Flight Safety Information April 24, 2018 - No. 082 In This Issue Incident: Laser MD82 at Maracaibo on Apr 23rd 2018, engine shut down in flight Accident: Republic E175 near Memphis on Apr 22nd 2018, turbulence injures flight attendant Accident: Southwest B738 near Tampa on Apr 22nd 2018, turbulence injures two flight attendants Incident: Lufthansa A320 near Dublin on Apr 23rd 2018, cracked windshield 'Flight Deck LIBIK - Lithium-Ion Battery Incident Kit EASA updated and extended Conflict Zone Information Bulletins for Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, and Somalia TSB Canada factual update on Fond-du-Lac ATR 42 accident: aircraft had ice contamination on takeoff FAA Statement on Issuing Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) Cargo Pilots Oppose Single-Pilot Proposal Synthetic Vision: A Must-Have for the Next Generation of Pilots? Rolls-Royce Considers China Venture for New Wide-Body Jet United Airlines CEO's 2017 pay halved; chairman to step down Aircraft Accidents and 60 Minutes Quantum radar will expose stealth aircraft PROVIDING ASSURANCE IN YOUR SYSTEMS - MEDALLION FOUNDATION Position Available: Professional Pilot Concentration Full-Time Temporary Faculty POSITION AVAILABLE: FOQA SPECIALIST "Human Factors in Flight Safety" training, Lisbon, Portugal June 2018 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 1 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 2 Incident: Laser MD82 at Maracaibo on Apr 23rd 2018, engine shut down in flight A Laser Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-82, registration YV3244 performing flight QL-941 from Maracaibo to Caracas (Venezuela), was climbing out of Maracaibo when the crew needed to shut the right hand engine (JT8D) down and returned to Maracaibo for a safe landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b7b91f6&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Republic E175 near Memphis on Apr 22nd 2018, turbulence injures flight attendant A Republic Airlines Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of United, registration N752YX performing flight XY-3548/UA-3548 from New Orleans,LA to Newark,NJ (USA), was climbing through FL330 out of New Orleans about 100nm south of Memphis,TN when the aircraft encountered turbulence causing injuries to a flight attendant. The aircraft diverted to Memphis for a safe landing about 30 minutes later. The FAA reported a flight attendant broke a rib in turbulent flight conditions, the injury was rated serious. The aircraft remained on the ground in Memphis for about 2.5 hours, then continued the flight and reached Newark with a delay of 3 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL3548/history/20180422/1525Z/KMSY/KEWR http://avherald.com/h?article=4b7b8589&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Southwest B738 near Tampa on Apr 22nd 2018, turbulence injures two flight attendants A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N8544Z performing flight WN-4851 from Nashville,TN to Tampa,FL (USA), was descending towards Tampa when the aircraft enountered severe turbulence. The aircraft continued for a safe landing in Tampa. The FAA reported two flight attendants reported minor injuries. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWA4851/history/20180422/2320Z/KBNA/KTPA Metars: KTPA 230153Z 17007KT 10SM FEW040 BKN250 23/19 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP174 T02330194= KTPA 230053Z 16007KT 10SM FEW016 SCT030TCU BKN055 23/18 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP172 TCU NW T02330183= KTPA 230014Z 13008G17KT 10SM SCT030TCU BKN045 OVC250 25/19 A3002 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NE-S TCU S AND W T02500194= KTPA 222353Z 11010KT 10SM VCTS SCT030TCU BKN045 OVC250 25/19 A3001 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT ALQDS SLP161 TCU S AND W T02500189 10322 20250 53012= KTPA 222335Z 12006G14KT 10SM SCT030TCU BKN250 26/19 A3000 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N-SE CB DSNT N-E TCU W T02560189= KTPA 222318Z 12008KT 10SM VCTS BKN030TCU BKN110 26/19 A2999 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N AND SE TCU OHD T02610194= KTPA 222310Z 10009G14KT 10SM BKN030TCU BKN110 26/19 A3000 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N-SE TCU OHD T02610194= KTPA 222253Z 12012G17KT 10SM VCTS BKN030TCU BKN110 27/19 A2999 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N-SE SLP155 CB DSNT N AND E TCU OHD T02720194= KTPA 222239Z 19009KT 10SM FEW040CB BKN250 28/21 A2998 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N-E CB DSNT NE-E T02830206= KTPA 222222Z 18011KT 10SM VCTS FEW040CB BKN250 28/21 A2996 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NE-SE CB DSNT NE-E T02830206= KTPA 222153Z 18011KT 10SM FEW045TCU BKN250 28/20 A2996 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E AND SE SLP144 TCU NE-E T02780200= http://avherald.com/h?article=4b7b81ac&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Lufthansa A320 near Dublin on Apr 23rd 2018, cracked windshield A Lufthansa Airbus A320-200, registration D-AIPY performing flight LH-978 from Frankfurt/Main (Germany) to Dublin (Ireland), was enroute at FL340 about 110nm east of Dublin (Ireland) when the crew reported the outer layer of the left hand windshield had cracked with no pressurization issue and descended their aircraft to FL100. The aircraft continued to Dublin for a safe landing about 30 minutes later. The aircraft is still on the ground in Dublin about 4 hours after landing. The return flight LH-979 was cancelled. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b7b557a&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top EASA updated and extended Conflict Zone Information Bulletins for Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, and Somalia The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) updated and extended the validity of its Conflict Zone Information Bulletins for Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, and Somalia to 23 October 2018. * CZIB-2017-01R3: Airspace of Mali within Niamey Flight Information Region * CZIB-2017-05R2: Airspace of Somalia * CZIB-2017-02R2: Airspace of Libya * CZIB-2017-08R1: Airspace of Afghanistan https://news.aviation-safety.net/2018/04/23/easa-updated-and-extended-conflict-zone-information- bulletins-for-afghanistan-libya-mali-and-somalia/ Back to Top TSB Canada factual update on Fond-du-Lac ATR 42 accident: aircraft had ice contamination on takeoff The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released a factual update on its investigation (A17C0146) into the fatal ATR 42 aircraft accident that occurred in Fond-du-Lac, Canada, on 13 December 2017. The updates details the following sequence of events: * On 13 December 2017, an ATR 42-320 aircraft operated by West Wind Aviation arrived at Fond- du-Lac Airport at 17:25 central standard time. * During the descent, the aircraft encountered icing conditions and the anti-icing and de-icing systems were activated. When the de-icing and anti-icing systems were turned off, residual ice remained on portions of the aircraft. * The aircraft stayed at the Fond-du-Lac Airport to board new passengers and cargo. * The operator, West Wind Aviation, had some de-icing equipment in the terminal building at the airport. The de-icing equipment that was available to WestWind Aviation in Fond-du-Lac consisted of two ladders, a hand-held spray bottle with electric blanket and wand, and a container of de- icing fluid. However, the aircraft was not de-iced before takeoff, and the takeoff was commenced with ice contamination on the aircraft. * The aircraft departed Fond-du-Lac Airport at 18:11 for Stony Rapids. * At 18:12, shortly after takeoff, the aircraft collided with trees and terrain less than a mile west of the end of Runway 28. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2018/04/23/tsb-canada-released-a-factual-update-on-fond-du-lac-atr- 42-accident-citing-ice-contamination-on-the-aircraft-on-takeoff/ **************** Status: Preliminary - official Date: Wednesday 13 December 2017 Time: 18:12 Type: ATR 42-320 Operator: West Wind Aviation Registration: C-GWEA C/n / msn: 240 First flight: 1991-03-08 (26 years 10 months) Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PW121 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 Passengers: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 22 Total: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 25 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: W of Fond-du-Lac Airport, SK (ZFD) ( Canada) Phase: Initial climb (ICL) Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Fond-du-Lac Airport, SK (ZFD/CZFD), Canada Destination airport: Stony Rapids Airport, SK (YSF/CYSF), Canada Flightnumber: 280 Narrative: A West Wind Aviation ATR 42-300 collided with trees and terrain shortly after takeoff from Fond-du-Lac Airport (CZFD), Canada. The aircraft was destroyed. Six passengers and one crew member sustained serious injuries. Eighteen other aircraft occupants were also injured. One of the passengers, a 19-year old male, died of his injuries on December 25. The wreckage path is at least 800 feet long and the aircraft came to rest in an upright position, but tilted steeply to the right. The fuselage ruptured at about seating row number 3. Environment Canada's forecast for Fond-du-Lac Wednesday the night of the accident called for cloudy conditions with a 30 per cent chance of flurries and a low of -19°C. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20171213-0 Back to Top FAA Statement on Issuing Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) FAA Statement on Issuing Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD)The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) that requires operators to inspect fan blades on certain CFM56-7B engines within 20 days. The directive is based on a CFM International Service Bulletin issued today and on information gathered from the investigation of Tuesday's Southwest Airlines engine failure. The inspection requirement applies to CFM56-7B engines. Specifically, engines with more than 30,000 total cycles from new must complete inspections within 20 days. The EAD becomes effective upon publication. The engine manufacturer estimates today's corrective action affects 352 engines in the U.S. and 681 engines worldwide. https://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=90125 Back to Top Cargo Pilots Oppose Single-Pilot Proposal The FAA funding bill now under consideration in Congress includes allocations for research into single- piloted commercial aircraft, and several pilot advocacy groups are lobbying hard against it, citing safety and security concerns. "The desire by some in the industry to pursue single-piloted or autonomously piloted cargo aircraft seriously places the American public and the flight crews of these aircraft in a tenuous position," says a joint statement issued by the cargo pilots of the Air Line Pilots Association, the Independent Pilots Association, and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Airline Division. "By endorsing language that promotes single-operator commercial cargo aircraft, Congress will undermine years of safety and security measures currently in place and put lives at risk," the pilot groups said. The bill specifies that the research and development program would be conducted by the FAA, in consultation with NASA and other relevant agencies. The program would study the technology needed for a single pilot to fly a cargo aircraft, assisted by remote piloting and computers. "With the increasing frequency and severity of reports regarding computer hacking, accidents in current military and civilian drone operations, and mounting reports of autonomous vehicle accidents, we think any serious consideration of this technology is premature at best," the pilot groups said. https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Cargo-Pilots-Oppose-Single-Pilot-Proposal-230717-1.html Back to Top Synthetic Vision: A Must-Have for the Next Generation of Pilots? Junior pilots from Avianca Airlines traveled to Boeing's 24/7 international flight-training facility in January to show how pilots can improve their ability to recover from engine failures and other hazardous in-flight situations. A Boeing 787-9 is climbing out of Ecuador's Mariscal Sucre International Airport, one of the busiest airports in South America. Volcanic ash suddenly sweeps across the airplane, rupturing the engines dead, disabling the auxiliary power unit (APU) and leaving one hydraulic system operational. This is one of the scenarios in which 24 junior "ab-initio" pilots from Avianca Airlines used synthetic vision to perform a near safe landing - with no prior experience with the equipment. Ab-initio pilots are pilots who are in the earliest stages of their career and are preparing to obtain a type rating and begin flying commercial passenger-carrying aircraft. In a 2017 Space Act Agreement between Avianca Airlines, Boeing and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), young, non-native, English-speaking, non-military pilots demonstrated with a full-motion 787-9 with modified software providing weather-independent synthetic-vision cockpit displays that they could learn to use synthetic vision to land an airplane under some stressful situations pilots might experience on a daily basis. As part of this research project, Rockwell Collins provided the synthetic vision hardware, which L3 Technologies integrated into the simulator facility. Over the past decade, NASA has published several studies on using synthetic vision for improved situational awareness for pilots. Because of security constraints, NASA typically relies on research study participants who are highly experienced pilots (often military) and native English speakers, which doesn't reflect today's global pilot community. Avianca pilots, like most commercial airline pilots today, train in simulators and cockpits that use classic cockpit displays using the blue-over-brown depiction of the aircraft's heading, airspeed, attitude and other critical information about how the aircraft is flying on a primary flight display. Synthetic vision is a cockpit technology that merges high-resolution display with databases of terrain and obstacle data, aeronautical information, data feeds from other aircraft and global positioning system (GPS) to show pilots where they are and what exists outside of the aircraft. The technology on the displays was the subject of research performed at NASA Langley Research Center and led by Kyle Ellis, a research technical lead at the agency. NASA selected Avianca for the research because it wanted to go outside of its normal assortment of pilots that it uses for such research, typically career pilots with thousands of hours of experience flying commercially. Aside from having no prior training using synthetic vision to land airplanes, the pilots had never seen it prior to being placed into simulated approaches into some of Latin America's most difficult airports, represented by Boeing's full-motion simulators in Miami. Their performance using the technology to land in life-threatening situations is being analyzed by NASA right now to determine how little training the next generation of pilots would need with such an intuitive technology that represents the type of interactive graphical user interface that they have become accustomed to on modern mobile smartphone and tablet apps. "We have destinations at high terrain altitudes in mountainous areas, where the airway structure is complex, where the route altitudes are pretty high," said Leonardo Roldan, Avianca's training manager. "We have many route altitudes up to 25,000 feet. Having a perspective of what the terrain looks like, it allows the pilot to have more knowledge of the surrounding, to make better decisions." Roldan had to go through the approval of his manager, Nelson Quiroga, training director of Avianca Holdings, as well as the Colombian carrier's VP of Flight Operations Eduardo Mendoza to get approval for the Avianca pilots to perform the training. Eventually Avianca CEO Hernan Rincon approved the use of the pilots for the research project free of charge to NASA, which also obtained the use of the Boeing 787-9 simulator with no cost, under its Space Act Agreement. Currently, NASA researchers are analyzing the data collected from the Avianca experiment, concentrating on the performance of the young pilots. But Roldan, who witnessed the scenarios himself was convinced of the safety improvement benefits of synthetic vision, especially for the millennial generation of pilots. "Their performance using the technology was better under those scenarios than it would have been while using the current technology that they fly with," said Roldan. "I think it has to do with the new generation and what they're used to handling earlier in life. They have the iPads, the touchscreens at a very early age, so it made it easier for them to use this type of virtual world representation that they could see on the display, even if they could not see outside of the cockpit." Avianca's route structure features some of the most difficult environments in South America. They encounter unpredictable severe weather patterns often, where synthetic vision could allow for a safer method of dealing with degraded visual environments. "Everything is LaGuardia on steroids," said Daniel Kiggins, a 34-year captain with American Airlines and NASA research pilot, describing the airport approach environments with which pilots are commonly faced in Colombia and throughout South America. Kiggins helped write the scenarios where volcanic ash would disable the engines of a 787 while on approach to Mariscal Sucre, an international airport in Quito, Ecuador, among other hazardous in-flight situations. The airport historically is one of the most difficult high-altitude airports to land at in the world. According to Kiggins, all 24 of Avianca's ab-initio pilots were able to get within 500 feet of the runway despite losing engines, APUs and all but one hydraulic system on approach. "Losing both engines out of the volcanic ash, you don't have a quick fix or a real set of options that you can apply to that type of situation," said Roldan. "Seeing the performance of the co-pilot while having these issues in a simulator - and how close [the pilots] were able to get to the runway - and the final result of the exercise is a safe landing, it's clear that synthetic vision is a game-changing navigation capability." According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of commercial airline pilots is projected to grow 4% from 2016 to 2026, with the majority of job opportunities resulting from the need to replace pilots who are approaching retirement age. Recent examples of industry moves by major carriers show that a potential pilot shortage is real. Ryanair, for example, made international headlines in September 2017 when it canceled 20,000 flights because it did not have enough standby pilots. In February, Australia's largest carrier, Qantas, announced plans to establish an academy to train 500 pilots per year in order to address its need for skilled aviators. The academy will open in 2019. At the 2018 Singapore Air Show, Singapore Airlines announced a new partnership with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to give future pilots a fast track to a career flying airplanes in Asia Pacific, which Boeing estimates needs 253,000 new pilots between now and 2036 to support projected air traffic growth in the region. Combine this with evidence presented to Embry-Riddle's 2017 National Training Symposium. Geoffrey Murray, an aerospace sector leader for aviation consulting firm Oliver Wyman, said that 10 years ago, the typical ATP-rated pilot had 15 years of experience and was a college graduate in his or her late 30s. Today, the military accounts for only 30% of new airline hires. Graduates with professional pilot degrees decreased by more than 23% between 2002 and 2012, according to Murray. As younger pilots are needed to fill the growing shortage faster, studies such as the Avianca experiment can provide proof that placing the next generation of pilots into cockpits with synthetic vision could only increase their chances of surviving the types of stressful scenarios that pilots can only become accustomed to with real-world, on-the-job experience. "The pilot population is getting younger and younger, and they're coming to commercial aviation with less experience," said Capt. Jim Wilkerson, flight crew training instructor for Boeing. Wilkerson provided an overview of the scenarios used by the Avianca pilots inside the simulators at Boeing's Miami training facility. "When the engines fail, that can be jarring, and synthetic vision has the ability to improve the reaction time of pilots to allow them to safely recover the airplane," he said. Synthetic vision is not a standard capability in today's commercial airliner cockpits because airlines have to think in terms of the training expense that is associated with any and every cockpit modification they make. As an example, in its annual report published in February, Delta Air Lines claimed to have 13,324 pilots on staff. When considering investing in synthetic vision, an airline such as Delta has to consider the cost of time in flight-training simulators, which can cost up to $500 per hour in some facilities. Multiply that cost per pilot, and add the additional cost of paying workers to install it on all 900 of Delta's airplanes, and there is no business case. Furthermore, it also isn't going to necessarily save costs by reducing fuel burn or carbon emissions; it's main purpose is to improve safety. Through trainings and research around studies though, such as the one with Avianca, Boeing and NASA, the evidence is becoming overwhelming for why the next generation of pilots entering cockpits should have synthetic vision as a standard feature in future airliner cockpits. "Every pilot wants it, and we want it for our kids. We want safer planes for our kids," said Kiggins. The research performed using the Avianca pilots could lead to a future where the next generation of airliners come with synthetic vision as standard. NASA researchers also see it as a pre-cursor to the future use of combined vision systems, which merge synthetic vision and enhanced vision systems - a display with forward-looking infrared systems and millimeter wave radar - to give pilots a view of the outside world that the human eye is incapable of producing. http://www.aviationtoday.com/2018/04/23/synthetic-vision-must-next-generation-pilots/ Back to Top Rolls-Royce Considers China Venture for New Wide-Body Jet * U.K. company is in talks with Aero Engine Corporation of China * Discussions centered on possible cooperation to supply engines Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc is in talks with Aero Engine Corporation of China on a possible partnership that would see the companies jointly supply engines for a new wide-body aircraft planned by China and Russia, according to people familiar with the matter. The two companies met earlier this year on whether to cooperate on the turbine for the CR929 wide- body, said the people, who asked not to be named because the talks are still at a preliminary stage and may not result in a deal. A request for proposals for the engine has already been issued with responses due in May, at which time the prospects for the venture may change in line with the airplane maker's specifications, the people said. A model of the CR929 aircraft.Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg The new aircraft manufacturer formed by Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China and Russia's United Aircraft Corp., called CRAIC, is aimed at breaking up the duopoly in wide-bodies controlled by Boeing Co. and Airbus SE and follows efforts by Comac to build its own single-aisle aircraft. That plane uses engines manufactured exclusively by CFM International, a joint venture between General Electric Co. and France's Safran SA. The CR929 is slated to be a 280-seat widebody jet that can fly about 12,000 kilometers (7,500 miles). In May last year, UAC Chairman Yury Slyusar told Bloomberg News in Shanghai that the new plane will need "billions of U.S. dollars" in investment and it aims delivery of the airplane to customers by 2025- 2027. China's Ambition Representatives for AECC couldn't be reached for comment at their office in Beijing, while Rolls-Royce wasn't immediately available. Any agreement on the new engine would help China in its ambition to become a major player in aerospace manufacturing, giving it access to the complex intellectual property and design-work used to build large jet engines. It's also a signal of how far Rolls-Royce is willing to go to secure contracts related to a future competitive aircraft. The development of the narrowbody C919 and the widebody CR929 is at the center of President Xi Jinping's strategy to modernize China's manufacturing industry and compete against giants such as the U.S., Germany and Japan. As trade tensions escalated between the U.S. and China this year, the world's No. 2 economy in April proposed 25 percent tariff on some American-made planes, including some variants of Boeing's 737 jets. London-based Rolls-Royce company is weighing offering an updated version of its Trent 7000 engine that is used to power the Airbus A330neo, due for first delivery this year, and is derived from the turbine powering Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, one of the people said. The bigger and newer Trent XWB that powers the A350 dual-aisle jet uses core technology that Rolls is reluctant to share, said the person. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-23/rolls-royce-is-said-to-mull-china-venture-for- new-wide-body-jet Back to Top United Airlines CEO's 2017 pay halved; chairman to step down * Munoz told employees he passed up a bonus to show "accountability." * His 2017 compensation was nearly half of his 2016 pay. * United Continental Holdings' chairman won't seek reelection. Oscar Munoz, CEO of United Airlines. The 2017 pay for the CEO of United Airlines was nearly half that of the year before, as the airline faced a number of public relations disasters, including the violent dragging of a passenger off one of its flights last April. Oscar Munoz took home $9.56 million last year, nearly half of compensation in 2016, the company said in a filing on Monday. Munoz told employees that he suggested that the company's compensation committee not give him a bonus. In the letter to employees, which was seen by CNBC, Munoz said: "I felt it was important to send a message about the culture of accountability and integrity that we are building here as a United team." "We had some incredible successes in 2017, but also some setbacks," he said. United Continental Holdings, the airline's parent, is set have a new chairman, as well. Current chairman, Robert Milton, the former CEO of Air Canada, will not seek reelection, the company said in the filing. Another board member, Laurence Simmons, is also not seeking reelection and the board will be reduced from 16 to 14 members. The airline has faced numerous challenges since the dragging of passenger David Dao off a flight in April 2017 after he refused to deplane to make room for a commuting crew member. Several pets died aboard its planes, including a French bulldog puppy that had been placed in an overhead bin last month. The airline's aggressive expansion plan also spooked investors earlier this year. But better-than-expected profits last week appeared to assuage some of those concerns. The company's stock is up more than 4 percent so far this year, compared with a more than 10 percent drop in American Airlines' share price and 2.5 percent drop in Delta Air Lines' stock. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/23/united-airlines-ceos-2017-pay-halved-chairman-to-step-down.html Back to Top Aircraft Accidents and 60 Minutes By: Stephen Carbone Paul Harvey passed away in 2009; he embodied common sense when journalism was still impartial. He is remembered for such quotes, "If 'pro' is the opposite of 'con', what is the opposite of 'progress'?". My age group best remembers him for The Rest of the Story, a series of stories ... about stories; they delved deeper into a narrative than was originally reported, giving both humorous or dramatic information that made a great story so much greater. He remains the Master. Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes recently reported a story about Allegiant Air called Flying Under the Radar; he hoped to highlight Allegiant's safety violation problems and any Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight. Mister Kroft's investigative reporting was questionable. Does Allegiant have safety issues? Yes. Do all airlines have safety issues? Again, yes. Is the FAA broken? Absolutely. Do we trust the Federal Government for its experience; can its objectivity and integrity be believed? No ... just, no. It is never okay to yell 'FIRE' in a crowded movie house. Safety and lives are compromised as people scramble for the safest exit. Such is the way with aviation safety; one does not call what's 'UNBROKEN', 'BROKEN', while ignoring what is actually broken. Southwest Airlines flight 1380's recent mid-air, uncontained engine failure accident; will it get the much needed attention? With Southwest flight 3461's diversion to Panama City and Steve Kroft's Allegiant Air drama muddying the waters, will Southwest 1380's urgency get lost in the minutiae, the danger left unaddressed for days? The 60 Minutes webpage: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/allegiant-air-the-budget-airline-flying-under- the-radar/, provided a transcript. First off, Steve Kroft is not an aviator; he would not know a Turbine Engine from a Ram Air Turbine. It is arrogant for a celebrity to advise the aviation industry on how to police its own. He is a reporter who relies on his own skills to tell 'Steve Kroft's story'. His team possesses trade secrets on setting up interviews, e.g. the proper backdrop; artificial lighting versus sunlight; shadow use; make-up application; takes and retakes for capturing the 'proper reaction', etc. Then, employing these skills, Mister Kroft interviewed former passengers. What linked them? Being on terrifying Allegiant flights. They are not aviators, but that fact is never a prerequisite for being afraid. The first was a young woman who tearfully relayed her fear of never seeing her daughter again after the right engine on her Allegiant flight caught fire. Seeing flames exit the rear of an engine is scary, no doubt; it also begs the question: Why didn't the pilot just stop the aircraft after the engine vomited flames? Two facts could have allayed this woman's fears. First fact, all two-engine airliners are designed to fly on one engine in just such an emergency. Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 25.121 Climb: One-Engine Inoperative speaks to these designs. In other words, the passengers were not in danger. Mister Kroft ignored this fact; instead, he exploited the woman's crying. Second, the airliner could not be stopped. Simply put, once the airliner's take-off roll passes a 'point of no return' - Rotation Speed - the airliner is committed to flight. If the pilots slammed the nose down to stop, the outcome could have been disastrous, resulting in multiple fatalities, thus the need for 14 CFR Part 25.121. A second passenger told a story about smoke in the cabin. Mister Kroft makes a comment that the cabin filled with hydraulic fluid fumes from Skydrol, an oily hydraulic fluid. Why weren't the oxygen masks dropped? The fact is that Oxygen, in pure form - as from an oxygen mask - reacts violently to airborne lubricants and oils. Skydrol would not burn; Oxygen, however, would, causing burns to faces and lungs. Since the aircraft was on the ground, why not open the four overwing exit window plugs or the entry door, get fresh air circulating throughout the cabin? If I was choking, I would have forgone permission and removed the overwing exits myself. In this event, the airline's emergency procedures must be rewritten. However, not dropping the Oxygen masks was a good call. Mister Kroft interviewed John Duncan, Executive Director of FAA's Flight Standards Division. This was a mistake on so many levels. If Mister Kroft really wanted hard answers about why enforcements against Allegiant were not followed through; if Mister Kroft was really serious about fixing safety mismanagement, John Duncan was not the person to ask. To be clear: Mister Kroft can ask Mister Duncan about anything; Mister Duncan should have been better prepared for any and all questions, but John Duncan was not the person with that enforcement information or that duty. The FAA's Office of the Chief Counsel (OCC) - the FAA's Legal Division - is responsible for enforcements; it is the FAA OCC's decision not to pursue safety violation prosecutions. Mister Kroft edited in a few 'gotcha' questions, but the interview's 'search for answers' was a waste of Mister Duncan's time and the viewer's time. Much in Mister Kroft's report was made about the Tampa Bay Times (TBT) reporting on Allegiant's safety issues from January 2015(?) - or, was it December 2015(?) - to January 2016. In April 2016, TBT's investigative reporting concluded that, the FAA found no deficiencies and that Allegiant was re-certified for five more years. Wha-a-at? Air carrier certificates do not expire! They are valid until surrendered, revoked or suspended. Unless there are records of these actions, there would be no recertification. TBT conducted an investigatory report in an unknown timeframe; they then reported a recertification that did not happen. The TBT is to be commended for pursuing the story, but it is not read by FAA management in Washington, DC. Furthermore, the Certificate Management Office for Allegiant is in Nevada, not Florida; the Principal Inspectors for Allegiant are in Nevada. If the TBT wants to alert the FAA about safety, they need to communicate to Washington, DC and Nevada where the people who can actually affect change are located. Since Mister Kroft does not have aviation experience, he acquired two experts. His aim was to use qualified people to express the opinions he wants expressed. Enter former NTSB Board Member, John Goglia and former FAA Attorney, Loretta Alkalay. Before introducing his experts, Kroft points to Service Difficulty Reports (SDR) that, "we have been scrutinizing". Who are Mister Kroft's 'we' people? It is John Goglia's interview that stands out; he demonstrates that political prowess he's lorded over reporters for decades, saying one thing while subliminally winking at the camera. Vague questions are answered with vague opinions, e.g. "we've seen that in airlines". Where? What airlines? "I try to push Allegiant to clean up their operation." Did Mister Goglia really review Allegiant's operations? Of course not, but Mister Kroft is sold, eagerly accepting this feedback at face value. He's been played by the best. Mister Goglia's most telling reveal, however, is his statement about SDRs, "Well, just the service difficulty reports say that- somebody's not paying attention." Again, John Goglia knows. By definition, an SDR means someone is paying attention; that 14 CFR Parts 121.703, 135.415 and 145.221 Service Difficulty Reports dictate to all certificate holders to report serious failures and malfunctions. Allegiant filed SDRs, but do they point to one particular aircraft? To one particular fleet? To one component? To one flight control? To one instrument system? Why were the SDRs written? Mister Kroft cannot provide answers. Mister Kroft's ambiguity casts doubt on his report's accuracy; he sacrifices truth for unsubstantiated allegations, like when he is concerned with the "antiquated, gas-guzzling" MD-80. Two other major airlines still fly the MD-80. Should the flying public be running from the airports? Mister Goglia, again, tries to spoon feed issues Mister Kroft is missing. "We've seen some problems with the contractors that they've used." Who is this phantom 'we' group Mister Goglia refers to? Mister Kroft misses it. More importantly, Allegiant's contract maintenance providers don't solely work on Allegiant aircraft. Big Repair Stations (maintenance providers) have multiple big Operator clients. John Goglia knows this; he really tries to open Mister Kroft's eyes to a bigger picture of the industry. Instead, Steve Kroft glazes over as the facts elude him. Points to John Goglia for at least trying. Loretta Alkalay, former FAA Legal representative from the FAA OCC, also makes vague comments based on hearsay. This dialog, however, is very disappointing. Ms. Alkalay condemns the FAA's legal actions, attacking her former colleagues' decisions based on her reading of one letter supplied by ... Mister Kroft? Did she speak to Allegiant's FAA Principal Operations Inspector? Did she call Allegiant's Chief Pilot? Mister Kroft misses another opportunity to see the bigger picture. Noting another FAA 'failure', Ms. Alkalay states that Allegiant received a 'slap on the wrist'. After an FAA Inspector pushed for harsher enforcement action, the violation was reduced to a Letter of Correction because of the FAA's new Compliance Philosophy. Ms. Alkalay calls this decision, "basically nothing." Where did the FAA's new Compliance Philosophy come from? Answer: The FAA Legal Department, the OCC; they are the final word on enforcements. Ms. Alkalay and her former colleagues wrote the new Compliance Philosophy she is now condemning. If Mister Kroft interviewed the FAA's Chief Counsel, and not Mister Duncan, he would have gotten answers to his questions. Let's recap. Steve Kroft's 60 Minutes story focused on: (1) an engine fire that was not life- threatening. (2) Smoke in a cabin where possible injury was averted by Allegiant's flight crew. (3) Tampa Bay Times' stories where the obscure newspaper misdirected its coverage. (4) Re-certifications that did not happen. (5) A Compliance Philosophy criticized by a person who helped write it. (6) Unfounded concerns about contract maintenance; misunderstanding the purpose of SDRs; an interview with the wrong FAA official; unanswered questions; ambiguous reporting; opinions in place of facts; no expert solutions and misinformation about safety items. Now, three US Senators are crying for investigations into, what amounts to, the wrong problems and irresponsible sensationalism. Paul Harvey's integrity is truly gone. Mister Kroft wasted an opportunity to make a positive impact on Allegiant's safety culture. There were no revelations here; no lessons learned. Should the FAA be scrutinized? Yes. Investigate Allegiant Airlines? Make it happen. But let the findings be fact-based, with real solutions. Do not let important safety items fall victim to ignorance and emotion. Stephen Carbone https://danieltenace.com/2018/04/21/aircraft-accidents-and-60-minutes/ Back to Top Quantum radar will expose stealth aircraft Stealth aircraft in the Canadian arctic will be no match for a new quantum radar system. Researchers at the University of Waterloo are developing a new technology that promises to help radar operators cut through heavy background noise and isolate objects-including stealth aircraft and missiles- with unparalleled accuracy. "In the Arctic, space weather such as geomagnetic storms and solar flares interfere with radar operation and make the effective identification of objects more challenging," said Jonathan Baugh, a faculty member at the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) and a professor in the Department of Chemistry who is leading the project with three other researchers at IQC and the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN). "By moving from traditional radar to quantum radar, we hope to not only cut through this noise, but also to identify objects that have been specifically designed to avoid detection." Stealth aircraft rely on special paint and body design to absorb and deflect radio waves-making them invisible to traditional radar. They also use electronic jamming to swamp detectors with artificial noise. With quantum radar, in theory, these planes will not only be exposed, but also unaware they have been detected. Technology to improve national defence Quantum radar uses a sensing technique called quantum illumination to detect and receive information about an object. At its core, it leverages the quantum principle of entanglement, where two photons form a connected, or entangled, pair. The method works by sending one of the photons to a distant object, while retaining the other member of the pair. Photons in the return signal are checked for telltale signatures of entanglement, allowing photons from the noisy environmental background to be discarded. This can greatly improve the radar signal-to-noise in certain situations. But in order for quantum radar to work in the field, researchers first need to realize a fast, on-demand source of entangled photons. "The goal for our project is to create a robust source of entangled photons that can be generated at the press of a button," said Baugh. To date, quantum illumination has only been explored in the laboratory. The Government of Canada, under the Department of National Defence's All Domain Situational Awareness (ADSA) Science & Technology program, is investing $2.7 million to expedite its use in the field. The 54 North Warning System (NWS) radar stations, based in the Arctic and operated by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), are nearing the end of their life spans and could need to be replaced as early as 2025. "This project will allow us to develop the technology to help move quantum radar from the lab to the field," said Baugh. "It could change the way we think about national security." https://phys.org/news/2018-04-quantum-radar-expose-stealth-aircraft.html#jCp Back to Top Back to Top DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE Professional Pilot Concentration Full-Time Temporary Faculty The Aerospace Department at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is seeking qualified applicants for a Professional Pilot concentration full-time temporary faculty position (#103570) at the rank of Lecturer. Start date for the position is August 1, 2018. This is a one-year temporary position with possible annual contract renewal up to three years total. The successful candidate will be expected to teach a variety of flight-related courses in the Professional Pilot concentration and to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with the aviation industry. A Master's degree in Aerospace, Aviation, Aerospace Engineering or related field at time of appointment is required. Applicants must have a FAA Commercial Sincel and Multi-Engine certificate and a valid Flight Instructor certificate (CFI, CFII, and MEI) or a FAA ATP Certificate and valid Flight Instructor Certificates (CFI, CFII, MEI). Application review 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 Aerospace Department MTSU P.O. Box 67 Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132 Office: (615) 898-2788 Back to Top POSITION AVAILABLE: FOQA SPECIALIST Processes day-to-day Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) data using the Ground Data Replay Analysis System (GDRAS) and performs routine data analysis. Creates weekly and monthly deliverables in addition to working with Gatekeepers and other members of Safety and FOQA Management Team (FMT). 50%: Supports the FOQA Program Manager with daily administration of the FOQA efforts to ensure analysis of flight data for improved flight safety including validation of FOQA events, identification of events for Gatekeeper contacts and identification of events for Maintenance reporting 20%: Performs data analysis, root cause analysis and determines corrective actions of digital flight data to determine adverse events, trends in flight and maintenance operations. Coordinates and validates aircraft specific event definitions. Maintains and identifies new FOQA events, and manages documentation supporting these functions. 20%: Prepares flight operations trending analysis charts and reports. Compiles and presents FOQA data summaries to enhance training, maintenance, flight operations. Performs specialized studies and fulfills special data requests. Assists in the creation of safety and FOQA department publications. Prepares reports, presentations, and statistical data required to identify trends for safety enhancement. 10%: Oversees data collection process of aircraft fleet in conjunction with Maintenance MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Education Level: Bachelor's Degree Course of Study/Major: Aviation, flight technology, engineering, statistics or related area or a combination of education and experience. Related Work Experience: 0-2 years Required * Basic computer programming and statistical methods experience. * Strong work ethic, ability to work in a fast-paced environment and a positive attitude toward teamwork. * Previous experience maintaining and enhancing corporate safety standards and safe operation practices. * Extensive working knowledge of Microsoft Office Programs, including spreadsheet and database applications. * Travel up to 10% of the time, including overnight stays. Preferred * FAA Commercial Pilot License or higher * Prior experience with Austin Digital or equivalent GDRAS platforms * Knowledge of aircraft flight data recorders * Previous work experience, preferably in 14 CFR Part 121 or 135 air carrier operations; quality control, maintenance, operations, safety or a combination of these areas. **TO APPLY: please visit our career page at: https://www.netjets.com, requisition #1890** "Human Factors in Flight Safety" training, Lisbon, Portugal June 2018: Registrations now open Registrations are now open for the EAAP-recognised "Human Factors in Flight Safety" training course to be held in Lisbon from 25-29 June 2018. NetJets will kindly host the course at their European HQ in Lisbon. Full details are provided in the course Information and Registration Brochure, available from the EAAP (European Association for Aviation Psychology) website: https://www.eaap.net/read/4212/initial-human-factors-in-flight-safety.html The experienced team of Brent Hayward and Dr Alan Hobbs will conduct this training course on behalf of EAAP. This year's course will also feature several special guest speakers. The first of these courses was conducted by at Ispra, Italy in 1999, and since then the course has been continually updated and held regularly in locations including Luxembourg, Stockholm, Madrid, Lisbon, Interlaken, Dublin, Dubai and Barcelona, with a total of more than 450 participants attending to date. As detailed in the Information and Registration Brochure, there is a significant "Early Bird" discount for those who register by 22 May 2018. EAAP members are offered further reduced registration fees. Please note that completion of this training course is recognised by EAAP as contributing towards requirements for those wishing to become an EAAP-certified Aviation Psychologist or Human Factors Specialist. Course participant numbers are limited, so those wishing to attend are encouraged to register and make hotel bookings as soon as possible. Those with any questions about the course, please email Brent Hayward: bhayward@dedale.net Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 1 Dear Participant: Graduate students at Lewis University have invited you to participate in a research project entitled: Evaluating, Attitudes, and Opinions on the Cyber Threat Vulnerabilities of Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast. The purpose of this survey is to collect survey data from the aviation communities on beliefs of current ADS-B security and its present issues. This study has been approved by Lewis University's Institutional Review Board (IRB). The survey is anonymous. Participation in this research is completely voluntary and you may refuse to participate without consequence. The survey will take approximately ten minutes to complete. If you would like to know the results of this research, contact faculty advisor Dr. Erik Baker at bakerer@lewisu.edu. Thank you for your consideration. Your help is greatly appreciated. Survey link: https://goo.gl/forms/MP1833a6acHXBLGn2 Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 2 Dear Participant: Hello my name is DEREK HAYNES and I am an MSc student at City University of London and a Captain on the B787. However would you kindly please spare me a few minutes of your valuable time to complete my Air Transport Management MSc Jet Airline Pilot Survey - preferably by 30th April 2018, (it is anonymous). It takes <10 mins. Thanks a million, Derek. The survey can be completed here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/TWKHCFK Curt Lewis