Flight Safety Information December 1, 2017 - No. 239 In This Issue Incident: PIA B773 enroute on Nov 30th 2017, loose cargo containers in flight Incident: Korean A333 near Seoul on Nov 29th 2017, cabin did not properly pressurize Incident: United B788 near Paris on Nov 13th 2017, main battery overheated Incident: France A343 at Douala on Nov 28th 2017, engine shut down in flight, reports of fire BEA reports hard landing accident involving Russian Embraer Legacy 500 at Paris-Le Bourget Airport EU agrees registration rules for drones, downloads of flight recordings Aviation: Commission updates the EU Air Safety List Your Christmas lights could blind airplane pilots, FAA says ICAO, Air Transport Agencies Releases New Runway Safety Plan FAA pushed to protect airspace from rogue drones Weatherwatch: Solar flares have safety implications for aircraft Venezuelan Airline Barred from European Union Skies FAA Issues Fuel Contamination Warning Probe believes procedural slip led to ground-power shock Second C919 conducts low-speed taxi tests Malaysia Airlines receives first of six A350s from ALC American Airlines To Bring Major Jet Engine Work To Tulsa Base Zetta Jet Ceasing Operations Today Newcastle College wins UK's top education award for its rail and aviation academies Japan may join U.S. space project in quest to achieve manned moon landing SASI Pakistan Seminar...on 7th December 2017. at Islamabad Club Book Announcement:..."Man of Honor (Enforcement Division) (Volume 4)" Book: Quietus - Last Flight THE COMPLETE HANDBOOK ON PILOTING AND AERONAUTICS Book: Angle of Attack The NBAA Safety Committee is conducting its...3rd annual...Business Aviation Safety Survey Risk Culture Survey NTSB Chairman to deliver Royal Aeronautical Society 14th annual Assad Kotaite Lecture at ICAO 9th ESASI Regional Seminar Incident: PIA B773 enroute on Nov 30th 2017, loose cargo containers in flight A PIA Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777-300, registration AP-BHW performing flight PK-305 from Lahore to Karachi (Pakistan), concluded what appeared to be an uneventful flight with a safe landing on Karachi's runway 25L. However, passengers were waiting for their luggage for a very long time, during unloading it was found that the cargo containers had shifted in the cargo hold causing problems to unload them. The cause of the shift is being investigated, the aircraft was moved to a maintenance hangar. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Karachi about 7 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b1be329&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Korean A333 near Seoul on Nov 29th 2017, cabin did not properly pressurize A Korean Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration HL7525 performing flight KE-51 from Seoul (South Korea) to Honolulu,HI (USA) with 128 passengers, was climbing through FL220 out of Seoul when the crew stopped the climb due to a problem with the cabin pressure causing the passengers to feel uncomfortable. The aircraft descended to 10,000 feet, dumped fuel and landed safely back about 2:10 hours after departure. A replacement Airbus A330-300 registration HL7551 departed the following early morning (Nov 30th 2017 about 02:55L) and reached Honolulu on Nov 29th 2017 with a delay of 4 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b1bde4d&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: United B788 near Paris on Nov 13th 2017, main battery overheated A United Boeing 787-800, registration N26909 performing flight UA-915 (dep Nov 12th) from Washington Dulles,DC (USA) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), was descending towards Paris when the crew received a main battery overheat indication. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Paris' runway 27R. On Nov 16th 2017 The Aviation Herald received information that following landing the main battery was found venting fluid via and dripping fluid from the forward vent relief system. On Nov 16th 2017 The Aviation Herald contacted the NTSB regarding the occurrence, raising the question: "Can you confirm the aircraft indeed suffered a main battery event involving battery overheat, venting (contained) of fluids and dripping of such fluid off the forward battery vent relief?" and asked whether this occurrence would be investigated. On Nov 30th 2017 the NTSB reported the occurrence was rated a non-reportable incident, the NTSB had thus not been informed, however, as a courtesy received information from Boeing confirming the occurrence. No investigation has been opened. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Paris for about 96 hours, then positioned to Denver,CO (USA) (UA-2697) via Washington Dulles,DC (USA) (UA-2698), then remained on the ground in Denver for about 56 hours and returned to service. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL915/history/20171112/2240Z/KIAD/LFPG http://avherald.com/h?article=4b1bd122&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: France A343 at Douala on Nov 28th 2017, engine shut down in flight, reports of fire in Cameroon media An Air France Airbus A340-300, registration F-GLZU performing flight AF-953 (sched. dep Nov 27th, act. dep Nov 28th) from Douala (Cameroon) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), was climbing out of Douala shortly after takeoff when the #1 engine (CFM56, outboard left hand) stalled prompting the crew to stop the climb, shut the engine down, dump fuel and return to Douala for a safe landing. Emergency services attended to the aircraft and checked the engine. One Cameroon media reported that passengers observed the aircraft began dumping fuel, then an fire erupted that prompted the crew to immediately return to Douala, fire engines put the fire out after landing. Air France did not comment. This report was taken over by practically any Cameroon media outlet. The report does not mention any noises. An engine stall usually emits a loud bang as well as streaks of flame. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b1bb6e3&opt=0 Back to Top BEA reports hard landing accident involving Russian Embraer Legacy 500 at Paris-Le Bourget Airport Status: Preliminary - official Date: Monday 27 November 2017 Time: 07:00 Type: Embraer EMB-550 Legacy 500 Operator: private Registration: RA-02788 C/n / msn: 55000063 First flight: 2017 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Paris-Le Bourget Airport (LBG) ( France) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Moskva-Domodedovo Airport (DME/UUDD), Russia Destination airport: Paris-Le Bourget Airport (LBG/LFPB), France Narrative: An Embraer EMB-550 Legacy 500 corporate jet sustained substantial damage in an accident at Paris-Le Bourget Airport. The aircraft operated on a flight from Moscow's Domodedovo Airport to Le Bourget. The flight landed on runway 27 at Le Bourget about 06:56 hours local time but touched down hard, causing the right main landing gear to punctures the wing. The aircraft came to rest on the edge of the runway. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20171127-0 Back to Top EU agrees registration rules for drones, downloads of flight recordings BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Drone owners in Europe will have to register their devices if "dangerous" and aircraft makers ensure that black box recordings can be downloaded in real-time if a plane is in distress under a sweeping reform of Europe's aviation safety agency. European Union lawmakers and member states reached a tentative deal early on Thursday on a long-awaited reform of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which includes Europe's first ever rules on drones. Under the agreement, drones which can cause significant harm to people either by crashing into them or presenting risks to privacy, security or the environment, will have to be registered. "Dangerous" drones will be defined as having a kinetic energy of over 80 joules based on their mass and maximum speed. The European Parliament had pushed for a registration threshold of 250 grammes but EU governments resisted. The rules will apply to all drones, including ones sold in shops for private use. "The drone industry is soaring and has potential uses in agriculture, delivery, mapping, building maintenance. To ensure these activities develop in full security, a European regulatory framework will prevail," said Karima Delli, chair of the European Parliament's Transport Committee. Risks posed by the increasing use of drones were highlighted in October when a drone hit an aircraft landing at a Canadian airport and there have been several near-misses between drones and passenger planes in Europe. EU member states and the Parliament had been bogged down in negotiations for a year, with disagreements ranging from drone registration limits to how much EASA should be bound by international CO2 standards to whether overflights should be guaranteed when air traffic controllers are on strike. Thursday's agreement, which was reached around 0545 CET (0445 GMT) after 10 hours of negotiations, will need to be confirmed by both the Parliament and national governments. Currently, drone rules vary from country to country in Europe. Under the deal, recordings of cockpit conversations in planes will need to be downloaded to the ground in real-time when an aircraft is in distress. The Parliament had pushed for the provision to avoid a repeat of the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 which vanished three years ago in the southern Indian Ocean with 239 people aboard. The exact criteria under which aircraft will have to be equipped with black boxes whose recordings can be downloaded in real-time will be decided by the European Commission and member states at a later stage, a Parliament source said. The deal also ensures that EASA will not be able to go beyond international standards agreed at the United Nations aviation agency on pollutants and CO2 emissions, something with environmental campaigners and the Parliament had pushed for. "In the face of this missed opportunity, the European Parliament is ready and waiting for an ambitious plan for CO2 emissions reductions from transport," Delli said. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-drones/eu-agrees-registration-rules-for-drones-downloads- of-flight-recordings-idUSKBN1DU2PO Back to Top Aviation: Commission updates the EU Air Safety List to ensure highest level of protection for passengers Brussels, 30 November 2017 Today the European Commission updated the EU Air Safety List, the list of non-European airlines that do not meet international safety standards, and are therefore subject to an operating ban or operational restrictions within the European Union. The EU Air Safety List seeks to ensure the highest level of air safety for European citizens, which is a top priority of the Commission's Aviation Strategy. With today's update, one airline, Avior Airlines (Venezuela), is added to the list, while two others - Mustique Airways (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) and Urga (Ukraine) - are removed following safety improvements. Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc said: "Our objective is to offer the highest level of safety in European skies. The EU's Air Safety List remains one of our most effective tools to achieve this. Today we are showing that with our help, airlines can be quickly removed from the list when they tackle their safety issues. Work pays off and I hope that the example of Mustique Airways and Urga will inspire others." Avior Airlines (certified in Venezuela) is added to the list due to unaddressed safety deficiencies that were detected by the European Aviation Safety Agency during the assessment for a third country operator authorisation (TCO)[1]. On the contrary, Mustique Airways and Aviation Company Urga - which are respectively certified in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Ukraine - made safety improvements since their inclusion to the Air Safety List in May 2017. This allows them to be today removed from the list. The EU Air Safety List not only helps to maintain high levels of safety in the EU, but it also helps affected airlines and countries to improve their levels of safety, in order for them to eventually be taken off the list. In addition, the EU Air Safety List has become a major preventive tool, as it motivates countries with safety problems to act upon them before a ban under the EU Air Safety List would become necessary. Following today's update, a total of 178 airlines are banned from EU skies: * 172 airlines certified in 16 states[2], due to a lack of safety oversight by the aviation authorities from these states. * Six individual airlines, based on safety concerns with regard to these airlines themselves: Avior Airlines (Venezuela), Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran), Iraqi Airways (Iraq), Blue Wing Airlines (Suriname), Med-View Airlines (Nigeria) and Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe). An additional six airlines are subject to operational restrictions and can only fly to the EU with specific aircraft types: Afrijet and Nouvelle Air Affaires SN2AG (Gabon), Air Koryo (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), Air Service Comores (the Comoros), Iran Air (Iran) and TAAG Angola Airlines (Angola). Background information Today's update of the Air Safety List is based on the unanimous opinion of the aviation safety experts from the Member States who met from 13 to 15 November within the EU Air Safety Committee (ASC). This Committee is chaired by the European Commission with the support of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The update equally got the support from the European Parliament's Transport Committee. Assessment is made against international safety standards, and notably the standards promulgated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The Commission is constantly looking at ways to improve air safety. One such way is to work with aviation authorities worldwide to raise global safety standards. With this in mind, EASA is therefore implementing technical cooperation projects with partner countries and regions. An example is the "Improving air transport in Central Africa" (ATA-AC) project, where EASA works with a number of African states on several aspects of aviation safety. More information on technical cooperation projects is available here. For more information: List of airlines banned within the EU [1] Since November 2016, all non-EU airlines wishing to fly to the EU need a single safety authorisation valid throughout Europe, called "third country operator authorisation" or TCO. [2]Afghanistan, Angola (with the exception of one airline which operates under restrictions and conditions), Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon (with the exception of 2 airlines which operate under restrictions and conditions), Indonesia (with the exception of 7 airlines), the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Libya, Nepal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone and Sudan. http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-4971_en.htm Back to Top Your Christmas lights could blind airplane pilots, FAA says Laser light displays have become a popular time-saving alternative to hanging Christmas lights outside homes. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) Photo: Matt Cardy, Getty Images If you're planning to dazzle your neighbors with laser holiday lighting this month, your friendly overhead airline pilots and the Federal Aviation Administration are kindly asking that you not blind them. Star Shower and other Christmas laser lights have been booming in the last few years - there are several pages of them available on Amazon - and in recent years the FAA has cautioned residents against shining them at the sky. The Star Shower can project its laser 100 yards into the air, which is ample range to distract or disable a pilot. FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said none of the 4,380 laser incidents reported to the agency this year involved holiday lights (laser pointers are a much bigger concern). Of course that was pre- December, and there have been similar cases in recent years, such as when a Coast Guard plane over Sacramento requested an emergency response because of Christmas lights below. For many people, it doesn't feel like the holidays until the lights are hung up and twinkling. But how did the tradition start? Turns out it's the result of old-fashioned American innovation --and clever marketing. In 1880, Thomas Edison patented "People who buy these new light displays should take precautions to make sure that the lights are hitting their houses and not shining off into the sky," Gregor said. "If we become aware of a situation where a laser light display affected pilots, we would start by asking the person to either adjust them or turn them off." Flight instructor Jacob Wilson told a Birmingham, Ala., ABC affiliate this week that Star Shower and other lasers are a real danger to their eyes. "It can result in you no longer being able to use your instrumentation or properly control the aircraft," he said. "It can result in loss of life of crew members and passengers at that point." http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Laser-Christmas-lights-blinding-pilots-12396223.php Back to Top ICAO, Air Transport Agencies Releases New Runway Safety Plan Dr Bernard Aliu, ICAO president The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and its global runway safety partners have agree on a new Global Runway Safety Action Plan to address civil aviation's safety risks. Dr Fang Liu, ICAO's Secretary-General, had disclosed this on Thursday in a statement. Liu said runway safety had been a global aviation priority for more than 15 years. She said the new action plan was an important outcome of the detailed analysis of runway risk factors recently undertaken by ICAO. Liu, however, said runway accident related fatalities had declined significantly in recent years through ICAO's collaborative Runway Safety Programme with its stakeholders. According to her, such collaborative efforts include the establishment of Runway Safety Teams across airports. She said runway accidents still remained aviation's number one safety risk category. "The new Action Plan agreed at 2017 ICAO Symposium will serve to guide the integrated activities of states, airports, airlines, ANSPs and manufacturers to implement runway safety improvement and risk reduction measures. "The overall objective is about reducing runway safety related accident fatalities and costs. "Regardless of the success achieved thus far, the numbers still reveal for us that we have more work to do to fully mitigate runway-related risks. "That helps explain why ICAO has brought the world's runway safety specialists here to Lima this week for our second Global Runway Safety Symposium. "And we are encouraged by the outcome of this new Action Plan which will drive improved runway safety risk mitigation over the next five years,'' she said. Liu also said the Action Plan targeted and timelines had been developed to support the runway safety targets already established under ICAO's Global Aviation Safety Plan. She added that aviation safety specialists all over the world were currently looking into the plan as a high-level strategic tool to help align international actions and initiatives to avoid duplication of efforts. According to her, an additional and related development announced at the Lima Symposium includes EUROCONTROL's launch of its revised European Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions. "The 2017 ICAO Global Runway Safety Symposium was hosted by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of Peru. "It enjoyed the participation of global runway safety experts from Member States and many international organizations and industry groups," she said. https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2017/11/30/icao-air-transport-agencies-set-new-global-runway- safety-plan/ Back to Top FAA pushed to protect airspace from rogue drones As private and commercial drones take to the skies in increasing numbers, legislators want the Federal Aviation Administration to improve air safety without stalling commercial innovation. Incidents involving unmanned aerial systems and larger aircraft have become more common. At a Nov. 29 hearing of the House Transportation Committee's Aviation Subcommittee, Chairman Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J) described a September collision between a U.S. Army helicopter and an illegally operated drone that caused "hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to that aircraft." Not long after, an airliner preparing to land in Canada was hit by a drone. "We were lucky," LoBiondo said. "No one was hurt or killed in those incidents. But we cannot count on luck to keep us safe the next time around. " "The biggest problem so far is with idiots who have toy drones," said Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.). "This an accident waiting to happen. We are going to lose an aircraft." At the same time, DeFazio said, "commercial operations should not be held back because we've got these people out there operating these illegally." He expressed disbelief that geofencing -- built-in technology to prevent a UAS from operating near airports or other sensitive efforts -- is not required for all drones sold. And he called for faster deployment of remote detection and identification systems for UAS. The FAA gets more than 250 sightings a month of potentially risky UAS flights -- often operating too close to airports. Earl Lawrence, the executive director of the FAA's UAS Integration Office, told legislators "identification is now at the top of our priority." The technology for identifying drones in flight is evolving very quickly, he said, so the agency had taken care to solicit broad industry input. But with that information now gathered, the FAA is now "moving forward with our rule-making activity," he said. Rep. Bud Shuster (R-Pa.), who chairs the full Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, asked if those rules would be out in within "a few months." Lawrence demurred, saying that "rule-making is a deliberative process." Shuster said such slowness was a key part of the problem and said that remote identification of UAS was key to both law enforcement and public safety. Brian Wynne, the president and CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, agreed. "We as an organization are against anonymous flying," he said at the hearing. "Aircraft need to be visible to one another so that we can avoid conflicts. ... They need to be detecting one another, they need to be identifiable to one another, and they need to be responsible to one another." The hearing came on the heels of the FAA's announcement of a new report that details the damage small UAS can cause to manned aircraft. That report, produced by the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE), found that drones can cause more structural damage than birds of the same weight for a given impact speed. Manned aircraft are manufactured to withstand bird strikes, but the ASSURE researchers said that small drones pose a much greater risk because of their solid motors, batteries and other parts. The research team evaluated the potential impacts both quadcopters and fixed-wing drones, ranging from 2.7 to eight pounds, on a commercial jet's windshield, wing leading edge and vertical and horizontal stabilizers. Damage ranged from non-existent -- the windshield was particularly resilient -- to full penetration of the drone into the airframe. The team also conducted a preliminary computer simulation to evaluate the potential damage from a UAS ingested into an aircraft engine, but did not conduct physical tests. At the Nov. 29 hearing, DeFazio said those tests are critical. "We need to know what's going to happen when one of these things gets sucked into a turbofan," he said. FAA Deputy Administrator Daniel Elwell said the agency is working with drone makers to develop technology to detect and avoid planes. And he thanked Congress for reinstating the FAA's authority to require all UAS to be registered, noting that registration is prerequisite for effective identification and in-flight tracking. The FAA's goal is to "integrate, not segregate" drones in the U.S. airspace, he said, and "remote ID and tracking will be a key component to full integration." https://gcn.com/articles/2017/11/30/faa-airspace-safety-drones.aspx Back to Top Weatherwatch: Solar flares have safety implications for aircraft We are shielded from most of the neutrons by the atmosphere, but radiation is more intense the higher you go Solar filament bursting out from the sun Space weather, determined mainly by solar activity, rarely troubles us on Earth. We are not bothered if satellites are buffeted by solar winds, unless they stop working. However, extreme solar events may cause real problems down here. Giant, once-a-century solar storms are a known threat to power grids, but aircraft may be at risk from far more frequent events according to a new study of data from a neutron storm in February 1956. There is a steady background drizzle of neutrons, but when a large solar flare strikes the Earth's atmosphere it can produce a cloudburst of them. We are shielded from most of the neutrons by the atmosphere, but radiation is more intense the higher you go. During the event in 1956, monitors showed 50 times the base level of neutrons at sea level. Airliners at the time mainly flew below 20,000 feet and were at little risk. Clive Dyer, of University of Surrey Space Centre, one of the report's authors, says modern airliners, which cruise at twice the altitude of the earlier aircraft, would be exposed to 15 times as much radiation. A neutron storm like the event in 1956 would expose passengers to radiation equivalent to the annual working limit for air crews, and could also cause critical flight electronics to fail. Such storms occur in clusters, and Dyer warns they can occur as often as seven times a century. A warning system could direct planes to fly at lower altitudes to avoid dangerous neutron showers. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/nov/30/weatherwatch-solar-flares-safety-implications- aircraft Back to Top Venezuelan Airline Barred from European Union Skies An Avior Airlines plane is seen in this undated photo. CARACAS, VENEZUELA - Venezuela's Avior Airlines has been banned from European Union skies after a commission determined it no longer meets international safety standards, another blow to troubled nation's already beleaguered flight industry. The European Commission announced Thursday that Avior had been added to a list of international airlines prohibited from flying within the union because the European Aviation Safety Agency detected "unaddressed safety deficiencies." No further details were provided. The Venezuelan airline is one of a handful still offering international flight destinations as major carriers like United and Delta halt operations in the crisis-ridden nation. Air carriers have cited financial and safety concerns as reasons for suspending service. An Avior flight made an emergency landing in Ecuador earlier this month after passengers described seeing fire and smelling smoke. Videos posted on social media showed nervous passengers wearing deployed oxygen masks. "We thought it was our final moments," one passenger said. Avior operates flights within Venezuela, throughout Latin America and to Miami, Florida, and lists an office location in Madrid on its website. The airline is certified under U.S. federal aviation regulations and Venezuela remains in good standing with the International Aviation Safety Assessment, the Federal Aviation Administration's program to determine whether foreign countries provide sufficient safety and oversight of airlines that fly to the U.S. Venezuela has grown increasingly isolated as an expanding list of airlines cancel service amid low customer demand and financial distress. The head of the International Air Transport Association has said that Venezuela owes $3.8 billion to several international airlines, a debt it is unexpected to repay anytime soon. The government defaulted on billions of dollars' worth of bonds earlier this month. The last United Airlines flight departed Caracas in late June, with crewmembers waving a Venezuelan flag out of the pilot's window. American Airlines, Air France and Iberia are among the large international carriers that still offer service to the South American nation. https://www.voanews.com/a/venezuela-avior-airlines-barred-european-union-skies/4144739.html Back to Top FAA Issues Fuel Contamination Warning The FAA has issued a special notice, warning aircraft operators of a jet-A contamination problem that it believes stemmed from a Nebraska FBO. While the agency is still looking into the scope of the problem, it noted that effects have included blockages in fuel filters, nozzles and tanks. These have resulted in engine flameouts and other erratic performance issues. The FAA is advising all operators to closely follow fuel sampling protocols and report any discovery of contamination or erratic engine operation to their flight standards district office or nearest FAA facility. According to the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), two Air Force aircraft that refueled at Tac Air's FBO at Eppley Airfield in Omaha on November 18 were forced to make emergency landings after their departure. As a result DLA has suspended fueling of government aircraft there until further notice. A source familiar with the situation reported that a pair of Learjets also experienced difficulties after refueling there later in the month. "TAC Air is currently investigating the situation surrounding jet fuel quality in Omaha with more results to come," noted Tad Perryman, TAC Air's vice president of marketing. "Jet fuel [without additive] was tested [to ASTM D1655 specifications] at both the distribution terminal and FBO trucks and has passed." He said TAC Air is cooperating with DLA in its further investigation into the situation and expects the DLA ban to be lifted as soon as the investigation concludes. In a later statement, the FAA said it believes there is substantial evidence indicating the contamination is isolated to general aviation and military aircraft that uplifted fuel at Eppley between November 18 and 20. It is continuing to investigate and will provide further information via Notam. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2017-11-30/faa-issues-fuel-contamination- warning Back to Top Probe believes procedural slip led to ground-power shock French investigators believe an airport worker suffered an electric shock while connecting ground power to an Airbus A320 after the equipment was turned on by a second person. The Air France aircraft had arrived at Bastia airport in Corsica on 11 September last year. French investigation authority BEA says a 30cm electric arc was seen as the worker connected the 115V ground-power unit to the jet. While the worker did not sustain burns, he was injured after being thrown by the electrical blast. The plug remained connected to the aircraft. BEA found an absence of insulation on the plug, damage it suspects was caused by repeated improper removal of the plug by its cables. It also says the damage might have arisen from an incident a few weeks earlier, on 22 June, a tow-tractor was started while the ground-power unit was still connected. But the inquiry adds that it believes a switch on the ground-power unit, to open the electrical supply to the aircraft, was simultaneously activated as the plug was connected to the A320. Normally the worker connecting the plug would return to the ground-power unit to activate the switch. An assistant worker who had helped unravel the connecting cable testified to the inquiry that he had not operated the switch. The inquiry notes a similar incident on 15 April this year, in which a ground worker was thrown by electrical arcing while holding a connected cable, having asked another worker to activate the power unit. BEA says it was unable to determine who activated the switch in the Bastia event but adds that the probability of its happening in the absence of voluntary action by another person is "very low". www.flightglobal.com Back to Top Second C919 conducts low-speed taxi tests Comac has started low-speed taxi tests with the second prototype of the C919 aircraft. Flight Test Aircraft two (FTA-2) completed nine test points, says Comac in a brief statement. The work took place at Shanghai Pudong Internationalairport, which is adjacent to the Comac production facility. The work comes one month after Comac successfully powered up the CFM International Leap-1C engines on the aircraft. The first C919 prototype flew to Xian on 10 November, where the next phase of flight tests and certification work will take place. Comac will use six test aircraft and conduct flight tests across sites in Shanghai, Xian, and Dongying. It aims for the second prototype to make its first flight before the end of 2017. It hopes to obtain certification and certification in 2020-2021. The C919 has 730 commitments from 27 customers. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top Malaysia Airlines receives first of six A350s from ALC Malaysia Airlines has received the first of six Airbus A350-900s it is leasing from Air Lease. "We have worked closely with Malaysia Airlines Berhad on this six-aircraft transaction as they roll out a major widebody fleet upgrade," states Jie Chen, the US lessor's executive vice-president and managing director for Asia. "We are confident that these six A350 XWB aircraft leased to MAB will benefit their global business operations." Flight Fleets Analyzer indicates that the carrier is scheduled to have received two A350-900s by year-end. The first aircraft, MSN159, bears registration 9M-MAB. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/picture-malaysia-airlines-receives-first-of-six-a3- 443754/ Back to Top American Airlines To Bring Major Jet Engine Work To Tulsa Base File photo of a jet engine at the Tulsa maintenance base. TULSA, Oklahoma - American Airlines says it is moving major jet engine work to its Tulsa maintenance base. The company says it will bring work on CFM56-5B jet engines to Tulsa next year. The company currently contracts with GE for the work, but that contact ends next year. In a letter to employees at the Tulsa maintenance base, Senior Vice President of Integrated Operations David Seymour said the company put the work out for bid and the in-house option was the best deal. "Tulsa is known for doing industry-leading engine shop work, and has established first rate processes for the CFM56-7B (-7B) program," Seymour wrote. "The Tulsa team has brought the turnaround time of a heavy shop engine visit to a world-class average of 53 days. Because of this expertise, when our contract with GE was set to expire, the in-source option was put up against other external vendors. Once the bidding process was run, the clear answer was to determine that the team who does the -7B work so well should perform that same work on the -5B, especially given the high degree of commonality of the two engine variants." The CFM56-5B engines are used on the company's Airbus A320 aircraft. The work should protect the jobs of 80 people at the Tulsa maintenance base. Seymour said the company will work with the local chapter of the Transport Workers Union, TWU Local 514, to address the new work. "This announcement confirms the commitment of American Airlines to the maintenance base and Tulsa area, thanks to the long-standing performance of the Tulsa technical operations team," Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said. "American Airlines serves as a major contributor to our local economy and we look forward to the continued partnerships with the aerospace industry in Tulsa." http://www.newson6.com/story/36966065/american-airlines-to-bring-major-jet-engine-work-to- tulsa-base Back to Top Zetta Jet Ceasing Operations Today Global air charter operator Zetta Jet is ceasing operations today (November 30). A reliable source said the company is leaving its fleet of Bombardier Challengers and Globals parked where they are at the end of today. (Photo: David McIntosh/AIN) Just a few weeks after believing that it had lined up $8.5 million in post Chapter 11 petition financing, international air charter operator Zetta Jet is ceasing operations today and turning over its air operator's certificate to the U.S. FAA. Court documents show that the trustee in the Zetta Jet bankruptcy case, Jonathan King, a partner and co-chair of DLA Piper's white collar, corporate crime and investigations practice, has asked the court for a change from Chapter 11 proceedings to Chapter 7 proceedings. The change to liquidation came after the U.S. Court apparently denied Zetta Jet's bid for new financing, a decision that was said to have come as a surprise. Zetta Jet had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September after ousting managing director Geoffery Cassidy. Zetta Jet in mid-November announced it had arranged financing from existing lessor Scout Aviation II and said it hoped to secure a buyer for the company. The Zetta Jet brand was launched a little more than two years ago and had become one of the fastest-growing charter operators in the Asia-Pacific region with a fleet of Bombardier Globals and Challengers. Although it was originally a Singapore-based company, the bankruptcy proceedings were filed in U.S. courts. The U.S. branch was built up following a merger less than a year ago with aircraft management specialist Advanced Air Management. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-11-30/zetta-jet-ceasing- operations-today Back to Top Newcastle College wins UK's top education award for its rail and aviation academies The college's work in helping equip youngsters with much-needed skills has seen it win a Queen's Anniversary Prize Newcastle College aviation academy Newcastle College has won one of the highest honours in the education sector in recognition for its outstanding commitment to vocational training. The college, part of the national college group NCG, has been awarded the prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education for the work of its transport academy, which provides training in the rail and aviation sectors. The award recognises the college's collaboration with industry to ensure that the qualifications and learning environments in the two training facilities meet employer demand. NCG chief executive Joe Docherty said: "This is a fantastic achievement and to be awarded a Queen's Award is something we should be very proud of. Newcastle College's Transport Academy is the result of a long-term strategy which aims to support the transport infrastructure of not only the North East but the wider economy." Joe Docherty has been appointed as CEO of NCG The college's aviation academy, built in 2006, is positioned at the heart of the North East aviation industry at Newcastle International Airport. The rail academy followed in 2014 and was purpose- built in Gateshead, adjacent to a major rail interchange. Key to the success of both centres are long-standing relationships with employers and industry bodies. The aviation academy is approved by the UK Civil Aviation Authority and enjoys a partnership with the Royal Aeronautical Society, Newcastle International Airport and the Institute of Engineering and Technology, while the rail academy was initiated with the backing of Network Rail and now works closely with Cross Country Trains and the National Skills Academy for Rail. Mr Docherty said: "In order to make the transport academy a success we had to ensure that we recruited the right individuals with strong industry backgrounds to drive this vision forward. Both academies are made up of teaching and support teams that have a vast amount of experience in their respective fields. "By doing this we have been able to position each Academy at the heart of industry to ensure that those trained within each facility are able to pursue employment opportunities on completion of their college course." The Queen's Anniversary Prize is a biennial award scheme where selection process is overseen by the Awards Council of the Trust, who make the final recommendations that are submitted to the Prime Minister for advice to The Queen. North East apprentices bucking the trend as more youngsters secure long-term careers The prize - the highest major honour that can be awarded to a UK college or university - will be formally presented to the college and students from the transport academy at Buckingham Palace in February. James Ramsbotham, chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce, congratulated the college on the award. He said: "Newcastle College has done so much to enable so many young people achieve so much more and realise their ambitions. This is superb recognition for all their hard work delivering a better future for so many individuals, their employers and the whole region." http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/business/business-news/newcastle-college-wins-uks-top-13978577 Back to Top Japan may join U.S. space project in quest to achieve manned moon landing Japan may join a U.S.-proposed project to build a new space station to orbit the moon Japan will consider joining a U.S.-proposed project to build a new space station orbiting the moon, hoping such a move will boost the chances of sending Japanese astronauts to the lunar surface, government officials said Friday. The move indicates Tokyo's desire to not fall behind in the field of space exploration, as Russia said in September it will collaborate with the United States on the new space station, with an envisioned completion date in the latter half of the 2020s. Compiled in a report Friday, the science ministry panel proposed that the government consider joining the project. The panel's suggestion was included in a draft of Japan's space policy road map, which will become official later this month. The government believes Japan can contribute to the space station project through its unmanned cargo ship and other technologies. But details have not been worked out and the financial burden linked to the project may loom large. In an October report, the panel vaguely approached how the country should pursue manned space missions. However, after Japan and the United States agreed to cooperate in space exploration during November talks, the panel's way forward started to solidify. According to NASA, the new space station is expected to serve as a base for manned missions to the moon's surface as well as a transit point to Mars. Japan is working to establish its own moon landing technology through the planned launch of an unmanned spacecraft in the fiscal year starting in April 2019. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/12/01/national/science-health/japan-may-join-u-s- space-project-quest-achieve-manned-moon-landing/#.WiEo5VWnGUk Back to Top SASI Pakistan Seminar on 7th December 2017. at Islamabad Club Back to Top Book Announcement: "Man of Honor (Enforcement Division) (Volume 4)" There is a unit buried within the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Unit 61398-the cyber warfare unit. Li Yong prepared his entire life for command of Unit 61398. Li Yong believed this was the ultimate honor and service to the State. Then America's airliners started plunging from the sky. There is no honor in being the world's worst mass murderer. How do you right the most terrible wrong? How do you prevent the State from slaughtering your entire family if you succeed? How do you balance a moral imperative against a lifetime of homeland allegiance? How does Li Yong stop the unstoppable? 1. Amazon's website for the book: http://tinyurl.com/ManofHonorPreOrder 2. Book's video trailer: https://youtu.be/vNTeB8u7Uvw 3. Book's website: https://www.enforcementdivision.com/man-of-honor * ISBN-10: 1978415621 * ISBN-13: 978-1978415621 About the Author Chris Malburg is a widely published author, with over 4 million words published in 22 popular business books and four novels. Simon & Schuster, Putnam, Wiley and McGraw Hill all publish Chris' work which is consumed in most western countries. After classes at Stanford Writers School, Chris began the fun side of his career. He has crossed the chasm into fiction with the fourth installment in his Enforcement Division series. Chris is known for his meticulous research of the material presented in his books. Man of Honor is an example. While preparing this book Chris took the same aircraft accident investigation courses as the industry's professionals at USC's Viterbi School of Engineering. Chris developed a healthy respect for the NTSB, FAA, and those who teach the skills of aircraft accident investigation. Book: Quietus: Last Flight Quietus details sixteen crashes between February 1943 and February 1944, in Alaska, British Columbia, Ontario, the Maritimes, and Newfoundland; the thesis: 'Accident Proneness.' The book is a collaboration involving WWII RCAF veterans, RCAF post-war pilots, members of the Directorate of Flight Safety, and historical aviation enthusiasts, as well as the pilots', crews' and passengers' families along with many others interested in aviation safety and the RCAF during the Second World War, offering a unique insight into war (and accident investigation) on the Canadian Home Front. If you would like further information about Quietus, please visit my website or the Bomber Command Museum of Canada's website. The books are available through me ($35 + $15 postage) or through the museum for $55, which also includes postage. All are listed in Canadian funds. http://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/store/?wpsc-product=quietus Anne Gafiuk Calgary, Alberta, Canada www.whatsinastory.ca Author of Wings Over High River and She Made Them Family Back to Top THE COMPLETE HANDBOOK ON PILOTING AND AERONAUTICS "For the first time, in one comprehensive volume, complete coverage of the airplane and piloting for normal and hazardous flight conditions." NOW AVAILABLE FOR ORDER FROM THE PUBLISHER THE COMPLETE HANDBOOK ON PILOTING AND AERONAUTICS by Arthur Torosian This book is invaluable for pilots, aspiring pilots, accident investigators, college engineering students and those in positions where understanding the technology and operation of airplanes is important. It is a unique, single-source tool, complete with in-depth coverage on all facets of the airplane and its operation in all situations. In depth chapters cover every aspect of flying from take-off and landing, through essential trigonometry, weather situations, accident analysis, plane design and testing, angle-of-attack, load, stability, control, flutter, written by a lifetime expert in the field of aviation and pilot training and engineering. The breadth of knowledge is now available to students, pilots and enthusiasts to share in and understand. The book investigates 100s of near-misses, runway incidents, all major accidents and offers analysis and explanation of what went wrong and why. Over 600 photographs, detailed diagrams and equations illustrate the text to make it the one volume you need on your shelves, with a comprehensive index and chapter contents, you can easily find what you are looking for. SAVE 15% OFF THE LIST PRICE We are offering Curt Lewis FSI readers 15% off the list price for two weeks only. Add the code CURTLEWIS at checkout. ORDER HERE Arthur Torosian has spent a lifetime connected to all aspects of aviation. As well as flying 90% of the aircraft illustrated in the book, he worked at McDonnell Douglas as Director of Performance and Control, Director of Product Design, Chief Pilot Customer support and engineering test pilot. He has an Airline Transport Rating, is type rated in the DC-8, DC-9, MD-80 and DC-10. He is a graduate of the USAF Experimental Test Pilot School, USAF Research Pilot Course, and the California Institute of Technology, MS Aeronautics. Back to Top Angle of Attack NOW AVAILABLE FOR ORDER EXCLUSIVELY FROM CURT LEWIS AVIATION BOOKS Second Printing Rushed to Press Finally, the definitive book on the Titanic of aviation accidents, a state-of-the-art jet that couldn't stall until it did and took the lives of 228 Air France passengers and crew. Based on exclusive interviews with the aircraft's manufacturer, the airline, flight crews, families of the pilots, accident investigators and the Woods Hole led team that recovered the missing jet from the bottom of the South Atlantic, Angle of Attack reveals why airlines and regulators everywhere must respond now to critical lessons from this legendary event. AUTOGRAPHED COPIES NOW AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM CURT LEWIS AVIATION BOOKS at http://www.pilot-errormovie.com/book/angle-of-attack BUY THE BOOK AND THE HIT MOVIE IT INSPIRED, PILOT ERROR BY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28 AND SAVE $6. http://www.pilot-errormovie.com/book/book-and-dvd TAMPA, FLORIDA EVENT THIS WEEK: Meet co-author, 777 Captain Shem Malmquist, at the Pilot Error screening Sunday December 3 at 3 p.m., Riverview 14 GDX , 9390 Theater Drive, Gibsonton. (813) 295-6468. He will lead a discussion following the film and autograph Angle of Attack. Order tickets here. WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING ABOUT ANGLE OF ATTACK "We owe Rapoport and Malmquist a great debt of gratitude. Read every word." -Dr. Gary Helmer, Embry Riddle University "A great resource for aeronautical professionals ... exposes the failed defenses that can reside at each layer of the aviation system. A must read for anyone with an interest in aviation accident investigation and aviation safety." -Dr. Chris Johnson, Director of Aviation Education and Research, Industrial & Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison "A must read for professional pilots, aircraft designers, government regulators and political decision makers." -Gregory Fox, Director of Safety, Florida Institute of Technology, ATPL pilot, safety manager since 1971, 35 years safety regulator, and 20 years check inspector on A320 and A340. "Angle of Attack sheds light for the novice and expert alike. Their subject matter expertise is admirable. They have used the Air France 447 crash and other crashes of automated airplanes as examples of accidents that might have been prevented if the crews had access to realistic training to prepare them for those rare events and if their aircraft had been equipped with angle of attack indicators." -Captain Elaine M. Parker, Beyond Risk Management "You don't have to be a [pilot to find this book moving and absorbing." - Adam Hochschild, Author of Spain in Our Hearts and King Leopold's Ghost "This book proves conclusively that education by meteorologists is the key to fundamental understanding of the impact weather has on the elements of the aviation arena." - Debbie Schaum Embry-Riddle University Back to Top The NBAA Safety Committee is conducting its 3rd annual Business Aviation Safety Survey and needs your feedback. By providing input on the safety culture within business aviation, you will help guide the committee's work in the coming year and have a direct impact on our ability to continue improving the level of safety within our industry. Survey responses are sought from the entire spectrum of aircraft operations, personnel, and responsibilities. Whether you are a pilot, technician, scheduler/dispatcher, flight attendant or someone in a non-aviation role who frequently interacts with business aircraft, your feedback is invaluable to our efforts. Questions on the 2017 survey relate to important topics such as: * Risk management activities * Data sharing * Distractions in safety-critical moments * Participation in formal aviation training and third-party audit programs * Threats and risks you feel are most likely to impact your operation This completely anonymous survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete, and your response is needed by Dec. 8, 2017. Thank you in advance for your participation, and for helping us work toward minimizing the risks you face in your daily operations. TAKE THE SURVEY NOW LEARN MORE You can also review the analysis and results of last year's survey, and we will make this year's survey results available in the coming months after the analysis is complete. National Business Aviation Association 1200 G Street NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005 * Tel: (202) 783-9000 * info@nbaa.org Back to Top Risk Culture Survey The results of the 1st Survey and the link to participate in the 2nd Survey can be found @ www.riskculture.org Back to Top NTSB Chairman to deliver Royal Aeronautical Society 14th annual Assad Kotaite Lecture at ICAO Back to Top 9th ESASI Regional Seminar We are pleased to announce that the 9th ESASI Regional Seminar will take place at the Baltic Beach Hotel in Jurmala / Riga, Latvia on 23-24 May 2018. In addition, the meeting of the military investigator group is scheduled to take place on the afternoon of 22 May 2018. The aim of the seminar is to keep the European air safety investigation community abreast of current developments and evolving best practice in aircraft safety investigation. As in previous years, the seminar will include presentations on case studies, the European environment, challenges of modern air safety investigations and human factors in aircraft accidents and incidents. ESASI welcomes proposals for presentations to be given during the 2018 seminar, which should last a maximum of 20 minutes with a further 5 minutes for questions. Presentations should address issues relating to air safety investigations; particular areas of interest are: * challenges faced by air safety investigators; * the environment, and culture, that air safety investigators operate in; * practical experience of applying investigation techniques; * new techniques to aid the investigation; * topical case studies. Details of proposed presentations should be sent to - presentations@esasi.eu. https://www.esasi.eu/ Curt Lewis