Flight Safety Information December 8, 2017 - No. 244 In This Issue Incident: British Airways B744 at Phoenix on Dec 6th 2017, engine shut down in flight Incident: Ural A320 at Saint Petersburg on Dec 7th 2017, airspeeds disagree Incident: Delta A320 at New York on Dec 6th 2017, tail strike Beech Baron loss of engine power, ground impact Civilian Drone Safety Incidents Keep Rising Rolls-Royce suffers fresh wave of troubles with Dreamliner engines Pasco sheriff's pilots land, arrest man for pointing laser at them (Florida) Oman Air co-pilot found without flying licence, stopped at Delhi airport (India) Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation Reauthorizing NTSB New Russian law lets carriers ban disruptive passengers ADS-B In-Equipped Chinese Airliner Flew In April U.S. House Aviation Subcommittee tackles UAS issues United Airlines PR Boss to Step Down After Tumultuous Tenure Qatar Airways reconfirms and upgrades order to 50 larger A321neo US airlines are on a pilot-hiring spree IFALPA Celebrates 70 Years of Making the Skies Safe and Secure Jayant Sinha: Indian aviation market to beat US, China in 15-20 years Bow Tie Method of Safety Risk Management - Course Position Available: Internal Evaluation Program Auditor I Upcoming USC Courses Incident: British Airways B744 at Phoenix on Dec 6th 2017, engine shut down in flight A British Airways Boeing 747-400, registration G-CIVM performing flight BA-288 from Phoenix,AZ (USA) to London Heathrow,EN (UK) with 234 people on board, was in the initial climb out of Phoenix's runway 08 when the crew declared Mayday, Mayday, Mayday reporting the #3 engine (RB211, inboard right hand) was shut down and advising they'd stop the climb at 6000 feet and enter a hold. A runway inspection was conducted, the next arrival needed to go around due to the ongoing runway inspection. While in the hold the crew advised they had no fire and wanted to dump fuel, the aircraft climbed to 8000 feet later 10,000 feet, dumped fuel and returned to Phoenix for a safe landing on runway 08 about one hour after departure. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/BAW288/history/20171207/0340Z/KPHX/EGLL http://avherald.com/h?article=4b208332&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Ural A320 at Saint Petersburg on Dec 7th 2017, airspeeds disagree An Ural Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration VQ-BGI performing flight U6-365 from Saint Petersburg to Ekaterinburg (Russia) with 123 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing out of Pulkovo Airport's runway 28R when the crew stopped the climb at about FL090 reporting disagreeing airspeeds. The aircraft returned to Saint Petersburg for a safe landing on runway 28L about 20 minutes after departure. A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration VQ-BCI reached Ekaterinburg with a delay of 7 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Saint Petersburg about 14 hours after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b207197&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Delta A320 at New York on Dec 6th 2017, tail strike A Delta Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration N340NW performing flight DL-886 from Atlanta,GA to New York La Guardia,NY (USA), landed on La Guardia Airport's runway 22, vacated the runway and taxied to the gate. The FAA reported that subsequently a tail strike was reported, the damage is unknown. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 6 hours, then returned to service. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL886/history/20171206/1145Z/KATL/KLGA http://avherald.com/h?article=4b20669b&opt=0 Back to Top Beech Baron loss of engine power, ground impact Date: 07-DEC-2017 Time: 20:54 Type: Beech Baron Owner/operator: Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (TISX), St.Croix - U.S. Virgin Islands Phase: Take off Nature: Passenger Departure airport: Henry E. Rohlsen (STX/TISX) Destination airport: Narrative: Following a loss of engine power, the aircraft impacted field terrain during an attempted return to the point of departure at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (TISX), near Christiansted St.Croix. The airplane sustained unreported but apparent substantial damage and the five occupants onboard were fatally injured. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=202657 Back to Top Civilian Drone Safety Incidents Keep Rising The number of reported safety incidents involving civilian drones is on track to rise dramatically again this year, with almost as many in the first nine months of 2017 as for all of last year. Through September, the Federal Aviation Administration received 1,688 reports of drones flying in restricted airspace or otherwise appearing to violate rules. That compares with 1,754 last year and 1,210 the prior year. In 2014, the year the administration first began collecting data, there were only 236 reported incidents. In response, the agency said in October that it wants to make it easier for enthusiasts to get permission to pilot low-level flights in restricted airspace. The agency said there has been so much pent-up demand that users have been willing to break the law to get their drones in the air. The number of reported incidents reached a new record of 260 in June. Incidents have risen compared to the same month in the prior year all but once since the FAA first started keeping records in February 2014. There have been a total of 4,889 incidents reported in less than four years. The FAA encourages pilots, air-traffic controllers and police to report incidents they believe raise safety concerns with drones. Most incidents involve drones apparently operating outside legal boundaries, which typically require that they fly within 400 feet of the ground and within sight of the person in control. https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2017/12/08/473529.htm Back to Top Rolls-Royce suffers fresh wave of troubles with Dreamliner engines * Rolls-Royce's Trent 1000 engine has caused groundings for several airlines - EPA Air New Zealand has been forced to ground some of its flights because of problems with their Rolls- Royce engines, the latest in a long line of issues with the British engineering company's products. The airline said there have been "two recent events" with the Trent 1000 engines on its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. There had resulted in flights being cancelled. New Zealand's aviation safety board confirmed it was investigating "engine abnormalities" on the carrier's aircraft in the past week. Air New Zealand's 787 airliners are powered by Rolls-Royce's Trent 1000 engines In the most recent incident a 787 was taking off from Auckland when the pilots noticed problems. They shut down the engine and returned to the airport. Another flight earlier this week bound for Buenos Aires experienced similar issues. No one was injured in either event. Air New Zealand is the latest Rolls customer to suffer problems with the Trent 1000 engines on the 787. Japanese airline ANA first reported issues with Trent 100s in the summer of 2016. The problem was thought to relate to blades in the turbine corroding far earlier than expected, resulting in the engines being shut down. A few weeks later Virgin Atlantic said it was had also experienced similar troubles with its Trent 1000 engines. Both airlines took aircraft out service for urgent maintenance, causing hundreds of flight cancellations. Rolls - which has more than 400 of the $10m engines in service - has acknowledged the problems. At the company's half-year results in August it warned investors to "expect increased activity in second half related to Trent 1000 maintenance programme to address a number of technical issues". In response to the latest troubles with Air New Zealand's engines, Rolls said it was working with the airline to minimise disruption and restore the aircraft to flight status. A spokesman added: "It's not uncommon for long-term engine programmes to experience technical issues during their life and we manage them through proactive maintenance. This is the continuation of work which started last year to upgrade Trent 1000 engines to the latest standard." https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/rolls-royce-suffers-fresh-wave-110106316.html Back to Top Pasco sheriff's pilots land, arrest man for pointing laser at them (Florida) * Ryan Fluke, 27, of Port Richey, faces a felony charge of misuse of a laser lighting device after deputies said he aimed a laser pointer at a Pasco County Sheriff's Office helictoper on Tuesday night, blinding the pilots. [Pasco County Sheriff's Office] PORT RICHEY - A Pasco County Sheriff's Office helicopter was helping deputies on the ground Tuesday night when the pilots said they were blinded by a red laser aimed at them from below. "I got a guy lasering us pretty bad," Deputy Stephen Bowman said in a cockpit video released by the agency. He was the co-pilot and Tim Bullis was the pilot of the Bell OH-58 helicopter. Whoever was pointing the laser wasn't letting up, the Sheriff's Office said, and there were no deputies on the ground free to drive over and put a stop to it. So the pilots did it themselves. They landed the sheriff's helicopter in a nearby parking lot. Then Bowman jogged about five blocks and found Ryan Fluke, 27. That's who deputies arrested on a felony charge for misuse of a laser pointer. Bowman said Fluke was "slightly confused" and surprised to see one of the helicopter pilots at his front door. "He had a hard time getting over that one," Bowman said. The incident started shortly before 11 p.m. while deputies were dealing with a barricaded person in Jasmine Lake Estates. The helicopter arrived to help, but had to pull back so deputies on the ground could hear the person. They were about 800 feet in the air when the moving red flash appeared about two miles north. They were temporarily blinded, the pilots said. The 12-minute video showed the laser rapidly flashing on and off 10 times from a darkened home below. At one point, the video showed the person on ground, in the dark, checking their mailbox, then returning to the house and minutes later flashing the laser again. "We actually had no available units (on the ground)," Bowman said Wednesday. "All of our resources were at the barricaded subject. We were running thin, so I took an opportunity where I knew it was safe." They landed at the Portuguese American Cultural Association at 11205 Areca Dr, Bullis stayed with the Bell helicopter while Bowman headed for Fluke's house at 7515 Ironbark Dr. At first, Bowman said Fluke denied he was responsible for the red flashes. Soon more deputies arrived. Later, they said Fluke admitted that he pointed the laser at the helicopter "for fun" and "didn't realize that a laser could travel a long distance." Fluke was released from the county jail Wednesday after posting $5,000 bail. A small laser on the ground can pose a tremendous risk to pilots in the air. The beam can become much wider when it hits the cockpit and the glass can magnify it even more, possibly blinding and disorienting pilots. "At night, low and making turns and you get struck by a laser, couple seconds and you can fall a couple hundred feet," Bowman said. The 5-year veteran of the sheriff's air unit said he's had ground lasers pointed at him about eight different times. This is the first time he actually arrested someone for doing it. http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/Pasco-sheriff-s-pilots-land-arrest-man-for-pointing- laser-at-them-w-video-_163342741 Back to Top Oman Air co-pilot found without flying licence, stopped at Delhi airport (India) * In a first, a Muscat-bound Oman Air flight was stopped in Delhi as co-pilot did not have flying licence with him at the time of checking. * The plane was allowed to depart only when the airline faxed the cockpit crew member's commercial pilot licence to Delhi. NEW DELHI: Traffic cops routinely challan drivers who forget their licence at home. Now in a possible first, Indian aviation authorities did not permit a Muscat-bound Oman Air flight to take off from Delhi as he could reportedly not show his flying licence during a random check. The plane was allowed to depart only when the airline faxed the cockpit crew member's commercial pilot licence (CPL) to Delhi and the same was found to be in order by the regulator. This first-of-its-kind episode happened over a week back in Delhi. A team of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officials was carrying out ramp inspections where the paperwork of foreign aircraft and crew operating them was being checked. "During this random check, the co-pilot of Oman Air's Delhi-Muscat flight could not produce his CPL when asked to do so. The aircraft, whose boarding had been completed, was stopped from taking off. The airline faxed the pilot's licence which was examined and then the plane took off with a two- hour delay," said a source. Oman Air did not comment on this episode till the time of going to press. The DGCA has reiterated all foreign airlines that they must send crew and aircraft here with complete paperwork and safety checks. India had started "safety oversight of foreign airlines" (SOFA) in 2009 after the US Federal Aviation Administration found it did not do so while auditing the DGCA. Former chief election commissioner Nasim Zaidi, who was DGCA chief in 2009, had started SOFA based on Europe's "safety assessment of foreign aircraft" (SAFA). Indian airlines are routinely subjected to strict checks when they land in foreign airports. On the other hand, the Indian DGCA does not reciprocate this favour with the same vigour. "About five to six years back in UPA time, we grounded foreign airlines' aircraft a few times after finding some papers or certificates missing or due to some other reason. That immediately became a diplomatic issue with the country concerned and we were directed to immediately release those planes for flights," said a source. Indian airlines, however, face stringent checks abroad, especially in the west. The Indian DGCA has in recent days strengthened SOFA checks. Sources say a balance has to be struck while conducting these checks. "Foreign airlines must know that India has a strong aviation safety environment. However, this action has to be in a way that it does not mean our airlines facing troubles when abroad in retaliation," said a source. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/oman-air-co-pilot-found-without-flying-licence-stopped- at-delhi-airport/articleshow/61973548.cms Back to Top Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation Reauthorizing NTSB WASHINGTON-U.S. senators have introduced legislation to reauthorize the National Transportation Safety Board(NTSB) at a funding level higher than that in its current budget. The bill proposes steps to increase the transparency of NTSB investigations, while also allowing a majority of board members to discuss official business privately. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, introduced the legislation late Dec. 6, the committee announced. The bill proposes funding the NTSB at an average level of $113.4 million through fiscal 2023. The board requested $105.2 million for the current fiscal year, a level equal to the funding Congress appropriated for the NTSB in fiscal 2016. Congress last reauthorized the independent federal agency, which is responsible for investigating civil aviation as well as railroad, highway, marine and pipeline accidents, in 2006. Among reform measures, the legislation adds still images to the items the NTSB can disclose during the course of an investigation, a step the committee says will increase public knowledge about the circumstances of accidents. The bill also would require the board to publish a report on the process it uses to set priorities for its annual "Most Wanted List" of safety recommendations, and to better document its data collection and evaluation process. The legislation would balance those steps by closing loopholes that allowed for other federal agencies to release confidential information obtained during the course of NTSB investigations. It would promote "collaboration and communication between NTSB members" by allowing a majority of the five members "to meet privately and discuss official business with robust disclosure requirements." "After tragic accidents, we ask NTSB to get facts and tell us what went wrong," Thune stated. "This legislation expands the agency's ability to explain causes and improves the NTSB's recommendation process so that we can more effectively address our most pressing safety challenges." Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety and Security, is among the bill's co-sponsors. www.aviationweek.com Back to Top New Russian law lets carriers ban disruptive passengers Russian authorities are amending the country's aviation regulations to enable carriers to create a no-fly list of disruptive passengers and ban them from flights. President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a package of legislation, which flag-carrier Aeroflot says will take effect from June 2018. It says this will give it the legal right to compile "blacklists" of passengers who act disruptively and "deny them transportation in the future". The amendment to the Air Code aligns Russian carriers with foreign airlines which have implemented similar measures. Aeroflot says the issue of disruptive passengers is "one of the most acute problems" affecting Russian domestic air transport, and legislation to combat the situation has so far proven insufficient. It says it has recorded 3,500 incidents on its flights since 2006, including more than 40 severe violations - among them attacks on cabin crew, direct threats to passenger safety, and damage to the aircraft. Aeroflot deputy general director for legal affairs Vladimir Aleksandrov says the airline has pushed for stricter legislation and adds that the new rules will "significantly increase" passenger safety. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top ADS-B In-Equipped Chinese Airliner Flew In April WASHINGTON-Avionics manufacturer ACSS says it provided equipment for the first flight demonstration in China of an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) In application on an airliner. ACSS, a joint venture 70% owned by L3 and 30% owned by Thales, made the announcement Dec. 7 about a milestone that occurred earlier this year. Three Juneyao Airlines AirbusA321s displayed the air traffic situational awareness, enhanced visual separation on approach (ATSA-VSA) ADS-B In application while on approach to Shanghai's Hongqiao International Airport on April 28. ATSA-VSA uses ADS-B Out position reports from nearby aircraft, presented on a cockpit display of traffic information, to help pilots self-separate from preceding aircraft during the approach phase. The aim of the application is to make it easier and more reliable for flight crews to spot a preceding aircraft and potentially increase runway capacity. ACSS' T3CAS traffic-management computer, a combined traffic-alert and collision-avoidance system, terrain-awareness warning system and Mode S transponder contained in a single line- replaceable unit, hosted the ADS-B In application on the A321s. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), Shanghai-based Juneyao and Airbus collaborated on the demonstration The CAAC plans to provide ADS-B Out ground stations and service in certain airspace sections and routes, with an emphasis on non-radar surveillance routes in West China and the South China Sea, starting this year. The authority will assess ADS-B Out through 2020, then complete the surveillance system from 2020-25, according to a working paper China presented to the ICAO in 2016. www.aviationweek.com Back to Top U.S. House Aviation Subcommittee tackles UAS issues Some members of the U.S. House Aviation Subcommittee expressed safety concerns about potential collisions between small drones and manned aircraft. In Washington, D.C., the Aviation Subcommittee of the House Transportation Committee last week held its first hearing solely dedicated to the topic of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The hearing on the emerging uses of UAS in a changing national airspace covered technological, legal and policy issues related to UAS. Drone safety, privacy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations were among the topics discussed by committee members and those presenting testimony. "We are seeing industry and government work closely together toward the common goal of UAS integration and keeping the United States ahead of the rest of the world in the development and integration of this new aviation technology," said Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J., subcommittee chairman. "Collaboration will help spur job creation and research here in the United States rather than overseas." Juan Alonso, professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford University and member of the FAA Drone Advisory Committee, recommended that the FAA update its UAS regulations annually and conduct more research on unmanned aircraft. To improve safety, he said, "We need more testing, not less. Test programs should be significantly enhanced. We need to use data to better understand safety." Alonso stressed that research data must be open to the UAS community and should be "of sufficient quality in sufficient amounts to support regulation." Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., questioned why "toy drones" are being sold without geofencing to keep them out of restricted flight areas. "It's an accident waiting to happen and we are going to lose an aircraft," he said. "It's just a question of whether it's a small one or a large one." DeFazio said the rights of "toy drone" operators shouldn't be a concern and advocated that the FAA devote more resources to tracking down and jailing "idiots" rather than fining them. "Commercial applications should not be held back because of irresponsible people," he said. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., questioned Brian Wynne, president and CEO, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), about why the UAS industry hasn't developed a remote identification system that shows who's flying drones where they shouldn't be. Wynne noted that such systems are required for manned aircraft and agreed that all UAS should be registered and equipped with a remote ID system. Shuster pressed Wynne further, asking, "Why haven't we been able to get to that? We've been dealing with it for several years." Wynne responded by saying that the issue has "been elevated in priority" and that he expected it to be resolved soon. In his prepared testimony, Wynne identified several areas where industry-government collaboration can help further the UAS industry, including UAS traffic management and Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC). He also cited recent public initiatives helping to advance the UAS industry, such as the restoration of UAS registration and the establishment by the White House of a UAS Integration Pilot Program for state, local and tribal governments to provide input on UAS regulation to the FAA. "The UAS industry is primed for incredible growth, thanks to industry representatives and government regulators nurturing innovation that helps businesses be competitive in the marketplace," Wynne said. "We hope that these efforts can be sustained, that a long-term FAA bill can be passed, and that together we continue to reach new historic milestones in integrating this technology into the national airspace and pave the way for regular and widespread UAS use." William Ball, executive vice president and chief transmission officer with the Southern Co., discussed how the utility has benefited from using UAS for the inspection of electrical transmission lines and pipelines. He noted that the company had provided six UAS teams to Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and used 16 drone teams for damage assessment following Hurricane Irma. Ball said the benefits of drones to the utility industry in terms of safety and efficiency are overwhelming, but that the FAA needs to finish the guidance and rulemaking it started in 2016. "Whatever the rules are, we will gladly comply," he said. "We just need to know what they are." Other presenting testimony included: William Goodwin, general counsel for AirMap; Daniel Elwell, FAA deputy administrator; and Earl Lawrence, director of the FAA UAS Integration Office. http://uasmagazine.com/articles/1789/u-s-house-aviation-subcommittee-tackles-uas-issues Back to Top United Airlines PR Boss to Step Down After Tumultuous Tenure * Jim Olson tells colleagues he will pursue other opportunities * Company faced dragging scandal, activist unrest during term United Continental Holdings Inc.'s top communications executive is stepping down after leading the airline's public-relations strategy through a tumultuous two-year tenure and worldwide scandal this April. Jim Olson, senior vice president of corporate communications, will resign effective Jan. 8 to pursue other opportunities, he said in a letter to employees. The decision was his own and he wasn't asked to leave, Megan McCarthy, a United spokeswoman, said Thursday. The airline is searching for his replacement. Olson is leaving after a chaotic period that included a corporate turnaround effort, a battle with activist investors and a media firestorm when a passenger was dragged off a United Express flight in Chicago. When Olson arrived, United still was recovering from a scandal in which its chief executive officer was ousted for his role in flights scheduled to benefit a New York-area airport official. The new boss, current CEO Oscar Munoz, suffered a heart attack just a month after taking the job and underwent a heart transplant three months later. Soon after Munoz returned, the airline became embroiled in a proxy fight with two hedge funds, which ultimately redrew United's board. This April, passenger David Dao was dragged from a plane by Chicago airport officials after he refused to give up his seat to make room for a crew member. United's initial comments, such as Munoz's apology for having to "re-accommodate" the passenger, sparked worldwide condemnation in the press and on social media. United absorbed another blow on Oct. 19, when it reported earnings. The shares dropped the most in eight years after Munoz and President Scott Kirby couldn't answer analysts' questions about United's growth and cost projections for next year. Olson joined United from Starbucks Corp. and earlier worked in communications for US Airways and Nissan North America. While at US Airways, he managed the airline's response to Flight 1549, which landed on the Hudson River off Manhattan in 2009, according to United's website. United has been stuck behind Delta Air Lines Inc. and American Airlines Group Inc. in terms of profit margin. Its stock is down 13 percent this year, compared with a 6.5 percent gain for a Standard & Poor's index of major U.S. carriers. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-07/united-airlines-pr-boss-to-step-down-after- tumultuous-tenure Back to Top Qatar Airways reconfirms and upgrades order to 50 larger A321neo ACF aircraft Qatar Airways reconfirmed (07-Dec-2017) and upgraded its order for 50 A320neo aircraft to the larger A321neo 'Airbus Cabin Flex' (ACF) aircraft. The revised order is valued at USD6.35 billion at list prices. Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker commented: "To answer our need for growth and additional capacity, the A321neo ACF is a world-class choice for our passengers and for our business. Qatar Airways is the fastest growing airline in the world and with this aircraft we will operate the youngest fleet". The aircraft will join the carrier's 50 A320neos from 2019. https://centreforaviation.com/news/qatar-airways-reconfirms-and-upsizes-its-order-to-50-of-the- larger-a321neo-acf-aircraft-in-an-order-747358 Back to Top US airlines are on a pilot-hiring spree * Major U.S. airlines have hired more than 3,000 pilots in each of the past three years. Southwest Airlines captain Mitch McDonald leaves the terminal after arriving on his flight at Dallas Love Field on Wednesday. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News) After a decade of instability and bankruptcies during which hiring slowed to a crawl, U.S. airlines have been adding pilots at a breakneck pace over the past three years. Major U.S. commercial and cargo airlines have hired more than 3,000 pilots in each of the past three years and have hired 4,353 more through October this year, surpassing the total hires in 2016. Regional airlines are raising entry-level pay and adding bonuses in hopes of attracting more new pilots to fend off a looming pilot shortage. Add in continued waves of departures as more pilots reach the federally mandated retirement age of 65, and arguably there's never been a better time to become a pilot. "Right now, the demand is so strong, when you qualify, you're going to get multiple job offers," said Louis Smith, a retired Northwest Airlines pilot and president of career-counseling company Future & Active Pilot Advisors. "It's a sellers market." Smith's group is hosting a free pilot career forum at DFW Airport Saturday to introduce potential pilots to the profession and the steps it takes to make it into the cockpit. It's a career Smith said that can yield $10 million dollars in lifetime earnings and benefits at a major airline, with a job description that's unlike any other. But getting there means investing hundreds of thousands of dollars, thousands of hours of training and years working up the airline food chain. "We always tell future pilots to avoid becoming a pilot if it's specifically for the money or if you want to work a 9 to 5 job," Smith said. "Airlines never close. The time away from home can be very stressful on families. You get sick of those little bars of soap. You need a passion for flying to enjoy the cockpit profession." For aspiring pilots who aren't in the military - the faster growing segment of the workforce - there are a number of paths to an airline job. But they all center around one goal: building towards the minimum number of flight hours, typically 1,500, needed to start at a regional airline. That journey usually starts at a flight school or four-year university that offers aviation-related degrees, Smith said. Training and education costs regularly stretch into the six figures, he said, with a range that can go from $50,000 to upwards of $200,000, depending on the length and type of program. Pilots in training do have the opportunity to earn some money as flight instructors or working in charter or corporate aviation, he said. "If you're smart, you should not have to pay money to build your hours," Smith said. "There's no reason in this kind of job market to pay someone to build those additional 1,500 hours." From there, it's off to a regional airline, where it can take five or more years to accumulate the experience to catch the attention of a major carrier. The regional airlines had historically been a weak link in the pilot supply chain, with starting pay of $30,000 or less making it a financially daunting career choice, especially with tens of thousands of dollars in education debt factored in. But that's begun to change over the past several years, as regional airlines have raised their starting pay and added bonuses that make starting salaries of $60,000 more common. Regional airlines, especially those owned by a major carrier like American, have also bolstered programs that guarantee pilots a chance at higher-paying jobs with the mainline carrier after several years of employment. "The biggest shift has been what the regionals are doing," said Sam Mann, a Southwest pilot and spokesman for the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association. "The math does not work out. You cannot attract talent into your profession and tell them they're going to have to eat ramen." During the depths of the recession, major airlines hired just 30 pilots in 2009 and 408 in 2010, according to data from Future & Active Pilot Advisors. Now, the industry averages more than that in a month, a reflection of a changed and consolidated airline industry whose profits have soared. That bodes well for the long-term stability of a career that in the past was often marked by uncertainty and the looming threat of layoffs or furloughs. Future demand is shaping up to be strong as well, with the latest forecast from aircraft manufacturer Boeing predicting a need for 117,000 new pilots in North America over the next 20 years. "We're in a previously unseen heretofore level of stability in the industry. ... All the indicators point to a sustainable healthy airline industry. Over the last decade, you've seen a decrease in people wanting to choose this as a profession," Mann said. "That I think is on a turnaround. The word is out." https://www.heraldnet.com/business/us-airlines-are-on-a-pilot-hiring-spree/ Back to Top IFALPA Celebrates 70 Years of Making the Skies Safe and Secure MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--International Civil Aviation Day was established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to recognize the importance of aviation and international air travel. Today, the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA) is proud to announce that it will be celebrating the 70th Anniversary of its founding throughout 2018. IFALPA was established in 1948 by national pilot associations from around the world to ensure that pilots would have a voice in the newly formed United Nations specialized agency, ICAO. Significant improvements in aviation safety, human performance and security are the result of our work with ICAO, regulators, and other industry stakeholders. Over the past seven decades, IFALPA has been an internationally respected expert group and strong advocate for aviation safety on behalf of over 100,000 airline pilots in nearly 100 countries. IFALPA has made its mark as part of the aviation nexus to make global aviation safe, secure and sustainable for everyone. We pride ourselves on upholding our mission at every turn: To promote the highest level of aviation safety worldwide and to be the global advocate of the piloting profession; providing representation, services and support to both our members and the aviation industry. Please visit our anniversary website at www.ifalpa70.org and www.ifalpa.org to learn more about IFALPA, and join us in celebrating 70 years as the Global Voice of Pilots. Note to Editors: The International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations represents more than 100,000 pilots in nearly 100 countries around the globe. The mission of IFALPA is to promote the highest level of aviation safety worldwide and to be the global advocate of the piloting profession; providing representation, services and support to both our members and the aviation industry. Federation website www.ifalpa.org http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171207005740/en/IFALPA-Celebrates-70-Years- Making-Skies-Safe Back to Top Jayant Sinha: Indian aviation market to beat US, China in 15-20 years Union Minister Jayant Sinha made a big claim on Thursday in regards to the Indian aviation market. While speaking at the day-long Ideas Summit 2017 of entrepreneurs, Sinha said, India's aviation market would surpass the US and China by crossing a billion passenger trips per year in the next 10 to 15 years. "My endeavour will be to have international flights in Srinagar by the time tourist season starts in May-June," Jayant Sinha said in Srinagar. Union Minister Jayant Sinha made a big claim on Thursday in regards to the Indian aviation market. While speaking at the day-long Ideas Summit 2017 of entrepreneurs, Sinha said, India's aviation market would surpass the US and China by crossing a billion passenger trips per year in the next 10 to 15 years. "The growth in aviation sector is unprecedented. In the last three-four years, we have actually been growing at 15-20 per cent. From 100 million passenger trips a few years ago we will double to about 200 million passenger trips this fiscal. In fact, India is already the third largest domestic aviation market in the world only after the US and China," he said. Giving the stats of the US and China's aviation market Sinha said, the United States stood at around 900 million passenger trips per year while China stood at 600 million and projected that in India the market will grow to a one billion passenger trips market in the next 15-20 years. "So, from 500 planes in the sky, we will have to go to about 2000 planes," Sinha said at the event organised by the Foundation for Resource Development and Education at SKICC. The Union minister said aviation was going to be one of the largest industries in India and airlines had placed orders for over 900 planes. Meanwhile, Sinha also announced that the Srinagar Airport will soon see a major revamp with night landing facility and international connectivity. He said that the Valley will be directly connected to international destinations like Kuala Lumpur and Dubai. "My endeavour will be to have international flights in Srinagar by the time tourist season starts in May-June," Sinha said in Srinagar. For the benefit of pilgrims travelling to Vaishno Devi, the union minister said that his ministry is exploring of building new airport in Katra, Jammu. Sinha was addressing at the day-long Ideas Summit 2017 of entrepreneurs. Sinha said that most of the work to make night landing facility operational have been completed. "We are going to be working very hard to get night landing done in Srinagar as soon as possible. We are going to build approach lights so that landing takes place in the night and they also help in safer landing even in low visibility," he said. Sinha added that "I have been told that most of the arrangements for night landing have been done and the approach lights will be readied soon and it will be implemented. This will happen in just a few months and should not take more than that." Asked about any specific date for the completion of work, Sinha said, "I cannot give you a firm commitment on this, but we are going to do our level best to enable Srinagar to get connected towards the east to Kuala Lumpur and we are going to see a possibility to connect you to Dubai as well." The minister further added, "Of course, we have some over-flight issue as you know, I will try for that. But east is not an issue, therefore as far as Kuala Lumpur is concerned, through Air Asia, I am sure in six months we will have it done." Sinha also said that during peak tourist season a scheme like Udaan will be devised for connecting Srinagar. In a bid to bring more tourist comfortably to Srinagar, the initiative will be sponsored by the Centre and the state in partnership. Sinha said that at present about 40 flights operate at Srinagar airport but with new changes, it can have many more flights and that would help tourists, business people and craftsmen to Kashmir. Sinha also said that cargo facilities would be expanded at the Srinagar airport and building a pilot training facility will also be examined. http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/jayant-sinha-srinagar-airport-will-soon-have-night- landing-facility-international-flights/965195/ Back to Top Back to Top Position Available: Internal Evaluation Program Auditor I Title: Internal Evaluation Program Auditor I Job Code: 6921 Department: Safety Reports To: Manager of Internal Evaluations What does an Internal Evaluation Program Auditor do for Allegiant? Perform evaluations in accordance with department schedule and special evaluations as directed by the Mgr. of Internal Evaluations. What are some of the daily duties of an Internal Evaluation Program Auditor? * Performs scheduled and special evaluations, including identifying and defining issues, reviewing and analyzing evidence, and documenting findings and concerns * Collect objective evidence necessary to substantiate findings or concerns * Prepares evaluation reports * Recommends solutions to findings or concerns * Monitors the development and implementation of corrective action plans * Maintains and updates internal evaluation files * Verifies the implementation of solutions and corrective action plans What are the minimum requirements to be an Internal Evaluation Program Auditor? * Pilot certificate, A & P certificate, or Dispatch certificate or 1 year of auditing experience * Work experience in 14 CFR Part 121 air carrier operations: stations, training, quality control, maintenance, operations, safety or a combination thereof preferred * Working knowledge of SMS, DOD principles and the FAA SAS DCTs required * Previous experience maintaining and enhancing corporate safety standards and safe operation practices preferred * Proficient verbal, written, and presentation communication skills * Bachelor's degree in related field preferred * Certified Quality Auditor preferred What other skills, knowledge, and qualifications are needed to be an Internal Evaluation Program Auditor? * Proficient verbal, written, and presentation communication skills * Must pass a background check and pre-employment drug screen * Must have authorization to work in the U.S. as defined in the Immigrations Act of 1986 What are the physical requirements of an Internal Evaluation Program Auditor? * Office environment APPLY HERE Allegiant Travel Company is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, military service status, protected veterans, union/non-union activity, citizenship status, or other characteristic protected by state or federal law or local ordinance. EEO/AA/Minority/Female/Veteran/Disability Allegiant supports a healthy, non-smoking work environment. 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