Flight Safety Information March 9, 2018 - No. 050 In This Issue Incident: American B772 near San Juan on Mar 8th 2018, cracked windshield Incident: Qatar B788 and Qatar A332 near Chennai on Feb 17th 2018, loss of separation Incident: UPS B744 at Mumbai on Mar 8th 2018, hydraulic failure and tyre damage Bell 206B JetRanger III Fatal Accident (Brazil) Piper PA-31P Pressurized Navajo...attempted return to land shortly after takeoff (Laredo, TX) Jet flight hit by baggage loading tug, grounded (India) Caught On Camera: Brawl Breaks Out Between Passengers On Southwest Airlines Flight From Dallas To LA IATA releases 2017 airline safety performance 54 cases of air safety norms violations this year (India) Inspector general's report says the FAA has bungled a $36 billion project Long Island Family Pushes For EpiPens On Planes After Mid-Flight Allergy Attack An American Airlines passenger who allegedly punched a flight attendant could face up to 20 years in prison Embry-Riddle Worldwide Marks 25 Years Leading Online Education - With No Signs of Slowing Down AOPA INVITES HIGH SCHOOLS TO USE FREE AVIATION CURRICULUM Aviation Groups Praise Mx Workforce Development Bill LeTourneau University wins first place in aviation maintenance competition Ranked: The Best And Worst Airlines In America Why There Aren't More Female Pilots American to Retire 45 Boeing 737s in Next Two Years Jet Airways, SpiceJet, Air Asia to add new aircraft to their fleet India needs 1,750 new aircraft over 20 years Upgrades, Development to F-35 Jet Will Cost $1 Billion Per Year Boeing Tests Its MQ-25 'Stingray' Prototype Tanker for U.S. Navy Carriers 52nd Annual SMU Air Law Symposium -...Reminder: Early Registration ends today, March 9th Evading in-flight lightning strikes NASA astronaut who spent a year in space now has different DNA from his twin 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 Incident: American B772 near San Juan on Mar 8th 2018, cracked windshield An American Airlines Boeing 777-200, registration N777AN performing flight AA-953 from New York JFK,NY (USA) to Buenos Aires Ezeiza,BA (Argentina), was enroute at FL350 about 60nm south of San Juan (Puerto Rico) when the crew decided to divert to Miami,FL (USA) due to a cracked left windshield. The aircraft climbed to FL360 for the diversion, however, about 20 minutes later the aircraft descended to FL200 and subsequently FL160. The aircraft landed safely on Miami's runway 26L - no emergency services on stand by - about 2:45 hours after leaving FL350 and turning around. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Miami about 13 hours after landing. A passenger reported the crew announced they were diverting to Miami due to a cracked captain's windshield. A replacement Boeing 777-200 registration N766AN is estimated to continue the flight with a delay of about 20 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b5d4dc9&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: Qatar B788 and Qatar A332 near Chennai on Feb 17th 2018, loss of separation A Qatar Airways Airbus A330-200, registration A7-ACK performing flight QR-825 from Krabi (Thailand) to Doha (Qatar), was enroute at FL380 about 75nm northeast of Chennai (India). A Qatar Airways Boeing 787-800, registration A7-BDA performing flight QR-956 from Doha (Qatar) to Jakarta (Indonesia), was enroute at FL370 on the same airway in opposite direction about 70nm northeast of Chennai when the crew requested to climb to FL390 and were cleared to climb to FL390. As result both aircraft received and complied with TCAS resolution advisories, QR-956 was instructed to descend and descended back to FL370, QR-825 was instructed to climb and reached FL386 before being clear of conflict. QR-825 returned to FL380 and continued to Doha for a safe landing, QR-956 was cleared to climb to FL390 a second time and this time climed without further incident arriving in Jakarta safely. India's Authorities rated the occurrence a serious incident. Map (Graphics: AVH/Google Earth): http://avherald.com/h?article=4b5d406e&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: UPS B744 at Mumbai on Mar 8th 2018, hydraulic failure and tyre damage A UPS United Parcel Service Boeing 747-400, registration N582UP performing freight flight 5X-15 from Bangkok (Thailand) to Mumbai (India), was descending towards Mumbai when the crew reported a hydraulic failure. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Mumbai's runway 27 but burst a tyre during roll out. The aircraft became disabled on the runway and needed to be towed to the apron. The runway was closed for about 30 minutes as result. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b5d3c50&opt=256 Back to Top Bell 206B JetRanger III Fatal Accident (Brazil) Date: 08-MAR-2018 Time: 15:45 LT Type: Bell 206B JetRanger III Owner/operator: Avalon Taxi Aereo Ltda Registration: PR-HBB C/n / msn: 4688 Fatalities: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 4 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Joinville, Santa Catarina - Brazil Phase: En route Nature: Private Departure airport: SBJV Destination airport: SBJV Narrative: A Bell 206 JetRanger III helicopter crashed in the South Zone of Joinville, in Santa Catarina. The helicopter was consumed by post-impact fire and three (3) occupants on board were fatally injured, the 4rd occupant suffered light injures and was rescued. Acoording to the local police the helicopter was hijaked by a 18-year-old man who was on parole, and 2 .38 cal guns were found in the helicopter debris. Witnesses who live near the crash site told police they heard shots aboard the helicopter before the crash https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=207238 Back to Top Piper PA-31P Pressurized Navajo attempted return to land shortly after takeoff (Laredo, TX) Date: 08-MAR-2018 Time: 10:30 Type: Piper PA-31P Pressurized Navajo Owner/operator: Private Registration: N82605 C/n / msn: 31P-7730010 Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Laredo International Airport (KLRD), Laredo, TX - United States of America Phase: Take off Nature: Private Departure airport: Laredo International Airport (KLRD) Destination airport: Narrative: The aircraft was destroyed in an accident at Laredo International Airport during an attempted return to land shortly after takeoff. Possible engine failure. It came to rest inverted on airport terrain and burst into flames. Confirmed 2 occupants died in the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=207232 Back to Top Jet flight hit by baggage loading tug, grounded (India) Morning blues: The baggage loading conveyor belt tug scraped into the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Jet Airways flight on Wednesday. Mumbai: A Jet Airways aircraft was grounded on Wednesday morning after a baggage loading tug hit the plane, which was scheduled to fly from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. An alternative aircraft was arranged for the 165 passengers. The incident occurred when the plane was being loaded with baggage in the cargo hold. Airport officials said they are trying to ascertain the reasons behind the accident. "A Jet Airways flight from Mumbai to Ahmedabad operated with a delayed departure as an engineering team carried out an inspection and servicing of its exterior, due to a slight scrape by a ground-handling equipment. An alternative aircraft was operated with 165 guests on board," the airline said in a statement. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said they have sought a report from the airline. "Preliminary inquiry suggests that the operator of the baggage loading conveyor belt tug did not apply brakes on time resulting in the accident," an DGCA official said. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/jet-flight-hit-by-baggage-loading-tug- grounded/article22971433.ece Back to Top Caught On Camera: Brawl Breaks Out Between Passengers On Southwest Airlines Flight From Dallas To LA LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - Tempers flared and punches were thrown on a Southwest Airlines flight from Dallas to Los Angeles Friday when a passenger spit on another passenger, according to a report from the Daily Mail. Passengers of Southwest Airlines Flight 8 were scheduled to depart at 10 a.m. Friday but were delayed due to the incident that is said to have begun when a man got into an argument with a flight attendant regarding overhead bins. The passenger was then asked to deplane, but refused. Another passenger who asked the man to leave the plane, which then reportedly prompted the altercation between the two male passengers. Video captured by another person on the plane shows a man in a gray hood yelling at another man before punching him numerous times. "The reason we missed our connection," reads the video's caption. Southwest Airlines confirmed the incident and said police are investigating. "The passengers involved were deplaned and local law enforcement took over from there," a Southwest Airlines spokesperson said. "The safety and comfort of our employees and passengers is our top priority." http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2018/03/08/southwest-airlines-fight/ Back to Top IATA releases 2017 airline safety performance The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for the 2017 safety performance of the commercial airline industry showing continued strong improvements in safety. * The all accident rate (measured in accidents per 1 million flights) was 1.08, an improvement over the all accident rate of 1.68 in 2016 and the rate of 2.01 for the previous 5-year period (2012- 2016). * The 2017 rate for major jet accidents (measured in jet hull losses per 1 million flights) was 0.11, which was the equivalent of one major accident for every 8.7 million flights. This was an improvement over the rate of 0.39 achieved in 2016 and also better than the five-year rate (2012-2016) of 0.33. * There were 6 fatal accidents with 19 fatalities among passengers and crew. This compares with an average of 10.8 fatal accidents and approximately 315 fatalities per year in the previous five-year period (2012-2016). In 2016 there were 9 fatal accidents and 202 fatalities. * None of the 6 fatal accidents involved a passenger jet. Five involved turboprop aircraft and one involved a cargo jet. The crash of the cargo jet also resulted in the deaths of 35 persons on the ground, as well as the crew of the jet. * IATA member airlines experienced zero fatal accidents or hull losses in 2017 with jet or turboprop equipment. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2018/03/08/iata-releases-2017-airline-safety-performance/ Back to Top 54 cases of air safety norms violations this year (India) New Delhi, Mar 8 (PTI) As many as 54 cases of violations of air safety norms by Air India and private airlines were reported this year till February, the government said today. "There were 352 safety violations by Air India and private airlines in the year 2016 whereas the number of violations in the year 2017 was 269," Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha told the Lok Sabha. In a written reply, he said the number of such cases was 54 this year till February. According to the minister, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken various measures to maintain the safe operation of aircraft and high international standard. To a query on whether there have been cases of involvement of airport personnel in foul play and smuggling in cargo at airports, Sinha replied in the affirmative. Citing information from the Central Board of Excise and Customs (Anti-Smuggling Unit), he said a total of 13 cases of foul play and smuggling involving 31 officials were taken up in 2014-15. In 2015-16, there were 15 such cases involving 21 officials and 9 cases involving 13 officials in 2016- 17, he added. "... action against those found to be guilty of involvement has been taken in accordance with the applicable rules in this regard," Sinha said in a separate written reply. https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/54-cases-of-air-safety-norms-violations-this-year-1185059- 2018-03-08 Back to Top Inspector general's report says the FAA has bungled a $36 billion project The Federal Aviation Administration has mishandled a $36 billion project to modernize the antiquated aviation management system, according to a harshly critical inspector general's report released Thursday. It was the fourth inspector general's critique in as many years of a program known as NextGen, on which more than $7 billion in federal funds has already been spent. This latest report says the FAA lacks "a clearly established framework for managing the overall oversight of NextGen." Much of the 50-page report - done for the House Appropriations Committee and prepared by Matthew E. Hampton, assistant inspector general for aviation audits - focuses on specific examples of program mismanagement. The report said the FAA "has lacked effective management controls" in awarding contracts, sometimes spent money on low-priority projects and allocated an estimated $370 million for projects that were still awaiting approval. The FAA denounced the report as "inaccurate and contradictory," rejecting all but two of its six recommendations. NextGen has long been a cause of consternation and frustration in Congress and with commercial airlines that are expected to invest billions of dollars in their own cash to complete the system. NextGen is often described as a GPS-based system, but it is a vastly more complex network of interlocking systems that will change cockpit communications, guide airplanes both aloft and on the ground, and allow airlines to fly directly to their destinations rather than turning after reaching each designated way point. It has six core programs that are a mixing bowl of initialisms: ADS-B; SWIM; Data Comm; NVS; CSS- Wx; and CATM-T. Together they will allow planes to safely fly closer to one another, save fuel and time, get immediate weather updates, and communicate more effectively with other airplanes and with air traffic controllers. With projections that there will be 296 million more commercial air travelers by 2037 than there were last year, today's radar-based system is considered unsustainable. But the cost of equipping each plane to handle the new systems has been estimated at $200,000. Airlines say they need reassurance that if they invest, the NextGen program will be delivered on schedule. That led House Republicans, later with the support of President Trump, to propose that the NextGen program and more than 30,000 FAA workers be spun off into an independent, nonprofit corporation. Although the proposal twice emerged from the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, it never received attention on the House floor, and committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) announced last week that he had given up the effort. The inspector general's report made public Thursday acknowledged FAA improvements made during the course of its audit and said past problems may have been the result of "lack of leadership stability." The agency has been without an administrator since Michael P. Huerta stepped down in January. Trump has mentioned the pilot of his personal Boeing 757 jet - John Dunkin - as "in the mix" of candidates to replace Huerta. There have been 13 confirmed or acting heads of the FAA since the precursor of NextGen was proposed as the Advanced Automation System in 1983. Huerta himself had not anticipated becoming FAA administrator. He was brought in to bring order to a NextGen program that was seen as in disarray. When then-administrator Randy Babbitt resigned in 2011 after his Virginia arrest for driving under the influence, Huerta was elevated to the job. All of the modernization programs were brought together under the brand name NextGen during the George W. Bush administration as a means to help sell Congress on funding them. But as Congress, fueled by regular critical reports by the inspector general and the Government Accountability Office, became increasingly annoyed by the apparent lack of progress, the NextGen name became a bull's eye on the back of the FAA that an array of individual modernization programs might have avoided. "FAA does not have today, and has not had since its inception, anything that would approximate a real plan for achieving a lot of the things it has advertised for the NextGen program," said an FAA employee familiar with the program, who asked to remain anonymous to speak candidly. "I think the sentiment out there is that NextGen has been a big dud, and it's hard to disagree with that sentiment if you look at what's actually been produced." https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/inspector-generals-report-says-the-faa- has-bungled-a-36-billion-project/2018/03/08/5436c6ba-22f6-11e8-badd- 7c9f29a55815_story.html?utm_term=.c1429f10e395 Back to Top Long Island Family Pushes For EpiPens On Planes After Mid-Flight Allergy Attack GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - A family vacation to Aruba turned into a nightmare on the way home when a 10-year-old Long Island boy suffered a severe allergic reaction mid-flight. As CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported, Luca Ingrassia had no idea he was allergic to tree nuts when he and his family boarded the plane to fly home to Garden City. "I had one cashew, and then my throat started to tickle and then my stomach started to hurt and then my chest started to hurt," he told McLogan. "Not knowing that he was going into anaphylactic shock," his mother, Francine Ingrassia, added. The airline staff had just handed out a mid-flight snack of mixed cashews, almonds and pistachios. Francine cried for help and flight attendants made a serious announcement. "I was scared, because I didn't know what was going on at all," Luca said. "We had a nurse on board. We were lucky that we had two passengers that had EpiPens. What are the odds of that?" said Francine. "I didn't really know what an EpiPen was, so I was still kind of nervous," Luca added. The first auto-injector filled with epinephrine was defective. "She looked in my throat and saw it closing," said Luca. The pilots considered an emergency landing when the second injection worked. The Federal Aviation Administration requires all U.S. commercial airlines to carry defibrillators, known as AEDs, on passenger flights, with cabin crews trained to their use. But prior efforts mandating EpiPens on planes have stalled in Congress. Schools require them, but not airlines. "We have to revive that bill now and we have to raise public awareness," Francine said. The International Air Transportation Association that represents 83 percent of airlines worldwide says for now, it's up to each carrier. Only a handful stock EpiPens, while some have loose vials of epinephrine, which require a licensed medical professional. "On land, I would have called 911. But in the air, what do you do?" said Francine. "I mean, this can save a life. "This is life or death in the skies," she added. http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2018/03/08/mid-flight-allergy-attack/ Back to Top An American Airlines passenger who allegedly punched a flight attendant could face up to 20 years in prison * American airlines passenger kicked off punch flight attendant Colby Isaac Hilleary * The passenger allegedly stated, "The plane has been hijacked," before attacking the flight attendant. Scott Olson/Getty Images * A recent American Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger allegedly punched a flight attendant in the face. * According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court, a man named Colby Isaac Hilleary behaved in a "disruptive" and "erratic" manner aboard the flight. * Federal investigators say Hilleary stated, "The plane has been hijacked," before attacking a flight attendant. * Hilleary was arrested and charged with interfering with the duties of a flight attendant, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. An American Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger allegedly punched a flight attendant in the face, 10 News WTSP reported. According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court, the incident took place on Friday, March 2, aboard an American Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Dallas, Texas. Shortly after takeoff, a man named Colby Isaac Hilleary allegedly ran to the front of the aircraft and told a flight attendant that the plane had "no pilots" and was "going the wrong way." In response, the flight attendant told Hilleary, 24, that pilots were flying the plane which was currently over water but would head toward Dallas soon. Hilleary, from Greenville, Texas, then returned to his seat but continued behaving in a "disruptive" and "erratic" manner, the complaint states. According to federal investigators, Hilleary became "increasingly agitated" despite attempts from the flight attendant to "address his concerns and calm him down." The passenger then allegedly stated, "The plane has been hijacked," before jumping out of his seat and punching the flight attendant in the face. Hilleary was eventually subdued by other passengers and the flight attendant's wife, who was also working on the plane, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The captain then declared a level three emergency - "an event that involves significant risk to passenger life and safety" - and diverted the plane to Tampa International Airport where Hilleary was arrested by airport police. When reached for comment, a representative for American Airlines told INSIDER: "We are grateful to our professional pilots and flight attendants for acting quickly and working together to ensure the safety of everyone onboard the flight during this unfortunate incident." On Tuesday, Hilleary appeared in court and was charged with interfering with the duties of a flight attendant, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. The 24-year-old was released on a $10,000 bond but barred from air travel by US Magistrate Judge Anthony Porcelli, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Magistrate Judge Anthony Porcelli also ordered Hilleary to submit to psychiatric treatment and medication monitoring. Colby Isaac Hilleary could not be reached for comment. http://www.thisisinsider.com/american-airlines-passenger-allegedly-punched-flight-attendant-2018-3 Back to Top Embry-Riddle Worldwide Marks 25 Years Leading Online Education - With No Signs of Slowing Down In February 1993, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University was one of the first non-profit, accredited institutes of higher education to break ground on a then-emerging technology that now encompasses more than 30 percent of college students. Logging on to a computer or jumping on your mobile device to take a college course may not seem out of the ordinary now, but 25 years ago, Embry-Riddle's Worldwide Campus invested in what it saw as the future for its students - online education. According to Babson Survey Research Group's 2018 report analyzing online education trends, there are more than six million online students in the United States - and those numbers are growing year over year at an accelerated rate. The university's evolution from one of the nation's first distance learning providers nearly five decades ago to online education leader today started in 1971 with correspondence courses in which lessons and coursework were mailed back and forth between professors and students. As home computers were mass marketed in the 1980s, Embry-Riddle launched courses via audio tapes, followed by video classroom lectures, web-based bulletin boards and the first fully online classes in the 1990s. In 2001, Embry-Riddle Worldwide cemented its commitment to online with the establishment of the Department of Distance Learning and the 2003 implementation of a learning management system. As Embry-Riddle was laying the groundwork to transform the public's and its own institution's mindset from one of face-to-face, classroom learning to high-quality, accredited classroom experiences in the digital space, the university brought in an educator and administrator from a traditional residential campus who was passionate about e-learning and its future. "When I arrived in 2006, there were online courses being offered, but the numbers compared to courses offered at our locations - primarily at military bases - were relatively low," said Embry-Riddle Worldwide Chancellor Dr. John R. Watret. "While effective and valuable, they were still a form of passive learning. My vision was to make it interactive and incorporate the flexibility and convenience the market and industry were demanding." The first step for Watret was to invest in structural development such as redesigning courses, templates and platforms. These efforts laid the groundwork to develop a quality online asynchronous platform - the next level of learning that facilitates learning anytime, anywhere. The next step was more difficult - getting faculty to buy in. "It wasn't easy, there were many heated debates - which there had to be. After all, faculty are the backbone of our students' educational experience and success," he said. "We selected key classroom, face-to-face faculty to develop and run courses online so they could personally experience the benefits of this format and get excited as they saw we were consistently getting awarded for the quality of the programs, and students were succeeding. Being able to tap into those faculty advocates has resulted in higher enthusiasm across the board." Building on staff support and student demand, Embry-Riddle Worldwide has gone from offering six degree programs online in 2006 to now offering 36. And currently, virtual enrollments account for nearly 89 percent of all of Embry-Riddle Worldwide, totaling more than 20,000 students. For the past five years, Embry-Riddle Worldwide (online.erau.edu) has been the only private, not-for- profit institute out of hundreds of universities nationwide ranked in the Top 5 of U.S. News & World Report's annual list for best online bachelor's degrees. It also has earned numerous accolades including being named one of the best online colleges in the nation by the Center for Online Education, multiple top nods for its online master's and bachelor's degrees in engineering programs from independent online ranking providers as well as being designated a top military-friendly school by Victory Media. One of the keys to the success of Embry-Riddle Worldwide's online programs is an institutional commitment to provide the most advanced technology including virtual labs, interactive simulation platforms and artificial intelligence. Some of those innovations include the Virtual Crash Lab launched in May 2014 in which students are able to examine aircraft accident scenes, document evidence and even interview survivors - all through their computer. In January 2016, Embry-Riddle Worldwide debuted the Virtual Aerial Robotics Lab where students can build their own Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), aka drones, test flight capability and analyze the results from anywhere. "Looking back, we certainly have set the standard for online higher education and have become a model for other universities to replicate," said Dr. Jason M. Ruckert, Embry-Riddle Worldwide's Vice Chancellor for Online Education. "As we move forward, we will continue to distinguish ourselves as a global leader by embracing innovative and agile technology with cutting-edge delivery platforms to enhance our diverse degree program offerings while also bringing traditionally residential campus degree programs with high demand online, including engineering, cybersecurity, unmanned flight, aviation maintenance and more." As online education continues to evolve, so will Embry-Riddle Worldwide. "If you were to ask me what will happen in the next 25 years, I'd say it's going to be amazing," said Watret. "What we're doing now with blended classes, giving students even more options and diversity of programs, providing residential students the opportunity to earn degrees online and in-class, redesigning courses and delivery platforms tailored to students' needs - there are endless possibilities. And we will continue to be the best." https://news.erau.edu/headlines/embry-riddle-worldwide-marks-25-years-leading-online-education/ Back to Top AOPA INVITES HIGH SCHOOLS TO USE FREE AVIATION CURRICULUM ENGAGING STEM PROGRAM ROLLED OUT FOR NINTH-GRADERS Schools are invited to apply to use AOPA's free, innovative, aviation-based, ninth-grade science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum to engage students and help build the future of aviation. The ninth-grade courses are the first of a four-year program that includes three career and technical education pathways-pilot, aerospace engineering, and drones. McKinney High School student Branna Barrows uses the AOPA High School Aviation STEM curriculum during classes in McKinney, Texas. Photo by David Tulis. Each fall, a new grade level of courses will be rolled out and available to schools for implementation until all four grade levels are complete. Schools can decide to select individual courses to use as stand-alone electives or implement one or more complete pathways. The ninth-grade courses were tested in nearly 30 schools with more than 700 students over the past 12 months and include everything a teacher might need-and more. Thorough lesson plans, appealing presentations, assessments, fun student activities, and other learning opportunities are all included. The innovative program has already proven to be an enlightening learning experience. "I want you to know how much I enjoy teaching this new course! It is an awesome course and our students love it!" said Texas teacher Scott Payne of Berkner High School near Dallas. Students learned about aerodynamics and wind tunnels by making airfoils out of foam, aluminum, and glue; explored case studies to understand the adverse effects of weather, pilot fatigue, and lack of training; and debated who was first to attain powered flight-the Wright Brothers or Gustave Albin Whitehead. "This is a major step in our work to help young people learn more about the engaging and well-paying careers in aviation, and it gives schools the tools they need to teach our children skills that will last for a lifetime," said AOPA President and CEO Mark Baker. The curriculum is aligned to Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Teachers who want to implement the program will be introduced to the concepts through a professional development workshop that supports them with either an on-site learning experience at AOPA headquarters in Frederick, Maryland, June 26 to 28, or by connecting online during that same time. Cindy Hasselbring, AOPA High School Aviation Initiative senior director, noted that donations to the AOPA Foundation allow the innovative program to be offered free of charge to any public or private high school and would likely engage some students "who may never have considered aviation before." The deadline for applying to use the aviation STEM curriculum during the 2018-2019 school year is April 19. AOPA's You Can Fly initiatives recognize the importance of building the pilot community through programs that include high school learning curriculum, flying clubs, Rusty Pilots seminars, and other pilot-support mechanisms that make flying safe, fun, and affordable. David Tulis David Tulis Associate Editor Web/ePilot AOPA Associate Editor Web/ePilot David Tulis joined AOPA in 2015 and is a seaplane-rated private pilot who enjoys vintage aircraft, aerobatic flying, and photography. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2018/march/07/aopa-invites-schools-to-aviation- stem-curriculum Back to Top Aviation Groups Praise Mx Workforce Development Bill The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and 16 other alphabet groups are praising a bill introduced by Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Jerry Moran (R- Kansas), and Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) that would help to address the aviation industry's looming technical worker shortage. Dubbed the "Aviation Maintenance Workforce Development Pilot Program," it would allocate $5 million per year, from 2019 to 2023, for grants that the FAA Administrator could allocate to "eligible projects to support the education and recruitment of aviation maintenance technical workers and the development of the aviation maintenance industry workforce." Individual grants could not exceed $500,000. "This legislation would incentivize businesses, labor organizations, schools, and governmental entities to work together to pursue innovative new strategies to develop technical talent and encourage workers to pursue aviation careers," the aviation organizations wrote in a letter of support they sent to the Senators this week. "Given the scale of the challenge facing companies in Oklahoma, Connecticut, Kansas, Washington, and elsewhere around the country, this proposal could not be timelier." According to recent studies cited by the groups, North America will need 118,000 new aircraft technicians over the next two decades, demand for aviation maintenance technicians will outstrip supply by 2022, and new entrants comprise just 2 percent of the aviation technician population annually. Meanwhile, 30 percent of the workforce is at or near retirement age. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-03-08/aviation-groups-praise-mx- workforce-development-bill Back to Top LeTourneau University wins first place in aviation maintenance competition LONGVIEW, TX (KLTV) - Students at LeTourneau University placed first place at the Dallas-Fort Worth Professional Aviation Maintenance Association competition. Individual LeTourneau University students also placed first and third at the aviation competition. A press release from LeTourneau University states, "Jake Ribbe, senior aviation maintenance student from Eagle River, Wisconsin, won 1st place overall and Bob Kuipers, senior aviation maintenance from Holland, Michigan, won 3rd place overall." Other LETU students that competed include Rebekah Martel, senior mission aviation student, Nate Goulet, senior aviation maintenance student, and Poom Padmanuja, senior aviation maintenance and aviation management student. The team's coaches are David Tesser and Abigail Kutz. The team as judged on included, "safety wiring, torque procedures, riveting, and precision measurement. They rotated to a dozen different stations with only 20 minutes per station and were graded by judges who were from the aviation industry or aviation education. Individual scores were based on the final product, but also on safety and tool management, which meant organizing their tools and discarding debris," stated in a press release. The team competed against other aviation maintenance technology schools in Texas and Oklahoma. http://www.kltv.com/story/37683577/letourneau-university-wins-first-place-in-aviation-maintenance- competition Back to Top Ranked: The Best And Worst Airlines In America By: Laura Begley Bloom , WOMEN@FORBES Transformative Travel: I look at how travel can change lives. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. * anyone remember when United pulled the guy off the plane? Drumroll, please, as we reveal The Points Guy's list of the best - and worst - airlines in America. Alaska Airlines is the top-ranked airline in America. But what is the worst? (Photo courtesy of FG/Bauer- Griffin/GC Images) Today, The Points Guy - a brand that specializes in air travel, frequent flyer miles and points - released the 2018 Best Airlines Report. Coming on the heels of a news-worthy year for aviation and travel in general ( anyone remember when United pulled the guy off the plane? ), this second-annual report ranks the best American airlines, as well as the worst airlines in America. Here, we reveal the overall list, which was compiled using a strategic methodology based on data and a set of 10 criteria in categories ranging from price (airfare, baggage, change fees) to headaches (lost baggage, involuntary bumps). Then we share the rankings in each individual area. We also chat with The Points Guy himself, CEO/founder Brian Kelly, about the results. Whether you're an aviation geek or just love to hate the airlines, his comments might surprise you. Drumroll, please, as we reveal The Points Guy's list of the best - and worst - airlines in America. Overall Rankings: The Best And Worst Airlines These are the results, ranked from best to worst. You can find a link to last year's rankings here: Alaska Airlines Southwest Airlines Delta Air Lines United Airlines Frontier Airlines American Airlines Spirit Airlines JetBlue Hawaiian Airlines Ranked By Category: The Winners And The Losers Below, you'll find the best-ranked airline - and the worst - for each of the 10 weighted criteria that The Points Guy considered. Airlines were evaluated on the below categories based on public statistics that each is mandated to report to the Department of Transportation, along with other publicly available data. PRICE Airfare: Spirit (best); Hawaiian (worst) Baggage and Change Fees: Southwest (best); Spirit (worst) CONVENIENCE Size of Route Network: Southwest (best); Hawaiian (worst) On-Time Arrivals: Hawaiian (best); JetBlue (worst) Cabin Comfort: Alaska (best); Spirit (worst) HEADACHES Customer Satisfaction: Southwest (best); Spirit (worst) Lost Baggage: Spirit (best); American (worst) Involuntary Bumps: Delta (best); Spirit (worst) EXTRA Frequent Flyer Program: Alaska (best); Spirit (worst) Lounges: Delta (best); Southwest, Frontier, Spirit, JetBlue (tied for worst) Photo courtesy of The Points Guy The Points Guy CEO/founder Brian Kelly. The Rankings Explained: The Points Guy Sounds Off Laura Begley Bloom: Why did you decide to start doing this list? A lot of other sites and outlets rank the airlines. How is yours different, and why should people trust these results instead of others? Brian Kelly: All of our comprehensive reports, including this one, differ from the rankings done by other outlets in two ways. First, we base our results entirely on quantifiable numbers and hard data, while most other sites do their travel rankings based on subjective expert opinions or reader surveys. Second, we aim to make our reports as comprehensive as possible, covering every possible aspect of each topic, as opposed to focusing on just a narrow element. So for our Best and Worst Airlines study, we didn't just rank airlines based on customer satisfaction or on-time arrivals, but instead used 10 completely distinct criteria - from airfare to cabin comfort to frequent flyer programs and even airline lounges - all of which were analyzed using purely objective data. Begley Bloom: How did you choose these airlines? Why aren't Allegiant or Sun Country on the list? Kelly: As we did last year, we covered the largest U.S. airlines by passenger traffic. We wanted to include both Allegiant and Sun Country, but it was not possible to obtain enough data to accurately rank those two airlines. However, Allegiant has grown large enough that it was directed to begin reporting additional data to the Department of Transportation and other federal agencies starting this past January, so we expect to include Allegiant in our list of airlines next year. Begley Bloom: Any changes to criteria this year? Kelly: In order to get as close to an apples-to-apples comparison as possible, our 10 criteria are unchanged from last year, and we've also weighted each of them the same way we did in last year's study. The one change we did make was to move from a straight ranking system within each criteria to proportional scores. This gives more credit to airlines who do an exceptional job in any of our criteria, since they receive a score that's significantly higher than an airline who might be second-best but closer in actual results to the rest of the pack. We think it's a more accurate look at the real-life customer experience. Begley Bloom: Why do you think Alaska Airlines is a winner two years in a row? Kelly: The key to Alaska's success isn't that it does just one thing well, but that it does a lot of things well. The airline scored in the top three across half of our criteria - airfare, on-time arrivals, baggage handling, customer satisfaction and its best-in-the-industry frequent flyer program - and has yet to show any ill effects from its merger with Virgin America. The fact that Virgin itself was a highly-ranked airline (it finished third in last year's study) also means it isn't weighing down Alaska's results. Begley Bloom: Why did Southwest jump four spots? Kelly: While our switch to proportional scoring did help Southwest a bit, the airline still would have ranked third using our old scoring system, so this result reflects a true improvement in performance. Southwest saw gains in two key areas - lower airfare and an increase in the size of its already substantial route network - while continuing to rate at the very top in customer satisfaction and baggage and change fees. Begley Bloom: Why do you think Hawaiian came in last this year? It went down two slots. What are the airline is doing wrong? Kelly: Some people might think it's odd that Hawaiian Airlines is in last place, but the airline didn't perform well in our report last year either, coming in #8 out of 10. The primary reason is that our study puts a lot of weight on both airfare and the size of an airline's route network, and Hawaiian doesn't do well in either of those areas. Some might argue it's not fair to penalize an airline for the fact that it's focused on a specific region, but Alaska Airlines has grown far outside of Alaska and, while not having anywhere near the size of its larger competitors, still made the top spot in our study. Begley Bloom: I'm shocked to see Spirit go up on the list (it's so awful!). What is Spirit doing better? Kelly: Spirit did move up this year, but only to #7 out of 9 airlines, so while it's an improvement, it's not much to get excited about. However, Spirit had a massive upturn in our checked baggage criteria - it led the entire industry in minimizing the number of lost bags per passenger, according to statistics from the Department of Transportation. On the flip side of the coin, the carrier came in dead last in fees charged for those checked bags, which along with other factors kept the airline mired in the bottom three of our rankings. Begley Bloom: JetBlue is a surprise, too. It wins so many other lists, but here's it's second from last. What did it in? Kelly: JetBlue ticked downward in several areas, including on-time arrivals - where it ranked last this year - baggage and change fees, and customer satisfaction. But the larger issue with JetBlue is that it's being squeezed on both ends of the industry spectrum. It's not as big as the larger airlines, so it doesn't score particularly well when it comes to the size of its route network or having a robust frequent flyer program with dozens of redemption partners. But it also isn't a true low-cost carrier, so it has just average airfare ratings and isn't growing as fast as an airline like Frontier. Begley Bloom: What surprised you most by the results? Kelly: JetBlue dropping as far as it did was surprising to me, as I'm a huge fan of the airline's Mint business class product. But a lot of people can't fly JetBlue because of its limited route network - it has minimal coverage outside of the East Coast and major cities in California - and the number of cities and routes an airline serves is a key component of our study. JetBlue really needs to work on its on-time performance. https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2018/03/06/ranked-the-best-and-worst-airlines-in- america/#54404a59e953 Back to Top Why There Aren't More Female Pilots IN THE U.S., WOMEN ARE A MINORITY IN A PROFESSION THAT'S ALREADY HARD TO BREAK INTO. Beverley Bass has always wanted to fly. When she was a toddler in a stroller, she'd wave her hands excitedly as an airplane passed overhead. In elementary school, a neighbor's statue of Icarus inspired her to climb on her mother's washing machine and jump off in an attempt at flight. Later, when National Airlines began its nightly service from Tampa to Fort Myers, Florida, Bass would beg her aunt to take her to Page Field's chain link fence to watch the aircraft land, where she'd stand, thinking, "Those guys have the coolest job in the world." Bass, by all accounts, has fulfilled that dream. But it was not easy. In 1971, when there were still no commercial female airline pilots, she began flying lessons at age 19. Then came flight school, and building hours by transporting bodies to and from Fort Worth for a mortician; Bass was paid $5 an hour and flew a two-seat, D model Bonanza. Next? A job flying freight-canceled checks, Fotomat film, airplane parts-from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. five days a week. In the fall of 1976, Bass became the third female pilot hired by American Airlines (Bonnie Tiburzi, hired in 1973, was the first); she became a copilot in June of 1979 and in October 1986, was named the first female captain at American, at age 34. People were surprised to see her. American Airlines' first all-female crew, pictured here in December 1986. From left: Flight Engineer Tracy Prior, Captain Beverley Bass, First Officer Terry Queijo. "I had one woman board a plane when I was an engineer, and after seeing me and the other two male pilots, said, 'Oh, I didn't know the captain had a secretary,'" says Bass. "We were oddities." In 1960, only one in 21,417 women held an "other-than-student" pilot certificate, according to the Institute for Women of Aviation Worldwide (iWOAW), and occupation as a commercial pilot was virtually unheard of. Yet within a decade, laws were enacted, and social mores shifted-albeit very, very slowly. Change, though incremental, was there. To randomly meet a female pilot in the U.S. today, you'd still have to shake hands with some 5,623 women. All told, women comprise just 4-5 percent of the pilot industry in North America, significantly lower than physicians and surgeons (38.2 percent female); lawyers (35.7 percent female); professions like baggage porters, bellhops, and concierges (17.5 percent female); and cabinetmakers and bench carpenters (11.9 percent female). In 2017, American Airlines counted 626 female pilots among its 13,762; Delta's ratio is 650:14,349 and United's is 934:12,651, according to numbers provided to the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), the world's largest pilot union. Minorities account for an even smaller percentage of the whole pie: today, there are fewer than 100 African-American female commercial pilots, according to the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP). Many say the cost of flight training-expensive for both men and women-is a hurdle to becoming a commercial pilot; indeed, an August 2010 survey of 157 female pilots by Dr. Penny Rafferty Hamilton notes that, "a lack of money for general aviation flight training" was the top barrier for females becoming pilots. As Traveler contributor Cynthia Drescher reported, one of the most straightforward options for aspiring pilots, Aviation Academy of America-which promises to take a student "from Zero to Commercial Pilot License and Certified Flight Instructor in 12 to 15 months"-charges $59,995. (For reference, nine months of tuition at Harvard would cost you $48,448.) Students, when they graduate, have 270 hours of logged flight time, which is still significantly under the FAA-required 1,500 hours one needs to be employed with a commercial airline. "The difference is to be made up by the hours of flight time accumulated while working as a flight instructor, with an expected annual salary of 'up to $37,000,'" Drescher writes. Comparably, truckers have an average base pay of $43,464. "My timing was excellent," says Stephanie Wallach, who became the tenth female airline pilot in the country when hired by Braniff in 1975. "I became qualified at a time when airlines were just beginning to hire female pilots." Others, like Stephanie Wallach, who became the tenth female airline pilot in the country when hired by Braniff in 1975, and later co-founded the International Society of Women Airline Pilots with Bass in 1978, believe it comes down to education. "When you're a pilot, your primary relationship is with a machine-a piece of equipment. And growing up, many women aren't taught to work on cars or machines, or to take apart a toaster and think about how things work. But you can feel a real affinity for an airplane," she says. There's data supporting this, too: women take less advanced physics in high school, and science teachers have been found to spend almost up to 40 percent more time addressing male students in class than they do female students. Though researchers have found similar levels of interest in the sciences-and similar test scores-females more frequently report feeling less skilled in the subject, and more frustrated. Even when you get to flight school, the frustrations (or apparentness of being the second sex) may not disappear: "Ninety-nine percent of the time I have always been the only female in my training classes or pilot courses," says Deborah Donnelly-McLay, a captain at UPS, who started in the industry as a flight attendant and later became intrigued by the cockpit. "I believe that once you can get past this and if you are confident, then it is no more challenging for females, than males." One thing all pilots interviewed for this story refuted-whether they fly domestic or international, private or commercial-was the talking point that it's physically more difficult for a woman to be a pilot than it is a man. They pointed out that spatial awareness, operational use of flightpath systems, and interfacing with a flightdeck are not restricted to gender: anyone can learn math and physics, after all, and anyone trained can fly in both day and nighttime conditions. "We go through the same training and have the same exams. When we get our license, we're equally qualified to fly the plane," says Lindy Kats, a Boeing 717 pilot for a low-cost European airline. "We don't have anything that limits our ability to fly, or rather, men don't have anything that would make them better pilots than us," says Maria Pettersson, a Swedish pilot for another low-cost European airline. And sure, men and women are different, says Denise Wilson, pilot and CEO of Desert Jet, which provides chartered flights throughout Southern California-but so are fortysomethings and sixtysomethings, or pilots who love talking on the PA system versus ones who would rather go light on the jokes. "I think it's all in how you play to your strengths, as all pilots have different ones," she says. "Being a captain allows me to mentor, support and set the tone with my crew," says Captain Nancy Barteczko, pictured here before she became captain. "I always drive to promote a team spirit onboard, and hope that those who fly with me feel supported and empowered." Recently, one public pain point for female pilots in the U.S. has been policy around breastfeeding and family leave: a provision of the Affordable Care Act mandates most U.S. workplaces provide private, non-bathroom spaces for nursing or pumping, but airlines are exempt from the rules, according to Fortune. And once female pilots give birth, most major airlines don't offer paid maternity leave or alternative ground assignments for breastfeeding mothers, according to the New York Times. Local laws to protect against pregnancy discrimination have also been tricky for crew to navigate, as they fly from city to city (and back again), and unions, mostly male-dominated, have been relatively slow to take up women's issues. Given that airlines set their policies for pilots based on agreements negotiated by unions, this is important. (In response to a request for comment, the ALPA noted that it helped lead the 2013 effort to "modify the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to extend its application to flight crew members. The FMLA allows eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons such as the birth or adoption of a child or care of an employee's spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition. And through its tireless representation and the collective bargaining, ALPA continues to work to expand related benefits for all of the 60,000 pilots we represent.") Regardless of the challenges, many pilots are quick to point out that policies surrounding family issues are not exclusive to the aviation industry, and shouldn't be seen as prohibitive. "Work-life balance can be a challenge for female pilots, particularly new mothers, as our flying schedules keep us away from home 3-4 days at a time," says Captain Nancy Barteczko, who flies the Airbus 319/320 for United. "The industry, not unique to our society as a whole, is still working to improve maternity leave for female airline pilots, and I'm hopeful we will see improvements in the near future." Cathy Dees, a Captain for Southwest and the carrier's Assistant Chief Pilot at its Dallas base, whose husband is a captain for American, agrees: "It would be difficult to do the job without a network of caregivers, family, and friends. But I think that there is always give and take when both parents have a career to manage while prioritizing the family." United Captain Pamela Perdue says many passengers admit they've never seen a female pilot, but that it typically results in positive conversation. "It starts a dialogue that allows me promote the profession, specifically as it pertains to young women," she says. To hear it, one of the biggest hurdles in becoming a pilot, then, is that old Catch-22: There are fewer female pilots because visibility of them is low, and because visibility of them is low, there are fewer female pilots. Science supports this: the "highly masculine image of aviation" was examined in recent studies by Karen Lee Ashcraft, Davey and Davidson, Kristovics et al., and more. "Traditionally, women haven't considered this a career, and that can be attributed to so few role models," says United First Officer Andrea Rohlf, who grew up in a small town in rural Minnesota and was inspired by her older brother, who was a military pilot. One thing, however, is clear: while the times are a changin', they are changing slowly-and women are often held to a different standard. "Men are assumed to be able to do their job well until they prove they cannot. Women are assumed to not be able to do it until they prove they can," says Cheryl Pitzer, a captain at FedEx. "We have to be better than average or we get criticized for not being good enough," says Wendy O'Malley, captain on a business jet for a Silicon Valley company. The archetype of the white, male pilot is recurring, and stories similar to Bass's are many-of pilots being mistaken for a flight attendant and asked to hang up a coat; of being told they were only in the cockpit because of Affirmative Action; of having passengers express surprise upon seeing them, and then saying they would have probably deplaned had they known a woman was behind the controls. "MEN ARE ASSUMED TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB WELL UNTIL THEY PROVE THEY CANNOT. WOMEN ARE ASSUMED TO NOT BE ABLE TO DO IT UNTIL THEY PROVE THEY CAN." However great the frustrations of the stereotypes, day in and day out, Horizon Air Captain and Seattle Base Chief Pilot April Eriksson says she tries to make the most of the opportunity. "A lot of people may go their whole lives without having a female first officer or captain as their pilot, so I always try and spin that in as much of a positive light as I can," she says. Becky Roman-Amador, a captain for JetBlue, agrees. "We still have a huge challenge today in being recognized as pilots," she says. "I can wear my uniform up and down the airport, even coming out of the cockpit, and there are still a lot of people today who do not see me for what the uniform is. But I actually love it when people aren't sure, because I see it as an opportunity to say, 'Yes, isn't this cool? There are women in this industry who are actually captains of really big airplanes.' I think people's paradigms are changing. It's slow and coming, but I think it's a matter of education." Delta Captain Stephanie Johnson, pictured here, made history with First Officer Dawn Cook in March 2017 by becoming the first black female pilots to fly together. " I look forward to the day when it's less of an anomaly to see women flying big airplanes," says Johnson. Roman-Amador, for her part, is involved in that very education, volunteering with Young Aviation Adventure (YAA), Women in Aviation International (WAI), the Ninety-Nines, and OBAP. She's not alone: Stephanie Johnson, Delta's first black female captain, has worked for decades to improve diversity in the industry, and is also a long-time member of the OBAP, and has worked with Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academies for 20 years. United's Rohlf has traveled to Southeast Asia to instruct students on Airbus aircraft, and Eriksson regularly gives presentations at elementary schools and recruits at universities. (Others, like Kats and Pettersson, have perfected their show-and-tell via social media.) The ALPA, meanwhile, is working to expand the applicant pool by sending its members to primary and secondary schools to give presentations, and airlines have begun effecting change by partnering with nonprofits and even offering tuition assistance programs. And decades after she launched herself off of that washing machine, Bass has signed with Knopf to write a picture-book for young girls who want to be pilots. There will also soon be a big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical Come From Away, which is based in part of Bass's experience flying on September 11, 2001. Second to educating the next generation of female pilots is the idea of mentoring-and strengthening the community of-this one. Several United pilots spoke of a closed Facebook group where they can share ideas, successes, and experiences; one, Captain Pamela Perdue, mentioned an internal communications system she developed for female pilots at the carrier. Other major airlines have private, thousand- strong member Facebook groups, too, and many pilots cited member-based ISWA and Women in Aviation conferences and meet-ups as necessary to encourage, support, and challenge fellow pilots in their careers. In the end, they tell me, it's all about paying it forward. "It's a sisterhood," says Perdue. https://www.cntraveler.com/story/why-there-arent-more-female-pilots Back to Top American to Retire 45 Boeing 737s in Next Two Years A runner looks on as an American Airlines Boeing Co. 737 jet takes off at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg American Airlines Group Inc. plans to retire 45 of its oldest Boeing Co. 737 jets over the next two years as part of an overhaul that will reduce the age of its workhorse narrow-body fleet. The Fort Worth, Texas, carrier plans to withdraw 12 of the aircraft next year and 33 in 2020, or about three a month. American's oldest 737-800s are almost 19 years old, although recent deliveries have reduced the group's average age to 8.1 years, according to the airline's annual report. American had 304 of the Boeing model at the end of last year, making up nearly one-third of its main jet fleet. "It's strictly an age-based retirement at this point," American spokesman Josh Freed said Thursday. "We have some that we took back in 1999." Older planes tend to require more maintenance than newer models. Between the end of this year and the end of 2020, American plans to add 50 Airbus SE A321neo jets and 40 Boeing 737 Max aircraft, according to a regulatory filing. The changes are part of American's broader effort to offset deliveries of new planes with retirements to hold its mainline fleet at around 950, although the figure is set to drop to 935 in 2020. The carrier has received 469 new planes since it merged with US Airways at the end of 2013. It has retired the same number, lowering its average fleet age to 10 from 13. By the end of next year, American will shed the last of its aging MD-80s, which have an average age of 21.3 years. The carrier previously had as many as 375 of the planes, which once made up the majority of its fleet. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-08/american-airlines-to-retire-45-boeing-737s- over-next-two-years Back to Top Jet Airways, SpiceJet, Air Asia to add new aircraft to their fleet to meet domestic, international demand Hyderabad: Indian airlines Jet Airways, SpiceJet Ltd and AirAsia India are planning to add new jets to their fleets as they look to expand in the world's fastest-growing aviation market, the carriers said on Thursday. Domestic Indian passenger traffic increased by 17.9 percent in January from a year earlier, marking the 41st consecutive month of double-digit growth, the International Air Transport Association said in a monthly update released on Thursday. Civil aviation secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey said as long as oil prices remained below $80 per barrel, he expected the Indian aviation market to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 15 percent for the next 20 years or so. "We are committed to ensure that new airports are built, better air space management services are provided, so that there is no congestion in the skies," Choubey said at the Wings India air show. Indian airlines are scrambling to add more jets to meet demand for more domestic and international flights, making it one of the most targeted sales markets for jet manufacturers Airbus SE and Boeing Co. "The growth of the domestic Indian (aviation) market is the highest in the world," Boeing senior vice- president Asia Pacific and India sales Dinesh Keskar said. "Every segment of traffic in and out of India is going to grow for the next 20 years." Boeing said in July it expected Indian airlines to order up to 2,100 new aircraft worth $290 billion over the next 20 years, calling it the highest-ever forecast for Asia's third-largest economy. Jet Airways hopes to close a deal to buy another 75 narrowbody jets by the end of March, its CEO Vinay Dube told reporters on the sidelines of the airshow. The airline last year finalised a deal to buy a separate 75 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and said it was in "serious talks" for 75 more. Dube said it would finalise the deal with one of the plane manufacturers, alluding to Boeing or Airbus. AirAsia India is looking to expand its fleet to 60 jets from the current 14 over the next five years, a spokeswoman said. The airline's parent, AirAsia Bhd, said in January it was considering an IPO of the Indian arm. Low-cost carrier SpiceJet said in July it had signed a provisional deal to buy 40 Boeing 737 MAX 10 jets. http://www.firstpost.com/india/jet-airways-spicejet-air-asia-to-add-new-aircraft-to-their-fleet-to-meet- domestic-international-demand-4382817.html Back to Top India needs 1,750 new aircraft over 20 years: Airbus HYDERABAD: India will require 1,750 new passenger and cargo aircraft over the next 20 years to meet an exponential rise in both passenger and freight traffic, according to Airbus latest India Market Forecast. To help meet this growth, India will need 1,320 new single-aisle aircraft and 430 wide-body aircraft valued at $255 billion, a statement said here on Friday. "Make in India is at the heart of our strategy. Airbus has the largest footprint in India of any International aircraft manufacturer, nationwide across all aircraft programmes. Our sourcing volume has grown 16 times over the past 10 years and it is currently at more than $550 million annually," said Srinivasan Dwarakanath, President Airbus Commercial Aircraft in India. India is set to become the world's third largest aviation market by 2019-20 and Airbus is well positioned to partner its growth with backlog orders of over 530 aircraft to date, the statement said. It said while much of the air traffic growth was expected to be driven by the fast expanding economy, rising wealth and urbanization, ambitious government-backed regional connectivity programmes were also set to enhance demand for air travel. Domestic Indian traffic was expected to grow five-and-a-half times over the next 20 years (2017-36), reaching the same level as the US domestic traffic now, making it one of the world's fastest growing markets, according to Airbus' India Market Forecast https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-needs-1750-new-aircraft-over-20-years- airbus/articleshow/63231014.cms Back to Top Upgrades, Development to F-35 Jet Will Cost $1 Billion Per Year * Will it cost $1 billion or more just to update the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter every year? * That's the estimate from the F-35's Joint Program Office. During a House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee hearing Wednesday, lawmakers were apprehensive about the strategy known as continuous capability development and delivery, or C2D2. This strategy aims to do smaller, incremental updates instead of taking F-35s off the flightline to get months' worth of larger, packaged software and modernization upgrades needed to "keep up with the latest threats." Citing a recent report delivered to Congress regarding C2D2, Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Mass., said costs "may be as high as $11 billion in development and $5.4 billion in procurement" between fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2024 to achieve all the requirements. "This potential cost of $16 billion is an astonishingly high amount and, as far as I am aware, greatly exceeds any cost figures previously provided to Congress," she said. "It is important to remember this is a software-intensive effort, and the last 17 years of F-35 software development have seen dramatic cost increases and significant delays," Tsongas continued. "If Congress agrees to support this effort at this cost and under the proposed management regime, it should only do so fully aware of the significant risks involved." Vice Adm. Mat Winter, director of the F-35 Joint Program Office, said the current cost estimate stands at roughly $10.8 billion for development, of which $3.7 billion will be shared by U.S. allies operating the F-35. The Pentagon would thus be responsible for only $7.2 billion over seven years. Tsongas also queried Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy officials on whether the proposal is reasonable for the fifth-generation stealth jet. "None of the services have a true comfort level until we have a ... cost of how this is going to happen scoped out," said Lt. Gen. Steven R. Rudder, the Marine Corps' deputy commandant for aviation. "But year by year, we're going to put money into C2D2 at the levels that Admiral Winter is requesting currently." Rudder testified alongside Winter; Air Force Lt. Gen Jerry D. Harris, deputy chief of staff for Plans, Programs and Requirements; and Rear Adm. Scott D. Conn, air warfare director for the office of the chief of Naval Operations. Conn agreed with Rudder, and Harris added there are "funds laid in [the Air Force's] plan," as well as plans to reduce sustainment costs long term. He did not specify budget numbers. C2D2 replaces what was once called Block 4 follow-on modernization, or the succeeding, repetitive mods to Block 4, the latest software modernization to upgrade the F-35's avionics and weapons delivery. Block 4 itself is slated for implementation sometime before the end of 2018. "We just want to be sure this is rooted in reality," Tsongas said. In a follow-up discussion with reporters, Winter laid out worst- and best-case cost scenarios. Going through all of the pre-planning and execution -- when developers and engineers are needed, at what point a certain batch of F-35 Lightning IIs can receive the work, among other factors -- Winter said once those calculations formally come together, $10.8 billion for development is roughly correct. "That estimate will most likely come down, but I don't guarantee anything," Winter said. "But we've also looked at, if all of that is correct, what are the modifications to the fleet aircraft, so the procurement elements of this, the software's going to be minuscule," he said, referring to the $5.4 billion figure Tsongas cited. "If I had all the hardware updates on the first year, it would be a less [of] a procurement cost because all of my new aircraft would already have it in there," Winter said. In his written prepared testimony for the hearing, Winter cited the Pentagon's lessons learned from upgrading the F-22 Raptor, but did not specify what modifications to the stealth jet have cost. At the Defense Department's order, Lockheed Martin Corp. stopped producing the F-22 in 2011. "Based on experience from the F-22, an eight-to-10-year span between technology refresh events will maintain viable warfighting capability throughout each cycle," he said in his testimony. The F-35's total cost has been projected at more than $1 trillion over a 50-year lifetime. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/03/08/upgrades-development-f-35-jet-will-cost-1-billion- year.html Back to Top Boeing Tests Its MQ-25 'Stingray' Prototype Tanker for U.S. Navy Carriers The T-1 prototype is being offered for the Navy's unmanned carrier-based tanker program. Boeing is currently conducting ground tests on its prototype aircraft designed for the U.S. Navy's MQ-25 program, according to Aviation Week. The Navy is looking for an unmanned tanker that can operate from an aircraft carrier and pass fuel to other carrier-based jets, such as the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter, greatly extending the operational range of Navy carrier flights. In October 2017, the Naval Air Systems Command issued a request for proposals for MQ-25 "Stingray" designs. Boeing's Phantom Works, the advanced prototype division, is offering a clean-sheet design called T-1. Work on a version of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) started in 2012, when the Navy was instead interested in a reconnaissance and strike UAV, and the T-1 prototype was rolled out at Lambert Field in St. Louis for the first time in November 2014, according to Aviation Week. Boeing kept the aircraft hidden from the public until the end of last year when the first photos were released. Even now, Phantom Works is keeping much of the design information about the T-1 quiet. The exact size and shape of the wings, engine manufacturer, avionics, level of autonomy, and other flight systems have not been revealed. The official photos of T-1 from Boeing carefully obscure major design details, though spy shots of the aircraft have started to leak out. What we do know from the photos is that the T-1 uses a blended wing-body-tail airfoil with folding, high-aspect-ratio wings and a V-tail. The craft will also use the same Cobham aerial refueling system, or "buddy pod," used by Super Hornets to make ad hoc tankers out of the fighters, as reported by Aviation Week. The Navy program requirements specify that the tanker be capable of passing 14,000 lbs. of fuel to other aircraft at a range of 500 nautical miles from the carrier. Interestingly enough, the T-1 is not the only prototype Boeing is working on in an attempt to win the MQ-25 contract. A recently created division of the company, Boeing Autonomous Systems, is working with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems on another MQ-25 prototype. Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works also responded to the Navy request for proposals to offer its own UAV carrier-based tanker design. Phantom Works tested the T-1 on the ground at Lambert Field, making sure the craft can maneuver on a painted outline of an aircraft carrier flight deck. Deployed on a carrier, the T-1 would need to be able to fold up its wings and slot into any of the tight spots where a fighter such as a Super Hornet can fit. "We have been conducting flight deck demonstrations to test the agility and ability of the aircraft," Deborah VanNierop, a spokesperson for Boeing, told Popular Mechanics in an email. "We have successfully controlled the aircraft through all of the most challenging flight deck scenarios, including day and night operations, designed to show how the aircraft can be taxied and operated within the tight confines of the carrier flight deck." Before flight tests, Phantom Works is finishing work on the T-1 specified in the U.S. Navy requirements. "We can't share exactly when the aircraft is due to fly, but it will likely happen sometime after the contract award in August," says VanNierop. Boeing sees MQ-25 as a critical contract to win for the future of its military aviation divisions. After losing the lucrative Joint Strike Fighter contract to Lockheed Martin (F-35) and the Long Range Strike Bomber contract to Northrop Grumman (B-21), Boeing is eager to win the MQ-25 unmanned carrier- based tanker, the Air Force T-X jet trainer, or both. "We've put together a good proposal against the requirements," Phantom Works MQ-25 program director Don "BD" Gaddis told Aviation Week. "My boss [Leanne Caret, the head of Boeing Defense, Space & Security] sees MQ-25 as a franchise program for the company, and she wants to win it, as does my CEO [Dennis Muilenburg]. We are going to go out and win this thing." https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a19180745/boeing-tests-its-uav-tanker-aircraft- for-us-navy-carriers/ Back to Top 52nd Annual SMU Air Law Symposium - Reminder: Early Registration ends today, March 9th. April 5-6, 2018 https://sites.smu.edu/apps/events/air-law/ Back to Top Evading in-flight lightning strikes MIT study shows electrically charging planes would reduce their risk of being struck by lightning. Aviation experts estimate that every commercial airplane in the world is struck by lightning at least once per year. Around 90 percent of these strikes are likely triggered by the aircraft itself: In thunderstorm environments, a plane's electrically conductive exterior can act as a lightning rod, sparking a strike that could potentially damage the plane's outer structures and compromise its onboard electronics. To avoid lightning strikes, flights are typically rerouted around stormy regions of the sky. Now, MIT engineers are proposing a new way to reduce a plane's lightning risk, with an onboard system that would protect a plane by electrically charging it. The proposal may seem counterintuitive, but the team found that if a plane were charged to just the right level, its likelihood of being struck by lighting would be significantly reduced. The idea stems from the fact that, when a plane flies through an ambient electric field, its external electrical state, normally in balance, shifts. As an external electric field polarizes the aircraft, one end of the plane becomes more positively charged, while the other end swings towards a more negative charge. As the plane becomes increasingly polarized, it can set off a highly conductive flow of plasma, called a positive leader - the preceding stage to a lightning strike. In such a precarious scenario, the researchers propose temporarily charging a plane to a negative level to dampen the more highly charged positive end, thus preventing that end from reaching a critical level and initiating a lightning strike. The researchers have shown through modeling that such a method would work, at least conceptually. They report their results in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Journal. The team, which includes Emeritus Professor Manuel Martinez-Sanchez and Assistant Professor Carmen Guerra-Garcia, envisions outfitting a plane with an automated control system consisting of sensors and actuators fitted with small power supplies. The sensors would monitor the surrounding electric field for signs of possible leader formation, in response to which the actuators would emit a current to charge the aircraft in the appropriate direction. The researchers say such charging would require power levels lower than that for a standard lightbulb. "We're trying to make the aircraft as invisible to lightning as possible," says co-author Jaime Peraire, head of MIT's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the H.N. Slater Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics. "Aside from this technological solution, we are working on modeling the physics behind the process. This is a field where there was little understanding, and this is really an attempt at creating some understanding of aircraft-triggered lightning strikes, from the ground up." The paper's other co-author is Ngoc Cuong Nguyen, a research scientist in the aeronautics and astronautics department. Lightning flourishing To be clear, lightning itself poses very little danger to passengers inside an aircraft, as a plane's cabin is well-insulated against any external electrical activity. In most cases, passengers may only see a bright flash or hear a loud bang. Nevertheless, an aircraft that has been hit by lightning often requires follow- up inspections and safety checks that may delay its next flight. If there is physical damage to the plane, it may be taken out of service - something the airlines would rather avoid. What's more, newer aircraft made partly from nonmetallic composite structures such as carbon fiber may be more vulnerable to lightning-related damage, compared with their older, all-metal counterparts. That's because charge may accumulate on poorly conducting panels and create potential diffences from panel to panel, which may cause certain regions of a panel to spark. A standard protective measure is to cover the outside of the aircraft with a light metallic mesh. "Modern aircraft are about 50 percent composites, which changes the picture very significantly," Guerra-Garcia says. "Lightning-related damage is very different, and repairs are much more costly for composite versus metallic aircraft. This is why research on lightning strikes is flourishing now." Following the leader Guerra-Garcia and her colleagues looked at whether electrically charging an airplane would bring down its risk of lightning strikes - an idea that was initially suggested to them by collaborators at Boeing, the research sponsor. "They are very eager to reduce the incidence of these things, partly because there are large cost expenses related to lightning protection," Martinez-Sanchez says. To see whether the charging idea held up, the MIT team first developed a simple model of an aircraft- triggered lightning strike. As a plane flies through a thunderstorm or other electrically charged environment, the outside of the plane begins to be polarized, forming "leaders," or channels of highly conductive plasma, flowing from opposite ends of the plane and eventually out toward oppositely charged regions of the atmosphere. "Imagine two channels of plasma propagating very quickly, and when they reach the cloud and the ground, they form a circuit, and current flows through," Guerra-Garcia says. "These leaders carry current, but not very much," Martinez-Sanchez adds. "But in the worst cases, once they establish a circuit, you can get 100,000 amps, and that is when damage happens." The researchers developed a mathematical model to describe the electric field conditions under which leaders would develop, and how they would evolve to trigger a lightning strike. They applied this model to a representative aircraft geometry and looked to see whether changing the aircraft's potential (charging it negatively) would prevent the leaders from forming and triggering a lightning strike. Their results show that, averaging over field directions and intensities, the charged scenario required a 50 percent higher ambient electric field to initiate a leader, compared with an uncharged scenario. In other words, by charging a plane to an optimal level, its risk of being struck by lightning would be significantly reduced. "Numerically, one can see that if you could implement this charge strategy, you would have a significant reduction in the incidents of lightning strikes," Martinez-Sanchez says. "There's a big if: Can you implement it? And that's where we're working now." Graduate student Theodore Mouratidis is performing preliminary experiments in MIT's Wright Brothers Wind Tunnel, testing the feasibility of charging on a simple, metallic sphere. The researchers also hope to carry out experiments in more realistic environments, for instance by flying drones through a thunderstorm. To make the charging system practical, Martinez-Sanchez says researchers will have to work to speed up its response time. Based on their modeling, he and his colleagues have found that such a system could charge and protect a plane within fractions of a second, but this will not be enough to protect against some forms of triggered lightning. "The scenario we can take care of is flying into an area where there are storm clouds, and the storm clouds produce an intensification of the electric field in the atmosphere," Martinez-Sanchez says. "That can be sensed and measured on board, and we can claim that for such relatively slow-developing events, you can charge a plane and adapt in real time. That is quite feasible." This research was sponsored by the Boeing Company. http://news.mit.edu/2018/evading-flight-lightning-strikes-0309 Back to Top NASA astronaut who spent a year in space now has different DNA from his twin Space travel is dangerous for a lot of very obvious reasons - traveling off of Earth on a rocket has its risks, after all - but even when everything goes well it seems that a brief stay in space has the potential to alter a person's very DNA. That's the takeaway from a long-term NASA study that used astronaut Scott Kelly and his twin brother Mark as guinea pigs to see how living in space can affect the most basic building blocks of life. Scott Kelly has spent over 500 days in space overall, but a huge chunk of that came with a single mission which had him stay aboard the International Space Station for 342 days. His brother Mark, who is a retired astronaut, is his identical twin and has the same DNA. This provided a never-before-possible opportunity for NASA to study how long-term space travel affects the human body and the genes that make us who we are. As it turns out, space really does change us, and upon Scott's return to Earth it was discovered that his DNA has significantly changed. "Scott's telomeres (endcaps of chromosomes that shorten as one ages) actually became significantly longer in space," NASA explains. "While this finding was presented in 2017, the team verified this unexpected change with multiple assays and genomics testing. Additionally, a new finding is that the majority of those telomeres shortened within two days of Scott's return to Earth." Most of Scott's genes did indeed return to normal after a brief time back here on Earth, but not all of them. According to researchers, around 7% of Scott Kelly's genes have shown long-lasting changes when compared to his brother's. Those changes have remained for the two years since he returned to solid ground, which surprised even him. "I did read in the newspaper the other day that 7 percent of my DNA had changed permanently," Kelly said in a recent interview. "And I'm reading that, I'm like, 'Huh, well that's weird.'" The "Twins Study" was a preliminary step in the lead-up to an eventual long-haul manned mission to Mars. NASA has some vague plans in place for such a mission and is currently working on the technology to actually make that happen, but the human element cannot be overlooked. A Mars mission would last as long as three years, which would obviously be the longest stretch that any human has been away from Earth. Can the human body handle such a journey? We might not have to wait very long to find out, as some are expecting the first manned Mars trip to happen as soon as the 2030s. http://bgr.com/2018/03/08/twins-study-nasa-scott-mark-kelly-dna/ 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 ProgramŽ. 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 Curt Lewis