Flight Safety Information September 8, 2017 - No. 180 In This Issue Incident: JAL B773 at Tokyo on Sep 5th 2017, engine shut down in flight following uncontained failure Incident: Horizon DH8D near Medford on Sep 5th 2017, smoke screen at destination Beechcraft B200 Landing Gear Collapse (Alaska) Four Antonov An-2 accidents in Russia and Venezuela in four days Air India Express Boeing 737-800 taxied into concrete water drain at Cochin Airport, India Training flaws spark air-safety scandal (Australia) India's first No-Fly list released by Aviation Ministry 130 Air India Pilots Skipped Alcohol Tests Before Flights How Redesigning Airplane Boarding Could Help Prevent A Pandemic Boeing warns aviation safety program could interfere with Globalstar satellites Boeing re-inserts orders for Air Force One aircraft into backlog JetBlue: help wanted. Pilots can be paid as instructors while training to join airline Air Taxi Startup Lilium Raises $90 Million For Electric Mini-Jet Service Emirates wavers on A380 deal; concerned Airbus may scrap jet Absolute World Speed Record for Piston Engine Propeller Driven Airplane Set by Steve Hinton Jr. GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Military Flight Training USA Conference "Angle of Attack" - NOW AVAILABLE FOR ORDER CHC Safety & Quality Summit - 2017 (September 27-29; Grapevine, TX) Incident: JAL B773 at Tokyo on Sep 5th 2017, engine shut down in flight following uncontained failure A JAL Japan Airlines Boeing 777-300, registration JA743J performing flight JL-6 from Tokyo Haneda (Japan) to New York JFK,NY (USA) with 233 passengers and 15 crew, was in the initial climb out of Haneda's runway 34R when the left hand engine (GE90) emitted a series of 5 bangs and streaks of flame. Tower informed the crew about seeing flames out of the engine. The crew receiving abnormal indications for engine #1 stopped the climb at 6000 feet, shut the engine down, dumped fuel and returned to Haneda for a safe landing on runway 34L about one hour after departure. Metal debris was found on the departure runway. A replacement Boeing 777-300 registration JA741J is estimated to reach New York with a delay of 6.5 hours. The airline initially suspected a bird strike but later reported that no bird remains were found. The cause of the engine failure is under investigation. Japan's Ministry of Transport reported the grass left of the departure runway caught fire when the engine distributed debris onto the runway. An inspection of the engine did not reveal any bird remains. A number of blades of the low pressure turbine were missing. On Sep 7th 2017 Japan's TSB rated the accident type as: "Things similar to 'breakage of the engine (only when the debris penetrates the case of the engine)'" effectively describing the engine failure was uncontained. The JTSB have opened an investigation. http://avherald.com/h?article=4adf1ac3&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Horizon DH8D near Medford on Sep 5th 2017, smoke screen at destination A Horizon de Havilland Dash 8-400 on behalf of Alaska Airlines, registration N432QX performing flight QX- 2207/AS-2207 from Portland,OR to Medford,OR (USA) with 76 passengers and 4 crew, was descending towards Medford when the crew stopped the descent at about 11,500 feet and decided to return to Portland, where the aircraft landed safely about 1.5 hours after departure. Passengers reported the crew announced visibility at Medford had been reduced to less than half a mile by forest fires so that a landing was not possible. They were rebooked onto later flights. More than two dozen wildfires were raging in Oregon and into Washington State, nine of those fires are burning in the vicinity of Medford and were even named. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ae08d61&opt=0 Back to Top Beechcraft B200 Landing Gear Collapse (Alaska) Date: 06-SEP-2017 Time: 06:30 LT Type: Beechcraft B200 Super King Air Owner/operator: Aero Air/LifeMed Alaska Registration: N545LM C/n / msn: BB-1069 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Unknown Location: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (PANC), AK - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Ambulance Departure airport: Bethel (BET/PABE)) Destination airport: Ted Stevens Anchorage (ANC/PANC) Narrative: The air ambulance, transporting a patient, sustained a left main landing gear collapse upon landing to Runway 15 at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska. The aircraft sustained unreported damage and here were no injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=199477 Back to Top Four Antonov An-2 accidents in Russia and Venezuela in four days 6 September 2017 Over a period of four days, four Antonov An-2 aircraft were involved in accidents in Russia and Venezuela. On September 2, an An-2T impacted the ground during a display flight at an airshow at Chornoye Airport, killing both pilots. Also, on September 2, an Antonov TR-301 (An-2 mono-plane and turbine conversion) force landed near the village of Turinskaya Sloboda. On September 4, an aircraft operated by Aéreo Transporte La Montaña flipped over when landing at La Paragua Airport. Damage was substantial, but there were no fatalities. On September 5, an aircraft of an unknown operator crashed at Playa Linda in Bolivar State, Venezuela, killing a passenger. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2017/09/06/four-antonov-2-accidents-russia-venezuela- four-days/ Back to Top Air India Express Boeing 737-800 taxied into concrete water drain at Cochin Airport, India Status: Preliminary Date: Tuesday 5 September 2017 Time: ca 02:40 Type: Boeing 737-8HG (WL) Operator: Air India Express Registration: VT-AYB C/n / msn: 36338/2962 First flight: 2009-06-28 (8 years 2 months) Engines: 2 CFMI CFM56-7B27 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 102 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 108 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Cochin International Airport (COK) ( India) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH/OMAA), United Arab Emirates Destination airport: Cochin International Airport (COK/VOCI), India Flightnumber: IX452 Narrative: Air India Express flight IX452 was damaged in a taxiing accident at Cochin International Airport, India. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-8HG (WL), landed on runway 27 at 02:37 hours local time following a flight from Abu Dhabi International Airport. As it was taxiing to the ramp, the airplane suffered a taxiway excursion. It crossed a concrete storm water drain, causing the nose landing gear to collapse. The aircraft came to rest with the main landing gear in the drain. According to the airport authority, the aircraft turned 90 m before the taxiway leading to the apron. The captain of the flight reported that the taxiway edge lights were inoperative as well as the taxiway F centreline lights. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20170905-0 Back to Top Training flaws spark air-safety scandal (Australia) Almost 100 aircraft maintenance engineers from across the country have had key parts of their licences suspended since May after an air safety regulator audit exposed a serious training bungle that risked endangering the lives of air travellers. An investigation by The Weekend Australian has revealed about 90 engineers, whose jobs are to ensure planes and helicopters are safe to fly, have been caught up in the scandal at the Parafield Airport campus of TAFE SA. A Qantas spokeswoman said last night the airline would not recognise or approve the training qualifications of a "small number" of its engineers at TAFE SA while the Civil Aviation Safety Authority continued its investigation. "This training was part of the engineers' continuous development, and over and above the standard base level training required by Qantas engineers," she said. She added Qantas no longer used TAFE SA for training. The issue came to light after a routine audit by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority five months ago. An investigation is ongoing, with some training activities and licence conditions suspended "until further notice". South Australian Skills Minister Susan Close was informed of the investigation in late April. Although the minister "sought immediate and comprehensive advice on the matter and how it was to be resolved", the public was not told. TAFE SA course guidelines warn that "being a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer carries with it a lot of responsibility ... after all, you could kill people". One engineer, who is unable to carry out aspects of his job while privileges of his licence remain suspended, said the failure to teach to acceptable standards potentially had endangered lives. "This mess has affected lots of people and Australia is lucky it has not ended in a major aircraft disaster," said the man, who asked not to be named. A CASA spokesman said yesterday: "Aviation safety has been protected through the checks and balances built into the aircraft maintenance system. All maintenance licence holders exercise their licence privileges under the control of CASA-approved aircraft maintenance organisations." TAFE SA operates a "maintenance training organisation" under approvals issued by CASA. There are three other centres in the country offering the training: TAFE NSW, Aviation Australia and Federation Training in Gippsland, Victoria. A CASA spokesman said the other centres were not affected. More than 80 per cent of aircraft maintenance engineers in Australia have certificate or - diploma level qualifications, while 3 per cent have bachelor degrees from universities. Depending on specialisation, aircraft maintenance engineers inspect, maintain and repair the airframe and engine systems, the electrical and instrument systems, or the body of an aircraft. In May, TAFE SA chief executive Robin Murt wrote to students advising that a recent CASA audit indicated that "certain training and assessment standards may not have been properly assured by TAFE SA in accordance with the applicable regulatory requirements". TAFE SA said yesterday the ongoing investigation, which involved a "student-by-student review of all material", was expected to be completed within weeks. Some affected engineers, who declined to be named for fear of industry repercussions, said they were losing up to $1000 a week in wages; others said they were in danger of missing out on promotions or job openings. Some students told The Weekend Australian that most of those doing the course at Parafield Airport had not completed the practical component. When it was offered, it was fast-tracked, with some material already assembled to enable students to pass quickly. One student said some were advised to sign enrolment and attendance logs to obtain practical qualifications that they would not be undertaking, in order to provide evidence of compliance. They said it appeared the course was designed to allow as many students as possible to pass exams with little emphasis on learning the theory or practical components. TAFE SA executive director of education Brian Rungie said the issues identified by CASA, mainly around administration, were "critical in this environment". "This is quite embarrassing," he said. "The training itself was where it needed to be, but we couldn't demonstrate it." He said retraining and compensation would be considered on a "one-on-one basis". A Virgin Australia spokeswoman said the airline had no relationship with TAFE SA. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/engineer-training-flaws-spark- airsafety-scandal/news-story/bfda8176e01372f76df9b0bc88832b0d Back to Top India's first No-Fly list released by Aviation Ministry Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju has released India's first No Fly list banning unruly passengers from domestic air travel for different durations depending on the level of offense. 1Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad misbehaved with an Air India employee in March. 2Gaikwad was barred from flying by all domestic airlines before ban was revoked. 3After the incident, the flag carrier had placed a ban on flying the Shiv Sena MP. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju today released India's first ever No-Fly list that bans unruly passengers from domestic air travel from three months to two years or beyond depending on the level of offense. The government earlier this year had announced draft rules for a national 'no-fly list' following consultations from the public and the industry stakeholders on the guidelines. The draft guidelines followed Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad's misbehaviour with an Air India employee in March. Gaikwad was barred from flying by all domestic airlines before the ban was revoked. After the incident, the flag carrier had placed a ban on flying the Shiv Sena MP. Other private air passenger carriers' also imposed a similar ban on the Shiv Sena MP which was subsequently lifted on advice of the Civil Aviation Ministry after Gaikwad expressed "regrets" in the Lok Sabha over the March 23 incident. Currently, rules only allow airlines to refuse boarding or off-loading of a passenger whose behaviour is deemed as unruly or disruptive to the safety of flight operations. Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said, "We have tried to achieve a balance between aircraft security and interests of passengers, cabin crew and airlines at large". For repeat offenders, the ban will be twice the period of previous ban. The Ministry highlighted that the complaint would have to be addressed by the pilot in command of the aircraft. An internal committee then formed by the airline, consisting of a District and Sessions judge as Chairman and Members from different scheduled airlines and passenger/consumer association/retired officer of Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum would examine the complaint and decide within 30 days on the duration of the ban. During this period, the concerned airline could impose a ban on the accused passenger. RN Choubey, Secretary of Ministry of Civil Aviation, explained that other airlines would not be bound by the no-fly list of an airline. "However, it will be a consolidated list maintained by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. It will consist of those unruly passengers banned for a period varying from 3 months or more, and those persons perceived to be national security risks by the Ministry of Home Affairs". The revised Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) also carry provisions of appeal against the ban. Aggrieved persons can appeal within a period of 60 days to the Appellate Committee formed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. These new rules will be applicable to anyone on board an aircraft, VIPs and crew included. It will fall under the DGCA's ambit of safety provisions. For any unruly behaviour on an airport premises, the Ministry clarified that relevant security agencies will deal with the matter under relevant penal provisions. The "no fly" offence rules will run concurrent to any criminal proceedings initiated as per the law. They will be applicable to foreign carriers too subject to compliance with the Tokyo Convention of 1963. "No other country in the world has a no-fly list based on safety", informed Jayant Sinha. India's "no fly" offence rules will be applicable with immediate effect. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/civil-aviation-ministry-no-fly-list-ashok-gajapathi-raju- unruly-behaviour-domestic-air-travel/1/1043582.html Back to Top 130 Air India Pilots Skipped Alcohol Tests Before Flights The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), before deciding to act against the Air India staffers, had informed the state-run carrier's management of air safety rules violation by some of its pilots and crew members NEW DELHI: Over 130 pilots and 430 crew members of debt-ridden state-run carrier Air India may be grounded by the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation or DGCA for allegedly skipping the mandatory pre- and post-flight alcohol test, people familiar with the matter told news agency PTI. These Air India staffers who mostly fly to Singapore, Kuwait, Bangkok, Ahmedabad and Goa have not been taking breath-analyser test for some time, the people said, risking the lives of passengers. The aviation regulator is likely to ground the Air India staffers in phases since taking them off the roster in one go will strain flight operations, a person familiar with the matter said. The government has been planning to shed some or all of its stake in the loss-making airline. No-frills carrier IndiGo has expressed interest in Air India, while airline operations firm Bird Group is also eyeing a stake in the debt-ridden carrier, whose liabilities are said to be over Rs. 50,000 crore. The aviation regulator, before deciding to act against the Air India staffers, had informed the state-run carrier's management of air safety rules violation by some of its pilots and crew members, people with knowledge of the matter said. The Air India spokesperson has not responded yet to queries sent by PTI on Monday. "The DGCA already brought it to the notice of Air India management that its 132 pilots and 434 cabin crew have evaded the mandatory breath analyser test, which is to be taken both before and after operating a flight," another person with direct knowledge of the matter said. "It is a safety violation and it (DGCA) is taking suitable action against these crew members," the person said. Apart from DGCA's own safety regulations, airlines have made it a must for pilots and cabin crew members to take breath-analyser test before and after every flight. The staffers also cannot drink during the 12 hours before they are to fly. In February, the DGCA had suspended the flying licence of Air India's former Executive Director (Operations) Arvind Kathpalia for three months after an internal probe found him "guilty" of skipping breath-analyser test before a flight. Mr Kathpalia is now head of operations and a board member at Air India. Crew members who test positive for alcohol in pre-flight medical tests or refuse to take breath-analyser tests should be taken off the roster for four weeks, according to aviation rules. The DGCA's records show 224 staffers of different airlines failed breath-analyser tests in 2016, and 202 pilots and crew members failed the test in 2015. http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/over-130-air-india-pilots-may-be-grounded-for- skipping-breath-analyser-test-1746333 Back to Top How Redesigning Airplane Boarding Could Help Prevent A Pandemic "[I]f passengers had to choose between getting Ebola and being seated a few minutes later, we suspect they'd prefer the latter." Air travel plays a critical role in the way modern diseases spread. Cramped quarters. Long hours. People sniffling, sneezing, and generally spreading their germs around. It's no wonder air travel has contributed to outbreaks of deadly illnesses like tuberculosis, norovirus, and SARS. During 2014's Ebola epidemic, hundreds of flights were grounded as a precaution. But new research from Florida State University published in Physical Review suggests that flight boarding processes could be redesigned to reduce transmission of disease. Rather than the multiple zone boarding procedures many airlines employ today, FSU associate professor Ashok Srinivasan found that a two-zone system where passengers on each side of the plane board at random is less likely to spread disease. It's a reminder that redesigning something as small as plane boarding procedure could contribute to improving large-scale problems like global health-even if fliers have to wait a little longer to board their planes. In the study, Srinivasan and his team used supercomputers to simulate four different types of boarding (random, two sections, three sections, and by column) and how infection spreads based on each system. They found that the most common boarding process actually spread the most disease. This familiar, multitiered zone system, where passengers board in three or more groups at the same time as the other people sitting in their section, was the worst offender because more people tend to stand closely together while waiting to board and find their seats, so there's more opportunity for contact. It's an unsettling finding, given that this is the most common boarding method used on flights right now. The researchers also modeled different sizes of airplanes, and found that disease is more likely to spread on large airplanes versus small airplanes, also as a result of the large number of people in close proximity. The multi-zone system's biggest problem is that it puts more people in closer contact, so the solution to reducing disease transmission is in boarding procedures that that lessen contact. In essence, random boarding is key. While passengers might enter the plane itself in closer quarters, they would likely be seated farther apart, which would prevent clustering and reduce disease transmission. According to the researchers' models, using either entirely random boarding or two-zone boarding (where people board randomly within each zone) would have a significant impact on how diseases spread on airplanes during an epidemic. How big of an impact could changing the boarding process have during an outbreak? If another Ebola outbreak occurred and current boarding procedures were kept in place, there would be a 67% chance of more than 20 infections per month transmitted purely through proximity while boarding an airplane. But if smaller planes were used and two- zone, randomized boarding implemented, there would be only be a 13% chance of that happening. Unfortunately, so many airlines use today's multi-zone system because it's simply more efficient. Srinivasan proposes making health the higher priority, despite the emphasis airlines put on efficiency in a bid to maximize their profits. "On the whole, random boarding does take longer, but if passengers had to choose between getting Ebola and being seated a few minutes later, we suspect they'd prefer the latter," Srinivasan said in a statement. Changing procedures now, before the next epidemic, could also be crucial. People tend to panic during outbreaks at the scale of the Ebola epidemic in 2014, particularly with regard to air travel. That can cause airlines to ground planes to and from places where people have been diagnosed, which can halt aid and impact affected countries' economies, worsening the spread of the disease. As a result, in 2014 the Obama administration refused to implement a travel ban even after an infected individual boarded a flight from Liberia and traveled to Nigeria. Better boarding procedures could mean that there's a smaller chance of any disease spreading on an airplane, and thus less of a reason to ground planes during an epidemic in the first place. The only thing standing in the way? Convincing airlines to willingly become less efficient. https://www.fastcodesign.com/90139242/how-redesigning-airplane-boarding-could- prevent-a-global-epidemic Back to Top Boeing warns aviation safety program could interfere with Globalstar satellites Boeing 787 Boeing says that AeroMACS, based on rules proposed by the WiMAX Forum, could be problematic for Globalstar. Credit: Boeing WASHINGTON - An aeronautical communications service meant to improve aircraft safety while on the ground at airports could cause unacceptable interference to Globalstar's satellite system, according to Boeing. In an Aug. 18 filing to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, Boeing cautioned that the service rules for the Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System, or AeroMACS, as proposed by the WiMAX Forum don't adequately ensure protection of transmissions from Globalstar's Earth-to-space satellite links. "Although Boeing supports the deployment of AeroMACS at major airports throughout the United States, Boeing believes that it is premature for the Commission to propose service rules for AeroMACS, particularly pursuant to the minimalist framework proposed by the WiMAX Forum," Boeing wrote. AeroMACS is a wireless broadband technology based on a WiMAX standard, billed as a means to improve information sharing and data communications on airport surfaces for aircraft and support vehicles. Regulators at the International Telecommunication Union's 2007 World Radiocommunication Conference designated spectrum from 5,091 MHz to 5,150 MHz for AeroMACS and Aeronautical Mobile Telemetry (AMT) flight tests on a global basis. WiMAX submitted its FCC rule-making petition for AeroMACS in March. Boeing wrote that while the FCC gave AeroMACS priority over AMT within the spectrum, the agency should ensure interference mitigation "that minimizes transmissions towards space." "[A] significant issue exists with respect to the manner in which AeroMACS can protect the Earth-to-space feeder links for the Globalstar [mobile satellite services] system, which also operates in the 5091-5150 MHz band," Boeing wrote. "The protection framework adopted by the ITU effectively requires that the total aggregate power from all AeroMACS installations must not exceed interference thresholds for the feeder link receivers on the Globalstar spacecraft. As experts on AeroMACS have recognized, this restriction places 'a significant limitation on the total system capacity of AeroMACS' and the deployment of AeroMACS systems without first adequately addressing this issue 'will eventually lead to a saturation of AeroMACS capacity.'" Covington, Louisiana-based Globalstar operates a constellation of 24 second-generation satellites in low-Earth orbit to provide mobile satellite services. In an Aug. 26 email, Globalstar's general counsel and vice president of regulatory affairs, Barbee Ponder, told SpaceNews that Globalstar worked with aeronautical interest groups leading up to WRC-2007 "and came to an amicable agreement regarding the amount of interference that we would accept from all aeronautical services in the 5091 to 5150 MHz band." "That aggregate interference limit was agreed to be no more than 6 percent, with [Aeronautical Radio-Navigation Service] accounting for no more than 3 percent, AMT accounting for no more than 1 percent, and the balance which would include AeroMACS accounting for not more than 2 percent," he said. When ARNS is absent, Ponder said AeroMACS is allotted up to 5 percent interference, keeping the total interference level to Globalstar's licensed Earth-to-space feederlinks under 6 percent. "This agreement is memorialized in Recommendation ITU-R M. 1827, as modified in 2015. In any proceeding regarding this band, aeronautical interests, as well as the FCC, should abide by this ITU recommendation," he said. SpaceNews contacted the WiMAX Forum, which said that beyond Boeing's filing, the organization has had no contact with the Globalstar community. "We are not aware that they have any issues or concerns with the Petition," a spokesperson said Aug. 28. Boeing told SpaceNews Aug. 30 that the company's role as a satellite manufacturer "is incidental to our advocacy for ensuring that AeroMACS systems are appropriately designed to avoid interference with satellite systems operating in the same spectrum." Of Boeing's $482 billion backlog, the vast majority - $423.4 billion - comes from building and supporting commercial aviation, according to the company's second quarter 2017 financial results. By comparison, Boeing Network & Space Systems, where satellite orders are counted, represented a backlog of $4.5 billion as of June 30. "Boeing has a clear and significant interest in aviation safety as demonstrated by our support for the Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System," Boeing said. http://spacenews.com/boeing-warns-aviation-safety-program-could-interfere-with- globalstar-satellites/ Back to Top Boeing re-inserts orders for Air Force One aircraft into backlog Boeing confirms that two passenger-carrying 747-8s added to the order backlog a week ago will be delivered to the US Air Force for the Air Force One replacement. The USAF ordered two 747-8s that Boeing previously built for defunct Russian carrier Transaero, which filed for bankruptcy in 2015 before it could take delivery. Boeing finally removed the Transaero orders from the backlog in June. When the USAF finalised a deal to acquire the two aircraft, Boeing re-inserted the orders into the backlog. Boeing now has 135 orders overall for the 747-8, including 47 for the passenger-carrying version. Only 20 747-8s in the backlog remain undelivered, including 14 freighter models for UPS. Boeing is building the 747-8 at a rate of six per year, leaving three years of backlog remaining. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-re-inserts-orders-for-air-force-one- aircraft-440946/ Back to Top JetBlue: help wanted. Pilots can be paid as instructors while training to join airline JetBlue Airways is hanging out the help-wanted sign again, seeking a new class of pilot trainees with the promise of a job with the airline upon completion. The first six members of the Gateway Select program have finished their initial flight training to become private pilots. Now they are heading back to Mesa, Ariz., to train other pilots while accumulating enough flight hours to qualify as airline pilots. As they move along, JetBlue is opening the application process until Sept. 30 for another 24 pilot candidates. The program deals with a fraction of the hundreds of pilots the airline hires each year. But by providing the training and the prospect of a job, the JetBlue program offered the six initial candidates an option to switch from jobs such as heavy-machine operator, supermarket sales clerk and accountant. "I think we've opened it up to a candidate pool that might not otherwise have thought it was an opportunity for them," said Warren Christie, JetBlue's senior vice president of safety, security and air operations. "I think we're excited that it's as successful as we hoped it would be." The Gateway Select program, is modeled after programs in Europe and Asia, but Christie said it's unique in the U.S. "We are excited about opening it up and offering future aviation careers to other aspiring pilots," he said. "We have validated that the selection process and the training that we've structured works." The difficulty recruiting new pilots is somewhat contentious. Boeing projected in July that airlines will need 637,000 new pilots over the next 20 years for the anticipated growth in passengers, with more than one-third needed in Asia and including 117,000 in North America. Regional airlines have argued for years that a 2013 Federal Aviation Administration rule made it tough to hire starting pilots, because first officers need 1,500 hours of flying experience, up from the previous 250 hours. (Fewer hours are required for military pilots and college graduates.) Pending Senate legislation would allow FAA to count classroom training toward the required hours of experience. But groups including relatives of the victims of the last fatal crash of a U.S. passenger airline, in February 2009, are fighting the proposal. So is the Air Line Pilots Association. The union representing 57,000 pilots contends that if regional airlines paid more, they could recruit more easily. One hurdle for aspiring pilots is the hefty, six-figure cost of training and gathering flight experience. The four-year JetBlue program costs $124,000, which includes lodging, food and examiner fees. But the cost is blunted by the prospect of a training salary while still part of the program - and a job at the end. "They're extremely excited about the opportunity," Christie said. "Most of them, in their conversations with me, without a program like this, they saw no pathway to an airline pilot career." The first six aspiring pilots started Aug. 29, 2016. The process began with online tests for cognitive skills, spacial-orientation and math and science. Completing the online testing sends successful candidates to on-site interviews, to determine whether they fit JetBlue's culture, and a series of more tests. "It's amazing how accurate those tests are in determining if you will be successful as a pilot," Christie said. "They do a really great job in determining if you are wired to be a pilot." After the testing, trainees spend 30 weeks learning how to fly planes at CAE's Oxford Aviation academy in Mesa to get a private pilot's license. Trainees then return to JetBlue University in Orlando to learn how to fly Embraer 190 or Airbus 320 planes. After that comes 12 weeks of additional licensing at CAE in Phoenix to become a flight instructor. As an instructor, the pilots earn a salary - and gain hours toward the 1,500 needed to work for an airline. "These are qualified pilots, like all of our pilots," Christie said. "These pilots have been rigorously selected and trained to be first officers and eventually captains at JetBlue." The initial six candidates were part of a first class of 20. As the six move on to train others, they will be followed by eight heading to Orlando and then five more after that. JetBlue hopes to find another 24 candidates in the latest application process. If the program thrives, JetBlue could be looking for as many as 48 candidates in 2018. The initial six pilots could be flying passengers in an Embraer 190 by 2020. "If you're successful in this program, and successful going through it, it concludes with a first-officer position at JetBlue," Christie said. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2017/09/06/jetblue-help- wanted-pilots-can-paid-instructors-while-training-join-airline/633008001/ Back to Top Air Taxi Startup Lilium Raises $90 Million For Electric Mini-Jet Service Lilium's four founders and the company's prototype Eagle electric aircraft. They are, from left, Daniel Wiegand, CEO; Matthias Meiner, head of flight control; Sebastian Born, head of mechanical engineering; and Patrick Nathen, head of calculation & design. Self-driving cars and Hyperloop trains that shoot passengers through vacuum tubes at 700 miles per hour aren't the only next-generation transportation option in the works. German startup Lilium intends to be a big player in the emerging field of on-demand air taxis to ferry people around congested cities in high-tech machines that are smaller and quieter than helicopters. Lilium demonstrated a working prototype of its battery-powered mini jet early this year, and now says it has raised $90 million in a new funding round for R&D to get its five-seat, electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) craft off the ground as soon as possible. That's important because it's taking on powerhouses including Google's Larry Page and Uber's Elevate in this emerging field. The funding, on top of more than $11 million raised previously, "is the next stage in our rapid evolution from an idea to the production of a commercially successful aircraft that will revolutionize the way we travel in and around the world's cities," CEO and co-founder Daniel Wiegand said in an emailed statement. "It makes Lilium one of the best-funded electric aircraft projects in the world." Munich-based Lilium posted video in April of its test of a two-seat prototype Eagle craft that took off vertically and then managed to smoothly shift from hovering to flying like a small jet. The company is refining the prototype with a goal of achieving manned flights in a five-passenger version by 2019, Matthias Meiner, also a Lilium co-founder and head of flight control, told Forbes in April. The target is a craft with 300 kilometers (186.4 miles) of flying range per charge with a top speed of kilometers per hour, Meiner said. Along with being smaller than a helicopter, Lilium's goal is for the vehicle to be relatively quiet so that it can be used more widely in cities that restrict helicopter routes due to noise. "We get the noise level down, perhaps comparable to a motorcycle," he said. Lilium's cumulative $100 million of funding matches the amount that Google's Page reportedly committed to his flying car project. Uber hasn't discussed funding, but at its Elevate Summit in Dallas in April, the ride-hailing company said it planned to demonstrate a flying car network by 2020 and have an operational service by 2023. Uber also said it was partnering with the cities of Dallas and Forth Worth, Texas, and Dubai, UAE, as pilot cities for the service. The company is working with five aircraft companies for its vehicles: Embraer, Bell Helicopter, Aurora Flight Sciences, Pipistrel Aircraft and Mooney. Participants in Lilium's latest funding round include Chinese tech giant Tencent; private banking and asset management firm LGT;U.K.-based VC Atomico; and Obvious Ventures, cofounded by Ev Williams, who also helped create and run Twitter. Lilium has about 70 employees now, but will use some of the new funds to recruit more aeronautical engineers, physicists and electric propulsion estimates. Last month the company said it hired Remo Gerber, previously a high-level executive at on-demand mobility company Gett, as its chief commercial officer. Lilium also hired former Airbus and Rolls Royce engineer Dirk Gebser to manage production. The company's electric aircraft is powered by lithium-ion batteries to avoid emissions while in flight and to hold down noise. When the service is finally ready to go, users will simply summon a ride much as they would an Uber of Lyft, but travel to their destination by air rather than surface streets. If Lilium hits its targets - and regulators certify its aircraft - the company's competition in the mid-2020s won't just be other VTOL players like Page, Uber and Airbus. As it takes to the air, Lilium will vye with autonomous cars traveling on city streets below, Hyperloop trains blasting passengers between cities and underground tunnels built by Elon Musk's Boring Co. transporting cars around town on high-speed sleds. If everything works out, mobility will never be the same. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2017/09/05/air-taxi-startup-lilium-raises-90- million-for-electric-mini-jet-service/#4b1efa7f377f Back to Top Emirates wavers on A380 deal; concerned Airbus may scrap jet Airbus announced in July it will slash A380 production to eight jets a year in 2019, casting doubt on the model's future. (PACO CAMPOS/EPA) While Airbus is pushing for the $8 billion deal at November's air show in Dubai, concern that the value of used A380s will plummet if the slow-selling model is canceled is a big sticking point, together with the price, Emirates President Tim Clark said. Emirates, the world's biggest long-haul airline, is holding out for assurances about the future of Airbus' A380 program before committing to an $8 billion order for more of the double-decker aircraft. While Airbus is pushing for a deal at November's air show in Dubai, where the carrier is based, concern that the value of used A380s will plummet if the slow-selling model is canceled represents a major sticking point, together with the proposed price, Emirates President Tim Clark said in an interview Thursday. "I know they would like us to do something," Clark said in London. "At the moment, we are not at that state of readiness. We need copper-bottomed undertakings that they would do everything they needed to do to keep the program going. We don't want to be left with aircraft that have no value." Airbus announced in July it will slash A380 production to eight jets a year in 2019, down from 15 this year and 28 in 2016, casting doubt on the model's future. That plan won't change even if the Toulouse, France-based aircraft manufacturer gets another purchase contract before the end of this year, unless the number of planes bought is unexpectedly high, Chief Executive Tom Enders said at the time. Emirates is already the No. 1 superjumbo buyer, with 97 A380s in operation out of firm orders and commitments for more than 140 planes. The model has a list price of $436.9 million, though key customers can get big discounts. Airbus offered an enhanced version of the A380 in June featuring fuel-saving winglets, which combined with an already announced layout revision accommodating 80 more people would shave 13 percent from costs per seat. Emirates is exploring the upgrade with a view to buying 20 more planes, though Clark - who originally campaigned for a more significant upgrade featuring new engines - has said he doesn't need the extra capacity. Emirates also needs to consider how to deal with its oldest 25 A380s, which are due to be replaced by the last 25 planes of its existing order. It's possible the original airliners, some of which the carrier owns, may be retained to augment capacity, Clark said. Airbus was already planning to slow A380 production to one aircraft a month as of next May. The reductions outlined in July mean that it is no longer breaking even on a per- plane basis. Shares of the company, which long ago gave up on recouping the program's 25 billion euros ($30 billion) in development costs, closed 1.5 percent lower in Paris. Clark, who spoke at the 2017 Aviation Festival, said Emirates plans to reverse reductions in U.S. capacity over the next six to nine months. The airline cut flights earlier this year after a slump in demand linked to curbs the Trump administration imposed in response to concerns about terror threats and security standards at Middle Eastern airports. Traffic has now recovered almost to previous levels, Clark said. Emirates aims to restore twice-daily flights to Boston, Los Angeles and Seattle and a daily service to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Clark said. While U.S. carriers seeking to block Emirates' expansion amid claims it has benefited from illegal state aid may have hoped President Donald Trump would reignite an investigation of its funding, that appears not to be the case, the executive said. "So far so good," he said. "I believe the administration is not minded to take action against us for reason of all the other things that are going on in the White House at the moment." http://www.seattletimes.com/business/emirates-wavers-on-a380-deal-concerned-airbus- may-scrap-jet/ Back to Top Absolute World Speed Record for Piston Engine Propeller Driven Airplane Set by Steve Hinton Jr. SEATTLE, Sept. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- At a remote location in Central Idaho on a private airport on Saturday 09/02/2017 at 5:30PMSteve Hinton became the fastest pilot on the planet ever in a Piston Engine Propeller Airplane. Four laps over a three- kilometer course at an average speed of 531.53/MPH- the fastest lap was 554/MPH in a highly modified P51 Mustang. Aerodynamic wing modifications by Aviation Partners, Inc. played a key role in achieving the absolute world speed record over the 3-kilometer course. Aviation Partners, known worldwide for its Blended and Split Scimitar Winglets TM, on Business Jets and Commercial Aircraft used highly sophisticated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods to redesign the P51's wing surface airfoils and to reduce and eliminate the strong shock waves created at Mach number 0.75 and 0.80. The modification thereby delayed the drag rise Mach number, allowing the P-51 to achieve higher speeds. World Record Holder Hinton commented, "The airplane accelerated much faster to the high-speed realm." Hinton also said he saw a much faster airplane at 100 inches manifold pressure than he had ever seen before. Joe Clark, CEO of Aviation Partners, Inc. said, "We agreed to sponsor the record attempt because we felt we could add significant value. That appears to be the case." Clark added, "We used the same drag reduction methodology on the Mustang as we used on the Boeing Jetliners and numerous Business Jets to make them more efficient. "My sincere congratulations to Steve Hinton and his amazing crew, API's dedicated engineers, and Bob Button the owner of Voodoo, the highly modified P51, for this remarkable achievement." Aviation Partners, Inc. Seattle, Washington based Aviation Partners, Inc. (API) is the world leader in advanced Winglet technology. API's patented Performance Enhancing Blended Winglets™ have been designed and certified for a number of commercial and business aircraft; applications include Boeing, Falcon, Hawker and Gulfstream airframes. Over 8,000 in-service aircraft have saved an estimated 7.5 plus billion gallons of fuel. In addition to the 5-7% improvement in fuel burn, Blended Winglets have reduced global CO2 emissions by approximately 80 million tons. Additional airframe programs are in-development for existing Blended Winglet technology, and future Winglet designs will lead to greater incremental improvements in performance, fuel savings and emissions reduction. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news- releases/absolute-world-speed-record-for-piston-engine-propeller-driven-airplane-set-by- steve-hinton-jr-300515252.html SOURCE Aviation Partners, Inc. http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/Absolute-World-Speed-Record-for- Piston-Engine-Propeller-Driven-Airplane-Set-by-Steve-Hinton-Jr-1002349195 Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY This Survey is being undertaken as part of my Master of Science (MSc) in Air Safety Management at City University, London and will form part of the dissertation to determine whether there are benefits to the UK CAA and the wider UK Aviation community, by the UK CAA having to access to CVR recordings. This is particularly relevant to me in my role as Head of Performance Based Regulation (PBR) as one of the principles of PBR is to be able to assess the performance of an organisation to determine the risk and where to focus the resource. Having access to various data sources is a key driver in this approach and CVR data could be one of those additional data sources. This survey has gone through the City university ethics assessment process. All data will be kept anonymous. No personal identifiable information will be collected. All answers reported in analysis will be without any connection to you on any response that you provide. If you would like to take part, please click on the link below. Thank you for your assistance. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y7YC8TK Stephanie Shaw Back to Top Military Flight Training USA Conference 6 December, 2017 - 8 December, 2017, San Antonio, TX, United States Core Themes * Innovation In Training In Fifth-Generation Aircraft - through revolutionary F-35 and F-22 training systems, polices, plans and practices * Innovation In Pilot Training - through extensive downloading and offloading across the training program combined with the establishment of an LVC roadmap * Innovation in Rotary & Multi Engine Training - through cost effective training systems created by adva Top 10 Reasons to Attend 1. Engage with 150 key decision makers across the US DoD, Air Force, Navy, Army and Marine Corps 2. Hear the latest news from T-X Program decision makers one month before the final RFP release 3. Debate innovative 5th Generation Training plans and programs to prepare for the F- 35 4. Review the latest updates on the US Navy's TH-57 replacement procurement 5. Solve the challenges facing LVC and Distributed Mission Operations to deliver cost effective training systems 6. Key insight into downloading potentials and practices across the training system 7. Unearth innovation ground base offloading practices to reduce training cost 8. Maximize system and immersion fidelity in flight simulation to open up increased offloading opportunities 9. Discover the latest opportunities for training service providers across the US Armed Forces 10. Engage with F-35 partner nations on their training plans and policies to position yourself for international markets More information on the event can be found on this ASDEvents page:https://www.asdevents.com/event.asp?id=17152 To register for this event go to the registration page and select your ticket:https://www.asdevents.com/event_register.asp?id=17152 Back to Top NOW AVAILABLE FOR ORDER EXCLUSIVELY FROM CURT LEWIS AVIATION BOOKS Starting with the Air France 447 accident, the authors present a fascinating and heartbreaking human interest story about one of the most important events in aviation history. They have also written the defining work on Angle of Attack technology and what it means to every pilot and passenger. Their analysis of worldwide aviation accident history shows how the use of AOA equipment instrument may have prevented aviation tragedies. Autographed first edition copies available from Curt Lewis Aviation Books at http://www.pilot-errormovie.com/book/angle-of-attack Buy the book and Pilot Error, the acclaimed tie-in feature film the Milwaukee Journal calls a "first class ticket" http://www.pilot-errormovie.com/book/book-and-dvd Shem Malmquist is a 777 Captain and veteran accident investigator. 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, Los Angeles Times and the London Independent. WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING ABOUT ANGLE OF ATTACK "We owe Rapoport and Malmquist a great debt of gratitude. Read every word." -Dr. Gary Helmer, Embry 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." -Dr. Chris Johnson, Director of Aviation Education and Research, Industrial & Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison "A must-read for professional pilots, aircraft designers, government regulators and political decision makers." -Captain Elaine M. Parker, Beyond Risk Management "Angle of Attack sheds light for the novice and expert alike. Their subject matter expertise is admirable. They have used the Air France 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." -Gregory Fox, Director of Safety, Florida Institute of Technology, ATPL pilot, safety manager since 1971, 35 years safety regulator, and 20 years check inspector on A320 and A340. "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 Inernational, former American Airlines manager of internal evaluation and event investigation "You don't have to be a pilot to find this book moving and absorbing." - Adam Hochschild, Author of Spain in Our Hearts and King Leopold's Ghost "This book proves conclusively that education by meteorologists is the key to fundamental understanding of the impact weather has on the elements of the aviation arena." - Debbie Schaum Embry-Riddle University "A masterful work that was hard to put down." -Captain Shawn Pruchnicki Ohio State University for Aviation Studies Curt Lewis