Flight Safety Information January 5, 2018 - No. 005 In This Issue Incident: Aeroflot A320 at Barnaul on Jan 3rd 2018, cargo door indication Incident: THY A321 and Egypt B738 at Cairo on Jan 4th 2018, loss of separation Lufthansa flight LH1069 suffered an engine failure departure from Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport, France Egypt balloon crash at popular Luxor resort kills tourist Blizzard forces JFK-bound Singapore Airline A380 jumbo jet to land in small airport Jet Airways pilots 'leave cockpit unattended while having a fight' during Mumbai to London flight Aviation safety rules and new rules on drones approved by the European Council Sydney air crash seaplane had been rebuilt after earlier accident Yeager Airport reopen after private aircraft incident U.S. Firm Awaits Contract To Restart MH370 Search Investigators probe Saudia A330 wheel loss FlightGlobal data indicates over 700 Airbus deliveries last year Mayo Clinic Launches BasicMed Online Course Flight 3407 families tell Trump: back your words on air safety These Are the Worst Airports, According to Pilots These are the world's safest airlines 2018 Southwest Airlines to Boeing: We'll take the large China Aircraft Leasing buys another 15 Airbus A320 jets, taking order size to US$7.5 billion United States Aircraft Insurance Group (USAIG) Celebrates 90th Anniversary USHST Safety Experts Will Offer 13 Workshops at Heli-Expo 2018 Elon Musk: SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launch will happen before end of January Aircraft Accidents and Frozen Chickens MITRE - SMS Course - March 2018 Incident: Aeroflot A320 at Barnaul on Jan 3rd 2018, cargo door indication An Aeroflot Airbus A320-200, registration VQ-BIV performing flight SU-1431 from Barnaul to Moscow Sheremetyevo (Russia), was climbing out of Barnaul when the crew stopped the climb at FL070 due to a cargo door indication. The aircraft entered a hold at FL070 for about 80 minutes, then the crew decided to divert to Novosibirsk, located about 100nm north of Barnaul. The aircraft climbed to FL080 and landed safely in Novosibirsk about 2:10 hours after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground in Novosibirsk for about 12 hours, then continued the journey climbing to FL360 and reached Moscow with a delay of 14 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b336bbd&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: THY A321 and Egypt B738 at Cairo on Jan 4th 2018, loss of separation on simultaneous go around and takeoff A THY Turkish Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration TC-JTF performing flight TK-690 from Istanbul (Turkey) to Cairo (Egypt), was on final approach to Cairo's runway 23R. An EgyptAir Boeing 737-800, registration SU-GEB performing flight MS-709 from Cairo (Egypt) to Beirut (Lebanon), was cleared for takeoff from Cairo's runway 23L and had just become airborne, when the THY A321 initiated a go around from very low height, already above runway 23R, and joined the published missed approach procedure requiring a left turn onto heading 186 taking the aircraft through the extended runway center lines of both other runways 23C and 23L. About 20 seconds after the A321 went around ATC instructed the A321 to turn right onto a heading of 300 degrees, the crew complied and reverted to a right turn, about 40 seconds after the go around the two aircraft reached their closest point of separation with an estimated vertical separation of 400 feet (MS-709 above TK-690) and about 1.3nm lateral separation, then the trajectories began to diverge again, the A321 levelled off at 2500 feet as per published missed approach procedure. MS-709 increased their climb, then was instructed to turn left onto a heading of 180 about one minute after the go around, when the aircraft were already clear of conflict. The A321 positioned for another approach to runway 23R and landed safely about 13 minutes after the go around. MS-709 continued to Beirut, suffered a lightning strike on approach to Beirut and landed safely. Following a required lightning strike inspection the aircraft is about to depart for the return flight. Flight trajectories based on Mode-S data (Graphics: AVH/Google Earth): http://avherald.com/h?article=4b33206a&opt=0 Back to Top Lufthansa flight LH1069 suffered an engine failure departure from Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport, France. Date: 05-JAN-2018 Time: ca 06:36 UTC Type: Airbus A319-114 Owner/operator: Lufthansa Registration: D-AILI C/n / msn: 0651 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 134 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Unknown Location: Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE/LFMN) - France Phase: Initial climb Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE/LFMN) Destination airport: Frankfurt International Airport (FRA/EDDF) Narrative: Lufthansa flight LH1069 suffered an engine failure departure from Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport, France. Shortly after takeoff passengers noticed a noise and flames emitting from one of the engines. The flight crew requested vectors back to the airport and stated they had an 'engine failure'. No emergency was declared. The aircraft, an Airbus A319, circled for a safe landing on runway 04R. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=203848 Back to Top Egypt balloon crash at popular Luxor resort kills tourist The remains of a hot air balloon near the ancient Egyptian city of Luxor, 5 January 2018 The balloon was carrying about 20 passengers when it crashed near the ancient Egyptian city A hot air balloon carrying tourists has crashed near the Egyptian city of Luxor, with one person killed and several injured, officials say. About 20 people were on board when the accident occurred on Friday. The tourist who died was South African. The balloon was travelling over the ancient city when it was forced off course and into a mountainous area by strong winds, according to reports. In 2013, 19 tourists were killed when a hot air balloon caught fire in Luxor. Luxor governor Mahmoud Badr confirmed Friday's accident, adding that he was checking on the wellbeing of passengers at a local hospital, AFP news agency reports. Those on board the flight included a number of foreign nationals along with Egyptian tourists. No British citizens were involved, the UK Foreign Office said. No further details have been provided on the extent of the injuries or nationalities of the wounded. Some 20 ambulances attended the scene of the accident, Egypt's state-run Mena news agency reports. Hot air balloons carry tourists over Egypt's Valley of the Kings, near Luxor, 15 November Balloon flights over the Valley of the Kings in Luxor are popular with tourists The ancient city of Luxor, which lies on the banks of the River Nile in the south of Egypt, has long been a popular tourist destination due to its archaeological sites. Hot air balloon crashes have occurred in the region before. In 2016, balloon flights were temporarily halted in the city after more than 20 people were injured in a similar accident. The deadly incident in 2013 was the result of an explosion mid-flight and involved tourists from the UK, France, Hong Kong and Japan. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42576974 Back to Top Blizzard forces JFK-bound Singapore Airline A380 jumbo jet to land in small airport Singapore Airlines Flight SQ26 is seen sitting on the snow-covered tarmac of Stewart International Airport on Jan 4, 2018. Photo: Stewart International Airport SINGAPORE - A Singapore Airlines flight bound for New York is the latest victim of a powerful blizzard that battered the US Northeast on Thursday (Jan 4). Singapore Airlines said in a statement on Friday that SQ26 was forced to divert its flight for the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York to the Stewart International Airport (SWF), some 128km north, due to Winter Storm Grayson. The statement added that alternative ground transportation to New York would be arranged for affected passengers. According to Flightradar24, the giant Airbus A380 plane landed at SWF's snow covered runway at around 12.23pm local time (1.30am Singapore time on Jan 5). CNBC reported that the plane's 325 passengers were only seen disembarking more than four hours later at around 5pm (6am Singapore time). According to Mr Manoel Gerlach, a passenger on the plane who was tweeting about his experience, airport officials were waiting to disembark the passengers with stairs. CNBC mentioned in its report that the airport's gates were not high enough to reach the doors of the double-deckered plane. News of the A380's arrival sparked some debate online as to whether the airport would be able to accommodate the world's biggest passenger plane. "Why are you assuming we weren't able to accommodate them?" was a response Stewart Airport gave to one of its critics on Twitter. Mr Gerlach felt that, considering the circumstances, the Stewart airport handled the situation well. While he agreed the airport "was not made to deplane an A380 at peak efficiency", he added that the airport staff did "a remarkably good job with the resources that they have". At around 6.28 square kilometres, SWF is roughly half the size of Changi Airport's 13 square kilometres, and saw a footfall of around 137,000 in 2016, according to the US Department of Transportation. This is a small fraction of JFK's 29 million passengers. Thursday's blizzard knocked out power for tens of thousands of people living in the Northeast of the United States, snarling travel amid a cold snap that has gripped much of the country for over a week and killed more than a dozen people. More than 5,000 US airline flights were cancelled, firefighters scrambled to rescue motorists from flooded streets in Boston, National Guard troops were mobilised in the Northeast and New York City's two main airports halted flights because of whiteout conditions. At New York's JFK and LaGuardia airports, all flights were temporarily halted because of whiteout conditions, the Federal Aviation Administration said. LaGuardia on Thursday evening announced on Twitter that the suspension had been lifted. But the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said flights at JFK would not resume until 7am (8pm, Singapore time) on Friday. http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/blizzard-forces-jfk-bound-singapore-airline-a380-jumbo-jet-land- small-airport Back to Top Jet Airways pilots 'leave cockpit unattended while having a fight' during Mumbai to London flight The female pilot is believed to have left the cockpit after she was slapped by her male co-pilot Jet Airways said it has grounded both pilots following the incident (file photo) Getty Images A pair of senior pilots who allegedly got into a fight and stormed out of the cockpit mid-flight, have been ground by an Indian airliner. Jet Airways is investigating allegations that a male pilot slapped his female colleague during an argument on a New Year's Day flight from Mumbai to London. The female pilot is believed to have left the cockpit in tears followed briefly by her co-pilot. As a result the controls were left unattended on the flight which had 323 passengers and 14 crew members aboard. The male pilot is thought to have come out of the cockpit to persuade her to return - a violation of aviation safety rules which demand at least one pilot remains at the controls at all times during the flight. The female pilot is believed to have been captaining the flight. The incident is alleged to have happened shortly after the Boeing 777 took off on the nine hour flight at around 10am UK time The plane later landed safely and no one was injured. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/jet-airways-pilots-fight-mumbai-london-flight-cockpit- unattended-slap-new-years-day-a8141361.html Back to Top Aviation safety rules and new rules on drones approved by the European Council EU ambassadors (Permanent Representatives Committee) have endorsed the deal concluded with the European Parliament on revised common safety rules for civil aviation and a new remit for the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Aviation safety rules and new rules on drones approved by the European Council The reform includes the first ever EU-wide rules for civil drones, that will allow remotely piloted aircraft of all sizes to fly safely in European airspace and will bring legal certainty for this rapidly expanding industry. The main purpose of the new rules is to create the right conditions so that the EU has the capacity to handle the expected air traffic increase of 50 percent over the next 20 years and to ensure that the EU aviation sector is prepared for tough global competition. The regulation on EU civil aviation safety covers all key areas of aviation including airworthiness, aircrew, aerodromes, air operations and the provision of air navigation services. It also sets out a division of tasks between the EU and national authorities. The reform introduces proportionate and risk-based rules designed to reduce red tape and encourage innovation. For example, sport and recreational aviation will be subject to simpler and cheaper approval procedures than those applicable for commercial air transport. The rules on drones will provide the basic principles to ensure safety, security, privacy and the protection of personal data. There will also be rules on the noise and emissions generated by drones, as is the case for any other aircraft. Higher-risk drone operations will require certification, while drones presenting the lowest risk will simply need to conform with the normal EU market surveillance mechanisms. Drone operators must be registered if they operate drones which can transfer more than 80 Joules of kinetic energy upon impact with a person. This threshold can be amended in the future without lengthy procedures by means of delegated act to take account of developments in this area. In relation to areas other than the registration threshold, the EASA will develop more detailed rules on drones on the basis of the principles laid down in the regulation, and these detailed rules will be enacted through a Commission implementing act. The EASA has already published a 'prototype' regulation for drones. The agreement extends the EASA's mandate to safety-related aspects of security, such as cyber security, and to the protection of the environment. It establishes a framework for the pooling and sharing of aviation inspectors and other specialists to support member states in certification and oversight tasks. The agreement will also create a new support mechanism for member states that will include technical assistance for certification, oversight and enforcement tasks. In addition, the text provides new rules for the safe provision of ground-handling services and closes a number of other safety gaps. https://ui.constantcontact.com/rnavmap/emcf/email/edit?flow=edit&camefrom=view&campaign=e5b3a6e2- 8597-40cd-b4f8-b5785f5b463c Back to Top Sydney air crash seaplane had been rebuilt after earlier accident Wreckage from the plane was lifted from the river bed yesterday A seaplane that crashed near Sydney, killing a British businessman and his family, had been rebuilt after a fatal accident more than 20 years ago. The aircraft in which they were passengers was a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver built 54 years ago in Canada, and previously used as a cropduster in rural Australia. In 1996 it plummeted into a hillside, killing its pilot, after making a sharp turn just after takeoff, losing altitude and dipping a wing. In the latest accident, in which the pilot also died, the rebuilt aircraft also made a sharp turn, dipped a wing and crashed soon after taking off from the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sydney-air-crash-seaplane-had-been-rebuilt-after-earlier-accident- sbsq72pgr Back to Top Yeager Airport reopen after private aircraft incident CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Yeager Airport is reopen Thursday night after a private plane had engine failure and landed without landing gear, the airport reports. No one was hurt in the incident, which happened just after 5 p.m., but it temporarily halted airport traffic as the FAA investigated. Yeager Airport is closed Thursday evening after a private plane had engine failure and landed without landing gear, the airport reports. Around 5:05 p.m. the twin engine Piper Aztec aircraft landed without incident. The pilot was the only person aboard and was not hurt. Yeager Airport staff is awaiting clearance from the FAA to remove the aircraft. Passengers should check with their airline before leaving for the airport. http://www.wsaz.com/content/news/Yeager-Airport-cancels-one-flight-others-running-on-time-despite- winter-storm-468038983.html Back to Top U.S. Firm Awaits Contract To Restart MH370 Search A U.S.-based marine survey firm expects a contract award from the Malaysian government within days to resume searching for the Boeing 777-200 that disappeared almost four years ago while operating as Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. In an emailed statement, Houston-based Ocean Infinity confirmed is plans to resume the search for the missing aircraft from the Seabed Constructor, an offshore construction vessel. "With a relatively narrow weather window, we are moving the vessel toward the vicinity of the possible search zone," the company said. "This is designed to save time should the contract award be forthcoming, as hoped. We will confirm as and when the contract is awarded and the search can resume." MH370, which carried 239 passengers and crew, disappeared from radar March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Australia accepted responsibility for leading the search at the request of the Malaysian government, concentrating the effort in the southern Indian Ocean. The search continued until Jan. 17, 2017, when the governments of Malaysia, Australia and China jointly agreed to suspend operations. Ocean Infinity maintains a fleet of Kongsberg Maritime Hugin autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) capable of operating to depths of 6,000 m (19,700 ft). The AUVs, fitted with side-scan sonar, multi-beam echo-sounder and various other sensors, are accompanied by unmanned surface vehicles to ensure precise positioning and constant communication, the company says. The Seabed Constructor, chartered from Norwegian firm Swire Seabed, left Durban, South Africa, on Jan. 2, en route to Perth, Australia, where it was expected to arrive Feb. 7, according Marine Traffic, an online database. www.aviationweek.com Back to Top Investigators probe Saudia A330 wheel loss Investigators are probing the loss of a nose-wheel from a Saudia Airbus A330-300 as it taxied at the Lucknow in India. The aircraft (HZ-AQC) had been lining up on the airport's runway 27 when the left-hand wheel of the nose- gear "detached", says French investigation authority BEA, citing Saudi Arabian counterparts. BEA states that the incident occurred on 27 December as the aircraft prepared for departure to Riyadh. Flight Fleets Analyzer lists the aircraft as a -300E variant powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines and originally delivered to Saudia in 2010. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top FlightGlobal data indicates over 700 Airbus deliveries last year Airbus appears to have exceeded its original delivery target of 700 aircraft for 2017, according to data from Flight Fleets Analyzer. FlightGlobal had been able to identify at least 704 deliveries to 29 December, among them 76 A350s - in line with Airbus's target for the twinjet's production, despite the postponement of the first -1000 delivery. The deliveries also featured at least 547 A320-family jets. Given that single-aisle deliveries at the end of November stood at 453, the Flight Fleets Analyzer figures suggest at least 94 were handed over in December. They also indicate that Airbus achieved at least 180 A320neo-family deliveries last year, about a third of all single-aisle output, with about 60% of them powered by CFM International Leap-1A engines. Airbus has yet to confirm its full order and backlog figures which the airframer will disclose on 15 January. The Flight Fleets Analyzer data points to transfer of 15 A380s and 66 A330s to customers. Airbus had forecast some 700 deliveries for 2017 but had been optimistic that it might be able to reach as many as 720, although this effort has been hampered by engine issues which slowed A320neo production. www.flightglobal.com Back to Top Mayo Clinic Launches BasicMed Online Course Pilots now have a choice of completing the aeromedical factors course through two approved sources. The Mayo Clinic's BasicMed Course is comprised of six modules and takes about 90 minutes to complete. Private and recreational pilots can now access the new online Mayo Clinic BasicMed Course, a free education program for pilots pursuing medical qualification through FAA BasicMed that is an alternative to completing the course on AOPA's website. "We're pleased to be able to provide this new option for pilots," said Clayton Cowl, director of the Mayo Clinic BasicMed Course. "This course has been a culmination of efforts of many colleagues at Mayo dedicated to aviation safety. A wide range of medical experts across the organization as well as with input from experts with civil aviation medical associations across the country have contributed medical knowledge to help pilots recognize medical risks in an effort to keep them, and the passengers who they fly, safe." The online medical course is one part of the required steps for pilots seeking aeromedical qualification through the FAA BasicMed program launched last May. A pilot must first obtain a physical examination from a state-licensed physician, who must attest that the pilot is physically and mentally fit to fly. The Mayo Clinic course, which takes about 90 minutes to complete, is separated into six modules that include conducting medical self-assessments, warning signs of serious medical conditions, mitigating medical risks, awareness of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, the importance of regular medical examinations, and details regarding requirements on pilots if a medical deficiency exists. Once the course is completed and a passing score achieved, the pilots can print a certificate that they will retain in their logbooks. Certification information is transmitted to the FAA to confirm participation. https://www.flyingmag.com/mayo-clinic-launches-basicmed-online-course Back to Top Flight 3407 families tell Trump: back your words on air safety President Donald Trump's Twitter message, in which he seemingly takes credit for "the safest year on record" in the commercial flight industry in 2017, has drawn criticism from a local congressman and a written response from the families of victims of the nation's last deadly passenger airliner crash. Trump's tweet on Tuesday read as follows: "Since taking office I have been very strict on Commercial Aviation. Good news - it was just reported that there were Zero deaths in 2017, the best and safest year on record!" Family members of the victims of Flight 3407 speak at a previous news conference, during which they campaigned for tougher pilot training rules. They've written a letter to President Trump, whose recent tweet seemingly takes credit for airline safety, urging him to back those words by upholding new air safety rules. It was the safest record globally but, in fact, the last fatal commercial passenger airliner crash in the United States happened in February 2009, when Continental Flight 3407 went down in Clarence, killing all 49 people aboard and one person on the ground. The National Transportation Safety Board's subsequent investigation concluded pilot inexperience played a leading role in the crash. Since the tragedy, relatives of the victims campaigned for updated flight safety regulations, including stricter pilot training. Legislation was passed and in August 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act into law. Airlines were given three years to comply. Congressman Brian Higgins, when asked about Trump's tweet, called it insulting to the families of Flight 3407 victims. "These safety measures were developed with these families. It had nothing to do with this president or even the previous president," Higgins said. "It was their hard work in persuading Congress that they needed to act in order to protect the flying public." The families of Flight 3407 victims have sent a letter to the White House, urging President Trump to stick to his claim of being "strict on commercial aviation" by upholding the new rules for which they campaigned. John Kausner's daughter, Elly, was among the victims. He says since passage of updated regulations, the airline industry has lobbied to roll the rules back, claiming economic hardships including more difficulty recruiting pilots. "We just want an opportunity to talk to the (Trump) Administration, to present our side of it," Kausner said. "Since the Act was passed eight years ago, we've had no fatalities in the United States in commercial airlines. It's clearly due to the increased training, the fatigue rule passed to give pilots more rest and many other components of the law." Kausner said the entire roster of federal lawmakers representing Western New York, including Higgins and fellow Congressmen Chris Collins and Tom Reed as well as Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, have remained supportive of the families. While he says families of the victims were surprised by Trump's tweet, Kausner would not suggest any feelings of disrespect. "I think we've chosen to take the position that we're happy he's paying attention," he said. "We'd like to work with him and continue that." http://news.wbfo.org/post/flight-3407-families-tell-trump-back-your-words-air-safety Back to Top These Are the Worst Airports, According to Pilots LaGuardia Airport New York City If you spend a lot of time traveling, you've probably developed a list of your most and least favorite airports. It's probably based on the food, the lounges, or maybe even the crowds, but there's one type of frequent flier that cares more about what's on the outside of the airport than what's on the inside: a pilot. In a recent thread on Reddit, users asked pilots what their least favorite airports are - and the answers are eye opening. It seems the type of terrain surrounding an airport's runway is what pilots care about most. We can't say we blame them, after all, it is their job to safely deliver passengers from one destination to the next. LaGuardia, New York "LaGuardia. Hands down. Just a complete pain from 18,000 feet until you're at the gate. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. "The airport is packed. The food sucks and it's insanely expensive. There's people everywhere. It's old." Jiggalong Mission Airport, Jiggalong Western Austrailia "Too many rocks." Georgetown Airport, California "This is why I dislike it so much: 1. it's on a mountain 2. one end of the runway ends on a cliff 3. the other ends 10 ft from some trees 4. the runway has an incline 5. the runway is narrow, bumpy, and a bit short 6. it's in the middle of nowhere, and almost completely deserted if you fuck up 7. it's not the worst airport in the world, but it's not great either." Yeager Airport, Charleston, West Virginia "The end is on a mountain, so you get to do a 180 on the edge ... I can emotionally accept a Crash Landing, I have real trouble with a Crash after Landing." Los Angeles International Airport, California "Even though it's my home airport, LAX is a pain in the ass. The whole airport has been a construction zone for as long as I can remember, with no end in sight." Charlotte Douglas International Airport, North Carolina "ATP here. I'm surprised no one has said Charlotte NC. Congested and massive taxi delays for no reason other than a shitty layout and incompetence on the part of ramp controllers." Toronto Pearson International Airport, Ontario, Canada "Actual pilot: "Toronto Pearson international. Yes this airport is massive... but the second it gets windy or they get a mm of snow, the whole place goes to sh*t. Cancellations and delays everywhere. 2 days ago, 200 flights cancelled for a bit of wind. Last week we landed 5 hours late because of some snow. When we landed, I counted at least 20 planes sitting around waiting for gates, apparently some had been waiting for 2+ hours. "Not to mention the landing fees are insane." http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/pilots-least-favorite-airports-reddit Back to Top These are the world's safest airlines 2018 Qantas Airways Attention nervous flyers: A new report has identified the world's safest airlines for 2018, with Qantas Airways getting a special mention. In the newest edition of Airlineratings.com's annual safest airlines list, analysts identified the top 20 airlines with the best safety records, taking into consideration audits from governing aviation bodies and governments; airline crash and serious incident records; and fleet age. Among the top performers are British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, Japan Airlines, KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Qantas, which received a special nod for an exceptional performance over a 97-year history. "Australia's Qantas has continued its remarkable safety record of no fatalities -- or hull losses -- in the jet era," analysts point out. Added Airlineratings.com editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas in a statement: "It is extraordinary that Qantas has been the lead airline in virtually every major operational safety advancement over the past 60 years and has not had a fatality in the jet era." The list follows on the heels of a pair of reports out of the Netherlands which declared 2017 to be the safest year in aviation history: According to the Aviation Safety Network, last year saw just 10 fatal accidents, which resulted in 44 deaths. Framed another way: The chances of dying in a plane crash are now one in 16 million, added aviation consultancy group To70. At the other end of the spectrum, the airlines with the worst safety records include Air Koryo, Bluewing Airlines, Buddha Air, Nepal Airlines, Tara Air, Trigana Air Service and Yeti Airlines. Here are the top 20 airlines with the best safety records, listed in alphabetical order: Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Qantas, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Scandinavian Airline System, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia Top 10 safest low-cost airlines 2018 in alphabetical order: Aer Lingus, Flybe, Frontier, HK Express, Jetblue, Jetstar Australia, Thomas Cook, Virgin America, Vueling, Westjet https://www.yahoo.com/news/worlds-safest-airlines-2018-162551625.html Back to Top Southwest Airlines to Boeing: We'll take the large Southwest is opting for delivery of bigger versions of a new Boeing 737, which means you'll be sharing your plane with more passengers. Southwest Airlines is upsizing. The airline has exercised options for 40 Boeing 737 Max 8 airplanes worth $4.5 billion at list prices, it said late Tuesday. Southwest is also deferring orders for smaller models to at least 2023. The carrier, like other airlines around the world, has been mulling which aircraft to add to its fleet as record numbers of passengers take to the skies. If airlines choose planes that are too big, they risk owning multimillion-dollar behemoths that are expensive to fly and tough to fill with passengers . If they go too small, their costs per seat could be high and they may need more aircraft to meet demand. Compared with other airlines whose fleets include planes from different manufacturers, Southwest only flies Boeing 737s, and the carrier is the biggest operator of the Chicago-based company's narrow-body jets.The change in Southwest's order does not change its plan for capacity growth this year, it said.The Boeing 737 Max 8 fits as many as 189 seats, according to Boeing, but Southwest intends to fly them with 175 on board.Southwest debuted the 737 Max 8 last year in the 175-seat configuration, with 32 inches of legroom. The airline intends to fly the smaller Max 7 with 143 passengers. The airline announced the fleet changes in a statement applauding the passage of the tax law late last year, which it said Southwest will get 15 of the 737 Max 8s next year and 25 in 2020, it said. Twenty-three of the smaller 737 Max 7s will be delivered in 2023 and 11 others in 2024, according to the airline.The airline said the delay in accepting the smaller 737 Max 7 jets would allow it to line it up with the retirement of some older 737 planes."They both still fit in with our fleet plan," spokesman Chris Mainz said of the two new 737 models.For its part, Boeing said that "there is no impact to the Max program" as a result of Southwest's decision and noted that the airline still plans to take delivery of seven of the smaller 737 planes next year. Southwest Airlines is upsizing. The airline has exercised options for 40 Boeing 737 Max 8 airplanes worth $4.5 billion at list prices, it said late Tuesday. Southwest The carrier, like other airlines around the world, has been mulling which aircraft to add to its fleet as record numbers of passengers take to the skies. If airlines choose planes that are too big, they risk owning multimillion-dollar behemoths that are expensive to fly and tough to fill with passengers . If they go too small, their costs per seat could be high and they may need more aircraft to meet demand. Compared with other airlines whose fleets include planes from different manufacturers, Southwest only flies Boeing 737s, and the carrier is the biggest operator of the Chicago-based company's narrow-body jets. The change in Southwest's order does not change its plan for capacity growth this year, it said. The Boeing 737 Max 8 fits as many as 189 seats, according to Boeing, but Southwest intends to fly them with 175 on board. Southwest debuted the 737 Max 8 last year in the 175-seat configuration, with 32 inches of legroom. The airline intends to fly the smaller Max 7 with 143 passengers. The airline announced the fleet changes in a statement applauding the passage of the tax law late last year, which it said Southwest will get 15 of the 737 Max 8s next year and 25 in 2020, it said. Twenty-three of the smaller 737 Max 7s will be delivered in 2023 and 11 others in 2024, according to the airline. The airline said the delay in accepting the smaller 737 Max 7 jets would allow it to line it up with the retirement of some older 737 planes. "They both still fit in with our fleet plan," spokesman Chris Mainz said of the two new 737 models. For its part, Boeing said that "there is no impact to the Max program" as a result of Southwest's decision and noted that the airline still plans to take delivery of seven of the smaller 737 planes next year. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/southwest-airlines-boeing-apos-ll-211755573.html Back to Top China Aircraft Leasing buys another 15 Airbus A320 jets, taking order size to US$7.5 billion The company is well-placed to take advantage of the boom in China's air travel demand China Aircraft Leasing Group (CALC) has agreed to buy an additional 15 Airbus A320neo jets on top of the 55 ordered in December, as it increases its fleet to meet the growing demand for air travel in China, which is set to overtake the US as the world's largest market. The list price for the 15 single-aisle aircraft is US$1.63 billion, boosting the overall order size to US$7.54 billion, which will be financed through "internal resources and the proceeds from loans or other borrowings", the company said on Friday. "A strong order book is one of the most important assets for an aircraft lessor to provide flexible solutions to airlines," said Mike Poon, chief executive officer of CALC. "With an expanded fleet and extended global presence, CALC is entering into a new phase of corporate development to increase the aircraft under management. "We are targeting to deliver at least 40 aircraft per year hence need more aircraft to support the plan." The company, on two different occasions in late December, agreed to buy 50 A320neo and five A320-200 CEO (current engine option) aircraft for US$5.42 billion and US$495 million, respectively. The actual price will be much lower as companies usually negotiate discounts on bulk orders. China Aircraft Leasing seeks overseas customers with aggressive fleet expansion China Aircraft Leasing said that Airbus has "granted significant price concessions" but details are subject to confidentiality terms. The A320neo aircraft will be delivered in stages up to 2023, while the A320-200 will be delivered over the next two years. "The transaction will significantly expand the group's fleet portfolio and further solidify its position as the aircraft full-value chain solutions provider," it said in the December statement. The above deals have raised China Aircraft Leasing's total order book to 252 aircraft, with 202 from Airbus and 50 from Boeing. Airbus, Boeing in new battle for China market share The aircraft leasing company's move to grow its fleet size comes as China witnesses a boom in air travel demand. In October, the International Air Transport Association anticipated China would surpass the US as the world's largest air travel market by 2022, two years sooner than it had previously expected. In 2017, Boeing also predicted that Chinese airlines would buy more than 7,000 planes worth nearly US$1.1 trillion over the next 20 years amid the country's booming air travel demand. It also said it would increase production of the single-aisle 737 jets, in part because of demand from countries like China and India. Shares of China Aircraft Leasing advanced on the Hong Kong market on Friday, rising as much as 1.3 per cent to HK$8.28. By noon, it was trading at HK$8.24, up 0.9 per cent from the previous close. http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2126971/china-aircraft-leasing-buys-another-15-airbus- a320-jets-taking Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top Elon Musk: SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launch will happen before end of January The rocket will be the most powerful in the world when it lifts off from Kennedy Space Center in 2018. SpaceX's much-vaunted Falcon Heavy launch vehicle will roar off a historic Kennedy Space Center pad on its demonstration flight before the end of this month, CEO Elon Musk said Thursday. Pad 39A, which once played host to Apollo and space shuttle missions, is expected to see the three-core vehicle lift off on a premiere flight that will test one of the company's most technically challenging undertakings to date. But before that, a brief test firing of the rocket's 27 engines is expected sometime next week. "Falcon Heavy now vertical on the former Apollo 11 moon rocket launchpad," Musk said via Instagram late Thursday while also confirming testing and launch timeframes. "Excitement on launch day guaranteed, one way or another." When Falcon Heavy's 27 Merlin engines finally ignite, it will become the most powerful rocket in the world thanks to its 5.1 million pounds of thrust. Only the Apollo era's Saturn V and the space shuttle eclipsed that output. Secured atop the 230-foot-tall rocket and safely tucked away in a protective payload fairing will be Musk's 2008 Tesla Roadster, an all-electric sports car that boosted his energy company during its formative years. Its destination? Deep space, according to Musk. After liftoff, an aerial ballet of 156-foot-tall Falcon boosters will take place over Space Coast skies as all three first stages target landings - the two side cores at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Landing Zone 1, and the center core on the company's Of Course I Still Love You drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. The tandem landings, however, mean local spectators can expect double the sonic boom energy as the boosters cross the speed of sound threshold. And the sight of two boosters returning is likely to impress, too. Musk's "one way or another" comments can be traced back to a Washington D.C. speech last July during which he said Falcon Heavy is one of the most technically complex and difficult projects SpaceX has ever undertaken. "There's a lot of risk associated with Falcon Heavy," he said during the 2017 International Space Station Research and Development Conference. "Real good chance that the vehicle doesn't make it to orbit. I want to make sure to set expectations accordingly." While the 40-foot-wide rocket might simply look like three Falcon 9 cores strapped together, that's a simplification - teams had to strengthen the airframe to account for the two side cores' powerful thrust; re- examine aerodynamics of a three-core vehicle; account for altered acoustics thanks to three times as many engines as a typical launch; and make the appropriate hardware modifications to pad 39A, to name a few. But the billionaire industrial maverick remained optimistic, noting that people should "come down to the Cape to see the first Falcon Heavy mission." Before Falcon Heavy's debut flight, though, teams are targeting Sunday for the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 40 with a classified Northrop Grumman payload known only as Zuma. That mission is expected to launch between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. and will also feature a first stage landing about eight minutes after liftoff. Contact Emre Kelly at aekelly@floridatoday.com or 321-242-3715. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook at @EmreKelly. Launch Sunday: Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 Mission: Zuma government payload for Northrop Grumman Launch Time: Between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Launch Complex: 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Weather: 90 percent "go" Join FloridaToday.com/Space at 7 p.m. Sunday for countdown chat and updates, including streaming of NASA's launch webcast. http://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2018/01/05/spacex-ceo-elon-musk-falcon-heavy- launch-before-end-january/1006417001/ Back to Top Aircraft Accidents and Frozen Chickens By Stephen Carbone In 1987, when I took a DC-10 Maintenance class, the instructor showed a film of how they test aircraft windshields (wind-screens) for bird strikes: they launched grocery-bought chickens at the wind-screen using a 'chicken cannon' (real thing), which launches the long-expired bird at the test wind-screen at 200 miles per hour (MPH). Since wind-screens are engineered to be heated and reinforced internally to absorb and deflect a bird strike, this is the only way to test the product for integrity. The bird strikes the wind-screen, spatters at the high rate of speed and deflects away from the cockpit. The pilots and aircraft are protected. A wind-screen designer for high-speed locomotives used the same cannon to test locomotive wind-screens; they are designed to be just as strong. Using the chicken cannon, the tester launched the chicken at the locomotive wind-screen; the test chicken exploded through the wind-screen, created a gaping hole through the heavy metal control compartment back wall and lodged in the aft structure. Needless to say, the test was a failure; the locomotive wind-screen manufacturer asked the aircraft wind-screen manufacturer for hints as to make their product better. The aircraft wind-screen manufacturer replied ... and I quote, "Next time you test the cannon, defrost the chicken." These are real methods and events; I didn't make them up; I saw the videos. I talk about them to emphasize the destructive difference between a bird at ambient temperature, whose structural strength matches your Thanksgiving turkey about to be carved; versus the frozen chicken with the pliability of a rock or brick. I noticed in the aviation news this week that a surge in Drone activity has resulted in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prompting 'emergency' action in regards to Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) use; an average of 250 safety incidents per month involving near misses between UAVs and aircraft of all kinds, e.g. airliners, private aircraft, helicopters, etc., have been reported. In addition, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating a Staten Island, NY, incident involving an Army UH-60 helicopter striking a drone. Since the professional UAV industry is working tirelessly to acquire aviation industry credibility, let me just say this: Professional UAV industry, you are your own worst enemy. By allowing UAV lobbyists to confound the media by using adjectives like 'baloney' to describe UAV strike dangers; by allowing lawyers with no aviation background to try bullying the FAA; by allowing amateurs to cause FAA emergency actions with their irresponsible behavior; the FAA, the NTSB, Air Traffic Control, Airlines, the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) and other mainstream aviation organizations will never recognize you as safe to use their airspace. They have built and occupied that airspace for over seventy years and you need to start playing by their rules. But, since UAV lobbyists have been misrepresenting the safety implications of a drone or UAV strike, I will defer back to my chicken cannon story to make a point about strength. I feel it is necessary to make the case for why a UAV hitting an aircraft - any aircraft - is more dangerous than people realize. And, by the way, the average UAV is represented by the frozen chicken. Let's start with the helicopter, particularly the UH-60 in the NTSB accident investigation. The Sikorsky UH- 60 is popularly known as the Black Hawk, as in the 2001 movie, Black Hawk Down. It is indicative of the design of most helicopters - from the Bell 47 used in the M*A*S*H series to the Eurocopter AS350 employed by police and traffic news stations everywhere - in that it has a Main Rotor for vertical lift and horizontal maneuvering, while the Tail Rotor controls torque created by the main rotor. Both Rotors' blades are airfoils, meaning they do not have Leading Edges that are as sharp as a Ninja sword blade; they are rounded to create lift, exactly like an aircraft's wing. The blades cannot cut through concrete or metal, like so many action movies portray. Instead, when ANYTHING hits the Rotor blade's leading edge, the blade is forced backwards against the direction of rotation; the blade is also structurally compromised or destroyed by the impact. The Main Rotor turns at 258 rotations per minute (RPM); this means that the tip of the #1 Main Rotor blade passes the same spot in space 4.3 times per second ... that's 4.3 times PER SECOND. In this case, both the ambient temperature or the frozen chicken would destroy either fragile Rotor Assembly while it is operating. After the Rotor blade is destroyed from the strike, the Rotor is now out-of-balance; the helicopter is uncontrollable, it experiences incredible vibrational torque forces and the helicopter drops straight down on whatever ... or, whoever ... is below it, with absolutely no warning. That is the reality of a UAV strike against a helicopter ... any helicopter. These are not my opinions; these are facts supported by engineering data and accident investigations. If the UH-60 in the NTSB investigation were struck in either Rotor, all occupants of the helicopter would have been killed ... period! The effects of a UAV strike on a propeller aircraft are similar, except the propeller rotates to provide forward motion; the propeller blades are small airfoils that, like a wing, provide a negative pressure (lift) in front of the propeller that pulls the aircraft forward. Again, the propeller is rotating at great speeds; when it hits the UAV, the catastrophic results will put the engine propeller shaft out of balance causing extreme torque forces on the aircraft and, in the case of a single engine aircraft, will turn the plane into a glider with enough forward momentum to bring the plane and its occupants to the crash site. To an airliner, there are multiple dangers. Any jet airliner approaching an airport travels between 140 to 200 MPH, according to what stage of the landing phase they are in. Studies have been done that shows UAVs are impossible for pilots to see, because: The airliner is traveling too fast to sight a UAV, especially at night. The UAV is almost invisible to the naked eye, even when one is looking for it; The landing phase of flight is very busy. Pilots are lowering flaps, talking with air traffic, lowering the gear, monitoring instruments, e.g. airspeed, altitude; they are too busy to look out the window for UAVs that shouldn't be there. Let's look at the dangers of impact. First, as demonstrated by the chicken cannon, the UAV can - and will - penetrate the wind-screen; the pilots will either be seriously injured or killed causing all passengers to be killed as a result. As mentioned in an earlier article, a gull tore through the radome of a B727, went through the metal bulkhead behind it and knocked the Captain unconscious when it exploded in his lap; I know this because I helped repair the damage. The B727 was moving at about 140 MPH and all three pilots never saw the bird or the flock it belonged to. And, what about the engines. Since US Airways, flight 1549, the 'Miracle On The Hudson', stands as the landmark example of why bird strikes are survivable, let's look a bit closer. An airliner's engine Fan rotates at around 3600 RPM. Think about that ... each Fan blade hits the same point in the engine inlet sixty times per second ... SIXTY TIMES PER SECOND. Can you imagine the kinetic energy that is generated? I spoke about the consistency of an ambient temperature chicken - or in US Air 1549's case, a Canadian Goose - is that of a cooked turkey. A bird's bones are hollow; like with the cannon, the carcass splatters against an unforgiving object. However, in the case of the B727, the carcass of a smaller bird penetrated metal and landed in the cockpit; so, with enough force, even a bird can cause catastrophic damage to metal at 140 MPH. The flock of Canadian Geese did catastrophic damage to both of US Air 1549's engines. Imagine a solid metal-and-plastic object, like a UAV, striking the engines' blades that are spinning at 60 rotations per second. Result: DISASTER. And, US Air 1549 was over water. The argument about UAVs in the national airspace has to be one of facts, not opinions or sarcasm. These are dangerous forces, dangerous results and dangerous amateurs. When even a bird as simple as a chicken can cause catastrophic damage, perhaps we need to be more selective as to how we approach greater threats to safety and lives. Stephen Carbone - Author Stephen Carbone is the author of Jet Blast and, the soon to be released, Thermal Runaway. These two novels are aviation thrillers; the first and second of a trilogy that concludes in the novel: Flameout. These three novels follow the investigatory exploits of Daniel Tenace (pronounced Ten-ah-chey), a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) aircraft maintenance major accident investigator. Tenace must overcome many hurdles, both technical and bureaucratic, to discover dangers that the aviation industry faces today. Stephen Carbone is a former aircraft mechanic; his experience includes working for a major airline for nineteen years. During this time he acquired his Undergraduate and Graduate degrees in Aviation Safety. He left the industry to take a position with the NTSB as the only airframe and powerplant certificated major accident investigator for aircraft maintenance. During those years he investigated ten accidents, both domestic and international. He designed courses and taught accident investigation techniques at the NTSB Academy and acted as a liaison to the international accident investigation community. He left the NTSB to work at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) where he was involved in investigating major airlines, conducting safety audits and writing regulations and guidance. He remained involved with accident investigation for both Headquarters and the Eastern Region. He finished his career at the FAA designing safety courses, managing instruction and teaching at the FAA Academy. Today he writes for aviation technical magazines and is working on his third novel. Stephen Carbone uses the experience cultivated during his years in investigations, as well as the store of knowledge he has working on the latest technology aircraft. His knowledge of the airline industry gives him a first-hand perspective in his writing, using the experience born of years of working closely to the industry he loves. Curt Lewis