Flight Safety Information July 17, 2017 - No. 142 In This Issue Incident: Jet2.com B733 near Barcelona on Jul 16th 2017, loss of cabin pressure Incident: Emirates A388 near Mauritius on Jul 14th 2017, descended below cleared level Incident: Aeroflot A320 near Kazan on Jul 15th 2017, cargo smoke indication Incident: France B772 near Glasgow on Jul 15th 2017, burning odour on board EVAS - Cockkpit Smoke Protection Incident: India Express B738 at Mangalore on Jul 16th 2017, temporary runway excursion on landing Incident: Korean B773 near Berlin on Jul 15th 2017, loss of communication North American P-51D Mustang Impacted Terrain (Kansas) Aurigny jet out of action after damage at Gatwick Caribbean Airlines pilots concerned about aircraft safety 'Passed gas' forces passengers off plane at Raleigh airport Pilot unhurt after emergency landing at Napa airport without gear Incident: Flybe DH8D near Southampton on Jul 13th 2017, possibly cracking windshield U.S. issues revised security directive to airlines worldwide No Agreement on Pilot Hours in Senate FAA Bill Security nightmare after child boards Shanghai flight with no ticket Inquiry details tablet thermal runaway on Cairo-bound A321 Textile technology could monitor cockpit crew stress EasyJet Creates Third Austrian AOC To Deal With Brexit Debate over use of jumbo bomber as wildfires rage in West Is This Tiny Airline About to Challenge Delta Air Lines? Emirates Signs Partnership Deal With Discount Neighbor FlyDubai US and Australia test hypersonic missiles that fly at a mile a second Astronaut Buzz Aldrin rolls out the red carpet for Mars MITRE September Courses Position:...Manager, Safety Management Systems ISASI 2017, San Diego CA...August 22 - 24. 2017 GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST (SURVEY) Incident: Jet2.com B733 near Barcelona on Jul 16th 2017, loss of cabin pressure A Jet2.com Boeing 737-300, registration G-CELI performing flight LS-264 from Ibiza,SP (Spain) to Leeds,EN (UK), was enroute at FL340 about 35nm southwest of Barcelona when the crew initiated an emergency descent due to the loss of cabin pressure, the passenger oxygen masks were released. The aircraft diverted to Barcelona for a safe landing on runway 25R about 35 minutes after leaving FL340. http://avherald.com/h?article=4abb6ac0&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Emirates A388 near Mauritius on Jul 14th 2017, descended below cleared level causing TCAS resolution An Emirates Airbus A380-800, registration A6-EOT performing flight EK-703 from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Mauritius (Mauritius), was enroute at FL400 about 160nm north of Mauritius Airport when ATC advised the crew of traffic in opposite direction being cleared to climb to FL370, crossing time at 13:07Z. ATC subsequently cleared the flight to descend to FL380, the crew read back FL360 which was not corrected by ATC. An Air Seychelles Airbus A330-200, registration S7-VDM performing flight HM-54 from Mauritius (Mauritius) to Mahe Island (Seychelles), had been cleared to climb to FL370 and was climbing through FL330 when the Emirates descended through FL380. Both crews were visual with each other, received TCAS resolution advisories, in addition HM-54 turned right. Position data off transponders of both aircraft suggest that the horizontal separation between the aircraft was about 7.5nm when both aircraft passed through FL360 at 0 feet vertical separation and was about 4nm when the vertical separation between the aircraft reached 1000 feet again with EK-703 below FL360 and HM-54 levelling off at FL370. http://avherald.com/h?article=4abb6417&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Aeroflot A320 near Kazan on Jul 15th 2017, cargo smoke indication An Aeroflot Airbus A320-200, registration VP-BZS performing flight SU-1936 from Moscow Sheremetyevo (Russia) to Karaganda (Kazakhstan) with 117 people on board, was enroute at FL350 about 40nm southwest of Kazan (Russia) when the crew received a forward cargo smoke indication and diverted to Kazan for a safe landing about 20 minutes later. Russia's Emergency Ministry Tatarstan reported there was no fire or heat, a faulty sensor was identified as cause of the indication. A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration VP-BMF reached Karaganda with a delay of 3:45 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4abb6056&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: France B772 near Glasgow on Jul 15th 2017, burning odour on board An Air France Boeing 777-200, registration F-GSPL performing flight AF-374 from Paris Charles de Gaulle (France) to Vancouver,BC (Canada) with 294 passengers, was enroute at FL35 about 25nm east of Glasgow's Prestwick Airport,SC (UK) when the crew reported a burning odour on board and diverted to Prestwick for a safe landing on runway 12 about 25 minutes later. The aircraft vacated the runway and taxied to the apron. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground at Prestwick Airport about 7.5 hours after landing. The airline reported the aircraft diverted to Prestwick due to a faint burning odour on board. A replacement aircraft is being dispatched to Prestwick. http://avherald.com/h?article=4abaae19&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: India Express B738 at Mangalore on Jul 16th 2017, temporary runway excursion on landing An Air India Express Boeing 737-800, registration VT-GHE performing flight IX-814 (dep Jul 15th) from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Mangalore (India) with 185 people on board, landed in Mangalore at about 04:45L (23:15Z Jul 15th) but veered right off the runway and struck a number of runway edge lights before returning to the runway center line. There were no injuries, the aircraft received minor if any damage. A number of runway edge lights were broken. The airline reported at the time of touch down there was a sudden gust and heavy rain. The aircraft contacted a number of runway edge lights and returned to the runway center line. There were no injuries, the aircraft did not sustain any damage. A number of runway edge lights were broken however. http://avherald.com/h?article=4abb4d12&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Korean B773 near Berlin on Jul 15th 2017, loss of communication A Korean Airlines Boeing 777-300, registration HL8011 performing flight KE-917 from Seoul (South Korea) to Zurich (Switzerland) with 211 passengers, was enroute FL380 almost over Berlin (Germany) when the crew set the transponder code for loss of communication. German Airforce dispatched two supersonic fighter aircraft to intercept the aircraft and accompany the aircraft to Stuttgart (Germany), about 80nm north of Zurich, where the aircraft landed safely on runway 07 about 55 minutes later. German police reported the aircraft was escorted to Stuttgart due to a problem with the aircraft's radio equipment. Police received some 250 phone calls due to the sonic boom produced by the fighter aircraft. The passengers were taken to the terminal in Stuttgart. Due to night curfew, lack of available hotel beds and lack of transportation the passengers spent the night at the terminal on cots and were bussed to Zurich the following morning. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Stuttgart about 11 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4abb0e4a&opt=0 Back to Top North American P-51D Mustang Impacted Terrain (Kansas) Date: 16-JUL-2017 Time: ca 10:30 Type: North American P-51D Mustang Owner/operator: Mustang Historic Military Aircraft Registration: N251PW C/n / msn: 122-31945 Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Atchison County, 238th Road and Ness Road, NE of Cummings, KS - United States of America Phase: Unknown Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Amelia Earhart (K59) Destination airport: Narrative: A North American P-51D Mustang was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Cummings, Kansas. Both occupants were killed, pilot (64), and passanger, a woman (34). Authorities confirmed to local media that the aircraft flew in the air show at the Amelia Earhart festival the night before the accident. It was reported that P-51 "Baby Duck" performed at that event. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=196691 Back to Top Aurigny jet out of action after damage at Gatwick Aurigny Embraer 195 landing at Guernsey Airport for the first time The airline said the jet would be out of action for "several days" and it had brought in a replacement Flights on Channel Islands airline Aurigny have been disrupted after the firm's only jet aircraft was damaged. The Embraer 195 was put out of action on Sunday morning when rear steps hit the side of the plane at Gatwick Airport, the firm said. The airline said the jet would be out of action for "several days" and it had brought in a replacement. Anyone travelling in the next few days is advised to check the airline's website for updates. The firm apologised to customers and said in a statement: "We are working with Embraer to assess the extent of the damage and the appropriate course of action. "We are working hard to draw up alternative arrangements and keep disruption to a minimum." http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-guernsey-40623791 Back to Top Caribbean Airlines pilots concerned about aircraft safety Caribbean Airlines could be heading for more turbulence following its emergency landing at the Hewanorra International Airport last Sunday with news that pilots are concerned about the safety of the airline's fleet. Caribbean Airlines pilots held a "critical" meeting on Friday and threatened to ground all flights until the airline rectifies a number of issues, including recurring technical problems on aircraft, reports the Trinidad Guardian. The pilots association described the situation as "grave". The pilots have warned passengers to expect "chaos" as many of them have decided not to operate the company's ATR aircraft which they say have been experiencing constant technical problems, reports Trinidad Express. Caribbean Airlines has not responded to a request from St Lucia Times for comment on the Vieux Fort incident emergency. However an airline spokeswoman has told Trinidad media that the emergency landing was due to a warning light coming on in the cockpit and not the result of an engine fire. "There was no fire on any Caribbean Airlines plane. The crews did exactly what they were supposed to given the situation that presented itself," CAL communications manager Dionne Ligoure was quoting as saying. Flight BW434 was travelling from Port of Spain to George Charles Airport when the pilots alerted airport officials in St Lucia to the emergency. Ligoure disclosed that the necessary inspections were done by the relevant independent bodies in St Lucia before the aircraft was returned to Piarco on Thursday. Trinidad and Tobago Airline Pilots Association (TTALPA) has reportedly been invited to a meeting with Caribbean Airlines executive to discuss their concerns. TTALPA's executive administrator Shelly Sadaphal told Trinidad Guardian, ""We appreciate the company's understanding of our deep concern for the current situation on the ATR fleet. We hope that our concerns can be resolved to everyone's satisfaction and that we are able to arrive at an amicable solution to this grave situation." https://stluciatimes.com/2017/07/16/caribbean-airlines-pilots-concerned-aircraft-safety Back to Top 'Passed gas' forces passengers off plane at Raleigh airport A person who "passed gas" on an American Airlines plane on Sunday afternoon forced all passengers off the jet, officials said. The flight, which was not identified by RDU officials, landed at the airport around 4 p.m. after passengers became ill with nausea and headaches, according to a spokesperson with Raleigh- Durham International Airport. All the passengers were taken off the plane. After the incident was investigated, it was determined that a passenger "passed gas," the official said. Authorities later said that the incident was a "medical call" and directed all questions to Wake County EMS. RDU officials did not identify where the plane was from or its destination or what type of aircraft was involved. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article161691703.html Back to Top Pilot unhurt after emergency landing at Napa airport without gear An aviator was unable to deploy the landing gear of a private airplane, but escaped injury after landing Sunday at Napa County Airport, authorities reported. The pilot and sole occupant of a Cessna 210 piston-engine aircraft told the control tower that a warning light in the cockpit indicated his landing gear had not lowered, according to Napa County Fire Battalion Chief Joe Buchmeier. Firefighters at the agency's station directly east of the airfield were notified of the emergency at 11:40 a.m. and went to Runway 18R, where the single-engine Cessna slid to a stop without its landing wheels, Buchmeier said. The pilot, whose name was not immediately released, emerged uninjured and no fire was reported, according to Buchmeier. http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/pilot-unhurt-after-emergency-landing-at-napa-airport- without-gear/article_22c6bd47-3f88-5caf-a591-55dc2ed2636c.html Back to Top Allegiant Air flight forced to turn around after air conditioning fails One of the airline's Indiana-bound aircraft was forced to change course and return to St. Pete- Clearwater International Airport in Florida after its busted air conditioning resulted in some uncomfortable temperatures for its passengers, the Tampa Bay Times reported. The June 22 flight was met by St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue when it returned to Pinellas County. "I don't sweat and I was dripping," passenger Karen Willey told the newspaper. Ore. woman who molested female on Alaska Airlines plane sentenced Two people were treated for symptoms related to overheating, though both opted against going to the hospital, according the incident report sited by the Times. Michele Routh, public relations director for the St. Pete-Clearwater airport, said a total of four passengers were examined with heat-related issues. Allegiant spokeswoman Hilarie Grey said no one onboard actually fainted and the first responders were called by the pilot after he learned one of the flight attendants had been feeling faint. A malfunctioning cooling valve was the source of the airborne woes, Allegiant spokeswoman Hilarie Grey said. The Federal Aviation Administration does not require aircrafts to maintain a certain temperature, leaving it up to the carriers to adjust based on its customers preferences. Woman claims flight crew didn't protect her from masturbating man "Bottom line, the airlines and regulators do not consider temperature to be a safety issue. Therefore, it's low on the list of priorities when it comes to on-time departure," union spokeswoman Taylor Garland said in an interview on the airlines lack of temperature regulations. The FAA declined to comment for the story, but said it expects airlines to "take appropriate action if a cabin temperature condition occurs on the ground that could potentially affect passenger safety." The Association of Flight Attendants, a group boasting at least 50,000 members, has long been petitioning congress to set a maximum cabin temperature of 80 degrees. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/allegiant-airlines-flight-no-ac-passengers-faint-article- 1.3328881 Back to Top U.S. issues revised security directive to airlines worldwide People wait at the arrival hall at Terminal 4 of JFK airport after U.S. President Donald Trump's limited travel ban was approved by the U.S. Supreme Court, in New York City, U.S., June 29, 2017. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a revised directive to airlines around the world in response to requests that it clarify aviation security measures scheduled to begin taking effect next week, the agency said on Friday. "This clarifying update will strengthen global aviation security and is a testament to our shared commitment to raising the baseline," said James Gregory, a spokesman for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, which is part of the DHS. An airline official briefed on the matter said the directive gives airlines more flexibility and additional time to obtain explosive trace detection equipment. The official was not authorized to discuss sensitive security issues with the media and requested anonymity. The directive includes technical adjustments, agency officials said, declining to release the text. European airlines have been pushing for changes to meet the new requirements, which begin taking effect on July 19. The new requirements include enhanced passenger screening at foreign airports, increased security protocols around aircraft and in passenger areas and expanded canine screening. They affect 325,000 airline passengers on about 2,000 commercial flights arriving daily in the United States, on 180 airlines from 280 airports in 105 countries. On June 28, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly unveiled enhanced security measures for all foreign flights arriving in the United States, which officials said were designed to end a limited in-cabin ban on laptops and prevent the ban's expansion to additional airports. In March, DHS imposed restrictions on passengers carrying large electronics like laptops in cabins on nine airlines, most of which were Middle Eastern carriers, to address the potential threat of hidden explosives. On Thursday, DHS removed those restrictions on Royal Air Maroc flights out of Casablanca's Mohammed V airport, leaving just Saudi Arabian Airlines under the restrictions. Gregory said DHS expects the ban to be lifted on those remaining flights by July 19. European and U.S. officials told Reuters that airlines had 21 days from June 28, or until July 19, to put in place increased explosive trace detection screening and 120 days to comply with other security measures, including enhanced screening of airline passengers. One issue, European airline officials said, was whether some explosive screening could be done at a central point, rather than at gates. DHS spokesman David Lapan said this week that U.S. officials are working with airlines. "Some airports, airlines will be able to get there more quickly," Lapan said. Gregory separately denied a report that the new measures could require in-person check in for U.S. flights. "None of the measures impact the ability of an airline to offer kiosk or on-line check in," he said. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-airlines-security-idUSKBN19Z27G Back to Top No Agreement on Pilot Hours in Senate FAA Bill A partisan Senate committee debate over co-pilot training hours that bubbled up during consideration of the federal aviation authorization bill hasn't been resolved, two panel members told Bloomberg BNA. Democrats oppose Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Chairman John Thune's (R-S.D.) amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2017 (S. 1405) to address a co-pilot shortage among regional airlines. The amendment, which was approved, would ease the current in-flight training requirement of 1,500 hours to include other forms of training at the discretion of the Federal Aviation Administration. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) informed the committee through ranking member Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) that he would block the FAA bill in the full Senate if it included the Thune amendment. Senators and pilots James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) each told Bloomberg BNA on July 12 they hadn't had any conversations about the matter with Thune or other committee members since the markup. "There's not been any follow-up from the hearing. I'm ready and available," Duckworth told Bloomberg BNA. For Co-Pilots, 1,500 Hours The co-pilot amendment dispute involves a provision in the Airline Safety and FAA Extension Act of 2010 and the resulting FAA rule requiring 1,500 hours of in-air training for co-pilots, who previously needed 250 hours. The 1,500-hour rule emerged in response to the deadly Colgan Air Inc. Flight 3407 crash in 2009 in Schumer's state of New York. Thune's amendment would allow the FAA administrator to decide whether simulation or other "structured and disciplined training courses" could count toward the 1,500-hour total. Smaller airports like those in Thune's home state of South Dakota face service cuts from regional airlines, which blame a pilot supply issue created by the more stringent co-pilot training requirements. Outlook The FAA authorization runs out Sept. 30, and while other legislative priorities had made a multiyear reauthorization seem less likely, the move to extend the Senate session into the first two weeks of August could benefit the bill. "FAA is one of the many bills we have to try and get across the finish line before the end of the fiscal year, so I hope that we'll have an opportunity over the course of the next few weeks to see what we can work out," Thune told reporters. Thune said after his committee's markup that he thinks regional airline co-pilot supply needs to be addressed, but he would work with his colleagues to see if a different tack could work. Inhofe told Bloomberg BNA of the Thune amendment added to the bill at the markup: "I know that was a sticking point and there's no reason it should be along party lines, but it seemed to be that way." Duckworth said she is open to discussing financial incentives to keep regional airlines servicing small airports. "You know the issue is not to weaken the flight requirement. What we need to do is actually improve the incentives for regional airlines to come into these small airports," Duckworth said. "I'm happy to talk about that." A similar bill in the House (H.R. 2997) might get a floor vote the week of July 17, which could push the Senate to advance Thune's bill before the delayed August recess. https://www.bna.com/no-agreement-pilot-n73014461703/ Back to Top Security nightmare after child boards Shanghai flight with no ticket All passengers on Flight 1252 operated by Juneyao Airlines, a Chinese carrier, were forced to disembark and go through security checks a second time, according to Beijing Youth Daily. The child was reportedly accompanied by three adults, who helped the minor board the flight undetected, the newspaper reported. An investigation has been launched. An image posted on Chinese media that purports to show the incident. Photo: Handout The incident is the latest security scare involving Chinese airports and flights. Last month, an elderly woman delayed a China Southern Airlines flight for hours after throwing coins at the plane's engine in a wish for a safe flight. Elderly flight passenger throws coins into engine for 'luck', delays take-off for hours The Juneyao Airlines flight was due to depart Beijing Capital International Airport at 6.55am for Shanghai. After flight attendants discovered the ticketless child, they informed the passengers they would have to deplane and repeat the security screening procedures. The flight left around noon. The number of passengers was not given but the plane was an Airbus A321, which can seat more than 180 people. Chinese internet users expressed exasperation over the incident and said the adults should be held responsible. "What do children know about avoiding paying for tickets? Without adult 'guidance', what would the kid know about this?" one Weibo user wrote. "I would recommend the airport reinvestigate their security processes to see what the loopholes were." Another commenter based in Suzhou wrote: "What 'great parents', teaching their kid bad behaviour when they are young." A Henan-based internet user wrote: "First time hearing of someone trying to skip a plane ticket! Really have had enough! Ban them." Security scares are not uncommon on the mainland. A Chinese woman was detained on Saturday for five days after trying to force her way through a security checkpoint at Qingdao Airport in Shangdong province. Airline passenger detained for trying to barge through security check in eastern China In February last year, the China Air Transport Association introduced a slew of new penalties against unruly passengers, including a flying ban in addition to existing fines. The blacklist comes amid an explosion in air travel by Chinese, with outbound trips increasing 4.3 per cent to 122 million last year, data from the China National Tourism Administration show. http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2102985/security-nightmare-after-child-boards- shanghai-flight-no-ticket Back to Top Inquiry details tablet thermal runaway on Cairo-bound A321 Austrian investigators have detailed an incident involving the combustion of a passenger's electronic tablet in the cabin of an Airbus A321. The inquiry concluded that the device probably suffered overheating of its lithium battery, although the trigger for this chemical reaction could not be clearly determined. While the event took place on 3 September 2014, the Austrian transport ministry investigators' findings emerged while certain flights from Cairo airport were still subject to an electronics ban, which required large personal devices to be kept in the aircraft hold. Investigators have not specified details about the A321's operator. But the aircraft was flying from Vienna to Cairo, with 106 occupants, and the timing of the event, which occurred on approach to the Egyptian capital, matches an Austrian Airlines service. During the descent a passenger noticed the tablet - an Apple iPad Air model - was emitting "significant" quantities of smoke, and he took it to the cabin crew who applied three halon extinguishers before cooling the device with water. The passenger claimed the device was being transported in its original packaging at the time, and had not been used prior to the incident. No emergency was declared. Once the aircraft arrived at Cairo, the device was examined for possible explosives but none was found. Risks of a thermal battery incident in an aircraft hold had been cited as a concern after the US government imposed a ban on carrying large electronic devices in the cabin of US-bound flights in March. Cairo had been one of several hubs affected, although the US ban was lifted from the airport on 12 July. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top Textile technology could monitor cockpit crew stress Future cockpit seats could be manufactured with textiles capable of monitoring the health of pilots, under a European research programme. The Active Simulator Cockpit Enhancement project is intended to develop hardware and software incorporating novel functions for a simulator centred on a new regional aircraft concept. It is being funded by the European Commission, which is contributing €1.47 million to the parties involved - of which two-thirds goes to Spanish firm Servicios de Tecnologia Ingenieria e Informatica, which is leading the effort. The Spanish company's partners comprise Greek firm Paragon and the UK's Nottingham Trent University, the advanced textiles research arm of which is looking into applications for cockpit seats and even pilots' clothing. "By using smart textiles we're able to provide new prognostic and diagnostic techniques for pilot monitoring, in a completely non-intrusive way," says Nottingham Trent University professor Tilak Dias, who will conduct research in co-operation with senior lecturer William Hurley. "This will enable the collection of data which will indicate the psychological experiences a pilot goes through while navigating [the aircraft]." Sensors embedded into fibres - including thermistors and resistance temperature detectors - could measure temperature or variations in heart rate, conceivably enabling the system to monitor fatigue, the university claims, while a moisture-sensing yarn will allow measurement of perspiration. Nottingham Trent adds that the institutions participating in the project will also look into eye- tracking technology and emulators of ambient sunlight. Servicios de Tecnologia Ingenieria e Informatica's David de la Casa says the programme is "very ambitious". "[Being] able to see the levels of stress, both psychological and physiological, that can be induced through different events...can be valuable information to improve training and reduce the workload of pilots," he adds. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top EasyJet Creates Third Austrian AOC To Deal With Brexit FRANKFURT-EasyJet is reshaping its corporate structure and setting up a new air operator's certificate (AOC) to deal with the UK's 2016 vote to leave the EU. Earlier this year, Europe's second-largest low-fare airline applied to Austria's aviation regulator for an AOC. The airline now says the process is "well advanced," and that it "hopes to receive the AOC and license in the near future." The new airline, EasyJet Europe, will be based in Vienna. The structure will "enable EasyJet to continue to operate flights both across Europe and domestically within European countries after the UK has left the EU," the company said. This would be the case "regardless of the outcome of talks on a future EU-UK aviation agreement." Easyjet is one of several European airlines that needs to address the legal base of its operations and structure as a result of Brexit. International Airlines Group (IAG) and Ryanair are also very much affected. Airline representatives earlier this month raised serious concerns about the issues, at a European Parliament hearing in Brussels. The holding company EasyJet plc owns 100% of EasyJet Airline Co. Ltd., which operates services in England and Wales. It also owns 49% of EasyJet Switzerland S.A., the remainder of which is owned by Swiss nationals. EasyJet Europe, the new Austrian AOC, will be 100% owned by EasyJet plc. However, the future ownership structure of the UK airline is not yet clear. About 27.5% of EasyJet plc is owned by UK entities. Nationals of the 27 countries in the EU minus the UK hold 47% of the company, including 33.72% held by the family of EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou. The rest of the company is owned by non-EU and non-UK investors. But the company says the holding structure, while based and listed in London, will continue to be European. Therefore, EasyJet has to orchestrate a yet-to-be-defined change in its shareholder structure that ensures another 4% of its share capital becomes European-owned. It is unclear whether EasyJet Airline Co., the future UK airline, will be 100% owned by the holding company. This depends on the future aviation agreement, as well as UK regulations regarding airline ownership. EasyJet could be forced to set up an independent trust that formally owns 51% of the UK airline to ensure its UK status. However, that may not be necessary, depending on how the Haji-Ioannou stake is categorized. Haji-Ioannou and his family have dual Cypriot and UK citizenship. If the UK and the EU agree, that stake could in theory be counted as both belonging to the "EU27" countries and the UK parts of the share capital. EasyJet as a whole operates 266 aircraft. 25 of them are based in Geneva and belong to EasyJet Switzerland. One hundred aircraft are based in six future EU27 countries. These, along with 4,000 employees, will be moved under the roof of Easyjet Europe. No jobs will move from the UK to Austria, the company stated. Austria is quickly becoming a major legal base of European low-fare airlines. Lufthansa Group also selected Vienna for its Eurowings Europe AOC, one of the vehicles that is supposed to ensure fast growth of the low-fare division. EasyJet also considered setting up a new AOC in Portugal. www.aviationweek.com Back to Top Debate over use of jumbo bomber as wildfires rage in West BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- A giant aircraft that can fly high above oceans on intercontinental flights instead jets in low and slow over a flaming forest, trailing a long plume that settles on the ground and creates a wildfire-stopping barrier. The operators of the Boeing 747 converted from a passenger jet into a firefighting air tanker say it has proven itself battling forest fires in countries outside the U.S. The modifications allow it to drop more than 19,000 gallons (72,000 liters) of a flame-squelching combination of ammonium phosphate and sulfate mixed with water that comes billowing out in a red-colored line. "We just happen to be the biggest, fastest firetruck in the air," said Jim Wheeler, CEO of Global SuperTanker Services. But the company says the U.S. Forest Service is seeking to keep the plane grounded by offering a contract limiting firefighting aircraft to 5,000 gallons (18,900 liters) of fire suppressant and won't say why. The company says the federal agency is putting homes and lives at risk just as the current wildfire season surges past the 10-year average for land area burned in a decade that includes some of the most destructive and deadly wildfire seasons on record. Late last month, the company filed a protest with the Forest Service contesting the size limit that appears to conflict with the Forest Service's 2012 air tanker modernization strategy report. That document identifies large-capacity tankers as an important part of the firefighting effort as the agency tries to pay for fighting fires without using money intended for such things as improving recreation opportunities for forest visitors. Forest Service spokesman Mike Ferris said in an email the agency couldn't comment specifically about the possible 747 contract because of the company's protest. Watchdog and firefighter advocacy groups said the agency might be trying to cut firefighting costs that have been using up big chunks of its budget. The Forest Service spent $1.6 billion in 2016 fighting wildfires, an amount second only to the $1.7 billion spent in 2015, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Besides the 5,000-gallon limit, the interim approval the Forest Service gave for the use of the 747 in January expired last month before the fire season took off and it got a chance to fight fires in the U.S. The company said without the approval, states wouldn't be reimbursed from the federal government for using the 747. Some 50 large wildfires are currently burning in the U.S., with about 6,200 square miles (16,000 sq. kilometers) scorched so far this year, well above the 10-year average for this point in the season. "Where (the Forest Service) is sorely lacking is in the very large air tanker category," Wheeler said. The Forest Service has three aircraft in that category defined as having a capacity of greater than 8,000 gallons (30,300 liters). The three DC-10s capable of dropping 11,600 gallons (43,900 liters) are currently under contract with a company called 10 Tanker. Company President John Gould said what's going on with the 747 concerns him because it could show up in new contracts for his company. Casey Judd is president of the Federal Wildland Fire Service Association, a group that advocates for wildland firefighters. "You have the largest fire department in the world managed by the Forest Service," he said. "There is a little more scrutiny from Congress. There are some changes going on as a result of this increased scrutiny, and the 747 may be a byproduct of that." Andy Stahl is executive director of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, a watchdog group that describes its mission as holding the Forest Service accountable for responsible land stewardship. Stahl said air tankers were initially intended for early attack to prevent wildfires from getting large. "That's no longer how they're used," he said. "Air tankers now are primarily used on large fires that have escaped initial attack. It's pork barrel spending in Western states." Limiting air tankers to an initial attack role could save the Forest Service money by reducing costs on the largest and most expensive fires where air tankers, Stahl said, are ineffective. A significant part of the Forest Service's firefighting cost is buying firefighting material at about $1 a gallon and paying for the aircraft to drop it. Last year the Forest Service reported dropping more than 19 million gallons (72 million liters) on national forest system lands, mainly in Western U.S. states. The 747 can drop its entire load of 19,200 gallons (72,700 liters) in a line that's from three- quarters of a mile (1.2 kilometers) to 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) long and more than 200 feet wide. But it can also make eight separate drops from one load. Company officials say the 747 is cheaper per gallon of liquid dropped than any other aircraft, a comparison based on what it would cost to drop the same amount using multiple smaller planes. "If you need more than two airplanes, it's far more cost-efficient to call a 747," said Harry Toll, a managing partner with Alterna Capital Partners, which owns Global SuperTanker. Another criticism the company rejects are questions about the 747's ability to operate at low altitudes. The company said firefighting efforts in Israel in and Chile proved its low-flying ability to hit the target. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection currently uses DC-10s to coat ridgetops, a possible job for the 747 as well. "Would we use it if approved? Absolutely we would use it," said Janet Upton, deputy director of communications for the agency, most commonly known as CAL FIRE. It's not clear when the Forest Service will make a decision involving the protest filed by Global SuperTanker. "The aircraft today is ready to go fight fires," Wheeler said. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/debate-over-jumbo-bomber-wildfires-rage-west- 154635190.html Back to Top Is This Tiny Airline About to Challenge Delta Air Lines? For the first time in several years, Sun Country Airlines has a CEO with lots of experience in the airline industry. Some big strategic changes could be coming soon. For most of its 35-year history, Sun Country Airlines has been a perennial also-ran in the airline industry. It's hard to survive as a smaller airline in the U.S., and Sun Country has been further hampered by periodic mismanagement. However, Sun Country may finally be serious about improving its competitiveness. Last week, the company hired longtime Allegiant Travel (NASDAQ:ALGT) executive Jude Bricker as its new CEO. Bricker's appointment will likely usher in a new strategy at Sun Country Airlines. This could give it a better shot at competing with market leader Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Sun Country's main base of operations. Weak profitability has been a constant Sun Country Airlines was lucky to survive the Great Recession. The combination of record oil prices and plunging demand caused several airlines to go bust in 2008. Moreover, Sun Country found itself in the midst of a scandal that year, as its chairman and CEO was arrested on fraud charges. The company was only able to survive by filing for bankruptcy and forcing employees to take a massive temporary pay cut. Sun Country eventually emerged from bankruptcy in 2011. However, it hasn't joined in the recent airline industry renaissance -- and profitability has been sinking recently. Sun Country Airlines planes on the tarmac SUN COUNTRY AIRLINES IS BARELY PROFITABLE RIGHT NOW. IMAGE SOURCE: SUN COUNTRY AIRLINES. During the 12 months ending in March 2017, Sun Country Airlines posted a meager operating profit of $3 million, putting its operating margin well below 1%. In the prior 12 months, Sun Country's operating profit had been significantly higher, at $32 million. Yet even then, its 6% operating margin was far worse than the double-digit margins common at other U.S. airlines. Professional management is coming In addition to its small size, Sun Country has also suffered in recent years from not having an experienced management team. In 2011, the company was bought out of bankruptcy by the owners of Cambria: a Minnesota-based company that specializes in kitchen countertops. Additionally, Sun Country was led for most of the past two years by Zarir Erani, an executive with no previous experience in the airline industry. By contrast, new CEO Jude Bricker worked for Allegiant Travel -- a highly successful ultra-low cost carrier -- for more than a decade, most recently as chief operating officer. Thus, Bricker will bring fresh ideas and much-needed industry know-how to Sun Country Airlines. Costs are too high Right now, Sun Country's biggest problem is that its costs are too high for a low-cost carrier (especially a small one with little pricing power). During the 12-month period that ended in March, Sun Country's cost per available seat mile (CASM) was 10.57 cents. For comparison, Allegiant posted CASM of 8.36 cents during the same period, despite facing significant cost pressures related to its ongoing fleet transition. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines' CASM has been around 13 cents recently -- but Delta can generate much higher unit revenue due to its full-service hub-and-spoke business model. A Delta Air Lines plane SUN COUNTRY NEEDS TO REDUCE ITS COSTS TO COMPETE WITH DELTA. IMAGE SOURCE: DELTA AIR LINES. With more than 70% market share at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Delta is by far Sun Country Airlines' most important competitor. (Nearly all of Sun Country's scheduled flights touch Minneapolis-St. Paul.) In order to thrive, the carrier will need a bigger cost advantage. Can Sun Country be fixed? At this point, the clearest path forward for Sun Country Airlines would be to transform itself into an ultra-low-cost carrier. Its new CEO is already familiar with the ULCC business model from his time at Allegiant. Furthermore, Frontier Airlines successfully reshaped itself as a ULCC a few years ago and has become strongly profitable since then despite facing customer backlash in its hometown of Denver. One of the most basic ways that ULCCs keep costs down is by squeezing as many seats as possible onto their planes. Reconfiguring Sun Country's fleet might take a year or two, but it would be a straightforward way to reduce unit costs. Ultra-low-cost carriers also generally implement substantial fees for using high-cost amenities like reservations call centers and agent-assisted check-in. By prodding customers to take advantage of self-service options like booking online and printing a boarding pass at home, they can further reduce their costs. Sun Country Airlines could also go a different route, such as trying to position itself as a "premium" brand like Virgin America. However, such a transformation would be far tougher to pull off. Converting to an ultra-low-cost carrier business model is both the most promising and the most likely path that Sun Country will take under its new CEO. https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/07/16/is-this-tiny-airline-about-to-challenge-delta-air.aspx Back to Top Emirates Signs Partnership Deal With Discount Neighbor FlyDubai * Agreement will allow sister carriers to combine networks * Two government-owned operators will remain independent Emirates, the world's biggest long-haul airline, will form a partnership with low-cost sister carrier FlyDubai aimed at allowing the companies to feed passengers onto each other's flights. The deal will include network collaboration and coordinated scheduling at Dubai International Airport, where both airlines are based, Emirates said in a statement Monday. It will be rolled out from the fourth quarter starting with enhanced code-sharing arrangements. Dubai has been looking at placing the two government-owned carriers under a single structure for several months. The move means FlyDubai's regional flights will help fill Emirates jets, while the discount operator gets access to a global network of 157 destinations. New city pairs are set to be opened up and duplicated routes eliminated, while frequent-flyer programs may be aligned. The partnership unites two complementary models and will unlock "immense value," said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive officer of Emirates Group and chairman of FlyDubai. The airlines will continue to be managed independently, he said. Emirates suffered a 70 percent drop in profit in the year ended March 31 as the low price of crude clipped growth in oil-based Persian Gulf economies, terrorist attacks hurt demand for travel and the company faced U.S.-imposed travel restrictions. Tim Clark, the carrier's president, has also expressed concern about the threat from discount long-haul rivals in Asia and Europe. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-17/emirates-signs-partnership-deal-with- discount-neighbor-flydubai Back to Top US and Australia test hypersonic missiles that fly at a mile a second The X-51A Waverider, a prototype for a hypersonic missile, is designed to accelerate to about 7,700mph: US Air Force graphic The US has been testing hypersonic aircraft missiles that could fly at a mile per second. It has collaborated with Australia to research and pilot weapons able to fly at least five times faster than the speed of sound - anywhere from 3,836mph up to 7,700 mph. The latest phase of the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HiFIRE) programme included at least one successful hypersonic flight at Woomera testing range in South Australia. The round of experiments concluded on 12 July, confirmed Australian defence minister Marise Payne. BAE Systems Australia said in a statement that "the successful flight trial [was] the most complex of all HIFiRE flights conducted to date". The $54m joint initiative involves the US Air Force, Boeing, the Australian Department of Defence's Defence Science and Technology Group, BAE Systems Australia, and the University of Queensland. Both Russia and China are building hypersonic glide vehicles, US Air Force General John Hyten recently told a Senate hearing, according to The Washington Examiner. US Navy Admiral Harry Harris, head of US Pacific Command, told a Congress hearing in May: "I'm concerned about Chinese and Russian hypersonic weapons development, and I expressed those concerns in the right places. What we can do is to develop our own hypersonic weapons and improve our defenses against theirs." A hypersonic missile could fly 1000 miles in less than 17 minutes. Though many ballistic missiles can fly faster, the typical arc trajectory of such missiles makes them more easily detectable by early warning satellites, according to The Drive. The Pentagon has developed ballistic missile interceptors able to knock such weapons off-course mid-flight, and so mitigate their threat. But hypersonic weapons are much less easy to track. Prototype designs rely on a booster such as a rocket motor to get the craft up to speed, before a high-speed jet engine takes over. Its smooth and flat flight path is much harder to track than that of a ballistic missile. These prototype crafts may also have the capability to change direction mid-flight, which makes interception much harder. Developing a hypersonic missile system would enable the US to conduct short-notice or no-notice enemy strikes, the capability for which is a powerful deterrent alone. The HiFIRE project, which initially included NASA, launched more than eight years ago. https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-australia-test-hypersonic-missiles-153350155.html Back to Top Astronaut Buzz Aldrin rolls out the red carpet for Mars Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin speaks at the commemoration for the upcoming anniversary of the 1969 mission to the moon and a gala for his non-profit space education foundation, ShareSpace Foundation, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Saturday, July 15, 2017. (Alex Sanz/Associated Press) CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Forty-eight years after he landed on the moon, Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin rolled out a red carpet for the red planet at a star-studded gala at the Kennedy Space Center. Aldrin, 87, commemorated the upcoming anniversary of the 1969 mission to the moon under a historic Saturn V rocket Saturday and raised more than $190,000 for his nonprofit space education foundation, ShareSpace Foundation. Aldrin believes people will be able to land on Mars by 2040, a goal NASA shares. The space agency is developing the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft to send Americans to deep space. Apollo astronauts Walt Cunningham, Michael Collins and Harrison "Jack" Schmitt joined Aldrin, one of 12 people to walk on the moon, at the sold-out fundraiser. "I like to think of myself as an innovative futurist," Aldrin told a crowd of nearly 400 people in the Apollo/Saturn V Center. "The programs we have right now are eating up every piece of the budget and it has to be reduced if we're ever going to get anywhere." During the gala, the ShareSpace Foundation presented Jeff Bezos with the first Buzz Aldrin Space Innovation Award. Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com and the spaceflight company Blue Origin, is trying to bring the cost of space travel down by reusing rockets. "We can have a trillion humans in the solar system. What's holding us back from making that next step is that space travel is just too darned expensive," Bezos said. "I'm taking my Amazon lottery winnings and dedicating it to (reusable rockets). I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do that." The foundation also honored former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman to travel in space, with the Buzz Aldrin Space Pioneering Award. "When Buzz says, 'Get your ass to Mars,' it's not just about the physical part of getting to Mars. It's also about that commitment to doing something big and audacious," Jemison told The Associated Press. "What we're doing looking forward is making sure that we use our place at the table." Space memorabilia was auctioned at the gala, including an autographed first day insurance "cover" that fetched $42,500 and flew to the surface of the moon. Covers were set up by NASA because insurance companies were reluctant to offer life insurance to pioneers of the U.S. space program, according to the auction website. Money raised from their sale would have paid out to the astronauts' families in the event of their deaths. The covers were issued in limited numbers and canceled on the day of launch. The gala is the first part of a three-year campaign leading up to the 50th anniversary of the moon landing to help fund advancements that will lead to the future habitation of Mars. ShareSpace Foundation on Saturday announced a new nonprofit, the Buzz Aldrin Space Foundation, to create an educational path to Mars. During the past year, the foundation has gifted 100 giant maps of Mars to schools and continues to work with children to advance education in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, or STEAM. More on ShareSpace Foundation: https://sharespace.org https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/astronaut-buzz-aldrin-rolls-out-the-red- carpet-for-mars/2017/07/17/fa0f1a14-6aba-11e7-abbc- a53480672286_story.html?utm_term=.9cc236ae8c21 Back to Top Back to Top Position: Manager, Safety Management Systems Job no: 495841 Work type: Full time Location: Hong Kong Department: Quality, Safety & Security Role and Responsibilities: * Develop and maintain the Safety Management System; * Member to and provide secretarial support to the Safety Action Group; * Review and maintain the Safety Management System Manual; * Review safety relevant industrial and regulatory advisories and recommend actions required to DQSS; * Review and maintain the training program on Safety Management System; * Participate the internal management system audit; * Manage the Flight Operations Quality Assurance programme (FOQA); * Participate in the IOSA programme for Organization discipline; * Produce periodical report on safety and flight data program performance; * Maintain and review services provider contracts for Safety Systems; * Produce periodic safety articles to promote safety and security awareness amongst employees / services providers; * Prepare and manage the budget for safety; * Manage the development of MFOQA, SSMSD, SFS, ESS, SFDP and OSS; * Validate alerts generated by the decoded flight data; * Produce analytical reports aimed at pre-emptive measures; * Produce communication in the forms described in COMM to improve the understanding of the Flight Data Program and flight safety; * Co-ordinate regular meeting with the operations manager to review the information and recommendations from Flight Data Program; * Maintain and review the services provider contract; * Validate the contingency measures with respect to business continuity; * Conduct interviews when authorised by DQSS; * Prepare periodic report to DQSS on the performance of Flight Data Program; * Liaise with authorities and external parties in relations to Flight Data Program matters; * Liaise with Maintenance & Engineering Department on the standard of the DFDR / QAR program; * Coordinator and member of the Safety Action Group (SAG) held within the QSSAG; * Investigator of safety events to include accident and incidents. Qualifications / Requirements: * At least 10 years relevant aviation work experience, including two years of appropriate managerial experience or equivalent; * Holder of an Air Transport Pilot License or equivalent (current or frozen); * Formally investigator trained and/or certified aviation accident investigator; * Comprehensive knowledge and familiarity with Flight Data Analysis Programme, safety management system and business continuity; * Good command of both spoken and written English; * Good computer literacy; * Team player and a team leader across an international environment. APPLY NOW Back to Top ISASI 2017, San Diego CA August 22 - 24. 2017 The International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI) will hold their 48th annual seminar at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina from August 22 - 24, 2017. This year's theme is: "Investigations - Do They Really Make a Difference?" All up to date information including the link for registration and hotel reservations can be found at www.isasi.org. Dates to Remember Early Registration rate cut off is midnight July 5, 2017 PDT Seminar rate at the hotel will end on July 27. After that date there will be no guarantee that rooms will be available. We look forward to seeing many of you in San Diego Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST (SURVEY) Pavement Management Research Request Hello, my name is Mary Popko and I am a student as San Diego State University currently working towards a B.S. in Statistics. I would like to request your participation in my survey regarding pavement management through the use of advanced technology. The survey is less than ten questions long. Thank you so much for your assistance. Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WJ8T9M6 Mary Popko San Diego State University Department of Mathematics and Statistics Curt Lewis