Flight Safety Information October 20, 2017 - No. 209 In This Issue Incident: Delta A332 near Tokyo on Oct 19th 2017, engine shut down in flight Incident: Nolinor B732 near Iqaluit on Oct 11th 2017, electric arc and cracked windshield Incident: Austrian DH8D near Vienna on Oct 18th 2017, cabin did not pressurize Beechcraft 200C Super King Air force landed (Peru) Brisbane-bound Virgin flight forced to return to Melbourne Airport after bird strike Feds urge airlines to ban laptops in checked bags, citing fire, explosion risk Lawmaker urges crackdown on hot air balloon operations after fatal crash Cargolux renews safety certificate Aircraft disaster exercise to take place at Honolulu airport BARS Program Honored for International Business Success New York Alliance Names FAA's Top Drone Advisor as CEO Singapore Airlines to finalize $13.8 billion Boeing order next week Airplane passengers could be spared the hassle of taking out laptops and tablets from hand luggage (U.K.) EVOLUTION AIRCRAFT CO. APPEARS TO HAVE SHUTTERED Senators unveil bill to give airlines easier access to pilots' driving records Former GE CEO Jeff Immelt used to have an empty private jet fly next to his - just in case Jet-makers are preparing for a world with on-demand, pilotless air taxis These Four Countries Are Racing To Compete With China In Outer Space GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST Talking about Just Culture...is simple, but executing it can be hard Air Traffic Control Investigation from SCSI Incident: Delta A332 near Tokyo on Oct 19th 2017, engine shut down in flight A Delta Airlines Airbus A330-200, registration N858NW performing flight DL-38 from Hong Kong (China) to Seattle,WA (USA) with 230 people on board, was enroute at FL350 about 130nm southwest of Tokyo Narita (Japan) when the crew needed to shut the left hand engine (PW4168A) down. The aircraft diverted to Tokyo's Narita Airport for a safe landing on runway 34L about 25 minutes later. Japan's Ministry of Transport reported the crew received an overtemperature indication for the #1 engine. http://avherald.com/h?article=4afe7920&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Nolinor B732 near Iqaluit on Oct 11th 2017, electric arc and cracked windshield A Nolinor Aviation Boeing 737-200, registration C-GNLK performing flight N5-792 from Montreal Mirabel,QC to Iqaluit,NU (Canada) with 94 passengers and 5 crew, was enroute at FL330 about 140nm south of Iqaluit when the crew observed an electrical arc in the left hand windshield. The crew worked the related checklist, however, shortly thereafter the left hand windshield's outer pane cracked. The crew declared PAN and initiated a rapid descent to 10,000 feet, then cancelled PAN. The aircraft continued to Iqaluit for a safe landing about 40 minutes later. The Canadian TSB reported the windshield was replaced. http://avherald.com/h?article=4afe7551&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Austrian DH8D near Vienna on Oct 18th 2017, cabin did not pressurize An Austrian Airlines de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration OE-LGP performing flight OS-215 from Vienna (Austria) to Leipzig (Germany) with 35 passengers, was climbing through FL220 out of Vienna when the crew initiated an emergency descent to FL100 due to the cabin not pressurizing properly. The aircraft returned to Vienna for a safe landing on runway 16 about 30 minutes later. The airline confirmed a problem with the cabin pressure, a defective valce is being suspected. The Turboprops don't need oxygen masks for passengers (editorial remark: due to the maximum cruise level of FL250). The passengers were rebooked onto another flight. Passengers reported the flight crew announced via PA "emergency descent", the cabin crew went on oxygen masks, however, no oxygen masks were provided for the passengers. http://avherald.com/h?article=4afe7746&opt=0 Back to Top Beechcraft 200C Super King Air force landed (Peru) Status: Preliminary Date: Thursday 19 October 2017 Time: ca 11:50 Type: Beechcraft 200C Super King Air Operator: Air Majoro Registration: OB-2077-P C/n / msn: BL-5 First flight: 1980 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 10 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 12 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Nuevo Saposoa ( Peru) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Contamana Airport (SPCM), Peru Destination airport: Pucallpa Airport (PCL/SPCL), Peru Narrative: A Beechcraft 200C Super King Air operated by Air Majoro force landed in a wooded area near Nuevo Saposoa, Peru. All twelve occupants survived the accident. The aircraft departed Contamana at 11:28 hours local time, with destination Pucallpa. At 11:49, while 42,5 kilometers from Pucallpa, the flight radioed an emergency. The pilot stated that they would have to make a forced landing. Local press reports indicate the forced landing was made as a result of 'mechanical issues'. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20171019-0 Back to Top Brisbane-bound Virgin flight forced to return to Melbourne Airport after bird strike A Virgin Australia flight has been forced to return to Melbourne Airport after hitting a bird. The airline said Virgin flight VA319 had taken off for Brisbane this morning when the pilot reported the problem. "Upon suspecting a bird strike the pilot decided to return to Melbourne Airport," the airline said in a statement. The decision to return was "in line with standard operating procedures". The plane landed safely and the airline apologised to the passengers who were inconvenienced. "The safety of our guests and crews is always our highest priority," the airline said. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-20/virgin-flight-forced-to-return-to-airport-after- birdstrike/9071668 Back to Top Feds urge airlines to ban laptops in checked bags, citing fire, explosion risk Airlines battery fires In this April 2014 file image frame grab from video, provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a test at the FAAs technical center in Atlantic City, N.J. The U.S. government is urging that large, personal electronic devices like laptops be banned from airline checked luggage because of the potential for a catastrophic fire. (FAA via AP) By: Joan Lowy The U.S. government is urging the world airline community to ban large, personal electronic devices like laptops from checked luggage because of the potential for a catastrophic fire. The Federal Aviation Administration said in a paper filed recently with a U.N. agency that its tests show that when a laptop's rechargeable lithium-ion battery overheats in close proximity to an aerosol spray can, it can cause an explosion capable of disabling an airliner's fire suppression system. The fire could then rage unchecked, leading to "the loss of the aircraft," the paper said. The U.N. agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization, sets global aviation safety standards, although member countries must still ratify them. The proposed ban is on the agenda of a meeting of ICAO's panel on dangerous goods being held this week and next week in Montreal. The FAA has conducted 10 tests involving a fully-charged laptop packed in a suitcase. A heater was placed against the laptop's battery to force it into "thermal runaway," a condition in which the battery's temperature continually rises. In one test, an 8-ounce aerosol can of dry shampoo -which is permitted in checked baggage - was strapped to the laptop. There was a fire almost immediately and it grew rapidly. The aerosol can exploded within 40 seconds. The test showed that because of the rapid progression of the fire, Halon gas fire suppressant systems used in airline cargo compartments would be unable to put out the fire before there was an explosion, the FAA said. The explosion might not be strong enough to structurally damage the plane, but it could damage the cargo compartment and allow the Halon to escape, the agency said. Then there would be nothing to prevent the fire from spreading. U.S. considers expanding a laptop ban as lithium battery fires increase Other tests of laptop batteries packed with potentially dangerous consumer goods that are permitted in checked baggage like nail polish remover, hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol also resulted in large fires, although no explosions. As a result, the paper recommends that passengers shouldn't be allowed to pack large electronic devices in baggage unless they have specific approval from the airline. The paper says the European Safety Agency, the FAA's counterpart in Europe; Airbus, one of the world's largest makers of passenger airliners; the International Federation of Airline Pilots' Association, and the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Association, which represents aircraft makers, concurred in the recommendation. The paper doesn't address whether the ban should extend to domestic flights, but points out the risk that baggage containing a large electronic device could be transferred from one flight to another without the knowledge of the airline. The FAA said it believes most devices larger than a smartphone are already being carried by passengers into the cabin, rather than put in checked bags. FAA: Airline passengers shouldn't pack extra batteries Rechargeable lithium batteries are used in consumer products ranging from cellphones and laptops to electric cars. Manufacturers like them because they pack more energy into smaller packages, but the batteries can self-ignite if they have a manufacturing flaw, are damaged, exposed to excessive heat, overcharged or packed too closely together. The fires can burn up to 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit, close to the melting point of the aluminum used in aircraft construction. Since 2006, three cargo jets have been destroyed and four pilots killed by in-flight fires that investigators say were either started by batteries or made more severe by their proximity. Earlier this year, the U.S. imposed a ban on laptops in the cabins of planes coming into the country from 10 Middle Eastern airports for security reasons. The ban was fully lifted in July after U.S. officials said airports in the region had taken other steps to increase security. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration formerly led the U.S. negotiations on the regulation of dangerous goods at ICAO meetings. But the Obama administration put the FAA in charge in 2009 after congressional Democrats accused high-level officials at PHMSA of being too cozy with the industries they regulate. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has now decided to put PHMSA back in charge at future ICAO dangerous goods deliberations, Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said Thursday. Both agencies are part of the Transportation Department. DeFazio called the decision "inexplicable" in a letter to Chao. "I strongly believe it has the potential to put the lives of airline passengers and crews at serious risk," he said. Chao didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Lobbyists for lithium battery makers and companies that use the batteries in their products have previously urged the change. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-airlines-laptop-battery-fire-risk-20171019-story.html Back to Top Lawmaker urges crackdown on hot air balloon operations after fatal crash A House Democrat is urging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to crack down on hot air balloon operations following a deadly crash in Texas last year. Federal investigators determined this week that the 2016 crash, which was the deadliest hot air balloon crash in U.S. history, was caused by the pilot's poor decisionmaking, his medical conditions and medications, and a lack of federal oversight over commercial air balloon operations. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), who represents the district where the crash occurred, has been pushing the FAA to strengthen its hot air balloon laws and require that pilots get medical certificates before they are allowed to operate a hot air balloon. "Commercial balloon pilots should be required to obtain medical certificates. This is not a burdensome requirement. And the FAA should more effectively oversee the operators that pose the most significant safety risk to the public," Doggett wrote in a letter to the FAA on Thursday. "Voluntary standards are no substitute for federal enforcement. Please do not wait for more to die before taking action." Alfred Nichols was operating a hot air balloon in unsafe weather conditions near Lockhart, Texas, last summer, when he struck power lines and crashed in a field. Sixteen people, including Nichols, were killed. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that Nichols suffered from depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and that the combined effects of "multiple central nervous system-impairing drugs" likely affected his ability to make safe decisions. Nichols, who had a high amount of Benadryl in his system at the time of the crash, also took sedatives and opioids. But unlike commercial airline pilots, commercial balloon pilots are not required by the FAA to hold a medical certificate of any kind. Nichols's medical conditions "would likely have led an aviation medical examiner (AME) to either defer or deny a medical certificate," a report said. A medical examination would have made the FAA aware of the pilot's history of drug- and alcohol- related offenses, federal investigators said. Nichols had at least four convictions for drunken driving, according to The Associated Press. The NTSB also highlighted the FAA's lack of oversight of potentially risky commercial balloon operations, noting it only has a voluntary standards program for hot air balloon operators. "The FAA's primary method of oversight - sampling balloon operators at festivals - does not effectively target the operations that pose the most significant safety risks to members of the public," the NTSB report says. Doggett called the FAA's current policy "insufficient" and "troubling." And while he is also pushing for legislative action, Doggett noted that the FAA has the ability to act immediately on the NTSB recommendations. "The FAA must act now and adopt the safety recommendations made by the NTSB," he wrote. "Continued rejection of NTSB's recommendations risks condemning more unsuspecting families to death." http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/356271-dem-urges-crackdown-on-hot-air-balloon- operations-after-fatal-crash Back to Top Cargolux renews safety certificate Cargolux has passed its sixth IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) audit with "exceptionally good results". The IOSA programme is designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. During the five-day renewal, which takes place every two years, the airline was audited Cargolux on about 900 different standards. In preparation for this, a team of 20 people from all concerned divisions worked throughout the year to achieve this exceptional result. "This fantastic result is the result of the efforts and endless commitment that the Cargolux staff has put into this 'Enhanced IOSA' renewal audit, even during some very stressful moments," said Graham Hurst, Cargolux vice president quality & compliance monitoring. "The quality and compliance monitoring staff, the Cargolux IOSA co-ordinators, the divisional IOSA representatives, and all who were audited or contributed to the preparation before and during the audit." Cargolux first passed the audit in 2007. http://www.aircargonews.net/news/airline/freighter-operator/single-view/news/cargolux-renews- safety-certificate.html Back to Top Aircraft disaster exercise to take place at Honolulu airport Fiery plane crash simulated during airport disaster exercise Don't be alarmed if you see smoke and flames coming from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport on Friday, Oct. 20. The airport will serve as the staging area for a multi-agency emergency response exercise from 8 a.m. to noon. The exercise is a mandatory certification requirement by the Federal Aviation Administration, and tests airfield disaster preparedness and response by simulating a full-scale aircraft emergency disaster. It will involve hundreds of volunteers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii Pacific University, Chaminade University and airport personnel, who act as injured passengers. Participating agencies include HDOT Airports Division staff, HDOT Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) units, Securitas, FAA, TSA, City and County of Honolulu Fire and Police Departments, Emergency Medical Services, American Medical Response, Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam Federal Fire Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Hawaii Department of Public Safety and airline personnel. Flight operations will continue as normal during the exercise with no impact to scheduled flights. http://khon2.com/2017/10/19/aircraft-disaster-exercise-to-take-place-at-honolulu-airport/ Back to Top BARS Program Honored for International Business Success MELBOURNE, Australia - Flight Safety Foundation's Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS)program has been honored with the Governor of Victoria 2017 Export Award (GOVEA) for Business Services for its "outstanding international success" in professional business services. BARS is a worldwide aviation safety audit program supporting the mining and resource sector, and humanitarian, government and insurance organizations, in their oversight of contracted aviation activities. The award - presented Monday to BARS Program staff members and Julian Fraser, a member of the Board of Governors for Melbourne-based Flight Safety Foundation Limited - is designed to recognize the Australian state of Victoria's "most successful and innovative exporters with the stamp of international success." As the winner of a GOVEA award, the BARS program is now a finalist for the Australian Export Award, a nationwide award honoring Australian businesses that have achieved sustainable export growth. "This is great recognition of what a small and dedicated team can achieve in worldwide aviation safety initiatives," David Anderson, managing director of the BARS program, said. "We have continual support of some forward-thinking member organizations in managing aviation safety as a collective and doing it in such a way as to find efficiencies and savings. Flight Safety Foundation and its regional office are leading the way with this safety initiative in the contracted aviation sector." The BARS program was established in 2010 to identify threats and risks to aviation operations being conducted in support of resource and mining companies. The program - which has expanded to include safety audits of aviation operations contracting with other industries, especially those operating in remote locations - is now active in 31 countries and has conducted nearly 500 safety audits. The Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) program is designed to provide organizations that engage contracted aircraft operators with a standard to assist in the risk-based management of aviation activities. The Standard is suited to any organization that uses aircraft operators to provide contracted aviation support for their operations, particularly within remote and challenging environments. Flight Safety Foundation is an independent, nonprofit, international organization engaged in research, education, advocacy and publishing to improve aviation safety. The Foundation's mission is to be the leading voice of safety for the global aerospace community. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12375574/bars-program-honored-for-international- business-success Back to Top New York Alliance Names FAA's Top Drone Advisor as CEO Marke Gibson, right, is shown with NASA's Parimal Kopardekar at Syracuse UTM conference in 2016. (Photo: Bill Carey) The multistate organization developing a flight corridor for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in central New York has named the FAA's top UAS executive as its CEO. Former U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Marke "Hoot" Gibson will start his new job on November 13, the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research (NUAIR) Alliance announced. Gibson has served until recently as the FAA's senior advisor on UAS integration, reporting to the deputy administrator. The FAA appointed him to the position in September 2015 and simultaneously named agency veteran Earl Lawrence director of the UAS Integration Office, reporting through the Aviation Safety organization. Until that time, one senior executive had spearheaded the FAA's management of unmanned aircraft. Gibson served in the Air Force from 1978 to 2011, retiring as a two-star general. He was rated by the service as a command pilot, having flown both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. NUAIR Alliance is a not-for-profit corporation representing private, public and academic entities in New York, Massachusetts and Michigan. The alliance is based at Griffiss International Airport in Rome, New York, a former Air Force base the FAA designated in December 2013 as one of six national UAS test-range bases, joining an existing site run by New Mexico State University. In December 2015, under a revitalization initiative advanced by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), the state awarded the central New York region $500 million in economic development funding, half of which it earmarked for infrastructure spending on UAS and "connected systems" over five years. Last year, Cuomo announced a $30 million grant under the initiative to start development of a 50- mile, low-altitude UAS flight corridor between Rome and Syracuse, a project NUAIR Alliance is managing. NUAIR Alliance is basing the corridor design on the NASA-led UAS Traffic Management (UTM) system concept, which organizes drone traffic at low altitude and supports operations beyond the pilot's visual line of sight, which the FAA currently does not allow. NASA and NUAIR Alliance are collaborating through two Space Act agreements, Ray Young, the organization's technical director, told the recent Air Traffic Control Association conference at National Harbor, Maryland. Gibson will lead NUAIR Alliance's oversight of UAS testing activities in the three states, as well as work on the 50-mile UTM corridor, the organization said in an October 18 announcement. He takes over from Lawrence Brinker, a former Air Force colonel who served as NUAIR Alliance interim president and CEO during the search process. Brinker remains the organization's executive director and general counsel. "My vision is to create an unsurpassed 'innovation friendly' environment for UAS research, testing and operation," Gibson stated in the announcement. "With all of our state economic and technical support, I think we are well positioned to become the most favored site for all aspects of UAS testing and operation. We already won a tough competition to become one of our nation's seven test sites and we are now poised to take that capability to the next level. I can assure you, I wouldn't have taken this position if I didn't think we were ready." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-10-19/new-york-alliance-names- faas-top-drone-advisor-ceo Back to Top Singapore Airlines to finalize $13.8 billion Boeing order next week SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIAL.SI) said on Friday it will finalize an order for 39 Boeing Co (BA.N) aircraft worth $13.8 billion at list prices when Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visits Washington D.C. next week. FILE PHOTO - The new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner taxis past the Final Assembly Building at Boeing South Carolina in North Charleston, South Carolina, United States, March 31, 2017. REUTERS/Randall Hill/File Photo The airline said in February it would order 20 777-9 and 19 787-10 widebodies as part of plans to modernize its fleet over the next decade, but the deal is yet to be finalised and placed in Boeing's order book as a Singapore Airlines order. The deal was viewed as a major blow to Airbus SE (AIR.PA) as it battles against Boeing in the widebody market. Airbus has lagged Boeing in net orders in the first nine months of the year, with 271 at the end of September versus 498 for its U.S. rival. Lee told CNBC television on Thursday that he hoped an agreement would be signed with Boeing to buy more aircraft for Singapore Airlines during his U.S. visit from Oct. 22 to 26. More details about the order would be revealed after the signing ceremony in Washington, a Singapore Airlines spokesman said. The airline in February said it had also acquired options to order six more aircraft of each type. Boeing in June booked orders for 20 777Xs and 19 787-10 aircraft for an unidentified customer or customers, making it possible the Singapore Airlines aircraft are already counted in this year's net orders. Boeing declined to comment. Singapore Airlines is investing in modern, fuel efficient aircraft while at the same time undertaking a strategic review designed to help cut costs amid growing competition from Chinese and Middle Eastern rivals. While the Boeing order is worth $13.8 billion at list prices, airlines typically get discounts on jet orders. Jefferies in February estimated the deal's value at closer to $6.5 billion, or about a tenth of the U.S. plane maker's annual volume. Singapore Airlines is the launch customer for the 787-10, a stretch version of the Dreamliner, having made 30 firm orders in addition to the 19 announced in February. Boeing completed final assembly of the airline's first 787-10 earlier this month ahead of delivery in the first half of 2018. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-singapore-air-boeing/singapore-airlines-to-finalize-13-8-billion- boeing-order-next-week-idUSKBN1CP047 Back to Top Airplane passengers could be spared the hassle of taking out laptops and tablets from hand luggage (U.K.) The government is investing £3 million in research into detecting bombs and other explosives hidden in electrical items such as laptops which could mean the devices could be screened while inside a bag Holidaymakers could be spared the hassle of taking out laptops and tablets from hand luggage when passing through airport security. The government is investing £3 million in research into detecting bombs and other explosives hidden in electrical items such as laptops which could mean the devices could be screened while inside a bag. Ministers are asking companies and universities to bid for the money to help them research concealed explosives and new ways of detecting whether electrical items have been tampered with. These can include ideas for screening electrical items within bags at an airport's central search area, or the use of portable technology to screen items at other points in the passenger journey. Security Minister, Ben Wallace said: "Aviation security is a Government priority and one with an ever changing threat landscape. "We need to embrace and encourage the talent from industry that will allow us to stay several steps ahead of those who wish us harm." Lord Callanan, Minister for Aviation said: "The UK has always been at the forefront of research and development in the field of aviation security. "The safety and security of the travelling public will always be our top priority but we understand that this can sometimes be inconvenient for passengers - especially families with young children. "As technology improves we want to make the aviation experience quicker and easier for all holidaymakers." The fund is being run as part of a wider multi-million pound initiative to improve aviation security through Future Aviation Security Solutions (FASS) which is a joint Department for Transport and Home Office programme. FASS has already issued £1.64m funding to projects aimed at improving the screening of passengers, their luggage and cargo. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/airplane-passengers-could-spared-hassle-11373419 Back to Top EVOLUTION AIRCRAFT CO. APPEARS TO HAVE SHUTTERED NIMBLE TURBINE-POWERED AIRCRAFT TRACES ROOTS TO LANCAIR Evolution Aircraft Co., the Redmond, Oregon-based kit-built aircraft manufacturer born out of Lancair assets in 2016, appears to have closed its doors. In recent weeks owners received written notice of the impending closure and multiple telephone calls to the company known for its composite turbine-powered aircraft went unanswered Oct. 19. A skeletal staff was on hand to finish assembling kits already on the line, according to aircraft owners contacted for this article. However, the future of factory support and insurance remained unknown. There are questions as to what happens to the 85 built and registered Evolution aircraft, and what closure means for owners who have shelled out more than $1 million for the fast, high- altitude, pressurized four-person stallion. Evolution aircraft owners and aviation industry personnel pointed to a July 17 fatal crash in Mesa, Arizona, which killed two people, as the beginning of the firm's downfall. As a result of that accident and subsequent lawsuit, the company has apparently been unable to acquire liability insurance for continued operations, according to persons with knowledge of the situation. In the last 22 months, there were at least five accidents involving Evolution aircraft that involved hull losses, including one in which a windscreen "exploded" in cruise flight "instantaneously without any pre-indication," according to an NTSB report. Evolution aircraft owners shared concerns about maintaining their own insurance in the wake of the somewhat high number of accidents on the relatively small fleet of aircraft. The prototype of the $1.3 million experimental aircraft first flew in 2008, and the company began selling kit aircraft the following year. Doug Walker, the owner of an Evolution model, flew with AOPA for a 2012 article on the Evolution and noted that the agile aircraft was "much simpler than a high-performance piston airplane." The recent termination does not affect Lancair's other piston designs such as the Mako, which is owned and operated by a separate company based in Uvalde, Texas. The same Texas firm also supports Lancair legacy aircraft including the popular and speedy two-person Lancair 320-360 line, and four-person IV-IVP, ES-ESP, and Propjet. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2017/october/19/evolution-aircraft-co-appears- to-have-shuttered Back to Top Senators unveil bill to give airlines easier access to pilots' driving records A bipartisan pair of senators has introduced legislation that would allow airlines to more easily access the driving records of prospective pilots. Bill sponsors Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.) say the measure would not only improve airplane safety for pilots and passengers, but could also speed up the hiring process at a time when the industry is facing a pilot shortage. Under current law, airlines are required to obtain the motor vehicle driving records of pilot applicants from the National Driver Register. The registry, which is governed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, contains information about drivers who have had their licenses suspended or revoked or who have been convicted of serious driving violations such as a DUI. But Duckworth and Perdue say that it's not always an easy or timely process to access the driving records of potential pilots. "Air carriers and pilots often struggle to access the necessary driving records of a pilot applicant, which not only causes unnecessary delays in the hiring process, but can also threaten public safety," Duckworth, a former pilot, said in a statement. The bill would streamline and speed up the hiring process by allowing airlines to access National Driver Register records through the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. "By taking the burden off of state officials to provide pilots' driving records to airlines, we are streamlining the government requirements for the pilot hiring process," Perdue said. "We need common-sense policies like this to ensure the United States continues to be a leader in aviation." http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/356204-senators-unveil-bill-to-give-airlines-better-access- to-pilots-driving Back to Top Former GE CEO Jeff Immelt used to have an empty private jet fly next to his - just in case there were delays Former General Electric chairman and CEO Jeffrey Immelt.Michael Dwyer/AP When Jeff Immelt traveled, he wanted to take no chances of running late. The former GE CEO used to have an empty private plane follow his own on trips, the Wall Street Journal's Thomas Gryta and Joann S. Lublin report in a story about the new CEO's cost cutting efforts. The extra jet was meant as a spare in case the primary plane suffered mechanical problems. It's not exactly the most frugal or environmentally-friendly solution, which may be why crew members were told not to openly discuss the two planes, according to the report. They sometimes parked far away from each other to avoid raising eyebrows. A GE representative confirmed to the WSJ that the jets were used on "limited occasions for business-critical or security purposes." The news comes as current GE CEO John Flannery prepares to cut costs, including laying off thousands of employees. http://www.businessinsider.com/ge-jeff-immelt-two-private-jets-2017-10 Back to Top Jet-makers are preparing for a world with on-demand, pilotless air taxis A Boeing Unmanned Little Bird helicopter uses Near Earth Autonomy sensing technology to scope out a safe landing spot without the help of a pilot, piloted by a flight computer, at a systems test at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia in 2014. The final test of the experimental technology is scheduled for mid-December. (Photo Courtesy of Near Earth Autonomy) Years after Detroit's auto companies joined the race to develop self-driving cars, the world's biggest plane-makers now say they see a coming revolution in autonomous, on-demand flight. Chicago-based aerospace manufacturer Boeing has been stepping up its investment in the technologies that enable autonomous flight in recent months. In April, the company backed Washington State-based Zunum Aero, which develops hybrid-electric engines meant to make short-haul flights more cost-efficient. Then on Oct. 5, the company announced its intention to buy Virginia-based Aurora Flight Sciences, a defense contractor that makes experimental fan-powered and solar-powered drones. And Tuesday, it invested an undisclosed amount of money in a company called Near Earth Autonomy, a Pittsburgh-based robotics firm that spun out of Carnegie Mellon University's well-known robotics department. The goal, Boeing's technology executives say, is to assemble a portfolio of robotic flight technologies that could apply to a range of different plane models; the robotic eyes, ears and organs that would theoretically allow a fully self-piloted robot plane to navigate, react and land without a pilot. "We believe these are potentially disruptive technology enablers that could change the future of aviation," said Steve Nordlund, vice president at HorizonX, a venture investment arm of Boeing. There are no immediate plans to replace commercial pilots with computers. But industry experts say the technology enabling fully-autonomous flight is already here. Near Earth Autonomy, the latest addition to Boeing's portfolio, was an early innovator in the space. Founder Sanjiv Singh, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University's robotics institute, says he got his start researching autonomous dump trucks and lawn mowers for industrial organizations such as Caterpillar. That led to some work with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Pentagon's advanced development agency, among other defense contracts. The company says it partnered with the U.S. Army in 2010 to carry out a simulated casualty rescue mission - essentially recovering a body in contested territory. Such missions are currently carried out by manned Army helicopters and are considered extremely dangerous, sometimes exposing Army personnel to attack. That work led to a broader set of tests around unmanned cargo delivery for the Marines, which it conducted using a Boeing helicopter in 2010. Singh and his colleagues, who now number about 50, spun those defense contracts out of Carnegie Mellon in 2012 and set Near Earth Autonomy as a stand-alone company. Today, the company holds about a dozen contracts with Defense Department research agencies and is exploring commercial applications for its autonomous flight technology. The partnership with Boeing "gives us the resources to mature our technologies so they can grow widely," Singh said. The companies did not disclose the size or terms of the investment, but Boeing's venture arm usually makes investments in $10 million to $20 million chunks. Singh says his researchers have developed self-piloting surveillance drones that can navigate underground passageways, something he wants to sell to mining companies. The company is trying to find a way for its autonomous planes to be able to navigate without the help of GPS satellites, a capability that could make self-piloting aircraft less susceptible to hacks. Boeing and Near Earth Autonomy said in their official release that they plan to partner on "urban mobility" projects moving forward, which Singh compared to an experimental flying taxi initiative that Uber is working on. "But we are at the nascent end of aviation becoming democratized," Singh said. "Maybe it's not the case that we're at the Jetsons era, but we could see kind of a transition to that in the near future." https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2017/10/19/jet-makers-are-preparing-for-a- world-with-on-demand-pilotless-air-taxis/?utm_term=.27e838728d0b Back to Top These Four Countries Are Racing To Compete With China In Outer Space China for its part still has Asia's dominant space program, which was launched around 1960. China's Tiangong 2 space lab is launched on a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, in China's Gansu province, on September 15, 2016. (AFP/Getty Images) Parts of a Chinese space lab will fall to an unknown location on earth between now and April, according to the U.N. Office for Outer Space Affairs. A potentially dangerous crash for the Tiangong- 1 lab, which the official Xinhua News Agency describes here, may momentarily cloud the image of an ever-secretive space program designed to prove China's global power and inspire public confidence in the Communist government. But mishaps are part of any country's space program, although China seldom admits anything goes wrong with its endeavors. In the United States, by comparison, the Space Shuttle Challenger blew up in 1986 and killed seven on board. It wasn't the only American failure. China for its part still has Asia's dominant space program, which was launched around 1960. The China National Space Administration since has coordinating six manned space missions since 2003, its Shenzhou series of manned space vehicles is in its 11th generation. Tiangong-1 was effectively a space station and there's a No. 2 now, as well. But these four other Asian governments are powering up their own programs. India Asia's second largest country after China has pursued space technology since 1962 but lacks the breadth of technology fostered by Beijing. The program driven by the government policy body Indian Space Research Organization focuses mainly on satellites for communication, weather forecasting and resource surveys. In the 38th launch of its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle in February, India sent 104 individual satellites up at once, the research organization says. The country launched its first lunar probe in 2008. Japan China has overtaken Japan in outer space, though Tokyo's researchers are rebounding from a series of launch vehicle failures. "It's the Japanese who have been embarrassed by Chinese progress," says Richard Bitzinger, Military Transformations Program director at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. "The Japanese used to be the leaders in Asia when it came to space." Now they're launching commercial and scientific satellites along with a "modest planetary exploration program" plus designs to put a lander on the moon, he says. The country involved in space since the 1950s aims to send a mission to the moons of Mars after 2020. This program led by the government-backed Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency lacks a space station and boasts of no manned mission. Members of the 'Hakuto Team' from Japan competing with 'Team Indus' for the Google Lunar X Prize (GLXP) watch a demonstration at the lunar mission command and control center of 'Team Indus' in Bangalore on October 5, 2017 (MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP/Getty Images) South Korea This country with strong high-tech know-how and a more than $1 trillion economy wants to "join the ranks of advanced countries in the aerospace field," the non-governmental U.N. support organization Space Generation Advisory Council. It's still a beginner now compared to China. South Korea christened a space launch vehicle in 2013, joining satellites developed by private firms to orbit at low altitudes. Another launch vehicle is coming. Korean developers keenly host space technology conferences, too, a way to build up aerospace research capability. Taiwan Like South Korea, Taiwan hails from a high-tech background. More modest than its peers, the Taiwanese space program is concerned largely with satellites. In August, the made-in-Taiwan Formosat-5 satellite went into space to monitor for environmental problems, and a National Space Organization publicist said Thursday the agency is now working on Formosat-7, which would scan for signs of climate change. Taiwan has described its satellites as a boon for global scientific research. The program also develops satellite launch vehicles and suborbital launch vehicles, six of which were sent up between 1998 and 2010. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ralphjennings/2017/10/19/meet-chinas-four-future-asian-rivals-in- outer-space/#72789f892c49 Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST I am a student of Air Transport Management at City University of London. I am in the final stage of writing my dissertation on Human Machine Interaction. However, I am looking for some data in order to have a better understanding of the real issues among pilots. I would like to kindly ask, if you could complete my survey attached: https://it.surveymonkey.com/r/JBZG6FJ Thank you. Kind Regards, Yari Franciosa Back to Top Talking about Just Culture is simple, but executing it can be hard - until now. Outcome Engenuity is pleased to announce the Just Culture Assessment Tool, a tool designed to help your organization: * Better use the Just Culture Algorithm™ * Improve the quality and consistency of assessments by providing "Online Mentor" tips, definitions, and examples * Allow for review of managerial assessments Join us for a free webinar to learn how the Just Culture Assessment Tool can help demonstrate your organization's compliance with the foundational elements of regulation and guidance regarding Just Culture. The webinar will be offered: * Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. CST (Minneapolis) * Thursday, November 9, 2017 at 12:00 p.m. GMT (London) * Tuesday, November 14, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. SGT (Singapore) Register for the webinar Just Culture Certification Courses Global aviation authorities are universal in their belief that a "Just Culture" is foundational to an effective aviation Safety Management System. The term Just Culture refers to a values-supportive system of workplace accountability where organizations are accountable for the systems they design and for responding to the behaviors of their employees in a fair and just manner. In turn, employees are accountable for their contribution to organizational success through the quality of their behavioral choices. Outcome Engenuity is the only company that provides Just Culture training AND certifies, through testing, that course attendees have the depth of knowledge to lead their organizations in the cultural transformation to a Just Culture. The course is 1 ¾ days in length and the registration fee is $1,895. All course attendees will receive a free 1-year subscription to the Just Culture Assessment Tool. Click here to view more information about the course. Upcoming Courses * January 23-24, 2018 - Dallas, TX * February 6-7, 2018 - Orlando, FL * March 13-14, 2018 - Denver, CO * March 20-21, 2018 - Springfield, MO * June 12-13, 2018 - Hershey, PA Who should attend? * Operational Leaders * Human Resource Leaders * Risk Management Leaders * Safety and Quality Assurance Leaders * Labor Leaders * Regulatory Authorities For more information on our Just Culture, Root Cause Analysis, and Model-based Risk Management products and services visit www.outcome-eng.com. Back to Top World class aviation safety training from SCSI Southern California Safety Institute Excellence in Aviation Safety Training for over 30 Years Air Traffic Control Investigation Counts as credit toward the SCSI AAI Certificate Air Traffic Control Investigation 30 October-3 November 2017 Long Beach, California A course for anyone involved in aircraft accident or incident investigation who desires a more comprehensive understanding of information available from Air Traffic Services/Air Traffic Control. This course provides a comprehensive look at ATS/ATC and provides investigators the knowledge necessary to retrieve accident or incident data to aid in an investigation. Equipment, operational limitations, enroute, terminal and flight service and advisory facilities and airborne equipment will be presented. Terminal, enroute, hybrid, and military systems will be discussed. Case studies and practical exercises reinforce and illustrate the subjects covered in the course. Course Topics * Basics of Air Traffic Control * Historical Perspective * Air Traffic Services Types and Functions * Equipment and Automation and ATC Automation Systems * Procedures * Human Factors * Conducting ATS Investigations * Initial Activities * Facility Orientation * Information Gathering * Requesting ATS Data * ATS Maintenance Issues and Maintenance Consequences * Personnel Interviews * Follow up Activities and Information Gathering * Case Studies and Practical Exercises For more information, please visit the course information page at www.scsi-inc.com. Location: the Marriott Hotel in Long Beach, California These courses will be held at the Marriott Hotel in Long Beach, California next to the Long Beach Airport (LGB). Or contact our registrar Denise Davalloo for the SCSI hotel discount rate and receive great savings on your stay! Registration Telephone: 800-545-3766 or 310-517-8844 ext. 104 Email: denise.davalloo@scsi-inc.com Web: http://www.scsi-inc.com/registration.php Curt Lewis