Flight Safety Information September 25, 2017 - No. 191 In This Issue Incident: KLM B772 at Osaka on Sep 23rd 2017, dropped panel on climb out Accident: Easyjet A319 enroute on Sep 21st 2017, unidentified odour on board Incident: Sun Express Deutschland B738 near Berlin on Sep 22nd 2017, smoke indication Incident: KLM Cityhopper E190 at Amsterdam on Sep 22nd 2017, electrical burning odour in cockpit EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: Kuwait A320 at Kuwait and Tehran on Sep 24th 2017, bird strike Accident: Delta B739 enroute on Sep 21st 2017, turbulence injures 2 Beechcraft King Air 250 suffers runway excursion, nose gear collapse at Kuching, Malaysia Runway incursion incident at Hong Kong; A330 aborts takeoff when B747 crosses active runway Flight circles back to airport after landing gear malfunctions Nothing can substitute pilot training and experience to ensure safe skies UAE's GCAA to hold aviation safety campaign in Kenya Hundreds of girls take part in Girls in Aviation Day at NAS Pensacola Engine snag: IndiGo grounds one more A320neo aircraft Air India requests lenient view on pilots, cabin crew under DGCA lens Alaska Air Group in need of pilots for Horizon flights Ruling gives FAA more power over drones than local governments Boeing Faces Delivery Challenge on Air Force Tanker Program C919, China's First Homemade Large Passenger Jet, Gets 730th Pre-Order Planes designed for Alaska to take final flight Book Review: Angle of Attack: Air France 447 and the Future of Aviation Safety GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY. Incident: KLM B772 at Osaka on Sep 23rd 2017, dropped panel on climb out A KLM Boeing 777-200, registration PH-BQC performing flight KL-868 from Osaka Kansai (Japan) to Amsterdam (Netherlands) with 321 people on board, was climbing through about FL120 out of Kansai Airport's runway 06R over the City of Osaka when a fairing panel, about one square meter in size, separated from the aircraft and fell onto Osaka's Highway #1 (Keihan National Highway) next to Chome 3 hitting a car driving along the road. In the absence of any anomalies the aircraft continued the flight to Amsterdam where the aircraft landed safely about 11 hours later. There were no injuries, the two occupants of the car escaped without injuries despite a damaged aft window and dents in the roof of the car. Japan's Ministry of Transport reported the panel originated from the right hand wing's root fairing, size about 1 meter by 0.6 meters (3 feet by 2 feet) and weighing about 4 kg/9 lbs, separated when the aircraft was climbing through approximately 2500 meters (8000 feet). The JTSB have opened an investigation into the occurrence rated a serious incident. The airline reported a fairing panel, size about 1 square meter, was lost and landed in the city of Osaka. Damage to a car was reported, there were no injuries. The aircraft was able to safely continue the flight to Amsterdam. The airline is cooperating with Japan's Civil Aviation Authority and Boeing to investigate the occurrence. The panel: http://avherald.com/h?article=4aece188&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Easyjet A319 enroute on Sep 21st 2017, unidentified odour on board An Easyjet Airbus A319-100, registration G-EZFC performing flight U2-4545 from Berlin Schoenefeld (Germany) to Nice (France), was descending towards Nice when three members of the crew complained about head ache as result of an unidentified odour during the flight. The flight crew continued the flight for a safe landing on Nice's runway 22L. The three crew members were taken to hospitals. Emergency services reported they were called to the aircraft for a number of members of the crew complaining about head ache following unidentified fumes on board. Emergency services considered carbon monoxide as a possible cause, however, when they arrived at the aircraft no abnormal measurements could be made. The injured crew members were examined at the airport and subsequently taken to hospitals for further examinations. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for 28 hours, then performed the next day's return flight U2-4546 to Berlin Schoenefeld, remained on the ground in Schoenefeld for another 9 hours before returning to service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4aecf79c&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Sun Express Deutschland B738 near Berlin on Sep 22nd 2017, smoke indication A Sun Express Deutschland Boeing 737-800, registration D-ASXQ performing flight XG-995 from Hamburg (Germany) to Izmir (Turkey), was enroute at FL390 about 70nm south of Berlin Schoenefeld (Germany) when the crew reported a smoke indication on board and decided to divert to Berlin Schoenefeld, where the aircraft landed safely on runway 07R about 20 minutes later. Attending emergency services, who had dispatched an unusually high number of fire engines and ambulances from Berlin and surroundings to the airport, found no trace of fire, heat or smoke. Emergency services reported they were alerted for smoke in the cabin, however, no trace of fire, smoke or heat was found. The passengers needed to stay at the airport, about 150 campbeds were setup at the airport. The airport reported there was no emergency landing. The passengers overnighted at the airport. The airline reported a technical defect in the cabin. A replacement SunExpress Boeing 737-800, registration TC-SNN reached Izmir as flight XQ-947 with a delay of 16.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for 19 hours, then positioned to Cologne (Germany). http://avherald.com/h?article=4aec4255&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: KLM Cityhopper E190 at Amsterdam on Sep 22nd 2017, electrical burning odour in cockpit A KLM Cityhopper Embraer ERJ-190, registration PH-EZO performing flight KL-933 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Dublin (Ireland), was climbing out of Amsterdam's runway 24 when the crew requested to stop the climb at FL060 due to a minor technical issue. A few minutes later the crew requested to return to Amsterdam advising they had an electrical burning odour in the cockpit, had donned their oxygen masks and wanted to return to Amsterdam as quickly as possible. The aircraft landed safely on Amsterdam's runway 18R about 11 minutes after departure. A replacement Embraer ERJ-190 registration PH-EZX reached Dublin with a delay of 2:20 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4aeb9dba&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Kuwait A320 at Kuwait and Tehran on Sep 24th 2017, bird strike A Kuwait Airways Airbus A320-200, registration 9K-AKG performing flight KU-513 from Kuwait (Kuwait) to Tehran Imam Khomeini (Iran), departed Kuwait's runway 33L when an engine (CFM56) ingested a bird. In the absence of any abnormal parameters the crew continued the flight to Tehran where the aircraft landed safely. A post flight inspection revealed damage to blades of the engine, the aircraft was unable to depart for the return flight. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Tehran about 8 hours after landing. The damaged fan blades: http://avherald.com/h?article=4aecee7b&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Delta B739 enroute on Sep 21st 2017, turbulence injures 2 A Delta Airlines Boeing 737-900, registration N855DN performing flight DL-1843 (dep Sep 20th) from Salt Lake City,UT to Boston,MA (USA), was enroute at FL330 about 60nm northeast of Kansas City,MO (USA) when the aircraft encountered turbulence causing an altitude deviation injuries to a passenger and a flight attendant. The aircraft continued to Boston for a safe landing about 2.5 hours later. The FAA reported a passenger and a flight attendant received minor injuries when the aircraft encountered turbulence 40nm north of Kansas City. Mode-S Data transmitted by the aircraft suggest the aircraft was 60nm northeast of Kansas City when it encountered an altitude deviation of +800 feet. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1843/history/20170921/0445Z/KSLC/KBOS Infrared Satellite Image GOES-W Sep 21st 06:00Z (Graphics: AVH/NASA): http://avherald.com/h?article=4aeb7589&opt=0 Back to Top Beechcraft King Air 250 suffers runway excursion, nose gear collapse at Kuching, Malaysia Date: Sunday 24 September 2017 Time: ca 18:00 Type: Beechcraft B200GT King Air 250 Operator: Hornbill Skyways Registration: 9M-WSK C/n / msn: BY-8 First flight: 2007 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Kuching Airport (KCH) ( Malaysia) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Mukah Airport (MKM/WBGK), Malaysia Destination airport: Kuching Airport (KCH/WBGG), Malaysia Narrative: A Beechcraft King Air 250 sustained substantial damage in a runway excursion accident at Kuching Airport, Malaysia. The aircraft veered off the side of the runway while landing in heavy rainfall. The nose landing gear collapsed and both propellers were damaged. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20170924-0 Back to Top Runway incursion incident at Hong Kong; A330 aborts takeoff when B747 crosses active runway Date: 22-SEP-2017 Time: 08:54 LT Type: Airbus A330-343 Owner/operator: Hong Kong Airlines Registration: B-LNS C/n / msn: 1105 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: None Location: Hong Kong-Chek Lap Kok International Airport (HKG/VHHH) - Hong Kong Phase: Take off Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Hong Kong-Chek Lap Kok International Airport (HKG/VHHH) Destination airport: Shanghai-Pudong International Airport (PVG/ZSPD) Narrative: Hong Kong Airlines HX236, an Airbus A330-343, aborted the takeoff roll at Hong Kong-Chek Lap Kok International Airport in a runway incursion incident involving a Boeing 747. A Boeing 747-400F, registered OM-ACB and operated by Air Cargo Global as flight CCC831, landed on runway 07L at Chek Lap Kok Airport following a flight from Turkmenbashi. The aircraft taxied to the cargo apron on the south of the airfield. This necessitated crossing runway 07R, which was being used for departures. Flight HX236 was cleared for takeoff by the Tower controller and at 08:54, the aircraft began rolling for takeoff. At the same time, flight CCC831 crossed the active runway at taxiway J6, which is located 1700 m from the threshold of runway 07R. The aircraft had been instructed by the Ground Controller to taxi to their parking position C12 via taxiways K4 and L2. There was no explicit clearance to cross the runway. The flight crew of the Airbus A330 aborted their takeoff roll and left the runway via J6. The aircraft subsequently took off uneventfully. Weather about the time of the incident (08:54 LT / 00:55Z) >> VHHH 220100Z 09005KT 9999 FEW010 SCT028 27/25 Q1011 NOSIG VHHH 220030Z 06005KT 9999 -SHRA FEW005 SCT028 26/25 Q1011 TEMPO 4000 SHRA https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=199903 Back to Top Flight circles back to airport after landing gear malfunctions Flight path of plane that returned to airport Sunday night. PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- There is no word if an American Airlines plane that had been diverted to Philadelphia International Airport is headed back to its destination of Spain yet. It had been diverted to Philadelphia because of a problem with the landing gear. American Airlines flight 740 originally took off from PHL just after 7 p.m. Sunday, headed to Madrid. The flight was then diverted back to Philadelphia and safely landed around 8:45 p.m. http://6abc.com/flight-circles-back-to-airport-after-landing-gear-malfunctions/2450701/ Back to Top Nothing can substitute pilot training and experience to ensure safe skies BY CAPT. RICK DOMINGUEZ, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR Airline passengers and shippers expect and demand safe air transportation - and they've found it in U.S. air travel. Since the passage of the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Extension Act of 2010, the United States has not had a single fatality due to an accident on a passenger airliner. But those who oppose this regulation will stop at nothing - including jeopardizing the traveling public -to weaken these standards in the upcoming FAA reauthorization. For all of us, experience matters in our careers and families. Whether it's your first day working in Washington after winning a seat in Congress or your first time as a parent dropping off your child at school, we've all felt the difference between doing something for the first time and going through an event we've already encountered. The same applies for airline pilots- experience counts when operating complex equipment in a changing airspace. Airline pilots evaluate our environment and our aircraft using our senses. We learn to use the physical experience of being at the controls of the aircraft to ensure safe operations, not only for our current flight but for future trips. For airline pilots as well as members of Congress, experience is cumulative - It's amassed over time, and there are no shortcuts or substitutes. The data overwhelmingly support the importance of airline pilot experience. A recent RAND presentation on military pilots showed that those with the most experience performed at the highest levels. Conversely, the lack of experience threatens safety. For example, in its investigation of the Colgan Flight 3407 crash near Buffalo, N.Y., the National Transportation Safety Board noted the pilots' lack of flight experience in winter conditions. Tragically, the first officer can be heard on the cockpit voice recorder lamenting her lack of winter flying experience just before the plane goes down. When, at the direction of Congress, the FAA reviewed the Colgan accident and 30 others, it found that shortcomings in airline pilot qualification and training had played a role. The regulations that resulted improved the training pilots receive for, among other things, flying in adverse weather and icing, recognizing and recovering from upsets and stalls and mentoring other crewmembers. The rules also updated pilot certificate and type rating requirements. In the 20 years prior to the congressional action, more than 1,100 passengers lost their lives in airline accidents in the United States. Since lawmakers acted, that number has been reduced to zero. While the pilot training and experience rules are not the only improvement that occurred during this time, the new set of regulations was by far the most comprehensive. Despite the fact that well-trained and experienced pilots save lives, some critics of this valuable training are working to overturn these rules in the FAA reauthorization. The Regional Airline Association has accused the president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l, of distorting the facts about what they know all too well - experience and training matters. Experience also matters in how members of Congress, regulators, and passengers evaluate their arguments. The public will decide who is credible, but when Capt. Tim Canoll, who is ALPA's president and a 27-year airline pilot with thousands of hours of commercial and military flight experience including landing F/A-18 Hornets on U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, speaks out on aviation safety, his word carries serious weight when compared to those calling to rollback safety. The record of U.S. passenger airline fatalities since these safety rules were put in place speaks for itself. Airline pilots will not relent in our drive to block any effort to weaken the rules that mean well-trained and experienced pilots will continue to be part of the safest era in history for U.S. airlines. Capt. Rick Dominguez is the executive administrator of Air Line Pilots Association, International. http://thehill.com/opinion/technology/351923-nothing-can-substitute-pilot-training-to-ensure-safe- skies Back to Top UAE's GCAA to hold aviation safety campaign in Kenya DUBAI- The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority, GCAA, will hold a Safety Campaign event in Dakar, Kenya, with the support of Pratt and Whitney Canada. The event, which will take place from 6th to 8th December follows the success of the 4th Safety Campaign event in Kenya, which was supported and organised by the GCAA, and held at the Ole Sereni Hotel in Kenya. The Safety Campaign is part of the GCAA's wider strategic objectives to increase aviation safety awareness not only in the UAE but also around the world. It is also one of the GCAA's initiatives to support the 'Year of Giving' by helping to improve aviation in emerging economies. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the GCAA, said, "Given the complexity, volume and interconnected nature of air travel today, aviation safety is a global issue that affects everyone, ensuring that civil aviation operations and regulations conform to global norms is critical in every region of the world; nowhere more so than in emerging markets where critical infrastructure and training can often be lacking." During the conference, renowned speakers and international aviation experts will hold presentations and workshops to discuss key issues affecting aviation safety. There will also be a series of seminars hosted by international experts which cover 'Threat and Error Management', 'Emergency Preparedness' and 'Maintenance'. Laila bin Hareb, Assistant General Manager of the Strategic and International Affairs Sector, said, "The Safety Campaign has been a great success, with renowned international experts lending their weight to the event. As a result, we are looking at holding another event at the end of the year. Safety must always be our number one priority and helping emerging markets as part of the Year of Giving will have a real tangible impact on the safety and security of a huge number of people. https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/story/UAEs_GCAA_to_hold_aviation_safety_campaign_in_Kenya- WAM20170924124046001/ Back to Top Hundreds of girls take part in Girls in Aviation Day at NAS Pensacola PENSACOLA, Fla. (WEAR) - It was all about the girls at the National Flight Academy. Saturday was Girls in Aviation Day where more than 200 girls from 3rd to 12th grade were flown to Pensacola by Delta to learn about flight. Alaris Miller is 12 years old and is already thinking about her career. She, along with more than many other young women, got to see what it's like to be a pilot. "I've learned things like basic flight, how simulators work," she said. "Aviation is also space flight, how to save people, what type of science, how to plan flight courses." Girls were trained by other women in the industry. They learned about forces of flight, how to navigate through a drone obstacle course, and they got to fly simulators and get a taste of life up high. "I enjoy putting what we learn to practice with the simulators. We get to see how your stuff worked out like you planned," she said. "If it works out, you feel good about yourself." They also got to meet female pilots. Delta Captain Andrea Tart said by sharing their own stories, they showed the girls dreams can come true if you work hard. "Just seeing the looks on these girls faces, 'Oh, we can do that?' Not everyone is encouraged from a young age. Opportunity for these young ladies, to see, 'Hey I can be a pilot, I can be maintenance,'" Tart said. "It was all girl, I was glad to see that, people think it's mostly men that do stuff like that. We live in a more accepting time now." This is the third year of the event. Delta hopes to one day hire these girls. http://weartv.com/news/local/hundreds-of-girls-take-part-in-girls-in-aviation-day-at-nas-pensacola Back to Top Engine snag: IndiGo grounds one more A320neo aircraft In March, IndiGo had asked its pilots to not ascend A320neo aircraft over 30,000 feet to manage the strain on the faulty engines, but revoked this altitude restriction earlier this month. Low-cost airline IndiGo, which earlier denied any safety issues due to the faulty Pratt & Whitney engines equipped on its Airbus A320neo aircraft, grounded yet another plane after vibrations were witnessed on one of the engines mid-air, according to a source. The aircraft, with VT-ITF registration, was on its way to Bengaluru on September 20 landed back at Bhubaneswar airport after the snag surfaced, and hasn't been operated since then. The flight 6E3869 took off from Bhubaneswar at 8:50 pm, and was airborne for nearly 20 minutes before it landed back at the airport following the engine vibrations. In March, IndiGo had asked its pilots to not ascend A320neo aircraft over 30,000 feet to manage the strain on the faulty engines, but revoked this altitude restriction earlier this month. However, according to flight tracking website flightradar24, the aircraft grounded on September 20, had barely climbed to the altitude of 3,800 feet, after which it returned to Bhubaneswar. When reached out for comments on this matter, an IndiGo spokesperson said the company had "nothing to share". Earlier IndiGo had admitted to grounding as many as nine A320neo aircraft on certain days due to engine snags, which had led to cancellations of its flights. However, it had pointed out that there were no safety issues. In a statement issued on August 20, IndiGo had said: "While not a safety issue, we report all the relevant data on these engines to the DGCA and they are also continuously monitoring these issues as part of their oversight authority and responsibility." Recently, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had expressed its concern with grounding of aircraft due to engine issues and had asked Pratt & Whitney to prioritise Indian carriers for sending new engines. http://indianexpress.com/article/business/aviation/engine-snag-indigo-grounds-one-more- a320neo-aircraft-4859548/ Back to Top Air India requests lenient view on pilots, cabin crew under DGCA lens Air India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have discussed the issue. NEW DELHI: Air India chief Rajiv Bansal has said the airline has requested DGCA to take a "lenient view" on more than 400 pilots and cabin crew who have come under the scanner for skipping breath analyser test, maintaining that they never intended to violate norms. As many as 132 pilots and 434 cabin crew of the national carrier have been found by the DGCA to have allegedly skipped the compulsory pre-and post-flight alcohol tests this year. They face the prospect of being grounded and a final decision would be taken after discussions with the civil aviation ministry. Air India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have discussed the issue. While apologising for the lapses, the airline has told the regulator that their actions were based on the interpretation of the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR). "There was no violation of breath analyser test at the last point for all the flights. We have sincerely apologised and assured the DGCA that we will carry out breath analyser tests as per their requirements and as per the clarity given on the CAR," Bansal told PTI. Emphasising that it was never and will never be their intention to violate the rules, the Chairman and Managing Director said the airline would ensure full compliance with all the requirements. Seeking to illustrate the possible sequence of events, Bansal said for instance, with respect to a flight that originated in Dubai, landed at Mumbai and then went on to Kolkata, the breath analyser test was conducted at Kolkata. "...DGCA says we should do it at the first point. We are in full agreement to what they are saying and when it was known to us, we have started testing it like that," he noted. "We have requested that they should take a lenient view on this matter," he said, expressing hope that the regulator would take a "considered view". An official source said the issue has also been brought to the notice of the civil aviation ministry by the DGCA and a final decision would be taken after detailed discussions. As part of the DGCA's safety regulations, all pilots and cabin crew must undergo the breath analyser test before and after flights. Any crew member who tests positive in the pre-flight medical check or refuses to take a breath analyser test is required to be taken off flying duty for at least four weeks and the airline is required to initiate disciplinary proceedings, according to civil aviation rules. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/air-india-requests- lenient-view-on-pilots-cabin-crew-under-dgca-lens/articleshow/60815320.cms Back to Top Alaska Air Group in need of pilots for Horizon flights My Alaska Airlines direct flights in November and December were cancelled a few days ago. I was told that the direct flights are being "reevaluated" and might come back in the spring. Can you confirm or elaborate? Unlike thousands of Ryanair passengers, at least you got advance notice that your flights were cancelled, presumably giving you an opportunity to rebook, Ron. Alaska Air Group has been hit hard by a pilot shortage, and Medford has been among the airports bearing the brunt of flight and route cancellations. After discontinuing the daily Medford-Los Angeles flights, Alaska's Horizon flights were restored - at least momentarily. We reached out to the company's media relations staff, but didn't hear back in a timely fashion. However, Alaska executives have made it clear in recent statements they will be scrambling to find and train pilots well into 2018. Alaska Airlines CEO Bradley D. Tilden told stock analysts the company will have to become aggressive in its hiring. "We've got to be fantastic recruiters," Tilden said. "We got to be great at going out and recruiting and bringing pilots in, but we also have to be great at knowing what the pilot capacity is going to be, and I think we fell short there, candidly." Dave Campbell, Horizon Air's CEO, said protracted contract negotiations kept the company from hiring earlier this year. "It took us about nine months to get our deal with the pilots," Campbell told analysts. "We now have a competitive contract in place that will allow us to actually hire pilots. By the time we get to the end of December, we should be caught back up on pilot hiring, we should be caught back up on the backlog and training. So, I have a lot of confidence that this is a good reset for us and we will be back up operating here early January." http://www.mailtribune.com/news/20170924/since-you-asked-alaska-air-group-in-need-of-pilots- for-horizon-flights Back to Top Ruling gives FAA more power over drones than local governments When it comes to drone regulations, the FAA's rules trump anything local governments conjure up. That's what a federal court in Massachusetts has proven when it ruled in favor of a commercial drone owner who sued the city of Newton over its drone ordinance. Newton resident Michael Singer filed the lawsuit in a bid to eliminate some of the city's rules that don't align with the FAA's, including having to register with every municipality it has to fly over and to maintain an altitude of 400 feet and above over private and Newton city property. Two of the rules he chose not to challenge prohibit operating drones in a reckless manner and the use of drones to spy on people. Singer argued that having to register with every municipality would make flights impossible, since an unmanned flying vehicle could cross several for a trip that takes a few minutes. In addition, the FAA requires UAVs for businesses to fly under 400 feet. US District Judge William G. Young explained that "Newton's choice to restrict any drone use below this altitude (400 feet) thus works to eliminate any drone use in the confines of the city, absent prior permission. This thwarts not only the FAA's objectives, but also those of Congress for the FAA to integrate drones into the national airspace." Singer said the ruling "ensure[s] that the skies would remain open for new technology that would benefit society." Since we're still figuring out which drone rules and regulations work, the judge's decision could influence similar cases and even local authorities' decisions regarding drone use in the future. Doug Johnson, Consumer Technology Association's VP of Tech Policy, said the ruling "establishes a rock- solid affirmation that the federal government unequivocally holds jurisdiction over the drone industry." https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/ruling-gives-faa-more-power-013400638.html Back to Top Boeing Faces Delivery Challenge on Air Force Tanker Program The new U.S. Air Force refueling tanker Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) is building has run into another problem that threatens the company's ability to meet its delivery schedule of 18 of the planes by August 2018. The Air Force discovered in May that during testing in 2016, the KC-46A's refueling boom had on a number of occasions scraped the surface of the aircraft being refueled. Worse, the new tanker failed to detect that its boom was not connecting with the receptacle on the plane being refueled. This lack of communication makes it impossible for the tanker's pilot to inform the plane being refueled that it may have suffered some damage. According to Defense News, the Air Force is conducting a root-cause analysis to determine what is causing the problem and review historical data on current tankers to see how often this problem has surfaced in the past. Based on initial data, service officials say this undetected contact is happening more often than in the legacy fleet. According to Air Force officials, they still believe that Boeing can correct this deficiency, as well as two others that have also been reported, in time to meet a late spring 2018 delivery date for the first KC-46A. Under Boeing's contract with the Air Force, the company must deliver 18 tankers by October. If Boeing can deliver the planes by that date, the Air Force then determines if the planes meet the contract specifications. If they do and the service still requires modifications, the Air Force will pay for the work. If the planes don't meet spec, Boeing pays for the fixes. Boeing's contract calls for a total of 179 KC-46A tankers to replace the current Air Force fleet of KC- 135 tankers. Boeing has had to swallow more than $2 billion in costs to date on a contract valued at $35 billion. Including spare parts and other services the total value of the contract could exceed $100 billion over the life of the KC-46A. http://247wallst.com/aerospace-defense/2017/09/23/boeing-faces-delivery-challenge-on-air-force- tanker-program/ Back to Top C919, China's First Homemade Large Passenger Jet, Gets 730th Pre-Order Last week, the Commercial Aviation Corp. of China Ltd. (Comac) announced that the C919, China's first homemade large passenger jet, had chalked up its 730th pre-order. Those numbers won't necessarily make the Boeing Co. or Airbus SE quake; Boeing estimates Chinese airlines alone will require 5,420 new single-aisle planes by 2036. Ultimately, though, they could herald the end of global aviation's great duopoly. Most of the C919's orders come from state-owned Chinese companies, some of whom probably wouldn't have placed them if given a choice. The C919 is technologically out-of-date and has been repeatedly delayed; it's unlikely to enter commercial service before 2020. The plane is cheap, though -- reportedly 10 percent less expensive than the competition -- and designed to be good enough not just for China but other emerging markets where air travel is booming and regulations are less strict than in the developed world. The hope is that cost-conscious carriers in Africa and Asia will embrace a plane that they can afford and that does most of what they need, even if its technology isn't cutting-edge. Chinese manufacturers have a track record of winning market share with similar products, matched to the limited means and needs of developing-world consumers. In mature economies, China's largely known as a contractor for some of the world's most famous brands, such as Apple Inc. Elsewhere, it's identified more with low-cost goods targeted to poorer consumers. Those Chinese brands have been beating out more expensive competitors for years despite their poor reputation for quality. For example, between 2012 and 2014, China's total share of Kenya's imports increased from 12 to 23 percent, leading to a 10 percent overall drop in the unit price of manufactured goods in the country. Meanwhile, during the first quarter of 2017, Chinese smartphones claimed 51 percent of the Indian market, besting better known but more expensive international brands such as Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Apple. Many if not most of those phones wouldn't sell in more developed markets with stricter standards and higher consumer expectations. Chinese manufacturers have also begun to demonstrate a greater ability to innovate. For example, Sany Heavy Industry Co. Ltd., China's largest heavy-equipment manufacturer, spent much of the last three decades making and selling low-end excavators and cement trucks in China and other developing countries. Rather than challenge international competitors like Caterpillar Inc. on the basis of quality or technology, Sany built up market share on price, local connections and cheap financing -- all of which were aided by generous Chinese government subsidies. That approach allowed Sany to grow fast, generate economies of scale and, ultimately, begin investing in R&D. Today Sany and other heavily subsidized Chinese equipment makers are narrowing the quality gap and winning customers in developed countries and among quality- conscious equipment buyers, including top mining companies. That's roughly the path that the Chinese government would like to see the C919 follow. Launched in 2008, the plane is part of a long-term effort to build out a Chinese aviation industry capable of competing with Airbus and Boeing. More broadly, the hope is to upgrade China's role from manufacturer and assembler of products such as off-brand smartphones and tractors, to world-class innovator. The stakes involved in making jets are much higher than with cement mixers and phones, of course. But Comac isn't flying blind. The most important components in the C919, including the engines and most electronics, are made by non-Chinese companies with decades of aerospace experience. While Comac doesn't have Boeing's long history integrating components into a jet, the C919's many delays suggest the company's taking the time to learn, rather than rush. As a flagship enterprise, Comac has the luxury of time -- and a very nearly blank check to keep spending until they get it right. If Boeing and Airbus are likely to retain their preeminent positions, the developing world should provide enough demand for Comac to become a reasonable third alternative for many buyers. According to the International Air Transport Association, global air passenger growth will nearly double over the next 20 years, with the bulk coming from Asia-Pacific. China and India alone will put more than 1.1 billion new fliers into the skies. And according to Boeing, flying them around will require more than 10,000 new planes. For China, that's the ticket to breaking into the global aerospace industry. https://www.ndtv.com/opinion/c919-chinas-first-homemade-large-passenger-jet-gets-730th-pre- order-1754678 Back to Top Planes designed for Alaska to take final flight In this photo taken Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, passengers board an Alaska Airlines jet from the rear using stairs at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska. The airline is retiring its combi planes, Boeing 737-400s designed to be half cargo immediately behind the cockpit and then seating for 72 passengers in the rear. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Claire Richardson remembers taking off from Nome in an airplane uniquely configured for Alaska when a horrible smell seeped into the passenger area. The captain soon came on the speaker to apologize for the odor, which was coming from 70 skittish baby reindeer headed for Texas. "Guess they all pooped as we lifted off from the runway," Richardson said. Those days will be coming to a close as the special plane that hauls people, goods and even animals on the same flight is taken out of service in a state with few roads. Alaska Airlines is retiring its last four combi planes, special Boeing 737-400s designed to carry cargo in the middle of the plane and 72 passengers in the rear, company vice president Marilyn Romano told The Associated Press ahead of this week's unveiling of the first of three new cargo planes for the state. 'They've been our workhorses," said Jason Berry, manager of the company's cargo division. The new freight carriers are a dedicated fleet of three 737-700s, and they are the first ever to be converted from passenger jet to cargo planes. They will increase the cargo carrying capacity in Alaska by 20 percent over the combi planes and one old 737-400 freighter that's also being retired. Passengers will now fly in 737-700s. Alaska Airlines is the only major airline in the nation that had combi planes, which were designed for the special challenges of the nation's largest state. A postage stamp placed in the middle of an average sheet of paper represents the area one can reach in Alaska by coast line, river, road or railroad. "If you want to see or do business in any of the rest of that sheet of paper, you only have two choices: You can fly an hour or walk a week," said Mark Ransom with the Alaska Aviation Museum in Anchorage. The combi planes made sense to deliver people and goods to remote hub communities in Alaska in the most cost-efficient manner. The planes can carry up to four large cargo containers - weighing anywhere from 12,000 to 14,000 pounds - in the middle of the plane. Passengers fill the rear of the plane, and they get on board by using stairs like pre-jetway days. "It's bittersweet," Romano said of the plane's retirement, especially for those who understand what the plane has meant to the people of Alaska. The planes usually fly to communities like Nome on the Bering Sea coast, Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow) on the northern Arctic Ocean coast or Deadhorse, the supply town for the Prudhoe Bay oil fields, where there might not be enough cargo for a full planeload or enough passengers to fill a jet. From those locations, smaller airplanes usually deliver the cargo and passengers to dozens of nearby villages. The combi planes also make the famous milk runs through southeast Alaska, leaving Anchorage and stopping about every 45 minutes to deliver goods - including milk - in little communities like Cordova, Yakutat and Juneau before heading on to Seattle, where the airline has its headquarters. It's not just milk that gets delivered. In other parts of the United States, cargo planes deliver durable goods to businesses to make commerce run, Berry said. "In Alaska, we are carrying their milk, the groceries, the fruit, the vegetables, the pharmaceuticals, the drugs, for these people, for these communities," he said. And animals. "Because of where we are and where we live, we have the opportunity to help move a lot of unique things, and a lot of them are living," Romano said. That could include shipping an injured eagle to the Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka for rehabilitation or giving a lift back to Anchorage for scores of exhausted sled dogs that had just finished the nearly 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Nome. The last combi flight is scheduled for Oct. 18, which is also the Alaska Day state holiday. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the formal transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States. The final flight will deliver the combi plane to Seattle from Juneau. http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/us/article/APNewsBreak-Planes-designed-for-Alaska-to-take- 12225677.php Back to Top ___________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Dear Participants, You are being requested to participate in a research study of your information on factors contributing to the decision to quit flying from Part 121 commercial aviation. This study is expected to take approximately 8 minutes of your time. In order to participate, you must be at least 18 years old and currently employed as a Part 121 pilot in the United States. Participation in this study is voluntary, and you may choose to opt out of the study at any time. If you choose to opt out, your data will be destroyed. We appreciate your consideration and time to complete our study. Please click on or copy and paste the URL below: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8FNJBHZ For more information, please contact: Gajapriya Tamilselvan gtamilselvan2014@my.fit.edu We appreciate your interest and participation! Curt Lewis