Flight Safety Information March 22, 2018 - No. 059 In This Issue Incident: Swiss A333 at Zurich on Mar 21st 2018, nose wheel steering fault indication Incident: Westjet Encore DH8D at Nanaimo on Mar 20th 2018, smoke on board EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection NTSB DEPLOYS DRONE AT NIGHT Global Aviation Insurance Industry Is Set to Grow at a Remarkable Pace in 2022 FAA Forecast: Turbines Up, Pistons Down Boeing Promotes Aviation Biofuel in Africa Georgia moves up 76 positions in UN agency aviation rating ACSF Joins Forces with AviationManuals on ASAP/SMS An airline is banning larger people from business class Singapore wins sixth consecutive title of 'world's best airport' FAA Mulls Options for More-transparent Aircraft Registry The omnibus spending bill would add an extra 143 aircraft for the military New EU Regulation Completed for Hot Air Balloons FAA gets extension Oct. 1 in spending bill so lawmakers can negotiate long-term policy Mesa Airlines Announces Career Path Program for Pilots with United Airlines Navy boosts pilot bonuses to battle glaring retention woes China Southern places $3.6 billion Boeing 737 MAX order for Xiamen Airlines subsidiary Purdue astronaut Andrew Feustel among NASA crew heading to International Space Station 2018 CHC Safety & Quality Summit: Call for Papers.The Submission Deadline is Friday, March 30 ISASI -2018 - CALL FOR PAPERS RESEARCH SURVEY POSITION AVAILABLE: AVIATION OPERATIONS SAFETY SPECIALIST Incident: Swiss A333 at Zurich on Mar 21st 2018, nose wheel steering fault indication A Swiss Airbus A330-300, registration HB-JHG performing flight LX-65 (dep Mar 20th) from Miami,FL (USA) to Zurich (Switzerland), was descending towards Zurich when the crew advised they had a nose wheel steering fault indication, requested runway 16 (longest runway available) and a tug on stand by to tow the aircraft to the apron. The aircraft landed safely on runway 16 about 25 minutes later. After landing the crew advised the nose wheel steering was working and taxied the aircraft to the apron. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b659f61&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: Westjet Encore DH8D at Nanaimo on Mar 20th 2018, smoke on board A Westjet Encore de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration C-GJEN performing flight WS-3161 from Vancouver,BC to Nanaimo,BC (Canada) with 56 passengers and 4 crew, was enroute at 4000 feet MSL about 5 minutes prior to estimated landing when smoke entered cockpit and cabin. The aircraft continued to Nanaimo for a safe landing on runway 16 and stopped on the runway. A rapid disembarkation followed, the passengers were taken to the terminal. The Canadian TSB reported a team of investigators have been dispatched on site. Passengers reported there was an odour like burning oil or burning electrical components. The airline reported smoke appeared in cockpit and cabin just prior to landing, the crew declared emergency, after landing the passengers were evacuated from the aircraft. A maintenance inspection is under way. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/WJA3161/history/20180320/1905Z/CYVR/CYCD http://avherald.com/h?article=4b659dfa&opt=256 Back to Top Back to Top NTSB DEPLOYS DRONE AT NIGHT NTSB investigators used a quadcopter to document what a bus driver would have seen in the moments before a fatal crash in Alabama, the agency's first deployment of a drone at night. A DJI Phantom 4 Pro is flown at night (with LED strobe lights attached to enhance visibility as required by FAA waiver). Photo by Jim Moore. The mission was the first since the safety agency secured FAA authorization to fly a drone at night, and was noted in a March 15 press release from the safety agency, which dispatched investigators to Alabama to the scene of an accident that claimed the life of bus driver Harry Caligone, the only person to die when the bus carrying a high school band from Florida to Texas veered off Interstate 10 and into a ravine in the predawn hours on March 13. Bill English, a senior NTSB investigator who has led the agency's implementation of unmanned aircraft as an accident investigation tool, said in an email exchange that the night flights were conducted to replicate human vision as closely as possible using the camera of a DJI Phantom 4 Pro, an exercise known as a sight-distance evaluation. English noted in a follow-up phone call that he only secured the night operations waiver recently, having not seen a use for it until he considered the potential of using a drone to examine airport environments at night, and capture what a pilot would have seen during approach or ground operations. It just so happened that a bus crash proved to be the first opportunity to put the technology and technique to use. English said this type of data capture is as much art as science. While camera settings including ISO 800 and a shutter speed set to 1/25 are a good starting point at dusk, English has found that at night the ISO needs to be boosted to at least 1600, with an even slower shutter. (The Phantom 4 Pro has a mechanical shutter, which is part of what makes it suitable for this type of work.) NTSB investigators flew a DJI Phantom 4 Pro at night to capture the driver's view of Interstate 10 in the vicinity of a fatal bus crash. NTSB photo. The FAA requires a waiver for unmanned aircraft operations at night, and one of the requirements is to make the unmanned aircraft visible to all aircraft within 3 statute miles. Successful applications to date have generally stipulated some type of high-intensity LED strobe. English said the NTSB chose one of the CREE LED strobes sold by Firehouse Technology, including in the waiver application data from night light visibility from the U.S. Coast Guard. The light is extremely bright, and small enough to be mounted on top of a Phantom, which has limited clearance between the aircraft body and propellers. Mounting the strobe on top also has the advantage of directing a very bright light away from the camera. English said he adjusts the camera settings once the drone is in position until the image closely matches what is visible with the naked eye. The agency also uses drones during daylight hours to create accurate, digital maps of accident scenes, a more common application of the technology that is used in other industries. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2018/march/19/ntsb-deploys-drone-at-night Back to Top Global Aviation Insurance Industry Is Set to Grow at a Remarkable Pace in 2022 Brooklyn, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/19/2018 -- Qyresearchreports include new market research report Aviation Insurance to its huge collection of research reports. The report on the global Aviation Insurance market is extremely comprehensive and comprises of tables, charts, statistics, maps, and graphics so as to give the readers a clear understanding in an easy manner regarding the growth prospects of the market. It offers an unbiased View regarding the markets future and gives both the promising opportunities that lie ahead within the market as well as the various factors which are expected to obstruct or challenge the growth of this Market. The market is segmented on the basis of key criteria. The report there for studies each of the segments as well as a sub segments. Information including leading segment, declining segment, fastest growing segment has been given in the report. The report studies the global Aviation Insurance market from a Global Perspective as well as Regional perspective. Regionally this Market has been segmented for the purpose of study into Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. The reported then goes on to declare which regional market will emerge is the most lucrative one during the forecast period, as well as which regional market will witness a sluggish growth and therefore advice potential investors against investing in that particular region so as to avoid loss. For more info, get sample report for FREE here: https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1324966&type=S This report studies the global Aviation Insurance market, analyzes and researches the Aviation Insurance development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, like Global Aerospace USAIG Aerienne AIG Allianz Lloyds Syndicates ACE Amlin Wellington Axis Berkshire Hathaway GE Frankona Aviabel PICC Table of Contents Global Aviation Insurance Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 1 Industry Overview of Aviation Insurance 1.1 Aviation Insurance Market Overview 1.1.1 Aviation Insurance Product Scope 1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook 1.2 Global Aviation Insurance Market Size and Analysis by Regions 1.2.1 United States 1.2.2 EU 1.2.3 Japan 1.2.4 China 1.2.5 India 1.2.6 Southeast Asia Read Complete Table of Content of the Report at: https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-aviation-insurance-market-size-status-and-forecast-2022.htm/toc 2 Global Aviation Insurance Competition Analysis by Players 2.1 Aviation Insurance Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017) 2.2 Competitive Status and Trend 2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate 2.2.2 Product/Service Differences 2.2.3 New Entrants 2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future 3 Company (Top Players) Profiles 3.1 Global Aerospace 3.1.1 Company Profile 3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview 3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions 3.1.4 Aviation Insurance Revenue (Value) (2012-2017) 3.1.5 Recent Developments 3.2 USAIG 3.2.1 Company Profile 3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview 3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions 4 Global Aviation Insurance Market Size by Type and Application (2012-2017) 4.1 Global Aviation Insurance Market Size by Type (2012-2017) 4.2 Global Aviation Insurance Market Size by Application (2012-2017) 4.3 Potential Application of Aviation Insurance in Future 4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Aviation Insurance ... About QYResearchReports QYResearchReports delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market. Contact Us: Brooklyn, NY 11230 United States Toll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA) Tel: +1-518-618-1030 Web: http://www.qyresearchreports.com Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com For more information on this press release visit: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/global-aviation-insurance-industry-is-set-to-grow-at-a-remarkable-pace-in-2022-951067.htm http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3701699#ixzz5ASvM1eCG Back to Top FAA Forecast: Turbines Up, Pistons Down The FAA's latest Aerospace Forecast offers a mixed bag for GA for the next two decades, with modest growth in the turbine sector offsetting continued erosion in the piston fleet. The agency says the long-term outlook is "stable to optimistic" for GA and related industries. The latest report, which the FAA compiles annually, predicts continued shrinkage in the largest portion of the fleet numerically-that's piston aircraft-but a tepid increase of 0.8 percent in total hours flown through 2038, the outer edge of the report's timeline. Increases in rotorcraft, turbine and experimental hours are expected to more than offset the decline in fixed-wing piston hours flown, according to the agency's estimates. In contrast, the FAA is downright bullish on airline growth, activity and profitability. Citing the trends customers love to hate-unbundling of baggage, boarding priority, legroom upcharges-the agency notes that the airlines achieved the eighth year of profitability in 2017 and it expects more of the same going forward. "Looking forward," gushes the report, "there is confidence that U.S. airlines have finally transformed from a capital intensive, highly cyclical industry to an industry that generates solid returns on capital and sustained profits." The forecasts calls for U.S. air carrier passenger growth to average 1.9 percent during the next two decades, down a bit from the 2017 forecast. Economic trends for this growth are favorable, including low and stable oil prices and diminishing headwinds for the world economy. Although the U.S. economy has had lukewarm growth since the 2008 recession, the report says there are signs that growth is heating up. As revenue passenger miles increase-at 2.3 percent during the forecast period-available seat miles will also grow with the rising demand. And there are more seats per aircraft, too. The forecast predicts that the number of 50-seat airplanes will decline to just a handful, replaced by fewer total aircraft but in the 70- to 90-seat range. https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FAA-Forecast-Turbines-Up-Pistons-Down-230474-1.html Back to Top Boeing Promotes Aviation Biofuel in Africa Boeing Commercial Airplanes regional director for environmental strategy Elizabeth Wood highlights the social benefits of locally grown biofuel feed stocks in Africa during the Africa Aviation Biofuel Summit in Addis Ababa. The Boeing Company has teamed with the South African government, South African Airways (SAA), the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and U.S. energy firm SKYNRG, to identify biofuel feed stocks in Africa. Boeing Commercial Airplanes regional director for environmental strategy Elizabeth Wood announced the initiative during the Africa Aviation Biofuel Summit on March 20 in Addis Ababa, where the partners deliberated with Ethiopian government officials on the use of sustainable aviation fuel. Separately, RSB signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ethiopian Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Mines, Petroleum, and Natural Gas calling for collaboration on biofuel research and development. African aviation made history in July 2016, when SAA and its subsidiary Mango flew the first-ever flights in Africa fueled by biofuel made from tobacco plants. The Boeing 737-800s flew from OR Tambo International Airport near Johannesburg and over Cape Town. Wood highlighted the use of tobacco plants grown in the Marble Hall region in Limpopo, South Africa, in the production of aviation biofuel. Not only does the project afford environmental benefits, but it also creates job opportunities for local communities. "If we want to produce aviation biofuel it has to be from local sources," she said. Arianna Baldo, RSB's representative in Africa, also highlighted biofuel's potential to create jobs in developing countries. "Biofuel development can create more jobs in agriculture, more jobs in the supply chain, and more jobs in bio refineries," she said. However, she also noted that stakeholders must ensure that biofuel development does not compete for resources with food production. Tjasa Bole-Rentel, energy economics and policy specialist at WWF South Africa, said that Africa has become one of the world's major growth areas for aviation biofuel feedstock. According to Bole-Rentel, some 550 million hectares of land lies potentially available for production of biofuel feed stock in Africa. Refiners can produce aviation biofuel from miscanthus (silvergrass), palm oil, jatropha plants, and biomass, among others sources. Currently, refineries around the world, led by the U.S., Europe, and Brazil, produce 150 billion liters of biofuel annually. ICAO forecasts that fuel consumption for international aviation could run as high as 850 million tons by 2050, suggesting a requirement for 425 million tons of biofuel to meet greenhous gas emissions-reduction goals. Current production, however, remains limited, at less than 0.1 percent of the global total consumption of all types of jet fuel. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2018-03-21/boeing-promotes-aviation-biofuel-africa Back to Top Georgia moves up 76 positions in UN agency aviation rating Georgia moved from 106th to 30th position in the ICAO rating. Georgia is improving its position in the rating of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), gaining the highest scores compared to other countries in the region. As Georgia's Ministry of Economy today announced, Georgia moved from 106th to 30th position in the ICAO rating according to the preliminary data. For the first time in the history of Georgian aviation the country has shown 87.5 percent in terms of compliance with ICAO standards. This is the highest indicator in the region", announced the Ministry of Economy. The news was announced at today's meeting between Georgia's Economy Minister Dimitry Kumsishvili and delegation of the ICAO. An ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission is now visiting Georgia to perform a safety oversight audit. The results of the audit will allow ICAO to assess oversight capabilities of Georgian aviation and to generate a more comprehensive analysis of aviation safety, including in terms of its effectiveness and its development. In 2016, the ICAO removed its 'red flag' against Georgia's aviation industry after the country enacted changes, which resulted in Georgia's now meeting "all international obligations". The ICAO red flagged Georgia in 2015 after it uncovered significant safety concerns within the country's aviation sector. Red flags are usually given to countries that do not comply with ICAO requirements regarding security. http://agenda.ge/news/97697/eng Back to Top ACSF Joins Forces with AviationManuals on ASAP/SMS The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) has reached an agreement with AviationManuals to jointly offer the ACSF/FAA Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) with the AviationManuals safety management system (SMS) data technology. "The goal is to provide end users with one-stop shopping by combining their overall safety management system with the ACSF ASAP," said ACSF president Bryan Burns. "It is through a cooperative effort and shared mission of safety that the ACSF and AviationManuals have been able to bring this program to the marketplace through a single data source." Under the agreement, operators will be able to participate in the ACSF/FAA ASAP through the AviationManuals ARC SMS software application. ARC provides a means to submit, store, and analyze SMS data online, allowing operators to perform risk assessments, post company news, and manage the data. The ASCF/FAA ASAP provides a means for company employees to report unintentional non-compliance events and other issues in a non-punitive environment. In the bigger picture, ASAP is intended to accumulate data and track safety trends. "Both entities believe this will be a win-win relationship for the charter and business aviation communities, as we work together to reduce operational risk and redundant workload associated with multiple databases," Burns said. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-03-21/acsf-joins-forces-aviationmanuals-asap/sms Back to Top An airline is banning larger people from business class - and it's part of a trend sweeping the industry Thai Airways International is introducing a waistline limit for business-class seats on its Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Athit Perawongmetha / Reuters Thai Airways International announced a 56-inch waistline limit for passengers sitting in business class on its Boeing 787-9 aircraft, according to the Bangkok Post. The airline said it introduced the limit due to seatbelt airbags it installed that prevent the seat belts from extending. The seatbelt airbags will also prevent parents from flying with children on their laps. Airlines have no shortage of ways to divide and categorize passengers, but most of those ways involve how much money a customer spends with them. Now, Thai Airways International is evaluating passengers based on their waist size. Prathana Pattanasiri, vice president of the airline's aviation safety, security, and standards department, announced a 56-inch waistline limit for passengers sitting in business class on its Boeing 787-9 aircraft, according to the Bangkok Post. The airline said it introduced the limit due to seatbelt airbags it installed that prevent the seat belts from extending. The seatbelt airbags will also prevent parents from flying with children on their laps. Thai Airways is not the first airline to classify passengers according to size or weight. In November, European airline Finnair started a program where it encouraged passengers to weigh themselves and their luggage before boarding. The voluntary program was designed to give the airline a better sense of the amount of weight its flights would carry. In 2016, Hawaiian Airlines announced a policy that would prevent passengers flying from American Samoa to Honolulu, Hawaii, from pre-selecting seats before flights, in an effort to optimize weight distribution. The policy was controversial because weight is a sensitive issue, and American Samoa has a high obesity rate. The now-defunct Samoa Air took things a step further in 2013 by setting ticket prices for passengers based on their weight and the weight of their carry-on bags. The airline claimed it was the "fairest way" to assign ticket prices. http://www.businessinsider.com/thai-airways-restricts-large-business-class-passengers-2018-3 Back to Top Singapore wins sixth consecutive title of 'world's best airport' Singapore's Changi Airport has been named "world's best airport" for the sixth consecutive year by Skytrax. This is the ninth time the Singapore airport has won the top international title since 2000. The airport was also named the best for leisure amenities. Singapore's Changi Airport has been named "world's best airport" for the sixth consecutive year - as regional rival Hong Kong came in fourth place. The 2018 iteration of the annual World Airport Awards from research group Skytrax was based on 13.73 million survey questionnaires across more than 500 airports worldwide, taking place from August 2017 to February 2018, the firm said. "To be voted the World's Best Airport for the sixth consecutive year is fabulous achievement for Changi Airport, and this award yet again demonstrates the airport's popularity with international air travellers," Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, said in a statement accompanying the rankings. This is the ninth time the Singapore airport has won the top international title since 2000. The airport was also named the best for leisure amenities. View of the arrival hall at the newly built Changi airport terminal 4 in Singapore on July 25, 2017. "Changi Airport is very focussed on making the airport experience comfortable and convenient, and continues to innovate with new product and services features," Plaisted added in the statement. Last year's second-placed Haneda International Airport in Tokyo dropped a rank, swapping positions with Seoul's Incheon International Airport. Hong Kong moved up a spot to fourth, while Munich Airport dropped two spots to sixth. Doha's Hamad International Airport rounded out 2018's top five. SkyTrax describes the annual survey as a quality benchmark for the world airport industry. It maintains that it's independent of any airport control or input and undertakes a private survey assessing customer service and facilities. The top 10 rankings for the World's Best Airport Award in 2018: 1 Singapore Changi 2 Seoul Incheon 3 Tokyo Haneda 4 Hong Kong 5 Doha Hamad 6 Munich 7 Centrair Nagoya 8 London Heathrow 9 Zurich 10 Frankfurt Airport https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/21/singapore-wins-sixth-consecutive-title-of-worlds-best-airport.html Back to Top FAA Mulls Options for More-transparent Aircraft Registry FAA Aeronautical Center counsel A.L. Haizlip addressed recent criticism by the Boston Globe of the FAA aircraft registry, notably the newspaper's inability to identity aircraft owners behind limited liability corporations or owner trusts, during the keynote speech yesterday at the NBAA Business Aircraft Finance, Registration, and Legal Conference in Fort Myers, Florida. Stressing that his views are his "own personal observations," Haizlip said the FAA "wants to provide as much transparency as possible" in the registry, while also taking into consideration aircraft owners' privacy concerns. The Boston Globe articles have criticized the FAA registry for obscuring the true owners of aircraft used for illegal activities such as human or drug trafficking. Haizlip said an internal audit revealed that only a "very, very small percentage" of U.S.-registered aircraft are used for illicit purposes. Citing ongoing, simultaneous reviews of the FAA aircraft registry by the DOT Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office-both prompted by the Boston Globe reports-he said the FAA is internally debating options to increase owner transparency. Some would barely upset the status quo, while others would make sweeping changes to the amount of owner information the FAA collects. Under the most extreme option, Haizlip said the FAA would collect names of C-level executives, directors, board members, and major shareholders for aircraft owned by a corporation; and, for aircraft held in a trust, the owners' names, their citizenship(s), aircraft operating agreements, and arrangement of aircraft custody/use. While this kind of data wouldn't be available publicly in the online aircraft registry, Haizlip expressed concern that it could be revealed via a Freedom of Information Act request or obtained for and used in litigation. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-03-21/faa-mulls-options-more-transparent-aircraft-registry Back to Top The omnibus spending bill would add an extra 143 aircraft for the military An F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the "Stingers" of Strike Fighter Attack Squadron (VFA) 113 launches from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Theodore Roosevelt and its carrier strike group are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of maritime security operations to reassure allies and partners and preserve the freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in the region. (MC3 Alex Corona/Navy) WASHINGTON - Congress seems to have come to an agreement on spending for fiscal year 2018, and military aircraft procurement is slated to receive a major bump, funding an additional 143 aircraft above the services' requests. That's great news for major defense primes like Lockheed Martin and Boeing, both of which stand to make billions more from the additional sales. A caveat before diving in: Although the omnibus language marks a big step forward after months of stymied negotiations and continuing resolutions, the bill still hasn't been passed by Congress yet. The House and Senate must pass either a spending bill or CR before the end of this Friday, and it's possible that various lawmakers could seek to obstruct the bill. Here's how the major aviation accounts fared: F-35 joint strike fighter Unsurprisingly, it was a good year for Lockheed Martin's F-35. Congress added $2.9 billion for an additional 20 joint strike fighters, which would put total FY18 procurement at 90 planes. If the spending bill is passed, the Navy and Marine Corps will get not only the number of joint strike fighters requested in the budget, but also the ones detailed in their "unfunded requirements lists" sent every year to Congress. For the Navy, that's eight F-35C carrier takeoff and landing variants. Meanwhile, the Marine Corps would get 24 F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing variants and two F-35Cs. The Air Force will get 56 F-35A models - just four short of its unfunded requirement. F/A-18E/F Super Hornet In its FY18 budget request, the Navy requested 14 new Super Hornet aircraft. Lawmakers, who have long been supportive of the program, added 10 aircraft on top of that, funding a total of 24 new F/A-18E/Fs. Those extra fighters will help Boeing extend the life of its production line and ameliorate the loss of a deal with Canada for 18 Super Hornets, which failed last year due to a trade dispute. Boeing's KC-46 refueling aircraft The Air Force's KC-46 tanker has been raked over the coals over the past few weeks, with the service blasting manufacturer Boeing for continued schedule delays and a couple new technical problems. But despite questions from some lawmakers about the health of the program during hearings this month, Congress added $510 million to fund an extra three KC-46s. That would bring the Air Force's total KC-46 procurement for FY18 up to 18 tankers. Notably, Congress also included funding for aircraft not requested by the services in budget documents at all. For instance, it added 12 C-130J Super Hercules planes for the Air National Guard. The Navy would pick up six MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned helicopters made by Northrop Grumman, at a cost of $84 million. It also included two C-37B aircraft for the Air Force - the military's designation for a Gulfstream G550 - however, it's possible that those aircraft are meant for its Compass Call recapitalization program, during which the service the mission systems from the current EC-130H fleet aboard new G550s. An extra $600 million would add five MC-130Js for Air Force special operators, for an overall procurement of 10 aircraft this fiscal year. The service would also get one additional HC-130J, for a total of three. Congress inserted an additional $501 million for three extra P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, for a total of 10 P-8s for the Navy. It also increased spending on V-22 procurement by $676 million to bring Navy and Marine Corps procurement from six to 14 tiltrotor aircraft. The bill grows the Marine Corps' CH-53K helicopter program from four to six aircraft, at a cost of $250 million. The service also would get $221 million for seven AH-1Zs, bringing the total for FY18 up to 29 helicopters. The omnibus also includes significant plus-ups for Army aviation, including an extra $577 million for 17 AH-64E Apache helicopters and $90 million for 11 UH-72 Lakota helicopters. The Army National Guard would get $108 million for eight UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. It also included major increases for unmanned systems, growing the Army's MQ-1 Gray Eagle procurement from 11 to 20 air vehicles and increasing the service's procurement of RQ-5 Shadow drones by $110 million. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/03/22/the-omnibus-spending-bill-would-add-an-extra-143-aircraft-for-the-military/ Back to Top New EU Regulation Completed for Hot Air Balloons The new regulation is one of the projects of the General Aviation Road Map established by the European Aviation Safety Agency in partnership with the European Commission and other stakeholders. The updated rules are in force beginning April 8, 2019. The European Commission has adopted new rules this month for the operation of hot-air balloons in EU skies. The new rules are simpler, more flexible, and proportionate to the complexity and risks of balloon operations, according to the commission, and they are expected to maintain a high level of safety while reducing regulatory and administrative burdens, especially for balloon pilots. The new regulation is one of the projects of the General Aviation Road Map established by the European Aviation Safety Agency in partnership with the European Commission and other stakeholders. The updated rules are in force beginning April 8, 2019, a date chosen to give authorities and operators enough time for their implementation. The commission pointed out that the rules for air operations with balloons are only a first step. Working with EASA, the commission will expand the Balloon Rule Book by including simpler and proportionate rules for the licensing of balloon pilots, and it is in the process of establishing a similar Sailplane Rule Book. https://ohsonline.com/articles/2018/03/22/new-eu-regulation-for-hot-air-balloons.aspx Back to Top FAA gets extension Oct. 1 in spending bill so lawmakers can negotiate long-term policy WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration's funding and policies would be extended to Oct. 1, under a broad spending bill released Wednesday. The FAA's authorization has been extended temporarily for months at a time since last year because of a debate about whether to shift air-traffic controllers to a non-profit corporation. The latest extension was about to expire March 31. But the key House advocate, Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., dropped that contentious provision last month. He had faced two years of opposition largely from private pilots and Democrats who worried that airlines could control the private board. The temporary extension in the spending bill gives lawmakers until fall to complete a long-term FAA policy bill. Congress is scheduled to vote this week on the $1.3 trillion measure that funds most of the government. The bill provides $18 billion for FAA, which is $1.6 billion above the previous year. The funding includes $1.2 billion to modernize air-traffic control, under a program called NextGen. FAA will also get $100 million to continue developing policies for drones to share the skies with passenger planes. The FAA extension will allow more time to debate another emotional issue in the Senate version of legislation dealing with pilot training. Pilots are required to have 1,500 hours of flying experience, which regional airlines say makes it hard for them to find qualified pilots. The training provision had been adopted after the last fatal crash of a U.S. passenger airline in 2009 because first officers at that point could be hired by airlines with 250 hours of flight time. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., proposed to allow classroom training to fulfill part of the requirement. Regional airlines and some pilots have argued that classroom training could expose pilots to situations they might not experience flying in blue-sky weather. But relatives of victims of the 2009 crash vocally opposed the change. The Air Line Pilots Association, a union representing 60,000 pilots, and retired Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who landed a US Airways flight on the Hudson River without loss of life, have argued against reducing the training requirement. More about the Federal Aviation Administration: Top House advocate for privatizing air-traffic control drops effort Congress approves 6-month extension for FAA Beginning pilots could swap classroom training for flying under Senate bill The long-term FAA policy bill has numerous provisions that must still be negotiated and voted on. Provisions that the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved in its version last June would: ?increase the Airport Improvement Program for construction grants from $3.35 billion to $3.52 billion, with 2% growth in future years. ?prohibit airlines from bumping passengers who are already seated on planes. ?require more regulations for drones, to hasten deliveries and other commercial flights. ?allow airlines to advertise fares without taxes, which are now required by regulation. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/03/21/faa-gets-short-term-extension/447323002/ Back to Top Mesa Airlines Announces Career Path Program for Pilots with United Airlines PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mesa Airlines announced today an exciting new Career Path Program (CPP) with United Airlines, designed to provide qualified current and future United Express pilots at Mesa a clear path to the flight deck with United Airlines. The CPP will both help attract qualified individuals to staff Mesa's expanding fleet and retain existing pilots looking to advance to a major airline. "Our partnership with United has grown exponentially over the past few years, and we appreciate their support of our company and also the confidence in our qualified aviation professionals to represent the United brand." "We are excited to announce this opportunity for our pilots, which will allow them to participate in a program that provides a clear way forward to employment at United Airlines," said Jonathan Ornstein, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mesa Airlines. "Our partnership with United has grown exponentially over the past few years, and we appreciate their support of our company and also the confidence in our qualified aviation professionals to represent the United brand." Captain Mike Ferverda, Mesa's Chief Operating Officer added, "Having flown the line for many years with a major airline, I feel our Mesa pilots are particularly well-suited to meet the challenges of the United Airlines flight deck." Mesa currently operates 60 Embraer EJET 175s (E175) and 20 Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet 700s (CRJ700) as United Express. Mesa has significantly expanded its flying for United over the past three years, almost tripling its fleet size under the United banner. About Mesa Airlines A multiple-time recipient of Air Transport World's Regional Airline of the Year Award, Phoenix-based Mesa Airlines operates as American Eagle from Phoenix and Dallas/Fort Worth and as United Express from Washington Dulles and Houston. Founded on a mesa in New Mexico in 1982 by Larry and Janie Risley, Mesa currently operates 145 aircraft, with more than 600 daily system departures to 124 cities, 38 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Mexico, and The Bahamas. The Company has approximately 3,100 employees and plans to hire an additional 1,000 in the next two years. For more information, go to www.mesa-air.com or find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/mesaairlines. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180321006058/en/Mesa-Airlines-Announces-Career-Path-Program-Pilots Back to Top Navy boosts pilot bonuses to battle glaring retention woes An MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter assigned to the "Vanguards" of Helicopter Mine Countermeasure Squadron 14 conducts an aerial refuel off the coast of North Carolina. Navy officials have upped retention pay for pilots in HM squadron department head billets. (Lance Cpl. Cody J. Ohira/Marines) Still faced with low retention among aviators, Navy officials are sweetening the pot financially for the second year in a row, announcing new incentives and bonus pay for aviators who opt for a career track. "Strike fighter, electronic attack, and helicopter mine countermeasure communities - each did not retain sufficient numbers of O-4 pilots to meet all operational department head requirements in our aviation squadrons," Vice Adm. Robert P. Burke told Congress in February. But now, pilots in these communities and others who sign on for five years can now qualify for up to $35,000 per year for a total bonus payout of $175,000. For some, this amounts to a $75,000 increase in their total payout. Navy officials have also added the option of only obligating for three years, which would bring in $5,000 less per year than the five-year offer. The new levels, announced by Burke in a March 20 NAVADMIN, raises the active duty FY18 aviation department head retention bonus and the aviation command retention bonus. The message also expands aviation incentive pay across both active and reserve components for some aviators. "These programs have remained essentially unchanged for well over a decade, and are beginning to lose their effectiveness in the face of growing competition for talent," Capt. Michael Baze, head of aviation career management at Navy Personnel Command, said in a Navy release. "Aviators reported they wanted our programs to be more flexible, merit-based, and competitive with civilian opportunities - we took that feedback seriously, incorporating each of these elements in the program changes you see here today." Vice Adm. Robert Burke, the chief of naval personnel, said some pilots could soon be getting a boost to their retention bonuses as the Navy tries to fend off competition from the airline industry and quell growing frustration and pilot concerns over a lack of flying hours and broken aircraft. Also getting an overhaul was the active duty aviation command retention bonus, which is designed to keep aviators with command experience in the service. The deal nets qualified aviators $100,000 total contract, paid with an initial payment of $34,000 and two anniversary payments of $33,000. Aviation incentive pay, a monthly stipend for aviators, will now have separate levels as well, as the Navy is establishing expanded rates for aviators who screen and serve in career milestone billets, such as department head, commander command and major command tours. The big change here comes at the 10-year mark, when aviators who have screened and are serving will get $1,000 per month for each month they remain qualified to fly. This would be good up to their 22nd year of service. Those not in a milestone billet will max out at $840 per month at their 14th year. https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/03/21/navy-boosts-pilot-bonuses-to-battle-glaring-retention-woes/ Back to Top China Southern places $3.6 billion Boeing 737 MAX order for Xiamen Airlines subsidiary A Boeing 737 Max takes part in a flying display during the 52nd Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France June 22, 2017. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol (Reuters) - China Southern Airlines Co Ltd <600029.SS> said on Wednesday it had placed an order for 30 Boeing Co 737 MAX narrowbodies for its Xiamen Airlines subsidiary in a deal the plane maker said was worth more than $3.6 billion at list prices. The order, including 20 737 MAX 8s and 10 737 MAX 10s for delivery between 2019 and 2022 will be used to increase efficiency and capacity, China Southern said in a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Xiamen Airlines in July had signed a provisional deal during the 2017 Paris Airshow to join the group of launch customers for the 737 MAX 10, the largest version of the Boeing narrowbody family. Boeing said the firm order for 30 jets for Xiamen Airlines had been booked in 2017 and attributed to an unidentified customer at the time. The U.S. plane maker last year received 912 net orders after cancellations, while rival Airbus SE received 1,109. Xiamen Airlines operates an all-Boeing fleet of more than 160 jets and the new airplanes will be used with subsidiaries including Hebei Airlines and Jiangxi Airlines, Boeing said in a statement. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/china-southern-places-3-6-billion-boeing-737-125222486--finance.html Back to Top Purdue astronaut Andrew Feustel among NASA crew heading to International Space Station A rocket carrying two American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut to the International Space Station has blasted off successfully. (March 21) AP Andrew Feustel (Photo: Pavel Golovkin/AP) Drew "A.J." Feustel, a Purdue University graduate from Lake Orion, Mich., is headed to the International Space Station. Feustel and fellow American astronaut Rick Arnold and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev aboard the Soyuz MS-08 were launched 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, according to WDIV-TV. According to NASA, after launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the three will embark on a 50-hour, 34-orbit flight to the International Space Station - they are expected to arrive at the space station on Friday and dock to the Poisk module at 3:41 p.m. "The orbiting trio continues to ensure the station is flying in tip-top shape while conducting advanced space science to benefit humans on Earth and in space," a NASA blog post on Monday said. This trip marks NASA's Expedition 55, in which two spacewalks are planned, and "researchers will study Earth atmospherics, the effects of microgravity on bone marrow, materials' responses to space environments, and biological samples' responses to simulated gravity," according to the mission summary. Waiting for Feustel, Arnold and Artemyev on board the orbital laboratory are Expedition 55 Commander Anton Shkaplerov and Flight Engineers Scott Tingle and Norishige Kanai, according to a NASA blog post on March 5. Tingle is also a Boilermaker, having earned his master's degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue in 1988. According to NASA, Feustel has been assigned to be the Flight Engineer for Expedition 55 and will serve Commander for NASA's Expedition 56. A long exposure shows the Soyuz-FG rocket booster with Soyuz MS-08 space ship carrying a new crew to the International Space Station. The crew blasted off at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. The Russian rocket carries Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, and U.S. astronauts Richard Arnold and Andrew Feustel. (Photo: Dmitri Lovetsky/AP) Shkaplerov, Tingle and Kanai will return to Earth in June, while Feustel, Arnold and Artemyev finish their missing in August, according to NASA. Feustel will be sharing aspects of his mission on Twitter and Instagram. Feustel told WDIV that he's always been surrounded by space - the house he grew up in is located on Saturn Drive, and streets in the surrounding neighborhoods included: Armstrong, Gemini and Mercury. According to his NASA profile: • Feustel was selected by NASA in 2000 and assigned to Expedition 55/56 scheduled to launch in March 2018. • He has a Ph.D. in Geological Sciences, specializing in Seismology • He is a veteran of two space flights, having served on the: STS-125, which launched on Atlantis in 2009 and was the final mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope, and the STS-134 which launched on Endeavor in 2011 to deliver an Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and an ExPress Logistics Carrier to the International Space Station • He has logged more than 29 days in space and over 42 hours in spacewalks • Feustel restored 1950's Jaguars while working as a mechanic at International Autoworks, Ltd., in Farmington Hills. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2018/03/21/purdue-astronaut-andrew-feustel-among-nasa-crew-heading-international-space-station/447641002/ Back to Top 2018 CHC Safety & Quality Summit: Call for Papers The Submission Deadline is Friday, March 30, 2018. There's still time to submit an abstract for 14th CHC's Safety & Quality Summit later this year! For more than a decade, professionals across multiple industries have gathered to share knowledge and best practices while hearing from some of the top minds in the fields of safety and human factors. There's still time for you to lend your voice to the conversation. Whether your background is in safety management systems or risk analysis; fixed-wing or rotorcraft; or if you come from the energy industry - we'd like you to join us at this year's Summit! Submit an abstract regarding this year's theme: Building Safety at Every Level: Does this start at the top or with front line employees? Join your industry colleagues to share in your knowledge and experience. Help teach others how to create, maintain or improve the culture of safety at their organizations. Submit an abstract by March 30 by visiting Call for Papers . Be sure to include a proposed title for your 90 minute presentation, as well as a description or outline, objectives, audience benefits and a brief speaker biography, as well as your contact information. Visit www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com for more information. Thank you! CHC Summit Team To find out more, or to submit an abstract, click on the project link below. Call for Papers Sincerely, Michelle Chrystal CHC Helicopter summit@CHCheli.com Back to Top RESEARCH SURVEY Dear Participants, You are being asked to participate in a research study of your opinions of criminalization in aviation accidents. This study is expected to take approximately 10 minutes of your time. In order to participate, you must be at least 18 years old and a certified pilot. Participation in this study is voluntary, and you may choose to opt out of the study at any time. If you choose to opt out, your data will be immediately destroyed. We appreciate your consideration and time to complete our study. Please click on or copy and paste the URL below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJKwrq6VG_2gRwoXEs7PLRIBBVQ48-d9k75CDD_Yyh6wlk0g/viewform?usp=sf_link For more information, please contact: Dr. Scott R. Winter winte25e@erau.edu We appreciate your interest and participation! Back to Top Position Reporting to the Executive Director, this individual works with air carriers to guide them through designing and implementing aviation safety management programs in accordance with Medallion standards under the Shield Program®. This specialist should have a broad working knowledge of part 121 and part 135 aviation practices and the general principles of aviation safety management system, a working knowledge of the FARs and good customer relation skills. The position is based in Alaska and requires some travel. The ideal candidate will also serve as the ASAP Facilitator. We manage all of the administrative aspects of the ASAP MOU with over 15 carriers. Applicants with previous part 119 credentials or recent FAA ASI background are strongly encouraged to apply Duties Guide development of documentation to support Medallion Shield programs Perform on-site visits to ensure basic compliance with an aviation operator's Medallion safety programs Interface with Medallion staff and Auditors on progress of programs and deficiencies Work with Medallion Auditors and operators to develop corrective action plans Develop and conduct classroom training in support of the Shield program Keep Medallion database up to date with customer information Other duties as assigned to support other Medallion programs and initiatives Job can be tailored to Part-time or Full-time Qualifications 10 Year Aviation preferred 5 years' experience in aviation safety Understand and apply general principles of aviation safety management systems Must have excellent communication skills and be able to interact with a wide variety of people Have basic computer skills Must have no travel restrictions Able to work with minimal supervision Must be able to lead people and accept responsibility Knowledge and understanding of the Federal Aviation Regulations Experience working with certificated aviation businesses Familiarity with Medallion Shield Program a plus Working knowledge of Safety Management System concepts Class Room Training as an Instructor Medallion is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Contact - info@medallionfoundation.org Curt Lewis