Flight Safety Information October 24, 2017 - No. 211 In This Issue Incident: United B738 at Chicago and Boston on Oct 23rd 2017, blew main tyre on departure Incident: Canada A320 at San Francisco on Oct 22nd 2017, landed despite go around instructions Incident: Lufthansa B748 at Frankfurt on Oct 22nd 2017, rejected takeoff due to lavatory smoke indication Incident: Aeroflot A321 near Ekaterinburg on Oct 21st 2017, a fuming oven Incident: SATA DH8D near Lajes on Oct 21st 2017, smoke in cockpit EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: Jetblue A320 at Boston on Oct 23rd 2017, bird strike Lax airport maintenance caused SpiceJet Q400 accident (India) Atlas 747F came within 670ft of Hong Kong mountain U.S. Air Force Not Ready To Retire Boeing F-15C Eagle Delta to Equip More Than 30,000 Flight Crew Members With iPads and iPhones XTI Aircraft Company accepts more orders for TriFan 600 vertical takeoff airplane Middle East Directors General of Civil Aviation reach significant agreements on aviation safety Boeing's robotic and human workers join up to start production of 777X jets Delta hiring 1,000 flight attendants, are you qualified? NASA To Test Fission Reactor For Space Missions New HFACS workshop in Beautiful Las Vegas December 12th & 13th GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST Talking about Just Culture...is simple, but executing it can be hard Incident: United B738 at Chicago and Boston on Oct 23rd 2017, blew main tyre on departure A United Boeing 737-800, registration N73291 performing flight UA-1258 from Chicago O'Hare,IL to Boston,MA (USA), departed O'Hare's runway 28R, climbed to cruise level and continued to Boston. One of the next departures reported debris on the runway looking like tyre debris, tower initiated a runway inspection which recovered tyre debris from the runway. On approach to Boston the United crew, having been informed about the tyre debris found on the departure runway, declared emergency reporting they had blown a tyre on departure from Chicago. The aircraft landed safely on Boston's runway 33L at , stopped on the runway and became disabled. The passengers disembarked via stairs onto the runway and were bussed to the terminal. The FAA reported a tyre on the left main gear blew out before the aircraft landed on runway 33L in Boston. The airline reported a mechanical issue. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL1258/history/20171023/1405Z/KORD/KBOS http://avherald.com/h?article=4b016924&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Canada A320 at San Francisco on Oct 22nd 2017, landed despite go around instructions An Air Canada Airbus A320-200, registration C-GPWG performing flight AC-781 from Montreal,QC (Canada) to San Francisco,CA (USA), was on final approach to San Francisco's runway 28R, when the crew reported on tower and was cleared to land on runway 28R, the crew properly acknowledged the landing clearance. Another aircraft was trailing the Air Canada A320 for landing on runway 28R. Tower just wanted to instruct the previous landing to roll down to taxiway D when he saw the aircraft had already joined taxiway T. The controller therefore instructed the aircraft to hold short of runway 28L on taxiway T. As result tower instructed "Air Canada seven eighty one, go around", silence for 2 seconds, tower repeated ""Air Canada seven eighty one, go around", again silence. In total the tower transmitted 5 instructions "Air Canada seven eighty one, go around", however did not receive any response, the aircraft continued the landing. After landing tower called Air Canada three times, after the third call the crew answered stating they had problems with the radio, the tower commented "that's pretty evident", then issued taxi instructions requesting the aircraft to taxi as close as they could up to the preceding aircraft at the crossing point taxiway T runway 28L. The third aircraft on final for runway 28R was able to land without need for a go around. The next approach for runway 28L was reassigned runway 28R enabling the controller to clear the three waiting landed aircraft to cross runway 28L. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b016414&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Lufthansa B748 at Frankfurt on Oct 22nd 2017, rejected takeoff due to lavatory smoke indication A Lufthansa Boeing 747-800, registration D-ABYI performing flight LH-430 from Frankfurt/Main (Germany) to Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA), was accelerating for takeoff from Frankfurt's runway 25C when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed (about 33 knots over ground) due to a lavatory smoke indication. The aircraft vacated the runway about 670 meters/2200 feet down the runway and stopped on the taxiway clear of the runway. A passenger reported the crew rejected takeoff at low speed, vacated runway 25C via taxiway L6, stopped for a couple of minutes while the crew checked for signs of smoke. The captain subsequently announced that the smoke detector indication had been identified false, the sensor was malfunctioning. The aircraft taxied for departure and departed about 15-20 minutes after the rejected takeoff. The aircraft departed 16 minutes after the rejected takeoff and reached Chicago with a total delay of 25 minutes and continued its schedule. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b015d99&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Aeroflot A321 near Ekaterinburg on Oct 21st 2017, a fuming oven An Aeroflot Airbus A321-200, registration VP-BJX performing flight SU-1513 from Surgut to Moscow Sheremetyevo (Russia), was enroute at FL340 about 320nm northnortheast of Ekaterinbug (Russia) when smoke emanated from a galley prompting the crew to divert to Ekaterinburg's Koltsovo Airport for a safe landing on runway 26R about 45 minutes later. The airport reported a galley oven had failed as result of a power surge causing the smoke. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration VP-BMO continued the journey and reached Moscow with a delay of 6 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b0159e5&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: SATA DH8D near Lajes on Oct 21st 2017, smoke in cockpit A SATA Air Acores de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration CS-TRF performing flight SP-479 from Pico Island to Lajes (Portugal) with 26 people on board, was descending towards Lajes when the crew reported smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft continued for a safe landing in Lajes. A rapid disembarkation was performed after landing. The airline reported there was smoke in the cockpit prompting the crew to declare emergency. The aircraft landed without further incident, as soon as the aircraft had landed the crew initiated a rapid disembarkation. There were no injuries and no damage. The aircraft was being examined and repaired. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Lajes (Terceira Island) 51 hours later. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b015b5e&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Jetblue A320 at Boston on Oct 23rd 2017, bird strike A Jetblue Airbus A320-200, registration N784JB performing flight B6-877 from Boston,MA to Las Vegas,NV (USA), departed Boston's runway 15R when the crew reported they had a bird strike, would level off at 3000 feet and return to the airfield, they took the bird at the left side, it may have impacted the engine, they didn't know, they guesstimated it was a flock of sea gulls. Departure assigned runway 04R for the return. The crew worked the related checklists and were setting up for the ILS approach to runway 04R, they requested to enter a hold to complete the checklists. The crew advised they would need 20 minutes to burn off fuel. The aircraft entered a hold for 20 minutes, then advised they needed another 10 minutes. The crew checked the RVRs for runway 04R (6000 feet, 4500 feet, 6000 feet). The ATIS changed with visibility of a quarter mile with mist, clouds 200 feet overcast, RVR still above 6000 feet. About 15 minutes later the crew decided in consultation with company dispatch to divert to New York's JFK Airport,NY (USA) advising they would go a little bit slow. The crew advised everything appeared to be functioning normally, they just were not happy with the weather at Boston, they maintained the emergency status and wanted emergency services follow them to the gate at JFK. The aircraft climbed to 10,000 feet, landed safely on JFK's runway 13L about 3:10 hours after departure from Boston and taxied to the apron. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/JBU877/history/20171023/2003Z/KBOS/KLAS http://avherald.com/h?article=4b016d9b&opt=0 ***************** JetBlue flight diverted to JFK Airport after hitting birds; lands safely in NYC NEW YORK -- A JetBlue flight from Boston to Las Vegas landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport Monday evening after it struck birds. JetBlue Flight 877, an Airbus 320 aircraft, reported that it struck the birds shortly after departing from Boston Logan International Airport around 4:45 p.m. Monday, the FAA said. "We had a bird strike, we're going to level off at 3,000, we're going to need to come back to the airfield," the flight's pilot said, according to LiveATC.net. The pilot said he wasn't sure where the birds struck. "It was on the left side, it may have hit the engine, we're not sure." The flight was headed to Las Vegas but the crew declared an emergency and planned to return to Boston, the FAA said, but they were forced to land in New York due to the weather. The plane circled and dumped fuel before safely landing at JFK just before 7:30 p.m. In a statement, JetBlue said the passengers on the plane were to get on another aircraft. JetBlue has not indicated whether the plane was damaged. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jetblue-flight-diverted-jfk-airport-after-bird-strike/ Back to Top Lax airport maintenance caused SpiceJet Q400 accident (India) An Indian investigation has found that Jabalpur airport failed to conduct required inspections and maintain its boundaries, allowing wildlife to stray onto the runway and collide with a landing SpiceJet Bombardier Q400 in 2015. The aircraft, registered VT-SUC, was operating a flight from Mumbai with 49 passengers, two cabin crew and two pilots on-board on 4 December 2015 when the accident occurred around dawn. Five or six seconds after touching down, the aircraft struck a heard of wild boars on the runway, causing the left main landing gear to collapse. That resulted in the left propeller shearing off and the nose gear collapsing, after which the aircraft exited the runway and came to rest on soft ground. Nobody was injured in the accident, but Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that the aircraft was subsequently written-off. India's Air Accident Investigation Board found that the accident was caused by the boars, but stated that the airport failed to maintain a number of boundary walls and the vegetation around them. This allowed the animals to make it onto the operational surface. It recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation "reiterate instructions to all aerodrome operators" to comply with its requirements to maintain boundary walls and fences, as required under their licenses. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top Atlas 747F came within 670ft of Hong Kong mountain An Atlas Air Boeing 747-8 Freighter came very close to a mountain after taking off from Hong Kong International Airport on 24 September. After departing from runway 07R at 15:44pm local time, the aircraft (N856GT) deviated right from its assigned track toward the high ground of Lo Fu Tau on Lantau Island, says Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department (CAD) in a preliminary report. Air traffic control informed the crew that the aircraft was off track, and told them to turn left to resume the standard instrument departure (SID). This was followed by a request to "expedite the climb to 5,000ft." With the aircraft at 2,000ft, its Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) gave a "terrain, pull up" aural and visual warning. "In response, the [pilot flying] reacted and the aircraft turned left away from the high ground," says the report. "The aircraft evaded the high ground by approximately 670ft. Subsequently, the aircraft re- established the SID track at approximately 15:46 and continued without further incident. There was neither injury to personnel nor damage to the aircraft involved and no other air traffic was affected." Meteorological data from 24 September shows that visibility was 10km, with few clouds at 1,500ft and scattered clouds at 2,800ft. There were no indications of wind shear or turbulence. The aircraft was operating under a wet-lease by Cathay Pacific Airways. It was bound for Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, and carried a crew of four. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top U.S. Air Force Not Ready To Retire Boeing F-15C Eagle The U.S. Air Force has "no plans right now" to retire the Boeing F-15C Eagle, according to the service's undersecretary. Earlier this year, service officials raised the prospect of junking the long-serving air superiority fighter in favor of Lockheed MartinF-16s upgraded with active electronically scanned array radars. The service has been considering the cost-cutting measure while preparing its budget submission for fiscal 2019. However, it seems the service needs all the combat aircraft it can get right now, given the challenging global security environment, so the 38-year-old Eagle will fly on, at least for a while. Speaking at the Aviation Week Program Excellence Symposium in McLean, Virginia, Oct. 23, Air Force Undersecretary Matthew Donovan confirmed the F-15 is staying put. "The Air Force is constantly reviewing the business case and the lethality contribution of all its aircraft every year," he explains. "We have no plans right to retire any airplanes because the F-15 is still a very lethal, capable aircraft right now." The service retains more than 240 F-15C/D-series Eagle fighters, most operated by the Air National Guard (ANG) in air superiority and homeland defense roles. All were supposed to have been replaced by Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors, until production of that fifth-generation fighter was terminated early. The Air Force had been preparing to fly the F-15C into the 2040s and has been making radar and survivability upgrades. However, to fly until 2040, the Eagle needs major structural refurbishments, including a rebuilt wing and center fuselage section. Brig. Gen. Michael Schmidt, the Air Force's program executive officer for fighters and bombers, says the heavier and newer F-15E Strike Eagle, a long-range fighter/bomber, doesn't need major structural life extensions to keep flying. The F-15C, however, has some pressing needs. The most immediate priority is replacement of the longerons, which will cost about $1 million per aircraft, he says. The next step is to extend the life of the wings for about $7 million per aircraft. "We're making the $1 million-per-aircraft investment, but after that, whether we go and do the wing service-life extension, those decisions need to be made," Schmidt said during an interview in September. "If we're going to keep flying those C-models very long, we're definitely going to have to go upgrade the wings on those aircraft." To keep the aircraft flying indefinitely, the service eventually would have to rebuild the F-15C's center fuselage section, which could cost $30-40 million per aircraft. This prospect has been rejected by U.S. Air Combat Command chief Gen. Mike Holmes, especially as the service begins investing in a sixth-generation air superiority fighter. The question of retaining or retiring the F-15 was raised in March when ANG Director Lt. Gen. Scott Rice told Congress the service was considering divesting the F-15C, since Guard F-16s with high- performance radars could step into the role. The ANG has begun upgrading 72 of its F-16 "Vipers" with the Northrop Grumman APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar. Donovan, a former F-15 pilot and squadron commander, says the F-15C fleet remains safe, effective and lethal. "Is it getting old? Yes," he concedes. "I started flying F-15s in 1983 and in 2001, I was quoted saying, 'You know, the F-15 is programmed to keep flying through to 2015.' That seemed like a really long time. These airplanes are very safe, very effective. But as they get older, it takes a lot more manpower hours and money to keep it." www.aviationweek.com Back to Top Delta to Equip More Than 30,000 Flight Crew Members With iPads and iPhones Delta plans to equip more than 23,000 flight attendants with iPhones and 14,000 pilots with iPad Pro models, according to a leaked internal email that Delta told Fortune is legitimate. Flight attendants currently use Nokia Lumia 1520 phablets, which will be replaced by the iPhone 7 Plus as an in-flight point of sale and customer service tool. Delta pilots are currently using Surface tablets in the flight deck as an electronic flight bag, with those tablets set to be replaced with the iPad Pro. Though Delta is transitioning away from Microsoft products as it adopts the iPhone and iPad, the email says Delta "continues to maintain a strong and positive partnership with Microsoft." Some of the apps used on the iPhone 7 Plus are powered by Microsoft Dynamics. The hardware change is pard of an "overall Delta hardware refresh" to standardize on a 10.5-inch form factor, a Delta spokesperson said. iPhones and iPads will begin rolling out to flight attendants and pilots next year. https://www.macrumors.com/2017/10/23/delta-flight-crew-adopting-iphones-and-ipads/ Back to Top XTI Aircraft Company accepts more orders for TriFan 600 vertical takeoff airplane XTI Aircraft Company (XTI) announced on Oct. 18 that it received several additional orders and deposits from customers under its pre-sales program. The TriFan 600 will travel at 345 miles an hour, with a range of up to 1,200 miles, and it will reach 30,000 feet in just ten minutes and cruise to the destination as a highly efficient business aircraft. XTI Aircraft Company Photo "We're pleased with the strong interest that we received at NBAA's 2017 Business Aviation Convention," said Robert LaBelle, chief executive officer of XTI. "These are serious buyers who reserved a priority number for the eventual commercial production of the TriFan 600. We're focused on that goal." XTI officially launched its prototype program at this year's NBAA trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The company stated that the response at the show was very positive and generated additional financial and strategic relationships for the company. "Hundreds of people visited our booth over the course of the three-day show," LaBelle added. The TriFan 600 is a major breakthrough in aviation and air travel. The six-seat TriFan 600 will have the speed, range and comfort of a luxury business aircraft and the ability to take off and land vertically, like a helicopter. It will travel at 345 miles per hour, with a range of up to 1,200 miles. Using three ducted fans, the TriFan lifts off vertically. Its two wing fans then rotate forward for a seamless transition to cruise speed and its initial climb. It will reach 30,000 feet in just ten minutes and cruise to the destination as a highly efficient business aircraft. On June 19, at this year's Paris Air Show, XTI announced its first orders for the TriFan 600 under the company's pre-sales program. "With these new orders at NBAA, it's clear that the market continues to recognize the value proposition of our unique and revolutionary airplane and its patented technology," said LaBelle. "Vertical takeoff combined with long-range, the speed and comfort of a business aircraft, and our quieter and cleaner state-of-the-art hybrid-electric propulsion system." XTI launched a formal stock offering in 2016 under SEC Regulation A+, which is open to all unaccredited and accredited investors around the globe - providing a unique opportunity for the general public to invest in an aerospace company with a game-changing product, a world-class leadership team, and significant growth potential. Simultaneously with the equity crowdfunding financing, accredited investors may participate in XTI's $20 million Series B round. Accredited investors seeking more information should contact LaBelle at rlabelle@xtiaircraft.com. https://www.verticalmag.com/press-releases/xti-aircraft-company-accepts-orders-trifan-600- vertical-takeoff-airplane/ Back to Top Middle East Directors General of Civil Aviation reach significant agreements on aviation safety, security and cooperation DGCA-MID/4 delegates, representing 17 countries and 6 international and regional organizations, also reached agreement on the establishment of a Middle East Implementation Plan to Support Regional Safety and Air Navigation Initiatives (MIDIP) and an Aviation Security and Facilitation Regional Group (AVSEC/FAL/RG) From left to right, the Secretary General of ICAO, Dr. Fang Liu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation of Oman, Mr. Mohammed Nasser Al Azaabi, and ICAO's Regional Director for the Middle East, Mr. Mohamed Khalifa Rahma, at the occasion of the Fourth Meeting of Directors General of Civil Aviation for the ICAO Middle East Region (DGCA-MID/4). The Meeting resulted in the adoption of significant regional agreements on aviation safety, security and cooperation. MONTREAL and MUSCAT - Pointing to the 2.4 million jobs and 157 billion dollars in GDP that aviation has created in the region, ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu welcomed the endorsement of the ICAO Middle East (MID) No Country Left Behind (NCLB) Strategy by delegates at the Fourth Meeting of Directors General of Civil Aviation for the ICAO Middle East Region (DGCA-MID/4), which concluded in Muscat, Oman. Their endorsement was formalized through their signing of the Muscat Declaration on the NCLB Strategy. The effective implementation of ICAO's Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) is key to accessing the international civil aviation network and accessing the tremendous socio- economic benefits it offers. This strategy defines approaches to drive the necessary political and financial momentum to achieve ICAO compliance through the satisfaction of regional infrastructure, human resource and regulatory needs. It comes at a crucial conjuncture in the development of air transport in the region and contributes to the significant cooperative momentum on air transport issues that has developed. On this point, DGCA-MID/4 delegates, representing 17 countries and 6 international and regional organizations, also reached agreement on the establishment of a Middle East Implementation Plan to Support Regional Safety and Air Navigation Initiatives (MIDIP) and an Aviation Security and Facilitation Regional Group (AVSEC/FAL/RG), and they endorsed new regional air navigation projects, including a Flight Procedure Programme (MID FPP). These developments were equally hailed by ICAO's Secretary General. "The ICAO Middle East (MID) region has been the fastest growing region for passenger and cargo traffic since 2011, and airlines here have posted double-digit passenger flight growth every year since 2012. In 2016, these carriers recorded 11.2% growth in revenue passenger-kilometres (RPKs), the highest among all ICAO regions," Dr. Liu remarked in her address to the meeting. "These types of results underscore the importance of the strong and active commitment which the States of this region have established to work together through ICAO, and especially with respect to the priorities for assistance and capacity-building established under our No Country Left Behind (NCLB) initiative." Dr. Liu underscored the tremendous progress accomplished by the aviation community at the global level, noting in particular that 2016 being the safest year on record and that a number of emerging security threats were being addressed, and stressed that the sustainability of these accomplishments will continue to require concerted efforts, particularly within a context of significant growth. She reminded delegates that this challenge was not specific to their region, and that ICAO, particularly through its MID Regional Office in Cairo, remained deeply committed to providing all necessary assistance. She also pointed to a number of regional mechanisms and initiatives that are providing the foundations, means and objectives to structure progress on these issues. "We have begun to focus greater attention on some specific challenges such as addressing operational risk under the State Safety Programme (SSP) and Safety management System (SMS) framework, the effectiveness of Regional Safety Oversight Organizations (RSOOs), and many other priority targets," Dr. Liu explained. "The MID Regional Aviation Safety Group (RASG-MID) has identified priorities which have helped all stakeholders to work towards the agreed safety targets contained in the MID Region Safety Strategy and Doha Declaration. The Region is also expected to establish the MENA RSOO, hosted by Saudi Arabia, in order to assist its member States in their SSP development and implementation, as well as to provide assistance to improve States' safety oversight capabilities." Turning to security, the Secretary General reviewed ICAO's work to address emerging issues, such as cybersecurity and landside airport threats. She congratulated delegates for their progress on enhancing security at the regional level, notably through the establishment of the Middle East Regional Aviation Security and Facilitation Group (MID-RASFG) and the development of a Draft Arab Civil Aviation Commission/MID Security and Facilitation (ACAC/MID SECFAL) Plan, in response to the priorities outlined in the Riyadh Declaration of 2016. She also welcomed the newly-endorsed Africa and Middle East Aviation Security Roadmap, and thanked Egypt and Saudi Arabia for their leadership on these initiatives. Furthermore, she noted progress on these issues at the regional level is facilitating the development and implementation of ICAO's Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP). Finally, the Secretary General reiterated that the translation of these efforts into outcomes will require adequate financial and human resourcing, including through the prioritization of aviation within national economic development strategies and States' Official Development Assistance (ODA) contributions. She encouraged delegates to pursue discussions at the upcoming ICAO World Aviation Forum, which will be taking place in Nigeria in November. The DGCA-MID/4 meeting was also attended by the Directors of ICAO's Air Transport Bureau, Mr. Boubacar Djibo, and Air Navigation Bureau, Mr. Stephen Creamer, and ICAO's Middle East Regional Director, Mr. Mohamed Khalifa Rahma. https://www.traveldailynews.com/post/middle-east-directors-general-of-civil-aviation-reach- significant-agreements-on-aviation-safety-security-and-cooperation Back to Top Boeing's robotic and human workers join up to start production of 777X jets Boeing workers sign 777X banner Boeing workers sign a banner celebrating the start of production for the 777X jet. (GeekWire Photo / Kevin Lisota) EVERETT, Wash. - With the rat-a-tat-tat of a robotic riveter, Boeing celebrated the official kickoff for production of its next-generation 777X wide-body jet. Today's ceremony brought more than 200 Boeing workers (plus a busload of journalists) to the building where the support structures for the 777X's carbon composite wings are being assembled. The climax of the celebration came when a laser-guided robotic arm drilled a hole into the carbon fiber layer for a 105-foot-long wing spar and its stiffener, and then loudly installed the first fastener. Workers greeted the noise with applause. "We're turning the chapter," Jason Clark, vice president of 777 and 777X operations, told the crowd. "This is a change in the history of how we manufacture, how we assemble and how we fly our aircraft." The 777X production process builds upon lessons learned from the 787 Dreamliner program, which has shifted Boeing toward greater automation and wider use of lightweight carbon fiber for components. "This is four years of work, really focused energy from the team, to get to this point," Clark told reporters after the ceremony. Boeing's two 777X variants, the 777-8 and 777-9, are designed to carry between 350 and 425 passengers. That stretches well beyond the 396-seat capacity of Boeing's biggest current- generation 777. The new jets are expected to be 20 percent more fuel-efficient as well. The 777X's 235-foot wingspan is so wide that each wingtip has an 11-foot-long section that's built to fold upward, just in case extra clearance is needed at small airports. In the four years since the 777X was announced, Boeing has received 340 orders and commitments for the planes - including 20 planes that are part of a $13.8 billion Singapore Airlines deal signed today at the White House. President Donald Trump said the deal should create as many as 70,000 jobs in the U.S. "Otherwise we'll cancel the order," he joked. (It's not exactly clear where the president got that number, but it may relate to total employment at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, or perhaps to a job multiplier effect.) Boeing already has done some test assembly work for the 777X, including work on a "static" airframe that's being put together strictly for ground testing. In contrast, the spar that started going through the assembly process today will be part of the first jet to go through flight tests. The company says the jet should be through final assembly sometime next year, with flight tests due to begin in 2019. The first 777X delivery is scheduled for 2020. List price is $379.2 million for the 777-8, and $408.8 million for the 777-9. A spar assembly robot looms over one of the spars for the right wing of Boeing's first flight-ready 777X jet. (GeekWire Photo / Kevin Lisota) The 777X is bigger than the 787 Dreamliner, but it picks up on a lot of the technologies pioneered by the smaller plane, ranging from wider windows to a common layout for the flight deck and the cargo handling system. Boeing says it has improved the production process as well. "The process is largely changed. ... What these robots are doing is something different than we've done before. The way we're locating parts is something we've not done before in this capacity," said Boeing manufacturing representative Paul Clark. "It's just kind of a reboot of the system from the ground up." Terry Beezhold, vice president and chief project engineer for the 777X at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said the production process has also been made safer for the people building the plane. "That's really tough work to do, ergonomically," he told reporters. Read more: Find out what happens when robots team up with humans for Boeing's 777X The showcase for the upgraded production system is Boeing's 1.3 million-square-foot Composite Wing Center, the billion-dollar facility where the carbon-fiber wing components for the 777X are being fabricated. Even as the first official wing spar was getting its first fastener installed, another wing spar was taking shape inside an automated fiber placement machine at the Composite Wing Center. Perry Moore, who leads the integrated product team for the 777X wings, said they're the largest single- piece spars ever produced. The buildup to today's kickoff wasn't always easy. Boeing agreed to build the 777X in Everett only after securing $8.7 billion in tax incentives from Washington state, plus labor union concessions. Getting ready for production required a retooling of Boeing's production processes, literally and figuratively. "During those months of seemingly endless planning, it definitely seemed at times like we were never going to get to actually build this airplane," Paul Clark said. But he also said the changes put into place for the 777X have given the century-old company a new spring in its step. "Coming to work right now feels more like working for a startup than working for a 100-year company," Clark said, "except we're working for a startup that has 100 years of knowledge and skill behind it." https://www.geekwire.com/2017/boeings-robotic-human-workers-join-start-production-777x-jets/ Back to Top Delta hiring 1,000 flight attendants, are you qualified? Delta will hire 1,000 new flight attendants from 2018 Who hasn't thought about becoming a flight attendant, at least once? You get to fly around the world, the outfits are sleek, and your PA announcements could make you a viral sensation. Delta Air Lines (DAL) might give you that chance. On Monday, the Atlanta-based airline announced that they will hire 1,000 flight attendants for 2018. Applicants must be 21-years-old, service- oriented and obviously, not afraid of flying. While Delta is looking for new flight attendants, landing the job won't be easy. In 2016, 150,000 people applied for the job, and only 6,000 received in-person interviews. From that, Delta hired just 1,200 new flight attendants, less than 1% of the applicant pool. Delta currently employs about 20,000 flight attendants, American Airlines has about 25,000, and United Airlines employs nearly 24,000. Though getting hired could be an uphill battle, it's clear that the airline industry needs quality flight attendants. In 2016, Boeing predicted that the world's airlines will need to hire 814,000 flight attendants by 2020. This is due to a potential wave of retirements and increased use of single aisle jets, like the Boeing 737 and Airbus 320, both of which are frequently used and require rotating crews of at least four flight attendants. So, the demand is there. The only question is: Are you qualified? So, what does it take to get hired at Delta? At minimum, the ideal candidate must have a high school degree (or GED), be able to work in the U.S., and speak/read/write English fluently. Other minimum requirements include: Ability to work a flexible schedule Willingness to comply with uniform and appearance guidelines, including no visible tattoos piercings like earlobe plugs. Ability to obtain and keep current a passport and travel documents to freely enter and exit places where Delta flies Successfully complete a pre-employment U.S. Department of Transportation drug test and comprehensive background check, including government-required fingerprint-based criminal history records check Ability to work in a physically demanding role which requires frequent standing, walking, bending, stooping, pushing, pulling, reaching and lifting (i.e., pushing/pulling beverage or food carts and lifting and opening emergency aircraft doors) Sounds straightforward, but applying is just the tip of the iceberg. "After making it through the highly competitive and exhaustive selection process, they put all their previous experience and skills to the test during our flight attendant initial training," said Allison Ausband, Delta's senior vice president of In-Flight Service The eight-week training program takes place at the Atlanta headquarters, and requires participants to complete tests on everything from CPR, putting out fires, to water evacuations and meal presentations. Only after successful completion will flight attendants earn their wings. How much do flight attendants make? There are a lot of perks to becoming a flight attendant. There are a lot of different factors that will determine how much a flight attendant earns. That said, the average entry-level flight attendant can expect to make $25,000 per year, with an opportunity to earn more depending upon schedule. In addition to salary, Delta has a competitive compensation package which includes health and insurance coverage, 401(k) with a company match, a profit- sharing program, and worldwide travel privileges. According to Glassdoor, a job search site, flight attendants at Delta have the opportunity to take home between $48,000 and $98,000 a year during their careers. Nationally, the average flight attendant makes $53,210 per year. There are a few factors that can put you at the higher end of that pay scale. If you speak a language other than English, Delta may consider you for "Language of Destination" flight attendant roles, which offer additional pay as well as more responsibilities. Having a college education and more than one year of work experience in a personalized customer service, patient care, or similar role can also help you earn more money. Pros and cons of the job The biggest plus to being a flight attendant is the travel. Many flight attendants enjoy long layovers in different cities, allowing them to explore and see the sites. The accommodations will be paid for in whatever city or destination you land, so that's more money you can spend on experiences. For leisure travel, airline employees also receive free or discounted air travel for themselves and family members. On the blog, The Flight Attendant Life, one woman details how travel agreements allowed her to fly from Hawaii to New Zealand for just $90 USD. Tickets can even be free on certain routes, especially those within the U.S. Also, flight attendants work less than your typical 9-to-5 worker. According to the Association of Flight Attendants or (AFA), flight attendants can work anywhere from 65 hours to 95 hours a month, compared with the standard office worker who logs about 160 hours a month. On the flipside, working as a flight attendant has some setbacks. According to The Flight Attendant Life, the work/life balance can be difficult for new hires. New flight attendants don't have much say on where they fly and may have to pick up a shift at the last minute. This also means you won't have weekends off. Jet lag is also a real obstacle. Jumping from time zone to time zone will affect your body's circadian rhythm. In a recent Los Angeles Times article, one flight attendant revealed that many of his colleagues rely on prescription meds just to get some rest after a long flight. It's not ideal, but sleep is an issue that most flight attendants have to face sooner or later. If you can handle all of this, then perhaps a career as a flight attendant in in your future. Applications are currently open. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/delta-hiring-1000-flight-attendants-qualified- 203640944.html Back to Top NASA To Test Fission Reactor For Space Missions For the first time since the SNAP (Space Nuclear Auxiliary Power) program of the 1960s, NASA will test an atom-splitting fission reactor, a potential power generator for planetary surface missions and spacecraft. The test, scheduled to begin on Nov. 6 at the Nevada National Security Site, is the culmination of a three-year technology development project, known as Kilopower, which has the goal of demonstrating a full-scale nuclear-fission power system capable of producing 1 kW of electricity. The test, is intended as a performance validation. "We've designed the system, and we've developed analytical models to help predict how it will perform," says Lee Mason, who leads power and energy storage technology development at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. "Once those models are validated, we can proceed into a higher-fidelity flight-system development if NASA wants to proceed that way." A series of preliminary tests will precede a full-power, 20-hr. trial run in February, during which the system will be subjected to high-temperature and vacuum conditions. "We're verifying the neutronics of the design, how the fission reactor will respond to changes-basically starting it up, changing the amount of reactivity that the reactor would produce and then transferring heat generated by the reactor to Stirling engines that will convert that heat into electricity," says Mason. Artist's rendering of kilowatt-class fission-power grid on Mars. Credit: NASA To save money, thermal simulators will stand in for six of the eight 125-watt Stirling converters that would be needed to produce the required total electrical output of 1,000 watts to the spacecraft bus. "With a partial array, we'll produce about 150-200 watts of electricity and use basically thermal simulators for the balance of the engines to verify the reactor's thermal output is such that you could produce 1 kW of electricity," says Mason. If NASA decides to proceed with development, the system could be scaled up to produce up to 10 kW of electricity. The test will complete a three-year, approximately $15 million project backed by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate and the Department of Energy. With a working prototype in hand, the next step would be to test the system in a simulated space environment before the technology is considered mature enough for a flight demonstration, says Stephen Jurczyk, NASA's associate administrator for space technology. In parallel, the U.S. space agency is studying higher efficiency, large-scale, deployable solar systems for surface power, although seasonal and geographic variations in lighting, such as on the north and south poles of Mars, likely would influence mission design. "You can't generate enough power without a really large amount of energy storage to go anywhere you want to go on Mars," Jurczyk said during an interview at the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight in Las Cruces, New Mexico, last week. "Right now, unless you have a lot of storage, which tends to be very heavy to land and difficult to maintain, you'd have to constrain where you could send a crew, which may not be a big deal. With nuclear reactors, you can have multiple, 10-kW units and power all the systems anywhere you want," he says. SNAP 10A, launched in 1965, was NASA's first and last test of a fission reactor for space missions. Credit: U.S. Department of Energy Kilopower reactors, which are about 6.5 ft. tall, also may be key for propellant production on the Moon. "If we really can get water out of the permanently shadowed craters and use it to generate fuel, solar could be really hard in those locations. The electrolysis process to break down the water into oxygen and hydrogen and the liquefaction process to liquefy it and turn it into fuel are energy- intensive, so you're going to want a substantial amount of power on the surface of the Moon if you're going to do that water-based ISRU [in-situ resource utilization]," Jurczyk says. A Kilopower demonstration on the lunar surface probably is a decade or so away, but "if you can really split the water on the Moon and if we think we need the power levels that nuclear provides, it can definitely bump up in the priority queue with the limited resources we have in our budget," he explains. NASA, in partnership with the Energy Department, also is working to increase supplies of Plutonium-238 to power Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators, or RTGs, which convert heat generated by the natural decay of the radioactive material into electricity. To produce 1 kw of power, however, would take five or six RTGs, and NASA estimates Mars surface power requirements at 40 kW. The RTG powering the Mars Curiosity rover, for example, was designed to supply about 125 watts of electricity, although power levels taper off as the plutonium decays. Unlike RTGs, a fission reactor, which works by splitting an atom's nucleus, would not be operational during launch. "The reactors have a very low radiological inventory at launch-less than 5 curies-so it's benign," Mason says. "There are no fission products until the reactor is turned on." NASA notes that 1 lb. of uranium fuel can produce as much energy as about 3 million lb. of burnable coal. Kilopower is the first U.S. demonstration of a fission reactor that could be used in space since the SNAP program. SNAP 10A, launched in 1965, operated for 43 days, producing 500 watts of electrical power, before an unrelated equipment failure ended the demonstration. The spacecraft remains in Earth orbit. In addition to NASA and the Energy Department, Kilopower partners include: the Los Alamos National Laboratory which designed the reactor; the Y12 National Security Complex, which supplied the uranium for the reactor; Advanced Cooling Technologies, which provided the heat pipes; and Sunpower Inc., provider of the Stirling generators. www.aviationweek.com Back to Top New HFACS workshop Las Vegas, NV December 12th & 13th, 2017 HFACS, Inc. offers professional development training on our innovative HFACS/HFIX methodologies. Our intensive, two-day workshops teach updated cutting-edge techniques to help your organization identify the causes of errors and develop preventative measures to lower your risk and improve performance. You have been included in our new email database as we begin using this important tool for communication on upcoming workshops as well as being the first to hear about any special offers. Please forward this to any interested co-workers so they may also stay How to register: To register visit hfacs.com or call 800-320-0833 or email dnlmccnn@gmail.com or info@hfacs.com Attendees of the workshop will learn how to: * Integrate human factors and system safety concepts into the root cause analysis (RCA) process * Utilize the Human Factors Analysis & Classification System (HFACS®) to identify systemic causes of human error during accidents, incidents, and/or near misses. * Integrate HFACS into traditional RCA tools like the fishbone diagram, fault trees, and link analysis using HFACS * Implement the Human Factors Intervention matriX (HFIX®) to develop innovative corrective action programs Develop a human error database and tracking system for monitoring and evaluating performance improvement efforts All attendees of the workshop will receive: * HFACS-RCA Handbook (including HFACS Interview Guide & HFACS/HFIX Checklists) * Complimentary Associate HFACS Professional (AHP) Certification * Opportunity to join the largest Listserv catering to human factors accident investigation and error management Already attended a 2-day workshop? Don't miss out on our special offers! * Our workshops have been updated to feature the newest information * If you have already attended our 2-day HFACS course, don't miss out on the opportunity to attend another workshop as a "refresher" for a discounted rate of $200 * Or bring a full-paying customer with you and receive free refresher course registration * For any additional questions and information, contact info@hfacs.com or call 800-320-0833 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. Curt Lewis