Flight Safety Information February 16, 2018 - No. 035 In This Issue Accident: American A332 near Fond du Lac on Feb 14th 2018, severe turbulence injures flight attendant Korean Airlines Boeing 777-3B5 Engine Trouble on Takeoff Russia cites erroneous airspeed indications in Antonov An-148 accident investigation update Over 4,500 pieces of wreckage found at jet crash site outside Moscow Military training plane crashes in Turkey; 2 pilots dead Two Indian Air Force pilots killed in plane crash Two sent to hospital after turbulence forces Air Canada flight back to Pearson New Navy Budget Request Moves Money Toward Top Two Aviation Safety Priorities What May Be U.S.'s First Drone-Linked Aircraft Crash Is Being Investigated Imperial warns faulty aircraft gasoline could pose fuel gauge interference DJI introduces Knowledge Quiz for drone pilots in Australia FlightSafety's Pilatus PC-24 Training Begins in Dallas BEFORE THEY CAN TAKE OFF, FLYING CARS MUST DEFEAT BUREAUCRACY Eviation Aircraft Planning On Bringing 9-Seat Electric Airplane To Market By 2021 Bombardier Chief Bullish on Business Jet Market Boeing experts, suppliers talk of pushing up jet production while pushing down costs Russian Cargo Ship Delivers 3 Tons of Supplies to Space Station Graduate Survey Request Medallion Foundation - Providing Assurance In Your Systems Positions Available: Check Airmen Wanted SASS 2018..The Singapore Aviation Safety Seminar (SASS) BASS 2018...The Business Aviation Safety Summit (BASS) 2018 MU-2 Pilot's Review of Proficiency Seminar (PROP 2018) - April 19-20, 2018 MU-2 Pilot's Review of Proficiency Seminar (PROP 2018) -Keynote Speaker: Jeff Skiles Position Available: General Manager / Senior Flight Data Analyst European Society of Air Safety Investigators (ESASI) - 2018 - Call for Presentations Accident: American A332 near Fond du Lac on Feb 14th 2018, severe turbulence injures flight attendant An American Airlines Airbus A330-200, registration N292AY performing flight AA-1743 from Philadelphia,PA to San Francisco,CA (USA), was enroute at FL260 over Lake Michigan about 70nm east of Fond du Lac,WI (USA) when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence. The flight crew climbed the aircraft to FL300 and continued the flight to San Francisco, where the aircraft landed without further incident about 4:10 hours later. The FAA reported a flight attendant was injured when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence near Fond du Lac,WI. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL1743/history/20180214/2030Z/KPHL/KSFO Infrared Satellite Image GOES-16 Feb 14th 2018 23:00Z (Graphics: AVH/NASA): http://avherald.com/h?article=4b4f4a6c&opt=256 Back to Top Korean Airlines Boeing 777-3B5 Engine Trouble on Takeoff Date: 15-FEB-2018 Time: ca. 20:30 LT Type: Boeing 777-3B5 ? Owner/operator: Korean Air Lines Registration: HL7532 ? C/n / msn: 27371/162 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 216 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Unknown Location: near Osaka/Kansai International Airport (KIX/RJBB) - Japan Phase: Initial climb Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Osaka/Kansai International Airport (KIX/RJBB), Japan Destination airport: Seoul/Gimpo International Airport (GMP/RKSS), South Korea Narrative: Korean Air Lines' flight KAL/KE2728 from Osaka/Kansai, Japan to Seoul/Gimpo, South Korea returned to Kansai due to No. 2 engine trouble just after take off from runway 06R at 20:04 LT. The plane carried out a safe landing on runway 06L at 20:30 LT. No personal injuries were reported. The Flightradar24 record shows the troubled plane was a Boeing 777-3B5, HL7532 (c/n 28371/162), however, the news source listed below says it was a Boeing 777-200. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=206210 Back to Top Russia cites erroneous airspeed indications in Antonov An-148 accident investigation update Status: Preliminary Date: Sunday 11 February 2018 Time: 14:27 Type: Antonov An-148-100B Operator: Saratov Airlines Registration: RA-61704 C/n / msn: 27015040004 First flight: 2010 Engines: 2 Progress D-436-148 Crew: Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6 Passengers: Fatalities: 65 / Occupants: 65 Total: Fatalities: 71 / Occupants: 71 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Stepanovskoye, Ramenskoye District ( Russia) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Moskva-Domodedovo Airport (DME/UUDD), Russia Destination airport: Orsk Airport (OSW/UWOR), Russia Flightnumber: 6W703 Narrative: Saratov Airlines flight 703, an Antonov An-148, was destroyed after impacting terrain near Stepanovskoye, Russia. All 65 passengers and 6 crew members were killed. The aircraft took off from runway 14R at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport at 14:21 hours local time (11:21 UTC). Weather about the time of departure at Domodedovo Airport included limited visibility (2100m) during light snowfall. Temperature was -5°C, overcast cloud deck at 2600 feet AGL. The Interstate Aviation Committee stated that, prior to departure, the heating of the three pitot tubes had not been turned on. After takeoff, at an altitude of 130-150 m (425-490 ft) above ground level, the autopilot was switched on. Flaps were raised as the aircraft climbed through an altitude of 550 m (1800 feet). About 2 minutes 30 seconds after the takeoff, at an altitude of about 1300 meters (4265 feet) and an instrument speed of 465-470 km/h, there were discrepancies between the air speed readings on the captain's side compared to the standby airspeed indicator. The airspeed on the copilot's side is unknown as this parameter was not registered by the flight data recorder. There were no significant difference in the altitude indications. After another 25 seconds, the discrepancies reached about 30 km/h with the speed on the captain's side being greater. After about 50 seconds, at an altitude of about 2000 meters (6560 ft), the airspeed on the standby airspeed indicator was higher and continued to increase while the airspeed on the captains ASI continued to decrease. The flight crew then disconnected the autopilot. The airspeed on the captain's side continued to decrease, while the standby ASI showed 540-560 km/h. About 50 seconds after the autopilot was turned off, the flight passed an altitude of 1700-1900 m (5580-6230 ft) with vertical loads ranging from 1.5 to 0.5 g. Subsequently the aircraft entered a steep descent with the ASI on the captain's side showing 0 km/h, and the standby ASI showing 200 km/h. The pitch angle decreased to -30/- 35 degrees with a vertical load factor of 0 g. The aircraft impacted a snowy field around 14:27:05 and disintegrated. Before the collision with the ground, the standby ASI had increased to 800 km/h with the captain's ASI still displaying 0 km/h. Sources: » RT.com » Flightradar24 METAR Weather report: 10:30 UTC / 13:30 local time: UUDD 111030Z 14005MPS 2500 R14R/1800U R14L/P2000D -SHSN BKN007 BKN026CB M05/M06 Q1019 R14R/590293 R14L/590392 TEMPO 1000 SHSN 11:00 UTC / 14:00 local time: UUDD 111100Z 14006MPS 1800 R14R/1900U R14L/1800U SHSN BKN007 BKN026CB M05/M06 Q1019 R14R/590293 R14L/590392 NOSIG 11:30 UTC / 14:30 local time: UUDD 111130Z 13006MPS 2100 -SN SCT008 OVC026 M05/M06 Q1019 R14R/590293 R14L/590392 TEMPO 1200 SHSN BKN012CB 12:00 UTC / 15:00 local time: UUDD 111200Z 13005MPS 1900 R14R/2000D R14L/1900D SN SCT007 OVC026 M05/M06 Q1019 R14R/590293 R14L/590491 TEMPO 1200 SHSN BKN012CB https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20180211-0 Back to Top Over 4,500 pieces of wreckage found at jet crash site outside Moscow An-148 wreckage at the crash site MOSCOW, February 15. /TASS/. More than 4,500 pieces of wreckage have been found at the site where a Russian Antonov-148 passenger jet crashed on Sunday minutes after taking off from Moscow's Domodedovo airport, sources from the operation headquarters at the site told TASS on Thursday. "The search zone is 50 hectares, it has not been expanded further. Rescuers have found 389 plane fragments during the day, while all in all more than 4,500 pieces of wreckage have been found since the work began," the source added. He said all of them have been delivered to the Gromov Flight Research Institute near Moscow, where fragments of the plane are added in their appropriate places to the layout outlined in a special area. Search continues at the site. Rescuers are minutely examining the whole area, as part of the fragments can be found under snow and in the earth. The Moscow region office of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations told TASS that the main efforts are concentrated on examining new sections and on gathering the wreckage and passenger's personal belongings. "Drones, snowmobiles as well as specialized off-road rescue hardware, cranes, excavators, bulldozers, search and soil monitoring instruments are actively used in the search operation," the emergencies ministry said. Work continues round-the-clock with rescuers working in shifts. Tents equipped with all necessary facilities were been pitched and field kitchens are open at the site, the source said. On February 11, an Antonov An-148 passenger aircraft, operated by Saratov Airlines, which was en route to the town of Orsk, crashed several minutes after taking off from Moscow's Domodedovo airport, killing all 71 people aboard. The aircraft's wreckage was found near the Stepanovskoye settlement in the Moscow Region. http://tass.com/world/990311 Back to Top Military training plane crashes in Turkey; 2 pilots dead ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey's military says a plane used to train pilots has crashed in western Turkey, killing its two pilots. A military statement said the SF-260D light trainer plane went down on Friday after taking off from Cigli air base near the Aegean port city of Izmir. Its wreck was discovered some 3 kilometers (2 miles) north of the base. The military said an inspection was underway but gave no details on the possible cause of the crash. Last month, a Turkish Air Force cargo plane similarly crashed during a training flight in southwestern Turkey, killing two pilots and a technician on board. https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/military-training-plane-crashes-in-turkey-2-pilots- dead/ Back to Top Two Indian Air Force pilots killed in plane crash Pipistrel Virus SW80 NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force said two of its pilots were killed Thursday after their plane crashed in a remote northeastern state. The microlight plane crashed soon taking off for a routine sortie from Johrat airbase in Assam state. An air force official said the pilots attempted an emergency landing but the plane crashed and burst into flames. "Both the pilots died in the crash and a court of enquiry has been ordered," the official told AFP. It was not immediately clear what caused the two-seater to crash, but accidents are not uncommon. More than 170 air force pilots have lost their lives in accidents in the past three decades, with crashes blamed on its ageing fleet. Most of the accidents involve Soviet-era MIGs unflatteringly dubbed "flying coffins". Last May two air force pilots were killed in Assam after their Russian-made fighter jet crashed near the border with China. India is investing billions of dollars to modernise its decades-old fleet. https://www.geo.tv/latest/182136-two-indian-air-force-pilots-killed-in-plane-crash Back to Top Two sent to hospital after turbulence forces Air Canada flight back to Pearson The Air Canada Rouge flight was above Tennessee, en route to Costa Rica, when it encountered severe turbulence. Air Canada says the flight has been rescheduled to Thursday. Air Canada says two of its flight attendants were injured, and passengers will depart on Thursday in another aircraft. An Air Canada Rouge flight made an emergency landing at Pearson airport late Thursday evening after several people suffered injuries due to severe turbulence. Peel paramedics confirmed that they responded to a call for assistance around 6:50 p.m., but noted that the scene had "downgraded" in its severity from initial reports. Three people were treated for minor injuries sustained from the turbulence, paramedics said. Two people were later sent to hospital with minor injuries. Air Canada said two of its flight attendants were injured on flight AC1806 en route to San Jose, Costa Rica. The plane was above Tennessee when it was forced to turn back and return to Toronto. The airline says passengers will be departing to San Jose later Thursday on another aircraft. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/02/15/two-sent-to-hospital-after-turbulence-forces-air- canada-flight-back-to-pearson.html Back to Top New Navy Budget Request Moves Money Toward Top Two Aviation Safety Priorities Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Joshua White, assigned to the "Black Knights" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 4, sits in the gunner's seat of an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter on July 21, 2016. US Navy Photo The Navy's top two aviation safety priorities could benefit from a half-billion-dollar bump in funding for aircraft modification kits if the service's fiscal year 2019 budget request is approved. For the upcoming fiscal year, the Navy proposes spending $3.15 billion on aircraft modification kits, a 16 percent increase from the $2.71 billion proposed spending this year. A Navy spokesperson told USNI News the increase is due in part to addressing physiological episodes in the F-18 and T-45 series of jets and developing a new gunner seat to alleviate back and neck problems for MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter aircrews - the service's top two aviation safety issues. The modification kits are supposed to correct deficiencies and improve operational capabilities of in- service aircraft. Other projects benefiting from the proposed funding increase include installing infrared search and track in the F-18 series, a quick reaction capability for the Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft, sustainment work for H-53 A/C helicopters, and production upgrades to the CH- 53K helicopters. A CT-45C Goshawk assigned to Commander, Naval Air Training Detachment lands on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) on Oct. 24, 2017. US Navy Photo The Navy has been working on fixing the physiological episodes plaguing F-18 and T-45 aircrews. The frequency had been increasing for a decade, culminating in March when 94 flights were canceled due to pilot concerns with the oxygen systems onboard T-45 Goshawk trainer aircraft. In June, the Navy's Physiological Episodes Comprehensive Review reported, "The integration of the onboard oxygen generation system (OBOGS) in the T-45 and F/A-18 is inadequate to consistently provide high quality breathing air. To varying degrees, neither aircraft is equipped to continuously provide clean, dry air to OBOGS - a design speci?cation for the device. The net result is contaminants can enter aircrew breathing air provided by OBOGS and potentially induce hypoxia." Earlier this month, Rear Adm. Sara Joyner, the head of the Navy Physiological Episode Action Team (PEAT), provided the House Armed Services Committee with an update to how the Navy is addressing physiological episodes. The Navy has installed CRU-123 solid state oxygen monitoring units on the T-45 trainer fleet, Joyner said. These units alert the aircrew if oxygen pressure falls and allows them more time to take correction action to prevent a physiological episode. With the F/A-18 Hornets, Super Hornets and EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft, the Navy plans to overhaul the Onboard Oxygen Generation Systems (OBOGS) or pilot breathing gas, and Environmental Control Systems (ECS). Also, based on a NASA report, the Navy is installing more precise monitoring equipment to gauge pilot breathing. Aviation Structural Mechanic 3rd Class Jeffery Hendricks removes a screw from an Onboard Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS) while performing special maintenance in the airframes shop aboard the Nimitz-Class nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) on Jan. 5, 2008. US Navy photo. Meanwhile, the increased funding should help deliver a new gunner seat to the MH-60S helicopters, which is needed to help keep aircrews from being grounded. Over time, helicopters pilots and aircrews experience sustained whole body vibrations, frequently causing a host of back and neck problems. In the most severe instances, Navy officials say pilots and crew members are grounded for weeks or even months. The Naval Air Systems Command is currently testing new gunner seat designs. Work started in 2016, with concepts being tested and refined for the past year. Navy officials have previously stated the next round of testing with aircrews is expected to occur within the next few weeks. Before the fiscal year 2019 budget request, though, the Navy had not dedicated funding to this project, said an email from Rob Koon, a public affairs officer with the Naval Air Warfare Center's Aircraft Division, to USNI News. https://news.usni.org/2018/02/15/31389 Back to Top What May Be U.S.'s First Drone-Linked Aircraft Crash Is Being Investigated By Alan Levin * Student and instructor uninjured in South Carolina incident * Helicopter struck tree trying to evade small drone, pilot said * A helicopter's crash landing in South Carolina this week may have been triggered by a civilian drone, which would make it the first drone-related crash of an aircraft in the U.S. The incident on Wednesday involved a student pilot and an instructor, who told investigators that a small drone appeared directly in front of them, according to a person familiar with a federal inquiry. They took evasive action to avoid a collision, and the tail of the helicopter hit a tree, triggering a crash landing. Neither the pilot nor the student was injured, though the helicopter's tail appeared to have significant damage, said the person, who wasn't authorized to discuss the inquiry publicly. The Robinson Helicopter Co. R22 went down about 2 p.m. near Charleston, according to a statement by the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA didn't confirm the possible role of the drone. The National Transportation Safety Board is aware of initial reports that a drone may have been involved in the crash and is gathering information on the case, spokesman Chris O'Neil said in an email Thursday. The accident investigation is the second possible incident involving a drone in less than a week and comes as aviation groups are demanding tighter regulations on civilian drone use following reports of other possible near collisions involving the devices. In the U.S., drones are typically restricted to flights within 400 feet of the ground and within sight of the operator. They also are supposed to stay clear of traditional aircraft. But in the thousands of FAA reports of possible drone safety incidents, many involved apparent illegal flights. While the type of drone that may have been involved in the South Carolina accident hasn't been verified, the world's largest civilian manufacturer, SZ DJI Technology Co. of China, issued a statement on the episode on Thursday night. "DJI is trying to learn more about this incident and stands ready to assist investigators," the company said. "While we cannot comment on what may have happened here, DJI is the industry leader in developing educational and technological solutions to help drone pilots steer clear of traditional aircraft." Authorities in Canada released a report Wednesday on a collision there involving a drone and a small charter plane. The FAA said earlier this week it was trying to confirm whether an air-tour helicopter in Hawaii clipped a drone. The incidents come just days after leading aviation-industry groups urged Congress to tighten regulations on hobbyist drones because of a video apparently showing one flying feet from an airliner near Las Vegas. The use of drones near airports and "within controlled airspace poses a serious risk to aviation safety," Canada's Transportation Safety Board said in the report. "For this reason, all recreational and non-recreational drone users must be knowledgeable about and comply with the regulations, including the requirement to operate within line of sight." The FAA in a study based on computerized models last fall concluded that drones would cause more damage than birds of similar size because they contain metal parts. Significant damage to windshields, wings and tail surfaces of aircraft was possible, the study found. The surging number of episodes combined with a regulatory system that makes it difficult to monitor drone flights has alarmed traditional aviation groups. "The likelihood that a drone will collide with an airline aircraft is increasing," said a letter to U.S. lawmakers earlier this week from Airlines for America, a trade group representing large carriers, and the Air Line Pilots Association and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the unions that represent pilots and controllers. The Hawaii incident occurred Feb. 9 over the island of Kauai, according to the FAA. The pilot reported seeing the drone that hit the helicopter and scratches were found on the copter afterward. There was no significant damage and no one was injured, according to the FAA. The only confirmed drone-related aviation accident in the U.S. occurred on Sept. 21 above New York City. A drone struck an Army helicopter near Staten Island, according to the NTSB. The helicopter landed safely. The drone's operator had flown the device out of his sight and didn't see the helicopter, the NTSB found. Confirming whether a drone was involved in such cases has been difficult. In the New York case, a piece of a drone was found lodged in the helicopter and its part number was used to trace it back to the owner. Quebec Incident A small drone that struck a charter plane carrying eight people above Quebec City highlights the need for people to follow legal restrictions, an investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada concluded. The TSB couldn't find debris from the drone or track down its operator after the Oct. 12 collision. It called on operators of the devices to better educate themselves on the rules and safety hazards. The plane, a twin-turboprop, was able to land safely with only minor damage to its left wing, the report found. Even groups that have traditionally defended the rights of hobbyists to fly drones have been raising increasing alarm. The Academy of Model Aeronautics, which represents hobbyists who fly at clubs around the country, issued a statement Tuesday saying "some rogue flyers choose to operate in an unsafe manner despite existing drone laws." It called on the FAA and local police to "hold these people accountable." https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-16/what-may-be-first-drone-linked-copter- crash-being-investigated Back to Top Imperial warns faulty aircraft gasoline could pose fuel gauge interference Imperial Oil logo as seen at the company's annual meeting in Calgary, Friday, April 29, 2016. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh) CALGARY - Imperial Oil Ltd. is warning regulators and customers that aviation gasoline shipped from its Edmonton-area refinery could cause interference with aircraft fuel gauge sensors. The company says in a release that a product quality problem was discovered earlier this week at its Strathcona refinery and all shipments of "avgas" were immediately halted. However, it says there were potential quality problems with fuel shipped since Dec. 28, resulting in a request to distributors to immediately stop selling the product. It says it has warned Transport Canada about the situation. Imperial said it is not aware of any safety issues as yet related to the fuel. It said its fuel warning does not extend to aircraft that use jet fuel, also known in the industry as "Jet A." Spokesman Jon Harding said avgas is mainly used in smaller planes but couldn't provide detail on how much fuel may be affected. He said the "at-risk fuel" is predominately sold in Western Canada, with smaller volumes sold in other regions. "We are continuing our work to understand the issue and will resume shipments of avgas as soon as we can," said Harding in an email. "Otherwise, refinery operations are normal and no other products are affected by this." Downstream vice-president Jon Wetmore said an investigation into the cause of the issue is ongoing and more information will be released as the situation evolves. https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/imperial-warns-faulty-aircraft-gasoline-could-pose-fuel-gauge- interference-1.3806061 Back to Top DJI introduces Knowledge Quiz for drone pilots in Australia After launching the Knowledge Quiz for drone pilots in the U.S. and U.K. last year, DJI introduced the quiz in Australia and that is a good thing. Many hobbyist drone pilots do not have a sufficient level of understanding of the rules and regulations that apply as soon as they launch their unmanned aerial vehicles into the air. The lack of understanding is supported by the recent FAA ASSURE study that pointed out the importance of education and safety regulation for drones and drone pilots. It was also painfully made clear when the drone pilot who flew his Phantom 4 into an Army helicopter over Staten Island showed only a "general cursory awareness of regulations and good operating practices." There are only a handful of really important rules that one needs to understand before flying a drone. Please take the time to learn the rules that apply in the country in which you are flying your drone. It will go a long way to increase the safety of people onboard manned aircraft and it will keep you out of trouble. The rules that apply to drone pilots differ from country to country. For the U.S. you can find them here. HERE'S DJI'S OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE DJI Introduces Knowledge Quiz for Drone Pilots in Australia Quiz Reinforces DJI's Long Commitment To Improving Drone Safety And Promoting Safer Skies DJI, the world's leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, is introducing a knowledge quiz this Wednesday for pilots operating DJI drones in the Australian airspace. The DJI Knowledge Quiz will require pilots to answer a series of basic questions correctly about safe drone use before their next flight. The quiz is based on the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's (CASA) rules and regulations, and is the company's latest effort to help drone users learn and demonstrate understanding of some basic safety rules before taking their drones to the skies. "As drones become more portable, intelligent and accessible, we expect to see more enthusiasts using this technology at home, on their travels and as a complementary tool for their work," said Adam Welsh, Head of Asia Pacific Public Policy at DJI. "The majority of pilots fly safely and responsibly but DJI has taken this step so that new drone pilots have an opportunity to learn and understand some simple safety rules as part of their first flying experience." Starting tomorrow, pilots connecting their aircraft to the DJI GO or DJI GO 4 app will be presented with nine questions and must correctly answer all of them in order to be able to fly. Pilots can continue answering questions until they successfully pass the DJI Knowledge Quiz. Overseas users will also be prompted to take the quiz when they connect to DJI's flight apps in Australia. "CASA welcomes the release of the DJI Knowledge Quiz," said Luke Gumley, Branch Manager, Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems at CASA. "It will help new DJI drone owners understand the recreational drone rules in Australia. CASA supports efforts by manufacturers like DJI that develop innovative solutions such as the Knowledge Quiz, and assist drone owners to know their responsibilities as a recreational drone pilot and how to operate their drone safely." DJI first launched the knowledge quiz in the United States, followed by the United Kingdom last year, with support from both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The knowledge quiz will be expanded to other countries in the near future, with questions customised to be aligned with each country's local rules and guidelines. This is the latest step in DJI's commitment to improving drone safety with technological and educational solutions. In 2014, DJI pioneered geofencing systems for its drones, using GPS position to warn or restrict drone pilots from entering locations which pose national security or aviation safety concerns. DJI has also built intelligent flight features and technologies that enhance safe operation of DJI drones including: Automatic altitude limitations built into its flight control apps to help pilots ensure they fly at safe altitudes. Sense-and-avoid technology which uses sensors to identify obstacles and either stop short of them or navigate around them. Return-to-home features which automatically guide a drone back to its takeoff point if it is low on battery or loses connection. Intelligent Battery systems to manage battery life and monitor temperature in real time, maintaining battery health and warn of potential battery malfunctions before and during flight. DJI has implemented the aviation industry standard ADS-B traffic awareness technology by installing receivers in its M200 series drones, giving drone pilots advance warning of nearby traditional aircraft equipped with ADS-B transmitters. For additional information, please contact: pr@dji.com https://dronedj.com/2018/02/15/dji-introduces-knowledge-quiz-for-drone-pilots-in-autralia/ Back to Top FlightSafety's Pilatus PC-24 Training Begins in Dallas First pilots train in full motion flight simulators for Super Versatile Jet. FlightSafety's FT1000 simulator provides a realistic training environment for Pilatus PC-24 pilots. FlightSafety International The first few pilots to train for their type ratings in Pilatus' PC-24 Super Versatile Jet using FlightSafety International's full motion simulator are hard at work at the company's learning center in Dallas. They're training in FlightSafety's FS1000 PC-24 simulator, which includes the VITAL 1100 visual system, electric motion, control loading and a new instructor operating station providing a highly realistic and effective training environment. FlightSafety's PC-24 simulator has been qualified and approved by both the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency. "Receiving EASA and FAA qualification demonstrates our ability to design and manufacture simulators that replicate the flying characteristics of the aircraft they represent, and meet or exceed the stringent standards of aviation regulatory agencies around the world," said FlightSafety's executive vice president, David Davenport. "FlightSafety and Pilatus worked closely together to ensure owners and operators of the PC-24 receive the highest quality training and outstanding services they deserve and expect." The PC-24 has been named the Super Versatile Jet because of its ability to land on unimproved fields, the only business jet approved to do so. After achieving certification in December, the first PC-24 was delivered last week to PlaneSense, a fractional ownership company that operates a large fleet of aircraft including 38 Pilatus PC-12 turboprops. The two FlightSafety Learning Centers in Dallas operate a total of 25 full-flight simulators. In addition to the Pilatus PC-24 and PC-12, the facility offers training programs for aircraft from Airbus Helicopters, Bell Helicopter, Bombardier, Embraer, Dassault and Gulfstream. https://www.flyingmag.com/flightsafetys-pilatus-pc-24-training-begins-in-dallas Back to Top BEFORE THEY CAN TAKE OFF, FLYING CARS MUST DEFEAT BUREAUCRACY Alpha One, a prototype of Airbus' Vahana flying car, made its first flight in January, hovering 16 feet above the ground for just under a minute. AT 8:52 ON the morning of January 31, eight buzzing rotors lifted a black bubble of an aircraft off the ground for the first time. About 20 feet from nose to tail and the same from wingtip to wingtip, Vahana spent 53 seconds aloft, under its own power and autonomous control. It reached a height of 16 feet, looming over the runway at Oregon's Pendleton UAS Test Range like a gigantisized quadcopter drone. The flight may not sound like much, but the team from Airbus' Silicon Valley outpost, A^3, and aerospace experts say such flights of experimental aircraft mark the start of a fundamental change in the way we get around. "The revolution of aviation we see today is comparable to the jet age," says Jim Gregory, director of the Aerospace Research Center at The Ohio State University. Alpha One, as this prototype is dubbed, is a full-scale demonstrator of a single-person, vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The idea behind this thing and its many competitors is to remake the way we fly. Instead of piling dozens or hundreds of people into big jets that fly back and forth between airports, these little VTOL aircraft would work much like personal cars, taking a few people (or just one) on short trips in and around cities, making full use of the third dimension to blast traffic jams into the past. (This is why we dig the term "flying car"-even if the things don't drive on the ground, they serve the function of a car, and they fly.) Thirty Vahana engineers worked for two years to make their aircraft ready for its January flight. Just after sunrise, about half a dozen people crowded into the control room to watch. "I remember holding my breath for what felt like an eternity, my heart rate must have gone up two or three times," says project lead Zach Lovering. When the vehicle safely touched down again, it was hugs and cheers all around. "Light aircraft are a bit of a special creature, they require every system to function appropriately to even get off the ground, let alone land safely," Lovering says-meaning this test was make or break. A hallmark moment to be sure, but now the Vahana team faces a challenge more beguiling than making this funky thing fly: convincing the bureaucrats to let it loose in American skies. It's the job of the Federal Aviation Administration to keep us safe when we fly, and that includes keeping a tight grip over what kinds of machines can be used in commercial service. Right now, Airbus' Vahana is so different from existing aircraft-it blends aspects of planes and helicopters-the FAA doesn't have a classification for it. That's why FAA representatives were in Oregon for the test flight, watching over the engineers' shoulders. They're the folks anyone hoping to lift you up and over traffic needs to impress, and everyone moving into this new airspace knows it. Before it can get to the fun stuff, the Vahana team must work with the FAA to figure out how to get its new aircraft design certified. "The next challenge beyond the vehicle design is the way in which any designer or the wider ecosystem can push toward satisfying the certification and regulatory procedures required to enable scaled manufacturing," Uber wrote in a 2016 white paper that spelled out its plan to launch air taxi networks in Dubai and Dallas as soon as 2020. And speed is important, if companies want to play a dominant role in a new network of flying cars. Chinese company Ehang is already flying people in its giant drone. Given that some of them are local government officials (according to a video released by the company) it has the support of that country's administration, which could prove a major advantage in getting to market. The traditional route to an airworthiness certificate can take years, and that's for the kind of aircraft the FAA knows intimately. The test and certification program for Boeing's 787 was supposed to take nine months, that ended up being a year and a half. The process includes thousands of hours in the air, pushing the flight envelope, operating in extreme conditions, including different weather, heavy loads, and simulations of engine or other failures. Before it can get to all that fun stuff, the Vahana team must work with the FAA to figure out how to get its new aircraft design certified. So it's a good thing the agency recognizes the problem, and is working to modernize its rules. The most likely route to certification is finding flexibility in the fixed wing (as opposed to rotorcraft) category. In December 2016, the FAA released a rewrite of Part 23, its standards for light aircraft, removing the very rigid design requirements for planes, and replacing them with more creative ways to prove safety, based on rules the community of builders decides on together, with feds' approval. The point of the process is to get around rules that, for example, insist on doing such and such for liquid fuel storage-in vehicles powered by batteries and motors. The European Aviation Safety Agency is introducing similarly flexible guidelines, to help outfits like Vahana's German rival, Lilium. For now, flying car developers start by applying to the FAA for an experimental aircraft certificate. "That's a relatively quick process," says Gregory, who's writing a book on flight testing. Drone and truck builder Workhorse did just that for its electric octocopter SureFly. (It scrubbed its planned demo flight at CES in Las Vegas in January due to bad weather.) An experimental certificate gives engineers permission to fly their aircraft, but not to carry paying passengers. For Vahana, the certification process in the US is already underway. "You submit a bunch of paperwork," says Lovering. Then there are meetings, and the witnesses at the first flight. The next step is getting a type certificate, where the FAA says, OK, this vehicle system is definitely airworthy-go for it. That's much harder. Expect more meetings, and many more test flights. Still, the progress Vahana and others have made in this new field count as serious progress in a field that has long been slow to embrace change, governed by an FAA that prefers the safety of well-known systems over new technologies. Meanwhile, the Vahana team is already moving ahead to more-and more impressive-test flights, aiming to prove their built-in safety features work. The next of many milestones for all the companies in the effort to make flying cars real. https://www.wired.com/story/airbus-vahana-first-flight-faa-certification-flying-cars/ Back to Top Eviation Aircraft Planning On Bringing 9-Seat Electric Airplane To Market By 2021, Following Closing Of Battery Supply Agreement With Kokam Now that the firm has reportedly closed a battery supply agreement with South Korea's Kokam, the electric aviation startup Eviation Aircraft is now aiming to bring its 9-seat electric aircraft to market by 2021, the company's CEO has revealed. Electric Eviation AircraftThe Israel-based firm went with Kokam as its battery supplier due to the relatively small client base that it maintains - which means that the expectation is for a relatively high degree of flexibility and access to customization. The CEO of Eviation, Omer Bar-Yohay, was quoted by Reuters as saying (in a phone interview): "If I would go today to Samsung or Panasonic or LG Chem or Tesla for that matter and say I need a different cell size, they will probably laugh because the number of cells we are going to buy is not significant enough to start the design process." A reasonable enough perspective. It's also worth noting, of course, that many of the firms above are currently stuck in production bottlenecks anyways. Reuters provides more: "The battery will have 9,400 cells distributed throughout the aircraft including the ceiling, floor, and wings, weighing 3.8 tonnes, or 60% of the maximum takeoff weight...Eviation's 'Alice' airplane is expected to have a range of up to 650 nautical miles (1200 kilometers), compared to 1000 nautical miles for a similar-sized conventional Cessna Caravan. It will cost $2 million-plus, on par with the Cessna, but have far lower fuel and maintenance costs, Bar-Yohay said. "Eviation hopes to fly the Alice demonstrator for the first time by the end of the year, with the first public display at the Paris Airshow in mid-2019, he said. Moving to commercial production after that would require raising around $100 million of capital." In related news, the startup Zunum Aero recently announced plans to bring a 12-seat hybrid aircraft to market by 2022. Numerous other aviation firms are now working on similar designs as well. https://cleantechnica.com/2018/02/15/eviation-aircraft-planning-bringing-9-seat-electric-airplane- market-2021-following-closing-battery-supply-agreement-kokam/ Back to Top Bombardier Chief Bullish on Business Jet Market Bombardier Challenger 350 Bombardier Aerospace delivered 140 business jets in 2017, including 56 super-midsize Challenger 350s. (Photo: David McIntosh/AIN) While Bombardier's business jet delivery guidance for 2018 is flat at 135 units, company president and CEO Alain Bellemare is optimistic about the segment and is prepared to increase production volumes "if the market supports it," he told financial analysts this morning. He described the business jet market sentiment as "positive," with the company seeing increased sales in the fourth quarter-a trend he said has continued thus far this year. This year "will be a pivotal year for Bombardier," Bellemare said. "We are moving out of our investment cycle and into a strong growth cycle." He said that one of the largest contributors to this growth is the Global 7000, which is set to enter service later this year and has a three-year backlog. Overall business jet backlog stood at $14 billion at year-end, down from $15.4 billion at the end of 2016. The 140 business jet deliveries last year at Bombardier Aerospace were up five units from the company's 2017 outlook, but fell 16.4 percent from the 163 jets it shipped in 2016. Last year's shipments included 56 Challenger 350s, 45 Global 5000/6000s, 23 Challenger 650s, 14 Learjet 70/75s, and two Challenger 850s. In 2016, the mix was 62 Challenger 350s, 51 Globals, 26 Challenger 605/650s and 24 Learjets. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-02-15/bombardier-chief-bullish- business-jet-market Back to Top Boeing experts, suppliers talk of pushing up jet production while pushing down costs A Boeing 737 MAX 7 is displayed outside the Renton factory earlier this month. Boeing is ramping up production of its single-aisle jets to historic levels, possibly above 60 jets per month. (Elaine Thompson/AP) A gathering of aerospace industry suppliers this week was abuzz with talk of Boeing ramping up 737 production above 60 jets per month and taking more work in-house - as well as grumbling about Boeing's continued cost squeeze. Airplane production at Boeing's Renton plant, already scheduled to soar next year to a sky-high rate of 57 jets per month, looks set to climb even higher. A gathering of aerospace-industry suppliers this week was abuzz with talk of Boeing ramping up 737 production as high as 64 jets per month and perhaps beyond. Presentations at the annual Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance conference in Lynnwood also projected that Boeing will continue a trend of taking some strategic work away from suppliers to bring it in-house. And despite the excitement about higher production rates, there was also plenty of grumbling from suppliers about Boeing's relentless squeeze on their pricing. In a keynote address Wednesday, Richard Aboulafia, who last week was commissioned by the state of Washington to assess this region's chances of building Boeing's next all-new jet, said the soaring demand for single-aisle jets is blowing away the traditional boom-and-bust cycle in the business. "It's an unprecedented break with the history of the jetliner market," Aboulafia said. "There's a miracle taking place in single-aisles. They literally cannot build them fast enough." In the last three years, the world's airlines have made more combined profit than they did in the previous three decades. At the same time, the price of jet fuel is still relatively low, as are interest rates, which means the cost of capital to buy aircraft is also low. Aboulafia said he is unfazed by talk of the production rates of the Boeing 737 and the rival Airbus A320 each going higher than 60 jets per month. But talk of both manufacturers going as high as 70 jets per month struck him as a step too far, straining the supply chain too much, he said. Ken Herbert, a financial analyst with Canadian investment bank Canaccord Genuity who attended the conference, wrote in a note to clients Thursday that production rate increases "to over 60/month for both the 737 and the A320 are imminent." Boeing's 737 plant in Renton will ratchet up production from 47 jets per month to 52 per month later this year, ahead of the already announced hike to 57 per month in 2019. Herbert said 737 production could go to 60 jets per month in 2020 and up to 63 per month the following year. That would be exactly triple the production rate of 20 years ago. Another person at the conference, who asked not to named because Boeing considers the production rate highly sensitive information, said he expects Boeing will announce before the Farnborough Air Show in July that the rate will go to 63 or 64 jets per month. Conference attendees said Boeing's main concern in planning the production ramp-up is to make sure the suppliers can keep up with the pace. On Thursday, Simon Pickup, director of marketing at Airbus Americas, said the backlog for that jetmaker's single-aisle A320 family is now more than 6,000 airplanes, representing nine years of production at current rates. Boeing's 737 backlog is smaller, just over 4,600 airplanes or more than seven years of production, but that's still an all-time record backlog. Boeing 737 spokesman Doug Alder wouldn't comment on the speculation of a higher rate except to say that because of airline demand, "we continue to see upward pressure." Pressure on suppliers Another theme at the conference was Boeing's continued push to take more component work in- house, sometimes by acquiring suppliers or through joint ventures. Boeing recently began pursuing this strategy in order to harvest more revenue from aftermarket sales of spare parts. That's why it's now building the nacelles - the pods around the engines - of the 737 MAX in South Carolina; has set up a new in-house electronics division; is building actuators that control movable surfaces on an airplane's wings and tail at new facilities in Sheffield, England, and Portland, and has just announced a new joint venture with Adient to make coach seats. Aviation consultant Kevin Michaels of AeroDynamic Advisory predicted that Boeing could expand its nacelle work to making engine pylons, fan cowls and thrust reversers and may move into other areas such as flight-control computers. Such "vertical integration" is a complete reversal of Boeing's strategy from the early 2000s, when it actively shed as much parts work as possible and sold facilities including its huge parts plant in Wichita, Kansas, which is now Spirit AeroSystems. Michaels warned that this new industrial strategy risks a backlash from suppliers who, already suffering from Boeing's demand for lower pricing, now see the manufacturer competing with them or actively taking their business away. For example, Boeing's seat-manufacturing partner EnCore in Huntington Beach, California, cannot be thrilled at the recent Boeing announcement of a joint venture with Adient to make seats. Michaels said that while doing more work in-house reaps great rewards in boom times, it can become a liability in lean times, when the fixed costs can begin to weigh down the company. Several suppliers complained privately about the stress from Boeing's ongoing program called "Partnering for Success," which demands step-down pricing on parts every year and is mocked by some as "Partnering for Less." In her talk about the supply chain, Boeing Senior Vice President Jenette Ramos omitted the name of this much-reviled program from her slides and adopted a gentle tone before the suppliers. Partnering for Success is "not front and center here," Ramos said. "It's really about how do we work together" to reduce costs. The head of strategic procurement for Airbus Americas, Giuseppe "Joe" Marcheschi, was much more direct, telling the assembled suppliers that 100 percent on-time delivery and quality was just the baseline expectation and that they must do more than that to impress Airbus. "We're getting a lot of pressure to deliver more and more aircraft every year," he said. "We strive every single day to reduce cost." https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/boeing-experts-suppliers-talk-of- pushing-up-jet-production-while-pushing-down-costs/ Back to Top Russian Cargo Ship Delivers 3 Tons of Supplies to Space Station The uncrewed Russian cargo ship Progress 69 approaches the International Space Station on Feb. 15, 2018, to deliver 3 tons of supplies for the orbiting lab's Expedition 54 crew. Credit: NASA TV A robotic Russian resupply ship linked up with the International Space Station this morning (Feb. 15) to deliver 3 tons of cargo, including fresh food, supplies and science gear for the astronauts on board. The Progress 69 resupply ship docked at the aft end of the space station's Russian-built Zvezda module at 5:38 a.m. EST (1038 GMT) as both spacecraft flew 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth, over the area just east of the Philippines. Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, launched the new cargo ship Tuesday (Feb. 13) from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan after a two-day delay. An initial attempt to loft the cargo ship on a swift, 3.5-hour trip to the station was aborted in the final minute Sunday (Feb. 11) due to an unspecified problem.[How Russia's Progress Cargo Ships Work (Infographic)] Roscosmos was unable to try the new fast-track flight plan for Progress 69 because of that delay; the station would be in a different position. Instead, the agency opted for a two-day rendezvous for the resupply flight. Russia's Progress cargo ships and Soyuz crew capsules traditionally took two days to reach the International Space Station after launch, but in 2013, Russian engineers devised a faster 6-hour flight plan to cut down the trip to a single day. The new 3.5-hour flight plan would deliver a Progress vehicle to the space station after just two orbits of Earth, compared with the four orbits it takes for the 6-hour approach. Two-day trips to the space station typically require 34 orbits around Earth. Progress 69 is packed with vital supplies for the station's six-person Expedition 54 crew. Those supplies include3,128 lbs. (1,418 kilograms) of spare parts and other gear; 1,940 lbs. (880 kg) of propellant; 53 lbs. (24 kg) of air; and 48 lbs. (21 kg) of oxygen. The station's Expedition 54 crew is made up of NASA astronauts Mark Vande Hei, Joe Acaba and Scott Tingle; Russian cosmonauts Alexander Misurkin and Anton Shkaplerov; and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Norishige Kanai. The space travelers will unpack Progress 69 and then fill it with trash and unneeded items over the next six months. In August, Progress 69 will depart the space station and burn up in Earth's atmosphere. The launch and docking of Progress 69 aren't the only big events for the space station's crew this week. On Friday (Feb. 16), Tingle and Kanai will venture outside the station on a spacewalk that is scheduled to last 6.5 hours. You can watch that spacewalk live here, courtesy of NASA TV, beginning at 5:30 a.m. EST (1030 GMT). https://www.space.com/39712-russian-cargo-ship-progress-69-space-station-arrival.html Back to Top Graduate Survey Request My name is Carlos Enriquez and i am working on a thesis for my Masters in Aviation Science from Everglades University. My research is centered on the use of autopilot in helicopter operations. More specifically, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services accident rates due to flights into inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in their Safety Recommendation dated September 24, 2009 included the use of a second pilot or an autopilot. I created a survey with specific questions for helicopter pilots. Please find below, link to the survey. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6C3N9CL Thank you, Carlos Enriquez Back to Top Check Airmen Wanted - $45,000 (Phoenix, AZ) Main Responsibility: * Conducting FAR 141 recurrent training, check out flights on new hire CFIs, spot checks on line CFIs, perform remedial training, and observation flights. Qualifications: * High School Diploma or equivalent required * Must hold at least an FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument Rating * Must have CFI, CFII, and MEI certificates * 6 months experience as a CFI required * Demonstrated success as a CFI with commensurate pass rate SKILLS AND ABILITIES * Ability to pass a Part 141 stage check pilot proficiency check for both single and multi-engine airplanes * Proficient on Microsoft Office (word, power point, excel) * Excellent oral and written communication skills * Excellent interpersonal skills, professional demeanor * Dependable, reliable and pays extreme attention to detail Benefits AeroGuard offers a variety of benefits: Paid PTO, medical, dental, vision and 401K with company match!!! SUBMIT RESUME TO: recruiter@flyaeroguard.com OR FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 623-580-7913 Back to Top SASS 2018 Building on the success of previous years, the Singapore Aviation Safety Seminar (SASS) will be held March 26-29, 2018, and will feature presentations from local and international speakers. The theme for SASS 2018 is "Stepping Up Safety: Enabling Growth, Embracing New Technologies." The program focuses on topics relating to recent safety challenges, human factors issues, organizational safety issues, lessons learned from recent accidents and the latest technological improvements for safety. Registration and program agenda can be found on the SASS event website. Back to Top BASS 2018 The Business Aviation Safety Summit (BASS) is a forum for the industry to meet in a collaborative environment to identify safety concerns, devise approaches to reduce risk and implement initiatives to improve safety. The summit, in its 63rd year, is organized by Flight Safety Foundation in partnership with the National Business Aviation Association. Content covers safety, training, practical solutions, management, human factors and other issues for every segment of the business aviation industry. The program agenda and registration information can be found on our event website. Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top Job Title: General Manager / Senior Flight Data Analyst This position is open to all aviation safety professionals keen to manage a business at the forefront of safety technology. Desirable qualifications include: * flight deck experience * an aviation or business-related degree * experience in voluntary safety programs * commercial experience Job Description This position combines the freedom to run and develop a business in the US with potential to make a real impact on aviation safety. It will suit a pilot who is keen on aviation but tired of hotels. The office is based in Phoenix, Arizona and customers are based from Canada to Venezuela. You will also be supporting operators around the world as a part of the Flight Data Services group of companies. Location: The job holder must be based Monday to Friday on site at our Phoenix office. Supervision: 4 current staff members (3 in office, 1 remote) Salary: The range for this role is $50,000 to $70,000 per annum dependent on skills and experience. There is also a comprehensive benefits package. IMPORTANT NOTES: * Resume and Cover Letter must be received by midnight March 31st 2018 at hr@flightdataservices.com * Successful candidates will be required to complete testing prior to scheduling for interview. * Interviews will be scheduled April 9th thru 11th and must be attended IN PERSON at the Phoenix, Arizona office. Main Purpose of Job: As General Manager you will have overall charge of the business of Flight Data Services Inc, including: 1. Management of the Company's affairs and administration. 2. Management of the staff of FDS Inc. 3. Management of customer interfaces, including annual visits, monthly reports and ad hoc communications. 4. Promotion of the Company within the continents of North and South America. 5. Responsible for Company compliance with state and federal law. As Senior Flight Data Analyst you will promote aviation safety through: 1. Providing leadership for US analysts by: a. Providing training and guidance as needed. b. Task distribution & workload management. 2. Routine analysis of downloaded data. a. Review of abnormal operations and determine the cause. b. Report on findings to airlines. c. Compilation of monthly customer reports. d. Occasional emergency customer support and call-out on a roster basis. e. Responding to ad hoc requests for analysis or supply of data. 3. Contributing to the Safety Seminar and Training Courses a. Preparation and delivery of presentations. b. Attendance at the seminar. c. Ad hoc training of attendees. 4. Depending upon specialization, one or more of the following: a. Preparation of new Analysis Specifications. b. Amending analysis procedures to change thresholds etc. in consultation with the customer and Analysis Manager c. Customer training d. Support to Marketing 5. Liaise with IT Support on software maintenance. 6. Liaise with Software Development team on the POLARIS project. The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your changing role within the organization and the overall business objectives of the organization. ************** About Flight Data Services Flight Data Services is an industry-leader in flight safety innovation. Our expert knowledge of flight data, aviation safety, and information technology is delivered to aircraft operators globally. We are the largest dedicated provider of flight data analysis services and our qualified and experienced flight safety specialists include the highest ratio of analysts to aircraft in the aviation industry. Flight Data Services are proud to be a global, independent and private company. In 2015 we were accredited with the 'Investors in People' award and in 2017 we earned ISO 9001:2015 accreditation. Curt Lewis