced a second cut to the production rate of its 777 jetliner amid a sales drought, while A330neo orders have stalled, he said. In December, Delta scrapped a longstanding order for 18 Boeing 787 Dreamliners that it inherited in its 2008 merger with Northwest Airlines. The airline said then that the decision was consistent with the need "to prudently address our wide-body aircraft needs." https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-12/delta-reviewing-14-billion-wide-body-jet-deal-in- blow-to-airbus Back to Top Refurbs and rental planes in vogue as China's jet-set seek value FILE PHOTO: A VistaJet aircraft is seen at the Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE) at Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai, China, April 11, 2016. REUTERSAly Song/File Photo China's rich are foregoing fancy new private jets in favor of second-hand planes or rentals, reflecting how the country's business elite are increasingly shunning flashy signs of wealth amid slower economic growth. Planemakers such as Embraer and Bombardier are shifting focus to after-sales services in response, while brokers are refurbishing older jets or hiring out planes as the once high-flying industry braces for its weakest growth in a decade. Dealers at one of Asia's top industry shows in Shanghai this week said second-hand jets now made up more than half of sales to wealthy Chinese entrepreneurs and corporations, up from under a third two years ago. Chinese buyers, who began purchasing new business jets 30 years ago, were also becoming more pragmatic about buying cheaper, second-hand jets and giving them a makeover, they said. "Now ... while you can still get a Gulfstream 550 for around $50 million for a new one, you can get an extremely adequate aeroplane for $30 million," said David Dixon, president of business jet brokerage Jetcraft Asia. "So $20 million is a lot of money to anybody." (For a graphic of the business aircraft market click here) In part the shift reflects a broader trend that is making life tougher for firms selling luxury goods in the world's second biggest economy, as Chinese buyers increasingly push for bargains on everything from high-end handbags to holidays. In such a market, where new planes quickly lose their value, dealers said second-hand jets were simply a less risky bet. "When the economic climate is going down, there's fewer buyers in the market honestly, so the depreciation rate is higher," said Jackie Wu, president of Hong Kong-based plane broker and charter firm JetSolution Aviation Group. She said a new jet typically lost around 15 percent of its value last year, faster than the 10 percent loss in 2015. "Now pre-owned aircraft are a better buy," she said. "COLD WIND" Greater China is the world's second-largest business jet market behind the United States and had seen annual growth of up to 49 percent before 2012, when President Xi Jinping launched a fierce crackdown on corruption that has discouraged conspicuous displays of wealth. Owners include China's richest man, Wang Jianlin, who flies a Gulfstream 550, and Tencent founder Pony Ma who has a Bombardier Global 6000, according to data compiled by Hurun Report which tracks China's super-rich. But growth has been slowing since 2012 and sales remain subdued. At the Shanghai show there was a distinct lack of new orders announced, while planemakers instead talked up their after-sales service. Consultancy Asian Sky Group estimates the private jet fleet across Greater China will grow just 1 percent this year - with a total of five new plane deliveries - its weakest on record. There are currently around 480 private jets in China, compared with 466 in 2015 and 67 in 2007. "The entire market is now experiencing a cold wind," said Guan Dongyuan, president of Embraer China. Guan said, however, that the Brazilian planemaker was holding out for better days, given the potential of a market that is still a long way behind the United States, where there are around 12,000 private jets. ALSO IN BUSINESS NEWS Asian shares, won move south on worries over North Korea U.S. business wary of skin-deep results from Trump-Xi trade talks "We want to use the period when the market is relatively depressed to improve our after-sales services," he said, referring to its spare parts and engineering units. Canadian rival Bombardier, which has 110 aircraft based in Greater China, last Friday opened its first business jet service center in the country in the coastal city of Tianjin. GOVERNMENT SUPPORT Executives said they were heartened by government signals to encourage growth of the country's aviation industry, which remains hampered by a lack of infrastructure and tight military control of China's airspace. Last year, China said it would have more than 500 airports specifically for business jets by 2020, and would further open up airspace for civilian use with a view to grow the country's general aviation fleet to 5,000 aircraft by that year. "It's good that there's commitment, it takes time and we need to be patient," said Bjorn Naf, chief executive of Hong Kong-based jet management firm Metrojet, who said competitors were still swarming into the market despite the headwinds. "The market will swing back, I'm convinced." Fang Xinyu, Beijing-based vice president of Deer Jet, which manages a fleet of 90 aircraft in China, said there had been a period of "depression" but that business jets still made sense for busy company executives. "The value general aviation provides in terms of time efficiency and privacy have always been present," he said. "This is something no one can take away." http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-jets-business-idUSKBN17G0HR Back to Top Boeing's 737 MAX 9 jet makes first flight 737 MAX 9 takeoff Boeing's first 737 MAX 9 jet takes off on its first test flight from the company's plant in Renton, Wash. (Boeing Photo / Craig Larsen) The newest sibling in Boeing's 737 family, the MAX 9, made its first flight today from the company's assembly plant in Renton, Wash. - 75 years after the Renton plant opened and 50 years after the first 737 took off. The 737 MAX 9's maiden flight began at 10:52 a.m. PT and ended a little less than three hours later, after Boeing's test pilots put the plane through a series of test maneuvers that ranged from Washington's Olympic Peninsula to the Spokane Indian Reservation. You can find a recap the flight on Boeing's website. Today's takeoff marked the beginning of a flight test schedule that will continue for months. First deliveries of the MAX 9 are scheduled in 2018. The first 737 MAX, the "Dash-8," took to the air from Renton a little more than 14 months ago. The MAX variant of the time-honored 737 family is designed to be 14 percent more fuel-efficient than the previous generation of the single-aisle jet, thanks to design tweaks as well as the MAX's LEAP-1B engines. The MAX 9 is a stretch version of the MAX 8. It can accommodate as many as 220 passengers and has a range of 3,515 nautical miles, with further range improvements to come. In 2019, Boeing plans to introduce the smaller MAX 7 and the higher-capacity MAX 200. There's also talk of a larger MAX 10X that could make its debut by as early as 2020. Boeing says the 737 MAX is the fastest-selling airplane in the company's history, accumulating more than 3,700 orders to date from 86 customers worldwide. But the jet is facing tough competition from Airbus' A320neo series, which has racked up more than 5,000 orders to date. Since the first 737 takeoff in 1967, the jet has become the world's best-selling commercial passenger airplane, with more than 9,400 deliveries to its name. That first production 737 is now part of the Museum of Flight's collection in Seattle. http://www.geekwire.com/2017/boeings-737-max-9-jet-makes-first-flight/ Back to Top Graduate Research Survey Request My name is Mohamed Sheryenna. I'm a student at the University of South wales (UK), MSc. Aircraft Maintenance System. I'm conducting this research about Importance of Implementation SMS to Aircraft Maintenance: For reducing accidents. This study would look to understand the approaches and benefits of implementation SMS in Aircraft maintenance organization to reduce risk of accidents or at least mitigate it by identify and manage risks in predictive phase. Moreover, the study sought to determine the influence of the organizational culture and its effective on maintenance. In addition, to assess some tools used by SMS to support maintenance and engineering to obtain optimal aircraft maintenance. Ultimately, the effectiveness of an SMS implementation means the organization can manage the complexity of these mechanisms to defend against risk incubation. All the information will be treated confidentially and reported in the aggregate. The resultant data will be analyzed as part of my master degree's thesis. I will strictly respect the confidentiality of all participants' input. If you are a participant, and if you desire, I will provide you with a copy of the outcomes of my study. Please return the survey with your business card or contact information to indicate your interest in receiving a copy of the results. I would greatly appreciate your input to my survey. I realize that you are very busy; and completion of the survey should require not more than 10 minutes of your time. These questionnaires are intended to explore SMS in Aircraft maintenance and are purely for academic purpose. Your participation in this research will be highly appreciated. please click the link below to go through the survey http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/8YYUA/ Thank you very much for your cooperation. Sincerely yours, Mohamed Sheryenna 15050033@students.southwales.ac.uk Tel. 00447459876975 Back to Top SAFE Encourages Pilot Input on GA Runway Incursions (Survey) Active general aviation (GA) pilots are being asked to help an ongoing study of GA runway incursions by completing a new online questionnaire. The FAA has said that runway incursions - a vehicle or aircraft on the ground endangering aircraft landing or taking off - average three per day and are a "serious safety concern." GA pilots are involved in about 80 percent of runway incursions. "The question is, what are GA pilots doing, or not doing, that results in so many runway incursions?" said Professor Donna F. Wilt of the Florida Institute of Technology College of Aeronautics. "By analyzing such occurrences we can help mitigate those dangerous situations." The study is being conducted by the FIT College of Aeronautics, Hampton University Department of Aviation and Purdue University Department of Aviation Technology. It is funded through the Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility and Sustainability (PEGASAS), and the FAA Center of Excellence for GA. SAFE is a partner of PEGASAS. The questionnaire will be available from April 1 through April 30, 2017. To take the new questionnaire, click here or click on or copy and past the URL below. The questionnaire is also available on the SAFE web site at www.SAFEPilots.org and will be available at the SAFE booth at Sun 'n Fun. SAFE is encouraging its members to participate in the project. Direct Link URL: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeiJFFh52kh_afnEN7qoBRoliQvqLSUhksMQAGDGbO- EcDweg/viewform?usp=sf_link For more information, contact the project's Principal Investigator, Dr. Scott Winter. SAFE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and promoting aviation education at all levels of learning. SAFE is a recognized leader in pilot training reform, safety education, and the mentoring of aviation educators. For information on free resource materials and membership, go to www.safepilots.org. Scott Winter Assistant Professor of Aviation Science College of Aeronautics, Florida Institute of Technology 321-674-7639 (Office) 218-269-9376 (Cell) 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/ Curt Lewis