Flight Safety Information July 21, 2017 - No. 146 In This Issue Incident: Lufthansa A333 near Larnaca on Jul 20th 2017, unusual odour in cabin EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: Saudia B789 at Manchester on Jul 20th 2017, flaps problem Incident: United B763 near Shannon on Jul 20th 2017, engine shut down in flight Ban on laptops in airplane cabins lifted, federal officials say U.S. says 180 airlines implement boosted security measures Owl stuck in plane delays flight out of PDX FCC comms watchdog's move to allocate car collision spectrum has aviation safety benefits Dog brings comfort to airport 2 Kg Morphine Mixture Recovered From Food Trolley On Air India Aircraft Training aircraft struck bat, not drone: inquiry (Australia) Nepal passes Icao air safety audit AIB revives N2.09b worth of abandoned flight safety equipment SULLY MOBILIZES PILOTS AGAINST ATC PRIVATIZATION The pilot shortage is real and airlines must change before it becomes a full-blown crisis Could Textron's Scorpion Light Attack Jet Take Over the OA-X Competition? Apollo 13 flight plan fetches $275K Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance from SCSI NEW HFACS WORKSHOP Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation Course ISASI 2017, San Diego CA...August 22 - 24. 2017 GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST (SURVEY) Incident: Lufthansa A333 near Larnaca on Jul 20th 2017, unusual odour in cabin A Lufthansa Airbus A330-300, registration D-AIKC performing flight LH-608 from Munich (Germany) to Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) with 186 passengers, was enroute at FL390 about 90nm west of Larnaca (Cyprus) when the crew decided to divert to Larnaca due to unusual odour in the cabin. The aircraft landed safely on Larnaca's runway 22 about 18 (!) minutes later and stopped on the runway. The airline reported the crew diverted due to an unusual odour in the cabin, the passengers disembarked normally. The aircraft is currently being examined, it is being checked whether the removal of the coffeemaker would permit continuation of the flight. http://avherald.com/h?article=4abe3fe0&opt=0 ****************** Broken Coffee Machine was the Reason for Emergency Landing of an Airplane * Broken Coffee Machine was the Reason for Emergency Landing of an Airplane Source: Pixabay Passenger aircraft of the German airline company Lufthansa with over 180 people on board had to make emergency landing in Cyprus due to broken coffee machine, reported RIA Novosti. During the flight from Munich to the capital of Saudi Arabia - Riyadh , members of staff smelled something burning and decided to do emergency landing in Larnaca. After people were escorted out of the airplane the investigators found out the reason for the smell. It was burned rubber inside the machine for hot beverages. After that passengers and crew members were quickly put on board and landed successfully in Riyadh. http://www.novinite.com/articles/181483/ Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Saudia B789 at Manchester on Jul 20th 2017, flaps problem A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 787-900, registration HZ-ARC performing flight SV-123 from Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) to Manchester,EN (UK), was on approach to Manchester when the crew reported problems with the flaps and entered a hold for about 4 hours. The aircraft landed safely on Manchester's runway 23L at a higher than normal speed (about 162 knots over ground). The airline confirmed the aircraft suffered problems with the flaps, the crew burned off fuel prior to landing. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Manchester about 8 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4abe3415&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: United B763 near Shannon on Jul 20th 2017, engine shut down in flight A United Boeing 767-300, registration N666UA performing flight UA-125 from Athens (Greece) to Newark,NJ (USA) with 199 passengers and 12 crew, was enroute at FL360 about 170nm northwest of Shannon (Ireland) when the crew reported a problem with the #2 engine (PW4052) and decided to divert to Shannon, soon after the crew reported the engine had been shut down. The aircraft landed safely on Shannon's runway 24 about 40 minutes later. N666UA just before touch down (Photo: AVH/PF): http://avherald.com/h?article=4abe2b74&opt=0 Back to Top Ban on laptops in airplane cabins lifted, federal officials say DALLAS -- The ban on laptops in the cabins of planes flying from the Middle East to the U.S. is over, federal officials said Thursday as large airports in the region have taken other steps to increase security. Those measures include checking electronic devices to make sure they don't contain a bomb, and pulling more people out of airport lines for additional screening. Laptop ban prompted after explosive test destroyed airplane, DHS chief says A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that all airlines and airports with flights departing for the U.S. had met the agency's first phase of new security measures, which were announced in late June but not described in any detail. No airlines are under restrictions for large personal electronic devices anywhere in the world because each has implemented additional security measures that ultimately make the global aviation community more secure, CBS News transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave reports. Officials released a statement to CBS News saying communication between the DHS and Transportation Security Agency led to the increase in airline safety. "The quick and decisive action taken by airlines, nations, and stakeholders are a testament to our shared commitment to raising the bar on global aviation security. Airlines were able to implement the necessary enhanced security measures because of the close coordination and extensive communication between aviation partners and DHS/TSA," the statement read. "As we continue to secure global aviation in the coming weeks and months, this communication and partnership between the private sector and the U.S. government will be imperative." In March, the U.S. imposed a ban on laptops in the cabins of planes coming into the country from 10 Middle Eastern airports. This week, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was the last of the 10 to comply with U.S. security measures and exit the laptop-ban list. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said the laptop ban was a "pause," a stopgap measure until airports could make other security improvements. It grew from fear that terrorists were working on bombs that can be hidden in devices such as laptop and tablet computers. "We tested it on a real airplane on the ground, pressurized (as an airliner is during flight), and to say the least it destroyed the airplane," Kelly said Wednesday at a security conference in Colorado. He added that intelligence reports indicated terrorists lacked the ability to detonate such a bomb remotely -- meaning they couldn't trigger a bomb in the cargo hold while sitting in the cabin. Some safety experts cautioned, however, that putting devices with lithium ion batteries that are prone to overheating in cargo increased the risk of fire. Now the Federal Aviation Administration is telling airlines that that devices with lithium batteries should be put in carry-on baggage and not placed in checked luggage -- the advice that existed before the March order covering large electronics devices in the cabin. Kelly said most of the new security measures will not be visible to passengers. He said, however, that there will be additional testing of devices -- to make sure they are working computers and not a disguised bomb -- and more people will be pulled aside for extra screening. He did not say how agents will decide who gets pulled aside. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/laptop-ban-lifted-airplane-cabins-homeland-security-john-kelly/ Back to Top U.S. says 180 airlines implement boosted security measures WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some 180 airlines worldwide that fly directly to U.S. airports have complied with a first phase of enhanced security measures outlined in June and do not face any new restrictions, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said on Thursday. The U.S. directives no longer include any in-cabin restrictions on large electronics including laptops, DHS spokesman David Lapan said. Late Wednesday, the government confirmed it had lifted such restrictions on Saudi Airlines flights from Riyadh after earlier dropping restrictions on Jeddah flights. Enhanced security measures for all foreign flights arriving in the United States were unveiled on June 28 by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. Officials said the measures were aimed at ending a limited in-cabin ban on laptops that had targeted nine airlines, and preventing an expansion of that ban to additional airports in Europe and elsewhere. Last week, the U.S. government revised its security directive, including requirements that must be met within 120 days. An airline official told Reuters last week that this gave airlines more flexibility and additional time to obtain explosive trace detection equipment. The requirements unveiled in June include enhanced passenger screening at foreign airports, increased security protocols around aircraft and in passenger areas and expanded screening by sniffer dogs, and take effect in stages. 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. Vaughn Jennings, a spokesman for Airlines for America, an industry trade group representing American Airlines Group Inc , United Continental Holdings Inc , Southwest Airlines Co and others, welcomed the new timeline. "The initial timeline for implementation was neither feasible nor realistic, the additional flexibility provided by DHS will ensure carriers remain compliant," he said. The original directives should have been "subject to a greater degree of collaboration and coordination from DHS/TSA prior to being issued," Jennings added, referring to the Transportation Security Administration. The revised directive provided the airlines with more flexibility in implementing the measures, Laplan said. In March, the DHS imposed restrictions on passengers carrying large electronics such as laptops in cabins on nine airlines, most of which were Middle Eastern carriers, to address the potential threat of hidden explosives. For months, Kelly and other DHS officials said it was likely the laptop ban would be expanded. 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. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-airlines-idUSKBN1A51YP Back to Top Owl stuck in plane delays flight out of PDX Owl gets stuck in plane at Portland International Airport (Video courtesy of Travis Long) PORTLAND, Ore. - Crews checking a small plane leaving Portland International Airport last week came across an unusual safety hazard. An owl was discovered in the wheel well of the small PenAir plane. Apparently the plane stayed at PDX overnight and was going to be the first flight of the day. An airline spokesman said the plane was stored in an older hangar that has lots of owls around it. They think that's when the owl crawled into the wheel well. Owl stuck inside wheel well of plane (Photo: Travis Long) Fortunately, the crew saw the owl during pre-flight checks and were able to get the owl out and take it to a safe location to be released. After a 25-minute delay, the flight was cleared for takeoff to Eureka, California. http://www.kgw.com/news/local/animal/owl-stuck-in-plane-delays-flight-out-of-pdx/458424754 Back to Top FCC comms watchdog's move to allocate car collision spectrum has aviation safety benefits The US Federal Communications Commission is assigning a larger consolidated block of spectrum for use by anti-collision systems at airports and on aircraft, reports Reuters. The vote - which harmonises vehicle spectrum with European rules that could allow car makers to bring technologies to the US market faster - will also support foreign object debris detection radars on airport runways and aircraft wingtip radars that can help avoid collisions with objects while moving around airports. http://www.airtrafficmanagement.net/2017/07/fcc-nod-to-allocate-spectrum-to-car-collision-tech- has-aircraft-safety-benefits/ Back to Top Dog brings comfort to airport Kuma, a 10-year-old black Labrador retriever, was named Orlando Melbourne International Airport's Ambassadog on Thursday in Melbourne. Kuma's owners Derek (not pictured) and Kristina Fallon, center, who operate a flight training school and a pilot-supply store at the airport, were on hand for the ceremony where Kuma received her certificate. Kuma will roam gates at the airport, offering comfort and brief companionship for travelers passing through the airport. [MALCOLM DENEMARK/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS] MELBOURNE - Airplane travelers facing long security lines and overcrowded planes this summer can find comfort with a lick or a wagging tail at one Florida airport. A black Labrador retriever is starting work as an airport ambassador on Thursday at Orlando Melbourne International Airport. The 10-year-old dog named Kuma will roam gates at the airport, offering comfort and brief companionship for travelers passing through the airport located on Florida's Space Coast. Kuma's owners conveniently run a flight training school and a pilot-supply store at the airport. Kuma received comfort-dog training, but the training was done at the airport to acclimate her to the sounds of airplane engines, large crowds and security lines. http://www.newschief.com/news/20170720/dog-brings-comfort-to-airport Back to Top 2 Kg Morphine Mixture Recovered From Food Trolley On Air India Aircraft According to the airline, the incident of recovery happened on Wednesday when the food trolley was being wheeled-out of the aircraft. * 2 packets were wrapped in black tape hidden below catering cutlery on Air India flight NEW DELHI: Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has initiated a probe into the recovery of 2kg of morphine mixture from a catering food trolley which was used on an Air India aircraft, the company said on Thursday. According to the airline, the incident of recovery happened on Wednesday when the food trolley was being wheeled-out of the aircraft. "On July 19, Supervisor (Sky Gourmet) noticed two packets wrapped in black tape hidden beneath catering cutlery during shifting of catering trolley from Air India flight No. 440 arrived (to Delhi) from Chennai," AI official said. "Matter was informed to NCB officials. After checking and weighing packets, NCB officials revealed that the packets contained a mixture of Morphine weighing approximately 1,895 grams," the official said. http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/morphine-mixture-recovered-from-food-trolley-on-air-india- aircraft-1727454 Back to Top Training aircraft struck bat, not drone: inquiry (Australia) Australian investigators have concluded that a light training aircraft collided with fruit bat, rather than a drone, during an approach to Parafield airport. The Socata TB10 sustained damage to its starboard wing in the 11 July collision, which was initially suspected to have involved an unmanned aerial vehicle. But DNA analysis of swabs taken from the wing have shown that the aircraft hit a grey-headed flying fox, says the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Flying foxes can have a wingspan of around 1m and the inquiry says the finding is "consistent with the known behaviours" of the bats, which can travel up to 50km from roosts at night. Airline pilot school Flight Training Adelaide is the operator of the single-engined TB10. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/training-aircraft-struck-bat-not-drone-inquiry-439546/ Back to Top Nepal passes Icao air safety audit Aerial view of Tribhuwan International Airport in Nepal. Nepal has passed a safety audit conducted by International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao). The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Caan) on Friday informed the press that the global aviation watchdog formally notified Nepal that the "significant safety concern" (SSC) issued to Nepal in July 2013 has been resolved. Caan told the press briefing that SSC validation committee meeting held in July 20 in Icao headquarters in Montreal, Canada has decided to resolve the SSC. A two-member expert team of the Icao had conducted audit on July 4. The audit identified Nepal's overall effective implementation of Icao safety standards has improved to 66 percent as compared to the global safety benchmark of 60 percent. Icao monitors Nepal's aviation safety oversight capabilities through the Icao Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM). The mission is generally invited by a state when it is fully confident that it has fully complied with the international safety standards. In July 2013, an Icao mission visited Nepal to validate the corrective measures taken by the country to address the deficiencies pointed out by the global aviation watchdog in 2009. But having found detected several lapses during the on-site audit held from July 10-16, the UN supervisory body had given the significant safety concern (SSC) tag to Nepal's aviation sector in its audit report in August 2013. Following the SSC, the European Commission (EC) had in December 2013 blacklisted all Nepali carriers for the worst record of air safety oversight. Caan officials said they are optimistic that EC would lift Nepali carriers from its safety blacklist in the upcoming safety committee meeting to be held in Brussels, Belgium this November. http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2017-07-21/nepal-passes-icao-air-safety-audit.html Back to Top AIB revives N2.09b worth of abandoned flight safety equipment Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja * Blames pending accident reports on paucity of fund Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has revived the N2.09 billion ($5.8 million) worth of Flight Safety Laboratory equipment erstwhile abandoned at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja. With the revival and full complement of trained staffers to handle it, the facility can now support the conduct of accident investigation locally, saving Nigeria the hassles and cost of taking accident wreckage abroad for analysis.Meanwhile, the bureau has attributed the backlog of unreleased accident investigation reports to perennial paucity of funds, poor allocation and inadequate capacity at the bureau. The Flight Safety Laboratory equipment was installed in 2012 courtesy of a contract with a Canadian firm, CEA/Flightscape. It was, however, abandoned a year later due to low capacity of the handling staffers.The Commissioner of AIB, Akin Olateru, at the end of a recent weeklong training, facilitated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and Singaporean Government, said the equipment was now ready for use. Olateru told reporters that the laboratory was designed to download information from Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) among others, which are necessary requirements for a thorough and accurate accident investigation. He added that the facility was used to download the flight recorders of Associated Airlines' aircraft crash of October 2013 with the assistance of the manufacturers of the laboratory despite the fact that the agency had not effected full payment. He regretted that since the single exercise in 2013, the facility had not been put to proper use due to lack of in-house human capacity to manage the laboratory, adding that there were also challenges from the manufacturer's end.Olateru said he had made it a priority to resuscitate the laboratory since he came onboard, considering its importance to the discharge of AIB's responsibilities. He said: "I galvanised all the necessary quarters to achieve this mission. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Singaporean government agreed to help. "First, I charged our ICT compound to get the laboratory running, which they successfully did. So, I can confidently tell you that the laboratory is working.However, we need the in-house capacity to manage it and maximise the benefits of the facility. This is where ICAO has come in." Olateru stressed that the optimum performance of the laboratory was central to the bureau's contribution to safety in Nigeria and the sub-region, adding that the management was not unaware of the expectation of ICAO and the West African sub-region from Nigerian AIB.He said agency was determined to meet these expectations, and to this effect, AIB was more determined to meet the expectations of Nigerians to have early release of accident reports. "One of my cardinal programmes since I resumed as the chief executive here is to ensure that all outstanding reports are released at the earliest possible time. This is one critical way of affecting aviation safety positively."To this end we are engaging all necessary quarters to ensure that our investigators, who have not been trained since they were employed about four years ago, are well trained as investigators. "It must be said that the financial situation of the bureau calls for urgent attention by the government considering the fact that accident investigation is a social responsibility of the government worldwide," he said. ICAO representative at the five-day training, Caj Frostel, commended the AIB management for the great efforts it made to ensure that the facility was functional considering its importance to safety in the sub-region. An expert on Flight Safety Laboratory and the head of the Air Accident Investigation department of Singapore Transport Safety Board, Michael Toft, said he was impressed with laboratory, which was the same with that of Singapore, "if not better". https://guardian.ng/business-services/aviation-business/aib-revives-n2-09b-worth-of-abandoned- flight-safety-equipment/ Back to Top SULLY MOBILIZES PILOTS AGAINST ATC PRIVATIZATION Former US Airways pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, made famous along with First Officer Jeffrey Skiles for their successful ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in 2009, is taking a very public stand against the legislative push air traffic control privatization (H.R. 2997)-and he's asking pilots to join him. Sullenberger's aviation career has spanned more than 50 years and includes general aviation, military, and airline experience. AOPA FREE 6-MONTH MEMBERSHIP FOR STUDENT PILOTS No Risk-No Catch In a 31-second ad available at ATCnotforsale.com, Sullenberger says that privatizing ATC would hand "control to the largest airlines, giving them the keys to the kingdom." As AOPA has noted, this push for privatization is a push for monopolization. A private entity dominated by the airlines and their employee groups would be created to run the ATC system. The public, through Congress, would have no sway over the entity. Sullenberger contends that privatizing ATC "would allow a corporate monopoly to make decisions that put profits ahead of safety and would devastate rural communities." He concludes that such a move would be a "threat to our nation's security, safety, access, and basic fairness." AOPA members are encouraged to share the ad with their friends, family, fellow aviators to help spread the word about the threat ATC privatization poses to GA. In addition, members are urged to write and call their member of Congress to tell them to vote no on H.R. 2997. AOPA has created a call-to-action web page to make it quick and easy to contact Congress. A toll-free number (855/383-7330) is also available for pilots to learn more about the issue and be connected to their representative after entering their zip code. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2017/july/20/sully-mobilizes-pilots-against-atc- privatization Back to Top The pilot shortage is real and airlines must change before it becomes a full-blown crisis United Airlines pilots in the cockpit of a Boeing 777. AP Editor's note: Patrick Smith is a commercial airline pilot who currently flies Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft. Smith is also a travel blogger and author of the book "Cockpit Confidential. THE PILOT SHORTAGE is here, and it's been making headlines. Last month, Horizon Air, the Seattle-based affiliate of Alaska Airlines and one of the country's biggest regional carriers, announced it would be forced to reduce its busy summer schedule due to a dearth of pilots. The shortage already caused Horizon to cancel more than 300 flights in June. Earlier this year, Republic Airways, a large U.S. regional carrier that flies on behalf of United, American, and Delta, filed for bankruptcy protection. It blamed the filing, in part, on a lack of qualified pilots. Other carriers have been canceling flights and mothballing aircraft as pilot recruitment departments scramble to fill classroom slots. Yes, the shortage is real. It's critical, however, to make it clear which sectors of the aviation industry we're talking about. First, we are looking specifically at the U.S. airline industry. Civilian pilots in the United States are responsible for securing their own FAA credentials, and for logging hundreds, or even thousands, of hours of flight time before applying at an airline. It's a long, slow, and very expensive process. Other countries often recruit pilots differently, with a growing reliance on so-called "ab-initio" programs, whereby young candidates are chosen from scratch, with no prior experience, and are groomed from the ground-up, so to speak, in a tightly controlled regimen that puts them in the cockpit of a jetliner very quickly. These programs are ultra-competitive, drawing hundreds of applicants for each available slot. Delta Airplanes Delta airplanes line up on the taxi way at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. REUTERS/Tami Chappell Even more important, we need to draw a sharp divide between the major carriers and their regional affiliates. The major carriers, also referred to as "legacy" carriers, everyone is pretty familiar with - American, United, Delta, Southwest, JetBlue, et al. There is no pilot shortage at these companies, and unless something changes drastically they will continue to have a surplus of highly qualified candidates to choose from. They are able to cull from the top ranks of the regionals, as well as from the military and corporate aviation pools. Even amidst an ongoing wave of retirements, a steady supply of experienced crews is unlikely to be depleted. At the regional airlines, it's a different story. And by "regional" we are referring to the numerous subcontractors who operate smaller jets and turboprops on the majors' behalf: those myriad "Connection" and "Express" companies, whose actual identities are usually concealed beneath the liveries of whichever major they are aligned with. United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle, and so on. For civilian pilots, the typical career progression includes a substantial amount of tenure at this level before, assuming he or she is fortunate enough, progressing to a major. And it's here where the problem is. How it came to this is both a long and short story. The short story is that pay at the regionals is terrible and working conditions are harsh. This has driven thousands of pilots out of the industry, and/or has discouraged countless others from pursuing an aviation career in the first place. Becoming a licensed commercial pilot, to the point where one is eligible to apply for an airline job - any airline job - requires a huge amount of time and money. It can take years, and the average pilots sinks well over a hundred thousand dollars into his or her flight training and education. Salaries at the regionals, meanwhile, have traditionally started low as $20,000 a year, and have topped out at under six figures. Schedules are demanding and benefits paltry; the relationship between management and the workers is often hostile. On top of all that, the regional sector is highly unstable. These carriers always seem to be coming or going, shrinking or shedding planes, changing their names and realigning themselves with different majors. American Airlines Airbus A319American Airlines But this is nothing new. Pay and working conditions at these companies have always been substandard. Yet filling jobs has seldom been a problem, so what gives? Well, what's different is that the regional sector has grown so large. Today, regional jets account for an astonishing half - 53 percent was the last number I saw - of all domestic departures in the United States. As recently as twenty years ago it was somewhere around fifteen percent. In those days, pilots saw a job with a regional as a temporary inconvenience - paying one's dues. It was a stepping stone toward a more lucrative position with a major. Pilots are now realizing that a job at a regional could easily mean an entire career at a regional. Thus, a diminishing number have been willing to commit the time and money to their education and training when the return on investment is somewhere between unpredictable and financially ruinous. An aspiring aviator has to ask, is it worth sinking $100,000 or more into one's primary training, plus the time it will take to build the necessary number of flight hours, plus the cost of a college education, only to spend years toiling at poverty- level wages, with at best a marginal shot at moving on to a major? For many, the answer is no. In the meantime, the FAA has enacted tougher hiring standards for entry-level pilots. Over the past two decades, as the regional sector grew and grew, thousands of new jobs were created. To fill these slots, airlines sharply lowered their experience and flight time minimums. Suddenly, pilots were being taken on with as little as 350 hours of total time, assigned to the first officer's seat of sophisticated regional jets. Then came a rash of accidents, including the Colgan Air (Continental Connection) disaster outside Buffalo in 2009. Regulators began taking a closer look at hiring practices, eventually passing legislation mandating higher flight time totals and additional certification requirements for new-hires. Some airlines blame the shortage at least partly on these tougher rules. Technically they're right, but really all the new regulations have done is returning things to historical norms. My first job with a regional - "commuters" we called them in those days - was in 1990. Competitive applicants at the time had between 1,500 and 2,000 hours, and most of us had an FAA Airline Transport Pilot certificate as well. That's more or less what the FAA requires today. The difference, of course, is that there are far more jobs to fill. ExpressJet Bombardier CRJ Delta connectionFlickr Things are beginning to change, if slowly. To their credit, many regionals have started upping their salaries and improving benefits. The cost structures of these carriers, whose existence is primarily to allow the majors to outsource flying on the cheap, limits how much they can lavish on their employees, but if they want to stay in the game, they frankly have little choice. New-hires at companies like Endeavor Air (a Delta affiliate) and PSA (American), for example, can now make first-year salaries in the $70,000-plus range. That's around three times what these pilots would have been making in years past. Some companies are offering signing bonuses of several thousand dollars, and work rules too are getting better. Air Wisconsin, a United partner and one of the nation's oldest regionals, says that new-hires can now earn up to $57,000 in sign-on bonuses. It promises earnings of between $260,000 and $317,000, including salary, bonuses, and what it calls "elected benefits," over the first three years of employment. Numbers like that are unprecedented. For those considering a piloting career, the situation is looking better. The problem for the industry, though, is the lag time. For a pilot just learning to fly, any cockpit job is still a long way off - probably years away. So while the mechanisms are falling into place to curtail a full-flown crisis, the shortage is going to be with us for a while. http://www.businessinsider.com/airline-pilots-reveals-truth-myth-pilot-shortage-2017-7 Back to Top Could Textron's Scorpion Light Attack Jet Take Over the OA-X Competition? Textron is preparing its privately developed Scorpion light attack jet for the United States Air Force's OA-X experiment this summer. Together with the company's Beechcraft AT-6 turboprop light attack plane, the two aircraft will be Textron's entrants into what could become a lucrative contract for as many as 300 machines by 2022 if the OA-X experiment is transitioned into an acquisitions program. For Textron, the stakes are high, if the OA-X experiment results in an Air Force purchase of the Scorpion, it would open the door to foreign customers buying the low-cost jet. If not, the Scorpion- which was developed with Textron's own money-could be cosigned to the trash bin of history. While some potential international customers wanted to see a production version of Scorpion-which has now completed development-others are waiting on the outcome of the OA-X experiment. "Some are kind of watching and waiting to see a little bit what happens with the Air Force experimentation program and others continue to have more specific discussions with us around when they want to come over, when they want to fly the aircraft and are laying in some cases their own plans and budgets in place for the program," Textron chief executive officer Scott Donnelly told investors during an earnings call on July 19. "We really are very focused on experimentation program because I think that not only the will the U.S. Air Force get a good read on the capability of the platform, but I think a number of our perspective international customers are likewise on watching to see how the programs goes." The OA-X experiment will start in August for the Scorpion using a production version of the light combat jet. The Air Force has told the company that its evaluation will be extremely rigorous. "The Air Force has articulated, the experimentation program will really put these aircraft through their pace as they have got a bunch of different mission scenarios that includes from flight envelope, a lot of different mission scenarios, ordinance missions that are going to be run over the course of that August maybe in the beginning of September," Donnelly said. "They don't have a specific criteria or pass, fail, they just - they want to see what the aircraft are capable off. Obviously, you have things like Scorpion and then AT-6 which are both very, very capable platforms, very different in terms of their performance envelope and they want to see what each of those aircraft can do as well as A-29, which we expect is also in there." The OA-X is an experiment at this point, but factors such as the Senate Armed Services Committee adding $1.2 billion in funding to purchase such as aircraft to the fiscal year 2018 budget bode well for the effort. Indeed, Donnelly expressed confidence that an acquisitions program might emerge. "I think the chief and a lot of very senior people Air Force have been articulating the need for a platform like this. And they feel that it's important to the Air Force to have the capability like this, but it would be hard for them I think even on an unfunded list to advocate for something that they haven't flown and seen demonstrated," Donnelly said. "So I think that their interest and desire on the program and certainly as you know the Senate Armed Services for instance saying what we have recognized this is a need and we want to put budget authority in there for it." There is a potential market for the OA-X in the foreign market-Saudi Arabia is one such potential customer. "In terms of the Saudi budget item around OA-X, obviously this is one of the customers that we are in discussions with, but these are early on discussions," Donnelly said. "There are certainly a number of things that we are looking at, but we think that now the performance envelope, the capability of what Scorpion can do makes it a very viable product for what their requirement is, but it's still in its formative stages I would say." Overall, Textron seems satisfied by the Air Force's management of the OA-X experiment. "I think the Air Force is being pragmatic about the fact that they need to execute experimentation program, understand what the capability is of the platforms that they are looking at and then take their next step, whatever that might be," Donnelly said. http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/could-textrons-scorpion-light-attack-jet-take-over-the-oa- x-21610 Back to Top Apollo 13 flight plan fetches $275K NEW YORK - The latest on the auction of a bag containing traces of moon dust (all times local): The Apollo 13 flight plan with handwritten notations by all three crew members has fetched $275,000 at auction in New York City. The flight plan was sold at Sotheby's auction Thursday of items related to space voyages. An explosion on board Apollo 13 forced the spacecraft to circle the moon in 1970 without landing. The story of the failed moon mission was dramatized in the 1995 film Apollo 13 starring Tom Hanks. The auction's top draw on Thursday was a bag containing traces of moon dust. The bag was used by astronaut Neil Armstrong during the first manned mission to the moon in 1969. It sold for $1.8 million. Sotheby's declined to identify the buyer. A bag containing traces of moon dust has sold at auction in New York City for $1.8 million. The sale at Sotheby's on Thursday was surrounded by some fallout from a galactic court battle. The collection bag was used by astronaut Neil Armstrong during the first manned mission to the moon in 1969. But the artifact from the Apollo 11 mission was misidentified and sold at an online government auction. NASA fought to get it back. In December, a federal judge ruled that it legally belonged to a Chicago-area woman who bought it in 2015 for $995. Sotheby's has declined to identify the buyer who won the bag. A bag containing traces of moon dust is heading to auction - surrounded by some fallout from a galactic court battle. The collection bag, used by astronaut Neil Armstrong during the first manned mission to the moon in 1969, will be featured Thursday at a Sotheby's auction in New York City of items related to space voyages. The pre-sale estimate is $2 million to $4 million. The artifact from the Apollo 11 mission was misidentified and sold at an online government auction. NASA fought to get it back. In December, a federal judge ruled that it legally belonged to a Chicago-area woman who bought it in 2015 for $995. https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/the-latest-bag-laced-with-moon-dust-sells-for-18- million/2017/07/20/fae26330-6d83-11e7-abbc- a53480672286_story.html?utm_term=.ae0f9231a3c6 Back to Top Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance from SCSI World class aviation safety training from SCSI Southern California Safety Institute Excellence in Aviation Safety Training for over 29 Years Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance 6-8 September 2017 Long Beach, California This course brings dynamic and focused Human Factors training in Aviation Maintenance (HFAM) to the civilian and military aviation maintenance workplaces. HFAM seeks to reduce human error resulting in a safer and more efficient maintenance operation. Human factors, as the largest causal factor of accidents, must be targeted for major safety efforts if an improved safety record is to be achieved. The course design parallels the maintenance human factors course SCSI provides to FAA Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASIs) which the FAA has designated an "FAA-Accepted" training course. Practical examples and case studies will enhance your theoretical knowledge. Who will benefit: Anyone associated with flying operations or safety management will benefit from Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance training as well as those responsible for developing, designing and implementing safety programs in their maintenance organizations to fulfill regulatory requirements. Both military and commercial aviation communities are utilizing this type of training to enhance performance and safety. For more information, please visit the course information page at www.scsi-inc.com. Over 3000 aviation professionals have been trained in SCSI's SMS series courses. The transition to a Safety Management Systems (SMS) approach to aviation safety is underway and is now mandatory for all ICAO member states and aviation service providers. SCSI has been in the forefront of SMS training since 2002. SCSI's SMS courses and certificate program have been developed and refined during these SMS transitional years to keep pace with developments, requirements, practical applications and lessons learned. Spaces are still available in these upcoming courses: Operational Risk Management 11-15 September Investigation in Safety Management Systems 18-22 September Safety Management Systems - Complete 25-29 September Safety Management Systems - Quality Assurance 2-4 October Location: the Marriott Hotel in Long Beach, California This course will be held at the Marriott Hotel in Long Beach, California next to the Long Beach Airport (LGB). Or contact our registrar Denise Davalloo for the SCSI hotel discount rate and receive great savings on your stay! Registration Telephone: 800-545-3766 or 310-517-8844 ext. 104 Email: denise.davalloo@scsi-inc.com Web: http://www.scsi-inc.com/registration.php Back to Top Back to Top Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation A course by N. Albert Moussa, PhD, PE 15 -17 August 2017 BlazeTech Corporation 29 B Montvale Ave, Woburn MA 01801 USA. While commercial air transport is very safe, the advent of new technologies poses fire safety challenges that will be treated in this course. This offering from BlazeTech drawing upon Dr. Moussa's work in this area since 1971 as well as related courses that BlazeTech has been teaching since 1998. Lectures will include Li-ion battery fires in Personal Digital Equipment/laptops and how to handle them in cabin and cargo, hidden fires, flammability of carbon fiber and glass fiber composites, engine fires, fuel tank fire/explosion, fire detection, extinguishment methods, and fire/explosion pattern recognition in aircraft accident investigations. For each type of fire, the course will provide a cohesive integrated presentation of fundamentals, small- and large-scale testing, computer modeling, standards and specifications and real accident investigation as outlined in the course brochure. This integrated approach will enable you to address safety issues related to current and new systems and circumstances, to forewarn about accidents before they happen, even to prevent them and to investigate fires and explosions. The course will benefit professionals who are responsible for commercial and military aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles and concerned with areas such as design, equipment selection, testing, operation, maintenance, safety management systems, risk analysis and accident investigation. View Brochure for course content and registration form View some of the technical references discussed in this course View testimonials from previous attendees View companies that have attended this course Join mailing list for future announcements. Regards, Albert Moussa, Ph.D., P.E. BlazeTech Corporation 29 B Montvale Ave. Woburn, MA 01801-7021 781-759-0700 x200 781-759-0703 fax amoussa@blazetech.com www.blazetech.com LinkedIn 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