Flight Safety Information October 4, 2017 - No. 197 In This Issue NBAA Presentation: Cockpit Smoke and Lithium Battery Fires Occur Every Day Incident: Mesa CRJ9 near Colorado Springs on Oct 1st 2017, loss of cabin pressure Incident: Virgin Atlantic A333 at Saint Lucia on Oct 2nd 2017, runway excursion on backtrack Accident: Five fatalities in East Wing Antonov An-28 ambulance accident, Kazakhstan Cessna 208B Grand Caravan Accident, operated by the Afghan Air Force Learjet 35A, N35GC, suffered a runway excursion at New Orleans Ryanair Flight Is Escorted by Military Jet to Stansted Airport in U.K. DGCA mulling new test for tipsy pilots, cabin crew (India) Safety checks for North Sea helicopters after bolt issue identified Saab 340 low approach traced to miss-set altimeter FAA, EASA Promise A Better Bureaucracy Climate change will increase the risk of severe turbulence on planes, research says BRS Aerospace to Handle Whole Aircraft Parachute Installations for Cessna Models Avianca allowed to bring in foreign pilots amid strike-civil aviation afran hopes new fuel-efficient jet engine can reshape air travel 18 billion pounds of fuel saved: Boeing releases new Dreamliner data Stratos starts work on second 714 personal jet Lessor BOC Aviation looks for new homes for 13 aircraft after Monarch collapse UND announces $1.5 million aviation scholarship fund NASA plans to extend expandable module's stay on space station Incident: Mesa CRJ9 near Colorado Springs on Oct 1st 2017, loss of cabin pressure A Mesa Airlines Canadair CRJ-900 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N943LR performing flight YV-5919/AA- 5919 from Sioux Falls,SD to Phoenix,AZ (USA) with 76 people on board, was enroute at FL360 about 250nm eastnortheast of Colorado Springs,CO (USA) when the crew initiated an emergency descent to 10,000 feet due to the loss of cabin pressure. The aircraft diverted to Colorado Springs for a safe landing about one hour later. The airport reported the aircraft diverted for a maintenance issue with a cabin pressure controller. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 15 hours, then continued to Phoenix and reached the destination with a delay of 15 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4af385ba&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Virgin Atlantic A333 at Saint Lucia on Oct 2nd 2017, runway excursion on backtrack A Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330-300, registration G-VLUV performing flight VS-90 from Saint Lucia Hewanorra (Saint Lucia) to London Gatwick,EN (UK), was backtracking runway 10 for departure when the aircraft attempted to turn around for line up but went off the paved surface and became disabled. The airport is curently closed. Related NOTAM: A1476/17 - RUNWAY 10/28 CLSD DUE DISABLED AIRCRAFT. 03 OCT 01:30 2017 UNTIL 03 OCT 20:00 2017. CREATED: 03 OCT 02:04 2017 http://avherald.com/h?article=4af37646&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Five fatalities in East Wing Antonov An-28 ambulance accident, Kazakhstan Status: Preliminary Date: Tuesday 3 October 2017 Time: ca 18:47 Type: Antonov An-28 Operator: East Wing Registration: UP-A2807 C/n / msn: 1AJ007-14 First flight: 1990 Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 Airplane damage: Damaged beyond repair Location: 28 km (17.5 mls) WNW of Almaty Airport (ALA) ( Kazakhstan) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Ambulance Departure airport: Almaty Airport (ALA/UAAA), Kazakhstan Destination airport: Shymkent Airport (CIT/UAII), Kazakhstan Narrative: An Antonov An-28 operated by East Wing was destroyed when it impacted terrain during an ambulance flight in Kazakhstan. The aircraft took off from Almaty at 18:35 hours local time with destination Shymkent, Kazakhstan. It impacted terrain and caught fire 12 minutes later, near the village of Mezhdurechenskoye. All five on board suffered fatal injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20171003-0 Back to Top Cessna 208B Grand Caravan Accident, operated by the Afghan Air Force Date: Tuesday 3 October 2017 Type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan Operator: Afghan Air Force Registration: YA12303 C/n / msn: 208B-2303 First flight: 2011 Engines: 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Nili Airport ( Afghanistan) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Military Departure airport: Nili Airport (OANL), Afghanistan Destination airport: ? Narrative: A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan operated by the Afghan Air Force sustained substantial damage in an accident at Nili Airport, Daykundi Province, Afghanistan. The aircraft had dropped off the new provincial governor at Nili and had just departed when a forced landing was carried out by the crew due to 'technical reasons'. The aircraft came to rest off the airstrip. The nose landing gear had collapsed and the propeller was damaged. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20171003-1 Back to Top Learjet 35A, N35GC, suffered a runway excursion at New Orleans Date: 03-OCT-2017 Time: 07:48 Type: Learjet 35A Owner/operator: Med Air Registration: N35GC C/n / msn: 266 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Unknown Location: New Orleans-Louis Armstrong International Airport, LA (MSY/KMSY) - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: A Learjet 35A, N35GC, suffered a runway excursion at New Orleans-Louis Armstrong International Airport, Louisiana, USA. It ran off the end of runway 20. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=200172 Back to Top Ryanair Flight Is Escorted by Military Jet to Stansted Airport in U.K. A Ryanair flight at Stansted Airport near London last month. Flights from the airport were briefly halted on Wednesday because of security concerns. Credit Kevin Coombs/Reuters LONDON - A Royal Air Force fighter jet escorted a Ryanair plane to Stansted Airport, north of London, on Wednesday after the flight from Lithuania was diverted because of a security threat, the airline and the authorities said. The police said that the plane, which originated in Kaunas, Lithuania, had landed safely around 8:55 a.m., and that passengers had been escorted off the flight. Ryanair later said a "suspected hoax security alert" had been flagged by the Lithuanian authorities. Flights were briefly halted, the airport said, but were now "arriving and departing as normal." It was not immediately clear why the jet had required a military escort. Loud noises were reported in the Suffolk area of England, but the police said the sounds had come from a military plane. "We can now confirm that the loud bangs heard across Suffolk this morning was a sonic boom produced by military aircraft," the police wrote on Twitter. Since the 1970s, Stansted Airport has been the designated facility for receiving flights after security alerts, according to a police press officer. London has been on high alert after a string of terrorist attacks. Most recently, in September, 29 people were injured by a bomb on a subway train at the Parsons Green station during the morning rush hour. The attack prompted the British authorities to temporarily raise the terrorism threat to the highest possible level, and the police have asked the public to report any suspicious activity. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/04/world/europe/ryanair-stansted-raf.html Back to Top DGCA mulling new test for tipsy pilots, cabin crew (India) The civil aviation regulator also wants crew to be grounded as soon as they land, if they operate a flight by skipping the test. To keep a check on tipsy crew, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is planning to introduce pre-flight breath analyser (BA) tests for pilots and cabin crew members at transit points. This will be done if the crew leaves the plane to go to the terminal building before operating the next leg of the flight, a report in The Times of India said. The civil aviation regulator also wants crew to be grounded as soon as they land, if they operate a flight by skipping the test. Upon failing the test, the pilots or crew members' licence could be suspended for three years. If the same individual fails the pre-flight and the post-flight BA test both, his or her licence could be suspended for four years. Currently, the punishment for the first and second time is suspension of licence for three months and three years, respectively. A failure for the third time leads to licence cancellation. The DGCA has issued draft rules which are aimed at addressing concerns raised by crew members following some instances of drunken pilots and cabin crew failing tests. Certain crews have also claimed that the equipment currently being used for the breath analyser (BA) tests catch alcohol content from their aftershave, perfume, cough syrup and homeopathic medicines. For this, the DGCA will take the test on alternate equipment, provided the crew submits in writing a request for the same, the report said. http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/dgca-mulling-new-test-for-tipsy-pilots-cabin-crew- 2404471.html Back to Top Safety checks for North Sea helicopters after bolt issue identified Safety checks have been ordered on certain models of North Sea helicopters after a loose bolt was found which could lead to the in-flight loss of control of the aircraft. The move comes after a routine inspection on two separate helicopters found issues with the fitting of the tail mounted horizontal stabilizer. On one aircraft one of the bolts that attaches the small wing like device was found to be broken in its threaded section and kept in place by the sealant alone. European aviation safety watchdog EASA has issued an airworthiness directive, ordering operators of the Airbus H175 aircraft to carry out checks on their aircraft. Only a small number of H175s are in service in the UK North Sea. NHV has three at its base in Aberdeen, while CHC Helicopter took delivery of its first H175 for use in offshore oil operations in August. EASA has ordered operators to fit brackets on the horizontal stabilizer to prevent the affected bolts from moving if they become compromised. Repetitive visual inspections of the bolts are also to be carried out and any damaged parts are to be replaced. https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/north-sea/152084/safety-checks-north-sea-helicopters- bolt-issue-identified/ Back to Top Saab 340 low approach traced to miss-set altimeter Polish investigators believe a Saab 340 crew failed to switch their altimeter air pressure reference to the correct setting before a low-approach incident in Scotland. The Sprint Air aircraft had been operating an inter-island flight from Sumburgh in Shetland to Kirkwall on Orkney, a Loganair route, on 20 March this year. Polish investigation authority PKBWL says the turboprop had been 11nm distant from the airport as it conducted an arc procedure before the ILS approach to runway 27. While the crew informed that their height was 1,900ft, in line with the approach procedure, the inquiry says the actual height was "less" than that required. Meteorological data for Kirkwall at the time indicates a QNH pressure of around 980mb. The inquiry does not specifically state the setting of the Saab's altimeter but, if it had remained at the standard transition setting of 1013mb, the aircraft would have been flying around 900ft lower than indicated on the instrument. After touchdown the flight-data recorder indicated barometric altitude of 960ft, says the inquiry, while the elevation of the airport was 58ft. PKBWL has attributed the incident to the crew's not changing the altimeter to the QNH pressure setting. It cites a "lack" of control in the cockpit, noting an "inaccurate execution" of the approach checklist. As a result pilots were informed of the event and the carrier required that crews operating in the UK were "carefully" prepared, and rostered such that at least one pilot had previous experience in operations for Loganair. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top FAA, EASA Promise A Better Bureaucracy Few regulatory issues frustrate the aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) world-and the aircraft product manufacturing business in general, for that matter-more than duplicative rules. Recently, the FAA and its EASA counterparts met to further streamline some of their largely similar- but hardly the same-sets of regulations that govern hundreds of operators that do businesses in both the U.S. and Europe. The mid-September meeting covered several topics, including finalizing the sixth revision of guidance-formally known as technical implementation procedures (TIP)-for airworthiness and environmental certification. Importantly, the TIPs dictate how type certificates granted by one regulator are validated by the other. Validation happens in one of three ways: automatic acceptance, streamlined validation (which requires issuance of a new certificate), and technical validation (which means deeper involvement by the validating authority). The newest version of the TIP-TIP 6-expanded the types of validations in the automatic acceptance category. In March, all technical standard order authorizations (TSOA) will be mutually accepted. Currently, most are, but previous TIP versions required some exceptions. TIP 6 also clears the way for mutual acceptance of all repair data, which the Aeronautical Repair Station Association notes completes a long road that began when EASA was founded in 2003. Then, European regulators wanted to approval all repair data for work done on anything with an EASA member state of registry. The regulators-urged by ARSA to reexamine the issue-soon backed the requirements down to cover only data on critical parts developed by a non-EASA certificate holder. www.aviationweek.com Back to Top Climate change will increase the risk of severe turbulence on planes, research says * Researchers at the University of Reading in England analyzed supercomputer simulations of the future atmosphere, focusing on clear air turbulence. * For nervous fliers, the numbers contained within the research do not make for comfortable reading. Climate change is set to increase the amount of severe turbulence on planes by 2050 to 2080, according to a study. Researchers at the University of Reading in England analyzed supercomputer simulations of the future atmosphere, focusing on clear air turbulence. As it is invisible, clear air turbulence is seen as being especially problematic. For nervous fliers, the numbers contained within the research do not make for comfortable reading. The study projects that severe turbulence at a typical cruising altitude of 39,000 feet is set to rise by roughly 181 percent over the North Atlantic; 161 percent over Europe; 113 percent over North America; 92 percent over the North Pacific; and 64 percent over Asia. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) describes severe turbulence as being characterized by large and abrupt changes in altitude or attitude (relating to an aircraft's orientation), as well as "large variation in indicated airspeed." During severe turbulence, an aircraft "may be temporarily out of control," the CASA adds. "While turbulence does not usually pose a major danger to flights, it is responsible for hundreds of passenger injuries every year," Luke Storer, a PhD researcher who worked on the study, said. "It is also by far the most common cause of serious injuries to flight attendants." The study also made the first turbulence projections for the Southern Hemisphere and tropical regions. Severe turbulence was projected to increase by around 62 percent over South America; 53 percent over Australia; and 51 percent over Africa. The projected turbulence increases were seen as being a result of global temperature changes strengthening wind instabilities at high altitudes in the jet streams. This, in turn, was resulting in pockets of rough air becoming stronger and more common. "Air turbulence is increasing across the globe, in all seasons, and at multiple cruising altitudes," Paul Williams, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading, said in a statement Wednesday. "This problem is only going to worsen as the climate continues to change," Williams, who led the research, added. The study, he said, highlighted the need to develop better turbulence forecasts that could cut the risk of injuries to passengers and reduce the cost of turbulence to airlines. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/04/climate-change-will-increase-the-risk-of-severe-turbulence-on- planes-research-says.html Back to Top BRS Aerospace to Handle Whole Aircraft Parachute Installations for Cessna Models Nationwide network will handle 172 and 182 single-engine piston powered fleets. BRS Aerospace announced a new network of whole aircraft parachute installation centers for Cessna 172 and 182 models. BRS Aerospace Minnesota-based BRS Aerospace announced this week the establishment of a nationwide network of qualified centers that will handle the installation of whole aircraft parachutes on Cessna 172 and 182 aircraft. "The network of factory-approved installation centers are all equipped and qualified to install the BRS Aerospace whole aircraft parachute recovery systems in 172s and 182s providing an unprecedented level of safety for legacy aircraft and newer models," BRS Aerospace President Enrique Dillon said in a statement. "BRS has the only FAA/EASA certified aircraft parachute systems for Cessna 172/182s available today." In addition to installation fees, the price of installation kits for 172 models manufactured in 1966 or later is $15,500, and $17,500 for 182 Skylane models built beginning in 1964. Qualified installation centers include RDD Enterprises in Oregon, Mather Aviation in California, Sierra Hotel Aero in Minnesota, Winterset Aviation Services in Iowa, Tennessee Aircraft Services, Goodrich Aviation in New York, Aircare Aviation Services and Support in North Carolina, Air Orlando Sales and Propel Aviation Sales and Services, both in Florida. This Cessna 182T recently underwent a BRS parachute installation at Goodrich Aviation in Johnson City_ New York. http://www.flyingmag.com/brs-aerospace-to-handle-whole-aircraft-parachute-installations-for- cessna-models Back to Top Avianca allowed to bring in foreign pilots amid strike-civil aviation BOGOTA, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Colombia's civil aviation authority said on Tuesday it will allow Avianca Holdings SA to bring in pilots from overseas to mitigate the effects of a two-week-long strike that has grounded thousands of travelers. Pilots from the Colombian Association of Civil Aviators, or ACDAC, began the walkout on Sept. 20 and are demanding salary and benefits changes they say will put them on par with the airline's pilots in other countries. More than 700 of the company's 1,300 Colombian pilots voted to strike. The airline has been forced to cancel more than half of its flights on its domestic and international routes, affecting more than 300,000 passengers. The permission to bring in foreign pilots will last a maximum of 90 days, the civil aviation agency said, and the pilots must have valid licenses in their home countries and undergo Colombian training. "This is a measure that is available for all of the aeronautic sector, which can be used by any airline at any moment when there is a special circumstance," Colonel Edgar Sanchez, the acting head of the aviation agency, told Reuters. How fast the measure will take effect will depend on how quickly airlines comply with the requirements, Sanchez said, and foreign pilots must not represent more than 10 percent of total staff. Avianca considers its pilots' demands unreasonable and the strike illegal. Pilots want reduced working hours and for Avianca to pay 70 percent of their monthly taxes, among other things. "The approval of this request by the civil aviation authority allows us to restart a large part of flights in Colombia," Avianca's chief executive, Hernan Rincon, said in a statement, adding that the company was also seeking pilots for flights to and from the Andean nation. Colombia's government convened an arbitration court last week to work on the case. ACDAC and Avianca must appoint one arbitrator each and agree on a third or have one appointed. Once installed, the court has 10 working days to resolve the strike but can extend the proceedings for another 10 days. Avianca, a member of the Star Alliance and one of the leading airlines in Latin America, carried 29.5 million passengers in 2016. It has more than 21,000 employees and serves 105 destinations in 28 countries in the Americas and Europe. https://www.reuters.com/article/colombia-avianca/avianca-allowed-to-bring-in-foreign-pilots-amid- strike-civil-aviation-idUSL2N1ME0OB Back to Top Safran hopes new fuel-efficient jet engine can reshape air travel The logo of Safran Group is seen on the company's headquarters building in Toulouse, Southwestern France, April 18, 2017. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau ISTRES, France (Reuters) - French aero engine maker Safran unveiled a new engine prototype on Tuesday that would radically cut fuel consumption, potentially reshaping air travel from 2030. The Open Rotor engine, which places previously hidden whirring parts on the outside to capture more air, was developed with European Union backing and is being tested in specially built facilities at a French military base near Marseille. Shaped like an elongated egg with two rows of blades at the back, the engine aims to burn 15 percent less fuel than current conventional turbofan engines, which have also improved significantly in recent years. Clara de la Torre, a top European Union research official, said the new type of engine could help airlines cut air fares because it requires less fuel. Whether the engine enters service, however, depends on the strategies of airplane makers such as Airbus and Boeing, whose best-selling single-aisle planes are expected to be renewed in around 2030. Such engines would most likely be placed at the back of the airplane instead of under the wing, leaving room for the two rows of scimitar-shaped carbon blades to swirl in opposite directions. It is not the first time engine makers have looked at revisiting the design of the traditional jet engine. U.S. engine makers looked at so-called unducted fans in the1980s before dropping the idea when oil prices fell. At the time, such engines were also considered too noisy. But the completely fresh design could become attractive as energy costs rise and regulations require fewer emissions, said Safran Chief Executive Philippe Petitcolin. "If we want to be ready in 2030 we have to start now," he told reporters. "If oil prices return above $100 I think there will be much stronger interest." SHORTER-TERM SOLUTION Rolls-Royce has also looked at the technology. One of the unknowns is the reaction of passengers to seeing a double row of fast-spinning blades, rather than an engine whose moving parts are concealed. "It is a question to which we don't yet know the answer," Petitcolin said. Regulators would also have to work out how to certify the engine, using existing rules for failed parts and bird strikes. Safran is also looking at a shorter-term solution to cutting emissions and fuel consumption based on traditional engine architecture. Its "Ultra-High Bypass Ratio" engine would cut fuel consumption by 5-10 percent and would be ready for service by 2025. That could coincide with Boeing's tentative plans to produce a new mid-market jet in the middle of the next decade. Any decision to offer either engine to planemakers would be made through CFM International, Safran's joint venture with General Electric. Beyond these ideas, Safran and others are already thinking about bolder schemes, such as hybrid electric technology and distributed power, which could usher in futuristic plane designs from 2040. "Instead of one engine, there could be 10 or 20," said Safran's research chief Stephane Cueille. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-safran-engine/safran-hopes-new-fuel-efficient-jet-engine-can- reshape-air-travel-idUSKCN1C81VS Back to Top 18 billion pounds of fuel saved: Boeing releases new Dreamliner data Air New Zealand flies this blacked-out 787 Dreamliner Boeing's Dreamliner 787 wide body jet, once a troubled airplane, is now a star among airlines, the jet maker says. Boeing (NYSE: BA) recently released details about its Dreamliner 787 family of jets, including the 787-8 and 787-9, and its soon to be introduced 787-10, which is undergoing flight tests. The jets with between 242 and 290 seats have racked up some impressive numbers: 18 billion pounds of fuel: That's how much the Dreamliner is estimated to have saved for its flights compared to older, gas-guzzling wide bodies it replaced since the first delivery in 2011. 190 million passengers: That's how many people have flown on Dreamliner jets since they entered service. 1 million flights: The 787 hit that milestone after less than six years in service, faster than any twin-aisle jet. 150 new non-stop routes: That's how many new direct flights between twin cities have been created because of the 787's longer range and fuel efficiency. 38 airlines: That's how many carriers have now bought the jet. The airplane has its own hashtag on Twitter and Instagram, allowing passengers from around the world to share their onboard stories and passion for the jet on social media and on Boeing's website. Boeing said Tuesday it rolled out the first 787-10 Dreamliner for Singapore Airlines from its assembly facility in North Charleston, South Carolina. The airplane will now be painted with the airline's livery and begin its system checks, fueling and engine runs. Singapore Airlines is scheduled to take delivery of its big Dreamliner in the first half of 2018 and will be operated on the airline's medium-haul routes. The Asian airline is the launch customer of the 787-10, the largest jet in the Dreamliner family, and currently has 30 airplanes on firm order. Singapore Airlines also signed a letter of intent in February to purchase 19 additional 787-10s. Boeing recently announced a decision to increase Dreamliner production in both Everett and South Carolina to a combined 14 aircraft a month in 2020, from the current rate of 12. https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2017/10/03/18-billion-pounds-of-fuel-saved-boeing- releases.html?ana=yahoo&yptr=yahoo Back to Top Stratos starts work on second 714 personal jet Development of Stratos Aircraft's 714 personal jet is gaining pace, with manufacture of the second test aircraft now underway in Redmond, Oregon, in preparation for its maiden sortie in mid-2018. The milestone comes as the start-up prepares the single-engined jet for its first outing at the world's largest business aviation industry gathering, the National Business Aviation Association's convention, which will be held on 10-12 October in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 714's appearance at the show will come three months after it made its international debut at the AirVenture general aviation expo in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. By showcasing the four-seat, high-performance aircraft at these leading events, Stratos hopes to drum-up interest and attract investment in the programme, for which it is seeking more than $100 million to bring to market. Since making its maiden flight in November 2016, the proof-of-concept 714 has logged 80h across 44 sorties, says Stratos. During testing, the Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-5-powered aircraft reached speeds of 320kt (590km/h) and an altitude of 18,000ft. Cabin pressure testing is scheduled to begin at the end of the year, once the aircraft has been cleared to fly at 28,000ft, Stratos adds. Company chief executive Michael Lemaire says the programme is making "steady and productive" progress. "Sometimes we have to take a step back and realise where we are today compared to just a year ago," he notes. "We've learned so much from flight tests [and] feedback from the public has been positive and enthusiastic." The 714 is projected to have a cruise speed of 400kt and a range of 1,500nm (2,780km). It is pitched against the Cirrus Vision Jet - currently the only Part 23 certificated single-engined jet on the market, the Embraer Phenom 100 entry-level twin, and the Daher TBM 910/930 and Piper M600 turboprop singles. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/stratos-starts-work-on-second-714-personal-jet- 441774/ Back to Top Lessor BOC Aviation looks for new homes for 13 aircraft after Monarch collapse SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asia's second-biggest aircraft lessor, BOC Aviation Ltd (2588.HK), said on Tuesday it was working to find new homes for 13 Boeing Co (BA.N) 737 MAX 8 aircraft it had planned to lease to collapsed British carrier Monarch Airlines. BOC, which is based in Singapore but majority owned by Bank of China (601988.SS), had agreed to the long-term lease arrangement in June. The Boeing aircraft were due to be delivered from mid 2018 to 2020, BOC Head of Investor Relations Timothy Ross said. "The aircraft are in-demand, new technology narrow bodies in a standard specification and, as is usual, we're holding security deposits under the leases," Ross said. "We're already working on potential new homes for the aircraft but these are still too early to identify and we'll provide updates in due course." Analysts at Goodbody said low-cost carrier Ryanair Holdings PLC (RYA.I) might be interested in the Boeing jets. Monarch had 32 unfilled orders for 737 MAX 8 aircraft with Boeing on top of the 13 from BOC. A Boeing spokeswoman said the manufacturer was aware Monarch had entered administration but declined to comment further on discussions about the status of the aircraft. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-monarch-airlines-bankruptcy-boc/lessor-boc-aviation-looks-for- new-homes-for-13-aircraft-after-monarch-collapse-idUSKCN1C8060?il=0 Back to Top UND announces $1.5 million aviation scholarship fund UND is rolling out a new scholarship pool for incoming aviation students. University leaders, including several from the UND Aerospace Foundation, announced Tuesday the creation of the $1.5 million James C. Ray Memorial Freshman Scholarship Endowment. Ray, a venture capitalist who died in April at the age of 94, was a major benefactor of UND who contributed nearly $25 million to the school, much of that earmarked for aviation. Larry Martin, chairman of the aerospace foundation's board of directors, described Ray as a "great friend," adding that it was an honor to recognize his memory "in honor and perpetuity" with the endowment. Martin said the funding for the endowment is divided equally in $500,000 contributions provided by the foundation's board of directors, as well as from Chuck Ahearn, president of the James C. Ray Foundation and the UND Alumni Association and Foundation. The alumni association's contribution was awarded as part of its UND Promise Scholarship Program, a matching initiative targeted at private donors. The endowment dollars will mature for at least one year before the dividends can be paid out in student scholarships. DeAnna Carlson Zink, CEO of the alumni foundation, estimated that $60,000 will be available for students beginning Fall 2019. Even with money in the pot, Martin said the board of directors is looking to continue the growth of the endowment fund to provide more scholarships to freshman students. "The (John D. Odegaard School of Aerospace Sciences) distributes well over $350,000 a year in scholarships in existing students, but we had the void in terms of awarding scholarships to incoming students and attracting the best and the brightest," he said. "The James C. Ray Memorial Scholarship is designed to fill that void." In keeping with the purpose of the fund, much of the Tuesday announcement-which was held before the Robin Hall "Legacy Wall" honoring friends of UND aerospace programs-was given over to remembering the legacy of Ray. Chuck Kluenker, who sits with Martin on the aerospace foundation board of directors, said he first met Ray by chance on a visit to a UND facility at the Grand Forks International Airport in the late 1990s. Kluenker said that Ray had first gotten acquainted with UND aerospace programs when arriving in Grand Forks through that same airport on a trip to the city for a Cirrus Aircraft board meeting. While in town on that trip, Ray met with the founder of the aerospace programs, the late John D. Odegaard, and soon became an eager advocate for the aviation school at UND. That advocacy would carry on until his death. "Not only did James share his financial wealth," Kluenker said, "but he shared what I would say is equivalent enthusiasm for aviation and for young people who are passionate about aviation." http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/4337896-und-announces-15-million-aviation-scholarship- fund Back to Top NASA plans to extend expandable module's stay on space station BEAM, the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, is highlighted in its expanded configuration in this computer rendering. Credit: NASA/Bigelow SYDNEY - NASA plans to keep an experimental expandable module attached to the International Space Station beyond its original two-year lifetime, the agency announced Oct. 2. In a procurement filing, NASA said it was planning to issue a sole-source contract to Bigelow Aerospace in the first quarter of fiscal year 2018 for engineering and other services related to extended use of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM). The planned contract, whose value was not disclosed, will cover three years with two additional one-year options. BEAM was launched to the ISS in April 2016 and, a month and a half later, attached to the station and expanded to its full size. NASA planned to keep BEAM at the station for two years in order to perform engineering tests about the suitability of such expandable, or inflatable, modules for future use on the station or other missions. At the end of the two-year period, NASA planned to jettison BEAM and allow it to destructively reenter the atmosphere. NASA now sees BEAM, in additional to an engineering testbed, as a place for additional storage on the ISS. "BEAM continues to demonstrate positive performance in space and initial studies have shown that it can be used long-term on the ISS to support the government's needs for on-orbit stowage and for technology demonstrations," the agency said in its procurement filing. The agency expects to use BEAM to store more than 100 Cargo Transfer Bags, a standard unit of cargo storage on the station that measures about half a cubic meter. That will free up the equivalent of about four payload racks in other modules of the station for research. NASA will also continue to study the module's effectiveness for radiation and debris shielding. There are no plans, though, to use BEAM as a habitation module. Astronauts do regularly enter the module - 13 times since its installation on the station in 2016 - to take readings and collect samples. The new contract with overlap with the existing contract for BEAM's original two-year mission. "At the end of the new contract, the agency may consider further life extension or could again consider jettisoning BEAM from the station," NASA said in a statement about its long-term plans for BEAM. BEAM is a prototype of larger expandable modules under development by North Las Vegas, Nevada- based Bigelow Aerospace. Company officials have previously said they plan to have their first two B330 modules - so named because each has a volume of 330 cubic meters when expanded - ready for launch in 2020. While Bigelow's long-term plans call for the development of commercial space stations using those modules, a B330 could be added to the ISS, possibly to the same docking port currently occupied by BEAM. NASA has proposed that port to commercial module developers, although it has not yet released a plan for allocating that port to companies. Other companies that have expressed an interest in developing a commercial module for the ISS include Axiom Space and Ixion, a joint effort of NanoRacks, Space Systems Loral and United Launch Alliance. http://spacenews.com/nasa-plans-to-extend-expandable-modules-stay-on-space-station/ Curt Lewis