Flight Safety Information December 27, 2017 - No. 257 In This Issue Incident: Qatar A359 at Munich on Dec 26th 2017, hydraulic failure Incident: Jetstar A320 at Coolangatta on Dec 18th 2017, failure of thrust reverser Incident: Expressjet CRJ7 at Baton Rouge on Dec 22nd 2017, gear problem on departure EgyptAir crew reacted wrongly to collision-avoidance orders (01JAN2017 - Belgium) L-410 crash probe details propeller-speed deviation Update on aircraft accident between Yalumet and Saidor Gap, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea Tokyo-bound flight diverted back to LAX after 'unauthorized person' discovered on plane 4 powerful opioids to be included in random drug test screenings of pilots Delhi: Indigo Flight Cancelled After Plane Suffers Massive Fuel Leak Minutes Before Take-Off Shredded tire damages engine, forces United Airlines flight to abort takeoff AW139 global helicopter fleet reaches two million flight hours National Aviation Services (NAS) Afghanistan Renews IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) Wanfeng Aviation Industry Buys Diamond Aircraft Industries Mitsubishi Aircraft sets up new MRJ programme management unit These pilots are the unsung heroes in organ transplants It's getting a lot more lucrative to become a pilot Wichita may be involved in supersonic jet development Flying in airplanes exposes people to more radiation than standing next to a nuclear reactor Op-ed | Next stop: the moon EBASCON 2018 is around the corner -...are you ready to join? Incident: Qatar A359 at Munich on Dec 26th 2017, hydraulic failure A Qatar Airlines Airbus A350-900, registration A7-AMB performing flight QR-59 from Doha (Qatar) to Munich (Germany), was descending towards Munich when the crew reported a hydraulic failure and advised they would probably need to stop on the runway being unable to taxi. The airport dispatched emergency services and a tow truck to the runway. The aircraft continued for a safe landing, gear doors open, on runway 26L. The crew advised they were indeed not able to vacate the runway, the tow crew advised they were unable to tow the aircraft due to the open gear doors that needed to first be taken care of, maintenance was on their way to do so. The aircraft was towed off the runway about 20 minutes after landing. The occurrence aircraft is estimated to be able to depart for the return flight with a delay of 7 hours (after about 10 hours ground time). http://avherald.com/h?article=4b2d2bca&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Jetstar A320 at Coolangatta on Dec 18th 2017, failure of thrust reverser A Jetstar Airways Airbus A320-200, registration VH-VQG performing flight JQ-452 from Adelaide,SA to Coolangatta,QL (Australia), landed on Coolangatta's runway 32, during roll out the right hand thrust reverser (engine V2527) did not deploy. The crew rolled out safely and taxied to the apron. Australia's TSB reported a post flight examination revealed previous maintenance had not removed a hydraulic lockout pin and opened an investigation into the occurrence rated an incident. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b2d4618&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Expressjet CRJ7 at Baton Rouge on Dec 22nd 2017, gear problem on departure An Expressjet Canadair CRJ-700 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N611QX performing flight EV-2847/AA-2847 from Baton Rouge,LA to Charlotte,NC (USA), was climbing out of Baton Rouge's runway 22R when the crew upon contacting departure indicated they needed to work on a problem and would probably need to return to Baton Rouge, for now they wanted to continue the departure. The crew stopped the climb at about 12,000 feet and decided to return to Baton Rouge reporting they could not completely retract the landing gear. The aircraft landed safely back on Baton Rouge's runway 22R about 20 minutes after departure. A replacement CRJ-700 registration N612QX reached Charlotte with a delay of one hour. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ASQ2847/history/20171222/1211Z/KBTR/KCLT http://avherald.com/h?article=4b2cbd82&opt=0 Back to Top EgyptAir crew reacted wrongly to collision-avoidance orders (01JAN2017 - Belgium) Belgian investigators have disclosed that the crew of a climbing EgyptAir Airbus A300-600 freighter misunderstood an instruction to level off from its collision-avoidance system before a serious airprox involving an Air France A320. The A300, flying east from Ostend to Cairo on airway UL607, had been cleared to 21,000ft after take-off and was climbing at 2,500ft/min. Belgium's Air Accident Investigation Unit says the A300 was set to pass behind the northbound A320 which was flying on airway UN873 at the higher level of 22,000ft. The controller instructed the A320 to diverge left from the airway, towards a waypoint designated FERDI, to speed its crossing. Although the A300 crew had been advised about the A320, which would cross from right to left above them, and had correctly read back instructions to maintain 21,000ft, the freighter continued to climb. Both aircraft issued collision-avoidance advisories, with the A300 crew ordered to level off, having not shown any "visible change" of vertical speed as the jets approached. Investigators state that the A300 crew later claimed to have "understood a 'climb' instruction". The captain took control from the autopilot and, instead of levelling the aircraft, increased its climb rate to 3,500ft/min. The A320 crew obeyed a corresponding collision-avoidance advistory to climb, and initiated a climb at 1,500ft/min. As the A300 passed above its cleared level and reached 21,300ft, its colliison-avoidance system started ordering the crew to descend. But the captain only reduced the climb rate instead of commencing the required 1,500ft/min descent. The A300 had still been climbing when the A320 passed 1.2nm in front, and 522ft above. Investigators state that the aircraft were separated by 0.69nm horizontally and 427ft vertically at their closest approach point. "Both aircraft cover this distance in 4s when flying at cruise speed," the inquiry points out. While investigators have yet to reach formal conclusions over the 1 January incident, pan-European air navigation organisation Eurocontrol has simulated the encounter to explore alternative scenarios. If the A300 crew had responded correctly to the 'level off' order, the aircraft would have probably levelled between 20,700ft and 20,900ft depending on the pilots' promptness. No advisory would have been issued to the A320 crew. But if the A300 had continued to climb as recorded during the incident, and the A320 crew had not responded to their 'climb' order, the vertical separation between the two jets would have halved to just 215ft at their closest point of approach. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/egyptair-crew-reacted-wrongly-to-collision-avoidance-444476/ *************** Date: 01-JAN-2017 Time: 12:46 Type: Airbus A300B4-622R(F) Owner/operator: EgyptAir Cargo Registration: SU-GAY C/n / msn: 607 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: None Category: Serious incident Location: 16 km S of Gent - Belgium Phase: En route Nature: Cargo Departure airport: Oostende Airport (OST/EBOS) Destination airport: Cairo International Airport (CAI/HECA) Investigating agency: AAIU Belgium Narrative: Egypt Air Cargo flight MSX541, an Airbus A300B4-622R(F) (SU-GAY) departed from Oostende Airport, Belgium, at 12:40 hours local time and initiated a climb to FL210. At the same time, Air France flight AF1640, an Airbus A320 (F-GKXN) was en route between Paris-Charles de Gaulle, France and Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport, Netherlands. The flight was maintaining FL220 over Belgium. At 12:42 MSX541 was re-cleared to climb FL210, which was read back correctly. Three minutes later the flight was instructed to maintain FL210 upon reaching, combined with information that there was crossing traffic, the A320, above from right to left. The readback from MSX541 of maintaining FL210 was correct. AF1640 was also advised about the climbing Egypt Air aircraft. Approaching FL210 MSX541 reported that it was following a TCAS/RA and was observed climbing through the cleared level. The TCAS advisory was showing "LVL" (level) and the Air France TCAS showed "CLB" (Climb). Separation between the two aircraft was approximately 0.74NM horizontal / 300ft vertical (in stead of 5NM / 1000 ft) https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=192819 Back to Top L-410 crash probe details propeller-speed deviation Investigators examining the crash of a Let Aircraft Industries L-410 in eastern Russia have disclosed that the aircraft's propellers started turning at different speeds seconds before the right-hand engine entered the beta range on final approach to Nelkan. Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee says that reliability data from the aircraft's developer suggests that a spontaneous triggering of the beta mode is a highly unlikely event - with the extraordinarily low occurrence probability of 10-14. The Khabarovsk Airlines aircraft had been descending for runway 04 while flying at 100-115kt when the flight-data recorder started registering a difference in the rotation speeds of the left- and right-hand propellers of the General Electric H80-200 engines. This difference continued to increase, with the right-hand propeller exhibiting the higher speed, and 14s after the onset a signal was detected to activate the right-hand engine's beta mode - effectively commanding reverse thrust. The signal continued until the end of the recording. The inquiry says that, at about the same moment, both throttles were advanced. The aircraft began to roll to the right, banking to 20-25° within 4-5s. This bank fluctuated as the crew used the ailerons and pedals to try to rebalance the aircraft. Two second after the beta-mode trigger signal, the aircraft's right-hand propeller increased rotation speed to 2,300rpm, above the normal maximum operating level of 2,080rpm. "The difference in the [rotation] level of the right and left propellers continued to persist," says the inquiry. It states that the cockpit-voice recording shows the pilots were almost immediately aware that the aircraft had entered the beta range, but were unable to counter with the left-hand engine or the control surfaces. The situation quickly deteriorated, with the aircraft descending to 100m and rapidly losing speed, and a stall warning sounded as it slowed to 76kt. Some 3-4s later, at 80m and 72kt, the aircraft rolled sharply to the right, making a complete rotation around its longitudinal axis as it fell, crashing into woodland 1.4km from the threshold of the runway. Just one of the seven occupants, a young child, survived. Both engines had logged 1,693h across 1,028 cycles. One month after the 15 November accident the aircraft developer issued a bulletin, approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency, outlining a procedure for pilots in the event of a beta-mode warning during final approach, which includes reducing the throttle and feathering the affected propeller. Investigators are still probing the circumstances of the crash. Fuel and oil analysis is being carried out and the associated activity also includes examining the emergency beacon on the aircraft, which failed to activate. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/l-410-crash-probe-details-propeller-speed-deviation-444479/ Back to Top Update on aircraft accident between Yalumet and Saidor Gap, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea, 23 December 2017 ******************** Date: Saturday 23 December 2017 Type: Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander Operator: North Coast Aviation Registration: P2-ISM C/n / msn: 227 First flight: 1970-11-13 (47 years 2 months) Crew: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Airplane damage: Unknown Location: Saidor Gap area ( Papua New Guinea) Phase: Unknown (UNK) Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Derim Airport (DER/AYDE), Papua New Guinea Destination airport: Lae-Nadzab Airport (LAE/AYNZ), Papua New Guinea Narrative: A Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander aircraft impacted steep and heavily timbered terrain, at an elevation of 9,500 feet above sea level on a ridge on the Yalumet side of the Saidor Gap area, in Papua New Guinea. The pilot survived the accident and contacted the operator by radio. Bad weather in the area prevented a recovery until December 26. By that time the pilot had died of his injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20171223-0 Back to Top Tokyo-bound flight diverted back to LAX after 'unauthorized person' discovered on plane A flight bound for Tokyo Tuesday made a u-turn back to Los Angeles International Airport after an "unauthorized person" was discovered aboard in an apparent mix-up. LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A flight bound for Tokyo's Narita Airport Tuesday made a U-turn back to Los Angeles International Airport after an "unauthorized person" was discovered aboard in an apparent mix-up. According to LAX Airport Police, officers were told to have a unit and supervisors on scene when the plane, flight ANA 175, arrives back in Los Angeles. Police said the return of the Tokyo-bound flight was due to a "mix up and was straightened up," and the plane will be re-scheduled to depart Wednesday morning. Model Chrissy Teigen, who was aboard the flight with her husband John Legend, tweeted that she had been on the plane for four hours when it turned around midair. "A flying first for me: 4 hours into an 11 hour flight and we are turning around because we have a passenger who isn't supposed to be on this plane. Why...why do we all gotta go back, I do not know," Teigen said in a tweet. http://abc7.com/travel/tokyo-bound-flight-sent-back-to-lax-after-unauthorized-person-discovered/2828071/ Back to Top 4 powerful opioids to be included in random drug test screenings of pilots MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The federal government did not require 4 powerful opioids be included in random drug test screenings of pilots until now. Beginning January 1, 2018 DOT random drug tests of all pilots, commercial and recreational, will be tested for four semi-synthetic opioids (i.e., hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone). Some common names for these semi-synthetic opioids include OxyContin®, Percodan®, Percocet®, Vicodin®, Lortab®, Norco®, Dilaudid®, Exalgo®. http://www.fox13memphis.com/top-stories/4-powerful-opioids-to-be-included-in-random-drug-test-screenings-of-pilots/669340567 Back to Top Delhi: Indigo Flight Cancelled After Plane Suffers Massive Fuel Leak Minutes Before Take-Off Major Accident Averted after an Indigo Airlines flight bound to Thiruvananthapuram was cancelled after the plane suffered a massive fuel leak while waiting to take off at New Delhi Indira Gandhi Airport on Tuesday. According to reports, some 173 passengers were onboard when the incident took place. All the passengers were made to disembark after the flight attendants found a leak just before the take-off. The reports added that the fuel leak took place from the wing of the flight 6E-945 (DEL-TRV). "As soon as the leak was detected, all the passengers and the staffs onboard were made to deplane immediately. All of them are safe," ANI quoted an official as saying. The fuel leak instance isn't a standalone instance of Indigo being in trouble. Earlier, too a Delhi-bound IndiGo airlines plane from Mumbai with around 160 passengers on board on Saturday returned to the Mumbai airport 20 minutes after take-off due to another fuel leak. Leakage in the fuel system of the aircraft forced the pilot to take back the flight to the city. In another incident, IndiGo flight between Hyderabad and Dubai took off with less than required fuel, last year, and had to be diverted to Mumbai for refueling prompting a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) inquiry into the issue. Accompanied by this, in a similar incident, a major accident was also averted in November this year at the Delhi Airport when the pilot detected smoke in the cockpit of an IndiGo aircraft and brought it back to the runway, immediately after it had taken off. https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/indigo-flight-cancelled-after-massive-fuel-leak-detected-minutes-before-take-off/306054 Back to Top Shredded tire damages engine, forces United Airlines flight to abort takeoff Shredded left landing gear tire is seen on United Airlines flight out of Newark International Liberty Airport on Christmas Eve, 2017; the tire damaged an engine and forced the takeoff to be scrapped CBS NEW YORK NEWARK, N.J. -- A United Airlines flight blew a tire in its left landing gear, damaging the engine above it and forcing the pilot to abort the takeoff from Newark Liberty International Airport on Christmas Eve, CBS New York reports, citing police from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Damaged United Airlines Embraer 145 is seen on runway after aborting takeoff form Newark Liberty International Airport on Christmas Eve 2017 CBS NEW YORK Forty-four passengers and three crew members were evacuated and no injuries were reported, police added. The plane was a United Embraer 145, authorities said. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/shredded-tire-damages-engine-forces-united-airlines-flight-to-abort-takeoff/ Back to Top AW139 global helicopter fleet reaches two million flight hours The AW139 intermediate twin engine helicopter global fleet has reached an outstanding milestone of two million flight hours, across all operational scenarios on five continents, while performing a wide range of missions with commercial, government and military operators. This accomplishment was reached just three years after the achievement of the first million showing impressive reliability, effectiveness, safety and supportability across a range of missions. AW139 helicopter in flightNearly 900 units of the AW139 are today in service by more than 300 customers in 80 countries worldwide. Leonardo Photo With the AW139 fleet leader having exceeded 12,000 hours on a single aircraft, nearly 900 units are today in service out of over 1000 on order by more than 300 customers in 80 countries worldwide. The global reach of the AW139, assembled in Philadelphia and Vergiate, has resulted in the type becoming a benchmark as the best-selling helicopter in its weight category and the most successful helicopter programme in the last 15 years. The type covers the widest range of applications with high flexibility including SAR, EMS, law enforcement and homeland security, patrol, firefighting, disaster relief, offshore transport, VIP/Corporate transport, utility and military duties. This latest operational achievement is the combined result of the AW139's design, quality, performance and market success as well as Company's capability in supporting the worldwide fleet. The two million flight hour milestone was made possible through the variety of Leonardo services and support packages and the extended support network distributed in geographies around the world. The AW139 complies with the latest certification and safety standards, offering outstanding overall performance with impressive power margin and one engine inoperative capability and also with a certified 60+ MGB 'run dry' capability which provides the highest standard in terms of safety. Designed to allow high versatility and customized solutions, the AW139 is available with more than 1000 certified equipment options. Among some of the latest innovative systems available for the type are the LIPS and FIPS(Limited and Full Icing Protection Systems, respectively), and the OPLS (Obstacle Proximity Lidar System) that enhance mission capability and safety. The AW139 has significantly grown its capabilities in years. This includes a maximum take-off weight extension (MTOW) to 7,000 kg for newly built and retrofitted aircraft, and as a result, new Cat A offshore enhanced procedures, avionic suite releases delivering ADSB-Out (automated dependent surveillance-broadcast), TCAS II (Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System), RNP performance (Required Navigation Performance), EGPWS update (Enhanced Ground Proximity System), Wide Area Augmentation System/Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance, and many other features. Supportability has also been strengthened. A 30 percent reduction in maintenance time has been achieved with a dedicated Service Excellence initiative. Leonardo has established a Reliability Data Sharing Group (RDSG) and has launched a Flight Crew Operations Manual (FCOM) as additional services. Since its certification in 2004, approximately 5,300 pilots and 7,700 technicians have been trained with over 150,000 simulator hours logged to date. The AW139 helicopter is part of the family of new generation helicopters produced by Leonardo that also includes the AW169 and AW189. These models all possess the same high-performance flight characteristics and safety features whilst sharing the same common cockpit concept and design philosophy. This approach facilitates synergies for operators of these types in areas such as training, maintenance and support. The AW139 design, success and experience have been key to the development of these latest additions to the product range and the family concept itself. https://www.verticalmag.com/press-releases/aw139-global-helicopter-fleet-reaches-two-million-flight-hours/ Back to Top National Aviation Services (NAS) Afghanistan Renews IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) Certification for Kabul Operations National Aviation Services (NAS) (www.NAS.aero), the fastest growing aviation services provider in the emerging markets, has renewed its IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) certification (http://APO.af/cFyksi) in Kabul. NAS Afghanistan passed the ISAGO audit with a perfect score for the second time in two years, once again demonstrating the company's commitment to safety and security in all its operations. Earlier this year, NAS Abidjan received its first ISAGO certification. NAS was also among the first ground handling providers in the world to receive an ISAGO certification for its Kuwait operation in 2008. Since then this certification has been renewed five times. ISAGO is an internationally-recognized system for assessing the operational management and control systems for ground handling service providers. It is based on industry-proven quality audit principles and follows a stringent and structured process that reviews training, policies, procedures, etc. Hassan El Houry, NAS CEO, said, "Our latest ISAGO certification in NAS Afghanistan demonstrates our continued focus on high levels of service quality, safety and security. As we continue to grow our reach and expand our portfolio of products and services, we remain committed to strengthening our presence in and contribution to the countries that we operate in." In Afghanistan, NAS partners with Ariana Afghan Airlines to form the Ariana - NAS joint venture. Ariana - NAS, the exclusive ground handler at Kabul International Airport, also provides services at the Herat and Kandahar International Airports. Through its operations at the three major airports in Afghanistan, NAS serves more than 3,000 flights and over 900,000 passengers per year. Reinforced with an employee base of 360 employees and over 175 pieces of ground support equipment, NAS contributes greatly in the areas of employment, training and infrastructure development in the country. Globally, NAS has a presence in more than 30 airports, handles seven out of the world's top 10 airlines and manages 31 airport lounges in 15 countries across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Aviation Services (NAS). Media contact: Nita Bhatkar Sr. Manager - Public Relations & Corporate Social Responsibility National Aviation Services Tel. +965 1 842 842 Ext. 309 Direct: +965 24372309 NBhatkar@nas.aero www.NAS.aero https://www.cnbcafrica.com/apo/2017/12/26/national-aviation-services-nas-afghanistan-renews-iata-safety-audit-for-ground-operations-isago-certification-for-kabul-operations/ Back to Top Wanfeng Aviation Industry Buys Diamond Aircraft Industries Ben Chen, the new chairman of Diamond Aircraft Industies, welcomes Diamond employees to the Wanfeng Aviation family. Hangzhou, China-based Wanfeng Aviation Industry has purchased Austria's Diamond Aircraft Industries. In late 2016, Wanfeng acquired a 60-percent stake in Diamond's manufacturing operation in Canada as well as rights to manufacture the seven-passenger DA62 twin and four-passenger DA40 single. The acquisition includes aero-diesel engine manufacturer Austro Engine. Wanfeng Aviation is part of Wanfeng Auto Holding Group. The aviation division includes a Part 135 charter operation, an aircraft management service, and a Part 145 maintenance facility. The company operates an Embraer Phenom 100E and Bombardier Challenger 605, and plans call for expansion into aircraft manufacturing, airport management, flight training, and other general aviation operations. Under Wanfeng's ownership, work will continue on new Diamond models, including the diesel-powered, five-seat DA50 and the Dart turboprop military trainer. "We were attracted to Diamond's leadership position in the market," said Bin Chen, chairman of Wanfeng Aviation Industry and president of the Wanfeng Auto Holding Group. "Under the 25-year leadership of founder Christian Dries, the Diamond team has developed a broad range of superb aircraft that have gained worldwide respect for their performance, efficiency, safety, and innovation. Based on this excellent foundation, we intend to take Diamond to a long-term leadership position in worldwide general aviation." "Diamond is my life's work," said former Diamond CEO Dries. "In the interest of a successful long-term future, we needed to find the right partner to continue our good work. Wanfeng and specifically Mr. Bin Chen share my vision of the future of general aviation and are investing for the right reasons, with a long-term strategy and the resources to see their vision through. I look forward to seeing Diamond develop further, and based on our successful year-long partnership in Diamond Canada, I am fully satisfied that I leave Diamond in very good hands." According to Wanfeng, Chen will become chairman of Diamond Aircraft Industries, with Frank Zhang as CEO. Dries "will maintain an advisory function to help guide the new ownership and ensure the continued development of Diamond Aircraft Group." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/general-aviation/2017-12-26/wanfeng-aviation-industry-buys-diamond-aircraft-industries Back to Top Mitsubishi Aircraft sets up new MRJ programme management unit Mitsubishi Aircraft has newly set up a programme management division to "reinforce the development and management" of its MRJ regional jet programme. Under the division, headed by former programme director Alex Bellamy, sits the integrated product team (IPT) execution department, the governance management office and the product strategy office. The IPT execution department is concerned with promotion and management of the programme, while the government management office handles matters such as schedule setting, evaluation and risk management. The Japanese manufacturer tells FlightGlobal that the new division, effective 1 January 2018, will clarify the roles and responsibilities so as to execute the MRJ programme "more efficiently". Mitsubishi has also restructured its engineering division. The new structure will be split into five departments: aircraft integration, mechanical system design, electrical system design, airframe design and avionics, fly-by-wire and software design. There will also be three offices focusing on interiors, test rigs integration and electrical wiring interconnect systems design. The change, also to be rolled out next year, will help achieve more efficient communication and quicker decision making, says Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi is targeting to deliver the first MRJ90 to launch customer All Nippon Airways by mid-2020. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/mitsubishi-aircraft-sets-up-new-mrj-programme-manage-444474/ Back to Top These pilots are the unsung heroes in organ transplants Pilot Todd Ratzlaff pulls the organ procurement cooler as Ginny DeWitt and surgeon I-wen Wang, the medical team from IU Health, board the airplane in November at Indianapolis International Airport to procure a heart and lung in Evansville. The crew departed from the airport at around 1 a.m. and returned with the procured organs just after 6 a.m. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Todd Ratzlaff's Sunday evening was winding down. He had picked up his three children, ages 11, 14 and 15, from swim practice. They'd eaten dinner and were settling in at their Trafalgar home. It was 7 or 8 p.m. That's when his iPhone rang. A few hours later, Ratzlaff was off to help save lives. He is a pilot for TxJet, a subsidiary of the Indiana Donor Network that transports life-saving organs to recipients in Indiana. That Sunday in November, he and fellow pilot Roger Law needed to depart at 12:30 a.m. to pick up a heart and lung in Evansville. Ratzlaff rested for an hour before heading to the TxJet hangar at the Indianapolis International Airport, a more leisurely time frame than usual. Indiana Donor Network's pilots often receive calls just two hours ahead of departure, which gives Ratzlaff 15 minutes to get ready, 45 minutes to drive to Indy and an hour to prepare the Cessna CJ3 for flight. When duty calls, he goes. Ratzlaff has abandoned a cart full of groceries, snuck out of a movie theater mid-film and left amidst many family gatherings since starting his job at TxJet in April. "You get the phone call, no matter what you're doing you just drop it and go to the airport. I have babysitters on standby. I have a change of clothes in a locker in here with the shower in case I'm mowing the lawn," Ratzlaff said. He said spontaneity keeps the so-called job interesting. To him, flying isn't work, it's just fun. "There are people, I believe, that want to fly, and there are people that are born to fly. And I feel like I was born to fly. I just love it. There's no better job," Ratzlaff said. He's always longed to be in the sky. Growing up, his father was a fighter pilot based in California. He followed his father and grandfather into the military, accumulating 21 years of Air Force service through active duty and reserves. He's flown cargo for Gemini Air, a corporate charter for Cummins and commercially for Republic Airlines. He spent six years flight-less, working in intelligence and contracting for the military, overseas and at home. "In the time that I was out of flying, I missed it every day. Still, at (age 50), every time a plane flies over here at the airport, I look up to see what it is," Ratzlaff said with a grin. "To be able to come to work and know that you are saving somebody's life every time you fly is very rewarding," he said. He's had practice. In Afghanistan, he and others prevented a convoy from running over an improvised explosive device. Without his counter-IED efforts, the members of that unit would be dead. "That's the most proud I've ever felt for a job, ever, and this is a pretty close second," Ratzlaff said. To an onlooker, the transport process appears ordinary. They operate with a healthy balance of urgency and composure - Ratzlaff describes it as a "well-practiced ballet." While the medical team procures organs, Ratzlaff and Law procure meals for the group, opting for local cuisine when possible. "I've had the opportunity to have some incredible barbecue in Little Rock. I've had some fantastic steaks in Kansas. Not one trip has been the same, and to me, that's fun," Ratzlaff said, adding his daughter still begs him to make pulled pork with the jug of barbecue sauce he brought home. A hearty meal for the surgeons might seem trivial, but it's those little conveniences that make TxJet invaluable. Indiana Donor Network is one of few organ procurement organizations that has its own jets. Most organ donor organizations rely on charter airlines. Familiar pilots and aircraft that are available 24/7 boost communication and comfort for the medical teams, but more importantly, make for faster transport. Sure enough, the Cessna CJ3 was ready on the runway at Evansville Regional when the medical team finally reappeared with a cooler labeled "Human Organ/Tissue for Transplant." On the quiet return flight to Indy, the surgeon and assistant scarfed down hash browns and omelets from IHOP. At half past 6 a.m., ambulance lights flicked on and the heart and lung moved into the distance, on the final stretch of the journey to two hopeful recipients at IU Health. http://www.pharostribune.com/news/state_news/article_843dba9f-5aa9-5913-a9e4-64c80accd418.html Back to Top It's getting a lot more lucrative to become a pilot Zack Tusing, 19, is working on his pilot's license. He's hoping to get hired by an airline by the time he's 21. Zack Tusing is training to be a pilot. One of his favorite places to fly is a spot along the Hudson River, overlooking New York City. Sure, he says, it's a little scary hovering next to skyscrapers and being suspended over water in a one engine Cessna. "Other than that, it's really cool," Tusing said. "Central Park is cool to see. Being right at the top of One World Trade Center is cool. You can see Yankee Stadium." Tusing is 19, and he has been training to be a pilot since he was a toddler. "When I was three or four, my dad would hook up, I think it was a Microsoft Flight Simulator 1995, on the computer, and I would just try to get the plane on the ground somewhere without crashing," he said. When he took his first actual flying lesson at 13, the outlook for pilots wasn't great. It was 2011, and there had been a decade of turmoil in the airline industry - with downturns after 9/11 and during the recession. About 10,000 pilots were furloughed. Entry-level pilot salaries were about $22,000 a year on average, according to the aviation advisory firm FAPA. Meanwhile, training could cost five times that, says Wendy Beckman, who runs the aerospace department at Middle Tennessee State University. "You heard stories of people on food stamps and living at home and sleeping in crew lounges," Beckman said. Infinity Flight Group, a flight training school, opened a few years ago with a three-plane fleet. Now it has 25 planes and it's having trouble keeping up with demand. Tusing didn't want to give up his dream. In fall 2016, he enrolled in Penn State Abington's business program, with plans to get his pilot's license after graduation. But there was a shift happening in the airline industry. There's a mandatory retirement age for pilots: 65. That time has come for a lot of them, says Gregory John, who runs Infinity Flight Group, the pilot training school Tusing attends. "It's estimated [that in] the next 10 years, half of all pilots will be retiring from major airlines," John said. The big airlines, like American and United, have hired more than 4,000 pilots this year - an eightfold increase from just five years ago, according to FAPA. A lot of those pilots come from the regional airlines. That's left the regionals with a pilot shortage. Last year, 35 percent of available pilot jobs at those airlines went unfilled, according to the Regional Airline Association. The regional airlines have had to up their game. They've more than doubled pilot starting pay, to almost $50,000 a year on average, according to FAPA. Regional airlines are also offering signing bonuses of up to $31,000, and they're helping to pay for flight training. "They'll help pay for some of your flight training," John said. "They'll guarantee you a job." Some are also relaxing their preference for a college degree. So in January, Zack Tusing dropped out of college to train as a pilot full time. Tusing has flown about 200 hours so far; he needs 1,500 to get hired at a commercial airline. He says it'll probably cost him $80,000 all told. But he sees a real future as a pilot. https://www.marketplace.org/2017/12/26/business/its-getting-lot-more-lucrative-be-new-pilot Back to Top Wichita may be involved in supersonic jet development WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Work on a supersonic business airplane could likely be headed to Wichita's aircraft suppliers. Aerion Corp. Executive Chairman Brian Barents said this week that it's probable some of the parts on the company's $120 million AS2 supersonic business jet will be made by Wichita suppliers. Barents says he fully expects Wichita's aviation industry to play a role in the development of the 12-passenger jet. The Wichita Eagle reports that the AS2 likely will be manufactured by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, which last week announced its agreement with Aerion to work together on a plan to engineer, certify and produce the jet. But Barents says there will be ample opportunity for Wichita suppliers to manufacture parts for the airplane. The jet is expected to make its first flight in 2023. http://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Wichita-may-be-involved-in-supersonic-jet-12455805.php Back to Top Flying in airplanes exposes people to more radiation than standing next to a nuclear reactor - here's why Traveling the skies by jet lifts us far from the hustle and bustle of the world below. But many flyers don't know that soaring miles above Earth also takes us out of a vital protective cocoon - and a little closer to a place where our cells can be pummeled by radiation from colliding stars, black holes, and more. You can't see these high-energy charged particles, but at any given moment, tens of thousands of them are soaring through space and slamming into Earth's atmosphere from all directions. Also called cosmic rays or cosmic ionizing radiation, the particles are the cores of atoms, such as iron and nickel, moving at nearly light-speed. They can travel for millions of years through space before randomly hitting Earth. An illustration of cosmic rays hitting Earth's atmosphere, leading to ionizing radiation. NASA These rays don't pose much of a risk to humans on Earth's surface, since the planet's atmosphere and magnetic field shield us from most of the threat. "Cosmic rays are not a significant exposure risk on the ground," Eddie Semones, a radiation health officer at NASA, previously told Business Insider. "You actually get more exposure from the Earth's natural radioactive material than from galactic cosmic rays." But far above the ground, the particles are more likely to leak through. When cosmic rays strike the air, they create showers of ionizing radiation - particles that can knock electrons free of atoms and molecules - that can penetrate deep inside our bodies. This potential damage to tissues and DNA poses risks to our health and has been linked to cancer, reproductive issues, and cognition problems in animals. That's why it can be risky to fly for a living. But cosmic rays aren't the only form of radiation that pilots and flight attendants face. Dangers from deep space solar flare A photo of a solar outburst. Because those who fly on jet airplanes frequently face higher exposure to cosmic radiation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies airline crew members as radiation workers. In fact, the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements reported in 2009 that air crews have, on average, the highest yearly dose of radiation out of all radiation-exposed workers in the US. This means they receive more radiation exposure than people who work alongside nuclear reactors. "Working at power plants nowadays, it's very, very strict in how they would do a job that'd incur radiation exposure to an individual," Semones said. The use of robots and detailed planning has become routine since the Cold War, so "the industry has evolved," he added. Another radiation risk when flying is energetic outbursts from the sun, which Earth normally shields people from. This includes gamma rays and X-rays from solar flares, and storms of high-energy protons. When the sun is very active, there can be several solar particle events per day. The annual exposure for air crews is an estimated 3 millisieverts (mSv) - a complex measure of the amount of background radiation a person receives in one year in the US. Only astronauts are more exposed: Ten days in space delivers about 4.3 mSv to the skin alone, which is 4.3 years' worth of cosmic radiation on the surface of Earth. This is why NASA does not permit astronauts to spend more than a year or so in orbit. The space agency doesn't want their exposure to boost their lifetime risk for cancer more than an additional 3%. No limits for airline crews While NASA is extra-cautious due to the intense exposure astronauts face during short missions, US airline workers don't get the same scrutiny. "There are no official dose limits for aircrew in the United States," the US Centers for Disease control writes in its aircrew safety guidelines on cosmic radiation. The reason: "We don't know what levels of cosmic radiation are safe for every person." This is because there are very few human studies on the topic. Most have examined nuclear bomb survivors and people undergoing radiation therapy. The animal studies that have been done don't always map well to people. There are some worldwide guidelines, however. The International Commission on Radiological Protection recommends crew members not be exposed to more than 20 mSv per year. The ICRP says that the general public, on the other hand, should receive less than 1 mSv per year. To minimize their exposure, airline personnel should try to limit working on flights that are very long, at high altitudes, or that fly over the poles, which are all associated with heightened exposures, according to the CDC. Pregnant crew members are particularly at risk and should try not to fly during their first trimester. They're also advised to avoid flying when the sun is having a solar particle event, which can deliver a higher dose of radiation in one flight than is recommended for the entirety of a pregnancy. To calculate your exposure on a typical flight, check out this handy online tool from the Federal Aviation Administration. http://www.businessinsider.com/flying-airplane-cancer-radiation-risk-2017-12 Back to Top Op-ed | Next stop: the moon by Giuseppe Reibaldi, John Mankins and Chris Welch - December 26, 2017 An artist's depiction of a lunar base, sometimes called a moon village. A moon village would provide a great initial market for lunar miners. Credit: Wikicommons A "Moon Village" is not a literal village on the moon but rather the ensemble of all efforts - private, governmental and other - aiming to explore and use the moon in a sustainable manner. Credit: NASA The International Space Station has been a tremendous political and technical success. However, the ISS program is coming to an end in the next few years, although government players such as the NASA, ESA, Roscosmos, China and others will continue their activities. Major new business ventures are planned in low Earth orbit (LEO) assuring a constant utilization of the opportunities offered there to provide a range of new services. We have now to look to our next stop beyond LEO. In many countries, both governments and companies have plans to go to the moon to expand scientific knowledge and to assess the extent to which the moon's natural resources may generate new wealth for humanity. Much has been written about the advantages of the moon as a technical and programmatic proving ground for humanity to expand toward Mars and beyond. The only real question left to answer is this: how we shall go to the moon in a coordinated manner? This is a hurdle as challenging as any engineering or technological problem to be solved. We need to somehow federate already existing program and business plans. We need to define architectures that are open to all stakeholders, ones that encompass government, corporate, scientific and public interests. The answer could be the Moon Village, a common conception of the moon as a destination for multiple users and missions, for science, utilization and human presence and more. The Moon Village is not an "ISS on the moon" but rather the ensemble of all efforts - private, governmental and other - aiming to explore and use the moon in a sustainable manner. However, we need now to be more specific on how to go about accomplishing this attractive vision. It is clear that the Deep Space Gateway or other orbiting stations in the lunar vicinity is one important element in this, but we need also surface access and operations. What is the way forward? On the programmatic side, the Second International Space Exploration Forum (ISEF2) planned in March 2018 in Tokyo is a major event at political level to discuss common exploration programs. At this meeting there is the need to agree that the moon is our next common goal and initiate political and technical discussions on how to forge cooperation with common standards and innovative mechanisms. Also, on the technical side, the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISEGC), composed of representatives of many space agencies, will play an important role in defining roadmaps and technological niches. To complement the above, the Moon Village Association (MVA), has been recently created as non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Vienna. Its goal is the creation of a global informal forum for governments, industry, academia and the public interested in the development of the Moon Village, fostering permanent links between all these stakeholders. The MVA will foster cooperation for existing or planned global moon exploration programs, be they public or private initiatives. The utilization of the moon is a mid- to long-term goal for humanity and it will require the involvement of as many countries as possible. This is the reason why the MVA is involving individuals and organizations in society at large as well as traditional aerospace players: to bridge the gap between space programs and citizens, and between developing and developed countries. The association will offer the possibility to those non-traditional players to provide valuable inputs to the Moon Village implementation. Private citizens, as well as industries, space agencies, universities, research centers and others, need a platform to exchange ideas and forge new connections on a global scale. MVA is providing this platform with a global presence of regional networks. Networks have been already created in China, Japan, Africa, India, Cyprus and Latin America; more will follow. These local networks will organize outreach events to engage local stakeholders, win their support and give them the opportunity to participate in the Moon Village. MVA participants will play an important role of accomplishing the unique goal of expanding human presence in a permanent manner beyond Earth. The implementation of the Moon Village started on November 19-21, when the MVA held its first workshop, co-organized with the International Space University in Strasbourg, France, to discuss concrete aspects of implementing the Moon Village. Representatives of space agencies, industry, universities (both faculty and students), scientists and artists took part in the meeting. The following are among the principal findings. There is tremendous interest in and support for future lunar exploration, development and human presence. The Moon Village concept is a powerful tool with which to organize coordination, cooperation and future planning vis-ŕ-vis a broad range of potential lunar missions and markets. There is the need to answer with certainty several key questions to inform and validate the plans being developed by both major commercial firms and new space business for the utilization of the moon's resources. Public private partnerships even in this first phase could play a key role in support missions aimed at answering these key questions. To facilitate innovation and a wide range of possible projects there is also a need for an international framework comprising standards and agreements to cooperate on specific issues projects and so on. A detailed report will be issued by early next year, and the MVA will participate in a range of international events, beginning in March in Tokyo with ISEF2, to foster the start of specific discussions and global cooperation related to lunar exploration. The time has finally come to focus on humanity's next stop in space: the moon. It has never been more important to move forward in a coordinated manner to engage all available human and technical resources for the benefit of humanity. The emerging global focus on a Moon Village is an ideal way to realize this crucial vision. Giuseppe Reibaldi is president of the Moon Village Association and Executive Secretary of the The Hague Space Resources Governance Working Group. John C. Mankins is President of Artemis Innovation Management Solutions LLC and one of the organizers of the First International Moon Village Workshop. Chris Welch is Professor of Space Engineering at the International Space University and member of the Moon Village Association Inaugural Advisory Council. http://spacenews.com/op-ed-next-stop-the-moon/ Back to Top EBASCON 2018 is around the corner - are you ready to join? You then should not hesitate to register for the 8th European Business Aviation Safety Conference, held on February 20 and 21, 2018 in Vienna, Austria at Falkensteiner Hotel Margareten. Take advantage of the Early Bird discount until January 1, 2018! At EBASCON you will have the unique opportunity to meet your peers, exchange ideas and thoughts with presenters, and expand your network. You will hear about the latest developments in business aviation safety from high-ranking international speakers: Christian Rode, Fighter Jet Pilot, Keynote Speaker and Certified Auditor for Safety Management, will be the EBASCON 2018 VIP speaker Reinhard Balzer, will present some 'accident examples in aviation' and talk about 'go around decision making models with regard to business aviation' Soufiane Boufous, PhD, Senior Lecturer, School of Aviation at the University of NSW, Sydney/Australia, will talk about 'The potential application of data linkage in aviation safety' Jens Friedemann, Investigator in Charge at BFU Germany, will provide insight into recent accidents and incidents in business aviation Martin Hamilton, Vice President Business Development and Marketing at Aircare International, will give a presentation on 'The hidden values of outsourced simulator-based emergency procedures training to business aviation flight departments' Ian Holder, Principal Consultant at Baines Simmons, he introduce 'opportunities and challenges of a performance based environment (PBE)' Nektarios Karanikas, Associate Professor of Safety & Human Factors, Aviation Academy/Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, will present 'self assessment of safety management systems and safety culture prerequisites' Paul D. Krivonos, PhD, Emeritus Professor Communication at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), will introduce 'Effective communication for aviation safety management systems - a matrix for safety teams and safety meetings' Razvan Prunean, former EBAA Manager Safety, will share his visionary view on 'safety culture in business aviation' Volker Stuhlsatz, Senior ATM Specialist at EUROCONTROL Maastricht-UAC, will introduce the latest aviation safety trends Marion Venus, Clinical and Aviation Psychologist, will give us some insights about Flight Time Limitations, Fatigue, Employment Conditions and Airline Pilot's Mental Health A final agenda will be provided very soon! Please also find information on accommodation, awards and sponsorship at http://www.ebascon.eu Curt Lewis