Flight Safety Information January 11, 2018 - No. 009 In This Issue Incident: Avianca A320 near Havana on Jan 9th 2018, engine shut down in flight Incident: Jet Airways B738 at Udaipur on Jan 7th 2018, rejected takeoff due to jackal Incident: Severstal CRJ2 at Cherepovets on Jan 3rd 2018, thrust reverser unlocked in flight Accident: LOT DH8D at Warsaw on Jan 10th 2018, nose gear did not extend on landing Cessna TU206G Stationair...Accident (Costa Rica) EASA issues Conflict Zone bulletin containing warning for part of Jeddah FIR, Saudi Arabia Damage to Air NZ jet not reported by Fiji ground handlers Amtrak Names Aviation Industry Veteran as Chief Safety Officer ASECNA, Aireon Partner to Enhance Safety in African Airspace Aeromexico Plane Nearly Lands on Wrong Runway at San Francisco International Airport: FAA Earth's magnetic field forcing changes at Dwight D. Eisenhower airport Ex-Transportation Chief to Lead Probe Into JFK Flight Fiasco IndiGo flight returns to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport after engine failure First BelugaXL Rolls Out of Factory in Toulouse Gogo Unveils Wi-Fi Service 'Ideal' for Smaller Aircraft SIT to offer Singapore's first aircraft systems engineering degree from September Boeing tops Airbus in 2017 with jet-production record In space and cyber, China is closing in on the United States Call for Papers - ISASI 2018 Cabin Operations Safety Conference MITRE - SMS Course - March 2018 Incident: Avianca A320 near Havana on Jan 9th 2018, engine shut down in flight An Avianca Airbus A320-200, registration N687TA performing flight AV-9 from Miami,FL (USA) to Bogota (Colombia) with 150 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing through FL300 out of Miami when the crew needed to shut one of the engines (V2527) down. The aircraft diverted to Havana (Cuba) for a safe landing. A passenger reported there had been a huge bang, the aircraft jolted, the aircraft diverted to Havana, the crew indicated there had been a problem with one of the engines. The airline reported the aircraft diverted to Cuba due to a technical malfunction. The passengers are going to travel to Bogota the following day. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AVA9/history/20180109/1339Z/KMIA/SKBO http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3791a5&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: Jet Airways B738 at Udaipur on Jan 7th 2018, rejected takeoff due to jackal A Jet Airways Boeing 737-800, registration VT-JBG performing flight 9W-2074 from Udaipur to Mumbai (India), had backtracked runway 26, turned around and lined up, the flight was cleared for takeoff and the crew accelerated the engines, released the brakes, applied TOGA and the aircraft began to accelerate when the crew reduced the engines to idle and stepped onto the brakes. The aircraft subsequently turned around on the runway and returned to the threshold, lined up again and departed about 5 minutes after the rejected takeoff. A passenger reported the captain announced while returning to the threshold that ATC had cancelled their takeoff clearance because a Jackal had been spotted on the runway. The aircraft reached Mumbai with a delay of about 10 minutes. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b378e38&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: Severstal CRJ2 at Cherepovets on Jan 3rd 2018, thrust reverser unlocked in flight A Severstal Canadair CRJ-200, registration RA-67240 performing flight D2-9561 from Cherepovets to Sochi (Russia) with 44 passengers and 3 crew, was climbing through FL140 out of Cherepovets when the crew received an EICAS message that the right hand thrust reverser (engine CF34) had unlocked. The crew worked the related checklists and returned to Cherepovets for a safe landing. Rosaviatsia opened an investigation into the occurrence. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b378acf&opt=256 Back to Top Accident: LOT DH8D at Warsaw on Jan 10th 2018, nose gear did not extend on landing A LOT Polish Airlines de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration SP-EQG performing flight LO-3924 from Krakow to Warsaw (Poland) with 59 passengers and 4 crew, was climbing out of Krakow when the crew spotted a problem with the nose gear, stopped the climb at FL100 and turned to return to Krakow, but then decided to continue to Warsaw, climbed the aircraft to FL140. In contact with Warsaw approach the crew indicated they intended a full stop landing on runway 11 right away, no low approach was intended, subsequently on approach to runway 11 the crew indicated they had an unsafe nose gear indication, the gear likely did not extend, an alternate gear extension had already been carried out. The aircraft positioned for an approach to runway 11, the crew reported they were 100% sure that the "nose wheels did not come out", they had both main gear but no nose gear, they had checked it twice. The aircraft landed on runway 11 and came to a stop on both main gear and the nose of the aircraft. There were no injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The runway and airport was closed. The airport reported the aerodrome was closed for estimated 4 hours following an emergency landing by a LOT aircraft. Rescue operations were in progress. The airline reported the nose gear did not lock, after landing the nose gear collapsed and the nose of the aircraft hit the runway. Poland's PKBWL have opened an investigation into the occurrence. Related NOTAM: A0261/18 - AD CLSD. 10 JAN 18:24 2018 UNTIL 10 JAN 22:30 2018 ESTIMATED. CREATED: 10 JAN 18:25 2018 The aircraft seen after landing by family member of a passenger (Photo: Martin Ino): http://avherald.com/h?article=4b377c21&opt=256 Back to Top Cessna TU206G Stationair Accident (Costa Rica) Date: 10-JAN-2018 Time: Type: Cessna TU206G Stationair Owner/operator: TACSA Registration: TI-AML C/n / msn: U-206-05181 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Pavones, Pavón de Golfito, Puntarenas - Costa Rica Phase: Landing Nature: Private Departure airport: Punta Banco Airstrip (MRPO) Destination airport: Punta Banco Airstrip (MRPO) Narrative: The plane flipped upside down upon landing at an air strip near a hotel. All four occupants survived the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=204149 Back to Top EASA issues Conflict Zone bulletin containing warning for part of Jeddah FIR, Saudi Arabia 10 January 2018 The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued a Conflict Zone Information Bulletin (CZIB) on the Jeddah Flight Information Region (FIR), Saudi Arabia. The bulletin refers to German Notam B0486/17 (issued August 28, 2017!). This Notam advises German operators not to plan and conduct flights within south west sector of FIR jeddah (OEJD) including take off and landings at OEAB due to ongoing mil operations and ballistic missile assaults. OEAB is the Abha International Airport, located 105 km from the border with Yemen. This German Notam is valid until: Feb 28, 2018 while the EASA CZIB is valid until July 9, 2018. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2018/01/10/easa-issues-conflict-zone-bulletin-containing-warning-jeddah-fir-saudi-arabia/ Back to Top Damage to Air NZ jet not reported by Fiji ground handlers An Air New Zealand 777-300 aircraft was damaged by ground crew in Fiji over the weekend. Fiji Airways and Air New Zealand at Nadi International Airport Fiji Airways and Air New Zealand at Nadi International Airport Photo: Alex Perrottet/RNZ A loading platform grazed the Boeing's door on Sunday but was not reported by the ground handling agent Air Terminal Services (ATS). The airline only became aware of the damage after the aircraft returned to Auckland and routine inspections were made. Fiji Trades Union Congress national secretary Felix Anthony said the incident highlighted concerns around security at the airport and the safety of passengers. "We have unqualified people who are performing duties that they really should not be performing," he said. "Nadi is a place where accidents are waiting to happen." Mr Anthony said around 200 ATS staff remain locked out of work since attending a shareholders' meeting on 16 December. ATS management said "temporary" staff have been filling the void. The airline has responded to an earlier version of this story with a statement saying, "staff providing ground handling services to Air New Zealand are fully trained". It said damage to the aircraft was minor and did not compromise safety and the 342 seat aircraft was repaired on arrival in Auckland and returned to service. ATS chief executive Hare Mani, has said previously that it is completely safe to travel to Fiji through Nadi airport. Back to Top Amtrak Names Aviation Industry Veteran as Chief Safety Officer The move comes less than a month after an Amtrak passenger train derailed near DuPont, Washington, killing three and seriously injuring more than 60. Just over three weeks after an Amtrak train making an inaugural run toppled off the tracks near DuPont, Washington, killing three people and seriously injuring more than 60 others, the railway company has appointed an aviation industry veteran to be its chief safety officer. The position being filled by Ken Hylander is a newly created one, a spokesperson for Amtrak told The Drive. Hylander, who most recently worked as chairman of the Flight Safety Foundation, and also held the title of chief safety officer at Delta Air Lines, Amtrak said in a news release. In his new role, Hylander will be in charge of implementing a Safety Management System, or SMS, at Amtrak, and will report directly to Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson. The National Transportation Safety Board recently advised that Amtrak implement an SMS program, which involves a proactive risk management system that builds on predictive safety management methods. "Ken is a recognized leader in the implementation and operation of SMS, and his experience will be instrumental in helping build our safety culture," Anderson said in a statement. Hylander spent more than 30 years in the airline industry, including 17 years at United Airlines, where he held various roles in engineering, quality control, and management. http://www.thedrive.com/sheetmetal/17559/amtrak-names-aviation-industry-veteran-as-chief-safety-officer Back to Top ASECNA, Aireon Partner to Enhance Safety in African Airspace An Airbus A320 Air Cote d'Ivoire passenger jet. Photo: Air Cote d'Ivoire. Aireon announced today that it has signed a data services agreement with the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA). Together, the pair will bring real-time air traffic surveillance to high-trafficked, terrestrial African corridors. ASECNA is one of Africa's largest Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), covering 16.1 million square kilometers of airspace, through six Flight Information Regions (FIRs) - Antananarivo, Brazzaville, Dakar Oceanic, Dakar Terrestrial, Niamey and N'Djamena. ASECNA is responsible for air traffic services in a significant part of the African continent, handling frequently traveled routes between Europe, East and Southern Africa and South America. With Aireon data, as early as 2019 ASECNA will be able to introduce a continuous layer of surveillance, augmenting existing infrastructure and completing coverage for their entire airspace. According to the organization, this will significantly improve service availability to airlines and enhance safety and efficiency in African airspace. "The vastness of the landmass that ASECNA is responsible for poses an immense surveillance challenge, especially because it is not always possible to install or maintain ground infrastructure," said Mohamed Moussa, ASECNA Director General. ASECNA joins other African ANSPs in the deployment of space-based ADS-B. South Africa's Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) and Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) have also signed agreements over the last 18 months. http://www.satellitetoday.com/telecom/2018/01/10/asecna-aireon-partner-enhance-safety-african-airspace/ Back to Top Aeromexico Plane Nearly Lands on Wrong Runway at San Francisco International Airport: FAA An Aeromexico plane nearly landed on the wrong runway at San Francisco International Airport, and the Federal Aviation Administration is now investigating the incident, officials confirmed Wednesday. The incident was reported Tuesday when Aeromexico Flight 688 from Mexico City was given clearance to land on Runway 28R at SFO. "Aeromexico Flight 668 was cleared to land on Runway 28R, and correctly read back that clearance. When the plane was about a mile from the airport, air traffic controllers noticed the aircraft was lined up for Runway 28L and instructed the crew to execute a missed approach. A Virgin America jet was on Runway 28L at the time," FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said. Aviation consultant Mike McCarron viewed the flight's track approaching SFO, saying air traffic controllers noticed the jet was headed for runway 28L, where the Virgin America airliner was set to take off for Kona, Hawaii. McCarron said the jet was about 500 feet off the ground and a mile away from the other aircraft when it was diverted. "You're looking at about 20 seconds, 15 to 20 seconds, to cover a mile," McCarron said. "So it was close, but there was more than enough time." Passengers on Flight 668 shared their thoughts on the close call. "We almost landed then we had to go back up and go back around because the planes were too close," said Melanie MacDonald of San Francisco. McCarron said passengers can take comfort in the fact that the system worked. "All the backup systems kicked into place," he said. "The controllers watched, they saw he wasn't lined up properly, they give the command to go around, he went around it and landed safely." The FAA is investigating the incident. Tuesday's close call follows a pair of SFO incidents involving Air Canada flights that made headlines last year. In October, a pilot for Air Canada Flight 781, an Airbus 320, failed to respond to air traffic control's warning not to land on the runway because it was not clear whether another jet was still on that runway. In July, the FAA said an Air Canada pilot almost landed on the taxiway instead of the runway at SFO. In response to the close call, the FAA issued new rules for nighttime landings and control-tower staffing at SFO. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Aeromexico-Plane-Nearly-Lands-on-Wrong-Runway-at-San-Francisco-International-Airport-FAA-468707763.html Back to Top Earth's magnetic field forcing changes at Dwight D. Eisenhower airport WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) Since the 1950's when Wichita's airport first opened, most pilots in and out of ICT knew 1R/19L and 14/32 by heart, but now those numbers could be changing. "Most airports may only do this once or twice in their lifetime," explains Brad Christopher, assistant director of airports at Dwight D. Eisenhower. The designated runway numbers represent the angle of the runway. For example, 1L/19R is Wichita's newest runway and it sits at a 196-degree angle; the 19 represents that angle for pilots making an approach. Angles are measured by the current magnetic variance record or the current magnetic azemeth. Simply put, the direction north on a map doesn't necessarily reflect where the magnets in earth's core pull the needle on a compass. "As we look at this right now, our runways should be redesignated," says Christopher. Because of magnetic variance, Wichita's two parallel runways now sit at 196-degrees when looking at a pilot's compass; now the two runways will likely be redesignated to 2R/20L and 2L/20R to reflect the degree change. "It's a critical update for navigational accuracy," says Elizabeth Isham Cory with the Federal Aviation Administration. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is responsible for determining the magnetic variation for all areas of the United States. Current variance for any airport can be calculated here. "This is particularly important to those who fly under instrument flight rules because those you shoot precision instrument approaches," says Tim Bonnell. Bonnell is a pilot and the current president of the Kansas Aviation Museum. Bonnell says travelers through Wichita's airport won't feel the effect of the change and pilots won't see much of a change either. "They'll fly towards the Wichita airport, they'll see the number, they'll land on it just as they always have." But for the Wichita airport, changing the runway numbers can take years. "It's not a quick process and there are many things involved," says Christopher. The airport will have to repaint all numbers on the runways and place all taxi signage. Additionally, the airport must notify all authorities of the changes and coordinate with the FAA to update the information on charts and equipment. It's a process that will likely cost $350,000, but Christopher says that money won't come from Wichita taxes; if the airport changes the runway numbers while also making repairs to the runway, the FAA pays for 90 percent of the project. "We're still evaluating," says Christopher. "I wouldn't say [the changes are] official, but it appears likely." Christopher says the airport is planning on updating and rehabilitating the pavement on the parallel runways sometime during 2019. http://www.kwch.com/content/news/Earths-magnetic-field-forcing-changes-at-Wichitas-Dwight-D-Eisenhower-aiport-468690543.html Back to Top Ex-Transportation Chief to Lead Probe Into JFK Flight Fiasco The former head of the Department of Transportation during the Obama administration will lead an investigation into a slew of problems at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport that caused days of cancellations and delays. Ex-Transportation Chief to Lead Probe Into JFK Flight Fiasco Avianca passengers rest while waiting for their flight at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport Terminal 4, Monday, Jan. 8, 2018. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Monday it will investigate the water pipe break that added to the weather-related delays at Kennedy Airport and will "hold all responsible parties accountable." (AP Photo/Richard Drew) The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) - The investigation into a slew of problems at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport that caused days of cancellations and delays will be led by Ray LaHood, the former head of the Department of Transportation during the Obama administration, officials said Wednesday. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said LaHood would begin his investigation next week, and would put together a team with independent resources and experts. The agency that oversees the airport said a report of his findings and recommendations was expected in the coming months. "The series of events following the winter storm this month were completely unacceptable," said Rick Cotton, executive director of the Port Authority. "We are committed to understanding where and why failures occurred, and making whatever changes are necessary to assure these failures never happen again." The chaos at the airport started Thursday, when a winter storm hit New York amid unusually cold weather. It created what the Port Authority called a cascade of problems, as temperatures in the area were in the teens and even went down to the single digits. That led to issues with frozen equipment, which led to problems in handling luggage. Other stresses like staff shortages contributed as well to the slowdown of operations on the ground. Arriving international flights got backlogged, as arrival gates got clogged up. That led to some passengers waiting on their planes on the tarmac for hours before being bused to terminals, while other flights were diverted. Cancellations and delays abounded, and as the planes tried to maneuver around each other, one clipped another outside a terminal on Saturday. The scene got even more chaotic on Sunday, when a water pipe broke and sent a few inches of water into Terminal 4, forcing international arrivals to be suspended for a few hours. LaHood served as transportation secretary from 2009 to 2013. He is currently a senior policy adviser at the law firm DLA Piper. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york/articles/2018-01-10/ray-lahood-to-lead-investigation-into-jfk-flight-fiasco Back to Top IndiGo flight returns to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport after engine failure Earlier on January 7, a full emergency was declared on an Air India aircraft flying from Goa to Mumbai due to hydraulic failure. The flight landed safely at 8.15 pm on runway number 27 at CSIA, Mumbai. IndiGo flight returns to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport After the incident, a different aircraft was provided for stranded passengers in Mumbai to travel to Bengaluru. (File Image) A Bengaluru-bound IndiGo flight with 180 passengers onboard had to return to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) as one of its engines failed shortly after the takeoff on Tuesday night. The jet landed safely at the Mumbai airport. "IndiGo flight 6E 565 (BOM- BLR) faced a technical issue while airborne. Following all Standard Operating Procedures, the pilot immediately took the precautionary measure to return to Mumbai for necessary checks. An alternate aircraft was provided for completion of the flight. Matter has been already brought to the notice of the DGCA and is being investigated by the IndiGo Flight Safety department," read an official statement from IndiGo. After the incident, a different aircraft was provided for stranded passengers in Mumbai to travel to Bengaluru. Earlier on January 7, a full emergency was declared on an Air India aircraft flying from Goa to Mumbai due to hydraulic failure. The flight landed safely at 8.15 pm on runway number 27 at CSIA, Mumbai. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/indigo-flight-returns-to-chhatrapati-shivaji-international-airport-after-engine-failure-5019730/ Back to Top First BelugaXL Rolls Out of Factory in Toulouse The first structurally complete BelugaXL stands nearly ready for engine installation. (Photo: Airbus) The first structurally complete airframe for the new Airbus BelugaXL has rolled out from its assembly hangar in Toulouse, France, the manufacturer said Tuesday. Based on an A330-200F airframe, the planned fleet of five BelugaXLs will provide 30 percent more transport capacity than the Beluga-600XTs they will replace. For example, each can carry a complete set of A350XWB wings, compared with just one wing for the 600XT. Similarly, it can carry more parts of the A320. In total, the new Beluga can carry 52 metric tons of payload over a distance of 2,200 nm nonstop. Final assembly of the first airframe started in January 2017 at the A380 factory in Toulouse. Airbus expects first flight to occur in mid-2018. Plans call for the first two aircraft to participate in the flight-test program, scheduled for just under 1,000 hours. It expects the first airplane to enter service in mid-2019, when it starts transporting wings between Broughton, UK; Bremen, Germany; and Toulouse, France. After the first airplanes enter service, a new BelugaXL will come on line every year until 2022. The five existing Beluga-600XTs, which will reach mid-life in 2018/19, will gradually retire from service but will continue to fly alongside the XLs. Their future remains unclear, but Airbus is studying possibilities for service with operators interested in oversize transport, it said. "We have the A330 as a foundation," said Bertrand George, head of the BelugaXL program. "But many changes have been successfully designed, introduced into the aircraft, and tested. Transforming an existing product into a super transporter is not a simple task. The whole team is really looking forward to seeing its first flight and, of course, its smiling livery," he said, referring to the supersized smile that will be painted across the "face" of the transporter, the winning design of six options presented to Airbus employees for a vote in early 2017. Before first flight can happen, the aircraft will undergo a months-long battery of tests after installation of its two jet engines, ensuring each of the BelugaXL's systems functions as intended. "We will perform bench tests in Toulouse and Hamburg, Germany-testing our systems on flight simulators and in laboratories" as well as using hydraulic jacks to simulate flight loads on full-scale copies of specific joints between the new upper bubble and the A330's lower fuselage. "The data from these tests will be used to clear the aircraft for flight and, later on, to attain type certification," said George. While the first structurally complete BelugaXL moves into its testing phase, the second A330 to be converted into a BelugaXL arrived on schedule in Toulouse to begin its integration process. George noted that with lessons learned from the production of the first transporter, Airbus expects assembly of the second will take about two months less. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2018-01-09/first-belugaxl-rolls-out-factory-toulouse Back to Top Gogo Unveils Wi-Fi Service 'Ideal' for Smaller Aircraft Gogo Business Aviation has a new in-flight connectivity system. Unveiled Tuesday, AVANCE L3 lets users customize their in-flight experience based on their unique needs, Gogo said. AVANCE L3 can be installed on business aircraft of all types and sizes, but the company said it is "an ideal solution for smaller aircraft including turboprops and light jets." "We designed AVANCE L3 to provide a robust, high-performance Wi-Fi experience at an affordable price that gives customers the flexibility to add or reduce system capabilities as their business needs evolve," said Mike Syverson, SVP of development for Gogo Business Aviation. "AVANCE L3 gives the ability to move seamlessly to different service offerings without being constrained by the hardware itself." The AVANCE platform integrates a range of Smart Cabin features, allowing passengers to simply and reliably access and use all available data, voice, maps, entertainment and cabin management system services, Gogo said. AVANCE L3 includes a built-in smart router and allows for a variety of service offerings. Users can control and manage the number of devices they allow to connect and can scale their configuration up or down. Users have access to email and flight apps, as well as Gogo Vision and Gogo Text & Talk with service plans. Full internet connectivity can be obtained by connecting AVANCE L3 to the Gogo Biz data network, which delivers 3G. Gogo said additional AVANCE L3 features include: 802.11ac dual-band (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz) for improved Wi-Fi performance Advanced router functionality Multi-bearer data and voice management Cabin management system (CMS) integration with many CMS systems Remote diagnostics and service activations and changes 4G/LTE terrestrial modem for free internet on the ground in more than 120 countries Gogo is accepting orders for the service now. Shipping expected to begin later in the first quarter of 2018. http://www.aviationtoday.com/2018/01/10/gogo-unveils-wi-fi-service-ideal-smaller-aircraft/ Back to Top SIT to offer Singapore's first aircraft systems engineering degree from September A Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 plane at Changi Airport. (File photo: AFP / TOH TING WEI) SINGAPORE: In a tie-up with SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC), the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) will be the first autonomous university in Singapore to offer a degree in aircraft systems engineering, it said on Thursday (Jan 11). The new three-year programme, the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Aircraft Systems Engineering, will start classes in September with a first intake of 48 students, the university said in a news release. The programme aims to develop graduates for careers as licensed aircraft engineers, project engineers and technical service or repair development engineers, SIT said. "This is in line with the university's mission to groom industry-ready students while providing well-equipped talent for the aerospace and maintenance, repair and overhaul industries," it added. Students enrolled in the programme will be trained by both SIT faculty and licensed aircraft engineers from SIAEC's training academy. They will also undergo an eight-month work-study programme at SIAEC in their third year. This will see students apply theoretical knowledge to solve problems and gain first-hand industry experience in aircraft maintenance, according to SIT. Upon graduation, students will be awarded an SIT-conferred degree as well as certificate by SIAEC, which is recognised by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore as a maintenance training organisation. The certificate recognises that the student has completed a SAR-147 Approved Basic Course, a requirement for the award of an aircraft maintenance licence in Singapore. SIT deputy president (academic) and provost Loh Han Tong said that there is a demand for skilled engineers and technicians to support the fast-growing air transport industry in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific. "As a university of applied learning, we want to produce the 'best-in-class specialists' who will be catalysts for transformation," he added. SIAEC senior vice president of human resources Zarina Piperdi also said such collaboration between the industry and universities benefits students, employers and the industry as relevant practical skills are imparted, shortening the total time taken to build up skills for various jobs. Established in 2009, SIT is one of Singapore's six autonomous universities. For academic year 2018/2019, the university will offer 43 degree programmes - including 12 of its own programmes, 12 joint degree programmes and another 19 overseas university programmes. Its admissions period for the coming academic year is from Thursday to Mar 19. Interested students can apply via SIT's website. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/sit-to-offer-singapore-s-first-aircraft-systems-engineering-9850928 Back to Top Boeing tops Airbus in 2017 with jet-production record Qantas Airways' first Dreamliner rolls out at the Future of Flight aviation center in Everett in October. (Mike Siegel/The Seattle Times) Boeing delivered 763 jets in 2017 - a production record, making it the world's top airplane manufacturer for the sixth year in a row. Airbus reports its figures next week and is expected to have delivered just over 700 jets, though it will again top Boeing in orders. Boeing released its 2017 jet-order and delivery data Tuesday, confirming that for the sixth year in a row it was the world's top manufacturer of airplanes. And the jet maker projects another boom year for airlines, and even higher production, in 2018. In a production record, Boeing built and delivered 763 airplanes in 2017, up from 748 jets the previous year. Its previous record was 762, set in 2015. Based on market pricing data from aircraft-valuation consultancy Avitas, those deliveries are valued at about $60 billion. Boeing Commercial Airplanes Chief Executive Kevin McAllister called the record "a testament to our employees and supplier partners who continue to innovate new ways to design, build and deliver the most fuel-efficient airplanes to customers around the world." Boeing also reported a total of 912 net orders last year, up from 668 the previous year. The list price of those orders, the vast majority of which are smaller single-aisle jets, is $134.8 billion. However, based on Avitas data, the actual value after standard discounts is about $63 billion. Airbus will report its final 2017 order and delivery figures on Monday. That data is expected to show it finished the year with just over 700 jets delivered. Airline profit boom There's scant sign of the slowdown that many airline-industry experts were predicting a year ago, concerned especially about the big Middle East carriers who'd pumped up demand in the widebody-jet market. In a conference call with the media, Boeing vice president of marketing Randy Tinseth said Tuesday that "by every measure, it was a very, very good year for us." He added that airlines worldwide are estimated to have made total profits last year of $34 billion, which means that over the last three boom years airlines have made more profit than they did in the prior 30 years combined. Financial analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu of investment bank Jefferies said the Boeing results "highlight ongoing strength in commercial aerospace supported by solid air traffic demand." Boeing's production advantage over Airbus is largely due to the 787 Dreamliner, now rolling out at a rate of a dozen jets per month. The competing Airbus A350 jet is being delivered at roughly half that rate. According to the definitive All Things 787 web database maintained by blogger Uresh Sheth, Boeing delivered 136 Dreamliners in 2017, of which 49 were assembled in North Charleston, South Carolina, and 87 in Everett. Production in South Carolina was down from 61 jets the previous year, slowed by the introduction onto the assembly line there of the first models of the largest Dreamliner, the 787-10. Boeing's Puget Sound-area factories delivered a total of 714 airplanes. Cuts to 777 production and slow rates on the 767 and 747 jets were more than offset by increased rates on the 737 and the 787. The Renton plant geared up its monthly production from 42 to 47 single-aisle 737 jets in the fall and ended with a record 529 jet deliveries for the year. In Everett, the production rate of the 777 was slashed to just 3.5 jets per month in August as Boeing prepares to transition that assembly line to the new 777X. However, 787 production in Everett at seven jets per month boosted total Everett deliveries for the year to 185 widebody jets. Production headed even higher The robust 2017 market confirms Boeing's confidence in its plans to push production even higher. He said Boeing will go ahead later this year with its plan to raise 737 production in Renton to 52 jets per month and then to 57 per month next year. And it could go even higher later. Tinseth said single-aisle-jet demand remains "very, very strong." "We continue to see upward pressure" on production rates, he said. Likewise, 787 production is on track to go to 14 jets per month in 2019. Tinseth highlighted the Chinese market as particularly important. He said a fifth of all 787 flights begin or end in China. This year, Boeing will finish construction of its 737 completion center in Zhoushan, China, where 737s going to Chinese carriers will be painted and fitted with seating and in-flight entertainment systems. The plan is for about 100 jets a year to be finished in China, which Tinseth said will help Boeing achieve the higher production rate in Renton. The one weak spot in Boeing's results was for its aging jumbo jet, the 747. Boeing delivered 14 of those in 2017, including in October the two airplanes that will be converted into Air Force One jets for the U.S. president. (Boeing hasn't disclosed where they will be converted.) But 747 cancellations outpaced orders for the year, leaving just a dozen jets still to build - all freighters. At the current snail's pace of production, one jet every two months, that's a couple of years until the end of the line. Tinseth said several cargo operators interested in the 747-8 freighter jet are waiting to see if the upturn in cargo traffic is sustained before they'll commit to a purchase. Airbus wins on jet orders Boeing's final tally of 912 orders is much better than many expected at the beginning of last year, largely because of a stellar year of 759 orders for the new 737 MAX. Those orders were balanced by some cancellations of the older 737 models so that the 737 family of jets ended the year with 745 net orders. Orders for the 787 Dreamliner also began to accelerate in 2017, with 94 net orders versus 58 the previous year. However, Airbus will almost certainly once again win the annual order race - for the fifth successive year. Airbus had a flurry of large single-aisle sales wins late in the year, including a massive order for 430 single-aisle A320neos from Phoenix, Arizona-based private-equity firm Indigo Partners, which backs a string of low-cost carriers around the world. That Airbus order victory is the last hurrah of longtime sales chief John Leahy, who is set to retire at the end of this month. https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/boeing-tops-airbus-in-2017-with-new-jet-production-record/ Back to Top In space and cyber, China is closing in on the United States A Chinese military communications satellite launches atop a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in November 2015. Credit: Xinhua "China's satellite manufacturing industry is growing at an alarming rate," said Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Co. WASHINGTON - It should be no surprise that China is moving to challenge the United States for dominance in space, cyber, artificial intelligence and other key technologies that have wide national security applications. But the question that is still being debated is whether the United States is taking this threat seriously. This may not be a Sputnik moment, but the United States could soon be unpleasantly surprised as China continues to shore up its domestic capacity to produce high-end weapons, satellites and encryption technologies, a panel of analysts told the House Armed Services emerging threats and capabilities subcommittee. At the Tuesday hearing, Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said lawmakers are not entirely convinced that China's dominance in many technology sectors is a "foregone conclusion." But the committee does believe that China's technological accomplishments should inform U.S. policies and defense investments. "China continues to increase their research and development investments at an alarming pace and is rapidly closing many of their technology gaps," Stefanik said. "More and more, we see China using only domestic Chinese firms and creating high market access barriers to support domestic capacity." This has obvious national security implications, she said, "should they corner the market on advanced technologies critical to national security." There are strict laws and regulatory barriers in place to prevent China from accessing U.S. technology and from acquiring American companies. Fear of Chinese theft of space technology has shaped some of the most stringent U.S. export control policies. But China nonetheless has built up a significant satellite manufacturing industry, and has managed to develop quantum communications spacecraft with advanced encryption features. "China's satellite manufacturing industry is growing at an alarming rate," said Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Co. "In the past two years Chinese factories have pumped out 40 satellites." The government there subsidizes launch costs to prop up its state-owned entities, he said. "This in turn places our own satellite manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage." Lamborn included a provision in last year's National Defense Authorization Act that bans the procurement of satellite communication by the U.S. government if such systems use satellites or components designed or manufactured by China. Dean Cheng, senior research fellow with the Asia Study Center at the Heritage Foundation, said China is filling global market needs for cheaper satellites. Countries like Nigeria, Bolivia and Venezuela are able to buy satellites "for a price that frankly no country can really compete with," said Cheng. "The question is whether Intelsat and Eutelsat are going to necessarily buy a satellite from Boeing if the Chinese can offer a satellite of relatively comparable capability for a purely commercial purpose." China also is poised to become a major player in the burgeoning small-satellite sector, Cheng said. "We expect to see the Chinese start moving into that arena. These are areas that will potentially constitute revolutionary capabilities and the Chinese recognize that it's important to play there." The exploitation of data from space will be a booming business for China, he said. "The Chinese are almost certainly going to be offering data as they deploy constellations," Cheng added. "We should expect to see them offering data at very competitive rates, potential undercutting prices to a variety of users." William Carter, a fellow at the technology policy program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the United States' best hope to stay ahead of China in space lies in the commercial sector. "There's actually a huge amount of innovation happening in the United States in the private sector," he said. The free market is "driving them to innovate and find ways to cut cost and deliver better capabilities," Carter said. "So I think there may be room to do more to combat China ... but I would also say that there's probably more reason for optimism about the U.S. commercial space sector today than there has been in a while." Whereas in the past China has put more emphasis on legal and illegal acquisition of technology, it is now developing technology on its own, Cheng said, "which means both a reduced time lag and a greater ability of China to set the very terms of the technology debate." When the Chinese talk about improving information gathering, he said, "We're not talking about just cyber, we are talking about space capabilities including countering potential adversaries through things like anti-satellite weapons as well as jamming." Unlike the United States, China's centralized government can more easily spin in private sector innovations into the military, noted Paul Scharre, senior fellow with the technology and national security program at the Center for a New American Security. China has set a goal to be the world leader in artificial intelligence by 2030 and will have major advantages in translating these private sector gains into national security applications. Stefanik said these development should be a wakeup call for the U.S. government. For years partisan divisions have stalled federal funding for key technology programs and the appropriations process is essentially broken. "China's leadership appears to recognize the connection between the development of many of these advanced technologies and economic growth. This is something we should remind ourselves," she said. "Perhaps it is a lesson we need to relearn amidst our debates on sequestration and continuing resolutions." There is hope on Capitol Hill that the re-establishment of the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering will move the Pentagon's technology efforts in a different direction. "I firmly believe that the undersecretary for R&E needs to be the prime mover to drive change and foster innovation within the department," said Stefanik. The undersecretary for R&E will be in a "unique position to drive a national-level dialogue for science and technology policy," she noted. "So therefore we have significant expectations of Dr. Mike Griffin, the nominee to be undersecretary for research and engineering." Stefanik insisted that the "threats we face from China and others demand that we energize and organize our government to ensure that policy keeps pace with technology." http://spacenews.com/in-space-and-cyber-china-is-closing-in-on-the-united-states/ Curt Lewis