Flight Safety Information March 8, 2018 - No. 049 In This Issue Incident: Cathay Dragon A321 at Hong Kong on Mar 7th 2018, navigation system failure Incident: Braathens Regional RJ1H at Stockholm on Feb 27th 2018, runway excursion on takeoff Incident: Andes MD83 near Tucuman on Mar 7th 2018, engine shut down in flight New Ocean Infinity Search for MH370 encountering big problems The State of Aviation Safety and Congress: Part I FAA: Greensboro aviation company sold 'unapproved parts' FAA Investigating Laser Pointed At Plane During Takeoff From TIA INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY: BRITISH AIRWAYS OPERATES UK'S BIGGEST ALL-FEMALE FLIGHT FAA Solicits Industry Feedback On Draft Safety Action Program Guidance FAA Announces Real-Time Airspace Authorizations at 500 Airports, Starting April 30 Ford proposes remote drone-tracking system for the FAA Airbus cutting 3700 jobs across Europe, slashing A400M aircraft production Ryanair offers cheaper training to pilots after staffing troubles Surge of new space companies has impressed even veteran industry observers BOOKS: The Air Crash Files: Thermal Runaway and JET BLAST RESEARCH SURVEY POSITION AVAILABLE: AVIATION OPERATIONS SAFETY SPECIALIST POSITION:...AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTOR Position: Manager, Maintenance School Support ESASI Regional Seminar -Jurmala/Riga, Latvia on 23-24 May 2018 Incident: Cathay Dragon A321 at Hong Kong on Mar 7th 2018, navigation system failure A Cathay Dragon Airbus A321-200, registration B-HTH performing flight KA-864 from Hong Kong to Shanghai Pudong (China), was climbing out of Hong Kong when the crew stopped the climb at FL200 about 100nm southeast of Hong Kong reporting a navigation system failure. The crew requested vectors for the return to Hong Kong, on final approach to Hong Kong's runway 07L the crew again requested vectors in case of a missed approach. The aircraft landed safely on runway 07L about 65 minutes after departure. A similiar occurrence had happened to another Cathay Dragon A321 in January, see Incident: Cathay Dragon A321 at Hong Kong on Jan 13th 2018, navigation system failure. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b5c927d&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: Braathens Regional RJ1H at Stockholm on Feb 27th 2018, runway excursion on takeoff A Braathens Regional Avro RJ-100, registration SE-DSU performing positioning flight TF-9805 from Stockholm Arlanda to Stockholm Bromma (Sweden) with just crew on board, was accelerating for takeoff from Stockholm's runway 01L at 12:58L (11:58Z) but veered right off the runway at low speed and rejected takeoff. The aircraft came to a stop off the right edge of the runway about abeam of the PAPIs about 340 meters/1100 feet down the runway. A SAS Airbus A330 had already lined up runway 01L behind the departing RJ-100, subsequently taxied past the Avro to runway 01R, where the A330 finally departed. SE-DSU had earlier diverted to Stockholm's Arlanda Airport while on flight TF-125 from Malmo (Sweden) to Stockholm Bromma. Related NOTAM: A0156/18 NOTAMN Q) ESAA/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A /000/999/5939N01755E005 A) ESSA B) 1802271400 C) 1802271600 EST E) RWY 01L/19R CLOSED BTN Y1 AND Y2 Metars: ESSA 271350Z 03016KT CAVOK M12/M17 Q1043 R01L/520168 R01R/720166 R08/////// NOSIG= COR ESSA 271320Z 04016KT CAVOK M12/M17 Q1043 R01L/520168 R01R/720166 R08/////// NOSIG= ESSA 271250Z 04015KT 9999 FEW011 M12/M18 Q1043 R01L/520168 R01R/720173 R08/////// NOSIG= ESSA 271220Z 06016KT 9999 VCSH FEW018 M12/M16 Q1043 R01L/520168 R01R/520173 R08/////// NOSIG= ESSA 271150Z 05017KT 9999 -SN FEW010 SCT022 M13/M17 Q1042 R01L/520168 R01R/520173 R08/////// NOSIG= ESSA 271120Z 04018KT 9999 FEW015 M12/M17 Q1042 R01L/520168 R01R/420171 R08/////// NOSIG= ESSA 271050Z 03020KT 9999 FEW015 M12/M17 Q1042 R01L/520168 R01R/720171 R08/////// NOSIG= ESSA 271020Z 04018KT 5000 FEW018 M13/M17 Q1042 R01L/520168 R01R/720171 R08/////// NOSIG= ESSA 270950Z 03019KT CAVOK M13/M17 Q1041 R01L/520168 R01R/720171 R08/////// NOSIG= ESSA 270920Z 04018KT 9999 NSC M13/M17 Q1041 R01L/520168 R01R/720171 R08/////// NOSIG= The SAS A330's passenger photo (Photo: Axel Öberg): http://avherald.com/h?article=4b5c8835&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: Andes MD83 near Tucuman on Mar 7th 2018, engine shut down in flight An Andes Lineas Aereas McDonnell Douglas MD-83, registration LV-BEG performing flight OY-855 from Jujuy,PJ to Buenos Aires Aeroparque,BA (Argentina) with 144 people on board, was enroute near Tucuman,TU (Argentina) when the crew received an abnormal indication for one of the engines (JT8D) and decided to shut the engine down. The aircraft diverted to Tucuman where it landed safely on runway 02 about 80 minutes later. The airline reported the aircraft suffered the loss of pressure on one of the engines, the crew decided to shut it down in order to avoid damage to the engine and diverted to Tucuman for a safe landing about 80 minutes later. A technical team was moved in from Salta, the aircraft is estimated to continue the flight in the afternoon. The passengers have been informed and were served lunch. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b5c830f&opt=256 Back to Top New Ocean Infinity Search for MH370 encountering big problems THE latest hi-tech, multimillion-dollar search for MH370 is floundering in the depths of the Indian Ocean, raising fresh fears the missing aeroplane will never be found. MH370 Mystery: strange new information IT'S 33 days and counting. And as the latest search for MH370 struggles to locate the missing aircraft, fears are again growing the missing aircraft will never be found. Ocean Infinity's search with their 65-man vessel Seabed Constructor began their search amid much optimism, but exactly four years after the plane went down the latest search of the southern Indian Ocean has revealed nothing after 16,000sq km of the 25,000sq km area. It was previously identified by an Australian Oceanographer as the "likely" resting place of the aircraft. One of Ocean Infinity's autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) being deployed at sea. Picture: AFP The New Straits Times reported those involved in the search are still optimistic about finding the plane but have encountered a number of unexpected problems thus far. The Royal Malaysia Navy has two officers Azmi Rosedee and Adbul Halim Ahmad Nordin on board the Seabed Constructor, who send daily updates back to Kuala Lumpur on the search's progress. Those reports have revealed the struggles of the Norwegian search ship while enduring massive seas including 15m waves. "It's been more than 30 days now, but the search team remains optimistic," Rosedee and Nordin said in written interview with the New Straits Times. "We are giving our utmost to find the plane. "We have gone through a number of rough days ... days which we would not have been able to survive without having perseverance and a strong will. "Operations continue even when the sea is rough ... but it makes it difficult for us to deploy and recover the AUVs. This slows us down. "Aside from that, the seabed of the search areas is hilly and uneven. This also disrupts the AUV's capability to thoroughly sweep the areas. "When this happens, the team has to send the AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles) down again to areas that were not swept, or 'painted', by the side-scan sonar. This is to ensure that the whole radius is covered." Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 vanished from radar en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. No distress signal or message was sent and all 239 passengers and crew on the Boeing 777 are presumed dead. The aircraft is believed to have made a radical change of course less than an hour after it took off and crashed in the ocean off Western Australia six hours later. NEW MH370 SEARCH AREA SUGGESTED In January an Australian oceanographer at the CSIRO suggested a new search area for MH370, where the Ocean Infinity vessel has focused its efforts. Dr David Griffin, an Australian oceanographer at the CSIRO, has told the ABC that the missing plane could only be 35 degrees south in the southern Indian Ocean. "The oceanographic reason for why 35 [degrees south] is more likely than say 34, or 33, or 32, is that at all those latitudes the current is going to the east," he said. "So if the crash had been in any of those latitudes then there'd be a high chance of at least one or two things turning up in Australia. Whereas there've been 20 or 30 or so items turned up in Africa, and not a single one come to Australia. "Once you start looking in the vicinity of 36 to 32, then 35 is the only option." His claim that the plane could be at this location comes as Australian investigators believe there were five different autopilot control modes MH370 could have been on when it plunged into the ocean. Experts says MH370 will be found in weeks Calculations from four of those settings lead to a location 36-39 degrees south or further north at 33-34 degrees south. But according to the ABC, a source close to the investigation said only one of the five autopilot settings - constant magnetic heading (CMH) - would lead to a crash site at 35 degrees south, where the ocean current was moving towards Africa. This would explain why most of the debris believed to be from the MH370 flight has been recovered off the African coast in places like Mauritius, Reunion Island, Tanzania and Mozambique. None of the debris has been found washed up near or on Australian shores. The claim comes after the Australian Transport Safety Bureau released a report that narrowed the search zone for the missing plane down to an area half the size of Melbourne in August last year. The report placed the most likely location of the aircraft "with unprecedented precision and certainty" at 35.6°S, 92.8°E - in between Western Australia and Madagascar. Ocean Infinity's Seabed Constructor. Picture: Supplied MILLIONS OFFERED TO FIND MH370 Malaysia's government has vowed to pay US company Ocean Infinity up to $70 million if it can find the wreckage or black boxes of MH370 within three months Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said there was an 85 per cent chance of finding the debris in a new 25,000 square kilometre area - roughly the size of Melbourne - identified by experts. The government signed a "no cure, no fee" deal with the Houston, Texas-based company to resume the hunt for the plane, a year after the official search by Malaysia, Australia and China in the southern Indian Ocean was called off. "The primary mission by Ocean Infinity is to identify the location of the wreckage and/or both of the flight recorders ... and present a considerable and credible evidence to confirm the exact location of the two main items," he told a news conference. If the mission is successful within three months, payment will be made based on the size of the area searched. Liow said the government will pay Ocean Infinity $20 million for 5,000 square kilometres of a successful search, $30 million for 15,000 square kilometres, $50 million for 25,000 square kilometres and $70 million if the plane or recorders are found beyond the identified area. Ocean Infinity Chief Executive Oliver Plunkett said the search vessel Seabed Constuctor, has eight autonomous underwater vehicles, which are drones fitted with hi-tech cameras, sonars and sensors dispatched to map the seabed at a faster pace. Plunkett said the underwater drones can cover 1,200 square kilometres a day and complete the 25,000 square kilometres within a month. "We have a realistic prospect of finding it," he said in January. "While there can be no guarantees of locating the aircraft, we believe our system of multiple autonomous vehicles working simultaneously is well suited to the task at hand." The official search was extremely difficult because no transmissions were received from the aircraft after its first 38 minutes of flight. Systems designed to automatically transmit the flight's position failed to work after this point, said a final report from Australian Transport Safety Board last January. "I feel very happy but at the same time very panicky whether it can be found or not. Now it's back to four years ago where we have to wait everyday (to find out) whether debris can be found," said Shin Kok Chau, whose wife Tan Ser Kuin was a flight attendant on MH370. Underwater wreck hunter David Mearns said the new search takes into account oceanographic models used to drastically narrow the possible locations of the crash and deploys state-of-the art underwater vehicles that will allow the company to cover far more seabed at a faster pace. "There are no guarantees in a search of this type. However, notwithstanding that uncertainty, this upcoming search is the best chance yet that the aircraft wreckage will be found," he said. http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/new-ocean-infinity-search-for-mh370- encountering-big-problems/news-story/89efc71d393585bb3efc1fcd10b765aa Back to Top The State of Aviation Safety and Congress: Part I The Subcommittee on Aviation of the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure conducted a February 27 hearing on the safety of the National Airspace System (NAS), including progress made and challenges that still need addressing. Officials form the following organizations provided testimony at the hearing: FAA, NASA, NTSB, the USDOT Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the Airline Pilots Association International (ALPA). Although the following link to the hearing is available on Committee's website - https://transportation.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=402184 - we are pleased to provide the following summary for our Plane-ly Spoken readers. At the hearing's outset, Subcommittee Chairman LoBiondo acknowledged the high level of safety in the NAS as a result of the close collaboration between Congress, the federal government, industry, and labor while pointing out that recent events, including near misses, point to the need for additional safety vigilance. He also mentioned two areas of aviation safety concern: UAS operations and helicopter safety. What follows in the first part of a two-part article is a brief summary of the FAA and NASA hearing witnesses' and oral prepared statements. The forthcoming second part of this article will summarize the NTSB, OIG and ALPA statements. Major points of the FAA summary included: Shifting over the past few years to a risk management based approach to managing safety, including the use of safety management systems (SMS) (Note: the requirement for Part 121 carriers to implement SMS will be effective on March 9, 2018); Restructuring the Flight Standards Service organization away from an organization structure based on geographic locations to an organization based on functions; The realignment of last year's Aircraft Certification Service from a product-based structure to a functional alignment; Working through the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee in continuing efforts toward a yearly 1% reduction in fatal general aviation (GA) accidents by the close of the fiscal year, including implementation of the Non- Required Safety Enhancing Equipment (NORSEE) policy for streamlining the process for GA operators to install non-required safety equipment on their aircraft and continuing work on the full deployment of the online pilots records database; and Ongoing work of the Drone Advisory Committee in identifying and prioritizing UAS integration challenges and improvements. Major Points of the NASA summary included: The agency is shifting toward proactive risk mitigation by leveraging growing sources of aviation data, commercial data analytics methods, architectures, and the "internet of things" to enhance monitoring, predictions and prognostics; Other current agency efforts include research to allow operators to identify anomalous behavior and precursors to know hazards in real time; Near-term development of tools to monitor pilot or controller performance, including research to understand how duty time and schedules affect pilot performance; Assessing the difficulties associated with assuring the safety of increasingly complex and autonomous aviation systems; Continuing work with the Commercial Aviation Safety team and completing research and development of cockpit systems with predictive algorithms to alert pilots, models for aircraft stall performance, and specific flight crew training methods; and Under its UAS traffic Management System research project, assessing whether small UAS can safely operate beyond visual-line-of sight to the uncontrolled low altitude airspace below 400 feet. https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/the-state-of-aviation-safety-and-63243/ Back to Top FAA: Greensboro aviation company sold 'unapproved parts' GREENSBORO - The Federal Aviation Administration has warned the aviation industry to remove or avoid using certain aircraft parts distributed by a local company. The Feb. 15 directive was issued in response to a contractor working for the company who allowed the parts to be sold without documents showing they were approved for use on aircraft. The parts sold by Genesis Aviation are "expendable" items, according to the FAA, and include filter elements, bushings and clamp loops. Expendable items, the FAA says, are parts that are cheaper to replace than repair. The FAA's warning doesn't mandate that any planes with these parts be grounded. Genesis, which employs 61 people, supplies a wide variety of parts for airplane companies and can also repair parts provided by its customers. In its "unapproved parts notification," the FAA said that the parts supplied by Genesis should be removed or "quarantined" until customers can determine whether they are eligible for installation. The FAA has strict guidelines for all aircraft parts that allows them to be traced through every step of their lives from manufacture to installation - which is considered essential for safety. In a letter to customers Genesis shared with the News & Record, the company says its FAA-certified contractor didn't follow those procedures when he allowed them to be sold. Because of that, the company blames the FAA for releasing a report that appears to target Genesis when the contractor bears full responsibility. In its letter, Genesis also said that all the proper FAA documentation exists for the parts and is on file at its Greensboro headquarters. "We take this matter very seriously and are working closely with all parties involved to have it resolved in a timely manner," wrote Santiago Lluhi, the company's chief executive and owner. "The information in this (FAA) document is most definitely disputed and we are currently going through the proper channels to resolve this matter. "We in no way intend to provide parts that don't meet FAA standards and emphatically state we did not do so." According to the FAA, the contractor hired by Genesis was certified by the agency to examine, inspect and test parts. The FAA said it sent him to "remedial" training and audited his work to be sure he was following guidelines in its investigation of Genesis parts that were distributed between Feb. 21 and June 14, 2017. Not only are parts distributors and manufacturers under pressure from the FAA, the FAA is under pressure from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The DOT published a report in May 2017 that said the FAA's program to identify unapproved parts could be more effective than it is and criticizes the agency's investigation methods and lax record-keeping procedures. "Ensuring that the hundreds of thousands of aircraft parts installed on airplanes are manufactured or repaired at the highest standards continues to challenge FAA and the aviation industry," the DOT said in its report. http://www.greensboro.com/news/local_news/faa-greensboro-aviation-company-sold-unapproved- parts/article_84d66833-b1e4-593e-9f88-64193a2aba93.html Back to Top FAA Investigating Laser Pointed At Plane During Takeoff From TIA TULSA, Oklahoma - The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after a FedEx pilot reported a laser pointed directly at his plane shortly after taking off from Tulsa International Airport. The FAA says the cargo jet, which was headed from Tulsa to Memphis, was 3,500 feet in the air when someone pointed a laser directly at it, which is a federal crime. The laser also lit up air traffic control communications. Not only did the pilot need to report the incident, but air traffic control needed to warn other planes in the area. Justin Mackey was a passenger on a small plane flying into Jones Riverside Airport and he heard the transmission over the radio. "We know we weren't over there, but we were still a little concerned," said Mackey. "You never know when it can happen." Mackey says pilots can be temporarily blinded when lasers are aimed at planes. He also says that the first few minutes of a flight are critical because a pilot "is still climbing and turning to get on course, so there is still a lot going on in the cockpit." The FAA receives thousands of reports of laser hits involving aircraft every year and is working with law enforcement to find whoever is responsible. http://www.newson6.com/story/37673173/faa-investigating-laser-pointed-at-plane-during-takeoff- from-tia Back to Top INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY: BRITISH AIRWAYS OPERATES UK'S BIGGEST ALL-FEMALE FLIGHT Every member of the crew was female, from pilots to security Legacy airline British Airways operated the UK's biggest ever all-female flight to celebrate International Women's Day (IWD). The flight from London Heathrow to Glasgow took off on Monday 6 March with 61 women involved - including baggage handlers, pilots, cabin crew, flight managers, loaders and push back teams, security, check in and airport teams. British Airways hopes the flight will inspire young women "I'm incredibly proud to have been a part of the team on our all-female flight," said British Airways Captain Julie Levy. "As a mum of two teenage daughters I think it's crucial that we grab every opportunity we can to inspire the next generation. There wasn't any visibility of female pilots when I was growing up, so I think events like this are important to help show the range of different careers that are available to women." She added: "With women currently only representing around three to four per cent of the industry's professional pilots, we have to redress the balance. I'm pleased to be part of an organisation trying to do something about it." As well as marking IWD, 8 March is also the anniversary of the first woman to receive a pilot's licence. One hundred and eight years after Elise Raymonde Deroche's milestone achievement, British Airways had three female pilots in the cockpit for its female-operated flight. Aiming to inspire the next generation of women to get involved in the male-dominated aviation industry, BA invited seven women aged between 16 and 18 who had previously done work experience with the airline to join the flight as passengers. Three women were in the cockpit Many aviation jobs are still seen as being "just for men", according to British Airways ramp manager, Joanne Kershaw. She said: "So many people think the jobs on the ramp, under the wings of aircraft, are just for men. I loved being part of a team of women at the top of their game, working all together for the first time on one flight, to get it ready and away on time for our customers." BA wasn't the only British airline to run flights with female crews. Six all-female crews are operating 16 easyJet flights between London, Bologna, Rome, Milan, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Agadir on Thursday 8, and more than 300 of its flights will have women in the cockpit for IWD. Meanwhile Virgin Atlantic has three all-female crews on flights out of Manchester, London Gatwick and London Heathrow on Thursday. "Having our female pilots out in force will provide visibility of female pilots and hopefully inspire some girls and women to take up this rewarding career," said easyJet's director of flight operations, David Morgan. http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/international-womens-day-british-airways-all- female-crew-uk-2018-a8245326.html Back to Top FAA Solicits Industry Feedback On Draft Safety Action Program Guidance The proposed revision makes changes to better coincide with the agency's new kinder, gentler approach to compliance. The FAA released draft Advisory Circular (AC) Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) 120-66C for public comment Feb. 6. The AC provides guidance for establishing an ASAP to "encourage employees of certificate holders or other operators to voluntarily report safety information that may be critical to identifying potential precursors to accidents." The AC's current version was published in 2002. The proposed revision makes changes to better coincide with the agency's new kinder, gentler approach to compliance. For example, it renames the certificate holder-FAA agreement as a "partnership" and removes rigid programmatic deadlines. The proposal also takes into consideration safety management systems, provides guidelines for reporting events concerning hazardous materials and opts for random sampling assessments in lieu of program renewals. Comments are due March 26. http://www.mro-network.com/safety-regulatory/faa-solicits-industry-feedback-draft-safety-action- program-guidance Back to Top FAA Announces Real-Time Airspace Authorizations at 500 Airports, Starting April 30 The FAA announced yesterday that the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC), which provides real-time airspace authorizations, will be expanded to 500 airports beginning April 30. The FAA's Acting Administrator Dan Elwell made the announcement on the first day of the UAS Symposium in Baltimore. "Under the FAA's Part 107 small drone rule, operators must secure approval from the agency to operate in any airspace controlled by an air traffic facility. To facilitate those approvals, the agency deployed the prototype Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) at several air traffic facilities last November to evaluate the feasibility of a fully automated solution enabled by data sharing. Based on the prototype's success, the agency will now conduct a nationwide beta test beginning April 30 that will deploy LAANC incrementally at nearly 300 air traffic facilities covering approximately 500 airports. The final deployment will begin on September 13," says the FAA announcement. The FAA also indicated that it was willing to open the field of LAANC providers. This has been a bone of contention in the industry, as the few chosen FAA providers participating in the pilot have been able to publicize their capability and develop the technology ahead of other providers in the industry. "Beginning April 16, the FAA also will consider agreements with additional entities to provide LAANC services. Currently, there are four providers-AirMap,Project Wing,Rockwell Collins and Skyward. Applications must be made by May 16. Interested parties can find information on the application process here. This is not a standard government acquisition; there is no Screening Information Request (SIR) or Request for Proposal (RFP) related to this effort." "LAANC uses airspace data provided through UAS facility maps. The maps show the maximum altitude around airports where the FAA may authorize operations under Part 107. LAANC gives drone operators the ability to interact with the maps and provide automatic notification and authorization requests to the FAA. It is an important step in developing the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management System (UTM)." https://dronelife.com/2018/03/07/faa-announces-real-time-airspace-authorizations-500-airports- starting-april-30/ Back to Top Ford proposes remote drone-tracking system for the FAA The automaker's affordable solution: Have UAVs flash their ID using anti-collision lights. This week's FAA drone symposium had an unlikely panelist: Ford. The automaker has been working with the agency to figure out how to track UAVs since last year, but unlike dronemaker DJI's proposal to force airborne craft to broadcast their ID and location over radio, the car company's solution is more Lo- Fi. Ford wants drones to use their anti-collision lights to flash their ID number in code that would be readable by, of course, a proprietary app. That would enable bystanders to use their smartphones to report misbehaving UAVs, Ford stated in a blog post, noting that they used this method to reliably identify drones up to 80 feet away during testing. While that's not far at all for surveillance drones, it might be close enough for drones endangering airports or driving paths -- though it's unclear how quickly the app could identify fast- moving aircraft. That range could be extended by up to 20 times using commonly-available DSLR lenses, Ford pointed out in the proposal's white paper (PDF). Light-based identification has its own problems, but at least it would be easier to implement than broadcasting by radio, an approach that could require industry standardization. It's a potentially cheap, efficient solution using equipment people already have (like smartphones), and given that consumers once again have to register their drones with the FAA, those 10-digit ID numbers will be more available. But more interesting is that an automaker is butting in to the drone game, and It's a good bet that Ford has more to offer in the space. https://www.engadget.com/2018/03/07/ford-proposes-remote-drone-tracking-system-for-the-faa/ Back to Top Airbus cutting 3700 jobs across Europe, slashing A400M aircraft production Airbus is cutting up to 3,700 jobs across four European nations as annual production of the A400M military airlifter and A380 superjumbo airliner will be slashed, the aircraft company said Wednesday. "At this stage, Airbus estimates the maximum impact of these measures will affect up to 3,700 positions at sites across the company's home countries of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain," the company said in a statement. The company announced the cuts after a meeting of its European Works Council. Airbus will seek to offer work to most of the staff hit by the production cuts by moving employees to other programs with rising build rates, the company said. Annual production of the A400M transport plane will fall to eight units in 2020 from 15 this year and 11 next year. The drop in A380 production to six compares to 12 being built this year. "This adjustment is based on discussions with the A400M launch customer nations," the company said. Airbus called for those talks in a bid to agree on a new delivery schedule, seeking to reduce penalty payments for late shipment of the turboprop airlifter. A new timetable is expected by the end of the year, which would stem the financial charges of €8.5 billion (U.S. $10.5 billion) booked by Airbus. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2018/03/07/airbus-cutting-3700-jobs-across-europe-slashing- a400m-aircraft-production/ Back to Top Ryanair offers cheaper training to pilots after staffing troubles LONDON (Reuters) - Ryanair has cut the price of a course for new pilots to fly its 737 planes, the Irish budget airline's operations chief said on Wednesday, as it tries to avoid more staffing problems. FILE PHOTO: A Ryanair logo is seen on a wing of a passenger aircraft travelling from Madrid International Airport to Bergamo Airport, Italy, January 14, 2018. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini Ryanair was forced to cancel thousands of flights last year as it did not have enough standby pilots to ensure the smooth running of its schedule. While Ryanair has denied there was a pilot shortage, chief operations officer Peter Bellew told reporters the move would help Ryanair grow without fresh problems. "What we're going to do now for the next couple of years is we're going to get ahead of the game," he said, adding that even if Ryanair chose to expand a bit quicker than planned, "we're not going to have any limiting resource around pilots." Pilots wishing to join Ryanair will have to pay 5,000 euros ($6,200) for their so-called type rating course to fly the 737, down from 29,500 euros. A type rating determines which kind of planes pilots fly, often a 737 or an A320 at Europe's low cost carriers, and is done after gaining an airline transport license. The price varies from airline to airline and is not included in the fees for training at pilot schools, which can be around 80,000 pounds. Bellew said Ryanair had also reactivated links with pilot training schools and ordered seven new simulators. Cancellations, which started last September, sparked a pilot revolt, prompting Ryanair to recognize unions for the first time. Chief executive Michael O'Leary said on Tuesday that talks with unions could cause some disruption to flights in Ireland and Portugal in the coming months . He also said he expected flights to be disrupted in April 2019 after Britain leaves the European Union, but on Wednesday, chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs played down those comments. "We don't think Ryanair aircraft are going to be grounded in 2019 because of Brexit," he said, adding the agreement of a transition period for Britain's departure would delay any possible disruption to January 2021. "There is a blueprint for transition that is going in the right direction, but there is not a deal done yet," he said. Jacobs also welcomed the Britain's announcement that it wants to remain part of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). He was speaking at the launch of Ryanair's winter schedule, including a new route from London Stansted to Nantes, and its environmental policy. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ryanair-pilots/ryanair-offers-cheaper-training-to-pilots-after- staffing-troubles-idUSKCN1GJ20B Back to Top Surge of new space companies has impressed even veteran industry observers The surge of new space companies in the last few years has impressed even veteran industry observers. "I've never seen the interest level so high to start new businesses," said Hoyt Davidson, managing partner of investment banking company Near Earth LLC. "It's a renaissance, a potential space renaissance." Davidson, speaking on a panel about space investment at the Federal Aviation Administration's annual Commercial Space Transportation Conference in Washington Feb. 8, cited the formation of dozens of new ventures in recent years in areas from Earth observation to launch, fueled by what he estimated to be $1-2 billion a year in early-stage investment from venture capital (VC) firms and angel investors. However, there's enough uncertainty in the field for him, and others, to have doubts about the long- term viability of this boom. "I say potential because I'm not totally confident yet it's going to be sustainable," he said. "We're certainly on the verge of it." Increasing investment and its returns Those concerns have roots in two different, but linked, issues: access to large sums of capital to invest in space companies, and the ability to get a return on those investments. While many startups have been successful in raising tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars, the most ambitious ideas, from satellite megaconstellations to long-term asteroid mining initiatives, will require many billions of dollars, likely from private equity investors. "To get to the renaissance, we're going to need much larger pools of capital than the early-stage VCs and the seed and angel investors," Davidson said. "Right now, we're not getting that." That's led to what he called a "bifurcation" in business plans for startups. Companies that can get to an initial product or service - what's known in entrepreneurship as a minimum viable product, or MVP - relatively quickly and with only a few million dollars of investment have been winning over VC firms. "But there is still in this industry a lot of businesses that just can't start unless they have hundreds of millions of dollars, and some even more than that," he said. "Those are struggling to get financed right now." Those companies that can start with a smaller amount of VC funding will face challenges as they try to grow. Investors at another recent event, the Space Tech Summit in San Mateo, California, warned that space companies will have to do a better job demonstrating their ability to provide a return on their money. Shahin Farshchi, partner at Lux Capital, said at the conference Jan. 24 there was a "level of rigor" missing in the finances of space companies that could hurt their efforts to raise large sums of money. "If you are a project financier, a bank, a late-stage private equity firm, you'll be weighing these kinds of projects against building strip malls, or building a cellular network in Africa, or any other kind of capital deployment opportunity," he said. "If those numbers don't add up, that [internal rate of return] isn't there, then it doesn't make any sense." Even smaller investments raise questions about returns for investors. While billions of dollars have flowed into space startups in the last several years, there have been only a handful of "exits" that gave those investors a windfall. The best-known example is the acquisition of Skybox Imaging by Google in 2014 for an estimated $500 million. "We think it's a fruitful industry and will have a wonderful return on investment. But what are those scenarios going to be?" asked Tess Hatch, an investor at Bessemer Venture Partners, a firm that backed Skybox. "Are they going to be acquired? Are they going to go public?" Going public doesn't seem like a likely option for most companies, given the difficulties of doing an initial public offering (IPO) of stock. "I don't see the IPO window opening at all," said Mike Collett, managing partner at Promus Ventures, a firm that has invested in launch vehicle developer Rocket Lab and smallsat constellation company Spire. "There's zero reason to go." He and others at Space Tech Summit believed there was still plenty of investment capital to go into startups to keep them going, provided they show progress and start to generate revenue. "There's a huge amount of private investment dollars available, so companies can stay in the crib for way longer than they would have historically," said Chris Quilty, president of Quilty Analytics. Alternate paths Should traditional venture capital firms and private equity funds sour on space startups for one reason or another, there may be alternate financing sources. "There's a lot more variety of funding sources now," said Kyu Hwang, a market strategist for aerospace and defense startups who previously worked in both government and industry. That can provide some stability for the industry, he said, even if there is downturn in investment from VC firms. For example, a growing number of large corporations have established their own venture capital arms used to make strategic investments that can offer companies not just financial returns but access to promising technologies and products. One such fund is Lockheed Martin Ventures, which has invested in Rocket Lab. "We need low-cost access to space and high potential frequency of access, which would open different mission types," said Chris Moran, general manager of Lockheed Martin Ventures. "The U.S. government was pushing us to have that kind of access, so we made that investment in Rocket Lab in their Series B." Lockheed Martin Ventures also invested in Terran Orbital, a smallsat manufacturer. "That's been a great relationship for us," he said, noting that Lockheed Martin is offering those smallsats to government customers that has resulted in several orders. "That's the kind of ideal collaboration that we hope to make with the venture group." More of these strategic investments, and even acquisitions, are likely in the years to come. "Every one of the large aerospace and defense companies that I talk to is looking at this sector very carefully," said Justin Cadman, senior vice president in the satellite and space practice at Raymond James. "Most of them realize they need to partner, acquire or invest." A non-traditional venture capital source is In-Q-Tel, the VC fund that backs companies with national security applications. "We've been looking at space investing really seriously in the last five years or so," said Tom Gillespie, a partner at In-Q-Tel. He said the firm has examined companies across the spectrum in space, from launch vehicle and satellite constellation developers to those analyzing data coming from space systems. In-Q-Tel, though, keeps a low profile. "Very few of our investments are actually announced, which is frustrating for me," he said. "But we are quite active." Public private partnerships with the government, like the funded Space Act Agreements that NASA used for the commercial cargo and crew programs, could also help companies. At the FAA conference, Davidson said such partnerships may be needed to carry out the most ambitious ventures proposed, like lunar and Martian settlements. "To have a million people living and working in space, a million people on Mars," he said, echoing the visions of Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, "that's going to take this city - NASA, Congress, the administration - to figure how to create those markets with public private partnerships." But for ventures that are a little less out of this world, like satellite constellations and launch vehicles, Davidson was optimistic that private funding will be sufficient. "I've never been more bullish," he said. "This is an exciting time." http://spacenews.com/surge-of-new-space-companies-has-impressed-even-veteran-industry- observers/ Back to Top BOOKS: The Air Crash Files: Thermal Runaway and JET BLAST "Dan, you've raised the Bar on accident investigation." Daniel Tenace (pronounced ten-ah-ch?) is a seasoned major accident investigator for the NTSB. In 'The Air Crash Files' series, Tenace becomes involved in two different aviation tragedy investigations: Jet Blast, Tenace must discover the reason airliner engines reverse in flight without warning; Thermal Runaway, Tenace must analyze an airliner disaster in the Atlantic Ocean and uncover what caused an inflight fire that would not extinguish, hours from land. Armed only with experience, Tenace fights bureaucrats and manufacturers, each intent on derailing his efforts. Where the lives of many hang in the balance ... Nobody investigates it better than Tenace. ___________________________________________________________________________________ AVAILABLE FOR ORDER AT: https://www.amazon.com/Stephen-Carbone/e/B00SQ0YR78/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=152018 About the Author Stephen Carbone, a thirty-six-year veteran of the commercial aviation industry, is a certificated aircraft mechanic who worked both analog and digital airliners. Stephen spent years working the most sophisticated airliners flying; he inspected them, repaired them, and tested them. As an NTSB major accident investigator, Stephen applied his airliner technical experience to correctly investigate major aircraft accidents, both domestic and international. As an aviation inspector for the FAA's Flight Standards Division, Stephen kept a qualified eye on the aviation industry; he inspected them and investigated them ... and he knew where to look. He's instructed hundreds of U.S. and International professionals in aviation safety and has been writing articles for aviation trade magazines since 2005. Since 2014, he has written weekly safety articles to his website, including 'Lessons Unlearned', where he analyzes past accidents to show how important lessons in safety were missed. Stephen Carbone has lived what he writes about. He can be followed on Twitter: @stephenmcarbone Website: https://danieltenace.com/ Back to Top RESEARCH SURVEY Dear Participants, You are being asked to participate in a research study of your opinions of criminalization in aviation accidents. This study is expected to take approximately 10 minutes of your time. In order to participate, you must be at least 18 years old and a certified pilot. Participation in this study is voluntary, and you may choose to opt out of the study at any time. If you choose to opt out, your data will be immediately destroyed. We appreciate your consideration and time to complete our study. Please click on or copy and paste the URL below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJKwrq6VG_2gRwoXEs7PLRIBBVQ48- d9k75CDD_Yyh6wlk0g/viewform?usp=sf_link For more information, please contact: Dr. Scott R. Winter winte25e@erau.edu We appreciate your interest and participation! Back to Top Position Reporting to the Executive Director, this individual works with air carriers to guide them through designing and implementing aviation safety management programs in accordance with Medallion standards under the Shield Program®. This specialist should have a broad working knowledge of part 121 and part 135 aviation practices and the general principles of aviation safety management system, a working knowledge of the FARs and good customer relation skills. The position is based in Alaska and requires some travel. The ideal candidate will also serve as the ASAP Facilitator. We manage all of the administrative aspects of the ASAP MOU with over 15 carriers. Applicants with previous part 119 credentials or recent FAA ASI background are strongly encouraged to apply Duties Guide development of documentation to support Medallion Shield programs Perform on-site visits to ensure basic compliance with an aviation operator's Medallion safety programs Interface with Medallion staff and Auditors on progress of programs and deficiencies Work with Medallion Auditors and operators to develop corrective action plans Develop and conduct classroom training in support of the Shield program Keep Medallion database up to date with customer information Other duties as assigned to support other Medallion programs and initiatives Job can be tailored to Part-time or Full-time Qualifications 10 Year Aviation preferred 5 years' experience in aviation safety Understand and apply general principles of aviation safety management systems Must have excellent communication skills and be able to interact with a wide variety of people Have basic computer skills Must have no travel restrictions Able to work with minimal supervision Must be able to lead people and accept responsibility Knowledge and understanding of the Federal Aviation Regulations Experience working with certificated aviation businesses Familiarity with Medallion Shield Program a plus Working knowledge of Safety Management System concepts Class Room Training as an Instructor Medallion is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Contact - info@medallionfoundation.org Back to Top POSITION: AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTOR What does an Aircraft Maintenance Instructor do for Allegiant? The Maintenance Training Instructor is qualified through training and experience on the equipment, systems, policies and procedures taught. They are responsible to the Manager of Maintenance Training for instructing Maintenance Department personnel in maintenance policies and procedures to properly maintain Allegiant Air's aircraft. What are some of the daily duties of an Aircraft Maintenance Instructor? * Develop and provide classes of instruction on aircraft systems * Develop syllabi and provide instruction on Allegiant Air's maintenance policies and procedures to company and contract maintenance personnel * Help maintain training records for company maintenance and contract maintenance personnel * Develop classes on trouble shooting systems identified by CASP as needing better trouble shooting techniques * Develop and provide recurrent training classes for Maintenance and Quality personnel * Develop and provide structured OJT programs for Maintenance and Quality * Provide technical assistance to other departments as directed by the Manager of Maintenance Training * In his absence, the Maintenance Training Instructor's duties will be assumed by the Manager of Maintenance Training or his Designee * Perform other duties as assigned by the Manager of Maintenance Training * Effective communication skills, both verbal and written * Other duties as assigned What are the minimum requirements to be an Aircraft Maintenance Instructor? * Must pass a five (5) year background check and pre-employment drug screen * Must have authorization to work in the U.S. as defined in the Immigrations Act of 1986 * FAA Airframe & Powerplant Certificate (A&P) What other skills, knowledge, and qualifications are needed to be an Aircraft Maintenance Instructor? * ISD (Instructional Systems Design). ATA 104, Training Material Formatting, Training Material Development Software, i.e., Microsoft Suite - PowerPoint/Word/Excel/Access/Visio/Project/Adobe eLearning Suite - Acrobat Pro/Photoshop/Captivate/Soundbooth/Flash/Dreamweaver * Ten (10) Years Airline, Aircraft Maintenance Technician and five (5) years Aircraft Maintenance Technical Training Instructor and 5 years Aircraft Maintenance Technical Training Material Developer Work Environment for an Aircraft Maintenance Instructor * Must be able to lift 50 lbs. Ability to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (High Visibility clothing, Ear protection, safety glasses) when required * Office Environment with up to 50% travel Physical Demands: * Ability to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (High Visibility clothing, Ear protection, safety glasses) when required * Ability to work 12 hour shifts with rotating regular days off and with the understanding that shift work can be changed from days to nights and vice versa with reasonable advance notice APPLY HERE Allegiant is an equal opportunity employer and will not unlawfully discriminate against qualified applicants or Team Members with respect to any terms or conditions of employment based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, marital status, military service status, union/non-union activity, citizenship status, or other characteristic protected by state or federal law or local ordinance. This includes compliance with all federal, state and local laws providing for nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all aspects of the employment process and the requirement to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with those laws. Back to Top Department of Aerospace - Manager, Maintenance School Support Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is seeking qualified applicants to fill a Maintenance School Support Manager position. Responsibilities include maintaining 14 CFR Part 147 maintenance school aircraft, engines, and training aids essential to the Maintenance Management degree; providing facilities management essential to the operation of the Miller Lanier Airway Science building (AWS) located at the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport; coordinating AWS repairs with campus; and maintaining simulation training devices. All applicants must possess two (2) years of aircraft maintenance experience requiring an FAA A&P certificate. Experience includes general aviation maintenance, flight school maintenance, corporate, or Part 121 airline maintenance. One (1) year of maintenance personnel management experience preferred, in addition to required experience. Bachelor's degree and FAA A&P certificate are required. Inspection Authorization (IA) and 30 hour OSHA Outreach Training Program for General Industry are preferred. Must be eligible to work in the U.S. Application review will begin on March 21st and will continue until the position is filled. Proof of U.S. citizenship OR eligibility for U.S. employment will be required prior to employment (Immigration Control Act of 1986). Clery Act crime statistics for MTSU available at http://police.mtsu.edu/crime_statistics.htm or by contacting MTSU Public Safety at 615-898-2424. MTSU, a culturally diverse university, is an equal opportunity, affirmative action educational institution and employer. Women, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. To apply, go to https://mtsujobs.mtsu.edu Back to Top ESASI Regional Seminar - Jurmala/Riga, Latvia on 23-24 May 2018 We are pleased to announce that the 9th ESASI Regional Seminar will take place at the Baltic Beach Hotel in Jurmala/Riga, Latvia on 23-24 May 2018. In addition, the meeting of the military investigator group is scheduled to take place on the afternoon of 22nd May 2018. The aim of the seminar is to keep the European air safety investigation community, abreast of current developments and evolving best practice in aircraft safety investigation. As in previous years, the seminar will include presentations on case studies, the European environment, challenges of modern air safety investigations and human factors in aircraft accidents and incidents. Register now for ESASI 2018, as a special early bird price is available before 31st March 2018. Cost of registration is €150 per delegate, which includes the event dinner at the Baltic Beach Hotel on 23rd May 2018. Companions are welcome to attend the dinner at a cost of €50. For further information please go to - https://www.esasi.eu/ Curt Lewis