Flight Safety Information August 2, 2017 - No. 154 In This Issue Incident: Iberia A332 near Salt Lake City on Jul 28th 2017, engine shut down in flight Incident: Canada B788 near Vancouver on Jul 27th 2017, odour of burned rubber on board Incident: Spirit A319 near Fort Lauderdale on Jul 31st 2017, odour in cockpit Incident: Travel Service B738 at Bourgas on Aug 1st 2017, indication of fire on board EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Robinson R22 Helicopter Wire Strike (Australia) Teen jumps out of airplane's emergency exit door and flees after landing at San Francisco airport Airliner flew through North Korean missile's flight path just TEN MINUTES before it splashed down PILOTS' UNION WARNS AIRLINES' DEMANDS COULD JEOPARDISE SAFETY. Pilot Errors Revealed in Accident That Saw Pence Plane Skid Off Runway Runway worker struck by lightning at Florida airport Airline crew averts major accident after a lithium battery catches fire mid-flight FAA Approves Structural Life Limit Increase for Eclipse 500/550 FAA to Re-validate Nigeria's Aviation Safety Status Airline pilots suspended for letting child 'fly' plane Virgin Orbit's 'Cosmic Girl' 747 jet passes tests and moves closer to rocket launches Silver Airways plots new growth strategy with $1.1 billion aircraft order USAF to buy unclaimed Russian 747s for Air Force One replacement. L.J. Aviation Achieves Prestigious Wingman Certification from Wyvern Both SpaceX and Boeing Are on Track to Launch Astronauts Into Space in 2018 NOW AVAILABLE FOR ORDER EXCLUSIVELY FROM CURT LEWIS BOOKS. - "ANGLE OF ATTACK" Get Ahead With AQS ISASI 2017, San Diego CA...August 22 - 24. 2017 Incident: Iberia A332 near Salt Lake City on Jul 28th 2017, engine shut down in flight An Iberia Airbus A330-200, registration EC-MOU performing flight IB-2621 from Barcelona,SP (Spain) to Oakland,CA (USA), was enroute at FL400 about 210nm eastnortheast of Salt Lake City,UT (USA) when the crew needed to shut an engine down and decided to divert to Salt Lake City. The aircraft drifted down to FL240 and landed safely in Salt Lake City about 40 minutes after leaving FL400. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground 96 hours after landing in Salt Lake City. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/IBE2621/history/20170728/1015Z/LEBL/KOAK http://avherald.com/h?article=4ac67169&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Canada B788 near Vancouver on Jul 27th 2017, odour of burned rubber on board An Air Canada Boeing 787-800, registration C-GHQQ performing flight AC-9 from Calgary,AB (Canada) to Tokyo Narita (Japan) with 119 people on board, was enroute at FL380 about 550nm north of Vancouver,BC (Canada) when the crew noticed the smell of burned rubber. The crew consulted with dispatch, dispatch in return checked for a burst tyre and requested Calgary Airport to inspect the departure runway, nothing was found on the runway. The crew subsequently decided to divert to Vancouver, where the aircraft landed overweight but safely on runway 08R about 2 hours later. The Canadian TSB reported the source of the odour was identified to be a shipment of new tyres being carried in the aircraft's cargo hold. The shipment was offloaded and the aircraft returned to service. The aircraft departed Vancouver after 4:20 hours on the ground and reached Tokyo with a delay of about 6 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ac66008&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Spirit A319 near Fort Lauderdale on Jul 31st 2017, odour in cockpit A Spirit Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration N532NK performing flight NK-244 from Guatemala City (Guatemala) to Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA) with 148 people on board, was descending towards Fort Lauderdale when the crew donned their oxygen masks and declared emergency reporting a ventilation issue in the cockpit. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Fort Lauderdale's runway 28R. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 2:20 hours, then departed for the next scheduled flight. Fort Lauderdale Airport reported emergency services responded to information of smoke in the cockpit. No smoke was found when emergency services inspected the aircraft. The airline reported there was an unidentifyable odour confined to the cockpit but no smoke, the crew expedited the landing out of abundance of caution. The FAA reported the crew reported ventilation issues in the cockpit and donned their oxygen masks. The cause of the odour is unclear. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/NKS244/history/20170731/1812Z/MGGT/KFLL http://avherald.com/h?article=4ac6572a&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Travel Service B738 at Bourgas on Aug 1st 2017, indication of fire on board A Travel Service Boeing 737-800 on behalf of Smartwings, registration TC-TJP performing flight QS-1580 from Bratislava (Slovakia) to Bourgas (Bulgaria) with 178 people on board, was on approach to Bourgas' runway 04 descending through about 4000 feet when the crew received a fire indication and declared emergency. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 04, vacated the runway and stopped past the hold short line on the turn off. Emergency services did not detect any fire, heat or smoke, the aircraft subsequently taxied to the apron where the passengers disembarked normally. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 4 hours, then departed for the next sector QS-1683 to Kosice (Slovakia) with a delay of 3 hours. The airport reported the crew reported a cabin fire indication. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ac6463c&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Robinson R22 Helicopter Wire Strike (Australia) Date: 02-AUG-2017 Time: 07:15LT Type: Robinson R22 Owner/operator: Cloncurry Mustering Company Pty Ltd Registration: VH-HGU C/n / msn: 4335 Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: 7lm NW of Cloncurry, QLD - Australia Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) Nature: Agricultural Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: The helicopter crashed while the pilot was mustering cattle. The pilot (40) died in the crash. The helicopter crashed into powerlines. Post crash fire. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=197085 Back to Top Teen jumps out of airplane's emergency exit door and flees after landing at San Francisco airport * A 17-year-old passenger jumped out of an airplane that had landed at San Francisco International Airport Tuesday afternoon * The plane had come from Panama City and was waiting to taxi at its arrival gate * The teen opened an emergency exit over a wing, jumped out and ran * He was stopped by construction crew members nearby and detained by police * Teen is a US citizen and will be taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation * No runways were affected and there was no operational impact at the airport A 17-year-old passenger jumped out of an airplane waiting on the tarmac after it had landed. The teen, who has not been identified, opened the emergency exit over the wing and jumped out of the plane before he started running away on the tarmac. The incident happened at 2.30pm Tuesday after the Copa Airlines Flight 208 had just landed at the San Francisco International Airport from Panama City. A 17-year-old passenger jumped out of this Copa Airlines plane after it had landed at San Francisco International Airport from Panama City The plane, a Boeing 737, had been waiting to taxi to its arrival gate when the teen opened an emergency exit, jumped out and ran away The plane, a Boeing 737, had been waiting to taxi to its arrival gate after the seven-and- a-half-hour flight, airport officials told NBC Bay Area. The teen, an American citizen, was stopped by construction crew members who were working nearby. He has been detained for questioning by police and will be transported to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation. The teen was not injured in the incident. According to SFO spokesperson Doug Yakel, no runways were affected and there was no operational impact. Officials are also questioning passengers who were on the flight, ABC 7 reported. It is unknown why the teen jumped out of the plane, but Yakel said he was traveling alone and appeared to be in emotional distress, according to KRON. Customs and Border Protection is investigating the incident. In a statement to KRON, Copa Airlines said that the teen, who was sitting in an exit row seat 'unexpectedly opened the emergency door, and slid down the wing of the aircraft onto the taxiway at San Francisco International Airport'. 'The incident occurred a few minutes after landing, while the aircraft was taxiing to the gate,' the airline said. 'A Copa crew member closed the exit door, and the aircraft proceeded to the gate where all other passengers and crew disembarked safely. 'The passenger has been taken into custody by law enforcement. We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities to support the ongoing investigation.' Here's a look at the plane that a teen apparently jumped from at #SFO this afternoon: https://t.co/WeUos2TVHt pic.twitter.com/7P5JPDQufs http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4751820/Teen-jumps-airplane-San-Francisco- airport.html#ixzz4ob0WIxTU Back to Top Airliner flew through North Korean missile's flight path just TEN MINUTES before it splashed down in the sea * Air France Flight 293 came minutes away from disaster, official says * Flight from Tokyo to Paris passed through North Korean ICBM path Friday * Rogue regime does not publicize missile tests in advance as other nations do A commercial airliner with 323 passengers and crew on board flew through the re-entry path of North Korea's latest long-range ballistic missile test, according to a new report. Air France Flight 293 from Tokyo to Paris came just minutes away from disaster during the missile test on Friday, when North Korea launched an ICBM into the Sea of Japan, a US official told ABC News. Flight data from the plane showed that the plane passed through the path of the Hwasong-14 just 10 minutes prior to the missile as it plummeted down from space. Air France said in a statement that the flight operated without incident, and the passengers and crew of the Boeing 777 would have been oblivious to the near-miss. Air France Flight 293 from Tokyo to Paris came just minutes away from disaster during the missile test on Friday, when North Korea launched an ICBM into the Sea of Japan (file photo) North Korea has recently carried out another test launch of its Hwasong-14 missile amid heightened tensions between North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un (pictured) and the US The secretive North's leader, Kim Jong Un, supervised the midnight launch of the missile on Friday night and called it a 'stern warning' to the United States that it would not be safe from destruction if it tried to attack, the official KCNA news agency said. US President Donald Trump brushed off Kim's so-called warning in a cabinet meeting on Monday. 'We'll handle North Korea. We're going to be able to handle them. It will be handled. We handle everything,' Trump said as he sat alongside Defense Secretary James Mattis Unlike other countries, North Korea does not issue advisories ahead of missile test launches. The flight path of Air France Flight 293 on Friday is seen. A US official said the plane came within just 10 minutes of potential collision with a North Korean missile A man walks in front of a public TV screen broadcasting news of North Korea's test-firing of its second intercontinental ballistic missile in Tokyo, Japan The US was set to test launch a Minuteman III early Wednesday morning, but announced the flight path well in advance. Friday's secret missile launch was the second test of an ICBM for North Korea, and indicated the regime's missile could reach the continental US. The Hwasong-14, named after the Korean word for Mars, reached an altitude of 2,314.6 miles and flew 620 miles before landing in the waters off the Korean peninsula's east coast, according to North Korea's state news agency. Independent experts agreed that on a flattened trajectory the missile could have reached much of the US. However, US and South Korean experts who reviewed Japanese footage of the missile's re-entry said Tuesday that North Korea will have to refine its warhead vehicle for it to survive the heat of re-entry. Michael Elleman, of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the 38 North Analyst think tank, said it appears that the 're-entry vehicle' that would carry a warhead back into Earth's atmosphere from space had failed during the second test. 'Most likely it broke up into pieces,' he said. 'Prior to completely breaking up, it appears to have been shedding some of the outer layers, and then it must have finally disintegrated.' The Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency reportedly now believes North Korea will be able to deploy an ICBM capable of carrying a nuclear weapon as soon as next year - two years earlier than the agency's previous estimate. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4752254/Passenger-jet-flew-path-North-Korean- ICBM.html#ixzz4ob3EFfeX Back to Top PILOTS' UNION WARNS AIRLINES' DEMANDS COULD JEOPARDISE SAFETY Pilots' association warns of 'burnout' / Getty 'No one wants pilots at the controls when they are tired' In the busiest-ever summer for holidays abroad, Britain's pilots are warning that they are being pushed to the limit. The British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA) says "demanding schedules, lax controls of pilots' hours of duty and a failure to recruit adequate numbers of pilots" comprise a potential threat to passenger safety. BALPA's General Secretary, Brian Strutton, said: "Pilots are working incredibly hard to ensure passengers get to their destinations without delays or cancellations. "Pilots want their companies to be successful and profitable and are putting in the hard work to keep up with summer demand. But no one wants pilots at the controls when they are tired. That's why we are campaigning across the aviation industry to make sure the pilot duty time rules are properly adhered to so that pilots get the rest they need." The association says increasing numbers of pilots have gone on long-term sick leave as a result of fatigue and "burnout" caused by inadequate rest and unworkable patterns of duty. BALPA is believed to be particularly concerned about two categories of duty. The first are out-and-back trips to destinations in the eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea, such as Egypt, Turkey and Cyprus, where the time between leaving and returning to the UK airport often exceeds 10 hours. The other concern is multiple flights in complex and crowded airspace, particularly over southern England and France. Some crews may fly between a UK airport and a Mediterranean airport and back, then be expected to add a round-trip to a nearby destination. Shift patterns for some budget airlines require pilots to complete five flights, with a night- stop in a foreign destination. The Civil Aviation Authority says airlines must "ensure that crew members are adequately rested at the beginning of each flying duty period, and whilst flying be sufficiently free from fatigue so that they can operate to a satisfactory level of efficiency and safety in all normal and abnormal situations". A complex set of rules governs pilots' flight-time limitations, which take into account factors including early starts and late finishes, time zones crossed and the cumulative effects of working long hours interspersed with minimum rest. Pilots are given discretion to extend their duties within certain parameters. The CAA says: "It is recognised that on occasion a planned flight will experience unforeseen delays. Under these conditions, the aircraft commander may, within prescribed conditions, extend an FDP [flying duty period]." Some pilots have complained that airline managers, concerned about the potential of compensation claims under EU legislation, are applying undue pressure to exercise discretion to save the carrier money. With pressure on airspace heavier than ever, many flights are being delayed on the ground or flying longer-than-usual tracks to avoid congestion, which is extending flight crews' hours. Tim Jeans, former managing director of Monarch, said: "Airspace in the south of England is essentially full. The other day a Newcastle-Las Palmas flight was routed via Scottish and Irish airspace presumably because sectors in the south of England were full." A straightforward four-hour sector that follows a sub-optimal track can extend to five or more hours. The CAA warns it will conduct spot checks on airlines' records and captains' reports "to determine if the planning of flight schedules and duty is compatible with the limitations provided for in the operator's scheme." http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/balpa-pilots-union-airlines- demands-could-jeopardise-safety-tired-burnout-a7871821.html Back to Top Pilot Errors Revealed in Accident That Saw Pence Plane Skid Off Runway * Swifter braking-device use would have reduced severity: NTSB * NTSB releases factual report on LaGuardia Airport mishap The plane carrying Mike Pence sits on the runway at New York's LaGuardia Airport in Oct. 2016. Photographer: Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images A several-second delay by pilots in activating wing panels critical for stopping after touchdown in part lead a charter plane carrying then-vice presidential candidate Mike Pence to skid past the end of a New York runway last October, according to new data released by U.S. investigators Tuesday. The National Transportation Safety Board's report, which stopped short of concluding the incident's cause, revealed miscues by pilots of the Eastern Air Lines Group Inc. charter plane. In initial information released June 1, the NTSB said the plane flew thousands of feet beyond the optimal touchdown area at LaGuardia Airport. Devices known as spoilers, panels on the top of wings that drive a plane into the ground to help the brakes slow down, weren't activated until 4.5 seconds after touchdown, according to the NTSB. An analysis by Boeing Co., which manufactured the 737-700, found that if they had been deployed within one second of landing, only the plane's front wheels would have left the runway, the NTSB said. Spoilers should activate automatically when a plane's wheels hit the ground, but the devices weren't working and had to be operated manually, NTSB said. Pence's plane skidded off the runway during a rainstorm on Oct. 27. None of the nine crew members and 39 passengers was hurt after a crushable concrete pad helped stop the plane from going onto a nearby highway. Pilot Chatter The pilots apparently violated U.S. aviation regulations by chatting about issues unrelated to the flight while on approach to the airport, NTSB said in the latest report. Investigators didn't specify what was said. The NTSB said pilot errors exacerbated a difficult landing with a tail wind that was about 12 miles per hour, which is the maximum allowed in the 737. In addition to the delay in activating the spoilers, also known as speed brakes, the plane's captain began braking and steering the plane after landing even though the copilot was supposed to be at the controls. Pilots are taught not to take over the controls without announcing that they're doing so. Under Eastern's procedures, the pilots should have aborted the landing because they weren't properly lined up for the runway, according to NTSB. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-02/pilot-miscues-revealed-in-pence- runway-accident-last-october Back to Top Runway worker struck by lightning at Florida airport Airport surveillance video captured an airport ground worker getting struck by lightning on the runway at Southwest Florida International Airport. 21-year-old Eric Dunn was released from the hospital on Wednesday morning after suffering third-degree burns on his body. NBC2 obtained video of the horrific July 22 incident, which shows Dunn wearing an orange vest working under a Sun County plane's wing. A bolt of lightning then strikes the plane's tail and travels through Dunn, causing him to collapse immediately, NBC2 reports. Co-workers who witnessed the strike are seen panicking and calling for help. Airport officials told NBC2 that their lightning warning system got activated when Dunn was struck. Dunn is "recovering as best as he can," according to NBC2. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/video-runway-worker-struck-lightning-florida- airport/Kg84mEcjj12OkHFMwYr1GI/ Back to Top Airline crew averts major accident after a lithium battery catches fire mid-flight Sri Lankan Airlines Airbus A330 Flight attendants noticed smoke coming from luggage stored in an overhead bin. * Crew immersed the bag in a container of water to extinguish the fire. * A lithium battery pack and two cell phones were discovered inside the bag. * On Sunday, at least one lithium battery caught fire on board a SriLankan Airlines flight from Kochi, India to Colombo, Sri Lanka. "Alert cabin crew members aboard SriLankan Airlines' flight UL 166 managed to avert a major incident that is believed to have been caused by the ignition of a lithium battery pack or mobile phones in a passenger's hand luggage," SriLankan Airlines said in a statement. According to the airline, flight attendants at the rear of the Airbus A330-200 noticed smoke emitting from a bag stored in an overhead bin. After spraying down the bag with a fire extinguisher, the crew removed the bag from the bin. However, the bag began to emit smoke at an even higher rate, at which point, the crew kicked enacted their lithium fire procedures and immersed the bag in water. Once the fire had been extinguished, flight attendants discovered a lithium battery pack along with two cellular phones inside the bag. Fortunately, neither the crew nor the 202 passengers on board the flight were injured and the jet was able to land safely at its destination where it was met by "dangerous goods experts" and fire officials. The airline, as well as Sri Lankan authorities, have launched an investigation into the incident. In May, a JetBlue Airbus A321 traveling from New York to San Francisco was forced to make an emergency landing in Michigan after another lithium battery pack caught fire in an overhead bin. Again, the aircraft was able to land safely after cabin crew extinguished the fire in flight. No injuries were reported among the 158 passengers and crew on board the flight. http://www.businessinsider.com/cellphone-battery-fire-srilankan-airbus-2017-8 Back to Top FAA Approves Structural Life Limit Increase for Eclipse 500/550 Agency's action doubles the operational life of very light jet. The FAA has extended the structural life limit on the Eclipse 500 and 550 jets. Jon Whittle A new lease on life is always welcome. One Aviation said last week the FAA had granted it just that by extending the structural life limit on the Eclipse 500 and 550 from 10,000 to 20,000 flight hours or 20,000 cycles, whichever occurs first. The change applies to all airframes with the extended tip tank modification that One Aviation's president Ken Ross told Flying, "applies to virtually every Eclipse aircraft flying." The update evolved after a long-term fatigue and damage test tolerance effort on both the aircraft structure and materials. The life limit change is automatic to existing and future Eclipse Jet owners, with no additional action necessary beyond continuing to perform the required structural inspections. The previous 10,000-flight hour limit included a 10,000-cycle, as well as a 10-year limit. One Aviation said the new life limits apply only to U.S. "N" registered aircraft although the company is working with aviation authorities in other regions of the world to extend the life of all Eclipse aircraft. http://www.flyingmag.com/faa-approves-structural-life-limit-increase-for-eclipse-500-550 Back to Top FAA to Re-validate Nigeria's Aviation Safety Status The United States' Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will this month carry out an audit on Nigeria's aviation industry to revalidate the Category One safety status given to the country about six years ago. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) which made this known yesterday, said a four-man team representing FAA would audit the regulatory body to ensure that the industry aligns with the given standard, which Nigeria met in 2011 when it was awarded the certification for the first time. The spokesman of NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, said in a press conference held in Lagos that the visit was to re-validate the Category One safety rating on Nigeria. According to him, the team would comprise operations specialists, airworthiness specialists and an attorney. The leader of the FAA delegation would be Louis Alvarez. Other members of the team are - Benjamin Garrido and Jeffrey Klang. Adurogboye said the last time the FAA visited Nigeria for similar exercise was in 2014, noting that the objective of the audit would include assessment of Nigeria's level of compliance with international regulations on general aviation policy and procedure, aircraft maintenance organisation and flight operations. He said the team would utilise the checklist approved for International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) already sent to NCAA. Adurogboye said the checklist contains questions which the NCAA was expected to provide answers. The template for the checklist include critical elements on aviation legislation, regulation, organisation, technical staff, quality and training. Others are technical guidance tools, licensing certification, approval, continuous surveillance and resolution of safety concerns. NCAA said the FAA team would use Medview Airlines as reference operator, disclosing that it has already activated its audit team under the Flight Standard Group to facilitate the exercise. "The mission of FAA is to assess the states ' aviation law, regulations and oversight capability in accordance with the eight critical elements as defined in ICAO document 9734. The NCAA is expected to complete the latest IASA checklist and return completed form to FAA before the team's arrival. "The FAA team will visit the maintenance organisation of Medview Airlines and any other necessary airline operator. The director general has therefore activated the standing audit team and they have swung into action. Meetings are being held in readiness for the exercise to ensure a successful outing. The director general has assured Nigerians that NCAA would acquit itself successfully as usual. There will be a de-briefing at the end of the exercise and a written report will be sent from the FAA headquarter to the NCAA thereafter," Adurogboye said. https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/08/02/faa-to-re-validate-nigerias-aviation- safety-status/ Back to Top Airline pilots suspended for letting child 'fly' plane Two pilots have been suspended for allowing a 10-year-old boy to operate cockpit controls during a commercial passenger flight in Algeria, according to local news reports. A video of the incident broadcast by the Algerian TV channel El Bilad shows the boy, wearing a captain's hat, a tie and a black waistcoat, sitting in the left-hand pilot's seat. He appears to push buttons and handle the controls, under the supervision of the first officer in the right-hand seat and the captain in the observer's seat. Apparently oblivious to any risks caused during the flight between Algiers international airport and Seif regional airport, one of the pilots says in the video that the boy "was very disciplined, calm and attentive. I am sure he will make a good pilot." The pilot says the child was able to manipulate the aircraft - a clear breach of civil aviation regulations. The boy, an orphan whose ambition is to become a pilot, was invited into the cockpit as part of an initiative by a children's charity, according to local reports. When the video and pictures were released, the national airline, Air Algérie, grounded the two pilots while the incident is investigated. Before take-off, the pilots treated the boy to a tour of the plane, pointing out the mechanical workings of the wheels and examining the jet's exterior. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/01/airline-pilots-suspended-letting-child-fly- plane/ Back to Top Virgin Orbit's 'Cosmic Girl' 747 jet passes tests and moves closer to rocket launches Virgin Orbit's modified Boeing 747 jet, known as Cosmic Girl, comes home to Long Beach, Calif., after going through a series of upgrades and tests. (Virgin Orbit Photo) Virgin Orbit's modified Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet, christened "Cosmic Girl," is back at its home base in Long Beach, Calif., for preparations that will lead to its use as a launch platform for small satellites. The jet returned to Long Beach on Monday after going through a series of inspections and modifications conducted in collaboration with L3 Platform Integration and VT Aerospace, two of Virgin Orbit's partners. In a news release, Virgin Orbit said the Federal Aviation Administration has issued Cosmic Girl an experimental airworthiness certificate, opening the way for flight tests to begin at California's Mojave Air and Space Port. "Virgin Orbit is in the home stretch of integrating our LauncherOne rocket and ground systems for launch and to support our customers' missions," said the company's CEO, Dan Hart. Virgin Orbit was spun off in March from Virgin Galactic, the space venture backed by British billionaire Richard Branson. Its mission is to send small satellites into orbit, using Cosmic Girl as a flying launch pad for LauncherOne. The flight profile calls for Cosmic Girl to carry up rockets for release at an altitude of about 35,000 feet. Seconds after the release, the rocket would fire up its engine to put payloads weighing as much as 660 pounds into a 310-mile-high, sun-synchronous orbit. The advantage of the air-launch system is that the 747 jet can take off from a wide variety of airports, adjust its flight plan to avoid unacceptable weather or range issues, and launch payloads into any desired orbital inclination. Virgin Orbit already has a deal with OneWeb for 39 launches to help create a satellite constellation for global broadband internet service. The company said the first LauncherOne flight is due to take place in the first half of 2018. https://www.geekwire.com/2017/virgin-orbits-cosmic-girl-747-jet-passes-tests-moves- closer-first-rocket-launch/ Back to Top Silver Airways plots new growth strategy with $1.1 billion aircraft order Regional airline Silver Airways of Fort Lauderdale, which focuses on Florida and the Bahamas, is looking to expand into the Caribbean and southeastern U.S. with a new fleet of planes at a cost of $1 billion. On Tuesday, the company announced it had signed a letter of intent to upgrade and expand its fleet with up to 50 new French-made aircraft that can carry 46 passengers each. The new ATR-600 would replace the company's existing fleet of 34-passenger Saab 340B turboprop aircraft over the next few years, Silver said in a news release. The airline currently operates an average of 125 daily flights to 10 Florida cities and eight destinations in the Bahamas, the majority from hubs in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa. Jason Bewley, Silver's chief financial officer and its newly-appointed president, called the move a "monumental leap forward." GDT takes time to talk with you about your business and your technology and the latest innovations that align the goals of both. And we help formulate a plan that includes a customized solution that meets your needs for the short-term and achieves... The new planes will enable Silver to expand its network "with greater reach, including further into the Caribbean and the Southeastern United States," Bewley said. For travelers, the new planes would mean an upgraded flying experience and reliability. Silver's new planes would feature wide cabins with slim lightweight seats, spacious overhead bins and full-size lavatories. Additionally, Silver said it is exploring talks with San Juan, PR.-based Seaborne Airlines for a "potential commercial cooperation" to further its long-term goal of becoming a major U.S. carrier. Seaborne's majority owner is private equity firm Versa Capital Management of Philadelphia. Last September, a Versa affiliate acquired a majority stake in Silver. The injection of capital from Versa was expected to help fuel Silver's recent expansion into Cuba and to other potential new markets. In April, however, Silver ended its fledgling Cuba operations due to lack of demand and overcapacity in the market. On Tuesday, Silver also named aviation industry veteran and attorney Steve Rossum as its new CEO effective Aug. 7. He'll take over from Sami Teittinen, Silver's former president and CEO who is leaving the carrier for personal reasons. Rossum was Silver's external general counsel and fleet transactions advisor. "My new colleagues and I are fully focused on safety, reliability, growth and working toward fulfilling Silver's promising future," Rossum said. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-bz-silver-airways-major-growth-plans- 20170801-story.html Back to Top USAF to buy unclaimed Russian 747s for Air Force One replacement Now parked in the Mojave Desert, aircraft will still have to be upgraded. The current Air Force One fleet has been in service for 26 years. Now the Air Force is looking to replace them with 747-8s that a Russian airline didn't finish paying for. Before his inauguration, President Donald Trump raged about how the US Air Force's program to replace its two aging VC-25A aircraft-the heavily modified 747-200 aircraft known as Air Force One when in service-was too expensive. Via Twitter, he declared that the cost of the program was out of control and said, "Cancel order!" But the Air Force has pressed on with its plans to purchase two newer 747-8 aircraft to replace the existing presidential transports, for good reason: the VC-25As currently in service have been flying since the George H.W. Bush administration. Fortunately, the Air Force has managed to find a way to save on the $386.8 million price tag for each of the two 747-8s needed-with a little help from Russia. As Defense One's Marcus Weisberger reports, Boeing has two completed 747-8 aircraft that were ordered in 2013 by the Russian airline Transaero, which used to be Russia's second-largest air carrier. But Transaero went bankrupt two years after placing the order and making partial payment for the planes. Russia's Aeroflot acquired Transaero's operations, but the airline decided not to complete the purchase of the two 747s. That left Boeing stuck with two completed, flight-tested aircraft and no buyer. Five months ago, the planes were flown to a storage facility in the Mojave Desert to preserve them until Boeing could find someone to take them off its hands. The Air Force came to the (somewhat delayed) rescue and is currently negotiating a deal for the aircraft. In a prepared statement, Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek told the press, "We're working through the final stages of coordination to purchase two commercial 747-8 aircraft and expect to award a contract soon." https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/08/usaf-to-buy-unclaimed-russian-747s-for-air- force-one-replacement/ Back to Top L.J. Aviation Achieves Prestigious Wingman Certification from Wyvern Yardley, PA: L.J. Aviation has successfully achieved Wingman Certification from Wyvern Ltd., which offers one of the most demanding air carrier safety certifications in the air charter industry. To be considered as a Wingman Certified Operator, companies must actively demonstrate their commitment to leading risk management practices and have a strong safety culture. Operators are continuously monitored and must maintain up-to- date company data and documentation on Wyvern's aviation intelligence platform. Wingman Certified Operators are required to successfully complete onsite audits every two years where flight operations, fleet maintenance, company business practices, safety and quality management systems, and physical aircraft inspections are evaluated against The Wingman Standard. The Wingman Standard was the first commercial audit safety standard in business aviation, and is carefully revised by Wyvern's advisory board as aviation safety practices evolve. The audit is either pass or fail, and certification is one of the most challenging and prestigious to achieve and uphold. "It is with great enthusiasm we welcome L.J. Aviation to the global network of Wyvern Certified Operators. By embracing The Wingman Standard L.J. Aviation has gone beyond minimum regulatory requirements and become an industry leader in safety culture. L.J. Aviation's professionalism, commitment to world-class service, uncompromising excellence and attention to detail are a natural fit for the Wingman program and for providing charter to our corporate and retail clients." says Art Dawley, Wyvern CEO. "At L.J. Aviation, creating a pleasant and memorable customer experience is at the core of all we do. Being a Wingman Certified Operator affirms industry credibility, and signifies our commitment to excellence", states Edward M. Kilkeary Jr., President of Operations at L.J. Aviation. With their Wingman Certification, Latrobe, PA-based L.J. Aviation now provides Wingman Standard Pilot & Aircraft Safety Survey (PASS) trip due-diligence reports on its global fleet of business jets as part of Wyvern's PASS program. L.J. Aviation operates over 20 light, medium, and heavy jets for charter as well as a Bell 407 helicopter. The company's Wingman Standard PASS Reports and gap analyses measure over 125 data points confirming audit status, aircraft, crew qualifications, crew currency, and insurance to help charter buyers make informed, risk-based decisions for every flight. ### About Wyvern Wyvern is a global leader in manned and unmanned aviation risk management, safety, quality and training. Building on its 25-year reputation for delivering excellence and value in risk management to the aviation community through its proprietary Wingman Program, Wyvern has expanded its offerings to include the rapidly developing UAS industry. Its EXACT UAS Certification Program is the first comprehensive safety, quality and risk management program for end users, brokers and operators of unmanned aircraft vehicles and is applicable to all size UAVs, worldwide. Wyvern partners with organizations and their in-house risk management programs to provide customized solutions and support across increasingly difficult to manage global operations. The Wingman and EXACT UAS Programs as well as Wyvern's customized risk management support comprise the company's "Wyvern Risk Management" suite of services. Learn more at: www.wyvernltd.com or info@wyvernltd.com. Back to Top Both SpaceX and Boeing Are on Track to Launch Astronauts Into Space in 2018 Based on a schedule released by NASA, both SpaceX and Boeing are on track to launch astronauts into space by the end of 2018 as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Program. This collaboration with NASA is just one example of the many ways commercial space companies are fueling the future of space travel. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) retired the space shuttle in 2011, but that doesn't mean they aren't getting ready to send astronauts into space. On July 20, the space agency published the latest sharable 2018 schedule of their Commercial Crew Program. The program is designed to enable the agency to launch crewed craft from U.S. soil via SpaceX's Crew Dragon (Dragon 2) and Boeing's CST-100 Starliner. The two companies say their efforts remain on track for test flights that may be less than a year away. Both companies were awarded Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contracts by NASA in September 2014. Under those terms, they each must fly uncrewed test flights of their spacecraft, followed by crewed flights. SpaceX's most recent schedule reveals an uncrewed test flight in February 2018 and a crewed test flight in June 2018. Boeing is right on SpaceX's heels, with uncrewed and crewed flights set for June and August 2018, respectively. Originally, both companies planned to be certified for crewed missions to the International Space Station (ISS) by the close of 2017. However, each has suffered various technical setbacks, such as the Dragon 2's need to move away from powered landings, resulting in changes to the schedules. NASA's ISS program manager, Kirk Shireman, is confident that the companies will be able to send astronauts into space. "Commercial crew is making great progress," he asserted during a speech at the ISS Research and Development Conference, and both SpaceX and Boeing also appear sure of their abilities to stick to the revised schedules that are now in place. A NEW ERA IN SPACE The importance of this commercial space race can't be overstated, as companies like SpaceX and Boeing are poised to change the face of everything from research to commercial travel as they propel the human race off-world. Private companies can dramatically lower the cost of space exploration for agencies. Boeing is designing and building DARPA's XS-1 experimental space plane, set to be in the air by 2020, and if that project goes as expected, it will lower launch costs and make the dream of launch-on-demand a reality. Meanwhile, SpaceX formally called for the government to implement a public-private collaboration for deep space missions soon after NASA announced that it couldn't afford to get us to Mars - if implemented, such a plan could enable NASA to get us there after all. Soon, these lowered costs could make space travel a reality for private citizens as well as trained astronauts. As of May, Virgin Galactic was looking forward to launching their first commercial spaceflights before the end of 2018. With Blue Origin, SpaceX, and others joining them, the global space tourism market could be worth more than $34 billion by 2021. Both SpaceX and Boeing Are on Track to Launch Astronauts Into Space by the End of 2018 Commercial agencies are proving capable of far more than their government counterparts. SpaceX's COO announced at the end of June that the company would produce 20 rockets this year - something unheard of for NASA. Other private companies are working to develop new technologies for use in the space race, such as the proposed electric space tug that could make Moon flights far more economical. Beyond bringing more people and scientific research into space, commercial companies are hoping to move manufacturing off-world. Axiom Space plans to make the first commercial space station a manufacturing hub, which will help the station pay for itself and make it easier to supply new missions. Clearly, the entry of multiple private companies into the space race has yielded some major dividends already, and this is just the beginning. https://futurism.com/both-spacex-and-boeing-are-on-track-to-launch-astronauts-into- space-in-2018/ Back to Top NOW AVAILABLE FOR ORDER EXCLUSIVELY FROM CURT LEWIS BOOKS Finally, the definitive book on the Titanic of aviation accidents, a state-of-the-art jet that couldn't stall until it did and took the lives of 228 Air France passengers and crew. Based on exclusive interviews with the aircraft's manufacturer, the airline, flight crews, families of the pilots, accident investigators and the Woods Hole led team that recovered the missing jet from the bottom of the South Atlantic, Angle of Attack reveals why airlines and regulators everywhere must respond now to critical lessons from this legendary event. Autographed copies available from Curt Lewis Aviation Books at http://www.pilot-errormovie.com/book/angle-of-attack Buy the book and the movie it inspired, Pilot Error, and save $6. http://www.pilot-errormovie.com/book/book-and-dvd Meet co-author Shem Malmquist at the Beyond Risk Management booth at the ISASI annual seminar in San Diego August 22-24 A 777 Captain and veteran accident investigator, he presents with John Thomas on August 24 at 11:30 p.m. Malmquist will also be at Quinn's Bar at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on August 23. For more details contact spmalmquist@outlook.com or phone: 901 302-0779. Co-author Roger Rapoport is a Flight Safety Information contributing editor who conducted over 300 interviews around the world for this book. He is the author of Citizen Moore and has written for Harper's, the Atlantic, Esquire, the Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times and the London Independent. _______________ "We owe Rapoport and Malmquist a great debt of gratitude. Read every word." -Dr. Gary Helmer, Emery Riddle University "A great resource for aeronautical professionals ... exposes the failed defenses that can reside at each layer of the aviation system. A must read for anyone with an interest in aviation accident investigation and aviation safety. Professor Walt Houghton Central Florida Space Academy. "You don't have to be a pilot to find this book moving and absorbing."- Adam Hochschild "Their subject matter expertise is admirable. They have used the Air 447 crash and other crashes of automated airplanes as examples of accidents that might have been prevented if the crews had access to realistic training to prepare them for those rare events and if their aircraft had been equipped with angle of attack indicators. The reader is provided insight into the complex aviation procedural world in an understandable and engaging way." Captain Elaine M. Parker, Beyond Risk Management "For the very first time the full story of Air France 447, one of the most significant events in aviation history, is revealed thanks to eight years of painstaking research." John Darbo Argus International "A masterful work that was hard to put down."Captain Shawn Pruchnicki Ohio State University for Aviation Studies 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 Curt Lewis