Flight Safety Information January 17, 2018 - No. 013 In This Issue Incident: British Airways A319 at London on Jan 15th 2018, brakes problem Incident: British Airways B788 at London on Jan 15th 2018, cracked windshield Incident: Norwegian B738 near Paris on Jan 14th 2018, loss of cabin pressure Incident: THY A321 at Dusseldorf on Jan 16th 2018, problems with nose gear Incident: Delta B752 over Pacific on Jan 16th 2018, loss of cabin pressure Incident: Ethiopian B773 at Washington on Jan 15th 2018, hydraulic failure Mil Mi-17-1V Fatal Accident (Colombia) Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 Runway Excursion (Oregon) ATR 72-600 Smoke in the Cabin (Brazil) EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection FAA investigating incident at Pago Pago Airport It's Not Nice to Fool The NTSB Independent Civil Aviation Authority Needed (India) American Airlines implements de-escalation training PRISM Armor Safety Management System Software Passes 15,000 Users Sonnie Bates Joins Wyvern as CEO Baldwin Aviation Selects Chris Young to Expand Baldwin's Safety Solutions ANALYSIS: China drives efficiency at state-owned airlines Houston-based private jet company is accepting Bitcoin, Ethereum Embraer's Pratt-Powered E2 Crossover Jet Readied for Launch Why is the world's largest passenger plane facing the scrap heap? Ames Research Center: R&D Lab for NASA POSITION AVAILABLE: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PNG ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION COMMISSION GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY ISASI Kapustin Memorial Scholarship Applications Due in April Call for Papers - ISASI 2018 Incident: British Airways A319 at London on Jan 15th 2018, brakes problem A British Airways Airbus A319-100, registration G-EUPH performing flight BA-1468 from London Heathrow,EN to Inverness,SC (UK), was climbing out of Heathrow's runway 27R when the crew received indication of a problem with a brakes and steering control unit, that became unresponsive. The crew continued the flight initially, at FL380 about 15nm northeast of Liverpool,EN (UK) the crew decided in consultation with maintenance and dispatch to return to Heathrow. The aircraft landed safely back in Heathrow about 75 minutes after departure. A replacement A319-100 registration G-EUOE reached Inverness with a delay of about 3 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3ba7e7&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: British Airways B788 at London on Jan 15th 2018, cracked windshield A British Airways Boeing 787-800, registration G-ZBJB performing flight BA-225 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to New Orleans,LA (USA), was climbing out of London when the crew stopped the climb at FL090, dumped fuel and returned to Heathrow for a safe landing about 65 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 787-900 registration G-ZBKF reached New Orleans with a delay of about 6 hours. A passenger reported the captain announced there was a small crack in the windshield, they were dumping fuel and returning to London. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3ba58e&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: Norwegian B738 near Paris on Jan 14th 2018, loss of cabin pressure A Norwegian Air International Boeing 737-800, registration EI-FHZ performing flight D8-5525 from Oslo (Norway) to Barcelona,SP (Spain), was enroute at FL390 about 30nm south of Paris (France) when the crew descended the aircraft to FL340 due to a beginning problem with the cabin pressure. A few minutes later the crew initiated an emergency descent to FL100 due to the loss of cabin pressure. After levelling off at FL100 the crew decided to continue the flight to Barcelona where the aircraft landed safely about 90 minutes after leaving FL390. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Barcelona for about 9 hours, then resumed service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3ba3c3&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: THY A321 at Dusseldorf on Jan 16th 2018, problems with nose gear A THY Turkish Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration TC-JRT performing flight TK-1523 from Istanbul (Turkey) to Dusseldorf (Germany) with 175 people on board, had departed Istanbul's runway 17R. The aircraft was descending towards Dusseldorf when the crew advised of possible problems with the nose gear. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Dusseldorf's runway 23L and stopped on the runway. The aircraft was towed off the runway about 80 minutes after landing. About 2 hours after after being towed off the runway the aircraft was able to depart for the return flight. The airport reported the crew advised of possible nose gear problems while descending towards Dusseldorf. The aircraft landed without further incident. Ground operations had to be halted due to a thunderstorm around that time. A passenger reported the approach into Dusseldorf was quite bumpy due to stormy weather and the touch down was quite hard. Instead of turning the aircraft off the runway the aircraft stopped on the runway, the captain indicated they needed to be towed off the runway due to damage to the nose gear that apparently happened during departure from Istanbul. Some time later the captain announced, the damage to the nose gear prevented a tow via any tow vehicle (via towbar or by lifter). The passengers disembarked via stairs onto the runway and were bussed to the terminal. The passenger believed while seeing the nose gear during disembarking that the nose gear was twisted by about 60-70 degrees. Metars: EDDL 161050Z 27013KT 9999 -SHRA SCT012 FEW025TCU SCT045 04/02 Q0993 NOSIG= EDDL 161020Z 28020G30KT 7000 -SHRA FEW013 SCT025CB BKN045 03/02 Q0993 RETS NOSIG= EDDL 160950Z 27024G35KT 9999 -TSRA FEW013 SCT025CB BKN045 05/02 Q0992 RESHRA BECMG NSW= EDDL 160920Z 25022G34KT 210V280 9999 -SHRA FEW020 SCT025TCU BKN045 07/03 Q0991 TEMPO TSRA= EDDL 160850Z 24020KT 9999 FEW020 SCT045 07/04 Q0991 TEMPO SHRA= EDDL 160820Z 22014KT 9999 FEW020 BKN040 07/04 Q0991 NOSIG= EDDL 160750Z 24013KT 9999 FEW020 FEW025TCU BKN040 07/04 Q0991 NOSIG= EDDL 160720Z 24011KT 9999 -SHRA SCT025TCU BKN040 06/04 Q0991 NOSIG= EDDL 160650Z 23014KT 9999 FEW025 SCT040 07/03 Q0991 NOSIG= EDDL 160620Z 23016KT 9999 FEW025 SCT040 07/04 Q0991 NOSIG= EDDL 160550Z 23015KT 9999 FEW025 SCT040 06/04 Q0991 NOSIG= http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3ba133&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: Delta B752 over Pacific on Jan 16th 2018, loss of cabin pressure A Delta Airlines Boeing 757-200, registration N820DX performing flight DL-298 from Tokyo Narita (Japan) to Saipan,MP (USA), was enroute at FL390 over the Pacific Ocean when the crew initiated an emergency descent to FL100 due to the loss of cabin pressure. The aircraft continued to Saipan for a safe landing. The aircraft was unable to depart for the return flight and is still on the ground about 16 hours after landing. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL298/history/20180116/0130Z/RJAA/PGSN http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3b985f&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: Ethiopian B773 at Washington on Jan 15th 2018, hydraulic failure An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 777-300, registration ET-APX performing flight ET-501 from Washington Dulles,DC (USA) to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), was climbing out of Dulles' runway 30 when the crew advised they had a hydraulic system failure and needed to return to Washington. The aircraft dumped fuel and landed on Dulles' runway 01C about one hour after departure. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ETH501/history/20180115/1500Z/KIAD/HAAB http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3b9745&opt=256 Back to Top Mil Mi-17-1V Fatal Accident (Colombia) Date: 16-JAN-2018 Time: 09:10 Type: Mil Mi-17-1V Owner/operator: Colombian Army (Aviación del Ejército) Registration: EJC3380 C/n / msn: 170M06 Fatalities: Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Segovia - Colombia Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: A Mil Mi-17-1V transport helicopter of the Colombian Army crashed near Segovia. All ten occupants were confirmed to have died. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=204555 Back to Top Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 Runway Excursion (Oregon) Date: 16-JAN-2018 Time: ca 07:40 LT Type: Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 Owner/operator: Flight Options Registration: N354FX C/n / msn: 50500135 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Minor Location: Bend Municipal Airport, OR (KBDN) - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Private Departure airport: Oakland International Airport, CA (OAK/KOAK) Destination airport: Bend Municipal Airport, OR (KBDN) Narrative: A Phenom 300 corporate jet with six people aboard suffered a runway excursion after landing on runway 34 at Bend Municipal Airport, Oregon, USA. The aircraft came to rest on uneven terrain past the end of the runway. Overnight rain showers and low temperatures may have played a role in the incident. Weather about the time of the incident (1540Z): KBDN 161555Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 00/M00 A3019 RMK AO2 > KBDN 161535Z AUTO 00000KT 2SM BR CLR 00/00 A3019 RMK AO2 KBDN 161515Z AUTO 00000KT 1SM BR SCT001 00/00 A3019 RMK AO2 https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=204563 Back to Top ATR 72-600 Smoke in the Cabin (Brazil) Date: 15-JAN-2018 Time: 22:00 LT Type: ATR 72-600 Owner/operator: Azul Linhas Aéreas Registration: PR-AQM C/n / msn: 1113 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 74 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: None Location: Aeroporto Pedro Otacílio Figueiredo, Vitória da Conquista - Brazil Phase: Approach Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Aeroproto Internacional de Confins , SBCF Destination airport: Aeroporto Pedro Otacílio Figueiredo, Vitória da Conquista Narrative: Azul Linhas Aéreas flight AD9277 requested landing priority at Vitória da Conquista Airport, Brazil due to suspected electrical problems. Smoke was reported in the aircraft. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=204567 Back to Top Back to Top FAA investigating incident at Pago Pago Airport The US Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an incident involving a Talofa Airways aircraft last week at Pago Pago Airport in American Samoa. One of Talofa Airways Twin Commander aircraft A territorial lawmaker has voiced concerns over the slow emergency response from the airport's rescue crew to the incident. A spokesperson for the aviation administration Ian Gregor says the plane from Apia landed without incident on 11 January. But while the Twin Commander aircraft was taxiing, the main landing gear collapsed. Mr Gregor said there were eight passengers on board and nobody was injured. The senator Magalei Logovi'i was among the passengers, and says he is concerned with the slow response from airport rescue crew. However, Mr Gregor said a landing-gear collapse when an aircraft is taxiing slowly would not generally be an emergency. He said it was up to the pilot to declare an emergency and that there was no requirement for a pilot to request an emergency response to such an incident. Magalei has set a committee hearing later this week to receive testimony from airport officials on this incident. https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/348294/faa-investigating-incident-at-pago- pago-airport Back to Top It's Not Nice to Fool The NTSB Those of us of a certain age will remember the television ad for margarine that tastes so much like butter that even Mother Nature is fooled. When Mother Nature learns that the product is not her "delicious butter," she vexedly responds "It's not nice to fool Mother Nature!" Well, as we're seeing for the second time in 16 months, our federal criminal justice system is also telling us it's not nice to fool (or allegedly fool) the NTSB. Last week the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska announced that a grand jury in Anchorage returned a three-count indictment against the pilot and owner of a Part 135 commercial air tour operator. According to the NTSB final accident report, the August 2014 flight, which was carrying 3 passengers, impacted rising terrain below the entrance to Atigun Pass, which crosses the Brooks Range. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the defendant and the three passengers sustained serious injuries, with one of the passengers passing away 35 days after the accident. In 2015, the FAA revoked the defendant's airman pilot certificate and last year, an NTSB administrative law judge upheld the FAA's revocation action. The first count of the indictment charges the defendant with obstructing the NTSB investigation in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1505 by making false and misleading statements, including that: the accident aircraft was climbing through 5,500 to 5,700 feet with a target altitude of 6,000 feet just prior to the crash. (The NTSB accident report indicates that during the last 10 minutes of flight, the aircraft was in a shallow climb and its calculated height above ground level decreased from 682 feet to 36 feet). just prior to the crash, the passenger in the right front seat slumped onto the flight controls and blocked the throttle and landing gear controls. (The NTSB report indicates that none of the 3 passengers recalled this sequence of events and the audio portion of one of the passenger's video recorders includes a statement from a first responder that the front seat passenger was seat- belted). the aircraft's propellor blade failed in flight. (The NTSB report indicates the post-accident examination determined that the missing propellor blade separated during the accident impact sequence). The indictment's second count charges the defendant with violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1505 by making the same false and misleading statements in the context of the NTSB administrative proceeding during his appeal of the FAA's revocation action. Finally, the third count alleges the defendant piloted an aircraft in December 2015 without a valid airman certificate in violation of 49 U.S.C. § 46306(b)(7) (willfully serv[ing] ... as an airman without an airman's certificate authorizing the individual to serve in that capacity). These new indictments come on the heels of the recent case where a federal jury found the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) guilty of multiple violations of the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act and one count of violating 18 U.S.C. § 1505 by attempting to mislead NTSB investigations of the San Bruno, CA, pipeline explosion on September 9, 2010, that killed 8 people, destroyed 38 residences, and damaged 70 others. This successful prosecution of PG&E was the first time the Department of Justice brought an obstruction of justice case for impeding an NTSB investigation. Clearly, the recent uptick in prosecutions for obstruction of NTSB investigations - a successful one against a major corporation and a pending one against an individual - underscores the importance of cooperating fully with NTSB investigations (or, for that matter, any federal agency investigation). A maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for individuals found guilty of violating 18 U.S.C. § 1505 ($500,000 per count for corporations) is a heavy penalty for such transgressions. https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=bdaf0cba-700f-4723-8cb0-438029124ec7 Back to Top Independent Civil Aviation Authority Needed (India) Mohan Ranganathan, Aviation Safety Consultant Captain Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation safety consultant with 35 years of flying experience tells AIBM that India needs to focus more on air safety and training. The Civil Aviation Ministry claims preliminary feedback from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) suggests it was 'satisfied' with the regulatory mechanism. What has the Government done since the last audit to get a positive feedback? The ICAO audit team never gives an opinion. They submit their findings to the department in Montreal who study them and then give their opinion. Even in 2012, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) released a press statement, soon after the audit, that the team found India above world standards. When the final report came out, India was in the list of 13 nations found wanting. As a veteran pilot and safety consultant, how do you view Indian aviation's track record with safety standards? What are the reforms India needs to undertake? Indian safety standards are abysmally low. We do not have enough 'qualified' specialists in Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) or Airports Authority of India (AAI). A large majority hold their positions either because of their caste or connections. India has to move from the 'cover- up mode' to the ' proactive safety mode'. You need to ensure that the surveillance safety audits are not a box ticking exercise but a realistic finding and ensure a proper follow-up on actions taken. Right now, DGCA and AAI are moving at a tangent, both claiming the safety standards are better than the world, but in reality, both are wrong. A record number of 422 air-safety violations were detected in 2016 against 275 in 2015. Is DGCA well equipped and well resourced to handle the safety issues? Right from the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme in 2006, the findings have pointed towards a shortage of qualified man power. Every time, they are assured that the numbers will be filled up as soon as possible. Eleven years on, the malaise continues. Accidents are covered up as incidents and investigation standards are really low. The Flight Standards Directorate of DGCA is a joke and the lowering of standards is primarily due to this. How badly does India need a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)? Why has this reform on regulatory mechanism been put on the backburner? India needs an independent CAA. And not just today; it has been missing one for the past 20 years. The MoCA controls all aspects of aviation in India without having a single qualified person. This scenario cannot continue. India is on a modernisation spree of its aviation sector, especially building new airports. What are the challenges on safety issues? Indian aviation is a perfect example of 'never judge a book by its cover'. Attractive terminal buildings and a number of airports do not make for a safe system. We have a severe shortage of qualified pilots, engineers, air traffic controllers and personnel. Merely filling the vacancies without proper training and qualification does not make it a safe system. First, employ, train and provide experience to qualified personnel before thinking of expansion. Is there enough focus on building infrastructure to handle the growing capacity and training/skilling manpower to handle growing challenges? No. Focus is mainly on popular statements and how things are bright. https://mediaindia.eu/interview/independent-civil-aviation-authority-needed/ Back to Top American Airlines implements de-escalation training * About 65,000 American Airlines employees will undergo training on de-escalating conflicts with customers, the Los Angeles Times reports. * Conflicts with passengers aren't new to the industry, but the company says that the proliferation of smartphones - and users' resulting ability to launch a viral video - has changed the game. * While an industry trade group suggests that fewer passengers became "unruly" in 2016, a higher percentage of the clashes involve fighting or threatening passengers and flight crew, the paper reports. Such training became a priority for American Airlines after a video of a confrontation went viral in April, according to the Times. The training news comes just weeks after American Airlines detailed plans to implement company- wide racial-bias training in the wake of allegations that employees discriminate against African- American passengers. For many employers, the need to train front-facing team members has never been more urgent. Smartphones and access to social media have effectively rendered every visible employee a company spokesperson, making businesses vulnerable to public relations nightmares in the wake of even minor incidents. Employers also have been increasingly providing employees with training on dealing with sexual harassment or potential assault from customers, and some have gone so far as to provide workers with panic buttons. For employees that interact with the public, proactive training on managing difficult situations can be invaluable. https://www.hrdive.com/news/american-airlines-implements-de-escalation-training/514741/ Back to Top PRISM Armor Safety Management System Software Passes 15,000 Users SOURCE: ARGUS INTERNATIONAL, INC. JAN 16, 2018 PRISM, a subsidiary of ARGUS International, is pleased to announce, today, that its ARMOR Safety Management System software has passed 15,000 unique users. ARMOR, created in 2008, is the first iPhone and iPad compatible SMS application with FRAT and hazard reporting functionality, making it accessible 24/7. "The fact that ARMOR has now reached over 15,000 users validates the impact it has on aviation safety. By modernizing safety management through its highly capable software applications, ARMOR enables aviation operations to effectively and efficiently manage risk and enhance operational safety. The PRISM team is genuinely proud to deliver ARMOR to the aviation industry and support these users," said Steve Witowski, VP of Business Aviation Services. ARMOR users leverage the Safety Management Software to create a customizable analytics dashboard with informative charts and graphs presenting safety performance data collected in ARMOR, receive email alerts for excessive risks, customize event risk mitigation specific to operational risks, access a comprehensive report history, measure data with visual charts and graphs, manage an internal evaluation program, track employee training qualifications, and more. FRAT and GRAT features may be accessible to all employees within an organization. PRISM ARMOR software features include: Safety Intelligence (Analytics) Flight Risk Analysis Tool (FRAT) Ground Risk Analysis Tool (GRAT) Safety Reporting Internal Evaluation Program (IEP) Manager Training Qualification Tracker (TQT) Safety Locker Document Management Risk Assessment Tool For more information about ARMOR software or other ARGUS products and services visit, http://argus.aero/. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12391861/prism-armor-safety-management-system- software-passes-15000-users Back to Top Sonnie Bates Joins Wyvern as CEO Sonnie Bates, a leading expert in business aviation safety initiatives, has stepped in as CEO at Wyvern. Bates succeeds Art Dawley at the industry audit and risk management specialist. Dawley has left the company. Bates has a more-than-30-year aviation background that spans the U.S. Air Force, industry, and associations. He previously was vice president and COO for aviation consultancy Baldwin Aviation and before that spent six years at the International Business Aviation Council, including two years as director of the International Standards for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) program. Additionally, he has managed his own firm, Corporate Aviation Solutions, which specializes in IS- BAO, safety management system, and certified aviation manager preparation, along with other aviation professional development and training programs. Bates's career also has included time as a captain on long-range business jets for corporate flight departments. He further has held key roles with CAE, where he developed the pilot training program for the Falcon 7X and was the program manager for Dassault Falcon products. Bates, Wyvern said, "has earned a sterling reputation for his professionalism and integrity; and the board is confident that he will take Wyvern to the next level and accelerate the introduction of safety and risk management innovations for manned and unmanned flight organizations across the globe." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-01-16/sonnie-bates-joins- wyvern-ceo Back to Top Baldwin Aviation Selects Chris Young to Expand Baldwin's Safety Solutions Hilton Head Island, SC - January, 2018- Baldwin Aviation, a world leader in developing, assessing and implementing Safety Management Systems for aviation operators, has announced that it is focusing additional resources and expertise on the aviation segment. The firm has added a veteran safety professional and member of the United States Helicopter Safety Team, Chris Young, to lead this effort as Director of Safety Solutions. " Our business continues to grow and we've seen much of that increase among all types of operations," noted Don Baldwin, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Baldwin Aviation. "We have known Chris for a number of years and are very pleased he decided to join us. He brings with him 25 years of aviation and leadership experience in the U.S. Navy, air medical operations, aircraft manufacturing, aviation safety and technical publications. He has over 2900 flight hours and is a commercial and instrument rated pilot in multi/single-engine airplanes and helicopters." Young began his aviation career flying helicopters in the U.S. Navy, serving as an SH-60B SEAHAWK instructor pilot and Standardization Evaluator.. Following active duty, he held the positions of Executive Officer and Commanding Officer for several Navy Reserve units. He has also flown numerous hours as a Helicopter Air Ambulance (HAA) Captain transporting critically injured patients in a demanding and dynamic environment. In 2005, Young joined Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, working on the development of Sikorsky Aircraft's Safety Management System (SMS). He was also directly responsible for performing compliance audits, developing a comprehensive Human Factors curriculum, and conducting aircraft incident investigations. He also served as his department's Coordinator in the company's continuous improvement program. Since 2012 Chris has worked in various leadership positions supporting aviation clients in the implementation of SMS solutions as well as the optimization of their technical publications and content management. His commitment to excellence and dedication to customer success has earned him high praise within the industry. A graduate of Pennsylvania State University, he is also a member of the US Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) and the CAMTS Aviation & Safety Advisory Committee. About Baldwin Aviation - Safety & Compliance Founded in 2004, Baldwin is a global company founded to support the implementation and maintenance of safety management and related business support systems such as ASAP/ASIAS, FDM/FOQA and Manual software. Utilizing leading edge proprietary technology supported by a team of experienced and credentialed aviation safety experts, Baldwin is considered the leader in the SMS industry. Baldwin conforms to ICAO, FAA, EASA, Transport Canada and other State standards and regulatory requirements. In addition, Baldwin is an IS-BAH and IS-BAO I3SA company - further supporting Baldwin's leadership position in the SMS industry. Visit www.BaldwinSMS.com for more information. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12391626/baldwin-aviation-selects-chris-young-to- expand-baldwins-safety-solutions Back to Top ANALYSIS: China drives efficiency at state-owned airlines Chinese state-owned carriers could become more competitive on the international stage, following the change in their parents' ownership structures. Earlier this month, Air China and China Eastern Airlines both disclosed that their parent companies - China National Aviation Holding and China Eastern Air Holding, have converted from state-owned enterprises into limited liability companies. China Southern Airlines is expected to make a similar announcement at some point. This follows the Chinese government's announcement last year that all major SOEs will be converted into joint-stock or limited liability companies by the end of 2017. This is a push to introduce mixed ownership between the government and private sector, aimed at driving efficiency in often-bloated SOEs, separate government work from the day-to-day management of businesses, and bring these firms more into line with corporate practices. Corrine Png, chief executive of transport equity research firm Crucial Perspective, says the reform will help to improve the level of information disclosure, transparency, performance and governance of the airline holding companies. This is important because Chinese carriers are increasingly pursuing growth on international routes, exposing themselves to stiff competition. "Improving the quality of corporate disclosure and governance at the parent level is a significant step that will help drive the Chinese airlines' commercial strategies and performance monitoring, improving their competitiveness further as they continue to expand on international routes and gain market share," she adds. A BOOST FOR PRIVATE MONEY The move could also pave the way for more private investment in state-owned airlines. Last week, China also made it easier for state and private Chinese companies to invest in the country's civil aviation industry, in a bid to boost its development. Under the revision, state-owned and private investment entities may individually or jointly invest in the civil aviation industry. It has made clear that key players Air China, China Eastern and China Southern must, however, remain majority controlled by state-owned shareholders. The three carriers are already listed on the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges, where investors can take a stake, and a number of transactions have taken place in the past years. In 2015, Delta Air Lines acquired 10% of China Eastern's Hong Kong-listed shares for $450 million. This translates to a 3.55% stake in the Chinese airline. The airline's president has also said that it will work to attract other investments, and reduce the stakes held by state-owned enterprises. Last year, China Southern also sold a 2.68% stake to American Airlines for HK$1.55 billion ($198 million). American also has an observer on the Chinese carrier's board, without any voting rights. This makes Air China the only state-owned operator without a foreign investor. As Beijing attempts to loosen its grip and liberalise the industry, and as Chinese carriers continue to aggressively pursue international growth, more foreign partnerships and investments can be expected. Any relaxation in ownership and investment rules, either at the parent or airline level, would thus be beneficial. More quickly, changing the parent companies' ownership could see more private investment in the parents' various subsidiaries, such as ground handling, catering or airfreight logistics. JOINT VENTURES ABROAD? Joanna Lu, Flight Ascend Consultancy's head of advisory Asia, says that besides the potential "slight dilution" of state-owned capital in the airlines, the new ownership structure could also lead to the separation of ancillary business from the core airline operations. Joint ventures, partly funded by non-state-owned capital, could also be incorporated to enter new markets outside China. Analysts add that SOEs have the disadvantage of having to answer to political and social objectives that may not be in line with their business strategy or financial goals. Politics could also interfere with business decisions, especially in international market assessments and fleet acquisitions for airlines, says Lu. She adds, however: "The three state-owned airlines already have the majority of the market share, so it does make sense to introduce more dynamics into the market." The easing of control over the Chinese aviation industry is definitely a step in the right direction. Market forces are essential for greater efficiency and competition. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/analysis-china-drives-efficiency-at-state-owned-air- 444913/ Back to Top Houston-based private jet company is accepting Bitcoin, Ethereum Houston-based TapJets, which allows customers to instantly book a private jet with their smartphone, is accepting payment in Bitcoin and Ethereum. The company began accepting Bitcoin in July 2017, and the number of flights booked using that cryptocurrency tripled month over month. The company announced Tuesday that it's now accepting Ethereum, another type of cryptocurrency. "The instant nature of cryptocurrency transactions removes the time barrier of traditional bank wire or credit card payments for large ticket purchases such as private jet travel, which now makes the customer experience even more convenient and seamless," Eugene Kesselman, founder and CEO of TapJets, said in the news release. TapJets allows travelers to instantly book a private jet. It provides door-to-door service, including transportation to the airport, the private flight and then a second vehicle to get travelers to their end destination. And if a private jet needs to fly somewhere to pick up its customers, TapJets allows people to bid in an auction to ride that repositioning flight. This could provide cheaper transportation for the traveler and assures the jet doesn't fly empty. According to its website, TapJets customers pay only for the time they fly, and they pay less than what's traditionally charged by air charter companies. "If you are looking to fly private, you should not be expected to fill out wire transfer forms, send credit card information, or sign contracts on paper," Kesselman said in the news release. "These are antiquated methods that have no place in the luxury travel segment." https://www.chron.com/business/bizfeed/article/Houston-based-private-jet-company-is-accepting- 12499638.php Back to Top Embraer's Pratt-Powered E2 Crossover Jet Readied for Launch Embraer's newest generation of E-jets, powered by Pratt & Whitney's Geared Turbofan engine, will enter into service on schedule this April. Launch customer Widerĝe, the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, will take delivery of the first E2-190. The E2 family promises to deliver 15% better fuel efficiency through streamlined and lighter airframe design combined with the most fuel- efficient, latest-technology engine architecture - the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan engine. Built on Embraer's highly successful first generation E-jet program, the E2 program completely redesigned the wing, and introduces new pylons, landing gear, horizontal stabilizers, cabin, cabin air system, air cycle machine, bleed air system, and a new fly-by-wire system, beating the original performance targets for the aircraft. The Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan engine was selected as the exclusive powerplant for the E2 family. "This aircraft is the culmination of Embraer's long expertise in continuously improving performance through innovation," said Embraer Commercial Aviation CEO John Slattery. "Combined with the power of the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan engine, this is the future of commercial aviation, and we look forward to celebrating the launch of our E2 program with Widerĝe this April." The E2's entry into service marks the third platform for Pratt &Whitney's Geared Turbofan, an option on the Airbus A320neo family and sole-sourced for Bombardier's C Series. The GTF offers better fuel burn, lower emissions, and a smaller noise footprint. In addition to the innovative gear design, which allows the fan and turbine to spin at their optimal speeds, the engine contains a suite of new state of the art technologies including lightweight composites for the fan module airfoils and cases, the highest efficiency low-pressure turbine currently fielded, and advanced thermal barrier coatings, powder metal disk alloys and turbine airfoil cooling technologies for the high pressure turbine. "The Pratt family is excited to join Embraer in the launch of their E2 program," said Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engine President, Chris Calio. "This is a significant milestone for both companies, and we are honored to power and support Widerĝe's new fleet with our GTF engines." Pratt & Whitney has 8,000 GTF orders with more than 80 customers worldwide and will double its 2017 production of 350 engines in 2018. http://aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/embraer-s-pratt-powered-e2-crossover-jet-readied- launch Back to Top Why is the world's largest passenger plane facing the scrap heap? The A380 was launched to much fanfare in 2005 with commentators declaring it the future of aviation - 2006 Getty Images Airbus has confirmed it is preparing to end production of the world's largest passenger plane after receiving no new orders in two years. The A380 was launched to much fanfare in 2005 with commentators declaring it the future of aviation. But just 13 later, and with only 222 units delivered, the entire project is on the brink. Airbus says it must build at least six of the planes each year to keep the programme running, and had been banking on a new order in November from its biggest customer, Emirates. However, the Dubai carrier chose to purchase 40 Boeing 787 Dreamliners instead. Yesterday John Leahy, Airbus's sales director, admitted that only Emirates could save the superjumbo. "We are still talking to Emirates, but honestly, they are probably the only one to have the ability right now... to take a minimum of six per year for a period of eight to 10 years," he said. "If we can't work out a deal with Emirates there is no choice but to shut down the programme." Emirates bought 50 A380s in 2013, but since then Airbus has only received one more order for the model, when Japan's ANA bought three jets in January 2016. Boeing 747 size comparison What went wrong for the A380? The jet has been widely praised by passengers for offering a smooth and comfortable flying experience, but the economics of operating it have proved off-putting for airlines. Simply put, every service needs to run at close to full capacity for carriers to make money. Airlines are instead opting to buy medium-sized planes, such as the Dreamliner, the A320neo, which launched in 2016, and the A350, introduced in 2015. Independent air transport consultant John Strickland told the Telegraph: "The A380 is a well regarded aircraft by airlines which operate it and by customers flying on it. Generally, however, twin-engine aircraft such as the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 777 reduce the financial risks involved with filling capacity and operating costs." Last year Singapore Airlines, the A380's first customer, started putting its superjumbos into storage, while in November an Irish aircraft leasing company said it was considering creating its own airline because it couldn't find anyone to borrow its A380s. Which airline owns the most A380s? Emirates, by a long way. With a fleet of 100, it's one of the few carriers able to get the maximum value out of the four-engine A380, and has made it the core of its long-haul fleet. Other airlines have ordered them in far smaller quantities: British Airways, for example, has 12 of them in its fleet of 270 aircraft. The Airbus superjumbos currently in service How many orders are outstanding? Production rate of the aircraft is falling fast, from 30 a year in 2014 to 15 in 2017, 12 this year, and eight next year. "We will deliver 12 aircraft as planned in 2018," said Airbus's chief operating officer Fabrice Bregier. "The challenge will be to maintain at least this level in the years to come." Can new markets save the A380? Airbus had been hoping Chinese airlines would help revive the superjumbo. China will be the world's biggest air travel market by 2022, according to the International Air Transport Association. But John Leahy's comments this week would suggest these hopes are fading. Besides, China has spent the last decade developing its own plane manufacturer: Comac. Its first purpose is to reduce the reliance on Boeing and Airbus planes on China's domestic air network - but the Far East's rising super-power also has ambitions to take its investment in aviation beyond its borders. Comac's new C919 - Credit: GETTY What's the next biggest passenger plane? Hypothetically, should every single A380, capable of carrying 853 passengers in a single class, be grounded, the Boeing 747-800 would become the largest passenger aircraft in the world, capable of carrying 700 passengers in a single class. But isn't the 747 falling from favour? Correct. Last month United waved goodbye to its final 747 with a farewell flight from San Francisco to Honolulu (recreating the route of its first 747 service in 1970). Not one US carrier now flies the iconic Boeing aircraft, which - after almost 50 years of tireless service - is gradually disappearing from our skies. Even it's biggest customer, British Airways, is phasing it out of its fleet. It currently has 36 jumbo jets, according to the website Airfleets.net, but a further 34 have already been placed in storage and it has said the model will be gone from its hangars by 2024. Where are all the Boeing 747s? Demand for the 747, which has been tweaked and upgraded many times since its first flight in 1969, has dried up. No new orders were received last year and it is expected that Boeing will be forced to call time on the jumbo jet before long. Since 1969 Boeing has produced more than 1,500 747s. But around two-thirds of these have now been scrapped, written off, or placed in storage at one of the world's aircraft graveyards. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/airbus-admits-preparing-call-time-095702052.html Back to Top Ames Research Center: R&D Lab for NASA Aerial image of NASA Ames Research Center. Ames Research Center is one of the oldest facilities currently operated by NASA. Lying just south of San Francisco, in the heart of Silicon Valley, Ames boasts a wealth of research projects. It is one of 10 NASA field centers. "Ames Research Center ... contributes to virtually every major NASA mission and initiative," the Ames website states. History of Ames Ames grew out of Moffett Field, which was originally conceived of as a base for the Navy's rigid airships in 1931. Local communities donated 100 acres for the base, while the government purchased an additional 750 acres, according to Elizabeth Muenger in the book "Searching the Horizon: A History of Ames Research Center, 1940-1976." At the time, the Navy had two such ships, the Akron and the Macon. In 1939, Congress authorized a second laboratory for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the precursor to NASA, to be developed at Moffett. (The first was Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, which became Langley Research Center.) The Navy still hoped to develop rigid airships in the future, and requested that any NACA buildings be located outside the mooring circles. In December 1939, the Army gave NACA the use of 62 acres of land. The agency purchased another 40 acres from local farmers and began surveying building locations. Ground was broken at Moffett Field, California, in 1939, and operations began in early 1941. In 1944, NACA named the facility in honor of Joseph S. Ames, leading aerodynamicist, former president of Johns Hopkins University, and one of the founding members of NACA. From the start, Ames was bent toward urgent research in aircraft structures. Some of its original facilities include multiple wind tunnels used to test and refine aircraft and guided missiles; today, the facilities serve similar purposes for satellites. The Air Force passed Moffett Airfield to NASA in 1994, when the military base closed. "Wind tunnels are central to Ames' history," says Ames' historical website. "Of particular note are three tunnels later designated key national resources." The largest of the three, the Unitary Plan Wind tunnel, has tested almost all NASA crewed space vehicles, including the space shuttle, and is the only one still in use today. In 1985, the 11-acre wind tunnel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. "The Ames Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel is significant because it represents the continual development of superior technical aeronautical research facilities after the end of the Second World War," Harry Butowsky, then of the National Park Service, said on the nomination form. "These research facilities formed the foundation upon which the National Aeronautics and Space Administration would draw in 1958 to launch the American effort to land a man on the moon." In 1958, Ames became part of the newly formed National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Ames provided input to the fledgling agency's top priority, the lunar program, testing and refining the re-entry capsules and thermal protection in the Center's new Arc Jet Complex and hypervelocity ranges. The arc jets later contributed to thermal protection for all of NASA's crewed programs, including the space shuttle, as well as planetary missions like the Galileo satellite to Jupiter. "The complex will continue to be central to the research and development of materials suitable for heatshield applications," the website says. In the 1950s, Moffitt Field's Hangar One, one of the world's largest freestanding structures, was designated a Historic American Engineering Record; in 2008, the 8-acre structure was listed as one of the most endangered historic places. In 2014, NASA leased the management of Hangar One and Moffett airfield to Planetary Ventures, a subsidiary of Google, for 60 years. Restoration of the hangar by Google is expected to be complete in 2025. "We're looking to be as efficient as possible, but it's hard to say (when we'll be done). All our schedules are subject to change," Anthony LaMarca told the Moffett Field Restoration Advisory Board in 2017, a local newspaper reported. LaMarca is the project manager for Planetary Ventures. "By the time we get through all these steps, the skin will be done by 2025. That's quite a ways out." The hangars were included as part of the U.S. Naval Air Station, Sunnyvale Historic District, also known as the Shenandoah Plaza, when the district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. In 2017, several Ames facilities were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Ames Administration building, the Aviation Systems Division's flight simulation and guidance laboratory, the Arc Jet Complex, and the NASA Ames Wind Tunnel Historic District. The team developing the landing system for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory tested the deployment of an early parachute design in mid-October 2007 inside the world's largest wind tunnel, at NASA Ames Research Center. The here and now NASA Ames Research Center has grown over the past seven decades. Today, it has approximately 2,500 on-site employees and contractors spread across 500 acres. Ames emerged as the leading builder of flight simulators in the 1960s, with a wide range of simulators, equipment and facilities developed by the park to improve pilot workloads, cockpit design and safety. In particular, the Vertical Motion Simulator still enables testing of a variety of aircraft. Ames also has a life science program. The agency boasts various centrifuges, two of which are unique to the agency, as well as genome facilities. Future Flight Central remains a sophisticated facility for basic research on movement into and around airports. In the 1990s, Ames expanded its research to new realms. Nanotechnology laboratories aim to help reduce mass in space while increasing capability, while astrobiology facilities include a world- renowned astrochemistry laboratory to simulate deep space, a bio-mat greenhouse laboratory to study Earth's earliest living organisms, and bio-signature labs. Ames is also investigating exoplanets. The center provides scientific and management leadership of NASA's Kepler mission, which has discovered over 6,500 exoplanets and exoplanet candidates. The Ames Coronagraph Experiment (ACE) is a laboratory testbed for potential instruments to help NASA directly image exoplanets in the future. The agency lists eight core competencies on its website that it says helps it to contribute to virtually every NASA mission. They are: Entry systems Advanced computing & IT systems Aerosciences Air Traffic Management Astrobiology and Life Sciences Cost-Effective Space Missions Intelligent/Adaptive Systems Space and Earth Science Ames is active on several NASA missions. It serves as a partner for NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), the world's largest airborne astronomical observatory, as well as for the International Space Station and Mars Science Laboratory and the Curiosity rover currently operating on the Red Planet. It is also a partner on the New Horizons mission, which flew by Pluto in 2015 and is on its way to rendezvous with a distant Kuiper-belt object. Visiting Ames While the massive research center itself is closed to the public, the nearby visitor center is open to all. With an exterior resembling a melting marshmallow, the visitor center has a self-guided walkthrough that discusses the research at Ames. Current exhibits include Science on a Sphere, Ames Spacecraft missions, a moon rock, a Mercury Redstone 1a capsule used in the last unmanned test flight before Mercury 7, a wind-tunnel model of SOFIA, a Kepler display, and a walk-through model of the International Space Center on Living and Working in Space. The center offers videos of varying lengths. While individuals and small groups are welcome to drop in, groups of ten or more require reservations. The centers hours are: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Tuesday - Friday; noon - 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. The visitor center is closed Mondays and federal holidays. To contact the visitor center, call (650) 604-6497. https://www.space.com/39381-ames-research-center.html Back to Top Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY I am a student with City University in London doing my MSc in Air Transport Management and conducting a survey for academic research on the Importance of Pilot Mental Health and Peer Support Group and would be grateful if you could complete the survey below: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/B3HGHVV Thank you in advance! Bilal Farid Back to Top ISASI Kapustin Memorial Scholarship Applications Due in April Applications for the 2018 ISASI Rudolph Kapustin Memorial Scholarship must be submitted on or before April 15, 2018, says ISASI Secretary Chad Balentine, who serves as Scholarship Committee Chairman. Balentine noted that this worthy program is designed to encourage and assist college-level students interested in the field of aviation safety and aircraft occurrence investigation. ISASI funds the Rudolf Kapustin Memorial Scholarship through donations and will provide an annual allocation of funds for the scholarship if funds are available. Applicants must be enrolled as full time students in an ISASI recognized education program, which includes courses in aircraft engineering and/or operations, aviation psychology, aviation safety and/or aircraft occurrence investigation, etc. Applicants must have major or minor subjects that focus on aviation safety/investigation. A student who has received the annual ISASI Rudolf Kapustin Memorial Scholarship will not be eligible to apply for it again. Students who wish to apply should go to http://isasi.org/Documents/Forms/ISASI%20Rudolf%20Kapustin%20Memorial%20Scholarship%20Form%20Jan%2010%202018%200923.pdf for guidelines and the application form. Chad Balentine ISASI International Secretary Kapustin Scholarship Selection Committee Chairman email: chad.balentine@isasi.org Phone: 703.689.4225 Curt Lewis