Flight Safety Information February 23, 2018 - No. 040 In This Issue Incident: Swiss A321 near Marseille on Feb 22nd 2018, odour in cockpit and system indication Accident: Lufthansa A388 near San Francisco and Frankfurt on Feb 11th 2018, fumes on board EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Cessna 441 Conquest II Impacted Terrain (Indiana) Girl injured by dog during boarding for Southwest flight Congressman calls for probe into SFO close-calls, study on aviation trends FAA rules plane mishap at Great Barrington airport an accident, triggers NTSB investigation European flight safety agency issues drone guidelines Helicopter Flight Control System Is a First for Garmin Upcoming Conference to Focus on Aviation Communication and Safety Chinese planes sit idle as NAC looks for pilots CHINA ANNOUNCES PLAN FOR HYPERSONIC JET ABLE TO REACH NEW YORK FROM BEIJING IN TWO HOURS Inspection Authorization Renewal S A F E T Y S E M I N A R Medallion Foundation - Providing Assurance In Your Systems Positions Available: Check Airmen Wanted Position Available: General Manager / Senior Flight Data Analyst Incident: Swiss A321 near Marseille on Feb 22nd 2018, odour in cockpit and system indication A Swiss Airbus A321-100, registration HB-IOD performing flight LX-1957 from Barcelona,SP (Spain) to Zurich (Switzerland), was enroute at FL360 about 30nm southeast of Marseille (France) when the crew declared emergency due to a system malfunction indication and an abnormal odour in the cabin. The aircraft landed on Marseille's runway 31R about 23 minutes later. A passenger reported the crew announced there was an abnormal odour in the cockpit prompting the diversion to Marseille. The airline reported the crew received indication of a system failure, in addition crew detected an unusual odour in cockpit and cabin. Passengers are either being rebooked or taken to hotels until a replacement aircraft arrives. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b540072&opt=256 Back to Top Accident: Lufthansa A388 near San Francisco and Frankfurt on Feb 11th 2018, fumes on board A Lufthansa Airbus A380-800, registration D-AIML performing flight LH-455 (dep Feb 11th, arr Feb 12th) from San Francisco,CA (USA) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany), was climbing out of San Francisco about 5 minutes into the flight when an odour of dirty old socks developed in the cabin, a passenger fainted, a number of other passengers complained about headache. The flight crew made an announcement that the odour had been caused by de-icing fluid and there was no danger to health. About 20 minutes later the odour subsided. The aircraft continued to Frankfurt. Descending towards Frankfurt the odour developed again, passengers attempted to disable air conditioning by sealing it off with blankets and pillows. About 15 minutes later the odour subsided again. The aircraft continued for a landing without further incident. A number of flight attendants suffering from headache and eye irritations were taken to hospitals, none of the affected passengers requested medical attention in Frankfurt. According to information The Aviation Herald received an oil leak at engine #3 (Trent 970) is being suspected as cause of the odour. Germany's BFU reported on Feb 22nd 2018, that they have been notified about the occurrence. They did not rate the occurrence as an accident or serious incident, hence no investigation has been opened. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Frankfurt 10 days later undergoing scheduled maintenance. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b53fa35&opt=256 Back to Top Back to Top Cessna 441 Conquest II Impacted Terrain (Indiana) Date: 22-FEB-2018 Time: 19:35 LT Type: Cessna 441 Conquest II Owner/operator: Ponderosa Aviation LLC Registration: N771XW C/n / msn: 441-0065 Fatalities: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Carroll County east of Owasco, IN - United States of America Phase: En route Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Eagle Creek Airpark (KEYE) Destination airport: Green Bay Int'l (KGRB) Narrative: The aircraft impacted rural terrain in Carroll County east of Owasco, Indiana. The airplane was destroyed and there were no survivors among the initially reported three occupants. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=206543 Back to Top Girl injured by dog during boarding for Southwest flight DALLAS (AP) - Southwest Airlines said Thursday that a dog injured a child as passengers boarded a flight in Phoenix, an event likely to fuel the debate over the growing number of emotional-support animals on planes. A passenger on Wednesday's Phoenix-to-Portland, Oregon, flight tweeted that a dog bit a girl as she approached it, and that she screamed and cried. The man, Todd Rice, did not immediately respond to a Twitter message seeking further comment. Southwest said the dog's teeth "scraped a child's forehead" and paramedics checked the girl, who appeared to be 6 or 7 years old. Southwest spokeswoman Melissa Ford said the dog was in the plane's first row of seats with its owner, who said he warned the girl not to approach his dog. Police interviewed the girl's family and the dog's owner. The family decided to remain on the plane, while the dog and its owner left and took a later flight, Ford said. The incident happened as airlines consider new restrictions on passengers flying with emotional- support animals. Unlike service animals such as guide dogs, support animals need no training. However, passengers can be asked to show a medical professional's note explaining why they need the animal to travel. Southwest started reviewing its policy even before Wednesday's event, Ford said. Starting next week, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines will require more paperwork and assurances from owners of support animals. Both Delta and United said they have seen a sharp rise in the number of support animals in the last year or so. Last June, a 70-pound (32-kilogram) dog flying on Delta as a support animal bit a passenger in the face severely enough that the man required hospital care. Delta had planned to require owners of both service and support animals to submit health forms filled out by a veterinarian at least 48 hours before a flight. On Thursday, however, Delta softened the provision for service dogs after running into opposition from advocacy groups for the disabled. People who use service dogs said Delta's original 48-hour requirement would have made it impossible for them to take last-minute, emergency flights. Delta said it won't require customers to submit veterinarians' forms in advance for trained service animals but might "in some cases" ask those customers to show their animal's vaccination records. None of the new rules for support animals would apply to pets small enough to fit in carriers that go under airplane seats. Airlines charge up to $125 each way to carry a small pet in the cabin. There is no charge for service and support animals. https://www.yahoo.com/news/child-injured-dog-during-boarding-southwest-flight-175434499-- finance.html Back to Top Congressman calls for probe into SFO close-calls, study on aviation trends * An East Bay congressman is calling for an independent review of the SFO close-calls last year to see if they represent a trend in aviation. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) * The run of close-calls at San Francisco International Airport and other airports across the country involving runway or taxiway incursions have prompted Congressman Mark DeSaulnier and two other politicians to call for an independent review. In a letter sent Wednesday to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro - who heads the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan review agency - DeSaulnier, D-Concord, along with Transportation & Infrastructure Ranking Member Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, and ranking member of the aviation subcommittee Rick Larsen, D-Washington, asked for an independent study to determine if the troubling incidents indicate a trend. "Fifty-nine feet is too close to a major tragedy. Saying it won't happen again is not sufficient," DeSaulnier said, referring to the most high-profile SFO incident on July 7 when an Air Canada flight dropped to as low as 59 feet when it flew over four commercial jets after it mistook a taxiway for its intended runway. The letter highlights four other incidents: On Oct. 12, an Air Canada flight landed on a runway despite repeated orders to abort the landing out of fear another plane was still on the runway. On Nov. 29, a Delta Air Lines plane overflew a taxiway with another airplane on it at an Atlanta airport. On Dec. 29, a Horizon Air plane landed on a taxiway at a Pullman, Wash., airport. On Jan. 9, an Aeromexico plane lined up to land on the wrong runway, which was occupied by another plane waiting to take off. "While it is fortunate that none of the occurrences on this list led to a catastrophic accident or loss of life, it is important that we learn everything we possibly can so that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ... can take the most meaningful, informed, and timely actions to prevent accidents in the future," according to the letter. DeSaulnier has been meeting with FAA and National Transportation Safety Board officials to talk about the incidents and the challenges in recovering the cockpit voice recorders in such incidents. The congressmen are requesting the GAO to conduct a study examining data on aviation safety incidents to determine if they represent any emerging patterns and to asses if there are any gaps in the collecting and reporting of "critical safety information," according to the letter. In 2008, the GAO produced the report "Progress on Reducing Runway Incursions Impeded by Leadership, Technology and Other Challenges." Three years later, the agency produced another aviation report recommending the FAA improve its metrics, oversight and information sharing related to safety incidents in the airspace over and surrounding airports. DeSaulnier's letter says little is known about any progress since those reports were published and a new comprehensive study is needed. The congressmen ask for four specific questions to be answered: What trends in safety incidents and factors contributing to those trends are known since 2008? What framework exists for the FAA to investigate safety incidents, analyze trends and require corrective actions by stakeholders, including air carriers, to prevent reoccurrences. Are there gaps in the rules, procedures and policies governing safety incident investigations? Since the earlier reports in 2008 and 2011, what new technologies and other actions have been implemented to address safety incidents in airspace surrounding airports? What is known about how those have performed? How does the FAA collect, analyze and report data on these incidents, and has that changed since 2008? https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/02/22/congressman-calls-for-probe-into-sfo-close-calls- study-on-aviation-trends/ Back to Top FAA rules plane mishap at Great Barrington airport an accident, triggers NTSB investigation A plane sits in a field after sliding off the runway at Walter J. Koladza Airport on Feb. 4. GREAT BARRINGTON - A mishap in which a plane left the runway and rolled into into a snowy ditch earlier this month has been ruled an accident by the Federal Aviation Administration. That ruling automatically triggers an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board into the incident, according to FAA spokesman James Peters. The pilot was taxiing in preparation for takeoff about 5:30 p.m. Feb. 4 during snow flurries when the plane left the western end of the runway at Walter J. Koladza Airport. Neither the pilot nor his passenger were injured. The pair had been on their way back to New York City after a day of skiing at Catamount Ski Area. Mark Roggen, a pilot and the airport's business manager, said the pilot simply "did not pay attention to where he was going." He did not speculate about the reason or whether braking problems on what may have been a slippery runway contributed. An FAA investigator was at the scene the following day. Roggen said the Cessna 303 sustained damage to a propeller and was recovered from a neighbor's property without incident. NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway told The Eagle that "substantial damage" to an aircraft can constitute an accident ruling versus an "incident" ruling by the FAA. "If it was scratch, and there were no fatalities, like a fender bender, it doesn't [reach] the level of an NTSB investigation," Holloway said. A report is forthcoming, Holloway said, but it may take another week while the NTSB waits for the FAA investigator's report. http://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/faa-rules-plane-mishap-at-great-barrington-airport-an- accident-triggers-ntsb-investigation,532756 Back to Top European flight safety agency issues drone guidelines Europe's flight safety authority has published its first proposal on the safe operation of small drones, to serve as a guideline for the European Commission to adopt concrete regulations later this year. The Cologne-based European Aviation Safety Agency says the goal of the proposals announced Thursday , which apply to drones weighing up to 25 kilograms (55 pounds), is to create uniform regulations that respect people's privacy and security, while allowing the industry to "remain agile, to innovate and continue to grow." It seeks to tailor regulations to where the drone is flown, saying "flying the same drone over a city center or over the sea entails a completely different risk." "Open" operations that don't require prior authorization include taking photos, infrastructure inspections and leisure activities where the drone is kept in sight. https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/european-flight-safety-agency-issues-drone- guidelines-53271697 Back to Top Helicopter Flight Control System Is a First for Garmin The new G500H TXI displays add touchscreens to helicopters, but they have knobs for those who prefer that interface. (Photo: Garmin) Garmin has unveiled its next foray into flight control systems, the new GFC 600H. It's designed to build on what the company has learned with fixed-wing autopilots and deliver new safety benefits to VFR and IFR helicopter operations. Garmin also announced a full suite of its new G500H TXi touchscreen displays for rotorcraft, as well as upgraded G1000H NXi helicopter integrated flight decks. "We're working hard to bring this type of technology to the helicopter world," said Jim Alpiser, director of aviation aftermarket sales. "For so many years, the rotorcraft world has been underserved from a technology perspective. That's why we have made the investment we did with flight displays, the G500H. Now we're updating to the new TXi and new flight control technology. This takes what we're doing in the helicopter world to a whole new level." The first certification program for the GFC 600H and TXi displays is in Garmin's Airbus AS350B2, and the design work and installation was done at Garmin's Salem, Oregon facility. While the GFC 600H will be offered in two architectures-one for VFR and one for IFR helicopters-the VFR system will be first to market, with certification estimated in the fourth quarter this year, followed by the IFR system. The TXi displays should be certified at the same time, but these will be done via an approved model list (AML) STC in a variety of helicopters. Autopilots aren't certified via the AML process and must be approved for each helicopter model. The GFC 600H three-axis flight control system now installed in the AS350B2 consists of a servo installed in parallel to the controls, which is simpler than the linear-actuator-based system that will be featured in the IFR-stability augmentation system. The yaw axis "is novel for light helicopters," Alpiser said. "When in hover, if you engage the yaw axis it will hold the current heading. In cruise it holds the aircraft in trim so the ball stays in the middle." A collective position sensor is tied to the system so that the flight control system automatically moves the anti-torque pedals when the pilot moves the collective. For pilots, the parallel servo system is designed to make flying easier while allowing full control of the helicopter. In fact, the flight control system can be switched on during takeoff and landing. The system's basic mode maintain's the helicopter's attitude, and provides force feedback when the pilot deviates from the attitude. "It's a fly-through system," he explained. "You push it out of the detent to move to a different attitude, then release it and it returns to that attitude." A four-way or force trim switch on the cyclic is used to adjust to the new attitude. A unique feature of the GFC 600H is that it incorporates Garmin's Electronic Stability and Protection, which includes a "LVL" button that returns the helicopter to straight-and-level flight from unusual attitudes, as well as overspeed protection, limit cueing, and low-speed protection. "We hope no one has to use these features," said Garmin flight test manager Sean Doyle, "but we hope they will." The GFC 600H adds other features that "might be found in larger helicopters," he noted. For example, hover assist or ground-position stabilization, which helps the pilot stay in a hover, "even in strong and gusty winds." In the basic attitude-retention mode, the helicopter will maintain the same heading, even if not in heading mode and even if disturbed by a gust. When coupled with a Garmin PFD, the GFC 600H can capture a selected altitude. A flight director is optional, another feature available with the Garmin display. However, the GFC 600H can be installed by itself, without a display. GFC 600H lateral modes include heading select, nav, and approach. Vertical modes are indicated airspeed, altitude, altitude select, and vertical speed. A beep switch on the cyclic is used to adjust some of the settings for vertical modes, such as vertical speed. Components of the GFC 600H include a GFS 83 force-trim servo, GMC 605H mode controller and flight director computer, GSU 75H ADAHRS (for standalone installations without a Garmin display), and a collective position sensor. Total system weight is 13 pounds. TOUCHSCREEN DISPLAYS The TXi displays for rotorcraft replace Garmin's G500H system, with three different options: the GDU 1060 10-inch landscape, the GDU 700P portrait, or the GDU 700L landscape displays ( the latter two are seven-inch sizes). The key difference with TXi is that they are touchscreen displays, although they include concentric knob controls for an alternative to touchscreen input. Both the 10- and seven-inch displays offer Garmin's HSI map, which was introduced on the G1000 NXi. The HSI map can display Garmin's Wire-Aware wire-strike-avoidance information. A PFD controller is optional, adding more non-touch controls for pilots who prefer button and knob interfaces. A new feature for the TXi that wasn't available in the G500H is data logging, and this data can be downloaded wirelessly or via SD card. Another new TXi feature is crew profiles. Installation is easier with new configuration tools that allow export of configurations to entire fleets. Garmin plans to obtain an AML STC for the TXi displays on the Bell 206, Airbus AS350B2 and B3 and EC130B4 and T2, Robinson R44, and MD 369. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/general-aviation/2018-02-22/helicopter-flight-control- system-first-garmin Back to Top Upcoming Conference to Focus on Aviation Communication and Safety "Aviation is a global enterprise and does not happen in a bubble immune from cultural differences, miscommunication and the challenges created by inadequate aviation English skills." - Embry- Riddle Assistant Professor Elizabeth Mathews The international conference, Building on the International Civil Aviation Organizations Language Proficiency Requirements - Communications as a Human Factor is hosted by Embry-Riddle on May 9-11. To learn more about the conference, go to www.icaea.aero. The International Civil Aviation English Association (ICAEA) conference at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus will look into the effects of language and culture on communication as a human factor; the language needs of the wider aviation profession; incorporating communication strategies into best practices for training and testing and considerations for future policy developments in language and communication. New perspectives on aviation English training and testing will be discussed in the conference, which will include plenary presentations, Q & A panels, interactive panel presentations, practical workshops, informal poster sessions, and networking and social opportunities. Twenty-four presenters and speakers are coming from throughout the U.S. and other countries, such as Austria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ethiopia, Germany, Kenya, Slovenia and West Africa. Participating organizations include airlines, manufacturers, civil aviation authorities, air navigation service providers, and academic institutions such as Embry-Riddle, Georgia State University and others. "Aviation is a global enterprise and does not happen in a bubble immune from cultural differences, miscommunication and the challenges created by inadequate aviation English skills," said Elizabeth Mathews, Embry-Riddle assistant professor of Aerospace and Occupational Safety, who is on the board of the ICAEA. "The conference will bring people together to discuss these topics, including how to improve training, the standardization of aviation English testing, and the investigation of language factors and more." The keynote speaker, Capt. Daniel Maurino, a well-known and long-serving International Civil Aviation Organization's human factors and safety specialist, will open the first day of the conference with his presentation on "The Role of Communication in Human Factors." Maurino is an international leading authority on flight safety, human factors and safety management systems. In his current role, he has advised the Civil Aviation Authority of Argentina on a five-year project leading to the implementation of State Safety Programme of Argentina and is presently advising the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board of Argentina on the transition to a multimodal safety investigation agency. Maurino, who flew for Aerolíneas Argentinas for 17 years, is also an advisor to the Spanish Civil Aviation Authority and is a safety management instructor for Airports Council International and the International Air Transport Association. After more than 40 years of aviation human factors as a discipline, Mathews said understanding language as a human factor lags behind industry's understanding of other human performance issues. She will present "A Linguistic Review of Aviation Accidents," at the conference. "With an increasingly multicultural industry, it is more important than ever to understand and address language and communication factors appropriately," said Mathews, who is also a former linguistic consultant for the ICAO. "The International Civil Aviation Organization's Language Requirements address pilot-controller radiotelephony communications, but do not address the English language communication needs when English is the common language of two non-native English speakers sharing the same cockpit, or the English language needed for maintenance safety and for flight training." Mathews is part of a team at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach and Worldwide Campuses reviewing databases of aircraft accidents to determine the role communication factors may have played. The research is just one part of Embry-Riddle's overall Language as a Human Factor in Aviation Safety (LHUFT) Initiative to heighten awareness, improve aviation safety and enhance future investigations. The initiative and LHUFT Center involves partnerships with Georgia State University and Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul. The work includes joint research projects; developing curriculum for aviation English; advocating for best practices in aviation language training, teacher training and testing programs, which are currently unregulated; and becoming an industry leader for language in aviation research and expertise. Some other topics at the conference include "Exploring Intercultural Factors in International Pilot- Air Traffic Controller Communications"; "Recognizing Misunderstandings: Developing Communication Strategies for Non-Native English Speaking Personnel," "Notes from the Field: Making the Case for Enhanced English Language Standards for Pilots" and "English in the Aviation Maintenance Industry - The Impact on Safety and an Exploration of the Need for Standards." Other Embry-Riddle speakers include Jennifer Roberts, Aviation English Specialist for Embry- Riddle's Worldwide Campus in the College of Aeronautics, who will conduct a workshop on "Training to Develop Communicative Competence" and Aline Pacheco, recent visiting research scholar at Embry-Riddle, who will discuss "Inter-Cultural Issues in Air Ground Communication: A Case Study - Triggers for Miscommunication." Aviation language and safety consultant, Capt. Enrique "Rick" Valdes, retired from United Airlines, who is working with Embry-Riddle on reviewing databases of aircraft accidents, will also have a panel presentation. https://news.erau.edu/headlines/international-conference-at-embry-riddle-may-9-11-addresses- language-issues-to-improve-aviation/ Back to Top Chinese planes sit idle as NAC looks for pilots Feb 23, 2018-It seems to be standard practice for Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to get the planes first and find the pilots to fly them later. The state-owned carrier has continued the tradition into modern times, so it has a bunch of planes sitting on the tarmac at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) while it frantically looks for capable flyers. NAC is in dire need of captains to fly its two new 17-seater Y12e aircraft that arrived from China on February 13. Sources at the corporation said that finding pilots could take months, even years. So the shiny new planes are likely to remain idle for an indefinite period, they said. "We have planned to hire three English-speaking captains from China and have already started the process," said Managing Director Sugat Ratna Kansakar of NAC. "We have been in regular contact with the Chinese plane supplier China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC)." As per International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao) rules, pilots flying international routes must have a minimum level of English to communicate with air traffic controllers regularly. This level of English proficiency is known as ICAO Operational Level 4. The English language proficiency scale ranges from Levels 1 to 6. Where will English-speaking pilots come from? Kansakar said that the plane supplier had assured them of providing English-speaking Chinese captains. "There is a shortage of pilots globally, and Nepal is not free from this problem," he said, adding that it was particularly difficult finding pilots who speak English fluently. According to him, NAC has produced only three captains and an instructor pilot to fly the Y12e aircraft in the last three years. However, out of the four captains, one has resigned; one has taken leave and another one has not updated his flying licence. This means that the national flag carrier has four Y12e aircraft in its fleet, but only one captain to fly them. NAC owns six Chinese aircraft-two MA60 manufactured by Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation and four Y12e manufactured by Harbin Aircraft. Of these six aircraft, an MA60 and a Y12e are gifts. Pilot shortages are nothing new for NAC. In 2014, when the first batch of two Y12e arrived in Kathmandu, the planes remained on the ground for more than two months for lack of pilots. The trainer pilots sent by the plane manufacturer could not speak English. The corporation had even appointed New Zealander Peniata Maiava as an instructor pilot for the Chinese aircraft, but he did not last long as he reached retirement age, which is 65 years. "There are co-pilots at NAC, but they do not wish to upgrade to Y12e captain as almost all of them want to fly Airbus aircraft," said sources at the airline. In 2015, when the corporation obtained two Airbus jets, it incurred a huge loss due to lack of pilots. The Y-12 or Yunshuji-12 is a twin-engine light multi-role aircraft designed and developed by Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation of China. It is an advanced model and was certified by the FAA on August 2, 2006. The aircraft is powered by PT6A-135A engines. It received Type Certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China in 2002. The aircraft made its first flight in August 2001, and the Y-12e currently flies in more than 15 countries. http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2018-02-23/chinese-planes-sit-idle-as-nac-looks-for- pilots.html Back to Top CHINA ANNOUNCES PLAN FOR HYPERSONIC JET ABLE TO REACH NEW YORK FROM BEIJING IN TWO HOURS * The team's hypersonic jet design features two layers of wings / Science China Press * A research team claimed the plane would travel at 6,000km/h A team of Chinese researchers has claimed to have designed a hypersonic jet that could travel at 6,000km/h, five times faster than the speed of sound. The team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences said the plane would be able to transport passengers and cargo from Beijing to New York in two hours - the journey currently takes an average of 13 and a half hours. Cui Kai, who headed up the research, published a paper on the new design in this month's Physics, Mechanics and Astronomy journal, in which he said: "It will take only a couple of hours to travel from Beijing to New York at hypersonic speed". The team said they had tested a scaled-down model of the jet in a wind tunnel, and that it reached speeds of 8,600km/h with low drag and high lift. To compare, Concorde's top speed was 2,179km/h. The design, dubbed the I Plane, features two layers of wings to reduce turbulence and drag while creating more lift. Talk of hypersonic travel has been ramping up of late. "It's certainly within the realm of possibility," Dr Kevin Bowcutt, senior technical fellow and chief scientist of hypersonics for Boeing Research and Technology, told NBC last month. "I think we have the technology now where we could actually do it." Boeing has dipped its toe in the water with its X-51A WaveRider, and it is now reportedly working with Lockheed Martin to develop a jet-powered hypersonic aircraft - although both are keeping schtum about the design. Supersonic commercial planes - those that travel faster than 1,236km/h, the speed of sound - are likely to be the precursor to hypersonic jets. Boom Supersonic, for example, plans to produce passenger aircraft that can travel at MACH 2.2, or 2,335km/h, that will enter service in 2023. These jets could carry 50 passengers, flying from New York to London in three hours and 15 minutes. But it won't come cheap; fares are expected to cost $2,500 one way. http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/china-hypersonic-jet-beijing-new-york-two- hours-supersonic-air-travel-a8223686.html Back to Top 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 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