Flight Safety Information January 22, 2018 - No. 016 In This Issue Incident: Cathay Dragon A321 at Hong Kong on Jan 13th 2018, navigation system failure ncident: Brussels A333 at Freetown on Jan 9th 2018, rejected takeoff due to engine failure Incident: LATAM Chile B789 near Santiago on Jan 19th 2018, cabin pressure problems Incident: India A321 at Guwahati on Jan 19th 2018, bird strike Incident: United B763 over Atlantic on Jan 19th 2018, 15 people felt unwell Incident: Delta B752 at Los Angeles on Jan 18th 2018, hydraulic fault Embraer EMB-120 collides with Let L-410 on the ground at Mogadishu Airport, Somalia Incident: JAL B789 at Helsinki on Jan 21st 2018, engine problem 2 pilots killed in helicopter crash as US military records 1st fatalities of 2018 Government Shutdown Grounds Aviation Safety Inspectors British Airways pilot, allegedly drunk, taken off plane FAA Approves Air Canada Safety Review Big Gamble to Find MH370 Begins: U.S. Team Deploys Robot Swarm to Find Jet Cathay Pacific falls 11 places in safety rankings, hits out at 'unreliable' evaluator Serial stowaway sneaks onto O'Hare plane, flies to London: cops General Aviation Groups Urge DOT to Reopen Aircraft Registry for Essential Functions China to sell two MA-60 aircraft to Angola Next gen aircraft ID system vulnerable, watchdog finds TWO SHUTTLE VETERANS POISED TO JOIN U.S. ASTRONAUT HALL OF FAME GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 1 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 2 ISASI Kapustin Memorial Scholarship Applications Due in April 2018 ACSF Symposium New HFACS workshops for 2018 Save the Date ISASI PNRC KICK-OFF EVENT FOR 2018 (Seattle) Call for Papers - ISASI 2018 Incident: Cathay Dragon A321 at Hong Kong on Jan 13th 2018, navigation system failure A Cathay Dragon Airbus A321-200, registration B-HTD performing flight KA-896 from Hong Kong to Shanghai Pudong (China), was climbing through FL080 out of Hong Kong's runway 07R when the crew received indication that all ADIRUs (#1, #2, #3) disagreed with each other. The crew continued the climb stopping the climb at 7000 meters. The position data transmitted by the aircraft's transmitter suggested the aircraft was about 145nm southeast of Hong Kong at FL231 heading towards Laoag (Philippines) when the aircraft turned around to return to Hong Kong with both Flight Management Guidance Computers having failed. The aircraft returned to Hong Kong for a safe landing on runway 07R about one hour after departure. A replacement A321-200 registration B-HTJ reached Shanghai with a delay of 3.5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3ec1f9&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: Brussels A333 at Freetown on Jan 9th 2018, rejected takeoff due to engine failure A Brussels Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration OO-SFO performing flight SN-247 from Freetown (Sierra Leone) to Brussels (Belgium), was accelerating for takeoff from Freetown when the left hand engines (CF6) surged prompting the crew to reject takeoff. The aircraft slowed safely and returned to the apron. The aircraft remained on the ground in Freetown for about 35 hours before returning to service. On Jan 20th 2018 a passenger reported an engine failed during the takeoff run, takeoff was rejected. The crew indicated the engine had surged. On Jan 21st 2018 the passenger added, that during the takeoff run there had been a loud bang and vibrations from the left hand side prior to the crew applying the brakes. There were discussions that the engine failure might have been caused by birds or foreign objects on the runway. Spare parts and engineers arrived the next day on inbound flight SN-241. The passenger departed Freetown for Brussels on Jan 11th 2018. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3e35ac&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: LATAM Chile B789 near Santiago on Jan 19th 2018, cabin pressure problems A LATAM Chile Boeing 787-900, registration CC-BGC performing flight LA-841 from Santiago to Easter Island (Chile), was enroute at FL360 over the Pacific Ocean about 550nm west of Santiago when the crew descended the aircraft to FL310 and decided to return to Santiago due to beginning problems with the cabin pressure. The aircraft subsequently descended to FL220 and landed safely back at Santiago about 90 minutes after turning around. A replacement Boeing 787-900 registration CC-BGG reached the Easter Island with a delay of about 6.5 hours. A passenger reported more than an hour into the flight cabin pressure problems prompted the return to Santiago. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Santiago about 28 hours after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3e377e&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: India A321 at Guwahati on Jan 19th 2018, bird strike An Air India Airbus A321-200, registration VT-PPI performing flight AI-889 from Delhi to Guwahati (India) with 160 people on board, was on approach to Guwahati when the aircraft was struck by a bird. The aircraft continued for a safe landing. The airline reported the impact was so powerful that it could have caused a hole in the airframe. The bird impacted the aircraft just when the gear was lowered. The aircraft was unable to continue for the next sector to Imphal. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Guwahati about 39 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3e3169&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: United B763 over Atlantic on Jan 19th 2018, 15 people felt unwell A United Boeing 767-300, registration N644UA performing flight UA-71 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Newark,NJ (USA), was enroute at FL350 about 30 minutes into the Atlantic Crossing west of Ireland when the crew decided to turn around and return to Amsterdam declaring a medical emergency reporting 15 people on board felt unwell and sick. The aircraft descended to FL330 and landed safely back on Amsterdam's runway 18C about 2 hours after turning around. 15 people, including passengers and members of the crew, were checked by medics at the airport, nobody needed to be taken to a hospital. Passengers reported a bad odour making them feeling sick, other passengers reported lack of oxygen. The airline however suspected an acute outbreak of flu or food poisoning reporting a check of the aircraft had not found anything out of the ordinary. The Dutch Safety Board advised they have opened an investigation after a number of occupants of the aircraft felt unwell. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3d92db&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: Delta B752 at Los Angeles on Jan 18th 2018, hydraulic fault A Delta Airlines Boeing 757-200, registration N660DL performing flight DL-2594 from Los Angeles,CA to Detroit,MI (USA) with 125 passengers and 6 crew, was in the initial climb out of Los Angeles' runway 24L when the crew requested to level off at 5000 feet reporting a hydraulic malfunction. The aircraft returned to Los Angeles' runway 25R, tower reported they could see both main gear but weren't sure about the nose gear, the nose landing light was in place however, the landing gear doors appeared wide open. The aircraft landed safely, stopped on the runway and was towed to the apron. The airline reported the aircraft returned due to a hydraulic issue, the passengers were taken to Detroit on a replacement aircraft. Emergency services reported a hydraulic leak was discovered on the left main gear, a small amount of smoke developed from the left landing gear, emergency services sprayed water as a precaution. A replacement Boeing 757-200 registration N6713Y reached Detroit with a delay of about 5 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1594/history/20180118/2145Z/KLAX/KDTW http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3d89a2&opt=256 Back to Top Embraer EMB-120 collides with Let L-410 on the ground at Mogadishu Airport, Somalia Status: Preliminary Date: Saturday 20 January 2018 Type: Embraer EMB-120ER Brasilia Operating for: Delegation of the European Union to Somalia Leased from: AirTraffic Africa Registration: 5Y-CEI C/n / msn: 120121 First flight: 1989 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Airplane damage: Unknown Location: Mogadishu Aden Adde International Airport (MGQ) ( Somalia) Phase: Taxi (TXI) Nature: Passenger Departure airport: ? Destination airport: ? Narrative: An Embraer EMB-120ER Brasilia aircraft, registered 5Y-CEI, collided with a Let L-410UVP of Galeyr Airline, registered UR-VTV, on the platform at Mogadishu Aden Adde International Airport, Somalia. The no.1 engine impacted the right hand rear fuselage of the Let L-410. A fuel spill occurred but there was no fire. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20180120-0 Back to Top Incident: JAL B789 at Helsinki on Jan 21st 2018, engine problem A JAL Japan Airlines Boeing 787-900, registration JA861J performing flight JL-414 from Helsinki (Finland) to Tokyo Narita (Japan), was in the initial climb out of Helsinki's runway 22R when ground observers heard loud bangs and streaks of flames from the right hand engine (GEnx). The crew reduced the engine to idle, stopped the climb at FL060, dumped fuel and returned to Helsinki for a safe landing on runway 22L about 65 minutes after departure. ANS Finland (ATC provider) reported the crew initially reduced the engine to idle basically flying on single engine, the landing was made in normal mode with both engines operating. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b3ebd21&opt=256 ************** Date: 21-JAN-2018 Time: 17:25 lt Type: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Owner/operator: JAL Japan Airlines Registration: JA861J C/n / msn: 35422/139 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Unknown Location: Helsinki - Vantaa - Airport - Finland Phase: Initial climb Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL/EFHK) Destination airport: Tokyo-Narita Airport (NRT/RJAA) Narrative: Japan Airlines flight JL414 returned to land at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, Finland after suffering unspecified problems with one of the aircraft's GEnx-1B engines. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner took off from runway 22R at 17:25 hours local time. A person on the ground reportedly observed a flame and heard a noise from one of the engines. The aircraft turned south and circled over the Gulf of Finland to dump fuel. The aircraft landed uneventfully at 18:30 on runway 22L. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=204839 Back to Top 2 pilots killed in helicopter crash as US military records 1st fatalities of 2018 US Army photo of AH-64 helicopter © Staff Sgt. Jeremy Ganz 4th Infantry Division / Facebook Two US army pilots have been killed in a helicopter crash during training over the Californian desert, the Pentagon has announced. The AH-64 Apache chopper attached to the Army's 4th Infantry Division based out of Fort Carson, Colorado crashed in the California desert during a regular training flight. Both the pilot and the co- pilot were killed, Lt. Col. Jason S. Brown, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon, told Fox News. "The cause is currently under investigation and next-of-kin notifications are ongoing, therefore we can provide no further details at this time," he said. The pair were flying a "readiness training exercise" at the time of the crash near the National Training Center at Fort Irwin in California, another US official noted. Saturday's crash is the first fatal incident that struck the US Armed Forces in 2018. Date: 20-JAN-2018 Time: 01:00 LT Type: Boeing AH-64 Apache Owner/operator: US Army Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: National Training Center, Fort Irwin, CA - United States of America Phase: Unknown Nature: Military Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: The military helicopter crashed at night during a pre-deployment training flight. Both crew members, from the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, CO were fatally injured. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=204782 Back to Top Government Shutdown Grounds Aviation Safety Inspectors WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS), National President Mike Perrone released the following statement regarding the government shutdown's impact on aviation safety. "Since President Trump has failed to reach agreement with Congress-not once, but three times since September 30-to fully fund the federal government, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspectors were off the job as of midnight last night. These PASS-represented employees-more than 4,000-are responsible for the oversight, certification and surveillance of the entire American aviation system, including all general aviation and commercial aircraft, pilots and flight instructors, and repair stations both in this country and abroad. PASS is outraged that the FAA would consider these employees as playing anything but a pivotal role in protecting the safety of the American flying public. Furloughing this critical workforce is neither in the best interest of the economy nor the oversight of the U.S. aviation system. "For each day the government is closed, aviation safety inspectors will not be providing oversight of commercial and general aviation aircraft, pilots, flight instructors, and domestic and foreign repair stations; conducting in-flight cockpit inspections or ramp inspections; overseeing third-party designees performing critical work on behalf of the FAA or air carriers; or issuing new or renewing current certificates. "Manufacturing inspectors will not be providing manufacturing production approval and certification, will not be evaluating aviation mechanics, facilities, training programs and equipment, or addressing issues related to manufacturing facilities. "Modernization of the National Airspace System (NAS) will be stopped in its tracks, with training and progress of initiatives suffering delays and considerable setbacks. Every FAA employee will be impacted by the shutdown, whether it is being forced off the job or continuing to serve the agency and their country without pay. "Aviation plays a critical role in the nation's economy and provides invaluable services to the flying public and the military. The aviation system provides $1.5 trillion through the commercial aviation industry and 12 million American jobs. It is crucial that such a major aspect of this country's economic engine have the necessary financial resources it needs through a stable funding stream for the FAA. "The safety of the flying public depends on aviation safety inspectors, and this safety should never be compromised, as it will be during this shutdown. PASS calls on members of Congress to work swiftly to end the shutdown and allow all employees at the FAA to get back to work to ensure the safety of America's aviation system." PASS represents more than 11,000 employees of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Defense (DoD) who install, maintain, support and certify air traffic control and national defense equipment, inspect and oversee the commercial and general aviation industries, develop flight procedures, and perform quality analyses of complex aviation systems used in air traffic control and national defense in the United States and abroad. Contact: Liz Doherty, edoherty@passnational.org SOURCE Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS) https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/government-shutdown-grounds-aviation-safety- inspectors-300585606.html Back to Top British Airways pilot, allegedly drunk, taken off plane A British Airways pilot has been removed from the cockpit of a flight amid fears he was drunk. The Sun newspaper reported Saturday that police "rushed on the plane and headed straight for the cockpit. The first officer was cuffed and led away." The newspaper says worried airline workers alerted police before the flight left for Mauritius. Sussex police say a 49-year-old man from west London has been arrested "on suspicion of performing an aviation function when the level of alcohol was over the proscribed limit." The flight departed several hours late from Gatwick on Thursday after another crew member joined the flight. BA apologized for the delay and said in a statement Saturday that it was "taking this matter extremely seriously and are assisting the police with their inquiries." http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/wireStory/british-airways-pilot-allegedly-drunk-off-plane- 52483643 Back to Top FAA Approves Air Canada Safety Review The FAA says it's satisfied by measures undertaken by Transport Canada and Air Canada to address a couple of serious errors by Air Canada crews at San Francisco International Airport in 2017. In July, an Airbus A320 came close to landing on a taxiway occupied by four widebody airliners waiting to take off and in October another Air Canada A320 crew had their radio on the wrong frequency and didn't hear repeated orders from the tower to abort their landing. After the close calls, Air Canada and Transport Canada worked out a deal to increase training and surveillance of Airbus operations and do a review of operations at SFO. It's also doing a general safety and operational review of the whole airline. FAA spokesman Ian Gregor told the Toronto Star the agency "is satisfied with the actions (Transport Canada and Air Canada) have taken." Air Canada's troubles have also shined a light on some other runway-related incidents at SFO in the past year. Last week an Aeromexico Boeing 737 lined up on the wrong runway and had to go around over a Virgin America Airbus waiting for takeoff clearance on the runway. A Compass Airlines flight had to abort after it was cleared to land on a runway occupied by a Virgin America plane and a SkyWest flight crossed the hold line as another aircraft was taking off. https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FAA-Approves-Air-Canada-Safety-Review-230195- 1.html Back to Top Big Gamble to Find MH370 Begins: U.S. Team Deploys Robot Swarm to Find Jet A ship full of the world's most advanced deepwater technology has arrived at the missing plane's suspected final resting place. By: Clive Irving What may well be the last chance of finding the remains of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is about to get under way. A U.S.-led team aboard one of the world's most advanced undersea search vessels has arrived at the search area for the missing plane in the remote southern Indian Ocean, The Daily Beast can reveal. It is a race against time because a window of more moderate weather that makes a search possible closes by the end of April. The team from the Texas-based company Ocean Infinity are using for the first time a swarm of eight drone-like autonomous underwater vehicles, AUVs, to scour the ocean floor in an area not previously searched. The AUVs are launched from the command ship, Seabed Constructor. The system is so untried that while en route from the Caribbean to the search site the vessel paused several times to carry out trials at depths similar to those at the Indian Ocean search site, up to 3.6 miles. The new search will take place immediately north of the original search area that came up empty after 27 months. Flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014, with 239 people aboard. The most vital part of the wreck to find is the airplane's flight data recorder. There is no way of knowing if the data stored in the recorder can have survived so long at such great depths, but if the robot swarm locates the wreck, the Seabed Constructor has a remotely operated vehicle, ROV, capable of retrieving the recorder. The original search was funded by Malaysia, China, and Australia and cost more than $150 million. Ocean Infinity's search is a gamble: the contract made with the Malaysian government is on a "no find, no fee" basis. They get nothing if the search is not successful, while the reward for a successful search could vary between $20 million and $70 million according to how much is discovered and whether it leads to solving the mystery of what caused the disaster-the greatest mystery in modern commercial aviation history. Details of the contract have not been disclosed. Seabed Constructor is committed to a 90-day search. If it continues for that full period deteriorating weather would seriously limit operation of the robots; the single AUV used in the original search could operate only 30 percent of the time after the end of April because of the atrocious ocean conditions. The greatest advantage claimed for the new technology over the old is that by using eight robots simultaneously, more than 460 square miles of seabed can covered every day, far more than before. The initial area given priority by the Malaysians is around 2,000 square miles. This area contains three "hot spots" identified by a team of Australian oceanographers last year as the most likely resting place of the Boeing 777. If this search is unsuccessful two other areas immediately north and extending close to a latitude of 32 degrees south will then be searched, if conditions permit. The robots have capabilities not available to the AUVs used in the first search. As well as highly advanced sonar side-scanning they have precise self-navigating equipment enabling them to hug closely to the contours of what is an extremely challenging underwater geology containing deep valleys, mountains and mud-spewing volcanoes. For most of the time the robots steer by dead reckoning and by using onboard cameras. Each one has a battery pack that gives them a total operating time of 60 hours. Nothing on this scale with this equipment has been attempted before. Ocean Infinity has leased Seabed Constructor from a Norwegian company, Swire Seabed. The robots, Hugin 6000 models, were bought from another Norwegian company, Kongsberg Marine. Norway leads the development of deepwater search technology. On Saturday another vessel, the Mearsk Mariner, left Perth in Western Australia to make a rendezvous with Seabed Constructor by Tuesday. It is a Dutch-owned tug and supply vessel capable dealing with the harsh conditions of the southern Indian ocean but will not take part in the search - it will deliver supplies required to enable Seabed Constructor to operate without returning to port. "Nothing on this scale with this equipment has been attempted before." If MH370's flight data recorder is recovered it will be sent to Australia where the Australian Transport Safety Bureau operates a laboratory equipped to retrieve the data - unless the violence of the crash or the long immersion in deep water has damaged the data storage. From the beginning of its calculated gamble Ocean Infinity has kept relatives of the victims of MH370 informed of its plans and all their hopes will now be pinned on the search as it finally gets under way. https://www.thedailybeast.com/big-gamble-to-find-mh370-begins-us-team-deploys-robot-swarm- to-find-jet Back to Top Cathay Pacific falls 11 places in safety rankings, hits out at 'unreliable' evaluator Hong Kong airline said Germany's Jet Airliner Crash Data Evaluation Centre 'lacked transparency' Cathay Pacific Airways' safety ranking in an international index fell from top spot to 12th place this year, prompting the airline to hit back, declaring such surveys were "not a competition". The airline issued a scathing attack at Germany's Jet Airliner Crash Data Evaluation Centre (Jacdec) as it put Emirates on top, followed by budget airline Norwegian and then Virgin Atlantic, while Cathay slipped 11 places. Hong Kong's main carrier was ranked 1st from 2015 to 2017 by Jacdec. A revamp of the index declares there should not be "any comparison to former rankings" as Jacdec removed older safety indexes from its website, but that did not deflect the criticism from carriers like Cathay. The latest rankings came after 2017 marked the safest year on record in commercial aviation, with no airline accidents or fatalities. "High standards of safety are paramount in the airline industry. It is not a competition, but the utmost priority for us all," a spokeswoman for Cathay said. "We go above and beyond all regulatory and industry standards and requirements in all aspects of our business to ensure safety for our operations and our passengers." Flaws threaten Hong Kong air safety, claim aviation experts Ahead of Jacdec publishing a full list of safest airlines on Tuesday, based on the 100 largest passenger carriers, the evaluator said its results "intends to distinguish airlines by their existent level of safety risks rather than their ratio between bygone accidents and flight performance". The firm revised the index, saying it "broadened our viewpoint and gathered all available criteria which impact the safety" of commercial aviation. Jacdec's ranking excludes small carriers with strong safety standards. Its methods include judging airlines on every incident in the past 30 years, the amount an airline flies annually and uses official data to produce its "risk-index". However, new criteria, 33 data points instead of nine, include an array of factors such as the risks associated with flying on a certain flight path, weather conditions and how safe an airport is. Cathay Pacific said Jacdec's calculations "lacked transparency" and "cannot be considered to be completely reliable" as it did not have access to the airline's proprietary data to draw a fair conclusion. Jacdec did not respond to requests for further comment. Qantas did not appear in Jacdec's top 20 list. Photo: Handout Geoffrey Thomas, editor-in-chief of airlineratings.com, which produces a rival air safety ranking, said "a well thought out and objective rating system does the public a service". There are some notable differences between Jacdec and its rival, which only uses official, audited data to produce its results. Comparing both airline safety rankings, while a number of airlines appear in both - like Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Eva Air and Singapore Airlines - the likes of Qantas, widely considered to be one of the safest airlines, or Lufthansa do not appear in Jacdec's top 20 list. Thomas, an aviation expert with more than four decades of experience writing about the industry, sympathised with Hong Kong's top airline. "I am extremely surprised that Cathay, Qantas and Lufthansa are not top of the rankings. Those airlines are industry best practice. Perhaps there has been a mistake in the methodology?" he said. Cathay Pacific set to announce direct flights to Cape Town "Cathay Pacific is really in its class of its own. You have two or three airlines which are just exceptional. One is Qantas, another is Cathay Pacific. The pilot training - this is one area that is difficult to put a value on. Cathay has some of the best pilot training in the world - so when something does go wrong you are in the best possible hands." The Civil Aviation Department, in defence of air safety standards, said it had "stringent requirements and robust regulatory oversight procedures" over locally registered aircraft and airlines. Those standards, which benefit airlines showed in the last international audit by the UN's civil aviation body, Hong Kong's aviation safety oversight system was ranked in the top 10 in the world. A spokeswoman for the air safety regulator said that way, it could ensure "a high level of maintenance and operation standards". http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/2129898/cathay-pacific-falls-11-places- safety-rankings-hits-out Back to Top Serial stowaway sneaks onto O'Hare plane, flies to London: cops Marilyn Hartman, 66, was arrested after getting onto an airplane at O'Hare without a ticket and flying to London, according to police. (Chicago police photo) A woman notorious for sneaking onto commercial airplanes has once again been arrested - this time after making her way through a federal checkpoint at O'Hare International Airport and onto a plane that flew her to London, authorities said. Marilyn Hartman, 66, is believed to have gotten through airport security without a boarding pass or passport, flown to London's Heathrow Airport and was detained by British Customs officials when she landed Monday, according to a news release from Chicago police. Hartman was sent back to Chicago and landed at O'Hare on Thursday. She now faces a felony theft charge and a misdemeanor criminal trespass charge, according to police. Hartman, of Hamelitz Court in Grayslake, was expected to appear in court Saturday. The Transportation Security Administration is investigating how Hartman was able to get through security, a spokesman said in a statement Friday. "This matter is subject to an ongoing investigation and TSA is working closely with our law enforcement and airline partners in that effort," according to the statement. "During the initial investigation it was determined that the passenger was screened at the security checkpoint before boarding a flight. Upon learning of the incident TSA, and its aviation partners took immediate action to review security practices throughout the airport." This is Hartman's first arrest in Chicago since 2016, but she has a long history of trying to sneak onto airplanes. Hartman was given probation when she originally was sentenced after pleading guilty in a February 2016 trespassing charge, she was sentenced to 364 days in jail a few weeks later, according to court records. She was credited for 23 days already served and could have spent less than six months in jail if given credit for good behavior, according to court records. At the time she was sentenced to jail, Hartman had been living at a mental health facility on the Near North Side before violating the terms of her probation by leaving the facility and going to O'Hare. Hartman has been detained several times across the country for trying to bypass airport security. In a court filing after her arrest in July 2015 at O'Hare on trespass charges, Cook County prosecutors described Hartman as a "serial stowaway." She told NBC-Ch. 5 in December 2015 that she "may have" boarded planes without a ticket eight times. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-serial-stowaway-ohare-to-london- flight-20180119-story.html Back to Top General Aviation Groups Urge DOT to Reopen Aircraft Registry for Essential Functions WASHINGTON, DC, Jan. 21, 2018 - In a letter to Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Elaine Chao, six general aviation (GA) leaders today called for reopening the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) United States Aircraft Registry. Despite the current government shutdown, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and fellow GA groups argued that the U.S. Registry performs essential functions for safety, security and fulfilling international aviation treaties. "We respectfully submit that DOT has authority under the Anti-deficiency Act to staff the U.S. Registry," the letter reads, "as it is vital to protection of human life and property, and necessary for the U.S. to fulfill its ongoing international legal obligations." Even during a government shutdown, certain essential functions are exempted from closure. The letter cites several national security, law enforcement and aviation safety functions that rely on the U.S. Registry, as well as treaties related to the registration of aircraft. The closure of the U.S. Registry also precludes the delivery of aircraft, as the GA groups make clear. General aviation aircraft and parts cannot be purchased, sold, financed or maintained without the written approval of the FAA personnel who staff the registry. According to the FAA, 10,000 aircraft registrations expire each month. "The U.S. Registry's closure had a profound impact on our manufacturers and workforce during the 2013 government shutdown," the GA leaders write, "as it disrupted hundreds of aircraft transactions valued at over $1.9 billion." Citing the legal framework for the FAA to meet its vital and binding obligations, the GA leaders argue the registry performs several essential functions, including: * Safety: FAA officials have said that out-of-date registration information (including safety-related information) could possibly result in loss of property or personal injury. * Security: As FAA officials have also said, "various levels of law enforcement have used and continue to use registration data for drug and other law enforcement purposes." Additionally, those efforts "now have expanded to include matters of homeland security." * International Treaties: The U.S. Registry is obligated, under international aviation treaties, to provide other nations with aircraft ownership information, when requested. These agreements include the Chicago Convention and the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment ("Cape Town Convention"). Signing the letter are: Mark Baker, president and CEO, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association; Ed Bolen, president and CEO, NBAA; Pete Bunce, president and CEO, General Aviation Manufacturers Association; Martin Hiller, president, National Air Transportation Association; Jack Pelton, chairman and CEO, Experimental Aircraft Association; and Matthew Zuccaro, president and CEO, Helicopter Association International. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12392605/general-aviation-groups-urge-dot-to- reopen-aircraft-registry-for-essential-functions Back to Top China to sell two MA-60 aircraft to Angola XI'AN, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- China will sell two domestically-produced MA-60 aircraft to Angola, announced Xi'an Aircraft Industry Company, the manufacturer of the planes, Saturday. Zhang Xiaohong, the company's deputy general manager, said that the new agreement is another successful overseas sale of MA-60 aircraft. The company did not disclose further details about the deal. Angola has the fifth largest air passenger and freight volumes in Africa. "The MA-60 planes will shorten travel time for passengers in Angola," Zhang said. "Meanwhile, the deal will increase the popularity of such aircraft on the international market." The MA-60 is designed for short and medium-range commuter services. Due to its low operational and maintenance costs, it has sold well in Africa, Asia, and Latin America since 2005. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-01/20/c_136911147.htm Back to Top Next gen aircraft ID system vulnerable, watchdog finds Urgent cybersecurity concerns remain unresolved related to new technology that will pinpoint locations for all aircraft flying in U.S. domestic airspace by 2020, according to the Government Accountability Office. In particular, hostile nations, as well as unauthorized individuals and groups, could use the detailed, real-time data broadcast from in-flight military aircraft for a variety of mischief or worse , according to a new report from GAO on the system. The public version of the report released by GAO didn't go into detail about those specifics, but since the technology -- known as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out -- uses an aircraft's avionics equipment to broadcast the aircraft's position, altitude and velocity to ground, air or space-based receivers, the potential for pirating those signals remains an unsolved problem, said the report. As part of the Federal Aviation Administration's NextGen air transportation system modernization program, the ADS-B Out system is meant to make it easier for third parties to access that data for use in tracking and identifying aircraft without having to maintain their own private databases. Through ADS-B, the FAA is looking to modernize ground-based radar systems with a satellite-based system for automated aircraft position reporting, navigation and digital communications. ADS-B provides more precise locations of aircraft in the air and on the ground at airports, has a greater coverage area than traditional radar, helps reduce risk of collisions and provides pilots with real- time warnings and better location coverage in bad weather. The FAA has mandated that all aircraft using U.S. domestic airspace must be equipped with ADS-B by Jan. 1, 2020. Since the technology's promise is in having it in all aircraft using domestic airspace, military aircraft have to be equipped also, which has for years concerned the Department of Defense and other agencies about the capabilities. With current technology, according to GAO, the public can track individual aircraft by receiving aircraft's ICAO address (which can include different codes such as aircraft type, as well as an aircraft's 24-bit electronic identification code), transponder or "Squawk" code as well as altitude though networked receivers that can use the data to calculate and identify the latitude and longitude of an aircraft's position. With some legwork, interested parties such as foreign intelligence entities, terrorists and criminals can already identify and track aircraft using existing technology, according to the study. ADS-B, however, would make that flight data, and more, almost instantly available on military aircraft, and some of that data for some of those aircraft is classified. Along with concerns with the FAA's plan to decommission legacy radar systems as it shifts to ADS- B, the military is also concerned that the broadcast information of military flights is vulnerable to cyber intrusion and manipulation by nation states, individuals and groups. "In addition, a number of assessments conducted by DOD, FAA, and others have identified security concerns inherent in ADS-B Out technology that could leave aircraft, tactical air traffic control systems, and FAA radars vulnerable to electronic warfare- and cyber-attacks by individuals, groups, or nation-state actors ... and other types of interference," said the study. So far, the study said, the FAA and DOD have been concentrating on getting the equipment installed and have yet to address security concerns it poses for military aircraft. DOD has suggested masking military identifiers, allowing military pilots to turn off ADS-B and other solutions. So far, DOD and the FAA haven't approved any mitigation, according to the report. The FAA and Defense Department's Lead Service Office have been working on a memorandum of understanding on how to address the security concerns, but they haven't yet produced it. The two offices had said last April they intended to issue a finalized memo by last June. However, in May, GAO said DOD officials said their completion date for the document had slipped to February 2018. https://fcw.com/articles/2018/01/19/faa-nextgen-cyber-gao.aspx Back to Top TWO SHUTTLE VETERANS POISED TO JOIN U.S. ASTRONAUT HALL OF FAME STS-134, the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour. Photo Credit: NASA On Jan. 18, 2018 former shuttle astronauts Dr. Thomas D. Jones and Captain Scott D. Altman, were recognized for their contributions toward the field of space sciences - by being selected for induction into the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame. When they claim their medallions, they will become two of only 95 individuals to receive this honor. Dr. Thomas D. Jones was born on Jan. 22, 1955, in Baltimore, Maryland. After he graduated from USAF Academy, Dr. Jones went on to join the Air Force as an officer for 6 years. After resigning in 1983, he went on to achieve his Ph.D. at the University of Arizona in Tucson. In 1990, NASA took him aboard their crew and after a year of training, became an astronaut. Dr. Jones was aboard the flights of STS-59, STS-68, STS-80 and STS-98 where he completed various missions. Captain Scott D. Altman was born on August 15, 1959 in Lincoln, Illinois. After serving in the United States Navy for roughly fourteen years, Altman was selected by NASA in 1995 as an astronaut candidate. As a member of the agency's elite corps of space flyers, Altman piloted mission's STS-90 and STS-106 and was the mission commander on STS-109 and STS-125 (the final service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope). The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, located near Titusville, Florida will be where both of the men will be inducted into the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame during in April of this year (2018). With these two new additions, a total of 95 individuals have received this prestigious award ever since its creation by the 6 surviving Mercury 7 astronauts in 1990. The Astronaut Hall of Fame operates and maintains The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, which will host a black-tie Gala and ceremony held on April 21, 2018. Jones assists SpaceFlight Insider as a technical consultant and we reached out to him about what it was like to receive this honor. "This honor is beyond my wildest space dreams. I can tell you, working for NASA as an astronaut was the 'best job I ever had' because of the superb teammates and crewmates I was privileged to know. When the Astronaut Hall of Fame told me that I would join Scott Altman as one of this year's inductees, I was doubly honored: first for having had the privilege to represent the nation and all of my fine colleagues in America's space exploration efforts, and now to receive this unexpected recognition from my peers," Jones told SpaceFlight Insider. "I'm particularly thankful to be included with Scooter in this accomplished group of pioneering astronauts. We worked together for half a dozen years during the shuttle program, and I know how widely his skills, leadership, and friendship are admired." Jones was asked about what got him to where he is today and, not surprisingly, his answer related to the people "Growing up, I read about and greatly admired the work of my astronaut heroes-John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, John Young, Mike Collins, Rusty Schweickart-and so many others. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to meet and learn from many of them, and to continue and further their work in exploration. I hope that through the Hall of Fame and the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, I can help draw a new generation of space explorers into this endeavor, so vital to the future of our nation, and humanity itself," Jones said. http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/human-spaceflight/two-shuttle-veterans-poised-join-u- s-astronaut-hall-fame/ Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Attention pilots, I am currently a human factors graduate student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University conducting a study into the effects of voice gender on pilot perceptual processes as part of my thesis research. The study is aimed at further investigating how speaker voice gender can affect an individual's perception while task saturated, specifically how different air traffic controller voice genders can affect the time it takes a pilot to perceive their instructions. All potential participants should hold no more than a private pilot certificate, be non-professional pilots, have no prior military flight experience, and be at least 18 years of age. This study requires a 30-minute in-person data collection trial to be conducted at the San Carlos Airport (SQL) in San Carlos, CA, located in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, please visit www.bit.ly/2FKfORA, or email Tucker Lambert at lambert5@my.erau.edu Thank you, again. Your help is greatly appreciated. Kind regards, Tucker Lambert (650) 200-8426 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 Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top ISASI PNRC KICK-OFF EVENT FOR 2018 (Seattle) To All PNRC Members: First, allow me to introduce myself, John Purvis, as the newly acting President of PNRC. I was asked to take over the reins as President, when Anna Bernhardt took a position with IATA in Montreal. The other Officers remain in place. Invitation to Attend Museum of Flight Event Following are details of an excellent opportunity to be a part of what should be an interesting panel discussion, "Safety by Design", at the Museum of Flight on Saturday, 10 February at 1:00 p.m. This event will coincide with the opening of the new J. Kenneth Higgins Aviation Safety Exhibit at the Museum. PNRC members who plan to attend will gather in the Museum's Wings Cafe at 11:30 a.m. on February 10th for lunch, social time and discussing possible PNRC program plans for 2018. Your PNRC Officers are looking for your feedback on what you might like to see by way of future efforts to expand our programs and membership. If you're able to attend Some of you may be members of the Museum of Flight - but for those who are not, the normal Museum admission fee for the February 10th event directly supports the valuable work of that great organization. The fee will allow attendance at the panel discussion, along with the other interesting events that day. But the most important event is, of course, the opening of the Museum's newest exhibit, the J. Kenneth Higgins Aviation Safety Exhibit, highlighting aviation safety and the "Safety by Design" panel discussion featuring some of the world's experts in the field. Note the panelists listed below. Following the panel, attendees will be offered small group tours of the safety kiosk and associated exhibits by a team of Museum docents. Remember . . . . Your admission allows you to visit the entire Museum that day. The Museum's new Aviation Pavilion is now open to showcase the collection's larger airplanes, such as Concorde, B-29, B-17, Boeing 247, the #3 787, the #1 727, 737 and 747, etc. Details from the Museum's website: The Museum will kick off the opening of its newest exhibit highlighting aviation safety with a panel discussion featuring some of the world's experts in the field. The new J. Kenneth Higgins Aviation Safety Exhibit is unique, laying out the many complex issues that have made commercial aviation by far the safest mode of transportation in the world. And it explains the many components of aviation safety by associating them with aircraft already on exhibit within the Museum. The panelists: * Accident investigation: John Purvis, Boeing Chief Investigator (ret) and Museum Trustee * Airspace and Operations: Captain Steve Fulton, airspace expert and Museum Trustee * Regulatory functions: Captain Thomas Imrich, FAA & Boeing test pilot (ret) * Flight Deck: Peter Morton, Boeing Flight Deck designer (ret) and Museum Trustee * Exhibit design: Cody Othoudt, Museum Exhibits principal for the Safety Exhibit o Moderator: Captain Steve Taylor, President Boeing Business Jets (ret) and Museum Trustee Following the panel, attendees will be offered small group tours of the safety kiosk and associated exhibits by a team of Museum docents. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, February 10th! Don't forget . . . lunch at the Wings Cafe at 11:30 a.m., with the "Safety By Design" panel discussion at 1:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please let us know. John Purvis President - ISASI Pacific Northwest Regional Chapter 206-244-5958 jwpurvis@earthlink.net Curt Lewis